Remembrance day is one that I will likely always think back to certain ceremonies I experienced while growing up. In elementary school, we would walk a few blocks to a large and very old Anglican church who had a wonderful service for us kids, with songs, veterans coming to speak to us, and a chilly quiet walk back to school. Later in high school, since it opened it's doors before the first World War, our ceremony included a reading of the names of students who went to fight and didn't return. There was a large stain glass window in the main hall with all of their names and a fitting tribute. It was sad to realize that if we lived back then, it might have been our classmates... Scary. The one thing that will forever haunt me though is Last Post, played following the moment of silence at 11 o'clock. Always gets me teary too.
Let's ensure that Remembrance day is taken with the proper respect it deserves, being thankful for all our people serving our country.
Last Sunday at church Jodi King was our guest musician. She's such a talented artist! It is a treat for us to have her come and worship with us about once a year, as she travels west from Winnepeg. This time she had a new album with her, so I've been enjoying listening to that today as I sit at work.
My tummy has been grumbling, but I'm avoiding having too big of a snack since my parents are coming to pick me up for lunch today. Yeah for East Indian food! I'm going to take the afternoon off too, to spend with them before they head back to Thunder Bay tomorrow morning. From all that I've heard, and seen, they had a most enjoyable time down around the Grand Canyon, and have wonderful pictures and stories to express their awe and appreciation of such a different part of the world.
There has been a site I've enjoyed looking at from time to time while we're slow at work that has amazing pictures on it. Pictures of buildings, inside and out, mostly unique residential structures. It's not all technical though! The photography is really good, in style and composition, and making you want to design your house in more creative styles than you could have ever imagined (and still make it work!). I'll let you judge for yourself though, and now pass along the address so you can enjoy it too: www. bldgspace .com
What a great month so far. Though we had the coldest Thanksgiving on record for Calgary, it was such a treat to have my folks in town visiting. They are now down in around the Grand Canyon, soaking in the sun and the sights. Mom's been sending regular updates, more descriptive than any travel brochure could ever promote! 
It's so nice to hear they're having such a great time.
I finally got some bulbs planted, and cleaned up my pots. They were pretty pitiful, since we had had so much frost and snow so early. It was nice to be able to help one of my friends get some tulip bulbs planted too, first time for her! What a lovely surprise it will be come spring.
At work there is some bridge stuff to do. Not much more than correcting/modifying drawings at my end, but it's something to keep the time passing by. Slowly I'm getting the hang of all the needed parts of bridge drawing sets, which is much larger than I would have expected. (When I say "bridge" I mostly mean overpasses on busy streets, not over water so much.)
October is fast disappearing, but Mom and Dad will be back in Calgary before they head back home. Enjoy the fall, stay cozy!
First day of fall, and first day to scrape the windshield in the morning. Days like today have such a huge temperature range, as the subject line shows in Fahrenheit (Celcius 3 to 23). The rest of the week is suppose to be sunny and in the upper 20's! What a treat. It's gorgeous for fall, and with about half the leaves turned already, I think I can accept the fact that a jacket may become the norm again real soon. I'll have to dig out my mittens and scarf and get them washed up ready for another season.
Yesterday was my first day back at teaching. Hard to believe this is the start of my 4th year helping out with preschool ministries at Southview! The kids are such a joy, even if I do have to readjust to how little they are again. Later in the day we welcomed Grandma and Grandpa Lieske to Calgary, as they move from Kelowna to be nearer their kids and have some better health care. What a treasure to have such godly examples of lives fully lived! I hope they have minimal issues with the adjustments they'll be making, and can enjoy their time here.
Tonight was the first of 11 weeks of a ladies study at church. I think it will be a really nice time, making more connections, and of course, getting deeper in the Word. It will be the frist Beth Moore study I've done, but I've heard nothing but good things about her work. Should be good!
Off to bed, for another early morning of work will come soon enough,
g'night!
) Here's some pictures to enjoy! and hooray for another week off work to relax and get some fall chores done.
I'm getting excited! There are so many little things to do before we start our road trip, but while at work, I must sit and wait. The juxtaposition is too ironic. I go to work, where there's nothing to do currently, thinking of the multitude of things that need doing afterwards. Anyway....
