Carpentering for the Carpenter

No, this is not a "mug shot," and Jon is not in jail. Never has been! I miss him and I tell him I love him every time we connect on Yahoo. And he tells me the same. Learn more about Jon and his world adventures on his website, uraniumcity.net.

Cousins Jon and Jason (Ted's son). This was at Ted's place in Montana when there were boys. They are only a few months apart in age. Jason is now married and they have a daughter. They live in Spokane.

Uncle Jon and Thomas, shortly before Jon left for Korea. From Korea Jon has gone to Taiwan, where he is now. In both places Jon has been teaching English as a second language in elemntary or Junior High schools. 

This sign or mural is on the wall outside Jon's school (where he teaches, just outside of Taipea, Taiwan). I believe the buildings in the background are part of the school. It's a five-day boarding school for young teens. 

A close-up of the sign on the wall. Jon is about two and half times bigger than life here. 

Find Jon! Hint: he's the one who does not look oriental. I believe this is at his school in Taiwan. 

Ron and Jon on the half pipe they built in Meeting Creek. It was about 7 ft. high, 12 ft. wide and 24 ft. long. They used both their skateboards and their bikes on it. No serious injuries to report!

Snooze with Uncle Chuck beside Aunt Jeanne's pool!

Oh! He's awake and soaking in Aunt Jeanne's stew pot!  

This is the house I grew up in. It was build when I was three. Ted and I slept in a little upstairs bedroom on the back corner. Every second Sunday afternoon, we went to Sunday School in our living room. When I was in high school this no longer happened but we were invovled in a mid week Bible study with Mom and Dad, Bill and Lynda, and some other couples. So it met here sometimes too. I could share many other precious memories too.

I helped Dad re-shingle the house in 1974, right after graduating from Briercrest Bible College. Dad had the metal roof you now see put on later. In 1987, shortly after coming out of the Yukon, I helped Dad build the carport. Our family lived in the upstairs for about two months at that time. The car is the 1990 Tempo which Dad and Mom bought new and which we are now driving. My brother Bill's son Quinten and his family now live in the house. They would like to build their own house elsewhere on the farm.

The dairy barns. The barn on the left was built when I was six. Ted and I scrambled all over the roof and help lay the cedar shingles when it was under construction. The barn on the right was build some ten years later and served as milking parlor and milk house. 

Sunset on the farm. The picture was taken by Colleen (of course). I helped build these cowboy gates when I was a teen-ager.

My brother Bill and his wife Lynda now live on the home farm. They have a different house than the one pictured above. Bill raises cattle when he's not playin' the fiddle in his band or competing in cattle penning events. Lynda drives a school bus. 

This sign was on the winter road across Lake Athabasca ("The Big Lake" ) It connected Uranium City to the rest of the world for about six weeks in Feb-Mar.each year. During that time the town would be full of trucks bringing in freight, beer, fuel, etc. The sign? 27 inches was enough ice to hold a loaded semi-trailer but they would have to stay under 40 mph and half a mile apart. I hitch-hiked out with a trucker once. It was the only time I ever slept in the sleeper of a truck. The trip took about 30 hours to get to Medow Lake and "civilization."

The truck is crossing an ice bridge on the lake. The ice would move and buckle as it formed over the winter months, so the workers would have to build a bridge across the cracked ice. The winter road went for about 40 miles across the lake and then about three times further through sand dunes and scrubby jack-pine before connecting with permanent northern roads.

Colleen and I enjoyed the 1977 Ford Supercab for two winters and one summer in uranium City. I shipped it from Fort McMurray to Uranium City on the barge. (in the summer of course.) One tug boat could pull five barges at once and bring in as much fuel and freight as 20 semi-trailers.

Our kids enjoyed riding in our Supercap, even on the ice. They were quite upset with me when I sold it to make the down payment on our trailer at Winnipeg Theological Seminary.

A few monts after we left Uranium City for Seminary, the mine announced that it would be shutting down. That winter many people moved out over the winter road. Some good friends of ours sent us this picture. Someone had put up this sign where you entered the ice road across Lake Athabasca.

Although Uranium City still exists as a small northern village (more like a goast town), the era of being a bustling mining town had ended. The town had survived for some thirty years, seeing several cycles of boom and bust.

Some of our best friends to this day are folk from our church in Uranium City. At least four couples presently live in the Edmonton area and we are able to reconnect with them now and then. Those are always precious times of fellowship.

Sleep with one of the children. Can you guess which one?
"It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep."
Psalm 127:2

Sleep with our cat "Warrior" in Thorhild. I've been doing a lot of this lately because I have a bad cold. I need to get better soon.

My Mom and Dad at their 50th Annaversary celebration(1988). All of us children, our spouces, and all but one grand child were there as well as several brothers and sisters of Dad and Mom and many local friends. Ted (being the youngest) was M.C. and I (being the Pastor) was the one designated to say grace.

The Annaversary Cake 

My Mom a few years later. She is now 86 (a week older than Billy Graham) and doing well in a Condo in Ponoka. Dad went to be with the Lord in 1993. He died peacefully at age 82. Hours before his passing he had said: "I've lived a good life. I know the Lord. I'm ready to die." Mom and Dad had 55 years together. All but the first year was spent on the home farm in the Ponoka area.

Lighting the candles. Left to right: Lynda, my brother Bill's wife (They have the old home farm), Quinten, their son, Colleen, My Mom (at age 82), and the two guys with 100 years of life experience.

Double Blessing!