The last trip to Mazatlan that I took with my family was the celebration of our Golden Anniversary that Marilyn and I enjoyed with our entire family two years ago. We all recall how beautiful that experience was when we all “bonded” in a fashion that our collective spirits can only appreciate. We are now merely adding to that “cup that continues to fill” with love.

As it has been my habit of late, I again awoke at 3:00 A.M., to thoughts that kept streaming through my head. They were creative thoughts and have recently improved in a positive fashion from the scattered and discontinuous “ramblings” in the past, that were most disturbing and troubling to my already tortured spirit.

So I rose out of the recliner in my office (I seem to move from location to location in my house) as I search for a “comfort zone” where I can drift back into slumber. This time I was reflecting on the three family occasions, this 2013 holiday season, where we were all able to again be entirely together: to laugh, embrace, love, revel, feast and toast each other to build on all that continues to be our family “wealth”.

So I decided that I would record these thoughts for eternity rather than continue to twist and turn like a dog or cat that “scratches” its resting place in a fruitless effort to make it a more comfortable place. I started thinking of Winston Churchill who would apparently spend the entire evening with his friends and associates, wining, dining and philosophizing and then in the wee hours of morning, begin his writing of speeches, reports and agendas that were the focus of his “finest hours” as Prime Minster of England during World War II challenges. I heard inspirational speakers suggest that no one should resist this early morning creativity as it is then that your best thoughts come forth with an ease that perhaps become personal highest achievements.

I have to preface this writing with the preparation that my parents afforded me in my youth as my role in the family and my personal responsibility as what comes first:

• Wake up early
• Feed the chickens
• Feed the horses and cattle
• Fill the rough with water for all the animals
• Open the coop and allow the poultry freedom to roam again in the absence of threats from weasels, skunks and coyotes
• Milk the cows and separate the milk
• Feed the calves with skim milk and take the cream to the “ice house” where it will keep until there was enough to fill a cream can and send away by rail to the Creamery some six times a month. This was the major revenue for clothes, etc.
• There were many other farm chores that were absolute necessities for survival on a family living farm

After all that I could go to school. This meant a fifty minute walk each way. Play was in all the time that remained.

Little did I realize the impact of all this upbringing would have on the development of my character and all those who grew up in a similar fashion.

University was first and then the job which would get me the car that I “needed” to sport a girl friend. Then there was the job that was needed to ensure my future. Of course, my role always seemed to be leadership and the responsibility associated with that.

With that responsibility, it was my understanding that the job was foremost before family. It became a routine that my family was always waiting for me to come home and share whatever time remained with them. So it became my depravation and disappointment that I missed out on too many segments of their lives which is now lost forever.

This Christmas, I decided to change my habits and I achieved a tremendous personal success.

My family had three major functions planned together:

• Daughter Lori’s fiftieth surprise birthday
• Christmas Eve
• Christmas Day

All these would be attended by all my family but I had a responsibility to the Kootenay Mens Choir as it was committed to performances at community events. I made my decision that my compromise would favor my family and so I left immediately after we sang at the Pentecostal Carol Fest and the Christmas Concert at the Brilliant Cultural Centre. Yes I was late for the family events but I at least captured and enjoyed the greatest portions.

I used my time to talk, one-on-one, with my grandchildren and here are the magnificent obsessions that I was able to experience and enjoy.

It was mostly the finest moments in my life and, as such, share with you now:

