Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Farewell 2011

Ok, another Christmas has now rolled passed and most of us wait with baited breath to ring in a brand new year. I’m sure I’m with thousands of other people and hope that 2012 will bring new and wonderful things. The last 12 months have revealed many things to me, both good and bad. I’ve cried tears of joy and hurt as well as swam helplessly as I was humiliated and chastised at my place of employment. I learned many valuable lessons that taught me who was actually standing behind me and not trying to run me over to get ahead in whatever their endeavours were. Even through all of that some wonderful amazing things happened making the bad things seem less painful. So now it’s time to stand waving as 2011 makes a much welcome exit and 2012 is welcomed in.

"In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, but never in want." -traditional Irish toast

The Renovation Saga comes to an end………..











Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne (days of long ago)?

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

Monday, December 19, 2011

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Sometimes I just have to shake my head and give a silent chuckle about the boneheaded moves some people make, but alas it’s the Christmas season so I’ll keep those chuckles silent, for now anyway. Well the tree has been up for a few weeks now and I’m really on the ball and have all the gifts wrapped. The only thing I have to do is shop for the “Big Day” dinner. This year I have to entertain the outlaws for this festive meal. Oh lucky me…not! I can almost hear the comments now but again, tis the season and all that holiday stuff, so I’ll “fa-la-la-la-la   la-la-la-la” my way through it and keep that ohhhhhhhh so sweet and innocent smile pasted on my face the entire time.

Things on the work front haven’t been too bad, although there have been moments when I just throw my hands in the air and look skyward. It certainly hasn’t been easy at times, but I guess with all jobs there are moments when one just may start to contemplate an unlawful act and figure out a way to use the plea of “guilty by reasons of insanity”. I’m still kind of waiting for a shoe to drop since receiving the email Birthday greeting from my Supervisor. I’m sure it will drop it’s just a matter of when, where and how. There have been many changes in the workplace, some for the good and some not, but as far as I can figure it’s all in the way you face changes that makes it easier to adjust. I sure wasn’t happy when the changes took affect, but I had to suck it up and adjust as we all do when things don’t go as we think they should.

With only 6 days left until everyone will be celebrating Christmas in their own unique way, I want to wish everyone the happiest season ever!

Merry Christmas
From my house to your’s


Thursday, December 8, 2011

A Greeting card for Dawn from Marnie

A Greeting card for Dawn from Marnie

Surprises come in all forms

Not too many things make me speechless but one incident in particular has my jaw dropping with no words spilling from my mouth. 2011 was not a very good year for me. I learned some pretty hurtful lessons in all facets of my life (work and home). I had to “hike up my big girl panties” do the “suck it up princess” and cry alone on more than one occasion, but through all that I grew into a stronger form of myself and I am better for it. But my pity parties are a thing of the past now. I have begun to cut out a new niche in my little corner of the world and things seem to be falling into place. I have renewed an old friendship and now I feel the arms of a true friend helping me along the way. I have a feeling 2012 will be totally different for me and I’m going to enjoy the different roads that will appear before me.

Okay, now on to the surprise that has made my jaw drop and stopped the words from falling out. Last week I had the uncomfortable pleasure of arriving to work and finding my Supervisor still sitting behind her big desk. It was going on for 6:30pm and she was still there. Apparently she had a meeting in town and didn’t want to drive all the way home and then come back into town so she was doing odds and ends in the office to kill some time. Anyway we got talking and birthdays were mentioned. Hers was coming up on the Sunday and mine was a few days later on the following Tuesday. We did have a few laughs about our ages and thanks goodness she is a few years older than me! Anyway even though it began as uncomfortable I began to relax. I’ll never let my guard down though because I have been told many things about her and did experience a rather pissy moment with her a few months back. Anyway within the hour she did leave the center leaving me to do the tasks at hand that was left on our small corner desk. I never thought much about it until Tuesday afternoon (my Birthday) when I logged on and started checking my different email accounts. I always check my work email last so when I logged in low and behold there was a card for me from her. Maybe now you’ll understand WHY my jaw dropped and the usual rantings that spew from my mouth were no where to be heard. All I can manage to say is wow!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

What gift have you received in life that is most precious?

I was recently asked this question and of course I said that all the gifts I have received have been precious in one way or another. A gift is usually given out of love and caring therefore making it a very special and precious thing to receive, but if you really think about it, there is usually one gift that you have been given that stands out in your mind. This is not about the gifts we receive from our children, as those gifts are in a special bundle For me it was a simple hand written card given to me 32 years ago. This card was given to me a few days before I got married from a very special man in my life. He was much older than I was but he stole my heart and still has it to this day even though he has passed away. He was a father figure during my teens and up until the day I got married. He gave me advice, helped me through some rough times and I knew he was there for me if and when I needed him. My teen years were more than difficult to say the least, but if it wasn’t for this man I’m sure I would have traveled a very different path probably leading to self destruction of some form. During my marriage, life happened, and as I grew and embarked on my own path, I lost contact with this person. When I was asked the question, and after I had answered, my mind went to a small wooden trunk in my bedroom. Inside this wooden trunk are things that I could never part with. It’s who I am inside and out. Inside this trunk lays the card that was given to me 32 years ago. This simple hand written card was given to me by a very precious person making it one of the most treasured gifts I have ever been given.


