Limbo

Well I now know why Limbo is so close to Hell in Mythology. I just want to know what is going on with Phil's job. Info at his work has been inconsistent at best. Phil has been following some other leads trying to keep his options open if things don't pan out here. Roller coaster rides are fun for a short while but this one has entered its second long weekend!!! The company president has another meeting with the guys on Monday so we will see how that goes.

On a lighter note I got my camera back already. I was impressed just over two week turn around time. So we have been happily getting reacquainted.

Phil and I have started working on the yard I will post before, during, during, during and in about three years after pictures. Our neighbourhood has been a hub of activity three of our neighbours have put in lawn in the last couple of weeks. Our neighbour straight across the street put his yard in on Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon he brought his one year old son out to get acquainted with the oscillating sprinkler. I was watching from the front window laughing my head off. He would play with the water like he was playing harp then the sprinkler would slowly lower until he sputtering over a snoot full of water then it would oscillate away and he would be back to harp playing. Watching how quickly everyone yards went in has us reevaluating our lawnless yard plans, but I still think it is the way to go for us. More work up front but in the long run it is very low maintenance. Phil has borrowed a tractor and has been playing with that. We are going to start with the concrete walkway down the side of the house and the extra parking pad. The only thing that changes is the price of the toys.....and more power! The dirt backyard, (Yep its dirt.)the side of the house,( oh look more dirt) and the house from the front. (and for conformity sake more dirt). Pretty soon it will rocks and concrete. Won't that be a huge improvement!

Goosey Gander

Phil and I have been doing a ton of golfing lately. We usually play the same course Spruce Meadows. As if my game isn't inconsistent enough, to add to the degree of difficulty it's nesting season for the Canadian geese. We all know how protective mother geese can be when it comes to their young. For the past few weeks we've enjoyed the progression from eggs to fuzzy chicks. This was the first shot taken a few weeks ago. Notice her eye is wide open. I was able to get this shot when the mother goose got off her nest to harass Andrew because she thought he was too close. I'm not going to make mother of the year my son's being worried by a crazed goose and I'm excited because I get a nest shot. Of course she made her nest in the sweet spot that everyone likes to hit to. Now that the ducklings have hatched she moves them around. For some stupid reason known only to the golf gods if there is a ducklings on the course I like to plunk my ball within a few feet of them. The Mother goose has not enjoyed sharing these moments with us. In this next series of pictures I'm pretty sure if I hadn't been in a power cart I would have been wearing the Mother goose as a very uncomfortable hat. She was just a hissing. Stark contrast to Dad who stands in the background the entire time, chilling out.

I was going to wait to post this. The chick are already twice this size but as they will be at that pimply, awkward, adolescent stage before I get my camera back so I thought I would go ahead.

Oh Horrors of Horrors.

Like I said I've been rather pensive lately so Phil and I have been taking lots of drives and taking lots of photos. It has been very therapeutic for me. I love seeing something in my minds eye and then being able to capture and share it. Sunsets, wildlife, flowers, people and birds. Serenity.

I broke my camera. I feel like crying talking about it. That final straw on the camel. It was so stupid I carry it every where and some how I cracked the LED screen on the top of the camera which shorted the circut that operates the on/off switch. So I will be sharing lots my already captured photos as I wait four to six weeks to get my camera to get back.

Figures we just getting into a great lightening season.

July 2007

Chautauqua Day

We live in a small town. It is the "The" town. You never have to clarify statement move than by saying you are going to the bar, or the store, or the bank or the four way stop. No other explanation needed. There is only one of anything. It is the type of town that when I was talking to one of my co-workers, who happens to live in Sexsmith, about where the pancake breakfast was and she said it was at the gazebo no other explanation was needed. It's on the main street. Enough said.
For months the town has been promoting their annual Chautauqua Days. Now the pronunciation varies from person to person. I've heard every thing from sha-NEE-qua to CHA-ta-qua but my favorite was watching the weather man on an Edmonton TV station come out with Shit Taco Days. I sure everyone racing to Sexsmith for that one.

