It's Pash Again...I Still Have Control of the Blog for a Bit!

You probably guessed it.  Noodles was correct.  Janet and Phil packed up their bags, snuck out the garage door and never looked back.   Noodles is the doggie equivelant to M. Duflot  from "A Good Year",  one of Janet's favourite movies.  M. Duflot says nothing, but knows everything going on in the village.

Noodles says they are going on a trip.  Bingo!  Before we know it, we are seeing photos of Phil and Janet lunching at the Crooked Billet.  It's their go to spot after arriving at Heathrow to tuck into a delicious lunch.  Phil had the WHOLE lobster!

Janet had the Seared Cornish Albacore Tuna with Tapenade and vegetables.

After stuffing themselves, they drove to their cute cottage in the Cotswolds- Upper Oddington.  Our Aunt T will know where this is because she, Phil, Uncle Bob and Aunt T walked past these cottages to go for lunch at The Fox Inn.

Here is Janet's baby Aga!  She also has a baby Bosch dishwasher.

Before they left Oregon, Janet told Bronwyn she couldn't stand her kitchen tap as it was the polar opposite of her tap at home.  Here in the cottage, this tap has managed to run with the worst of both Janet and Bronwyn's taps and none of the good features!

They have done lots of driving around and checking out old spots and new.  Today they went to what is billed as Britain's best Farmers Market.  It was in Stroud and was pretty good.

This lucky puppy got to go to the market.   All three of us want to go to the market in the U.K. 

After the market town, they went to Cirencester which was a really nice small city.  They visited St. John the Baptist Church because they have St. John the Divine in Victoria.  The majority of the building is from 1240, but the roots go back much further.  Janet's only church knowledge is how beautiful they are.  Aside from that...squat!  So, she mustered up her courage and went to ask a couple of church volunteers what the "nave" was.  They were so kind they didn't even roll their eyes, which I suppose is what we expect from church volunteers.  Janet said it was really beautiful.

I know Rockers and Noodles would be forever pointing out how crazy ass Janet and Phil are, but I'm not going to go there because I really want to go to Camp Canada.  However, having said that - they bought this BIG book of 1001 Walks in the UK.  It was on sale for 10GBP (a big reduction) and it weighs a ton.  However, inside is a binder.  You can remove each page with maps and step by step directions.  So far, so good.  Then you fold your map page into triplicate and  tuck it into your ridiculous "unaccompanied minor" packet and go on the walk.   First walk - complete and utter failure! They were lost almost from the get go.   Janet thinks they should return the gently used book and see if they can get their money back.

Here is Phil with the map around his neck.  Instead of walking on a lane aside an old manor house, they are in the middle of a field with a combine; sucking up barley (or whatever) dust!  Perhaps Rockers and Noodles are right.....recognize them for the idiots they are and hope I can still go to Camp Canada!

Last but not least, they were wandering around Chipping Campden (without use of a map, believe it or not) and chanced upon a china shop that was selling this beautiful china from Royal Doulton.  The pattern was called Coaching Days.  Janet is not a Royal Doulton fan, but this was circa 1905 and was beautiful and super expensive!

It's Minnie and I Am So Back!

Did you guys forget about me?  It's me...Minnie, Pashminder, MinPin, Minshuku, Pashy or just plain Emma!  Call me what  you like, but please be sure to call me!  I love people!

They came to visit me!  I was so excited and happy to see Rockers and Noodles.  Of course, Rockers wants to steal the limelight, but I insisted that the blog belongs to all of us and that I can have a turn.  Bronwyn says I can go to Camp Canada soon and that will be so cool...the beach, the sand...the groomer?!?

It's been pretty sad and lonely around our house lately, so it was super fun when they arrived.  One problem - I haven't seen my Camp Canada cousins for almost a year and it was a bit shocking to see how much they have slowed down and how little they want to play with me.  I gave my best moves and I think over time, I can break them down into some tussles.

We spent our time in Hood River and here is how we rock it out.  I'm going to show my cuz how to chill out in proper fashion.

Here I am.....Pashminder.

Noodles likes to be inside and outside at the same time.

Please don't tell anyone...Rockers is afraid to go down the stairs to the second level where there is another bedroom, bathroom and laundry and where Janet and Phil are sleeping.  The stairs are carpeted!  Get over yourself, Mr. Big Baby!

Bronwyn says...."come on Rockers, you can do it!"

Phil feels he needs to relax on his pre-vacation before his actual vacation.

After this relaxation session, he goes for another relaxation session in the hot tub.

