Translator by Bing....

For the past three years, every Wed night, I have been helping a really nice guy named "Juwon" practice his English. 

This past week, he came in and informed me that he was moving to Edmonton.... this weekend. 

I was a little shocked, but he said that he would keep in touch.  In fact, he gave me his email address and told me that he would contact me and give me his new phone number.  Best of all, though, he made me his "friend" on "Facebook" (Well, technically he is Sari's friend since I am not a "Facebooker").

I don't know if you have any friends who post things in foreign languages on Facebook, but Juwon's stuff is all in Korean.  Fortunately (Not only so I can understand, but b/c it is hilarious), you can use the "Bing Translator" to convert the posts to English...... though I am not sure it works that well.  

Here are some examples......

From today.... "I bought the rods of the sixties, why the song-songwriting better?? Are done by one of the Tao, this must one ..;;;;;;;;;./;"

Or consider...... "use the social security number records submitted by won 130 immigration and personal information leakage prevention of damage caused today! ... ... ... ... ... ...I I;;;;"
 
Or the ever popular..... "Thanks to the next Cafe is, and all the obscene ads by restraining Yen online games have their clothes Kerik  .....Grateful for it;;"

Think about that for a while!

I am really going to miss Juwon..... but I think I am going to look forward to (sort of) reading his posts.  :)

A reminder

So Megan forgot her binder this morning.

The one I saw on the floor last night and said, "Hey, is this your binder?"

The one to which she replied, "Ya it is mine.  I will put it in my backpack tomorrow... No, I won't forget!"

Then, just as I am going out the door, the call came, "Can you bring me......"

I was a little annoyed (In former days, I would have been mad.... this time I was just a little annoyed).  However, I told her that I would meet her near the front of the school and give it to her.

As I rode up to the school on my motorcycle, I could see a handful of kids standing near the flagpole.  Then I remembered, "Oh ya, it is 'Meet me at the pole' day today" (For those who don't know - that is a day where Christian students around the world meet at the flagpole of their school to pray for their school, their teachers and their friends).

Then I looked again..... and saw both of my daughters standing there.

Sometimes it is easy to focus only on things that could be better, right?  My kids aren't perfect and neither are their parents.... we have disagreements and see things differently at times.  We misunderstand each other and have to go "make up".  We love each other but not everything is smooth and easy.

But this morning was a good reminder.... "I have some good kids!"

That may sound like bragging.... and it is.  But it is not arrogant bragging..... it is thankful bragging.  I am glad for their hearts.  I am thankful for their friends.  I am thankful that they can make good choices and that they are brave enough to be themselves (It takes some guts to stand there with the "Christian kids" while all your teachers and friends walk by).

I know that the end of the story is not yet written and that we have a long way to go.... but for that moment when I pulled up at the school, I thought, "I am glad those are my kids.... and I am glad for their mom who, mostly, made them who they are".  And I told them that too.

It was a good way to start the day.  It is an image that will go with me for a long time.

And I am glad Megan forgot her binder.

This made me smile.....

Dude gets his first kiss, on stage, from Carrie Underwood! Can you imagine? That is a story that will he tell for the rest of his life. Good for her! That was sweet! :)

Walk to breakfast kickoff

Just a few more shots from Sari's school year opening "Walk to Breakfast"

Soccer stuff

Some soccer pics..... just for fun! 

Happy Birthday

We celebrated my mommy's birthday a few weeks ago.... I won't tell you how old she is..... but get a good look at the cake picture and you can find out for yourself. :)

Mom and Laurie

 Posing for the appropriate picture

Mom and some some of my uncles and aunts

The cake (one of several).... Yum "Dutch Bakery" (if you are ever in Moose Jaw.... mmmmm)

 

One with some of the kids and grandkids....

You can write the caption for this one (In fact, please do... comment section is open for business!)  :)

Um, ya sure!

I am going to make my kids watch this over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over until the memorize every word and REALIZE WHAT WE DO FOR THEM!!! (Or "did for them" as we rarely have to cut their food and feed it to them any more..... but that money part.... fo shizzle!)  :)
Parents rap about maintaining their household by videosonlytube

Another Breakfast Story

Click here to see another story about the Hillcrest Breakfast Program.  Also, click on the picture in the story and you will be able to see a few more.

