The group shot. Friends and family. I am so blessed! Do you see the porter sitting in the train?
A picture of Wes and I. One that I actually like!
Wes took this picture from inside the train. A classic prairie picture.
Monday, August 29, 2005
Prairie Dog Central
Here are some pictures of the Prairie Dog Central. I don't know what the problem was. I must have tried 10 times to post these pictures! Well, today it worked. 
The group shot. Friends and family. I am so blessed! Do you see the porter sitting in the train?
A picture of Wes and I. One that I actually like!
Wes took this picture from inside the train. A classic prairie picture.
The group shot. Friends and family. I am so blessed! Do you see the porter sitting in the train?A picture of Wes and I. One that I actually like! Wes took this picture from inside the train. A classic prairie picture.
One Great Day
When Wes and I moved to Winnipeg way back in 1979, we left all of our family in Southern Ontario. I experienced a bit of homesickness back then especially on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas when families are often together.
Now, 26 years later, we have a rather large family in Winnipeg. Two of my sisters and their families, as well as a neice, now call Winnipeg home. When we all get together we often have a group of 18-20 people. Birthdays are becoming more frequent and we are finding ourselves combining birthday celebrations. In the month of August, there are 3 birthdays, one of which happens to be mine.
On August 14, we celebrated our birthdays by "riding on the rails." The Prairie Dog Central is run by the Vintage Locomotive Society a group of railway affictionados who have refurbished an old steam engine and about 4 cars. They ride up to Warren, Manitoba with a stop along the way in Grosse Isle. The round trip takes about 2 1/2 hours.
The train doesn't go much faster than 60 km per hour and because of all the rain we've had this year, there were spots where the rail bed was soft and we seemed to slow down to 10 or 15 km per hour. For most of our group, this was the first train ride of their lives. Most of us have been on touring busses, airplanes, cars, motorcycles etc. before and we began comparing the different modes of transportation.
There are some differences between riding this antique locomotive and the various forms of transportation that we are accustomed to today. We noticed that there were no TVs or video games on this train. No in-flight entertainment options. There was a washroom that we could only use while the train was moving. (We were curious about that rule until one of the children of our party checked out the toilets. He discovered that when the toilet was flushed, the tracks became visible for a few moments. This helped us understand the importance of the announcement not to use the washrooms while the train was stopped at the station.)
Sitting in car #106 and watching the prairie go by was a wonderful experience. We wondered about the immigrants who landed in Halifax and took the train west so many years ago. What must it have been like for them? 2 1/2 hours was quite enough for us but we were told by one of the porters that it took 3 days of travelling for these people to make it to Winnipeg.
I think that one of the things that made this trip so enjoyable was the crew of the train. There were probably 5-6 men who were porters, engineers and brakemen, all of whom were volunteers. They did this because they love the railway and they love the stories which they were very willing to share with us.
I was trying to understand just what it was that made this trip so much fun for me. Someone suggested to me that it was because "community" was so present and so easy to experience.
The volunteers were part of a community which is passionate about keeping the railway stories alive.
In each passenger car, a sort of community formed. It is easy to talk to the people around you and we were invited to walk down the aisles of the car in order to visit with other people in the car.
There wasn't much else to do. The swaying of the cars made it difficult to read, nobody had any kind of device that required headphones and as I mentioned earlier, there were no TVs. There wasn't much to do but look out the window or talk to the people around you.
There were 30 of us in the group. The extended family and some friends who joined us too. This trip was a reminder of simpler times, when it was expected that a trip would take a long time. I thought back to a short 10 days ago when we were flying down the QEW at 120 km per hour.
These days, we are able to get to our destinations much faster than our ancestors. I love and appreciate the fact that it only takes 2 1/2 hours to get to my folks (by air). But that Sunday, it was great to slow down, watch the prairie go by and just do nothing for an afternoon.
(This post was written almost a week ago. I was trying to add some pictures to it without any success! Otherwise you would have read this days ago. Anyone else having trouble downloading pictures?)
Now, 26 years later, we have a rather large family in Winnipeg. Two of my sisters and their families, as well as a neice, now call Winnipeg home. When we all get together we often have a group of 18-20 people. Birthdays are becoming more frequent and we are finding ourselves combining birthday celebrations. In the month of August, there are 3 birthdays, one of which happens to be mine.
On August 14, we celebrated our birthdays by "riding on the rails." The Prairie Dog Central is run by the Vintage Locomotive Society a group of railway affictionados who have refurbished an old steam engine and about 4 cars. They ride up to Warren, Manitoba with a stop along the way in Grosse Isle. The round trip takes about 2 1/2 hours.
The train doesn't go much faster than 60 km per hour and because of all the rain we've had this year, there were spots where the rail bed was soft and we seemed to slow down to 10 or 15 km per hour. For most of our group, this was the first train ride of their lives. Most of us have been on touring busses, airplanes, cars, motorcycles etc. before and we began comparing the different modes of transportation.
There are some differences between riding this antique locomotive and the various forms of transportation that we are accustomed to today. We noticed that there were no TVs or video games on this train. No in-flight entertainment options. There was a washroom that we could only use while the train was moving. (We were curious about that rule until one of the children of our party checked out the toilets. He discovered that when the toilet was flushed, the tracks became visible for a few moments. This helped us understand the importance of the announcement not to use the washrooms while the train was stopped at the station.)
Sitting in car #106 and watching the prairie go by was a wonderful experience. We wondered about the immigrants who landed in Halifax and took the train west so many years ago. What must it have been like for them? 2 1/2 hours was quite enough for us but we were told by one of the porters that it took 3 days of travelling for these people to make it to Winnipeg.
I think that one of the things that made this trip so enjoyable was the crew of the train. There were probably 5-6 men who were porters, engineers and brakemen, all of whom were volunteers. They did this because they love the railway and they love the stories which they were very willing to share with us.
I was trying to understand just what it was that made this trip so much fun for me. Someone suggested to me that it was because "community" was so present and so easy to experience.
The volunteers were part of a community which is passionate about keeping the railway stories alive.
In each passenger car, a sort of community formed. It is easy to talk to the people around you and we were invited to walk down the aisles of the car in order to visit with other people in the car.
There wasn't much else to do. The swaying of the cars made it difficult to read, nobody had any kind of device that required headphones and as I mentioned earlier, there were no TVs. There wasn't much to do but look out the window or talk to the people around you.
There were 30 of us in the group. The extended family and some friends who joined us too. This trip was a reminder of simpler times, when it was expected that a trip would take a long time. I thought back to a short 10 days ago when we were flying down the QEW at 120 km per hour.
These days, we are able to get to our destinations much faster than our ancestors. I love and appreciate the fact that it only takes 2 1/2 hours to get to my folks (by air). But that Sunday, it was great to slow down, watch the prairie go by and just do nothing for an afternoon.
(This post was written almost a week ago. I was trying to add some pictures to it without any success! Otherwise you would have read this days ago. Anyone else having trouble downloading pictures?)
Sunday, August 28, 2005
All In A Day's Work
This is what we (Wes, Tim and I) did on Saturday. Oooh, my achin' back. But I think it's gonna look good once we fill it in with plants, shrubs and flowers. 
This is the "before" picture. Note the pile of dirt (30 yards!) The night before it was delivered I had some unpleasant dreams about a huge pile of dirt and was wondering what we were getting ourselves into!
Here's Tim, our bobcat operator. Thank goodness for connections. Wes's company owns the bobcat and lent it to us. Tim learned how to use one last year so he did the driving.
And the "finished" project. We have a very large flowerbed to plant. This only took the three of us about 4 hours
This is the "before" picture. Note the pile of dirt (30 yards!) The night before it was delivered I had some unpleasant dreams about a huge pile of dirt and was wondering what we were getting ourselves into!
