What a Year...

Last year our 2019 Story ended with a flow in and out of our kids at different times during Dec and Jan. 

Ronald and family were able to come up from Seattle in November, January and February.  Royce and Michelle were here over Christmas, went to Florida for January, and got back to start their new pastoring job in the Salmon Arm (SA) District of BC, Feb 1^st.  We were all together mid-February.  On the 13^th we had family pictures taken by the lady that was R&R’s kindergarten teacher.  And on the 15^th was Mathea’s Baby Dedication.  On the 16th we scattered in different directions.  Royce went home, Ronald went skiing, and we took Mai & Matt to Vancouver for their flight back to Timor Leste (TL) on Feb 18. 

On our way home from Vancouver we got word that Royce had gone skiing with the school kids, and on his first run he hit icy snow, took a bad fall, and ended up with a broken collar bone, which later required surgery and about 2 months to heal.  They were scheduled to move from temporary housing to the newly renovated parsonage March 1^st, but when his surgery was scheduled for Feb 29, he had to rush to find a truck to get his stuff from storage in Kelowna get helpers to load here, and to unload in (SA), and all of this involved Hector and I.  We went to SA on the moving day of Feb 27, stayed through March 3, to help with the baby, and other things.  Friday Feb 28, Hector managed to get his sleeve caught in a saw blade that pulled his arm into he saw as it was slowing down.  So there we were… with 2 injured guys.  I said, “We don’t’ even know where the Walmart is, but we know where the hospital is!!”

The spring included many trips to SA, to help with all sorts of things that Royce needed to do… 

We also made 3 trips to Alberta this year.  In late January my only cousin from my dad’s side (age 79) ended up in Hospital, because of a fall.  She didn’t break any bones, but it was determined that she was not able to live alone anymore.  When they finally located me, they asked me to file for guardianship, and that was a long process.  I went out in May to file the papers, and by that time she had been moved 120 km from Calgary to a small town to free up beds for Covid patients.  I had to drive out there to sign papers to release her from hospital to a care facility, and within a couple weeks she was moved back to Calgary.  Meanwhile, in doing some sorting of stuff, the will was found, as well as guardianship and trustee forms, that named her god-daughter & husband (Laura & Phil), therefore I withdrew the applications I had filed, and no longer have that responsibility.  I went out in July to go through more things in the house, as Phil was planning to get the house cleaned out.  We brought a van full of things, and keepsakes.  I found the birth announcements for myself and my brother!!  We went out in October again for the last stuff that the guy doing the cleaning had saved for me as he went.  A lot of very old letters, but in one falling apart box, I just found what I believe to be the wedding picture of our grandparents.  My cousin likely didn’t even know that was in the house, as when her parents died, she remained living in their house, and she never cleaned out the basement.  It is a sad situation, and it hurts me to think that my cousin doesn’t know what is happening, and of all this stuff going to charity, garbage, or auction, and the house my uncle built in the 40’s to be sold, and most likely demolished for bigger newer housing…  The last time I left, I shed some tears, but just had to put it out of my mind and leave it in the hands of those who she designated.

Like everyone else we have been locked down for months, limited shopping, and no church or other gatherings.  BC is now in the second wave, and the restrictions have been tightened until into 2021. 

Mai and Matt were scheduled to move from TL to Sri Lanka (SL)in April or May, with Covid, obtaining the visa for SL has been delayed.  They came home from TL for their annual leave on October 1^st and had to self isolate for 14 days.  Ronald had saved some of his vacation time for when they would come home, so that he could also come up and isolate with them.  So, we were all together at Royce’s place for 2 weeks.  It was nice to be together even if we were restricted to staying on the property.  Royce borrowed a 5^th wheel for additional sleeping space, and Ronald brought Royce’s 5^th wheel. It had been at Ronald’s place while Royce was at Andrews going to school.  Royce planned to go for it in April when the roads would be snow free… but then it got stuck down there when the boarder closed in March.  Royce was not allowed to go get it.  Ronald even inquired about bringing it to the boarder, unhitching, if Royce could just cross and hitch up, but they said no. 

