I have been keeping track of my flights in 2014 using an on-line site called flightdiary.net. I can track flights, airports, time in the air, aircraft and seats. Click on the map to see where I have flown this year.
Labrador
I spent a few days in Happy Valley-Goose Bay this week. I was out there to do some refresher training at our site that had been shut down for 6 months due to some asbestos discovered during a renovation and the subsequent asbestos abatement. It is always a challenge to get to Goose Bay, it was only one connection through Halifax on the way there, but two connections through Halifax and Ottawa on the way back due to the cost. It was pouring rain when I landed and I got a soaker as I crossed the tarmac to get inside the building. Before I could get through the front door on the other side, the rain stopped and the sun came out to produce this rainbow.
Claudia’s Soccer Game
Wednesday nights are Claudia’s soccer games. With all my travel this spring/summer I haven’t been able to catch to many of her games. The last game I took her to only Claudia and one of the coach’s daughters showed up. It was a rainy night, there were exams and grade eight graduations going on.
Claudia played forward and mid field.
Here she is trying to clear the ball from the front of her goal.
Her team took the early lead 1-0, but the yellow team tied it up on a sloppy play in front of their own goal.
Angela’s Clean Sheet
Angela played keeper tonight at her soccer game and had a clean sheet. Here she is making an early save in the first half.
Angela has a good drop kick from the edge of the 18 yard box.
Angela’s team was up 2-0 at the half.
I took Chloe for a walk around the field and stopped to take a photo from behind the net.
Angela swatting at the flies.
The ball had just rung off the crossbar after a corner kick for the red team.
Angela’s team only had 9 players, the red team had 17 players, by the end of the second half they were getting tired. This action was from another red corner kick, Angela bobbled the initial play.
She recovered to grab the ball but in the process took a knee to her shoulder. It was a great game for Angela and they won 2-0.
Quick Saskatchewan Visit
After Claudia’s graduation I was out to Saskatoon and a couple of points north, namely Flat Valley, Meadow Lake and Pinehouse before heading back early Friday morning. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned which means a return trip next month.
Claudia’s Grad Luncheon & Dance
Today was Claudia’s graduation luncheon and dance. Due to the small class size (33 students) they now have it at the school. Gillian took some great photos of Claudia and then drove her to school.
Claudia and her friend Desiree.
Claudia’s Graduation
We had our final Grade 8 graduation at St. Richard School. After 15 years at the school, Claudia has completed grade 8, it started with Gillian entering junior kindergarten back in 1999. Here are the girls outside of the church. I think my lens had some condensation on it because it was so hot out.
Claudia has grown considerably more than either Gillian or Angela. See our photo from Angela’s graduation.
The altar before the mass and award ceremony.
The school trustee, Esther O’Toole, gave a nice speech to the graduates before the mass. She was trying to attend four graduations in one night.
Claudia after the mass and before the awards.
Here is Claudia going up for her diploma. Claudia was receiving her Honours Award for achieving honours both terms. Well done Claudia!
Claudia receiving a handshake from the principal, Mr Araman.
After they handed out the 33 diplomas, they handed out the awards. To our surprise, Claudia was awarded the Catholic Leadership Award. Here she is receiving her loot, in addition to her plaque, she also received a framed certificate and a bible.
The Catholic Leadership Award is given to one student who best exemplifies the values of Christian relationship and attitude toward the Church, school and community. This student lives his/her daily life guided by these finest qualities of Catholicity. Here is Claudia with the School Council Chair, Mrs Jordan and Mr Wu.
We are very proud of Claudia’s accomplishments this year.
Here is Claudia’s artwork that all the graduates did.
A close-up of the text.
Claudia with Mrs Falotico, the school secretary. Claudia was an office helper this year and for years was the carrier pigeon between Mrs Falotico and I for School Council paperwork.
The girls with Mrs Kelly, all the girls had Mrs Kelly for Grade 2. She has since retired and still volunteers at the school to play the piano for the choir.
Claudia and Mrs Jordan, her teacher this year for Grade 8. She also taught Angela and Gillian in grade 8.
Mr Wu and Claudia. Mr Wu taught Claudia science this year and she had him for grade 4 for half the year.
Claudia and Mrs Foster, Claudia had Mrs Foster for grade 6, she is another teacher who taught all three girls, the first was Gillian in grade 1.
A job well done Claudia! Mom and Dad are very proud of the fine young lady you have become.
Down East
I was out to Kejimkujik for a couple of days after returning from Wood Buffalo. Flew out Monday morning , headed down to the site and then back to Bridgewater for the night.
Went down to Lunenburg for lobster dinner at The Dockside Inn & Restaurant.
World Cup
We have been following the World Cup group stage games and the girls have been watching whenever they can. We watched the Japan vs Ivory Coast game outside in the backyard along with a fire.
It was pretty good, except for the final score. Ivory Coast beat Japan 2-1.
Northwest Territories
I was back up to Wood Buffalo National Park for a week to continue work on one of our new sites. The first day out to the site we saw the first of many Bison.
Fort Smith is the closest town, it sits on the Slave River.
Pelican Rapids, the white dots are American Pelicans that spend the summers in the area.
A beaver that came swimming by the shore.
Along with the Bison, we also saw a lot of black bears along the highway.
The Salt Plains.
Walked out onto the Salt Plains, the last time I came, it was too muddy and didn’t get very far. Some bison tracks on the Salt Plains.
Some bison droppings, it’s like a cloud in the sky, what does the dropping look like?
The salt plains are formed from salt that was left behind about 390 million years ago, when a prehistoric saltwater sea evaporated. Today, underground water dissolves the salt. The water is forced to the surface and evaporates and the salt is left behind.
The mosquitos were plentiful out on the Salt Plains.
These are the only salt plains in Canada and part of the reason Wood Buffalo National Park is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
This bear ambled across the highway and then headed for the power pole on the left. He stood on his hind legs and started rubbing his back against the pole.
The last day at the site, this bull was in the clearing, before heading down the power corridor.
These photos were taken from the back of a pickup truck.
By the end of the day he made it down to the far end of the power corridor by the highway and was soaking up the sun. These things are enormous.
We stopped at the Little Buffalo River Waterfalls.
One of the guys had his fly rod and was trying to catch some pike.
The plane we were going out on. Only Northwestern Air services Fort Smith. We had a friday morning flight back to Edmonton. I’ll be back a couple of more times this fall to complete the installation and probably for the opening of the site. Parks Canada is a partner and they are looking to make it a big deal for the site opening with first Nation elders and school groups involved.
The white patches are the Salt Plains from the plane.
First time I have seen an ice cream vending machine. Almost as cool as the beer vending machine I saw in Levis, QC. This one was at the Edmonton airport.
