Great Grandma in the News! 100!!!

Mammoths! Giants of the Ice Age at the Royal BC Museum

A lovely museum visit. 

Sweetened the deal with a Woolly Mammoth I-Max and a cheeky trip to the gift shop.

Crazy Warm Beach Day

 
Perfect for a little paddle boarding and beach-combing.
 
 
  
 

Cake Jeopardy

Things that fly into cake for $600?

 

Drones.

Cake was still good. Friends for dinner was still great. Even if Dob has too much cake on his back.

Beautiful Fall

Nana and Ashley in Uplands Park

A wee story by Mac

Mac is a stormtrooper.  Kylo Ren is the leader.

The Storm

 BC was on red alert for a crazy storm. We saw a bit of it, but unlike the awesome kite surfer in the background, the storm never really took off here in Oak Bay.
Glen was in the sea for his inaugural new-wetsuit-dip. Kids were psyched.

A Little Thanksgiving Turkey

 Don't be fooled by the cute smile and red snood. He's build a spaceship out of his bunk bed, and it's armed and dangerous from all angles!

The Twins

Savannah was missing her twin this Thanksgiving weekend, esp with an ipod (read old old phone) hanging out the back of her pocket, just like big cousin Jess!

Sav's all cool in her skinny jeans and fancy converse, but not too cool to miss out on street soccer in the rain with her dad.

More Housing Matters

 While clearing out for the move, we came across some old pics of our Cambie Village house. No wonder the realtor mentioned how proud the previous owners had been of their reno. 

Front Before

Front After

Back Before

Back After, including top floor extension

Major reno indeed!

 Grateful that the owners took the care and time to preserve the house and keep another character home from being a tear down.

The Shed

We don't know many sheds that have had as adventurous a start as our wee guy, ferry ride included. Hopefully he'll settle now, hold the lawn mower and some tools, and be merry.

Shot from the lane, which is the "Camas Trail" which takes us straight to the beach, and old path the farmers use to use for bringing cattle up from the sea.

 It's also where Dob will sleep when he's being cheeky.

A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg-- Demagogue

A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

demagogue or demagog

MEANING:

noun: A person who appeals to the prejudices and emotions of the people to gain power.
verb tr., intr.: To manipulate an issue, to speak, or to act in the manner of a demagogue.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Greek demagogos (leader of the people), from demos (people) + agogos (leader). Earliest documented use: 1649.

USAGE:

“We’re at a tipping point in America, and a media so eager to be objective can no longer pretend that Donald Trump isn’t the most dangerous, authoritarian, and unhinged demagogue to ever seek the nation’s highest office. We can barely keep up now with his misstatements and lies, with his name-calling and racist rants, with his crazy, self-absorbed pontifications. It’s so bad that I almost suspect each new mini-scandal is a deliberate ruse to distract from the last one. And his candidacy is so toxic that I can no longer pretend to show respect for anyone who still supports him.”
Dianne Williamson; Time to Stop Pretending Trump is Presidential Material; Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, Massachusetts); Jun 9, 2016.

In His Own Words:
“We won with poorly educated. I love the poorly educated.”
-Donald Trump (reference)

See more usage examples of demagogue in Vocabulary.com’sdictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made in a very narrow field. -Niels Bohr, physicist, Nobel laureate (7 Oct 1885-1962)

A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg-- Precarious

Oct 6, 2016 A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg precarious MEANING: adjective: Risky; uncertain; insecure; unstable; unsafe. ETYMOLOGY: From Latin precarius (obtained by entreaty, hence uncertain), from prex (prayer). So something precarious is hanging by a prayer, which is, not by much. Ultimately from the Indo-European root prek- (to ask), which also gave us pray, precarious, deprecate, postulate, precatory, and expostulate. Earliest documented use: 1638. USAGE: “The craft plunged 2,800 feet to the ground, killing all five passengers. Among them were three of Trump’s top casino executives. ... By early 1990, as financial prospects at the casinos worsened, Trump began badmouthing the executives who had died, laying blame on them, although the cause of his problems was the precarious, debt-laden business structure he had built.” Kurt Eichenwald; Donald Trump’s Many Business Failures, Explained;Newsweek (New York); Aug 2, 2016. In His Own Words: “I look at myself in the first grade and I look at myself now, I’m basically the same. The temperament is not that different.” -Donald Trump (reference) See more usage examples of precarious in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: It's good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it's good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven't lost the things that money can't buy. -George H. Lorimer, editor (6 Oct 1867-1937)

