We eventually will get out of Canada...

Dec. 24th we spent Christmas Eve with my Mom and family in Yorkton, Sk.

Then travelled to Brandon to spend Boxing Day with John's brother and family.

Dec. 27th, we left Brandon, and 10 km south, John noticed the alternator on the RV was not charging. So he pulled a U-ie (not so easy to do with our "rig") and got back to Canadian Tire in Brandon. He had to buy a new alternator and change it himself. Good thing he knows how!! By 3:30, he was done, and since we allowed extra time for travelling, we decided to stay another night in Brandon. Beat Jake & Rita at a game of canasta!



Then we started out AGAIN on Dec. 28th. Alternator works just fine. The border crossing guard at the Peace Gardens searched our RV and car - he was quite nice, but the guy at the wicket was extremely rude. We got through in about 20 minutes with no problems.

Drove through to Aberdeen S.D. where we are spending the night at the Super 8 Motel. I am glad to be able to see that my WIFI card works, finally! Am not very happy with the speed of my laptop though.

Good Night.

Merry Christmas to all

We've gone the first 1000(?} miles on our trip - are spending Christmas in Yorkton with my Mom, my sister, her son, Tim, and Hannah and baby Makaila and their two dogs, and my brother and his dog. Good thing my sister has a big house!

The Prince Albert Daily Herald published the overview of our last year's trip to Alabama in the paper last Saturday. What an awesome job they did - our picture with our motorhome was plastered over half the front of the second section. We were very impressed with what they did. Except that they didn't publish the picture of the Home Depot at Pass Christian (being a garden shed). They did include the caption "no kidding" - but without the picture the caption had no meaning...

John filled up with gas at Yorkton and it is obvious that the gas for our trip will be costing $1.00 per mile.

This noon we will be heading out for Brandon to spend Boxing Day with Jake and Rita Braun and family.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Getting excited!! - Dec. 15, 2007

One week from today we depart for the south. With the cold weather and the snow here (it KEEPS SNOWING), it's all I could do to keep John from hopping into the RV and heading south early!! We plan to leave on the 21st or 22nd for Langenburg, depending on how time permits. There is so much to do yet and next week is very busy.

I have agreed to work Monday to show a new secretary "the ropes" and then I will be very happy to be retired again! We already attended Keely's band concert (she plays the trombone) and next week is Bryton's Christmas concert. Sunday we're having Christmas with our kids and celebrating John's 67th birthday. Jeanie and Darren both have to work Christmas Eve day and then Christmas Day they have so many stops to make that they won't even miss us! Shari's day may be a little lonesome, but she can probably go spend it with Christine and her family.

We get to spend quality time with our grandchildren tonight, as Darren and Jeanie are going to the Co-op Christmas party and we get to have the kids. Maybe can get up a rousing game of UNO - I think Emily may also be able to play that with some help.

The Count Down begins...

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Linda

November 28, 2008 - We learn about J.B. (Johnson's Bayou) same initials as John Braun...

We have been in contact with Jake & Verna Martens who are Project Directors at J.B. and with whom we have become friends through our volunteering together at Chunchula, Ab, last year. They gave us "the lowdown" on the R.V. park, lack of laundry facilities there, the fact that the nearest large centre is, quite coincidentally, P.A. (Port Arthur, Texas), about 30 miles away! They gave us a rundown of the work they've been doing and the progress being made. We were happy to hear there is WI-FI in the RV Park. YAY!

They also recommended we check the MDS website, which we did. And we learned about ALLIGATORS!! In Alabama, we were advised there actually WERE alligators but they were way back in the swamp behind the bushes and never would be seen where we were parked. Not so in J.B. I wonder where I can get some Alligator repellant. And I suppose we will be "treated" to some alligator stew or steak as well. Yech.

In checking the map, we find that J.B. is DIRECTLY south of Prince Albert. Straight down to the Gulf of Mexico. It must be almost on the Texas/Louisiana border. We will be having the sun in our face every minute of driving on our way down there again... Love it! I am especially looking forward to spending a day and night in Texarcana to look around some more. Also, they are in the same time zone as we are, which is nice.

That's the latest on our upcoming trip. Christmas is fast approaching and there is much to do!

November 18, 2007 First new snow and Go Riders Go

We received about 6 inches of nice fluffy snow yesterday and today. Travelling is pretty tricky, as the snow plows are doing main arteries first. Everyone is getting stuck. Good thing we didn't have to go anywhere today! Tomorrow I have agreed to work at Sanderson Balicki, as Trent's secretary has to take a month sick leave. They said they would appreciate any assistance I could give them on a part-time basis.

Darren and the kids were over yesterday and we watched the Saskatchewan Roughriders win the Western Semi-Final football game. One more game to go. It will be an exciting time for Saskatchewan if the Roughriders win the Grey Cup!!!

And of course the snow brings yearnings for warmer climates and NO SNOW!! Only 39 days to go. . .

November 9, 2007 - Louisiana is the place

Today we were invited by MDS to go to Johnson's Bayou, LA, where our friends are Project Managers. YAY! We already know there will be plenty of drywalling to do there!! We've checked the map and find it is quite a bit west of where we were last time. And just south of Hackberry where Don and Marilyn Buller went when they left Chunchula. It's right on the water by the looks of things. We checked on Google Earth and there was very much bush, which must be an old posting, as the bush would probably all be gone due to the tidal waves. Will see soon enough.

Nov. 4, 2007 Welcome to our Blogspot

This is the first day of our new blogspot, created for the purpose of keeping our friends advised of our travels and experiences with MDS at the Gulf Coast this winter. We are getting our R.V. ready and have been in contact with our good friends, Jake & Verna, who are now Project Managers at Johnson Bayou, Louisiana. Of course we are hoping to be assisting them with their projects, however, that is the decision of MDS, Wpg.

We look forward to your comments as well.