CJ was over tonight. He and Kristen have been "official" for about a month. He seems like a nice enough guy. He likes to cook and enjoys "The Food Channel." Lately, he's been cooking a lot of sea food. That's good.
He's 19, Kristen will be 17 in a few weeks. He's currently unemployed but hopes to attend college to learn a trade-electrical or plumbing or even both. That's good.
He's the youngest of 3 children, all male. His parents are still married-that's good.
He looks you in the eye when he speaks to you and was willing to answer all my questions. That's good.
If Kristen follows the normal pattern of her family (aunts, uncles, brother) she will marry CJ. We all married the first person we dated. But it's too early to tell with her, right? It's only been a month after all.
Once again, it is our youngest child who is causing us to move into uncharted territory. Ben was 21 when he met Carolyn and while we didn't know her, we knew some of her friends and neighbours. There were some connections. And they were both older and pretty mature.
With CJ, I don't think there is one person who knows both him (or his family and friends) and us and our family and friends. There are no connections. No one I can talk to and find out what kind of person he is or what kind of people his family are.
And actually my biggest worry is the fact that I don't know where he stands spiritually. God and the church are a huge part of the life of our family. It's hard for me to imagine someone who is part of our family who does not hold similar values to ours.
I suppose worrying about this won't help at all. Worry just disrupts my sleep. But I do pray that if this relationship continues, CJ will recognize that knowing, believing and trusting in God does bring joy, peace and contentment. And I pray that we will be witnesses of God's love to CJ and his family.
He just left now and said good bye and wished me a good night. He is respectful and has good manners. That's good eh?
Monday, September 26, 2005
Thursday, September 22, 2005
So Much To Do, So Little Time
I have a lot to do. Work, laundry, housework, phone calls to make. So why am I making chocolate chip cookies now?
My Mother's Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Cream together:
1 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
Add 2 eggs and 1 tsp. vanilla
Sift together:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
a
Add to creamed mixture.
Add:
2 cups chocolate chips and 1 1/4 cups oatmeal. I like the large flake, old fashioned kind. It seems more wholesome to me.
Bake for 10-12 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
Enjoy!
My Mother's Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Cream together:
1 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
Add 2 eggs and 1 tsp. vanilla
Sift together:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
a
Add to creamed mixture.
Add:
2 cups chocolate chips and 1 1/4 cups oatmeal. I like the large flake, old fashioned kind. It seems more wholesome to me.
Bake for 10-12 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
Enjoy!
Happy Anniversary Wes!
It was a mere 26 years ago today that Wes and I "tied the knot" (to use an old cliche). I say "mere" because sometimes it seems like it's only been a few years that we've been together. But when I look at my adult sons and a daughter nearing adulthood, I am reminded again that it's been a long time.
I think that it seems like fewer than 26 years because daily, I'm still learning more about Wes and about living in a marriage relationship. We haven't got it all figured out yet. We're still working out the flaws of our relationship. In today's post, I'd like to honour my husband. We're not much into anniversary gifts and can't afford gold and diamond jewellry. I'm not too mushy either. So this post is my anniversary gift to my dear husband.
You were the one to put the kids to bed in the earlier years, before it was "trendy" for dads to do things like that. I knew that I could go to meetings in the evenings and be sure that our children had stories read to them and were lovingly tucked into bed.
You are a hard worker. I often brag about you and how you are so efficient and can get so much done. I must drive you crazy sometimes because I can be so inefficient and take ages to get a job done. I'm always very aware of how I'm feeling about a particular task. If I don't like what I'm doing, it's hard for me to continue. If you see that a job needs doing, you'll do it, without complaining, knowing that it has to be done. Remember putting pink insulation in that little crawl space attic in the kitchen at Hart Ave? It must have been 30 degrees outside and you just faithfully finished that awful job. I would have quit long before that. I can't name the number of times I've had a great idea (the garden) and you have gladly participated in it. These things would have never been done if it wasn't for your hard work and perseverance.