Here's Tim, our bobcat operator. Thank goodness for connections. Wes's company owns the bobcat and lent it to us. Tim learned how to use one last year so he did the driving.
And the "finished" project. We have a very large flowerbed to plant. This only took the three of us about 4 hours
An Ordinary Life
Every year around this time I go on a cleaning and decluttering phase. I'm not sure why I feel this way as autumn approaches but it happens annually. And I must take advantage of this desire to take care of my home. It just doesn't get done unless "the spirit moves me." So, rather than blogging, I've been cleaning.
My dear sister Yvonne and her daughter Chelsea came over on Monday and within hours we cleaned out my bedroom closet, dresser and the linen closet. Four garbage bags later (3 to give away, one for garbage) we were finished. It always amazes me that I have been storing so much stuff that I don't need. And it always feels good to get rid of it. It's great to have someone (Yvonne and Chelsea) to help with something like this. It seemed like such a huge job that I needed someone to give me some inspiration. It's good to have someone hold up some special item that you have been unable to part with and ask, "Do you really want to keep this?" You begin to see those items in a new way and somehow, it's easier to part with them.
Of course, after I have done a good purge, I swear I will not start collecting more stuff but inevitably, it begins to pile up again. So, today, I am going to swear to all of you who read this that I will not let this happen again. When I get something new, I will get rid of an item I already have. I hope that my sisters will keep me honest in this regard. Another good incentive is that we would like to sell our house before 2010 and I want to be prepared and not have to go through a whole bunch of stuff before we can put it on the market. Finally, I want to redecorate my bedroom soon and I don't want to have to move and store a whole bunch of unnecessary stuff in the hallway while the painting takes place.
This past week I also cleaned the room that our international student Alvaro will be using while he lives with us for the school year.
I wouldn't call myself a packrat. I have very few "sentimental" items. While cleaning out my closet last week, I found some baby teeth from my kids and was happy to throw them away. But somehow, living in a house with 5 or more other people and with large closets and rooms, it is easy to collect stuff and not feel like it is taking over too much space.
However, it still feels so good to get rid of this stuff. There is such freedom in only having what you need. My brain feels less cluttered now and I feel that I have more creative energy.
I really am trying to live more simply and I think that a huge part of that is to reduce the stuff I own. I'm beginning with my house but I hope that as I make small steps towards freedom from having stuff around me I will rely less on what I have and what I can procure and be more satisfied with what is really important.
My dear sister Yvonne and her daughter Chelsea came over on Monday and within hours we cleaned out my bedroom closet, dresser and the linen closet. Four garbage bags later (3 to give away, one for garbage) we were finished. It always amazes me that I have been storing so much stuff that I don't need. And it always feels good to get rid of it. It's great to have someone (Yvonne and Chelsea) to help with something like this. It seemed like such a huge job that I needed someone to give me some inspiration. It's good to have someone hold up some special item that you have been unable to part with and ask, "Do you really want to keep this?" You begin to see those items in a new way and somehow, it's easier to part with them.
Of course, after I have done a good purge, I swear I will not start collecting more stuff but inevitably, it begins to pile up again. So, today, I am going to swear to all of you who read this that I will not let this happen again. When I get something new, I will get rid of an item I already have. I hope that my sisters will keep me honest in this regard. Another good incentive is that we would like to sell our house before 2010 and I want to be prepared and not have to go through a whole bunch of stuff before we can put it on the market. Finally, I want to redecorate my bedroom soon and I don't want to have to move and store a whole bunch of unnecessary stuff in the hallway while the painting takes place.
This past week I also cleaned the room that our international student Alvaro will be using while he lives with us for the school year.
I wouldn't call myself a packrat. I have very few "sentimental" items. While cleaning out my closet last week, I found some baby teeth from my kids and was happy to throw them away. But somehow, living in a house with 5 or more other people and with large closets and rooms, it is easy to collect stuff and not feel like it is taking over too much space.
However, it still feels so good to get rid of this stuff. There is such freedom in only having what you need. My brain feels less cluttered now and I feel that I have more creative energy.
I really am trying to live more simply and I think that a huge part of that is to reduce the stuff I own. I'm beginning with my house but I hope that as I make small steps towards freedom from having stuff around me I will rely less on what I have and what I can procure and be more satisfied with what is really important.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Friday, August 12, 2005
What I Learned on my Summer Vacation
My folks both come from rather large families-mom with 7 siblings, dad with 6. But my parents are the only ones who immigrated to Canada. That means of course that I grew up without aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. There were times when I missed that extended family connection but we managed and created our own network of friends that became our family.
When I was 16, my parents bought me a plane ticket to Holland and I spent 6 weeks there. (I have a suspicion that they didn't know what to do with a cranky, selfish, angst-ridden teen so they sent me away for the summer.) I had a great time, meeting all my cousins and enjoying the attention of aunts and uncles. It was then that I met Mies, my mom's younger sister by 18 months, for the first time. She spoke fondly of her sister (mom) and that helped me to see my mother in a whole new way.
Mies talked about mom again when she came to Beamsville for the anniversary this summer. I learned that my parents always had a long-distance relationship. Dad was in the marines for 3 years and they wrote to one another during that time. Mom used to spend summers in Aalten, dad's home town, with some of her relatives so the families were known to each other. By the time dad finished his stint with the marines, mom, for reasons I still don't quite understand, broke up for the last time with dad. Dad did not admit that he was heartbroken but I suspect that he was because it was shortly after their break-up that he immigrated to Canada.
One night, Mies heard my mother crying in her bed. When Mies asked what was wrong, mom responded with, "I miss him!" Dad's sister Lien (who was also in Beamsville for the anniversary) was working in Amsterdam at the time and had come on several occasions to mom's place to visit so she was able to give mom an address. It was about a year later that mom started writing to him, they became engaged and she followed him to Canada. Mom arrived on December 20, 1954 and they were married 10 days later.
It was neat to hear Mies and mom talk about some of my mother's other suitors during those days shortly after the war. These poor young men had no idea how entertaining their letters were for my mother and her sisters. Mies, mom and Bep had us in stitches while they reminisced about the letters they as a group wrote to the young men in reply.
My brother and his wife made a huge contribution to this summer's celebration by creating a PowerPoint presentation for the anniversary. After it was finished, Mies came to me in tears, hardly able to express her feelings. She told me that when mom left for Canada, she thought that she might never see her sister again. In the 50s travel was not nearly as easy as it is today. The family was also unsure about this marriage. They hardly knew my dad. Their beloved sister was flying across the ocean to marry a man with whom she had hardly spent any time. On the day of their wedding, Mies, Bep and the rest of the family could only think of their sister and daughter and the huge risk she was taking. That day, there were many tears flowing in Amsterdam.
Mom and Mies and their husbands have seen each other often since 1954. My parents have remained loyal to one another since then. Their marriage has stood the test of time but during all those years, Mies has wondered.
What is it that kept mom and dad together for so long? Their marriage lasted but having lived with them for 23 years I saw a less than perfect relationship. Did they stay together out of loyalty, because of the children, because they made a commitment and would not back down? Did mom move away because she was so unhappy in Amsterdam and felt that this was the only way she could escape?
What Mies saw in the wedding pictures on the PowerPoint was a woman, beaming with happiness and love for her new husband. This was the first time that Mies had seen these pictures. For 50 years, she had wondered if her sister was happy. For 50 years, Mies was unsure that my mom had made the right decision. It took the viewing of old black and white photographs to prove to Mies that her sister had made the right decision.
