I love the lamp posts. Each area has their own unique posts.
Here's one the the streets I explored. The house were very very large and I couldn't hear the traffic from the busy 104 Ave. It was like being in a small town.
I have been working and rushing and driving and getting home to work again. Today, I did my first walking tour of Edmonton. The weather was perfect, sunny with a north wind to keep me cool. The first stop of course was the Molson clock. SR lived here for seven years and all but one of his apartments had a view of the famous Molson's clock (which records the temperature as well). This is right behind my apartment.
Walk to the front of the Molson's brewery and you see the fort. I have only driven past this site which is right on 104th Ave. Not something you usually see in the downtown of a major city.
All of the trees and bushes are now in full bloom. The colours and scents are wonderful. The trees are laden with blossoms with the petals softly falling on the sidewalks.
One thing I always loved about Edmonton was the tree lined streets. Although many of the streets are merely apartment buildings, the trees bring the country into the city and make strolling pleasurable. I first walked along 104th (actually looking for a florist I saw while driving, but obviously was on the wrong street). Then 104 Ave turned into Stony Plain Road. I explored some of the small green side streets and found wonderful old refurbished houses in park-like settings. I felt like knocking on some doors to view the inside, but restrained myself. I then cut over to 102 Avenue to walk back. Stopped at a coffee house along the way for a wee rest, then continued home.
Watched the LA Galaxy v Vancouver Whitecaps playing a friendly at the Commonwealth Stadium tonight. Of course the star of the game was David Beckham.
Beckham took all the corner kicks and he can still "bend it like beckham".
He played 75 minutes of the game. It was great watching him play. Vancouver won 2-1. Vancouver's 2nd goal was excellent but the goal scorer did get yellow carded when he pulled off his shirt to celebrate.
And, this was my buddy at the game. SR bought me the tickets to the game for my birthday gift -- thanks so much SR. I enjoyed watching the game even though I had a cold and it rained on us.
The boys helped purchase the flooring and started work on it right away. It felt so good to get rid of that awful carpet that was there.
The flooring was done, and all the trim and new doors were next. I spent a day painting the trim trying to minimize my job once it was put up, but there are so many nail holes, I now have to fill them all and repaint the trim. I have two of the four new doors repainted as well. I have a lot of work still to do but I think it will look great once finished.
Hit the road once again to Edmonton. Am renovating my apartment and hopefully sell it. 
The roads were in good driving condition - all clear of snow although 4 days earlier a blizzard when through the area. The rivers are just beginning to thaw and lots of snow on the mountains, but all in all lovely driving conditions. The only glitch was shortly after leaving Whitehorse, when a grouse crossed the road. I should have zigged but I zagged and consequently drove through a poof of feathers and hoped I didn't have a trophy grouse attached to the grill of my truck (I didn't but did feel bad about the bump-bump).
My driving partner this year was Sue. Here she is at the nicest lodge along the highway. We stopped for home-made pie and coffee, but they only opened their restaurant at certain hours and we didn't want to wait for the dinner hour. Most of the lodges were closed, but we did stop in Toad River where the fellow's "home made pie" meant putting a frozen pie in the oven and serving it. What a disappointment. We did see "Buckshot Betty" there, from Burwash. Loved her name so we gave ourselves names too - "Caribou Carol" and "Snowshoe Sue" (formerly known as "Spruce Grouse Sue").
As usual, did see a lot of animals ON and beside the road. Saw fox and hawks, coyotes and caribou, buffalo and sheep, goats and deer, and probably some I've forgotten. Didn't see bears or moose though. Probably will on the drive home. One does have to watch each curve in the road as you don't know what will be in your path as you drive.
SR & Dustin made it into town and I now have 1/2 of the living room floor redone. I'm pretty excited about the renovations to my apartment. And just got my internet connected, so hopefully can keep you up to date on the renos.
Took some photos this weekend for the International Old Timers Soccer Tournament - an annual tourney held in Whitehorse in May of each year. The international part (although I'm sure many are invited but only one seems to be able to attend) is thanks to Juneau Alaska - the team that makes its way to the Yukon each May. Above is the wonderful facility we have in the Canada Games Centre - built especially for Indoor Soccer. Below are just a couple of the 400 + photos I took, many of which were displayed via slide show at the banquet last night.
