Modern house #2

And here you go again!

Modern house #1

Merry Christmas everyone. Here is some pictures to help you get it all set up right. You are able to conceal the wires better in the walls, Jared can help you with that, I didn't really bother with that when I set it up. Have fun! More pics in next post...

Gift tags

I thought these little disclaimers were pretty funny! Gift tags
And here are some cute ones...more gift tags

My Day

Brian asked me what I did today...all I can say is "whew!". This is even an original creation, I didn't 'copy' it from a magazine or anything. I still have 20 more to do, and then I should be ready to actually get them mailed on time. You should check your mail eagerly each day, you never know when it may arrive.

Picture Policy - Exemption Part 2

The wedding was held at Fantasy Farm and it had everything fairy tales are made of.

A Princess

Prince Charming

Pomp and Circumstance

White Horses

Knights in Shining Armor

Duels

Magic Mirror's

Frightening Scenes

And of course.....Inevitable Triumph

Picture Policy - Exemption Part 1

When I started posting on this blog I promised that I wouldn't put any pictures on here. Mostly because we never take any and I can't be bothered to start. But when others take the pictures for me and my wife is on the verge of dislocating my left arm, excuses don't seem as weighty as they once did.

She wants a couple of pictures from TO so I'll lead off with pics of couples.

The Good Looking Couple

The Better Looking Couple
The Odd Couple

The Otkiditschev's have moved since we last visited and their new place is pretty nice

No Place Like Home

Back in Toronto again and it sure is nice to be home. There is nothing quite like the feeling when you break through the clouds and see the city lights. The rapid rate of descent has something to do with the flutter in your stomach as does the in-flight trail mix of dubious freshness and composition but there is no question that just being here evokes all kinds of emotions and memories.

A leisurely drive across 19th Avenue, succulent Chalet sauce, a firm handshake from Mr. Keats and dinners served at 3:00, 6:00 and 10:00 at the Otkiditschevs. It all brings back memories of times past, times when we were all blessed to be in each others company.

Since a great deal of our lives is spent eating, preparing or dreaming of food its no great surprise that one memory set in Ontario that sprang randomly to mind was the day I learned that I had the capacity to consume even the most unthinkable food.

Some would probably have described me as a picky eater. I contend that my palate was so sophisticated it required only the most basic food groups to be assuaged. Meat, Potatoes and Tabasco sauce, all else is needless accessory. Starvation was thought to be a viable alternative to digesting abominable dishes like Chicken Noodle Casserole (sorry Darla) or Mushroom Soup. My personal modus operendi was simple. I ate what I liked and avoided the rest, hunger was better than putting myself to the hazard. One evening of my youth I was sorely tested.

We, the older kids, had enjoyed a typical evening out with friends. After catching a movie and just hanging around their house a bit we determined to set out for home. Just as we were about to leave when the mother of the household implored us to stay for just a bit more as they had just finished preparing food for us. It was unorthodox given the advanced hour but we were well drilled in the art of politely complying when a guest in anothers home.

Once in the kitchen we discovered it was no mere bit of food but a full blown thanksgiving dinner. I remember the meal as if it were before me now. There was lovely turkey, fine white dinner rolls, baked potatoes that had been painstakingly hollowed out, mashed, then reinserted in the crispy outer layer topped with cheese. It was a superb feast and most gracious of our hosts to provide it but a chill ran up my spine as I saw on my pre-served plate lay an ominous mound of stuffing. Stuffing even at its best seems like stomach space poorly used, but that's when it contains basically just bread, onions and spices and is served hot and dry. This stuffing was cold, wet and clammy and even contained raisins. Those loathsome little insects have no place in a main course dish.

Thank goodness I was sitting down for my underpinnings surely would have given way when I realized that I had no alternative but to eat the maligned comestibles. Better to suffer than to offend our hosts. We said grace as I mumbled "even so, come quickly Lord Jesus" under my breath. To my dismay the Lord saw fit to tarry and my fate was firmly sealed. The actual act of eating the stuffing is a bit of a blur. I decided a head on assault would be best and I chowed down the whole pile ignoring the ravaging my tongue was taking.

When I finished there was a new found freedom, I realized that I had just eaten an unthinkable mass of food that was detestable to me and my hosts had no idea I was in any discomfort at all. I understood that showing others respect in that way was actually more important than my own personal tastes and also realized, despite my misgivings, that it was possible to bypass the gag reflex.

This lesson learned allowed me to perpetrate the Great Cheesecake Deception, where I was served and ate cheesecake on a continual basis at the Otkiditschevs for well over 8 months before they realized I couldn't stand the stuff. I also endured fish soup on the Volga and sugarless whip cream atop a heinous slice of pumpkin pie on a day when Liana's fragile confidence as a cook may not have survived the truth.

Good times and great memories. Toronto saw them all and never fails to bring them back whenever we visit.

We miss you all and hope to talk to each and every one of you when we get back to Regina.

And more pics

Abby

Don & Jayce

Steve, Abby's boyfriend

Cupcakes!

Shower pics

Jordan & Katie, cute couple

Rochelle & Heidi

Teegan & Grandpa

Tatum & Ashlyn "Ashlyn certainly is a drama queen. She sang O Canada almost perfectly (she can hold a note!) and Heidi's going to enroll her in hip hop dance because Ashlyn says she wants to shake her bum."