After their isolation was over, Mai & Matt went to Ontario to visit his family.  Their leave was scheduled to end Nov 8, but they still don’t have visas so are staying here with us until the visa’s come through, which could still be a good while.  We expect them to be here over the holidays.  Mathea will be 1 on Dec 13, and the birthday party will be via zoom.

Hector’s brother Wailu who has been doing mission work in their home country of Guyana, came home to the US early in the year for some health issues, and the birth of his first grandchild, and has been stuck there ever since.  Hector is itching to go back to Guyana with him to help out, but no one can travel, so he is stuck here at home for now.

We spent some time at out cabin this summer when we weren’t helping Royce.  But for this winter we have a couple staying in an RV right beside the cabin, and they will be looking out for everything, which gives us some peace of mind, and we won’t have to worry about the water or the pump freezing up this winter.  We have more repairs to do out there, and hope to fix up a water system from the creek, and maybe our own hydro as well.  It all takes time.  Will see how 2021 unfolds as to what we will get done.  Eventually we hope to sell all city properties and spend most of our time out there. 

When Jadon was a baby, we decided that he should call us Nana and Papa, but when he started talking he said Bapa, and that has stuck.  Now Jesiah who was 2 in August, has changed it again to Baba, and Nany, he is a delight.  He loves his Baba so much that every day he asks for Baba, and they must call so he can see Baba.  This picture is of Baba, showing him how the tractor (which he calls digger) works.  How exciting for an old boy and a young boy to do that together.

Mai-Rhea at 6 months and Mathea at 11 months

wearing the same gift dress from Auntie Cindi

Mathea's 1st Birthday Dec 13, 2020

Our zoom attendees were from 

BC, Ontario, New Brunswick, NY,  New Zealand, 

& The Netherlands

Uncle Royce praying for Mathea and the food prepared to share.

2019 in Review...

2019… Gone!! 

At letter writing time last December, we didn’t know what our Christmas plans would be…

Christmas 2018: We ended up traveling on Dec 24^th to Ronald &Tiffany’s (R&T), there we did the Christmassy thing with them. 

Hector worked with Ronald on his shower project.  Jan 1 Hector left for Florida, to help his sisters with projects they needed to do.  I was fearfully expecting to drive home alone, over mountain roads, but in the end, a friend caught a ride to Seattle to see her kids, and rode home with me.  We studied the roads and chose Stevens Pass, and had only a few miles of wet roads, then bare and dry all the way. God does care of us!!  Hector came back to Seattle mid-January. R&T drove him home, and stayed to do some skiing for the weekend.

Spring 2019: All the year-end desk work for taxes was about the same as other years, (we owned the business till Sept of 2018).  We also had to transfer everything to the new owners, & changed our land line to cell phones, etc...

In May, we spent time at our cabin in Westbridge BC, about 1.5 hr drive from Kelowna, mostly south, and a little east.  The Cabin is about 25 km North of Rock Creek and the US border.  We worked mostly on the kitchen: removed the “old” cabinets, put down new lino, and put in newer cabinets that a friend gave to Hector when renovating his house.  The cabinets were originally oak, but someone had painted them white, so they look very nice and brighten the kitchen.  We replaced the 20 gal hot water tank with a 40 gal tank.  We finished the carpet in the larger bedroom (had started it in 2017 during our big move).  It had laminate, but was too cold when the main heat is a wood stove located in the kitchen…  

End of May, Hector went back to Florida, to help his sisters complete what they had started in January.  He also went to Guyana, to help his brother start building the church we mentioned last year as the next project.  While he was gone, I got some sewing, sorting of boxes, and some office stuff done.  On my birthday, I stayed home, got out my paints, and spent the day painting.  I didn’t finish anything, but I did enjoy the day.

Hector got back on the evening of July 10 and the next day we left for Alberta to see my mom’s 2 remaining siblings.  We visited my cousin Fay in Calgary, then went to the Alberta camp meeting at Bowden for 1 night & day, where I get to see all my cousins in one place. On Sunday we went to Lacombe to visit my aunt and then on to Wetaskiwin to visit my uncle.  We headed home on Monday and arrived by 11pm.  Royce and Michelle (R&M) were here from July 22-25.  We all went to Camp Hope where R&T joined us for the first weekend.  On Monday we all went to Ronald’s for a few days.

