Ype & Gail

Hi everyone! I have tentatively booked a number of rooms at the Comfort Inn in Peterborough for Saturday, May 10 evening. The rooms are non smoking and each room has 2 queen size beds in it. The cost is $118.00 plus tax for the night and I believe there is a complimentary breakfast included. There is also a pool and whirl pool in the motel. The motel is across the street from the wedding reception hall. There will be a card inserted in with the wedding invitation for you to book the motel room that I have tentatively pre-booked. I would appreciate it if you could email me at gail.vanderveen@ucdsb.on.ca if you are coming and do in fact intend on using a room at the Comfort Inn as I’m not sure I have pre-booked enough. Thanks everyone and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone on the 10th of May! It should be a great time.

Hi it’s Ype here. Shirley Heidinga called today and wanted everyone to know that some cousins of ours are coming over from the Netherlands to visit. They are Sjouke and Jetske VanderVeen, married, and he is the son of Uncle Sia, the guy that Uncle Sid is named after. They are coming on Sept 7th and will be staying with Shirley mostly, I guess, but they would be available to anyone who wishes to meet them. Shirley has spoken about a Cousins Day at her place on Sept 8th but will get back to us on that. She wishes to invite everyone, including Drayton family and B.C. Family. Hopefully this will get to everyone that needs to know.

Also, Tante Ypke, the sister of Oom Hendrik wishes to celebrate his birthday in a special way this year. Oom Hendrik turns, 81 or 82 this year on Sept 18. She wants to make a photo album of everything that he has made and crafted for family members and present it to him on his birthday. So, if you have anything that was made by Om Hendrik, you are asked to take a photo of it and send it via email to her at y.v.wieren@knid.nl  Shirley said that the letter they got asked them to reply by the end of July, but this of course, was not possible. The point is, please send these photos as soon as you are able. Oom Hendrik did a lot of this type of thing and it would be nice to surprise him with this gift.

Here’s hoping you are all doing well, love you all, Ype

Most of you already know, but Ype and I were able to get away for a 7 day all-inclusive vacation to Puerto Plata, Dominican Replublic. We absolutely loved it. We didn’t do much except lay around at the pool, beach, go for walks along the beach and of course eat!! Ype did manage to read 4+ books and I managed to read 2! This was a first for us to go away just the 2 of us and we realized that we could do it again. Ype did go para-sailing on the last day and he really enjoyed that. I stayed safe and sound in the boat. It was a bit disappointing to come back to the winter and all the snow because for some reason when you are laying on a beach in 80+ degree weather you think it’s hot everywhere. Oh well, we are getting to the end of the cold weather so that gives us something to look forward to. We are also looking forward to having Heine and Bonnie over and seeing Sid, Arlene, Bill, Clare and of course Dave & Bren sometime during the Easter week-end. Also excited about seeing Brian & Deb and Jessica W. (Tone’s girlfriend) at that time too!! It should be a good time.

I don’t know about Southern Ontario or out West but where we are - it is pretty cold. Makes a person want to pack your bags and move south for the winter. Is anyone planning a trip to a warm sunny beach in the next while? Ype and I are thinking (just thinking yet) about it. I am now able to take vacation time off during the school year so that makes quite a difference price wise and Josh has informed us that he can get us a deal through Air Canada. I knew there was a reason why we made him do his homework when he was a kid!!!! We went to see Mom (Beppe) after church last Sunday and she was in quite a good & happy mood. She laughed a lot (mostly at Bren, but then who wouldn’t). She looked across the table at me and clearly asked “How are Josh and Vicki doing? We were pleasantly surprised as we don’t always think she knows everyone. She is mostly sitting in a wheel chair now as they told us that she tends to try and sit down in various places and they are afraid she might fall. She was also complaining about her leg but we couldn’t really see anything wrong. She still loves jewellery. She always notices everyone’s jewels and Bren is going to buy some cheap stuff for her birthday. It never stays around long - she must take it off and then it’s gone! 83 next Friday! Last night Jim and Wilma Winters came over and we asked how Lois Winters was doing and she is not doing so great - she is currently in the hospital and they are looking into getting her into Woodlawn Villa too. She turned 80 in October.
On a brighter note, last Saturday Josh scraped some of the ice in our backyard and took Ethan skating for a bit. He did really well! Then on Sunday afternoon our neighbour and her kids and grandkids went for a walk across the lake and stopped to slide a little one on a sled on the ice patch Josh had cleared. Here’s a cute Ethan story as told to us by Jay and Jenn. A couple of Sundays ago, Jay, Jenn, Ethan and Annika went out and walked across the lake on the ice. Ethan was sitting at the back of the sled and Annika was tucked neatly in front of him. Ethan was having a hard time looking past Annika but eventually he did manage to and that’s when he noticed Annika’s legs. He said “Hey Annika has the same boots as me!” It turned out that he saw his own boots but because Annika was tucked in so tightly and she wasn’t wearing boots (just had her feet inside her snowpants) that Ethan was sure Annika had the same boots!

I am pretty sure that you know where the can is.  I think that you were definitely involved in the can-napping.  The photo with Mollie on the blanket was not taken at our house as I don’t have that colour carpet and the closet door is not ours.  I have no choice but to think this photo was taken at your house.  I can’t believe you would be so mischevious what with becoming a Daddy and all.  How are you going to look your little babe straight in the eyes (or nose holes as your Opa used to say) and say, I had nothing to do with the disappearance of Great Uncle Ype and Great Aunt Gail’s can????

