We can hardly wait

to get everything packed up and on the road. This long weekend is going to be fantastic. The weather looks like it will be nice, so bring on the fun. Here is a last minute list of things to bring.

Things to Bring:

Salad and/or dessert for Saturday night;
iPod; iPhone etc for tunes at the fire and throughout the day;
Red and White for Canada Day's 144th Birthday;
Roasting sticks for the Friday Fireside treat;
Plate, utensils and mugs for Supper and the Toonie Breakfast;
CASH for the 50/50 draw, the raffle, the auction and the poker tournament;
Sporting goods, like ball glove or bocce ball set or badminton racket

And don't forget to share in the fun!!

See you on the weekend !!

Anxiously Waiting For Summer

So....lets keep our fingers (and toes) crossed that we will have great weather for the long weekend. It is Canada Day weekend so please bring your red and white to celebrate.

There is only days left until Reunion 2011. We have been receiving quite a few responses and are excited to see everyone. As mentioned in previous posts there are so many activities to do and people to visit the only downfall will be the weekend will pass by way to fast.

In recent years there was an item to auction and this year will be no exception. We are fortunate to have two items to auction, one being a group picture of everyone who is attending. This is the IMPORTANT part If you are only attending part of the reunion we encourage you to be available on Saturday late morning/early afternoon. This is when the picture will be taken. An email will be sent out midweek to remind everyone of the group photo.

As Friday is the holiday many of us will be starting our weekend on Thursday afternoon/evening. Friday is full of fun activities complete with a fireside snack; Saturday is another fun filled day with the group picture being taken, a couple of tournaments and then supper, hosted by the reunion committee. (REMINDER: Please bring a salad and/or dessert to share with the group). Supper will also have entertainment, supplied by those brave enough to ...? After supper there will be awards handed out to the winners of the games, guesses, tournaments, 50/50 draw, raffles and auction items. This will allow everyone ample time to grab a TOONIE Breakfast on Sunday and start to gather up.

Arrangements have been made to have the location until Monday morning, so if you desire you are more than welcome to stay one more night and depart Monday morning. We did confirm with the County of Red Deer that fireworks are illegal in the County, so no fireworks for Canada Day.


Attached is a map to the Reunion site, if needed. Double click on it and it will enlarge so you can read it.


See everyone there!!!

We are so excited ...

...after months of planning we are into the final preparations for a fantastic weekend (just holding out for awesome weather)

There are a ton of activities that will be taking place over the weekend, providing a great variety for everyone. There will be a Bocce Ball Tournament (so please bring your Bocce set) as well as a Poker tournament so bring some cash, and let's not forget the survivor game which each person that enters will be eligible for a "survivor" prize.

The next best thing to activities is food - everyone knows that. This year will be no exception. We will have a fireside snack on Friday night, so please remember to bring your roasting sticks. On Saturday evening we will be hosting supper: meat, potatoes and buns will be provided. We ask that you each bring a salad and/or desert to share with everyone. This will be followed up with the "TOONIE" breakfast Sunday morning before everyone has to start packing up.

There will be entertainment Saturday evening and we are fortunate enough to have access to outdoor speakers so we encourage everyone to bring their iPods, iPhones etc to share the music.

With rising costs of the venue as well as food it has been decided the fee this year will be approximately $60.00 per family. A point of clarification, family is defined as those individuals that reside at your residence, so no extended family. We are aware this is a bit of an increase from two years ago however, it will also provide a bit of startup for the next group that organizes Reunion 2013 and covers some of the great prizes.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to leave a comment or send an email to scresort@telusplanet.net and we will get right back to you.

Ta ta for now!!!

...countdown begins!

Time until Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 12:00:00 Noon
28 days
668 hours
40137 minutes
2408275 seconds

That is a countdown. With only days until the Family Reunion we are excited to have received a few more responses as to who will be joining us on the weekend.

We are happy the fireban has been lifted and it looks like we will be enjoying a few fires. Arrangements have been made for firewood for the weekend however, if there is anyone that is aware of free firewood that would be greatly appreciated.

Keith and Carol were kind enought to stop in at Antler Hill during their travels to provide an udpate. The trees on the north side of the property have been removed so there is a clear view of Highway 2, we will have to be thoughtful of where people park. There has also been a playground area development with swings and slides which will be great for the smaller kids.

We once again ask that you take a few moments and confirm who will be attending from your family, guesstimates are welcomed, as well as ONE Word, from each person, that comes to mind when you think of the Quaife reunions and family events. Also, don't forget to revisit the post on March 6th for the Survival Game. Each entry will be entered into a draw.


