Happy New Year to you all from a snow-blanketed Vancouver. Nicholle and I are back here after spending a couple of weeks in Ontario with our friends (who are all old China hands too).
We spent time with Roy and Carol Kirby in their home in Ottawa and spent many hours chatting over good food and wine. We didn’t manage to get a decent picture of us so I’m popping in this one of us back in Beijing: I think this is the last proper group shot we took together.
After that, we drove with Karlene to St. Thomas where we stayed with Joan for a bit and got caught up. Again, we didn’t manage to get a decent pic so here’s the last group shot of us as we were flying to Vancouver Island when Karlene and Joan visited us.
After that, we got properly settled into the Christmas spirit in Dan and Karlene’s home in Sarnia. We spent a great Christmas there and really enjoyed the company.
Back in BC now, we are getting ready for the new year. I finished my comprehensive exams at the end of November and passed the review of these in December, so I am moving on to the PhD candidate phase where all I have to do is write my dissertation (as well as a dozen other projects that need to be finished/maintained/developed!). Nicholle will be challenging her Red Seal exams in Jan/Feb where she will be doing her practical and theory exams to reach “Professional Cook 3” status. She also plans to sit her road test to get her BC driving license and we’re looking into some exciting possibilities for her to return to study in September.
That’s all for now: some more 2021 pics below.
Nichole and I did a CPR course in Nov so we’re both now Certified in Emergency First Aid & CPRAED level C: I popped the head of my poor baby almost immediately, much to Nicholle’s amusement.
We enjoyed a little of the beauty British Columbia has to offer during the year. Hopefully we will be able to enjoy more of the province and venture further North in the future.
I played around with a wee app and made animations of us and our parents. I guess you can figure out who is who!
On Feb 12, 2022, Nicholle and I will have been married 10 years.
In some ways, the time has gone by quickly, but in other ways I know we both feel that we’ve put in a lot of miles and a lot of hard work during these years Still, it’s been a wonderful adventure and we make a great team so we will walk hand in hand together into 2022 and take it as it comes.
Hugs to ye all.
K & XX
Jan 2: I turned 43 today. Here’s my big brother, Martin, showing me off to the world.