A Converstation Conundrum

So it is my Mom's 65th Birthday.... well, it was a couple of weeks ago but none of us could get there on time to celebrate with her (that and the fact that we thought she was expecting a big party, so we did not give her one on the right date), so we are having a party for her this weekend.

While planning this event with my siblings, the matter of a gift came up.  In the meantime, mom's husband's birthday has come and gone as well, so we thought we should get them a "together gift" (Putting them together means one bigger, more substantial gift.... and it means less thinking on our part so it is "win-win" right?)

"Let's give them a one way ticket somewhere" my siblings both snarled.

Needless to say, I was shocked!!!

"We can't do that!" I bravely said.

Kurt and Debbie would not relent on this "run them out of town" idea, saying some of the nastiest things I have ever heard anyone say about another two people.  But I did not give in....I stood my ground (Mom - if you ever get to read this - don't listen to Kurt and Debbie when they say that I made that whole part up to make myself look like the best son.... it is all true and I have the transcripts of our conversation to prove it.... as soon as I make them up).

Anywho..... with the "one way ticket" idea defeated by the handsome and brave eldest son, the conversation moved to the idea of buying them a gift card from a major hotel chain.  That way they could use it whenever and wherever they wanted.... with the added bonus that they would be able to drive themselves home and would not have to live like drifters for the rest of their lives.

The task of getting the gift card fell to me.  Since we use Best Western Hotels most of the time, I decided to call our local one to see if I could buy a card there or if they could only be ordered online.  The following is my conversation with the nice girl from Best Western.....

Me: "Hey, I was wondering, can I buy Best Western gift cards at the hotel in town or can I only get them online?"

Best Western Girl (BWG - from now on):  "Yes you can purchase them online"

Me: "No, I know that.  What I want to know is whether I can buy one from the hotel in town"

BWG:  "Are you a Best Western Club member?"

Me:  "Yes"

BWG:  "Then you can go to the website, enter your card number and order a card there"

Me: "Ok - but I don't want to do that!  I want to buy one in person... at the front desk of the hotel in Estevan.  Can I do that?"

BWG:  "Are you using "Best Western Club" points to buy the card?"

Me:  "No. I will be paying with cash"

BWG:  "Because you can cash your points in online for many different things.... including gift cards"

Me:  "Right - I understand that but....."

BWG:  "Like  Starbucks gift cards. Do you like Starbucks?"

Me:  "Wa??  No actually I HATE Starbucks.... Who wants to pay $250 for a black coffee with some stupid name that I can't pronounce??  Huh????  Tell me that!   And, I really hate the ones in the bookstores where all the "novel nerds" gather to spout what they think they know about things.... 'I really liked Tchaikovsky's treatment of the wind in the fourth chapter.... making it part of the fabric on the novel was simply an inspired moment'..... SHUT UP!!!!!"

BWG:  "You can buy a Starbucks card online.... just go to "bestwestern.com" and enter your membership number to......"

Me:  "I DON'T WANT A STARBUCKS CARD!!!!"

BWG:  "Oh - I see.  Then why did you call?"

Me:  "I want to know if I can buy a Best Western Gift Card at the front desk of your hotel"

BWG:  "Can you hold please?".......... (5 minutes later) "You can buy it here"

Me:  "I can?"

BWG:  "Yes"

Me:  "Ok... thank you!" (hang up the phone)

Now, the only problem is..... I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SHE SAID "YES" TO.   I think she just said "yes" to get rid of me.

"Happy Birthday Mom!!!"

_____
PS..... (the rest of the story).........

Sari and I went to said Best Western this evening and lo and behold guess who is behind the counter?  BWG!  And guess what..... she was terribly nice and helpful!  Everything was great..... "Yes you may buy a card here".... "We would be glad to help you"..... "Would you like a free coffee while we complete the transaction?"

And then..... the machine would not take Sari's credit card..... or my credit card.... or Sari's other credit card....

BWG kept looking at us with a look that said, "Oh you poor people" (not in a sympathetic way... as in "I feel so badly about this for you" but in a "You hillbillies have no money.  Maybe now that your credit cards are cut off you will stop playing those 'video lottery terminals' for good! ").

