A Visit From Baby Jesse!
What fun to have Kristen stop in and give me opportunity to hold one-month-old Jesse for a few minutes!
It has been a whole week since I saw our sixteenth grandchild.
I know, I know, some of you have to wait longer than that – but Jesse and his family live only a mile away, so a week seems long.
A happy grandma and grandson.
Photo by eight-year-old Jana. I think she did a pretty good job!
Fergus Finale
A few more things of interest from the truck show.
This 1927 Chevrolet was parked close to us.
There weren’t many choices of gears or speeds in those days!
Cerwin also discovered there was not a lot of space in the early cabs.
~~~
Eighty Years Has Made a Big Difference!
Today some drivers have beautiful sleepers…
…and interiors.
~~~
This 2007 Peterbilt, “The Gambler”, Was the Most Unusual Rig at the Show.
It has a shotgun for a gear shift.
A 150 inch sleeper with a riverboat painted on the passenger side to represent the movie, “The Gambler”
Because of the way it was parked, it was difficult to get a good photo of the other side.
~~~
A few other features of the show.
This wheel looked a bit dangerous.
Someone did a great paint job on this one.
Patrolmen on horseback
Mack’s display featured this Harley. How about that, Earl?
~~~
Saturday Night’s Tractor and Truck Pull
Noise and smoke described the evening.
I had never seen a pull – and really enjoyed it. I must be more of a motorhead than I thought!
As far as I know this was the only woman competitor.
Our trucker friend, Glenn, was sitting with us and thought I should do this in my spare time. 
Someone told us that she was the winner in her class on Sunday afternoon.
By the time the big rigs pulled, It was getting late, so we only watched a few.
The light show was in full force when we left – making our walk to Len and Sue’s car incredibly beautiful.
These pictures do not do the light show justice. It was a beautiful, warm evening – and every truck had their lights on and signals flashing.
~~~
Sunday Morning
About sixty people sat in the area designated for the morning service while the quartet sang…
…and Len shared a message. The sound carried throughout the grounds, so we know many more heard the gospel that morning.
~~~
Sunday afternoon was much slower at the chapel than Saturday, so I took time to listen to the second presentation of birds of prey – held in the family area next to the chapel.
Harris Hawk
A young Horned Owl. This was its first show.
My favorite was this Golden Eagle
~~~
We had several interesting visitors on Sunday afternoon – among them a group from Poland, and a journalist from England. They had lots of questions and took many photos.
~~~
Then it was 4:00 PM ~ time to prepare to head home.
Our tall Captain Chairs were folded and placed at a safe place on the floor.
Cupboards and drawers were secured with bungee cords.
The microwave was secured.
Then we waited for our turn to exit the fairgrounds.
We met Len and Sue at a restaurant for a farewell meal. They were interested in response to our first show at Fergus and what they can do to improve TFC’s presence. We were honored to be invited, blessed to attend, and had very little advice for improvement. As a matter of fact we learned some new ideas to improve our Truck Rally and presence at truck shows in the USA.
After goodby hugs – and traveling a few miles down the road – they headed west and we traveled east.
Sunset on Lake Ontario.
We stopped at a truck stop close to the border, and spent the night on the comfortable sofa bed (air mattress) in the living quarters of the chapel.
~~~
Monday Morning
Sunrise in New York.
If there is one thing I will remember from this past week – after listening to several heartbreaking stories – is that no matter what happens in our life
THE SUN WILL CONTINUE TO RISE EACH MORNING
(until God says time is up)
giving us opportunity to build a new life, make a U-turn, or develop a closer relationship with Him.
~~~
Visitors & A Helicopter Ride
Chaplain Claude (left) and his wife, Huguette, were here for the day to give us a break. A highlight for them was when this couple visited. Claude had ministered to him on the chapel many years ago.
Claude prayed for them.
We had a steady stream of visitors all day.
A highlight for us was when these four guys stopped in. Three are from our home area, and the other, originally from our area – now lives near Fergus.
~~~
A Helicopter Ride
Cerwin and I love helicopter rides, so almost always take advantage of one – if the price is reasonable.
Notice the four yellow arrows of interest.
Left: The tent where Len and Sue had the TFC vendor spot. Center: A friend’s (Glenn Myer) truck. Top right: The chapel. Bottom right: Len and Sue’s car.
Some beautiful countryside.
The Truck Show
We saw a field of trucks that we did not even know was there!
The tractor/truck pull area.
The yellow pull truck we saw two days earlier.
After the helicopter ride, we stopped to see Chaplain Tim who was giving Len and Sue a break at the TFC Vendor booth.
