An old colleague and friend from South Africa and his wife and daughter visited us over New Year. Actually they are Australians who have been in South Africa a number of years. They were keen to get a Canadian winter experience. We took them to visit Mark, Luisa and Jonty in Peterborough where they had an enjoyable time on the toboggan hill at the Rube Brady Memorial Park.
I made 5 videos on the toboggan hill plus a cute one of the two kids (Gina and Jonathan) being pulled to the toboggan hill.
Finally there is a video of Gina working out how to shovel snow off my driveway. Just head over to my YouTube Channel.
Showing posts with label New Year. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Year. Show all posts
Sunday, 8 January 2012
Saturday, 2 January 2010
Happy New Year
Another year has started. Ingrid and I wish all of you, our family and friends, a peace filled, happy and prosperous year ahead for 2010.
Looking back, the first main happening to mention since "The Weddings" is Ingrid's surgery. 
She is is truly on a mission to become more and more a bionic woman. Actually Ingrid had been having a great deal of pain in the finger due to arthritis and the finger had become quite twisted with a markedly enlarged knuckle. Thanks, possibly, to all those superstitious people who refused to have surgery on a Friday 13th, Ingrid went in for day surgery early on November 13 and was back home again by 13:30 feeling fine and dandy with a new knuckle on the middle joint of the middle finger of her right hand. Not to make too light of it, she really was in a lot of pain later that night and the days that followed when the freezing wore off. It took a good two weeks for the pain to get down to more bearable levels. The trouble was that every time the pain got nicely bearable they altered the angle on the splint to force the finger straighter and straighter. The pictures tell the story and all credit to the surgeon (cosmetic) and occupational therapist at Southlake Hospital who did an amazing job. The second picture was taken two weeks later on Nov 26.
Our Halloween was a disappointing non-event with only five kids knocking on our door. I think the houses on our street are too far apart to make it worth the effort. One little fellow did make it worth the effort for us, however. I don't think he was even three years old yet - dressed like Tigger the tiger. We had a scarecrow with a skull head and flashing red eyes sitting on a Muskoka chair next to the front door which made a HUGE, SCARY impression on little Tigger. Eventually his mother prompted him into the trick or treat ritual whereupon he offered us the candy/sweets in his little bag. He was one very cute little tiger who made it totally all worthwhile for us.
Of course we had our annual family Sinterklaas gathering again at the beginning of December but this year we had a true believer in our midst. We invited Peter and Vicki, Canadian friends of ours with a Dutch background, to bring their three year old son, Samuel, to help us sing Sinterklaas liedjes and collect up the candy that gets thrown into the house. 
After finding de zak van Sinterklaas in the trunk/boot of my car Sam had a wonderful evening helping us hand out the presents powered with a sugar high. He can't wait for next year's event to come around again.Mark and Luisa went to South Africa for Christmas and New Year to enjoy a delayed honeymoon. Seeing Mark again and meeting Luisa was probably the highpoint of the year 2009 for Aunty Bessie (93, frail, nearly blind, but sharp as a tack.) She had been waiting in anticipation for months and was not disappointed.
Miriam and Geoff spent Christmas in Ottawa with Geoff's family. Judith had introduced Miriam and Geoff to Settlers of Catan who promptly bought their own edition. They then introduced the game to Geoff's parents who went out and bought their own copy before Geoff and Miriam had arrived back in Toronto.
The rest of the family came over to us for Christmas Eve mass, gift giving, sleep over and amazing Christmas Day dinner prepared by Sean in our kitchen.
On Sunday, 27th we all drove out to Heather's parents (Stephen's girlfriend) who have a farm with beautifully modern horse stables. 
You get the impression that although it is not on the Tundra you can see the Tundra from there. After another amazing dinner (so much fine eating at this time of year) we all got to ride Heather's mom's horse - a first-time horse ride for Judith.
Thursday, 1 January 2009
Happy New Year
To all our aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews in South Africa, Canada, Scotland and the Netherlands, and to all our friends in those places and everywhere else, and to you, the stranger, who just happens to be dropping on to this blog, all of us in Kwa-McCann wish you a very happy, blessed, peaceful and prosperous year for 2009.
