Back To School

Today is the first day of the new school year for most students in my city. When I was a student, I waited in anxious anticipation as the new school year approached. It seemed that each year, summer holidays got shorter. Suddenly it was time to return to school and with it came all the fear, nervousness and uncertainty. I was always very nervous that first day: would I like my teacher? would he/she like me? would my friends still like me? did my Mom pack a good lunch? what if the whole years turns out to be awful and unbearable? how will I know which bus is mine when I come out of school at the end of the day? There were some happy things about going back to school. Each year I would get a new set of clothes, which usually arrived in a huge package from Sears. I would carefully go through the Fall and Winter Catalogue and pick out my new clothes. I loved new clothes! It almost made it worth going through the pain of the first day of school. I also loved shopping for new school supplies. Mom always made a big deal out of writing our names on everything. She would set aside an afternoon for "marking" and all of us kids would stack our supplies in front of us, and we would write our names on everything (maybe this is where I developed that love I have for "new book" scent. Despite my discomfort at facing that first day of school, I enjoyed putting on my new clothes, grabbing my new books and waiting for the bus. Loving - and fearing - the first day of the new school year . . . it's a good thing!

My New Ride!

I bought a new bike on Saturday. OK - I admit it: I have never owned - or wanted to own - a bike with gears! Which should give you an idea how old my old bike is. I bought my old bike back when you could still buy one without gears - I specifically bought it because I knew it was one of the last years that kind of bike would be produced. (I don't drive standard vehicles either, by the way). My bike had not been used for a few years when I pulled it out of the garage this spring. I began riding it and remembered how much I have always loved bike riding. However my poor bike was falling apart and made a weird scrapping noise every time the pedals made a rotation. I told myself I didn't care what people thought, I loved my "non-gears" bike. However, last week I had to admit to myself that I was biking on the trail only when I am pretty sure there wouldn't be many people out. I also had to admit to myself that I would try not to pedal when I rode past people so that my bike wouldn't make that weird noise. I finally had to admit it: It was time for a new bike - and, because of availability, it would have to be one with gears, no less! So, Saturday, I got my new bike (a pretty blue), had my husband instruct me on how to work the gears (several times) and have been flying up and down the trails for the past couple days! And - bonus - it has a kick stand, which is a feature on a bike I have wanted since I was a child - I was so envious of friends who's bikes had kick stands. (I think all bikes comes with kick-stands now, but it is still a wonderful feature to me). A brand new bike that looks pretty and pedals without making weird noises . . . it's a good thing!

Through The Years With A Friend

M is my niece and one of my best friends. She is a year younger than I am, so we grew up together and have been friends almost since the day we were born. Both of us have reached a stage in our lives where we find ourselves taking care of a parent. The other day, we were discussing this very milestone, comparing notes and swapping war stories. It is never easy when the parental roles switch, and it is good to have someone to talk to who is going through some of the same things. As I reflected on our conversation later that day, my mind began to go back in time and to remember the many milestones M and I have gone through together. Just as we were discussing helping a parent, not so long ago we were discussing the raising of our children - comparing notes, exchanging ideas and babysitting for each other. Then I began to think even further back, beyond elderly parents and children, there was a time when we had very serious discussions about men (I guess they were really boys when I look back, but they were men to us). Again, we swapped ideas and opinions on what it was that made men tick. Going back even further, M and I shared childhood conversations about how strict and how unfair our parents were. We each loved our Mom and Dad, but they just wouldn't let us do everything that we wanted to, and we just didn't understand that! Through my entire life, she has been a constant. As well as being friends, we are family, so we share that strong circle as well. She was my BFF before anyone even knew what that was. Looking down the road, years from now, I can see us discussing nursing homes, comparing notes and sharing stories about our grandchildren and great- grandchildren. Having a life-long friend who "gets" you . . . . it's a good thing

Elin Nordegren

The next issue of People Magazine will feature a story about Elin Nordegren (Tiger Woods' ex-wife - "ex" as of this week). Elin contacted People magazine because she wanted to tell her story. She is receiving no money from the magazine. She felt very strongly that she wanted the world to know that, contrary to rumours and stories reported by the press, she did not hit her husband with a golf club. She tells how there was never any violence in her home, even when her whole was torn apart after discovering his infidelities. Good for Elin! We need confident and strong women like her as role models for our young women. It seems that in the world of the rich and famous, women put up with abuse and cheating, and our young women are watching and learning from them. She says that when she realized that Tiger had crashed his vehicle, she did everything she could to get into the locked vehicle to help him. Even through her despair and anger, she did not want anyone to be physically hurt. As well as telling women that violence is never right, she is also setting a good example by simply leaving the man who cheated on her almost throughout their entire married life, and leaving him immediately after she found out about it. She is sending out a strong message that women deserve better. A powerful and beautiful woman who is strong enough to set a good example to women everywhere . . . it's a good thing!

