Monday May 27, 2013

Monday May 27, 2013  update #465

I have been having a lot of trouble lately with friends not getting my emails.   I suddenly realized they all seem to be on Shaw.ca.   I Googled the Shaw site and it appears they have been having this problem all month (and I suspect a lot longer than that too) and they claim to have a solution, but obviously not…..  They admit to losing most incoming emails and are not overly apologetic about it either.   Good grief!   People are running businesses and need a reliable email provider.   If you are on Shaw, and are getting emails from me (or not!), please let me know.

I started off the morning by packaging a few orders for Eleggant Hooks and had to phone Bella for advice on how to replenish our optional hooks since a couple of the bins are empty after today’s orders.    Bella has sent me a long, convoluted way to do this so I will try to figure that out in the morning when my brain may be able to decipher the orders from headquarters.

Next I zipped in to Calgary to meet Bella’s brother Laurier’s wife Wendy at the Timmy’s at Avenida Shopping Center.  Gosh Wendy looked great.   I think I gained all the weight that she has lost.   We were having a lovely visit when I look up to see my brother Fern coming in the door.  Fern lives about 80 kms from Laurier and Wendy on Vancouver Island. 

We were trying to time everything so Fern and I could visit Mom at 3pm when she gets up from her rest.  Mom was waiting for us and almost broke down with tears of joy when we both came in.   Mom knew that Yvette, Lou and I were going to Leonie & Brian’s for supper so she hinted that she would like to come along.  My big Buick is her favorite because it is so easy for her to enter and exit and she doesn’t get out very often so we told her to get ready for the trip.   I called Leonie to give her a heads-up to add one more plate and off we went.  Yvette and Lou were sure surprised to hear that we had this extra special extra passenger.  We actually made it to Leonie’s, west of High River shortly after 5pm and there was one of those huge funnel-type rainstorm clouds hanging just in front of the Rockies.  Naturally the camera was out to record this along with all the neat things in Leonie’s yard.  I love going out there just for the sights.   I love the old stone shack on Ian Tyson’s property down the road where he goes to meditate and write songs.

Brian cooked up an enormous chicken feast (he usually does wild meat, deer, bear and the like) and we really enjoyed ourselves and overate like usual.  Nicole and Jeff and their three cute girls joined us and we had a lot of laughs.   Brian showed off the custom knives he made as wedding presents for Bryna and Dan.  I am a big fan of the Damascus steel blades that he fashions to a razor-sharp edge.

Mom was getting tired so we departed about 8pm and she commented on the long one-hour drive back.   I pointed out that dear Leonie makes that trek every Sunday to spend time with her but I am not sure that registered.  Mom is really tough on Leonie, who is the sole family member in the area now, and it really isn’t fair, but oncoming dementia signs are creeping in periodically.  On the good side, Mom had a wonderful outing, behaved herself, and she looks fabulous for being two days shy of age 97.

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE my new 15-85 lens?  This lens is incredible and doesn’t blow very many shots at all.

I was up until 2;30 processing the photos but didn’t have the stamina to stay up and finish the Blog, so my apologies for the lateness.

That was the day's excitement.  Cheers, Al   Please see all new photos at http://souvenircuenca.blogspot.com/