Caleb

Thanks to my good friend MJT, Caleb now stands guard in my rock garden by my front door. Whenever anyone passes by, Caleb whistles "Whistle While You Work", thus alerting me to friend or foe that nears my door. I have found that Caleb also whistles his song when the wind blows, which is a frequent occurrence these days. My neighbours have already asked me, "what is that sound???" So Caleb is making himself known around the neighbourhood. In fact, he has become so vocal, I'm hoping that he doesn't disappear in the middle of the night. In the meantime, he reminds me to whistle while I work and puts a smile on my face. Thanks Caleb.

Happy Canada Day

Had a Canada Day brunch with a bunch of friends. Was talking about going to the Capital City next Canada Day as it looked so inviting when I watched the celebration on TV this morning. Was advised that the crowds, although they look like they're having fun on TV are oppressive! You literally cannot move while standing there. You cannot see anything other that the large screen they have set up and if you're small, you see people's legs. And when you leave, you leave en masse, going without direction in the wave of the crowds. You have to lock your arms together to stay together. Sounds like fun?? Guess if you accustomed to large city crowds it's OK, but small town me probably would find it too much to handle. So I guess I'll visit the capital city at another time of year.



The rest of the brunch went well with lots of laughter and good food. And if it doesn't rain, will be on the golf course to round out the day.
Happy Canada Day to all!!!!!

Hotel hazards

Thinking of travelling these days, a tv show brought this to my attention:


Following up on this theme see this:


So next time you enter a hotel room, I'm sure you'll be looking for some if not all of these hazards. I'm sure I will!

Wedding Bells

Wedding bells were ringing yesterday as Natasha made her way down the aisle (above) on the arm of her dad Dale. It was a very traditional wedding, something you do not see much of these days, held in a catholic church.

As to be expected, the bride was beautiful and glowing. The dinner celebration was held in the tent at Mountain View Golf Course and was decorated all in black and white. Ron made the main decorations, the dinner was bar-b-que'd ribs and chicken along with Angie's famous cabbage rolls and Heinz and his wife (from Dawson City) made the delicious pastries. Everything was very tastefully done.


And tradition continued at the cutting of the wedding cake, removing the garter from her leg with his teeth then throwing it to all bachelors and the throwing of the bouquet to all the waiting single women.

Cindy "manned" the bar and Monica looked wonderful in her "mother of the bride" dress.

All the old bunch Shaun and I used to hang with were ready for the party. It is great to see the young and old together during a celebration. Congratulations Natasha!

Canada eh?

What is more Canadian than to talk weather. Well here goes ... Global Warming ???? It's difficult to believe in that when you live where I do. Yesterday mid-afternoon it was 8 degrees celcius! Lovely. We didn't even hit double digits and this should be the hottest time of the year! Went to Natasha's wedding and her mom grabbed a winter coat on the way to the church. There was a little rain too and lots and lots of wind - strong strong wind. I do have to admit that by 5:00 the sun did come out and shone hot, but the wind continued and coooled things down. Right now Edmonton is 24 degrees and sunny. Whitehorse is 7 degrees and overcast. It looks like the wind has died down though and I soon have to go out and set up my newly painted deck so I can enjoy a tastey bevererage and enjoy the outdoors during the summer season - I hope.

Up the Alaska Highway

With Deb following me in her car, I always checked my rear view mirrow to ensure her two headlights were there! And they were until Teslin where we parted company.

Our lunch stop was at Dora's Cafe in Fireside. She makes the best home-made pies I have ever tasted. Her egg salad sandwiches ($7.95) were large enough to fill us up though. And her prices are very reasonable. Deb said that she stopped at the large log hotel on the way south (in my photo on my drive south with Sue standing in front the log building). They had soup and salad for a whopping $17.95 and her Dad was sure it was canned Primo soup. Apparently Dora and her husband built this hotel in 1982 after the large forest fire ("Fireside") burnt everything in the area. Apparently they don't move too quickly as you can see they haven't finished the siding on the outside of their motel yet.

Gas prices of course rose in the two month period since I drove south. Ft. St John was $1.229 per litre going south, and $1.339 two month later. Ft Nelson was $1.389 going south and $1.449 going north. And finally Liard Hot Springs raised their price from $1.409 going south to $1.589 when I drove north. To be expected though.

Arrived home and my lawn was mowed and mail (lots of it!) sitting on my table. The weather is hot and sunny. Now I have to unpack, wash all the bugs off my truck, and start my summer chores of painting decks, fertilizing lawns, planting flowers ....

Back to my northern home once again. I think because I wasn't quite ready to leave my southern home, the 12 hour drive from Edmonton to Fort Nelson seemed to take forever. I have to say that after driving for about 8 hours, we saw a bear with three cubs at the side of the road. In a split second, I thought I should stop then decided that reaching my destination was a priority as I was tired of driving already, so I didn't stop. But I have to admit I have never seen 3 small ones with their mother. I have many times seen one or two, but never three.
Lots of motor homes on the highway. I thought with gas prices the way they are, we might be lucky and not see many but not true. The 40 footers were there pulling their cars behind them, which means you need a lot of space to pass them. Not too much construction along the road which was nice. And the construction there was was just for short sections of road. Above is the one site where we had to wait before proceeding through a very very dusty road, just south of Liard Hot Springs. But the wait was worth it as a bear crossed the road just then.

It stopped to munch some vegetation before carrying on to disappear in the trees. It was well worth the stop.

