FATHERS DAY

It was great to have Laurel and Ashley, Clare, Jodi and Abbey with us for two nights. Abbey is such a good "big sister" to her little cousin Ashley. We went to Crosby yesterday and Abbey held Ashley's hand when we crossed the street or browsed in the stores. When we stopped at the play park, Ashley was so excited. She just ran from swings to slides to animals on springs and back again. She likes to climb ladders and go down the slides. But one slide had water at the bottom! So off came her little skirt and she ran around the rest of the time in her diapers and that was fine with her.

It's fun to hear Ashley talking as she tries to say most everything now. She is very polite - says thank you, you're welcome, excuse me at the appropriate times. She stayed with Grandma and Grandpa when the rest went golfing in Crosby this afternoon. It was nap time but she was fighting it. But finally one book did it - after I read Eric Carle's "The Very Busy Spider" for the sixth or seventh time!

We had more rain this week, about 1 1/2 inches in total which wasn't bad when we hear of the downfalls in other areas. Canada's number one highway has been washed out in several places between Maple Creek, SK and Medicine Hat, AB. A 200 km detour isn't welcome news for travellers. Even Cypress Park is closed because the roads in and out have been damaged and a bridge washed out south of Maple Creek.

Today is June 20th, the Crop Insurance deadline for seeding. We have about three quarters that were too wet to seed.

Todd called today. It's been a cool wet spring in Norway too. They haven't gotten any camping in yet. In just over a month they will be heading for Canada for three weeks of holidays. They will arrive on July 23 and fly back on August 13. It will go by all too quickly! A year ago Todd and Howard had their special Fathers Day trip to London and Paris. I'm sure that seems like a dream to them now.

I accomplished one thing this week - did some housecleaning in the office. I took down the heavy navy curtains that have been up too long and replaced them with some light white ones with tabs. It was also time to get rid of the red heart bedding that was on the bunk beds and has been around since Laurel used them on her daybed! I washed up the comforters, sheets, pillows and shams and bagged them up to give away. Perhaps they can be used at Metochos Ministries.

I see there are showers in the forecast for tomorrow night so I better get out in the morning and cut grass. It's a never ending job these days but everything is so lush and green. The weeds are also growing. Clare is rigging up a sprayer to do the yard so that will help a lot.

The mosquitoes are out in full force now with the warmer weather. We were surprised that they allowed us to eat our steak supper out on the deck. It was a beautiful evening, warm with just a little breeze. We better treasure these evenings as days start getting shorter again this week!

Well, I better get off the computer and join Howard for a bedtime snack. He wasn't feeling well this morning so didn't get to church with us. Evenings are the best part of his day. He enjoys keeping up with ballgames on TV so we often watch those together. Sometimes I grab a book and read that along with the game. (Can you tell that I'm not an avid sports fan??) I'm just finishing up "Three Cups of Tea" and will soon be ready to start the sequel "Stones into Schools" by Greg Mortenson.

Have a great week.