Aug 2: R&M went to meet up with her family in Yellowstone while Hector and I flew to Florida for a great-niece’s wedding.  We arrived just in time for the family supper on Friday evening.  Their beautiful wedding was Saturday afternoon.  On Sunday most of the family spent the afternoon and evening together.  After that Hector flew to NY to help his other sister with a renovation project from Aug 7-13.  I wasn’t up to traveling again, so I stayed in FL till he came back.  9 days after the wedding, R&M came to FL to spend some time with her mom.  Hector & I spent a week with them as well.   On the 18^th we celebrated baby Jesiah’s 1^st Birthday, then flew to Seattle on the 20^th.  We spent 2 & ½ days with R&T & the kids before coming home on Friday the 23^rd.  Upon getting home we had the burden of trying to rent one of our houses that came empty.  I listed it on Facebook Marketplace.  I had over 1700 views, over 70 inquiries, and about ½ dozen viewings.  Many were students with 4-6 occupants and multiple vehicles. Since the house is only 15 feet from the one we live in, we wanted to be very careful about who we got as neighbours.  In the end, we accepted someone we know well.

Sept 17: We went to Vancouver to pick up Mai-Rhea.  She came home to be here in BC for the birth of her baby which was due Dec 30, but “SURPRISE!”  Mathea (Ma-tay-a) Hazel (my second name) Violet (named for one of my mom’s sisters)  arrived on Dec 13.  She was a tiny 5lb 7oz and 19 in.  Mai was hoping she would come early, but also, wait till her daddy came (He arrived on the 10^th), and not to be born too close to Christmas, so she met all the requirements.  She is healthy, happy, a good sleeper, and cute as a button.  It was love at first sight…

R&M are finished at Andrews and assigned as a pastor in the Salmon Arm District of BC Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.  They will officially start their new job on Feb 1^st, 2020.   Royce arrived on Dec 5 to be here to accept his shipment of household goods. Michelle and Jesiah had been in FL with her mom after American Thanks Giving (to save paying Dec rent in Michigan), and arrived here on Dec 12^th.  Traveling alone  with a baby was hard, but she still had energy to go visit Mai in hospital after 18 hrs of travel.  We came home to rest at 8:30 pm, thinking we would go back in the morning for the arrival of the baby, but by morning she was here! 

By 9 am Hector and I went to see them and find out her name.  R&M went in the afternoon.  We are all happy with the little button and so happy she is here. 

Matt, Mai-Rhea, and Mathea are booked to fly back to Timor Leste Feb 18 from Vancouver.  By then they need a birth certificate, passport, first shots, and a visit to Ontario to meet Matt’s family Feb 2-12.

Not knowing the date of the baby’s arrival, R&T arranged their trip up here for Jan 12-19.  

R&M went back to Florida to her mom’s for January. Royce is finishing his last research project while there, and will be back soon. 

 

2018 in Review

2017 brought the sale of our property 
where we had lived for 29 years, 
the move was horrendous, 
& we were very happy when it was over. 
(and the started the 4^th house on the first lot we lived on in Kelowna)

January for me was spent settling a little and catching up on desk work I had neglected during the move.  For Hector it was clearing the stuff he had stored on our own property (neighbouring the acre we had sold) because the purchaser didn’t like the looks of it and called the city.

February, we got out of here!!  We bussed to Seattle for a few days with Ron and Tiffany, then one week in NY visiting Hector’s sister Cindi & family.  One week in Florida included the 75^th birthday party for sister Ruth.  Nine days in Michigan with Royce and Michelle, during that time we drove an hour down into Indiana, to visit my pseudo-family.  We had a great time with them all.  Arriving back in Seattle, Ron & family brought us home stopping along the way to pick up a door and some lights from our pseudo-son Edgar.  An hour after our stop, 20 min up the steep Coquihalla mountain pass, the traffic came to a halt, and the road was closed behind us.  We sat there 3 hrs, while they cleaned up an accident on the other side of the divided hwy.  While waiting about 6 inches of snow collected.  They opened a single lane plowed, and we all followed a tow truck traveling below the speed limit, which was good… No one could pass and blind us in a cloud of snow. 

Pseudo-Family 
In a general sense, it refers to any group of people who are not actually related 
to a person, but who care about and protect that person 
as they would a member of their actual biological family.

