March 6, 2026

 Since my last blog I have, for the most part, been in Alberta visiting Joanne, Dave, Jack, Jamie and. Brooke. Cindy, Kona and I flew out from Abbotsford to Calgary on February 24th. Joanne and Brooke picked us up there and drove us down to Lethbridge. The roads were good and we appreciated their kindness as we were unable to take the shuttle down because the shuttle will not take the dog. Dear dog! We had a lovely week. Jack was over each day to spend time with us and Cindy went with him to the university and studied there while he was in class. They both did school work at Joanne’s too, as well as participating in activities with us. We went for lunch at the Jasmine Room with Joanne (Cindy and myself). We went out for dinner for Mexican food one night and Italian food another night and to Jamie and Brooke’s on yet another night. Joanne treated us like we were in a lovely Bed and Breakfast, providing wonderful breakfasts each morning as well as other delicious meals. Dave goes out with his friends twice a week for lunch which is very nice for him. The big event was Lara Lyn and Colton driving up to surprise us! We were going to a matinee with Brooke and when we walked into the theatre, out jumped Lara Lyn and Colton. That was special. They had worked with Jamie and Brooke to make it all happen.They stayed with Jamie and Brooke for two nights and did things with us during the days they were there. Joanne and I watched the Cranford series and Bela came over to visit one afternoon. We also ran into Sandy Anvik while out walking and had a nice visit with her. We experienced snow, cold, wind, sun and warmth. We had it all. Joanne and Brooke retraced their steps on Tuesday, March 3rd and took us back to Calgary to catch our flight home.. Sam had driven us to the airport and then picked us upon our return. Kona did well going, coming  and while there. Good to see everyone. We had a lovely time.

Since back I have been getting ready for Easter, meeting with the new Relief Society Presidency, and working on projects at home. Always things to be doing.

February 20, 2026

 Life is ever evolving. Things happen quickly and you never know from one moment to the next what will present itself. I had a bad fall while out walking the dog in the evening February 16, Monday. It was dark and there was a branch with a couple of appendages on it laying on the sidewalk just around the corner. I think I was trying to maneuver around it when I realized that my feet were tangled and I was going to fall. I got twisted around with my back to the road and tittering on the edge of the curb, I fell into the street backward  and cracked my head on the pavement. I lay there in shock and mouning. A woman, who was out looking for bottles in the recycle bins, saw me and came to help me up. She could not speak English but kept talking to me. She handed me my toque, pointed to the branch that had contributed to the fall and left. When she saw me looking for something, she returned with her flashlight and helped me look for my black pearl earring that had fallen out. On the black pavement, in the dark, she quickly found a black pearl. I had said a little prayer and that fund was a miracle. Through it all, I did not let go of Kona’s leash. I hurried the walk and called Cindy when I got home because I thought someone should know in case I went into shock. My children have been checking on me. I still feel shaken and sore but I feel that I was very blessed and things could have been so much worse. Tom always said, “One moment can change everything.”

We had Molly Carlton’s lovely funeral service on Friday, February 6. They had it at our chapel and had kept it a little smaller by not announcing it to everyone. They had beautiful music, talks and prayers. It was perfect.

I have had an at home blood pressure check under my doctor’s direction, Kirk has pruned my front yard ginkgo tree and topped up the air pressure in all four of my car tires. He is so kind.  Charmaine and Cheyenne are both home right now and I took them all out for dinner last night to Wabi Sabi. We have put on two LOW’s training meetings - one Wednesday evening, February 11 and the other Thursday morning, February 12. They were well attended and went well. I made carrot cake. I had to rush after the Thursday morning meeting to Moxie’s to celebrate  Bob Water’s retirement celebration as he concludes his service as a Temple recorder. He has been serving in that capacity almost since the Temple opened. It was a great group of  my friends. Brendon, Keaton and three other young men stayed with me on the weekend while the boys attended a dance and did Temple baptisms. Always busy but good.

The Bishop asked to meet with me Sunday morning. He released from my current calling and called me to serve in the Relief Society Presidency with Melanie Leonard as President, Karin Chen as the other counsellor and Cinthia Miranda as the secretary. We have already had one meeting. Here we go.

February 5, 2026

 I have been busy baking, cooking and hosting during these past few days. Melanie had book club this month and I offered to host it for her with Molly’s passing. She loved the book and really wanted to lead the discussion so I provided the home and the food and she presented. There were just six of us which was a perfect size rather than a large group asking Melanie difficult personal questions. So that took place on January 27th and on the 29th I had Mike Walker, his wife Becky and their 6 children arrive for dinner and to spend the night while enroute to Salt Spring Island. I had already invited the Sister Missionaries so decided to have them as planned and we just made a large group for taco salad,  cookies and ice cream. Becky and their daughter Pepper ran to the Temple to do baptisms. They have two daughters and four little boys. We had a nice visit. After their departure the next day I cleaned up and went out for dinner with Jennifer, Jeff and Jenn’s friend Kristen in the evening.We were celebrating Jeff and Kristen’s birthdays. Jennifer then stayed the next two nights with me while she attended Kristen’s daughter’s cheerleading competition, helped another friend pack up to move and spent some more time with Jeff. I was glad Cindy, Sam and I had taken Jeff a birthday cake, balloon and card on his birthday the week before as Wagner Hill’s had forgotten celebrate until someone finally realized the oversight. Jennifer left Sunday morning. This past Tuesday I hosted a baby shower for Tessy’s baby boy at my house. Jaqui, Melissa and Christina helped with invitations and food. We had about 14 ladies attend along with Tessy’s baby and her toddler. The toddler kept us all busy. In the process of all this I have made carrot cake, Mom’s cookies, Grandma Tanners’s bran muffins and cookie sheet cake plus fruit, drinks and cheeses. I took my last bran muffins over to the Leonard ‘s today in addition to fruit and bread Cindy had added. It is Molly’s funeral tomorrow and their family is gathering. Paul also attended a dinner with me at Moxie’s put on by Scotiawealth. It has been a busy couple of weeks and I have more coming next week and then Cindy and I fly to Alberta the end of  the month.

