Alberta bound

After a few days at home, I hit the road again, this time to lovely Valleyview, Alberta.  Clem's sisters, Chris and Cathy, and I attended the wedding of their cousin's daughter, Tanya and Adam.  I had never been to that part of our great country and really enjoyed the drive and the views.  It is four hours north of Edmonton, all on divided highway, so the drive, though long, is quite easy.  We arrived Friday evening and headed out to Spirit Creek Ranch to gather with other friends and relatives.  Rick and Jo-Anne built their house from trees they cleared from their own land.  It is a beautiful farm, and was all set up for the wedding.

They even had entertainment!  Rick's cousin played the banjo, gently and expertly serenading us all evening.

We arrived the next afternoon to find Kord all decked out in his rented tux.  (That was a great story - get Kord to tell you sometime!)  Here he is with Rick's aunt Claire, 81-years-young, who ended up boogie-ing till all hours of the night. 

Surprisingly, some of the Snell cousins sought out refreshments prior to the wedding ceremony.  

Chris and Margie thought they looked pretty dashing, and snapped a few photos.

This is Bill's son, Wylie, with his fiancee, Rena.  Their big day is in September.  

What a treat to find that Phyllis Lalear had made the trip with her son, Frank.  We had a great time catching up.    Phyllis never changes.

(Did you catch Ted Baxter with the blue sportscoat in the background?!)

The groom and his attendants looked very dashing.  What a treat to see the kilts!  The groom was wearing the family tartan (MacGregor), but the best man, brother to the groom, had to settle for the rented Campbell tartan.  Memories of Scotland!

Tanya's sister, Chisana, was the maid of honor.  Her daughters were the cutest flowergirls you ever saw, with matching yellow polka-dotted sundresses and matching sandals. 

Here's little Emma.

And here's Brynnley with Grandpa Rick.

The bride was gorgeous on the arm of her dashing father.

The backdrop of large evergreens was perfect for the beautiful yet informal ceremony.

After the ceremony, we visited and soaked up the sun.  There was much laughter and many stories of days gone by were recalled.  Here's a shot of cousins Cathy and Jack.

And here's the Bill Snell family.  Courtney and Renessa were both bridesmaids.

The supper and reception was held at the New Fish Creek hall, about four miles from Rick and Jo-anne's.  Tanya and Adam used to work as chefs at the Marriot hotel in Calgary, and as a wedding gift, six of their chef friends prepared the meal!  It was fantastic!  Rib eye steak, chicken breast roasted with apricots and pecans, scalloped potatoes, a salad bar to die for - absolutely amazing.  And the desserts!  Words cannot describe, so here are some photos!

Chisana and her friend, Amber, played a big part in planning and organizing the wedding, since Tanya and Adam have moved to Ontario.  This is Amber with Renessa.

The three siblings having a good convo.

And so the big day ended.  I think we all felt a bit like Emma, curled up here on Grandma Jo-Anne's lap.

 Before I got home on Sunday, Mom had picked up Derek on her way back to Lethbridge, where he was attending yet another hockey camp, this one courtesy of Grandpa Alan.  He had a great time, and Mom said everyone there knew Derek by name in very short order.  He ended up spending his 10th birthday there, as I was in North Battleford at a AAA midget try-out camp with Stephen.  He didn't make the cut, but I don't think he really wanted to play there anyway.  So whatever hockey holds for us this season, Stephen will still be at home and not billeted in North Battleford!

Thanks for checking in!

Chandra

Home, sweet home.

Yes, we got back from Weyburn!  After the obligatory stop at Dog River (aka Rouleau, SK) for a Corner Gas shot...

...we drove late into the night in order to rest in our own beds after a week of not-so-Perfect-Inn accommodation.  

Weyburn is a very nice little city.  It has all the amenities yet maintains it's small-town rural feel.  For instance, we had to make way for a large new combine traveling by the Scotiabank building, and one of the dads drove his tandem grain truck to the rink for the nightly scrimmage.   Ah, Saskatchewan.

