tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2245585251381218902024-03-13T10:15:31.357-07:00I LIKE THATStories meant to expose the wonders of the world.Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.comBlogger123125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-59117202011543954692019-03-14T12:43:00.000-07:002019-03-21T09:09:09.079-07:00The Equality of Haircuts<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiHBn2PICzZM0RLYkFbnETbOZx2ul7t80fVcRdxu3RVLYmnrmzLLhFejhYXwxUDgBp_q3eRGgvQaJjVHCmIur4xEDlPBbWF04ZyyK6_N61RfKtCg75vT90WtNUOaTbgWbmHQS8a36I-bc/s1600/20190313_154038-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiHBn2PICzZM0RLYkFbnETbOZx2ul7t80fVcRdxu3RVLYmnrmzLLhFejhYXwxUDgBp_q3eRGgvQaJjVHCmIur4xEDlPBbWF04ZyyK6_N61RfKtCg75vT90WtNUOaTbgWbmHQS8a36I-bc/s320/20190313_154038-001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's My Cost?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: #a64d79;">The dingle of bell chimes announced my entrance into the Smart Look Hair Designer Barber Shop in Oliver, BC. </span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">It was the price difference posted on the window between a man’s haircut at fourteen dollars and ninety-nine cents and a women’s cut at twenty-two ninety-nine that caught my eye. The discrimination was obvious.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">“Hello. I’d like to speak with you about the lack of balance between your two adult cut costs,” I said. “I’ll sit and wait until you’re finished.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">The barber was working on a man’s head. Clipping, rubbing, clipping. He swept the fallen hairs from his client’s shoulders and removed the cape. Together, they approached the counter. The shop owner accepted payment and said goodbye to his customer. He turned and looked at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">“What’s the problem?” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">“I noticed that a woman’s cost for a haircut is higher than a man’s, and I’m wondering why you think it’s fair to charge me a higher rate?” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">“Woman’s hair is different. It’s longer and more difficult to work with”, he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">I removed my headband and revealed my short hair. Cut at the back with clippers, snipped close over my ears and nearly standing on end at the top of my head. A ‘pixie cut’; an older women’s short hairstyle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">“If I asked you to cut my hair, would you charge me the same as the man who just left or would you expect me to pay a higher price because I’m a woman?” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">“I told you already. Woman’s hair is different than a man’s, so yes, you would pay the woman’s price,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">“May I suggest that your price for men and women be the same. It should be equal. What do you think of that idea?” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">“Do you want a haircut?” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">“Sure, if I get it for the same fee as a man’s haircut. Let’s call it an adult haircut,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">“No. You must pay the woman’s price!” he said. His nostrils were flaring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">“Thank you for speaking with me,” I said and left the shop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">Gender </span>equality means that the different behaviour, aspirations and needs of women and men are considered, valued and favoured equally. Equality means that human rights, responsibilities and opportunities should not depend on whether they are born male or female.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">And, in one of His talks, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá emphasises the uniqueness of the Bahá’í position on the equality of women and men. He states that Bahá’u’lláh establishes the equality of man and woman. This is peculiar to the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, for all other religions have placed man above woman.</span><br />
