Day 9 of May

It's Wednesday, and that's "Meet with Mom Day"  We're going to head over to Walmart this morning.  Mom is still enthusiastically making her scarves.  I think she is running out of people to give them to, so I've put in another order for 10.  Don't be surprised if one comes your way.
  Yesterday was a very productive Tuesday for me.  Worked with the little ones in the morning.  We headed to the nearby pool for some fun swim.  After lunch and on the way home, I made a pit stop at Costco.  I needed to get some bulk food for the bulk boys that eat in this house.  Whilst in the store, I detoured through the garden center.  You would think for such a large facility they would have a large garden center.  Nope - and just try and get a few of those over sized carts in among the plants.   But you can't beat the prices, so I guess the inconvenience is worth the savings. And our course this unplanned shopping trip wouldn't have been complete without getting caught in the first hail storm of the spring. Thankfully, the pellets were small enough that they couldn't cause damage to my vehicle. I did end up backing into the garage though, so I could empty the back of my car out without getting pelted.
  Patrick came home from work on Monday night and to my surprised he asked about the front garden.  The flowers are in beautiful bloom right now.  These are perennials that my wonderful father-in-law planted quite a while ago.

I explained that Grandpa had planted them a long time ago. 

Last night I was "creeping" on Patrick's Facebook page, and I come across the above picture of my flowers.  And with the picture he wrote the following:  "Garden has been growing stronger since you planted it.  Wish I could show you I've grown stronger too.  Miss you Gramps."  

Wow - I had tears in my eyes.  Sometimes the heart of this boy astounds me.  Even his sister had pressed "like" on his page (and that doesn't happen too often)  

When I had finished creeping - I went to my twitter page. One of the celebrities follow is Russell Brand.  I'm pretty sure I mentioned before in my blog how much of a fan I am. Well it seems he is coming to Calgary with his BrandX humor.  I quickly went to check out the tickets at the Jubilee Auditorium but there were no great seats available.  Dang it!  Maybe I'll have to see if he is going to Winnipeg.  lol.

With working, shopping, laundry, creeping and other social media activities, I managed to make some cinnamon buns.  I'm not sure where that desire came from.  I don't think I have made them before, or maybe I have (are you really going to trust my memory) After a few hours (because who knew dough had to rise for such a long time) the exhilarating smell of fresh cinnamon buns was wafting through my kitchen.  Bill even came out of his office for one (and he usually doesn't eat after 9:00 pm at night)

Off to get my day started.

Stacey

Day 8 of May

So it looks like the "mystery" may have been solved:

Saddledome, Calgary - October 28, 2005

Fans can't always get what they want ... but they sure did last night
By MIKE BELL - Calgary Sun
CALGARY - Over the course of the Saddledome's 25-year history, the list of rock giants who've graced its stage has been impressive.
.......
Ultimately, they were little more than a prelude to last night's sold-out 'Dome show by the "World's Greatest Rock 'N' Roll Band."
.........
Four decades after they began, they are undoubtedly it - they are the holy grail of classic rockers.
And last night, they made the discovery - or, as the retro shirts and greying audience might have suggested, re-discovery - worth the wait.
    And, even more than that, they made it less about history past than history in its immediate form.
    Sure, as they have for the entire current (and last?) tour, the British icons brought with them a healthy supply of material that tweaks the memory banks in all the right ways - tracks such as She's So Cold, Wild Horses and even the superb, swinging cover of Ray Charles' Night Time (Is the Right Time) are mainstays on any station that makes its money from nostalgia.
    But The Stones also came armed with some tracks from their latest release A Bigger Bang - such as the lead-off cut Rough Justice - an album that's far better than it has every right to be.
    And more than that, they came armed with a stage show, and individual stage presences, that were less caricatures than they were in-the-moment rock performances that you could believe and buy into.
    Of course, everyone has seen images of front man Jagger primping, posing and strutting - on this night, in a red, glittery, lip-logo blazer that was eventually reduced to matching black T-shirt and pants - as well as Richards casually rocking in his unkempt ahoy-matey ensemble with cigarette-dangling from his leathered maw.
    But last night, as they did when they kicked the show off in Boston this past August, they put so much real energy and enthusiasm into it, it was impossible to view it as merely a repeat of the multitude of shows gone by.
    Their interaction with one another, their interaction with the people who've grown up with the band as the soundtrack to their lives, was as genuine and natural as you could hope from any act twice as young - including Jagger's brief donning of the ubiquitous Calgary white hat.
.....    Here, in the comfy, cosy confines of a 17,000-seat arena, the main stage, with a massive video-screen backdrop was rather bare, with a catwalk and an aisle leading to two narrow stages on the other end of the 'Dome.
    They used both to amazing effect, making the evening as personal and intimate as any other of the hundreds of thousands of acts who have come before.
  It was The Stones.
Finally.
The Rolling Stones made their first stop in Calgary and their loyal fans were willing to do just about anything to see their favourite rock stars.
"We got offered $2,000 for our tickets," said Cassandra Laurion, 12. "There is no way we would sell them.
"Hello, this is the last tour."
The mania outside the Saddledome wasn't limited to the teenagers.
"It's an opportunity you can't pass up. I hope one day she can tell my grandchildren that we went to The Stones together."
"It cost me $550 for two tickets," said the elder McCallum. "It's the Stones! How often do you get to see the Stones?"

