First of all, I apologize for any confusion that resulted from the haphazard way I started communicating about the Gillgather next summer. I started out by trying to contact people by email complete with pictures of past reunions. When I discovered that I no longer have current email addresses for most people I switched to my phone and tried to send the same message and pictures by text. Unfortunately, that meant that I was limited to groups of ten recipients at a time. So I now had a group who I had sent email and 2 different groups who I had texted. I was sadly not up to the task of keeping track of who got sent what so some got it multiple ways and some not at all. I’m relying on the rest of you to make sure everyone who needs to know can find out.
This blog thing is the easiest way I could think of for an old man to keep everything straight and give everybody the same information. By using the comments section you can let everyone know if you’re coming, ask questions, or make suggestions. All you have to do is give your name and email address to add a comment. Then the comment gets sent to me and I have to approve it before anyone can see it. If you want to send me a comment but don’t want it published, just say that in your comment and I won’t give it approval. No one else but me will see your email address and this blog page is “hidden” from most search engines so your published comments are reasonably private but visible to family.
Besides using the link that I have sent to you by email or text, you can get to this blog from any device that is connected to the internet by going to scheerpin.com then scrolling until you see the link for the Gillgather blog and clicking on it. That will take you to the first post. At the end of the first post, on the bottom right you will see the words Second Post. Click on that and you will see this post.
Just for fun I’m going to add some pictures of the past reunions to this post. They are mostly the same ones I sent out to some of you by text and email in my earlier blundering. However, this time I’m going to label each one – pic1, pic2, etc. Your assignment (should you decide to accept) is to to identify the year for each picture and use the comments section to show us how wonderful your memory is. See if you can get them right. I’ll give the years in a future post. These first ones are all from gatherings from the farm.
Pic #1
Pic #2
Pic #3
Pic #4
Pic #5
Second post
Pic 1
July 2016
Ya that sounds good and fun
Hey guys! Alex from Airdire here. I’m making plans to stay the weekend. Julie kaidan and I will be bringing a trailer in Friday afternoon, Larry says he’s got lots of room for trailers. Dad and Adam will be in a hotel. We will be up for whatever plans people have. (I’ve been wanting to check out the Reynolds’s museum in wetaskawin-not a far drive Botha) Let us know if we can bring any foods…or anything!
Not sure if my first message made it through or if I just replied to Ian’s post. I’m any case, Trish and I are excited to come and will grab a room at the Ramada
Bill and Trish
Great to hear you are coming, Bill and Trish. I will be adding another post soon with more details so keep checking. Please remember that your comments will not appear immediately. I get an email first and then I have to approve it before it can be seen. I’ll try to stay on top of that…
Larry,
I would love to some bring foods. The Hutterite colony close by is starting to get fruits and veggies. I can grab a handful of things before we come. I also have a portable griddle and a smoker I can bring. I would love to smoke and babysit a brisket for the Saturday night!
Alex
Alex,
Thanks for your offers. Actually, I already have 2 smokers and 3 griddles so we won’t need any more. I will definitely take you up on your offer to help babysit the brisket smoking though. Our plan is to have things organized so the rest of you won’t need to bring much but yourselves (and lots of beer!) Heather Marie and Al will be here by Monday the 28th and Diana and Troy will be coming a day or two early as well to help get things ready. The six of us are going to have a conference call and make some plans and after that I’ll send a third post with more details on what we have planned.
(I received the text message below from Anne today and she agreed to let me share it here so everyone would know her family’s plans.)
Unfortunately John and I will be unable to come to the family get together he just spent 3 weeks in hospital with pneumonia and won’t be up to it tony and family will be in Manitoba and jj and ryan have a wedding in bc
Ian asked for directions from Botha to refresh his memory. Thought I’d put them here in case anyone else needs them. Go south from Botha on paved Secondary Road 850. At the second intersection turn right on Twnshp. Rd. 38-2. Go about 2 miles west and it’s on your left. The back entrance is now blocked off so continue around the curve and come up the lane. (If you start to go around the lake you’ve gone too far.)
Blue sign – 18571-Twnshp. rd. 38-2.
Got it, thanks Larry.
Hi everybody,
Larry, many thanks to you, Joan and your crew for putting this gathering together. It is very generous of you to do this. Seems like you already have everything in hand, but I can at least offer to be an extra pair of hands to help with meal cleanup, dishes, garbage collection, or whatever other chores there might come up where you need some extra help.
For those that are so inclined, I will be bringing a fine single malt for a tasting. I’ll also bring along some “fixings” that go really well in coffee, especially first one of the day. We also have some yard games we will bring along with us.
Cindy and I will be arriving Friday so count us in for pizza. Our plan is to leave after chicken dinner on Sunday night. Kate and Mark are also coming, and as usual, Mark will not be able to predict his train schedule in advance. So, it’s possible Kate will arrive with us and Mark will join us when he can. And, they might depart together or Mark may have to head back for work, so Kate will hitch a ride with us. That probably sounds confusing, so for planning purposes count them in on all the meals. They will be pitching a tent in the yard at Botha Manor. Joan and Larry, thanks for the very generous offer to occupy the Lower West Wing of Botha Manor, we accept.
You have seen that the rest of the Airdrie part of the clan will all be coming. Alex has already posted plans for himself, Julie, Kaidan and Tom. I know that Dave is also coming and I don’t know what his specific plans are, but I’ll remind him to post to the blog.
Looking forward to seeing everyone, safe travels!
Jim