Body Worlds

Went to see the Body Worlds I exhibit today. One word - AMAZING. And to imagine these are real people's bodies (and horse body). Got to hold a lung (feels like a sponge and very light weight) and a liver. Saw a foetuses from 4 weeks to 33 week and saw a mother who died with her baby in womb (very sad when you think about it), but interesting to look at. Saw muscles, organs, tendons, nerves, brains, bones, blood vessels ... you name it. Saw healthy ones, cancerous ones, hernias, and on and on. The exhibit is huge - in fact I found it too large to see at one time. By the end, which was just as interesting as the beginning, I was tired of looking. So if you are going to see it, I would suggest at least two visits - just don't miss it. As I said, it was amazing!

Guess who arrived in YEG? My ol' travelling bud. Soon we will be driving up the highway but in the meantime we've already tasted Brewster's micro-brewery raspberry and blueberry ale with calamari appetizers and walked in the HOT Edmonton weather. This seems to be the first hot day of summer here. Although temperatures have been in the low 20's the wind had necessitated at sweater. I think summer's finally here now that I plan to leave. Tonight we will dine Greek (oh to be in Greece again!!!) and tomorrow we're off to see BodyWorlds I, an exhibit of real human bodies. If you've not heard of this exhibit please click here. I read in Popular Science that so many people wished to donate their bodies to this exhibit that they have had to turn many away. Should be interesting.

Weather Report

Just heard that they are having SNOW for the second day in Whitehorse. This morning saw white-out conditions. Sunday saw a HIGH of 1 degree Celsius! It is June 10th!!! And at the same time Ontario is having record high weather conditions advising the elderly to stay indoors in air conditioned rooms. Here in Alberta we are in between the two - mid teens and a few showers every so often - very livable. What a big country we live in.

Day Trippin'

Went for lunch with my friend Lori. She suggested Vi's for Pies - This bistro is one of west Edmonton’s hidden treasures and luckily Lori, an Edmontonian, knew about it. We had a lovely lunch and spent time catching up. Was tempted by the huge selection of desserts but refrained. May take a stroll one day from the apartment though for coffee and a treat.

Since I still haven't been to WEM (West Edmonton Mall) thought a trip there would round out my day. Unfortunately (or fortunately!?!) I didn't make one purchase! That's a first for me.

The seal show was on as I passed, so I watched the trained seals do their thing. And found my favourite luggage shop - Mandarina Duck, but they didn't have the luggage I have dreamed about since seeing it in Italy, so I'll have to wait a bit longer to get their light weight suitcase.

WEM is, as you know, HUGE. I walked and walked and looked and looked (and tried on many pairs of shoes) before it all started looking the same to me. It was then time to go home.
Had a thunder storm last night. Wonderful. We rarely get those storms up north, so enjoyed it. Should be more today/tonight as well.

Beckham again

Having a tough day. I phone people and they are on the phone, the computer is down, they are out ... so I thought of David Beckham again and thought I'd add a few more photos of him rather than struggling with fate.

The photo above shows what it is like being David Beckham. All cameras were focused on his every move from the time he stepped out onto the field to the time he left.


As said previously, he took all the dead balls - and he took them very well. Now his passing needed some work (but who am I to comment??)

With an injured man down, he was there to lend support.

Being off the field for the last 15 minutes of the game, he did come back on the field at the end to clap to the fans. You can see from this picture that he was having his foot tended to so apparently he still has problems which may once again nag him this season.

To end, I have to appologize for the quality of these photos. I was deathly ill watching the game and pretending to be well so I wouldn't miss it.

Sherwood Park day

Went to visit Jenn in her new condo today. It's about a 40 minute drive from my house in Sherwood Park. I've never been there before, so it was interesting. Really it's just a small city attached to Edmonton. This is where they will stay until they get their bearings and decide what part of town to buy a house.


Both Jenn and Dawson are looking good. We shopped for curtains for her windows and partially put up the living room curtains (until the electric screw driver ran out of power - then stopped). Brent can do the rest.
Got home in the late afternoon, ate some dinner then had a call from Jenn saying their car broke down and they needed a lift to the car rental agency. So, I hopped in the car again, drove the half hour to South Edmonton Commons, then drove them to the airport to pick up their rental, then drove home again ... all in all about one and one half hours of driving. This city is BIG ! ! And BUSY ! ! Although I'm am starting to get used to it, I sometimes long for the easy roads of my small town - albeit a capital city as well.

Visitors

My first visitors, Brent, Dawson and Jenn (not counting my unofficial visitors today of Jay and his cousin). Dawson of course is busy with the TV remote, showing me things I didn't even know I had on it. Brent now has a job with CHED radio in Edmonton and Jenn and Dawson just arrived last night - now all permanent residents of Edmonton. Their move from Regina went well and I will visit their new house on Monday to help with the unpacking - is that all I do is work when I'm in YEG? I'm finished with my own renos now and will be enjoying the city until my departure in about a weeks time.

104th Avenue Cont'd

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.


And home again. This is the back of my apartment building - not mine for too much longer though.

Edmonton

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.


Along the way, to my surprise, I found the house where Spiderman lives.

David Beckham

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.

Renos

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.


Here's my work crew taking a break. Actually they were going through MY tool box and laughing at the tools I had like the all-in-one level, tape measure and notepad which is about 3 inches square and my plumb line which is actually a fishing weight and dental floss. They may laugh but they did use my tools. This is day five for the boys and in about an hour I am driving them to the airport. A job well done guys!

Alaska Highway once again

Hit the road once again to Edmonton. Am renovating my apartment and hopefully sell it.
Above is a scene of a ribbon of Alaska Highway, one of the many spectacular views seen while driving south.

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").

Gas prices were pretty good considering - most expensive was at Liard Hotsprings - $1.409 / litre, just a bit more than Whitehorse, which was $1.379 / litre when we left. In Edmonton now it is $1.239/litre. Thank heavens I don't drive a big gas guzzler.

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.

Old Timers Soccer Tourney

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).