New Years Eve

OK, this is the last entry for the year and probably the last one for the whole Blog. We just packed the van full of Jill's stuff so she can move into her new apartment today. We are heading to visit the Bensons and friends in Grand Manan. That's a great way to cap off a year of events I am grateful for.

Christmas Day

Now this is a day to be grateful for. We had a nice candlelight service at church last night and opened a few presents. Today we slept in and only opened a few of the gifts. We are waiting for Michelle and Eric to come tomorrow or maybe Sunday morning before we open the rest. Doris had a wonderful turkey dinner as usual. Turkey, dressing, jello salad, fiddleheads, corn, cranberries, potatoes and gravy - all topped off with chocolate pie for dessert....yummmm, We watched a bunch of Christmas specials on TV and relaxed the day away. I started loading Windows 7 on Jill's computer. So far so good.
One peculiar thing I forgot about this week was finding a Gold IBM Cross pen that I lost. I always kept it at the office and about 5 years ago it went missing. A couple of nights ago it was laying on the floor by the LazyBoy chair and I have no idea how it got there. It was the only really good souvenir I have from my IBM days, so I'm happy to see it again.

Christmas Eve

So here we are at the day before Christmas.It's been quite a year with many significant events and changes in our lives. There was much to be grateful for this year and I had fun documenting various things - almost one a week.

We just got back from a visit to Uncle Lloyd. He was in his usual good humour and as spry as ever. He was really excited that we were able to find a pail of Salt Beef Navels for him. It took a while, looking at every grocery store in Fredericton, but we finally found what he wanted. I tried to give it to him as a Christmas present , but he insisted on paying for it. Doris found a couple of Peg Puzzles for him and a stack of old magazines to go with some Christmas cookies and 7 turnips.

Dad had a bicycle that he got from my grandmother and he road it until he was over 80 years old. When he was in highschool, he drove 20 Km every day to school and back. I had no place to keep it, so Uncle Lloyd said to leave it on the porch in Blissfield. He talked about learning to ride it again at age 87. He always has things to look forward to. I'm grateful he is still going so strong. He really is a great inspiration.

Christmas Letter 2009

Doris wrote this, but I added my 2 cents too.
Now that the snow has come it feels a bit like Christmas. The day before it snowed we went to a Christmas tree farm and cut the first tree we came to. How different from the Christmas tree shopping we used to do 35 years ago when we first got married. Back then I insisted on going to every tree lot until we found the most perfect tree.
Things really changed for us this year with Laurie’s retirement from Bell Aliant in February. He is really enjoying his freedom and has never had a dull moment. It has been a very easy adjustment for him. He has spent lots of time doing what he loves best, which is reading. He has been volunteering his time at the church and is involved in the Ham Radio Club and the Astronomy Club. He makes sure he gets some exercise every day and often I go out walking with him.
As for me, I have been organizing retreats and some other events for women at our church. It takes up a fair bit of my time. I am finding that what they say about retirement is true: you are busier after retirement than before. I volunteer at York Manor at least once a week. That is the nursing home my mom lives in. I also have recently begun volunteering for Bridges of Canada, wrapping and bagging Christmas gifts for the children of prisoners. This is short term but intense as Christmas approaches.
Together Laurie and I volunteer one day a week at Green Hill Lake Camp, a Christian camp for kids, which is also used throughout the year for rental groups and retreats . There is much to be done all year, so I work in the office and Laurie usually works on whatever outdoor project needs to be done, sometimes working in the office as well. I have been acting as Camp “pastor” there for a week almost every summer since 1996.
We are not very great at being handymen, but this fall we faced a challenge in that area and won. We had to put back the interlocking patio stones in our walkway and drive way that were ripped out when we had some work done on our garage. It was kind of like doing a jig saw puzzle except it was necessary to make sure the ground underneath was perfectly flat. We tried to do it perfectly and now that it is covered in snow, it IS perfect :-)
Jill is working for the Federal Government at ACOA on a contract basis that has been extended about 5 times already but no permanent contract has been offered as yet. She enjoys working there and has made some more friends. She also writes online course content for a company called Skillsoft in her spare time. She runs, swims and bikes regularly and entered a triathlon this summer.
Michelle is working with small children, something she has always excelled at. She is working in a Preschool setting and seems to really enjoy the children. We don’t see her often but did have a nice time with her in August when we visited her at her home in Dartmouth. She took us to some nice beaches. One beach on the ocean looked and felt like a tropical beach minus the palm trees. It even had warm water. She and I had great time tubing down a lazy river that flowed into the ocean. Eric was in Alaska and LA at the time. He is always traveling the world going to conferences and speaking at them.
We took two trips last winter. In February we drove to Florida with Ruth and John and stayed with Laurie’s two aunts for a couple of weeks. The highlight of that was taking them to the Kennedy Space Center and touching a real moon rock.
In March we went with the Bensons to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. Las Vegas has so much to see! We would walk around all day and evening and just take in the sights. The Grand Canyon is awesome but I was scared because I do not like heights especially when the people I am with are leaning over the edges!
We are now looking forward to our 5 week trip to New Zealand, Fiji and Hawaii in March and April 2010. Our niece, who teaches in Indonesia, is planning to join us for a few days in New Zealand.

