LIES

Lies lies lies!!!  We all had to lie repeatedly to Aryn…about her surprise birthday party.  For some of us it was really hard and for some of us not so much!  I am in the latter group.  Jeez, I told her I was heading off to dinner with a fictitious friend called Allie at some Greek restaurant or other.  By the time I finished up my story I was believing it myself, looking forward to moussaka until I remembered it wasn't actually happening.

And it seems we did manage to surprise her.  The anticipation of seeing her walk through that door was palpable in the room.  And when she did, and we all screamed SURPRISE! the party started and didn't end til the wee hours.  So much fun!  The food was good, the drinks were good, the cake was amazing and the music was outstanding.  Bradley is a professional DJ and it showed!  We had so much fun!

Yesterday we picked up our dogs, our happy dogs I might add and headed over to Myle's place to pick up April.  So sad…they find it hard to be apart.  We then headed out to Ladner to Spod's sister's place to pick up the beautiful dogwood she bought in Mom's name.  

Their place is so beautiful.  I took some pics of her back area…but the pics don't do it justice.  We stayed for coffee and delicious coffee cake and a catch up visit.  On this trip it was so good to see both of Spod's siblings!

Now we are home and back into the routine.  Spod is taking a very very stinky Parker in to be groomed this afternoon.  We then go to Costco and purchase a couple of new dog beds and then we are going to throw out the old ones…into the bush.  Just kidding.  The only place to take garbage here is so expensive.  Its hard to swallow the price they charge…even for recyclables like cardboard.  And garbage bags are 9 bucks each.  And they only pay about half of what is normal elsewhere for pop and beer bottles.

Well now I am off to clean kitchens, unpack etc.  TTYL  ps:  this stupid blogspot doesn't put the pics in the right order (shovel list)

AUNTIE JAN'S BEAUTIFUL BACK DECK

HAVING A LOT OF FUN

OUR SEARS POSE

I'M SO BOOTIFUL

I WILL NEVER EVER MOVE BACK

Two days back in Toxicville and we are ripping our hair out.  The traffic here is insane.  Honestly! I do not know how the people here can stand to waste so much of their life in their cars being harassed and controlled.  I like my life too much!

On Wed. we dropped April off at Myles place up the Seymour River area.  A very happy April I might add!  They have been apart for ten days and it didn't go so well…they miss each other so much.  We then drove clear across town (I say so easily…shovel list) to our vet at 41st and Fraser.  Poor Parker has a vicious ear infection, due to allergies. We picked up their papers to give to the kennel.

We then drove all the way back up to Capilano University where the kennel is.  We, fairly trepidatiously, left a neurotic Parker.  He goes crazy when he isn't at home on his couch.  He nervous craps everywhere, he chews holes in his feet, he paces and cries, he extra sheds hair everywhere…  Molly, well our only worry about her is getting her back.  We have left her with people to Molly sit and they have actually cried when we took her back from them.

That evening we met April and Myles at a fantastic and new to Spod and I, Chinese food restaurant.  Myles has been going there with his family forever and he ordered for us and the food was above and beyond delicious.  What a treat!!!  Especially the black bean beef with onion and green peppers in an amazing delicious sauce on crispy, really really crispy, noodles.  To die for!!

We then made a stop at Spod's brother's place in Burnaby.  I absolutely love visiting with Frank (or Frak as is Frank's username for everything) and Joan.  We hadn't seen them in a long time so there was lots and lots of visiting and catching up.  And they served us delicious Costa Rican coffee they picked up on their latest cruise. Mmmmm….We gave Frank a mug we found with Frak on it.  I couldn't believe it when I saw it.  We were feeling all pleased at surprising him with what should have been an impossible find, I mean I can't find a toothbrush with Helen on it for heaven's sake!!! when Joan emailed me a link to that words meaning…Oh Lordy!  its another way of saying the F word!  So we gave him a mug with a bad swear on it!!!

The next morning Myles dropped April off at our hotel really early.  We get breakfast tickets here and I don't eat breakfast so she used my ticket and Spod and April went over and ate.  We then dropped her off at her friends and   Spod and I went to our dr.  appointments.  Apparently we are going to live after all!

