Flying High
November 4, 2009
The end of October was a busy time for us. Both of my “older” grandkids graduated from high school and the graduation ceremony was scheduled for October 23rd.
The grandkids live in a small town near London, Ontario. Not wanting to miss such a monumental moment in their lives, their dad (Paul), BJ, Zach, Roland and I hopped on a West Jet flight.
Any concerns about how an 11 month old might deal with such a trip were quickly put to rest. Little Zach turned out to be a great little traveler.
This was my first time visiting their quaint little town and I must admit to being quite impressed. I loved the rolling country side, dotted with red barns and cornfields. The explosion of autumn colour made me realize how much I was missing our own usual (but not this year) fall display here in Manitoba. I was glad to be able to get my fill.
| For the most part, the weather was cold and wet (seems to be the way of it this year no matter where we go) but that didn’t stop us from seeing the sights and checking out a London Mall. |  |
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The town itself is small but its high school (from which the kids were graduating) has a large catchment area that includes much of the surrounding communities. We were surprised to hear that the graduating class would number over 200.
Even more surprising was the turn out.
We left early for the ceremony… but not nearly early enough. By the time we arrived at the school, parking spots were at a premium, the place was packed.
As we tumbled out of our van and grabbed the stroller from the back for Zach, we were a bit surprised at the numbers and the continual stream of proud parents and children filing into the school.
We quickly joined the flow and let it lead us to an already packed gymnasium. Luckily we were able to grab the last few seats on the side bleachers near the back of the room.
Even after every seat was taken, people continued to enter, quickly filling any standing room and then over flowing back through the doors and into the hallway.
I wondered and marveled at the attendance. So much love and pride on so many faces. The ceremony hadn’t even begun and already I could feel the tears and the excitement.
As the lights lowered and all those in attendance rose for the singing of “Oh Canada”, I knew I was in for an emotional ride. There was just something so satisfying about seeing all of these people come together to partake in the celebration of promise for so many of our young people.
The support and pride emanating from those around us had a palpable nature, enveloping us with that sweetest of emotions.. hope … not only for those being acknowledged, but for the future of everyone there, young and old. I felt humbled and honoured to be a part of it.
Sitting through such a long ceremony was not the easiest of endeavours for wee Zach but he managed to hold it together to see his brother and sister receive their diplomas.
Way to go Zach!
Way to go Chris and Cynni!!!
Grandma is so proud.
And the Living is Easy
October 17, 2009
My sleep lifts just enough to sense the soundless pitter-pat of little paws suddenly materializing at the foot of the bed and marching up to just short of my face. My eyes still closed in a futile attempt at feigning sleep, I hear the beginnings of a low-pitched purr and feel the faint brush of a soft nose and pointy whiskers against my cheek… little kitty kisses.
My smile beats my eyes at opening and Bear lets out his morning meow, knowing he has won.
Sadie, in her bed next to ours, now stands and leans in so that her face is resting right next to Bear. Now two sets of eyes greet mine. Coco, ever the last to stir, remains warm and snuggled under the comforter.
I lift my arm from under the covers and give my demanding Bear his morning pat. Sadie’s tail starts vibrating in anticipation. Ever hopeful, she tentatively reaches up with her big paw and rests it beside her big nose.
As I reach over to remove Sadie’s paw and give her sweet face a rub, I remember about today and a little cheer inwardly escapes.
Is there any better feeling than waking up to the first day of vacation? I think not.
and on another happy note:
This past week my grandson Chris was in town to attend the Metallica concert with his dad. Here he is with his wee brother Zach. I look at this photo and my grandmother heart simply melts and overflows.
A Time to Give Thanks
October 13, 2009
“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” ~ Meister Eckhardt
Yesterday the kids, grandkids and my mom made it over to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. We shook tradition up a bit this year by serving Roland’s most wonderful Lasagna. Even to me.. the combo of Lasagna and pumpkin pie seemed a little far fetched.. but none-the-less, it went down very well. :-)
With the two grandbabies closing in on 10 months,you may well imagine the chaotic scene at the dinner table. Babies being fed in-between parents fork-fulls, spoons being banged to mimic drums, cries from the floor, little ones demanding more lap time, laughter and motion from all sides. I sometimes found it difficult to carry any particular conversation from beginning to end.. but what fun! I am sure the tone has now been set for any future family dinners. :-)
I was too busy to focus much time on picture taking … but I did land this one, which I rather like… the two babies sitting front and center with their great grandmother looking on while trying to catch some of the Blue Bomber football game on the TV.
This morning the pumpkin pie is history… but the gratitude lives on.