Apparently I have been to a Rolling Stones concert.  As of yesterday morning, I was still unsure who was losing their memory, Bill or I.  The question was answered last night when Ashley returned home from work.  I was explaining the situation to her and before I could finish, she said "Mom you were at that concert.  Don't you remember phoning me while the concert was on and telling me to listen to the noise?"  "And remember," she went on "Anthony was there all by himself!"  Bill also tried to tell me that piece of history. 
  Now I have many theories as to why I have no recollection of this "milestone" event.  I'm not a fan of the Rolling Stones; it was a last minute offer of tickets;(which would also explain why I don't have the ticket stubs and corresponding ticket framed on my concert wall) the seats were bad and I couldn't see a thing anyway; orAnthony was there by himself, and I was more amused watching him enjoy himself.  I have reread the above article, looked at pictures, hoping to trigger one of those locked memories - Nope, nada, nothing.  Disappointed - no; concerned - not really.  (ok a little)  I can continue to rack my brain and stay frustrated or move on and realize - I obviously didn't miss too much (no offence to those die hard Rolling Stones fans)

Moving on......
Stacey

Day 7 of May

Well, we are into the last week of May.  It is less than a month until Patrick and I head off to Winnipeg to see Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran.
  Yesterday (Sunday) was a very productive day. On Saturday night, I had decided I would go early for my Sunday training walk.  Bill said if I waiting until he got back from the gym he would join me.. I always love the company, but didn't want him to come for the walk if he had something else to do.  So I mentioned this concern, and he assured me, he wanted to do the walk.  So I wake up early Sunday 6:30 a.m. (I know it's Sunday, but when you go to bed at 10:30, what does one expect)  So as Bill is leaving for the gym at 7:00 he asks me if we are taking Maya with us for the walk... Ahhh, I see his plan now.  What am I going to say, No.  Personally I think 10 k is going to be too much for her little legs, but....  So Bill gets home at 9:00, Maya and I are ready to go - I've got her treats, water, a little jogging shirt, poop bags (this is almost as bad as having to pack a diaper bag)  We head out.  The walk was great - a little slower than what I'm used to; not quite as much talking as I'm used to with a walking partner; and a few too many breaks (Maya would walk, and then need to be carried, walk, then carried - you get the pattern)  As for the talking that did take place,it was Bill checking his new GPS watch - 3 km, 3.6 km, 5 km.......  I think next week I will try and sneak out at my normal 6:30 time and put in the ear plugs.  But overall, it was a good walk.

