And finally 2015 and starting 2016

September 3, 2015 Patrick started working in Bermuda

Feb 1, 2016 Joined Patrick in Bermuda.







Now working on blog called Snowbirds and Sandpipers: Tales from the Seaside at www.blogspot,com. 
See you there!

Quick glimpse of 2014 and onwards to 2016

In March 2014 it was off to South Africa again - this time just Tiffany, Courtney, me and Nathan to introduce him to family, especially his great-grandmother.

June 2014 - Courtney graduated from teacher college with a Bachelor of Education.

September 26, 2014 we welcomed our second grandchild - baby girl Mayci Sarah

Glimpses of 2013 - FAST FORWARD TO 2016

Spent New Year 2013 in Panama

On March 21, 2013 we welcomed our first grandchild Nathan Christopher

A journey to Ireland in July 2013

Bought our waterfront condo in Grand Bahamas in August 2013

Whirlwind from 2012 all the way to 2016 - catching glimpses 2012

So I am not sure what happened to the intervening years.  Between 2012 and 2016 - work became steadily more time-consuming, pressures of daily life, and general busyness really.

Some wonderful events have taken up our time as well:   

Tiffany got married in May 2012.

In August 2012 we took the family back to South Africa and celebrated the wedding again.

  

In Honour of those who Protect and Serve

In the year 2012 - after 2000 years of enlightenment and discovery - Ontario has chosen to charge a police officer with second degree murder.  A young man who puts his life on the line every day to protect and serve us "formed the intent" to murder an individual on the wrong side of the law.   How backwards is that?  No prior relationship with the individual, no axe to grind, just woke up in the morning and decided to shoot this particular person while carrying out this particular search warrant for illegal gun possession - how random, how sublime? 

Frankly, I am bewildered and shocked that our Canadian culture/mindset, call it what you will, has reached a point where we charge police officers with second degree murder.  How is it possible that he "formed the intent to murder"?  Police officers carry a weapon every day, putting themselves at lethal risk every day protecting us from those who don't comply with the law.  These men and women do not get up in the morning to sit behind desks directing and managing a slew of harmless paper. They constantly find themselves in harms way, facing unpredictable, volatile, and potentially deadly situations.  

Perhaps a little empathy is in order here - would you and I always be able react in the perfect manner when making a split second decision?  Surely, we have to allow them the possibility of making mistakes - and because of the nature of their work - some of those mistakes will have lethal consequences.   Obviously there are consequences for making mistakes .... but second degree murder??

I can't help but make the comparison with our medical profession - people die every day in operating theatres, in hospital wards, and doctors offices because of incorrect diagnoses, botched surgeries, incorrect medications, delayed care, etc.  Why don't we make the leap and charge them with second degree murder for their mistakes?  The surgeons scalpel is surely just as potentially lethal as the police officers gun, is it not?

The pendulum of social mores has swung so far to the left in the ivory tower of political correctness that we are hanging by a gossamer thread to reality, and in imminent danger of plunging over the abyss of perfection.

Written and dedicated to the men and women who protect and serve, and especially to those who have given their lives in service to us all.  Constable Styles and others like him need to know we are grateful for their sacrifices.  

From Your Heart to Mine

Valentines Day 2012 - still magical, still celebrated.  We have been married more than 34 years now, and there is still sunshine, sparkles and fireworks.  Our relationship has grown, matured, and consolidated over time.  We seem to have weathered the worst of challenges and still come through the other side with a positive attitude and a strengthened resolve.

This year my husband took an afternoon off work to go home and prepare a delicious dinner.  He went to the trouble of laying a very romantic table replete with red candles and red roses.  I could only come home and heave a great sigh of contentment.

 I am very thankful and grateful for what we have together.  Here's wishing that we have much more time together.  How lucky can one person be??

Love You Forever and Always.

Escapade to Buffalo

This is a late entry that should have been posted pre-Christmas.  But in line with my 'intentions' it's worth a few finger taps to keys.  The story is about our sojourn to Buffalo for a weekend with two goals in mind:  shopping for bargains with no HST attached; and a few days of living in a bubble.  I am happy to say that both goals were accomplished with ease.

Firstly, the outlet malls on the south side of the Niagara Falls are a veritable Aladdin's Cave of treasures.  We found clothing marked down 50% and then received another 10% at the till for shopping that day - everyone was happy with our choices of Eddie Bauer, Ann Taylor, etc.  I was particularly pleased with a Kate Spade find.  And was it just my imagination or wishful thinking?  We found retail staff to be smiling, happy, and eager to help wherever we went.  In the big stores like Fifth Ave and Macy's, to the little ones offering very specific goods - all staff were available, easy to find, and ready to help - which is not always the case in our home town in Canada.  There, Sears at the local Mall sometimes feels like navigating a labyrinth - you have to negotiate walking sideways down dark alleys of racks of clothing, and then rummage through the stacks to find a worthy item, where bargains are usually no bargains - certainly not in the 50 to 80% range we experienced in Buffalo.  No sales people to be found anywhere on the floor so don't expect any help there.  The fitting rooms require standing in line weighed down by your prospective purchases, and then the final quest to find the check out cashier - an exercise in patience as you stand in a long queue waiting your turn to pay.

Our second goal of rest and relaxation was easily met - no phone calls, no interruptions, no chores - just quietly   relaxing in a bubble of contentment - quiet room, lots of books, a couple of movies, good food in restaurants with much cheaper bills, and a lie-in Sunday morning - something we never seem to do at home.

Have to talk about the game we played in parking lots - counting the number of Canadian number plates in a row - 11 was the most we saw - so we were in good company!

Wonderful weekend and one we will repeat soon.