First Snow
October 10, 2009
This year I feel as if I am stuck in a perpetual “wait and see” mode .. first for summer, then for fall. Neither one really materialized. It’s a strange year, that’s for sure.
Since the heavy frost two nights ago, the leaves are falling… but they are covering the lawn and gathering in the gutters still green. Many of the trees lining our street continue to carry a full plumage of green, showing off very little in the way of fall colours. It just all seems kind of weird.
And now, as of last night, snow.
This morning the ground is white. Flowers, still in pots, peek through a blanket of snow.
The lawn furniture and umbrella still sit on the patio, a colourful contradiction to the now wintry scene.
Anyway.. no time to sit and pout. Sadie and I are out and about early, hoping to grab some first-snow photos.
Coco was out as well… but only for a second. And poor Bear… his time outside was even shorter.
I think the furkids are feeling as weather-confused as we humans.
Of course Sadie couldn’t be happier. I guess I may as well follow her lead. :-)
October First… how can that be!
October 1, 2009
I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that the calendar is reading October 1st. It hasn’t been our usual summer or fall .. that’s for sure. Cold and dreary for much of July and August, thankfully September stepped in to save the year and our sanity. Summer in September, who would have thought.
Secretly I think a part of me is still yearning for our summer-that-wasn’t, but too bad, so sad. Reality, in the form of Jack Frost, has come a knockin’.
In the space of a week my garden has gone from finally displaying red tomatoes to once more being a patch of turned earth. Too quick for this old girl to take it in I suspect.
All that aside, with the cooler days and depleted number of mosquitoes , the dogs and I have had some glorious walks out back in the field behind our house. Much of the prairie grass is starting to show fall colours… rich waves of red and yellow.
I have always believed that the trees and the geese… they know… and that seems to have remained true even during this upside-down year. The leaves on most trees have held on to their green, and the geese, although seen practicing their V formations, have yet to fill our sky.
But last night I heard more than saw them. The night sky was alive with their waves of leave-taking calls. I knew the time had come.
The sight and sound of the geese gathering and flying over head is bitter sweet. Their honking in the distance and then the whoosh-whoosh sound of their wings as they pass directly overhead leaves me feeling small and in awe. I sometimes feel that it is the prairie equivalent of standing by the ocean… imparting that same sense of wonder.
As much as I wish it wasn’t so, October seems to have arrived. Time to let all summer thoughts go and get with the program. Now if only I could remember where I tucked away that box of sweaters.
Good Times and Good Friends…
September 21, 2009
After many forwarded, and some frantic emails along with a few mix-ups with duties and dates, the “4-of-us” finally nailed down a time and a place. Thank goodness for Sue who realized the errors as well as the comedy in our ways and set us all straight. :-)
“OK everyone before we all get our feathers all flustered (in other words we don’t want to make this a fluster cluck) — Jenn thought we were doing breakfast this weekend. We are actually doing breakfast on September 19th which is the weekend after the one coming up. So…is everyone agreed that we are on for September 19th?????”
Too funny! Now not only did we have a date … but a new name as well.
The ‘fluster cluck four’
I love these girls… friends from high school and now sharing grandbabies. How special is that!
Having met for more of a breakfast than a lunch, by the time I got back home it was still early in the day. The first thing I noticed on entering my door and shooing out the dogs was the blinking of my answering machine.
“Hi Colleen… couldn’t make it to the lake this weekend. Are you up for a coffee or a walk? Give me a call.”
Are you kidding me?? On such a beautiful summer-like September day… this was perfect. I quickly called BRD back and set up a time. Assiniboine park, we decided, would be our destination.
A short time later we were on our way through some of the most beautiful of Winnipeg’s streets to one of the best of our city parks. ..the still green leafed trees dabbled with the streaming sun, all windows rolled down.
And then we did what BRD and I do… we walked, and talked and shared our lives. The day was glorious…. perhaps one of the warmest of the year… hard to believe that September was more than half past.
BRD aptly thought that our photographer
“captured our past nicely behind us”.
That had me chuckle. :-)
With this “Summer in September” happening … the park and the gardens were a happy place to be. Many smiling faces, both young and old, enjoyed the day and shared our path. Sunshine brings smiles.. of that I am sure.
The two of us meandered about, following the park paths, eventually ending up at the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden. Here, many of the blooms were still on display, but every once in a while a lone loose leaf could be seen drifting down to the earth, a gentle reminder to embrace the moment, for this too would pass.
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At the end of the afternoon and with once more arriving at my back door, my heart felt full to overflowing. How blessed am I to have such friends and such a day!
“Are we going to be friends forever?” asked Piglet. “Even longer,” Pooh answered.
