“The RoseBouquet”

I gave Dad a birthday card at breakfast promising to take him to that Ring Ranch south of Saskatoon which raises alpacas. This was something he’d been wanting and hinting at since before Christmas.

I’d phoned ahead and got directions. South of the city on # 11 highway, past the Grasswood Esso. We turned left at the Day Grow Nursery and went on for another 2.5 miles. (I was surprised at the lovely, expensive homes going up along that Baker Road. I now know that if I want to set some wealthy characters in a novel, I can give them an address there!) Ring Ranch was very attractive too, with a long drive, and nice fences, etc. Daryl Ring came out and met us at the gate to the alpaca pens and he was most gracious and easy to talk with as we went in to pet the alpacas and talk about various things.

Dad was glad for a new person to whom he could brag about all the sheep he has sheared in his youth, and the spinning wheels he has built, and how he spins his own yarn and knits his own socks and mittens.

I tried to balance things out by asking about their national champion alpacas and how they run the ranch.

After about an hour Daryl brought out a clear bag about the size of a garbage bag, and in it were several smaller bags of alpaca fibre. He explained the colours and which part of the animals each bunch came from. Then he put them back into the big bag, and told Dad that was a birthday present for him. We were amazed as Dad had prepared himself to purchase some even if it should cost him $100.

Our hands and feet were getting chilled through, so I eased us back to the car.

We went to my brother Tom’s apartment next. I’d brought along homemade chicken noodle soup, a favourite of Dad’s, and an angel food cake. So we had the birthday supper there.

I picked up my computer at CBit where I’d dropped it off earlier for repairs, and we headed home. Through the evening we had long distance calls from Dad’s three sisters, each wanting to wish him a Happy 90th birthday, and of course, we chatted with each for a while. Dad assured them that he’d had a great birthday. Exactly what he wanted!

(I did take photos but the film on the instamatic isn’t full yet. However, I’ve just found the mini-digital works now if I put a new battery in it, and have snapped a few shots of the alpaca fibre Dad received).

Note the center grey sample fibres, they are 5 inches long!

Dad’s spinning wheels. There’s a dark one to the left rear of the blond wood one.