Just Pretend I'm Not Here

Numbers of My Life

2012-01-31T16:22:00.000-04:00

One month into 2012
Nine months into missing Nana
Seven months away from turning 40
Six years into working at Genesys
Three hundred chapters into reading the Bible
Sixteen weeks away from the 2012 Cottage Season
Twenty six thousand kilometers on Phoebe's odometer
Two viewings of "Joyful Noise"
Fifty Granny Squares crocheted for afghan
Several hundred new e-books to be read

Resistance Was Futile

2012-01-11T16:31:00.000-04:00

I have been assimilated into the e-reading community.

I fought what I feel was a valiant battle against getting an e-reader. I used all the right arguments.

"It's not the same as holding a book in your hands."

"You don't have to worry about a book crashing and going blank."

"Dropping a book in a mud-puddle doesn't 'break' a book; you can always dry it out."

The winning salvo in the e-reader war was the lack space for more books in my apartment. I currently have 7 full bookcases (well, that's including the entertainment center which, aside from the TV in the big TV space, doubles as a bookcase), and there just is no room for any more books. I was serious enough about the space issue that I hadn't bought any new books in over six months - and if you know me, you realize what a big deal that is. So after Christmas, I hied myself to Indigo and bought a Kobo e-Reader. Just the basic, no frills model. And thanks to some fellow bibliophiles, I have over 500 (!!!) new books waiting to be loaded and read at my leisure. I have to admit that I rather like my e-reader (which I have yet to name....suggestions?). I don't prefer it to the tactile embrace of a book in my hand, but I like it better than I anticipated I would. Let's face it, reading is reading, no matter the medium!

"No man can be called friendless who has God and the companionship of good books."
~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Words of the Year for 2011

2012-01-03T11:52:00.000-04:00

Each year for Christmas some discerning soul gives me a "Word A Day" calendar for the upcoming year. When I came upon a word that I particulary liked, I would tape the calendar page to the door of my overhead office bookshelf. Today, I cleared the 2011 Wall of Favourites. So for posterity, and in the spirit of sharing my love of words and increasing the volume of my vocabulary, I am sharing with you my Top Ten Words from 2011.

Solecism - a mistake in grammar or speech: something deviating from the proper, normal or accepted order: a breach of etiquette.

Overweening - arrogant or presumptuous: immoderate or exaggerated.

Flocculate - to aggregate or coalesce into small lumps or loose clusters.

Apodictic - expressing or of the nature of necessary truth or absolute certainty.

Quidnunc - a person who seeks to know all the latest news or gossip: busybody.

Espiegle - frolicsome or roguish.

Embonpoint - plumpness of person: stoutness.

Palaver - a long discussion usually between persons of different levels of culture: a conference or discussion: idle talk.

Bouquniste - a dealer in secondhand books.

Eclogue - a poem in which shepherds converse.

"Hope for Every Nation"

2011-12-23T12:13:00.000-04:00

"And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." - Genesis 3:14&15

"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." - Isaiah 7:14

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." - Isaiah 9: 6&7

^"But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." - Micah 5:2

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. - Luke 1:26-33

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. - Luke 2: 1-20

"Pray without Ceasing"

2011-12-07T17:17:00.000-04:00

[Alternatively titled "Wherein I Break My Own Rule Regarding Blogging About Other People."
I have had a hard and fast rule about writing about other people in great detail on this blog. Before I write anything too specific about others, I try to remember to ask myself, "Were I in this particular situation, how would I feel about other people writing about it?" I say this so that anyone reading this particular post realizes that what follows is not a general practice of mine, but I feel this current situation warrants being shared.]

Kevin and Heather live in Edmonton, AB. Kevin is the assistant pastor at Lighthouse Baptist Church in the city. Kevin and Heather have been married for five years and have two little boys, Judah - age 2 and Levi - 6 months. About four weeks ago, Heather began to notice that she couldn't seem to shake what she assumed was a tension headache. Over the next two weeks, her headache became more persistent and stronger. She was started to have trouble finding words to complete her thoughts and was saying nonsensical things. By Tuesday, November 15, her headache had become so severe that she began to vomit, and Kevin took her to a walk in clinic on the morning of the 16th. The Dr at the clinic sent Heather to the U of A hospital for a CT scan. This scan revealed that Heather had a 7 cm tumour on her left front brain. On November 19th, she underwent a 5.5 hour craniotomy to remove the tumour. Heather came through the surgery very well, with no seizures, infection or any of the anticipated complications. She was released from the hospital on November 24th and has been recovering from surgery at home.

The official pathology results from the tumour lead the Dr's to diagnose Heather with Astrocytoma, Stage 4. Humanly speaking, the prognosis for Heather is not favourable. The Neurosurgeon who performed Heather's surgery indicated a median survival rate of 15-18 months. Heather has an appointment tomorrow (December 8th) to determine treatment options.

Yesterday, Heather developed another headache. Kevin took her to the ER last evening, where she had another CT scan and was given painkillers and anti-nausea medication. The Neurologist who reviewed the scan this morning found some things that cause concern. Currently, Heather is waiting to have an MRI to hopefully get a clear picture of what is going on.

Please, please, please pray for Heather. From a human standpoint we want to ask for complete healing, that God will remove this cancer from her body, and that she will be here for many more years to be with Kevin and to raise their boys. God is omnipotent and a God of miracles, and works all things out for our ultimate good and His glory. An excerpt from Kevin's announcement regarding Heather's condition to the church family says:

"God always wants what is best for us and is a good and loving God. He also has the power and ability to prevent every evil thing from happening to us. The reason evil exists, and the reason that God allows bad things to happen to good people is because He wanted us to have the choice to obey Him freely or not, and in Adam, we all chose the path of sin by nature from birth. Jonathan Andre’s death, Jack and Nancy Arlia’s son’s murder, Heather’s cancer – all of these things are a direct result of sin. God allowed all this to unfold because in making a way to redeem us from this path of sin, He brings incredible glory to Himself and demonstrates His incredible character and glory!"

So pray for Heather, Kevin and their families. Pray that, in glorifying Himself, God will continue to give Kevin and Heather peace, that He will continue to show them grace, give them comfort and lead them through this valley gently.

"But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." - 1 Peter 5:10 & 11

The Official Music of the Christmas Season

2011-12-06T16:07:00.000-04:00

Every year, since I can remember, I have listened to Handel's Messiah at Christmas time. I listen to it during the rest of the year as well, but it's not "really Christmas" until I listen to the whole Oratorio from start to finish. (I can still see the boxed set of LPs that used to lean against the turntable for the month of December out home in Renforth. But I digress....per usual).

Anyway, it wasn't too long into my existence before I realized that every word that was being sung in this Oratorio was from the Bible. You can read a list of all the Scriptures used in the libretto here.

I have had conversations recently about Christmas, and whether or not it’s spiritually and Biblically acceptable to celebrate the Christmas season. It’s true that we are not commanded to remember Christ’s birth as we are His death or to celebrate His birth as we do His resurrection. And it’s generally accepted fact that the date of Jesus’ birth was not December 25th. The reality to me is that if Jesus hadn’t been born in the manner promised and prophesied (of a virgin) and in the place prophesied (in Bethlehem of Judea) in the family lineage promised (the lineage of King David), and lived a perfect, sinless life as the physical manifestation of the Godhead, He could not have died in my place and taken the wrath of God the Father as the punishment for my sins – and not only my sins, but the sins of the whole world. The promise of my salvation started with the birth of a Baby in Bethlehem and that’s the biggest reason of all for celebration, my friends!

Back to the original premise of my post - Handel's Messiah - I will leave you with two of my favourite pieces from this work.

The Ultimate Christmas Carol:
http://youtu.be/TN5BaOGTmGs

The Ultimate Hope:
http://youtu.be/CYTQ6gpcuYA

Tradition!!

2011-11-24T17:52:00.000-04:00

I am a traditionalist by nature. I find comfort and stability in following patterns and procedures that have been in places for many years, decades and sometimes even centuries. This is true especially when it comes to worship services in church. I enjoy the liturgy, for lack of a more Baptist word. Not because I think or believe that worship should be a rote exercise - far from it - but because I find that using words that have been written by others allows me to really think about what I am saying as opposed to trying to think of my own words to impress those around me. Because, let's face it, we all like to be personally affirmed by the admiration of others.

One of the things that I enjoy most about worshipping with my church family is the musical parts of the service, especially the singing. Here my traditionalist roots show up again. I prefer and enjoy the "Great Old Hymns of the Faith" - you know the ones I mean. "Great is Thy Faithfulness", and "How Great Thou Art", "O, the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus", "Love Divine All Loves Excelling", and "Amazing Love", "It is Well with My Soul", "Blessed Assurance", just to name a few. The words to these hymns were written by men and women who had a deep and real relationship with the Lord. Many of these authors knew troubles and trials that would shake most of us to our very foundations, but the relationship that sustained them was the one with the Heavenly Father.

I have been thinking lately about some of the vicissitudes of life, about things with which I am struggling and about things that others of my friends have been facing. The thing that draws us all together in our struggles and fears and trials is the bond that exists because of the relationship we have together as Christians through Jesus Christ. As I have been thinking and praying over the past two weeks especially, two songs have been going through my mind. One of them is an old hymn, and the other one is a newer one. The first one is "Children of the Heavenly Father". What great words on which to meditate.!

More secure is no one ever

Than the loved ones of the Saviour.

Not yon star on high abiding

Nor the bird in home nest hiding.

God His own doth tend and nourish;

In His holy courts they flourish.

From all evil things He spares them;

In His loving arms He bears them.

Neither life nor death shall ever

From the Lord His children sever;

Unto them His grace He showeth,

And their sorrows all He knoweth.

Little flock, to joy then yield thee!

Jacob’s God will ever shield thee;

Rest secure with this Defender—

At His will all foes surrender.

Tho’ He giveth or He taketh,

God His children ne’er forsaketh;

His the loving purpose solely

To preserve them pure and holy.

As you may have noticed, I do have enough of a rebelious streak in me to enjoy the occasional break from tradition. That's probably why I have been thinking about the words to this much newer song. They are taken from the book of Lamentations, where Jeremiah tells us, "It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him."

Mercies Anew

Every morning that breaks

There are mercies anew

Every breath that I take

Is your faithfulness proved

And at the end of each day

When my labors are through
I will sing of Your mercies anew.

When I’ve fallen and strayed

There were mercies anew

For you sought me in love

And my heart you pursued

In the face of my sin

Lord, You never withdrew

So I sing of Your mercies anew.

And Your mercies, they will never end

For ten thousand years they’ll remain

And when this world’s beauty has passed away

Your mercies will be unchanged

And when the storms swirl and rage

There are mercies anew

In affliction and pain

You will carry me through

And at the end of my days

When Your throne fills my view

I will sing of Your mercies anew

I will sing of Your mercies anew.

A Pleasant Help

2011-11-17T16:27:00.000-04:00

Have you ever had one of those weeks that just grab you by the collar and shake you until everything spins out from the middle and you can't tell up from down?

I am having one of those weeks. The details of why I am having a bad week aren't important, but let me assure you that I will be glad to see Sunday arrive.

Even as a Christian, it's hard not to wonder at some of things that we see happen to friends and family. Being a Christian doesn't make me exempt from feeling sadness, grief, discouragement or anger; it doesn't give me a free pass on suffering physically, mentally or spiritually. Being a Christian doesn't mean that I don't ask "Why"?

Being a Christian means that I have faith that God in His sovereignty is working every circumstance and situation out to His glory and for my ultimate good. Romans 8:28, an oft quoted verse in times of trouble says, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." James 1: 2-4 tells me, "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."

Being a Christian means that I have an assurance that you are never alone in any circumstance of life. Consider Isaiah 43: 1&2 - "...do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters,I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you..." or Isaiah 41:10 - Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."

I remember Nana telling a story about teaching one of her classes a Bible verse. [Nana taught back in the day when prayer in school was a daily occurance, and the Bible used as a teaching and memorization tool!!] She was teaching her class Psalm 46:1; "God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble." One young boy, when called upon to recite quoted, "God is our refuge and strength, a very pleasant help in trouble". Nana corrected him, but she said that his version of the verse always stayed with her.

Being a Christian doesn't mean I have all the answers, that I will never experience suffering or grief of any kind; that life will be sunshine and roses. Being a Christian means that I have a "pleasant help in trouble!"

One Small Red Flower

2011-11-09T15:50:00.000-04:00

One Small Red Flower;
Red for the Blood that bought our Freedom.

One Small Red Flower;
For those who gave the Flower of their Youth.

One Small Red Flower:
A carpet on the Graves of those who Rest in a far away land.

One Small Red Flower;
A Nation's way to Respect and Thank those who came home, and to Honour those who didn't.

One Small Red Flower:
A way to Never Forget.

In Memory of Gramp and In Recognition of Hallowe'en

2011-10-31T16:44:00.000-03:00

A rather unlikely combination, if you knew my Grandfather Bolser.

Gramp loved poetry [you knew I got it from somewhere], he loved to quote it and he was fond of the works of James Whitcomb Riley. As a little girl I remember him quoting this poem, and making very effective use of his vocal range with the line, "and the gobble-uns'll get you, if you don't......watch.......OUT!"

So here it is - possibly the only MV Bolser approved Hallowe'en recitation:

The Little Orphan Annie

James Whitcomb Riley

Little Orphan Annie's come to my house to stay.

To wash the cups and saucers up and brush the crumbs away.

To shoo the chickens from the porch and dust the hearth and sweep,

and make the fire and bake the bread to earn her board and keep.

While all us other children, when the supper things is done,

we sit around the kitchen fire and has the mostest fun,

a listening to the witch tales that Annie tells about

and the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!

Once there was a little boy who wouldn't say his prayers,

and when he went to bed at night away up stairs,

his mammy heard him holler and his daddy heard him bawl,

and when they turned the covers down,

he wasn't there at all!

They searched him in the attic room

and cubby hole and press

and even up the chimney flu and every wheres, I guess,

but all they ever found of him was just his pants and round-abouts

and the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!!

Once there was a little girl who always laughed and grinned

and made fun of everyone, of all her blood and kin,

and once when there was company and old folks was there,

she mocked them and she shocked them and said, she didn't care.

And just as she turned on her heels and to go and run and hide,

there was two great big black things a standing by her side.

They snatched her through the ceiling fore she knew what shes about,

and the goblins will get ya if ya don't watch out!!

When the night is dark and scary,

and the moon is full and creatures are a flying and the wind goes Whoooooooooo,

you better mind your parents and your teachers fond and dear,

and cherish them that loves ya, and dry the orphans tears

and help the poor and needy ones that cluster all about,

or the goblins will get ya if ya don't....... watch........ OUT!!!

What's Been Occupying My Mind?

2011-10-26T17:40:00.000-03:00

Alternatively Titled:
Wherein I Break My Own Rule About Writing OpEd Pieces.

Take your pick.

For the last five and half weeks we've all been hearing about the Occupy Wall Street Movement, and the para-Occupy Movements that have emerged; Occupy Moncton, Occupy Fredericton, Occupy Saint John...the list goes on.

While I absolutely believe that people have the right to congregate peacefully and express their concerns and opinions, here are somethings I don't understand:

The overall direction of this movement. From what I have read and understand, there are no defined demands or goals. The protesters in Zuccotti Park are divided amongst themselves as to what the demands are or even if they should have demands. To me, protesting because of lack of responsible legislation and then turning around and saying, "it's the job of the nation's leader to draft legislation [which is true] and if they had done their jobs we wouldn't be protesting" seems a bit of a circular argument.

Locally speaking, is it reasonable to expect that if something works on Wall Street it will also work on King Street? New York City has more people in it than the whole of the province of New Brunswick. The sheer force of numbers are on NYC's side. I would be surprised if there are 50 people in the Tent City in King Square. What is this supposed to accomplish? I'm not saying don't do anything, I'm questioning the effectiveness of what is being done.

Do the [live in] protesters not have family/home/job responsibilities? And is ignoring those responsibilities to protest the fact that the government has ignored their responsibilities not just a tad hypocritical? If someone loses their job to be a part of this Occupy Movement, should they forfeit the right to draw EI - a government funded subsidy? Conversely, if some of the protesters are currently unemployed and drawing EI I honestly don't see how constructive it is to be sitting in a tent in a park, biting the hand that feeds you.

If I'm being very honest, I have to say that I think this whole thing is not a little embarrassing, trivial and dare I say greedy, in light of what is going on in parts of the rest of the world. I understand the 1% vs 99% principle. I am a part of the 99%. But does the North American 99% grasp that compared to the most rest of the world, we have it made in the shade. We are part of the 1%, globally speaking. Sure, I live paycheque to paycheque - sometimes it's my own fault for not being responsible; most of the time, however, it's because I run out of money before I run out of month. That being considered, I still have a roof over my head, food on my plate, clothes on my back, a job, and a government system in place to help me get those things if I can't or even won't get them for myself. And that's not including the extras that I have: a car, a Cottage, and some disposable income with which to entertain myself. That's a ridiculous disparity from the people on the Horn of Africa who are suffering and dying from a horrible famine; or refugees displaced because of war - living in a tent isn't an act of protest for them, it's a way of life; or children as young as five years old who are sold into the sex slave market. My mind can't even comprehend what these little babies see and are forced to do in the run of a 24 hour period. We are blessed people living a blessed lifestyle in two equally blessed countries, and we take many, many, many rights and privileges for granted.

So in a nutshell:

Do I think the government is perfect?
No

Do I think we have a right to responsible government?
Yes, because we are blessed to live in a democracy.

Do I think that we have a right to protest a non responsible government?
Yes, because we are blessed to live in a democracy.

Do I think that we should expect change in a non responsible government?
Yes, because we are blessed to live in a democracy.

Do I think that the Occupy Movement is the best way to effect that change?
I have my doubts.

Quite Possibly the Funniest Canadian Ever...

2011-10-17T16:44:00.000-03:00

...excluding politicians who, I am convinced, never actually try to be funny - they just ARE funny.

"Sing 'River', Nana"

2011-10-02T10:00:00.001-03:00

When I was a little girl, so the stories are told, I had a propensity of rebranding things using my own names or terms. Bags of flour would be "up-spilled". I loved a good "Ham-Beef" or "Choppy American Soo" for supper. I stumped my parents for weeks asking them to sing the song, "My Heart is Going Up and Down", which translates into "I'm Inright, Outright, Upright, Downright Happy All the Time." And when we would travel in the car, especially on long trips, I would ask Nana to sing "River."

I don't know if Nana could really sing. I suspect she probably could but by the time I was old enough to take notice of people's singing voices, Nana was well into her 70's and by her own admission, her voice was rather worse for the wear. The last time I remember Nana singing was the summer of 2010. Nana was listening as Beth and I were practicing a duet to sing in a church service. Nana loved listening to music; every time I finished practising the piano (which was at her house) she would always thank me for the "concert". Anyhow, Beth and I kept on singing for Nana after we had finished our practicing. We sang many of the old hymns, and Nana joined in on a few lines in most of them. We didn't sing "River", though. I wish we had.

As of today, October 2nd, Nana has been in Heaven for six months. There are not enough words in the English languge to express how much love and miss her, or how much I look foward to seeing her again. Maybe, if we have a Favourites Sing Time in Heaven, I will say, "Sing 'River' Nana"....and I will sing with her.

Shall We Gather at The River

Shall we gather at the river

Where bright angel feet have trod,

With its crystal tide forever

Flowing by the throne of God?

On the margin of the river,

Washing up its silver spray,

We will talk and worship ever,

All the happy golden day.

Ere we reach the shining river,

Lay we every burden down;

Grace our spirits will deliver,

And provide a robe and crown.

At the smiling of the river,

Mirror of the Savior’s face,

Saints, whom death will never sever,

Lift their songs of saving grace.

Soon we’ll reach the silver river,

Soon our pilgrimage will cease;

Soon our happy hearts will quiver

With the melody of peace.

Yes, we’ll gather at the river,

The beautiful, the beautiful river;

Gather with the saints at the river

That flows by the throne of God.

Anger Vs Pity

2011-09-21T16:57:00.003-03:00

I've spent the last several days fuming. Fuming admittedly accomplishes nothing, unless you count that it makes me feel better in the short term. I've been fuming at the incredible arrogance and ignorance (it's amazing how often those two characteristics go hand in hand) of Pat Robertson. On September 14, 2011, Pat Robertson stated his opinion, when asked, that the husband of a woman diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease should make sure that she had suitable care arrangements and then divorce her because, "Alzheimer's is a form of death." You can read CTV's news article with the full context and quote here.

Admittedly this is not the largest of Robertson's gaffes, but it's one that flips my switch.

Alzheimer's Disease is a fatal disease that slowly and insidiously destroys the mental faculties of a loved one. It leaves the family members to cope not only with the eventual physical death of the loved one, but also the death of everything that made that person who he or she was. I've seen and experienced it first hand.

This vile disease claimed my wonderful, intelligent, loving, tall and handsome Grandfather and reduced him to a fearful, sometimes angry and belligerent shell of a man who couldn't remember his own name or where he was. When Gramp was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease in December of 1989, Nana said, "This is the 'in sickness and health' part of my marriage vows, and I will care for Max as long as the Lord gives me strength." She spent the next three years doing just that, often at the expense of her own rest, peace of mind, and physical health.

