What Next?

Some of you have enquired as to what is next for us.  Well it has been a true roller coaster of emotions for me.  When we came North it was in the back of our minds that we would be releasable from the division (Saskatchewan) and move to another province or territory.  We never really expected any chance of getting back to Ontario as they had recently released a number of members to other divisions due to some cut backs.

So in September the talks began.  Ron had many choices listed from all of the territories, Alberta, Ontario and some special sections in Saskatchewan.  When staffing met with Ron he was told that he needed to include some general duties in this division.  Ron selected a few.  In November he was offered a posting of Weyburn traffic.  Although it was close to Regina it really wasn't what we had hoped for.  Ron decided that he really didn't want to go to traffic.  He turned the posting down.  

The next day a phone call came in from staffing.  They seemed confused as to why he would turn down a posting that was in his list of places to go....remember the list that they told him he had to add Saskatchewan  postings.  When he explained that she asked Ron if he wanted to be released from the division....now they have gotten it!   She then stated that the territories would not be an option as more senior officers want those positions.  The only division that would probably open up would be Alberta.  That was just fine with us as our son was in the final stages for a position in Calgary. So we waited.

December came and another call from staffing.  O division was increasing some positions around the parliament.  She gave the code to put on his list and said that there was a good chance ontario staffing would be calling.  Talk about excited.  We searched out different areas of Ottawa via the Internet.  This would put us just over one hour from Jenn and the grandchildren, only two hours to our parents.  And so we waited.

Christmas came, expectation still there.  2015 came and then on January 12th another offer came.  Our hearts dropped as we considered Warman, SK.  The location is considered one of the best in Saskatchewan but we were considered releasable.  Ron turned the posting down.  Staffing called.  They stated that no other division was contacting them for Ron and so it was time to get something in place.   She would send the offer back to him to reconsider.

And now the low part came in.  I think I cried for two days.  The hopes of being close to family was fading.  We really hated the thought of committing to a five year posting.  We thought and prayed about options.  We felt like we were being pressured to take Warman.  We knew that it could be a lot worse but we were hoping for just something else.  After a few days Ron and I decided that we would ask for a one year extension here in Deschambault Lake.  We never thought we would do this but it felt like our best option as it will only be a one year commitment and then we can go through the roller coaster ride again next year.

We are still praying for that miracle...miracles do happen.  We know at this point we are at peace with our decision.  We have to renew our medicals within the next couple of months to make sure we are fit for the northern life.  I will order more yarn and make plans for vacations.  

Speaking of vacations...ours start two weeks from today and I'd say we need it!

 

Wear Red

Wearing red is something that the RCMP spouses have encouraged to show their love, support and honour to a fallen officer.  Tomorrow I will wear red again and pray for a wife and three sons who have lost a husband and father.

Cst. David Matthew Wynn

Cst. Wynn graduated two months after Ron.  It sounds like Cst. Wynn was a wonderful man that was full of compassion for life and his family.  He died a hero and his family will continue to remember him as that and so much more.  Once again my heart aches....

My grandchildren showing respect.

 

And me two provinces away:

 

 



 

 







Skijoring

Stephen has picked up a new fitness adventure this year.  The three main components are: snow, skis and dogs.  Since he has two big dogs who need lots of exercise and he lives in Whitehorse skijoring was a perfect sport to try.  He has been doing it recreationally on days off or before or after work for awhile.

They were really doing well so he decided to enter a race.  First he had to decide whether to enter competitively or in the recreational/pet category.  He chose to be a competitive racer.

 

The race was on Sunday and the dogs were ready for it.  He was racing ten miles with his two dogs, Tank and Bentley.  He raced alongside others skiing with dogs and dog sled teams.  

The dogs performed like pros...fast out from the starting point and consistent through the race...going faster than any of their other times.  He was 5th in his category among racers that were regular competitors and he beat some of the dog sled teams.

His name is in the official times for skijoring in the Yukon...pretty cool.  Speaking of pretty cool.....

Good job Stephen!

