Happy New Year

Vancouver skyline in Coal Harbor

Flags on Granville

South Granville has been decked out with all the flags of countries participating in the Olympics.

They are painted on the sidewalks from the Granville Bridge to 16th and several east on Broadway.
I could not identify many of them so had to refer to a page in the Sun newspaper. The ones posted here are Great Britain, Israel and Venezuela. There are 80 flags in all and I challenge you to take the walk and identify 20 of them. I failed the test.

Every day

Gene Autry was my childhood hero

Click here for song


Composed by Benjamin Hanby

Up On The Housetop 1952

Ho, Ho, Ho! Ho, Ho, Ho!
Up on the housetop, Ho, Ho, Ho!

Up on the housetop, reindeer pause
Out jumps good ol' Santa Claus
Down through the chimney with lots of toys
All for the little ones, Christmas joys
Ho, Ho, Ho! Oh Who wouldn't go?
Ho, Ho, Ho! Who wouldn't go?
Up on the housetop, click, click, click
Down through the chimney with good Saint Nick

First comes the stocking of little Nell
Oh, dear Santa, fill it well
Give her a dolly that laughs and cries
One that will open and shut her eyes
Ho, Ho, Ho! Who wouldn't go?
Ho, Ho, Ho! Who wouldn't go?
Up on the housetop, click, click, click
Down through the chimney with good Saint Nick

Look in the stocking of little Will
Oh, just see what a glorious fill
His is a hammer and lots of tacks
Also a ball and a whip that cracks
Ho, Ho, Ho! Who wouldn't go?
Ho, Ho, Ho! Who wouldn't go?
Up on the housetop, click, click, click
Down through the chimney with good Saint Nick

Ho, Ho, Ho! Who wouldn't go?
Ho, Ho, Ho! Who wouldn't go?
Up on the housetop, click, click, click
Down through the chimney with good Saint Nick
Down through the chimney with good Saint Nick

Some things I notice while in my wheel chair

I notice cross walk buttons--are they low enough for me to reach? Is the curb too close to safely get into

position?

I find free samples in low places--the upright shoppers don't notice them--more for me.

I always stop at every flower display I can find. I'm sitting in a comfy chair so can take time to marvel at their beauty.

Roots--I now notice them for 2 reasons. One, I have to be careful not to drive over them and second, they are closer to me. I often stop alongside these twisting, gnarly sidewalk creatures to let people pass by. The bark, moss, formation, color--it's all about survival, which I understand well.

Ahh, the magic button. It still amazes me how few there are.

Pretty things on the lowest tier. How much we miss scurrying by in an upright position.

Parking metres are at eye level. Perhaps I will become the street "Good Samaritan" by popping a quarter into all those expired metres.

The street flags are wonderful--a little perk from our tax accounts. In a sitting position I look skyward while waiting for the walk signal.

And so you see--there are benefits from being chair bound.

Josh the Christmas Cat

Josh, along with his buddies Dougal and Hamish live in British Properties.

They want to wish everyone from near and far a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Click on this link to listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAFBbT_XhjE&feature=related

Watch me. It's a miracle!

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/ApV83UlXqtJDIkVR

Click on link above. Please be patient and let it load.

Christmas 1947

Some children don't like Santa--I was one of them. The photo was taken in the old Woodward's department store on Hastings.
The store has been torn down and new condos, a downtown university, and Nester's groceries are in its' place.
I always remember my childhood visits to Woodward's. The windows were filled with animated reindeer, elves and Santa. Children pressed their noses against the glass to get a closer look. It was magic.

Click on picture for a close-up view of my angry face.

Yummy!

OATMEAL CRANBERRY WHITE
CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 6-ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Carol Ships in Vancouver

So true

Mississippi Squirrel Revival

Click here for great song

Through the eye of my camera

I love to photograph wildlife, people, places and things. Soon I will go on a wheel chair excursion and photograph details I was never aware of before losing the ability to walk. Stay tuned.

Burl Ives Click here

Great brunch yesterday

Good food, good champagne, great friends!

I'll Be Home For Christmas

Listen here.

A little chilly

It's cold outside but the sunshine is beautiful. I've been going out when I feel the cold won't bother my muscles. Unfortunately, my weakened muscles cramp in the cold or they start to spasm. As many of you know, I love snow, so I hope we get a little this winter.

I have my Charlie Brown tree up and a few decorations out. My T.V. is on "Traditional Christmas Music" and I have my finger nails painted green and red with white Christmas trees on them. I'm in the spirit.

I bought "UGG" boots(lined with lamb's wool) to keep my ALS cold feet warm. My toes are curling due to muscle atrophy and they look like paws!

My speech is slow-- I sound like I've been drinking. Some people probably think I sleep on a bench in the park. Ha!

Setbacks are just that--with new devices I manage well. My iPhone has arrived and I will download a speech program. Also my new power chair was delivered. They set it up today so I can use the driving joystick as a mouse for my computer. They will change the foot plate and make a few other adjustments before it's ready to roll. The elevation feature is great. I can reach cupboards and raise my chair to talk with people at eye level. I'm very fortunate to live in such a high tech time. I can imagine the frustration, living with ALS 50 years ago.

Great Grandparents

This is my Great Grandmother Ethel Newport and my Great Grandfather Robert Newport(my Mother's Grandparents). The picture was taken in England in 1934. Robert died in 1939 and Ethel in 1945--just one year before I was born. I don't know a lot about them but I do know they lost their 19 yr. old twin sons in World War 1.

A trip to Bloedel Conservatory in the rain

My brother and I dined at The Seasons in the Park for lunch. It was a great day!

A sad day in Berlin

Lori Mai died from ALS. She was only 32. A beautiful, talented singer/person lost to this horrid disease. Will the toll ever stop?

"It Feels Like Home"

It has been awhile since I sat down at the computer and written anything of substance. I suspect my busy schedule(LOL) and my deteriorating body have been in the way. Since I started taking hydromorphone last week, for my painful leg, I've been sleepy and non-talkative. However, I stopped the drug yesterday and my chatty, but slower self has re-emerged. Your peace and quiet no longer exists!

As many of you know, I love the rain, so when you feel down because of the weather, just visualize how happy and snug I am. It probably won't cheer you up but at least you can feel these days are joyful for one of your weirdo friends.

I ventured out today to the bank and to Chapters. I stopped with Tess(my carer) to sip a warm drink at Starbucks coffee shop. Something about the Christmas decorations, the brisk wind and new snow on the mountains made me think of the song from "My Sister's Keeper," "It Feels Like Home." The book/movie is a sad story, but when I snuggle down in my Easy Chair with my comforter wrapped around me and the fireplace on, I'm in touch with the love I feel from both good and not so good life experiences.

My time with a terminal illness hasn't changed the old me, but my appreciation for the basic needs in life has magnified. On this cold, rainy, windy night I give thanks for shelter, heat, and food--and you.

ER visit

I twisted my leg with the hip replacement and since I couldn't bear weight on it I went by ambulance to ER.

I'm healing slowly--on drugs--but hope to be back in action soon.

We shall remember