Meeting Penny!

We came off the Icefield parkway after a very cool night below the Crowsfoot Glacier.  It was awesomely beautiful up there......... and quiet, once the traffic died down.  And then we headed towards Edmonton, Alberta and Penny.  I was really keen to get there and we tootled right on in, only stopping once for lunch.  After setting up in a campground just two blocks from where Penny lived, we cleaned up a bit and headed her way.  It was absolutely great to meet her!  She looks just like her pictures - those eyes!  It was so easy to visit with her and Michael that we stayed long past all our bedtimes that first night!  What a lady this is....... she is so gentle, speaks with a quiet voice and a glint in her eye.  They moved into their new house the day we arrived and had had a full day behind them already.  I am having some difficulty putting all this into words.... somehow the meaning of meeting Penny is not coming out properly.  I have started to try and describe what it means to be able to sit and chat with her, to meet this lady that is such an inspiration to me........so many times - and its not flowing the way I am feeling it.  She is so strong and determined and open when talking about her battle with cancer, she smiles a lot, laughs with us and Michael and I know that most of the time I talk too fast - we all have accents to each other!  That glint in her eye and her sense of humor is beautiful. 

 

We went out to a Ukranian dinner together which was something totally new for Frank and I - and very good too!  Michael and Penny then took us on a tour around Edmonton, over the river and through the center of town.  What struck us the most was how clean this city is.  There was so little garbage lying around and everything was so neat.  The river is beautiful - but then I have a thing for water and rivers.  Bridges ran back and forth over it and fast-transport trains too - there is even a waterfall that cascades off the one bridge but it only gets turned on during special occasions.  The fading sunlight caught the buildings of downtown and lit up those that were tall and glass faced, creating some awesome colors and effects.  Really a lovely city.

Today we went to the West Edmonton Mall.  It was awesomly humongous!  It boggled our minds how much 'stuff' there is.  Everything you could think of and then 10 times more than that.  There were flamingoes and a petting zoo - small one, but there.  An enormous boat took the centerstage and one could even go for a submarine ride around this boat which 'floats' in the center of the mall.  A swimming area with waves and all was on one end, filled with people and looking almost like a beach!  There was a whole amuzement park on the other side - also filled with kids with big eyes...  We walked for what seemed like hours and I know we did not cover it all, but what we saw was truely mind blowing.

 

We also moved campsites this morning - to a much better one in the same park.  We have decided to stay here till Sunday morning.  On Saturday we get to meet most of Penny's family - and then we will head up north again early Sunday morning.  It's going to be tremendously difficult to leave here, they are such lovely people and so easy to be around.  Maybe after we have left and my mind has settled again, will I be able to write more about this time.  Right now it's as if I want to keep it close to me.

 

Both Frank and I are sleeping later in the mornings - and this long stop is probably just what we need in more ways than we know.  Frank is feeling better now and my sliced finger is starting to heal up again.  We have put off doing the laundry but tomorrow simply has to be the day!  I managed to get some pictures up on the roadrunnersusa site and have many more I want to add, but the flaky connection simply won't allow that - for now. 

 

More later....

Love and Light
Annie & Frank
U3 are close in my heart...
XXxxxxx

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www.PenniesforCancer.com