More Summer Fun

Had some fun the last two days. The kids and I went to see Evan Almighty and really enjoyed it. The critics have panned it but it is quite sweet. Okay, if you don't like sweet you probably won't like it but it is child friendly and has a nice gentle message. There are some really good things said about prayer and about caring for creation. I read through some of the reviews afterwards and a number of critics seem to be still angry at Mel Gibson's The Passion and the marketing of Hollywood to Christians. Why you'd want to take your anger out on this comedy is beyond me.

Ironically, Mark Joseph writes a piece for Fox News (read it here) arguing that it won't appeal to evangelical Christians because it is too 'green' and too critical of conservative (read Republican) politicians. So it is too Christian for some critics and not the right kind of Christian for others.

Today we went to the Lethbridge Buddhist Church for a tour. Rev. Izumi does some chaplaincy work with me at the university and is a delight. I enjoy his enthusiasm and his gentle spirit very much. It was interesting to hear his explanations of their space and their practice. We talked for some time too about the differences between practice here and in Japan. The Japanese theme continued this evening when the GD and I picked up a big order of sushi and other goodies and took them over to my best friend's house. After supper the GD spent two and a half hours putting together the BF's bbq and then we played a game of Nerts. We laughed so hard the tears poured down my cheeks. The only downside was that Robbie started to cough a lot again. He's been quiet for the last few hours but we'll try to see the vet tomorrow morning just in case.

It might seem like a corny line from Evan Almighty but there are times when grace is spending a hot summer evening drinking lemonade and playing cards with people you love and who love you.

New Prayer Book

This year at our clergy conference a friend recommended to me the Church of England's Common Worship daily prayer book. I've been using it on line since then which has the advantage of having everything including the readings in one place. But there are times when I haven't had internet access and besides, it feels weird praying on line. But my own copy arrived in the mail yesterday thanks to Amazon!

It is a really wonderful prayer book with different prayers for each day of the week and sections for each season of the year. I especially like the psalm prayers. The Book of Alternative Services, a book I like in many ways but not for its daily office, has psalm prayers too but I've never been too fond of them. The ones in Common Worship are quite lovely. The one for this morning's psalm #91 is:

Almighty God, our eternal refuge, teach us to live with the knowledge of our death and to rejoice in the promise of your glory, revealed to us in Jesus Christ our Lord.

I look forward to becoming at home in this prayer book.

Land of the Living Dead

Last night my GD and I watched the original 1968 version of Night of the Living Dead. It freaked me out but she just mocked it. It may be a classic but it only had two special effects guys! Well, it turns out I wouldn't do very well in a zombie crisis.

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Little Mosque on the Prairie

Great! Our U.S. Anglican brothers and sisters have discovered Little Mosque on the Prairie! Read all about it here.

Waterton in the Heat

The kids and I drove down to Waterton and enjoyed the beauty and the heat! Usually when it is really hot here it is nice to go down to the mountains and enjoy some cooler breezier weather but today it was relatively still and stinking hot.

We had a picnic at McNeally's and then went down to see the glory of Cameron Lake. Then we went to town and bumped into friends of mine and had ice cream on the main street. What a great way to spend a summer day. Robbie had a wonderful time. I always think about what the vet said about his heart being pretty vulnerable to stress but have decided that if he's going to blow a valve that happy it will be a good way to lose him.


Tomorrow it is supposed to be even hotter so the kids and I are going to see a movie in an air conditioned theatre and then go over to have supper with friends who have an indoor pool. Should be very fun.

Happy 140th Canada!

Well, Canada Day weekend is now history and I'm beat! Friday evening dinner and scrabble with friends. Saturday I drove up to Calgary to pick up my goddaughter who flew out by herself for the first time. Saturday evening we went with friends to Galt Gardens for an outdoor movie projected on an inflatable screen. The downtown business folks put it on and what a great time it was. The movie was Firehouse Dog - sweet kid's movie.

Yesterday we had church and then a bbq at some other friends' house. We had a visitor at church who found us through this blog which has never happened before. We had a really interesting conversation and I hope we get the chance to talk some more. Last night the GD and I went to the fireworks with another teenager who is a delight and we had a blast. They were wonderful fireworks and we were positioned closed enough that we were covered with ash afterwards.


Today I invited a bunch of friends over to meet the GD and to let her meet them. She and I prepared food all morning and she put the bbq together. It is a cool looking bbq but the regulator is crap and it didn't work very well. Fortunately I had borrowed one that did work. We ate a whole mess of food and had a wonderful visit. Now she's gone to bed - with Robbie who has decided she is the dog's woof. He follows her everywhere, lets her pick him up and carrying him around and sleeps on her bed. Thank goodness for my cats or I'd be getting a real complex by now.

Ethiopian Restaurant

I was checking my blog stats this morning to see who has come by lately. It is cool to see the hits from around the world. Hello Peter in Japan! There was another hit from someone looking for the new Ethiopian restaurant in Lethbridge. I forget the name of it but I ate there and really liked it. So if you are looking for it (and lots of people must be because I get regular hits from people googling it) it is on 5th St. in the cigar building next to the alley in the spot where Miros use to be before they bought their new building down the street.

Hope that helps!

Update: Just drove by and it is called the Abyssinian.

Further update: ate there again today with the kids and it was delicious. I highly recommend #14. It is 313-5th St. South and the phone number is 327-3315. Enjoy!