Short Story

Someone posted this on my facebook.  I don't know who the artist (let me know, if you know) is, but it's very funny.

Memoir - Life

The river runs slower and wider 'til it enters the sea

My life's river flows ... I go to class where I am the oldest student.  I clean the house ... sometimes.  I go to bed and rise the next day. I shower. I cook.  I do the laundry.  Occasionally, I make my bed.  I dust and vacuum. I take care of the daily tasks of living ... just.  I watch TV.  I surf on the net.  I am mostly solitary throughout the day. I grow older.  When last did I plan a picnic?  Go on a hike?  Have a long, hearty conversation with someone?  Where is the sponeneity of my youth?  Little nuggets of it are found along the riverbed ... coffee with a friend, chatting with my children, dinner out.  The challenge of being a young mother, constantly on the go, exploring, discovering, glad to have a moment to myself, are gone.  The fast running, rocky river has widened, slowed, and I am heading for the sea.

Memoir - Studies

I am in the process of studying Earth Environments, which is an introductory geography course.  I am loving it, but I suck at all the mathematical parts such as with mapping, so I failed my first lab exam. Ugh! 

Below are some pics that I took, referencing geographical environments:

Slope

Dunes

Lake

Rocky Coast

Clouds

Karst?

Memoir - Summer 2011, part 2

Langebaan

During our stay in Germany, we decided to take a quick trip to South Africa.  I haven't been back in 15 years, and I was excited to see what has changed.  It was fantastic.  I wish we could've gone for longer than 2 weeks.  We spent time on the westcoast with my sister, then stayed with one of my best friends for just over a week.

Table Mt.

In the southern hemisphere it is winter, but we still went to the beach ..... a lot!  Also, went to the aquarium, the foreshore, visited other family, the wine route (of course), and a bird sanctuary where an owl sat on our heads.  It was a fun trip!

Memoir - Summer 2011, part 1

I sooo wanted to go to Israel this summer, and planned it with my niece and sister.  But, my husband said he could get two free tickets to Frankfurt, close to where my eldest daughter and her family live.  So, off we went to Germany (we = myself and my youngest daughter Mel).  Germany is so different in the summer:  sunny, green, blue skies ... you get the drift.  Not in the least like it was when I visited in the winter. 

We went to little coffee shops, bakeries, a castle in Lundstahl,  and enjoyed time with my grandchildren.  We also went to the local wine farms and bought copious amounts of good sweet wines.  And, we could only take one bottle back.  Ugh!

Photo:  My grandson with his daddy on our trip to the wine country.

Hope and Inspiration = Hi

My Family - Summer 2009

Since having the seizures in 2008 and all that occurred since (see my post "I choose Life"), I have realized that I got through that time with hope for life and the future.  But, I have also been inspired by the stories of others.  Life isn't always easy ... sometimes, it's downright freaking hard.  Do I wish that I had never had a tumor in my brain?  Darned right, I do.  However, I cannot deny the things I have learned from that experience.  Yes, I found out that I'm a pretty courageous gal, but more than that, I surprised myself in how much hope I had with my situation.  This tumor was not your run-of-the-mill, ordinary tumor ... no, this is the second worst that one could have.  I have been inspired by so many people since, for instance, the Nielson couple who appeared on Glenn Beck's show, who received terrible burns from an airplane crash.  I felt the same about being able to feel the prayers and positive thoughts of the people who cared about me.  I cannot be more grateful to them, and to my Heavenly Father, for not forsaking me.  I have other problems in my life, but they are nothing compared to this experience of having a cancerous tumor.

I have always felt throughout my life, that I was one who did not make much of a difference to the world.  I felt that no-one was truly interested in what I had to say or do.  But, since overcoming my cancer, I don't really care anymore about "being heard".  Those who love me, do listen, and I believe God is in Heaven, and He does listen to my prayers.  My faith fluctuates, but my hope never dies, and while there are people and situations that inspire one to carry on regardless of the pain (whether literal or figurative), then life is good.

I think it was Martin Luther King Jr who said: "If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward."   But, while we move steadfastly forward, we should take time to laugh, dance, pray in joy and gratitude, take time for friends and family, for your hobbies and interests. 

CANADA DAY

Canada celebrates it's 144th birthday on this July 1st.  Happy Canada Day to all Canadians.   We are so proud to be citizens (for 7 years now), after moving here 15 years ago.

