For Better Or For Worse

The comic strip, For Better or for Worse has been written by Canadian Lynn Johnston for 29 years. Today, she has summarized it into the future for us to know what happens to all the characters.

Now, Lynn will go back to elaborate on some of the topics she took on over the years. She talks on her website about being happy with how her drawing has evolved over the years. I get the sense that she might like to fix a few things – how they were drawn – and perhaps elaborate on some of the story lines.

Ah, yes, how good it would be to be able to go back and do a few things a little differently! Since Lynn is doing a fictional story, loosely based on her own family, she will be able to do just that!

One thing I enjoyed over the years, of course, was that this strip was based in Canada, mostly in Ontario. It was nice to see the Toronto skyline with the CN Tower and Canadian flags. I loved reading it each day and seeing various references to Canada and Canadian ways.

You can go to fborfw.com to see details on this strip and right now, they have just posted a biography of Anthony who has finally married Elizabeth.

As a writer, it is hard to imagine trying to convey an entire story in just four frames a day. Longtime readers will recall the Pattersons’ dog, Farley and his heroic death, while rescuing April. (I have tried to explain to my American friends that Farley was probably named after the Canadian writer, Farley Mowat.) Lynn Johnston says she will be bringing Farley back. Gee, I’d like to bring back my dogs, particularly Red the Boxer and Harry the Shih Tzu! But, I am able to write stories about them and to look at their pictures whenever I want. And that is what Lynn Johnston intends to do.

There is much speculation now as to whether all papers currently carrying For Better or For Worse will keep it. Let’s give it some time to see how much people enjoyed this Canadian-spun, homey strip.

http://www.fborfw.com

Be Prepared!

Well, the town is busy, some gas pumps are empty, and we’re a bit edgy. Even though people have been evacuated to our area, we ourselves must be prepared as Hurricane Gustav moves toward Texas. As noted yesterday, a big problem here is power outage, causing us to be pretty hot. Police had to be called to Wal-Mart in one town yesterday because chaos broke out at the bottled water display. Could that be why our supermarket has the water outside the front of the store? There must be some humor to this whole event!

One couple has gone up to Dallas to visit their son but I think they will likely be back by Monday. Another, whose home is in a mobile home park are on their way north to their daughter’s. So, they will be missing from church in the morning. Perhaps some out-of-towners will stop in to pray for themselves, their friends and what they left behind.

People from the Texas Gulf Coast are now headed here and the hotels and tourist homes are solidly booked. Some people will be here from Louisiana. So, it’s busy and a little rude out there.

We just came in from dinner at Catfish King and it seemed very loud there. On the loop, people were sort of rude and rushing. So, a good place to be is home.

We have everything we need and we will pray that as the branches fall during the high winds, that nothing falls on our house.

When people told me about gas stations running out of gas last night, I thought of Hubby and me on 9-11. Back then, I was not yet an American citizen and we were headed to Terre Haute, Indiana for Hubby’s college reunion. Hubby is that Engineer that my Daddy always said you needed for just about everything. (Daddy was right about that!)

As we were preparing to leave, we saw on TV what most people saw happening in New York City that day.

There was one specific thought that came to my mind and any of you from Toronto can relate to that thought.

When I was young, Dad always said if there was any threat, we would just get in the car and drive north.

Well, Daddy’s been gone 46 years and if we drive north from Texas, we’re still a long way from Canada’s northland.

So, what I went back for was my passport, because once you are in Indiana, well you could be headed north . . .

As we drove up the interstates, every time we would stop for gas, we would see signs that there was none or long lines of cars.

Long story short, we made it to Terre Haute and the reunion went on as usual.

When we arrived in Terre Haute (“High Land”), we went to the church Hubby attended when he was there and we prayed. And we read Psalm 91.

Although 9-11 is never forgotten, we made it through as did many others.

We will make it though this storm too – with good planning, a little luck and lots of praying.

Luxurious Vacation

Having been away from the Toronto area and living in East Texas for almost 12 years now, I am able to see more clearly the distinct differences.

We are expecting Hurricane Gustav in three to four days. The last two hurricanes to really impact this area were Katrina, the one that devastated New Orleans and another named Rita.

Katrina impacted our area in that many people came here and on down to Houston to get away. Some never went back; they stayed here.

We happened to be in Shreveport, Louisiana when Katrina was on her way and we left early the last morning of our stay and ambled down back roads to keep away from the heavy traffic on the major thruways.

Rita did bring damage to our area – mostly downed trees and many damaged roofs. She also took out our power, or as you in Ontario know it, “Hydro”.

(Electric power in Ontario is mostly generated from water, such as Niagara Falls and since “Hydra” is the word for water, you get the idea.)

To help you get the humor, let me digress and tell you how much people in Ontario love to leave their city homes, often near water and take a break at a cottage. The humorist Stephen Leacock wrote about how much Ontario folks like to live and vacation near the water.

Well, when I was about 20, a friend of mine invited me to her family’s cottage for a week. Their cottage was actually on an island, their island. Now, I had been to her home which was very large and suitably situated in a fine Toronto neighborhood. I had also been to her family’s hobby farm also with a spacious, comfortable house.

Well, I took a bus from Toronto up to Parry Sound on Georgian Bay (maybe 120 miles) and she came to meet me in a fancy car. We drove to the dock where she parked and we got in to a large and impressive boat.

So, I was not prepared for their island. There was no electricity and no indoor plumbing, only outhouses. (Now, I think there may have been more than one outhouse, which of course is impressive.)

I stayed on the island for a week and actually had a very nice break although at age 20, I did not truly appreciate how nice a break it actually was.

