HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

It is the end of the year and I wish everyone a great New Year. I will be watching the fireworks from my balcony which is the best view anywhere in the city. It looks like very close from the 23rd floor.

I don't do New Year resolutions but I will just try to enjoy life and I would like to do new things. Since I have completely healed from my eye surgeries, I will be back to my fitness regime and try to eat healthy food. It has been mostly prepared food for the last two weeks and I am tired of it.

I will welcome the New Year with great hope that it will be a good year and wish the same for everyone.

Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

Let us celebrate and enjoy the true meaning of Christmas.

See you all in the New Year.

Childhood Christmas memories

The start of Christmas in the Philippines officially starts with the Misa de Gallo which is celebrated on the early mornings fromt the 16th of December to the 24th. Decorations are put up early and radio stations start playing Christmas music in October! It is a tradition to have a parol (Christmas lantern). It is a star shaped lantern made of bamboo and tissue art paper. Nowadays they are elaborate and made of capiz shells and other materials. They are hung on the windows of homes.

Christmas trees are branches of trees painted white and decorated with ornaments. There is not a lot of pine trees in the country, Now they have artificial trees like we have in North America.

Now that Christmas is almost here, I have been thinking a lot about Christmases when I was a child. What was the tradition we grew up with? As far as I can remember, we never spent Christmas eve nor Christmas day in our own home. It was always spent at my maternal grandparents home.

We would leave our house in the afternoon of Christmas eve and drive to my grandparents lugging all the presents. There we would put all the presents under the tree and then play with all the cousins. There is light dinner and the big meal is at midnight which we call Noche Buena. Sometimes the younger kids are asked to take a nap and will be awakened before midnight.

While the younger ones are asleep, the aunts and Lola (grandmother) would be preparing the meal. In the Philippines, Christmas dinner always consists of ham and queso de bola (cheese). It would not be Christmas without it. Then there are side dishes, macaroni salad, potato salad, shrimp dishes and whaterve else goes with ham. One of my aunts liked to have homemade hot chocolate.

At midnight, one of the uncles dressed up as Santa and distributed the presents. Sometimes we are asked to sing to get the presents. I do not sing even if my life depended on it. One year I remember I just will not sing and I did not care whether I got my presents or not. I did not get it for a while until later on in the morning. To this day, I have resented one of my uncles for having done this.

By Christmas day, our family will be off to my father's side of the family, where we would stay until late in the afternoon. The same thing happens although the tradition there is much simpler. By the time we get home, it would be Christmas evening and we would be so tired.

Then New Year|s eve is spent with my father's side of the family/ I also remember that we would also celebrate Three Kings. We would get presents as well and my father would make it appear that the Three kings were there by leaving foot prints on the screens of our bedroom windows.

When we moved to Canada, my parents continued that tradition. The menu changed and we had turkey and ham. When I got married, I started my own tradition with my kids but kept the midnight meal although it is just appetizers and we had the main meal on Christmas day.

In the last few years, I have celebrated Christmas by myself and still continue to have the Christmas eve midnight meal even if I only have chicken wings, a salad, a drink. To me it is not Christmas without that.

Do you have a Christmas tradition you had when you were younger and do you still do it today? Or what something special do you do on Christmas eve/day?

I'm back........

This is the reason why I have been away for a long time. These pictures were taken after I got home from each surgery. It was difficult as I could not read so I have not posted anything nor have I done any computer work at the office.

My surgery was done not in Edmonton but in Stony Plain which is another city about 45 minutes away. Both days were not good for driving as it was snowing hard and thankfully the roads were cleared by the time we hit the road at 5:00 am.

I would like to thank my good friends who got me to the hospital and my check ups. Adele, Michael, Raquel, Rogelio and Sheryl. I really appreciate what you have done. Two ladies at work who are like private nurses making sure I get my eyedrops everyday. Louise and especially Zahra who has done it for more than a week now.

Like the nurse at the hospital said, I am lucky to have very good friends.