...on another note has anyone seen the Gnome?

It is hard to believe

that one long weekend has already passed. For many of us the 4 weekends throughout the summer are quickly booked, and this year is no exception.

We are hopeful that you have decided to join family over the July Long Weekend at the bi-annual Quaife reunion. The July 1st holiday actually falls on the Friday so we have Antler Hill (Old Pole Road) from Thursday afternoon until Monday afternoon for those that are able to enjoy an extended weekend.

We will enjoy some of the same activites such as baseball and horsehoes. We will also have a Bocce Ball Tournament so please bring your Bocce sets if you have one. There will also be a relay race (thanks for the suggestion) that will provide chuckles and entertainment for all those that partipate as well as spectators.

Remember to bring your cameras!!

It is very important that we know who is attending to arrange for food etc.

Saturday evening will be a supper, menu to be confirmed and Sunday morning as a Twoonie Breakfast, so make sure you have change. We will provide more details around the Supper on Saturday over the next couple of weeks.

If you have any questions please feel free to comment on the blog site or by email to scresort@telusplanet.net.

and the...

We are hearing alot of chatter about

campers being packed, trips planned to vacation homes,road trips and outdoor renovations so it must be close to the May Long Weekend. The upcoming weekend seems to be the weekend that starts the camping/summer season and this year, even with the inclement weather, is no exception. We have seen several trailers travelling down the highways to campgrounds and off-road areas for a weekend of enjoyment.

So that would mean the next long weekend is - that's right the Family Reunion Weekend. All the brainstorming has turned into activites for the weekend and some great games. There will be some great opportunities to share your stories and memories with the group as a whole and spend some quality time with family.

The Reunion is being held at Old Pole Road, the same as previous years, so there will be access to power and water for those tenters. We have been told there are some improvements, we will confirm and let everyone know.

We are still looking for a few items - if you would please take a few moments to provide your comments on the blog or via email to scresort@telusplanet.net that wuold be greatly appreciated.

Who is coming? We are interested in knowing how many in your group are attending and for what days. This will assist in planning activities and meals. If you are unsure please guesstimate. A BIG thank you to those that have already responded.

ONE Word that comes to mind when you think of the Quaife family. The words are critical to the raffle so please take a few moments and send a quick email with your word. Keep in mind, this is one word from each person, so please feel free to brainstorm within your family and come up with a few. For those that have already provided a word, please feel free to send another on behalf of a family member.

As always, please ensure that you share this address with those that may not have received information on the reunion.

Until next time....

...don't forget to pack your roasting stick for campfire treats yum!!

Happy Spring and

a belated Happy Mothers day to all those wonderful Moms out there. We hope you enjoyed your weekend and some relaxing time.

It is great to see the trees budding and maybe we will see a flower or two soon, which quickly reminds us there is not alot of time left before the reunion.

We are still looking for confirmation on who will be attending; what ONE word comes to mind when you think of the Quaife family and/or reunions; and do not forget the survival game (March 6th post).

We have also heard there are challenges with posting to the blog site. It is our understanding you have to have a google account etc. If you do not have a google account and wish to comment please send your comments/suggestions to scresort@telusplanet.net and we will post them on your behalf.

Please make sure to check back often (and share with those that may not have seen it yet) for exciting updates on the reunion.

Enjoy the weather!!

Time is ticking.....

...and it is hard to believe it is only a couple of months until we all get together.

We have now confirmed the reunion will be at Antler Hill from June 30 - July 3. We have been advised (Thanks Uncle Brian) that construction will not pose a problem for us, so that is a relief, now we only have to keep our fingers crossed for the weather.

There has been some concerns expressed about the ability to post comments to the blog. It is our understanding in order to post a comment you have to have a google account. If you do not have a google account please feel free to send your comments to scresort@telusplanet.net and we will post them on your behalf.

There are still a few outstanding items that we need to deal with. They are all important so it would be appreciated if you would take a few minutes and provide a quick blog comment or email response at your convenience.

ONE WORD - we are looking for one word that comes to mind when you think of the Quaife family, reunions or events that have taken place.

WHO IS COMING - it is appreciated if you would advise us how many in your family is coming. Please be inclusive of the kids that don't live at home, or the parents that have not responded. We are looking for numbers to determine how much food is needed.

SURVIVAL GAME - please remember to enter your answers to the Survival Game, posted in February. There will be a draw for all those that provided their answers.

As the time gets closer more things will be happening so please keep looking at the blog for updates.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us at scresort@telusplanet.net.

Thanks!

