Showing posts with label Dad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dad. Show all posts

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Happy Birthday!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD & GRANDPA!!!

Today is Dad's birthday, and the fates must be working for him as Google Blogger isn't allowing pictures to be uploaded right now. Since he hates having his picture taken, that works out well for him!

I won't say how old he is, but let's say WWII was still going on when he was born.

We all hope he has a great day and an even better year! I think he should come to Singapore (with Mom) to celebrate and we'll do a late birthday cake.

Thursday, August 2, 2007

All about August 2, 1969

On August 2, 1969:
  • President Nixon visited Romania
  • Bob Dylan makes surprise appearance at Hibbing HS Minnesota 10th reunion
  • The Grateful Dead play live at Family Dog at the Great Highway (whatever that means)
but I know two people who weren't able to make it to the concerts, or to Romania with President Nixon.

Garry and Sandra were too busy tying the knot in Williamstown, Ontario.

Garry, a tall lanky fellow from Saskatchewan, with Buddy Holly glasses, but none of the coolness, met Sandra, a pretty nurse in training in Ontario, when he was in Ontario as part of belonging to the Armed Forces. I don't know much about their dating history, except their first double date wasn't with each other!


Both are from farming families. Garry's family were prairie farmers, and Sandra's family were more dairy farmers. Apparently when Garry's dad saw Sandra's family farm, he exclaimed "I couldn't even turn my tractor around on it!". Ahh, but Sandra's family farm had something that Garry's didn't. Maple sugar trees. Mmmm, maple syrup.

For their honeymoon, they took a cruise down the St. Lawrence. Ahh, young romance, what could be better. I know - staying married for (wait, I need the calculator) 38 years!!! That's almost as long as Paulina's been alive (tee hee!). And thanks to their positive role model of a marriage (as well as Joe's parents for being married over 40 years), the chance of me getting a divorce is statistically decreased. Thanks!!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!


Saturday, June 16, 2007

All about Fathers

Well, I've messed up Father's Day, I thought it was next week. Let's just say Mother's Day is advertised a LOT more here than Father's Day. And now it's raining, so I'm too lazy to go out and buy a card. Oh well.

At school, Oliver made a Father's day gift for Daddy, but I'll let Joe post about it.

They are standing beside a stuffed bufallo, for those wondering. Joe is an excellent father (despite all his complaining). He always makes sure that Oliver eats nutritious meals, gets him ready for school on time, and always does more than his fair share. If Oliver wakes in the middle of the night, Joe will often get up with me, to see if there is anything he can do. Oliver really loves his Daddy.
Here is the best picture of Grandpa and Oliver that I have right now. Grandpa is a bit camera shy. Oliver loves hanging out with Grandpa though. He gets down on the floor and they play together. Plus they have a lot in common - their love of trains! Grandpa also has been kind enough to record a bunch of Mighty Machine episodes for Oliver, which he loves.

One of my favorite memories of Dad, is him reading Lana and I, "Anne of Green Gables" when we still lived in Calgary. We had gone to PEI for vacation, and didn't know who this "Anne with an e" was (this was before the immensely popular TV movie - yes, I'm that old), so we bought the book. Dad read it outloud to us at home. I still remember when Matthew dies (sorry for the spoiler), we were all so upset we had to get Mom to read that part for us (I think she thought we were a bunch of saps - and maybe we are).

And one of my favorite memories of Grandpa H. is him giving us rides in the wheelbarrow at his farm in Saskatchewan. He always called us (me, Lana, Shanna and Melanie) his "four horse team". I don't get to see him that often, as the trips back to Canada are always so rushed. Grandpa started cross-stitching when Grandma was ill. He has made the impressive Peacock by Teresa Wentzler. This is design he stitched, but it is not the one he made (those pictures are on the server - on the ship), but for those in the know, this is a very difficult project.



And for Grandpa G., I remember that he loved maple syrup and would sometimes just eat bread and syrup. He also would have a bowl of cereal before going to bed - not a bad idea, in my opinion. He was excellent at the crossword puzzles, which Mom is also. Me, not so much. Maybe it skips every second generation, and Oliver will be good at them. He already loves maple syrup, and of course, only the "real" kind, so there is a bit of Grandpa G. in him.

Happy Father's Day to all!!!