Western Hospitality

With Rusty Tractor Springs tuned up and the jet skis and Bayliner in the water, we headed to Vancouver to visit Magnus before Roger flew back to Australia.

The night before we left, we went to our favourite place in Priest River - Noni's Wine Bar, with good friends, Paddy and Dave Carlson from Spokane.

We booked a bed and breakfast on the water in Port Moody just down the road from where Anette's parents, and relatives visiting from Norway were staying at another B&B.

Having drinks on the deck

Obi has been really good with Magnus, but still looks hopeful that the little person will go away and she can be #1 again!

The views from the B&Bs were beautiful

Magnus and Nana sharing a laugh

"Look Magnus!"

There is nothing so sweet as a sleeping baby

Roger did a great job of multi-tasking:  doing some work while rocking Magnus who was in his car seat

Roger is crazy about Magnus and it is fantastic to see how loved Magnus is by his whole family.    It is beautiful to see how everyone is fitting into their roles as parents and grandparents and how supportive and welcoming friends and family have been.

It appears what started off as a joke, has stuck --- Magnus won't be calling Roger "Grandpa", "Papa" or anything traditional.  No ---- it looks like Magnus will be calling him, "Mr. Roger"!!!

The Kinley men

Anette is a wonderful mom

Magnus chanelling his inner Charlie Chaplin (wearing a onesie I bought in Zambia)!

It was a fun weekend, and great to see Magnus and his entourage. I swear I could watch him all day -- I commented it was like watching TV!

Calgary and southern Alberta were hit with devastating floods on June 20th.  More than 100,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Calgary, and several of our friends were affected.  The city looked like a war zone in some areas - and in others, like downtown, it was a ghost town.

I had an appointment at the Osteoporosis Clinic that I didn't want to miss (it really is all about maintenance after 50...) and because the TransCanada Highway was closed because the road was washed out near Banff, I flew to Calgary.  And while the river had started to recede by June 23rd, I was shocked to see how much wider the Bow River was and how the landscape had changed.

I was welcomed at the airport by dear friends, Carol and Terry, who in the midst of a hellish week where they were evacuated from their home in Inglewood offered me the use of one of their cars.  We've always said we are graced with amazing friends, and this was just another example.

I thought I would be meeting up with Carol and Terry outside the terminal so it was such a wonderful surprise to have friendly faces meeting me as entered the arrivals area.

Roads and bridges were blocked, and car-happy Calgarians were forced to find alternate routes around the city.  Stampede Park suffered heavy damage, but in true western spirit, the Stampede's new tag line is "Come hell or high water" and vow the show will go on.  Mayor Nenshi asked for 600 volunteers to come to McMahon Stadium to have work assigned, and thousands came.

Calgary is an extraordinary city, and there is no doubt it will rebuild.

"Kites rise highest against the wind -- not with it."  
                                                  Sir Winston Churchill