Friday, November 11, 2011

Lest We Forget


In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.



McCrae's "In Flanders Fields" remains to this day one of the most memorable war poems ever written. It is a lasting legacy of the terrible battle in the Ypres salient in the spring of 1915. Here is the story of the making of that poem:
Although he had been a doctor for years and had served in the South African War, it was impossible to get used to the suffering, the screams, and the blood here, and Major John McCrae had seen and heard enough in his dressing station to last him a lifetime.
As a surgeon attached to the 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Major McCrae, who had joined the McGill faculty in 1900 after graduating from the University of Toronto, had spent seventeen days treating injured men -- Canadians, British, Indians, French, and Germans -- in the Ypres salient.
It had been an ordeal that he had hardly thought possible. McCrae later wrote of it:
"I wish I could embody on paper some of the varied sensations of that seventeen days... Seventeen days of Hades! At the end of the first day if anyone had told us we had to spend seventeen days there, we would have folded our hands and said it could not have been done."
One death particularly affected McCrae. A young friend and former student, Lieut. Alexis Helmer of Ottawa, had been killed by a shell burst on 2 May 1915. Lieutenant Helmer was buried later that day in the little cemetery outside McCrae's dressing station, and McCrae had performed the funeral ceremony in the absence of the chaplain.
The next day, sitting on the back of an ambulance parked near the dressing station beside the Canal de l'Yser, just a few hundred yards north of Ypres, McCrae vented his anguish by composing a poem. The major was no stranger to writing, having authored several medical texts besides dabbling in poetry.
In the nearby cemetery, McCrae could see the wild poppies that sprang up in the ditches in that part of Europe, and he spent twenty minutes of precious rest time scribbling fifteen lines of verse in a notebook.
A young soldier watched him write it. Cyril Allinson, a twenty-two year old sergeant-major, was delivering mail that day when he spotted McCrae. The major looked up as Allinson approached, then went on writing while the sergeant-major stood there quietly. "His face was very tired but calm as we wrote," Allinson recalled. "He looked around from time to time, his eyes straying to Helmer's grave."
When McCrae finished five minutes later, he took his mail from Allinson and, without saying a word, handed his pad to the young NCO. Allinson was moved by what he read:
"The poem was exactly an exact description of the scene in front of us both. He used the word blow in that line because the poppies actually were being blown that morning by a gentle east wind. It never occurred to me at that time that it would ever be published. It seemed to me just an exact description of the scene."
In fact, it was very nearly not published. Dissatisfied with it, McCrae tossed the poem away, but a fellow officer retrieved it and sent it to newspapers in England. The Spectator, in London, rejected it, but Punch published it on 8 December 1915.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Just checking in......

Time seems to slip away when you don’t pay attention and pay attention I have not. It’s been a bit since I have blogged and that’s because of a few different reasons all rolled into one. I have literally thrown myself into my own personal writing to escape the reality of life for a bit. Oh don’t be thinking that I’m down and depressed, feeling the ho hum of things. It’s just a few things decided to stack themselves hap hazardly onto my shoulders sending my balance off kilter a teeny little bit. But I AM woman and one can STILL hear me roar.

Definition of RENOVATE
transitive verb
1: to restore to a former better state (as by cleaning, repairing, or rebuilding)
2: to restore to life, vigor, or activity

I have no one to blame except myself for the renovations that have been happening in the house, BUT if I have to testify in court my defence will be guilty by the reason of insanity. It all began because I said I wanted one door blocked in and before I knew it the other half decided to investigate further into what was behind the 60’s paneling and 80’s wall paper on all the dinning room walls. Now, I know sometimes my thoughts are a wee bit warped, but a man really should not stand on a ladder unprotected while a woman who has not been having a good day as a floor full of MAN tools at her disposal. Oh the thoughts of an opened wall, 2x4 wall studs, rolls of plastic and insulation sure made the light bulbs go off. (Don’t worry; my walls are body part free….so far). Seriously though, renovations can be exciting, well they start out exciting but before long the stinging retorts and rather loud cussing begins to ring out, especially when one is bent over on the floor while the other half is hap hazardly ripping off 60 year old gypsum board and a huge piece drops on ones head. The resounding chuckles coming from the top of the ladder certainly didn’t aid in the more than painful goose-egg that began to appear on the back of ones head. Anyway, the last screw has finally been placed into the last remaining sheet of drywall so at least I do not feel as though I am living in a shanty. As for when the mudding, tapping and sanding will begin is another thing. I’ll certainly let everyone know when the buzzing of the sander and the loud hum of the shop vac begins to echo through the house…..if a certain one is lucky enough to….well I’ll not comment further as anything I say may be held against me.
Now on the work front; can everyone say ‘The Mickey Mouse Club”? I’m finding most happenings rather humorous lately. I’ve stated enough times on how flakey my new Supervisor is and I stand by those statements. Over the months since she has taken “The Big Desk” I have seen many things that have just made me silently chuckle. There is nothing I can really do except sit back, watch quietly and smile as I do my job. The gossip way back was that this person would not stay long in her reign of power, yet she still sits at the “Big Desk”. I guess that goes to prove that people should never believe gossip. (lol) I THINK I have learned how to keep out of her way and so far it has been working. I have had a few flup ups and have been given the sounding slap on the hand along with an added chuckle from her making things a bit more tolerable. It does help when the patrons that visit the centre during the hours I work pop into the office, smile and chat with me a bit, giving me the added incentive to stay focused. It’s a wonderful feeling when those patrons actually say how much they appreciate me and my efforts on making their time at the centre a good one.