The weather was pure Saskatchewan, as well.  It was extremely hot during the day (38 degrees one day) which brought on menacing clouds in the late afternoon.  Some days I wasn't sure what would happen.

All we got was wind and a bit of rain, though.  Made us feel right at home.

Derek and I took some time for a bit of touring.  First things first, we searched out the water tower.  

Then it was off to the outdoor Heritage Museum, where someone who looked like she was going to cut grass became our very knowledgeable tour guide.  Derek really got into it, asking many questions (I know, surprising, eh?).  He was especially intrigued by one house where an infant had died under mysterious circumstances - most of which were pure legend, I'm sure. 

The gardens here were amazing, and all done by a volunteer with donated plants.  The museum is located at the highest point in Weyburn, and was picture perfect, except for the view of the town dump.  Shelterbelts, people, shelterbelts.

Our last evening in town was lots of fun.  We imposed on my cousin Michael and his family and descended on their home with take-out food.  Michael's sister, Bonnie, and her kids, Adam and Kaycee, joined us as well.  It was Adam's 21st birthday, and ice cream cake was enjoyed by all at the end of a very hot day.  Derek and Sheldon, Mike's boy, (who is a year and a day younger than Derek!)  had a great time together, and snuck in an ice cream treat at the rink prior to the birthday cake! 

Adam and Mike's daughter, Shelby, posed for their pesky cousin.

The boys had great fun at their camps.  I think they enjoy the camaraderie with the other players even more than the hockey, but that's good, too.  Can you guess which one is Derek?  (Hint: look for tall and blue!)

Derek snapped a good shot of Stephen on the ice (green socks and, again, tall).

All in all, it was a good week.  I got in lots of hockey and lots of family time.  But the peas and beans were calling in the garden, so it was right back to the grindstone for me.  I guess it keeps me out of trouble!

Thanks again for stopping by!

Chandra

Greetings from Weyburn

My, how the time has flown, and how many events have transpired. I am currently sitting in a hotel in lovely Weyburn, Saskatchewan ("the Opportunity City", according to the tourism booklet in the room), home of Tommy Douglas, W.O.Mitchell, and a strangely familiar water tower (although unlike Kerrobert's, this one is no longer in use.) I haven't taken many pictures yet, but hope to do so on Friday when Derek is with me. He is attending hockey camp at Notre Dame College in Wilcox. I drove there last night to watch one of his games, and he hurt his shoulder on his first shift on the ice. But I did learn that he is having a ball and meeting lots of new friends. He is done on Thursday, and my wonderful cousin, Bonnie, will pick him up and bring him here to Weyburn. Her brother and his family live here, and Bonnie and her daughter want to see Stephen play at his hockey camp. This midget prep camp is very intensive. They start at 9:15 in the morning and except for a few half-hour breaks, go steady until 10:00 at night. Needless to say, he has no trouble getting to sleep here at the Perfect Inn (which Stephen wryly noted would probably never live up to its name!) Derek and I will do a little sight-seeing on Friday until Stephen is done, and then we will head home.

We received news that my baby brother, Rob, landed his dream job with Cameco in Saskatoon. We look forward to having them closer. I suggested they find a house with a suite in it in order to perhaps keep a nephew or two in the near future. Haven't heard back on that yet....

Also in the Schraefel news is sweet little Copper's first birthday. Apparently they had a party at Grandpa and Grandma's in Lethbridge, but I don't have any details on that. Auntie Lisa put up a great picture of Copper on her blog, if you are interested. (www.lisahuck.blogspot.com)

Derek, Mom, and I took a little trip to Thunder Bay. We got to see lots of relatives, and it was Derek's first commercial airplane trip. He was some excited. Bouncing may actually be a better word. And I think he talks even more when he is bouncing. It was not a peaceful little getaway. We had a four-hour layover in Winnipeg, so we went to visit Clem's aunt Louise. She is such a dear, and had a nice little snack and tea ready for us. She and Derek got along famously.