Canada célèbre son 144e anniversaire sur ce 1er Juillet.Bonne fête du Canada à tous les Canadiens. Nous sommes tellement fiers d'être citoyens (depuis 7 ans maintenant), après avoir emménagé ici il ya 15 ans . (google translated)

News - Royal Visit to Canada

How exciting!  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, better known as Will and Kate, have just arrived in Ottawa, starting their four month tour of Canada.  I remember watching their wedding all night with my daughter.  I thought it was a lovely ceremony ... not as grand as Di and Charles, but rather in keeping with the world as it is now, in my opinion.  They do make a lovely couple.

A fun "I" thingie

... that I borrowed from someone else's blog, who stole it from their friend's blog, and that's as far as it went.  Here it is:

I am - melancholy at the moment

I think - my grandchildren are so cute
I want - to continue learning
I have - great children, and live in a beautiful place
I wish - there was peace worldwide, but that is unlikely to happen
I hate - nothing, but I dislike lies and the decimation of the forests, and the earth's oceans, etc.

I miss - my grandchildren
I fear - I won't have enough time to get to know my grandchildren, and finish what I have started
I feel - hopeful and wondrous at the things I am still learning at this age.  Just amazing planet.
I hear - at this point, I hear the show "Big Bang Theory" at which my son is watching and laughing
I smell - my garden has the smell of spearmint and oregeno
I search - for inner inspiration
I wonder - what my mission on earth is
I regret - shouting at my children ... ever
I love - that my hair grew back after cancer ... and then some.  I also love the laughter of small children.
I always - find pennies in the weirdest places ... even had one fall on me in an empty movie theatre (pennies from heaven?)
I am not - skinny, I am cuddly
I dance - for joy when I am happy
I sing - alone
I don't always - wear make-up, in fact, just lipstick really
I write - on my blog and facebook, but now that it's summer, I am stumped with  writing my stories/poems
I lose - my memory of words sometimes ... thank goodness for thesaurus'
I never - break a promise ... so, it is rare that I make them ... hehehehe
I listen - to the birds in the morning before getting up
I can usually be found - sitting at my desk
I'm scared - of spiders
I read - just about anything, but I do favour sci-fi
I'm happy about - living in the "now"

Food Storage Adventures

My niece introduced me to the joys of food storage.  It comes at a good time, after watching the horrors of the Japan earthquake/tsunami/nuclear disaster.  We here on Vancouver Island, are within an earthquake zone, so it is a good idea to be prepared, and if there is no situation where we would need a year's supply of food ... we have our retirement groceries subsidized. 

I started with 2 starter kits, large bags of rice, powdered milk, powdered potatoes, oil, oats, raisins, canned goods, dried peas, lentils, and whenever I see something on sale, I buy extra.  For instance, I bought extra toothpaste when I saw it going for $1 per tube.  I am far from my 1 year goal, but close to the 3 month storage limit.  I still need to purchase 72hr backpacks, so that's my next goal, plus I need to buy sugar and honey.

I have created a spreadsheet to track what I buy, so that I don't get too much of one thing, and too little of another.  I have set aside a room, with a freezer, and shelf to start the storage.

Memoir - Sundays 2011

One thing we love to do on Sundays, is go to the Fox and Hound pub/restaurant.  By we, I mean, myself and my two children who still live in Nanaimo ... sometimes a friend would come, or their dad if he's home for the weekend.  The restaurant has special roasts on Sundays, such as roast beef or lamb with roast potatoes that are "to die for".  One can play cards at the table, and we usually play rummy while we chat and catch up with the news from the previous week.  Or, just reminisce about family and friends or debate various issues, or tease each other.  It's fun!  I love it!  I don't have to cook ... big plus.

Memoir - My Dad

My dad was a carpenter by trade, working for many years on the South African Railways which he joined on his return from the war (WWII).  Every day he would go to work with his "safari" suit (an outfit with a medium length tunic, shorts above the knees, and worn with long socks and lace up shoes).  He had a hilarious sense of humour, telling funny stories of his childhood around the dinner table.  He enjoyed reading, and was very creative.  I always felt he was a man denied his full potential in life.  He was very intelligent and taught us to respect all people, no matter their colour.  

I don't recall him being a 'huggy' dad, but he did talk to me a lot, perhaps because we had similar interests, such as reading.  I was always happy to make him some tea or coffee, just in case I got a little attention paid to me.  Out of all my siblings, I was the one most interested, I think (my sister always felt I was a 'suck-up').  According to my three elder siblings  (I am the second youngest), he was a tough dad when he was younger, but he was also hard on my younger brother.  I think this is so because I was the most scholarly, and didn't disappoint too much where school marks were concerned.

