A Long Day - Personal Adventures

FTLComm - Tisdale - June 17, 2000

Every family has adventures of one kind or another and often they relate to transitions in each of our lives. After more then two years living in Regina, number three son has decided to join his to brothers in Winnipeg and so yesterday was moving day. We all know that moving is a disruptive thing in a person's life and it is better to do it quickly rather then prolong the agony. Matthew, the guy who is moving was working his last day at his job in Regina and would be at work until 2:30 but for the rest of us things got going a little earlier then that. Matthew's older brother took Friday off from his job but had some last minute stuff to get out the door before hand and worked until near midnight Thursday editing a television cable series segment but he was on the road at seven, Winnipeg time, bound for Regina. Matthew's mother is a teacher librarian in La Ronge and she took Friday off to give a hand and drove to Tisdale Thursday night so together we left Tisdale at seven Friday morning with the FTLComm van for Regina. It was a bit miserable, chilly and raining off and on as we headed South and made a quick stop at Watson. As we were half way from Watson to Dafoe the cell phone came alive with a series of calls. Andrew was on the road, Brother Allan offered his pickup for the project and my father was keeping tabs on all of us. We decided to accept Allan's generous offer and in a few minutes had diverted from highway #6 and were East bound on #16 from Dafoe to Elfros then South on #35 to Leross and then over to Kelliher where Allan and his family make their home. We arrived in Kelliher at 10:00, visited Allan at work, as he had just got back from his annual school field trip to Battoch. Before leaving Kelliher, I discovered three fat bohemian Waxwings in Allan's yard looking very smug, just waiting for us to park the van under some tree. Now it was on to Regina. At Fort Qu'Appelle plans were made to have lunch with my father and on we went. We made it into Regina right on time went to meet he and my stepmother for lunch. After the waitress brought us the menus the cell phone came to life once more as he reported they were delayed and couldn't make lunch. Apologies were made to the waitress and we were on our way to check in with the movee. He was busy at work, we picked up his key and got a sandwich, then over to his apartment to begin our assault. By this time, we were already somewhat concerned, because Andrew who had a five hour trip to make and had a one hour advantage on us, should have been into Regina by now. As it turned out he did not show up until just after two. His jeep had thrown a wheel weigh near Brandon and what should have taken five hours stretched into eight. Matthew had not had time to get things packed, so his mother attacked that challenge and his dad, the computer geek, rumbled up and down the stairs of the apartment building moving his belongings out to be loaded in the vehicles. Some things to be returned to Tisdale, while others were to go to Winnipeg,, electronics in the Jeep, furniture in the truck, bump, bump, bump.

Matthew was off work at 2:30 but a line up of friends were there to see him off and wish him well, including one of the two girls with whom he shared the apartment The jeep was out of the shop at 5:30 and by then I had just about everything out, ready to load and Judy had begun the clean-up. Loading was a daunting task as we had limited room and the clouds meant we had to be water proof. After some humming and hawing, the bed was moved from the truck to the roof of the Jeep and everything was careful tied into place. At 8:45 they were all still moving, but the old computer geek from Tisdale was in need of a walker. We went to supper and just before ten the pickup and jeep were heading for Winnipeg and the van for Tisdale. But the FTLComm van was not leaving Regina until we got its driver an ice cream cone, which because of the closings meant it took forty-five minutes before we hit the road and it was 1:55 AM when we pulled up to the house in Tisdale. Meanwhile the Winnipeg bound drivers shut their engines off at Brandon for a one hour break and crawled into bed in Winnipeg at 7:00 Winnipeg, time this morning. Mundane simple stuff, but when you think about the way we accomplish our lives, what a wide range of skills and things we are called upon to do. If you look at the picture of the Jeep you can see the double bed and box spring with the bed frame and a book case tucked in between the two on the roof. The whole thing was made into a package within a canvas then tied down each seam sealed with none other then "gaffer" tape. But alas the adventure is not nearly over, at this moment all three vehicles are sitting still loaded and their contents have to be unloaded then Matthew and his oldest brother will head out from Winnipeg to Kelliher to return Uncle Allan's truck. This trip can not begin until after Matthew's job interview at 2:00 this afternoon. Twelve hours travel time ahead of them. Such are the transitions we make. We change where we are and what we are, location and identity transform, friends left behind, new ones to make, and more adventures to come.