You have taught me more about the unconditional love and grace of God than anyone else on this earth. You have accepted me as I am for all the years of our marriage. You have loved me when I have acted unlovable. You have put up with my ranting and raving, with my moods and yet you still loved me.
When money was tight, you didn't insist I find a well-paying job. You knew that I needed to find something meaningful, even though the pay wasn't very good. You supported my voluteer efforts when they would take up much of my time and also, our income.
You are neat, I am messy. I must drive you crazy sometimes! But you have always continued to pick up after yourself.
You are organized, I am disorganized. But you have never held that against me or tried to “fix” me.
What makes our marriage work? I think that it is partly because of the promises we made to each other 26 years ago. When we are too tired, anxious and fearful to focus on each other, we remember the vows we made. “In sickness and health, for richer for poorer…”
We made these vows before God and family and friends who have supported us and encouraged us over the years. To be part of a strong community has enabled our marriage to thrive and flourish.
I don’t know what’s in store for us in the coming year. We have been spared so much of the pain and heartache that others have experienced but I know that there will be hard times ahead. I’m just grateful that you hold as a high priority a relationship with God. I know that whatever will happen as long as we lean on each other and on God, we will be able to withstand the storms that will inevitably come our way.
So, happy anniversary my love. May we have many more!
I think that it seems like fewer than 26 years because daily, I'm still learning more about Wes and about living in a marriage relationship. We haven't got it all figured out yet. We're still working out the flaws of our relationship. In today's post, I'd like to honour my husband. We're not much into anniversary gifts and can't afford gold and diamond jewellry. I'm not too mushy either. So this post is my anniversary gift to my dear husband.
You were the one to put the kids to bed in the earlier years, before it was "trendy" for dads to do things like that. I knew that I could go to meetings in the evenings and be sure that our children had stories read to them and were lovingly tucked into bed.
You are a hard worker. I often brag about you and how you are so efficient and can get so much done. I must drive you crazy sometimes because I can be so inefficient and take ages to get a job done. I'm always very aware of how I'm feeling about a particular task. If I don't like what I'm doing, it's hard for me to continue. If you see that a job needs doing, you'll do it, without complaining, knowing that it has to be done. Remember putting pink insulation in that little crawl space attic in the kitchen at Hart Ave? It must have been 30 degrees outside and you just faithfully finished that awful job. I would have quit long before that. I can't name the number of times I've had a great idea (the garden) and you have gladly participated in it. These things would have never been done if it wasn't for your hard work and perseverance.
You have taught me more about the unconditional love and grace of God than anyone else on this earth. You have accepted me as I am for all the years of our marriage. You have loved me when I have acted unlovable. You have put up with my ranting and raving, with my moods and yet you still loved me.
When money was tight, you didn't insist I find a well-paying job. You knew that I needed to find something meaningful, even though the pay wasn't very good. You supported my voluteer efforts when they would take up much of my time and also, our income.
You are neat, I am messy. I must drive you crazy sometimes! But you have always continued to pick up after yourself.
You are organized, I am disorganized. But you have never held that against me or tried to “fix” me.
What makes our marriage work? I think that it is partly because of the promises we made to each other 26 years ago. When we are too tired, anxious and fearful to focus on each other, we remember the vows we made. “In sickness and health, for richer for poorer…”
We made these vows before God and family and friends who have supported us and encouraged us over the years. To be part of a strong community has enabled our marriage to thrive and flourish.
I don’t know what’s in store for us in the coming year. We have been spared so much of the pain and heartache that others have experienced but I know that there will be hard times ahead. I’m just grateful that you hold as a high priority a relationship with God. I know that whatever will happen as long as we lean on each other and on God, we will be able to withstand the storms that will inevitably come our way.
So, happy anniversary my love. May we have many more!
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
It's Time
I am writing this blog from a lovely retreat centre in Alexandria, Minnesota. The “Lake Geneva Retreat and Conference Centre is situated on the banks of Lake Geneva. From where I am sitting I can see the lake, surrounded by trees. It is very peaceful and quiet here. The accommodations are excellent and the food is pretty good too. Solid, comfortable, basic. Like the good people of Minnesota.