In Texas, so far, I have not heard about people taking this type of vacation.

So far, in our neighborhood, the destruction since I have been here has generally been fallen trees, downed fences (which are mostly wooden), and some roofs damaged. The temperature here gets really hot and the most oppressive thing about a hurricane is the power outage. That means no air-conditioning and when the temperature is 90 – 100 degrees that becomes a major problem. (Air conditioning is not a luxury here.)

So Hubby and I are sitting on our reclining sofa in the late evening and it is not too hot yet. We are in the dark, reclined back, holding hands and I say,

“Do you know what we call this in Ontario?”

“No, what?” (Hubby is a very good straight man and is an Illinois native.)

“A luxurious vacation!”

So, it looks like Gustav is heading our way and let’s pray that it is just a “luxurious vacation” again!

Vanilla & Rocky Road

When I was young, I knew a chap (that’s Canadian or British for “man”) who had a motto and that motto was a credo for him. His name is Frank and his motto was, “What I say is my problem, how you interpret it is your problem!”

That was pretty strong for a person of 18! I still think that! One thing we really had in common was that we both loved to write!

Over the years I have done articles on purebred dogs, grief, prayer, manners, houses, family, scrapbooking – all pretty Vanilla stuff. He likes to tackle more contentious topics and so I’ll say his flavor would be Rocky Road!

I have thought long and hard about why I write about pleasant stuff and you know, it is probably because I do care how you feel about it. Right or wrong, I want you to like me. That of course, is a fault, but perhaps not a grievous one!

While I was reporting for the Uxbridge Times Journal and turning in a story on a car fire at a Tupperware Party up on Toronto Street, Frank was reporting from Capital Hill in Ottawa on national television. So, for me, writing has been an avocation and for Frank, a vocation.

Hubby and I read the newspaper first thing every morning. Now, we used to read two newspapers every morning, but Houston Chronicle decided it no longer wanted to deliver to our address in East Texas. We watch the local and national news. Our living room – and yours – is front and center. We can watch the Iraq war or catch the odd high-speed car chase in L.A. or Houston. No one forgets watching the horrors of 9-11.

So, I guess my feeling is that there is enough “rocky road” stuff and you might just like to read about what my neighbor’s child said when she got off the school bus today.

Probably because I now live in the Bible Belt, I have really good feelings about my church and all the friends I’ve made there. Perhaps you’d like to hear about our Fall Festival or Mardi Gras Party.

The only Mardi Gras I knew in Toronto was an Airedale Terrier who lived next door! Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday” and in Canada, that would be Shrove or Pancake Tuesday. The big difference is that in Texas, we wear purple, yellow and green (with lots of beads). We serve red beans and rice with a gooey cake chaser.

When I first came here, I didn’t think I was any different from the people I was meeting. oddly enough, they thought I spoke a little funny, eh? I have been teased but not maliciously, and most people here want to know more about Canada. I have a few Canadian friends here and occasionally we compare our thoughts on life in such a casual area.

One thing I have never really developed is the taste for the spicy food and I still ask them to, “kick it down a notch and put the sauce on the side, please”.

Probably because I’m a vanilla person!

We May Not Look It But We Can Bark

Routine: More Than Organization!

Some of us are fairly well organized people, very much into routine. I like to think it is not just because we are older. Hopefully there are lots of people who have their time well-planned.

Because we are seniors, we cannot do the long hours that I know many younger people do. I hear about a lot of people who are only getting six hours sleep each night. Hubby and I need our eight!

I cannot imagine mothers with jobs not being organized. Their life would be chaotic otherwise. Delivery and pick-up times for children dictate somewhat how their days go. So, they are up very early, getting themselves and their youngest children ready.

Hubby and I still set out our clothes the night before so we have no decisions to make about what to wear. I would think mothers do that also, for themselves and their children. If they have babies, they surely have a diaper bag always packed with necessities. Hopefully, their husbands help with some of this. I think some men like to take time out for bath time with little ones and help with getting them to bed. Traditionally, that has been a bonding time for fathers and little ones.

Dinner is perhaps the one time that is not quite what most families would like to have. In homes with teenagers, it is hard to get everyone to sit down at one time.

That is where processed, frozen foods and take-out have taken over many kitchens. Fortunately, we can also purchase ready cut salads in bags in the produce department and cooked dinners at the deli department.

I have one friend whose house is centered around a really large kitchen with a center island with stools and a large sit-down table and chairs at the side. Everyone gravitates to that kitchen and her friends seem to know where to find everything and tend to pitch in. Now, there are seven children in that family and my friend does not have an outside job. One complication for them though is that her husband does work 12 hour shifts several days a week. So, that pretty much puts the onus on her for all routine in that household! One great bonus for that family is their children’s friends coming to their home.

I believe very strongly that if your children’s friends gravitate to your home, you know who they are and you have a better overview of what everyone is doing.

Hubby and I do keep appointments and obligations on a board on the kitchen wall and we do have shelves, and hooks by the door to the garage.

I have an old friend (well, I mean, how hold can he be?) who pens the blog, Mesopotamia West and has written the book, Home Invasion Prevention (lulu.com). He is right about some things, and we do alarm our SUV which is inside the locked, built-in garage. Then, we have one set of keys with the control by that door and another set in our bedroom.

Of course, we have “Buddy” the Lhasa Apso (a guarding canine) who alerts us of outside noises. That way, we can set off that ugly car alarm pretty quickly any time of the day or night.

Next time, I will explain to you why my blog is so vanilla while other peoples’ are more rocky road!


http://www.mesopotamiawest.blogspot.com/

http://www.lulu.com/

Volunteer!

