A Visit from Our Granddaughter

 Our 20 year old granddaughter, Maria (Masha) was here from Poland for 11 days. She arrived just after midnight on September 12th and left at 6 am on Sept 22nd. We were so glad to see her after almost 20 months. This was her first visit to Canada so it was all quite new to her. Even a dozen assorted donuts from Timmies warranted a picture. 

Tanya dragged her all over Regina shopping and sight seeing. She used up 30 bus passes. Government House, Wascana Lake and the Legislature grounds were part of the tour. Tanya was adamant that Masha would see the Mountains. They flew to Calgary one evening, stayed at my sister's place and the next day my sister and brother-in-law drove them to Kananaskis, Banff, Lake Louise and other places I can't recall. They flew back to Regina that night arriving well after midnight. Masha took many many pictures.

When she got home, she sent us a picture of her "little" sister who is 10 years younger and who will no doubt be taller. While Masha was away, her mother ended up in bed, unable to move with a bad back, Masha's boyfriend looked after her until she got back and now the two of them are doing the best for her they can.

Babushka was pretty teary-eyed when Masha left and next trip is to send her to Poland to visit them. 

Assorted Memes or is it a sordid memes

 

Harvest time when I was a young boy

Different versions of the Golden Rule

The right love to smear teachers and public schools

We all need that hug

Coliseum today and as it was once 

Never argue with an idiot

I owned a 56 Buick once

This map is illegal in Russia

Try to sort this one out

Many of these are out of date.

These "nations" explain a great deal about America

Life begins with the first breath

I've used this on Facebook

Talent

Someday, I'd like to do this

Know your peppers

I tend to power out about half way

They claim all the conspiracy questions have been answered

Live by this, you'll never go wrong

Lucky's Bedtime Prayer

 Now I lay me down to sleep

Soon in slumber I will be deep

My Papa just got up to pee

Now the bed belongs to me

How I Spent my Summer Vacation

 When I shut down in mid June, the garden boxes had been built and the veggies and flowers were doing quite well under Tanya's watchful eye. She was working part time at Home Depot Garden Centre and bringing home any flowers that were deemed unsaleable. I held the fort and walked the dog once in a while when it was cool enough we could stand it. I prepared a few meals though Tanya preferred to do it herself.

She is a marvelous cook no question. It keeps her from missing Ukraine too much. No matter where we go and how good the local food is, we miss the food from home. I make pork and beans and chili, neither of which she likes. When we went to Kyiv or Krivii Rih, I'd get my McDonalds fix. And a couple places in Zhovti Vody made good burgers too.

And spent time on the internet keeping up with Russia's war on Ukraine and American politics. The former concerned me greatly as did the latter but I at least found American politics amusing. Canadian provincial politics especially in Saskatchewan tended to mirror Republican politics in the USA. Which is to say, long on fake Christians, tax cuts, subsidies, and contracts for the wealthy and corporations and nothing for the citizens. Health, Education, and Social Services budgets are slashed with the intent of weakening them so they can be privatized. Laws are being passed, driven by the religious right, forcing schools to out transgender kids to their parents. 

Went to Edmonton in early August to Grayden's first birthday party and stayed for a over a week. Other than that did no traveling except in the city. Every second Friday we'd get my friend Ed to drive us to China Liang's Buffet. He drove, we paid. seems fair. He is always available if we need a truck to haul something. Tanya's friend Natalia moved to Toronto so we bought her small table and four chairs. We now have a dining area. Also bought her TV which Tanya will use to watch movies from her computer.

We had a gliding rocker and matching foot stool we tried to sell. But when you sit in the chair and rock, it squeaks terribly loud. Spent one evening tearing it apart as much as possible and WD40'd everything to no avail. I need to tear it apart again and check the bearings as I am sure one of them is completely gone. Google how-to videos were no help at all.

Our granddaughter arrives from Gdansk tonight at 11:30 pm. We are very excited to see her.

Grayden is 13 months old today

 While I have four step grandchildren, Grayden is the first with my name. Which makes him sort of special, not to take away from the others. The oldest, Masha (20 y/o), is coming to visit us in a few days.

All my four kids were together for Grayden's first birthday. First birthdays are a big deal in Vietnamese culture and the house was full of family from both sides. Grayden took it all in stride and was briefly overwhelmed only once. 

Overawed by daycare

He started daycare Sept 1st and thought he had died and gone to heaven. Toys and stuff and kids and stuff. No tears when mom Mishel left and she had to get his attention when she came to get him. He ate at lunch time and slept at nap time. I'd have asked what they did with the real Grayden.

He is only still when he is asleep. He is like his father, he wakes up starved, chugs his food and plays until he runs out of steam. 

Grayden over

Grayden under

I cant remember when he learned to walk (bad Grandpa). However he can get into mischief faster than adults can keep up with him. He was pulling stuff out of the doors that he shouldn't so is 16 y/o brother put child locks on them. Grayden was watching and the instant Tristhanh turned his back was busy trying to undo them. He was mad!

Plastic happiness

He only plays with real electronic devices. No fake phones or remotes for him. he pushes buttons on the remote until he finds something he likes. Given a phone, he will hold imaginary conversations with someone. Sometimes with his Bampa on WhatsApp. His office is over in the far corner of the playroom.

Bampa and Grayden

He loves books and loves to be read to. He currently has three favourites. He will take them to his dad or his sister Matalinh (15 y/o) to read to him. Sometimes he reads to himself.

The family went to Timmies one evening. Loved junk food. Donuts and french fries 

At least he didn't put them in his nose

One of each, please

We don't get to see him very often. I'm hoping again in a couple weeks in Saskatoon but it depends on so many things. He'll be grown up way too soon.

Lucky is Four Years Old Today

 My 11 week break from blogging is over. I have a few ideas in mind so should not draw a blank too soon. How I spent my summer vacation should take a couple of blogs anyhow.

Today Lucky turns 4 so it seems like a good time to celebrate with a few pictures of him growing up.

He came to us in mid-October 2019 as a wee starved puppy about 6 weeks old so we arbitrarily assigned September first as his birthdate. It took about 3 months for Tanya and our vet to nurse him back to health and then he just grew. He is currently about 80 lbs or 36 kg.

He outgrew his cat house.

Lucky at 2 months

Lucky at 7 months

Lucky at 8 months

Lucky in his new home late last November

Lucky at 4 years

He is the most expensive non registered dog in Canada when you add up all the costs of bringing him here. and since we got him here, I think I raised 4 kids on less money that his upkeep. But we are glad we brought him with us. He makes our lives worth while and we love him to bits and he loves us.

I do intend to write a children's book about Lucky's trip to Canada. Maybe I can use AI to make the photos look like drawings.