I’m here because my church is the “host” church of the fall “Classis” meeting and so I, along with two other people of our worship team have been given the opportunity to lead the pastors and delegates in worship. We’re finished now and this afternoon, the people here will be taking care of church business.
We are part of Classis Lake Superior-the only international Classis of the Christian Reformed Church. That’s something isn’t it? We can meet together and find many things that we can agree on. We don’t talk politics as I’m sure there might be some very differing views but as far as most of the business goes, we are usually able to come to some kind of consensus.
But I’m really having a problem today. You see, our Classis is one of the few in our denomination that has not yet agreed to allow woman elders to represent their churches. So at this meeting, there are about 60 men and 3 or 4 women, including me. For so many years, while I have felt that this was wrong, I was able to work within the rules and remain positive that this will change some day. They will see the light, won’t they? And while I believe that it is just a matter of time, I’m getting mighty impatient. It was about 10 years ago that I was at my last Classis meeting when I was part of the “Vision Implementation Team.” There were about 5 of us who spent hours talking about our vision, mission and values. And there were many positive changes that came out of that.
But today, it hit me again. My local church is a community where men and women are invited and encouraged to participate fully in the life of our body. But we are part of a very conservative Classis where there are many churches that will not allow women to hold any position of leadership unless it’s with the children. What’s with that anyway? Do they have different standards for adults than they do for children? Are women “good enough” to teach children but not adults? Many of these churches support female missionaries who preach and hold leadership positions in third world countries. Why is it okay there but not in North America?
If the church, which is the body of Christ, is to reflect the image of God to the world, this Classis is missing half of that image. By keeping the women out, they are not reflecting the true nature of Christ. Undoubtedly, there are many good, sincere, godly men in this Classis but they cannot reflect God’s female side. And women are for the most part invited to join the meetings but when an “in-camera” session is held, the women have to leave. What is this? Why do we put up with this?
After our early morning worship time, I went back to my room for a little nap and I daydreamed about something I’d like to do. When the women are asked to leave while the men discuss issues that we should not be privy to, I will refuse to leave. I will stand up and announce that I will not be treated second class in this place and they would have to drag me out. That’s what I daydreamed about. I don’t think I have the courage to do it though. Not today. But maybe next time.
There are people who are here today at this meeting who feel the same way I do but this issue has been so divisive that they hesitate to bring a motion to the Classis to change the church order unless they can be pretty sure that people will be receptive to it. I know that our own local church, Good News Fellowship, is talking about being the catalyst for bringing about the change but we have to be sure we have the energy and willingness to follow through.
I think it’s time. There are women who have left this denomination and some of the churches because they feel they have been treated as second class citizens. There was an excellent speaker here yesterday who spoke about leadership. He talked about Wayne Gretsky who, when asked how he learned to play hockey so well replied that most players move to where the puck is. He tries to move to where the puck is going. We were encouraged as church leaders, to see where society is going so that we will be there to support, encourage, and share the love of Jesus. The church has always been behind societal trends and it’s inability to allow women to be fully involved is absolutely contrary to what society looks like. Where else will you have a meeting where women are not represented?
There are some verses in the bible that seem to state pretty clearly that only men can be leaders in the church. My argument to that is we need to read the bible in the context in which it was written. We need to keep in mind the culture of the time when the bible was written. I would also argue that God created man and woman, in his image. We both bear the likeness of God and so we both have the responsibility to reflect God to the rest of the world. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul reminds us that in God, we are neither male nor female, slave nor free-all are equal in the eyes of God.
It’s time to move forward. It’s time that the catholic (universal) church, began to truly reflect God’s image-kind, loving, generous, patient, honest, just, and forgiving to a world that craves these attributes. It’s time for those of us who are Christians to be willing to stand up for what is right and just, even if it means that there may be disunity and schism. Jesus himself was not afraid of controversy and he stood up for the rights of the many people in his day that did not have the means to fight. People like women, children, the ill and vulnerable members of society.
