Congratulations to the Cheslatta Carrier Nation

I want to start my news out today with giving our local paper a pat on the back for the excellent coverage they have given of the mill disaster. It has been so difficult for us all to realize just how devastating it has been.

Not only the mill workers and the truckers and the loggers, but the business section of our town will feel what a disaster this has been.

Just heard from my cousin in Nova Scotia and the report was in their papers and on TV so it has been far reaching all over Canada.

We have to stay positive because things will come back, it will take time and hard work but it will. For a small town and area the generosity that has been out of this world. The sharing and the giving will not be forgotten. Yes, this is a good place to live and I am proud to be part of it.

As I look back on my life in Saskatchewan, how well I remember some of the disasters that I have been through.

Like the typhoid epidemic that hit our district. Our family was also hit.

We lost Ruth, she was 16, but Peter and I came through. Flaxcomb, Saskatchewan was hit the worst. Folks died off like flies. Then the great depression that hit us, I well remember it.

Lots of folks could not take it and suicide was very common. How well I remember the car loads of apples that came from B.C. and the car loads of cheese and vegetables from Ontario.

All those were a God send to us all.

The land just blew away with no rain and the wind seemed to blow all the time. The sand would drift all behind us and the rains came and the economy picked up.

Things got back to normal, but it did leave memories and it did leave a mark. One thing that really hit me was when the sleeping sickness came through our horses and we lost a lot as did everyone else.

Lovely horses died off, some folks lost them all. In time they came up with shots which stopped it.

That was the end of the big horse teams as tractors came into the picture.

Our dad still used horses, one of the last in our district and then we moved to B.C. in 1941 which was the best thing we ever did and we never looked back. I hope I have not bored our readers with my story, but it is all true.

If I could live my life again, I would not change a thing as it鈥檚 been a good one. No regrets.

There is an old cowboy saying that goes like this, 'No matter how hard or how often you get thrown, you must get on again and give it another try.' Things are never so bad that they couldn鈥檛 get worse.

Great performance

Many thanks to our Lakes District  Arts Council for another delightful program on Jan. 24 at the First Mennonite Church, as usual it was great.

Sorry to say that we missed it due to frozen water lines. Thanks again to all the generous people who make this all possible with time and finances. There will be another program on Feb. 12, we must not miss this one.

Big celebration

On Jan. 30 at the Grassy Plains Hall I was very fortunate to be present at the Cheslatta Carrier Nation and Rio Tinto Alcan celebration.

Rio Tinto Alcan officially completed the transfer of approximately 11,000 acres to the Cheslatta Carrier Nation.

My very good old friend Abel Peters, aged 89, handed over six vintage Canadian dollar bills to Paul Henning vice president of strategic projects for Rio Tinto Alcan, as full payment for the land.

Back in 1952 Abel was involved, so it was nice to see him once again involved in this historic signing.

The hall was packed with First Nations and non- First Nations. All together like one big family.

Everything was so well organized thanks to the mistress of ceremonies, Corrina Leween.

This will be what will be called a historical event that has been so long, but it鈥檚 here and that鈥檚 what really matters.

This day will be looked back now in future generations and be proud of what has happened.

The dinner meal was wonderful and so well prepared. Thanks for inviting me to this meeting as I will look back as one of the highlights of my life.

Daylight

The longer evenings make living a bit easier. A person can catch up on things that slid by when it got dark so early.

A little story

A nice guy was driving down the highway one nasty night, raining and a cold wind. Beside the road there was a lady changing a flat tire. She was alone and very confused. Being a nice guy he pulled over and changed the tire for her.

Of course he got wet and muddy, but at least he had done his good turn for the day.

As he was letting the jack down the lady told him, "Please let the jack down slowly so as not to wake my husband, he is asleep on the back seat.鈥�

These are the times that will try your good nature to the fullest.

Take care on the highways as we seem to be having some very bad accidents on our highways.

So my advice is slow down as the life you save could be your own. Always remember God loves you a lot and so do I.