Americans are really good about volunteering and contributing! Not everything can be accomplished by government and we rely heavily on churches, faith-based groups and community organizations to help people live better.

This week, I was talking to the director of an organization in my town that reaches out to people needing food in particular. She mentioned to me that the school supplies in our area – not including a backpack or uniform – are $48.00 this year. She also mentioned that several families found they could not spend this money and still have grocery money, especially if they have more than one child in school!

At our church, we have a group of people who meet on Monday evenings to make quilts for homeless people. Essentially these are easy to carry rolls and we put a pack of personal toiletries with each one. This ministry was created by one of our members who knew of a similar effort up north.

During the year, we have several events to raise funds, either for community or church needs. Sometimes we ask people to bring non-perishable food items or gently used clothing.

Everyone likes to think that we have no needy people in our communities, but the truth is we do – particularly now that groceries, gas and most necessities have increased so much in price.

As we start the fall season in our churches and community organizations, we are going to be asked to pitch in with some special projects.

Everybody has lots to do, but everyone who finds about two hours every week in their schedule to help will find out something special.

When we reach out to help others, we also gain. We will have a feeling of accomplishment and contentment knowing we are helping out our neighborhood or church. We learn new skills, make new friends and start to feel really good about ourselves!

Just a Little Thing . . . for Our Troops

Every month, our Legion Auxiliary sends boxes to troops from our area. They are currently sending about 75 every month. Local churches and individuals donate money for mailing and incidentals the men and women in uniform would like to have and help fill the boxes.

Hubby and I send a letter to go in each box. We put a comic strip top and bottom and here is this month’s letter. Perhaps you know someone who’d like to receive a note from home. Maybe our note will help you compose one for the troops from your area:

Hello Again from East Texas!

After a pretty dry summer, we have been having some major rain. Of course, given that everything is BIG in Texas, we get big droughts and big rains! We’re used to that, right?

We pray for you and hope you have been able to keep dry and able to feel comfortable though we hear your temperatures may be very hot!

The fall cycle of return to school, planning for fall activities, and of course, football, is in process. For all of us and your friends and family, of course the missing link is YOU!

We pray for your safety and safe return home and send you our blessings!

Thank you for all you do to keep America free!

THANK YOU INDEED!

Autumn is here . . . well, almost!

When I was going to school, fall was always a new beginning. The days started to be cooler in September in Toronto and the leaves started to color and in October, they would be on the ground.

In Texas, school begins again in August and well, the leaves don’t do anything until they dry up and fall to the ground in late November or early December! It is still real hot now and we won’t be wearing jackets or coats for quite a while!

The seasons in Toronto are defined by weather. I was here in East Texas a long time before I thought about how we must look at the calendar to know what we are celebrating next!

Halloween is probably the biggest difference for me. Hubby and I sit out in front of our house with bowls of treats on tables.

Our subdivision is popular on October 31st. Pick-up trucks and vans loaded with children come in for trick or treating. A few years we have worn sweatshirts or cardigans, but you would not call it cold. The children streak across the grass to the candy – often six or seven at a time. Sometimes we recognize the parents with the young ones.

In Toronto, you put the candy inside the front hall, by your door. Each time the children ring the bell, yelling, “Trick or Treat”, you answer and hand out your treat (because presumably you don’t want a trick)!

When we were kids, we wore sweaters under our costumes and scampered two by two within a two block circumference of home. The best treats were down at the apartments because they weren’t expecting too many children.

No one goes to houses without lights on and so, when our treats are gone, we turn off the lights and go inside.

In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated the second Monday in October. In United States, it comes the fourth Thursday in November. When people ask about this, I point out to them the difference in harvest times. Our festive meals are similar with the exception of the turnip! East Texans would have a fit if you served them turnip and I still am not sure why! I sure do miss the turnip with the mashed potatoes and turkey! (Of course, Thanksgiving here also kicks off the Christmas season at the shops.)

So, the calendar defines the seasons for us here in the South. Especially in winter, I think a lot of people could adjust to that!

Thanks!

We used to get thank-you notes from people for gifts and even for dinner and other outings. What has happened to that?

Am I choosing the wrong gifts?

Did they not receive the package?

Was the gift sack missed on the “gift table”?

Was the card lost in the shuffle and they didn’t know who the giver was?

There must be some explanation why we are receiving so few thank you notes for the presents we give!

Not only did we used to receive thank-you notes, we received them in a week or less!

I am still sending these notes, but perhaps that just makes me old-fashioned, or worse, just plain old!

When I look at the racks of boxed cards at the store, most of them are thank you notes. So, is anybody buying these?

I should mention here that the odds of me receiving a thank-you from a young man these days are higher than from young ladies!

Is this a nicer way to live? Young people register for gifts, but do not acknowledge receipt?

Alas, why should I be worrying? I am sure some smart retailer will be able to come up with a pre-printed card that is part of the registering package!

Dear ___________________ ,

Thank you so very much for Bar Code Number 6712-334-996 from Aisle 6 at Target!

Love,


__________________________ X

Michael & Mary

No Escape!

This is the time of the year for back to school. Some parents are seeing their children off to school for the first time while others are watching their children start college.

For many families, going to college means leaving home and going to another city. This could be the first time parents and children are separated.

As much as we want to be in a groove and know exactly what is going to happen next, life just is not like that!

We have to trust that we have instilled in our children the principles to carry them through new situations and choices. Since we are constantly learning new ways and new approaches, we must accept that our children can do that too. Since they are younger, they can probably adapt better than we do!