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 455) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-37102790917511986912016-11-17T13:59:00.002-08:002016-11-18T10:41:39.503-08:00Being Metis in Grand Forks, BC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNuLCbX9ij9-uSDnkoADuZf3XBqyDv5ulLx_qkxtE2URvMmeJasKSNXcjYNsyvlVJ5tonKu4X4N6VTeamdh0N_ZCAieyQgIggRMXdsUIZ31LABaDLBeqp70IOHKdy1yPXu8GPBSELax-c/s1600/DSCF5678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNuLCbX9ij9-uSDnkoADuZf3XBqyDv5ulLx_qkxtE2URvMmeJasKSNXcjYNsyvlVJ5tonKu4X4N6VTeamdh0N_ZCAieyQgIggRMXdsUIZ31LABaDLBeqp70IOHKdy1yPXu8GPBSELax-c/s320/DSCF5678.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boundary Metis Community Association</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"><b>All the fixings</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> were presented in grand style on the food service table. Bannock with berries, deep-fried bannock, tourtiere made with venison, a huckleberry-filled cheesecake</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">, smoked trout and salmon chunks, and generous compliments of coffee, tea, and juice. We stood single file chatting with one another in upbeat tones delighted with what we were about to receive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0B6QnE27R7fi03WpHe7x_6D18EWt3ui6WnxM77FMb68z4DyhIhhYU_-T-z3OmB-Rq3YdD0GSZ4tCPtugo5F492m_h4DKjouVxV5yDT22A6nIXNm6kOQmR6UP6NFLrF8KRqbOcYNAnnM/s1600/DSCF5681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0B6QnE27R7fi03WpHe7x_6D18EWt3ui6WnxM77FMb68z4DyhIhhYU_-T-z3OmB-Rq3YdD0GSZ4tCPtugo5F492m_h4DKjouVxV5yDT22A6nIXNm6kOQmR6UP6NFLrF8KRqbOcYNAnnM/s320/DSCF5681.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saskatchewan Bannock</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4R0zgN5O6DbqtL2hcFcqNbpMq9j2DgyBayhWb_Wn0KCxogpdKjBZ2lKdL6ehhXLK8OTgY9EJJqySZ5eE3jeZZ2hFPNxdREvdu8WYSK9sV8XeYPqM_5W9vFWnaIslxIDfJPPjMveMxpE/s1600/DSCF5680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4R0zgN5O6DbqtL2hcFcqNbpMq9j2DgyBayhWb_Wn0KCxogpdKjBZ2lKdL6ehhXLK8OTgY9EJJqySZ5eE3jeZZ2hFPNxdREvdu8WYSK9sV8XeYPqM_5W9vFWnaIslxIDfJPPjMveMxpE/s320/DSCF5680.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deep-fried Bannock</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">After dinner, we watched a short film on the significance of Louis Riel’s contribution to the Metis legend and beyond. We sang the Metis Anthem including the bold statements,</span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b> <span style="color: #38761d;">“We are proud to be Metis, watch our Nation rise again. Never more forgotten people, we’re the true Canadian.”</span></b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySHqxKI5BJAzn9SuEwRiUAMvizN31Pn-2cvHw31lSQJjLlLksw_9z0stgZ6AwurbKLhBopsZC6Sy29uwwWtuh7Jz0IYXZAlphesHDZqi50P7LGppTBit3Kma4E1-7hKiFibMLV2Tv4dA/s1600/DSCF5682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySHqxKI5BJAzn9SuEwRiUAMvizN31Pn-2cvHw31lSQJjLlLksw_9z0stgZ6AwurbKLhBopsZC6Sy29uwwWtuh7Jz0IYXZAlphesHDZqi50P7LGppTBit3Kma4E1-7hKiFibMLV2Tv4dA/s320/DSCF5682.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michif Bingo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To the delight of the children, youth, middle aged folks and elders, we played a game called <b><span style="color: #741b47;">Michif Bingo</span></b>. The caller read the drawn words in the Michif Metis language with confidence. It was our responsibility to find the Metis words and translate them into English, guided by the clues on the bingo card. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After several words and phrases were released, Frank expressed his enthusiasm.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Bingo!” he said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After the caller checked his card, he was invited to choose a prize from the display table.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrLkC3FLHh5tNo2d7n-4oaHDpOd1TdUOK0UhpnFPq6XtK3K5r45QIBWpbGHRRstDstViKClV8YfkSapAkqFWlbgCEB46u3StNFoCcRJtROifrQe4T15D__pwf0NvALUzShrXHwZaQl5I/s1600/DSCF5683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrLkC3FLHh5tNo2d7n-4oaHDpOd1TdUOK0UhpnFPq6XtK3K5r45QIBWpbGHRRstDstViKClV8YfkSapAkqFWlbgCEB46u3StNFoCcRJtROifrQe4T15D__pwf0NvALUzShrXHwZaQl5I/s320/DSCF5683.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frank wins first bingo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Afterward, a dancer showed us a few Metis dance steps and then opened the floor to a shuffle competition. The children showed their talent and each one of them won a prize.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The enchanted evening ended with Greg, an expert in clacking spoons, giving a brief demonstration of his skills and inviting everyone to participate. Frank joined the circle with his wooden set of spoons and later used a metal coupling. Everyone clicked to the beat of the background fiddle music.