[ July 14, 2003, 06:07 PM: Message edited by: Kelly Thorson ]
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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I'll try again - this post was hard to read because I imported it from WP - I'll change the spacing!
[ July 14, 2003, 06:25 PM: Message edited by: Kelly Thorson ]
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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I hope this isn't too long! What an incredible weekend I had! I arrived in Unity about 10:30 pm Thursday Night. After introductions Ruth came and helped me pitch my tent. We then went back to the main tent - a 40' x 60' tent that belonged to the Unity Kinsmen club. Pat had made an arrangement with them that we would paint the van they hauled it around in, in exchange for the rental. I got to meet the first attendees - Roger MacMunn had picked up Bill Riedel and driven out, Marty Happy, Bruce Ander and Del Badry had all arrived before me. After some chatting and a quick tour of Masterhand Signs we went to the house to see what Pat hat in mind for the van. Pat had chosen to put a cartoon on the van with a bear looking out of the tent and the caption "Hey, Who’s Driving this Flying Umbrella" - a play on a scene from the cartoon Robin Hood. Little did we know how eerily fitting that and a number of other captions were to become. I retired to my tent about 12:30 after enjoying an incredible display of Northern Lights or "Aurora BOARealis". I awoke about an hour later to the sound of hammering tent pegs- Karl Reeder and Kurt Nelson had arrived. were building The AMERICAN EMBASSY, their nest. Friday morning dawned with the sound of more hammering tent pegs. The Van Panel had arrived and was being moved into the tent. After a few infusions of coffee, Pat put me to work pouncing out the kinsmen logo. Meanwhile Kurt and Karl were working on the cartoon for the side. Bernice Tornquist and her husband Torence had arrived and they along with others were busy prepping the van. We kept Pat hopping, asking for this and that until we got a little more familiar with the place. Debbie and Murray MacDonald rolled in sometime during all the confusion and my head was starting to spin with all the names and faces. I'm not sure when Steve Chartrand showed, but I think it was at the same time that Duncan and Mike did. Once Mike got there things really picked up! After some lettering demos and lots of laughing Mike laid out the lettering for the Van. By this time everyone was here with the exception of Alf Toy, a postal carrier from Saskatoon. I have no idea when he showed up, but his enthusiasm and fascination was a pleasure to see. I heard Alf discovered the Letterhead Site and wants to learn the trade for when he retires from the postie business. Alf is a great guy and he forgave me for my insensitivity which I shall explain later in my ALFIE TOY story. I began to realize how fortunate I was to have this meet as my first! There was a wealth of knowledge available from some very talented and experienced letterheads and I got the full impact of what "LETTERHEAD" really means. There were less than twenty of us and over half of the attendees were "Masters of their Craft" so I had unlimited one-on-one opportunities. The rest of the day and the next was a flurry of activity and learning. Alf decided to stay the whole weekend and I lent him a spare tent I had brought. Because we were small in numbers, Pat got to participate in the meet much more that most hosts I am told. He was kept pretty busy protecting his farm buildings from being recycled into panels by Mike. Somewhere along the way Helga was born (see pics) - us gals were all jealous about the amount of attention and fondling she was getting from the guys! We all gathered in front of the finished van for our "GROPE" photos. Saturday evening the kinsmen and their wives put on a fantastic wild boar BBQ. They seemed to be very pleased with the Van. We worked on various projects through the evening and Murray and Pat pulled out their guitars and serenaded us. Which brings us to: THE STORM First I think it is pertinent to remind everyone of the theme Pat chose for his meet - "Paint the Prairie" and the slogan for the group project - "Hey, Who's driving this flying umbrella?" Some people had left for the night and things were starting to wind down a bit when the wind picked up. The was a pretty incredible lightning display going on and people were standing around watching it. I decided to run down to where my car was parked to grab a couple of bottles of paint to finish up a piece I was working on. Which brings me to the: ALFIE TOY STORY As I mentioned Alf is a letter carrier from Saskatoon who wants to learn the craft. He was so enthusiastic and went strong all day. Just before the storm he decided to have a shower. Pat