~A.A. Milne
T’is the Season… or so they say
September 17, 2009
The guys with the new windows arrived just when they said they would. By eight AM two burly fellows were lifting the new front and side windows and the new back door and frame from their truck and laying them against the back fence. The men coming to do the installation were booked for noon and we were ready for them. All the furniture had been moved into the center of the rooms and all the window treatments had been removed.
Roland and I were so excited, this was a long anticipated day. Our house is 2o years old and the original windows are in bad need of replacement. Both the large side and front windows have broken seals and almost always carry condensation between the panes. Plus, with winter coming, we are looking forward to a less drafty home.
After checking out the new windows and door, I sauntered around trying to envision how the new windows would look once in place.
What I saw once I got to the front of the house had me stop in my tracks.
Were those little flying things seemingly bobbing about at the top of the window…were they wasps?? And what were they doing, coming and going from the top of the siding?? Could it be… oh no… I think it was!
“ROOOOOOLAND!”
As my hubby rounded the corner to where I stood the first thing he saw was me standing there frozen with my finger pointed upward, “Look!”
“What?” he said, probably wondering why I was acting so daffy.
“Look at those wasps, I think they might have a nest in the siding.”
Both of us just stood there in silence….. looking upward, not wanting to see what we were seeing.
Long story short…. yes there is a nest. And no, the windows did not get installed.
*sigh*
This morning Roland is off to the “Bug Store” to buy some special tracking powder that he will squirt into the siding cracks. We have been told by the bug experts that this should do the job in 2-3 days.
Later today the window guys will install the dining room window and the back door. The front window will be rescheduled sometime after the wasp threat is over.
Roland and I were feeling pretty stressed about all of this yesterday. Today we’re seeing it in a better light. What can you do except go with the flow.. or at least try to. :-)
And as my sister, Dia reminded me,
“if you wanna hear God laugh, just tell Him your plans.”
Happiness is….
September 11, 2009
Sadie doing what Sadie does.
Pushing the Clouds Away
September 9, 2009
As I pulled out of our driveway, a quick glance to the western sky showed promise. After a day of grey skies and rain the sun seemed to be making an attempt to peek out from underneath the lifting clouds.
“Good,” I thought, “just in time.”
I was on my way to The Forks to meet BRD for a walk and a talk, rain or shine… but shine would be better.
The ride there was a mixed bag of needing window wiper blades and/or sun glasses but by the time I parked my car the clouds looked to have won.
At least for now the rain had stopped and the air was still… kind of nice actually.
Practically arriving at the same time, there was BRD with her dog, Lad, a nine year old Australian Shepherd.
“Shall we eat or walk.”
“Lets walk.”
And that is what we did.
We talked and walked along the river path, Lad following close behind. The river was quiet and calm, a couple of waddling ducks seeming to be our only companions.
As we walked the rain slowly started… soft and gentle. More like a mist than a rain. BRD popped open her umbrella, I lifted my hoody.
Our meandering took us across the Provencher Bridge and into St. Boniface. Before we knew it, we had unthinkingly arrived at the corner of Paul and BJ’s street.
“You know,” I said “I think I may have left my umbrella there… do you mind if we check?”
And that is what we did. A quick stop, a knock, and sure enough … there it was, my umbrella… just a small one. Just suitable for one, but at least now we each had our own.
“Would you like a drink… or even a ride back to The Forks,” BJ was kind enough to offer.
“No we’re good.”
And we set off again. Only now the mist had turned into more of a rain… still gentle but leaving more of an impression on our clothes and sandaled feet.
Still, it was nice.
I realized while we walked, that even thought we had had more grey days than sun this summer I had yet to enjoy a walk in the rain. This moment was perfect for that. The streets were quiet, the air was still. Looking towards the river it seemed that a cloud had simply drifted down to touch the earth, wrapping us in this gentle shower.
A good friend, a good dog and a gentle September rain…. another sweet memory to tuck away.
Clouds are not the cheeks of angels, you know.
They’re only clouds.
Friendly sometimes, but you can never be sure.If I had longer arms, I’d push the clouds away,
or make them hang above the water somewhere else.
But, I’m just a man, who needs and wants
mostly things he’ll never have,
looking for that thing hardest to find – himself.I’ve been going a long time now,
and along the way I’ve learned a few things.
You have to make the good times yourself.
Take the little times and make them big times,
and save the times that are alright for those that aren’t so good.
I’ve never been able to push the clouds away by myself.
help me..
please.“Pushing the Clouds Away”
taken from the “The Sea”
a collection of poetry by Rod McKuen
Grandma Brag
September 6, 2009
With four of the best grandkids ever… a little brag now and then is to be expected.
Today’s brag is all about Chris.
This video clip says it all.
Rock on Star Child.
Grandma loves you. :-)
