January & February flew by and were uneventful…
In March I began work with DaVinci College teaching English to Doctor’s Assistants and Pharmacist’s Assistants. This continued until the end of May. I had a blast doing it! I never imagined how much fun it could be being in a classroom. I started work on March 3, 27 years since my plane crash – it was kind of emotional for me.
Maarten went to America for his work…
April 11th Maarten turned 43…
This was the first picture Bessie took! So many bikes!
In May I began exercising at a gym… May 12th we got a visitor from Canada! I took Bessie to Oldenbroek for “Singer’s Day” the last performance for my choir as our director decided to stop after 19 years and nobody could be found to replace him. I was quite upset and still am! We went to the Keukenhof, Dordrecht, and Kinderkijk,
Madurodam, Euromast, The Cubic houses, Haarlem and Corrie Ten Boom’s house… I left Bessie in Haarlem and she flew back to Canada the 28th!
Maarten and I had a weekend retreat at Emmaus with the church, it was great! June 5-7
June 12-14 to Groningen
July 25th to Middleburg
Our vacation was going to be a bit different this year. I came to Canada alone on August 5th. Maarten had to fly to Oregon on August 16th to work for a week.
After a few days at George & Bessie’s adjusting to the time change, I took the bus to Thompson. My mom continued to work, and so I was alone a lot. I began making my mom breakfast before she left the house for work. Her normal routine was to grab a banana and begin her work day.
Thankfully, Joan B. made time for me, and took me to her house to walk on the treadmill three times a week. She also made lunch for me and we went out for coffee, and other things like errands to the post office or Wal-Mart. George M. also took me out for lunch. I spent some time with my cousin Debbie, and cousin Brenda.
Laura Carter was also a trooper, she had mom and me over for a meal, and then after Maarten arrived she had us for an anniversary meal, as well as bringing me here and there throughout the days when I was alone…
Mom bought me a watch. Well, Maarten and mom bought me a watch. They shared the cost. It was mom’s Christmas present to me and Maarten’s birthday present to me.
I joined in on Bible studies with June & Anne, and Friday night suppers. June got me a guest pass to Curves which I had never visited before and enjoyed very much.
Maarten arrived on August 25th. It was a rather chilly day.
On August 30th we drove to Winnipeg with my mom. (750 kms) On August 31st, we attended Maarten’s long awaited sports event, a baseball game with the Goldeyes. We went with Gerry & Vyonne, and had a great time. The Goldeyes won by the way!
We were staying at Gerry & Vyonne’s. September 1st we were to fly to Vancouver. I had a bath that morning. When I was in the bathroom, I had placed my new watch on the edge of the sink. I had to use the toilet and somehow managed to knock the soap dish off and horrors saw my watch disappear down the drain! I moved with lightening speed to undo the trap below the sink, and horrors, no watch! As I didn’t have my legs on yet, I had to peek up over the sink, and to my surprise the clasp from my watch was still visible in the drain… I ran to the kitchen, (on my knees) and grabbed a spaghetti utensil and came back and used it to grasp my clasp and bring my watch to safety! I breathed a sigh of relief and didn’t tell mom or Maarten what I had done. (until 24 hours later…)
We drove to a shop in Garden City Shopping Center and waited in the car while mom ran in to buy a pair of pants she had put aside. We then drove to Uncle Grant’s and he brought us to the airport with mom’s car. We unloaded everything, except the new pair of pants mom had just bought for her vacation; they were forgotten somehow, in the car.
We’d left the majority of our luggage at Gerry & Vyonne’s, to travel as light as we possibly could through Western Canada. That turned out to be a smart thing to do.
We flew with Air Canada and arrived in Vancouver. (1870 km) We were met at the airport by a dear friend, Di. She brought us to the Executive Inn where we stayed one night. She had us over for supper and we met her children. The following day we went with Di to an IHOP for breakfast! That was the first time I had ever visited an IHOP. Teryn, her youngest daughter was also with us. We left mom at the hotel, Mom’s cousin Gail was going to pick her up.
Di, Maarten, Teryn and I went to Stanley Park, and then we went to the Vancouver Aquarium. It was a very interesting place. Well worth the visit, thankfully Maarten got in free. We saw some kind of 4-D movie… you really got splashed when the whales took a dive!