The Truck Show Has Begun
Each truck and vendor is escorted to their designated spot. As of this afternoon, the count was getting close to 500 rigs.
~~~
We arrived about two hours before the official opening, so Cerwin and I toured the grounds
Everywhere we walked there were drivers polishing their rigs.
The polishing was evident in lots of shiny chrome!
~~~
Partway through our walk we stopped to visit Len and Sue at their vendor booth.
They have a great display.
~~~
Then it was time to stay at our post.
By the time the grounds opened to the public at noon, it was too hot to be outside ~ so we moved inside.
Some people came inside just to get cool and sit down. It gave us great opportunity to make new friends and share about Transport For Christ.
By late afternoon it became cloudy, so we were able to be outside again.
~~~
Tractor Pull
After supper we found a spot in the bleachers and waited for the tractor pull to begin. Some of the trucks that will be pulling tomorrow were making sure their engines were still working properly.
It’s neat to see the Canadian and American Flag together. The program opened by the playing of both National Anthems. Most – if not all racers tonight are from the USA.
It began raining about the time this ~ the second tractor ~ began his pull. He had a tough time – with his front wheels in the air a lot of the time.
The last time the front of the tractor hit the ground, both front wheels fell off.
~~~
By this time it began raining rather heavy, so we headed back to the motel for a relaxing evening.
Wednesday Evening
We enjoyed supper with Len and Sue.
Sue showed us the scenery from the balcony of their eleventh floor apartment while Len grilled pork loin for supper.
A similar set of apartments across the driveway.
The clouds and river to the west.
A pretty geranium on their balcony.
Supper is ready.
Sue and Len
After supper we went back to the balcony to watch the sun set.
A sailboat at sunset.
~~~
Thursday
Cerwin and Chaplain Len check to see if the air conditioner at Woodstock needed cleaning. It did, but they weren’t able to pull it out due to extra insulation foam that had been added.
~~~
Since Cerwin is currently building a chapel for Quebec, he was glad for the opportunity to talk with Chaplain Claude who was on duty at Woodstock.
Claude checking for photos of their new apartment in Quebec ~ where they will be moving in about four weeks.
Showing Cerwin where the new chapel will be placed in Quebec.
Talking to Cerwin about lettering a chapel in French.
I like this map in the Woodstock chapel – showing the location of all the chapels in North America. I made a yellow arrow to show you where we are attending the Truck Show in Fergus, Ontario.
After lunch we headed back to Fergus to move into another motel, work on some final setup details, get supper, and shop for a few last minute things for the show.
This rig from Canton, OH ~ obviously in town for the truck pull ~ was parked at the shopping center where we got ice cream before going to our motel for the night.
~~~
I am anxious for tomorrow, as we’ve already had some interesting contacts ~ and the show only begins at noon tomorrow.
An Interesting Day
How interesting to connect with Milton, a driver from Arborg, Manitoba, and discover that he and his wife have friends from our hometown ~ and we know them as well. He also served at the same mission location (Popular Hill) out of Red Lake, Ontario, Canada, as Cerwin’s sister and her husband ~ and we know some of the same people.
Chaplain Len and Milton ~ waiting to load supplies into the chapel in preparation for Fergus.
Sue and I followed the chapel for the hour and a half drive from Woodstock to Fergus.
Entering the Fergus Fairgrounds.
Finding our spot.
Other vendors were beginning to arrive and volunteers were setting up vendor tents.
After the chapel was in place, we located the tent where Len and Sue had a vendor space.
Sue quickly located T9 ~ their spot.
As we walked back toward the chapel, we met the fairground director. Len wanted to make sure we were in the correct location before setting up the steps.
He said it was perfect.
Len and Cerwin set up the steps while Sue and I enjoyed watching other early arrivals.
We should have easy access to good coffee, as Tim Horton’s spot is just across from us.
This Michigan rig is so long (over regulation in Ontario) that a shorter tractor had to pull it to the fairground. After it was on the grounds the entire rig was put together again.
~~~
After we were set up, we enjoyed lunch in a restaurant, then went to Erb Transport where Len showed us an old TFC tractor that is parked in the back lot.
Cerwin and Len talk about the possibility of it being restored and placed with a chapel sometime in the future.
Following this we drove back to Woodstock through beautiful farming country.
Traveling to Woodstock, Ontario, Canada
We were awaked by our alarm at 3:30 AM ~ left the house at 4:30 ~ and the International Office at 5:45 ~ a few minutes later we were traveling by Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant.
Morning fog from the river as we approached Clarks Ferry Bridge.
The Susquehanna River at sunrise.