Spod does NOT listen..or he doesn't cogitate.  At home, when he was making plans to meet his besty best friend Claire for lunch, I asked him and reminded him three times to tell Claire he wouldn't be there til twelve rather than eleven.  I was going to get him to drop me off at the shopping centre where I had a one o'clock appointment.  There is a fat lady store there where I could visit my friends I have made there to easily kill one hour.  Did he do that?  NO!  So I got dropped off at 11 with two hours to kill.  I went to Starbucks..but it was full and soooo noisy so I went across to JJ Bean.  It was peaceful and quiet (full but still quiet).  I always have a book going on my phone so in actual fact I had a wonderful hour of quiet, coffee and reading.

Then…three and a half hours in the CHAIR.  (shovel list)  It takes sooooooo long to do my hair.  But now that its all over and done I am happy!

We came back to the hotel so I could dry and do my hair then we were off again, into insane crazy traffic, to beat our way over to west fourth to meet Aryn and Bradley at the most amazing fun Italian restaurant.  The food was crazy good!!  We had such a good visit and catch up.

  Aryn also told us that she had gone up to the kennel to pick up granddog and asked about Parker.  Apparently, he is having the time of his life!  They put him in a large area with a bunch of dogs and he played and played.  At night they put him in his night cage and he ate and drank and curled up and slept until morning.  I think he just doesn't cotton to that new age kennel in Langford!

Now its Friday morning and we have a whole bunch of random appointments and Vancouver specific shopping and fun lunch with a friend planned.  This post is getting too long so I shall write one as soon as I get home tomorrow.  TTYL

SHOVEL LIST

COSTCO COSTCO COSTCO

Ahhh Costco.  We just don't know how to stay away from the damned place.  We always buy stuff we don't really need, like those  awesome rocking chairs Spod built.  And lordy be…we DO NOT need any more food.  I went out to the garage after the last shopping trip to put the stapley type stuff out there, only to find we already had most of it on the shelves.  

Reminds me of my Gramma Graham.  Whenever she needed new sheets or a new bed or something, she balked at buying it.  She figured she wouldn't live long enough to use it properly.  I kind of feel that way out there looking at the shelves in the garage…we will be dead before we use it all up.

April arrived  back from Monte's.  It seems they had a pretty good week end together.  They went out to a bar one night, a bar with a dance floor and a live band.  In Port Alberni there is a pretty high population of First Nations.  Apparently there was a table load sitting next to them, getting a little rowdy, having a good time.  Ange, the wife of Monte's friend Pat from across the street (they were there with Monte and April) was getting uncomfortable and wanted to move.  But April just said no no, I will get them up dancing.  So she did!  She ended up on the dance floor jigging with the natives and had the best time!  And they had a good time too…I can believe it..I have seen April dance!

Speaking of First Nations, Monte "received" five sockeye salmon from some FN neighbours.  They ate one in Port and April brought four home.  Mmmmmmm….tomorrow night I shall be cooking salmon three ways…and Em and Austin and my cousin Dorothy and her mate, Ed will be coming for dinner.  So today I need to plan the menu and, yes, go shopping for the extras I need to make the meal.

I am going to wrap up one in tin foil with onions, garlic, lemon and dill and bake it.  Another one I shall have Spod fillet it.  Half of the fillets I cut into small chunks, marinade it in thai chile sauce and maple syrup with added maple flavouring.  Then I broil the chunks until it is candied.  The other half I cut into pieces about the size of the palm of my hand.  I roll it in mayonnaise then coat it in crushed potato chips and bake on parchment paper.  We have a person coming for dinner that doesn't eat salmon, he is an inlander and not used to seafood.  So I figure one of those preparations will lure him onto the fish eating side.

Todays challenge, oddly enough, is to eat seafood three times a week.  The chapter was full of ideas for eating more fish and warnings about eating raw fish.  The serving size should be approximately 3 oz. three times per week.  She then went into detail about how it does a body good.

Its really early right now.  We got up and took the truck in for detailing.  So now I am going to sign off here, go plan my menu and then go get the stuff.  I need to plan a different desert.  I always make a trifle of some sort but my trifle bowl has taken a lovely trip to Kamloops.  Long story!  which I shall spare you from.  So back to the drawing board and figure out something else…my favourite thing to do!  I will take pics…TTYL

HELP!!! I DON'T KNOW HOW

Its been a lovely few days.  Spod and I had only one altercation, the sun has been shining, the dogs are happy and I had a couple of fun days with my sister.

