2009

We had more sad news this weekend. Lew Olsen, son of Ernie and Kay Olsen, and my cousin, passed away suddenly on November 25, 2009 while on his annual moose hunting trip in the north. Lew loved to hunt so he would have been happy while there. Lew was only 65 so his death came as a shock. I will miss seeing him when I visit Regina - he always came over for coffee while I was there.

The family was very busy in 2009. We all struggle with the loss of Mom - she was such an anchor for all of us. Whenever we had a problem, or were feeling anxious or worried, talking to Mom always made us feel better. Her good advice and loving comfort were very important to all of her children.

This is a photo of Mom and Dad which we placed on Mom's headstone. They looked so happy in this picture.

This is a photo of Mom's headstone. The book represents Mom's love of reading.

This is a photo of Dad's headstone. The treble clef indicates Dad's love and huge talent in music - both arranging music and playing several instruments.

2009 Life Changes

I made some changes in my life. I moved Cochrane, a small town 22 kilometres west of Calgary. Cochrane is a peaceful place to live, after the many years of hustle and bustle in Calgary. It has a population of about 14,000 and was established in 1881 as the Cochrane Ranche by Senator Matthew Henry Cochrane. Cochrane is a western town, with many acreages located nearby. As you drive through the scenic foothills, with the views of the vast Rocky Mountains, horses can be seen grazing in the pastures alongside the roads. It is common to drive by groups of people riding their horses, within the town boundaries or on the roads surrounding Cochrane. Cochrane offers a unique shopping experience, with small stores offering unique items. Cochrane is also home to a large and active arts community. My apartment is located right in the downtown and I can view the many activities from my 3rd floor balcony, such as the annual summer parade, or the yearly Christmas Light-Up. I also have a view of the mountains.

Looking Forward to Family Fun in 2010

We are looking forward to a family gathering in the summer of 2010. Nichole, my niece, and her fiance, Chris, are getting married at the golf course just up the hill from me. There will be lots of family staying in Cochrane over that weekend.

Gleneagles Golf Club, Cochrane

New Car

I am looking for a new car. My commute has increased my daily mileage to 100 km and my car is 10 years old. I really want my car, but with all new parts. I really like my car but alas Chrysler doesn't make them anymore. I have been looking at Toyota Camrys, which are close, and Honda Civics. I would really prefer an SUV but they are just a tad expensive for me.

New Family

I have also acquired a new family - two Devon Rex kittens.

One advantage of living in my new apartment is that the condominium association allows pets. I didn't realize how much I missed having cats until I acquired these two little minxs. To see more photos, click on these:

My little elfen ferries:

Nolana Elswyth - Noble Elf from the Willow Trees

Nolana (Nealy) Deep in Thought

Freya Erlina (Elfin Queen of the Gods) Peeking

Freya the Queen

Nealy - What a pretty face!

I guess you could call these two my two little house elves . They think they are helping me with food preparation by getting up on the cupboard to direct me.

Sad News

Sad news: on October 5, 2008, my mother, Anita Treinen, passed away. All her children spent the week before her death with her, and two of her daughters were with her when she died. She will be missed by all of us.

Anita had been told by her doctors that she only had a week to 10 days to live because they could no longer do dialysis. They advised that she do whatever her health would allow her to do. All Mom's children who lived outside of Saskatoon arrived in town, and we decided to take her on a road trip to the places she had not been able to visit since losing her kidney. Our trip lasted two days.

Day 1 - we drove south. Mom really wanted to visit Prairie Winds Park, where she and Claude had their first vacation home in Saskatchewan. Their trailor was perched on the edge of beautiful Lake Diefenbaker with a pier extending out into the lake. Claude spent many happy hours fishing off that pier. He and Anita also took the boat out and travelled and fished on the lake, which they both enjoyed. Prairie Winds hadn't changed much except Mom's trailor was gone. We toured the park and Mom reminisced about her time there. Our next stop was Clearwater Lake, where Mom spent many happy childhood days swimming with her sisters and friends and where she met her first husband, Earl. We stayed overnight with Cheryl and Larry which Mom particularly enjoyed because she hadn't seen their new house yet.