and Ruth had built a new bathroom in their basement especially for the meet. The bathroom was accessed by an outside storm cellar door (that lay horizontal on the ground with steps going down from it) When the wind and rain picked up, Pat closed the cellar door, not knowing he had trapped Alf in the basement. Ruth heard a tiny knock on the door leading from the basement to her kitchen and found a timid, embarrassed Alf standing there, apologizing because he couldn't get out. She let him out the upstairs door and he headed down to his tent for the night. While I was looking for the paints in my car the wind started to pick up really fast. I contemplated making a run for the big tent, but decided to hop into the car and see what happened. All of a sudden there was a loud cracking sound and a poplar tree broke off in the wind. The tent that Alf had borrowed was flattened (by the wind) to the ground ...well almost - there was a small bump in the middle - all of a sudden the bump started attacking the tent and there were nylon wrapped arms thrashing all over the place. I called "Alfie - is that you?" - A strangled little "yea" "Alfie, I think you'd better get in the car!" Another strangled little "Yea" and then a full blown assault on the tent as he tried to find the opening. Finally an arm then a head and then a leg appeared from the tangled shell. Then a very wet disheveled creature scurried to my car clutching his bag to his chest and jumped in the back seat. "I had to find my keys, or I'd be stuck here forever" he gasped. I turned the light on and looked back to see this drenched little letter carrier sitting in my back seat in his boxers hanging on to his bag for dear life and came completely unglued. Here is this poor fellow, frightened half to death when the tent he is sleeping in suddenly attacks him and ties him up in knots, the car is shaking in the wind, trees around us are being snapped and I'm killing myself laughing. Again Alf - my deepest apologies for my insensitivity and I'm glad that you can join in the laughter now. Meanwhile back at the tent, Del in his wit has yelled "Who's, driving this flying umbrella, any ways!" and they take the tent on it's maiden voyage without us newbies! Letterheads are hugging posts trying to save the tent and it's contents - When Murray (who is a pretty big fellow) and his wife Deb and Mike(one of Pat's daughter's boyfriend) are literally picked up two feet off the ground captain Pat decided it was time to abandon ship and they fled to the refuge of the house. Now back at the car I finally managed to stop laughing and told Alf that I'm going to go back to the house and that he should get dressed and join us and I walk back to the house. By the time I get there the whole scenario is replaying in my head and I cracking up all over again. I get into the house and not realizing the frightening experience the rest have been through I manage to choke out my story - Well, we were pretty much all laughing hysterically by this time. Poor Alf had enough and said his goodbyes and bid a hasty retreat back to Saskatoon. We went back out to the tent when the wind died down a little. I walked around and picked up a panel Del had made me - “Holden, Holdfast, Hold on!” And another one that he had made that said “Power Out” The table of One Shot paints had been thrown over and the grass was strewn with brilliant patches of One Shot (“Paint the Prairie”). Sign kits were dumped out, Tent posts were laying around and stuff was everywhere. There was a surreal feeling to it when we realized how fortunate we were that no one had been hurt. The table with the portfolios on was just like it had been left - in fact the torn halves of the playing cards that had been used for the door prize draws were still laying in pairs on the table, yet the food table beside it and an easel had been thrown out of the tent and the upturned One shot paint table was a few feet to the other side. That still completely blows my mind! All of a sudden another gust of wind and Del gets konked on the head with the tent - I had given Del a panel earlier in the evening that said DING DONG DEL with stars all over it because he kept banging his head on the top of the storm cellar door jamb. Well, Pat and Ruth managed to find room in their house for everyone who had been in tents. Bruce’s tent poles had all been snapped, Kurt and Karl’s tent had a tree lying across it and my tents were both completely drenched - I’m not sure we would have felt too safe out there that night even if the storm had quit. There was no power in the house so we went to bed with flashlights and candles. The next morning was tough - not only did we have to deal with goodbyes - but the realization that our hosts who had been so fantastic had a weeks worth of work to do just to clean up. We picked up what we