Last Day!!!!

When Ron and I got married 40 years ago this Sunday, he was a breakfast manager at McDonalds.  True story! Shortly after that, he took the five or six week course to become a Real Estate Agent.  

He sold houses for a couple of years before we moved to Peterborough for him to go to college at Eastern Pentecostal Bible College.  He got his Bachelors of Theology with Honours!! I received my PHT (Put Hubby Through).  It was actually a thing…I have the certificate to prove it. I’d like to think that I did it with honours too.

For 19 years, we pastored in three churches, all in Ontario.  We thought we would be doing that forever but God led us in a different direction and that is when the RCMP life started. Through the past 14 years, he has worked in 5 different posts (more if you count the times he went to other towns to do relief work).

• 1983 - Breakfast Manager
• 1983-1985 - Real Estate Agent
• 1985-1989 - Student at Eastern Pentecostal Bible College (now called Masters) He worked at DuPont during the summers.
• 1989 - 1991 - Assistant Pastor in Gananoque, Ontario
• 1991-1999 - Senior Pastor in Sharbot Lake, Ontario 
  
  
  
• 1999 - 2008 - Senior Pastor in Frankford, Ontario
  
  
  
• November 2008 - April 2009 - Cadet at the RCMP Training Depot
  
  
  
• 2009 - 2013 - Constable in Swift Current, Saskatchewan (Rural)
  
  
  
• 2013 - 2015 - Constable in Deschambault Lake, Saskatchewan 
  
  
  
• 2015 - 2018 - Constable in Three Hills, Alberta
  
  
  
• 2018 - 2023 - Corporal in Brocket, Alberta 
  
  
  

During the past 40 years, Ron has worked at a different places doing different jobs.  He has seen people who have made decisions that have changed their lives for the better and the worst.  We have lived in areas where there are rivers, islands, lakes and creeks.  We have gone from trees to a tree on the prairies.  We have lived where there were three hills and moved to a place where we are surrounded by mountain ranges.  We have tried to enjoy each place.  We have canoed, cross country skied, biked (pedal and motorcycle), hiked and have met so many great friends along the way.

Today, Ron backed out of the driveway to go to work for his last time.  Tomorrow starts a new chapter…retirement!  I know that we will enjoy many new experiences.  We will move to a new place, meet new people and reacquaint with old friends.  We can enjoy each sunny day and do nothing on the stormy ones. Our schedule will be now what we want to do and not wait for the days off because now, everyday will be a day off.

Happy Retirement to Ron!

Don’t Let The Rain Get You Down

We have had some beautiful warm days and Ron was off all week.  We walked, went for free coffees (thanks to the Tim’s hockey picks) and got some errands taken care of.

Today, Ron was back to work and the sky is heavy and grey.  I asked Alexis this morning what the temperature was and she responded with “Right now it’s 5 degrees Celsius. Today expect a high of 8 degrees.”  Usually that is all our little artificial intelligence will say but today she added, “don’t let the rain get you down.” 

Even though the house seems dark this morning with no sunshine coming through the windows, I feel very content.  I can’t describe how different I feel from a few months ago. I felt like every day there was a heavy cloud hanging over me and there was no sun that could penetrate through that.  Today, with cloudy skies and wet pavement, I can almost see the grass growing.  My neglected gardens are popping with perennials and I know soon there will be flowers. Over the next couple of days, I will give some attention to the gardens, removing the weeds and giving the plants space to grow.

I guess life is kind of like the seasons.  Sometimes, we go through stormy weather and it is hard to keep moving through the hurricanes, tornadoes and dumps of snow that comes our way.  As we dig out from the damage that the wind may blow at us or try to dodge the torrential downpours; we discover that we can’t avoid what life throws at us.  We can take cover and come out stronger.  Looking at the green popping in the garden bed, I imagine those plants that have been dormant through the winter.  Piles of snow hid them from any sunshine and instead of giving up, they are ready to bloom.  I guess that is where I am.  

I need to weed out the doubts, worries and things I can’t change in my life.  I need to keep going.  I can keep going!

Only three more shifts for Ron to work!

A Perfect Day!

Perfect days to me can be a nice hike with great weather and muscles that hurt just enough.

It might be a day with my grandkids when we do something that everyone enjoys and there is no whining or fighting.  This, of course, has never happened.

It has been times with my son and his sweet wife.  It doesn’t matter what we do because it just always leaves me feeling good.

It will hopefully be times with my daughter when we move to Ontario as we bake, enjoy a tea or maybe shop.

It is always when Ron is home and we have plans or perhaps we do nothing at all.

It can also be those days when you reconnect with a friend and enjoy catching up.  That was my day yesterday.  

I haven’t been driving much lately and rarely by myself.  Yesterday, I changed that.  I drove three hours to Medicine Hat to meet my old tea buddy. She’s not old…just older than 10 years ago when we had spent time together.

Picture taken 10 years - two working ladies

Fourteen years ago I started working at Innovation Credit Union in Swift Current.   

