Home again

We are happily back home again. It was a real nice trip going to see Keri although Mark was here at our house. We somehow missed him even there is only one road in and out. I will do some more posts with pictures as I find the opportunity. The pictures I hope will turn up are of Leroy and I at the hockey game. Another case of being in the right place at the right time. It was an absolute blast. There will hopefully be another one of all of the flags in the hotel. This was my favourite part. On the first day I saw the sight and hoped one day to get a picture. They were pretty sticky about picture taking for fear that you might end up with a picture of someone on it. There was someone standing in this area of the hotel for close to half an hour while I was waiting to take it. I did patiently wait. This was only half of the flags. It was such a spectacular sight. To think there were people from each of those countries here having a great time. Another of the pictures is me standing beside the Dutch flag! What a thrill that was.

february 23, 2010

Last and final day of the Olympic Dream, but what a finale it was! Once again, I was asked if I wanted tickets to the hockey game! Leroy and I got to see Slovakia and Norway. It was unreal! For the last week, I recieved two hockey game tickets and one Celebration Ceremony. I would have never dreamed of that happening! It was so fun. The only downfall was the transportation. Once again we were herded onto the sky train like cattle. So so full! You could not only barely move you could barely breathe! So so many people crammed in such a small space! I read in the paper that the Canada Line was moving 950,000 people per day! There were other really neat facts too. One was that they had sold 3,000,000 pairs of the red mittens. They sell for $10.00. Last night at the entrance to the hockey game someone was trying to sell a pair for $35.00! I don't know what they were thinking! She did seem to be selling some though! The scalpers were selling the tickets for next to nothing minutes before the game. It sure was fun.

We left Ladner this morning to head for Warfield to visit Keri. The passes we went through were amazing. What a feat to build them! It has been so much fun and what an experience! As I think of more, I'll try to write them down. As for now, we're headed out for dinner and spend some time with Keri.

February 22, 2010

Another day at the Heineken House! You'd think that it is the only thing going on! It's not but, tonight we had reservations for dinner and Leroy had to go experience it! It was a lot of fun!

Tomorrow is the final day of my volunteer commitment. It's been a fun time. What an experience. We'll have to get some final pictures tomorrow. Sven Kramer was supposed to be in the building somewhere while we were there. He didn't ask to have his picture taken with me, so maybe he had left already. Enjoy the pictures.

February 21, 2010

I could have my dates wrong, the dates all just seem to fly by but.............Leroy came yesterday. I met him at the airport and he walked with me to the hotel. He then wandered the streets for quite a few hour to wait for me. He was sitting in the White Spot watching the Canada/US hockey team. I had a big surprise and asked him What would it take to tear you away from this game? Well....I again was in the right place and the right time and got tickets to the celebration ceremony where TROOPER AND LOVERBOY WERE PLAYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For those of you young bucks, you're probably asking yourself Who??? but those our age will understand...............LOVERBOY AND TROOPER!!!!!!!! IN THE SAME NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was in complete awe! They were so amazing!!! In the end Leroy only missed the third period, and we hear it was a painful result anyway for the Canadian Hockey team. Better next time!

I sure am proud to be a Canadian. Regardless of how our hockey team is doing, what a show of patriotism all Canadians are showing!!! I was again proud of my of my heritage! Holland won ANOTHER gold medal in speed skating. All I could remember was 'de koningen van Spainje heeft ik ook lang ge eerd!' The rest I hummed along with. Those dutch fans are hilarious!!!! They are always dressed up all the time! The get-up of some of them is unreal!!!! So between the dutch and the canadian, I think it's a great mix!!!

Tonight is the big night at the Heineken House. Because I rode in the inaugural bike ride, I got a letter which entitles us to go through the "short line" for the dutch citizens! What perfect timing is that!!!

To get anywhere here takes such a long time. Two hours is nothing, yet from home in two hours, we could just about be in Terrace! So it's off for a very short shift, and then some more fun. It's funny how this volunteering is such a small part of all the fun I'm having! Nice to have someone to hang around with again!

