Leaving on a jet plane

 

                        All my bags are packed
                            I'm ready to go
                            I'm standin' here outside your door
                            I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
                            But the dawn is breakin'
                            It's early morn
                            The Uber is waitin'
                            He's blowin' his horn (I hope it doesn't bother the neighbours)
                                    
We leave very early today to Montreal.  We booked Porter Airlines with extra legroom and two abreast seating.  We stay overnight in a hotel near the Montreal airport.  Princess has a bus from the Montreal Airport to the port at Quebec City tomorrow.  This isn't the way it works during tourist/cruise season, but we are on the last ship to leave Quebec City and the flights into Quebec City are few so they are offering a bus for $99 a person.  It's a three hour trip that should be scenic!  We planned on taking the train, but this is much better as we give them our luggage with our room tags on in Montreal and we will see it again (hopefully!) in our stateroom.  We got a notice the other day we clear US Customs in Portland, Maine!

14 nights on a cruise ship to Fort Lauderdale.  Let's hope the hurricanes are finished!  We've got Princess Plus to make this an awesome cruise!

I found a Picasso in my basement

I didn't find one in my basement but this lucky Italian did:

A painting discovered by a junk dealer in the basement of an Italian villa six decades ago is actually the work of Pablo Picasso and could sell for millions, according to experts. Luigi Lo Rosso used to spend his days combing abandoned houses and landfills in search of treasure to sell in the family’s pawn shop in Pompeii, Italy. In 1962, he found a rolled-up canvas with an asymmetrical painting of a woman in the basement of the villa on the nearby island of Capri." 

The painting is believed to be an asymmetrical image of Dora Maar, who was Picasso’s lover at a time when he spent a period on the Italian island of Capri, where in the 1950s, Luigi Lo Rosso, a local pawnbroker who used to comb dumps and abandoned houses for treasure, found it in the basement of an empty villa.

If you want to read more of this story:

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/02/style/picasso-painting-junk-dealer-italy-scli-intl/index.html

Pam, Julienne, Kayla and Amy-Leigh's Alaska adventure!

Over 15 years ago I decided to get into the business of booking travel.  I'd worked for an airline so I knew a lot about airline travel and travel in general.  We started travelling as soon as Cheryl was able to be taken on a flight.  We were so fortunate because the airline benefits gave us vacations we couldn't normally afford.  

I've love helping people in their travels.  I like to give them tips about cruising and am even happier when I hear from them while on their vacation.  I like to connect after too.

20 years ago, I needed surgery and seven months off work.  My employer had to hire a replacement for me.  Pam Kemps was my replacement and we've been friends ever since.  She left Ritchie Bros. after the birth of her second daughter and now lives in Courtenay.  She texted me and asked if I would book a trip for her, her mom and two sisters.  Mom Julienne and Kayla live in Moose Jaw, Amy-Leigh lives in Cloverdale and Pam lives in Courtenay.  Mom wanted to get the girls together and do a family cruise!

They booked the Koningsdam to Alaska in September.  Pam was in Vancouver visiting her mom who was house sitting in Crescent Beach and asked me to visit them last week.  It was a lovely visit with Pam, Julienne and Amy-Leigh.  Pam emailed me these pictures of their trip and I thought I would share them.

Pam, Julienne (mom) Amy-Leigh and Kayla

Enjoying afternoon tea!

Ketchikan

Kayaking fun

Red Dog Saloon - a must see in Juneau

Train ride in Skagway

A martini on the deck.  Looks like Vancouver at sail away!

My favorite cruises have been when we went with Cheryl, Dave and Lexie for our 45th and 50th wedding anniversary.  Our 60th is coming up in a couple of years, maybe it's time to book another one for our family!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today Cheryl is cooking a family dinner.  Thanksgiving is about families and being thankful for everything you have.  We are fortunate and it's always great to get together with the family.  Our neighbours to the south have their Thanksgiving at the end of November.  Here are the differences between Canadian and American Thanksgivings.

American Thanksgiving: A Pilgrim's Tale

The origins of Thanksgiving in the United States can be traced back to 1621 when the Pilgrims, a group of English separatists, and the Wampanoag Native Americans gathered for a three-day feast in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

The Pilgrims had endured a harsh first year in the New World and celebrated a bountiful harvest, forging a bond of friendship with their indigenous neighbors. President Abraham Lincoln officially declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, setting the date as the last Thursday in November.

Canadian Thanksgiving: A Harvest Celebration

In Canada, the roots of Thanksgiving can be traced even further back, with origins in the 1578 voyage of Martin Frobisher, an English explorer. Frobisher and his crew celebrated their safe arrival in what is now Newfoundland and Labrador with a feast.

It wasn't until 1879 that Thanksgiving was celebrated as a national holiday in Canada, with the date initially set as November 6th. It was later moved to the second Monday in October, where it remains today.

Saturday smiles

 

Aurora again!

We got a notification Aurora would be alive last night.  Jason and I went to Blackie Spit with a lot of other people, took our chairs and waited.  The city is not ideal for spotting the northern lights, but we were fortunate enough to see a decent light show!  

It just started!  

On Tuesday night, we parked in the lot at Blackie Spit.  No lights on Tuesday night, but last night you could see them without a camera.  The gates at Blackie Spit close at 8:00.  We didn't notice the sign but saw the flashing yellow lights at 8:50.  Good thing we did, as he was about to close the gates.  Last night, we didn't park there, but saw lots of cars still there at 10:00 and the park people kept the gates open.  

