Hey wendy? No, I'm NOT still in line at Future Shop

but if I'd gotten out of the car, I would still be there!!!

Christmas 2006

well..... it's hard to believe it is Boxing day already..... we had a really nice day yesterday.

I picked my kids up at their mom's house on Christmas eve just before 9 , and we came home.... we had some snacks, and watched a movie.... and went to bed.... I fell asleep on the couch, really wishing I'd gone to bed, but the kids insisted that I stay up until midnight so they could wish me Merry Christmas... I'm such an old fart!

Christmas morning, the girls were up at 6:30 ... jeeeeeeeepers! I woke up at 6:15 and got up and did the stockings...... and then I went back to bed for an hour..... got up and made coffee cake, and then we opened presents.... Kids got me a really nice electric grill, which I've wanted for a long time.... so I used it to make breakfast around 10 .... man does that thing work nice!

The kids had planned to go home around noon, and I had planned to come to Belleville to have lunch mid afternoon with my folks... but their mom called to tell us to not hurry as she wasn't going to be ready anyway! So they stayed until 3.... I took them home at 3, came back to my townhouse, and then went back to their house and had turkey with them. It was the first time we've had a Christmas meal together like that in 6 years.
After supper, I drove to Belleville to see my folks. Am spending one day here, and then back to work tomorrow...... Christmas sure is over quick!!

We woke up to snow this morning in Belleville.... 2 or 3 inches of heavy wet snow fell in just over 2 hours... wicked... too bad it hadn't come yesterday!

Dad is outside running the snow blower, and then he and I are going up to the Future Shop...... we should be in and out quick and will be back to the house by Wednesday afternoon!!!!



here are some pictures from yesterday.

My First Christmas in Heaven

I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below
With tiny lights like Heaven’s stars reflecting on the snow
The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away that tear
For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year

I hear the many Christmas songs, that people hold so dear
But the sounds of music can’t compare with the Christmas choir up here!
I have no words to tell you, the joy their voices bring
For it's beyond description, to hear the angels sing!

I know how much you miss me, I see the pain inside your heart
But I am not so far away, we really aren’t apart
So be happy for me dear ones, you know I hold you dear
And be glad I’m spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year

I send you each a special gift, from my Heavenly home above
I send you each a memory of my undying love
After all, “love” is the gift, more precious than pure gold
It was always most important, in the story Jesus told

Please love and keep each other, as my Father said to you
For I can’t count the blessings for love He has for you
So have a Merry Christmas, and wipe away that tear
Remember I’m spending Christmas, with Jesus Christ this year

Hockey Night in Belleville

Well... for starters, sorry I haven't blogged much this week.... have been pushing to get as much work done as I can, so I can take some time off next week.... that, and Christmas shopping, etc etc.

Today, i was in Minden area in the morning, and in Beaverton in the afternoon... am getting to see lots of Beautiful country side lately...

Then came to Belleville for supper with my folks... I was late getting packed up in Peterborough, and phoned just before 6 to say " Eat without me "
cause I'm gonna be late..... stopped in Hastings for fuel, stopped at the Future Shop for a couple of minutes, went to Staples to exchange something.... and finally got to my parents house at 8 ... and guess what? They'd waited to eat... oops !! Man did I feel like a dork....
supper was worth the wait, though.... Sea Food Linguini.. home made, by my mom... with shrimp, smoked oysters and hmmm something else... I can't remember what... hubba hubba... sure was good.

After supper, Dad and I went to the basement to tackle his Family Christmas Present ... he bought one of those big hockey table games, at Costco.....

Dad had started it last night, and tonight, we were 2 1/2 hours working on it together.... when all was said and done, dad and I had a game.... I lost 2-0 and came upstairs pouting... !!

















It is a way neat game.....











when we finished, I was helping dad sort out all the empty cardboard and plastic wrap.. and I noticed THIS on the box....





YEAH RIGHT!!! Fast!!
6 man hours it was getting put together....
However, it was worth every second of it!!









Out of curiosity, I counted up the parts from the parts list... 571 pieces.....

wicked eh?? anyway, dad and I are proud of ourselves!!!

Mom's Christmas Baking.....

I was hoping to get to Belleville tonight for supper, for mom's birthday dinner.... but they ended up eating earlier than originally planned, and my last inspection wasn't done until 4:30 and I was at least 2 hours away ... so I didn't get to go.....

I wish I HAD......... and not just to wish mom Happy Birthday ....

.. if you read my blog Saturday about Mom's Christmas Baking,
then you'll appreciate this....

Click here to see what I missed out on tonight in Belleville :

and check THIS out... even TANYA is in on it.......

I phoned her and told her I hoped that she got HEART burn!!!!

Happy Birthday Mom

Today is my mom's birthday.....

I think she's 50 something... I can't remember.....

I have to be kind, she might have my name for

Christmas!!!

anyway, mom... from Taylor and Anna and Abby, and

Me ..... We love you!!!

Happy Birthday!!!

My Friend Ganesh

After 5 1/2 weeks of touring North America, Ganesh left yesterday to head back to India....

I stopped at the airport to see him. He flew to Toronto yesterday morning from Detroit, I picked him up around 1 and we went to the Mandarin for lunch... we had such a good visit.




















This picture made me laugh.... Ganesh doesn't eat many sweets, because of his blood sugar count... but he had a bowl of fruit... and for good measure, added couple of pieces of bacon wrapped steak... he looked at me, grinned and said.. WHAT A MIXTURE!!!!


anyway, it was great to see him, for a little bit... it was a very special time.. We laughed, we cried, we prayed.... and I was really sad to see him leave....