Thursday right after work Branden is picking me up with the car already loaded up and we'll be on our way to Thunder Bay. Hooray! It will be such a treat to visit family, and friends too, who are also in town the same time. Some of the things we hope to do include go across the longest foot suspension bridge in Canada, and try out the longest zip line in North America while at the Ouimet Canyon. I'm also looking forward to a ride on a sailboat on Lake Superior, and maybe a visit to Silver Islet. Of course there'll be at least one trip to the farm (our property in the coutry in South Gillies), and lots of friends houses. Perhaps a browse through stores on Bay Street and along May Street, a meal at the Hoito, and coffee at some of the cool new spots Mom's found around town. All this mingled with hanging out and visiting with friends and family, and it will make for one lovely vacation!
Since I'm planning to help with the driving, at least along the straight flat stretches of prairie, I practiced driving last night (in general, yes, but specifically because we have a standard). A few times around Silverado got me used to how to stop and start again without too much issue, so Branden directed me out the back way to HWY2 south towards Okatoks. I was surprisingly comfortable (at least not panicky) about the driving, which makes me all the more at ease for later this week.
We've had so much to do outside of getting ready for our vacation, with our renters of our condo deciding to move. Thankfully, we found a family quickly enough that we'll have all the transactions done before we go (we were really hoping not to have to push back our trip just to "exchange keys" on the 1st of Sept.). God is so good! Even though they've only signed for 9 months (to coincide with the school year) rather than the standard year lease, it is still 9 months of not having to worry about the place and having two mortgages to pay.
Well, since I am "at work" I suppose I should get to playing around with Google Sketchup, I mean keeping up on my 3D modelling skills... 
Last night we had a party for Julie's 24th birthday. It was fun. Though we had to be at our place rather than Fish Creek for the bbq supper planned, it was quite enjoyable to play some different games on the PS3, like Little Big Planet with four people playing
Friendship is such a blessing that must not be taken for granted! 
My lilies are out in full force right now and they're gorgeous! The header picture (right now) is not from my garden, but it is what they look like all along the front of our house. I'm more and more glad I chose the white/cream and dark purple for a theme there. Even our chokecherry has the dark purple leaves which tie everything in together nicely. Now I'll have to find some more plants that will fill out the rest of the garden during the transitions from corcuses to tulips to lilies (provided my bulbs come back next year). Any ideas?
Thankfully, I'm at the tail end of my summer cold. They're never much fun. Your energy, which is usually lower in more heat anyway, completely disappears. Even last evening, a week after the worst of it, I was losing focus halfway through our baseball game. It was a beautiful evening to be outside though, which made it wonderful to be in the fresh air.
I think I shall take a little snooze at lunch now though, since my eyes have been having trouble staying open all morning. Maybe I should try coffee....
It's been a full morning of working hard at work, and after finishing my wee lunch, I thought I might treat myself to something from the vending machine. Really, the only thing I can have (not containing milk/milk products) is the bitty bag of plain Lay's chips. Incidentally, they do satisfy the occasional salty & crunchy craving that pops up every once in a while.
Not today though.
In goes my change. Round and round the spiral spins bringing my treat ever close to the edge of its row. The spiral stops at it's alotted time, but so do the chips, short of falling from its place. Sadly the first thought in my head was, "I wonder if my arm will fit up there to reach it...." And much too embarassed try, or to shake the machine, or ask for help, my head concedes, "I guess they wouldn't be the best for my tummy right now anyway." I would have never guessed that a vending machine would assist me in my goals to eat healthy!
One year! A year ago today we got possesion of our house. It really does feel like home now. Yesterday they delivered and planted our tree for the front yard, and it's a beauty of a shubert chokecherry! I think the home builder is pretty much done with what they had left on their list to finish (mostly seasonal items, exterior stuff). And our back yard is all fenced and grassed... *contented sigh* time to enjoy and use the rich blessings God has graciously given us.
Before continuing to read, I took a moment to thank our Creator for such a lovely evening. After the robin left, a sparrow darted about with his song, and then a few ducks. For some reason, ducks always make me laugh, or at least smile. Perhaps it's because their "quack" is so unique, but mostly because I see them with their only tails sticking out of ponds every day as we drive to and from work. A few times I still have to take a double take, but if there's a double pointed triangle in a pond or full ditch, I know it's a feeding duck.
Soon enough, a car went by, reminding me that I was still in the city, even if it is the very edge. And then a stereo went on, then an AC unit.... I read another chapter and came back inside, thankful to have had a peaceful evening.