Huguette Clark

I recently came across a story about Huguette Clark. Huguette has just celebrated her 104th birthday in New York City. She is the heiress of millions of dollars left to her by her father who made his fortune in Montana copper mines. She presently owns three homes: a $100 million home in Santa Barbara, a $24 million country home in Connecticut and $100 million apartment in New York City, overlooking Central Park. Having this much money and three beautiful homes, and living to the age of 104, one would think that Huguette Clark's life has been wonderful, happy and carefree. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Huguette has lived as a recluse for the most of her adult life. She has not visited any of her homes in over twenty-two years. She has staff in her homes who have worked for her for over fifty years and have yet to meet her! Her only friend (to whom Huguette once gave $10 million) now has Alzheimer's and can no longer visit her. She has no children, no family and no friends. She celebrated her 104th birthday alone in a hospital room in New York, where it is claimed she has lived for over twenty years. In comparision, while most of us do not have millions of dollars or beautiful homes across the country, we have family and friends to celebrate our birthdays with. Our homes may be far less elegant than Ms. Clark's, but we enjoy them. We have a great deal less money than she does, but we have so much more of what really counts: love of life, joy of friendships and closeness of family. Having everything in life that makes us happy, even if it is not millions of dollars . . . . it's a good thing!

Bumbleberry Crisp

Yesterday. my friend C baked a bumble berry crisp for me! Out of the blue, she delivered it to me at work, along with a container of ice cream (low-cal ice cream, no doubt to neutralize the zillion calories in the crisp). The crisp was delicious. But more than the food itself, I realized that my friend's generously was something to be appreciated. She was given some fruit and took it upon herself to not only make dessert for her family, but made several other batches for friends. What a nice gesture and a thoughtful act. That is just the way she is, and those of us who are lucky enough to be her friends reap the benefits. She is one of the most generous people I know and is a wonderful friend. Having a friend who bakes for you . . . it's a good thing!

Wiener Roasts

Wiener roasts are so much fun, especially when you share it with family or friends. Having a wiener roast when there are children involved is the most fun. When we lived on an acreage, we had a fire pit and many times over the summer we would have a wiener roast. (We also had wiener roasts in the winter, but I prefered the summer ones.) By the time we would decide to light the fire and thaw out the wieners, the kids were already hungry. So the fire would either be just starting or would be in the really smokey stage, and the kids would be so hungry, they would begin to roast their wieners on a "not-ready-yet" fire and end up eating slightly raw hotdogs. Or, the fire would be so smokey, it made it difficult to get close enough to roast anything. I remember my starving nieces crawling on their stomachs, trying to get under the smoke, so they could roast their wieners. By the time the fire was hot and just right for roasting, everyone had already eaten and was finishing off the marshmallows. We never did get that timing right! Looking back, I guess that was half the fun! Having a wiener roast - and fun - with family and friends . . . it's a good thing!

Holding a Baby

Is there anything more wonderful than holding a baby? The soft skin, the sweet "baby" scent, the total dependence makes holding this tiny person all the more precious. When the baby is the child of someone you care about, it is even more wondeful. In our family, when new babies arrive, it is an occassion to get together and celebrate! The little bundle in the picture is my niece's son and my Mom's first great-grandchild. When he finally came to visit us from Manitoba, it was an opportunity for our family to gather together and welcome him into our lives. (Once he gets to know us better, he may have second thoughts about this family he was born into, but for now, he's just a baby and he loves us!) We greeted this new addition with gifts, a meal and wine - none of which he enjoyed or could take part in or will even remember. But he will grow up in the love of a family who adores him and that will be the most important thing he can remember. Holding - and loving - a brand new baby . . . it's a good thing!

Being So Tired That Everything Is Funny

I think that one of the best laughs you can ever have is when you are so tired that everything is funny. Anything and everything that is said sets you off into a new round of deep laughter. Even if what was said is not really that funny, you still laugh and giggle until your stomach and your face hurt! Then, when you finally stop yourself from laughing, all you have to do is think about what set you off in the first place and you will start laughing all over again! And so will everyone else who is tired and in the room with you - in fact, all it takes is for one tired person to start laughing and all the other tired people are soon laughing and giggling too. The other great thing about being tired and having a great laugh is that when you look back on it days later or even years later, you always feel like laughing at the memory. Being so tired that everything is funny . . . it's a good thing!