I did not realize that I had been living in a hazy world for a while, now I can see colours as bright. Although I am not completely healed yet, it is a relief to know my vision would be tremendously a lot better. I still have to be careful not to get water in my eyes and still wear eye shield at night. In about a month, I will have my final check up and get prescription.

This is me now.

Having the Christmas spirit

Today at work, they started decorating the office. As usual I have to take pictures and the ladies are not too happy but I promised them I am only taking pictures of the decoration and not them.

Once a few have been set up, the feeling is way different. If seems like now we are in the Christmas spirit and talking about shopping, baking, menus, traditions, and the office Christmas party which will be in a Greek restaurant and I had received the menu in my email and I feel bad I can't attend as that day is my eye surgery.

There are more but I just want to show some of it. If that does not get you into the Christmas spirit, I don't know what will.

Shopping

This is the first time I had done catalogue shopping in a long time. And I decided to buy a pair of boots, being worried about how it would fit and just thinking I would have to return it. I remember 30 years ago in Yellowknife when we mostly ordered stuff from Eatons and Sears because otherwise we have to wait when we have our annual trek to Edmonton to do our shopping.

So today it arrived and was delivered at work. There were a few other ladies at work who also ordered footwear. We were so surprised because all of what we ordered were really comfortable. I did not have to return it. This pair is good with blue jeans and casual pants.

It is a very light grey in colour and suede material, so comfortable. Now I only need to get a pair of dressy winter boots. 

Special people, Special places...

I am doing another feature in the next few weeks. I think this will be difficult because of the topic but I have always thought of it when I started to blog. It will be about people I know who have done something special. It does not necessarily have to do with me but which I find admirable.


The places that I find special or important to me for some reason or another. It might include quirky places!
At least I don't need my camera for this one.


It will be nice to unveil it in the New year.

OK, I am still alive

I apologize for not posting. I have been going through some stuff I need to deal with and I did not feel like posting anything. Then my scanner decided to die and now I am having problem with my camera. I am also preparing for my eye surgeries and reading the prep sheet so I do not miss anything I have to do.

My surgery is not in Edmonton and I have to leave here at 5:00 am to get to Stony Plain Health Centre by 6:30. My friend Adele is driving on Friday and another friend Rogelio will take me on Saturday for the check up and removal of eye patch. Next week Raquel will take me and I hope I will have my check up in the eye surgeon's clinic 3 blocks from where I live. Thank God for all my friends for taking time off from their jobs to get me there.

So this could be my last post until after all is done and my eye is healing properly.

I have gone and had my hair cut but I was able to get only 2 pics so I will post them. I am satisfied with the colour than with the haircut. As usual, I am back to a short classic bob. No matter how they cut it, by the time I had to style it, it turns into a bob.

The highlights is subtle enough which is how I like it.

Just like I said, it is back to the bob!!

Memories

While I was at London Drugs shopping, I came across a snack I loved when I was a teenager. I used to save my allowance to be able to buy this particular munchie as it was an imported item. And you can't get them in any store but just partiicular store which sells imported stuff.


So I bought one just to taste and it brought such good memories. It tasted the same but I feel like I would like to buy them now as it is not too salty which is good for my health.


It is Pik Nik shoestring potato chips and it is made in the US.



Winter is upon us........

Fluffy, pristine white, wonderful to some, annoying for others, it all fell on Wednesday morning and wreck havoc on our streets. As usual Edmonton drivers do not change their driving habits and think it is still summer. They don't slow down, they run the lights, and do a lot of other stupid things.

Winter is finally here, guess I should not complain, it came a month late. I am sure the snow will stay and for those who like white Christmas, they will not be disappointed. This is the time of the year when I think...."what am I doing here????", "it is time to move somewhere", and all those thoughts. But this is my home and I guess I just have to accept it with trepidation.

So, I went for a short walk, bought groceries and enjoyed the adventure. As long as there is no nasty wind and I am warmly dressed, it is ok and I know I will survive another winter here in Northern Canada.

