Emma Lake 2012

We spent three sunny weeks at Emma with relatives coming and going. At the peak there were 27 of us, with only Karen and the Hakls unable to join us. The new pontoon boat, 3-man tube and paddle boards were a hit. Another first this year was Davin, with Garry's help,filleting a fish catch.The water was as warm as the air and many hours were spent therein, but the hot tub was still well used. Beach activities included paddle board races, football, mini-olympics, digging the "biggest hole ever" and just plain lounging. Activities continued until well after sundown when scrumptious meals, cribbage tournaments, board games,and birthday parties for Johnny and Owen were enjoyed. All of the children, but primarily Mio, loved Winston and Buddy, who were not counted in the 27 tally!

Highlights

Highlights of our week at the Lakehouse were 1) having Karen as my cart buddy while golfing Riverside 2) hiking to the Konrad Kain hut in the Bugaboos with Bob and Jan. This included forests, boulder fields, chains, ladders and glissanding down the snow on our descent.

SW SK & SE AB

The Waverley Cemetery service for Uncle Don was lovely with the Legion forming an honour guard and the family placing red roses. At a reception in the Glentworth Hall all of the boys spoke and showed a video of Don's lifetime highlights. We gathered for a dinner that evening and brunch the following day at which friendships were renewed with all of the cousins. On the nostalgic return trip through "the land of the living skies" we visited several national historic sites. First was Grasslands Park "where the buffalo roam and the deer and the antelope play"(and also the endangered Prairie Dog and Swift Fox). Next on to the T Rex museum where dinos discovered in the Eastend area are displayed. Then on to the very beautiful Cypress Hills where we enjoyed a sundowner on the Conglomerate Cliffs with a young couple from ON and overnighted at an historic ranch. Next on to most interesting and informative Fort Walsh,the first North West Mounted Police Fort in the North West Territories, and then to Writing on Stone where the spirits visit those who carve and draw on the amazing structures. Finally the wonderfully designed centre at Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump where for 6000 years the First Nations people of the plains ingeniously obtained most of their needs:food,hides,and bones for tools.

!WW

The IWW cycle trip this week took us along the river where we lunched alongside the impressive new weir then back across the more impressive new Peace Bridge.

Canada Day

The weather was good for the Canada Day weekend in Invermere. A total of sixteen of us at the Lakeouse did some hiking, biking, boating, watched the parade and fireworks and played some really fun games, including a cribbage tournament at the GE Perry's which was won by Krystal and Amanda!

Mopving House

I helped the M'akls move house on the weekend. We cleaned the windows, blinds, cupboards and floors at Kestrel Lodge, picked up the keys for #5 Long Close, checked out the new digs with much excitement, moved many truck and carloads of possessions, took time for lunch on the patio then unpacked.

Garden Party

Lucinda and I were very privileged to have her neighbour secure for us two very precious tickets to a garden party honouring the queen on her 60th anniversary.Hosted by the lord lieutenants of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire at a luxurious garden in Henley on Thames, it was very special. We parked in a huge green meadow, enjoyed tea, then watched HRH disembark from a royal barge which floated down the Thames. After she was seated in a pavilion we all watched the spectacular "Time and the Thames" a pageant of boats depicting various times on the river from Celtic, to Norman to Viking to East India Co etc up to this century.HRH then did a walk to and from a tea house.Twice we were close enough to touch her!She is amazingly little and very beautiful with a true British peaches and cream complexion and a lovely smile for all her loyal subjects.