The last long weekend we went to Okotoks to visit our dear friends Maryanne and Rick. When we arrived late Friday afternoon we all enjoyed a few brews together. Rick then made us the best chicken wings I have had the pleasure to enjoy ~ four different kinds and all sauces homemade. Since we drove through Creston at the peak of Asparagus season I had to grab a bundle to share. Maryanne cooked up some asparagus to gowith the wings and rice ~ MMmmm ~ it was a great meal! More brews and more catching up chat.
We hadn’t seen Maryanne or Rick for quite some time so it was lovely to see that their sons had grown into very nice young men. They have have two very friendly dogs as well – a very large dog and a very little dog ~ both vying for my affection.
On Saturday morning Maryanne took me to the flower shop that she works at. It was very interesting to see the insides of that business when it is closed. That place carries a large array of all things lovely.
Rick took us out for a very unique restaurant for brunch. All meals come with a large assortment of fruit. It was really good ~ thanks Rick. It was Rick’s birthday that day as well.
Maryanne and I have been friends for about 30 years now. We met while working at a restaurant in Calgary called 1886 Omelette House and we have remained dear friends since. Maryanne is one of the kindest people that I have had the pleasure to be friends with.
Then off to Calgary to see Rheanna, Mat and Ava. Ava is our first grandchild/daughter and she is so very sweet ~ I just love her. Once we were settled in at Mat and Rheanna’s we just visited and chatted. Ava stayed awake most of the time that we were there and entertained us with what she can now do at 11+ weeks old. Rheanna is a wonderful new mom. We didn’t get much of a visit in with Mat as he had to work most of the time but he is very caring and attentive
We left Calgary on Sunday around 10:30 a.m. for the long drive home. Of course we stopped in Creston for more asparagus. We got home about 6 p.m. It is always nice to get away but just as nice to get back home.
I saw Ava have her first bath in her baby tub! I have read a couple of baby books because I never had any babies on my own. I remember one book saying that everything single thing is a brand new experience (duh ya!) for each baby and they are not sure if they like it or not and need to cry or not. When Rheanna first started to to bath Ava, well the look on Ava’s face was priceless with her eyes wide opened and not quite sure if this was a good thing or not.
Her face then said, “I think that I like this”
Finally her face said, “I love you Mom!”
It was beautiful to witness this non-monumental event.
As Bob has already posted, we have a new member of our family, Ava Ann. We have all been waiting quite some time for her especially new mom, Rheanna, and new dad, Matt. Introducing Ava Anne
Lindsay wrote such a wonderful blog about our past weekend that I needed to write a few words myself. Last weekend our visit to see Cathy and Albert in Lethbridge, Alberta was wonderful!
It started out with Cathy and Albert cooking up a delicious supper for us of Alberta beef fillet with fresh salad, fried dilled potatoes, roasted Creston asparagus and garlic toast – it was yunmmy!! Not to mention good conversation as well.
On Saturday, Lindsay and Jeff, Ray and Jane, Cathy and Albert and Bob and myself went golfing at a little par three course (for me it was more like a par eight course). Bob and Jeff gave me a few tips to improve my game – thank you, hopefully I will remember them as well as incorporate them. After golf we went to a much more elite golf club for lunch that Bob treated everyone to – thanks Bob! Then off to Christy’s (Cathy’s daughter) and her partner, Scott’s, to see their new show home (it is so beautiful! and big too!). Christy is pregnant and due in mid-late October – she is glowing with health right now! Back to Cathy and Albert’s for some more visit with Lindsay and Jeff. It was just terrific to see them – a fine day indeed! After Lindsay and Jeff left it was a race to the end.
You guessed it – how many Margaritas can we each consume. We talked Albert into making four batches and let me assure you, they were marvelous! Try balancing your Margarita while playing Bosse Ball. Well you can’t so you ask someone to hold your Margarita for you while you toss your ball. The men won both games.
Cathy, Albert, Ray and myself joined up and made supper. Mexician fare. It was great team work as well delicious food. The smokers, Bob and Jane, were suppose to clean-up but quickly snuck out the door for their smoke leaving the mess for us cooks. When I looked up at the clock when we all finished dinner it was 11 p.m. – a little late for dinner don’t you think?
On Sunday Cathy treated us to brunch – thanks Cathy! Then Cathy drove me around for a tour of Lethbridge – it is nice city. Off to Costco’s. Bob gave me $300 for Alberta beef as well as other good buys. I spent $294.32 on good stuff.
Bailey joined us on this trip and she was a good as gold. Bailey is such a polite and sweet doggie – I love her to bits!
If you go to our blogroll and click on our pictures you may find some pictures that Lindsay and Jeff took of the weekend ( Lindsay’s Lethbridge pictures)or you can look at them on their blog thesills.net .
Bob and I and my cousin Eileen and her husband and children (from North Vancouver) will be in Toronto (Scarborough) the same time this coming August.
My cousins, Gary and Kevin, have planned a mini family reunion and it is called “Buttfest”. My maiden name is Butt and so is Eileen’s and we have a lot of cousins that are Butts or have Butt blood in them. With shared emails and facebook connections it looks as though almost everyone is coming. A lot of us have not seen each other for over 25 years or even met their off-spring. My cousin, Barry, has done some Butt research and is hopefully compiling his work and will present some long lost history or untold stories or even secrets of Butts past. Should be quite an event. Looking forward to it.
This just in!! Cathy is about to become a grandma. Her daughter, Christy, has now entered the safe zone of her pregnancy. Chisty and Scott will be fabulous parents!!! Cathy and her partner, Albert, will very fun grandparents!!
What a great guy Bob is. He built a wheel chair ramp for Beasley today. It is just fine ramp and Bob put railings on it too so Beasley won’t fall off the side of the ramp and hurt or embarrass herself. Beasley is our very senior dog and has been having a few problems maneuvering the steps on our deck to get to her favourite spot to do her business . . . we were quite concerned that she was going to do a face plant any day now. She has been up and down the ramp a couple of times and is completely comfortable with it. Bailey, our younger senior dog, thinks that it is just another apparatus for her to jump about (kinda like a jungle gym for kids). Tomorrow we will go into town and get some outdoor carpeting to make it a little bit more cosmetically friendly with the rest of the house and of course make it even easier for Beasley to use. Thanks Bob!