Papa Fouche: 2006

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

A Christmas Story for India: India’s Christmas Dancing Shoes

My brother, Danny, is an exceptionally gifted writer. If it wasn't for his equal gift in chemistry, I am sure that he would have been a very successful writer. This is a beautiful story which now needs need to be illustrated. If anyone knows or wants to illustrate this let me know.....anyway without further ado, here is the story:

India’s Christmas Dancing Shoes

There once was a little girl called India. She was about 3 years old and was the walking double of “Cindy Lou Who”. She lived with her mom and dad in Victoria in a Grande old home.

India’s room looked onto a park filled with swings, teeter-totters, and slides. She spent most of her waking hours there and ran home when her mom or dad called her home for supper.

One night, just before Christmas, India had gone to bed. She awoke to wind howling out her window and she knew a big storm was blowing in. She fell asleep to dreams of princesses and fairies. She saw her self dancing very elegantly in a ballroom full of Christmas lights. When she awoke early the next morning, she knew something magically had happened. But it wasn’t the two feet of snow that had fallen outside her window that caught her attention; it was a little tiny door that appeared below the window. It looked very old and that it had been there forever, but really really, she was seeing it for the first time.

She scooted out of her bed and ran up to the door. She didn’t hesitate; she was so excited she pulled the door. “CREAK” It made a large noise, so loud that she thought that she might wake her parents. Inside the door, once the dust settled, India could clearly see an old shoebox with a bow and letter on it. She blew the dust off and saw the markings on the box “MACY’s Department Store, Children’s Shoes, New York City, 1906. India opened the note, and read “Dear Friend, these are magic shoes and will become magic when you put them on. R. Pelletier”

India was very excited and a bit nervous, decided she would call her smart older cousin Celine. Celine knew everything, being the grand age of 10. India knew with certainty that Celine would be the first Foucher up on Laval Crescent. She got on the computer and dialed her cousin using Ichat. Instantly she saw the beautiful princess face of her older cousin. Excitedly, she said, “Celine, I have something magical to tell you”. She told her all about the shoes she found. Celine listened, and decided to call her older cousin Kendra. Kendra, being the oldest said, “Clearly India you were meant to find these shoes, put them on to see if they fit.” After saying thank you and wishing her cousins a Merry Christmas, she turned off the computer. India removed the lid of the box and carefully took out one shoe out at a time from the white wrapping paper. She slipped on one shoe and then another.

It’s hard to say what happened next. India found herself in her living room, her PJ’s transformed into an elegant ballroom gown fit for a princess, just like in her dream. The whole room glistened in the glow of Christmas past, as a roaring fire appeared in the fireplace long since unused in her house. India began to move across the dance floor, her magic black dancing shoes gliding her effortlessly across the room. She twirled and spun, and tapped with her magic shoes for what seemed like hours.

India noticed a girl her age smiling at her from behind the Christmas tree. She danced over to the tree and India said “Hello there little girl”. Hi there the little girl said in response. “My name is Rachel and I used to live in this house and your bedroom used to be mine”. “Those are my dancing shoes you are using”. India replied, “These are yours??” Rachel said yes, but that she had left them so that another little girl like herself would find them. “You are the first one to find them in one hundred years”. Rachel and India sat talking like old friends and had tea and cookies by the warm fire.

India said she was thrilled to borrow her magic shoes; they made her feel like a princess. Rachel said she had to go now, and said, “India, you should probably go back to bed, it’s still pretty early”. India hugged and kissed her new best friend. “Rachel, before I go, what’s your last name? Pelletier she said. India slipped off her magic Christmas shoes and crawled back into bed and slept for two more hours.

“India, wake up “ she heard her mother say. “We’ll be late for the Christmas Dance show at the senior’s home. “Hurry up sweat pea”. India groggily came downstairs, had her breakfast, packed her best dance outfit and put her magic Christmas shoes in the box and brought it with her.

Her dad had started the car and shoveled the snow from the driveway. It was cold for Victoria. India was all bundled up in her winter clothes as they made their way slowly through the snow filled streets to the senior’s home. India’s dance class had been practicing for weeks on their Christmas recital. When they got to the home, her teacher called Trish on the phone and said she was stuck in her driveway and would not be able to make it. Luckily, Trish had also brought the sheet music and could play almost anything on the piano.

Michael, Trish, and India walked into the senior’s recreation room. All of the seniors had come, anticipating a big show. Rather than the 5 girls who were supposed to dance, it was only one girl, India who was there. She told her mom, “Don’t worry mom, it will be great”. She went off to get changed with her dad. She took off her boots and put on her magic Christmas shoes. Her dad asked, “Where did you get those?” But before she could answer she was magically swept on to the floor. She danced beautifully and magically to the music for nearly an hour. All of the seniors beamed with great surprise and happiness as India’s dancing reminded them of when they were little girls and boys. After her amazing solo dance performance, India shook the hands of the people at the home. She noticed an older woman in a wheel chair who had come to life when India danced.

