The Wedding

The day is here....it's time to get hitched.

Waiting for the bride...

The breeze was strong...

The band was playing...

The table was set...

And the knot was tied...presenting Graeme and Amanda Shakespeare!

Stormy skies but it didn't slow us down!

Lots of fun...

Rob makes a great speech...

Sue (mother of the groom) and Graeme have a dance and ....

Gerry (father of the bride) and Amanda share a dance...

Entertainment of the night...check this guys abs!

We all put a gold thumb print on the family tree...

The happy couple!

Party time!

The Entertainment Crew were busy organizing dance lessons.  Katie and several of the Sinclair bunch got busy!

Then it's time to get ready for the wedding...Sue pins the boutineer on Graeme's lapel.

Sue and Katie look smashing!

The Shakespeare's ...Graeme (groom), Sue, Katie and Rob (best man).

Punta Cana here we come!

 Heading to the Dominican Republic for Graeme and Amanda's wedding.  Sue, Katie and I start out at YVR.  It's a red eye flight leaving Vancouver at 10:45 pm arriving in Toronto at 6 am their time.  We have a three hour layover and then another four hour flight to Punta Cana.  We arrive about 1:30 pm feeling a wee bit tired as sleeping on the plane seems an impossibility!

We're staying at the Dreams Palm Beach which is a beautiful all inclusive resort.

Here is Sue ready to hit the beach!

The sand is like white powder...the water is clear blue and just the right temperature.

And the pool(s)....you couldn't ask for more.  Complete with a swim up bar so you could self serve but why bother when there were several waiters just waiting to bring you your favourite beverage.

25 Years!

Tonight I attended a wonderful celebration.  25 years of marriage for my ex-husband and his wife Susan.  Seems strange to some but Richard, Susan and I are close friends and it was so special that they included me in this wonderful evening.  

Such a generous couple!  Friends and family gathered in a small restaurant that belongs to friends of Susan's.  It's called Salmon n'Bannock and the food was delicious. 

So many different and unique flavours.  To start the evening off a Blessing was performed.  This is a part of Westcoast Native beliefs and helps to cleanse the sole and provide a fresh start for the next stage of their lives.  Very moving and interesting.

It took a year!

Usually when I return from a trip I choose one photo from that trip.  I have it enlarged and mounted on a plaque.  It then goes on my travel wall.  It's a great reminder of the place I visited but sometimes it's difficult to chose only one picture.  It's got to "speak" to me.  It won't necessarily be the best picture but it will be the one that captures my attention whenever I see it.  Last year at this time I had returned from a trip to Argentina and Chile.  So many pictures from so many different places and I just couldn't pick one.  I finally did and up on my wall it goes.  This is Sky.  The daughter of a woman that I stayed with in El Huecu, Árgentina.  This would be a typical day for Sky.   

What an amazing person and to me this picture brings back so many memories of a way of life so different than my own.

Spring has sprung!

Went for a walk up on Burnaby Mountain today.  It was so warm out.  The views from here of the city below are beautiful.  I forget this is here and it's a very short drive from my place.  Sometimes when we're surrounded by beauty you tend to take it for granted.  Time to stop and smell the roses (so to speak) and those roses will be plentiful up here.

"Look! It's a bird.....sort of...."

A photographer up and coming!

On April 9th I was invited to the opening night of Chris MacArthur's opening night at the art gallery on 16th Avenue in Vancouver.  This is the son of a friend of mine and it was great to meet him.  He's been working hard and it seems that it's all paying off and he's getting some well deserved recognition.  The weather was beautiful for this day.  Cold beer was served and enjoyed.

This is Chris with his sister Sarah and niece Sophie.  Lots of luck Chris!