Showing posts with label 1990's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1990's. Show all posts

Thursday, August 31, 2017

Lady Diana; 20 years ago....


I will never forget the disbelief and grief I felt on hearing that Lady Diana had died in a stupid and senseless car crash, due to a drunken driver.
It took me years before I even began to believe it. I thought that there was some conspiracy to get rid of her, but no, it was simply a horrendous act, and she should never have got into that car. But then, she should never have married Prince Charles, in my opinion. Poor dear Diana. 
I'll never forget her.

By Loretta Houben

Monday, June 6, 2016

Memory Monday... remembering our old house on Monmouth Ave.


I haven't done a Memory Monday post in a while!
I often dream about this kitchen.
Many a time I washed dishes at this sink.
Many times I had my hair washed in this sink.
I would stretch out on the counter, and my Mom would suds my hair and rinse it.
Oh the happy days!
I learned how to bake at this kitchen counter.
I made pancakes on Saturday mornings.
The first cookie I baked was "Joe Froggers".
I made a chicken and rice dish for Robert when I was dating him in 1981.
There are just so many happy memories associated with this room!
I did all my homework at the kitchen table, and I learned how to sew on Mom's sewing machine at this table. I wrote in my diary, I composed poems and stories, I coloured for hours, and I had good chats with my Mom here.
That's my Mom, Susan Williams, in the photo above, dated Feb 13, 1998.
She and Dad had sold their house for the vast sum of $285,000.
They bought a lovely brand new condo in Burnaby, and are still there.
I love how my parents kept their house so nice and spotless. The house sold in one day.


And here I am many years ago, when the house was brand new.
We'd moved in at the end of 1963. I can still remember going to look at this house at 
3382 Monmouth Avenue in Vancouver BC. There was brown paper on the floor and I had to stay on it and I couldn't figure out why. I remember the drain holes in the basement and outside the basement door. The whole house seemed huge! At first Leona and I had our own bedrooms, but in 1965 Marlene came along, and then Leona and I shared. I didn't get my own room until 1977 when my Dad built a room for me downstairs. I stayed in it for 5 years when I got married in 1982 and went on in life to acquire my own houses.
What memories two photos can bring out! 
My parents re-did the cupboards in the 1990's, and had a new sink installed.
In both cases the sink was white porcelain. It's much better and much prettier than stainless steel!

By Loretta Houben

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Easter Photos from 1998 - 2000


April 4, 1999; Easter Sunday...Matthew and his basket, age 10.


Robert and Matthew, April 4, 1999. Easter Sunday and Robert's 40th birthday! (which is why Robert is in a porch picture!)


Loretta and Matthew; Easter Sunday, April 4th, 1999


Some of the clan on Easter Sunday, April 4, 1999: Matthew, Colin, Paul, Ashley


All of the clan...who knows why James is so unhappy?


Easter lunch at our house. (I don't have a picture of the adult table...maybe Robert's 40th birthday was too much for me?) April 4, 1999


Some of the clan...Easter, 1999 (the weird white line is my camera strap, alas)


Easter Sunday, April 23, 2000
Matthew and Loretta

Good Friday lunch at the Braun's home; April 21, 2000
Loretta Houben

Easter Photos from 1995 - 1997


Easter lunch at our home, March 30, 1997. (if you click on all the photos, you will really see the details well) I'm in a senitmental mood, so I'm scanning in all the Easter photos I can find. In the above photo, from left to right:
My Dad, Jack Williams; Leona; Matthew; Colin; Julie Matthews; Paul; Robert; my Mom, Susie Williams.


Matthew, age 8, with his Easter basket, which he always loved to hunt for.


Me and Matthew in our Easter best, March 30, 1997.


April 7, 1996; my parents, Susie & Jack Williams.


Easter lunch at my parent's home, April 7, 1996.


April 7, 1996; Matthew with his Easter basket. (notice his missing teeth)


April 16, 1995; Myself holding my niece, Ashley, and Matthew beside me.


Easter Sunday, April 16, 1995
Loretta Houben