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It's听 starting to feel like summer but still some cold nights, which makes us hesitate听to set plants outside permanently. just yet. Spring is always like that, no guarantee听it won't freeze听again.听
The village looks better this week since the grass was long enough to cut, and is all tidied up. Most homes听and cabins in the area had company on the long weekend, and with social distancing, we hope all gatherings听remain safe ones. Good to see folks out walking, biking or golf carting. The golf course was opened Friday, and people followed rules that are in place, so had good experiences. They were just so happy听to get back at it, as it is fun and good exercise.
The election in Meota for a mayor and one councillor takes place May 27, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Meota Community Complex. The advance poll is May 19 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the same site. There will be another election this fall, so the term for these positions听will be brief.听
The Hudson's Bay store in downtown Edmonton is closing permanently听this fall, as a result of the pandemic. It has operated for 207 years. Also closing is the Army and Navy Store in Edmonton, which has been there for 101 years. This is disappointing for the family that owns it, as great plans were in the works for the future.听
The milk purchased last week is from Quebec. I was not impressed, as I prefer to support western Canada.听
I had two watches, each needing a new battery. To buy a new one that needed links taken out of the bracelet was no help. However, I got lucky and found someone who put in new batteries for me 鈥戔�� a life saver, thanks.
We saw a lovely load of sod come into Meota on Friday听and a few hours later it was all laid听out. The former Morton property had had some work done, first removing the stones and then the gravel from the front yard. That went onto the driveway where it was needed. A new lawn is installed and now it's getting watered. Nice job by the young folks living there.
My second daughter Beth Wynne from Taber, Alta. has just spent a week with me. This is always good as we get to do things together. One was a visit to Shorty's听Greenhouse in Medstead where there are lots of interesting plants. Social distancing seems to be no problem anywhere as everyone goes by the same rules, but you really do miss having closer contact with people
A 50th Anniversary Celebration
(submitted by Trudy Janssens)
May 15, 1970 Leo and I were married in Thunder Bay, Ont. Leo had been working in Saskatchewan, and we decided that since his mother had MS the only way that she could attend the wedding was to be married there. We came home to Saskatchewan for our honeymoon. Studying, working, careers, four children and eventually retirement in Meota gave us plenty of reason to celebrate our 50 years together. Like everything else in this time of COVID-19, things were not to be as they should.
May 15, 2020 we had hoped to celebrate with family and friends. However, our oldest son, his wife and daughter were stuck in Calgary, one son and his wife were stuck in New York City and our youngest son and his wife and son had the sniffles in Saskatoon. Luckily our daughter and her husband were able to drive out from Saskatoon, but their two children are considered higher risk because of the jobs they have. As a result we did a head count and felt comfortable inviting four to six friends from Meota. 听
Fortunately it was warm enough to have everyone outside and, as the hostess, I got off easy because everyone helped themselves to coffee and cake. My sister-in-law Caroline VanEe baked two amazing cakes (one gluten free). In the middle of the get together my brother Dirk and his wife Caroline had to leave for an hour to attend the Zoom wedding of their oldest granddaughter in Ontario. Zipping off on their golf cart to witness those vows was very different. I figure that if that young couple could be happy to start their marriage journey together with Zoom guests, we certainly could be happy with good friends at our garage/tailgate get together.
Leo had cleaned out the garage and pushed out the Cinderella coach he has been working on. We had several neighbours peer over the fence and someone suggested they were counting how many guests we had. I suspect they were trying to understand what that coach was all about. The goal is to have it ready for the July 1 Meota children鈥檚 bike parade, but I have a feeling we don鈥檛 have to worry about that deadline. After all how do you social distance a group of children who want to ride in Cinderella鈥檚 coach?
Our children collaborated and presented us with a wonderful plaque to commemorate where we are at now. Lost River Timber is a local urban tree reclamation company that specializes in live edge projects. It鈥檚 intended to hang on our gate. Should I worry about it weathering? Most people know we鈥檙e at Mistic Ooseegan 鈥戔�� the Chase pace.
Fifty years ago there would have been telegrams read out at the wedding reception. On Friday we had 10 greetings on What鈥檚 App from my nine siblings. Grandma (96 and going strong) phoned, Leo鈥檚 brothers and sister phoned and sent messages, nieces and nephews texted, grandchildren used Facetime and Facebook had so many greetings they were too numerous to count. People were not there in person, but we could tell that we were in everyone鈥檚 thoughts and prayers. That evening there were photo shares from all our children and their spouses lifting a toast. 听
The musician son in New York sent original music he鈥檇 written and then shared Slim Whitman鈥檚 Happy Anniversary Waltz. Leo and I waltzed again for the first time in many years.
What a wonderful day.
One really tidbit of advice from Ogden Nash:
鈥淭o keep your marriage brimming,
With love in the wedding cup
Whenever you鈥檙e wrong admit it;
Whenever you鈥檙e right, shut up.鈥�
Maybe that鈥檚 the way to make it to 50.
