Packing

When I was 16-18 or 19 years old I moved around on a regular basis for a variety of reasons. I lived with family, friends and strangers and finally got my own apartment and I've lived there ever since.

During all of those moves I lived out of a couple of duffle bags, and that was it so I don't think I fully appreciated what a pain it would be to do this particular move. In the time I've been here I've not looked through anything. I moved in, nested and have gotten to the point where it may take dynamite to get me to Winnipeg. What I am loving about this is was I'm downsizing but that is not enough to make this whole process completely enjoyable.

Oh well I'm too the point now where I'm almost all packed so I might as well suck it up and get over it ;).

On a sad side note my kitty is moving to BC this weekend and I will miss her very much.

Stampede 2009

Well, another year, another Stampede. The Calgary Stampede is referred to as the greatest outdoor show on earth and kicks off with a parade on Friday morning and runs for 10 days. The Salvation Army band is the longest running marching band in the parade and I've been marching with them for 12 or 13 years now and loving every minute of it. I started marching with them holding the banner, then moved up to the timbrels and now I march with the band itself. I still enjoy marching no matter how wiped I am at the end. To see the crowds of people, all the kids waving and having fun, and the fact that my weirdest friends are the ones who call my name out when I march :). I don't know where I'll be next summer but I know if I'm not marching I'll feel the loss but I'll be thinking of the group as they go down and I know I won't miss the blisters I always get.

Friday night of course it was down to the grounds to hang out, watch the chuckwagon races which are very exciting, and the grandstand show. This year as I headed down to the grounds from the train station the police were stopping everyone and there were a whole bunch of official looking black vehicles and media. I was very curious as to who was arriving and low and behold it was Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper...very exciting. After that we were allowed to go ahead and I met up with the band and we went into the grounds. I loved the chuckwagon races and even managed to pick the team featuring a Calgary Flame for my pick in one of the heats and the grandstand show was fabulous. Although, I didn't like one particular set of stunts where it just looked like they were going to die, and die horribly.

Saturday afternoon and evening was the carnival, BBQ and concert. There was a HUGE number of people there for the carnival and that was fantastic. I was thrilled to see such a response for a church event. The food was as always excellent, and the program was very entertaining. After the program a whole bunch of us went out for something to eat and to catch up with each other. Fred and Wendy were down from Edmonton, and it's always good to see Wendy unfortunately she brought Fred but what are you going to do? I'm kidding, of course it was great to see both of them.

Well, today ends another stampede weekend and my last as a member of the band (possibly, one never knows), but it definitely ends out my year before heading to college, and it ended on a great note.