Monday, December 3, 2007

A Great Birthday!

I want to thank everyone for their kind birthday wishes yesterday. I got calls from both my brothers as well as Mom, Laurel, Kelly, Gus, Alex, and even Donna H. and Allan! Thank you so much. It’s great to know people are thinking about you.

I relayed most of this story to Doug and Ted, but thought others might appreciate it too. When Mom phoned, she told me that when I was born, Dad made quite the scene at our apartment in Washington D.C. You might remember that Dad was a D.C. cop back then. It seems that he was on duty that morning when around 9 a.m. mom felt the first signs that this might be my birth day. Mom said “I made the mistake of phoning your father too soon”. He and his police partner came screaming up the street in their cruiser with lights flashing and siren wailing. Running into the house, they found Mom calmly tidying up the kitchen a bit. “We've come to take you to the hospital” Dad yelled!

Mom thought that perhaps a phone call to her doctor was in order before rushing off. They found him at the lake. He asked if she was experiencing any labour pains yet. “Well, no, not really” said Mom. “Call me later, when your pains start” said her doctor. “You’ll know.” So, around 4 o’clock in the afternoon they made the trip to the hospital (complete with police escort) and I was born a few hours later.

Mom and I (a tired little guy!) in a late winter outing at the upscale Rockcliffe Park in Washington, D.C.

Dad holding me in our Washington D.C. apartment

With Dad, Uncle Mark and Aunt Claire at the reflecting pool in front of the Washington Monument in 1950


Now when Doug was born, circumstances were a bit different. As with all new parents, the thrill and excitement of one’s first child doesn’t always translate into equal enthusiasm for the second. We were living in Cloan at the time and the nearest hospital was in Wilkie. Being mid-December, and being 1951, travel was a problem in the winter as country roads would usually be blown in by snowstorms and pretty-much impassable by car. Snowploughs weren’t a common sight in the Cloan district. Somehow Dad got word to Grandpa Gendall who dutifully showed up with his team of horses and freight wagon. In those days, one replaced the wagon’s wheels with skis in the winter. Off went Mom and Dad with Grandpa Gendall standing in the front of the wagon holding the horses’ reins. A couple of Grandpa’s dogs, Laddie and Lassie followed.

Grandpa Gendall with his team of horses near Cloan

Well, fourteen miles and three hours later the little caravan arrived at the Wilkie Hospital. I’m told it was quite a sight with the horses, wagon, passengers and dogs in tow. After dropping Mom at the hospital, Dad and Grandpa immediately adjourned to the Wilkie Hotel for a few drinks before heading back to Cloan with the team. Mom followed a few days later with Doug, but was able to take the train. The twice weekly railroad ran between Wilkie and Cloan and carried passengers as well as freight.

We think this is a photograph of Doug with someone at Grandpa Gendall’s house.

Five years later, along came Ted.

I remember that day very well. I was 8 years old at the time and we were still living in our Cloan house. Mom was washing some clothes in the kitchen. I’m not sure where Dad was. He was no longer farming and was away somewhere I guess. I know that he once had a job with the Fuller Brush Company as a travelling salesman so perhaps he was out on calls. At any rate, Mom was using one of those corrugated metal washboard things that you use to wash clothes. It sits in a big tub of soapy water and you rub the wet clothes up and down on it to get the dirt out. Obviously, we weren’t too well off in those days. She would scrub an article of clothing and then squeeze the water out and plunk it down on the table beside her, making a big pile to later hang out on the line. There she was, in her dress and apron, her hair falling over her face as she leaned over this big tub of laundry, scrubbing the clothes on the washboard.

I was in the living room, looking after Doug. He was five at the time and still in diapers. You had to watch him closely because he liked to pull his diaper off and play with whatever he found in there. It got real messy sometimes. Anyway, I heard this big “thump” from the kitchen so went to look. There was Mom, still leaning over the laundry tub with both hands in the water. I thought she had dropped a big pair of jeans on the floor between her feet, but lo and behold, there was Ted! Mom looked down at the floor and said “Could you get that for me, Ray?”

So, I quickly ran over, picked up the newborn Theodore, swished him off in the rinse tub and wrapped him up in some dry clothes until Mom finished the wash and could attend to him. It wasn’t wise to leave Doug alone for too long, as I explained earlier.

Doug and I with the newly-arrived Ted a few days later.

This last photo was taken in Cloan in 1960

I hope you enjoyed my sharing these recollections with you and thanks again for your phone calls.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Tagged, Eh?

