Breaking News!!!!!!!!!!

This rates national coverage!!! Roger and Ron finally beat Carol and I at 'The Bitch', the card game we have been playing for 4 1/2 years. Surely this must qualify them for Canadian Men of the Year awards? You think?

Dinner with the kids

We had a great visit with the kids today. I took Josh our for a 1/2 hr driving lesson. He did very well but of course needs a lot more experience. We had a delicious dinner and very nice visit. They are certainly a nice family to be with. I had forgotten to take a picture of Zach with the blue jean quilt I'd made for him. Here it is with pockets, hanging threads and all.

Fun in Steveston

We had fun today. Thadene and Dave had to go to Steveston so we met them there for lunch. It is a very old fishing community on the outskirts of Richmond. It was largely populated by Japanese in the early 1900's and a thriving fishing industry until WWII when they were all interned inland during the war, having their boats and houses seized. A black mark in Canadian history, which had some redress a few years ago but definitely not enough. Today it is a very pleasant community centered around the waterfront where we lunched overlooking the dock and fleet. Fresh fish is sold off the boats - salmon, ling cod, rock fish and tuna today. There was a huge swan swimming by the wharf.

Good Friends

I worked for Realty World from 1979 to 1988 and still stay in touch with women from then. We met at the Olive Garden in Langley for lunch and had a great visit. I didn't realize I was that short.

Bid Euchre

We had nine for cards Sat. Very easy as our guests brought appy, salad, bread and dessert and I'd made Jambalaya earlier. We sat one out and had a great time playing our eight hands.

Davie Street

We went downtown to an appointment with a Rheumatologist for me. It was at the corner of Burrard and Davie, right near St. Pauls where I did my nurse's training. We passed the old Dunker's Donuts, now a Denny's. This was a cafe we could afford to go to about once a month for coffee and ice cream. We'd put coffee on our ice cream for a treat. On the corner there was a community garden, neat, right in the heart of a busy area. We passed a store with a doggy pit stop outside. Good news was that the pain in my thumb was mostly a cyst that had caught a tendon and it wasn't moving properly causing pain and inflamation. They injected cortisone and I seem 99% cured. Hallelujah!!!

Morning Walks

My timing has been perfect. Our swimming pool is cleaned M, W, F so I walk those days and swim T, Th, Sat. Each day I walked, the sun is shining and it is beautiful. I go down 0 Ave., right along the border to the Peace Arch Park. Today the tide was out so you could smell the salt air and it is invigorating to me. Such a gift. Here are some sculptures in the U.S. side of the park - brown birds cavorting, dogs dressed as friars in front of Dreighton Harbour, and the Peace Arch between U.S. and Canada with the Pacific Ocean behind. Tomorrow I swim and the forecast is for rain.

Millennium Line

We drove in to Burnaby to Cariboo RV Park, which I had never seen - very nice, to see Roger and Myrna. Then we all went to the Sky Train and took the Millennium Line out through New Westminster and right to downtown Vancouver to Waterfront. This is the old railway station with beautiful ceilings and art around the top. Next we got on the new line and rode out to the airport. It is mostly tunnel and you see it coming back in, looking down Cambie Street. You cross the over the Fraser River on 2 bridges, then tunnel under False Creek. We walked up Granville to see the ice skating rink but it is not active anymore. There were lots of buskers and fun on the street corners. There was tea at the Art Gallery which is wrapped in a floral print. The site of the old Devonshire Hotel is wrapped in a Canadian flag left over from the Olympics. We ended our afternoon having a bevy at the picnic table.

Easter Family Weekend

We went over to S and J and had our Easter dinner today. We had about 26 and had a wonderful time with family from Nelson, Merritt, Victoria and the lower mainland. We had tons of info to exchange, see the book Marika just wrote and illustrated, check out the college students, young executives and new children. Had a great time. We just love our family.

On to Washington

Off we went in light fog in the valleys. Oregon always looks like a fairyland to me. It is one of the states that truckers can drive with 3 tractors behind them. Not me! We actually had a good drive with sunshine between the clouds and 3 short 10 minute rain showers. Here is the Columbia River we crossed, looking up the Gorge, which is very popular for wind surfing in the summer. We took the 405 route around Seattle but you have to merge 5 times into the next highway and would not do this again. Got to Tulalip Casino about 5:30 and enjoyed a lovely dinner. We drove across the border Friday morning and are back at Pacific Border RV Park, our usual spot.