Black Friday....

I know it is not Friday, but I wanted to just post about Black Friday. I guess it is not considered Black Friday as they open the stores at 8:00 pm Thursday night and depending on the stores, some open at 9:00pm and the rest at midnight.

It goes on till midnight Friday. Last year, I saw in the news that one or two people got trampled and I have never had the urge to go to this event. But on Friday later in the afternoon, we decided, meaning my sister, her husband and I ventured out and some malls are still very crowded and there are a few that are not as crowded.

I was not intending on buying anything for myself but got some stuff for my two sons. They were still good price. I also found a pair of flat shoes. Please do not ask how many pairs that would be. 

Anyway, I had almost finished my shopping on my fourth day here. I do not have a clue how many dresses I have bought. I will find out when I unpack when I get home.

Then it is back to work...yikes!!! it was a lot of fun visiting my sister and her hubby....it's like I have a second home in California.

American Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American relatives and friends. This would be my first time to celebrate this holidayhere. I understand that this day is bigger than Christmas to Americans.

While at the Jackson Rancheria Casino Hotel, we saw this guy who was carving a very big pumpkin at the entrance of the casino. I understand that it would be there for about a week.

We had a short conversation with him and found out he is Ed Wickman and he is the Food and Beverage Manager of the hotel. He was carving an 850 pound pumpkin and another bigger one too.

Here is the picture of the one he has started to carve. I mentioned that I was going to post it in my blog.

He has started to carve a bear who has just caught a fish. I wish we had the time to see the finished product.



This very nice coloured is called Cinderella pumpkin.

Food......

When you are on holidays, the first thing that we are worried about is gaining weight. It is because there is a lot of eating outside and sometimes you have no choice but to eat something that are not really healthy.

On my first day here, we had our lunch from a food truck serving Mexican food. We had each 3 different tacos. Pork, beef and chicken.

On the second day, we had lunch at In and Out Burger. It is not only cheap and good but the french fries are made fresh all the time. According to the menu, this is all 1000 calories. Whoa......I better be going on a strict diet.

On the third day, we had lunch at Margaret's Cafe at the Jackson Rancheria. I will not describe it but you can just see from the picture.

My sister and I and my brother-in- law shared this one, even though he had ordered something else. It is the chichen fried steak with country gravy, country potaoes, scrambled eggs and toast. What a big serving!!! worth all $13.50.

And now I must have gained another dress size....I hope not!!





Blogging from San Jose.....

Yes, I have arrived here and done a lot of things already meaning ....lots of shopping. After I arrived, we headed straight to a store to shop and then had lunch at a food truck in Sunnyvale. .by mid afternoon I had done a lot of damage to my wallet.

After we went home and unpack, I was ready to start packing. After dinner, my sister and I went out shopping again. Came back by 9:30 and watched a movie. I slept in which I had never done in a while. Then it was time to shop again.

It is sad that it was very difficult to get my shoe size so that is what is my priority. But I have great help from sister and my fave brother-in-law. Another damage to my wallet.

Monday, we are going to Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort. We will be staying overnight there and coming back Tuesday. Then we are passing by the new outlet in Livermore called Paragon. 

I am excited about Thanksgiving. For Black Friday, the stores are open 9:00pm Thursday. Even now the stores are already open late which is kind of nice.

I am taking pictures but will blog and post them later.

There you have it.... 

1 more sleep.....

My sister is counting and so am I. So tomorrow early in the morning I am off to San Jose.

I have to be at the airport at 5:00AM so I am going to be in bed early tonight. I believe I only have to work until noon today as the rest of the office staff will be on a chartered bus to Calgary for the office Christmas party. There will be only 5 of us missing it, all with prior commitments.

Of course, I am not complaining.

Here are some of the things I want to do there.
-- see the Municipal and Heritage rose garden
-- the Japanese friendship garden
-- San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles
-- San jose Museum of Art
-- shopping at the new outlet which just opened about a week ago
-- eat at a nice, authentic Mexican restaurant
-- Japanese dollar store
-- Kohls, Ross, Macy's, TJMaxx, Burlington Coat Factory, Sees candies, shopping at Los Gatos and every other store
-- experience the US Thanksgiving
-- not sure about Black Friday shopping

Maybe I can play tennis with my sister, have a just the two of us outing, and I am sure being forced to sing while she drives. Well, I am ready and I will try to blog if I have time.

Enjoy the weekend.

5 more sleeps....