I haven't played tag since grade 8 (not counting that time in Las Vegas a few years ago). It's a good way to get us to update our blogs though.

Lets see, ...... The rules: Each player lists 8 random facts/habits about themselves. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. At the end of the post, the player then tags 4 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

OK....
1. One reason I am doing this is I don't think I could stand the embarrassment of having Allen actually update his blog before I do mine.

2. Megan is my favourite niece.

3. I have no addictions. If I did, cookies would be at the top of the list.

4. I actually know a lot more than people think I do. That makes me really good at Trivial Pursuit games, although I am admittedly weak in the cartoon-book-character category.

5. I get upset at drivers that straddle two lanes at stop signs.

6. I believe that mankind will save itself from disease, war, pestilence, and country music in a series of small steps rather than the "magic bullet" theorists.

7. Most of today's strong chewing gum flavours make me sneeze - a lot.

8. "Raymondo" comes from the first time I ever lied. At Disneyland, my two young daughters were horrified when they heard me give my name to the Latino operator of the ET ride as "Raymondo". "Dad, you lied!". Guilty. But at the end of the ride, ET said "Goodbye Raymondo". It was worth it.

As I don't know anyone else with their own blog aside from the ones Snowflake and Laurel already tagged, I'll have to pass on the tag to just Allan. Go for it Big Al!!

Sunday, October 14, 2007

What's that Sound???!!!



The time is drawing near when even the most devoted of us Eskimo fans must admit to the realities of the situation - things are not looking too good these days. Stuck in the basement of the CFL West, we blew another game yesterday, and the Stamps win today. Those "pesky 'Riders are still hanging around even though August is long gone. How has it come to this?

One would think that after having not missed the playoffs for 35 years, my presence as a season ticket holder the last two years would have inspired the lads to even more dizzying heights. But no, both last year and this, just the opposite happens.

It's getting a bit tough to make the trip every couple of weeks only to have my spirits crushed once again. Anyone want to go halfs with me on my season tickets next year?

Friday, August 3, 2007

Oh, Those 'Riders!!


Fresh off an annihilation of the hated Edmonton Eskimos a week earlier (54-14 for those with short memories), the Green and White took it to the undefeated BC Lions last nite. Kerry Joseph looked like Joe Montana, Matt Dominigez looked like Jerry Rice, and Wes Cates looked like O.J. Simpson as he sliced through the BC defense.

21-9 winners, the 'Riders are now 4-2, solidly in second place in the CFL West division, and are no doubt looking for their next victim as the steamroller builds up momentum.

If only the Grey Cup were contested in August.

Friday, June 8, 2007

Darn Varmints!



The other day the Alberta Rat Patrol actually used shotguns to take out a colony of Norwegian Rats that had moved across the Saskatchewan border into Alberta near Alsask.

In today's Edmonton Journal, the results of an on-line poll were published. The question posed was: "Alberta has exterminated an infestation of Norway rats that came from Saskatchewan. Which possible Saskatchewan invader should we fear the most?"

4% of respondents identified gophers, 14% identified grasshoppers, 34% chose rats, and a full 48% identified Rider fans!

Friday, May 25, 2007

Have you any Grey Poupon ....?

Lloydminster's "Arts Without Borders" festival plays all this week. As Director of Protocol I will be meeting most of the cultural elite that pass this way. My table mate tomorrow for the Lt. Governor's Gala Banquet is Dr. Lynda Haverstock (have you any Grey-Poupon?), and her husband, amongst others.

Now, I know some of you are used to this, but for me it is a bit novel. Tonight, I will be meeting the six finalists for the Lt. Governor's Alberta Arts Awards. Bob Baker – artistic director of Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre; Greg Hollingshead – Edmonton author and professor emeritus at the University of Alberta; Sharon Pollock – Calgary author and playwright; One Yellow Rabbit Ensemble – an ensemble of Calgary theatre artists; Tom and Isobel Rolston – husband and wife musicians and administrators at The Banff Centre; and Rudy Wiebe – Edmonton writer and editor, have all been nominated. Three of them will be taking home a cheque for $30,000.00 each. I will also be attending three receptions with His Honour, Norman Kwong over the next three days.

Megan probably has most of the people on her speed-dial, but we folks in Lloydminster are all a-twitter. Did I mention that I just had a little chat with Fil Fraser in the bookstore at the mall? Oh, and do pass the Grey Poupon....

Friday, May 18, 2007

What's With Jason???

So I'm having a coffee whilst digesting the NHL Playoffs Leader board stats this morning and who sits atop the pack with 6 goals and 12 assists? None other than our friend Jason Spezza!

