麻豆传媒AV

An information sheet, explaining the new postal rates, is available at the local post office, and shows a troubling picture, but one we can do nothing about. Starting on March 31a single stamp will be $1; a booklet or roll of stamps will be 85 cents each; commercial rates are discounted and will use metered stamps from which the postmaster gets no commission whatever, at 75 cents. So the overall picture amounts to the small post offices being forced to go out of business. U.S. and International letter mail will increase also, but they haven't committed to how much as it is not listed. Prices for parcels and advertising mail are not affected.

The funeral for the late John Weber of Meota was held here March 5. The community sends their condolences to his family.

How nice that it is still daylight at 7 p.m. and that we didn't have to turn our clocks ahead. We just have to remember that our people who do are an hour ahead of where they were. Alberta is now the same, which I like.

The pancake supper held at the Do Drop In March 4 was well. It was sponsored by the Anglican/United Church. The men took care of the cooking of the pancakes and sausages, the kitchen duties and cleaning up. They seemed to have fun doing it all. It was a nice social occasion when friends gathered to celebrate Shrove Tuesday.

I should have mentioned this last week. Colton Flasch of Saskatoon played second on the Laycock curling team of Saskatchewan in the Brier and his mother is Steven Ostapiw's wife. So the Ostapiw family of Denholm are connected as well as the Meier and Wandler families of Battleford.

The odd case of shingles is showing up, and we hear of people falling and breaking bones, so we wish them all speedy recoveries so they can enjoy this spring-like weather we are finally getting. The snow is completely melted down at Taber, Alta. so the birds will be returning and spring work will soon begin.

People have been holidaying and travelling so have missed the cold winter and we hope they all had a good one. One couple I know flew to Curaceleo, an island north of Venezuela, but were sick with the flu most of the time they were away, so their touring was rather limited, but they did have a restful time.

Norwegian Whist was played at one of the Killdeer apartment blocks March 7 with Pat Chapman and Yvonne MacPherson hosting. They had decorations set out with the St. Patrick's theme. Top scores went to Carol Heinz followed by Anna Tucker, Shirley Tebay, Ken Tucker and Mae Johnson. A lovely lunch was set out to close the activities of the day.

March 7 was also the World Day of Prayer held in the evening at the Meota Catholic Church. This was not well attended as there were just too many things going on the same evening. The service had been written by the women of Egypt and a video showed the lives of the people. In the capital of Cairo there live 16 million people. Sounds more like China than Canada. The lovely lunch prepared by Carmen Beaumont was made of Egyptian recipes.

The Meota Community Complex board members would like to thank the Meota Credit Union staff members for their contribution of $616. They raised this money by making a donation when taking part in dress down Friday with the credit union matching the money raised dollar for dollar. The sum is then donated to organizations of their choice. Thanks again for your much appreciated donation.

Here are some figures from my Dad, Gordon Shepherd's notebook, of the year 1929: selling butter to the local store for.35 to 40 cents a pound, selling weanling hogs for $3.50 each, a sow for $28, live hogs for butchering at 8 cents a pound, eggs were 15 cents a dozen. Value of 1/2 section of land was $8,000, the two-storey house was $1,000, milk cows were $40 to $50 each, horses $50 to $60. Oat bundles were five cents each. How times have changed.

Remember the ratepayers meeting on March 20, and the water utility meeting March 28 and the library annual meeting March 17 at 1:30 p.m. at the library. Turn out and show your support and appreciation, as many people put extensive work into keeping everything working smoothly for the betterment of the community. This is what makes it a great community to live in.

The regular meeting of the Do Drop In will be on Friday, March 14 at 10 a.m. Here again show up to support your local seniors group and help it be strong and active.

High score in Contract Bridge Monday evening at the Do Drop In went to Joyce Antoine and in second was Eric Callbeck. There was no bridge Tuesday evening.

Ken Parker is back from his five-week visit to China. He visited several of his former students and even got to teach three classes of students learning English. It was a fun activity that brought back many memories of his teaching years there. He visited the cities of Shanghai, Ningbo and Hangzhou, all showing signs of pollution. Beijing was the worst. Visibility was reduced to a block down the street and those who ventured out wore a mask. Ken learned to make Jaiozi, a kind of dumpling. He rode 24 kilometres on the subway then walked one kilometre, wearing a mask, to get to the place to do it. A rain that evening washed the clouds of smog away and a light breeze swept the pollution out to sea. In the morning he saw the sun for the first time in a week. His lungs are happy to be back in North America.

On his return Ken picked up his nephew, Greg Marin and they drove down to Desert Hot Springs in California, arriving March 7. On their way down they stopped at Parker, Idaho and toured the Parker graveyard where their great-grandfather is buried. This was a spur of the moment stop and a highlight for Greg who hadn't known his history that far back. Greg grew up at The Pas, Man.

Life is better when you are happy but life is best when other people are happy because of you.