tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3216261367601434562024-03-22T19:56:25.212-06:00DriverWorks Ink publishingDriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.comBlogger230125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-36396501146034082502024-03-22T19:55:00.000-06:002024-03-22T19:55:53.071-06:00One Book One Province launch of Miss G and Me at Government House in Regina<span style="font-family: verdana;">What a fabulous evening of celebration we had at Government House in Regina, Saskatchewan as author Jennifer S. Wallace's memoir about her mother, <i><b>Miss G and Me</b></i>, was launched as the <b>One Book One Province</b> title for 2024!</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Saskatchewan Library Association's <b>OBOP </b>program encourages libraries, book clubs, and individuals all across Saskatchewan to read this book and share discussions about the story. Jennifer will be presenting at various libraries across the province during April. See the schedule <a href="https://www.saskla.ca/programs/one-book-one-province">here</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8_MFPo8RKojHIxLKXankdVaaxzzhJDrdMaqcOltLvr_Hmxohyphenhyphentyi7eKZCToPYWPAaFsHCGC3GxZdtEkF31aQ-WR-TBwOafQDseO6Syex2-NEROCfQcCV4vYVGWBBKYJL20iYAh4MXSENW_PsbUCcF-fBLwl69sU08atfB9ojyEb2ouwB5umTlyiSRcA/s1200/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20-%20Jennifer%20S%20Wallace.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="780" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8_MFPo8RKojHIxLKXankdVaaxzzhJDrdMaqcOltLvr_Hmxohyphenhyphentyi7eKZCToPYWPAaFsHCGC3GxZdtEkF31aQ-WR-TBwOafQDseO6Syex2-NEROCfQcCV4vYVGWBBKYJL20iYAh4MXSENW_PsbUCcF-fBLwl69sU08atfB9ojyEb2ouwB5umTlyiSRcA/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20-%20Jennifer%20S%20Wallace.jpg" width="208" /></a></div></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><i style="font-family: verdana;">Miss G and Me</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> is a gracious memoir that Jennifer penned about her mother, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ruth Williamson (aka Miss G). Ruth left Jamaica at a young age, under her mother's direction, to pursue a nursing education in England. Ruth then chose her own path, which led her to Canada, like so many immigrants in the late 1960s. Unlike many immigrants from the Caribbean at that time, Ruth ended up in rural Saskatchewan, working as a nurse while adjusting to the culture and climate of the Canadian Prairies. <br /><br />Ruth’s life is one of resilience and determination. She married Ian MacLeod in Saskatoon in 1971, blending cultures in a mixed-race marriage unusual for its era. She built a nursing career that spanned over forty years, and mentored women and children from other countries and backgrounds. It wasn’t until the nickname “Miss G” came up during a phone call from Jamaica that Ruth's daughter, author Jennifer Wallace, began asking more questions and unraveling the mysteries of her mother’s life. </span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jennifer uses anecdotes, journals, poetry, and essays to explore their relationship and lessons learned from her mother. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The book invites readers and listeners to experience Jamaican, English, and prairie Canadian voices, cultures, landscapes, and mindsets.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am delighted to have played a role in bringing this story to light, and proud that my company, DriverWorks Ink, published this fascinating cultural gem.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Enjoy these photos of our exceptional evening celebrating this wonderful Jamaican-Canadian story.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIe_o9hVSpTUqc9w0JTWAFbY267lABx4g9xukf8zATKy6D6QXEuYK6pKGt4_jrC8qCwkUo1GWSkBNYOo32uC8f5_Km2EsEJWKVv8PTBQ5A5liXTUX_MGXQeBUIw-73zUkDW-urrw9L2Xdbd9frrhGB1hFF0DTRHh0I7R-DZesvRHB7DHd4ljwTS4pnxHI/s4032/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_123834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIe_o9hVSpTUqc9w0JTWAFbY267lABx4g9xukf8zATKy6D6QXEuYK6pKGt4_jrC8qCwkUo1GWSkBNYOo32uC8f5_Km2EsEJWKVv8PTBQ5A5liXTUX_MGXQeBUIw-73zUkDW-urrw9L2Xdbd9frrhGB1hFF0DTRHh0I7R-DZesvRHB7DHd4ljwTS4pnxHI/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_123834.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to Government House, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhk8vAIWNlIlTyR6Ib0rvxgGtG_A3ZSGjIu3IQAzn7N1x6ls0M0j2nMWICHUeuTLMKwAlvHBQGYXnu9OqZU6dzS1of62heH1_t3ts3m3gd-Nl6VF2yumf08CUMqC0AfwKa_beCxgN1lbHXzSoy-yRokEUkVMpNvL89ad0TFxin_kEApcGO08BdUkCmXE/s4032/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_130620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhk8vAIWNlIlTyR6Ib0rvxgGtG_A3ZSGjIu3IQAzn7N1x6ls0M0j2nMWICHUeuTLMKwAlvHBQGYXnu9OqZU6dzS1of62heH1_t3ts3m3gd-Nl6VF2yumf08CUMqC0AfwKa_beCxgN1lbHXzSoy-yRokEUkVMpNvL89ad0TFxin_kEApcGO08BdUkCmXE/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_130620.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carolyn Speirs, Executive Director and Private Secretary of the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, attaches a microphone to help Jennifer S. Wallace get ready for a CTV News interview </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQzigdH0kj85RN-rsaGFnmuntZVk95bYSaphLpwlqW13-lAnWHEZQIsYP7rpsNzeK7UXhkMnEhCJNvTrrq1t67wylczuVveuf-Vexv7U4Ocl7dd1NV3aPJ443EDqxV4GMFSqKvTf7qDPWnt8k2tCJUfX5bkahD8UyJzK1VD9iSKM-3CkhZN5v0jLzojY/s3384/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_131100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3384" data-original-width="1766" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQzigdH0kj85RN-rsaGFnmuntZVk95bYSaphLpwlqW13-lAnWHEZQIsYP7rpsNzeK7UXhkMnEhCJNvTrrq1t67wylczuVveuf-Vexv7U4Ocl7dd1NV3aPJ443EDqxV4GMFSqKvTf7qDPWnt8k2tCJUfX5bkahD8UyJzK1VD9iSKM-3CkhZN5v0jLzojY/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_131100.jpg" width="167" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jennifer S. Wallace, all set to be interviewed about her award-winning book <i>Miss G and Me<br /><br /></i><o:p></o:p></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1CWio-9Eoho9lTijeS-iRYnR7LS7rVB_bcvb9JmpQWgl_TabzWearvHZsqBbGVv_vlfZVWT1mRn-VYQtOuOS_wI4odjBLEQIi9OPwcx9PCdFoaoNFzK1lC7JYhP_leuh96YettxwBPUhgr-8YcCCysrGTOvEypvGOxxskr_gR9YtEwiHZIBujT0hEaeY/s2690/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_133300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2690" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1CWio-9Eoho9lTijeS-iRYnR7LS7rVB_bcvb9JmpQWgl_TabzWearvHZsqBbGVv_vlfZVWT1mRn-VYQtOuOS_wI4odjBLEQIi9OPwcx9PCdFoaoNFzK1lC7JYhP_leuh96YettxwBPUhgr-8YcCCysrGTOvEypvGOxxskr_gR9YtEwiHZIBujT0hEaeY/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_133300.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Publisher Deana Driver of DriverWorks Ink, Saskatchewan Library Association One Book One Province representative Colleen Murphy, and author Jennifer S. Wallace at Government House, Regina, SK, Canada, March 21, 2024</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXWvvn1kdBb3ocncscmq9RmbXrfaRa8BSD47JN9DjUxKIid-6a_HRGqWGKz9PEK9vijY8YGgBdd0gYnG8t6tX2s_oTsVUaVpbULHZCOs80_NpQ3bExVvaR5hQLYSGcvwUHtb7xgXqetck2c6Irty3Ierd7OzhqVT_tZuJkgOtNNUOuqnE86C86PZbgKzM/s3496/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_184023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3496" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXWvvn1kdBb3ocncscmq9RmbXrfaRa8BSD47JN9DjUxKIid-6a_HRGqWGKz9PEK9vijY8YGgBdd0gYnG8t6tX2s_oTsVUaVpbULHZCOs80_NpQ3bExVvaR5hQLYSGcvwUHtb7xgXqetck2c6Irty3Ierd7OzhqVT_tZuJkgOtNNUOuqnE86C86PZbgKzM/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_184023.jpg" width="166" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">Jennifer S. Wallace poses with her <i>Miss G and Me</i> book at Government House, Regina, SK, Canada</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ClcX5YhnpwZm5tPAkQK5JMWBCcM9onCgZT6XuH4Mtms60fgYG2SSui_p512jdZWU7SnJxtKIc918-XEhKvRBRadRTXXhz0DCTW4djeTnuHxkWIJmNUXo_KQGLvNqiahJUNwBI_EJhixrKa9SsKA-awsQH4qe7CaupSYT76VYA-D-VOvVBnOfl8n_mqI/s4032/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_184921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ClcX5YhnpwZm5tPAkQK5JMWBCcM9onCgZT6XuH4Mtms60fgYG2SSui_p512jdZWU7SnJxtKIc918-XEhKvRBRadRTXXhz0DCTW4djeTnuHxkWIJmNUXo_KQGLvNqiahJUNwBI_EJhixrKa9SsKA-awsQH4qe7CaupSYT76VYA-D-VOvVBnOfl8n_mqI/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_184921.jpg" width="144" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">Jennifer S. Wallace with Mary Harelkin Bishop, another award-winning DriverWorks Ink author and Jennifer's mentor on the <i>Miss G and Me</i> book project</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWqSfHpwbTjThVaZX0_GRJPaMhRgdDca3zCYIAjdrxJoSb2Ez9QzhR4HEfb5BSMFRt-JLaKT0tekzxcAiYNk9Um-6Y-TRfNn-dkTaRUCBcezHaytetXs5eRiebn6m8z6z_QcXB1Jssurnng4zF-SJaNYaJOh8FoYwNZdYQf1CwYUKD8xcWLS1jX6yEZo/s2337/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_190059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="2337" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWqSfHpwbTjThVaZX0_GRJPaMhRgdDca3zCYIAjdrxJoSb2Ez9QzhR4HEfb5BSMFRt-JLaKT0tekzxcAiYNk9Um-6Y-TRfNn-dkTaRUCBcezHaytetXs5eRiebn6m8z6z_QcXB1Jssurnng4zF-SJaNYaJOh8FoYwNZdYQf1CwYUKD8xcWLS1jX6yEZo/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_190059.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">Publisher Deana Driver with Jennifer S. Wallace and her mother Ruth, aka <i>Miss G</i><br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbV3GquM8A81pgzfNgmddKVWv6meNP_QaTzQ7fAmiXACjT7SpAhGvynRFO3PwQnnAzvT0ueNX1opy-EcDe4bDxTshAbn8OGqC9fh_teXmcAlxlgAT9kuuWy9XPmS4B_c3vXZTXTlZ3LF2rO65vnt606jfMUzyAlk4TYBYAmgwqYsx_kWEf9-0KjJtFLw/s2310/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_190213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2310" data-original-width="1872" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbV3GquM8A81pgzfNgmddKVWv6meNP_QaTzQ7fAmiXACjT7SpAhGvynRFO3PwQnnAzvT0ueNX1opy-EcDe4bDxTshAbn8OGqC9fh_teXmcAlxlgAT9kuuWy9XPmS4B_c3vXZTXTlZ3LF2rO65vnt606jfMUzyAlk4TYBYAmgwqYsx_kWEf9-0KjJtFLw/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_190213.jpg" width="259" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan Russell Mirasty meets Miss G and her daughter Jennifer<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqCn2Pfr3-vzLIqw09b75rgbrCbqEwv3PioL0I0K9VQGiy1wiRhCpU72_4ma5ljDBK2D7Tvh3IxnJ9BIJkqX_AfojJM_B412tAOWRg3hASRc4AeBFU2-LatbuF9OdITx3b7ORLJ65Hffjq_VMCbcOtscT4tz1ChER0b7r1UTyYfXAYdC3XbTbYeXvaF4/s2917/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_190352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1785" data-original-width="2917" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqCn2Pfr3-vzLIqw09b75rgbrCbqEwv3PioL0I0K9VQGiy1wiRhCpU72_4ma5ljDBK2D7Tvh3IxnJ9BIJkqX_AfojJM_B412tAOWRg3hASRc4AeBFU2-LatbuF9OdITx3b7ORLJ65Hffjq_VMCbcOtscT4tz1ChER0b7r1UTyYfXAYdC3XbTbYeXvaF4/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_190352.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">Saskatchewan Library Association representatives Colleen Murphy and James Hope Howard with Jennifer Wallace, her mother Ruth, and Their Honours Donna Mirasty and Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan Russell Mirasty, at Government House, March 21, 2024<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW1qWioC0kP7s3ixqfVB3DyqmGU4XZGOUEmhbb5MSFE5y-0dujncnpIRCgsj3J300jCqEsGv4QL2QdGlhZY-yiZ9fLlA2jGJskL1jDKBLUd8Hv6U7D7ImohsHjHdrNln865Q8iKufpM-GOm6FefShZARJq5gqR4SXG23ShG9kjDM2luUfWd6mPvfMzfJo/s3107/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_190937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3107" data-original-width="1743" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW1qWioC0kP7s3ixqfVB3DyqmGU4XZGOUEmhbb5MSFE5y-0dujncnpIRCgsj3J300jCqEsGv4QL2QdGlhZY-yiZ9fLlA2jGJskL1jDKBLUd8Hv6U7D7ImohsHjHdrNln865Q8iKufpM-GOm6FefShZARJq5gqR4SXG23ShG9kjDM2luUfWd6mPvfMzfJo/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_190937.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">Carolyn Speirs, Executive Director and Private Secretary of the Lieutenant Governor's office, emceed the 2024 OBOP launch at Government House</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2418" data-original-width="1760" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5upwlBU6r_aZUk4RX9B_-BvOCOa8yVTotsXHyWHnWYytE1nvO0Jiwwg4l8BFNFL6G1p455e35vCX9FGQGVfGGW6an_tM29vAZExwTmhrCcI5AW6M3sT5URnsnfrHzsBl9ysSLfUQQ-w59-nQvKuOUGPnOr8fTEvR_s59iGD5HQ5xNtPJMKZd8em-EWs/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_191353.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="233" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">Desmond McAllister's steel drum performance set the tone for the OBOP launch of <i>Miss G and Me</i><br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscdxItQuNwxuSL08zdiAht_QeeEv0NeJNFzlBAFItsob1A7YJuJtXHPfmo0VQTXdoLQmAZsludG24VtMxd1xgtaybJ72nU32b4RGvyUIumzxIP5HAAHWKKBOc33wEp8tkKNaxLnpuJvyr8NnscaNGoKLkeCyj3WL2UIm9lOVOkQAM6U_k2y5sUR92R6M/s4032/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_191343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscdxItQuNwxuSL08zdiAht_QeeEv0NeJNFzlBAFItsob1A7YJuJtXHPfmo0VQTXdoLQmAZsludG24VtMxd1xgtaybJ72nU32b4RGvyUIumzxIP5HAAHWKKBOc33wEp8tkKNaxLnpuJvyr8NnscaNGoKLkeCyj3WL2UIm9lOVOkQAM6U_k2y5sUR92R6M/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_191343.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian and Ruth (Williamson) MacLeod, Jennifer Wallace, and Their Honours enjoying the steel drum performance</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVlnTbL9DTB-RSOsp5rPSD6to-XesgB9D93mV1r_mo5njvdFc6GJCww5o_JUZBaQVn5rubfn-0xK2Rejdk6RfcRDMooBRNHIclyp_wIalaTE1ILVZmhu_zqDn5AmWOVoTH3vr3aPtucl2KT_0iv4Nq11nHeZecb6RdErUUIEbzBPzUZT19IgsKmhUMpg/s3322/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_191848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3322" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVlnTbL9DTB-RSOsp5rPSD6to-XesgB9D93mV1r_mo5njvdFc6GJCww5o_JUZBaQVn5rubfn-0xK2Rejdk6RfcRDMooBRNHIclyp_wIalaTE1ILVZmhu_zqDn5AmWOVoTH3vr3aPtucl2KT_0iv4Nq11nHeZecb6RdErUUIEbzBPzUZT19IgsKmhUMpg/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_191848.jpg" width="175" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan Russell Mirasty expresses his appreciation for the sharing of this important cultural story<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoa5RMjNG8O45FdyzrWXwM8bwJm2azN_c8WK0_HoPpYATlzsFw4e-PJ-S5B9YdSY8RfFPgLMwRhFXTfYy5SeLYXubR_qpgEKpJy3D0iAEpzoXQ7xiAQW3Bs_jHkaCEkHfMEMQOXwkub-cEk-rSV8hmJz_kRklb-taJFOg8GNqYUBy8Bm4J9PbbvIfwMY/s3156/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_191857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1732" data-original-width="3156" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoa5RMjNG8O45FdyzrWXwM8bwJm2azN_c8WK0_HoPpYATlzsFw4e-PJ-S5B9YdSY8RfFPgLMwRhFXTfYy5SeLYXubR_qpgEKpJy3D0iAEpzoXQ7xiAQW3Bs_jHkaCEkHfMEMQOXwkub-cEk-rSV8hmJz_kRklb-taJFOg8GNqYUBy8Bm4J9PbbvIfwMY/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_191857.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan Russell Mirasty addresses the audience</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZmr15gZjTE8VdHCnghSuAvrETH6_8Pv4UP-5gnDMjM5qmxOouu_AJdTduY7g92AmwvAx_swdhP1rBYTcjztrCgodV8IvVaQTcQZabIPydLA-RuXFy5UqpFB-asEE56VhCSGrKVNeXGkFTYH_lxJX2VZ-iS2zIE9rwQGkDNXxGxmD-ruy0h1hVlQjzU8/s3384/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_192342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3384" data-original-width="1625" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZmr15gZjTE8VdHCnghSuAvrETH6_8Pv4UP-5gnDMjM5qmxOouu_AJdTduY7g92AmwvAx_swdhP1rBYTcjztrCgodV8IvVaQTcQZabIPydLA-RuXFy5UqpFB-asEE56VhCSGrKVNeXGkFTYH_lxJX2VZ-iS2zIE9rwQGkDNXxGxmD-ruy0h1hVlQjzU8/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_192342.jpg" width="154" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">James Hope Howard, president of the Saskatchewan Library Association, drove from La Ronge to Regina for this event</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13U-B41aCkpVEnL0SHkd_VxPtmg2LmTG_k5sEbE92hRevacLFJ7ZJlnEh4L7U0VL3F6ScKs2Oc4hiq4Cjs2Cv-QdPnxMPCWsIvCEgO_OhFHR-oEgtDQqyIVdndGLsa5Pj3udqqe0drxtDm4RSYHVAMnGsUJ0JxLbctVnPdFWndrf8JrxSB61HBtestXM/s3840/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_192605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13U-B41aCkpVEnL0SHkd_VxPtmg2LmTG_k5sEbE92hRevacLFJ7ZJlnEh4L7U0VL3F6ScKs2Oc4hiq4Cjs2Cv-QdPnxMPCWsIvCEgO_OhFHR-oEgtDQqyIVdndGLsa5Pj3udqqe0drxtDm4RSYHVAMnGsUJ0JxLbctVnPdFWndrf8JrxSB61HBtestXM/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_192605.jpg" width="151" /></a> <br /><br /></td></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZdvxRUB_BCvGCpPSMv7lTzqdibdpibLHLd-SIb1iLIiZ_0t8NLACk4vGsPkLZPNVGWGmsse10b2kE5L1tuiY2ZnUqmSDOs9RdjjsD8XVBnQrkgwqCyjIGZWjVqwxo_aORgWc9dQqEJf9zGBAg_tL6mIGfAGWO3SXTEmlYsFw2TlAC2ULV-mbbprdAFE/s3027/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_192522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3027" data-original-width="1580" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZdvxRUB_BCvGCpPSMv7lTzqdibdpibLHLd-SIb1iLIiZ_0t8NLACk4vGsPkLZPNVGWGmsse10b2kE5L1tuiY2ZnUqmSDOs9RdjjsD8XVBnQrkgwqCyjIGZWjVqwxo_aORgWc9dQqEJf9zGBAg_tL6mIGfAGWO3SXTEmlYsFw2TlAC2ULV-mbbprdAFE/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_192522.jpg" width="167" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">Jennifer S. Wallace shares serious and humorous excerpts from her book <i>Miss G and Me</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdrAYHwAxpaWUPaOcK1y-0ZsoZW8bMO3f-4nXQJmybX0LXHaV8X0MkaxV89u3D49kkuxJg34qp7cmu0Yq7F3raxOybWQW3m-0EYi94aXSsjSFaxnsL-CJAO08kBemkyAHr2ZHsco6DzASe-BteoTW-9YSWEAnytxxa47tt-nM5y70owENrru5Z5GJQXkE/s3853/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_201210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="3853" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdrAYHwAxpaWUPaOcK1y-0ZsoZW8bMO3f-4nXQJmybX0LXHaV8X0MkaxV89u3D49kkuxJg34qp7cmu0Yq7F3raxOybWQW3m-0EYi94aXSsjSFaxnsL-CJAO08kBemkyAHr2ZHsco6DzASe-BteoTW-9YSWEAnytxxa47tt-nM5y70owENrru5Z5GJQXkE/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_201210.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">At the book sales table, publisher Deana Driver of DriverWorks Ink with helpers Nadine Klassen and Mary Harelkin Bishop</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrZMhb4qctEr5_XD0h1MXaPw3HrOTdoSDKJ8EHAWKt21N_Ej7fcE_dZ4IPjSrpknoZBjU_eFQfER9rAgMU9sEYGCMbyEFXJAtOEEPKCLzwJnDdwiUZBdVM58m1Bz-GhZHFv6iVKr09VnWaVY_IzkNeqycP85mbILGOD_wJjpIuzNnfMucrU_sprsQX5M/s4032/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_202643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrZMhb4qctEr5_XD0h1MXaPw3HrOTdoSDKJ8EHAWKt21N_Ej7fcE_dZ4IPjSrpknoZBjU_eFQfER9rAgMU9sEYGCMbyEFXJAtOEEPKCLzwJnDdwiUZBdVM58m1Bz-GhZHFv6iVKr09VnWaVY_IzkNeqycP85mbILGOD_wJjpIuzNnfMucrU_sprsQX5M/s320/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20OBOP%2020240321_202643.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">A reception in the Government House ballroom followed the author's reading</span><br style="text-align: left;" /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Author Jennifer Wallace and publisher DriverWorks Ink are grateful to the Saskatchewan Library Association for choosing </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">Miss G and Me</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> as their 2024 One Book One Province title. We appreciate the support and encouragement of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the beautiful venue of Government House. We also acknowledge the book publishing support from Creative Saskatchewan and we thank all those who helped make this book a wonderful reality.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">(Order your copy of <i>Miss G and Me</i> </span><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/miss-g-and-me/" style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="text-align: left;"> o</span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">r <a href="mailto:deanadriver@gmail.com" target="_blank">contact DriverWorks Ink</a> directly for educational and library discounts.)</span></div></div></div>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-38096447039359881672024-03-04T14:39:00.005-06:002024-03-04T23:33:45.447-06:00Beauty in a tree branch<p>While sorting through some boxes, I found this photograph I had taken in my days of being a for-hire photographer. I didn't do as well at that job as I would have liked, mostly because I didn't have very expensive photography equipment in the 1990s - being a struggling creative artist and all that. Hmmm... that's still the case actually, but I digress.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSytuUyXc5K8HZq4ER4YQhyphenhyphensEHhZ-BXngLDbcH7fUlQTnQBt4lC8hmcSKWgt6nefKYQ64Gf0SoSpFHlZB87IDM2FYQ3ziDSys1fNFVXJrOy_HU1qeS3vlYqWU8wIzGeDm16kvpv-i0eyOwxCzkzaE4e1IpBuoCJTgpJjUF_SF9J5fQt-hsiHRsdLoBbU/s1598/Deana%20Driver%20photo%20-%20tree%20branch%201990s.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1598" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSytuUyXc5K8HZq4ER4YQhyphenhyphensEHhZ-BXngLDbcH7fUlQTnQBt4lC8hmcSKWgt6nefKYQ64Gf0SoSpFHlZB87IDM2FYQ3ziDSys1fNFVXJrOy_HU1qeS3vlYqWU8wIzGeDm16kvpv-i0eyOwxCzkzaE4e1IpBuoCJTgpJjUF_SF9J5fQt-hsiHRsdLoBbU/s320/Deana%20Driver%20photo%20-%20tree%20branch%201990s.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Nowadays, most of us carry a cellphone camera that surpasses the camera, lenses and lights I carried in boxes then.<p></p><p>I fell in love with photography when I learned about it in journalism school in the early 1970s. I even had a darkroom in the basement bathroom of one of my homes in the '80s. The bathroom was specifically built so no light came in to disrupt my developing skills (literally and figuratively). That's likely the place where I developed the roll of film and printed this photo of wintertime tree branches.</p><p>I love this photographic reminder that beauty surrounds us, often in unexpected places ... such as when you look up after a lunch break while delivering books to a shop in Emerald Park, SK - as in my photo below from earlier this winter!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwVIIi_NsYyWJEQHd15PQNwXDLoz-gAIS62jwpVKgZzTAQp2S6SeZ-IutYrDMBIX88cfleOtxneNf2GMOg2B4WFYoNCHkCuH_qQnijqNO95JNLjLj3CejVfVPkPpOKgIvJx0KhanDUe4ZpAawecvSj3yDqog2RJVjWvNj51u0eQp3xXYhndwYEBmWZn4/s2398/Deana%20Driver%20photo%20-%20tree%20branches%202024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2398" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwVIIi_NsYyWJEQHd15PQNwXDLoz-gAIS62jwpVKgZzTAQp2S6SeZ-IutYrDMBIX88cfleOtxneNf2GMOg2B4WFYoNCHkCuH_qQnijqNO95JNLjLj3CejVfVPkPpOKgIvJx0KhanDUe4ZpAawecvSj3yDqog2RJVjWvNj51u0eQp3xXYhndwYEBmWZn4/s320/Deana%20Driver%20photo%20-%20tree%20branches%202024.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-674970298108235712024-01-11T21:30:00.002-06:002024-01-11T21:30:29.887-06:00Starting the new year in Cuba<p>Varadero, Cuba was where I rang in the new year. Technically, I watched a movie in my room at our resort instead of partying, but that's beside the point. I was in a warm climate with people I love, taking a break after a busy year of work and other activities.