Visit to Oom Joop and Tante Ria
On Monday Dec 29 Ingrid and I paid a visit to Oom Joop and Tante Ria. Oom Joop is the brother of Ingrid's dad, Louis, and uncle, Cor, both of whom passed away many years ago. Not able to learn from our mistakes we took the long way to get there - taking the 403 into West Hamilton instead of staying on the QEW - adding about 30 minutes to what should have been a 90 minute drive.
Sunday, 13 January 2008
...and a Happy New Year
It's difficult to believe that we are already at the end of the second week of January. I hope and pray for all of us that 2008 will be a good year.
Christmas Roundup.
It was a wonderful Christmas for Ingrid and me, being the first time since coming to Canada that we had the whole family together for Christmas Eve Mass, opening of the gifts, and dinner on Christmas Day. In addition we had two "significant others": Geoff and Mark Dank (the Tank). Luisa made a full (computer) screen cameo appearance from Winnipeg into our living room on Christmas Eve courtesy of Skype, Mark's laptop and our wireless router.
Our family has always opened presents on Christmas Eve. This was made possible by the fact that, while Santa Clause goes to the houses of our friends on Christmas Eve, he and Sinterklaas (St Nicholas) have an arrangement whereby Sinterklaas comes to our house on a weekend close to December 6 while on Christmas Eve Santa goes to the other houses that Sinterklaas did not visit previously. This made total sense to our kids from when they were young enough to know what was fair. The main, practical benefit is obvious - parents get to sleep in on Christmas morning. The other big spin-off for us was that Christmas has always been about the birth of the infant Jesus in the stable at Bethlehem, and not about Father Christmas. We give Christmas presents after singing carols on Christmas eve because we want to celebrate the birthday of Christ - and everybody knows you celebrate birthdays with gift giving...
Stephen, Heather, Ingrid and Judith in our lounge on the occasion of Sinterklaas.
Our Christmas crib.
Good News from Judith and Terry.
In November I went to the urologist for my 6-monthly visit to check up on the cancer in my prostate. He and I were very pleased that my PSA levels had actually dropped by 40%. I attribute this to 3 things: prayer, diet, and the cocktail of vitamins and minerals that I have been taking daily.
On January 2 Judith went to see her oncologist for her 6-monthly visit and was also given the good news to come back again in six months. We all had a bit of a reaction when the hospital phoned this last week for Judith to have a test this month. We all thought, "Oh no. What have they found?" However it proved to be that the person who booked the test had not read the order correctly and was only supposed to book the test for June.
When Judith and Ingrid came back from the oncologist they went and had their hair done!
Quick Summary of "the kids"
Mark is now back from Holland and has found a place to stay downtown Toronto within walking distance of where Miriam is staying. He continues to work at his old job in Newmarket.
Next month Sean will move out of our home to a place not far from Miriam and Mark.
Also next month, Miriam will be starting a new job having accepted a social work position at The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto. This month will see her finish her MA practicum at CAMH. We are all very excited for her.
Judith and Stephen are both at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. Stephen is finishing his final year mechanical engineering this May. Judith will finish her first year of Phys Ed at that time.
Canadian Weather.
Canadians love to talk about the weather and this winter has provided us with lots to talk about. January is normally the "heavy" snowfall month of the winter season. This winter, we had more snow in December than in an average January. One dumping left more snow on the ground than any snowfall since a century record breaker in January of 1999 and temperatures plummeted to -22 deg C. OK, I know Mark's girlfriend, Luisa, is howling with laughter because that is "nothing" in Winnipeg but for a Seffrican Canadian in Toronto that is COLD! We had a 5 foot (150 cm) bank of snow down the side of our drive way - hand shovelled by Sean and myself.
Yours faithfully - the intrepid snow shoveller.
Snowman built in our backyard three days before Christmas - the day before this picture was taken - looking somewhat the worse for wear. Note the nose and pipe and some buttons lying on the ground. These, and the eyes, were given to Mark by his boss' family for Sinterklaas while he was still in Holland.
Snow bank piled up in front of our deck on New Year's Day.