One day, I hope that the church will recognize just how wrong it has been in this area. For true healing to take place, I believe that the leaders of the church must acknowledge that they wrongly interpreted scriptures and that they are sorry for how it negatively impacted society and the church. What a powerful message that would send! And who knows, maybe it’ll start a revival. Those people who find the church redundant will see that the message it brings truly is current, exciting and life-giving. They will see that the church is a place where they can grapple with the tough questions about God and spirituality and that all voices will be heard-young, old, rich, poor, male and female.
God help us.
I’m here because my church is the “host” church of the fall “Classis” meeting and so I, along with two other people of our worship team have been given the opportunity to lead the pastors and delegates in worship. We’re finished now and this afternoon, the people here will be taking care of church business.
We are part of Classis Lake Superior-the only international Classis of the Christian Reformed Church. That’s something isn’t it? We can meet together and find many things that we can agree on. We don’t talk politics as I’m sure there might be some very differing views but as far as most of the business goes, we are usually able to come to some kind of consensus.
But I’m really having a problem today. You see, our Classis is one of the few in our denomination that has not yet agreed to allow woman elders to represent their churches. So at this meeting, there are about 60 men and 3 or 4 women, including me. For so many years, while I have felt that this was wrong, I was able to work within the rules and remain positive that this will change some day. They will see the light, won’t they? And while I believe that it is just a matter of time, I’m getting mighty impatient. It was about 10 years ago that I was at my last Classis meeting when I was part of the “Vision Implementation Team.” There were about 5 of us who spent hours talking about our vision, mission and values. And there were many positive changes that came out of that.
But today, it hit me again. My local church is a community where men and women are invited and encouraged to participate fully in the life of our body. But we are part of a very conservative Classis where there are many churches that will not allow women to hold any position of leadership unless it’s with the children. What’s with that anyway? Do they have different standards for adults than they do for children? Are women “good enough” to teach children but not adults? Many of these churches support female missionaries who preach and hold leadership positions in third world countries. Why is it okay there but not in North America?
If the church, which is the body of Christ, is to reflect the image of God to the world, this Classis is missing half of that image. By keeping the women out, they are not reflecting the true nature of Christ. Undoubtedly, there are many good, sincere, godly men in this Classis but they cannot reflect God’s female side. And women are for the most part invited to join the meetings but when an “in-camera” session is held, the women have to leave. What is this? Why do we put up with this?
After our early morning worship time, I went back to my room for a little nap and I daydreamed about something I’d like to do. When the women are asked to leave while the men discuss issues that we should not be privy to, I will refuse to leave. I will stand up and announce that I will not be treated second class in this place and they would have to drag me out. That’s what I daydreamed about. I don’t think I have the courage to do it though. Not today. But maybe next time.
There are people who are here today at this meeting who feel the same way I do but this issue has been so divisive that they hesitate to bring a motion to the Classis to change the church order unless they can be pretty sure that people will be receptive to it. I know that our own local church, Good News Fellowship, is talking about being the catalyst for bringing about the change but we have to be sure we have the energy and willingness to follow through.
I think it’s time. There are women who have left this denomination and some of the churches because they feel they have been treated as second class citizens. There was an excellent speaker here yesterday who spoke about leadership. He talked about Wayne Gretsky who, when asked how he learned to play hockey so well replied that most players move to where the puck is. He tries to move to where the puck is going. We were encouraged as church leaders, to see where society is going so that we will be there to support, encourage, and share the love of Jesus. The church has always been behind societal trends and it’s inability to allow women to be fully involved is absolutely contrary to what society looks like. Where else will you have a meeting where women are not represented?
There are some verses in the bible that seem to state pretty clearly that only men can be leaders in the church. My argument to that is we need to read the bible in the context in which it was written. We need to keep in mind the culture of the time when the bible was written. I would also argue that God created man and woman, in his image. We both bear the likeness of God and so we both have the responsibility to reflect God to the rest of the world. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul reminds us that in God, we are neither male nor female, slave nor free-all are equal in the eyes of God.