The machine finally took Sari's debt card..... and all was well.  (And we credit card worked at the next store we went to so we are not actually destitute) 

I hope the trip (wherever it is) is more fun than the buying of the card for the trip.  :)

Sari is making a difference.... and other stuff

Above is a picture from Sari's "Walk to breakfast" kickoff at Hillcrest.  The morning included dignitaries like the Minister of Education, the Mayor and several others.  It was a lot of fun and I will post a lot more pictures and stuff later, but here is the report from the radio station.  Sari, the "School Community Council", the parents, staff, supporting companies and volunteers are making a big difference in the lives of these kids and it is fun to see. 

Watch for more announcements in coming weeks as there are several more big gifts lined up for the school.
_____
In other news.....

- Katie played her first two soccer games in Moose Jaw this weekend.  They lost both but she said that she played "Like a boss" (which I think is a good thing).  She is looking forward to the rest of the season.

- Megan made it happily through her first week of High School.  Things seem to be going well... no major meltdowns so we are proud of her for that and hope she has a great year.

-  I spend all day Saturday at the football field at the high school.  I started by watching one little kid that I knew and then I knew a kid on the next team that played... two on the next one ... and finally a lot on the high school team.  It was a beautiful day to be outside and I had tons of people to visit with (that is what I love about small towns/cities.... no matter where you go you see people you know).  So - while I should have been working on my Enduro car - I wasn't.  However, I had a good excuse for being lazy so I did not feel too bad about it. 

- Friday night we went to the rodeo and ran into a couple of good friends and visited with them while enjoying the show.  That was really fun too.   As well, a little boy was sitting beside me and he said, "Hey, I remember you!  You are funny!"  He had been to our VBS a few years ago.... he proceeded to talk to me for the next hour STRAIGHT!   Seriously, I had to tell him to wait while I tried to talk to my buddy Darren.  It was funny and it was another reason I like being here.

So, more about Sari and what is going on at the school later.... but that is the update on our weekend for now. 

The Chinese lied to me... and other happenings

Most of you know about the fact that last month I dropped my Motorcycle at a railway crossing just outside of Bienfait after surviving 68746878436 kms of road construction (I know... you are probably haunted by this fact.... nightmares, sudden bursts of tears for no reason.... I understand).  If you are not up to speed, please go discover the previous post detailing this horrific event.

Anyway, I had to order a new foot peg for it so I got looking at Suzuki parts..... $30 for one side and that is just the metal piece (no top rubber part, no spring, nothing).

Then - just for fun - I went on Ebay...... 2 complete foot pegs (with top rubber parts, new springs, new pins, new everything) for........ $8.  Eight bucks!!!!!!!

Not to mention FREE SHIPPING!  FREE!!!!

Did I mention this was coming from China?  They are shipping me 5 times as much stuff for $8 (if I bought all the same stuff from Suzuki it would have been closer to $200 - seriously)....... from China!   I did not think that you could send an empty envelope from China to Canada for $8 much less 10 motorcycle parts.

So after waiting a month, guess what showed up in my mailbox yesterday?

The lying part?  Well, the measurements that they gave made them sound exactly the same size as the originals, but they are not.  They are a little bit smaller.... but overall - for eight bucks - who cares?

So as they say "Seek and ye shall find" or in this case "CHEAP and ye shall SAVE"  (or something like that)  :)
_____
In other (non-motorcycle related news)..... the girls all had relatively good days at school.  Sari is getting ready for her big "Breakfast Kick-off" tomorrow.  She has the Minister of Education coming and a bunch of other people with really large cheques.... both financially large and actually large as in those big cardboard cheques.  (How do you get those anyway?  I want like a whole book of them!  You are standing in Wal-mart... "Nine ninety five, you say?"..... then you whip out this big cheque book.... it takes up like three lanes and knocks over 3 old ladies in the process.  You have to get the cashier to fill out the other end of the cheque because you can't reach it..... and you have to yell to her so that she can hear you from so far away.  Then you try to stuff one into the ATM and well......... but I digress). 

