The end of 2011

It seems like yesterday everyone stressing about the Y2 panic. Sure that all computerized activity would cease.
2011 has been a year of highs and lows.

It was a very dismal and sober Christmas last year.
My two old dogs died within 2 weeks of each other. Gypsy, my little pal died at 16 years, and Rover at 14. He just gave up the will to live. The Vet said there was nothing the matter with him except he was depressed.
After that, the whole house was depressed and so quiet. We had to borrow Johns Elk hound to make us feel normal.
January was exceptionally cold. I really think I should be a hot
house flower.
Things did take a turn for the better when Chris sent my
birthday present. 
A little Chi-Chan girl.
It wasn't long until she had us all
trained and the house arranger
the way she liked it. She is quick and smart and very funny.
The best times come when she visits from her family. They are very alike and incredibly different.
Her best friend is John’s Elk Hound.
You would not think two dogs of such different size could have so much fun.
Then in February, Ewan crashed his truck going to Mt Washington Skiing. He was unhurt, but it was a bit of a toss whether they would write the truck off or
fix it as the damage was over $8000. They ended up fixing it but the lender he had was not a Mountain car so he could not finish the ski season. He hopes for better this time around.


Mar 3 was a day I remember well, I was going to Salt
Spring Island with some ladies from the guild when I

slipped down my front step at 6 AM. I couldn't seem to wake any one, so crawled on my hands and knees to my car and drove to Monike’s . After due course I was in the hospital for a few days with 3 broken ribs and a lung hemorrhage. Things sure don’t heal like they did when I was 20. Especially with hospital food  
I got out of hospital in time to help with the Make up with the Gilbert and Sullivan Society, doing the Mikado. I was on big time pain killers and the cast was super doing what they could of their own make-up.
March and April are my busy time for tax preparations but this year, I had to cut back because of my injuries. I am raring to go and save taxpayers more money this year.
May was really terrific. Duncan 
and his wife Corine and their two
children Gabby and Caitlin came down from Fort St John for a week. Gabbie was competing in an Irish dance competition and I was

there when she took her gold.
We crammed a lot into a week. It
was the first time the
children had seen the pacific coast. Gabby had seen
Atlantic Canada.
For Earth Day, Ewan built me a garden bed. Raised and
with a small fence so the dogs don’t destroy it. I have planted Raspberries and it yielded a few things this year and hopefully, as we build up the soil it will yield
more.
The squirrels and the birds started coming in the spring and we added gold fish to our outdoor pond.
June and I was busy getting back into spinning. We had a demonstration, on flax making.

Spring was late and with Spring came rain. We had the wettest summer in history.

In June, my friend June came from Edmonton. Her granddaughter was making wedding plans, and her father in law had moved to a new care home so we had a good visit. She is a snow birds and goes south in the winter. A lot of my friends do now. It makes it a bit lonely in the winter.

Saanich Historical Artifacts had its usual Fathers day weekend and some of our Spinners and Weavers Guild put on displays of some of the old time skills. Skills that are being revived.

In July, they had a promotion at a local casino and I was one of the one selected to have my picture taken with Gene Simmons and family of “KISS” fame. The kids were quite amused that mom was a rocker.

We had a two week visit from Chris. It seemed so long since we had seen him. It was a really good visit. Sad to see him go and little did we know it would be soon we would see him again.

In August, our old friend and mentor to all the boys, Dr. Benny Lowe passed away. He had been like a surrogate dad to Chris. It was very sad indeed. Chris flew down for the funeral and we said goodbye to our old friend.

September is the three day Threshing weekend At Saanich Historical Artifacts.

All systems are go. Lots of demonstrations, hands on events and of course threshing with steam power. |This included our Sawyer Massey that is 104 years young. It was well attended, not quite breaking old records, but trying.

October was a wonderful month. Middle son Duncan and family have sold up the trucking business and moved to Smithers. A lovely small community in the Buckley Valley, where his Great grandmother came as a war brined after the First World War.

They had decided that it may be a long time till so many of the family are together again in one place. So they flew Ewan, Chelsea, our little dog, and myself up for thanks giving.

Chris was already up there and Chelsea was able to see her mom, brother and sister.

We stayed in Duncan trailer first at Cameron and De-anna’s and family then at Duncan’s and family. What a great time we had. And such an easy flight except that Chelsea is getting to big for the flight cage.

November gave a bit of a scare. I had a minor transient ischemic attack.

Most of the symptoms left within 3 days, but there is a bit of paralysis on the right side of my face.  Nothing that really bothers me. Just one more pill in the handful I take a day.

Now we are into Christmas. Soon I will be taking pictures for 6 nights at Christmas in the Village and hope to get all my presents finished. Mostly hand made this year.

From my house to yours, I wish you a wonderful  the New Year.