Got Snow?

The snow banks are growing again!

Got winter? Yeah, too much of both, thanks!! I think this is the beginning of the next ice age--if I see some wooly mammoths plodding down the street, I'll know for sure!!! And if anyone, ever mentions "global warming", I'll give them a smack up the back of the head!! And send them out into the gusting, blowing, snow to shovel the walks!!

Ahhh yes--the old sun shining while it's snowing trick! Do I hear a HAARP playing? :)

This is never a good sight out the window! Snow blowing off the roof tends to collect in unpleasant drifts on the sidewalks!

But somebody, or should I say, 'somebunny' likes the snow piles!! Hahaha!! Since Duffy's been away, the hares have decided to have a party in the back yard!!

My new friend

Yes this the "Back to Life" machine--as seen on TV!!! I got it about 3 weeks ago and it has made such a great difference to my back, I am thrilled!! I use it every day, and have noticed a continual improvement.  I no longer am in excruciating pain or even in moderate pain. I use it right after I shovel snow, and it really helps to keep my back from seizing up. Maybe I can get a job doing testimonials!!!

It promotes togetherness too!!!!!!!!!!!!

Awwww!! And more togetherness!!!!!

And the answer is...

As I don't think anyone else will try the Tag game, I will now reveal the true statement !!!!
I didn't like math in school once we got beyond the basics. I did learn how to ride a bicycle (sorry Jolene and Jacqueline!!)--I was in my 20's and I never got comfortable with the whole thing, but I can ride. I learned out on the farm, so that if I fell, it would be on grass or soft soil, not concrete!! A hair raising, handle bar gripping ride down a hill in Calgary, is something I will never forget.  I thought I was going to die!!! I never, ever, never, never want to be cremated!!!! I would honor anybody else's request for that, if that's what they want, but it's not for me.  I want my bones to be here, as there is nothing else that will be left of my line. And coming from a long line of farmers on both sides of the family, resting in the earth, is a good thing. I'm not afraid of spiders--as I have told many people over the years, "Spiders are our friends!".  But then I don't live in Australia--right, Jacqueline!! So that means that the correct statement, is that I once owned a cow!! It was when I was engaged to Mister Potato Head, the farm boy--she was a Holstein and her name was Daisy!! She was my pet from the time she was born. I fed her pails of milk, brushed her, and patted her. She and her half-sister April, would race across the pasture to me!!! So sweet. After the engagement ended, and I had moved to Red Deer to teach at the college there, Potato Head's father, made sure that I received the money from the sale of Daisy. If Potato Head had been half the man his father was, I'd have been living on a farm north of Edmonton all these years. But he was a mama's boy and not ready for marriage! Or life!!! But as Dave says, it's a good thing that it didn't work out, because if it had, he and I wouldn't be together!! ♥

Tag! You're It!!

I was tagged by One Collie...Two Actually. And I'll play because it's Friday night and I have nothing else to do!! Hahaha!!

Here are the rules:

1. You have to display this lovely award on your blog.

2. You have to tell 5 things about yourself and 4 of them have to be bald-faced lies.  Then see who can guess the "right" one.

3. You have to pass this on to 5 of your friends to play too.

So, here are the 5 "true" things about myself.

1.  I loved math in school

2. I never learned to ride a bicycle

3. I want to be cremated when I die.

4. I owned a cow once.

5. I am afraid of spiders.


For this challenge, I tag:

Shamrocks and Pemmican
debz doghouse
Flynn
Easy to Spot
ColliesHorsesArtLove

I know that the last 2 have already been tagged, but I don't have very many blog friends!! :))

Blue Skies

Today we had one of those perfect blue sky days that we are supposed to have here in Alberta and used to have lots of before we began to be inundated with chem trails and HAARP clouds and weather systems in the mid-1990's. So while it was a cool -24 this morning, when I was done the sidewalk shovelling, I sat outside on the bench in the sun and enjoyed the clear sky.  The only thing missing was Duffy--he's down in Olds with Dave. :(

All too typical though--multiple criss-crossed trails.  This was taken last September.

And then they cover the sky with this cloud soup and our sunny day is no more.

And example of HAARP clouds with chem trails across the horizon.

I'd like to see lots more of this kind of sky again!!

PS. In case you think I am some kind of a nut case, I was a weather technician for the Alberta Forest Service for 4 years, so I know full well what real clouds should look like and the difference between con trails and chem trails!! :)

                                                
Happy Valentine's!!!!!! ♥♥♥♥

So cool!!

Dave bought this for me for Christmas and I used it Wednesday for the first time!! I am thrilled with how much easier it is now to deal with a pineapple!! That's an organic pineapple by the way--mmmm, so good!!

Just like a pro!!!

Gong Hei Fat Choy!!!

Technically, Chinese New Year was on Thursday, but we had the New Year celebration at the Edmonton General Saturday morning.  As well the New Year is celebrated for 15 days until the Lantern Festival. There are 2 units at the EG which are specifically for the Oriental population. This was a quite a move forward when it was decided to do this and I think that their presence at the EG has brought a very interesting cultural dimension to the place.  My Mother was on 5C for about 7 months and then both my parents were on 5Y for a year, so I had a first hand chance to be part of the life on those units. My parents were always included in all events, they were cared for very well there, and my dad went to the dim sum lunch every month and even tried chicken feet.  He said they were very crunchy!! As I was on Family Council and my parents were on a Chinese unit, I was asked to co-emcee the Chinese New Year celebrations in 2006 and have been doing so every since, except for last year.  I was slated to do it but came down with a cold.

So here are some pictures from this year's celebrations to welcome the Year of the Rabbit.  Kay hadn't arrived so I gave the camera to Claire and told her how to zoom, but then Kay arrived, but I was already on stage and Claire handed her the camera but didn't give her instructions! So I cropped some pictures to eliminate all the background walls and stage at least. Oh, and the weather was absolutely frightful--after beautiful days of +6 weather, it had started raining Friday night, it turned to icy snow by the morning, the wind was blowing fiercely and it was a nasty mix of slush and ice, and sleet!! But everyone was there--guest speakers, entertainment, and families.

Vicky and myself with Averil Suriyakumaran, Executive Director waiting her turn to come out to speak.  Vicky is a 2nd-year med student!!!

The God of Good Fortune ushering in the lions

The Lion Dance was performed by members of the Chinese Free Mason Athletic Club. And boy are they are athletic doing this performance and there are 2 girls in the top of part of 2 of the lions!!!

Drums, cymbals--very loud!!!

Songs from the Canadian Chinese Children's Choir

They are so cute and I love all their different costumes!

A very talented pianist

A little girl with a big operatic voice.

Beautiful girl and costume performing a Spring Dance