When I say I'm from a small town, people picture something with five or ten thousand people. Their eyes bug out when I say no, no, the population was about 250 when I was growing up. Now it's about half that.

Among Aunt Jean's photos I found this aerial view. Only one grain elevator is still standing.

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I have the house to myself again today. It's time to start preparing for the trip to Kelowna, via Calgary, that begins early Friday morning. There are a couple more gifty things to pick up in town, but aside from that all there really is to do is pack and make some kind of lunch for the first 10-hour leg of the trip. And try to leave this place reasonably neat and tidy so it's a pleasure to walk back into.