I LIKE THAT

The Chicken Coop Incident

2012-02-07T17:52:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT my sonand I played together, laughed out loud, and hugged each another long enough toabsorb each other’s energy. I discovered unconditional love the moment I knew Iwas pregnant.

My sweet boy was born in Edmonton, Alberta and after ourrelease from the hospital we returned to our forty-acre hobby farm in Millet, asmall farming community approximately fifty-five kilometers south of thecapital city. My husband, at the time, worked in the nearby city of Wetaskiwinwhile my son and I worked the farm. Our daily rituals included collecting theeggs from the chicken coop, feeding the chickens and the four charolais bulls,each weighing around 500 kilograms, cleaning the barn, picking weeds from thegarden in the summer, and shoveling a path from our home to the barn and coop,and to the main road in the winter. Regardless of the weather, if my boy and Ihad to go outside it meant packing him into a baby carrier. Loaded up, Iperformed our duties without incident until one day when one of the bulls decided he wanted to join us in the chicken coop. I heard him snort and Iturned around to face his huge skull flanked by two large eyes scanning my sonand I from top to bottom.

“Get out!” I shouted.

He didn’t move and I knew it would take some shoving on mypart to move him back. It’s not common for a steer to walk backward. I wasstuck with what to do until I increased the grip on my flat shovel. I lifted itup and brought it down hard on his forehead. He turned his head and led therest of his body away from us. He was angry and pawed the ground with his front hoof. That signal was enough of a warning for me to slam the chicken coopdoor behind us and run for it. We scrambled over the locked fence and ran to the house. My son and I celebrated our safety with a warm bottle ofmilk for him and a cool drink of lemonade for me.

Get back Mr. Charolais!

The Good, Too Bad and the Ugly

2012-01-14T16:11:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT FRANK AND Igo walking every morning on the sidewalks, roads and alleyways of CampbellRiver. I bring along my camera and take shots of things that catch my eye. I’veprepared a patchwork of pictures for you to see the goodness that exudes from the city and also what might seem ugly..

One of the many features I appreciate about a big city isthe pedestrian crosswalk sign with blinking lights. I press the action buttonand wait patiently for the traffic to stop. Frank and I amble across the road and continue our urban hike. As we stride down toward the ocean,our spectacular view gets wider and more breathtaking. It’s a magnificent destination.

As we pass by a storm drain, I wince at the condition of it.It is covered with debris, pinecones and pine needles so deep that it iscompletely unrecognizable. I know what’s under the cluster of rubbish becausefive months ago, during the summer, it was clear. However, because the City ofCampbell River is sporting such a tight budget, the drains are ignored. That’stoo bad!

When it comes to ugly, my personal list begins with tagging.I find it offensive, repugnant and most of all, very difficult to remove. Thestatement it sends to visitors to our city is that we don’t care, but on thecontrary, some of us mind very much about the condition of our home.

Welcome to Campbell River.

In the eye of the beholder

From Here to Eternity

2012-01-07T12:43:00.000-08:00

Today, I was daydreaming for a few minutes on what my lifemight look like in the future. From here to eternity is a long time so I had tonarrow it down to a week. My future stems from my past and recently, I wasinterviewed by Ms. Marjorie Greaves, a Video Journalist for Shaw TV on NorthVancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

The video came about from my having had my essay printed bya publisher in Ohio, USA. I was the only Canadian submission chosen. Thepublisher sent out a press release to several local newspapers, radio stationsand Shaw TV, our local Campbell River broadcast station. When Ms. Greaves calledme to see if I would be interested in being filmed, I was flattered andhumbled. She booked a time to come to my home and she made me comfortable withthe process right away.

I hope you enjoy the video.

Between now and next week, I will be joining a yoga class.What are you up to these days?

Reflections of Women

Eternally grateful for my life

Packing a Bear Gerber

2011-12-31T15:08:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT Frankgears up for hikes, no matter the destination. On the last day in December 2011, we bundled up for awinter hike on one of the Campbell River trails. I sported a wooltoque, a puffy down-filled coat, gloves, running shoes, a scarf and a smallbackpack to hold my camera, water bottle, tissues and lip protector.

Frank wore his tam, a military-style camouflage jacket, wool kiltand socks, hiking boots, and his Gerber Bear Grylls fixed-blade knife with itsattached high-shrill whistle.

We parked our vehicle on the driveway of the Elk RiverTimber trail, walked around the barrier and headed down the wide path. I wasfascinated by the common views of bush and trees while at the same time anoverturned tree or a narrow path leading to who knows where caught my eye andcuriosity. It looked to me like hooligans loved the trail also because they hadspray-painted their tags on whatever surface would take it.

It was a refreshing walk. The weather was cool enough tokeep our pace brisk. I stopped once and awhile to take photos of bear tracksand dear tracks along side the bike and human prints on the soft trail surface.

After an hour we turned in our tracks and headed back to ourvan. Luckily the Gerber did not have to be pulled from its safety sheath.

Bear Gerber knife on hip

Hiking trail in Campbell River

Alligator Soup

2011-12-19T09:48:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT Frankand I had brought along a translation book on our first excursion to China in2005. We wanted to be certain that what we saw posted on a huge billboardhanging from a popular restaurant in the city of Yichang in Hubei province waswhat it boasted.

Yes, indeed, the specialty was alligator soup. We enteredthe establishment and were guided by an elegantly dressed young woman to atable near the large plate glass window that overlooked the courtyard. I ran myfinger under some of the Chinese characters on the menu and said, “Bu e yu.” The waitress didn’t respond as I expected herto. I was looking for acknowledgement of my request, at least with a nod. Irepeated the phrase. No response.

Frank gave it a gowith his pronunciation technique and still the young woman did not respond.Frank repeated the phrase.

“Yes, I know,” the server said. “What would you like?”

We smiled and laughed and became fast friends with Riya andlater, her friend, Junior, which we learnt to pronounce properly as Julia. Riyaexplained that she was very nervous to speak English and did not trust herpronunciation. We assured her that it was lovely and that she was very patientfor having allowed us to pronounce ‘no alligator’ in our version ofMandarin.

We spent our first year in China in this city of 1.4 millionteaching English at a middle school. On our days off, we would meet with Riyaand Julia to explore the city. We shared meals with them several times and itwas a magnificent adventure every time.

Surrounded by food in China

Alligator - our Specialty

Alias is a Lion

2011-12-13T15:14:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT Grayson is such a tender soul. Frank and I droveto our grandson’s hometown for his birthday and took him out for lunch. Wesettled down with a savory sandwich each and sipped on chocolate milk. Afterour meal, Frank presented Grayson with a wrapped gift. He admired his name inbig letters on the wrapping paper and spelled it out loud to his proudgrandparents. He pulled at the clear tape, saw the box label inside andexpressed his joy.

“Oh, Grandma and Grandpa, you got me a big box of Cheerios.I love Cheerios,” he said.

“There’s more to it. Look inside,” Frank said.

He pulled away more tape and tugged at the soft toy. Hepulled out a colourful lion. We asked what he wanted to call the lion and hesaid, “Alias.”

Together we made a song about Alias.

♫ Alias is a lion, he likes to say roar, roar.

Alias can be gruffybut he’s very, very stuffy.♫

We sang the little jingle all the way home to his birthdayparty where his family had prepared the house with colourful balloons. Awell-crafted Spider Man cake was put before him and the gathering sang HappyBirthday.

“How old are you, Grayson,” someone said.

The smiling boy spread his fingers in one hand and said,“Five.”

I'm five!

URAL Bikers Deliver Food

2011-12-10T13:33:00.001-08:00

The URAL Bike group of Campbell River lit up their bikes andfollowed Santa on his ride to deliver food. Inspired by the work being done by99.7 FM The River radio station, the group stapled posters to paper bags suppliedby Save-on-Foods and delivered them door to door in their neighbourhood. Thegenerous folks of Campbell River came through with a donation of over 228 kilograms in nonperishable goods. The bags were retrieved by the URAL bikers anddelivered Tuesday evening to the Relief Truck parked in Mariner Square.

“It was so much fun we think we’ll expand our drive to moreneighbourhoods next year,” said Dianna, one of the delivery team members.

Santa loves his URAL bike with sidecar

THE MOMENT WE KNEW

2011-11-27T11:07:00.001-08:00

An open-minded group of listeners and presenters gathered atthe library in Campbell River, BC, Canada to celebrate three readings from thebook “The Moment I Knew”. The moment the door closed to the hustle and bustlesounds of book seekers was the moment we knew that we had settled in a safeenvironment and could share moments in our lives that had caused us to pause andcontemplate life.

Anne Nikolic read How Detachment Changes Everythingby Susan Black and asked, “Does this story resonate with you in any way and, ifso, how or why?” The conversation took off and was shared by theattendees. The topic discussion lasted a full fifteen minutes and then the timekeeper shook thelittle bell to announce the end of that session and the beginning of the next. SusanBlack read Birthday Wish by Noelle Sterne and asked the group whatmoment in their lives stood out for them. Each person shared their moment whilethe rest of us sat listening, humbled by their candid contribution. JudyHollywood read Complete Unknowns and Rolling Stones by Elizabeth Willse.We contributed our feelings of searching for our place in this world. Thediscussion was lively and revealing.

The energy exchanged at this most passionategathering is something that I look forward to again. The Moment I KnewReflections from Women on Life’s Defining Moments has more stories in it – oneis bound to resonate with any reader.

Thank you to Sugati Publications for the Reflections fromWomen series.

The Moment We Knew

Friends gather for book promotion

My Heart Caught Up With Me

2011-11-22T14:48:00.001-08:00

I LIKE THAT Frank finallygot himself a family doctor. Last month he woke up with a half-moon shapeblocking his vision in one eye. He could see over the obstruction but it wasvery annoying. We went to the emergency department at the Campbell Riverhospital.

“I wonder if it has anything to do with the detached retinathing a few years ago?” Frank said.

“Hmmm, I wonder,” I said.

