tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50128477577188257872024-03-10T20:22:23.099-07:00House of HoubenLorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.comBlogger1051125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-66478557045369188632020-12-20T14:04:00.004-08:002020-12-20T14:10:15.767-08:00Pandemic year of Covid-19 2020<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I haven't blogged for nearly 1 1/2 years. I'm way behind, although the year of 2020 doesn't really count for much. Of course that isn't true, but it surely feels like it as all our dreams came crashing to the ground and are still laying in smithereens. It's been 9 months since the lockdown in BC was announced and Covid-19 hit Canada hard, although not as hard as the USA which is still reeling from the effects to this day.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I've kept a Covid diary and have written in it for the past 40 weeks. Yes, this will be week 41 of lockdown for us. Robert has worked at home since the middle of March, reaching 173 days here in his home office last week. Unbelievable. Now I know what it will be like to have him retired!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">We have to spend Christmas with our own family bubbles in 2020. We can have no family members over unless they live here already. It's just another bleak time to live through, in a very bleak year, but we have our health so far, and we have food, shelter, warmth and love. I've realized exactly what we need to live. I always knew it of course, but took it for granted.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">In June I turned 60, but there was no big celebration like there was for Robert. This is my 61st Christmas. This photo below shows me with my first doll in 1960. I will post a photo below it later, showing us 60 years later. She has been with me all these long years.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT302mSXNTo7-2X2z2x2FO-lX37frlGuUEuXG2Mrh-8xVAFxRq5HJJQNQULDuot4JssBG3JhijMqPcgP4nla_UhOcEWAOokqgHBLkiJgGLqApolBEr7smw4EPq-eNMyBsIVLeSx418fTY/s781/Loretta1stDoll2Cropped2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT302mSXNTo7-2X2z2x2FO-lX37frlGuUEuXG2Mrh-8xVAFxRq5HJJQNQULDuot4JssBG3JhijMqPcgP4nla_UhOcEWAOokqgHBLkiJgGLqApolBEr7smw4EPq-eNMyBsIVLeSx418fTY/s320/Loretta1stDoll2Cropped2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">By Loretta Williams Houben</span></div><br /><p></p>Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-48981980413350743102019-07-01T22:21:00.000-07:002019-07-01T22:21:35.891-07:00HAPPY 90TH BIRTHDAY, DEAR DAD! JULY 1ST, 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7azVsPeNHFgB6YnX2Sxs6agEAa537ehL-LjE43YHxmpomzQYZlLo5SH9e662PFNZTNxeL5AmnGSTBLSTvU6r4RL-EzvZCVJmnH7UxW86NVAPni9ZME8Fn5hYa_BrH3VxZhmWU_aZ_38/s1600/1BabyJack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1297" data-original-width="1600" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7azVsPeNHFgB6YnX2Sxs6agEAa537ehL-LjE43YHxmpomzQYZlLo5SH9e662PFNZTNxeL5AmnGSTBLSTvU6r4RL-EzvZCVJmnH7UxW86NVAPni9ZME8Fn5hYa_BrH3VxZhmWU_aZ_38/s320/1BabyJack.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's my Dad's 90th birthday today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As I type late at night, there are fireworks going off at Central Park in the distance for Canada Day, known as Dominion Day until 1982.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkaVXf9RUwjdsOprNNLXBscg5TzZGN11Yo9ut4fKuZM1xV8xu-RguHYyoKrpNHvscQPMdpkpTz7KOBx40qVXDk3a3X9LUI8x5Hey186iGjqC1xnxzKDicYWRCNrmeLtfNow69zeE5Rdg/s1600/4AlmaMayWilliamsJackieAudreyFramed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1413" data-original-width="848" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkaVXf9RUwjdsOprNNLXBscg5TzZGN11Yo9ut4fKuZM1xV8xu-RguHYyoKrpNHvscQPMdpkpTz7KOBx40qVXDk3a3X9LUI8x5Hey186iGjqC1xnxzKDicYWRCNrmeLtfNow69zeE5Rdg/s320/4AlmaMayWilliamsJackieAudreyFramed.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I can hardly believe my Dad is 90! It's quite amazing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">We celebrated on Saturday, May 4th because Marlene and Dan couldn't make it in July.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> However, today we took him out for ice cream at Burnaby Village Museum, and he really enjoyed that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is a collage of photos of his young life.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtT6Wpu6hvpf4wToLoPLE2_bCQy0hU_K5theabIw-vbTdgaNCum3PEJQWzKH3TK8IkX5QWSbAU8wtcZsFlltQvLQeca34ZIfwiKeY7tiEvUjnYXpCHEY_R6QBqiidw8XDXhXpcZRnSCtA/s1600/6Aug1932JackieWilliamsAge4SpaldingSK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="929" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtT6Wpu6hvpf4wToLoPLE2_bCQy0hU_K5theabIw-vbTdgaNCum3PEJQWzKH3TK8IkX5QWSbAU8wtcZsFlltQvLQeca34ZIfwiKeY7tiEvUjnYXpCHEY_R6QBqiidw8XDXhXpcZRnSCtA/s320/6Aug1932JackieWilliamsAge4SpaldingSK.jpg" width="185" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I think he was a very cute boy. Matthew reminded me of him so much. I think they have a similar nature.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRg4shywLG16K0w9Fx-VpVrt_rXf5QJ1tK4aPNPWsNz_hptqdF3QkV2uVJgnby3YWi5m91BK4zyHYxG_sNEpu_yyBuU8fIVLxkgBhi0H_W9n4Hi1g-r5fKmlubvt4Q4IuAOLL2h06qYg/s1600/7GramaWilliamsAndHerBrood2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1009" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRg4shywLG16K0w9Fx-VpVrt_rXf5QJ1tK4aPNPWsNz_hptqdF3QkV2uVJgnby3YWi5m91BK4zyHYxG_sNEpu_yyBuU8fIVLxkgBhi0H_W9n4Hi1g-r5fKmlubvt4Q4IuAOLL2h06qYg/s320/7GramaWilliamsAndHerBrood2.jpg" width="201" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> From his prairie days to his life in the big city, Dad seemed to always enjoy each day. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_7V-csYVKEmrVgwz9Sx9casgEl-aWosAPJQOKMM55vTT5ozzYT9YtCRCq_L2DCohqee3pp3UhL0Zi5FRMm7rmVAsOPZpJb3YN53D3YHF87CjMqvEDNCCx7rwl8i1RmXXNZFG4m9nFsc/s1600/8GrowingFamily1938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="945" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_7V-csYVKEmrVgwz9Sx9casgEl-aWosAPJQOKMM55vTT5ozzYT9YtCRCq_L2DCohqee3pp3UhL0Zi5FRMm7rmVAsOPZpJb3YN53D3YHF87CjMqvEDNCCx7rwl8i1RmXXNZFG4m9nFsc/s320/8GrowingFamily1938.jpg" width="189" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I wrote a birthday piece about him for the Renfrew Collingwood newspaper, and it was published and I picked up a few copies on Friday. Once it's online I'll post it on this blog.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgyi2EEKvY2y-jDePaLNTUOghxjAihnWpg5qh946whPpp2Vu2e4RPcChgdzvn_R4kjVcfcaV5ghQjgGhGChq4BEkqHiGD_x23HD1ETe2yCmzxUSonOWm4vIa6Dd0xAvcD1p5zvMmC2zQM/s1600/9Nov6th1941NaicamTrainStn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="561" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgyi2EEKvY2y-jDePaLNTUOghxjAihnWpg5qh946whPpp2Vu2e4RPcChgdzvn_R4kjVcfcaV5ghQjgGhGChq4BEkqHiGD_x23HD1ETe2yCmzxUSonOWm4vIa6Dd0xAvcD1p5zvMmC2zQM/s320/9Nov6th1941NaicamTrainStn.jpg" width="187" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I'm so thankful and blessed to have parents who are godly and dedicated to each other and to their family. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IKEAj9S0U-GHad6RTCWh2AU9b49r6y5kCVsBII_4VmXPA0aMEAhX5-L0lgjtWtKAl1zsFRl513gSaz0maQWJDoDyiZzNslZBsX4NBxKLp2opSXsUnyLXD6Ss9IH-krh2ZVTNrHFL0j8/s1600/10Williams1940sCordovaStreetHouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1344" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IKEAj9S0U-GHad6RTCWh2AU9b49r6y5kCVsBII_4VmXPA0aMEAhX5-L0lgjtWtKAl1zsFRl513gSaz0maQWJDoDyiZzNslZBsX4NBxKLp2opSXsUnyLXD6Ss9IH-krh2ZVTNrHFL0j8/s320/10Williams1940sCordovaStreetHouse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> It means a great deal to me in this present day and age in which we live. I'm glad my Dad valued his life and chose to follow the Lord at a young age, and live up to his full potential. He didn't have an easy life, but he never shirked his duty. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHtnSKaIXSIsXesi_CFH3dJC6ILW7nVm-r7g7sfP9UxtZXcJKiLRKQ61F2yyAd-zlfCie-ljs1TPOxnVQMFaf10-a1qN0tdnvP_Y7GvVKu1CieSaIHKr-pFE_0g5apjuDrUUzJNeShzE/s1600/11At2163DundasSt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1055" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHtnSKaIXSIsXesi_CFH3dJC6ILW7nVm-r7g7sfP9UxtZXcJKiLRKQ61F2yyAd-zlfCie-ljs1TPOxnVQMFaf10-a1qN0tdnvP_Y7GvVKu1CieSaIHKr-pFE_0g5apjuDrUUzJNeShzE/s320/11At2163DundasSt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Dad didn't forsake his wife or desert her, and he always brought home a steady paycheck. He took us on summer holidays, and was there each weekend. He never went golfing or fishing. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXp0MIMWFbLeuXrXRBlDuef-PjRLnLFk9r89ggpx0fwdsrd8eo4K_jzF2vVzyWWijeilhuodezTf3N34d9VdDQ-z37CeX4wQ6mmPUM4Ggk904BHKZ73PjQaatrxuu6pZut_RP-suJ4DBA/s1600/12JackWilliamsSchoolPhotoAge15Tweaked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="287" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXp0MIMWFbLeuXrXRBlDuef-PjRLnLFk9r89ggpx0fwdsrd8eo4K_jzF2vVzyWWijeilhuodezTf3N34d9VdDQ-z37CeX4wQ6mmPUM4Ggk904BHKZ73PjQaatrxuu6pZut_RP-suJ4DBA/s320/12JackWilliamsSchoolPhotoAge15Tweaked.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> He took us to church each Sunday, and lived an upright, Christian life, and was a good example of what a good and holy man could be even in the decadent world in which we presently live. