Hello Family

Beautiful fall day here in the Peace Country of Northeastern BC. Summer was almost non-existance, but we hardly noticed as most of our attention was focused on COVID-19. Cases and deaths are realitely low in BC’s northern health region where we live. Our age – over 80 – puts us at high risk, however being in good health is to our advantage. We quarantined for 14 days then shortly after, yearned for “normal” to return. Once we realized that was not, nor could not, happen we determined to let go of that expectation and move on to create a new “normal” We’ve made adjustments to our life style, being careful to follow recommendations from our Health Care Officials.Many people have much more to contend with, ie: work, children, school, etc. We don’t have that pressure.

We are hearing and seeing reports of unrest happening in the US – (unsettling) also of fires burning on the west coast.. Wildfire smoke has drifted into southern BC – in addition a tourist attraction pier coated in creosote, in Vancouver that is burning making the AQI (Air Quality Index) at 10 – very high.

We are stretched, staying calm, confident, challenged, hopeful , positive, believing things will get better, focused on what can go right.

Tell us how all of this is affecting you, what is happening in your corner of the world.

Love You Always and Forever

Thank-You for Loving Us.

Ray and Betty Good

Just when the caterpillar thought that the world was getting over, it turned into a butterfly.’

Thanksgiving 2020
– COVID-19 doesn’t appear to be leaving us any time soon as the number of cases in the world continue to rise as well as in Canada, our province and city – we are used to plexiglas partitions – limited meetings in small groups – masks of every size and description – frequent handwashing – social distancing – zoom – US/Canada Border closed. – (We lament the border being closed, however we might not have made a trip to the US anyway.) We are not fearful – we remain careful and diligent. so far so good!
We celebrated Thanksgiving the second Monday of October. with our daughter and son-in-law. Today we are observing Rememberance Day activities in our nations capital. It is moving as we are reminded to express our gratitude for sacrifices made. Halloween was very quiet this year – turning off lights, closed curtains does not encourage “trick or treaters”. Have no plans for Christmas – possibility of being together with friends. Sharon and Dale will be going to Calgary to spend some holiday time with Jena and Dillon, daughter and son-in-law; the boys plan to come from their home in Squamish, BC.

Yard and garden are in hibernation mode – geranium and fuchsia cuttings are happy under the light in the basement until spring. We enjoy watching the birds come to the feeder and our resident squirrel navigating the hydro wires, fence and going branch to branch front yard to back. Winter’s coming; – we have snow but temperatures are mild for this time of year, days are short-nights long, outdoor activities are limited making our world feel really small. Our plans to fill the winter days include knitting projects, jigsaw puzzles, Red Cross volunteers, gym workouts, coffee and lunch with friends, a thorough cleaning of the living room. We have moved chairs into what was orginally the master bedroom along with our updated, (since 1984,) TV.

Our hearts go out to cousin Don Schantz as he faces cancer. None of us would find it pleasant or easy to deal with the disease and all that it entails.

President Trump has not shown even a modicum of grace with elections results.

Love You Always and Forever
Ray and Betty

It’s you birthday today John, could it be your 64th? My calendar you made and donated to the last W.Oswald reunion auction is still showing August, – I know it is the last day of September but I really liked the August photo. Tell me the story.

Enjoy your birthday, wish I could be there to share it with you. Love You Always and Forever

Wisdom is the capacity:

• to do the right thing.,
• the right way,
• at the right time,
• and for the right reason.

Hello Family,

Just a note to let you know how much I appreciated and enjoyed “Zoom-Betty’s Birthday” – thanks for doing that, it was a privilege to chat and catch up with everyone.  Seeing your faces and hearing your voices I am reminded of our parents.  I saw stress in some of you  –  no wonder, our whole planet has been turned upside down.  The unrest that is happening is most disturbing to me.  

Reaching a milestone birthday is indeed a reason for celebration – actually any birthday is a reason to celebrate the uniqueness of yourself; there is only one of you in this world; each one of us matters, each one of us has a story to tell.  Tell us your story.  Watched the video prepared for Delmar’s 100th birthday  –  well done!

So, now I am 80  –  YIKES –  I thought it would take a lot longer to get here.  I remind myself I am not old yet, however a look into the mirror, hoisting myself up out of my easy chair as everything groans, creeks and pops, 4 kilometers at a fast pace – my knees tell me, “not a good idea”, are things that give me a reality check.