   After we got home, we cleaned up and headed out in the bullet for a little dim sum.  I have warned Bill that he cannon wear sandals and socks in my car - but he doesn't listen.. We actually had to wait about 10 minutes for dim sum.  If we had a larger group - maybe 6 or 8, we would have gotten in right away.  We're not used to just going the two of us.  While we were enjoying our food I text Patrick that we were bringing him dim sum home for supper.  He wanted to know where we were and who we were with.  Again, it's not usual for just Bill and I to go alone.
  After the food and a couple of pots of tea, we headed over to Ray and Linda's for a short visit.  Ray was the best man at our wedding.  We don't get together nearly as much as I would like, but I'm hoping to change that over the summer.  Their daughter Sara was showing me some charms she had made with clay.  Now Sara is going into grade 5 I think, and some of these charms were very impressive.  I ordered about 6 of them.
  We get home around 2:00 and I think Maya was still sleeping when we got home.  A quick nap (OK a really long 2 hour nap) and I was refreshed again.  After Patrick got home I headed out to the garden to transplant my two plants (they have yellow and orange flowers - damn, I have the tags somewhere) and I also got my sweet pea seeds into the ground.
  By the time bed time rolled around, I was ready to close my eyes.  But after a short discussion with Bill, I had a difficult time falling asleep.  And here is the reason why.  I was asking Bill if he would like to go see the Rolling Stones.  He said he already seen them.  When and with who was my next question.  Apparently the last time they were in Calgary and I was his date....  I swear, I don't remember every seeing the Stones.  I have on my wall, framed photo's with ticket stubs of concerts we have been too - they include big names like Garth Brooks, Madonna, Cher, to smaller names like Paul Revere and the Raiders - but no where on this wall do I see Rolling Stones.  Here's my dilemma - one of us is losing it, and to make things even more difficult I can't solve this problem with google.  I did google and the stones were here in 2005.  I will continue with my detective work - "really, I've seen the Rolling Stones" - why can't I remember something like that.......
  To be continued......
Stacey

Day 6 of May

Yesterday was Friday and it was a busy day.  I left the house shortly after 8:00 a.m.  Bill only had to work 1/2 day so I knew there were be someone home to play with Miss Maya.  Anyway, I managed to take care of two cards stores.  Then I headed over the my "fun" job with the kids.  After I finished up there, it was time for my dinner date with a great friend, Grace. I've know Grace for 30 some odd years.  We've stayed in touch all this time.  If the past few years, we seemed to have been meeting up at group functions - usually funerals.  But this time we got our acts together and made a dinner date.  It was great catching up. And I love how you have friendships that may have a lot of space in between them, but when you do get together, it doesn't seem like it has been that long ago.  I'm made a note in my calendar Grace - we'll officially meet up again during the summer.

Whew.... for a while there, I thought I was going to have to grow fins to stay afloat.  It has been raining consistently for the past few days.  Hopefully everything that needed moisture has received it's share and we can move on to the sunshine part of the recipe.  I went to work at my card store this morning and when I pulled into the drive way, I noticed a bunch  of dandelions.  Obviously they were happy with all the rain we have received.  So I grabbed my handy/dandy dandelion digger (I can't remember the correct name - OK) and I headed out to removed these pesky little weeds -  after about 50 of them, the front lawn appeared green for the most part (still some dry stuff working it's way out)  I returned my "digger" to it's rightful place on the garage wall and headed in side.  I quickly made my way to Bill's office where I could observe the completion of my handy work - and what do you suppose I saw.... at least three more dandelions.  So in a matter of 2, maybe 3 minutes, those "crafty" colorful, and sometimes, tasty, weeds had hastily shown their true colors, and I'm pretty sure it was just to spite me. 
  I came across a Dandelion remedy (actually it's called a Dandelion Killer, but that sounds too violent).  They say to mix 4 litres of vinegar and 1 lb of table salt in a pan.  Bring to a boil and add 8 drops of dish soap.  Pour the mixture into a bottle and spray directly in the middle of the dandelion.  Has anyone ever tried this?  Why couldn't dandelions be considered a bedding plant.  Seems I'm spending more time on taking care of them, then I am taking "care" of my approved bedding plants.  There is something so wrong with this picture.
I came across this "story" about the Dandelion.  Terry, I think you will find it very fitting with the classes you are taking.  It sure made me think about my prospective on the hardy plant.