Bringing Back Some Memories

Yesterday we went to Flin Flon to go for a cross country ski and pick up our groceries for the next couple of weeks.  We added one extra event to our day.  Some of the young boys from Deschambault Lake were in a hockey tournament and so we decided to take in a game.  We haven't been to a hockey tournament since Stephen was playing in Trenton. 

The arena was nice although it did have that arena smell.  They had a hall of fame which we looked over and discovered that lots of great hockey players came from playing with the Flin Flon Bombers.  Banners hang from the roof of some special players.

Bobby Clarke

Ice hockey player

Robert Earle Clarke, also known as Bob Clarke and Bobby Clarke, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played his entire 15-year National Hockey League career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an executive with the team. Wikipedia

Born: August 13, 1949 (age 65), Flin Flon

Career start: 1969

Career end: 1984

 

As the game began we had a deja vu moment.  The team from Le Pas, Manitoba came out with shirts pretty close to Stephen's Frankford Huskies jerseys. 

Flin Flon in white, Le Pas in red

Similarities didn't stop with the jerseys.  Flin Flon scored one goal after another making the final score 7 to 1....or something like that.  By the end of the game I was munching on a chicken burger and fries from the canteen.  You just have to do that at a hockey tournament.

 

There were quite a few differences as well....no screaming parents, very few checks, only one minor little push and shove, no sticks being thrown.  Yes, this was the quietest hockey game that we had ever been to.  The biggest thing missing was the cutest little #7 on the team....yup, Stephen.  Yes, it brought back memories.  The joy of seeing Stephen playing hard.  The thrill when he got a goal.  The scrunched up legs, hide my eyes when a check was coming at him or worse when he got into a fight.  Memories.....they are great.

Stephen in back row, second from the left.

The New Year....Emergencies and Emotions

Only three days into the new year and life has been full of emotions for me.  On New Year's Day we hosted a dinner.  The table was set, the food was ready but responding to a call kept the food warming.

Once everyone was there, we enjoyed a ham dinner only to be interrupted by another call out just before dessert.  Back they came for coffee and cheese cake and then off to work for the rest of the night shift.  The good part of the evening was that the seargent had his wife and little one year old visiting which meant another woman at the table and a toddler and oh, how I love little ones and another woman to talk to.  The bad part was that Ron was one of the guys responding to calls so he didn't get to sit and enjoy the evening but at least he got his supper between calls.

Yesterday morning the door bell rang which is quite unusual.  The guys usually just knock and if we know that they are coming they knock, yell "police" and come on in.  Yesterday was different.  When I opened the door, a young man stood there very broken.  He has just found a relative dead.  I began to cry as Ron rushed to get ready to go with this poor guy.  All I could do was bring him a cup of tea and a Kleenex box.  My heart ached for him.  I had to call Stephen to have someone to talk to.  He called back later to check on me.  I continued with my day by taking down the Christmas decorations but my mind would often be drawn back to the aching man at my door.  I had a hard time sleeping last night thinking about him and the rest of the community in mourning.

This morning after a restless sleep there was a loud pounding at our door.  Ron stumbled to the door, after coming in at at four in the morning, and was told to call for help.  Another house fire, another family loses a home, another tradegy in the community.

Taken from my front window

As I sit here on my couch watching the flames die down and the smoke billowing across the sky I think about the days when we lived in a parsonage and we would receive many knocks on the door for help.  Some people looking for prayer, for counselling, for money...one time even a place to have their baby.  Those were interesting times.  It is different now.  I feel a step away.  I don't respond to the calls but I hear about them and sometimes am witness to part of the procedure.  I have a little anxiety at times when I watch the guys leave for a call.  One thing is still the same, I can pray for the members here and I can pray for those who experience the tradegy.  Yes, today I will pray for this person's family who died so suddenly and so young yesterday and I will pray for this family who lost a home today.  I will pray for Ron when he goes to work tonight.

We never know what the next door knock will bring so I think the best way to open each door is with a little prayer.