Trip to Weyburn, Midale, Muirhead farm and Ft. Q'

Ruth and I had a wonderful trip last Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We first past this quaint town called Dog River. I was never there before (Oh, and I still haven't been there!) We stayed at Bill and Vi Bell's place in Weyburn for both Friday night and Saturday night. They are awesome Rook players. Vi was in good spirits but is a bit frustrated that she cannot do all that she would like to. On Saturday we visited Uncle Cecil Bailey in the Midale Manor and Bill Muirhead fed us a feast at lunch time. Then we made arrangements to go to Ian and Janet's place in Fort Qu'Appelle for Kellen's first birthday. On Sunday Scott Wade had a great sermon on suffering. We visited with Florence Gates and Helen Parker at the nursing home before heading out to Fort Qu'Appelle.
There we had another feast with 23 other people. We made it home about 11 oclock Sunday evening.

First Effort at making an Igloo!

I suspect that this is a bit bigger than the authentic igloos which the Inuit built. However, it is the first chance that I have had at making one because one needs the hard packed snow that results from a blizzard (like we got a few weeks ago). I have yet to finish the dome and it is over eight feet high already. Maybe it will be finished tomorrow. The temperature when I got up this morning -32 C. (For comparison - 4o F is equal to -40 C.) Check out the frozen mustache and beard.

Snow on bench

Ruth was sweaping the snow off the balcony when she noticed the bench with its intricate design of snow from the recent blizzard. She took my camera a shot this picture of the bench. It is amazing the designs and creations that were made from driving snow being plastered over everything by 50 mph winds.

Blizzard of Ought Seven

The first picture shows part of the design left in the aftermath of the blizzard.
The second shows the cover page of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. Three people froze to death in Saskatchewan due to this storm. My school was closed at noon to allow people to go home. I didn't leave town but I stayed at Jennifer and John's place. They fed me supper and I had a nice warm bed to sleep in so that was a great blessing. The next morning I drove home to find that Andrew never did make it to work Wed. morning. One driveway was completely snowed in with a four foot drift and the other was impassible except for the first fifty feet. I had breakfast Thursday morning and went back to Saskatoon even though I had no classes to teach that day. I was able to get lots done in the city as the main roads had been plowed all night by city snow clearing crews. Everyone had a survival story of some sort. For example, stepping out of Kelsey was like putting your face in the path of a sand blaster as the 50 mph winds drove tiny spikes of frozen snow into my face. It took me 20 minutes to get out of the parking lot at work and another hour to get across a bridge and across town.

Christmas reunion

First picture:
Andrew, Jennifer Wallace, Ian and Ruth, Angela Baggett holding Ivan,
Andrea Hermann, John Wallace, O'Neil Simpson, Brian Baggett holding Dominique
Second picture:
Amber, Everett, Marj, Pete and Cayley MacLeod

Third picture: A German choclate layer cake that Andrea baked and was very delicious!

Gordon Hector Wallace

It was a cold windy day with about 6 inches of snow on the ground when we put Gordon to rest on Friday November 10, 2006 at the Woodlawn Cemetery. Bob Parker did an excellent job (once again) of reminding everyone what this life is really about and how important it is to keep the Creator of all things in mind and how He has a better place for us all. There were about 80 people in attendance for the 2:00 service and it was heart-warming to be surrounded with so many caring people in this time of great sorrow.

November Snow

Angela requested some pictures of the fresh snow that we just got for Ivan. So here are the pictures. The first has some bird tracks on our front balcony. The second is a small spuce tree loaded down with snow in the front yard. And the third is a picture of grandpa standing on the back deck with sandals on. (It is supposed to get cold tomorrow. It was terrible getting to work this morning--it took me over one hour--because the coat of rain that fell before the heavy wet snow fell. Just part of the joys of living in Saskatchewan.

Life and Death

Charles Dickens opening line in A Tale of Two Cities is "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Ruth and I were able to rejoice in the birth of Dominique Baggett in July of this year. We held her and rocked her and were able to rejoice in being able to see her 18 month old brother react to his new sister. Also Ruth and I were able to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary in France but our holiday trip was tempered by the knowlege that my sister Laveena was dying. She died while we were in France and we remembered her life on Thanksgiving day in Saskatoon. But the worst shock was the death of Jennifer's baby. When she went to the hospital for the delivery Nov. 1, they could find no heartbeat. The baby was born natually the next day about 1:00. John and Jennifer named him Gordon Hector Wallace after both of their Grandfathers. The baby was 10 pounds 3 ounces and was perfectly formed. There is a Chinese proverb that says that there is no house that doesn't have its hush. We certainly know what that means. Once again we are reminded that this life is just a passing shadow and there is a much better one to look forward to. We are also reminded to appreciate all the more how fragile life is and that we need to be kind and loving and remember what is really important in our everyday living.

Laveena's Remembrance Continued

The first picture is Cayley, Amber, Rhian, Jennifer and Sarah
Next is Sion, Sarah, Cayley, Amber, Everett, Robin Andrew, Jennifer and Rhian in front.

Peter, Archie, Ian, and Warren MacLeod











This is Rhian's newest tatoo; it is a picture of her mom's graduation photo.



Rhian, Wyn, and Sion Gittins.

It was a really worthwhile getting the family together to visit, reminisce, and hang out together for a short time.

We had over forty people for Sunday dinner!

J Warren (Duff), Arden (Archie), Ian, Eldon (Peter) MacLeod with a picture of Laveena Gittins who died on July 28, 2006. We had a memorial/remembrance service in Saskatoon on Thanksgiving Day Oct. 10, 2006. She will be missed by her husband Wyn, children Rhian and Sion and Sion's wife Trina and their children Ashley and Breanna as well as many other family members and friends.