Non-rehearsal party

Sean's parents hosted a Mexican supper non-rehearsal party Friday night. The two families were introduced to each other.

After the meal we sat outside on the patio and visited. Michelle's youngest, Harrison, was in a very happy mood. See the photos of him laughing! Cooper also had a grand time. Sylvia, Pat and Alison arrived from Nova Scotia.

Cake decorating

Friday was a busy day preparing for Samantha and Sean's wedding. The most important task was to decorate all five slabs of the cake. Sam did a marvelous job keeping her mom supplied with butter cream frosting. Dana was the incredible designer of shabby chic roses. The cakes look spectacular!

The flowers were all delivered and spent the day in the living room. The yellow and orange lilies didn't seem to be open enough so they were set outside. There are record setting temperatures all over the USA right now. Normal temp is 80F, previous high99F and today's record setting high is 105F. It's a scorcher!

Samantha and Sean get gift!

We delivered Samantha and Sean's wedding gift. They love the quilt. It suits their bedroom to a tee!

Nice bunch of grads!

Attended grad ceremonies at TCI. What a wonderful group of young people! I am him outed to have taught this bunch - good memories.

Congrats to all the grads and their hard work to get there. Got a quick pic with Lonna and Brooke. Liked the cool rides Jerrod, Neil, and Taylor.

Elena and Tori kept us busy at the ceremony. 17 years and it will be their turn to graduate. No, I am not their grandma, but am happily an honorary aunty?!

Set up

Arrived home with the new long arm machine in the evening. Don and I lugged most of the pieces of the frame upstairs. The table is 12 feet long so the length made getting the pieces upstairs awkward. One piece Don and Brad brought in through the upstairs window!

Now the machine is set up so I will do some trial runs to make sure all parts are working properly. Then it will be full speed ahead! Yahoo!

Road trip

Yvonne, Beth and I traveled to Forest Lake, Minnesota to pick up our new long arm sewing machine. We had two days of training at Country Loft Quilt & Design. Teresa our instructor was amazing! It was great to finally be trained by someone who has lots of experience with using a long arm machine freehand and with pantographs. We learned a lot!

Retired from TCI

Received warm retirement wishes at TCI today. Staff and students gave me art work and jewelry as gifts. Very appropriate!! Just the things I love! Still seems unbelievable that I have taught for 30 years! Where does the time go?

With TCI female staff members.

With TCI male staff members

Gifts of art work and jewelry!

With Lonna, the recipient of the School Spirit Award

With a bunch of "my kids"

Trying to say a few words without choking up

African slides presentation

Don and I shared our African adventure tonight at Holland School for the Tiger Hills Arts Association. The first half was all photos from our two week safari. We then had a refreshment break followed by photos of the people of Africa - Agriculture and Education as well as Zanzibar for R&R.

There was a wonderful turn out. People said they enjoyed the presentation.

Thanks to staff and students at Holland school for setting up. And thanks to THAA for refreshments, advertising, etc.

I only remembered to take one photo (Don standing by our display table). Wanted to take some of the audience but I forgot. Darn.

Got the boot!

Tonight was the PSTA AGM at Somerset. The Meeting was followed by great food (thank you RoseAnne and Wes), teacher colleague conversation and farewell to retiring teachers.

Oh, I am one of the 4 retiring teachers!!!! Hard to believe I have been teaching for 30 years! I was given some gorgeous Lia Sofia jewelry and I won a boot as a door prize. Rather appropriate wouldn't you say?

Some farewell gifts.

RoseAnne and I after a yummy supper.  I taught RoseAnne when she was in grade 6.  

(Obviously, not that long ago!!)

Alison and I won some gifts!

Donation quilt

Yvonne and JoAnn made a T-shirt quilt out of A&W and Multiple Sclerosis t-shirts. The quilt will be given to the winning ticket holder at the MS Walk in the fall. The quilt will be on display at Craig's A&W (by Polo Park). Get your tickets there!

Yvonne is obviously having fun quilting on the new long-arm machine at Carellan.  (Thanks Barb!)

Yvonne's quilt

Yvonne finished the blocks for their bed quilt of her own design. It is gorgeous!  Now she has to sew all the blocks together and then quilt it.  About half done?!

This is such a gorgeous design.  I think she should write up the instructions and sell this design to others.  It is very creative and original.  Great job Yvonne!!

Tooth troubles

This is what you get when you hug a beer drinking friend! Yikes!

A couple of days in pain, a few hundred dollars later and you too can have  a "nerveless" tooth.  (Aaron says he wouldn't recommend it!)

Beading

Leah, Yvonne and I met at Nadine's to do a beading project. Nadine ordered the most beautiful but tiniest beads I have ever seen! We learned Peyote beading that uses thread to attach the beads and you weave into other beads to create a strand. In this case 8 beads wide.

We had a wonderful helper, Nolan, who checked out my purse and unloaded the laundry. Such a cutie!!

The Wave

The wave tour with Annette was awesome!

Yummy

Girls' day out.

Choirs and performers were awesome!!!!

Kudos to Meaghan, Janice, choirs, band and individual performers for an awesome evening! I was very impressed! The last number, Lean on Me, by the entire Tri-choir (Westmount, Glenboro, and Treherne) of more than 60 voices was outstanding!

Southern Trek

A great afternoon of traveling around southern Manitoba. Started off at Pinkerton Lakes.  Here are Stu and Don on the lookout tower at Pinkerton Lakes.

Here we are at Calf's Mountain.  It is more like a mound of dirt!  Saw lady slippers and three budded avons blooming.

Darlingford Memorial site

Pembina Crossing 

Don getting a good photo.  No the truck is not moving!!