A Year in the Life---December 2024 to Dec 2025

Been a whole year since I posted general family pics.  Just as well, as it is a bit of an onerous task.  If anyone knows how to back up this extensive blog and all its photos, please LMK. If its possible to transfer it all in a few clicks to a mirror site?  I'd hate for google (owner of blogspot) to shut it down one day, esp without notice.  I started in in 2003 and its been free the whole time.  Can't imagine the enormous amount of space these photos take up on a server somewhere.

Pics are in Chronological order...mostly.

26 years of marital bliss😉

Daffodil surfing

Taken from the vehicle.  The collar indicates he's a problem bear, but I suspect its the humans who are the real problem.

Ramon's photo of his pa.  Elpoca mtn in the background. 

Xmas 2024, with Mango doing his best to bring the tree down.  No tree this year with Maria and Carla in Colombia.

I have a persimmon addiction!
 

Maria training at the U of C Olympic Oval

Hanging out at Uncle Mike's in Salmon Arm

My girls😍

Maria in Houston

Cute little Asian cuisine place, with a cute Goose.

Carla gets Invisiline

Boy did he jump!😂

From whence Mango came....

To turn the tap on Mango?  Couldn't resist.

Fave spot

He naps like his cat.

Free parking

Free napping.  Like I say, he takes after Mango.

In his fave spot again, having bath.

Early spring walk...

He does like to get dirty.  Even steps in his own pee in the litter box and then tracks it around😖

...and when he's had enuf.

Welcome to Alberta.  Love it.  Just like my Hyundai Accent.

Carla....sweet 16!

Maybe this whiskeyjack would like some whiskey?

1/2 day at Mtn Norquay.  That's all we skied last winter, after many years of skiing with the kids.  Nice to take a hiatus so as not to kill the goose that laid the golden egg😉

My Goose the skier!

Bike boxes are fun!

Beauty day out on Prairie mtn with Vaughan, after a fresh snowfall.

Ran into Ken on the way down.  We climbed a few volcanos in Ecuador way back when.

Maybe he should nap in Mango's fave spot😄...be more comfortable!

Lip smacking, mango sweetness

Alberta mtns.  What's not to like. The reason we live in Calgary.

I've been spotted.

Buffalo rubbing stone (Glacial erratics from Jasper area)

Bicycle rubbing stone

Did those 4 peaks in one day.  Great traverse.  16 hours I think...way back in the 90's.

The Headpins....were better than April Wine and BTO

Don't even think of doing it!

Backroad mtn riding in saskabush.  Cypress hills.

Seemed to be hurt.

More snow that we bargained for....

....so we stayed in an xc ski warming hut.  For free.

Vaughan being chased by an ornery horse.  And no, we are not in Texas.

Twas a bit early in the season.

Annette, Deb, and Kelly hamming it up for the photographer.

At Margret Falls

Does Ramon have the winning hand?

Scrambling up Anklebiter ridge

Back of Grotto mtn in the background. Ramon has been up Grotto.  Think I've done it about 5 times.

Coming straight at me!

Bow river, Lac des arcs and Mt Mcgillvrey.  Climbed that one too😜about 5 years ago.

Quit yer yappin.

Kim powering up Highwood pass on a car free day.

Well...at least I assumed it was car free, when I got him to pose in the middle of the road!

Gap mtn in the background, which I've been up twice before and attempted with Ramon in September, but got off route, trying to find the easier variation. Just not making the sound decisions that I used to in the mtns.  Old age.  Time to lay off the harder peaks.

I don't know this person, but she made a great model for photo!

Flatter than a pancake on the prairies.

Our trusty steeds.

Vaughan posing in front of Mt. Gibralter. Yup...did that one too.  From the backside.

Rolling on the river....the Bow that is.

Hazel our landlady from way back in Parkdale was in Calgary visiting her son. Great to catch up :)

Carla's baby boy

Broke the banana seat, so I rode it around without one!  Back when I was about 12 years old.  That would be mom's Dodge Valient in the background.