Happy Hop Hop

The snow is finally starting to take a hint and leave so the bunnies can come out to play. In the spirit of Easter we thought we would share some Easter traditions from around the world.

For many, the thought of colorful hard-boiled eggs and chocolate bunnies come to mind when you first mention Easter. But Easter food traditions vary around the world with different cultures enjoying their own favorite dishes.

Hot Cross Buns and Simnel Cake are both popular Easter treats in the U.K. Traditionally, Hot Cross Buns are eaten on Good Friday and Simnel Cake, a light fruit cake covered in marzipan, then toasted, is enjoyed on Easter Sunday.

In Italy, no Easter table is complete without eggs, bread and La Colomba - a traditional Italian Easter sponge cake sprinkled with almonds and sugar crystals on top in the shape of a dove, the symbol of peace. But, the traditions vary from region to region. Neopolitans love Pastiera, a pie filled with ricotta and candied fruit.

Eggs are the most recognized symbol of Easter, and choclate eggs are especially popular throughout the world. Germany and France were the first countries to intoduce a solid chocolate egg at Easter (thank you very much).

In North America, it's all about the ham. Whether it's smoked, glazed ham or honey ham - there are plenty of ways to showcase the meal's center piece. Let's not forget about the decorating of eggs.

We hope everyone enjoys the long weekend with family and friends, decorating eggs, enjoying some chocolate, sharing a meal and enjoying family traditions.

Happy Easter!

April showers bring May flowers...

... is what we learned as children. Well, for those of you living south of Red Deer the song needs to be changed to April snow flurries are frustrating and it is only 3 months until the July long weekend.

I know that for some of you it will be a very busy year with weddings, graduations, other reunions and who can forget the new babies that will be arriving soon. We are hopeful that everyone will be able to make time to join us for the whole weekend, but if not, at least be able to stop by for a visit.

Here comes the biggest question - we need to know how many of your family will be attending and if it is for the whole weekend or just part of it. This will help in planning the meals and specific activities. it would also be great if you would let us know how many of those attending are under the age of 14. If you don't know right now a guesstimate would be appreciated so we can start looking at the numbers.

You can provide this information in a post comment or please send it to scresort@telusplanet.net.

Let's all keep our fingers crossed for good weather on the July Long Weekend!

Funny Times

Do you remember when .... lol

Everyone has a memory of something funny that a family member has done. I remember the time when Leo startled Delbert right out of his chair, still brings a chuckle when I think of it.

It would be great if you would please take a moment and think of a memory that brings a smile to your face and share it with us. We are always interested in these stories and the opportunity to share them with each other.

Also, a reminder that every person that provides answers to the Survival Game will be entered into a draw. We are also looking for the ONE WORD that comes to mind when you think of the Quaife family, and last but certainly not least if you have any photos that you could share it would be appreciated.

We ask that you send this link to family members that may not be aware of its existence and encourage everyone to comment on the posts.

Until next time - The Reunion Committee

Not much else to say - stay warm!

Feedback and Responses

Time is going by really quickly and we wanted to just recap what is happening to date.

We are currently negotiating with Antler Hill for Reunion 2011 to be held from June 30 - July 3rd. It has been confirmed the County will be doing some road repair and hope to have the trees on the north side of the area removed prior to the July long weekend. With that being said, we are concerned about the mess that the road may be in and are looking at other options in case we experience a very wet spring.

In February we asked if you would take a few moments and share some family photos that you have of either Grandma and Grandpa, aunts, uncles or each other at previous reunions. it is appreciated if the photo(s) were digitized and sent (along with the story that accompanies them) to scresort@telusplanet.net at your convenience.

We also asked for ONE WORD that comes to mind when you think of the Quaife's (reunions or family in general). I know everyone has a story to share but we are looking for ONE WORD ONLY right now.

And last, but definitely not least we asked you to participate in a game of survival. Each participant will be entered into a draw at the reunion, you will however have to wait to see what the draw prize will be.

And as always, any comments or suggestions are welcomed. We look forward to planning the event and ensuring everyone enjoys their time together. Please ensure you pass the link to this blog along to anyone that is related. Please do not assume we have a complete listing of email addresses.

If you have received this link from someone other than scresort@telusplanet.net please send a quick email so we can add you to the email listing for future updates.

Survival Game

With the recent, or should we say everlasting, crappy weather the idea of a survival game came to mind. So here is a "Survival Game" for you to do. For everyone that completes it your name will be entered into a draw at the Reunion.