</p><p>My youngest daughter, Dani, had invited me to travel to Cuba with her and her family (who don't share family photos on social media). I was delighted to accept the invitation. I've travelled a lot over the years, but I'd yet to go to Cuba. I had heard responses from other travellers who either loved Cuba or really disliked it, with not much in between. We, fortunately, chose a great resort and had a lovely time at the Iberostar Bella Costa. Our resort had friendly staff, comfortable and clean rooms, a great pool and beach, local musicians entertaining us at mealtime and in the evenings, and a variety of foods for every meal. The New Year's Eve buffet was exceptional!</p><p>Here's a glimpse at my Cuba vacation - in photos...</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1eOepWSgEQdVfdVLMHPCM7ks85oIRtiAXtLlbV0hxkDDW4fkb6U5754Ri8YaeglpzOMXjQn1JOBMK8szj6J5yc7_LKXpXXVfTcYFnfbhDgWwuuL74cUA3BkR5ViG539VXENgOoGANADFb54AWi7JoGvs22iCGCX184p54k9XtcpVKPfD592EWlAeu-E/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1eOepWSgEQdVfdVLMHPCM7ks85oIRtiAXtLlbV0hxkDDW4fkb6U5754Ri8YaeglpzOMXjQn1JOBMK8szj6J5yc7_LKXpXXVfTcYFnfbhDgWwuuL74cUA3BkR5ViG539VXENgOoGANADFb54AWi7JoGvs22iCGCX184p54k9XtcpVKPfD592EWlAeu-E/w320-h144/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2001.jpg" title="Varadero beach - Deana J Driver photo" width="320" /></a><br />The beach in front of the Iberostar Bella Costa, Varadero - Deana J Driver photos</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykf0jEKOfZVxtz_k_5V188dPAAhyphenhyphenLRlVNWg1ot_CgX3X0TPM8qFpMyxrQOB645_U4KwsRpzR0xEaaSOSb98dAMSi5np072JivlmExkYQfrDQ9pfiTPFwX_IbpIhnTNAE6OwxDOwBHGTKZHtIP4GvWWN5Hhie_qwyeZs9mmSNWGD-q8dMy0vUt4S5oAKE/s4000/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="4000" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykf0jEKOfZVxtz_k_5V188dPAAhyphenhyphenLRlVNWg1ot_CgX3X0TPM8qFpMyxrQOB645_U4KwsRpzR0xEaaSOSb98dAMSi5np072JivlmExkYQfrDQ9pfiTPFwX_IbpIhnTNAE6OwxDOwBHGTKZHtIP4GvWWN5Hhie_qwyeZs9mmSNWGD-q8dMy0vUt4S5oAKE/w320-h144/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2003.jpg" title="Cuba - Deana J Driver photo" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A wall of photos inside the Bella Costa resort, Cuba</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8IaBk0lNlQNb3zFnDJRawbkFKN82sA0YUOCSd8loK_G2jRB2UpWIR0AGPALyDcfJNeVTrjeS78jbw5GyEnDbLs5zH74uF0Rh4draPKJztyV__QOmjgsBM9q6dGgDvrLfm2iIhEc2r2SpcTL-2oz0YlrtwLWStGY5Il65QmQGiKMOTu-MWhEwUZJJjhUk/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8IaBk0lNlQNb3zFnDJRawbkFKN82sA0YUOCSd8loK_G2jRB2UpWIR0AGPALyDcfJNeVTrjeS78jbw5GyEnDbLs5zH74uF0Rh4draPKJztyV__QOmjgsBM9q6dGgDvrLfm2iIhEc2r2SpcTL-2oz0YlrtwLWStGY5Il65QmQGiKMOTu-MWhEwUZJJjhUk/w320-h144/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2005.jpg" title="Wall art, Varadero Cuba - Deana J Driver photo" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wall art</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLPdA-BegU-E_CunPqJpLEpbwJ1nA8IBqH5OxkMpM4fVLA5O0GLDCKxgx8Pa5d6_jX9EUW0QSgzYbV801v-_mxh6o-U5rv4udEAQBvrNP4MZoMjN3XVjhyphenhyphen8879vHJUntM7TaZRQANsBJ0paOG6hJS8_93LMr3DbOrGjWHL42I-FpHundoUu_MMTFwooVI/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLPdA-BegU-E_CunPqJpLEpbwJ1nA8IBqH5OxkMpM4fVLA5O0GLDCKxgx8Pa5d6_jX9EUW0QSgzYbV801v-_mxh6o-U5rv4udEAQBvrNP4MZoMjN3XVjhyphenhyphen8879vHJUntM7TaZRQANsBJ0paOG6hJS8_93LMr3DbOrGjWHL42I-FpHundoUu_MMTFwooVI/w320-h144/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2006.jpg" title="Cuban musicians at resort - Deana J Driver photo" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cuban musicians entertained us at mealtime</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOiomSFqECZVYAnXsaAQ9E2lGbxkMbARXpBfaJ7349FWmpBGCXPuaaAJrIxj9DpGLc23JnJ8WiP_oaC_UEwEeDcdkU-M5wpiAPSmDOW97F20X6YYzNsm9g9Y4rTezPFAjsUCZGQmIrcJxWIZAI4CHvwozdYAhKxRjzKiw363rtmxeGBCYSMF7Rxu9UPBI/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOiomSFqECZVYAnXsaAQ9E2lGbxkMbARXpBfaJ7349FWmpBGCXPuaaAJrIxj9DpGLc23JnJ8WiP_oaC_UEwEeDcdkU-M5wpiAPSmDOW97F20X6YYzNsm9g9Y4rTezPFAjsUCZGQmIrcJxWIZAI4CHvwozdYAhKxRjzKiw363rtmxeGBCYSMF7Rxu9UPBI/w320-h144/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2007.jpg" title="Musicians, Cuba - Deana J Driver photo" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">More local music, including some Santana faves</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJZiil2o9R1THL6VK-ske9rGtkDMWGF-FyF-gJQDETnzEzbvHRRb1JSYtl7lgE0iQ5d8occQgKfpz4fMj5ZgU3prlaQ1RNTGT4z6kFUOIWxXoS93HyJXDA-k5ziV_zsjALIYiszuniIVxiFlZNil8Q-vgCoAc-JTgYq7dpBbq6z7-P6Y5FMAMpGWiu-U/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJZiil2o9R1THL6VK-ske9rGtkDMWGF-FyF-gJQDETnzEzbvHRRb1JSYtl7lgE0iQ5d8occQgKfpz4fMj5ZgU3prlaQ1RNTGT4z6kFUOIWxXoS93HyJXDA-k5ziV_zsjALIYiszuniIVxiFlZNil8Q-vgCoAc-JTgYq7dpBbq6z7-P6Y5FMAMpGWiu-U/w320-h144/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2008.jpg" title="Cuba countryside - Deana J Driver photo" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Countryside on the way to Havana</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmkCvfHyaloh2u1NfqdLWoHFQRGDYnBcG2tpHrPErkRlHoAgg6AD4-0oa0f1SbWHEw2bhKSKIhXg330joN6JUnm_VawYizEe1S3qz1CqlOZd1Mrly0n3HfP_FNX-5RqQLwt8Qxz3ahV7jY4UqlNSRmbM-SMmwG6h6L3lEI7aA-TY_MazKG-YexvCs5yWg/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmkCvfHyaloh2u1NfqdLWoHFQRGDYnBcG2tpHrPErkRlHoAgg6AD4-0oa0f1SbWHEw2bhKSKIhXg330joN6JUnm_VawYizEe1S3qz1CqlOZd1Mrly0n3HfP_FNX-5RqQLwt8Qxz3ahV7jY4UqlNSRmbM-SMmwG6h6L3lEI7aA-TY_MazKG-YexvCs5yWg/w144-h320/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2009.jpg" title="Banyan/ficus tree, Cuba - Deana J Driver photo" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Banyan (ficus) tree in Havana</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQ_Q2I1dXxzuO9R126x4WTqH_w03wl_eXkUtfhhycdHmUtMO0RWzT5hw_u9cVM5GIpw5z2VVtQoAMyQPPoMsWSBpfV64wkY9aaeJGqZN-nMZlGGORRe1xmS8JbFUft17lEPjwDts5kNWAszc8yDpnaz5Km8dvYcFuKXNHRvcEm3zBUhok_0pnDKVo3Ew/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQ_Q2I1dXxzuO9R126x4WTqH_w03wl_eXkUtfhhycdHmUtMO0RWzT5hw_u9cVM5GIpw5z2VVtQoAMyQPPoMsWSBpfV64wkY9aaeJGqZN-nMZlGGORRe1xmS8JbFUft17lEPjwDts5kNWAszc8yDpnaz5Km8dvYcFuKXNHRvcEm3zBUhok_0pnDKVo3Ew/w144-h320/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2010.jpg" title="Statue, Havana - Deana J Driver photo" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I met a friend in Havana who loves books as much as I do! Too bad I didn't bring a sampling of my own books for him to read.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOESYxRKue0_1YjzWiU_udtz8Cyr-B6w5hIi6BnEaVooqFeJ8GsG1Z1_fSJLIlkmubIX3j4uW0AB9oeKMGwbqzceEPFlQi0ee1PoWLFj_Mx6PwmvyC_GDc8aE30Hnre97rmjdTgfYFvQmP1XAV5bt_VDiZS06Wo5EG_gq6rUO8ypJcA4Ss6R2wJrRjLPg/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOESYxRKue0_1YjzWiU_udtz8Cyr-B6w5hIi6BnEaVooqFeJ8GsG1Z1_fSJLIlkmubIX3j4uW0AB9oeKMGwbqzceEPFlQi0ee1PoWLFj_Mx6PwmvyC_GDc8aE30Hnre97rmjdTgfYFvQmP1XAV5bt_VDiZS06Wo5EG_gq6rUO8ypJcA4Ss6R2wJrRjLPg/w144-h320/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2011.jpg" title="Rooster statue, Havana - Deana J Driver photo" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I did not understand this statue in Havana of the nude woman riding a chicken. Turns out I'm not alone in wondering. The artist has not talked about its meaning, but there are some interesting theories (see https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/viaje-fantastico).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3790HYZOLDCcF6vT2zfrfVjjxMvQfP37cOHdOqSKPzSNENqt_VDkrmR2QY-IxrIDt1x9dXEKW9-o-nxUP_XCkWheOGWB78316pAZx8TnQbmzOLp0-RWBWjbBWH-gqI8BOTtnBMCG5B613Brr82C4UXgufEhGjs9GrWAopHszMXEmFnEJn4exO_hO1R8/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3790HYZOLDCcF6vT2zfrfVjjxMvQfP37cOHdOqSKPzSNENqt_VDkrmR2QY-IxrIDt1x9dXEKW9-o-nxUP_XCkWheOGWB78316pAZx8TnQbmzOLp0-RWBWjbBWH-gqI8BOTtnBMCG5B613Brr82C4UXgufEhGjs9GrWAopHszMXEmFnEJn4exO_hO1R8/w320-h144/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2012.jpg" title="Town square, Havana - Deana J Driver photo" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A town square, Havana</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bSNsJgNVZg072G3oPxa1bnwhT_WlLzZw-Xuzr3U-THAEeS6K0DGRlRUwSu63bXzzFYw8ofBlwRyx0bNTngAyXhOXqjfYZ7Xmly3wrW7_8fvctEAhHeV-M-zh6voTtdf-unLRklsSyX4-nKoLD5UnCj-F6Ofhr1u4YmgwH9mVEfAtgyBFGI_Pzy9o5dA/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bSNsJgNVZg072G3oPxa1bnwhT_WlLzZw-Xuzr3U-THAEeS6K0DGRlRUwSu63bXzzFYw8ofBlwRyx0bNTngAyXhOXqjfYZ7Xmly3wrW7_8fvctEAhHeV-M-zh6voTtdf-unLRklsSyX4-nKoLD5UnCj-F6Ofhr1u4YmgwH9mVEfAtgyBFGI_Pzy9o5dA/w320-h144/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2013.jpg" title="Old cars in Havana - Deana J Driver photo" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Old cars in Havana are maintained with whatever parts can be found from washing machines, etc. that might work.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_u6hz_7U7hgXJ8efLvGW_BwnPxwTSpRuO-OmFIBJw22vFD6Fd3zubDEiGsZPIMhQ0um9uEvkQ5GGJhAFRNWtHRHvJ34T-vCQvm7aJ5UgeVxuMIJ284X65gLSuZJ6xmB5yeW9ugifn9ifZvG_7Yb2vjliuHH51TAbPABSg4qi1QhFUWPz3ax2GzDxqyM/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_u6hz_7U7hgXJ8efLvGW_BwnPxwTSpRuO-OmFIBJw22vFD6Fd3zubDEiGsZPIMhQ0um9uEvkQ5GGJhAFRNWtHRHvJ34T-vCQvm7aJ5UgeVxuMIJ284X65gLSuZJ6xmB5yeW9ugifn9ifZvG_7Yb2vjliuHH51TAbPABSg4qi1QhFUWPz3ax2GzDxqyM/w144-h320/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2014.jpg" title="Revolution Square in Havana - Deana J Driver photo" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Revolution Square in Havana</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIKuFfippwo-dP-3ZIg2g2VszlHeqZoUnfxr5isGKpaMxN1dk8TQz7dX83TYKK7BsKnMwDtCOY9jskqT71U1-5_mkVvlNPauPuVrShIFoGUOcaxpDPQVPCF8mSXeoWcxeUqXCGhnuZMNuVys8ibzjsxl_TILPAFJqlz5nazVmLhUtzi5nyyWWFSwOTqCI/s2052/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2052" data-original-width="1360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIKuFfippwo-dP-3ZIg2g2VszlHeqZoUnfxr5isGKpaMxN1dk8TQz7dX83TYKK7BsKnMwDtCOY9jskqT71U1-5_mkVvlNPauPuVrShIFoGUOcaxpDPQVPCF8mSXeoWcxeUqXCGhnuZMNuVys8ibzjsxl_TILPAFJqlz5nazVmLhUtzi5nyyWWFSwOTqCI/w212-h320/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2015.jpg" title="El Floridita bar in Havana - - Deana J Driver photo" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This was American novelist Ernest Hemingway's favourite bar in Havana. Many famous people stop by, and some who are not as famous too.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwoCfo07usYy2Vbv1DWTv8-zYhmaF7vmu9B1bNFbwbiH9Wrru4IHdS4oybk35UmiLEOwxTNPTPu4mBbZdzAcgXGWbge_Key66OVeY8iHl6NDBq_S5Vi5YsEIoqdNBKhbB-4cBue6taURTsEXSAxDkdAZTqfJgl6e2EKIbaxbK5FeAdhUNdgO9W9-MPJ0/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwoCfo07usYy2Vbv1DWTv8-zYhmaF7vmu9B1bNFbwbiH9Wrru4IHdS4oybk35UmiLEOwxTNPTPu4mBbZdzAcgXGWbge_Key66OVeY8iHl6NDBq_S5Vi5YsEIoqdNBKhbB-4cBue6taURTsEXSAxDkdAZTqfJgl6e2EKIbaxbK5FeAdhUNdgO9W9-MPJ0/w320-h144/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2016.jpg" title="El Floridita Bar - Havana - Deana J Driver photo" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They invented the Daiquiri here at El Floridita.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpauSJq-7wXSyslGOORMzXYxAM0kKI3OuUOSU-vlSH2gafnbY9UbQB0HBtERA8STz6XqrGATgAGloDDGBjOSgJTfQTZn8TwQ4BWqeUO0pFLtJKi1hGKJ2GL3PF7B55pRseRkDSAFBxI4amZy0JrVChMl4GpmUZRyd2M6ydCOBPzhyUDt9FFEfPAQsR-bM/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2018.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpauSJq-7wXSyslGOORMzXYxAM0kKI3OuUOSU-vlSH2gafnbY9UbQB0HBtERA8STz6XqrGATgAGloDDGBjOSgJTfQTZn8TwQ4BWqeUO0pFLtJKi1hGKJ2GL3PF7B55pRseRkDSAFBxI4amZy0JrVChMl4GpmUZRyd2M6ydCOBPzhyUDt9FFEfPAQsR-bM/w144-h320/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2018.jpg" title="Pelican - Cuba - - Deana J Driver photo" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This pelican landed near us before taking off on another flight and dive for food.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9z2U-TpVjsA0vVz-XkTC760S40Whly6m1x-ZH4tVBUs2WeLxJ-rASW5Mr1Zkz3AU3mKDb-3L6kWFQ299knWWlZ0yIIxTORqZvG4Rkyh0EMinonCfnSyhS1eoFvpiaJ20Iuwb0oKhEuW1bV2mepzoTs3besahfkhmnVzA-jGtF9slW2AQuO8Fbk7_MvPA/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2019.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9z2U-TpVjsA0vVz-XkTC760S40Whly6m1x-ZH4tVBUs2WeLxJ-rASW5Mr1Zkz3AU3mKDb-3L6kWFQ299knWWlZ0yIIxTORqZvG4Rkyh0EMinonCfnSyhS1eoFvpiaJ20Iuwb0oKhEuW1bV2mepzoTs3besahfkhmnVzA-jGtF9slW2AQuO8Fbk7_MvPA/s320/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2019.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ocean swimming was not allowed on days when the tide brought Portuguese man o' war animals onto the beach. It's technically not a jellyfish, and its sting and tentacles will leave large welts and worse.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXgxhsiDCFp9ItkbKBWpv1CKSkAKC-TltIZ38p_G_uqXqEX_GvxgbEJd3ph5WbwdXFpC4lxGbjxHunk4sosDlfYqaSIwBOE-ULncXEh8rWvwElM8oc9Fn9jH6caArVT_j9xLXlV4ZsXww8E022dZwwhF-12G34N7PmsOcx8RiJwsLvBzCUOPuCpycoH-Q/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXgxhsiDCFp9ItkbKBWpv1CKSkAKC-TltIZ38p_G_uqXqEX_GvxgbEJd3ph5WbwdXFpC4lxGbjxHunk4sosDlfYqaSIwBOE-ULncXEh8rWvwElM8oc9Fn9jH6caArVT_j9xLXlV4ZsXww8E022dZwwhF-12G34N7PmsOcx8RiJwsLvBzCUOPuCpycoH-Q/w144-h320/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2020.jpg" title="Sand dollar in Cuba - Deana J Driver photo" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A full sand dollar washed up on the beach beside some coral.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCebmVwUOA-G7IVDBci9C4LMy21-VQ45uKc53jUD45Z2lBeHrsJY6t-eARdsOGXAuvSi5lTyK01mSnthApRAs8L9kdDJwudO8kmdnX-M4LRttIAi0Jlrqrxowl6XqCtTNH5hpB82N0AmTW2iBsCRDtJPCy5uPf8zpmDlGf3YbIYic9wW7sBO5T6ub-SrA/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCebmVwUOA-G7IVDBci9C4LMy21-VQ45uKc53jUD45Z2lBeHrsJY6t-eARdsOGXAuvSi5lTyK01mSnthApRAs8L9kdDJwudO8kmdnX-M4LRttIAi0Jlrqrxowl6XqCtTNH5hpB82N0AmTW2iBsCRDtJPCy5uPf8zpmDlGf3YbIYic9wW7sBO5T6ub-SrA/w144-h320/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2021.jpg" title="sand sculpture in Cuba - Deana J Driver photo" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We joked that this sand sculpture we saw on the beach was the Cuban version of our Saskatchewan snowmen.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMKtR2LscdJ1Px0yafZxLqyFU7rqQIZfXnv5wAi_ka5FYBZrbm3JXy_p4TzETI5zp87Xl6WunNQc2GxrDaHreChyphenhyphenerK_LD-845nYuiezpMlGDuIV_aBu5p4Woc-Pc3PK3N_cLU74-py2G1IgraI7YS-tAcFX0gm6M3VLgkF58pVCkSdZ8cHMDz4wJB4w/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMKtR2LscdJ1Px0yafZxLqyFU7rqQIZfXnv5wAi_ka5FYBZrbm3JXy_p4TzETI5zp87Xl6WunNQc2GxrDaHreChyphenhyphenerK_LD-845nYuiezpMlGDuIV_aBu5p4Woc-Pc3PK3N_cLU74-py2G1IgraI7YS-tAcFX0gm6M3VLgkF58pVCkSdZ8cHMDz4wJB4w/w144-h320/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2023.jpg" title="Hibiscus in Cuba - Deana J Driver photo" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hibiscus flowers</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLc25P9uGHQdOZWKytSdC6SrpgKb4j4BhbL4kwXZuDKx_CiTylRVItNRdtjfMZHRuiUK4ZhigdUEroWxUvs-baQ1LVHliUWswtdEFq4lpEcbsTZ-kJBTpbTpCr_Q2exZ53Ioo6oBAjiji8xAYDdsrIQoygpi2Rz9NN0sRNFoUUXgsf_kMmDswLJc6sRUM/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLc25P9uGHQdOZWKytSdC6SrpgKb4j4BhbL4kwXZuDKx_CiTylRVItNRdtjfMZHRuiUK4ZhigdUEroWxUvs-baQ1LVHliUWswtdEFq4lpEcbsTZ-kJBTpbTpCr_Q2exZ53Ioo6oBAjiji8xAYDdsrIQoygpi2Rz9NN0sRNFoUUXgsf_kMmDswLJc6sRUM/w144-h320/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2024.jpg" title="New Year's Eve bottles in Cuba - Deana J Driver photo" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A New Year's Eve tree made from wine bottles</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUx5WZCi5cDr_R0B-X_enIjp6eVzvNaZ3wU5-TM9P8tP81Ly24nt3h8DnTwBnRk8gWVgJDzTShFOihz-55prawQ8U4PwxaaVBEUrcZQa0n9jS1cGEtSsGxSrBouUylaNLq4jjW9GRM5dOtqfP49NP0pOPnw1zX42ffQpuav_fTRJRVqMzshpDKmCA668/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2025.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUx5WZCi5cDr_R0B-X_enIjp6eVzvNaZ3wU5-TM9P8tP81Ly24nt3h8DnTwBnRk8gWVgJDzTShFOihz-55prawQ8U4PwxaaVBEUrcZQa0n9jS1cGEtSsGxSrBouUylaNLq4jjW9GRM5dOtqfP49NP0pOPnw1zX42ffQpuav_fTRJRVqMzshpDKmCA668/w144-h320/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2025.jpg" title="Royal Palm tree Cuba - Deana J Driver photo" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Royal Palm tree is Cuba's national tree and one of my faves.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYj7kURNe2agjThLNXTT-ExDZcHXLhG8tr9Th9R2f3UbJKTz92af9LJd-7mxvD7bSZpEkVM1iIhDCiHKduYP2IuALc1VB9q_5gtcXIZpRTrK_4T_HmIKmQym8QecfSkwULigNcgrNhJjupZ2hC7iQXjmFAEgB_rDdSitBC-kaCowphmDCfVxI-5AdktEk/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2026.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYj7kURNe2agjThLNXTT-ExDZcHXLhG8tr9Th9R2f3UbJKTz92af9LJd-7mxvD7bSZpEkVM1iIhDCiHKduYP2IuALc1VB9q_5gtcXIZpRTrK_4T_HmIKmQym8QecfSkwULigNcgrNhJjupZ2hC7iQXjmFAEgB_rDdSitBC-kaCowphmDCfVxI-5AdktEk/w320-h144/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2026.jpg" title="Food - Cuba - Deana J Driver photo" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The New Year's Eve buffet at the Bella Costa had many wonderful food sculptures.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaxi-UTt0dnvo_tXQYPnxbimJAtkq6zQiE-_8HAPU9QK7uxTfWBgGc_y6t9BUln6-fUThLvLhAPiGvjQJ6G6lxaG04qzb3SrhLcwCuLLwyM0XVRe8dlJ9TY_84FvrfCiaA3rCA1fu8jBhIME7yJSY4oXhW-aAzuS3lhctdSLUnUn-b274DM4sq2nVIk0/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2027.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaxi-UTt0dnvo_tXQYPnxbimJAtkq6zQiE-_8HAPU9QK7uxTfWBgGc_y6t9BUln6-fUThLvLhAPiGvjQJ6G6lxaG04qzb3SrhLcwCuLLwyM0XVRe8dlJ9TY_84FvrfCiaA3rCA1fu8jBhIME7yJSY4oXhW-aAzuS3lhctdSLUnUn-b274DM4sq2nVIk0/w320-h144/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2027.jpg" title="Food variety Cuba - Deana J Driver photo" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The cold meats section alone went on and on.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLV5YEmFl7b7I_E7lcIOsaeBiwa0XemqLWf0iKZ2k3KnhmkwAo6axOpgmgIxR2PkqnPVdeDC3xrC_GhWJw4586g3IceTlhB15SQfknWpirhyphenhyphenGd9DTl9CahRwURaMKfbbrx7_awmE8kQDwo4dBwUDATdsiQTFGrSR-LMKCsI8hufP76sR4TjIbvoeequM4/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2029.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLV5YEmFl7b7I_E7lcIOsaeBiwa0XemqLWf0iKZ2k3KnhmkwAo6axOpgmgIxR2PkqnPVdeDC3xrC_GhWJw4586g3IceTlhB15SQfknWpirhyphenhyphenGd9DTl9CahRwURaMKfbbrx7_awmE8kQDwo4dBwUDATdsiQTFGrSR-LMKCsI8hufP76sR4TjIbvoeequM4/w320-h144/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2029.jpg" title="Bread display in Cuba - Deana J Driver photo" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The bread selection was amazing and I didn't even take a photo of the hot foods!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXs9I9EifGD7IH3OnlqxD4YGejG62ehK67tM9E7Sx4neaacql6a4znlfLloI3fGKVMF6oOG-uAMTCni4DJwW0UjmURuspz0ufMsWjhcvkVegW_9HyMdI3F3EbCXRWIalzc9cyCZlGW_lTB0OkojsTLJkOYmcswxroHgpcGeZEHWVve98-ihKkc5ke31s/s4032/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2028.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXs9I9EifGD7IH3OnlqxD4YGejG62ehK67tM9E7Sx4neaacql6a4znlfLloI3fGKVMF6oOG-uAMTCni4DJwW0UjmURuspz0ufMsWjhcvkVegW_9HyMdI3F3EbCXRWIalzc9cyCZlGW_lTB0OkojsTLJkOYmcswxroHgpcGeZEHWVve98-ihKkc5ke31s/w144-h320/202312_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2028.jpg" title="Cake in Cuba - Deana J Driver photo" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When the delicious chocolate cake clock strikes midnight... (in my belly!) This was only one of the many scrumptious desserts offered on New Year's Eve.</div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgilOL4wRTMPpls1WMyWn2CbmiyU2GiA0Va16DDFMdnebhyuCfJkhjGm_5uUkXtbDQqK2AJ1h0rQZDXuTa6wAJyahNVHbVKKKIoi1nSLUcqvwpYDRbZhrhiuulODameqIFKJ2CcPYJXo7U2ESJnx2wLFh-mz40nrCf6O8Eo7qHJt-B-dbhMnfhwIOsVETA/s4032/202401_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2030.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgilOL4wRTMPpls1WMyWn2CbmiyU2GiA0Va16DDFMdnebhyuCfJkhjGm_5uUkXtbDQqK2AJ1h0rQZDXuTa6wAJyahNVHbVKKKIoi1nSLUcqvwpYDRbZhrhiuulODameqIFKJ2CcPYJXo7U2ESJnx2wLFh-mz40nrCf6O8Eo7qHJt-B-dbhMnfhwIOsVETA/w144-h320/202401_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2030.jpg" title="Varadero Beach - Cuba - Deana J Driver photo" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We walked on the beach at least twice a day, enjoying the sun and sand in Varadero, Cuba.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu84tNMxlRB9BSZIXve4u8xID7dYht6C1Ft1Ph1wS37TxNDbPj9PX2LK2Mqnfgyp75Q870u6UtaZYQux3bys-s32zKGoKDDFiVx73zlz8h2YM8tmFv_AhJp9DI_1vtU0gbFdnvODuYPcTpMLrF15KCm7jX6YXFMjT0NUu1DKEpksAr6l_9HsmLfdENBv4/s4032/202401_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2031.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu84tNMxlRB9BSZIXve4u8xID7dYht6C1Ft1Ph1wS37TxNDbPj9PX2LK2Mqnfgyp75Q870u6UtaZYQux3bys-s32zKGoKDDFiVx73zlz8h2YM8tmFv_AhJp9DI_1vtU0gbFdnvODuYPcTpMLrF15KCm7jX6YXFMjT0NUu1DKEpksAr6l_9HsmLfdENBv4/w320-h144/202401_DeanaJDriver%20Cuba%2031.jpg" title="Sunset in Cuba - Deana J Driver photo" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The sun setting on the last night of our great vacation.</div><br />If you choose to visit Cuba, I recommend that you book your trip through a travel agent (we booked through CAA and were pleased we did). Check the online reviews of the various resorts and locations, and pay a little extra, if you can afford it, for a higher-rated resort. Read about the country and its history and amenities, as you should for all of your travel destinations. Before you go to Cuba, pack some of your favourite Canadian snack foods in your suitcase along with crackers, peanut butter and jam (for those who have specific diets). We were glad we did. Happy travelling!<p></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-84606644584487425092024-01-07T18:08:00.011-06:002024-01-08T18:48:04.765-06:00Writing with a Purpose<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The other day, I
took one of my writing journals to a grandchild's soccer game so I could do some journalling
while I waited for the game to begin.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The
only person in the stands near me was a woman... who all of a sudden said,
"Hey, look!" as she pulled a copy of the exact same journal out of
her handbag.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What
are the chances? And how cool is that?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"You've met your journal twin," she said to me.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We both smiled.</span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi5YlQM-3_Xx1t-VzubrpNvMUIrPYS6H229647H00Pv_PugG20A1DdbgtykRjX8dzMP3V9KeLHvbjHP7v1WGX_M69N41p12fZNy1YDnI58_czByAqKPM9xeosKcezCGFIzDZ2IhjE2Hr3LIhdVGRk0tRQwu2cFTtECdI-xOyAjTSChzfV7BCdiGnebJmE/s2154/Writing%20Journals%20-%20Jan%202024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="2154" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi5YlQM-3_Xx1t-VzubrpNvMUIrPYS6H229647H00Pv_PugG20A1DdbgtykRjX8dzMP3V9KeLHvbjHP7v1WGX_M69N41p12fZNy1YDnI58_czByAqKPM9xeosKcezCGFIzDZ2IhjE2Hr3LIhdVGRk0tRQwu2cFTtECdI-xOyAjTSChzfV7BCdiGnebJmE/s320/Writing%20Journals%20-%20Jan%202024.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some spiritual
people that I know tell me there's no such thing as coincidence, that things happen
for a reason. So I wondered why this unusual event occurred. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It didn't take long for me to figure it out.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I
