Our friend Mike has passed away

We got one of those horrible calls again today. " Dad just died," said the sad voice on the end of the phone.,, After a long hard fought battle against cancer our friend Mike Jackson succumbed last night at 9:30. He was in hospital in Comox. About the time Bryan decided to pour himself an 'Oirish'. He doesn't usually do that but felt the need for one about the same time. An unwitting toast to his dear Irish friend.
Mike was a very close friend of Bryan's and mine. I can't believe how many hours, if they were counted up, that the two of them spend on the phone together. They discussed the economy of nearly everything, the politics of nearly every country and predicted often about the economic  precipice that they were peering over. It was with great glee that one would call the other about some brilliant buy in a mining stock or somesuch and how much they would make if they sold it today. The next day the call would be about how much they could average their losses had they sold when they first thought of it the day before.
If it wasn't for those nefarious bastards in the city that controlled the stock they bought.
For over 36 years we have been friends, we laughed a lot together, we ate wonderful food together and drank the best wine together. If it wasn\t for Mike I wouldn't know that I should expect to get the best. Mike had the most wonderful sense of entitlement and why not? He always expected everyone to give their all and he would pay for that priviledge.
He stayed in the best hotels, travelled first class and demanded the finest service. He was generous to a fault and over the years has been a kind and loving friend.
We will miss him greatly.

More lessons from Ginger

Ginger was a very astute and perceptive dog. She could read body language and then give feedback with her wonderful eyebrows. She would ask, "Are you getting ready to go for a walk or to work? Oh, those shoes, that means that I might stay home, right. Which one of you wants to go for a walk? Are you thinking of getting up and getting me a treat? If not, maybe you could think of that, I like the jerky ones."

1. If things don't go your way, don't sweat it, just take a deep breath and let it out with a blow and rest.
2. Do upward facing dog every once in a while. This pose helps with your balance when you have to get a sore or tired hind end out of bed.
3. Downward dog is a good one to do always...slowly and stretch every muscle in your back when you do this pose. Maybe you will be lucky and feel your spine pop. Now, even if you are human you can do this... still in downward facing dog, lift one leg and take your foot as far back as you can, open your chest and turn, flex your foot. This will release any tension in your spine. This is not why dogs do it but the benefit is the same.
4. Use your nose, not just to smell tree trunks and fire plugs but use it when you snuggle up to your loved ones. Smell them, and take a deep breath. There is primal satisfaction in this action.
5. Keep a half smile on your face at all times, you can let it break out into a grin when you want to make those around you feel happy.
6. Wrestle.
7. Drink lots and lots of water.
8. Claim a corner of the couch all to yourself whenever possible.
9. Take a path not well trodden, there maybe a surprise along the way, not always what you might expect.




10. Eat saskatoon berries.

The shower

Okay so I have taken a while to get these pics up. I don't have all of the wedding pics yet so I will upload  what I have beginning with the bridal shower.

some of the ladies Heather, Linda, Gail and me

Shelley and the flower girl....Gwennyth

Everybody enjoyed a nice meal...lets see , we had a seafood pasta, grilled sirloin on  a bed of greens, a dessert of puffy meringue cake and a chocolate cake to die for....covered in little zoo animals. Oh we had too much grub....

my girls 

a happy bride and her friends...What is that behind her?  Did her mother decorate with toilet paper?

Linda to the rescue ...

oh my goodness what could be in this box

I think this is from Peg....oh my goodness.

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All such beautiful shower gifts. What a lucky pair.