See, Mr. Robertson? That's how it's done.

There's also a "reaping and sowing" principle that can be applied here. Nana's loving example in caring for Gramp was somewhat repaid in the love and care that was shown to her, especially during the last years of her life. God graciously showed His love to both Nana and Gramp in taking them to their Heavenly Home from the warmth and comfort of their earthly home, surrounded by the family that loves them more than anyone else in the whole world.

And that's where the pity for Mr. Robertson surfaces. It seems that he equates physical and mental wholeness as criteria in order to be worthy of love. And while I am in no way saying that Mr. Robertson does not love his wife, I hope for her sake that she remains healthy for the rest of her life. I would be nervous, were I in her position.

I am thankful that God's ways are higher than our ways, and that we don't have to be physically and mentally perfect to receive His love, mercy and grace; that " God commended His love to us in that, while we were sinners, Christ died for us", and that "we love Him because He first loved us."

I wonder if Mr. Robertson truly understands that?

Happy Birthday, Henna!

2011-09-14T10:44:00.000-03:00

Henna and Ann - 1973

Originally Posted on September 14, 2006:

Henna - September 14, 1902

Today is Henna’s birthday. If she were alive she would be 104 years old. It’s really not a stretch to think of her being that old, seeing as how she was only a couple weeks shy of her 97th birthday when she died. Henna was one of those individuals who were very “alive”. She was not cumbered by her years, her sight was not dimmed or her force abated.

Henna was my grandmother’s oldest sister, born on September 14, 1902, the eldest daughter of Willis and Nellie of Penniac, NB. Her real name was Helen Mary. She had two older brothers, Alan and Clarence, and two younger sisters, Harriet and Ruthe (my grandmother). Somehow Henna doesn’t fit into the stereotype of the middle child. She wasn’t laid back or easy going and was always firmly in charge of whatever was going on around her – or at least she thought she was. She spent her formative years in Penniac on the family farm, went through the country school as far as she could, and then came to “The City” of Saint John to attend Business College. She graduated from the College, and worked for many years as a secretary in Dr. Some-body-or-other’s optometry office. In 1951, she married William Trafton, a.k.a Uncle Bill, and they lived on Pitt Street in Saint John. They were married for 31 years before Uncle Bill died. That is the framework of bare bone facts you need to know about Henna.

Henna was bestowed her nickname by my mother. Aunt Helen was too much of a mouthful for mother to try and get out, so the two words were morphed into “Henna”. Incidentally, Aunt Harriet’s name met the same fate, and she is known as “Hatey” in the family circles. By the time I made my debut, Henna had been Henna for 20 years, and was just as happy to be known as such, thank you very much.

Henna is so firmly ensconced in my memory that I don’t ever remember her not being around. When I was a young child, I spent my summers at The Cottage with Henna and Uncle Bill. Henna and Hatey used to come to Fredericton and spend weeks at a time with Nana and Grampie – much to Grampie’s delight, I am sure. Christmas was always a guarantee that we would see Henna, and there were other random visits during the year. When our family moved to Saint John, we saw Henna on a very regular basis, usually two or three times a week.

If I try and recall what I remember most about Henna, two main things spring to mind. First of all, she was fiercely loyal and protective of her family. She might rake you across the coals in the privacy of a family context, but woe to those “outsiders” to dare make a derogatory and disparaging remark in her hearing about any member of her family. The second thing I recall about Henna is that she was probably the best cook that I have ever known. Henna’s Salmon Sandwiches are locally world famous. My youngest sister and I were talking fondly about the Salmon Sandwiches not too long ago. Henna would buy the good kind of canned salmon to use in her sandwiches. She would pick through the entire can by hand and there was not a piece of skin or bone to be found when she was done. She used to make her own mayonnaise and that greatly enhanced the flavor of the sandwiches. However, R and I decided that what made the sandwiches so delectable was the fact that Henna mixed everything together by hand, and it was her own touch that made the sandwich so good. Along the same culinary note, Henna’s Oatmeal Cookies have been often imitated, but sadly never duplicated. A couple of people have come close to attaining the perfection, but so far a Henna quality cookie has not been produced.

Henna was also very generous – to her friends yes, but most especially to her family. Neither Henna nor Hatey had any children of their own, so my mother had her own mother, and Nana’s two sisters found an outlet for their maternal instincts. When the three granddaughters arrived, we had the benefit of three grandmothers for a short time. Hatey died suddenly when I was 6 years old, and so we were left with our own Nana, as well as Henna. Henna’s love and generosity were lavished on all of us. Henna always had a treat of each of us when we would go to visit her. Sometimes it was a chocolate bar, sometimes it was M&M that we would eat out of a particular amber coloured glass dish, sometimes it was potato chips, and every once in a while there would some pop. It was always orange pop, mind you, because orange pop was made from fruit (?) and cola was bad for you….too much sugar!!! Her generosity was not restricted to candy treats – Henna bought each of us a couple of new outfits every year for the beginning of school; winter coats and boots were regularly provided, as well books and toys and dolls for each of us. My parents were also blessed to be on the receiving end of unquestioning generosity. My sisters and I owe much of what we had to Henna. I only wish we had been able to express our gratitude and thanks to her with an adult perspective.
After Uncle Bill died, Nana and Grampie moved to Saint John to live with Henna. Henna owned a two family house, and so my grandparents took up residence in the downstairs portion of the house. (My grandmother still lives there, incidentally). My family moved to Rothesay the following year, and my sisters and I spend the next several years going back and forth between Rothesay and Saint John. Probably the most exciting thing about going to Henna’s was that she had a TV. We didn’t have one in our house while we were growing up, so being able to watch TV like the rest of the “normal” kids we went to school with was thrilling beyond description.

In 1992, I moved into the city to live with Nana and Henna. My grandfather died that fall, and Nana didn’t want to live downstairs by herself. It was quite an adjustment to learn to live with two elderly ladies. You never knew where they were going to pop up. I remember coming home from work one day and finding Henna in my bedroom going through my dresser drawers. When I asked her what she was doing, she told me that she was “looking for some molasses.” I never did figure that one out. There was the time she cut up my debit card because she thought I was too young to have a credit card. I did figure that one out and I made sure to hide anything that I didn’t want cut up or thrown out

In August of 1995, just about a week before I left to go back to FBCC, Henna fell getting ready for bed one night. She broke a rib and punctured her lung. Because of her age at the time, 93, it was not an optimistic hope that she would recover. She began to spend more and more time in bed as it became clear that irreparable damage had been done. My youngest sister moved in to Pitt Street to care for Henna.

As humour is a coping mechanism in our family, and as funny things seem to be said and done with great regularity, there is of course a story to share. R went into wake Henna up one morning. Henna looked up at her and said, “I have a turd.” R, thinking that Henna was telling her that she needed to relieve the pressure in her bowels told Henna that she would look after her in a minute. Henna replied, “No, I have a turd,” and pulled her hand out from underneath the blanket. In her hand was indeed a turd, which she handed to R. That was the least of the funny things that Henna said and did while R looked after her. Henna Stories are still told with fondness among those who knew of her.

Henna lived for three years after her fall. When she died on August 26, 1999, she left behind a wonderful legacy of love and laughter.

Happy Birthday, Henna.

We miss you.

Beauty for Ashes

2011-09-12T17:54:00.000-03:00

Like everyone else in the Western World, I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when the planes crashed into the World Trade Towers on September 11, 2001. I was working at NBPower, but for some reason had run from the office to home just before 10:00 am - probably to get something for Mrs. Curren. I don't really remember. I do remember walking into her bedroom just as the second plane flew into the South Tower. It didn't occur to me for one second that what I was seeing was real. I recall saying to Mrs. C, "What movie are you watching?" It quickly became evident that it wasn't a movie and I, along with rest of the country and the continent, spent the next several days watching New York City in news coverage on all the major networks.

There are pictures and scenes that are indelibly etched on our collective consciousness. The initial impacts and explosions as the planes hit the WTC towers; Father Mychal Judge's lifeless body being carried from the wreckage; the terrible pictures of people jumping from the burning buildings; the billows of ashy smoke from the falling towers racing down streets and sidewalks, swallowing everything and everyone in their path; abandoned firetrucks with windows blown out; people wandering dazedly about; the agonizing tears of family members who had loved ones in the Towers. Everyone in North America who was alive on September 11, 2001 will remember it for the rest of their lives.

During the news saturation in the aftermath of 9/11, it was hard to see and hear all the devastation. You began to think that you would hear nothing good from New York City. On Friday, September 14th I was watching the news after work and watched the following news story.

Harry and Rose were an older couple living in the heart of NYC. September 11, 2001 was the New York Mayoral election day, and Harry and Rose went out to cast their votes. Shortly after they voted, the pandemonium that was 9/11 unfolded. Harry and Rose were caught in the sea of people surging away from the WTC centers and were separated. Rose made her way to a Red Cross Shelter and stayed there, hoping that Harry would turn up. Harry wandered the streets on his own, looking for Rose with no success. As the day went on, Harry realized that he would need his heart medication and so he returned to the apartment where he and Rose lived. The apartment was in a part of the city that had been deemed unliveable by the authorities and had been evacuated earlier in the day. There was no power, heat, lights or phone service in the building. In spite of the fact that the building had been deserted, Harry decided to stay put. He had some food and water, his medicine, and it was hard to breathe out in the streets of NYC. Harry and Rose spent the next three nights apart, each not knowing if the the other was alive.

Harry and Rose's son, Sam, lived in another part of the country. Like the rest of the world he watched the events of 9/11 with horror, panic and fear, not knowing if his parents had survived. He had spoken to them on the phone the previous day and knew that they were planning to go out and vote. His worst fear was that his Mother and Father had been caught in the melee and killed; because of the disruption in the NYC phone system, Sam had no way of knowing anything about his parent's condition, if they were hurt or even dead.

Sam immediately began trying to track down his parents. After a period of time, phone numbers were released for various rescue agencies that had shelters for people displaced from their homes. After many phone calls, Sam found the Red Cross Shelter where his mother had taken refuge. Mother and Son spoke on the phone, each relieved to hear the other's voice, but both heavy hearted at the unknown whereabouts of their Husband and Father. After speaking with his mother, Sam spoke with a Red Cross worker at the shelter and gave him his parent's address. The Red Cross worked said that he would make sure the information was given to rescue personnel who were canvassing neighbourhoods affected by the events of Tuesday, the 11th.

It was the afteroon of Friday, September 14th when rescue workers found Harry in his cold, dark apartment. He was quite well, considering the circumstances, but was so very worried about Rose. The rescue workers helped Harry from the apartment building, checked him out in an EMT truck and took him to the Red Cross Shelter where Rose was.

The news crew showed the reunion live. It was one of the most beautiful, joyous, heart-wrenching, tear-jerking things I have ever seen in my life. Two understandably worse for the wear elderly sweethearts, with their arms wrapped around each other, crying. Harry kept repeating "Rosie, Rosie, Rosie!!", and Rose kept kissing Harry. The rescue personnel, shelter workers, news crew applauded, cheered and cried. You could hear the camera operator sobbing in the background. I still cry every time I think about it - I would be lying if I told you that I didn't have tears in my eyes right now while I'm typing this.

So when I think about September 11, 2001, I do think about the horror, devestation and seeming senselessness of the situation. But I also remember Harry and Rose and the little tiny, tiny pinprick of light that their story brought to a very, very dark and bleak landscape. It reminds me of the verses in Isaiah 61 that says, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; wo comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion,to give them beauty for ashes,the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;….”

Wrong, Wronger, Wrongest

2011-09-02T16:36:00.000-03:00

I feel that the time has come for a grammar review - specifically the proper use of the apostrophe.

I know that I am pedantic when it comes to the English language and grammar; not only it is in my genetic code, but I have put in the time, energy and suffering to earn the right to be so. The Summer of 1986 springs to mind. Email me for details if you're interested.

ANYWAY.

The Apostrophe - a punctuation mark used in languages that are based on the Latin alphabet; this punctuation mark serves three general purposes:

Indicates the absence of one or more letters in a word, such as a contraction. The words "can not" can be contracted into "can't". This is a proper use of an apostrophe.
Indicates possession.* "Mary's shoes are untied.". The apostrophe indicates that Mary owns the shoes. This is a proper use of the apostrophe.
Indicates the plural form of "words that are not words" or dates indicating time periods. "In the late 1950's, one really needed to be mindful of one's P's and Q's." These are proper uses of the apostrophe.

* It should be noted that words or names that end with the letter "s" do not get an "'s" to indicate posession. "The Jones's house was burgled." should be "The Jones' house was burgled." In recent time this has been has been debated, but I feel that we can do without the superfluity of apostrophes.

It tends to boil down to this overarching fact: The use of the apostrophe to indicate the plural of an object is universally considered incorrect.

"The Brewer's are coming to dinner." is wrong.

"The Brewer's are coming to dinner and they had best mind their Ps and Qs." is wronger.

"The Brewer's are coming to dinner tonight, and they had best mind thier Ps and Qs so as to not eat all the Jones's apple's and banana's!" is the wrongest!!

PS - I know that "wrong, wronger and wrongest" is not how you compare the adjective "wrong"! Just saying.

My Secret is Out - ETA Play-Doh Picture Link

2011-08-24T12:58:00.002-03:00

I don't really fish.

Are you shocked and surprised?

I thought not.

So here's the annual vacation recap - minus the fishing stories.

The first week of vacation (August 7-13) was pretty low key, with the exception of Thursday, August 11 which happens to be the best day of the year!! Even better than Christmas, if you can believe such a thing. I have to be honest and say that I was not looking forward to my birthday this year because Nana isn't here. Birthdays were a "big deal" to Nana and any natal celebrations were usually planned with her input and enthusiasm. But it turned out to be quite a nice little family party. We had a barbecue at Beth's place, complete with decorations of balloons and streamers and Play-Doh party favours. I love Play-Doh!! We had a Play-Doh party after supper. Unfortunately my camera battery died and I don't have any pictures of the party or resulting works of art, so you will just have to take my word that some true masterpieces were created. **ETA** - Here's the link to the Play Doh Art Gallery; Free Admission.

Friday night I had dinner with two friends, Joy and Julie. We went to Vivalidi's and had the place pretty much to ourselves, which worked out well seeing as how we were three for three hours. We solved most of the world's problems in that time, and we would be happy to take submissions for questions/problems for our next Executive Meeting. :-)

The next week of vacation (August 14-20) was spent at The Cottage. The weather was great, with the exception of an overcast and rainy Tuesday. I read three books, "Death of an Expert Witness", and "Devices and Desires", both by PD James, and "Wheel of Darkness", by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Wednesday evening I came back to the city for another birthday supper barbecue (anyone sensing that I am a fan of flame cooked meat??) and family gathering. Friday was entertaining day at The Cottage; Josh, Becky & Silas and Raquel came for the afternoon and supper, and then Ann & Jonathan and Shelley & Lori joined us for an evening of games and erudite conversation. Saturday I packed my overnight case and headed to the Capital City to attend the RCMP Musical Ride, courtesy of a birthday gift from the Crossman family. I had never seen the Musical Ride, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sunday I came back to The Cottage, cleaned up there and returned to the Cats and the Port City rested and rejuvenated and raring to go. (Nice little bit of alliteration there, what?)

I leave you with a link to some Vacation & Nostalgia pictures - enjoy!!

Gone Fishing...

2011-08-05T18:57:00.000-03:00

See you after August 22!

Five Years Ago...

2011-07-27T13:52:00.002-03:00

On July 27, 2006, I wrote my very first blog post.

And the world as we knew it changed!!

When I first started writing, it was simply to see if I could do it. Could I string together coherent thoughts that made sense, were entertaining or informative or thought provoking?

I think I've done OK.

I have been reading back over some of my "literary" efforts of the past five years. I've written about Gramp, and Henna, and our beloved Nana - who is missed so very, very, very much. I know that I'm prejudiced, but I think she was the best Nana that anyone ever had and here are some well thought out reasons to back me up. I've written about my Sisters and the loving craziness that binds us together. And The Cats, who can forget those Crazy Cats and their various hi-jinks?

To be completely fair, I have also opened up the vault on some stories that present me in less than positive light: The Hotdog in the Coat Story, the Blind Date Story, the Cat vs Nose Incident, and of course, the famous Trombone Story. I shared some of my pet peeves, grammar-related and otherwise, and my never ending love of poetry.

I've written of things about which I feel strongly; Canada, her contributions and sacrifices in both past wars and current military and peacekeeping efforts, and the ones who let loved ones go serve their country; about fairness and loving your neighbour; about judging others without the benefit of knowledge; about my struggles, the abundance with which God has blessed me, and the friends that help brighten the journey of life here on earth.

So, thank you for reading, for commenting, and for sharing this little space of the blog-sphere with me. The pleasure has been all mine.

Here's to another five years!!

God's Trombones

2011-07-13T16:18:00.000-03:00

Go Down, Death
by James Weldon Johnson
(A Funeral Sermon)

Weep not, weep not,
She is not dead;
She's resting in the bosom of Jesus.
Heart-broken husband--weep no more;
Grief-stricken son--weep no more;
Left-lonesome daughter --weep no more;
She only just gone home.

Day before yesterday morning,
God was looking down from his great, high heaven,
Looking down on all his children,
And his eye fell on Sister Caroline,
Tossing on her bed of pain.
And God's big heart was touched with pity,
With the everlasting pity.

And God sat back on his throne,
And he commanded that tall, bright angel standing at his right hand:
Call me Death!
And that tall, bright angel cried in a voice
That broke like a clap of thunder:
Call Death!--Call Death!
And the echo sounded down the streets of heaven
Till it reached away back to that shadowy place,
Where Death waits with his pale, white horses.

And Death heard the summons,
And he leaped on his fastest horse,
Pale as a sheet in the moonlight.
Up the golden street Death galloped,
And the hooves of his horses struck fire from the gold,
But they didn't make no sound.
Up Death rode to the Great White Throne,
And waited for God's command.

And God said: Go down, Death, go down,
Go down to Savannah, Georgia,
Down in Yamacraw,
And find Sister Caroline.
She's borne the burden and heat of the day,
She's labored long in my vineyard,
And she's tired--
She's weary--
Go down, Death, and bring her to me.

And Death didn't say a word,
But he loosed the reins on his pale, white horse,
And he clamped the spurs to his bloodless sides,
And out and down he rode,
Through heaven's pearly gates,
Past suns and moons and stars;
on Death rode,
Leaving the lightning's flash behind;
Straight down he came.

While we were watching round her bed,
She turned her eyes and looked away,
She saw what we couldn't see;
She saw Old Death. She saw Old Death
Coming like a falling star.
But Death didn't frighten Sister Caroline;
He looked to her like a welcome friend.
And she whispered to us: I'm going home,
And she smiled and closed her eyes.

And Death took her up like a baby,
And she lay in his icy arms,
But she didn't feel no chill.
And death began to ride again--
Up beyond the evening star,
Into the glittering light of glory,
On to the Great White Throne.
And there he laid Sister Caroline
On the loving breast of Jesus.

And Jesus took his own hand and wiped away her tears,
And he smoothed the furrows from her face,
And the angels sang a little song,
And Jesus rocked her in his arms,
And kept a-saying: Take your rest,
Take your rest.

Weep not--weep not,
She is not dead;
She's resting in the bosom of Jesus.

I am an Artist and Oatmeal is my Medium

2011-06-10T17:40:00.001-03:00

I started to learn to cook when I was a young girl. I can remember "helping" Nana when she baked, made bread or rolls and when she was putting together a meal. When I was a young teen, it wasn't unusual for me to make supper based on a menu left on the fridge - chicken joes, anyone? As I have progressed in life, I have found myself in situations where my knowledge has stood me in good stead. I fed, clothed and watered Mrs. Curren for seven years without any major mishaps. (And for the record, by "clothed" I mean I helped Mrs. C get dressed when she needed assistance, NOT that I bought her clothes.) I have worked in a couple of restaurants, and in many camp kitchens during my sojourn here on this moral coil, and to the best of my knowledge, no one has suffered for it.

I will stop here and say that I have made some culinary boo-boos in my time. There is the Great Meatloaf Incident of 198whatever-it-was when I put a meatloaf and potatoes in the oven to cook and set the oven at 500 degrees. The resulting meal was less than palatable. I have been known to confuse condensed and evaporated milk, but I also invented "Froggy Dollys" - a delicious hybrid of Hello Dolly squares and chocolate Frog cookies. Cake flour is NOT an acceptable substitute for regular flour when you are making bread, and if you confuse salt with sugar when you are making a quadruple batch of butterscotch sauce for Family Camp, the chief cook (who is one of your better friends in life) will gently and lovingly remind you of your mistake every so often. All in good fun, of course.

I have, however, presented my family and friends with some winners. Snowball Cake, Death by Chocolate Cake, Chicken Lasagna, Apple & Onion Soup, Cheese Bread, Baked Oatmeal, Chicken Picata, Oatmeal Muffins....it's all good.

I tend stick to recipes as opposed to inventing things. I will make a recipe exactly the way it's supposed to be made the first time I make something. This is apparently a cause of controversy, as some people feel "stifled" by following a recipe. I contend that you don't know if you actually like something unless you make it right the first time. It might be perfectly wonderful, and you will never know what you are missing because you didn't follow the recipe.

