What a pleasant time our family had last week with my granddaughter Dr. Aryn Khan, her husband Reza and their pretty wee daughter Lauren. They live in Edmonton, a long drive. They stayed with Aryn鈥檚 parents Rick and Marie Hunter here at the landing. Although the time was short the family made the best of it and had a good time. Little Lauren Marie is at the busy age and keeps everyone busy but she is lots of fun.

Home visit

Visited our old home last week and it always gives me a lonesome feeling. The house is quiet. I was looking for some old Saskatchewan pictures and as luck would have it they were all in one place.

They bring back lots of memories, some good and some not so good. I took these pictures back to the homecoming now many years ago. They are so very clear. I also found a book my brother Peter had made up. It鈥檚 called Memoirs of Peter Hutchinson Neave Saskatchewan 1928 to 1941 and his picture on the front.

He and his wife did a wonderful job of making this book up. I started to read it last night but it made me so homesick I had to stop. So many memories. Dad never gave me a second name just Hugh is all. The doctor told dad and mother he will not live out the year he is so small and weak but I guess I sure fooled them. Dad used to tell me that every morning they would look in my basket to check if I was still alive.

Frost

Our first frost of the year was a bad one so many folks lost their gardens. Gardens are so important to the average family makes such a difference to their living, cost wise too. Plus the work that goes into a garden. This frost came a week or so a bit on the early side.

Our family had really good gardens too. Home grown gardens even taste better than the store bought produce. And no doubt for your health as well. My late wife Jo loved to garden and she always had a good one. We always used to say she had a green thumb. Things just seemed to grow for her.

Starving horses

In our last paper there was a picture of two starving horses and a story about the other birds and animals that are also starving. Thank heavens it鈥檚 being looked into. I have had a couple of starving horse stories. They are very sad but they did turn out in the end. I had a friend up Colleymount way and he wanted to borrow a horse to make up a team to get in some wood so I lent him a pretty bay mare. A good true horse. Lent him her harness too. Time went by and my horse didn鈥檛 come home so I was concerned so I drove up to his place and could not find horse or man.

This was in the late fall and lots of snow. I had to get that mare back home. I was getting ready to go up and find her. A friend of mine who knew the guy said your mare is walking down the Colleymount road and she is so poor she can鈥檛 walk too well.

So I thanked him very much and I took off. I met her where my friend said and from a pretty slick mare she was just a shadow of a horse. I was just sick to think what had happened to her. I got her into the barn and fed her very often small portions for a week, day and night. She picked up in time. This was my fault to lend her, never again would I do that. I located the guy I had lent her to and we had it out. He said he was to ashamed to bring her back, a very poor reason. That鈥檚 one time I lost my cool and a good reason too.

This is another little story about a starving horse. This was in January heavy snow and cold. I was driving on the east Francois road and as I passed the buildings I saw a sight I won鈥檛 forget. I happened to notice a little buckskin mare standing alone, this was at the old J.P. Ranch now many years ago.

She was in terrible condition so I found the owner and asked him what goes on so he said folks in town owned this horse and were to pay for her board and they had no money to buy the feed. I said to him how much do they have on her, $35, so I said get me a bill of sale here is $35 and she is mine. He gave me a bill of sale for the amount and I told Fred what I thought of him. I got her home and again I had to baby her for almost a month but she came through.

The little mare had been abused about the head it was a week before I could handle her and sorry to say I never had a chance to ride her.

Terry Fox

The Terry Fox run for cancer was last Sunday and as per usual it was a day to be remembered. It all went off just as it should. Even the weather was great. The generosity was out of this world right from the heart, $13,400 what a boost for the cancer fund. There were 350 persons in all who gave so much of their time and money. It鈥檚 times like this that make us feel proud to live in the Lakes District. It鈥檚 folks like you that some day cancer will be beaten with your generous donations. Hats off to all those who put this wonderful day all together you are great. Yes I had a bout of cancer now many years ago and thanks to our cancer society I was cured. It鈥檚 all behind me now and again a big thank you.

You gave me a new life as I am on my 92 year and as I look back it鈥檚 been a good life even if I were to lose it tomorrow. I must not forget the entertainment that was also just great. It just made up such a day to be remembered. An after thought as I understand it was bigger than last year. This is the first run for cancer that I have ever missed and I really missed it. Our Lakes District has talent and big time. Makes us all proud of you and to be a part of it.

A thought for the day

Dreams are never destroyed by circumstances. Dreams are born in the heart and mind and only there can never die. Because while the difficult takes time the impossible takes a little longer.

Always remember God loves you and so do I.