Day 301 - Shermanators In The Elbow & Oh Baby(s)!!!!

It was a quick zip over to the mechanics to pick up the car & then to the grocery store... We were having company in a few short hours & we were supposed to be having a picnic! As my timing would have it, we arrived home, only to have our company call - they were 3 minutes away! Oh dear! Panic! Thankfully they were patient enough to wait while we finished getting lunch ready.


Kerry & Shawn, Alina & Mason were coming for a visit today. They have an Aunt & Uncle in Calgary & would visit them after our time together. Doing the traditional 'Tour', we headed down to Elbow Falls & of course, as luck would have it, the weather turned cold as we drove up. That didn't stop Mason! He ran around & raced Alina up & down the paths. Kerry, Shawn, Jaco & I enjoyed more lunch while the kids burnt up energy! We walked the path around the falls & I managed to find a few raspberry patches to share a few bites with the kids. 


After our visit at Elbow Falls, we headed for Forget-Me-Not Pond. We strayed off course to the river & Alina & Mason had a blast hopping over rocks & trying (somewhat successfully) to stay dry. We picked a few wild strawberries along our way & they were deeee-lish!


Naturally, the Tour ends at the Scoops & Snacks for ice cream. Everyone enjoyed a big dip of the good stuff before the Shermans were on their way...


When we returned to the house, I discovered that Collet had her baby! A boy! We were supposed to visit for the birth, but the newest Stephan wasn't going to wait any longer in there! He made his entry swift & there would not have been time for us to get there! Mom was exhausted, but tickled pink with her newest son. 


After my chat with her, Jaco & I skyped with Ross & Krystle & Baby Dash... Awwwh!!! What a cutie pie! I'm excited for all of them! But yeesh, I'm going to have to watch what I eat/drink, all these babies... only means trouble!!! Valentina is enough for now!


Lekker slaap
xxxxx
Maria, Jaco & Valentina 

Elbow Falls!

The Shermans

The Happy Couple

Great to see you!!!

Mason burns off some energy!

Alina strikes a pose

The boys talk shop

Our little monkey for the day!

Mason chases Shawn

Throwing rocks in the river

Mason walks on the water

Blowin' in the wind

Flower feathers

Yum yum on the ice cream cones!

Day 279 - The Jameses Arrive!

Wheeeeee! I haven't been this excited to see somebody in, well, I can't remember when!!!! The Jameses arrived around 1300 & they were as handsome as ever! I was giddy to have them here! Finally!!! I hadn't seen them for 53 weeks! It's about time!


Big James & I worked on a few ships together & spent my best & 2nd last contract sailing around Europe. He is one-in-a-million & I am so happy that he has found his one-in-a-million to spend the rest of his days with! Little James is an incredible Dancer & actually calls Grand Prairie home! He is one of those people that you feel like you've known them forever from the first time you meet them. 


Additionally, Big James' Dad, who is also named James (!), was the Pastor at our wedding in South Africa! I met Jim when he turned 60 & visited his son on the ship for our Egypt cruise. I know where Big James gets his wonderful personality & kind heartedness from! 


The Jameses are on the next leg of their honeymoon, as they just got married in Vancouver! I'm very happy that they will be in Canada more often - hopefully we'll have more get togethers! 


We visited for a bit in the house & then I took them down to Elbow Falls & Forget-Me-Not Pond. The weather was stunning, so it was great for taking a few snaps & showing off the beauty of Eastern Kananaskis. We sat on one of the benches at Forget-Me-Not & caught up on all the happenings in their life for the past year or so. 


One of my favourite things about working on ships is meeting up with people you are never quite sure exactly when you will see them again. It makes the times extra special. They have no idea what their stay means to me! Truly 2 of my most cherished friends. 


After our visit to the tourist attractions, we headed for town. I was treating them to ice cream. Of course, our drive to down was rather wet & cold! It hailed half way & POURED rain the other half of the drive! They were quite excited to see the ice cream choices & I'm pleased to say we all enjoyed a scoop of chocolate peanut butter, among other flavours. Big James is enjoying the truly Canadian flavour of Tiger. :o) Btw, if you're in Bragg Creek, the little ice cream shop on Whyte Ave gives the biggest & best scoops in town! 


We headed home to find Mom whipping up a storm for dinner. We were barbecuing some big ol' steaks, corn on the cob, greek salad, pear & blue cheese salad, mint potatoes, and of course, baked brie with pecans for an appetizer. Oooh & blueberry crisp for dessert! It was a feast! 


The Jameses & I walked down to the barn before dinner to bring the truck back, but as we were driving back, Jim (also a James & owner of the ranch) asked us to give him a hand with some panels to stop the cattle from the park crawling through the fence. We drove out to the field & loaded up the panels. Oh my word. The mosquitos are out in FULL FORCE! I haven't seen them this bad for a VERY LONG TIME! We were all swinging & swatting & itching like crazy! I think I had about 12 new bites in a matter of a few minutes! They are thirsty little critters! UGH! We were moving as quickly as we could! Jim commented on finding a dead calf the other day. I asked him what happened to the calf. Jim replied, 'He stopped living.' He's a funny guy for 86 years of age! I also admired his bailer twine suspenders! :o) Still practical after all these years!