could - A roof had been ripped off a shed and had landed within a couple of feet of the back of the tent . What an incredible bonding experience this all was for me. Pat & Ruth - You have a beautiful family! What charming daughters! Your warm, genuine hospitality is so rare to find. Thanks from the bottom of my heart! Bill Riedell - you stole my heart - what a warm, energetic and giving person you are - God bless! I am so glad you had the opportunity to see the Northern Lights and you could take home a little piece of our living skies in your memories. For all you give, I'm glad you got something in return. Murray - thanks for your patience in the one on one lettering you gave me - you would have made a great Kindergarten teacher! Deb, thanks for the laughs and I hope you weren't to traumatized by our living skies! Roger - thank you for the carving demo and the laughs - I'm gonna keep my eyes open for some caragana roots for you - what are you going to carve from the fallen tree? Del - how's the head? Great to meet you, and thanks for the window tinting tips! The panel you made me is hanging on my wall! Bruce - Thank you for the pinstriping demo - Your panel is on the wall right beside Del's. May I recommend you replace that tent with a larger one. Bernice and Torence - It was great to meet you too - I wish you could have stayed for the full meet. I’m looking forward to the CD. Duncan - thanks for bailing me out on the van lettering - it was great meeting you too and I’ll know who the Dawgie is now. Karl - what incredible airbrushing talent. I was so impressed how willing you were to spend so much of your time brushing stuff for others. You are a sweetheart! Kurt - glad you made it out of the tent - loved watching you create the cartoons - just when I was really impressed - you blew me away with your serious panel! Stevo - Another rookie! But definitely not on the talent side! I’ll won’t be able to look at a mosquito for a long time without thinking of that big red one shot blob on your skeeter bat Sunday morning! Alfred Toy- Your enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge were evident - With that desire to learn you will be first rate. Thanks for the CD - the pics were great - and please don’t be embarrassed by my story - I’m laughing at the scenario , not at you! Mike - Aha - I finally got to meet the “sexiest man on the BB” - You are a sweetie. It’s amazing to watch you work. Wheel be seein ya in Febrewary laddie, woont we! Marty Happy - Simply a pleasure! I’ll be popping in to check out your space! Did your post mean that I was good at slinging BS and brushes when I’m frustrated? OK if I forgot anyone someone let me know quick so I can edit this post. Now I gotta get back to work!
[ July 15, 2003, 12:52 AM: Message edited by: Kelly Thorson ]
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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A very entertaining and informative report Kelly. I too had a wonderful time. Thanks to all of you who made this little meet a roaring success! A big, big hug to Pat and Ruth, their children, there friends, their doggies and their kitties. Thank you for sharing yourselves and your community with us. Hope to see you all soon...maybe Nanaimo. Best Wishes,
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Kelly, you had me rolling with laughter, and wiping tears from my eyes so that I could hardly read...I think your humour is like mine (maybe a little sadistic, at times)...don't know why but these are the times I really laugh (as long as no one is hurt)...in fact, if I am in a vehicle accident (only little ones where I hit a post or something) my shock reaction is to laugh silly...boy, you didn't need 'me' to help...would have been no help to you there...as you know we had to go earlier that day and missed the storm.
Didn't mind your details at all...I liked your story, Kelly. Thanks for doing it.
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Kelly, on the way home Sunday, just past the alberta border,, a car passing me..thru a rock it pounced off the door sill and came in thru the window to ding me in the head.. how fitting...
My mind is constantly goin over this past weekend... too much info to digest it all... I've got some pics to send to Duncan to post....
Thank you Pat & Ruth for all your effort and love put into this event....
I came home tonite (Monday)and visited my neighbors who run Union Graphics .. they still use the old methods and when i showed them pics and explained the weekend, they were happy to hear about it... so much so, that we've thought of putting on our own meet,, Trevor the son, has an old calendar of a nice lady signpainting a truck.... Were thinking of early October if it works out and we'll keep all posted.... so watch for info on HOLD ON TO YOUR BRUSH!,, Holden, Alberta...