write in a journal to help process my thoughts and emotions. I would have shared most of those with my
husband when he was still alive, but he died eight years ago from cancer, so I have
been figuring out a new way of life since then - one that involves a lot more time alone. Writing helps me release the ideas and emotions - of all varieties - that well up inside me. Once I've put them on paper - writing them out by hand over a longer time versus typing them up quickly - my soul feels lighter. More at peace.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've
reminded myself, in this past year especially, after receiving such nice responses to my latest book, that I write because that's
what I am supposed to be doing. It's my calling on this earth. It's one of the things that makes me happy and brings a sense of purpose to my days and nights. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I enjoy writing about other people and their fascinating lives and accomplishments. As a retired journalist as well as a book publisher, editor, and author, I enjoy sharing true stories and documenting them for historical purposes, and for entertainment too.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In thinking more about the journal I brought to that soccer game, I wondered where I got this particular pink journal. At first, I thought perhaps it was given to me by a dear friend or family member who knows about my need to write down my thoughts to release them from my mind. Then I
remembered that I bought this journal at a discount store because of the words on its front cover.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, in this new year, I feel
like this moment of meeting my "journal twin" was a reminder of how I
should proceed in 2024 in this different, new life of mine:<br /> <i>Act, Show, Prove</i> (although when I glanced at
the journal cover just now, I thought it said <i>Love </i>instead of <i>Prove, </i>and that's
good too).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm also reminded that words are important, and I'm grateful to have the ability to use them in my personal life and my profession. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As Polish-British novelist Joseph Conrad said, “My task...is, by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel - it is, before all, to make you see. That - and no more - and it is everything.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></p>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-2546257615078296092023-11-25T19:53:00.005-06:002023-11-25T20:01:33.348-06:00You know they like selling your books when...<p>One afternoon in October, I was delivering more stock of our terrific books to a local store here in Regina, Saskatchewan when I was overcome with gratitude.</p><p>I had just stepped inside Local Market YQR (at 1377 Hamilton Street) when I noticed a brand new, handbuilt book stand that was holding a collection of books I publish! I was surprised and thrilled!</p><p>I then sought out co-owner Tim Shultz to let him know I was dropping off more books for their store to sell. He asked if I'd noticed the new bookstand. I definitely had. "Did you make it?" I asked.</p><p>He grinned and nodded. I was thrilled and told him so.</p><p>"I thought we should have something to display the books," he said.</p><p>Wow. It's not every day that a store owner builds a bookshelf to house your pride and joy! Sure, there are a couple of cookbooks and cards on the stands that my company did not publish, but still. Most of the items on display <i>are </i>books I created. How cool is that? </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnmYFqltMC5RHHZGiVu4tBRF1u1JkkbKBZ98EsJMLaKF1Zi0xHRlxaHUBtojLk7B5pqVm4Xzq7uiOo6EsBd_0gM4BkcaHS9f3gUPhQQJhq-QsSZ-a2NJE6ZcY6tgSLfNH0DjutR7GgO3IIMvpV4MZzat_ECX_vVpBrA0NK8Tw9OozWf1hNTFd4AovcRU/s1564/DriverWorks%20Ink%20books%20at%20Local%20Market%20YQR%2020231006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1564" data-original-width="1564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnmYFqltMC5RHHZGiVu4tBRF1u1JkkbKBZ98EsJMLaKF1Zi0xHRlxaHUBtojLk7B5pqVm4Xzq7uiOo6EsBd_0gM4BkcaHS9f3gUPhQQJhq-QsSZ-a2NJE6ZcY6tgSLfNH0DjutR7GgO3IIMvpV4MZzat_ECX_vVpBrA0NK8Tw9OozWf1hNTFd4AovcRU/s320/DriverWorks%20Ink%20books%20at%20Local%20Market%20YQR%2020231006.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><br />Tim Shultz with the bookstand he built for Local Market YQR</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I had met Tim a few months
earlier when I attended a Business Network International local chapter meeting for which
my son, Dave Driver, is the president. I enjoyed the Local Market YQR's meeting space and was pleased to see the
attached retail spaces with many locally produced products
such as food, household supplies, and personal and decorative items.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In a
state of unusual forthrightness but not-unusual excitement at seeing handmade items
and the efforts of like-minded entrepreneurs, I said to Tim that day, "You should sell my books
here." <o:p>He listened to my descriptions of the types of nonfiction Prairie stories and fact-based kids' fiction books I publish and replied with,</o:p> "Yes, we should. We should put your books in our Founders
Market."</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Wow. Me, a founder. I was honoured. </o:p>I don't usually think of myself in such terms, even though it is true. I <i>did </i>found my publishing company, and I <i>do </i>take the words written by myself and other Prairie authors and turn those into books, but I think of myself as more of a <i>collaborator </i>with my authors and consultants. Together, we make great books. But sure, I'd happily participate in the Founders Market.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, this lovely surprise happened on a Friday. The next day, something else incredible happened.. on the same theme...</p><p class="MsoNormal">I drove out to Emerald Park, about 20 kilometres east of Regina, to deliver more books to the Farmer John's Local Market & Kitchen shop. And what greeted me just inside the front door? ANOTHER amazing new bookstand!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5nVpMVKqc_SlN69-u97foEXG2ngL8FzWsW-UVAftl6bwPy7Hk-mUXhlxSrIaNPpMS-KOX95_y_Zbdouh9CuT_PcLRStmiR14cvyfbZaRfsyrLzlczVv6mN4hOsnY7jiHKqE9WOu-Y_nrXy41-q2_ol1rgj4UpiHez3U0LsCRAwr6BzugdAagGdJYTMk/s4032/DriverWorks%20Ink%20books%20at%20Farmer%20Johns%20Market%2020231007.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1816" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5nVpMVKqc_SlN69-u97foEXG2ngL8FzWsW-UVAftl6bwPy7Hk-mUXhlxSrIaNPpMS-KOX95_y_Zbdouh9CuT_PcLRStmiR14cvyfbZaRfsyrLzlczVv6mN4hOsnY7jiHKqE9WOu-Y_nrXy41-q2_ol1rgj4UpiHez3U0LsCRAwr6BzugdAagGdJYTMk/w180-h400/DriverWorks%20Ink%20books%20at%20Farmer%20Johns%20Market%2020231007.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />The bookstand at Farmer John's Local Market & Kitchen shows off DriverWorks Ink books</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal">And this one holds <i>only </i>the books produced by my company!</p><p class="MsoNormal">Wow, wow, and wow! I just stood there in awe, then collected myself and managed to take a photo of this large new bookshelf.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The shop's owner Audra Hill wasn't there that afternoon, but if she had been, I probably would have hugged her - or maybe just jumped up and down in happiness.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">This all reminds me of the terrific support and attractive displays which DriverWorks Ink books have been receiving for several years at the Handmade Saskatchewan gift shops in Regina and Saskatoon. Owner Janelle Anderson has made sure that our books are visible in appealing ways, alongside those of other Saskatchewan authors and do-it-all publishers like me. My authors and I <i>love </i>Handmade Saskatchewan! (And we're excited for their new stand-alone store to open in Regina next year too!) </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE62fQLIy6X_3xCqIyOf9ykFB8D1PGvrNc-sevQ8JyPFnZccBQ21Xc_-Ozgmet-lw-STgDB5hPQKOvHJ4Sx3ZWEU2p3ODdv_38ypzH9qgWDLehLpLQcHad_gcHiiK-nLNzCfsfyotkG5p6M2yq_W-FVubMgsvZ5jQwyI0eFmu48BaDMLb80aDriqXkstU/s1564/DriverWorks%20Ink%20books%20at%20Handmade%20Sask%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1564" data-original-width="1564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE62fQLIy6X_3xCqIyOf9ykFB8D1PGvrNc-sevQ8JyPFnZccBQ21Xc_-Ozgmet-lw-STgDB5hPQKOvHJ4Sx3ZWEU2p3ODdv_38ypzH9qgWDLehLpLQcHad_gcHiiK-nLNzCfsfyotkG5p6M2yq_W-FVubMgsvZ5jQwyI0eFmu48BaDMLb80aDriqXkstU/s320/DriverWorks%20Ink%20books%20at%20Handmade%20Sask%202023.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Our books at Handmade Saskatchewan gift shops in Regina (Cornwall Centre above left) and Saskatoon (Midtown Mall and Lawson Heights Mall above right)</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal">It's rare to receive such special treatment when you are a book publisher. I am honoured by this local support of our books. My authors and I work hard to draw attention to our locally produced books, and we are delighted by the care taken and the support given by these local shops.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Yet another reason to Shop Local and support entrepreneurs and small businesses.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Books make great gifts, you know. Just saying.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></div>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-11527421307051793392023-10-17T12:50:00.028-06:002024-02-09T10:42:57.008-06:00Collaborating with Thomega Entertainment's Canada Remembers DVD Commemorative School Project <p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">DriverWorks
Ink is proud to collaborate with Thomega Entertainment <i><b>Canada Remembers
Documentaries</b> </i>to share stories of service and sacrifice of
Canadian War Veterans. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><b>Endorsed by the Royal Canadian Legion’s National Poppy and Remembrance Committee for use of Poppy Funds</b>, </span><span>the </span><span><a href="https://www.canadaremembers.net/" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank"><b>Canada Remembers Commemorative School Project</b></a></span><span> invites <b>Royal Canadian Legions</b> across Canada as well as other organizations to purchase the set of 13 educational documentary DVDs for use in schools in their regions. Each order will also receive one complimentary copy of </span><span>the inspiring new book<b> </b></span><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/crash-harrison-book-by-deana-j-driver/" target="_blank"><b><i>Crash Harrison: Tales of a Bomber Pilot Who Defied Death </i>by Deana J. Driver<i>.</i></b></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The book contains
page after page of details about Canada’s involvement in the Second World War
and Reg Harrison’s experiences, as well as Fun Facts about Reg “Crash”
Harrison, a Timeline of Events, and Helpful Resources. The <i><b>Teacher's Guide</b></i> that
accompanies the </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>Canada Remembers </i></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">DVD series has been updated to
include a list of questions about this book, which educators may use to further
encourage learning and discussion. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>Five of the 13 <i>Canada Remembers</i> docu</span><span>mentaries filmed to date </span><span>by Thomega Entertainment</span><span> </span><span>include interviews with 101-year-old Reginald "Crash" Harrison, the subject of this new book. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Crash Harrison has been featured in: <i>Canada Remembers </i></span><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A Veterans Reunion 2000, Canada Remembers It’s Time to
Say Thanks 2005, Canada Remembers Festival for Heroes 2011, Canada Remembers
Our Heroes The Liberators 2022,</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and <i>Canada
Remembers Our Heroes Service and Sacrifice 2023</i>. </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Another documentary featuring Reg Harrison is planned for release in 2024.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkx59n0wmKQROUdaRtkAtcA509OJ1-A_PrSMFFOaEFp1TN_9BhxUJW8N3gr5yHuFxy-Fr3L7TwhVD6HC8Hwv_Csu7GLmrnOa4QuKKety7ukdfPU7lSEd6Iwid9LyWXeBSX3fnBk0QFsgohB5htZOTE2O4Ojdo6zJG_6ITSHVrCoPGFDBlNo1T_mHzTzko/s1497/Thomega%20Canada%20Remembers%20project%20and%20Crash%20Harrison%20book.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03ftdVFkeeLr32kgu0sPyFWaG75AB2DHkAaCo-TJYr9eGPfzs8KupX9qBzhDzHTLR-WIPjwSKF5AUnfgqzOfviLxuFbYcz-KdPVeVAadIVtWR2mqocSzOK861U0AO07Hpxc4kWDPK8JmZxZu5QsEamWdVBpgEr8TZBwPbwwe_MlIVm_wBjFJ1w-TTyAA/s1483/Thomega%20Canada%20Remembers%20project%20and%20Crash%20Harrison%20book.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1432" data-original-width="1483" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03ftdVFkeeLr32kgu0sPyFWaG75AB2DHkAaCo-TJYr9eGPfzs8KupX9qBzhDzHTLR-WIPjwSKF5AUnfgqzOfviLxuFbYcz-KdPVeVAadIVtWR2mqocSzOK861U0AO07Hpxc4kWDPK8JmZxZu5QsEamWdVBpgEr8TZBwPbwwe_MlIVm_wBjFJ1w-TTyAA/s320/Thomega%20Canada%20Remembers%20project%20and%20Crash%20Harrison%20book.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></div></div></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>Reg Harrison is one of Canada's last surviving Halifax and Lancaster bomber pilots from the Second World War. </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>He was given the nickname "Crash" in 1944 after surviving the second of what would end up being four aircraft crashes - none of which were his fault - while completing 19 missions as a </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Royal Canadian Air Force </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">bomber pilot in England. The <a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/crash-harrison-book-by-deana-j-driver/" target="_blank"><i>Crash Harrison</i> book</a> details Reg's life story - told in his own words - from his early years</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> on a farm southwest of Melville, Saskatchewan through his wartime adventures and life after the war up to the present day. At 101 years of age, Reg "Crash" Harrison continues to honour and remember the men and women who served in Canada's military, noting that those who did not come home from war are the real heroes and should never be forgotten.</span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thomega Entertainment initiated the <i>Canada Remembers Commemorative School Project</i> to share the message of the significant service and sacrifices of so many. Their program has reached over 15,500 schools, libraries, and related organizations nationwide. The primary goal is to give as many students as possible access to over 10 hours of engaging, informative, historical programming, which includes a <i>Teacher's Guide</i> that brings attention to the fact that freedom in this country did not come free. The <i>Teacher's Guide</i> has been updated to include information and classroom exercises related to the Crash Harrison book, which educators may use to further encourage learning and discussion.</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Your Royal Canadian Legion Branch and other organizations are invited to </span><a href="https://www.canadaremembers.net/secure-your-set/" style="font-family: helvetica;" target="_blank">order sets of these educational documentary DVDs here</a><span style="font-family: helvetica;">.</span></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;">DriverWorks Ink is grateful to <a href="https://www.creativesask.ca/" target="_blank">Creative Saskatchewan</a> for book publishing production funding.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-OTFgT2t0jvlclYrYLkFJQlMAiPtB5ZSeKBTRliINAn9DtpoSpv3u19UW6v8In-9mVAbiaB8TGdbPILo97KTcjtmNIjta_6dOwCwdM4PSML-mVaBYU0xusou9tGm4MBD_uSikIoTwMh9VL1nLJD1jPoSs3gheFrTcexKtyLD5914NAefa23ch_NM7So/s319/CreativeSask-LogoHorz-clr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="95" data-original-width="319" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-OTFgT2t0jvlclYrYLkFJQlMAiPtB5ZSeKBTRliINAn9DtpoSpv3u19UW6v8In-9mVAbiaB8TGdbPILo97KTcjtmNIjta_6dOwCwdM4PSML-mVaBYU0xusou9tGm4MBD_uSikIoTwMh9VL1nLJD1jPoSs3gheFrTcexKtyLD5914NAefa23ch_NM7So/w128-h38/CreativeSask-LogoHorz-clr.jpg" width="128" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p></div>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-38184322634001352362023-10-09T16:37:00.006-06:002023-10-09T16:41:53.773-06:00Thankful today and every day<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There
are many people in my life for whom I am </span><span style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">grateful – old friends and new, family and those I call family, authors,
book buyers, coworkers and colleagues, and so much more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My work life as an author, editor, and book publisher has been greatly enriched this past year, so I have a few new blessings to add to my already blessed
life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I am grateful to have met and become friends with 101-year-old Reginald “Crash”
Harrison of Saskatoon, who survived four plane crashes while serving as a
bomber pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. Reg
grew up on a Saskatchewan farm and went off to war in search of adventure and
to serve his country, like his father and uncles did before him. He flew 19
missions and survived four crashes – none of which were his fault. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Upon his return to Canada, Reg stopped in Ottawa to visit the fiancée of
a fallen airman friend. Reg’s dramatic war story turned into a beautiful love
story – all of which I’ve documented in my new book <b><i>Crash Harrison –
Tales of a Bomber Pilot Who Defied Death</i></b> (available on <a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/crash-harrison-book-by-deana-j-driver/" target="_blank">my website</a>). To
Reg, for painstakingly recalling all the details and trusting me to share his
fascinating life story, I am grateful. I also appreciate the assistance of many people who helped me see this book through to fruition, including Lisa Driver, Mary Harelkin Bishop, Dani Driver, Don Acton, Laurie Harrison, Sylvia Acton, Susan Harrison, Pete Colbeck, Thomega Entertainment, and Creative Saskatchewan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxrw-tPjdpUMdv6JI3SxjjLgGeVW4Jlh5Ctavsc60g0Wcu6GoxQRlpOoWvmxOtHvakOlbc4Re9gilEsw7MdcuTr-FS9arpwAS1Yg-aIGzpCt6wYsKmG10aNECfJyGegPfosaREdg3bSSdIGIt15NQHABJMBISQmLA2sPc00Fg4j3bcvFb_88qfa7FK7M/s500/Crash%20Harrison%20and%20author%20Deana%20J%20Driver.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="500" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxrw-tPjdpUMdv6JI3SxjjLgGeVW4Jlh5Ctavsc60g0Wcu6GoxQRlpOoWvmxOtHvakOlbc4Re9gilEsw7MdcuTr-FS9arpwAS1Yg-aIGzpCt6wYsKmG10aNECfJyGegPfosaREdg3bSSdIGIt15NQHABJMBISQmLA2sPc00Fg4j3bcvFb_88qfa7FK7M/s320/Crash%20Harrison%20and%20author%20Deana%20J%20Driver.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Reg "Crash" Harrison and author Deana J. Driver, August 2023</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I’ve had the privilege of talking about the <i>Crash Harrison</i> book
alongside Reg Harrison at numerous events in Saskatoon and to Saskatchewan
media – including <i>CTV News Saskatoon</i>, <i>CBC Radio Saskatchewan Weekend</i>, and the <i>Saskatoon Star-Phoenix.</i> Plus, he’s been interviewed twice on the <i>John
Gormley Talk Radio</i> show! (See the links on our <a href="https://driverworks.ca/news-events/" target="_blank">News & Events page</a>.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My <i>Crash Harrison</i> book has been #1 on the Bestsellers list at
McNally Robinson Booksellers Saskatoon, and I recently found out from a friend
that the book has been nominated for Best Book in the Prairie Dog Magazine’s <i>Best
of Regina 2023</i> contest! For these honours, I am grateful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Those who know me personally will tell you that the last seven years have been a time in which I’ve been rebuilding myself after the unexpected death
of my husband Al from cancer. Grief will always be with me and my family. We
are learning to grow and find happy moments alongside it. And we are eternally
grateful for the life and love of Al Driver.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">As a retired journalist, I admire those who are gifted wordsmiths. On
the topic of gratitude, one of my favourite pieces was written by the late Ron
Petrie, whom I was privileged to work with while publishing a collection of his </span></span><i style="font-family: helvetica; text-indent: 24px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 17.12px; padding: 0in;">Regina Leader-Post</span></i><span style="color: #050505; font-family: helvetica; line-height: 107%; text-indent: 0.25in;"> newspaper columns</span><i style="font-family: helvetica; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">. </span></i><span style="font-family: helvetica; line-height: 107%; text-indent: 0.25in;">His <i><span style="color: #050505;">Running of the Buffalo</span></i><span style="color: #050505;"> </span>book was one of the first of about 100 books I
have created since I started on this publishing journey.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So Ron gets the last words here about being grateful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">(His "Giving Thanks for a Great Life" column was published
in 2007 in the <i>Leader-Post</i> and again in 2010 as the final chapter, "Thankful," of our
book. The newspaper column was also buried in the 100<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">th</span> anniversary time
capsule at the Saskatchewan Legislative Building in December 2012.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #050505; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Enjoy!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Thankful</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Whether one day of humility makes up for 364 of selfish bellyaching is a
question best left to theologians and ethicists. The point of this weekend is
to take stock.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>So let it be known that I am grateful.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Grateful to be where I am, for starters.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>As a younger man, brash and full of swagger, I considered my calling to
be Vancouver, Montreal, even New York. Only now do I appreciate that what I
actually fancied was merely the idea of my farmboy self destined for the big
city that, in reality, traffic jams, restaurant queues, cut-throat office politics,
six-dollar cups of coffee, shoebox apartments and crammed elevators are not for
me and never were.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Where I am is Saskatchewan. Thank goodness. With the possible exception
of the Maritimes, nowhere in Canada can one find folks with a keener feel for
the absurd, with a more grounded sense
of purpose and place, the confidence to enjoy the gift that is a good laugh at one’s
own expense. The job description calls me a Saskatchewan humour writer. Hardly.