According to the emergency doctor it had nothing to do witha detached retina and everything to do with high blood pressure. He madearrangements for Frank to see an ophthalmologist right away. The specialisttold Frank that he had suffered a burst blood vessel in his eye and was luckythat it was a small one because a rupture of a larger vessel would have causedhim to be brain dead or blind. Frank remained stoic at the news. I took his cueand stayed as calm as I could.

Follow up appointments of blood work resulted in Frank beingdiagnosed with high blood pressure and an enlarged heart.

“Your heart has been leaking blood all these years and hascaused your heart to pump harder than it should and so it is enlarged as aresult,” the doctor said.

Frank is now taking Quinapril http://www.medicinenet.com/quinapril/article.htmand a baby Aspirin once a day.

“I guess my heart has caught up to my age,” Frank said.“Boy, turning sixty-nine has been a kicker.”

I could sense his sadness and disappointment that he couldno longer ignore his leaky heart valve and succumb to taking a prescribed drug.His leaky heart valve had been detected in him when he was a young man, but thedoctor at the time told him not to worry about it. He never did. And now, weboth take care.

My heart caught up with me.

Pride and Remembrance

2011-11-13T12:34:00.001-08:00

IT WAS A COLD AND STORMY MORNING. The citizens of CampbellRiver braved the elements to witness the annual march of our war veterans,respecting those who have passed and those who are involved in keeping thepeace these days.

Frank and I stood in a doorway across from Spirit Square inthe downtown core, and joined in the pride and remembrance of the people whogave up so much for our freedom. We chanted O’ Canada together without a leadsinger and clapped our mitten-covered hands as the Parade Marshall directed hisobedient followers in a sure-footed stomp along the roadway. It was a humblingscene of young and old men and women dedicated to our right to safety, free speech andorderly conduct.

Everyone was invited to gather at the Royal CanadianLegion afterwards to be served a free lunch. God bless the Ladies Auxiliary andtheir humble dedication to service. The Campbell River Legion Pipe Band madethemselves known by circling the tables and blasting their tunes. Ah, thebagpipes.

Until next year…

Celebration of Remembrance Day

Pumped with pride

The Eyes Have It

2011-11-08T09:21:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT Cynthia L. Pauwels is still so infatuated with herhusband’s eyes. At a young age their eyes met and he took control of her heartand maintained his loving embrace throughout their thirty-five year marriage to present day.

The story “Powerful Eyes of Love” in the book The MomentI Knew is a contrast of past ghosts and a hazel-grey-eyed ghost buster.

“The eyes are the windows of the soul”, said by Cicero yearsago, brings a romantic sense to my mind. I make a special effort to look intoa person’s eyes when I’m speaking to him or her. Some people have smiling eyesthat seek to meet your soul. Others have downcast eyes and choose not to revealthemselves. A number of people have a twinkle in their eyes and bring asmile to my face.

When was the last time you looked into someone’s eyes?

reflectionsfromwomen.com

The Eyes Have It

Source: http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board…

"One Punch" Packs a Punch

2011-11-01T13:06:00.000-07:00

One Punch, Lisa Ford, pg. 66

Ms. Lisa Ford, one of the thirty authors of the book TheMoment I Knew, let me know that the punch she received really hurt her. Herdescriptive writing style put me in the vehicle with her and her son. I couldfeel the electrified tension between the two of them, then - Pow! She got hitin the arm. It took my breath away.

It was a shocking and deliberate incident. Her son’s actionwas the moment I knew I would have retaliated right then and there. However,Lisa’s gracious patience suppresses her immediate reaction to the punch. Later, her survival instinct kicked in and she remedied the situation in her own way.

“It only took one punch.” Sugati Publications Rocks!

Sources: Hans Toby, fotosearch

My First Baha'i Funeral

2011-10-21T21:19:00.000-07:00

On October 21, 2011, for the first time in my life I stoodin a cemetery beside a coffin before it was set into the ground. It was thefirst time I attended a Baha’i funeral. It was the first time I heard theBaha’i obligatory prayer for a funeral, Prayer for the Dead. It was nothowever, the first time I had cried for a deceased acquaintance.

The ceremony for Arlene Beverly Shimeld was conducted withdignity and respect attended by her family and her friends. I imagined her bodywrapped in a traditional shroud of silk or cotton, and on her finger perhapsthere was a ring bearing the inscription "I came forth from God, andreturn unto Him, detached from all save Him, holding fast to His Name, theMerciful, the Compassionate", but I couldn’t be sure. The wooden coffinwas closed, draped with a narrow cloth of sophisticated patterns and garnishedwith a flower arrangement.

I stared past the casket at the groomed grounds and watchedleaves flip and fall to the earth. My thoughts formed the sentence, “October isa good month to die.” The change of season offered up strong winds, rich fallfoliage and people wrapping themselves and each other in their arms. I felttears in my eyes and assigned them to happiness. I was glad to be in the presenceof God and to be there to wish Arlene a safe journey the Abha Kingdom.

The Moment I Knew

2011-10-02T18:23:00.000-07:00

THE MOMENT I KNEW that I had made one of the best decisionsof my life was when my story, “How Detachment Changes Everything”, appeared inprint among twenty-nine published and first-time women authors. I was humbledto have my work included with tales that have expressed personal revelations aboutreflections on love, relationships, pregnancy and children, family and lessonslearned, family influence, faith and culture, loss, self-discovery, and on lifeand the human condition.

On Thursday, September 22, 2011, two extraordinary thingswere laid in my hands. A dear friend took mine in hers and told me that she hadbeen diagnosed with a dramatic heart condition and the specialist told her thatshe had five years to live. Our eyes searched each other’s souls to find a placewhere we could console our hurt. I said I was sorry to hear about herheartbreaking condition and she told me that she was sorry to have had to tellme about it. Shock set in. I led my friend to a comfortable chair and askedher to tell me all about her condition. She spoke in her normal tone as thoughshe had prepared herself for her story’s release. I nodded slowly at first andthen felt my body rocking back and forth as though her message was more than mybrain could handle. I smiled at her to reassure her that it would be all right.But it was false hope, because I have no say in her length of stay in ourmaterial world.

Our concentration was interrupted by our husbands’ voices asthey returned through the apartment door from having toured the building.Frank, my husband, was caring a sealed package and handed it me. I looked overat my quiet friend and said, “This is my book. My essay is in this book.”

I reached over and touched her hand and she understood thatI wanted her permission to open it, to end our heart-condition conversation.She nodded and I acted immediately.

I laughed and whimpered a bit at the same time. I wasthrilled with excitement at seeing my essay on page sixty-three, but at thesame time felt restrained by the depth of sorrow I saw in my sweet friend’seyes.

The interruption was the excuse our friends needed to set inmotion their leaving for home. We hugged each other and said, “I love you.”After I watched their car drive away I sat and read the book, The Moment IKnew – Reflections From Women on Life’s Defining Moments.

http://www.tsnelson.com/publicationstore.html

http://www.youtube.com/user/ReflectionsFromWomen?feature=mhee

Susan writes for the love of it.

Picking Up Trash Has Its Rewards

2011-09-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

“What? You’re getting an award for picking up trash?” Franksaid.

“Yes. I guess picking up garbage has its rewards,” I said.

I had just put the telephone receiver back in its cradle andmade the announcement to my husband. I told him that Ms. Martin, theEnvironmental Coordinator for the City of Campbell River said that I had beennominated for a Stewardship Award and asked if I would accept it?

“Oh! That’s wonderful. But why me?” I said.

“Mr. Stewart from Dogwood Operations nominated you,” shesaid.

I have yet to meet Mr. Stewart face-to-face, but I’ve talkedwith him several times on the phone. We talked about the condition of thesidewalks and boulevards in Campbell River and how more garbage cans mightentice people to toss their trash into them if they were handier. I told himthat I was going to clean up the city of Campbell River one block at a time andasked how he could help.

“I can give you a few trash pickers. Would that help you andyour Clean Living volunteers?” he said.

Indeed it does help along with the latex gloves and garbagebags donated by Mr. Adams, a City Councillor. Back in April 2011, I initiatedthe removal of rubbish from the boulevards and sidewalks of Campbell River, oneblock at a time and called the project Clean Living. Since then, I have adopted a 350-metre section of the citybetween 4^th Avenue and 2^nd Avenue on Dogwood Street. Each month, I gather withfriends and pick up rubbish. We chat and laugh and know that we are being of serviceto the community and to God.

The Waste Reduction Award was a kind gift offered by theCity of Campbell River and it humbles me to know that the Clean Living groupof volunteers is recognized for its dedication to life itself.

Clean Living volunteers

Service itself is the reward

Give Peace a Chance

2011-09-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

I Like That September 21^st is recognizedas the International Day of Peace. Weall need peace in our lives. I especially love a peaceful sleep where I finallysuccumb to an unconscious state and enjoy dreams presented to me in wavescontaining subtle messages. In the morning, I take the time to sit on a chairin my bedroom with my feet planted on the floor and mediate by focusing on mybreath. I breathe in and out until I am in the moment and awake.

I enjoy the peaceful sensation that greets me every morningwhen I look into my husband’s eyes and accept his gentle kiss on my lips andhis bear hug afterwards. I thank him every morning for his tender treatment ofme.

Peace comes over me when I gaze on photographs of my son. Wehave an interesting and compelling relationship that is held together by myunconditional love for him. I am also filled with tranquility when I get tovisit with my grandson or speak with him on the phone.

I am at peace when I am preparing a meal for Frank and I.Sipping on soup and munching on a turkey and cheese wrap fills mewith satisfaction. I am also mindful of tidying up afterward and take greatpleasure in washing the dishes in the sink. I’ve learned to calm myself down bypracticing meditation, which puts me in the moment. I am grateful for theprivilege of attending a mindfulness class once a week at the local hospital.

♫“Allwe are saying is give peace a chance.”♫– John Lennon

At peace with my son and grandson

At peace with my husband and surrounded by nature.
(flower photos by Hans Toby)

World’s Largest Bunnock

2011-09-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

We travelled gravel roads, secondary highways andfast-moving freeways during our holiday in August 2011. The roadways led topoints of interest, restaurants or picnic areas, landscapes or museums toexplore, roadside pullouts or a motel to rest.

