Greetings from Pinawa

Leslie and I hope that this letter finds you well (and finds you before Christmas). As you can see, we have a new toy and are being lazy and not hand-writing our Christmas cards.

We have been well and chronically busy. Our biggest news is about to come in a small package. We are expecting a baby in mid-January. We have just finished prenatal classes and Leslie has a series of new worries. Will the weather cooperate? Will we get to the hospital on time? Will I be there, or will I be on a business trip, or better yet, at some Scouting function? Every one we know with babies has told us that we don't know how much our lives will change, so I won't say that we are fully prepared- Nevertheless, we are looking a forward to the big day.

With the new arrival so imminent, we are spending our first Christmas in Pinawa. Leslie's grandmother and cousin from Winnipeg are planning to join us for Christmas day. Then, Leslie's parents, brother and sister are visiting for a week following Boxing Day. It will sure feel strange not travelling to either Saskatchewan or Ontario to visit family.

With creating a new life rising to the top of her priority list, Leslie has had to spend less time on her other activities. Teaching still takes up its usual inordinate amount of time. This year, Leslie has continued her university course in counselling and she is getting hands on experience at school. The principal has a allowed 20% of her time table for counselling, but in practice, Leslie gives up many lunch hours and preparatory classes. Outside of school, Leslie continues to sew and paint silk scarves - but at a much reduced pace. Her business is doing well, and she has had to turn away customers this Christmas to catch up on her rest.

I am still employed with AECL but with NDP governments in Ontario and Saskatchewan (our latest market) I sometimes wonder about our long term viability. Nevertheless, I am still enjoying work and would not trade life in Pinawa for the hustle and bustle of a city like Toronto. The recreational activities, lack of commuting and more time for community activities make up for an uncertain future. Scouting activities continue to occupy a fair amount of my spare time. This year I have continued to represent our part of the province on the Manitoba Council for scouting. It is very challenging and rewarding to be part of the evaluation process that works to keep scouting vital. But what I enjoy most is getting involved with the youth, I have moved up from our local scout troop to Venturers for 14 to 17 year olds. Last spring- two of the oldest scouts in the Troops were acting up because they were getting bored with program. I persuaded them to form a Venturer Company, which has since grown to 5 members. Working with older teenagers is an interesting experience. I am no longer a leader, but now let them plan their activities and try to provide a sane voice and steadying influence.

This year, we have taken some time out from our work and leisure pursuits for other activities. In the spring, we spent Leslie's break with her parents, visiting her sister, Andrea, and brother-in-law, Eric, in Calgary. We had a lot of fun doing touristy things likes shopping, going to the zoo, eating out and visiting Banff. During the summer, we built a deck behind the house Leslie’s dad, an architect, helped us design a 3-level deck with many interesting angles. Needless to say, construction was difficult, but the end result was worth the headaches.

During the summer, my parents spent an extra week with us. Dad helped with the deck and we spent some time trying our hand at the local golf course. Later - my brother Timothy, his wife Teresa, and their new addition David, visited for a week. We had a lot of fun going to the beach, seeing an outdoor production of the Wizard of Oz, and lazing on the deck. Leslie's brother, Michael, and sister, Andrea, also spent some time with us in late August.

This fall, Leslie and I went to Minneapolis for one last trip before the baby comes. We did some cross-border shopping for baby things, and visited with friends of Leslie’s family. Perhaps one of our highlights this past year was going to the Grey Cup. Yes, we were there in the -19 degree weather, with all the rest of the crazy football fans dressed with enough clothes that their own mothers would not recognize them.