When we arrived at Thunder Bay, mom's cousin, Joanne, and her husband, Bill, picked us up and drove us to Manitouwadge (three and a half hours along Lake Superior and another half an hour north - Derek was thrilled!) to see Mom's uncle Joe and Barbara Schan, both of whom are in a care home there. Their daughter, Debbie, lives there as well, and she and her husband, Dave, were kind enough to keep us overnight. We had a really good visit, and were able to spend quite a bit of time with Uncle Joe and Aunt Barbara. Here are Mom and her cousins Debbie and Joanne with their parents.

Aunt Barbara can no longer speak, but she seemed happy to see Mom.

Uncle Joe is the last surviving sibling of Grandpa Schan, and he reminds me so much of Grandpa. He is much more emotional, though, and cries when he is happy as well as when he is sad! I just love that about him!

Derek was quite taken with him, and propped up a couple of little Saskatchewan flags in his walker. Uncle Joe is starting to forget things a bit, but he always knew Derek, and he still has a great sense of humor. Just after I snapped this picture of him and Derek, he asked me if I got a good shot of his pretty blue eyes

When we got back to Thunder Bay we stayed with another cousin of Mom's, Betty Jean and Jim Start. They were very gracious hosts, and took us sight-seeing and hosted a family gathering so we could meet more relatives! Derek was excited to see the Terry Fox monument that his dad had seen many years ago.
And of course we saw the Sleeping Giant, seen here in the background.


Derek and I also managed to get in a visit with another Clem's aunts, Anne, who lives in Thunder Bay with her son Jim. She is 92 and still in her own home.

The potluck lunch at Betty Jean's was great, and we were able to meet and reminisce with lots of relatives. Even Mom's Aunt Corrine came.

This is Betty Jean with her youngest daughter, Linda, and her son, David's, children.


Here's a shot of all the cousins that could make it that day.

It was a great trip, but it was nice to get home. Clem and the boys had continued working on the deck, and my garden was bursting with work for me!

On a sadder note, we received word that the son of a former CP colleague of Clem's was injured while serving in Afghanistan. He lost both of his legs below the knee. There is an article about him here: http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/lfwa/TF108/feature_fuchko_recovery.htm

Well, I'm off to the rink again for a bit to watch Stephen, grateful that he is healthy and able to skate. Thanks for stopping by, and check in later for more Weyburn news!

Chandra

The road to hell is paved with good intentions...

...and I am going to have one smoo-ooth ride, my friends. I have been composing posts in my head, always intending to record my witty musings in a timely fashion, but I guess I will now just lump some words and pictures together in what is turning out to be a monthly update!

The first potential post was about our spur-of-the-moment whirlwind trip to Lethbridge on the Father's Day weekend. We had a great time, blissfully unaware that a wheel bearing on the van was ready to seize at any moment. (It has since been fixed.) Jason and Terri had also decided to visit, so it was a houseful, and I'm sure Mom and Dad were glad that we and our three big boys could only stay a short while. I think they would have kept precious Copper longer, though, as she was certainly the center of attention for all involved.

She like hanging out with her cousins, especially Derek! She apparently doesn't mind being mauled somewhat!

Her morning was spent sitting on the table, hamming it up for everyone, and Grandpa was by far the most impressed with her entertaining abilities.

Copper's short night soon caught up with her, and she started to wane a bit...
...until daddy put her down for a nap (and joined her, I believe, as his night was a bit on the short side, as well!)

The second potential post was about our first-born, Adam, who turned 16 about two weeks ago. It hardly seems possible, considering how I am not much older than that myself! The post would have started with a really cute picture of him as a baby, grinning with his railroad engineer's hat on and showing off those amazing dimples. Alas, the scanner wouldn't work. Then I was going to show you a picture of him driving his new car. Alas again, since the examiner decided Adam could use a little more practice driving. So I will show you a picture of our handsome young man enjoying his birthday cake.

He doesn't enjoy his brothers quite as much, but here they are, "my three sons",

I'd still like to take a picture of Adam and his car, but since he did eventually get his license, we see very little of either one. He got a summer job at the local lumber yard, and so will hopefully be able to keep his car paid for and full of fuel!

