Last Saturday Steve & I were honoured to attend a wedding.  

Our adopted Minti daughter Kayla ( emmysmum ) - who we met on Minti,  and Graeme,  were married here in Coffs Harbour at Aanuka Beach Resort 

What made the day even more special for us both,as well as seeing Kayla so radiant on her wedding day ,was that Steve & I were married at the some location, Aanuka Chapel and by the same celebrant,  11years ago..

Kayla you looked just beautiful.

I hope for all a fantastic weekend, be kind to each other.

Much Love Janice xxxxx

THANKS, WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH!

From  the moment Dan greeted me at Toronto Airport with a hug and kiss and we were on our way to Oshawa,  it felt just right being back in Canada. And then, after  Margie's  initial shock of seeing me, plus me realising I was finally there, this feeling came flooding over me that I was at home and among family once again.

To have someone  pop up unannounced on your doorstep for a whole month will always be a big shock,, no matter who that person may be. We all have some sort of routine in our lives, times we like to do certain things, or not do things and  a need for our own space. I knew that Marg and Dan would have family and business commitments and I wanted to be sure that my sudden arrival did not put any pressure on those. However, my concerns proved to be completely groundless. From the minute I arrived , I was family and I felt that I always had been !  It was as if the intervening 14 months since our last visit had just rolled away, and that I had never been away !

Firstly I thank my darling husband Steve, for making my stay with Marg and Dan possible.

Every moment of the month spent with Marg and Dan were precious.  I felt loved, totally spoilt, comforted and most of all like I belonged. I love you both so very much and one can only say thank you for sharing a month of your life with me. You both are a very important part of my life and with each farewell I feel I leave a bigger part of me behind.

.
My Nature Buddy & Dear Friend Margie. & MY DEAR FRIEND DAN.

I could not forget MY BUDDY AVRO, what a time you and I had together....I do miss our antics together!


MY  CLOSE  AND  VERY  LOVING  CONNECTION   WITH  MARG,  LIKE  MANY  OTHER  CHERISHED  FRIENDS   I   HAVE MADE IN THE PAST 3 YEARS, WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT MINTI AND FOR THAT I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL.

Hugs to All with Love Janice

"Our Time At The Cottage"

   After nearly 3 weeks with Marg and Dan at their home in Oshawa, they kept the best until last !  They both knew how much I loved spending time at their cottage on our last trip, so they arranged for my last week to be spent there ! And so the three of us,  oops, sorry Avro, the 4 of us, drove up to this wonderful paradise, set on the side of a beautiful lake and surrounded by nature, peace and serenity.  I could think of no other place more fitting, to spend precious time with my family, as that's how I now feel.
Driving off the road and up to the cottage is like abandoning civilisation and entering a new world.  The cottage itself is beautifully equipped  but its setting is as natural as it would have been a hundred years ago. Stepping out of car at the cottage is like  stepping into a natural wilderness , the forest seems completely untouched, just as nature intended. I felt so humbled to be back amongst nature in all her glory.
  So many wonderful things happened in our amazing week at the cottage, if I were to write about them all, this blog would be as long as  "War & Peace" . So, I think I will let the photo's tell the story, if I have any luck posting them. I can say, being in this magical part of the world, with loving family, experiencing  peace and tranquilty in abundance was the best gift of love my Darling Husband could have given me.

Can you guess who was receiving or giving the hug? Marg took me  for a ride around the lake in the canoe. I enjoyed it immensely, as I sat and took in all the amazing scenery.... for Marg our return trip  was such hard work as  she was rowing against the wind. She battled on regardless and returned us home safe and sound! This shot was taken as we were coming in to dock.

A little Chipmunk enjoying a refreshing drink from Avro's drinking bowl.

A Corn Squirrel munching on a peanut that I just managed to have in my pocket, don't we all carry peanuts in our pockets?

After a few days of isolation a sugar fix was needed, a quick trip into a little township, we were set for a yummy afternoon tea. One thing stood in our way....Marg decided she was having them all and so pleased with herself, she was!