My dad passed away on September 28, 1973 in the small South African city of East London.  He was 49 years old.  I was 16, for three days. I felt as if my whole world had come to an end.  I wish my children had gotten to know him and my mom, and I had gotten to know them as an adult.

I don't know why, but I always carried one pair of my dad's 'safari' suit socks wherever I moves.  I used them when ice skating.  They were pretty new when he died, but now they are pretty worn.  I like to think that in some way, my dad and I walked/skated/ran/travelled/danced together in those socks. 

I love you, dad, wherever in the universe you may be.

I Stand for Israel

No, I am not Jewish.  Well, maybe a drop of blood, but that was from an ancestor two generations back.  But, if there is any country besides my own, that I will stand beside and help defend in whatever capacity I can, then that country is Israel.  I am so glad that our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper is on their side, and sees it as the only true democratic country in the middle east.  I am sick of the lies and manipulations perpetrated against Israel (and the sacrifices of the "Palestinian" people by the Arabian countries to this "cause").  We see again, the start of another pogrom against the Jews, but this time, it's global.  The general population of the world believe those who are shouting the lies, that there was no holocaust (there most certainly was, where 6 million people were murdered by the nazi regime merely because they were Jewish), that there was a country called Palestine (none ... it was an area within the Ottoman Empire), and so many other histories of that area being rewritten to try and make Israel unlawful as a country or to debunk the history of the Jewish nation.

The Canadian Islamic Congress said:  "It's not time that we speak on who is right and who is wrong. I think it is time that innocent people in Gaza and Israel be protected." I argue that it is more than past the time that we speak of right and wrong.  Why are the Islamic areas not allowing the Palestine people the right to assimilate into their countries?  They are being forced to live in refugee camps by the very people who should be helping them.  After the war, all Jews were evicted from Islamic countries in the area.  Why could no space be made for the refugees who wanted to leave Israel?  Even someone married to a non-Palestinian cannot be a citizen.  (see interesting Aish article)  I have to wonder why Islam is worried about a people who comprise less than 1% of the world's population. 

I urge Christians to read the book, Is G-d finished with Israel? by Alan Turner.   Check out his website at http://members.shaw.ca/menorah/.  It showed me how miraculous it is that Israel even exists today.  I am truly amazed.

Some Historical Links and Current News:
History of Middle East - WW1 to post WW2
PM Harper warns Canadian flotilla members
Christians for Israel
Aish
Murdered at Auschwitz (this story really touched my heart)
Canada Votes Alone for Israel
Glenn Beck stands for Israel
Symbols of Israel - Wikipaedia

Memoir - I Choose Life

I cried for the first time in the shower, while my long hair fell out and curled around my feet, wet and dead. Somehow, I thought I would be spared this, but that was an unrealistic expectation. How silly and egotistical. The neurosurgeon had been so careful not to shave too much hair from my skull during the biopsy, and now his carefulness seemed wasted. He left a very expensive piece of metal in my head; titanium will not set off alarms at any airports. The scar of the operation and the dent made by the metal piece became exposed. It seemed, my disease could no longer be hidden.

My cancer is called oligodendroglioma, “the second worst kind of brain tumour one can have,” my oncologist said. I'm not sure if that was supposed to make me feel better, or more fearful, or if she was just stating the facts. I started calling the tumour, Mr. Ollie, trying to become friends with it, you know, so it will treat me kindly. But, it didn't last long. Once the radiation treatment started, and my hair started falling out, the name changed to that fucking tumour, or freaking tumour out loud.

During a radiation treatment, I would close my eyes and imagine a queen (The Queen of Life, I called her) who directed the rays to my tumour to burn it away, then sink into my veins (rivers) and destroy the tiniest of cancer cells.  She had knights who guarded my healthy cells, and would drive away any monstrous growths, hacking at them.  It sure helps to have a lively imagination.

I told the doctor that I didn't want to know the odds on surviving, or how long I had to live, or stuff like that. “Just treat me, and we'll see what happens,” I said. In other words, I chose life and being limited by numbers and percentages was just too negative for me. If it was my time to go, then it would be so, but I chose to fight for my life. I had things to do, places to go, grandchildren to see who are yet to be born. Life is just too exciting to just passively leave without raging a war against death. Yes, I know that day will come, but until then, I live. I sure learned the lesson of living in the moment, that life is fun, and joyous, spiked with the odd pain so we might know the difference. As the Tao Te Ching says, “to live till you die is to live long enough.”