I took  Jean for brunch on January 23 to Saba’s using the Christmas coupon the Bull family had given me. Jean has a mid day break during her work days and that suited us perfectly.  The girls will be coming home soon. 

I usually attend the 11am session on Tuesdays at the Temple each week but Barb wanted to come and she didn’t feel she could make it before noon, so I met her then. She struggles with life generally and has a hard time getting to the Temple so it was good to have her make it there.

I am getting my banking in place and trying to use up the points from my old bank. We bought our plane tickets for Alberta with my points.

When people ask me how I am doing, I say, “Busy and that is good for me.” I am busy and that does keep me going with purpose. I appreciate my family, my friends and my neighbors who make my life worthwhile.

January 22, 26

 I have been working on transferring my banking from RBC to Scotiabank. When HSBC sold to RBC I was automatically changed to RBC but with Eric and Sheri, our financial planners now working with Scotia Wealth, I decided that it would be helpful for them and for me to be connected to the same banking institution. They have helped me make the change and my USD finally arrived into their accounts along with my other Canadian funds. I have a new SDB with them and I am feeling more settled. I have maintained a checking account with RBC to insure that everything is paid for that may come thru and I want to try to use my avion points with them. Always things needing to be done and taken care of. Without Tom I am on my own and having to take care of things we would have discussed together and he would have largely shouldered. I never feel alone though and I am certain he is supporting me with his prayers and love and at times input.

We had an atmospheric river system go thru and now we have had a lengthy cold spell with clear skies, which is a nice change, making for cool but sunny walks with the dog.

Our Tessy from Nigeria had a baby boy on New Years and I took dinner to their family. I went over to Bela’s townshouse to help her hang pictures. I took the flower arrangement, I had previously given her and recently redone for her, over with me. They have moved to Alberta but are maintaining their townhouse here. They will be back and forth. I have been baking and preparing for book club next week, the Mike Walker family one night stay, Jennifer’s visit just after the Walkers and then Tessy’s baby shower. We are planning an LOW training meeting for February, a Ministering Conference and then Cindy and I are going to fly to Lethbridge the end of February, beginning of March for a visit with Joanne and family and Jack. I am trying to keep everything straight and taking one step and one event at a time.

The children are all settling back into school and their activities. Cindy is working hard at her schooling and trying to keep up with her calling, her Temple service, her family and this week she agreed to substitute for two days. Needless to say I am not hearing from her as much but that is okay. I am praying for everyone.

January, 7 2026

 2026 has begun. This year will mark four years since Tom’s passing which is hard to comprehend. We celebrated family moments during those years, the children and I have traveled, we have had one family reunion, I have made some home and yard changes, served in several different callings, continue to serve in the Temple, added Kona to our family, along with three great grandsons Aksel, Hansen and Jaxon, one new granddaughter in law Monica, had two grandson’s return from missions - Jack and Bryson, bought a new car on my own, changed banks twice, conducted business affairs on my own and missed Tom at every step. I have felt peace and been carried in ways I never could have imagined. I acknowledge the Lord’s hand all along the way and Tom’s love ever present.

The lead up to Christmas was busy with baking, ward party, Bryson’s return from his mission, visit to see Jeff, flowers arriving, treats from neighbors and friends such as Frank and Donna, Liza’s family’s arrival on the 23rd, a visit to the Giving Machine and the Mill’s mall with the Burgess and Hardy family, shepherds’ dinner (made by Cindy) here on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and family dinner here on Christmas Day. Breya had been skiing with friends and so arrived a few days later than her family but it was so great having them here. The Burgess family left on December 26 and we watched Bryson’s homecoming talk to on zoom December 28. Paul set Jack apart as a HP to serve on the YSA High Council in Lethbridge. I went to the movie Wicked and to eat at Wabi Sabi on New Years Eve with the Hardy family

and then I took Cindy, Paul and Jack out for dinner New Year’s Day. Sam was sick. We have had some sickness over the holidays. Jack is back to school in Lethbridge, Bryson is starting at BYU, Breya back at UofA, Sam and Jadyn continuing their schooling and Cindy taking a leave of absence from her work to complete her degree with BYUI. I am praying for everyone in their school, work, families and challenges.

Heartbreak entered into the holiday season as well. The Carlton’s lost another little girl, Molly, while visiting in Arizona, in similar fashion to their older daughter Abi. She passed suddenly on Christmas Day. Rubie’s husband Jaram Arnold was killed in a snowmobile accident in Wyoming on New Year’s Day. They have four children. Elder Holland passed away a couple of days after Christmas. Our hearts are hurting and our prayers are with them.

Christmas has been put away, two birthdays celebrated and we begin anew. I pray for my family and for those who are hurting. Life is a challenge but the Lord is always there to lift and sometimes carry.