More Photos! ! !

Anne Marie, A married woman

I just came home after attending the wonderful wedding of Anne Marie and her new husband Austin. What an honour it was to attend and represent the blogging world.

The ceremony was short, quaint and perfect. The gentleman officiating the ceremony did it with gusto and flair perfect to the tastes of the married couple. There were several chuckles thru the ceremony however the words that were spoken by the officiator, thru the two readings and the personal vows of Anne-Marie and Austin were sincere, thought provoking and very poignant - beautiful actually.

News has it that Austin was extremely nervous before the ceremony while Anne-Marie was as relaxed, cheerful and normal as could be.

I didn't have a clear view to take good shots, but I'm posting what I have, after making some very quick and not so perfect photoshop adjustments (to eliminate people's shoulders or heads!)

Currently, Anne-Marie is still at the beautiful historic Old Mill with her new husband and family. By now she's probably feeling like a movie star with all the photographs she's having done.

In a couple of hours I will be rejoining her, along with all the other guests for a night of food, drinks and celebration.

Feel free to leave your comments here for Anne-Marie. When I see her again, I'll be telling her that I've posted this blog so I'm sure she'll be checking in sometime soon to see what type of post I've done and comments that have been received.

Being thankful

Friends are something really special. As people living south to me celebrate thanksgiving, I am thankful for the friendships that I have. I don't have a husband and/or children. So friends in my life are extra important. And, to have caring and loving friends like these, makes me feel incredibly blessed and thankful.

Highlight of my week-end, having nothing to do with the activities that were done.

On the weekend, I traveled to a tiny horse breeding farm south of Ottawa to spend the week-end with a bunch of girlfriends. While I’m relatively new to this group, it has been meeting approximately every two months for about six years.

The group began after one of the girl’s husbands suffered a terrible tragedy due to her husband committing suicide. At that time, the seven founding members of this “group” took turns to look after her. They realized after a while that the 24-hour support would have to stop – but they didn’t want to completely stop giving her support. These women, whom are mothers, grandmothers and career women with busy lives, didn’t want to get caught up in their own lives and lose touch with Linda so they formalized this group.

Every two months a pot-luck dinner is hosted by one of the women and the gang all stay overnight so they don’t have to worry about driving home. Each dinner has a theme and fun is had.

I feel very fortunate to be best friends with two of the original seven members and am honoured to be part of their extended “sisterhood”. These get-togethers have nothing to do with gossip or “hen pecking” but have everything to do with love and caring for others in days of happiness and sadness. Linda, I’m happy to say is with a new man and this group has supported her every step of the way just as everyone in the group has supported each other.

I have had more than my share of tragedy in my life, but am thankful for what I have.

Have a good Week-end

I'm off with friends for an artistic adventure!

Photography, pottery, art on canvas

then
off to the spa for.....

body wraps, facials and back massages !!

I'm leading the photography and others are leading the other arts - quelle fun!

What will they think of next?

Today at work I was doing a media audit of stories on plastic bags and came across this story out of Japan. What do you think about this new invention?

JAPANESE women looking for a place to hold their melons while shopping may soon have an alternative - their bra.

In a bid to discourage the shopaholics from using plastic bags, a lingerie maker has unveiled a bra with cup padding that unfolds to become a handheld shopping bag.

The bra-turned-bag is made of recycled polyester fibre with straps that can be tied onto the bag as ribbons.

Japanese shops hand out some 30billion plastic bags a year but almost a third are thrown away without being reused.

A spokesman for Triumph said: "In this context, what deserves the most attention is the significance of each and every customer understanding the importance of not using plastic bags."

The company has sought a patent for the eco-bra, although there are no plans yet to put it on general sale.

Nine "weird" things about me. Answering Anne-Marie's tag

1. I love word play and constantly come up with (what friends refer to as) horrendous puns.

2. I’m a sucker for total darkness at night and have 2 sets of curtains on one curtain rod (to block out outside light) in both my bedroom and living room.

3. I like to sit in total darkness while listening to soft classical music before going to bed at night.

4. I have a melody for every moment and can break out in song at any time during a conversation.

5. I like to act like a monster in front of my cats while making growling noises, having my arms stretched high and wide, with a funny walk towards them. They’re so used to this that they usually just jump up on the closest chair to get a friendly pet after I’m finished with these strange movements.

6. I’m a sucker for intelligent men – regardless of race or vocation. To me it’s the hugest turn-on.

7. One can often see me on the street with the most peculiar grin on my face, smiling from ear to ear, while I’m in some far away place of thought.

