Old Friends

We went to the opening of the Creative Kids Daycare Center this morning in Morgan Crossing. This is the 8th center for Sandra, Dave and June's daughter whom we haven't seen for about 15 years.

The design of the centers is amazing, 4 separate sections for the 4 age groups and outdoor areas divided in 3 as well and 58 employees now.

The carpets and decals are delightful, so colourful.

A Happy 80th

We celebrated our friend's 80th at Friday Night Pool. One original group met at the Palms Bar on the way to  Birch Bay in the 70's and joined us playing pool at the old Eagles Club in the 80's in Blaine. That club was housed in a renovated chicken coop in the beginning. So our friendships have been for 31+ years

                                                   

Synchronicity Festival

We had a great time at this festival with a circus in the woods.

Musicians posing as statues that came alive and played as a young woman twirled high in the trees. 

There was a 3D printer that was fascinating.

Family Fun

When these folks have a party, all the kids come along.

 Lots of trampoline time.

A sprinkle of rain started, but up went the shade canopies.

This back yard is the best thing ever.

Off to Gibsons

I met Suz and Hana  at Park Royal and we went off to an audition.

                      Next was the Oasis Car Wash which was started in 1952, washing by hand in Burnaby..

                                Then on to the Ferry.

My Crescent Beach Houses

This is the house where I raised my kids. It was a small 3 bedroom until we ripped off the roof and added the 2nd floor.

Next we moved to Gilley St. backing onto the dike and put a firepit and yard in front facing west.
We spent all our time sitting out there and the neighbours all dropped by. The garage and fence came later.

As kids we had a small cottage just off the Spit. It was a one level and we would sneak out the window to go swim nude by the pier, ducking down when the crab boats came chugging by. Our tired old cottage was torn down this past year and a beautiful house is now there. They sure used the whole 50 x 100 lot.
Here's 3085 McBride.

                            

                                I love the flower-boxes in the back lane.  Great job.

Crescent Beach Walk

Mardie and I went for a great walk all over Crescent Beach where we moved in the 60's and raised our kids. It was a sleepy undiscovered spot then, no phones, cars, streetlights or mail delivery. We had chickens and goats in the back yards and our kids went out the door after breakfast and had the whole beach as their playground. They learned to swim early as we had train tracks on one side and ocean on the other 3 of our private peninsula.
Wicksons, where we used to  swim in their private swimming pool, is now a park. Can you believe it? - there is a crosswalk from the now paved parking lot in front of the CBSC pool to the park by the wharf on the Spit.

The pool we used to freeze in, is now heated and has changing rooms. What will they think up next?

The tennis courts where our toddlers dug in the sand and ate it, while we played tennis, now has curbs next to the paved parking lot.

The seahorse is still around.

  The old red barn still remains the same at Mathesons farm.

Now this is a Pig Roast

Another wonderful time with our friends and Lloyd roasting a pig.

Here's the whole set-up and here's the 55 lb pig. It's heated with whole coal pieces and is very hot.

All the good cooks provided their finest. Shot the diet all to the dickens.

Three Men and a Boy?

Nope - it took 4 grown men to put in our new windshield. Remember the large rock chip/blow we got on the way to Kitimat? The windshield is larger than a garbage can and needed a 'high-up' to lift it from the shipping truck.

The fellows had to hold it in place with suction cups and shift to fit it into the twin rubber seal.

                                                                    Not easy to move.

One guy then worked inside to force the seal back up into the edge of the window while the outside guys were still holding it with the suction cups seen here.

A job well done. Looks just like new. It's clean now too.

Great Party with the Pool Crowd.

We had a lovely time Sunday with our friends - thanks S and P, D and J. It was a blast.

Kids and Waterslides

We got together for Hana and Julies birthdays after the kids had a great day at the waterslides. The adults wore out and came home at 3:30.

                                          Then they played in this cool pool.

Neighbourhood Golf Tournament

Had a fantastic day and evening. Thanks to Dave and Karen who organized a golf tournament. About 24 played , Jan and I were with Bob and Steve. We played at Peace Portal, a very pretty course.

   Despite this being our 1st game of the year, I got a birdie and Jan got closest to the pin for women.

Then we all received prizes and had a great pot luck dinner.

 We had a toonie toss for a bottle which was hilarious.

 It was wonderful to see our community come together and raise money for one of our fellow neighbours- enjoy your trip D.L.  We all look forward to next years tournament - thanks again Dave!

                          

Jamaica, mon

We had a wonderful Jamaican dinner put on by friends here. The meal would start with meat patties.

They were were very tasty with Jamaican spices.
Deb boiled the green bananas which turned dark brown, then sliced them and poured melted butter over them. They tasted very much like a starchy potato.

In the meantime, Lloyd was cutting Plantains in 4ths, then sauteing in olive oil.

 Our hosts were preparing the tomatoes with onions in which the white fish would be cooked.

Then it was covered with Ackee fruit which looked like yellow brains.

I did 8 bags of Jamaican 'rice and peas" as they are called by the locals but are actually rice with red kidney beans, spicy and tasty. We had 4 kitchens on the go inside and out.

This was in honour of Jamaica's 151st birthday of Independence.
Wonderful party with our good friends.

There were some adventuresome costume effects.