I think the pictures showed Mies that my parents stayed married because there truly was passion and love in their relationship. Their committment to each other went beyond loyalty and staying together for the children. I'm glad that Mies was able to see that, so many years later.
Here are a few of my favourite pictures:
This is a picture of my mom leaving Amsterdam. The plane trip took 12 hours!
When I was 16, my parents bought me a plane ticket to Holland and I spent 6 weeks there. (I have a suspicion that they didn't know what to do with a cranky, selfish, angst-ridden teen so they sent me away for the summer.) I had a great time, meeting all my cousins and enjoying the attention of aunts and uncles. It was then that I met Mies, my mom's younger sister by 18 months, for the first time. She spoke fondly of her sister (mom) and that helped me to see my mother in a whole new way.
Mies talked about mom again when she came to Beamsville for the anniversary this summer. I learned that my parents always had a long-distance relationship. Dad was in the marines for 3 years and they wrote to one another during that time. Mom used to spend summers in Aalten, dad's home town, with some of her relatives so the families were known to each other. By the time dad finished his stint with the marines, mom, for reasons I still don't quite understand, broke up for the last time with dad. Dad did not admit that he was heartbroken but I suspect that he was because it was shortly after their break-up that he immigrated to Canada.
One night, Mies heard my mother crying in her bed. When Mies asked what was wrong, mom responded with, "I miss him!" Dad's sister Lien (who was also in Beamsville for the anniversary) was working in Amsterdam at the time and had come on several occasions to mom's place to visit so she was able to give mom an address. It was about a year later that mom started writing to him, they became engaged and she followed him to Canada. Mom arrived on December 20, 1954 and they were married 10 days later.
It was neat to hear Mies and mom talk about some of my mother's other suitors during those days shortly after the war. These poor young men had no idea how entertaining their letters were for my mother and her sisters. Mies, mom and Bep had us in stitches while they reminisced about the letters they as a group wrote to the young men in reply.
My brother and his wife made a huge contribution to this summer's celebration by creating a PowerPoint presentation for the anniversary. After it was finished, Mies came to me in tears, hardly able to express her feelings. She told me that when mom left for Canada, she thought that she might never see her sister again. In the 50s travel was not nearly as easy as it is today. The family was also unsure about this marriage. They hardly knew my dad. Their beloved sister was flying across the ocean to marry a man with whom she had hardly spent any time. On the day of their wedding, Mies, Bep and the rest of the family could only think of their sister and daughter and the huge risk she was taking. That day, there were many tears flowing in Amsterdam.
Mom and Mies and their husbands have seen each other often since 1954. My parents have remained loyal to one another since then. Their marriage has stood the test of time but during all those years, Mies has wondered.
What is it that kept mom and dad together for so long? Their marriage lasted but having lived with them for 23 years I saw a less than perfect relationship. Did they stay together out of loyalty, because of the children, because they made a commitment and would not back down? Did mom move away because she was so unhappy in Amsterdam and felt that this was the only way she could escape?
What Mies saw in the wedding pictures on the PowerPoint was a woman, beaming with happiness and love for her new husband. This was the first time that Mies had seen these pictures. For 50 years, she had wondered if her sister was happy. For 50 years, Mies was unsure that my mom had made the right decision. It took the viewing of old black and white photographs to prove to Mies that her sister had made the right decision.
I think the pictures showed Mies that my parents stayed married because there truly was passion and love in their relationship. Their committment to each other went beyond loyalty and staying together for the children. I'm glad that Mies was able to see that, so many years later.
Here are a few of my favourite pictures:
This is a picture of my mom leaving Amsterdam. The plane trip took 12 hours!
Don't they look like a happy couple?
And one of my current favourites of them:
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
What I Did on my Summer Vacation
I've been home almost a week and I am pretty well recovered from my vacation. I'll need to blog about some of my feelings later as there is so much to process. For now, here is a bit of an itinerary.
We purchased our airline tickets with Aeroplan points way back in May and the only tickets we could get at that time included a 3 hour layover in Thunder Bay. Thunder Bay of all places! I don't want to offend those of you who love the city. It is situated in Northern Ontario, on the Canadian Shield and is located in some of the most beautiful country in Canada.
But the airport is not a place where I think anyone would intentionally spend 3 hours.
When we presented our tickets to the agent in Winnipeg, she asked us why we were planning to stop in Thunder Bay. Wes replied, "I don't know!" Well, she did what she could do and within an hour, we were on our way, direct, non-stop to Toronto. That was a good start to our vacation.
We stayed in Toronto for 2 nights and did the tourist thing-
Kensington market, Chinatown, and then we went to the Beaches area of Toronto where we were thrilled to come upon the Jazz Festival. We spent the afternoon hanging out in a park, listening to some great music. Then we walked along the boardwalk that borders Lake Ontario. What a great day! The weather was warm but not too muggy, we ate in some nifty little places around there and just kicked back and relaxed. We must have walked 20 kilometres that day.
Monday morning it was off to Beamsville to see my folks and then, later in the day to Vergil where we spent a few quiet days with Wes's parents. That evening we sat outside, catching up with Wes's brother, 2 sisters and their spouses. We don't have a lot of contact with them when we're here in Winnipeg but when we get together, we have a good time. I like Wes's siblings and their families and if we lived nearer to them, I could see us being good friends.
Tuesday, we wandered around Niagara-on-the-Lake. Every time I go back to the Niagara Penninsula, the beauty of that area takes me by surprise. I love the maple trees, with leaves that are bigger than my hand. I love the houses, each of them different from the rest, with lots of brick, siding, porches and beautiful gardens.
Our brother-in-law works at the Shaw Festival Theatre and was able to get tickets to a show for us. We had the pleasure of watching "Gypsy" a great Broadway musical. Afterwards, we went across the street and sat outdoors, drinking wine and enjoying the afterglow of a wonderful show. Did I feel spoiled! That evening will be etched into my memory for the rest of my life.
The next day found us once again on the QEW, a highway I used to drive regularly without a thought. After so many years on the Prairies, I found myself nervous as we travelled the highways of Southern Ontario. The number of cars and people in that area of the country can be quite intimidating for a prairie girl.
We made it safely back to Beamsville where the next 5 days are a blur. The Open House, flowers, guest book, punch, coffee, cream, sugar, PowerPoint, new clothes for mom, the dinner, setting up, making coffee, the barbeque, meat...Details just floating around in my brain. We pulled it off though and both mom and dad handled the busyness of it very well.
Tuesday was spent with Ben and Carolyn at Niagara Falls. That was a good day. After the busyness of the last few days, I did not want to visit with anyone. It felt good just to walk around, not feeling the need to "catch up." Niagara Falls really brings back memories for me. When I was a kid, we'd always go to the falls with our guests and show them around when they came for a visit.
Wednesday, it was back home for us. Toronto's Pearson Airport was mostly back to normal (after the Air France jet overshot the runway the day before). We still ended up being delayed for almost 2 hours but made it home to Winnipeg by midnight.
So, that's what we did. I'll be blogging more about some of the other stuff like meeting people I hadn't seen in decades, the fact that a "quiet day" with Wes's parents is actually really boring :(, and some of the surprising and interesting things I learned about my parents and my extended family.
We purchased our airline tickets with Aeroplan points way back in May and the only tickets we could get at that time included a 3 hour layover in Thunder Bay. Thunder Bay of all places! I don't want to offend those of you who love the city. It is situated in Northern Ontario, on the Canadian Shield and is located in some of the most beautiful country in Canada.
But the airport is not a place where I think anyone would intentionally spend 3 hours.
When we presented our tickets to the agent in Winnipeg, she asked us why we were planning to stop in Thunder Bay. Wes replied, "I don't know!" Well, she did what she could do and within an hour, we were on our way, direct, non-stop to Toronto. That was a good start to our vacation.