We enjoyed a hearty meal & more wonderful visits. I was surprised to hear about Little James' Champion Mutton Buster & Steer Riding past! I guess I thought I was a rarity in working on ships with a 'western' background! I knew something was up when he was so prompt to get the gates & knew which way to swing it! 


They plan to work a while longer on ships, as Big James has recently been made Manager of the Photo Department. I'm so proud of him! It's difficult for the two of them to snag the same ship together, so say a little prayer they both end up on the same ship. I know what it's like to be away from the one you love & it's NOT FUN. 


Today was also my first Neupogen shot. I was feeling a little rusty, as it's been a month or more since all the fertility shots. But, I managed to get it all in my leg & didn't keel over. I took a Tylenol straight away to keep any bone pain at bay. I didn't feel anything until about 0500 the next morning. I felt like I'd been riding a Clydesdale all day. My hips & lower back ached like crazy! UGH. I hope it passes soon!


Anyhow, what a great day. I can't sing the Jameses praises enough... I love them to bits & can't wait until our next visit... Travel safe & enjoy what's left of you holidays... Sending you love & hugs...


OH! I forgot to mention... Big James' little brother is a professional Wrestler - Leo Kruger. He's just started in the US, but next season he'll be on the reality tv show, NXT. If you're into that scene, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for him!


Maria & Valentina
xxxxxxx

There were a bunch of artists painting at the falls today.

Always time for a touristy pic!

A James Sandwich

Forget-Me-Not Pond with Nihahi Ridge in the background. Apparently it's the ridge that Christopher Reeves flies over in Superman.

Forget-Me-Not's famous reflections

I'm so happy you guys made it here!

Uh-oh! Storm clouds are coming!

Oceana gets a lift!

Shufly & the Jameses.

The old truck in evening light.

Day 270 - Rainy Day in the Elbow Valley.

What a fun & fabulous day Jenn & I had!!! We both had a nice lie in & took it easy this morning. I made Mom's famous Coconut French Toast, which I think Jenn enjoyed - she put on a good face if she didn't! :o) We got ready & headed '13.5 kms further down the highway' for Elbow Falls. Just as it started to rain. 


We walked around the falls & Valentina led the way. It was quite cool & wet, of course. Just my luck. A beautiful morning & by the time we head out, miserable! Anyways... We left the Falls & headed to Forget-Me-Not Pond. I love it down there! Especially on a Monday - it was empty & quiet. Today was extra empty, as it was pouring rain & you couldn't see a mountain to save your soul! Doh! We walked around the pond & took photos of this & that, while Valentina became one drenched little Sausage Dog! She was shivering something fierce by the time we returned to the truck!


We headed to town to pass a bit of time & decided to walk around the shops. I hadn't been in them for ages, so it was fun for me to! We chatted about ships & life post-ships, ahh, the joys of life... 


When we finished up in the last of the shops, the sun had returned, so we decided to drive BACK to Forget-Me-Not Pond & have a look at the mountains. We walked around the pond again & photographed flowers, reflections & anything else we felt so inclined to. We had our little point & shoots & it was a blast! On the way back to the house, we stopped at EVIC & photographed the rose bushes out front. The droplets on the roses made for some pretty pictures! We somehow got talking about 4-leaf clovers & I said I had a knack for finding them. Jenn didn't believe me, so I stuck my nose in the grass until I'd found 3 of them. Now she has no excuse not to get lucky! :oP


We left EVIC for home & decided to go to town for supper. In wigs. Yup. We gussied up & put on our 'alter-egos' & went to town. Hmpf. Infusion was closed. Madrina's was closed. We left for Calgary. Pasquale's was closed. Milestones was closed. Moxie's was... OPEN! We had a fun meal with plenty of fun looks! Even a few fun comments! Oh this is going to be fun! I'll have to start compiling a list of names for the wigs... :o) Jaco won't recognize me when I meet him at the airport!!! 


I'm sad Jenn is leaving tomorrow. I've really enjoyed visiting with her & it's been inspiring to have someone to shoot with. Even if we did use our 'little' cameras, it's still a blast to step outside my frame of reference & see things from someone else's perspective. I hope she'll be back next year for a longer stay... We didn't get to visit Waterton & she didn't even get to the rodeo at Stampede!!! I showed her a few photos & videos from my rodeo day, but that's NO WHERE near the same! Here's to next summer!!! 


Enjoy your last sleep in the Rockies my friend, for tomorrow you fly home... It's been a real blessing to have you here... 
Love & hugs,
Maria & Valentina
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo


ps - Valentina is going to miss you something fierce!!!

Elbow Falls

Jenn & Tweet Pea pose purdy.

Avec la pluie

Sans la pluie

Stunning any way you look at it!!!

Tree tears.

Reflections

Beautiful blues & greens

My backyard!

Can't remember the name of it...

Yes sirree! It's a wild strawberry & they are delish!

The wolf willow was in bloom & it smelled amazing!

Tweet Pea's new BFF

While picking the rose photos for the blog, I swear I could smell them!

All I want for Christmas (?) is a macro lens.

Love the flowers!

With our butts in the bushes!

One of the best smells in the world. Wild roses.

Three in a row.

Tweet Pea waits patiently.

Smokin' Sista!

Here goes nothin'!

Practicing our pouts!