to jolt one into realizing the limited amount of time left before I head north and have to be ready.

It has been one of THOSE weeks, you know we all have them, with good productive days and frankly, bitchy ones in which one finds oneself overwhelmed. I must admit my patience was rather short  at 5 PM yesterday in the middle of Friday rush hour traffic on the Yellowhead Freeway in 20 oC heat with dogs, running a family errand that needed to be completed. Movers had been delayed but that is another story...

My own digital Canon has been on the fritz ( missing a button to show shots taken and duct taped together on other side ) so I am using memory stick to download my photos and will need in for repairs after the trip....actually got out my old Minolta 700 SLR so will see if any of the prints work out.

On the dental end, have a new mouth guard that has been frequent trips to the prothedontist and supposed to be wearing as much as possible but I feel like a horse with a bit in my mouth and absolutely sure everyone else can tell I talk funny.

This process with the GN and my contracts is always hurry up and wait. The good thing is is that I have known the WHERE for several months but not the exact travel dates, planning for June 6 or 9th. When I had not heard again last Thursday, I sent another email and finally got one back late Friday. However they had booked me next Wed. June 4 but with no dogs. Of course, went into panic mode, because no way would be ready in 4 days....my granddaughter is coming back from Vancouver on Tuesday and staying over night.....so made the changes myself by calling First Air this morning, so hopefully no further problems. It is going to be a hectic week anyways....

One of my solutions is  ......all the girls at my favorite microbrewery Friday afternoon stop.

I am not sure they mix well. It has been raining steadily for a few days and in the breaks in both my schedule and weather I am trying to get the yard and some other reno projects done before I head north. It is actually a lovely time of year and one of my favorites with crabapple and  Evans cherry tree in blossom in the back yard. With the soil moist, it makes digging fairly easy and I am able to do different pockets in the yard such as this one where I like to sit in the morning....dug out to the fence, got all the weeds in the cracks, planted a few marigolds, separated some lily bulbs and leveled one corner in about 4 hours on Sunday afternoon. Have basically given up on the lawn,  which is patchy due to the two female dogs and am mowing my dandelion crop. My theory is by taking the dogs north some of the beds will survive and not be dug up....one can see dog logic that if owner is digging why shouldn't I? been on walks but not to off leash as Nanuq is not supposed to be too active after her surgery....here practising obedience at the front gate.

My plea for some extra carpentry help was answered today by friend Patrick helping to do some odd jobs for me. Got done the side panels on the back deck, I had to exchange some supplies at Home Depot and Pat taking one lattice piece back to get glued. Fooling around at the end of the day and my  limited skill level with carpentry tools...better at using the hammer or the electric drill or put another way screwing or hammering!      

Nanuq today after surgery at the Millcreek Animal Hopsital spayed, baby molar removed and two extra dew claws. Pick up at the vets post surgeryDysis watching over a dopey Nanuq  

A few delays in the packing, including leaving the lights on in my car and needing a boost, but on a blistery hot Saturday afternoon, I packed up the two dogs, left windows open and headed south. I am sure as the rest of Alberta judging from the higher volume of traffic of RVs etc. and others on the road. With gas at $1.23/liter it was $44 to fill my little Honda, where as usually about $30. There was a stop in Camrose to visit my recently widowed aunt  and a lovely walk through a greening river valley, that new light green of the leaves just out on the trees.

It was late when I reached Rocky Mt. House and finally Pioneer Ranch Camp, made my way into cabin 5 where we stayed and Dysis seen here on front porch.The mosquitos hummed, small bugs coated the walls of the nearby wash house and loons called from the lake but amazing how the tension of life in the city just seemed to melt away.
  Sunday morning on Crimson Lake...it had been raining since about 7 AM...amazingly peaceful...our worship service included a study on the parable of the sower and the seeds...the example of those good seeds falling on thorn infested grounds and being choked out by the weeds was personally especially poignant as I reflected on the stresses of recent weeks. Taking time to slow down and " hearing God's word " in the midst of life's clutter was well needed.