A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg-- Vitriol

Oct 5, 2016 A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg vitriol MEANING: noun: Cruel, mean-spirited, bitter criticism. ETYMOLOGY: From Latin vitrum (glass). Sulfuric acid, a highly corrosive substance, was formerly known as oil of vitriol or simply vitriol. It was named vitriol owing to the glassy appearance of its salts. Earliest documented use: 1386. USAGE: “Trump’s vitriol is making it off the campaign trail and into the lingua franca of children at an alarming rate. Just watch coverage from Trump rallies to hear the next phrases kids will be slinging at school.” Petula Dvorak; The ‘Trump Effect’ is Contaminating Our Kids -- and Could Resonate for Years; The Washington Post; Mar 7, 2016. In His Own Words: “My entire life, I’ve watched politicians bragging about how poor they are, how they came from nothing, how poor their parents and grandparents were. And I said to myself, if they can stay so poor for so many generations, maybe this isn’t the kind of person we want to be electing to higher office. How smart can they be? They’re morons.” -Donald Trump (reference) See more usage examples of vitriol in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Wandering in a vast forest at night, I have only a faint light to guide me. A stranger appears and says to me: 'My friend, you should blow out your candle in order to find your way more clearly.' The stranger is a theologian. -Denis Diderot, philosopher (5 Oct 1713-1784)

A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg-- Lien

Oct 4, 2016 A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg lien MEANING: noun: A claim on another’s property until a debt owed by that person is paid back. ETYMOLOGY: From French lien (bond, tie), from Latin ligamen (bond, tie), from ligare (to bind). Ultimately from the Indo-European root leig- (to bind), which also gave us league, ligament, ligature, ally, alloy, rally, liaison, religion, rely, oblige, and furl. Earliest documented use: 1530. USAGE: “At least 60 lawsuits, along with hundreds of liens, judgments, and other government filings reviewed by the USA Today Network, document people who have accused Trump and his businesses of failing to pay them for their work. Among them: a dishwasher in Florida. A glass company in New Jersey. A carpet company. A plumber. Painters. Forty-eight waiters. Dozens of bartenders and other hourly workers at his resorts and clubs, coast to coast. Real estate brokers who sold his properties. And, ironically, several law firms that once represented him in these suits and others.” Steve Reilly; Hundreds Allege Donald Trump Doesn’t Pay His Bills; USA Today (Washington, DC); Jun 9, 2016. In His Own Words: “I like money. I’m very greedy. I’m a greedy person. I shouldn’t tell you that, I’m a greedy -- I’ve always been greedy. I love money, right?” -Donald Trump (reference) See more usage examples of lien in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: He serves his party best who serves the country best. -Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th US president (4 Oct 1822-1893)

A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg - Narcissism

I love my word.a.day daily emails from Anu. The best.
So that we can remember that we were part of this insane period in American and World history, before the kids can truly understand what is happening, I have pasted Anu's Word.A.Day selection from this week, with a Trump theme:

