To: aca_jack@hotmail.com
Subject: Reunion
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 12:16:46 -0400 (EDT)
Hi Jack. The weekend of the reunion I am officiating
at the National Junior track and field championships.
I was hoping that I would at least be able to make it
to Rob's breakfast, but it looks like the schedule
will not enable me to do so. Sorry I won't be able to
see everyone - but I'm sure you'll all have a great
time even if I'm not there.
For those who are interested, here is my bio....
After a somewhat checkered career at the U of
Saskatchewan, I finally graduated with a Commerce
degree in 1968.
I began a 30 year career with Canada Mortgage and
Housing Corporation here in Saskatoon. Over the next
30 years we tranferred from Saskatoon to Ottawa,
Prince George, Yellowknife, Edmonton, Red Deer, and
finally back to Saskatoon after being away for 17
years. During that period I had my fingers in almost
every aspect of housing in Canada - from mortgage
lending and related services to provision of social
housing to research and international marketing. I
was the official branch manager that opened the branch
in Yellowkife and closed the branch office in Red Deer
(not too many people can claim that!). During one
span in the early 90's I developed and taught a 1 1\\2
year housing management course to a group of 10
aboriginal people - that was very gratifying as 9 or
the 10 are currently employed in the houising industry
and having a positive impact on housing their people.
In late 1997, with government downsizing, CMHC made me
an offer I couldn't refuse and I took early
retirement.
In 1968 Anita and I were married (shortly before we
were moved to Ottawa). Our older daughter Robyn was
born in 1975, our son Brett in 1977, and our daughter
Kelly in 1979.
Robyn has an Arts degree in urban development, native
studies, and human geography and is currently working
for a planning firm in Saskatoon. She was married
three years ago to Kevin, a computer technician.
Brett completed his Commerce degree in accounting last
year. Just before his final semester at university,
Brett decided he wanted to take one more trip to
Europe (both he and Kelly had taken time off
university and worked in Scotland for 6 months) before
he graduated and had to get a 'real" job. They had
spent a few days in Prague, Czech Republic and really
loved it. So he got a job teaching English at a
school in Prague. The last thing Anita said to him as
he left for Prague was "Don't you go meeting a girl
over there!!!" ....so he did. Brett and Maja were
married in a small town just outside Prague last
summer and are currently living in Prague.
Kelly is just completing her Commerce degree in
general business and human resources. I think this is
her 7th year at university - I used to think that
school was just a filler for her between trips to
europe. (How come a kid going to school and working
part time can afford to Travel and Mom and Dad working
full time can't afford to go to North Battleford??)
\
Over the years we have been heavily involved in our
kids activities. All have and are playing various
sports (hockey, soccer, basketball, track and field)
at a high level. All have their grade 8 in piano, and
the girls were in dancing for it seems like a hundred
years. Both have been involved in Scottish Highland
dancing since they were 5 or 6 and have competed both
nationally and internationally. Robyn is an
accredited teacher of Highland dancing and is
currently working on her accreditation as an
international judge of Highland dancing.
Anita is starting to think that in a couple of years
she would be ready to retire and put up with me at
home on a full time basis (does she really know what
she is getting herself into?) This summer we're going
to visit my Mom in Victoria for her 90th birthday, and
along the way we're exploring some places for
potential retirement. I'm finding that, even though
our winters have been fairly mild the past few years,
40 below is just too damn cold.
Well, this is getting to be too much of a brag sheet,
so I think I'll quit.
Have fun at the reunion everyone, and hopefully we'll
run into some of you somewhere along the way.
Dave Jamieson
David Jamieson
