Correction

I was looking at my last couple of blogs and saw the picture of the garden shed which I had posted. Something didn't like right, and I realized that this was the garden shed I saw and had taken a picture of so John could see what I wanted.

The garden shed that he built is much nicer than the one on the previous blog. I am attaching a picture of the garden shed John built. I LOVE IT!

Happy Canada Day!

Blog July 1, 2009

Just thought I’d check in to our blog after some more travels, and say Hi to all who are checking it.

Keely’s singing the Friday night before we left for B.C. was very nice. She did well and the audience enjoyed a new “act”. It’s always great when a person with talent can get a chance to use it!

We drove to Creston, B.C. to attend the graduation of Christy and Rod’s youngest daughter, Ceira Musil, leaving June 14th . Shari figured it was time she had some holidays TOO, so we packed up her and the dog (now that we only have one dog) and off we went. We visited over night with some friends at Strathmore and then spent the week at Gray Creek with Christy and Rod and family. Their other children came home as well. Bryce is in Victoria and Chelsea in Calgary. Daniel is working at the golf course at Crawford Bay, so he is still living at home. We enjoyed Granny’s “Bed and Breakfast”. Rod’s Dad passed away in February this year, so that ended their daily trek to Creston to take Virginia to see Joe!

Unfortunately, Ceira had broken her ankle while playing soccer at school on May 4th. She had to have a pin put in on one side and a steel plate on the other. She was still on crutches in her grad dress, but she had picked a lovely short grad dress, so that was no problem. She used wrist crutches and I swear she glided down that aisle on the arm of her escort as smoothly as anyone who was walking fully on both legs!

The graduation was lovely. There were only 12 grads so it was a small-town affair. You couldn’t tell by the hor’doerves served at the tea though – they were pretty hoity-toity! In addition, the main speaker to the grads was Peter Duryea. He is originally from L.A. (not La Ronge, Sk, but Los Angeles, CA) and the son of actor, Dan Duryea. His own claim to fame was being on the pilot episode of Star Trek. He is now older than we are and “a local”, running the Tipi Camp up the lake for many years. He gave an excellent speech, addressing each of the grads on a personal level. It was just great!

Then, as the 40th anniversary of Harry Haberstock’s tour of duty as Pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church which we attended while in Creston 20 years ago, was not until June 28th, we traveled down to Sandpoint Idaho to visit Peggy and Steve again. This time last year, John framed their new house and put on 4 x 8 metal siding. This year, they were able to purchase the windows and John and Steve put in the windows, a huge beautiful garden door and two other doors. Unfortunately, that job necessitated taking all the siding OFF as they went, installing the windows, and then putting the siding back on. However, the job was completed in the 4½ days we were there.

Shari had to obtain her passport in order to travel in the U.S.A. and Abby dog got her “passport” too – a paper saying she had her shots… She sure was a good dog – traveled well.

It was neat to see old friends at Pastor Harry’s anniversary celebration. Christy and Rod attended with us, but it was rather boring for them and Shari. She didn’t remember anyone. In addition to church friends, the community was there, and we were able to say Hi to people we had known through John’s business in Creston. The fellow who owned Creston Builders commented that John was the only guy who left Creston without owing him money!!! Of course, after over 20 years away, there were more faces we did not recognize than those we did! Our good friend and former neighbour at Kuskanook, Bryan Daybell, the retired principal of the high school in Creston, was the M.C. and he did an excellent job, as usual.

We only made one stop on the way home, to have coffee with Cathy Dietrich at Fort McLeod – John was determined to drive straight through and so we did – arriving home at 3:30 a.m. as daylight was breaking.

Rodney sent 8 tomato plants home with us, as he had a bunch volunteering in his strawberry patch. They survived the trip home and have transplanted well - we will see what kind of growing season we have and what kind of tomatoes we end up with…

In the morning, it was quite a shock to see our yard totally overgrown. They had rain just about every day we were gone. Thankfully, Darren managed to find one day when it didn’t rain and he mowed our lawn. My brand new gazing ball was sitting on the sun deck and it looked kind of strange – on checking closer, I found that the rain had washed all the finish off the outside, and all that remained was a clear glass ball. I don’t know whether they don’t “make them like they used to” or whether there really is acid rain and it took the finish off!!! Kind of scary…

Our Gizmo cat was VERY happy to have us home. Now he comes running at the first sign of the possibility of attention!

