I know we would like to start out by saying how comfortable were with Danny & Bev, being in their house for 12 days. Nothing was too much trouble and nothing was an issue. We had a wonderful relaxing holiday.
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| "SPIES like US" going wood chopping! |
I will try to relive the finer, deeper things that Gerald & I have had the honour and pleasure to experience and have taken away from our time with The Barons and their extended families and friends.
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| This used to be the local meat market - it is now a lingerie (bra) shop! |
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| Downtown Ponoka |
Ponoka (pronounced /pəˈnoʊkə/) is a town in the province of Alberta, Canada. It is situated in the south/central parkland region of rolling hills. Industries are agriculture (grain and cattle production), and oil and gas production. Ponoka is located at the junction of Highway 2A and Highway 53, 59 kilometres (37 mi) north of the city of Red Deer and 95 kilometres (59 mi) south of Edmonton.
The name Ponoka is Blackfoot for "elk"; the town flag depicts an elk.
Ponoka was founded on the land north of Fort Ostell in 1905 as a waypoint for the railway from Edmonton to Calgary.
The town has a population of 6,000. Everyone pretty much knows everyone. You can pull up at the servo and a guy will fill'er'up and clean the windscreen. You can just sign a book as todays purchase simply goes on your account. Sometimes you even check the bill prior to paying (trusting bunch).
In the winter folks leave their cars running to keep the engine warm if they are just ducking into a store for something quick - no-one will steal their car. It is a very safe place to live - I had to reset my thinking when I saw cars being left unattended.
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| Danny reffing a local hockey match |
Ice Hockey was on the tele everyday we were there. People were glued to the TV to see how their team was going in the internationals against Russia, Sweden, USA and more. Gerald & I quite enjoyed the passion with which Canada embraces this sport. The cost to see a live game is $100 in the nose bleed section up to $300 in the front, most venues were packed out.
Danny was born and bred 20 minuites from Ponoka in USONA. His parents ran the local general store. Bill & Elizabeth Baron closed the store in 1995. We spent the 26th December with the whole Baron clan out at USONA where Bill & Liz still live.
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| Bill & Elizabeth Baron's General Store |
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| Lindy attempting to curl (I sucked). |
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| Danny giving Jerry a lesson |
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| Gerald SWEEPING. |
The 26th started with a morning of CURLING at the USONA clubhouse. Next to it is the USONA outdoor iceskating rink. Across the road is the General Store. It is all on the one cross intersection within cooee of each other. Don't blink or you will mis USONA. The USONA Curling Complex consists of 3 lanes. In the trophy cabinet are memorabelia of various Barons and their wives over the years having won various curling tournaments. Bev & Danny are on a couple of the trophys. In the summer it becomes a hall which is leased out for functions. The Barons had Bill's 80th Birthday party there some years ago.
Bill and Danny were very patient teaching Gerald & myself how to curl. Give me a couple of days and I would get it - that day we sucked! Bre's husband Jerry had his first lessons too. Danny's other brothers were on the other 2 lanes with their wives and children spending time together as a clan. I am very jealous. Liz left at about 11am (I guess) to go get Christmas Lunch ready.
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| Danny's dad - Bill Baron |
At 12:30 ish we all walked across the road to the General Store where the Christmas spread had been set out. This USONA store has been commemorated by L.J PAYNE in a collection of mugs. Bev gave me one. I will cherish it.
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| Jessie walking from the Curling Complex to the Store for lunch. They breed 'em tough out there! |
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| Danny has the poker chips in hand! |
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| Just a quaint hut next to the Curling Complex. |
Turkey & cranberry sauce, mashed potato, pickles, beets, coleslaw and more was on the table but my favourite was the pickled cabbage rolls. These were sour cabbage leaves filled with rice and meat in a fabulous gravy. I have the recipe and will try to cook it soon. G just said that he is looking forward to me making them. (fingers crossed I can do the recipe justice).
The kids, big & small played poker after lunch - Gerald won the night before at Danny's and won again that day. Unlike the night before he walked away with $40 that day :-).
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| Popopopopopoker face! |
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| Christmas at USONA. |
Liz gave me some crocheted slippers and G got a bottle of Baileys. All will be put to good use. Gerald says he particularly enjoyed experiencing a white Christmas with a family.