The beautiful thing about going off to college is that there will be several others with the same feelings of trepidation. Your son or daughter will come in contact with lots of others who will all be experiencing the same new things.

We have learned from Prof. Randy Pausch that our most important commodity is time. We cannot make time. So, it is very important that we maximize time by using it wisely.

In the case of children away, whether they are in the armed forces or at school, or perhaps just living away from us, it does not serve us well to sit around and pine.

Those of us who “crop”, will be making scrapbooks of youngster’s achievements, their friends and family.

How about thinking toward the next major celebration when the offspring will be back home? There will be Thanksgiving and of course, Christmas.

The hobby stores are already full of projects and decorations for these holidays. This might be the year to make some special gifts!

This could be the year to make your old Christmas cake or shortbread recipe. These can be made now and age for the holidays.

You could volunteer for a fall project, address Christmas cards or buy gifts. Of course, you could redecorate a room, tidy a closet, or any of those projects we all put off.

By keeping busy, it will be very soon that your offspring will be home for the holidays and they will be as happy to see you as you are to see him or her!

Got a Deck of Cards in the Drawer?

When we go away, I pack a deck of cards. We are usually pretty busy but sometimes we have played a game of rummy.

When I was a youngster, my Dad taught me various games of Rummy and Cribbage.

I also like some board games, and of course, my favorite is Trivial Pursuit. We used to play Snakes and Ladders, Scrabble, Rummoli, and Monopoly. Of course, you have to place a time limit on some board games or you will never be finished!

If you are young and no one has ever taught you any card games, you can find all the rules in the Hoyle Rule Book of Card Games. Or . . . of course, you can Google and get rules to many versions of rummy! There are many versions of rummy: Rummy 500, Gin Rummy, Knock Rummy, and so on.

Now, when we have all the video games and television and computers, just why would anyone want to play cards?

Well, you might be surprised at what fun you can have! There is interaction with others playing and it is more of a social event!

Back in the “dark ages” (60s, 70s, 80s), people used to invite friends and neighbors over on a Saturday night to play cards or a board game. There would be refreshments and a lot of just plain fun.

These days, we just might be missing “plain fun” and perhaps we should try inviting a couple over for a Saturday night of old-fashioned cards!

Now, I know a lot of people still play Bridge and Poker and many times there are tournaments, but I am just talking about four people enjoying a Saturday evening of low tech fun!

People don’t really entertain their friends like we used to. It seems there has to be a festive holiday or someone’s birthday to invite folks over.

People should be having more relaxing, just plain fun time with friends and family!

Appearances Can Be Deceiving!

Do you remember that old saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover?

How many times do we look at a person’s appearance and make a quick decision on what kind of person they are?

We must or there would not be so much information on how many seconds it takes a person meeting us for the first time to decide if they like us or not!

There have been many physiological approaches to dressing, make-up, gesturing and even how we sit in a chair. Many articles and books have covered these topics.

Well, as we age, and have more experience “under our belt”, we learn that perhaps our first impression is not the one that should be the lasting one.

We have a friend who was interviewed for a job but later was told someone had been hired. About a week later, our friend was called to report for work. What was it that the first person did to impress the employer that our friend did not? Knowing this particular friend, he probably put on no airs at all and was just himself.

So, can we conclude that sometimes just being ourselves is going to end us at the bottom of the heap? Not really, because eventually, the cream always rises to the top.

Today, unlike in the 60s when I was being interviewed (or as they say today, “interviewing”), people are more casual about business attire, social attire, church attire and how they dress, period.

The Women’s Lib Movement probably had quite a lot to do with that. As women worked harder and harder to have equality, the dress for men and women became more similar. More and more women wore trousers and today, we do not even think about that.

But do we still make snap decisions about people based on their hair color, their make-up and their choice of clothing? Probably yes.

I went to schools where we wore uniforms and that made us – you got it – “uniform”! That is probably a good idea for students who are, or should be, busy learning! It is becoming popular again to wear uniforms in schools and that is a way to help students focus on their studies during the school day.

What if a woman has her hair tinted or wears sexy outfits or extreme fashions? Perhaps we should read this as someone craving attention. Or, is it because her husband or boyfriend encourages this?

Well, perhaps we need to learn a little more about someone before coming to any conclusion about how that person would treat us. After all, that is exactly all we should care about! All we need to know is: Will that person treat us in the manner we would like to be treated?

RED SLIPPERS!

In the 1939 classic movie, The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy (portrayed by a young Judy Garland), is wearing ruby red slippers. Every trivia buff knows that!

So, why is it, that there are figurines of Dorothy wearing other than red shoes? Do people buy these china collectibles? Oh sure they do!

Why? Well, they may not have noticed until they got it home that the shoes were other than red. Perhaps they really liked the dog, “Toto” that she has in her arms. (In the movie, Dorothy’s dog, “Toto” was a Cairn Terrier, but the breed was not named in the book.)

Perhaps the figurine was a good buy. Perhaps it is a gift for someone else. Or . . . perhaps the buyer did not know Dorothy was associated with red shoes! Why should we interfere?

What motivates others is often puzzling to us. But should we really have a say in what they do? If we talk about the figurine being less than what we would choose, don’t we risk hurting someone’s feelings? Is it any of our business that they missed the red shoes? Only if they consulted us beforehand!

I am making light of this and giving you an analogy because it really is difficult to believe that other people actually voice opinions on how individuals should cope with problems in their own families. This, of course, falls into the gossip category and gossip is malicious!