Shari and I enjoyed a sunny Canada Day at the Park with Darren and kids. Jeanie had to work. Then in the evening, it was finally dry enough to mow our lawn. I had also spent some time in the morning pulling more weeds. Now our yard looks much better!

Unfortunately there was a tornado touch down in North Battleford area. A couple of farm buildings were destroyed, but no one was hurt or killed, thank heaven.

John will be starting on the footings for our addition this week. I will not be able to handle being here for the demolition work (our back porch has to come off completely, so will be going to my mother's or ANYWHERE ELSE next week!!! I really hate to see my sun deck come down, but that's the plan.

June in Prince Albert

Figured it’s about time to get back on the blog.

Coming back to Saskatchewan weather has been a big let-down! Our furnace died the end of May and we have had to use up all our wood in the fireplace in June. The evenings have been so cold that the fire place has required 80% of the time. This week, John went hunting for auxiliary electric heaters, it was so cold. Bummer…

We have had one or two days of nice warm weather, but then it cools off again.

John’s first project for the year was to replace our old metal garden shed. I had seen a very special “shed” in Saskatoon where he was measuring up windows and advised him that was the kind of garden shed I wanted. Living by the motto, “Happy Wife Happy Life”, he catered to my wishes and now we have the most beautiful garden shed in the neighbourhood. I found a small skylight at a garage sale in Langenburg, which is now in the roof of the garden shed. We also found two very nice 8’ wooden pillars at the Co-Op Auction, along with odds and ends of vinyl siding. Then at the CWL Annual Flea Market, I found a very nice new piece of vinyl flooring just the right size, for a whopping $3.50! The sign on the front of the structure says “IT’S JUST A GARDEN SHED!” I love it! In due course, our antique wood cook stove will be displayed on the end of the deck – I can hardly wait.

My sister and mother had a garage sale in Yorkton this past weekend, so I decided to go and help them. It started out on a bad note – my brother’s little Pomeranian, Kaylee, bit my Mom’s right index finger badly the first morning, as she tried to take Zoey’s dish of soft dog food away from her. Had to take her in for 8 stitches! Kaylee has always been very territorial about food, so basically Mom is taking the responsibility. Everyone acknowledges that had John been there, the dog would not longer be with us!!!!

The garage sale was fairly successful in that we got rid of most of Mom’s stuff that had been stored in Thelma’s garage since the last garage sale when she moved into her apartment.

Our old maroon van was acting up, and we came across a very nice one owner “little old lady driven” 1999 Plymouth Voyageur for a reasonable price, so decided that it would be more reliable to drive to B.C. for our granddaughter’s graduation on June 19th. We were advised of a computer problem involving the automatic door locks, by the previous owner, and figured we could get it fixed. It seems that is easier said than done. We tried two computers from auto salvage and neither one worked. So we may just take it with the door locks trying to lock every few minutes. It seems to run well despite the glitch.

Shari got her passport in time to come along with us. We will be traveling to Sandpoint, Idaho where John will put in Peggy and Steve’s windows, and she sure didn’t want to have to stay in Canada while we go “south”!! We have an extra week after the grad until our pastor’s retirement party at the end of June, so figured we could help the Farrells show some progress on their house for this year in order to keep their building permit in good standing.
This weekend on Friday evening, Keely, our 11 year old granddaughter, is going to sing at a Gospel Jamboree at Living Waters Bible Camp. She’s going to do “In the Highways and the Hedges” and “Let the Sun Shine In”. I’m sure she will do very well. She is very excited! Is growing up way too fast!! I had thought we could license the motorhome and take it out, but we stopped in to view the facilities recently, and there is not a lot of space for parking, let alone camping.

When we get back from B.C., John, with our neighbour’s assistance, will be taking down our sundeck and the back porch, and building an addition on the back of our house. I’ll hang around for a few days, but when the “tearing apart” of the porch happens, I’m out of here. The demolition is too hard on my constitution, and my being here would be hard on John! I’ll come back when the roof is on and the walls are up.

Well, I think that’s all the news to date. Hi to everyone who is checking this. I might let a few of you know that there is something new to read…

Hope y’all have a fine summer. Hope we have a summer at all…………the way things are going…

BACK AT HOME

We’re back in the swing of things at home – missing Texas at the same time.

There is still plenty of snow.

