I have seen some awesome scenery. It's no wonder so many people (a lot of Ontarians) have moved to British Columbia. Some views were simply breathtaking. I hope my pictures come through. Also, after more than 10 days of cloudy, rainy, drizzly, misty, foggy and snowy weather, I finally saw the sun today, which I'm sure made everything look even more spectacular.
I've driven 5,359 kilometers. I'm almost due for an oil change. But, my Escape has been very good to drive.
I drove through Jasper National Park, all the way to Lake Louise and Banff. Had to avoid Big Horn Sheep, Elk and one deer...all on the road. So, you have to be sharp which interferes with the sightseeing.
Last night I stayed with a former Sudburian, Andy Adam and his family. It was a very enjoyable visit and I got to meet most of the boys. Andy has lived in Nelson BC, for the past 25 years(if I remember correctly) and you can't blame him after looking around the stunning surroundings. Thanks a lot guys.
Tomorrow, it's off to Vancouver and now I'm going to try and download some pictures to this site. Hope it works(Julie:you may have to help me out here)
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Weekend in Debden
Weekend in Northern Saskatchewan: Albertville & Debden Weather is cold wet and windy...stopped in Albertville to visit more cousins, Odile and Edgar Cyr who live on a 500 acre farm. It's amazing how busy these folks are, even in their 70's, they don't stop. Edgar is building a water heating system on his property. He will heat water with this huge stove and it's all piped in to his house. They have rented out their acreage but a lot of the crops are still sitting there as it's been too wet to bring in. They were wonderful hosts. They had celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this summer.
I tried to connect with another cousin who has an alpaca farm but our schedules didn't match. Edgar noticed an oil leak on my Escape so when I drove to Prince Albert, I stopped at the Ford dealer and they told me I had a transmission coolant leak that had to be fixed. I made an appointment for the next day and went to find a motel. That evening I went to the casino and won $1,500.00. The next morning, brought my car to Ford and picked it up at 12 and drove to Debden.
I arrived at cousins Denis and Angéline's. I had never met these relatives but they made me feel very welcome. It's funny but I had seen so many pictures of them from other cousins who had attended Odile and Edgar's 50th and it was like I knew them. My other cousins, Phillip and Victor came over in the evening for a visit.
The next morning we drove to a farm where 18 locals were rebuilding a fence/wind barrier of a "neighbour" whose fence had burned down the week before. It was a beautiful example of people working together to help a friend. That evening we watched the Riders and Bc football game won by the Riders in overtime.
The next day, Sunday, Oct. 25, it was mass and then coffee at Victor and Helene's where their son Donald and his wife Gail who have 11 children, ages 2 months to 19 years were visiting. I suggested to Gail that she must be really happy when school starts up in September but she surprised me when she said that she does home schooling with the children. Wow: what an amazing woman and she looks so young!!!
In the Afternoon, Phillip, my 80 year old cousin, took me to my grand-father's original farm. This was a moment I had been looking for. I had spent a week there as a five year old. All that's left now is the old barn that's starting to collapse and the old "shack" where the family called home for several years(my mom was born in that house). It's now used as a shed/garage. It was an emotional time for me...I was standing on the spot where my roots began. This is where I recalled my short time spent here with my mom, dad and sister Murielle in winter. My sister and I had tried to drown a chicken...what had possessed us???
I also remembered going in a cabboose, a horse-drawn covered wagon with about 6-7 of us in it. It was a very cold night but the wood stove helped keep us warm. My uncle Ovila was driving but couldn't see the road because of ice buildup on the glass window and he said: "Oh, the horses know the way home". A few minutes later, the cabboose rolled on it's side and my mom, in her fur coat, fell on the stove. Everyone was concerned that she may have burned her coat but there was no damage done.
While on the "homestead", I could imagine my mom playing with her siblings(they were 5 children), working in the garden, playing with the cats, playing baseball(they had a nick-named my mom "Babe Ruth" as she was a good ball player).
Afterwards, Phillip also took me to his mom and dad's old farm(Aunt Noella had 13 kids), but there was nothing left of the original buildings.
That evening we all went to Victoire for a huge church dinner...turkey and tons of homemade food. We went back to Denis' after and the guys played cribbage. My cousin Denis won all the games and he is now the crib champ. We also played 3-13 or Pay me, which I won. October 26, I had breakfast with Denis and Angéline. I had mixed emotions saying my goodbyes as I was leaving for Edmonton. It was a bittersweet moment as I had experienced all kinds of emotions while spending time here.
I tried to connect with another cousin who has an alpaca farm but our schedules didn't match. Edgar noticed an oil leak on my Escape so when I drove to Prince Albert, I stopped at the Ford dealer and they told me I had a transmission coolant leak that had to be fixed. I made an appointment for the next day and went to find a motel. That evening I went to the casino and won $1,500.00. The next morning, brought my car to Ford and picked it up at 12 and drove to Debden.
I arrived at cousins Denis and Angéline's. I had never met these relatives but they made me feel very welcome. It's funny but I had seen so many pictures of them from other cousins who had attended Odile and Edgar's 50th and it was like I knew them. My other cousins, Phillip and Victor came over in the evening for a visit.
The next morning we drove to a farm where 18 locals were rebuilding a fence/wind barrier of a "neighbour" whose fence had burned down the week before. It was a beautiful example of people working together to help a friend. That evening we watched the Riders and Bc football game won by the Riders in overtime.