As my sister would say, 5 more sleeps before I get to San Jose. I am starting to get excited now. We talk a lot about our plans and what we will be doing and cooking.

Later I will post what I wanted to see and do and eat when I get there. I am all packed....I am taking nothing as I was told not to bring anything. But there is one thing in my suitcase that I have packed which I want her to have for sentimental value and I am sure she will appreciate it.

I also finished my coffee table project and will post picture here soon as well.

I just read my sister's blog and I am sure she will force me to sing our favourite song which she posted on her blog. I was thinking of that as well and was trying to decide if I will put it here as I have posted about it here before.

The weather has not been really nice and so this will be a really welcome break for me. And this is the reason I always go on vacation in the winter time. I might just do one again in February but I have to save some days for an aunt who is celebrating her 100th birthday in April.

Gish, another work week, I know this will go fast.....enjoy.

Remembrance Day......

Today is Remembrance Day.....a day to thank all those who sacrificed their lives for us. I believe we should remember them any and every day but this is their special day.
 
It is celebrated on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
Sometimes we do not really understand the great sacrifice these brave and honourable men and women gave to us. Also we should thank their families who gave up a lot for them to do what they wanted and felt they needed to do.

This day is also known as Poppy Day or Armistice Day. This is the reason we wear those red poppies in honour of them and from the poem In Flanders Fields. The significance of it is the blood spilled during the war.

Today, we honour and pay respects to all of you.

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

 

 



Snow, snow......more snow

The nasty white stuff has come and made it really difficult to drive or walk. It is quite annoying but what can we do....not much but take it.

It would be nice to walk but some of the sidewalks have not been cleared. Though it is not so cold, it gives me the feeling of winter being upon us and staying for four months. I don't even know why I complain as it happens every year.

I am glad it is Friday and another weekend and only a week more and I am off to San Jose to visit my favourite one and only sister. I am sure we will be having a good, fun time.

I only need to get her Timothy's K-cups which I will try to do today...hopefully the weather will be good as I do not want to drive and find parking downtown so I might take the transit with an office mate of mine.

And then I can just relax as I don't need to pack a lot of stuff.....need space for what I will buy when I am over there. I have a list of what I want to do and where to go.

Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by.

Sandy and aftermath.....

Before Sandy, there were a lot of activities in our building for charities. I always try to support them by buying hot dogs or baked goods or books. These always happen before Christmas and it is all for a good cause.

It is also gratifying to watch all the heroic things people do for others. As they say, it is during these times that you see the good in people. Watching the news, the worst of it is now almost over but the rebuilding is just starting.

They are lucky to be alive and as one person being interviewed said...they are material things and can be replaced. What a good attitude to have.

Now that it is close to Christmas, there will a lot more going on to try and get stuff for people who might not have anything for the holidays. Please let us all give generously.

 

I heard this song a while back and I think it is appropriate.

TV watching....

My sister and I were talking and our conversation turned to tv shows. It was amazing that we watch a lot of the same shows.

One of my sons told me that I should cancel some of the channels I have because I only watched a few channels....mainly HGTV, Food Network, CNN, National Geographic, Travel and Escapes and the Learning Channel. I watch The Voice and try to check Dancing with the Stars.

Last weekend was Travel and Escapes and I wanted to see Scam cities and find out what are the things to avoid. I have seen scams in Las Vegas, Bangkok, and a city in India. It is not like that I would be travelling to the cities featured but it is interesting to find out about the different scams that some people do to tourists.

I also told my sister about the CBSA show featuring the staff in Vancouver....watching people lie to immigration and customs officer. She used to work for them. I don't understand why these people don't just tell the truth, it would be a lot easier and maybe they will get off lightly. Unfortuantely, they do not get this show in San Jose.

When I travel, I have always kept all my receipts so it is a lot easier clearing customs.

Well, let me see what else I find on the telly that is interesting.

Long time coming.....

Tonight, I got a call from my cousin in the Philippines. She is from my father's side of the family and we had only started communicating again after more than 35 years.

She found us through a friend in facebook. Thanks to social media, we get to have communication with long lost relatives.

They are having a reunion back in the Philippines and they called me and I was able to talk to my aunt who I have not seen nor talked to in as many years.

It is nice and a wonderful feeling to get in touch again. She is 87 and I believe the only surviving sibling of my dad and the youngest.

Thanks to my cousin Nodie for making this possible and I would like to say hello to my cousins visiting the Philippines from Australia and I hope they have a wonderful reunion. Please send us pictures.