Yonge Street Texan

A Day For Remembering . . .

2012-01-19T12:34:00.000-08:00

Today is a time for remembering how precious time with friends really is. This picture was taken at The Pickle Barrel in Toronto in July, 2007. Hubby and I came off the highway to meet my "old friend" Belinda and her husband, D'Arcy, who took this casual shot of us. Even if you just pick up the phone; even if you just have a few minutes, take time to talk to your friends. Take time to give them a hug. Life is fragile and we must never take it for granted.

Today, it is four years since her death, yet I think of Belinda every day. She made me laugh: she worried about me . . . and many others. She stopped in to see people who needed a smile and she loved animals like no one else.

My guardian angel, you are going to have another grandson very soon. We pray he will be healthy; we know he will be handsome and I think he just might have a little dimple in his chin!

May everyone have such a friend in their lifetime!

Meeting People Where They're At

2012-01-10T15:46:00.001-08:00

The notion that in everyday life we can do other than meet people as they are today is probably what causes more heartache and disappointment in life than any other.

The thought that one has before marrying that one can “change” another person might be the most obvious. Actually, a search for a perfect mate is probably the biggest optical illusion in our world – certainly our North American world.

When marrying, we try to first meet and then chose a mate with the most compatible traits and experiences. We learn to live with our mate’s opposing likes and beliefs because we love them so much for other traits like compassion, beliefs, sense of humor, intellect and probably because they like doing a lot of the same things we do.

When choosing friends, we should be using a similar process. We pick people we hope would like to be our friends because they have similar interests and intelligence. Perhaps their smile caught our attention. Perhaps they like helping other people. Maybe they have similar beliefs to ours.

When we come to the end of the road and face an open casket of a loved one, friend or relative, it is too late to say, “I am sorry”. It is one of life’s greatest hurts that a person cannot accept that someone sometimes does things they do not like. Who among us is perfect and can expect perfection of others?

There is no university course or degree that enables us to mold others to our belief of what is an appropriate way to live. Parents try to teach their children what is right and what will work in this world. As children mature, their parents have to hope that they did a good job when they were young enough.

Most of us find out that we cannot pick others choices in adulthood. If we do not agree with how that person lives, their hobbies, the things that give them pleasure, we need to step back. It is not in order – if we wish to keep them as friends – to try to tell them how to live their life.

I have some new friends who are teaching me how to make new friends. I do not have to know their life story; I am just meeting them exactly where they are today.

One has an especially pretty smile. Another always extends their arm to help me down steps and sends happy text messages that make me know I am accepted.

Another lady waves to me – just a little tiny wave – when I am up in the choir. I really look forward to her wave!

Another ran out to make sure I had a Bible Study book and another apologized for not giving mugs a week earlier.

These are gentle people. These are people who make us believe we are wanted. We want to reciprocate.

When we try to change others, we hurt them but even more, we hurt ourselves.

Reading dissertations on how I should behave probably is the grimmest task I have had.

Those of us who remember Popeye, know he had the right idea when he would say,

“I yam who I yam.”

We are who we are because of the life experiences we have had. We are not accountable to every person in this world to tell them our life experiences.

I do not ask others their life experiences and they may or may not know mine.

We must interact with people as we find them. We cannot change them – well not on purpose – and we have not had all their experiences. As we build a relationship, we may find we have had some similar problems and delights in our lives. Then perhaps we will become closer friends.

We fail each time we enforce our expectations on others because they must have their own thoughts on what they want. Only they know everything about themselves: where they have been and their experiences. This has shaped them and they know all too well their inadequacies.

Lest we forget that Popeye may have got his line from the Bible:

"God also said to Moses, I am who I am . . . " Exodus 3:14, NIV

Christmas Is a Little Girl in a Red Dress . . . and Other Memories

2011-12-19T11:43:00.001-08:00

christmas dress 8, a photo by Southern June Bugs on Flickr.

When I was about this little girl's age, I had a red velvet dress too. Something about red velvet that makes it perfect for Christmas!

This year, a couple of Sundays ago, we (the choir) were singing The Cantata in the loft facing the congregation. When we came toward the end, I saw a young girl stand up and lean with her arms over the back of the pew in front. She was smiling very wide and I teared up to see someone so young familiar with the music. (Yes, she was wearing a red velvet dress.)

Of course, the big thrill was the standing ovation the congregation gave us when we finished. Wow . . . all that practicing seemed easy now!

There were delightful cookies and egg nog in the narthex after.

A lady was waiting to thank me for the note I had sent her.

Another gal came up to show me she was wearing the little angel pin I had given her the night we decorated the tree in the sanctuary.

Christmas season can be a time of extremes and this year, I wanted to make it very, very simple. The house was decorated simply. Meals were simple.

Now, most things are away and we are looking to a new year.

We have so many blessings and we know it. As we get older, we try to simplify and make it easier on ourselves.

On New Year's Eve, we will watch Dick Clark who has never given up. I admire him for that!

For everyone who has lost someone this year or who has illness themselves or in their family, we are praying.

And we will be back in church on Sunday to sing more of the season's beautiful music.

God Bless . . . especially little girls in red velvet!

J.R. Martinez Wins . . . Again!

2011-11-22T23:15:00.001-08:00

IAVA Heroes Gala, a photo by IAVA.org on Flickr.

Yes, he won a purple heart . . . Yes, he has won several awards. But this week, J.R. Martinez won on Dancing With The Stars and that says something nice about how our world is evolving!

Later this week, there was another event to talk about! J.R. received a telephone call from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who invited J.R. to the Pentagon.

This is so W-O-W! You gotta love it!

Way to go, J.R. and may the wind be at your back and all good things happen for you, our favorite Veteran this week! I think there are a lot of Veterans just waiting to meet you and catch some of your enthusiasm!

God Bless J.R.!

Cheerful Giving This Season

2011-11-03T11:40:00.001-07:00

For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, "You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land."

- Deuteronomy 15:11

It was really nice to find out today that our city has already exceeded this year's goal for United Way! I was kind of worried, because times are definitely tough this year and people are being very careful with spending and giving.

Last year, I was very fortunate to work on a fundraiser where a financial institution would match what we raised. We planned a BBQ which is a really good way to make money in our area. But, wanting to make sure we raised a healthy amount for a couple in our church congregation who had staggering medical bills, I went out on my own as well.

I want to tell you because perhaps you would not believe that there are many people out there who - seeing a need - will give freely and without extra explanation.

I was surprised that several people gave me cash and did not worry about a receipt or any recognition. Yes, surprised, but I cannot tell you just how good that made me feel inside. It restored (as we always say) my faith in humanity.

As we come up to the Christmas season, there will be more people than ever who need some help this year. Times are very tough. Many people are without jobs. Many seniors have seen investments shrink and many are on fixed incomes. Prices are higher just about everywhere. The groceries have increased enormously in price.

When you see the Salvation Army Bell Ringer in front of the store, try placing a coin in the kettle as often as you can. You might not miss the coin and you will receive a strong ring of the bell, a "Merry Christmas" and a big smile every time.

Look for specials on staples like peanut butter and canned vegetables in the weekly ad. Stock up so you have items ready for churches, schools, military, companies and mailmen collecting this season.

Some collections will not be for food; some will be for toys.

How are we going to meet all the needs in our community this year?

Well, become familiar with all the various "dollar" stores. Watch the newspaper ads (which you can access online as well). Get the best value for what you can spend.

What you can do for your fellow man will do even more for you. Your heart will be smiling that you were able to help even a few families this season.

Get your whole family involved. Your children will feel just as good about helping out as you do.

Then, do it quietly, without fanfare. All you really have to do is place your donation in a box, a basket, under a table - wherever is designated. Someone has pledged their time to collect these donations and take them to where they will do the most good.

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

~ Matthew 6: 3-4

The Lord loves a cheerful giver.

~ 2 Corinthians, 9:7

God Bless You and Your Family at this Season of Sharing!

Starting Life Over . . . on Dancing With The Stars

2011-10-04T16:52:00.001-07:00

CGI U 2011 Service Project at the San Diego Food Bank, a photo by Clinton Global Initiative on Flickr.

Not going to bore you with too many details because if you are watching Dancing With The Stars, you already know that both Chaz Bono and JR Martinez have something in common: they are both starting their lives over.

Think about this as you watch the program. Think about how brave both these people have been to put their whole lives on national TV - live at that!

Tonight may be the night that Chaz Bono has too low a score to stay. But that's all right! He may not be the most elegant dancer, but he has a smile that encourages you to take a second look at a person who, born to celebrity parents found himself a man in a woman's body and had the courage to change that.

JR Martinez had his face blown to pieces fighting for our freedom. Now, he is starting his life all over again also.

Hopefully, viewers will learn from these two people that life is not nearly as frivolous as the media has often shown it to be. God Bless them both!

Note: Both Chaz Bono & JR Martinez with be back next week - thanks in part to viewer votes - and Chaz' mother, Cher will be there.

Alzheimer's Is Our Enemy

2011-09-30T12:33:00.000-07:00

Our friend, Jimmy Squyres, died this spring after about 10 years of Alzheimer's. His

son and daughter-in-law - Jonathan & Julia - are walking tomorrow. His widow,

Charlotte, is a friend and fellow scrapbooker. If you can donate any amount - no

matter how much, it will be appreciated.

This is the link to donate on their page:

http://www.kintera.org/faf/donorreg/donorpledge.asp?ievent=4

54601&supId=332962116&msource=bfgetwordout&ref=nf

2011 Walk to End Alzheimer's - Lufkin, TX

Change Equals Challenge

2011-09-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

Most people find change hard. That is a statement most of us can agree with but the truth us that in our lifetimes we must undergo many changes. Change equals challenge

Illnesses or deaths of a close friend, relative or spouse probably present our biggest challenges.

Loss of a job means tremendous change especially now when jobs are very hard to find. This can cause us to change our daily routine.

Loss of relationship is not always because of death. Sometimes people move and sometimes people change how they feel about one another. That would include divorce and any type of breakdown of a relationship.

So, if we find ourselves somehow out of the circle, what should we do?

The first thing to remember is to NOT stay inside the comfort of our homes. Indeed, we MUST step outside of our "comfort zone".

People are not going to come knocking at your door, so you must get out and "knock" on theirs.

When there is a death, for instance, you can pretty much count on people giving those left lots of attention for about three weeks. So, then what should you do?

Well, for us, church represents a big part of our life. Hobbies like quilting, sewing, knitting scrapbooking, photography often open doors to being in groups of people with the same interest.

Most times we reach out to others, rather than sitting in the corner waiting for them to come to us, we are pleasantly surprised.

Volunteer to help others and visit people who cannot get out so easily. You will find it helps you as much as it helps others!

Step out and see how much you can make your life special by forgetting your problems and doing interesting things with interesting people.

Be the one who "shows up" and see how a circle of new friends surrounds you!

2011-09-09T20:14:00.001-07:00

American Flag, a photo by bunnyfrogs on Flickr.

Where Were You?

2011-09-09T19:39:00.000-07:00

This weekend, everyone is going to relive that horrid day on September 11, 2001.

I know I have written about this before. Probably because I am an immigrant, I may have felt differently that day.

We were packed to drive to Terre Haute, Indiana to Hubby's reunion at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. (For you Canucks, that is an engineering college.)

We saw the same images that you saw on your television. It was horrifying! Peter Jennings was at the ABC News Desk.

My Toronto mentality - from when I was a child - was to "drive north". That is what my Father always said we should do if there was a bomb or other catastrophic event.

(If you drive north from Toronto . . . up Yonge Street or Highway 11 or over to 400 Highway and just keep driving, you will be in isolation and far away from a target for terror.)

Well, that morning, that was my first thought. Then I realized that we would be driving north but just to "middle America".

I had not yet been able to attain my American citizenship but I went to the box for my passport and made sure I had that.

We called our neighbor, Lela, to tell her we were leaving.

"Be vigilant! Watch everything. Know exactly who and what is around you. That is what they are saying to do."

Lela's daughter, a broadcaster, called on my cell phone a few hours later to find out how we were doing and if we were able to get gasoline. The answer was that often the stations were out of fuel and there were long lines at all of them. So, we were stopping often.

We called ahead to the college and they assured us the reunion would be held. (We found out later that some people who were going to fly had to rent cars instead.)

We found red, white and blue ribbons in a fabric store on the way and pinned them on our lapels.

At our stop the first night, which was likely Benton, Arkansas, we turned on the TV to see Peter Jennings still manning the ABC News desk. He too was from Toronto; I think you know that.

When we were almost to Terre Haute, Keith's cousin, Shorty Clements (who has a Purple Heart from WWII) in Robinson, Illinois gave us a small American flag which we placed on the rear deck of our car.

When we arrived in Terre Haute, we took our things into the hotel and then went out to the church Hubby had gone to as a student. We went in and sat in a pew and red some bible verses.

Yes, the world stopped. It stopped just long enough for all of us to realize just how fragile life is and how precious our loved ones are to us.

God Bless America indeed!

Chaz Bono - Scapegoat For Prejudice Or Teacher of Tolerance?

2011-09-05T13:35:00.001-07:00

6th Annual California Transgender Leadership Summit, a photo by skinnylawyer on Flicker.com

Born, raised and living in Toronto for most of my life, I simply accepted that there were many different nationalities and many, many people with different sexual orientations.

People who were not the same color as I; spoke a different language than I and gay people were just part of the daily routine.

Is there a huge difference between a child born with a clef palate who has surgery to correct it and a person who realizes they are not really the sex they were born and chooses to have that changed?

Tolerance for people different from ourselves, whether they be gay, bi-sexual, transgender, black, yellow, wearing head-coverings, etc. is a trait that I so admire.

Respect for the panhandler on the corner - a person down on their luck - a philosophy that I grew up with which says, "There but for the grace of God go I", is very important to me.

People who have never experienced meeting, befriending and learning from people of other beliefs, problems and lifestyles are to be pitied.

The more kinds of people we meet and/or know, the broader our minds, our thoughts and our lives are.

I cannot believe the press over Chaz Bono being on Dancing With The Stars. I guess they will have their biggest season ever! I personally will be phoning in my votes on the maximum phones available . . .

When we judge the other person without walking a mile in his/her shoes, we show how ignorant we truly can be.

Do you remember how Chaz' father, Sonny Bono, died? Skiing! Do you recall that he was Mayor of Palm Springs? He was not just a "straightman" for Cher!

How many people would not recognize Cher? She still looks fabulous and can belt out a song with gusto like very few others.

How would you like to be a child of these two people? Big shoes to fill! On stage all your life with every action spotlighted. Could you live like that?

I hate that where I live now - still "The South", Whites and Blacks are not that often together. Many churches have only Blacks or Whites in their congregations. I think it is bad now but I have friends who have told me what it was like 40 - 50 years ago and I have to accept that it has changed for the better.

If we only associate, only recognize people who are exactly like us - same education, similar upbringing, same color, same education, we are shortchanging ourselves of learning and all the different cultures, religions and ways to live there are out there.

God Bless and may things go well for Chaz and for his experience on DWTS!