Returning home from a walk with Dan and Avro, we  came upon a bear print not more than 500 yards from the cottage. I was so excited with Dan's find,  studying the size of the print, I thought to myself I don't want to come face to face with this animal.

My mate Avro found a pail to play with  and went to great lengths to make sure we were not going to get it off him.

We experienced many a beautiful sunset while  at the cottage, but on our  last night we were graced with the most stunningly amazing sunset.

I wish each and everyone of my friends a wonderful weekend. Love Janice

Upon my arrival, Marg was concerned at how her grouchy dog ( her words ) Avro would welcome me, and whether he would still remember me from last years visit. THE MAGIC MEET & ME MAKING FRIENDS WITH AVRO  So, she shut him outside, just in case !  I would have none of that, so went straight outside to see him !  I called his name, he gave me three answering barks, and it was as if I had only been away for a couple of weeks - Avro and I were once again the best of mates.

Marg kept playing the elusive butterfly when it came to taking photo's, this time she was trying to hide behind their tomato vine, got you Marg !

On one of our nature outings, Marg took me to "Heber Conservation Park" where we walked among lush greenery and flowing streams, shaded by the grandest of trees standing proud through their years of endurance, their canopies displaying every colour of green imaginable and tinged with reds and golds. It was a quite breathtaking display..

Marg, the child that she is, needed to play in water....mind you the water was icy cold !  

Me on the other hand enjoyed just taking in the tranquilty.  

"Lynde Shores Conservation Park"  was another opportunity for Marg and I to take a walk with nature. This is where I had my first encounter with Chipmunks, I fell in love with these tiny adorable little animals. They came scampering up to my feet in the hope of a feed of peanuts. From that day on, I learnt to keep my pockets full of peanuts, Haa Haa !

After walking for what seemed like forever, we stood before this amazing view, "Lake Ontario". Canadians call it a lake, I would call it a  ocean, crystal blue water as far as the eye can see. I seemed to have lost my photo, Marg will forward me one. If you click on the link Lake Ontario,  then click on the first photo, you will see what I mean.

"Enniskillen Nature Reserve"  This was a very special outing as Dan and Avro accompanied Marg and I. This was comforting as there had been bear sightings in the area. No photo could do this reserve justice, and I don't have a photo to help describe what  felt  to me like a journey back in time. It was utterly pristine, untouched by man, and comprising the widest selection of plant species I have ever seen in one place. From the moses on the  forest floor, moving upwards past ferns and running streams to the dense canopy which shaded the light  and created a surreal environment. It was  breathtakingly beautiful. This photo was taken from one of the openings in the forest.  

  I wish everyone a  fabulous  week. Love Janice   ,

"HOW THE SURPRISE CAME ABOUT"  AND - THE PHOTO!

 Receiving some not so good news after having had surgery in April,and 6 weeks later finding out that I was scheduled to  have more surgery in August,I decided that I could not handle this right now. 

 I became an  emotional wreck and  fear and. panic took over, yes my bravery deserted me at the door. This is where my knight in shining armour, the Love of My Life, Steve came to my rescue. With the ok from my doctor  to delay surgery until  November, and with Steve  knowing how much I was missing Marg, he prescribed some urgent  Marg therapy and set out on an internet search  for bargain air fares to Toronto. 

I had one condition. Marg was not to know I was coming ! I wanted to knock on her door and give her the suprise of her life ! Of course, we could not do this without Dan's ( Marg's husband) approval. A surprise for Marg is one thing, but I couldn't impose myself on their household for a whole month without being sure that  I would be welcome and that I would not be upsetting any of their domestic plans. So after a couple of phone calls to Dan, which he explained away to Marg as enquiries about the suitability of a birthday present for her, he enthusiastically endorsed the plan! The problem was that her birthday was in June, and I was not going to arrive until August, so how were we going to keep this thing a secret for three months?

