Tuesday, November 18, 2014

2014 Trip to Monterey, California

I spent the last week of October in Monterey, California, on a business trip and absolutely loved it! But I'm getting ahead of myself...

My Air Canada flight to Calgary for the first leg of the trip was a prop job which was a bit disconcerting as the propeller was in line with the seat in front of me so it was right there every time I looked out my window. I noticed the guy in front of me covered his window after several minutes of flight. What I found fascinating was that the propeller blades seemed to curve and separate in the photos when I couldn't even see them moving in the air.

I took this photo with my iPhone shortly after take-off. At the time, I didn't know what was below until I spent some time on Google Earth later at home, and matched it up with their version:

Buffalo Pound Lake from the air, Oct 2014

Google Earth view of Buffalo Pound Lake, captured 5/6/2014

After changing flights in Calgary, I continued on to San Francisco. The clouds cleared and the day brightened, yet I was unprepared to see other aircraft in the skies above Nevada. The first one shot behind us and I noticed it in the 4 o'clock position heading northwest. And although the next one was at 3 o'clock by the time we passed over its vapor trail, it had me looking out for more of them. It must have been a regular occurrence for no one else seemed to notice, but it sure got me excited.

Aircraft and vapor trail over Nevada passing too close for my comfort,
taken Oct 26, 2014 with an iPhone


We landed at San Franciscso Airport (SFO) where my author friend, Sarah Sundin, picked me up and then along with another friend, we headed out for the 2 hr drive to Monterey. I was there for the Books & Such Literary Management Retreat which was being hosted at the Monterey Plaza Hotel, right on the infamous Cannery Row.

Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa spanning Cannery Row, Monterey, CA, Oct 2014

As you can see in the above photo, the hotel spans both sides of Cannery Row and the rooms are cheaper here facing inland, but I didn't travel all that way to look at an urban setting, and had paid a bit more for a room with an ocean view, and am so glad I did because it was worth it!

My Monterey Plaza Hotel room facing Northeast, Oct 2014

The most incredible thing I found while in Monterey is that they leave their doors open all day and into the night, and their windows have no screens, and they don't have any flies! I was blessed to have a room 2 floors above the small hotel beach where the kayaks were kept and my roomie and I left the window open all night so we could hear the sound of the surf pounding the sand as well as the sea otters, sea lions, and bird. And not a single insect entered the room.

And this is where my room was located - so close to the bird population roosting on the old cannery, and where I was staring down at the surf and kayakers and not the plaza where all the people were sitting...

Monterey Plaza Hotel facing east, Oct 2014

Monterey Plaza Hotel w/my room marked


Sunrise, Monterey, CA, Oct 27, 2014


Monterey Plaza Hotel Coffee Shop's outdoor seating, Oct 28, 2014


Sunset, Monterey, CA, Oct 29, 2014


Sea Lions sunning on Coast Guard Pier, Monterey, CA

Surfer practicing near Kayak Launch with big wave coming


Sunrise as I packed for home, Oct 30, 2014


Sunset at Denver Airport, Oct 30, 2014


On takeoff somewhere over the Denver area.


Nelson was waiting for me in Regina where the temperature was just a few degrees above freezing. It was nice to be home, but I can't wait to visit Monterey once more.

Thanks for coming along on this virtual trip. Did any of these pics strike a chord with you?




Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Big Changes for Nick


After a mere 8 months since first dislocating his shoulder, Nick did it again in mid-August. We're still waiting to see if surgery will be required, but as the doctor says, it will depend on how it heals. The injury put a crimp in his plans, however, as he had been accepted for an internship with a year-round youth camp in Ontario starting the beginning of Sept. Due to the physicality of the work involved, he had to withdraw his application.

Without a drivers license, and with his injury hampering his ability to find a job, he was at loose ends until he decided to go back to school. Then came a hectic week of applyig and being accepted at a Bible College and finding quarters when the school year had already started. But when God has a plan, He makes a way.

On Sept 10, Nick and I headed up to formally apply at Horizon College and Seminary in Saskatoon, SK. Nick had already done the groundwork via the internet and emailed his Montmartre High School and Eston College transcripts to Horizon. But as the dorm was full, we needed to find him accomodation.

A visit to the college for the necessary paperwork proved Nick to be enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts degree program with a major in Youth Ministries.

Next, we checked out a condo owned by the family of a UofS student who was looking for a roommate. Nick liked it, the rent was great, and his new roomie looked easy to get along with. They shook hands, and that was that. And then we headed back home where Nick used his time to check in with his doctor and see about having his driver's license re-instated which he'd lost after his Dec 2013 seizure - the one where he fractured his arm on Christmas Eve.

Three days later on Sat, Sep 13, we loaded up the van with Nick's bed and stuff and JJ and I drove Nick up to Saskatoon.

Nick taking photo of his bed and stuff before heading to Saskatoon, Sep 2014

When we got to Nick's new place, JJ helped him set up his bed which happens to be the bottom bunk of a set they've shared since 1999 when we moved here to Draper's Acres.

Nick and JJ setting up Nick's bed in Saskatoon, Sep 2014


Nick's bed in Saskatoon with the quilt across the foot that was given to him as
his 2012 graduation gift from Church on the Hill in Glenavon, SK.


