BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND SORT OF

Got my new van on Friday. Spent the day cleaning it inside and out. The fellow we bought it from was not the neatest person so there was alot of build up on swirches, handles etc. I'm abit of a clean freak when I buy something from someone else. No one can clean it to my standards. This way while I'm cleaning every nook and crany, I can check things out as well. There are a few minor fix ups, but other than that, my new van is awesome. Just love it. Rose loves her new bus too. Got in it on Friday afternoon, and wouldn't get out. Bought the coolest seat covers for it. If you're familar with Mossy Oak design, this is what I bought. So I have four captains seats covered in trees, leaves etc. Looks way cool.
With all the success that DVM2012 is having with Classy, I had every intention of getting on my young mare and trying to catch up. Well got to the farm on Saturday, and the weather was miserable. Gale force winds, cloudly, damp and just plain awful. Helped FV finish Eurus's and Phoenix's winter pen. Brought Peps out and spent some time with her. Went for a little in hand walk up the road to the top of the hill. The wind was jsut howling and she wasn't too impressed. She needs reminded sometimes of her manners and to listen to me. It went well.
Sunday woke up to a beautiful day, so thought this will be a great day to ride peps.
Look out the window and what do I see but my husband out raking. Thought oh well, here goes my day. Now we live at the lake, on a double lot with lots of trees and a forest reserve behind us. Needless to say, there are a ton of leaves. We usually get our kids to help us but none were available, so it was just the two of us. This was our last weekend to clean up as the weather is suppose to change by the weekend and there is nothing worse than cleaning the leaves in the spring after the snow and ice have left. Horrible job. So I spent this beautiful Sunday outside, raking and picking up leaves. By the time we were done, 5 hours later, my whole body ached and although there was still time in the day to do so, there was no way I could have longed or climbed aboard a horse. So Peps sits again and another good opportunity gone by the wayside. I don't think Sherry would have been able to help me much with Peps any way as she was quite tired from painting her house, which by the way is looking so great.
Today I am in the office, barely able to lift my arms, looking forward to going to the Rascal Flats concert tonight with FV and her neice Deanna. Next week I spend 3 days in Calgary for a convention.Doing this post at work, so unable to attach some pictures. Will add some tomorrow. Very busy this week, so hopefully will post again after my stay in Calgary.

OKAY OKAY I GET THE HINT

Hi everybody. I know it has been some time since I last posted. My excuse is that I have been very very busy. This is the truth. I usually only get about 5 minutes just before bed to check emails (which sometimes can be up to 40 a day)and my favorite blogs. Thought tonight the rest can wait and I'll catch up. Where to start. At the beginning I guess. After our trip to Alaska, had to prepare for Thanksgiving. The Monday before, FV had an Osteopath out; Kevin and his wife Siegrid to look at by boy Blue. She'd seen him work on other horses and he also works with people, and she has had hands on experience with him as well. Needless to say, I was a little skeptical. He took one look at him and knew what was wrong. Worked with him for about 45 mins and the results were amazing. Long story short, Blue was back to being the horse he was before his fall. He was walking out, spinning on haunches and stopping square for the first time in years. I was so happy with him. Kevin heard my history of my fall ect. and took one look at me and knew what was wrong. Said I was crooked. Again after 45 mins. I haven't felt this good in years. I can toucgh my toes, do-up and undo my own bra, which you know ladies can be a little awkward having someone else do for you.Getting out of bed isn't a 10 minute adventure. I just feel amazing. So on Thanksgiving, Ange (dvm2012) and I went for a ride. Blue was feeling pretty good so gave him his head and he opened up. I think he really enjoyed it as much as I did. That feeling of the wind blowing in your face and the rush you get on a galloping horse;there's nothing better.
I am very busy these days with my position on Municipal Council. Between conventions, meeting with the Minister, the Premier etc. I am on the road a fair bit. It has been a very educational and for the most part very informative and enjoyable time. It is an election year this summer. Still trying to decide if I will run again.
As I mentioned in my last post, our daughter had an accident with our Montana Van. Well they wrote it off so we've been using our old 97 Safari van in the interm. We just finalized the purchase of a newer (06) Montana SV6. Pick it up on Friday. So excited.
My son got a job finally. After the cruise, he started applying. there is nothing really in his field so he became part of the Wholesale Sports family and is working at the new mega store in South Edmonton. Working in the Optics department, GPS, scopes, binnoculars, etc. They get alot of environmental/conservation studends so they know come spring that he will be flying the cope to work in the field again for the summer.
After our somewhat early bout of old man winter, the weather improved enough to melt the snow which meant yard work. We live in an older neighbourhood with lots and lots of trees. We spent last sunday raking and bagging leaves, cleaned out my gardens and cut back perennials. Was a beautiful day. Would of rather been enjoying it from the back of a horse, but it had to be done. At least I got to spend the day outside



New van


Me and blue

Angela and Digger

Well must go as one cute golden named Rosey is eyeballing me to go for a walk. She knows the time of day long before I do. I won't promise but I will try to blog more often.