It was easy to start with,but as time drew near it became harder, not just for me, but for the others that, for various reasons, I had told !  For some of you,like myself, it became a very difficult dodging game  towards the end, as this beautiful lady has finely tuned antenna's which  were picking up that something was going on ! It was especially hard towards the end as both I and several of my friends were all trying to avoid her in case we said something that she would pick up on .  Dear friends I thank you so very much for not letting the cat out of the bag. And how Dan managed to keep the charade alive so perfectly, I will never know ! In fact he told Marg that his brother was coming to visit from Mexico, so at least she knew to expect an overseas visitor ! just the wrong one !! 

The  last  2 weeks  were nearly impossible, as Steve was over in Perth   and my dear friend Marg thought she would keep an eye on me through Skype, day and night. When I was due to leave home for the airport, I knew that I would be out of contact for 32 hours before arriving on her doorstep. I left a blog saying that I was going out for the afternoon, and I hoped this would cover me until I arrived in Los Angeles, from where I would leave a message which she would think originated  from me at home !

Anyway, after a horror experience in LA airport with the rudest customs, immigration and security men in the world,I made it onto the Air Canada flight and eventually into Toronto airport where Dan was waiting for me. So, all that was left was a one hour drive to Oshawa and I would finally be back with Marg.

Dan drove into their driveway - I got out of the car - Marg came out of her front door - and then she saw me !  Well, she came bursting down the driveway with such emotion and  a expression  on her face that was worth all the sneakiness.   To feel her warm loving arms around me for real was just so right.

" THE LOOK IS PRICELESS"    

Steve & I were meant to  be welcoming his brother & SIL's  arrival from England, this morning at 10.30am....But alas we are still waiting.

They are stuck at Brisbane's Airport, their flight  was cancelled till further notice, because of  the horrific dust storms, so many parts of Australia is experiencing.

Like so many other people we are just clouded in with dust and can barely see more than a few metres ahead.

Dust storm had not hit Brisbane when Steve checked on-line about their arrival time, everything seemed fine, so off we set for the airport   in Coffs Harbour  only to  receive a phone from his brother staying, flight has  been cancelled. So home we trotted to wait further news.

So feel for them, they must be exhausted after their very long flight from England and very disappointed to be stuck in an airport ( that feeling I only know too well).

Love  Janice

P.S. Canada & " THE PHOTO", Real soon.

Emotions are running high in this neck of the world, as I say  farewells, no words at this time.

In about 3 hours Dan ( No Marg)  will take me to Toronto Airport ....I fly out their Wednesday 5.45pm, for LA. Depart LA 11.45pm, arriving Sydney friday 7.10am.  Have a 8 hour wait in Sydney before arriving into My Darling Husbands arms at 3.50pm friday afternoon.

LOVE YOU MOREST MY DEAREST MARG.

 Love to All Janice

Beautiful nature walks beside my Dearest Nature Buddy...the most important part of the week away.

For Marg & Dan to have a break and hopefully to rest & relax.

And to take in all the amazing serenity  and breath taking scenery.

Hopefully to see the Deer that has been seen grazing near the cottage  and if luck is with us to see a bear, if I'm totally honest not sure about that one, maybe from a distance would be awesome. Taking peanuts to see if I can tame some Chipmunks, hehe!

I truly wish each & everyone of my friends a gorgeous week,  BE KIND TO EACH OTHER , you all be in my thoughts as I will miss you all.

Hugs & Much Love Janice

To My Darling Husband Steve, I will miss you most of all, especially not having any contact with you,  I Love So Very Much.

It has been 14 days since I left home, am still finding it hard to believe that I made the solo journey, that I am actually here with my Nature Buddy Marg.  Have tried to talk Marg into letting me put up "The Photo" of her, on my arrival, no luck so far....think I'll have to be sneaky and put it up on my return home.

Have not been on minti much but do try to pop in and see what everyone is up to....the time I am spending with Marg is just so  very precious..... we have to figure out a way to shrink the thousands of kilometres, that keep us apart.