She came over the day after thrift shopping and we went for a long talky lunch at Milestones.  So enjoyable.  We then headed off to do a bit more shopping.  On Wed. Spod, April and I went to Emily's for supper.  What a fantastic time we had there.  Met her beau, Austin, for the first time…really liked him.  He is a landscaper so may hire either him or his company to come and do our yard each week.  I think they are coming out here for a salmon bbq on Monday and I shall finalize plans at that time.  She is living in the funkiest old house apartment.  Ahhh…the life of the young just starting out…some things never change!

The next morning I left the house early and met Kathy.  We were meeting a very old friend from Smithers. She lives  right on the Gorge…it was stunning! And what an amazing woman Bette-Marie turned out to be.  Her mother was our Nanny…mostly Kathy's.  Carlson (as we called her) was very very special to us and we didn't know her daughter so well as she was grown and gone.  But she did visit her parents and we met her then.  She also attended my brother's wedding.  We had a lovely coffee and muffin with her and heard stories about our folks and neighbours of old.

April has gone to stay a few days with Monte.  Myles is in Vancouver going through longshoreman training.  Now I am preparing for our trip to Vancouver next week.  We are going to go over on Wed.  We have to swing by (I say so easily) Atlas Veterinarian to give the dogs kennel cough shots.  We then deliver them up to Northwest Kennels.  Parker is going to have a fit I tell ya!!  Oh well…he is the most neurotic dog I have ever met.  We then swing into appointment mode…doctor, hairdresser, old friend lunches etc.  On Saturday we will be picking up dogs, swinging by Auntie Jan's to pick up that lovely dogwood tree she bought in Mom's honour and heading back home.

  Then, and this is what I meant in the title of this post, I have to figure out how to hire a reno guy.  I used to just be able to call Elliott and he would just take care of everything.  The last guy we called came, met with Myles, talked it over and basically told him the cost of the project, then called to say that his number one client, Starbucks, had called so he would have to shelve our project for a while.  And that is what I don't want..I kind of wish Spod was able to do all this.  But he really can't now..he can't hear well enough and his memory can be a little shaky at times.  I guess I shall learn.  But I did make one wise decision.

I texted Aryn:  "AAARRRYYYNNN (whine) can you build us an ikea kitchen?"  And she said yes!!!  She built the one at our last house and it was beautiful!  So we sent her all the specs of the kitchen and she has the Ikea kitchen planner program and she is making us a kitchen.  I am so excited!!!

Now its time for me to get off my duff and go fight the dog hair in this house.  Its insane.  You should see our truck.  Between the dog puke stains and the layers and layers of dog hair, one just doesn't want to ride in it.  So, in light of that, I found a place that details autos right nearby.  Now, this is detailing, not just cleaning, but deep down detailing.  I know how much this can cost but poor Spod didn't!  We went over there last night to make the appointment (they need to see the vehicle) and he told us it would be a two day job and 450 bucks!!  I thought Spod was going to faint!  But I kind of knew so I suggested to Spod we just go ahead and get it done.  Plus, the guy said they fix all the little nicks and scratches too.  And from now on Parker rides in the very back!  Maybe spending that much money will finally get Spod to NOT put the dog in the back seat.

Well I hear Spod bumbling around out there.  He built two outdoor rocking chairs yesterday.  They sit on the front lanai and it seems it is our morning coffee spot!  I will go take a pic and put it on here right now!  TTYL

I LIKED THIS PIC BEST BUT I NOTICED MY REFLECTION…AND I HAD ON ONLY UNDERWEAR, AND NOT THE KIND YOU WANT TO BE IN IN A CAR ACCIDENT…SO I CENSORED IT…I LOVE THAT FIXIT BUTTON

THIS WAS THE VIEW OUT OF BETTE-MARIE'S WINDOW..THE GORGE

CHALLENGE

I wonder if any of you even care anymore about the weekly challenges.  Probably not LOL!!  but I shall continue to put them in.  This week is about getting strong.  She goes into kind of interesting detail about our muscles, from puberty onward and what half an hour of strength training with weights three times a week will do for you.  I think this is a challenge worthy of trying.

