2018 The Drury Family Roundup
Early in 2018 hoped to get going with
Izzy dolls but got hit with whatever bug was going around and was out
of it for 6 weeks, it was March before the Dollard Art Hive Izzy
Dolls Project got underway. Our goal is 210 dolls to be created and
delivered to Health Partners International of Canada by end of
December, at this point we are only a few dolls away from the goal.
Stephen turned 45 in February – we
all have birthdays of some significance the same year and
Michael was 50th the
following month. Gees where did that time go for both our sons?
We both had our DNA tested via Ancestry
- there were few surprises if any for both of us as I had found out
where most of our roots came from through my genealogy however,
links to our fathers have not been increased that way. Was hopefully
that my husband's paternal line would produce some direct links to
his surname but it didn't or not yet . And l found a direct link to
mine not via my DNA but by searching for other trees my great
grandfather Harrison was in. Bingo a second cousin, our grandfathers
were brothers :D Jenny Harrison and I have stayed in touch and she
has been sharing photos with me, One that she sent is of our young
grandfathers, a three generation photo I so enjoy seeing images of
the ancestors I have had in my tree for some time, it helps to bring
them to life again. At the end of the summer my nieces Judy and
Barbara brought me a box of keepsakes from both their mother and my
mother. I found treasures and history in that box such as some baby
clothing I am sure had been Mom's – the plan is to put them in a
shadow box.
Christopher came to Kanata Ontario to
work for the summer in April and in May we went to see him on the
Mother's Day Weekend it was also Dick's 75th . So we
celebrated with Chris and my eldest niece. Speaking of Richard, he
didn't golf once and decided to take a break from curling. He
continues to get his steps in plus in daily thus helping his blood tests
to 'pass' :D Very good news for sure. Our stock of wine is running
low so the plan is he will be busy making more in 2019.
It was our turn for the natural gas
company to work on our street which started in May They put new pipes
along the curb and to where the gas comes into the house when they
could. Our entrance had to be changed as they could not get to the
original, the deck and old cement stairs at the back door were in the
way (deck is built over the stairs)
Gas now comes in through the powder
room. And goes under the back door landing to the furnace room.
My sister Linda passed away July 1st
- she is now in peace after a difficult last year of Progressive
Supra-nuclear Palsy a disease often diagnosed as Parkinson's . Seeing
her go down hillwas very sad, as a life-long friend said I lost my twin, although we were not twins we were often taken to be because we were dressed the same and always together. Miss her but truthfully having had a few years of losing her I had starting grieving long before her death so it was not as difficult as I had imagined it would be to have her gone completely. I did make a couple of Izzy dolls in her memory (twins) that I am holding
onto for now... as well as the one
created the day she passed away.
About 5 days after we said our final
goodbyes to Linda, Monarch butterflies showed up in our gardens. That
is the earliest I have seen Monarchs around here and I am sure my
sister had a hand in that as she know about my quest to have our city
mow natural areas at better times of the year for not only Monarchs
but all pollinators, wildlife, the environment and we humans. The
Summer of 2018 became the summer of Monarchs. Several eggs were laid
on our common milkweed so I raised some, had help from the twins next
door and then their mother when eggs were found in the natural areas
days before they were to be mowed. In other words we 'saved' them.
Elm Park residences became involved too so now there is a small team
working with me to have the natural areas saved. The hope is that
2019 will be the year to mow differently. We are also growing
milkweed in our gardens, sharing seeds and/or plants and letting
others know of the need to do so. A group of us got together to
spread seeds in part of a natural area, Dick of course gets roped
into whatever I do so he is part of our little group.
It was great to see the cousins
together and watch the interaction between our youngest and eldest
grandchildren.. Isabella and Chris. Alex will be starting high school in
2019 and Bella in now a Spark, (youngest age group of Girl Guides)
A painter was here just after Labour
Day to paint our dining area, kitchen and down the back stairs to the
basement. He were followed by a flooring company to put down sheet
vinyl in the kitchen and down the stairs. Both companies would be
recommended for their workmanship, cleanliness of work area,
friendliness and speed of getting the work done. Love the floor, it
does not show dirt and is easy to care for.
Our family doctor is retiring at the
end of 2019 so our names are on a provincial list for another doctor
Hopefully that will happen before the
doctor I have been going to for at least 35 years gives it up but not
very encouraging to know we were numbers 300 plus on the list and
there is rumor several doctors are packing it in next year.
Another big birthday mine came and went
in October now have a micro lens to get close up shots of for
instance butterfly wings. I too was 75 so that's it for five years
before all four of us have birthdays that stand out.
In November started looking for dog
sitters for Brandy and now have a great place for her and a back up
too. The plan is to go to Italy in May of course it will be a coach
tour because that is the easiest, stress-free way for us to travel
now.
When I started to write this I was
creating animals for our youngest grandchildren and Izzy Dolls too of
course. I spent the mid November weekend at the Dollard Craft Fair
in the civic centre promoting Izzy Dolls and the need for knitters
and/or donations of yarn for us to make Izzy dolls. Many were aware
of the dolls and some said they would make them plus we have had two
donations of yarn. Not sure if we'll have anyone join our little
group but as long as they are making dolls that is what counts. Have
added an addition to the dolls that will also go to HPIC to be given
to children in crisis areas throughout the World. A little bear to be
created with the white and gray yarns that have been donated to the
Art Hive. The bear pattern will be shared with the group when we start
up in January.
Changed to front door decorations . The
wreath was an idea I had and was lucky enough to find (new and old)
materials needed to create it :D The house has also been decorated
and most of the wrapping done so on with the meals etc.
Photos and a bit about our other
grandchildren. Katie, Lauren and Jared. Katie is now a Girl Guide,
Lauren a teen and Jared is in the military reserves He did part one
of his base during the summer and will finish it in 2019. In the
meantime he gives at least one weekend a month to the reserves and
works part time.
Christopher will be with us for a couple of days early in January before heading to Kanata to work until the end of April. Looking forward to seeing him and celebrating his 22nd birthday with him although a couple of days late. Seems hard to believe that it was that long ago I was with his parents when he was born - his grandfather joined us a few day later to met our eldest grandchild.
Until next year stay safe and healthy
throughout 2019.
