ASSINIBOIA - August 21

We left Lana and Barry to visit my cousin Pat and husband Ralph in Assiniboia, a cute little Prairie town where people still leave their doors unlocked and the car keys in the ignition when they get out. Loved their new home which was built in 1972 and has great features from that time (beautiful mahoganey wood cabinets and doors) and Pat has wonderful taste in decorating. When we visited Pat in the home centre store she runs, you could see her touch everywhere in all the displays.

August 21st - We went to Lafleche to visit the cemetary where mom, her parents and brothers are buried. Along the way we passed signs to Mazenod, Palmer and Melaval - all names Mom would mention from her youth, usually heading there on a Saturday night to go to a dance. Went to see Uncle Dave's old house in Lafleche but the town is very small and looks like it is dying. Had lunch at the "Lefleche Cafe" where Mom and I had eaten with him 10 years ago. We still had a deluxe cheese burger with fries for $4.75 and it had a home made patty and fried onions for that price! Sad to say the old "Saskatchew Pool" elevators that used to dot the landscape were torn down, a piece of Canadiana is gone.

Teeing off at Pat and Ralph's golf club, we didn't have our best games but it was beautiful to play golf with wheat fields blowing in the background. We had a great visit with them, wish we could visit more often but had to continue our trek.

August 22 - Met up with the Bennett's in Indian Head and had lunch in a converted grain elevator that used treadle machines as table bases. That night we stayed at "Shady Oaks" in Sidney, Manitoba. It was a beautiful campsite set in an oak grove and run by Ewan Macleod, a delightful Scottsman. Great day ending with Pina Coladas and watching red squirrels run through the oak trees.