The next day, Sunday, Oct. 25, it was mass and then coffee at Victor and Helene's where their son Donald and his wife Gail who have 11 children, ages 2 months to 19 years were visiting. I suggested to Gail that she must be really happy when school starts up in September but she surprised me when she said that she does home schooling with the children. Wow: what an amazing woman and she looks so young!!!
In the Afternoon, Phillip, my 80 year old cousin, took me to my grand-father's original farm. This was a moment I had been looking for. I had spent a week there as a five year old. All that's left now is the old barn that's starting to collapse and the old "shack" where the family called home for several years(my mom was born in that house). It's now used as a shed/garage. It was an emotional time for me...I was standing on the spot where my roots began. This is where I recalled my short time spent here with my mom, dad and sister Murielle in winter. My sister and I had tried to drown a chicken...what had possessed us???
I also remembered going in a cabboose, a horse-drawn covered wagon with about 6-7 of us in it. It was a very cold night but the wood stove helped keep us warm. My uncle Ovila was driving but couldn't see the road because of ice buildup on the glass window and he said: "Oh, the horses know the way home". A few minutes later, the cabboose rolled on it's side and my mom, in her fur coat, fell on the stove. Everyone was concerned that she may have burned her coat but there was no damage done.
While on the "homestead", I could imagine my mom playing with her siblings(they were 5 children), working in the garden, playing with the cats, playing baseball(they had a nick-named my mom "Babe Ruth" as she was a good ball player).
Afterwards, Phillip also took me to his mom and dad's old farm(Aunt Noella had 13 kids), but there was nothing left of the original buildings.
That evening we all went to Victoire for a huge church dinner...turkey and tons of homemade food. We went back to Denis' after and the guys played cribbage. My cousin Denis won all the games and he is now the crib champ. We also played 3-13 or Pay me, which I won. October 26, I had breakfast with Denis and Angéline. I had mixed emotions saying my goodbyes as I was leaving for Edmonton. It was a bittersweet moment as I had experienced all kinds of emotions while spending time here.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
1st couch surfing experience
useless/useful trivia trivia:
Road Kill seen so far:
3 skunks
1 deer
3 coyotes(Sask)
2 foxes
been gone 7 days
2800 kilometers driven
BACK TO MY ROOTS Had dinner at a cousin's and two of her chidren and their spouses last night in Moose Jaw. It was very enjoyable. Cecile is a great cook and she even tried a new recipe that the "girls" wanted a copy of. I'm preparing to go north to Saskatoon, Debden, St Denis and about 4 other little towns that I've never heard of. My mother was born and raised in Debden. I was there as a 5 year old and also went back as an adult when my grand-father died. So, what is pushing me to go up there. Most are cousins I've met maybe once, years back, some that I hardly remember. I have already met 3 cousins in Manitoba. I'm thinking to myself:why don't I just go west and south where it's warmer? What is drawing me up there? Just that, a return to my roots. Plus, I'm really enjoying driving in the prairies, it's almost spellbinding. Sometimes it's like being on the ocean...when you can't see the shore...it's so vast. Getting back to my cousins and the trip north, I'm
Road Kill seen so far:
3 skunks
1 deer
3 coyotes(Sask)
2 foxes
been gone 7 days
2800 kilometers driven
BACK TO MY ROOTS Had dinner at a cousin's and two of her chidren and their spouses last night in Moose Jaw. It was very enjoyable. Cecile is a great cook and she even tried a new recipe that the "girls" wanted a copy of. I'm preparing to go north to Saskatoon, Debden, St Denis and about 4 other little towns that I've never heard of. My mother was born and raised in Debden. I was there as a 5 year old and also went back as an adult when my grand-father died. So, what is pushing me to go up there. Most are cousins I've met maybe once, years back, some that I hardly remember. I have already met 3 cousins in Manitoba. I'm thinking to myself:why don't I just go west and south where it's warmer? What is drawing me up there? Just that, a return to my roots. Plus, I'm really enjoying driving in the prairies, it's almost spellbinding. Sometimes it's like being on the ocean...when you can't see the shore...it's so vast. Getting back to my cousins and the trip north, I'm
Monday, October 19, 2009
In Manitoba heading for Saskatchewan
Hi all: had trouble accessing this blog. I've made it to the border of Manitoba/Saskatchewan. Visiting a number of cousins in the area. I have an aunt who had 13 children and I'm hoping to drop in on most of them. It's been very nice travelling the last few days and I saw some beautiful country. In St Leon, Man., saw a wind farm with close to 50 wind turbines. I'm in Virden, Man.(oil capital of Manitoba) right now and my cousin is taking me to see some of those "pump jacks".
Haven't had time to download pictures yet, but that will come.
Later today, heading off to Moose Jaw and after that, my mother's home town of Debden. I think I have 4 cousins up there.
Ok, see you later.
Haven't had time to download pictures yet, but that will come.
Later today, heading off to Moose Jaw and after that, my mother's home town of Debden. I think I have 4 cousins up there.
Ok, see you later.
Monday, October 12, 2009
I'm packing for the big trip
Just got back from camp. Julie is helping to set me up with a blog. I will be updating this blog throughout my trip and will be posting photos. I will also set up this blog so that every new posting will show up on my Facebook profile.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