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4J5L-gGg6Kin47RpWem9XscKQBdr26ar7hYZqwefHXvvJa1rXAxxd4MXiLjKCZWOdyT_QPUQWIhze2uYw8pD33ze6YDB0fhJfqNmOTHXHeGJF_XhiwNlsIB71UmKscyaeLCJxecOQCkw/s1600/DSCF5689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4J5L-gGg6Kin47RpWem9XscKQBdr26ar7hYZqwefHXvvJa1rXAxxd4MXiLjKCZWOdyT_QPUQWIhze2uYw8pD33ze6YDB0fhJfqNmOTHXHeGJF_XhiwNlsIB71UmKscyaeLCJxecOQCkw/s320/DSCF5689.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Craig the Spoons Instructor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Our hearts were brimming with happiness as we</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> left our new-found friends.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #073763; font-size: large;"><i><b>All My Relations</b></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-87451199058147423602016-11-12T12:24:00.000-08:002016-11-12T12:24:07.736-08:00Reciting Poems in Grand Forks, BC<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Readers, listeners and polite applause</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>We’ve gathered in the library for a very good cause</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Poetry written with audience in mind<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Haiku, rants, rap, lyrics of all kind<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Folks concentrate, shuffle in their seat<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Feels like a hovel with a beatnik beat<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Stories are sensitive, some of them sublime<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Others are dramatic, not all of them rhyme<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Frank makes his presence known to the crowd<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>From where I sit, he does me proud<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>He speaks in clear tones, the poem not his own<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>But it comes across sincere to all who are near.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>At the end of the evening the news broke through<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>We were saddened and heart broken, nobody knew<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Our beloved poet Leonard Cohen had passed<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Our beloved poet is free at last.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0sG-ymkCiAFyXI85pC0afDV3oTOLbFOrCiygQ7bYH4iGAWxYHH2wXVK2_GrN1j7xjjklPjz9O0SeaaGo7YqsEAiOvUhyphenhyphen7B2lqphtWyoXY8fbWosXhVqiwqkuLAxmSy-o8aqwlZ60wb4/s1600/DSCF5645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0sG-ymkCiAFyXI85pC0afDV3oTOLbFOrCiygQ7bYH4iGAWxYHH2wXVK2_GrN1j7xjjklPjz9O0SeaaGo7YqsEAiOvUhyphenhyphen7B2lqphtWyoXY8fbWosXhVqiwqkuLAxmSy-o8aqwlZ60wb4/s320/DSCF5645.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lorraine, our hostess</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddMQp4KWOEByGL0V86gXKvtHaHTRK_vHoeU4XlJlFS_ULvS7-dszpsnCLFzDGIY-ExV9HsBQvbZtJsw5bsnRebpdeMTSxK7yEU8x1415bMsT4a3jgeXeByFMKf080N8GCLO9g6YPB3UY/s1600/DSCF5649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddMQp4KWOEByGL0V86gXKvtHaHTRK_vHoeU4XlJlFS_ULvS7-dszpsnCLFzDGIY-ExV9HsBQvbZtJsw5bsnRebpdeMTSxK7yEU8x1415bMsT4a3jgeXeByFMKf080N8GCLO9g6YPB3UY/s320/DSCF5649.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frank, guest reader</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWEtoYarmF0cgA-Kxxzv22o4fcIo8dwNYIiFqggWvWaxcX7NKOQuRsSr_MFwp6rPvTHakiVQBzmGBkOyLktLUz508ibjnUga7wGfE8oHOUytA9dhWlFgV-Xy2PRe3ITvCaXvsPBieeTg/s1600/DSCF5650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWEtoYarmF0cgA-Kxxzv22o4fcIo8dwNYIiFqggWvWaxcX7NKOQuRsSr_MFwp6rPvTHakiVQBzmGBkOyLktLUz508ibjnUga7wGfE8oHOUytA9dhWlFgV-Xy2PRe3ITvCaXvsPBieeTg/s320/DSCF5650.JPG" width="268" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greylin, remembers her uncle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mc0USGVwdEayybCxKHJsEXemx73r5gDLnuyXT0W2XXDJgDoVIeTczT3RdtY9GaKBOMaP3eRJijiRJKDTH5ZMfUdqyy3gh1q1up-mrBED_UvQH6gxk8sUYFKFVDbQPsVt6q8_kBlXK2E/s1600/Leonard+Cohen+GI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mc0USGVwdEayybCxKHJsEXemx73r5gDLnuyXT0W2XXDJgDoVIeTczT3RdtY9GaKBOMaP3eRJijiRJKDTH5ZMfUdqyy3gh1q1up-mrBED_UvQH6gxk8sUYFKFVDbQPsVt6q8_kBlXK2E/s320/Leonard+Cohen+GI.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leonard Cohen<br />courtesy of Wikipedia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-49448173071624952942016-11-06T13:22:00.000-08:002016-12-10T12:31:33.435-08:00Knitting in Grand Forks, BC<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8F0XY6CSlQ0Cmc6AjkVwgqIOqnXX-qrc7JYkBdS4UJ2pzAzUGIijQf0aHswaNZWkdIQUE6iaF_3wpDu1ua-hQy8NLHEuqdK-j6s7epIPfOij-iRy3X1bhEjJBxWtZ-nxzXL52Y8koAXU/s1600/DSCF5635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8F0XY6CSlQ0Cmc6AjkVwgqIOqnXX-qrc7JYkBdS4UJ2pzAzUGIijQf0aHswaNZWkdIQUE6iaF_3wpDu1ua-hQy8NLHEuqdK-j6s7epIPfOij-iRy3X1bhEjJBxWtZ-nxzXL52Y8koAXU/s320/DSCF5635.