Yes, we're moving.

Painting the kitchen pre-house selling.

Our St. John's "for sale" sign just up.

The end of Mel's PhD.

Notice posted on campus letting people know about my public defence.

My first congratulations gift from a friend - a fruit bouquet.

My first (well, to date - only) mail address with "Dr".

Napkins from my supervisor, Fern Brunger - to me (Mel).

Book club "congratulation cupcakes" - made by my master's supervisor.

Fern Brunger - my PhD supervisor. She's great. This is immediately AFTER defending my dissertation. Excited about passing with distinction:)

Right after defence - with Scott, Maya, and Aidan. Bertha would have been bored beyond words - she didn't come.

Diana Gustafson (PhD Committee Member) & Fern Brunger after the defence.

Joey, our family pet rat.

Died this week. It was not a surprise. Aidan's homemade coffin box for Joey.

Buried next to Joey's brother RJ who died about a year ago.

Provincial (NL) Arts & Letters Winner!

Maya submitted a prose for a provincial competition and won. She was invited to a gala where she read an excerpt from her prose. I was written about a seed growing above ground through the four seasons. Quite beautiful. Her excerpt was mounted on a board that hung in the Rooms for a few weeks in May.

Fancy reception after the awards ceremony.

Maya at the Rooms, the night of the award ceremony. Her prose can be found at:
http://www.btcrd.gov.nl.ca/artsculture/artsandletters/2015/junior_prose_2015.html

Me & B

Flipper Dinner 2015. One of Bertha's favourite.

Butterfly for a school musical.

Right after the musical itself.

Maya, volleyball, a calculator, and dance

Grade 8 volleyball.

Mel is NOT crouching. Maya really is 1.5-2 inches taller than Mel.

Just want to point out that Maya is using Mel's solar calculator, purchased at the beginning of Grade 9 (1989) at Consumers Distributing near Waterloo Town Square. In four years, it will be 30 years old.

After a dance recital (ballet & jazz).

Scott turned 41 this April.

We had several birthday dinners - this was one of them.

Maya's pop-up card for Scott.

Two runners in the house.

This happened between turning 40 and 41. These characters mean "home"...independently meaning house and garden, respectively.

Mish Mash

Aidan mastering shaping triangle nigiri by hand - passed on from Mel's grandma, to Mel, to Aidan.

Look-like-your-doll day. Or something.

Co-cooking. No, I think it's co-baking cookies.

Low-budget drumming. Aidan's in a drumming group.

Winter & Spring 2015

Aidan & Maya cooking with Grampa (Mel's dad) at new years.

Looking into my office window...

An example of a random creation that can be frequently found in the house at any given time.

Family Christmas pic 2015.

A smattering of photos taken from May to August 2014

Included in this window of time was a trip to Japan (Mel only, for a conference) and a family excursion to Gros Morne and L'anse aux Meadows.

Finished the first draft of my thesis thanks to countless hours at coffee shops.

For a school musical....made it with Aidan.

Studying for exams with rat company.

End of year concert for B.

Never. Just posing.

Aidan is taking stellar pics now. He's making his own book of photos...

Maya got a major award at the end of the school year. The Connie Carver Award - 1 male and 1 female student gets it a year to recognize people who exemplify kindness and inclusiveness.

In Japan.

Getting ready for ziplining!!

Tablelands in Gros Morne.

Scott's first solo - "Home".

Tely 10 race.

Saori weaving in Japan.

Making a pottery bowl in Japan.

Smartin came out for a visit:)