Oct 3, 2016       A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg I usually look for usage examples for words in A.Word.A.Day in newspaper articles. Nowadays, things are a little different -- you open any newspaper and top news stories are about a narcissistic con man running for the president of the United States. It’s impossible to avoid them. So this week we’ll feature all our usage examples from newspaper stories about him. We’ll include links to the stories -- do read them. Also, we’ll include quotations from the man himself. PS: I highly recommend following the reporter Christina Wilkie @christinawilkie on Twitter. Also, the writer Stuart Stevens@stuartpstevens. PPS: Here’s a review of a new biography of Hitler. Try this experiment: Replace the word Hitler with Trump and Germany with the US in it and see if you can tell the difference. narcissism MEANING: noun: Excessive self-interest or self-love. ETYMOLOGY: In Greek mythology, Narcissus was a hunter and a young man of exceptional beauty. He spurned the nymph Echo. One day he saw his reflection in water and fell in love with himself. Not realizing it was himself and unable to leave, he eventually died. Earliest documented use: 1822. USAGE: “George Simon, a clinical psychologist who conducts seminars on manipulative behavior, says Trump is ‘so classic that I’m archiving video clips of him to use in workshops because there’s no better example’ of narcissism. ... “When, in the summer of 1999, he stood up to offer remarks at his father’s funeral, Trump spoke mainly about himself. It was the toughest day of his own life, Trump began. He went on to talk about Fred Trump’s greatest achievement: raising a brilliant and renowned son.” Dan P. McAdams; The Mind of Donald Trump; The Atlantic (Washington, DC); Jun 2016. In His Own Words: “I feel like a supermodel. Except like times 10. It’s true. I’m a supermodel. I’m on the cover of these magazines -- I’m on the cover of the biggest magazines.” -Donald Trump (reference) “My fingers are long and beautiful, as, it has been well documented, are various other parts of my body.” -Donald Trump (reference) See more usage examples of narcissism in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: You have reached the pinnacle of success as soon as you become uninterested in money, compliments, or publicity. -Thomas Wolfe, novelist (3 Oct 1900-1938)

Engagement-- in Central Park Style

Brangelina is no longer. It's going to be OK. Because these two lovebirds, Kevin and Lynnie, AKA, Klynnie, are getting hitched! Uncle Kevin proposed in Central Park, New York. Whoop whoop!!! [insert nerdy but awesome raise-the-roof hand gestures while simultaneously dipping at the knees]

I've taken the liberty of sharing a pic of me with Lynnie here from the August 2016 Hope Street Ball....since given the likelihood of a low key no-guest wedding, it is going to be the only chance I'll get to be beside my beautiful sister in her stunning white dress!

 Lucky Kevin. Lucky Lynnie. #KlynnieForever

Feet

All I need to say about this pic is

WHAAAATTT!?

How can it be that I share shoes with my 9 year old!?!

Cross Country with Willows

Here goes Sav at her cross country practice, just about to run through the sunny reflection in the sea, pony tail a-swinging. It's a stunner of a loop, even Glen and Mac joined in. But in the end, Sav's going to focus on gymnastics and soccer, and has decided to pass on the morning beach run.

More energy for the tramp at the end of the day, then!
(If Glen looks shattered in this photo, he is. It was an epic job, building the trampoline!)

MegaDob Leads us Astray

 We are learning new trails. They are awesome. But not if your lovely husband takes you on a 3.5 hour adventure, all of which was uphill (even Glen agrees to this mysterious break in the laws of physics), no snacks, and horrendous black diamond climbing. We pushed our bikes a lot. Thankfully, the scenery was stunning.

 Hope this looks like I have just hiked-a-bike up a huge cliff side. Because that is what I have just done.

 It looks a bit like I'm smiling. I am not. I feel like the bark on this tree (the ripping part).

 At the top of Lumpy Pants. More like Poopy Pants. One heck of a black diamond ascent.

Thank you to Team Nielsen for the great visit, and to Buttercup for not killing Glen on the aforementioned "adventure", even though she had to close the loop with a migraine!

Photo day and Peer Pressure

Sav wanted to wear her Sapa, Vietnam out fit for photo day. She was not bothered at all that it was different.

 Mac, after a year of trying to grow his hair long enough to be able to wipe his bum with it, surrendered at last to peer pressure. His friend at Kindergarten thinks he looks like a girl, and Mac came home and said he wanted a hair cut before photo day. Should we be sad that Mac felt he had to cave; that gender stereotypes interfered with his bum wiping ambition?
Heck no. We're delighted!