I sat at the front desk on the third floor for the first year and every day this lovely lady would walk by at 9:30 a.m. and come back with a Tim’s.  I decided that this was a friend that I wanted to have.

I soon was leaving every day at 9:30 and coming back with my tea and a new forever friend.

Through the years we have kept up to date with our tea times but it has always been virtual. Yesterday, we had our visit face to face.  Virtual hugs are okay but the real thing is much better.

Catherine was a wonderful tour guide.  We walked around chatting and catching up.  She picked a cute little bistro for lunch and we talked some more.  To make the day complete, my tour guide took us to Police Point Park and even suppled me with a bottle of water.

It was a great place to explore with lots of intersecting paths along the water and no hills to climb.

We walked and, of course, talked some more.

We sat along the shore and enjoyed the sun, scenery and friendship.  We had to take a selfie to mark the occasion.

Two retired ladies 

It was such a nice day and we even managed to find the vehicle after all of our twists and turns. Our next chat will most likely be virtual but it was extra special to have this day.

I then drive the three hours and got home just in time to watch the Leafs play.  What an exciting game!

When Tampa Bay was leading there were some sad faces in Ontario.  I tried to stay calm with the thought that at least they would go to game seven….the dreaded game seven,

And then Austin Matthews tied the game.  We had a chance.  The end of the third period came and the Leafs were going to overtime and the captain came through.  He got the puck in the back of the net and everyone went crazy. They won!  It got a little loud at our house and in Ontario. 

They made it past the first round.  They haven’t done that since 2004!  

What a way to end the perfect day!

Go The Distance

I’m trying to develop somewhat of a routine with posting on my blog.  There will be times when I will have interesting posts about our adventures and other times (like today) it will be just my thoughts.

So much has happened over the past two years and with each event I felt like a punching bag.  You know the ones…they have the weighted bottom and when you punch it, it would wobble and then stand straight, ready for the next round.  At first, I wobbled with each hit. Then there were illegal shots to the head and jabs below the belt.  I began to lose the weights out of the bottom and tumbled over.  The fight seem to continue even though it was a technical knock out.  Why wasn’t the referee blowing the whistle to stop the fight?

Lately, even though many of the circumstances haven’t changed, I have felt the weights settling in.  (Boy, do I feel the weight…another story!)  Instead of laying flat on the ground, I am starting to wobble back.  I might even have a little bit in me to dodge a punch or two.

The last couple of days have been hard but today I decided instead of dwelling on the circumstances we would enjoy the sunshine.  First, we went for a walk.  It was so nice that my spring coat was too much.  We then drove to our favourite place…Waterton Park. 

It was such a beautiful day.  The mountains looked majestic and it felt good to enjoy the scenery and take deep breaths.  Now, I am enjoying the sun on the deck in my little nest.

The bell has rung to end the round and I’m taking a breather.  I’m not sure how many more rounds there are in this fight.  I’ve got the scars and bruises from the previous rounds but I’m STEELE Standing…

Closure?

Tomorrow there will be a gathering in my home town to say goodbye to my sister.  My mom said that they need closure and so a service has been planned.  Due to circumstances beyond my control, I cannot be there.  Instead of closure for me, it feels like my open wounds have had salt poured on them.

They say….whoever they are…that time heals.  I guess I just need more time.

Today, I feel kind of like our weather.  It feels like I should be happier but a cloud is moving in.  Outside, it should be spring and it’s snowing.  

The good news is that tomorrow is a new day with the promise of sunshine and warm temperatures.  

Today, I will push on.  I will exercise.  I will keep going. I will push the clouds away just like the snow will melt when the sun comes out.

So closure?  I’m not sure what that really is.  

• 
• Maybe it’s pushing on when you don’t feel like it.  
• Maybe it’s planning for tomorrow when you aren’t having a good day.  
• Maybe it is just writing your thoughts before starting your day.  
• Maybe it is counting your blessings of what you have and not dwelling as much on what you have lost.
• Maybe it is like my Christmas cactus who has decided to bloom in April.

Just maybe, It’s that you are supposed to bloom even when the odds seem to be against you??

First Hike of the Year

We are wanting to get hike ready for our summer of exploring.  Drywood Falls is our usual spring hike.  The road in is usually quite dry.  It isn’t too steep or too long.  It’s perfect for getting back the legs moving.

This year there was a little more snow than usual.

The scenery never disappoints.

It was a little windy but the sun was warm.

The falls were moving some but still lots of ice.

Our first hike of the year was deemed as a success.

8.2 km - over 13,000 steps - 69 Floors - 200 zone minutes - almost 1700 calories burned!

Cancer Free

Five years ago I had thyroid cancer and had a total thyroidectomy.  From that time on I had to go back to my endocrinologist for check ups.  First it was every three months, then six months and then every year.  The check up consists of an ultrasound, bloodwork and a visit with the doctor.  Each time I go I am always concerned that the words may be that the cancer came back.

My wonderful doctor sat in front me and said that everything was good.  If the cancer hasn’t come back in five years it means it was all taken care of.

Ron treated us to a dinner for two at Red Lobster to celebrate.

It is always good when good news comes your way!