Like so many of you fine folks last week we went out and walked early in the morning and then escaped the heat by spending much of the afternoon relaxing in the cool A/C, ate and dressed light, and made sure to drink lots (of water), while watching all sorts of sports and a few old movies in the comfort of our living room with the blinds drawn. I really got involved with all the action of the Calgary Stampede, cheering for all of our great Canadian rodeo stars and Chuckwagon rigs, as well as for all the rest of the gritty and skilled athletes competing in those thrilling rough and tumble split second efforts out there in the mud and the dust and the cheers.
A helping hand for the B.C. fire victims
Of course we were also very concerned and horrified as fire ravaged through thousands of acres of B.C. forests and communities near Williams Lake, B.C. But as always, which none of us will ever doubt or fail to respond to, there have been so much instant and amazing support from throughout Alberta, Canada, and beyond of equipment, emergency personnel, and kindly donations of funds and vital supplies to assist those who have been evacuated from their homes and are suffering huge losses and devastation. Just like the absolutely overwhelming response to the Fort McMurray ‘fire storm’ just last summer as well as to countless other sudden disasters and vital causes, collection boxes and other efforts have already been organized in many communities to accept the tons of much needed supplies for the B.C. forest fire victims. Those wishing to make cash donations to the cause can go on-line to redcross.ca, Phone: 1-800-418-1111, or text ‘FIRES’ to 45678, with sincere thanks and appreciation extended to everyone for your ongoing and wonderful efforts of support and care, as always, right from the heart for those who are in need.
Habitat for Humanity a supreme effort in Canada
So many of us were very impressed last week as we followed the amazing efforts of the many thousands of volunteer hours being worked by men and women of various trades in our Province and across the nation to construct and complete countless safe, affordable, and comfortable homes for the longstanding and extremely successful Habitat for Humanity program. How neat it was to see 32 year Habitat members former United States President Jimmy Carter and his wife Roslyn (both 90 plus) as well as other celebrities taking hammers in hand and joining the busy building crews for their projects in Edmonton and Winnipeg.
The vital Habitat housing support program, which first began in the United States in 1976 and in Canada in 1985 has helped families to avoid making those impossible choices between rent and other basic necessities by providing them with a new home and a mortgage that they can afford. These funds are then reinvested back into the community when they are used to build many more homes for low income families in need. Over the years the now International Habitat for Humanity organization has built or restored over 600,000 affordable homes to accommodate 6.8 million people, with big plans for many more in the future. The Canadian Habitat group now has 56 affiliates in 10 Provinces and three territories to serve our vital affordable housing needs, and those wishing to get more information on the program in the Central Alberta area are welcome to get in touch with the Red Deer office at 4732-78A Street Close, Phone 403-309-0998 or website www.habitatreddeer.ca.
How about a few laughs?
• Don’t get all weird about getting older. Our age is merely the number of years that the world has been enjoying us.
• Done for dinner. He was sitting on the sofa watching television when he heard his wife’s sweet voice from the kitchen asking, “What would you like for dinner my love-chicken, beef, or lamb?” Feeling really pampered, he politely replied, “Oh thank you you dear, I think I’ll try the chicken tonight.” After a brief silence she quietly replied, “You’re having soup George, I was talking to the cat.”
• Have you ever noticed that the older we get the more we are getting just like our age-old computers? First we started out with lots of memory and drive, then we became outdated and faded, and eventually we may have to get some of our parts replaced.
What the heck, if it gets to hot or stormy we can always head downstairs and have a ‘basement day,’ so for the rest of the summer please make sure that the old fridge is stocked and there are lots of snacks and a few candles and family games in the cupboard. In the meantime, go ahead and work on your great tan, and have a great week, all of you.