Anyway, I said all that to say this. I invented a really good recipe last night. I'm not sure if it is a square or more of a cookie type bar, but it's really quite scrumdillyicious!! I am recording the recipe for posterity, but feel free to use it.

Ann's Awesome Oatmeal _________
(I have to get an opinion on the square/cookie bar thing - I'll let you know.)

1/2 c margarine/butter
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1 egg
3/4 c oatmeal
1 1/4 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp maple syrup
1/2 c milk

Cream butter and sugars together. Add egg. Mix in oatmeal and flour and salt - dough will quite stiff. Add milk and maple syrup. Pour dough into greased 8x8 pan. Bake @ 350 for 20-25 minutes.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you that when I bake I mix everything by hand.

So if you try this, let me know what you think. And feel free to tell me you didn't like it at all. I'm tough, I can take it.

Trudging Along

2011-05-26T16:52:00.001-03:00

So, obviously I haven't been spending much time writing things to post on this blog. The past eight weeks have not been the happiest, jolliest, most fun filled and adventure packed days of my life. Any writing I have done has been for me - to try and deal with this "new normal". To be completely honest, I much prefer the old normal and would give much, if not all of what I have and own to get it back.

It doesn't work that way.

I get it.

I still don't like it.

Anyway.

In an effort to distract myself from this huge loss and the miserable fact that the weather here in the ol' Port City has been disgusting for the last three weeks, I have turned to the Internet. You can find the most fascinating bits of useless information there. I love useless information.

Specifically though, I have discovered "Inside the Actor's Studio" and James Lipton. I have vague recollections of seeing bits and pieces of this show back when I was looking after Mrs.Curren, but it didn't pique my interest at the time. Plus I thought (and still think) that James Lipton is a bit scary looking. He reminds me of what a clown looks like under its make-up. Shallow, I know. Mr. Lipton is, however, a meticulous researcher, collector of obscure facts, and talented interviewer and un-masker of his guests. Also in his favour is the fact that he is exceedingly well spoken, widely read and intelligent with a quick sense of humour.

If you want to know what the show is like, you can follow the link to the Wikipedia Article. It explains it in greater detail than I wish to get into. At the end of the interview, before Mr. Lipton turns his guest of evening over to a Q&A session with his students, he asks them 10 questions from a questionnaire developed by Proust and used by Bernard Pivot, a French talk show host.

I think that the fact that you can ask the same questions to 100 people and get 100 different answers is very interesting. I am not an actor, nor do I portray on on this blog, but I am going to answer the 10 questions that Mr. Lipton asks his guests. (It's kind of like the original meme, if you think about it.)

What is your favorite word?
- Pusillanimous

What is your least favorite word?
- Slacks

What "turns you on"?
- Learning things

What "turns you off"?
- Ignorance in all it's forms

What sound or noise do you love?
- Waves coming into shore

What sound or noise do you hate?
- Yelling and shouting in anger

What is your favorite curse word?
- I don't curse, but when I'm angry I use the phrase, "for the love of all that is right and good!!"

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
- A high school teacher or professor

What profession would you not like to do?
- Any medical profession

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
- I believe Heaven exists, and I would like to hear God say, "Welcome home!"

Not Enough Words

2011-05-05T14:53:00.001-03:00

They say a picture is worth a thousands words. If that's true, then here is a 30,000 word book about Nana. The words in the English languge are not expressive enough to convey how much we love Nana, and how very, very, very much that we miss her. I am thankful that we have so many pictures, but we don't need them to remember Nana. She is thought about, spoken of and lovingly remembered every single day.

"It Is Not Death to Die"

2011-04-25T12:10:00.012-03:00

It is not death to die
To leave this weary road
And join the saints who dwell on high
Who’ve found their home with God.
It is not death to close
The eyes long dimmed by tears,
And wake in joy before Your throne
Delivered from our fears.

O Jesus, conquering the grave,
Your precious blood has power to save!
Those who trust in You
Will in Your mercy find
That it is not death to die

It is not death to fling
Aside this earthly dust,
And rise with strong and noble wing
To live among the just.
It is not death to hear
The key unlock the door
That sets us free from mortal years
To praise You evermore!
© 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)

It Is Not Death To Die

A New Old Favourite

2011-04-19T10:29:00.000-03:00

Psalm 146

Praise the Lord!
Let all that I am praise the Lord.

I will praise the Lord as long as I live.
I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.

Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;
there is no help for you there.

When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,
and all their plans die with them.

But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.

He made heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them.
He keeps every promise forever.

He gives justice to the oppressed
and food to the hungry.
The Lord frees the prisoners.

The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down.
The Lord loves the godly.

The Lord protects the foreigners among us.
He cares for the orphans and widows,
but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.

The Lord will reign forever.
He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations.
Praise the Lord!

For Nana

2011-04-06T10:12:00.000-03:00

Ruthe Elizabeth Grant was born on October 10, 1912 in a little place called Mount Hope. She was the daughter of Willis and Nellie Grant, and the youngest sister of Allan, Clarence, Helen, Harriet, and John.

Ruthe spent her childhood on the family farm in Penniac, a small community 12 miles outside of Fredericton. She attended the community one room school house, and moved to Saint John in 1926 to attend Saint John High School. She was the first member of her family to graduate from high school and pursue post secondary education. After high school, she moved to Fredericton and attended the Provincial Normal School, graduating with her First Class Superior teaching credentials. She taught school at Nashwaak near Fredericton, and then returned to Saint John to supply teach at Aberdeen School, and Victoria Street School. After a time, she was hired as a full time teacher at Lorne School, and spent 12 years there. She was an excellent elementary school teacher, and was recruited to teach at the new model school, Princess Elizabeth School, when it opened in 1950.

While visiting friends in Nova Scotia in the 1930s, Ruthe met Max Bolser. He said that she was “the most beautiful woman he had ever seen’, and on July 28, 1951, Ruthe Grant and Maxwell Bolser were married in Saint John at the Christian Missionary Alliance Church. The new Bolser family took up residence in Clarks’ Harbour, Nova Scotia, where Max was the pastor of an Independent Baptist Church.

On June 4, 1952, Max and Ruthe’s daughter, Ruthe Elizabeth, was born at the Saint John General Hospital. The expanded Bolser family returned to Clark’s Harbour until 1954, when they moved to Fredericton to pastor at Calvary Baptist Church.

In 1979, after resigning from the active ministry, Ruthe and Max moved to Saint John, where they remained until their respective deaths, Max in 1992, and Ruthe in 2011 as the last surviving member of her immediate family.

Those facts tell you about Ruthe’s life. If you knew Ruthe, you probably knew some of the following things:

At the age of 10 in 1922, Ruthe understood that she was a sinner, and believed that Christ’s death, burial and resurrection was only way to for her to have a right standing with a Holy God. She was faithful in serving Christ for the rest of her life. She was dedicated to prayer, and if Ruthe told you she would pray for you, you could rest assured that the throne room of Heaven was stormed on your behalf.

She loved her family unreservedly. Being a part of Ruthe’s family meant that you were on her personal prayer list, and that she was always interested in what was going on in your life. It meant that she would tell a few “home truths”, even if you didn’t want to hear them. It meant that you had a personal weatherwoman ready to dispense any metrological prognostications regardless of their accuracy. It meant that she cared for you even at the expense of her own need, comfort or rest. It meant that you were favoured with innumerable delicacies from her kitchen; you had hand knit sweaters, and socks, and mittens, and hats, and scarves. Being part of Ruthe’s family meant that you were loved unconditionally.

Ruthe was kind, gentle, gracious, generous and carried herself as a true lady should. She was thoughtful, she was practical, and she was a wonderful teacher – not only in a scholastic setting, but as a Sunday School Teacher, Ladies Bible Study Teacher, and most especially as a Mother and a Nana. She was a real life example of putting other’s needs ahead of her own; of being cheerful; of having faith that the Lord would care for her and for those she loved.

Above all these things, Ruthe was loved. Since her passing many people have mentioned what a lovely, special and wonderful lady she was. As her family, we wholeheartedly agree with those sentiments. Her death has left a “Nana shaped hole” in each of our hearts and we miss her more that we can even comprehend.

We would like to thank each of you who have come to show your love and respect for our Mother and Nana. Your presence and your kind expressions of sympathy have brought us comfort in the past three days, and will encourage us in the time of adjustment that we are facing.

As Ruthe’s family, we would like to thank you for your love, prayers and support.

Elizabeth, Ann, Beth and Rachel

Quote of the Week

2011-03-25T15:28:00.000-03:00

I am certain if you have known me for any length of time or if you have been reading this blog for more than 2 posts, you know that I am a Cat Person. I love my Kitties. The more I hear about some of the nastier aspects of parenting, (vomiting, diarrhea, snot, etc, etc.) the more I love my cats. I made that particular proclamation more than once....and last night it caught up with me.

I arrived at choir practice last night, reached into my "cubbyhole" to get my music binder, and into my hand fell a brightly coloured magnet with the following sentiment imprinted on it:

"If I want to hear the patter of little feet, I'll put shoes on my cat!!

Well said!!

Friday Photo

2011-03-18T14:15:00.000-03:00

"If winter comes, can spring be far behind?"

Friday Photo

2011-03-04T10:19:00.002-04:00

I think this quite nicely sums up the situation!!

My Candid Opinion about Mice

2011-02-28T13:48:00.000-04:00

What? Me be candid?

Yes.

Brace yourselves.

A little over a year ago, my office moved into a new office space in the same building complex where our old office was located. I work in the uptown (or downtown, depending on your regional preference) of a port city. There are many old buildings here, some them dating back to the late 1700 - early 1800s. The complex in which I work is about 30 years old - not old by building standards. However, there is much open duct work in the building, and it's a haven for all life forms of the rodent species.

The rodent problem in the old office was overwhelming. The mice had free run of the place. We found them in the vending machines, in the washrooms, in the server rooms, and even in people's desks. Disgusting!! When we moved to the new office, we were very hopeful that the rodents would stay in the old space and leave us in peace.

It was a vain hope.

The mice moved with us.

Yesterday I was in the office trying to get caught up on some work. I was sitting at my desk working away. Every once in a while I could hear a "scritching" noise, so I checked out my desk drawers, overhead cabinet, garbage pail and recycling box to make sure that I wasn't being visited. After ascertaining that my desk was rodent free, I put the noise out of my mind and finished up my work. ( I would also like to say that I am very punctilious about keeping my desk clean and food free!!)

This morning I was looking the overhead bin of the empty desk behind me. We use it as a storage area for office decorations, plastic cutlery etc, etc. Imagine my surprise and delight when I opened the bin and found the tissue paper shredded and a little mouse latrine in the corner of the cabinet.

Go ahead. Take a minute and imagine the scene.

So now, I have procured a pair of latex free gloves, have armed myself with paper towel and disinfectant wipes, and a garbage can. I have screwed my courage to the sticking place and will spend a delightful time cleaning out the pest hole.

My candid opinion of mice is thus:

They are disgusting, repugnant little things and they would do well to keep themselves away from my desk, my work station and my possessions.

Or I will be instituting the first ever "Bring Your Cat to Work Day".

Just watch me!!

Friday Photo

2011-02-25T13:39:00.000-04:00

And We're Back - Friday Photo

2011-02-18T13:50:00.000-04:00

Valentine's Day Through the Lens of a Mathematical Poet

2011-02-15T11:01:00.001-04:00

He came to teach arithmatic,
He said it was his mission.
He kissed her once,
He kissed her twice,
And said, "That was addition."
He went on kissing smack by smack
With greatest satisfaction,
Until she gave him one right back
And said, "That was subtraction!"

Wild Geese that Fly with the Moon on their Wings

2011-02-11T13:11:00.000-04:00

I have been thinking about some of “My Favourite Things” (in case you couldn’t tell by the title), and since it’s been a while since I composed a list, I thought it would make a nice Friday post. So, without further ado, here is a list of some of my favourite things.

M*A*S*H* DVDs - What a great TV show!! I didn’t see this on TV when it originally aired because it premiered the year I was born, and also because we didn’t have a TV while I was growing up. I started watching M*A*S*H* in re-runs when I was looking after Mrs. Curren, and immediately liked the “taste” of it. I must confess that I have always had a bit of a crush on Trapper John MacIntyre.

RSVP brand pens – specifically the fine point ones. These are the best pens I have ever put to paper. They have a nice sharp tip, they don’t blotch ink, and they have a rubber grip on the barrel for those of us who like to keep a “firm” grip on our pens.

Raspberry Flavoured Cranberries – I happened upon these at the Bulk Barn during a shopping excursion, and I have been a devoted fan ever since. Raspberries make everything better, and cranberries are no exception to this rule.

Harbour Bridge B-Pass – When these first were introduced, I have to admit that I didn’t see what the big attraction was. But when MJB took made his pilgrimage westward, he bequeathed me his pass. And now that I have it, I can’t imagine going back to traversing the Harbour Bridge without it. You don’t have to dig for change, you don’t have to keep the tokens out the pennies in the ashtray which does service as the loose change holder, and you never have to worry about trying to roll down a window which has frozen shut in the sub-tropical temperatures which best the Port City in the winter months. It’s ALL good.

Chronological Bible – I decided that this year I wanted to read through the Bible in the order that it was written. I will confess that I got a big bogged down in Job during the latter end of January – Job is can be some tough slogging – but overall, I really like this approach to Bible reading.

My Little Green Hyundai aka Phoebe – I love my little car. I was recently thinking about how fortunate I was to be able to afford a brand-new car. I love not having to worry about it not starting, or any of the other myriad of things that went wrong on the last car. Also, Hurray for 5 year warranties!!! And Hip-Hip Hurray for winter tires.

Books – I know that there are great benefits to having an e-Reader of some sort; it holds 1500 books, you can change the font size, blah, blah, blah. However, I am a purist, and nothing compares with the experience of holding a book and reading it. A finished book also gives you a sense of accomplishment.

Bright Red Nail Polish and Lipstick – I love the look of bright red nail polish and lipstick. It reminds me of the 1940s and 1950s when people dressed up and made an effort to look their best when they went out. No pyjama pants in the malls back then, no sir!!

Rudy Atwood’s piano playing – I grew up listening to Rudy Atwood LPs. I am of the personal opinion that he was the gold standard by which all church pianists are judged. I aspire to be even a little bit as proficient on the ivories as he was.

Fireworks – I can’t help it. It brings out the inner kid in me, and I will confess that I am one of the people who “Ooohh” and “Ahhhh” when fireworks go off. To borrow a line from a movie, I think fireworks are “both joyful and triumphant”!

Here endeth the list – for now.

It's All the Meme to Me....

2011-01-26T12:00:00.000-04:00

A - Age: 38 – too old to be doing this kind of thing, really.

B - Bed Size: I think it’s a ¾ bed

C - Chore you hate: Vacuuming

D - Dog's name: Pas de chien...

E - Essential start your day item: Shower

F - Favorite color(s): Red, Blue, Green....primarily - heheheh!!

G - Gold or Silver: Silver (or White Gold)

H - Height: 5' 4"ish

I - Instruments you play: Piano, Organ, Trombone

J - Job title: Technical Support Administrator

K - Kids : Pas de enfant – unless you count the Cats

L - Living arrangements: Apartment with aforementioned Cats

M - Mom's name: Elizabeth

N - Nicknames: Annie, Annala, Annie-Banannie, Annie-Pannie-Puddin’ and Pie (but only Shelley is allowed to use that one)

O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: October 1994 – kidney stones.

P - Pet Peeve: Oh, the list is long and varied...cotton balls, loudness, bad smells, people who talk on a cell while driving, etc

Q - Quote from a movie: “Do you always start conversations this way?”....

R - Right or left handed: Right

S - Siblings: Two Sisters

T - Time you wake up: 7:15 am

U - Underwear: Pro – definitely pro-gitches

V - Vegetable you dislike: Canned peas

W - Workout style: Sporadically non-existent

X - X-rays: None recently

Y - Yesterday's best moment: Realizing it wasn’t quite as cold as it was on Monday

Z - Zoo favorite: Lions

I Don't Know if This Would Merit an "A"

2011-01-17T17:50:00.000-04:00

Back when I was attending FaithWay, I used to "help" one of my friends write sermon outlines for his Pulpit Speech class. I am gratified to tell you that "we" got an A in the course. [And by "we" I mean that I wrote the sermon outlines myself, and he put his name on them...but that's another story for another day.]

Anyway, I was asked to give a short devotional at FBC's kitchen shower tonight. We recently moved into our new church building, and with a bigger kitchen comes a need for some more pots, pans, dishcloths, potato mashers, etc. etc. It's been a few years since my last effort to put together an outline for a "sermon", but here is my fleshed out devotional.

"Know, Grow, Share"

It’s very exciting when you move into a new home, especially a home that’s been built just for you. You’ve probably spent hours and hours choosing design layouts, picking out colours and selecting light fixtures – making your home just right. Well, Fundamental Baptist Church has moved into its new home – a home that has been built just for us. And there’s no probably about it – I know that hours and hours and hours have been spent poring over design layout and colours and carpets, and light fixtures, and on and on, and on. It’s been a very challenging time for our church family, but now - here we are at our very own kitchen housewarming. This is the fun part of moving into a new house – the new things that come with it.

Sometimes the gifts given at a housewarming are “interesting” to say the least. When you open the package from Great Aunt Myrtle and find a complete set of bright magenta kitchen towels embroidered with ostriches, you hope that you will be able to sound sincere in the Thank You note. But when you get the box from your favourite cousin Giselle and it contains a complete set of Paderno cookware….your genuine ecstasy knows no bounds. However, despite the differences in style, both of the items – kitchen towels and cookware – are necessary and useful items that you will be able to use in your home to serve others. That’s why we’re here tonight. To stock this kitchen with things that will enable us to serve each other as a church family, and also serve others who come into our church home.

Our Mission Statement at FBC is that we exist to know God thoroughly, grow in Him consistently, and share Him passionately. I’d like to take the verbs know, grow and share from that statement and apply them to the ministries that flow through us as ladies and how we can use this kitchen in the ministry here at FBC.

Know: We need to know about the needs of others. I don’t mean that we all need to know everything about everybody, but we need to be aware of the needs of others, and what we can do to help or encourage them. In Philippians 4: 14-16 , Paul thanks the church at Philippi because they had sent him financial help

“Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction .Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity."

In this particular instance, Paul is indeed speaking of a financial need; but many times we, as ladies, can meet a need through our kitchens, whether it’s to make a meal for someone in our church family who has had an illness in their own family, or to invite a neighbor over to have a cup of tea, to sit and talk with them and help meet a need for companionship in their lives.

Grow: When we use what we have to minister to each other, we grow closer as a family of believers. An extension of the kitchen at here at Fundamental is the kitchen at Windcrest. Many of us here have spent hours and hours together in the kitchen at Windcrest, making new friends, and strengthening existing friendships, sharing in the work that God has given to us to minister to physical hunger of the hundreds of people who attend various activities, camps and retreats during the year.

But we don’t work just so that we can have better friendships among ourselves; we must never forget that we are working together to see that God’s family continues to grow as the Holy Spirit works in the salvation of family members and friends. Luke 10:2 says “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest”, while I Corinthians 3 reminds us that we are labourers together with God in the work of seeing souls saved.

Share: Remember when you were a child and your mother had to remind you to share your toys? Sometimes we need that same gentle reminder as adults. The truth of the matter is that Fundamental Baptist Church has been blessed with an abundance of good things. That we are sitting here in a new building, and that we are able to contribute to furnishing and equipping this kitchen speaks to that fact. In the Sunday morning sermon last week, Pastor Hunter reminded us that there is a danger in sitting back, kicking our feet up, and enjoying this mountain top experience with no regard for the future. We need to move forward, to be ready and willing in seeking out opportunities to use this building and in particular, this kitchen, that God has entrusted to our stewardship. Luke 12:48 reminds us that “to whom much has been given, much more will be required.” If we are unprepared to share what we possess materially, then we are unable to share what we possess spiritually through the Lord Jesus Christ.

In this kitchen we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to apply the Know, Grow, Share principle. As we know and are aware of other’s needs, we can use what we have to meet those needs and to offer encouragement. As we work to meet other’s needs, we can grow closer together as fellow believers, and continue labour together to “grow” the family of God. And as our family of believers continues to grow, we will be able to share the love of God with our family, friends and our community as we continue to work to glorify God using these things with which He has blessed us.

Here endeth the lesson.

In the Words of Tiny Tim...

2010-12-28T12:49:00.000-04:00

Well, I guess I could do a recap of the year 2010, but quite frankly I don't have the energy to do an in depth review....so here are a few high points.

January: moved into a new office space.
February - April: lived on automotive tenterhooks, waiting for Lady Jane to finally give up the ghost. (Lady Jane would be the name of the car...I wasn't actually waiting for a person named Lady Jane to die!)
May: went to Ottawa for a week to visit Anne & Co.
June: got a new car, named her Phoebe.
July: went to Windcrest to be a camp counselor @ Sr. High Camp.....still processing this experience!!
August: VACATION & Birthday.
September: Kids 4 Truth started.
October: Nana's 98th Birthday and Thanksgiving and Dog Sitting.
November: moved to the new church building on Sand Cove Road and Dog Sitting.
December: Christmas Cantata, Christmas Concert, Christmas Eve & Christmas.

I hope you all had a happy Christmas and, in the words of Tiny Tim, "God Bless Us, Everyone".

