Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The Funeral That Was A Gift


We have attended three funerals in the past four weeks. Our own minister says he dislikes performing funerals and one can hardly blame him.

When I was young, my Mother planned many of the funerals and I was quite used to the protocol. Of course that was in Toronto and visitations and funerals are a little different here in Texas.

A few months ago, I made the mistake of showing up in a dress. I was the only one and when I mentioned it to the person's sister, she gave me a good rule to go by:

"When in doubt, wear pants." That's what she said.

So, I acquired a new black jacket and a new navy jacket in my current size. So, I was ready this time.

A major difference between Ontario and here is that there is only one visitation, generally in the evening from six to eight at the funeral home. We used to have afternoon and evening visitations with the funeral the next day.

Here in Texas, people are generally more casually dressed than I was used to but I am afraid I have not changed much for that.

Possibly more of our funerals where I live are at the church rather than the funeral home. We often have hymns that the congregation sings as well.

Something that has changed and I imagine it is in Canada as well, is the wonderful Powerpoint presentation of family photos on a TV screen at the visitation. It enables us to enjoy the happier times of that person's life.

The recent funerals were very fine. One was for an older man from our congregation who had been sick for a long time. Yes, he was older . . . that would be about a year younger than I am now. I enjoy his grandchildren very much and his daughter works tirelessly with our youth.

He was a man who was generous with humor as well as money and way back when he was still fairly well, he liked to kid that the computer should say,

"Windows Are Closing." He loved to talk about once having lunch with Warren Buffett . . . who wouldn't? He was an accountant . . . that would be an accountant with a fine sense of humor.

The second man was also younger than I . . . about eight years younger and had had Alzheimer's for a long time. His wife and I scrapbooked together as well as attending the same church. She has two wonderful granddaughters who she likes to spend lots of time with and has made the most of the years her husband has been in healthcare. He was a psychologist/counselor, working in the government.

Yes, today's funeral was also for a man younger than I. He was 65 and probably succumbed to the effects of Agent Orange in combat. He was a musician who played church music on both the organ and the piano. He loved dogs and he loved music. He wrote for the newspaper and still loved to send in letters to the editor which were a joy to read. I did not really know as well as I know his sister and brother-in-law.

What I want to tell you is this. Last night after we were at the visitation at the funeral home, we were wondering if we really should attend the service today as we really were not as close to him as his family. I thought about it and suggested that there would probably be some very special music. Well, yes, we were there.

This was a funeral that truly was not a funeral but a true celebration. If you can understand that this man digitally recorded some music himself which was played along with some major talented others playing wonderful old hymns and classical music, then you can understand this.

Two ministers, his brother-in-law and a friend, gave the invocation and benediction. His nephew recalled some fond memories of his uncle and everything else was music.

One of his friends did step over to the keyboard mid-service and play "Tea For Two" which is something the man himself was known to do if a choir practice was getting boring . . .

Thank you, my friend for a wonderful gift that everyone there today enjoyed. I imagine you were looking down and smiling at such a non-traditional remembrance of you.

The music we heard was: Suite No. 5 in G Major, Amazing Grace; Balm in Gilead; Sheep May Safely Graze; It Is Well; Choral Prelude on Rhosymedre; Fugue in E-flat Major and Thine Is The Glory.

What a wonderful way to remember our friend . . .

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Rogers Centre aka The Skydome, Toronto

From Dome To Dome


Reliant Astrodome, originally uploaded by markhodgins.

You might be surprised to find out how many ways Houston and Toronto are alike!

Now, we do not live in Houston, but rather a hundred miles up the highway, but that is just about a two hour drive.

One of the features that makes me feel "at home" is Reliant Stadium where the Houston Astros play. Reliant Stadium was renamed since I have been here.

SkyDome in Toronto has also been renamed and is now Rogers Stadium.

Both covered stadiums have domes that open three ways and make for a better baseball experience in both cities. Toronto does not claim to have great weather in the early spring and Houston gets really hot mid-summer.

The Houston Astros are in the National League and the Toronto Blue Jays are in the American League so this weekend was the first time the Houston team visited Toronto to play. As Toronto has been doing very well this year and Houston has not, I was expecting The Jays to trounce the Astros. So, I was quite surprised to see the three-game series end 2-1 in game wins for Houston Astros.