March and April, for me were spent doing desk work and getting ready for the tax man to come do up my taxes. Hector was finishing the new house. In the mix were several trips to Vancouver to see Hector’s brother Art who was in hospital with subdural hematoma, (same thing Hector had after his accident in Guyana in 2015) The last week of April we went to Seattle to spend a couple days with Royce and Michelle as they were on their way to Arizona for a family vacation with her parents, brother and his fiancé.

June was a trip to Vancouver to meet up with Ronald and the kids and we all visited Art. Edgar and family joined us Saturday afternoon and evening.  July, we made a trip to Alberta to see family and celebrate my aunt’s 90th birthday. Ronald and Leah flew up to join us and we all had a lovely time. We skipped our church camp meeting at Hope BC as none of the kids could be there with us this year.

August 26^th, we met Mai & Matt at the Seattle Airport, 
and spent 3 days with them at Ronald’s place.  
Then Hector flew to Florida for his niece’s wedding, 
I went directly to Michigan to meet our 5 day old 
newest grandson “Jesiah Hector”
(pronounced like messiah) 
–Hector is in honour of both his grandfathers, 
(both called Hector, but not legally named that.) 

At 2 am when Nana finally arrived... He was awake and his parents were exhausted.

Hector joined me after the wedding,
we could only stay a week.
We had to rush to back for the quickly picking up
chimney season,
and to get a couple more days with Mai & Matt.   

They drove our van from Seattle to Vancouver
and used it for several days on business and visiting friends,
then picked us up at the Airport on September 7^th.
They came home to see our new house
and have some bonding time with us.
They flew out of here on the 11th.

Auntie Mai & Uncle Matt visited Jesiah in September,
on their annual leave.

After 33 years, we had been trying to sell our business for over a year, finally in mid-Sept the 9^th interested party turned out to be the perfect couple!!  He trained under Hector for a month, during which time he paid Hector to “work for him” and everything above the expenses he put into paying for the business, and he is now, “The happy owner of John’s Chimney Sweep!”  He calls himself “John Jr”.

I answered the phone for them a while, but his wife quickly caught on to the office work and how to answer the phone, and soon we transferred it over to her, and that was a relief.  

October, having the business sold, allowed us to be able 
to grab last minute tickets to Florida 
at word that Royce’s father-in-law passed away on Oct 21. 
Which was followed 2 days later 
by a car crashing into the family home early in the morning
while everyone still slept.
The devil is out to kill steal and destroy, 
it seems the Figuroa family, 
(possibly Royce) was his target that week.

“Praise God” Kathy, Michelle’s mom, although injured in a fall due to the stairs being demolished, suffered non-life threatening injuries, it could have been a whole lot worse.

We were in Florida till November 4^th, 
when Hector flew to Guyana, South America 
to work with his brother on an evangelistic series.  
The same day I went to Michigan to be with Royce 
till Michelle and her mom came on Nov 11^th.  
I helped him with cooking & cleaning, & just being there. 

Ronald, Tiffany & kids came on Nov 15 
for the weekend to see the new baby.

  Sunday, we had an early Thanks Giving dinner and invited my Indiana parents to join us.  They got to meet Tiffany, Jadon & Leah, for the first time, as well as baby Jesiah.  We had a wonderful time, and it was so good to have them with us for the afternoon, and so hard to say good-bye.

(My Nancy-mom) Nancy Hile with Jesiah and Jadon.

Monday Nov 19, Ronald’s family and I drove to Chicago and caught flights out at 8 am.  They went to Nebraska to spend Thanks Giving with her family, and I came home to Kelowna.  It was great to be back in my own bed!!

I have organized some boxes since home.  But have a long way to go!  I need time and space to sort, sell, throw, or give stuff away.  I am not going to stress about it.
Que Sera, Sera

Right now (Dec/Jan 2019), we are working on getting Royce’s house ready to re-rent for Jan 1^st.  It was left very clean, but a lot of damage to repair, and total repainting is needed, and I have to find and approve the new renters.  (UG!!!)

December, Hector is safely back from Guyana.  They had a successful series of meetings, with 12 baptized the last weekend, and more to follow bring the numbers up to about 30.  Property has been found to buy for a church, so next will come the building project.

