To start out my news with good news and really good news.
The dinner for the funding of the Ootsa Lake Bible Camp was as usual a huge success and so was the auction sale. Every year it seems to get bigger and better.
Folks really dug deep to support this wonderful camp that is so popular with both our young folks and families as well. We are so fortunate to have such a place in our district. Hat’s off to the management and what a great job they do. It’s not doubt a very difficult and time consuming position.
Hospital visit
Last week I went to the hospital to get some blood work done. The patient waiting room was just packed with folks waiting to get in to see the doctor.
As I was having blood work I did not have a long wait. I was surprised to see so many of my old friends waiting for service. I really enjoyed visiting with them as some I had not seen for over a year.
We are having some snow and it is going to stay by the looks of it.
Old friend
Had a bit of bad news last week to hear my very good friend in Saskatchewan had a mild stroke. It has effected his eyes but the good news is his sight is returning okay.
He can’t drive for a month. Why I brought this up was Bill and his wife Fern met lots of our friends and family while visiting us. We all go back for a lifetime as almost one big family. Good friends are very precious to have. Both our families loved horses although I can’t use them anymore I still love them.
Prank calls
In the last week and a half I have had three prank phone calls. The phone rings and you pick it up to answer and you get a blank. One of the calls had voice but I couldn’t understand it. This is three times now. Has anyone else had this?
When we were kids on the prairie phones were far from everyone having one so a couple of the boys got one phone and hooked onto the barbed wired fence. This worked good until it rained and the posts got wet.
When we came to Francois Lake it was not much better. We were on a party line. The line went around the lake and then there was a cable across the lake at the landing. There was an operator in Burns Lake during the day and after 5 p.m. the line was open to the hospital for any emergency. One early morning as I was driving the mail for Everett Hickey and I saw a broken phone line on the Colleymount line.
There had been a bad wind that night and a tree was over the line and it was a mess. So I found the broken line tied it together, found a stick to keep it off the road and went on my way.
The head of the lake had phone service again. The party line was very popular with some folks as they could listen in on the conversation and get the latest news. The party line was good for gossip to get started and this was not too good sometimes. There was one lady who would pour a cup of tea and listen to what was going on. So some folks for a joke said I can hear Mrs. Blanks clock is striking “no you can’t” she said “it’s not mine.” Then she realized she had been set up and was the joke of the country. It was a good thing when the party line was finished.
After my little story of the telephone lines both rural and in town. I just wonder how many lives the telephone has saved? A stupid question maybe an interesting one too.
Nice music
The residents of the Tweedsmuir House had the pleasure of Jean Payne entertain us with some beautiful piano music. Her music was just so relaxing and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you Jean for sharing your talent with us, it was just great. I hope you will come out again.
New hospital
Every time I go into town from the Tweedsmuir House I always like to drive by our new hospital. It’s really going to be a shot in the arm for Burns Lake and no doubt our economy as well. A good hospital makes a good town and a pride to the Lakes District.
This size is also impressive and to think that it’s opening very soon. This will be a great day for us all. There are also some new buildings either up or going up. These will help our towns economy big time.
It would be great to see our town boom again, we deserve it. I have heard our present hospital is to be torn down.
What a history will go with it. It has served us so well for so many years. What a book it could write if it could talk.
How well I remember when it was built and how proud we were of it. But like everything else time has caught up to make room for new things.
Self driving trucks?
A day or so ago a friend presented me with a page of the Edmonton Sun and something caught my eye so I’ll pass it on. Its headline ‘Self driving trucks are coming soon within 10 years. Daimler trucks, self driving truck plans are getting closer.
The Mercedes Benz has a highway pilot plan using radar sensors and cameras to all complete operation.’ What happens to our truck drivers. They say it’s on the way. I have the paper here if you want to read it. It’s interesting.
By all reports we are short of truck drivers so this many solve the problem, who knows.
Little joke
A man walked into an appliance store and asked the clerk, “Do you sell color televisions?” “Yes,” said the clerk. The man replied, “Then give me a green one.”
Take care and have a safe week as the life you save could be your own. Always remember God loves you and so do I.