DUSTIN
QUEZADA

JUST A THOUGHT

EV. BISHOP

Summer break

*ve been trying to ignore that fall is coming,

but I can’t. The waves that crash in Lakelse

Lake are autumn scented. The sun, though

brilliant, doesn’t pack the same heat at 3:00
that it did just days ago. The air, by 8:00 in the
evening, is crisp. And the other night it got dark at
9:30. Dark.

Summer’s end is bittersweet for me because
as much as I love the season’s changing, I always
have a nagging feeling that I haven’t done enough.
So as usual, I was feeling discouraged’about my.
lack of progress on the things I had planned to ac-
complish. Then I came across something I wrote —
during Spring Break.

This Spring Break, I gave up my kids. Not per- |
manently or anything, just for four days. I let them
go off with Chris and his cadets for a survival camp.

Sleeping outside in hootchies-in freezing weather :

was their idea of a dream come true. .
Me, on the other hand? By the time March break
rolls around I’m usually desperate for family time.

“No alarm clock. No frantic lunch making. No need

for.clean socks. Just leisurely, roll outta bed when
the urge hits, eat when the stomach growls, dress if

a situation demands it kind of days.
_ However, this spring break was different. 1 was
craving quality time all right, but it was me that I

wanted to reconnect with.
“Are you sure you don’t wanna come?” Chris
enticed. “It'll be fun. ‘You won't have to cook. The

_, kids’ll have a blast...

“Thanks, Hon. I kinda wish I could, but I need

' some time to write,” I said, not lying a bit. I did

kind of wish I could go. I like to say yes, to make
people happy. However, a bigger part of me kind of
wished to be as alone as possible.

After dropping off the kids, it was almost 9:00,
_ too late to work, so I decided to read. I turned to

my bookshelf. For the first time in my life, nothing
grabbed me. The TV in the other room called out
in an amazingly piercing voice, ‘““You could control
the remote. No one would know. Your retreat, great
idea; by the way, could start tomorrow...”

It could indeed. I watched TV until 3:00 a.m.

The upside of that is that only three hours of the

five were mindless repeats.
‘The next morning dawned bright and early. I

7 however, did not see the dawn of this day, or noon

either, for that matter. When I crawled out of bed
at 1:30, I mollified myself with the thought, I’ve
got all afternoon and evening to write. I won’t be
tired.

Unfortunately, returning e-mails and chatting -

on instant messenger for six hours was exhausting,
so I did the math. I could slough off my second

night — it had arrived so quickly — and still have 2

“The TV in the other room called
out in an amazingly piercing voice,
“You could control the remote.
No one would know. Your retreat,
great idea, by the way, could start
tomorrow... ad

1/2 productive days.
I awoke the next morning (afternoon) deter-

mined to write. Just as soon as I finished watch-

ing Dr. Phil nag people about their weight while I
polished off a plate of fried rice noodles that is. It
was very informative, but mentally taxing. I had a
small nap before getting down to work for about
two hours.

My treasured retreat was half over and I’d ac-

| complished almost nothing. It was hard to muster

up enough energy to feel really bad about it though
—I still just felt tired.

On my last full day, I did some editing, but
mostly managed some serious loafing about, but
I could feel something stirring at the back of my
mind... something like, inspiration? I went to bed
feeling happy that I’d gotten something done, but
more than a little sad. The next day was the last day

~ of my retreat and it was only a half-day at that, and

if I slept in, it’d be no day at.all...
‘But to my huge surprise, I bounded out of bed

at 7:30, and was at the computer, madly typing, cut- -
ting and pasting at 7:45. It’s amazing what a person

_can do in six hours. Best of all, somewhere in the
middle of getting lots done, as I sat hunched over -

my keyboard, it came to me; I was perfectly happy
and in my groove...

The retreat, not the high output time I’d planned
for, ended up being just what I needed — a rest. -

I need to remember that times of doing nothing
enable me to keep doing all the things I want/need

- to do. I will love autumn once it’s here, but for now,

summier’s not over yet. I’m going to sit by the lake
and pretend cooler weather’s not coming. Maybe

ril see you there.

*

TERRACESTANDARD ,

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - B1 ©

is}

Fall Fair...

Date changes but yearly family fun continues at Thornhill Community Grounds

LEFT:| Graham Peters

shows off. ‘his. pigeon. _
” Alexei, a Birmingham roller,

in the poultry barn @ three-
year-old Sarah Toth tries

to net a duck in one of the
amusement park games @
Robert Orrey learns how .
‘to put together a bike tire:

‘CLOCKWISE FROM - TOP-.

during the 4H Bike Demo ® . §:

Cassie Murphy sings to her
second place finish in the
‘Skeena Valley Fall Fair Idol
contest ® Andre Favron
tries to get his two red
rock cross pullets in. order
during the 4H poultry show
© Jason Derrick shows off
his shooting skill as he aims
for the target at the fair

7 viet é

THE SKEENA Valley Fall

Fair 2005 had its usual array

_of competitors. young and

old competing for bragging
rights in a number of varied
demonstrations. Below are
the winners in the individual
categories. Congratulations
to all competitors sand thanks
‘to the judges.