I had children for which I was trying to set an example, so I tried to show my strength, which I gained from them. They were my rock, and took good care of me, since my husband had to travel a lot on business, and I was unable to drive due to the seizures. We hugged a lot, watched funny movies, talked and even had an argument or two. No-one can keep up the pressure of being nice all the time. 

My Visualization Picture

I disliked it when people said, “I'm so sorry,” in that voice of dripping pity, as if you're on your death bed already. Not everyone had that tone, but there was the rare one. Or, “you are so brave,” as if I had a choice. I knew they were just being kind, but it irked me, nonetheless. They couldn't see the days where I was so tired, all I could do was sleep for hours, drink copious amounts of water and juice because my mouth was so dry. Sometimes, I woke up in the middle of the night, sweating with fear. And then, gratefully fell asleep because the drugs made me that tired. I learned the power of prayer during those dark, lonely nights. My friends knew the struggle I had and they added their prayers and positive thoughts to mine.

Once out of the radiation treatment, I had a month break, then onto chemotherapy. The chemotherapy drug was in capsule form, which I could swallow at home. I was fortunate that my blood had the markers that would give this form of chemotherapy a good chance to work. I still had to go for MRI's every six months, and the first one after the end of chemotherapy, showed the cancer was clear, and still clear after the next MRI six months later. My doctor informed me in June 2010 that henceforth, I would only have them annually. And I can drive after more than a year of taking the bus or relying on someone to drive me. Life is good. Yeeeesssss!

“I had better not get run over by a bus now,” I said to my husband, as we walked out of the cancer centre building. 

[Note: I am due for my next MRI and oncological appointment at the end of this month.  And, my hair has grown back thick and irritatingly curly.  :)]

Cooking - Poached Eggs

This morning I felt like poached eggs for brekkies, and I didn't feel like going out to a restaurant. Can't be that difficult to make, I thought. Now, I can make delish soup, and stew, and I've been known to do a good omellette (occasionally). But, poached eggs is something new. So, off to google I went. This is what I got - http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/easy_poached_eggs/.  I like that they have pictures.  I did use the mason jar ring because I was afraid I would make a congealed mess if I plonked the eggs straight into the boiling water.  I did not use vinegar - just straight water.  It worked!  My poached eggs looked the same as the picture depicted on the linked recipe.  Really!  It did.  I can now make poached eggs.  They are less fattening, and one gets a better taste of the yummy yolk.

News - A long time coming

Bin Laden is no more.  Gone to feed the fish.  I don't know whether it was the right thing to bury him at sea, but it's done now ... he cannot be exhumed from water.  I watched the people celebrating at Ground Zero, NY square, and at the White House (I'm sure in many other places too) on tv, and I am so uncomfortable with applauding the death of a life, no matter how despised.  But, he is gone.  I am curious to know who will replace him.  Terrorism is not over, and never will be.  It's just the intensity that varies, and where it shows it's ugly face.

I think of that day on September 11, 2001 and the images remembered.  How sad and unnecessary all those deaths were.  But, we all must die, and those families and friends left behind will be reunited with their loved ones in time. 

I pray that the hearts of those who plan for the deaths of others, will be softened and calmer heads prevail.  I pray for the soldiers who went to war because of this outrageous attack on America, whether wisely sent or not.  I pray for all the leaders of the world to humble themselves, and know that they will one day be judged according to their actions.  I pray for love and peace.  Amen.

Politics - Canadian Elections

I am voting for the Conservative Party ... I don't see any other present leader that I feel can do the job of running the country, except Harper. 

Stephen Harper has been one of the best prime ministers in Canadian history, in my opinion, and came at a time when he was really needed, given this depression in which the world has found itself battling.  He's not perfect, but he has done good by our country.  I shudder to think what would've happened if the Liberals had been in power, and tremble at the very idea of the NDP being in control of our countries coffers during this economic depression.  We would've been in a far worse situation than we find ourselves in now (which is actually one of the best worldwide).

News - Royal Wedding

Gosh! So tired still! My daughter and I watched the royal wedding on Thursday night ... finished around 5am our time, with the double kiss.  I am glad it's over.  There was so much cover leading up to the event, that I was quite sick of it.  Of course, now the critique of the wedding begins, but it's rather anti-climactic since it's over. 

