Greetings from the Maritimes

I've been on a business trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia, one of the Canadian provinces that's part of the Maritimes. It's gorgeous. The weather got pretty chilly this week, but I like cold weather so that's really been a non-issue. I figured out pretty easily how to get from the airport to the hotel (and customs didn't even sort through my luggage) and then to the newspaper without any real issues.

Today I took a very short road trip to see one of Nova Scotia's most popular tourist attractions. On a cold, snow flurryish day in December. You're probably asking, "Are you crazy?" and I may be, but I think it was the most perfect day to be there. The drive there was not long, but I stopped a lot to take pictures and enjoy the winter scenery. Every way you drive there are lakes and coves and beautiful, breathtaking vistas. This is one example:

And another one:

I drove to Peggy's Cove, which is a little fishing village on the southwestern edge of the province. I would like to emphasize the word "little" because it was nothing if not small and quaint. It may be one of my new favorite places in the entire world. It became much more dear to my heart when it started snowing just before I arrived. Driving in the village, I was so glad to be here during this time of year when the tourists are not. There were still a few people visiting the lighthouse today, but many fewer than there would be in the summer months. It really doesn't need an introduction.

And just to prove I was there, here's a contemplative self-portrait by the sea.

It was a really good day and I feel very fortunate to be here. I also did a little shopping. I had the best time talking to a couple of ladies who were manning one of the few gift shops in the village. We had a very nice talk and I took advantage of their 30% end-of-season sale (see, it was the best time of the year to go) on everything in the store. Well, I didn't buy everything they had, but I got some really good stuff. And sipped on some yummy hot cider while I shopped. Can't wait to give away the gifts I bought today. I wish I could post pictures of those things, but I can't. Too many eyes might see what they shouldn't.

A note to the staff

Dear Hospitality Staff,
Thank you for making my bed and for bringing around those tasty chocolates and a bottle of water each night. I really appreciate you taking such good care of me.

Yours truly,
Chris

I can't make this stuff up

Seen at the intersection of 25th and Arkansas. Yes, that's a small white dog in the backpack of the motorcyclist.


They must do this often because the pooch didn't look a bit scared. I was on my way to work one morning a couple of months ago when I snapped this picture. But it still makes me smile.

Zachary turns 3!

In the middle of my week of vacation at the end of April, Zachary turned three years old. His party was the weekend after his birthday and almost everybody was there to celebrate his special day. The day before his party I got to spend the whole day with him and Grandma Sherrie. We worked on a project to make Mother's Day gifts for his grandmas and his mommy. I think they were a big hit. We also went to the park where he made me dizzy by turning me on the spinny thing and mom laughed her fool head off when I couldn't walk. She's somewhat evil. No pictures of that because she was laughing too hard.

His party included a cookout, cake and, of course, a pile of presents. Here he's flashing his I.D.

Preparing to blow out the candles.

And tearing into the present pile with mommy reading him his card from yours truly.

Some of his favorite toys. I just got him boring books and clothes.

It's so cliche, but I cannot believe that he's already three years old. It seems like just yesterday when he was born. He's getting so big and independent and I sometimes miss that little baby. But then he says something really funny and I'm so glad he's older and more entertaining!

Singsation

In April I drove out to Oakley to see and hear my nephew, Jeffrey, in Singsation. On the way to Ellinwood to ride with my sister Teresa I had a tire blow out on a lonely country road in Rice County. As luck would have it, about five minutes after I pulled to the side of the road, some people whose kids I used to babysit drove by on their way to Wichita. Clayton was instrumental (OK, he did the whole thing) in putting on the spare. I was able to make it to Ellinwood without mishap. So grateful they came by when they did.


They kicked off the show in their fanciest outfits. Jeffrey's the second from the left in the back row. He did a great job on his solo of "I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas" which he heard for the first time last year in my car. He was really nervous, but I was so proud of him. Some of the other solos...well, not so much. They were all way ahead of me, though, because I'd never get up and sing in front of a crowd. Ever. At least not without a lot of alcohol first.

He also joined the rest of the boys in the Oakley Plainsman Singers for "Goober Peas" and he's the goober on the right in this picture.

