January Blues

 

I heard that this past Monday was supposed to be the most depressing day of the year.  Did you find it that way?

It was blue last week when I took these pictures.   I got up at 7 in the morning and the world was blue in the gloom of early morning and freshly fallen snow.

 

By the beginning of this week our yard looked just like this! 

It rained all week and as the snow disappeared our house became lakefront Property.

Our front and backyards were flooded and  the water was a foot deep on the driveway between the house and the shop.

 

So what do you do on those long January evenings to take your mind off the weather?

I did a jigsaw puzzle  and watched a couple of movies last week and

I completed an on line book using My Publisher software and sent it off while Harv figured out how to use a negative scanner he bought himself for Christmas.

Then we decided to tackle the HUGE job of organizing our pictures and scanning negatives into the computer.

Our dining room table was covered in pictures and negatives

 

and we started the long process of scanning our negatives into the computer.  So far we’ve done the negatives from one year – 1974.

Thankfully most of our negatives are stored in chronological order, because many of our pictures are not.  Some are in albums, most aren’t.  You know how it is, you go looking for a pictures for someone’s school project, or a family wedding and then never put them back in their proper place.  So we have boxes and boxes of pictures that really need to be sorted through. 

Then there are old pictures found in a box that came from Harv’s Dad’s place.  These are amazing .  Although many of the pictures in that box are of people and places unknown to us, there are a few gems among them.

Here’s a few samples:

Harv’s Dad in the Hop yards

Dad with his horse, Star and his dog back in the Prairies and then this gem:

The old Harrison Hot Springs pool.  The date on the back of this picture is 1939.

 

This whole picture thing will be an ongoing project – I don’t expect to complete it any year soon but each picture sorted, each negative scanned is progress.

The bonus is discovering pictures of times long past and, when going through family pictures, remembering the people and experiences that have enriched our lives.

 

I’d say it’s good medicine to get rid of those January blues.

Happy Birthday Harv

Harv (on the trike) and his brother, Jim – I’m guessing he’s about 4 years old.

you’ve always maintained a good relationship with your family – I love the way your brother and you call each other about everything.

Harv and I this past summer in Tofino. (We were on a motorcycle trip which explains the leather jackets on a beach!)

(Oh the places we’ve seen and the things we’ve done! - You’ve made my life so interesting and so much fun.  I can’t think of anyone I’d rather be with!) 

 

         

Your kids love you as a Dad and as a friend.  You’re generous to a fault and are great example to your family .

You’re a conscientious businessman – working well with your son and wife. (no mean achievement)

You do business with integrity and are highly respected by your colleagues.

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

 

You’re a wonderful grandfather – so much fun to play with and always dreaming up exciting and new things for the children to do each time they come over.

I love you and wish you an awesome birthday.

Bev

Holiday Review

 

Pictures always speak louder than words so I’ll share the following review of our Christmas/New Years week with only a minimum of commentary.

Christmas Day we headed down to Seattle to be with our oldest son and his family. (The other 2 families were spending Christmas Day with their in-laws)

As you can see, the kids enjoyed their gifts.

 

On Boxing day we had breakfast and then spent the hour before church started at GasWorks Park.  The views were lovely, there are alot of old gas pipes to climb on and a hill that is great to fly kites from

 

We had friends in for dinner several times during the following week, and also celebrated the engagement of our friend’s son.

On New years Eve we enjoyed home made sushi and a raclette meal at our friends’ home.

 

 

 

 

 

New Years Day my Dad, our oldest son and his family and our youngest son and his wife came to celebrate Christmas.  Unfortunately, our daughter and her family were unable to make the trip to be with us this year.

Grandson Nate read the Christmas story from a wonderful children’s Bible, called the Jesus Storybook Bible. (written by Sally Lloyd-Jones and published by Zondervan)

Grandprincess E loved the apron and ABC book her Nana made for her.

After opening gifts there was time for hot tubbing, bird watching and rocket launching and Grandson N even got in a few runs on the dirtbike.

He also had a great chat with his Opa (my Dad).  It’s so nice seeing the oldest and youngest generations enjoying each other.

We ended our day with the traditional Turkey dinner and after the children were tucked into their beds, we sat and talked and played games.

 

It’s hard to believe another holiday season is over.  This week the decorations will be packed away and life will resume its daily rhythm. 

God has walked with us through the highs and lows of the past year and we are trusting Him to carry us through the coming year.

From our family to yours – May you be kept safe within the hollow of God’s  hand.  We wish you all a wonderful New Year.