It’s time to move forward. It’s time that the catholic (universal) church, began to truly reflect God’s image-kind, loving, generous, patient, honest, just, and forgiving to a world that craves these attributes. It’s time for those of us who are Christians to be willing to stand up for what is right and just, even if it means that there may be disunity and schism. Jesus himself was not afraid of controversy and he stood up for the rights of the many people in his day that did not have the means to fight. People like women, children, the ill and vulnerable members of society.
One day, I hope that the church will recognize just how wrong it has been in this area. For true healing to take place, I believe that the leaders of the church must acknowledge that they wrongly interpreted scriptures and that they are sorry for how it negatively impacted society and the church. What a powerful message that would send! And who knows, maybe it’ll start a revival. Those people who find the church redundant will see that the message it brings truly is current, exciting and life-giving. They will see that the church is a place where they can grapple with the tough questions about God and spirituality and that all voices will be heard-young, old, rich, poor, male and female.
God help us.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
My Garden
Check out these pictures! A couple of weeks ago I was wondering what I'd do with 30 yards of topsoil and today, I have a beautiful garden. I bought 8 perennials at a "2 for one sale" at a local garden centre but all of the rest come from the gardens of my sisters and from a friend. When I look at this garden, I am so grateful for the people in my life who are so willing to share and to work at helping me out. This garden is more beautiful to me because it represents the best in people. We've heard and read so much about the worst in people these last 10 days and it's good to be reminded of what is good about people.Yvonne spent an entire day with me taking the plants out of Michele's garden and then replanting them in mine; Michele was willing to give me whatever I wanted from her garden.
When I visited Gwen, a friend whom I've only just known for a year or 2, I could see from her yard that she is a gardener. We talked about gardens and I told her about my (at that point) empty flower bed. A few days later she came to me with some of the beauty of her garden in a large garbage bag which I promptly plunked into the ground.
I feel so blessed.
I am not a gardener. For the life of me I can't remember the names of the flowers. My sisters on the other hand can recognize a flower just by its leaf. Not only can they recognize the flowers, they know where they'll do best (sun, shade, dry spot, wet spot). Sometimes they can even recognize a plant or flower they've never seen before. I love it when they find one like that and start talking about it. "I've never seen this before. It looks a little like a ________ but the leaf/flower/stem is different. Do you think it might be a __________?" And the conversation continues until they either figure it out or decide to go home and check their flower books.
But alas, I cannot join in those conversations. I hope that some of their knowledge will rub off on me but so far it hasn't. While I do not claim to be a gardener, I love and can appreciate beautiful gardens. I love stopping at gardens when I'm walking. Wes and I visit "The English Garden" at Assiniboine park several times most summers. And I can talk the talk with other gardeners if only to ask them the name of a particular plant and if it is a perennial or annual. I find that if I ask a question, a gardener can go on and on about his or her garden-a conversation that I love and have never found boring.
For my new garden I bought some stakes upon which I will write the names of all the perennials that I have planted. Hopefully, if I see the names every time I walk in the garden something will stick and just maybe, I'll learn them. I hope so. But for now, I'll be content to look at the beauty, and take care of them so that in the spring I will be able to give some of them back.
That's one of the wonderful things about gardens. We receive, and then we can give back. I can't wait to share the beauty of mine. And I can't wait till spring! (sigh)
The 2 Month Long Battle
The invasion has begun.
The army that would like to conquer, chew and destroy has already sent at least 2 sentinels. We know they are still in the area because we have seen some evidence of their presence. Early one morning, Tim actually saw them but as it was 6:00AM and he was moving a little slowly, he was unable to track them down.
You'd think they'd learn. You'd think their fathers and mothers, grandpas, grandmas, aunts, uncles and cousins would have let them know that although they might find food in certain locations, they would eventually meet their demise at this house.