Christmas this year?  No idea yet.  We could stay home, drive to Ronald’s, or go back to Florida to attend Jesiah’s baby dedication.  I am not ready for another trip, I would just like to hunker down, do my own thing, and pass the winter.  I haven’t been able to sew anything that takes more then 10 minutes for such a long time, and I have painting materials I would love to (find) and use, I still have a lot of desk work to do that has been pushed to the side (but needs to be done before April).  Staying home could be a “real good thing”!!!

Whether the Baby of Bethlehem was born in December or Spring, let us remember, he came with the special purpose of giving each of us the opportunity to accept His love, and His invitation to spend eternity with Him.  May we commit to spending time learning of Him and His ways in 2019, so that we can each answer YES to the questions in the lyrics below.  

2017 in Review

Odiyar’s Year in Review

2017 has been a very busy year.

In the fall of 2016, someone driving by noticed our big property, he call and asked if it was for sale.  I told him “everything is for sale for the right price.”  Long story short, after months of negotiations, we did sell, but not to him, as he wouldn’t meet our asking price.  We ended up sub-dividing off the irregular corner and sold one acre, which included our house, but not my parent’s house, where my cousin Darla lives.  The deal was complete June 15, they gave us 6 months to pack, clean the yard, and move. 

Needing a place to live, we decided to build the last of the 4 houses on the lot down the road, so we could move into it.  We struggled to get the plans completed in April, permit in place, home warranty, a builder, etc.  Of course all took longer than we would have liked.  Our goal was to have it complete to move into by Dec 15.  Finally got the footings in by Mid-August. 

I made 2 ice cream cakes, and we celebrated Leah and Bapa’s Birthdays Jan 7th in Seattle, Hector’s brother Wailu, sister Ruth and niece Arlene, came from Florida for the celebration. 

In April, Hector and I celebrated our 35th anniversary by babysitting Jadon and Leah while Ronald and Tiffany went to Arizona to celebrate their 10th anniversary.  We had a great time with the kids, they were so good!! 

Early June, we went to Florida for our niece Marsha’s marriage to Kenny.  We had a nice time.  Upon arrival back in Seattle, we waited 2 days for Royce and Michelle to arrive, and then we traveled back to Canada together, stopping in Vancouver for a friend’s son’s wedding.  Back in Kelowna Royce and Hector started working on cleaning the yard, and Michelle did a great job, of taking care of the kitchen, while I took care of other business, like getting quotes for all the trades of the new house.

 Mid-June, the 4 of us went back to Vancouver to pick up Mai & Matt, and then we all went to Ronald’s for about a week of “Family Vacation”.  There we celebrated my Birthday by going to Crystal Mountain and riding to the top by gondola, and later stopping at Baskin Robins for Ice Cream.  At the end, we all returned to Kelowna. 

L-R: Matt, Mai, Leah, Michelle, Royce, Hector, Beth, Jadon, Ronald, Tiffany

The July long weekend, was the 100th anniversary for our Adventist school, which I attended for 10 years, and my kids attended for 12-13 yrs.  We had a great weekend.   Mai & Matt were the last to leave on July 7th.  I was not able to start packing until after the family had all left, as you can’t have the house 1/2 torn up when you have 10 people for a weekend.  But when I started it was “pack till you drop”!!  I counted rooms, and scheduled one room per week and systematically stuck to it.  By the end I had pain in the ankle, knees, hips, shoulders, and neck, nightly I had to take pain killer to sleep. 

As summer flew by, it became apparent we would not meet our building goal.  Just when the stress of not having a place to move was getting extreme the boys that were renting the house we built last summer gave notice to move out the end of Oct.  That was a great blessing, as it is a larger house, and it gave us 6 weeks to move.  We relaxed the building push, and concentrated on the flood of chimney sweep appointments that were coming in.

  Picture below is the stage it is at right now, inside the gyproc is done, and ready for paint, flooring, and finishing. You can see the corner of the house we are in on the far right of the picture.