It's sometimes a lonely and sad job being the keeper especially when you really are the last defender.
The fans came in all shapes and sizes. Here is an avid fan intent on the game (perhaps her dad was on the field).
On my way to visit "gramma", I took the back road to Porter Creek (the road to the golf course) and snapped this picture. That small strip of white is the Yukon River. If you take time to look at the scenery while golfing, this is the type of views you'll see. As well, the ravens catch the up-draughts off the banks and it's fun to watch them playing. 
My friend sent me this shot of the Llewellen Glacier. This is her job! She was scouting out film locations for future movies that may be filmed here. This glacier flows into the southwestern tip of Atlin Lake from the Juneau Icefields, one of the larges icefields on the continent, spreading from the Atlin, B.C. region almost to the salt water at Juneau Alaska.
Hey Will, look what I found while I was walking. I thought of you right away and wondered if you had packing snow yet to make a snow man and either send me a picture of it or a drawing of it. I would love to have either.
Even walking through suburbia here, one can follow a wee path and end up overlooking an expanse of land that can take your breath away. I picked up a small pocket camera (in cobalt blue, my latest favourite colour) so am testing it's abilities during my walks.
Happy Easter to everyone. It couldn't come much earlier in the year than this. Easter always reminds me of sunny days with birds singing and flowers blooming -- new spring dresses and Easter bonnets (too bad they are out of style, they were so much fun). Not this year. Although hovering around the "0" mark, the wind, snow, and ice make the outdoors unpleasant (especially that wind). This morning it is snowing nice big fluffy flakes under a grey/white sky. Nice weather for the beginning of winter. On the brighter side, it won't be -40 again for a while. And I am having a wee Easter dinner, so I am looking forward to that. And I have a lot to be thankful for, so slowing down, enjoying the holiday, sharing it with good friends and having time to reflect are appreciated. Hope the Easter Bunny found you!
In case you've forgotten what I look like, here is a portrait painted for me by my son (when he was 3 years old). Notice my long flowing hair - it is now short.
Cruising around doing chores, I stopped to take this picture of a totem pole which is downtown in Rotary Park . I took this especially for Will (age 7) who fell in love with totem poles when he visited the west this past summer. Sorry Will, I forgot to show you this one.
Received a picture from my old friend Linda - here she is with her son and husband. Thought I'd share it with those of you who know her.This Quest is probably the toughest race we’ve done in twenty years. There were difficulties with supplies, clothing shipments arrived too late to use, and there were a dozen other logistical challenges. But with the help of our crew, we managed to get through it all … not to mention the three-week cold snap with temperatures dipping below -45 Celsius on a regular basis (leading to a frozen septic system, amongst other things).
On the personal side, Frank struggled with a very painful shoulder, but some Chinese medicine patches seemed to help that a bit. Then, the vehicle gremlins went to work on the truck engine (it’s still in the garage). Norcan saved the day, but we had to send my car up to Fairbanks, because the loaner truck had only two seats. And you guessed it, my car has had problems up in Alaska – we are really hoping it makes it home.
On the trail, it has been equally tough, with very cold temperatures and very strong winds. Tonight, in Mile 101, the winds were again picking up on Eagle Summit, and Frank has just made the really tough decision to pull out. He struggled for hours with this decision, but in the end felt he did not want to put the puppies through it any longer. They do not have the experience or mental toughness that comes from experience; and Frank’s injured shoulder makes it extremely difficult to compensate for that.
We need to get him home and get his shoulder fixed (he cannot lift his arm higher than mid-chest). And he has a couple of other injuries to tend to as well. That is one of the hardest things about getting a bit older – you just cannot ignore the injuries the way you can when you are younger.
We are all feeling stunned and disappointed, but know that Frank always makes his decisions based on what is best for the dogs – and with so many young dogs in the team, the decisions are more difficult.