November 11

2010-11-10T18:40:00.000-04:00

This past May I was able to visit the War Museum in Ottawa. I spent about three hours there - nowhere near enough time to absorb everything I saw. It was very interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit.

Sometimes I think those of us who enjoy history are so keen to learn and know things about our particular areas of historical interest, that we forget that what is a distant past to us, countless people experienced as everyday life. I was reminded of this fact when, upon showing Nana some of the pictures from the War Museum, she kept saying, "I remember when that happened.", or "I remember that person."

While people living in wartime Canada, for the most part, didn't have to worry about being bombed, or living, surviving and eking out an existence in the midst of horrible, churned up battlefields, there are millions who did. To them, the war was a very real, sensory, terrifying experience.

In WWI and WWII approximately 100,000 Canadian men and women left their country, the comfort of their homes, loving families, and all that they held dear to defend their country and other allies from tyranny, despotism and evil. They "endured hardness, faced danger, and finally passed out of the sight of men by the path of duty and self-sacrifice, giving up their own lives that others might live in freedom."

I willingly admit that I have not in the past spent a great deal of time thinking about the realities of war. But all it takes is one person that you know to be in relative proximity to that type of danger, and the reality of war makes you pause and pray. I cannot imagine the worry and fear that families and friends in Canada endured, waiting for news about their loved ones so far away from them.

So tomorrow,November 11th, I am going to the Remembrance Day Service at Harbour Station. During the two minutes of silence, I will remember those who fought, some of whom gave their very lives, so that I can live, work and worship in a free country. I will give thanks for their sacrifice on my behalf. And I will pray for those who are currently serving their country - not just Canadians - but all those "who more than self their country love, and mercy more than life". I will stand tall and sing "O, Canada", probably with tears in my eyes, and I will thank the Lord for my earthly freedom that duty, patriotism and love of others purchased for me.

Retro Reading Week or Month - Whichever.

2010-11-08T12:13:00.000-04:00

It's Retro Reading Season here in the Port City. I am and have been reading some oldie but goodies recently.

So far, I have read:

"A Brother Beloved" by Francena H. Arnold
"The Deepening Stream" by Francena H. Arnold
"A Light in My Window" by Francena H. Arnold (Do you sense a theme here?)
"Seasons of the Heart" by Janette Oke. This book is actually comprised of 4 individual novels entitled, "Once Upon A Summer", "The Winds of Autumn", "Winter is Not Forever" , and "Spring's Gentle Promise"
"Hidden Valley" by Douglas C. Percy

On the "Still to Read List" are the following"

"Not My Will" by Francena H. Arnold
"Straight Down a Crooked Path" by Francena H Arnold
"Banners of Blood" by James Hunter
"The Mystery of Mar Saba" by James Hunter
"How Sleep the Brave" by James Hunter (I'm sensing another theme...)
Assorted "Burgess Bedtime Story Books" by Thornton W. Burgess
The "Sue Barton" series by Helen Dore Boyleston
The "Trudy Lawson" series by Mary Alice Faid

With the exception of "Banners of Blood" and "The Mystery of Mar Saba", I read all of these books when I was a teenager. I've been impressed that for the most part, I remember the characters and plot lines of these books. It is interesting, however, to read and perceive these books as an adult in 2010. The reality is that we live in a far more disillusioned, cynical world and sin accepting world than it was when the majority of these books were published in the 1950s and 1960s. It's very refreshing to escape for an hour or two into a kinder, gentler world.

I predict that Retro Reading Season will make an annual appearance here in the Port City.

And that's a good thing.

Thinking Deep Thoughts aka Staring Off into Space

2010-10-28T15:02:00.000-03:00

Last night I dreamed. There's nothing really unusal about that. We all dream every night.

(Did you know that if you don't dream, you go crazy? It's true. I saw it on a Star Trek TNG episode. Anyway)

I have very vivid dreams - sometimes I remember them after I wake up, but most of the time I don't. I wish that I could, though, because last night in my dream I wrote a song, and it was a good song. It may have been my ticket to fame and fortune, but since I can't remember it I am doomed to obscurity and poverty.

New Topic.

This was a featured article on MSN yesterday. No less than 7 people either sent me the link or mentioned the article to me.

Here is my answer:

Cotton Ball phobia, or sidonglobophobia, is a rare mental condition prevalent in developed countries and on the islands of the south pacific (Oceania). While it is unknown exactly which part of the brain is defective in this case, the problem likely stems from a type of crosswiring between the amygdala and the cerebral cortex, which itself resembles fluffy cotton.

Sufferers of sidonglobophobia will flee uncontrollably when confronted with cotton balls or any image or accurate representation thereof. There is as yet no cure, though it has been speculated that - as in all cases of phobia - brain surgery could provide corrective influence.

Unfortunately for sufferers, there is no longer a single square kilometer in the world free of cotton balls. Globalism and the popularity of products from America have ensured that cotton balls may crop up anywhere. Regions of greatest risk of cotton ball exposure include DR of Congo, Ottowa, and the entire southern United States.

Note: forced exposure to cotton balls will not relieve the patient, and will almost certainly cause an intensifying of the phobia, fresh trauma, and even newfound loathing for erstwhile loved ones.

(copied and pasted from an article on http://www.wiki.answers.com/)

New Topic.

I am by no means an artsy-crafty type of person, but I am thinking about making my own living room art piece. Specificially, I am planning to get some canvas and acrylic paints from Michael's and trying my hand at abstract painting. I'll let you know how it goes.

New Topic.

I have a new author to add to my library. Ken Follet. I am currently reading "Pillars of the Earth". So far, I am quite impressed.

New Topic

I have just emerged from several sessions of baby/dog sitting. No children or dogs were harmed in the process.

And they all lived happily everafter.

The End.

Phriday Photo

2010-10-22T15:27:00.000-03:00

Happy Birthday, Nana

2010-10-10T12:00:00.001-03:00

We love you more than "tongue-ca-tell"!!

Friday Foto - and Thankfulness

2010-10-08T16:11:00.000-03:00

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands!

Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into God's presence with singing!

Know that the Lord is God! It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people,and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!

Give thanks to him, bless his name!

For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures for ever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Phriday Photo

2010-10-01T15:23:00.000-03:00

"The Rock that is Higher than I"

2010-09-29T16:33:00.000-03:00

Psalm 61:1-4

Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.

Psalm 27:7-9

Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

Isaiah 12:2&3

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation

Psalm 142

I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.
I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.
When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.
I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.
I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

Deuteronomy 33:27a

The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms:

From the Ridiculous to the Sublime....in Reverse Order

2010-09-28T14:39:00.000-03:00

Friday night, I went to Moncton with some friends to see Ernie Haase and Signature Sound. We had front row seats and the concert was fantastic.

Then on Sunday I went on my monthly road trip to Minto, where I encountered a crazed squirrel who was intent on gaining access to a rodent proof bird feeder. Again, I had a front row seat and the show was no less entertaining, if somewhat less musical.

Friday Foto

2010-09-24T14:07:00.000-03:00

Lessons on Judging a Book by Another's Review of the Book's Cover

2010-09-21T17:48:00.003-03:00

Last weekend I had the opportunity to speak with several people who I didn't know. Well, the more correct way to phrase it would be that they were people about whom I knew, but with whom I was not familiar.

[Who vs. Whom - always an interesting dilemma.]

Anyway.

I spoke with one gentleman at length - an individual of whom I have known my entire life. For various reasons I don't know him well, although several members of my family do. As we were talking, I observed that this gentleman is courteous, intelligent, articulate, well read, and an excellent listener. As I considered why I don't know this person, I couldn't help but realize how silly some of the reasons were. I also recognized how much other people's prejudices had coloured my perception of this person, which is an unfortunate reality.

On the flip side of the coin, how do my prejudices and perceptions alter other people's opinions of people? In Sunday School this week, someone made the very salient point that too many times we automatically don't like someone with whom we [think we] don't agree. Hardly an attitude overflowing with Christian charity.

So the resolutions I took away from this experience:

Everyone deserves the benefit of a clean slate.
I will not assume that because I have heard that someone does not agree with me, I will not like them by default.
It is not my perogative nor my privilige to colour other's opinions about those with whom I am acquainted but they are not.
Everybody has a "side to their story", and passing judgement before being in posession of fact is a grave error in judgement.

Matthew 7:12 is as applicable today as it was 2000 years ago, and many of us would do well to vigoursly apply to our lives the principle contained therein.

"Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets"

This is How I Feel about Monday

2010-09-20T12:06:00.000-03:00

The Single Life....This is Why I'm Holding Out

2010-09-16T13:55:00.000-03:00

I realize the title of this post could be misconstrued to mean that I am on the receiving end of multiple marriage proposals.

Let me assure you this is NOT the case. Don't start booking your weekends off just yet.

A couple of months ago I saw this little video clip on a friend's Facebook page. [Isn't it odd how Facebook has completely saturated our lives?? What did we ever do before we knew what everybody thought about everything that happened to them everday?? ]

But I digress.

This little video is of Marlow and Frances Cowan. They have been married for over 60 years - Marlow is in his 90s; I'm not sure how old Frances is, but I'm guessing she's not far behind him. They were at the Mayo Clinic for a complete physical - "the works", Mr. Cowan called it. They noticed a grand piano in the atrium of the Clinic, and a note telling people they were free to play the piano if they desired. As the Cowan's were between scheduled tests, they decided to give it a whirl. They have a nursing home ministry whereby they travel around, singing and playing various instruments together. So they gave a mini concert, which some audience member had the foresight to record and post on Youtube. The video has over 7 million hits.

In an interview, somone asked them what was the secret to their long marriage and apparent good health. Mr. Cowan replied that they "loved each other, they loved life and they loved the Lord".

That, in a nutshell, is for what I am holding out.

And it won't hurt anything if he will play piano duets with me.

May I present, for your viewing pleasure, Mr. and Mrs. Marlow and Frances Cowan's impromptu Mayo Clinic Concert Finale.

When You Wake Up in the Morning and It's Quarter to One...

2010-09-14T15:05:00.000-03:00

When I was in Grade Three or Four - can't remember which - my class did this little song at the KPES Year End Concert. There's nothing like gangly kids wearing big bristol board toothbrushes and teeth shapes to reinforce oral hygiene. I guess the message must have sunk in, because I can still sing this song word perfect.

My dental adventures have been vast and varied - fillings in every single one of my teeth including the front ones, several extractions, five root canals, a tooth that was rooted up into my left sinus cavity, which resulted in oral surgery when the roots of the tooth split up the middle and abscessed. I've had abscessed teeth, crowns and partial plates, impressions, bondings, cracked fillings....you name a dental procedure, it's probably somewhere in my dental history.

Today, however, was a new experience. Fillings without freezing. I cannot state how strongly I disagree with this philosophy!!! I needed to have a "small" metal filling replaced because it was starting to discolour my tooth. The filling couldn't have been very small, because I'm quite certain that the dentist drilled the whole way down to my clavicle. And when the drill hit the metal of the original filling......well, words rather fail me. Other than the word OUCH!!! Turns out the filling needed to be a bit bigger than the dentist expected - and she was drilling when "we" ascertained this fact. And by "we", I mean ME!!!!

I told you all that to say this. If the dentist ever tells you that it's a "small job, you probably won't need freezing", tell him that your real estate agent will be calling about some lovely ocean front property in Arizona!!!!

Friday Foto OR Phriday Photo

2010-09-10T13:23:00.000-03:00

“With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility”

2010-09-09T18:27:00.000-03:00

Normally I avoid social commentary when I write things to put on this blog. There are only a two other things of which I can think – religion and politics – which can bring anger flaring to the surface as quickly as disagreement over social policies. However, this is my blog, and if I can’t say what I want to here, well…..where can I?

I saw a status which generated many comments on Facebook today. Now, let me say that this status belonged to a friend of mine – not just a Facebook friend but a real life friend – and I am not out to negate the statement and her sentiment behind it. Also, I don’t know all the gory details behind the story that brought about the statement, and I don’t want to know.

The general overtone of the statement and ensuing comments was total disagreement about the “community school supply” policy that has been implemented. Part of me “gets” that. If I am spending money on school supplies, then I want my child to use what I spent my money on. After all, we don’t usually spend money to clothe and feed other people’s children. Or, if my child has saved up money to buy some particular brand or colour of a certain school supply, why should that item be taken away from him and placed in a communal supply for someone else to use?

But the bigger part of me “gets” the communal school supply idea. We live in a society where, unfortunately, single parent families on government assistance make up a large percentage of the overall school demographic. For various reasons, many of these single parents cannot afford to provide their children with basic school supplies. Let me say this, in reference to WHY a parent cannot provide school supplies. I know that government assistance is not meant to facilitate smoking and drinking and cable TV and PlayStations and iPods, etc, etc., but the fact that it is not supposed to supplement these vices and hobbies does not negate the fact that all too of often, that is exactly towards what the money is put.

Regardless of the whys and wherefores of a parent not providing the basic necessities for a child, let me pose this question: In our society, should any child be denied the basic supplies to be able to learn and apply themselves in a school setting?

No. Absolutely not.

Before you jump all over me for this, let me say that I am talking about BASIC school supplies – pens, pencils, binders, loose leaf, notebooks, etc. I am not talking about name brand this and that; name brands are not foundational to a successful scholastic career.

My mother is a teacher. I have several friends who are currently teaching or have taught in the school system. I have heard these people express their frustration at trying to teach a class of children, not all of whom are properly prepared from a material standpoint. On the other side of the desk, I can imagine the frustration, anxiety, and self-consciousness of child who knows that he is unprepared. And let’s face it – children can be and are cruel to other children who they perceive as “different” from themselves, whether that difference stems from the wrong pencil case, to a non-cool brand of footwear, to skin colour.

Something that bothers me greatly is that all of the people involved in these comments are professed to be Christians – people who have availed themselves to the immense love of God and His forgiveness, and who try to live after the example that Christ himself gave us. From a material standpoint, Jesus had nothing except the clothes he wore, but He gave food to the hungry and water to the thirsty. In Acts 3, Peter says “Silver and gold [material possessions] have I none, but such as I have I give unto thee”, and through his God-give authority gave the lame man the use of his legs. Materially, we have so much more at our fingertips than either the Son of God or the Apostles had. Can we really not be willing to give to help others?

Here endeth the sermon.

I said all that to say: Buy the best school supplies that you can afford for your child, and write their name on them. And then on your way to Tim Horton’s, stop and pick up a few extra supplies for someone child who may not be as fortunate as your child. There is a greater blessing to be had in giving than in getting, and God loves a cheerful giver.

Brewer's Bedtime Stories

2010-09-08T16:27:00.000-03:00

With apologies to Thornton W. Burgess

It has long since been established that I am a City* girl. I may have a small amount of country in me, but you’d have to look long and hard to find it.

(*City here meaning Saint John as opposed to Glassville. I don’t think I would probably thrive in a truly big city.)

That being said, I am somewhat acquainted with a general assortment of Nature’s Creatures. I can differentiate between a Jersey and a Guernsey cow, I’ve met a goat up close and personal, I’ve been horseback riding a time or two, and I am fully aware that crows can make you want to puncture your eardrums with a pickle fork!

However, living in the City does tend to limit one’s exposure to Nature’s Creatures. There are not a lot of cows, horses or goats in Saint John proper. [There are murders of crows, though!!] So on Monday evening, when my ears pricked up and caught a strange “digging” noise in the driveway, I went immediately to investigate.

Sitting on my door step were two very pudgy raccoons, picking through my garbage like it was the buffet line at the Diplomat.

I wasn’t too sure what to do with these fellows, as I have heard that they can be very nasty if you try and step between them and their meal. About that time, my next door neighbor heard the ruckus and turned on her light to see what was going on. The Raccoons, not caring for the spotlight, waddled off around the back corner of the house and I assumed that I had seen the last of them for the evening.

I was wrong.

About half an hour after the supposed departure of the Raccoons, I went into the bedroom to get ready for bed. The Cats were vying for space on the window sill in their efforts to peer out the bedroom window. When I pushed the curtains back, I saw the reason for the feline interest in the back yard. Perched on the fence were the Raccoons, making faces at the Cats. A hissing and spitting match ensued before the Raccoons removed themselves from the fence, properly chastised and humbled for being Peeping (Ra)Coons and invading the sanctum sanctorum of the Cats.

Things I Learned while I was 37

2010-08-30T17:01:00.006-03:00

Staying a couple steps ahead of your housekeeping is a huge advantage.
Good health is a precious commodity and shouldn't be taken for granted.
Big projects are ALWAYS going to take longer than expected and come in over the original price quote.
A good friend is one who will tell you to suck it up and get on with life. A really good friend will tell you to suck it up and get on with life, and then stick around to help you do just that.
If you have a "bangless" hairstyle, you must apply SPF to your forehead.
Teaching someone to do something that is far different than knowing how to do something yourself.
It's worth it to buy a brand new car if you can get 0% financing for five years.
That patience really IS a virtue.
Inside jokes really are the funniest.
Menu planning takes much more disicpline than expected.
Knitting on four needles is not for the faint of heart or the dyslexic.
A good book can be a "mini-vacation".

456 Months = ? Years

2010-08-17T17:11:00.009-03:00

Alternatively titled "How I Spent My Summer Vacation".

Alternatively titled "I Changed the Blog Background - AGAIN!!"

I spent last week doing nothing but exactly what I wanted to do which, when you think about it, is really the best use of vacation time.

I slept in every day.

I read seven books.

I watched three movies.
I did two loads of laundry.

I had supper at a friend's house.

I saw my cousin Anne and her family.

I stayed with Uncle Darrell and Kim on the weekend.
I drove to Fredericton and back twice.

I visited with a friend who was in NB for some of his own vacation.

I cuddled with The Cats.

AND......

I had a birthday.

Birthday Picture with Nana.

Happy New Brunswick Day!! (One Day Late...)

2010-08-03T14:56:00.022-03:00

In recognition of New Brunswick Day, which is always celebrated on the first Monday in the month of August, (because August is the BEST month of the year!!!!) here is some fun NB Trivia.

The inventor of the ice cream cone is from Sussex, NB.

The Miramichi River has some of the best salmon fishing in the world.

Louis B. Mayer of Metro-Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) fame is from Saint John, NB. So is Donald Sutherland.

The longest Covered Bridge in the world is in Hartland, NB.

The Eel River Bar is one of the longest natural sandbars in North America. It has salt water on one side of the bar, and fresh water on the other.

The largest tidal whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere is just off of Deer Island, NB. (The name of the whirlpool is The Old Sow!!)

New Brunswick is the second largest peat moss exporter in the world.

Sabian Cymbals are made in Meductic, and are exported to over 80 countries in the world. Percussionists with the Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Cleveland and New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestras won't venture on stage without their Sabian cymbals.

The world first chocolate bar originated in New Brunswick as a result of Arthur Gangong's sweet tooth. He liked to carry chocolates with him on fishing trips, but didn't like the mess of melted chocolate in his pocket. He started wrapping the chocolates in tinfoil - and voila...a chocolate bar.

Saint John, NB has the steepest main street in Canada. King Street Hill has an 8% grade. In other words, for every two city blocks, the street rises 80 feet - roughly the height of an eight storey building.

Two words....Reversing Falls!! At low tide, the St. John River rushes through a narrow gorge and explodes into the harbour. At high tide, the river runs the other way, due to the incredible force of the highest tides in the world.

One third of the world’s French Fries come from New Brunswick’s “French Fry Capital”, Florenceville-Bristol. (My father grew up in Bristol - which may be interesting only to me.)

The Village of Plaster Rock is the home of the annual World Pond Hockey Championships.

It is said that Admiral Horatio Nelson went to war during the Battle of Trafalgar with a fleet whose masts were forged from white pine, floated from Edmundston, down the St. John River.

The Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world. They rise at a rate of one metre (3.3 feet) per hour. The tides yield many edible treasures, among them mineral-rich sea salt and “dulse” - dried seaweed, which can be eaten as a snack or used to flavor soups and stews. (I may have to revoke my NB citizenship, but I think dulse is disGUSting!!)

The first female sea captain in North America is from Alma, New Brunswick. Molly Kool was the first mate on her father’s 70-foot freighter, transporting lumber and gypsum through the Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine after passing her sea captain’s exam in 1939.

Some Important Dates in New Brunswick's History:

1784 - The Province of New Brunswick is established.

1785 - Saint John becomes the first incorporated city in Canada.

1800 - Kings College (now University of New Brunswick) is founded.

1820 - The Bank of New Brunswick, the first chartered bank in Canada, is established.

1826 - Saint John creates the first paid police force in Canada.

1854 - New Brunswick gets responsible government.

1867 - New Brunswick enters Confederation.

1870 - Canada's first YWCA is opened in Saint John.

1875 - Grace Annie Lockhart becomes the first woman in the British Empire awarded a Bachelor's degree, from Mount Allison University (YAY, Grace!!!)

1918 - New Brunswick creates first Department of Health in Canada

1930 - Hopewell native R. B. Bennett becomes prime minister of Canada.

1944 - New Brunswick's North Shore Regiment lands at St.-Aubain, France, as part of the D-Day invasion.

1965 - New Brunswick's provincial flag is adopted.

1969 - Official Languages Act makes New Brunswick Canada's only bilingual province.

1973 - Ron Turcotte of Grand Falls wins horse racing's Triple Crown riding the legendary Secretariat.

