The snow covers the peaks and the white swans are back in our neighbourhood. Let me go back and highlight a few of the happenings of the past months.
We enjoyed a few days of camping at Edgewater Campsite in Fort Langley. Friends joined us there...we rode bike ride, enjoyed some fantastic meals together and celebrated our 53rd wedding anniversary.
Our last stop was Shuswap Lake, where we have been many times in the past. It was sad to see the destruction caused by wild fires in the Scotch Creek area.
Our son-in-law Tim completed six months of chemotherapy in November and had his last radiation session just before Christmas. It was not what he had planned for 2024, but he handled it all so well, continuing to work throughout his treatments. We hope he is done dealing with 'the Big C'!
We enjoyed the delights of the Christmas season...the many concerts and get-togethers and the lights! Our downtown area is beautiful at Christmas!
know lies ahead but we know we can count on God, come what may!
In July we took a day-trip to Cyprus Mountain...so close to home and yet it was our first time there.
The following week we rode B.C. Ferries to Mayne Island for the day. We explored the island on our bikes...visited the Japanese Gardens, had lunch overlooking Bennett Bay, read books in the park next to the lighthouse and were home by dark.
My Uncle Jake celebrated his 90th birthday in August. It was a good opportunity for a sister get-together.
We used to have a family party at the end of June to celebrate the completion of the school year for all the grands. As they get older it is more difficult to find a day that works for everyone. This year, our end of school get-together was on August 11th...a pool party at Kris and Lina's.
We celebrated Kris's birthday on our patio a few days later. Ranen serenaded him and he had birthday pie! It was also our farewell to Ranen since she was off to violin camp the next week before leaving for university in California.
And then we were off with the motorhome to visit a few of B.C.'s provincial parks. We spent a few days at Monck Park near Merritt and before moving to Bear Creek Park near Kelowna.
We visited Fintry Park nearby and also went for a long bike bike along Mission Creek in Kelowna.
The Botanica Sunflower Festival...a September treat.
September 11th ~ Elmer's 75th birthday. We celebrated the occasion at Rowena's in Harrison Mills, where we had dinner with the kids and spent the night in a lovely cabin on the water.
Also in September...Maggie turned sweet sixteen! She was quite thrilled to get her L and is apparently a very good driver these days.
Thanksgiving 2024. Not everyone was there in time for the family photo before dinner...
but here are those who were. On the left is Leo (from Mexico but lives and works on the farm)...
who got the evening off work to join us for turkey dinner. We were still all sitting at the table when Jeremy got an urgent phone call that the cows were out.
And so, we all went to help round up the cattle. It was a most memorable Thanksgiving get-together!
The following week we headed south with the motorhome. We stopped here and there and visited family along the way, before reaching the Palm Springs area.
We spent one week in Sky Valley and another week at Worldmark in Indio...where we had family join us.
Then we were in Mesa for several days...visiting with our friends and exploring the area.
On our way home, we stopped at Biola University in La Mirada to see Ranen. She is studying music and playing in their symphony orchestra. We were able to take in her first concert of the year.
It was time to head home. It seemed that we now had lake-front property since there had been record-breaking rains while we were away.
Our son-in-law Tim completed six months of chemotherapy in November and had his last radiation session just before Christmas. It was not what he had planned for 2024, but he handled it all so well, continuing to work throughout his treatments. We hope he is done dealing with 'the Big C'!
I'm a little late in wishing you all a wonderful Christmas (and no cards were sent out this year due to the Canadian postal strike)...
...but as the sun sets on 2024, let me wish you many blessings in the year that lies ahead. We don't
A great recap of a year filled with adventure and celebration, and some challenges. You'll remember "the Thanksgiving when we all chased cows!"
ReplyDeleteWishing you and Elmer a very Happy New Year, and God's blessings in 2025.
I love seeing your adventurous travels together. You have seen so much of the world and so much in your own backyard. How wonderful to make meeting up with people you know on many of your journeys. That cow chasing will be a good memory as you gather at Thanksgiving from year to year! Here we are stepping into 2025. It will be good to see what God has in store for all of us. Love and blessings to you and yours.
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