Monthly Archives: June 2006

I just got one of those phone calls; “Mom, I had an accident.”  Patrick was on his way to Saskatoon, driving David’s big new truck.  He hit a deer.  Smuked it directly on the grill.  Has done enough damage that the truck cannot be driven.  He however was not hurt at all.  Thank God.  And the dogs are also fine – they are Michelle’s babies and it would be serious if they got hurt.  Ebony is likely traumatized – poor thing.

David’s vehicles have the worst luck. 

Here we are at the last week we do sedation till the end of the summer.  I am done work as of today for the long weekend.  Holidays start for my partner at the end of this week.  Our summer student arrives and starts on Monday.  Summertime.  I can hardly believe it will be only three weeks till my vacation begins.

And now I have received the list of books to read for the Spiritual Direction course I am taking this summer.  I need to find some time to read.  I have read the main text already and one of the additional reading books but with my mind that acts as a sieve sometimes, I think I’d better re-read them.

As well, there was mentioned that we need to bring some kind of 300 word personal life story narrative to be shared. 

So the next three weeks are going to be very busy ones.  And our visitors from England arrive today, I believe.  We do want them to see everything.  And try some of our local delicacies – like bison and deer and … oh, yeah Tim Horton’s   And share with them the vast array of local “ancient” history dating back to the early 1900’s.  It would be fun to visit some of the real ancient sites like the petroglyphs but they are a long way away.  They may have to settle for the more recent wall paintings by the local natives – ie: graffiti. 

I promised some pictures of Grace’s big day.  I am going to post some here and some over at Flikr. 

Ain’t she beautiful!

And Zaka was pretty good looking in his little suit.

At the grad mass.

Grace and her escort for the evening.

We have about made it through the day.  Diploma is in hand, gown has been worn – and she was beautiful.  I will post some pictures but this day has just been so full that I have had no time. 

The ceremonies were very long this morning and hot.  It was good to see a lot of the girls I have come to know a bit from Sara’s soccer team take home many of the awards.  Kirsten, the Governor General’s Medal and Scholarship.  Leo works with her mom and so we sat next to her and Kirsten’s aunt this morning and they were pretty proud.  Rightly so. 

Next on the agenda was getting the hair done.  Grace had missed her appt time so big sister came to the rescue.  I think it looked wonderful and cost only what the bobby pins and sparkles cost at the dollar store.

Then over to Ecole Valois where all the kids who attended there and their families had supper together.  Lots of good pictures of good friends in their finery.  Shared lots of old elementary school memories.

Then the Grand March.  Another session in the hot gym watching the beauty of young men and women parading by dressed in gowns and tuxes that each cost enough to feed an African village for a month!  All to wear for a couple of hours.  It was good to celebrate with them even if it is rather extravagant.

Now Leo and I are home with Zakariya.  He did pretty well making through the day, looking spiffy in his little tux himself.  He is a handful.  Lugging him around is work!  We are babysitting while Grace celebrates with her classmates tonight.  I am glad he is sleeping now and hope the night is quiet.

I seem to be doing most of my posting to this space from my laptop.  That makes sense I guess.  The home computer is, however, where we have stored almost all of our photos and where we have programs installed to work with the photos.  It takes me awhile but I am gradually getting the programs I need to handle our digital images set up on the laptop.  These things take me time – more than it would for a real computer geek.  But I can do it(most of the time) with no outside help.  I can figure it out.

So, today, I have posted a couple of pictures from my retreat on my entry from Sunday.  Well, one so far – I will put the other up when I have gotten my next patient looked after.

This week is all about finals – till Thursday. 

Then we will switch into grad mode – party time!  It is a good time to celebrate the achievements Grace has made over the years.  Academics may not be her strong suit but she is going to make it. and if she can handle four subjects with a new born babe and do it with the strength she has shown, I think she can reach some of the goals she had in mind before Zaka came along. 

We seem to have had grads and weddings every summer for the past few years.  I think I have enough dresses and seem to wear them so rarely that they are still like new.  Unlike Lauralea, there are no new gowns in the plans for me.  And I am glad.  These big events eat up the cash in all the little and big things that are “needed.”

A day to honor fathers – I guess I am honoring the father of my children by letting him stay at home today and play golf in the afternoon.  My own dad – I will honor by trying to be a good parent for my kids.

I will be on my way shortly with Sara for Regina where she will be playing soccer.  Yesterday’s match was cancelled due to rain and poor field conditions in Saskatoon.  Last night when I got home from my retreat, I was surprised to find her here since she was expected to be in Saskatoon; I was to pick her up there and drive to Regina. 

My short retreat was good.  I will write more about that later.  The retreat center is up for sale.  There is only one sister there now and the congregation she is a part of is aging.  There are no new recruits to carry on this work.  That makes me sad as it is not likely gong to sell to a group that will use it as a spiritual retreat – perhaps it will be sold to a group wanting to have a native healing centre.  Oh for a few hundred thousand in extra cash!  I could live there quite happily.