The Wind is Howling

When I first decided this morning that I should do another post, I was going to name it "Spring is Springing", since the crabapple tree is just busting open with blossoms and everything is turning green (or yellow, here where we don't spray for dandelions!), and my deck is loaded with bedding plants waiting to be planted.  However, now the land has started to blow, and it doesn't feel so "springish"!

The guys are close to being done seeding.  They should finish the wheat up today or tomorrow, and then just the flax is left to do.  It sure has been nice to have both Adam and Stephen around, although Stephen was rather pre-occupied with the Toronto exchange for a week.  We loved having Edward stay with us, and he seemed to enjoy his stay, as well.  Those city kids got a good dose of country living - a bonfire, cattle branding, zip-lining, and a tour of a Hutterite colony.  Clem gave Edward a short lesson on grain farming, as well, complete with a ride in the tractor pulling an air seeder.   I'm thinking Edward's favorite part, though, was the ride in Stephen's Caddy!

All the Toronto kids loved the horses and the wagon ride when they first arrived in town!

We had a BBQ in the park for them, and the Mayor spoke and gave out Kerrobert and Saskatchewan pins.

While looking for these pictures, I realized that I hadn't shared the photos from sweet baby Rogan's baby shower!  I was remiss!   Here you go!

The happy couple - Rob with his plate!

Auntie Terri holding the newest addition.













Uncle Jason - not sure we should let him hold babies, though!

Even Copper got a turn!

After the exchange bonfire at our place, Derek decided he should have his friends out.  So we did.  What a crew!

                       

               

And that's about it!  I had the doctor freeze some plantar's warts off my feet, so I am hobbling around these days.  But I'm chomping at the bit to get outside and dig in the dirt.  The garden is almost all in, and we've put in an order for rain as soon as the seeding is done.  I'll let you know how that goes.

Thanks for stopping by!

Chandra

Throw away the pens!

Note to self:  do NOT use ink on the calendar - it is PENCIL only!   I would note the family on that, too, but no one else ever writes anything on the calendar.  I am the Keeper of the Schedule, and I have created a group of humans who struggle to know where they should be at any given time of the day or week.  (Of course, they also struggle to locate the ketchup in the fridge, so perhaps I am assuming too much responsibility in this.) It is a heavy burden, but since it is self-imposed, I try to bear it with dignity.  Ya.  Right. 

Anyway, the long and short of it is that things can and do change around here in the blink of an eye.  Stephen and I made a nervous trip to K-town yesterday for his surgery.  After a longish wait, the surgeon came to speak with us.  He said that the hernia isn't too bad, and that, in his opinion, Stephen should go to Australia and have fun, and get the hernia fixed when he gets back.  OK then.  After a quick lunch (my boy hadn't had anything to eat or drink since midnight, a first in his life, I believe) and a whirlwind shopping spree (groceries, people, groceries.  Oh, and tractor engine oil - can't forget that!), we resumed our usual programming.  For the time being.   The Toronto students participating in the exchange program arrive on Friday.  That schedule has changed about three times since yesterday afternoon, so again, no pens.  Hopefully they will still be coming out here Saturday night for a bonfire (and to eat the copious amounts of marshmallows I purchased yesterday).  I also hope I manage to get the muffins and potato salad I pledged to make to the correct locations on the correct days at the correct times.   Those chicken scratchings in pencil can be hard to read sometimes!

Have a great day, and thanks for stopping in!
Chandra

Mother's Day

I've just had the best Mother's Day yet.  I think I may say that every year, but whatever.  I am not showered with gifts, or flowers, or cards, and sometimes they even forget what day it is.  But I know that deep down those strong, tall, silent-type boys really do like me and appreciate what I do.  They just have a little trouble communicating it, that's all.  And if I have learned anything after 21 years in a house full of testosterone, it's that guys don't talk about their feelings.  After that truth knocks you upside the head, it's more than satisfying to receive the odd hug or back-handed compliment. 

