Canadian Round Up Part #4!

I've never been there, but I've heard, and the website sure backs it up, that it's a great place with great food. I like the idea of a 3 course meal for $14.95 and I saw coupons, that expired in 2000, but gave 25% off.

Elaine, that is another wonderful idea, and sounds and looks terrific. $14.95...I wouldn't have to pick any cans!

That one does sound lovely Elaine......we will have to plan our available meal times!

The Blethering place is great as well, and often has live music as well. They get bus tours of the blue haired type of clientel, it's really good.

Hi everyone.
I hope you are all having great weekend

I just wonder do we post our photo before we see each other?
Or we just keep for surprise?

Wait...I have to go lose 30 pounds first. Be right back! ;-)

Just found this thread and am dead envious that I can'd join you guys...

Believe me, you're paying for the hype at the Empress. Just wander through and ogle, and then spend the money at a better restaurant! But maybe brunch isn't such a bad deal, if the food has improved. I even stayed there once, decades ago when I was on the P.R. team for B.C. Ferries. Hot chocolate in a silver tea service, a tiny but perfectly appointed room with satins and brocades.

So many wonderful places to visit, I don't know how you'll decide. I know *I* wouldn't want to miss the Royal B.C. Musuem--the dioramas alone are worth the trip for out-of-towners. And the First Nations displays.

Ahhh, early April at Butchart's Garden.... And that seafood restaurant, drool.

Sorry to here you can't join us, Rosemary...:-(

I think perhaps my nostalgia for the empress is overcoming my good sense. stayed their for a fraternity convention lo these many decades ago when serendipitously the naval cadets were in town
roses thrown over our doors at night; lovely boys in navy and white everywhere and the optimism of late teens
everything about the empress seemed perfect

must say if their brunch is up to the rest of the fairmont standard (like the Mac here) the price represents good value cause we certainly wouldn't have to eat for the rest of the day

Hi all. Got word on my brother's progress late last week. He will be going into hospital for a stem cell transplant in mid-Feb., so, this means I have to confirm that I will not be able to come to the RU. Please wish us luck, thanks.

But I expect to see lots and lots of pictures of lots and lots of flowers, okay?!!

Christine

Christine, sending tons of wishes of luck for your brother.

Heather, you've got mail.

At last, some info for you! (((((Christine))))) (((Frank))) (((JC)))
(((Lily & Lupin))) :-)

I had been holding out hope for the RU...sigh. Well, at least you have some idea what's going on now, & when. Don't worry about the RU, you'll have so many updates & photos you'll be begging us to stop! ;-)

Shannon

Thanks very much Jeanne and Shannon. Yes, Shannon, thankfully there is finally a small light at the end of the tunnel now. Frank's pretty frustrated at how long his life's been 'on hold' and he's not looking forward to 'the event' itself, but is happy his treatment is back on track.

And I've never learned how to beg....lol.

Christine.

Our thoughts and prayers will be with both you and Frank, Christine in mid February. I am sure it will be a load off both off you shoulders in the wait itself. Hopefully spirits will be a little brighter, now that he is not so much in the dark. After then we'll all have to pray for success!

Christine, this is good news. The wait will soon be over, and you & Frank will finally have somehting good luck to look forward to.

All the best wishes in the world for both your families as you all go through this time. You will be missed at the RU, but we'll be hoping we'll be celebrating the good recovery Frank gets from his transplant.

Linda

Thanks so much Donna and Linda. It will really be nice to get all of this behind us. Frank's spirits are staying high fortunately, so that makes it a bit easier too. Now if I could just get him to eat more veggies.....sigh.

I'm really looking forward to seeing pictures from the RU!!

Christine.

Wishing the best for your brother Christine.......reading that his spirits are high is very encouraging. :)

That does make a huge difference.

Thanks Pam, I appreciate really your's, and everyone's good wishes.

That's for sure Pam and Shannon, he's a real trooper fortunately.

I received three more cheques today from Pam, Ginny and Ingrid. Thank you Ladies. Ingrid, you sent too much money, I 'll have to buy you a Big Mac at the RU.

I received an e-mail from Christine of Love a Tree Creations, and she tells me she has shipped our Totes already. Woo Hoo, can't wait to see them. I have to e-mail her back as Lana has decided she wants one as well, so I have to see if they can do singles. I'll let you know Lana.


This message was edited Jan 11, 2005 2:46 PM

BTW, if anyone who doesn't have a Lee Valley store is planning on ordering something fm them around that time and wants to save on shipping, let me know - if not too bulky I'd be happy to pick it up and bring it for you.

Shannon

OK, I suppose I am being naive here, but what is a Lee Valley Store?

