Where Are The Dole's Now?

Since are last post life has been busy and full of change for our family as we now find ourselves back in Alberta. And I think wow how did we get here already!  The past month has whizzed by and is a big blur in my memory.  Hopefully in the next few days we can slow down a bit and digest the month of May.  Here is a quick run down of where and what we have been up to.

May 5-15 I found myself in Spokane at Spokane Turbine Center, learning all the ins and outs of Pratt & Whitney's PT6 small series turbines.  And while I was away studying hard with the guys Julie and the kids held down the fort.  And in this case holding down the fort meant packing and cleaning. I can't be more grateful for the wonderful work that Julie and the kids did while I was away.  Returning home late on the 15th I found the house and the family all ready to leave town early the next morning.  And that is just what we did heading north to Sandpoint were we stopped for the night.  The next day we spotted the trailer just north of town and carried on to Kalispell, Montana for the weekend where we had the wonderful privilege of spending sometime with old friends. It also worked out that Central Bible Church was willing to let us share about MAF and our family with them on Sunday morning, which is always a treat to share the ministry of MAF with fellow believers.  Then Sunday afternoon we climbed back into our faithful truck and headed back to Sandpoint.

For the next 4 days I was involved in another maintenance related course required by the Indonesian government.  This course was put on by Quest Aircraft Company who are the designers and builders of the Kodiak aircraft.  Basically this course was focused on the line maintenance for the Kodiak.  And while I was in class Julie and the kids tried there best to keep from going crazy.  They visited some sites around the Sandpoint area, did some shopping and spent some brief time at the beach before the weather turned cold and rainy.  And they also spend a lot of time just hanging out at the hotel and swimming there in the pool.

Friday marked the long anticipated return to Canada with our non-crated belongings in tow.  We are looking forward to some down time here in AB, before we head out to MB later next week. These are the highlights I can remember :).

I will say that our return to Canada hasn't been without some minor adjustments.  I'm already missing US money and not having to carry heavy change around (Loonies & Toonies).  And what's up with having to pay extra now because the store won't accept pennies? Then we are having to get use to it actually raining for an entire day again as this seems really different to us.  Even the children have said it feels strange to see so much rain.  For it just did not rain very much in Namapa as we were in a desert area.  Sadly to say though, this will be something that are family will really have to get use to as it rains almost everyday in Indonesia. Even with the minor adjustments to life back in Canada we are looking forward to are last few months of travel before heading to Indonesia (pending on the visas) on August first.

Family standing in front of Nate Saint's airplane.

Chillin at Big Sky Bible Camp (Near Kalispell MT)

Checking out the lake, just a little cold for swimming.

Enjoying the out doors before the rain came.

Crates loaded up and heading into storage.

Special treat while in Spokane.  I didn't get a ride but I did get  up and close to checkout one of my favorite warbirds.

The compressor turbine wheel from a PT6 if in airworthy condition only worth about $100,000.  It also amazingly produces about 1500 horse power and is just slightly bigger than a cereal bowl.  

Accessory gear box, just a few gears :-).  One thing that makes this simpler than a piston engine is no timing needed.