Nice spell of good weather

This is a 3 day weekend for me because next week I work Tuesday to Saturday so I still have one more day to go...I would really like to try and tidy up my living room but it is the week for the Wings Year end and I have so many little items to take care of. At the moment things are chaotic on the dining room table and we have not quite got a handle on Chrissy's school stuff and its simply everywhere!This weekend...On Saturday, Darcy and I attended Heather's Dad's Celebration of Life at Burquitlam...it seems that I have attended so many services there over the years. We met up with Helga and Roy, Jeannie and Nancy...Rita and Gerry were two members who attended. It was a beautiful commemoration of his life with a powerpoint slide show, music from several grandchildren, and wonderful spoken words of his life. We really wanted to be there for Heather as it has been such a long haul for her - caring for him, fulfilling his wish to die in his own home...every sister pitched in to give him love and care to the end. The saddest and yet most wonderful was he lived until the day of his 53rd wedding anniversary to his greatest love and then he said goodbye...so many times people say how loved ones hang on until a special time they wish to stay for and then after they feel they can leave. We did not stay for the reception as that means more to the immediate family and the older people who appreciate the refreshments.
We went home and had a quiet evening just the two of us as Chrissy went after her first day at Salon Gloss to see some friends downtown. For now she will work at the salon on Saturdays as reception, floor sweeper and slowly as her skills grow she may move on to working on actual clients.
Today, we headed out to the Burnaby Barracudas swim meet...it was so unreal small...as it was all wrapped up and packed away by 1:00 p.m which was usually the end of heats in the old days.

Since we were out that way, we stopped at Hop On Farm then we decided to try the Singaporean/Malaysian restaurant out in Surrey that my seniors from home have been bringing me the flyer for and asking every week if I have gone there to "makan" yet. So today, we went.

It is all the way in Surrey on 120 Street. Darcy and I shared:

Mee goreng with shrimp, nasi lemak and an order of roti prata with chicken curry. It was pretty good...sambal not spicy enough but the flavours were authentic and it was all home cooked as we met the lady cooking. The price was $8 for each item. The thing is I think that I can pretty much cook as well as any restaurant because now all the ingredients are so readily available almost everywhere in any asian grocery store. But it is always a treat to go for a drive and a bite to eat since we are hardly doing anything like that anymore. Chrissy would probably not enjoy as much since they have no laksa or char koay teow on the menu.
Tonight, we had roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy for Chrissy after her full day at Bosleys - she did request that as she hauled herself to job #3 amidst going to school fulltime. She is a little stressed but we hope it all works for her.

I have to show off my first glamorous hair do...a head of curls. Darcy has also allowed her to do a trim as well. She moves onto colouring in week 3 coming up so I am waiting to have my roots touched up soon!
Anyway...I wish that I had more profound thoughts but I don't. I have been recording all the books I have been reading on Visual Bookshelf on Facebook...love doing that...but I have been reading such trash lately because all I can handle is the mindless fluff...but today Iread book #50 this year. It is so nice having access to lots and lots of books at Glen Pine - and yes, I will soon try to get some more high brow, more intelligent books into the list. For now...let me read Nora Roberts and Debbie Macomber....

Sunday evening wrap

The weekend comes to a close...Chrissy starts week 2!
On Friday after being picked up at work we ran out to the PoCo Costco. Darcy had done some testing for the City of Burnaby and while Kin's we got a call that he has an interview on Thursday so we will keep our fingers crossed.
On Saturday, we were up bright and early to visit at the Coquitlam Sharks meet -it is the first meet in the region to go cardless and albeit a few kinks it got off and running. Chrissy had a interview of sorts at Salon Gloss and she starts there next Saturday as gopher - good for her as she wants to be in that environment for experience purposes. She met us at Spani Pool so that we could head out to Metrotown for some shopping - she needed some new items to wear to school.
The weather was much cooler this weekend. Today, Darcy made some chili and his mango-avocado salad and we headed out to Maple Ridge for dinner and a visit with Rene and Terry. We had not seen each other for ages. Terry like Darcy on an enforced break from the work world due to circumstances of the recession so they had lots of talking to do. Ally and Brad were over for dinner as well. Chrissy came from work with Benny in tow who tried so hard to play with Daniel. We waited until Nicki got home from work for dessert. She was then off to meet with Nick to see a movie. It was nice to visit with old friends and to catch up on things. Passing the message along as well for the PMA 40th Anniversary party on August 15.
So...home now and with a little bit of a sore back...another week ahead in the ratrace!

Chrissy's First Day of School

What a beautiful day to embark on a new adventure! Today was Chrissy's first day of school. On the weekend, her co-workers at Bosleys presented her with a bouquet of flowers to wish her luck on her path. She will work a casual shift on the weekends and more once she settles into her schedule.

So, due to the fact that I worked on Saturday as a sous chef/Lemon Tree Kitchen caterer I was able to accompany Chrissy to her first day.
On Saturday, Glen Pine catered the Firefighters Long Service Medal presentations at City Hall. I actually enjoy very much working in the kitchen, just like being on the Food Network. Darcy also volunteered to assist as we had to transport all the dishes and everything over to City Hall. Luckily we were prepared because out of the blue the firefighters came and told us that they were early and could they have the food an hour in advance...arrggh...we had to scramble to get the hot food. So we had Thai garlic prawns, teriyaki meatballs, mini-bagel cream cheeses and smoked salmon with lemon, dill and capers. We did prosciuotto wrapped boccacini cheese with basil and grape tomatoes, olives in genoese salami, pita chips and spinach dip,fruit platters and amazing baked goodies dessrt trays. After the event we were exhausted so it was very nice to be able to sit on Shannon and Cal's deck for margaritas in the evening - the first summer-like social activity that we have done!
So that was Saturday...on Sunday it was a home day for laundry and tasks around the house though at the state of the dining room table - well, I did read an entire Debbie Macomber book on the couch!
So this brings us to Chrissy's first day at school. We started out with Dim Sum at the Floata in Chinatown not too far away from her school. Here I am having my fave fave chicken feet! It was actually very yummy dim sum and not expensive at all. Apparently the restaurant opens at 7:30 a.m. for this delightful Chinese breakfast!

After this, we proceede to her school right in the heart of Gastown. John Casablancas is right across from the Gastown Steam clock on the corner of Water and Cambie street.

We went to check in and to make sure that all the paperwork was fine for her student loans etc. She was all good to go. Because we were early we had some time to wander around and to see the station where she can either take the skytrain on the Westcoast Express home each day.So, we wish her all the best and trust that she will enjoy the next 6 months of extensive hands-on experience in this area. Tomorrow she brings home her suitcase full of her tools.
Darcy is making his own slurpees in the blender with Dr. Pepper pop and ice cubes. It is such a warm day out there. I have two intertwined clematis vines and the early one has many blossoms.