What's with Jason? Is this not the Jason that our inaugural NHL Underachiever Award is named after? Can this be true? Have I unfairly impugned poor Jason? Allan, what's happening here?

Monday, May 14, 2007

Mother's Day Surprise!

Roni, Kel and I visited Mom in NB on Sunday. She looks and feels good. Her garden is growing like a garden is supposed to grow in the spring with lots of flowers and blossoms on the fruit trees.

She was particularly delighted with a bouquet of cut flowers that had been delivered a day or two before. "Oh Ray, thank you so much for the lovely flowers" she said.

I looked at the card which read something like:

"From the good-looking one.....
the one that lives in Calgary......
the one that you last gave birth to .....
to the best Mom in the World .......
Happy Mother's day!"

"Didn't you read the card yet" I asked?

"Only the first line. I didn't have to read the rest, because I just knew it had to be from you", she said.

Well, what could I do?

"Happy Mother's Day Mom", I said. "You're the best Mom in the whole world"!

Thursday, May 3, 2007

It Was A Great Day ........!

As "Badger Bob" Johnson once said, "It's a great day for hockey". . . . and so it was in Calgary as the hardware for the 2006-07 Bailey NHL Hockey Pool was handed out May 1st.

Media interest was intense as a crowd gathered in a SW Calgary neighbourhood watering hole for the presentations. Last year's winner, "HerKelly's" was unable to attend (due to having four wisdom teeth extracted) but was ably represented by her famous and youthful-looking father Raymondo.

With the backdrop of the Canucks-Ducks game, first up was the newly-anointed winner, Theodopolis! Ted was nearly lost for words (unusual for him) as he tearfully accepted the trophy (and a $20.00 cash award). "I've reserved a special place for this special trophy" said Bailey, as he placed the cup on a shelf above his newly minted HD TV. The cash award quickly disappeared into his wallet.

Matthew Bailey, youngest of the entrants showed up big-time this year, pulling down a cool $8.00 for his third-place finish and a share of the prize money. The assembled photographers and media reps were temporarily blinded by the flash of his white smile.

Second-place finisher, Douglas W. Bailey, was unfortunately unable to attend to collect his $12.00, but his older brother kindly offered to hold it for him until the next family golf game can be arranged.



This year's festivities also featured a new award, won handily by Laurel Bailey. The "Jason Spezza Underachievement Award", commemorating the last-place finisher in the Bailey Pool was presented amid much fanfare. "There was no question who deserved this award", said Raymondo as he presented the lucide prize. "This 'laurel' could only go to 'Laurel' as she set an all-time record for being so far behind the next-lowest contestant, let alone the winner", said the senior Bailey. Even sidekick Copper showed more than his usual excitement as he nearly swallowed the prize before Matt put him in a double-fisted headlock to save the award for next year's presentations.

The evening's festivities continued with drinks all around, and the recognition that every day truly is "a great day for hockey"!

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Is there Life after the Oilers?


Even though we still have snowdrifts in the backyard, check out what I found growing in the flower bed this afternoon!

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Update on the "Change" thing, and a contest!

Well, you can see that the glaciers are indeed moving, and, I pray, receding. This image was taken April 11th. At this rate, we may see actual new growth by.......... ???

Now for some fun! Who will be the FIRST to identify the following image? Think real hard now. All of you have seen this object. What is it, and where is it? Tick tock, tick tock....

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Change

To those of you that think things always stay the same, I have news for you. To those that say change is too slow, sit up and pay attention.
Observe, if you will the two images below.




Now, these two images clearly record the same backyard (mine, in fact). Yet there are obvious differences. The top one has more snow on the branches of the trees, more snow on the rooftops of the neighbouring houses, while the bottom image clearly, clearly shows that there has been some retreat of the snowdrifts in our yard. True, there is snow falling in the bottom photograph, so that point may soon be moot, however, the fact remains that at one time in the near past, there was actually old grass showing through the snowpack. This is kind of like "spot the differences" isn't it?

Now, here's the really amazing part. The bottom photo was taken yesterday, April 4th, while the top one was taken on November 15th, 2006 - hardly 5 months ago! See! Change does happen!

Friday, March 30, 2007

Thank You Meg, or Lenore, or maybe Rachel...

One of the privileges of being retired is the time to do something when you suddenly get an idea. I remember asking for a good pasta recipe a few months ago and either Meg or Lenore responded with the "You Won't Be Single Long Vodka Cream Pasta" recipe from Rachel Ray. So, tonite was the time to try it and it was great! I made it with butter-garlic shrimp and a green salad (had to look up what a shallot was). And wine. And some more wine....

