A very happy Christmas from the Ryes
As you look up at the sky at night (at least in the Northern hemisphere), you will see the little and the great paddler. In Cree tradition, Nemetahamun, the little paddler who guides the canoe is the pole star and OdaKaDaun Anakwak, the great paddler, is the three stars that make the belt of Orion.
This year I have seen a lot of the stars. One spring morning, I drove almost an hour with Venus in front of me like the Christmas star as I drove to Nipawin. At Summer camp, we saw satellite after satellite pass over and on another evening the Persaides meteor shower both throug windows in clouds.
Summer Holiday
Our summer holiday this year was taken in July as usual but in three parts a few days apart .
We had sufficient aeroplan miles to fly to Florida("anywhere in North America") and enough airmiles to hire a car. So with children 13,10 and 6 it was time to visit Disneyworld.
Our journey to Toronto was very pleasant, being upgraded to the front cabin but beyond Chicago the weather was spectacularly stormy and we were diverted back to Chicago again. ("The 727 must be happy- it's waging its tail"). We were issued food coupons and flew the next morning.
Disney is all its said to be and more.The main attractions are Magic Kingdom you have seen on TV, Disney-MGM studios, Epcot center- like a permanent world fair-and the new Animal Kingdom.This has wildlife as a theme.
Throughout Disney and its competitors the prime attraction are rides. On some you actually ride: Big Thunder Mountain and Splash mountain in the Magic Kingdom. In other you are in a simulator, a fixed vehicle moved by hydraulic rams and using projected films and movements to convey motion: at "Star Tours" the simulator takes you into space, through a laser battles and down the throat of a dinosaur .In either case,a story is told as you queue to make you feel part of the action once you reach the ride.
The major outdoor ride in animal kingdom is "African Safari" where a real truck bounces across the savanna past real lions and elephants. But this is still Disney and there is an accompanying story and tricks. The train to "Conservation Station"(a Tilbury tank with Beyer 1976 plates built by Severn Lamb) satisfied even the rivet counter in me, while we were able to see a genuine operation under General Anaesthesia in progress when we got there. It was a real privilege to show my children what I do to feed them (Ohmeda machine with Tec3 vaporiser). And how do you put the oxygen probe on a pelican?
We avoided the hurricane season although saw the effects it had had, but saw the tower of smoke from fires as we went into Epcot. The fires made us postpone our trip to NASA and move to a different campground in Kissimmee.There were also fires in the Everglades.
We camped by the seashore in two places- on the Florida Keys at Key Largo and in St. Petersberg. While herons, ospreys and raccoons are familiar,we had never met ibises or manatees before. The water was clean and warm, and made for wonderful swimming. Camping by aeroplane does enable stay places otherwise inaccessible but the extra luggage space needed adds to car costs more than the hotel savings. Coral reef really is as beautiful as the pictures.
The Everglades has its main season in the winter, so bird life was scant but mosquitoes ubiquitous. Alligators were seen- rules seem very much the same as for bears- although when we dropped a disposable camera in the river we didn't fish it out. Anhinga birds are freshwater cormorants and look prehistoric perched on branches with their wings outstretched to dry.
Then, we went camping in the Rockies. Now the children hike without being carried and only complain when we turn round for camp, we can tackle 8 km.hikes. Both going to St.Mary's glacier in the Kootney NP,and Pinnacle Pass in Mount Ranier NP we were but a few weeks after snowmelt and the Alpine flowers were out in profusion.
This is the 125th. anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a cause of much national pride commemorated by train painting and stamps. At Fort Steele where it all began, we saw the musical ride with formation riding. Unlike other forces, horses are only used for ceremonial reasons. While there, we went on a twilight walk looking at bats and an owl.
The third part of holiday was to lead a family nature camp at Okema,the local Anglican camp. One day we were taken to a part of the Prince Albert National Park not normally open to vechiles.Here the buffalo roam freely and a number of medicinal plants grow such as Sennas, wintergreen and sarsaparilla. Fescue grasses are grasses which begin to grow underneath the snow before it melted. This made a big contrast to the mangrove trees that we had seen in Florida which die if they ever freeze.
Rest of our lives
At Christmas, Christine's parents came to visit us and stay for a few weeks.For the first time in many years we had a brown Christmas and the snow did not fall until Boxing Day.Cross country ski lessons involved running and limbering up-those in the competitive ranks had to drive to the mountains. I wrote another Christmas play for Sunday school with Sherlock Holmes and Watson going to the nativity.
From December, the trains in town have been Omnitrax. The depature of CN was unmourned by politicians, those dependent on the railroad and gricers/buffs like me. The new engines are painted in Saskatchewan green and yellow and match the buses that now start from the station.
What has happened this year? In short, Spring time was extremely busy at work. Anaesthesia was busy because the number of surgeons in town increased and this enabled more cases to be referred in. Also, at the Walk-In clinic, almost the entire medical staff were hired to run a rival clinic in the local shopping mall so from working there twice a month it became twice a week.This meant major losses from my family practice as people were unable to see me when they wanted. Unlike the situation in England, in Saskatchewan patients rather than practices hold health registration cards.
February was when we visited friends in Moose Jaw and were introduced to "Slimming Soup". Did it work? Yes, but several people mentioned to me how much I smelt of onions which is not a good way to encourage more to come. So, goodbye days of beef and bananas and hello"Adele Puhn's 5 day miracle diet". Five pounds is not much to show for a year but I am happy not to be going up. I have done orthopaedic lists where everyone is over 100kgs and for less than five pounds English I can take you to Emil's to all you can eat roast beef and fish.
In March,Ros Williams came to visit us from Japan and we were able to see a silver fox and two young bisons headbutting.A little later we were able to see round leaf orchids, lady's slipper and bog violet in the local forest in a visit arranged by P.A. Nature.
Both sons qualified for science fair regionals. Michael considered the bouncing bomb and did a surface tension experiment whilst Peter measured lung capacity by water displacement.
John has been a director at the local Anglican camp at Okema. This has envolved debate over the care of the forest and over new buildings and policies. Michael and Peter went to junior camp at Okema this summer and did some sailing in Emma Lake.
In October, Christine went to a palliative care conference in Edmonton. There were fifteen people from Prince Albert there but not John. She is doing part 2 of the palliative care course started last year- only 6 more to go for the certificate!
This year Deborah started ballet classes which she really enjoys. She is now in grade 1 so attends full time at school. She holds long conversations with her dolls in French.
Peter and Michael have both been involved with school volleyball. Michael's team divided in half to make two teams for the Prince Albert championships. His team was not placed but the other team came 1st so honour was served. We were delighted to stay and cheer them on.
50cm of snow has come and gone. We hope to get some more before Christmas. Santa Claus hardly recognised Prince Albert last year when it didn't snow 'til Boxing Day. As ever, we are very aware that this goes out to people of all kinds of interests all over the world. Please let us know if you would like to know more by letter or e-mail.
This year more than most months have flown by and we only know because of the changes in Christines work rota.("Is it nights again?").
A very happy Christmas from
John, Christine, Michael, Peter and Deborah Rye.