LIVE: Hundreds of Toronto mourners honour Layton - Politics - CBC News

2011-08-26T14:53:00.000-07:00

(Click this link to see CBC Live) LIVE: Hundreds of Toronto mourners honour Layton - Politics - CBC News

Even though I am in Texas, I can watch as throngs of people from every walk of life file past Jack Layton's casket which is Lying in State in the lobby area of Toronto City Hall at Nathan Phillips Square. You can see the people waiting outside to come in, six at a time. Even though I am 1600 miles away, I "am there". Thank you, CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation).

Tomorrow, you can go to www.CBCNEWS.ca and watch his funeral at Roy Thompson Hall streaming live. The broadcast begins at 2:00 p.m. Toronto time, 1:00 p.m. Texas time.

By the way, one of my friends from purebred dogs will be singing in the choir.

Thank you for a taste of home, CBC.

R.I.P Jack Layton

2011-08-22T15:03:00.001-07:00

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5225/5647024627_4424442f86_m.jpg

On the night of the Canadian Elections this year, I wrote: "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."

(A loose translation of the sign behind Jack in the photo above is "Work Together" and that would be what promoted the NDP to "Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition"!)

Jack Layton died early this morning from prostate cancer. He will go down in the Canadian history books certainly as a person who never gave up. R.I.P. Jack Layton.

The Good Stuff!

2011-08-11T10:05:00.000-07:00

Every day, there is news to make us unhappy in the newspaper and on TV. I am not here to review the bad stuff, I want to tell you about THE GOOD STUFF!

I am not going to use the people's own names but I want to tell you that if you look around you - stop and pay attention, there are good people and good deeds to be found every day.

I am going to call her Sarah and she gets her hair done every week at the same time as I do. Well, she did. That was until she was quietly removed from her home and "placed" in a what some call a chronic care facility.

Sarah looked after her POW husband for ten years after he had a stroke and she has been widowed as long as I can remember.

She used to drive up in her black sedan with the POW license every week and walk through the door looking like she really didn't need to have her hair done. Sarah just happens to have great hair!

Sarah was always dressed in smart slacks and top with backless pumps. I remember her appearing in advertisements for a clothing store. Sarah liked to look GOOD!

I do not know exactly why Sarah is out of her home but I suspect that her money is depleted as all we seniors worry about happening. She had a Home Health caregiver who was bringing her to the salon and then one day someone else brought her.

His truck was very high and it took two people to help Sarah get up and into that truck. That was a very bad day because we all knew that was "the end".

We found out where she was and we went to see her. She knew us. She certainly knew us!

The next week we went again to see her and she had gained some weight - her trousers were actually tight! So, she had been eating better. Then, she got up from the side of the bed, stood up and hugged me.

I called as I had the week before to let the folks at the salon know how Sarah was. The next day, the owner of the salon went to see her. She was trying to get permission for someone to come and pick her up and take her back to get her hair done. It was a slow process.

Tuesday, we went again to see Sarah and she was outside with a tall, handsome therapist who was helping her feel secure walking with a walker. She knew us right away and it was another big hug.

Yesterday, Sarah was at the salon - in her usual chair - having her hair done like always.

I wanted to tell people about this because you need to know how Sarah got to the salon yesterday.

The owner got permission from Sarah's family (she has only nieces and nephews) to take her out.

Let's stop calling the owner of the salon "owner" and let's call her what she is - let's call her "Caring" - not Carrie but "Caring".

Caring brought her husband's vehicle to work yesterday because it is lower to get in to. When we arrived, her daughter's car was parked in her covered spot and there was a wheelchair waiting for Sarah if she needed it.

Already, it was getting good and I anticipated a good event was happening!

When Sarah arrived, everyone greeted her and it was just like any other day we had been at the salon.

Perhaps I should also mention that Caring did not worry about whether she was going to be paid. Everyone in the salon greeted Sarah and the nice part was that her memory was so good, she said,

"Hi Martha! Martha has been to see me three times and her husband has come with her. He looked like he didn't mind!"

No, he didn't mind.

If there is a Sarah that you know, perhaps you could step out of your comfort zone and visit them today. Perhaps you could do look in on someone you know is alone.

All said and done, when we do nice things for other people without anticipation of reward, we feel really good inside!

Blessings to Caring and her daughter and all the wonderful people who were there yesterday to see what a fine world it can be!

Do Look At Today's Posting at www.fido-and-fifi.blogspot.com

2011-07-25T15:27:00.001-07:00

When Money Is Tight . . .

2011-07-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

Back in the middle ages, when I was young, Mother used to have some very nice ladies come to help with the household chores. At least one of them had a husband fighting the war.

The women were kind and they were out working to make some money. They had no union and no chip on their shoulder. The made precious little per hour plus bus fare to and from.

So, today, everyone has a car, I guess. And from what I sometimes see, I have to assume that no one needs any cash.

A friend had a circumstance where the lady who has been helping with the household slammed down the phone on her. I felt she learned something and that there are probably many people today who would help her.

Well, I was right and it was a school teacher whose husband is not getting many hours at his job who volunteered to pitch in.

I was very fortunate recently to meet a student who had never had a job. She helped her mother at home and it wasn't very long before she was coming over to help me with the physical things that are harder for us now.

My neighbor, who always liked to do all her gardening, found a young man from the next street who is doing it for her.

Both these people are friendly, smiling and glad to have some extra cash.

Groceries have gone up in price tremendously but if you look carefully, you can probably go out to eat for a more reasonable price than buying and preparing it yourself. Many places do not charge for children's meals during certain hours/days.

Another thing you will find out when eating out these days, is a more polite server.

Got a glass jar to put change in? You will be surprised how soon you will have enough to buy something you have wanted.

I probably do not have to mention coupons to you but there are lots for groceries, drug store items and restaurants. You can find them in your Sunday newspaper but you can also subscribe for e-mails to be sent from stores.

Entertaining at home is back. You can watch a movie (DVD) or play a card or board game. Check with some of us older people to find out how we made out before all the technology that has taken over the current generation - "Y" - I think they call it. I wonder why they are called "Y"?

I leave that one to you.

More on John Corapi And The New Chapter In His Life

2011-07-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

I am very discouraged to see that the picture that I used from the photo service, Flickr, has been removed in my blog about John Corapi, as you will see a few blogs below this one. I am leaving it so you will see that in fact, there are more blemishes in our daily lives than we care to admit.

Father John Corapi - as we knew him - was an ordained priest of SOLT out of Corpus Christi, Texas. He was ordained by Pope John Paul in Rome 20 years ago.

If you do not know the story of John Corapi, briefly, he was a successful businessman in the Los Angeles area who hobnobbed with the entertainment folks who sometimes get into plenty of problems. He himself ended up a cocaine addict, broke on the streets of Los Angeles.

Originally from New York State, John Corapi's mother, a devout Catholic, managed to get letters to her son and finally sent him the one-way bus fare back to Hudson.

(I hope I am capsulizing this well for you without too much detail but with no mistakes.)

When John went home, he went to the local parish priest for a confession. He studied for about seven years overseas and was ordained at the approximate age of 40.

John Corapi has been speaking for many years and has a book (The Black Sheepdog) soon to come out.

We enjoyed watching him on ETWN network on Saturday evenings. His message was always one of perfect sense, based on biblical teachings and applying to today's life.

We are not Catholics, but John Corapi's message was one that just about anyone could benefit from.

The pages on Facebook dedicated to John Corapi - Father John Corapi and The Black Sheepdog have a lot of venom in the postings. This is not helpful to John Corapi, the Catholic Church or any individuals.

God Bless John Corapi and hopefully he will be able to open a new chapter in his life.

Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-04T18:07:00.001-07:00

Amercian Flag, a photo by sfPhotocraft on Flickr.

Happy Canada Day 2011 - July 1st

2011-06-30T16:21:00.001-07:00

God's Country - At The Top Of Yonge Street.

2011-06-24T14:30:00.001-07:00

Stay a While, a photo by Paul.M.Gallaway on Flickr.

If you keep on driving up Yonge Street, North, out of Toronto, after about two hours, you will be in Muskoka, or "God's Country" as Pop used to call it.

It was just a little too long a drive for us today, but I thought about it a lot.

Elaine placed a yellow rose on the grave from the bouquet she placed in St.Mark's Church for me. What a nice thing for her to do.

Those chairs - yes, those empty chairs are together again.

Rest in Peace, Mom, the best mother-in-law a person could have.

Rain, LIghtning, Thunder? That Might Just Be BoBo Talking To You!

2011-06-21T18:19:00.001-07:00

On the night Bobo, the Lhasa died, we were sitting quietly in the living room when there was a very loud clap of thunder. Fanny, a Shih Tzu was sitting beside me and I said to her, "That is just Bobo talking to us".

I believe that because I have taught this to my dogs they are not afraid of storms and generally come to sit quietly with me.

In Toronto, when I used to do PR for dog shows, I had the pleasure of twice being on a CFTO-TV program called Toronto Today with a man named Mike Ongarato. Mike was very attractive, had lots of charm and was cut out for an interview format show.

The first time I appeared I was very nervous and Mike was quite calm. I had two Shar Pei with me. I watched that tape often and so the next time, when I had three dogs, I was calm and it was Mike who was a little nervous. We had a Bernese Mountain Dog, a Cairn Terrier and my own Shih Tzu puppy, Sadie. At one point, Sadie - in full coat - had her backside to the camera and we had to lift and turn her. It is a great tape to watch! I tell you this to let you know that Mike's strong suit was interview. He had a knack for putting you at ease.

Now, when I came to Texas, I found that it is a pretty good training ground for weathermen. I have watched as their eyes glaze over when they are talking about major weather . . . and we do sometimes get some major weather, believe me!

Probably the most notable weatherman we had in Toronto was a fellow named Percy Saltzman on CBLT -TV who used to wind down his forecast by tossing his chalk up in the air and saying,

"And that's the weather tonight!"

I know they don't use chalk anymore, but that's what made Percy notable.

Well, back to Mike Ongarato. One week when the weatherman - Dave Devol - was on vacation, CFTO put Mike in the weather slot on the evening newscasts. It so happened we did not have very nice weather and mid-week, Mike stood before the camera, mentioning he had had a few calls about the bad weather. I never forgot Mike saying,

"I am just reporting the weather forecast. Please don't shoot the messenger!"

At Carolina 14, there is a wonderful friend named Lee Ringer who can give you weather like he is telling you about Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs. Lee came to our area out of college, so I guess this was his boot camp. He gets up to be at the station before the crack of dawn to make sure he has everything just so for the people getting ready to go to work, One of his favorite things to do is visit classes of school children. Lee is a natural.

So, as I sit here tonight with thunder, lightening and threats of worse around me, I think of all the weathermen. We have a fellow named Brad who just reports the weather and does it very well. It has been a terrible week for us because we have had forest fires - the worst ever in the area. So we have prayed for rain.

Now, tonight, the rain began and tree limbs were blowing down and the phone was ringing with the alerts that very bad weather could be coming.

Oh, yes . . . no rain to speak of this whole year and tonight . . . well, be careful what you wish for.

John Corapi: I Think A Smart Network Executive Has A Spot For Him!

2011-06-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

Today, twenty years after his ordination, John Corapi is packing it in as a priest in the Catholic church.

This is very sad as this is a person who had such a fine message and so much to share with all of us, no matter our belief.

If the mainstream networks are “on the stick”, they will give this man his own program and hopefully in a time spot similar to what he had – 10:00 p.m. Eastern on Saturday nights. (EWTN)

An anonymous person sent a letter of accusation against this man and in the Catholic church, the priests are now guilty until proven (if ever) innocent. This is a direct contravention of the American legal system.

It has been so long with nothing happening, that it is indeed time for John Corapi to now move on with life and help others as he has been doing all these years.

To listen to what John Corapi says himself, here is the link:

www.theblacksheepdog.us

There is a special John Corapi Facebook page, just put in The Black SheepDog at the top of FB.

So Letterman can retire and John Corapi will bring us some real solid programming. (In case no one has Saturday night open . . .)

God Bless!

Bone Marrow Doners - Do Read About this 15-year-old's Bucket List

2011-06-12T11:22:00.001-07:00

Alice Pyne of Ulverston, United Kingdom is 15 and has already had a bone marrow transplant. Yes, she is only 15 and she has a bucket list.

Go to the link below to read about Alice and how she has the British House of Commons supporting her.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-13742983

Happy Birthday, John Edwards . . . and a Few Others!

2011-06-10T19:36:00.001-07:00

John Edwards, a photo by Llima on Flickr.

John Edwards is 58 today.

So? Not so surprising that this fact was stated in the People column that appears daily in the newspaper.

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Queen Elizabeth is 90 today. He has done well for himself, the Queen and England. Nice and tall and always at her side.

My sister-in-law is . . . well . . . about 61 today. She is a great gal who has had some sadness in her life but has been true and loyal to family and friends. She is a great gal!

The President's daughter, Sasha Obama is 10 today. She and her sister have done well. They have a grandmother who watches over them because both their father and mother work, you see. I presume it was her sister who made the comment when showered with well wishes after the election by their classmates when they arrived late to school after a late election night,

"Well, THAT was embarrassing!" You gotta love that remark!

And as I said, it is John Edwards' birthday today.

We CAN learn from others' mistakes and we can learn that some of the simplest people are the best people.

Be very careful to look inside the person, behind the facade because that is where the real story of that person is . . .

Nothing Reminds Me Of Home Like Don Cherry

2011-06-04T18:42:00.000-07:00

2008-12-15 Don Cherry, originally uploaded by thehour.

Now, generally, Don Cherry is wearing an outrageous jacket - really colorful, but I picked this picture because he is wearing a Canadian tie . . . or a tie with a Canadian motif.

Don Cherry at one time coached the Boston Bruins and has a wonderful program called Coache's Corner that is run when the hockey games are on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation TV. So, that is one thing I miss in Texas.

When I was a kid, Foster Hewitt used to commentate the games and he always opened with, "Good Evening Hockey Fans In Canada And The United States" on his own radio station, CKFH out of Toronto. After he died, his son, Bill continued the tradition.

Don Cherry, who at one time coached the Boston Bruins, started a program called Coach's Corner which was aired after games. He is known for his outspoken remarks and bright (well, okay . . . outrageous) outfits.

Don also has a string of restaurants where there is lots of sports memorabilia and good, hearty food. He also owned and showed Bull Terriers. (Yes, that would be his kind of dog.)

So, once in a long while we get to see Don Cherry but not very often. A wonderful fellow named Ron McLean plays straight man. (Somebody has to do it!)

Here's hoping we get to see this Canadian icon tonight when Vancouver Canucks play Boston Bruins in Vancouver. The time is 8:00 p.m. Eastern on either CBC or TSN in Canada and tonight it will be on NBC in United States. Next week, Versus Channel will also carry it. You might get some extra there tonight as well.

In case you ever wondered, Hockey is Canada's national WINTER sport. Lacrosse is the official summer sport ! Try that piece of trivia with your Molson Canadian which might have a label tonight that reads: Molson's Canuck. No, I am not kidding . . .

Feeling Happy Today . . . and Younger, Too!

