Explorations close to home

A bit late but hope everyone had a great long weekend. We sure did! We finally started our explorations of our little community of White Rock that calls itself the "City by the Sea", as you saw on the last blog installment.

First up was a great little breakfast spot about a 5 minute saunter (it couldn't even be classed as a walk, it's that close) up to the Five Corners Café. It has been around for 50 years or so and still, somehow, retains that old charm of a true lunch counter style restaurant. We loved it. Jerry and Paula Gale, you have to come out here for this one!!

 

 

 

 

 "Squirt"

We'll see how many of our Mexico travelling buddies notice this sign.

The drink of choice with tequila in Mexico!! 

 

After a great breakfast at the counter, it was off to wander up the street. We love living here. It feels just like a small, oceanside town....hold it, that's what it is!!

 

We loved this little produce/grocery store. TV was on up in the corner,

just like so many of the little stores in Mexico. Nice feeling.....

 

 

...always need flowers in your life.

 

...isn't this the truth!!

 

 Penguin Meats. What an amazing store this is.

It will definitely get a return visit from me! 

 

After this it was off to North Vancouver to pick up my Mom. We were having her stay overnight on Saturday night. My drive was rather interesting though. Someone flagged me down part way to North Vancouver to tell me my rear tire was very low and it was!! Good old BCAA came and changed it out (that's why I pay the big bucks each year) and I was soon enough on my way. 

 

 

Wouldn't know it from this picture, but that tire is ruined.

However, $210 will get you a brand new one at

the local Kal Tire store......ouch!! 

 

Still, we had a great visit with Mom. Some good wine drinking with her, Don & Diana out on the patio and then dinner. The kids were supposed to come down as well but they were sick with a flu bug....darn it!!

 

Sunday found us out for a walk on the pier and a nice sunny appetizer at Jimmy Flynn's, right across from the water. Gotta love that sunshine!!

 

 

 

Mom doesn't drink as fast as me.....

 

The weekend seemed to fly by. How about for everyone else?? Sorry for the delay in getting back to everyone. Seems not only the weekends fly by but the weeks do as well! But we are enjoying our new routines!

 

Peace....

 

Thought for the day: Like the sign from Hillcrest Bakery says..."Life is uncertain, eat dessert first!! 

Happy Birthday and some musings.......

Just musing along this fine day!!!

First on the list is a very Happy Birthday wish for our great sis-in-law, Diana. We hope you have had a great and fine day. Hoping it was filled with all your favourite things!! We love you!!

Take a deep breath so you can blow out ALL those candles!!

We hope your day was great!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DI!!

 

********************************************************

 

Had a great morning looking after the boys while Kathy ran some errands, Love my Thursday mornings!!

Isn't Jasper growing fast??

Making my own snack!!!

 

 

Gus measuring himself!!

Over it goes!!!

...and just a wee bit of "sight-seeing" today,

(Notice the photographer in the reflection??)

 

Cool house on Marine Drive. The owners must work with a

theatre company as there are always cool props up on the deck.

This year it is a pinkish theme.....

 

Even the bus stop makes you want to go somewhere....anywhere!! 

 

White Rock Pier pictures.....

 

 

 

Well, that's it for us today. Let's see what we can get into over the long weekend. Hope you all have fun, no matter what you do!!

Peace....

Thought for the Day: Life is better when you are laughing....

Happy Mother's Day Ladies!!

A bit late, but a chance to wish two very important women in our lives a very Happy Mother's Day....our moms, Nadyne Tamas and Helen Beglaw. It never escapes Doug or I how very lucky we are to have such amazing women in our lives. We are thankful for all their unconditional love, everything they have done and continue to do for us. You are both an inspiration and we hope you know how special you are in our lives and how much we love you!

Being a Mom and Grandma is and will always be one of my very favourite things.

We had a wonderful day out here on the West Coast. We started with a great brunch in North Vancouver with Doug, my Mom, Josh, Kathy, Gus & Jasper. Lots of great family time!! We were sad to not be able to have Teagan & Shawn, who live up in Nelson, spend the day with us too. Finished off the day with a great walk at the beach with my best friend!!

Life is good......

Josh & Grandma Nadyne

Grandpa Doug & Gus....

Great Grandma & Jasper...

Hey, who's that ham??

Thanks everyone for the great brunch!!

(Notice how relaxed Jasper looks on his Mommy's lap?)

 

Even though this was taken in September, I love it....

Great Grandma Helen and a younger Gus.

 

Back at the homestead, the walkway deck/garden is filling in quite nicely. Seems, for now, all the plants are happy with the ocean breeze and the sun.

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Welcome to my garden"

 

 

 

 

Work is going well for both of us. Mine is three days per week and Doug is still working harder than I, at 4 days per week. Now, no doubt, we both much preferred full-on retirement better with no alarm clocks but we are loving being back on the lower mainland with family and friends so the small sacrifice is well worth it!!

 

Travelling is still high on our priority list and, as always, thanks for hanging in with us. We enjoy knowing you are all checking in still. We WILL get back to travel time!!!

 

Peace....