What I thought of the wedding?  I loved the dress .... the lace was just enough fanciness, off set with the classic lines of the rest of the dress.  The train was not too long for one person to manage, and compared to Princess Di's wedding, this one was quite simple and elegant.  I loved the little pages and bridesmaids.  So cute!

The now duke and duchess will be visiting Canada in June/July 2011. 

Holidays - Easter

I had a lovely Easter weekend.  No more small children at home to hunt for eggs, but I made roast lamb for my two adult children on Sunday, and they seemed to enjoy it.  My 18 year old daughter made some chocolate cookies.  We also caught up with the BBC TV series, Dr. Who.

But, throughout, I did remember the reason for Easter.  That day, Jesus Christ gave up his life for our sins, and then three days later overcame death, to rise up to Heaven to be at his Father's side.  Miracles then, and a miracle for us today.

My Opinion - Dreams

"Dreams" have many meanings:

1. There is the nightly purge of our daily angst which allows us to function clearly. 
2. Then there is the aspirations and desires we might have for our lives ... the dreams of how we would like our lives to be.
3. Daydreaming, or imagining things ... this is a creative function, that could include brainstorming.
4. Negatively ... it could be nightmares, illusions, wishful thinking and fantasies.

Life should be a matter of balance.  We should plan, but also dream.  I, for instance, am planning to be a writer (my dream) by going to university to get a degree in creative writing.  While studying, I write, and what I write is critiqued by my fellow students and I get feedback from my instructor.  And so, I improve, and get closer to my dream of earning a living from being a writer.  But, until then, I do what I enjoy ... in essence, the dream is ever present, ever evolving, whether published or not.
Edgar Cayce said: "Dreams are today's answers to tomorrow's questions."  I believe him.

News - Conservative Party of Canada

I support the Conservative Party in the Canadian elections.  I feel that PM Stephen Harper has got our country through a bad economic time, and we are in a better shape than most countries.  He is also a friend to Israel, hard on crime, and supports low taxes. I like that his wife is Canadian, and so are his children.  I don't know why I like that fact, since I am an immigrant, but I came to Canada to be a Canadian, so that must have something to do with it.  I loved how he handled himself during the english Debate.  The liberals call him cold, but I think he's cool, calm, and collected ... he states his case, and doesn't get all riled up.  From my perspective, to be a Canadian is to be cool and calm and collected.  We are not ones for revolution, and uprisings (... Ignatieff's, "rise up, rise up Canada" speech sounded so ... sorry to say it, but it sounded like an Obama speech ... "yes, we can" tirade).  We are a quiet people, slow to anger, fast to help when someone is in trouble, we stand by our friends, and we don't follow blindly.  I see all that, and more, in Stephen Harper.

I want more jails to keep dangerous people out of society longer than their 1/6th that they presently serve.  How many times have rapists been let out early, only to rape again?  The same can be said for paedophiles. I also want criminals from other countries to sent back despite a possible death sentence.  Who are we to judge the laws of another country, and harbour criminals that can do the same thing in our own country?  I hope this changes.
Some things I would like the CP government to work on:  immigration policy that makes it easier for families to be together, but harder for criminals and terrorists to get in;  smaller government (i.e. I am not keen on the setting up of an office for religious freedom - doesn't make sense to me since we are guaranteed that in the Bill of Rights); and lowering the power of unions while strengthening the rights of the worker through the government, whether provincial or federal (I find that some unions will commit economic suicide for their members just for the sake of making a point and/or gaining more power for themselves); and, more research on green technology, and stricter rules on plastic bottled water.  I would like the rivers and oceans cleaned of pollution, our air breathable for asthmatics, etc.  But, there has to be balance in all things.  We, the people of Canada, can do a lot to fix things instead of relying on our government to do everything.  And, I think most of us do, such as recycling, having campaigns against plastic bottles, switch off your lights, and so on.  We don't need our government to think for us, to have a finger in every part of our lives. 

I hope the CP gets a majority government this time.

Life - Good Friday

It has been a quiet Good Friday spent researching for new stories, and catching up with house cleaning/laundry.  My daughter and I are also watching the Dr. Who marathon. 

I have been reading about the subgenre of sci-fi: steampunk.  I find this genre quite intriguing.  I've always loved trains, particularly steam trains ... I was a railway kid.  I also enjoy the Victorian era history/fashion/architecture, and the authors of that time, for example, Jules Verne.  I have not written much sci-fi ... just tried my hand at one for my latest assignment, and found it exciting to imagine other worlds, other sciences, etc.  I am hoping to stretch that story into a novel.