It was so good that I'm really going to have to use the spell check after I finish this post, as my typing has gone all to h-e-double hockey sticks. Thanks Meg and Lenore.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

First Day of Spring

So, just when does spring arrive in this part of the country? Most would say that spring is officially here on the vernal equinox (March 21st this year). If you said that, you'd be wrong. Others say spring coincides with the end of MLB's spring training, or the weekend of the Final Four in NCAA basketball. Wrong again.

My daughters know very well that not too much (aside from Ground Hog Day) excites their father and heralds the "official" arrival of spring than the heart-warming sight of the first crow of the season.



Yes, this morning around 11:41, there they were,two harbingers of spring, perched on the roof of LCHS, raising all manner of ruckus.

We did have a couple of false alarms. Yesterday, I chased after what I thought was a congregation of the rascals, only to discover that it was a flock of ravens, not a murder of crows.



There were even a couple of untimely photos in the entertainment section of yesterday's newspaper to refute.









So, Raymondo says you can now take it to the bank. Spring is here!

Friday, March 16, 2007

Gone and Done It!

I think that's the name of that Shania Twain song isn't it - "Gone and Done It"? As I have three of her CD's I could probably look it up. And yes, it might also surprise some of you to know that I admire more about Shania than just her lovely voice.

To get on with my story, it's tough being a sports fan in northern Alberta these days. The Oilers have just racked up eight straight losses, Kevin Martin lost out in the Brier, Singor Mobeley got released, and so on.

Well, one can seek remedies in rum, comfort in crying, solace in screaming, but that only lasts so long. At some point, one has to actually do something constructive.

A couple of month ago I told the nice lady from the Eskimos Football Club that I would not be renewing my season tickets unless I could get substantially better seating than my eagle's aerie in row 263. "Sorry", she said, "no can do. We're all sold out down there where the good seats are".

"Okee-dokee" or something like that sez me. "It's been great watching the Eskimos perform this year. Call me if you have something better to offer".

Well, damned if they didn't! This morning I renewed, but for two tickets in the lower bowl, covered seating, 35 yd line! Touchdown!! If the the Esks perform half as well as their ticket office staff, we should have another Grey Cup on the shelf come this November.

Which brings me to the next point. I expect that the Stamps and Riders will be fighting it out to see which one crosses over to the East playoffs this year. The Eskimo pass defense was their Achille's heel last year, so I figure all we have to do is go out and sign everyone else's best DB's and we'll be back in the game.

So, if there are any particular games that you would like to see, I've got two tickets. Give me a call.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Move along.... nothing to see.

Even after driving a stretch of Saskatchewan's Highway 16 for the umpteenth time, one can still be caught unawares. Returning home after visiting Grandma C in NB, somewhere about 20 km short of Lloyd, we ran across Saskatchewan Tourism's latest attempt at attracting the tourist dollar with their new roadside "comfort stations". With it's lovely coral hues and retro design, not to mention a great view, it proved too much for me to resist. As Grandma C would say, "What next?"



Speaking of our NB visit, Mom is well. She was recently awarded a lifetime membership (no dues to pay) in the NB Sr. Citizens Society. She is still playing bridge twice weekly, doing lots of reading, and busy watching the Briar. We helped clean up a few things and had a good visit, bringing her up to date on the doings of her children and grandchildren.

One thing that needs some attention is the roof on her house. The past couple of summers have seen leaks develop along the upstairs dormers leading to moisture damage in the living room and kitchen ceilings and walls. A tradesperson has been contacted to repair that first thing in the spring. The walls and ceilings need to be replastered and repainted, but first the water leaks have to be stopped. Right now there are large blisters in the ceiling and on the walls so it doesn't look so good. Plans are to repaint the kitchen, living room and front room as well as replastering the ceilings on all three rooms. Once completed, I'm sure it will be a much cheerier place for her to live.

Grandma C send a big "hi" to everyone.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Like Lambs to the Slaughter

Arriving home after a glorious month of a driving holiday, a nasty surprise awaits. Not only has Ryan Smyth (in my opinion, the ultimate hockey warrior) been traded to the backwater NY Islanders, but half of the remaining roster is unknown to me! Has not the Eskimos missing the playoffs been sufficient punishment for any misdeeds of the faithful? Apparently not. It is painfully obvious that the self-styled "City of Champions" will witness both their professional teams sitting out the post-season this year.

