Almost The End, But Near The Beginning

Hard to believe it is almost the end of the year.  Harvey and Pearl are doing marvelous.  And I am doing good too.  :-)

As said, it has been a jam-packed year.   Highlights for me were the Annual Meeting notes, going to Vancouver to stay with family, and hangout with my friend Leanne.   I absolutely loved that visit down there.  I hadn't been there in so many years and it was wonderful to see the changes and feel the excitement of the city.

A lot happened this year though.  I went to college in the evenings and weekends until the end of June (felt like walking in a daze many days due to working full-time).  Then a week after finishing the program I had a motorcycle accident and was pretty much in bed or had my arm strapped to my chest until the end of summer.  And then my college was affected by the new immigration laws in Canada so I was laid off.  However, I was then hired by the school district.  ...I guess it's kinda been like a Jerry Seinfeldt episode.  Up - down - up - down was the formula for that show. :-)  Anyway, I truly am grateful to good family, but most of all Jehovah God for how it all ended, because all good things ultimately go back to him.  And there were so whips and turns to it all, but in the end it all came together even better than I could have imagined.  I am loving working for the school district.  And I have my online and private students that just round it all out.   ...When I was driving to town the other week, for the first time, I genuinely had a feeling of true contentment since moving here.  I often reminded myself of what Warren Crowe used to say years ago (brother from Vancouver area)...every situation is 10% reality and 90% your perspective on it.  In some ways moving to the Okanagan has been like trudging up a hill with a box of rocks, not pushing it (because that would have been a bit easier), but rather pulling it.  Just limited with work and lower wages than other places.  It seemed like there was never enough to make ends meet.  Blessing or a curse - all depends what we do with it, and how we look at it.  I saw a movie called Nicky's Family, about a man that saved children during the Holocaust. True story.  In the end it was said that the people that helped the most generously were the people that were the poorest - they had the least so they helped the most.  So maybe hardship isn't easy at times in life, maybe it teaches us something valuable for when we encounter others in difficulty.

Now I am looking forward to the new year.  I have some projects to finish in the RV so that we can take off for the summer.  Would love to go to Goose Neck canyon for hiking in Utah but am open to other ideas too.  Can't hardly wait til it all happens though. Starting those final projects in March, and will show everyone as they proceed. :-)

Anyway, I hope that all of you have a wonderful beginning to your year too.  One day it will be the last year we have on this side of Armageddon, so make the most of it. :-)  Remember, 10% / 90%, and when we (as in you and I) undergo hardships we may hit this year, just remember that it may be polishing us for something more coming our way, or preparing us to step up to help someone else with something that hits them. :-)

Love to all,
d  :-)

Pearly is Ready For Hiking

I couldn't believe it when I walked into a secondhand shop recently.  I had been wanting a backpack for carrying the pups but they were just too expensive.  So when I saw it, and it was only $5, I was just elated, and grabbed it in my arms.  Now when little short-legs gets pooped out while hiking I can just pop her in and keep on going.  I already have one for the front of me for short walks but for walking a distance it is much easier to have her on my back.  Also there is a pouch for carrying water and snacks.  Anyway, I think we will get a lot of use out of it.

In the last month it has been really busy.  We had our district/regional assembly last weekend in Penticton.  The last talk was the best - at least in my perspective.  The information was exactly what I needed to hear.  And it was also great that it was hot and sunny the entire time.

Another good thing is that I finished my program this week too.  Yaaayyyyy!  It has been hard.  Long days and weekends.  After working all week it was a challenge, but now I am ready to move onto new things and excited about ideas I have.

Harvey and Pearl are doing fabulous.  In two weeks we are heading back up to Rock Creek for a few days to hangout and have a good time with friends and family.  I have lots of little reno projects going on in my RV - and loving doing them.  We have big plans for seeing things this year so gotta get a few adjustments made. :-)  

Okay, everyone have an awesome weekend, I gotta get out and do some stuff to the truck now.

Love to all,

d, H & P

Pearl ready to walk.

Harvey the little toy hoarder.  Missing something?  Check out his blanky - you may just find it.

Great Teachers

Hey hi!

It has been really hard balancing everything these last several months but I just finished my practicum and loved it.  As most everyone knows I have been studying working with children with learning disabilities, autism, and global delays.  It was a great 5 week  practicum, and left me with a very positive feeling toward the work elementary school teachers are doing. Not just academically but each one of the teachers I worked with were excellent at teaching life skills constantly in the classroom.  About the ethics of being a good person in life.  They said because many young ones don't have structure and guidance at home they work hard to talk about good basics each child should know.  There was constant guidance from the teachers on being kind to each other in the class.  Being honest.  Being nice.  Talking and treating others properly.  And when the students didn't treat each other well verbally, or physically, the teachers would make them sit at a table outside the group until they came and apologized to the other student for their actions.  Most teachers had a saying on the wall written out so the children could be prompted if they forgot the wording...but it was along the lines of "sorry Minju that I scowled at you.  Scowling at others is not appropriate conduct because it makes others feel bad."   They did that for hitting, or being grouchy, or being selfish, or any number of other things that were not nice.  It really made me appreciate the hard work the teachers are doing trying to get the students to be conscious of their actions and words.  They were on top of it all the time.  Anyway, it made a very good impression on me because I could see that it was teaching the students beyond just books - but how to be good people in the future.  I think things would be different in high school of course but the elementary school teachers are really doing their best with this kind of instruction.

Now I am back to teaching at the college on Monday.  Will have to check on the progress of all my students and see who needs help with what.  The weather has improved a lot over the last couple weeks so I have started riding my motorcycle.  Stopped and bought new flourescent gear today so I glow nice and bright. :-) If it stops raining I would be even happier, but even being a little warmer makes a huge difference on the road.  But the savings in gas is incredible so that makes me really happy. :-))))
 
Pearl and Harvey are doing really well.  They are presently pooped out on the bed being sweet little cupcakes.  When I get less lazy I will upload some pics of them.