Lauryn & Mark - Lauryn joined the ranks of the "marrieds" and brought food:-)

Warriner "family" wedding shower

Here are some pictures of the family shower for Jordan & Katie, and Dave & Nicole, courtesy of our personal family photographer, Caralyn!

The honoured guests

Mike & Don

Caralyn & Holden

Holden and Tara, she's very pretty!

Caralyn said this is Dave's "normal" face:-O

A Great Quote

Well you all know how I love quotes, this one Ann found in a book by/about Jim Elliot and she sent it to Brian, and I stole it!

"II Timothy 2:9 says, 'The word of God is not bound.' Systematic theology-- be careful how you tie down the Word to fit your set and final creeds, systems, dogmas, and organized theistic philosophies! The Word of God is not bound! It's free to say what it will to the individual and no one can outline it into dispensations which cannot be broken. Don't get it down 'cold', but let it live-- fresh, warm and vibrant-- so that the world is not binding ponderous books about it, but rather is shackling you for having allowed it to have free course in your life. That's the apostolic pattern... And those who are arguing about foreknowledge, election, and such: read those verses 14-26, and then look how the apostle is willing to leave it a paradox. 'God gives repentance,' and 'they recover themselves." Yes, yes, I'm naive, and glad to be so in such a case." - Jim Elliot

Keeley is 10!

Caralyn sent pics of Keeley cake, which I thought looked really cool, so I will include her notes so we all know how in the future.

I wanted to show you that I made the chocolate dots myself...I put food colouring with a bunch of white wafers and hand did the chocolates. I then turned them upside down on the cake, so the flat side was out. I copied it from a book, of course. - Caralyn

What a cool looking cake, and pretty easy to do!

An Ontario Thanksgiving

Here are a few pics, courtesy of Caralyn, just so the rest of us can be sad we missed out!

A funny

Today as I was starting to get Kenna dressed I asked (rhetorically), "What do you want to wear today?" as I was looking through her closet. She says "I don't care, Mom". It was too funny as she said it so clearly and I have never heard her say that before. I guess we can really start having conversations now!

Russian Vignette

I was recently encouraged to write a little more, stories of life, anecdotes of human incompetence and dramatic retellings of mundane events. I will endeavour to do so as the muse descends . The burgeoning demand for my meagre literary prowess demonstrates one fundamental fact of life. There is no accounting for taste.

As there have been few truly inspiring recent events I'll pull one from the archives, this particular tale still stands as the most harrowing experience of my life.

The adventure began as we set off to St. Petersberg on the overnight train. The ride was quite comfortable and I was looking forward to spending the day touring one of the worlds most beautiful and stories cities. In nearly every respect St. Petersberg lived up to it's billing. The eye could hardly take in the grandeur of the scenery. Even the train station we pulled into would put many mansions to shame.

As you all know I have always have a dreadful aversion to all things off colour. Whether it be the public washrooms at Dickson Hill school, the ramshackle outhouse affectionately known as the "Lloyd" or Father's own particular brand of humour. Such things have always haunted my sense of decency. Little did I know that amidst the splendor of that fair city I would be subjected to the most repellent of all circumstances I've had to endure.

The overnight train did not have a privy on board that I was aware of. To be truthful I never looked, I wouldn't have availed myself of it anyway. But after a long night the inevitabilities of nature take hold and relief must be sought. I was a little irked from the outset that this train station didn't have free washrooms. Profiting from this circumstance seems morally questionable at best. 10 rubles bought you a place in line and 3 meagre sheets of transparent toilet paper. They only let in a set amount of people at a time it seemed. I shuddered as I wondered what one did if 3 sheets didn't complete the task. The march back to the counter for reinforcements would have been most unpleasant, not to mention having to line up again.

As I rounded the corner into the washroom I surveyed the scene. On one side there were several large stalls on the other was obviously what passed for a urinal in St. Petersberg. We would have likely identified it as an eaves trough bolted to a wall. That was fine though, it's not as if I ever plan on using a urinal. I entered the first roomy stall and was taken aback. The stall was completely empty! There was no fixture of any kind. I assumed the whole place was under construction, that would explain the concrete floors and walls and maybe even why they had to charge money to use it. No matter, I'd simply wait my turn to use the neighboring stall.

A chap eventually emerged looking well relieved with a newspaper underarm, it was a promising sign. However I skipped into his stall to find that it looked exactly like the last stall I observed. I poked my head back into the first stall and this time noted two features of the cubicle that had escaped my initial inspection. It had a floor that was slightly slanted towards the centre and a hole the size of a twonie in the middle. I'm not sure if it's possible to convey the horror I felt at that very moment. Thankfully the human body is wired in such a way that the sudden onset of fear either accelerates bodily functions or stops the process entirely. It is to the latter group that my body belongs, God be praised. Had I spoken Russian I may have tried to warn those standing in line that this particular commode hardly offered value for money. Instead I beat a hasty retreat and steeled myself for a day of discomfort.

As it turns out a proper restroom was eventually found and the city of St Petersburg as well as the Winter Palace did their best to blot out the day's unfortunate prelude. But still........

I have always wondered what use the fella in front of me got out of that newspaper. It haunts me to this day.

More pictures