I am a stenographer. I simply take notes.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>That my Saskatchewan grows the food that feeds the world makes me guilty
of a deadly sin. Pride.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Chances are that in the coming weeks and months, Saskatchewan will be
called upon to install both a provincial and federal government. Unlike in too
many other parts of the world, this will be accomplished through words, not
blood. I am thankful for our British system of parliamentary democracy, for its
longstanding tradition that holds my role, political satire, as an indispensable
safeguard against the threat of pompous and overbearing authority.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>I give thanks for my home. Droopy eavestroughs, cracked driveway and
ill-fitted door jambs notwithstanding, I live in comforts unknown to three-quarters
of the people of the planet and with conveniences unimagined before the 20<sup>th</sup>
century, not even by kings, emperors and czars. A hot shower, on tap every
morning remains, for my money, one of the greatest accomplishments of mankind.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>I am grateful for a wife who, after early shopping for a Halloween
supply of miniature Kit Kat bars, hides the bags where only she and I can find
them. Also for pretending that she doesn’t know that I know where.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>To the men and women of the Canadian Armed Force, I say thank you. The mission
our soldiers accepted halfway around the world is reminiscent of the dangers of
two world wars that my parents’ generation and my grandparents’ generation had
no choice but to face down. Canadians of my own pampered vintage, conversely,
have known nothing but peace.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>I am indebted to the 2007 Saskatchewan Roughriders, for posting an 8-5
win-loss record and relieving me of the usual journalistic obligation every
fall to write snarky wisecracks about my lifelong favourite football team.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>For those moments I spend with my kids at our favourite fishing hole, at
dance and music recitals, in hockey rinks or on the golf course, I am beholden.
It is fashionable among experts in child-rearing to lecture that parents ought
not to live vicariously through their children and shouldn’t derive their own
happiness from the activities of their sons and daughters.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>I am thankful my kids do not read books written by child-rearing
experts.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>I am grateful for the wherewithal that allows me to provide my children with
everything I know they need, if not always for everything they think they want.
Putting a child to bed with an empty stomach and with nothing humanly possible
to dry the tears must be a parental nightmare beyond all scope of the Canadian imagination.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Likewise, I am thankful for a rising group of young work colleagues who
challenge each other through excellence, not gossip or backstabbing; for
refrigerated transport, putting fresh asparagus on my plate where, as a boy,
there would have been, blech, canned peas; for good friends who laugh too much;
for a westside address with its view of the Prairie sunset; for the memory of
my mom and dad; for our land of variety, of four seasons, even if the white one
is a tad on the long side; for pain-free dentistry; for disposable contact
lenses, for, for…<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>As a professional bellyacher, perhaps I should be most thankful that, on
this rare occasion of listing what’s right in life, not wrong, I’ve run out of
space.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>There’s too much. Here and now, there’s just too much.</b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="color: #4c1130;">October 6, 2007</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAVDWUd6JAICpjN4M5VJnrHYcZWx20KDKn1JdaaCeqCNWfEvyD2UIYMwJTvU7ou-6SLZJ7Mjv0irqcWpekkOas-1QmA_sHaVGRN4XEmqA-LF506oKDrKc3iLK-C0EASZln4kLARHc8cGhPXGt5xmxLL-g4Uz9A9vtYs2zKrrdzaIlI2VIaVW7ozV2Bdb4/s1000/Running%20of%20the%20Buffalo%20by%20Ron%20Petrie%20-%20humour.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAVDWUd6JAICpjN4M5VJnrHYcZWx20KDKn1JdaaCeqCNWfEvyD2UIYMwJTvU7ou-6SLZJ7Mjv0irqcWpekkOas-1QmA_sHaVGRN4XEmqA-LF506oKDrKc3iLK-C0EASZln4kLARHc8cGhPXGt5xmxLL-g4Uz9A9vtYs2zKrrdzaIlI2VIaVW7ozV2Bdb4/s320/Running%20of%20the%20Buffalo%20by%20Ron%20Petrie%20-%20humour.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="color: #050505;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-70780290196409813552023-07-06T16:24:00.005-06:002023-07-06T16:34:06.948-06:00 Crash Harrison Bomber Pilot Book Coming Soon<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">My newest book is almost here! <em><b><u><span style="color: #4472c4; font-style: normal;"><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/crash-harrison-book-by-deana-j-driver/" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #4472c4; mso-themecolor: accent1;">Crash
Harrison: Tales of a Bomber Pilot Who Defied Death</span></i></a></span></u></b></em>
will be released at the end of July, and I am SO EXCITED!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's been 12 years since I wrote a full-size
book.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Since my last full-size book (<span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/never-leave-your-wingman-dionne-and-graham-warners-story-of-hope/" target="_blank"><em><b><span style="color: #0070c0;">Never Leave Your Wingman: Dionne and Graham Warner's
Story of Hope</span></b></em></a></span>) was launched in June 2011, I <em>have </em>written
and published <span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/the-sailor-and-the-christmas-trees/" style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank"><em><b><span style="color: #0070c0;">The
Sailor and the Christmas Trees</span></b></em></a></span> (which is an
inspiring 48-page Christmas story) and pieces in <span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="https://driverworks.ca/writer/deana-j-driver/" style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0070c0;">seven other books about farming and aviation</span></a></span>.
Writing and putting together this 176-page <em><b>Crash Harrison </b></em><em><span style="font-style: normal;">book, however, </span></em>has been its own unique and interesting
journey.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The story is about Reginald "Crash"
Harrison, a 100-year-old gentleman in Saskatoon who was a bomber pilot during
the Second World War. He's had many fascinating adventures, including surviving
several crashes and close calls, and has made some lifelong connections because
of his time as a Second World War bomber pilot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29xvcrMGlrKC_LxTYxg4nIZvC8PFYSpazZNerhg3NIKrkPsYJTOnhnz_xKfSgRfhb_QwBRAXGqCcmWzvn2TBy9UP2YKI7p931d7UeMbOGNbxcjxgxGOgZV13QAfdUvSZop9vJ2oIP8nhk160TPZInw7BObhhJSa1gTU8vj9vNwDiAle149FOmVpZbEi4/s1092/Crash%20Harrison%20book%20by%20Deana%20J%20Driver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1092" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29xvcrMGlrKC_LxTYxg4nIZvC8PFYSpazZNerhg3NIKrkPsYJTOnhnz_xKfSgRfhb_QwBRAXGqCcmWzvn2TBy9UP2YKI7p931d7UeMbOGNbxcjxgxGOgZV13QAfdUvSZop9vJ2oIP8nhk160TPZInw7BObhhJSa1gTU8vj9vNwDiAle149FOmVpZbEi4/s320/Crash%20Harrison%20book%20by%20Deana%20J%20Driver.jpg" width="176" /></a></div></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #757575; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The printed proof of <em>Crash Harrison</em> arrived
last week, and I am still a little overwhelmed by the reality of it
all. The book is being printed! It will be here in
late July!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Meeting Reg in May of 2019 when I interviewed
him for the first volume of the <span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/flight-stories-of-canadian-aviation-vol-1/" style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank"><em><b><span style="color: #0070c0;">Flight:
Stories of Canadian Aviation</span></b></em></a></span> series was an
experience I’ll never forget. I’d talked to him by phone to find out some
details of his story, but sitting across from him and watching as he thumbed
through his Pilot’s Flying Log Book from the 1940s to fill in details of his
missions was really special. I’d also never interviewed someone of that advanced
age (he was 96 at the time).<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Reg is a gentle, kind man. He doesn’t consider
himself to be a hero. That alone makes him more worthy of the honour than most.
For the first <i>Flight</i> book, I wrote about Reg’s wartime adventures and a
little about his life after the war. Over the last couple of years, as I was
contemplating which book I would write next and who it would be about, I couldn’t
get Reg and his life story out of my mind. I knew I <em>had </em>to write his story
and share it with a wider audience.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We spent many hours talking in person
and on the phone, adding more details to my first interviews about his wartime and
after-the-war activities. We also talked in depth about his growing-up years on
the Prairies and what it was like to walk three miles to school, herd cattle in
the dust storms of the Dirty Thirties in Saskatchewan, and do homework by the dim
light of a coal oil lamp. He told me about the first airplane ride he ever took
– as a teenager – and how he paid for that flight with weasel skins, how his
parents kept their family fed during the Great Depression, and how he was never
scared while doing his job as a bomber pilot.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 107%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Reg</span><span style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 107%; text-indent: 0.5in;"> became one of the few Canadians in
the famed “Guinea Pig Club” after receiving reconstructive skin graft surgery
during the war. And he was named an “Honorary Snowbird” by the renowned
Canadian Forces’ Snowbirds aerobatics display team, which flies under the same
squadron number as Reg served during the war.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I wrote the book
in Reg’s voice, as thought he is telling his own story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The book is
educational, with captivating tales of Reg’s adventures and his life. I am
certain that <b><i>Crash Harrison: Tales of a Bomber Pilot Who Defied Death</i></b>
will be enjoyed by readers from teens to seniors and </span></span><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’m looking
forward to launching it this summer and sharing it with all of you in the days and
months ahead.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vB2mXCE8rx-wv4JOoFbPkH3yAA652P8JkHRL2qouIjOu7Ee8pMTLQRR0zDbLVM1uxN_8RohDoxSWSKuoLSXhpMlhmsxE8C6iXg3yXIU2SQr2M3SxbKKJDN6_NXT_juNU0Bx6_zkmEa5VUvau8VOiHPcXyolsrmgkVFx6uXB9DHngE_ihoG_Napfk4QY/s902/9781927570821%20Crash%20Harrison%20by%20Deana%20J%20Driver.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Book cover of an elderly man in a Canadian air force uniform" border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vB2mXCE8rx-wv4JOoFbPkH3yAA652P8JkHRL2qouIjOu7Ee8pMTLQRR0zDbLVM1uxN_8RohDoxSWSKuoLSXhpMlhmsxE8C6iXg3yXIU2SQr2M3SxbKKJDN6_NXT_juNU0Bx6_zkmEa5VUvau8VOiHPcXyolsrmgkVFx6uXB9DHngE_ihoG_Napfk4QY/w213-h320/9781927570821%20Crash%20Harrison%20by%20Deana%20J%20Driver.jpg" title="Crash Harrison - Tales of a Bomber Pilot Who Defied Death book by Deana J Driver" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmc2n9dvTYck88dFFDb2lgiRPww0l4cRqp9ZCAK-Sck8x71bQG-vfyBb-yFeQ2Npi9A5GkEA9g2pyl3YkL1ZSwgHx-N72ovwDvVEdgTPKWQ-XaqxCu-Cdk_KLb8lqtv6s0TNcwSNux1-hF52_sh2JMpnCBwkfVHfKWiHo9shzgsiU29TPX7K2OyOPCjZA/s1198/Crash%20Harrison%20pg-56.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmc2n9dvTYck88dFFDb2lgiRPww0l4cRqp9ZCAK-Sck8x71bQG-vfyBb-yFeQ2Npi9A5GkEA9g2pyl3YkL1ZSwgHx-N72ovwDvVEdgTPKWQ-XaqxCu-Cdk_KLb8lqtv6s0TNcwSNux1-hF52_sh2JMpnCBwkfVHfKWiHo9shzgsiU29TPX7K2OyOPCjZA/s320/Crash%20Harrison%20pg-56.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtjkE0DiSYhScq6_PopTR_Jumd9weC8TQap5nWEYH4A2wpJD9VurGLNM3ZVuFkyQK_0XHG4pFVOOwoQgcM1bc_1p61C4ubSg2N8pI6UL98V0TdvS05g-Z_0NLiodE_ovDfpm5_1681ERtT3RnI6lCsH58i0hSnwKIOhRYwlKKE9hDdXayYtN5LgaASh0/s1195/Crash%20Harrison%20pg-72.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5TW88FYFgv-1lL-xFKP1r4N-FYaE8-l3BN0Rx1VEilBGHkSTCwIwHKcNlv5LqRrC9h1FzRfJGyZN48ydeS_fHvTEzRSDmBZLfDCziuuYW6eQ9d6reNPHdfkFx49up9E_prA628dxpqNxcsTNeJFZWpn86BlKx7h_btyEZD8DAlcG_YQmZPaNCdyN-Qs/s1210/Crash%20Harrison%20pg-84.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5TW88FYFgv-1lL-xFKP1r4N-FYaE8-l3BN0Rx1VEilBGHkSTCwIwHKcNlv5LqRrC9h1FzRfJGyZN48ydeS_fHvTEzRSDmBZLfDCziuuYW6eQ9d6reNPHdfkFx49up9E_prA628dxpqNxcsTNeJFZWpn86BlKx7h_btyEZD8DAlcG_YQmZPaNCdyN-Qs/s320/Crash%20Harrison%20pg-84.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>DriverWorks Ink is grateful to Creative Saskatchewan for Book Publishing Production grant support of this title.</b></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48EHus-TNfANskrMlBkI22Lci8diu0V2ST7jzwv1nQJYFdZHYitOZL6WCn7rbVxykSO8saAPzcu28gZ41ESVRXPu6Sd6xcvk3okeX05YfwNCo7g9VbvyvkJvt1MUjyS_ADD2OVpgi90WNvCWThoFX4lQALOBu5eBv4peJxxiET5EV3UOPku_rPyUfI6c/s1331/CreativeSask-LogoHorz-black.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="1331" height="34" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48EHus-TNfANskrMlBkI22Lci8diu0V2ST7jzwv1nQJYFdZHYitOZL6WCn7rbVxykSO8saAPzcu28gZ41ESVRXPu6Sd6xcvk3okeX05YfwNCo7g9VbvyvkJvt1MUjyS_ADD2OVpgi90WNvCWThoFX4lQALOBu5eBv4peJxxiET5EV3UOPku_rPyUfI6c/w114-h34/CreativeSask-LogoHorz-black.jpg" width="114" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p></div>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-50945866878601772422023-06-29T12:48:00.005-06:002023-06-29T12:48:34.259-06:00The Power of a Chance Meeting<p> <span style="font-family: helvetica;">One evening in mid-May, I started a conversation with a young man at a gas station. We were both filling our vehicles with gas on a blustery night.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I said, "The weather turned cool quickly."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">He said, "It's not winter, so I'm good with it. I'm counting my blessings."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I agreed. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We continued pumping gas into our respective vehicles.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">At one point, he walked over to his passenger side window to talk with his wife, who as sitting in the car, looking at me. Then he came over to me and said, "My wife loves your licence plate holder."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My plate holder says, "MY FAVOURITE PEOPLE </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">CALL ME GRANDMA."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I told them it was a gift from my daughter and that I didn't even notice the top part of it for awhile - "MY FAVOURITE PEOPLE". </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I only saw the bottom phrase "CALL ME GRANDMA" (because it's bigger and more obvious), and I thought that was terrific.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As I finished filling my vehicle's tank, the young man came over again and said, "I don't know what you believe or if this is okay, but do you believe in Jesus?"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I said, "Yes, I do."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"Do you need a prayer?"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I replied, "Always." (Because really, who doesn't need a prayer?)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">He was surprised and pleased with my answer. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">He asked if there was anything specific I wanted him to pray for. I said, "No."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">He asked if he could lay hands on me. I said, "Sure."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">He put his hand on my arm, took off his hat, and began to pray for me. He thanked God for me and my life, for my heart, and my gifts. He asked Jesus to bring joy, and joy and joy into my life, and he prayed for my kids and grandkids.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It was such a nice, comforting surprise.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I thanked him and told him that his prayer was lovely. I asked if I could give him a hug, and we embraced.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Young Dillon, wearing a "Demons Fear Me" T-shirt, put a big smile on my face that night.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A testament to being kind to others, to the power of prayer, and a chance meeting at a gas station on a windy Prairie evening. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxCgAZm0FAFqc0qAG4ebKnJHny-SM8a503YrKCtjrSCC-xfllF2YoFEK9hdV8RU_1Ooyp98L6nnTDMiBDyygGwVLV3NIjOtXfBNj_8-YXGDQniNlM1SkmQevWpkrGCz_eS6vqMVKj8YTpYmBgBO1DqjmfuXPifran9qynzaqktHFr7bxhvf0147yGvrU/s600/In%20the%20trees%202023%20Deana%20J%20Driver.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="270" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxCgAZm0FAFqc0qAG4ebKnJHny-SM8a503YrKCtjrSCC-xfllF2YoFEK9hdV8RU_1Ooyp98L6nnTDMiBDyygGwVLV3NIjOtXfBNj_8-YXGDQniNlM1SkmQevWpkrGCz_eS6vqMVKj8YTpYmBgBO1DqjmfuXPifran9qynzaqktHFr7bxhvf0147yGvrU/s320/In%20the%20trees%202023%20Deana%20J%20Driver.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><br />DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-2948684383612049492023-03-08T11:38:00.002-06:002023-03-08T15:03:29.048-06:00Beauty in the Berry Patch<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This International Women's Day, I'm remembering my mother. I've been thinking about my mom a fair bit lately. She's been gone for many years, yet her spirit lives on in me and speaks to me almost daily.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">She was a strong one, that woman. Of Polish descent, with a calm nature, she was kind and gentle and rarely raised her voice at the chaos that occurred with five children underfoot. She'd lift one eyebrow or stop whatever she was doing to look directly at us for a second, which was usually enough to settle us down and remind us to do what we were supposed to be doing at that moment.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">My mom was a hard worker and went about her daily chores with grace and a strength that inspired others. She volunteered in the community and for her church. She sang and laughed. She joked and routinely made up new words and sounds. As a child, she created "soap opera" stories for her siblings, with them as main characters, while they walked along looking for the cows on their farm. I owe my love of language and creativity to my mother.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In her later years, Mom commented on how she enjoyed being a farmer herself. Although I saw that she loved plants and nature, it was only in rereading parts of a family history book that I had renewed insight into her love of farming. My mom wrote that after teaching for a few years in various districts in central Alberta (before she had any children of her own), she took two courses from Queen's University by correspondence, which she worked on during the weekends. "After passing the exams, I was given my 'Permanent Standard E Certificate. I secretly wished I would never need to use it, for I was much happier being a farm wife. I preferred the hard work on the farm to the stress of teaching," she wrote.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hmmm... I had never considered that any woman in my family would want to stay on the farm rather than do something that was less strenuous. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">My dad and brother were fine with a life on the farm. But it was a surprise of sorts to learn that Mom was happiest there too. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I and my three sisters were certainly not cut from that same cloth. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A while ago, I was thinking about my childhood days of picking berries with my mom. Those were sweet moments, not just because we could eat our fill of the delicious fruits, but because we were spending time with our mom. Many times, Mom went out picking berries on her own. This led me to write this poem, an ode to my mother...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3k60pQu9emZ7EmJwWtcITafEzgAr364pTIXNLNwUpFk-zH9pJ3AdO4vWtG4-qRIOu2YbAKjcYDAUesbzFuMkgN2DHT8q2fRe47n8Qpo9cRX7mYuySMl6kJuOXar5hjQDMwt-6usHveNVeHyMkQ0VqWCjCIshmDFMf4AdDCNHHP4GGS_K-2mObMuzS/s1111/Beauty%20and%20the%20Berry%20Patch%20by%20Deana%20J%20Driver.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="416" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3k60pQu9emZ7EmJwWtcITafEzgAr364pTIXNLNwUpFk-zH9pJ3AdO4vWtG4-qRIOu2YbAKjcYDAUesbzFuMkgN2DHT8q2fRe47n8Qpo9cRX7mYuySMl6kJuOXar5hjQDMwt-6usHveNVeHyMkQ0VqWCjCIshmDFMf4AdDCNHHP4GGS_K-2mObMuzS/w240-h640/Beauty%20and%20the%20Berry%20Patch%20by%20Deana%20J%20Driver.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks, Mom. For everything.</span></p>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-91137541352558419842023-01-29T18:19:00.013-06:002023-03-28T18:42:51.498-06:00Therapy Dog Saves A Life<span style="font-family: verdana;">Murphy, the English Springer Spaniel, is a very special dog. He’s the first Therapy Dog to help patients in a Canadian hospital emergency room. He did that in 2015. Last week, he saved a life outside an emergency room in Regina. <br /><br />Murphy is the subject of the wonderful children’s picture book <a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/murphy-mondays-the-first-st-john-ambulance-therapy-dog-in-a-canadian-emergency-room/"><i><b>Murphy Mondays: The First St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog in a Canadian Emergency Room</b></i></a>, written by his handler/owner Jane Smith and published by my company, DriverWorks Ink.</span><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUrp6FUgkGOLg6-D7B3sk7eTVNrIL7FsySbHF1VAhUzJGtq1Cr6dgqvG1HJW-8drdOEpnMnt50SlV6qM-puZRKJJhqMDqIfk20O-ZmNuzl8om3dF2G0YgUFHHcTggbl2szL_ilQyZXLrMkj53Ppx0p7J5fLOWYknd2KFHRB06f5ELD8-WGwBkmorO/s942/Jane%20Smith%20and%20Murphy%20Mondays%20book%20-%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="942" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUrp6FUgkGOLg6-D7B3sk7eTVNrIL7FsySbHF1VAhUzJGtq1Cr6dgqvG1HJW-8drdOEpnMnt50SlV6qM-puZRKJJhqMDqIfk20O-ZmNuzl8om3dF2G0YgUFHHcTggbl2szL_ilQyZXLrMkj53Ppx0p7J5fLOWYknd2KFHRB06f5ELD8-WGwBkmorO/w400-h254/Jane%20Smith%20and%20Murphy%20Mondays%20book%20-%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Jane contacted me in 2018 to ask if I would help her publish a book about her and Murphy’s volunteer work as a certified therapy dog team. Murphy moved with Jane and her husband Preston to Saskatoon from Nova Scotia in 2014. Since the fall of 2015, they have been visiting the Royal University Hospital Emergency Room in Saskatoon. They have been the subjects of several research papers and studies as well as being models for other therapy dogs.<br /><br />With financial support from the Royal University Hospital Foundation, we published Murphy Mondays, which has three chapters about their true story: The Child Patients; The Adult Patients; and The Doctors, Nurses and Hospital Staff. The book is illustrated by Wendi Nordell and also includes 16 photos of Jane and Murphy and other people and places connected to their therapy dog work. Jane has donated proceeds from the book’s sales to the RUH Foundation and St. John Ambulance.<br /><br />As a therapy dog, Murphy has helped children and adult patients feel more comfortable in emergency rooms and other healthcare facilities, including vaccination clinics and some communities after disasters or traumas.</span><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriZBdloHATJnRI4JBug3WzbS303p4jD_s7f6AKYlCIhGtVaiZ6OS8ncNoVWsXKEbFLZ6_WCXua3RhtxMiBn8xekEkQdKbeVWyscM2pnLbsrsX9fEwXD4H_eZQF8q_AkI6flovzmvh8xB9PZvlzGorpBE-t0sXEP3NaCXHKyibybKjROHYMWKjzNMi/s771/Murphy%20-%20SJA%20Therapy%20Dog%20-%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriZBdloHATJnRI4JBug3WzbS303p4jD_s7f6AKYlCIhGtVaiZ6OS8ncNoVWsXKEbFLZ6_WCXua3RhtxMiBn8xekEkQdKbeVWyscM2pnLbsrsX9fEwXD4H_eZQF8q_AkI6flovzmvh8xB9PZvlzGorpBE-t0sXEP3NaCXHKyibybKjROHYMWKjzNMi/s320/Murphy%20-%20SJA%20Therapy%20Dog%20-%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" width="249" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />In November, I was privileged to accompany Jane and Murphy while they visited a young man they had come to know years earlier. I watched as Murphy was his usual calm self when he walked into the room beside Jane. When he saw this young man and heard his voice, Murphy’s tail began to wag rapidly. We all enjoyed watching as this young man lit up with smiles and laughter as he hugged and cuddled with his favourite dog.<br /><br />Jane wrote about that visit, speaking for Murphy, on their Instagram page <a href="https://www.instagram.com/murphymondays/">murphymondays</a>: “So excited. I haven’t seen this gentleman in years since he moved to another city. I visited him weekly for many years. I love ❤️ him and he me. What a great reunion. He kept asking daily to see me. Finally, we got to hug and cuddle. Found out he travels bi-weekly to Saskatoon, so we are setting up visits at an organization he is a part of. Within minutes of leaving, I was snoring in the car. Gave him my whole heart as usual.”<br /><br /></span><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_zP6edaZ1E6u7LKZ-VksbHb0PXr46wPC0lpvoVm8kUrqFo0JaPSiR4UhM5f-dGeQ6CLkU5dfzbWmSDP_ZTvIMFav6BLENw0dkbnI6GHB9tUwVlmzJQfPdwMM14SVHjKxFdWIhaLo8bUGfIlfeD5-Trs3KP5hs68HqEF0hMBr6z7sBVw9kBXkUKQQ/s1000/MurphyMondaysTherapy%20Dog202211%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="1000" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_zP6edaZ1E6u7LKZ-VksbHb0PXr46wPC0lpvoVm8kUrqFo0JaPSiR4UhM5f-dGeQ6CLkU5dfzbWmSDP_ZTvIMFav6BLENw0dkbnI6GHB9tUwVlmzJQfPdwMM14SVHjKxFdWIhaLo8bUGfIlfeD5-Trs3KP5hs68HqEF0hMBr6z7sBVw9kBXkUKQQ/s320/MurphyMondaysTherapy%20Dog202211%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></i></b></div><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpfu4iMsPV3jQruuoXuf5MQUy3Aw4mCKH1VjPaSgpXNZ7DU8qlMno9g0i4JeLDP9LNOILXQus3d-V9GixzsZPGEZOFiQ3WX3wOTv0y2-1BC1XkzGSkae8J1lKHvwtNPORwiPt0s-HPypZm377lu5iPfZRnwhf99zXadeRIm-bTHKxnmNEQxixm8-e/s795/MurphyMondaysTherapy%20Dog20221114%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpfu4iMsPV3jQruuoXuf5MQUy3Aw4mCKH1VjPaSgpXNZ7DU8qlMno9g0i4JeLDP9LNOILXQus3d-V9GixzsZPGEZOFiQ3WX3wOTv0y2-1BC1XkzGSkae8J1lKHvwtNPORwiPt0s-HPypZm377lu5iPfZRnwhf99zXadeRIm-bTHKxnmNEQxixm8-e/s320/MurphyMondaysTherapy%20Dog20221114%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZczalyMwYKU1YHscdnsN-OY0Aaz1H9-mMJO-tUfFG9AbPAsy4HiBmcO_Cajoq_z0KrlWtSg7tQMyB2B54mwLHpIiSPrSLWq7kAws8Pi7sgWfMRbF8A2HmuT2IxOTCAtnAWWCaAww3-1437SC7o9ZzHgj70Y7tqDhKNyIIF_LqMvyGSlMb4Nbg_rlE/s883/MurphyMondaysTherapy%20Dog202211142%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZczalyMwYKU1YHscdnsN-OY0Aaz1H9-mMJO-tUfFG9AbPAsy4HiBmcO_Cajoq_z0KrlWtSg7tQMyB2B54mwLHpIiSPrSLWq7kAws8Pi7sgWfMRbF8A2HmuT2IxOTCAtnAWWCaAww3-1437SC7o9ZzHgj70Y7tqDhKNyIIF_LqMvyGSlMb4Nbg_rlE/s320/MurphyMondaysTherapy%20Dog202211142%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" width="290" /></a></div></span></i></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />A few days ago, Jane and Murphy were taking part in a St. John Ambulance crisis response training session in Regina. What happened one night while they were on a break is a remarkable story that highlights the value of these wonderful, gentle animals.