Just a quick blog - here is a photo of cousin Frank leaving from the start line (in Fairbanks Alaska) of the Yukon Quest yesterday in -40 temperatures.
“He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire.” –
Winston Churchill
“A modest little person, with much to be modest about.” –
Winston Churchill
“I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.” –
Clarence Darrow
“He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary.” –
William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway)
“Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I’ll waste no time in reading it.” –
Moses Hadas
“He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know.” –
Abraham Lincoln
“I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn’t it.” –
Groucho Marx
“I didn’t attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.” –
Mark Twain
“He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.” –
Oscar Wilde
“I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play. Bring a friend… if you have one.”
George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill
“Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second… if there is one.” –
Winston Churchill, in response
“I’ve just learned about his illness. Let’s hope it’s nothing trivial.” –
Irvin S. Cobb
“He is not only dull himself; he is the cause of dullness in others.” –
Samuel Johnson
“He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up.” –
Paul Keating
“He had delusions of adequacy.” –
Walter Kerr
“There’s nothing wrong with you that reincarnation won’t cure.” –
Jack E. Leonard
“Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?” –
Mark Twain
“His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork.” –
Mae West
“Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever…” –
Oscar Wilde
“He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lampposts… for support rather than illumination. ” –
Andrew Lang
“He has Van Gogh’s ear for music.” –
Billy Wilder
What the heck is this? Came back to my home town to find this ice thing in Shipyards Park by the Yukon River. Drove by it quite a few times before someone told me that you can pay money and climb it. (I don't think so). So, here I am back in the thick of things. The weather is turning colder - only about -24 C today but that wind...feels like about -40 C. And it is suppose to stay like this or colder all week - something to look forward to.
It is with deep regret that I write of the passing of Mr. J.A.S. (Archie) Milne on January 14, 2008. Here he is pictured with his great grand daughter Indie (thanks for the picture Heather). He was 90 years old. I was fortunate to have visited him in December during my trip to Ontario. It was prior to Christmas and he was in fine spirits at the time. I've known Mr Milne since I was about 15 years old. He retired from Ontario Hydro and was very proud of the fact that he was the oldest pensioner they have ever had! Every Christmas he sent out his (in)famous 20 Questions to a select few, with $$ prizes for the most correct answers. I always looked forward to them (and learned quite a bit while searching for the correct answers). He was the only person I know that wrote letters to the Prime Minister when a government policy did not seem correct. He was never afraid to voice his opinion. And he was very proud of his heritage (as seen below - a photo taken at Andrea's wedding, July 16, 1978). I will miss his letters which he addressed to me as Lady G - his own little joke - a take on White Horse, making bets with him when the World Cup is on, and his lively spirit. Yes, he will be missed but never forgotten.
Here is the picture I thought I included in a previous blog. We did have a rest on this bench which is not far from the Grenadier Restaurant.
Made it safe and sound to Regina. Flew just before Air Canada started rolling their planes in the sky. I was lucky here, as the weather was about -9 during the day and my baggage made it too. (Last year during my visit it was around the -30 mark and Air Canada lost all my luggage for three days!) Spent time with Jenn and Brent and Dawson. Even attended a hockey game starring Dawson playing a forward position in the game against the girls team - it ended in a tie. We shopped, went out for meals and relaxed at home, playing the games Dawson got at Christmas. A very enjoyable trip.
After spending three weeks with relatives, I mosied along to Toronto where Merv prepared a dinner for Wally and me. There is always time for a dance, even when making lasagna. We spent the evening at Merv's. I crashed at 2:30 but heard the partying go on until 6 AM!
The next morning we went to High Park for breakfast at the Grenadier Restaurant, then Merv took us for a tour of all of our old haunts - the Hobbit Hole, the witches house at the Old Mill and our old houses, including 10 Spencely Court.
Boy, this picture brings back memories of the good old days with my "gang". Don't know who's living there now, but I do believe they are peaking out the window at us. We drove around all afternoon and laughed and laughed and laughed then laughed some more. I had a great time with my old friends and we topped the evening off with dinner with Sue & Frank. Then it was back to my hotel by the airport to get ready for the next leg of my journey to Regina.
