Joseph is flying home to Ghana

Joseph's dad wants him to come home so here Joseph is practicing flying. Lindsay Orr is his assistant.

Barb and Dave Patterson held a pot-luck barbeque for Joseph to wish him well. We are hoping that within three to four months Joseph will be back.







Joseph always has a big smile and he will be missed.











Jennifer and John also made it to the barbeque along with many others from the church. 

Mailbox touchup

I meant to include a picture of the repainted mailbox . I had to do some repair work on it since it was looking pretty shabby. The snowplow hit it twice this past winter so it is a little bent up.








Last Sunday we had the Wohlberg family over for dinner after worship service. Mike and Penny and their two sons, Logan and Geron came and they brought their motorbikes with them. The last picture is Mike on Ruth's 21 speed bike.

 

A Day OFF!

I went to work today and was stopped at the door and told that a recently installed transformer failed, there was not power at Kelsey and I had the day off! Maybe this is a practice day for when I retire in a couple of years. I have already done some garden work and I finished touching up the lettering on the mailbox. I did the rock touchup about a week ago; it was about 16 years ago that I first painted the rock so that wasn't too bad.
Yesterday evening was the last day of Judo until next September.
This is a view of the property from the south driveway. 

You can tell spring is here when . . .

You can tell spring is here when the trees start to leaf out and develop some personality instead of looking like dried up sticks poking out of the ground. Also it is supposed to hit 21 C today and you can see the early morning sun in this picture. I think that spring is my favorite time of year because it says that summer will soon be here which is actually my favorite but it is too short. 

More visitors

We had a pigeon show up (actually Ruth saw three of them) and they have been checking things out while leaving their calling cards. Ruth thinks that they were attracted to the pond since they were drinking from it.



Joseph came by and was doing some RRSP stuff with me. He had time to beat me at a game of darts before he left.
 

Visitors

We had 15 at the dinner table this Sunday. Ruth had invited Comfort and Samuel Brewer and their family for dinner and he asked her if he could bring some friends. The Valentine family were their friends from Liberia but had been in Ghana in a refugee camp since 1994. They have been in Saskatoon for only two weeks .

The second picture is Comfort and Samuel.
The third picture is the Valentine family. From left to right: Morley(the dad) and Varnetta(Pinky), Theotis, Roberto, and Anju Jarsayway.

Easter activities

Jennifer was director of a musical again this year at her school (Ecole River Heights School) and here she is in front of one of the colourful sets that they had for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory. Two of the main characters are on each side of her. And chocolate cake was served afterwards. Jennifer and John are driving to Calgary so they can visit Angela, Brian and Ivan and ? over the Easter break



I have about 11 days off before I go back to work so one of my projects is to replace an interior hollow-core door with an oak door. I have it stained and this is the second coat of Varithane that I am putting on inside the Cover-all. That way Ruth won't be bothered by the fumes. .

Several people commented on my wearing of sandals all winter. Some asked me what I did when I came to a snow drift. I replied laconically, "I am wearing my snow sandals."
Actually, the feeling of cold snow against the feet is similar to snow on warm hands. It is refreshingly cool at first but the water quickly vaporizes and the feet dry off quickly. I wonder if it is similar to taking a snow bath after being in a sauna. That I haven't tried. 

Signs of Spring

Spring means taking down the snow fence. We had a five foot drift of snow and it is almost gone now.

Famous couple

Do you remember when it cost only 46 cents to mail a letter? This was also the time shortly after Angela graduated from the University of Regina. Ruth and I went to Wascana slough. . . I mean Wascana Lake and used the background of the lake and Jennifer took our picture. The Post Office of Canada thought it was an appropriate enough picture to put on a stamp! Really! Although this is a fairly rare stamp (Only five in general circulation) with a total run of twenty-five stamps, I suspect that on the general market they would not be worth a whole lot. However, it is a real stamp and five letters were mailed legally with the stamp attached. Both of us look a bit younger; time marches on. We have now been together over 34 years (our 35th wedding anniversary is in July).

No sunglasses and 11 months later

I took this picture in the computer room just so I could post it on this site. I have been teaching a computer class for the last 10 weeks and I will have another 10 week one to teach before the end of June. It has been fun to learn along with the students.

Organized Chaos

If you have never heard of the phrase, "A neat desk is the sign of a sick mind," now you have. My filing system is unique and I know where everything is!

First time on a blog

This is new for me. I decided to start a blog because everyone is doing it! Actually, my three kids all have blogs, many of their friends have blogs, and many of my younger relatives also have blogs. So I guess I'll try to keep in touch this way also. Another reason is that I am requiring my students in my computer class to start up a blog also, so what is good for them should be good for me also.
Ian