We stayed in Toronto for 2 nights and did the tourist thing-
Kensington market, Chinatown, and then we went to the Beaches area of Toronto where we were thrilled to come upon the Jazz Festival. We spent the afternoon hanging out in a park, listening to some great music. Then we walked along the boardwalk that borders Lake Ontario. What a great day! The weather was warm but not too muggy, we ate in some nifty little places around there and just kicked back and relaxed. We must have walked 20 kilometres that day.Monday morning it was off to Beamsville to see my folks and then, later in the day to Vergil where we spent a few quiet days with Wes's parents. That evening we sat outside, catching up with Wes's brother, 2 sisters and their spouses. We don't have a lot of contact with them when we're here in Winnipeg but when we get together, we have a good time. I like Wes's siblings and their families and if we lived nearer to them, I could see us being good friends.
Tuesday, we wandered around Niagara-on-the-Lake. Every time I go back to the Niagara Penninsula, the beauty of that area takes me by surprise. I love the maple trees, with leaves that are bigger than my hand. I love the houses, each of them different from the rest, with lots of brick, siding, porches and beautiful gardens.
Our brother-in-law works at the Shaw Festival Theatre and was able to get tickets to a show for us. We had the pleasure of watching "Gypsy" a great Broadway musical. Afterwards, we went across the street and sat outdoors, drinking wine and enjoying the afterglow of a wonderful show. Did I feel spoiled! That evening will be etched into my memory for the rest of my life.
The next day found us once again on the QEW, a highway I used to drive regularly without a thought. After so many years on the Prairies, I found myself nervous as we travelled the highways of Southern Ontario. The number of cars and people in that area of the country can be quite intimidating for a prairie girl.
We made it safely back to Beamsville where the next 5 days are a blur. The Open House, flowers, guest book, punch, coffee, cream, sugar, PowerPoint, new clothes for mom, the dinner, setting up, making coffee, the barbeque, meat...Details just floating around in my brain. We pulled it off though and both mom and dad handled the busyness of it very well.
Tuesday was spent with Ben and Carolyn at Niagara Falls. That was a good day. After the busyness of the last few days, I did not want to visit with anyone. It felt good just to walk around, not feeling the need to "catch up." Niagara Falls really brings back memories for me. When I was a kid, we'd always go to the falls with our guests and show them around when they came for a visit.
Wednesday, it was back home for us. Toronto's Pearson Airport was mostly back to normal (after the Air France jet overshot the runway the day before). We still ended up being delayed for almost 2 hours but made it home to Winnipeg by midnight.
So, that's what we did. I'll be blogging more about some of the other stuff like meeting people I hadn't seen in decades, the fact that a "quiet day" with Wes's parents is actually really boring :(, and some of the surprising and interesting things I learned about my parents and my extended family.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Check This Out!
My son Tim is part of a brand new Winnipeg band called "Focus." Check out their website here. Tim's the cute drummer.
In The Blink of an Eye
You must go over to see my son Eric's blog. Boy, am I ever glad he decided to go out for an icecream last night. Just another reminder that your life can change completely in the time it takes to blink your eyes.
Barbie
I read this interesting tidbit in the August 1 issue of the McLeans magazine:
Mattel fails to force name change of Barbie's Shop, a Calgry bondage and stripper-wear store owned by Barbie Anderson-Walley. Toy giant objects to association with business using stiletto heels and latex to mold anatomically unlikely human forms.
Hey guys, looked at your Barbie lately?
Mattel fails to force name change of Barbie's Shop, a Calgry bondage and stripper-wear store owned by Barbie Anderson-Walley. Toy giant objects to association with business using stiletto heels and latex to mold anatomically unlikely human forms.
Hey guys, looked at your Barbie lately?
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Extreme Makeover-Bedroom Edition
I am writing this blog on July 22 but will not post it until August 4 or 5. The reason is that what I am about to tell you is a surprise. If I post it today, it will not be a surprise for the intended person.
Yvonne and I have had a busy week. On Monday, we were going to come to my place and start cleaning and organizing my bedroom so that we could paint and freshen it up. Before we started though, we both had a thought (the same thought). Wouldn't it be fun if we did something like an extreme makeover for Michele and Rob? I don't thing that I'm exaggerating if I say that their bedroom needs it worse than most other bedrooms in Winnipeg. So, this week, we are spending a good bit of time demolishing, sanding, painting and decorating.
What fun! I think that it's more fun doing this than getting it. We found the perfect fabric for curtains. When we saw it we knew that it was for Michele-and it was cheap too! Yvonne works a sewing machine about as easily as I play the piano so in one day she had the curtains, duvet and pillow shams ready to go. We also painted the floor. Yvonne and George will be putting the furniture back in before they leave for Ontario as the floor is too wet today.
I can't wait until they come home! They'll be so pleased.
Stay tuned. I'll let you know how it all turns out.
Yvonne and I have had a busy week. On Monday, we were going to come to my place and start cleaning and organizing my bedroom so that we could paint and freshen it up. Before we started though, we both had a thought (the same thought). Wouldn't it be fun if we did something like an extreme makeover for Michele and Rob? I don't thing that I'm exaggerating if I say that their bedroom needs it worse than most other bedrooms in Winnipeg. So, this week, we are spending a good bit of time demolishing, sanding, painting and decorating.
What fun! I think that it's more fun doing this than getting it. We found the perfect fabric for curtains. When we saw it we knew that it was for Michele-and it was cheap too! Yvonne works a sewing machine about as easily as I play the piano so in one day she had the curtains, duvet and pillow shams ready to go. We also painted the floor. Yvonne and George will be putting the furniture back in before they leave for Ontario as the floor is too wet today.
I can't wait until they come home! They'll be so pleased.
Stay tuned. I'll let you know how it all turns out.
Tag, I'm It
I read a few of these in the last couple of days and thought it would be fun to tag myself.
What I was doing 10 years ago today: That was 1995, I was 37, almost 38 years old. I think we went to Ontario that year to celebrate the 40th wedding anniversary of my parents. My kids were young (ages 7-14) and we were enjoying our second summer at this house.
What I was doing 5 years ago: The year was 2000. Wes had just sold the construction company that he began about 10 years before, to his employees. Things didn't go as we had hoped and one of the results was that his paycheque was cut in half. That was a hard summer-adjusting to a huge salary cut, dealing with the unfairness of the final deal and not being sure if we would survive. By the way, we did!
What I was doing one year ago: Boy, it's harder to think of one year ago..Oh wait, we had just experienced our first wedding (Ben and Carolyn got married) and were probably looking forward to George and Yvonne's big move to Winnipeg. We were likely sitting on the back porch with George and Yvonne, drinking wine and enjoying each other's company.
What I was doing yesterday: Painting window trim, some gardening and just enjoying being at home with Wes.
What I will be doing tomorrow: Going to church-one of the highlights of my week. We'll probably go to the beach for the afternoon because the weather is just gorgeous.
5 Snacks I enjoy: Ice cream (but only the good kind), sour cream and onion chips, PMS bars (Michele makes them only at a certain time of the month when she is craving chocolate, butter and brown sugar. Yvonne makes an excellent batch as well), any kind of nuts, M&Ms Peanuts
5 Adult Beverages: I love red wine; white wine would be my second choice; coolers; water (I include this as an adult beverage because most of my children, before they became adults, didn't enjoy water); fruit and veggie juices.
5 Bands I know the lyrics to: The Irish Rovers, The Wailin' Jennys, The Carpenters, Great Big Sea, The Rankins.
5 Things I would do with $100,000.00: I'd take my extended family on a really neat vacation, then I would go on a 'round the world trip with Wes. If there would be any money left over, I'd pay off my mortgage.