While we were in Maui, my sister Kathy's daughter stayed here for a month or so with her boyfriend.  They were attempting to find jobs and apartments.  Which they both did!  So, Kathy is down here right now staying at Emily's place but coming over here for the day while Em is at work.  

Yesterday we hit the thrift shops…I say so easily! Thank goodness for gpsses (Sp? and grammar?).  Fortunately Victoria is so easily navigated!  And I made her watch that youtube by Macklemore…Thrift Shop song…to get into the mood.  We had so much fun.  We would find something we would think Emily would need or want, Kathy would take a pic and message it to her and we would wait for her answer.

And I did some Xmas shopping…remember that this year all our gifts have to come from thrift stores.  Jeez we had fun!  I found some downright funky stuff…a lava lamp for Monte, a ferocious looking china pig that said 'I love money' on the front and 'Miser' on the back, a broken, but very pretty clock, a stained glass night light for the bathroom with a pig on it (in stained glass) and a Paul Peel picture of naked kids (hmmmmm…come to think of it all his pics are of naked kids).

  In the middle of the bigger sally anne I felt something running out of my nose and down my lip and upon swiping (I don't carry kleenex) I see I had sprung a massive ( or so it felt) nosebleed.  I haven't had one of those since forever.  And it was bad enough that it wasn't controllable with mere finger pinching.  So Kathy dashed up to a worker and explained and they got me a roll of waterproof industrial strength paper towel.  Awesome…did the job!

Kathy found an awesome, mint condition, light tan lazy boy chair!  It was perfect and exactly what Em needed and wanted and it was only 15 bucks!!!  We loaded it into her van.  But, just beside that perfect chair was a sweet little brocade type rocking/swivel chair.  So pretty and petite.  She wasn't sure though if Em had room for it.  When we got home Kathy had to leave.  I told Spod about the wee chair and he said 'Let's go get it!"  If Em doesn't want it we shall keep it. It is so cute.  So we hopped into the truck, went to the store, paid the fifteen bucks and brought it home.  A really good score I would say!

Today we will be hitting the Home Outfitters and Home Senses.  Reminds me of shopping for Monte.  One hundred bucks and his house was outfitted.  I haven't been shopping in a very long time and this is fun.

All for now.  TTYL

HOME AGAIN HOME AGAIN JIGGETY JIG

Soooooo good to be home.  The flight home was totally uneventful, one small delay, but that was it.  It seemed to go by quite fast.

April and Myles picked us up at the airport and brought us home.  Monte had come down with the dogs and they were at the house when we got here.  They were so happy to see us and I think Parker is totally relieved to be home.  I am not sure what we are going to do with them when we need to travel. He can't be left anywhere without going crazy.

Spod's bathroom was completely redone while we were away, by Myles.  And it is beautiful!  He does amazing, meticulous work.  The downstairs bathroom needs to be finished but he won't be able to do it.  He is moving back to Vancouver…he got in to be a longshoreman..something one can wait years and years for.  Once he gets settled in the job and knows the lay of the land April will probably move over there as well.  Until then she will stay here and paint paint paint.  She is churning out the paintings and selling them.

Next week we (hopefully) will be booting yet another nonpayer out of her house.  It is in Nanaimo and she hasn't paid for so long.  I cannot believe how long the process foreclosure is.  Now, the amount that she owes has grown to fifty thousand more than the property would get if sold.  We need a speedier foreclosure process, or speedier lawyers.  Anyway the house is now ours and that b..ch is out on her ass as of next week, if we can get a bailiff right away.  After talking to neighbours I gather she is NOT liked in the neighbourhood.  She spent a lot of time in California and has a very scary 'kill ya' kind of boyfriend, with Mexican connections apparently. 
And she has her mother living in the basement suite.  Way to be a caring daughter…cuz mom is out on her ass as well.  It makes me mad because she essentially "sold" the house (by walking away and not paying) for fifty thousand more than its worth.  And we are left holding the bag.  I am mad.

