In honour of our upcoming trip to Boston, here are the lyrics of the song from Veggie Tales - a bit of an inane song but it's pretty catchy and I find myself humming it frequently in the last few weeks... we're seeing Timothy's sister and brother-in-law for the weekend - and are looking forward to it immensely - should be lots of fun!  So i'll licked some sparkplugs and throw some mashed potatoes against the wall and have a jolly old time!



"The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything"

we are the pirates who don't do anything
we just stay at home, and lie around
and if you ask us, to do anything
we'll just tell you, we don't do anything

well I've never been to Greenland
and I've never been to Denver
and I've never buried treasure in ST Louie or ST Paul
and I've never been to Moscow
and I've never been to Tampa
and I've never been to Boston in the fall

we are the pirates who don't do anything
we just stay at home, and lie around
and if you ask us, to do anything
we'll just tell you, we don't do anything

and I've never hoist the main sail
and I've never swabbed the poop deck
and I've never veered starboard, cause I've never sailed at all
and I've never walked the gang plank
and I've never owned a parrot.
and I've never been to Boston in the fall

we are the pirates who don't do anything
we just stay at home, and lie around
and if you ask us, to do anything
we'll just tell you, we don't do anything

I've never plucked a rooster
and I am not too good at ping-pong
and I've never thrown my mashed potatoes up against the wall
and I've never kissed a chipmunk,
and I've never gotten head lice
and I have never been to Boston in the fall


 and I've never licked a spark-plug
and I've never sniffed a stink bug
and I've never painted Daisies on a big red rubber ball
and I've never bathed in yogurt
and I don't look good in leggings
and I've never been to Boston in the fall

we are the pirates who don't do anything
we just stay at home, and lie around
and if you ask us, to do anything
we'll just tell you, we don't do anything

we are the pirates who don't do anything
we just stay at home, and lie around
and if you ask us, to do anything
we'll just tell you, we don't do anything

D.I.Y. network returns to Green Meadow

 Before we were married, we used to sit in the basement and mull over how we could make this space much more usable and friendly and cozy than the flashback to 60's home decorating that it was, complete with its red and gold couch (long gone to a new home by now) and homemade bar.  Now, things are on the move and we are learning lots about flooring, tiling, painting, wiring, plumbing and just about everything else!  I'm in charge of picking up supplies and ordering things along the way and I try to help out where I can.  I'm kinda in charge of the fireplace recovery and it has been fun thus far.  Because we are painting over red bricks, there is quite a difference even with the primer alone.  So the first pic is pre painting - we had some brickwork done to fix up some holes and I think they did a great job - and once the painting is done, I don't think you'll be able to tell.  I've seen several online videos of how to go about painting your fireplace/bricks...and I think i'm doing okay thus far.  We hope to have a gas fireplace installed in front of the bricks soon - so we have to get ourselves in motion - once painting is done, we can tile and then it's onwards and upwards.

 After just a few rows are done - I have to paint each line individually and it's a bit fiddly but good to do on a muggy rainy day while listening to some great tunes by the Civil Wars and the Wailing Jennies. 

Almost done the lines... now onto the rolling stage - we'll see how that goes - next day off!  If you're bored and want to help out, I've got extra rollers!

Ummm... maybe wrong address

Here's hoping that Postman Pete had the wrong address... since i'm not quite used to this kind of mail.  Usually when I rush to the mailbox after i'm sure the postman is out of sight and earshot (so he doesn't know how desperately I want to get some real mail), i'm greeted by my monthly report of what my MPP whom I didn't elect is accusing the conservatives of doing now, or a stack of bills reminding me just how much money I doled out this month.  But yesterday, when I hopefully opened the lid, there was this ominous letter waiting for me.  I'm not sure how this would work since I didn't actually open the letter - just merely documented its arrival for posterity's sake, but how do you just get started cremating yourself?  Just put a bit of lighter fluid on your toe and strike a match?  Douse your hair with gasoline and make a spark?  I'll admit i'm probably getting a bit far fetched but I did find this somewhat amusing and at the same time very morbid... I've got a will and life insurance, how much more prepared would you like me to be?
 

While the saying "abandon hope, all ye who enter here" is most likely true about this blog, being as everytime you check, there is again nothing new (at least I'm consistent), I am going to buck the recent trend and introduce some new content here.  This is mostly due to an interesting and challenging occurrence last evening and it has given me fodder for thought and writing. 
As many of you no doubt have heard, there was a sudden thunderstorm last night that hit Toronto with a wallop to the backside of the head without much warning causing torrential rains (I heard something like 104 mm in a couple of hours - apparently the amount of rainfall that normally happens in the whole summer - in just a few hours!) and quick and tremendous flooding. 


