Horizons! is just a memory

But it was a fabulous weekend. HORIZONS! was a polymer clay retreat hosted by the Vancouver Polymer Clay Guild at the Park Inn on Broadway. So many excellent teachers and not enough time. I came away with a head of ideas swirling around and now I just want to play.

No time. I am off to Puyallup to the Sewing show on Wednesday, show starts Thursday. And don't forget the shopping !! Lots of shopping. My girlfriend and I have finalized our route and list of places to stop at so it will be a full few days. Looking forward to spending time with my "twin sister born of different mothers eight days apart!" Now figure that one out!

More later with pictures.

After a long absence from writing on our blog, I am back. The other day, April and I had to go into Vancouver for a meeting and discovered we had time afterward to just relax and go for a little drive around Stanley Park. Part way around, we stopped for a walk at Third Beach. It was a lovely sunny day so we sauntered down the beach and I found all sorts of items to photograph, like the rock here. It was bare on one side and had all this green on the north side. It just caught my eye. Looks like a mountain with the tree line.....

The day was so relaxing just listening to the ocean, finding stuff and just walking. With all this we were hungry so headed off to Granville Island and enjoyed a lunch from one of the food kiosks in the main market. This certainly sustained us until

History-Making day

What an awesome day!!!! The inauguration of the first black President of the United States of America...

On Sunday we went to Nanaimo for our family Christmas and gift exchange. It started out as a very grey foggy day but by time we arrived at my daughter's home, the sun was shining and everything was bright and happy. We exchanged all the gifts and helped get turkey dinner ready when Angela let the dogs out the back door and saw this amazing sight. The fog was rolling in at a very fast pace but not too thick. The sun was shining through and this is the beautiful effect. It was just magical.

Our day ended all too soon. We caught the ferry home and fell into bed, very tired but happy we were finally able to have Christmas.

NOTE: Danica is doing better. The pain came back last Friday (Jan 9th). She was rushed to the hospital and the doctors kept her for observation. Now she is much better but still a bit weak and a bit pale. Prognosis is good.

DANICA update Jan 2nd, 2009

Where did 2008 go? Hmmm, it went so fast.

Just a quick update on Danica. She is out of the hospital and doing a great recovery. When she went home, there was a Wii waiting for her and her brother Kristian. Slowly, she started to play and yesterday I am told she was full of energy. Crisis is over, life back to normal...

Update on Danica - getting better

Our precious little granddaughter is finally getting better. The operation to remove her appendix was a success but then a bit of infection started to set in and this was a worry. If Danica could not get up and move around, then there was (and still is) a good chance that pneumonia could happen. Today my daughter started to bribe Danica with chocolate milk as a reward if she took at least two steps away from the bed. It seems to be working. She sure loves her chocolate milk.
Pictured her on the first meeting with Gypsy Blu. He just let her haul him around, love him up and at one point, she dressed him up in clothes from her box of play clothes.

Dec 26th - Gypsy Blu

Gypsy Blu - what a patient little puppy. He tolerated being dressed up and set to pose for the camera. And here he is. Santa has come and gone, stockings have been opened and Christmas dinner has been consumed so we decided to see if we could get some pics of our snow dog. He loves it out in the snow, chasing snow flakes, running, making his own paths. He is just so funny, we laugh every day at his antics.

Update on Danica (5 yr old granddaughter)

Kristian 7 yrs old (left) and Danica 5 yrs old (right)

Well, it is Christmas eve and I guess it is as good a time as any for this little lamby to be sick. Danica has been complaining about a sore tummy for over a week and my daughter took her to the doctor. He said it was a bug of some sort, just to watch her. Danica continued to complain, throw up, have a fever - all the symptoms of a not-so-well little girl.

Early in the morning Dec 23rd, Danica started to throw up blood and this panicked Angela (my dd). Her and Charles bundled Danica up and drove to emergency where the doctor admitted her right away. She had a ruptured appendix and she was only going to get sicker if she was not operated on NOW !

She came through the operation just fine but now she is fighting an infection. The doctor assures my daughter this is normal for this sort of operation. They may put in a drainage tube if she does not respond to the antibiotics.

Kristian misses his sister a lot and wants to know when she can come home and when Christmas is going to happen. On Christmas day, every one is going into the hospital and open a few gifts with Danica and maybe Santa may appear... Get well soon Little Danica....

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL....AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS for those who do not celebrate Christmas