5 locations I would run away to: Seeing as we had such a great time with the "Dutch relatives," I'd like to run away to Holland, some small village in the south of France, the eastern seaboard-Canada and/or USA, a great little bed and breakfast anywhere, Ireland.
5 Bad habits I have: Pick at my fingers, waste time, I can be very lazy, I procrastinate, leave the housework until the house is a pig sty.
5 Things I love doing: Hanging out with my sisters, going out for coffee, lunch, dinner-whatever, hanging out with friends and family, playing the piano, doing the Saturday crossword, leading praise and worship with a great band, taking pictures, reading. Okay, that's 7 but it's hard to stop.
5 Things I would never wear: adult diapers, a fur coat, a bikini, a "house dress," stilettos.
5 TV shows I like: I hardly watch TV but I have on occasion, enjoyed ER, the first season of "The Amazing Race" (I hate all of the relationship drama that they focus on these days), Seinfeld, MASH, I Love Lucy.
5 Movies I like: Chocolat, The Aviator, Grease ('cause that was the first movie Wes and I went to together), The Sound of Music (my first movie EVER), Whale Rider.
5 Famous people I would like to meet: Well, I already met Will Millar so...Queen Vashti (from the bible), Nellie McClung, Billy Graham, Robin Williams, Tom Hanks
5 Biggest joys at the moment: My family-my children and extended families, doing an "extreme makeover" for Michele, writing blogs, enjoying this absolutely gorgeous Winnipeg summer, looking forward to tomorrow.
5 favourite toys: my garlic press, my good knife, my piano, this computer.
What I was doing 10 years ago today: That was 1995, I was 37, almost 38 years old. I think we went to Ontario that year to celebrate the 40th wedding anniversary of my parents. My kids were young (ages 7-14) and we were enjoying our second summer at this house.
What I was doing 5 years ago: The year was 2000. Wes had just sold the construction company that he began about 10 years before, to his employees. Things didn't go as we had hoped and one of the results was that his paycheque was cut in half. That was a hard summer-adjusting to a huge salary cut, dealing with the unfairness of the final deal and not being sure if we would survive. By the way, we did!
What I was doing one year ago: Boy, it's harder to think of one year ago..Oh wait, we had just experienced our first wedding (Ben and Carolyn got married) and were probably looking forward to George and Yvonne's big move to Winnipeg. We were likely sitting on the back porch with George and Yvonne, drinking wine and enjoying each other's company.
What I was doing yesterday: Painting window trim, some gardening and just enjoying being at home with Wes.
What I will be doing tomorrow: Going to church-one of the highlights of my week. We'll probably go to the beach for the afternoon because the weather is just gorgeous.
5 Snacks I enjoy: Ice cream (but only the good kind), sour cream and onion chips, PMS bars (Michele makes them only at a certain time of the month when she is craving chocolate, butter and brown sugar. Yvonne makes an excellent batch as well), any kind of nuts, M&Ms Peanuts
5 Adult Beverages: I love red wine; white wine would be my second choice; coolers; water (I include this as an adult beverage because most of my children, before they became adults, didn't enjoy water); fruit and veggie juices.
5 Bands I know the lyrics to: The Irish Rovers, The Wailin' Jennys, The Carpenters, Great Big Sea, The Rankins.
5 Things I would do with $100,000.00: I'd take my extended family on a really neat vacation, then I would go on a 'round the world trip with Wes. If there would be any money left over, I'd pay off my mortgage.
5 locations I would run away to: Seeing as we had such a great time with the "Dutch relatives," I'd like to run away to Holland, some small village in the south of France, the eastern seaboard-Canada and/or USA, a great little bed and breakfast anywhere, Ireland.
5 Bad habits I have: Pick at my fingers, waste time, I can be very lazy, I procrastinate, leave the housework until the house is a pig sty.
5 Things I love doing: Hanging out with my sisters, going out for coffee, lunch, dinner-whatever, hanging out with friends and family, playing the piano, doing the Saturday crossword, leading praise and worship with a great band, taking pictures, reading. Okay, that's 7 but it's hard to stop.
5 Things I would never wear: adult diapers, a fur coat, a bikini, a "house dress," stilettos.
5 TV shows I like: I hardly watch TV but I have on occasion, enjoyed ER, the first season of "The Amazing Race" (I hate all of the relationship drama that they focus on these days), Seinfeld, MASH, I Love Lucy.
5 Movies I like: Chocolat, The Aviator, Grease ('cause that was the first movie Wes and I went to together), The Sound of Music (my first movie EVER), Whale Rider.
5 Famous people I would like to meet: Well, I already met Will Millar so...Queen Vashti (from the bible), Nellie McClung, Billy Graham, Robin Williams, Tom Hanks
5 Biggest joys at the moment: My family-my children and extended families, doing an "extreme makeover" for Michele, writing blogs, enjoying this absolutely gorgeous Winnipeg summer, looking forward to tomorrow.
5 favourite toys: my garlic press, my good knife, my piano, this computer.
Friday, August 05, 2005
Meeting Someone Famous
Well, I'm back and I've got a lot to write about. Only, I don't really have the time right now. We got home really late Wednesday night (our flight was delayed, I'm sure as a result of the incident on Tuesday at Pearson) and spent Thursday relaxing, doing laundry and cleaning up.
I've started painting the windows (more about that later) but I just had to blog about meeting one of my childhood heroes last night. Here in Winnipeg, Folklorama is in full swing. We wanted to got to the Irish pavillion and because it is one of the more popular ones, we went early and stood in line for about 45 minutes. We watch a wonderful show-bright costumes, energetic music and great dancing-all emceed by none other than Will Millar! Yeah, Will Millar!
For those of you who don't know Will, he was the lead singer/musician of the Irish Rovers. I knew all of the words to their album "Children of the Unicorn." I had the LP record AND the 8 track tape (anyone remember 8 tracks?). I still have the LP but our turntable is not working well and the record is quite scratched so sadly, we can't listen to it anymore. We also watched the show, faithfully, every week (sometime in the 70s) for as long as CBC aired it.
Anyway, there he was. Will Millar in the flesh. I bought his CD which has some of the wonderful songs that I remember (although "Purple People Eater" isn't on this one-sigh). I even met him and he autographed my CD-"Linda, love Will" and then he drew a shamrock. My heart's all aflutter. Maybe I should go back tonight and see if I can get a picture with him.
Isn't it funny. Here is an older man (he must be in his 60's), past his prime probably living in a 3 bedroom bungalow somewhere in Canada. He probably mows his own lawn, buys his own groceries and has to paint the trim around his windows-just an average guy who was invited to come to Winnipeg for Folklorama. For the children there and many of the audience, he was nobody special.
But for me, Will is a hero. He always will be. Unknown to him, he was a part of my childhood and he helped me during those angst ridden teen years to laugh at myself and the world. How can you be miserable when you're listening to "Purple People Eater?"
Well I saw the thing coming out of the sky
It had one long horn and one big eye
I commenced to shakin' and I said oo-wee
It looks like a purple people eater to me
It was a one-eyed one-horned flying purple people eater
Sure looks good to me
Well, he came down to earth and he lit in a tree
I said Mr Purple People Eater don't eat me
I heard him say in a voice so gruff
I wouldn't eat you 'cos you're too tough
It was a one-eyed one-horned flying purple people eater
It sure looks strange to me
I said Mr Purple People Eater what's your line
He said eating purple people and it sure is fine
But that's not the reason that I came to land
I wanna get a job in a rock 'n roll band
Well, bless my soul rock 'n roll flying' purple people eater
Pigeon-toed under-growed flyin' purple people eater
one-eyed one-horned it was a people eater
What a sight to see
Well, he swung from the tree and he lit on the ground
he started to rock really rockin' around
It was a crazy ditty with a swinging tune
Wop bop a lula wop bam boom
He was a one-eyed one-horned flying people eater
Ooh, it sure looks strange to me
Well he went on his way and then what do you know
I saw him last night on a TV show
He was a blowin' it out and really knockin' them dead
Playing rock 'n roll music through the horn in his head.