Yesterday, Derek had me watch a tear-jerker youtube video (on his new phone, don't you know) of people's opinions on what life would be like without mothers (although that premise is obviously flawed).  About halfway through, he asked, "When Mother's Day, anyway?"  I told him.  "Crap", he said, "I was just going to give you a hug. That sort of blows my plans for Mother's Day."   Life with boys!

After that touching moment, Clem and I left for the big city to take advantage of the Riverdance tickets with which we were gifted.  Wow.  It was absolutely amazing.  I had always thought that I would like to go, but the urge had never been strong enough to make me actually, like, buy tickets.  But it was incredible - the music, the lights, the dancing, everything.  I highly recommend it.  Clem even gave them a couple of his loud 'hockey game' whistles - high praise, though not entirely appreciated by the people in front of us, I'm sure.  There were what appeared to be many farmers (you know, hat hair and the start of the farmer tan) in the crowd, appeasing their wives for Mother's Day.  Too cute. 

Afterwards, when it appeared that the gridlock in the parking lot was going to last for quite a while, we walked over to a very nice little restaurant for a late, and scrumptious, supper.  Then these two old fogeys managed to stay awake for the drive home.  Well, the not-so-smooth condition of the highway helped again, as well.

Today, after a nice phone visit with the greatest mother in the world (that's mine, in case you're wondering),  I was treated to a lovely supper at The Grill, the newest restaurant in town, run by the lovely Lori.  The meal was fantastic, and the service impeccable.  But what made it so great was sitting around with my guys, talking and laughing.  A lot of laughing.  Those boys have incredible senses of humor.  They seldom fail to make me laugh, and that fact has saved their hides on numerous occasions.  It has also quite often made me choke when taking a drink of water, but what the hay.  All in good fun.  If you can't laugh at life, well, then, I guess you'd cry.  (Cut me a little slack here - it's late and this old brain is really struggling.)

So Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there, and I hope the rest of you made sure it was!  Thanks for stopping by!
Chandra

Quick Take Friday - on Saturday

Subtitle:  A Day Late and a Dollar Short

1.  I took the morning off at the library to bake bread for the local annual Mother's Day Tea and Bake Sale.  Then I slept in.  I will go to the tea and buy another's baking.  Next year I will bake again.  As I've said so many times in the past, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I am going to have one smooth ride, my friends.

2.  My lovely (and now favorite) aunt brought back two bottles of wine for me from their BC wine tour.  Apparently my secret addiction is not so secret...

3. Stephen's formerly non-urgent hernia repair will take place on Tuesday next.  After a whirlwind of phone calls and appointments, he's decided to get it done sooner rather than later.  He's hoping to be well enough to proceed with his plans to participate in a five-week hockey tournament in Australia beginning in early July.  Oh, to be young and naive, as opposed to old and envious (like his mother.)  He'll probably go.

4.  The men have started seeding, although the air drill is currently sitting in the yard for what appears to be minor repairs.  Our new hired man (Adam) hasn't arrived yet, so he is either not needed or had a really good time last night.  I speculate on these matters because, as an experienced farm wife, I know it is wiser to wait until I am told things rather than to ask questions.  Especially when you expect the one who knows the answers to take you to "Riverdance" tonight to take advantage of the wonderful gift bestowed on us by the Midget hockey team.

5.  I had a lovely visit with my brother and sister-in-law and their new addition yesterday.  The little perogie let me inspect and snuggle him to my heart's content (the baby, not my brother).  I love being an auntie!  When he began to protest my attentions, I was able to pass him over to his mother and hastily retreat to my two-hour solo sojourn.  I sometimes really love that drive - listening to music that I like, not having to share the snacks, and no phone (unless I need to check my messages, that is!)  Only a chauffeur would make it better!  But the rough narrow road and gi-normous potholes keep me awake.  Thanks, SK Highways!

6.  Derek has joined the ranks of RIM's BB addicts.  If someone had told me a couple of years ago that my preteen son would possess a smartphone, I would have laughed.  Although that would have been rather stupid since I know his father, who just the other day went out to purchase printer ink and came home with a BB Playbook.  Yes, he remembered the cartridges.  My children have inherited some wonderful traits from their father, along with that tendency to easy distraction and an addiction to gadgets.  Unfortunately their inheritance doesn't include independent personal wealth, so I do foresee some struggles in their lives!

