June 3

Highlights since my last post:

1. I took my mother down to Moose Jaw to visit one of her grandsons.  Mom lives in Tisdale.  The elimination of STC is definitely going to impact her life.  On the other hand, at 89, she should probably not be riding the bus anymore.

2.  As many people know, I spent a large part of my childhood in the company of a good friend and neighbor, Sam Lanceley.  I lived most of my childhood with Sam on his farm south of Kelvington.  When Sam was no longer able to farm, my parents bought his farm and Sam came to live with my parents.  Sam's kitchen table from the farm has been in my possession for several years. It was built by an old Scandinavian carpenter in 1942.  Sam bought the table in 1961 at a farm auction.  I was with him the day we hauled it home in his 1952 Fargo.  The table followed me from Kelvington to Wood Mountain to Prairie River to Saskatoon.  Then Mary had the table for a few years until it came back to me this year.  Over the past two weeks, I have refinished the table.  The old table will become my office desk once the varnish dries.

3.  On Thursday, June 1, I had a surreal experience.  I have been playing ball all of my life.  For the past 20 plus years, I have played most of my games at UMEA park behind Lawson Heights Mall.  I have watched many players blast a ball over the 12 foot fence 234 feet from home plate.  I have watched them strut around the bases and high five their teammates as they cross home plate.  I never thought I would see the day when I would be "that guy", but in the second inning of Thursdays game, I hit the ball right on the screws and thanks to a brisk tail wind, the ball sailed over the fence.  For me, it was like draining a hole in one.  Sure, I have hit several inside the park home runs, but this one was special...a dream come true.  A dream I never thought I would realize especially at 61 years of age.