Shari says goodbye to Texas

23-DAY BREAK OVER

December 26, 2009 marked the first anniversary of John being a non-smoker. What a wonderful blessing. After trying numerous times to quit smoking, he has finally succeeded! If he could do it, anyone can. He has commented that contrary to what he had been told, food does not taste any different and he is not coughing up “black stuff” from his lungs. He does confirm that occasionally the urge to smoke is still as strong as ever, but it passes quickly.

We enjoyed the Christmas holidays with our daughter, but it was our mission to show her this area of Texas and pack in as much sightseeing as possible in 15 days. After returning to Beaumont, we went through a number of tanks of gas and ate out at every interesting place we could think of. She must have had 500 pictures on her new digital camera which she won at the P.A. Inn Christmas party! We toured downtown Beaumont, where the giant “Dalmation” fire hydrant is the focal point. One lovely sunny day, we also enjoyed Shangri La Botanical Gardens at Orange, which included a one hour swamp tour. (see previous pictures)

Shari flew back to Saskatoon from Houston on January 5th. She encountered much frustration on her trip home. First, her 7:40 a.m. flight from Houston was cancelled and re-scheduled for 3:15 p.m. We were fortunate in that although we had gotten up and dressed in our motel room at 4;30 a.m. to leave for the airport, we had brought along the laptop and checked for e-mails before leaving. We were able to just get back into bed and resume our sleep, enjoy the continental breakfast at the motel, and then tour around the area on our way to the airport. We left her as she entered the security gate at 1:00 p.m., and we returned to Beaumont, as there was no reason for us to stay. We later learned that due to staffing problems, her plane did not leave Houston until 4:30 p.m.! She had a short layover in Calgary and had difficulties getting her bearings as to finding the right gate for her flight to Saskatoon. In the end result, she arrived in Saskatoon just before midnight. We are just thankful she is home safely.

Texas is experiencing an Arctic front which has plunged temperatures to below freezing. We have had to leave our water running in our RV’s to prevent it from freezing. The local plumbers are extremely busy!

As long as the cold spell lasts, the Salvation Army in Beaumont is doing an admirable job of providing a 24 hour warming shelter complete with meals, beds, coats and blankets for anyone who is homeless or who has no power. We are aware that there are many homeless people in the south who are able to live on the street because of the weather. However, it is quite astounding how many people do not have power in their homes, either due to poverty or a result of the “storms”, a reference to hurricanes or tornados.

We just got word that my dear Aunt/Godmother, Helen Werschler, passed away in Langenburg on January 8th. She was 91 years old, suffering from Alzheimers, and had broken her hip and was having a lot of pain after her surgery. So it was a blessing to hear she was no longer having to suffer. Much as we would like to be at home with my family as they say their goodbyes, it is not possible since we have made this commitment to MDS.

The internet age certainly helps to keep us in touch with what’s happening back home as well. I often check the local paper and it was there I learned that a dear friend, Gertrude Rock, had also passed on in Prince Albert. When I worked downtown, I used to run into her on my lunch hours at the Sally Ann or simply out for a walk. She was a lovely gracious lady.

All six couples volunteering for January and February are now on the RV site. We have enjoyed a couple of days of visiting with our friends, Paul and Mary from Pennsylvania, before resuming work. There are two couples who returned who worked here November and December, as well as two new couples, our Project Director, Warren Siemens, and his wife Carol, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and office manager, Maryanne Sawatsky and her husband, Pete, from Winkler, Manitoba. All of them have worked with us previously and we are happy to be on the team with them. Our camp has been revamped in order to accommodate the extra RV’s. We are packed in, nice and cozy, a little closer than we were before.

After a 23 day “holiday”, all of us are ready to get back on the job. The homeowner will be happy to see us on his doorstep bright and early on Monday morning as well.