To my friends and relatives in Yellowknife, I know how you feel, to my sister in California, I am green with envy, to my niece and her hubby in Toronto, you are luckier than us but not by much. So let us all enjoy the white stuff ( I am not talking about California people) because we can't do anything about it.

Now, I have to go and call Hyundai and make an appointment to get my winter tires put on. Still deciding whether to get new rims for it or continue to have it taken out from the summer tires.

Dinner theatre review

As I have posted a while back, I won two tickets to the Mayfield dinner theatre. We went to see it and it was awesome.

First the buffet, Mayfield Inn has been known to have great dinner buffet in Edmonton. So it did not disappoint this time. The quality and quantity is superb. I have never had prime rib which  literally melts in your mouth. The red wine au jus gravy was awesome. The salad and pastas and desserts were all spectacular. Well worth the ticket price although I did not have to pay.

Now the show, musical extravaganza of the songs of the 70's. From Neil Diamond, Chicago, Joe Cocker, Rolling Stones, Village People, Gladys Knight, Motown groups, Rolling Stones, and all stars of that decade was represented. The cast wore costumes of the era and the hair as well. The band accompanying the singers was really great. The show was hosted by Cheech and Chong and it was quite hilarious for the two performers. It was about 21/2 hours long.

We were seated in a booth right in front of the stage and it was the best seat or booth in the house. I will rate it 4/5 stars. I don't usually check what is on at Mayfield but from now on I will try and just check what is on and get to more of the productions there. For all of you Edmontonians, you should check it out. Super Groovy of the 70's Part 2.

Busy, busy, busy.....

I have been busy at work as there have been two ladies who left and I am doing two jobs at the moment and it does not help that I am new to the job. Hopefully, it won't last long.

I am also trying to finish the ABCs of my life and so I have not posted.

Also preparing for my two eye surgeries and getting all my tests and check ups done in preparation for it.
Hopefully soon, it will be easier to work when I can finally see clearly and not blurry/hazy screen.

Tomorrow, I will be at the dinner theatre and I am looking forward to  it.

Little things mean a lot

I know I have just posted recently this feature but this is somehow connected to the last one. And I would rather do it now so it is easier to make the connection.

About 10 years ago, I received my first stuffed toy. I have never bought one for myself or have ever been given one, even though there were a few I would have wanted to get/buy for myself.

I had met a guy then and for Christmas came to visit and one of the Christmas presents included this teddy bear which is so cute. It was my first teddy bear....I have had dolls when I was younger but I don't remember having a teddy bear so it became special to me.

I have had it on my night table even after I split up with him.

How it is connected with the lamb? The lamb was given to me by his mother. This has become a treasure because of what it meant to me.

As you can notice it is a Mercedes Benz teddy bear. I have named him Merc. He has been all by his lonesome on my night table until the lamb came along.

Since then, they have been together. And that's how it has been for the last 5 years.

And being an anal person, this has been the way they have been.

I won!!!!!

I never win anything and now for the second time in about 2 weeks, I have won something from work again. Every now and then our General Manager gets all kinds of tickets, certificates and all kinds of stuff which she raffles off. All we have to do is put our names in.

They let us know what is being raffled but most times I do not know if any of my friends will be free to go with me. So after telling this to a friend of mine, she said she will go with me anytime. And so I put my name in.

At lunch time today, I found out I won two tickets......I know it is not a big deal, but for someone who never wins, it is a big deal.

Two tickets for dinner theatre at Mayfield Inn. The food there is really good. The show is Part 2 of

The Super Groovy 70's.

Remembrance Day

On Thursday, November 11 is Remembrance Day. A day when we honour and remember all those who gave up their lives so we can live free and safe. It is an important day because of the greatest sacrifice they have given which is their lives.

So to all who are in different countries fighting for us, we salute them on this day.

At the same time, my family is remembering my nephew who died unexpectedly. My sister who writes poems in honour of him on special ocassions sent me this one for Remembrance day.

To Gino, we will remember you always.