First big Snow Storm coming

It started this afternoon around 5pm. "Why would I be grateful for that?", you might ask. Well, there must be a pony in this box somewhere. I guess I am grateful that I have a snow blower that still works after 18 years. The lights are flickering, but I am toasty warm in the house, right now. My string of 32 consecutive days of exercise means I am up to 239 days this year. I'm getting to know my new neighbour. Today he dropped by to borrow a drill. We picked out a Christmas tree in about 2 minutes at the Red Robin Tree farm in Keswick Ridge. Only $25 and it looks really great. Gone are the days of fussing and arguing and paying too much for a half dead tree cut down in October! I had breadfast with the guys from work and went to the Christmas breadfast for the whole office and retirees too. I'm still grateful I am retired and can come and go as I please.

Not much to report this week.

• I'm up to a record 227 days of exercise this year and a string of 20 consecutive days without missing my walk. Well, on Tuesday at GHLC I worked hard and walked around all day, but I didn't specifically go for a walk, but I think I can still count it as a day of walking and exercise.
• I'm grateful for my neighbour who finally sold his house and the new guy who just moved in. He seems like a good guy.
• Todd loaned me his Dilbert DVD collection so I had fun watching Disk 1 this week. I'm grateful I never worked for Dilbert's company.

Exercise

It was kind of like Old Home Week the last few days. On Wednesday we went for dinner with Mike and Wylda from our Ottawa days. It's been years since we saw them last and great fun catching up on families and stories of the years that have slipped by so fast. Yesterday, one of my oldest friends, Basil, dropped in on his way back to Australia. His Dad and mine used to have a business together in Carleton County. It was just a fluke that I emailed him a few days ago to see where he was. We also had a wonderful time reminiscing about our families and past adventures. I'm also grateful that his parents are still alive and doing well.
The last few years I have been more conscious about getting some vigorous exercise each day. I try to remember to put a check mark on the calendar and keep a running tally of hte number of days each year. So far in 2009 I am up to 219 days. This breaks last years record of 206 days and it's only November 20. I'm grateful that retirement leaves me more time for long walks and staying healthy.

35th Anniversary

This is likely the most grateful entry in my Blog for the year. It's been 35 years today since Doris and I got married. The time has gone by so quickly. What can I say. I'm so grateful for being married to Doris for all these years. What a great wife and what a blessed life we have lived. We are celebrating by planning a trip to New Zealand , Fiji and Hawaii in March. I'm grateful for the Aeroplan points that will take us there.

South Pacific Here We Come

Oops, here's a post I wrote a month ago but it got stuck in the Draft file. Oh well, nobody says you have to do these things in the right order or on time.....

Lots of stuff to be grateful for once again. I booked tickets to New Zealand in March. It was impossible to book the tickets online so I called. I got right through to Aeroplan , but it took a couple of hours to explore all the options. In the end we got just what we were looking for - lots of time in New Zealand, 6 days in Fiji and over a week in Hawaii. The lady was very helpful and told me all about her trip to Fiji a couple of years ago. We get 2 Good Fridays because we cross the International Time Line and go back a day.

