Valentine's Day..Mixed Feelings..

I have mixed feelings about Valentine's Day. As a child, my Mom made it a very special day..special dinner, card for each of us, heart-shape cake with pink icing. But at school , I was very shy, fat and wore glasses. On the day we brought cards to be placed in a box and the teacher handed them out. In grades 1 to 5, I didn't receive any cards at school. When I was a mother our children always made cards for all their classmates and I sent cookies to school. Today my DH left a heartfelt card and my fav chocolate on the breakfast table. So enjoy the day and remember the lonely who could use a kind word or gesture today. Take care friends.

Where art thou Spring???

Here on the west coast of Canada, we have had a long and wet winter...grey, dull days with the occasionaly sunny one..Australia has had a summer of monsoon rains and now a cyclone..eastern Canada and the Maritimes have been hit with snow storms and blizzards...midwest USA and the eastern seaboard have had their share of cold and blowing snow....Where or where is Spring?? When I was a young mother living in the Prairies, in February, after a long, cold winter, I would buy a single hyacinth to fill the house with the crisp, earthy smells of spring..which sometimes wouldn't arrive till May/June... I procrastinated this fall and it wasn't till November that I decided to cool some bulbs in my mini-fridge..to force bulbs..the intention was for Christmas..However, today the first of 6 white hyacinth bulb has opened... my spring longing has been slightly appeased with the first scent of spring....Is winter harder to complete as you get older? or is it the memory of the smells and sights of Spring live deep in our spirit?? Wherever you live may Spring arrive soon !!!!!!!

Winter arrived in Langley

Hello friends..winter arrived 0n the westcoast of Canada last night..we had approximtely 20 cm of the white stuff..came during the night, in very wet, and stuck very prettily to roofs, trees and shrubs..however my DH was supposed to fly out to Calgary this am, the ungodly hour of 6am...so got up at 3:30am, fired up the web site for the airline and behold the flight was cancelled. They could change his flight to for 9am, but that would get in too late for his 1 day course. DH cancelled the trip..my daughter was so looking forward to seeing him and vise-versa..and of course he would miss holding lil bug.....such is life..we hope to see her in March for a family wedding..My heart goes out to those suffering in Australia with the flooding....my heart is broken for the people of Arizona..Please send prayers, good thoughts and angels to watch over those who need our hand in love and kindness.

Happy New Year 2011

Lil Bug, mama bear and I would like to wish you a Happy New Year. This household had a new granddaughter in May and a new DIL in July of this year. Many of you have had losses, illness and sadness. We all wish you a good and better 2011. Take care of each other...xxxxxx Bettyann

Merry Christmas Dear Friends !!

Dear Friends...I want to wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas. I know that many of you have had big challenges during 2010. I admire and respect your sharing the journey with me. Thank you for your willingness to share all your creativity with me. I appreciate you sending me emails, responses and chatty facebook entries. My wish for you is to have the Christmas you need, with the family you create with love. Takae care and Thank you Dear Blog friends, you mean alot to me !!!!

Count down to Christmas !!

Hello friends !! Although I haven't posted in awhile, I have been busy visiting your blogs, wrapping Christmas presents and decorating for the holidays. The presents were sent by Greyhound yesterday to lil bug in Calgary. She and her parents are off to Toronto for Christmas. We are hoping to skype on December 25. This time of the year is hard on me as I usually get depressed, probably SAD but also too busy and I hate crowds etc. This year after a wedding and a new grandbaby, we spent too much money. However,I have had time to spend reflecting on what I am grateful for...happiness in a marriage, new beginnings for my son and dil, new birth for daughter and spouse..most of all that I am healthy, loved and look forward to each day. I am blessed by my parents, ages 86 and 87, in my life..plus my dear MIL, 89, friends of+40 years of loving and who still like me with all my warts and quirks...so all in all I have a good life of love, caring and creativity. Although, I can still feel envious with people who are better off fiancially..life is good. Thank you my blog friends for words of encouragement, laughter and sometimes just a "swift kick in the pants" as my Dad would say.....Here is the latest picture of my lil bug..she is 6 months old..Her face is blurred as she never stops moving..how cute her hair clip...tata..

November 11

Rememberance Day/Canada and Veterans' Day/United States

Remember our Fallen

Remember our troops overseas

Pray no more children go to war