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ann and Greylin ~ teacher and student</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“I’m gonna go get my needles,” the man in the ball cap says. He joins the small group at the front desk of the library in a bout of reflective laughter. The thought of a man taking up knitting is a funny thing to that cluster of folks.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Seated at the coffee table nearby friends of like mind who knit yarn, listen to a comment of how one of the knitter’s father suffered from polio as a child and was taught how to knit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“It helped occupy his time and kept his motor and cognitive skills sharp,” Ann says.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Her talent as a seamstress trails back to a time when she earned a living darning ladies silk stockings. Her introduction to this relaxing hobby began when she was three years old. Her skills these days include using metal needles that match the worsted weight of the yarn, showing others how to cast on, cast off and how to switch yarn colours without placing what she refers to as a ‘disgusting knot’ in the middle of your precious hand-crafted work. She brings her ongoing projects with her to our knitting group tucked in a practical bag. This knowledge-filled lady is at an expert level when it comes to her abilities as a knitter and educator. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XuWn83FqbboetMRPZtXr5QyeXpdlNzEaOSTVFLTacTvQYN7y822D6Cd4VSJ5vgpFWhZw99_5qKZ8wrsrgyxFec_1sn41AM6ZopZSPmxiMVJyfJj0zewX_DrTVLHK_4nBKR1_XBH47vk/s1600/DSCF5640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XuWn83FqbboetMRPZtXr5QyeXpdlNzEaOSTVFLTacTvQYN7y822D6Cd4VSJ5vgpFWhZw99_5qKZ8wrsrgyxFec_1sn41AM6ZopZSPmxiMVJyfJj0zewX_DrTVLHK_4nBKR1_XBH47vk/s320/DSCF5640.JPG" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nimble fingers work the yarn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sitting across from her today, Adrienne is wearing one of her masterpieces. A green sweater displaying several types of blended stitches. She is working on a scarf for her son who she says ‘likes it very long so that he can wrap it around and around and then tie it in a knot’. She too has been knitting for a long while and it shows. She can easily speak with you and look you right in the eyes while working her needles mechanically. They too are metal, her preference for this project.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Susan, you’ve interrupted Estelle. She’s counting her rows. Keeping count of your rows and tracking your stitches is very important,” she says.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Estelle claims her place as an intermediate. She is working on a pair of fingerless gloves. Her preference is natural material, like alpaca wool. Today she is working the garter stitch using a bright white soft looking yarn. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YrXY7FA9Defz8hn7XYAx3-ftlLmOuN4eq3LzOe3Wm-3UDei80CzcxxnRgX7HT1fU0f9HFYa09eMFkgrp8-qqjP1mn3d_WD5cLUiGz69p6tEWX0gnc4YSqNgu9L4nMwFHf9HP-uGmem8/s1600/DSCF5641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YrXY7FA9Defz8hn7XYAx3-ftlLmOuN4eq3LzOe3Wm-3UDei80CzcxxnRgX7HT1fU0f9HFYa09eMFkgrp8-qqjP1mn3d_WD5cLUiGz69p6tEWX0gnc4YSqNgu9L4nMwFHf9HP-uGmem8/s320/DSCF5641.JPG" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Estelle works her knitting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“I inherited a large amount of alpaca wool from my mother and I started creating a shawl with it but wasn’t satisfied and so I took it apart. I’ll think about what else to do with the yarn,” she says.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Oh, I’ve dropped a stitch,” Greylin says. Before she can make another move, she is called over by Ann who shows her how to retrieve the rogue loop and blend it back into the pattern.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Greylin and I are beginners. She has a history of crocheting which is another form of knotting yarn. She has a couple of projects on the go for family and friends. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The rhythm and pace of knitting are meditative. The tea provided by the local library along with the donated yarn and knitting needles are generous. The area provided for us to sit and mingle is delightful.