It's Monday again

It's funny how some people seem to dread Monday mornings - the start of the work week, the end of the weekend. What do you call the first sunny day after 2 rainy days - Monday . I never dreaded Mondays because I always liked my work, but I do have a different perspective on it now that I have retired. Now, Monday is the first of six Saturday-like days. I get a great meal on Monday evenings when I volunteer at the Marriage enrichment course at the church . It's a day to plan out the week of fun things to do. I'm grateful it's Monday and it's sunny and time to take a stroll around the block.

Happy Thanksgiving

Another year of great changes has gone by. I'm thankful for my health , my family and my retirement. All is well. Uncle Lloyd had a successful cataract operation on one eye and he is getting the other one done on Tuesday. It looks like another busy week ahead.

Newsboys and Friends

• Hey, Here's something to be grateful for. A friend just gave us tickets to the Newsboys. Apparently her broker gave her box tickets and she can't go so we're heading to Saint John tonight.
• Our Community Group started last night. It went very well and we got to meet some new people in the church. I think it's going to be a very good thing.
• On a completely different front, we finally got all the paving stones laid back in the walkway and driveway. We still have to fix some low spots in the driveway, but at least we have the patio back to normal.

Kijiji & Freecycle & Stuff

A good week for a cleanup. I sold the old outboard motor for $150 and gave away the Wurlitzer organ. Someone had a look at the Piano today as well. Doris did a lot of painting this week and we made more progress on the patio walkway. We had a nice dinner at Randy and Sandra's last night. Sunday night was the start of the new Small Groups at the Church. Actually the group will meet in someone's home , not at church and we found a great group of interesting people .

Fall is here

Fall is not my favourite season, but at least I am home with some time to tackle a project that has been delayed all summer. We started fixing the paving stones in the back yard and walkway yesterday. My tennis elbow didn't seem to complain too much about all the grasping and lifting so I am happy for that. Shirley and Dave gave us some crushed rock to help us get started. Thanks folks.

A busy day in Freddy Beach

1. Church
2. Watched Dragon Boats
3. Lunch outdoors in the Sun
4. eMail
5. Terry Fox Walk
6. Visit friends
7. Play computer tech for Jill's new laptop
8. Watch Federer play some of the best tennis I have ever seen
9. Update facebook with pictures and videos of the above plus the Sussex Balloon Festival
10. Reading and rest... I'm grateful for it all. By the way, here's a bonus website on how to be happy.

Back to School

• Once again there was a beautiful sunset at the Lake last night.
• I'm grateful that we are all beyond going back to school this week. Not that I didn't like school, but I never liked the trafic across the bridge once school and UNB started up again.
• The Fredericton Ex is on this week and I don't have any desire to go.
• It's been a great week watching the US Open Tennis Grand Slam . Federer and Djokovic should be a fun match to watch. Lots of upsets on both the mens and womens side.
• I now have iPod Music available in the Jeep through the FM radio.
• Morton and I had a great ride up the Oromocto River on the SeaDoo

Sunny Days

OK, Here's something to be grateful for. We have had a string of really great days with sun and warm weather. The September weather is actually still hot , but the nights are cool for sleeping. No rain in the forcast for a week or so and that includes the weekend ! It was clear last night and I got a chance to look through the telescope out at the Lake.

Aaachooooo

Not feeling very grateful today. I have a runny nose and headache that started yesterday while sorting files at GHLC yesterday. I thought it might be just an alergy to the cut grass, but it's progressed to a full blown cold or flu today . I don't really know the difference. But this is a blog about being grateful , not one about feeling sick, so I will have to look on the bright side. This is the first time I have been feeling this sick in so long, I can't really remember the last time. I credit it to the 50-60 pounds of blueberries we eat every year. The freezer is full once again. with an additional 10 pounds left over from last year. Hopefully they will help me recover quickly too.

On a bright note, Jeanette gave me a GHLC hat and shirt to add to my collection. Doris has gone out to fetch more drugs and chicken soup. I'll post again when I am grateful that this is over.

Just a Quick One

I'm grateful that the weather has been fantastic the past few days. Hopefully it will last for Parlee Beach tomorrow and the Buskers in Halifax.

Back From Soulfest

We had a great time at Soulfest. There was lost of rain and mud , but we were dry and cozy sleeping in the back of the Caravan. Why didn't we think of this before ? The music was great and we had fun getting to know friends a bit better. No -problems with the car on this trip either although the check engine light came on again. We came back to Davidson Lake and had the first 3 consecutive sunny days of the summer. I liked Paul Coleman, Phil Joel, Phil Wickham, Jim Trick, Newsboys, Casting Crowns,Bluetree, and Third Day.

