Monthly Archives: September 2006

Scott, Alli’s fiance, and Christopher our grandson accompanied Alli here this weekend. 

I was able to convince (arm behind the back?) Scott to join me for a golf tournament put on by some local churches.  This was his first time playing golf. He’s just started into his twenties — could be the start of something . . . Scott is regularly using a heavy weighted hammer on rail line maintenance.  The clubs felt awfully light to him.  When he connected well you could see the ball take off!!

Later in the afternoon we saw some motocross racing.  The sight was 10 km out of town.  The bikes were noisy like buzzing bees.  The jumps were high, the moguls (sorry, that’s the skiing term — they have another one which I can’t remember) almost unseated some riders, and the straight sections few.  If I was twenty and knew what I now know . . . I still wouldn’t race.

But the most fun was probably the visit to a local farm.  Jill and I had noticed some old tractors and cars.  Scott is intrigued by old machinery.  There is a simplicity to mechanical action — and you can fix it.  He was particularly taken by some John Deere D tractors.  We toured the Wiggins farm — also ran across a threshing machine, a well driller (that is probably a century or so old), and some family who are building a wooden basement.

Not many wooden basements are built.  See the creativity and desire for simplicity and originality, I wasn’t surprised with the wooden basement.  In fact, I would have felt cheated if Kindersley Concrete was pouring the basement!

Tonight I’m off to Saskatoon to pick up my son, Tim, at the train station.  He arrives shortly after midnight  and it “only” a two hour ride home.  I can hardly wait to hear my sermon in the morning!

Our health district provides a volunteer breakfast once a year.

The usual fare is pancakes and sausages.  I used to love sausages — until I found they began to disagree with me.  Or at least disagree with my intestines (I guess the old word is bowels??).  I still ingest sausages on special occasions.  Such was today — for about 1/4 of the sausage.  Then common sense snuck up on me and ambushed the rest of the sausage.

The chinet plates were handed to us as we entered.  I probably wouldn’t have noticed., but there on a table in front of my nose were various door prizes.  My sense of touch felt an impression on the bottom of the plate.  A sticker was attached to the underbelly of my meal!

My guess?  Maybe I was a winner!!  I cautiously entered the kitchen — OK, maybe not so cautiously!  Enquiry was made of the cooks (who were actually health care staff serving the volunteers today).  They explained that the horseshoe decal indeed signified a winner!  All I had to do was pick my prize from the table.

There were candles (not my style), coffee mugs (not my cup of tea!), pedometers (not in my exercise regimen) and a backpack.  A very nice backpack.  With the health district logo.  And pockets here and there.  I quickly grabbed the backpack, figuring a backpack would be a desired item.  Good for hiking or carrying books or toting clothes.  Something everyone would want.

Then I looked around the room.  The age of volunteers is gradually climbing.  With increasing age is a recognition that backpacks are not a necessity!  A cane, bifocals, and hearing aids may be more apropos.

So, I didn’t have to scramble or elbow  — I merely snatched the loot and ran.  Next time you see me, I may be carrying this prize (or not!!).  Stop me and examine the beauty of a pancake breakfast gone right!!

One of my favourite blogs –  jordoncooper.com carries an area he calls “contextless links”.  They are just things that he has run across during his day.  He doesn’t justify or create great rants on each.  They are just there for you to look at.

So, today, I thought I would just mention some things I ran across today that have no great context, just interesting.

The Peavey Mart parking lot is now paved.  No more mud as I seek the best bargains in town!!

I can’t drive Railway Avenue — paving crews are resurfacing the road.

Trees are starting to turn color.  As I look out hte window, my backyard trees are now about 1/4 yellow and the leaves will fall soon.

Washed the car today.  To my left, in a corner of the wash stall, a small stream of water constantly poured from a hose onto the floor.  Not sure what that was about.  Mud congregated in the next stall waiting to be washed down a drain — not my duty today!

A letter from Gordon Dirks, VP of External Relations at Alliance University College, mentioned Dave Petrescue.  See previous posts to get a sense of who Dave was.

Knives on sale.  At the Zellers today, Alfred Sung knives worth $12 – 15 rung through for under $3.00.

Pictures of the African well project which we contributed to as a church are now hanging on the bulletin board in the church foyer.

A finance seminar is being planned for November 4-5, 2006.  They will include session on budgeting, retirement, estate and wills.  We are also stepping out and offering a seminar on dealing with the unique financial needs of those who are divorced, separated and remarried.  And one seminar that will just contian pithy financial sayings and advice — things like “Pay yourself second”, and “There is virtue in being still”.

Macintosh apples shipped to town without a lot of pre-preparatian and laid out in a cardboard box are way better than polished, bagged and weighed product.

And that is only part of the day.  Trust you’ve enjoyed not having any idea where this all comes from!