-------------------- Del Badry philmdesign Sylvan Lake, Alberta Posts: 636 | From: Sylvan Lake, Alberta | Registered: Nov 1998
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First thank you Kelly for puting the meet into such a great story...We don't have much to add but thank-yous...Last eveningjust before the sun went down the Kinsmen came to take down the tent...with that came a sence of Joy, Sorrow, and Releif...Joy over the fun had with old and new friends...sorrow that it is overand we had to say goodbye to old and newfriends alike...and relief not that the meet was over but that all came away unhurt by the storm...Mother nature it seems wasn't through with us yet as Sunday afternoon after all had left she hit us with not one but two hail storms...at 3pm yesturday(monday)ther were still snow or rather hail banks up against buildings in town and that, dispite temperatures in the high 20's(70'sF)...This all was really freeky as we have never in our lifetime seen or experienced a storm of this magnitude....Just one of the firsts and there were many...From the newbies experiencing Letterheads for the first time and seeing their timidness turn to confidence in themselves and their abilities...To folks like bill Rideil seeing the northern lights for the first time in his life...and these are just a few...To all who attended your words and your actions at the meet were so very kind thank-you...it was a real joy having you all about...and that means you to Mike...hehe...the glass pieces is grand and will hang in a special place...We are very seriously looking at doing this again next year but with out the storm...So mark your calendars for the second weekend in July 2004 and watch for details here...There are so many thank-yous its hard to know where to begin...Thankyou to the folks whom did demos...From Mike Meyer's brush and layout demos , Kurt Nelson from Iawo, cartoon layouts, Karl Reeder from Nebraska, HVLP and airbrush demos, to Roger McMunn one on carving demo as well as Bill Rideil lettering and carving demos as well as the surface gilding demo on burnished gold prismatic letters(made my day Bill)...Murray MacDonalds one on one hand lettering demo as well as Saturday evenignd great entertainment...Thanks Murray and Deb...To Bill R.and Bruce Anders for their help in getting a last minute project finished on thursday afternoon so the client could have them for their weekend due & freed me up to make last minute preparations for the meet...To Benice and torance for preping the panelvan for painting...And oh yes Del and Steve for getting head TV up and running, hope you all enjoyed the show including the 8ft. Helga creations by Mike Meyer& karl Reeder...To Duncan Wilkie for picking up Mike at the airport and his pic here on the bullboard...thankyou to all the sponsors...Kelly at Precision BoardHDU. Oneshot and ND Graphics...(by the way the stormbusted the table the paint was on and dumped all the paint on the ground & everyone commented how truely it was Paint on the Prairie)and Eddie @ Sign Business magazine...When the storm distroyed the american embussie we all wondered if the marines weren't far behind...it was wonderfull to be able to kid around after we know everyone was safe...Thanks again to all who came out and participated in Paint the prairie You guys are wonderful(Thanks from my family to you)..I'd like to leave you with a picture which Steve has been Kind enough to post for us sent to me by Marty Happy( thanks Marty this has truely pulled at my heart...thankyou)Enjoy the prairie sunset folks it si just one of the many things we enjoyed outside fo the painting and new and old friedships...Thanks Everyone enjoy...Pat Ruth Heidi and Alicia Welter
[ July 15, 2003, 01:27 PM: Message edited by: Steve Shortreed ]
-------------------- Pat Welter Masterhand Signs and Designs Unity, Saskatchewan.Canada Posts: 1304 | From: Unity, Saskatchewan.Canada | Registered: May 1999
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Oh and almost forgot Pete and Marg Payne from Canadian Sign Crafters for setting us up with brushes for all to purchase...thanks We'll be in contact shortly and Roger is bringing back the remainder we couldn't have done without it thanks again....
