Quick Takes

1.  I am a working woman.  Like, a real job, where you get a paycheck and benefits and things like that.  I am the new office administrator at Arrow Reload, a new facility in town that transloads oil from trucks into railcars.  I wasn't exactly looking for a job, but a friend told me about the opportunity and with Derek heading off to boarding school (a rather expensive boarding school, I might add!), I thought I'd give it a whirl.  Turns out I like it.  (I really like the paycheck I just received!)  And I seem to be handling the whole "work eight hours there and then come home and try to do what I was doing before I was gone eight hours a day" thing.  So far.  Well, there's been one little meltdown - ok, maybe two - but all in all, we're managing.  Clem, of course, is being a dear about it all, and Derek doesn't seem to mind being parentless for most of the day.  Who am I kidding?  He loves being parentless!  What 14-year-old doesn't??

2.  I got the garden in, and it is doing very well, thank you very much.  We've had oodles of rain, so I haven't had to water at all. The weeds are pretty amazing, too, but I go at that a little bit each day.  I must say the yard is looking quite nice this year.  Since I'm working, we don't get to the lake nearly as often.  Had we known, we probably wouldn't have booked the seasonal site, and may not next year.  Besides, with the birds singing, the dugout full, and our peaceful little piece of the prairie, it's almost like being at the lake anyway!  We just need a screened room to keep the mosquitoes out so we can enjoy it!

2.  Clem's nephew graduated from high school.  Clem is the local sound guy, and usually gets asked to take care of that for the ceremonies.  This year, the graduating class sent us two supper tickets as a thank you, which was very nice.  Plus, the sound room is up on the mezzanine, so you get a pretty good view.

The class was a little short of females, so Dylan's partner for the first dance was his buddy, "Shrimp"!

 Pretty dresses!

Dylan dancing with his momma.

 Hugs!

Family friends - we both had three boys, all buddies - and we have done a lot of 

commiserating over the years!  You can't tell from this picture, though!

 

3.  The lease on our van is done, so I decided to switch things up a bit.  This is the first time we haven't had to choose a vehicle based on how many hockey players and their equipment would fit in the back.  After the harsh winter we've had, and all the rain this spring, our roads have taken a beating.  Something with 4WD and a service department closer than Saskatoon was definitely in order!  So now I am sporting a fancy new Ford Escape.  And loving it!

 

4.  Clem, always the innovator,  devised a great way to clean out the old combine.  He used his trusty lift and a power-washer.  You'll also note his right-hand-man, the golf cart, which gets him around the yard with ease!  (I use it, too, for gardening and yard work.  It saves my back, and a lot of steps!)

5.  Stephen was home for a few days.  He switched a couple of shifts around so he could have a month off and take in the Schan reunion happening in a couple of weeks.  (Rather fortuitous timing, as he broke his wrist his second day off.  I am NOT putting that story on here.  Or the picture of his scarred face!)  This will be the first time in many months that all three of our boys will be here at the same time.  I'm looking forward to it.  I think I'll have someone take a picture, too!

6.  Derek successfully made it through Grade 9.  It's been a bittersweet month for him - and us - as he was anxious to be done the school year but knows he is off to unfamiliar territory in the fall.  It will be an experience, for sure!  All most of his teachers told me that they are really going to miss him in the school, but they think he will do very well at Notre Dame.  Good to hear!

7.  Clem and I spent yesterday afternoon attending first a memorial reception for the father of one of Clem's classmates (she is also our boys' work boss) and then the 80th birthday reception for the mom of one of Clem's best friends.  Amazing how life changes!  An afternoon like that would have been scoffed at a few years ago, but it was really quite enjoyable. 

And that's all for now, folks.  Thanks for stopping by!
Chandra