And We're Off ... I think !!

Well now, it's Thursday and the Captain said I could go get the fresh meat and veggies so that must mean that we are leaving today sometime. Our first destination may be Hope Island (for those that have visited, you know that Hope Island is just around the corner from where we live).....

We have to clear customs for Canada at Pender Island and then we'll spend the first week in the Gulf Islands.



If we get a late start, we'll likely overnight at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. We hope to see Will, Bree, Solomon and Wesley at Ganges Harbor (Saltspring Island) on June 6th for two nights or so and then Paul, Buffy, Matthew and Simon will meet us in Naniamo June 11th for a week. Jocelyn has had some rumblings that she might meet up with us but I haven't heard anything firm. She's busy completing her thesis work, which she plans to defend in July. I heard from Steve that Leslie was away in Edmonton this week on a business trip. Couldn't they send her somewhere a little more exotic, like oh, Fort Lauderdale, Florida or....

Could be the last post for a while but if it isn't, you know we're still at the dock!!

Love to All

Wesley is One Year Old!

Wesley goes for the Sparkler on his First Birthday Cupcakes (lovingly made by Mom).

This month we celebrated our Wesley's first birthday. Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and Friends all joined in. My, how time has flown! OH REALLY?

William gobbles down his First Birthday Cake!

At Christmas just after Will's first birthday, his Dad carved a white jaguar and made a little wagon for his special gift.



Now, Grandpa presents that same car to Wesley on his First Birthday!

Happy Birthday Wesley!!

Mr. Big Eyes and Ms. Big Ears

My grandson Matthew is fascinated with the Mr. Potato Head glasses. He wears them about the house and raises things up to look at them through the "glasses". Personally, I think he wants to look more like Grandma.... what a cutie pie!

And here is history repeating itself -- maybe Matthew's Mommy wants to look like Grandpa?














Now, just so you know, history does repeat itself -- Matthew's Mommy had a fascination with "ears" -- another cutie pie.

And the futuristic mind exploration -- I think I see my future son!

Swinomish Cemetery on Memorial Day

The Swinomish Tribal Community Cemetery on Memorial Day is festooned with the half-mast Stars and Stripes amongst the graves of the ancestors. Many Tribal members were engaged in WW1, WW2, Korea and Vietnam. Those that have visited us will recognize that this is the corner you turn to come in to Shelter Bay. There was a ceremony today where wreaths were laid to honor the fallen soldiers of the Tribe. I find it interesting that the First Nations on this side of the border 'seem' so much more patriotic than on the North side. Perhaps it's just our closer proximity to a critical mass and a better understanding of the community as a whole. There are a number of totems and eagles carved by Kevin Paul, our local artisan carver in the Tribe. His work is quite fascinating.

Memorial Day is actually Monday 26 May

Goodness, retired people can get quite confused. I went to take a picture of the Tribal Cemetery with all the flags for you to see and they weren't up! Then I finally realized it was Sunday and not Monday.

I'll take and post the picture tomorrow. In the meantime, since I had to make my Dad an American posthumously in order to be a child of 2 American parents, I thought I should honor my Dad's service in the military. He was a Corporal in the Canadian Army and got as far east as Halifax when the war ended (thankfully). Most of his army time was spent in Prince Albert, Sask. In the Army he learned two trades -- shoe repair and medic. I guess he repaired soles and souls.
My brother Don was born in Prince Albert -- he was the city's New Year's baby in 1943 .

So, a salute to Alder and his twin sister Evelyn both in the forces in WW2!

Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day in the US. It's similar to Remembrance Day in Canada with some twists. It is a day to honor our Military past and present and also to remember our loved ones who have passed. All this week our local tribe have been at work tidying up their cemetery. Today about 30 flagpoles in the cemetery will be flying the stars and stripes. All over the country people will visit the graves of their loved ones and tidy them up. I think that is a nice part of the tradition, don't you?

Remembering my ancestors, I will send you off this ditty about Ole, Sven & Lena:

Ole & Sven were standing at the base of a flagpole, looking up. Lena walked by and asked what they were doing. "Ve're supposed ta find da height of da flagpole," said Sven, "but ve don't haf a ladder."

Lena took a wrench from her purse, loosened a few bolts, and laid the pole down. Then she took a tape measure from her pocket, took a measurement, announced, "Eighteen feet, six inches," and walked away.

Ole shook his head and laughed. "Ain't dat yust like a voman!

Ve ask for da height and she gifs us da length!"

Ole and Sven are currently working for the Government.

The Bird has hatched

It's time to tryout this blog thing. Jocelyn's blog has given me inspiration to find out what this new communication format is all about. So, family -- here goes.
First, need I explain the name of my blog? Well, a long, long time ago in a land far, far, away I met this guy named Richard. He decided that since I rode a motor-scooter my name should be Hondabird -- later, it was shortened to 'bird' and bird has been his fav name for me ever since. This is my first flight from the nest so I'm sending it to all you chicklets as a test to see if you read your emails from your mama.