What Does R Mean to You?

This week I'm going to play along with my friend Willow.
Willow is an expert at knitting plus has a variety of interests.
A few weeks back she challenged her blogging friends with a meme:
giving a letter of the alphabet,
plus adding photos and words that remind us of that letter.

So this week I will play along.
The letter that the Professor gave me is R.
This has been chosen randomly by his special formula.

I've been plagued with this word.
My first thoughts are RAIN

RAIN....

ROMANCE
Flowers for my birthday.

Picking RED RASPBERRIES!

ROTARY Cutter used to make a.....

RAG Quilt!
My First!

Playing ROOK!

RUNNING my sewing machine!

Accepting an invite via email to attend
a Phoenix NBA Game with Steve Nash!
All I had to do was RESPOND and REPLY!
What a wonderful RELAXING weekend ahead.
(It's a belated Birthday gift.)

Oh and don't forget where I will be this weekend.
REMEMBER?
At UBC watching the TWU Spartans
continuing their fight to the Nationals in March.

If you wish to play this Meme with me,
please let me know....
I'll let the Professor give you the next letter.
Why not join in the Fun????

Snow Day AGAIN!

Am I dreaming?
My Oak Tree has snow again.
I've been collecting a sequence of pictures on how this tree
looses it's leaves in the early spring and forms buds during the same time,
to be posted at a later date.
I find this process so unusual, unlike most deciduous trees,
but fascinating to watch the new growth.

I've been thinking about changing my winter template
to something more springy.
But now I know why.

After last weeks warm blast of air,
I thought winter was over.
I had spent the days outside,
cleaning the yard, pruning the shrubs,
dreaming of new plants and flowers,
planning for my vegetable garden,
having coffee breaks outside....
And here I am.
Another cold front has hit us, how long who knows.
The north east is blowing.

Maybe it's just a good day to make some home-made bread,
a bowl of soup and work on some scrap-booking.
I love snowy days...
But I think we're due for a change.

Maybe they will close down the schools and my
Teacher friends will stop by to play in the snow again.

She's Well Focused!

Focus and Click!!

Happy Birthday Lovella,

It was two years ago that someone told me to check out your blog.

I loved it!

I was inspired!

Motivated!

Encouraged!

A year later we had the opportunity to meet.

You, truly are a person who loves,

who cares,

who sees a person's needs and fills it,

who spends energy on others rather than herself.

The ripples of kindness flows outward

as each person you have touched,

touches others.

Your birthday deserves to be a National Holiday.

May the love you have shown to others,

return to you, multiplied.

May your life be filled with dazzling blessings,

just as I am blessed by being your friend.

Stay Focused My Friend, as we continue to Click.

I wish you the happiest of birthdays
and many many more.

Is this Your Daughter?

I walk into the game....

I'm looking....
Sports enthusiasts are lined up and down the sidelines.
I've never experienced this hype before.
As you all know I follow the TWU Spartans BB Team.
One bloggy friend and I have been emailing,
asking me to look out for her daughter,
who was scheduled to play Volleyball the same evening.
What better occasion than to meet one another.

I had brought a small gift along to send back with her....
I'm looking....and check the women's locker room....
No such person!
Only to learn I had looked at the wrong team!
I thought she was playing on the TWU Womens Volleyball team.

Second night...
I can't find Amy.
I continue my mission and go directly to the Women's locker room.
To all avail, the coach has rushed the girls through and they are off for supper.
Then while I'm sitting at the game I meet some more parents from the same region.
There son plays on the TWU Spartan team.
There son and Amy know each other....
I'm so close....
but I was told that Amy had just left.
Ah.....

Third night....
I'm back in the TWU Gym cheering on the Spartans to a final victory.
Ya Hoo!!!!
I left my package at home thinking that Amy was to return to her hometown.

All of a sudden a young beautiful athletic girl scrambles up the bleachers.
"Are you Mr. Bartel?"
He looks at me in a puzzled fac and I said,
"Are you Amy?"
At last we had met...
And my package was left at home.
I thought she had gone back and I missed her.
What a wonderful surprise!