What can I say about the dogs well ..they had a great time running about with at least half a dozen others. The local cat very wisely only appeared occasionally and I was assured could care well for herself.

The purpose of the weekend was a volunteer work weekend of painting, cleaning, repairing, renovating etc. to get facilities ready for the hordes of summer campers. Run by Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, built originally in the mid-1950s, our family has been involved for many years....first attending during own university days in the 70s to a granddaughter who will come to Senior Girls this July. Many friendships renewed this weekend as others with similar involvements including myself and Dale who was cooking, great cinnamon buns and fresh fruit.

   At waterfront dock with dogs first getting Nanuq's attention ...looking for a treat!

I had planned to do some painting but instead ended up gardening...what else...a bed of irises that needed thinning and a rockery bed in front of dining hall.  In the latter, soil was well compacted...Showing the progress in the beds...Oh the back after digging quack grass and raking...Warm days..lots of digging...finally done!

Nanuq found a football in front of lodge.

Sunset at Crimson Lake            

Those of us who could enjoyed my fire pit Saturday night before heading indoors to write. 

It was a word play exercise that had us wracking our brains for nouns, adjectives, and verbs and then doing some free-flowing writing that would bring these words together in some some surprising configurations, from the hilarious (we had nuns with leopard skin tights and camels on the tundra) to the philosophical and anything in between. 

Nice that my friend Kay who has chronic fatigue, could make it!

Obedience continues as part of each session with the dogs....Nanuq is now as big as Dysis and not yet  months ( husky cross but wonder if the other half is Pyreness! ) Sit, stay and down...the grass is greening up in the fields and in patches in the yard. I do wonder why I garden when I am away for a good portion of the summer in the Nunavut but it does bring pleasure and a healthy stress relief.

Although I must admit sitting next to the fire pit with an Alley Kat beer is also pretty good!

a good turn out in our group in the Swim for Malaria....12 swimmers did between 850  & 1300 M. in 30 minutes.

Good way to end the spring session plans to be back in September.End of season class hands in air!

With coach Liz Paton at Kinsmen Pool with the Gils swim group here are a few shots.

because you will get called at odd hours and ealier than you expected!...new learning. Must admit as I write this evening, I am fatigued and stressed for a number of reasons, including my casual coverage at the hospital in a position ( CCU, ER & a family medicine team ) with a new learning curve that needs full time coverage and I am available only part time. Eating lunch at 4:30 PM reminded me that food intake is important. Co-workers were helpful when I put out a voicemail for help on one situation I could not get to and I had to laugh when I got a report later that the social worker who came was  "a short lady with brown hair and glasses"...actually a description that could have fit a number of us! There are factors beyond my control and not my responsibility as a casual, such as a change in managers and reorganization of teams, but I still feel rather caught when I cannot do all I want to do or think I should. I love the flexibility of doing casual work whether at the hospital or when in the north, and generally one does not get involved in the administration politics, but there are times when being short term is frustrating....I just hope that I can leave my work stints with as thorough a job done as possible, so the next worker can pick up with ease. Co-worker told me I do "ducky" work so I'll hold on to that one!

confirmed this again this afternoon in one of those yet another household projects.

The dogs started digging a hole in the front lawn about two weeks ago and I decided to turn the spot into an outdoor fire pit with a hole about 18 inches deep. Toted in two trips from Home  Depot
  and borrowed neighbour's wheel barrow.The base lined with old bricks and patio tiles then to be levelled with sand but of course. seven bricks to complete the circle and last one doesn't fit!!!After about three hours of work ( no back left )  and of course the first of the season, it was finally completed including the grill.   Enjoyed this evening a fire of odd bits of wood from the yard and listening to the calls of the robins and other  "twitterpated " bird songs. 

when ending you say "Ah it was a good day!"
well today was one of those.