The aforementioned Gap Mtn.  I messed up.  There is an easier route, but I couldn't find it.

We went up the wrong way too far and couldn't get back down.  Classic rookie mistake, getting off route.  It gradually got steeper than I realized as we were heading up.  Overconfindent.

A bit dicy here.  We cut over to the main route and had to return via the crux.  I never ever wanted to put my son on terrain, where if you fall....you die😧  Not doing that again. Time to stick to easier peaks.

We survived!  Ramon didn't seem to be traumatized at all.  He said later he assumed I knew what I was doing!  Time to start questioning your old man.  He's done at least 25 mtns, so he has built his confidence.  Highwood pass in the background.

Boot skiing down.

Our good buddy Monty came for a visit!

Baby boy

...out for a walk on nose hill

I think we only took him for 2 walks this year, whereas last summer was all about cat hiking. Sunrise, when no one is around, as he likes it that way.

Just watch out for the moose!  This was along the lower bow river

Our good pals Al and Lynne, chilling out back

Rudy the lifelong, avid, old school mtn bike rider, on his first mtn bike ride in 4 years! He was diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition and wasn't sure he should or could ride anymore.  

Turns out he can!  So glad we went for it!  Me getting over an ankle injury, brought on by overdoing it on my mtn bike.

We slowly made our way down 'Family Guy' without any issues!

School foto. One that I actually don't mind.  Am I really 63?  Life is too short.

...is Carla really 17 already!!!  She wanted an ice cream cake.

...ramon and Pa helped her out with that😋

Carl with her bestie, Sepo and her little sister who's name I can't remember.

Picture of a school foto

Carla and Houda painting pottery

The old man trying to keep up to Carla.  Hiking to Grotto pond with Ha Ling in the background, which we have all been up many times.

Chef Ramon!  Learning to cook like papa.  One pot, mix all the leftovers in the fridge and add lots of hot sauce/curry etc...

Carla applying to Uni....nursing.

Carla heading out for a Halloween party.  Mango needs to get his black outfit on too!

Maria in Chicago

Number one in the world in her age group at the moment!

In action!

Also in action😄

Shopping is a sport.

Mr. Prairie chicken struttin' his stuff

...on Prairie mtn yet again....sunrise hike.

Vaughan the lifelong, hardcore mtn biker, finally goes over to the dark side, with the purchase of a 10k electric mtn bike. Worth more than all my 3 vehicles combined!

Handsome devil

Thus spoke the Raven.....nevermore....

Dropping Carla off at her highschool.  Her last year!

Grinding it out in the basement.  Trying to keep in shape for Taiwan in Feb, as I'll have to keep up with Emily, who is half my age.

Chilling just like Ramon

bags and boxes...

Ramon and with his lovely girlfriend Skye 😍

Our bubbies, posing for Pa.  The photos of them behind are from about 10 years ago.   I finally climbed mt Athabasca too!  It was dicey too with the rockfall.  I'm not taking Ramon up that one. He's on his own should he choose do climb it.

https://tober-zambrano.blogspot.com/2022/09/mt-athabasca.html

So he is now the owner of the Sienna that now has 529,000kms on it.  Here he is putting in touch screen stereo and a sub woofer.  

I'm such a cool cat

....and nosey

Doing what she loves.

And finally, Carla's pilot taking a short cut into the circuit, coming into Houston.  Maria went to Colombia from Chicago, after the Chicago Marathon in mid-october, to be with and help her 92 year old mom.  Carla left on her first solo trip dec 12 and they both return jan 9/26!

Arriving in Bogota, with Prima Betty there to guide her.  She missed her flight to Pasto due to line ups in immigration.  Stayed a day with Betty and Pablo and got on standby the next morning.

Reunited after two months apart at the Pasto airport😁