Does anyone recognize her?
She plays for the Manitoba Bisons!!
That's a real give away.
I know her Mom will be so proud that we finally caught up.
"Mom, you've done a great job."
Amy, the package will catch up a bit later!!

The final score of the evening.....87-85!
Yes, the TWU Spartans won their first round against UVIC.
(it was actually an upset)




What a chaotic up roar from the TWU Spartans.
It was truly unbelievable!
Pandemonium reigned in the TWU Gym at the unbelievable win.

Now this weekend we're off to UBC to watch the
the two top teams battle for first place in the Pacific Division.
We still have a chance for the Nationals!!
Don't ever give up!!!

Who wants to come along???
Let's cheer with the TWU Spartans.

We Are Sisters!

Once again, a group of us celebrated together.
Most of us have known each other for 40 years.
That sounds so old and ancient...but we have grown together.
We have gone to school together, to church together,
raised our kids together, became emtpy-nesters together,
are grandparenting together, travelling together,
gaining weight together,
sweating together,
laughing together,
and crying together.
WE ARE SISTERS.

I also want to say a special thank-you to all of my Bloggy Sisters
Thank-you for sharing your comments and encouraging words.
Truly you have made a difference in my life.

I want to share a writing with you, that one of these gals passed along.
This reflects our friendships over the years.
I feel many of you will identify with this writing.

~~~~~~~~

A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother.
As they talked about life, about marriage, about the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter.

"Don't forget your Sisters," she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass.
They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may have, you are still going to need Sisters.
Remember to go places with them now and then; do thing with them.
Remember that Sisters means ALL the women...your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too.
You'll need other women. Women always do."

'What a funny piece of advice!' the young woman thought. 'Haven't I just gotten married?
Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married woman, for goodness sake!
A grown up!
Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!'

But she listened to her Mother. She kept contact with her Sisters and made more women friends each year.
As the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually came to understand that her Mom really knew what she was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman, SISTERS are the mainstays of life.

After years of living in this world, here is what I've learned:

Time Passes. Life Happens. Distance separates. Children grow up.

Jobs come and go. Love waxes and wanes.

Men don't always do what they're supposed to do.

Hearts Break. Parents Die.

Colleagues forget favors. Careers end.

BUT........

Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you.
A girl friend is never farther away than needing her can reach.
When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end.
Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you.
Or come in and carry you out.
Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughter-in-law, sisters, sister-in-law, Mothers, Mothers-in-law, Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family, all bless our life.
The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I.

When we began this adventure call womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrow that lay ahead.
Nor did we know how much we would need each other.
Every day, we need each other still.
Sisters make life meaningful. Please feel free to share this with your woman folk.

One thing I forgot....
Can anyone identify these Sisters?
Sister also have humor and know when it's pay back time!

We are all Sisters.
Oh, by the way, this afternoon I'm going to Costco with my SISTER!

Who Stole My Thunder?

Who's Birthday is it anyways?

Last year my DH either forgot or was confused?
So in order to remind him....
I made My blog his Home Page for today.

Who's who?

Do you see some similarities?

It doesn't take much to figure this one out.
Anyways we're both celebrating the same days.
She was born on my 30th birthday.
What a workout!!!

The only difference is age.....

What do we have in common?

Life!

Adventure!
Is that your surfboard tied to your bike?

Tropical Hawaiian Beaches

Take Chances!

Daring and risk-taking.

Looks like you are in a pickle again....

Go Where you've Never been before.
Look how high I can jump...

And let the sun shine on your back.
Happy Birthday Mikki!
It's been fun celebrating over the years together.
Many wonderful memories.
Don't forget,
"It's my birthday too."

