Visit Home

For my birthday, Will got me a plane ticket home to see my Nana on Vancouver Island over the Memorial Day weekend. This was the first time I have gone anywhere without at least one of my kids. It was odd to be alone, but I enjoyed the break and lack of responsibility. 

The reason for my trip

Mum and I went over to the island together. 

We got to sail on one of the newer, bigger ferries. This is the stern, featuring a coffee shop and...

a panoramic view. All ferries also have a restaurant and a gift shop. I love the ferry!

Being a government institution, Queen Elizabeth II always sails on the ferry, although I have noticed that her place isn't as prominent as it once was. 

The new Canadian $100 bill. It has a see-through strip and transparent maple leaf. The bills have a plastic-y feel to them. It even smells faintly of maple syrup. 

Chilliwack and Yarrow:

I also got a brief visit with my sister, nieces and nephews.

 My trip went by so fast, but I enjoyed being home with my family. 

Kyla's Kindergarten Program

Yesterday afternoon Kyla had her performance in the school gym. It was so cute to watch the little kids sing and dance.

Love the Summer

(Kyla has a speaking part)

I Can't Spell Hippopotamus

Wiggleworm/Statue

Humuhumunukunukuapau'a

Spring Time

I love the spring time. Even though we've been getting lots of rain and the weather changes drastically from one day to the next, I'm still enjoying the life that surrounds our house. 

A few years ago a robin built this nest. She laid four eggs, but after a short time, something got them. We left the nest up, hoping that another bird would come back to use it again. This year our patience was rewarded and a robin came back. 

Last week I took a peak inside the nest and I found these four beautiful eggs. 

Yesterday I checked on the nest again and I found it empty. We were all very sad that mama robin lost her eggs. 

A couple of weeks ago, lambs started appearing in the back field again. These were the first two. 

As of yesterday, there are about six or seven little lambs. We love to watch them and we will often stand out on the balcony with the binoculars. 

I love our chickens! These are Hilda, Isabelle and Penny.

My sweet little Hilda

Moira's chicken, Eagle

Our lilac tree is blooming and it makes our backyard smell so wonderful. Unfortunately, the blooms are already starting to die. The heavy rain we've been having hasn't helped with their longevity. 

Penelope hunting mice in the field behind our house 

These are a couple of pillows I made over the weekend. 

Special Birthday Thanks

I wanted to give a special thank you to my sweet Kyla who made these decorations for my birthday party. They are scattered all over the house. 

 And thank you to these two for showing up...

Birthday Cake flavoured Vodka and Chocolate Wine - my party wouldn't have been the same without you. 

My 40th Birthday

Well, my 40th birthday came and went and I'm still alive. I actually don't feel any different than I did before. That's a good thing, though. I was afraid that I would start to feel and act my age. The truth is, I feel like I'm still in my twenties, but with my eyes wide open. 


Will threw me a birthday barbecue. We had some friends over for food and drink and lots of laughs. Here are a few photos from that night:

Party favors

The backyard

My wonderful friends

 The best part of my birthday was that my sister came down to visit. 

She came the night before my birthday and stayed for four days. It was so fun to have her here. I took her to the farmers' market, my favourite thrift store and Green Chutes. We also get tattoos. 

This one is mine. 

The five dots represent Will and my kids. 

This is Erica's tattoo.

Our tattoos are similar but different and together...

they fit. (As Erica pointed out, this perfectly represents us.)

 I had such a wonderful weekend. If I had known that turning 40 was going to be this awesome, I wouldn't have worried about it all year. 

What I Learned from Great Expectations

“a most excellent man, though I could have wished his trousers not quite so tight in some places and not quite so loose in others.”

For the past two Sundays on Masterpiece Theatre on PBS, I watched a recent adaptation of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. I hadn't planned on watching it. I had already read the book in college and seen my favourite version of it (the loosely based movie of the same name with Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert DeNiro and Anne Bancroft) a hundred times. But Sunday evening came along and I was too lazy to change the channel. It was the one time that my laziness paid off because after the first couple of minutes, I was hooked. It was so well done. And I had forgotten what a great story Great Expectations is. It's amazing that a book that was originally published 150 years ago can still bring so much meaning to our world today.

So, here are a few things that I learned from Great Expectations:

• Be true to yourself because pretending to be something you're not will not bring happiness (or fool anyone).
• Revenge and bitterness only hurts yourself.
• Be kind to everyone because you never know when you might meet them again (and possibly become your benefactor).
• Money can't buy love or impress others.
• Lies have a way of coming out in the end.
• Clothes do not make the man (or woman).
• Great expectations only come with honesty and hard work.

After watching this two part series, I'm really tempted to read the book again. Well, at the very least, watch the second part of the movie again this Wednesday when PBS replays it.

“If you can't get to be uncommon through going straight, you'll never get to do it through going crooked. [...] live well and die happy.”

“Herbert received me with open arms, and I had never felt before so blessedly what it is to have a friend. When he had spoken some sound words of sympathy and encouragement, we sat down to consider the question, What was to be done?”