Just be glad it is not you! Just be happy that your spouse did not cheat on you. Don’t suggest that a wife leave. Couples’ relationships are based on all the events they have been through together. Perhaps that one event is not totally insurmountable. Perhaps the wife has a lot of forgiveness in her heart.

We have too much information coming instantly to us these days. Sixty years ago, you would have seen a news film clip before watching a feature film at a theater. Now, the Iraq war is being played out in your living room and all the latest happenings of show business and political celebrities are reported immediately.

We used to say that until you had walked several miles in someone else’s shoes (or red slippers); you should not criticize or even have an opinion. Judge not, that ye be not judged. (Matthew 7:1, King James Version)

The world is not perfect. Our friends, neighbors and family are not perfect, nor are we.

Until such time as we are invited to advise, perhaps we need to get on with our knitting . . . or other worthwhile pastime!

By the way, in the original book, Dorothy’s slippers were silver!

Reaching Out - To Make More Friends

We live in hurried times when it takes longer than it used to get anywhere and the clock is always on us. There is not too much we can do to change this, but perhaps we can reach out to others to make their days - and ours - a little nicer.

When we give away a smile, we generally get one back. That’s a simple concept, isn’t it? Many of us, especially younger people, are very self-conscience. In other words, we are so busy thinking about what we should say next and how we look that we perhaps are not really noticing those around us.

When your organization or church is having a special event, dinner (potluck), or a festive celebration like Mardi Gras or New Year’s Eve, invite someone to attend! You might be surprised to know how many people would actually enjoy attending your church, or participating in your hobby. Perhaps you have an extra ticket for a concert. Ask someone if they would like to join you!

If you hear someone is not well, drop them a card to let them know you are thinking about them. You could stop by with a bouquet from your garden.

The very best way to make a friend is to be a friend. When we reach out to others, soon people will be responding back and we will have a wonderful circle of friends.

If you find it really hard to speak to people you encounter, try walking your dog around the block or to the park. Most dogs are pretty good at meeting people!

At school or work, if you see someone sitting alone eating their lunch, try asking if you can join them.

The current heavy use of ipods and cell phones tend to isolate us and keep us from meeting people. Perhaps putting those devices away in the pocket for a while would lead to new friendships.

When participating in sports or hobbies walk over to the other person and ask them how they are doing. They might be glad to tell you how they are doing or show you their project!

People are not really meant to be alone. A circle of friends is a good start to a happy, healthy, balanced life!

This is Martha . . . please leave a message!

If you enjoy reading my blog, please let me know! Leave a message by posting a comment. Do you like hearing about my memories of Toronto? Interested in a Canadian's life in Texas? Want to know more about East Texas? Want to hear more about scrapbooking, being a senior, a grandparent? Do let me know by posting a comment! Just click on "Comments".

Toronto Skyline from Lake Ontario

 

Photo courtesy: http://www.canadianculture.com/postcards

Toronto - My Home Town!

When I heard there had been an explosion and fire that awakened people at 4:00 a.m. Sunday in Toronto, of course I went to YouTube and news sites on the internet. When I was describing to Hubby where the explosion was, the straight-forward way Toronto is laid out came to mind.

When getting directions where I live in East Texas, it always makes me smile that it is assumed you know where the ABC store is and you should just turn right there! People give directions like that because no one truly knows where North is! (The streets in many cities and towns do in fact follow the original Indian trails of the area.)

Well, Toronto is very much a city where most people know their directions. Toronto is on the North Shore of Lake Ontario, so everything is north from there. That’s a good start!

You now know that Yonge (pronounced “young”) Street is the main north-south street in the middle of Toronto. It is a very long street and if you follow it all the way north, you will be ‘way up in cottage country!

Since I became an American Citizen and live in Texas, “Yonge Street Texan” seemed rather natural for me to call my blog. (I should define for you that I now have dual citizenship: Canadian and American.)

Toronto is a real big city now but when I was a youngster, it was not the biggest or flashiest city in Canada. Toronto had a population of about 600,000 when I was going to school in the 50s and Montreal was the larger and more glamorous place to be.

The GTA (Great Toronto Area) now has over 5.5 million people and is a Mecca for jobs, finances, education, theater and fine dining. Because Toronto is “where the action is”, it is also very expensive!

I think everyone is attached to where they came from and that is the way it should be. Where you came from is a big part of who you are.

Hubby comes from Robinson, Illinois. If you drive there, you can find the house where he was born! Yes – born at home! This is a simple town where people grew up with decent values and everyone knew everyone else. (That is very valuable to parents because they know what a child has done before he reaches home!)

Growing up Canadian means essentially that I am just like my American-born friends, right? Well, almost. Even though I’ve been in Texas for almost twelve years, people still seem to know I came from elsewhere! There are still words I mispronounce, eh?

About the “eh” Canadians tack on the ends of sentences: I have given that a lot of thought. I think it is simply looking for affirmation that the other person is actually listening, or perhaps even agrees with what you said.

Large as it is, Toronto is still a very clean city. We had a mayor (David Crombie) who told a group of New Yorkers how you could identify a Torontonian.

“He’s the one with the gum wrappers in his pocket!”

(This has been verified by Hubby who once stopped to watch a man opening a stick of gum as he was crossing a street at the corner of Yonge. The man, sure enough, folded the wrapper and placed it in his pocket!)

You gotta love a city like that!

Cape Breton in October - from the car

 

How to Scrapbook

Today I was talking to one of the Pharmacy Techs at the drug store and telling her about going to an all day “crop” on Saturday.

“Whoa! I just started Scrapbooking and I had no idea . . .”

