Big change in the weather, cool and wet today, just as well as I have a pretty busy week coming up. Hope the video clip of Caleb works for you. God bless.

After a long dry spell this weekend turned wet. Had a game of golf in Portstewart with Rick and Jackie. Carl and Mavis arrived on Saturday evening and we went to see the Belvoir Players and "Don't Tell the Wife!" a Sam Cree play at Ballearl Theatre.
Here's a recent picture of Stacey and Caleb.

Peru Team coming home tonight, (Friday) so I'm going down to Dublin with Neville and Melvin to pick them up. Thought origionally they were coming in about 11.00pm but we are told now that they might be in about 9.00pm instead so we are leaving at 6.30.
Took yesterday as my day off and went geocaching in Crawfordsburn Country Park. With the very hot weather the park was packed and people on the beach and in the sea.
Found one relatively easily but another one proved too difficult. We'll try it again in the winter when there is less tree cover to upset the GPS.
Afterwards went down to Carl and Mavis' in Donaghadee and as usual had a great evening there. Had a barbeque and a couple of pheasants flew in which Carl has been feeding. Their sons, Tim and Jules both arrived as did Rick and Katie and we played Rumikub! Sometime after midnight Jules and I went down to the beach for a breath of air as it is still very warm. Stayed overnight and came back on Friday morning.

Hi Folks, came back home from Canada, stayed overnight at Winnie's and headed down to the Wicklow Hills where Rick and Katie were on holiday with Katie's mum and dad. They were all staying in this fabulous log cabin looking up the valley towards the Wicklow Gap.
Not only that but the cabin was on a golf course. And not only that but the golf course was completely empty. Rick, Robin and I had it to ourselves.
We all went geocaching in the Wicklow Hills. Robin's unconvinced about geocaching (but he's the one holding the cache in the picture!)
Stayed a couple of days and then came up home to Carrick again and back to work. It was good while it lasted.

Heading off to catch the big iron chicken out of Calgary this morning. The time has gone so quickly it's hard to belive we have been here two weeks. Medicine Hat has so much natural gas that the street lighting in the old town is gaslight. Dave and I played golf last night. Dave parred 4 holes and still lost! I was so hot! We came back home to a superb meal from Stacey.
See you soon.

David was on night Duty and sleeping all day so Lilian and I went off to Elkwater for the day. Beautiful spot.Did a bit of geocaching around Spruce Coulie. Very isolated area and totally unspoilt.Very hot and the air conditioning in the Jeep was up full blast. It felt like walking into an oven every time we stepped outside. Had a meal in the Elkwater Lodge before coming back to Medicine Hat.

Here are some pictures of Caleb. He has two teeth at the moment and more coming.

Happy Canada Day!
Yep! I know it's a few days late, but that's because I'm on holiday! Canada Day is 1st July (beat the Americans again by 3 days!) and it's a big thing here! Big celebrations and lots of Canada Day discounts and special offers in the shops.
Lilian and I went to one of the local parks which was hosting the celebrations with all sorts of activities going on for the kids. (Most of them free!) Representatives of the emergency services were there and we had a chat with one of the fire crews. (In a recent survey the police came out with an approval rating from the public of 89%! Can you imagine that in Northern Ireland)
The following day we met Pamela and her family in a different park and the kids went for a swim in the lake. Lilian and I took a walk around the lake with Caleb.
The next day we met them again at Dave and Stacey's house and we went to a small park just behind where they live, (lots of parks in Medicine Hat).
Kids played on the swings and Troy, (Pamela's husband) and I played with the aerobie, (a high performance frisbee.)

Here are some pictures of David and me geocaching in Saskatchewan. Lots of room to roam in this part of the world.

The prairies are just amazing at this time of year. They have had a lot of rain this Spring which have brought out the flowers in abundance. Lots of wildlife about as well, suirrels, moose and deer. Big skies everywhere you look.
Did a lot of geocaching using the jeep as some of the trails are pretty rough. I have never seen the place look so green. It's like Ireland with good weather! Played croquet on the lawn but these guys keep their grass prreetty long by our standards which made it difficult. Also had a game of golf, although the mosquitoes came out in the evening and ate us alive!
I'll keep in touch. So long for now.

Headed off to Fort Walsh. The North West Mounted Police were formed here, (they became the Royal Canadian Mounted Police) for the purposes of smashing the whisky traders and bringing law and order to this part of Canada. Interestingly, they were based on the Royal Irish Constabulary. Their formation was prompted by the massacre of some local indians by white hunters. Good tour of the fort itself as well as the museum and the surrounding countryside. Spent the day there and then headed back to the park.

Hi folks, back again. Still talking about Cypress Hills where we stayed for four nights. Great appartment overlooking the lake. Did a lot of walking in the forests and out in the prairies and some lying about! Here's a picture of the moose I mentioned in the last post.. (The Last Post!) Borrowed Troy's Jeep which was ideal for some of tthe roads round here. Went out to Fort Walsh for the day and I'll tell you more about thiat on the next blog entry.

Hi everyone. Haven't had internet access for a while as we have been in Cypress Hills in Saskatchewan. However the day before we left we were invited to a police picnic in the park (Can you imagine it!) Big family day out with lots of kids and great food. Because of the heat everybody picnics beneath the trees.
The following morning we headed off to Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park in Saskatchewan. About a 2 hour drive. We stopped in Maple Creek, which still shows its cowboy town origins, and had a bite to eat. This is wide open country here with miles between farms.
We reached the park where we were staying and booked into our condo. Great place to stay with a lake and lots of wildlife and walks. Startled a moose wiith her calf one morning and took a quick pictuire and cleared off as she looked pretty aggressive.
Dave and I did a lot off geocaching in the area. Will post again soon.