I've started painting the windows (more about that later) but I just had to blog about meeting one of my childhood heroes last night. Here in Winnipeg, Folklorama is in full swing. We wanted to got to the Irish pavillion and because it is one of the more popular ones, we went early and stood in line for about 45 minutes. We watch a wonderful show-bright costumes, energetic music and great dancing-all emceed by none other than Will Millar! Yeah, Will Millar!
For those of you who don't know Will, he was the lead singer/musician of the Irish Rovers. I knew all of the words to their album "Children of the Unicorn." I had the LP record AND the 8 track tape (anyone remember 8 tracks?). I still have the LP but our turntable is not working well and the record is quite scratched so sadly, we can't listen to it anymore. We also watched the show, faithfully, every week (sometime in the 70s) for as long as CBC aired it.
Anyway, there he was. Will Millar in the flesh. I bought his CD which has some of the wonderful songs that I remember (although "Purple People Eater" isn't on this one-sigh). I even met him and he autographed my CD-"Linda, love Will" and then he drew a shamrock. My heart's all aflutter. Maybe I should go back tonight and see if I can get a picture with him.
Isn't it funny. Here is an older man (he must be in his 60's), past his prime probably living in a 3 bedroom bungalow somewhere in Canada. He probably mows his own lawn, buys his own groceries and has to paint the trim around his windows-just an average guy who was invited to come to Winnipeg for Folklorama. For the children there and many of the audience, he was nobody special.
But for me, Will is a hero. He always will be. Unknown to him, he was a part of my childhood and he helped me during those angst ridden teen years to laugh at myself and the world. How can you be miserable when you're listening to "Purple People Eater?"
Well I saw the thing coming out of the sky
It had one long horn and one big eye
I commenced to shakin' and I said oo-wee
It looks like a purple people eater to me
It was a one-eyed one-horned flying purple people eater
Sure looks good to me
Well, he came down to earth and he lit in a tree
I said Mr Purple People Eater don't eat me
I heard him say in a voice so gruff
I wouldn't eat you 'cos you're too tough
It was a one-eyed one-horned flying purple people eater
It sure looks strange to me
I said Mr Purple People Eater what's your line
He said eating purple people and it sure is fine
But that's not the reason that I came to land
I wanna get a job in a rock 'n roll band
Well, bless my soul rock 'n roll flying' purple people eater
Pigeon-toed under-growed flyin' purple people eater
one-eyed one-horned it was a people eater
What a sight to see
Well, he swung from the tree and he lit on the ground
he started to rock really rockin' around
It was a crazy ditty with a swinging tune
Wop bop a lula wop bam boom
He was a one-eyed one-horned flying people eater
Ooh, it sure looks strange to me
Well he went on his way and then what do you know
I saw him last night on a TV show
He was a blowin' it out and really knockin' them dead
Playing rock 'n roll music through the horn in his head.
Friday, July 22, 2005
See Ya!
Tomorrow, around 2:30 p.m., I leave Winnipeg for my trip to Southern Ontario. My folks are celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary and *everyone* is going to be there. It won't be a terribly relaxing trip but I am looking forward to it nevertheless. There'll be lots of laughing and catching up with old friends and relatives.
I don't expect that I'll be doing much blogging while I'm there-mom tends to hover over me when I'm at the computer and that makes me feel uncomfortable. I will likely have lots to blog about when I get back though so goodbye blogger friends. I'll be posting in about 2 weeks.
I don't expect that I'll be doing much blogging while I'm there-mom tends to hover over me when I'm at the computer and that makes me feel uncomfortable. I will likely have lots to blog about when I get back though so goodbye blogger friends. I'll be posting in about 2 weeks.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
The Prairies
Wes had to visit a job site in Brandon on Sunday and I came along for the ride. Although I am an urban girl, there's something that happens to me once I get out of the city and begin ridin' down the highway. I somehow feel freed of some of the responsibilities, anxieties and burdens that come with my life in Winnipeg. Don't get me wrong. I have a great life here and I don't want to sound like I'm complaining. But hitting the highway and just going is a great feeling.
I was reminded of when I first moved to Winnipeg almost 26 years ago. I had moved from S. Ontario-the Niagara Peninsula with its lush vegetation, mountain (it is actaully the Niagara escarpment-we just called it a mountain), orchards, vineyards and hilly and winding roads. The prairies seemed so flat and uninteresting to me. When autumn came, people commented on the beautiful fall colours. Everything looked yellow to me.
Today, I am grateful to say that I love the prairies. Driving to Brandon we saw the bright yellow canola ripening in the fields; the wheat which still looked green but which will soon be maturing to a beautiful warm golden colour; flax, still green but one day blue; the straight rows of potatoes near Carberry.
And the sky. There is nothing like a prairie sky. On Sunday, clouds mostly covered the sky-pure white cumulus; dark, heavy rain clouds-purple, grey, black; bright, clear blue sky and various wispy clouds. It was awesome. The prairie sky is huge. There is nothing to obstruct your view (except for grain silos, grain elevators, barns and farm houses) so that it is visible until it meets the land on the horizon. Driving home we were witness to another gorgeous prairie sunset and if you looked a little to the south, you could see the moon rising as the sun was setting.
I have come to appreciate and love the prairies. They have a beauty all their own. When I go to visit my folks in Beamsville, I enjoy the very different beauty of the Niagara Penninsula but I am always happy to return to my beloved prairies. There's something about the space and the vastness of the prairies that touches my spirit and "grounds" me. I look at this beauty and I see God. In my mind, this kind of beauty could not have occurred without a Creator orchestrating it all.
"So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. God called the expanse "sky". And there was evening, and there was morning-the second day.
And God saw all that he had made and it was very good."
Genesis 1:7,8,31
I was reminded of when I first moved to Winnipeg almost 26 years ago. I had moved from S. Ontario-the Niagara Peninsula with its lush vegetation, mountain (it is actaully the Niagara escarpment-we just called it a mountain), orchards, vineyards and hilly and winding roads. The prairies seemed so flat and uninteresting to me. When autumn came, people commented on the beautiful fall colours. Everything looked yellow to me.
Today, I am grateful to say that I love the prairies. Driving to Brandon we saw the bright yellow canola ripening in the fields; the wheat which still looked green but which will soon be maturing to a beautiful warm golden colour; flax, still green but one day blue; the straight rows of potatoes near Carberry.
And the sky. There is nothing like a prairie sky. On Sunday, clouds mostly covered the sky-pure white cumulus; dark, heavy rain clouds-purple, grey, black; bright, clear blue sky and various wispy clouds. It was awesome. The prairie sky is huge. There is nothing to obstruct your view (except for grain silos, grain elevators, barns and farm houses) so that it is visible until it meets the land on the horizon. Driving home we were witness to another gorgeous prairie sunset and if you looked a little to the south, you could see the moon rising as the sun was setting.
I have come to appreciate and love the prairies. They have a beauty all their own. When I go to visit my folks in Beamsville, I enjoy the very different beauty of the Niagara Penninsula but I am always happy to return to my beloved prairies. There's something about the space and the vastness of the prairies that touches my spirit and "grounds" me. I look at this beauty and I see God. In my mind, this kind of beauty could not have occurred without a Creator orchestrating it all.
