Merry Christmas one and all: This is the message of Christmas: We are never alone. – Taylor Caldwell It is hard to believe, but this is our third year in Victoria, and what an adventure it has been. Pam and I are both working for the Province of British Columbia – Pam in the Ministry of Agriculture and I am in the Ministry of Education. It is quite liberating to have a job we can leave at the end of the day and not have to concern ourselves with evening meetings, marking and the like. That provides us with the time to do the things we enjoy. One of the major sources of enjoyment in Pam’s life is singing with the Linden Singers, a dynamic 55 voice mixed choir in its 31st season. www.lindensingers.ca . As well as weekly practices and concerts every quarter and for special events, the choir traveled to Cuba in April to participate in an international choir festival. They took medical supplies, musical instrument accessories, and clothing for an orphanage; all of which were well received. I went along for the ride, and had a fabulous time. Staying on the choral theme, Pam, Gilda and Marg travelled to Powell River to participate in the Kathaumixw http://www.kathaumixw.org/ international choir festival. With a massed choir of over 1,000 voices for the final event, accompanied by a youth orchestra of over 70 musicians, the gathered members of the Eclectic Circus Singers reveled in the music, artistic community and excitement of performing together once again. The Greggs senior (Dave’s parents) celebrated their 60 th wedding anniversary in May. With suitable congratulations from the Queen, PM and assorted dignitaries, the blushing couple were suitably fêted.
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
MerryChristmasoneandall:ThisisthemessageofChristmas:Weareneveralone.–TaylorCaldwell
Itishardtobelieve,butthisisourthirdyearinVictoria,andwhatanadventureithasbeen.PamandIarebothworkingfortheProvinceofBritishColumbia–PamintheMinistryofAgricultureandIamintheMinistryofEducation.Itisquiteliberatingtohaveajobwecanleaveattheendofthedayandnothavetoconcernourselveswitheveningmeetings,markingandthelike.Thatprovidesuswiththetimetodothethingsweenjoy.OneofthemajorsourcesofenjoymentinPam’slifeissingingwiththeLindenSingers,adynamic55voicemixedchoirinits31stseason.www.lindensingers.ca.Aswellasweeklypracticesandconcertseveryquarterandforspecialevents,thechoirtraveledtoCubainApriltoparticipateinaninternationalchoirfestival.Theytookmedicalsupplies,musicalinstrumentaccessories,andclothingforanorphanage;allofwhichwerewellreceived.Iwentalongfortheride,andhadafabuloustime.
Stayingonthechoraltheme,Pam,GildaandMargtravelledtoPowellRivertoparticipateintheKathaumixwhttp://www.kathaumixw.org/internationalchoirfestival.Withamassedchoirofover1,000voicesforthefinalevent,accompaniedbyayouthorchestraofover70musicians,thegatheredmembersoftheEclecticCircusSingersreveledinthemusic,artisticcommunityandexcitementofperformingtogetheronceagain.TheGreggssenior(Dave’sparents)celebratedtheir60thweddinganniversaryinMay.WithsuitablecongratulationsfromtheQueen,PMandassorteddignitaries,theblushingcoupleweresuitablyfêted.
AlsoinMayItookdeliveryofmynewYamaha.Enoughsaid.Yes,thatisagreatbiggrinyouareseeingonmyface.