Sari's breakfast thing is going to be great..... more about it later in the week.

Katie has her first soccer game this weekend (in Moose Jaw) and Megan had a good second day... she successfully found her way around the school and back out to the car to come home.... what more could you want than that?

Me.... I am still waiting on someone to sponsor my Enduro car..... cost is heap.... nothing!  (That is even a better deal than Ebay foot pegs).   Get in touch with me soon... space is limited (I am painting monkeys all over the thing and there is only so much space so.......)

It has begun

So it has begun!  Today was Megan's first day of High School.  Mind you, it was just registration day and only the grade 9s were there, but it was still a big day.  She got her schedule and did a "mock day" where they spend 5 minutes in each classroom meeting their teachers and finding their way around.  It is a cool idea.  Gives them a chance to be lost in the school before all the other students show up and you are in a sea of 800 + kids. 

She found her way around easily.  She found out that she has several good friends in several of her classes and (surprise) she even thought that most of the teachers seemed quite nice.

I think she is going to have a great year.

As well, today marked the end of summer for Sari.  She is in meetings today and then has a "Back to School BBQ" thing on Monday and school starts Tuesday.

Katie registers on Tuesday and classes get going on Wed.

I could say something snotty here about how it is about time they all have to get up and get out of the house in the morning.  I have spent most of the summer working while they have slept in, stayed up late and sort of goofed off.  But in reality, I feel bad for them.  It is hard to see summer end.  I am sure the new school year will be great - but so is going to the beach!

Oh well!  The adventure begins/continues.  :)

Camping

I had an extra week of holidays to burn so we decided to go camping at Kenosee for the week.  It was nice and relaxing (lots of bike riding, reading, staying up too late, sleeping in too late, biking and lots of ice cream).  Here is a quick visual summary of some of the rest of it.......

We rented kayaks and the girls (all three) now have a new love (anyone with a kayak for sale?).  While we were on the water we saw..... a cow and calf Moose in the water (they let us get fairly close before pounding off into the forest)..... a couple of beavers swimming near a couple of different lodges.... lots of birds..... it was really fun.

Since the park only had 3 kayaks to rent, I got a canoe (which made me happy anyway.... nothing says "summer" like being in a canoe)

This shot (or one of the other ones like it) will become my screen saver when the snow is 8 feet deep.  

 Our campsite..... we had the lake behind us and tons of trees around us.... very quiet and private.  The park was only about 1/2 full so it was quite quiet.   Note the dome tent..... the girls slept outside the camper for the first time on this trip (lucky kids.... getting to sleep in the tent...... I MISS TENTING!!!!!)

Our "Hillbilly Camping Equipment"...... my 1997 truck and our 1978 trailer.  Funny thing is that the speedway is having a "Trailer trashing" night where they hook trailers onto cars and then race them in a figure 8 and smash them up until there is nothing left of the cars or the trailers..... one of the campers that they are going to wreck (one of the "junkers") looks a lot like the one we just happily spent a week living in.  Oh well... one man's junk is another man's treasure, right?

We did not get any pictures of the skunk that came to visit our campsite a couple of times..... too much screaming and running around for the girls to take a shot (I guess). 

Next up....... well, Sari went back to school for the day today and is working off and on all week until Friday when she is "full time" again.   Megan goes to school on Friday..... Katie registers on Tuesday.  Me.... I am in the process of getting my "Enduro Stock Car" ready to run again (if you forget what this beauty looks like click here).   It was sitting in water most of last summer (flooding around here) so I had to drain the water out of the engine and replace the starter but I got it running..... now to paint it and get it entered.   Anyone want to sponsor me?????   Let me know..... I will even put your name on for free - just for fun.   Stay tuned for pictures of that race in about three weeks from now.  :)

I CAN'T TAKE THE PRESSURE (Oh - and apparently I am moving)

I

I HATE CELL PHONES!

Seriously - I do!  People texting other people who aren't there while they ignore people who are there.  Phone calls about nothing interrupting the something that you were doing.  I don't know... I like being "off the leash" - so I do not own a cell phone.

