The eastern Waters have been with us this week, Jason, Celine, Rachel, Ted, Beth and Bella. The eight of us in this house are tight, but we’ve been doing well. Meals, travel, and family visits have lined up great. Thursday we drove to Jasper, the first time we’ve been there since the fires. The scope of the devastation is breathtaking – huge swaths of the mountain sides now black. As usual how it comes into a town moving from street to street and total destroying some structures while leaving others untouched remains a mystery to me.

Even as spring has given way to summer, signs of regrowth and rebuilding are everywhere.

We passed by a deer walking out of the trees, stopped to watch an elk grazing, and slowed to see some big horn sheep laying by the road and up the hillside, but no bears! We did, however, enjoy some ice cream and other great meals.

Monday, our time with the kids will end as they head home, but in other news, we have new neighbours. Don and Marie have moved back and she wasn’t long asking if we were believers. Why, yes, we are – and Don has just retired as a finished carpenter, but he has kept his tools, thinking he could help people out here. And yes, there will be many who find that offer timely. They have a five year old poodle, whom Nugget met – had time to sniff her butt – as dogs do, and seemed like he would like to be friends. She was less interested and seemed withdrawn. I have visions of our neurotic dog tax!!

The garden here at our place is doing well. The cosmos are blooming as are the daises. My purple poppies are huge and giving many great blooms. I think they will spread naturally from here and will need some controlling. (They can be like weeds). The tomatoes are forming on the plants, the small apples have begun on our tree. The carrots are really doing well as are the peas.

With Steve’s recent loss, the residents of The Villa have been awaiting the sale of his unit, but it has not yet occurred. He had one of the largest units and so the asking price will be interesting. Of course all that impacts us as our taxes are based on the assessments of our properties, which is partially based on the value of our homes. We have an asset worth more, perhaps but we pay more taxes in the meantime.

While we were away Nugget went to stay with the other Western Waters – and he had a lovely holiday. He reports being well fed, well loved and enjoying Friday night’s movie and pizza.

The eastern Waters have enjoyed Nugget! He loves them too!

And finally, I should add we had the CSB in Edmonton on Tuesday evening – so many good friends and acquaintances here! It was terrific to connect ever so briefly with Les and with Maggie Jo! Maggie worked for us at Camp Selkirk as a teenager and of course, Les is, well Les! He and Tiffany have been good friends for a long time, have helped us, our family and have been loyal and good encourages. Rob was attentive to remember that we had staged a photo years ago, just the three of us in matching outfits at Edmonton Temple – so we restaged the shot.