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9l81Hz-sOI5J2oQrp8Z0Xi0c8zh8zvwQ7S3YTLO9hfxkBCJr_Th3hMpGTNTDO70wI6ksdaq0AyF3ow1sWgyiO45NbwiMA42E9oYL1nrQLNtu6vHlCcyL8RcOTVytAAb81M_5dHeyt8RU/s1600/13TempletonHighSchool1943Grade9Tweaked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="987" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9l81Hz-sOI5J2oQrp8Z0Xi0c8zh8zvwQ7S3YTLO9hfxkBCJr_Th3hMpGTNTDO70wI6ksdaq0AyF3ow1sWgyiO45NbwiMA42E9oYL1nrQLNtu6vHlCcyL8RcOTVytAAb81M_5dHeyt8RU/s320/13TempletonHighSchool1943Grade9Tweaked.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Dad was fortunate to marry a Christian woman who stuck by his side, and they have been married for nearly 64 years. I'm thankful that my Mom was a true help-meet for him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> No, I've never taken my parents for granted, and I'm grateful for my dear Dad, Jack Williams, and his love for his family. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Happy birthday, dear Dad, and God bless you richly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Love always...Loretta</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-67242454628189056102019-04-04T08:00:00.000-07:002019-04-04T08:00:05.117-07:00Happy 60th birthday, Robert!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Happy 60th birthday, dear Robert!</span></div>
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<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-20057954506518907492019-04-03T22:34:00.002-07:002020-12-20T14:12:16.113-08:00Our 37th wedding anniversary.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I still say "I do!"</span></div>
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Then...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4qUu6rl5jgRPtnRBzkcF8Z6Q2xn6c3KyY82aK6X9S9Az6KJAJvUle5zRclOJxtkJWQ2mwnIQ2DWK9H7v80ead-rTFU9bk9Qf-_f0aePMJxVFNeIGyr2mTD2WjP63OSPnCt369qjnofM/s1600/2019Mar31AnniversaryRoses.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4qUu6rl5jgRPtnRBzkcF8Z6Q2xn6c3KyY82aK6X9S9Az6KJAJvUle5zRclOJxtkJWQ2mwnIQ2DWK9H7v80ead-rTFU9bk9Qf-_f0aePMJxVFNeIGyr2mTD2WjP63OSPnCt369qjnofM/s320/2019Mar31AnniversaryRoses.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">....and now!</span></div>
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Me more, my darling! xo</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-51206075628918265422019-03-17T21:06:00.001-07:002019-03-17T21:10:46.508-07:00One year without Kelsie...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtdPxklCZ6CEJ-nwh6AYByQiOaKzFJY5jZSMx54oTd6NR91rT3yiX2SGYB_1ux-F9xT11fzgYmjBL0n2D446jGVPlWWsYC_SF9JTnzoeKTT2sCdDCBBT2gU8auel-adRFEIEWZ_Bi6AE/s1600/DSCN7570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtdPxklCZ6CEJ-nwh6AYByQiOaKzFJY5jZSMx54oTd6NR91rT3yiX2SGYB_1ux-F9xT11fzgYmjBL0n2D446jGVPlWWsYC_SF9JTnzoeKTT2sCdDCBBT2gU8auel-adRFEIEWZ_Bi6AE/s320/DSCN7570.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today is March 17, 2019.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A whole year has passed by since Kelsie died.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've been thinking so much about her this weekend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The other night she was in my dreams all night long.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The other week I heard her collar jingle from the laundry room. Truly. She will always remain a part of me.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0ZxQSLWKC5gW4N682kagINTLWXZ-SjBPgMvoBmFCAZDGbMUiLwyF-zTukH9c7go1PuPeApUcKSsmL-QMuFTMR7LzGNzwjDPnxNGgl8svg4Tfg_FU6e7xXatvqtJv2uRVp7RqPDhY2VU/s1600/DSCN7569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0ZxQSLWKC5gW4N682kagINTLWXZ-SjBPgMvoBmFCAZDGbMUiLwyF-zTukH9c7go1PuPeApUcKSsmL-QMuFTMR7LzGNzwjDPnxNGgl8svg4Tfg_FU6e7xXatvqtJv2uRVp7RqPDhY2VU/s320/DSCN7569.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">These photos in this post were taken on April 28, 2009; ten years ago on Kelsie's 8th birthday. Oh the happy days when dear Dad could see, and he and Mom would walk over to visit, sit a while, and walk back home. This was one of the happiest times of my life. I tried so hard not to take it for granted. Dad was 79 in this picture, and Mom was 75. Kelsie loved it when they visited.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtrSKXMDQL30a4VmJCM3fE5mJugTmqlj_EaQYw-Wdw670RDBCPxsqj6vlj9tD18DRxdfXcXNF_uJaBVqQYf6PYtQpzcNleK9M_v5ct6bxIZt8d94XiIbdPyvVq8-OrMM0hZkJURlnIvuw/s1600/DSCN7576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtrSKXMDQL30a4VmJCM3fE5mJugTmqlj_EaQYw-Wdw670RDBCPxsqj6vlj9tD18DRxdfXcXNF_uJaBVqQYf6PYtQpzcNleK9M_v5ct6bxIZt8d94XiIbdPyvVq8-OrMM0hZkJURlnIvuw/s320/DSCN7576.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This lovely home and beautiful garden is long gone, on Aberdeen Street and Vanness. Everything is so ugly now. No one plants tulips or has a garden. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC37wqd2tiT8EI8-oR28a4IzCRgd_1Oxj4fFGTNpOA0cTpUnBW6ml7LcFhJA_TPhfX1Ke-YQtVQJT9gDGTH2TtJNZcjFi6gW4TL81yWz21NW0WaIh-9KY7u2anxfb04yYeDccH8JjZs0g/s1600/DSCN7581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC37wqd2tiT8EI8-oR28a4IzCRgd_1Oxj4fFGTNpOA0cTpUnBW6ml7LcFhJA_TPhfX1Ke-YQtVQJT9gDGTH2TtJNZcjFi6gW4TL81yWz21NW0WaIh-9KY7u2anxfb04yYeDccH8JjZs0g/s320/DSCN7581.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kelsie's 8th birthday cake. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6EGQgopuedQ19CVDi7ytVj3ofuNCIKlNfJ2ts9fwYVJ8eNUJhC-ZWnsysf13RHb79re_ZXOisp5Ss5S75xjMfFstftj3djnhCR04BjHpsM4CE934FE_njc1hMA5233O9YUpJjlIUPxo/s1600/DSCN7582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6EGQgopuedQ19CVDi7ytVj3ofuNCIKlNfJ2ts9fwYVJ8eNUJhC-ZWnsysf13RHb79re_ZXOisp5Ss5S75xjMfFstftj3djnhCR04BjHpsM4CE934FE_njc1hMA5233O9YUpJjlIUPxo/s320/DSCN7582.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A walk in the evening too, under the gorgeous Kanzan cherry trees.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HRDXB-OQZ__UetjoFfoPmoZoIxNUzRa_h8q87IqLtijFtdoRuj5_nmGH6myL7HnPIEwj_WuCeX8huuf9HeKG1_Phti0sExbiBbxzYL1XWwMQLvX9beaO2ewO06wCfr-2iNWRA-jrMCY/s1600/DSCN7591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HRDXB-OQZ__UetjoFfoPmoZoIxNUzRa_h8q87IqLtijFtdoRuj5_nmGH6myL7HnPIEwj_WuCeX8huuf9HeKG1_Phti0sExbiBbxzYL1XWwMQLvX9beaO2ewO06wCfr-2iNWRA-jrMCY/s320/DSCN7591.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What are they looking at? We often wandered far from home. Kelsie was ecstatic. On this occasion, we had given Matthew a lift home. He used to live in this area. I had actually forgotten until I looked at the street signs! So Kelsie had a car ride too, on her birthday. She adored car rides.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuN3lMYCqHgr9JKtH9vQZ43VBa6N11_TpjjPrW3HtnPeTBuGIVjvL2y1ImX-QDJB9ttLysG5zhT9SsB40nEHB13Z3Y-6je8YkKz3nu_O29be08Cz_C6ZmZvoqB8aKdMDIZ7NZ2oY2zSr0/s1600/DSCN7594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuN3lMYCqHgr9JKtH9vQZ43VBa6N11_TpjjPrW3HtnPeTBuGIVjvL2y1ImX-QDJB9ttLysG5zhT9SsB40nEHB13Z3Y-6je8YkKz3nu_O29be08Cz_C6ZmZvoqB8aKdMDIZ7NZ2oY2zSr0/s320/DSCN7594.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then she would sleep very well at night. Sometimes she would bark softly in her sleep. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Good night, dear little dog. An era is at an end. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">By Loretta Houben</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-83052544452156748462019-02-09T21:45:00.001-08:002019-02-09T21:45:26.309-08:00Happy 30th birthday, Matthew!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnf4hrSTMx3DDr0KhxzDP8_n6jGSnDy5xzKFmeQ0c-itomNAn6sXdMKFGKP4J_GxxoX2cdK-hZdo3UXFKT8MR2d6R3UmINZtE7RZYoTvf6TV973kBa4eqTHFzA-4-h2TLWsBfoBuSmUQE/s1600/2019Feb9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnf4hrSTMx3DDr0KhxzDP8_n6jGSnDy5xzKFmeQ0c-itomNAn6sXdMKFGKP4J_GxxoX2cdK-hZdo3UXFKT8MR2d6R3UmINZtE7RZYoTvf6TV973kBa4eqTHFzA-4-h2TLWsBfoBuSmUQE/s320/2019Feb9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today, February 9th, Matthew is 30!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Who can believe it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's amazing how the years have flown by.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm sure to Matthew they didn't seem that quick, but to me his mother they seem like a dream.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqOWF0DYJQDG78NQlK8_Qzjm2fQO3uPNhpAxgURuKMTgschHPtAHbDNclmQo9TeqJs8szOx6C2sHYpLn-aOWU6-75fbjTTHnRdrBDpCDLjly5nf3IXBzmbdyLV3EduO5pT95_rC2Ve5I/s1600/2019Feb9MatthewsMeal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqOWF0DYJQDG78NQlK8_Qzjm2fQO3uPNhpAxgURuKMTgschHPtAHbDNclmQo9TeqJs8szOx6C2sHYpLn-aOWU6-75fbjTTHnRdrBDpCDLjly5nf3IXBzmbdyLV3EduO5pT95_rC2Ve5I/s320/2019Feb9MatthewsMeal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had wanted to celebrate all three big 0 birthdays together...but it may not happen. Robert is turning 60 this year, and Dad is turning 90! The picture above is Matthew's meal; tilapia fish.