However, I do have a work phone so that I can get out of the office and people can still find me (fair trade as far as I am concerned), so every once in a while I have to go and upgrade the thing.  The contract came up for renewal this week, so it was off to Sasktel.

Now, given that I also hate shopping, I took Sari with me. She has been through the "new phone thing" a few times recently with the girls and I figured that she would keep me from buying the cheapest, junkiest thing there (Which - we all know - I am liable to do).

We get there, go in and this girl comes up immediately, "Can I help you?"

I explain what I want.... how I don't use the thing that much... how I just want something that has good sound and that I can text on..... no data plan.... no surfing the web.... just a basic phone.

She looks at the wall - the one with all the phones on it - and says, "Well, here are the phones" (Good thing she came along, huh?)

So I turn to Sari and she is like, "I don't know" and LEAVES!

So the Sasktel chicky elaborates..... "Those flippy ones - those are the flip phones.  These 'zero dollar' ones won't cost you anything."

Eventually, she - seemingly at random - points at one and says, "This is the newest HTC one.  It is good".... so I panicked and took it.

Now I have a white phone with kitties and flowers on it..... but it has good sound and it was the cheapest. junkiest one on the entire wall so......

Good thing I don't care about cell phones.
--------
We got home from church on Sunday - just barely in the door and my mother-in-law calls.  I answer and she says, "You are moving".

I think, "Well, isn't that nice?  She knew I was sick and is checking up on me", so I said, "Ya, I am up and feeling pretty good I....." then she cut me off.

"No, no!  I heard that you guys were moving!  Like leaving Estevan. Where are you going and when were you going to tell us?"

"As soon as we found out" I said.

Apparently someone in Weyburn is telling people that we are moving.  Marilyn heard it in Dauphin. 

I hope someone tells us soon..... I would hate to come home someday and find that I am no here any more.  :)

Well - that was fun

I don't really have much to share.... this is more of a "Maintenance post" just in case anyone still comes by here once in a while (I do not want to be threatened again for not blogging so.....)

I hate to say it, but there is really nothing "blog worthy" going on..... well "Blog worthy" in the sense of something usual or funny or strange.  Of course there are lots of great "normal" things going on, but one thing I have discovered by reading "Facebook" is....  Stuff that is great in your life does not make good reading!

Seriously, I am glad that the spaghetti squash that you ate last night was "the best ever".  I am happy that you enjoy "Corner Gas" reruns.  I am even pleased that you got a phone call from your favorite uncle......

But unless your squash bears a striking resemblance to Jay Leno..... Or your bought the old "Corner Gas" gas station in Rouleau and I can come and have a sleepover in it... or unless your favorite uncle called to tell you that he is willing you several million dollars (in which case, I will need to be nicer to you)..... then I am not really that interested.

In fact, I am not only not joining Facebook, but I am going to stop lurking on Sari's FB too!  So there!

(How did this post become a Facebook rant????  Oh ya, I was telling you about my good but not very interesting life).

So I have been out golfing with Shady Shane... Megan went to camp and came home with the plague (which she promptly shared with me and my sister)...... Oh my sister came for a visit (that was lots of fun - until the puking part).... Sari and the kids took a quick road trip to Moose Jaw and Regina and home again.... I have been going to stock car races (it finally stopped raining).... and we are planning on going camping as a "one last thing before school starts again" thing.

So - you see - life is great!  Things are interesting and fun - from my side..... but from your side - maybe not so much.

The moral of the story:  Boycott Facebook!

That is all.  :)

On the bright side, now I know I can lift my motorcycle

A week after my 4000 km "incident free" journey to the Black Hills with my brother, I rode to Moose Jaw so that I could hang out at Kurt and Tracy's cabin (500 km round trip).  Came home from there and rode up to Dauphin (500 km more one way).  Everything was great, until the ride home.

Sari and the girls left Dauphin about 1/2 hour before me and then we got further separated at a detour in Roblin, Man.  Though I was not there at the time, I suspected that they were good kids and followed the bright orange signs that led them south.  Figuring that the detour was going to take me out of my way, I continued going west.

Now, about 15 years ago, the road between Wroxton and Churchbridge was really good - we went that way all the time - but then it became just a "goat path" of potholes.  But that was years ago, right?  Surely by now they had to have fixed that road, right?