8. I am extremely spiritual, but have a difficult time talking about it.

9. I am usually very shy, but work in communications, which entails a lot of public relations!

Oh, and like Anne-Marie, I too have way too many pictures of my cats!

Reflections: a page from my diary and thoughts from today

September 2, 2004

I'm on the train right now [leaving France] and am in Germay - no sign of customs - the times have changed in a united Europe ...

later that day:

I'm in the the Platz in front of Cologne's Cathedral next to the Rhine River listening to Raggae and now an accordian version of Vivaldi's 4-seasons - what a Global Village! ... I notice that Cologne, which was almost completely destroyed from allied bombing is really is a rebuilt city. It's not very interesting due to its lost architecture and what was replaced are drab buildings form the 1950s. This makes me reflect on the changing of history. 60 years ago we were at war and today there is a united Europe - pretty amazing. I'm glad I live in this age ... God Bless You Grandma and Grandpa for living during your time [in WW I] and helping to make this place better for us. And thank you Uncle Gordon [a fighter pilot in WWII] - But what a price you paid.

While I was writing this, I actually had tears in my eyes (I can be such a suck) but history's events really hit me between the eyes in a way that I hadn't anticipated. Sometimes, living in North America we get removed from the happenings of two world wars, even though their events influence how we live today. Somehow, I believe that I went to the boring city of Cologne just for that reason.

So, thanks to all who gave up their lives or went through horrible things such as losing spouses, relatives and friends or having to endure what my uncle did by living three of his life as a prisoner of war.

Today, I wish that war could be stopped, however, that doesn’t seem to be possible on this precious planet. However, I wish we all could give peace a chance.

later Today

Right after writing this blog in draft today at 10:30 a.m. I walked over to our downtown mall, the Eaton's Centre, to get some light bulbs and a few other things. In doing so, I walked thru the Ryerson University campus at about 10:45 and saw some students on the residence grounds writing the words "we remember" in chalk on a cement walkway. At 11:00 I was in one of the city’s largest department stores where they made an announcement of silence and you couldn’t even hear a pin drop – it was very moving.

I think today as events go on in Iraq and soldiers are in Afghanistan many people of younger generations are understanding more about what this day really means. So, as this day comes to a close, I will say a prayer for peace.

In Flanders Fields

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD

The association of the Poppy to those who had been killed in war has existed since the Napoleonic Wars in the 19th century, over 110 years before being adopted in Canada and the British commonwealth. There exists a record from that time of how thickly Poppies grew over the graves of soldiers in the area of Flanders, France. This early connection between the Poppy and battlefield deaths described how fields that were barren before the battles exploded with the blood-red flowers after the fighting ended.

Just prior to the First World War, few Poppies grew in Flanders. During the tremendous bombardments of that war, the chalk soils became rich in lime from rubble, allowing “popaver rhoeas” to thrive. When the war ended, the lime was quickly absorbed and the Poppy began to disappear again.

The person who was responsible more than any other for the adoption of the Poppy as a symbol of Remembrance in Canada and the Commonwealth was Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, a Canadian Medical Officer during the First World War.

World Stupidity Awards

World Champions of Stupidity Revealed

Winners for 4th Annual World Stupidity Awards Announced

US President Bush wins Award for Being "Most Out of touch with Reality"
Middle East takes Lifetime Achievement Award for Stupidity

The 4th Annual World Stupidity Awards has revealed this year's global champions of stupidity and ignorance, as decided by a worldwide Internet vote.

Details on the winners, taken directly from their website is below. For further - go to: http://stupidityawards.com/winners.html

An American judge who presided over several murder trials while attached to a throbbing penis pump was voted Stupidest Man of the Year - edging out US Vice President Dick Cheney and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (neither men are not known to use the device while working). "I think this sends a clear warning to all the other penis pumping judges, airline pilots and heart surgeons," said World Stupidity Awards SpokesMoron Robert Spence, "turn off that penis pump now!

Although some are already calling this a humiliating defeat for Cheney, the Vice President took the award for having created the Stupidest Moment of the Year when he shot his friend in the face during a hunting trip instead of a bird. "Although Vice President Cheney had worthy adversaries," said Spence, "you must bear in mind, the Cheney shooting unleashed a series of stupid events, and helped create what would become this year's stupidest statement.
In the category of Stupidest Statement of the Year, a comment by Cheney's shooting victim Harry Whittington was the clear winner. After Cheney shot him, Whittington, a lawyer said: "My family and I are deeply sorry for all that Vice President Cheney and his family have had to go through this past week."