Di dropped Maarten and me off for supper at Gail’s and we had a lovely meal. It was somewhat rushed as we had to get to the bus depot to catch the 8:30 bus to Nanaimo. I had a call from Di that her van died. She had our luggage and it had to get to the bus depot too… She called her husband to come and see what the problem was, and she called her sister to come and pick up the luggage and deliver it to the bus depot.
Thankfully we both arrived there at the same time, Gail with Maarten, me and mom, and Di’s sister, and Teryn, with the luggage! Thank you Lord (and Di’s quick thinking!)
We got on the bus, and we were the only three people on the bus! When I had bought the bus tickets the day before I wanted to buy seat selection and the man laughed at me. He said then that we would probably be the only three on the bus, and he was right.
We took the bus from Coquitlam to Nanaimo. (103 km)
Of course, the Greyhound bus had to go to Horseshoe Bay and get on the ferry and cross the Strait of Georgia to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. We arrived at the bus depot around 11:30 pm, and my mom’s cousin Tom’s son Tom came and picked us up. We had a 22.3 km drive to Ladysmith where we stayed with Mom’s cousin Chuck’s wife, Audrey’s house.
We visited two graveyards where Tom is buried, and where Chuck and his mom are buried. We also saw many plaques around town dedicated to Tom and his wife, as he was a doctor and had given much to the town of Ladysmith.
We had a lunch together with Tom, his wife and son, his mom Wilma, and Audrey, plus Wayne and Vicki were visiting from Winnipeg. It was kind of neat to be together.On Saturday, September 5th Maarten and I went by bus, back to Vancouver. Wayne O. picked us up from the bus depot. We stayed at another Executive Inn. We had a lovely meal in their tiny home. Sunday morning around 8 am, Brian Glum came by to visit. We went to Tim Horton’s for breakfast. Wayne came around 9 and we headed to church. Pastor Ken Shigematsu preached a sermon entitled, “The Fire Spreads” looking at the Holy Spirit and the early church, and what signs show the presence of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life. It was an impacting message.
After church we went to a Korean restaurant for lunch. That was special and also very yummy! Brian had to return to Campbell River, so we went back to where Sandy (Brian’s wife) and the children were and waved goodbye to them as they packed up and left for the Island.
We hung out with Wayne & Grace and went house shopping with them. We had some time at our hotel and Cindy; my cousin, came for a visit. So glad she did, that was the only chance I had to see her.
On Monday, Wayne & Grace took us to Whistler. It was quite the long and winding drive, although Wayne insisted that they have improved the roads for the upcoming Olympics in February 2010. In Whistler we visited the official shop for the Olympics, Maarten, Wayne and Grace climbed into a bobsled and I took their picture. Memorable moments!
Tuesday, Maarten and I went to Metro town, a large shopping mall in Burnaby with 470 shops. We spent much of our time trying to figure out how to get to the Sky train. We had to take the Sky train all the way to the end in Surrey. There we waited for Bianca, the sister of friends in Holland. She picked us up and brought us to her home for supper. We met Ben, Bianca’s husband. They are Dutch but have chosen to live in Canada.
After supper we got back on the Sky train, and rode back to the Metro town mall, where the shuttle from the hotel picked us up.
Wednesday, Di came back into the picture and took us again to IHOP and then to the bus depot. There we took the bus 60 km to Abbotsford. We stayed two nights at Vicki (Caine) Abril’s. I enjoyed seeing her, her family and her 94 year old dad that she cares for. She has a very busy life on very little sleep. Quite chaotic if you asked Maarten.
Her husband, Aaron took us to the Airport on September 11th and we flew to Edmonton. (774 km as the crow flies.)
Donna (Cook) Hovsepian picked us up from the airport and brought us to our Hotel, Holiday Inn West. The first night was very interesting. I was asleep, happily in dreamland and at 4:10, I all of a sudden couldn’t breathe. I gently pushed Maarten, “Maarten can you please check to see if I have unplugged my breathing machine?” He attempted to turn the light on, and there wasn’t any light. There was no power! I sat up in bed, and got worried. “Can you please go downstairs and find out what is going on?” Maarten didn’t want to leave me. We were only on the third floor, but still, he didn’t want to leave me alone. I insisted. He went downstairs, but the only exit took him outside, he placed a rock between the door so it wouldn’t close, and he could still get back in and upstairs to me. He walked around the building and came in the main door, and the man behind the desk said, “Were you wanting to check out now?” No, Maarten asked what was going on and when it would be fixed. As far as they knew, emergency services were called, and there was nothing more they could do.