Frank had fashioned our 1986 Classic Toyota van to use asour accommodations and a storage unit. He covered the wooden sleeping bunk withcarpet and on that laid our blow-up mattress. Each evening we climbed into theback of the van, slipped into our sleeping bags, laid our heads on pillows andgratified ourselves with sleep.

In the morning, we sipped coffee prepared on a pullout tableat the back of the van, sat in lawn chairs and chomped on fruit. Each day wepurposefully travelled the back roads so we could meet small-town folks alongthe way. A thirty-two foot structure, which is situated at the junction ofhighway 13 and highway 14, caught our attention and we drove to it so that wecould talk to the young lady held captive by the structure. She told us shespends her summer days in the tourist booth at the base of the replica of ananklebone of a horse. Down the hill is Macklin, a border town between Albertaand Saskatchewan renowned as the Bunnock Capital of the World!

“What’s this structure supposed to be?” I said.

“It represents the game, Bunnock, which translates fromRussian into bone. The Russian Germans first introduced the game to Canada. Itwas adopted from the game played in Siberia. You play it like horseshoes. Yourteam stacks its fifty-two bones on level ground at one end of a 10-meter runwaywhile the other team does the same at its end. Then the teams toss their bonesto try to knock down each other’s bones. The team with the most bones leftstanding is the winner,” she said.

I nodded and pictured the participants flinging bones fromone end of a straightaway to another. We had arrived several days past thescheduled August long-weekend world championship event and so did not witnessthe bone-tossing game.

We drove away from Macklin happy to have learnt about the game call Bunnock. I've put a link below.

World's Largest Bunnock

An Eye Catcher
-source Macklin poster

A Bunnock Tosser
- source Macklin poster

Welcome to Macklin

Frank the Fiddler

2011-08-30T12:48:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT Frank plays the violin and wanted to up his skill to that of a fiddle player. Frank the Fiddler has a ring to it. On August 11 we arrived at Windy Acres, seven kilometers west of Saskatoon and joined the collection of recreational vehicles parked on John Arcand’s property. John is the champion of this annual fiddle festival and welcomes all his guests personally. His lovely wife, Vicky, orchestrates all the events and is a kind person to talk with.

Frank parked our Classic Van beside a group of proud-to-be-Metis’ and we listened to the history between European settlers in Canada and the First Nations Peoples. We enjoyed the variety of gentle people at the festival and were proud of the young Canadians who attended the event simply to play the fiddle. For four days we attended all-day grandstand events including competitions among the new fiddlers and the seasoned regulars. The upbeat sounds coming from the many tents were a pleasure to my ears. The distinguishable scent of perogies and sausage filled the concession and we filled our bellies with a generous portion served by the upbeat volunteers.

On our last evening at the John Arcand Fiddle Fest we participated in a old-time dance. Frank has square-dancing experience and he guided me around the wooden floor. My smile went out to everyone and I knew I was in a truly happy place.

www.johnarcandfiddlefest.com

Frank the Fiddler

Susan and Frank learn finger weaving

Entertainment everywhere you look

Classic Van on Windy Acres

Thompson Nicola Baha'i Summer School

2011-08-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT we took the time to drop in on Ms. Marge Mitchell who lives in Barrier, BC. Unfortunately, she was not home but fortunately her daughter-in-law was there to tell us that Marge was attending the Thompson Nicola Baha’i Summer School at the ski resort in Clearwater. We decided that we would join friends at the event.

The moment we arrived we picked up energy of friendliness and welcome. There were tents and recreational vehicles parked on the property and we placed our camping van among them. We entered the ski chalet and joined sixty-five others to listen to Judith and Michael Bopp share their topic on freedom from prejudice. Another speaker was David Bowe, who reminded us of participating in all Baha’i activities. There was uplifting news from Iran and John Sargent presented a video on Huququ’llah.

Throughout the days, Frank and I mingled and met up with old friends and made new ones. I attended an art workshop hosted by Marge Mitchell while Frank attended a sing-a-long under a separate big top tent. We gathered for food and were entertained in the evening with a children’s sing-a-long, a youth play and adult singers, Frank among them.

If you want to be refreshed in the summer, plan to attend the next Thompson Nicola Baha’i Summer School in August 2012. www.bahaischools.org

“Knowledge is as wings to man’s life, and a ladder for his ascent.” Baha’u’llah

A gathering of spirits at a Baha'i school

Everyone is welcome to attend a Baha'i school

Mark Your Calendar

2011-07-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT Friday, August 26 is Women’s Equality Day! Two extraordinary events will be happening that day. Women will be celebrated and my essay How Detachment Changes Everything will be launched with other stories in the book titled:

THE MOMENT I KNEW

My story was chosen among a league of female authors from around the world to be published by Sugati Publications. I’m a storywriter and a storyteller. I began writing when I was twelve years old to help unravel my feelings about my place in this world. My book, THE LITTLE RED BOOK TEACHING ESL IN CHINA, was published in 2008. My husband, Frank, provided the sketches. My story, Cowboys and Indians, won second prize at the 2010 Powell River Writer’s Conference. Currently, I am seeking a publisher for my finished manuscript. For that accomplishment I will be using a pseudonym.

My stories come from my life so far. I’ve become more mindful of the things going on around me and have published a number of stories on this blog, I LIKE THAT. I’ve included some links that might be of interest to you.

I will continue to update you on the publication extravaganza planned for the launch of The Moment I Knew.
Reflections From Women Book Launch Information
The Little Red Book Teaching ESL in China

I am a Writer

I am a Traveller

I am a Sister

What's Camping?

2011-07-23T16:58:00.000-07:00

“What’s camping, Grandpa?” Grayson said.

“It’s being in the great outdoors and peeing in the bush, swatting bugs and cooking food outside and sitting in your tent when it rains,” Grandpa said.

“I peed on a tree before,” Grayson said.

“Well then, you’ll love camping,” Grandpa said.

We picked up our four-year-old grandson and drove to China Creek Marina and Campground. We were thrilled to be the mentors for his first-time-ever camping experience. Frank had outfitted our 1986 Classic Toyota van with a platform in the back so that Grayson and I could sleep comfortably. He had also packed our tent so that he could sprawl out for our one-night camping expedition.

When we arrived at China Creek we were disappointed at the sign – No Fires Permitted – posted throughout the property.

“What’s camping without a fire?” Frank said.

When I told him later that day that I’d forgotten to bring along coffee for brewing the next morning, his comment was the same.

“What’s camping without coffee?”

Frank volunteered to unload the van while I took Grayson on a trek along the ocean shore and through the campsite trails. We explored rocks entangled in tree trunks, picked up rocks on the shore and tossed them into the ocean, and counted all the numbers posted on the trees to identify tent and recreational vehicle sites. When we arrived back to our Site 32, Frank was preparing the gas burning stove and choosing food items for our supper. We munched on cucumbers, salad, fruit, and turkey wieners wrapped cozily in buns slathered with relish and mustard.

A friendly squirrel came to visit and made several attempts to snatch Grayson’s granola bar that he had left on the picnic table. We were entertained for quite some time by the little critter and after he hid himself in his nest, we went to the playground.

As evening approached, we changed into bedding clothes and snuggled in for the night. The next day was filled with more exploring, kite flying and cheering as Frank tossed his spectacular knife into tree stumps.

“Grandma, let’s do this when Grandpa gets it right,” Grayson said.

He tossed his arms into the air and shouted, hooray!

Camping is having fun.

Grayson and Grandma sing a camping song

Grayson and Grandpa fly a kite

Camping is fun!

Martyrdom of the Bab

2011-07-10T12:15:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT friends gathered on July 9^th, on Quadra Island, to commemorate the martyrdom of the Bab. Our gracious hosts, Gwen, Michelle and Ben and their children, had prepared a groomed setting outdoors for us to sit in comfort. First, we ate a meal together. Next, we helped young Laura, sing a song in praise of the gathering. We shared prayers and listened to a clear explanation of the events that led to the tragic execution of the Bab. To have gathered in such a calm setting for such a respect-filled event was a great pleasure for us all.

The journey to Quadra Island was an adventure also. It was the first time Frank and I had been on the ten-minute-ride ferry. We climbed the narrow stairway to topside and took in the wondrous panoramic view. The ship pulled away from the dock leaving a swirl of water in its wake. Our arrival at Quadra Island was smooth and we easily walked the eight hundred metres to our destination on Green Street.

If you want to know more about the martyrdom of the Bab, you can visit a presentation on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXoQ6EtTSbg

Ferry journey to Quadra Island

Quadra Island Ferry

Quadra Island

Collection of sun lovers

Brown's Bay Bike Trip

2011-07-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT we take excursions with our Russian URAL bike to explore our neighbourhood. On this day we headed out to Brown’s Bay, north of Campbell River, to have a picnic and fly our kites. We were met with a cozy place to unpack my red school bag and feast on fresh fruit and sandwiches but not enough space to fly our kites. No matter. A friendly seal paddled around the area and made eye contact with us. Boats were moored at the dock and fishers took to the water.
On our way back to Highway 19A, a steep gravel road caught our attention. Frank motioned for us to take it and I responded with thumbs up. The URAL bike is meant to handle this type of trail especially when it’s kicked into two-wheel drive. Frank revved the motor and swooped up the road. The forty-degree grade was a challenge for the URAL and it felt like riding a bronking stallion. The thirteen kilometre excursion at that vertical wasn’t something I wanted to do further, so I tapped on Frank’s right leg, made a time-out motion with my hands and he stopped the bike. I climbed out of the sidecar and looked around at the scene.
“Oh, wow! What’s all that?” I said.
There were all kinds of things strewn on the gravel road behind us. As we walked closer we realized that our trunk had unlatched and all the contents had fallen out. Frank walked the eighty metres to gather our belongings. We packed the trunk, locked it securely and headed back down the trail.
Our need to travel down hidden roads brought us to the Brown’s Bay 100 marker and we turned onto the overgrown, narrow road. We rode for two hundred metres and were stopped abruptly by logs lying across the path. We turned the bike around and headed on our way. We stopped one more time at the Ripple Rock Trail and went on a hike. I’ll tell you about that adventure another time.