2011-06-02T09:42:00.000-07:00

That picture was taken at our 50th St.Clement's Reunion in 2009, which means all of us are about the same age. Most of my class lives in the Toronto area, but not all.

Yes, that's me on the left, with Andrea on the right.

Andrea has kept in touch over the years and now she e-mails. She spends some of the year in Toronto and some over in England. A few of my classmates are not married, including Andrea.

So, this morning, Andrea sent a message that she and Brian went out to buy the engagement ring after she accepted his proposal of marriage. The wedding will be in October in Toronto, with another ceremony in England.

Wow . . . wow . . . wow!

I had an aunt whose sister was married for the first time a little younger than Andrea and I are when I was in my teens. Mother and I went to visit her and she had a girdle stretched around the back of a kitchen chair. I wrote about that once before when I was in the widownet.org group, so some some people have heard about that before.

I don't think Andrea will be doing that because I do not recall her ever needing to lose weight. You can see that she dares to wear a cream colored wool suit.

She comes from a musical family and I can imagine she will come down the aisle to "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring".

Well, after last year's five weddings . . . all brides in their 20s . . . and this years abundance of funerals, this news just makes me feel on top of the world today.

I am smiling so wide for you, Andrea! God Bless!

The Funeral That Was A Gift

2011-05-24T16:56:00.001-07:00

Church window, cross and bible verse stained glass window., originally uploaded by Sans Soucie Art Glass Studios, Inc..

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 . . .

Rogers Centre aka The Skydome, Toronto

2011-05-22T15:53:00.001-07:00

Rogers Centre aka The Skydome, Toronto, originally uploaded by stephengg.

From Dome To Dome

2011-05-22T15:51:00.001-07:00

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!

Birthdays Past . . . Birthdays Present . . .

2011-05-10T21:49:00.001-07:00

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.

Peter Mansbridge: A Canadian Fixture Comes To Our Living Room

2011-05-03T09:15:00.001-07:00

News Anchor Peter Mansbridge of The National at CBC Vancouver Open House, originally uploaded by susan gittins.

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!

God Bless America and Let Us Pray for Peaceful Times Again

2011-05-02T10:28:00.001-07:00

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!

Peace At Last

2011-04-29T09:00:00.001-07:00

GoldMarie - Magnificent Yellow Rose - C95-9-18-09_26394, originally uploaded by Cap001.

R.I.P.

Mom, Grandma, Aunt Kay

1918 - 2011

Special People In Our Lives

2011-04-27T18:55:00.000-07:00

Some of the most special people in our lives are "family" and we never forget them. Kay and her daughter are exactly that.

The marriage to Kay's son lasted only 10 years but my friendship - rather relationship - to Mom has lasted all these years.

This picture was taken in October 2007 when we last went to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to visit. Yes, that's Kay with her daughter who really is a lot like Kay. Oh, yes - and she can cook like Kay too!

Kay has been family to me all these years and now she is 92. I am not the only one left who count her as family. This special lady has endeared so many people over the years and we all like that she has treated us like family.

Kay's meatloaf recipe is still in my cookbook on the pink telephone message slip where she wrote it. I make it often only I usually substitute ground turkey or chicken for the beef.

She was widowed in her fifties - he smiled a lot and always reached out to lend help when he could. He was a gentle person and I guess she never even thought about anyone else.

Wonderful memories of important times and silly times - that's what I have to cherish and so do others.

You know I am sad that she is slipping away and so are many others. So let me give you a little smile: that hair really has never been colored!

Tonight Before Concert - Older & Slimmer

2011-04-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

What Is It About Hats?

2011-04-19T12:15:00.000-07:00

You don't see women wearing hats as often as we used to. My mother wore hats all the time and left a shelf of about thirty of them which were distributed among friends.

When I became an American citizen and we had a marvelous Citizenship Party with the Lufkin Community Band playing and I wore this hat. My friend, Bonnie brought it for me from California (probably San Diego).

Tonight the Lufkin Community Band is having a patriotic concert and yes . . . I think I will wear this hat. I have taken it from my patriotic shelf and dusted it off.

A "new friend" of mine come to find out is known as the "Hat Lady" so I hope I see her tonight as I watch Hubby play his clarinet with my favorite band.

As an aside, I will try to have a picture taken tonight as that was a few years ago and I am a little trimmer now.

Hats Off To Patriotic Music!

Yonge Street Texan Discusses Some Differences

2011-03-29T10:51:00.001-07:00

Skydome with Ritzy Harbourfront Condos, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, originally uploaded by Bencito the Traveller.

I have been thinking a lot this week about the differences between where I came from and where I live in East Texas, 100 miles from Houston.

I chose this picture this time because it shows a place Hubby and I have gone to walk, have lunch and browse shops. It is at Lake Ontario and has been built since I was an adult. If it were panned a little further, it would include the CN Tower which is a communications tower, sometimes claimed by some to be the world's tallest building. (Surely, some taller buildings have risen since.) This area is for pedestrians and helps Toronto keep it's nickname of "People City".

The Skydome was built to house the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club and was home to the Toronto Argonaut Football Club. It is now called Rogers Centre (Canadian spelling there).

Toronto has a population of about 5.5 million in the Greater Metropolitan Area (GTA) which is a little more than the 500,000 people living there when I was kid living in central North Toronto, near Eglinton and Avenue Road. I used to be able to walk down two blocks or across one block to catch a bus to the subway (underground train) which was originally built in the early 50s. The subway part of the transportation system now has many routes going in every direction. Cars are best left home when going to work or college.

Transportation is one major difference where I live now. My neighbour had a wreck (Canadian: accident) two weeks ago and she really had to rely on her friends to give her lifts to anywhere she went.

Our Community College sure could use a parking garage and one is being built in the next town at the University. If you have lots of cars, Toronto likes to "stack" them and there are many, many parking garages.

There are also some parking lots with attendants so they can get the optimum number of cars into the smallest amount of space.

The land is premium in Toronto because that is where everyone wants to live because that is where the jobs are. So, a forty foot lot across the frontage of a residential house is considered pretty good. (All due respect to Vancouver which is now a hub for jobs in Canada as well.)

The house I grew up in had a 29 foot frontage and today is still considered a nice house in a nice and convenient area. Virtually all houses have basements and are more than one storey. If there is enough land, in the outlying areas, there are split level layouts and some bungalows (one storey). (In East Texas, most houses are one storey and have no basement.)

Torontonians are pretty much tidy people who are known for not littering. People in all of Ontario do a lot of recycling. Some have compost piles in their backyards and most people have larger amounts of recycle than trash at curb on pick-up day.

A Torontonian parks his car on the street or in a driveway and can expect a ticket for parking on the lawn.

The Canadian population - especially in Toronto - is very diverse now. But when I was a kid, Canada was still a British Colony. Even as a youngster, I studied French in School which was what you would hear in Paris, France not Montreal, Quebec.

Because we were a British Colony, our ways were a little stiffer and we grew up having stricter ways of doing things. East Texas is a very laid-back area which sometimes reminds me of our beautiful Muskoka Cottage Country where we used to vacation.

Today, Toronto is ethnically diverse with many languages being spoken with foods available to many different groups as well as mosques and temples and special groups. Toronto just "grew up" as it were.

Toronto is a great place to visit and in fact, has a lot of similarities to Houston, if you forget weather! Shopping, theaters and restaurants are plentiful.

Tied in with the subway transportation which is mostly underground are shops and theaters and restaurants: an underground community as it were.

After 14 years, you would think I would no longer tack "eh?" on the ends of sentences, but actually, what has happened is that Hubby does that now also.

I would tell you to book a vacation in Toronto but would caution you that it is a pretty expensive place to visit, although not quite as costly as to live there.

Just a few differences . . .

Father John Corapi

2011-03-25T12:20:00.001-07:00

Father John Corapi, originally uploaded by Pray the Rosary.

"It is my personal opinion, one which is in accord with the mind of the Church, that you will profit very much by praying the holy Rosary every day. The prayer of the Rosary is the prayer of the holy Gospel, the Good News Who is Jesus. My best piece of spiritual advice to you, no matter who you are,…PRAY THE ROSARY EVERY DAY! You will be blessed beyond your wildest dreams. God bless you." Father John Corapi.

Hubby and I came across Fr. John Corapi several years ago on EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network). His life story is one of having been to hell and crawling his way back to become priest (ordained by Pope John Paul in the Vatican) about twenty years ago. He speaks with knowledge and clarity and although we are not Catholics, his message came through to us loud and clear.

If you go to Father Corapi's website you can see his message of how on Ash Wednesday, his world fell apart with charges from a former staff member of Santa Cruz Media, the company who markets his DVDs and CDs as well as booking him for his speaking engagements. Fr. Corapi has written a book due to be presented in the fall in October.

It is my hope that some fine lawyer will see this as a time to offer his services to Fr. Corapi pro bono.

I am more than disturbed by the application of guilty until proven innocent which is opposed to the laws of the United States of America.

To learn more about Father Corapi, visit his website at www.fathercorapi.com.

Elizabeth Taylor - R.I.P.

2011-03-23T09:59:00.001-07:00

FILES-US-TAYLOR-BURTON, originally uploaded by O POVO Online.

Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor each had Mexican divorces not recognized in Ontario, Canada. So, they were married in 1964 in Montreal, Quebec in a civil ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

I do remember seeing Elizabeth Taylor in the audience at the then O'Keefe Theater in Toronto where Burton was playing King Arthur in the stage production Camelot in Toronto before it opened in New York City. So, they honeymooned in Toronto. (In school, we had studied Idylls of the King by Alfred Lord Tennyson which was the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table including Sir Lancelot.)

Everyone has a moment in Toronto, right? So did Elizabeth & Richard. (That theater or "theatre", was not on Yonge street, but Front Street near Lake Ontario, east of Union Train Station.)

No matter her many husbands, I do think Elizabeth Taylor will be remembered for her flawless complexion, jet black hair, unique violet-colored eyes and fabulous jewelry. She probably defined the term "Hollywood Star".

In latter years, she turned her interests toward helping others although she endured a lot of ill health.

For me, the passing of Elizabeth Taylor is more the passing of an era . . .

Facebook Down Today . . . Hmmm . . . Think Of The Possibilities!

2011-03-22T08:22:00.001-07:00

FARMTOWN FACEBOOK, originally uploaded by sydneyreyesjr.

Looks like the Facebook website is down today.

So, I guess we can find out what we could be spending our time on.

You know, your farms' harvest will wither; you will miss who went to Starbucks and who skinned their knee.

Gonna miss who has the sniffles today and who is already at work. Now, if they are at work, how come they are still updating on Facebook?

Well, I am not going to blog on this topic for very long because that would just point out to you and everyone else how much time I and all of us spend (waste?) on Facebook each day.

Today, Hubby & I have planned a lunch to spend time with a Canadian friend who will be on her way back to Peterborough after wintering down in the warmth. (Of course, I expect she will mention that it wasn't as warm this year as it usually is. And she might also mention the snow we had.)

Then there is the pile of index cards I have on the side of the kitchen table to organize coupons and deals so we actually take advantage of them.

Ah yes, then there is the dust I can remove. There are clothes to be washed. There are some items to take back to Belk Department Store (best return policy ever) and some grocery shopping to be done.

So, there you have it! I bet you have a few things to do.

A day without Facebook . . . well, let's see just how well we can cope without the constant invasion to our old-fashioned routine which actually worked quite well.

Ah, yes, Hubby off to Band Practice tonight which is as good as it gets when you are looking for a hobby.

Time to look for a vase to place some flowers for a friend having surgery today . . .

Oh, yes, I think I can get by without Facebook . . . as long as it is down long enough for me to learn how much I can do in a day . . .

See Something You Like About This Photo?

2011-03-08T10:00:00.001-08:00

FAMILY dinner night, originally uploaded by aimee4frogs.

We "oldsters" out of touch? I think not. The total boredom and searching for multi-tasking, represents a totally out-of-control generation who cannot get enough thrills simultaneously. Is everyone on alcohol and drugs? This is the generation who have been eating their dinner out of the microwave at the counter. Family togetherness apparently is a rarity now. We certainly have come a long way, Baby! This is the generation raised by the so-called liberated people. The world must be winding down. (Some scholars of the Book of Revelation must be nodding their heads.)

This is what I wrote as a comment to a news story from our local TV station that a young girl (I think it was 11 years old) was gang-raped by at least 15 young men. There is a trial going on and they are actually looking for more suspects.

Well, guess the young people are pretty happy that they have gone so far south of the way we seniors were raised. This is heart-breaking, sickening and totally divergent from any teachings we learned.

God bless us all!

Are Our Leaders Fiddling While Our Country Burns?

2011-03-02T09:38:00.001-08:00

Nero and Rome Music Box, originally uploaded by edburkle.

Two years into President Obama's term, people are still getting press, still circulating e-mails and generally wasting their time pondering whether this man is a bona fide American.

(As you know if you read this regularly, I am originally from Canada and became an American several years ago. That means I have dual citizenship and may hold any office but the presidency.)

Right now, while United States of America - to quote Donald Trump - is the laughing stock of the world, and needs to fix the economy, fix healthcare, fix that very few of the durable goods we buy are made in America, we need to focus on FIXING!

Why are film and television actors who misbehave and/or may have mental health issues getting so much space in the press - newspaper, internet and TV?

There is a very old expression from approximately 64 A.D. that says the Emperor Nero was fiddling while Rome burned.

Well, that is pretty much what is happening today.

(Yes, I know that generally this blog is more gentle but somebody had to say it!)

James White: Accountable Politician - You Are Going To Like This Man!

2011-02-20T16:40:00.000-08:00

This election marked the first time my Hubby ever put an election sign on the lawn. We heard a lot about James White and one of our friends was working on his campaign.

Well . . . guess what? James White was elected!

Yes, James is now a first-term Republican Representative for Texas State House District 12. He invites people to visit him at the Capital office - E2.720 in the Capitol Extension. You can phone him at his Capital Office (512-463-0490) or e-mail him at james.white@house.state.tx.us.

Soon, James' Lufkin Office will be open as well.

The first week he was in Austin, I got to meet James at a Chamber of Commerce First Friday Luncheon.

What really sets James White apart from other politicians I have known is how accessible he makes himself!

James is a school teacher in East Texas and also has a farm (well, okay, a ranch). He cares about people and naturally he cares about education.

At the Chamber meeting, James had a presentation showing a flow chart of the Education hierarchy here. Now, first he told us that he had trouble fitting it on the one page. Then he told us that when he clicked on some of the squares, there was another grid that come up on his computer. So, what James was telling us is that there are too many people and too much money being wasted. You just knew from listening to how sincerely and quietly James spoke, that down-sizing waste was going to be a priority for him in Austin (the Texas capital).

James is on Facebook and also writes a column each Sunday in our local newspaper outlining what is happening.

When I think about James, I recall one of the first politicians I knew back when I was about 20 in Toronto. His name was Len Reilly, a locksmith and every time I saw him he would say hello and quote my street address.

Well, that was then and this is now but I think that James will remember each of us every time he sees us (although he might not quote an address).