Until next time my fellow bloggers….

Friday, October 21, 2011

Embarrassment – a 13 letter word


I think we all have had moments of embarrassment. Some of us, like myself, have more than our fair share. The only way to truly handle an embarrassing situation is to laugh, at least for me it is. My most recent OMG, red faced, stammering an apology…I’m so sorry moment happen on Tuesday night while I was at work.

Tuesday night was a very busy night at the centre with a back to back sports rental and the regular Camera Club meeting. When I arrived at work a kids program had finished and the staff of that program was just cleaning up. My Supervisor was still in the office since she was to attend another meeting that was taking place upstairs in another area of the center. She gave me a few last minute duties to do during my shift and then off she went. With in a short period of time one of the hockey groups began to arrive and since new rules have been put into place I had to make sure the one change room per group rule was followed. With one team now on the floor, the camera club began to arrive as well as other people for the meeting my Supervisor was attending. My directing skills and smiles continued until everyone was settled where they should be. I sat down at the desk just as the staff from the children’s program was leaving. One staff member peeked into the office to let me know that the toilet in the Men’s washroom was not working. Oh great, just what I needed to hear. I certainly was in no mood to mop up toilet water if it over flowed, so I put an out of order sign on the Men’s room door and instructed them to use the Women’s washroom. Being men I figured they might need further explanations so I drew a pink happy face and put IN USE and a blue happy face IN USE and taped both to them to the wall by the woman’s washroom. I explained to them that they needed to put the blue happy face on the door so I would know it was occupied by a man. That seemed simple enough, well to me it did. About 45 minutes later I had to go so down the hall I went. There was NO sign on the door so all was good. It was not in use. I taped the pink happy face onto the door and went inside to do my business. I’m not sure why, but I always prefer to use the last stall and low and behold it was locked from the inside. I even cussed out loud saying “damn kids, now I’ll have to crawl under to unlock it”. But I had to go rather badly so I did what I needed to do in the second stall first. I’m sure we all experience the rather low rumblings that escape into the toilet bowl making a rather loud noise and for me tonight was no exception. I had a teeny tiny bit of gas so yes I did fart a couple of times, but since I was alone in the washroom, I thought nothing about it. I finished my business and since I was going down onto my hands and knees and squirm my body under the stall door I didn’t bother washing my hands. All I can say is OH MY FREAKING GOD……can anyone say peeping Jane!

As I lowered myself to the floor and got onto my hands and knees, I bent the rest of my body down and slowly started to slip my head under the door. My eyes fell onto something that just wasn’t registering at that moment. It looked like a pair of feet, but I knew that was not the case since I was in the washroom all alone. I turned my head and looked up. There in front of me, sitting on the toilet with his pants down to his knees was a freaking MAN. Well hells bells I stared for a second although it seemed like more than a second and quickly thrust my head back out. The only thing I could manage to stammer was “for F**k sakes” and then “OMG I’m so sorry”. I knew my face was beat red and I quickly rose to me feet. I quickly moved to the sink and washed my hands. I called out in rather a loud voice how sorry I was and that I thought the washroom was empty since no sign was posted on the door letting me know it was in use. I laughed rather nervously and called out that I thought one of the children from an earlier program has locked the door from the inside. I was becoming even more mortified since he never said a word while I was babbling away, so I quickly left. My eyes never focused on who was actually sitting on the washroom throne so I’ll never really know, but since I was the ONLY female staff on duty who ever it was knows it was me who slipped my head into his personal space!!!

Monday, October 17, 2011

Man versus Woman

For as far back as there has been both men and women walking upon this land, an argument has been going on about what sex is the strongest. I’m not going to dig too far into this subject since we all know who will come out as the stronger sex. I will only go so far as to say….I am WOMAN..hear me roar.

This conflict has seeped into the unfinished walls of my home where the other half of my marital contract walks around as though the Grim Reaper is his shadow awaiting the impending doom of his ailment. His ailment; nasopharyngitis also known as the common cold. It is true that this particular cold whooped both our arses since I was lucky enough to share this wonderful event with the other half. It is true that when ever I wasn’t working, cooking dinner, cleaning, doing laundry or taking the dog out for his exercise, I was bundled up under big fluffy blankets with hot tea and honey. My bundled up body was hidden behind mountains of Kleenex as I quietly snuck in a few extra minutes of recuperation time. It took a little over 7 days before my rashed nose, watery eyes and constant cough began to subside but it did and without any sympathetic gestures from the other half I may add. Now, as for the other half who just so happens to be a man, instead of roars I seem to be hearing nothing but sad soulful whines with every tiny movement his “manly” body takes. I find it rather entertaining that men claim to be the stronger of the sex’s and boast about what they can bench-press or how far and how hard they can throw a punch. Yet when the common cold penetrates their masculine form they morph into an entity that does nothing but whimper, whine and complain about how sick they feel…..Guess there is no debate on who wins this issue!!!!!!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