Smile, Smile, Smile

I have been hearing a lot lately, through print and electronic media, about "pretending" to be happy. The idea is that if you smile and if you "act" happy and appear to others to be happy, you will "fool" yourself into actually being happy! What a concept. Those who are living by this all claim to be happier! Neil Pasricha, the author of the blog "1000 Awesome Things" (and now the best-seller "The Book of Awesome) began his "happy" blog in the midst of a very sad time in his life. While he was posting his "Awesome Things", he was going through many life changes, including a divorce. He says that by actively searching for awesome things to write about, he found that he was not dwelling on the negative things in his life and he actually became happier sooner. It is difficult to stay in your dark zone, when you are thinking happy thoughts. You need to think good thoughts not only about other people, but also about yourself. As Thumper said in the movie Bambi, "If you can't say somethin' nice, don't say nothin' at all." If you are saying - and thinking - nice thoughts, you will be happier. I guess this whole concept is not really new. The song "Smile" was written in 1936. The entire song is about smiling even though you are feeling sad, and that if you do smile, eventually you will feel happy again. The second verse sums it up very well:
Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying
You'll find life is still worthwhile
If you just smile.
Smiling through your darkest moments and "fooling" yourself into being happy . . . . it's a good thing!

Classic Cruiser

What is it about guys and classic cars? It's just an old car, for cryin' out loud! I recently had occasion to drive by a classic car show and I just had to shake my head. Men are frantically wiping finger prints (real or imaginary) off their vehicles every time someone walks by. Their chests are swollen with pride and they exchange stories of how far they had to go in their search for parts and how expensive the parts were. They talk of the torture they went through to rebuild their car. I say just buy a new one that is already put together! Some of the owners seem to take better care of the vehicles than they do of their children: said finger prints are immediately wiped off, runny noses - not so much. And just how do classic car geeks know that it is a 1956 whatever or a 1961 something else? How can they tell just by looking? And if their site and insight is that good, why can't they find their shirt in the closet or the loaf of bread in the cupboard? What is it about an old car that can bring a grown, usually-sane man to his knees? I just don't get it! Loving our men who loves their cars . . . it's a good thing!

The Gift of Love

Yesterday, I received two totally unexpected gifts! One was from my sister, the other, from a friend. Neither one knew the other was giving me a gift, in fact, my friend and my sister do not even know each other. They were both beautiful and thoughtful gifts. While I was pleased to receive these gifts, I was really touched that they bought me something "out-of-the-blue" just because they wanted to give me a gift. I have had a difficult week, which they knew, and their gift reminded me that I have family and friends who are concerned about me and that I need to take care of myself. Sometimes you need the people around you to help you re-focus on yourself to ensure that you can continue to do the things you need to do. Not only did their presents brighten up my day, they helped me to remember that I am so fortunate to have such a loving family and caring friends. I was reminded that, with the love and help of friends and family, no load is ever too heavy. Having family and friends who care about you, and that you care about in return . . . . . it's a good thing!

Licking The Bowl

Do you remember how much fun it was to lick the bowl when you were a child? We used to love it when Mom would decide to bake a cake. We couldn't wait until she poured the batter into the cake pan. We would beg her to leave "just a little more batter" in the bowl! The bowl and chocolate-covered utensils would be shared between us and more than one fight occurred because of the perceived injustice of someone getting a bigger share than the rest. Eventually, we would all settle in a different corner of the house, the arguing would stop and everyone enjoyed their cake batter. I think that Mom sometimes would bake a cake just for the enjoyment of watching us lick the bowl and savour every spoonful. It's funny, but I can't remember actually eating the cakes when they were baked. I'm sure we did, but it just wasn't as much fun or memory-worthy as licking the bowl. Getting an extra thick layer of batter on the bottom of the bowl and licking it until it's gone . . . it's a good thing!

A Special Bond

This week, I had the experience of witnessing first hand the immense bond between grandparents and their grandchildren. I knew the bond existed. I had felt it with my own grandmother, but I had forgotten how strong it is. It began as my step-dad lay in his hospital bed on the last day of his life. His grandchildren and step-grandchildren rushed from near and far to say their last good-bye. As they spoke to their grandfather for the last time, their hearts were broken and their sorrow was deep. For many of these young people, this was their first experience with death, and death was taking someone who had been their rock since the day they were born. One of the most poignant display of that undeniable bond between grandparent and grandchildren I witnessed this week was that of my own son and my mother. The day after my stepdad passed away, my mother was with me at my home. I had taken her outside to help me water plants, thinking it might help her to be occupied. My son came into the backyard and walked toward to his grandmother, who broke down into tears when she saw him. My strapping six-foot-two son wrapped his arms around his tiny five-foot-two grand-mother and told her everything was going to be ok. His arms seemed gigantic around her petite frame, and she held tightly onto him as if drawing strength from him. I marvelled at the bond between them, and the love they share. The bond and the love is shared by grandparents and grandchildren everywhere. It is unique and it is wonderful. Witnessing - and feeling - the love between grandparents and grandchildren . . . it's a good thing!