I've Spared You Long Enough...

2010-07-20T14:59:00.004-03:00

...it's time for some more poetry.

I first read this poem in my Grandfather's copy of "Best Loved Poems of the American People". I now have his copy of this compendium of poetry - and I also have my own copy, just for good measure.

Anyway.

I love hats, I've sung in the choir since I was sixteen, and I think this combines the best of both worlds.

So, for your reading enjoyment and spiritual edification, may I present:

What the Choir Sang About the New Bonnet

A foolish little maiden bought a foolish little bonnet,
With a ribbon, and a feather, and a bit of lace upon it;
And that the other maidens of the little town might know it,
She thought she'd go to meeting the next Sunday just to show it.

But though the little bonnet was scarce larger than a dime,
The getting of it settled proved to be a work of time;
So when 'twas fairly tied, all the bells had stopped their ringing,
And when she came to meeting, sure enough the folks were singing.

So this foolish little maiden stood and waited at the door;
And she shook her ruffles out behind and smoothed them down before.
"Hallelujah! hallelujah!" sang the choir above her head.
"Hardly knew you! hardly knew you!" were the words she thought they said.

This made the little maiden feel so very, very cross,
That she gave her little mouth a twist, her little head a toss;
For she thought the very hymn they sang was all about her bonnet,
With the ribbon, and the feather, and the bit of lace upon it.

And she would not wait to listen to the sermon or the prayer,
But pattered down the silent street, and hurried up the stair,
Till she reached her little bureau, and in a band-box on it,
Had hidden, safe from critics' eyes, her foolish little bonnet.

Which proves, my little maidens, that each of you will find
In every Sabbath service but an echo of your mind;
And the silly little head, that's filled with silly little airs,
Will never get a blessing from sermon or from prayers.

M. T. Morrison.

Here endeth the lesson.

Complications Arose, Ensued and Were Overcome...

2010-07-14T12:18:00.005-03:00

Alternatively Titled "I Spent A Week at Teen Camp".

And, as I in no frame of mind to fight with the Blogger Photo Uploader, I am just going to link to my Facebook photo album. So you can click HERE or HERE to see 2010 Teen Camp pictures by by myself and various other local photojournalists. You can also view a couple of videos in which I may or may not embarrass myself.

For a full detailed recounting of the week, please see me in person.

No appointment necessary.

Three Things….times nine, which is Twenty Seven Things

2010-06-22T14:43:00.005-03:00

Three Things I can’t Go Without
I can’t go without reading. There’s no way, no how, and no one who could make me give up reading. I can’t go without nice smelling soap. I have a fear of smelling bad, so I have an abundance of soap – mostly raspberry/strawberry/fruit scented soaps. I can’t go without my cats, which is a pretty “losery” thing to admit, but it’s true. I love my cats.

Three Celebrity Crushes
I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I may have a not so secret crush on Mr. Johnny Depp. Odd, I know, but it is what it is. I also have slight crushes on Michael Symon from the TV show, “Iron Chef America”, and any number of tall blonde actors….Matthew McConaughay, Josh Lucas, Ryan Reynolds, etc, etc….

Three Favourite Book Characters
Hmmmm – this is tough. It’s hard to narrow it down to just three, but off the top of my head I would have to say, Mac Campbell from the books “Eight Cousins/Rose in Bloom” by L.M. Alcott, Adam Dalgliesh from the P.D. James novels, and Rudy Miller from Gordon Korman’s book, “I Want to Go Home!”.

Three Favourite Things to Wear
I love to wear necklaces, I love to wear hats, and I love to wear flannel. Although not simultaneously!!!

Three Things I want in a Relationship
Honesty, Commitment and Respect…..seriously, who doesn’t want these things in every relationship…..at a bare minimum?

If I had to evacuate my home because of a natural disaster, what three things would I take with me?
The Cats, a framed letter from Gramp, and as many of my music books I could grab.

Three Pet Peeves
In no specific order, bad drivers, being interrupted, and phone calls not returned. (I actually have more than three pet peeves…which is shocking, I know!!!!)

Three Things I Wish I Wasn’t Afraid to Do
Ride roller coasters, put my head underwater, and sometimes, just sometimes, say what I REALLY think!!

Three Favourite TV Shows
Well, I don’t really watch TV, seeing as I don’t have cable….so I am going to cheat and list my three favourite movies which are, Anne of Green Gables( and The Sequel….don’t EVEN get me going on the abomination that is the third Anne movie!), Apollo 13, and Sense and Sensibility.

So there, you are 27 useless facts wiser about me than you were before you read this.

Don’t you feel special?

Confirmation

2010-06-15T15:39:00.008-03:00

Every once in a while, someone or something confirms the rightness of a choice you have made, supports the unarguable saneness of a situation in which you have chosen to live.

My singleness has been validated by a chocolate lab dog.

I am currently cat/house/dog-sitting (in that order of importance) for some friends who had to travel unexpectedly. I am not an unknown quantity to these animals, having tended to their needs a couple of times previously. The Cat condescends to let me pat her every once in a while provided that I feed her promptly, while the Dog tries to turn himself inside out wagging everything that will wag trying to get my attention. Food is just a bonus to him.

I'll tell you what else is a bonus for the Dog.....sleeping on the bed with me.

This Dog is the original bed hog. He must be up against me at all times during the night. If I move to try and get away from him, he slides on over right back against me. In the middle of last night, I came to long enough to register the fact that the Dog was stretched out full length against me, his head on the pillow, and his doggy breath billowing over me as snores that would drown out Gabriel's trump resonated in my ears.

The Dog also has a charming habit of passing SBV (silent but violent) gas. He will wake from a dead sleep, jump up and run out of the room leaving me to wonder what in the name of time has possessed the animal. About ten seconds later when my eyes start to water, my lungs start to burn and I am slipping in and out of consciousness, it becomes painfully evident that he's had a spell of SBV.

I said all that to say....I like my own bed space, and a reasonably gas free environment.

Good thing I'm single!!!

7321 Days Ago...

2010-06-10T13:18:00.006-03:00

...I was graduated from Kennebecasis Valley High School's largest graduating class to that date - June 27, 1990.

Due to the size of the graduating class, the ceremony was held in the Rothesay Arena. It was a muggy night, and there were well over 2500 people crammed into the arena. And really, nothing caps off your secondary education experience like sitting in an arena, wearing a 125% polyester royal blue graduation gown - the kind that traps your sweat inside its billowing folds and marinates you in your own moisture - and trying to keep a disposible graduation cap precarioulsy perched in place using a mere 86,4231 bobby pins. It was SO MUCH FUN!!!

Thankfully, my last name starts with "B" - I had my diploma in my perspiring little palm by 9:30 and was ready to make like Tom and Cruise.

And I have to tell you, I have never, EVER wanted to go back and "do" high school over again. I had a good time, learned a few things (like don't cuff 22 consecutive gym classes - the teacher will eventually notice), and formed a few good friendships, some of which have survived to this day.

But would I want to be this girl again?

Well, I'd like to find those cheekbones, but the big hair and big glasses have been retired.

You may now heave a sigh of relief.

Chicken Bone Haiku

2010-06-09T11:10:00.003-03:00

Dark melting marrow
And pink cinnamon sweetness
Leaves my mouth undone.

Mutually Exclusive Options

2010-06-08T12:33:00.009-03:00

Apparently rampant domesticity and consistent blogging are not compatible. Sorry, Shelley.

Here's another set of mutually exclusive options.....cold water showers and being clean. Let me elucidate.

Normally when I get into the shower in the morning, I have just enough hot water to lather and rinse the shampoo out of my hair. Then the tepid water kicks in....and let me tell you - there's nothing as refreshing as a lukewarm shower first thing in the morning. The race to get all the soap rinsed off me before the tepid water is completely gone and the cold water takes over is the BEST PART OF MY MORNING!! (Do you sense the sarcasm here, people?)

This H2O issue is generally compounded by the fact that my "next apartment neighbours" run their washing machine at all hours of the day and night.

7:30 am? Washing

1:15 pm? Washing

7:28 pm? Washing

3:07 am? Probably washing.....

Said washing machine and my shower plumbing share common pipes....'nuff said.

I am all about having clean clothes, but let's exercise a bit of reason, shall we??

Anyway, for the last week or so, there has been an abundance of hot water. I am profoundly grateful....seriously. This morning I was pondering the origins of the hot water heater, and the sheer genius of the individual who invented this second to none device.

So, let's hear it for Edwin Ruud - the Norwegian mechanical engineer who was the inventor of the automatic storage water heater in 1889.

121 years of hot water!!

Ruud, Rudd, he's our man - if he can't do it......

Oh wait....He already did!!

YAY!!

PS - here's the link to my vacation pictures, Shelley. 132 pictures are too many to upload to the blog. :-)

Domesticity Abounds….Maybe

2010-04-27T16:25:00.001-03:00

So, I don’t know if, over the past four years that I have been “writing” this blog, you’ve picked up on the fact that I am NOT among the most domesticated creatures that God has put on this planet. I can deal with more mess than is good for me. I could eat toast for every meal – sure, I’d mix it up with the jam flavours, sometimes peanut butter or I’d throw caution to the wind completely and break out the Cheez Whiz. I can be perfectly content sitting in one position for hours and hours reading a book or watching my M*A*S*H DVDs. I naturally feel no pressing need to whip myself into a Martha Stewart-like frenzy and press the cupcakes and frost the napkins.

I will admit that I do have some little quirks – I can’t stand a dirty bathroom sink, all the clothes hanging in my closet have to be hanging facing in the same direction – towards the left, and there is a definite order to wash dirty dishes – glasses, then plates/bowls/dishes, then pots and pans, then utensils….and the water has to be hot enough to make your hands turn red…you can’t freeze dirt off, you know!! But generally speaking, I am not a fastidious housekeeper.

HOWEVER…

Things seem to changing as of late. Things I didn’t count on happening.

It’s starting to scare me.

I’ve been cleaning, even to the point of throwing useless things out. Getting rid of clothes that don’t fit me anymore because they’re too big (which is a good problem!). Organizing, cleaning, cooking and crocheting have taken over my life. I’ve even started purging my book collection.

The next thing you know, I’ll be gardening.

Middle Age is Great!!

Math may be redeemable afterall...

2010-04-26T12:35:00.012-03:00

...if only because of fractals.

Gracious Living in a China Teacup

2010-04-22T15:00:00.004-03:00

My Nana loves tea. I don’t really remember her drinking anything else. The fact that she is allergic to it has, in later years, reduced her to drinking hot water and milk flavoured with approximately 5 tea leaves. But she drinks it nonetheless.

Back when Nana was in the ministry (read Pastor’s wife and responsible for organizing the social on goings of the church), she was ALL ABOUT the tea when hosting various functions both at her home and the church building. She had a lovely silver service that was often used at these gatherings, and she had – and still has – an extensive collection of teacups.

Her best teacups, however, are the ones that match her good china. These cups and saucers were used on VERY SPECIAL OCCASIONS such as weddings, anniversaries, Christmas and birthday dinners. Nana’s china pattern is Royal Albert’s Old English Rose. It’s one of those patterns that evoke a strong response in people; they either love it or hate it. Sister B will inherit this china.

Sister R’s china is the Bridal Wreath Pattern by Limoges. She inherited Hatey’s china because she is named for Hatey. Just by the by, Hatey’s real name was Harriet – it morphed into Hatey because small children couldn’t pronounce Harriet.

My china pattern is Royal Albert’s Blossom Time. This belonged to Henna and I always liked it. It’s a very happy china pattern.

None of us really have occasion to use our china. Nana’s china still belongs to her, R’s is packed away, and mine is still reposing in Henna’s china cabinet due to space issues in my current dwelling place.

I guess I wandered through this post with this line of thought: China makes me think of tea cups, and tea cups make me think of tea and gracious living, and tea and gracious living makes me think of Nana. And I love Nana – I want to be just like her when I grow up.

Easter

2010-04-01T12:18:00.006-03:00

When I was a young girl – probably around 10 or so – our church choir did an Easter Cantata titled, “The Prince of Peace”. I learned a poem to recite after the choir presentation, and I can still recite it. I liked it when I first learned it because it was a nice poem. I’ve learned to appreciate its message as I’ve grown older. Sometimes you have to borrow other people’s words because you can’t do a better job expressing your thoughts.

So, in keeping with my habit of subjecting you to my taste in poetry, here is “If Easter Be Not True” by Henry Barstow.

If Easter Be Not True

If Easter be not true,
Then all the lilies low must lie,

The Flanders poppies fade and die.

The Spring must lose her fairest bloom

If Christ were still within the tomb -

If Easter be not true.

If Easter be not true

Then Faith must mount on broken wing.

Hope no more, immortal spring!

Then Love must lose her might urge,

Life proved a phantom, death a dirge,

If Easter be not true.

If Easter be not true,

‘Twas foolishness the Cross to bear,

He died in vain who suffered there.

What matter though we laugh or cry,

Be good or evil, live or die,

If Easter be not true.

If Easter be not true,

But it IS true, and Christ IS RISEN!

Immortal spirit from its prison

Of sin and death with Him may rise -

Worthwhile the struggle, sure the prize,

Since Easter – aye – ‘tis true!

On Perseverance – Saintly and Otherwise

2010-02-25T14:04:00.001-04:00

When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

Fall seven times, stand up eight. ~Japanese Proverb

You can't go through life quitting everything. If you're going to achieve anything, you've got to stick with something. ~ Family Matters

The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running. ~Author unknown, in reference to Ecclesiastes 9:11, "I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all."

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them. ~G.B. Shaw

The drops of rain make a hole in the stone not by violence but by oft falling. ~ Lucretius

Saints are sinners who kept on going. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable. ~Thomas Foxwell Buxton

Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use. ~Earl Nightingale

Look at a stone cutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred-and-first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before. ~Jacob A. Riis

By perseverance the snail reached the ark. ~ C. H. Spurgeon

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. ~Thomas JeffersonThrough perseverance many people win success out of what seemed destined to be certain failure." ~ Benjamin Disraeli

An Updatey Sort of a Post with Random Thoughts about Writing Letters

2010-02-16T18:29:00.006-04:00

I obviously should have a job at a Big Publishing House assigning attention grabbling titles to bestselling novels, what with a title like the one above!! I have missed my life’s calling.

On the Knitting with (K)Nana front – I seem to have conquered the process of knitting on three needles. I have the ribbing done and have moved on to the actual mitten. I was unprepared, however, to jump immediately into forming the thumb, which is proving to be challenging. Nana, bless her patient heart, keeps answering the same questions that I keep asking her, and keeps showing me over, and over, and over, and over again how to do things like “Incl 1 stitch in next stitch”. Could knitting instructions be more cryptic? I’m pretty sure communication codes used in WWII were less complicated than the directions for these mittens. Anyway, I will be heading to Nana’s tonight to work some more on the mittens, and make my “gusset” for my thumb. I anticipate that my mittens will be ready about the same time my birthday arrives in August.

Regarding the Great Reading Experiment of 2010, I am making progress. I have started reading Charles Dickens “David Copperfield”. I find Dickens to be very wordy, (which is ironic, I know, considering the loquaciousness I possess) and it takes a while to get into the story. However, I am resolutely ploughing my way along, and am of the opinion that Miss Betsey Trotwood is going to prove a most interesting character. Also, I like the name “Mrs. Gummage”. For all his wordiness, Dickens has undisputable genius when it comes to naming characters so that a mental image springs immediately to the reader’s mind. Miss Betsey, for instance, I see as a short, plump woman with a face seamed in wrinkles, shrewd brown eyes, and mouth that is very firmly set. She has white hair that covers her ears with “wings” and is swept up under an old fashioned mob cap. Mrs. Gummage is tall, lanky, with flyaway hair and a perpetual hang dog expression. Mind you, those are just my opinions, and you are free to disagree with them. (You’d be wrong, though!! )

Because I always have more than one book on the go, I feel compelled to tell you of the wonderful book I just last night finished reading. I know that this will be a book that stays in my library, and I will read it over and over again. It’s “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society”, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. (SGC, if you’re reading this post, you need to read the book – if you haven’t already. And if you have, WHY didn’t you tell me about it??) It’s entirely comprised of a series of letters between the main characters. These letters were written just after the end of WWII and the German occupation of Guernsey Island in the English Channel. I laughed, I cried, I learned some new words, and then spent some time in contemplation of the lost art of letter writing.

What is it about receiving a hand written letter in the mail that makes one feel connected with the writer of said letter? Many times letters are saved as keepsakes. My Grandmother Brewer saved every letter that I wrote her. After she died, I found the letters tucked away in the buffet drawer. One of my most prized and much loved possessions is a letter that my Grandfather Bolser wrote to me when I was seven years old. I received it 13 years later after Grampie died; at first reading it was very hard, as it made me miss him even more intensely than the regular “every day” kind of missing that was and still is normal. But as I have grown older, reading the letter is a way to still feel connected to Grampie and tangible reminder of his love for me.

Who knows – maybe I’ll take up letter writing as my next hobby. Let me know if you want some mail!

I can’t believe that I am going to say this….

2010-02-08T13:50:00.004-04:00

...but sometimes cats are disgusting. Not MY cats of course, but the OTHER cats in the world. Here’s my reasoning behind that statement.

Over the last couple of weeks, I have noticed a particularly “ripe” feline odor in my backyard. I didn’t really think too much about it because I live in the South End, and let’s face it, the South End is home base for quite a few indigent felines who consider any open space their own. What distressed me more than the odor in my backyard was the stench that permeated my car when I turned the heater on. This assault on my olfactory sense was obviously feline in origin, but I couldn’t figure out how it got in my car. My cats are indoor cats, and are only in the car for trips to the vet, so obviously they were not the culprits. The smell was strong enough that I decided to get an air freshener for the car. I procured a nice lime scented car freshener, but promptly disposed of it after I discovered that Cat Urine and Lime do not make a very salubrious combination. The only workable solution at which I could arrive was to open the car window a crack when I was driving. This helped alleviate the smell, but it made the car a bit chilly, considering it is the midst of winter and the last couple of weeks have been less than tropical in the Port City.

I had resigned myself to the facts that A) the smell was just going to have to work its way out of the car, B) the origin of the odor would be a mystery, and C) I was going to have to spend the rest of the winter driving with the window down and freezing my fingers off.

And then, last Thursday night, all was revealed to me.

I had been out with a couple of friends that evening. Becky had picked me up and driven me home after our outing, and as we are wont to do, we were sitting in her van in front of my house chatting for a bit. Across the street from where were parked were five or six cars lined up along the curb – nothing too unusual about that. As Becky and I were solving several pressing world issues, I caught sight of something in the passenger’s side mirror. Trotting jauntily down the street was a tom cat of questionable parentage and dubious white coat. Mr. Tom Cat stopped at EVERY SINGLE CAR that was parked at the curb, pointed his hind end at the driver’s side front tire and squirted!!!! Then the little son of a Siberian sidewinder proceeded to dart into my driveway, where no doubt my poor car was subjected to the same treatment. And I think we can agree that my car has been abused enough over the last couple of months!!!

So, the mystery of the Smelly Car has been solved, but now I am faced with a greater problem….how does one get the smell of Feline Urine off a rubber tire??

The Great Reading Experiment - 2010

2010-02-03T16:26:00.006-04:00

In 2003, the BBC conducted a poll to ascertain the top 100 favourite books in the UK. A result of this poll was the revelation that people do not read as much as their ancestors did. I could rant on about that for a while, but that is not the purpose of this experiment.

So, what is the purpose of this experiment?

I’m glad you asked.

I propose to endeavour to read through the 100 books on the list. While I am not going to set a hard time limit, my intent is to choose and read at least one book from the list every month or so. I may (or may not – depending on how the book strikes me) publish a mini “book report” about the book. Feel free to read along, critique, shamelessly plug your own book choice, or comment.
May I present “The List”. I’ve underlined the titles of books I have read as an adult, and some I read as a child and still remember.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible - still reading this..obviously, but I’ve been reading it for a while.
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With the Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment – Leo Tolstoy
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Inferno - Dante
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad (also known as apocalypse now)
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

Wherein I Discover that My Ambition is much Greater than My Talent.

2010-02-01T17:25:00.004-04:00

So, I decided this winter that I wanted to knit myself a pair of mittens. REAL mittens knit on three needles, not the FAKE mittens that are knit on two needles and then sewn up the side. And it’s not like I don’t know how to knit –and crochet, for that matter. I’ve knit sweaters, mittens of the fake variety, scarves, etc. etc. I’ve never tried to knit socks, but then again there isn’t much call in my life for anyone wanting hand knit socks.

As I am descended from a long line of distinguished knitters, I figured The Great Mitten Project of 2010 would take me, oh, a month….six weeks at the absolute maximum. And as I made that arrogant assumption, the Yarn Deities threw back their collective heads laughing in a ghoulish fashion, and the Knitting Muse promptly went on vacation.

Honesty forces me to confess that this project may turn into a dreadful fiasco. Two weeks ago I started the mittens, knit one round on them, and proceeded to make the stitches so tight that I could barely force the needles into them. Attempt two didn’t go any better. I managed to make looser stitches, but forgot to keep them in the middle of the needles, so the vast majority of them fell off the needles. That was the end of attempt one. The next week I decided to try again. Nana found me a longer pair of needles. (Nana, incidentally, is tutoring me in the fine art of knitting these mittens….bless her heart!!) The aforementioned needles are the knitting needles that belonged to her Mother, my Great-Grandmother Grant. Nana is 97 years old, and her Mother has been deceased for the better part of 60 years. That gives you a general idea of the age of these venerated instruments. Armed with these venerated instruments, I steeled myself for attempt number three.