Rewind, Reconnect, Reminisce

Rewind back in the early 70's, music from the Stylistics, Tower of Power, Chicago and Ambrosia can be heard on the airwaves. A group of students hanging around close by the Architecture department at Adamson University in Manila.


I was there visiting my sister who was an Architecture student and met Joven. At the same time I was also cross-enrolled and I do not remember if we had been in the same class or just knew each other because ot my sister's group of friends. Then he had this nickname "Cocoy". He used to call me "Egay" and somehow I think it is because of my big eyes and this basketball player. He will have to explain this part.


This was a tight knit group of friends and we went to different activities. We enjoy going to basketball games and we went to movies. Some even went out as couples. It was fun and we cared about each other. Then school year ended and some graduated, some started to work or went to different university. Somehow, we still had connections through the other friends.


Later on, a few had immigrated to Canada or to the US and somehow lost connections with the rest of the group. On one or two occassions, we had a chance to visit home and saw some of them. Then for the longest time, we never heard from each other.


Last year, through all these social media...Linked or facebook, we somehow managed to find each other again. So the reconnection happened and seemed for a while, we were all trying to reconnect and reminisce.


It is such a good feeling to have him back as a friend. Every so often we talk on the phone and just try to remember all kinds of friends and things we did what food we liked back then.


Today, Joven lives in New Jersey with his wife of 37 years. He has 3 sons and 3 grandchildren. He works as a night auditor in one of the hotels in New York City and has been with them for 23 years. Now I know where to stay if and when I somehow will visit the Big Apple. I am hoping he will give me a discount and a tour of the city. How about it Coy? He is still funny. When he calls, he calls me his sleeping pill. He works the night shift and he calls just before he goes to sleep...he says I make him sleepy. He still loves sports as he had been an athlete during our college days.And now I think, he is quite a chef as well.


I hope someday we will all meet again and have a reunion. So "Coy" it was nice to have been reconnected with you and I enjoy the phone calls.


And yes, we were two who went out as a couple. And I am very sorry you were not the first in my Rewind, Reconnect and Reminisce but you are still in the top 3. I hope that is good enough.

Giveaway

I am new to blogging and I have entered my first giveaway a few days ago. Now I am entering another one and if anybody else wants to enter, please go and follow The Blarkness Chronicles and enter to win great giveaway prizes.

While browsing there you might want to check out her product reviews or restaurant reviews. It is a very interesting and fun blog. So good luck to everyone but I am actually hoping I will win.

Little things mean a lot

A few years ago, I had to have some serious medical treatments. Since I do not have relatives here, I made it my mission that I would go to these treatments by myself. A few friends would drive me to the centre but I would go in by myself. For the first few times I was on my own. Then the mother of a friend of mine sent me a stuffed animal from the Beanie Babies Collection. This one is "Tender" born February 10, 2004 which is exactly 1 year later to the day I went for my first treatment.

From the time I received this baby lamb, I have always brought it with me and was with me for all my treatments. I know the nurses found it weird and cute. But it helped me deal with my illness and my hope and wish that soon I will have to retire her and would not have to bring her anywhere. She was always inside the pouch of my purse.

And that wish has come true, she is now retired, hopefully for good. She now rests on my night table and has been there enjoying her retirement. My wish now is that she won't be coming out of her retirement. So to Gladys, I appreciate the thought and you don't know how much this lamb meant to me. Another one of those little things that had become a treasure.

Post script
The card from the collection has this little poem

Please be quiet, don't make a peep
This little lamb is trying to sleep
I need my rest just like you do
When I wake up, I'll play with you.

Halloween

Since the ladies in our office go all out with Halloween decorations, they also go all out with dressing up. I won $200.00 gift certificate for Halloween costumes at Kerrie's Costumes. But I did not have any Halloween party to go to so I gave it to two ladies at work. I did not dress up either as I had doctor's appointment Friday. Here are four of the ladies.

My favourite and she made this costume.

Happy Halloween everyone!!!!!

Yikes!!!