You gotta love a person so sincere and pleasant when he speaks. This man is not a "politician", but more my neighbour who has gone to the Capital to see if he can make my life a little easier.

God Bless James White!

Thank You, Peter Jennings: How I Became The Yonge Street Texan

2011-02-20T10:53:00.000-08:00

When I first came to Texas from Toronto, I marveled at how many entertainers and broadcasters were also immigrants from Canada. (I arrived here in December, 1996.)

On 9-11, Hubby and I were headed to his college reunion in Terre Haute, Indiana. Bags packed, we saw the same thing you saw on our television screen. That was more than a wake-up call for me and was a focal point in my defining the differences between Canadians and Americans. The first thing I went for was my passport and retrieved it from the filing cabinet. That - back then - was a Canadian passport. (I know have American and Canadian passports. Dual Citizenship is available in U.S.A. to persons immigrating from 130 countries.)

When I was a kid, it was the atomic bomb people worried about and I remember my Dad always saying we would get into our car and drive north (from Toronto) . Well, that was my first thought that morning. Well, we were driving north all right, but we would have to drive about 1,600 miles just to get to the Canadian border and then the drive to isolated country - or "safe" country - would be about 200 miles or more. Two Hundred miles drive north of Toronto would put you approximately in Algonquin Park which is a National Park with lots of wildlife, lakes and is probably not a hot spot for terrorists to target.

So, now I was really afraid! This was another challenge for my thinking. Back in 2001, I definitely thought from a Canadian perspective and I probably still do today.

My mother used to talk about Peter's father, Charlie Jennings who wrote for a Toronto newspaper going to North Toronto Collegiate with her and how she would see him at parties. If you listen to the interview above, you will hear Peter talk about his father and mother loving to socialize and inviting all kinds of people from the arts into their home. Charlie Jennings loved to socialize!

In this interview, Peter also talks about smoking (after having quit many years before) during his coverage of 9-11. I remember him taking calls from his children who called to say they were safe and I recall he was still on air when we got to - I think it was Hope, Arkansas (yes, Bill Clinton's birthplace) toward the end of the day to stop for the night.

I remember my friend, a broadcaster, calling on my cell phone to ask about gasoline lines. Yes, there were lines at some stations and none at others where they had run out. That meant we did a lot of stopping just to make sure we were going to get there.

That is a little digression there to tell you how omnipresent Peter Jennings was in our lives.

When he announced in 2005 that he had lung cancer, ABC welcomed messages for Peter to encourage him. I tried to think of something that would indicate to him that I was also originally from Toronto. (There is a camaraderie when talking to someone who is from the same place you are.)

Toronto is very much a north-south, east-west city. It sits on the north shore of Lake Ontario so if you drive too far south, you will be in the Lake! As opposed to when Peter and I were young and there was a population of 500,000, there are now 5.5 million people in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). The center of the city is a street called Yonge (pronounced "young") which goes all the way from Lake Ontario, north to the Metropolitan limits and beyond, up to cottage country as Highway 11.

So, you could pick a Nom de plume to use at the ABC website and rather explaining I was Canadian, I figured right away, Peter Jennings would have to know a Yonge Street Texan was from Toronto! When I started this blog, which would reflect how a Canadian living in Texas feels about things, it was a natural name!

A few months before I became an American Citizen in 1994, Peter Jennings also became a Citizen in a ceremony in New York City. My swearing in was in Houston with just Hubby and the official present. My party may well have been as flashy as Mr. Jennings' as 150 well-wishers came and went.

On Sunday, August 7, 2005, Peter Jennings lost his battle with lung cancer at his New York home. He is lovingly remembered by millions for the 22 years be came into our homes each evening as well as covering special events and interviewing heads of state worldwide.

I like to think he enjoyed knowing a fellow North Toronto neighbor enjoyed his frequent slips to Canadian pronunciations of words like "schedule" which Canadians say "shhhedule" and of course the letter "Z" which we say "zed".

So, now you know why I am the Yonge Street Texan!

More About Westminister Kennel Club's Winner

2011-02-19T17:11:00.001-08:00

Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon, originally uploaded by Cheryl's Art Box.

Photos both uploaded from Flickr.

Sally Sweatt, the owner of Hickory, the Scottish Deerhound who won Westminister Kennel Club's Best In Show this week, is back home in Minneapolis. Hickory and Sally have had a whirlwind time in New York City and of course, this is the first time a Scottish Deerhound has won Best in Show.

The judge who awarded Hickory with Best in Sporting Group on Tuesday night was James Reynolds of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Hickory then went on to win Best in Show under Italian Judge, Mr. Paola Dondina. Mr. Dondina had some mighty nice things to say about Hickory and how he conforms to everything Mr. Dondina has learned and read about Scottish Deerhounds. That means that for Mr. Dondina, this was the ultimate Scottish Deerhound. It means this dog came closer to its breed standard than any of the other six dogs presented to him in the Best In Show ring.

For Sally Sweatt, Hickory represents a little more. Hickory, like your dog sitting beside you right now, means the world to Sally. In fact, Hickory has contributed to her life itself.

When she was diagnosed with breast cancer last spring, Sally knew she could not quit . . . she knew she had a fine dog and an excellent handler.

"You have to go forward in thought. You cannot go back because life goes forward", Sweatt said. She is cancer-free now.

Our dogs mean everything to us - I know mine does. Ms. Sweatt said she focused on her passion instead of her struggle.

Havanese

2011-02-11T12:49:00.001-08:00

2009 Havanese National Specialty, originally uploaded by Hav n Knit Lover.

This breed is in the Toy Group and you might mistake him for a Shih Tzu. He is newly recognized and is gaining in popularity.

Indigenous Canadian Breeds -Labrador Retriever

2011-02-11T11:44:00.001-08:00

Regyn rules (2), originally uploaded by piotr m.

This photo of a 4-1/2 month-old-puppy pretty much explains why I often recommend this breed for families. Is this dog listening to us? Is He interested in us? You betcha! You are sure to see this breed at Westminister - perhaps not this color - in the Sporting Group.

Newfoundland Dog - The Obvious Indiginous Canadian Breed

2011-02-11T11:35:00.001-08:00

Newfoundland Dog, originally uploaded by Kassondrabarryphotography.

This one just happens to be posing at Signal Hill, overlooking St.John's Newfoundland, Canada. You will probably see a Newfoundland in Group Three - Working Dogs.

Indigenous Canadian Breeds - Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

2011-02-11T11:04:00.001-08:00

Holly and the Cottonwood roots, originally uploaded by pocuddm2.

Yes, you will likely see this breed at Westminister in the Sporting Group.

How I Became Published . . . About Dogs, Dog Shows and Dog Owners

2011-02-08T12:47:00.000-08:00

This beautiful Bernese Mountain Dog has a cross of white on his chest which was mentioned in the original standard approved by the Canadian Kennel Club. What a beautiful puppy!

At a dog show one day, oh, probably 25 years ago, I wrote a piece about a St.Bernard and Bernese Mountain Dog breeder who had been killed in a car accident. His name was Ray Fernandez. He had his own Bernese loose in the back of the car and a small dog in a crate that he was going to show at the Sault St. Marie Kennel Club Show. (For your knowledge, the caged dog was shown the next day and the Bernese had a leg injury: Crates save lives!)

I showed what I had written to a Borzoi breeder who also was Canadian Kennel Club President for many years and he suggested I submit it with a photo to a man named Nigel Aubrey Jones who was publishing a magazine called Canadian Dog Fancier. Mr. Jones loved to judge, write and breed wonderful Pekingese.

That was the real beginning for me writing and being published.

That man was Richard Meen who is now a Dog Show Judge and a pretty good writer and speaker himself.

If you love dogs, it sometimes comes naturally that you will write about them and speak about them.

I also used to do promotion for shows and that was a real learning experience. Controlling three dogs in front of a TV camera is an accomplishment! (I always found it amusing that many breeders would bring their dogs but did not want to appear, leaving me the interview job.)

I did not even have a dog when I was young! (Yup - deprived childhood!) Mother had had a Collie on the farm when she was young and Dad never had a dog. You have read about my first dog, a Boxer named Red, and you also have seen lots of Buddy the Lhasa Apso who holds court at our home now.

Another thing I was able to do was have the experience of one of my dogs doing a television commerical. I maintain today that Dogs Sell Products. Dogs are naturals and almost everybody enjoys seeing dogs. If you are trying to sell yourself, your product or your service, I think your potential client relates well to you if he sees you with your dog.

If you are wanting to write and you have a dog, try writing about that dog. I believe it is important that we all write about what we know. (Also for me, the Romance genre was always out because I wanted to be proud of what I wrote and recommend it to everyone. And yes, the Romance category probably sells better than a book about a dog.)

At http://fido-and-fifi.blogspot.com I will be helping you understand a dog show a little better so you can enjoy the Westminster Kennel Club Show next week. Some of us look forward to that show every year!

Oh, yes . . . and "Hello" to that fellow sitting next to you there . . . YOU are the world to him and please don't forget that. We should all honor our relationships with our dogs!

There is No Patriot Like An Immigrant - So, Let's Talk About How People Sing The National Anthems and Patriotic Music!

2011-02-06T15:43:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of 2004, I officially became an American citizen. I memorized facts, answered questions and passed all the requirements to be an American citizen. In United States, something like 130 countries' immigrants to the U.S. may have dual citizenship and that is what I have. Hence, of course, I became a Yonge Street Texan (see above for explanation).

Now, people new to anything, often know it better and have more respect for it.

The above photo is me at my Citizenship Party where 150 people came and went and we had the Lufkin Community Band in attendance. My friend, Bonnie, brought me the hat from California. It sits on a shelf of honor in our home where I have many other American symbols.

The photo just below is Buddy the Lhasa Apso in his American flag cap that my friend, Kathleen, gave him.

And of course, below that is a picture of an exact American flag, exactly as it is supposed to look.

What got me started on this particular blog today?

Well, like many hubbies across North America, mine has the Super Bowl on TV.

I am in a room about fifty feet from that TV and the misery of the National Anthem being sung still broke my heart. And the other patriotic song, America, was just as bad!

There is an old saying about if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

The National Anthems of each country worldwide are sacred.

What if we were watching the Olympics and heard butchered versions of these anthems?

The glory is in doing something well. The mastery is doing something the best you can.

I am not saying I have never heard wonderful and true renditions of the American National Anthem and various patriotic songs. But today's were not that at all.

Why would anyone even attempt to improve on a patriotic songs that have been sung for all these years?

(In case you were wondering, Francis Scott Key composed it ("In Defense of Fort McHenry) in 1814 and Congress proclaimed the Star Spangled Banner the U.S. Anthem in 1931.)

Buddy the Lhasa in His Flag Cap

2011-02-06T15:41:00.000-08:00

2011-02-06T15:37:00.001-08:00

The American Flag Newport R I Ship, originally uploaded by Peter Camyre.

We Cannot Live Just For Today!

2011-01-03T12:33:00.000-08:00

The concept of "Live Well Today For Tomorrow We May Die" was in vogue during the Hippie Era.

Well, the Hippie Era ended about 30 - 40 years ago. The concept of doing just what suits you has never worked and still that applies to today.

One time in the 80s when I was in Victoria on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, I noticed that something seemed strangely familiar to me. At that time, Victoria's inner city reminded me very much of the Yorkville District in what was then midtown Toronto. There were bunches of people old enough to be dressed in suits. carrying briefcases and supporting families, homes and children in school who were roller-skating and basically doing nothing. They were frittering away their time.

"Live today, for tomorrow we may die!"

Well, guess what? Those same people are most likely on British Columbia's welfare rolls and their life is miserable.

We learn very early - if we are taught and if we pay attention - that we cannot just live for today.

I saw an article today that proclaims the world's end May 21, 2011. Well, gee, that would mean that there is no need to save any money, stock the pantry, pay back loans . . . you get it.

You know that is not going to happen! Or, you at least have enough doubt to not take a chance on having nothing on May 22nd!

Many times for various cults, they have found that similar predictions did not come true. So, they were left with bills to pay, no place to live and no food to eat.

There is another thing we learn even more about as we age. We learn that we have absolutely NO idea of what might happen tomorrow. The younger we are, the more we believe we control our destiny. As we age, we see how little we know about the future and what might happen tomorrow.

So, we try very hard to be kind to people, to mend any broken relationships. We know that tomorrow things could be very different.

Someone we ignored or belittled yesterday could die today.

Someone we were unkind with could become physically disabled tomorrow.

The one truth we know about life is that we do not know about what will happen next. We can plan: we can predict and we can think we are ready for tomorrow, but the truth is we do not know what tomorrow brings.

It is legion the numbers of people who had a falling out with someone and did not mend a slight or patch an argument until years later.

That is no way to live.

We learn every day we are on this earth that right now is all we know. We need to be kind and gentle to family, friends and every person we have contact with because tomorrow, that person or situation may no longer exist.

If you do not believe me, ask some of your older friends and relatives and many of them will have stories of people who were thriving, well and healthy one day and totally disabled or dead the next.

We must never take tomorrow for granted because some day tomorrow does not come, and that is not because the world is going to end but rather because circumstances change.

God Bless and may you live every day to the fullest and best you can. Blessings!

Just Can't Fix Stupid!

2010-12-28T19:14:00.000-08:00

This is a follow up to a blog I did about a month and a half ago about a major (as they say) Department Store processing and mailing me a check (or up on Yonge Street that would be cheque) for one penny.

At the time it did remind me of the old joke where the person takes a check for one penny into the bank to cash and the teller asks him if he wants it "heads or tails".

Now, the one cent represented an overpayment from Hubby guessing the upcoming bill when paying online. A credit of one penny would have been just fine.

Hubby suggested ripping it up, but well, I don't do anything that simply . . . you know that.

Seems like I took it to the credit union and they said they could not process it. So, today, Hubby was going to the ATM with a government check for me and I suggested he add the penny check with it. He was going to a fancy new-style ATM where you insert the check into the machine. (Over my dead body, isn't that what Charlton Heston said?) I have a policy with bank machines and it is simply, that if the machine is giving me money - okay. But me give the machine money . . . oh, no . . .

So, the machine took the government cheque (ah yes, check) and that went well. Then Hubby deposted the one penny check and the machine didn't not want to do business with him.

So, Hubby had to go into the Lobby of the bank (yes, you folks up on Yonge, that is what they call it when you go inside the bank here) and hands the check for one penny to a live teller who hands him a penny.

"Does this happen very often?" (Hubby)

"Yes, all the time." (Teller)

Oh, man . . . and how much does it cost to mail that check? And how much does it cost to process it? Why does the store not just put the one penny toward the person's account as a credit?

Is this the mentality in the business world now?

We thought it was bad when they would centralize a company and then a few years later de-centralize it!

Well, now, since they are sending checks for one cent or de one cent - I guess they have de-sensed their company!

Sorry . . . just could not pass that one up, folks!

Oh, yes, since I am feeling a little like saying this,

If you are still wondering what company would do this . . . well, it is a large department store chain that rhymes with . . . not cent . . . but penny.

Yup, the same chain that back in 1977 in Miami, Florida, would not accept a Visa card from a Canadian couple trying to do a little Christmas shopping.

