Chillin' in "my home and native land"

Hello from beautiful B.C., Canada. I'm up here visiting my family for a few days and having a great time. Here are a few of the things I can always count on when I come home.

1. Greek food from My Greek or Eleni's
2. Great fish and chips from C-Lover's seafood restaurant
3. Playing cards . . . cribbage, thump thump, Rook, hearts, whatever
4. Mom's great cabbage rolls and her bacon and "dippy" eggs. The best anywhere.
5. Dad's great homemade bread (except this time the bread machine is broken)
6. Family dinners (followed by card games)
7. Hanging with my siblings, their spouses and my nieces and nephews and gathering big hugs.
8. Mom finishing up the day by doing the crossword in the paper.
9. Dad watching the news (morning and evening) and reading the newspaper cover to cover.
10. Matteo (nephew) growing at least an inch or two between every visit.
11. Mike (brother), provoking me into a boxing match (which I don't have a prayer of winning)!
12. Going for a walk in Heritage Park, Mission with one or both of my siblings, their spouses and their dogs.
13. In the summer, sitting in mom and dad's beautiful backyard (which is up against a rain forest) and visiting or playing a game or two of Bacci.
14. In the winter, watching a game or two of hockey on T.V.
15. Watching old family slides . . . I never get tired of it.
16. A trip or two to the Canadian Superstore for groceries.
17. Sometimes a walk in the rain forest with dad if the weather is good.
18. Rain.
A game of partnership cribbage . . . Mike (who refuses to pose for photos), Craig, Dad and Mom

My beautiful sister-in-law, Lucia and me. I lucked out on this trip and got in on Lucia's birthday dinner with my sister Elaine and several of their girl friends. We ate Greek food at Eleni's in Mission and then went to one of their friend's places for cheesecake and chitchat. A great girl's night out.

My nephews David . . .

and Craig . . .

and nephew and niece Matteo and Jessica. Matteo broke his arm, recently, in an unfortunate incident on his snowboard up at Whistler resort. Now you're a true snowboarder, Matteo. I love the black cast!

The only thing that I don't like about my trips to Canada is the frequency . . . they just don't happen often enough. And they pass way too quickly. Til next time.