As the Oilers play out the string, last night they met the Anaheim Ducks. Now, more than a few of us have picked the Ducks to be Stanley Cup finalists this year. There would, however, be some small measure of redemption if the Oilers could upset these said Ducks. After all, anchoring their defense is the mighty Chris Pronger - the Oilers best hope for a repeat of last years Cup challenge, had he not fled the North Country for the charms of southern California. Alas, stud Chris is out with a broken ankle, so no consolation victory is even available there.

Doesn't matter. In addition to underperforming all season, five of the Oilers seven starting defensemen are in the injury bay, along with an additional five forwards. So, with 10 rookies in the lineup (you call that a lineup??) the chances for an upset are about as remote as all your kids remembering your birthday.

Sure enough, after watching episode 2 of season 5 of 24, (Sorry Meg - but everyone gets killed in this episode), I check in on the game, just in case.......

Like lambs to the slaughter, its 4-1 Ducks in the third. Ends up 5-1.

Sigh. But maybe there's hope for next year. I hear that the Oilers will be signing Joe Thornton, Alex Ovechkin, Jerome Iginla, Sidney Crosby, David Beckham and the Sedin Twins for next season.

Friday, March 9, 2007

Home Again

So ..... after 5 weeks of wandering southern climes, we're back home. And you know what - it's good to be home! Twice now, in two years, we've taken a holiday in excess of four weeks. After that amount of time, our enthusiasm and sense of adventure, discovery (call it what you will) is not the same as during the first week. I guess you could say that our attention span is 4 weeks.

Now, we're very aware that there are hundreds of awesome places just waiting to be discovered by us. Marvellous, exciting, beautiful places! And we'll hit as many as we can, just not all in one year. We're already looking forward to our next trip; the time and place yet to be determined.

Everyone tells us that we picked a good month to be away, as the weather here has been cold and snowy. Feels like spring today though with temperatures in the +5 to +10 range. Better get the Skidoo out or it will be too late.

We returned home to a small mountain of mail, and postponed jobs. Takes a lot of time to get through all that stuff! Good thing I'm no longer gainfully employed or I'd really be snowed under. As it is, we had time to watch episode 1 of season 5 of 24 last night. What..... David and Michelle both dead!!!! Man! What a shocker!

We're off to North Battleford tomorrow for a visit with mom. I'm the only son not in Mexico right now. At one point last week, all three of us were out of the country. How's that for planning?




Roni met this cultured gentleman on the streets of Cabo San Lucas, while Ray is much amused by this towel-puppy in our ships stateroom.




Enough for today. I'll add more soon. Check back later.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Showing Some Love .....

So, I took Senor Ping's advice and gave that whirlybird ventilator some hugs. There I was, up on the roof (thinking about the Drifters for some reason) giving my love to an out-of-round noisy ventilator. Well, I succeeded in quieting it down a little, but not enough. As soon as the wind picked up, the old complaints started anew. There my sweet baboo was, thirty feet below, just waiting for her chance to catch me should the wind push me off. Well, after two more trips up to the roof and one to the local Home Hardware for a new ventilator, the deed was done. Love may conquer all, but this cost an additional $54.00.

Let me tell you, even for us battle-hardened Canadians, it was COLD up there! The temperature was actually quite mild (-6C), the sun was shining brightly, but that wind made working with bare fingers very unpleasant. I'm so glad I didn't take Dad's advice and become a roof shingler.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

That thing on the roof...

We seem to have survived the blizzard of the past couple of days without too much harm. Luckily we have a guardian angel living in the house down the street. Yesterday morning, after the driveway and sidewalk had drifted in with foot-deep snowdrifts, I heard the sweet sound of a snow-blower. Yes! It was in OUR driveway! Thank god for Ernie and his snow-blower. I must take him a tin of popcorn balls!
Another sound I heard was the grinding and rattling of that whirlybird thing on the roof that is supposed to keep your attic cool in summers. Apparently the bearings on the wind-driven rotating shaft don't last forever and now someone must get up on the roof to change the little sucker. I'm thinking that with six inches of snow on the roof and a temperature of -26C out today, that tomorrow (or maybe next week) must be a better time to do that. I'm also looking for some advice as to how I might convince my sweet baboo (aka Roni) to get up there and change that ventilator.

Thursday, January 4, 2007

Phone your Mom/Grandma!

In case anyone has forgotten, your Mom's birthday is on Saturday. As our two students need to go back to school Saturday, we're heading to N.B. tomorrow afternoon to celebrate the big "85"!!