"Twenty years from now you will be more disapponted by the things
you didn't do than by the ones you did do.
So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover."
Unknown

The Complete Champion Approach

TWU Spartans motto is:
The Complete Champion Approach.

I want to highlight three individuals who have applied this approach.
Jacob Doerksen has been recruited as one of the top players in Canada.
But Jacob does not only play the game.
He cares about people.

Take a look at this video clip.
CTV had an interview with Jacob.
This man has chosen friendship with Trevor Klassen over stardom.

I also want to honor another young man, Jon Schmidt.
Inspite of his challenges with knee injuries, he too,
stands out in his team, always analyzing,
strategizing, coaching, and encouraging the team.
Jon is an icon to many young athletes.
He cares deeply about his teammates.
He's the kind of guy who knows how to "give his mates a cup of water."

You can always catch Vic discussing with his son,
the strategies of each game, prior to the countdown.

A few months back, Vic was the highest bidder for a ticket
to join Coach Allen and the TWU Spartans, on the bench,
during their rival game against U of VIC.


As we drove to the game,
I noticed he was sporting a brand new TWU Spartan shirt,
that he proudly wore:
a gift from his family for his most recent milestone birthday.
One of his dreams was becoming a reality.

As Vic entered the gym, he proceeded to the teams locker room,
while we waited proudly, for him to step out, with the team.
And there he was.....
And we all applauded him!
I noticed how he walked alongside,
giving encouraging comments to the team players.
I saw Coach Allen (TWU Coach) walk up to Vic and exchange welcoming words.
Vic then proceeded to walk over the court to the opposing team,
and shake the hands of Coach BrianCheng. (Coach of Victoria Vikings)
He was smiling and grinning from ear to ear.
We all cheered along while TWU squeaked by with a winning score.
TWU Spartans 87-83.

Vic also takes pride in his farming.
You will find his advertisements in the Holstein Journals.
He does not just advertise his purebred genetics
but he promotes his love for his Family and the Game.

The background of his advertisement page is a basketball court,
with his son Jon shooting at the hoop.
His captions?
"Scoring beyond the Arc"
"Rookies in Red"
"Starters on our Genetic Team"

His wonderful wife and companion, Elsie would never miss a game.

Vic, you've always modeled the Complete Champion Approach.
You already have a winning Team.
(You'll notice Trevor sitting next to Vic)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So are we off to the Nationals?
Those decisions will be decided this weekend.
TWU is fighting again,
against the Victoria Vikings for a position in the Western finals.
Guess where I'll be....

Gone Forever!

I thought this was a weekend for memories.
Well just as most of you know,
it is so easy to delete all your photos from your SD Card.

Yup! I did it!
I thought that I had nicely downloaded all my pics,
in the right folders, with the correct topics and guess what?
I didn't grab all the photos and without knowing it,
I promptly deleted my SD Card.....
Gone Forever!!!

But I might as well share what there is left
It was 35 years ago that John took me up to Sunshine Banff.
I took lessons.
He took lessons.
And the only music I heard echoing from the
village was that of the Carpenters.
"I'm on Top of the World"
It was played through and through.

Thirty five years later,
as we drove up to Big White,
We played that song over and over
flooding our minds with memories long ago.
Enjoy the song....
turn up your speakers.


"I'm on top of the world, looking down on creation,

And the only explanation I can find....

It's the love that I found, ever since you've been around,

Your love's put me on top of the world.

I promptly start with warm up exercises!!

And he skis.

Look at those wee little ones.
Come on all of you Grandmas.
I think this would be a great place for Cousin Camp.
When do you want to meet me at the top?
We could have so much fun!!!

The best part is left for your imagination.
My adult children decided to organize their own ski weekend,
as you know, independently.
And we decided to plan our own quiet get-away.
I mean, taken for granted there all adults.
Do they really need us that much anymore?
They had reserved their own accommodations.
But coincidentally, we all collided with our ski dates.

In the wee hours of the night,
the phone rings....
"Can we move in?"

To make a long story short:
Four adult children,
all professionals,
moved in a small studio....
Do you know how big a studio is????
One bed?
The rest remains unsaid.

Maybe next year we'll call on them.
Birthdays were celebrated and memories were made.