First day of Spring.

Imogen is sitting on what we were going to make into a quinzy but it was too close to spring and the snow didn't last long enough to hollow it out.










The other picture is of a wonderfully tasty, colourful meal that Ruth (aka: The Best Cook in the World) made for supper. Chicken, carrot salad, purple potatoes, cucumbers, radishes, green beans, and 60% whole wheat bread with orange juice. Mmmm, yummy.

Before we left Phoenix I got to see how they transplant cactus plants with a tree mover apparatus. Also Kamber who is six months old showed her best trick by standing in my hands. Her grandfather Ben Gallaway was proud of her. When we got to Edmonton my brother picked us up from the airport and the next day we both wore black socks, blue jeans and blue checkered shirts. Marj called us the twins. Ruth took this picture of the last day (hopefully) of frost this winter. The cactus is called sagauro.

Yuma AZ

The large rock in the glass case is a petrified dinosaur egg . We stopped to visit Eldon and Kathy Meade on the way to Yuma. (The juxtaposing of these two pictures is entirely accidental.)






















When we got to Yuma we were surprised to find some other visitors there that we knew besides Shirley and Lee Deitz. We met at Norma and Vern Erikson's place Glen and Kay McMillan, and Russell and Glenda Knutson, so there were eight of us that were there for supper. It was good too!

Trip to Phoenix AZ

Leaving snowy Calgary about 11:oo AM on Feb. 15 on Westjet. This is contrasted with a view from above of Phoenix, Arizona where there is no snow and the vegetation is starkly different.
We had a great flight except for the long delay in Calgary getting through US customs and security. It was interesting that they made us do the long line-up in Calgary and when we got to Phoenix it was like you were home free.





The plants are much more suited to a tropical and a desert climate in Phoenix. You can tell from all the cacti and different palm trees that are ubiquitous here. The holes are made by a cactus wren that inhabits them.

Moving day for Andrew--Empty nest for Ian and Ruth

This is Andrew in his new kitchen. When I was helping him pack I found his bus that he collected 12 pictures taken from Grade 1 in 1984 all the way through Grade 12 in 1996. He bought a condo and moved out today. The empty bedroom is the one that he used ever since Angela moved out. I'm helping him install blinds in his new kitchen. He had several friends help him move. Thanks to Fujian L., Robert O., Jeremy M., John W., Rob W., Xavier and Niels W., Mike S. for their help.

Bob Parker's retirement party

Although Bob is still working half-time for the church he has retired from full-time ministry. We had about a hundred people (actually it was 139 people) turn out to see pictures from the past, to hear commentaries from friends and co-workers, to a game contest of who knew
Bob best, and to share in desserts and conversations. It was a great night of reminiscing. Pamela Stonehouse made a wonderful cake, we had Ray and Ellen McMillan and their grandchildren Autumn and Andrew (Ray is now employed part-time by the Saskatoon church) come from Regina, and we had many volunteers help to make it possible. A big thank-you to all who helped out.

Brunch at Smitty's

Neil Bailey and Darcy Folk flew in from Toronto (via Abottsford BC) on Friday and we met them at Smitty's for brunch on Saturday. It was good to visit with them and we look forward to seeing them again June 1 coming up.

U of Saskatchewan Spectrum show

Ruth and I went with Jennifer, Imogen and Yoyo to Spectrum and enjoyed many displays. Yoyo was able to suspend a metal disk in the air using an electrically charged wand. We went into the most expensive room at the U of S which was a specially suspended room that helps virtually eliminates echos with wedge-shaped baffles. Jennifer got to stand inside a soap bubble and Imogen and I got to pretend to drive some pretty hot racing cars. And Jennifer and Yoyo got to experiment with some green-coloured corn starch mixed with water. A fun time was had by all.

Mild January weather.

Glory and Yoyo learn how to play dominoes a favorite game in Jamaica. Ruth took Yoyo to Kiwanas Park and met two of the women from the hockey team with their gold medals when they were there as part of the Olympic Torch Relay.


Imogen really enjoys her new outfit from Yoyo, a student from Taiwan who is staying at Jennifer's.
And Imogen loves to be reminded of her trip to Europe where she got to ride on Grandpa's shoulders on many sightseeing trips.