The dreaded white stuff is here......hope it does not stay. A reminder to make an appointment to get my winter tires installed. And I still have not found winter boots!!!!! I have to get going on this. Another dilemma, should I just take the transit now since I hate clearing snow off my vehicle and warming it up.

Oh, well that is just part of living in the Canadian north. At least the forecast tomorrow is no snow for the rest of the week. I hope the Weather Channel is right.

Freebies

One Sunday about 2 months ago, I took the elevator and this young lady who always loses her FOB was already inside with a box of what looks like alcohol and a shopping bag from the Bay. While in the elevator she has asked if I drink and I replied "once in a while". She opened the box and gave me a bottle of Ciroc vodka, I did not want to accept it but she was adamant. Then she took a smaller bag from her Bay bag and gave it  to me. As the elevator stopped on her floor, she was even asking if I want the whole box of vodka. I did not take it but she had insisted I take the other bag. When I stepped out of the elevator I looked at the bag and saw these two vases.

To this day I don't understand why and I just took it that I was understanding when she comes to the office to get her new FOB. By the time I was ready to leave for my new job, she told me she found 3 FOBs somewhere in her couch. That costs her $300.00 for replacement and got refunded once she returned the 3 "lost FOBs" which she always calls "swipey".

The vases was from the Gluckstein Home Collection.

Product review

This will not be a regular feature of this blog but this one was just good enough I had to post it. I am a creature of habit so I don't try a lot of new things, if products I use work for me, I seldom go to a different brand even with make-up, I might change colour/shades and that is just about it.

Last week two ladies at work went out at lunch just to kill time and came back with this product. They tried it at work and it works quite well, am not endorsing it but it really works. So the next day, they went back to the store to buy more for the staff who wanted it as well. This is for you out there who likes to clean and most especially do not want dust.

And we paid $4.99 for it. A really good deal!!! There are two brushes for it, one big and a small one for smaller things like your computer keyboard and you can wash them.



Hairdo dilemma

My hair has grown quite long and I can't decide which style to go for. So I will let relatives and friends decide. I will have a poll on the side bar. My next hair appointment is not until first week of December.

The choice will be picture 1 or 2.

#1

or

#2

Little things mean a lot

A new feature here. A while back I was cleaning up, getting rid of stuff I do not use or don't like anymore. And I had come across stuff/things I have kept for some reason or another. And then realized that I still have them because they mean a lot to me at a certain time in my life. There are also things that I know I will keep for the rest of my life. Here is the first one.....for a very different and special reason.

Yes, just two pairs of earrings but they are special. Back in October of 2006, my sister Luckie, her daughter, Alysia and son, Gino visited me here in Edmonton. Actually they came to visit mother who was in the nursing home.

It was also just before my birthday, so we went out shopping. I love earrings and while we were in a store and I was looking for earrings to buy, Gino came around and told me he was going to buy me and he will choose the style. And these are the two. So special then because no men had given or bought me earrings in my life, more special now because Gino is no longer with us.

Small, simple, not expensive but has become little treasures.

A potpourri of thoughts

 First of all, if you have been reading my blog and found it was screwed up for the last 3 days, I apologize. I really don't know what happened. I was just doing some editing and oooooooops there was miles(seems like) of space between my header and my post. First one I emailed was my niece as she has been blogging for years but she was too busy at work. So I called my brother-in-law and sister and somehow he was able to repair it. So, thanks a lot to you both.


Wednesday was my birthday and when I started this, I posted something about my birthday and this year it was weird. I thought everyone was ganging up on me. I did not get any birthday wishes until later in the afternoon. So, Leesh, you were not the last, in fact you were the first.


The era of having to wake up to a text of Happy Birthday from an ocean away is now over. Maybe the friendship as well, and to everyone who greeted me....thanks for remembering.

While on the subject of friendship, while having a discussion about it at work, I thought of when does one become a friend and what is the process of going from an acquiantance to being a friend. Does having same interest, hobbies or likes or dislikes make one a friend? How long is this process? I was with someone and had dinner with some of my relatives and I introduced her as an office mate and when we wereout of the restaurants she said " I would rather have been introduced as friend."