A Bucket List

I want to be just like Sebastian Terry when I grow up! Terry is a twenty-nine Australian who is doing something fantastic: He has made up a list of 100 things he wants to do in his lifetime and he is documenting his count-down on his blog. His motivation comes from the death of a close friend five years ago. Terry decided to write down everything that was important to him and his list of 100 things was created. He dropped everything, and with $9000 in the bank, he began to cross items off his bucket list. One of the things he wanted to do was #23 - deliver a baby. He will soon cross that item off his list. Last week, Sebastian Terry flew to Regina from Australia to assist a midwife with a delivery. He hopes to have half of his list completed by the end of 2010. His progress can be tracked at http://www.100things.com.au/. Having the determination to create a "bucket list" and the dedication to complete it . . . it's a good thing!

The Giving Pledge

I have always admired Bill Gates for his spirit of giving. I first heard of Gates' generosity when he donated computers to every library in North America. He continued to give to many different charities and organizations over the years. His latest "project" is his most generous, and he is inspiring other billionaires to give away some of their money! Gates and his friend Warren Buffet have created a new organization called "The Giving Pledge". It consists of only billionaires and they must pledge to give away at least half of their total wealth to charity during their life or after their death! The extremely wealthy in the USA are impressed, and the new organization is receiving an incredible response! Billionaires are beginning to have important conversations with their families about their wealth and how to use it. There are so many poor and struggling families in North America, it is admirable that Gates and friends would help out in this unique and generous manner. Although Bill Gates could live in his own world of comfort and excess, how refreshing and wonderful that he continues to want to help those who have not been as fortunate as he. A super nice pledge from the super rich . . . it's a good thing!

My Step-Dad

My step-dad passed away early this morning. And while we are heart-broken at the loss of this wonderful man, we were so fortunate to have known him and to have had him in our lives. He was a wonderful man with a huge heart, a mischievous smile and a great sense of humour. He was a widower when he married our Mom, herself a widow. He had nine grown children, Mom had three, plus three step-children. He became a much-loved grandparent to our children, most of whom were too young to remember their biological grand-father. Over the years, we all grew to love him very much and he became an important part of our lives. He was kind, loving and always willing to help out. Yesterday, as we sat and waited with him as he began the process of dying, our two families together in grief and love, it struck me that this dear, quiet, unassuming man had taught all of us - his children, step-children, grand-children and step-grandchildren - how to love and how to be a family and how, in the end, nothing matters but the love of family and friends. I am so happy that we had the good fortune of having him in our lives. Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to know a truly wonderful man . . . it's a good thing.

Green High Heels

When I was about five years old, my Mom had a pair of olive green high heel shoes. I loved those shoes! I would wear them around the house every opportunity I had. I made Mom promise me that she would keep the shoes for me until I was old enough to fit into them. She promised that she would. I would periodically check her closet to make sure my prized green heels were still there, waiting for my feet to grow into them. In my "little girl mind", I would envision how beautiful I would look wearing them, and how lovely they would look on my feet when I wore them to the ball. Of course, I did not really know what a ball was, but I knew that princesses in beautiful shoes danced at balls. Mom kept her promise and saved the shoes for me. However, by the time I grew into them, my friends and I were not wearing heels. Platform shoes and boots were in style and so the green shoes sat in Mom's closet. Eventually, she moved them into the "dress-up box" for her grandchildren when they came to visit. I never did wear those shoes as an adult, but I always loved them. Over the years they have disappeared, but I remember every detail of those green high-heel shoes. Perhaps I remember them so well for two reasons: the first because I loved them so much, and the second because my Mom loved me so much that she stored them for all those years. Beautiful green shoes fit for a princess - and her mother - to wear to the ball . . . it's a good thing!