We were up early, (read that as I was up early so everyone else was dragged out of bed.) to walk downtown. We live on the edge of town so we have to walk a good six block to get to the main street.

I loved the parade it was a riot. I was the old fashioned parade where you put three colours of streamers on wagon toss in a bunch of waving smiling people and call it a float. The amount of candy being thrown out was amazing. You could tell the local kids they actually had Halloween bags that bulged noticeable by parade's end. All kidding aside really did enjoy the whole event. It had such a great feeling on community to it.

What small town parade would be complete with out a John Deere Tractor?

Or a backhoe?

The local reading club.

Isn't she a cutie. She is throwing candy to the kids watching the parade.

This one killed me they cleaned up the dumpster and had kids throwing candy out but look at the top of the truck. That isn't rust. Nasty.

I loved the horses and wagons.

I was showing the pictures to the family and Andrew asked, "Where all the pictures of the muscle cars?" Umm I didn't take any. He actually looked slightly disgusted. My camera my pictures.

The whole thing ended with the local street sweeper chugging along brushes a whirling while kids scrambled to get the last of the candy before it got swept up.

It was the best parade I've seen in years it actually made me a little misty. Phil and I wandered around a bit and then went golfing. The event is geared more to the young family, The octopus ride, a Ferris wheel, skateboard park demonstrations, a dunk tank, you get the idea. When we got home at seven everything was done the rides had been dismantled, the streets swept. It really is Chautauqua Day. No evening involved at all.

We have been quite pensive lately so we have been going for lots of drives. One thing about around here is the sunsets last for ever. We left the house about 9:20 and the sky was just starting to colour up I just had to share some of the photos.

I think I'm the only person that is excited about taking pictures of weeds.

A sunset rainbow. Very subdued.

The last few photos were taken near 11:00. We are only a few week from the longest day of the year so the sunsets are very late.

Special Olympic Golf Tournament

Sheri and I headed up to Fort St John last week-end for a charity golf tournament that my sister is involved in. We had a great time it's been since last summer since we've been out with just the girls.

We got up bright and early it was chilly so we all had jackets and long pants on. By about the third tee we were down to shorts and t-shirts. Chris and I got a kick out of how we had dressed the same unbeknownst to each other.

The twins.

As you can see Chris is an introvert like me.

The tournament was a lot of fun. it was scramble format. (Best Ball). Our team consisted Sheri, Chris and I and a friend of Chris by the name of Jay. He was suppose to be our anchor but it took on a whole new meaning when he got cracked, couldn't swing a club and started to weigh us down. Oh well it was all fun.

Sheri and I went for a walk after the tournament. It was a very picturesque little spot. I love going for walks with her we seem to have the best talks.

Time Flies

I can't believe it has already been two weeks since my nephew Alex graduated. He was the last of the generation on my husband's side. I guess it weddings and babies now. (And it better be that order!!!)

I love this picture a wall of Linfield backs watching the youngest get his diploma. The bright blue shirt on the left is Andrew, to his right is Doug (AKA Grampa), then Dave (Alex's Dad for those of you not in the know) and then Phil in the Hawaiian Shirt. ( Shocking to see Phil in a Hawaiian shirt isn't it?) Unfortunately I forgot my telephoto on diploma day so the pictures weren't that great. here is Alex on Grand March Day.

Then Alex and his date Rae. Followed by a picture of Alex's best friend Landon and their dates.

And finally the family Dave, Jessi, Alex and Roberta

It was a very busy week-end three days of festivities. It was great that Doug came up he end up spending the whole week and then the week-end following. That's when all the Linfield guys went to a father-son-daughter camp out. The girls Jessi and Sheri couldn't make it. So it turned into a all male affair from our family. This is an annual event held in the area and it was the twentieth anniversary of the event. I guess there three hundred people at the camp out. I haven't seen any photo's of the week-end for the stories I've heard it is probably just as well.