7.  My Calgary brother and his family are enroute to the southern Alberta desert country to spend the Mother's Day weekend with our mom and dad.  I anticipate that he will now be in possession of the coveted "Favorite Child" pedestal, as I, at least, neglected to even send my mother a card.  Drat him and his proximity!  I will have to commence planning for her "special" birthday...

That's it - all blogged out for now.  I sincerely hope that none of you out there await my up-coming posts with bated breath, as I would hate to be responsible for all the fainting.  But thanks for checking in!
Chandra

I guess there IS life after hockey!

We travelled to the capital of Western Canada a few days ago to help my mom celebrate an incredible honour.  She won an Alberta Child Care Professional Award of Excellence - one of 12 winners from the over 800 nominated!  We are so proud!  It was a gala evening at the ol' Westin Hotel.  My niece, age 3, 

referred to it as a ball, and wore her butterfly dress.  Too cute!  

The woman of the hour!

      

       

 

A great time was had by all, to be sure!  

Last night we drove over to Dodge to partake of their Spring Fling, which consisted of good eats, good drinks, good company, and great entertainment in the form of two comedians with connections to the town.   The first was Donovan Deschner, who is Brendan Gall's (of Men with Brooms fame and Schraefel blood) honest-to-goodness twin, and the second was Cory Mack, (she's on youtube, too - check it out!) who made me laugh until I cried.   I had met her before, but hadn't seen her act, which is hilarious!  Thanks for the laughs, you two!

Clem and the boys spent this gorgeous spring day cleaning up the yard and shop, getting ready to work on some machinery - if we can ever get it out of the snow banks still in the muddy field.   I rewarded them with home-made burgers and onion rings, for which I received a compliment from Stephen.  After I picked myself up off the floor, Clem and I took a nice evening stroll down the road.  We saw and heard lots of geese, but the only other wildlife evident were the mice that Roxy was digging out of the snow in the ditches.  Ahh, life on the farm.

That's about all the excitement for now.  Thanks for checking in!

Chandra

My life in pictures.

Just got home tonight from the big city where I got to meet my nephew, sweet little Rogan.   It's hard to believe my baby brother is now a dad!  But he and his lovely wife did a fine job.  As Grandpa says, he's a keeper, and we'll put in an order for another!

Three generations!

It is Rob's birthday tomorrow, so we had a little celebration for him, too!

The Midgets are the 2011 SHA Provincial 'A' champions!  This was Stephen's third kick at the cat, so to speak, so he is pretty pumped.  The boys played hard - you could tell they wanted it!  They beat Estevan 6 - 2 in the two-game series.  The long, long, long bus ride was worth every mile!

 I will miss seeing #15 on the ice!

These are the photos from the trip to La Ronge.

It was all our harried flight attendant, wearing a Tiger jersey!, could do to get everyone served in the short one-hour flight!  

A view of Lac la Ronge, complete with ice road.  

We threw a surprise party for Mom's brother, Mark, at the end of February.  He was surprised, to say the least.  A good time was had by all!

Carla did most of the organizing, and did such a nice write-up on Uncle Mark.  Derek was there for moral support in case she was overcome with emotion!

Four of Mom's eight siblings!

Uncle Mark with some of his favorite nieces!

A cutie holding a cutie!

We haven't seen the moose around here for some time.  Perhaps our vicious attack dog scared it off!

Stephen has one more hockey game left in his minor hockey career.  The Midgets surprised everyone, themselves included, by taking the league's best-of-three final to the third game, so it's off to Dodge for a barn-burner on Friday.   After that, he can get his very long black and orange hair cut off!

Derek's team lost the Provincial semi-final against Kamsack, but went on to win the league final against the "lands" team from down the road(s).  He is now big into badminton, playing on the junior doubles team.  We splurged and got him a new racket with the rationalization that it is way less expensive than hockey equipment!

So that's the news from the ranch.  Thanks for stopping by!
Chandra

Quick Takes (because that's all we seem to have time for!)