<br /><br />Jane Smith wrote about this event on Instagram, as though her dog Murphy is talking:<br /><br />“I helped save a life tonight! So getting needed rest on Jane’s lap. In Regina, for crisis response training so I just happened to practice tonight. Went out for a pee and a man who petted me suggested I cheer a motionless person on a bench. It was -26 degrees Celsius with the wind chill. Even I was cold. The man came with Jane and I under a fence and over and through snow. The person did not respond to Jane or the man. However, I got a few grunts when I licked her face. 911 was called. I stood still as could be and didn’t mind the sirens as Jane waved down the fire truck. The firepersons and paramedics got her standing and moving and took her to the ambulance. They thanked us.”<br /><br />What an incredible story about some pretty amazing people who make up one marvelous St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Team! I’m so honoured to know Jane and Murphy and to help them share their stories.<br /><br />To read more about Murphy, follow him (and Jane Smith) on Instagram at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/murphymondays/">murphymondays</a> and purchase the book from <a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/murphy-mondays-the-first-st-john-ambulance-therapy-dog-in-a-canadian-emergency-room/">DriverWorks Ink</a>.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbbfeCjJv_Lf43_N4rSb_e5XmVCOtUC8L2Pdo8-8ic5neJE-9J8dzhaeLFLPtO_RR4Ser0FdCfwLc9jRjEfsQSlcZAFy1mMQc9tXk-2BzoBi59AC5Bqfla165NjLFksiFCALc2Y65ELHTJZhjerHguh_p-HYVttonEDeg-JZi40vg_DsYRRlPhLp-/s640/Murphy%20-%20Therapy%20Dog%20-%20Murphy%20Mondays%20book%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="640" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbbfeCjJv_Lf43_N4rSb_e5XmVCOtUC8L2Pdo8-8ic5neJE-9J8dzhaeLFLPtO_RR4Ser0FdCfwLc9jRjEfsQSlcZAFy1mMQc9tXk-2BzoBi59AC5Bqfla165NjLFksiFCALc2Y65ELHTJZhjerHguh_p-HYVttonEDeg-JZi40vg_DsYRRlPhLp-/s320/Murphy%20-%20Therapy%20Dog%20-%20Murphy%20Mondays%20book%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidm3L-xD4HPnHUik6CCxyxXKthQanLXnDlkTMa6Frpn1kXDJmKAZ-0FSnhHwMRRf29mnKmJGcodsPvu79XVJpWsJyR08SA0RAMCr22oS4OetrA_cUY16dx5R9lTgy34ncdYuCNit1rOvESA6Tz9Wmc30gDam4qxvLQAgdQKNPbmOu3j-bcz38dc-7_/s900/Murphy%20Mondays%20book%20-%20Jane%20Smith.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="893" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidm3L-xD4HPnHUik6CCxyxXKthQanLXnDlkTMa6Frpn1kXDJmKAZ-0FSnhHwMRRf29mnKmJGcodsPvu79XVJpWsJyR08SA0RAMCr22oS4OetrA_cUY16dx5R9lTgy34ncdYuCNit1rOvESA6Tz9Wmc30gDam4qxvLQAgdQKNPbmOu3j-bcz38dc-7_/s320/Murphy%20Mondays%20book%20-%20Jane%20Smith.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRntxqPg9VFwQl_EZbc637Wd0msgucThNflblPwbTTuShNo02nSSXi62LK40Lqm9vP4aV3pC7_y3hSEUqyFmiWC-aX9fS9eAq4GrK5PHNakT-ZnfSK-KtTzf1AE6-VLpybEuXT-PNn3R6W6wecx7dv9md7cbzhO_J0jynq9QHt4ou5DSoimKGLr4py/s600/Murphy%20Mondays%20by%20Jane%20Smith%20-%20pg4%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="595" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRntxqPg9VFwQl_EZbc637Wd0msgucThNflblPwbTTuShNo02nSSXi62LK40Lqm9vP4aV3pC7_y3hSEUqyFmiWC-aX9fS9eAq4GrK5PHNakT-ZnfSK-KtTzf1AE6-VLpybEuXT-PNn3R6W6wecx7dv9md7cbzhO_J0jynq9QHt4ou5DSoimKGLr4py/s320/Murphy%20Mondays%20by%20Jane%20Smith%20-%20pg4%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqy2VZu5FPjWqrtcYe8mN-zELZEDHK0Ny8Eq-mqLrekr0FbdC-Gd8kgG_ZZ4Y3xq01bUf36hoA5BYn6qRjuB-ZjxlpbVYL8RQn8L0ouGCUDsWNKR59wOcXkiXCT81FAhyL5-5vnFO_qAfV9hXL3wWCJF-qo7XerNWEYeKuTjPmFt7glGxpCUSpanR/s608/Murphy%20Mondays%20by%20Jane%20Smith%20-%20pg5%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="608" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqy2VZu5FPjWqrtcYe8mN-zELZEDHK0Ny8Eq-mqLrekr0FbdC-Gd8kgG_ZZ4Y3xq01bUf36hoA5BYn6qRjuB-ZjxlpbVYL8RQn8L0ouGCUDsWNKR59wOcXkiXCT81FAhyL5-5vnFO_qAfV9hXL3wWCJF-qo7XerNWEYeKuTjPmFt7glGxpCUSpanR/s320/Murphy%20Mondays%20by%20Jane%20Smith%20-%20pg5%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxRK3WrGztFfG9bGoReo1o0Q1dedSPakXyv3ThdBWl_rtdRuXDTCtNM7fLShwSf9NHzrBS2htgtS9EH5F3lVwUO3Ml3aQDLTuYtnnyyB2iInVlqaNOFFiPQqq0hSpkSoFXlNn8N2LPj179EMJ-FImPUfM7402vOgGb_0SoPOjYK134xu52qvHdzIJ/s600/Murphy%20Mondays%20by%20Jane%20Smith%20-%20pg23%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="595" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxRK3WrGztFfG9bGoReo1o0Q1dedSPakXyv3ThdBWl_rtdRuXDTCtNM7fLShwSf9NHzrBS2htgtS9EH5F3lVwUO3Ml3aQDLTuYtnnyyB2iInVlqaNOFFiPQqq0hSpkSoFXlNn8N2LPj179EMJ-FImPUfM7402vOgGb_0SoPOjYK134xu52qvHdzIJ/s320/Murphy%20Mondays%20by%20Jane%20Smith%20-%20pg23%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #262626; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #262626; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #262626; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-45143552368115578852023-01-10T13:54:00.004-06:002023-01-10T21:17:19.970-06:00Shredding the past and moving into a new year<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />There's
a certain satisfaction that comes with shredding old business files. You see where
you have come from, what you've accomplished, who you touched, who touched you,
what did not go so well, and what you learned from it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In shredding
business files that are older than seven years, the timeframe after which CRA
says you can shred your business/income tax files, I came across many memories. Things I’d
forgotten. Things I needed to be reminded of. Things I might want to try again,
but maybe in a different way.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
I found lovely notes from authors, readers, fans, work colleagues, and family. Little winks were hidden in expense and sales sheets from craft or trade shows
and posters for dozens of author readings across the Prairies. I remembered
mental images of children and adults who were enthralled to hear about my books
and those of the authors I publish. What a precious gift of memories.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The
new year will bring more terrific new books to my business. Four marketable
books are on my DriverWorks Ink publishing list at present, along with a few
that will be produced only for the authors and/or their families. There will be
new growth – for my authors and readers, and for me as we learn new concepts from
writers who are known and beloved or are new to us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Onward
and upward! Welcome, 2023!</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU9xSqDj4z6KZlRlLEE49cwiLYUXwAKZNApELMHKLwJauCfSrj0CWyY0WGUTAv_r86-UMBeRv37aDZtsUwdqdG82E-a8iSFtpFrHrJ7bili9RYqyt8MgFU_1FnwVHVp7b4jdmA3U50azVF-rQOdkqkWlAkbOwJmCgyTrPmPj0zpcjZbakD23dvu0Q/s3711/Shredding%20papers%20DDriver%20202301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3711" data-original-width="1656" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU9xSqDj4z6KZlRlLEE49cwiLYUXwAKZNApELMHKLwJauCfSrj0CWyY0WGUTAv_r86-UMBeRv37aDZtsUwdqdG82E-a8iSFtpFrHrJ7bili9RYqyt8MgFU_1FnwVHVp7b4jdmA3U50azVF-rQOdkqkWlAkbOwJmCgyTrPmPj0zpcjZbakD23dvu0Q/s320/Shredding%20papers%20DDriver%20202301.jpg" width="143" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-22955304604918756382022-12-02T19:01:00.014-06:002023-11-28T14:34:14.883-06:00Gift ideas for the Book Lover<p>Searching for a
great gift for someone who loves to read? We recommend these terrific books
written by Canadian authors. And they’re less than $30 a book!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDihj7eHx-ehbvSzcZ3fYhmDU4vhriJ00d4wz0moiFkhDsG9qDyGITSpGHvmEWsg3zJ0jcTdNG9tpXVbqMLX2gHnZv3qdqeKiz19q4meOiUlcP32fJupxVRmY762WZrSqE0rkwlSLRCG_hZYZCB_PtHVbT1TBnNhKTIrcU9Zcpd7Qm_UuMs2-a0wx5USE/s1668/Gift%20ideas%20for%20the%20book%20lover%20-%20DriverWorks%20Ink%202022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1464" data-original-width="1668" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDihj7eHx-ehbvSzcZ3fYhmDU4vhriJ00d4wz0moiFkhDsG9qDyGITSpGHvmEWsg3zJ0jcTdNG9tpXVbqMLX2gHnZv3qdqeKiz19q4meOiUlcP32fJupxVRmY762WZrSqE0rkwlSLRCG_hZYZCB_PtHVbT1TBnNhKTIrcU9Zcpd7Qm_UuMs2-a0wx5USE/w400-h351/Gift%20ideas%20for%20the%20book%20lover%20-%20DriverWorks%20Ink%202022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 17.12px; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">All titles are available from <o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://driverworks.ca/books/">https://driverworks.ca/books/</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 14pt; text-align: left;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZD2o2z8cVOAfCiPnHrcYIiCAgTEv65nGtUlMvfHTGdMbgDviyokE6wR0L9gg9OLdzKKN0hLQYUCa19IPNLFquTZMQvSXqNLJzZ1OGDf3sW5HrCm6VmqLBb9MmU8Gg_SF5EAJ2-vPuCQ1En9NTldDEfa5Lsw-Q6Vp73VoQm49TD60onu0fCICRUIY9/s1377/Tunnels%20of%20Time%20-%20Mary%20Harelkin%20Bishop%20-%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1377" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZD2o2z8cVOAfCiPnHrcYIiCAgTEv65nGtUlMvfHTGdMbgDviyokE6wR0L9gg9OLdzKKN0hLQYUCa19IPNLFquTZMQvSXqNLJzZ1OGDf3sW5HrCm6VmqLBb9MmU8Gg_SF5EAJ2-vPuCQ1En9NTldDEfa5Lsw-Q6Vp73VoQm49TD60onu0fCICRUIY9/w131-h200/Tunnels%20of%20Time%20-%20Mary%20Harelkin%20Bishop%20-%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" width="131" /></a></i></b></div><b><i><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Tunnels of Time – Moose Jaw Time Travel Adventure #1. </span></i><span style="font-size: medium;">By Mary Harelkin Bishop:</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span><b>Synopsis</b>: This first book in the five-book series finds thirteen-year-old Andrea unhappily attending a boring family wedding in boring Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Andrea is annoyed that she is not on a class field trip to the mountains, and she barely listens when a local restaurant owner talks about the old days of gangsters and gamblers hiding in the tunnels below Moose Jaw. But when Andrea accidentally falls into one of those tunnels and finds herself back in 1920s Moose Jaw, the stories and danger become real. How will Andrea outsmart the gangsters who are demanding that she work for them? And will she ever see her family again? <br /><br /><b>Genres, subjects:</b> Juvenile Fiction, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Time Travel, Family, Change; Co-operation; Friendship; Determination; Canadian History; Literacy; Education; Learning Resources; Prairie Provinces; Saskatchewan Author; Canadian author. <br /><br /><b>Audience</b>: For ages 9 to adult<br /><br />
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnufvf8SfHI2wbEdfx1BQ_qQBUEQvrP8r-hEVP7DYvZj2CEeNG0UE9XeK3iAVJ4AHpDGNUTOnwXopTbcabW1g6cpoHvBA2n8vuDshySbtdR6m4amMhBgrrUN7FkT3Sk8DHkesv76L-N66tpyCLUTMMQ9YMqiUslBCEXxLgPrMkRdItYhixpY7AmNb/s1134/Fun%20On%20The%20Farm%203%20-%20Deana%20J%20Driver%20%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="738" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnufvf8SfHI2wbEdfx1BQ_qQBUEQvrP8r-hEVP7DYvZj2CEeNG0UE9XeK3iAVJ4AHpDGNUTOnwXopTbcabW1g6cpoHvBA2n8vuDshySbtdR6m4amMhBgrrUN7FkT3Sk8DHkesv76L-N66tpyCLUTMMQ9YMqiUslBCEXxLgPrMkRdItYhixpY7AmNb/w130-h200/Fun%20On%20The%20Farm%203%20-%20Deana%20J%20Driver%20%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" width="130" /></a></i></b></div><b><i><br /></i></b><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Fun On The Farm 3 – True Tales of Farm Life! </i>Compiled and edited by Deana J. Driver:<br /></span></b><br /><b>Synopsis: </b>Cranky cattle, ornery pigs, curious farm kids, tricky technology, and head-banging farmers are some of the hilarious memories shared by 20 Canadian Prairies writers, including author/ publisher Deana J. Driver, in this third and final volume of the popular Fun On The Farm series. Even more pranks, unexpected events, tricks, and delights of living and working on Western Canadian farms are recorded for posterity and the enjoyment of readers, bringing a satisfying end to this amusing series celebrating the lighter side of farming. <br /><br /><b>Genres, Subjects:</b> Nonfiction; Anecdotes; Humour; Prairie Provinces; Canadian history; Fun; Farming; Rural life; Family life; Canadian authors. <br /><br /><b>Audience: </b>Ages 13 to Adult <br /><br />
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVUmCxSz_cjbF7pQAZVyECdTwWttaRAIQfXXXm61u3m2W_vgLfBQZkAql4CYSTng4kygRnP9mNV5hJcLhqnqmV890J-oau-MziNPXtltGitYg6YWGpJw2nBJ5CAuQv-C4xeJc1UCJzOnqieOxXsk8l2B_FVJCkY9z13rhuP8aQzSsZTJYmmyZauDo/s172/Don't%20They%20Kick%20When%20You%20Do%20That%20-%20Dr%20Gary%20Hoium.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="172" data-original-width="112" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVUmCxSz_cjbF7pQAZVyECdTwWttaRAIQfXXXm61u3m2W_vgLfBQZkAql4CYSTng4kygRnP9mNV5hJcLhqnqmV890J-oau-MziNPXtltGitYg6YWGpJw2nBJ5CAuQv-C4xeJc1UCJzOnqieOxXsk8l2B_FVJCkY9z13rhuP8aQzSsZTJYmmyZauDo/w130-h200/Don't%20They%20Kick%20When%20You%20Do%20That%20-%20Dr%20Gary%20Hoium.jpg" width="130" /></a></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><br /></b></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Don’t They Kick When You Do That? Stories of a Prairie Veterinarian. </i>By Dr. Gary Hoium:<br /></span></b><br /><b>Synopsis</b>: After graduating from veterinary college in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1984, Dr. Gary Hoium joined a mixed animal clinic in Weyburn. He spent the next almost 40 years serving animals of all shapes and sizes, and their human owners/handlers. He collected humorous and heartwarming stories of the creatures he met along the way, and he shares them in this compilation of his real-life adventures, mishaps, and successes. From cattle to hogs, cats to dogs, the creatures and men and women who love them have wormed their way into Gary Hoium’s heart … and his stories.<br /><br /><b>Genres, Subjects</b>: Humour, Nonfiction; Veterinary medicine; Prairie Provinces; Canadian history; Farming; Rural life; Family life; Canadian author. <br /><br /><b>Audience</b>: Ages 15 to Adult
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7diFXKIkwIfVC5IZ9abhMaFDfIlS5cXAxUxtfj733KOwgw5Xh1I-0QUnAXjk0jy9SMDZAmD_OC0K40JR_DJS-dgeB1v5wIeW9BpbcJ-vFn_tUwDUrVFddHpAfesC-zgSg5Eh4Wn-z9Zh-pNbcAlARCGNdOlD9vJIpHvd9BzseCoS5ivESDnm7964X/s900/Cream%20Money%20anthology%20-%20front%20cover%20-%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7diFXKIkwIfVC5IZ9abhMaFDfIlS5cXAxUxtfj733KOwgw5Xh1I-0QUnAXjk0jy9SMDZAmD_OC0K40JR_DJS-dgeB1v5wIeW9BpbcJ-vFn_tUwDUrVFddHpAfesC-zgSg5Eh4Wn-z9Zh-pNbcAlARCGNdOlD9vJIpHvd9BzseCoS5ivESDnm7964X/w133-h200/Cream%20Money%20anthology%20-%20front%20cover%20-%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" width="133" /></a></i></b></p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Cream Money - Stories of Prairie People. </i>Compiled and edited by Deana J. Driver:<br /></span></b><br /><b>Synopsis</b>: In Western Canada in the 1900s, money earned from selling cream helped purchase groceries, fabric, farm supplies, and other items that could not be produced on the farm. While children cherished the occasional candy treat purchased with cream cheque money, children and adults alike enjoyed delicious foods cooked with homemade butter or covered with rich whipped cream. Cream Money honours this bygone era of Prairie farming, celebrating the work of farm families through true stories and poems of how cream money was earned and spent. Stories are written by: Deana J. Driver, Irene K. Bingham, Dora Shwaga, Cornelia Mary Bilinsky, Bryce Burnett, Jean Fahlman, Truus de Gooijer, Brenda Garbutt, Maurice Giroux, Jerry Holfeld, Janice Howden, Ryshia Kennie, Betty Harkness, Marilyn (Brown) Meyers, Linda Mikolayenko, Theodore D. Mikolayenko, Laurie Lynn Muirhead, Marion Mutala, Clara Puddell, Carrie Schemenauer, Carol McCullough, Lilleth Shantz, Eleanor Sinclair, Glenn Swallow, Roy Tollefson, Dexter van Dyke, Eleanor Wagner, Clifford Walker, and Ruth Wildeman. <br /><br /><b>Genres, Subjects:</b> Nonfiction; Prairie Authors; Canadian Nonfiction; Biography; Prairie Provinces; Anecdotes; Farming; Rural Life; Canadian History; Family Life; Education, Canadian author. <br /><br /><b>Audience</b>: For ages 13 to Adult
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBK1pC_Zhc56s3t_sl1dPhY6QlWvAV4OuJ8DbmWGOcrlpedkil6cbrCRI6fntiXURlzgCump8N6CNihRJfTOjqkht4MSeRJIeITES4Wbpe7gXCgOtfYRjqKLvUjJv_ZpPiSd9_Ki_c5SzciS4l5XFxOO9XPURb0wGJCFkWoCpimv8tApAT5UkPldnI/s1539/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20by%20Jennifer%20S%20Wallace.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBK1pC_Zhc56s3t_sl1dPhY6QlWvAV4OuJ8DbmWGOcrlpedkil6cbrCRI6fntiXURlzgCump8N6CNihRJfTOjqkht4MSeRJIeITES4Wbpe7gXCgOtfYRjqKLvUjJv_ZpPiSd9_Ki_c5SzciS4l5XFxOO9XPURb0wGJCFkWoCpimv8tApAT5UkPldnI/w130-h200/Miss%20G%20and%20Me%20by%20Jennifer%20S%20Wallace.jpg" width="130" /></a></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Miss G and Me. </i>By Jennifer S. Wallace:<br /></span></b><br /><b>Synopsis</b>: Author Jennifer Wallace explores the background of her mother, Ruth Williamson, aka “Miss G”, who grew up in Jamaica and left there at a young age, under her mother's direction, to pursue a nursing education in England. Ruth then chose her own path, which led her to Canada in the late 1960s. Unlike many immigrants from the Caribbean at that time, Ruth ended up in rural Saskatchewan, working as a nurse while adjusting to the culture and climate of the Canadian Prairies. Jennifer unravels some of the mysteries of her mother’s life, with the use of anecdotes, journals, poetry, and personal essays to weave together the story of Miss G and her mother’s impact on her own family. <br /><br /><b>Genres, Subjects:</b> Nonfiction, Memoir, Poetry, Essays, Journals; Black history; Biography & Autobiography / Cultural, Ethnic & Regional / African American & Black; Family & Relationships / Multiracial Families; Canadian history; Prairie Provinces; Canadian author. <br /><br /><b>Audience</b>: Ages 12 to Adult <br /><br /><br /><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWA9JN7GieTshwUyXaZvn5Z7c6RMhAH8DYWv9hLqRTo5nWEeycJ33aHMnzgAKqpsWs2fW25Q50FZSGEAcNic9EhhaQOrLEbYfuDcXksEdYy-wkPuG_MYvE0c88tiNnutVsLoVgYYFKThMSoljmzddfHIH10PAUt-eug0XIl3HFKOlCYATXOH0ElNv/s1657/You%20Are%20Enough%20by%20Lisa%20Driver.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1657" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWA9JN7GieTshwUyXaZvn5Z7c6RMhAH8DYWv9hLqRTo5nWEeycJ33aHMnzgAKqpsWs2fW25Q50FZSGEAcNic9EhhaQOrLEbYfuDcXksEdYy-wkPuG_MYvE0c88tiNnutVsLoVgYYFKThMSoljmzddfHIH10PAUt-eug0XIl3HFKOlCYATXOH0ElNv/w121-h200/You%20Are%20Enough%20by%20Lisa%20Driver.jpg" width="121" /></a></i></b></div><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>You Are Enough – Activate Your Angels & Magnetize a Soul-FULL Life. </i>By Lisa Driver:<br /></span></b><br /><b>Synopsis</b>: In this, her fourth spiritual guidebook, award-winning author Lisa Driver will help you reconnect with your spiritual radiance, reminding you of your Divine perfection. She shares her personal journey along with spiritual tools – such as channeled meditations, Angel Activations, exercises, and journal prompts – to help you heal your need to achieve, stop sabotaging yourself, and make room for pockets of rest, reflection, acceptance, and clarity. Feel the love of your angels and ancestors as they encourage you to let go of the past and the pressure you feel. You are loved. You are supported, You Are Enough. <br /><br /><b>Genres, Subjects:</b> Spiritual wellness; Nonfiction; Healing; Angels; Faith; Health; Biography; Alberta author; Canadian author. <br /><br /><b>Audience</b>: Ages 15 to Adult</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /> <span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><b style="font-size: 14pt;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVIQ8d5Y1Ca5BemZUzhaeEgmT_aW-dNo9y9tmuy4Muod_SSSlmYfY00h0B1vsAkKaoV7X6lUT3xuCe4vTVGe-flZqVxm3lZ4c3311x1pBf1Mm5UiKy6AC82_J339nYqseYMoSWMqVkY2QOuRHzVS2O0MQtb8EEV3NHXkUDtifFP0DqPIPDBBc-0CH/s877/Flight_Vol%203%20Deana%20J%20Driver%209781927570623.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="602" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVIQ8d5Y1Ca5BemZUzhaeEgmT_aW-dNo9y9tmuy4Muod_SSSlmYfY00h0B1vsAkKaoV7X6lUT3xuCe4vTVGe-flZqVxm3lZ4c3311x1pBf1Mm5UiKy6AC82_J339nYqseYMoSWMqVkY2QOuRHzVS2O0MQtb8EEV3NHXkUDtifFP0DqPIPDBBc-0CH/w138-h200/Flight_Vol%203%20Deana%20J%20Driver%209781927570623.jpg" width="138" /></a></i></b><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Flight - Stories of Canadian Aviation, Vol. 3. </i>By Deana J. Driver & Contributors:<br /></span></b><br /><b>Synopsis</b>: Canadian aviation enthusiasts, pilots, and other aviation personnel share stories of tense flights, perilous routes, historic achievements, impressive flying adventures and more in this salute to Canada’s aviation industry and people. In this third volume of the series, stories revolve around precarious landings, hidden airstrips, annoying passengers, the joys and perils of aerial crop spraying, and more. Six stories and introduction are written by Deana J. Driver and 27 stories are written by 14 other Canadian writers: Bill Cameron, Will Chabun, Richard Dowson, Peter Enzlberger, Mary Harelkin Bishop, Dave McElroy, Vincent Murphy-Dodds, Curtis Penner, Don Riekman, Ralph Tweten, Walter D. Williams, Ken Wilson, Mason Adam Wray, and Bill Wunsch. <br /><br /><b>Genres, Subjects</b>: Nonfiction; Transportation; Aviation; Short stories; Anecdotes; Aviation history; Military; Canadian history; Prairie Provinces; Canadian authors. <br /><br /><b>Audience</b>: Ages 13 to Adult<br /> <br />
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0M8gP_TOXJ9Ugiae4uGkNqOgLW4ONV78fS5kYhds-GkWXmlFULlMexqTeaIq3VNaN8LgxR39gkePhGrYrWLBQ_1L33FkBtmhmvpqgYF6ye-hbBolfLF-kY6JMa-GH-il_ujMNZEj-6a4te-T7wKSyCnl-hSsnbmbGRC0onxuWmjhImVgJ9sdylNg/s1550/Running%20the%20Riders%20-%20by%20Jim%20Hopson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="1031" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0M8gP_TOXJ9Ugiae4uGkNqOgLW4ONV78fS5kYhds-GkWXmlFULlMexqTeaIq3VNaN8LgxR39gkePhGrYrWLBQ_1L33FkBtmhmvpqgYF6ye-hbBolfLF-kY6JMa-GH-il_ujMNZEj-6a4te-T7wKSyCnl-hSsnbmbGRC0onxuWmjhImVgJ9sdylNg/w133-h200/Running%20the%20Riders%20-%20by%20Jim%20Hopson.jpg" width="133" /></a></i></b></div><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Running the Riders - My Decade as CEO of Canada's Team. </i>By Jim Hopson with Darrell Davis:<br /></span></b><br /><b>Synopsis</b>: In 2004, offensive lineman-turned-educator Jim Hopson was hopeful that the floundering Saskatchewan Roughriders directors would hire him as the team’s first full-time president and CEO. He believed that the team, with its incredible fan base, could become a successful business that consistently posted strong annual profits while playing in and winning multiple Grey Cups. And it happened. After a decade under Hopson’s leadership (2005 to 2015), the Roughriders became the Canadian Football League's strongest franchise. This is Jim’s story of the struggles, successes, and steps taken to victory. Darrell Davis, an author and long-time sportswriter and Roughriders-beat writer at the <i>Regina Leader-Post</i>, assisted Jim in co-authoring this book. <br /><br /><b>Genres, Subjects</b>: Nonfiction; Saskatchewan Roughriders; Sports; Canadian Football League; Prairie Provinces; Business; Leadership; Education; Saskatchewan teacher; Saskatchewan author; Canadian author. <br /><br /><b>Audience</b>: Ages 15 to Adult<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8RBOscgYWwxX0E2Xuhv7fw6_apsgOOh4mgn3TW4ah8pD3KAPEIWchkYt537mp31lvPm4woNSdD5REA29QWf8jnaxgEOp67GQfWy9Eba4Er207aFSoGHJIVmm-mVvCLyVA2jBTDpfjayBuKAQ4gcqvI63fbriI5SvisV1wiet3eBZHnexRIM90qpD/s472/The%20Sailor%20and%20the%20Christmas%20Trees%204cm.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8RBOscgYWwxX0E2Xuhv7fw6_apsgOOh4mgn3TW4ah8pD3KAPEIWchkYt537mp31lvPm4woNSdD5REA29QWf8jnaxgEOp67GQfWy9Eba4Er207aFSoGHJIVmm-mVvCLyVA2jBTDpfjayBuKAQ4gcqvI63fbriI5SvisV1wiet3eBZHnexRIM90qpD/w134-h200/The%20Sailor%20and%20the%20Christmas%20Trees%204cm.JPG" width="134" /></a></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>The Sailor and the Christmas Trees - A True Story. </i>By Deana Driver:<br /></span></b><br /><b>Synopsis</b>: As a sailor in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War, John Hanlon of Brandon, Manitoba, knew they would be at sea on Christmas Day 1944. So when they docked in St. John's, Newfoundland, he decided that he and some other sailors should go up a nearby hill and cut down a few evergreen trees, then hide them on the ship. On Christmas morning 1944, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on their way back to Canada from England, John and his friends pulled out those trees and surprised their fellow shipmates with a hearty “Merry Christmas” wish! They also shared this unexpected Christmas gift with some small English children on another ship in that convoy, who were being transported to safety in Canada. <br /><br /><b>Genres, Subjects</b>: Children's nonfiction; Second World War; Canadian history; Canadian sailor; Royal Canadian Navy; Royal Canadian Legion; Canadian war hero; Inspirational nonfiction; Early reader; Manitoba sailor; Saskatchewan author; Canadian author. <br /><br /><b>Audience</b>: Ages 8 and Up <br /><br /><b style="font-size: 14pt;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRRDowJ4jSIC4fNY6Z8V2XTXUqvOXbXXHbvK4Q56spJyxAKBIMTfvMLSp1bMqGXjk6CrLrn7qgSjeGkX6m8CnnTQNAVL43-qqv5dqO6IdNbrd6DReje_mw1pdCA4qohTY1C8nQwqPMOx4bNncxlK73iDODlv3P48FaoLzvLa05udMW0fZmb_bY35Q/s472/The%20Little%20Coat%20book%204cm.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRRDowJ4jSIC4fNY6Z8V2XTXUqvOXbXXHbvK4Q56spJyxAKBIMTfvMLSp1bMqGXjk6CrLrn7qgSjeGkX6m8CnnTQNAVL43-qqv5dqO6IdNbrd6DReje_mw1pdCA4qohTY1C8nQwqPMOx4bNncxlK73iDODlv3P48FaoLzvLa05udMW0fZmb_bY35Q/w131-h200/The%20Little%20Coat%20book%204cm.JPG" width="131" /></a></i></b></div><b><i><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">The Little Coat – The Bob and Sue Elliott Story. </span></i><span style="font-size: medium;">By Alan J. Buick:<br /></span></b><br /><b>Synopsis</b>: Bob Elliott, a 19-year-old Canadian tank commander, met Sussie Cretier, a feisty 10-year-old Dutch girl, during the Second World War. Sussie's family had run across a minefield, dodging German bullets to seek refuge with the Canadian soldiers. Sussie quickly became a good-luck charm and beacon of hope for the weary Canadian troops. On Christmas Day 1944, the Canadians honoured their little adopted soldier with a special Army-style coat they ordered from a local seamstress. Decades later, the relationship between Sussie (Sue) and Bob not only endured but flourished. Due to this book, Sue’s little coat is now a Canadian artifact in the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. <br /><br /><b>Genres, Subjects</b>: Nonfiction; Canadian history; Second World War; Canadian hero; Dutch girl; Canadian Armed Forces; Netherlands; Inspirational nonfiction; Biography; Love story; Literacy; Canadian War Museum; Canadian wartime artifact; Sussie Cretier's child’s coat; Royal Canadian Legion; Saskatchewan author; Canadian author. <br /><br /><b>Audience</b>: Ages 10 to Adult</div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-43647964869501461782022-10-24T22:13:00.016-06:002023-03-28T18:48:09.055-06:00Reconnecting with a special friend and unique story in Brandon MB<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As an author and book publisher, I am often asked, "Where do you get your stories from?"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sometimes, I find the stories or book subjects by researching and asking questions, the way I did when I was a freelance journalist writing for various Canadian newspapers and magazines.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sometimes, the stories walk into my line of vision or hearing, as was the case when my daughter Lisa told me about the indomitable Dionne Warner, the seven-time cancer survivor who was about to speak at a Relay for Life rally in Regina in July 2011 (which made me think Dionne's story was worthy of a great book, which </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I would go on to write and publish - </span><i style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/never-leave-your-wingman-dionne-and-graham-warners-story-of-hope/" target="_blank">Never Leave Your Wingman</a></i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sometimes, as in the case of the book I wrote about former Royal Canadian Navy man John Hanlon of Brandon, Manitoba, the story comes to me through a friend of a friend.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In about 2011, a dear friend of mine, Dexter van Dyke, suggested that he knew of a story that his friend, Elaine Rounds of Brandon, had told him about an elderly man who did something wonderful during the Second World War. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>In November 1944, John Hanlon was a wireless operator on the HMCS Royalmount, which was docked in St. John's, Newfoundland at the time. John knew their convoy would be at sea on Christmas Day, so he and a couple crewmates walked up a hill in St. John's Harbour and cut down some evergreens. John hid those trees in the belly of his ship and pulled them out weeks later, on Christmas morning, </span><span>in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean - surprising </span><span>his crewmates as well as some English children who were </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">on another ship in that convoy, </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">coming to a safe home in Canada. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">John's forward-thinking made that wartime Christmas a very memorable day for many people for decades to come.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">John had been telling this Christmas 1944 story to his children, grandchildren, his United Church community, and Royal Canadian Legion members at Christmastime for decades after the Second World War ended.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Elaine had told Dexter about the story. Then Dexter told me. We all knew it would make a great book. So I asked Dexter to connect me with Elaine and, thus, John Hanlon.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>I met </span>Elaine Rounds in Brandon in May 2012, based only on an introduction via Dexter. Elaine became an instant friend and we have spoken and seen each other several times in the years since then. That first day, she took me and my husband Al to the care home in which <span>John Hanlon was a resident. John's wife Audrey told me the story while John, unable to speak at times at age 90, nuzzled in beside me and bumped my leg when the story got interesting.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Before I left John's room that day, I promised him and Audrey that I would write his special Christmas trees story before that Christmas and I would donate some money from each book to the Royal Canadian Legion (Dominion Command Poppy Trust Fund, which helps veterans and their families). John Hanlon passed away a few days after our meeting.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I fulfilled my promise and wrote <a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/the-sailor-and-the-christmas-trees/" target="_blank"><i>The Sailor and the Christmas Trees</i> book</a> a couple months later in a style as though John was telling his Christmas trees story to the reader. When I phoned Audrey to read her what I had written, to make sure I had the details correct, she said, "I can hear John's voice." </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This brought tears to her eyes and to mine. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A nonfiction writer cannot receive a bigger compliment.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I added a biography of John to the back of the book and invited artist Catherine Folnovic to illustrate the first half of the book, with family photos completing the biography. In a spur-of-the-moment decision that first day in Brandon, I had asked Al to take a photo of me with John, Audrey, and Elaine in John's small room. That photo has been a precious memory ever since.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This past weekend, I was storm-stayed in Brandon after a successful weekend at the Brandon's Big One Arts & Crafts Sale. Deciding to not take a chance on driving back to Regina in bad weather, I opted for a hotel room and I also made a phone call to Elaine Rounds to see if we could connect again. We met for supper and spent three glorious hours bringing each other up to date on our lives, relishing in our friendship, and celebrating the wonderful people who brought us together.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thank you to Dexter, John, and Audrey. But thank you, especially, to Elaine, who knows a very good story when she sees one.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVJkFcpGG-taBGeoweCcNEuThFR0DcWb4vvYwaJSUnAfd6_Upu-yOnrFGXR92B80OEdvNVEb52v2FBUHbkxQ0f24oOWjInF_LCNJ8dN1ygoxe_MogqEv1nkAwhIf7BxrdHi5qxrrMvEWj-YyZJu2lDaYb2PgNt9NJ6tQFJv1Y_mSNf_LJHrj-PS5U/s3265/ERounds%20DeanaDriver%20Brandon%2020221024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3265" data-original-width="2072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVJkFcpGG-taBGeoweCcNEuThFR0DcWb4vvYwaJSUnAfd6_Upu-yOnrFGXR92B80OEdvNVEb52v2FBUHbkxQ0f24oOWjInF_LCNJ8dN1ygoxe_MogqEv1nkAwhIf7BxrdHi5qxrrMvEWj-YyZJu2lDaYb2PgNt9NJ6tQFJv1Y_mSNf_LJHrj-PS5U/s320/ERounds%20DeanaDriver%20Brandon%2020221024.jpg" width="203" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elaine Rounds and Deana Driver<br />in Brandon, MB - Oct. 24, 2022</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFaduzH3t8DS0oTz3ulkRAkxILm_1i5jf_H6cV-BJaARUY6NsfYp6aYRTFIMtdac6i_MPh7SqhfrXuT2L2b0JoksYnIETPZfMizJ_COuohyepnqOfrDGbp_gJmV2vFmp9-se0d2mbawUSKjPDFfB9R87QEaLpw5ozGvIujDCSp3m4lskjcbFKZB3B/s320/DriverWorks%20Ink%20photo%20of%20Hanlons,%20E%20Rounds%20&%20D%20Driver%202012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="191" data-original-width="320" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFaduzH3t8DS0oTz3ulkRAkxILm_1i5jf_H6cV-BJaARUY6NsfYp6aYRTFIMtdac6i_MPh7SqhfrXuT2L2b0JoksYnIETPZfMizJ_COuohyepnqOfrDGbp_gJmV2vFmp9-se0d2mbawUSKjPDFfB9R87QEaLpw5ozGvIujDCSp3m4lskjcbFKZB3B/s1600/DriverWorks%20Ink%20photo%20of%20Hanlons,%20E%20Rounds%20&%20D%20Driver%202012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHZd24M5yG2RMW8Npmm8l_NAxUAaQ4cqV982o1kj6WfF2ocG12uUmh6LEW0AW0fJ__q7t5HnMTUYeD3zLt2neWl2XzXAMh04_DKM4BUwiw2TDb7GuCd53-HGn4VReou0XMpe4LDv-KIMqV4Ierz8x9pn3Y08jHKXm18v7t_th4WOp7yUv09_t1fel/s4032/20221024_220444.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHZd24M5yG2RMW8Npmm8l_NAxUAaQ4cqV982o1kj6WfF2ocG12uUmh6LEW0AW0fJ__q7t5HnMTUYeD3zLt2neWl2XzXAMh04_DKM4BUwiw2TDb7GuCd53-HGn4VReou0XMpe4LDv-KIMqV4Ierz8x9pn3Y08jHKXm18v7t_th4WOp7yUv09_t1fel/w180-h266/20221024_220444.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixt_MegYumikhUB6Jscps7-Sll4J_oaxLL502uSUigt6gsSeNP5BEPSUHC5SKMC1TAVqg5XwapC3eDtBJvYTTzXaBYfreZZErJkI32WfVfAa47sDrmgn12DgnzmkVXrmP4G2yjQMYx0fCfWIL00med5rVlBHsObFU9VnkMOiQyVW0SGCZN5IEfFIMY/s4032/20221024_220605.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixt_MegYumikhUB6Jscps7-Sll4J_oaxLL502uSUigt6gsSeNP5BEPSUHC5SKMC1TAVqg5XwapC3eDtBJvYTTzXaBYfreZZErJkI32WfVfAa47sDrmgn12DgnzmkVXrmP4G2yjQMYx0fCfWIL00med5rVlBHsObFU9VnkMOiQyVW0SGCZN5IEfFIMY/s320/20221024_220605.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-28263514972662355902022-09-09T14:28:00.004-06:002022-09-09T14:29:36.231-06:00Angel Signs and a new Spiritual Healing Book<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hello, beautiful souls. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I thought I'd share some fascinating angel signs that happened to me/ for me this week.</span></span></p><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I don't ask for angel signs often. Maybe a couple times a year.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Perhaps it's because my daughter <a href="https://lisadriver.com/"><span class="rse6dlih" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;">Lisa Driver</span></a> is a spiritual healer and angel card reader, among other talents, or because of my own intuition and spiritual views, or the things I've learned in editing and publishing Lisa's first three amazing spiritual guidebooks. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">(This is also a hint that her fourth book, </span><i style="font-family: verdana;"><b>You Are Enough: Activate Your Angels & Magnetize a Soul-FULL Life</b></i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - being released in October - will blow your mind! Here's a link to her Kickstarter crowdfunding project, where you can preorder the book at a discount and receive other offerings including channelled meditations and private readings - </span><a href="http://kck.st/3AQVknK?mc_cid=7a322acf73&mc_eid=UNIQID" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: verdana;" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: mediumblue;">http://kck.st/3AQVknK</span></strong></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">) </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Anyway... Angel signs have just kind of appeared in front of me randomly since <a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer;" tabindex="-1"></a>my mom passed away in 2011 and Lisa began training in spiritual healing the following year. Coins, feathers, dragonflies, butterflies...</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But back to this week.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've been pondering something for the last few days, overthinking it as usual (cause that's what I do and it isn't annoying at all<span class="fxk3tzhb b2rh1bv3 gh55jysx m8h3af8h ewco64xe kjdc1dyq ms56khn7 bq6c9xl4 eohcrkr5 akh3l2rg" style="display: inline-flex; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;">).</span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So I finally decided to ask for a sign while I was driving one day and listening to the radio.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"If I'm meant to go this way, I need to hear a song about an angel," I stubbornly thought. "Good luck with that, Universe," was my follow-up thought, putting <i>no pressure at all</i> on the Universe to deliver. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So I kept driving. I changed the radio station a couple times, then I zoned out and began daydreaming about this and that and this again... </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then I noticed the song playing on the radio...</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"My blood runs cold</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My memory has just been sold</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My angel is the centrefold</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Angel is the centrefold..."</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In that uptempo song by J. Geils Band, the word "angel" is repeated many, many times. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Well played, Universe. Well played.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The next afternoon, I was standing in my backyard, watering my flowers, when a big, gorgeous blue-green hummingbird flew in. It landed on one and then another zinnia flower, then flew over to a second patch beneath my sunflowers to touch on three more flowers!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I haven't seen a hummingbird in my yard for at least 10 years! </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I didn't have a camera, so I'm sure it flew slower than usual and stayed longer than usual so I could imprint the images in my memory.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(Below is a photo of my zinnias and sunflowers. Imagine the lovely bird enjoying the end of this year's flowers.)</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I guess I got my answer, huh?</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWF92Dqsu1ZZwWMbjZm3q_Y2_baP4Oh_6up4beU1PvRbdd1xbqcQSlKHCW_EOPlh4QzTQep4fz72Dpp9o5Mc_oJb6GCRLbt-A45YkK2Sb_BxuEfNHzZgWlVscnssQWK13F-uID2hjl7XQBUzUnpzFG8XAzDl4wBN6Ti3gzvjuHt0RQ98-B1n_DSBhN/s800/20220908%20-%20Zinnias%20Sunflowers%20DeanaDriver.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="392" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWF92Dqsu1ZZwWMbjZm3q_Y2_baP4Oh_6up4beU1PvRbdd1xbqcQSlKHCW_EOPlh4QzTQep4fz72Dpp9o5Mc_oJb6GCRLbt-A45YkK2Sb_BxuEfNHzZgWlVscnssQWK13F-uID2hjl7XQBUzUnpzFG8XAzDl4wBN6Ti3gzvjuHt0RQ98-B1n_DSBhN/w196-h400/20220908%20-%20Zinnias%20Sunflowers%20DeanaDriver.jpg" width="196" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana; white-space: pre-wrap;">P.S. Lisa Driver's first three spiritual guidebooks can be purchased from this page - </span><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.driverworks.ca/healing--wellness.html" target="_blank">https://www.driverworks.ca/healing--wellness.html </a></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-89131036847825790902022-08-13T11:33:00.007-06:002023-03-28T18:50:22.637-06:00 Our books won Next Generation Indie Book Awards<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Three of our books published by DriverWorks Ink in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada have won Next Generation Indie Book Awards!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Such exciting news!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbem23sUP7hrt6uRetkbFEL0z_eVwDTQM_ek5BVJiJoj7G4YG38ISnT2mAYLdQp-5HCfOzAWQFIqU67NZpufEE3s8UZ0fhJybyTgOS2TxYJsqtJrC4zkAOz3uKtssDz9VUGE24Bi3fFWNRseNyc8Q1ONqkkyNScPy3pI3knePcMkyB-tm5n2oPvsK/s598/Next%20Generation%20Indie%20Book%20Awards%20Finalists%202022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="598" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbem23sUP7hrt6uRetkbFEL0z_eVwDTQM_ek5BVJiJoj7G4YG38ISnT2mAYLdQp-5HCfOzAWQFIqU67NZpufEE3s8UZ0fhJybyTgOS2TxYJsqtJrC4zkAOz3uKtssDz9VUGE24Bi3fFWNRseNyc8Q1ONqkkyNScPy3pI3knePcMkyB-tm5n2oPvsK/w400-h400/Next%20Generation%20Indie%20Book%20Awards%20Finalists%202022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/fun-on-the-farm-3-true-tales-of-farm-life/" target="_blank">Fun On The Farm 3 - True Tales of Farm Life</a></b></i>, compiled and edited by Deana J. Driver, was a finalist in humor/ comedy.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;">The book shares more funny stories of growing up on, working on, visiting and/or living on a farm. Twenty Prairie writers </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;">including author/ publisher Deana J. Driver</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"> tell their tales of annoying cattle, overly curious farm kids, stubborn pigs, confusing technology, and more. This is the third and final volume of the popular </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #666666; position: relative;">Fun On The Farm</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"> series and has been described as "e</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #515151;">ven funnier than the first two!"</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(A donation form books sold is being made to the Lung Association of Saskatchewan in honour of the Driver family's history of respiratory illnesses.)</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMEFuSAO3TJJIRyCw0Z2P55KhdhTdyqGVqf17WPxWQoi_1GaB4wuIBOq0Ipe8GvwNqY6O9_4mMnDusj5R-8Y1mP5LlZRedktUr8brpLrLDxYugW7VeDDjW13P-18EwkcNDGP3S1IywduOKdHhzRKzFpVc5putywS6PM_N7trVimXrZGbtyleTVN-Y/s1134/Fun%20On%20The%20Farm%203%20-%20Deana%20J%20Driver%20%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Humorous book on farm life" border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="738" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMEFuSAO3TJJIRyCw0Z2P55KhdhTdyqGVqf17WPxWQoi_1GaB4wuIBOq0Ipe8GvwNqY6O9_4mMnDusj5R-8Y1mP5LlZRedktUr8brpLrLDxYugW7VeDDjW13P-18EwkcNDGP3S1IywduOKdHhzRKzFpVc5putywS6PM_N7trVimXrZGbtyleTVN-Y/w208-h320/Fun%20On%20The%20Farm%203%20-%20Deana%20J%20Driver%20%20DriverWorks%20Ink.jpg" title="Fun On The Farm 3 book" width="208" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/flight-stories-of-canadian-aviation-vol-3/" target="_blank">Flight - Stories of Canadian Aviation, Vol. 3</a></b></i>, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; white-space: pre-wrap;">by Deana J. Driver and Contributors,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was a finalist in the anthology category.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">This third volume of the Flight series shares stories of </span><a style="background-color: white; color: #2b2b2b; transition: color 200ms ease-in 0s;">dangerous landings, mid-air optical illusions, hidden airstrips, irritating passengers, and long-distance flights carrying rehabilitated birds and other animals. There are </a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;">33 short stories plus an introduction – 6 stories and introduction written by author/editor/publisher Deana J. Driver and 27 stories written by 14 other Canadian writers: Bill Cameron, Will Chabun, Richard Dowson, Peter Enzlberger, Mary Harelkin Bishop, Dave McElroy, Vincent Murphy-Dodds, Curtis Penner, Don Riekman, Ralph Tweten, Walter D. Williams, Ken Wilson, Mason Adam Wray, and Bill Wunsch.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">We've been told it's a great addition to the <i>Flight </i>series. "</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;">What wonderful reading – astonished at the work you did in putting the book together!"</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiIod2iVPjIU33979L6jpoB3Y7Aq6TniA2MhIvw48aul4tsGigF1ROldvGw2Rs_4GYohIUzp7o6wSFurlfwaWHRO2goGbuL0NBytEjfwpRoqlZlbxkbYckBoDhnjboY_58L0czZbX30W0P0nD6U-g4pnJt-O_OSV7HK6fqkHIzqLbe7_HHlFYj_e6t/s1097/9781927570623.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Vol 3 of Flight stories" border="0" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiIod2iVPjIU33979L6jpoB3Y7Aq6TniA2MhIvw48aul4tsGigF1ROldvGw2Rs_4GYohIUzp7o6wSFurlfwaWHRO2goGbuL0NBytEjfwpRoqlZlbxkbYckBoDhnjboY_58L0czZbX30W0P0nD6U-g4pnJt-O_OSV7HK6fqkHIzqLbe7_HHlFYj_e6t/w204-h320/9781927570623.jpg" title="Flight Vol. 3 - Stories of Canadian Aviation" width="204" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/dont-they-kick-when-you-do-that-stories-of-a-prairie-veterinarian/" target="_blank">Don't They Kick When You Do That - Stories of a Prairie Veterinarian</a></b></i> by Dr. Gary Hoium was a finalist in career/ memoir.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you like the James Herriot series <i>All Creatures Great and Small</i>, you'll enjoy Dr. Gary Hoium's amusing stories of his adventures, experiences, and interactions as a mixed-animal veterinarian in </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;">Weyburn, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;">Saskatchewan</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;">. Gary's style of writing is humorous, heartwarming, and illuminating - with fascinating insights into the people and animals he worked with during his 40 years as a veterinarian.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"> Tales of cattle, squirrels, hogs, dogs, cats, sheep, and the men and women who love them are wrapped up in Don't They Kick When You Do That? "This witty vet is highly entertaining," said a reviewer.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(A donation from books sold is being made to the Saskatchewan Cancer Foundation in memory of Gary's sister Lois.)</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTR7vAxYYBOThOaVmyoH8Z0quPJfPORQa2HcrC6IKqseEp9N85hJaKC1GINzugaWrc6LMymLwmGRP8nRhC7bocrKixQn1gENmiPmArFbQDYA5qrc31zmyV93s57pq8mnoByKnOGbD_CQY2Trqp9akQXMeYmHexVe0ABb3WArgOPYOOp2-zAvhjXQkf/s613/9781927570746.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Funny veterinarian book by Dr. Gary Hoium" border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTR7vAxYYBOThOaVmyoH8Z0quPJfPORQa2HcrC6IKqseEp9N85hJaKC1GINzugaWrc6LMymLwmGRP8nRhC7bocrKixQn1gENmiPmArFbQDYA5qrc31zmyV93s57pq8mnoByKnOGbD_CQY2Trqp9akQXMeYmHexVe0ABb3WArgOPYOOp2-zAvhjXQkf/w209-h320/9781927570746.jpg" title="Don't They Kick book by Dr. Gary Hoium" width="209" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thank you to <a href="https://indiebookawards.com/winners.php?year=2022" target="_blank">Next Generation Indie Book Awards</a> for these honours!</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></p>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-6953535616834792452022-07-09T20:14:00.001-06:002022-07-09T20:14:55.592-06:00New Tunnels of Treachery book coming soon from Mary Harelkin Bishop<div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Author Mary Harelkin Bishop and I are working on our updated edition of the third book in Mary's Moose Jaw Time Travel Adventure series. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">These exciting books for kids, age 9 and up, and adults share the adventures of Andrea and her brother Tony as they go back in time to the dark, dangerous tunnels below Moose Jaw in the 1920s.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Tunnels of Treachery will be released this fall. Stay tuned...</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/0phT7BH7ZdQ" width="480"></iframe>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-41073794368629788802022-07-07T17:16:00.007-06:002023-03-28T18:51:10.474-06:0099 Year Old Bomber Pilot an Honorary CF Snowbird<div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I visited 99-year-old Reg "Crash" Harrison in Saskatoon recently to learn more about his fascinating life story, including the four crashes he survived as a bomber pilot during the Second World War. I wrote about those events in <i><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/flight-stories-of-canadian-aviation-vol-1/" target="_blank">Volume 1 of Flight: Stories of Canadian Aviation by Deana J. Driver and Contributors</a></i>. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">But Reg's story deserves to be shared wider and with various audiences around the world.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So this time, Reg and I talked about some other stories that we can share for a new kids' book I am writing about him.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In this video, Reg talks about his first Moose Jaw air show and his special connection to the CF Snowbirds aerobatics team.</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/fKll_vfaEE4" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fKll_vfaEE4/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-86091748653129086542022-06-14T21:33:00.007-06:002023-03-28T18:52:13.993-06:00Publishing books and sharing the stories of others is no ordinary thing<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’ve spent most of my adult life writing or editing or designing newsletters or book layouts, or publishing and selling books, and I sometimes forget how cool that is. </span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;">So far, I've written five non-fiction books and contributed pieces to more than a dozen other books. And I've published more than 70 books written by 50 or 60 (mostly Western) Canadian writers. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">That's been my life since I wrote my first book in 2001.</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <br />My adult daughters sometimes remind me that “most people don’t do this, Mom. They don’t go to a bookstore to sign the books they’ve written.”<br /> <br />I've also been reminded that most people aren’t interviewed by the media about what they wrote or published either. Because I was a journalist doing the asking of the questions for 30 years, it was a little strange to suddenly be on the other side of the interviews when I began writing and publishing books, but I quickly got used to it. And since I prefer to put together books that are either fascinating true stories or based on such, members of the media regularly invite me or my authors to talk about our books. Which is wonderful. But, I suppose, not "normal". </span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Again, I forget this sometimes ... until I receive a rather panicked call from an author who is facing their first media interview. I then take them through a "pretend interview", with me being the interviewer, and we both relax a little. Usually, it works out well.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">So this is the unique sort of world in which I live and work.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">But once in a while, I have an interaction with an author or one of the contributing writers for one of the anthologies I've been publishing recently, and I remember the importance and impact of my work again.</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Case in point: At a recent open house for the Regina Flying Club, Mason Adam Wray came up to me and introduced himself. We'd talked by email and by phone last year when I edited and published his story (in <i>Volume 3</i> of the <i>Flight: Stories of Canadian Aviation </i>book series)<i> </i>about sneaking out of a cadet camp in Alberta to check out a derelict aircraft in a nearby "boneyard". </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mason is a smiley, positive guy who hosts a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-UDUR4p6XXR3_am6S0t96Q" target="_blank">YouTube channel called Wings of the Prairies</a>. He LOVES aircraft! It was great to meet him in person. We took some photos together and visited off and on throughout the afternoon. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBqNkV7e5mkiSCs4TGKGNW_YmLfz_zsB_r8Hl8OuNuHhUjNWtaEsC_TVxDOQvgJk5RWjK8kzbfQxMbrQ-iqu9NsIu1R93DuzPqJhCXkambHZf2USkzE3kwgBrjIU_P0kHZCJD8NHYCyCnDq3RYoTX5vPemtHc7aXejAYkzb5I3IXV5E-tr7uC9bb_/s2048/Mason%20Wray%20and%20Deana%20Driver%20and%20Gary%20Williams%20June%202022.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1243" data-original-width="2048" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBqNkV7e5mkiSCs4TGKGNW_YmLfz_zsB_r8Hl8OuNuHhUjNWtaEsC_TVxDOQvgJk5RWjK8kzbfQxMbrQ-iqu9NsIu1R93DuzPqJhCXkambHZf2USkzE3kwgBrjIU_P0kHZCJD8NHYCyCnDq3RYoTX5vPemtHc7aXejAYkzb5I3IXV5E-tr7uC9bb_/w400-h243/Mason%20Wray%20and%20Deana%20Driver%20and%20Gary%20Williams%20June%202022.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mason Adam Wray (left), Deana Driver, and Canadian Aviation Historical Society president Gary Williams at the Regina Flying Club, June 2022</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then Mason told me something that made me stare at him, mouth open, in awe.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">He said his complimentary copies of <i><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/flight-stories-of-canadian-aviation-vol-3/" target="_blank">Volume 3 of Flight: Stories of Canadian Aviation</a></i> had arrived in his mailbox on the day of his wedding.<br /><br />On his wedding day, people! What kind of crazy timing is that?<br /><br />He added that his family passed the book between themselves for that entire day and remarked on how proud they were of his achievement in being a published writer.<br /> <br />Wow.<br /> <br />Let me never forget that story and the beautiful trickle effect of my work.<br /><br />What I do for a living is not ordinary. Not even close. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The books that others and I write and that I publish add significant substance, historical record, and pleasure to readers and to the fabric of Prairie and Canadian culture.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am often humbled by the people whose stories I share through my writing and publishing efforts. I am honoured that they trust me to do that storytelling. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I <i>never </i>forget that!</span></div><div><br /></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-37118589440647666122022-05-24T21:55:00.013-06:002023-03-28T18:53:12.523-06:00How I published a book by Gridiron Greats Hall of Famer Jim HopsonOn May 20, 2022, Jim Hopson, a Canadian Football Hall of Famer, was inducted into Mike Ditka’s Gridiron Greats Hall of Fame <a href="https://www.facebook.com/officialgridirongreats/photos/pcb.7411573478912636/7411440165592634" target="_blank">at a banquet in Chicago</a>. <br /><br />Former Chicago Bears NFL coach Mike Ditka’s Hall of Fame recognizes NFL and CFL personnel for their player contributions and charitable work off the field. Jim was president and CEO of the Saskatchewan Roughriders for 10 eventful and successful years, and has volunteered for numerous community organizations including the Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association.<br /><br />This is the story of how I published a book written by the indomitable, inspiring Jim Hopson.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="1031" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Cilb0FR_Hhmxs0mvyxbzIT2XcCw_27glZFUDgzXZn5aue8jKiofPkyDsQZXSvF1uSIjGxzGWBpWx4WFgpfC6wpzjpUPYVMavrpmrht7fMtm54fzhcxqYcxVo7SOfRy4H5FSPcIATCpoLkmdxTMNqxA238SPLAeO4AAj6BGZ1fZFTrNohunobPxu1/s320/Running%20the%20Riders%20-%20by%20Jim%20Hopson.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="213" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Running the Riders - My Decade as CEO of Canada's Team</i> by Jim Hopson with Darrell Davis<br /><br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica;">One day</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> in early 2015, Darrell Davis, a