Where the Trailor Sat at Prairie Winds Park

Day 2 - we drove to the farm where Mom grew up. We saw the house where she and her sisters spent many hours and drove through the hills behind the farm. The farm buildings haven't changed much over the years, although the verandah had been removed from the house. We drove into Elrose and took a tour of the town that was Mom's main residence until moving to Saskatoon. Then we returned to Saskatoon.

The weather was beautiful for both days but when we arrived home in Saskatoon Mom was very tired. That was when her grandchildren started to arrive. She saw the majority of her grandchildren. There were a lot of tears and hugs. Four the next few days, we had access to the family room at Caleb, where a kitchen and seating area are located. This room is designed so that families can get together in privacy for family parties or dinners. It was a Godsend for us because Mom's little apartment could not accommodate the large number of people who had come to see her. Also, it gave the greatgrandchildren a place where they could run around and play, blowing off some steam. It just happened to be the 25th anniversary of my brother, Evan, and his wife, Sherry, so Mom came down to the family room and we had a celebration of this event.

Mom drifted in and out of consciousness the last two days before she died. Her strong wish was to die at home - she had spent so many hours in the hospital that she never wanted to go back there again. With her daughters able to care for her, her wish came true. Adrienne and Trish stayed with her and held her hand through the nights. Adrienne, an EMT, was able to administer the necessary drugs to keep her comfortable. Finally on Sunday morning she passed away.

2008

The past year has been very busy for me. I started a new job, still within Sproule, as Assistant to the President and Executive Vice-President. My boss, Keith Macleod, who is President of Sproule, made an offer I couldn't refuse - I was able to keep my favourite jobs: the website and advertising. It has been an interesting experience; I have learned a lot.

My son and his family have been very busy the past year. Chris is in his last year of Geology. My grandsons are growing up too fast - they are attending te same school this year, and Joshua is really happy to be in the same school as C.J. They are both taking kung fu classes this fall as well. They both attend Chinese school, but Joshua enjoys it much more than C.J.

The latest news in the family this August of 2008:

My brother and I travelled to Saskatchewan to visit our family there. My sister, Adrienne, flew in a few days before we left for Saskatchewan, and we enjoyed lots of visiting and lots of shopping - the spending was done by me.

My mother is doing well in her 89th year. She goes for dialysis twice a week. She has managed remarkably well since my stepfather passed away - it is amazing how strong she is. When Claude was living with her, he did everything for her. It was a huge transition for her to remain living on her own. She moved into a smaller apartment and does all the tasks herself that Claude used to do for her. She has a scooter that she absolutely loves - it enables her to maintain a great deal of independence. He favourite days are when family visits her.

My sister, Julie, and I travelled to Regina to visit our cousin, Joyce. Both Julie and Joyce, as well as my mother, lost their husbands during the past year, and are adapting to a new life without their loved ones.

I am really looking forward to our trip to the U.K. in June 2009. My sister and I are planning to travel through England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland via train, ferry and automobile. I am arranging the trip, a task I really enjoy. I organized our first trip to the U.K. in 1998 and my past two trips were with Cosmos and Trafalgar. The advantage of travelling on your own is that you can see the many tourist attractions the U.K. has to offer and you are not restricted to a strict schedule. We will be staying in Galway, Ireland, for a few days and hopefully we we be able to find the graveyard where our Farley ancestors are buried.

2007

The winter of 2006-2007 was quite cold. My brother and I travelled to Saskatoon at Xmas to visit family. I stayed at a Saskatoon Bed & Breakfast for the first time. The house is one of the oldest residences in Saskatoon, and being located on Saskatchewan Crescent overlooks the Saskatchewan River and the Bessborough Hotel. The trees were covered with frost and the streets were hard to navigate because of the amount of snow on the ground.