His flight left at 6:30 last night from Toronto, and this very moment, he's aboard a 767 jetliner over the skies, between Europe and India.... He has one more connector flight to get him from Delhi, and won't be home to his own home until 10:30 tomorrow night.... what a LONG trip huh?

Our prayers are with you Joshua ... for a safe flight, and a wonderful Christmas and some much needed rest from your journey! God Bless you, my friend!

My church's Christmas Party

Last night, my church ( Pleasant Valley Community Baptist Church ) had their Christmas banquet... it was a lot of fun.... we laughed and laughed..... here are some pictures from the banquet....

My friend ( quote unquote ) Karl Wilson made the rounds and found himself in every picture with every table..... I'm not sure if he has A.D.H.D. or simply put, Mary couldn't stand him sitting next to her anymore and sent him packing!!

Love ya Karl!!!








Being a child of the 60's, I felt it was appropriate to put the Cake decorations in my hair... I still have frosting in my side burns!!!




Lisa Steele's new beau is Reg ( they never told me his last name.... knowing Lisa, very likely his name will soon be Reg Steele!! ) .... anyway, he's a real gentleman... EVERY time she stood up, he was on his feet, holding her chair, ad nauseum..... finally we had two of the cops there ( they are church members, relax ) take him outside and give him a going over..... just so the rest of us men in the room didn't feel so bad!!!

Incidentally, this is my 400th post....... whoo eee... who'da thunk I had so much to say!!

The Lord is my shepherd

Thursday, my friend Ralph Lepore rode with me for the day while I was inspecting. I picked him up in Stoney Creek around 8:30 and we drove up to Kawartha Lakes County.... inspected in Kirkfield, Cannington, and Sunderland.... we had a great visit.....

On the way home coming down highway 12, we saw this farm with a ton of sheep .... pretty neat eh?

Mom's Christmas Baking Stash

every year, at my mom and dad's house, my mom bakes up a storm.... for a woman that is only allowed to eat gluten free and dairy free things, it's amazing that she even DOES bake.... but she does.... and lots ............. and then wrecks it all by hiding the stuff.....

Bruce and I usually go on a treasure hunt trying to find where she's hidden it..... after we each broke a tooth or two sneaking frozen cookies, mom quit hiding them in the freezer...... now it's ANYBODY's guess as to where they end up......

that is, until last weekend.... I happened to be leaving through the garage, which I hardly ever do... ( I'm a front door kinda guy.... if I don't get to go in the front door, I don't bother going IN! I'm sure all of the other inspectors at Farmers' think I'm haughty.... I enter the office at the front door, cause I'm too good to park out back! ok, it's not that way...)

I digress....

so I was leaving mom and dad's through the garage, and as I turned to punch the code to shut the door, I spotted this year's Christmas baking stash............

WHOOOO AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

And since I'm at least an hour and a half away, I'm sure Bruce is going to get to it long before I ever get there....

TSK!

Photos from last Saturday night at Carol's

Memories.......

and most of them bad.........!

First inspection stop yesterday, I saw this thing hanging by the basement stairs....
My mom and dad had one of these... EXACT things, when we were kids..... it's a uh....
piece of hardwood.... designed for uh..........

well let me read the caption ... you'll get the idea!


" Grip Here Firmly in case of frustration

For the cute little dear, with the bear behind"

Abby's new glasses

Abby is looking SOOOOO grown up....... sigh!!

aren't the glasses cute??

Didja think I died??????????

for those of you who wondered, I didn't die!! Have just had a busy busy this week.....

Last weekend, I worked on Saturday, and then went to a pot luck supper at my sisters house... Randy and June Davidson, Karen Donnan and her kids, Carol and David and their kids, and I had supper and went to Carol's Church's Christmas Cantata..... It was a really wonderful time.... ate WAY too much, and stayed up way too late.... it was almost midnight when we all got home to our homes..... but it sure was fun. There's nothing like an old friend ( and they are OLD .... ok, actually, I'm the oldest of the bunch... sigh )

Sunday, Randy and June and I went to church in Kingston at Third Day Worship Center ... it was way way cool..... it was pretty contemporary compared to the Baptist, but we LOVED it .... The preaching was unbelievable.... we left there having met God in a very real and fresh way.... I loved it....

I stayed at my folks Sunday night and headed back to work Monday from Belleville..... Tuesday, I had to go to Orillia area to inspect, Wednesday I worked in Peterborough area, and then went to the office for the Property Department Christmas luncheon and secret santa gift exchange..... they told me I could be one of santa's elves and help give out presents... bah humbug.. I wanted to be SANTA!

After the luncheon, I headed to Uxbridge for an inspection, and then drove back to Brantford , for Anna's school Christmas concert....

Today, I left Brantford just before 8, headed back up to Kirkfield area to inspect, and came home again tonight for Abby's Christmas concert at her school....

Tomorrow, I'm not driving ANY where!!!

Pictures from today....

Sunset over Head Lake, North West of Norland







South Bound on Highway 35, just south of Minden






















Check out the snow up there.... pretty scenic... thankfully, the roads were clear...I'm too impatient this week to be slip sliding in snow!!



















check this photo out of my dad's GPS ....... the ARROW is where I am.... the road is where I'm supposed to be... no, i'm not in a barren wasteland.... I was on a road that the satellite didn't recognize...at the time, it seemed pretty funny


















View of the landscape, on 121, entering Haliburton