Christmas - Perhaps The Hardest Time Of The Year . . .

2010-12-19T18:04:00.001-08:00

Christmas season, which should be the most beautiful time of the year, is probably the most difficult. Everything is accentuated. There are more things to do and more money to be spent.

Each group you belong to seems to have a dinner or get-together of some kind. Some of us still send cards so they have to be written. There are presents to be bought and then wrapped.

When I was a young girl - you know where I was (up in Toronto) - we had an aunt who used to climb up the steps and ring the bell. Mother would answer and the aunt E would shove three packages at her and say,

"We are just on our way to the West End."

Mother would ask Aunt E to wait and go fetch two packages for them and hand them to her. They never came in to visit.

Every year, Mother would be upset over this and then my Father suggested that she just say,

"Merry Christmas" and let the aunt go back down the stairs empty-handed if they did not want to visit with us.

Over the years I have thought about this and all the things some people do at this time of the year to truly spoil it.

One of the grandchildren quickly learned that I keep a basket of "generic" gifts for someone who might stop by during the holidays. I always have chips and dips, cookies and candies and all of those fattening things people like to eat. That's just in case someone would like to visit.

Our Christmas is centered around Christmas Eve Church service. Here it is at 7:00 p.m. Up north it was at 11:00 p.m.

Every year I enjoy seeing all the families home at Christmas time. Since I have been here 14 years, I have watched many of them grow into adults.

I love the music, the candles and especially singing Silent Night by candlelight. I think of how many people in how many places (including foxholes in war zones) have sung this beautiful carol in many languages.

We have a huge tree at church and there is a creche beside it. Actually, this year, we have a creche hand made by our Pastor. When I look at that cradle, I cannot help but think of that young couple who could not find a place to stay when the Baby Jesus was born. What a time they had on their way to being counted for the tax system . . .

The birth of our Lord is the one story we learned from when we first attended church. People who were not raised in the Christian faith still know who Jesus Christ was and they do know about Christmas.

So, if Christmas is so fundamental and so many people know about it and everyone likes to celebrate it, why is it a time when so many people have such a sad time?

This is the season when there are more deaths suicides, more accidents, and more fires. Many people are depressed - especially those who have lost loved ones during the year.

It is a time when we want things to be "perfect" but that is just the problem. There is no planned perfect. We can only do our best to have things as nice as possible for people to come and visit and enjoy them while they are with us. (Just ask all the brides who planned all those weddings we attended this past year how much planning an event takes!)

Once you are older, you start to realize what "perfect" is. Perfection is very rarely planned.

I guess for me, "perfect" are the moments I think about from all the years that can bring a smile or maybe a tear as well. The older I get, the less I think about in terms of "perfect". I think about how intense some moments were and how I just never forgot.

I think about my friend, B, and her Louisiana accent when she used to kid about, "The bright city lights" . . . and she could string that line so it became a paragraph. That still brings a smile to my face.

I think about my Grandmother who made her delicious cookies - you already know about those!

I think about my son, Robbie who was born before Christmas and died just after. Since that is 44 years ago, had he lived, he would have long ago had children of his own. I do not even have one photo of that child. I just have the image of him in my head. That makes me so sad, still, all these years later.

I think about Shih Tzu puppies playing with the cardboard cores from wrapping paper. (I think if I look hard enough I might have a photo or film of that.) There is so much fun - once you know they are healthy and progressing as they should - with a litter at playtime. I used to give them about 30 minutes in the evening to run lose in the family room. The humans had as much fun as the puppies.

I think about the year my husband, John was so ill and how he had pneumonia. I remember when they told me there was nothing more could be done and I went to the York Super Pharmacy and bought a jar of Metholatum. I took it back to his bed and put some just below his nostrils in hopes he could breathe a little better. Then I went home in the dark ice and snow and drove too fast up the driveway. (That would be the dent we hammered out before we sold the house.) That was the year my neighbour, Brianne put the decorations on a little tree for me. They had been stored in a little pink tote box. Then, on New Year's Eve, the day John died, Brianne's mother placed those decorations back in the pink tote.

To be honest, I think for me there are as many sad memories from the holidays as happy ones.

This year, I have two friends who have lost their husbands this year. (I know what that is like and how blessed I am to have found life again and married Hubby.) I think about the hospices and mortuaries here who have special services to help those survivors. Those are very special!

Right now, we are putting the finishing touches on my sister-in-law's Christmas box. She has had a hard time this year, especially adjusting to losing her eyesight.

We had the perfect present, and Hubby set it up and it was ready to go about a month ago. But you know, since 9/11, we have to think different, and it might not get there if the postman juggles the box and it says,

"9:45 p.m. . . . 37 degrees."

Yes, it would have been down that low because my sister-in-law - actually, the sister I never had - lives in Cleveland where the weather is much like it is up on Yonge Street. So, we will take the talking clock when we visit her next in the spring or summer!

So we found her something else that talks . . . on a CD.

When we have such high expectations for an event, it puts major pressure on us. Perhaps we should just do our best - have a little food ready - have a few gifts on hand.

I hope some very nice people drop by your house this year and make smiling memories with you!

As the jolly rotund fellow says,

"Merry Christmas to All . . . and to All a Goodnight!"

Being Nice To Everyone - Is There An App For That?

2010-12-14T09:31:00.001-08:00

BFF, originally uploaded by Ronaldo F Cabuhat.

This morning I read a column by a woman I have not read before. Although I did not care for her epitaph to Elizabeth Edwards nor her picky comment about John Edwards' white shirts being too large, it did trigger some thoughts.

Have we come so far, technologically that we are now robots rather than humans?

People do things for various reasons. In the case of Elizabeth Edwards, I believe she led with her heart. (My own father used to say I wore my heart on my sleeve and he warned me about that till he died when I was 22.)

I did not know Elizabeth Edwards personally but I did know my old friend, Belinda very well. She lived to reach out to others, to make the other person feel good about themselves. She always wanted to stop and sit down with the person who was not doing so well. She was as close as it has come in my life to knowing an angel here on earth. She also died much too young and I miss her every day. (Her husband always calls me "Belinda's old friend" so I have to think that B used to tell others about her "old friend". ) We are very lucky if we have such friends in our life: non-judgmental, listening, reaching out . . . special.

Each of us is only a small part of this huge universe. If we live in the Big City (as I did in Toronto), we quickly learn that we have to get along with all kinds of people - from many walks of life, many religions, many races. Where I live now, there is not that diversity and so there are not perhaps as many ways of looking at life.

Each person counts. No matter whether you practice Christianity or some other mantra, if you sit back for a moment, you can see that.

If we were all the same, life would be very boring and in fact, there would not be much to talk to any other people about.

It is fundamental to respect other people. We don't have to agree with how they live; how they do things or what they believe. We just have to respect their right to live as they wish.

We seem to have a generation now in their late teens and twenties who feel us older folks are simply technologically challenged and unable to "get it".

Our grandparents made Canada and United States. Yes, with their hands, they toiled the soil; worked five and a half days a week; helped those less fortunate and still made time to sit down with their children at a dinner table groaning with homemade food.

There is no application (app) on your cell phone or ipad to truly connect with other human beings and their feelings.

Generations before me have thought this way and I hope generations following me will come to the realization that we must reach out to other. When we sit down and give some time to those who may be different from us, we always learn. We always benefit. We always come away feeling good about ourselves and leaving them feeling good about themselves.

It is extremely hard to understand the harassment - or bullying as they are calling it today - that is going on particularly among students.

In our area, we just lost another student to suicide this past week. How bad is that? How bad is it when my young friend on Facebook posts that this was his worst day ever?

We are only young once and it should be a great time for learning, for experiencing, for making memories that last a lifetime - and I mean GOOD memories.

Let us not judge the other person lest we be judged. (I know that has been said many places, but I am saying it today.)

Let us live and let live - again, as we used to say - and have respect for every other person to have their own ideas, their own ways of doing things.

Most of all, let us be kind to everyone - because everyone has something that is troubling them. Everyone has something they don't like about themselves. Let us not remind others of their weaknesses but encourage their fine qualities.

Let us respect all human beings. Let us remember that everyone struggles with something.

The attractive people - like John Edwards - struggle with their magnetism just as those of us with weight problems struggle with food addictions.

In high school - a girl's school - I admired several girls who were (or so I thought) prettier, smarter and trimmer than I. One girl I really felt had it all married her sweetheart who also seemed to have it all. They made the perfect couple, didn't they? Yes, perfect enough that when her sister died very young, to adopt her children into their own family and raise them as their own. All these years later, when I go back for reunions, that "girl" and I have a lot more in common than we ever had back in school.

Everyone has problems. We have them at different stages of our life.

Teaching children and friends to respect the other person helps them as much as anything else we can do for them.

. . . and there is no app for that!

Grandma's Shortbread . . . but that was in the 50s!

2010-12-10T17:05:00.001-08:00

Homemade Shortbread Cookies, originally uploaded by mooshee85.

Mary Maude Bell Croome was her name and she was born in St.Mary's, Ontario, Canada in about 1872. She baked beautiful shortbread cookies. She only made them at Christmas time. I guess she thought they were a lot of work as well!

That was then and this is now.

Over the years, I have made the recipe and it never really comes out the same every time . . .

So, here I am in my lovely large and modern kitchen trying to replicate what Grandma did in a tiny kitchen in the High Park District of Toronto in the 50s.

We are having a Cookie Swap tomorrow at Scrapbooks & Memories running concurrent with our Scrapbooking Crop. The idea is that each of us bring some homemade recipes and a batch of the cookies. Now, I guess I was busy . . . or nervous about how well they would turn out, but here I am at the "midnight hour" with a kitchen in shambles and three cookie sheets of absolutely delicious homemade shortbread cookies.

Actually, they taste VERY good. Now, if I just adjust my printed recipe to reflect the oven temperature and put a few disclaimers about different ovens taking different times . . . I should be all right.

The other problem will be to clean up the kitchen which kind of looks like a tornado hit it. I used several cookie cutters, many spatulas, knives, three cookie sheets, a rolling pin, many knives, etc., etc. Yup, I used about 30 to 40 pieces of equipment for this project.

I knew there was a reason there are about three bakeries in town in addition to the supermarkets.

Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention

2010-12-08T09:53:00.000-08:00

BUDDY, the Lhasa CAN LISTEN VERY WELL!

The longer I live, the simpler some things become. Bet you have not heard that too often from too many of your "elders"! (It is very true that many things become harder and the days seem shorter and energy is less.)

The other day, I found out that our granddaughter, Kyla was doing very well in school but is having trouble with reading.

As you might know, I have been a student of purebred dogs - and dogs generally - for about 39 years now. I have been seeing news on children reading to dogs to improve their reading skills.

Dogs are not judgmental and in fact, most of them are very sympathetic to their human's needs.

So, it was only minutes before I thought of writing some simple pieces for Kyla to read to her dog, Shiloh. Shiloh is a Labrador Retriever which makes her one of my favorite breeds for children. Labradors are fairly big but generally, they love children and are very patient with them.

When a child reads to their dog, the dog will just sit and listen. When a child reads to an adult, the adult often corrects them as they go. When a child reads in a classroom, well, now we are talking major scarey. All those people listening: it is like adults feel when they have to give a speech.

I thought about it and then took it one step further. I think there are lots of children who are trying to learn to read and it does not come easily. It is a major struggle. So, I thought,

"Hey, I could perhaps make it easier by doing a special blog for children to go to and read to their dogs." Most will likely print out the simple story and I envision their "Rover" listening to it over and over until the child is ready to read it to an adult.

I practice a little with our Buddy, but I can tell you that every dog I have had would sit down with me and listen while I talked or told a story. The right dog paired with a child will pay rapt attention to his or her young master.

This is a new and experimental project to me. I would appreciate your productive input and ideas you may have.

Happy reading, children and if you can read even some of this, you are on your way to being confident in your reading.

Reading skills help us every day in everything we do!

Happy Reading!

Link to Children's Reading Blog "Reading To Rover" is in the right column on this page or go to

http://Read-To-Rover.blogspot.com

Some Advice for Denise . . . And Other Parents of Teens On Being In The Know!

2010-12-03T09:31:00.001-08:00

cookie monster texting on blackberry...?, originally uploaded by starrfall on Flickr

I know some people on Facebook might not be the same as lifelong friends, but it is nice to be connected to various people with differing views. It also lets me keep up with people very easily in these days when there is so much to do and social skills (and time) are not what we knew, say even 20 years ago.

Today, one of my friends, Denise, wrote a column in our paper about how her teens make her feel less than smart some of the time.

I like Denise although I don't know her well. I first met her when she was interviewing people coming out of the Charlie Wilson's War premier showing here. Charlie lived here and it was so fun that the theater at the mall was full of people who knew him.

Another time, Denise was at a park where we were releasing balloons for a charity.

She is a busy gal now that she does Charm Magazine, a weekly column and several articles each week, particularly for the Sunday edition.

Denise came here when her hubby was transferred by a department store chain and got on the local paper right away. It seemed a plum assignment that she got to go to Hollywood to cover the main premier of Charlie Wilson's War and meet Tom Hanks and be part of "the scene" even if only for a while. That assignment certainly bettered the ones I was given in a small Ontario town where I covered local township council every week and my stories included, "Is Your Water Safe" and another on a company who makes hood ornaments for cars. By the way, Denise, I was paid by the column inch. That's how old I am.

Ah, but I sat down to give Denise . . . and her counterparts a tip or two. These are the the mothers of those young people who seem to know so much more than we do. As I write this, it is shaping up to the format of, "Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus", but here goes, regardless.

You have a source, Denise - and all of you in your forties and fifties who think you are too old to be "hip"- to converse with your kids. Sorry, perhaps they don't use the word "hip" anymore, so perhaps you could start there.

"Well, Tonya, that sure is a really hip cell phone you have there . . . "

"Hip?"

"You know, very in, very with it! You don't know that word?"

Now, this is where you have to be REALLY careful, Denise and all. Do not proceed to say,

"Well, this is what we USED to say." See, there is the mistake we make. We must convey to the young people that, in fact we created these clever expressions and sayings.

Let me tell you how this worked for me last night at Catfish King. Yes, you Canadians up on Yonge Steet . . . it is sort of the Swiss Chalet of Fish.

A young lady was working the cash register, bringing out orders, replenishing the salad bar and filling the sugar and sweetener containers. Then I noticed - just about the time that we were leaving - that she was using a push broom to sweep the floor.

So, as I got up, I just had to say to her:

"Well, you are a Jackie of all trades?"

"Huh?"

"It actually is 'Jack of all trades' but I changed it because you are a girl."

"Huh?"

Now, this is the part I always hate:

"Well, since you are a girl, I changed it. It means you are doing a lot of different jobs. 'Jack of All Trades'."

"Oh, oh, that is very good. I like that!"

Of course, the expression really is,

"Jack of all trades, master of none", but you know that would get you nowhere today in an era of multi-tasking.

My grandmother had a few quaint sayings and you will have a few stored in your head from your own parents and grandparents.

How about,

"The world is crazy except me and thee; and sometimes I wonder about thee."

