She's a real Tom Sawyer

Steve: Hey, are we on the level here?

Miranda: If I had a hammer...

Deb: Good fences = good neighbours (of dubious relevance here, as we're fencing off part of our own yard as a play area for Mandy & dog)...

Cute chicks et al.

Wonderful evening and a delicious repast at Jackie and Andrew's in East Van. Miranda was a little shy at first but quickly warmed up, thanks to teddy bears, firelight, and her favourite "chicken dinner"!

He shoots, he scores!

What luck! Steve won a raffle--tickets to a Canucks game next week, and a signed Markus Naslund jersey! Miranda was also thrilled until she realized she would not be attending the big event...she and Nana are planning a riotous girls' night in revenge!

Mini Martha

"OH, THAT LOOKS GOOD!" Miranda announced as she placed this wee bunny here among her books. Maybe I can get her to redecorate my home office. My less-than-two-year-old has a better eye for aesthetics than I do, I suspect: it's a GOOD thing!!!

Boyz & girlz in da 'hood!?!

Had a great visit in our old neighbourhood in East Van with Kevin and Anita, their baby Karli (star of the show) & her big bro Graydon--and Amanda came over with Aiden & Taylor, too...so Miranda got to see all three of her (former, I guess--or at least long-distance since we moved to the Island) boyfriends at once! Delicious food, including my favourite from Fratelli's bakery on the Drive--Gateau Sainte Honoré (thanks Elle for suggesting how to do the accent!), excellent wine, & fabulous company--as always!
Thanx guys, & gals!

Puzzled!?!

At last, the 1000-piece (partially represented in this stunning photo) that's been on the table since Christmas time (thanks Moira!!!!) is complete--I can claim about .001 % of the credit for this feat! Why is it that I love the idea of a complex jigsaw, but am somewhat daunted by the reality? OK, let's not go there... I'm unpacking the last of the boxes in our front hall--that's puzzling enough for me!

Valentine's Post...

A Happy Valentine's Day was had by all...This lovely bouquet is from Steve! Aren't they gorgeous? Miranda got a cute little pink monkey whom she calls Mr. Murphy; Cupid wisely bypassed hearts and flowers, and brought Steve the sweet treat he was really craving, season six of The Sopranos.

Fast forward

This image is from a year ago, when we first came over to Bowen Island to look at property.

We went to Bowen Bay again the other day (without camera, alas) and Miranda built a sand castle. Quote du jour: "I made it!"

She had a great week: feeding the ducks with neighbours Monica and Lenya; going to storytime at the library; going "into town" (Snug Cove) for groceries with me; venturing to Alderwood Farms to pick up our favourite Merguez sausages; visits with Nana and Grandfather...and--a real highlight--painting ("I doing a GREAT job!!!") for the first time!

Soul sistas revisited

Had a wonderful visit with Susan Kauffmann, my (and I know she will appreciate this title--NOT!!!) "oldest friend in Vancouver." Susan and I met in the fall of 1989 when we started grad studies and teaching assistantships together at UBC; she's now living on the Sunshine Coast among the horsey set and came to Bowen today on business (she's going to be working with Kathryn Thompson, another fellow student from the old days) at Proteus Communications.

Steve made a fabulous mixed grill on the barbie: steak, "poke chops," and chorizo. The side dish was fresh fettucini with rose (need an accent there) sauce, and a mixed green salad. Red wine of course (still drinking it)...dark chocolate for dessert...

Then we bundled everyone up to take Susan down to what Miranda calls (and I wish she was right about this) the "sherry boat." All in all, a lovely evening! Now, to mark a few last essays before tomorrow morning's class--argh! Pass the bottle!

Spring (sprang, sprung)

Mom and John here for lunch on a gorgeous sunny day--they've taken Miranda out for a walk, and I'm working on my "HOME OFFICE"...



My room definitely resembles the "before" incarnation of the subject of one of those tidy-and-fix-it shows. I don't think I have the courage to post a "before" photo...maybe an "after"...eventually! Suffice it to say that the problem areas comprise an unmade bed, several loads of laundry (dirty? clean?), piles of books and papers, and, somewhere in the corner, hardly visible, what is supposed to be a desk! I think I might need a cup of tea before I face this! (Still too early in the day for something stronger!)...

Another roadside attraction

Went for a walk to return some library books today, pausing en route to admire local flora and fauna; well, mostly flora--not too many fauns--oh deer! Miranda is totally into ferns (or "shern" as she calls them) these days. That and moss ("knots"--or sometimes "knuts"). On the home front, I seem to have embarked on spring cleaning a little early this year--could it have something to do with procrastination on other tasks?! Nuts!