Augustbeganwithaweddingcelebration;ElizabethandMitchSiemensKearns.TheyweremarriedinMexicoinJanuary,buthadthebigfamilycelebrationinVanderhoof.Itwasgreattocatchupwithdearfriends,andseesomeofthechangesVanderhoofisexperiencing.EspeciallyrewardingwasthechancetodrivebytheSupportiveHousingComplex,nowwellestablishedindowntownVanderhoof.ThosefolksoftheOminecaSafeHomeSocietyhavecertainlymadethiscommunitydreamaclassyreality.Anotheranniversaryweobservedwasour35thweddinganniversary.WecelebratedbyflyingtoEdmontontotakepartinourfirsteverhighschoolreunion,37(Pam)and38years(Dave)post‐graduation.PeterPondJunior/SeniorHighSchoolwasaschoolfromtheearlydaysofFortMcMurray,butitwastorndownin1977.Sinceitwassuchasmallschool,theclassesfrom1969–1977metinEdmontontoreacquaintourselveswitholdfriends,toreminisceoverthe‘olddays’andtofindouthowmuchwehadallgrownup.IknowPamandIhadn’tchangedallthatmuch…..LongtimefriendsVickyKneeandMaryLynnChamberlandworkedveryhardtopulloffthisamazing,memory‐makingevent.Wewilltreasurethelaughterandstoriesshared,forever.AveryspecialtreatwasvisitingwithKarenStaceyBrookeandhermom,Joyce,whotravelledfromManchesterforthisevent.AsKarenandPam’ssisterKathywerebestfriends,itwasespeciallyrewardingforKarentogetachancetomeetLouandKathy’sson,IanLoutittandhisgirlfriendRobyn.InSeptember,MargandMike,PamandIkayakedagainintheBrokenIslandsoffofBC’swestcoast.Youknowhowsometripsarememorablebecauseofsomespecialeventor
circumstance?Thistripwillremaininmymindduetotheimpenetrablefogandwet,cloudyweather.Theentertainingsealionswerealsointeresting;doyouknowtheysometimeseatseagulls?!?Ontheotherhand,spendingtimedoingsomethingyoulovewithspecialpeoplemakesupforeverythingelse.Givenouragingbones,Isuspectournexttripwillinvolveamothershiporsomeothersortoffloatingrecreationalvehicle.OctoberfoundusvisitingtheFryattFarmintheTurtleValleyforanotheramazingThanksgivingfeast,harvestedfromtheirbountifulgardens.AstheyaresoneartotheAdamsRiver,wetooktheopportunitytowatchtheamazingsockeyesalmonrun;thebestinover100years.ThiswasaparticularlyfinewaytospendaThanksgivingSundayinBC.NovembertookustoMexicotowitnessthemarriageofourniece,Staceytoherwonderfulhusband,ChrisSteedman.Over30ofusgatheredinCaboSanLucasattheluxuryresortandexperiencedatrulymemorableevent.PamandIthendroveupthepeninsulatovisitwithgoodfriends,GordonandDeniseintheirhaciendainLaRiberaontheSeaofCortez.WealsodroveovertothePacificsideoftheBajaandenjoyedthegreatstretchesofpristinebeachesnearTodosSantos–thehomeoftheoriginalHotelCalifornia.BothPamandIfellinlovewiththispartoftheworldandarealreadylookingforwardtoournexttripthere.CheckoutourFlickrphotostreamathttp://bit.ly/fkhnzY.
ErinandDrew:Thishasbeenaquiet,yetexcitingyearforDrewandI.Wemovedoutofour"garagesuite"andintoabrandnewactualbasementsuitemuchclosertotheuniversity.Weweresettledjustintimeforsummerclassestobegin.Amongthesesummerclasseswasour6weeklongarchaeologyfieldschool.WespentfourofthoseweekscampingandworkingintheGulfIslandsNationalParkReserve.ParksCanada,UVic,andtheHul'q'umi'num'TreatyGroupworkedtogethertosurveyPortlandandSidneyIslands.Wedidsomeexcavationofa3500‐year‐old(Ithink)villagesite,surveyedandmappedthreatenedarchaeologicalsites,andlearnedhowtoliveincloseproximitywithmanydifferentpersonalities.Thefoodwasgreat(wetookturnscooking),theexperiencewasamazing,andwedidn'thaveanyraintheentiretimewewerecamping.
