|
Updates - 2023  As of the beginning of 2024 we live in on our Condo on First Street North in Brandon. We purchased it in 2015 and still find it convenient and comfortable. Ken continues to work on Heritage Projects from home, and Bev sometimes helps out with that. We continue to enjoy our travels around the province - sometimes work related - but often just to visit our favourite hiking, paddling and swimming spots, or to find new ones. In August, Bev & Linda travelled to Milo Alberta to visit her cousins, Nina, Norma and Pearl, then on to Canmore to see her aunt Betty Lynn. Other than that we haven't travelled much outside the province since the beginning of the Covid era. We are planning to roam a bit farther afield in 2024. Our heritage work continues to evolve as new opportunities present themselves. Ken recently completed a Local History Book for the community of Deleau and is currently working on a Virtual Reality Tour of the former Rivers Airforce Base. In 2024, he will be writing Volume 6 of the Vantage Point Series on behalf of the Turtle Mountain Souris Plains Heritage Association. He is also doing some consulting and research for a video about Whitewater Lake and working on two Interpretive Sign Projects. We often travel the region together for meetings, and visit with heritage contacts who have also become good friends. In addition to our heritage work, Bev is on the Board of our Condo Corporation and Ken is an active member of the Board of the Manitoba Historical Society. Ken has been quite busy with his band, Crossfyre. The outdoors and our family continue to be the focus of our lives. Geoff and Kim live in Winnipeg where he is a Financial Advisor with CIBC and she works in a Dental Clinic. We see them as often as we can. Jonah continues at Canadian Tire. He lives across town and we see him regularly. Both sides of our family (Storie & Wallace) hold gatherings each summer that keep us close to one another. We feel blessed with the relationship we have with our sons and all of our extended family. 2023 - Looking Back - A Sort of Illustrated Diary. Dec. 26: Breakfast at Humpty's with Jonah, Geoff & Kim. Dec. 25: Gathering at Cynthia & Wayne's. Take-out supper from Kam Lung. Geoff and Kim. Linda & Ron, Jonah. Kim and Geoff came over later for a visit and gift exchange. Jonah stayed over on the 24th & 25th.  Dec 22: First ski at ACC across the street... Dec 19: Long overdue visit with Andy and Judy at Boston Pizza. Dec 16: Geoff and Kim met us in Portage at "Over the Coals" - in yet another Birthday celebration. Who knew turning 75 would be so much fun? Dec 17: Jonah was working on my Birthday and missed lunch so he took me out on the 17th. Dec13. Jerry, Marlene, Donna, Dave, Tim and Deb surprised me on my birthday. I thought I was just going for lunch. What an amazing family we have. Dec 8 & 9: Crossfyre at the Sandhills Casino - Bad roads, but good times. Nov.17: Neelin Drama - Cast included Renna. Great performances. Nov. 15-17: Winnipeg. Supper with Geoff and Kim.  Good crowd - went over very well.  Oct 22: Souris Mouth - last good hiking day of 2023?  Oct. 21: Crossfyre at the Shaina Strong Gala.  Oct. 16 - Minnedosa & Area: Little Saskatchewan River - west of town.  Oct 15 - Assiniboine Corridor Trail with Jonah. Oct. 9 & 10: Road Trip   Alexandria Site - west of Morden We visited numerous natural and historic sites related to a set of interpretive signs Ken is designing for the Boundary Trail Heritage Region.  Oct 7: Criddle - Vane Park and points in between. Just too nice a day to stay home. Oct. 6: Ken had a Victoria Park Project Meeting in Souris (He is designing a set of Interpretive Signs). He visited the school to drop off some resources. Had a great visit with the Principal (a former student in his last Gr. 9 English Class in 2001) and with a former colleague and good friend. Very rewarding.  Northeast of Virden  Eternal Springs Sept 27: A tour of Virden and area and along the Assiniboine River north east of town - River Valley School, Eternal Springs etc.  Sept. 19 - 21: Hecla Island. Gull Harbour Lodge. Donna & Dave came as well for 1 night. Nice lakeside location. Great pickerel. Sept. 18: Heritage Meeting at Minto. Toured the school.  Sept 16: Filming with Street Media at the Moberly site for a Whitewater Lake documentary. Then... Boissevain Street Fest that evening...