As you may also know, my dear hubby toils and works in the downtown of Toronto but was going to meet someone for coffee after work so I wasn't super concerned when I hadn't heard from him by about 7...until I turned on the car radio and was hit with this news flash and heard about the upheaval caused by the rains... then I became concerned.  I texted with him but again he didn't seem overly concerned - not much flooding that he saw so I was put at ease.  However, when it came time to come home, the busses were not running and the trains were sporadic due to power outages and tracks being washed away by the flooding....so I said I would meet him in Mississauga - I mean, how hard can it be to find one person in the dark, on unfamiliar streets, late at night with no streetlights or stoplights to guide you along the way... apparently tough!!! 
When we were finally settling down to sleep around 1:15 am, I reflected back on the events of the past few hours and realized that my prayers of desperation had been answered and that God does provide peace in the midst of the storms!  Praise Him! 
You see, when I hit Mississauga, the lights on the highway were off... it was a bit odd to see but hey, it was doable... all I had to do was to find the Clarkson station - head down the road and voila, there he would be... alas and alack, close but no cigar as the saying goes... I drove and drove, occasionally remembering that I really should be stopping at all these dark traffic lights like a four way stop (as most people know, my absolutely unfavourite traffic calming technique).  I reached Lakeshore but thought, I must be wrong "i'm in the middle of nowhere!"  Okay, turn around and by this time, I've received a message that I had to be at the Long Branch station anyways, since the trains weren't running that far... so off I went - back on the highway... how hard can this be?  Yep, there's the signs for Long Branch - see you soon, honey!  But nope, the signs were extremely difficult to read in the dark but seemed to point me to drive left - which put me on the service road (a little odd in my humble addled opinion but hey, follow the signs - they're never wrong!)  I did begin to doubt, and feel very uncertain when I ended up back on the QEW heading towards Toronto - all the while in my head screaming out "I DON'T WANT TO BE GOING THIS WAY!  AAAAAHHHHH!" 
Deep breaths... panic isn't good... deep breaths.. okay, exit at the next exit, pull a uuiieee (????) in the dark back onto the highway, get off at Dixie this time... and signs point me north which I did think a bit odd at the time but it was dark and signs don't lie right?  So off I went... next signs for GO that I see are for a locked complex.... that can't be right... i'll go a bit further, wait i'll ask the gas station man who is busy texting on his phone and couldn't give a fiddler's fart as to whether he's giving me proper directions, after all, a kinda disheveled, limping lady comes into his shop, doesn't buy any gas and asks him to help her find her husband - no need to give proper directions, she's not desparate at all! 
About three minutes down Dundas street, i'm thinking and texting desperately, I know internally this is wrong and I need to turn around - which again, I do illegally in the dark pulling more uuueeeiiis... oh the rules I broke last night - somehow the dark allows for things like that!  Back down Dixie towards the lake (I think.... in the dark who knows which way is up?) and stop at the Dixie GO station and talk to my hubby directly on the phone - you need to help me find you cause i'm hopelessly lost... okay, back on track - go through a red light since no one's coming and half of the other lights aren't working anyways, down Dixie - cross over/under the highway - nope, no can do... end up on the north service road (panic starting again)... and then Cawthra road - I recognize that, okay, take that south/east, there's that sign telling me to go on the south service road - i'm not falling for that again, not this time, i'm an hour later and a whole lot wiser (maybe!)
All is fine, i'm heading the right way, destination is within scenting distance, can't be much longer and then... the underpass is flooded - sorry, no one's getting through, even if you are from out of town, it's now past midnight and i don't care how much you cry, you can't come through.  So i followed a few other cars that were likewise rerouted into a residential neighbourhood and that wasn't a good idea (always stay put when you're lost, isn't that the rule??).  They turned into driveways and stopped bewildered themselves leaving me stranded in a totally unfamiliar neighbourhood, texting Timothy desperately "you need to find me!"  "how can i find you when i don't know where you are??"  but at last , he found me an alternate route to head down to Lakeshore and our joyous and somewhat tearful (on my behalf) reunion happened in the parking lot, i'm sure much to the amusement of the bus drivers watching the saga unfold (or at least one minute of it).  I've never been so glad to hear and see someone - there he was, safe and sound, we had made it and with only a few tiny cell phone power bars left (boy was i scared that i would be in the dark, all by myself, unable to contact him and lost!) 
But all's well that ends well - we were pretty sleepy this morning and were glad that there was no flooding in Hamilton to worry about. 
God has promised in His word never to wipe out the whole world with a flood, but sometimes it takes a little flood to renew trust in His promises! 

