HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Halloween, 1968

Forty two years ago! This is the only picture I have of myself as a young girl, taken right after trick or treating on Monmouth Avenue. Look at our elaborate costumes! I'm the rabbit, Leona is the puppy, Marlene is Red Riding Hood. Our pumpkins are full. It didn't take long to fill them up, as the neighbours knew us and gave us little treat bags full of large sized chocolate bars, Tootsie Roll pops, sour candies and peanuts. Our neighbour to the right of us, Mrs. Simpson, gave us giant lollipops. Mrs. Sadie Ramslie across the street always gave us treat bags full of candy. There was one neighbour who always gave out wormy candy, so we learned to avoid them. We generally went out around 6:30, and it was usually quite cold and our masks would steam up with our breath. Our Dad always took us out, while our Mom handed out the treats at home. After going up both sides of Monmouth, we headed home, and knocked on our own door, and our Mom would give us a special bag full of treats. Around 8:00 our Dad would set off fireworks in the front yard and we'd watch from the living room window. I loved the Roman Rockets and funny little things called worms, which curled up and slowly burned on the sidewalk. Afterwards we'd go back out and hold sparklers, and then have hot chocolate and some of that delicious candy for a bedtime snack.

I've always loved Halloween.

An Autumn Tea

Here we are seated at my Autumn tea table, with my peach lustre dishes and lots of yummy food!

I just love tea times! This is definitely one of my favourite things to do in life.

Linda, Isabelle, a new friend named Sarah Jean, and Leona attended the tea.

I served chicken salad croissant sandwiches, ham & cheese croissants, butternut squash soup, strawberries and grapes, guacamole dip & chips, chocolate brownies and sugar cookies.

Isabelle brought delicious homemade Nanaimo bars, a real Canadian recipe! Leona brought homemade pumpkin spice and ginger cookies and Linda brought chocolate chip and shortbread cookies.

Here are our darling Bleuettes! We've gotten quite carried away with them. Well, I sure have.

Aren't they cute all together? This is our very first Bleuette tea.

Mamans and their Bleuettes. Sarah Jean was on a visit and I was very happy to meet her.

Myself and Sarah Jean.

Her little dolls are not true Bleuettes, but "friends of Bleuette".

I think they are so cute!

Leona's vintage horse and buggy were used for this occasion.

These are all my Bleuettes. They look so cute together. I made all the dresses except for the yellow one, which was made by Sarah Jean.

We had a lovely afternoon together.



Adorable old-fashioned picture (Freebie Friday)

As you all know, I love FREE things!

This adorable clip art was sent to me free by Dover Publications.

If you'd like to receive their free clip art, click on the above link.

I love their books. I wish I had money to buy them all!

I especially love this picture. Washing and hanging laundry outside is so satisfying!

Fall Bounty

Leona enjoys coming over on Saturday evenings to watch Midsommer Murder Mysteries on TV. She no longer has Cable so we meet twice per week, and enjoy some shows together, Midsommer being our favourite of all. Recently I decorated the coffee table in autumn colours. Leona decorated the darling pumpkin.

Our Small Group had a marvelous potluck dinner on Thanksgiving Sunday.

Doesn't this feast look delicious? I made the 7th Heaven layered salad.

 On Thanksgiving Day I woke up with a splitting migraine.

I hadn't planned dinner this year, so it was a good thing.

We ordered Swiss Chalet in the evening; Robert went to pick it up and it was yummy.

On Tuesday evening I'd planned to have Matthew over for Thanksgiving dinner, but he got the flu, so instead I had my parents and Leona.

We had bought a free range turkey from Windsor Butcher shop on Main St.

We all agreed this was the BEST turkey we've ever eaten. It cost $45 for a 13 lb bird.

It was worth every penny. There were lots of leftovers which we split 3 ways, including a microwave dinner for Matthew, who we missed very much.

Fall Beauty

Our back garden. Small but perfect with autumn splendour.

Autumn pumpkins and gourds at Granville Island Market.

I adore this time of year!

Thanksgiving Day Cards

I made a few Thanksgiving cards this year, for family.

Due to my migraine headaches I didn't have time or effort to make any for my friends, so you'll have to enjoy looking at them here!

I also decorated some of the envelopes.

These were super easy to make.