Well, it is a super hobby that can be very calming and lots of fun. The owner of the store where I purchase my supplies has “crop” sessions (a few hours) just about every week and some special marathon and benefit crops that last all day or occasionally ‘round the clock. She has a special room set up with large tables and wastebaskets for each of us. I have met a lot of gals at these crops and made some new friends.

Now, there are people who will scrapbook your memories for you. Hmmm . . . re-read that sentence! It is very hard to do that! I do pages for my sister-in-law, especially of her great-grandson. I have made books as gifts and I know people appreciate these and likely would never do this themselves.

The real pleasure of “scrapping” is remembering the people; remembering the activities. Selecting just the right paper and adding embellishments is the real fun. Making it your own personal work is the delight!

Scrapbooking is nothing like when you learned how to dance! 1-2-3, 1-2-3: no, cropping is nothing like that! Here, finally, is a hobby, an activity that actually has no rules and is strictly your own personal thing to do.

It is more likely that if you are considering Scrapbooking, you wonder what you would crop.

Well, of course, Ava, my great-granddaughter, is a wonderful subject! But so was my citizenship party, our vow renewal, all children, holidays, parties, graduations, pets, church activities and the real challenge: old photos from years ago.

With digital cameras, we can put photos on our computers and crop them, take out the “red eye”, make them black and white, size them and print as many copies as we want. Old photos are just that. You can have a picture enhanced or fixed but basically, you just have exactly what you took out of the box – generally black and white – to work with. So, I think cropping old photos is more of a challenge.

Last fall we were on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada, and I have several photos of the beautiful autumn leaves. Many Texans have never seen that much autumn color because we might have one or two trees to look at in late fall.

A lot of people have been on cruises and that makes a great topic; so does a theme park! Any holiday makes a good topic.

Here – finally – is a hobby with only one real rule. That rule is to use materials that are acid-free and will keep your memories in good condition for many years of viewing. The more you crop, the more you see that it makes perfect sense to spray photos with a special spray and there are other sprays for clippings.

I like to have different books for different topics. Some people would like to do their books in chronological order. That’s your choice!

If you are contemplating trying your hand at Scrapbooking, go to your local shop and wander through the aisles of papers. (Just a few years ago, I was relying on plain construction-type papers.) The papers can give you great ideas on how to set up your page. Then you can use brads (decorative paper-fasteners), flat and 3-D stickers, chipboard, sparkling paints, ribbons, and on and on, to make your pages your personal statement.

With fall coming up, this is probably a good time for people to take up this new hobby. Let me know how you enjoy it!

Grandma's Wallpaper

Since I think a lot about being a grandmother these days, I went to a box of old photos and found some pictures of my own grandmother. Of course, I thought it would be nice to put them in one of my scrapbooks.

Now I just had one set of grandparents: my father’s father and mother. They were older and died when I was in my late teens and early twenties.

I was an only child and I got a lot of attention, especially from Grandma.

I should mention that Grandpa had been a policeman and tended to be rather gruff. He and Dad played cribbage when we visited them every Sunday. Yes – every Sunday!

They lived in a modest home in West Toronto; near High Park and Grenadier Pond. Once I got my drivers license, I would drive Grandma to the Park where there was a very nice, compact zoo, lots of walking trails, picnic tables and benches. Grandma thought that was pretty special that her grandchild could drive her someplace. Sometimes we went to church and sometimes she’d ask to visit the cemetery. I was very proud to be able to take her places.

Well, there were not a lot of pictures, but there were some nice, small, black and white snapshots – the kind with the wavy edged borders.

My friend looked closely as we talked about what paper I would use for cropping this picture. She noticed Grandma was wearing a polka-dotted dress. So, perhaps polka-dotted paper would be good!

I went up and down the aisles of paper and picked up one page of dots. But, another page really caught my eye and I purchased it as well.

When I went back to my table, my friend inquired about the paper: “What’s this?”

“Oh, well, that is pretty much like the wallpaper in Grandma’s living room!”

Funny, the little things that stick in our minds for so many years. (Will Ava remember the little white Standard Poodle figurine she looks at in my curio cabinet?)

I can recall Grandma knitting lovely sweaters for me and then teaching me to knit, crochet and hand-sew. She always had some sweet treat for me and to her I was very special – perhaps because I was her only.

I sure hope that my extended family great-grandchildren will remember me with even half the esteem I have for my own grandma!

Forgiveness: A Great Concept!

In Matthew, Chapter 6, verse 14, we are reminded that if we forgive people when they sin against us, Our Heavenly Father will also forgive us.

It is probably no coincidence that this passage follows The Lord’s Prayer. This is the one passage of the Bible that most people everywhere know. This is the prayer that is often called The Perfect Prayer. On 9-11, The Lord’s Prayer was probably the most prayed across the United States.

Now, the concept of forgiving is pretty easy, once you really grasp it.

If someone cuts you off on the highway, you can let that bother you all day. Or worse, you could retaliate and cause a horrible accident. Or, you could just forgive that driver and think about how badly their day must be going!

If an acquaintance says something mean to you, you can dwell on that, hold on to that and no longer have that person as a friend.

Friends are precious gifts and we need to hang on to as many as we possibly can. So, when someone says something that hurts us, we need to stop and think how bad that person might have been feeling. We should consider how bad their day was going that they just absolutely had to tell us that the dress we were wearing made us look fat!

How insecure is a person who telephones to tell you that they did not appreciate something you said at last week’s meeting?

More importantly, how secure are you that you can just let it go and move on with the rest of the day?

The really beautiful thing about forgiving people is that it starts to make them wonder what it is about you that lets you forget what they said or did? It gives them new found respect for you.