-------------------- Pat Welter Masterhand Signs and Designs Unity, Saskatchewan.Canada Posts: 1304 | From: Unity, Saskatchewan.Canada | Registered: May 1999
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What a great weekend!! I have to thank Pat, Ruth and the gang to making my first meet a memorable one. Slingin paint to Ray Stevens, what a gas!
An awesome display of talent,kind people, and great food. Put me down for next year!
Great write up Kelly, the paint on my Skeeter Bat still is'nt dry yet.
I hope to see you all of you at Splash.
-------------------- Stevo Design Illustration Logos Sign Design Clip Art www.stevo-design.com Posts: 1680 | From: Edmonton Ab Canada EH! | Registered: May 2001
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Pat, Ruth & family....thank you so very much for your kind hospitality...Pat, it seems I was always asking you something and you never minded...thanks.
No, we didn't have any idea of an up-coming storm by leaving earlier that day...we just had to go...so sorry that you had so much work to do after the storm.
It was an honour to have Bill Riedel, Mike Meyer, Curt Nelson and Karl Reeder up from the US to join us.
It was great to meet Rodger, Duncan, Del, Murray, Debbie, Kelly, Steve, Alfred, Marty, Bruce also.
I have that feeling that the Northern Light display was especially for you, Bill.
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Great story Kelly, it was exactly as you described it. Quite humorous thinking of it now. As I was hightailing it out of Unity I was kind of asking myself what the hell I was doing on the highway. Luckily the storm was tracking away from me as I found out later on the weather channel. I got home about 4:30am, slept for a couple of hours and got up,(what a dummy) so when I got to sleep Sun evening around 10, I ended up with about 10 hours of sleep in 3 nights. (My first night in Unity I slept in the tent without a mattress so only got a couple of hours sleep and my intention was to get a good rest Sat, haha). I was still so tired at work on Mon that I backed into our mechanics van in the Post Office parking lot. That was it, I delivered my morning and took the rest of the day off and slept all afternoon.
That was definitely a weekend to remember in more ways than one. It was inspiring to meet so many talented artists. Being a newbie it was a lot to absorb, but I loved every minute of it. I definitely intend on attending many more in the near future. Kudos to Pat and his family for a wonderful weekend, I'll definitely be back next year, with a weather radio.
-------------------- Alf Toy Adlib Graphics Saskatoon, SK Canada
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Paint the Prairie... what a blast! and I do mean that literally. When all 275 pounds of me goes off the ground while holding on to a tent, that my friends, is a WIND! You've heard all the details from Kelly's post,but here's a little extra. While driving back to town in the wee hours, our truck was skating all over the road...arrived in town to find trees down all over...and the sound of chainsaws was heard throughout the land. Apart from that, what a great meet! Pat and Ruth are formidable hosts, the organization was seamless and the company fascinatin'...what a pleasure to meet Bill Riedel..truly a Master, and a gentleman of the first water...Mike, Karl and Kurt- for youalls, they ain't too terrible, and honestly guys, the tree falling on the American Embassy was not a political statement on the softwood lumber dispute! seeing Duncan wilkie again after all these years was a real pleasure, and despite his protestations, he still knows how to sling paint purty good, but he's gotten pretty gray...'sOK, Duncan, I got OLD! Marty,Del,Stevo,Bernice...glad you found out that plastic is not the whole answer...a great pleasure to meet you and bang heads (oops! sorry Del)...Bruce, you ever get down this way, I got this steeple that's crying out for some striping.We hope to see Rodger and Bill stop here on their way back East, but if not , I'm sure we'll catch up with them sometime. Kelly, what a great post...and what fun to see so much enthusiasm. You and The Naked Postie should bottle it and sell it! Once again, Deb and I have to say thanks to Pat and Ruth and the family. It was a wonderful weekend, and you sure know how to wind up a weekend. You say you're doing it again next year? We'll be there! See you all in Mazeppa in February.
