This past week, Norma and I toured around Chilliwack, B.C. to see the cranberry farmers flooding their fields and harvesting their crops. It was amazing to see and the colour was brilliant.
We made Halloween treats for our great-niece Joceline and great-nephew Hunter for their Halloween party. We made Frankenstein faces and pumpkins out of Rice Krispies. Then we made worms out of jello served on a plate of earth which was Oreo crumbs. I also made a fruit pizza in the shape of a ghost’s head. Vanessa, their mother made them broom sticks from pretzels with cheese strings attached to the end. They also got wieners wrapped in Pillsbury dough to make them look like mummies. Needless to say the kids had a fantastic party but we had just as much fun making the treats.

We went to my brother Marcel’s for supper, video and card night. We had a great evening.
My niece, Vanessa Leach, took Norma and I out to a wonderful restaurant for breakfast and then took us on an off-roading trip on the overflow riverbed of the Fraser River. This was a first for both of us and Vanessa showed off her driving skills. We saw strange rock formations that the mighty Fraser leaves behind after the spring runoff. Lots of huge trees that had succumbed to the fury of the raging water. It was a beautiful sunny day and we had a great time.
On Tuesday Norma’s neighbours, Marlene, Lynn and David came over to say goodbye to me. We had cocktails and games. What a fantastic six weeks I’ve had here in B.C. I hated to leave.
Remember to buy your tickets in advance for the Shania Twain double show on Nov 2. Call Faye Belanger Hodgins at 819-648-2663. This is to help support Animal Aide Pontiac.
I went on the Coquihalla highway with my brother-in-law David Leach and I got to see the highway through hell crew cleaning up a roll over and trying to piece together a transport truck that was off the road.
My sister Lynn and her husband David took me on a four seater Cessna and we went on an hour long tour of the Fraser Valley all the way to Vancouver and followed the Fraser River. I saw the thousands of green houses, luscious fields in the Fraser Valley, dams, valleys and mountains. It was a fantastic flight.
I traveled to Oysoyus with Norma where there are hundreds of vineyards in the valley and up the mountain sides. You have to take No. 3 highway to get there. It is wicked with hairpin turns, steep grades, and breathtaking views. This is definitely not a drive for the faint of heart. I had my fingernails through the dashboard and my feet were pushing on the brakes on the passenger side the whole way.
Norma took me to Vancouver Island which I have never been to before and we landed in Victoria. This was Thanksgiving weekend and we spent the first couple of days with my Aunt Yvonne Mayhew and her son Keith and also with Lorraine Lowe. We then travelled to the other side of the island to visit our niece Jennifer and her husband Tom and their children Cameron and Kelsey. On the way home on the ferry I saw a whale.
I made over 60 pies for my sisters. I helped Norma purge, pack and paint her house that she’s going to sell. I made pickles and jams and every day I was there we had an adventure of some kind. I really had a fantastic six weeks with my family and I met so many new friends. What a great adventure I was on.
I could not have done this trip without the help of all my neighbours who took care of my house while I was gone. I really appreciate and thank them for their help.
This was a fantastic way to start my retirement and now I’ve got to settle down and come back to reality.
I’m finally home after six weeks of being in British Columbia with my sisters and brother enjoying a fantastic visit.
As soon as I got home I realized my truck wouldn’t start and had to call roadside assistance to give me a boost. I just want to let everyone else know this but we should always start our vehicles even in the summertime because the computer will suck out battery life. I didn’t realize this but now I know. Neighbours came over to welcome me home that evening. The next morning I had to refresh my house, make a fire and tidy up because my daughter Shelley and son-in-law Carl and the two grandchildren Corben and Tao were arriving Friday afternoon.
They had an extremely busy weekend with me and Theresa and all their cousins. Saturday, Cheryl Mayhew and her boyfriend Dennis spent the afternoon with us. Sunday morning, Ayden and Rowan came over to visit with my grandchildren. They are all teenagers now and all they could talk about is how much each other grew this past year. It was funny to hear them because my two grandchildren’s voices are changing and have that squeak to them.
We got a little bit of freezing rain Saturday night and then snow but it didn’t amount to anything and it all melted the next day.