My mother has been in quite poor health and we visited again in the spring when she was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. We were all very worried about her. However, she has such strength that she continues to amaze us. She gradually recovered from the pneumonia but continues to have breathing problems. She was taken to hospital by ambulance just recently and her husband broke his ankle climbing into the ambulance. He has a walking cast on so his mobility is very limited. Luckily their meals will be delivered to them in their suite until they are able to make the journey to the dining room again. Mom has an electric scooter so she gets around the apartment quite well on that.

My oldest sister has moved to Elrose, our home town. She is retired now and has taken over Mom's house. She sold her house in Saskatoon very quickly and has settled into small-town living. We all thought she would be bored but so far she is enjoying it and her cats are really enjoying their new digs - even if they sometimes get out of the house. Only one of her cats is allowed outdoors, on a long lead. The others try but it just isn't safe in the world for those small creatures.

August - Mom is much better now. She goes for dialysis three times a week and that has removed most of the liquid from around her lungs, so she finds it much easier to breath. One sad note is that Claude's ailing health necessitated a move for him to a nursing home in Remsen, Iowa, where he grew up. He has Ahlzeimers and his health got worse after he broke his ankle. His kids made the decision to move him to the U.S. Mom misses him terribly. However, her kids come and visit as often as they can and take her out for excursions which she loves. She also talks to Claude on the phone whenever she can.

On the weekend of August 25, Elaine held a garage sale in Elrose, with the assistance of Mom, Adrienne, Elaine's kids, Kelly and Camei, and Julie and Francis. They made a good profit which they wish to use to purchase Mom a new television (one with closed captioning so she knows what is going on in her programs).

Julie and Francis sold their winter home in Texas and are planning to make shorter trips to the U.S. in the winter. They are looking forward to visiting other holiday destinations such as Arizona or California. Julie and Francis purchased a small holiday tent trailer (the new ones which have all the mod cons). They parked it at Palliser, and their family spends as many weekends as they can at the lake. My sister, Adrienne, and her daughter are moving into a larger apartment in Saskatoon and are looking forward to the extra space. Adrienne is still working as a paramedic and she also continues to teach First Responders/First Aid courses throughout the province, a task she thoroughly enjoys. Murray's daughter, Lindsay, got engaged to her long-time love, Mike, so there's another wedding in the future.

The fall and winter of 2007 was a very sad time for my family. We lost our stepfather, Claude Treinen, on September 23, 2007. He had moved to a home in Remsen, Iowa, where he could receive more care due to his Ahlzeimers. He fell in mid September and broke his hip, an injury he couldn't recover from. Then in October, Chris and I lost our adopted Mom and Grandma, Madonna Marcotte. She had been ill and in the hospital for about a month and one day she just fell asleep and never woke up. In October, my Aunt Emma Olson passed away. Then, in November, we had a great shock! My brother-in-law, Francis Ordog, had a lateral aneurysm that burst and he immediately passed away while cleaning leaves off the driveway. Francis was only 64. We all ventured to Saskatchewan for the funeral. My sister, Julianne, mourns him greatly as his passing was so unexpected. We all will miss him a great deal because he was such a vibrant personality. On December 19, 2007, my cousin, George Jennings, passed away at the age of 85. He had been ill for awhile before his death. I became very close to George as we both had a love of history and genealogy and worked on several projects together.

My mother has had quite a few health issues in the past year. She has been in and out of the hospital with pneumonia and other conditions related to her dialysis treatments. In December 2007 she was admitted for an erratic heartbeat noticed during dialysis and it was found that she needed a pacemaker. She had been experiencing symptoms (she said it felt like two gophers were running around in her chest) but because she had no pain associated with them, she didn't worry. However, there was a problem inserting the pacemaker because some of her veins were blocked, and the cardiologist didn't want to risk the surgery because of Mom's age. The team in dialysis supported the surgery because they know how strong Mom is. The veins were cleared, and another cardiologist was willing to do the surgery. She came home from the hospital just before Christmas and the entire family was together this year. It was a quiet Christmas because of all the sadness the last six months. However, my brother and sister were able to spend their birthday together on the 27th, which they rarely are able to do.