So, the method I am suggesting to you is so simple. You quote some of these old expressions you have known all these years, but you . . . and this is the hard part . . . you must not give credit to someone else. Make it seems like you created it and stand back for a few days to see if they make it their own and pass it on to their friends.

Now comes the disclaimer. Results are not guaranteed and what do I know? I do not have teenagers in my household.

Happy parenting in this world that is probably no stranger than my Grandmother thought it was when I was a teen!

Thinking About Yonge Street - Ian and Sylvia - Four Strong Winds (CBC TV 1986)

2010-12-01T23:10:00.000-08:00

If I am feeling nostalgic, homesick, whatever it really is when you think about the past and where you came from, music might be part of the trip back.

[The video above courtesy You Tube includes the song YOU WERE ON MY MIND and the clip is from an Ian & Sylvia reunion concert in the 80s. All you have to do is click on the very left - or replay - and you will be able to hear this melodic duo.]

They began as Ian Tyson and Sylvia Fricker in the coffee houses that dotted Toronto's Yorkville District in the late 50s and early 60s. He was from British Columbia and she was from a small Ontario town. They married and lived in Toronto-Willowdale near Yonge & Sheppard for many years. Eventually, the marriage fell apart and Ian went to Alberta.

Yes, even people with a harmonious sound like this can grow apart and apparently that is exactly what happened.

I think about the coffee houses where we would go around 10 or 11 at night and pay a couple of bucks for a coffee upstairs in an old warehouse and listen to Ian and Sylvia before everybody Canadian and American knew them.

I have said before that one of Canada's greatest exports over the years has been entertainers. These two really stayed in Canada but their songs have been sung by artists all over the world. Ian was a very prolific writer but sometimes it was Sylvia who wrote.

One time at church, our then Pastor asked Hubby and me to sing Four Strong Winds . . . "I know you know it because it is Canadian"! I thought that was funny at the time but I think that Canadians do not realize how much of an impact they have had on American culture.

When I first came to Texas I was always delighted to see Canadians on TV but after a while I realized it was pretty common. (The reason Canadian entertainers come to United States is because the market is about ten times.)

I have kidded that Anne Murray is pretty much as Canadian as it gets, but Ian & Sylvia bring back fond memories and their songs have been sung by many other entertainers worldwide.

When we were in Toronto this summer, we came up from the West End where the wedding was, very carefully wending our way left and left and north up to see the house where I grew up. It still looks much the same even though there are a lot of "No Left Turn" Signs as you go.

One thing quite different is that the street is now paved. It used to be made of bricks, presumably so the horse drawing the milk wagon would have a surer grip.

Oh, you are so young that you never had your milk delivered? And there is no milkbox in your house now, is there? There was a little wooden box in the outside wall by the back door. It had two doors - one outside and one inside. You left your milk tickets and the milkman left your glass bottles of milk and perhaps some cream.

Hmm . . . the milkman is out of a job, and the horse not only is out of a job, he left the city . . .

Memories . . .

Seeing Some Greatness in the Common Folk

2010-11-09T18:04:00.000-08:00

As you can see in the posting below, we've been working on a fundraiser. These are mighty tough times to put yourself out there asking for money . . . or maybe not!

We were at the Chamber of Commerce First Friday Luncheon when they announced that our United Way Campaign had gone over the top this year! One company actually matched the gifts of all their employees and that might be what did it! How special is that?

This has been a major learning experience for me, personally. Probably the first thing I learned was not to even think about guessing if someone might give or how much they might give. I was in for a few surprises.

Many did not worry about receiving a lunch; they only thought about their fellow man in need.

If we look around us; if we listen well - we can soon see that there are a lot of people not doing as well as they have in the past. Some people have lost their jobs. Some people have been stricken with diseases. That part is easy to learn.

Let me tell you a nice thing that hopefully will touch you as it did Hubby and me.

Some people have so much love (charity) in their heart that they do not skip a beat. That was the awesome part for me to see. People just heard the need, left the area, and came back with cash or check.

Others simply reached into their pocket and pulled out a couple of bills - folded and smiled without saying much of anything.

Yes, some people were not so generous and yes, some people avoided me entirely. But I am not thinking about those people. They have their reasons and perhaps they are really having trouble these days.

One thing that is a real problem is healthcare. Most of us . . . especially if we are older . . . are paying big premiums to supplement medicare and we are finding it hard to pay the prescription costs or special treatment costs. I hear that a lot.

As a "Yonge-Street-Texan", this is a big difference for me to fathom because healthcare and prescriptions for seniors is covered in Ontario. In defense of the American system, I should be fair and tell you that the wait times for surgeries and treatments in Ontario are long.

The longer I live, the more I keep learning . . . about people, about love, about hard times . . . but I do keep on learning. That truly makes for a beautiful life.

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not

reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

II Corinthians 9:7

BBQ Lunch Plates and Bazaar at First Lutheran - Saturday, November 13

2010-11-02T10:49:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, November 13, 2010, there will be a BBQ Lunch Plate available from 11 AM to 2 PM at First Lutheran Church, 1001 Atkinson Drive in Lufkin. Each Plate is $6.00 and includes a BBQ sandwich, drink, cookies and chips. To-go plates are available.

The Ladies of First Lutheran will be hosting their annual bazaar from 9 AM to 2 PM. There will be Christmas decorations, handcrafts and baked goods.

Additional funding will be provided by Thrivent Fiancial for Lutherans through its Care Abounds in Communities program. This BBQ lunch is organized by Angel of Joy Lutheran to raise funds for Oran and Jo
White to help with medical expenses.

Tickets are available through Angel of Joy Members and Friends. For more information, call 936-639-1577.

Wow - World Series Again - and just like the Toronto Days!

2010-10-26T18:53:00.001-07:00

Texas Rangers Card - Nolan Ryan #92 1991, originally uploaded by Jimmy Tyler.

This Texas Rangers Baseball Card shows Nolan Ryan, then #92, signing a baseball for a young fan. Today, as you probably know, Nolan Ryan heads up the group who own the Texas Rangers. He is a little older and a little plumper but no less enthusiastic!

This picture was taken in 1991, and the next year, the Toronto Blue Jays were in the World Series. It was a very exciting time for Toronto and I think that this time, the Eyes of Texas will be upon this World Series.

This is super and I hope you will tune them in and root for them as we will! (Oh, sorry, did I forget to mention they will be playing the San Francisco Giants?)

Oh, yes . . . in case anyone wants to see the 1992 World Series, I just happen to have brought the VHS tapes with me when I came to Texas almost 14 years ago! That was when Yonge Street was so crowded that broadcasters had to stand on the tops of their vans to do their remotes. And the only damage was to windows that got broken with the push of the crowds of people in the street.

Toronto was very proud to be part of that and I think that not just Dallas, but all of Texas will be rooting for the Rangers . . . not to mention one of their former owners, George W. Bush and his wife Laura. (By the way, Laura was once quoted as saying one reason she loved baseball so much was that you could actually socialize with the person next and still follow the game.)

If you haven't been a baseball fan, now is your chance . . . and oh yes, I need to find a couple of Rangers hats!

Penny-Wise

2010-10-18T17:02:00.001-07:00

Penny-Wise, originally uploaded by mortonphotographic.

If you are like me, you think a lot about the economy these days. I wonder if we will ever be back on track. Like my friends, I wonder if investments will come back because we seniors counted on that money to help us live a good life.

It has been very discouraging to see that many large corporations have people at the top who having been receiving bonuses even when the companies are doing badly. In other words, they are being rewarded for bad performance.

So, today, when I opened my mail, I was not feeling too good about a department store that would cut a check for one cent (yes, $0.01) and mail it at a cost of 35.7 cents on a U.S. postage meter.

So, we overpaid our account by one penny. No need to go into "overdrive" and refund that to me. It would have been fine to leave it on account for me.

So, now, I can truly get that answer we used to joke about many years ago, when I take this check to the credit union,

"How would you like that: heads or tails?"

Angel of Joy Fall Festival - Sat., Oct.16, 2010

2010-10-15T08:38:00.001-07:00

(Photo courtesy 2010 Pendleton, Indiana Fall Festival & Heritage Fair, originally uploaded by Pendleton-Gazette.com)

ANGEL OF JOY FALL FESTIVAL

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 16. Church sponsored food booth, bake booth, jewelry, crafts, beauty, candles, jellies, household and recycled items booths. (No garage sales.) BBQ Plate Lunch $5.00 from 11 a.m. The church is located at 4003 Daniel McCall Drive, across from Angelina College, Lufkin, Texas.

This Is What Scrappers Look Like!

2010-09-30T10:27:00.000-07:00

Each year, Sue Knox of Scrapbooks & Memories in Lufkin Texas hosts a SCRAP PINK. All we gals who love to scrapbook or "crop", put on our pink shirts and get scrapping! All proceeds to go the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Look Out - Here It Comes Again . . .

2010-09-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

It is not my intention to give a dissertation on the Charles Schulz' Peanuts Comic Strip. There is lots of material available online for you to learn more about this strip and its late creator. There is now a Museum in California and you can even purchase items online from their store. Every weekend in our newspaper, they post a "Peanuts Classic" strip so we never forget the lessons Mr. Schulz tried to teach us.

My Canadian minister, Rev. David McBride had a collection of Peanuts ties and once lent me a book about Mr. Schulz who had a background of Christian education.

This weekend, I was reminded vividly of one of the most famous strips. It is repeated and repeated, but still - despite several other teachings from psychology and conventional wisdom and the vision of this particular strip, I and I am sure many others, continue this behavior.

What behavior is that? Well, someone is mean to you - or at the very least, not particularly nice. You feel bad about how they treated you. Then, maybe a couple of months later, that person appears up close and personal, seeming very pleasant. You presume they may have changed how they feel and you respond with a well-intentioned response and . . . WHAM . . . they "get" you again!

The repetitive behavior that replicates this is Charlie Brown starting the Football Season fresh in the fall. He is going to kick the ball and Lucy is there holding the ball for Charlie to kick. Charlie remembers how Lucy has behaved in the past, but he always gives her the benefit of the doubt. He is just sure that this time, Lucy is going to be nice.

Wham . . . Charlie moves forward to kick the ball and at just the "right" moment, Lucy removes the ball and Charlie . . . well, Charlie falls flat on his fanny.

Yup, it happens every time. Why? Because Charlie always gives Lucy the benefit of the doubt. Charlie always tries to see the good in Lucy.

It is a metaphor for how so many of us try to forgive and forget and often it works just fine. But, sometimes it does not. Our teachings tell us that we must always keep on trying . . . and I guess there will always be lots of Lucy's in our lives!

Pondering 9-11

2010-09-10T09:17:00.001-07:00

Could 9-11 have happened in Toronto? I say Toronto, because of course that is my hometown. But do you wonder if it could have happened where you live rather than in New York City?

Why do you think terrorists picked New York City? Well, first off, there are lots of people there. Secondly, there are people of every nationality there. Third, there are lots of high-rise buildings in NYC.

So could that terrible day have been in Toronto? Probably!

Do you ever think how you would have felt if one of your loved ones had been in one of those buildings that day, nine years ago?

We have a grandson who had just left one of the buildings at the World Trade Center and we were really relieved to hear he was all right.

Do you remember Peter Jennings actually crying on the air during the long hours he spent at his ABC news desk that day? (Peter was born in Toronto, you know.)

Do you remember what it felt like to see planes purposely crashing into skyscrapers? Was there a sick feeling in your stomach, in your heart? Was your head clouded with "why"?

Then, this year, did you have a sick feeling in your stomach when a minister in Florida thought he could square it away by burning the Koran, the Muslim holy book?

Tolerance for others and their beliefs is part of what Christians learn and try to live. If you live in New York City or Toronto, you learn about tolerance or you move away. People of all ethnicities live in both of those cities.

There has to be respect for the differing beliefs of all those people. Lots of people do not believe the same things you do. That is part of what makes the world rotate on its axis. Learning to understand that is a prerequisite for living in a multi-cultural environment. That is tolerance.

Those same people with difference ideas and perhaps different appearance from you also keep the economy growing, invent new objects and ideas. Some have wonderful knowledge about technology. In both those cities there are lots of people of different ethnicities and backgrounds. Those people work hard to be there and many work hard to put themselves or their children through university. Those very people may one day invent a cure for cancer or one of the other diseases that plague us on a daily basis. They may eat different foods, believe different truths and have a different appearance than you. But if you look inside their hearts, you will find there is a lot we have in common.

In every society, every race and every ethnicity, there are good guys and bad guys. Remember the Cowboys and Indians you watched as a kid? Of course, that is not too politically correct these days, but perhaps it is a similar concept.

Today we have bank robbers, home invaders, drug dealers. People ride around using their cars in a fashion that makes you think they are about to get someone killed, so perhaps it was not all that outrageous that someone thought to pilot a plane into a skyscraper. That literally took violence to a new level.

I cannot tell you why some people believe their action against United States on that day gave them a special place in the hereafter. I just know that in my religious beliefs, that special place is probably a lot worse than what we ever have to endure here on planet earth.

No more than you, do I have an answer as to why someone got an idea to turn an invention - the air plane - that has allowed us to travel in short times what would have taken days on a steamship, train or automobile before - into a weapon like no other.

Nine years later, we have still no answer for that.

What we do have to know is that each of us must do the best we can in our own little part of this world. We volunteer to help; we quietly do things for others that they do not expect; we do our job - at home or at work - the best we know how. We love our children, our families, our neighbours and we believe and hope that each day will end with some quiet restful time.

There is no place in our hearts for hatred of people of other cultures, other skin colors, other ways. Our ways are not everyone else's ways. We must pray that tomorrow and every other day goes smoothly and peacefully for not just for where we live but for everyone everywhere.

Don't forget to put your flag out and God Bless us All!

FIVE DOLLAR BILLS - Where To Keep Your Money These Days . . .

2010-09-08T14:36:00.001-07:00

FIVE DOLLAR BILLS, originally uploaded by chego101.

In our morning paper today, there is something interesting in the Police Column. Well, it was interesting to me because I truly try to see the light side.

No one needs to be a rocket scientist these days to know EVERYBODY is suffering economically . . . well, at least 95% of the population!

So, imagine my surprise to see that a house was broken into and money was stolen from a mattress!!

If you recall, a mattress was always considered a pretty safe place to keep your money. And today, well, you only get about 3/4% less on your money in the mattress than from the bank.

If there is a moral to this, it would be to not tell anyone if you have money in your mattress.

. . . and no, there is no money in our mattress so don't wreck it looking for five dollar bills!

Facebook - Could You Possibly Learn Anything From It?

2010-09-06T09:58:00.000-07:00

There is one game on Facebook that I really enjoy playing. It is Farm Town. I have played another farm game but Farm Town is interactive. This means I can hire others to harvest and plow on my farm and actually make more "coins" and "XP" (Experience Points). Or, I can work on someone else's farm.

What do I learn from Farm Town? Well, I learned a long time ago that if I "hire" someone from the Marketplace to work for me, I should look for someone with grey hair. Well, that is, their avatar has grey hair!

