Harrison Hot Springs Women's Retreat June 2013

I'm getting around this year! I thought June would be calm and quiet.

I still haven't posted photos from the Family Reunion trip two weeks ago!

Helen Lee and I decided we should both share a room at Harrison Hot Springs Resort, so we booked our spot in May, through Willingdon Church women's ministry group.

The price was $255 each, and including 4 meals, workshops, and our room.

Helen and I go way back, having met in high school in 1974!

Helen was invited to Willingdon Church on Easter Sunday 2012 by a friend in her art class, and she has been attending ever since. I was happy when Robert said he would drive us both to Harrison, as the bus doesn't go that far!

Harrison Lake in the background. There is a hot springs close by, which the local native Indians discovered many moons ago, but the Europeans found out about in the 1800's gold rush through this area. It's so beautiful and quiet here.

The resort where we stayed, in the background.

Helen having fun.

Helen treated us to fish and chips lunch, before Robert headed back home.

Having tea at 4 pm in the lobby. I think I had 3 cups. 

We sat in a different place after this photo was taken, and met some new friends.

Our most lovely room, #149. I had this bed the first night, then Helen had it.

There was a small room off this one, with 2 twin beds. It didn't have a window so it was quite stuffy.

Having a German dinner in the Black Forest Restaurant on Friday evening.

Elaine, me, Helen, Maryanne, Judy, Melanie, and Suzanty. We had a grand time.

Helen and I shared an Austrian Schnitzel which was simply superb.

On Sat morning, I came around a corner and recognized a fellow blogger which I have been following for many years. Lovella S, who has a blog at www.lovella.ca 

She is now quite famous, having co-written two lovely cookbooks.

It was so neat to recognize her!

A lovely Sunday afternoon and a hike to Beaver Lake.

We hiked to Beaver Lake on Sunday May 19. This lake is in Stanley Park, which is 1000 acres in size in the middle of Vancouver BC. It's a beautiful place to spend the day. But we went there on the spur of the moment, after having lunch with friends at a Korean restaurant on Robson St. Yes, we walked to the park from Robson and Nicola, but we all had good walking shoes! We went along the fairly new walkway at the water's edge, through the rose gardens and to the lake, such as it is. It's very overgrown as you can see by the above photo.

Huge skunk cabbage, or swamp lantern. The bright yellow flowers have bloomed off.

Professor Robert told us that the native Indians used the leaves to wrap their food.

Professor Robert in action, pointing out the flora and fauna to Jay.

Beautiful iris.

A large beaver dam.

Proof that I was at Beaver Lake. It's a kilometer in circumference.

A portion of the rose gardens, which aren't in bloom yet.

Vancouver in the background.

Yun, Peter, Robert, me, Maryanne and Jay.

Genett took the picture. This is a small portion of our Small Group.

(Bible study group which meets each Thursday evening.)

At Sura Korean restaurant. Peter and Maryanne treated us to lunch.

It was superb. I loved it all, especially the pork and the Korean noodles and the beef.

After the feast. I loved how it was served and presented and loved the decor.

The waitresses were too busy and I didn't want to ask them to take a picture while we were seated.

It was a lovely Sunday afternoon!

A happy 10 years friendship!

My doll collecting friend, Linda Pepa...10 years ago today!

We met at Metrotown Mall after chatting in an online Yahoo Chatty Cathy doll group for a few months. We discovered we shared the same hobbies and that we lived 20 minutes drive apart, so we decided to meet in person and see how things worked out. 

Me in the old food court, long gone; it was transferred to the other side of the mall, about one mile away. Ha...ha...not quite, but it's a very long walk indeed. I preferred this food court but I like things to stay the same if they work. This food court was half as crowded as the current one now is. Yogen Fruz, seen in the back, is the only thing still left intact.

Linda's 3 Chatty Cathy dolls are on the left; my Natasha, the brunette pig tail is on the right.

Linda and I had made Easter dresses which matched, without knowing what the other was sewing!

We took this for a good sign of things to come, and it seems we weren't wrong.

Today we had lunch at the Stone Grill, a new restaurant in Metrotown Mall. It was really delicious! Plus it wasn't noisy like the present food court. Natasha still looks the same but I don't know about myself...although I chose to wear lavender like I did 10 years ago.

