Rain, reunion, and riders

Well, we wanted rain, and that's exactly what we got!  3.3 inches one day - in a very short time with incredible winds.  No damage, though, and the crops are absolutely loving it.  So is my garden.  The weeds, in particular, are thriving.  We've had a few other showers as well, so we've probably had over 4 inches in the last couple of weeks.  Now to keep the early frosts away...

Derek has been hounding us for a new quad for quite some time.  Clem finally said, "When we get 3 inches of rain, you can get a quad."  So, if you didn't skip the last paragraph, you'll know what is in the next photo...

I didn't know there was so much mud to be found in these parts.  He's been having a blast.  And he washes the quad about four times a day.  Now if I could just get him to keep the van that clean.  Or his room, for that matter.

Speaking of which, I got my butt in gear and painted the upstairs bedrooms.  Stephen also got new furniture in his room.  Seeing as they were last painted in 1996, before we moved in, I thought it was time.  So we now have presentable guest accommodations, should any of you be in the vicinity.  You are more than welcome!

On one of the post-rain days, when it was too wet to do much on the farm, we took off to Saskatoon to look after our "city shopping" list.  The boys came, too, so we made a little holiday out of it.  Adam and Stephen were particularly pumped to come along.

But they perked up a bit when we took them to a nice restaurant for ribs and steak.  Just the mention of meat can put them in a good mood!

We also took in a movie, some watersliding, and the boys found a go-cart track.

It was a nice little get-away, and we really enjoyed the boys' company.  Those guys can really crack me up!

After we got home and finished up all the painting and mowing and trimming and gazebo-building (pictures coming later!), it was time for the Schan-a-thon festivites to begin.  My mom's family hasn't had a reunion in 13 years, so there was much hugging and reminiscing and laughter.  A wonderful three days of reconnecting.  Mom and Lisa came a bit early to help with the preparations.  Here's mom showing off the incredible quilt she made for the silent auction.

Friday night started out with homemade soup and homemade bread for supper.  It was fabulous.  Of course, my wonderful Aunt Lorraine had to add all the special touches - pickles, cheese, BBQ beef for the bread, homemade mustard, creamed onions. That woman is something else!  Here she is with Aunt Hilda.

And here are a few hungry souls trying the soup!

After supper, we watched the slideshow made from photos various family members had sent.  It was great - over 600 photos and many more memories.

Lots of visiting and storytelling ensued, as at this lemon-lime table.

Heavy discussions at this table.  I'm sure many global problems were solved.

Each family had picked a color and designed T-shirts for the event.  It sure made it easier to sort out the relatives.  We were navy blue.

My cousin and his family were our houseguests, and his dad's family wore white with an Oiler's crest on them.  We let them stay at our place anyway.  Just this once.  

After brunch on Saturday, cousin Allan drove an old school bus full of relatives on a tour of the cemetery, Broadacres (where the ancestors once lived!), and a sod shack in the area.  I missed the bus, but am told that the stories were flying around that old bus.  Must have been a hoot!

When the bus returned, it was time for the big Rider/Eskimo football game.  With their priorities in good order, some of the guys had rigged up a dish and a TV (52" no less) in the back room of the hall in order to observe the rivalry.  

In spite of Danny's cheering (he's not really that tall - I caught him jumping for joy when the Riders were ahead)...

...the dreaded Eskimos came out the victors, forcing poor Danny wear this old green and gold rag.

While the football fans were being entertained, we had a great children's entertainer come in for the kids.  She was wonderful, and the kids loved it.  Many adults did, too!

Following a scrumptious supper supplied by the infamous Kraft Katering ("the other Kraft Dinner"), we celebrated some of the July birthdays in the family.

Following that, everyone enjoyed an evening of entertainment supplied by various family members - the talented ones, some would say!  But then again, some had quite a bit to drink.  Then it was more visiting and laughing and carrying on.  Here's me with a couple of the outlaws.

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves!

Sunday morning was photo time.  Lori, or "management", as she like to be called during the weekend, had put up a sign that read, "You can always tell a Schan, but you can't tell him much".  That saying was well-proven that morning as we tried to get all those square-heads organized for taking pictures.  We did manage to get a good one of Mom and her eight remaining siblings.

Here's a good shot of the oldest and youngest of the 50 grandchildren of Andy and Annie. (Hint: Myles is the oldest.)

I think I speak for everyone when I say "thanks for everything, Lori!"  You did a great job!  You looked good, too!

My cutie-patootie niece sums it up quite well - YAY!

And just to make this post a little bit longer, I must tell you about the visitors we had on Tuesday.  A couple came into the library to use the internet.  We got chatting, and it turns out they are returning to their home in Ottawa after an around-the-world, 15-month cycling trip. I invited them out for supper and to stay overnight, and we had a great visit.  You can read more about them on their blog, www.goingeast.ca.  Here are a few shots of Scott and Becky with their recumbent bikes.

So that's it for now!  Thanks, Chris and Lisa, for the pictures I stole off Facebook!  

Thanks for stopping in!

Chandra