We found our dear 91 year old friend, Helene Epp, had been in hospital for two months while we were gone and they just about lost her. Thankfully, she came ‘round and we were able to pay one visit to her in hospital, where she was her good old self, and then one visit in her new private care home, where she is getting adjusted to spend the rest of her life. She is such a sweetheart!

We have adjusted to life without Jughead. Feel sad for the loss sometimes, but we never did need TWO dogs.

Have had the grandchildren over several times and they are happy to have us back.

We’ve been plagued by car problems since coming home. Shari is looking for something reliable to drive, as the LeBaron is no longer reliable.

I am thankful to have my cataract surgery over and done with. It occurred yesterday and at my post op appointment today, they said it was a great success. I had been very trepidatious, as I am such a wuss. Could have used a couple more Adavan, but it’s all over and done with now, and I can see well out of the eye. Today I have my glasses on and they actually work well as they are. I do hope the other eye does not develop a cataract!!!! My eye doctor came with the highest of recommendations.

We are planning Easter at our house.

My Mom has requested the pleasure of our presence at her birthday party in Langenburg on April 22nd at SouthView. She will be 86. So we may also travel on to Brandon and see how things are doing out that way.

Darren’s job is working out quite well. It’s a bit of an adjustment for him, as he is on his feet all day. There was a stool they were allowed to use at the last place, but not here. Emily spent a couple of days with us instead of at day care, and can that little twerp ever put jigsaw puzzles together!

We have had e-mails from some of our MDS friends and are always happy to hear what they have been doing since we parted. One couple traveled back to Marble Falls to take in the home dedication there, so we got more photos which we really enjoy having. That was the house that John was the crew foreman for.

Although it’s very difficult to sit around and not have anything to do here at home, I and I am happy to say John is still a non-smoker. It gets a bit tense at times, but so far he’s gotten through the tough times.

So, we look forward to spring and cleaning up our yard. There may be some porch renovations in the plan, but we’ll see how it goes.

Hi to all who are still checking on our blog!

Blog 23 - the road home

Goodbye Jughead, Boo Hoo



Greensburg, Kansas water tower



Parked for another summer


Thursday morning, we went to devotions, said our goodbyes and packed up our RV’s. It was so neat to see Judy waving us goodbye with her hanky with Mary and Pat standing by…

We parked our RV at the storage place we have found for this year near Jasper and soon were on the road.

We had a very good, but long, trip. The first night we spent at Durant, OK; the second night in Nebraska, the third night at Sterling, N.D. and we were home at 6:’30 p.m. on Sunday, March 15th. We arranged it so our route took us through Greensburg, Kansas, where we got some pictures and an excellent book written of stories by Christians who survived the tornado. Then when we got into Canada, we took the route through Rouleau, Sk., the site of the hit comedy series, Corner Gas. We’d never been there before.

We got home to bad news – unbeknownst to Shari, our little black Jughead puppy had got out of our yard because snow was piled up and the gate didn’t close all the way. She let both dogs out to run around in our fenced yard, as usual, and only the white one came back to the door. She spent the afternoon searching the neighbourhood and calling, to no avail. A neighbour drove her around asking everyone if they’d seen him – no luck. She called the SPCA and the R.M. dog pound, but nothing there. At first, we hoping that some kind person picked him up and brought him in out of the well below freezing temperatures, but it now appears that there is a problem with big dogs roaming in Redwing Terrace and there have been incidents of attacks on cats and smaller dogs. So poor Jughead was probably a casualty. That is our feeling, since Shari did not notice that Abby came in with a small bloody wound on her back just in front of her tail, and we have also found a small puncture wound on her side. She must have gotten back inside the yard and they couldn't in. Jughead wasn't so lucky!

In addition, Shari had also been having more problems with her car, so will have to be finding something better to drive. She had a couple of bad weeks there just before we came home, and was ready to have some back-up support!

Both of our kids and our grandchildren were happy to have us back. Emily got to spend a couple of days with us the first week home. We really enjoyed that!

We have had some very cold weather and some warmer weather since we arrived home. Winter is certainly not over yet!

Blog 22 - Final three days at Deweyville

Our dear friend, Mary



His Highness, Howie the Hunk

Monday morning I helped John second coat some of the angles and he finished the cornerbead and flats with second coat. His helper, Howard, was able to help finish the siding.