Mid Sept we thought we had a buyer for the business, who we trained, but last minute, they changed their mind, leaving us with the extremely busy month of October doing chimneys, instead of packing and cleaning.  I was able to keep my packing on schedule, but Hector fell way behind in yard cleaning.  Thankfully he was able to find a helper for about 6 weeks, then in Nov when it slowed down some, between jobs, they both came and worked on the yard, or on moving stuff I had packed.

We took our last load out of the house about 11:30 am on Dec 15, and by 2 pm, the new owners were knocking down trees, and in the next couple days all the buildings except the house were demolished, and carried off in a bin.  If you google “Taylor Place” Kelowna BC, you will find the concept drawings, which still have to be approved by the city. 

This move was an overwhelming job.  We are now in the new house, but definitely not settled.  Just getting here was such a long stretch of never ending work and stress that at this point, I don’t care how long the boxes stay packed.  It seems like everything needs to be done at once, but I do what I can and skip the rest.

Hector had carefully stored some items that he wanted to keep or that he intends to sell when there is time to do so, on the property that we kept back, which boarders the property sold.  The purchaser, decided that he doesn’t like the looks of the stuff stored there, so he called the city, and now we have to meet their requirements and clean up all of that.  Hector has found a garage he can store some of the stuff, and we are taking more out to our rural property.  Unfortunately, it has now snowed on all the stuff, and things are frozen down, or together.

Royce had wanted us to come spend Christmas with them in Michigan, but we had to complete this move, (and now this extra clean-up).  We were not sure how it would all work out, and didn’t have the time to search for tickets.  So we are not going until we know we have met the requirements, and are sure we are free of trouble. Hopefully we can leave by early Feb??

Thank-you to all of you who have already sent out Greetings, and newsletters. 

Our new address is:  (and picture of the house we are now in)

374 Taylor Rd, Kelowna BC V1X 4G2

2016 In Review

Well another year is unwinding.

Jan 10 Hector and I flew, Vancouver, LA, Tokyo, Singapore, Timor-Leste. It was 28 flying hours, and 11 waiting hours.  We were very happy to arrive.

The island is not a high tourist place, and Mai and Matt were both working during the week, but that was totally ok with us. We went to be with them and to see where they live, so that for the next 5 years, when they tell us something we can picture it.  

We mostly stayed home, cooked, and kept the kitchen clean, and babysat, kitten Nestor, 

potty trained him, and...

Taught him to wash dishes for his mommy!!  

(actually, we can't claim credit for these last 2 accomplishments)

  Matt and Mai were happy to have meals ready when they got home.  We also filled their fridge top freezer before we left. Staying home was a very good place to be, when it was a humid 37c (100F) outside.  For part of the afternoon, and through the night, we used the a/c, to be able to survive!!!

On Sundays we usually went somewhere, Cristo Rei,

The view of the city (Dili) from Cristo Rei

.2. The 

Brunch on the beach after our hike up 700 or so stairs to Cristo Rei.

the monument honouring the pope's visit,

k-41 beach,.4.  .  

Friday afternoons were for shopping,.Matt would borrow the ADRA truck, and we would all go. 

 During the week Mai sometimes caught a mikrolet (mikro for short), to school & always walked home in the heat because it was to hard to cross the busy street twice, to catch the mikro coming back.  Matt worked on the compound where they live.  

Mai & Matt's house on the left, the ADRA container offices on the right, at the far back the Mission President's house.

Matt & Hector picking Papaya's

The ADRA Container Offices.

The new rented office space for ADRA

After the 1^st week, Hector felt comfortable to walk to a store or market for ingredients, or building materials, as he built some shelves, and a kitty tree, for Nestor.

Nestor on his Kitty tree.

Hector building a fence for the dog they were hoping to get, but that didn't work so well, so they didin't keep him.

Mai and I with the treasurer's house in the background, and a Mission vehicle, when we were there they only had a small motorcycle, but now they have a car.

One Sabbath afternoon, on a walk along the beach.

The building that Mai transformed from Mission Office, to School.

The church

Feb 7 we went to Kuala Lumpur, to visit with our friend Yen from Kelowna, who was home to visit her family..7. 

A view of Yen's family neighbourhood.  

We got to experience Chinese New Year,.

...tour the city for a day,.

Batu Caves

Little India

.

Twin Towers

Mall at the base of the Twin Towers.

...and and we eat out a few times.  

