An Interesting Job!

Today is the first week day that I've been home in a while since I was working full-time because of the move at work. So we started the day off with an early morning swim. On our walk back from the pool I was thinking, "I should challenge myself to finding something interesting on the way to or from work every day, to share in my blog." My instant reaction was, "How could I possibly find something new and interesting on the same route every day?!" Then we turned the corner, I looked up, and there was this dog walker approaching us with nine dogs! So I'm not sure whether I'll actually take up my own challenge, but I've found this to share with you for today.

Yes, It Is!

It was great to see this colourful bunch of tulips on a subway sign on a dark January day!

And it's also great to travel on the subway to a job that I love!

Adjusting to a New Culture

With the large number of new Canadians in Toronto you see some interesting signs. I saw this one in the washroom of the church where our mission's head office is now located.

And I found this one on my way to the subway - on the way to work.

Moving Day & January Thaw

Saturday was moving day for our mission. After weeks of sorting, shredding, and packing it was time for recycling, dumping, giving away, and moving.

Furniture and boxes everywhere...

The IT guys were setting up our computers...

By the time the truck was unloaded and we had everything upstairs in the new place, we were all so exhausted that we locked the doors and went home, leaving the rest to be sorted out on Monday. So today we sorted boxes, arranged furniture and tried to find at least a temporary spot for everything while new storage shelves are still being completed.

Here's Carol looking quite pleased with her new office chair...

Since after many delays and no shows by the phone company, our phones and Internet connection were still not hooked up today, we spent our whole day unpacking boxes of files and office supplies and arranging the furniture. So by the end of the day the place was starting to look pretty good. No more boxes in my office and everything had found its own little spot.

Experiencing the January thaw on my way to work this morning ...

Our Annual Stir-Fry

Today we had our traditional annual stir-fry. It all started 31 years ago when, on the day Mark was born, we also got the key to our new house. And then Mark and I came home from the hospital on our wedding anniversary. My sister, Tina who was staying with us at the time to help out with the new baby, prepared a fondue dinner in honour of all the special causes for celebration.

Over the years the fondue dinner changed to a stir-fry after one of our guests accidentally stabbed his hand with a fondue fork. The stir fry has become an annual tradition. So today, in honour of Mark's 31st birthday, 31 years of living in this house, and our 34th wedding anniversary Henry, Melanie, Mark & Rosemary came over to celebrate.

We put the electric frying pan in the middle of the table on top of a bread board, grease it with a few pieces of bacon, and then throw in pieces of marinated chicken, little meatballs, zuchinni slices, snow peas, onions, mushrooms, bean sprouts, - you can add anything you like to stir fry. Add some salad, dinner rolls, wine, wine cooler, and this year we had dumplings for the first time - and then tiramisu for dessert with coffee, tea or water and it adds up to a delicious meal and a cozy time of socializing.

Seriously Packing

Well, after spending last week in the sorting and shredding stage, we are now into the "seriously packing" stage. We (my work) are moving on Saturday so there's only one day left to finish packing. By this afternoon my desk was surrounded with boxes.

And this is what it looked like under my desk. Looks like the time for some serious cleaning is upon us as well. Today we packed up our computers and they were moved to our new location to be hooked up to a server (! !- we are so excited to be getting a server!) and the internet, and the printers and fax machine this weekend. But first of all I had to untangle all these cords and cables and figure out which one went with what.

It was very strange to be without a computer! I can't believe that about twenty plus a few years ago I didn't even dare to touch the one that was donated to our church office at that time, and now I can't imagine how we can possibly manage without one for even one or two days! We might actually have to phone some people instead of sending e-mails.

And somewhere under there is our kitchen table and there's also a refrigerator somewhere. Until two days ago we managed to keep the place looking quite presentable, but now it's truly a mess!

This week I've been working full-time and coming home exhausted every day. For a few nights I woke up really early in the morning and started thinking about which volunteer would be best suited for which work, and prioritizing our ever-growing to-do list. But now I just flop into bed and sleep all night. I love the work of coordinating the office clean-up and look forward to a new phase of the mission's life at our new location.

Happy Birthday, Mark!

Awww! What a sweetie! Seems like a long time ago since you were that small. It's hard to remember what that was like. What a change in 31 years - except for the sweetie part - that hasn't changed! Happy Birthday, Mark! Hope you have a fun day as you find out what Rosemary planned, to surprise you. Love you!

Taste of Spring

Yesterday we were visiting family and my sister-in-law gave these to me. Love the splash of colour and this little preview of spring to come.

A Little Bit of Everything

We're moving! My work place, that is. Our century mission home was sold in November and we're moving to a new location next Saturday. This week we've been sorting, shredding, packing, and still trying to keep our regular work going. That's a bit of a challenge and yet exciting at the same time. Getting rid of all that extra paper and stuff and looking forward to a new start is kind of exhilirating.

After work I had some errands to run. On Canada's "Walk of Fame" in front of Roy Thompson Hall on King Street, I saw a star for one of my favourite authors, the "For Better or Worse" cartoonist- Lynn Johnston. I love her books! Our daughter gives me a new one for every ocassion (Christmas, birthday, Mother's Day).

And then I walked by these cattle gates at Osgoode Hall right in the middle of the downtown core on Queen Street. I love these gates! They are to prevent the cows from getting onto the property. Cows? Yes, about 150 years ago this was at the outskirts of town and I guess there were cows wandering around there.

Then I went to City Hall at Nathan Philips Square to get some maps and other information about Toronto for our new pastor who is arriving next week. I've been designated as the "community contact" for their family, to be available with information that will help them settle into their new surroundings. I saw this sculpture made of nails, in the lobby of the city hall.

And also this model of the downtown core, on a display table.

On my way to the Ontario Tourist Information office, to pick up some more information for our new pastor's family, I saw this cheerfully decorated bicycle locked to a post.

And when I got home, I found this pile of dirt where our new shower stall is going to be. The contractor is moving the plumbing because the drain hole is located in a different spot from where it was in the old shower stall. I never realized that our basement floor is only such a thin layer of concrete separating us from the soil outside!

Basement Bathroom Re-Do: Day 1

Even though these may not look like very beautiful and exciting pictures to you, I'm considering it a great blessing that we're getting our basement bathroom partly re-done - and so these pictures are making it into my blog. I'm so happy to be getting a new shower stall and new clothes hooks and towel bars and new taps in the sink, a new medicine cabinet in the wall, and possibly new floor covering because the base of the new shower is a bit smaller than the old one.
Here is a "before" picture of the shower end of the bathroom...

After many years of daily use, this old shower stall was looking embarassingly grungy. There was nothing that we could do to get this floor clean.

Gerard took some pictures while I was at work today, so that I could see what the wall looked like in behind the old shower stall walls. I was imagining there would be mould and spider nests and colonies of sow bugs. So this wasn't so bad - except along the bottom ridge.

And here is our shiny, clean, white, brand new shower base!

This corner is being prepared for the ceramic tiles. Yahoo! I'm so happy! Can't wait to see it when it's all done!

Alida & The Beast

Our daughter lives in Australia. This past year she bought an old car which has been nicknamed "The Beast". Here are a few lines quoted from Alida's paragraph of our annual family Christmas letter: "God has blessed me with a car and not just any car: a two-toned 1986 Holden Commodore Sedan with a tape deck and a coat hook antennae. Look it up online (now you won't have to - Ellie) and behold the beauty! Many a Sydneysider has turned green with envy after hearing the purring engine of my sweet ride."

Sunday Afternoon Hike

Saturday Afternoon Walk

These reminded me of loaves of bread.

I wonder who lives here?