A week of lasts

As we walk around town we realize this is the last time we will do many things. On Monday we used our debit card for the last time (to give time for transactions to clear before we close our bank account). As we were leaving Giant Tiger we saw Cindy Buott  (whom we wanted to visit before we left). We visited her parents on Tuesday.

In the evening we had a family home evening at the church. Way back in January we volunteered to give a family home evening on world music. During our last branch counsel meeting they reminded us that it was our turn. We didn't have any musical instruments to show, but we were able to have a world tour by notebook (Mac version of PowerPoint). We had refreshments then the branch gave us a nice candy bowl made by a local (still a long ways away) artist. When we were visiting Mary one evening Sister Wheeler commented on the bowl she had. They gave us a bowl from the same artist.

Musical instruments around the world

Receiving the gift

The bowl and lid

 On Tuesday we had dinner with Mary for the last time. She always fixes wonderful, gluten-free meals. We will miss being able to visit her.

Wednesday we made our last trip to Kingston for our zone training meeting. We will miss meeting with the elders, sisters, and other senior missionaries. Two new elders in Napanee - Elder Sooaemalelagi and Elder Huston. They came in after the normal transfer. Elder Huston gave a talk for our zone training that was impressive.

Elders Sooaemalelagi and Huston - Napanee 

A card was included in the bowl we received as a gift which gave the location of the studio in Roslin. Since it was on the scenic way back from Kingston we decided to stop by the studio. We met Pam who makes the pottery with her husband. We were able to see the process they use.

Pam in her studio

Pottery in the kiln

Finished pottery

Thursday was our last visit to Belleville for Sister Wheeler to meet with her rug hooking group. Elder Wheeler was chatting with the husband of Karen's (the group leader). She had told him how impressive Sister Wheeler was in hooking rugs, way beyond a beginner. The studio is on a farm which requires crossing railroad tracks to get between the main road and the house. Sometime the trains are quite long.

Waiting for the train to enter the farm

They were harvesting corn. It is a bit late in the season, but the weather was perfect.

Corn harvest

Corn hauling

 We took a couple of scenic roads back from Belleville. We will really miss the countryside here. There is a church and graveyard we pass every time we go to Belleville. It is only one of the local landmarks on the trip.

Tabernacle United Church on Highway 8

Since we didn't have time for our morning walk we decided to take one in the afternoon. It was below freezing this morning, but was cool, but beautiful weather in the afternoon. We walked around the canal for the last time.

Saying goodbye to the giant toonie

Saying farewell to the Campbellford welcome sign

Saying so long to the Trent River

 We packed up our bird feeder and gave it to Mary on the way to the last supper with the Havelock Holts. We will miss the countryside, but we will miss the people most of all.

On Friday we packed up our cellphone, computer modem, and our TV receiver to send back, ending our contracts. We will be without communication for a couple of weeks until we can get things reestablished in Logan.