Oranges and Smiles..

It is Sunday so my orange-content photos for Maria's Orange You Glad It's Friday meme (the name of the game is to find and photograph a little or a lot of orange) are definitely late, but here they are nonetheless.  Thank you, Maria!

This is a painting called Crowfoot Glacier by Stephen Unser that we have enjoyed at Harrison Galleries.  

I took this last weekend as we walked on a rainy Super Bowl day through Vancouver Streets.  There were a few bars and restaurants with big screen showings of the game, but we aren't football fans, nor did there seem to be a huge feeling of excitement from most Vancouverites.  I did take this shot through the window of a bar.

I took these photos this past Friday morning.  It was pouring..  and I really do mean pouring.  Through our apartment balcony window, I aimed with my 300 mm lens across the street and down to False Creek and (amazingly) caught this brave cyclist making his/her way along the bike path.

From that same vantage point, and through lots of tree branches, I caught children and parents making their way along the street, perhaps going home for lunch.

Looking to my right, the traffic was making its way along Pacific Boulevard.

The school bell rang and children ran down the path and back to classes.

A dogwalker looked a bit dejected in David Lam Park.

Saturday was a little brighter.  There were still some light showers in the air but we were able to ride to English Bay.  This (flexible) jogger was okay with my..

catching a couple of shots of his warm-up routine.

Bill pointed this out in the pavement.  I had never noticed it before.  I agree it is more yellow than orange, but there are little orange flecks in the pavement :)

I guess the waves had been intense the night before, as a section of the seawall had broken off.  I loved the little girl on her skateboardy thing :)  That's her dad beside her with a baby in the carriage.  They were "dancing in the rain" in the true spirit of Lilee-Jean.

I guess orange-soled runners..

are in :)

It seemed that most of my shots were flukes, but they were such fun to catch.  This lady walked by us with a few orange blooms in her bouquet.  I turned and snapped and voila :)

We made our way back to our bikes and I admired, yet again,

the warm glow around the Burrard Bridge.

Bill had put my old rain jacket over Black Jack's basket, so it had stayed dry.  Just one of the many ways he makes sure she is comfortable and happy.

I took one last shot of the sky..

and this one of my beautiful Bill and Black Jack before we rode to Harrison Galleries.

I turned 68 yesterday, and all I can think of is how grateful I feel!  A year ago, Bill was admitted to hospital at midnight after we waited for many hours in emergency.  It was his 4th hospitalization in 10 months and several days before he even realized my birthday had come and gone.  Black Jack was with us, as we'd left home so quickly, there was no time to arrange for her care.  I walked home after midnight, feeling exhausted, discouraged and very worried, only to find that my fob wasn't working at the front entrance to our building.  I stood with Black Jack on the front steps, calling for somebody to open the door, and sobbing in despair.  Nobody answered my calls.  I'm not sure how long I stood there before I finally thought to check the back door, learning that the fob problem had been with the front door only.  What a contrast this year!  Yesterday morning, Bill hug-danced me in our little kitchen, singing "Happy Birthday" in my ear all the while.  He didn't flinch when I told him that my driver's license and medical care card were to expire at midnight and I'd forgotten to renew them.  We made the long trek via Skytrain to Vancouver's Metrotown (Vancouver's largest and busiest mall..  we both hate, hate, hate malls).  I took a couple of shots as we got off the skytrain..

and looked over the walkway to the mall at the skytrain structure.

Someone had made an admirable effort to beautify the area under the skytrain.  

I took the requisite reflection shot in a high-rise before we entered the mall.

 Then we waited for close to an hour in a very crowded ICBC office. Another year, I might have whined about the long line, or about my "leave-it-to-the-last-minute" nature that has come close to getting me in trouble but always seems to do the job when every bit of leeway is gone.  But, yesterday, I was happy.  Bill was with me, making jokes, telling me stories, and checking that my documents were in order.  We sat on a little table (cause all the chairs were full and the table was just the right height and size to accommodate our two derriéres, doing crosswords and watching the wait numbers move up through 30+ numbers until they reached the one on the little ticket I held in my hand.  License in hand, mission accomplished, we headed out, happy. I took this shot of the Pacific Railway building from the skytrain as we rode home.

As we walked out of the skytrain station, a very drunk man insisted on speaking to us.  His smell was so strong, my stomach lurched, but his message was important.  He told Bill and I that we must say to each other every day (I swear, this came completely out of the blue), "I want to love you all the time, feel your heartbeat next to mine."  He made us repeat the words.  When we couldn't remember them, he insisted that we listen again.  This time we got it right.  He had a huge scar on his head that he insisted we check out.  I suspect he had had the same surgery that I had after my bike accident.  I was at the point of gagging from the smell of alcohol, but also absolutely struck by his gentle strength and character, as we bid him good-bye.  I wish I had taken his photo, but will never forget him.  I hope he will be well.  By then, we really needed some sustenance and we eagerly walked along Vancouver's streets to Harrison Galleries.  Almost there, Bill kept encouraging me that we would soon be sitting in our favourite place, sipping drinks and munching delightful treats.  I saw a model ship in a window, and wanted to snap a quick shot, but a gentleman (also inebriated) thought I should catch a photo of him first.  He said I was beautiful.  "Well, you have to take that when you can," I thought :)  I hope the man will be well and happy.

I took the shot of the ship in the window, thinking of my Uncle Clarence, as I did so.  He worked in Vicar's Ship Yards for many years and built some impressive models himself.

And then, our beautiful Harrison Galleries inviting us into..

its warmth.

Genny (spelling?) greeted us with a million dollar smile.  We love her!

Feeling much, much better after our treats, Bill posed in front of this painting..

(titled Beauty Around Us, by Sheila Neufeld) and made me smile, yet again.

I zoomed in on a tiny bit of the painting,

thinking of all the ways the day had brought happiness.   Genny bid us good-bye as we left the gallery.  That was my birthday.  It was a winner for sure!  Thank you so much for letting me share it with you.  Have a wonderful Sunday!