CHERYL IS GREAT!!!!!!

(Is that a better title to see for a while Cheryl???)

A gentle reminder today from my awesome daughter in law that something needed to change and happen on this blog!  So here is an update:

We got back from the trip on the 23rd of Feb. and promptly got sick and so tired.  I just don't come home easily from these long jaunts off somewhere around the world.  I literally stuck to my bed for a week!  Happily I might add.  It was so nice to just wallow and not have to go steaming out into the city and get it all in and see everything.  I was sick of weird food too.  I had Bill buy me a loaf of gushy white bread and a stack of Bologna!  So yummy and easy to digest.  I fit a couple of appointments in with the dentist and taxied kids around etc...  But...what I really needed, and probably so did he, was a break from Bill.

So, Monte and I jumped into the car and headed up to Courtenay.  We stayed at the Travelodge for a couple of nights and spent some time with Kevin and Tandy and the kids.  They went out one night, not something that happens very often for them.  I got to play with the kids, feed them dinner, bath them, read them stories and tuck them in.  A true treat when you haven't done it in forever.  The kids were amazingly good.  Honestly, they did all they were supposed to and then simply went to sleep.  I was truly impressed.

Monte and I left on Tuesday morning and came to Port Alberni.  We spent the few days since, cleaning and feng shuiying his house.  He really got the clean bug and just dug right in.  And now its all clean, organized and furniture in better placement.  He did an amazing job.  I couldn't do much but do some directing from a chair.  My back is out again, stupid thing, and sometimes I can hardly move.  It seems to be a lot better now, now that the work is mostly done!

Today we hopped into the car and went to Nanaimo.  We met a friend of his there and took her out to a lovely loooooong delicious lunch.  I LOVE those kinds of lunches.  And this girl is smart, political, philosophical,  and talkative.  Perfect!!!  We had very lively conversation and most enjoyable.  Then we hit every store in town looking for bookshelves.  Jeez!!!  Does no one need book shelves anymore?  We finally found two baker's racks at Home Sense and picked them up.  I shall post pics below.  It was kind of fun this week...reminded me of when I was young and would finally clean my house and I would swear I was going to keep it that way forever....yeah....like that happened.

HE HAD TO COUNT TO 88....WHEN HE REACHED 29 HE DIDN'T KNOW THE NEXT NUMBER.  SO HE WENT AND GOT HIS COUNTING BOOK AND LOOKED IT UP.  EVERY TIME HE HIT THE 29 OR 39 OR 49 HE WOULD LOOK UP THE NEXT NUMBER!

ELISE WAS POURING THE TWELVE CUPS OF RICE KRISPIES.  I FORGOT HOW LITTLE ONES POUR TOWARDS THEMSELVES...SO FUNNY

THE FAMILY BAND!

MAKING FILIPINO MEATBALLS

MONTE'S REALLY CLEAN KITCHEN

THE BAKER'S RACKS WE FOUND TODAY

THE MUSIC HALF OF HIS LIVING ROOM

Now its off to bed and home tomorrow.  We need to make a few stops on the way but should be home by five.  I promise Cheryl, I won't go more that two days without and entry now!!!  Thanks for the push...I needed it.  TTYL