Put On A Happy Face

Who can look at a "Happy Face" and not smile? Even after all these years, after seeing it time and time again, we still love its little yellow face! There are so many variations from the original yellow face to various colors to pencil-scrawled faces. Have you ever wondered where the Smiley Face came from? Well, I decided to do some research to see what I could find out about my little smiling friend. Contrary to popular belief, the Happy Face was not invented by Forrest Gump! It turns out that the original happy face was created by Harvey R. Ball, who was a freelance artist. He created the iconic symbol in 1963 for an advertising campaign by the State Mutual Life Assurance Company in Massachusetts. He never copyrighted the symbol and this has resulted in its being in the public domain and it has been used and modified over the years. Wal-mart even took the smiley face to court in 2008 in an attempt to trademark it for their use only! Wal-mart lost its case and the ruling stated that Wal-mart did not own the rights to the Smiley Face. However, since the late 1990's, the Happy Face has been put to good use by its creator, Harvey Ball. He formed the World Smile Corporation and began licensing the smiley face to fund charitable causes. The corporation also sponsors the annual World Smile Day to encourage "acts of kindness". How perfect is it that the smiley face should be used in the pursuit of kindness? Using the Happy Face to encourage people to do acts of kindness . . . it's a good thing!

Ice Cream -You Scream - We All Scream

Growing up in the country, I was envious of "city kids" who had the opportunity of having ice cream trucks drive down their streets to deliver goodies to them. I wanted to be one of those kids running after the ice cream truck in anticipation of its frozen treats! I loved everything about the ice cream truck: its bell, the friendly driver (of course, he was friendly - he was selling ice cream to kids!), the treats themselves and the whole idea of a vehicle driving to you to bring you treats. We didn't have that down on the farm! There were a few times that we happened to be visiting in the city and an ice cream truck came down the street. I felt such excitement and anticipation at hearing the bell call out to the children and all of us chasing down the truck until it stopped. I don't think it was the treat so much as the experience that I enjoyed - I don't even remember if the treats were tasty or not. I knew that city people had milk, newspapers and mail delivered, but nothing caught my imagination and envy like having ice cream treats delivered. As a adult, I continued to live in the country so I continued to miss out on the "ice cream truck" experience. I now live in the city and it dawned on my today that there are no longer ice cream trucks going up and down neighborhoods - at least not in this city. I wonder if they are a thing of the past? I wonder if health issues and safety concerns have meant that kids no longer chase after ice cream trucks? Whatever the reason, I'm glad that I had the opportunity to hear the ice cream truck bell and to chase down the truck with a dollar in my sweaty little hand to buy a treat. Memories of a musical bell calling out to all the children in the neighborhood that their treats were on their way down their street . . . it's a good thing!

Parade Passion

I went to my city's annual parade last night. The parade is the kick-off for the week-long Exhibition held here each year. Hundreds of people lined up along the parade route and children waited impatiently for the parade to get to them. What is it about a parade that attracts people? I know for children, it's the entertainment and the candy thrown out to them, but what is the attraction for adults? You see many adults without children along the parade route with huge smiles on their faces as they enjoy each float and vehicle as it goes by. My step-dad is in his eighties, and he still loves a parade! He will sometimes even travel to neighboring towns to watch their parades. I'm not even sure what attracts me to this parade, but I rarely miss it. I love the marching bands.Every time one goes by, I find myself with tears in my eyes. I don't know why, because I'm not crying. I always feel a burst of emotions when a marching band goes by and I get teary-eyed. Of course, when a group of bagpipes go by, that universal question always comes to mind: "What do they wear until those kilts??" People from other cities who take part in our parade are always amazed at the enthusiasm and the sheer number of people in the crowd. In a summer where we have had some rain everyday since the beginning of June, last night the rain stayed away for the entire parade. From miniature horses to bands, mascots and clowns, a parade is time to enjoy and appreciate the work put into each float by our neighbors and cheer them on. Enjoying a summer parade . . . it's a good thing!

Twin Revelations

Yesterday we got to visit with our twin niece and nephew (oh yeah, and their parents too). B and B turned one in February, and it is amazing to watch them growing. We have never had twins in our family, so I have never had the opportunity to watch twins develop and grow. When I was growing up, I had friends who were twins, but that was different because we were all growing up at the same time. To watch twins grow up together and watch the interaction between them - even at one year old - is something everyone should have the opportunity to do. People who know twins often talk about a special bond between them, a bond that even brothers and sisters do not experience, and now I know what they mean. These two little people are as different in appearance and personality as can be, yet you can already feel the bond between them. Even at this young age, you already know that they are there for each other and they will be watching each other's backs forever. That is not to say that they won't fight and have disagreements, but no matter what, they share that special connection that only twins have for each other. It really is wonderful to see. Having the opportunity to witness the special bond between twins . . . it's a good thing!