August 1 was anniversary number 55 for Chris and I. We were tentatively planning a short trip to Moose Jaw where it all started. But that was for later. Today we were taking Chris's serger to a sewing machine repair shop in Saskatoon. The serger had sat in one place in her sewing room for … Continue reading Lows and highs of August
Moose Jaw
Let’s take time to talk
Early in the 20th century, settlers poured into Saskatchewan from around the world, lured by the promise of free land that would enable even the poorest to own their own farm. Life wasn't as easy as portrayed by the government advertising, but most people stuck it out through hardships, harsh weather and unexpected setbacks. Despite … Continue reading Let’s take time to talk
Asphalt cowboys
Image by fkevin from Pixabay Our oldest grandson obtained his 1A license yesterday, which means he is qualified to drive a tuck like the one illustrated above. That brought back memories of when I worked in the Post Office in Moose Jaw almost fifty years ago. Most of the time I worked the night shift, which was when … Continue reading Asphalt cowboys
Good news, somewhat disguised
1918, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. People began dying from the Spanish Flu in the first week of October. Sick soldiers returning from the European front were housed at the Moose Jaw Armoury and the disease spread from there. The Moose Jaw and District Medical Officer, Dr. Turnbull, ordered all gathering places closed until further notice. That … Continue reading Good news, somewhat disguised
Going paperless
In school we learned poems about log drives in Quebec. Loggers worked all winter in the forests and in the spring the logs were floated down the rivers to the paper mills. That is history, nothing but folklore anymore. There are still lumber mills; there are mills producing tissue paper, computer paper, glossy magazine paper, … Continue reading Going paperless
A step forward, a step back
We found a house to rent just a few miles from church. I started working for Ed Klassen’s carpenter crew. Things were working out well for me; I wasn’t so sure how this was going to work for Chris. I was still a young Christian, trying to sort things out for myself and didn’t know … Continue reading A step forward, a step back
Haircuts and history
From December 1975 to June 1978 my wife and I lived in the upstairs suite in my parents home in Moose Jaw. I mostly went downtown to Jake Folk to get my hair cut. On occasion I went to Harold's Hair Inn, just a block and a half from home. Despite the fancy name it … Continue reading Haircuts and history
Trying to swim upstream
Duyring the winter of 1973-74 our pastor spent several weeks in California taking in a seminar on church growth. Upon his return to Moose Jaw, he called a meeting at church to talk about what he had learned. He began the meeting by asking “What makes a church grow?” One lady responded with what seemed … Continue reading Trying to swim upstream
Things were going well for us
The Mennonite congregation in Moose Jaw was small, but we found the people warm and friendly. Being small, they overlooked the fact that we had not been baptized in the way they believed (immersion) and put us to work in the congregation. One Sunday I was teaching the adult Sunday School class and one of … Continue reading Things were going well for us
An answered prayer
We had talked over our situation that night, prayed for direction and believed we had been shown a direction that we should pursue. There still remained the question of whether Dennis would need or want my help. It didn't take long for the answer to come. The phone rang the next morning before we had … Continue reading An answered prayer
Flatlander Faith 