That tall thing was really good!!

Banana leaves for plates

Lovely by the pond evening dinner, with Yen's family.

We took an over night trip out of town to visit Yen’s friend, and attend church.  

Got to participate in a several events of a family wedding,.thefirst was the evening we arrived, and just the boy's side of the family, the second, was early on Wednesday morning, and the last was the evening we were flying out, so we had to cut it a bit short, and hurry to the airport.

Hector, Beth and Yen with the bride and groom.

Upon arriving in Seattle, 

Sweet Leah!!!

we connected with a friend from Kelowna (Marleen at the far end of the table), and skipped our last flight to Vancouver, and drove home with her, getting home 2 days sooner than our bus ticket was going to get us here.  

That was good, as Ronald & Tiffany came for the weekend, to meet up with Royce and Michelle and go skiing, and Nana and Bapa, got to babysit, that was fun, the kids were so good!!

Jadon's T-shirt from Kuala Lumpur  

Jadon and Leah's Indian Outfits from Little India Kuala Lumpur.

When we left in January, I was so sad, as my mom’s youngest sister Leatha, was in hospital, doing so very poorly, I was so afraid that she might pass away while I was gone, and I would not be here.  And my mom’s youngest brother Melvin had shortly been diagnosed with cancer.  It was very hard to leave for 5 weeks. 

But when I got back I was delightfully surprised to find my aunt doing so much better, and she was in the extended care unit, waiting for a care home room to open up.  I visited her weekly, and enjoyed every visit.  Her mind was very clear, and she had determined to be happy no matter the circumstances, and that made visits something to look forward to.  She has now been moved to her 1^st choice care home, and is very happy there, and seems to be improving, can walk with a walker for short distances, is doing puzzles, and getting transit to bring her to church!!  So happy to still have her loving all of us, and keeping us in her prayers.

Leatha at her 85th Birthday

Leath with a volunteer at the care home, very nice girl visiting from Germany for a few months.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t a happy ending for my uncle.  He passed away in May.  That was very hard for his 3 older siblings who couldn’t imagine why the youngest had to go so soon.  It was also hard for me, as he was more like a brother then an uncle to me, my mom’s special little brother, closer to my age then to mom’s.


Melvin & Eileen a few years ago.  My Uncle/brother.  Miss him so much.

Early in May we went to Ronalds for a weekend.  Jadon had a minor surgery, and so were were there to stay with Leah for the day, leaving Ron & Tiff to be with Jadon, wory free.  It was Friday, so I was cleaning for Sabbath, and Leah was playing so nicely by herself, and I kept watch, but she never got into mischeif.  Into the afternoon, she was saying (age 2 1/2) "Nana tea party".  I was thinking she wanted me to make a tea party for her, so I told her I had to finish sweeping the poarch, then we could do tea party.  So as soon as I put the broom away, she was right behind me, but then she ran away into the living room, so I went to see what whe was up to, and here she had the whole tea party set up waiting for me to join her, it was a very special moment for Nana I Leah.

Hector was determined to build another house this year, wanted to start in March, but the framer dragged his feet, which delayed everything all summer.  Had to find new renters for one house for April, hate that job, but seems we got a good family. 

April and June we visited our cabin in Westbridge, and Hector spoke for the church service at the small company that meets out there.  Was nice to spend a little time out there, we love the place, but for over a year we have been looking for non druggies, to rent and care for it, but there just doesn’t seem to be anyone out that far that can be depended on, most of them don’t have jobs, and plan to farm marijuana for a living.  We have listed it hoping to sell, and get rid of one debt, seeing we can’t seem to rent it.

June was a crazy, 
I started cooking at the beginning of the month, 
for 3 events.  



June 20^th my uncle’s memorial, 
and many family here from BC, AB, WA, OR.  

June 24-25, 
Our niece Elisa graduated in Vancouver..13. 

July 1st, our neighbour/cousin’s son got married,.and more family came, including Ronald, Tiffany & kids, Mai, Matt, Royce, Michelle.  Had a full house again. 

July 3^rd 
Mai, Matt, Royce, Michelle, and I went to Alberta.  
Traveled one day, spent the evening, 
and next morning with my cousin Fay in Calgary..