(the second year we've done this)   Sept 8 & 9: William Lake. Great weather for swimming and paddling. Treats at the Boissevain Bakery. Took the scenic route home via McKellars Bridge / Souris Valley.  Sept 4: Jackson Lake (near Sidney) and then stopped at Spruce Woods for a swim on the way home.  Sept 3: Minnedosa - swim and paddle.  Sept 2: Lake William (again) with Jonah this time. It is one of only a few beaches in our area fit for swimming. No algae even late in the season. Also great for paddling as gas motors aren't allowed.  Aug. 26. Crossfyre at Arden  Aug. 19 - 25: Bev & Linda travelled to Alberta to visit with Nina, Norma, Pearl & Betty-Lynn.  Aug. 20: From one of several paddles on the Assinboine in Brandon...  Aug 13: Clear Lake with Jonah  August 11: Gig at Potato Festival  August 7: William Lake - by way of Ninette, Killarney, Lena & Wakopa Aug 5: Geoff & Kim visit. Breakfast at Chez Angela. Went to Souris. Back to Brandon for supper at Sabor Latino.  Aug 1 & 2: Gimli. Swim, paddle, supper at Interlake Brewing Co.  Patricia Beach  July 31: Appointment at Grace Hospital. On to Patricia and Grand Beaches - Hotel at South Beach. Then to Gimli overnight at the Lakeside. Stop at Winnipeg Beach, supper in Portage on the way home. July 30: Supper with Geoff & Kim at Frankie's. July 29: Crossfyre at Lake Metigoshe - a private anniversary party - great people.  July 25 - 27: Bev, Linda and Pearl went to Winnipeg Beach.  July 20: Bomber Game - Visit with Donna and Dave July 21: Breakfast with Donna & Dave. Home via Carman, Notre Dame. Supper at Wawanesa.  Carman  July 22: Gathering at Linda & Ron's - re Wayne & Cynthia's 25th.  July 13 - 16: Storie Family Reunion - Year 25! July 8 - Rivers Homecoming Event July 6 - 8 - Joan & Karl visit.  June 30 - July 2: Family Gathering at Sandy Lake  Little Saskatchewan river from the Riverdale Bridge  Re-built fish ladder at the Rapid City Dam. June 24: Road trip to Riverdale and Rapid City. Lunch at Queens Hotel.  June 11: Road Trip with Jonah Looking north from Daly Bridge - Little Saskatchewan River - just west of Brandon  June 10: Morning Walks at ACC May 22: Bev broke her wrist. May 19 & 20 Winnipeg - supper with Geoff & Kim. Overnight at Donna and Dave's.  May 17: Work Meeting in Killarney and Lena. Ken is working on a History of Wakopa with help from his friend Charlie Baldock who has created the Wakopa Store Museum in Lena.  May 10 Work meeting at Hartney School (Ken is working on a "Resources for Schools" Project), then a trip through (muddy) roads along the north side of Whitewater Lake. Scouting locations for a Video project. May 5: Gig at Virden. Very successful.  May 4: Work meetings in Brandon & Rivers. Lunch at the Queen's Hotel in Rapid City.  May 3: Hike to Lang's Crossing. Found new trails.  May 2: Hike at Souris Mouth  Our former home (1977-78) and the Napinka Hall. We visited the Drop-Inn Centre and Museum. April 27: Work trip to Waskada and Melita with a stop at Napinka. April 22 - Arden Gig  April 16. We delivered "Chapman Museum" books to Gord & Lois Allan who ran the museum on their farm until it closed recently - toured the area. Great people. Gord knew Dad though Shriners.  Daly Bridge - Little Saskatchewan River - April 16 Winnipeg - Supper with Jonah, Geoff & Kim at Leopold's . Visit Donna & Dave. April 14 & 15.  Deleau History Book Launch April 1.  March 31 - River walks - Assiniboine at Hwy 340, Souris River at Treesbank March 24 - 26 Winnipeg - Supper and visit with Geoff & Kim. Best Western in Pembina. Visit Sat. with Donna, Dave, Jerry, Marlene, Tim, Deb. March 16: Heritage Conference - Deloraine  Visit to Ron & Linda's farm. March 4.  March 3: More river walking - Riverside again - this time east to the old crossing site.   Feb. 28: Short hike up the Little Saskatchewan River to the site of the Glenorky Ski Hill and the Ten Mile Hydro Dam   Feb 18: Hike at Riverside. Jonah joined us. Feb 11: Gig - Neepawa Arena Feb. 10: Gig - The Forty  Another shot of my private ski trails. Nice stretch of weather... Feb. 7: Vantage Points Presentation for Boissevain School Staff Jan 21: Gig at the City Centre Jan. 24 & 25: Sioux Valley Elders Conference. Ken attended on behalf of the Turtle Mountain Souris Plains Heritage Association. On Jan. 8 we had lunch at Leonardo's with Geoff & Kim, then visited at their new home. We visited Donna & Dave, and stayed the night.  The Kellys hosted a New Years Day gathering. |