Christmas 2014

 Christmas festivities started off early in San Antonio at Butch and Patt's home where we enjoyed the Aspen Medical USA Christmas party. While some of our work mates had already left for home Wayne, Chuck, Patt. Butch and ourselves took the opportunity to have a snap taken to remember the fun evening.  Thank you Susan for taking the shot. 

 Then it was back to Fredericton for our 5th Christmas in the snow.  You can see why we enjoy the snow, it is so beautiful.   It took us 2 days to get to Fredericton as we got as far as Detroit where we were grounded because of ice storms in Bangor Maine.  As is usual for us our luggage went to Boston.  As this has happened to us several times before we are well drilled in going to Walmart to stock up on the essentials required, hoping our luggage will get to our destination at the same time as us and submitting an insurance claim for the inconvenience.  We never take a flight these days without insurance.  

However, it does take an effort to keep drive ways etc clear.  Here Blair is rugged up and working very hard to ensure there is a clear passage.

On Christmas Eve after church we all meet up at Cathy and Doug's home for the usual and enjoyable get together.  Cathy and Doug are the across the road friends from where we used to live at Beaver Dam.  You can tell from the happy smiles that we all enjoy spending time together.

Boys will be boys and here Michael and Andrew are fooling around in the kitchen.  These guys are long time friends and really enjoy spending time together.  These days Michael who is an EMT works is Alberta while Andrew who is a plumber  is resident in Fredericton.

Here Laura, Angie and Andrew (siblings) pose for a snap with Michael.  They are all family.

Christmas trees in Canada are always real and beautifully decorated.

We stayed with Barb, Blair and Michael and this was Christmas Day.  Here Barb is waiting to see what Santa has brought her.

 Blair and Michael compare their calendars.  Michael has the ' girls from Hawaii' while Blair has 'landscape scenes from Hawaii', you can imagine the comments from Blair about Santa's choice.  

Ross on the other hand received among many things hand knitted socks which he was delighted with and really appreciated as it was very cold out doors.

Barb and Blair cooked up a great feast and shared with us some Newfound Land delicacies such as salted beef.

There is never any shortage of fridge space in the winter time in Canada as there is always the outside cooler.

It was also good to catch up with Jacqueline again. It is thanks to Jacqueline that we have our Beaver Dam friends as she found us the house we lived in a BD.  Jacqueline has just retired and is really enjoying time just relaxing.

There was more than once that Ross had to scrap the snow off the car before we could drive away.

It really snowed as you can see but it was just great.

Then it was time to return to Bangor Maine for our flight home.  Yes, there is snow in those clouds.

This was a great Christmas and we thank our lovely Canadian friends for welcoming us into their families.

Hopefully we will have more time next year, weather permitting, to spend more time with our friends that we could only chat to on the phone or pop in for a very short visit.

Best wishes to all,

Beverley and Ross

Beverley's Birthday

Birthday's come but once a year and on 30 November Beverley celebrated hers in grand style.

At 7 pm the limo arrived and this was the start of a wonderful evening.  The Limo we used was supplied by StoneOak Limo Service.  See the style in which we travelled at http://www.stoneoaklimousine.com/

On arrival home there was aother great suprise waiting. 

Yes, it is cooking ware from the Guy Fieri collection.  Guy co-owns 5 restaurants in California and is the host of Diners, Drive-ins and Drives.  To know more about him have a look at www.guyfieri.com

The gift was from Albert and greatly appreciated.

No birthday is complete without a cake and Beverley's gracious work friend's gave her a cake and flowers.

Beverley had a great birthday so thank you all for sharing the day

Warmest wishes to all,

Beverley and Ross

Thanksgiving 2014

Thanksgiving week started off with the arrival of our dear friends Jim and Regina who live in Savannah, Georgia.  Albert our adopted son joined us as well.

This was us after a great dinner.

Followed by coffee and discussions.

Thanksgiving morning we were treated to having Isaiah, Adrian and Cameron over for their oreo cookies and milk.

 Around 1 pm it was off to Albert and Mary Alice' home where Albert displayed his carving skills. This was the beginning of a happy and fun day.

One of MA's and Albert's cousins made a vegetable turkey.

The food was incredible.

As you can see there was lots to eat.

MA is being serenaded by her cousin Simon,who has a magnificant voice and clearly made MA feel like a princess.

Other cousins showed their dancing skills.

Proud family and friends enjoyed the entertainment.

Then it was off to Dennis' place for another Thanksgiving get together and here Justin and his dad Jim prepare one of the 4 turkeys for the feast.

Boys will be boys when there is football on.

However, there is no rest for the cooks.

Dennis could still smile after such an early  start to the day.

Thanksgiving is a day where friends and family meet and enjoy good food and fellowship.

We thank our dear friends for inviting us into their lives on this special day.

Best wishes,

Beverley and Ross

Work and Fun in San Antonio

Since our last blog we have been rather busy with work , having friends and colleagues stay and generally enjoying ourselves.  Here we are on the way to a business meeting San Antonio style.  Butch is the boss, Annette is the Business Manager (Global), Albert in a pirate costume for Halloween and is a professor and Jim is the Director of International Operations for the company.  Well it was Halloween after all.

                     

Following this meeting we were off to Corpus Christie for a conference and here are the boys  enjoying a dinner at a great Corpus Christie restaurant.  The other Jim joined us on this occasion.

At the bar next door to the restaurant the only hand rolling cigar maker in Texas was busy at work.

In between working, there was the opportunity to have dinner on the Riverwalk.

It was the day of Halloween and the staff really got into the act.

As did many of the folks who were walking by.   Plenty of Kodak moments.

Then it was back to work and this what a working weekend looks like at our place.  Yes, things do go better with a beer and a wine.

Annette is also an excellent cook and can multitask very well.  So while she was doing the business plan she instructed the rest of us on dinner preparation.  Here is the group lemon delicious dessert.

We have also been fortunate to have support from Meredith who is an Australian and works for the same company.  She and  her family are currently living in DC for 3 years and flew down for a few days so that we could progress some work that we involved with.  It was great to finally meet as we have spoken over the phone for the last 3 years.   This the farewell snap with Soojin before she returned to DC where it is much colder than it is here.

Meredith stayed with us on her last night in SA and we all enjoyed the evening with Albert, Adrian and Cameron.

Work and fun is a good combination and keeps us on our toes.

Best wishes to all,

Beverley and Ross