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxG_m_FXtIh4fhPTwSQtPkfesuwIBF46GasenKY7yCRZaYfQ9ihNR7N1a5c5OTeNR_FgYdAYLBISXgpBGcHfMue9rCKrDKVb1fQoD8ybme-HwPVFDNwIFvz_bV6EgpFrWtu5VWyjb6bog/s1600/2019Feb9MatthewLovesHisFish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxG_m_FXtIh4fhPTwSQtPkfesuwIBF46GasenKY7yCRZaYfQ9ihNR7N1a5c5OTeNR_FgYdAYLBISXgpBGcHfMue9rCKrDKVb1fQoD8ybme-HwPVFDNwIFvz_bV6EgpFrWtu5VWyjb6bog/s320/2019Feb9MatthewLovesHisFish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tonight we went out for dinner at the James Street Cafe on Canada Way and Smith in Burnaby BC. It has a delicious African/East Indian cuisine. We love the flavour.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cTQHpMQ6fRcGpychsXMFpDH8sRyedylq9p4c5epNCQmXbfvc47EW9yl5BDuur_rLd7vGryg22LdhS66_J8juueokp_0wAkoqhVWVqUTTk9fA3357zo8Bs_ttZM_GS6DM2ouoCQ8qS0A/s1600/2019Feb9MyMeal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cTQHpMQ6fRcGpychsXMFpDH8sRyedylq9p4c5epNCQmXbfvc47EW9yl5BDuur_rLd7vGryg22LdhS66_J8juueokp_0wAkoqhVWVqUTTk9fA3357zo8Bs_ttZM_GS6DM2ouoCQ8qS0A/s320/2019Feb9MyMeal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This was my dish; masala potatoes and choma chicken.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOcXidKfdQ1Cv-2epWezdz8GETUKx8OoOBFweTVVvObdv-t-ihomm3Xowx7eZNDwQOa_Vkk_8n3Dfqgt2pYb_AcVjeRofXbQgRY1AxvDAHIzkt88z1dqmtjOgxQLgbpAYN42EGoYC1cK8/s1600/2019Feb9RobertsMeal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOcXidKfdQ1Cv-2epWezdz8GETUKx8OoOBFweTVVvObdv-t-ihomm3Xowx7eZNDwQOa_Vkk_8n3Dfqgt2pYb_AcVjeRofXbQgRY1AxvDAHIzkt88z1dqmtjOgxQLgbpAYN42EGoYC1cK8/s320/2019Feb9RobertsMeal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Robert had the curried prawns with Indian tea.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Last weekend we went to Chilliwack and had lunch at Dickens Sweets, meeting Margaret, Wim and Antoon there. Tuesday evening we had dinner here at home, then went to my parents home for homemade brownie cake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So we celebrated three times!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'll post photos of that in another entry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm so glad we were blessed with dear Matthew. He has been a joy to us, and so kind and loving. He still makes me laugh. I still miss him living at home, although it now seems like a very long time ago that he did live here, as he moved away over 10 years ago now. We wish the best for him in his life ahead in his 30's. May God bless him and may Matthew find his true delight and joy in the Lord one day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By Loretta Houben</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-16925565829161205852018-12-17T09:26:00.001-08:002018-12-17T09:26:50.008-08:009 months ago...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8nUZPU-MZ28ZsLRbSOgNs40f1luyZra3AtWuo1X4FQWoCCC5sxPssrnEWMbtJmhfJdEHLv_XyUzBq0aAV_vHP3OdjhHtE6nuYxjqU4BFCDDJSro-zF0OPVVkuPus1hFSu8R5ZMpjxo8/s1600/2017-12-24+iPhone+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8nUZPU-MZ28ZsLRbSOgNs40f1luyZra3AtWuo1X4FQWoCCC5sxPssrnEWMbtJmhfJdEHLv_XyUzBq0aAV_vHP3OdjhHtE6nuYxjqU4BFCDDJSro-zF0OPVVkuPus1hFSu8R5ZMpjxo8/s320/2017-12-24+iPhone+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This was Christmas Eve last year, in 2017; Kelsie's last Christmas. It was 9 months ago today she died. This whole year has felt very flat and 2 dimensional. I guess you would say I'm dearly attached to living things, including pets. What will I do when my loved ones die? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTS4V-3SjLsgb_J50AlE2YexSfhoRbpWaqzjUYoOMpGZfXwBcThRY_NF-A7NdGF6WQEArDObe5BdS9-5VX153yBEBJMy5iceUTNZyxY2Z6fliVGhJvKrG50WNI91cNorxtrgbQzu2GC5I/s1600/2017-12-25+iPhone+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTS4V-3SjLsgb_J50AlE2YexSfhoRbpWaqzjUYoOMpGZfXwBcThRY_NF-A7NdGF6WQEArDObe5BdS9-5VX153yBEBJMy5iceUTNZyxY2Z6fliVGhJvKrG50WNI91cNorxtrgbQzu2GC5I/s320/2017-12-25+iPhone+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I still miss Kelsie a great deal. But I can go whole days now without feeling angst. I just feel a loss, like something sweet is perpetually missing or misplaced. For Christmas this year, I hung her stocking in her room. She loved that stocking so much. It has bells and jingles when it's shaken. Yes, we always put out her stocking which she loved to open on Christmas morning. Last year she wasn't greatly interested. She seemed tired a lot.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUGlMhkNqGaOFr8p39EvhL0J66u2tY6rubGSz756FO5U4tDgEtKQYxBA71aUQFwc7pia1b9P8Tqm3Fy4aFGnL4x1ZJwRqq-pAJxAF-bHff3kuHbJ8_1GJRMYr6we7TJWofHBMtZN5a04/s1600/2017-12-25+iPhone+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUGlMhkNqGaOFr8p39EvhL0J66u2tY6rubGSz756FO5U4tDgEtKQYxBA71aUQFwc7pia1b9P8Tqm3Fy4aFGnL4x1ZJwRqq-pAJxAF-bHff3kuHbJ8_1GJRMYr6we7TJWofHBMtZN5a04/s320/2017-12-25+iPhone+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here she is trying to see what's inside.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQ-almBHWqSFtrY1495kTx0hAfWQz6IHKYUsUoYtyWRv1wrYMW24jpD4FrlyLUKA7Ih2yBIj01cBfMvEZUYMmfHv8tK744zv38mRKHIjw3fHTR_YnSinGZhPiCX2WuDEiCDQ3XzKigtU/s1600/2017-12-25+iPhone+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQ-almBHWqSFtrY1495kTx0hAfWQz6IHKYUsUoYtyWRv1wrYMW24jpD4FrlyLUKA7Ih2yBIj01cBfMvEZUYMmfHv8tK744zv38mRKHIjw3fHTR_YnSinGZhPiCX2WuDEiCDQ3XzKigtU/s320/2017-12-25+iPhone+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This was a gift from Mom and Dad. They loved to spoil her at Christmas. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIUcC34dCia9RFrjFG4vqPrPNVztlwKQvwy1JYPGFj42lQTB1Rebf55DHAoHZINzLyeKj9xh3mH_LKvs7CuGDphs7fuSOTvVtvVJ_L-pjxpaBBOgCn8NpOkjBxhoIdURn6QUqs9wr9s74/s1600/2017-12-25+iPhone+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIUcC34dCia9RFrjFG4vqPrPNVztlwKQvwy1JYPGFj42lQTB1Rebf55DHAoHZINzLyeKj9xh3mH_LKvs7CuGDphs7fuSOTvVtvVJ_L-pjxpaBBOgCn8NpOkjBxhoIdURn6QUqs9wr9s74/s320/2017-12-25+iPhone+009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kelsie really liked this squeak toy; the only thing she was interested in. She played with it quite a bit in the few months she had left. In only 3 months she was gone, and I didn't know it was coming, although I did notice she was very tired and old and loved to sleep a great deal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I still cry when I remember her. I just want her back so badly. Dear sweet little dog of mine...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">By Loretta Houben</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-75513753273371786432018-09-17T22:33:00.001-07:002018-09-17T22:33:36.649-07:006 months ago....1/2 year....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY8j0GVks5xex2xCcnzIzeoAzvbGnWOobLKYKjSO3y2HdHMUMg4-FSRVphFgnanlCQ9B9ppuifzhxGVcVrXtLaPLmE5zghRX_9ENQaMj2iKC1piUw2BcTeOSs3Uf9RXSm2jPXVquLQ7Wg/s1600/DSCN1786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY8j0GVks5xex2xCcnzIzeoAzvbGnWOobLKYKjSO3y2HdHMUMg4-FSRVphFgnanlCQ9B9ppuifzhxGVcVrXtLaPLmE5zghRX_9ENQaMj2iKC1piUw2BcTeOSs3Uf9RXSm2jPXVquLQ7Wg/s320/DSCN1786.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">6 long months without dear Kelsie.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Things are starting to fade...some of the memories are growing dim, but every once in a while it seems like she is just around the corner. Recently I thought I heard her whine, and Leona heard her collar jingle. So she is still "with us". </span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-44560316864434114212018-09-04T16:05:00.001-07:002018-09-04T16:05:41.536-07:00The first day of school.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBaLwTfMr6t65Ndaf45oJPMl6_SuCF8pIBmA1wl2w08n0L6zQQps6unnFfBMzmX7NooXJ4rUTpOmPOQKfh57EuTTR-j77SAoUbeOU2sGumZX6TIhT7AgWmdkPwmRHrMGVyUtqtYXZViw/s1600/SchoolNotebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="789" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBaLwTfMr6t65Ndaf45oJPMl6_SuCF8pIBmA1wl2w08n0L6zQQps6unnFfBMzmX7NooXJ4rUTpOmPOQKfh57EuTTR-j77SAoUbeOU2sGumZX6TIhT7AgWmdkPwmRHrMGVyUtqtYXZViw/s320/SchoolNotebook.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I found this image online. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is exactly like the notebooks which we received FREE from the Vancouver School board on the first day of school; one for each subject. We also got pencils, eraser, crayons, paste, scissors, etc, all provided for FREE. We didn't get a ball point pen until Grade 3 when we were 8 years old.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My Mom provided the box to keep our supplies in. It was always a used chocolate box, covered in mac-tac paper; sticky on one side, a pattern on the other side. I remember she bought it at Harvey's on Kingsway. We kept the box in our desks, and it was never stolen.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2W2qLK2FEuYEZUXWCL77LdInNVDD_Ts1WMpR6iZHiIBpZI-UWYX_UIIFWXRo8BUD7VPnQqTknZefluzHkcxKLBgJNbQLVHlf3brV2IEgWwLcH8TzNKqsK5ZHg0zevAZ7SuIhcu7Rm_M/s1600/1967NovLorettaOnWayToSchoolFramed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="674" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2W2qLK2FEuYEZUXWCL77LdInNVDD_Ts1WMpR6iZHiIBpZI-UWYX_UIIFWXRo8BUD7VPnQqTknZefluzHkcxKLBgJNbQLVHlf3brV2IEgWwLcH8TzNKqsK5ZHg0zevAZ7SuIhcu7Rm_M/s320/1967NovLorettaOnWayToSchoolFramed.png" width="318" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One of the very rare going to school photos I have.