1.  I seem to be living life in the fast lane.  I didn't realize that was possible while living in small-town SK and not having a full-time job, but apparently it can be done!  My mom dropped a 'subtle' hint last night on the phone ("I checked the blog last night and there's nothing new on there."  See?  Subtle.)  so I thought I should scratch out a few lines, anyway!

2.  I have lost (read: Derek someone "borrowed" and misplaced) the cable I need to download the pictures from my camera to the computer.  I have been waiting to blog until that shows up, but I'm starting to think that will be never, and then how will you know the hockey scores?  I'm sure that cable is in the house somewhere.  Or, it could have gone in the garbage like my favorite kitchen shears did when I was in Chile.  Or, someone could have broken in an taken only that cable.  You just never know.

3.  Flying is my new preferred method of travel to hockey games.  The Midgets flew from Saskatoon to La Ronge for Game 2 of the Provincial A Northern Finals.  What a blast!  I had fun just watching the kids enjoy it.  Oh, and we won the game 7 - 2, which was an added bonus.   The final round is with Estevan  (yep, we could fly there, too - I checked!), who will be here on Sunday.  We go back there next Sunday.  The Midgets are also in league playoffs, and should get by the semi-finals this week to meet the "lands" team from down the road(s).   Should be an exciting final!

4.  The Pee Wees are continuing their drive for Provincial "C" champs banner, and part of that drive is to Kamsack on Saturday.  For the record, everyone should know that Clem is actually going on the bus to the game.  First time EVER!  I've never been to Kamsack, but I think I will continue to live a full life without doing so.  It should be a good game, as we are only up two goals.

5.  It is COLD.  Cold, cold, cold.  And we have SNOW.  Lots of snow.  It's been an old-fashioned winter here this year.  But I must say it looks gorgeous this morning - fresh white snow, hoarfrost on the trees, and bright blue sky.  This is where one of those pictures would really come in handy.  Someone sent us this picture, and it pretty much sums up the weather thing.

6.  And, speaking of pictures, I have a few of the moose that has moved into our yard.  Of course, they are on the camera, so I can't show them to you.  Apparently the menu here is to his liking - willows, poplars, Colorado pine, chokecherry.  Who needs a windbreak around the farm, anyway? 


7.  I am reading the best book.  It is called "Left Neglected", by Lisa Genova, the author of "Still Alice".   Both books have made me realize how lucky we are, even with the cold, the bus trips, and the moose!

Thanks for stopping by!
Chandra 

I'm leavin' on a *prop* plane...

Saskatchewan is in a deep freeze again, and most folks are taking off for sunny warm locales at this time of year.  But not me.  No way, Jose.  (Those of you in the sunny locales may have met Jose.)  Nope, we're off to frigid La Ronge.  But we're traveling in style - West Wind Aviation's finest 44 passenger ATR-42 prop plane!  Turns out that, for not too much more moolah, you can convert a 6.5 hour bus ride and overnight stay in PA into a two hour van ride to catch a 53 minute flight and be home in your own bed before midnight.  And I'm likin' it.  The players are pretty darned excited, too.  What the heck - it could be their last hoorah.  But if they do get by La Ronge, we go to either Estevan or Midale for the final.  I've driven that drive - I am keeping West Wind on speed dial.  The Midgets trounced Wilkie in the first round of league play-offs.  It seems they've pulled their heads out of their you-know-whats and are playing some decent hockey again. 

The Pee Wees are still walking over everyone.  Last night they beat Maidstone 13 to 5 or some silly score like that.  There were a couple of tense moments when Maidstone came within two goals, but we shortened the bench and pulled through.  Oh - wait.  We shortened the bench and THEN Maidstone came within two goals.  Excuse me.  Derek took a ten-minute penalty for hitting to the head after the head of one of their shorter players came into contact with Derek's elbow.  Other than that, it was pretty calm.  Well, except for some of our rather intense parents.  But that's a whole other blog post, and one which would probably get me into trouble, so you won't read it here.  You don't have to kick me in the head twice!   I really need my own little sound-insulated booth at the rink so I could watch the games in solitary, and quiet, comfort.  So we're off to Maidstone tomorrow for a nice Sunday drive.  Then the Pee Wees have a break while their one and only goalie is off in one of those sunny locales for a week or so.   Then it will be on to Clavet or Kamsack for the northern final in that draw.  Go, Clavet, Go!

