Mona Lisa

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Sunset or dawn ~ I guess it depends on your perspective.  2016 is facing it’s sunset but the 2017 year is fast approaching dawn.

2012-01-23 13.42.46

winter scene along Okanagan lake

For some it has been a year of celebrations, graduation, new milestones and for an equal portion it has been a year of challenges, and disappointment.  For most, I hope, it has been a year full of lessons, and real joyful times.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
Mark Twain

As I begin each year I do so with the intent to do more.  I will try to be more free with compliments and smiles, frugal in my complaints and criticisms.

I hope that I can embrace the new year with optimism to be a better friend, more understanding father, and that in a year from now I will reflect and know it was a year well-spent.

If not, I am normal, human and will keep trying.🐧

Leonardo da Vinci – Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than does nature because in her inventions nothing is lacking, and nothing is superfluous.

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Christmas Memories

The season is upon us, Christmas season that is.   I remember the Christmas on my grandfather’s farm when I was 10ish and the gifts that stand out (no not underwear) were a toy submarine and a flashlight. The submarine from my Uncle Julie (julius) was supposed to rise and fall in the tub just like a real sub when placed dissolving tablets in it. It never worked as advertised but for awhile I looked forward to bathtime. The flashlight was dead by morning. I must have laid for hours with my brother and we flashed the beams of light on the ceiling in the basement where we were stashed until morning. The lights were zoomed, spun, and battling on the ceiling until we fell asleep. It felt like we were awake all night but it was probably more like midnight.

When I was about seven years old I remember living in Quesnel and getting a wooden tobaggan. It went to use the next day, and I remember the year I received a crokinole board. Cool ! Sadly the sweaters, socks, and electronics I undoubtedly received have faded from my memory.

But Christmas cooking, Christmas trees all decorated, sneaking Christmas fudge, and family time opening our gifts in turn together all stand out in my mind.

The Christmas magic returns now to me with the simple events and activities with family. I look forward to quiet time with Susan,  the happy task of making her smile when her neck is rubbed. The Christmas magic of hanging out with my son David, and my daughter Mandy is hard to compare. Even though now I tend to lose to them in whatever board game we play, I still look forward to it. Hopefully there is more snowmen in the future for me, more delicious turkey, and many more memories never to fade.

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Snow Flakes!

~ Snow Flake ~

Right now skiers, snowboarders, and snow removal contractors are doing a happy dance! December 11, 2010 – 2:44 and white snow flakes are floating, swirling and dancing to earth. These are the kind of snowflakes that are light and fluffy. If you are outside and they land on your jacket you can see the beauty of their crystal shapes ~ each one different so they say.

Fluttering and falling faster and faster – it’s a real show! For an encore I will have to do my shovelling the driveway schtick.

But where would summer be without heat, and Christmas without snow? The homes that are festooned with coloured lights will look even more cheery tonight!

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Life After Death by PowerPoint

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I need directions

When it comes to music, I need help nowadays, sort of directions on what is out there. Most of my music likes date to the 1970’s. I was in high school before I started to pay attention to music.

At first, I really only paid attention to music when I went roller skating, or to ice skating parties during high school.  Blue Collar by BTO definitely reminds me of when I attended one of the high school ice skating parties.  Whether it was ice skating or roller skating ~guys had to have the rink to themselves to skate hard every now and then.

I did have some close buddies back at Vancouver Technical High School who were into music so I gradually started to pay attention. That was the days of Crocodile Rock, Elderberry Wine, and Elvis was still in the building.

London station with my guides

 

One thing that is constant is my love of reading. But even there I can take directions from my son and daughter nowadays. It looks like even the relaxing pastime ofI  reading is becoming more electronic. Ebooks are now outselling the traditional paper books.

Now e-readers make sense if instead of 15 kilos of books students can just have textbooks in those tiny memory sticks.

I wonder though with all the electronics out there if writing is becoming a lost art form. I think that reading and telling stories to my kids when they were little is definitely one of my favorite memories.

I wasn’t successful sometimes in making them sleepy but I don’t regret one second of all the laughter. Now both my son (Dave) and (Mandy) daughter are awesome readers and share books with me (the hard cover kind). I recently was the last one to read – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

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Cracking Toast

Wallace and Gromit

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Wallace and Gromit came to my attention after they won an Oscar award.  The amazing films are fun, and bewildering considering the lifelike movement of the plasticine characters. They still pour tea, and seem to move through the air.

The films are available at most video stores to rent and are great entertainment.

” Cracking Toast ” Of course, that is the line of Wallace after he drops from his bed, through the ceiling, lands at the breakfast table just in time for toast to pop from the toaster.

 

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