Mail Order Bride - Come To My Side

I married Edith Wishart in Dauphin, Manitoba July 18, 1933 in the midst of the great depression. We farmed at Makinak, Manitoba. We had a happy marriage, and raised one son and two daughters. Just when our family was all married, my wife took sick and died in June 1971. I was left alone on the farm; I was 64 and alone so I had to make a new start. No one could help me, I had to help myself. I felt there was another good woman out there somewhere, who would like a good husband. It was up to me to find her! We had taken the Western Producer for many years so I put and advertisement in the personal column and soon had twenty single women corresponding with me from the four western provinces and Ontario. Some sent pictures of themselves. I sent each one a picture of myself and corresponded with every one for a few months until some quit and some wanted to marry me right away.

Sweat Rejoicing And Tears

My Wife's father, Gus Westergreen, immigrated to Canada from Sweden in the early 1880's when he secured employment at one dollar a day with William Van Horn's crew, who were in the process of constructing the Canadian Pacific Railway across Western Canada. It was a laborious, man-killing job as they laid the rails across the prairie of the Northwest Territories at a fast pace until they met up with a Chinese crew from the west coast, who had blasted a path for the railway through the Rockies over the Roger's Pass to Craiggallechie, British Columbia.

Gus stuck with the job until the last spike was driven by Donald Smith at Craiggallechie on November 7, 1885 completing the railway that linked the east with the west, and thereby fulfilling Prime Minister John A. MacDonald's national dream; a railway from coast to coast! Donald Smith was better known later as Lord Strathcona, Federal Member of Parliament for Selkirk, Manitoba. Then, Gus Westergreen was appointed section foreman on a branch line at Whitewater, Manitoba where he lived in a converted box car that also served as the first railway station at Whitewater.

Time Capsule From My Grandma

WOW! 25 years ago my grandma put a time capsule down for me, and I finally received it.  She didn't do this for the other grandkids, just me! As think about it, so many emotions and memory come rushing back again.  I so miss my grandma (sniffle... sniffle).  It's only been a year since her passing...

The time capsule consisted of a number of photos, some poems by my step-grandpa, a few word history, and some Canadian Centennial currency (the year of my birth).  Unfortunately, the time capsule got wet, the paper damaged, the coins corroded... but it was the thought, and she thought of me.

What is funny, is that my current girlfriend has a few of her mannerisms, and that helps bring random smiles to my face.  My girl friend will be perplexed with me, as I will randomly start laughing, and I can't help it, as I see a little of my grandparents in what ever just happened.

I'm gonna transcribe my step-grandpa's poems and stories into my blog so that they may bring some joy to others.  They were deemed important enough for my grandma to pass them on, so I will deem them important enough to share to everyone else....

Thank you grandma for being you and loving me.....



More Later....
G.

Blog Migration Completed

It's done!! I've managed to migrate everything that I intended to bring over. Only a dozen or so posts related to out dated software and sites that no longer exist, weren't migrated.

I have touched up some of the photos from my hosted gallery site, and they are hosted within blogger.com itself. The rest of my images were linked to my flickr pages.  I didn't spend a lot of time re-formatting posts.  In a few I fixed some grammar and spelling stuff, but for the most part things were left as is.

I was also fun revisiting my trips to Ecuador and México; getting frustrated by some of my older rants; and composing some new ones.

Over the coming weeks, I will try to make my topics a little more focused or possibly a little more scheduled,  making you trips to my Hidey Hole worth while.

More Later....
G

Blog Migration Update.

Well good readers, I have about 30 posts left to go, I've dropped any post dealing with the technology changes of my self-hosted services. Man it was a lot of work to get to where I am, but I have a couple of small things left to go.  Biggest issue, is doing a lightbox in my blogger blog, for my serendipity it was a simple plug-in.  Under blogger they don't have that specific one.  I can add the javascript and CSS, but it is a matter of time.

I will be posting about that as well, so I don't have to remember how to do it in the future.

More Later....
G

Road Trip -- YEG->YYC -- And Back Again

I gave myself an down day just incase there were travel problems. Since I had the time I volunteered to pick my friends up in Calgary. For me the difference in cost between YEG and YYC wasn't worth it, but for them definitely.

I drove to there house, swapped my car for theirs, and made my way to YYC. I grabbed a double-double and a honey crueller at the Tim Hortons in Red Deer, and continued to YYC. I forgot how much construction there can be on the highways so I arrived about 30 minutes later than expected.

We get the two little ones snuggled into their car seats, the bags and cargo stashed in the boot and make our way to YEG.

We decide to grab some timbits and a coffee we pull into joffre. With our sugar and caffeine cravings fixed we are back on the road. In no time we are back in YEG.