India went over to her and said, “Hi what’s your name”. “Rachel” the woman said, Rachel Pelletier, and I had shoes just like that when I was a little girl”. India’s eyes and Rachel’s eyes touched each other. They knew that they had seen each other before. India took off her shoes and carefully put them in the original box. She put them on Rachel’s lap and said “Thank you for letting me borrow your magic shoes Ms. Pelletier” Your most welcome India”. India gave her new friend a big hug and a kiss. A tear ran from Rachel’s eyes as they said good.

Beautiful.

Here is our Merry Christmas Greeting

I try to do one of these a year at Christmas time. I think this one turned out well.

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Merry Christmas from India

From Trish, Michael and India, we wish everyone a merry Christmas!!

For the whole screenshow, Click Here!

Thursday, December 21, 2006

India's 3rd Birthday Party - Part II

As promised here are the pictures from India's party which Pucky took.

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Sunday, December 17, 2006

India's 3rd Birthday Party

I don't know where the last 3 years have gone. All the cliche's are true...it just flys. I can truly say that every day begins and ends thinking of our little one - and to think we are going to do this again with another! Anyway, less musing and more pictures.....

This is now the third time we have held her birthday at the church hall. It is just so convenient that I don't know why all parents don't do this. For one thing the parents are happy because their kids can run around and they can see them at all times. We can drag all the toys from the church creche and all the Sunday school supplies.....it works out for everybody. On top of that we have full kitchen facility access which makes clean up a snap.

Click Here for the Full Slideshow

I will post back with even more photos as my buddy Pucky was snapping away with his new 10 megapixel digi.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Baby Number Deux

This is probably old news for most of you, but I wanted to announce (once again) that Trish and I are expecting. Our little package is expected to arrive April 25th. This is how our little one looks as of today:

We are not finding out the sex so no shots of the 'special area'.

Click Here for a SlideShow of All the UltraSound Shots

Friday, October 20, 2006

Walk in Mount Doug Park with the Loucks

Great time with the Loucks!

On this walk we were able to see two owls! Incredible...the kids were very excited.

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India Loves her Pasta

Check this out. Wow when she is into her food, she is in to her food.

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India's First Dance Class

What a day...our daughter is finally in dance class. She was so excited about her new pink tights and her black leotard. However the bulk of her excitement was save for her new tap shoes.

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Sunday, September 03, 2006

Naramata

What a week. Trish took a writing course and I played Mr. Mom in the morning with India. It was an incredible experience and we cannot wait to do it next year.

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Kelowna

Stopped in Kelowna for 2 nights to hang out and spend some time with my good friend Sylvain and his family.

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Barkerville

On our last day in PG we went to Barkerville. Much of the family also came along. It was a great day with the kids....

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DoubleMac Farms

While in PG we went up to visit my good friend John MacDonald and his family. He has beautiful acreage up on the hill. I wish we had more time...India just loves the animals:

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Summer Vacation - Prince George

What a wonderful visit. Our first night we went to a potluck at my Uncle Alain's and then the next day was the 4rth Annual LeFebvre Golf Tournament.

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Monday, August 07, 2006

Apple WWDC 2006

Well the video is now posted so I am going to watch it...I will give you my feedback when I am done.

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Merridale Cidery

Trish's Aunt Betty is in town visiting from London Ontario. Like last year we again went out to the Cidery to each their fine food and beverages. This place is ideal for children; with it's vast orchards for the children to run in and their faerie villages they can explore, there is literally no end to the fun that can be had.

Click here to see the complete slideshow!

Friday, August 04, 2006

Welcome Aboard

Career Opportunities

BC Ferries is always on the lookout for customer focused, hard working team players. Apparently I am now one of those players. I have recently accepted employment with BCFerries starting August 28th. This is fantastic in that I now have a month off before I start work. This enables me to decompress from my time at the Bean and be fresh for my new opportunity.

The job opportunity was described as:

Your responsibilities will be assigned from time to time and more specifically your Key Result Areas shall generally include:

Follows project management best practices, oversees the planning, analysis, design, implementation and closure processes;
Advises and actively contributes to the resolution of business problems by matching information technology to meet business requirements;
Contributes to the development of the client’s short and long term strategic plans;
Identifies inter-dependencies, conflicting requirements and overlapping impact on business processes and ITSS services and architectures across projects;
Conducts project post mortems and creates a recommendations report in order to identify successful and unsuccessful project elements administration and communications; and
personal characteristics/expectations.

I am quite sure that this is going to be a fantastic opportunity. Also one of the great benefits from this job is unlimited free ferry travel....looking forward to taking advantage of that. In addition I will be able to walk to work and the work environment is pretty relaxed (read no ties!!).

ad no ties!!).