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We had a strict dress code in those days. Girls wore dresses and weren't allowed to wear pants. I didn't have a knapsack. I carried my books to school in a plastic bread bag, washed out and dried before using of course. I'm wearing a scarf on my head because I was prone to colds and later ear infections.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkk2HAhM0uAVl4o3iH4mV6P6p_IEcbtYAL0oqNb-uu7ShdHe0nnDKb6npYiSOM-15tE3wek_3mLiNq740UnKQcwAssuErYsKzobzFeCH3lZRkBbi_cqeg5_vbPgpzuDV8ZvgVB3BK6g0Y/s1600/1967NovLeonaInFrontYardOnWayToSchoolAge5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="604" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkk2HAhM0uAVl4o3iH4mV6P6p_IEcbtYAL0oqNb-uu7ShdHe0nnDKb6npYiSOM-15tE3wek_3mLiNq740UnKQcwAssuErYsKzobzFeCH3lZRkBbi_cqeg5_vbPgpzuDV8ZvgVB3BK6g0Y/s320/1967NovLeonaInFrontYardOnWayToSchoolAge5.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here is Leona in the same year; 1967. She was in Kindergarten, so she was 5. I was 7 and in Grade 2 that year. I absolutely loved school! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By Loretta Houben</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-78141399024149997242018-08-17T09:35:00.000-07:002018-08-17T09:35:21.146-07:005 months ago....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HlwdsMzFS-QNQgfysEn6GIxEZmKTTQVLYt_nj2d_FBWQblF6nd1yHv8_-us2vc2bmQoGVDwnyuk1Y_OzimGIXjR3s_F1_KPXrbigXwz3bCC0M15krcaS6SOCNAnf_IW9f4Fnie7Qj4Q/s1600/IMG_0581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HlwdsMzFS-QNQgfysEn6GIxEZmKTTQVLYt_nj2d_FBWQblF6nd1yHv8_-us2vc2bmQoGVDwnyuk1Y_OzimGIXjR3s_F1_KPXrbigXwz3bCC0M15krcaS6SOCNAnf_IW9f4Fnie7Qj4Q/s320/IMG_0581.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I still cry when I remember Kelsie.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The tears just ooze into my eyes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But 17 years is a very long time to have a doggy companion, especially one who was so fond of me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was only 5 months ago she left us forever. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here she is laying on the bedspread. I had taken the sheets off to remake the bed, and I looked around and there she was!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq9vrQ4uLVlJGP7DKxT8TWWJUJojJGCu4aP5NvcNBx-82wdO7cs0sIBSwOSQAQccybI0stsSfZ2exj8TmeQZ9lenxfRaDshrdi4O_XQSDmtowMO8PYQ5uRiDH1vy0oYvImCLuit3rqJck/s1600/IMG_1369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq9vrQ4uLVlJGP7DKxT8TWWJUJojJGCu4aP5NvcNBx-82wdO7cs0sIBSwOSQAQccybI0stsSfZ2exj8TmeQZ9lenxfRaDshrdi4O_XQSDmtowMO8PYQ5uRiDH1vy0oYvImCLuit3rqJck/s320/IMG_1369.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">These photos are from 2006. I have many pictures of Kelsie and I'm sooooo glad I do! We had such fun times together. She loved to lay on the back step and keep an eye on things. It was a little hard to get out the door though! She never liked to move once she had laid down.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqQeEfMgcZdDXvjQZL1U6nwkD-Zc4augaqsR_WNsyjDu9coumv_F1BVuPNh34FAno7oosWS0LpM6tTmgNIyzvbbmKGzvo_uZ-zxhuS9sG1l3qdkrgihVGFvEk-TiE2NJj8_5-w70MXdA/s1600/IMG_1603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqQeEfMgcZdDXvjQZL1U6nwkD-Zc4augaqsR_WNsyjDu9coumv_F1BVuPNh34FAno7oosWS0LpM6tTmgNIyzvbbmKGzvo_uZ-zxhuS9sG1l3qdkrgihVGFvEk-TiE2NJj8_5-w70MXdA/s320/IMG_1603.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kelsie adored my Dad. She always laid down at his feet when he visited. I miss those days of his visits. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life is extremely short.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You think it will last forever, as it sure feels that way when you are young. But be prepared. Enjoy each precious day when it comes. Take nothing for granted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have enjoyed all the days God has blessed me with, but looking back they seem like a mist; like a dream.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">However I'm grateful for each one of them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm grateful for the happiness which bubbled inside all the hours I've lived with my loved ones, both human and animal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By Loretta Houben</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-62670212378864214312018-07-17T22:54:00.001-07:002018-07-17T22:54:53.860-07:004 months ago....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGKTOVBVHTSDyDG5NmTgF-YmarKdYvSaieU9ntD6bSwB1BJ6vVQtNinpXCxGGHiQeUPo7eKrqHOuhaHocyLOrCWWbwEwfh-_jwgwRwUW16q4Nnsptz0-Lrq1l5MnZ7jUyoDUheKxd8lQ/s1600/IMG_8475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGKTOVBVHTSDyDG5NmTgF-YmarKdYvSaieU9ntD6bSwB1BJ6vVQtNinpXCxGGHiQeUPo7eKrqHOuhaHocyLOrCWWbwEwfh-_jwgwRwUW16q4Nnsptz0-Lrq1l5MnZ7jUyoDUheKxd8lQ/s320/IMG_8475.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">4 months ago, Kelsie died.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Robert and I were at 3rd beach today, so I didn't remember in the morning. I still miss her very much. The other night I had a nice dream about her; she was in the whole dream, and I held her and could feel her warm fur and her paws. Last month when Robert was at a Scout camp, it felt like she was in the living room with me, right beside me. It was the oddest sensation, yet very comforting. Most of all I miss our walks, and now in these very hot days of summer, I miss her on the deck with me, sharing ice cream.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh Kelsie, I cannot forget you.</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-35394790934704762742018-04-17T14:46:00.001-07:002018-04-17T14:50:15.769-07:00One month ago...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXoc9SrsW5wT8lDKvoNJXjv-hcSRhjwctYBy4q380GWs0YXYnIAOL36QxWROQ29440L4J4iCixUxOU3WWJ6pIM4N3cQHiw3JhZkokMq6ibVxarIhTmNAA3dYErdB-PqnF_104C5pxq6s/s1600/2016-07+dowload+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXoc9SrsW5wT8lDKvoNJXjv-hcSRhjwctYBy4q380GWs0YXYnIAOL36QxWROQ29440L4J4iCixUxOU3WWJ6pIM4N3cQHiw3JhZkokMq6ibVxarIhTmNAA3dYErdB-PqnF_104C5pxq6s/s320/2016-07+dowload+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">One month ago today Kelsie died.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's been a hard month.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've missed that dog so much.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I never knew you could get so attached to a dog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Before Kelsie I'd never owned one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kelsie will always live on in my heart. For 17 years she was such a part of me, it feels like we are entwined forever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The photo above was taken 2 years ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">She always loved her birthday cake!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1XvGBH3E4N-QWnMNOuyql9XmZLY0U3zZOxkhJDYperHWyDa5TOYCfMEjWFqCYFGUggo8U5o5gmGsBp-hKKQKP0U2_IgBWr_vcXufxWLU-bIRcE6TTSX1rIbImAGBOmePUn7eV9Cf6PA/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1XvGBH3E4N-QWnMNOuyql9XmZLY0U3zZOxkhJDYperHWyDa5TOYCfMEjWFqCYFGUggo8U5o5gmGsBp-hKKQKP0U2_IgBWr_vcXufxWLU-bIRcE6TTSX1rIbImAGBOmePUn7eV9Cf6PA/s320/008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This was at the rhododendron gardens at Deer Lake two years ago. Kelsie loved her walks there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This past weekend we went away to Victoria and it was the first time I'd got the suitcase out to pack, since Kelsie wasn't here. She always suffered such angst when I'd get the suitcase out of the closet in the kitchen, that I'd have to do it on the sly. She never liked us leaving. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We had a lovely time in Victoria, even though it was icy cold, but it was so very strange to return to an empty house with no little dog happy to see us, and no little dog to have a walk with in the evening. How very lonely it is now. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirbsFyomLQKaliU6631VzrNgcPTW3DKGtuHvXgcF7wzzybgB2p0slvpUrBIr9X4tWENk3DAj4Ixoz-9KvVzsLwgcStfD1tkoyGmqKHFNiCzxhk4Rin6DiElIbeRFWYyzZSTMCUGi1BsE/s1600/DQTreats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirbsFyomLQKaliU6631VzrNgcPTW3DKGtuHvXgcF7wzzybgB2p0slvpUrBIr9X4tWENk3DAj4Ixoz-9KvVzsLwgcStfD1tkoyGmqKHFNiCzxhk4Rin6DiElIbeRFWYyzZSTMCUGi1BsE/s320/DQTreats.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm so glad I took so many photos of Kelsie and our adventures together. This was taken two years ago in April on our way to the DQ when it was much warmer than this year! Kelsie loved her ice cream treats!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">By Loretta Houben</span></div>
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<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-44225526642515879792018-04-03T09:02:00.001-07:002020-12-20T14:14:06.163-08:00Our 36th wedding anniversary.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQgQ0p4-I5xKxPzEfHj3lze1WkgMzwPtbIMqg57oSlj66S5eOQ3gRlD5CXBxVTpnR5qVoRxxVtD0T9LjNKi_SwzIJ6uasmyjIpuBJNEMmijudWUeBl7qiTc31YdvGUA3ixxvkdi-vNsQ/s1600/1982April3TheBrideTweaked.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="863" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQgQ0p4-I5xKxPzEfHj3lze1WkgMzwPtbIMqg57oSlj66S5eOQ3gRlD5CXBxVTpnR5qVoRxxVtD0T9LjNKi_SwzIJ6uasmyjIpuBJNEMmijudWUeBl7qiTc31YdvGUA3ixxvkdi-vNsQ/s320/1982April3TheBrideTweaked.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">April 3, 1982</span></div>
