December 2006 Update
May 15 | June 15 | July 1 | July 15 | August 1 | August 15 | September 1 | September 15 | October | November
"O Canada – my home and native land”. It’s been almost 40 years since I (Marilyn) left Alberta to live in the US -- and it’s still home. It was good to be there and to spend Christmas with family and friends – but it was sad to see that the old house (built in 1920) that I grew up in is no longer there.
Twelve of the Matthiessen family attended Christmas Eve Mass in Heisler – not at midnight though, like we used to do when I was a child. Then on Boxing Day, thirty-five of us gathered in my brother Gary’s new home – and then later on in the week, we visited with five other members of the family, including the youngest – who is just 3 months old. Thank you God, Our Father, for family – for my sister and four brothers and their spouses, three nieces and thirteen nephews (eight of whom are married and five of whom have children).
It was great too to see University of Alberta friends – four women from the Home Economics Class of ’61 -- at our annual lunch in Calgary on New Year’s Eve Day.
In Canmore, we enjoyed a huge Smitty’s breakfast with a Kenyan friend and her family -- and a niece, who had just arrived from Nairobi three weeks earlier, and who had already learned to snowboard in the mountains.
We had our first real experience of backcountry touring with a cousin and two of her women friends – in fresh powder and just below freezing temperatures. The snow covered mountains were awesome! Thank you God for helping us to get over Boulder and Deception Passes – and to ski the 11 km to and from Skoki Lodge (an historic log building constructed in 1930.)
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be will you all in 2007.
Youngest Matthiessen
U of A Friends
Kenyan Friends
Top of the World (Almost)