End of a Long Week

This morning we woke up to sunny skies. That is always a good beginning to the end of a week. No snow on the ground! That is always a good beginning to the end of winter. We had a very tasty lunch at Anna Marie's Coffee Bar in the Memorial Center. That is very much a good way to start a Friday afternoon. Sorry no picture of the inviting lunch spot we tried for the first time - no camera along and nothing online to show you what it it like inside. You will either have to believe us or next time you are visiting ask to go to Anna Marie's for lunch - or coffee. I see they have a coffee and pie special between 2 and 4 weekdays.

What better way to spend an "oh I am feeling so lazy" Friday afternoon but outside waiting for the 2816 to go through town. It wasn't well advertised they were going through. A couple thoughts shared in the group waiting to see was the plan to stop for a few minutes. They must have been behind schedule because they flew right on by. That was disappointing - but we did get a couple of pictures. AND they are supposed to travel back on Monday - not sure when - but we will see them again hopefully.



So if you live in Alberta you can probably find something online somewhere about this trip. Ray popped out for a few minutes before leaving for a meeting at 2:00 to explain a bit more about the purpose of the train running through from Calgary to Edmonton and back to Calgary again on Monday. MLA's were riding the train and somewhere in this trip and probably this weekend is talks about running a CO2 pipeline along the CP rail lines. Still a bit sketchy to me - but you might find out more information than we heard about so far. A good way to see the countryside the pipeline will potentially travel along. A good way to just see the countryside!

The Pitter Patter of Little Feet

We are happy to announce there is the pitter patter of little feet in our house these days! No this is not like the A & W commercial announcing with the "Grandpa Burger" that Peter has the joy of becoming a grandfather. Rather this is to just let you know we have the pitter patter of little feet in our house these days and it's not what you were thinking when you read the title for this blog. We have a visitor. And yes - his feet are little. And yes - they do pitter patter if you listen very carefully!

While Eric and Becky are away to the "sun and fresh fruit" of California we are taking care of their littlest guy - Pookie. Actually his name is Rusty and he seems to respond to that name much more so now. Some things do become unlearned in the absence of the instigator of those habits. And yet - some habits seem to come back quite quickly. He still likes a sip of water from the sink. Sorry Eric and Becky - I know you are trying to undo that one. And yes, a bit of roast does taste wonderful. Again - sorry E & B! Something about a tiny tidbit of roastbeef is much more appealing than the canned variety of meat. And watching the washing machine fill is still a wonderful way to pass time for him.

I must say after the first few days of adjusting he seems to be happy as a clam. Have you ever seen a clam smile? I think by the time a clam hits the plate there is NO smile left, if there ever was one to start with! Rusty has made himself quite at home. He has his favorite spot to sleep on the couch. He has a nice little vantage point to look out into the backyard. In fact, he has two of those. One by the dining room table and one on the laundry hamper in our bedroom. Nothing good comes of removing either of those. After taking the laundry downstairs one day and bringing the hamper back he was quite excited to see it in place again. So much so he jumped up onto it before Peter could put the lid back on. Imagine his surprise when down he went into the 3 foot deep hamper instead of lightly perching on top!

He doesn't look for his buddy (Keira) quite as often anymore. There are still moments though when he watches the back entrance in anticipation of her bounding in to say hello to him. Some things are still important to him that we just cannot provide. They'll be back together in due time, bugging and teasing one another and curling up to have a snooze side by side. In the meantime Eric and Becky can enjoy themselves knowing their pets are in good hands with the parents. And from the sounds of it, Keira is having fun too playing and tearing around the country yard of Becky's parents. Sounds like everyone is having a little holiday!

By the way, do you know how hard it is to get a cat to stand still long enough for a picture when he would rather climb on your lap and inspect the camera?

The Best-est Birthday!

Just this past Saturday, I was able to celebrate another birthday! 49 and holding! It was a great day with a few things happening that were not typical for a birthday! I was thankful it was a Saturday to not have to work and get a chance to do some other activities. We started off the day with "coffee cake" for breakfast. We shared this breakfast with Lorraine's brother Ron and his wife, Bev. They arrived the day before since he was putting on a short seminar for Dynamic Churches International discussing one on one discipleship right here in Lacombe. Definitely a worthwhile time that morning. You can check them out here: http://www.dynamicchurches.org

Tony and Michelle and their four kids were at our house too for part of the day so the parents could attend the seminar. The kids had great fun using up all the miscellaneous birthday cake decorations on the cupcakes that Lorraine had ordered as my birthday cake! Since I did not get a chance (but wanted to) to make cinnamon buns on Friday, I had started them on Saturday at noon. After lunch, I asked Thomas if he wanted to help me make the buns ready and he did an absolutely great job with them! It was too bad they could not stay long enough to have them baked and taken along for a snack on the way home :-(. They did make a great breakfast for Sunday morning.

Supper was just awesome at Tony Roma's in Red Deer with Ron and Bev after which we went to a Brian Doersken Concert at the CrossRoads Church. This was definitely a highlight of my day. I have used his songs numerous times as a worship leader and it was just great to be able to sing them with him (and a thousand others) that evening. He is on a tour called the "Holy God" tour.