Because our lives are hectic, perhaps there are more things that are said carelessly and therefore, more opportunities to forgive.

Once you start conscientiously forgiving people’s thoughtless comments and actions, you cannot believe how much nicer your life will be!

Just ask “Buddy”, our Lhasa, “Ginger”, the Poodle or “Bowser”, the Bulldog how good life can be! Did you ever notice how a dog never holds a grudge? We can learn much about forgiveness just by observing our dogs!

"Buddy" in his Patriotic Baseball Cap

 

Houston and Toronto: Not So Different!

When I visited Houston in 1990, I received a tour from an old friend who had moved there when she was married in the 60s.

“Well, we just jump from air-conditioning to air-conditioning”, was how she answered my query about the 100 degree plus temperature.

Houston has underground walkways with shops, restaurants and theaters. Toronto also has these underground systems, most connected to the transit system and office complexes. Hot summers send you underground in Houston; cold winters send you there in Toronto!

We are about 100 miles north of Houston.

Both Houston and Toronto have lots of wonderful places to eat, stylish shopping, good theater and live entertainment. Both cities are massive and sprawling, have lots of jobs and high real estate prices. Both cities have excellent medical centers and universities.

You can find a superb corned beef on rye both places!

Both are friendly cities, alive and young but the one thing that really defines the similarity of them for me is BASEBALL!

Many people knew of the Astrodome and its famous Astroturf surface that became very popular everywhere.

Some Canadians might not know that a new park was built in Houston a few years ago. When I first went to Minute Maid Park, I felt very much at home. The dome is a similar design to the one in Toronto in that the roof can be open or closed. So when weather is not comfortable for spectators and players, the roof can be closed.

Both parks are wonderful for TV viewing and when you attend in person, there are “jumboTrons” (large screens) and extensive signage to keep everybody informed.

Baseball is my favorite spectator sport. It’s easy to watch and you can chat to the person beside you without missing any of the action.

In October, 1978, I attended a baseball game in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. (Toronto Blue Jays were a very young team then, but already had recruited players from there.) At that time, they played seven nights a week in an open outdoor stadium. It was an intramural league. Cuba Libras (Rum & Coke) and goat cheese were served instead of hot dogs and beer. They did not realize then how much influence their players would have on the American and National Leagues! They actually thought it odd that we wanted to see a baseball game!

Texas Rangers are the other major baseball team in Texas. They play in the Dallas suburb of Arlington. Most people know that current President George W. Bush was a part owner before becoming president. His parents – former President George H.W. and Barbara Bush (who reside in Houston during cooler months) can be seen at Minute Maid Park in their front row seats behind Home Plate. Barbara – white hair and strand of pearls dazzling - likes to keep an old-fashioned scorecard.

Houston and Toronto: very much alike!

The G.I. Gap

One thing I deal with now that I did not in Canada is family and church members away serving our country.

As I have only been an American Citizen for four years, all the questions and answers I had to know are pretty much still in my head.

I have two living room shelves with Americana; T-shirts, jewelry and even a crocheted American flag purse.

Jesse has less than a year to go in the Marines and has just left for his third tour of Iraq. He joined right out of high school and every time he is home, it is amazing to see how muscular and fit he is! He is even quieter than he used to seem and a little more serious. His Dad told me one time that even when Jesse was a young boy visiting Jamaica, he wanted to help people. So he is doing the ultimate helping by serving his country. I feel his family – especially his Mother - are serving their country too. There is a tremendous gap without Jesse. Our entire church feels it!

Our granddaughter, Meghan, signed up almost two years ago for Army duty and she is currently in South Korea.

Hopefully, Meghan is not so much in harm’s way, but she sure is a long way from home. We miss her a lot. We wonder what she is doing. She is fifteen hours ahead of us and we keep a watch by the phone set to “her time” to remind us. We pray every day that she is well and wonder what her military service life is like.

The phone calls are few but we enjoy the e-mails. The e-mail that did make me laugh went something like,

“No, no, no, I cannot receive a text message – that is a regular phone that has to be hooked up to a computer.“ Uh, oh!

We miss Meghan a lot! She loves macaroni and I e-mail her that we are eating some tonight in her honor. I try to tease her about things like that, but I also let her know how much we really miss her and pray for her and look forward to her being home.

I think a lot about what she is missing. The biggest thing, of course, is her niece, Ava.

Then I think about all the fathers – and some mothers – who are missing all the little things that children do at different stages. I think about the wives who are trying to cope without husbands and some husbands who are also coping back home. I think about all the little things children do at different stages that these Patriots are missing.

We do write letters every month to be placed in the packages the Legion auxiliary sends to our hometown military. I put comic strips in with them and remind them how much we appreciate what they are doing to keep America free. The men and women look forward to opening these packages but mostly, I know they look forward to coming home!

We Can't Go Back!

In light of the increase of foreclosures, I got to thinking about the houses most people lived in – say – forty or fifty years ago. Most families in United States and Canada lived in simple five or six-room houses. That would be two or three bedrooms and a bathroom, a kitchen, living room and perhaps a dining room. In northern areas, many houses had basements, and some of them were “finished” to be usable space, appropriate for children to play during inclement weather. Others were suitable only for storage of preserves, canned goods, potatoes and onions and possibly boxed out-of-season clothing.

Houses were fairly close together – 30 and 40 foot lots were common and neighbors knew each other and their children played together.

When I sold real estate in the 70s in Toronto, one of my clients was a family of two parents and six children who lived in a house typical for then with several children sharing a bedroom. One day their home was purchased with others for development and they had to find a new one.