It was a surprisingly uneventful car trip have two kids under three in the car. In YEG I help get everyone fed and settled in.  Overall an excellent day...


More Later....
G.

MTY -> YEG

Well it's my final day in this lovely country called Mexico. With heavy heart, I have breakfast complimentary breakfast buffet, do my final inspection of my hotel room, finally checkout. I got a lift to the hotel with Luis, and we decided to take the toll road as it was the most expeditious route.

Check in, and they weighed my bag. DOH!! 76 pounds!! They need me to remove 3 pounds from my bag. After a bit of messing around and adjusting my carry-ons (thank god we are back to two) I got my checked bag under 73 lbs. Off to the lounge, I was so excited I was going to be in Mexico for a football match, Mexico vs England @ Wembley Stadium, but, unfortunately I was flying back home. Ordered a Bohemia Clasico, and settled down, and waited for kickoff. The lounge started to fill up, so I invited a couple others to take a seat with at my table. I was able to converse about football with them, such a change over last years trip to San Luis Potosi.

MTY - Day 7 - Clean up

Wooo! I had a decent nights sleep. Off to Starbucks for my morning Americano, then back to the hotel to organize my bags. Tweaked a couple more photos from the baptism, and headed over to my friend's place. There most everyone else was packing at getting ready to return to points abroad.

Adi, Isaac, and myself went to the mall, they were on the hunt for shoes, and after a successful pursuit, we stopped into Chili's for a pint and a snack. On route to the Mall, Monterrey tried to show me a thunderstorm, but it was more a little temper tantrum. We cabbed it back to here mom's and vegged a little longer.

For supper I had a very interesting shrimp burger, and finally said my farewells, and time to make my way back to the Hotel. As I was walking towards a more major thoroughfare , I saw my first wild millipede. I'm not sure of what variety it was, but it was ~10cm in length. For curiosity I gave it a light tap with the side of my shoe and it curled itself into a little roll. I left it alone and proceeded on my way.

My cab ride was a little of an adventure, we were "fly" down the freeway at over 140k!! Secondly he had a hard time with recalling where my hotel was, but I got there.

A final check of my hotel room, and time to call it a night. 

More Later....

G

MTY - Day 6 - Time to wind down

Didn't sleep worth a damn, go figure, new bed etc. my usual travel problem, long previous day, sigh. Off to a different Sierra Madre Brewing Company location for lunch with Adi's family and friends. Some of the people I hadn't really had a chance to talk for a couple of years, basically last time I was in Mexico.

Caught a ride with Adi and Isaac back to her mom's place and hung out quietly. The some of the Trenti clan popped in and we chatted for a while. Andretti and Nelvin decided to head to a club, and this evening, my spirit was willing, but I'm so tired. I woke up at 05:30 yesterday and pretty much haven't slept since, so I had to wuss out. Had a feed of assorted tacos and quesadillas and caught a lift back to my hotel. 

This old man is feelin' his age and is dog tired.

More Later....
G.

MTY - Day 5 - Boda de Isaac y Adi

Nelvin had to get up at 5:30 in the Oh-my-god-it's-early-O'Clock, so between the wake up call and various alarms, I'm awake. After he heads off to class, I toss-n-turn for another hour or so and decide since I'm not gonna sleep, time to get my ass in gear. Get myself organized because I'm moving hotels.

Off to Starbucks, get my Espresso Americano sin leché, a tarta de mora, and head back to the hotel.

Turns out I need to do some printing so I head down to the office center of the Four Points and print away. My friends pick me up and I change to InterContinental  Hotel Presidente. Get checked in, and now time to go to work.

Start takin' pics of the señoritas getting their hair and make up done. Get what I have time for, and run up to my room, get changed into my monkey suit. I go to get pics of the bride getting dressed, but she hasn't gotten to her room from hair and makeup. So I go to the grooms room, DOH, we have had a miscommunication (go figure ... Lol), he is 90% dressed already. So I get a couple photos of the final stages of his ordeal, and off to the brides room. After the helpers get her into a very lovely dress, she is back down to hair and makeup for the final touches.

MTY - Day 4 - Meet the Spanish

Got my coffee fix, and started review the tour photos and the Bautizo photos, I'm a little tired but things are good. Don't recall what the hell I ate for lunch, supper was the bigger deal. Adi and Isaac had a meet the family dinner party, where the Spaniards got to meet the Mexicans.

Had a nice brocheta with rice, some chorizo, and beverages of choice for dinner. People sat, chatted and generally havin' a good ol' time. Cristina had made a video of the bride and groom, and boy did we have an adventure getting it to play on her mom's big screen. Normally I carry every adapter know to mankind for my laptop in order to hook up to every other kind of display. But this year, I decided to save on weight, I didn't carry my all stuff. They went to an electronics store for a vga-dvi adapter but nope way too much for a one off. We manage because I could do S-Video, but didn't get a sound connection because it was only a video and there were no amplified speakers for my laptop, and I didn't have the S-Video+Audio splitter.... DOH!!!

