An Eventful Month

The second week of Sept I met Kim & the boys in Vancouver where Kim had an

Arbonne conference. This is the gorgeous view from our balcony.

We were 4 blocks from the beach near Granville Island so Nic, Luc & I went down to the beach a couple days where Nic had a blast playing in the sand with his construction equipment. The weather was fabulous - warm & sunny every day.

On Sunday we went to the Aquarium where Nic ran from window to window overwhelmed with all the sea creatures.

Yan, Kim & the boys outside the aquarium.

Then I spent a couple days in Courtenay just enjoying the grandsons.

When I flew back to Calgary I met Murray near Crossfield where we are camped with the 5th wheel and Murray is custom combining & Steven Kerr is baling straw & hauling it home.

Our camp spot in the Gatz yard.

Murray enjoying the larger yields than we are used to. He had a full hopper every 10 - 15 minutes.

Steven Kerr building the load of 51 bales of straw. I would drive up in the field for him.

Almost all strapped down & ready to go home.

On Thursday evening we were called that our house at the ranch had flooded due to a break in a line under a sink upstairs. The damage was the worst in Murray's office which is right underneath. Water was ankle deep in the living room.

Drywall had come down over Murray's desk & he is surveying the damage.

His desk phone!

More of the desk.

All the papers on & off the desk were soaked.

The ceiling in the porch is water damaged.

In the kitchen initially it didn't look too bad. My food processor on the counter had water in it. but the cabinets weren't too wet.

The broom closet in the utility room

More ceiling damage.

The restoration people came on Friday and after all their moisture testing much more damage was discovered.
Sooooooooo as of today here is some of what is left.

Drywall removed from ceilings & walls. Carpet gone.

Murray's office totally gutted. All shelving is destroyed.

What is left of my kitchen......if you can call it that! All cabinets destroyed. I get to redo it all.

Upstairs the carpet in the master & adjoining bedroom are gone All flooring downstairs will be replaced. They are still here drying, testing & ripping things out so who knows what will be left in the end. We are into an Extreme Home Makeover but it will definitely not be done in a week. Maybe sometime in 2010!

Boxes & other STUFF is piled everywhere from greenhouse to garage. The full reality has not sunk in yet but I know it will not be fun over the next few months.

Morning Scenes

this morning as I was going for my walk I noticed the full moon in the west...........

and a few minutes later a rising sun in the east.

Also these geese were flying overhead. Definitely a sign of Fall.

On Saturday after church we visited our fat, contented cows at Red Deer!
Murray enjoyed scratching this quiet cow.

In the evening we were hosted to a BBQ by all our renters.
R to L Michael, Melissa, David, Leslie, the boys, Murray. Thanks guys. It was super delicious!

Seems like this has been a month of saying goodbye to elderly family members. Last week we received word of the passing of Aunt Marie Klamut 96 (one of my dad's sisters). She was laid to rest in Lincoln, NB on Friday. We will miss her wit, humor & proper sense of style! She was such a delight. Also last week we received word of the serious illness of another Aunt, my mother's sister-in-law, Pauline Predinchuk.

Until we meet again

We received word yesterday that dear Uncle Paul Lindstrom, who performed our marriage ceremony 37 years ago, has passed away. We were able to see him in hospital less than 2 weeks ago when we were in Walla Walla. Although our goodbyes were sad we know we will meet again in heaven. His Godly life has & will continue to be an inspiration to us.

Steinke Visit

On Thursday/ Friday we had a 24 hour visit from Ev, Ken, Niesha & Jeff. It was Niesha's first visit to Alberta & Jeff said he hasn't been here in the summer since he was 14! It was too short a visit but we were able to show them a few things on the ranch - the bison being the highlight.

Over the years this old wagon has been the backdrop for many pictures with the Steinke's.

This year the men were more daring & used the bison as a backdrop!

Murray, Ken & Jeff.

Jeff, Niesha, Elaine & Murray making a memory.

Sorry Niesha you didn't get to ride a buffalo!!!!

Thanks for coming all the way from N.C. to see us.

July Travels

On July 25 we enjoyed celebrating a special birthday with cousin Cheryl in Calgary

The next day we travelled to Sand Point, ID to celebrate the wedding of Jodi Letniak to Marvin Primero. It was a lovely lake setting and we had a wonderful time.

Murray's dad was with us & on Monday we were in Walla walla, WA. Here is Father with his sister Catherine Chinn.

Most of the Chinn clan. From L to R Steven Sankey, Clarence, Catherine, Michelle, Donna

Back Dale, Trevor & Duane (All Chinn). Dale & Michelle hosted us for dinner & a lovely stay.

Tuesday it was off to Welches, OR to visit another one of Father's sisters Muriel Kline. She fed us a wonderful meal & then we were off to Woodland, WA to the White House!

Father with another sister Pauline White

Pauline & Al White


Murray & cousin Terry White

Terry & Carol in front of their home. Thanks guys for your wonderful hospitality & the comfortable bed.


Cousin Barry, Riley & Haley White


Murray, & his dad with cousin David White whom we met near Boners Ferry, ID where he summers some of his bees. His base of operations is in Woodland, WA. & we were able to visit the rest of his family there.

Cousin Rick White & his secretary at his SWIVLER headquarters

On thursday we drove from Woodland clear across to Kalispel, Montana where we stayed with cousin Jodi, Kurt & Blake and toured Kurt's lovely Dental Office. In the morning it was off to the cottage about 35 miles away.

On the dock
The crew at the lake.

Jared, Lenore(cousin) & Gord Pattison, Father, Murray, Elaine, Kurt, Jodi & Blake Lindemann

What a whirlwind trip but how wonderful to see so much family. Thank you all for your wonderful hospitality and great food. Visiting with you all was a taste of heaven when we will all be together. Our trip went so well without so much as a rock chip in the windshield. (We won't mention the speeding ticket Murray got when we got back to Red Deer!)

We especially enjoyed the use of Donna's pool & David & Lisa's pool since the temps were in the record high range. 111' F in Woodland the day we were there.
We returned to the ranch via Great Falls on Friday night. Dropped father & our stuff off & headed to Red Deer Saturday morning. On Saturday afternoon while we were at Glennifer Lake with friends a storm passed through and below is some of the result.

At least 4 trees broke in the wind at our Red Deer farm. This one was a lovely blue spruce. Thankfully no buildings were damaged in the wind & hail there.

On the way home Sunday we saw these 2 fertilizer bins toppled in Veteran. At the ranch we had experienced wind & rain but no hail. In recent days we have received some rain so things are greening up a bit although it is too late for any harvest.