You Cannot Pick a Dandelion


Written by Arthur P. Moor.

Published in Education as an Art Vol. 25, #1 - Autumn 1965

"Isn't it wonderful," said the teacher, "when you go out into the woods and fields, to see what strange and beautiful things are coming up out of the ground! Trees and flowers, grass and bushes, and all kinds of plants, no two alike, with all sorts of different shapes and colors - have you looked closely at some of these?"

Certainly they had. They were normal youngsters, nine-, ten-, and eleven-year olds, naturally interested in anything they could push, pull, touch, lift, examine, taste, hear, or smell.

"Tell me what you have seen," said the teacher. In no time they had recalled berry-bushes, Indian pipes, Jack-in-the-pulpits, many kinds of trees with commentary on which were best for climbing -and a variety of field flowers and stinging nettles.

"Well," said the teacher, 'I wonder if any of you know about something I saw the other day. If you know the name of it, don't say it, but raise your hand if you think you know. Walking across a field I saw a slender stem coming up about nine or ten inches from a small plant, and on top of the stem a little ball of white, fluffy stars. If you pick the stem and blow, whoof, they scatter into a whole galaxy of stars." There were shining eyes and eager hands raised -

"DON'T SAY IT!" said the teacher. "But I wonder if any of you know what was there before the ball of stars appeared? If so, what did it look like?"

"There was a little yellow flower, with lots of tiny petals all crowded together," said one.

"It looked something like a little sunflower, only there was no brown center," said another. "It was all full of the little petals, like an aster or a chrysanthemum."

"Right!" said the teacher. "And what was it like before that yellow flower opened?"

"It looked like a little umbrella, upside down and almost closed, with a yellow lining showing," said a girl, holding out one hand, palm up, thumb and finger tips together making a bud-like form.

"Right!" said the teacher. "And what was it like before that? Somebody else."

"A tight little cone-shaped green bud," said a boy, making a tighter bud with his fingers, lower down, remembering the stem was then not so high.

By this time some were fairly bursting to name it. "No," said the teacher. "Don't name it yet. But what was it like before that?"

"Just a little bunch of leaves coming out from the center, a sort of green rosette," said a girl.
"And before that?"

"Just a tiny little bit of green coming up out of the dirt!"

"Right!" said the teacher. "Now what do you call all of this?"
"DANDELION!" they exploded in chorus.

"YES!" said the teacher. "Do you like dandelions?" he continued. Of course, they liked dandelions. Who doesn't enjoy the green buds with yellow linings, the cheery gold blossoms scattered among the grass, and the marvelous airy globes of elfin stars - until he has acquired a prejudice, and learned to resent them as an intruder in lawns?

"Did you ever pick dandelions?" Yes, they had all picked dandelions.

"No you haven't!" said the teacher. "You cannot pick a dandelion! It is impossible to pick a dandelion! What was it you picked, Bill?"

"It was like what you said at first," said Bill. "The whole ball of fluff that you can blow."

"What! No yellow flower? No little bud, like the upside-down umbrella, nearly closed, with the yellow lining showing? No tight green cone? No cluster of green leaves all coming out from the center? -What was yours like, Anne?"
"I've picked whole bunches of dandelions as yellow flowers," said Anne. "You know, we used to take one and hold it under somebody's chin and say, 'Do you love butter?' Then we'd look to see if the yellow color was reflected from under their chin."

"But when you got a yellow flower, you couldn't blow any white stars from it, could you? And did any of you bother to pick dandelions when you only saw tight green buds, or the plant leaves? But you all said that a dandelion is really all of this. Whatever you picked, you only got a fragment of something.

