Skating in the Country

     When the RV gang can't get out to RV and carry on around the summer campfire, well you just have to do it in the winter.  It warmed up in the afternoon, with some lovely big snowflakes coming down.  We all gathered in the country at Margie's mothers' place.  She has a huge big pond, that Dan cleared off a portion with his snowblower to make a really big skating rink.  Then, a roaring fire was made, and a bbq going with hotdogs, a pot of cocoa and a wee bottle of peppermint schnapps for the cocoa. 

    
     It was so much fun!  Margie's mom even made some chocolate chip cookies to add to the festivities - Donald sure loved those!  The older boys have snowshoes and they went away into the bush for an hour or so.

And to top it all off, Dan had bought a Family Size set of Fireworks from Costco last year and this was the special occasion to use them.  The older boys sent them off over the pond to be safe, and used a wheelbarrow of dirt to stick them in to light them up.  Margie and I really like the sparkly ones that went up in the air and then exploded into thousands of tiny wee sparklies.  

                                So, a great wood fire, good friends, good time.

A Great time to ring in 2010

We were out a a hall way way out in the backcountry with about 180 other people enjoying our rv'ing gang and some of their kids playing in a big sound funk band.  Dance music all night - with Stevie Wonder tunes, Van Morrison tunes, you name it for 4 hours of straight playing and dancing.  Our usual bedtime is around 10:30 - 11:00 and low and behold we did not get home till 2:30!

Well, we are making our New Years telephone calls to family and friends.  I think a nice ham should be in order for dinner tonight and I suspect we'll be snoozin' on the couch not long after!!!!!!

All the Best in 2010!

     We have been going out to a Hall way way out in the country to a New Years Dance the last couple of years.  Most of our friends join together for a big sound rythym and blues dance band and it is lots of fun.  They play lots of dance tunes and the place get really rockin'.  This may be our last year to go to this if all plans keep on track. ( unless of course we fly back for it! ).  I worked today and tomorrow off and then work the next day so we better cool it tonight - we do not drink so that is not an issue.
     Posts tomorrow and hopefully some pictures!
     Happy New Year and all the best for 2010...... as we are getting ready we are watching the Junior Worlds' hockey and the game between Canada and the US.....

Figuring and Family

Kims' parents saying' I love you' on Christmas Day

 We have not posted for a couple of days and we would like to claim the excuse that Christmas was busy, however, it was not and very quiet so we have no excuse! We had a few friends in for Christmas Eve snacks and drinks.  Our youngest son came over Christmas Day about 10:00 am, and we opened our stockings and gifts then.  We do not do very much in the way of gifts and we have been trying to cut back on Christmas and the commercialization of the holidays.  We would rather say 'I love you'. Donald and I only gave each other a gift that would work/needed for the RV. Christmas dinner was going to be the 3 of us, but just as the turkey was coming out of the oven, a friend called and he was just driving back into town after visiting his sister 5 hours away and that was perfect timing to set another place for dinner.  It was a great dinner.
   One of the strange joys of Christmas this year was finding out ( via Facebook ) on the 25th that I have many many cousins in the province that I live in and I was not aware of them. They are on my mothers side of the family and she had no knowledge either.  I have been corresponding via e mail with them for the past couple of days relaying the family history, that they were eager to learn.  So, Christmas is about family! 
   Donald's family was all in Edmonton this year.  It would be so nice to have lots of time and not be working and the roads to be good so that we could join them one year.  Plans for next year are for us to be ' down south' and our 2 boys and daughter in law to join us.  She is the most thrilled and has requested disneyland. ( Tinkerbell fan ).
   Donald and I were talking about the blogs and he has been reading those which post their expenses/budgets.  I have worked up a couple of excel spreadsheets with both present and future ( full time )  expenses/budget.  We are both fairly convinced that we will be perfectly fine. Now, to get it together to start the journey.....
   
  

Merry Christmas from all of us!