Nope!  Even bigger potholes.... kms of deep gravel.... it was even more of a mess.  After a few scarey moments (mostly related to driving too fast when there is no road to speak of), I made it to Churchbridge and thought "Well - I am glad that is over".

The rest of the ride was uneventful until I thought, "The road from Kisbey to Lampman used to be terrible... but that was years ago.... they must have fixed it by now, right?"

The road from Kisbey to Lampman was bad, but the road from Lampman down to the highway at Bienfait was worse (I am not sure where our highway budgets are being spent but it is clearly not on these two roads), so I hung on and went too fast over that part of the road too.

Finally, I got to highway 39 near Bienfait and thought, "Well - that was terrible!  Am I ever glad that is over.  Good roads from here on out".

The next thing I know, I am standing on the road, looking at my motorcycle that was laying on its side on a railway crossing.  In a bit of a panic - and horrified by seeing my bike on the ground and realizing "I just dumped my bike" - I grabbed it and lifted it back up.

As I was surveying the damage, I hear "Hooooonnnnkkkkk   Hhhhhooooooonnnnnnkkkk".   I look up and who goes flying by me on the highway?  The girls!   I had not seen them in 5 hours.... we had taken two completely different routes (theirs about 200 km longer than mine) and here we end up at the same railway crossing 20 seconds after I drop my bike.

I was glad when I saw the Acadia turning around.... but I was a little fearful too.  I was bracing for the "Wife Speech".  You know the one...... "Are you ever lucky you are not hurt!  I told you motorcycles are not safe.  You could be paralyzed and then what would happen..... I would leave you, you idiot, that is what!  You better sell that stupid thing......" blah, blah, blah (I have heard renditions of that speech from lots of guys over the years).

Sari was great though!   Pulled up - asked what happened - asked if I was ok - told me to toss the stuff from my wrecked saddlebag in the SUV and then she followed me home (At 140 km/h - I was mad and I had to make sure the bike was still ok, right?) without a nasty, negative word word to be heard (mine you she does have a good insurance policy on me.... come to think of it - she looked a little disappointed when I told her I was fine..... hmmmm)

In the end, the damage was minimal:  I broke a foot peg (Which I have since JB welded until I can get a replacement part), bent the shifter (which I took off and hammered back out into something of the original shape) and I split the seem on on saddlebag (It held up most of the bike - so I have put it back together too).

All in all a cheap lesson. 

I think what happened was that I relaxed.... I thought, "I am 10 miles from home. I am done" and so I took my eyes off the road... hit a pothole... the front tire hit the sandy railway crossing.... I grabbed too much front brake... locked the tire and just laid the bike on the ground.  It did not slide.... I landed on my feet.... basically no harm - no foul.

Everyone who has ever ridden has told me "If you ride, you will fall off"..... it just happens.  

But if a bent shifter is price for the 7000 kms of fun I have had this summer alone - that is a good trade.  :)

Next time I will pay attention until I am safely in the garage... not just 10 miles from town.

Trip (part 2)

Here are a few more pics...

The water in all the rivers was this color.... it comes out of marshes up stream so it has a bunch or organic matter in it (not pollution).  The rivers were super warm and the place to swim

The pic below is a shot of what most of the beaches looked like.... no sand here

Looking across to the lighthouse in Two Harbors

Stairs in lighthouse

The ore ship that we toured in Duluth

Aerial Bridge in Duluth (the bottom part goes up to allow ships in and out of the harbor)

We spent a good part of one afternoon jumping into Superior (you may note that we are not in swimming suits... they were back at the Acadia and too far away to go back for so we just jumped in anyway..... it was 100 + F so we were dry in no time)

 The "Temperance River" is so named because it is the only one without a sandbar...... get it..... Temperance... no bar...... Minnesota people are funny!

A "peeping Bear" on our hotel balcony in Fargo (He is not real - just for clarification)

Here is a visual description about how I felt about going to the "Mall of America" (It turned out to be more fun than that)

The real "MOA" picture

We did lots of other stuff..... the zoo in Minni was really good (for example) but that is it..... if you want to see more pictures you are going to have to come and see us.   :)