The Evanishen 2006
Newsletter
Box 234, Summerland, BC, Canada, V0H 1Z0, Phone 250-494-3205
Email: danny@ethnic.bc.ca
Web Site: http://www.ethnic.bc.ca
Composed by Danny and Jean Evanishen in December 2006 and posted soon after.
2006 Another Good Year
2006 Another Good Year We had a good year these past twelve months. Christmas of 2005 was spent with Danny's sister Johanne's near Calgary, AB, plus family and friends. This Christmas we will be at home in Summerland.
Good Sports
Good Sports February saw us with our dear friends, Shayne and Gail, schussing around the cross-country track at Whistler. Jean has given up downhill skiing - too many out-of-control skiers wearing Kamikaze helmets and goggles, swooshing by too close for comfort. That, and the realization/acceptance that some knees don't work as well as they used to!
Other sporting events include the weekly badminton outing on Wednesdays, with a debriefing at the local Legion afterward. We may never get to be much good at it, but it sure is fun!.
Jean is still bowling in a Summerland league, and having fun at that.
We also walk as much as we can, sometimes to go downtown or sometimes just to walk. Summerland is a good place to walk, as there are not too many cars around, and everyone is friendly.
Fishing
Fishing The annual fishing derby continued with Jean still holding the lead. The score is now something like 18 to 3, with Jean catching a whopper the last day of the season, just to emphasize the standings. "Wait 'til next year," says Danny.
Trips
Trips Trips included a weekend in Whistler in February, and to Chilliwack in April to help celebrate Jean's mom's 90th birthday. It was good to see all the family there, but Mom was most surprised of all, wondering how in heck she got to be that age. It could've been her daily tot of wine and a couple of cigarettes, but somehow we doubt it!
We bought an ancient and honourable camper van, a genuine cream-puff, in the spring and tried it out several times with trips to favourite fishing holes by ourselves and sometimes with friends. Good memories, especially of one friend who had to be rescued by the RCMP helicopter because she got lost in the labyrinth of logging roads in the mountains above Peachland. Name withheld by request.
In August, we turned northward in the van and travelled 7400 km into the Yukon with an overnight visit to Alaska. We picked up Johanne, Danny's sister, as we travelled through Prince George, and she was great company as we explored some of the most spectacular scenery in the North. Another couple, Roger and Sharon Lavoie, accompanied us in their van, and many a good time was had by all. No mosquitoes to speak of and lovely warm weather. It was a wonderful but long, tiring trip. Danny had to get back to work at the winery and so it was a bit of a whirlwind three-week adventure. Not to be forgotten, however.
Garden
Garden We were blessed this summer with wonderful gardening results and it was such a pleasure to enjoy so many organically-grown veggies from our little plots. In December, we are still eating our own tomatoes, beets, carrots and potatoes!
Pottery Studio
Pottery Studio Jean continues to enjoy being creative in her studio, especially now that after more than 40 years without, she finally has a motorized wheel. Danny took up the challenge, and even though he banged his guitar-pickin' finger rather severely, he fashioned a device which propels the wheel into the modern age of electricity. Jean is delighted! The pottery continues to generate interest and some modest sales, but the new line of goddesses has really captured the imagination of would-be purchasers.
Festivals
Festivals We travelled to a few festivals this past year, but the biggy was Danny's trip to Saskatoon in November where he read some of his stories at the Ukrainian Museum. Jean declined the invitation to attend and it was a good thing, too, as she ended up caring for her sister, Donna, for a while during Donna's recuperation from hip-replacement surgery.
Anyway, Danny nearly froze his buns off travelling around Alberta and Saskatchewan in sub-zero weather, reminding him why he moved to Summerland. That minus 40 degree stuff is for the birds. Penguins, of course!
Jobs
Jobs Same old same old - Danny worked in the wine shop at Thornhaven Estates Winery in Summerland from May to October, and still does part-time on-call work for the call center in Penticton. Both jobs are a lot of fun. Plus, they actually pay money for work done!
Jean is happily retired, and she spends as much time as possible in her pottery studio. She also helps at Thornhaven when things get busy there.
New Book
New Book In June, we went to Vancouver to help launch Marsha Skrypuch's anthology "Kobzar's Children: A Century of Untold Ukrainian Stories." Included in the book is Danny's tragic story of an attempted escape by a young man from an internment camp into which many Ukrainian people were put during the First World War. It's a definite departure from his usual lighthearted folk tales, and Danny found it difficult to write.
For details on all our books, check out the Ethnic Web Site.
Electric Bicycle
Electric Bicycle Danny bought and installed a kit that makes his bicycle into an electric bike, with a small motor that actually propels it up hills. Summerland has lots of hills, so anything that can help is appreciated. The bike needs no licence, and is really inexpensive to operate, so all summer long, it is personal transportation for one person.
Visitors
Visitors Over the summer, we had several visitors whose presence we enjoyed very much. It's so nice to have a house with a spare bedroom! Each visit was a special occasion and we're left with many warm memories of love and laughter. From farthest away came Danny's second cousin, Conrad Kindrachuk, and his wife Carol, who visited us from Australia. Now we want to go visit them!
Good Wishes
Good Wishes