What the...

When we were driving over to Utah, we stopped at a truck stop outside of Denver to eat, stretch, blah blah blah.

We parked next to this trailer. (Rather ingenious, no?) Jerry and I had a debate on whether the people were moving or just going on vacation. I was right, of course.

Just before the people took off though, one of the men in the entourage decided something or other on the top of their 5th wheel had to be fixed. This was his solution. As he needed to move forward ... the CAR would inch forward. Jerry and I just sat there in fixed fascination. Not really believing we were seeing this happen.

Family Tradition

I haven't really been "around" S. Alberta for about 10 years.
Sure, every now and again I have come up with the kids.
Played with cousins, helped out siblings, seen a few sights.
But I haven't around for things like ... The Branding.

One of the family traditions I grew up with involved people, that by blood, are not family at all.
Yet they have held the place of love, tenderness and belonging in my life that I have mostly lacked from the people I am related to.
The tale of how that came about is for another time.
This post is about

The Branding.

The Bowlby's have a long standing late spring tradition of gathering at my grandparents place to brand and (when needed) casterate the "spring calves" (I use that term in the loosest sense). People come in droves. Cousins, in laws, neighbors, friends, annoyances ... you get them all.
Everyone wants to be involved in one way or another.The most important part, in my experience, is making sure the kids feel like they have a "job". So they too, start to feel the connection. Learn to appreciate the together times hard word creates. The fun that comes when you work with your family.It's a tender time for me, as I see calf after calf being branded, possibly for the last time, with the family "crest". Watching my grandpa watch his family, with more than a little pride. Seeing the look on the "City Folk"s face as we have them do things like ... castration.And being ever so grateful that even though we've all done dozens of these, I'm not the only one with this look on my face as I say over and over, "Sorry baby, sorry..."

Okay, Dawn, you can stop laughing now.

I'll Do It in Order

Cause that's how I roll.
I've tried other ways.
I've TRIED to let things slide.
I've tried disorganizing.
Gotta tell you though, not so much me.
At all.
It makes me squirm.
It makes my stomach all jittery.
It makes my head hurt more than a little because all I can think about it getting it back in order.

Therefore, the next set of pictures will come in sequence.

Because I said so, darnit!

First of all, Ms. R's "cousin" birthday party up in Whitecourt, AB, on her birthday:

"Pool" portion at the Miller Center (FABULOUS pool, none of the bodies of water were shockingly cold. The kids were ready to go before I was...)

Then we went back to Jenie and Michael's house decorate cupcakes and open presents. I thought the idea of having the cupcakes the kids decorated as the cake was a fun idea. Duel purpose and all that.

Since I Now Have a Following ...

Just kidding, I really don't.
I mostly have illusions of greatness and glory.
No.
That's not true.
I don't have those either.
I mostly just blab and wonder why people are still reading.
Or listening.
Then find out thier not.
Listening at least.
I have no idea if they are still reading.
I could check my tracker thingy but then I'd have to hook up my lap top.

Still reading??

Hi!

How are ya? Good, good to hear.

I'm doing alright too. The trip from Texas to Utah was pretty much uneventful. We ended up driving over a diesel truck Jerry's older brother Steve bought in Arlington. Even though it is twice the vehicle my SUV is and we were carrying quite a load it got almost twice the mpg my truck does. Some what depressing.

When we got to Utah Steve said he pretty much had all of the work done on the RV we were buying from him, so I was able to leave Utah a day early than I had anticipated. The RV is pretty decent, for what it is. The milage is deadly and it's a killer on the hands and elbows when the wind kicks up (gripping the steering wheel). On the other hand, it has cruise, the satelite radio works in it, when the screen door isn't slapping around it's a quiet ride and the kids LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Even now, in Canada, B-man insists on sleeping in it.

I'll write more about the Canadian adventures when I have pictures (taken with other people's cameras) later ...