"You cannot really pick a dandelion --for a dandelion is not a thing that exists all at once. It is a performance. And it only happens when the sun and earth, the sky and water are all working together. The pattern may be in the seed, as the pattern of music is in the score, but it doesn't come to life till the players play it, or the singers sing it The score becomes music only as the players and singers pour themselves into the performance, just as the sun and earth and air and water pour themselves into a dandelion. And every plant, and every living thing is really a world performance -even you."

They were suddenly quiet for a moment.

This was the first lesson in botany.

"Every living thing is a world performance." This is the heart of it a realization that illuminates not only botany but every human life and action.

Day 5 of May

It's Thursday and it's raining.  But this is a much needed rain. Mother Nature is making sure we get what we need, but hopefully she doesn't press the automatic button and head somewhere else.  They are predicting flooding if the rain persists.  I am hoping for a little break so I can get out and plant a couple of bushes this weekend. I also bought my sweet pea seeds.  I love sweet pea's.  Somehow they remind me of when I was little - sweet pea and lilac smells - next to the camp fire smell, these are my two next favorites.  Last weekend I had a fire pit and wore my grey comfy soccer sweatshirt.  I haven't washed it yet, and I have been putting it on every afternoon when I get home from work.  I love that smell.
   Last night I was out on a date with my girlfriend Rose.  We went to another Jubilation's Dinner Theatre show.  This one was called "The Big Boom Theory".  You have probably already figured out what the play was based on.  The characters were very close to the show, but it was Howard "Wolowitz" that have the look and persona down to a T.  I hope the poor actor goes for a massage every day, because he walks around all night with his shoulders shrugged up.  The voices on these actors never ceases to amaze me.  I'm surprised they aren't on Canadian Idol or X Factor. 
  Seems everyone was home last night but me (that is so opposite to the norm).  The kids have these busy lives and I am just catching up on them.  Patrick and a friend went climbing last weekend out to Kananaskas. 

Then Ashley finished her motorcycle lessons and just has to take the exam (and pass)  In the meantime (and you have to admire her optimism) she went and purchased a bike.  I haven't seen it, but I believe it looks something like this.

I miss the days when I used to have to worry about them being toddlers and hitting their heads on the corner of the table; eating carrots and watching to make sure they didn't choke.  You think as they get older, the roll of Mom becomes easier and less worrying would take place.  Or maybe I just miss being able to say "No, you can't do that!"  and when they would ask why, I could say "Because!"   

I still voice my concerns but now I get bombarded with quotes, statistics, and when I ask why, they say "Because!"

It takes someone really brave to be a mother, someone strong to raise a child and someone special to love someone more than herself.

I guess that quote says it all.

Have a great Thursday.

Stacey

Day 4 of May

Happy Mother's Day!
Had a wonderful late "Cinco de Mayo" celebration last night in Banff.  We attended the Rocky Mountain Wine and Food Festival at the Banff Springs Hotel.  It was sold out, and I'm willing to be, maybe even oversold.  There were sooo many people.  What a place to people watch.  I thought I seen one person I knew (as opposed to Bill and Bruce who ran into work people all night)  It was a girl from junior and high school.  I must have been somewhat tired, because usually I take the opportunity to meet and talk with them.  By the time I thought of that, she had disappeared and I didn't run into her the rest of the evening. 
  Bill and I arrived at our hotel, The Rimrock around 4:30.  Bill had his snooze in the "bullet" on the drive up (not a great snoozing in car)  so I was ready for a little "nap" before we got going.  Our friends hadn't arrived yet, so I took an early shuttle over to the Banff Springs to get our "coupons", etc.  With the extra time on my hands, I wondered around some of the novelty shops in the hotel.  I came across some "scarf charms."  I had envisioned these before and wondered why nobody had invented them (or maybe they had, and I just wasn't shopping at the right stores)  I couldn't make up my mind between two different charms, so I ended up not buying any......not, I bought both.  Very inexpensive. 
  Finally the rest of my "party" arrived and we entered the world of "chaos".  The food samplings were fantastic.  But my best discovery of the evening was a beer.  I am not a beer drinker at all, so when I round this "cherry" beer and its 96 calories per bottle, I gave it a shot (literally)  It was delicious.  Look out Rose, I will be introducing you at our next outing.
  After using most of our coupons (and selling the rest), the Festival was over and we headed to downtown Banff to the Rose and Crown.  That's when it dawned on me, I am getting old.  Not from looking around, but realizing the "good music" was way to loud and we couldn't enjoy a conversation.  After a few margaritas, we headed back to our hotel for a night cap.  Actually everyone else had a night cap, I brought out my new IPad game.  We played a couple of rounds in the lounge (there's a poem in there somewhere) and I seem to be the only one that had gotten my second wind.  Sure, I complained, this was the first year I didn't have to be designated driver (thanks to the Banff cab companies) and everyone else was tired and ready for bed - it was only 12:30 a.m.  Maybe I'm not the old one in the group.....
  This morning, (Sunday) Bill got up at 6:00 am and went for his morning run.  We met up with our friends in the restaurant for a buffet breakfast and then headed home.  Bill wanted to walk up Tunnel mountain, and although I did have flat shoes on, they were not walking shoes so I declined.