We had a good time and I was glad I made the trip out for it. I needed new tires anyway.

Easter weekend

My birthday fell on Good Friday this year and I was lucky to have that day off from work. It was the day I got the official offer letter for my new job at Brainworks. It was a really good day, despite the fact I turned a year older.

Zach was really the only little kid around on Easter Sunday. He had a great time helping hide Easter eggs with Katie and I. We'd each take turns hiding them with him and then he'd help the other one find the same eggs he'd just hidden. It was pretty comical. We had gorgeous weather that day and ended up spending a lot of time outside. Here Zach and Katie are finding the eggs I helped him hide.

Hiding eggs with them made me remember hiding them when I was a kid. It brought back some really good memories. I've always loved Easter since it's usually right around my birthday. I hid an egg in this tree that I ran over with the mower right after my parents planted it. I know I stunted that tree's growth, but it's still alive even though it hasn't really grown that much. Oops! Even though my mom never said anything about it at the time, she told me she definitely noticed it when it happened. Mom always knows! Eyes. In. Back. Of. Head.

After egg hunting was over, Katie and Zach got into a fight with sticks. They're so weird.

Better late than never, right?

As my family will point out, I'm a bit of a tardy blogger. I really do mean well, it's just that life gets in the way. Not to mention a new job (this is week seven already) and a healthy dose of sleep on the weekends. But I'm back and I'm vowing (yes, again) to be a better blogger.

The first three months of the year I spent every Wednesday night with a great group of folks as part of my job. I really enjoyed coaching that group of couples on the skills they were learning in their marriage education workshop. It was a great way to round out my employment with Marriage for Keeps. My job there ended on April 30 and I was lucky enough to be able to have the last week as vacation before I started the new job. Here's a picture of workshop facilitator Brian talking to the group. That's the other facilitator, Rachel, facing the camera.

Because of confidentiality reasons I can't post a picture of the group even though I took one the last night we met. If you were in that group and want a copy of the picture I took, post a message and I'll e-mail it to you.

I miss my co-workers at MfK because they're a group of awesome individuals, but I'm really diggin' the new job. What's not to like about the relaxed dress code, "normal" work hours, and the satisfaction of helping people work through their computer problems? Nothing, that's what.

Stay tuned. More to come...

Spring is springing

The forsythia in my back yard bloomed this week. I think it looks so pretty. If the photo looks blurry it's because the wind has been blowing constantly (it seems anyway) this week. It never seems like there's a moment it's not blowing in the wind.

Five years ago about this time my friends Lucy, Ian, William and Ellen were here from England for a visit. They bought the forsythia (they pronounce it for-sigh-thia) for me on that trip and we planted it together. I never look at it without thinking of them. And just in time for my birthday, I received a card from them in the mail yesterday. Happy spring, friends!

OKC trip

A couple of weeks ago (OK, almost a month ago) I went down to Oklahoma City with my mom and sisters for our annual girls’ weekend. Jenny studied on the way down (she has to keep up her perfect 4.0 GPA in grad school, you know). As usual it was filled with lots of laughter and some really good food.

Christopher, one of my nephews, lives in Oklahoma City and works at a couple of restaurants. We went to one of them while he was at work and it was a great experience. Ingrid’s is a German bakery and restaurant. We dined there on the Saturday for lunch and my reuben was excellent, but the slice of German chocolate cake I ate for dessert was the best I’ve ever had. It was so good I took a picture of it and my sister, Teresa, made fun of me. On the left is mom's strawberry cake. On the right is Teresa's coconut cake. My German chocolate is in the middle. It really was divine.

There was live music when we got there but they put away their instruments not long after we arrived. Ingrid’s was featured on a recent episode of “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” on the Food Network. We got to meet Maggie, the kitchen manager, who showed Guy Fieri how they make their famous reubens. Search for it on YouTube if you haven’t seen it.

Here’s a picture of Christopher at work behind the counter. He’s very photogenic, don’t you think?

We also ate at Iron Starr barbeque and it was delicious as always. Sorry no pictures of that.