Brown's Bay Picnic Area

Discovery Creek Excursion

Brown's Bay 100 Excursion

Chronic Liver Disease

2011-06-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT my doctor is thorough and sent me to have an ultra-sound based on an irregular blood reading. Later that month, she directed me to an appointment with a liver specialist.

“You’ve got Chronic Liver Disease as a result of a fatty liver,” the specialist said.

I was shocked and scared but stayed focused as he explained what it meant.

“It’s likely that you’ve had non-alcoholic fatty liver disease for sometime. Your liver changes when fat is deposited in it and also, in some cases, the liver resists insulin. You also have type 2 diabetes which is being controlled somewhat by your metformin medication. But what’s most critical is that you must lose another fourteen pounds in order to stabilize your liver and prevent further damage. Your liver is being overworked and is in the process of progressive destruction and regeneration. You need to pay close attention,” he said.

I sat in silence trying to picture my liver in its place protected by my ribcage. I had an image in my mind of a large shriveled mushroom cap.

The specialist had more to say.

“You must exercise more. Change it up. Get a bike, walk more, go to the pool more often. Lose weight.”

I am ready to step it up by adding walking on those four days that I don’t go to the pool and floor exercise program at the Strathcona Community Centre. I’m a ‘Chronic’ and now need to be a fitness buff. Here are my current statistics:

Weight: 170 pounds

Chest: 40”

Waist: 40”

Umbilicus: 38”

Hips: 42.5”

Prayers for health.

Susan learns about her liver

Chronics Continue Pool Action

2011-06-24T13:54:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT the Chronics 4A team gets to perform exercise routines in the Strathcona Gardens pool twice a week. Our upbeat team of male and female athletes prepare by exchanging their street clothes for various styles of swim trunks and bathing suits. Most of us snap a floatation belt around our waist and walk into the pool down a stablized staircase. Others prefer not to wear the buoyancy device and cannon ball into the pool.

Our personal trainer takes attendance and steps right into the role of show and tell. We begin by pushing the water with our hands and marching. We build on this routine until we turn left and jog from the shallow end of the pool to the deep end. Bobbing around, we match stroke for stroke with the instructor as we perform various motions with our bodies underwater. We move quickly and then slow down. There is some pleasant chatter amongst the attendees and the utmost patience from the teacher. We are all there to perform to the best of our ability and work toward weight loss, stamina, balance and having fun.

Get ready to exercise!

Poolside view of Chronics 4A

Susan's Scented Apple Crumble

2011-06-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

Serves 4 to 6

6 apples
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoons butter

Crumble:
4 teaspoons butter
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup whole wheat flour

¼ cup wheat germ
½ cup rolled oats

Peel and slice apples into greased baking dish. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over apples. Dot with two teaspoons of the butter. Blend the remaining four teaspoons of butter into brown sugar. Mix and add flour, wheat germ and rolled oats. Spoon mixture over apples. Bake covered at 350F for 15mins. Uncover and bake until crust is golden and apples are tender (approx. 35 minutes.)

P.S. That's me but I snagged the photos from the Internet.

Susan loves apple crumble

Baffled in Bolivia

2011-06-13T09:17:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT I have enough experience with international travel that I could help this explorer. He asked:

Would someone please explain to me why the Bolivian Government HOLDS your passport during the entire Residency Application process? Doing such a thing while remaining in a foreign country is disconcerting as it is hardwired into me to NEVER relinquish my passport for obvious personal security reasons. Is this standard worldwide when applying for residency?

The Bolivian government holds your passport during the entire Residency application process and beyond because it is a corrupt system. It is not common practice anywhere else in the world where my husband and I have travelled and worked to hold your passport beyond two weeks. We have travelled to China, India, Nepal, and Bolivia. So far, only Bolivia acts this way.

You should be disconcerted and approach the organization that contracted you to work in Bolivia immediately to have them pay the officials to stamp your passport with a Temporary Resident Visa. It is illegal for you to work in Bolivia without a Resident Visa. You are not at fault. The organization that contracted you should be looking after this matter for you within a proper time frame.

Your passport is not your private property. It belongs to the government of your country. You are simply the keeper of that document and are responsible for its whereabouts at all times. Indeed, it is troubling, restrictive and dangerous for you not to have your passport in your possession.

If you are not getting a quick response from the organization you are contracted with, we recommend that you contact your country’s embassy or consulate. This is what we had to do in order for our passports to be returned to us in Bolivia. Dutifully, we handed over our passports to the director of Cambrian College Bolivia along with six hundred bolivianos each so that she could hire a handler to have our passports stamped with a Resident Visa. Without our being aware, the director arranged for our passports to be driven over the border by her handler into Argentina! The director’s plan was to have the handler give up our passports to the official at the Bolivian entrance booth and have the officer stamp it with another Visitor Visa. However, the Bolivian government official refused to stamp our passport again. When we first arrived in Bolivia we were issued a three-month visitor visa stamp on our passport. The school director’s first attempt to get us a Resident Visa failed so she resorted to corrupt behaviour.

Her ridiculous and illegal ploy was meant to extend our stay in Bolivia as visitors. A visitor status on your passport does not authorize you to work legally.

Two months and twenty-seven days later, three days before we would have been considered illegal in Bolivia, we had to resort to threatening to bring the Canadian consulate representative with us to get our passports back from Cambridge College Bolivia. Surprisingly, when my husband and I arrived at her office the passports were on her desk, but without Residency authorization or even a second Visitor Visa. The director’s next desperate attempt was to have us take our passports on a thirteen-hour bus trip from Santa Cruz de la Sierra to an Argentinean border town, cross into Argentina and then back again into Bolivia so that we could have our passports stamped with another Visitor Visa. We refused this outrageous idea and escaped her corruption with our passports in hand.

Do not wait until you are desperate. Get this passport matter settled immediately or you will be in Bolivia illegally and subject to arrest.

Bolivia! Bolivia!

Susan and Frank in Bolivia

Sayward 63

2011-06-06T08:44:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT we live 63 kilometres from the village of Sayward. It’s a precious little wonderland north of Campbell River on Highway 19A. We jump on the URAL bike and motor up the road on sunny days. The wind blows around the windshield, pushes against my cheeks and turns them red. The scent from the trees along the side of the road penetrates my nose and mingles gently with fragrances of flowers and dirt. At the forty-one kilometre marker we are stopped by a road construction crew and my nostrils are bombarded with the stench of tar. A little further up the road we encounter a large group of bikers heading in the opposite direction. Each driver greets Frank with a victory sign, a slight hand wave or a thumbs-up gesture. There’s a unique camaraderie amongst bikers.

We turn right at the Sayward Junction, rattle over the one-way bridge, and cruise to the Kelsey Bay Wharf. The panoramic view of the surrounding mountains is breathtaking and the dark blue ocean water is calming. We sit with our friends on comfortable lawn chairs and appreciate the wonders of the Village of Sayward.

Our bike excursion to Sayward

The fun is in the journey

Kelsey Bay Wharf

I Love You

2011-05-29T10:47:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT out of the blue my little grandson says, “I love you”, and keeps searching the ground for rocks that suit his fancy.

My eyes welled up and I answered, “I love you too, Honey.”

Our blue-eyed grandson is four years old and is a pleasure to be with. He’s polite and says please and thank you without prompting. He’s infatuated with Spider-man and is equally devoted to the Transformers. He loves band-aids and was thrilled when Grandpa and I bought him Transformer band-aids and Transformer underwear.

His adventurous nature is a delight to share when we go on treks into the forest. He searches for bugs and rocks and finds the most spectacular specimens. I’ve learned to bring along an ice-cream bucket to collect all his treasures.

Let me suggest that when you need a pick-me-up spend time with a child, and when you’re happy and you know it say, “I love you.”

Spider-man is my hero

Grandpa taught me to use chopsticks

I love rocks and slugs

The Chronics Continuing Chronicle

2011-05-25T17:34:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT the Strathcona Gardens Recreation Complex in Campbell River is conducting a fitness program on behalf of the Vancouver Island Health Authority. I’m unlucky enough to have a chronic disease called diabetes but lucky enough to participate in the course.

I’ve respectfully assigned the name “The Chronics” to our Team 4A and am very proud to be part of this victorious squad of energetic doers. No matter what our personal trainers throw at us, no matter how strenuous, no matter how sweat educing, the Chronic Disease Management Team 4A always comes alive. We laugh and joke about our abilities and each of us has lost weight, lost inches, gained a sense of core balance, increased our stamina, and have reduced our prescription drug intake.

Today, we exercised in the park. Our leaders, Ms. Angella and Ms. Ashley, lead us on a circuit of walking around obstacles, lunges, a quick-pace jog, standing chin-ups, sidestep crossovers, bench press, a quick drink of water to recover, and back to the circuit routine. Afterward, we gathered to use the rubber ropes and performed upper body endurance exercises. In the end, we walked back to the Strathcona Complex and finished with cool down exercises.

Hurray for CDM Team 4A!

The Chronics Team 4A

Personal Trainers lead the Chronics Team 4A

The Chronics work out in Pinecrest Park

Walk To Avoid Dog Poop

2011-05-20T14:02:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT our chronic disease management group has a personal trainer who takes us for hikes around the city of Campbell River and then into the park for stretching exercises. We walk to build endurance but step lightly to avoid the dog poop. A small cluster of fitness buffs steps over a plot of dog waste on the sidewalk and carry on toward the park. We are next to circumnavigate the droppings.

“Is dog poop biodegradable?” says Janet.

“Sure; you can use it to fertilize plants,” says Rob.

“But not plants that are consumed by humans,” says Claire.

The nurse explains that dog feces could carry E. Coli and so you don’t want to spread it on a vegetable garden. Also, while most E. Coli strains are harmless, some can cause serious food poisoning in humans.

“A lot of the owners take their dogs out at night, when it’s dark, so that they don’t have to bring bags to pick up the poop. It’s disgusting,” says Janet.

"Gee, do they think that the birds will eat the poop?” says Claire.

The group laughs and one of the cluster members points out a pile of dog poop on the park grass. We maneuver around it and try to expel the nauseous scent from our nostrils.