MTY - Day 3 - Bautizo de Carlo y Despedida de Soltero de Isaac

Woke up in time to join my friends for some El Pollo Loco, yummy bbq'ed chicken with corn tortillas and salsas. Ran a few errands and it was time for the Bautizo at San Juan Bautista de Lasalle . Did the photos and it was off to the Stag Party for Isaac.

Diner was at El Viñador Bar and Grill. We started off with a little bowl of noodle soup, and then on to a good feed of carne asada tacos, with guacamole, red and green salsa, and as a nice added bonus a yummy serrano chili salsa.

MTY - DAY - 2

Today I went on a tour around Monterrey with Diana and Raul (the people I hung out with the previous night.) After a little bit of confusion what I thought was a full day tour of a number of sites that would be visited (and the Spaniard's confusion as well) was an all day excursion to one of the listed trips via Tours In Monterrey. Each tour was more or less in a different direction and with traffic not humanly possible to hit all the points of interest.

So with the recommendation of the guide we picked an all day excursion to Grutas de Garcia AKA Garcia's Caves, which included stops to

• Parque Grutas de García
• Casa de Rosa Museo de Arte Popular
• Lunch -- Restaurante Icamole
  
• Museo el Ojo
  
• Panadería

MTY - DAY - 1

I woke up early today, but between yesterdays lack of sleep and lack of coffee, I felt horrible.  Took a couple of advil and crawled back into bed.   I woke up the second time ~noonish local time, got cleaned up and headed to the mall.  Found a Starbucks, so got myself a Venti Americano (Espresso Americano, in local speak). and a tarta de mora (a custard cream tart with blackberries).  Strolled around the mall a little more while I decided what's for lunch.

They must have been saying Bienvenidas á México to the Canadian, because, I walked into a toy store, Nickleback was playing…a music store,Celine Dion…and a clothing store was Brian Adams.  Picked up an order of Tacos Norteños at the Arrachera House, now that I'm feed I'm good to go.  I received an SMS, and was asked if I wanted to hook up with a group that is here, in Monterrey, from Spain for the wedding.  I had already eaten, but I'll join them anyway.  Time to put my spanish to the test.

YEG -> MTY

This year I'm heading to Monterrey Mexico, for a number of functions, a baptism, and a wedding!! Here is a running commentary on this years migration south.

My flight is at 06:45 in the O'my-gawd-it's-early-clock, I sometimes forget that the day has two six o'clocks!! Set my alarm for 04:00, and the backup for 04:30, but I woke up each hour, and then at 4:00 fell asleep!! Good thing for the backup alarm, but now there is no time for a coffee, or a shower.  Catch a cab to YEG and get there with "plenty" of time.

A Quiet Day

I spend the day decompressing, I miss Kjell, he is still at the kenel until the 29^th. I get some coffee and some za and watch football, just not the same as watching futbol in mexico.  I caught a couple of the premiership matches while I was in mexico,  what a difference in the commentators.

I catch up on my email and call it a night.

More Later .....
G.

Day 10 -- México 2008 -- SLP -> YEG

I was expecting everyone around 9h30, but surprise the plans were changed.  I hear a knock on the door just as I'm getting out of the shower.  Everyone is downstairs.... EARLY!!! It turns out that Nevlin Grande is giving me the ride to the airport, instead of mama and Cristina.  I hurriedly dress myself and pop downstairs and say my fairwells to Mama, Estef, Cristina and Nelvin.  I settle up my hotel tab (~1500 pesos), load my stuff in Nelvin Grande's truck and airport bound I go.


SLP->IAH


I arrive at the airport ~10h00 and no one is at the Continental Gate.  I press the button, nope.  I'm finally told they are just finishing their morning coffee and will be out in a couple moments.  10h15 there was a swarm of activity and they setup inspection tables etc.  They inspect my checked bag that I had so carefully packed and in the process of helping the girl close my bag I caught my finger nail on the zipper and torn part of it off .... OWWWWWW!!!!.... I get a concha (a yummy sweet bun) and a double espresso, and go into the secured area.

They inspect all my carryons and confiscate 4 AA batteries that I had in my fanny pack...WTF, the fanny pack cleared Canadian and American Customs as is .... ahh well.  I grab a can of mineral water while I'm waiting in the gate area.  Finally the Imigration booth opens and I get cleared and now just have to wait for my boarding call. I notice in one of the papers they were questioning the cost of the festival of lights (~20million pesos) compared to the benifits of tourism.  I didn't read the article since I'm just not that useful in spanish.  There are a whack of kids under 10 running around screaming at the top of their lungs, please god don't let them be on my flight.