Always a contender, US President George W. Bush won the hotly contested new category, the Disinformation Stupidity Award for Being Most out of Touch with Reality. "I think the feeling from voters is that all the nominees, which included Michael Jackson, Tom Cruise and Hilary Clinton, were deserving," said Spence. "The award, however, went to the person most out of touch with reality, while having the most influence on it." President Bush was also awarded with his own category this year after voters complained that his presence in the Stupidest Statement category was unfair to other nominees.

The President's statement that won the Stupidest Statement by President George W. Bush was Bush's famous Katrina disaster line "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." It beat out "Wow, Brazil is big!" and even "I am the decider." Killing people for God won in the category of Stupidest Trend of the Year, followed closely by the media's tendency towards glibly an nouncing that World War 3 has already begun. The trend towards showing off Ass Cleavage brought up the rear. "Killing people for God was voted a clear victor in this category," said Spence. "And it probably serves as a reminder to check with your god before murdering innocent people, as most gods will send you directly to hell." The Middle East itself was awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for Stupidity.

We're halfway thru the season.

I was just thinking today how quickly time is flying. I was reviewing my work schedule and shudder at how much I have to accomplish before the end of the year. It's only 28 days until I see the Who and 46 days until I fly to British Columbia for a Western family Christmas.

I also realize that November 6 is the 310th day of the year with 55 days remaining until we reach 2007.

With 88 days between the equinox on September 23 and the solstice on December 21, we're halfway through the Autumn or Spring season (depending on which hemisphere you live in!

Thank goodness I only have one more Christmas present left to get!

Winter, where I live, is on its way. What is your favourite thing about Winter?

My favourite is walking on freshly fallen snow that crinkles when you walk upon it on a clear crisp sunny morning.

Six Degrees of Separation pared down to zero

Thank you “crazy sis” for introducing me to this blogging system.

I first heard about blogging last winter when Dale was talking about her daily activities over the phone. I remember her talking about friends she made all over the world, including this school teacher in Toronto and how real, genuine and fun the whole blogging thing was. However, it wasn’t until Dale and I met up this summer at Mum and Dads and I saw her sit and their computer that I really became interested in this “strange world of blogging”.

After I returned home, I immediately started blogging myself. It was a lonely and solitude place at first, until I started talking to some of Dale’s blogging friends. Well, when they learned that I was Dale’s sister – every embraced and welcomed me to blogging land, including this Toronto school teacher.

Being fortunate enough to live in Toronto, this teacher and I met up and we became instant friends. This teacher, Anne-Marie is so lively, intelligent, spontaneous, genuine, verbose and funny that you can’t help but want her to be your friend. I was lucky because she seemed to like me and so we instantly became good friends.

Last night I was honoured to be invited to Anne-Marie’s pool hall wine shower by her lovely sister. I went and met a whole crowd of wonderfully warm, intelligent and lively woman. Lucky for me we were all at the same pool playing “skill” level. I use quotations because I’m not sure how much “skill” was actually in this crowd. Myself included!

I am equally honoured to have been invited to Anne-Marie’s wedding on November 25^th. I am looking forward to attending, will bring my camera and will report back to all our blogging friends quickly.

I find myself to be extremely lucky to live close enough to Anne-Marie to go to the wedding. However, knowing her, she wishes that all of us in “blog land” lived close by because I’m sure she would invite the whole gang if it were possible.

So, thank you sis for introducing this great new communication mechanism to me. Even tho you live thousands of kilometers/miles away from me, you introduced me to a new good friend.

Hummm, who do I bring to the wedding? All the men I currently know are either gay, married or in relationships. lol

Is this a symbol for a Canadian hockey goalie on the logo?

You might laugh, but when the 2010 Vancouver Olympic organization announced their logo for the Winter Games, some people thought it was! Good grief.

The Inukshuk, which means "likeness of person" was first used by the Inuit People (aka Eskimos) to mark trails, indicate caches of food, locate nearby settlements as well as to mark good places to hunt or fish. Most of the Canadian arctic is dominated year round by permafrost so it only has a few natural landmarks which can be used for orientation. Thats why Inukshuks are used as directional markers.

The rock Inukshuk embodies the spirit and persistence of the Inuit who live and flourish in Northern Canada, one of the world's harshest environments. Inukshuk's represent strength, leadership and motivation

A few years ago my parents travelled to Canada's north and saw many inukshuks and decided to make one on their lawn.