sniffle sneeze..cough cough

AAAaaaaaaaCCCHHHHOOoooooo………….was forcefully thrown from my lips throughout the day today. Yep, it’s here again. The dreaded……sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching….. all stuffed up…I got a cold season. Oh those dreaded minions’ of the common cold have attacked me with a vengeance. One minute I’m so stuffed I think my head will explode and then the next minute my nose has suddenly turned into a faucet with no shut off valve.



Gesundheit...........bless you………. and God bless you were chorused after the echoes of my many bouts of sneezes had subsided. My red and watery eyes matched the pink tinge of my nose as I smiled and thank all who blessed my sneezes. One of the people from the last rental I had today was looking for an escape from the high pitched laughing and squealing from the ladies during a baby shower he was supposed to be attending so he came down stairs in the hopes of an early escape. He heard me sneezing and peeked his head in the door to say “bless you.” As I have been doing all day, I smiled and said thank you. He then proceeded to explain the old custom of blessing someone when they sneeze. Apparently with his version it goes as follows…when someone sneezed, they were immediately blessed ("God bless you!") in the hope that they would not subsequently develop the plague. He also said that whatever word or group of words that are used, it all pretty much means the same thing. So…..while I was at work today I was certainly blessed many times….I’m guessing I have a very good chance of not developing the plague!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

One to make you smile

Postcard from one Redneck to another:

Dear Billy Jo, I'm writin' this real slow cause I know you can't read very fast. We don't live where we did when you left. We read in the paper that most accidents happen within ten miles of home, so we moved. I won't be able to send you our new address cause the last family that lived here took the house numbers with them so they wouldn't have to change their address. This place has a washing machine. The first day mama put four shirts in, pulled the chain and we ain't seen them since. ... It only rained here twice this week. Three days the first time and five days the second time. I know it is cold where you are so we're sending you a coat. Mama said it would be too heavy to send in the mail with them buttons on it, so we cut'em off and put'em in the pockets. We got a letter from the funeral home. They said if we don't make the last payment on grandma's funeral bill, up she comes!! My sister had a baby this morning. I ain't heard whether if's a boy or a girl so I don't know if I'm an uncle or an aunt. Uncle John fell in the big whiskey vat. When they tried to pull him out, he fought them off, so he drowned. We creamated him and he burned for three days. Three of my friends went off the bridge in a pick-up truck. One was driving, the other two was in the back. The driver got out cause he rolled down the window and swam to safety. The other two drowned, they couldn't get the tailgate down. Well, I hope this catches you up on things that's going on around here!! Your cuz, Bubba

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The On-set of Autumn

The foliage has been losing its freshness through the month of August, and here and there a yellow leaf shows itself like the first gray hair amidst the locks of a beauty who has seen one season too many. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Here we are already mid September, well a few days shy of it at any rate. We are still seeing some pretty warm days actually bordering on down right hot, but the nights are becoming cooler and a heck of a lot more comfortable. The crickets are in full chorus as it begins to get darker earlier in the evenings now. Autumn is definitely in the air. Since the Harvest Moon peeked last night and the Hunters Moon is preparing its showing which will peek October 11th, skies are keeping track of the seasons. Not many people pay attention to the different moons, but growing up as a farmer’s daughter and since my mother’s best friend was Native American I was taught about the different moons. Each month of the year has a special moon according to Native American folklore. The hunters and farmers throughout the centuries have also come to pay homage to the night skies. These full moons are no different then the rest of the moons just given names indicating the different times of the year. The Hunters moon, also known as the Blood Moon or Sanguine is the first full moon after the Harvest moon.

The List of the different Moons are:
Full Wolf Moon – January
Full Snow Moon – February
Full Worm Moon – March
Full Pink Moon – April
Full Flower Moon – May
Full Strawberry Moon – June
Full Thunder Moon – July
Full Sturgeon Moon – August
Full Harvest Moon – September
Full Harvest Moon – October
Full Beaver Moon – November
Full Cold Moon – December

I paid attention to last night’s Harvest moon and even though it was nothing notable it still brought back memories of my childhood; My father standing outside, his hands on his hips looking up to the sky and pointing at the moon.


September 12th 2011 – Harvest Moon

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Canada Remembers







"Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)"

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?
Were you in the yard with your wife and children
Or working on some stage in L.A.?
Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke
Risin' against that blue sky?
Did you shout out in anger, in fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry?

Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know?
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below?
Did you burst out in pride for the red, white and blue
And the heroes who died just doin' what they do?
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself and what really matters?

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell
you the difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?
Were you teaching a class full of innocent children
Or driving down some cold interstate?
Did you feel guilty 'cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone?
Did you call up your mother and tell her you loved her?
Did you dust off that Bible at home?

