The last few days have been quiet. We have been playing with the girls and such. Today we are packing up for the completion of the first leg of the journey. Tomorrow morning we pull out of Edmonton for the trip to White Rock. We plan to take the Yellow Head Highway to Jasper and down to Kamloops and then the Coquihalla to Hope and in to WR. It's going to be tough to leave our beloved family here, but we'll be back in a month to spend about 3 weeks with them. We have loved being close to Liam and Janelle and the two little munchkins. To see the next generations up close for this time has been a blessing for Sheelagh and I. We love them dearly.

Sheelagh Will Be The Ass

Yesterday was quiet. We didn't do much, little jobs, oil change, a little baby sitting, not much.

Today we went over and got the girls and Janelle and we visited Ngila's Kindergarten room and met her teacher Mrs. Klatt. It seems like a charming old fashioned school. Then we went to explore the Science Centre. Lots of hands on stuff and science demonstations. We saw one on freezing things with liquid nitrogen and learned the word chryogenics. Then we saw one on fire and learned about the 3 things necessary for fire. We saw a flm on the ceiling of the dome that explained the telescope and showed us some of the star patterns. The kids were soaking it up.

They have been watching the BBC videos on the Planet Earth and they have been fascinated with the wild asses of Mongolia. Tonight when bedtime came, Beatrix insisted on doing a play for everyone. She announced that it would be a play about princesses. She declared that she would be the princess, and turning to Sheelagh, she pointed dramatically and said, " You will be the ass!" We all fell about.

Golf and Ukranians

On Tuesday Janelle was still struggling with her cold and general malaise, and so Sheelagh spent a quite a bit of her day playing with the little ones. Ngila's life of freedom is quickly running out but happily she is totally unaware of it. She starts School!!!!! next Wednesday. At 4pm I picked up Liam at his office and we drove down to Wetaskewin and met up with Vic, Janelle's Dad , and squeezed in 18 holes of golf. Vic's business sponsors a hole at the local golf course and kindly took us there to play. We had a great time.

Today, Wednesday, we picked up the girls and Claudi and went down to the Ukranian Historic Cultural Village and spent a fine morning seeing the types of houses and businesses that the first Ukranians had in this area, about 1900 - 1935. From Fort Saskatchewan to Star Alberta is the largest Ukranian community in the world, outside of the Ukraine. We saw farm animals and tasted the food that the people would have eaten.

Came home pooped.

The pictures on the blog sometimes pile up on each other. If you click on the edge of a picture that is, "hiding", you can see it by itself.

The weekend passed in a blurr. We seemed always to be busy and going somewhere. Saturday am started with the bakery run to Bee Bell for treats and raison bread for the Graham breaky. Then with Janelle still not feeling well, the rest of us went over to the art gallery area to see the pictures and stroll the shops. After Liam, Claudi and the kids left we went and looked at Minis and then went over to the Highlands area where David and Katherine Graham live. It's a beautiful neighbourhood with lovely houses.
On Sunday we went to Government House to have the tour and see all of the great art that lives there. On Sunday evening we went Fringing to see Charrlotte's Web. The girls were excited and very good audience members. The Lady who did the show said that she enjoyed watching their faces as she workes. Only about a week left in Edmonton. Time has flown.

An Old Favorite

Today started off with plans to go to Long Beach Park north of the city but gray skies and cool temps convinced us to stay closer to home so an old indoor favorite was chosen. While Janelle and Claudi were picking vegetables at the garden in Wetaskawin, Shush and I took the wee ones to the Museum. As always, it is a real favorite and, aside from a couple of falls by The Beaster, we all had fun.

Shush and I had a quiet afternoon and then we rode our bikes over for a fantastic Greek supper at Liam and Janelle's. We all agreed that it was the best Greek food ever, and by our Polish daughter -in-law. David and Katherine Graham joined the party which was an added bonus.

Parks and Bulbs

Yesterday we rode our bikes through the series of parks that run along the North Saskatchewan. The run took us through some fine neighbourhoods and up some steep hills and down a long staircase. We ended up well out of town to the west and made it necessary to ride back past a refinery and through rush hour traffic. A good sitdown felt great before we went out for a fine Etheopian meal with Liam and Janelle. The little girls stayed with Claudi and her friend. After a rather large feed of lamb, beef chicken and a vegetarian dish, we went to Vi's Piesand had cheesecake and other sweets. Sheelagh and Janelle were both up in the night.

