Back from the East

East of here, that is.

Stephen and I left on the Klipper bus Saturday morning for snow-covered Humboldt. The Klippers played a great game, and beat the home team 10 – 4. My dad’s cousin, Doug Veness, lives in Humboldt with his wife, Vera. They have been involved with the hockey scene there for years. They came to watch Stephen play, and then took me back to their place for a wonderful supper (homemade noodles – yum!) while Stephen ate with the team. Doug and I went joined the Bantam team at the arena for the Junior game – the Junior Klippers fell to the Humboldt Broncos – and then Stephen and I went back to Doug’s for the night. Doug thinks Stephen has quite a bit of Schraefel in him. Doug’s Dutli uncle used to carouse with Bud Schraefel at times, so he knows the family. We had a great visit with them, and the hospitality was second to none. Thanks, Doug and Vera! Doug was a groomsman at Mom and Dad’s wedding, and he is also my sister’s godfather. And now another connection – he hums all the time, just like Dad. It is obviously a Veness trait.

The bus left Sunday morning for Warman, where we had a 1:30 game. The competition proved to be a bit stronger, although maybe it was just that our kids didn’t totally show up for the game! They did pull off a 4 -3 win, but it wasn’t pretty. A successful four-point road trip, though. A cold north wind blew us home in time to join Clem, Adam, Derek, and Dylan for supper.

Stephen and I are off to Swift Current this weekend for a tournament. Mom and Dad are hoping to join us there for some hockey entertainment. Derek and Adam will be staying home with Clem, as both have games in town for Minor Hockey Day on Saturday. They had this weekend off, except for Derek’s practice on Saturday, so they are impatiently waiting for the up-coming games.

Adam’s Bantam team played a great game last Thursday against the league’s #1 team, Unity. They held them to a 1 – 1 tie until the start of the third period, but had to take a 4 – 2 loss. It was good hockey, though. Adam assisted the first goal, and spent a bit of time in the penalty box. He is a bit of an aggressive player. Must be the Schraefel in him. I’ll have to ask Doug.

Adam and Stephen got their report cards on Friday, and they’ve escaped the forty lashes promised for failure. A little less talking and a bit more studying should make for better results next term. Stephen won first place in the school’s division three art competition for Remembrance Day. He sketched a portrait of Bud in his navy uniform, and another of an older Bud in his Legion uniform, and combined them with a quote from Bud’s headstone. It is very touching, and quite imaginative. Stephen is surprising us with his artistic talents.

Our yard looks a bit like a skating rink these days. Most of the snow we had melted just enough to turn into ice when the temperature dropped again. Last Thursday we had a very strong wind. The boys had a hard time getting to the house when the bus dropped them off – the wind was blowing them across the icy yard! It is milder today, and Clem is bagging some wheat to ship off to Vancouver. They grow wheat grass and turn it into juice which they sell at little kiosks for an exorbitant price. What a world.

Thanks for dropping by our little corner!
Chandra