WAITING FOR GORDON

      Before our city had a city bus service , a young couple set up a small bus service. They had routes in town and also served local towns. 

      The wife ran a combination bus station,  and waiting room. At times the schedule of the one bus they had was not always punctual. Apparently the wife would be on the street looking to see if her husband , Gordon was coming. 

      They were a hard working and likeable couple who provided a needed service. 

       The city built a large bus depot and put Hazel's statue in front of the new bus depot. 

FALL SCENES

      I was out a few days ago to get more photos. This set of photos is from the same place as the last photos. It's less than 100m from my house. There is the odd photo where you see a house but it's not mine.

YEH, I WON !

      Well, I didn't actually win money, but money was involved in principal. 

      Alberta has a very well organized interlibrary loan system. From time to time I get a book in from another library if my home library doesn't have the title. 

     The last time I got an inter library loan , I found a sticker on the book that said there was a $150.00 fine for a lost book and $150.00 fine for a damaged book. This really caught my attention. I took the book back and showed them the sticker with the fine. I almost asked for a written receipt that I had returned the book. 

    I put in a complaint to the library board. I didn't hear anything but the librarian I dealt with assured me that she took it to the board. Since it's interlibrary a provincial board makes the decision. 

    So I didn't hear anything until today. The fine notice had been erased from the books. 

    Needless to say,  I was happy. I had friends outside so I went over to them and told them I just had to tell them something. They were happy too.

   I encourage reading. A fine like this would very clearly discourage reading. 

A MUSICAL STATUE

     We had a very well liked and competent band teacher here for many years. When he came to this area he directed the band program in one of the nearby towns. The the local college started  music program and he began teaching at the college. He started symphonic winds where locals played with the students. When I volunteered for front of house in the College Arts center I never missed a symphonic winds concert. 

     Very unfortunately he was killed in a motor cycle accident when he ran into a car.

              There was a baton in his right hand but vandals kept on stealing it. 

MORE STATUES

     I've already showed opposites as honoring the founder of Red Deer and an escaped pig. There was a good variety of statues. It's too bad they don't make them anymore. The people behind these statues have passed away. 

     Today's statue is of Hazel Braithwaite. She was active in the community her whole life.  Hazel fought for women' rights. It was a fight that took a lot of time and guts. 

    Hazel voted in the first election women were allowed to vote in Canada. It was 1926 and still hard for women to vote. Hazel went to the polling station and found the door blocked be a number of men. I suppose it bothered Hazel, but she made her way in and voted.

    She was active in getting better  rights for women. 

A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD

      Yesterday' I noticed some places where there where some good photo ops. Yesterday was not good for getting the photos as it was too bright. So I though the next morning would be better. It was a good time for photos. 

     All these photos were taken in the close behind my house. All of them were taken less than 200 meters away around 9 AM

A FRIVOLOUS STATUE.

      We're not all serious, prim and proper in Red Deer. In my last post the founder of Red Deer was honored with a very appropriate statue. 

      We also have a statue of a pig! Here's the story as to why we have a pig statue. We had a small abbatoir close to downtown. One day a farmer was unloading some pigs. Some how one of the pigs escaped. It took off at a rapid pace and got into some brush and trees. Well, they left the pig and would look for him in the morning. The next day they  couldn't find the pig. It was winter so tracks were left. They found many places where the pig had taken shelter. Finally after a week or ten days, they captured the pig. 

    The pig was not in good condition. The powers that be thought it wasn't fair to kill the pig after his great fight. The pig went to a farm to live out his last days. 

    A few years later, some money was gathered to honor Francis the pig so a statue was made of Francis.