Have we talked NEVER hehe!  Laughed YES till my sides hurt. Received  loving hugs, YES, they make one feel so good, will give and absorb as many as I can, so I can still feel Marg close to me, on my return home.  Have we had nature walks YES, will talk more about them later. Have fell in love with the "Chipmunks" so tiny about 5ins long, just got to figure out a way to smuggle a couple home with me.

I'm  certain Dan is trying to fatten me up with the super duper meals he is cooking, so that the Airline will refuse me entry onto the plane, hehe!

What I still find strange is when Marg & I enjoy a wee little drink together, it is only 7.30am at home....oh boy that is what I call starting early!

I miss my Darling Steve more than words can say, and so wish he was here with me....thanks to that invention Skype, we at least have contact daily.  I love you with all my heart & hope in a small way, you can feel me near you.

Hope life is treating you all kind, I miss you all.

Much Love Janice

One hour later, and failure once again, so no blog and no photos, so will go and try to find something that I can achieve, but goodness only knows what that might be !  

I guess that instead of drinking coffee with the hot Minti chicks I should have been attending some advanced computer technology classes so that I could report on the action. Better go and do that now !  I feel like a dinosaur !

We had not planned any big trips this year, but Janice has been pretty low with all of her health problems and a hysterectomy to look forward to to in November, so I took advantage of the cheap flights to North America and booked her a return ticket on the internet. We really couldn't afford for both of us to go so I am currently in Perth visiting my family and grandkids, while Janice and Marg do their thing in Canada !

In order to keep the secret from Marg, Dan has told her that his brother is coming over from Mexico to stay with them. This gives him the excuse to leave home early to pick up Janice from Toronto airport at 6.00am. He will drop her off round the corner from their house and Janice will walk round and knock on the door !  I would just love to see Margs face when she sees her!!

I confess that I am very nervous about Janice doing this trip by herself. After a 13 hour flight from Los Angeles. she has to transfer to a different terminal and go through US immigration, before getting another overnight flight to Toronto. I know she is very nervous about that but I'm sure that she will cope, she has plenty of time to make her connection.

UPDATE.  I have just heard from Janice that she has arrived safely, so the secret is out and she and Marg are together again and mu guess is that Jess will not be far away either!!. We let her into the secret so she could find a way to catch up with them, I do hope that she can. Poor Dan, I wonder if he knows what he is in for !  I'm sure that if and when they come up for breath they will let you all know what is going on.

So while that is going on, on the other side of the world, I am embarking on the most comprehensively planned trip trip of my short lifetime!  On the day that we decided that I would go to Perth while the big reunion is taking place - Janice started the packing!  No matter that the departure dates were still 3 months away, the suitcases were checked for suitability and I was required to nominate my clothing requirements for each day of my trip.  Presumably Janice was doing the same for herself at the time!

So, last Easter Monday, I was required to nominate which shirt I will be wearing on August the 10th!  I should mention that for most of my working life, I did a fair bit of traveling, and packing consisted of grabbing a suitcase a few hours before departure and filling it quickly with stuff!  If I ran out of clean stuff, I put in a laundry bag, and if I didn't have the right stuff, I bought it cheaply wherever I was.  So the concept of planning was entirely alien to me.  But not to Janice, who I suspect was valet to Princess Di in a previous life!  All went well for the first few weeks of packing.  This shirt to travel in and those socks for working in the garden and these shorts for a BBQ in the National Park. I didn't write down my answers as I didn't think that there would be susbsequent examination on the subject before I left.  Wrong!!

The problem arose when the cross checking phase of the operation began.  I would be dropping off to sleep when Janice would shake me to ask me which shirt was the one for taking the grandkids to school in.  Panic!  How could I have forgotten, so how can I come up with the right answer?  Maybe I should sneak up to the spare bedroom and make an inventory of everything in the suitcase so that I have a reasonable chance of ticking the right box!  And in any case, Qantas has a reasonable chance of sending my case to Toronto while Janice's will appear in Perth so my grandkids may be in for a bit of a culture shock when I appear for breakfast in a bra and panties!