Did you open your eyes, hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep?
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Or speak to some stranger on the street?
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Or go out and buy you a gun?
Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watchin'
And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns?

Did you go to a church and hold hands with some strangers
Did you stand in line and give your own blood?
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love?

And the greatest is love.
And the greatest is love.

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day?

Friday, September 9, 2011

Summer Vacation 2011 comes to an end....

Another ending and yet another beginning. The summer season isn’t officially over for a few weeks yet but you’d never know by the weather the last few days. Brrrrrrrrrr

This past weekend was a great one. The annual Fish Fry went off without a hitch even though Saturday was a scorcher. Fish, corn and salads a plenty everyone enjoyed the buffet style meal not to mention the desserts and cold drinks. I was a perfect angel with a tarnished halo but if one looked hard enough my horns were peeking out just a wee little bit. I could tell a few whispers were circulating within a small group of people about recent changes in my attitude towards life and I think the smile that stayed on my face the whole day confused more than a few people. You know what they say “Keep smiling - it makes people wonder what you've been up to.”
Over the Labour Day weekend my dear friend came down from her Northern world to celebrate her sister’s birthday. During her time here in the South, we text messaged back and forth and giggled secretly about all sorts of things. It brought me back to the days of our yester-years when secrets were shared over the phone or whispered in each others ear. On Monday we got together and left the city just before 10am. It was cloudy and cool but the grey skies didn’t deter our adventure. It was off to Port Dover for a day of fun a small bit of shopping and of course the famous Arbour Dog, along with a Cherry Glow for her and a Peach Glow for me. We walked barefoot in the cool beach sand and had a laugh about the difference in colour from dark tan and almost pure white. We even braved a small “toe dipping” into Lake Erie and shivered as we watched a very few take on the cool nip of the air making their way into the chilly water. Before we ended our adventure we sat on the deck of the beach restaurant for a drink. We ordered a
pina colada and a margarita and we toasted to the end of summer and our long lasting friendship.

A friend is someone who lets you have total freedom to be yourself...Jim Morrison

My Port Dover Butterfly Find!!

Feet of Friendship



Yes it takes 2 hands to manage 12"











Things are still in an upheaval on the work front, and even though a shift was taken away from me and given to someone else I’m still going to smile all the way through it. It was definitely unfair and if I had to hazard a guess it was so that the person who was given my shift would feel beholden to the new supervisor and become a program Instructor filling a spot where one needed to be filled. From what I gather it was not a smart move on the new Supervisors part since the person did not take the offered program Instructors position leaving her searching for someone else. Oh well, sucks to be her…lol. I’m sure there are going to be many many problems as the rental season begins and I will have great joy in sending all problems across to the “Big Desk” in the office. In the past we were given access to certain things in order to thwart any situation before it became a problem. We no longer have that access so I will be smiling that cheery smile of mine as I post note after note onto the “Big Desk”.


Things really DO happen for a reason!!!!


Monday, August 29, 2011

Yet another chapter is coming to a close......

The tans will fade, but the memories will last forever.


Monday, August 15, 2011

Connections!!!!!!

Ah the memories! What a wonderful thing it is to travel down the paths of time gone by. There has been a old group but new for others including myself onto Facebook. This group is dedicated to people who grew up in Brantford and can remember different things. It’s officially called “If you grew up in Brantford you remember…….. or IYGUIBYR for short. I signed into this group and wow, what a group this is. There are over 3,000 people in this group and all have memories of different things in Brantford as we were growing up. I have connected with a few school friends from my past and it’s amazing. It’s strange when you first start thinking about all those memories, it really makes one feel old, but once you see others remember them too, it’s like you are transformed back in time. I have re-visited places I used to hang out, things I did as a kid, troubles I got into and even visited the schools and certain school teachers that were in my past. I have posted some of my memories and others have eagerly posted back saying they remember this, or they remember that and I have done the same thing to other peoples posts. There are a few sad memories that people have posted but the majority are fun and either make you chuckle silently to yourself or burst out laughing saying “OMG I remember that!” It’s a great group and one that is extremely fun to be part of. They did have a flash mob on Saturday on the Zellars parking lot. I would have loved to have gone but other plans and taken its place. That particular parking lot was chosen since parked there permanently is one of the few remaining “original” Stan’s french fry truck. I can only imagine how busy those poor French fry servers were during this event! I’m an original/lifer Brantfordtonian and proud of it!!!!!

From this


to this



Sunday, August 14, 2011

Just a few Summer Ramblings.......

Well, where do I begin? Ok here we go; first off I cancelled the weekend camping trip that I was reluctant to go on in the first place. Let’s just say I was not happy at the way things were starting to go and did not want to participate in what some had planned. Needless to say that did not go over well, but as the saying goes…”they can bite my royal behind!”


Secondly; my dear friend and her hubby made a quick trip down to the southern area for some personal business. It sure was good to see my friend again (even though it’s only been a month since I seen her. On this quick visit I was able to see her hubby as well. It’s been years since I actually “seen” him and it was a good thing. I enjoyed visiting with them both and listening to different stories while we shared lots of laughs and yes, even some cringes as the different stories unfolded. The animated words and hand movements as my friends hubby replayed some stories of long ago made me laugh. Something I really haven’t done in a few weeks. I left their hotel room with a smile and a lighter load on my shoulders.