Tuesday, there was nothing much I could help John with. He said I should take the day off to get everything ready in the R.V. for leaving. I packed up my clothes that I would be taking home and tried to organize what would be left and what we would take. I got to visit with Mary a bit that day too. In addition, there was a Tuesday morning Bible study at the church and they have a pot luck lunch. I didn’t go to the Bible study, but Pastor Brad invited me to lunch anyway, which was very nice.

Tuesday evening, I thought it would be nice for us all to get together, so suggested we have ice cream in the church kitchen. It was being used, so instead, everyone came over to our place. It was a wonderful evening, just like we used to all pack into our R.V. for parties at Johnson Bayou!! It made my week! Everyone brought their ice cream and their dishes, and some chairs.

Wednesday I felt I wanted to go to work and was able to help with some painting outside and cleaning up the paint brushes and trays. Mary came back with me for a while in the afternoon when I had to go back to the camp to pick something up.

John had a willing pupil in Howard to texture the ceilings and walls. Obviously, John’s tennis elbow was not going to allow him to carry that heavy hopper full of mud throughout the house. Don’t know what we’d have done without Howard since we started!!! Even he was “done in” by the end of the day – the whole house was textured with the exception of the bathroom which would be sanded and painted. Howard sprayed and John assisted. A job well done.

On Wednesday nights, the church provides a meal for the entire community, after which there is a general Bible study. The place is packed and the food is delicious. John and I decided we really should go so we could say goodbye to the wonderful people we had become acquainted with. After the supper, we left and then Paul and Mary came over to visit. Howard and Barbara came over later as well. Time is running out for visiting…

Mary and I are not looking forward to parting again…

Blog 21 - Working in Deweyville

One other new couple arrived in Deweyville on Saturday, which made 8couples at devotions Monday morning:

• Don and Marilyn Buller, the couple who dreamed up the idea of the MDS Senior RV Program,
• Art and Judy Catlin, the Project directors,
• our dear friend, Paul Stoltzfus, the Crew Foreman, and his wife, Mary,
• Walt and Pat Willems, who we worked with on three projects,
• Walt’s brother, Vern and his wife Diane, with whom we had worked in Newton in November,
• Dick and Kathy Neudorf, and
• the new people from Ohio, Howard and Barbara Quast,
• and the Brauns from P.A.

We had suggested to Paul that we might be available if they really needed us and were ready for drywalling at the time we were leaving Marble Falls. Shortly thereafter, Project Director, Art Catlin made the official request that if at all possible, they would REALLY appreciate us coming and helping with the drywall. So John agreed to give them 10 days, as we have to be home the middle of March.

It was obvious that they needed some help desperately in order to finish the house by the end of March when the project is to close. When we arrived at the house on Monday morning, we learned it was still not ready to be boarded and the gyproc had not yet been ordered. The electrical was still being worked on and the air conditioning vents were not yet installed in the ceilings. John did a board count and Art ordered the gyproc. In the meantime, we did what we could to assist in other areas. I helped Diane put up some railing on the front deck and Barb and I did some siding. John helped us get set up with siding on Monday and on Tuesday he put up the ceiling on the front deck. The gyproc arrived just before noon on Tuesday and the men had to unload it. You sure couldn’t tell John’s elbow is shot.

We were very happy to see the men arrive to do the air conditioning vents just after lunch. They were done in short order.

The house was cleared out of all the other paraphernalia so when the gyproc arrived it would be reading to start boarding.

Wednesday, the gyproc arrived and the guys unloaded it. John and I and Howard and Barbara immediately started boarding. When the first bedroom was boarded, I started taping it and the others carried on with the second bedroom and the rest of the rooms. It was necessary to work Friday and Saturday to “get ‘er done”. By Saturday afternoon, it was completed boarded and taped, with the first coat on the cornerbead.

On Friday, Mary and I had a lovely day. We went on a road trip, with several missions:

1) Pick up Mary’s prescription at Mauriceville
2) Check out the thrift shops at Kirbyville
3) Go to Lowe’s in Jasper to see if we could find John a cornerbead clincher (no luck)
4) Visit my cat lady friend, Patty, at Newton. We got to see the apartment she is moving to while she is having a new house built.

John intended to work on Sunday, but decided to take a rest.

Sunday afternoon, after church and lunch out, Judy, Kathy, Pat and I traveled over to the Vidor Flea Market. Now I didn’t have to whine and snivel that I didn’t get to it…. I came away with no purchases, but it was really interesting to look for the last hour of the day! I thought I might find myself a pair of cowboy boots or some other treasure. Didn’t find any treasures or boots…