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Thursday 30 August 2007

Back in the Land of the Living

It has been a while since I wrote.....

Our holidays were busy but nice....the trip to Lloydminster, to Nemeiben Lake for some fishing, Tisdale for a wedding which was very nice......like a mini family re-union. I guess any time when family members get together that don't see each other very often is a re-union, we ended our holidays with my Aunt Esther & cousin Kerry Hedegus from Kamloops stopping at our place for a visit on their way back home. We enjoyed our visit in Tisdale at the wedding and then back at our place. The same day they left for home about 2 hours later I took sick.....sicker than I can remember being.

Usually it takes a couple of days resting in bed then another day to get back to normal......ya right....not this time. I was in bed from the Friday until Wednesday the next week and still not great Thursday or Friday. I was off work another week, not the reason I would like to be off work but what can I do. One of the girls called my office phone, when she heard me on my voice mail she thought maybe I was calling from the grave (giggles). I sounded as bad as I felt and that wasn't very good. Even coming back to work on Monday I wasn't just right, you know a little bit off (and not off my rocker either) (giggles).

Coming back to work on Monday was also a sad day, as it was the funeral of a co-worker that last her battle to cancer. It gives me comfort to know that she is with the Lord and not suffering any more, her pain is gone. Actually when I first met Sharon I worked for Forest Service Branch and she was my Employee Administrator with Human Resources and now I am working as an Employee Administrator with Human Resources.

Saturday 18 August 2007

Day trip to Waskesiu - PANP

Yesterday Al and I took my Aunt Esther and Cousin Kerry up to Waskesiu to the Prince Albert National Park. Al and I hadn't been there together since before we were married, about 20 years ago. Aunt Esther and Kerry hadn't been there for close to 33 years ago. We did find the cabin they stayed in at Bakers Cabins. These cabins are named after the provinces of Canada and the United States. They stayed in British Columbia at that time they were living in Saskatoon and shortly after they moved to British Columbia.

As we approached the beach I spotted a squire just sitting on a stump. I was lucky enough to get close enough to capture this photo without zooming into him. Photo to be posted later when I get my camera back from my daughter.

From the cabin we walked down to the lake shore. I couldn't very well come all the way to Waskesiu and not walk in the lake. It was colder than I expected for this time of year but was nice to just walk down the beach a ways.

The squirrel wasn't the only wildlife we seen. As were driving we noticed a deer just off the road grazing. We stopped and were able to get up to take some video and still photos of her. Suddenly a rustle of leaves caught our attention when her fawn walked out of the trees to his mother. The fawn still had his spots. It was truly beautiful to watch the two of them interact so close to us. Opportunities to witness mother nature up close and personal like this don't come along very often.


On our way home we stopped by to visit my dad. We had a couple of drink there then took some more photos and then we were off for home. As we were coming down our driveway we seen 5 more deer grazing in the hay field. Again we were able to get some good photos and video of the buck that stayed around to check us out as well.

My cousin made drinks for all of us as we sat around visiting until the wee hours of the morning. I really enjoyed my visit with my Aunt and my cousin. We were able to get a good visit in at Brooke's wedding and again at our place. We are already planning our holiday for next summer to visit them in Kamloops.

Wednesday 15 August 2007

Family Gathering

I spent the weekend of August 11 in Tisdale with my mom's side of the family. We all gathered to share in the celebration as Brooke & Candis were married. Brooke is my cousin Dwayne's son.

My Aunt Ethel and my cousin Ronnie were out from North Vancouver BC. My Aunt Esther and my cousin Kerry were out from Kamloops BC. We all met up on Friday night at the Tisdale Hotel. There was Al and I, my cousins Marilyn, Marlene, Kerry & Ronnie and my Aunt Ethel & Esther. It was wonderful to catch up with everyone again. I hadn't seen my cousin Kerry since my wedding 19 years ago and my cousin Ronnie I met only once before and that was about 30 years ago. The last time I seen my Aunt Ethel was 17 years ago at my Uncle Ralph's funeral and my Aunt Esther I see last summer when she was out to Tisdale to visit. For my husband and children this was their first time to meet meet my Aunt Ethel and cousins Ronnie & Kerry.

This past weekend was very much like a Family Reunion. The morning of the wedding wasn't looking too promising for an outdoor wedding. It was cloudy, cool and bit of rain in the morning, by the afternoon the sky cleared up and sun was shining, it turned out to be a wonderful day for the wedding. After the service my aunts introduced me to many of my mom's cousins and childhood friends. Many of them I met years ago, some I remembered and some I didn't. They all told me how much I look like my mom. Even my kids & my husband were telling me that I look like my Aunt Ethel in many ways and in other ways I look like my Aunt Esther, which I guess says they look like my mom.

Sunday we met the aunts and cousins at their hotel. Aunt Ethel and Ronnie went to visit relatives of Uncle Jim's, my aunts husband. Aunt Esther, Kerry and us went out to the South Star Church & Cemetery. This is where my Grandma & Grandpa Sharpen, Uncle Ralph and other relatives are buried. We spent nearly 2 hours at the Church, walking through the cemetery finding relatives graves and talking about family.

We ended our trip to Tisdale at my cousin Marilyn's house for a family BBQ.