We were shocked and saddened to hear that 59-year-old David Neufeld died suddenly the other day.  I guess you just never know.  Live each day to the fullest, people.  David was an avid reader, and I will miss his regular visits to the library.  We always had such interesting chats!

Clem has become a working man again.  He is helping out a friend who clears snow around oil leases.  And this winter, there's been a lot of snow to push.  It's not a hard job, the hours are pretty good (few and far between!), and he gets to ride around in one of those fancy tractors that he can't afford! 

And that's about it for the updates.  Tonight is the Rage wind-up (get your tickets if you're in the area - supper will be good!).  Then the kids are off school for the week, so stay tuned for the next happy dance!

Thanks for stopping in!
Chandra

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's Valentine's Day, but we don't really celebrate that much around here.  It's a bit of a "girly" holiday, so you can probably understand why that just doesn't go over too well in this macho household, what with all the pink cupcakes and such.  Besides, there's not much time for hearts when we're always at the rink!  The Midgets and Pee Wees both advanced to the third round of Provincials.  The Pee Wees decimated their second-round opponents 25 to 1, and they decided, mercifully, not to come back to Kerrobert for another trouncing.  The Midgets beat Swift Current 14 to 2 in their series.  It was a great game in town this afternoon, and we had an amazing crowd.  It was good old small town hockey fun.  I think we showed those city-slickers how to put on a hockey game!   Although Speedy Creek might not be a city - I'll have to Google that one.

It was good to see the Midgets play so well after losing their last two league games, mostly because they just didn't try.  Hopefully they have got that out of their system, as we are heading into league playoffs (starting with Wilkie) and have to go to La Ronge for the next Provincial run.  Nothing like a drive to northern Saskatchewan in the middle of winter!

We had a sad week here.  We lost a very dear, long-time family friend.  Mary grew up with Clem's mom, and their mothers and grandmothers were friends.  Clem grew up with Mary's kids - he is even in a picture from one of their family reunions!  So although it was nice to see everyone when they were home, it was awfully hard to say good-bye to such a wonderful lady.  We sent her off in style, though!  I'm still recovering.

The weather has been so mild here, which is very enjoyable if you don't have to drive anywhere.  We're never sure what the roads are going to be like at any given time of any given day.  Makes it rather hard to plan anything.  Not a good thing for the manager of a hockey team!

So I am off to bed for a long beauty sleep - heaven knows I need it (and you are welcome to take that however you like!)

Thanks for checking in!
Chandra

Point form.

1.  It was -32 C when I got up this morning.  'Nuff said.

2.  The Pee Wees won the first Provincial series 22 - 3.  Does anyone else think they should have gone in a higher draw????   We went to The-Town-With-Three-Last-Names-in-the-Phonebook last night for game one of the second round.  We won 6 - 1.  Derek had two goals and three assists.  His comment:  "Good thing I went, or we would have tied them."  It was actually a pretty good game, and their goalie had the boys stymied well into the second period.  But I think he just got tired - the poor thing faced 60 shots in the game! - and it was all downhill from there.   I don't envy them having to come back here next weekend!

3.  The Midgets squeaked through their first Provincial round.  Rosthern beat us 3 to 1 in the second game, but we won the series 6 to 5.  Clem is setting up the second round with Swift Current at this very minute.  Stephen was very sick for a few days and was unable to write his departmental Chemistry exam, but managed to drag himself (literally) to the rink for the game!  The coach said the dressing room seemed like a hospital ward, but they played hard and had a couple of days to recuperate afterward.

4.  I have so far escaped the wrath of the flu bugs which have taken up residence in our town and school.  Stephen, Derek, and Clem succumbed to various symptoms but have rallied and will likely prevail.   Stephen said he has never felt so sick, ever.  It must have been bad, as I noticed that the car didn't move for almost two days.