Not that they will recognise me anyway, my razor was packed away so long ago now that I resemble the kitchen mop, but I did hide a spare comb so that Quantas will not deplane me before I have planned!  At least I will not be traveling  Virgin, where they refer to you as a 'client' and assail your ears with crashing and banging cabin 'music' to try to convince you that you are a born again teeny bopper.

Janice's suitcase would fool the most efficient customs inspector.  You will all know by now that she is a very ardent animal lover, and last time we were there she quickly converted Avro, Marg and Dan's allegedly unsociable German Shepherd dog into a tame pussy cat.  This is no mean feat, as their family have to give two days notice before walking up the drive!  So this time her bag is packed with treats for Avro, including a pack of four red cricket balls which will be used for poolside games.  Hopefully Avro will make better use of them than Ricky Pointing!  (For overseas readers who are not cricket tragics, he is the Australian captain who has also had is razor confiscated and chews gum whilst offering his tonsils for public inspection.)

However, to return to the subject of my sartorial elegance.  It is nearing dinner time in Perth and I am in a bit of a quandry.  I know that my blue check shirt was scheduled for last nights appearance, although I think that I was wearing the wrong underpants with it.  I should have written down the schedule but would probably have left it behind anyway.  Maybe my six year old granddaughter can guide me to enlightenment.  After all, it's not so many years till she will be in charge of the packing and would at least have so prior experience to guide her.  Isn't that what Grandparents are for?  To guide them into the mysteries of the future.

Anyway, I hope that when Janice and Marg read this, they will be engrossed in more important issues than the colour of my Thursday pyjamas. They have a whole month together, and I hope that they both have a fabulous time.  I'm sure that they will. As for Dan!!  Well what can I say....nothing!  I just hope he finds the earmuffs I packed in Janice's suitcase.  They are good for 28 consecutive days! Enjoy!

Just joking, I will really miss her, we'll be apart for six weeks in total and although I know that the freezer will be full of precooked homestyle meals, they won't be hot so may need some specialist input from me.  I'm sure I will be up to the challenge - we men are so good at the multi-skilling thing.

Further update.  While I have been playing the grandad role in Perth it has been arranged for me to meet up with several of the Minti mums who liver over this way so I am looking forward to being in Kings Park Perth on Saturday morning and to meeting so many people who have become such an important part of Janice's life. Dan is not impressed by these new arrangements!  He wants to know why he has to stay home in Toronto listening to a whole month of endless girl chat, while I am entertaining some hot Minti chicks in Perth!  Life sucks Dan!!

We are going into Coffs Harbour, to the Mariner & Coffs Jetty  I'm sure we will find a cosy little cafe to enjoy a nice relaxing meal.

Hope everyone is having a super duper day!

I found this little cutie and had to put her up. I thinks she is saying ' LOOK MUMMY, CAN YOU SEE WHAT I CAN SEE'

WHAT DO YOU THINK SHE IS SAYING?????

Love Janice xxxx

ONLY NINETEEN WEEKS AS OF TODAY. 

I have had a wonderful day.

Actually it started last night with a Skype call,  from a dear friend Winnie, we don't talk that often but when we do it is wonderful, she has the beautiful personality and infectious laugh that you come away from the call feeling so grand.

I woke refreshed from a good nights sleep to a cup of coffee that Pauline left me..... Haa Haa! The thought was nice though!

With the housework done, I sat down with a morning cuppa to   glorious sun shine and a  temperature around 23 degrees.

My Darling Husband timed it well with a phone call, it has been a week since he left, I am missing him terribly.  It has been raining since he arrived which is making it miserable and being indoors make him feel like caged animal....I so hope the weather improves....Especially Sunday the 23rd when there will be a minti meet with a difference Steve meeting Minti Mum's...would love to be a fly on the wall, better still would dearly love to be there myself.