Thursday laughs

 

People who give back to the community, I personally know one who does incredible work

My nephew owns a business and is often on TV ads with his dog.  A lot of friends go to his business and he is rarely there.  They ask "what does he do"?  Brad is a member of the Lions Club.  Along with other Lions members, every day, he goes to the chain supermarkets.  He has a truck and he picks up their near to expiry date food.  Through the week, he takes the food to food banks and fills up food pantries all across the lower mainland.  He's met many people at the pantries when he's delivering.  They are not homeless, drug addicted or alcoholics but food is so expensive they go without necessities.  It's heartbreaking.

Every Sunday they pick a church and it doesn't matter the denomination.  As Brad says "even people who have an income are suffering".  Families with children and seniors on a limited income have trouble making ends meet.  As the congregation leaves the church, this is what they see:

Brad's perspective is, hire efficient people you trust to handle the business and give back to the community that's been so good to your family.  

BC Provincial Election

Over the years, I've voted for most political parties.  I am not loyal to one party.  I look at the issues and the people running.  In the 1970's I voted for an unknown party.  Their promise of a macrame bridge from the mainland to Vancouver Island was funny and a promise that never would happen.  It was a protest vote because I didn't like any of the people running and I knew they had no chance.  At least I voted.  I've voted in every election.

This election has been on the books for months.  It's less than two weeks away and I haven't got a voting card.  Neither have my friends.  We need to vote this week as we are not in town election day.

I've been waiting for an all candidates meeting.  It's not going to happen.  The news said even when they do happen, the candidates don't show up!  Where are the election signs?  We have three candidates running in Surrey Panorama and so far the Conservatives are the only party that have signs up.  There are no NDP signs driving through Surrey South, Surrey Serpentine River and Surrey Cloverdale!  Usually we are inundated with orange signs.

Watching the TV advertisements from the NDP, they slam the Conservatives and the Conservatives deny their claims.  It reeks of American politics where the country is divided.  I am not happy about either party and the dirty politics that's happening.  

I hope whoever wins, fulfills their promises.  The government we have in now said four years ago they would eliminate Surrey school portables.  The amount of portables has doubled.  

CBC report on Surrey Schools

They are forcing housing on our already crowded community.  Hospitals are overwhelmed and the schools are bursting with portable classrooms taking away playing field space.

They promised a bridge to replace the Massey Tunnel.  - It's never been started and the tunnel is a parking lot at rush hour.

So many other promises from the last election, never fulfilled.   Will the Conservatives do any better?  They have a track record of cutting programs federally.  They are new to BC politics so we really don't know what they will do.  

Hopefully, I will find someone to vote for that will make me feel good about my vote tonight after the television debate is over.  

Northern Lights?

There was a possibility we could see the Northern Lights last night, so Jason and I went to Crescent Beach.  There were scattered light clouds but we never did see them.  We saw some posts and they were visible in a few different areas of British Columbia.  No reports of sightings in Greater Vancouver.  

Even if we didn't see them, it was a lovely night.  The stars were shining and very few people in Crescent Beach.  We parked in the lot at Blackie Spit.  We saw a car with flashing yellow lights and it drove to the washrooms.  We decided to see when the lot would close and the sign we didn't see when we drove in said 8 PM, closing.  It was 9:10!  Good thing we saw the security car with the yellow lights.  Parking lot hours change during the fall!

Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off

We won't be here for Halloween fun but it's already started.  Costco pumpkin pies are in stock and they are only $6.99!  You can't make one for that.  Pumpkin spice coffee is available at all the coffee houses and pumpkins are showing up everywhere.  

Yesterday, Krause Farms had their Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off.  

and the winner weighed 1159 lbs!

https://www.krauseberryfarms.com/pages/events

More from Vince the sign Guy

 

Northern Lights/Aurora Borealis this weekend? Where do you live?

 If the weather is clear in your area, it's looking really good for Aurora Borealis! 

Multiple rounds of geomagnetic storming could induce several nights of northern lights displays. Much of the northern U.S. and Canada will have a chance to see the aurora. Best display may come Saturday night. Uncertainty high, but so is potential.

Will we see the Northern Lights this weekend?

 

The sun has emitted a massive X7.1 solar flair that is expected to reach Earth by October 5th.  Initial analysis states there is no threat to humans, but will create an extreme geomagnetic storm!

Gorgeous picture!

 I don't know who did this, but it's beautiful!

Is it a picture or a painting?

Murder in a Small Town

Global TV and Fox are broadcasting this new series.  It started last week.  We recorded it and just watched the first episode last night.  It's based on L. R. Wright's nine-book Karl Alberg mystery series.  The location of the series is in Gibsons, BC and the scenery is awesome!  The series stars Rossif Sutherland, son of Donald Sutherland and Kristin Kreuk.  

Karl Alberg moves to the idyllic coastal town of Gibsons to become the new police chief and soothe a psyche that has been battered by big-city police work. Unfortunately, the gentle paradise has more than its share of secrets, and Karl needs to call upon all the skills that made him a world-class detective in solving the murders that, even in this seemingly idyllic setting, continue to wash up on his shore. Cassandra, a local librarian, becomes Alberg's muse, foil and romantic interest. The show is based on the Edgar Award-winning, nine-book "Karl Alberg" series by acclaimed novelist L.R. Wright.