Taylor is Ten - 2014

From Grandpa: 

Taylor is my absolute favourite grandson

Why you may ask

You may think because others there are none

But that is wrong

Is it because he loves to play and run?

That may be part

Around him it is always so much fun

Does he have any skills?

Loads for example many a candy island he has designed and won

Is it because he good at math, swimming and reading?

All of the above, other reasons are many there must be a ton

Now I hope you understand

But because I love him is the true number one

Happy birthday Taylor

Now I am done

Love Grandpa Thailand

 

From Grandma:

Ten is so great –

Two handfuls of fingers

A simple “X” in Roman numerals

The basis of the decimal system

A dime

A perfect score in many cases (like Olympic gymnastics)

The first two-digit number

Ten is the sum of the first four numbers (1+2+3+4=10)

There are ten provinces in Canada

Ten is the minimum number of baseball players on the field during play (including the batter)

Ten is the age of the greatest grandson in the world

That’s right – Taylor – he’s ten – and he’s the greatest

Have the greatest birthday ever, Taylor!

All our love, Grandma and Grandpa Thailand xxxxxxxxxxx (times a gazillion)

 

Tehja is Eleven - 2014

FROM GRANDPA:

 

Today my beautiful granddaughter turns eleven

Unfortunately the only word that rhymes is Kevin

So a poem I cannot do

Which makes me want to go boo hoo

Or perhaps I could write it in foo

But I think I will leave that to Grandma to do

Instead I will just say I love you

And to have a wonderful day too.

FROM GRANDMA:

Hello there Tehja. Today is your day.

Time to say We Love You and also time to say

That We Are So Proud of You in every single way.

Life can be so complicated when you’re a pre-teen,

But we know you can handle it – even in your dreams.

You’re beautiful and smart and you put your best in everything,

And we know you have the strength to start to spread your wings.

You have lived eleven years and it’s time for us to blow

a gazillion kisses to the Star of the Show.

All our love, Grandma and Grandpa Thailand xxxxxxxxxxx (times a gazillion)

Taylor is Nine - 2013

From Grandpa:

This is a poem about my favourite grandson, Taylor, who is turning 9 today. He is a wonderful young lad who is creative as is shown by what he can construct with his computer game (Mindblaster?) and ambitious as is indicated by his accumulation of movies. He is a fast learner and excels at his studies, it is difficult to find a word that he cannot spell correctly. He can accomplish most things he puts his mind to except for one: How to not grow older. Happy birthday Taylor and here is your poem.

Happy Birthday Taylor, you’ve reached the age of nine.

With another year behind you, you have grown as fast as a vine.

I hope you have a great day with lots of goodies to dine.

I wish you the best for this year, and hope it will be just as fine.

I am running out of rhyming words, so that must be a sign,

To wish you a Happy Birthday and send my love since this will be the last line.
Love Grandpa Sailor 9 9 9 9

From Grandma:

Hi there Taylor! Do you remember these:

Drawing a bird, climbing on trees?

Singing “triple carburetor” and the song about knees?

Spinnageakinnaging finnagoo and eating treats that you freeze?

Huddling under your blanket and watching TV?

Washing bikes and riding bikes and even changing gears?

We did all this together, the highlight of my year.

Now you’re Nine (let’s hear Three Cheers!)

And we wish we could be near

To hug you, love you, and wish you the Best of Years!!

Love, Grandma  IX IX IX IX

 

Tehja is Ten - 2013

From Grandpa:

Today is special, so I must use my pen.

My granddaughter Tehja is turning ten.

To celebrate this day, she slept near a polar bear den.

Tehja loves all sorts of animals, big as an elephant to small as a hen.

She has many friends – boys, girls, women and men.

We can’t wait to see her again – we wonder where and when.

Love, Grandpa 10 10 10 10

-----------------------------------------

From Grandma:

Hinnagap-piinagy Binnagirth-dinnagay, Tinnageh-jinnagah!

Niinagow yinnagou innagare tinnagen! Winnagow!!

Innagi hinnagope yinnagou cinnagan stinnagill innagun-dinnager-stinnagand Finnagoo.

Innagi linnagove yinnagou linnagoads innagand hinnagope yinnagou hinnagave innaga grinnageat dinnagay.

Linnagove,

Grinnagand-minnaga x x x x

Memories of Canada 2013

So many special moments ...

July 1st

Exercise on the trampoline

Cleaning the bike

Cleaning the bike

Picnic in the back yard

A train ride in Fort Edmonton

Preaching in Fort Edmonton

An outhouse in Fort Edmonton

Fence hanging in F.E.

Stopping for ice cream - F.E.

Daily activity at home

At West Edmonton Mall

Making words

With TJ at Black Strap Lake

Under watchful eye of dad and mom

In the hot tub with Sean and Frankie

A day at Devonian Botanical Gardens

At DBG

At DBG

Relaxing at DBG

A bridge at DBG

Where to now? (DBG)

Tree huggers (DBG)

Admiring aquatic life (DBG)

Posing for dad (DBG)

Our grandson

 

Our granddaughter

New desk

New desk

An outing along the river

A real-live gold digger

Weiner roast on the river bank

Cooling off in the river

Jail time at the Ukrainian Village

An old homestead at U.V.

Experiencing old-time schooling at U,V.

An old service station at U.V.

Family photo - posed



Family photo - hamming it up

June 16, 2013

Dear Tehja and Taylor,

 

Hello from the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club in Malaysia.

 

 

 

Once again, Steve and Julie of “Aqua Dreams” were with us on this Sweet 16 day. They are no longer living on their boat (which is here in Langkawi), but are back to work in Australia. They made a quick trip to Langkawi to check on their boat and to visit us. It was “sweet” seeing them again.

 

(That's not Aqua Dreams behind J&S)

And they brought us sweets … some yummy treats from a local bakery, including our favorite: brownies.

 

Grandma still can’t stand on her injured foot, but it seems to be getting stronger every day. Grandpa is taking good care of the boat and Grandma.

 

Grandma waiting for Grandpa to dress her stitches.



Finally - relaxation time.

 

 

Our next 16^th will be in Canada … how sweet is that?

 

All our love,

Grandma and Grandpa Sailor xx

 

May 16, 2013

Dear Tehja and Taylor,

 

We sent another radio-mail from CanKata on this Sweet 16 Day because we didn’t have internet access. It said:

 

“Hi L2D2. Please give big hugs and kisses to TnT for us, and tell them we were thinking about them LOTS on Sweet 16 day. And yes, the days are getting sweeter and sweeter as they are getting us closer and closer to our visit to Beaumont and our kids.

 

Hope all is well with you guys. No doubt you missed having PEI lobster at the season opening. We did.”

 

At the time we were sailing up the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, after cancelling our plans to sail to South Africa. We were heading back to Malaysia.

 

There were a few problems on this day: Grandma had a broken foot so wasn’t being much of a help on CanKata, but Grandpa did a fabulous job of taking care of the boat and taking care of Grandma. 

 

The other problem was the piece of equipment that helps us easily steer the boat. It wasn’t working and so it was very hard to steer. But after spending a lot of time in the hot and cramped engine room, Grandpa got it working as good as new. Your Grandpa is a pretty remarkable man.

 

And not only that, he has some pretty remarkable grandchildren.

 

All our love,

Grandma and Grandpa Sailor xx