I think Bren, you better get out of that new hot tub.  You must be wrinkled like a prune by now.  Seriously, are you enjoying it?  Does it make a difference for your sore back?  I hope so!  I am glad to read that Ykje finally commented on Clare’s news of moving.  We had a great time at Deb and Brian’s last week-end.  They are super hosts.  Brian entertained us well, while Deb was at work for a few hours on Saturday morning.  Brian, maybe you should get into show biz.  We met Tone and Jess on Saturday and had supper together and then played cards after at Deb and Brian’s place.  The next morning we again met at Hamilton First CRC.  Before we knew it, the week-end was over and we had to leave.  Tonight we are babysitting a very cute little red headed girl, who by the way took at least 8 steps all by herself!  She is definitely walking now.  These little guys change so much and so fast.  We are looking forward to seeing all the grandkids this week-end as it is Grandpa’s birthday this Thursday!

P.S.  I still would love to see the milk can again.  Anyone know where it is?

Okay, I thought someone said that more messages would follow.  So far I know nothing except that it looks like it was in a house where Mollie was and it wasn’t my place.  I would guess that it is either at Kris and Lyne’s or Matt and April.  I hope I don’t have to wait until next Christmas to see it again!  I did have plans for the can.  But I guess they can wait a little while longer.  Mollie sure does look cute and I must say, pretty innocent posed in front of the famous VanderVeen farm milk can.  Oh, if only Mollie could talk and email.  I would definitely be asking her a few questions!!!  Anyway, I’d like you all to know that you are invited to come to our place sometime during the easter week-end as Heine and Bonnie will hopefully be here too.  It should be a fun time for all.  Nothing much new at our house other than Ype is pretty busy and we are hopefully taking this coming week-end off to go visit Deb and Brian in Hamilton.  We are looking forward to seeing them.

Well, well guess who’s married 22 years? Happy aniversary from Gail, Ype and family to Dave and Brenda.  May you and yours enjoy many more years together. It’s hard to believe that so much time has passed since that day, especially when you consider that Dave is still so young. I’m not sure if he’s even 50 yet. I know Brenda is quite a bit older than him (cradle robber). For those who don’t know, the last two statements are jokes.

We certainly do wish you all the best, and hopefully you will have many grandchildren soon. Step up John!

I went to the church last night for a practice for a men’s singing group and as I went I sang to a tape of the songs. Suddenly, a deer, large and on the road. Put the binders full on but too late, hit the rotten thing and bounced him to the other side of the road. He got up and ran away, I got out, checked my car, damage to the hood and grill but otherwise all right. Moral to this story, don’t sing and drive.

I’ve got an old school listed for $299,000. Over 21,000 square feet of space on 3 floors. Moral to this story, go to school, get an education, otherwise you end up selling them.

Weather getting wet and colder, weekend looks like it could have some nasty weather. Tony is headed for Hamilton to visit a special someone, Jason, Jenn and Annika are headed for Waterloo visiting Jay’s family, hope that everyone has a safe trip. Moral: if we get snow I get to use my new snowblower, YAHOO!

Have a good one, Ype

Hi everybody,  I just checked the website again for the first time in more than a week. Man, some really funny posts, creative writing for sure.

We moved a week ago and are very happy in our new home. Thank you to all who helped, we were very lucky to have such great help and it sure was needed. I figured out who emptied my truck and put away all the stuff on it neatly. Somebody worked by himself and did this unbeknownst to me or anyone else. I went out in the morning to get the thing empty and imagine my surprise, I thought it was a ghost or something but it was Sid, or as Harold calls him, “Big Set”.

Thanks to everybody who was concerned and prayed for Aaron Vedder, he started getting better and is now at home. After more than 2 weeks in Hospital, he is back home recuperating. It will be while before he is back to full strength but they expect full recovery. The Lord is great.  Have a great November, Ype

Hi everybody, I was not there at the time but apparently Aunt Brenda found a rotten spot on the ceiling of the Machine Shed and fell thru to her waist. No harm done, actually made it easier to clean the Loft.

Up in the loft we found the little green hand pump that used to pump the cistern water into the sink when we were kids. Also found the bellows for an old forge, some of my siblings must remember the thing that would make the whining sound, which we thought sounded like a siren.

Loaded some scrap steel, hurt my back, threw a piece of steel through the back window of the truck and made my way to Cornwall only to find out the place had closed for the day. Bad day, I guess. Not as bad as the following.

Gail’s brother Fred and his wife Katherine are spending a lot of time at the Hospital these days. Aaron, their only son and third child is seriously sick in the Children’s Hospital in Ottawa. They suspect it is a virus, and keep hoping this will take a turn for the better any day now. Meanwhile, a prayer vigil has been set up at the Hospital chapel and people are there praying constantly. Very scary! Aaron has not eaten or drank since last Thursday when he was admitted. His heart rate is high, he breathes shallowly, he hallucinates, and is too weak to leave the bed. However, on a good note, his organs have been checked via ultrasound and all appears good. We continue to pray and ask for your prayers in this matter also. Aaron is only 16 and a real good kid.

We’re very glad to have and use this forum for information and we hope to hear from more of you, I would especially like to hear more from my generation. Let’s keep up on each others activities, love this contact, and I check it every day. Have a good day, Ype