On to Lacombe visited my aunt Violet .who is in assisted living there, and  saw her grandson’s new property, stayed with cousins Rod & Judy, in Morningside, 

next day went on to Wetaskiwin, to see my uncle Sam,.and stayed with his daughter Judy for the night.  

Early morning of July 6 took Mai & Matt to Edmonton A.P., to fly to Ontario.  

R, M, and I came home that day.  Then they had to get serious about packing, and I ended up there for 1.5 days helping, till I was too sore, to pick up another thing.  Their truck arrived on Wednesday the 13^th.  That weekend, they stayed here with us, and Sabbath we went with them to their church, and farewell party on the 16^th.  Royce and Michelle left for camp meeting set up, o the 17^th.  Then I had 4 days to get us ready for camp meeting.

We had our family all together for the week of camp meeting.  Mai & Matt came back from Ontario, and Ron & Tiff, came up from Seattle, so it was a really nice week. The boys got to celebrate their birthday together first time in many years..18.  

Friday night midnight we were all awoke to shouts of fire…evacuate!!  We did, but within an hour were back as the brush pile was under control.  Saturday night, Mai and Matt were taken to Vancouver to fly out for another year.  Sunday Royce took Michelle to Seattle to fly to Florida, and he came back here for 3 days, to finish up some stuff, with his churches, and to do concrete work around his house, 4 years in the waiting.  

His last day was very busy, and we barely got him to the airport on time, but he squeaked in and his bag managed to get on too.  He went to Florida to be with Michelle for a friend’s wedding, then they flew to Michigan on Aug 9, to start his next 3 years as a Masters of Divinity Student.

Aug and Sept were the big push to get the new house ready for renters by Oct 1..19.  Chimneys were starting and I was pushing the bookings into October.  Then October was crazy busy.  There are still a few details to finish, but we rented to 4 young men, sons of friends, and gave them a rent break so that we could go back and finish up later.  We have one lot, that we lived on when Mai-Rhea was born, it is 1.3 acre, and the city has allowe ud now to sub-divide, and plan to put 4 houses onto it.  The first 2 are at the back of the lots, and this one is infront of the one we built in 2011, and there is still room to build another one infront of Royce's house (hope it is not next summer).

For Canadian Thanks Giving, Ronald and family came for the celebration, but it was a triple weekend.  They arrived Thursday evening Friday about 3 pm, we had our Thanks Giving Dinner, and Jadon's 5th birthday party.   

Ane Ronald picked a few boxes of grapes, so that Saturday evening we could start  stemming what had been picked.  Sunday morning, was full into grape juice production.  by the time they left on Monday afternoon, we had about 100 Lieters of juice, and after they were gone, I got another dozen or so.

November rolled around, with very few calls for chimneys to be cleaned.  Hector has gone to Big White, our ski mountain a few times, but his days, have been only about 1-4 chimneys a day, and some days with none.  He has been cleaning up the garden and yard.  I keep trying to get desk work, and other things done in the house, seems I never get very far.

Still have renters in our basement, and this school year, I have a girl from 40 miles south, staying here for college, so the house is full.  When it was time to empty the fountain outside before freezing, I cleaned it up, and brought it into the living room, as I will enjoy it more here than outside, I never have time to sit out there, but I try to get a 20 min nap daily in my mom’s recliner, and I have now been turning it on to enjoy, the sound is relaxing, and covers other noises.

Royce & Michelle are going to see Mai & Matt before Christmas, then joining her family in Australia for the holidays.  We will be going to Auburn (Seattle) to spend Christmas with Ronald’s family.  We will stay to celebrate birthdays, Leah’s 3^rd on Jan 4, and Hector’s 65^th on Jan 9.  He is hoping that some of his siblings will come seeing it is Seattle, and much less expensive then flying into Canada.

As we finish another year, signs about us are telling that earth is running out of time.  Our ticket out of here, is simple.  Get to know the Baby of Bethlehem, & make Him first in your life. He is the way, truth, life, &  the only way to the Father John 14:6.  If you find making a commitment and sticking to it hard, take time to learn more about Desmond T. Doss, the Hero of Hacksaw Ridge, his life is a great inspiration to anyone who wishes to stay true to a commitment they have made. God Bless       

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year