Oh my god Donna!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You've never heard of Lee Valley??????????????????
You'd better check out their website. They have wonderful stuff. Lucky people in big cities who can go to the actual store. I have always ordered on line and we have been very pleased with everything we have ever gotten from them.

http://www.leevalley.com/home/main.asp

Glenda



This message was edited Jan 11, 2005 3:26 PM

Same here. The 'mother ship' Lee Valley store is here in Ottawa...but it's not very grandiose at all. If you ever had a (now-defunct) Consumer's Distributing store where you live, it's kind of the same set-up, where you browse the catalogues, fill in the little slip of paper with what you want to order, and they get it for you from the back room. There's a small display area in ours, where some of the stuff is out to look at.

The prices are high but in most cases worth it, IMHO, if you have the cash that is! :-)

You must order their gardening catalogue, Donna! And when you get it, if you don't say "All right, one of everything please" I'll eat my military-issue hat. :-) ...lol

What can I say? I live under a rock, I guess...(:].

Much to the detriment of my bank book, I have ordered a catalog. Looks like mighty cool stuff. Thanks Shannon and Glenda.

Before I came to DG I didn't know what a brug was...! Was soon set straight on that score, and now have five of my very own seeds. :-)

Isn't it just horrible, the way we all share cool stuff with each other...;-)

I also had never heard of them. I found a "Lee Valley Tools" in the TO phone book, but the locations are way, way out in the boonies - and not even in the boonies where I live...lol. Is their stuff really that good?

I think their original product line was woodworking tools. I learned of them from my dad, who I think has bought everything from their woodworking catalogue. They also have a general hardware line. I didn't realize until a couple of years ago that they had gardening stuff too. All 3 catalogues are interesting browsing.

They're not like a panacea for all gardening problems or anything, but they do have a reputation for high-quality, well-designed stuff...and the expected prices to go along with that. They also have some less expensive stuff, and interesting little things like kazoos & gyroscopes, and several things I've never seen before. I only buy their gardening stuff as I can afford it; in the meantime I make do with Canadian Tire, which has also never let me down, and home-rigged solutions.

Here's their entry in the Garden Watchdog, in case anyone's interested.

http://davesgarden.com/gwd/c/199/

I recieved a Lee Valley woodworking catalog from a friend, they lots of nice stuff, but i wasn't interested. I didn't know they had a gardening aspect as well. I've been to the wedsite, thanks so much for the link, and am debating on a couple of things, depending on $$.

Their transplant spade is TDF. We have a store in Winnipeg, within biking distance but ....... it really is a most immoral store. Only go there with zero credit cards and not too many $$ in your pocket. They have the BEST stainless steel counter composter, TDF brass hose attachments, wonderful sprayrs etc etc etc. I have a great tray which I use for potting up without making a mess. This tray holds two flats, great for moving things around, carrying two flats instead of one at a time.
inanda

Ginny, which transplant spade? That little green one with the wood handle? about 2" long?

I also have the Lee Valley transplant spade (it's like a regular spade only slimmer).We eventually had to buy another one as my husband and I would fight over it, and my SIL (who has a garden maintenance business) was always "borrowing " it! Guess what he got for his birthday !
Heather

We've ordered many things over the years as well. It's all such good quality and arrives so fast. My Christmas present came from there this year....a warming mat that has been in use since the moment it was received. I have one of those neat potting trays. It works great. I want some of the little seed spoons next time we put in an order.

I'm a huge fan of Lee Valley also--I buy woodworking goodies for gifts for DH, and he buys gardening goodies for gifts for me...over the years there have been a few duds--like a max-min thermomenter that warped at high temps--they IMMEDIATELY replace it. In fact, when they send you something they include a postage paid return lable in case you ever have to return something. A bit pricier but most of their goods are exceptionally high quality. And I love the book section--they have a lot of reprint of 19th and early 20th century books.

My best-ever gift--that sat beside the Christmas tree swathed in quilts and a big bow and kept me maddened with curiosity for a weei--was a Big Green Wagon that is remarkably easy to manoeuver, and has an attachment so I can haul it with our ATV for running around the valley collecting manure, leaves, peat, etc. I nearly fainted when I saw the price, but IMHO it's more than paid for itself in the past 6 years.

Lee Valley is a perfect example of "you get what you pay for". I have found their prices competitive for equal quality. You can't beat their service. And even though I live in one of those cities where you can go to the store, i usually shop on line cause I hate having to wait in lines and I like to shop at 1 in the morning.

Christine, my prayers are with Frank for the stem cell transplant. It is a whole lot easier than a bone marrow transplant but no picnic. He'll need a lot of love and support during those worst days until the blood count starts to move in the right direction. But hang in there, my nephew has been 'clean' nine years on the 22nd of this month. We celebrate it as his rebirthday.

Christine, We will all be praying for you and your brother. He will have a new life and be a new person after recovery.
Ginny

Thanks for your good wishes Lynne and Ginny. That's a good idea, to celebrate as a "rebirthday"- ironically, if all goes as we hope, his "clean" date could be close to his real 55th birthday on Apr. 27th. And 5 is my lucky number.... time to haul out the old superstitions....lol.