 

Thought for the Day:  Always remember to fall asleep with a dream and wake up with a purpose....

Toe in the Water......

So, now it seems that things are underway. I have unpacked the very last box. All boxes and paper have officially gone to recycling. I am done with them...Yahoo!!

Once again, thanks to everyone for hanging in there with us. I know that we aren't exactly "running away" at this present time, however, we will be eventually. Here is the new routine, as we can tell so far.

January, February & March will be our new "warm" travel months. Whether that means packing up good ol' Euri for some easy, West Coast Mexico time or it may mean something different. Time and my R&D Department (a.k.a. Doug) will tell. The entire month of September will be our "Canada exploring" time. Looking forward to that for sure. I see some good camping trips coming then.

In between, we will, as I have affectionately termed it "pay to play". We will be (both) working part-time in the Lower Mainland. Doug has his gig sorted out and mine is as well now. Approximately 3 to 4 days per week for each of us. We decided that we would try just 3 days per week and see if things worked out okay for us. We will keep you posted! It will be nice to know that we have that holiday time upcoming. We are still planning on getting out in Euri for some weekend camps (we hope) around here. Stay tuned for that! Otherwise, we will start, once again, our explorations around White Rock and the general Vancouver area. We will post those fun times too.

Here is a little sneak preview of the homestead, so far. Ceiling is a little low and for a tall person like me, it is noticeable for the first little bit that you are in here then it's all okay. The landlord has a small kitchen reno planned already! Yahoo!! 

 

 

 

 

White door goes right out into the garage. There is another

entrance down the side of our deck.

 

....and here is the outside courtyard, up above us, that we are free to use. Just needs a bit of sunshine and a bottle of wine!! Nice that our landlord is kind enough to do all the hard work and then let us sit up there! We are on the level down in the house, with a lane access. Not to mention a half garage to park Felix in too!! Doug is stoked!!!

...and this is what this lovely place is called.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

...and down below on our deck. I think we should be called

"Toe in the Water, too"

 

 

 

Our area is coming along too. A bit more tweaking.....

 

Doug has a little bbq area.

 

Remember those floats that we dug out of the trees

on the side of that Nova Scotia highway in May?

Well here they are, looking out at a West Coast ocean now!! 

So, caught up with us, you are. Hope you enjoyed the smallish tour. I will get to work next week and get into my new routine. Thanks again, everyone, for stopping by. Hope you keep on visiting. We will have lots to show you around here!!

 

Peace....

 

Thought for the Day: Be careful when you follow the masses. Sometimes, the "m" is silent.

We've Moved!!

Sorry for the absence. This moving thing is pretty all encompassing!!

 

First and most important, is our blog Happy Birthday wishes for our son, Josh on his 30th birthday on Sunday. We did celebrate but things were pretty much in an upside down state so I couldn't even find my white board for the proper sign!! Sheesh!!!

 

Anyway Josh....We are immensely proud of you and love you!! You are a wonderful husband, friend and dad now to not one, but two beautiful boys, Gus & Jasper. What a gig you have going (right, Kathy??!!) 

 

Yup, even packing paper can be used for multiple things!!

We love you!!!

It has been a very busy month for us!!

Packing was done, moving truck and helpers hired and we have now arrived in White Rock. We have rented a nice suite 3 blocks above the beach. It is on a very hilly section of this part of White Rock but we will get used to it. Our move out of Nanaimo was done in the sunshine so we really appreciated that. We, perhaps, should have known that meant we were in for the monsoon on the mainland side and Mother Nature did not disappoint!! It didn't just rain, it poured all day long!!

White Rock arrival! Notice the slope??

Also, see the HUGE excavation hole across the lane!!!

....but you can see the beach out there.

Yes, it poured...all day!!

 

Nice to have special company at our place!!

....and our beautiful little Jasper too!!

I have mislaid my camera so we have to go with any pictures on my phone for now!! Hopefully, I will find it soon but I am now down to only 8-9 boxes left and I haven't seen it yet!!

Anyway, we are still stitching things together. But right now, the sun is pouring in the living room window and it feels good!!

Peace....

Thought for the Day:  Thanks to our blogger friend, Chris Bauer.....The fact that there’s a highway to hell and only a stairway to heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers. Just sayin’.....

It's getting busy!!

So here is our update. Not much for travel, as I have mentioned.

We spent some great time with our grandsons this past week. Between that fun time, we managed to land ourselves a great basement suite in White Rock, about 4 blocks above the famous White Rock pier. We are pretty stoked. Should take a little "inventive" furniture arranging both inside and outside but we are up for the challenge.

We are hoping to be in the new place before the end of this month. Great area, great new landlord and awesome to be back in the lower Mainland again. It's been a while!! So, this week it's packing, packing, packing!! I will surface later in the week and check in with everyone.

For now, here is the latest installment on our beautiful little boys!!

.....Just waitin' for my pancake!!!

Gus is learning to manage his run bike already,

 under the watchful eye of Dad!! 

 

Grandpa Doug and his boys......

 

Even Jasper is growing fast!!

 

Peace....

 

Thought for the Day: There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up....John Holmes