Well its pea soup day.  I roasted up a giant pork joint with the bone in.  So I shall be making a ton of pea soup and freezing it in small portions.  I love pea soup.

My father was the cook in our house.  Mom did lots of cooking, until my sister and I took over at the age of 10 and 12.  But it was my dad that made simple delicious food when he could.

One year, when we were really little, we all got the mumps.  And, as you know if you have ever had mumps, you cannot open your mouth or swallow very easily.  So dad decided to make us all pea soup, easy for sickies to eat.  Well, to Dad, pea soup was a two day process.  First day you cooked the meat and other solids, like onions and carrots etc.  The second day you added water, seasoning and a whole lotta split peas and cooked it all day long.  Which he did.

  Near dinner, my sister's dog Corky, seeing all of us sick people in bed and getting attention, started to limp around the house, whining and crying.  My dad picked him up and cuddled him and checked him out, to discover the dog was just joshing..to get attention.  And whilst all this checking and cuddling was happening, the peas soup burned…burned beyond saving and this whole story became a family joke.  In honour of Father's Day I repeat it here.  He could NOT believe it when he found the burning soup, after all those hours and hours of work.  We ended up with baloney sandwiches…which us kids preferred, even if we couldn't swallow it.

Now its time to get off my duff and go finish the unpacking and dusting and cleaning etc….TTYL

I AM SO STUPID

It is six in the morning and I thought we were going home today.  I just looked at the calendar.  Somehow I misread the date.  We don't go home until tomorrow.  I am sad, I just want to go home.  Stupid stupid stupid.  TTYL

LAST CHALLENGE IN MAUI

As much as I love Maui…I can't wait to get home. And today is our last full day here on the Isle of Holiday….endless holiday.  I love the pool and am going to miss it terribly, but I am sooooo ready to go home.

Aryn and Bradley left last night.  Since the last post they took themselves to the Marriott for the night, some golfing nearby the next day and we were off to Mamma's Fish House for dinner.  

The night at the Marriott they went to a restaurant there for dinner, a restaurant called Migrant.  It is owned by the same chef from Star Noodle, Sheldon, the runner up chef from Top Chef.  And…it being Aryn's birthday he came out and wished her a happy birthday and she got a picture of herself and him with his arm around her!!!  So cool.

The next night we duded up and headed off to Mamma's and it didn't disappoint.  The place is magical!!!  And thanks to a lovely gift card from my lovely sister…it didn't break the bank!  We had such a good time, its always special there.

We did finally make it out to the edge of the earth.  I had made egg salad and tuna salad and we made sandwiches and just sat and enjoyed the ocean and peacefulness.  Spod and I had a snooze and read our books.  So relaxing.

So between touring around, eating, golfing, drinking lovely wines, and watching crap tv, our time with the kids was wonderful.  We got to know Bradley a little more and we have decided that he is definitely a keeper.

Todays challenge:  crap!  I have already forgotten and I just read it…hold on, I shall go re read…………………………..oh yeah!  portion sizes.  She went into the history of how our portion sizes that we eat have become behemoth and out of control.  She then gave tips on how to be more careful…smaller plates, proper proportions.  Tips on how to measure the amounts and the foods that either need to be the size of a teaspoon or not on your plate at all.  Actually it was a kind of interesting chapter..not that it will actually make a difference to me.

I just can't wait to get home and spend the first week eating baloney sandwiches…or sammiches as Bradley says!  Plain white bread, two slices of balogna (sp?) and nothing else.  No butter.  No mustard.  No nothing.  Squash the sandwich flat and eat it.  It cleanses my system!!!

One last confession to make here:  we gave the bbq away to the guys here.  Spod and I are not really bbq people.  Although we have used it occasionally and really enjoyed it.  But we are not one of those grilling type folks.  But over the three years the bbq has seen a lot of action from the various people here.  And it makes us so happy that that thing gets used!!!  But, not being real savvy about bbq's, we simply do not know how to deep, and I mean really deep, clean it.  People have been great at keeping the grill  nice and clean but now when we turn it on it catches fire, it doesn't get hot enough (I am sure because it is clogged) and just doesn't work properly.  And being not grillers, we don't know if this is normal or just what.