 To me, I believe it is a slow process and it involves sincerity, being comfortable with each other, honesty, and somehow it comes naturally without even trying. As a friend said I am being philosophical about it. But it is something that is interesting to me. She even said that even if we do not talk for a year or not have seen each other for that long, that nothing would have changed and it will be like we just talked the day before.


And I also believe, like that saying that friends come for a reason, season or a lifetime ,maybe to be there to teach us a lesson, or learn a lesson, help us when we are in need......can't remember the rest of it. So to everyone else, what has been your experience?

Birthday present

At work this afternoon, we had cake for my birthday and the staff gave gifts. It is a cupcake jewelry case and flower scent diffuser which will go well with my white bedroom decor.

In the evening Raquel picked me up and we went to our favourite Japanese restaurant Ichiban and had bento box dinner and deep fried squid for appetizer. Again, I forgot to take picture of my dinner.



A birthday poem

A wonderful and meaningful gift from my little sister. She writes a lot of poems, but I noticed they were all meant for people she loved and have passed on.

I know for a fact, she wrote one for a very good friend of hers who is still alive, so I am honoured. She sent this a day early as I had blogged about who sends/calls/texts birthday wish for me first. She said she is not competing. Besides, it does not count, it had to be the day.

A big thank you. Here it is.

Now I can say a poem was written specially for me!

A big mistake

I am at work and looked at my watch and thought it was 12:00 so I started to have lunch. After reading the paper and doing nothing, I looked at the computer clock and it realized it was just before 12:00.
So now I don't know if I will pretend to have lunch or continue to work.

Happy 101

I have been tagged by Blarkness Chronicles, the rules are to do a list of 10 things I like, tag 10 other bloggers and make a comment.

I have only been blogging for less than a month. So I will just do the list since I do not know a lot of bloggers.

So here is my list.

1. Downtown living ---- I like the hustle and bustle of being downtown, it is so convenient, i can go to meet friends at a coffee shop or have dinner at Earls. I am not really in the downtown core but I am close enough to feel the enegy but far away not to hear it.



2. Hawaiian sweet Maui onion chips----the only kind of chips I buy now if I want to indulge in junk food

3. Kichen Aid Mixer----I find this very usseful especially at Christmas time when I am baking big batches of cookies or squares. Really great when making buns or loaves of bread.

4. African decor---always have been fascinated by exotic things, and I have quite a selection of African frames, animals, statues, masks. Here is a collection of animals and other stuff. They are mostly from different African countries

5.White bedroom----looks very clean and crisp, from the linens to furniture and decor.

6.Being organized---whether at home or at work, I need to have things well organized so I know what I have to do or where stuff are. My favorite dishes are organized according to their use. Cereal bowls with the creamer and so on.

7. Gardening----I try to take advantage of the long summer days and plant vegetable and flowers in my balcony which is about 40 ft. long. It is so nice to be able to pick tomatoes for salad and basil for spaghetti sauce, or peppers for grilling.



8.HGTV and Food Neetwork shows----I enjoy watching all the decoration/renovation shows especially Sarah Richardson's shows, she has very classy tastes and I like Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, can't miss this one on Friday nights when I am home.



9. Japanese food----any kind, sushi, tempura, maki rolls or the different kinds of bento boxes...just really like them and tried my best to learn to make sushi and tempura.



10. Tesco laundry detergent tablets----smells so good, I use this for any clothes, underwear that I handwash. I get them from the UK, I don't know what will I do when the last package is gone.

Hats, hats and more hats

In my new job, we have an hour lunch which I am not used to. For as long as I can remember, I had only half an hour lunch and I liked that since an hour is too long and you get to go home early or start later.

So to adjust to the hour lunch time, I have decided to crochet or do something for the last half hour. I have been in the new job about a month and I have these to show for.

This is the second one I have done and this fits my head perfectly. The yarn is just leftover from another project and I was still in the trial part but this came out really well and I am quite happy with the result.