  I offered to drive home so off came the bullet roof; on went the scarf over the head; one went the sunglasses; on went the music and out went Bill (like a light)  What a beautiful drive home.
  When we got home, the son and his buddy were just cleaning up from their gathering the night before.  I was just glad the house was still standing and the golf course hadn't burnt down.  I put a few things away, and settled in for a short nap (4 hours later).

Life is good and really, when you don't have to talk, music sounds really good when it's loud.

Stacey

Day 3 of May

A day is only a day; it's what you make of it.  That's my new "motto". 
Last week was Cinco de Mayo, and yet we are going to be celebrating tonight.
Tomorrow is Mother's Day and yet we celebrated it today as I'll still be in Banff tomorrow.

And what a lovely Mother's Day it was.  I was awake at 6:00 a.m. and heard Ashley's alarm go off.  She came upstairs and I asked her why she was up so early.  They (Ashley, Patrick and Ethan) were going to make me breakfast and she knew I like to eat early.  It was a wonderful breakfast - fresh fruit cut up; pancakes (which is what I asked for) made with whole wheat flour; an omelet (made with egg whites) with every type of veggie in it; and my signature glass of milk.  The kids also cleaned up the kitchen mess (they must take after their mother when they cook.)  After breakfast was cleaned up, we played a new IPad game.  It's called Heads Up.  I heard about this game from the Ellen Degeneres show.  It is like Password and all those other category games, but you use the IPad as your game board.  I also received the two cd's I really wanted - Bruno Mars and Justin Timberlake (we'll will be rockin' on the drive to Banff)  What a wonderful  "Mother's Day."
  I also spoke to my Mom on the phone and wished her an early Mother's Day.  Because I'll be out of town, we have made out Mother's Day lunch date for Wednesday.
 
  Last night we had the opportunity to take in Cirque du Soleil , Amaluna.  We had been given tickets for Christmas.  What an amazing show.

If you get a chance to see this show..... thanks to Bruce and Dianne for the show and the company.  With front row seats it was inevitable that both Bill and Bruce would get chosen for some type of participation. 

Stacey

Day 2 of May

Well it's Thursday already.  This week has gone by so fast.

  Was sad to hear that Jeanne Cooper passed away.  For those of us that used to be (and maybe currently) are fans, she played Katherine Chancellor on the Young and Restless.  I know my Mom is a big fan, and she was sad to hear as well.  Another loss I want to acknowledge was that of Mr. Wheldon Stacey.  His grandson played soccer with Patrick and I got to know their family over Patrick's soccer "days."  Wheldon was an avid fan at Mike's games (along with Mike's other three siblings who also play soccer.)  The earth has lost a great man, and human being. 
   I guess it is just that kind of week, where age seems to be slipping up on all of us.  Below is a picture I came across in the newspaper. 

The elderly gentleman in the front, Bert, was our neighbor at our other house in the Hamptons.  He was like our Glady's Cravitz from Bewitch.  Except Bert was in such great shape.  When we moved, he was still riding his bike through the hills of Hamptons and Edgemont. 

