Name: Debra Pekrul
Family: Married to Owen, daughter Amber (married to Derek Adams, with two children), and son, Ian
Profession: Retired Real Estate Appraiser and Property Manager
Years in Grenfell: 25
What's the best thing that's happened to you this week?
My grandbabies. I get to spend lots of time with my grandchildren. My pride is when my grandson sees me and he comes running in to give me a hug. That is the best thing. And it usually happens. I usually see them once a week. Kendall (her 9 month old granddaughter) knows my voice, like a lot of people do. You can hear me just about anywhere.
What's the best thing about getting older?
You know what the best thing about getting older is? You really - I can't say don't care, but my attitude has changed about other's opinions of me. I enjoy me and who I am. Take me as I am, or don't. And I'm good with that. My attitude is, if people are talking about me, they're at least thinking about me.
What is your relationship with your siblings like?
I have three siblings. A brother and two sisters. One sister is in Ottawa, and one is in Regina and my brother is in Regina. My brother and I have children of similar age. Ian and his oldest daughter Taylor are close in age. We've always had lots in common, him and I, even though I'm the oldest and he's the youngest. My brother was up a month ago and we tore down one wall of the barn so that his wife could have barnwall on the inside of her house. I went to see it and it's absolutely gorgeous. Now he's coming back so he can do one wall for me. My sister in Ottawa - she's been there for 30 years, she has girls that are the same age as Amber. So even though there was a distance, we always tried to get together. When we lived in the states with her husband - he was on contract there for about five years, I took the kids every year to Oceans City, near Annapolis, Maryland. We've had some awesome trips there. So my kids are used to travelling. Then my sister in Regina, I spend lots of time with, because she does shopping runs with me when I go to the city. So every one of my siblings, I have a different relationship with.
When you hear the word Saskatchewan, what does it make you think?
Prairies. I love the prairies. Open prairies. I feel at home. All the seasons are spectacular. There are favorites for every one, and they're so drastically different and that's what makes them beautiful. I have no interest in leaving Saskatchewan. I am not interested in going "hot" for three months, because I like the different seasons. When I spend more than a week in the mountains, I get claustrophobic. We were in Vancouver for a week, and I was ready to come home. It's beautiful, and I had all my family there, except my hubby, but yep. I was ready to come home. The prairies gives me.... I don't know... it's like a deep breath. I don't know how to describe it. It's comfort, it's beautiful.
Are you more like your mom or your dad?
I have to say, a little bit of both. My mom loved the farm life, and I do as well. My father was very artistic and I do have the odd talent, but nothing compared to him. He was a jack of all trades. As a tradesperson, he was masonry. He built houses, and we moved houses every year. So that's probably why i have my interest in housing. My mom was a go getter. If she wanted something done, and my dad wasn't of the same thought, she just did it. For instance, I came home from school one day and a wall was taken out, because she wanted that wall removed. She wanted the open concept. So I'm a little bit of both. My mom was very independant, and it was very hard to be independant in the 50s, 60s. I know I am very independant, without a doubt. My father is very laid back. I'm not sure about my boisterousness, where it comes from. I guess it's my own thing.
What inspires you?
Life. Life is beautiful.
If your house was on fire, and you had five minutes to save any material item, what would it be?
A material item? I'd probably take my phone because it has ALL my pictures on it. Thousands of pictures and videos and my grandson has music attached, and I have no idea how he did that. Yep. I guess my phone. I have hundreds of photo albums. I couldn't grab them all.
What does home mean to you?
Home means to me, where I lay my head and where my family is. Home is my house on the farm, or home is the hotel room where I'm staying. That's it. Home...hmmm. Weird. But yes, I've always called, wherever I am, home. Because I've travelled so much with work, and personally, that's home for that time. Even when we go to the lake, I've had to be clear to say where I am - we have a cabin. It's home when I'm there, so then people get confused. "Well, where are you?" At home! So I've had to be very concious of saying I'm at the farm or at the cabin. Because to me home is where I lay my head, so to speak.
What's the coolest thing that you're doing right now in life?
Being a grandma. I just love it. And being a momma. I'm so proud of both of my kids, and I love to spend time with them. My son sometimes says we spend too much time together when I'm repeating the same things to him. He's in Saskatoon and I was just up there last week. I treasure it. We went out for supper. It's different being a mom to older kids. And my kids are ten years apart, so they have different things going on at different times in their lives. Now with my grandkids, I have toys all over and I have the best of all the ages.
Have you made any art that you're really proud of?
I went to paint night and I came home with this fire and these trees, and I was like "ugh". And my husband says "That is gorgeous!! I just love it!" So it's hanging in the garage, because I'm not fond of it, but he is.