Comrey, Alberta at night

C U in 19

There is still a Drive-In Theatre near Kyle, Saskatchewan. 

I have fond memories of going to the drive-in when I was a teenager back in the early '70's...stashing a friend or two in the trunk along with a case of beer because we didn't have enough money for both admission and beer. Usually on a long weekend there would be an all-nighter of cheesy horror movies than ran from dusk 'till dawn . . . great fun!

See you there next season.

- Michael Truman

State of the blog address

This is kind of a state of the author address as well.

I started this blog one November a few years back. I cannot recall the date in November because I started with some posts, then scrapped them, then started again. I will just say the anniversary of this blog is sometime in November since it definitely was in November.

January 1 of this year I posted that this blog was going on hiatus. I was sick from a very nasty flu and very run down, my personal life could have been better, even worse was the fact I ran out ideas for this blog. Things seemed bleak in general at the time.

I was very pleasantly surprised to get some email and comments saying they would like me to continue. A few others were slightly angry that I might quit. It was a nice boost to the ego to receive that feedback and to know someone might miss what I am doing. When I wake up in the morning I grab my tablet and make the rounds of sites I like to read. I never really thought that people out there might be looking forward to see what I posted.

Out of the blue I got a truly unexpected email from Steve Boyko offering to contribute some posts. I was grateful to get that offer and took him up on it. I believe Steve is a very busy person with his own stuff and it was nice of him to take the time to help someone who, at the time, he and I had never met in person. It was an act of kindness that is very much appreciated since I was a bit of a low point at the time. His contributions helped me out and kick-started me posting again. I got to meet Steve in person later in this year. He turned out to be what I expected. I hope we meet up again sometime.

A blogger whose blog I really enjoyed reading and eagerly looked forward to his posts stopped blogging and ended his blog. I sent him an email and found out that he decided to stop blogging. I really did not want to see his blog end so I asked if he would like to contribute to this blog. That is how I got to add Michael Truman as a contributer. I love his perspective on some of our shared interests. I love very rural churches and his posts have shown me what I have been missing with some of the amazing churches he sees in small towns. I look forward to his posts and what he manages to find.

I have seen Jason Paul Sailer's photos and history posts on various Facebook forums and we correspond on irregular basis. He lives in a different part of Alberta and definitely knows a lot more Alberta history than I do. I might be wrong but I got the idea he might want to write a post or two. I asked him if he was interested in contributing. I was surprised he did as he seems to lead a very busy life. We have been to a lot of the same places and I like his perspective on things. I do not know how he finds the time to throw some posts my way. I do my best to ensure that contributors are credited for their posts with their name bolded and their posts tagged with their name.

In prior years I posted something at least once a day. In 2018 there were days this year where there were no posts. There are times when regular life intrudes and there is not enough time and material for a daily post. Page views took a dive compared to last year and seem to be recovering. I changed the name recently to "The View From Here" because I am not the only one posting here and views are different depending on where you are and who you are. People reading this blog have different views of the posts than I do.

I did not get to take as many excursions as I would have liked. Responsibilities and life take priority to taking off and exploring. Some odd things intruded as well. About five months ago my doctor was reviewing some tests and asked me some pointed questions about my family medical history and cancer. Apparently I had one of the possible signs of pancreatic cancer. Some further tests less than a month later ruled that out. That kind of thing will make one stop and think for a few minutes. I had a CT scan on my neck on Sepember 21 to see if there was anything causing my occasional headaches. Nothing showed up on the results. I do not get headaches that often, when I do they can be viscious, so no definite cause so far.

In the crazy busy last few months I had managed to get divorced. As an aside, paying for a lawyer can seriously cut into the road trip budget. The former spouse had me served March 2014 and then never followed up on anything. That always puzzled me. If I wanted to divorce myself from something I follow through. Since there was no movement on the plaintiff's part I pushed for a trial date which was to be November 5, 2018. If nothing was going to be settled beforehand then I wanted matters to be settled in court. The closer to the court date the more activity occurred and a few settlement offers came my way. Terms were discussed between lawyers several times and then terms were agreed to. Nothing happens until it does happen. I am reasonably happy with the end result. On to the next stage of my life, whatever that may be.

I had not spoken to her since a month before I was served and I doubt I will ever talk to her again. There is nothing mean spirited in that, it is just a statement of fact. She wanted a divorce, she eventually got one. That part of my life is closed. From this point on I have zero interest in what she does or where life takes her. 

So what is the next stage? I have been existing for the last few years in a bit of a holding pattern working my way to getting a divorce finished. Now what? I quit my job for one, I decided I needed a change. As an aside, when I handed in my two weeks notice I expected them to walk me to the door and mail what was owed to me. Instead they had me work the final two weeks but over those two weeks they killed off my passwords to all companies that I needed to access except for one. For my remaining time there was not much I could do and I could not see the point of keeping me here if I could not do anything. Anyway, I have no grand plan. There are a few minor plans. Life sometimes takes some unexpected turns so I will see what happens next. There will definitely be road trips.

The blog will carry on for now. I have my year end post scheduled so it will continue at least until then. 

Abandoned grain elevator

This is a lonely abandoned elevator in the middle of nowhere. To see how lonely this place is just type "Baring, Saskatchewan" into Google Maps. I do not think this was ever anything more than just a rail siding.

Where do you find a stone church?

On this road northeast of Regina in rural Saskatchewan.

Quick take - former one room schoolhouse

Avonlea School just west of Kenaston, Saskatchewan. I looked inside, there was nothing worth seeing, the interior was stripped long ago.

Lepine, Saskatchewan

This place had been on my list for some time. I do not have an actual list, just an informal hodgepodge of notes of places I want to visit. Once there was a post office, stores, and a stockyard here. The rail line was long abandoned and eventually torn up in 1981. Two abandoned grain elevators is what is left of Lepine, Saskatchewan. Photos were taken November 13, 2018.

Smuts, Saskatchewan

Smuts is a ghost town. This is St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church dated 1905. The Ukrainians built some absolutely gorgeous churches in Canada. Some of them have to be seen to be believed. I was so busy taking multiple shots of the outside I forgot to see if it was open. Another one of those places I will have to revisit in the summer months.

Abandoned stone house

House and a barn as a bonus just a touch north of Flaxcombe, Saskatchewan. A friend of mine knows the landowner. No time to stop as we were trying to beat an oncoming winter storm.

Random abandoned Saskatchewan farmhouse

The title says it all.

Abandoned church in Bresaylor, Saskatchewan

I previously stopped here in the summer of 2017. It was too interesting not to stop when driving by it this winter. There is nothing in Breysalor except one inhabited house and a couple of abandoned buildings.

Smilesville School 1906 - 1942

West of Kenaston, Saskatchewan November 15, 2018. You see a lot more old one room schools still standing in Saskatchewan than you see in Alberta. I took a look inside, the interior is unsafe and it was stripped of anything interesting long ago.

Abandoned stone house

Near McLean, Saskatchewan November 15, 2018. You rarely see stone buildings in Alberta. If you drive in rural Saskatchewan you see quite a few. This is on private property and was shot from the fence line from quite a distance. I would have loved to get an up close look. It seems to be in good condition.