Long overdue

Gee, I can't believe how fast the summer is going by. There are lots of things to be grateful for, but a healed elbow is not one of them. We have spent quite a bit of time at the lake even though is has not been real sunny yet this summer. We finally got the boat running at the Lake too. Yesterday I got to take Muriel and Pauline to see Margaret. We had a nice visit and stayed all day. Jill applied for another job with more pay. I got a great deal on perscription sunglasses from Zenni Optical. It's hard to beat $30 for new glasses in 10 days shipped driectly from China. Oh and before I forget, we had a great class reunion - 25 to 35 years since I saw some of guys.

Triathlon

Sunday was the best day ever. Jill overcame a thousand doubts and actually entered her first triathlon. It was so much fun to watch her achieving her dream. She had a rough time in the crowd at the first of the swim , but her time was good. The bike ride was understandably a struggle since she thought someone else might team with her , but she ended up doing it herself without much practice. Doris and I cried when we cheered her on, after the first lap. Even the extra hills on the run didn't stop her. She's a hero.

After we went to Davidson Lake, staying warm by the stove.

A quiet week.

• Doris is at Green Hill Lake Camp this week so it has been very quiet around here. I was thinking about other parts of the world as I watched the fireworks yesterday. In war torn countries these would have been real explosives intended on killing people rather than just delighting them with the colours. We can all be grateful for that.
• I finally went to the free clinic and got a prescription for some physiotherapy for my tennis elbow. I'm thankful that Medavie(Blue Cross) paid for most of the costs, including an elbow brace.
• Jill went to TreeGo at Mactaquac and had a great time climbing in the trees and going on the Zip Lines . It really sounded like a lot of fun. I may give it a try once my elbow heals. Obviously I'm thankful that she survived the challenge !

iPod

I upgraded to version 3 software on my iPod. The wide screen makes it a bit easier to type. I'm still amazed that I can sit in my lazy boy chair watching tennis while blogging on the iPod. I'm grateful for technology that works.

Tennis anyone?

• My ankle hurt on Monday and today it was my elbow that gave me problems. However, I'm just grateful that I can still play tennis and enjoy the great outdoor weather.
• I now have 2 telescopes - a 4 inch refractor and an 8 inch Dobsonian. The sky was clear at Davidson Lake this week so we stayed overnight and I got to try out the refractor. What a deal I got ! Two telescopes, 4 eyepieces , a Barlow lens and a case for half the price of a used Dob that I was considering a couple of months ago. Now the fun begins. I really need to figure out the best way to use both scopes.
• A friend lost her job and place to stay so I am thankful we have a spare bedroom. I wouldn't be happy if she had to sleep on the couch .

Eye Doctor

I got a little dust in my eyes a year ago and went to a optomologist. At least that's how I think an eye doctor is spelled. She said my eyes were fine but wanted to check on them every so often just to make sure. My appointment this morning again verified that all was well , so I am very grateful that I will be able to see through my new telescopes. I'm grateful for the great deal I got on them, too. I also asked her about my cateracts , which another eye doctor said I had years ago. She said I didn't have any at all. I'm glad I got a second opinion.

June

• I dropped by the doctor's office today to get the results form some blood tests. Everything is fine , so you gotta be grateful for that.
• I spent the day at the lake. Fixed the dock that collapsed last week, but I didn't have the right lumber for the other dock. After supper I went for a walk and metLouise and Bob Stevens who live up towards Sandy Cove. She was a school teacher and he is a United Church minister.
• I left just before sunset at the lake but saw a beautiful one on the hill just before turning off on Hanwell Road.
• Finally I am grateful that the NBA finals are on and I can watch a real sport instead of the hockey game.
• Hey, I got a great deal on an 8 inch Dobsonian telescope. Doris picked it up last night. Actually it was a Dob and a refractor with 4 eyepieces, carrying case etc. I'm looking forward to some Dark Skies.