Boarding time and they re-open all my carry ons?! WTF!! I get boarded, DAMN, the kids are on the plane, this is gonna be a long loud flight I can feel it.  The plane is an Embraer 145, same as plane comming down, and it's full but atleast I'm in the row of singles.  There was the cutie on the plan be she was a couple rows ahead of me and engrossed in her magazines.  About an hour into the flight this 5 or 6 year old starts screaming at the top of her lungs trying to get her dads attention, and it continues until we land an IAH, wheres my dramamine.  I thought the babies were going to be the issue nope, was the yard apes.

Day 9 -- México 2008 -- Tripitas

Today is Marcela and Issac's last day with us, so I get to the house early and say my farewells. I do a first photo pass of the house, but the results are vetoed. Estef and Cristina have a siesta, so mama, Nelvin and I head to a major park for a bit of sight seeing.

On route to the park I see a mamey vendor, I shout mamey, take note of the location but we didn't stop, D'OH!!! We make our way to Tangamanga Park.

Tangamanga Park, is San Luis' equivalent of Central Park, or Stanley Park etc. People running, an RC Plane/Car area, BMX Track, tennis courts etc. It's mostly irrigated so it's an nice green oasis in the middle of the mexican desert. They also have a botanical garden of the native flora of the state. We stroll around the garden, and then head out, we get a couple of frozen fruit bars (I forget which type, something we normally don't see here ... sniff.) Now to find that mamey cart. Nope, gone, no sign of him, I'm left wanting. I'm still kicking myself, I should have bought more mamey that first time.

We get back to the house enjoy our fruit bar and then clean the house. Out we go, for lunch, mariscos y tostadas. Yummy, A large seafood cocktail with a splash of salsa and advocado. Sooo goood. Why can't we get food like this backhome. MickeyDees or BurgerKing is just not the same. Fastfood that is fast and flavourful and nutritious.

A little more cleaning, now as each room meets mama's approval I snap off the photos.Unfortunately we never got mama's room upto scratch... ahhh welll. Supper time and the quest for Tripitas, tripe tacos. We find the place, yeaaaaahhhh!! So Good, Nelvin and I need seconds. I've noticed the sodas I've been drinking here in Mexico are much less sweet than stuff in Canada and the US. Come to think of it the cereal I ate as well. Stupid yanks and the high fructose corn syrup ( watch King Corn.)

Day 8 -- México 2008 -- Navidad

Feliz Navidad!! Feliz Navidad!! You know the song.  I made my way back to Cristina's__ Hey! I'm getting the hang of this cab thing, I'm actually getting to the door without pulling my hair out.  We eat left overs, the bacalao like any sauce is better the next day; I conviced people to eat the bacalao as a sauce for the pasta yummy. 

I do photos of Marcela, Nevlin, and Cristina as well as Estefania in the park across the street.  It's great to see Cristina with her family.

Back to the kitchen I prepare potato pancakes with capers, smoked salmon, sour cream, minced onion and parsley.  Mama had sent her skillet back to Monterrey, D'OH!!  We find a smaller skillet in the house, and manage to make do, it just takes longer to cook all of the pancakes. Everyone loved them so it was worth the work. 

Most of the group heads to the festival of lights, while I baby sit Estef. 

Another great day, too bad my time is comming to an end.

Day 7 -- México 2008 -- Comidas

I get to Cristina's early, and decide I will make french toast for breakfast.  Mama gives me a lift back to Sorianas, and we get what I need.  French toast lightly buttered and dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon, with stewed fruit topping.  Other than the stove is very slow, I was happy with the results.

We clean up from breakfast and it's time to make the bacalao.  I get the basic tomato sauce going and then enlist the help of Isaac to be my sous-chef.  Shredding the salt cod takes a long time, but we do it. It simmers for a while, then we shut off the heat.  I head back to the hotel to get cleaned up for the evening. 

When I return, the pork is on and the house smells amazing.   While everyone else is doing their thing I head over to another mercado and picked up a pointsettia.    Luis arrives with his family, and now we get supper on the fire.  I takes forever to get the water boiling to make the spaghetti, but we get it.  Mama makes, this amazing punch with poached fruit.  Supper was spaghetti with garlic butter, Apple salad, bacalao, bollitos, and slow roasted pork with a parsley. 

After supper, we did a gift exchange.  They got me a cookbook of typical mexican cuisine (in spanish) it will take me a while to make my way through it.  It's a cool book, and has some history of food in mexico as well. 

Overall another amazing day....