I spent a wonderful long weekend with my daughter-in-law’s family and I was made to feel very welcome. They gave us lots of marvelous meals, we played a fun card game called Fruit Salad, and we were given a grand tour of their city. The pictures that follow are some of those I took on the tour.
The city is called Cold Lake and that name was chosen only because they weren’t allowed to call it Friggin’ Freezing Lake. The water in Cold Lake is so cold that the family competes to see who can stand in it the longest. I survived less than a minute.
Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake is an important part of the city and the base employs and supports about a third of its population.
It is a lovely place surrounded by farmland and boreal forests, about 300 km northeast of Edmonton. I thoroughly enjoyed my brief visit.
Snowbird of Paradise 
Beautiful!
It really is.
I especially like the sailboat metal decorations on the light poles.
I like those, too. It is a lovely design and I saw it in several places around the city.
It all looks so clean. That to me is always the most impressive and telling part of any city.
Yes it is very clean and attractive. They take good care of the place.
Ok, I love playing cards with extended family. You will have to tell me how to play Fruit Salad. It’s not a game I am familiar with. (luanneholder@wowway.com)
I’ll have to check with the family, but it wasn’t a boxed game. It involved just a regular pack of cards and the rules written on a piece of paper! I’ll see what I can find out.
Thanks. I have a couple of extended family gatherings coming up this summer and would love to share a new game. (I don’t do boxed games too much any way. 🙂 )
I just found this online and it is the game we played: https://ourpastimes.com/fruit-salad-card-game-rules-10037526.html
Thank you so much, Snowbird. This looks like a complicated reversed game of Oh, Hell. This will be a hit with my family. Check out one of my posts last month about extended family reunions if you are so inclined: https://intentionalinterplay.wordpress.com/2019/04/20/extended-family-vacation/
It looks more complicated than it is, although I watched them play a game before I joined in. It is a game that all family members can play, even children.
Thanks for the link. I will definitely check out your post about family reunions.
I love your name of the lake: Friggin’ Freezing Lake! That’s how I’m gonna remember it.
Also, so cool when our children’s in-laws are welcoming.
I got to keep my in-laws I could have lost to divorce. I still feel honored when they include me in their life events.
It is a big family and I really appreciate how they have included me in some of their get-togethers. It reminds me of the big family I grew up with in England, and it feels good.