Another Week

• The main thing I am grateful for this week is a new job for my daughter. It's just a short term position, but it's the first time she has worked  in a regular 9 to 5, Monday to Friday office. I'm hoping that she will see the advantages of a more structured work environment for her and realize that she can handle all the work. 
• I held 2 babies this week. Eliah and Alia. I think that is how they spell them, although they sound the same. You have to be grateful for babies, although I got a lot of jokes about being "grandfatherly". I'm not in any rush to ever be a grandfather. 
• I'm grateful for the warmer days so that I can get out for more walks and some Geocaching. 
• I don't know if I am grateful for someone fallowing my blog or not ! I guess I am grateful that I have more control over this blog than my website .

A few little things

• Today they told me at the airport that I should park in the $2 parking area when dropping off a parcel even though there was a sign saying Drop off Area. I'm glad they didn't tow the Jeep away.
• Yesterday we had a great day at the lake. It was 32 degrees and I got the water pump working and fixed the hinge on the lattice work. The dock collapsed with Debbie, Doug and Doris (the 3 D's) all standing on one spot. I guess I will have to put up a spring weight restriction. I think it will be easy to fix as long as I avoid the blackflies. What a beautiful day. We went for a walk around the lake and stayed until after the sun set.
• Doris headed for Grand Manan, but I am grateful that I stayed home and got the oil changed . Jill and I went out to Swiss Chalet to celebrate the first day of the rest of her life.

Fiddleheads

OK, so I don't like to eat a lot of fiddleheads, but it is one of the few green vegetables that I will try. And you gotta love something that is free, grows in the flooded banks of the Saint John River and might be good for you . We had a great day at Davidson Lake getting everything ready for the summer. Everything survived the winter OK, but there are lots of little jobs to make the place look good.  It really makes me appreciate all the work that Dad used to do so we could just enjoy it. 

Catch Up

• I'm a bit behind so I thought I better give you a quick update.  We spent another day at Green Hill Lake Camp on Tuesday. Doris did some of the financial work while I put the plastic vapor barrier on the walls in cabin #2.  There really is a lot of work to do before camp starts this summer. I left a half dozen walking sticks to use any way  they wanted again this year. I'm really happy that they have room for over 1000 kids each summer. 
  
• I talked to a panhandler at the Market again last Saturday. Joe has a few stories that he will reluctantly reveal if you ask him. He seems to really appreciate a few dollars, but I think he really just like to be treated like a human being and not a panhandler.
• There was a benefit convert for DebMac last week. It was a wonderful night and people were generous to help make up for the lost wages since she started Chemo. That's all done now, so there's something else to be thankful for.
• I really getting into the iPod Touch now. It is very useful to know what appointments are coming up on my auxilliary brain.
• I was happy that Brenda asked me for a  few walking sticks to give away at the Kilarney Lake Walkathon to raise money for Fredericton Hospice. I gave her a half dozen for door prizes this year and one just for her.   
• Finally we had a great time at the retirement part of xwave and Aliant folks who left the company when I did. They gave us flowers and chocolates as well as a book with everyones comments.  It really was a great 15 years of fun . People seemed to like the Dilbert cartoons I provided too!

Rainy Day

So what am I grateful for today ? I finally got my taxes done, so that's not hanging over my head any more. If I did them right, I should get a small refund.  Since it was raining all day, I didn't feel much like doing anything, so I got caught up a bit on some reading and played with my new iPod Touch. I'm grateful to find many free applications that make it much more useful than just an MP3 player. 

Yesterday , Doris gave me a CD with a single on it - "Lean on Me"  by Sheldon Gordon and the Downtown Blues Band. It was produced for the IWK hospital in Halifax.  Very nice rendition. 

15 Years at NBTel/Aliant

• Today is 15 years since I officially joined NBTel. I worked there as a consultant for a few months, but this was the day they officially hired me in 1994. I am grateful for all those years as well as the 20 I had at IBM.
• We went to the lake for the first time this year. The air was about 75 F degrees , the lake was 45 degrees and we watched almost all of the ice melt. The day ended with a beautiful sunset as it so often does.

A couple of things.

I'm grateful that I don't have to do the crack filling to fix the entryway. It is in pretty bad shape with cracks and holes. Roger seems to know what he is doing. I'm hoping I will still be grateful when I get his bill.

I went to the doctor today to get a few things checked out. I'm really grateful that in Canada, this didn't cost me a cent.