It’s hard to believe summer is slowly nearing the end. I still have a few things I want to do before it closes its door for another year. It’ll soon be time to get back into the regular grind of work. I’m not sure how things will go with the new Supervisor, but I’m sure there will be many days when I can only shake my head and laugh at things.

There are a few projects that I have started to construct in my little corner of this world and as all construction projects go, I’m sure I’ll run into some pitfalls. But hey, isn’t that the way life goes. I may be dealt lemons at times, but I’ll have my margarita glass ready!

I hope everyone had a great weekend and that the up and coming week is a good one, and always remember………………………….





Monday, August 1, 2011

summer is only half started...a stab at being an optimist.....

So, we are now at the half way point of summer and so far it has been a great one. I really enjoyed my trip north and the re-connection of a much loved and valued friendship. I have been keeping myself busy by doing day trips here and there. I have been visiting Port Dover to have the famous arbour dog and some very delicious perch on a regular basis (the ole waistline has been enjoying these trips waaaaaaaaaay to much). I also went to the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory. Now that was a trip well worth my time. Some have passions in gardening, cross stitching, donkeys and many other wonderful things. Mine just happens to be butterflies.

Ok the campsite is booked and I’m preparing myself for the chest thumps of the evening campfires. Oh this should be good and I’ll not say anymore until after that weekend has passed as I’m sure the weekend will be filled with many tongue biting moments.

This week will just be spent doing nothing. I believe even the dust bunny’s need a summer vacation too and well me being such a gracious hostess to them I say to them
-“enjoy yourself while you can my fine fluffy friends!”

And on that note my dear blogger friends I will leave you with one more thought……..

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

The heat of the summer


With Mother Nature on a fiery rampage the temperatures have been pretty brutal. The grass has turned from lush green into crunchy hay type ground covering. The flowers have pretty much wilted into nothing but colourless sticks haphazardly sticking out from their planters and the once vibrant gardens. Air conditioners are heard buzzing between every house as the heat blankets us tightly. Lordy I thought the constant hot flashes were bad, but this summer heat tops it off. Maybe it’s my age, and damn I hope it’s not, but I just can’t seem to adjust to this heat.

I received a call yesterday asking if I was available to cover a few shifts since the centers in the city will be opened to the public as free cooling stations. I of course said I was able to cover the shifts and then the caller proceeds to go into all the problems she has had to deal with. Granted the new Supervisor is more than a few crayons short of a full box but on the other hand, this particular caller was the shark that was swimming and circling the old Supervisors desk as soon as she announced her retirement. As far as I’m concerned, what goes around comes around. If she can’t handle the stress of dealing with a half empty box of crayons she should not have tried to make it crystal clear (to me especially) that she knows more than what she really does. Karma is a bitch for sure. She even suggested that myself and another co-worker send an email to the “Big Boss” telling her of any concerns we had. It took all I had not to bust out laughing since only a few short months ago my concerns were scoffed at as though I no right to feel as I did. She then had the nerve to say that since my co worker and I had been employed the longest that we should voice our concerns. Well hells bells I had to contain myself because those same short months ago, when I mentioned my years of employment and the rights that “should” be mine, I was chastised by her, my co worker and a fill in Supervisor. Now all of a sudden my years of employment count????. I listened to her go on and on and when I hung up I just shook my head. I’m happy where I am. I would never stab others unexpectedly to gain footing on the so called corporate ladder as I was stabbed. That’s just not the way I am. Like I said, I am happy where I am and I know that whatever I achieve I have done so without running others over to get there.

I hope everyone has been able to stay as cool as possible and are enjoying “The heat of the summer”

Friday, July 15, 2011

Have a good weekend!

Well things are back to normal after my holiday. I never really realized how much I did miss my good friend until I saw here standing inside the airport. As I said in the previous blog I had a wonderful time and look forward to many more visits with her and her hubby.

It’s funny how time away from the stress and drama of my work place has given me a renewed sense of value and self preservation. There were many thoughts that ran threw my mind as I took a well deserved break from that place and in all honesty I was never so glad to put distance between me and it. The back stabbing and drama was put into a whole new light for me and I vowed never to let it get to me again. I’m not employed in a place that will make me a millionaire, or even comfortably well off. Let’s just say people on social assistance make more a month than what I do so therefore I needed to weigh things out. Was it going to be the silly little squabbles and the meagre pay cheque, or was it going be my sanity? Of course I chose my sanity (what little I have left anyway…lol). I did have to pat myself on the back when I got back from vacation. I had sent an email to my supervisor and the big boss letting them know I would be home in time to cover Sunday shift. When I did get home I checked my work email just to make sure there were no last minute rentals and low and behold my supervisor had gotten someone else to cover the Sunday shift. I was a bit miffed at that, but didn’t get really angry. I figured it wasn’t worth the energy it takes to get completely pissed off. I actually felt very proud of myself for not letting it really bother me. It really is true that things happen for a reason and I was able to enjoy and have an unexpected relaxing day.