He came back to bed, and finally at 6:10 am the power came back on, I popped my breathing machine on, and I slept until the phone rang at 10:20. Tony was calling to see if we were ready for Donna to pick us up. By the time Donna arrived, we were ready.
We drove 45 km to The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village. After a nice picnic lunch prepared by Donna, we wandered into the visitor’s center. There we found a scoot mobile for old people, with fat wheels as the terrain was very rough. It was well thought of by the organizers of the village, these were free to use for those who needed them. I got to use it and could go everywhere in comfort, and Maarten didn’t have to push me in my wheelchair.
After visiting the village we met Tony by the river and went on a cruise on a riverboat. We had fantastic weather.
After this, Donna and Tony took us to their house and prepared Bison steaks on the barbeque. What a feast!
Sunday we visited the Beulah Alliance Church, the message was entitled, “The Difference One Life Can Make.” Matthew 20: 25-28. My husband was wiping tears from his eyes. The Monday before, he had an e-mail from leadership from our church asking him if he would consider being an elder in our church. Maarten hasn’t said yes yet, but was voted in by the people on September 30th. After church we went to the River Cree First Nation Casino for brunch! Yummy yummy yummy…
Monday and Tuesday we spent in West Edmonton Mall. Tuesday evening we had supper at Gretchen & Raymundo’s house, and we got to meet Ray’s mom who was visiting from the Dominican Republic.
Wednesday, we flew from Edmonton to Saskatoon. (481 km) Jenny, Gretchen’s sister, picked us up at the airport. We went and stayed with them a night in their lovely new home.
The next morning they gave us an excellent breakfast and then Jenny & Claude took us to the bus depot. We had a 2.5 hour bus ride on a Saskatchewan Transit bus to Moose Jaw. (225 km) Just after Tuxford we saw a real moose standing in a field of wheat… oh where is the camera when you need one!!!
Dr. Penner & Auntie Marnie picked us up at the bus depot and brought us to Caronport. I am saddened by the way things are going there. Caronport was a school that was built on prayer and sacrifice, and the powers that be are trying to turn it into a secular university instead of a mission-minded, bible teaching school!
From Caronport we took the bus to Winnipeg, Sunday September 20th. (664 km)
George & Bessie picked us up at the Bus depot. Bessie was in pain from her back. How she ever drove to get us was amazing. She was in such agony. We stayed with them for 4 nights. During this time we were able to meet with Albert & Lorena Wahl for brunch in Selkirk, Uncle Grant & Bonnie, Aunt Colleen, Mom and Maarten and I had supper in Selkirk, Supper at Tony Roma’s with George & Bessie for our anniversary present, shopping at Wal-mart.
When Bessie had visited us in May she bought some material with a Delft blue pattern, from that she made me a tea cozy and a bib! I am not the neatest eater Maarten says… She gave these presents to me before we left. How special is that?
The morning we packed up and headed to the Holiday Inn Airport West we stopped at the Pancake House and met Jim & Jan Uttley for breakfast. We had a lovely time together with George & Bessie. Why do we have to live so far away?
We got to the Hotel and had our final few days together, meeting Hilda Remple and my mom at Boston Pizza for a meal, Esther Unruh at the Olive Garden, Wendy & Kennedy at the Olive Garden and a birthday celebration with Susan Krahn, and Lawrence & Katharine Arendt. Susan has just been diagnosed with cancer of the kidney. Our last breakfast Vyonne and her family joined us, although we didn’t all get to sit together…
Then it was the all too familiar good-bye at the airport. I flew back to Holland on September 27th arriving here the 28th and Maarten flew via Vancouver to Portland Oregon, to work on the Essayons for a week before flying back to Holland. He arrived October 4th, tired but happy to be home.
My English lessons have begun again at home! I was asked by the school to come and give an English oral exam, but the head school provides the English teachers for the Health School now, too bad! I have begun to exercise more…
November 1st Maarten was installed as an elder in our church…
December 12th I sang in a Christmas concert with the Choir Company… had a fantastic concert… wish you could have been there…
December 13th Maarten was in charge of the morning service, giving announcements and praying in front of people… He did a great job; surely the Holy Spirit was busy!
December 18th we are getting a visitor for Christmas, April Daoust – looking forward to a special time together!
Before this gets any longer, let me say goodnight, God bless you this Christmas and all the best in 2010!
The Snow that fell, December 18th... and we are still getting snow! First white Christmas since 1981!