ADULTS
Cut Flowers
Dahlias: Norma Kerby:

Gladiolus: Penny Llewellyn; -
,Marigolds: Gayle Holtom;

Petunias: Penny Llewellyn:

- Roses: Norma Kerby; Sweet

peas: Ann Peltier; Perennial
collection: Kathy Tycho;

. Case of cut flowers: Kathy:

Tycho

Most Points $20 gift
certificate The Garden
Shed: Norma Kerby

Indian Summer ~ Table
arrangement$10certificate

‘at Uplands Nursery: Kathy

Tycho

Fruit

Apples (Green or yellow):

Norma Kerby: Apples
(red): Norma Kerby;
Blackberries: Martin

Holtz Bauer; Crabapples:
Norma Kerby; Currants

red: Martin Holtz Bauer:

Pears: Martin Holtz Bauer;

‘Plums: Martin Holtz Bauer;
Collection of fruit: Norma
Kerby

Most Points $15 Certificate °

Garden Shed: Martin Holtz
Bauer

Vegetables
Beans: Jaime 'Spyksma;
. Beets:
‘Onions: Martin . Holtz
Bauer; Peas: Yvette Favron:
Potatoes (other): Mary Beth
_ Esau; Potatoes (red): Martin
Holtz Bauer; Tomatoes
(small): Martin Holtz Bauer;

Tomatoes (green): Martin .

Holtz Bauer; Tomatoes
(ripe green house): Martin
Holtz Bauer

Special Most Points $15
‘Certificate Garden Shed:
Martin Holtz Bauer

Preserves
Apple sauce: Netty Olsen
~Gourle; Cherries: Jamie
Spyksma; Pears: Dawn
Glosset; Tomatoes: Down
Glosset; Collection of any
jams or jellies: Penny
Llewellyn; - -Raspberry
jam: Kathleen Pedro;
Marmalade: Kathleen
Pedro: Dilled cucumber
pickles: Jamie Spyksma;

Mary Beth Esau, —

‘Edna Fisher;

Sweet cucumber pickles:
Dawn Glosset; Pickled
beets: Penny Llewellyn;
Pickles collection: Dawn
Glosset; Chutney: Jaime
Spyksma . |

Wine

Red. sweet ‘berry herb or
root: Michele Rodgers;
White sweet berry herb or
root: Randy Rodgers; Rose
sweet berry herb or root:
Michele Rodgers; Liqueurs:
Martin Holtz Bauer; Other
wine: Randy Rodgers

Home Eggs.

Alyss A.B joraard

-Home Baking

Buns: Jaime Spyksma;
Fruit cake: Ann Peltier;
Baking powder biscuits:
Applesauce
cake: Penny Llewellyn;
Pound cake: Edna Fisher;
Brownies: Jaime Spyksma;

Drop cookies:. Carolyn
Stella; Molded cookies:
Carolyn Stella; Rhubarb

_pie: Jaime Spyksma

Textiles
Flannel! Quilt: Rachel
Muller; Quilt (machine-
quilted): Kathleen Pedro;
Ladies’ blouse: Rachel

~ Muller;

_ garment:

638-7283

Special occasion
table runner: Jessica Peters;
Ladies’ dress: Rachel
Muller; Ladies’ dress

casual: Theresa Hippisley;

Tailored article: Rachel
Muller; Any other article:

‘Rachel Muller
Special class $10 Terrace
Standard: Rachel Muller —

Special prize most
points $100 Certificate
FabricLand: Rachel Muller

Wool class:
Fleece unwashed: Trudy
Rafuse; Skein 2-ply
homespun wool: Kathleen
Stuart; Skein heavy
homespun wool: Kathleen
Stuart; Skein fibre other:
Trudy’ Rafuse; Skein
novelty wool:
Atkinson; | Hand-woven
Trudy Rafuse;

Hand-woven article: Kris

Lewis; Best colour design:

and combination: Kathleen
Stuart; Off-loom article:
Maureen Atkinson

Most points $15 Legion ©

Ladies Auxiliary: Kathleen
Stuart

Arts and crafts

Crochet and Knitting
Afghan: Debbie Weizell;

\
‘

Doll:

* Maureen

Marie . Mailloux;
Article not listed: Netty
Olsen Gourle; Toque and

scarf: Kathleen Stuart; Baby .

outfit: Debbie —Wetzell;

Afghan ° knitted: Debbie .
Wetzell; .. Article | from

- homespun: Kris Lewis;
Article other: Debbie .
Wetzell

Special prize$20 Certificate

Dynamic Health: Debbie

Wetzell

Conservation |

and education
Bouquet mix: Robert Orrey
(Special prize $10 Certificate
from Uplands Nursery);
Vegetable creature: Cecile
Favron; Miniature garden:
Cecile. Favron; Poster
leaves: Julia Pedro; Poster
ferns-grasses: Julia Pedro;
Poster wild flowers: Julia
Pedro; Artwork animal:

~ Jessica Ewald; Artwork

other: Gabi’  Metzmier;
Printing: Karyn Roseboom;
Handwriting: Della Orrey;
Poem: Jacob Roseboom;
Photo of people: Jacob
Roseboom; Photo animal:
Wayde Lindquist; Photo
other: Ryn Roseboom

Continued Page B3