when you least expect it...

Some days you just have to stop and enjoy what's around you.

Of course, you have to have your camera ready at all times and be constantly thinking of those that faithfully read your blog and want (I mean demand) to be entertained.

When you least expect it...the perfect picture appears.

And if you are ready...well...

He's my brother...

and he's going to be okay!

Easy to remember...the day before Remembrance Day.

My eldest brother, Mike took a heart attack while at his children's Maggie and Alex's school assembly (we have already determined that both Nana's played their 'get out of jail' cards to put Mike in a more-or-less perfect place to have a heart attack) As he is on the road trucking or driving family to one event or another 95% of the time...the chances of him having an episode like this where he did, well...thanks, Mom!

One heart attack...
One angiogram....
One angioplasty.....

gives us one tired, but recuperating brother back at home in good spirits.

After spending a week in London's finest hospitals, Mike is home with his family and ready to make dietary and exercise changes to his lifestyle. Unfortunately, fruit can no longer be consumed when surrounded by pastry and/or cream!

Keeping in mind, that the only vegetable my brother, Mike, likes is corn...we were all thrilled to hear that he is exploring and actually tasting other vegies! I know that I am going to hear alot more of, "Gillian, guess what? I tried cabbage rolls for the first time today! I really like them!!!!"

Genetics seem to play a huge part in this ongoing heart saga, and we are all aware that we have to keep a careful eye on everything now that we are, gulp, OLD!

Mike, I will have you know that I climbed back on my treadmill and ran three days this week!
Nothing like seeing electrodes sticking out of your brother as a little incentive to get off the couch and get the blood pumping through the arteries.

As I was running, I just hoped to hell that mine weren't 95% blocked!!!!!!

Preparation...

This is what our family does to prepare for a hockey game…

Sleep…

Sleep…

Play GameBoy…

Drive…

Oh, and don’t forget the dog! She, of course, sleeps (takes after Henry), then wants to go for a walk while we wait for the team to hit the ice for game.

The graduate!

The proud hubby...he did put up with quite a bit of griping and whining. Of course, just because I have my diploma doesn't mean that I have to stop griping and whining!

Jenny claims that I almost ran across the stage. I'm just glad I didn't trip or anything!

Phew...another piece of paper to put on the wall. At least this time, I plan on paying off that sucker with my OWN earnings!
Me and the little grasshopper...I really didn't spawn an evil child (so much for my camera getting rid of red-eye)
Me and Dolores (Library Program Manager at Mohawk ~ a true mentor)

To Do...Or Not To Do!

I picked up this nifty notepad with the saying "To do, or not to do" at the Stratford Festival on Tuesday when I went with a friend, Lorraine, to see the Shakespearean play, Twelfth Night

Henry is so pleased that I have friends that will go to these things with me, so that he doesn't have to go. He feels that he owes you, Lorraine, so make sure you think of something good and collect on this emotional gratitude!

On the flip-side...I'm not getting anything done on my days off anymore, due to my new notepaper, of course!

It doesn't help that I keep choosing the "not to do" option on my list of things to do for the day! (Sick, I know...but that saying on notepaper still wrings out a giggle from me when I look at it!)
Henry's shaking his head at me again...

Party Animals!

Francis and Shirley....wedded bliss for 25 years!


On Saturday night, we went out for supper with friends and then attended a 25th Wedding Anniversary party. It has been a while since our group of friends all dressed up and partied together. Not only did we all look smashing...we pretty much ended up that way as well!

Jim's photo has finally made it to the blog...congratulations Jim! You deserve it for being one of my faithful commentators! Karin (also a blog reader) and Sandra looked absolutely fantastic!

Louise...well...let's just say that if anything ever happened to me, you would fill my shoes nicely!
Henry and Louise usually end up participating in some sort of throwing match by the end of the any event...Saturday night was no exception. They started flinging maple leafs at each other (more precisely, I think Henry started throwing the stuff down women's tops ~ yes, this is what I have to put up with when I take him out)

Me and Wheesie...

Francis and Shirley...the happy couple for the evening (and most of the last 25 years!)

siblings...

Henry is very fortunate to have many siblings. Although they grumbled a bit when I said I wanted them all off the dance floor (or bar) to gather for a family photo, it is SOOO worth it.
Siblings and spouses...

What really bugs me is these renegade people who put themselves in family photos. Getting a large group of 30-odd people together is not exactly a timed science. I'm certainly not going to scan the crowd for faces that 'don't belong'. I mean...really!

(notice how the newest family member...Ivan...is cautiously protecting the family jewels) He learns fast with having Uncles around like Henry and Rob!

More Wedding...

Sisters-in-law three!

Uncle Rob and Michael fooling around as usual!




Katie and Ivan's wedding was alot of fun...we slept most of the day away on Sunday!








Sister and Brother.

The Wedding...

This will probably be a multiple part series as it took forever for my camera photos to download to my computer.

We had a fabulous time!




Jenny and Sydney doing a wonderful job blowing bubbles!

Life...

There are people that cross our path every day.

I believe we cultivate acquaintances and friendships with these people for a reason.

Ome (really Anita..., but we never ever called her by this name) was the mother of our close friend Rob. Ome was always smiling and ALWAYS happy to see you. I had to try to remember to rip my glasses off my face before she enthusiastically greeted me with a hug, otherwise, my glasses would be lovingly squashed to my face as she squeezed me tightly!