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">My happy wedding day!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCeBULowpzUfrx5mibY67mN8crPaoYyjpuA-j1Q6kSMa9uQzzKBXkPtfbd7ElbBLgIvJqzSfzK_7mhMAPG2QhWGWhng9SAYHNvOAkktutijXH8aFZw_cw1u1_J2I6XsH8SiJmZfZ14KQ/s1600/1982April3CuttingCake.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="823" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCeBULowpzUfrx5mibY67mN8crPaoYyjpuA-j1Q6kSMa9uQzzKBXkPtfbd7ElbBLgIvJqzSfzK_7mhMAPG2QhWGWhng9SAYHNvOAkktutijXH8aFZw_cw1u1_J2I6XsH8SiJmZfZ14KQ/s320/1982April3CuttingCake.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">The young couple, very much in love.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BFTAHl2ZIgQHi-iscDsBK4Hmw6BohKmKKkeODWke2WDGrTap9nVjeg9MDA6zc0PpZ21oLtlD8OURC8sBlk5ZYK1izaiogen7yeMWI7-D_cbeVAKmmZRkI8z9aIHsm-v_YgJM9o0pkG0/s1600/1982April3CuttingCakeTweaked.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1021" data-original-width="792" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BFTAHl2ZIgQHi-iscDsBK4Hmw6BohKmKKkeODWke2WDGrTap9nVjeg9MDA6zc0PpZ21oLtlD8OURC8sBlk5ZYK1izaiogen7yeMWI7-D_cbeVAKmmZRkI8z9aIHsm-v_YgJM9o0pkG0/s320/1982April3CuttingCakeTweaked.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Looking back 36 years, it seems like a dream.</span></div>
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">I'm thankful Robert chose me to marry, and that he has been a sweet and gentle husband all these years.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1vQ2RP27OR2ibeYOCNuDE_YQbhX56SshARi0orDckOCifBJ3t5iJh8Cp68WsTgUNQ-jNarXmAxnTG9VQrSkc4km-QszLy9eBqtAN-XzL2y-z3JMTaj2ZjvcrcS2G8LhMzRLdbpl_hps/s1600/1982April3EatingCakeTweaked.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="688" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1vQ2RP27OR2ibeYOCNuDE_YQbhX56SshARi0orDckOCifBJ3t5iJh8Cp68WsTgUNQ-jNarXmAxnTG9VQrSkc4km-QszLy9eBqtAN-XzL2y-z3JMTaj2ZjvcrcS2G8LhMzRLdbpl_hps/s320/1982April3EatingCakeTweaked.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">I'm thankful to God for allowing our paths to cross.</span></div>
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Marriage is a beautiful process which reflects God's holy love to the church, the bride of Christ. It is for consummation between one man and one woman, for as long as they both shall live. It is a deep mystery and one not to be taken lightly.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixaBSuxcuJb410k0yQGui93tOrHXwG0HO2_lTjgw4Dgw4i_KVmfdOv9OKqLAH-3aHKy5-EBZSED3Wzfi_MbG09t44vA7FH712i464hc8jjg2kM-Y_v4F_VjMbTuQJAlWXzzR4lpmUsj0Y/s1600/BridesFamily.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="1053" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixaBSuxcuJb410k0yQGui93tOrHXwG0HO2_lTjgw4Dgw4i_KVmfdOv9OKqLAH-3aHKy5-EBZSED3Wzfi_MbG09t44vA7FH712i464hc8jjg2kM-Y_v4F_VjMbTuQJAlWXzzR4lpmUsj0Y/s320/BridesFamily.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">My dear family, who loved and supported Robert and I.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimT1UjCrEMlXlVS-Kzjqw2aQ3G8OQVgfsRDIxqsvs1YX37Nra2emyR7RtTr75Osp8ycYLsNPdl6q2oZwP9KxsUAoGIrMcss_k3lIAqrKs3bz9lQ3B3lbGhDkK5pJRDU5FQgU0fKoMHDTw/s1600/April3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="541" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimT1UjCrEMlXlVS-Kzjqw2aQ3G8OQVgfsRDIxqsvs1YX37Nra2emyR7RtTr75Osp8ycYLsNPdl6q2oZwP9KxsUAoGIrMcss_k3lIAqrKs3bz9lQ3B3lbGhDkK5pJRDU5FQgU0fKoMHDTw/s320/April3.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">I'll love you forever, my sweet bridegroom and husband.</span></div>
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">By Loretta Williams Houben</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-85641388217392042712018-03-31T20:36:00.001-07:002018-03-31T20:36:24.758-07:00Two weeks without Kelsie.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GD21-Wao-lYK9JFoBGFS76qRw71PmtH76nxEhzkS35s5kd0rPD_dh4iGTu7UFKUVF8HLgN98lqvho9SBQnkiPxi0TgLTZVAQYiRU1JLaTnmacVbaIFogRJiD7H0lZCHPcBQGwlDoiPc/s1600/2018Mar17LastPhoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="1600" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GD21-Wao-lYK9JFoBGFS76qRw71PmtH76nxEhzkS35s5kd0rPD_dh4iGTu7UFKUVF8HLgN98lqvho9SBQnkiPxi0TgLTZVAQYiRU1JLaTnmacVbaIFogRJiD7H0lZCHPcBQGwlDoiPc/s320/2018Mar17LastPhoto.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Two whole weeks without my little dog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It seems so much longer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There are times when I feel okay, times when I feel flattened, and times when I simply cry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It will take a while for me to get over this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The photo above shows Kelsie just before the vet put her to sleep. I'd never seen anyone die before. It was very peaceful. Although extremely sad, I was glad to be there until the end for my friend. She loved and trusted us so much. We did the very best we could for her all her long and happy life.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SymKqQ_m5eNa1dJqQdxgBLmbB2QgTjbZOHtOjxGxTMn8Ryp_845wZ1XQYbJo6LoGPeorJEesxORrsTd4kQjW8m5Cm_3t32ABvsDEjTwTob2zViklSxqJEnnLldowT4cYoIQ4q-8UGN8/s1600/IMG_6347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SymKqQ_m5eNa1dJqQdxgBLmbB2QgTjbZOHtOjxGxTMn8Ryp_845wZ1XQYbJo6LoGPeorJEesxORrsTd4kQjW8m5Cm_3t32ABvsDEjTwTob2zViklSxqJEnnLldowT4cYoIQ4q-8UGN8/s320/IMG_6347.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On Good Friday we attended church and had communion, then we went to Costco and got a membership, and shopped a little there. We ate lunch at the On On, one of our favourite restaurants where we had honey garlic spare ribs after 6 months abstinence! Robert really enjoyed that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We went to Market Crossing where I bought a top for Easter; I can never find a dress anymore. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We walked in Foreshore Park nearby, remembering Kelsie the whole time as it was a favourite place of hers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then we stopped at Mandeville Garden Centre and bought the lovely pot of flowers shown above using money from my parents to remember Kelsie by.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I set up her urn and the lovely cards we got, plus a book I'd made at Shutterfly years ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was a nice little memorial for her, which I showed to Leona when she came by that evening to watch "Call the Midwife". It was a full day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By Loretta Houben</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-80228990093805635412018-03-23T23:30:00.000-07:002018-03-23T23:30:46.093-07:00First Friday without Kelsie.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgGvwVJV5EJd9vT_ZPCCcUCd-G4oipijv22N7GM9x_13dUcPsC7QGrEtQWL_iqvDEDxr5o61globxNrVbAdXZwowU68Q2pFOFc5vynDqLoc6r8UPVSr3RD4VN0TY9DKzQdeW97vOKxz8/s1600/IM000611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgGvwVJV5EJd9vT_ZPCCcUCd-G4oipijv22N7GM9x_13dUcPsC7QGrEtQWL_iqvDEDxr5o61globxNrVbAdXZwowU68Q2pFOFc5vynDqLoc6r8UPVSr3RD4VN0TY9DKzQdeW97vOKxz8/s320/IM000611.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, it's now been 7 days without dear Kelsie.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was one week ago she got very sick and she had the episode at 11:30 pm. I'm remembering many good things about my very good dog. She was a real sweetie and always wished to please. The photo above is June 2002. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTxLCdns1ljGeJgUZF9A53AgHir1QIuB8bdDzbmfRmEWOR5vfqa-dtwG-9rzYDDk1u9DMtDFwqrNt2GNkoNQJd5tf_Gwv40Wh2o3us8jKkbRRIds3QTE7t-1KI8C81zrRob8cA4GqqnQ/s1600/IM001080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTxLCdns1ljGeJgUZF9A53AgHir1QIuB8bdDzbmfRmEWOR5vfqa-dtwG-9rzYDDk1u9DMtDFwqrNt2GNkoNQJd5tf_Gwv40Wh2o3us8jKkbRRIds3QTE7t-1KI8C81zrRob8cA4GqqnQ/s320/IM001080.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This photo was taken in Barriere BC in August 2002. We decided to take a trip up there. We never did it again with Kelsie! Of all the strange things, Dora decided to take her black cat too, when she heard we were taking Kelsie. Kelsie wanted so badly to get that cat! It was quite a rigmarole to say the least. I feel very worn out with grief. It's still the strangest thing to realize I will never see Kelsie again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Goodnight sweet dog.</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-88633654287117554732018-03-22T22:32:00.001-07:002018-03-22T22:33:32.058-07:00First Thursday without Kelsie.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGzEYmj3kcHdCFM-xzXvYvIsm5_Ey67wSvD27_cxvUY6_riYbo4SqgQGPnlwGZmABuPfVLoBEMTA3n0WOFZ2Dz8GpwfWkmHoCSzjUGt87-8x8t2ZRWrbdDjv4nxHV_H-z4ZygnCYqIXQ/s1600/IM000356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGzEYmj3kcHdCFM-xzXvYvIsm5_Ey67wSvD27_cxvUY6_riYbo4SqgQGPnlwGZmABuPfVLoBEMTA3n0WOFZ2Dz8GpwfWkmHoCSzjUGt87-8x8t2ZRWrbdDjv4nxHV_H-z4ZygnCYqIXQ/s320/IM000356.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today I felt very flattened.