The only schmucks doing any work around here are Bronwyn, who is actually going to work and Janet who is cooking all the meals!   Oh, Oh...forgot about this incredibly rare photo op:

Never, never seen before!

In between making meals, Janet was able to work on her weight lifting program.  She was silly and thought a stein was the equivalent to a pint.  Wrong!

We watched this Columbia River paddleboat cruise go by.  Janet and Phil checked it out and without any discounts it was about $3700/person/week!  Sheesh...that's alot of dog cookies!

The boat is actually pretty large, but the house is so high up on a cliff that windsurfers look like tiny little pins.

There is lots of whispering and hiding of luggage, so the guys must know for sure they are staying here with me for a bit.  Rockers says, OK...we can hang in the bachelor pad!  Yay guys; we are going to have a blast!

Janet cleaned the screen of Mikey's iPad so he and Rockers can chillax together.

Move Over Mr. Baby..New Cuteness Arrives!

Janet and Phil really love to go to Pizzeria Prima Strada for lunch.  On the walls at the restaurant are photos of the water  buffalo at Fairburn Farms.  Once a month, you can tour the farm and see their operation.   The milk from the water buffalos is picked up every Monday by Natural Pastures who then  turn it into Buffalo Mozzarella cheese.  It is fabulous cheese and can be purchased at some local shops.

They went for an outing on Sunday to tour the farm.  They loved it!  Janet asked some really dumb questions.  Example:  "do you get milk from the males" and "oh...they must give birth to a calf to be able to produce milk?"  Then she recalled the whole mammal gig and remembered that Derek can't feed Mr. Baby.  We were really glad we didn't go on the outing as this woman is way beyond embarrassing.

This little cutie is only 4 days old and a bit skittish on her legs!

This cute little doggie is AJ.  He lives on the farm and attended the whole tour.  AJ is nine years old and is part border collie.  We want to be tour dogs on a farm!  How much fun would that be?

This is where they keep the milk until Natural Pastures comes to collect it on Mondays.

There was a really beautiful wooden church on the way to the farm.  It is now closed and was listed for sale for $350,000.  Janet's volunteer friend Doreen told Janet she thinks the building is now condemned, so perhaps it's no longer for sale.  There is also a cemetery on the property, which apparently is an issue when selling property.

They had a yummy dinner of BBQ'd short ribs and grilled patty pan squash.  Janet loves patty pan squash.

Boo boo and boo hoo!   In his haste, Phil was rinsing out one of our coolers and left to do something else while the water was running.  A couple of hours flew by before it came to light the water was still on.  The water running was hot, so the entire basement was like a sauna!  Lucky thing we have that "hot water on demand" heating system, so it was continual hot water.  Janet said it was just like going to the Caribbean without the hassle and expense of leaving home!

They had to call in the professionals and there were many, many bad words said.  Most bad words were centred around the cost of said professional!

Trouble makers!

There is big action on half of our street.  We are really glad it's not our half of the street!  Sorry, neighbours!

They are working on gas lines.

A New TV Station

It's all they watch - every day, all day long.  The most expensive TV channel ever subscribed to - it's the Mr. Baby Channel!  Mr. Baby has mastered the skill of smiling and making cute little cooing noises, giving all the dumb adults in this house the impression that they are fascinating and riveting.  Each and every one of them fall for it, time after time.  Noodles worships him, but I am onto his tricks.  I don't have very much baby experience, so it's difficult to know what other tricks he has up his tiny little sleeve.

Mr. Baby hit the road with his handlers and went back to Squamish.  We are, at least for a little bit, king and queen of the castle again.

Here is a nonblurry photo of me being Mr. Baby's pony pup.

He looks like he is having as much fun as I am!  I'm not sure he is going to be a horse lover.

Her Nutiness insists on putting her man size hands in all manner of photos.  The bright side is they aren't obliterating Finley's face.

Look how teensy weensy Mr. Baby's hands are.  Or, look at how huge and gigantic Janet's hand are.

We don't quite know what to do about this, but Mr. Baby has a really bad comb over.  If only Meg would let Yo-Yo (this is Lolo's version of the Chinese word for Grandma which is quite a bit off the actual word, but is cute nevertheless) use some hair care product, we could fix this.  How about a faux hawk, Mr. Baby?

They took in the Classic Car show on Oak Bay Avenue.  We didn't get to go, but they said there were tons of cars and people.

Pretty!

Cool license plate.

Look how clever Mr. Baby is with his feet.

What do you think he is worried about?  The ride home?  His next meal?  The comb over?  His red eyes that make him look like a zombie?

It's that time of the year again!

Jam!