Actually, I have pretty grey hair in real life, but I do not on Farm Town. And I have a different name. Sometimes I get some interesting comments, but generally I just keep on working and racking up my points. I have five farms and lots of "toys" in the way of housing, pools, lakes, cars and equipment.

I also have been playing Family Feud which may or may not be more intellectual.

I learned a long time ago that we never stop learning and that often our best lessons come from people we do not really know at all. In a way, that is what it is like while playing the games of Facebook.

I enjoy keeping pace with what others are doing and getting notices of what is coming up and going on in our community as well as across the nation. I get to keep in touch with friends and relatives across United States, Canada and anywhere in the world.

If a friend and I are online at the same time, we can type messages and conduct a conversation, as it were.

Lots of people post pictures and let you see just what they have been doing.

It is very true that some people post every little insignificant thing they are doing, like a sports play-by-play. So be it, if they either think they are that interesting or if in fact they are so bored and lacking for something to do, there is an easy way to "hide" that person's comments. Another type of person you might want to hide is one who uses bad language or discusses what you might consider inappropriate remarks.

There has been a lot of press recently about privacy concerns, and Facebook is one of the targets.

Well, it just makes sense not to be specific about when you are leaving your home unattended and exactly when you are leaving. Better to mention what you did after you have done it.

Facebook is a great way to let people know when you have a special event or fundraiser coming up or a fundraiser. It gets the word out to more people right away.

The whole thing is that Facebook is instant.

It is still a learning process for us older people to adjust to all the tools we have to keep in touch with people all over the world, more or less in a heartbeat.

Facebook Outage - Memories of Powerless Nights in Northern Ontario

2010-08-16T14:14:00.000-07:00

Up on Yonge Street (Toronto), when the lights went out, well, you got out a flashlight, turned on a portable radio or sat and talked to the person you were with. Some of you remember talking to people . . . right?

Up in Ontario cottage country - for me it was Muskoka, lots of beautiful places have no electricity, so that was good training for the times we have lost power here in East Texas. When it was 'way too cold, we could get in the car and turn the heater on.

How did we survive? Quite well, actually. We heated water on a wood-burning stove to wash dishes, wash ourselves. Of course, we had all that water from the lake and we also had a nifty creek which not only yielded water but also small fish. We usually cooked on the barbecue. Ah, to recall the time some of the fellows wrapped some stones in foil to replace Uncle Jimmy's potatoes. There was lots of kibitzing!

What did we do up there in the evenings? We played cards or board games by battery-powered lanterns or candles. We sang - my favorite was an improvised, "I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskokee" . . . a knock off from Merle Haggard's famous hit.

I guess I forgot to mention we also had an outhouse and an uncle who liked to scare us with bear noises after dark. No indoor plumbing?

There is a phenomenon in Ontario where people work very hard to purchase a beautiful, fully equipped City Home and then when they have really made it, they purchase a place up in Northern Ontario where they have no amenities. They rough it, as it were. Roughing it . . . camping . . . it is a nice way of life, really. People interact with each other and have lots of good times. We have lost the ability to sit down and talk to another person, to sing songs, to tell jokes and stories.

Here in Texas, we lose power because it is hot and all the air-conditioning systems tax the electricity sources. Sometimes we lose power because there is a storm - heavy rainstorm, hurricane, tornado - and the lights go off.

When the lights go off in Texas, especially in the summertime, we got trouble - yup, Trouble Right Here in River City, as the song went. We have had an extremely hot summer this year and there are some people who live in small homes who don't have enough to eat, much less air-conditioning. Those people - hopefully - are visited by neighbours and church members who take them to somewhere cooler.

Well, when the power goes off, so do computers, internet, TV - you name it!

We have come to rely heavily on communication and automation and frills which we consider necessities. We do not live better, just different.

So, today, it looks like Facebook - the love it or hate it social network is down - at least for a while. Guess we will have to talk to someone in person!

I will miss the Farm (Farmville/Farm Town - take your pick) but I think I can survive.

There is lots of talk these days about Facebook - a 1600 pound gorilla that is probably not going anyplace any time soon. It invades our privacy, causes people to divulge information they may later be sorry they did. Some people make comments that they might not even realize could be hurtful to someone. Some people make inappropriate remarks that someone they did not think would see it, in fact does see it and has hurt feelings from it.

Some people give a burglar a perfect opportunity but telling everyone with access to their page when they will be leaving their home.

I won't go on, because you know the the good, the bad and the ugly of Facebook and Twitter.

I kind of like Twitter, especially, because I can quickly let people know I have posted a new blog and more people will read it.

But mostly . . . just miss the farm.

Up On Yonge Street - That's Where We Were . . .

2010-08-10T15:34:00.000-07:00

After being in East Texas almost 14 years, I can tell you that one thing that absolutely defines Texans is their vehicles. They like them big and when they pull up to your house, well, they just pull up to your house!

Well, in Toronto, land is at a premium - because that is where everyone comes to get a job. (Must mention here also that Toronto's TTC - Toronto Transit Commission is among the best and there is nothing quite like The Subway.) There are tidy curbs on every street and you park your car parallel to the curb. A driveway at someone's house . . . well, that generally is occupied, probably with one of the owner's vehicles.

We have not been back very long from our trip to the wedding of "This Bride" (see blog below) and one of the fun things was the wonderful family party at the bride's father's home the night before the marriage. (The rehearsal was during the week - how organized is that?)

Hubby & I checked into the hotel and got ready to go to the Party. Then Hubby went to bring the car around from the Parking Garage. (No, we do not have even one of those in the city where we live northeast of Houston.)

How was Hubby to know that there was a space M-14 on all four levels of the garage?

So, we were late arriving at the Party and Hubby looked at all the cars parked on the street. I think he was thinking we would have to park elsewhere and take a taxi . . . Lo and behold, as we came right to the house, there was one tiny spot in the driveway.

"I think we can fit in there!"

Hubby: "Do you think we should park there?"

"Oh yes!"

Our Texas-size SUV just fit and we got out and went up to the door.

This bride's sister-in-law was waiting at the front door and we were escorted inside and eventually out to the deck where you see Hubby and Daddy chatting in the photo above.

Caribana Festival was being held that weekend and so we were blessed to have several musicians play in the garden for us.

For me, it was like being home. I have known this family for about 52 years and their offspring must have heard some of the stories and those they had not heard, I told them.

Like when B left me to watch Daniel the baby while she went to the convenience store back when they lived in a small apartment on Avenue Road. I tell you, I did not know babies could cry that much and I sure didn't know that people upstairs would bang on the floor to let me know that was too much noise!

I didn't know a lot about babies, so I was rocking him and gently asking him,

"Don't cry, Danny!"

Those upstairs neighbours taught me to ask Dan just a little louder to "Hush Little Baby, Don't You Cry".

Yes, yes, I had to tell Dan about that. I don't think he was embarrassed. He and his wife, Carol had flown in from London, UK and I think that story was the least of what they were thinking about.

We were treated like royalty and so were others who flew in from Washington State, Italy and Iran.

Oh . . . This Bride . . . well, you might have to wait to see her picture. But, I will tell you she was radiantly beautiful and her groom was very handsome.

And B . . . my Dear Friend, B? Oh, you could feel her presence. She was the Angel in the hearts of all of us who had come to see her only daughter marry her college sweetheart, the I.T. fellow with the droll sense of humor who we met many years ago.

Like it was yesterday:

"And what are you studying?"

"I.T., Sir."

And silly me, just had to ask, "I am sorry, exactly what is that?"

"Information Technology, Ma'am."

You stick around a fellow like that, you get smart! You stick around a family like that and you feel pretty special!

Willam In Port Hope Writes Today's Blog - How About a Letter to the Troops?

2010-07-19T17:51:00.000-07:00

Hi - I am William in Port Hope, Ontario, Canada and I am a guest blogger here today. I am almost 8.

My friend, Martha in Texas is visiting today.

We just wrote a letter to the troops for the Legion to put in the boxes for August. I hope that those boxes have neat stuff in them - like hard candy, cookies, soap, and other things those men and women would like to have.

Have you donated anything to put in those boxes that get shipped to the soldiers?

You could write a letter or give some toiletries for those boxes?

If you do that, it will make the soldiers feel good! We were talking about it, and we know if you do that, it will make you feel good too.

So, this is William in Canada signing off the Yonge-Street-Texan blog!

This Bride

2010-07-09T20:17:00.000-07:00

I met her mother, B (as she referred to herself) 51 years ago, at college in Toronto. She and I had great times - laughter and serious times. Her mother would help anyone in need - any person, any animal. Her biggest salvation - literally - was probably a horse named Paddington, and what a beauty he was. There was always a dog too, of course.

If B was your friend, you hardly needed another. There was the angel she promised her friend in the hospital, too sick to think about anything else. Do you know you can courier a glass angel door to door, 1650 miles in less than 24 hours? Well, you can - if you want to or need to. Do you know that National Film Board of Canada will ship to anywhere? B knew that and she wanted me to watch a program she had seen.

Before I met her mother, B, I knew her father. A group of us loved to have parties and enjoyed playing tennis. Not gonna tell you anymore about her father. He is quiet and to the point, a great friend who calls me an "old friend" and gets away with it.

Kinda seemed back then that we probably would never grow up . . . guess that is what our parents thought.

You had to know her mother and her grandmother to truly appreciate This Bride. That will be her identity for this blog.

Her grandmother was petite and I was always taken with how great she looked at 8:30 in the morning when she answered her front door. She would be wearing a shirtwaist dress and lipstick and offering me her latest find, a product called Coffee Rich that made your coffee literally sing with flavor. She's gone now too.

On a night in September after a Clint Black concert, we got the word that B had had a stroke. That was when I cried and screamed and carried on. How could that happen to B? After she was settled in at the hospital and tests were run, it got worse. B also had cancer. I think that is one of the saddest times of my adult life.

Here was this terrific gal who would do anything for me, for you, for someone she did not even know. Here was this gal who didn't care about fancy jewelry, make-up, pretense of any kind.

So, it is with honor and pride that I (with Hubby, of course) will watch This Bride marry a handsome, wonderful, charming and light-hearted man next week.

She is herself, her mother, her grandmother, a special person whom I am honored to know.

Speaking of honor, This Bride has called Hubby and me FAMILY! Wow!

If you have been following the weddings Hubby and I have been going to over the past year and if you also know I have lost weight during this time, then perhaps you are wondering, "So, what is Martha wearing to this special event?"

Well, I will wear the green dress. Yes, I feel very comfortable in the green dress. And when you are being treated like royalty, it is good to feel comfortable!

Hey - you - "This Bride" - you will be so beautiful and I will see not only you, but your Mother, but your Grandmother that day.

Sometimes - if we sit back and look at our lives - we see how truly blessed we have been.

May "This Bride" have a beautiful wedding, a fine marriage and may she carry on all those traits that made these women such good friends to everyone they knew.

Love you, "This Bride"!

Is There Some Way We Can Go Back?

2010-05-31T19:29:00.000-07:00

Mostly because I like to be current, to keep up, as it were, I have maintained a Facebook page for some time now. (Also, I get to tell people when I put up a new blog, as I will when I finish here.)

I learned to text for the same reason (QWERTY keyboard indeed).

Of course, I am on Twitter also to alert people who might be interested in my blogs. I have a rather nifty following of dog-related groups there!

All my life, I have been a communicator. Even as a grade-schooler, I would go downstairs to a room by myself and write both poems and prose. Always got my best grades in English Composition. Always enjoyed writing!

I must say that I have met some really interesting people on Facebook who I probably never would have met otherwise and I do get to keep in touch with a few people who are several thousand miles away.

Mind you, if I were not on Facebook, I probably would have the time to sit down and write a nice personal letter to those friends and relatives in Ontario and Nova Scotia.

I have re-connected with some people who have left East Texas and that is also fine.

Last week, I took my "Friend" list and well, I did a lot of clicking! I pared it down to about 40 people.

Hubby, smart Engineer that he is, simply deleted his page. Period. That's the kind of person he is: very straightforward and to the point.

I am held hostage at Facebook by a nifty game I like to play called Farm Town. Can't play Farm Town elsewhere.

Tonight, I saw two postings from my friend's daughter that really broke my heart. Yup. They almost broke my heart as much as the one I saw about myself a few days ago.

Family. You really cannot choose family, only friends. When a friend does you in, you generally get rid of them.

We live in the toughest times of our lives. We have a horrid economy, natural and man-made disasters that strike us down routinely. We have people "in charge" stealing from us. (Oh, I am so sorry, if anyone is offended that I think perhaps some major executives have stolen from taxpayers and investors.) And, of course, we are at war.

We have lost the art of sitting down with one another and talking.

I do not think that either family comment would have been made to someone in the flesh.

People have computer skills but alas they have no heart.

If they were to put their hearts and brains into what they were thinking, they would not make hurtful remarks like they do. Why? Well, the person on the receiving end would tell them they were full of blank and that would be the end of the conversation. (By the way, BLANK is just about what is in some of these minds.)

We have a major obesity problem in United States right now. Well, I guess so. A person hurts another's feelings and the first person gobbles down the first high calorie snack they can get their hands on. Unless, of course, they reach for a bottle of something stronger.

What is the matter with people? Families do not support one another and in fact, they are extremely competitive.

I remember my first father-in-law coming over to our apartment to tell us in no uncertain terms that something had been said about a cousin and we were to fess up. I knew it wasn't me and even though I did divorce him, I don't think it was my then husband. But, Pop - as the head of the family - was going to get to the bottom of it all.

Today, parents are afraid of their children . . . heck, teachers are afraid of children.

So, the generation who are now in their twenties have many among them who go 'way beyond Clark Gable in not giving a damn. These people don't care about family, "friends" or really anyone beyond what they need for the next 24 hours.

Has social media contributed to this? Do people not realize that what they write goes to friends of friends of friends. Or is it more like: they do not care? Have they no heart at all?

My readers, here we are in the year 2010 and we have come a long way . . . backwards and beyond.

I think we need to sit in a recliner with eyes closed for a while and just think. Is there some way we can go back to enjoying people and life?

Changing Face Of The Workforce

2010-04-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

We may have grey hair and walk a little slower than we used to. We have more aches and pains. But we do remember the work ethic that made this country (and Canada too, of course) great!

Yes, there is a lot of technology we did not have when I first worked at a heavy equipment jobber in Toronto (a.k.a. manufacturers agent). But dealing with people is still at the heart of a lot of business.

"Good Morning, Furnace Department, Miss Croome speaking: how may I help you?"

Used to take a lot of ribbing but that was how I was to answer the Department's phone!

I hammered out letters, proposals and invoices on a Remington Noiseless that was probably the noisiest machine ever. I transcribed letters from my shorthand notebook. My shorthand was Pittman (from England) but some of you used Greig here in the United States.

I walked one block to the Nortown trolley (electrically powered) on Avenue Road. It swung the corner at Eglinton and turned left on Eglinton, over to - yes - YONGE STREET - to the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Subway System. (The line went from Eglinton to Union only back then and was about eight years old.)

I walked down a flight of stairs and took two escalators to get to the actual subway car that would noisily take me downtown. I got off at Front Street - by Union Station (the Railway Station).

