Regina, Saskatchewan. 18 April, 1996
Thursday morning, it is 0700 hrs, I wake up to a major thunder and lightning storm that was brewing to the far south the night before. I get Roxy and Barney bundled into the flea, and stop at the restaurant for a coffee. We then get westbound and are driving through heavy rain and wind. I am listening to a radio station in Saskatoon. Why it isn’t Regina I don’t know but the weather forecast for Saskatoon is snow falling and Regina is forecast to get snow. What am I in for? I wonder if it is going to be one of these Prairie blizzards I heard about. By Moose Jaw the rain is down to a drizzle and the wind is over. By Swift Current I gas up again and the sun is out. Somewhere we lose the twinned highway but twins again just before Alberta
Saskatchewan – Alberta Border. 18 April, 1996
In no time we have crossed into Alberta. The sign besides being welcomed into Alberta is the sign that say trees from out of province are not allowed as they may contain disease. Another three hrs I will be in Calgary. At Medicine Hat I gas up for the last time. Next Scheduled stop is Calgary. They say the best roads are in Alberta and I must agree with the saying. Parts of the highway in every province were good. About the only other highway that stands out is # 20 in Quebec.
I quit listening to my tapes and turn the radio back on. I get listening to CBC in Calgary and the afternoon show out of Calgary is on. One caller calls in and gets talking about Colleen Jones in Halifax and how she keeps forecasting the weather wrong for the west. The host on the radio gives Colleen the benefit of the doubt and sticks up for her.
At Strathmore the Rocky Mountains begin to show on the horizon and a half an hour before getting to Calgary the downtown looms ahead and the Calgary Tower is very present. Soon I am into the city limits. Welcome to Calgary. I have to watch for the ramp to the southbound lanes of Deerfoot Trail. I find the ramp and soon will be at Edie’s. It is here I realize the drivers on the Deerfoot are crazier than the drivers in Montreal. Roxy and Barney slept for most of the trip. They slept across every border crossing into the next province. But while we are traveling down the Deerfoot, both are wide awake and wondering where they are headed.
Anyhow this is the adventure Roxy, Barney and I had driving across Canada. I hope you had a good read. When I re-read the story after putting it down almost 10 yrs ago, it was nice to read it again. I have edited the original story a bit and fine-tuned it with updated information I remember from the trip. The majority of the story has stayed as is.
I gassed up 19 times. Once in Nova Scotia, twice in New Brunswick, twice in Quebec, nine times in Ontario, twice in Manitoba, twice in Saskatchewan, and once in Alberta. I only spent $300.00 something in gas and this is hauling 200 something lbs on the back of the flea and with a heavy foot in some places.
Roxy and Barney have survived the trip and Barney got used to the truck. It was about Thunder Bay he finally realized he wasn’t on the way to see his vet. They have made themselves home here in Calgary and soon they will have their own place to rattle around in.
Postscript
Calgary, Alberta. 11 January, 2006
Many things have changed since I composed this story. Not too long after getting here to Calgary, Roxy, Barney and I moved into our apartment where Roxy, Haimish and I are still living. I got working in the Theatres around Calgary almost right away. My first Theatre was Market Mall and then got more work at Eau Claire Cinemas and did spare work at The Corral 4 Drive in. In July I went to the Westhills to open the Cinema. I was put on helping with the Installation and fine tuning of the the booths. In August I got Second Bid on the cinemas and it turned out I was the last Projectionist to work at the Cinemas until the Popcorn Kids took over running the show. I also worked at the Coliseum and the Crowfoot as well as the Silver City, Chinook, and Canyon Meadows Cinemas.
July 1997, Edie, Mike, Mark and Courtney moved to Ontario, but I decided to stay in Calgary. My new friends were out here, and I really didn’t want to make another move so soon. I also had the second bid on the Westhills, and didn’t want to give that up. All was going well and then while I was visiting Edie, Mike, and Mark & Courtney, in 2000 Barney took sick and lasted long enough to for me to get home. He lasted the weekend but I had to put him to sleep as he was sick. Haimish came to stay about a week later and still is here with Roxy and myself. You can read all about Roxy, Barney and Haimish on their own pages on my webpage.
In 2003 I know I was looking at the end of the line in the booth in 2005. I elected to take the buyout early, and get away from Famous Players and an international union who didn’t care for the Projectionists and gave our jobs away. (IATSE you know who you are) and went back to college. I enrolled into Bow Valley College’s “Computer Technician Program” and in 2004 became a Certified Computer Technician. Before this I got a job at the Westhills Petro Canada and became a GSA, Guest Service Attendant. I had this job from April 2003 until I got my job at Shaw Communication in March 2005. For awhile, I had two jobs at the same time. For a bit, I work at a sign shop, but when I got my job at Shaw as a Technical Support Representative, I quickly gave up the sign shop job. I lasted a couple of weeks more at the Petro Canada.
Also in 2003 I found out age had caught up on me, and I now have to wear glasses. They need to be changed and I got to make an appointment soon to have the eyes checked again, I think it is time for Bi-focals. In August I got taking funny spells with the health and got some blood work done. I found out my cholesterol is through the roof. I tried to control it without taking any tablets, but 3 months later found out it was higher than it was in August. So now I am taking Lipitor. I have to take one a day at suppertime. I got back in February to see if the tablets and the dieting are still working.
Beside Barney passing away in 2000, I had some dear friends pass away. My first friend was Donald back in Nova Scotia. He died in 1999. My friend Jennifer who I met while working at the Crowfoot Cinemas died in 2003. Then last January my buddy Charlie died while having surgery in Saskatoon. It will be a year 28 January. One good thing that turned out, is I have learned to enjoy my friends I have, and have come to cherish the friendships I have made.
One nice thing is a year ago I have actively got back into going to church. Through my friends Don and Maureen, I have found a nice little Church I enjoy attending. I don’t get to Church as often as I would like, but I do go when I can if I am able to.
It has been an interesting last 10 years. I have made a few trips to visit Edie, Mike, and Mark & Courtney in Ontario. I have made one trip to Nova Scotia back in 2001. It was nice to get back, but Calgary is home. I will be here until the Good Lord calls me home. I have decided Calgary is where I want to be.