The third potential post concerned Clem and the boys, who have been busy around the house and yard. We closed off the door in the kitchen, added a window on that wall, and replaced the existing window with garden doors. We also replaced our bedroom window. Then, to stop the cold Saskatchewan winter winds from stealing the heat in the house, Clem and his friend, Rob, along with help from Adam and Stephen, put new insulation on top of the old siding, covered the whole house with a weather wrap, and put on new siding. I was very impressed with the results!

Here's the inside view, pre-drywall and -paint (because they haven't happened yet, silly!)

Derek took some pictures while work was being done outside.


Stephen was lucky he didn't lose his pants!
Stephen was usually on the ladder, but we were all surprised to see Clem on one!

And finally, we were fortunate to have some friends from Scotland visit during their stay with their relatives and our neighbors, the Wrights. David and Lorraine were kind enough to host Lisa and me when we were in Scotland last summer, and it was so good to see them again.

From left to right: Lynn, me, Clem (who even entertained a bit with the guitar!), Lyle, David, Carol, and Lorraine.

Here's Derek teaching Lorraine how to use her camera.


So here we are, pretty much caught up, I think. The boys all had good reports cards. Stephen pulled up his socks and brought his average up ten points to 90%. He's deservedly proud of himself. Derek's average was about the same, and has been throughout the year. Adam passed - enough said.

The weather has been grand - lots of sunshine, and even lots of rain. Last Monday we had an inch in about 10 minutes, and then we had another inch (or maybe more - still guessing without a rain gauge!) on Sunday evening.

The crops look fabulous, and Clem's itching to spend some more money on machinery. But first things first - a deck to go with the new garden doors, and new steps in the front, necessitated when Stephen tried to replace some rotten boards and things got carried away - literally.

Anyway, life continues at the Schraefel ranch. Next time, I hope to include some pictures of the finished outside of the house, as well as Derek's first plane ride when he and Mom and I go to Thunder Bay next week.

Talk to you soon, and thanks for checking in!
Chandra

Happy Birthday to us...

It's birthday week again.  My brother and sister and I all celebrate our birthdays within 8 days.  It has always been fun.  Back in the day, Mom would have all of her family out one weekend and all of Dad's the next, so we would get two big birthday parties.  When we got older, we each had our own party with our school friends - birthdays were a big deal around our house.  

This is our group party with Mom's family (I can tell because Grandpa's car is in the background) in 1970, the year we got Charlie, that lovable black lab.  


Of course, birthday parties were not the only thing we shared back then:


And then there was the obligatory Christmas Eve picture, with the cute matching outfits.  Note the gun-carrying brother with the dapper scarf around his neck!



But enough traipsing down memory lane.  My dear neighbor, Carol, showed up with roses for me again this year.  They are gorgeous!



Adam and his friend Eric have been building rafts and trying them out in the dugout.  I don't think they were terribly successful, as I had to wash a load of clothes at 10:30 that night, but they sure had fun!  



Stephen decided not to attend the annual awards night at the school yesterday.  Pity, as he won two awards.  The first was a plaque for the most improved Grade 9 student.  The second was a certificate for taking 1st in divisional high jump and attaining 4th overall for his age group.  The academic award makes me the most proud, since he has been working hard to bring his grades back up after a slip this winter.  Shows what he can do when he puts his mind to it.

Derek has been busy with baseball and track.  He went to his division track meet today in Wilkie, also for high jump.  He didn't place, but he gave it a good try.   He only had the one event, so he came home with me when he was done, and we had a nice lunch together at Unity.  He was glad to have some time at home, as we got a new trampoline.  He spends every spare minute out there, and has a grand time trying various flips.   Good exercise, too.  I may try it myself, but I'm torn - I don't want anyone to see me, but I will need someone to be there for the inevitable call to the paramedics...

Must run.  Happy Birthday again, Mark, and Happy Birthday on Sunday, Lisa!

Thanks for stopping by!
Chandra