A NICE FAMILY GET TOGETHER DEC. 22, 2012

 We had our little family get together on Saturday night, and most of the family dropped in during the evening. 

My son Jim & his wife Rachelle.

 My Daughter Tracy Elizabeth

My Foster grand daughter Rochelle. 

 My Daughter Wendy and her husband Murray.

I got out the Santa Hat, and some wore it with Pinnache. 

 

While others had no sense of style at all. 

All in all we all had a good time and it was nice to get a chance to see everyone before we headed south. 

 

Details of our travels will follow tomorrow.  I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas. 

 

 

 

 

DOWN TO THE FINAL DETAILS

I am down to all the last minute chores.  I have my turkey in the oven right now, so that we can have our Christmas dinner tonight, then I can make my turkey sandwiches for our travel lunches.  That's our favorite lunch when we are travelling.  And we will be travelling on Christmas day so the sandwiches will have to do as our Christmas dinner on the road. 

I'm off to the bank today to withdraw money out of our American funds account.  I try to purchase American $ when our Canadian $ is above par.  This year it's been pretty good. 

My family is coming over for a get together on Saturday, so the gifts are wrapped, I have the bar stocked and Hors d'oeuvres on hand. 

All my packing is done except there are always things that you can not pack until the last minute, like our medications, toiletries, etc.  All the things that need to go into our motel bag.  That's the bag we lug in and out of the motels each night with the essentials for overnighting, including our portable bar that we always need after a long long day of driving. 

Tomorrow, Dan will go and get some dry ice, that will keep my cooler nice and frozen for over 5 days of travel.  And I will put my frozen sausages and sausage rolls in it.  I take enough frozen sausages to last us for 3 months as I haven't been able to find any sausages that I like. down in Texas.  I also take dozens of sausage rolls with me to serve at my St. Patrick's Day Party. 

So I guess we are as ready, as we can be, we are hoping to get away early Sunday morning and with any luck maybe we will make it to McAllen in time to go to Sharon & Casey's Boxing Day Party.

The next time you hear from us we should be on the road, heading for Texas. 

 

TEXAS HERE WE COME

Well we have been in and out of so many doctor's offices and waiting rooms in the last few weeks I don't think I can even count them all.  It all started when we went for our usual fall medical check-ups in preparation for our three months down south. 

 

Dan had not really been feeling his best of late when we went, so that triggered a series of doctor's appointments and tests.  It started with our regular GP exam then it was off for the blood tests, xrays, etc.  Then he had an appointment with a Gastroenterologist, who sent him for a  Colonoscopy.   After that it was off to the Cardio specialist, that looked after him after his By-Pass surgery, he sent him to St. Boniface hospital for a Cardiac Stress Test.  By now of course he was feeling much better, but all the appointments are made and you have to keep them.  So then it was back to our GP who after eliminating all these things has given him a diagnosis of Hiatus Hernia. 

 

 "Nothing to worry about", just don't over eat or eat too fast, which has always been one of Dan's problems.  We used to call him "Arcs and Sparks" as his knife and fork were moving so fast.  I used to think, him and his mom were in a race at Sunday dinner, they were always finished waaaay ahead of any of the rest of us at the table.   

So with the doctor giving him a clean bill of health and saying "Have a good trip.". we can now finish our packing and get ready for our planned departure on December 24th.  We are having our little family get together on December 22nd, last minute stuff to do on the 23rd.  To bed early and up and on the road early on the 24th.  We are hoping that the roads will be deserted on the 24th and 25th.  Now all we have to watch is the weather. 


 

CENTRAL PARK IS BEING TRANSFORMED

As winter begins, Winnipeg's Central Park is always transformed from a Summer fun place of games, playgrounds and splash park, to a winter play area.  Once a bit of snow accumulates, all the area tiny tots show up dressed in brightly coloured snowsuits, with their plastic carpets and small sleds to use the slight slopes of the splash pool area as a miniature toboggan slide.  Even the area day cares bring their charges here for some daily exercise.  It's delightful to see.   

As the little ones play on their impromptu slides, the city employees are transforming, the usually busy (in the summer anyways) Soccer pitch.  This area, that  during most summer evenings, accommodates three or four soccer games at any given time, will be transformed into a huge skating rink.   This skating rink has huge flood lights and is well used late into the evenings. 

At the far end  of the park near Ellice Avenue, there is a bigger slide area for older children.  I haven't gone down there yet this year, to see how it is progressing. 

 

All in all, I certainly think that this is one of the nicest features of downtown living.  None of the suburban areas have anything that comes close to measuring up to this facility.   

 

 

 

WHERE HAVE I BEEN THE LAST TWO WEEKS?

Well, first of all I was helping my cousin with an upholstery job. 

Then all the mundane things like shopping, cooking and cleaning. 


As soon as I get back to the condo in the fall, I so quickly settle into a dull routine. 




Then I got out my Christmas decorations.  I don't do much in the way of Christmas decor, as I hate to have to put it all away before I head south, and if you have a lot,  it's even worse to come back to in April.  So this is my little Christmas decor effort. 

                                                        

So now that I'm feeling a little more Christmassy, it's time to get my Christmas cards done, and start my Christmas shopping.  Not that I have that much to do.  I only have two grandchildren under 18 now.  Once they are adults they no longer get a Christmas present from Nana & Grampa. 



Then I started to think about heading for Texas.  Making my lists and starting to pack stuff into two big plastic storage crates that we take.   Then ordering enough of our pills for 3 months.  We also took the dog to the vet for all her check ups. 

So, that's what I have been up to for the last couple of weeks.  Dan is out this morning at his annual volunteer Sally Ann Children's Charity, so I decided this was a good time for me to get caught up on my Blog. 

The countdown to Texas is starting.  24 days and counting. 

WINTER HAS ARRIVED.

Well, Winter has arrived for real now.   It started out like this on Friday, which didn't seem so bad.

But by Sunday,  we had a full dump.  That's enough to put me "down in the dumps".  Winter is not exactly my favorite season.  I guess it's age related.  When your young, you go out there and enjoy some winter activities that are available out there.

Our Central Park, pictured here will soon be transformed.  The soccer field will become a skating rink, and the water slide at the far end will become a toboggan slide.  But we are getting too old for that kind of fun.  Who needs a broken hip?

When it finally stopped snowing on Sunday we went to Twyla and Andy's place for a little boater's get together.  As Andy called it "A Picnic Table Get Together" , which we are all suffering a little withdrawal from.  It was a very nice afternoon, visiting with boating friends.

So, now that my winter blahs have set in, I have to really push myself to get moving and do anything.  Even blogging.  I have a couple of sewing chores to complete here, so that will hold my attention for awhile, but it's still far to soon to turn my attention to our journey south to Texas.

I just wish the lull between "Boating Season" and "Texas Vacation" wasn't quite so long.  

NO MORE BOATING UNTIL SPRING

We made a quick trip out to the hangar on Saturday.  We have had to face the fact that the weather is not going to improve enough for us to do our fiber glassing until spring.  So it was time to go out to the boat and pick up a number of items that we use both on the boat and in the trailer.

I have a Sewing Kit, a Craft Kit, a Spice Rack, a First Aid Kit and a Manicure Kit, that all serve double duty, both on the boat and in our Trailer in Texas

While out at the lake we stopped in to visit Gord and Ellie Gowie, who were busy putting up their Christmas lights.

We had a nice visit with them and they said they would see if they could make it down to Texas for a visit this winter.

So that's the  last we will see of the lake area until next spring.  Now we start planning towards our trip to our little trailer home in McAllen Texas.