Baby Girl!

Welcome to our world, Everly Arabella Marie!!!

As you can imagine it was an exciting time at our home last evening when the phone rang at around 10 p.m.

"We think she's in labour.  Will call back when we know for sure."

Then at 10:30, "We are on the way to the hospital!"

Then at 12:45, "It was intense! She arrived at 12:12 a.m. Everyone is fine!"

Beautiful baby and Mother!

Needless say, WE ARE THRILLED and will be making a trip very soon to meet the new little one in person. In the meantime, CONGRATULATIONS  to our son, his lovely wife and their two year old son!

Until next time,


Bee Rich

Count down to school!

Oh Canada- it is good to be home!

It is already the 26 of August. We have been at home since the 29 of June, which means we have had almost two months to re-adapt to life in Canada. Usually this final week of August disturbs my peace of mind because the end of the summer holidays is coming very quickly.

It has been a most wonderful summer!  I have spent time visiting with friends and family, swimming in the lake, hiking along the roads, reading novels by my favourite authors and assisting with the day-to-day responsibilities of living.

Breakfast before the scramble- they just landed like this- oh happy omen!

It has also been a time to search for work.  Although I will be working as a substitute teacher beginning next week (or whenever I am needed) I have also applied for several longer term jobs and have an interview this week! More details to follow.

At the same time, we have been watching the growth and development of our grandson and his soon to be born little sister.  We are hoping that she arrives this week, before her daddy has to return to his teaching job.

Grandson and expectant daughter-in-law-any day now!

Today is a rainy day.  We have several projects on the go, including a massive clean-up of our office space, the building of a new compost container and the moving of our raft, which has transported itself down the lake on windy days. However, it is a better day to sit and blog, chat with a wonderful friend on Facebook and then maybe take a nap with a good book.

Did I tell you that I LOVE summer???

Until next time,


Bee Rich

Summer lilies and butterfly!

"Sandwiched"

Quiznos toasty delicious!

Mr. Sub

Subway!

Fancy sandwiches abound in today's society, on television and on the Internet!

Today I am wondering, Whatever happened to plain old peanut butter and jam? Where have all the grilled cheese sandwiches gone? What about the plain egg, tuna or salmon sandwich? 

Just as the world we live in has gotten more complicated, so have our sandwiches. Maybe it all started with Dagwood! Remember the comic strip where the regular guy gets up in the middle of the night and prepares himself a sandwich?  Everything except the kitchen sink went into his his snack!

Oh yum!

Years ago one principal I worked with introduced me to the concept of the "sandwich generation". During our early middle age we were sandwiched between our ageing parents and our growing children. Our parents age, we age, our children grow we have many more responsibilities- just like the many generations before us. That's how life is- one generation begets the next generation and throughout our lives we are in relationships with young and old.

It sounds so simple and yet it can become complicated when you consider second marriages, premature deaths, boyfriends, girlfriends, step children and even some pets! We all need relationships and need to feel that we are part of the lives of others. We want to make a difference. We want to matter to someone. 

My mother's death just over a year ago had a profound effect on the way I view the world. Today is a gift. I recently found a book my mother had given me called Forever My Daughter. From it I cherish these lines and want to pass them on to my daughter, son, daughter-in-law, grandchildren and friends:

I wish you the beauty of silence, the glory of sunlight, the mystery of darkness, the force of flame, the power of water, the sweetness of air, the quiet strength of earth, the love that lies at the root of things; I wish you the wonder of living. 

Our two year old grandson has been a joy and a delight, reminding me of our son when he was a toddler. And now, as we await the birth of our second grandchild (a girl), I can only imagine the emotions- the joy, love and and hope when I hold another miracle in my arms. 

I am ready, little one! You can make your debut anytime. I am honoured to be on the other end of the sandwich from you and your big brother!

Until next time, 

Bee Rich

Waiting- a pause, interval, or delay

Note to self!

It is an August afternoon.  I am waiting...

For what am I waiting?

A new baby is due on August 25 and we are counting the days. The mother (our daughter-in-law) is anxious for the arrival, as the summer is hot and soon coming to an end and her husband (our son) will be heading back to school 's on the 3 of September.

When will the baby arrive?  Hopefully any day between now and the beginning of school.

In the meantime, I am thinking about the miracle of life. Rewind to just over 31 years ago when we were expecting our second child. We had a little boy who was a mere 18 months old.  We had no idea (nor had the opportunity to know) what the gender of the baby would be. How I longed for a little girl! In fact we were only planning to have two children and the chances were fifty-fifty!