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It seemed as if life had no colour or flavour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I think it's all caught up with me. Robert was all set to head to work in Surrey. I didn't want him to go. It's only been one week since his gall bladder surgery. Robert usually doesn't listen to me. It gives me angst. However, a co-worker said he had to stay home today, and told him that his meetings would be organized by conference call. So I'm grateful to that person! It somehow helps to have him here. I keep looking for Kelsie. The photo above is from April 28, 2002: her very first birthday.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZ0hSLNG8d5aI0WLktoHLJS9CBtTOwdyO1t02xlfiSw7gyWafZQA6-WjOJOHu-JOKkDbYcQPEF1UG5OXa0sLvOpHJg8fdykAdUNv3YY95ocmeCCiOvgDWGJRo-QByQN6ilVurzX-4GAE/s1600/IM000358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZ0hSLNG8d5aI0WLktoHLJS9CBtTOwdyO1t02xlfiSw7gyWafZQA6-WjOJOHu-JOKkDbYcQPEF1UG5OXa0sLvOpHJg8fdykAdUNv3YY95ocmeCCiOvgDWGJRo-QByQN6ilVurzX-4GAE/s320/IM000358.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I made a special "cake" for her. She loved it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm working through the 2002 photos now. We surely had many good times together. You don't realize how good your life is, until it has sped by. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was very cold and wet today. It poured all morning. No little dog to let in the back door and rub off with the towel. No little dog shaking herself until her collar rattled. No smell of wet dog filling the kitchen. The weirdest thing to me is that no one is there to let out often. I feel bereft and very lonely.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9RuMXP4HWQFcvbAl0LPVFxZSeylOiV0b-FvEoAa5vAfz6BJFUCkI7Z2v6yiU1Lo9zmvEZyAYbrD4f5hwRJnnDXElBGvGsugBpTKFaUuYXheOwrenGU_Wsg290M8i7x8sv6aJ-_Iguqo/s1600/IM000538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9RuMXP4HWQFcvbAl0LPVFxZSeylOiV0b-FvEoAa5vAfz6BJFUCkI7Z2v6yiU1Lo9zmvEZyAYbrD4f5hwRJnnDXElBGvGsugBpTKFaUuYXheOwrenGU_Wsg290M8i7x8sv6aJ-_Iguqo/s320/IM000538.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This photo was taken in June 2002, at Trout Lake. Kelsie loved going to parks in the car. She loved car rides. She loved exploring. She was a great companion for Matthew.</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-23145129522124048592018-03-21T19:40:00.001-07:002018-03-21T19:40:04.493-07:00First Wednesday without Kelsie.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtV81XNC6aeBUU1iSXxHS3m_R_qk3MBosBu9Ox7mFkyCMhenAS0RhubPn7pCJXVMTP_NZUUs8z_CXiUQ15_FOs-fyw9nHs08gJqA_FvVmkbAGriPw9l42k1QasyOMjF8jGNk26TFoHYw/s1600/IM001128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtV81XNC6aeBUU1iSXxHS3m_R_qk3MBosBu9Ox7mFkyCMhenAS0RhubPn7pCJXVMTP_NZUUs8z_CXiUQ15_FOs-fyw9nHs08gJqA_FvVmkbAGriPw9l42k1QasyOMjF8jGNk26TFoHYw/s320/IM001128.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today Robert worked from home. Yes, indeed, only one week after his surgery. It's spring break, so our normal routine is gone at the moment. Usually Robert heads off to Scout Canada meeting with his cub scouts. He's a leader and enjoys it immensely. When the weather was good, and when Kelsie felt more peppy than she has been the past 2 weeks, she would always know when he was returning home around 9 pm and she would always be anxiously waiting at the back door, looking out the sliding glass door to see if she could see him. Each night Robert would take her for a walk around the block. On nice evenings I would often go with them. Lately the walks were very slow, and just up to Wellington, across the street, up half a block, and back. That's all she could manage lately. Just a week ago, before Robert went on his trip to Victoria with the cubs, we took her for a long walk, as she seemed up to it. We walked all the way to Ann Street and back along the lane and up Ruby. Kelsie was going really slow by the time we got half way up the street. That was our very last long walk together.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcPAvimBoJvTdb6MXbNphPGCVCb7U1qnVdo9hg8ZqeSsbRXFLGPtboCNLkGGSCJZtvjlxZ9JpqvQ3GABe9DqUuEkYt-U1uoUGkMj5grW0B4FcV1oG4NuLWGYK8_6nWPAPQcpDC844n5E/s1600/IMG_6053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcPAvimBoJvTdb6MXbNphPGCVCb7U1qnVdo9hg8ZqeSsbRXFLGPtboCNLkGGSCJZtvjlxZ9JpqvQ3GABe9DqUuEkYt-U1uoUGkMj5grW0B4FcV1oG4NuLWGYK8_6nWPAPQcpDC844n5E/s320/IMG_6053.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I took her for her very last walk, just by myself, last Friday March 16. Little did I know it was the last. We went up the street, to the right, and down the back lane. Kelsie seemed really happy and I'm so glad I had that last wander with her. She was a terrific walker up until last summer. I even walked all the way to my parent's home last May, although that nearly did her in. I miss my walking buddy so much. We often took afternoon rambles together, and it was really sad to see her get older. But of course it was inevitable! She didn't have any arthritis as we left the laundry room floor on for her each night. Lately I'd just kept it on full time as we've had a very cold and damp winter. The first photo above is of Paul and Matthew walking Kelsie in Oct 2001. On that day she was 6 months old. The last photo was taken Feb 20. This is the last dinner photo with Kelsie in it; she always loved to have her picture taken!</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-36870935541696177312018-03-20T23:09:00.001-07:002018-03-20T23:09:48.947-07:00First Tuesday without Kelsie.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Little Kelsie, in June 2001.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">She fit in immediately.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">She was always such a good dog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Matthew loved her too, and when he moved away in Nov 2008, Kelsie couldn't figure out where he went. Life is full of ups and downs; full of joy and heartbreak. Most of the days flow in a pattern, but then comes the time for a big upset and turmoil. It felt like that when Matthew moved out on Nov 28, 2008. I didn't want him to go; he was only 19. But he was very independent. Yet I still had Kelsie as she remained here with us. That was a big help to me, as the ache caused by Matthew leaving was very painful indeed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now that little Kelsie is gone, the pain has grown deeper. Tonight was the first Tuesday without Kelsie at suppertime, and the first Tuesday with Matthew here, but no Kelsie to greet him. She always seemed to know when he was coming, as I'd clean house and scrub all day. She just loved it when he was here. Up until recently, they would play energetically together, and sometimes in the evening if it was warm we'd all go for a walk together. As Kelsie got older, this happened less and less.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">However last Tuesday, which we didn't know was our last one together, she sat near us at supper and whined a lot. Because she wasn't eating well, I only was giving her dog food, but that night I gave her some raw carrot which she gobbled down. She also ran to the back door when Matthew and Robert left at 10:30 pm to go do the risers, and she hadn't done that in a while. She wanted to go out too, to see them off. It was like she was saying good-bye.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The past few days I've been looking through all the photos I took of her in 2001, and I've been putting them in a special album on my Facebook page privately, so I can view them on our smart TV. I have so many lovely photos. It really helps to re-live the memories, as Kelsie now lives in our hearts.</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-12499031908143217552018-03-19T22:02:00.003-07:002018-03-19T22:06:02.895-07:00First Monday without Kelsie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today was the first Monday without my little pal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was an easier day than yesterday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yesterday it felt like my heart was physically broken with pain. I never knew you could feel like that over the death of a little dog. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It helps that Robert is recuperating from gall bladder surgery from only 5 days ago. What a week this has been.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As I remember the things Kelsie did, and how many memories I have of her, I'm writing them down and will share some of them here. These photos were taken Sunday, Sept 23, 2001. It was Kelsie's first walk in Central Park in Burnaby. She just loved it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'll never forget that day as in the evening, Robert's mother, Ruth Houben, died. Twelve days before that was 9/11. It was a terrible time in my life, but Kelsie added such joy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here Kelsie has spotted her first squirrel. Matthew enjoyed walking her, and played with her for an hour after school each day. They were best buddies. When Matthew moved out in Nov 2008, Kelsie didn't know where he had gone. He visited once a week every Tuesday since then, and Kelsie would often wait and watch for him at the kitchen door, when it was time for him to come home on Tuesday evening. Somehow she always seemed to know it was his day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kelsie was always happy, and whenever I had a migraine, she sensed something was wrong, and she would lay by my side in the bed the whole time I was recuperating, or she would sit on my feet. She was my ray of sunshine on the darkest day. It helps to write about her, and remember all the good times. We had 17 years together!