Still Here

I won't apologise for the mass e-mail today. Instead, I will apologise for being silent so long despite my having a staggering amount of free time in the last while. I have been spending a great deal of time in Lloydminster this July, staying here on my weekends to save a little cash. I hope I find you all well and patient enough to listen as I recount a few of the many tales I have woven from my experiences here in Lloyd.Despite the terror that built up in my mind as four entirely empty days in Lloydminster loomed over my head as my weekends approached, I have found myself rather entertained by this place. Last Wednesday and Thursday I spent a little time strolling in the muted downtown of Lloyd and then proceeded to ride 20 km out to a miniature lake known as Sandy Beach. This local getaway hot spot was surprisingly pleasant, despite the obvious lack of regular up-keep. It was as if no one had dared make an improvement since 1955, the year that is emblazoned in rusty lettering on the side of an immense iron slide smack in the centre of the beach. The sand was soft and the warmth of the sun barely peeking through the rain clouds was welcome after a long week of helping American almost seniors whizz their way to Alaska, and explaining to Quebecois in my decreasingly offensive French that it might just take more than two days to visit Edmonton, Calgary, the Rocky Mountains and that place with les dinosaurs before heading off to BC.After a quick 3-day week (who did this bloody scheduling anyways?), I have been enjoying another two days off and have spent as much time as possible away from my trailer, reading Last Crossing and attempting (with limited success) to enjoy the sweeter side of this town. I have scored myself a library card, a ridiculously small feat that has somehow made me feel a little more integrated in this community. A recent editorial in the local paper,
,\ndiscussed how Lloydminster is a purgatoryish place that consistently\nearns a 5/10 amongst newcomers: bad enough that you would never say you\nlike it, but bearable enough that you don't quite leave, just yet. The\nastute author went on to describe that you constantly see the same\npeople, but are never really accepted into this tight-knit community\nthat must constantly defend itself against the ruffians who come to\nwork here for brief stints. Oh, how fascinating.\n\nTonight my staff and I are heading North (about 20 minutes) to go trail\nriding. I can't wait to be back on a horse as it has been about four\nyears since I last tried out this sport that was my life for the\ngreater part of my teenage years. I miss it on and off and hope that my\nlegs do not end up as sore as my poor sister's were after her recent\nequine excursion.\n\nThough my opinion of this place has improved over the course of these\nlast few weekends, I am looking forward to visiting my Edmonton home on\nthe 17th and 18th (N.B. if anyone would like to pick me up at 10:45 PM\non Sunday the 16th, I'll buy you a beer! Note: this is offered on a\nfirst-come, first-serve basis ;)). I hope to see a fair number of you,\nbut I know that a busy schedule tends to be a common trait of my\nfascinating friends, darn you.\n\nAnyhoo, I must be going; I am off to buy balsamic vinegar, and for\nthose of you who know the Kienholz's well, this is a rather big ordeal.\nShould anyone happen to being heading out to Saskatchewan any time\nsoon, please pop in and visit our excellent Travel Albert Visitor\nInformation Centre and let me know how you are.\n\nBest wishes to all of you! I hope to hear from you soon!\n\nLove,\n\nJoanne\n\n\n\n",0]
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The Meridian Booster, discussed how Lloydminster is a purgatoryish place that consistently earns a 5/10 amongst newcomers: bad enough that you would never say you like it, but bearable enough that you don't quite leave, just yet. The astute author went on to describe that you constantly see the same people, but are never really accepted into this tight-knit community that must constantly defend itself against the ruffians who come to work here for brief stints. Oh, how fascinating.Tonight my staff and I are heading North (about 20 minutes) to go trail riding. I can't wait to be back on a horse as it has been about four years since I last tried out this sport that was my life for the greater part of my teenage years. I miss it on and off and hope that my legs do not end up as sore as my poor sister's were after her recent equine excursion.Though my opinion of this place has improved over the course of these last few weekends, I am looking forward to visiting my Edmonton home on the 17th and 18th (N.B. if anyone would like to pick me up at 10:45 PM on Sunday the 16th, I'll buy you a beer! Note: this is offered on a first-come, first-serve basis ;)). I hope to see a fair number of you, but I know that a busy schedule tends to be a common trait of my fascinating friends, darn you.Anyhoo, I must be going; I am off to buy balsamic vinegar, and for those of you who know the Kienholz's well, this is a rather big ordeal. Should anyone happen to being heading out to Saskatchewan any time soon, please pop in and visit our excellent Travel Albert Visitor Information Centre and let me know how you are.Best wishes to all of you! I hope to hear from you soon!

Love,

Joanne