The years, they fly....
Over a decade ago, when my brother was living with us, before Perry was born... ok, fine. In the late 90s, my brother saw a small article in our local rag. It was about the Northwest Railway Museum. We'd been there many a time, and dh, ever a train fan, loved the place. The article? Was a call for volunteers. Come learn to drive the train. Hello, says dh, you mean I could volunteer to do that?
And away he went. He was on a fast track to engineer, that spouse of mine. AC and I went to visit quite a few times, as he spent weekend days on train crew.
AC loved the place too. Perry was born, and we continued to go and... well, all three of the kids spent many hours on the train, or at the museum, or just hanging out.
A few years ago, when AC needed volunteer hours for school, she started volunteering out there. At first, she just did decorating for Santa train, then she started helping out at the cookie bakes for Santa train big time, earning herself a second-in-command position, and learning to bake on a coal fired stove, which I think it pretty cool.
She's 15, and can't officially be on train crew until she's 16, but they they only give the Rules Test once a year, so she took it today.
And passed. She can start training to be grounds person (helps with switching) and car attendant as soon as she turns 16, and she's planning on it!
Today she leaned to couple and uncouple cars. OK. And a few others things she said she'd tell me about later.
I wonder if I still have the hat somewhere?
And away he went. He was on a fast track to engineer, that spouse of mine. AC and I went to visit quite a few times, as he spent weekend days on train crew.
AC loved the place too. Perry was born, and we continued to go and... well, all three of the kids spent many hours on the train, or at the museum, or just hanging out.
A few years ago, when AC needed volunteer hours for school, she started volunteering out there. At first, she just did decorating for Santa train, then she started helping out at the cookie bakes for Santa train big time, earning herself a second-in-command position, and learning to bake on a coal fired stove, which I think it pretty cool.
She's 15, and can't officially be on train crew until she's 16, but they they only give the Rules Test once a year, so she took it today.
And passed. She can start training to be grounds person (helps with switching) and car attendant as soon as she turns 16, and she's planning on it!
Today she leaned to couple and uncouple cars. OK. And a few others things she said she'd tell me about later.
I wonder if I still have the hat somewhere?