We once attended a game in Toronto when the Texas Rangers (from Dallas) were playing and we really enjoyed it. So, Hubby has seen "The Dome".

[I was rather surprised that when they built a new stadium in Arlington (Dallas), they did not do a covered one, but I guess for everyone money is money and domed stadiums take plenty.]

In case you did not know, Reliant Stadium is not Houston's first covered stadium. The Astrodome was the first and I think the first in North America. I have been there . . . to a dog show where I saw Canadian, Dr. John Reeve-Newsom judge Scottish Terriers, a breed I should know a bit about.

If you have ever heard indoor-outdoor carpet called "Astro Turf", that is because the Astrodome had carpet rather than grass.

I think some indoor stadiums have real grass now to enhance the baseball experience.

When I first came here, I learned that former President, George W. Bush was one of the owners of the Texas Rangers and belonged to the consortium that built that team which is in the American League.

The Bush Family are ardent baseball fans. Laura Bush (George Jr.'s wife) has said how much she likes baseball because it is a sport you can watch while still enjoying the company of those you are with.

Barbara Bush, wife of President George H.W. Bush likes to mark her card at the Houston games and she and George Senior are still often seen in the front row, behind the hitter.

For me, baseball is a sport I can easily understand and so I really got the best of it all this weekend when the Astros visited Toronto.

I'd like to thank the announcer for his comment which was so typical of a Texan - off the cuff and casual - but it made me proud to hear it,

(We have enjoyed seeing Toronto) - "Canada does cities well!"

Oh, yes. And thanks for bringing it all into our living room this weekend!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Birthdays Past . . . Birthdays Present . . .


birthday cake alight, originally uploaded by janined.

Today I am thinking of the cakes Mom/Kay used to bake for our birthdays with a coin wrapped in wax paper in every slice . . .

When I was a youngster still at home, Mother ordered what I lovingly called "pass-around sandwiches" from Coles Catering on Eglinton Avenue near Avenue Road in North Toronto. There would be a cake and sometimes strawberries dipped in chocolate.

We brought in lilacs from the garden and oh, how festive the house smelled!

Lest you think all birthdays have been great, I do recall one from when I was about ten years old where they served canned macaroni. (Obviously their idea of festive was different from mine.)

Sometimes there would be clowns and they would bring balloons. Everybody loves a clown; can't go wrong with that!

Now, people go to restaurants and some have the servers sing "Happy Birthday" off-key and the birthday person gets a free dessert. Hmm.

Some people do get great cakes . . . I see them being carried out of bake shops ever so carefully. Some are half chocolate and half white cake to please everybody!

It's a time to place cards lovingly on the mantle and enjoy a couple of phone calls from those who remember. But it is also a time when we realize that very little stays the same. That is when it is good to have great memories.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Peter Mansbridge: A Canadian Fixture Comes To Our Living Room


What a treat it was to watch Peter Mansbridge anchor the Canadian Election Results last night! It was a little bit of Canada right in our living room (well, it's called a "great room" in Texas).

Not much has changed about Peter over the years. He looks about the same, sounds a little more polished and delivers the news as straight as ever.

We received the CBC feed on C-Span 2 without any interuption. It was as though we were sitting in Toronto. A little bit of home always feels good!

The results were amazing this time with Bloc Quebecois only maintaining three seats and their leader losing his.

The interesting "wild card" was Jack Layton of Toronto who is leader of the NDP (New Democratic Party) who lead them to a historical first time Opposition Party. The Liberals did miserably. A new party, The Green Party, elected their first member of parliament (MP) from Vancouver Island.

Stephen Harper not only is still Prime Minister but his Conservative Party now has a majority.

We thoroughly enjoyed keeping up with my roots and just have one thought . . . Couldn't someone have delivered some Swiss Chalet to us? Swiss Chalet BBQ Chicken has been around since I was at Weller College at 19 years of age. Texans would think it rather bland, but to a Canuck, well, it is the best!

Monday, May 2, 2011

God Bless America and Let Us Pray for Peaceful Times Again


American flag, originally uploaded by gary718.

Today is a day to pause and reflect on all the days, months and years since 9-11 (September 11, 2001). Think about where we were at that moment. Thnk about what we were doing or where we were headed.

Until the last of our troops is back home safely, we cannot rest. We must always be vigilant.

Let us all pray today. Let us all display our patriotism and Lest We Forget . . .

GOD BLESS AMERICA!