This morning we booked a B&B in Brooklyn close to the sea terminal where we board the Queen Mary. You can see it at www.leffertsmanorbedandbreakfast.com .
Later today, (sorry I don't know what happened to the font), we went over and planted about 100 tulip and crocus bulbs for spring. We took Beatrix to a park by the Italian Market where she played on the swings and in the water and tormented a bronze statue of a man playing cards. Mango gelato and home.

Tonight Liam and George played 9 holes of golf and Sheelagh played with the kids. When she told Ngila to get to sleep and stop chattering, Ngila, very indignantly replied, "Our parents never say that to us." To which Sheelagh replied, "Oh yes they do, now get to sleep."

Hi all, we went Fringing today and saw a show called EDMUND. It was the story of the two sides of a man's brain fighting for domination as he spends his day in his workplace. One side wanted him to be responsible and hard working and the other side wanted him to dump the whole thing and get out. In the end he commits suicide. Typical Fringe stuff. After we needed an uplifting experience so we toured a beautiful old Anglican church in the neighbourhood and had scones and tea. They had the santuary set up as a place of solitude with music playing, incense and various bowls that you could hold as you spent time in meditation. It was lovely. A bowl of fruit was at the front and you were encouraged to eat some of it to, "Taste and see that the Lord is good."
Tonight Shush went for a girls' night out with Janelle, her Mom and Claudi. They went to see the film, JULIA AND JULIE. Sheelagh liked it very much. I stayed home with the little girls and Liam. There we had a storm and half of the lights in the house went out and, because they were scared of the dark, the girls never did go to bed.
In the last 24 hours we have booked our flights from Seattle to New York on Nov. 3rd, and our flights from Glasgow to the Canary Islands on Jan 7. We also talked with the lady who owns the flat in London and got the address. If you want to see where it is go to Google Maps and put in 30 New Compton St , London England.

On Friday we did a circuit east through Spruce Grove, north through Morinville and stopping in Legal to see the French wall murals. They were interesting in that they record the local families, who started what business etc. They, unfortunately didn't have a charming dining facility. Neither did Bon Accord, Gibbens or Fort Saskatchewan. We settled for hamburgers in Gibbens at Sal's Burgers and Pizzaria. There was a funeral going on in town which Sheelagh was keen to attend because, "There would be Sandwiches!"
Saturday we took the girls and Claudi to the Museum, the Fringe to the kids' area. They had fun and left in tears because they didn't get to see the dancers. Saturday night we took care of the kids and Liam and Janelle went out for the evening.
Today we went to a very difficult church service. Last week they had sent off a couple and their daughter to go on the mission field and the father and daughter were killed in a car accident. This afternoon Sheelagh Ngila and Claudi to Rutherford House to tea and there was a penny carnival. At 5 we had a picnic with the kids at the Muttart Conservatory. A fun time.

We had great times yesterday and today. Yesterday morning we went for a bike ride through a nearby neighbourhood that overlooks the river valley. The houses were beautiful and the views were wonderful. The ride was gentle and pleasant. We stopped off at a French art gallery and had a private tour of their back room full of paintings, many of which we would like to take home.
In the afternoon we went to the farmers' market in Sherwood Park, and then to get our background checks from the RCMP. We needed those for the mission in Malaga. In the evening we went for dessert at Liam's place.
Today we picked up the girls and went over to the Kinsman Park where they had a blast on the slides and climbers. Tonight we will give Liam a hand with the girls when Janelle, Claudi and Janelle's parents go to the football game.

Gardens and gardening.

We started the day by finishing Janelle's flower bed. Had lunch and then headed down to the Muttart Conservatory to park and ride through the river valley to the Kinsman's Park and back. It was good exercise, but I found it tiring. Sheelagh did much better. When we got back to the car we walked over to the Conservatory and and had an icecream and a look at the beautiful gardens. Edmonton, strangly enough, has a better growing climate than Calgary and we saw things that wouldn't grow at home. We took a stroll through the neighbourhood and toured a show suite just for fun.

Came home watched the ball game, had supper and went to the library. A great day.