Then, I walked past the attendant at the turnstile with my paper transfer to get me into the area of the buses and streetcars.

I took the bus over to Jarvis Street to the building where I worked.

So, that was a lot of walking and three public transit vehicles just to get to my first job.

Even with some references from my father, I was interviewed by forty (40) different people for this first job that paid $195 Canadian - per month. (By the way, the Canadian dollar at that time - 1960 - was a little higher than the American dollar.) That is a little more than $45.00 per week for a person right out of Weller College with honors and typing of over 60 words per minute and shorthand of over 120 words per minute. So, I was well qualified, but not experienced. I had just turned 20.

Notice that people interviewed me; I did not interview them, as we hear now.

The Office Manager's name was Mr. Lilly and he was an accountant, totally lacking in personality who dealt strictly in facts.

Williams and Wilson, whose head office was in Montreal, had various departments on the second floor with a central switchboard. In Lufkin, we have a mural downtown of a woman using a central switchboard - historical of course! The main floor was a showroom for the heavy equipment. The building was large and there were lots of employees, including sales staff, managers, and executives.

I started at 8:30 in the morning and finished at 5:00 p.m. We had 20 minute coffee breaks morning and afternoon in a nice break room and one hour for lunch.

At lunch hour on Fridays, I would walk across to Bay Street (the equivalent of Wall Street in New York City) to get my hair done. They knew how to do a bouffant hairstyle and get you out of there in 40 minutes smelling of a stinky hold called Princess Patricia Hair Spray. That got you through the wind and back to your office on time.

Fridays I ate my lunch at the salon. I took a lunch from home every day unless it was payday - twice a month, when I would do my banking at The King Edward Hotel Branch and eat in their cafeteria downstairs. That was up on King Street and required brisk walking and quick eating. My boss was less than kind, taking us to a Christmas lunch at Letros Tavern (not so high class) and requesting my presence back at the office for more typing while the sales and accounting staff of the Furnace Department went home.

I guess I forgot to tell you that my high heels were kept in my lower desk drawer and I wore laced up Hush Puppies to make good time comfortably.

When I logged about a year at that first job, I was able to advance to New York Life Insurance where they purchased the newly invented IBM Selectric typewriter for me and I moved into the big time! I had a kind boss and made friends but we still had a strong work ethic.

I describe this from 50 years ago because it is people like me who remember what working conditions used to be who will be hired to clean up the messes in today's workplace.

There will have to be some special allowances. I will be 70 in a few weeks and I cannot do 7 or 8 hours a day, five days a week. Some of us will need ramps and railings and certainly will not be able to transverse public transit systems as I did back then.

Why will we be coming back to work, if we are healthy enough?

Well, times are tough - very tough. The "Golden Years" are not 24 carat and we cannot afford to have some of the nifty inventions like flatscreen TV, bright red appliances and furniture to replace the old.

You might be surprised how well we can navigate a computer - I know my Hubby and I do pretty much everything needed.

When you call my employer and I answer the phone, I will enunciate my name and you will understand me - even with my "accent, eh?" - no will be asking me my name or to repeat what I said.

I will not be using my cell phone for texting (yes, I can do that) during office hours and you would never find me on the internet unless my Boss asked me to google some information or post something on his website.

I don't look bad for an old gal (as Anne Murray, the singer would say) but I will wear appropriate attire that covers what should be covered.

You see, business is business - or as the French say, "Les affaires sont les affaires".

No one should be paying you for personal tasks or amusement. Government, a professional or company pays you for your time dedicated to work to advance their business, efficiency, image and (for business and professions) profit.

It was pretty bad when we learned the staggering bonuses executives were making at major companies. It was real bad when we, the taxpayers, had to bail out banks and major corporations with household names. But, it is over the top when we learn that there are government employees who have been spending long hours on websites not quite as gentle as Facebook.

So, have a smile for that grey-haired person who greets you next time you are in an office. That person knows how to save us from ourselves!

"Good Afternoon, Furnace Department, Miss Croome speaking: How can I help you?"Changing

America - The Land Of The Free: Have We Distorted The Meaning Of That?

2010-03-28T17:05:00.001-07:00

Joe Biden's zipper is open, originally uploaded by DonkeyHotey.

This week I was just sort of wondering if perhaps some people take our Freedom a little to extremes.

So, this is The Land where the Vice President can say - quite clearly, while a microphone is open - an obsenity as he is introducing the President?

So, this is The Land where a teenager posing with others for a photo of their "Against Drugs" Group with a skirt just barely covering her thighs and high heels?

So, this is The Land where an 80-year-old former Astronaut (Buzz Aldren) thinks it is a good idea to compete on the rigorous, not to mention foolish and sometimes rude Dancing With The Stars?

What are these people thinking? Yes, we have the freedom to be as foolish as we wish, but perhaps that is not what our Founding Fathers were hoping for!

Please remember to pray every night for President Barack Obama. In case you have forgotten, if anything should happen to him, Joe Biden, or next in line, Nancy Pelosi would become President.

2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver - A Warm Fuzzy Feeling!

2010-03-16T13:49:00.001-07:00

OLY: DEC12 Olympic Torch Relay Day 44, originally uploaded by TotalPhoto (Leon).

Pictured: Elizabeth Manley (1988) and Barbara Ann Scott (1948)

Probably because I am one of the few Canadians living here in East Texas, lots of people were asking me what I thought about the Olympics held in Vancouver.

I have been waiting to write this probably because I wanted to put it all into perspective and explain how I felt and what it meant to me to see Canada showcased like that.

The 1988 Winter Olympics were held in Calgary and I remembered the wonderful opening ceremony and I remembered Elizabeth Manley winning not a Gold, but a Silver medal in Ladies Figure Skating. (So like Canadians . . . make sure your guests are having a good time.) I am sort of kidding about that, but it is true that Canadians just love for you to visit. I hope that many of you who watched this wonderful event will think seriously about taking a trip to somewhere in Canada sometime soon.

To help readers not quite so familiar with the geography of Canada, let me explain that Vancouver is on the West Coast Mainland in British Columbia and Calgary is in Alberta (oil country). I am from Toronto (Ontario) and lived just east of there in a small town called Port Hope before moving to East Texas. I also have relatives in Nova Scotia which is in the eastern part of Canada or The Maritime Provinces.

I am truly blessed to have seen nine of the ten Canadian provinces and there are differences just as you can think of differences between American states. It is also interesting to note that 90% of Canada's population lives within 100 miles of the American border. Looking at a map, one sees the huge expanse of Canada but might forget just how cold it can get toward the Arctic Circle.

Lower British Columbia is one of the more temperate provinces and I recall in 1982 seeing spring burst forth there in May, back home in Ontario in June and in Newfoundland in July.

One thing this event made me think about is that Canadians do not leave Canada because they want to leave Canada. We leave because there is an opportunity for us. In my case, of course, I met and married an American (born in Illinois) who was living in Texas. Many entertainers move to the United States because there are more opportunities for them.

All of us feel very strong about wanting to go back home on a regular basis. I have been truly blessed to be able to go "home" just about every year and a couple of years we went twice and once, by driving across the border from our niece's, we were able to have lunch at Swiss Chalet and say we'd been in Canada three times!

The Closing Ceremony featured Michael J. Fox and William Shatner among others but the Opening Ceremony was the one that had me crying.

Much as I am very proud of him, you can see Wayne Gretzky lots of places, so it was not him. He grew up where my father was born - in Brantford, Ontario - and his father used to freeze the backyard for him to skate when he was a kid. So did my Dad, but I'm no Wayne Gretzky! (Yes, they would hook up the water hose and flood the backyard. I have to tell you, it was not the smoothest skating I did!)

My real thrill was watching the flag being hoisted by lots of people I remembered well, including singer Anne Murray who actually lived around the corner from me near Thornhill Pond, just north of Metro Toronto. She looked a little nervous for her, actually. She used to try to sneak into the supermarket up Yonge Street and she never wore makeup, just pinched her cheeks for color. She was beautiful. You might not have picked her off if you had not heard that speaking voice - that Alto just like when she sings.

Betty Fox was with them. Betty Fox is the mother of Terry Fox who lost a leg to cancer when he was in his late teens. He was from British Columbia and started walking across Canada from Newfoundland. (Yes, you would have to get on a ferry or plane to get to the mainland.) He walked right past my house in Thornhill one summer afternoon - I think it was August - and we contributed to the Cancer Society as did everyone. He had freckles, and curly brown hair. He was tired: you could see it. I wished him Happy Birthday and he told me it would not be until the Monday. (Terry only made it to Thunder Bay where they realized the cancer had spread.) There is a statue in Thunder Bay to honor him now. He flew home and I think he lived for about another year. His mother, Betty, has been at every Cancer Research Fundraiser she could to honor her son. What a special lady! (I think in many places there are still Terry Fox Runs each year.)

Then I saw Rick Hansen. He is known as The Man In Motion. He has a website where you could learn about this fellow. Rick also went across Canada - in his wheelchair. He raises funds and organizes events for people with various disabilities. He is a living legend of a man who cares so much about others!

Now, I am coming to the one who really had me actually crying! Barbara Ann Scott. She was an Olympic Figure Skating Champion in 1948. There she was . . . also hoisting the Canadian flag.

When I was a little girl, I went to school at Havergal (yes, as in Frances Ridley Havergal, the hymn writer whose name is in your hymn books) , Barbara Ann and her mother would stay at an apartment on Avenue Road across from the school when they were in Toronto. We would look and see if we could see her perhaps standing on a balcony. (Her home was in Ottawa.)

My letter to Santa Claus that year went like this:

"Dear Santa, I have been a good girl. Could you please bring me a Barbara Ann Scott doll for Christmas? You can find it at the B & W Store on Eglinton Avenue. Love, Martha"

Oh yes, I did indeed get that doll and to actually see Barbara Ann Scott, after all these years out of the limelight - living in Chicago, I believe - hoisting the Canadian flag . . . well, that really made me cry!

Yes, Canadians love for you to know about their country and all the indigenous peoples dancing and singing in their special dress. We like for you to know about all the entertainers we have sent to United States. We would love to show you Canada - all of it - each province different from the next.

Winter Olympics Open Today - Surely Not in Texas?

2010-02-12T08:38:00.000-08:00

Well, this is what East Texas looks like today. Here we have a young man who is finally able to get out into the snow and actually build a snowman! Yes, I know it is a little small, but, hey - this is what Hubby calls a "tropical area" and this is probably only the fifth time it has snowed since I arrived from Toronto thirteen years ago.

We will tape the Opening Ceremony from Vancouver being televised on NBC here. (Yes, I still scrapbook on Fridays.) I do recall the wonderful festivities with all manner of singing and dancing by so many different groups of Canadians at the Calgary Winter Olympics so I am expecting a wonderful show!

Canadians like to have the opportunity to show the rest of the world what Canada really is like and you will not be disappointed to see this ceremony. There will be dancers representing Canada's indigenous people. Canadians take great pride in showing you their country which is clean, expansive and rich in natural resources including friendly people.

(On the map, Canada appears huge and it is. Keep in mind, though, that about 80% of the population live within 200 miles of the U.S. border. There are many natural resources in the north, but it takes stamina to leave the hustle bustle behind and seek the riches of the north.)

The last figure I have for Canada's population is about 33 million, which is just about 10% of the number of people in United States. So get out your atlas and take a look where the games are being held. It is on the West Coast mainland and if you follow this blog, you know I came to Texas from the Toronto area which is pretty central - north of Buffalo, New York.

Hope you enjoy the games - especially the opening ceremony tonight - and we do hope the snow melts away from East Texas because we do not have the resources or clothing to handle it!

(Photo courtesy Denise Hoeffner, editor of Charm Magazine, Lufkin, Texas.)

CORRECTION FROM TOM BROKAW ON NBC AT THE OPENING TONIGHT:

Now, the figures are 90% of Canadians live within 100 miles of the US/Canadian Border!

Name Calling: Labeling of those different from ourselves

2010-02-05T11:51:00.000-08:00

If you read my blogs - and really, most of my writing over the years - it is generally pretty kind, soft, gentle as it were.

Today, I feel the need to address an issue that just will not go away. If it was bad when I was a kid, it is much worse today.

What I am talking about is people labeling people who are different from themselves.

You know that when I was a kid, I was overweight - fat, I guess we should call it. So, I took some abuse there.

In Toronto in the 50s, there were some groups of ethnic people immigrating from other countries. I don't recall any name-calling of people from the Ukraine, but I do remember a general term for all people such as the Polish, who came to Canada for the fine fertile land, particularly out west. I also remember that these people were very family-oriented and hard-working.

The Italians came and many became the master builders with their trades of plaster and marble work. More hard workers!

We had a lot of Jewish people in Toronto and I think they were probably the most depressed group of people. They were "politely" banned from elite clubs and some fine housing. They, of course got back at everyone else by turning out a huge percentage of doctors and lawyers in the 50s and 60s.

After World War Two, in about 1944-45, many British came to Canada with Canadian military they had married. There used to be mean-spirited comments about them.

Many Hungarians came over during the uprising of 1957 and although they seemed to have their own strong community, I don't honestly recall them being sought out as different from a native-born Torontonian.

Also in the 50s, many people came to Toronto from the islands, particularly Jamaica which was a fellow country of the British Commonwealth. They actually integrated quite well.

I know that people saw these people as different from themselves and perhaps that is exactly why people resorted to name-calling. They do not understand someone who is a little different from themselves, so they call them names. It is a defense mechanism.

So, with that preamble, let me get to today.

Why are we - particularly in the Southern United States - still concerned with the color of a person's skin? Does each human being not have the same basic hopes and dreams for his offspring? Should we not be helping our fellowman to achieve his highest goals? Should we not give our neighbor's child a helping hand to graduate college and be the best he or she can be?

At a very basic level, one can perhaps forgive prejudices. I think prejudices arise from lack of knowledge. The point is, people do not stop to talk to the Indian from New Delhi who is operating the best bakery in town. People do not stop to admire the Hispanic's child at the supermarket. In the big city, I imagine a young white person is unlikely to offer his seat to an elderly Black person.

When my only two children were born with microcephalism, I bristled any time someone called another person "retarded". I knew that a microcephalic child's brain stops growing in the first three months of pregnancy. I had new respect for every person who had some sort of mental or physical disability.

What I cannot respect is people, elected by us and being reimbursed from our tax dollars for their endeavors with high remuneration resorting to name-calling. How is that for politically correct phrasing? Loose translation there would be people who were lucky enough to be well-funded and get elected to a job they just might not be qualified for in the everyday world.

When Sarah Palin first emerged in the lower States, a new mother with a special needs child, the way she and her family felt about that child radiated everywhere people saw the family. It was a breath of fresh air.

When Barack Obama was elected President, we thought we had broken some barriers. So, why do we still make references to his background? This is an educated, smart and witty man probably as well-qualified as any former president, so why are references to his lineage still being made?

This past week, twice there have been politicians use the work "retarded" with reference to people saying or doing something stupid. Unbelievable!

Notice that I have not even delved into the morals of any of the politicians? You betcha!