So we gave it away.  The boys said they knew what to do and would love to have it etc…..They are Hawaiian…Hawaiians bbq….so I am sure one of them will have a use for it and know what to do.

And now we are going to buy a new one…exactly the same.  Its a darn good bbq…if you know what you are doing and it gets cleaned properly.  But we don't have time to do it before we come back so I am not sure what the peeps that will be staying here between now and then will do.  I hate to be part of the throw away society but we just don't know how to make that thing clean and working.  I feel guilty!

My next post, unless something amazing happens, will be from purple room!!!!!  Which, by the way, I am turning into a bedroom as soon as I get home.  There will be no more sleeping in the same room as Spod.  :(    I probably could if we had our own beds, but we don't.  We have a magnificent huge king bed…that bounces every time he moves…and that is ALL the time.  I need my sleep and he needs to not feel bad at waking me up fifty times a night.  So I shall be moving a twin bed into purple room and removing some stuff out of there to make room.  Maybe.  I hate the thought of losing my rocking chair in there.  Maybe I will just take over a room downstairs…April and Myles are moving…oh jeez, I don't know.  That house and all its renos and decisions are driving me a little nuts.  So I am just not going to think about it right now.  TTYL  (pics are out of order…using Spod's camera causes that..)

ARYN AND BRADLEY MADE US ANOTHER DINNER..AN AMAZING ONE.  POKE TO START WITH AND THEN THEIR AWESOME RIBS…FALL OFF THE BONE RIBS.  DELICIOUS!!!

THE VERY BEAUTIFUL, ISOLATED EDGE OF THE EARTH

AND NOW…BACK TO THE DINNER!

WE SPENT A LONG TIME RIGHT HERE…JUST RELAXING, READING AND SNOOZING

A RAINBOW CAME ALONG AND ADDED A TOUCH OF COLOUR TO OUR AFTERNOON

THEY SPENT AT LEAST AN HOUR SITTING RIGHT THERE…WITH BINOCULARS, WATCHING THE PROGRESS OF A SAILBOAT ALONG THE COAST

TURTLE BEACH (HO'OKIPA LOOKOUT) JUST BEFORE GOING TO MAMMA'S

MAMMA'S

WE ORDERED FISH (CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH ONE) CHEEKS….THIS IS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED BUT IT WAS SOOOO DELICIOUS

AND THIS WAS POLYNESIAN BEEF IN PAPAYA…UNBELIEVABLE!!

CROTCHES (SORRY TO THE DELICATE MINDED)

Before I get to the 'crotches' part of this post I must mention this week's challenge…a little late.  The whole chapter is about making healthy connections and developing awesome relationships and ending toxic ones.  Which, whilst being an amazing good idea, isn't so easy to do.  But at least one can think about your relationships and at least being aware of which ones are lacking and which ones are jolly good.  I guess.

I think I left off the day the kids went golfing, and when they came back they were so excited and on top of the world…they had golfed extraordinarily well.  And they came home carrying big brown grocery bags full of awesome things to make us dinner.

But….while they were gone I immediately headed over to the pool.  And an incident there reminded me of something that happened a couple of weeks ago.

There is a really large man, about fifty years old, that goes over to the pool and 'walks' the middle part and swims the longer section.  Ever since we moved here we see him over there.

He was there one day when I was over there.  It was a weekend and the pool was BUSY!!  Almost all the chairs had women of all sorts lying on them and there were a few of us in the pool.  All the chairs form a semi circle around one side of the pool…there are 18 of them.  The foot of the chairs face the pool in a neat and tidy semi circle.  

This fellow and I happened to stand up at the same time in the same spot, facing all those chairs.  We both kind of looked along that row of chairs, at a whole lot of crotches….staring us right in the face.  Obviously we both had the same thought run through our heads.  After a few seconds he kind of laconically commented, "Holy Hoo Haw Alley"  I almost choked then started to laugh.  It was so funny!  And so many of those 'ladies' wear such inappropriate bathing suits…you know the thong type.  Honestly it was such a funny moment!  He then looked at me, kind of raised his eyebrow and went back to ploughing through the water.

