Spending the Christmas holiday with Dwayne and Cheryl Bater was their son Jason Bater of Newfoundland and daughter Sara Lynn and her husband Braden Houk of North Battleford.
Congratulations go out to Gordon and Jean Smith of Battleford on the celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary. A come and go tea was held at the Hillcrest Centre in Battleford Jan. 1 for family and friends. They are formerly from the Baljennie area.
The school buses had a little break through the festive season. They all went back to their routine Jan. 4. Baljennie school bus has a new driver to replace Warren Parkinson.
We were all saddened and shocked on the sudden passing of Doreen Parkinson of Battleford, formerly from Baljennie, on Dec. 18. Sympathy is extended to all the Parkinson families and her sisters. Doreen first came to Baljennie area with her sister Arlene Carlson to teach school at Baljennie School from 1961 to '63. She married the late Arthur Parkinson and lived on the farm. She raised her family of three boys and one girl. She went back to teaching from 1966 to '70, when Baljennie School closed. She was active with the family, farm, church and community. On the side, she completed income tax and other paperwork to help her neighbours and family. She is going to be missed by all her family and friends. She was laid to rest at her husband's side in the Battleford Cemetery.
There was a rash of bad head colds and chest colds making the rounds in December. Hopefully the worst has passed.
Day by day, our winter is passing, but where did our winter go? There is no snow about and it was a black Christmas season. There has been well above normal temperatures, even breaking old records as temperatures rose into the double digits and above.
The moisture is really needed but not really in amounts of rain at this time of year. Snowfall is much needed for the skiers and snow machines. Even the dugout, lakes, ponds and the river are not safe to be out on. With no extreme cold temperatures the ice is thin and there is open water in some areas.
It has made the weatherman and predictors scratch their heads and extra cold winter and lots of snowfall was forecast. So, I guess we will be prepared for what is to come. We could still see significant snowfall before spring is really here. The weather over the past few days has turned much colder than it has been. Maybe winter will be here, at last.