Run, don’t walk, to pick up your dog’s poop so that the rest of us can enjoy the outdoors as it should be. Thanks.

Clean space is spiritual

Walking and looking around is great fun

Go! Fly a Kite!

2011-05-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT one of the talents we gathered in China was kite flying. It’s not considered child’s play in the Orient; the adults take “Feng Zheng”, contending with the wind, very seriously. Admirably, grown men and women gather at parks with their hand-fashioned kites made with plastic and paper and fastened with bamboo sticks. A large reel is spun by hand or by a crank and the kite is fluttered gently to catch the wind and released into the sky. There is no running with your kite in China. The aptitude for the kite flier is to cajole the wind force to take the kite up as far as the string length will permit. Some of the high soaring kites we watched flew well above the tallest buildings and some ventured beyond the clouds.

If you want to feel like a kid again and hone your skill to a talent, go fly a kite!

Kite flying with the professionals

Kite flying with the apprentices

Kite flying - Step 1

Kite flying - Step 2

Kite flying - Step 3

Don't Engage in a Power Struggle

2011-05-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

Susan steps lightly up and down the narrow aisles between the fifty-nine desks that fill her classroom in Yichang, China. Most of the students are chattering to each other in their foreign language, and a few are looking through magazines. The veteran English as a Second Language instructor stops in the aisle and speaks to one of her students.
“What class is this?” Susan says.
The student looks up at her and blinks. His face is expressionless.
“English class,” the student says.
“What book should be open on your desk?” Susan says.
The student slams his Chinese book closed and opens his English textbook.
“Thank you,” Susan says.
The teacher moves to another desk and asks the same question. The student stares at her but does not move a muscle. Susan repeats the question. The student still does not answer and Susan’s mind drifts to the advice she had received from her sister-in-law, a teacher and councilor at a high school in Vancouver Canada. ‘Don’t engage in a power struggle with the kids, especially teenagers, you will always lose.’
Susan stands in front of the class, smiles at her audience and says, “Welcome to English class.”

http://www.trafford.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000131605

Clean Living Initiative

2011-04-30T14:30:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT three like-minded friends joined Frank and me for the first Clean Living initiative.

Nancy Colberg, Hilda Chudy, Ray Chudy and I gathered on the steps of The Madison Apartments and held plastic garbage bags donated by Campbell River Council member Andrew Adams. We grabbed a trash picker each donated by Graham Stewart of the City Works Department and began our trek along Dogwood Street on the 300 block picking up as much trash as we could in a one-hour time frame. Frank filmed the event and I've edited the video down to 3:33 minutes. We hope you enjoy viewing our excursion as much as we enjoyed the challenge of cleaning up the streets of Campbell River one block at a time. The next one-hour Clean Living event will take place on Thursday, May 26 from 4 to 5 p.m. We would be happy to have you join us.

WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW COULD HURT YOU

2011-04-22T15:58:00.000-07:00

I innocently handed out a flyer to a few of the group members at a meeting that is supported by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Respectfully, I cannot mention the organization’s name because the one decree that I do know about the group is the, “What is said there, stays there” rule.

The group coordinator and his assistant punished me verbally for expressing religious ideas through the language on the flyer. In the title, I had included the phrase ‘A Baha’i Initiative’, and also a tag line, ‘Cleanliness is highly spiritualizing.’ Two weeks earlier, I had forwarded the flyer to the coordinator and asked specifically for the exact procedure to follow in order to submit my request as a meeting agenda item. No one in the group thought it practical to contact me directly to express their concern about the wording.

What I didn’t know hurt me. At the meeting, in front of my peers and my boss, the coordinator and his assistant barked out reprimands and chastised me for presenting such a strange request. I wasn’t offered the opportunity to explain my plan to clean up the city one block at a time by gathering volunteers to help with the project. Instead, I found myself apologizing to the group for having offended them and expressed my ignorance of any rule that does not allow the language I used in the flyer.

That night, I fell asleep dreaming about barking dogs.

Clean Living Initiative

How some people explain themselves.

Exploring Akka

2011-04-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT Frank, my husband, and I travelled to Israel for pilgrimage to the Baha’i World Centre. Part of our excursion included exploring Akka, a once penal colony surrounded by high city walls, located approximately 28 kilometers north of Haifa.

Our group of five pilgrims, led by our guide Julie, was searching for the barracks where Baha’u’llah was held prisoner for twenty-four years. We zigzagged through narrow, cobblestone streets, past the scent of men smoking tobacco from a hookah, the sound of young children skipping away from us, and the flat thud rhythm of a few women beating thick rugs with what looked like tennis rackets.

We followed Julie’s sweeping arm over the threshold into the prison. Excavation was taking place which revealed layers of history as far back, so far, as the Christian Crusaders. We walked a narrow path to the deep dungeon where the Master was held. We stood, staring, wordless, into His Most Great Prison. I felt the energy of Baha’u’llah in Akka. Our search had satisfied all of us in so many ways.

Exploring Akka, Israel

Akka is north of Haifa

Home Visits

2011-04-09T11:25:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT the Universal House of Justice promotes home visits. The Universal House of Justice today guides the activities of the global Bahá'í community. A home visit is a practical way to gather with friends, family and even someone you just met. Visiting a person in his or her home is so well known to some that it seems odd to them that they'd have to call in advance.

My husband’s home visit’s history in Saskatchewan consisted of unannounced drop ins to other farmers and towns people. He told me that you just showed up and you were always welcomed with food and drink. “We never called ahead,” he said.

In my family background, we did call ahead. My mother would never have allowed herself to show up at even her family’s homes without first warning them of our arrival. As a result, our family did not experience the ‘drop in’.

Today, people's lives are very busy and the spontaneous drop in may not be welcomed. However, your spontaneity shouldn’t prevent you from picking up the phone and making plans to have a home visit with family, friends or even someone you just met.

Give it a go! Connect with someone today through a face-to-face home visit.

P.S. We welcome your ‘drop in’.

Home visit for the fun of it!

A Clean Living Initiative

2011-04-05T16:13:00.000-07:00

I LIKE THAT my mother brought me up to be a person who recognizes the power of clean. When my body is clean, I’m in good spirits. I love soaking in fresh bath water. When my immediate surroundings are clean, I’m in a good state of mind. I love the look of a sparkling counter top and the welcome feeling I get from a tidy living room. When the grounds outside my home are orderly, I have feelings of inner health. I like that my husband takes immaculate care of the property that surrounds the building where we live these days.

I’m taking my passion for clean living to the streets. I’ve initiated a Clean Living plan that calls on all citizens in Campbell River and surrounding communities to join me on Thursday, April 28, 2011 to clean up the sidewalks and boulevards in Campbell River. The starting point for the infinite project starts at my home. For one hour I will pick up rubbish around the block, put the trash into garbage bags and leave them for pick up by the City garbage collectors. I hope that other volunteers can join me.

Whistle while you work.

Spiritual Café as Diverse as Coffee Selection

2011-03-29T08:11:00.000-07:00

Twenty-one diverse people gathered at Serious Coffee in Courtenay on Sunday, March 27 to discuss the topic, “The Nature of True Religion”. The open forum began with all of us sitting in a large circle group, each of us sipping or holding a cup of our favourite beverage. The icebreaker began with our telling of our religious experience and how it affected our life. There was talk of Abrahamic religions including Baha’i faith, Christianity, and Gnosticism, Indian religions including Buddism and Hinduism, East Indian religion including Confucianism, and Aethism.
            The larger group broke into smaller groups of four and sat at round tables to encourage participation, eye contact, active listening, and a sense of community. The questions at each table were “What is true religion?” and, “How can we know?” The lively discussion brought out the best in each of us. I witnessed hope, love, curiosity and respect. Even when the moderator suggested we take a short break, no one moved from his or her chair and the discussions continued. At the end of the first session, two participants from each table moved to another.
            The question at the last session was, “How is humanity influenced by true religion?” Once again the members opened up their minds and hearts and expressed themselves eloquently in light of the spiritual environment.
            At the end of the two-hour gathering, we locked our new friends in hugs and handshakes and wished them well until we saw them again.

Spiritual cafe theme is unity and harmony.

Sixty minutes of Earth Hour

2011-03-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

Our humble contribution at our home in Campbell River is to light up our bees wax candles and enjoy the serenity. There are more elaborate celebrations going on around the world.

http://www.earthhour.org/Homepage.aspx

2011-03-25T15:40:00.000-07:00

Litter doesn’t impress newcomer

Friday, March 25, 2011 –Campbell River Mirror --

Kristen Douglas, Campbell River Mirror

Campbell River has fallen into an “unfortunate state of neglect” because of all the “hooligans” who leave their trash along the side of the road, says one fed up resident.

Susan Black is sick and tired of having to navigate around all the garbage she sees on a daily basis, comparing Campbell River to India.

“When I leave my property I’m always stepping over chip bags, working my way around cigarette butts and banana peels,” says Black. “What comes to mind is my trip to India which is one of the dirtiest continents in the world. But when I saw the condition of the streets here I thought ‘oh I’m back in Delhi.’”

Black, who is a resident manager at The Madison apartment complex on Dogwood Street moved to Campbell River about seven months ago and told city council Tuesday night so far she is not impressed.

“It (the littering) gives you a sense that you don’t belong, that the city belongs to those who want to ruin it,” says Black. “I want to be proud of this city but when I walk outside I’m not proud anymore.”

Black presented council with a slideshow of the garbage she sees on her one-kilometre trek each day from her home to Strathcona Gardens Recreation Complex.

“I’d like you to consider where this might be,” she told council as she flipped through slides depicting pop cans, water bottles, rotten food and even graffiti.

“These hooligans who litter should have to clean it up – it builds a sense of community,” says Black.

She also suggested the city adopt a program similar to one she saw work successfully in China while teaching English.

“If you give yourselves the chance to brainstorm on a solution, you may find you don’t have to spend money, it can be solved with community credits,” says Black. “In China, high school students are given credit for supporting the community by cleaning their school grounds and the surrounding area.” Rewards could include free movie vouchers or swim or skate passes.