This was my first project and took a while as I was getting used to trying to fit it before adding stitches or decreasing. The brim I just did myself when I had seen it was turning ruffle like and I just continued with it. This is also left over yarn. When I do the others, it will be different kind of yarn and will be plain colour with accent colours.

This is the last one and a bit roomy on top or good for someone with a bigger head than mine. I will try to do scarves next time too and I will see which one I prefer to do.

So this just shows that you can do a lot in half an hour every day. This will only be winter projects because when the weather is warmer, I will be walking to be in shape for the summer.

Freebies

Here is another feature I will post once in a while as I get a lot of things from residents in my building. It was not only when I was working here but they still give me stuff even after I have left the office. So here are the latest.

I got these from two different ladies.

These are the most comfortable pair of boots. I wore the black one on Friday and I was ok with it for the whole time I was at work. The white one feels the same way. When I got them, they were in the original box and the price tag was still on.

These scarf and toque was given by another lady who loves to crochet and knit. She is also the lady who taught me how to crochet hats.

This plant I got from work for Thanksgiving and it is quite unusual and it is called Corkscrew Grass and the store (Safeway) only gets them once a year.

Rewind, Reconnect and Reminisce 2

Rewind to early 1980's in Yellowknife. We had met a family who became very good friends of ours. My ex-husband was a teacher up north and we met this family because the father was the new principal in the high school department.

They are the Dumonds. Vince, Sandra, twins Camille and Michelle and Lisa. When we met, we did not even have kids yet. In 1986 we adopted a son from the Phillipines and I was also pregnant at the same time.

I had babysat the girls when they were going to school half day. And once we had the boys, the girls in turn babysat the babies. Our regular sitter was Camille but once in a while the other two would pitch in when she could not make it. There was one time when we were both really sick and Vince and Sandra took the boys until we were feeling a lot better. Jordan, our eldest got a very bad case of allergic reaction to the down pillows and was taken to emergency. They were so caring that we were only told of the incident after the fact.

We were having dinners at each other's homes. In fact, they had a cabin by the lake and gave us key to the place and we had spent a few times in that cabin. How great was that!!!!!

In mid 90's we left Yellowknife and we were still getting in touch but lost touch after a while and then got reconnected, then lost contact again. By this time, they had also left Yellowknife.

When I got divorced, Vince mentioned that I had flourished adjusting to the change and being a single parent. And I had never forgotten that.....it was a good compliment at a time when my life, I thought then was in a turmoil. And I hope now he realizes how that comment made a difference in my life. Though it is a bit late, thanks, Vince.

It was last year when I was not busy one night and started googling. I found Vince in Linked In or in one of those sites and started communicating again. It is so wonderful being in touch with them again especially Sanda who I talk to at least once a week.

Vince is somewhere up in Northern Ontario, Sandra is in Toronto, Camille lives somewhere in Nova Scotia,  Michelle is in Vancouver and Lisa is in Ontario. None of the girls have gotten married yet.

So thanks to modern technology, there is a lot of ways to find people we had met and remember. So now after reconnecting, we are always reminiscing about our life in Yellowknife and also Edmonton. Someday we hope to see each other again. Sandra and I are even planning to go on a holiday together. She was and still to this day continues to be a great and caring friend.

I, unfortunately, do not have recent pictures of the family.Maybe Sandra will send me a picture when she checks this blog.

Thanksgiving dinner

So this is the meal I have decided to cook for Thanksgiving. Pineapple/apricot glazed ham, pasta salad, scallop potatoes, only because I have not had this in a long time and creme caramel, a different recipe which turned out really delicious.

The pictures are ok except for the potatoes....have never done this without the cream boiling over the rim of the dish and I can't transfer it to another dish just to get good picture or it would not look good serving it.

Also the picture the morning after....pancakes with pan fried leftover ham.

So what did you have for Thanksgiving? Was the meal your usual or was it different? What was your favorite? Mine was the ham and the creme caramel. I am quite sure that offices all over Canada will see leftover turkey/ham or whatever combination for lunches.