"So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. God called the expanse "sky". And there was evening, and there was morning-the second day.
And God saw all that he had made and it was very good."
Genesis 1:7,8,31
Monday, July 18, 2005
It's A Miracle!
We have an hp 2210 all-in-one printer which we have owned for about 2 years. When it works, it works beautifully. I can fax, scan, print-even print pretty good looking pictures. The problem with this particuar printer is that IT HASN'T WORKED PROPERLY SINCE WE BOUGHT IT! Sorry for yelling but I can't help it. Every now and then, FOR NO REASON, the printer stops working and makes this annoying clicking sound. The only way to fix it is if I turn it off and on at least 50 TIMES. If I'm lucky, it will start working again and I will once again, enjoy everything this amazing machine has to offer. (Actually, it is usually Wes who does the off/on thing most of the time because he is far more patient than I am. I'm not too proud to give credit where credit is due.)
About 2 weeks ago, I did the off/on thing at least ONE HUNDRED TIMES and it still didn't work so we hauled out the old printer we have upstairs and hooked it up to the computer. We call this printer the "workhorse" because it never dies although it's getting streakier as it ages.
I missed my all-in-one and we can't afford to buy a new one so Wes did a most amazing, unusual thing. He went on to the Hewlett Packard website, asked for advice, and within hours, we received an email back, suggesting that we do some fancy acrobatics with our fingers while plugging in the power chord. We tried it, not expecting anything to happen but much to our amazement, it worked! I still can't believe it! I can once again use my printer/scanner/fax.
We have learned several valuable lesson through all of this.
About 2 weeks ago, I did the off/on thing at least ONE HUNDRED TIMES and it still didn't work so we hauled out the old printer we have upstairs and hooked it up to the computer. We call this printer the "workhorse" because it never dies although it's getting streakier as it ages.
I missed my all-in-one and we can't afford to buy a new one so Wes did a most amazing, unusual thing. He went on to the Hewlett Packard website, asked for advice, and within hours, we received an email back, suggesting that we do some fancy acrobatics with our fingers while plugging in the power chord. We tried it, not expecting anything to happen but much to our amazement, it worked! I still can't believe it! I can once again use my printer/scanner/fax.
We have learned several valuable lesson through all of this.
- When you enter some websites and ask questions, you may actually get a response from a real person. Thank you Clint!
- Sometimes it is possible to fix an electronic machine rather than have to throw it away (which seems to be the case more often than not).
- It's worth sending an inquiry. You may be surprised.
- The next time something like this happens, I'm going to get help sooner rather than later.
Oh joy! Now, I'm going to check the Kenmore site to find out about my 1 year old washer.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing...
It's been a few days and I find myself enjoying the memories of last weekend. I bought a Wailin' Jennys CD entitled "40 Days." They weren't at the Folk Fest but they have been very much a part of it over the years. I've played this CD probably about 6 times already and I just love it. I love their lyrics and harmonies. The first song on the album "One Voice" is so incredibly well written and well done:
This is the sound of one voice
This is the sound of one voice
One spirit, one voice
The sound of one who makes a choice
This is the sound of one voice
This is the sound of voices two
The sound of me singing with you
Helping each other to make it through
This is the sound of voices two
This is the sound of voices three
Singing together in harmony
Surrendering to the mystery
This is the sound of voices three
This is the sound of all of us
Singing with love and the will to trust
Leave the rest behind it will turn to dust
This is the sound of all of us
This is the sound of one voice
One people, one voice
A song for every one of us
This is the sound of one voice
This is the sound of one voice.
The song begins with only one person singing..."This is the sound of one voice..." On the second verse, a second voice joins in harmony but the sound is "open." For you music freaks out there, the harmony in the second verse is mostly intervals of 4ths 5ths and 6ths. It sounds beautiful but it feels somewhat incomplete. On the 3rd verse, a third harmony joins and completes the chord. In the last verse, there is perfect harmony but notice the words "This is the sound of one voice." Three different parts, but all working together to create something beautiful.
Oooh. It gives me goosebumps. It is so simple, so clever and so beautiful. This is how we should view the world and our relationships. Many distinct parts but the potential to create something beautiful. I think that's why I love harmony so much. I enjoy all kinds of music but when I hear well sung harmonies such as the ones by the Wailin' Jennys, I am deeply touched.
Other things about the Folk Festival that I enjoyed:
- Standing in line for water. I stood in line for 1/2 hour, in the stifling heat, waiting to fill my water bottle. Yes, I enjoyed it because it helped me think about the millions of people in this world who have to stand in line for hours, in the blazing sun any time they need water. I am so grateful for cold, clean fresh water that is usually available at the turn of a tap.
- The harmonies.
- The sound. The sound technicians did an amazing job.
- The incredible diversity of people.
- Just hangin' out, eating junk food.
- Always hearing music.
- It was too hot for me to dance but watching people dancing especially to the sound of the Irish jigs and reels. They reminded me of fairies, even though they were full grown, adults and children.
- Parents and children enjoying the same music.
- We didn't encounter any obnoxious, rude people. People truly were friendly, cheerful and kind.
Like Heather, I can't wait for next year.
Monday, July 11, 2005
Making A Difference in My Corner of the World
(I began writing this blog the day I heard about the bombings in London but it wasn't quite ready to post. I still think it's worth posting.)
My heart goes out to our brothers and sisters in London who experienced the terror and horror of war in a very personal way yesterday. I can't imagine what it must have been like to be trapped in those carriages while smoke swirled around and darkness closed in. I am reminded of the terrorist attack in New York a few short years ago. While I may not agree with many of the decisions that the British and American politicians have made over the last few years, I cannot condone any kind of violence or act of terrorism.
Ken Livingstone, mayor of London strongly condemned the attacks. "This was not a terrorist attack against the mighty and the powerful; it is not aimed at presidents or prime ministers; it was aimed at ordinary working class Londoners, black and white, Muslim and Christians, Hindu and Jew, young and old, indiscriminate attempt at slaughter irrespective of any considerations, of age, of class, of religion, whatever, that isn't an ideology, it isn't even a perverted faith, it's just indiscriminate attempt at mass murder, and we know what the objective is, they seek to divide London.
My heart goes out to our brothers and sisters in London who experienced the terror and horror of war in a very personal way yesterday. I can't imagine what it must have been like to be trapped in those carriages while smoke swirled around and darkness closed in. I am reminded of the terrorist attack in New York a few short years ago. While I may not agree with many of the decisions that the British and American politicians have made over the last few years, I cannot condone any kind of violence or act of terrorism.
Ken Livingstone, mayor of London strongly condemned the attacks. "This was not a terrorist attack against the mighty and the powerful; it is not aimed at presidents or prime ministers; it was aimed at ordinary working class Londoners, black and white, Muslim and Christians, Hindu and Jew, young and old, indiscriminate attempt at slaughter irrespective of any considerations, of age, of class, of religion, whatever, that isn't an ideology, it isn't even a perverted faith, it's just indiscriminate attempt at mass murder, and we know what the objective is, they seek to divide London.
I must agree with Mr. Livingstone. These thugs are not ideologists, they do not represent anyone or anything that is Muslim. There is nothing "holy" about what they're doing. How can they talk about a "holy war?" To be holy means "to belong to, associate with, or consecrated to God or a divine power." What I know about God is that he is all about love. Killing innocent people on a subway is not an act of love.
I admire the British for the way they're dealing with this. They will not be intimidated by these murderers. Watching the news last night, most of the people interviewed said that they would continue working and living in London and using the subway. It reminds me of the many stories of courage we hear of the bombing of London during WWII.