Easter Plays

The last couple of weeks I got to attend a couple of Easter Productions. The first was at the International Church of Las Vegas at http://www.iclv.com . It was a big church (800+ movable seats), with basketball nets on each end. The play was right up there with Las Vegas quality acting, singing, sound and lighting. The basic story was that Jesus came back in 2009 to New York City rather than 2000 years ago. It was a great professional quality production and absolutely free.

The second play was the traditional Easter story that we do every year at Smythe Street Cathedral in Fredericton. I was helping out with the ushering at a couple of the performances. It was great too with all the Las Vegas production quality and special effects, costumes and live animals. The wabsite is http://www.smythestreetcathedral.com/

Las Vegas

First chance to blog since I got back from Las Vegas. Yes, I am thankful that I went and I am thankful that I am back home. We saw a lot of unique things that you can only see in this part of the world. There were so many things to be grateful for on this trip:

• Rock this Way - An Easter Pagant Rock Opera by the International Church of Las Vegas
• Red Rock Canyon
• Valley of Fire State Park
• The Shows - especially Cirque du Soleil "O"
• All the interesting and unusual sights in the hotels, especially Caesars Palace and Bellagio
• Fremont Street Experience
• Lake Meade
• Hoover Dam
• Grand Canyon
• I-Max Theatre
• The Monorail

Of course it was all topped off by spending the time with a wonderful wife and good friends.

wordle.net

I'm grateful to wordle.net for creating a summary of January blogs:

Birthday

It's easy to be grateful on your birthday. Sometimes you get cake or presents and certainly well wishes from all your friends. At least the ones who know or see it on facebook. I'm especially grateful for being another year older and in pretty good health to enjoy my retirement. I'm reminded of all the blessings I have when I read the blogs of a couple of friends who are getting chemo treatments. You can follow their inspirational stories too at http://www.debmac88.blogspot.com/ and http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/dwaynesleep

Ron Cunningham

Today we went to the funeral for Ron Cunningham. He married Doris's Aunt Lois after her first husband (Lawrence Harvey) died. He was like your favourite uncle who was delightfully different from all your other uncles. Ron spent many years in youth work and the ministry, but never as a permanent full time pastor at a church. He filled in on a part time basis for many chruches over the years. The lack of a stable full time job never seemed to make any difference as he always seem to be most happy helping out when needed. He had a great love for people and a curiosity about rocks and ancient Indian artifacts which he collected. Most people would think they were just junk, but he knew the story and the history behind each find. I'm grateful I knew Ron.

Retirement Party

• We had a nice lunch with the folks in my old department in Saint John yesterday. I also had fun wandering around talking to friends on the 6th floor.
• No moose or deer seen on the road back home.

I hate to just reference others ...... but.....

Got this from another blogger and I thought I was pretty grateful to have a good measure of inner peace:

Symptoms of Inner Peace

1. A tendency to think and act spontaneoulsy rather than actiong on fears attached to past experience
   
2. An unmistakable ability to enjoy the moment
   
3. A loss of interest in judging other people
   
4. A loss of interest in judging yourself
   
5. A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others
   
6. An inability to worry (this is a very serious symptom!)
   
7. Frequently overwhelming episodes of appreciation
   
8. Frequent acts of smiling
   
9. An increasing tendency to let things happen rather then to make them happen
   
10. An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it
    

-- Authour Unknown

8 Successful People Grateful They Got Canned

OK today instead of listing things which I am grateful for, i thought I would direct you to a blog of 8 Successful people who are grateful that they got fired. Seems appropriate in this day and age. Anyways, go to this MentalFloss Blog at http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/23600

ps. I'm grateful that the snow didn't cave in the roof at the camp this winter.

