We send our best wishes for Christmas and the New Year Happy from Bowen Island, British Colombia, Canada. Susan is writing

this year’s letter so it reflects her views on life on an island just a 20 min ferry ride from Vancouver but totally unlike anywhere else.

This year has been busy and productive, see www.dogandcat.ca for a glimpse of our activities in the house and garden since we first

arrived. Peter wants to know when he can retire and take life easy but I think he likes the challenges.

0712_2~1.gif Our front garden is really different with the pergola in place; we’ve had a lot of compliments from neighbors. It looked very Japanese when a foot of snow piled up on it recently. Peter spent most of the summer building and erecting it. I have some plants in place already and am looking forward to the flower beds filling in with time. I’m still experimenting with what works here as winter is short and wet, spring is also wet but summer and fall can be very dry. We now have both front and back gardens securely fenced so the local deer haven’t been a problem this year.

Peter still has work to do on our boat Susie. This picture shows her in last years winter clothes. She was in good enough shape to win her class in the Round Bowen Race this July. The weather varied a lot around the course so some boats retired for lack of wind and some for too much wind and crossing the finishing line was total chaos. He and his crew seemed to think they had done well and look forward to 2008. We are considering taking short cruises next year if we can persuade Sheeba to get on and off the dock!

Sheeba is now full grown and weighs about 90 lbs. dry and considerably more when wet. She learnt to swim this summer and still goes in the ocean most days. She enjoys her walks & meeting other dogs around here. Wendy and JP celebrated the birth of their son Jacob Peter at the end of February. He is an active, contented baby and totally adored by everyone. I went to Montreal shortly after the birth to see him. How he had changed when Wendy and JP visited in August. It was lovely to see them and have John and Shelly and their girls over as well. Shelly is expecting a baby in March – we feel very blessed to have healthy, happy children and grandchildren.

img_19~1.gif

This year was our ruby wedding anniversary. We did not make a big event of this - we have been there and done that, and our money has gone into the house and garden! However we did have a celebrator meal at one of Bowen’s better restaurants and I wore my second best kimono - as you can see (it was during the snowstorm!).

I have spent time this year exploring more of the island with Sheeba, continuing my Tai Chi studies, taking singing lessons and singing with the Community Choir. The singing has been a big commitment and has brought my much pleasure. Peter continues his illustration activities, and he has applied to have an exhibition of his art at the local library.