One of my favorite songs is called "The River" which does not happen to be on this particular CD but I thought that it would let you see the words here. I feel this song could be a great one for an altar call, encouraging others to come to the "Water of Life" only available from our Lord Jesus Christ. It just gives me what I need to understand that no matter has happened in my life, I can receive blessing from God as I follow Him and take part in the life that He wants me to have!

The River
Brian Doerksen, Michael Hansen, Brian Thiessen

To the river I am going
Bringing sins I cannot bear
Come and cleanse me, come forgive me
Lord I need to meet you there

In these waters, healing mercy
Flows with freedom from despair
I am going, to that river
Lord I need to meet you there

Precious Jesus, I am ready
To surrender every care
Take my hand now, lead me closer
Lord I need to meet you there

Come and join us, in the river
Come find life beyond compare
He is calling, He is waiting
Jesus longs to meet you there

©2004 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music

Long Time No Blog!

Almost White Out!



Kev



Peter

We have been still living since February. At least we are still breathing - even if some days it doesn't feel like much of a life! Peter was going to blog a long, long time ago about the ski trip he and Kev took in the beginning of March. (I don't ski so I couldn't blog about it.) He still hasn't done it and I would like to move on to something else, so here are some pics you can at least look at and remember that winter really happened. And isn't it nice it is almost over?

Weekend Fun

This past weekend - family day weekend for those of us in Alberta - we worked on Eric and Becky's wedding gift some more. They've been married for a few years now - we should get this done! Before long they will have the room for a complete ensemble of bedroom furniture. Right now they don't have the space and all they have is bed with headboard and footboard and two night stands. We've been after them to come and work with us to finish the remaining pieces to their suite. Not that we are desperate for help - rather this was a woodworking project the four of us have been working on together. And what did Keira puppy do this weekend? Romp through ALL the snow in the backyard. Calgary doesn't have - or get snow like this - that lasts. So she had a grand time turning the backyard into what looked like a war zone! What a funny pup she is! But if the dog is happy - you get more work done! Every once in a while she would pop into the shop - but not for long. I don't think she cared for the sounds the power tools were making as they turned pine boards into an armour for Eric! When this piece is done it is Becky's dresser! Yah!



KEIRA GUARDING HER FRISBEE



LOOKING LIKE IT SHOULD!



YOUNG LOVE!

SNOW!

Who would even think we could get the snowfall we did yesterday afternoon and into the night sometime! It certainly wasn't in the forecast. Apparently the whole province didn't get this - so why us? I guess we had to have a turn sometime. And we had a turn! At least the sun is out today. Looking out the living room window yesterday evening it was beautiful. Coming straight down, and heavy! At least it looked heavy. When we shoveled this morning it was fluffy and light. Just needed to figure out where in the world to pile it! This morning when we arrived at the office the fellow doing our snow shovelling had the sidewalks by the building done and was using a small skidsteer to move our winter downpour to the edges of our parking lot. We get another downfall like this and it will have to be removed from the property altogether.

Here's a picture of our "waterfall" downspout. At least it is a waterfall in the summer during a downpour. Right now it is an "icefall". This is a real test for the chain downspouts! At least this one for sure. It seems to get the biggest ice buildup because of it's location on the south. Looks really cool anyway!

Even the train tracks have been buried under our snowfall! There is barely visable the far main line that has been used. The other three tracks are somewhere underneath all the white fluff we were given yesterday. Actually have to listen for the next train and watch the snow swirl up and around it as it passes through! We should have a snow day today. At least look outside at the snow when we think something interesting might be happening out there because of the snow! All in favor?

February the Fifth!

OK Brent and Kirstin! Here is our Feb 5th Pancake day picture story book!



Every good story has a beginning. Ours starts with the waffle iron. This waffle iron has faithfully made waffles for our family for many years. Sometimes on Feb 5th. Sometimes on the first snowfall of winter. Sometimes just because we wanted to have waffles.



The proper way to make waffles in our house is "from scratch" as Grandma would say. Not with a powdery mix from a bag. Oh the times we made mountains of waffles to feed hungry boys! Those ones were made "from scratch". But tonight we used the powdery mix and water. For added fluffiness we put in an egg. Not just any egg I might add. A BROWN egg. Then we were sure we would have light as a feather waffles! No white store egg would do!



Hmm. Something more was needed to celebrate tonight's Feb 5th supper. Ah ha! Up from the freezer there appeared a package of smokey sticks. Those wouldn't take long to cook. Surely they would be allowed at the special supper? There they are! Waiting quietly while the last waffle was baking!



Waiting quietly too was someone looking forward to waffles and smokies!



See! There's a waffle all ready to eat!



Every good story also has an ending. Ours ends with a plate holding a crisp golden waffle, pockets filled with butter and syrup and peanut butter and sugar! Now which bite to eat first! Num! Almost as good as the ones "from scratch" as Grandma would say!