I simply bought plain white cards from Michael's and added yellow or burgundy cardstock, and then glued on a piece of gorgeous paper with a leaf design. On top of that I layered a small piece of orange paper, and then a piece of white paper I had stamped on. (I bought the stamp at "I'm Impressed" for only $4.00)

I added 2 leaf brads and voila; a simple yet lovely card to give!

Happy Thanksgiving!

(a little late for my Canadian friends, but quite early for my American ones)

Gang Style Crime in BC

I don't have a gory photo for this topic, although you can find them online. It's amazing what you can find on the internet nowadays. Last Saturday evening around 6 pm there was a targeted gang style shooting in the Metrotown Parking lot, near Sears and The Bay stores. This is unbelievable to me. My family used to shop every Saturday at Sears in Burnaby. So did Robert's family. My Mom loved the bargain centre where she would buy our pretty dresses and other clothes at a very low price, similar to today's thrift stores, only brand new. We never could have imagined that 20 years into the future a huge 450 store mega mall would be built right behind Sears, attached to it by 3 floors.

Anyhow, I heard on the news that there had been a targeted hit, and I searched online yesterday to see if I could find the details. A gang member was shot in his car at point blank range in the face. I found pictures online of the car with the bullet holes in the window. Amazing, right here in my neighbourhood. He had killed someone years ago, although he was only 32, and this I suppose was revenge. He had spent time in jail, and in my opinion should have still been in jail, but now he is gone.

Today I read another story online. Three years ago Ed Schellenberg, a fireplace repairman, was killed innocently in a gang style shooting, along with another innocent victim. My parents knew Ed and had referred him to us to have our gas fireplace cleaned a few years ago, so I had also met him. Ed was gunned down in a violent gang shooting while doing his job at a condo tower in Surrey.

I find it difficult to believe that this is the province I live in, and these horrific scenes of gang style murders are taking place way too often. Truly it sets my hair on end. Usually I don't discuss such topics on my blog, but Saturday's Metrotown mall incident has made me feel decidedly unsafe. I generally shop at the mall around 3 times per week, running different errands at the PO etc. I often use that parking lot where the shooting took place. I'm just a little creeped out today!

Raggedy Ann dolls

A friend who often comments kindly here has a cute blog herself.

Please check it out if you have time.

I never used to like dear little Raggedy Ann but she has grown on me.

The above dress (click to see a larger photo) is the closest I've come to having anything Raggedy Anney!

Isn't it darling? I bought this on eBay. Maybe one day I'll find a Raggedy Ann doll I like.

100 years ago today

100 years ago today my Mom's grandparents arrived in America.

I'm so thankful God led them to this wonderful country.

They settled in Oregon, after living for a few years in Texas.

My Mom married a Canadian, and so here I am in Canada.

However, I don't take my inheritance for granted.

I am filled with gratitude for God's blessings on our family.
This picture shows my Mom's Mother's family. She made the girl's dresses.
She was an excellent seamstress. She was already married at the time of this photo in 1913.

Glorious autumn day...

I love this time of year. I love it even more when a high pressure ridge builds up, and the days are warm and the sky is a fantastic blue colour. I took the above picture at Granville Island yesterday.

Here is the fall bounty at one of my favourite vendors in the market.

Here is where I sat and ate my lunch and enjoyed a cup of tea with this phenomenal view in front of me.

This is the Hudson's Bay company building downtown, built in the early 1900's.

And this is a picture of my glorious mum plant in my backyard.

There is beauty everywhere at this time of year.



Freebie Friday

Today was a beautiful, gorgeous summer like day, even though it's October 1st.

I cleaned so much yesterday that today I said "No more cleaning!" and I went to Granville Island downtown, near the water. Alas, Matthew had the day off so I didn't see him. Nevertheless I enjoyed myself immensely. I sat outside on a bench and ate my lunch with a large seagull sitting right next to me on the bench, watching my every move.

I also shopped at Sears. I love the downtown store. It has a huge variety of clothing and is very clean and uncluttered. I noticed that if you bought one item, you got the next item FREE!

Who can resist that? So for each of the pretty skirts above, I got a free top!

Now I'm all set for Fall. I bought the purse the other day for 1/2 price at Payless shoes; if you buy one item you get the 2nd 1/2 price.

I love free deals!