A quicky update

So the summer seems to be suffering a temporary set-back, as the rain is back and the warm weather is on hold. Speaking of the weather (almost always a safe subject,) Eileen (Mamma) and I are well, but some next of kin have been rather UNDER the weather with a mean flu bug. All are well again or at least much improved.

Thanks to those of you who keep your blog much more up to date so we get to read the news while it's still news.

Earlier this summer we decided to add a bit of colour to our front yard. The yellow roses are slow, but beautiful once they're out.



Eileen has been very successful in her flower garden on our back balcony - I guess they call it the back deck.

Hello, it's us!

It’s been a long time since we updated this blog. In mid April we took part in a family gathering at Milena and Derek’s place. The idea started with an Easter egg hunt for the kids. The parents and relatives enjoyed watching this, but got more involved when it came time for the barbecue and the wiener roast. It was good to see everyone again – with the exception of a few who were not able to come this time. Towards the end of this enjoyable time we were invited to pose for the traditional family photo. It’s always surprising how we all continue to look so young!

In May Eileen and I had to make a trip to Alberta for the funeral of a sister-in-law who passed away in Medicine Hat.



Also in may we were invited out to the “Ristorante Le Due Cugine”. This was actually at our daughter Monica’s home in New West where she and her cousin Kendra served us a delicious and elaborate Italian Dinner.



Other recent highlights:
Planting some new roses by our front door;
• Having a couple over for lunch and a Bible study;
• Attending a come and go party at a nephew and niece’s new house;
• A visit to a friend in a new residence in Vancouver;
• The Canada Day parade;
• The Berry Festival in downtown Abby.

Celebrating Mom's Birthday

Eileen's Mom was pleased when her younger daughter suddenly walked in on her the day before her 92nd birthday. On our way to Swift Current (Sask) , we had left Abbotsford the previous day and stopped for the night in Canmore. The mountain view from our window was breathtaking! Partly because of the altitude, but mostly because of the majestic effect of the Rockies there. The weather was perfect for the whole trip.




To help her Mom realize that 92 is not all that old, Eileen decided to give her a soccer ball - made out of chocolate!


She read the card first...

And when she opened the bag she wondered what had got into her daughter's mind. A foot ball!

She was a good sport though and went along with the gag, although not to the point of kicking the ball right there in the restaurant.







After winning several games the ball was smashed to the right corner (of the kitchen counter) and enjoyed by the "kids" more than by the recipient of the birthday gift.











Mom did appreciate the cake. The family, including Eileen's sister, younger brother and the spouses helped set up a little party in the common room for about twenty of the Seniors in the Manor where Mom lives.

From Christmas to Easter

Christmas time is special for many reasons. At our place we are always treated to a very artistic creation called a Presepio (manger scene.) This is it for 2007.

When it came time for Good Friday and Easter now 2008...

Instead of removing the manger scene, we transformed it in keeping with the celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ.










The shepherds' hillside became Golgotha with the
three crosses.













The stable was concealed to become the Garden Tomb.

I'm so glad the Tomb is empty!

Easter Monday

I should have done this earlier, but it's kind of a relaxed holiday in our house. So hope you had a very pleasant Resurrection Day. We had a great Easter dinner too! Eileen made Crepes for ten people. We also had all the trimmings again - blueberries, strawberries, custard pudding. syrup, peanut butter, and bacon. The latter item was my only contribution. To compensate for all the calories we walked to Tim Horton's this morning!(And back!)Oh, well once it really warms up I'll have to get out on Milena and Derek's acreage and do some heavy labour on the yard.

A few photos

I tacitly promised in my last post to include a phew fotos phor you in my next entry. Well, here are three that I think will interest one or two of you.








The snow pictures are fairly old story now that the weather has warmed up,
but I think some of you out there in the Great White North don't believe me when I say we had snow. In the first shot there are close to nine inches (229 millimeters) of fresh snow on the patio table, in the next photo taken exactly 24 hours later...it's gone! It IS the same table AND the same ruler - 12 inches long (I mean 30 cm, err that is, 300 mm!!


Is my math all wet?

The one with the 45 cup cakes shows what Eileen is doing on Sundays, and I help too. Today we helped out again and had 48 happy kids at Children's Church in Seven Oaks Alliance Church.

February update

Right now it looks hopeful for an eventual spring here in the Fraser Valley. To us who are not used to anything below zero, this has been a cool to cold season with more snow than usual – I think.

Eileen and I are back to helping in Children’s Church on Sundays, to child care of our two exceptional granddaughters when needed and to long needed improvements in the kitchen pantry and the storage/clothes closets.

We are trying to build relationships with the people who live in our housing development. They organize several events each year at the Club House: dinners, breakfasts, corn roasts, etc. These are good for getting to know people. Eileen and I do a lot of walking and this has resulted in some good conversations with fellow-residents.

No photos for today.

Happy and Healthy 2008!

What have the Dycks been doing in 2007? Now, that would fill many pages; so what we’ll do is give you a brief summary.


In January and February we again spent many enjoyable hours in the fresh air helping Milena and Derek on their acreage. A good part of this time went into pruning and fertilizing the blueberries, raspberries and other fruit trees.

In March Eileen traveled to Saskatchewan to visit her mother. She had a week’s visit with Mom and helped her celebrate her 91 years on April 1st. Her mother is doing very well health wise.


The end of June we went to Swift Current as a family, except for Derek, to see Mom. We were there July 1st and celebrated Eileen’s brother Cliff and Judy’s 40th Anniversary. On the way back home we had the honor of participating in the wedding of Frank’s nephew in Alberta. Frank felt honored to be able to perform the marriage ceremony as Jeremey Cote and Christine Unruh became man and wife.


In August, after most of the berries were picked, we had a great week of vacation near home. We spent e few days in Ladysmith (Vancouver Island) and then made day trips to Port Moody, Harrison and Fort Langley.

Our motto seems to be: BE AVAILABLE TO HELP OUT WHEN NECESSARY. This might be helping in one of two churches we attend, giving rides to those with special needs or taking care of our kids’ homes and pets. For example, Monica has to make frequent trips for work (mostly to Ottawa!), so we get the privilege of cat-sitting her two entertaining cats.

It means encouraging and praying with people at church or whenever. We still attend Maple Ridge Baptist Church twice a month, where our daughter Monica is a member of a Worship Team and choir. We are part of a prayer team, for the purpose of praying with those who come to the front. Mostly these are Christians with special burdens, but in a few cases people have come to receive the Lord as Savior. This has been a real blessing for us.




The other Sundays we attend Sevenoaks Alliance here in Abbotsford. This fall for two months it was a joy to help Milena and Derek as they conducted the Children’s Church at Sevenoaks. It was thrilling to see this bunch of kids from Grades One to Five get enthusiastically involved and then listen with rapt attention as God’s word is made to live before them. This begins again for two months the second Sunday of January.


One of our main jobs is to help our children and grandchildren. For the two granddaughters this has meant two or three days a week. Elyssa began Grade Three and Amy Grade One, this year; both in French Immersion. “Gramma, you don’t have the French “R!” they point out to us.



Frank enjoys his workshop. He recently finished making four toy chests for the rec. room and Eileen did a super job of making cushions for these “boxes.” Now Frank is building a somewhat elaborate doll house for the granddaughters!


We also enjoy taking walks, working out at the gym and reading books. We enjoy reading books while driving (well, Frank does the driving and Eileen the reading!). We've listed some of our recent favourites in the sidebar.

Thank you for your many greetings and continued prayers. Our prayer for you is that God would bless you in 2008.