Attempt number three isn’t going so well either. While I have managed to overcome the habit of dropping stitches, I have succeeded in picking up stitches at the end of the third needle. This boggles my mind and tries my patience. In great frustration and teetering on the edge of the depths of despair, I cast (all puns intended!!) the knitting aside last Tuesday.

Tomorrow will see the beginning of attempt number four. I will succeed in knitting these mittens, even if I have to spend all year doing it. So don’t touch that dial – stay tuned for the next installment of Knitting with (K)Nana.

Call Me Eccentric

2010-01-08T13:27:00.003-04:00

I love blank notebooks. Any kind – a school scribbler, a coil bound notebook, a hard covered journal, a leather-bound, gilt edged paged diary….I love them all. I always, always, always have at least one blank book somewhere in my desk at home.

I like to use them for different writing things. I have a pink leather book that I use to collect quotes, Bible verses that I like or am trying to memorize, stanzas or lines from hymns that are favourites, or thoughts from devotional books that I am reading. I have a black Time Traveler journal that I carry in my purse. This book is divided into sections I’ve created for me, Family, House, Church and Work, and each section has notes, lists, minutes, receipts and anything else you can think of written on or inserted between pages. My Sermon Notebook is a red leather cover used to protect generic cardboard covered notebooks. I have a coil bound book that I use to collect recipes, and I just bought a new scribbler type notebook to have for the next time inspiration strikes.

Fortunately for someone who likes to “collect” notebooks, I like to write. I tried keeping a diary for a while, but it’s not something I enjoy, or at which I excel. When I go back and read things I have written, I tend to cringe at most of what is on the paper because it’s whiney, or judgmental or just plain inane. I do like to write stories; I have put a couple of short stories on the old blog, and I have occasionally turned my hand to poetry. I enjoy writing essays (strange, because I didn’t when I was in school!!), and opinion pieces. Maybe writing is a mental health catharsis; maybe it’s a waste of time, who knows.

I also enjoy the physical act of writing. I think that handwriting is becoming a lost art, the more time we all spend in front of a computer. My grandmother had beautiful copperplate handwriting, and still has penmanship skills which are far above average for someone of advanced years and decreased eyesight. My mother has very artistic and flowing script which has been imitated, but never duplicated. My own handwriting used to be acceptable, but has suffered since I started working full time in the computerized world. I take a small measure of comfort that I could beat both Nana and Mom hands down in a typing test, but…there’s no personality to be conveyed in pounding on a keyboard. So I keep writing and printing trying to keep some level of legibility evident, and in an effort to keep the family skill alive.

I just finished rereading “Emily of New Moon”, by L.M. Montgomery. Emily is a writer, and spends hours and hours writing her thoughts, letters to her deceased father, character sketches, poems and stories. She says in the book that things don’t seem real to her unless she writes them down, and I can relate to that sentiment in a small way. Emily looks on her blank notebooks as friends and confidents, waiting to share her secrets and the very innermost workings of her mind. And in the end, that’s what we all want – someone to accept and understand us and to keep sacred the confidence which we place in them.

2009 - The Year of Non-Blogging in Review

2010-01-05T13:06:00.043-04:00

So, 2009.....the year of non-blogging. Would you believe me if I told you I had nothing to say in 2009? I didn't think so. Instead of coming up with a bunch of lame excuses which would most likely only serve to insult your intelligence, I present for your perusal a pictoral review of 2009.

January

Roasted Cat for New Year's Dinner

Snow

February
More Snow

Still More Snow

March

Julie's Birthday

Deluxe Accmodations at the Florenceville Motor Inn - Beth and I travelled to Bristol for Grampie Brewer's funeral.

The Woman who Taught the Queen Everything about Hat Wearing and Waving.

April

Otto Collapses a Box and is put on a Diet, Post Haste!!

Annual Trip to Fernhill to Make Sure Everybody Weathered the Winter (we're a strange family - what can I say?)

May

Sound of Music Sing-A-Long at the Imperial Theatre

Opening the Cottage - and Subsequently Locking Ourselves Out, so....

We Have to Drill the Lock to Gain Access!!

June

Spring Time In Uncle Darrell's Garden - so glad not to be involved with this "end" of things!!

Visiting the "Big Potato Man" on the old way home from Fredericton.

July

Canada Day at the Cottage

Making Nana Work for Her Keep.

August

Vacation at the Cottage

Take One Ladder, a Narrow Driveway, a Poor Sense of Depth Perception, Combine Them, and You'll Get....

A Torn Bumper Shroud, and....

A Very Flat Tire.

September

Sunset at Windcrest.

I also saw the International Space Station's orbit, but my little digital camera isn't quite powerful enough to capture that on "film". This was at the Men's Retreat - and I was out there cooking, before you ask what I was doing at the Men's Retreat!!

Road Trip to Bristol to see the Fall Leaves. This is the only picture I took.

Babysitting Belle the Dog.

October

Celebrating Nana's 97th Birthday

Otis' Halloween Costume

November

The Diet Pays Off - Otto can once again jump up on the windowsill.

December

Nana with Beth's Christmas Present - a picture of 385 Union Street as it looked when Nana, Henna, Hatey and their Mother (my Great-Grandmother Grant) lived there.

Me with a recipie for Orange Mint Beets. I suppose I could think of a more disgusting thing to eat, but it would take a LOT of effort!!

So there it is - 2009 in picture form. Please note that no cats were harmed in the making of this blog. I wish I could say the same for my car!!

Of All Things Exhibition

2009-09-16T14:57:00.004-03:00

On the evening of September 3rd, I was out east running some errands. My sisters were visiting with Barb Daisy; Barb and I have never been particularly close, so I decided to fly solo for the evening. . Upon reaching the east side, it became painfully evident that parking was going to be an issue due to the Exhibition. I was sitting at the lights across from the Exhibition Grounds, watching the people and the site, and listening to the sounds – kind of a mini-stroll down memory lane.

I always had a love/hate relationship with the Ex. I used to love to go wander around the grounds, look at the exhibits, have a candy apple or cotton candy, go through the Horse Barn (pew!), and venture on a few of the less adventurous rides – the Scrambler, Tilt-A-Whirl, and the Gravitron being the top three choices. On the other hand, I used to hate going to the Ex with a bunch of other people, because everyone l wanted to ride on the Zipper, and the Spider, and the Pirate Ship and all other manner of death defying rides – I am TERRIFIED of heights, and am not a huge fan of being suspended 50 feet above the ground, enclosed in a cage made of glorified chicken wire and latched shut with little more than a large safety pin and a piece of bailing twine!!!!! The first time I went on a big ride – the Paratrooper - I fainted and nearly fell out of the seat. Had it not been for Debbie MacAllister, I would be nothing more than a grease spot by the EPR racetrack. Quite an ignominious end, really.

When I was a teenager, a gang of us used to go the Ex just to “hang out”, and “be cool”, which wouldn’t have been too bad, had I been possessed of a modicum of cool with which to begin. It was fun, or what passed for fun at the time, and I have some fond memories of a couple significant events in my life happening at the Ex. And that’s all I have to say about that.

My last foray in “Exhibitionism” (if you will pardon the expression) was about 10 years ago. I took it into my head that I wanted to go to the Ex. I talked M into going – well “badgered” would probably be a more accurate expression – and we decided to go on Friday night. I had no plans of letting my feet leave terra firma and experiencing anything other than the usual Ex experience. M had other plans - likely as payback. To make a long story short, I ended up riding not only the Scrambler, Tilt-A-Whirl, and Gravitron, but also the Ferris Wheel, which was about 4 on the Scared Scale, and the Skymaster!!!! THE SKYMASTER!!!!!!!!!! If you don’t know what the Skymaster is, let me enlighten you.

It’s a tube two seats wide, with Plexiglas on one side, and bars on the other. You’re harnessed in with the same kind of restraint that is used on a rollercoaster. When the ride starts, you start swinging back and forth, higher and higher each time, until gravity takes over and you end up suspended upside down for an eternity of seconds before plunging back towards the ground at a speed which would make a seasoned astronaut feel faint. Also, if the individual who is responsible for checking the harness isn’t overly vigilant and doesn’t ensure that the shoulder restraint is tight against you, you will fall a couple of inches when you are suspended upside down. That’s about a 57 on the Scared Scale!!

I survived – obviously – but it will be a cold, snowy day in August before I venture back to the Exhibition!! I guarantee it.

It’s Good to have Goals

2009-09-02T13:14:00.001-03:00

Or so I have been told. Actually I KNOW it’s good to have goals. Ron James says in one of his stand up routines that “knowing you’re going to die someday helps you get stuff done.” Ron may have a bit of a point there. Having a clearly defined end result, knowing how you are going work toward that result, and then achieving said result is a very satisfying process.

In honour of a new month and the “Back to School” season that is upon us, I have decided to make a list of goals, some long term and some short term. Instead of “Christmas in July”, it’s “New Year’s Resolutions” in September.

So, here are some of the items that made their way onto “Ann’s Personal Perseverance Record”, Fall 2009 Edition. (Listed in no particular order of importance)

1. I will go to bed by 11:00 pm every evening. I am a night owl by nature, and consequently mornings are NOT my favourite time of the day. I also need 8 full hours of sleep every night in order to function effectively within established parameters. So, lights out at 11:00 pm.

2. I will “deep clean” my house. Ok, it’s an apartment, who am I kidding? But stuff needs to go. If I haven’t worn it, used it, or thought about it in 12 months, chances are I don’t really need it. So things are going to the garbage can or to the Sally Ann. Hey look, it rhymes!! I have discovered that I don’t dislike cleaning as much as I used to. However, finding the motivation to clean when there are books to be read is another story.

3. I will walk to work every day that I can. I live and work in Uptown Saint John. The office is a 20 minute walk from my house, yet I find myself driving/paying for parking far more often than is necessary. The irony of the situation is that I walked to work last winter almost every day. And there were some SNOW STORMS last year, let me tell you!! So, if I can walk to work in bad weather, why not give it a try in a moderate environment.

4. I will keep a journal/diary. When we were younger and much more foolish than we are now, my sisters and I used to laugh about Nana’s diary. Now, however, they are interesting to go back and read them, even the weather descriptions. I have no illusions that my life is spectacular enough to go back and “re-read”, but I think it would be an interesting experience in personal growth to go back and read a year’s worth of journal entries.

5. I will be content with the life that God has given me. Not too long ago, it became apparent to me that Prince Charming’s White Steed may have thrown a shoe, gone lame, or perhaps even been consigned to the glue factory, and consequently Prince Charming may never arrive. I know too many people who keep their lives on “Pause” waiting for a person to marry, or a dream job, or achieving a certain financial level because they think their lives will be somehow completed by __________ - fill in the blank. I will live the life I have been given, take the opportunities that present themselves, and endeavor to live a full, happy, contented life.

I realize that the first four Goals on the list are more easily measured, but having existential life goals isn’t a bad thing.

So – here I go – off to face a cleaner, better rested, exercised, documented happy life.

By All Means....

2009-08-07T15:01:00.001-03:00

Go ahead and ignore the signal light switch in your car. Because goodness knows the manufacturer only put it on the car for decoration. It could never possibly be useful for, oh…I don’t know….indicating to the driver behind you that you are going to turn. That’s just ridiculous!!

Please stand exactly in the middle of an aisle in a store, lean on your cart and talk on your cell phone. Really…I don’t mind. Neither to the people behind me, nor the people coming the other way in the aisle - do they really need to get by you? Take your time. We all want to hear about your mother’s sister’s husband’s niece’s gallbladder surgery and ensuing complications. And please, be very graphic in the questions that you ask. We’re ALL interested.

Remember that there is absolutely no requirement to make up your mind about what you would like to order when you’re standing in the Tim Horton’s line. And please, feel free to ask the lady at the cash if the doughnuts are fresh. It’s one of the world’s best kept secrets that Tim’s recycle their stale products – it’s policy that they won’t make new product until ALL the old is sold. There are starving children around the world who would LOVE to have any type of doughnut, let alone a fresh one. Don’t be so greedy!!!

There is absolutely no need to return your shopping cart to a parking lot corral. That’s silly talk. It’s ever so much better to leave it sitting in the middle of an empty parking space. This can accomplish a couple of things. 1) it makes the parking space look deceptively empty, thereby luring seeking motorists to commit to turning into the space only to find out they have to get out of the car to return said cart or, 2) if the parking lot has enough of a slope and the wind is blowing just right, the cart will roll into another car, causing scratches, dents and general consternation. Who would want to miss out on all that fun by putting a cart away???

Consider the fact that children need lots and lots of unsupervised play time in a public place – particularly a place where there is a water feature and/or an escalator. I mean, really – what toddler can’t pull themselves out of a fountain into which they have fallen trying to retrieve the penny you gave them to toss in? It’s all about upper body strength, and they will NEVER develop any if you are constantly picking them up and putting them out of harm’s way. And with the national childhood obesity epidemic that is sweeping the North American continent, it’s very negligent of you not letting your elementary school aged child try to walk “up” the “down” escalator. It’s certainly not risky for the child and definitely not inconvenient for the people who are trying to use the down escalator to actually descend a level in the mall. Children need exercise!!!

Thank you for your time. I am through ranting…….for now!!

First Things First

2009-08-04T13:06:00.001-03:00

1. Who was your FIRST prom date?
My ONLY prom date was Jason Richard.

2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love?
Nope.

3. What was your FIRST alcoholic drink?
A small taste of red wine – which is disGUSting....it tastes like a dog washed his feet in a puddle of vinegar. That experience pretty much cured my curiosity about drinking.

4. What was your FIRST job?
Babysitting, I think.

5. What was your FIRST car?
1993 Toyota Paseo.

6. Who was the FIRST person to text you today?
Don’t text.

7. Who is the FIRST person you talked to this morning?
The Cats, I guess...other than that, whoever the first person I saw when I arrived at the office.

8. Who was your FIRST grade teacher?
Mrs. Milburn at Smythe Street Elementary School.

9. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane?
Ontario.

10. Who was your FIRST best friend & do you still talk?
Peter Simmons – I haven’t seen him in years, so I guess talking is out.

11. Where was your FIRST sleepover?
Probably Lori’s house.

13. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time?
Lori’s.

14. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning?
Washed my face.

15. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to?
Leahy.

16. FIRST tattoo?
Pas de tattoo.

17. FIRST piercing?
I had my ears pierced when I was 11.

18. FIRST foreign country you went to?
USA.

19. FIRST movie you remember seeing?
The Pirate Movie – at Cara Coes’ birthday party in grade 4.

20. When was your FIRST detention?
I don’t think I ever had a detention – other than the ones where some idiotic acting person in the class ruined recess/lunch/break for everyone.

22. Who was your FIRST roommate?
I had several “first” roommates – Karen, Becky, Vickie, Michelle, Tina and Tiffany.

23. If you had one wish, what would it be?
For 3 months of nice weather....3 consecutive months of nice weather, to be specific.

24. What is something you would learn if you had the chance?
I’d like to see if my brain has matured enough to understand math.

25. Did you marry the FIRST person to ask for your hand in marriage?
No!!! It was awkward and embarrassing, and I only think about it when I have to.

26. What was the FIRST sport that you were involved in?
Sports – what are sports??

27. What were the FIRST lessons you ever took?
Trombone lessons.

28. What is the FIRST thing you do when you get home?
Take my shoes off.

Who Are the People in Your Neighbourhood?

2009-07-20T16:44:00.002-03:00

When you live and work in a relatively small city, you tend to see the same people over and over again. The office in which I work is located in a mall complex in the uptown area of the Port City. As most is the case with most malls, there is a colourful cast of regulars who seem to think of Market Square as their second home. I don’t know anything at all about any of these people, but it is interesting to watch them on a regular basis.

One older gentleman can be seen two or three days a week; he’s always very neatly dressed in a shirt, tie, dress pants and good shoes which are shined within an inch of mirrored perfection. He can always be seen seated in front of a payphone, talking very earnestly and discreetly into the wrong end of the phone receiver. I’ve never been close enough to hear his end of the conversation, and I doubt very highly that anyone is on the other end of the line, but that doesn’t deter him from his regular trips to the mall.

Mr. and Mrs. Bill arrive every day to “lunch and lotto” in the atrium. I think they live in the apartment complex across the street. The apartment and the mall are connected by an underground pedway – which accounts for “The Bill’s” presence in spite of rain, sleet, hail, snow, high water, etc. Mr. Bill wheels Mrs. Bill, precariously balanced on the seat of her walker, and settles her at a table near the fountain. Once she is established, he ambles off to get their lunch at A&W, and a few dollars worth of scratch & win lotto tickets, and they spend and hour or so happily munching and scratching tickets.

Then there is “The Hombre”. This gentleman is always attired in black – not that’s there’s anything wrong with that, mind you – and trots through the mall in black trench coat, black fedora and scruffy black cowboy boots.. He always has a cup of Tim Horton’s coffee in hand and a cheerful greeting for everyone he passes, whether he knows them personally or not.

My favourite “regular” is an elderly gentleman who I see every day without fail. I suspect he was quite tall and handsome in his youth, but time has left him stooped at the shoulder and peering at life through rheumy eyes. Every morning he arrives in Market Square, carrying a one litre carton of 2% milk, which he drinks from the carton, using a straw. After he finishes his milk, he walks. He shuffles his way around Market Square, through the library, across the pedways, through Brunswick Square, and back down to Market Square. When he does sit, he watches the children playing around the fountain in the atrium and smiles and chuckles, looking as if he would join them if he could. There was a stretch time this winter when I didn’t see him, and I feared the inevitable had happened. He reappeared in mid February, sporting a cast on his arm and appearing much thinner. I make a point to speak to him whenever I can – he has a lovely smile in response.

I sometimes wonder what makes up the “back stories” of these lives. Maybe the Phone Gentleman was involved in communications during the war, and he has reverted to the life that he once knew. Perhaps Mr. & Mrs. Bill are passing time, waiting for children and grandchildren to come visit or call. The Hombre may believe that he’s channeling Johnny Cash. Possibly “My Favourite Elderly Gentleman” was a successful business man, and likes to connect with the ebb and flow of people carrying out their daily business.

None of us really know the stories that make up the lives of people we see every day; what triumphs and tragedies have shaped their characters and personalities. But I think it’s safe to say that we all need to be more careful, considerate and kinder – to be careful to entertain “angels unawares”.

Do You Suppose I am Here to Chat with the Bullfrogs?

2009-07-08T18:15:00.006-03:00

The Anne Books by LM Montgomery are some of my favourite books. I have read them all numerous times - I laugh in the same places, and I cry in the same places. The books obviously don't change, and that's part of what I enjoy about them. Plus, it's really hard to beat good literature.

When Kevin Sullivan made the Anne of Green Gables Movie in 1985, and Anne of Green Gables - The Sequel in 1987, I immediately fell in love with them. Mr. Sullivan had the good sense not to stray too far from the original plot lines of the books, and he threw in just enough romance to engage my 13 and 15 year old imagination. I mean really, who didn't have a HUGE crush on Gilbert Blythe as portrayed by Jonathan Crombie? I totally swooned over him, and he isn't even blonde.

Lori and I spent large portions of our teenage years quoting snippits (red headed and otherwise) from the movies. I remember Lori also had a vast collection of production pictures from the movies taped to the back of her bedroom door, and we would watch the movies on a semi-regular basis - probably just often enough to drive her parents crazy.

So when R and I decided to watch a movie last night, we picked Anne of Green Gables - The Sequel. I can still quote most of the movie ("Let me get a word in edgewise, before I pitch YOU!!), and I am still as engaged in and enjoy the movie as much as I first time I watched it.

Good Job, Mr. Sullivan!

Vimy Ridge Day

2009-04-09T14:41:00.004-03:00

Today is Vimy Ridge Day.

"In 2003, the Government of Canada declared April 9 as "Vimy Ridge Day", to honour and remember the battle that took place at Vimy Ridge, France, in 1917, during the First World War.

On April 9, 1917, the Canadians did what other allied forces had so far failed to do – they took Vimy Ridge. At Vimy, regiments from coast to coast saw action together in a distinctly Canadian triumph, helping create a new and stronger sense of Canadian identity. After Vimy, the Canadian corps never looked back, and its success raised our international stature and earned us a separate signature on the Treaty of Versailles that ended the war.

Today, on land granted to Canada for all time by a grateful France, the Vimy Memorial rises above the now-quiet countryside. It stands as a tribute to all who served their country in battle and paid such a price to help ensure the peace and freedom we enjoy today". (From Veteran's Affairs Website)

The following was originally published on Port City Ponderings on April 10, 2007.