There was also a healthy dose of slot machine play for my sister, Jenny, who has a bit of a gambling itch that needs scratching every now and then. Mom, Teresa and I were happy with about three hours’ worth of gambling. Jenny needed about eight hours’ worth. So we left her there and picked her up later. Very little shopping this year. Mostly we just hung out, ate and played cards. It was so much fun I'm ready to go again.

A Keeper photo

In January I went to Exploration Place with Jennifer, Bella and Jake to get a sneak preview of the Mr. Potato Head exhibit. We weren't really that impressed with it and Bella was very unimpressed with the costumed spud, but she did consent to one photo with him.

After this picture was snapped she wouldn't go near him and hid behind me every time we saw him.

When we left EP the flames at the Keeper of the Plains were ablaze. Here's a picture I took that turned out pretty good, for an amateur photographer.

Happy Vietnamese New Year!

A couple of weeks ago I had lunch at Saigon on Broadway. Behold, the number 56:

It was the perfect day for lunch at Saigon. They had entertainment to celebrate Vietnamese New Year, which included the popping of firecrackers outside (to ward off the evil spirits) and some drum music and two dragons winding their way through the restaurant during the lunch rush. I'm sure they symbolized something, but I don't know what. I liked the atmosphere, though. It was lunch AND a show!

As you can see I wasn't the only one taking pictures of this event.

After we'd eaten, we also got to pick out an envelope from a basket. Each envelope (or ours anyway) contained a Power Ball $1 quick pick. I am sad to report that I didn't win anything, but it was a good day to lunch at one of my favorite places.

Christmas 2009

My sister, Teresa (the oldest), has been cyber-stalking me to post a new blog. Behold some pictures from Christmas 2009.

This first picture is of the nativity set my sisters gave me for my birthday. It's beautiful and the most fancy nativity I've ever owned. I loved looking at it over the holidays and just recently put it away. I added the tree in the back which was purchased at Barrier's liquidation sale last month.

My sisters and I have a gift ball that we pass around each Christmas. This Christmas Teresa had the gift ball and was responsible for purchasing gifts for us (we include mom in this tradition, too, she just doesn't ever have to buy presents). We went to Teresa's house and she served us yummy tea in her pretty Christmas cups and we snacked on breads that she'd baked. My favorite is her almond poppyseed bread. This year she got us Christmas ornaments that are ceramic boxes shaped like Hershey's Kisses that were also filled with Kisses. Don't have a picture of them since I've already stowed the decorations, but it's really cute. Mine is red. Mom and Jenny got green. Next year Jenny will have the ball.

My oldest nephew, Andrew, was in charge of passing out presents.

Zach peering in as Grandma opens one of her presents. That lunch box he's holding was something I played with as a kid - a vintage toy if you will.

Caden (with his mom, Rachel) opening his present from me: Toy Story pajamas and a Tupperware pitcher and four cups for his play kitchen at home.

Terri, Zach and Mark opening gifts. I had Mark's name and gave him a rear-view mirror for their Rhino and the second Diners, Drive-ins and Dives cookbook. He's a big fan of the show.

Teresa with one of the Santa heads she got. Anissa, Kyle and Victoria are also tearing into their presents.

Katie, Frank, Jenny, Fred, Jessica and Cody were around the corner. This was the first Christmas since my mom and dad's house remodel was finished. It was nice to have enough room for everybody. The only drawback is not being able to see everybody at once.

My nephew, Christopher, with his nephew, Caden.

My mom's birthday is Christmas Eve. We always get her the prettiest birthday cakes. This one tasted as good as it looks. Caden and Zach (as did the rest of us) dug into some cake after opening presents.











Zach got a wagon from grandma Sherrie and grandpa. He liked it when we took turns pulling him through the house. He and Caden both got in and took rides, too. This shot also highlights the new flooring my parents got in their kitchen and dining room right before Thanksgiving. It's one of the final steps in their renovation process. The only thing left to do is finish up the trim and paint touch-ups.

My sisters, Jenny and Teresa, on Christmas Day during our card-playing extravaganza.

Two of my nephews, Jeffrey and Christopher, during my worst game of rummy ever on Christmas Day.