former long-time sports writer for the </span><i style="font-family: helvetica;">Regina Leader-Post</i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">, phoned me to
inquire about my interest in a book project. “Jim Hopson wants to write a book,”
Darrell told me. “I said I would help him. Do you want to publish it?”</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The conversation wasn’t as simple as
that, and I have liberally paraphrased what we discussed, but that was the gist
of it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I was immediately intrigued.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Anyone who knows anything about sports
in Saskatchewan knows the name “Jim Hopson”. Not just that he is a former football
player who then led the Riders organization through some turbulent times and toward
a profit and a couple of Grey Cup wins during his CEO period, but he is also
known as a good guy and a fan favourite. Jim is a big man with a big, friendly personality,
who gets things done.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I quickly conversed with my husband,
Al, who was helping me in my publishing business at the time. Al would have to agree
to this project since he would be the main person to edit this book.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You see, Al had been a copy editor in the
sports and news departments of the <i>Regina Leader-Post</i> for decades prior
to taking early retirement from his news editor position in 2008. Al was also a
sports geek. He could happily spew a long list of sports statistics (alongside
his sports editor colleague Rob Vanstone and others at the newspaper), and he
had also edited hundreds of Darrell Davis's sports stories over the years as well
as two books, <i>Saskatchewan Roughriders – First 100 Years </i>and <i>Regina
Pats –</i><i> A Winning Tradition,</i> for which Darrell Davis was a
co-author. I was not surprised when Al quickly signed on to help with this book,
which we would come to call <i><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/running-the-riders-my-decade-as-ceo-of-canadas-team/" target="_blank">Running the Riders: My Decade as CEO of Canada’s Team</a></i> by Jim Hopson with Darrell Davis.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I had met Jim Hopson briefly at one
point prior to this project, but Al knew him on a more personal level. They had
both gone to the same high school in Regina and were on the same football team,
with Jim a few years ahead of Al. When Jim and his wife Brenda later sent me
photos to include in the <i>Running the Riders</i> book, it was a delightful
surprise to find the teenage Al peering out of a 1968 Thom Trojans team photo, sitting
two rows back and to the left of Jim, who was happily occupying the centre spot
in the front row.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngO4CNAYmXB0fz1OqYluhvaPcTRxpyffkSMur2b3q9WI-WVGgK7-e-sFMZKQmseyt8q-Qv2_UJ0Vkh5PgsBkF_IhAg7HH4TD9Og_YxHsjrIWGLKo1OkSiutCTQeQ7MerptunQ_kpHHzvOBG98EU7BtaENjGrrO6lV6sK5dl-jLrRHE-415qC4GQ3P/s3163/Thom%20Collegiate%20Trojans%201968%20Jim%20Hopson%2060.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1768" data-original-width="3163" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngO4CNAYmXB0fz1OqYluhvaPcTRxpyffkSMur2b3q9WI-WVGgK7-e-sFMZKQmseyt8q-Qv2_UJ0Vkh5PgsBkF_IhAg7HH4TD9Og_YxHsjrIWGLKo1OkSiutCTQeQ7MerptunQ_kpHHzvOBG98EU7BtaENjGrrO6lV6sK5dl-jLrRHE-415qC4GQ3P/w400-h224/Thom%20Collegiate%20Trojans%201968%20Jim%20Hopson%2060.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>1968 Thom Trojans team photo. Jim Hopson is front row centre, #60. <br />Al Driver is third row, fifth from the right.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By the time Darrell called me in early
2015 about this proposed book project, he had already worked with Jim on creating
an outline of the book and Jim had written several chapters in longhand. This handwritten
method worked best for Jim, and as Darrell later typed Jim’s words into a computer,
Darrell was able to adjust them where needed and add some sports statistics to
complete the story.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Shortly after Al and I agreed to take on the project,
Darrell provided me with a synopsis, which became the description on the back
cover of the <i>Running the Riders</i> book:
<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>“</b><b>The
Saskatchewan Roughriders were mired in mediocrity, a decent football team that
couldn’t advance to the Grey Cup as the franchise worked its way out of
financial distress and tried to reconnect with its fan base. In 2004, offensive
lineman-turned-educator Jim Hopson was hopeful that the Roughriders directors
would hire him as the team’s first full-time president and CEO. He believed
that the team, with its incredible fan base, could become a successful business
that consistently posted strong annual profits while playing in and winning
multiple Grey Cups. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And it happened. After a decade under
Hopson’s leadership (2005 to 2015), the Roughriders became the Canadian
Football League’s strongest franchise, appearing in four Grey Cup games
(winning twice) and selling more team merchandise than the other eight CFL
franchises combined. They obliterated their debt and posted a record-setting
profit of $10.4 million after winning a hometown Grey Cup in 2013, which has
been described as the biggest moment in the 105-year-old team’s history. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Hopson’s book, with the assistance of
Darrell Davis (an author and long-time sports writer and Roughriders beat
writer at the Regina Leader-Post), describes Hopson’s business plans, the
resistance to change within the organization, the interplay with the fans of
Rider Nation, difficult decisions made, and the euphoria of winning two league
championships.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">An emotional man with a firm
disposition, Jim Hopson describes the highs and lows that went along with the
job and the path he took, professionally and personally, to the biggest office
with the franchise known as ‘Canada’s Team’.”</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A few months after that initial phone
call, Al and I met with Darrell and Jim at a nearby pub to sign our publishing contract
and talk more about the project. These three men regularly veered off topic and
exchanged tales of the good old days of playing the game, who they each knew,
and how those people are doing these days. I didn’t mind. After all, I’d lived
with Al for almost 40 years, so I was used to frequent forays into the sports
world. He’d taught me all about high school football early on in our marriage,
when he was covering that sport for the newspaper, and we’d had season tickets
to Riders games in the 1980s – when I found that the most interesting thing on
the field was often the players’ butts. Yes, I said it, and it still holds
true. The 1980s were not the best years for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. And
we were paying a babysitter at the time too – but that’s another story.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Now, back to the meeting with Jim and
Darrell…</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It was swell. It was a fun
get-together that also accomplished our goals of sorting out details of the
book’s style, format, selling locations, and more.<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVkuaOnsUkO8GmQBdmxBuuSS0Cah8ytl2D4k8gjgiAVvo_8E_Zh-hPk1KHuIQKrqsmn6p7yMvG-BUVyw7XeT6R_ZAFxthi9QLhzIivlQWzHSHl4a10vN9aD_gDzzwk3CkzirBVhZDCaN0HVzHfNnqaAl2jacl1qyuCtls2ye9LKPDEXEXOz0HXExX/s2592/Deana%20Driver%20and%20Jim%20Hopson%20and%20Darrell%20Davis%20and%20Al%20Driver%20%E2%80%8EJune%20%E2%80%8E20%20%E2%80%8E2015.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVkuaOnsUkO8GmQBdmxBuuSS0Cah8ytl2D4k8gjgiAVvo_8E_Zh-hPk1KHuIQKrqsmn6p7yMvG-BUVyw7XeT6R_ZAFxthi9QLhzIivlQWzHSHl4a10vN9aD_gDzzwk3CkzirBVhZDCaN0HVzHfNnqaAl2jacl1qyuCtls2ye9LKPDEXEXOz0HXExX/s320/Deana%20Driver%20and%20Jim%20Hopson%20and%20Darrell%20Davis%20and%20Al%20Driver%20%E2%80%8EJune%20%E2%80%8E20%20%E2%80%8E2015.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>DriverWorks Ink publisher Deana Driver with Jim Hopson, Darrell Davis, and Al Driver, June 20, 2015</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The timing was right to publish a book
about Jim’s career. He had just retired from the Riders organization and had
left the team in a strong position, financially and on the field. We wanted a
book out by that fall, in time for Christmas gift-giving, so we worked hard and
fast.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I contacted Ian Hamilton, another <i>Leader-Post</i>
sports writer, to help Al and me edit the book. He agreed and we were grateful
for his additional eyes on the manuscript. Bill Dubecky of Royal Studios had
been the Riders’ photographer for decades, and he
graciously supplied many photos to use in the book. Erika Folnovic, a
local artist, created the beautiful cover design. The Saskatchewan Roughrider
organization gave us permission to publish some of their photos and use their
team colours, and they later sold books in their stores across the province. Creative
Saskatchewan provided us with a book publishing grant to assist with costs. To all these individuals and organizations,
we are grateful.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Bad
news came in August 2015, at the height of production, when Al was suddenly diagnosed
with Stage IV colon cancer. He – and we – decided to fight it and to stay
positive. Amid his stints in and out of hospital, our work continued on the
book.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0shi42uUhlWt62OKMkklIUBr8-Iu3uOP5m2VEMsZxiFX_Upg2nk5724QW-cMDvnIi09V6QxhpULitldjG9kIkgLwtQY8iqyWqiyMDHBRhIALU6yaLZ77uKYmC-MuOKm7Sf2C_xuqrdX5gk3kJSu7ziibNhkJ8FlU6b73wKZLX3ZVhxUWLsxCvQS4_/s1920/Al%20Driver%20editing%20Running%20the%20Riders%20book%20Oct%202015.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0shi42uUhlWt62OKMkklIUBr8-Iu3uOP5m2VEMsZxiFX_Upg2nk5724QW-cMDvnIi09V6QxhpULitldjG9kIkgLwtQY8iqyWqiyMDHBRhIALU6yaLZ77uKYmC-MuOKm7Sf2C_xuqrdX5gk3kJSu7ziibNhkJ8FlU6b73wKZLX3ZVhxUWLsxCvQS4_/s320/Al%20Driver%20editing%20Running%20the%20Riders%20book%20Oct%202015.JPG" width="180" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Al Driver editing the <i>Running the Riders</i> book Oct 2015</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Al edited
the final manuscript in early October as Ian and I met and compared notes on
the typos or other details we’d each found that needed correction. I put all
the pieces together and sent the layouts to Houghton Boston Printers in
Saskatoon, a printer we work closely with on most of our nonfiction books. We had a book in our hands on October 30<sup>th</sup>,
2015!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYi5RmSGroQJoPUhf6Tb7p-FNlvXPkDs1sZ7qChKZ4qexuvgOC4jQ7-Pevv_26ypN_25ayqeXjyoIgGMK6jdZXtbU5by_ins0qWPywkoLyf-M5ZBNHw8Ra7AFlcN2CHCUclrpR5wJabFPHdZDyKH29-AgyCLqo2xMmWfYDxOJ3tc__wZq-HZEGAlP/s720/Jim%20Hopson%20Darrell%20Davis%20-%20Running%20the%20Riders%20book%20Nov2015.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYi5RmSGroQJoPUhf6Tb7p-FNlvXPkDs1sZ7qChKZ4qexuvgOC4jQ7-Pevv_26ypN_25ayqeXjyoIgGMK6jdZXtbU5by_ins0qWPywkoLyf-M5ZBNHw8Ra7AFlcN2CHCUclrpR5wJabFPHdZDyKH29-AgyCLqo2xMmWfYDxOJ3tc__wZq-HZEGAlP/s320/Jim%20Hopson%20Darrell%20Davis%20-%20Running%20the%20Riders%20book%20Nov2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Jim Hopson and his wife, Brenda Edwards, and co-contributor Darrell Davis see their new <i>Running the Riders</i> book.</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The </span><i style="font-family: helvetica;">Running
the Riders</i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> book was a big hit!</span></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We
had to order a reprint after selling 3,400 softcover books in only two months –
an extraordinary accomplishment for a little publishing house, but not
surprising given the story Jim and Darrell told. We also created hardcover and
e-book editions of <i>Running the Riders</i>, which puts our book into the Canadian
national bestseller category with more than 5,000 books sold.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Bad news struck again last year when Jim Hopson was
diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer. Strangely, it is the same illness that
took Al in early January 2016, but their cancer stories are not the same.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Jim Hopson recently spoke publicly about his cancer
diagnosis to Murray McCormick of the <i>Regina Leader-Post</i> in <a href="https://leaderpost.com/sports/football/cfl/saskatchewan-roughriders/jim-hopson " target="_blank">this article</a>
about his Gridiron Greats Hall of Fame induction. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I’ve chatted with Jim a few times in this last
year, and I continue to wish him and his family all the best. Anything I could
have said that would be helpful, I have said to Jim.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Cancer sucks. That’s a supreme understatement.<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div style="text-align: left;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdec5NFuefvNtFiVejoVLLQgRu8UnR0oM_XNWyxP-Qtl0w4a9k3pmiRiAEKthmBlQ6buh7Ca7V3jrcJZAaEhVRcLocAHP2yrPxNNXkNoTAbSgJ59CgEBin2fu-vCNQjUgPxa58qg_7Q2oIbm-z_Fb8fhSM87xNoSIRAAVRMTjyTpxmdwvKyNoRM2OL/s320/JIm%20HOpson%20signing%20Rider%20books%20Sept%2015%202021.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="180" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Jim Hopson signing more <i>Running the Riders</i> books, Sept. 2021</span></b></p><div style="text-align: left;"></div></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">It has been and is fun, lots of laughs, and quite an
honour to work with Jim and Darrell and their <i style="font-family: helvetica;">Running the Riders</i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> book. None
of us could have imagined the journey this would take us on, but I know we are
all grateful that we came together for this project. Oh, the things we have enjoyed,
learned, and shared.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The last words in this blog post go to Darrell
Davis and Jim Hopson, as I quote from the epilogue in their <i>Running the Riders</i> book:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Hopson understood his position put him
in the forefront of a franchise whose every move is</b> <b>scrutinized, yet he never ducked a question or avoided an issue. When
Hopson said he wanted me to help him write this book, I asked him why he chose me,
considering that we often had conflicting viewpoints during the years we worked
“together.” He said he wanted to write an honest book, but he also wanted to be
challenged while relating his uplifting, positive story of growing up in Regina
to become the Roughriders’ president. He ultimately gave the book to me on hundreds
of hand-written pages for typing and “embellishing.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That’s how I describe my contributions,
considering that I had already written about many of his Riders adventures as
part of my newspaper work.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>“It was important that when the book
was done, people would say it was credible,” Hopson says. “I didn’t try to
gloss over the bad stuff by just talking about the good. We had our challenges and
there’s no way I would present myself as always making the best decision. I
made more good decisions than bad decisions, but if you’re going to be a
leader, you had better expect that you’re going to have challenges.”</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><br /></b></span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>(Signed copies of Running the Riders by Jim Hopson with Darrell Davis are available <a href="https://www.driverworks.ca/shop.html " target="_blank">here</a>.)</i></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div><p></p>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-38334099652884111152022-04-14T11:56:00.002-06:002023-03-28T18:53:58.302-06:00Prairie Veterinarian Tells Entertaining Stories of his Work with Animals and Their Humans <p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In April 2021, I received an email from Dr. Gary Hoium, a veterinarian in Weyburn, Saskatchewan. Gary had begun writing amusing, intriguing, and insightful stories about his decades of experiences as a mixed-animal veterinarian. He asked me about the possibility of publishing those stories.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We met a couple months later in my backyard in Regina. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIvwGwMjQxjCdwsTHrHn6sn7CuQfxUc_tw2FCvFcBGkFH_04cRxOvL8vIJ0MrxlV1rxTvRarCixQNuayaaW2tDxPLlcrJWwmqdMhKPNXKmDW-1L7IClBcP7BrBbxqYYuwFYLjSnxGzu4ufiJqtzIlHSClDV3P9D9j_Z3d1pWh2D0QWi9vf4JVnwrF/s1168/Don't%20They%20Kick%20When%20You%20Do%20That%20book%20and%20Dr%20Gary%20Hoium.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="Don't They Kick When You Do That book with author Dr. Gary Hoium" border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1168" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIvwGwMjQxjCdwsTHrHn6sn7CuQfxUc_tw2FCvFcBGkFH_04cRxOvL8vIJ0MrxlV1rxTvRarCixQNuayaaW2tDxPLlcrJWwmqdMhKPNXKmDW-1L7IClBcP7BrBbxqYYuwFYLjSnxGzu4ufiJqtzIlHSClDV3P9D9j_Z3d1pWh2D0QWi9vf4JVnwrF/w400-h268/Don't%20They%20Kick%20When%20You%20Do%20That%20book%20and%20Dr%20Gary%20Hoium.jpg" title="Don't They Kick When You Do That book with author Dr. Gary Hoium" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">We immediately felt a connection. Aside from the fact that Prairie people are generally friendly folks who are community oriented and have great stories, people from the Weyburn area have occupied a special spot in my heart for decades.</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The first book I ever wrote was <i>Just a Bunch of Farmers: The Story of Weyburn Inland Terminal, 1976-2001</i>. That book project was so much fun and the people I interviewed for that book so terrific that it encouraged me to seek out more Prairie stories that should be made into book form. Since then, I have jokingly blamed the Weyburn Inland Terminal folks for the more than 70 books I've since published (written by myself and other Prairie authors) which cover my work and living spaces.😄 </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, yes, Weyburn people and their stories will always be of particular interest to me.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">But back to that day last June...</span><div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">While in my backyard, Dr. Gary Hoium and I discussed his numerous stories and the ways we visualized his book taking shape. We went to work immediately and planned to have a book in our hands by that fall for pre-Christmas gift buying. The timeline was tight, but we did it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">With the help of a co-editor (Gary's niece Courtney Hinz), a cover designer, and several publisher colleagues and consultants, we released <i><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/dont-they-kick-when-you-do-that-stories-of-a-prairie-veterinarian/" target="_blank">Don't They Kick When You Do That? Stories of a Prairie Veterinarian</a></i> in October 2021. The book has already been so popular that we are considering reprinting this fall.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh18j3WnkWtXW_FnobYaeVEQOQS2ZjVdAWUsq7ZJ01gRBld-w0PF4hPZjtqWjR636J0pWL6hYnn20_qyMLbbaLrnEGy9w7FPe_Yn7kMZX0LffBkCyOizMyrmMyB3EDsizKoHS-3VpuGpsgee1cr3ZeOOWKQjai8ktRpAzkqb5KmwtO-d5fDGOW0dCQl/s919/Don't%20They%20Kick%20by%20Dr%20Gary%20Hoium.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh18j3WnkWtXW_FnobYaeVEQOQS2ZjVdAWUsq7ZJ01gRBld-w0PF4hPZjtqWjR636J0pWL6hYnn20_qyMLbbaLrnEGy9w7FPe_Yn7kMZX0LffBkCyOizMyrmMyB3EDsizKoHS-3VpuGpsgee1cr3ZeOOWKQjai8ktRpAzkqb5KmwtO-d5fDGOW0dCQl/s320/Don't%20They%20Kick%20by%20Dr%20Gary%20Hoium.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">What's in the book and why is it so wonderful? Let's hear from the author himself.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is what Dr. Gary Hoium wrote for a "Read My Book" piece in the <i>Regina Leader-Post's</i> QC Magazine:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">“How long did it take you to write this book?” a young lady
asked at a recent book signing.</span></p><p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: times;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: times;">Looking up, I smiled. “About 40 years,” I replied.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: times;">She laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: times;">Ride along and accompany me on my journey as a mixed-animal,
rural Saskatchewan veterinarian.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: times;">My book has been called “an enlightening, humorous,
intriguing, educational compilation of true adventures, experiences, mishaps and
rousing successes that are sure to captivate and entertain.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: times;">If you love animals… this book is for you. If you ever owned
a pet or owned, managed or cared for livestock of any kind… this book is for
you. If you ever had any thoughts or wonderment as to what a life (possibly
even your own life) might have been like as a rural Prairie veterinarian… this
book is for you. Your farmer/rancher dad or husband doesn’t read books? Based
on many testimonials, he will read this one, laugh a lot, and love it!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: times;">As veterinarians, we are tasked with serving all the medical,
surgical and welfare needs of a very diverse animal kingdom. Our motto: “If you
do no good… do no harm.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: times;">Learn how one evening, a clump of four grey fox squirrels,
entangled and stuck tightly together by their tails, taught me the importance
of compassion. The story went viral across our nation in days.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: times;">Extracting porcupine quills from a German shepherd resulted
in my painted portrait, me in my green scrub suit, being distributed in a book
worldwide.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: times;">You can live in my boots through the most fearful, dangerous, and stressful noon hour of my career when an 1800-pound, wild-eyed, aggressive
bull escaped my inner-city clinic and landed in a resident’s backyard. Flanked
by an elementary school on one side and a comprehensive high school on another,
students (targets) aplenty, this had the very real potential to turn out REAL
BAD!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: times;">You will be introduced to a couple of compelling real-life
characters. Terrible Terry … or was he? As an experienced “jailbird” fighting personal
demons, he frequented our clinic and befriended me, and ultimately, me him
despite many crazy encounters.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: times;">Cousin
Jimmy will leave you laughing and craving more.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: times;">From
cattle to hogs, cats to dogs, the creatures and the men and women who love them
have wormed their way into my heart and my stories.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: times;">And do
they kick when I do that? The surprising answer is .....?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: times;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Don’t They Kick When You Do That</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Dr. Gary Hoium is available from www.driverworks.ca,
McNally Robinson Booksellers, Chapters/ Indigo/ Coles, Handmade Saskatchewan
gift shops, SaskBooks, Amazon, and other select stores.</span></span></div></div>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-23830565577337966202022-01-07T10:44:00.004-06:002023-03-28T18:56:03.367-06:00Third Flight book shares more Canadian aviation adventures<p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">William
Cameron entered Grade 9 at Scott Collegiate in Regina in 1942 and soon became a
member of the Air Cadets squadron as required by the school curriculum. Bill’s
stories for the third volume of the </span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Flight: Stories of Canadian Aviation </i><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">book
series include his reminisces of patrolling several city blocks with the Regina
District Civil Defence Corps, as a teenager, in case air raid sirens were
activated and they needed to warn residents to turn off their lights.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhS9h6ucarcGYgMzBSw1z7sL-N-XdOZYwhF4HPp7xGOXkbZcfXy2DZD8PLYn6JroA1NU3NHigf6hp49_mMzOYSNnIeYcKGc0ltXn4ccUZzpTN-DKbwRrLuLjzqGPDpVmK1pJNy3cQi0aDTH_UKmFLURkc6WVuNPN18el_bBqFFFSWBS5oov8kaB_ZSu=s1950" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="1950" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhS9h6ucarcGYgMzBSw1z7sL-N-XdOZYwhF4HPp7xGOXkbZcfXy2DZD8PLYn6JroA1NU3NHigf6hp49_mMzOYSNnIeYcKGc0ltXn4ccUZzpTN-DKbwRrLuLjzqGPDpVmK1pJNy3cQi0aDTH_UKmFLURkc6WVuNPN18el_bBqFFFSWBS5oov8kaB_ZSu=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Bill Cameron and friends with Lancaster bomber, Regina airport, 1945<br /></b>Photo courtesy of William Cameron</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Bill’s
stories are three of the 33 stories in this third volume of the series, written
by 15 Canadian writers including me. I wrote six stories about: Moose Jaw-based
Laura Lawrence, the only commercially operating female aerial application pilot
in Canada in 2017; Barb Stefanyshyn-Cote, who hadn’t flown over much water
before she flew her aircraft from their farm in Leask down to Mexico and then
Chile; Lisa McGivery, who had some annoying passenger experiences in her work
as a flight attendant and now works as an aircraft maintenance engineer in
Ontario; and Gerd Wengler, who transports rehabilitated owls and other
creatures to safety and new homes in Manitoba and Ontario. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjk9UDhVs3lvvuEPAohAkB0NyD43Xz6bUk2WNmQYRLZCc33ycm6BeNHNVCOer6sXunkMKlEiN4Bmz7YAFnlfJER2oSUoNRDqW-L0Y9y7lGNxxzRtABEX3kk_TGnqlImwgQJJLqwkeM068ZCFkEAItKW2DDJFcrzbJrZ_v4XCt7XSM4dkHSD-l-L17n4=s784" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="784" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjk9UDhVs3lvvuEPAohAkB0NyD43Xz6bUk2WNmQYRLZCc33ycm6BeNHNVCOer6sXunkMKlEiN4Bmz7YAFnlfJER2oSUoNRDqW-L0Y9y7lGNxxzRtABEX3kk_TGnqlImwgQJJLqwkeM068ZCFkEAItKW2DDJFcrzbJrZ_v4XCt7XSM4dkHSD-l-L17n4=s320" width="204" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Flight: Stories of Canadian Aviation, Vol. 3</i> by Deana J. Driver and Contributors</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Ken Wilson
wrote about touring the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa with his
father Ron just prior to the museum’s opening. Ron, a long-time pilot in
northern Saskatchewan, noticed that the Beaver aircraft on display did not have
a specific piece of equipment that would have been standard gear when
transporting supplies for anyone staying in the bush. Ken made that suggestion
to the museum curator, resulting in a change to the national museum’s Beaver display.</p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif">Retired
journalist Will Chabun contributed three stories to this third volume of <i>Flight</i>,
including details of annual vacations that Regina resident Jean Thomas took to
France for 20 years as a member of the Royal Air Force Escaping Society.