Adventures In Babysitting

Noodles has been tapping into her maternal instincts and is very busy indeed helping care for Mr. Baby.  She is usually in any room that Mr. Baby is in (Janet says she wants to add that Mr. Baby can only be in one room at a time, but his stuff is in all rooms at all times!)

Helping Finley's momager with the feeding.

Finley invited his BFF Robbie over and they went out for lunch.  Actually, come to think about Robbie  is Mr. Baby's only friend so far!

Mr. Robbie is 4 months old.

Proud Mama's - Meg and Julie who is Mr. Robbies handler.

I got to play pony pup.

Mr. Baby is wearing his Bosun's Mate cap.

Mr. Baby gives his handler a subliminal message in case she thinks he should go in his bassinet.

Mr. Baby and his other handler chill with matching outfits.

Mr. Baby says "yay....go team, go!"  Mr. Baby can be a bit of a dictator and likes to cheer the little people on with a bit of encouragement.

Pursuant to Janet's comment earlier about Mr. Baby's stuff; this is how we rock around here lately.
Several breast feeding stations, many glasses of water at each breast feeding station,  several baby chairs, laundry in the living room for more than 24 hours and last but not least:

 ...the diaper on the kitchen counter.  This might have been Janet's last straw, but when they discussed the cost of cloth diapers,  Janet nearly collapsed.  In the unsavoury sample above, it comes with a long piece of thick terry towel with 3 snaps to allow for growth.  The terry towel piece slips inside a pocket on the liner you can see above.  The price for being environment friendly and not using paper diapers?  $20-24 diapers for EACH set of liner and outside pants.

A Very Sad Post

For those of you that are not aware, our much beloved Rubby Dubs has been missing for the last six days.  Ruby is 13 1/2 years old and as feisty as ever.  Everyone in our family loves her, but no one more than Mikey.  Mikey worships the ground Rubs walks on and attends to each and every little bark where she is commanding one service or another.

Bronwyn has gone over the top in their search for Ruby to the extent of even involving the local Sheriff.

Here's a much younger Mikey and a really cute little puppy and a really ugly deck! 

Phil Sinks To a Whole New Low!

 After Toronto, Janet and Phil skipped off to Montreal.  Janet says they used to live in Montreal, where Meg was born.  It was the 40th anniversary of the judo club Phil used to train at; Shidokan.

They were very busy catching up on sights and visiting with friends, some of whom they had not seen for 20 years or more.

There was a Dale Chihuly exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts.

There was a big BBQ with beer, hot dogs, beer, hamburgers and did we mention beer?

Janet says Phil had more beer in one night than she has seen him drink in a month of Sundays.  Many of the guys in this photo are Olympians.

They visited the apartments they used to live in.  The first one was $75/month and then they upgraded to a two bedroom for $125/month.  The first apartment was in NDG, on Monkland Avenue, which is now a very trendy place to live and the second one is a major dump!

There is a courtyard in the centre and Janet, Phil and Meg lived on the second floor, overlooking the courtyard.

This is their second and last apartment.  Laurie and Brad moved in after Janet and Phil left Montreal.  Janet often wonders if our lives would have been much different if they had stayed in Montreal.

The judo practice Phil did not participate in.  Too much beer the night before or can't fit into his judogi anymore??

They went to an incredible topiary display at the Botanical Garden.  Janet says they were beyond belief.

Super cute doggie and some horses.

This one was called Mother Nature and was by far the most elaborate of all.  The head of Mother Nature is about 50-60 feet tall.  This alone is worth a trip to Montreal.

The big banquet!

The original five who went to Shidokan in 1974.

Left to right:  Alain Legal, Ranier Fischer, Wayne Erdman, Sensei Nakamura, Mr. Phil and Brad Farrow.  Pretty handsome group, we doggies think!

The morning after the party!

The whole gang got together for breakfast the next morning.

Brad and Laurel Farrow are Janet and Phil's oldest friends...not in terms of age, but in terms of time.  They went to the Marche to window shop and it was fabulous!

 Their old favourite bagel shop and souvlaki restaurant.  Back in the day, Arahova was literally a whole in the wall but has morphed into a full size restaurant.

They also went to see a Beatles exhibit at Pointe a Calliere.  It was $20 for adult admission and $14 for seniors; age 65 years or older.  Phil boldly tells the cashier that both Janet and Phil qualify for the senior exhibit.  The cashier looked Janet square in her 60 year old face and did not question her age.  Janet was so angry she nearly corrected Phil.  At the end of the day, the exhibit was not worth $20 and Janet has forgotten that she is in the city of "no grey hair".  This is the Canadian version of Paris where the only women over the age of 90 have grey hair!