I hope everyone has a cool, relaxing and fun weekend!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

What a wonderful Time

There are times in every ones life where one has to get away from the stress, fast paced moving society that we all live in. I did just that last week. I took a long awaited journey north to reconnect with a childhood friend and what an amazing time I had. I took this journey alone and never regretted one moment of the trip, well except the journey back home.
The flight there was pretty smooth, once the plane actually took off. It was 45 minutes late sending me into a rather nervous sweat. Finally the boarding call came and I was able to begin my vacation. Once the plane took off everyone was offered complimentary food and beverages. As I open my box there inside all wrapped up was a green wrap that I think was filled with chicken. I looked at the man beside me as he took a bit of his and immediately put it back in his box. I chose not to even try mine. The small (and when I say small I mean small) wasn’t too bad at all, but the small glass of wine was very welcomed. My plane reservations said the flight was 55 minutes but as the Captain began his usual welcome to my plane speech he told us we would be landing in Sudbury in 35 minutes. I distinctly remember thinking, only 35 minutes? There goes my second small glass of wine . I have to say the Pilot and Stewardess were very accommodating as well as very comical. The Pilot himself was cracking jokes with us before he disappeared behind the closed doors that would seclude him so he could concentrate on flying the plane. After a short time in the air with very little turbulence the call came over the intercom that we would be landing in a very balmy Sudbury. The landing it’s self was very rough but when I stepped off the plane and walked into the airport I was greeted by a huge smile and tight hug.
During my week long visit with my good friend we spent time reconnecting and talking about hurts wounds and other things that had left some tattered edges on our long time friendship. The beautiful secluded area gave me plenty of time alone to sit and think about everything in my life and how I have begun to “shed my skin” and step into my own being. I am learning how to let things go that I thought were good for me, but in all reality those things are not as good for me as I thought. I’m realizing that slowly I am finding myself and that the paths I have started to avoid are paths that I don’t need to explore any longer. I figure that at my age, if I am not accepted and loved for who and what I stand for then it’s those un-accepting ones that I have to let go of. I met a wonderful group of people during my stay and I could see all the happiness, love and acceptance for and from each and every one of them. At the end of the week there were many tears that had been shed and a whole lot of laughter that was shared. Those tattered edges to the friendship were mended with love and understanding, admitting and truly forgiving.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Just checking in....

Well, things are still on an even keel when it comes to my work place. So far my ears have not heard anything too extreme. The new Supervisor seems to be making her way around on her own, making the changes as she see’s fit. We may not agree with them but hey, she’s the one in charge so we just have to accept and adjust. I do have to smile to myself as a few unexpected things have happened. One being that the new supervisor had sent an email to a few of us asking if anyone was available to cover a few shifts next week. Well, a carbon copy of this email was sent to the new manager of the Parks and Rec. Department. When I replied letting her know that I was not available and also included the dates I would be away on holidays I had hit the reply to all button which included the Manager. Well low and behold the Manager sent me a reply back telling me to have a wonderful holiday. That was rather surprising but it also felt really good. That email will be filed away along with a few others I have been keeping.
Tomorrow I will be participating in helping to break a Guinness World record for Zumba. More will follow about that that tomorrow.
Well my plane fair is all booked AND paid for and now the big count down has begun. I’ll be leaving on July 4th and will be spending a week with one of my oldest friends. I’m looking forward to reconnecting with her on a face to face visit. Facebook, MSN and blogging is all good, but nothing is better than an actual visit. We have gone through some much needed personal growth and have come to terms with certain things that had made our friendship stall. The hardest thing we both had to come to terms with was the fact that we both said and done things that we were not proud of. We also learned that if a person can not admit to their part in being wrong then there could be no room for understanding and forgiving. After all, life is way to short to live with senseless drama.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Just this and that

Not much has really happened in my little corner of the world. The heat and humidity seems to be playing hide and seek lately as does the sun. About a week and a half ago the humidity was very high and on went the central air. Bentley was more then happy to bask in the cool air of the house!
My work schedule is only a few hours a week, but that’s ok. With the different changes going on it’s better to stay away and stay quiet. I have given up my preschool Instructor position for better things but have stayed with my night time and weekend Facility Supervisor position. When I went in to work for the first time since the changes have started and upon entering the office I immediately seen and felt the changes. I could “see” the changes since furniture had been moved around and gone are the decorative pictures that adorned the wall. There are only 2 things hanging on the wall so far and it’s a framed certificate of the new Supervisor and a decorative ornament left by the old Supervisor which will probably be taken down within the next little while. I also felt the change. It’s weird, but the whole vibe of the office had changed. I guess only time will tell how the changes will affect each and every one of us.

I’m also thinking that maybe enough time has passed and tempers, hurt feelings and negative feelings are beginning to clear. Time does heal, if one allows it. I’m sure there will be moments of frustrations but if I keep to my own inner changes then I think things will be ok. I’m sure someone will try and add their own little snippets of their thoughts to this situation but again, that’s out of my control so I can’t worry about that. I’m a big girl now and can’t be bothered with drama and drama queens.

You may not be able to control the wind, but you CAN adjust your sails.