And so we begin the battle yet again. I pull out my arsenol, all nicely packaged together in a plastic bag. Death Traps, check. Sticky traps, check. Poison, check (Yes Yvonne. Your dear doggy Buddy didn't eat it all last year.) Humane traps (I still can't understand why my own husband would buy a mouse trap that allows the rodent to live so that it can be released-back into my house!) A plug-in thingy that apparently makes noise that only a mouse can hear. I think this one particularly takes the cake as I'm convinced that the sound attracts rather than repels them. By the way. If I can hear the sound does that mean I'm a mouse?
I suppose that you can't really blame the poor critters. It's getting cold outside and like us humans, they like to live at ease, where the food is plentiful and the temperature is comfortable. They get all of this in my house. I have been told that I have a gift for hospitality and the mice seem to sense this. The food can easily be found in the bedrooms of certain residents of this abode, in the family room couch or under the fridge and stove in the kitchen. Mice really don't need much to keep them going-chocolate bar wrappers, cracker crumbs, even empty slurpee cups can seem like a feast to a cold and hungry mouse. We even leave nesting material around for them like clothes, blankets or paper on the floor. Last year, they spent some time in Carolina's boots but then decided to take up residence in her gym bag because the food and clothes, readily available, were preferable to the footwear. (She absolutely refused to wear those boots again.)
The first year we moved into this house we caught 17 mice in the fall. We had never had mice in any previous homes so we were unprepared for this onslaught and it was too late when we finally began fighting back. I think that was the year that word got around in the mouse community that our house was party central.
But I've learned. Joey, my nephew frequently tells the story when "auntie Linda killed 4 baby mice on the stairs with a toilet plunger." Actually it was a toilet brush and it was 5 mice (but who's keeping track anyway). As sickened as I was about this brutal murder, I just knew that if I didn't get them when I saw them, I'd be battling with their offspring in a few months. And boy do they know how to procreate.
Today, I can say with a measure of certainty that I am smarter than a mouse. I have discovered tricks that will get a mouse every time or at least most times. This year, I'm ready. I've got traps loaded with my prefered ammo-peanut butter. I've laid them out in strategic locations and eagerly look forward to asking Wes or Tim to check the traps every morning before they leave for work. (I am a fairly independent, liberated woman. But when it comes to emptying mouse traps, I believe that it is a man's job. Both Wes and Tim are willing to do this rather unpleasant job.)
So, the battle will continue until the snow falls or things freeze up around here. But I'm ready. Bring 'em on. I'll take care of 'em. Maybe they'll be smarter than their forefathers and foremothers and tell the younger generation that the neighbour's house is far more appealing.
The army that would like to conquer, chew and destroy has already sent at least 2 sentinels. We know they are still in the area because we have seen some evidence of their presence. Early one morning, Tim actually saw them but as it was 6:00AM and he was moving a little slowly, he was unable to track them down.
You'd think they'd learn. You'd think their fathers and mothers, grandpas, grandmas, aunts, uncles and cousins would have let them know that although they might find food in certain locations, they would eventually meet their demise at this house.
And so we begin the battle yet again. I pull out my arsenol, all nicely packaged together in a plastic bag. Death Traps, check. Sticky traps, check. Poison, check (Yes Yvonne. Your dear doggy Buddy didn't eat it all last year.) Humane traps (I still can't understand why my own husband would buy a mouse trap that allows the rodent to live so that it can be released-back into my house!) A plug-in thingy that apparently makes noise that only a mouse can hear. I think this one particularly takes the cake as I'm convinced that the sound attracts rather than repels them. By the way. If I can hear the sound does that mean I'm a mouse?
I suppose that you can't really blame the poor critters. It's getting cold outside and like us humans, they like to live at ease, where the food is plentiful and the temperature is comfortable. They get all of this in my house. I have been told that I have a gift for hospitality and the mice seem to sense this. The food can easily be found in the bedrooms of certain residents of this abode, in the family room couch or under the fridge and stove in the kitchen. Mice really don't need much to keep them going-chocolate bar wrappers, cracker crumbs, even empty slurpee cups can seem like a feast to a cold and hungry mouse. We even leave nesting material around for them like clothes, blankets or paper on the floor. Last year, they spent some time in Carolina's boots but then decided to take up residence in her gym bag because the food and clothes, readily available, were preferable to the footwear. (She absolutely refused to wear those boots again.)