Since they had been well-paid for this original house, we found them a larger split design on four levels with extra family room, totally finished basement and three or four baths. It was on a corner lot and was a very attractive house.

When I visited them once they were settled in, I noticed that they were all gathered in the family room, everyone attending to what they were doing, just as they had been in their original house.

At what point in time did families change to large houses with several different areas? Was that when families stopped sitting down to dinner together? Was that when children stopped telling their parents and siblings what they had done that day? Was that when mothers starting working? Was that when marriages more commonly started falling apart and multiple marriages became the norm?

Is there some way we can go back to simpler times? Probably not, because most of the people marrying and raising families today have only heard the stories similar to what I am telling you. This just does not mesh with today’s high tech and there is probably no turning back!

The longing for peace and quiet is still strong among most of us. Possibly one way to achieve this in part is to set aside an area in our homes where we can just sit quietly for even a few minutes. We can listen to calming music, read or have a quiet chat. If we set aside some contemplative, quiet time each day, we can refresh ourselves to get back to the multi-tasking, high-tech lives we lead today.

Technology for Seniors

Just because you are a senior, it does not mean you can’t be savvy about high tech.

Granted, some of today’s technology can be intrusive, and even annoying. Part of that has to do with how people use computers and cell phones.

Let’s all agree on some things. At a table in the middle of a fine restaurant is not the place for an animated cell phone conversation. And if your cell phone rings in the middle of the Pastor’s sermon, maybe you need to know how to set it to silent!

Many of us complain that the younger generation does not communicate well and perhaps that is our own fault because we are not keeping up with current technology.

I personally do not like multi-tasking but I certainly can get back to someone pretty quickly if I am driving when the phone sounds. So, just leave me a message or text me!

Texting is worthwhile learning. We have a grandson in Los Angeles and when the quake was announced the other day, I texted to see how he was doing. When an answer did not come back, I left a voice message. Turning on my phone the next morning, I saw a message saying they were fine but did not receive the message right away, because of the quake. That made me feel good that he was fine and there was one less thing to worry about.

Our granddaughter here in Texas is on the go all the time, so it is more convenient for her to answer a quick text than an actual call.

Some of my friends will easily update me via text although they might not be in a situation to have an actual phone conversation. It is convenient!

Most seniors I know can navigate their way around a computer. There are several places to learn about computer programs and especially e-mail is nice to understand. E-mail helps you to keep in touch with people anywhere and to even send and receive photos.

E-mail used to be a little less invasive and not so annoying when we first used it in the 1990s. If you are receiving a lot of spam (unwanted messages), think about using an additional web-based e-mail program from Google or Yahoo. Don’t give out your primary address to anyone other than your special friends.

Try to remember that not everyone wants to read every joke or political comment you receive and think twice before you forward. When you receive things you do not want, don’t obsess about it! Just hit the highly effective device call the Delete Button!

We also use our computers for doing business, reading news, playing games, checking weather, printing photographs, writing letters, finding information and generally keeping in touch. We would be lost without them!

Let’s not forget digital cameras. We can take better, crisper photos that can be placed in a computer program and used in many different applications. Start with one-time use digital cameras and switch to something more sophisticated later.

Of course, many seniors have had their hearing vastly enhanced with digital hearing aids. So, perhaps seniors are more with high tech than we think!

Ladies in Pink for Breast Cancer Research Benefit Crop

 

Scrapbooking - More Than a Hobby!

One day last September, I saw that my local scrapbooking store – Scrapbooks and Memories – was having a special fundraising all-day Saturday “crop” to raise money for Breast Cancer Research. Sue, the owner, is a breast cancer survivor.

Hubby’s first wife, Jayne, had this disease and had been able to survive 21 years. My friend in Ontario had just had a mastectomy. This is an important cause to me. I was just barely learning how to crop but I thought I would go over to support the cause.

I didn’t know anything about a group of ladies cropping, or what food a person would take. So, I took some pink M and M’s and a few photos, scissors and glue to the shop.

There was a nice large room full of big tables and happy women, all working on their layouts.

Of course, since that day, I have acquired some more “tools of the trade” and I just love purchasing special papers and embellishments that can make a page so special! Additionally, I have met several new friends.

My friend, Bonnie, had made me a scrapbook as a gift when I became an American citizen (four years ago) and I loved browsing through that book.

Working on projects at home resulted in a massive mess and I learned to go to the “crop room” at Sue’s to really set up well. I always take at least one bottle of diet green tea and get kidded that when the tea is gone, I am out of there. (Also, there are energy bars tucked in my kit.)

Naturally, Ava was a super subject to crop and I even made books for her grandparents and parents. Of course, I scrapped books of Buddy, Hubby & me, our vow renewal, and church activities.

Two years ago, with the help of her two daughters, my sister-in-law, Louise, moved from her home of 44 years to a retirement community in the Cleveland (Ohio) area. There was another topic!

I have just finished graduation books for a friend and a niece. I made a memory book for our snowbird friend of his winter in Texas. My book of our friendship is almost ready for Judy in Ontario.

In January, Louise’s great-grandson, Josh, arrived and his parents update me monthly with photos. I love it when people send me a large assortment of photos so I can pick the ones I want to use. I crop them and send them on up to Louise who shows him off to her friends.

Ongoing – in between projects – I take old photos from when I was a youngster in Toronto and assemble them into a special memory book. My tricycle had a Union Jack on it! That might be a hint to my age!

Scrapbooking has been fun and calming for me. I really enjoy it and look forward to the get-togethers every week. High tech is coming to Scrapbooking but I hope to still be able to use simple ways which are so calming and relaxing for me.