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. 

REV GAETZ

          A few years ago a group here got busy and had a number of bronze statues created about important historical events. I believe the first bronze made was of Rev. Leonard Gaetz.

         Rev. Gaetz came here to do a little preaching and promote the area for settlement of farming.  Many of his family came here and they were all active in the community. Rev. Gaetz just happened to have land that the railroad went through and where the railway wanted to establish a town.  

      So a very appropriate bronze was created and put on a bench at the center of downtown Red Deer. Rev. Gaetz is sitting on the bench as if watching all the people go by and visiting with them

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PENSIONS

       I have a neighbor who lives about 5 houses from me. She has lived in the house since she was about 5. Her parents passed away many years ago. I taught B in middle school and she's been my neighbor for 60 years.

      I often visit with B. Every once in a while the R word comes up. Today I jokingly brought up retirement. So she told me she's 64 and will retire at 65. 

    People who work for government or large corporations have pensions. Usually around 10% is taken from your salary to pay for your pension. You usually contribute to cover your benefit plan. 

     What I found out is that she knew nothing about retirement and how it works. 

     A big part of pension is the benefit plan. The benefit plan looks after us when we're working. So the benefit plan covers things like :teeth, eye sight, physio therapy, drugs, hearing, travel insurance and more.

    When you retire make sure you take the benefit plan with you. You still have to pay for the benefit plan but that's much less than paying 100% of you treatment. . Some people opt out of the benefit plan and that's a big mistake.

   There's much more to know when retiring. Make sure you get reliable advice. 

   I've been retired for 28 years so I know that I've had many benefits and it's given me a good life. 

BACK TO SCHOOL

       In many  jurisdictions school has been starting the last few  weeks.

       Today I was reminded of this yearly event when my grand nieces showed their kids on first day of school photo

      The first day of school photo was kind of a ritual. . In looking for photos I found many of my kids. It went from kindergarten to gr. seven or eight. Then they got too big for the back to school photo. I thought I had one where they came to the school I was teaching in and they were both in the same school. 

      My Mom lined us up on the first day of school and took a photo. 

                  My son and daughter starting kindergarten and gr two.

My brother and I starting gr. one and two. I had an abscessed tooth so my face is swollen. 

        I taught for 37 years so had all these kids who'd just had their pictures taken by their Mom. 

HUMMING BIRD

      Every year I get a visit from a hummingbird. One bird . One visit. That's it.

      Two weeks ago I was at the edge of my vegetable garden and out of the corner of my  eye, the humming bird flew to the middle of my garden and then zigged and was gone. I could not see any color or make an identification.  The whole thing was over in a second. I'm used to this kind of visit.

     At one time I had scarlet runner beans running up a trellis on the side of the house. I did get more visits with the beans but not many.

    I enjoy birds and like to watch humming birds. I've  been places where they have a feeder and many visits are made through out the day.

    I guess I'll have to be satisfied with what I get.