Co-founded by her late husband Hugh, the Society maintains contact and offers
aid to those who rescued and sheltered RAF pilots like Hugh, whose plane was
shot down during the war. The fiddle playing of Regina Symphony Orchestra’s
Howard Leyton-Brown is also chronicled by Will Chabun.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVfHzQb0_oOJLzsBYDc9-CQH4oJOU1RIGA5kxuYLTc5GBTl8VEkvPobGYi88BCSxwQFzVWr-6O9iTYpVQNeE6YJ6E9M5SnoDgyNCMi6_PzO9OWBZLC9nUot4ZaYGRT5r5C8ysMtWy1crssJyylkRkB_NyXhvumJDkYxIwFvQhfLcxN7yT3biXQBJuG=s2126" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2126" data-original-width="1594" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVfHzQb0_oOJLzsBYDc9-CQH4oJOU1RIGA5kxuYLTc5GBTl8VEkvPobGYi88BCSxwQFzVWr-6O9iTYpVQNeE6YJ6E9M5SnoDgyNCMi6_PzO9OWBZLC9nUot4ZaYGRT5r5C8ysMtWy1crssJyylkRkB_NyXhvumJDkYxIwFvQhfLcxN7yT3biXQBJuG=s320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Hugh and Jean Thomas, 1945</b><br />Story by Will Chabun, photo courtesy of Jean Thomas</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">The stories
in the Flight series are not about the aircraft or flight terminology as much
as they are about the people who had these adventures and incidents. My
interest in these stories is in why they did what they did and what we can learn from those
activities and experiences. I’ve already received submissions for Volume 4 of
the series. Stay tuned.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"><b>Volumes 1, 2, and 3 of <i>Flight:
Stories of Canadian Aviation</i></b></span><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif"> by Deana J. Driver and Contributors are available from <a href="https://driverworks.ca/books/" target="_blank">www.driverworks.ca</a>, Saskatchewan Aviation Museum gift
shop, McNally Robinson Booksellers, Chapters, Indigo, Coles, Handmade
Saskatchewan gift shops, SaskBooks, Amazon, and other select stores.<o:p></o:p></span></p>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-68806645643693245752021-12-07T16:19:00.008-06:002023-03-28T18:57:38.219-06:00Fun On The Farm 3 book the last in the series<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">A couple years ago, I was selling my
DriverWorks Ink-published books at a craft show in Swift Current when a man
walked by and yelled at me: “When are you doing another </span><i style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/fun-on-the-farm-true-tales-of-farm-life/">Fun On The Farm</a></i><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/fun-on-the-farm-true-tales-of-farm-life/">
book</a>? I really enjoy those!”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fast forward almost three years, in the midst
of a global pandemic, and here it is. Bring on the laughter!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/fun-on-the-farm-3-true-tales-of-farm-life/" target="_blank">Fun On The Farm 3: True Tales of Farm Life</a></span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> adds another 32 short stories and six poems
to those of the first two volumes of the series, with more amusing antics,
accidents, surprises, and laughs about growing up, living, or working on
Western Canadian farms. Twenty writers, including me, have contributed to this
volume.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi45PPZpb9-ETSBwY5v2byx1coFFwR7WaP_tA62H6YDu67UXvVF6axDu9DeIPXc8riiuh5BXhraSQfkPlB9YKcxPxvB4O0z_yl8agVzFCfbqg60ifHxhVe9Jby8xEt-XAnkgGP3YG_wCRX35G_tTz2F6QnY7EdZO7N7qvOe2-zdEmHIJFR3EYMClS94=s1097" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="1020" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi45PPZpb9-ETSBwY5v2byx1coFFwR7WaP_tA62H6YDu67UXvVF6axDu9DeIPXc8riiuh5BXhraSQfkPlB9YKcxPxvB4O0z_yl8agVzFCfbqg60ifHxhVe9Jby8xEt-XAnkgGP3YG_wCRX35G_tTz2F6QnY7EdZO7N7qvOe2-zdEmHIJFR3EYMClS94=s320" width="298" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Author /editor/ publisher Deana J. Driver with Fun On The Farm 3</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The stories include how I learned to drive a
car in a grain field in Alberta at age 12, played in a culvert on our farm as a
kid, and watched high school friends of my husband go a little goofy during our
rural wedding a few decades ago. My sister Leanne Pacholok and brother Alan Pacholok
talk about their adventures too, including Leanne’s Poohsticks games through
that same culvert, and Alan’s numerous antics and accidents that ended with minimal
damage to him, but not to our mom’s prized plate from Poland.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Shellbrook author Laurie Lynn Muirhead shares
stories of how her brother showed off his “flying” skills and how she nurtured
a runt piglet to its full size. Saskatoon writer Marilyn Frey contributed five
stories to <i>Fun On The Farm 3</i>, telling of riding a pig, Sunday ball
games, crop circles, and more. Brad Hauber of Lloydminster recalls picking
rocks, winter sports, and the benefits of having younger brothers. The contributing writers include three authors whose work I’ve published: Mary
Harelkin Bishop has stories of garden gumbo and a friend’s rocky awakening,
Janice Howden explains her dad’s “crash” nickname, and Bryce Burnett’s poetry
gives glimpses of farm life. Other contributors are Cheryl Crashley, Elias
Entz, Jean Fahlman, Keith Foster, Becky Gamble, Ron Krenn, Theodore
Mikolayenko, Karen Ollinger and Eldon McDougald, Rev. Dr. Joyce Sasse, and Jean
Tiefenbach.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is the final book in the <i>Fun On The
Farm </i>series celebrating the sense of humour that Western Canadian farmers often
utilize to get through the hard times and cherish the good times. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Fun
on the Farm 3</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> books are available
at </span><a href="https://driverworks.ca/books/">www.driverworks.ca</a></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: arial;">, McNally Robinson Booksellers, Indigo, Chapters, Coles, Handmade
Saskatchewan gift shops in Regina and Saskatoon, SaskBooks, Amazon, and other select stores.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.driverworks.ca/shop.html" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="290" data-original-width="590" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFxaBw5tIAPLdT5aAZXsyTTX2MjxxtgPmStvCxHBbDBPPRMxX3A5ui1cC9niowmPJUrifUrZ414bgXb3Jbd8fpd2aHHohrqtFFWbmtg5qxqGwWW2rhEh4hpTt5wDR91BLhJlxBh5L63YdN0XARobySJbUFMX7JNzSjX3KvUv1yNci5yU5dqrZMXgcw=w400-h196" title="Three Fun On The Farm books from DriverWorks Ink" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Signed copies of Fun On The Farm, Fun On The Farm Too, and Fun On The Farm 3 are available at a Book Bundle sale price from www.driverworks.ca/shop.html</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></span><p></p>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-44659556779814418212021-11-10T19:14:00.005-06:002023-03-28T18:58:47.128-06:00Remembrance - Bob and Sue Elliott and their Little Coat<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Every
year since November 2009, when I published Alan J. Buick’s book <i><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/the-little-coat-the-bob-and-sue-elliott-story/" target="_blank">The Little Coat - The Bob and Sue Elliott Story</a></i>, I can’t help but think of Bob and Sue Elliott on
Remembrance Day.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">They were unsung
Canadian and Dutch heroes of a sort. </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Until
Alan’s book, of course, which helped thousands of readers worldwide learn their names and
something about the sacrifices made by them and people like them who served in and/or lived
through the combat zones of the Second World War.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_Jd2k-qudzHSpbq17pR1j_fBRRR-GzxTjqfbnwCsXjKzAnFI_Wh-7b0AQfB7QpqCIjlVJ7TQz-CVKbk76etZIR4fGg4QgGcnUNYA_icQaNl91oTeKb_mSNoVk9z0HEL9nCgDzKAXHe3oiGVu9IED28ApM9z8U5_RpUxl5BHvujW8ThH54IvhXFAhy=s1500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1500" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_Jd2k-qudzHSpbq17pR1j_fBRRR-GzxTjqfbnwCsXjKzAnFI_Wh-7b0AQfB7QpqCIjlVJ7TQz-CVKbk76etZIR4fGg4QgGcnUNYA_icQaNl91oTeKb_mSNoVk9z0HEL9nCgDzKAXHe3oiGVu9IED28ApM9z8U5_RpUxl5BHvujW8ThH54IvhXFAhy=w400-h214" title="Bob and Sue Elliott with their Little Coat, 2005" width="400" /></a></div></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Bob
enlisted in the Canadian Army in Calgary when he was only 15 years old. My
oldest grandson is close to that age now and I can’t imagine the fear and worry of being
unable to do anything but watch that young man go off to war as Bob did, having told recruiters that he was 20 years old and wanted to follow in the footsteps of
his older brothers.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">By
age 19, Bob Elliott was a tank commander in the Canadian Army and was fighting the
German army in the Netherlands. There, he met a feisty, 10-year-old Dutch girl named Everdina
“Sussie” Cretier. Sussie had earlier saved her father from a German firing squad
and their whole family had just escaped to the safety of the Canadian army after
running across a field dotted with landmines.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sussie
- soon known as Sue - became a good-luck charm for the Canadian soldiers, especially
those in Bob’s troop, who wanted to give her a Christmas gift. On
Christmas Day 1944, Bob presented Sue with a child’s coat that the soldiers had asked a
local seamstress to sew out of a wool Canadian Army blanket. The buttons on the coat
came from the soldiers’ tunics.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sue
cherished that gift and kept it for decades, long after she and Bob reconnected
and she moved to Canada to be with him. Alan Buick saw the coat on display at the
Royal Canadian Legion in Olds, Alberta, and began asking questions about it -
which led him to write his award-winning book, <i>The Little Coat</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bob
Elliott passed away in February 2013.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We learned today that Sue Elliott
passed away in May of this year. We express our heartfelt condolences to their
families and all who loved them.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was privileged to meet and talk with Sue and Bob during our launch of <i style="color: black;">The Little Coat</i> book from the Royal Canadian Legion hall in Olds, Alberta in November 2009. They connected with us by video, long before that became an everyday occurrence. Alan Buick and I were thrilled that the subjects of Alan's book could participate in our launch and visit with their family members and friends in the audience via video chat. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 2013, I was thrilled to meet Sue in person in the Netherlands, when I travelled there on a vacation with my late husband, Al. I wrote a <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/321626136760143456/5660898643674938884" target="_blank">blog</a> about that adventure, from the perspective of the book talking to us. It was great fun and Sue was, as always, energetic and full of laughter.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bob
and Sue’s story and sacrifices will never be forgotten. Nor will those of
thousands of others who served and placed themselves in danger in the name of freedom.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
We will remember them. Rest in peace, dear friends.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJAtwnSb3cBSMNW1fB5PwWqi12A_U8boO7nOrR8IRO75iBkQ6HS3EV0JaQUqT-4xOqQUM3gSD3b9HfoxuUJlg7rQ9jjFhUZvl1pr_TPnW0uZZIiPsXVPtsisS4epd5b-M54MTUR59i32Yph4xkGmhzaGIdGCQNwI6t0czt18GcdFpvHXLbJ8S0wAYg=s1000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJAtwnSb3cBSMNW1fB5PwWqi12A_U8boO7nOrR8IRO75iBkQ6HS3EV0JaQUqT-4xOqQUM3gSD3b9HfoxuUJlg7rQ9jjFhUZvl1pr_TPnW0uZZIiPsXVPtsisS4epd5b-M54MTUR59i32Yph4xkGmhzaGIdGCQNwI6t0czt18GcdFpvHXLbJ8S0wAYg=w320-h240" title="Bob and Sue Elliott with a tank, 2010" width="320" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Bob and Sue Elliott in 2010 with a tank <br />resembling the one Bob used in the war</b></span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQx4exVHP25JO1_LQtvZKCBKIlSHWzTDrtQE0d-o8j6iOVNLyEH8L14JYNiXVQg7yDyphSAZ2mVPUVuhKuFKL9RjqVo0dFFU-AUG0kh-6sXDJMhoLBOX4eCuAZAeoVJ7hshPqggKAmbRh9DqynsOqspjayT7zM-_bfqaHzjwxLSgYFcEW2uIONsYHV=s1024" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQx4exVHP25JO1_LQtvZKCBKIlSHWzTDrtQE0d-o8j6iOVNLyEH8L14JYNiXVQg7yDyphSAZ2mVPUVuhKuFKL9RjqVo0dFFU-AUG0kh-6sXDJMhoLBOX4eCuAZAeoVJ7hshPqggKAmbRh9DqynsOqspjayT7zM-_bfqaHzjwxLSgYFcEW2uIONsYHV=w320-h240" title="Alan J Buick with The Little Coat at Canadian War Museum, 2010" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Alan Buick, author, views The Little Coat ("child's coat") <br />on display in the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, 2010</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;">-----------------------------------</div></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><b><u>More of my blog posts about Bob and Sue Elliott:<o:p></o:p></u></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/321626136760143456/8147077992362987888" target="_blank">Seeing
this "Little Coat" inspired a country singer to write an
award-winning book, Dec 2017</a><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/321626136760143456/1104393162214992812" target="_blank">Viewing
The Little Coat at the Military Museums, Calgary, Alberta, August 2015</a></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/321626136760143456/6443249065776386147" target="_blank">Liberation
Day Netherlands 70th Anniversary and The Little Coat book, May 2015</a></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/321626136760143456/2683075577129485726" target="_blank">Remembrance
- Bob Elliott and The Little Coat book, Nov 2014<br /></a></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/321626136760143456/7666227913171451343" target="_blank">From
Blanket to Coat to Book to Painting, June 2013</a></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/321626136760143456/7501780362131284196 " target="_blank">The
little coat is 67 years old! Dec 2011</a></b></p>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321626136760143456.post-40776535512794225682021-09-19T18:58:00.006-06:002023-03-28T18:59:51.832-06:00A Moose, A Fence, A Farmer, and A Power Saw<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>While interviewing my brother, Alan Pacholok, months ago about funny things he's experienced on the farm </i></span><i>–</i> <i style="font-family: inherit;">so I could include those stories in the new book <b><a href="https://driverworks.ca/product/fun-on-the-farm-3-true-tales-of-farm-life/" target="_blank">Fun On The Farm 3</a> </b></i><i>–</i><i style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b>Alan told me about an encounter he had with a moose. I wrote the story and then decided it didn't quite fit for the Fun on the Farm book series. I</i><i style="font-family: inherit;">t seemed like the perfect story for a blog post. Enjoy!</i></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpU9aaHhZj5O1IodAFcxtBoG6h218IMLFiZIm_Q8mDBJTjOQnt3qrDuoH03KMWmNCX66iXcmWzJLFnFcIIE70xm-42PauXqArK09r991azpHwB_YXbA9MKUhjnvdNggg3eNd5oAzp3Sog/s500/Deana+Driver+-+Alan+Pacholok+-+family+reunion.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpU9aaHhZj5O1IodAFcxtBoG6h218IMLFiZIm_Q8mDBJTjOQnt3qrDuoH03KMWmNCX66iXcmWzJLFnFcIIE70xm-42PauXqArK09r991azpHwB_YXbA9MKUhjnvdNggg3eNd5oAzp3Sog/w320-h213/Deana+Driver+-+Alan+Pacholok+-+family+reunion.jpg" title="My siblings Alan and Leanne Pacholok (far right) laugh at the antics of cousins during a Pacholok family reunion, 2015" width="320" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: x-small;">Two of my younger siblings, Alan and Leanne Pacholok (far left and far right),</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: x-small;"> laugh at the antics of some cousins during a Pacholok family reunion, 2015</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The farm I grew up on is in a forested region of central
Alberta on land that required my ancestors – and me as a kid – to clear away trees to create usable farmland. Wild animals, especially moose, are
common there.</span></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My brother, Alan Pacholok, owns and operates that farm now and he has been known on many occasions to improvise in the
maintenance and repair of farm equipment and buildings. For decades, my sisters
and I have teased him that he’s a “duct tape and binder twine” kind of
repairman. </span></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This use of ingenuity and adaptability is common among farmers, who
have limited time in which to get their crops or cattle production accomplished
due to weather, finances, and distance from other resources. So farmers sometimes
have to make due with what is in the garage, barn, or vehicle just to get the
job done. It’s a skill every working farm kid learns early on.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One sunny Saturday afternoon in the late 1990s, my
brother was returning from a road trip he took to a farm near a neighbouring town, where
he had gone to do some prep work on a granary he’d purchased. As Alan drove back
towards our town, he saw a young moose stuck in a barbed wire fence that was beside the
highway.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vehicles were passing by this scene and my brother did
too, but only for a split second before he turned his half-ton around, drove
into the ditch, and got out of his truck to peruse the situation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This wasn’t the first time Alan had seen such a
predicament. He’d rescued a couple other moose from a similar fate before.</span></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When moose
try to jump a barbed wire fence, Alan told me, their front feet go over the top
wire, but sometimes their back feet catch on the top wire, pushing it forward so
their feet go down in front of the second wire of a four-wire fence. That
second wire moves up with the force and acts as a lasso with the top wire,
trapping the animal in place.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This particular moose was trying frantically to move
ahead and was pulling on the wires, which were not budging. Alan knew
that without help, this animal would perish.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unlike our dad, who enjoyed hunting in almost every year
that he could, my brother was never interested in this form of wild game. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">But this poor moose didn’t know that.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As Alan approached the frightened creature, he saw the
fear in the animal’s eyes. And those eyes only got bigger when Alan started up
the only utensil he could find in his truck – a power saw.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“The only tool we really had in the truck back then was a
tire wrench,” Alan said. “We never took tools in the truck and I didn’t need
them that day anyway. I had to take a couple two by sixes to Boyle to brace up
a granary I bought and look at how to haul it home. I just had a power saw to
cut the boards. To get this moose out of the fence, all I needed was a pair of
pliers to cut the wires or two rocks, but I couldn’t find those anyway. The
power saw was all I had,” Alan said with a grin.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“No nails, no wrenches, just one moose caught in the top
two wires of this fence,” which, coincidentally, happened to be on the property
of one of our uncles – but that’s rural Canada for you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, my brother grabbed his power saw and walked toward
the hung-up animal. Alan could see that the moose had been fighting to get free
for awhile before he arrived. The wires had rubbed some hair off its hind
ankles, but there weren’t any cuts on the animal’s legs, which was comforting
for both Alan and the moose. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By now, they had an audience. Several vehicles had
stopped on the highway and people were standing on the roadside, waiting to see
what this man in the pickup truck was planning to do with this 600-pound handy
bundle of Grade A moose meat.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With his power saw in hand, Alan stood as far away as
possible from the trapped moose – which was only about two feet given the
10-foot distance between fence posts and the mid-sized moose in the centre.
Alan tried to start his power saw. It made a quick, loud broooomm noise, and
then stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The noise startled the moose. It squirmed faster and
tried harder to get away – with no success. It looked at Alan from the corner
of its bulging eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alan tried to start the power saw again – with no
success.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Several times, Alan tried to start the saw. Each time,
the noise frightened the animal even more and its shaking intensified.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The moose kept turning its head toward the offending –
but possibly helping? – human at its side, no doubt wondering what would happen
next.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, Alan got the saw going and began to cut the
first wire. Sparks were flying everywhere, adding further to the moose’s fear
and the spectacle for the onlookers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There were about a dozen vehicles stopped on the side of
the highway by this time. There was no mass use of cellphones or YouTube videos
in those days, just human eyeballs watching a man with a moose and a power saw.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After Alan cut through the first wire, it did not free
the moose, so Alan started sawing the second wire. The moose was still
desperately trying to get away.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now there were about 20 vehicles on the side of the
highway, watching this commotion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alan finally got the second wire cut and the moose was
loose.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It walked away slowly, with a slight limp. “It kind of
looked back to thank me and was probably wondering if I was nuts, getting that
close to it… I had to do it because it was suffering,” Alan added. But
yes, there are those of us who would say Alan is a little crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As the moose stopped shaking and regained some energy, it
slowly trotted further and then ran across the field. The bystanders drove away
and Alan put his power saw back in his truck and drove away as well, thinking
about the moose and the look in its eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“As I was cutting those wires, the poor thing was
shaking. Later, I realized that probably everybody watching was laughing,
thinking, ‘What is he doing with the power saw?’ ... That poor moose didn’t think
it was funny.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">No, my brother will never forget that moose. “I think he
smiled at me. He was probably thinking, ‘Thanks for not turning me into a
sandwich.’”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></p>DriverWorks Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15741635091455851306noreply@blogger.com0