Travels of Bob & Sharon: Alberta

We entered Alberta to the news that there had been a tragedy at the university in Edmonton. Three armoured guards had been killed by a fellow guard and an international manhunt was underway. As we approached Edmonton, we saw a police car cross the median and stop a pickup truck that was in front of us, for no apparent reason. We were approaching the Sherwood Park area of Edmonton at the time, looking for a laundromat we'd found on google. A couple of days later, we learned that police were searching in that area that day and were looking for a particular pickup truck. No, it wasn't the fugitive that was stopped in front of us, however it did give us a start when we realized what was happening before our eyes.

Doing our laundry with fellow truckers. Great place
with top of the line machines. In and out in under an hour!

We spent the rest of the day and overnight with our friends Jo-anne and Gerald van Bruggen in St. Albert, located on the northern edge of Edmonton. Jo-anne, her brothers and sisters had each taken at turn at baby-sitting Rachel and Steve when we lived in Nobleton. A fabulous family who moved west when Jo-anne married an Albertan. It was so much fun to catch up with them after 17 years. Jo-anne left Ontario as a 21 year old bride and she and Gerald are now parents of 4 children and grandparents of 6. They were landscape gardeners when they first married and now they own a theatre, hardware store, 250 head of buffalo and just opened a real and artificial stone business. One of Gerald's first orders (without any advertising I might add) was 40,000 square feet of real stone for a home/castle in the Edmonton area. In the short visit with them, at least 20 people came through their house to visit and be fed. Jo-anne, always a dynamo, whirled around the kitchen, bbq-ing around 30 steaks and a salmon, serving until the last visitor (arriving at 11 pm) was fed and watered. Such a joy and so much fun....an amazing visit. I may have the names spelled incorrectly here and once I have the correct spelling from Jo-anne, I will update. Seeing Jo-anne's parents, Bill and Joan, was also a treat. So much catching up to do in a short time but we did our best.

Joan Sutton (Jo-anne's Mom)

Jo-anne and her father Bill Sutton

Jo-anne

Son-in-law and business partner, Jeff....on business
from Cardston, Ab

Jo-anne and grandaughter Brynlea, Jeff and Jo's daughter
Jo was at home in Cardston with their 4 sons

Within 10 minutes of meeting, Brynlea and Bob were outside playing basketball. This beautiful little lady is way tougher than she looks. She needs to be because she has 4 brothers. Bob reported that as she crouched in a defensive position she said "Bring it on pork-chop!" At their hardware store in Cardston, she knows everything about the business. Only 5 years old, she asks customers how she can help them, points them to exactly what they are looking for and does her best to upsell. She asked one customer who was looking for screws, if he was in need of a compressor. She's a ringer for her grandmother. Well done Jo-anne!!!

Brynlea and Auntie Bryn (Jo-anne and Gerald's
youngest daughter)

Nephew Jesse, home from a really long day laying sod

Grandson Cayden

Cayden's Mom Katlyn (Jo-anne and Gerald's
second eldest daughter)

Jo-anne bounded into the room with her crazy reading glasses...
with lights on them. She's a hoot!

Gerald....exhausted and still smiling after a futile
day trying to herd the 200 buffalo he's sold to a Texan.
Many of the buffalo refused to cooperate and got away.