-------------------- Murray MacDonald OldTime Signs 529 Third Ave S Kenora, ON. P9N 1Y3 oldtimesigns@gokenora.com Posts: 781 | From: Kenora, ON | Registered: Jan 2003
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Letterhead meets can be a very 'bonding' experience....but this meet will, no doubt, bond you all for life...it will be something you all will share everytime you communicate.
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A "Barn Raising"..... wouldn't that be a great idea.... putting together a building than having meet in it as the VERY first activity! Just think what the walls could inspire for a lifetime especially with this talented group!
-------------------- Happy Signing...... Marty
M.F. (Marty) Happy Signmaker Since 1974 Happy Ad Sign & Design Regina SK, Canada S4N 5K4 306-789-9567 happyad@sasktel.net www.happyad.ca
Get Happy & Get Noticed! Posts: 773 | From: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada | Registered: Jan 1999
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It's not that far fetched of an idea really. Pat would really benefit and it would increase the property value, but the real kicker is the Barn itself...Built with "Blood, Sweat and Tears!" We need to contact some locals in Unity and see if services can be donated or discounted and bring an Army of Letterheads to the Prairie and get it done! (First we need a Bomb Shelter!)
Start drawing some rough plans Pat....include a wall for Ruth's Quilt Projects!
Be careful what you wish for ...it may come TRUE!
-------------------- Mike Meyer Sign Painter 189 1st Ave n P.O. Box 3 Mazeppa, Mn 55956
We are not selling, we are staying here in Mazeppa....we cannot re-create what we have here....not in another lifetime! SO Here we are!!!!!!!
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Out of the Ashes:- Mike Remember we talked phenix here one day...Well the storm was quite devistating...we have grain bins laying on their sides entire building shifted off their foundations...Next door @ our Bro. in Laws the metal roofing on his 60 x 100ft quansite was tore off as well as the big 18 x 10 foot doors found out in the field...the roofs off two building in our yard(thankfully not hitting or landing on the tent)...but in the last two days I have had calls to repair or replace damaged signs...truck that were pelted by the hail who need stripes repaired and new lettering...and thats just us think of the contractors in all fields who now have a fully booked summer of work...So out of the ashes the pheonix is renewed...Barn raising what a hoot that would be...Thanks guys
-------------------- Pat Welter Masterhand Signs and Designs Unity, Saskatchewan.Canada Posts: 1304 | From: Unity, Saskatchewan.Canada | Registered: May 1999
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Nah guys, I think we'll have to let Dan Sawatsky in on this one. Yep, he be the man to do the plans! Waddya think? You could be the new tourist hot spot in Saskatchewan Pat & Ruth - specialy with all that wierd colored vegetation on your farm. Can't touch the house though - it's perfect as it is. I love the old world charm, and it would be a pity to destroy Del's headprints!
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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Yeah Pat.... I noticed quite a trail of devastation all the way to Wilkie. Ripped up trees, much of a metal-clad farm equipment shed strewn across the highway from it's original farmyard and even the normally sturdy highway directional signs twisted and broken.
The bad weather didn't end there though. A resort commununity near Regina where I've been looking at property was shredded by what they called "plough winds" as well. It's been a rough few days all over the Prairies lately. We're used to much more idyllic weather patterns.
-------------------- Happy Signing...... Marty
M.F. (Marty) Happy Signmaker Since 1974 Happy Ad Sign & Design Regina SK, Canada S4N 5K4 306-789-9567 happyad@sasktel.net www.happyad.ca
Get Happy & Get Noticed! Posts: 773 | From: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada | Registered: Jan 1999
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Just had a short visit with Roger MacMunn and Bill Riedel on their way back east from picking up a load of wood in British Columbia. Got to share my pics of the meet (Bill was thrilled with the sunset pics) and revisit the event. Good times!!!!!
-------------------- Happy Signing...... Marty
M.F. (Marty) Happy Signmaker Since 1974 Happy Ad Sign & Design Regina SK, Canada S4N 5K4 306-789-9567 happyad@sasktel.net www.happyad.ca
Get Happy & Get Noticed! Posts: 773 | From: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada | Registered: Jan 1999
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