Driving along the river was beautiful this morning.
I usually pick up a Real Simple magazine when going on a long road trip. I enjoy tips that can simplify my busy life.
Three levels of roadways in New York State.
I love traveling through the mountains.
Approaching the Canadian border at Fort Erie about 1:30 PM.
Thanks for Praying!
After just a few questions we were permitted to enter Canada. Chaplain Len (the Canadian chaplain who coordinated the trip for us) was pleased that it was so easy for us.
Her major concern after reading our paperwork: Why are you going to Woodstock if you are headed to Fergus? Answer: Because the person coordinating our trip lives in Woodstock.
It was neat to park TFC’s International Chapel in front of Woodstock, Ontario’s, permanent chapel ~ The Pathfinder.
Chaplain Len
Two chapels drew a lot of attention.
Two drivers asked me if we were expecting a large attendance at services tonight ~ that we needed two chapels! I explained that we were taking the one chapel to the Fergus Truck Show in the morning.
Chaplain Len leading the Bible study tonight.
~~~
I am posting from our comfortable motel room.
We’re heading to the Truck Show in Fergus, Ontario, Canada, early tomorrow morning.
Keep Us in Your Prayers
~ Especially as we take the chapel across the border ~
You can be sure that I will be in touch if I have Internet access!
Changing of House Guests
Yesterday, after the grandchildren left ~ about noon ~ we quickly did laundry, rolled up the carpet in the garage, put cars back inside, cleaned the house, and prepared for three new guests to move into the room in back of the garage.
~~~
Picnic
We finished just in time to leave for a TFC picnic near Sunbury, PA. It was nice to have two hours to relax and visit with Chaplain Tom and Janis Kemp.
Chaplain Tom (left) fills his plate with some of the delicious food.
After supper, Cerwin told about some of the recent happenings in TFC, then we settled down for an evening of wonderful gospel music by the Harmenaires, Quakertown, PA.
Part way through the program Chaplain Tom was asked to share an update of the happenings on the Open Door Chapel, Frystown, PA.
It was a beautiful evening.
Shortly after we got home at 10:00 PM our Maine guests arrived: Becky, Lydia, and our eighteen-year-old granddaughter, Hannah. They arrived earlier, then went to our son, Jere’s house to visit with their family, see baby Jesse, and Hannah’s fifteen-year-old sister, Abigail (who is in PA for the summer).
Hannah will be here all week while Becky attends Brethren Bible Institute (Elizabethtown, PA), and Lydia visits family and friends.
Grandchildren Continued
I’m not sure why Hezekiah was chasing Josh ~ but there was a lot of laughter and noise.
Brothers on opposite sides of the door.
The girls wanted to do some more “office work”. I have several thousand envelopes that need to have labels put over an old address, so that seemed like a good idea ~ and they got a lot finished while watching a movie.
That pleased Ian and Gloria ~ because they didn’t have to share the GameCube all afternoon.
Dear Jared had trouble remembering that he could not jump on the mattresses lined up on the floor ~ so he ended up on “the bench” for one minute ~ several times during the last three days. 
After a few times the big boys would say, “Jared, you’re going to “the slammer” again!” 
Since it became amusing for the big boys, and they were often the ones who notified me that Jared was jumping on the mattresses, I was “anxious and waiting” for a time I could assign “the slammer” to the big boys.
Then it happened!
Yesterday at lunch, when they kept getting Jared in trouble, and didn’t settle down ~ I said, “OK, each of you get a minute in “the slammer.”
~~~
Of course they didn’t want their faces to show when I took their mug shots.
To their mothers: If you wonder why Nathan is missing from this lineup ~ he was working ~ or I promise you he would have been there!
Even though it is tough for a three-year-old to not jump on mattresses when there are five lined up on the floor – he stayed away from them and played nicely 99.9% of the time.
Jana and Diana asked to help me make supper. Since I was making a double batch of cornbread, I gave each one the ingredients to make one batch.
We put some in cupcake papers…
…and the rest into a baking dish.
Warm cornbread and a casserole of macaroni and hamburger in a tomato base was a hit with the children.
After supper, Gloria and Ian watched the archery shoot.
Hey, Dad, look what Hezekiah is shooting – Cerwin’s compound.
Diana
Jana
Jared and Gloria spent many hours moving small stones in a flower bed that I gave them permission to play in – since I never took time to plant many flowers in that area this year.
If he was alone, Jared preferred my patio flowerbed, because there are a lot of stones. I gave him permission on occasion – because he played so nicely. I figure I can “fix” it when they all go home this morning. There is a plant just under his left elbow that may not revive.