We gathered to share in the joy and to celebrate Brooke & Candis. It also turned into a small Family Reunion. It was wonderful for us all to be together on such a happy occasion. Family they are also constant in ones life, and I feel blessed to have such a wonderful family to spend time with.

Tuesday 7 August 2007

Crooked Trees


Al and I stopped to see the Crooked Trees near Hafford Sk. As you walk through the trees you'll see how they twist, turn and embrace each other from the ground up. They are truly a mystery.

This bluff of aspen is only about 50 sq feet not more than 20 feet away there are perfectly normal aspen growing. These trees cast a mystical, eerie & marvelous sight for all that visit this spot.

In someways I felt very close God as I walked through the trees. I can't explain it but the feeling was very serene. This is the second time that I had seen the Crooked Trees

These trees are truly a mystery. There are myths as to how they came to be from an alien space ship flying over head, to the aliens stopping for a pee break, lightening, the soil being contaminated.

There are reports of people getting dizzy and light headed as they walk through the trees, they say that only the brave will enter the trees in the light of the full moon. Local cattle stay out of the trees with out a fence around.

There is a mystery and beauty in these silent sentinels, that guard the secrets of their origin that is held deep with in their roots and the soil they live in.

They are worth the drive to go see. As you pass Hafford there is a sign on the hwy Crooked Bush follow the signs and you will find this marvelous mystery of Nature.

Laws of Attraction

It is amazing how somethings just happen in our lives when we least expect it too. I spent the weekend in Lloydminster with my husband since he had to work yet another weekend. I drove up to Lloydminster on Thursday after work and thinking how neat it would be if I ran into my old friend Robin Dobie. Robin was one of my best friends for many years. Just after I was out of high school he moved up to Lloydminster to work at the paper up there. Robin and I lost touch a few years ago. So my plan was to look him up in the phone book, I have no idea if he still lives in Lloydminster or not but figured it was worth a shot.

On Friday morning after my husband came back from the job site we decided to head out to Vermillion and area. First we stopped for lunch at Arby's, while there Al asks me if I had heard from Ted & Kim lately, our friends from Flin Flon, Manitoba. Well the conversation goes on and I tell him about the last email I received from Kim and then we are on our way for the day.

We have a nice relaxing day driving around, we stopped at this museum called "Climb Thru Time" in Paradise Valley, Alberta. This museum is housed in an old Grain Elevator. Dioramas in the grain bins make this former grain elevator and annex a unique museum experience. Team room, gift shop and train station are on the site as well. Housed in the Paradise Valley grain elevator, the museum displays fascinating artifacts and art portraying the birth of agriculture in Western Canada.


The museum starts in the 1800's with the settlers that came to the area going up through the years to current day. While walking through this museum many of my childhood memories surfaced. Like my days in the 4-H club, a banner with the Motto along with record books reminded me of my 4-H days. The display showing raising chickens brought back a memory I had forgot about. As soon as I stepped into that display everything came back to me like it was only yesterday right down to collecting the eggs from the hen house, feeding the chicks and chickens, candling and weighing the eggs to determine their size from small to extra large. The climb thru time is definitely worth seeing. Once you are up to the top you can look out the little window and see over the area.

We end with supper back in Lloydminster and relaxing back in the hotel. Our plans for the next day are to drive up to St. Walburg and take in the sites up that way. I still haven't had chance to look up Robin in the phone book yet.

The next morning as we were heading out for a day of site seeing this woman and her daughter are walking across the parking lot to their room and her daughter about 4 years old is screaming, I think I remember those days and that mom is sure keeping her cool. As I am about to get into the car Al says to me isn't that Michelle, I look back and sure enough it is Michelle. I call her name to be sure and yes it is. Her she is booked into the room next to us with her parents Ted & Kim from Flin Flon.

We head over to the restaurant to surprise our friends. Here we both have to go to Lloydminster to visit with each other. We had a wonderful visit with them at breakfast and again that night when they returned to the hotel from the wedding they were in town for. The funny thing was that morning while I was doing my make up on the bed, I turned as someone walked by the window and I could have sworn it was Ted Korte. There are not that many men that are as skinny as Ted and sure enough when we met up with them in the restaurant it was Ted.

As Ted put said it, it must be the laws of attraction as to why out of the blue Al asked about Ted & Kim and why I didn't get up when Al left for the bridge that morning. It was meant to be that old friends would have some time together to catch up....The Laws of Attraction at work.

As it turned out I did look in the phone book and found no listing for Dobie, Robin or Dobie R. I should have used Canada 411 and I would have found a listing that might have been Robin. There is no address or city given but there is a phone number that would have been a start. Oh well next time. I will most likely try the number from home and see if it is Robin's or not.

Thursday 2 August 2007

Holidays.........

Its been a few days since I was able to write, after today it will be a few more days. I am off on holidays until August 21st.......

After work today I am going home to pick up my dog Rocco then it is off to Lloydminster to see my husband for the weekend then we are coming home and heading up to Nemeiben Lake with our friends for a few days.

Then next weekend we are off to Tisdale for my cousin's boys wedding. It will be so nice to visit with my aunts & cousins from BC that will be here as well, along with all the other relatives that are from the Tisdale area. I am sure a good time will be had by all.

So until my next post....Have a great summer. Don't forget to Slip on a shirt Slap on a hat & Slop on some sunscreen.

Cheers~