2006

In the fall of 2006 my sister, Cheryl, and her husband and daughter moved to Saskatchewan, so now only my brother and I remain in Calgary. Many retirees are returning to Saskatchewan from Alberta as they can sell their homes in Alberta for twice as much as it costs to purchase a house in Saskatchewan, leaving them with a considerable nest egg for their retirement.

2005

Anita and Claude still live at Caleb Manor. Anita travels to City Hospital twice a week for her dialysis treatments. She fell and broke her wrist and has been wearing a cast for a few months. Her bones are more brittle than normal because of the dialysis. Her indominable spirit has led her to overcome this latest setback. She celebrated her 87th birthday in February and she enjoyed birthday celebrations with her family. She has enjoyed having Julie and Francis living so close. However, they have just moved back to Palliser, and Anita will miss them after enjoying their company this winter.

The Saskatchewan Centenniel was celebrated in Elrose in July and many family members travelled there for the celebrations. Anita and Claude were able to travel to Elrose for the weekend, and Anita enjoyed watching the parade and visiting with the friends she had grown up with.

My sister, Cheryl, was married in Mexico this fall. The happy couple were married on the beach alongside the azure waves and amid gentle breezes. Many of the family enjoy vacations in Mexico. My sister, Julie, and her husband live in Texas in the winter, but this winter they stayed home because Francis had a double knee replacement at Xmas. In fact, he spent Xmas in the hospital. My brother, Evan, and I travelled to Saskatoon after Xmas and my mom enjoyed having most of her kids home with her for post-Xmas celebrations.

My Trip to Britain

Our Tour Group in Ireland

September 2005

My adventure for 2005 was a trip to Great Britain. I flew to London in early September and enjoyed London for two days. Then I joined the Trafalgar tour (called the "Little T") to enjoy our travels through England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales . There were only 30 people on the tour, which made the trip very enjoyable. There were Americans who had booked the tour but cancelled because of the London bombings. The weather was cool and it rained some days. However, I enjoyed the trip very much.

Glencoe

I loved the mists of the Scottish highlands, where we stayed in a hotel close to where the "Monarch of the Glen" is filmed. I was moved by the "Vale of Weeping" at Glencoe - it is a very spiritual place, just as Culloden is. As you walk through the area, you can feel the spirits of those long-ago highlanders fleeing through the harsh landscape of the highlands in winter, fighting for their lives. The Isle of Skye, the home of the Clan MacLeod, serves the most amazing fish and chips in the world.

I enjoy Ireland because of my connection to my ancestor, Antoine Farly, who grew up in Galway, and whose plentiful descendents live in both Canada and the United States. The Celtic Tiger is alive and well in Ireland. The roads are being updated all over the country, which is good for tourism. During Ireland's years when they were not as prosperous as they are now, the roads were not kept in good repair. Many of the roads in Ireland date from Cromwell's time, and therefore are very narrow. On the west coast, where Galway is located, the narrow roads hug the cliffs and it is quite an experience travelling on these in a large coach. Eyre Square in Galway is being rebuilt and was all torn up when we were there. I would like to return to Galway and spend a few days there so I can visit the genealogical societies and do some research.

We visited Bunratty Castle and Bunratty Folk Park, and touring the park gave me a good idea of living conditions during Antoine's time in Galway. We attended a Ceile at the castle in the evening and enjoyed the traditional Irish dances and folk songs.

On our return to England, we stayed in Plymouth for two nights. We visited a Devon pub for an evening meal, after which we drove through the haunting, dark moors and thought of all the ghostly happenings that have gone on over the years. On the second day, my friend from Truro, Cornwall, travelled down on the train and spent the night. We caught up on all the news and compared photos of our grandchildren. In the morning, I was off on the coach to Salisbury plain and Stonehenge, then back to London. I looked forward to seeing my family in Canada, but I was sad to leave this country I always enjoy so much.