Yesterday, I took my mom for a ride in the bullet!!!! (Mercedes)  Thank goodness I had the radio turned up, because I think Mercedes feelings would have been hurt had she heard the comments coming from Mom.  I guess getting into a vehicles that is really low is harder than having to climb into a vehicle that is too high.  Anyway I took Mom over to my sister Sharry's for a coffee. It was a nice visit, but I came away learning a well kept secret.  I guess it wasn't really a secret, because everyone but me knew the story.  My dad used to have a dog, a boston terrier, named Dandy Joe.  It was a purebred and he got it when it was a pup.  Well through much teasing from some males relatives (uncle, sounds like pop), this dog wasn't the friendliest to outsiders.  I can't remember the year, but Dad decided best to give the dog away so not to bite visitors.  A couple bought the dog and proceeded to take it home to Nanton.  Seems they returned shortly after they left, because Dandy Joe wouldn't let them touch him or get him out of the car.  I was told they found another family to give it to.  I now hear the truth, poor Dandy Joe was put down.  I swear, I had tears in my eyes when mom told me this story. I'm not sure if I was sad about his demise or the fact I only found out now. I used to see a Boston Terrier on the street and wonder "Hmmm, I wonder if it is related to Dandy Joe."  Apparently Auntie Donna was asked to take the dog to the vets....  What a favor to have to do.  Even now, it makes me sad.  

I'm reading back over this blog and realize, I must be in some "planet cycle".  The tone is a downer.  I am going to put a smile on my face, and make the rest of the day a positive one.

Looking forward to a fun weekend.

Stacey

Day 1 of May

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!!!!  My favorite holiday of the year.

As you can see from the picture, this year's celebration was a little low keyed in comparison to most years.  But that is actually because we didn't end up with our 8th annual B and B Cinco de Mayo celebration - yet.  That is happening next weekend, in Banff!!!We have tickets to the Cirque show Friday night, and Saturday night, the party is happening at the Banff Springs Hotel!!!  Bill and I did sit down for a little "tequila" to make sure we didn't let the day go by without some acknowledgement.

This is a picture from the 2012 B & B celebration.  I'm not sure if that is before of after the tequila.

And of course, I have already received my Cinco de Mayo gift this year.  I only showed half the car, because the other half of the car was part of my anniversary gift!!!!! 

  Had a busy weekend.  I worked on Saturday.  We took the "work kids" to Heritage Park to see Thomas the Train.  You forget how much work taking kids on a field trip (and we had three of them), but then we had a small army of adults with us as well, and you want everyone to get something out of the trip and be enjoyable for all.  Too much thinking!!!!
  Sunday morning, I did some training for the"Kidney March" that I am participating in come September.  My training mate Jean, and I did a 9.1 km walk around the area.  It was a beautiful day to be out walking, and we made great time.  Thanks to everyone for all your support and encouragement in this "endeavor" I have taken up. 
  After I got home and changed, Bill and I took Mercedes out for a drive.   We officially initiated her today.  We took the top down, and went through the drive through of  Peter's Drive-In.  Then we took our lunch and headed over to "Crescent Heights Hill" (the old make-out hill) and sat on a bench with our lunch.  I did have to "scold" Bill for breaking a couple of Mercedes rules:  Firstly, we don't wear socks in sandals when we ride in my car. (and yes they were white socks)  and Second, no more Rolling Stones, live in concert, on the CD player.  I'm pretty sure the CD was recorded recently, and really, I understand they are all talented gentleman, and legends, but there is a time and place for hanging up the VOICE.  Just wait until I get my Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake or anything country in that player. 
  After lunch we headed over to my nieces to drop of Caylee's birthday gift.  I had hope to make the birthday party, but Bill had us make an unannounced pit stop (house search for the daughter) 
  It's dinner time, and the son is heading to the gym, Bill is golfing, the daughter is working a horse show, and Maya and I are enjoying the peace and quiet!!!! 
   I am so ready to take on Monday!