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOulFVQiz1uYM4fM2f5q-R_qj1h8RSK3u_UvQqyBf34WY0eZVLEdOoOFvtghICwI8tWvSWEArCgJLsdftT9pC5kMcHeUtOeSSRKgODYNn_iR0msa5qw6j0oi1W-BWGzIQAf6Bx2k5n0MY/s1600/Pawprints.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="384" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOulFVQiz1uYM4fM2f5q-R_qj1h8RSK3u_UvQqyBf34WY0eZVLEdOoOFvtghICwI8tWvSWEArCgJLsdftT9pC5kMcHeUtOeSSRKgODYNn_iR0msa5qw6j0oi1W-BWGzIQAf6Bx2k5n0MY/s320/Pawprints.jpg" width="311" /></a></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-59917087203523612852018-03-18T20:31:00.004-07:002020-12-20T14:17:45.483-08:00First Sunday without Kelsie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Today, March 18, 2018, was a very sad day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">When I got up and went downstairs, there was no little sleepy dog in the laundry room curled up in her warm bed. Sometimes she would be waiting at the gate, anxious to be let out. Lately she slept in often, and had to be called to go outside. I had taken her bed and blankets out yesterday and thrown them away. I had also thrown away her water and food dishes, as it hurts too much to be reminded that dear Kelsie will no longer need them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The saddest thing of all was when I made French toast for breakfast, and as I was eating it, the tears began to flow. I always saved a little piece for her; I had done so recently as she loved French toast with real eggs; she wouldn't eat the kind that Robert made with his artificial eggs as part of his low fat diet. I cried and cried because she was no longer there at my feet and nor will she ever be again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Today has been a really hard day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I thought I wouldn't stop crying. It was awful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I can leave the kitchen door open again. I've had to keep it closed since last June, when dear Kelsie had incontinent problems. She never could understand why she was kept out of the living room. It became too hard to clean up the rug.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">We tried to spend a lot of time with her in the kitchen, but the past few months she was sleeping a lot in the daytime. She was very old and tired and her energy level went way down. I even had to tape pieces of wax paper on the bottom of the glass French door, so she couldn't peer in at me sitting on the couch; she would bark really loud. She couldn't understand the paper being there either. She would sometimes stand way back by the sliding door, and bark at me from there if she needed out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I cannot believe how much I miss that dear dog. It actually feels like my heart is breaking. It hurts so badly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Yesterday after I'd cleaned out the laundry room, I noticed this little paw print. It was like Kelsie said good-bye to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Goodnight, me sweet Kelsie. xo</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">By Loretta Houben</span></div>
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<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-72783932833059837622018-03-17T16:24:00.004-07:002020-12-20T14:22:59.628-08:00Farewell, my sweet little Kelsie. 2001-2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPH03BX2hAIvfhFmSTw3uCpN9j86DfoZe0oAo8TOcqqN8MHcIQAj-xwOlRBRezU-the0Vs6iZ2WjIOdNStCAP2djTivuM6Ffe4K7MKoXsBgpLyu1RtwrtJZIrzbxXXRrlgta5pkeg0SY/s1600/IMG_5895.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPH03BX2hAIvfhFmSTw3uCpN9j86DfoZe0oAo8TOcqqN8MHcIQAj-xwOlRBRezU-the0Vs6iZ2WjIOdNStCAP2djTivuM6Ffe4K7MKoXsBgpLyu1RtwrtJZIrzbxXXRrlgta5pkeg0SY/s320/IMG_5895.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">April 28, 2001 - March 17, 2018</span></div>
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span face=""helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">Kelsie, the best little dog that ever lived, is now romping at the Rainbow Bridge with all the other dear little dogs who've gone before. Little Kelsie lived a good full life, and brought us all much joy, laughter and love. There will never be another dog quite like her. How I will miss her sweet affection and funny little ways. She loved her long walks together with me and Robert, her rambles in Central Park or Foreshore Park, her doggie treats, and laying in the back yard in the sun, or watching me garden. Rest in peace my dear sweet canine friend.</span><br />
<span face=""helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">These were the last photos taken of her, on Feb 6 and Feb 20th.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFL3KhW2aAQBGfBCef5XSOGCoirbcLkk_IRAvqvZ8FjrmfVqb5miagjfn6dFwNPMnv_GwsDm51yeVkWP3A1fEL5FfPKBwNREBSEpOHoLS889404EVlX2hM2Osp1gTdmPSgsabhjHIipc/s1600/IMG_5949.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFL3KhW2aAQBGfBCef5XSOGCoirbcLkk_IRAvqvZ8FjrmfVqb5miagjfn6dFwNPMnv_GwsDm51yeVkWP3A1fEL5FfPKBwNREBSEpOHoLS889404EVlX2hM2Osp1gTdmPSgsabhjHIipc/s320/IMG_5949.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdaIpAW8_tjwr8bmIXzTcwZ2hwm4o9PhDYgMuRsBBxd_uGaY5panOuY0P8ExqvCC3AOzXoRV9y2rS8VNKaNfRVkpT3sC9IlAdB-ouHD1STnkgg_BYBGl9wYbO3JQ-CiXquAMrfNr_yZeM/s1600/IMG_6053.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdaIpAW8_tjwr8bmIXzTcwZ2hwm4o9PhDYgMuRsBBxd_uGaY5panOuY0P8ExqvCC3AOzXoRV9y2rS8VNKaNfRVkpT3sC9IlAdB-ouHD1STnkgg_BYBGl9wYbO3JQ-CiXquAMrfNr_yZeM/s320/IMG_6053.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Celebrating Year of the Dog, February 20.</span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I had hoped it would be a good year...</span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">February 18, 2018: Kelsie's paw prints in the snow for the last time. Something caused me to take a picture of this. Exactly one month ago...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadTkmEDs8m7Spueropcgm-WtbLkTs29XLd8tUHt2sRDPOX9Th31EqZbxWxQ12dGSuFvdEMSmZfjtR6ykpqSBuCyoa3mRxiCXGtypYek4erH0hvOgm2LDclA4JGuO92HVWWVyifhtQPbE/s1600/IMG_6005.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadTkmEDs8m7Spueropcgm-WtbLkTs29XLd8tUHt2sRDPOX9Th31EqZbxWxQ12dGSuFvdEMSmZfjtR6ykpqSBuCyoa3mRxiCXGtypYek4erH0hvOgm2LDclA4JGuO92HVWWVyifhtQPbE/s320/IMG_6005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Farewell dear little doggie friend of mine.</span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It feels like my heart is breaking.</span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">xo</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">By Loretta Houben</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-87720193565572447612018-02-17T17:46:00.003-08:002020-12-15T22:31:58.078-08:00Grandpa John G Williams 130th birthday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3t0BO6-nGWeaHAsQM2LxgNuLPZhjdqULlgO579Hq5f7_RFylfUo7iAicLt2lfi5_XX3PonBEqp1lvN8mYmYJ23V5gKhGVsfIItVGSn6D70aXIuAm8J-6p105o5jEdmp3gKvbIRkNekjI/s1600/CrystalDairyJGWilliamsWithDennisRuthBob2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="1200" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3t0BO6-nGWeaHAsQM2LxgNuLPZhjdqULlgO579Hq5f7_RFylfUo7iAicLt2lfi5_XX3PonBEqp1lvN8mYmYJ23V5gKhGVsfIItVGSn6D70aXIuAm8J-6p105o5jEdmp3gKvbIRkNekjI/s320/CrystalDairyJGWilliamsWithDennisRuthBob2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">130 years ago today, February 17, 1888, my paternal Grandpa, John Griffith Williams was born to Joseph and Elizabeth Williams, in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">He seems to have been quite a character. He immigrated to Canada in 1910 at the age of 23. He was the only one in his family to do so. He never went back to Wales. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">He married Ellen Egerton in approximately 1918 or 1919. She was also from North Wales, so I have a hunch they met over there. They had 2 sons together, but sadly one of them died in 1925, and then Ellen died in 1926. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPSfoZ7lVsDwfQKfJ_lzcGfIqPVSKZbprbhONAEpsd7Q0jD_zKUvDjxPwHP6z9iB278ddGkuWg51jG-tu-VZQSg0nIuiAm7tX0ZY1wOA05AJsrUGhwQpplHMygObR7sJAoqMzMHXj8sg/s1600/1964JanJohnAlmaMayFramed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="658" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPSfoZ7lVsDwfQKfJ_lzcGfIqPVSKZbprbhONAEpsd7Q0jD_zKUvDjxPwHP6z9iB278ddGkuWg51jG-tu-VZQSg0nIuiAm7tX0ZY1wOA05AJsrUGhwQpplHMygObR7sJAoqMzMHXj8sg/s320/1964JanJohnAlmaMayFramed.jpg" width="313" /></a></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Thankfully for me, Grandpa re-married Alma May Palmer in 1928 when he was 40, and their first son, my Dad, John Herbert, was born in 1929. Grandpa had 6 more children, 9 in total.