The first year we moved into this house we caught 17 mice in the fall. We had never had mice in any previous homes so we were unprepared for this onslaught and it was too late when we finally began fighting back. I think that was the year that word got around in the mouse community that our house was party central.
But I've learned. Joey, my nephew frequently tells the story when "auntie Linda killed 4 baby mice on the stairs with a toilet plunger." Actually it was a toilet brush and it was 5 mice (but who's keeping track anyway). As sickened as I was about this brutal murder, I just knew that if I didn't get them when I saw them, I'd be battling with their offspring in a few months. And boy do they know how to procreate.
Today, I can say with a measure of certainty that I am smarter than a mouse. I have discovered tricks that will get a mouse every time or at least most times. This year, I'm ready. I've got traps loaded with my prefered ammo-peanut butter. I've laid them out in strategic locations and eagerly look forward to asking Wes or Tim to check the traps every morning before they leave for work. (I am a fairly independent, liberated woman. But when it comes to emptying mouse traps, I believe that it is a man's job. Both Wes and Tim are willing to do this rather unpleasant job.)
So, the battle will continue until the snow falls or things freeze up around here. But I'm ready. Bring 'em on. I'll take care of 'em. Maybe they'll be smarter than their forefathers and foremothers and tell the younger generation that the neighbour's house is far more appealing.
Friday, September 09, 2005
The Waiting Game
Why do they call waiting a game? My idea of a game is something fun and often loud. Something that can make me laugh hysterically. Something that brings out my competitive nature.
Today I am playing the waiting game. And it's not fun. I ordered a computer on line last week and it was supposed to be delivered today. At the latest. It's 4:44 p.m. and it is not yet here so I'll have to do without it for a whole weekend and play this game next week until it comes.
I haven't let myself get too excited about the Dell Notebook Computer I ordered. It's not too fancy but it will be my own and I won't have to share it. Today, I did let myself get excited and now, I've resigned myself to the fact that it won't come before the weekend.
A few days ago there was a note left on my door from the courier company that will be delivering my computer. I was so excited. It came! Wes and I ate a quick supper and drove out to the depot near the airport to pick it up. When the box was brought out, I was surprised to see that it was so small. Wes asked if he was sure this was for us and the fellow behind the counter assured us that it was.
Upon closer scrutiny we discovered that it was a computer mouse. I was so disappointed! We had ordered a mouse for my laptop at the same time as we ordered the computer. Turns out that the "peripheral" items are shipped from Ottawa but my computer is supposed to be shipped from somewhere in the USA via Calgary. Go figure.
And they can still make money doing business this way? Sheesh.
Today I am playing the waiting game. And it's not fun. I ordered a computer on line last week and it was supposed to be delivered today. At the latest. It's 4:44 p.m. and it is not yet here so I'll have to do without it for a whole weekend and play this game next week until it comes.
I haven't let myself get too excited about the Dell Notebook Computer I ordered. It's not too fancy but it will be my own and I won't have to share it. Today, I did let myself get excited and now, I've resigned myself to the fact that it won't come before the weekend.
A few days ago there was a note left on my door from the courier company that will be delivering my computer. I was so excited. It came! Wes and I ate a quick supper and drove out to the depot near the airport to pick it up. When the box was brought out, I was surprised to see that it was so small. Wes asked if he was sure this was for us and the fellow behind the counter assured us that it was.
Upon closer scrutiny we discovered that it was a computer mouse. I was so disappointed! We had ordered a mouse for my laptop at the same time as we ordered the computer. Turns out that the "peripheral" items are shipped from Ottawa but my computer is supposed to be shipped from somewhere in the USA via Calgary. Go figure.
And they can still make money doing business this way? Sheesh.
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.
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