I am going to write a short story encapsulating a steampunk world.

Travel - Brugge in Belgium

I was lucky to spend a wonderful weekend in Brugge in Belgium early March 2011, with an old friend who I hadn't seen in more than 30 years.  The city was magical, seeing my friend was amazing, and we had an awesome time walking around, going to pubs, quaint restaurants, into beautiful churches/cathedrals, over bridges, and talking/laughing into the night.  I was so happy to find a Tin Tin store where I bought a poster. 
Here is a website of the city:  http://www.brugge.be/internet/en/index.htm

My Opinion - Attitude



Grandpa sandwiched



Charles Swindoll said about attitude: "The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.  The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you ... we are in charge of our Attitudes." 



Attitude is what changes the outcomes of our experiences in life whether good or bad.  If you want a positive life, then you need to have a positive point of view ... a happy attitude.  The only person we can control is ourselves, and the reactions we have toward situations or people.  Of course, we can't always be in this mindset .... sad things happen that require a melancholy attitude, but one must not forget that it needs not be a negative, rather a thoughtfulness about what has occurred.  For instance, a death of a beloved family member does not mean one has to be negative, but have loving memories of that person.

Reading/Review - The Library Cat of all Library Cats

I've just read Dewey by Vicki Myron (with Bret Witter).  I loved it.  It's so nice to read a true story of something/someone about which so many people know, but is new to me.


It's a non-fiction story about a small-town library cat who became quite famous.  It's also about the librarian's relationship with Dewey, and by extension, the town.  I definitely would recommend this to anyone who loves animals, particularly ginger cats (you know who you are).  Or, just enjoys a good real-life story.  Or, likes libraries.  Or, loves small towns, specifically, in Iowa, U.S.A.  I will be passing this book on to someone who fits into the above category. 


The author said she learned the following from Dewey:
"Find your place. Be happy with what you have. Treat everyone well. Live a good life. It isn't about material things; it's about love. And you can never anticipate love."


The epilogue was thought provoking, especially the above, and the story about what happened to Vicki when she was 3 years old.
Website:  http://www.deweyreadmorebooks.com/

News - Strike!

Our university faculty association has been on strike since March 11, 2011.  It is becoming ridiculous now.  It is pretty much the provincial government's fault, having withdrawn a lot of funding from universities province wide.  As I understand it, the administration cannot mediate with money they don't have; the association wants a clause in their contract protecting them from lay-offs (I cannot imagine anyone in this economy being protected in such a manner unless they have tenure).  There is also some issue with cutting courses from programs.  To be fair, the faculty has been working without a contract in place for some time now, and this should've been sorted out by the administration last year.

So, it seems like there is a deadlock.  We students are caught in the middle.  I just think that the faculty is playing with fire ... killing the golden goose, in a way.  Many students are thinking of withdrawing from programs to work, or just fed-up and going to other universities in other provinces.  We are not a university with many rich students.  There are loans to be paid, bursaries to be honoured, savings to be made.  We still have many trades programs from our university-college days, and these students are having a hard time.  Their instructors are not part of the faculty association, but they are barred from crossing the picket line.

The funny thing, to me, is that these are professional people who are part of an association .... not a union.  But, they act as if they're in one.  And it irritates me that they are not honouring the service they promised to provide, by taking our money.  In essence, that money is now stolen money.  The time we have had no classes is stolen time.  I mean both adminstration and faculty .... they should've come to an agreement sooner than this - four weeks and counting.

Life - Waiting for the Baby

When will the baby arrive?  All this waiting is driving me mad, and I'm just the grandma!!!  Another week to go.  My poor daughter is at the end of her tether.

Holidays - The New Year Begins

It's January 3 already!  Not two seconds ago, it seems, I was preparing snacks for a party on New Years Eve.  It was a fun party, by the way.  Eight of us just chatting, having a few drinks (champagne at midnight), snacking on snacks, and listening to music.  Then we turned the tv on for the countdown.  Yet, here I am, already thinking about my course at uni ... I have to get my laptop up to scratch because it's a third year online short story writing class.  I am doing an online course because I will be away for two months in Germany, assisting my daughter while she has her third baby.  I am so excited.  I will be doing a lot of writing, picture taking, and sketching with all the inspiration of a new environment.