Weendedoursummerwith...morecamping!DrewandI,alongwithtwootherfriendsspenttheAugustlongweekendatOzette(anarchaeologicalsite)inWashington.Ifanyoneeverfindsthemselvesinthatpartoftheworld,youmustmakesuretogototheNeahBaymuseum.I'mprettysuretheonlyreasonyou'dbeinthisarea,though,isifyouplannedonbeingthereasitisalmostthefurthestnorthwestyoucanpossiblygowhilestillbeingintheUnitedStates.Althoughitwasagreattrip,itwasabitsad,asitwasourlastcampingtripwithoneofthetwofriends,whohasgoneofftoYork,EnglandtodoaMastersdegree.Speakingofdegrees…ThiswastheofficiallastsemesterofDrew'sandmyundergradcareer(sortof).WehaveappliedtoconvocateinJune2011(althoughwehavetechnicallygraduated).It'stimeforustobeheadingoutintotherealworld,findingjobsinthefieldthatwehaveactuallychosen.Nomoreretailforme,althoughIdiddoashortstintwithChaptersatthebeginningofDecember.Drewwoulddrivemedowntownintimefora5amstart,tostockshelves.Whatagreatguy!IamnowworkingagainforServiceCanada.Thisiswherethe"sortof"comesin,ofbeingfinishedschool.They'vehiredmeasastudentfortheChristmasbreakandwillkeepmeoninJanuary,howeverinordertobeeligibleforthestudentfunding,Ihavetobeastudent.I'mgoingtobetaking3extraeveningclassesnextsemestersothatIcankeepthejob,buthopefullyitwillalsohelptoboostmyGPAabit.
Ican'tforgettheothermemberofoursmalllittlefamilyhere.Misty(our12yearoldcat)wasdiagnosedwithkidneydiseaseearlierthisyear.Fortunatelyjustbychangingherdiettoareducedproteindietshe'sbeenhappyandcomfortableeversince.She'stakenthemovequitewellandisenjoyinghernewhome.Ithinkherfavoritepartsofarhasbeentakingcareoftherabbitpopulationthatisspreadingoutfromtheuniversity(RIPyouthreebabybunnies).Goodthatshe'shunting,butawfultowakeuptoscreechingrabbitsinthebedroom.
Well,nowthatDrewandIareontoanewchapterofourlives,it'shardtosaywhatliesahead.Theanswertotheultimatequestion"what'snext?"isstillatthispoint:"We'llseewherelifetakesus.”Contractarchaeologyworkexistsanywherethereisdevelopment,sorightnowwe'rethinkingFt.St.Johnisalikelyplacewe'llendup(alltheproposedpipelines,etc.)Thatsaid,itwouldbereallynicetogotravelingforawhilebeforegettingsuckedintotherealworkthatwecan'tleave.ScotlandandEnglandareonthelist,asisacrossCanadatripandPacificcoasttrip.So,whoknows?!
Nathan:NathanmovedtoMontrealinMayofthisyearforseveralreasons;toliveinalarger,excitingcity,tolearnmoreFrenchandtoasserthisindependence.HefoundajobworkingforatelephonesalescompanycontractedtotheShoppingNetwork.Nathanwrites:“Max[Nathan’sroommate]andIaremovingintoanewplaceonJanuary1stwith2friendsfromOttawathatwehavemet.It'sgoingtobea5‐bedroomhousewith4ofuslivingthere,whichmeanswewillhavemorespaceandallbepayinglessrent.Nowwe
willbeabletogobacktohostingforcouchsurfers.orgwherewecanhosttravelersfromallovertheworldandprovidethemwithaplacetostayandamealinthemorning.Thingswithworkaregoingwell.InNovemberIbroketherecordfornonohairremovalsystemconversionratesandtomyknowledgeithasstillnotbeenbeaten.MycallsarebeingusedtotrainotherpeopleintheindustryalloverNorthAmericawhichIthinkiskindacool.I'mgettingclosewithmyco‐workersandsupervisorsandmakingmorefriendsatMcGill.WinterisgettingcolderbutI'vebeenhandlingitlikeatrueCanadiansofar.AsformyFrench,let'sjustsayit'sgoodenoughtosweettalkthelandlordintolettingusmoveinthemiddleofwinter;)That’saboutit!
Related Documents