Black, who lives directly across the street from Carihi, says she approached the school in an attempt to engage its students in a similar program but there was no interest.

Mayor Charlie Cornfield said it was “too bad” she did not get a favourable response from Carihi but recommended Black contact the Christian School, which has, in the past, sent out students to clean up the block around the school.

Black also suggested block by block competitions to encourage residents to pick up litter on and around their own properties.

Coun. Roy Grant suggested Black join the city’s Community Advisory Commission which makes recommendations to council on community beautification.

“While I don’t agree we’re in a dilapidated state, there are parts of town that need sprucing up,” he said. “I think the committee needs someone as enthusiastic as yourself.”

My Case with Campbell River City Council

2011-03-23T13:22:00.000-07:00

On February 28, 2011, I posted a story on this blog titled, “How I Walk the Dogwood Gauntlet”, and on March 4, I followed up with a letter to the Campbell River City Mayor and Council members to bring the issue of trash on the city’s streets, sidewalks and boulevards to their attention. On Tuesday, March 22, I presented my case in Council Chambers.
            I began with a slideshow of photographs I’d taken on my one kilometre trek from my home on the 300 block of Dogwood Street to the Strathcona Gardens Recreation Centre. I described the impact of the trash strewn on the sidewalks and boulevards and the poor impression it leaves on the citizens and visitors of Campbell River. I explained that left alone, the trash gives the impression that we don’t care about the city when in fact we do care a great deal and that’s why we live here. I want to take the city back from the hooligans who tag property and the inconsiderates who just drop garbage in our tracks.
            One of the proposals I presented was to introduce a Citizen of the Streets program to the schools that would encourage students to clean up the perimeter of their school property and extend the generous action to the entire block. Another solution was to take advantage of the John Howard Society Restorative Justice Program and have the offenders clean up the streets as reconciliation to the city’s citizens.
            I’ve been brainstorming on other ideas and am soliciting your help. If you have clean up programs where you live, it would be my needful pleasure to hear about them. Thanks.

Things have got to change.

You can make a difference as part of a clean up crew.

Naw-Ruz Revisted

2011-03-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

On Monday, March 21, a group of Baha’is and their like-minded guests gathered at the Dove Creek Community Centre to celebrate Naw-Ruz. The new year celebration marks the beginning of 168 BE which represents the one hundred and sixty-eight years of Baha’i era. The evening was filled with good food, instrumental music, songs and up-beat conversation.

Here’s a chorus from one of the many songs from that evening.

“Unity brings peace, unity brings harmony, unity is powerful, it creates unity from diversity.”

We were surrounded by a fellowship of ages, personalities and cultures. The positive power of the gathering brought about by smiles and delightful chatter contributed greatly to the atmosphere of spirituality. We made attempts to harmonize our singing and encouraged participation from the group. It was a peaceful evening.

We hope you can join us next year.

Andree: What's in a Name?

2011-03-14T14:37:00.000-07:00

Andree\an-dree\ as a girl's name is a variant of Andrea (Greek), and the meaning of Andree is "manly, virile".

“What’s in a name? that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”, wrote William Shakespeare. This is a true statement about my sister Andree. For years, her five sisters and one brother called her Andy. It was only last year, when I had the privilege of visiting her after nearly seventeen years of never seeming to find the time to go to her, that she asked me sweetly to address her as Andree. I felt honoured.

Andree is a shoot-from-the-hip rancher. She is honest and gets straight to the point in all her conversations. She lives with her partner and little dog on a manicured property just outside Victor, Montana. I can hear her inherited Canadian accent on some occasions but I found that Montana and its cowboy lilt has worked its way into her vocal cords.

She fed me, housed me and entertained me the entire time I was a guest in her warm house. We laughed and cried and fell in love with each other all over again.

A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost. ~ Marion C. Garretty

Welcome to Montana

Susan and Andree at Mono Creek homestead

Chico - "Boo"

Victor Mercantile

Exercise is an Adventure

2011-03-09T15:36:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT I exercise for one hour and fifty minutes three times a week. My routine begins by stuffing my backpack with a towel and bathing suit twice a week and workout shoes once a week. I walk the one kilometre trek from my home to the Strathcona Gardens Recreation Centre and join the rest of my group either in the pool or in front of the mirrors in the studio. When I’m done, I walk home.

When I started in January 2011, my waist measurement was forty-one inches, and now, sixteen days later, I’ve lost one and a half inches. I’ve also lost four and a half inches off my umbilicus measurement. You’ve got one too – it’s your bellybutton. A tape is wrapped around your body at that level and the tester records your size.

Other improvements include my balance, my stand to sit repetitions, my reach, and wall squat, where in the beginning, I could only stand at a one hundred and twenty degree angle, I can now squat at a ninety-degree angle for thirty seconds.

I feel proud and enthusiastic about my new passion for exercise.

The group as a whole is very encouraging and present themselves with smiles at every gathering. We’ve developed a comradeship with each other and the personal trainers. Everyone involved is excited about being the best they can be. What an adventure!

Equipment adds variety

The Nightingales Sing for Seniors

2011-03-06T17:04:00.000-08:00

“May they break all bonds of limitation, so that they can observe from the height the lordly processions of infinite creatures; they will see the blue heavens studded with luminous stars, rivers flowing with salubrious water, gardens bedecked with fragrant flowers, trees adorned with blossoms and fruits, birds singing songs of light, humanity ever striving forward, every atom of existence breathing life and force - the universe of God a wonderful theatre upon the stage of which every created thing plays its part.”

(Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 138)

The Nightingales is a happy diverse group of singers who chant with the seniors at various centres and the hospital. They croon familiar favourite tunes and with the help of songbooks, encourage the audience to sing, whistle, hum or tap along to the music. The leader plays the piano and the rest of the group walks around singing or join a few seniors at a table and sing from that place.

The smiles on the faces of the participants are what breathe life and force into the entire event.

The Nightingales sing for seniors

Frank and Rose Rita sing for seniors

Anne, Mike, Susan, Rose Rita, Nancy and Frank sing for seniors

Chronics Get Pool Action

2011-02-28T13:31:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT the Chronic Disease Management team at the Strathcona Gardens Recreation Centre has included water aerobics to our fitness regime. Today was our first day of exercising in the pool, but the moment I stepped into the change room, I thanked God for my anti-anxiety medication.
The converted men’s room was now being heralded as the family change room and everyone was invited to participate. The low bench in the middle of the room was covered completely in baby blankets and babies. Laughing, crying, staring, sleeping babies all were being attended to by their mothers. Men and women clad in their swimsuits stood in front of lockers depositing quarters into the attached slots. I watched as coats, sweat pants, and shirts, along with towels and shoes were pushed into the tiny cupboards and the doors slammed shut. The noise in the room reached a crescendo that pushed me into the nearest change cubicle. I replaced my outdoor attire with my pool suit and stepped out into the family room. I stuffed my belongings into locker number 355, pinned the key to my bathing suit and stepped under the shower water. In the main pool area, I located the floatation belts and strapped one on snuggly around my waist. The moment I stepped into the tepid pool water I knew I had made the right decision not to fear the sights and sounds of a new adventure. I rolled onto my back and let the water surround me. Ah, it was utopia.

Water Aerobics

Gentle water action

Blue floatation belt

Water noodles

Vivacious Volunteer

2011-02-21T13:48:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT my sister, Julie, was voted Volunteer of the Year, twice! She lives in Turner Valley, which she refers to as a ‘cowboy town’ in southern Alberta. Her passion for Christ is her glory along with her strong work ethic. Some might say that she is burdened with Epilepsy while others who know her dismiss the restrictions that apply to the disease and see a woman who is dedicated to her children, her family at large, and her friends. She has a strong singing voice and sings like no one is listening but the people in her church are paying attention and ask her to belt out Christian tunes at weddings, christenings, funerals and praise to God.

My sister inspires me to pursue good character and deeds. Her upright character, virtuous acts, like donating her hand-made crafts to seniors, is purposeful and simple.

I am inspired to share with you today’s reading from ‘Reciting the Versus of God”.

“The fruits of the tree of man have ever been and are goodly deeds and a praiseworthy character. Withhold not these fruits from the heedless. If they be accepted, your end is attained, and the purpose of life is achieved. If not, leave them in their pastime of vain disputes.” Baha’u’llah

Julie and her surroundings

Susan, Julie and Marc

Julie, Rose and Susan

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

2011-02-14T13:49:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT if you have trust, then all you need is love. Trustworthiness is a natural quality of men and women, and so is love. You present trust when you express your faith in someone, including yourself, and something. For example, I trust my husband. Trust can also be expressed when you say that you believe in someone or something. I believe in God. Hope is another word for trust. To be hopeful is to have trust. These days, I am hopeful that my son will find a job and a safe place to live. Trust also represents your conviction. For example, I have a passion for writing. It is my conviction. Expectation, a synonym of trust, used to bring negative connotations to my mind because of something I was told many years ago.
   “Don’t have any expectations and you won’t get hurt.”
   I’ve been struggling with that statement for many years and today, with love, I’m letting it go. I trust that I will be a reliable and dependable person with expectations.
   Confident in my trustworthiness, I attract love and feel affection for people. I adore nature and worship God, the creator of all things. I love being in love with my husband, and am devoted to my son. I care for my family and friends, and find young children irresistible. I’m human and am keen on material things as well.
   I trust that all I need is love.

All you need is love

Ruby-throated humming birds

LOVE YOUR GREY HAIR

2011-02-12T11:17:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT I have grey hair because it provides me discounts that otherwise may not come my way. The trick to getting a price cut at the Campbell River Health & Drug Store located on Merecroft Road is to love your grey hair and to ask for a senior’s discount.

The other day, Frank and I went on a hunt for cross-trainer replacement soles for our walking shoes and came across the PolySorb brand in a local drug store. The nice sales lady allowed us to try them in our footwear and we were pleasantly surprised at the comfort. We walk the one kilometre gauntlet from our apartment on Dogwood Street to the Strathcona Gardens community centre at the top of the hill, and we need to cushion our steps there and back.