</span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">This photo shows my grandparents in my parent's home celebrating their birthdays together. Grandma was born January 20, 1908. She was 20 years younger than her husband.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNEaJPVqDNYl3nzmv1nVM8ehLRzWUnW4EIeKoWVNdEtXoy1Egp6V-TIgnaLr2jBWog9hhlxbSMDOCV4o2hbUrdlLU4Z4-SWMdyKSX9kDjGG6vS9emW64K2buJIwxOPe2BEmpDFXfJVLk/s1600/1908StudioPortraitThreeWilliamsBrothersBandW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="719" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNEaJPVqDNYl3nzmv1nVM8ehLRzWUnW4EIeKoWVNdEtXoy1Egp6V-TIgnaLr2jBWog9hhlxbSMDOCV4o2hbUrdlLU4Z4-SWMdyKSX9kDjGG6vS9emW64K2buJIwxOPe2BEmpDFXfJVLk/s320/1908StudioPortraitThreeWilliamsBrothersBandW.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Grandpa on the left, Robert in the middle, William on the right. Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales, approximately 1910.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-a-zf6FyKUzlLgLlHk4GZsMZyIJv27ZoJOcYwjyWdD_sOVsTnhil0i2mpeze8Tx05nM2C5s5vAXsMzlDdC-a0WjNgNT9FeQ_NyM93a6yuiM30ZEG2RBBv4QIVOg0pNQs5R_xX6Lk6Ag/s1600/GrandpaWilliamsAndHorseTim.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="1200" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-a-zf6FyKUzlLgLlHk4GZsMZyIJv27ZoJOcYwjyWdD_sOVsTnhil0i2mpeze8Tx05nM2C5s5vAXsMzlDdC-a0WjNgNT9FeQ_NyM93a6yuiM30ZEG2RBBv4QIVOg0pNQs5R_xX6Lk6Ag/s320/GrandpaWilliamsAndHorseTim.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">A young Grandpa on the prairies, probably Alberta.</span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">He lived there for a while, then moved to Spalding SK.</span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">He loved horses all his life, winding up taking care of the horses for Crystal Dairies in Vancouver BC in the 1940's.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStvkIf-TrzEAtbl1uHkhvGLUFK-RDqKboEbmifIiWdJYHMdKqjdrkX0B6hrCvRg7XMife3V2NlSF1SumE8KGk34Ym3GIq3o0Am9Y4Ktri5zyqcdyUvcIb4i8ZGRZ_N9_uYKU-qhO2GXE/s1600/JohnGWilliamsOnRightFromAuntViioletsAlbum.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1109" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStvkIf-TrzEAtbl1uHkhvGLUFK-RDqKboEbmifIiWdJYHMdKqjdrkX0B6hrCvRg7XMife3V2NlSF1SumE8KGk34Ym3GIq3o0Am9Y4Ktri5zyqcdyUvcIb4i8ZGRZ_N9_uYKU-qhO2GXE/s320/JohnGWilliamsOnRightFromAuntViioletsAlbum.jpg" width="236" /></a></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">This is my favourite picture of Grandpa. You can tell he was a real character. He moved to Vancouver in 1941, and began a new life working at Burrard Dry Docks during WWII, and having 3 more children here. By the time I knew him, he was a very quiet man, and quite frail. At least that's how he appeared to me. He died in June 1974. </span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Happy birthday, Grandpa! Thank you for your adventures which led you to Canada.</span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">By Loretta Williams Houben</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-63584137813853814192018-02-16T14:54:00.001-08:002018-02-16T14:54:09.715-08:00A Valentine's gift...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZ3q8KnXA_zr0J6fEflChtNxIlQmgl0njtdGsmOEyyPyjHRQrh-9T-4XcNKdIdMACXg13YO9rGVDkFa_nsaUVWRQQFh6LCs4zaagfebmhLVpF-5epJ5-WRdfYoPkDmWIHi1_RDExN3rk/s1600/IMG_5986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZ3q8KnXA_zr0J6fEflChtNxIlQmgl0njtdGsmOEyyPyjHRQrh-9T-4XcNKdIdMACXg13YO9rGVDkFa_nsaUVWRQQFh6LCs4zaagfebmhLVpF-5epJ5-WRdfYoPkDmWIHi1_RDExN3rk/s320/IMG_5986.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I participated in a Valentine swap exchange for the first time in a Facebook group I belong to. Today (Feb 16) I received my gift from Louise White, a new friend. She lives in the USA, so the package was held up at customs, I suspect. I sent her a gift too. I forgot to take pictures of it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOrAaqO4iuYebFNmUOOPXkko5vUh_EeOtjKpbN0KOdxyAmlbd3DyGrSwC1Gg2k81wPFi5-7E0olSjg4Y0VG9ICCwONZCRo6NDasiZG86j6EYfhMEbD_QL6b5713GmAI-gtjpENSxP1VE/s1600/IMG_5987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOrAaqO4iuYebFNmUOOPXkko5vUh_EeOtjKpbN0KOdxyAmlbd3DyGrSwC1Gg2k81wPFi5-7E0olSjg4Y0VG9ICCwONZCRo6NDasiZG86j6EYfhMEbD_QL6b5713GmAI-gtjpENSxP1VE/s320/IMG_5987.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Louise's gift was packaged in a red box with red polka dot tissue paper. It was so pretty when I opened it! And very well packaged. Inside there was a delightful array of lovely gifts, including chai tea, chocolates, serviettes, a lacy doily, Valentine decorations, a pretty card, a beautiful beaded stuffed heart ornament, and stickers for my dolls.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhlreK3YqmCCAhhE_B_DHjL0VAIqcrT_90PkwY0J2MpMrX9rH8HBzCmISMhHS52jekKDIZ4IBVHvfzEsRD3oerlfxYllcoA7XZRo1ZpEFBIYBgpIp2w825tBukdrskx9zwQN0QsohY2Q/s1600/IMG_5988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhlreK3YqmCCAhhE_B_DHjL0VAIqcrT_90PkwY0J2MpMrX9rH8HBzCmISMhHS52jekKDIZ4IBVHvfzEsRD3oerlfxYllcoA7XZRo1ZpEFBIYBgpIp2w825tBukdrskx9zwQN0QsohY2Q/s320/IMG_5988.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">I just love it all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">I think I love the stuffed heart the best, and the darling doll stickers. What a sweet gift!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">By Loretta Houben</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-84925054965895678082017-12-12T09:42:00.000-08:002017-12-12T09:42:15.860-08:00A Christmas tea!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzXbvP1LcxYJIk8cYzPG-Zxs-tf61ehZrphxJ5NKKoHQfbQwqPbVzsugKQZcrvqhdQmZhYCZSNoZ5E_xN86cwzLEjr0NMTrEl2UKYIKxz7xJ99BXCRR63emvRF28vz47eKa6WHP9lZP6Y/s1600/2017ChristmasTea.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzXbvP1LcxYJIk8cYzPG-Zxs-tf61ehZrphxJ5NKKoHQfbQwqPbVzsugKQZcrvqhdQmZhYCZSNoZ5E_xN86cwzLEjr0NMTrEl2UKYIKxz7xJ99BXCRR63emvRF28vz47eKa6WHP9lZP6Y/s320/2017ChristmasTea.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I really miss having teas. I used to do it quite often, but lately all is very quiet in the House of Houben. Last Saturday Robert was at Camp Icicle and Leona was finally over her winter illness, so she came over for a hot cup of water, as she no longer drinks tea. I really need to find some tea buddies! My parents rarely come over now as my Dad is very frail, and my Mom won't come alone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I set out my fine Royal Albert china, with the beautiful poinsettia pattern. Leona gave me the teapot for a Christmas gift in 1981. The rest of the collection was also gifts. I just love this set.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I used a red cloth tablecloth. I usually buy them at Winner's store so they are quite inexpensive. I set out my candles each season in the fall and winter, as it brightens up the dreary dark nights. I love candles!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had given all my baking away, so I set out Walker's shortbread and Cadbury fingers with fresh raspberries. Leona may have stuck to hot water, but I had reams of cups of hot tea!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By Loretta Houben</span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012847757718825787.post-64656250946282438702017-12-11T15:59:00.001-08:002017-12-11T16:00:06.095-08:00Robert's first book!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm thrilled to report that Robert, my husband, had his first book published!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, self-published, but it would have taken reams of money and time to publish it any other way, and then it might have been difficult to find a publisher, so Robert decided to go through Amazon and now his book is available on Amazon dot com or dot ca.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's either $3.02 US for an electronic version or $6.99 US for a paperback version.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's also available for $3.83 Cdn for electronic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">November 21, 2017: Robert holding a copy of his first book which arrived from Amazon on this date! It's very thrilling. Congratulations, Robert!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">I finished reading Robert's first book last evening. It was weird to read a book written by him. I was filled with a bit of angst that he'd beat me to publishing his first book, but I always was as slow as molasses in winter, so it isn't very surprising. Then after the first few pages of set up and description (always necessary for any story) I delved right into the plot and was immersed in the time and era of Israel, Jerusalem and Bethlehem and the accompanying lives of the </span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;">characters in scenes which took place just before the birth of Christ. I found the characters to be believable and likeable, even King Herod (to a point) and my favourite scenes were the ones with Thomas, the little shepherd boy, and of course David and his journey along the way to Bethlehem. I found it to be thought provoking and enjoyable. If you haven't yet bought a copy, please do so! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline;">By Loretta Houben</span></span></div>
<br />Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13135353002456390722noreply@blogger.com0