Radiothon

Today Candi and I volunteered at the  Calgary Dream Centre Radiothon 2008.   ENMAX volunteers manned the phones and entered the information into the computers (that's what I did).   I must say that I was very impressed with this place.   Its an old hotel that they converted into a place that assists homeless men who have fallen on hard times.   Their  mission is to help them take that last step from street life to productive living.  Programs offer hope, recovery, and transformation to men who want to reclaim their lives and make real change.  


I must admit that it wasn't anything like I was expecting.  After volunteering many years at feeding the homeless and different places I expected a place like that.   Shabby and with a distinct odor.  But I was pleasantly surprised.  This was like a nice hotel.  You couldn't tell who were the residents and who were the volunteers.   Christ is part of the program and I think that's what makes the difference.   My hat goes off to Jim and the others for their great work.   They are making a difference in the world - 120 men at a time.

What did I see? - Solved - maybe

I think I figured out what I saw (with Jamie's help)

I zoomed on the picture and you really can see a shape.   But it does make me laugh.  Its like the pictures that people post of aliens and ufo's and sasquatches or that you see on the cover of the newpapers in the checkout at the grocery store.  There is something in the picture but it really could be anything.   If I was interviewed on TV I feel like I would have to grow a mullet, stand in front of a mobile home, get some some of those billy bob teeth and talk real slow with a southern accent (no offense to those of you who I just described).  "and then I saw the creature run toward the woodpile behind Aunt Mabel's pickup truck......

If you squint and tilt your head it appears in 3D

To be perfectly honest with you at first I thought it was a rat.   That would be serious business because the province of Alberta has been rat free for over 50 years.   With the exception of the Arctic and the Antarctic, Alberta is the largest rat free zone in the world.   Most people around here have never seen a rat unless they have traveled.   I have seen rats on my mission in Japan - we actually had some in one apartment.   This "creature" was about the size of a rat and it moved like a rat but as I got a bit closer, the tail didn't seem right - it was too fat.   

It was Jamie who figured it out.   I'm pretty sure I saw one of these.

the common muskrat

What do you think?   Notice the fatter tail.  If you look at the reflection in the picture above it looks like my picture - if you squint and turn you head).

Mystery Solved!

What did I see?

On Sunday evening we went Airdrie to celebrate Joel's birthday at the Kay's.    The cake and strawberry pie Sherry made were delicious.

No candles so Joel with 17 made with forks.

When we were getting ready to go I was sitting in the van waiting.   I saw something running down the street.  It was about the size of a squirrel but I've seen enough squirrels to know it wasn't a squirrel.  I went through all the things I thought it might be.   It wasn't a gopher, it wasn't a rabbit, it wasn't a cat, it wasn't a dog, it wasn't a raccoon, and it wasn't a skunk.   It moved like a mouse but it was to big to be a mouse.   It was too short to be a ferret.    I know what it wasn't but I don't know what it was.  I followed it along the road and managed to get this picture before it ran into a yard.

What did I see?  You be the judge

I'm glad I had a camera because at least there is something in the picture.   There are times that my family has a hard time believing me.  I don't know why.  Its like the time I saw the elephant on the bike path by the river as I was riding home from work.  No one believed me that day either.   I might as well had seen a Sasquatch or a UFO.

Was it Christmas or was it a birthday?

When Candi and I arrived home from work there was a stack of boxes that had been delivered.   It was her new MacBook, iPod and printer that she ordered last week.  

It was like Christmas - at least for her.

At work one of the ladies had a baby recently so they had a "shower" for her this afternoon.   There were lots of treats and flowers left over and we were given some to bring home.

It was like someone's birthday.