Frank stepped up to the counter at the drug store and went through the motions of paying for our purchase. From behind, I approached the cashier and asked, “Is there a senior’s discount?”

“Oh, yes. I can give you a senior’s discount,” he said.

The man behind the counter recalculated the purchase refund and passed a ten percent discount in loose change to Frank.

I’m not officially a senior citizen. I’m fifty-five years old but I do have a head of grey hair and I love that it gets me a senior discount. When I’m challenged to show an official British Columbia Senior Citizen gold identification card, I defer to Frank who promptly presents it for a senior’s discount.

Don’t hesitate to ask.

Baha'i Feast of Dominion

2011-02-07T12:20:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT Frank and I hosted the Baha’i Feast of Mulk – Dominion, on Sunday, February 6, 2011. We welcomed our friends to the gathering honouring the one Deity as Mulk - Sacred Dominion. Baha'is believe in the oneness of all humanity. We spoke readings that focused on the Feast of Dominion, followed by prayers.

The subtheme was nature, so after the readings, we shared what nature means to us, how it affects our life, and how we use nature to improve our life.

I came to the Baha’i faith in 2004, after years of searching for an avenue to speak directly to God. What a spectacular surprise it was to be introduced to progressive revelation, where mankind honours the spokesman of God and adopts their teachings. The Baha’i faith reveres Christ, Buddha, Zoroaster, Krishna, and other High-Prophets as its greatest leaders.

“Religion should unite all hearts and cause wars and disputes to vanish from the face of the earth, give birth to spirituality, and bring life and light to each heart. If religion becomes a cause of dislike, hatred, division, it were better to be without it,….”`

Abdu’l-Bahá.

Blue jay in Maple fall

Firefly

Monarch caterpillar

Painted Lady butterfly

Peek-a-boo raccoon

Trade India for Nepal

2011-02-04T17:22:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT Frank and I escaped from India into Nepal in the summer of 2007. We had our patients frazzled by having to trudge through three levels of body searches to leave the Delhi airport. I got a big surprise when I tried American mustard, and patted myself on the back for having toilet tissue on hand.

The flight scheduled from the Delhi airport in India to the airport in Katmandu, Nepal, was delayed an hour which doesn’t require as much patients as does a taste for hot mustard, which I sampled at the airport Subway outlet. I thought that yellow mustard was mustard, but American mustard was offered and it was not a familiar taste to my Canadian pallet. Another thing that was not familiar at the Delhi airport was an ATM, those must-have automated teller machines. Sadly, there was not one in the Delhi airport.

What was also not familiar was the filthy condition of this international airport. It was difficult to stand near any of the windows to watch the jets come and go to pass the time. The windows were so filthy with handprints of all sizes that you couldn't see out.

Another surprise came when I visited the washroom, because the acid smell was not as strong as I’d experienced everywhere else in India. And oh, here’s the exciting news – there was a toilet paper dispenser in the western-style toilet stall. But, ooops, it wasn’t working so take a squat and love the fact that you always, always carry toilet tissue. Indian women don’t use toilet paper. They supposedly douche themselves with the hose that protrudes from the wall. I suspect it’s still a bit tricky, what with all the clothes they wear.

Smart travellers always carry tissues

Ladies walking about in Mumbai

Life in Mumbai

HOW I WALK THE DOGWOOD GAUNTLET

2011-01-28T10:25:00.000-08:00

I compare my one kilometre walk from The Madison Apartments to the Strathcona Garden Recreation Centre a gauntlet run, in which I am forced to march between a grotesque display of trash on my left and loud speeding vehicles on my right. By the time I get to my exercise program, I feel as though I've been beat with clubs and whips.

Today, as soon as I left the front property of 345 Dogwood and turned north, I was overcome with the smell of cat litter and cat crap that had been dumped on the boulevard in front of Durable Properties. I quickened my pace and swept past a collection of cigarette butts, a brown banana peel, and a crushed can of soda. I looked up and my sight was bombarded by an assortment of paper cups, plastic straws, pizza boxes, and a soggy sandwich, all strewn amongst a stack of rotting logs on the boulevard in front of the curling club. I continued toward my destination but was distracted by the bright blue tag that local hooligans had forced on the tall sign that broadcasts the daily specials at the bakery.

Halfway to my goal, I glanced at a cluster of trash outside a garbage container housed in the bus shelter. I continued down the street and passed one fork, seven paper cups, plastic wrap, more pizza containers, two cigarette boxes, and a spoon on the second street block boulevard. I felt disappointed that the boulevard in front of Lions Manor was strewn with papers and a plastic container. I picked up my pace and tried hard not to pay such close attention to the garbage. At the next intersection, I couldn't touch the crosswalk button because it was coated with a mysterious brown substance.

On the last leg of my journey, discarded plastic and paper containers, several pens and pencils, a clump of soggy paper, a set of broken headphones, bubble wrap, and a flat green garbage bag seemed to be calling out, “Look at me! Look at me!” I scrambled up the stairs to the recreation centre, slipped quietly into the building and caught my breath. As I walked toward the studio door, I glanced at the flickering fireplace and noticed a grouping of candy wrappers on the ledge in front of it. I thought, “Oh, my goodness, where does it end?”

First block gauntlet run

Second block gauntlet run

Final gauntlet run

THE CHRONICS

2011-01-25T17:01:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT I have been invited to join Group 3 of the Chronic Disease Management and Take Heart Program. I've secretly nicknamed my cluster ‘The Chronics’. I will meet the other members tomorrow, Wednesday, January 26 at 10:00 a.m., for the first time. We are a gathering of persons who have neglected our health, and are now registered with the Vancouver Island Health Authority to exercise for free for the next six weeks. I’m very excited to walk the one-kilometer from my home on Dogwood Street to Strathcona Gardens Recreation Complex.

Today, at my first assessment, I had my upper body measurements taken and they all ranged in the forty’s. I’m shaped like an apple with legs. The kind Rehabilitation and Fitness Coordinator, Angela, recorded me at one hundred and sixty-eight pounds, but said not to worry too much about my weight.

My physical assessment included pulling back on a lever with each hand to measure my grip, walking up and down a flight of stairs twenty times; push-ups, squatting against the wall at a thirty-degree angle for twenty seconds, and lifting myself from a sitting position to a standing position twenty times. She recorded some numbers on a piece of paper and calculated that I qualified for Group 3.

I'll let you know how 'The Chronics' do at our three-times-a-week workouts.

SAILING BACK IN TIME

2011-01-24T07:33:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT Frank reads to me every day. We have a morning ritual that starts with a daily reading from our Baha’i prayer book, followed by Frank reading from a book we’ve chosen from our home library. We’ve just finished ‘Sailing Back in Time’ by Maria Coffey. Her story telling brought back luxurious memories of our sailing on the Johnstone Strait between the Vancouver Island and the mainland.

Frank built LEJJJAR, a twelve-meter beauty, by himself, much like Allen Farrell’s China Cloud. Each letter in Frank’s boat’s name represents his grandchildren. It took him six years to build it while he worked as gardener for the Town of Port McNeill on Vancouver Island. He had it towed to the ocean shore, pushed it into the saltwater and sailed it for twelve years, as many years as he lived on it.

Sadly, LEJJJAR ended up beached on the shores of an isolated island, abandoned by her new owner. The choice to let the vessel go was a difficult decision for Frank, but our plan back then to teach English in China and other parts of the world, meant that LEJJJAR could not come along.

We miss sailing and boating in general. We’ve been throwing around the idea that we would be quite happy on a houseboat.

You can find this book on Amazon.com

LEJJJAR at Pierre's Lodge

Frank on LEJJJAR

ENJOY THE SCENERY BUT LEAVE YOUR BINOCULARS BEHIND

2011-01-20T14:13:00.000-08:00

“Enjoy the scenery but you will have to leave your glasses with the guard,” Mae said. Our Chinese English teacher friend guided Frank and I onto a bus in Yichang, Hubei Province. Our destination was the Three Gorges Dam.

“Why would I have to leave my binoculars with the guard?” Frank asked.

“The dam property is very private and you cannot look with those glasses on the north side,” Mae said.

I placed my hand on Frank’s lap – a gesture we had established with each other to help calm ourselves when we did not know exactly how things worked in China.

The bus was filled with fifty-two Chinese teachers and four English teachers, including Frank and I. All the passengers taught at Yichang No.1 High School. Our excursion to China’s famous Three Gorges Dam was to celebrate Teacher’s Day.

When we arrived at the barricaded dam site, we lined up to have our backpacks checked. There was a slight tug-of-war between the guard, who could not speak English, and Frank, who could not speak Chinese. Frank told me later that he wasn’t trying to cause a scene he was only trying to protect his prized field glasses. The guard took the binoculars and put them in a box where he stood.

We boarded a golf-cart vehicle and were driven to the middle of the top of the dam. We were ushered to the south side viewing area where we leaned over slightly to gaze at the brown rushing water. The thunderous sound of the displaced water pushing through the openings in the concrete barrier was deafening. We were denied access to the north side and were given another reason later in whispered tones.

"The reason you cannot go to the north side is the same reason you cannot bring your binoculars to the top of the dam – you will see too much,” our Chinese teacher friend said.

The area to the north of the Three Gorges Dam is being flooded and the property that was there has disappeared under water. Advocates for the displaced renounce China’s Three Gorges Dam. The love-hate relationship of China’s Three Gorges Dam is that it provides three-quarters of China’s power and at the same time has displaced millions of farmers who helped build it.

Learn more about China's Three Gorges Dam http://www.worldinterestingfacts.com/infrastructure/three-gorges-dam-the-worlds-largest-dam-from-china.html

Rendering of Three Gorges Dam

View taken from Internet

THE ESL GRADUATE AT THE TEACHER SEMINAR

2011-01-18T17:53:00.000-08:00

Perhaps you'll remember that I've taken the liberty of writing Aesop's fables to suit the profession of teaching English as a second language. Here's another of those versions.

One summer’s day a new ESL graduate came to a teacher seminar to quench her enthusiasm, and as she stood drinking in the ambience she saw her form reflected in the eyes of a senior teacher. “How clever and learned my colleague looks!” she thought. “And how inexperienced I am, and unused my abilities are!”