This spring we had our usual visitors making their home in the far corner of the front porch. I look forward to their visit every spring and I’m never disappointed. It’s amazing watching the process. Starting from the nest building to the birth of the baby birds and then finally the day when they take their first solo flight. Now that the newest members of that family have begun their new life and the home has been abandoned, I took the hose to the front porch washing the left over debris away. To me, that’s the last sign of spring. This past weekend was spent making a small pond just off the far corner of the deck. It was a lot of work but certainly worth it. Once we get the sod laid around the foundation and a few gold fish to enhance my rendition of nature I’ll be all set.When the Rose of Sharon bushes bloom and are filled with a wonderful flowery scent, a book in one hand and a nice afternoon cup of tea/iced tea, I can definitely see myself enjoying the lazy hazy days of summer!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Changes!

Well, I guess I’m not the only one that is adjusting to change. Seems another is closing one door and opening another. Its’ certainly going to add a different spin on things and I’m sure there are going to be changes. I’m all for changing things now that I see the direction I need to go. I congratulated this person on their new endeavour and assured them I will lend a hand when ever needed. I know things will not be the same, and a few will have things to say, but all in all I’m happy about it. More to come when the news is officially announced. And yes……………I am doing the happy dance!!!!

Friday, May 27, 2011

Guilty Pleasures

Guilty pleasures are the little things that make life just a wee bit better. Of course, they're also the things you're not supposed to like or things that you don’t really want known about you, but what the hey. Life is to short to waste on to much seriousness.

Here are my Guilty Pleasures

1- Playing ABBA loud and becoming the “Dancing Queen”.
2- Jumping in a puddle after a summer rain.
3-Washing my clothes with huge amounts of fabric softener (at least twice as much as it says on the bottle)
4- Staying in my pj’s all day
5- Flirting subtly
6- Granny underwear (I know it's not sexy, but I suspect every woman has at least one pair.)
7- Reading the odd Harlequin Romance novel.

ROFLMAO Now I know

You can only be young once. But you can always be immature.
Dave Barry

I just received a most enlightening and comical phonecall. All I can say is wow. I wish a certain someone all the best in their life and I will leave them with a saying. Whether they heed it or not, it's certainly a fitting one. "Karma is a bitch"!

Now that the chapter is closed and no more attempts will be made, I feel a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I can go on holding my head held high.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Just a few nuts and bolts in my life

The quote of Ram Dass, “The quieter you become the more you can hear” has helped me in more ways then I can count lately. I have tried hard to change my ways as well as different things in my life and it hasn’t been easy but it’s something that needs to be done. There were many times I just wanted to slap a few people upside the head but instead kept quiet and just let them frost the cake the way they want to. Since I have kept quiet, I have seen, heard and felt the innuendoes of their words and actions and I just shake my head in bewilderment. Ah well, such is life I guess. I came across this little tid-bit and after the listening to a never ending barrage of complaints I have decided this fit with what I was thinking!!!

BREAKING NEWS:
The Pity Train has derailed @ the intersection of Suck It Up & Move On, then crashed into We All Have Problems, before coming to a complete stop @ Get The Hell Over It. Any complaints about how we operate, forward them to 1-800-waa-waah. Dr. Whogivzadamn Reporting LIVE from 'Quitchur Bitchen’ and suck it up sunshine! Life doesn't revolve around you. Really!


Anywho….I have been keeping myself fairly busy, thus keeping myself out of trouble. I have been getting serious about my writing and slowly but surely have started to catch up on the different pieces I have written. There are a few things in the works and with the encouragement I have been getting who knows I just may find yet another path in my future. I do enjoy adding a bit of comedy to my writing and twisting phrases around to place a comical spin on certain things in my life. Hey if one can’t find something to laugh about (even in a small way) in any situation then what’s the point of even writing about it? Case in point…. It wasn’t to long ago that I was at work and had one of the most classical, comical yet embarrassing moments in a very long time.
I had a friend come to visit me during my shift and all was wonderful. We sat in the office and talked and laughed about all different things. It seemed like the time just flew by. I still had a bit of time before the final rental was finished with their rental so I went outside with my friend for a smoke break. It was still rather chilly out even though it was only 3pm in the afternoon and as smart as I am, I never grabbed my sweater. Well I’m not sure about anyone else, but it seems when I expose myself to coldness it seems my bladder complains and I have to go to the bathroom. I politely excused myself and went in to do what my body was screaming at me to do and just as I was starting this um…task, the office phone rang. I let it ring figuring the person would leave a message and continued on. A few seconds later the phone rang again so I figured I needed to answer it. I rushed the last part of this task and rushed to the office as the 4th ring was just about finished. I grabbed the phone just in time and breathlessly did the proper office phone voice. It happened to be my supervisor letting me know she was not able to come in the following day and gave me some instructions to carry out. My friend had come in just as I hung up the phone and as I turned around to write something on the wall calendar they broke out laughing. Apparently in my rush to finish my task I had left a long tall tale sign hanging from the back of my jeans. That certainly wasn’t one of my finer moments, but I could do nothing about it except laugh my damn ass off.



The person who knows how to laugh at himself will never cease to be amused.
-- Shirley MacLaine