The really funny thing is that Linda also chose to wear lavender and we both didn't know it until we met! We have a lot of the same tastes so I think that's one of the reasons that we have remained friends. That and Linda is a really sweet, kind and caring person. I'm so glad she is my friend!

Linda and one of her darling Chatty Cathy girls, purchased at the Puyallup spring fair a few years ago. I didn't recognize her; she is a beauty. Linda has a real knack for making her dolls gorgeous.

Mmmm....our delicious lunch! I had pulled pork panini sandwich which are all the rage around here lately, and Linda had a hamburger. I really like the Stone Grill and hope to come back soon.

This is just too funny! The old food court washroom was renovated over a period of 6 months, and the results are amazing! There is a little nook with a FIREPLACE and a TV above it, of all things!

We had to snap some photos...Linda has a thing with washroom photos...

Isn't it stunning?

Well, it was a very lovely day. And it was sunny and warm, and the mall had the A/C running! Last week I wore my down winter coat and gloves, and today I had my thin spring jacket. Just heavenly.

Here's to 10 more years!

Christmas outing downtown.

On Saturday, December 8th, Leona, Linda and I went to see "Anna Karenina", loosely based on Leo Tolstoy's novel. The politics were left out, but the plot line of selfishness and greed, forgiveness and kindness was still there. It's the basic tale of human debauchery, told from the life of a grand lady living in Russian aristocracy. The main actress was Kiera Knightley, played with Jude Law.

I really enjoyed it, as I love Kiera's acting, and the scenery was superb.

A movie attendant kindly took our photo.

We went to the theatre downtown as the movies we like never play at Silvercity.

There are many Christmas trees around!

It was a fun way to spend the afternoon.

Teddy bears at the Bay.

Eating supper at Fatburger.

Linda's birthday is coming up...

At one of my favourite stores; Bath and Body Works.

Playing a puzzle game on the wall electronically. 

My high school friends...

I've kept in touch with a few of my high school friends, and we meet once a year for our "40th" birthday. Tee hee...we are way past 40 now, but it's humerous in a way. And we need humour in our lives! So here we are on Sunday, Nov 18, 2012, meeting for a scrumptious lunch at the Bacchus Restaurant in the Wedgewood Hotel downtown Vancouver. I'm on the right with Heather and Helen beyond me, and Cyndy, Ellen, Anne and Georgina are on the left.

Here is our lovely lunch. I had halibut and it was superb.

The price here isn't cheap, but the ambiance is worth it! We had a room all to ourselves.

Another view with Anna on the right.

A delicious $30 dessert shared among 4 of us. It doesn't look like much, but it was wonderful, especially the banana pudding on the left.

It's so nice to keep in touch. I met all these friends in 1974, which is nearly 40 years ago! Most of them were in my Lit class or Social Studies class, and the rest always sat at the same lunch table for four years. I have many happy memories of my high school time. It was one of the highlights in my life. (believe it or not)

These photos are the bathroom in the Wedgewood Hotel.

I just love this place! Have you ever seen a bathroom like this?

Happy pink Saturday...February 18, 2012!

This past week I was surfeited with Valentines and pink!

It was a most marvelous time, I must say.

I held my Valentine tea party last Saturday, (many photos below in case you missed my Pink post last week) and I was invited to a Valentine tea party on Sunday!

(to check out more Pink Blogs, please visit Pink Saturday, hosted by Beverly; link found in my sidebar)

Helen, a friend from my Bible study group, invited all the ladies over from our group to her lovely apartment. Her table was set so prettily. These are some of the desserts.

This cup and saucer was part of a wedding gift belonging to her Mother.

Isn't it stunning?

The table before we sat down.

Helen had many varieties of tea, but I drank English Breakfast, my favourite.

Some of the friends chatting before tea, enjoying some nibblies first.

The ham wraps and deviled eggs were delicious!

The plate on the left held cucumber with Thai tunafish. Yummy!

Helen even had a menu.

Here is one side of the table.

The homemade waffles were a hit. We ate them with whipped cream and fruit.

I do enjoy this group of ladies! We meet every Thursday to study God's word and pray together.

It's fun to meet for High Tea too!

The other end of the table! There were 11 of us.

It was a fantastic tea, Helen. Thank you so much!