james live.

Seeing him "live" was incredible. His musical talent is amazing. Vocals, guitar and piano. He writes all his own stuff. The concert was not sold out, but the crowd was alive. I cannot wait until his next CD is released. He played some new material along with the "Back to Bedlam" songs. We all had such a blast!!!

The Most Adored Food Holiday in all the land.....

is fast approaching. (That's Christmas in our family.) Homemade eggnog. English Trifle. Cherry Balls. Fruitcake. Gumdrop Cake. Nanaimo Bars. I am so excited that my parental units will be arrving just in time for my mother's magic touches to grace a few of these family treats. I don't why, but although I have watched her make these things a million times and I have HER actual recipes, my versions just don't look or taste the same. My mother's christmas baking could put Martha Stewart's to shame. In fact, there are many great bakers in my family. My Aunt Janet's nanaimo bars were second to none. My Uncle Derrick makes incredible carrot cake, pies and pastry wrapped apples. I found this great quote on one of my favorite food blogs-

We preserve people by making the dishes they taught us. Dishes they loved, were proud of, and gave us permission to start making when their hands stopped working. Sharing food with others is about tradition. About a desire to reach in and pull close. About re-remembering. Closing our eyes and taking us there.

Let the food holiday begin!

Trick or Treat.

The kids were so exicted that they were invited to go trick or treating with Nicholas and Alexandra.
I was so excited because Nicholas' & Alexandra's daddy was taking them out treating. (Ron is on the road). Nicole and I stayed at her house to give out treats. But we didn't eat anything. No we didn't!
It was a very cold, windy and snowy Halloween. The kids came back with an impressive bundle of candy. I think people were giving out "more" candy than usual because the weather was so cold that the numbers of trick or treaters were down.
The kids are downstairs right now. I told them they could eat as much candy as they wanted for half an hour. And we will have supper an hour after that. (and if anybody throws up, that will be the end of that little experiment for future reference.)
I can hear them downstairs sorting, organizing, trading and bargaining. Serious stuff happening.

to awaken each morning.....

...with a smile brightening my face;
to greet the day with reverence for the opportunities it contains;
to approach my work with a clean mind; to hold ever before me, even in the doing of little things, the ultimate purpose toward which I am working;
to meet men and women with laughter on my lips and love in my heart;
to be gentle, kind, and courteous through all the hours;
to approach the night with weariness that ever woos sleep and the joy that comes from work well done - this is how I desire to waste wisely my days.

~Thomas Dekker

play.

We have accumulated quite alot of snow over the last 24 hours. The roads are quite messy with ice and snow. The fun in the yard this morning was great!

sing.

So, our main mission on Friday was to get down to city hall to hear cousin Stephenie sing with her girls chorale choir. She has been singing for a number of years, but since we lived on the other side of the country, this is the first real opportunity we have had to hear her sing. A beautiful choir. I felt like crawling under my seat because, still feeling tender about Brandy, I had tears streaming down my cheeks thru most of it. It was wonderful to see her in her element.

bye brandy.

I am not even sure why I took this picture right before Ron took Brandy to the vet. Maybe just to reassure myself that we were doing the right thing for this dog who was obviously struggling.
We will miss him.
Lots of howling happened here on Thursday night. A family cry you might say.
Tyler was sobbing that he didn't want Brandy to die and that Brandy wouldn't know anyone in doggy heaven. He demanded that we say a prayer for Brandy.
Hunter was sobbing that she didn't get to say goodbye.
Ron and I were sobbing for 12 years of furry fun.
He had a great 12 years.
I never had a dog that lasted 12 years.
Then when the tears subsided, we remembered.
Sofa cushions with big bites out of them. Torn wallpaper. Lots of socks and shoes eaten away.
So sad to look out in the yard and see the empty kennel with the door open and the dog dishes.
Ron will clean them up when he's ready. Maybe not til spring.
No dog looking in the window with his nose pressed up against the glass while we are eating supper.
What a dog.
Love you Brandy.