My History

 “The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” - Winston S. Churchill.

I've been having fun this evening, checking out places I went to school as a kid (e.g., Lord Tweedsmuir Elementary School (where I learned a little French from Madame Macnamara), remembering childhood friends, churches I attended as a youth, my baptism, my 2 years of attendance at Caronport Bible College, etc.

Sadly, I also remember the passing of my father, two brothers, many aunts and uncles, the loss of some relatives during WW2, my Grannie on the porch at 1718 7th Avenue in New Westminster where I lived for a while and watched my Grandfather cook pancakes on the stovetop after wiping it down with waxed paper and getting some jam from the cooler on the side of the house (kept cool by blocks of ice delivered by horse and wagon) , later living next to Oakalla Prison in Burnaby, remembering a German immigrant who lived with us for awhile and had a bicycle with wooden fenders, working at a lumber mill in Burnaby (on the green chain which I still have scars to remind me) and on and on.

All of this reminiscing was triggered by watching Knowing Your Roots on last tonight's PBS show (too many memories to think about very early on the morning May 10th, 2023).

Cheers from an old man starting his 80th decade!

Remembering My Dad

 I often think of my dad as I live more years than he was able to have.

One of my favorite memories was of him on Georgian Bay with his hammer, knocking apart pieces of shale, looking for fossils.  He did find some and later showed them to me.

He died of a heart attack some years later. I never thought I'd live past 60 but here I am, still kicking at 79.

Cheers, everyone!

👴

Wow .... 79!!!

Yes, I'll be 79 on May 6th. Maybe, I should be crowned?! But you won't have to pledge any allegiance to me.  👍

Cheers!

All Those Shots I've Gotten Lately

Three covid and one tetanus vaccines lately.  Sounds like I might have to get another booster soon, depending on pending Health Canada recommendations.  I'm still on nightly insulin shots and all sorts of pills to keep my diabetes in check.  Recently I had to get new progressive prescription lens also.  I recently did a covid self test and was negative.

On the dog front, We had to put Mollie to sleep last month when she reached 17 years of age and could no longer function with life; we really miss her.  Gus is now on special pills to keep his weight low and we have special stuff to keep his ears from wax buildup.

Hope all is well with my friends and family out there.

What George Clooney and I Have in Common

Give up? Our birthday is the same: May 6!  Who was born on the same day of your birth?  Not necessarily the same year, of course.

News of Late at our Place

That garage door you see just had the springs that open and close it were replaced today. One of them broke yesterday.  It sounded like an explosion in the garage.  Replacement every 30 years or so is okay, I guess (thought it wasn't cheap).

We have had our 3 vaccinations for covid now.  Sounds like we may have to get another someday soon.  Seems like everyone in my Winnipeg family has had covid now.  I wonder if I have had it too.  Guess I should self-test soon.

The dogs are still kicking.  Mollie is 17; Gus is 7.  Don't know how long Mollie will last.  This may be her last winter.  We all have to go eventually I suppose.

Languishing

 My favorite cousin Barb, in her latest blog post (https://reflectivethoughtsbybarbara.blogspot.com) used the word "languishing" to describe waiting for her second covid shot and worrying about friends and relatives getting covid. Margaret and I are in the same position now after we got our first shot today.

Read her blog post for a more detailed discussion and in better words than I could ever write.

Chipping Away

 Today I went to the dentist for my 6-month dental hygienist visit.  I had to go through quite the covid safety protocol before awaiting the hygienist to come and fetch me for the chair.  Oh, joy.  When I could speak to her, as she changed tools, I kept asking "are we there yet?"  Eventually, she handed me a new tooth brush and said yes.  To finally leave the building, I had to tap my credit card and ask them to call my wife to come pick me up.  It was so good to get back home. 

Merry Christmas 2020

This afternoon, Margaret visited her Aunt Lil at the Carman Personal Care Home. It's one of the few covid-free Homes in the province of Manitoba. They have a very rigorous protocol to follow to enter the facility.

So, now, it's Christmas Eve here in covid-red country. It will be Christmas Day (so, Merry Christmas!) before I finish writing this epistle. Earlier in the evening, Greg and Josi dropped off some Christmas presents for Margaret and me (from a safe distance on the front steps). We passed their gifts to them, too)

We watched the Christmas Eve Service of the United Church here in Winnipeg on the TV. We used to go there in person (it's much better that way). The only one in the church was the minister. Everything else was done remotely (acapella singing and instruments). It was very well done! Marg sang along with the remote choir - I didn't embarrass myself by trying to sing with her.

Margaret will deliver some gifts to Mike and Tasha on Boxing Day (also from a safe distance). Will our world ever return to normal? I'm wondering, now when we'll get our covid vaccinations. Time will tell.

The 2019 Annual Letter That Died

I never did get to write my annual letter.  Maybe, it was time that tradition ended?  We'll see if I can do a 2020 Christmas letter.  Maybe, if I start now?

Christmas and New Years are history.  Just good memories of getting together with family.  First, with Margaret's family here at our place (including her aging Aunt Lil).  Then, with my "kids" and their kids at Josi and Greg's place in LaSalle.  So much good food!

We've experienced some mild weather and some bitterly cold weather.  For example, the wind chill was -34°C one morning.  A few days later it bounces up to -7°C.  A hint of Spring on the way.

The crows are coming back now.  I expect to hear Canada geese overhead soon.  Then, we'll be able to sit out on the back deck again.  I'm looking forward to that!  We'll also be able to air out the house, with windows open front and back, at least during the daytime hours.

Merry Christmas to Family and Friends

Christmas is fast approaching with opportunities to see family and friends again. I hope I find all of them hale and hearty. I also hope I get my annual holiday letter written and emailed out while it's still timely. All I can do is try . . .

The Whole Earth Catalog is now History

The last Whole Earth Catalog was published in 2018. Like all the earlier editions, it was packed with gems of ideas and pointers on the tools one could use in getting back to nature. I remember having a early edition. It was a big book.

It was about an inch thick and the pages measured 11×14 inches. I don't remember what happened  to it. I guess, at some point, I recycled it. The best thing about it was that it made me think about the environment.

Other books that made us think about the environment were Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, Walden by David Thoreau, and Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat (who grew up in Richmond Hill, Ontario!).

With climate change now apparent, we are seeing a host of new invasive species (e.g., the emerald ash borer) challenging our Canadian environment. Hardly a day goes by that there are not reminders  that our planet is in peril from climate change.

Yes, It's Spring Once Again

Overnight, I heard some geese fly over the house. I hope they didn't do their usual trick of pooping on the roof of my Escape. Yes, Spring. Double digit high temperatures are forecast for this Sunday. That should mean the remaining snow in our yard will be gone. More may dust the ground and then disappear but that's okay. Of course, there still could be a big snowfall yet, even in May. It has happened before. Time will tell.

Sounds of Spring

I just heard a few geese calling as they flew over the house. I hope they find nourishment somewhere. There doesn't seem to be many places with open water, except along some spots in our local rivers. Of course, they can land in fields and eat any grains left from last fall's combining.