September 23

View of the day-The ski hill at Fort Qu'Appelle changes in wait for the snow.

A step back in time as we review yesterday's attempt to get the blog up. It was composed at the camper and them Marlyn had to find some signal...the lights were out in the main house, so dial-up was out. Oh well, only five miles to Balcarres, surely there would be wireless there.

Marilyn gets to Balcarres, finds signal but no place to park, so she drives around the block. At the last corner to get back to signal, there is an RCMP pickup waiting to turn the same way as she is going...what to do, what to do? It wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't going to be a quick trip so she didn't bring her wallet with all the ID they would surely ask for. Marilyn decided to make a run for it...well the internet, at least...and drive the extra 10 miles to Fort Qu'Appelle. He followed closely all the way into town, so by the time she found signal at the A&W, it was time to post and run. One time when we are not so dependant on the short battery life of the laptop, Marilyn will relate the "Pizza Hut Stalker" story.

Back to today...we woke up to sprinkling rain, but not enough to completely put a stop to any thoughts of combining. After breakfast, we decided to get the laundry together so that if it wouldn't go combining, we could at least get the laundry done in Ft. Qu'Appelle(FQ).

We went out to the field and Al finished filling the bin, then we moved the auger across the field to the other bin, quite a task to say the least. We had a ladder to get on the roof, but the ladder that was on the roof to get up to the lid was a feeder chain held on by baling wire. Weight-wise Marilyn drew the short straw and had to climb up to open it up, which will create a few bruises...the farmer will be the one to close it, for sure. We did a test and Marilyn took it into the elevator to get it tested. It was 14.5, but the farmer said to go ahead and just fill the bin.

Marilyn continued on to FQ to find a laundromat and perhaps get the blog done early. Because the laundromat was so busy, the loads were all staggered and she couldn't get any blogging done...that, and there wasn't any signal. By the time the laundry got done, a quick tour around town brought her back to the A&W, but this time the whole blog had to get done. Just when you think it will be a short one, the master of "making a long story, longer", gets rolling.

Now to find the ringing cell phone and go home...