Michael and Jenny always will remember that Ome always had 'extra' boxes of Smarties in her purse for them (even though they weren't her grandchildren that she had come next door to see!) Low and behold, she even had the odd box for me (how she knew these were my favorite...I will never know!)

Ome and her zest for life and devotion to family is what I will carry with me for the rest of my life and pass on to my children and (hopefully) theirs'. There will be a huge void in Rob, Jo, Megan, Rick, Dan, and Cait as they grieve for their mother/grandmother.

I am thankful and grateful for having had the opportunity to meet and love this amazing woman. Our family will miss her.

Anita Krause (1922 - 2006)

The birthday girl!

Jenny had a great day today as it included all of her favorite things:

• having her cousin sleep over
• sleeping in
• watching Dad play hockey
• opening presents (hair straightener, blue crocs, clothes, music CD, teen magazines)
  
• going shopping for clothes
• making and eating cupcakes for the hockey team
• playing hockey
• having a favorite family supper
• having DQ cake for dessert
• watching the Amazing Race (okay, I kinda forced her to watch with me!)

All in all,...a good day.

squeezing everything in...

Yesterday was the kind of day that had to be meticulously planned. For me, that means a time line schedule for the whole day. Then Henry has to go and make a chiropractor appointment right in the midst of my carefully planned choreography just to test the boundaries!

My day at the school library was a very busy one (my busiest day of the week, as classes came to the library for all scheduled blocks of time). During lunch I had to cash a cheque in order to have cash to pay for the evening's school BBQ/Book Fair, and to pay for Michael's hockey portrait package. I also had to gas up the van for the trip to Strathroy for Jenny's exhibition game.

This is just the evening part of my 'make sure not to forget' list:

4:35 put M and J's goalie bags in the van...grab running gear in case the weather is good for running in Strathroy while Jenny gets ready for her game.

4:40 Pick up the power skating bag at friend's house and transfer skates to goalie bags.
4:45 School BBQ (thank God the school fed us hamburgs/drinks/donuts today because there was no time to prepare dinner today! Nutritional values were not so important today either! I was extremely grateful to fork over $13 bucks for someone else to cook our dinner!)
Meet the teachers, browse the bookfair, find Michael's ride to practise...transfer his gear to his ride's transportation.
5:20 Wait for Henry to show up at school from his appointment (like I expected this to happen...not)
5:30 wait at home for Henry to show. (this is the time we have to be on the road to Strathroy)
5:40 Jenny makes executive decision to leave without the Dadster.
5:50 Almost run Henry over as we drive out of town by the chiropractor's office. (I do slow down long enough for him to jump in the van)
6:25 Phew...eyes are twitching from being on a constant prowl for police cars, but we make it to the arena.
7:00 Jenny plays her first exhibition game with her new team and earns her first shut-out!!! (She must get this talent from ME)
8:30 on the road back home.
Home...catch up on emails...plan the next day...sign another stack of school papers...wait for Michael to get home from a late practise.
Drop into bed...tomorrow is another day.
Must get Jenny crocs for her birthday on Sunday...must pick up the DQ cake...

Time to make another list!

it's official...

Our life (okay, MY life) has officially been taken over by hockey!

Michael, Jenny, and Henry have all started practises with their teams with games pending this week.

Michael is already off to a great start, the Chiefs winning the Golden Blade tournament in Sarnia on the weekend. (Thank you Stacey and Chris for opening up your yard for our trailer and your home ~ so I wouldn't miss the season opener of the Amazing Race, as Henry couldn't be pulled away from having yet another beer...we left home Friday morning at 8 a.m. and returned Monday morning at 1 a.m!) Definitely a great social weekend!

I need a laptop so that I can update the blogs while I am at the hockey arena!

Y'all need to work on Henry on this one!

Mike...

Me and my bro...

Hope you had a great birthday!

Hula skirts and music...

Tonight was hockey mom night out for me and a dozen other local hockey moms. (Yes, we do make our own 'perks' as hockey moms)

We go out to dinner in Stratford and then to a play.

This year we went to Carter's on Downie, a fabulous restaurant that offered a contemporary (that means decorative) dinner in an elegant setting (good thing it was just me and not Henry and the children). It's all about appreciation, you know!

Here is our table...
All of the group...


Across the road from the restaurant is the beautiful Avon Theatre. Note to potential Avon theatre goers; seating has minimal leg room. Other than that, the production was fantastic! The sets were imaginative, colorful, and beautiful.I completely agree with a particular Stratford review, that everything about the musical was delightfully geared to the era. I especially enjoyed the costumes, scenery, and music. The male lead, Theodore Bearg's voice is particularly astounding, as well as the surrounding cast.

I took a night off from hockey (thank you, Henry), 'washed that man right out of my hair', and had my own 'enchanted evening'.

Thank you, Lucy Ann for including me with your group yet again. (Henry also thanks you, as I would have to drag him kicking and screaming to join me at the Stratford Festival).

camping and first day of school

Campfire time...
A basketball game called 'bump-ball'...adults and children all played at once!
The volleyball court...

We spent last weekend out in the country camping at friends of ours (thanks Tony and Sue)...we had a lovely relaxing weekend. Days spent shopping in Stratford, drinking around the pool, playing darts, laying in the hot tub (my favorite), playing volleyball, bocce ball, basketball, sitting around the fire, and golfing. We were all happy campers!


The first day of school for Michael and Jenny...