Aryn and Bradley made us the most delicious dinner.  They make a paste of Dijon, garlic and brown sugar, coat the steak, then bbq it on a very hot barbie.  The rub caramelizes  kind of like a creme brule.  They also made twice baked potatoes,  tomato and buffalo salad with a balsamic reduction.  And a caesar salad.  Delicious.

Yesterday we were heading out to the edge of the earth for a bbq.  We hauled out all the stuff and whilst we were on a run to safeway to get the food, I got sick.  I actually had to have them stop at McD's on the way home.  Holy Hannah!  I don't know what hit me.  But they very very kindly offered to forgo the bbq trip and went golfing instead.  I lay down and went sound asleep and felt a whole lot better when I woke up.  I don't know what the heck that was.

Last night we bbq'ed the stuff we bought and had a nice little dinner on the  lanai and last night we watched some darn good favourite tv!!  I love these two…they watch all the same shows I do with no apologies…reality shows, cooking shows, pawning shows etc…..Then Bradley did a stand up job of giving me ideas for redoing my kitchen at home!

Now its morning and the kids are going to go and spend the day and night at the Marriott in Wailea.  Its Aryn's birthday tomorrow…and its a doozy, her 40th!!!.  So they are going to beach it today at that magnificent place, have a lovely dinner and tomorrow they are golfing the blue course (whatever that means)  We will be picking them up later and we go to Mamma's fish House for dinner!  So on that note I shall report back here after!  With pics.

THE AWESOME SALAD

MY NEW AMAZING APRON/SWIMSUIT COVER (AS WAS SUGGESTED BY THE LOVELY FIRST NATIONS LADY THAT MADE IT0….THANKS OLLIE!!!!!

BEST STEAK I EVER ATE

SPOT THAT GEKKO ?

IT WAS TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT…THOSE DAMN THINGS CAN JUMP

FUN FUN FUN!!!

First, let me thank the people that have shown concern for my aches and pains.  So many good people out there.  And the supplement I am taking is boswilla, not wasilla like I had said.  Sorry about that.  My back is much better today and I am thinking it was because of all the bending down and vacuuming etc when I cleaned the condo.  Anyway enough of that but thanks to those that showed interest!

The last couple days have been so much fun!  The first morning we had a quick swim over at the pool then headed into costco.  Its always fun to see the shock on newbies faces when they see the unbelievably cheap prices on the booze!  Crap, you can buy a bottle of tequila as tall as me for ten bucks!  After purchasing all the booze we could want we then headed into Lahaina.  What a hoot.  They bought matching outfits to reluctantly wear to the luau, I finally got my sugar free snow cone (or shave ice as they call it here) and we found a great place (thanks April and Myles!) for drinks whilst we watched the hockey game.

We then headed up the hill to that magic dinner place…Star Noodle.  The food is so good there, I was really hoping the kids would love it as much as we did.  And…they did!  We ate and ate until we could hardly move!

Yesterday we headed up to the Lavender Farm, always spectacular, especially when there is no fog!  We then headed out to the winery, stopping at Gramma's Cafe for a take out sandwich to picnic with later.  The winery wasn't very busy so they had a good wine tasting.  We then headed further out a ways and found a spot to eat our sandwich.  We got home around 2, lots of time to get our selves duded up for the luau.

We had so much fun at that luau!  It was very very hot…so different than the night April and Myles were with us.  But the drinks were strong and plentiful, the food delicious and the entertainment was stellar.  Aryn actually went up on stage with a group and did the hula!!!  So brave of her!

Today they are off golfing.  We have been making an attempt to catch a mouse the last day or two..to no avail.  But we did discover a dead one and two toy ones (go figure) and a stinky awful mess under the stove.  This morning Spod and I yanked out the stove and cleaned it all up.  I spent the last couple of hours swimming….have I said I LOVE that pool?  And now I am blogging and the kids are golfing and Spod is reading on the lanai, and the kids are making us dinner tonight!!!  Yay!!!  I will post some pics..sorry to fb friends for the repeats!   And they are totally out of order.  TTYL

MIMOSAS

BEAUTIFUL DAY AT THE LAVENDER FARM

MY SPODDY HAVING A GOOD TIME

THIS IS THE COLOURS I AM GOING TO PAINT OUR HOUSE!!!