After a quick trip downtown to get him a student bus pass and groceries, JJ and I left Nick at his new home which was across Circle Drive from the University and College. Without a vehicle or bike, he'd be going to college via public transportation, which was fine by him.


Nick Draper, Saskatoon, SK, Sep 13, 2014

After a week of riding the buses, I received this text from Nick: Buses in Saskatoon shut down, I'll be walking or long-boarding to school pray for the buses to start again

So much for depending on public transportation. Nick and I had talked of getting him a bike, but as he wasn't used to riding one, never mind in the city, and it would be frosty streets soon, we had decided against it. Now I wished I had.

Later that day after a 2 hr walk/long-boaring trek to school where he walked in late, he texted, I think I'm going to go purchase a bike

So, he bought a bike with saddle bags, reflectors, a light, etc and started the hour long daily ride to college. He said he liked it in Sept, but by the time cold October rolled around and Saskatoon Transit still wasn't back on the road, Nick was starting to worry. One painful spill landing on his 'bad' shoulder didn't help.

On Oct 9th, Nick took a bus operated by the Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) to Regina for the Thanksgiving weekend. It was such a blessing to have him home.


Nick catching sight of JJ at the STC terminal, Regina, SK,
 Oct 9th, 2014

We gave him his driver's license which had come in the mail and asked if he wanted to take our Uplander back with him since the bus strike was still on. On Thanksgiving Monday, Nick headed back to Saskatoon with his new wheels...

Brothers, JJ (foreground) and Nick, good-bye hug, Oct 14, 2014

Nick heading back to Horizon College, Oct 14, 2014


Thank you to those remembering Nick in prayer as he handles these big life changes.





Friday, September 12, 2014

John and Betty 2014 Visit


This summer we were blessed by the visit of Nelson's brother, John, and his wife, Betty, from Ottawa, Ontario. It had been ages since we saw them and so it was a special time of catching up. The plan was for them to spend a few days in Regina, then here at Draper's Acres while Nelson was on his days off, then back to Regina before heading home. 


Alice Draper with her kids from L to R - John, Teresa, and Nelson.
Photo taken Aug 2014 in Regina, courtesy of Teresa and Francis Untereiner

Unfortunately, the weather on Nelson's days off were wet and chilly for mid August which kept the farmers out of their field. Most of the time we stayed in the house where JJ hooked my laptop up to our big screen TV via an HDMI cord so everyone could view the genealogy records and old photographs at the same time. This was fantastic because it allowed everyone to contribute to the conversation, sharing memories and correcting misinformation. 

The spattering of rain played havoc with our photo taking sessions though, as you can see by the blotchy photographs.

Both Nick and JJ were working at Circle Square Ranch (CSR) Wolf Creek, and we had to get them back to the ranch right after lunch. In fact, the rest of the staff were inside preparing for a meeting when we were taking these pics, which shows on Jeremiah's face as he's the most logistical one and didn't want to walk in late. 


L to R - Jeremiah, Nelson, John holding Scout behind Grandma Alice, Betty
with Peanut, Nick. Taken at CSR Wolf Creek, Aug 2014

But as you can see in the above photo, a raindrop is hiding Betty's face, so we went for another one. 


L to R back row - Jeremiah, Nelson, John holding Scout, and Nick.
Front row - Grandma Alice, and Betty holding Peanut.
Taken at CSR Wolf Creek, Aug 2014

Hmm, nice shot, but Grandma's face is obliterated and others are hazy. So we tried one more. 


L to R - Jeremiah, Nelson, Scout, John hiding behind Grandma Alice, Betty
with Peanut, and Nick. Taken at CSR Wolf Creek, Aug 2014

And that's a good shot of everyone including the dogs...except John is hiding again, Nelson has lost his smile, and both Nick and Scout are looking to the left where someone has just come out the door to find out what's holding the boys up. *sigh

Since Montmartre is the Paris of the Prairies due to its French history with Montmartre, France on the outsirts of Paris, we stopped at the 1/38 scale model iron Eiffel Tower to give John and Betty some fun pics to take back.

This first one is Nelson telling John and Betty to look wa-a-a-a-a-a-y up so it appears the tower is taller than its actual 30 ft height. 

Nelson taking photo of Betty and John at Eiffel Tower,
Montmartre, SK.

Unfortunately, Nelson never showed me the result of this angle. My version was for John and Betty to move closer to me thus putting space behind them to make the Eiffel Tower look bigger. 


Betty and John at Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, SK, Aug 2014

Montmartre is building a real nice park beside the Eiffel Tower and while there, I mentioned that it would be nice to take a photo near the gazebo with the CN Montmartre sign in the background, but after being cooped up while we were in church, and then while we had a big family lunch in Wolseley, Scout and Peanut wanted to go exploring, so the best photo of that excursion is this one of John taking a pic of ME. 


John taking photo of me with Betty and CN Montmartre sign in background.
Taken at the Eiffel Tower Park, Montmartre, SK, Aug 2014

This last one is cropped from one of Teresa's photos and is kind of grainy so I can't enlarge further, but I thought I'd end this post with these 2 precious members of John and Betty's family, Peanut and Scout. 

Peanut and Scout in Regina, SK, August 2014


It was such a nice visit. I hope you come back soon... and bring the kids and grandkids next time. :)