While the new graduate was examining and criticizing the talents that nature had given her, the colleagues drew near. The graduate’s abilities, with which she had found so many faults, instinctively carried her through the preparation of a comprehensive lesson plan, but the weight of experience of the senior teacher and his argumentative tone prevented the group from completing their task.

We tend to underestimate the small things about ourselves that are often our most valuable attributes.

Students listen attentively

Frank entertains the student audience

Teacher colleagues entertain students

COAL MINER'S FAMILY

2011-01-15T12:03:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT Frank, my husband, is an explorer. His passion for travel prompted us to accept a job in China to teach English as a second language. We loved the country and it’s people so much we stayed and worked as English foreign experts for four years.

For our first six months in China we lived in Yichang. All about Yichang, China

Teaching middle school youth was our classroom challenge and we jumped in feet first with enthusiasm. We spent a great deal of our time preparing elaborate daily lesson plans but when we had spare time, Frank would bring me out of the gated teacher’s living quarters into the bustling streets of Yichang. One day, Frank heard clunk, clunk, clunk from behind a group of depilated buildings and went to investigate. He found a family making coal bricks. It is common for the people in rural China to burn coal bricks to heat their homes and cook their meals. The smoke hangs thick in the air and settles on everything it touches. The crushed coal is shoveled into a hopper where it is stamped into cylinder-shaped forms. The forms are punched with holes to help the air circulate when they are set on fire with kindling. The solid coal bricks are placed by hand into a man-drawn cart and transported all over the city.

Frank walked away from the experience happy to have had the chance to witness the entire family operation.

ENGLISH STUDY LEADER

2011-01-11T10:08:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT every classroom in China has an English Study Leader. The student’s designation comes from achieving the highest grade after examination from the Chinese English teacher.

The same position in the Canadian classroom is called the Monitor, a reference that has taken a turn for the worse because the students see the person as a snitch and hence the famous code of silence.

The English Study Leader in the Chinese classroom is respected and he or she takes great pride for maintaining order amongst the collection of fifty-nine or more students in the room. They will dutifully stand with you as you conduct your class and, with encouragement from you, will travel around the room guiding the other students in their study of the English language.

Prince, the English Study Leader in one of my classes, came to my rescue regularly and I was very grateful. I didn’t have a command of the Chinese language, so when a student didn’t fully understand my instructions, I would ask Prince to interpret.

I asked Prince if he minded helping me and he said, “It is my honour and duty, Mrs. Black.”

Frank entertains Uygur students

Susan teaching song at English Corner

Students celebrate New Year

THE TWO ESL TEACHERS

2011-01-05T16:01:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT I had the great privilege of teaching English as a second language in China from 2005 to 2009 with my husband Frank. We lived and taught in five provinces and travelled to many more in the Motherland. We returned home to Canada with great admiration for the people and their kind treatment of us.

While in China, I read Aesop’s Fables and took the liberty of translating the stories into ESL Teacher Tales. Here’s one example:

THE TWO ESL TEACHERS

Two Foreign Experts who where teaching English as a second language in China, one with a degree in linguistics, the other without, were swept down a river of lesson planning locked in a company-dictated team-work environment. The linguistics teacher told his companion to stay by his side, and he would advise him and protect him.

“Thank you for your offer,” said the recent ESL graduate, “but that’s just what frightens me. If you’ll just keep your distance from me, I’ll be able to plan on my own and float through my semester unburdened with your experience and in safety. But if we come in contact with one another, I’m bound to be the one who’ll suffer.”

Avoid ESL teachers who are too powerful. When the collision happens the weaker one will be destroyed.

Students entertain with song

Frank and his Chinese teaching colleagues

Susan interviews entertainers

NEW YEAR FREEDOM

2011-01-02T11:27:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT Frank and I took a run on our Russian URAL bike to commemorate the New Year. The temperature in Campbell River was about 0 degrees Celsius so we protected ourselves with extra layers. I wrapped my bulky upper body in four layers of clothing including a t-shirt, hoodie, fur lining and my black leather jacket. Frank’s gear was much the same except that he covered his face with a bella clava.

The sidecar accommodates my bag, water bottle, seat cover, lap blanket and me. After I sit down and cover my legs, Frank brings the URAL hoodie over my head and fastens the clasps to the windshield. I’m protected from the elements. Frank boards the attached motorcycle, a re-engineered version of the 1936 German BMW and starts the engine. I’m glad that I’ve remembered to wear my earplugs. I sit right beside the source of the noise.

The bike draws a great deal of attention even before we head out. Our neighbours call out that we’re crazy to be heading out on a bike. We feel differently about it because it is our only mode of transport. Today we are heading out to our singing group.

We moved forward and I reached out for the metal handle bar in front of me. I can see all around through the windshield and the plastic covered windows on each side. I can also see the ground moving beneath me through a small opening where the hoodie meets the sidecar. I feel a great sense of freedom.

We purchased our freedom online. We were teaching English as a second language in China and thinking about transportation when we arrived back to Canada for the summer.

“Look at this, Honey,” Frank said.

I stared at the sidecar rig and it caused my face to smile.

“It looks like fun!” I said.

With the click of a button we became the proud owners of a shiny green Patrol.

Today, as we travel around the city, the wind blowing past us, it is clear that we are the adventurous type and a bit quirky.

Freeeeeedom!!!

P.S. if you wish to learn more about the URAL you might like to visit http://www.curdforum.net/

URAL hoodie by Frank

New Year Run

Travelling by URAL

HAPPINESS IS A SISTER

2010-12-27T14:32:00.000-08:00

I LIKE THAT my second oldest sister, Colette, called on Christmas Eve. We hadn’t spoken to each other in three years.

Her voice ignited starbursts of memories in me. I imagined her animated hand movements as a display of her joie de vivre (joy of life). In my mind’s eye, I could see her short curly hair, big brown eyes, round nose, and her thin laughing lips. I listened to her enthusiastic voice describe how she and her husband, Hans, needed to take a break from their North Bay home on Lake Nipissing in Ontario. I thought it interesting that she wanted to be apart from what I considered to be a Canadian ‘Shangri-La’.

“My God, Colette, how fantastic to hear your voice,” I said.

“It’s been far too long,” she said.

I heard Hans’s gentle voice in the background say a cheery ‘hello’. Another wave of comfort feelings surged through me.

Thirty-eight years before, my newly-wed sister and her handsome, university-educated husband, had taken me into their small apartment so that I could attend college. They generously provided a clean, safe place for me to live for a year.

Now, we are four thousand, two hundred and fifteen kilometers, including a ferry ride away from each other. My husband, Frank, and I live on the Vancouver Island.

My mind focused on Colette’s cheerful voice as she asked that we consider a family gathering during the upcoming summer months somewhere on the Island. Our four voices tossed meeting location ideas back and forth but in the end we agreed to talk about it another time.

The idea of another conversation with my long-lost sister warmed my heart. I like that sister bonds are flexible.

I Like That I Won A Prize

2010-12-26T15:38:00.000-08:00

Here's my second prize entry at the Powell River Writer's Conference 2010

COWBOYS AND INDIANS

by Susan Black

The lung punching minus forty degrees temperature and frozen tundra of Thompson, Manitoba was a playground for our family. Nothing could prevent Cookie from hauling Marc, Andy and me, into the frosty air.

At five years old, I was deliriously nearsighted and saw the mining town through the eyes of my siblings. One day we played at a construction site. Cookie hollered to me from across a narrow board.

“Come on, Sam!” she shouted. “Don’t look down. Just step on and go!”

Suddenly, Andy ran across the slippery plank. Marc shoved me and I wobbled across the narrow drawbridge into the arms of my older sister. Marc hopped on one foot across the board toward us. When he stood close, Cookie plucked the feather hat from his head and pushed him away.

“Let’s play cowboys and Indians,” she said. “I’m the Chief!”

“Sam, Andy, you’re the warriors. Marc, you’re the cowboy,” she said.

Marc spun around and ran. We lost sight of him. When Cookie spotted the cowboy she shouted a command.

“Stop! I shot you with an arrow and you can’t move,” she said.

The cowboy stood motionless. When we caught up to him, Cookie pulled a pair of scissors from her pocket, pushed Marc against a tree and scalped him. She squeezed the clump of curly hair in her mitten and let out a yelp. Marc screamed and cried. Andy and I gasped in horror. Cookie had taken the game to a whole new level.

Later, in our warm house, our mother trimmed Marc’s hair, sent Andy and me to bed and gave Cookie a licking saying, “You took the game too far and you took my scissors!”

Teaching ESL in China: The Consequence

2010-11-15T10:14:00.000-08:00

While teaching English as a second language in China for four years, I decided to write a book and titled it "The Little Red Book: Teaching ESL in China". My husband, Frank, contributed the sketches for each chapter and we were happy with the results. The consequence came about when we tried to promote the book at the next ESL teacher gathering. The truthful stories revealed to us by other ESL teachers and our Chinese English teacher colleagues all appeared in the book along with our discovery of how the Communist system of government in China could be acted out in the classroom, much to the benefit of the teacher.

We were denied the privilege of promoting the book to our peers and left the conference feeling rejected and humiliated. My husband and I talked for long hours about our expectation that the book would be welcomed as a learning tool for new teachers and experienced instructors alike. We decided in the end that we would be wise not to have any expectations at all. What a relief! Reducing our expectations since then has opened our hearts and minds to what would naturally unfold.

http://www.trafford.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000131605

I Like That

2010-07-14T16:36:00.000-07:00

I like that the Calgary bus driver offered me a free ride today. Bus 76 stopped beside me and I was welcomed aboard. I told him my destination and he said that he knew exactly where I wanted to go. I asked him the fare and he said it was $2.75. I was shocked!

I shook my head and said it seemed more like cab fare than bus fare. He said that it was the adult price no matter how short or long your trip with Calgary Transit. I told him I was disappointed with the cost. He said I could ride for free today.

I like that the bus driver was so generous. I dropped some change into the coin deposit and took my seat.

He delivered me to my destination and wished me a good day.