It is at times like this, when the ugly side of humanity rises up that I wonder what I can do to change the world. I feel so helpless. Sure, I can write my politicians and get some form letter back from them thanking them for my interest. I can join organisations that promote peace and justice. However, I think that Mother Teresa had it right when she said, "Peace and war begin at home. If we truly want peace in the world, let us begin by loving one another in our own families. If we want to spread joy, we need for every family to have joy."
While I am an imperfect parent and citizen, I can begin spreading joy in my home, my neighbourhood and to the people with whom I come in contact. If I share something of the love of God to people around me, I believe that I can make a difference in the world.
Friday, July 01, 2005
Graduation
Here we are. Wes, Tim and I. Last night was wonderful and Tim's song was beautiful. His class gave him a standing ovation. I am so proud! And yes, he did pass. The diploma is authentic.
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Tears For Grad
My friends, Paul and Jo have an incredibly cute and beautiful four month old baby who I had the pleasure of holding the other day. Adam loves his soother and at 4 months is showing signs of incredible brilliance. He is able to reach and grasp his toys and can hold his head up like no other kid his age. His smile is enough to cheer up even the saddest and most discouraged person.
Compared to me, Adam cries alot. He cries when he's hungry, bored, sick, tired, when he has cramps or needs a diaper change. He is smart enough to know that he needs attention and is able to get it from someone. His preferred method of letting people know his needs is by his crying.
I on the other hand, do not cry for the same reasons Adam cries. My tears are most often the result of some strong emotion I'm experiencing. When each of my children were born, I experienced incredible pain and discomfort during the labour and birthing process. I will not go into detail about that whole thing but the nurses and doctors told me I "did well." (I know, they probably say that to everyone but believe me, I needed to hear that!) But through all of that, I shed no tears. Indeed, the waterworks started as soon as I heard my baby's first sound. There is no sweeter sound and I have had the pleasure of hearing it 4 times in my life.
Today, tears come fairly easy to me. I cried tears of joy when Ben and Carolyn got married. I cry when I watch the news or hear of some horrible event that has occurred. I don't need to know the people involved but I can empathize with them. I cry whenever I hear the national anthem played. I cry at the Remembrance Day ceremony every year.
Tonight, I will attend Tim's Grade 12 Graduation ceremony and just thinking about it gets me teary eyed. We have been involved with his school for more than 25 years as I began my teaching career there in 1979. So this graduation has a lot of meaning for me. We will see Tim and the amazing group of young people who compromise his class standing together for the last time. Most have big plans-travel, mission work, university, college and it is likely that Tim may never see some of them again.
It is a small school and there are only 27 people in this graduating class. Tim, along with 4 or 5 others have been together, in the same class for 13 years, since kindergarten. For some people, (Kristen included) this seems somewhat stifling and they would prefer to be in a larger school, meeting new people. Not for Tim. When they decided to begin a high school the year he was entering Grade 10, he decided to stay along with about half of his class.
It hasn't always been easy for Tim at that school. As a matter of fact, grades 3-8 were really tough for him socially. The way he learned how to survive in school was by staying away from his classmates and not communicating with them. If he had the option of working on a group project or working alone, he would always choose to do it alone. He would never join in the joking and bantering with his classmates. He'd either hang out with the teachers or he would hang out alone. I stopped attending field trips and helping out at school because seeing Tim as a loner, broke my heart. This was not my son! I knew him as a goofy, noisy, extroverted and fun kid. We seriously considered home schooling him on a number of occasions.
But for whatever reasons, we decided to stick it out. And I am so grateful that we did. Grades 10-12 saw him grow in stature, (they call him the big man on campus) in self confidence, in wisdom and in knowledge. He has also matured spiritually. Much of that growth is a result, I believe of sticking it out. Tremendous healing has taken place in Tim's life. I think that if we had changed schools, or decided to home school, this healing may have never occured and we would have left the school with broken relationships and unfinished business.
I believe that Tim and we his parents have grown tremendously as a result of all that has happened. We have learned that there is freedom in forgiveness, that people change and that healing can take place where there once was pain. We have had the opportunity to give and receive grace and acceptance. We have worked with the teachers and principal and learned that they really do care about all aspects of Tim's education, including his relationships with his peers. We have worked through the pain and discovered incredible joy at the end of this part of the journey.
So, tonight I will be shedding tears of joy, thanksgiving and gratitude. Tim will be singing a beautiful song that has become something of a theme song for the class and I will remember where he came from, where he is today and where he is going.
Compared to me, Adam cries alot. He cries when he's hungry, bored, sick, tired, when he has cramps or needs a diaper change. He is smart enough to know that he needs attention and is able to get it from someone. His preferred method of letting people know his needs is by his crying.
I on the other hand, do not cry for the same reasons Adam cries. My tears are most often the result of some strong emotion I'm experiencing. When each of my children were born, I experienced incredible pain and discomfort during the labour and birthing process. I will not go into detail about that whole thing but the nurses and doctors told me I "did well." (I know, they probably say that to everyone but believe me, I needed to hear that!) But through all of that, I shed no tears. Indeed, the waterworks started as soon as I heard my baby's first sound. There is no sweeter sound and I have had the pleasure of hearing it 4 times in my life.
Today, tears come fairly easy to me. I cried tears of joy when Ben and Carolyn got married. I cry when I watch the news or hear of some horrible event that has occurred. I don't need to know the people involved but I can empathize with them. I cry whenever I hear the national anthem played. I cry at the Remembrance Day ceremony every year.
Tonight, I will attend Tim's Grade 12 Graduation ceremony and just thinking about it gets me teary eyed. We have been involved with his school for more than 25 years as I began my teaching career there in 1979. So this graduation has a lot of meaning for me. We will see Tim and the amazing group of young people who compromise his class standing together for the last time. Most have big plans-travel, mission work, university, college and it is likely that Tim may never see some of them again.It is a small school and there are only 27 people in this graduating class. Tim, along with 4 or 5 others have been together, in the same class for 13 years, since kindergarten. For some people, (Kristen included) this seems somewhat stifling and they would prefer to be in a larger school, meeting new people. Not for Tim. When they decided to begin a high school the year he was entering Grade 10, he decided to stay along with about half of his class.
It hasn't always been easy for Tim at that school. As a matter of fact, grades 3-8 were really tough for him socially. The way he learned how to survive in school was by staying away from his classmates and not communicating with them. If he had the option of working on a group project or working alone, he would always choose to do it alone. He would never join in the joking and bantering with his classmates. He'd either hang out with the teachers or he would hang out alone. I stopped attending field trips and helping out at school because seeing Tim as a loner, broke my heart. This was not my son! I knew him as a goofy, noisy, extroverted and fun kid. We seriously considered home schooling him on a number of occasions.
But for whatever reasons, we decided to stick it out. And I am so grateful that we did. Grades 10-12 saw him grow in stature, (they call him the big man on campus) in self confidence, in wisdom and in knowledge. He has also matured spiritually. Much of that growth is a result, I believe of sticking it out. Tremendous healing has taken place in Tim's life. I think that if we had changed schools, or decided to home school, this healing may have never occured and we would have left the school with broken relationships and unfinished business.
I believe that Tim and we his parents have grown tremendously as a result of all that has happened. We have learned that there is freedom in forgiveness, that people change and that healing can take place where there once was pain. We have had the opportunity to give and receive grace and acceptance. We have worked with the teachers and principal and learned that they really do care about all aspects of Tim's education, including his relationships with his peers. We have worked through the pain and discovered incredible joy at the end of this part of the journey.
So, tonight I will be shedding tears of joy, thanksgiving and gratitude. Tim will be singing a beautiful song that has become something of a theme song for the class and I will remember where he came from, where he is today and where he is going.
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