Welcome to my blog. I have had ALS for 10 years now.


Since I started this blog in June 2008 I've had amazing feedback. Family, friends, people from all over North America, Australia, Scotland, England, and places I can't recall, have commented, encouraged and corresponded. I had no idea when Cynthia taught me how to set this up, how much I would love posting and how many people would read it. I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who has helped propel this therapeutic exercise into a daily routine. All of you, both friends and visitors, are now part of my blog family. Welcome.

From Go Pro

From Go Pro
View from my living room

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Maxine

Monday, June 28, 2010

Karaoke

I had lunch and Karaoke to celebrate one year with my Care Aides.
I sang "You Needed Me" and it came out sounding like a drunk, tone deaf, John Wayne. Ann Murray watch out!
I'm ready for "Canadas Got Talent."
It was a fun day.

Friday, June 25, 2010

I finally did it! Helicopter Ride to Remember.


Thanks to my friend Carol, I got to ride on a helicopter for the first time in my life.
I went with Grace(my Care Worker), Carol, Bobbi and Barb.
Are you wondering how many strong young men it took to carry me into the helicopter? 5 to be exact!! One young man had his head pressed against my chest and as they were about to lift me he said,"By the way--my name is Kevin." Great bunch of guys.
Getting out was a bigger challenge, but we made it and the last picture of me was taken at the Flying Beaver Pub. Perfect way to end the day.
We took a hundred pictures, but I had pity on you all and narrowed the collection down to 17.









































Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Young Celine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECn5edxbIcA

Some children are born to sing. Thank You For The Music.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Friday, June 18, 2010

Tess is a Canadian Citizen!

I attended Tess's(on left) oath taking for Canadian citizenship. It was a very special day. Following the ceremony we celebrated at Joey's.
The Judge was kind and offered to stand for pictures.
90 people took their oath--from 6 to 80 yrs. Countries were many. If you've never been to a ceremony--let me tell you--it makes you proud to be Canadian. I raised my hand and took the oath along with all the excited new Canadians.

Monday, June 14, 2010

The West End--Vancouver


History

Like all of Vancouver, the West End was originally a forested wilderness. The area was purchased in 1862 by John Morton, Samuel Brighouse, and William Hailstone, three men known as the "Three Greenhorn Englishmen," or just the "Three Greenhorns," owing to the belief that the naive men paid too much for the remote land. The men had plans to establish a brickworks on the shore of Coal Harbour, and their land claim was originally staked with the hopeful intent of mining for porcelain clays, but the grade of clay was not fine enough for that use. When those plans failed (a lack of transportation being a key factor) they sold a good portion of the area, by then known as the Brickmaker's Claim, to Victoria investors who in turn tried to promote its development as New Liverpool. The only thing that happened with that scheme was a subdivision plan registered with the Land Titles office in New Westminster. Another name used for the property was the Brighouse Estate (Brighouse as a name came to refer to a particular part of Richmond, where "Greenhorn" J. Morton also owned property). One of the partners, observant that brick was a valuable building commodity despite the abundance of timber in the region, moved the brick-clay operations to Sumas Mountain, establishing the community of Clayburn, now a neighbourhood of Abbotsford.

A couple of typical older-era houses on Comox Street

Later, with the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway, with its terminus at nearby Coal Harbour, the West End became Vancouver's first upscale neighbourhood, home to the richest railroad families. Many of these families lived along Georgia Street, known at that time as "Blue Blood Alley" for all the posh mansions built there.[2] Later mansions (including the Davie mansion) were built in then remoter areas of the West End as the financial district's land values displaced the high-toned residences. This role was ultimately dropped with the increasing vogue for the upscale Shaughnessy neighbourhood, and as middle-class housing of various kinds began to fill out the West End. As the city grew, the West End became a transitory place for new arrivals from elsewhere in Canada, the United Kingdom, and later for immigrants from other countries, establishing a tradition of diversity. Following World War II, a significant German commercial community emerged along Robson Street, giving birth to the nickname Robsonstrasse, a name still occasionally used in marketing despite the loss of its original meaning.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Do you recognize me?

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Saturday, June 5, 2010

ALS Walk

We had a good turn out for ALS walk in Steveston today.
I raised about $2300 and thanks to all responsible.
It was a beautiful day.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Lasagna