Danny started out his working life as a young whipper snapper at the local hospital in warehouse / procurement and has remained in and has been managing that department for a long time. He is what you call a "Stayer". Bev has also been working at the hospital for many years. Bev is the trainer of their in-house database and manages the data as well. The hospital employs the majority of Ponoka. If it is ever relocated the town may die. Bev is also a "Stayer". :-)
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| Deer on the hospital grounds |
Danny has lived in the area all his life and therefor has many longterm relationships. One of them is with Gary his wife Holly. Gary & Holly live across the road from Liz & Bill in USONA. We all went out to Gary's on the evening of the 28th to play a card / board game using horses on a wooden board. It was cold & snowing but this did not deter Bre from bringing the baby out or indeed Holly's children with their children visiting that night. What I did notice about living in such a cold place is that the folks there DO NOT let the weather dictate how they live. They are out and about regardless of the temperature. That's what TOUKES and MITTS are for. Staying home is for sissys! This mob carry on with life as it should be and turn their noses up at the snow gods! Only if there is black ice or unsafe conditions do they stay home. Us aussies (me included) need to get out more during our winters instead of worrying about a bit of a draft making the kids sick, it being a bit cold etc. If these people can go out in those subzero (-25C) temperatures then we have no leg to stand on and need to toughen up!
I have to admit I was very cold most of the time outside but NEVER once inside the homes. They heat them so well that you can & do walk around in T-Shirts while it is -30C & snowing out! G & I slept in D & B's basement. It was gloriously warm if not a touch too warm some nights when we had to kick off the blankets and sheets. We had a wood fire slow combustion heater next our bed :-).
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| Me blogging our CANADA trip in bed with the heater so close |
Danny & Gary go way back to before Gary's boys were old enough to help dad tag, brand etc. the herd of cattle. Gary's herd is approx. 300 head. Danny was there to help when it was needed. Danny still helps out with clearing their property from unwanted trees etc. This also doubles as Danny's firewood. Gerald says that the current price for cattle is $1.20 per pound.
I have blogged about D & B's daughter Bre, in my Vancouver blog. She is their eldest and 11 months older than her brother Jeremy. She flew out on the 26th to be with the family for Christmas and stayed for 5 days with her daughter Soraya & Jerry her husband who went back to work in Vancouver a few days earlier. It was lovely to see Bev get a chance to see the grandbaby.
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| Soraya - aka Mrs Claus :-) |
D & B 's son Jeremy is a massage therapist. He lives in Edmonton, Alberta in a gorgeous little house in a gorgeous street with his two ferretts. He works partime at a massage clinic in Edmonton and also runs his own part time massage clinic from his house. He & Danny decorated the basement and transformed it into a massage clinic. I intend to find some music for him to play of Aussies Whales or something. lol...
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| For the BEST MASSAGE in Edmonton call the above number. |
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| Jeremy |
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| Jeremy's house |
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| Jeremy's street in winter |
The whole family play poker very competitively and are equally accomplished. I'd say mum & dad spent a lot of time over the years teaching them the finer points. We played a few times whilst in Ponoka..we had a great time.
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| Bev's front yard allcovered in snow |
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| Backyard ditto :-) |
On this trip we met Jerry (Bre's husband), Gerry (Bev's dad), Gerald (Sue's husband), Jeremy (son) and of course my Gerald so there were G's all over the place!
Gerald found the town of Ponoka absolutely fascinating as a small country town - same as Australia but entirely different (WHAT?? Ask him yourself for an explanation...). He thoroughly enjoyed the subzero temperatures we encountered. We walked home one day in -25C. He loved it - I was cursing him for making me take him the scenic route!
He loved the wide open spaces, the Prairies, the people with big, welcoming hearts and he can't express enough his heartfelt gratitude to the Barons for opening their home and hearts to us for 2 weeks.
We both want to thank Breanne & Jerry as well for making our last days in Vancouver so comfortable. It was raining but they still drove us around town and so kindly took our luggage to the airport and met us there on our last night so we could enjoy ourselves sightseeing - luggage free!
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| Jeremy & Soraya with Jerry |
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| Breanne & Stacey (Jeremy's girlfriend) |
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| Danny, niece Lexie & Breanne |
It was great to meet so many people, make so many new friends and be treated to such a fantastic winter wonderland Christmas. We are never going to forget the time we had in Alberta!
Bev & Danny - we thank you from the bottom of our hearts xxx from Gerald & Lindy.