WT tomorrow is especially good, so I hope you all enjoy it.

Love to all,
d  :-)

Long Weekend in Rock Creek

Hey hi everyone, :-)

Friday Night

We are sitting in the LLT (Long Long Trailer) at Rock Creek.  It is the four day weekend here in Canada so I decided to bring the pups up here to run around.  The first hour was a little scary :-& because we hit a snow storm going over the Big White pass.  There was a truck that flew off the road down an embankment.  If there was a place to turn out and I may thought about turning back, but basically couldn't.  There were only two tire tracks going in each direction and a wagon train of cars and trucks so the choice was clear: keep going.  Glad we did though because on the other side it was nice a clear with no snow.

Right now we are all laying like rags on the couch because I have some projects going here and have exhausted myself for the moment.  Actually I was kind of already exhausted before starting because Pearl got freaked out by a fire alarm battery chirping and decided it was a smart idea to run up the side of the mountain.  If I hadn't got the idea to cut through the bush and head her off she would probably be standing on top right now, and I would be laying dead from a heart attack close to the bottom.

This weekend is purely about freshening things up here.  I am putting anew pergo floor in so the old on needs to be stripped out.  Then I am moving onto the bedroom - big ideas for in there too.  Probably will take a few long weekends to get everything done, but that is okay.  Gives me something to plan and look forward too.

Okay, gonna go now.  Feeling the urge to flop on my bed and snooze for a bit. :-)

Saturday Night

Well, 24 hours later and we are back on the couch after a good day.  Listening to CBC radio - jazz night.  After I played with the antenna the connection is pretty good.  There is no internet up here.  Everyone is sacked out.  This morning I tagged along with my parents and went down to Oroville, Wa to do some stuff.  Their cabin is up above me on the mountain.  Very cool place.  Harvey and Pearl stayed at home.  Their pen is set up on the RV so Otto kept them company.  It is actually the life of luxury for the little coots.  When they get tired of hanging around outside watching squirrels and any deer that walk by they can go in through the doggy door and snuggle under the covers in the bedroom.  That is one thing I really like about my RV - it has a private bedroom at the back so when the door is shut to the livingroom kitchen area, it is very private.  I may not be able to ever afford another unit so I am glad that when I initially prayed about the purchase of this one Jehovah answered me in a good way.  Honestly, I love this place and I can see myself living in it right up til A.

Harvey just about offed himself tonight.  Stinker.  When he is running around the mountain he doesn't like to listen to me.  He runs like his butt is on fire.  Well tonight after dinner we were starting to walk across a field and he started running down the mountain to the highway.  I called and whistled and he paid no attention at all.  He just kept running...all the way to the highway.  Thankfully two vehicles saw him coming and slowed down.  Anyway, when I caught up I had steam coming from my ears, and every orifice of my body, I was running through trees and hopping rocks to catch the brat.  Anyway, he is on permanent leash now.  He is really smart, but he gets this half dopey look on his face when he wants to ignore me and then runs to do his own thing.  For a dog that crippled himself with a bad back a couple years ago he sure can run fast now.

Pearl on the other hand has turned out to be the good fur-kid these days.  Runs but sticks pretty close.  However, she has her moments too.  When we were walking a loop last night she found some dirty thing under a thing she thought was yummy and when I yelled for her to drop it she started running away eating it as fast as she could. :-/  So basically neither one of them could win a dog obedience competition, except if maybe the competition involved food somehow.

Tomorrow we are off to the CO meeting up here.  There are 29 in the congregation.  Should be fun.

Sunday Night

Three of us squished on the couch with the lights out.  Power went out on the entire mountain.  Good reason to catch up on the blog.  Beautiful day here.  Went to the meeting this morning.  Not sure how many there, but since a bunch of us are camping up here this weekend there were quite a few more than normal.  Nice to be in a tiny hall.  It reminded me of some congregations I have been in overseas.  Everyone counts.  REALLY counts.  After we went for an absolutely incredible lunch.  Someone converted an old house in the tiny town into a restaurant.  She makes beautiful beautiful food.  Very much enjoyed it and look forward to going there next time.

Was about to get a lot of spring cleaning done inside my unit today.  Gorgeous outside.  Then slept for a couple hours.  It so quiet up here that I find once I sack out that is it - I sleep like a rock.  Harvey and Pearl and Otto the same.  Otto could be sleeping up at my parents cabin but I snag him because there is nothing like a three dog furnace on cold nights.  I turn the heat off in the unit and am cozy all night.  Haven't quite convinced my dad of the value of letting Otto sleep with him yet, so I might as well take advantage of the little guy's heat producing ability.  Tomorrow morning will sleep in a tiny bit then get up and get busy.  Right now I am going to read my old pioneer manual by flashlight.  I forgot the wonderful information it has in it.

Monday...snoooze after driving.

Will post pics after. 

Love you all,

d  :-)

International Culture Day

Hi everyone, :-)

Every year we have international culture day at the college.  I supervised the Saudis again and loved it.  They are master organizers and put on such a wonderful afternoon of food and entertainment.  I believe it is because of the mass entertaining they do back home (big families).  Anyway this year the college has opened up to Saudi women so here are some of my girls.  They wear their full outfits everyday of the year, and I think it is great.  I have never seen their faces but I feel like I know them so well by just watching their eyes.  I admire them for coming to a society that could mock them for their appearance - strong strong young ladies.  Okay, hope everyone is doing well these days.

Love to all,
d
ps. Harvey & Pearl are doing fabulous!