We are learning to live with COVID-19.  Our age puts us at risk, however we are reasonably healthy so the risk is diminished somewhat, the number of cases in the Northern Health region of BC is low, there are no confirmed cases in Dawson Creek, so that lowers our risk as well and we work at keeping that way, doing all that the health officials recommend.  In all of this, we are learning how vital and valuable, personal touch and social contact is.  Virtual reality is not the same but better that nothing.

Be Kind  –  Be Calm  –  Be Safe

Thank-You for Loving Us!

Love You Always and Forever

Ray and Betty Good

January 2020
Dawson Creek, BC

Hello, from Ray and Betty living in Dawson Creek, BC, where we are presently coming out of a brief hibernation into just below freezing temperatures. Sunrise this morning 9:13a – sunset at 5:12p – days are getting longer by miniscule increments every day as we head towards winters’ end with spring to follow.

2019 is now history, don’t look back on yesterday’s disappointments. No one can go back in time and change the past. Look ahead to God’s promises yet to unfold. Forgive all those who hurt you and be open to making new relationschips, with open arms. It’s a New Year, so make it “New”. The New Year ahead will bring oportunities for you to set things straight and open up a new chapter in your life. Just the moment you feel like giving up, victory is always within reach! Remember this moving into the New Year – God has the perfect timing; never early, never late.

We are entering our 8th decade wondering where did the 1st 7 go and feeling somewhat left behind as we observe the lives of our granchildren and the world around us. We try to keep up but when technology seemingly has no relevance to us it is difficult to be motivated to enter a world we know little about or feel we have no use for. Now we are beginning to understand why our parents made the decisions they made when we tried to introduce a thing or two that we thought would make their world a little easier or better, but they were content with the way things were and what they were used to.

Usually we, in our New Year letter, attempt to relate what we had done or experienced, during the past year. However in my four score and two years I have difficulty remembering only 365 days ago. So I’ll go back further where my memory seems brighter. It was 1946 and I was in a one room school with five other “English” students with the rest all Amish, and I was writing a report with the date at the top of the paper stating it was 1946. Then I wrote 1947, 1948 and even 1949, but I couldn’t even imagine writing 1950 as that was way too far in the future. Let alone 2020. There I learned my first new language, other than English, which was “Pensylvania Dutch”. I remember going home and sharing with my parents my new language skills. I wasn’t aware that the new words I had learned were swear words. I did learn from that, that all new things I had learned were not necessarily to be shared. An appendicitis opertation meant 6 weeks of recuperation time, although I believe my older brother stretched his out to 8 weeks. I suspect it was because that meant no feeding the chickens, milking the “stupid” cows or hauling the cinders and clinkers out of the basement furnace tp place on the drive way because there was no gravel. And today a knee replacement surgery takes place in the morning, you’re forced up out of bed that evening and sent home the next day. The telephone had 8 other members on our line which meant that when our phone rang, 8 other people picked up their phones to listen to the conversation. Long istance calling was only for emergency calls and often the operator would tell you that no lines were available to where you wanted to call, but she would call you back when one was available. Today cell phones are now carried on our person and we can call anywhere in the world whenever we want. Or we can text, twitter, instagram and other things too numertous to mention. Let alone check the weather, google my sister’s new garage roof or find out what a peck basket is. We didn’t have a TV but sat around the radio to listen to Fibber Mcgee and Molly, while today I (not really I) can down-load movies or live-stream news events. And I don’t even know what those words mean. We don’t have to “kick out ” the family living in our garage so we can park the car we just were able to purchase, in it. So if some time I appear to you a little “cranky” it’s because I’m desparately trying to adapt to all the changes taking place. Well, really, some times I DON’T EVEN TRY. But I do ask questions of myself to see if I’m happier, more content, sharing more, caring more, loving more, or closer to my Creator than I was in the past. And my answer to myself is YES. And our wish for you in this year of 2020 is that can can give the same answer.

January 14th word of the day “mythomane” – know what it means?
– a person with a strong or irresistible propensity for fantasizing, lying, or exaggerating.
Remind you of someone you know?

Phone – 250-782-7266
email – rbgood1@telus.net

Thanks for being in touch – Thank-You for Loving Us!