5.  I spent the whole day Saturday, save for two hours at the library and one hour at church, at our local rink watching hockey.  Five games, folks!  The best game by far was the Initiation team, age 5 and under.  It was the best entertainment I've had in a long time!  (The fact that I stayed in town all day may or may not be related to the fact that Clem was sick in bed.  Just sayin'.)

6.  A local lady and her granddaughter traveled to Bangladesh in November to meet her foster child, whom she sponsors through Chalice.  (We have a Chalice foster child in Paraguay, and it's an amazing organization.)   They gave a presentation about their trip yesterday afternoon, and it was so good.  It was also so similar to my trip to Tanzania.  It was a good reminder to count my blessings.

7.  We learned last night of the death of Donna Purvis, whose mother, a McGinnis, grew up near my family farm and later worked for Clem's mom when the kids were small.  Another reminder to count my blessings and live every day to the fullest!

Thanks for stopping by!
Chandra

You may not believe this, but we've been busy with hockey!

Hockey is at full throttle, folks.  If you blink, you will miss a schedule change!  Games added, moved, delayed, pushed up, and canceled.  Makes it all that much more exciting!!  Really!

Derek and I were in the border city for a tournament on the weekend.  The Pee Wees held their own in the A level games, but didn't shine like they usually do.  Camrose came out hitting hard in the first game, and threw the boys (and girl) back on their heels.  The seriously poor officiating didn't help, either.  (And no, I'm not one to blame the ref, but this was BAD!  I was really scared someone was going to get hurt.)  Derek got the only goal - a scorcher from the blue line - just before he got thrown out of the game for hitting from behind (which he didn't really do, but that was neither here nor there for the refs!)  The three kids who were punching him in the head after the hit were allowed to remain in the game.  But enough about that.  Our team went on to win against Clavet, lose to Meadow Lake (a AA team, we were told, and we only lost by two!) and then win the C final against a Strathmore team.  I should mention that the officiating did improve over the weekend, and the 7 am Saturday game (yes, you read that right) was done by one guy (you read that right, too) who was amazing!   All in all, a good tournament, and lots of good visiting with the other parents.  The kids only got kicked out of the hotel pool once and got to pig out on junk food.  What more can we ask?

Well, I would have asked to be able to go to the Midget provincial game in Rosthern, but no one outside of Star Trek has come up with instantaneously transporting/beaming people around and I am very obviously not Lt. Uhura, so that wasn't going to happen.  The other two Midget moms and myself had to be content with periodic (get it, periodic?) text updates from the Rosthern arena, which cannot boast of good cell coverage.  The upside of that was that Clem got to visit outside the rink with the nervous dad of the Rosthern goalie.  The Tigers were down 2 - 0 at the end of the first, then kicked the defense into high gear on their hitting game, and ended up winning the game 5 - 2.  Clem said by the third period (aha - now the pun light has come on!) the Rosthern forwards were scared to come into our end.  It was a fast, clean, hard-hitting game, and Clem expects the same when Rosthern returns this Thursday.  I plan to be at that one.  The three goal lead is nice in this two-game total-point series, but no one knows better than these boys how easy it is to give that up!  (If your memory is even foggier than mine, you can check out that story here. )  The Pee Wees are in Delisle that same night for the second game of their first round of Provincials, but they are going with a ten point lead (yep, you read that right, too!  Three for three!) so I'm thinking it's pretty safe to miss that one.  Kudos to my cousin for offering to take Derek along with them. 

And speaking of cousins, Stephen had his own little cheering section in Rosthern when Clem's sister, Cathy, and her boy, Daniel, along with Clem's cousin, Joanne, showed up to watch the game and have a visit.  And of course Chris was there, too, as Dylan plays on the Midget team this year as well.  A little Schraefel family reunion!

The only other thing besides hockey going on around here is the weather. We have oodles of snow, and have had a few storms and lots of poor driving.  Just like "back in the day", as the boys would put it.  I'm thrilled with all the moisture, as I am anticipating a full dugout in the spring! 

So thanks for checking in!
Chandra