April 9, 1917 - April 8, 2007

General Arthur Currie, the Chief of Staff at Vimy Ridge and the first Canadian Commander of a Canadian Expeditionary Force, had done his homework. The German Forces had held Vimy Ridge since September of 1914. Capture and control of this ridge was crucial to the Allied effort. In the weeks leading up to that particular Easter Monday, the four divisions of the Canadian Corps, joined by the British 5th Infantry Division had participated in exhaustive preparations for the attack. A replica of the ridge was constructed behind Allied lines. Each division was trained in platoon-level tactics. This was the first time that detailed maps were given to each “ordinary” soldier rather than just officers and non-commissioned officers. (NCO) Each platoon was given a complete overview of the battle plan and specific tasks to be carried out during the attack. General Currie noted in his field diary that each soldier had been trained and drilled so thoroughly that he could perform his task while asleep.

April 9, 1917 was cold and it was raining. At exactly 5:30 am, 15,000 Canadian troops went “over the top” at Vimy Ridge. Every three minutes the Canadian forces would move forward 100 yards, protected by a barrage of artillery fire that would land in front of them, throwing up a protective curtain of dirt and debris. This “Vimy Glide” was a precise dance. Soldiers who fell behind ran the risk of presenting a clear target for the enemy. Those at the front of the attack had to be careful not to overrun the lines and risk running into the artillery fire. Soldiers who were wounded or killed were left behind for stretcher bearers to collect.

It took four days of relentless fighting, but in the end Vimy Ridge was in the hands of the Canadians. It has been said that one German POW said to his Canadian captor that "The British couldn't take it and the French couldn't take it, but you Canadians are such fools that you don't know when a place can't be taken!" The price of this victory came at great cost. 3598 men were killed in battle and another 7104 were wounded in the ensuing fighting. Families were irreparably wounded from the loss of a husband, father, brother, or son.

90 years later, almost to the day, our country is again caught in the web of sorrow and anguish that war brings. On Easter Sunday, April 8, 2007, six Canadian soldiers all serving out of CFB Gagetown, NB were killed in Afghanistan. It hit even closer to home when it became known that one of the soldiers is from here, Saint John; a 20 year old man who made the ultimate sacrifice while helping bring freedom to others. That is the link that binds April 1917 to April 2007.

“Thank you” seems too small to convey the immense measure of gratitude that needs to be expressed to these young men who, in different centuries and in different parts of the world helped bring peace to Canada and then maintain it. But I am thankful; I am thankful each time I see the red and white Canadian flag; each time I stand and sing the Canadian National Anthem; each time I walk into the place where I worship, I am thankful that I can do so without fear of persecution. Each time someone asks my nationality, I am thankful I can say, “I am Canadian”.

To those young men and women who “gave their tomorrow for our today”,

Thank You.

Salute to a brave and modest nation - Kevin Myers, 'The Sunday Telegraph' LONDON

Until the deaths of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan , probably almost no one outside their home country had been aware that Canadian troops are deployed in the region.

And as always, Canada will bury its dead, just as the rest of the world, as always will forget its sacrifice, just as it always forgets nearly everything Canada ever does.. It seems that Canada 's historic mission is to come to the selfless aid both of its friends and of complete strangers, and then, once the crisis is over, to be well and truly ignored.

Canada is the perpetual wallflower that stands on the edge of the hall, waiting for someone to come and ask her for a dance. A fire breaks out, she risks life and limb to rescue her fellow dance-goers, and suffers serious injuries. But when the hall is repaired and the dancing resumes, there is Canada, the wallflower still, while those she once helped Glamorously cavort across the floor, blithely neglecting her yet again.

That is the price Canada pays for sharing the North American continent with the United States , and for being a selfless friend of Britain in two global conflicts.

For much of the 20th century, Canada was torn in two different directions: It seemed to be a part of the old world, yet had an address in the new one, and that divided identity ensured that it never fully got the gratitude it deserved.

Yet it's purely voluntary contribution to the cause of freedom in two world wars was perhaps the greatest of any democracy. Almost 10% of Canada 's entire population of seven million people served in the armed forces during the First World War, and nearly 60,000 died. The great Allied victories of 1918 were spearheaded by Canadian troops, perhaps the most capable soldiers in the entire British order of battle.

Canada was repaid for its enormous sacrifice by downright neglect, it's unique contribution to victory being absorbed into the popular Memory as somehow or other the work of the 'British.'

The Second World War provided a re-run. The Canadian navy began the war with a half dozen vessels, and ended up policing nearly half of the Atlantic against U-boat attack. More than 120 Canadian warships participated in the Normandy landings, during which 15,000 Canadian soldiers went ashore on D-Day alone.

Canada finished the war with the third-largest navy and the fourth largest air force in the world. The world thanked Canada with the same sublime indifference as it had the previous time.

Canadian participation in the war was acknowledged in film only if it was necessary to give an American actor a part in a campaign in which the United States had clearly not participated - a touching scrupulousness which, of course, Hollywood has since abandoned, as it has any notion of a separate Canadian identity.

So it is a general rule that actors and filmmakers arriving in Hollywood keep their nationality - unless, that is, they are Canadian. Thus Mary Pickford, Walter Huston, Donald Sutherland, Michael J. Fox, William Shatner, Norman Jewison, David Cronenberg, Alex Trebek, Art Linkletter and Dan Aykroyd have in the popular perception become American, and Christopher Plummer, British.

It is as if, in the very act of becoming famous, a Canadian ceases to be Canadian, unless she is Margaret Atwood, who is as unshakably Canadian as a moose, or Celine Dion, for whom Canada has proved quite unable to find any takers.

Moreover, Canada is every bit as querulously alert to the achievements of its sons and daughters as the rest of the world is completely unaware of them. The Canadians proudly say of themselves - and are unheard by anyone else - that 1% of the world's population has provided 10% of the world's peacekeeping forces.

Canadian soldiers in the past half century have been the greatest peacekeepers on Earth - in 39 missions on UN mandates, and six on non-UN peacekeeping duties, from Vietnam to East Timor, from Sinai to Bosnia.

Yet the only foreign engagement that has entered the popular non-Canadian imagination was the sorry affair in Somalia , in which out-of-control paratroopers murdered two Somali infiltrators. Their regiment was then disbanded in disgrace - a uniquely Canadian act of self-abasement for which, naturally, the Canadians received no international credit.

So who today in the United States knows about the stoic and selfless friendship its northern neighbour has given it in Afghanistan ?

Rather like Cyrano de Bergerac , Canada repeatedly does honourable things for honourable motives, but instead of being thanked for it, it remains something of a figure of fun. It is the Canadian way, for which Canadians should be proud, yet such honour comes at a high cost. This past year more grieving Canadian families knew that cost all too tragically well.

Lest we forget..

Annology

2009-03-27T14:12:00.001-03:00

1) What is your salad dressing of choice? French

2) What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? Ummm –….Reggie’s I guess.

3) What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it? Chicken in any form

4) What are your pizza toppings of choice? Pineapple, cheese, ham, onions

5) What do you like to put on your toast? Marmalade – of the strawberry variety at the moment.

6) How many televisions are in your house? 1

7) What color cell phone do you have? Red

8) Are you right-handed or left-handed? Right

9) Have you ever had anything removed from your body? Some teeth, and a kidney stone

10) What is the last heavy item you lifted? Some boxes of books

11) Have you ever been knocked unconscious? No

12) If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? No

13) If you could change your name, what would you change it to?

I had this conversation last night….I like the name Lily, or Blythe..

14) Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?

Are you out of your ever loving mind?? NO!!!

15) How many pairs of flip flops do you own? None

16) What’s your goal for the year? Fine in 09, baby!!!

17) Last person you talked to? Mark

18) Last person you hugged? Rachel

19) Favorite Season? Autumn

20) Favorite Holiday? Christmas

21) Favorite day of the week? Sunday.

22) Favorite Month? October

23) First place you went this morning? Work

24) What's the last movie you saw in a theatre? He’s Just Not That Into You

25) Do you smile often? I think I do….apparently smiles don’t’ translate well on my face

26) Do you always answer your phone? If humanly possible

27) It's four in the morning and you get a text message or phone call, who is it? Rachel, with “Bad News”

28) If you could change your eye color what would it be? I like my blue eyes – I wouldn’t change them

29) What flavor drink do you get at Sonic? Sonic?? Huh?

30) Have you ever had a pet fish? Nope, they’re scared of my pet cats.

31) Favorite Christmas song? Sleigh Ride. Favourite Carol – Angels We Have Heard on High

32) What's on your wish list for your birthday? Cottage Repairs

33) Can you do push ups? Push up what?

?34) Can you do a chin up? I can push my chin up in the air…does that count?

35) Does the future make you more nervous or excited? I don’t really spend much time thinking about the future

36) Do you have any saved texts? Yes

37) Ever been in a car wreck? No – just a couple of fender benders

38) Do you have an accent? I don’t’ think so....

39) What is the last song to make you cry? Can’t remember

40) Plans tonight? K$T, shopping with Beth and then “home” to dose the dog.

41) Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? YES!! And bounced after I hit it.

42) Name 3 things you bought I didn’t buy anything yesterday

43) Have you ever been given roses? Yes

44) Current hate right now? Upheaval and drama

45) Met someone who changed your life? No

46) How did you spend this past New Year? With Beth and Rachel…watching movies and eating junkfood

47) What song represents you? “You’re Just Too Good to be True!!” (I’m very humble!!!)

48) Name three people who might complete this? Who knows?

49) What were you doing at 12 am? Just crawling into bed

50) What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? Where is that dog??

Some Days It’s Better to Stay in Bed!

2009-03-24T16:23:00.002-03:00

This last Friday was the first day of spring, and with the arrival of the vernal equinox comes the awakening of hibernating plants and animals.

As the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words”, is very apt in this situation, I will leave you with the following 1000 word essay, and let you know that my weekend was only slightly better than this poor little fellows was.

And by "slightly", I mean that I am still alive and not reposing in a Scoop & Save Bag which is bound inside a Royal Doulton sack.

Sing with me now!!

2009-03-09T13:22:00.003-03:00

To quote Cole Porter, “I feel a sudden urge to sing the kind of ditty that invokes the Spring…” At this point, I feel an overwhelming compulsion to do ANYTHING that hastens the arrival of Spring. I awakened today only to find that all the melting that occurred yesterday had frozen over night, and there is still – a mere 10 days from the first day of Spring – a generous layer of ice encrusted snow blanketing most of the Port City.

Whilst I was brushing my teeth this morning, the following little song popped into my head. So here it is – the world premiere of the soon to be hit song, “It Continues to Look a Lot like Christmas”, with sincere apologies to Meredith Wilson.

It continues to look a lot like Christmas everywhere you go,
The ground’s still covered with ice and snow,
They’re most reluctant to go,
And if grass peeked through,
I’m not sure we would know!
It continues to look a lot like Christmas,
Soon the tears will start.
And the thing that will make them flow
Is the snow bank that still grows……….
(BIG FINISH, NOW!!!!!!)
In your own front yard!!

Could Someone Please Tell Me…

2009-03-06T16:36:00.005-04:00

*Why the only time the shower runs out of hot water is when you have a head full of lathered shampoo.

*How The Cats manage to insert themselves between a foot and the floor on the EXACT spot one must step to keep one’s balance.

*Why black stockings run the very first (and only) time you wear them.

*How one small hole will let approximately 3.5 gallons of water into a size 9 boot.

*How I can remember my phone number from 1980, but struggle to remember my computer login that I changed 3 days ago.

*Why people will watch “reality” TV, but they won’t make the effort to interact with those in their particular “circles of influence”.

*How my upstairs neighbour knows precisely the right moment to crank the bass on his stereo, making me shoot straight up out of bed, thinking that the Rapture is taking place.

*How my 25(ish) pound cat managed to get himself stuck in the handles of a shopping bag. (That one might be pretty evident!)

*The only time you can find the hairspray you misplaced is after you bought a replacement can.

*Why does a house/apartment smell like popcorn for hours after you pop one small bag in the microwave.

*Why one or both of The Cats have to roll around for 10 minutes in a fresh box of litter.

*Why you can solve the world’s problems while you’re sleeping, but can’t remember where you are when you wake up.

*Why people think you are cross if you answer a question with the word, “fine”.

*How come there are foods you like as an adult which you despised as a child.

And the biggest mystery of all….

**Why will someone stick their head into your cubicle, see you holding a phone receiver to your ear, look at you and ask, “Are you on the phone?”

Bueller?

Bueller??

Anyone???

A - I'm Adorable (according to Sharon, Lois and Braam)

2009-02-25T11:41:00.003-04:00

A - Age: One day older than I was yesterday
B - Bed size: Double
C - Chore you hate: Vacuuming
D - Dad's Name: Phillip
E - Essential start your day item: Shower
F - Favorite actor(s): Tom Hanks/Johnny Depp
G - Gold or Silver: White Gold
H - Height: 5'4”
I - Instruments you play(ed): Trombone, Piano
J - Job title: Technical Support Administrator
K - Kid(s): 0 – unless you count two cats
L - Living arrangements: Indoors, thankfully
M - Mom's name: R. Elizabeth
N - Nicknames: Annie, Annala, Betty, CoCo, Miss Ann
O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: Kidney Stones....OUCH!!!
P - Pet peeve: Poor grammar, deliberate stupidity, bad drivers
Q - Quotes you like: “It is what it is”
R - Right or left handed: Mostly right
S - Siblings: Two sisters
T - Time you wake up: The alarm goes off at 6:22
U - Umbrella...do you have one? At least
V - Vegetable you dislike: Canned peas, kidney beans and badly cooked turnip
W - Ways you run late: I try not to be late....most of the time
X - X-rays you've had: Arms, legs, hands, feet, lungs, kidneys
Y - Yummy food you make: Chicken Lasagna, baby!!
Z - Zodiac: Leo

Please.....

2009-02-23T12:06:00.000-04:00

ENOUGH SNOW ALREADY!!!!!

How Many Days Until Spring...???

2009-02-19T13:32:00.010-04:00

Well, if you believe the calendar, there are only 29 more days to go. Pardon me if I have a bit of trouble grasping that idea, seeing as how we are have ANOTHER SNOWSTORM!! That's right, another 15-25 centimeters of snow. I'm not exactly sure just where we're going to put it all.

On a brighter note...only 87 more days until it is officially Cottage Season. YAY!!!! B and I went to The Cottage a couple of weekends ago to make sure things were ok. This is what we found.

The Tabernacle

Skating Rink on the Lake of Galille

The Wharf

The Cottage

See, the thing is……

2009-02-17T17:45:00.003-04:00

When I started blogging two and half years ago, I figured one of two things would happen. 1) I would very quickly become bored with the whole thing or 2) I would have SO MUCH to say that I would have to blog EVERY DAY for the REST OF MY LIFE.

Imagine my surprise when neither of those scenarios came to pass.

Blogging does not in any way bore me. I love to write – I think everyone who reads a lot has a secret yen to express themselves in the written word. I have realized that I am nowhere near as “talented” as I might have once believed, but I manage to hold my own, most of the time. On the flip side, I have much less to say than I originally thought. Well – let’s be honest – I have LOTS to say. However, not all of it needs to be shared with the blogosphere. Add to that the fact that I am tad on the lazy side, and you will arrive at the very obvious conclusion that I am not the world’s most consistent blogger.

So, in an effort to hone my writing “skillz” and to be a tad more on the consistent side, I have decided to use a blog prompt to generate ideas for future posts. I’m not going to use the prompts for every post – there’s always room for ad-libbing here in the Port City Ponderatorium. Today will be a prompted post thought. Today’s prompt was to write about my best friend.

Bit of a snag – my best friend(s) is/are my sister(s). One of them doesn’t seem to mind the occasional shout out on the blog, but the other sister recently mentioned in no uncertain terms that she in no way wants to be mentioned on the blog. There in lieth my dilemma.
Therefore, I will add my own twist to the prompt and tell you about my best childhood friends. (Here’s hoping they don’t mind being mentioned in the blog!!)

When I arrived at Fundamental Baptist Church in 1979, (FBC) there were two other girls who were exactly the same age as I, give or take a few months. Come to think of it, they still are exactly the same as I. Anywhoo….Jennifer and I seemed to hit it off from the beginning. My first “big vacation” adventure was with Jennifer. Her parents invited me to go camping with them at Grand Lake. The Cs had a purple camper van – I will never forget it as long as I live. The kitchen table collapsed down to be level with the benches to make a bed, and that’s where we slept for the week. We did the usual campy things, but the biggest thing for me was swimming. I was not a swimmer – I distinctly remember being dropped in the deep end of the Fredericton HoJo pool, and ever since then I have HATED to have my head under water. However, Jennifer and I were having a great time splashing around in the shallows of Grand Lake, under the watchful eye of Mr. and Mrs. C. A fabulous time even, until Jennifer’s evil cousin Derrick showed up, and capsized the tube or air mattress or whatever it was we were floating on. In hindsight, I admit I may have overreacted to the “head under water thing” just a skotch, hard as that is to believe!!! And I feel compelled to say that Derrick is not at all evil, now that’s he’s grown up!!

Another vivid memory Jennifer memory revolves around one of her birthday parties - probably her 12th or 13th. Her birthday being in June, and coinciding with the end of the school year, there was always a party at the C’s house. At this particular birthday, Jennifer’s parents had rented the movie “Pollyanna” for us to watch. Now, previously to this viewing, I had read the book, so it wasn’t like I didn’t know what was going to happen in the movie. I’ll spare you all the gory details, but suffice it to say, when my father arrived to pick me up from a “PARTY”, he found me on the verge of hysterics at the fate of poor Pollyanna. I think Mr. C was a bit bewildered by my over the top reaction, but he seemed to recover, because he still speaks to me.
Jennifer and I spent our teenage years talking on the phone, listening to music over the phone (?), having the occasional argument – “I’m never talking to you again”, and just generally being girls. 30 years later, we are still friends, and make a point of trying to get together every time she comes home.

My other best friendship didn’t have quite as smooth a start. Until we were 10, Lori and I spent most of our time getting on each other’s nerves. Then fate, in the form of my mother, intervened. I can’t remember who was having a party, but the comment was made that I was a party-pooper, and I perceived that Lori was behind the comment. Again, I may have over reacted to that statement just a tad…..I come from a long line of over reactors, some of them being of the nuclear variety!! Anyway, my mother had had enough of my weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. She grabbed each of us by the arm, dragged us into her Sunday School room, read poor Lori the riot act, and then told us “not to come out of this room until you are friends!!!” Lori was crying, I was crying (imagine that), but we managed to patch up our differences. I remember Lori telling me much later that she was terrified that my mother would tell her mother that she was being mean, and that she would get a spanking. Who says fear can’t knit two souls together? But it was the start of a beautiful friendship.

Lori and I were inseparable for most of our high school years. I spent almost all of my summers at her house – we would climb down the treacherous hill in front of her house and lay on the beach. Well, Lori would lay, I would usually read. We shopped, and talked – generally about boys – - read “Victoria” magazines, and generally carried on. I remember Lori’s father asking us at the breakfast table just what we had been up to the night before. We made so much noise he though porcupines were fighting on the front lawn. We had the occasional fight – the “best” one being over the phone. I slammed the phone down on her just as she slammed the phone down on me, each of us thinking that we were teaching the other a lesson. Our “fights” never really lasted a long time, and we generally made up pretty quickly.

We managed to get ourselves into and out of a fair amount of trouble – the funniest time being almost being kicked out of Camp the very last night of our very last year at Elim. We had the back room on the girl’s side of the loft. Someone had poked holes in the beaverboard walls, and we could see down into the main room of the camp, and the bedrooms along the far wall. Discretion forbids me to repeat the exact scenario, but suffice it to say we laughed loud and long enough to bring Pastor Fosmark out to see what the ruckus was, and to remind us just how unhappy our parents would be if he called them to come and get us at 11:00 on a Friday night, when camp was over at 12:00 noon on Saturday.

Lori and Jennifer are each woven into the best memories of my childhood. I was honoured to stand up in both of their weddings, and have watched each of their families grow. I am grateful that, through conveniences of technology, we are still friends 30 years later – even if the only place we “see” each other regularly is on Facebook.

Danger!! Danger, Will Robinson!!(*)

2009-02-12T11:57:00.003-04:00

Wow...four posts in a short period of time(*)....the world must be going to end!! Enjoy it while it lasts.
(*) Behaviour not typical!!

For your reading "enjoyment", the latest in the series of lists entitled "How Many Inane Questions Can We Ask Before People Stop Answering?"

A through Z

The Letter A
What is your age?
36
What annoys you?
Loudness, lying, double standards, alarm clocks, heavy metal and/or rap “music”. Maybe a better question would be “What doesn’t annoy you?”
Do you have any allergies?
Shellfish

The Letter B
Do you know anyone named Billy?
I think Uncle Bill probably was called Billy a time or two, so yes.
When is your birthday?
August 11
Who is/are your best friend(s)?
Otto and Otis.

The Letter C
What is your favorite candy?
Fruit Jellies and Bridge Mixture.
When was the last time you cried?
Christmas time
Have you been out of the country?
Yes.

The Letter D
Do you daydream?
Yes.
What's your favorite kind of dog?
I like most dogs, provided they don’t droll all over me.
What day of the week is it?
Thursday

The Letter E
How do you like your eggs?
Scrambled with bit of dill.
Have you ever been in the emergency room?
Several times – mostly as an accident prone teenager
What's the easiest thing ever to do?
Nothing!! I could do nothing all day.

The Letter F
Have you ever flown in a plane?
Yes
Do you use fly swatters?
Yes –who wants to kill flies with your hand?? GROSS!!
Have you ever used a foghorn?:
Umm – I live on the Fundy Coast – fog horns are a necessity around these parts.