There is a fascinating beauty about snow that collects on branches.
I really do love the "cake icing" effect.
Barely 3 weeks later, and one week after another huge dumping on New Year (see pics,) we had record highs in the teens which melted almost all the snow and brought out the skunks to sacrifice their lives as road kill as they always do in the spring.
Decomposed remains of a once proud snowman.
Christmas Roundup.
It was a wonderful Christmas for Ingrid and me, being the first time since coming to Canada that we had the whole family together for Christmas Eve Mass, opening of the gifts, and dinner on Christmas Day. In addition we had two "significant others": Geoff and Mark Dank (the Tank). Luisa made a full (computer) screen cameo appearance from Winnipeg into our living room on Christmas Eve courtesy of Skype, Mark's laptop and our wireless router.
Our family has always opened presents on Christmas Eve. This was made possible by the fact that, while Santa Clause goes to the houses of our friends on Christmas Eve, he and Sinterklaas (St Nicholas) have an arrangement whereby Sinterklaas comes to our house on a weekend close to December 6 while on Christmas Eve Santa goes to the other houses that Sinterklaas did not visit previously. This made total sense to our kids from when they were young enough to know what was fair. The main, practical benefit is obvious - parents get to sleep in on Christmas morning. The other big spin-off for us was that Christmas has always been about the birth of the infant Jesus in the stable at Bethlehem, and not about Father Christmas. We give Christmas presents after singing carols on Christmas eve because we want to celebrate the birthday of Christ - and everybody knows you celebrate birthdays with gift giving...
Stephen, Heather, Ingrid and Judith in our lounge on the occasion of Sinterklaas.
Our Christmas crib.
Good News from Judith and Terry.
In November I went to the urologist for my 6-monthly visit to check up on the cancer in my prostate. He and I were very pleased that my PSA levels had actually dropped by 40%. I attribute this to 3 things: prayer, diet, and the cocktail of vitamins and minerals that I have been taking daily.
On January 2 Judith went to see her oncologist for her 6-monthly visit and was also given the good news to come back again in six months. We all had a bit of a reaction when the hospital phoned this last week for Judith to have a test this month. We all thought, "Oh no. What have they found?" However it proved to be that the person who booked the test had not read the order correctly and was only supposed to book the test for June.
When Judith and Ingrid came back from the oncologist they went and had their hair done!
Quick Summary of "the kids"
Mark is now back from Holland and has found a place to stay downtown Toronto within walking distance of where Miriam is staying. He continues to work at his old job in Newmarket.
Next month Sean will move out of our home to a place not far from Miriam and Mark.
Also next month, Miriam will be starting a new job having accepted a social work position at The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto. This month will see her finish her MA practicum at CAMH. We are all very excited for her.
Judith and Stephen are both at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. Stephen is finishing his final year mechanical engineering this May. Judith will finish her first year of Phys Ed at that time.
Canadian Weather.
Canadians love to talk about the weather and this winter has provided us with lots to talk about. January is normally the "heavy" snowfall month of the winter season. This winter, we had more snow in December than in an average January. One dumping left more snow on the ground than any snowfall since a century record breaker in January of 1999 and temperatures plummeted to -22 deg C. OK, I know Mark's girlfriend, Luisa, is howling with laughter because that is "nothing" in Winnipeg but for a Seffrican Canadian in Toronto that is COLD! We had a 5 foot (150 cm) bank of snow down the side of our drive way - hand shovelled by Sean and myself.
Yours faithfully - the intrepid snow shoveller.
Snowman built in our backyard three days before Christmas - the day before this picture was taken - looking somewhat the worse for wear. Note the nose and pipe and some buttons lying on the ground. These, and the eyes, were given to Mark by his boss' family for Sinterklaas while he was still in Holland.
Snow bank piled up in front of our deck on New Year's Day.
There is a fascinating beauty about snow that collects on branches.
I really do love the "cake icing" effect.
Barely 3 weeks later, and one week after another huge dumping on New Year (see pics,) we had record highs in the teens which melted almost all the snow and brought out the skunks to sacrifice their lives as road kill as they always do in the spring.
Decomposed remains of a once proud snowman.
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