Professional wedding pics - part trois

 

Last batch of pics from our wedding photographer...

 No longer single but standing under the arbour

 

 

Something must have been amusing - cause both of us look pretty happy

 

 

The deVries clan - Darryl, Rochelle, Josh, Angela, us,

Mom and Dad deVries, Lia, Ian, Camille and Alannah

 

 

The Mussche (well, no longer mostly Mussche) clan...

Tom and Lauren (Benjamin was inside - it was too cold for him!),

Mom and Dad Mussche, us, Rachel and Mike, Aaron, Nathaniel and Peter

 

Trying for a shot with the little boys - they weren't too cooperative but i like it nonetheless.. 

The Men in Black with Brollies... it was just starting to rain/snow here 

The whole wedding party - we loved the umbrella look 

A silly shot that Lauren had found the idea for online - the guys were good sports about it - parody on the gushiness that girls exhibit when a new engagement ring is shown... we get a lot of comments on this shot! 

And a jumping shot - must have one of those!  This one is pretty funny... 

Pick a prop and pose with it - we were thankful that the Watering Can allowed us to take some shots inside - since the weather outside was pretty miserable - we were warm and dry - i'm sure no one else has wedding pics quite like this!

Looking a little tired but content to be together - hanging out under a beautiful tree 

Me and my man - i love the look of this shot - glowing and bright on a gloomy day 

Hiding out under the veil... 

Opulence - we has it!  (line from a favorite commercial of ours!) 

Our wonderful jazz musicians at the reception - they did an amazing job and we had lots of comments about their playing and how much atmosphere it provided to the evening! 

Enjoying the reception greatly - dinner was amazing, the skits and speeches were wonderful and we had such a lovely time with everyone there!  Thanks all for everything! 

Professional wedding pics - part deux

The Tigchelaar/Reitsma/Otten ladies provided amazing music for our wedding
- everyone was so impressed!  Thanks again so much ladies!!!

Walking mom deVries into church

 

 Walking mom Mussche into church... church was pretty full! 

Wonderful to celebrate with so many!

 

 

The lovely Lauren Schotsman!  Look at that smile!

 

 

The lovely Rachel VanderDeen!  Also huge smiles...

 

 The lovely Carina Ploeger (soon to be Scott) - my maid of honour

 

 

 Time for a few butterflies, to be chased away by smiles! 

This was one of the biggest moments in my life!  Seeing that handsome fellow waiting down the aisle

to marry me was something awesome!

 

 Saying our vows and exchanging rings... and then we were MARRIED!

 

 

 The whole wedding party paying close attention

 

 

The handsome groomsmen - Eric, Darryl and Josh

 

 

The lovely brideswomen - Carina, Rachel and Lauren

 

 

Looking mighty happy to have remembered our vows and basking in the glow of the new status of Mr and Mrs!

 

 

 

 It's over!  And there's applause for the new couple!

 

 

Henceforth you walk down life's pathway together....

 

 

There were lots of people who enjoyed a cuppa coffee and some goodies after the big event was over.

 

 

I love this shot - so spontaneous - this is my friend Laura's little girl, Sara,

who loves to give hugs and thought she'd get in at the level she could reach - can you feel the love???

 

1. The honorary grandparents - my great aunt and uncle Chuck and Carol Eleveld - don't they look great???

Wedding day - professional pics!

Julie Banfai was our very capable, talented and lovely photographer for the day!  She put up with a chaotic house in the morning, cold, windy weather conditions, provided the best umbrellas ever, and followed us hither and yon to get some great shots! 

Some artsy shots... i love word games and this was a special treat
to see these pics!!!



more crossword love words!

 

 Sandals in October - yep, a bit optimistic but better than heels

- didn't want to trip down the aisle!

 

 

Another artsy shot of the dress cooling down outside

 

 

 Getting dressed - Rachel did a great job!

Maybe looking a little happy???

 

 

All laced up... and ready to go!

 

 

First peek for a look at the bride... i'm guessing i looked alright

 

 

A bit out of order - giving the dress a final press before putting it on...not much room

 

 

Under the old catalpa tree - one of my favorite shots of the morning..

 

 

Under the arbour, looking ready to head to church!

 

 

At church - making sure not to get that dress dirty!