Tag: gillian

Gillian’s Convocation

June 14, 2018
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Gillian graduated from McMaster University with her Bachelor of Science summa cum laude in Molecular Biology & Genetics Co-op. Convocation was held at First Ontario Concert Hall (formerly Hamilton Place) in Hamilton, Ontario on June 14th, 2018. I was unable to attend, but they live stream and record the convocation on the web. Here is a snippet from the ceremony.

I borrowed these from Gillian’s Instagram post.


Angela and Gillian with William McMaster.


Pozu!

If you want to watch the entire proceedings, it is on YouTube.

Gillian’s Birthday

December 2, 2017
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Susan, Claudia and I headed up to Ottawa to visit Gillian on her birthday. Angela was unable to join us, as she was preparing for exams. We arrived on Friday afternoon, after dropping Chloe off at G-ma and G-pa’s. We stayed at Albert at Bay Suite Hotel.

On Saturday we started with breakfast at Chance’s R and then went to the Canadian Tire Centre for the opening ceremonies of the Roar of the Rings. The 50/50 sign advertising a whopping $10 prize.

This was the Olympic Trials, the top 9 mens and women’s teams were there to compete for the honour of representing Canada in Pyeongchang at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

After the Opening Ceremonies, we stayed for the first draw, both eventual winners, Rachel Homan and Kevin Koe were playing.

We took Gillian to The Grand Pizzeria for her birthday dinner in the ByWard Market. From the hotel we walked along Sparks Street.

We spotted some Santa’s out on a Pub crawl.

The Stanley Cup Monument on Sparks Street.

Chateau Laurier.

The 5.6 million dollar ice rink on Parliament Hill.

On the way back to the hotel we saw the Santa’s at the Bier Market on Sparks Street.

Claudia and Gillian with the snowman, note Claudia stole the one shovel for the photo.

Ottawa

September 1, 2017
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Gillian has started her final co-op work term. She is up in Ottawa working for Spartan Bioscience. Susan and I drove up with Gillian at the end of August to help her move-in. She is renting a room in a house about a 10 minute drive from work.

After we dropped her things off we headed into Ottawa, we were staying for a few days and booked a room at the Novotel Hotel downtown. The first night we headed over to Parliament Hill for the Northern Lights show.

It is a pretty impressive show and the way in which they project it onto the building.

It ends with O Canada.

The Chateau Laurier.

The Ottawa sign was in the Byword Market area.

We made the walk across the river to Gatineau.

We went to the MOSAICANADA 150 in Jacques-Cartier Park.

The theme of the exhibit reflects 150 years of history, values, culture and arts in Canada.

Gillian taking photos of a girl and her maman.

The Rideau Canal Locks 1-8.

Every Wednesday through the summer they have Yoga on the Hill. This was the last one of the year.

Gillian and Susan with the Canada 150 sign.

We walked the length of the Sparks Street Mall.

On the Thursday we headed back to Gatineau to visit the Canadian Museum of History (formerly the Museum of Civilization). There was a Hockey special exhibit. Here is Gillian with Sidney Crosby.

New this year is the Canadian History Hall.

It was a cloudy morning, but by the time we finished at the museum it had cleared up, but it was a lot cooler than earlier in the week.

Outside the National Art Gallery.

The Notre Dame Cathedral.

We had walked down to the Mint to visit the gift store.

Gillian Standing for Canada in Inspiration Village.

In the Byword Market area near the Beaver Tails, it was always busy out front.

Gillian dropped us off at the train station.

We took the VIA Rail train back to Union Station and then the GO Train to Lisgar station. Angela was working so Dylan came to pick us up with Claudia.

One of the service attendants on the train also entertains the riders. Shortly after we got back I got a VIA Rail newsletter e-mail and there was a profile on the Zachary Wells. Here he is doing a card trick with Susan.

Congratulations Gillian!

June 12, 2017
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Gillian is headed to Ottawa this fall, she has accepted a co-op work term at Spartan Bioscience. According to their website, “Spartan brings complete sample-to-result DNA testing systems to medicine. Spartan’s technology fully integrates DNA collection, extraction and analysis, with an intuitive interface that is easy to operate. For the first time, healthcare providers and their patients can get DNA results on demand“. It also says “There is such a thing as a free lunch after all.” There is a company lunch every Friday.

Happy Birthday Gillian!

December 3, 2016
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Gillian and Angela were home this weekend before exams start next week. Happy Birthday to Gillian.

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Blue Jays Win!

July 24, 2016
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Gillian and I had no problem getting our Kevin Pillar bobbleheads. When we headed to the Westjet Flight Deck, the lines to take photos with the Kevin Pillar cutouts were short. Here we are with Pillar, Saunders, and Encarnacion.

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We found the giant Josh Donaldson Bobblehead.

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This was the lineup outside Gate 10 at 11:10am, about 20 minutes after the gates opened. When we walked by the entrance, there was about 8 cases of bobbleheads left, there might be 50 per case. There were a lot of disappointed fans.

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The lineup to get into the Jays Shop.

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We were sitting in Section 512R, Seats 11 and 12. Some of the pre-game show had a bit on the Jays players as super heroes, Edwin Encarnacion was the Incredible Hulk.

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The first pitch, it was a good pitchers duel. J.A. Happ was on the hill for the Jays. He allowed one hit over six innings. The bullpen followed with a shutout 7-8-9th.

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It was Clark Kent Pillar.

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Instead of the usual photos of the players when they were batting, they put up photos of them as Super Heroes. Her is Josh Donaldson as Thor.

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After a good play they would flash up this Wow!! Awesome! with Pillar.

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The final boxscore.

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Kevin Pillar Bobblehead Game

July 24, 2016
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The line’s are busy and long for the Pillar bobblehead game. The line on the left is for gates 1 and 2. The one on the right is for gates 3 and 4. Both lines went down to Front St. The roof is being opened. Looking to avoid the sweep.

St Jacobs Farmers’ Market

July 23, 2016
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We headed out early this morning with Gillian to the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market. It has been a few years since we have been there, like 15 or so. The girls were little, we had a stroller and we went to the town of St Jacob’s. The Farmers’ Market has had a couple of fires in the past few years and things have been re-built. There were lots of fruits and vegetables.

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Here is Gillian feeling the peaches to see how firm they were, and then getting scolded by the old lady in the background that she was leaving fingerprints on the peaches.

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It was hot out in the sun.

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Lots of cucumbers.

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The main building in the centre of the photo.

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We bought some Black Bean Salsa.

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Congratulations to the Girls!

February 13, 2016
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Congratulations are in order for Gillian on getting a co-op job with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada this summer. Thanks for Grandma and Papa for driving her to the interview last week. The job is in Vineland.

Angela received another university offer, this one is from the University of Guelph in the Bachelor of Science Human Kinetics program.

Claudia received all A’s on her first semester report card. Another job well done!

Happy Birthday Gillian!

November 30, 2014
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We headed out to Dundas on the weekend before Gillian’s birthday to celebrate, she was able to come home due to her upcoming exams. Not sure what everyone was laughing about.

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Happy Birthday Gillian!

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