The Unexplained

I had something happen to me this morning that is unexplainable. A small miracle, if you will. This is what happened.

Our laundry costs $2.00/load for a 30 minute wash and $2.00 per load for a 60 minute dryer. Recently they issued us cards where we have to prepay and can only get 60 minutes dryer time for $2.00.

This morning I did my first two loads. The third one was a large load of towels. When I went to put it into the dryer I had 36 minutes left so I didn't add $2.00 to it. After the 36 minutes, I went to get my towels but they were quite damp. I noticed that the second dryer had 19 minutes left on it and there were no clothes anywhere in sight. I thought I might as well use up the time. I changed my towels to Dryer #2. After about 25 minutes I went back to get my towels. They were now dry -- but the clincher is that now there was 39 minutes on the dryer!!

My question is: "How can that be if the only way anyone can put time on the dryer is to use the card and it automatically adds 60 minutes to whatever time is already on the machine?"

See - Miracles do happen! I told Grampa it had to be a small miracle. I saved $2.00!!

Love to all,
Gramma - (The one looked after by guardian angels)

Arland from Sizlin Managua

Hola familia!! Im here in Managua and i am thankful that it just rained because it was sooo hot today. Here is a research assignment for you all. what happend in Nicaragua on july 19th 1979? i have just experienced one of the biggest events of the year here! it was crazy. there were like hundreds of thousands of people in the park two blocks from where i am staying and the presidents from cuba, venezuela, guatemala, hunduras, nicaragua, etc. where there too. I just came back from the ocean yesterday and it was very warm there. The waves were huge. When we tryed to buy ice cream today the guy upped his prices. So we didnt buy ice cream. Anyways, ill take more pictures and ill talk to you all later. Bye!

Look What We Did?

Mackenzy and I did a hike and over nighter to Dungeness Spit for pre- camp.
The hike was 13 miles. MacKenzy did it all and was able to go to the top of the light house. It was great she said. She could see Vancouver Island as well. I on the other hand only made it half way and ended up stopping and waiting for two hours for them to finish and get back to me. My legs would not let me go any further. The two hours I spent on the ocean shore was absolutely incredible. I watched ships and boats and was able to listen to the ocean. All in all we had a great weekend. Mom and Dad this is the trail we went on the one time you were here, but they walked all the way to the light house.
Love Nancy and MacKenzy

New Family

Let's take a vote - I know they're pretty twitterpated, but I think the new Stannix family should give us an update and tell us a bit about their honeymoon.

I have 8 small tomatoes. Heavy on the SMALL. They don't seem to be growing very quickly. In fact, I'm not sure they're growing at all. There are lots of blossoms. I didn't think I could do much harm so today I clipped off many of the LARGE leaves. Maybe more strength will go into the tomatoes. I just don't think they're getting enough sun. The leaves on the trees are so thick that after 8:00 A.M. the sun is behind them and stays there all day. (That's on the days when we do get sun). Lots of clouds and showers - sometimes torrents of rain!

Grampa and I are doing well - same OLD, same OLD!!

Love you all, and love to hear from each of you on the blog.

Gramma

From the Rockies

Hello everyone! don't have a heart attack, its me, Garth, on the blog (with Emmas help) I really enjoy the blog (mostly the reading part) Usually I do not have a lot of new to put on, however I thought I would put a couple of messages on the blog that we have recently received from Arland. For those of you who may not know, Arland is in Nicaragua with close friends of ours for the next five weeks. He left on July 2nd and we have finally heard from him. Here goes...

1st message
it has been good here... the weather has been great.. the houses are way different ...only dirt yards.. and lotsa cement and tin... it is nice though.. if you were trying to call.. the phone is broken.. so keep trying... but we will be out of town for a couple of days... tell everyone that i love them...love you.. miss you... bye!!

2nd message
i dont know much spanish yet.. but i can still comunicate a bit.. the people here are so friendly.. they appreciate everything that they have... the weather is very warm ... i get to go to a farm sometime this afternoon.. i went to see lake managua and it is like looking at an ocean.. the house i am in is not as good as the one that addie stayed in at costa rica.. the yard is just dirt.. the laundy place is out in the yard.. you have to go outside to get to each of the four entire rooms of the house... the room we're in is one of the better ones... i have hardly spent any money though.. keep me updated.. and try to call... the phone may still be broken though... anyways i love you all and i miss you... bye!!!!!!

We are excited for Arland and this opportunity that he has to see how the people live and how the country is. Arland has always been one to watch the news and see what is going on in the world. So this is right up his alley.

I thought I would also let everyone know, while I am on the blog, that I have given my notice of resignation at the co-op and will be buying into a partnership with a business in Rocky. Wow 19 1/2 years at the co-op! This is going to be weird. My last day of work is August 1st. Well this is probably enough time for me to be on the blog, I will now sign off and let someone else on.

Love you all...Garth.

McMuray Weekend

The boots are required for the work and the shorts are cool!! It's O.K. by me.
The house is looking great. I bet this is the first July 4th you've spent working this hard! Good job everyone.

We just got back from Fort McMurray. We took Highway 881 through Anzac, Janvier, Conklin and Lac La Biche. What a beautiful highway! It is so smooth compared to #63. Very little traffic. Reminds you of Highway 63 when it was first paved. Even the trees are closer to the highway like the other one used to be. It's paved all the way to Lac La Biche. Thanks to Graham for letting us know about this highway being completed. Dad gave me a tour of Janvier! Pretty romantic for an old couple, don't you think?

By the way - I calculated the mileage on our poor old car. We have over 210,000 miles on it. Each way we got 39 miles to the gallon. Pretty good eh?

We enjoyed our time with the family in McM. Thanks to Brent & Roxanne for your bed & breakfast. It is perfect and the price is definitely a plus. Be careful, it might get habit forming. Thank you to Charlene & Louis for having everyone for supper on Saturday. We celebrated Mikel and Leslie's birthdays. It is always so fun to get together.

Our two little pregnant mama's are looking great as well.

We miss you Americans and want you to know that we love you lots.

Love to all,
Gramma & Grampa

House Pictures and Some Fashion Statements

Here are some more pictures of the house. There were four of us today. We worked on the siding. We finished up the top of the deck and the stairs joining the two together. Oh and I did not dress Uncle Troy today he is finding a new fashion on his own. Notice Work Boots and Shorts!!!!!!!
Love Auntie Nancy

Working or Holidaying??

Everyone must be hard at work because the blog is sure quiet.

Addie & Mike, we sure enjoyed your reception and hope you have a wonderful and safe honeymoon in B.C.

On Sunday we were able to be present when Arland was ordained a Priest and this coming Sunday Grampa will be doing Mikel in Fort McM. Such a busy life! A good busy-ness.

We went to the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village for Canada Day. It was very interesting and educational. I especially enjoyed the old Model-T car and the 1928 Chrysler Police Car. They have done a great job restoring and setting everything up. The guides were all dressed in costume and spoke with a Ukrainian accent. Then we went to the police station and the policeman and his wife had an English accent. They also had a nicest house in town which belonged to the province and the office and jail were right in the house. The period they were depicting was the late 1920's and early 1930's. --- and I forgot to take my camera!

Today at the Employment Center we had a very pretty lady (school teacher) from Zimbabwe, a beautiful family (5 little girls with the shiniest hair you ever saw) from Mexico and a man from China. They are all very eager to work and will not be long in finding jobs.

Are you all enjoying the HOT weather?

Hope to hear from you all,
Gramma