Happily our little one arrived on her due date (after a little inducement from our kind doctor) and she was a she!  We had what people called a million dollar family.

wiki.answers.com has an interesting explanation of a "million dollar family":

We think it derives from the similar terms, "rich man's family" or "choix du roi".
One son--to inherit and rule the estate...no brothers are needed to work the fields or run the business (because you are rich) so best deal is not to have second and third sons who will not receive a birthright and will skulk around, envious, making trouble.
One daughter--to marry a powerful ally's son and spread your power and influence.

According to theurbandictionary.com  a "million dollar family" means when a married couple have one boy and one girl; the supposedly happy perfect family.

I am thinking that the expression is an old fashioned one, not suited to our society as it exists today. However, deep down in my heart I do wish my son and his wife and their son and soon-to-arrive daughter the happiest and most perfect family possible!

Until next time,


Bee Rich

Make New Friends and Keep the Old...

One is silver and the other is gold!

Today is our daughter's last day of her Canadian holiday and I must say that it has been a wonderful treat having her here. 

Our neighbour suggested that we have a "going away" party for her so that was yesterday's event. It was a wonderful day of cooking, baking, socializing and catching up with some friends and family members. 

My brother from Ottawa arrived with organic eggs, fresh corn, and a bottle of port. The eggs and corn were a last minute text request, even though he had asked me earlier, "What can I bring?" and my reply was "Just yourself." My apology was accepted!

The eggs enabled me to finish the coconut macaroons that I had started earlier in the morning. 

An hour later a young lady from our Collingwood days arrived.  She was married on the weekend of our family reunion and now lives just to the south of us.  It had been years since a face-to-face visit and needless to say, it was amazing to see her and catch up. She and our daughter were born just two days apart and have often been mistaken for sisters. 

Reunion of  two beautiful friends!

The next guest to arrive were our next door neighbours, who always add a bit of excitement by bringing their effervescent selves to events.  After hugs all around, we settled down to a lovely meal of Gigantico burgers, fresh lake bass, corn on the cob, scalloped potatoes, barbecued vegetables and coconut cookies for dessert. As I write, I realize that the salad I had prepared earlier in the day was never brought out of the refrigerator. 

And the bottle of port sits on the kitchen counter awaiting our next guests...

I am reminded of the kindness of others, the joy of reuniting with friends of old, the fellowship of sharing a meal together and just how fortunate we are to live in this beautiful country. 

Safe travels, wherever you are going in life!

Until next time, 

Bee Rich

Saturday!

Life at he lake includes neighbours and dogs...

Summer holidays brings a string of "Saturdays." Rain or shine, each day feels like a Saturday, traditionally the last day of the week, preceding the Sabbath. For me and my husband, every day is a new day during the holidays, ripe and ready to be enjoyed.
So, when a real Saturday rolls around it's interesting to take account of the others days of the week that have quickly passed by.

• Sunday- was time to say b-bye to our weekend company- family and friends from the family reunion. 
• Monday- dump day- we gathered up the recycling and other items, loaded up the truck and delivered the waste to our nearest recycling centre. 
• Tuesday-walking day- I took my first big hike (3 or so km) to Hanna Road and back. 
• Wednesday-doctor day- we had our first visit to our new doctor's office
• Thursday-rainy day- we burned brush at the "cottage" (our daughter's new place)
• Friday- I had a good long swim
• Saturday-cleaned up the brush around a parking area and enjoyed a neighbourhood dinner party.

The days fly by and so do the weeks. However, the routines of lake life are never boring:

• I swim, hike, clean and read and my husband goes fishing.
• This morning I witnessed two hummingbirds feeding at our flowers. 
• We have coffee in the morning and happy hour in the afternoon with neighbours who are also our friends. 
• Tomorrow my brother will visit and another week of Saturdays will begin again! 

This has proven to be a summer of contentment.  I am learning to enjoy each moment. I hope you are too!

Until next time,

Bee Rich

Gardens attract the birds and the bees just outside the kitchen windows. 

Lilies in the lake

All goes back to the earth,

and so I do not desire

pride of excess or power,

but the contentments made

by men who have had little:

the fisherman's silence

receiving the river's grace,

the gardener's musing on rows....

~Wendell Berry, "The Want of Peace"