THAT'S MY STORY AND I'M STICKIN TO IT

along the seawall in Vancouver

The view from our hotel room

Okay, Okay, I'll come clean. We had an amazing time on the cruise. Started the trip by going a day early and spending it in Vancouver. It was my birthday. Stayed at our favorite hotel, the Blue Horizon. If you're ever in Vancouver for a night, you should stay. Great views of the city. Ask for an upper floor room. Rented bikes and cycled through Stanley Park, took the sea wall route right to the end. Went to Granville Island. All in all a great day. Met Sherry and Martin on Sunday and we headed to the ship.



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These ships are amazing. Ours was even small compared to some. The first words out of Martin's and my son Robert's mouths were Oh Shit, this thing is huge. The first full day was at sea and it was very rough. All of us were feeling somewhat queezy for most of the day. I couldn't sleep for the rock and roll of the ship so I made the mistake of looking out the window and the bloody waves were as high as the window, and we were fives decks up. Survived that and our first stop was Juneau.

Red Dog Saloon

View of Juneau from the ship

This is where the story gets really interesting. My husband and son are quite the hikers so they spent the day exploring the countryside. Sherry, Martin and I headed to walk the town and go shopping. Now you all know that shiny things follow Sherry home, well wouldn't you know it the first stop, a beautiful shiny thing attached itself to her finger. I am attracted to shiny blue things and I really wanted a pair of tanzinite earrings. I knew my husband would be upset but Martin told me oh go ahead, if you really like them. That was it. I asked if I could be his wife as well. He just had to become a different faith. So for the rest of the trip while my husband and son were either off hiking or exploring the ship. Sherry, Martin and I were an item. That's as far as it went though girls. They went to their stateroom and I went to mine.
This is the jewellery set that my "new" husband said was okay for me to buy. Aint it pretty.

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REd Onion Saloon

Stopping for coffee

famous Skagway Brewing Company


Main Street Skagway



leaving Ketchikan, view from the ship
Skagway was so quaint and beautiful as were all the stops. We visited both the Red Dog Saloon (Juneau) and the Red Onion Saloon (Skagway) which were both brothels in their early days. Tried alot of Alaska beer. Very good. Lunch was always a beer stop. I think of all the three, Ketchikan was my favorite. The legendary Creek Street, which were all small brothels built on stilts over the creek is now intimate, cosy shops run by long time residents. Sherry found her sweater that she had been looking for the whole trip in a small store called For Get Me Knot sweaters. Very appropriate. Thursday of our trip while exploring the beautiful Glacier Bay, my youngest daughter who was home alone, watching all the pets calls to tell us that she was in an accident with our van. Well we're about as far north a person can get with very limited cell service, although Sherry's worked just fine, so I told her to just deal with it, call the insurance, the police etc and we would see her in a couple of days. My remedy for dealing witha the stress of this, as I was petrified to tell my husband, was to drink lots of spiked coffee. Once I told him, felt much better. I think the baileys and amaretto in the coffee helped. As we left Ketchikan for our journey homeward to Vancouver, the night seas were not pleasant. My husband and son went to bed early and although Martin tried to stay up with us, he too succumbed to the seas and retired to his stateroom. Sherry and I felt that the only way to help us sleep through this was to spend the rest of the evening, into the wee hours in the Crowsnest, listening to awful Kareoke and drinking. She her martinies and me my Blue Cocoa Mojitos. Needless to say when I did retire to my stateroom, the rough seas didn't bother me at all. The last day was a full day at sea and the son shone beautiful for the first time since the day we left Vancouver. We had a great time and I want to thank Sherry and Martin for coming with us and keeping me company for alot of the trip and for getting us to our door safe and sound. Just found out that our van is a total write off so now am dealing with insurance etc. sure glad I had my vacation when we did as won't be venturing far from home for awhile. Resurrecting our old 1997 Safari Van to use till spring when hopefully can look at a replacement for my bus. Well this is my story and I'm sticking to it.

ships pool

our last sunset before reaching Vancouver

The famous Crowsnest Kareoke bar

another picture of glacier bay

Creek street (old brothles) ketchikan alaska

On Deck in Glacier Bay

this is my poor van. All this from trying to avoid a cat.