You and your companions have been stranded in the Canadian north - or more specific, central Alberta. It's March and the daily temperature is -25C with nights going down to -40C. There is snow on the ground and the countryside is wooded with several creeks and large rivers criss-crossing the area. The nearest town is 25 kilometres away. You are dressed in city clothes appropriate for a business meeting. Your group managed to salvage the following items:

ball of steel wool
small ax
a loaded .45 calibre-pistol
can of Crisco shortening
newspapers (1 per person)
cigarette lighter (without fluid)
extra shirt and pants for each survivor
20 x 20 ft piece of heavy-duty canvas
sectional air map made of plastic
1 quart of 100 proof whiskey
a compass
family-sized chocolate bars (1 per person)

Please rank the items in order of importance for survivial with #1 being the most essential item and #12 being the least essential item for survival.

Remember - everyone who completes the game will be entered into a draw at the reunion.

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN!

Happy Family Day

Hope everyone had a chance to enjoy the weather and participate in fun activities with family.

There may be a few of us Albertan's that were less than enthusiastic when the Family Day holiday was announced in 1990 and the realization that perhaps some would no longer be given the opportunity to enjoy the August long weekend as a statutory holiday. Well, time has helped with the discontent and it can't be that bad as Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and PEI have embraced the idea of having a Family Day as well.

There are a few different ways to enjoy the holiday - inside and outside, and many ways to remember the great memories that come from spending time with family. As we look back at previous reunions and family celebrations what word comes to mind?

We are looking for one word, not a sentence or a paragraph, just one word that describes what family means to you, what memories have been shared and the story that accompanies that specific word.

Please post the word that comes to mind, or email it to scresort@telusplanet.net. The excitement will be what comes of the word(s) posted and shared, what is important to each of us.

We ask that you pass on the link to this blog to family that may not be aware of it as we don't have all the emails to reach everyone. If at any time there are questions please feel free to post them here, or send them to scresort@telusplanet.net.

Happy February everyone!

Groundhog Day

Remember Bill Murray in the 1993 movie Groundhog Day. Well, this past week may have resembled it but not quite as long as the 1766 weeks that were portrayed in the movie.

There were several groundhogs in Canada that provided some insight into how long our winter will last. future.. Balzac Billie had a thumbs done on Feb 2 with the predication of 6 more weeks of winter. Now that we have this valuable information it may be a good time to peruse photos while sitting by a cozy fire.

We would appreciate if you could take a look through your photos of family. We are interested in all photos whether they photos passed down or photos of previous reunions - a picture is worth a thousand words however, a narrative of the photo and the event would be greatly appreciated. If you have several photos please share and we will make them accessible for everyone to enjoy.

As always, we don't have everyones email so please forward the emails and links.

Please send photos to scresort@telusplanet.net at your convenience.

The Reunion Committee

What is often referred to as the all American Game?

If you said Baseball you are correct. Although it may be argued that Baseball is similar to games played in 1344 the first known reference was in a 1744 British publication. Although the Quaife/Archer ballgames are not referenced in any publications (that we are aware of) they have become an integral part of the reunion.

So, the question for everyone reading is "How important is a baseball diamond?" We would like to understand the importance of a ball diamond so we can make an informed decision on location.

So please, post your comments and let us know your thoughts. Please remember to share this link with family that may have been missed, with a request to provide an email address for further follow-up.

Until next week - The Reunion Committee

Where has the time gone!

FAMILY: Those who descend from one common progenitor; a tribe, clan, or race; kindred; house; as, the human family; the family of Abraham; the father of a family.

REUNION: the act or process of coming together again; the state or condition of having been brought together again; a gathering of relatives, friends, or former associates


It is amazing how time passes so quickly. I was thinking about the reunion last year and all of a sudden there is less than six months to do some major thinking and creative planning for a fun-filled weekend.

I have tentatively booked Antler Hill again for the July long weekend this year. This year July 1 falls on a Friday so some people may be able to add a Thursday or Monday onto the already celebrated long weekend. Although my preference is to go to Saunders Creek there are some challenges that accompany that decision. With that being said I have not abandoned the idea and will keep everyone posted.

I have started the blog in an attempt to keep everyone informed about what is happening and provide a forum for some suggestions about what people want to see, what they like or dislike so that everyone can have an enjoyable weekend.

I will commit to updating the blog regularly with some of the great ideas and planning that is taking place. I have quite a few email addresses but know I don't have them all, so please pass along the blog address to anyone I may have missed and please cc me on the email (scresort@telusplanet.net) so that there is a comprehensive list for the next reunion planners.

I look forward to planning the reunion and seeing all those able to make it in 2011.

Shelley Cuthbertson

Welcome to the Countdown