The Letter G
Have you petted a goat?
Yes – and it was a tad on the smelly side
.Are you a giver or a taker?
A bit of both, if the truth be told.
Do you like gummy candies?
Not really....they’re too rubbery.

The Letter H
How are you?
Fabulous, thanks for asking.
What's your height?
5'4 “ish
What color is your hair?
Dark brown

The Letter I
What's your favorite ice cream?
For a cone, it’s Orange Pineapple; in a dish, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Have you ever ice skated?
Yes.
Have you cheated the IRS?
Don’t think so...we’re still on speaking terms.

The Letter J
What's your favorite jelly bean?
The red ones
Do you tell jokes?
Why did the bee go the hospital? Because he had hives. There – just told one.
Do you wear nice jewelry?
I think it’s nice.

The Letter K
Do you want to kill anybody?
Not at this exact present moment. Not guaranteeing the future, though.
Do you want to have kids?
No, most of my friends have kids...takes the pressure off of me.
Where did you have kindergarten?
At home, I think.

The Letter L
Are you laid back?
Oh yes...very!!!
Do you lie?
Did you read the above answer?? In “real life” I try very hard to be truthful.
When is the last time you sent a hand-written letter?
It’s been a while.

The Letter M
Ever talked in a microphone?
Yes.
Do you still watch Disney Movies?
When the mood strikes.
Do you like mangos?
I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a mango.

The Letter N
Do you have a nickname?
Several
What's your favorite number?
11
Do you prefer night over day?
Well, it’s easier to see in the day, but it’s easier to sleep at night. I guess I like them both.

The Letter O
Are you an only child?
No, I am the oldest of three children.
Do you wish this was over?
No – when I type people think I’m busy and leave me alone.
What is the closet orange object near you?
The “Hold” button on my phone.

The Letter P
What one fear are you most paranoid about?
Waking up and finding a spider on me. UGH!!
Do you think you are pretty?
Pretty what??
Do you play any instruments?
Yep – I can play the piano and the trombone (not simultaneously), and I could play a trumpet if I worked at it.

The Letter Q
Are you quick to judge people?
Yes, unfortunately.
Do you have any quirks?
No, I am just a very charmingly idiosyncratic person.
What do you keep quiet about?
That about which I need to keep quiet.

The Letter R
Do you think you're always right?
Well, I may think that I am, but that doesn’t make it so.
Do you watch reality TV?
I don’t watch much TV.
What’s a good reason to cry?
It’s a good alternative to pushing someone down the stairs!! I’m just saying.....

The Letter S
Are you a social person?
I can be when I need to be.
What is your favorite season?
Fall
What provinces have you lived in?
New Brunswick and Ontario

The Letter T
What time did you wake up?
When the alarm went off at 6:17
When did you last sleep in a tent?
Ummm – the New Brunswick Day weekend of 2001
Do you like tomatoes?
Yes!

The Letter U
Do listen to Usher?
No
.Describe the underwear you’re wearing?
WHY??
Do you have an umbrella in your car?
Yes

The Letter V
What’s the worst veggie?
Badly cooked turnip.
Do you like movies with violence?
Not really – unless it’s a war movie or some such thing.
Where do you want to go on vacation?
Anywhere where it doesn’t snow!!!T

he Letter W
Ever been on a waverunner?
Is that the same thing as a Sea-doo? If so, yes.
Do you wish on stars?
No, but I like to carry moonbeams home in a jar!!
Where do you work?
Genesys Canada Telecommunications Laboratories

The Letter X
Have you ever had an x-ray?
Yes – the most embarrassing being when I broke all five toes on my right foot.
Have you watched the x-games?
What are the X- Games?
Do you own a xylophone?
No – I think you’d have to look long and hard to find a “yes” answer to this question – discounting the Fisher Price Xylophone.

The Letter Y
Do you like the color yellow?
Yes, I think it’s very cheerful. I’d like to have a yellow kitchen someday.
What year were you born?
1972
What did you do yesterday?
I got up, showered, made my lunch, went to work, worked until 5:30, ran some errands with my sisters, visited at Nana’s for a while, went home, got ready for bed, read for a while and went to sleep.

The Letter Z
Do you believe in the zodiac?
I didn’t realize the Zodiac was a valid belief system...short answer, no!
Ever been to the zoo?
Yep - the zookeepoo let me in :-)
Has your bank account been at zero?
Unfortunately.

I Dreamed a Dream in Days Gone By-Oh, Wait!! It was Last Night

2009-02-11T16:05:00.004-04:00

They say that when you stop learning, you stop living. Yesterday I learned that if you eat popcorn with Salt and Vinegar seasoning and then read a few chapters in a detective/mystery novel before you go to bed, your dreams will be wild and wooly.

I know that everyone dreams, and no one knows quite why we dream or what, if anything, dreams mean. I dream every night, but I rarely remember my dreams when I wake. There have been a few that I have remembered, some of them from childhood.

When I was in Grade One, my teacher read the class the story of Rumpelstiltskin. For a couple of weeks after that, I dreamed about a short, ugly man chasing me. I would run into my room to hide from him, and always knocked down a spinning wheel that was in the corner of my room. I would wake up terrified. Maybe that explains why I prefer tall men…..and why I “toil not, neither do I spin”.

Grampie used to quote “Little Orphant Annie”, by James Whitcomb Riley. The line “And the Gobbleuns-’ll get if you, ef you don’t watch out!!” used to give me shivery feeling in up and down my back. Someone, somewhere in my youth, had an old Ideals book with that poem in it; on the opposite page was a picture of a pitch black cat with big yellow eyes that stared implacably from the page into the depths of my soul. I used to dream about that cat and the “gobbeluns”.

I have had a couple of very vivid, real dreams – the kind of real that when you wake up, you’re not entirely sure if the dream was just a dream, or you’re remembering something that really did happen. One night, I dreamed that my mother died. The dream, the people in it and their reactions were to very true to life that I wasn’t entirely sure I would see Mom when I went upstairs in the morning. I don’t like those kinds of dreams.

Generally, my dreams are pure foolishness, just a mish-mash of things I’ve seen, heard and read. I can clearly remember a dream I had in my early 20s. I had just been married, (that’s how I knew it was a dream!!), and was living with my new husband in a big, grey clapboard house situated just behind a golf course. My “husband” spent the early days of our “marriage” trying to kill me. (Again proving the dream theory – it was just too good to true!) The disturbing part of this scenario was that no one would help me. The police thought I was paranoid and making things up; my father said that if the police wouldn’t help me, what did I expect him to do about it? A lawyer of my acquaintance told me that he couldn’t help unless I could physically prove that my life was being threatened. (I know nice, supportive people, don’t I?)

I decided that my life would be safer if I surrounded myself with people, so I began having large and glamorous parties. At one such gathering, a couple of my friends took it upon themselves to try and help me with my precarious situation. “Greg” told me that I needed to have at least two exits from every room. He emptied my pots and pan cupboard and built a slide out into the backyard. “Alan” was experimenting with golf balls that exploded on impact, and left me several prototypes for my protection. (It was a dream, people; live the magic!!)

The culmination of this dream was that my beloved barricaded himself in the garage adjacent to the house, and tried to shoot me while I was hosting a garden party. The guests rushed the garage, overpowered the rampaging murderer, and held him until the shamefaced police arrived to arrest him. In retrospect, it was rather like a game of Clue.

“I accuse Professor Plum, who killed Ann from the Garage with the Rifle.”

I don’t remember much of the dream from last night, except that it involved a big hubbub over removing the modesty panel from the choir loft, and having magazines for sale in the church vestibule. And if you don’t think either of those issues wouldn’t cause consternation then you, my friend, are living in a dream world.

Favourite Movie Lines that [tend to]Make Their Way into [my] Everyday Conversation

2009-02-09T13:26:00.004-04:00

“I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request…means no!”

Pirates of the Caribbean

“And thither also went Mr. Wickham”

Pride and Prejudice

“Bought marmalade? Oh dear, I call that very feeble”

Gosford Park

“Blast this music; it’s both joyful AND triumphant!!”

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

“Someone’s going to get a karate chop sandwich!”

Fireproof

“If I had ever learned to play, I would be true proficient.”

Pride and Prejudice

“You don't need scores of suitors. You need only one... if he's the right one.”

Little Women

“Rochefort. Isn't that a smelly kind of cheese?”

The Three Musketeers

“A device is yet to be invented that will measure my indifference to this remark.”

M*A*S*H

“I am not interested in the confessions of little girls masquerading as assassins”

Anne of Green Gables.

**ETA**

"'Peers to be"

Anne of Green Gables

"Good Point!!"

Four Weddings and A Funeral

SNOW is a four letter word!!!

2009-02-06T16:18:00.007-04:00

This was the view from my front door on Wednesday morning. It was enough to make me want to crawl back into bed.

Which is exactly what Otto did - and you can tell that he leads a pretty hard life. Poor "little" thing was laying on a fleece blanket which was on top of a duvet, which was on the bed with a mere 10 inch pillow top. I do hope the SPCA doesn't find out about his abject existance!!

Oh Look!! More Unoriginality!!

2009-01-28T14:17:00.003-04:00

The First Letter Thing

Rules: Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following...They MUST be real places, names, things...NOTHING made up! If you can't think of anything, skip it. Try to use different answers if the person who tagged you has the same 1st initial.And remember - you CAN'T use your name for the "boy/girl name" question.

Your Name: Ann

Famous Artist/Band/Musician: ABBA

A song: Annie’s Song

4 letter word: Aunt

Color: Amber

Gifts/present: Automobile

Vehicle: Acura

Animal: Aardvark

TV Show: A Team

Location: Aruba

Boy Name: Agamemnon

Girl Name: Amanda

Drink: Agua

Occupation: Antidisestablishmentarianism

Sport: Archery

Flower: Anemone

Celebrity: Alan Rickman

Food: Antipasto

Something found in a kitchen: Appliances

Reason for Being Late: Avalanche

Cartoon Character: Alligator Al

Something You Shout: AMEN!!

Store: American Eagle

If you want to play...you're tagged.

Logophiles of the world...

2009-01-08T12:39:00.002-04:00

Allow me to present, for your perusal, consideration and vocabulary augmentation, the following words which I have learned from several books I have read in the past few months.

Accretions: growth or increase by gradual external addition, fusion or inclusion.

Lithography: the art or process of producing a picture, writing or the like on a flat specially prepared stone with some greasy or oily substance and of taking impressions form this as in ordinary printing.

Orthopraxy: correctness or orthodoxy of action or practice.

These words I came upon when reading “A Certain Justice”, by P. D. James. I have only recently discovered the works of Ms. James and I thoroughly enjoy them. Her plot lines are never predictable, her characters are vivid and believable, and the English language is her servant.

Panoply: a full suit of armor, a complete defense or covering.

This word came to light during a choir rehearsal. The second verse of the hymn “Soldiers of Christ Arise” contains the phrase, “and take, to arm you for the fight, the panoply of God”. The hymn was written by Mr. Charles Wesley who also penned the lyrics to several of my favourite hymns, including, “And Can It Be That I Should Gain”, “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”, “Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending”, and “O, For a Thousand Tongues to Sing”. Mr. Wesley published over five and a half thousand hymns, and wrote the words for a further two thousand hymns, many of which are still sung today.

Anachronistic: one that is out of its proper or chronological order, especially a person or a practice that belongs to an earlier time.

Ephemeral: lasting a very short time; short lived; transitory

Last month I bought and read the Twilight Saga. (I know, I know….I succumbed to pop culture… and we won’t talk about how many times I saw the movie!!!) My overt enjoyment notwithstanding, these books are not life changing. They are however, well written and engaging, and I did glean a couple of new words from them.

Ectomorph: a person with a thin body.

Penumbra: the partial or imperfect shadow outside the complete shadow of an opaque body where the light from the illuminating source is cut off.

One of my favourite authors is Robert B. Parker. His most popular protagonist is Spencer. (As in the old TV show Spencer for Hire – same Spencer). Spencer is an erudite, tough, well read, sensitive, gourmet cooking gumshoe who “talks real good”. I just finished reading “Then and Now”, Parker’s latest novel to be published in paperback, and added the above offerings to my vocabulary.

So there you have it….some new expressions to add to your lexis.

100 Days until Spring!!

2008-12-11T11:56:00.006-04:00

So, in light of that particular revelation let me tell you a little story about my exciting Monday night.

Some background information that you will need – Sunday night, December 7, was “a dark and stormy night”. There was rain, there was snow, there was freezing rain, and there was wind. When I got up Monday morning, the world was covered in a blanket of frozen snow, about 5 centimeters in thickness. Not only did I have to pry my car door open using my snowbrush/ice scraper, but due to the freezing precipitation combination which had swirled through the backyard, I was forced to use my hair dryer to thaw the deadbolt lock on my door so I could lock the it when I left for work. It was quite a delicate balancing act; I had the hairdryer plugged into the stove because that is the plug that is closest to the door. I had my left arm out the door holding the hairdryer in place over the lock. My right arm, leg and foot were trying to fend off two cats, both of whom were rabidly sniffing the fresh air and trying to worm their way out into the pristine and as yet printless snow. I successfully managed to thaw the lock whilst thwarting any escape plans that were hatching in the Feline’s minds. I locked the door, and went on my merry way to work.

Reflecting upon the incident, I decided that it would be prudent to obtain a bottle of lock de-icer to facilitate the reentry to my abode later in the evening. I mentioned this to B who not only fed me supper on Monday night, but immediately put her hand upon a bottle of lock de-icer she had squirreled away. Armed thusly, I was confident that I would be able to get back into the house. I set forth to Cantata Practice with my lines on my lips and a song in my heart – so to speak.

It was about 9:50 when I parked the car in the driveway Monday night. It was dark, it was cold, and I was tired (so thusly a tad on the crabby side…that goes without saying). I knew that the chances were better than average that the lock had refrozen after its intimate encounter with forced hot air some 13 hours earlier, so I unpackaged the lock de-icer and approached the door. Sure enough, the lock was frozen – there was no way the key was going to be inserted. I rammed the nozzle of the lock de-icer bottle into the keyhole and emptied half the contents of said bottle. After waiting the recommended 30 seconds (because I did read the directions…oh yes m’ am, I did), I tried the key again. Nothing yielded as much as a millimeter. Somewhat more vigorously this time, I emptied the other half of the lock de-icer and “patiently” waited for another 30 seconds – no dice. The lock was frozen solid.

I retreated to the car to ponder my options. I called R – she didn’t answer the phone, but I knew that she was more than likely sound asleep – and that meant the chain was on the door at Nana’s. I called B to let her know that she may have an unexpected houseguest for the night, should I not be able to eventually get into the house. That was fine with her – the Queen could call, needing a hot cup of tea and place to stay - B would be prepared. I sat and cudgeled my brain for a solution to this knotty problem. The only idea up with which I could come was……….heat. But as there are no plugs on the outside of my house, the only source of heat available to me was……….fire. Lock de-icer is flammable, in case you don’t know. I really couldn’t see any other way out of this predicament, so I set forth to the nearest convenience store to buy a lighter.

I would like to tell you that the lighter was truly the last resort. When I returned home to reattempt to gain entry to the house, I tried thawing the lock by holding my hand over it for a bit. However, seeing as my hand wasn’t much warmer than the lock itself; that method proved to be less than efficacious. I then tried breathing on the lock….and if ANYONE leaves any comments about my having a surplus of hot air, there will be war in the camp!! And your side won’t win!!!!! Needless to say, the heaving breathing attempt didn’t work, either. So I carefully wiped the lock, trying to remove as much surplus lock de-icer as possible, and lit the lighter.

Obviously, the lock didn’t blow up in my face, and I am not dead. I will confess that I had visions of an obituary that contained the phrases, “Unexpectedly, in her back yard with a lighter in one hand and a bottle of lock de-icer in the other…..identified through dental records……donations may be made to your local firehouse……”

The moral of this story?? In the 89 days between winter and spring, leave your bedroom window unlatched and a step ladder in your trunk!!

Known Unto God

2008-11-06T16:27:00.009-04:00

He rests,
Cradled in satin and silver birch; returned to the land of his birth, welcomed home with the solemnity and quiet reverence a nation reserves for her fallen sons.

He rests,
Covered in a sprinkling of earth from every part of the Dominion of Canada, and from the Ridge where he lay guarded by the somber face of Canada Mourning.

He rests,
Unaware of the throngs of people who stop and pay their respects, pausing to ponder the willing sacrifice he made so that they may enjoy a life of liberty and privilege.

He rests,
Relieved of his labour and gruesome toil; the light of his short life’s work reflecting the magnificence of justice which can banish the darkness of tyranny and evil.

He rests,

Known Unto God

Randomness, Thy Name is Ann

2008-10-22T15:09:00.005-03:00

1. Where is your cell phone?
In my purse.
2. Where is your significant other?
You tell me and we’ll both know!!
3. Your hair color?
Dead Mouse Brown with leftover Vivid Bumblebee Yellow Highlights.
4. Your mother?
Is a teacher.
5. Your father?
Is the genetic source of my sarcasm.
6. Your favorite thing?
“Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens, etc…”
7. Your dream last night?
Was a lulu, let me tell you!!
8. Your dream/goal?
Concert Pianist, but I’ll settle for a life well lived.
9. The room you're in?
Does a cubicle count as a room??
10. Your hobby?
Reading, writing, no arithmetic - I’m allergic!!
11. Your fear?
Failure.
12. Where do you want to be in six years?
Ummm, married to a fabulously handsome [wealthy] man, living a life to which I can easily become accustomed.
13. Where were you last night?
Nana-sitting, and then watching a movie with Ann, Jill and Sarah.
14. What you’re not?
Patient springs to mind :-)
15. One of your wish list items?
See number 12. Or, failing that, a new duvet.
16. Where you grew up?
Fredericton and Saint John, NB.
17. The last thing you did?
Ate some lunch and read a chapter in “A Certain Justice.”
18. What are you wearing?
Red sweater, grey skirt, black shoes.
19. Your TV?
Only works with the DVD player.
20. Your pet?
Otto and Otis – the best cats EVER!!!
21. Your computer?
Makes me want to throw things by times.
22. Your mood?
Ambivalent.
23. Missing someone?
I always miss Gramp – it’s a state of being.
24. Your car?
Nissan Sentra.
25. Something you’re not wearing?
“Pants!! I’m not wearing any pants.” (to quote Rachel)
27. Your summer?
Was intense.
28. Love someone?
One or two people… ;-)
29. Your favorite color?
Blue.
30. When is the last time you laughed?
Last night at Ann Smith’s place.
31. Last time you cried?
Last Saturday.

Just Pretend I'm Not Here

Numbers of My Life

Resistance Was Futile

Words of the Year for 2011

"Hope for Every Nation"

"Pray without Ceasing"

The Official Music of the Christmas Season

Tradition!!

A Pleasant Help

One Small Red Flower

In Memory of Gramp and In Recognition of Hallowe'en

What's Been Occupying My Mind?

Quite Possibly the Funniest Canadian Ever...

"Sing 'River', Nana"

Anger Vs Pity

Happy Birthday, Henna!

Beauty for Ashes

Wrong, Wronger, Wrongest

My Secret is Out - **ETA Play-Doh Picture Link**

Gone Fishing...

Five Years Ago...

God's Trombones

I am an Artist and Oatmeal is my Medium

Trudging Along

Not Enough Words

"It Is Not Death to Die"

A New Old Favourite

For Nana

Quote of the Week

Friday Photo

Friday Photo

My Candid Opinion about Mice

Friday Photo

And We're Back - Friday Photo

Valentine's Day Through the Lens of a Mathematical Poet

Wild Geese that Fly with the Moon on their Wings

It's All the Meme to Me....

I Don't Know if This Would Merit an "A"

In the Words of Tiny Tim...

November 11

Retro Reading Week or Month - Whichever.

Thinking Deep Thoughts aka Staring Off into Space

Phriday Photo

Happy Birthday, Nana

Friday Foto - and Thankfulness

Phriday Photo

"The Rock that is Higher than I"

From the Ridiculous to the Sublime....in Reverse Order

Friday Foto

Lessons on Judging a Book by Another's Review of the Book's Cover

This is How I Feel about Monday

The Single Life....This is Why I'm Holding Out

When You Wake Up in the Morning and It's Quarter to One...

Friday Foto OR Phriday Photo

“With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility”

Brewer's Bedtime Stories

Things I Learned while I was 37

456 Months = ? Years

Happy New Brunswick Day!! (One Day Late...)

I've Spared You Long Enough...

Complications Arose, Ensued and Were Overcome...

Three Things….times nine, which is Twenty Seven Things

Confirmation

7321 Days Ago...

Chicken Bone Haiku

Mutually Exclusive Options

Domesticity Abounds….Maybe

Math may be redeemable afterall...

Gracious Living in a China Teacup

Easter

On Perseverance – Saintly and Otherwise

An Updatey Sort of a Post with Random Thoughts about Writing Letters

I can’t believe that I am going to say this….

The Great Reading Experiment - 2010

Wherein I Discover that My Ambition is much Greater than My Talent.

Call Me Eccentric

2009 - The Year of Non-Blogging in Review

Of All Things Exhibition

It’s Good to have Goals

By All Means....

My Secret is Out - ETA Play-Doh Picture Link