Bierma Family Dinner at Robert and Noella's

This posting....family Christmas Dinner at Robert and Noella's. Thank you to Robert and Noella for bring our family together....thank you....thank you.....the meal was fabulous and it was so much fun seeing the little ones and the older ones and visiting. This is my grand niece, Heike. Greg and Annamae's oldest daughter. What a cutie!!!!

My sister, Joan and our grand nephew, Mavrick. Man we loved having time with the little ones, they are sooooo cute.

My sister, Grandma Joyce with her two granddaughters, Heike and Amber.

Sister, Joan and brother-in-law Dan.

This is my niece, Annamae.

My nephew, Tom and girlfriend Carrie.

Niece, Christa.

Nephew Ryan and Rebecca. Thanks Ryan for the face. It made me make a big smile.

Brother Robert and Becca's mom, Liz.

Niece, Chelsea and sister-in-law, Noella.

Sister, Joyce and grand niece, Lily.

Nephew, Steven, his daughter, Lily and Christa and Brian's son, Mavrick.

The Granddogs: Benson

Granddog: Oscar

First cousins, Tom and Ryan, my nephews.

My nephew, Greg and my grandnieces, Heike and Amber.

Heike and Amber on their way home after a busy day of visit relatives. Thanks again to Robert and Noella for offering their home.

Joan and Dan's New Farm on Amherst Island

Pictures of our visit back home. My sister, Joan and brother-in-law's new farm house on Amherst Island. I just loved it. I always wanted to live on Amherst Island and to live on a farm. We get to farm sit the last week of July when they are on their honeymoon to Newfoundland.
I can hardly wait to look after the cattle and chickens, house and barn. They are right on the water of Bay of Quinte.

This is their shoreline. Oh, wow, so beautiful.

Their chickens, laying hens, fresh eggs every day.

I loved the old tire out in the front yard. Remember those days of swinging?

Beautiful old farm house, 3 bedrooms upstairs, summer kitchen, winter kitchen and two front rooms. So much history, so many lives it has been a shelter for.

These are their beef cattle.

Judy and Joan, sisters.

Back in the woods...an old model T, Joan is a farmer now. That's so neat and so cute.


An old bike leaning against the stone fence by the house.

Mom and me. I love you Mom.

Great Uncle Anthony and grand nephew, Mavrick.

Joan and Dan's dog, Eddie in his bed beside the airtight stove. I love that smell of smoke in the house.

Santa Anthony and good friend Doris. Doris let us stay at her place for a lot of the visit home. She has an apartment in the basement and was most hospitable to let us stay. What a great friend.

Santa Anthony went to Bonnie's daycare and played the role of Santa. He loved it. Played guitar, sang and listened to kids wishes for Christmas while sitting on his knee. He had a great time. Didn't have to wear a fake beard.

Santa getting into the car, heading for the daycare. What fun!

Home for a month....Val's place, Katie's

At Kate and Rich's here are our kids, Sarah on the left, Lou, Rich and Kate.

Heading up to Val and Ray's on Deer Lake Road just north of Huntsville. Oh man, what beautiful country and SNOW.

This is the sidewalk on the way to Home Depot, where Ray works. That's it a lot of snow.

Val doing art on my tank top so when I wear the tank I can remember my dear friend, Val.

At the cabin...I love the cabin....wood stove...no electricity....Magnetawan River.....solitude....beauty.....

Looking out the window by Ray and Val's computer/office. What a view!!!!!

SNOW....snow.....snow and more snow......

Good girlfriends are really important. Thanks for being my special friend, Val.

Scuba Diving off the Reef near Ocean Reef

Anthony scuba diving on the reef near Ocean Reef Yacht Club in the ocean. There were so many beautiful fish and coral, another world.

There Anthony goes again. It was a lot fun scuba diving with him.

And it's ME.

The scuba diving people, Melinda and Fred are really nice people and I love diving.

I got one of the other divers to take a picture of me.

More of Bimini and on to Port Lucaya

It's still January 30 and I'm trying to get caught up on my SailingBlog. This boat is taking the tourists out to do Para sailing. This is on Port Lucaya Beach.

This is the bay at North Bimini Island were we anchored. All of these boats are Canadian. That was quite a surprise to us to have all Canadians in this anchorage in the Bahamas. One couple from Montreal had their two young boys with them, 11 and 13 years old. I had always wanted to take my kids sailing but they grew up too fast.

Helicopter overhead.

We're registered in the Bahamas now so time to take down our American Flag and put up our Bahamian courtesy flag while we are sailing in Bahamian waters.

Life is good. Life is great.

We're on our way across the ocean to Grand Bahama Island. Bohdan said he would be in the Bahamas for 3 months near Ocean Reef Yacht Club and Resort so we looked it up on our Charts and decided to head there. The water is rough and it messed up down below a bit. I guess I didn't strap down as many things as I should have. We got caught in some valleys and I swear we laid the boat flat once but Anthony doesn't agree.

This is my Christmas Tree. I wrap some green around the pole supporting the mast, then hang my ornaments on the pole. It works on the boat. It doesn't take up much space.
This is John Kerr and me. John and Joanne are on a beautiful catamaran called Exhale and they are from Etobicoke Yacht Club. 80% of the boats here at Ocean Reef are Canadian. I couldn't believe it. It was great to meet people you knew.

This is the beach at Port Lucaya. There is a free shuttle bus that will take you to Port Lucaya every morning at 10 or you can walk, it's about a 30 minute walk.

Big, beautiful, sun.

The Boaters, Cruisers got together and had a night singing Christmas Carols. Diane organized it and invited the people and Gary, Doug and Anthony played guitar. The people from the Timeshares came over to sing too. It was strange singing Christmas Carols when it's hot out.

Anthony playing his Martin, 12 string and singing Christmas Carols at Ester's.

Oh and I got my hair braided on the beach. I thought Sarah and Kate would think it was a hoot.

Me being crazy. We walked to the grocery store and to the Tabernacle Church to ask for a ride on Sunday. It was a happening church. Lots of great music and grooving. They had a band, drum set, three guitars, three soloists, an organ, a piano and it was Women's Day so a woman did the serman. It was very cool.

This is where we are at.

Hibiscus.

Hibiscus.

This is Groupers Restaurant and it's right beside the pool and hot tub.

This is Fred and Melinda, the Scuba Diving People.

Anthony enjoying the hot tub. Usually we head to the hot tub around 4 on most days with our refreshments and visit with other boaters in the tub during Happy Hour.