With no company, I  decided to party solo, reminiscing with old songs blaring away ( glad we have no neighbours near)...when I had a Skype call....Whoopie Company. 

Alas Dear Margie, not sure if Steve asked her to keep an eye on me Hee Hee!....but boy I have been enjoying  her company. What can one say about Margie...she is a character ( a loving one)...has humour to match the character.....has a pure heart of gold & a personality as big as the Grand Canyon. We can talk about serious things or nothing,....we laugh & cry together...and boy can we stir each other up....she is also a bugger, will never let me get the last word in, Haaa Haaa! I Love Her Dearly.

SO I HAVE HAD ONE WONDERFUL DAY!

I WISH FOR ALL MY FRIENDS A FABULOUS WEEKEND.

Much Love Janice xxxx

And oldie is for My Darling Husband Steve Whom I Love With All My Heart.

I hope  this link works to this one, it is just so touching.....what a amazing world it would be if all humans could get on like this beautiful baby Deer & Cute Kitten.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rooyt3ptNco 

FRIENDS

Late yesterday afternoon after doing a final check list that everything was packed, Steve decided to inform me what time we needed to wake-up to get him to the airport 4.30am, can't repeat my response.

Armed with this information we both headed to bed in the hope of a few hours sleep....Well one of us slept!   When I have to be somewhere at a certain time, sleep eludes me, like it did last night, till about 4am when my body said enough, go to sleep, only to be jolted awake with "JANICE HERE IS YOUR COFFEE, IT IS TIME TO GET UP"  He is lucky I love him to pieces...Haa Haa!

After seeing Steve off at the airport through a few tears, I drove towards home and headed to our headland to watch the morning sun rise.

It is going to be a very long 17 days till Steve returns.

Hope Everyone had a Wonderful Day, it was absolutely glorious here today 25 degrees with the sun shining in all her glory.

Much Love

One Daft Husband. Late yesterday afternoon, there was a lot of commotion coming from the office, the noise got the better of me, so off I went to see what was happening. Steve was sitting  in  his office  chair  holding onto one of the arm rests, looking very bewildered.

 Inquiring what had happened, Steve informed me that the arm rest was loose and instead of just tightening it, he had to completely dismantle it. Why dismantle it, I have no idea, but in so doing he lost one of the components and  couldn't put it back together without it.

After listening to half an hour of cursing and swearing, I gave in, and joined the hunt ! Steve couldn't find an elephant in a kitchen cupboard ! With a few questions I got the gist of  what we were looking for.....  Colour....BLACK. Made of.....STEEL Size.....ABOUT 6 inches ROUND. Last time it was seen...."IN MY HAND - and I  haven't moved since I lost it " A BLACK 6 INCH ROUND DISC MADE OF STEEL, can't be hard to find, can it ????? Especially since he had not left the office!

The search was on, moving everything, on the floor looking under furniture, that was not good enough so it was on to moving the furniture. After what seemed like ages, we gave up looking for the part,  both of us now bewildered as to where it could have gone. Well, I turned the office upside down, inside out, cleaned, dusted and mopped...with no luck finding a  BLACK 6 INCH ROUND DISC MADE OF STEEL.  Thinking we must have gremlins for something so big to disappear into thin air, I finally gave up looking!

Later that evening, after showering, I came down stairs to see Steve holding a  BLACK 6 INCH ROUND DISC MADE OF STEEL in his hand! NOW FOR THE PUNCH LINE...asking where in the heavens did you find it?????????????? "IN MY UGH BOOT"  which he had been wearing for the past few hours!!!! It had obviously dropped down the side of his ugh boot and worked its way underneath the sole of his foot without him feeling a thing !!  I guess that where there is no sense -there is no feeling !! After the initial surprise, shock and silliness, I totally cracked up & had the best belly laugh I have had in a long time.   My darling daft husband was walking around for a few hours with this 6 inch steel disc in his ugh boot, but I still love him dearly.

Hope Everyone Has A 

Love Janice, Who is still smiling everytime I think of what happened!