Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining

Our Temporary 'Home'
View from our Balcony

View from Inside

Spot the Deer!

In my recent end of month email I mentioned our RV was in being repaired. As you can imagine, we were quite distressed at the thought of not having our own 'home' and the pleasures that come with our RV life. However, as my mum used to say 'when one door shuts, another door opens'. Other people may relate it to the saying 'every cloud has a silver lining'. Whatever floats your boat... but the upshot of it is that we had to find alternative accommodation for 7 days. We checked out the one and only motel in the town closest to the lake we have been staying on, and they were booked out. Fortunately, the motel owner knew of a couple who had a home on a nearby lake, and they sometimes took in paying customers. She rang them, and next thing you know, I am meeting with Frieda & Lenny who own the house. I was taken upstairs to the guest area and it was very comfortable & roomy with a deck looking out over Lake Sakakawea. The front lawns leads right to the water and has its own dock which I figured would be handy for Murray to fish off. Murray had yet to see the house, but I accepted on his behalf and agreed we would stay with them for a week.

We picked up the hire car, had lunch, saw a movie then made our way up to our temporary lodging. Frieda and Lenny made us very welcome and opened up their home to us. The next day Murray went fishing with his mate Wes and caught enough fish to bring back to feed the four of us. Frieda whipped up a green salad and I prepared the fish for the BBQ as well as some potato & onion done in Alfoil on the BBQ. Frieda pickles her own beetroot and we had that as well as a seafood salad Murray had picked up on his way home. We all got to know each other a bit better over dinner. That was 4 nights ago. Before we had arranged to stay, they had already made plans to take their new camper on an overnight trip, so they drove out at 10.30am on Sat and returned at 1pm Sunday. Even though they had only met us a few days prior, they trusted us to stay in their home. I guess things may be different with city folk (with good reason), but the country people we have met over here have graciously offered us their cars to use, and their homes to share. Really warm-hearted, welcoming and lovely people.

To get to their house is a 2 mile drive on a highway road, and then another few miles of dirt road. It takes you past flax, wheat, sunflower and canola fields - just so pretty. We were driving here at sunset the other day and pheasants were ducking into the side of the road - pheasant season doesn't start here until October, so they are free to roam without worry until the hunters appear! Yesterday we saw two deer bound across the road as we drove around the nearby state park campground and marina. We really enjoy seeing the local crops and wildlife. Our enforced break from the RV has introduced us to more delightful people and a different living experience. We are so fortunate.

Today Lenny has taken Murray out in his pontoon boat that is kept tied up to their dock in the summer months. Frieda and I are about to head north to pick up her grandson John who turns the magical age of 15 today. I am hoping he can enlighten me with some registry and computer processor queries that I have to keep my machine running fast. I am keen to enrol in a university course that teaches the registry side of computers. I have done some initial research and even contacted some course providers, but they mainly teach about the products you use with computers ie Microsoft Word, Excel etc , and not the background machinations that go on. Should be fun interacting with John. He has his heart set on a scholarship to either Harvard or Yale and his grades are looking good so far.

While I was in Ottawa with my friend Judy, she taught me a new beading technique called peyote stitch. I have since made two bracelets using this stitch. Avalyn has a friend who had an American Indian husband and she used peyote stitch to make his belts, watch and hat bands in his tribal colours. However, she knew her friend used a loom, whereas I was using a needle and thread. Avalyn called into a craft store and picked me up a loom and gave it to me as a gift at lunch yesterday. I am itching to try it out, so I will let you know how I get on!