Merry Christmas

2001

 

 

Ted

Happy New Year !

Laura and Dad

Another busy year! Camrose continues to boom, keeping us busy with development agreements and construction projects. It's hard to believe that we are just about at 2002. 

We were home for New Years (no Y2K bugs or Pump Stations). Brian, Paulette, and family came for a visit to do some skidooing. Not much snow, but we had fun anyway.


I'm finally off the CWWA board. I miss the people but not all the extra work. It's amazing how other things (mostly work) fill the void and take up any extra time that you thought you might have had.

The kids and I in Drumheller - on the way to Brian's

Both our vans died in June/July. I always thought that if you kept pouring money into old vehicles you could keep them going - but not so. In spite of what seemed like (and was) thousands of dollars, both vans ended up in the wreckers with almost no salvage value. Very depressing!  The good part, was that I road my motorbike a lot more this year (because I didn't have anything else to drive.)

We had almost no snow in 2001, but the lake was great for skating and other interesting activities.  I have built a "SnowSurfer" that works like a windsurfer on ice.  Lots of fun if it isn't too cold.

We had a wonderful Family Day again.  Brian and Paulette were sick, but everyone else made it except Darcy and Kit.

Spencer pushing Andreas to get him going on the Snowsurfer!

Laura is continuing with her piano, and really doing well (of course this is a proud father talking).  It is a real pleasure listening to her.  She is also learning the trumpet for the school band.  She has improved immensely, but trumpet practice is still something that has to be done at the end of the hall.

I was able to get windsurfing more this year.  In May Andreas and I went to the Canadian Speed Trials at Keho Lake in Southern Alberta.

Kirt and the rest of the Force 10 Club put on a super event as usual.  They have a much closer group down there than we do, and are always ready for a party.

Andreas won the event with very close to an all-time record for the site.  I was a little over a second slower, which put me in the middle of the pack.  Here are the results.

Family Day - Skating on the Lake

Rear:  Dad, Micky, Mom, Patty, Louise

Front:  Anne, Graham, Ross, Spencer 

This spring, Andreas and I "HAD" to go to Hood River again to check out all the new windsurf gear and meet with our suppliers to fulfill the obligations of our "West Wind Sports" business. We had a great time. Lots of wind, and sailing.  While in the Gorge ran into Adam Finer, who is an Edmonton windsurfer turned kiteboarder, and who was living in the Gorge for the summer trying to make a run at being a professional kiteboarder. Adam is one of those people who would do anything for you. He basically opened up his home to us (a 30' RV trailer - a mansion compared to our pup tents) and we stayed their for most of the trip.  Adams' brother Craig and sister in-law Rose came up from Portland, along with a young friend of theirs Demetri xxxxx who is a young professional Race Car driver (I think he'll be making a name for himself in the near future). We 'hung' with them all week. They really treated us like a part of their family. You won't find nicer people anywhere. 

Adam Finer Kiteboarding in the George

We had a great holiday at Nitinat again this year, although I think Louise is getting tired of not getting any tanning weather during holidays - probably saving her from skin cancer! We went early again so we could be their for their WIRED event.  Andreas and I had to be there to represent our products for West Wind Sports, and compete in the Racing.

The weather for the racing was marginal, which is bad news for a bigger guy like me, (I have a much better advantage in strong winds), but the event was a lot of fun and again great people.

Andreas finished in about 8th spot in the Open division, which isn't bad considering that there were a couple of  Pro's in the race including Sam Ireland, who is currently the top Canadian Sailor on the Pro circuit.

Ted Sailing at Nitinat

Unfortunately our Windsurfing business went down the tubes suddenly just as WIRED was about to start when Seatrend decided that they no longer needed regional reps. They shut down their Hood River operation and cut us loose. Oh Well. I ended up with a lot of great new windsurfing equipment, that Louise let me borrow money to purchase.

On the way home, we stopped for the annual Air Cadet reunion at Liam and Kathy's in Red Deer.  Red Deer hosts an Airshow every other year and this was the year.  Liam, who is on the Airport Commission for Red Deer managed to get VIP passes for everyone.  While everyone else was crowded at the fence, we were at "Show Center" in lawn chairs with lots of room, all the food we could eat, and a beer stand all within a fenced off enclosure.

Kathy, Alana, Ingrid and Louise at the Red Deer Airshow

Showing off their Manicured Painted toenails!

Harvard

Laura and Spencer checking out the F-18 Hornet!

At home we had almost the whole month of August to enjoy the lake before the kids had to go back to school.  We have a raft that I drag out into the lake, so the kids can paddle back and forth. The lake is a lot cleaner in the middle so the raft is a great starting point for swimming or skiing. Spencer and Laura enjoy having school friends out .  We get lots of use out of the boat and jet ski as well.  While we are trying to get the kids water skiing, and there both doing well, tubing behind the boat is what they really enjoy.

Spencer, Laura and Louise paddling out to our raft.

At the end of August our family increased in size as we took in two world youth exchange students. Kate, a 24 year old student from Uxbridge Ontario, and Olena, a 20 year old student from the Ukraine, stayed with us for about three months and really became a part of our family.   The first weekend they were here, we took them to St. Albert for Mom and Dad's 50 wedding anniversary and wedding vow renewal ceremony.  Nothing like meeting all the relatives at once.  (Sorry Dad, I didn't get any photo's of the ceremony).   We had lots of fun with Kate and Olena, including trips to West Edmonton Mall, Drumheller, Banff & Lake Louise.   Spencer, in particular enjoyed teasing and bugging them.  They are wonderful girls, and I am sure they will do very well for themselves.  They left in mid November, and really left us feeling like part of our family was missing.  I hope we stay in touch.

Spencer getting ready for a dive!

There were 16 youth in Camrose as part of the exchange, 8 Canadians and 8 from either Poland or the Ukraine.  During their stay they were doing work experience at various business's in Camrose in the Computer field.  At work I had two other students, Yuri (from the Ukraine, and Hanif (from Toronto).  Yuri and Hanif spent a lot of time creating a history section of our Camrose Home page.  They did a great job, andI think by the end of the three months they knew the History of Camrose better than most of our citizens.

Click here for Kate and Olena's web page.

My Extended Family

Ted, Olena, Kate, Spencer, Laura, Louise

Olena and  Kate

My Really Extended Family

Laura, Hanif, Olena, Spencer, Yuri, Kate, 

and Mrs. Litzenberger, Hanif and Yuri's host Mom.

This fall has been very busy at work, with projects being finished off, and trying to prepare the budget for 2002.  I am playing Volleyball in the EVA (Edmonton Volleyball Association) men's league again this year.  We have had more snow already this year than all of last year, but it is still pretty rough skidooing.  We are hoping for a lot more.  December has been incredibly rushed and I am not sure that I will get this out to everyone in time.  Oh Well, better late than never. 

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and that we see you SOON!.

In front of our house with my neighbours Citaborea.

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