I have double triple and quadruple made sure that this time the camera is going to work. The rest of the pictures will be forthcoming so please don't give up on me! I have yet to make the same mistake twice, but it is amazing how many DIFFERENT mistakes I can find to make!!!

February 20, 2010

I just can't believe it sometimes. Although I made triple sure that the card was in the camera, it seemed something was not quite right. Sure enough, the card was not pushed into the slot! For the final set of shifts I have been assigned to work in a different area again. Regardless, here are the adventures with pictures to follow later. Saturday, just before the end of my shift someone comes in asking "would anyone like to go to the hockey game?" Sure! Well two tickets were passed to me. I asked my nephew nicholas and he met me there! We were not sure who to cheer for, Germany or Belarus. As we walked closer to our seats, THEY WERE RIGHT BEHIND THE BELARUS BENCH!!!!!!! Belarus it was!! What a blast that was!!! We cheered our hearts out! We sure had a lot of fun! Who would think I would get the opportunity to watch a hockey game!!!! Just happened to be in the right place at the right time!

February 19, 2010

Thank you again for all your comments. It sure is great to see people interested in what's going on in my life! It was a wonderful day today. Took some much needed "down time." I've been go go going a lot and just thought today I should take the time and do some relaxing before my time here was done!

Today was my opportunity to see the Olympic event of curling. It was the one ticket I had and it was really cool! I had great seats for every other round. I was at the end of the odd rounds, closest to the Canadian rink. Some of the other rinks looked liked they had more excitement each round, but the Canada game resulted in a tie. The extra end resulted in a victory for Canada! The crowds were a sea of red! What patriotism was shown. In fact all over the city Canada is showing we indeed are a very proud country. It is fantastic to see! Everyone is dressed in some kind of "canadian wear". has flags flying on their cars or painted faces. It's hilarious to see the get up some people have chosen.

Wilma de Vries is stationed at the Curling rink. She told me there were 100 volunters. Well I must have seen 99 of them, because try as I might I never did see her! She was hoping they would not ask her to sell 50/50 tickets, and although I saw some of that, none was her. As I was talking to some people about her I thought I spotted her and went to talk to her. Thank goodness I noticed in the knick of time that it wasn't her. That could have been quite embarassing!



Tomorrow begins my last run of shifts. It is time. I have enjoyed myself extremely, but I am anxious to return home. There are a lot of things going on that I feel I should be helping out with, yet others have been pulling together to make sure all is well. I am really missing those sweet little darlings that call me manna and will some day call me gramma. It's funny how they come up with their own way of saying things. Maya asks if I'm still at the lympics. She's so sweet. I have been able to talk with her a few times on the computer. That was so adorable.

february 18 part two!`

Where do I begin? As I mentioned earlier, hooked up with my niece Shawna this morning. That was so cool to have some one to hang out with although it was short. While we were together, ran into a fellow who said, hey I know you! Turns out he did and we had a great chat! Amazing|! It just baffles me to think WOW what a small world. As I was walking to the sky train tonight after the Victory Ceremony, I asked a young fellow for directions. I looked at him and said Hey! Another young thing I knew. He was Henk Meerdink's bookeepers son! WOW!! Who'dathunk! I just couldn't believe it! Amazing|! It just baffles me to think WOW what a small world! Brad Goss, Jim Van Tol, Steven Jarrold, how is it possible to run into these people, so far away? Well, it sure is cool!

Anyway, back to the Celebration ceremony, it was so cool to see Canada awarded the gold with a Nederland on either side was amazing!!!!! What a party that was! My age crept up with me and I just couldn't handle the party! Had to go home. Nice though, the bus was waiting as I got off the sky train. The walk home made me pretty nervous though. I walked as fast as I possibly could from the bus stop to Van tols. I don't think I'll do that again. The adrenalin was just rushing through my veins. Even though this is the Olympics, I'll save the power walking for the athletes. It was a great evening. The only thing that would have meade it better would have been to have someone to share it with. Next time! Believe it or not.....................I left home without the "card " for the camera! Although I have the pictures, you'll have to imagine once again! Sorry!