1. I started with my oldest grandson, Sean, who drove from Kelowna to attend all these family gatherings. After successful graduation with a Degree in Business, he decided that he wanted to take a practical approach to life and enrolled in a Millwright apprenticeship program. He is now rebuilding rock crushing equipment in Vernon, B.C. He enthusiastically explains all the various Trades People that he is associated with in his job. He logs some fifty hours a week and just loves it all. He aspires to become an Owner / Manager in the Heavy Duty Mechanical Industry. His practical expertise, coupled with his professional Business Degree should ensure a successful future career.
2. Roxy, his attractive partner, outlined her career as a Beauty Technician, doing everything with hair including trimming beards and moustaches (to the male population, of course, when they drop in). Interestingly, enough, she works on commission and essentially is rewarded for performance and ability by the customers that opt for her expertise.  She attended the appropriate schooling and now is applying her knowledge with practical application. Her goal is to purchase her own Salon.
3. I was not able to have a serious chat with Kayla, my senior granddaughter but I will reserve that to a time when both us can visit. In the interim, she has added to our family, our first great grandson, Maxx. What a hit this child has made ever since he joined our family this past summer! I know that she is planning a direction to add to her Health Services Management Degree with an application that will challenge her capability. For now she is enjoying serving as a Stay-at-Home Mom. I am looking forward to that interview.
4. Nathan, Kayla’s partner is now a Journeyman Electrician after serving his apprenticeship. They are obviously enjoying all the new challenges of a young family. This chat will also wait for a more opportune time.
5. Kara has now graduated in Human Kinetics and her first job is with Pure North Wellness Clinic in Calgary. She is now organizing the vitamin and supplement program for the Canadian Olympic Team. She has taken to this job with great enthusiasm as she likes what she is doing. At this time she is not sure of the exact direction her career should take and that is something that will require more research. At this time she is the “bread-winner” on their partnership. She sang a solo for Gramps, a special rendition of “Don’t Cry for me Argentina”. Tears came to my eyes as did to the entire audience at Lori’s birthday party. If I could only get her to the voice confidence of Celine Dion, there would not be much difference in the end.
6. Her partner Tyler continues with his Hockey Scholarship at SAIT and is now enrolled in Computer Programming. He is doing well in both and expects graduation in the summer of 2015. Both young people have a great future ahead of them and we all look forward to future interviews for updates. Kara’s parents bought him a Beer Fridge for a Christmas present so that he can get his weight up for more inertia in his hockey checking.
7. Allie has been taking correspondence courses in a gradual process to attain a degree in Nursing. She is enjoying an A grade in all her courses and is now getting practical experience as Director of a Group Home for seriously handicapped seniors in Peace River Alberta. She started this fall as a Worker and has already risen to Director. The Owner of the Group Home gave her a substantial Christmas bonus and a major raise in pay which demonstrates her total commitment to doing her job well. While all this is going on, she continues with her On-Line Studies and the A grades. She absolutely loves her job!
8. Her partner, Taylor, is due to achieve his Journeyman status as a Heavy Duty Mechanic. He currently logs long hours servicing Oil Pumping Stations in the Peace River area. Taylor spent his holiday with his family in the Okanagan and was unable to join us. Allie explains his challenges of servicing motors in 45 below weather. I can’t wait to be debriefed with this aspiring young man.
9. Garrett is now enrolled in Golf Course Management at Selkirk College and will achieve a Certificate this summer in this field. He had worked at a golf course in Osooyos, after two years as Captain of the Osooyos Coyotes. He now plays on the Selkirk Saints Hockey Team. Garrett is torn between becoming a Journeyman Carpenter, a professional Hockey Player or continuing in this field of Golf Course Management. The lure from Hockey Teams enticing him to join them continues to distract him. It will be interesting to see where the “beacon” directs him in the next short while. It is obvious that he is poised to succeed wherever he sets down.
10. Nigel has always shown signs of being a Graphic Designer and has been sketching since a small child. He has a full briefcase where he is accumulating his workings. It will be a treasure chest when he achieves his final career echelon. Since his grade twelve graduation, he has been trying to find a source of income that will raise enough capital to pay the tuition for Graphic Designer. His current job with City Furniture as Shipper / Receiver and Delivery Specialist has impressed his Employer to provide him with a substantial bonus of furniture which he proudly showed the family. What is exciting about Nigel is his thirst for knowledge and his ability to write. He emotionally read his latest poem at Christmas Dinner. It has been accepted by a local magazine for publishing. He is certainly following a Grandfather Elmer gene in that area. It will be exciting to watch this unfold with time.
11. Malcolm is in his graduate year at Stanley Humphries and continues being on the Honor Roll. At this point he is applying to Selkirk College in the Medicine and Marketing Programs. It will be interesting to see his success in achieving entry. This is the first year that Selkirk College has offered the Premed course and it is likely that there will be stiff competition. The beauty here is that he can take either course and live at home which can make College very affordable. In the interim, he works at Boston Pizza after being with Chopsticks, his friend’s family Chinese Restaurant. This one will also be an interesting career to follow. His drumming passion has progressed to playing in a local band.
12. Solomon continues to achieve invitations from professional Hockey Teams for try-outs. At fifteen he has already been at the Everett , Washington WHL Camp last Summer and achieved the top four Goalies status which was enough to have him signed for future reference as he is too young to play at this time. He has now received an invitation to attend the Michigan Hockey try-outs in the summer of 2014. What I have not been able to determine is whether it is hockey or girls (very handsome guy) that are distracting him from his formal education but he will need to improve this area in order to secure an invite to the Colleges and we are all confident that he will do just that.
13. Abby is in her undergraduate year at J. Lloyd Crowe and tells me that she wants to be an Educator like her father Kim. She is aspiring to the Human Kinetics field. In the interim she has developed great skills in all kinds of crafts. She has joined friends to place tables at Craft Fairs and has made bracelets and necklaces for the entire family which we all proudly display. Participation in sports also occupies her time and I was not able to get a list of boyfriends but I will just have to ask her sister Macy about that. Abbie is saving money for  Grad trip abroad in 2014.
14. Macy is the youngest and in grade six. Already we have seen her achieve great winnings in Karate and Track & Field. This slightly built young lady just seems to glide naturally into victory as most champions do. Of course sometimes boys distract young females from achieving their goals but she is a very determined girl. As he sister, Allie, Macy tells me that the Human Kinetics field is what she is currently aspiring to. She loves her Dad a lot and he is her idol as Athletic Director at Selkirk College. Perhaps this is influencing their choice but we will see as all this evolves.

So, I have compromised in favor of my family this Christmas as I am starting to do more and more. My rewards have been substantial in what I learned. I love all my family and I do feel that I should record this Christmas 2013 moment in their developmental history.

Elmer Verigin

Entered directly into Laptop. Last notation December 26, 2013