My way of being an angry old man sitting on a porch yelling at the kids…even though we are on the third floor and kids do not pass by on our side of the building, just deer.
And this is not the view off our balcony, but it would be amazing if it was.
Another year and we are still here, but others are not.
Some sadness with Diane’s brother passing away.
We were happy to have our granddaughter, Athena, come out to Grandview from Winnipeg for the service, which allowed us a visit for a couple of hours. Athena continues to put sweat equity into her 100+ year old house.
But even in death there is some humour, the notice says our name is O’Gallaghan. Four attempts to get it changed failed. With the lack of response I must conclude that the undertaker may have left with Jack.
Further sadness with my brother’s wife Janice also passed away. https://obituaries.thespec.com/obituary/janice-bennitt-o-callaghan-1093080786?proxy=original
And some good news. Our eldest granddaughter Zoe, finished her Bachelor of Nursing degree. We were lucky enough to go to Thompson for the University of the North pinning ceremony, where Diane, a former nurse, performed the honours. My mother was also a nurse.
Hoping she will be available to look after me when I become a bigger doddering fool than I already am.
Not a very busy year for us, we didn’t really do much travelling as just about everyone came to us.
#1 son Ryan was here several times for his Western Canada Bowling Tour in Medicine Hat, Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton. You can catch some of his events online. He was also on the Manitoba Men’s Team that took silver at the the national open championships in Regina.
Just for fun he went to the Men’s Worlds Candlepin Bowling Tournament in Moncton with a team of 5 pin bowlers, and they made the playoffs. Candlepin is a unique game that uses 10 pins without rubber bands, and any pins that fall are left on the lane for the rest of the frame making scoring more difficult.
Toward the end of summer #2 son Sean came from Ontario with his family, Nicole, Chloe, Liam and Bradyn.
Chloe the acrobat is in a cheer team in Barrie, and has performed at a Toronto Argos half-time two consecutive years.
Sean and Nicole took off for a couple of days, and we took the kids to Edmonton, hitting the aviation museum as well as West Edmonton Mall.
Another day we hit the Reynolds Museum in Wetaskiwin as well as miniature golfing in Gull Lake with the unique website listing the hours as “The last round starts at 7pm, could be later, could be earlier, depending on Joe’s mood and the weather. It’s best to call ahead, you know Joe…“
In September we had a visit from my sister who flew in from her home in Melbourne, Australia.
Her friend from Calgary drove her up to Bowden where I met them at the Starlite Diner, then we went to the Sunflower Maze which I had never visited before. In addition to the sunflowers, there are animals, and flowers and dig your own vegetables for sale.
Diane continues to garden on our sunless deck. We managed to come up with about 10 tiny tomatoes with the aid of a grow light. Had a good crop of herbs, which seem to like the shade. Experiments will continue in 2026.
To hide the air conditioner, we put up our version of the Green Monster. For non baseball fans see the Green Monster
Diane has also figured out which flowers can thrive there, so we have a pretty outdoor space.
I’m still involved as a board member of the condo so keep busy with meetings as well as starting a website to cover the social scene in the building. I also have the gambling concession running pools for the Grey Cup and Super Bowl in the building.
Still trying to bowl, on a new team with four others who regularly make the provincial open team representing the zone, so I’m privileged that they tolerate me. The old team, the “Mafia King Pins”, folded as just two of us were coming back to the league. Our new team is called “Snakes On A Lane.”
It costs us 25 cents for each head pin or channel that we hit, so I feel like I’m almost sponsoring team! Fortunately there is a $2.00 a night limit, though I’m pretty good at meeting the limit each week.
I went up to Edmonton last month to have a heart MRI done as my hear apparently was making strange noises. As it took almost a year to get the test, it apparently is not a cause for alarm said my heart doctor as he put me on two new prescriptions. I am allowed to continue daily exercising, bowling and umpiring in the summer without restriction, so I’m thankful.
I’m taking my blood pressure and pulse for the doctor. Pulse is in the 40’s in resting mode. Diane thinks I may actually be dead!
The MRI machine is fairly restricted, essentially a tunnel with a light at the far end. I asked the technicians when I came out whether that was what is meant by “going toward the light”.
Found this on the internet, a reminder of the past. Not sure what it is or where it came from.
Diane and I wish you all the best for the Christmas season, and health in the New Year.
The above is a picture sent to me by a friend.