It's a Beautiful Day

• Doris and I just went for a walk down to the bottom of the hill and back up again. It's a beautiful sunny day with the snow melting in the streets.
• Jill and a friend headed off to Crabbe Mountain to go skiing. Her friend has a 5 year old who was having fun playing on the frozen snow in the front yard. It's still about 4 feet deep .
• I helped out in the kitchen at the last marriage course we are running for couples who are planing on getting married soon. We have a great time chatting and just hanging out while sharing in Rita's super cooking. Last night we had German Snitzel, green beans, noodles and a mushroom sauce. It took a few of the noodles home. It was all delicious. Oh, did I mention the Cherry Chocolate cake ?
• Hey, Debbie Mac just walked in . I think they are going shopping for quilting material, but who knows. You can read Deb's blog at http://www.debmac88.blogspot.com/

Back from Florida

• I haven't been updateing this for a while, since I was on vacation, For that I am very grateful. We had a great vacation in Florida and didn't run into any big weather problems on the drive down there or coming home.
• Even though we had a record snowstorm while away , we didn't have to shovel to get into the van or Jeep because the rain had washed it all away and Jill cleaned the driveway.
• We got to see Kennedy Space Centre, Sunken Gardens in St Petersburg, Edison's Lab and had lots of picnics on the beach.
• No sunburns

Vacation Planning

• Today, I got the forms all filled out and ready to send. That will make my retiement official. I'm grateful that I'm on the old Medavie/Blue Cross plan so that my Health benefits will continue as before.
• I found out that we will get most of our bonus money for a good year last year. Not good enough to get 100% and not good enough to avoid the layoffs which hurt a lot of my friends..... but great for me.
• Today we pack for Florida and leave Jill to run the house. I'm sure she will love that. We are driving with Ruth and John and staying with Aunt Muriel, so it's a low budget vacation. We might even get to see Eric's mom and her husband who live a couple of hours south of Tampa.
• The temperature in Tampa is 24 and here it is -8 celsius.

Retirement

1. This was certainly a day to be grateful. It was my last day at work and I am now officially retired. Although some people were disappointed and afraid of the layoffs at work, I was delighted to accept a package.
2. I had a great time packing up, sending out the "I'm Gone" messages and generally walking around the office saying goodbye. It's a bitter-sweet thing because I'll miss my friends at the office and the fun stuff we worked on, but it's time for a new adventure. I can't wait.
3. We celebrated with Dinner at "the Dip" . It was yummy, but I ate too much.

It's a Snowstorm out there.

1. It's a snowstorm outside and I don't have to go anyplace. The meeting at the church is cancelled, the gym at the middleschool is probably closed and it's warm in here, so that's where I will stay.
2. We still have some Ferrero Rondnoir chocolates that we got for Christmas . THey won't last long at the rate I am eating them.....Hmmmm maybe I should call the gym just to check.
3. This was Cindy's last day at work before she has a baby. I helped her carry some boxes to her car. I'm very grateful I am not expecting.

It's a Saturday

1. I'm thankful that Fred fixed my other old snow blower. He just unscrewed the bowl on the carburator and adjusted the float by a turn and a half. After dumping some gas right into the cylinder , it took off and worked like new. He said I should keep it as a spare in case mine ever quit.
2. Hey, my basketball team , the UNB Varsity Reds won a game against MUN. Well, at least the guys won. They were ahead the whole game , at one point up by 20 points, but MUN fought back to within 3 points with only 2 minutes to play. The girls didn't do so well and blew a big lead, but Hooray...It's the first time I have seen the guys win since 2007. They are a young team and I hope they do well this year.
3. I'm glad that Doris likes to wallpaper . I don't have the patience and skill to scrape off all the little bits and get the new stuff on straight. Hopefully by fixing the foundation under the garage the walls won't crack aagain.

Back to the Gym

• I went to the gym and did 18 laps or so around the track. That's about 3 Km or 2 miles.
• I'm thankful that the US had an election with a clear and popular winner this time. Uncertainty like we have in Canada is not good.
• I'm grateful that I don't have to come up with 3 things every time I add to this list.
• Uncle Lloyd . 86 years old and just as active as ever. I can't convince him to not climb the ladders up to the tin roof to scrape off the snow.

Getting Started

I just read that it is always good to document the things that you are grateful for. However, the study said that if you try to do it every day , it might get to be a bit of a burden, so I will try to do this on a random basis throughout 2009. Here goes with what I am grateful for so far this year.

• 1. I still have a job
  2. I don't need to wake anyone up inthe morning
  3. Fred fixed my snow blower for free
  4. I worked from home last week
  5. The storm yesterday was not bad and it’s not snowing on Jan 10
  6. The doctor pronounced me healthy on Jan 8
• And today, today I am grateful for spellcheckers