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We welcome you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWCxpJyv03zP_QNN6tdSvzKkfPNJA4AJufyRWRw1GvvmyxM5xWonO53-TFxHHM8La7Qny9yOiAssDA3M8aSQn8-2oJ17YsttHbYpzB8uMfVVee2sxUQqIkP4bEagbM6McWHiOdVdvzmg/s1600/DSCF5638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWCxpJyv03zP_QNN6tdSvzKkfPNJA4AJufyRWRw1GvvmyxM5xWonO53-TFxHHM8La7Qny9yOiAssDA3M8aSQn8-2oJ17YsttHbYpzB8uMfVVee2sxUQqIkP4bEagbM6McWHiOdVdvzmg/s320/DSCF5638.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yours for the choosing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-28368471224920397112016-04-09T08:16:00.000-07:002016-04-13T08:39:41.737-07:00Marc Makes His Mark<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qRAnBYYso7F6P5v5ZCy9QEhRgFxNmYOT_0ZAdugnR_ojlyKnkhxpnzN-UbXV0QB9D21PotchZwTEIgKzSmvMS7_TvP-z5P0P3qa80zJOgtOq0U4vDJCNUbpL56vZR4KQYLqko4RXYMU/s1600/Marc+in+the+woods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qRAnBYYso7F6P5v5ZCy9QEhRgFxNmYOT_0ZAdugnR_ojlyKnkhxpnzN-UbXV0QB9D21PotchZwTEIgKzSmvMS7_TvP-z5P0P3qa80zJOgtOq0U4vDJCNUbpL56vZR4KQYLqko4RXYMU/s320/Marc+in+the+woods.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marc in the woods</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Marc charges out of the dark<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Like Clark, Clark Kent<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Like a shark<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Pulsing, full of life<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Risen from a coma<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Dropping his cloak of strife<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
He is perched on an arc<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Like the horned lark<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Vancouver Island park<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Hark! Nature<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Walks, talks, fishing, wishing<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Marc is in his glory<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Tells a story to his children<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Marc makes his mark</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Marc in the dark<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Bark!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Stark<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Pitch black<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
He left in the dark<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
We can’t see his physical<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
He’s reached the pinnacle<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNaWYYQVWX_AZk9mOw1vXS1VQpryUwSbG0XqkZo3u-q09TO95eBVRtKg0gZG2_epLzV8wMuaOgICK7jkzb3A0h9B4LJBseg4I4OsBCivLxA0SEi507FHNfFSl92Olh2b-bYtTUQfTRe3U/s1600/mountain+summit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNaWYYQVWX_AZk9mOw1vXS1VQpryUwSbG0XqkZo3u-q09TO95eBVRtKg0gZG2_epLzV8wMuaOgICK7jkzb3A0h9B4LJBseg4I4OsBCivLxA0SEi507FHNfFSl92Olh2b-bYtTUQfTRe3U/s1600/mountain+summit.jpg" /></a></div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-24852974546571028772016-04-05T11:10:00.000-07:002016-04-05T11:13:43.745-07:00Marc Regimbal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQY1FMUsl2MEIGr9gZ-Gjr9JhZhWwM-ufMJECE_ursbrFexHVdWcm1h0l-uknkpOIdZeCXxyS41R4sux54QuKIBanceEJi6lsgNcQnKTVxed6_ciyVjmLY4sIk-Sm1cWkfSHgeiGZ6Oc/s1600/music.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQY1FMUsl2MEIGr9gZ-Gjr9JhZhWwM-ufMJECE_ursbrFexHVdWcm1h0l-uknkpOIdZeCXxyS41R4sux54QuKIBanceEJi6lsgNcQnKTVxed6_ciyVjmLY4sIk-Sm1cWkfSHgeiGZ6Oc/s200/music.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">I heard the news today, oh boy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">My brother, Marc, is missing in the woods<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">He drove his car to catch some fish<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We now all hope get got his wish<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Friday, April 1, 2016: My sister calls me to say that my brother, Marc, is missing. She explains that he went fishing on Thursday, March 31</span><sup style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 107%;">st</sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> at O’Connell Lake near Port Alice and hasn’t come home. She says that once they reported him missing, a Western Forest Products worker told the RCMP that he had seen a man of Marc’s description at O’Connell Lake that day</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIfJsvzSmmWpw4Hpqr2TZ9dTOpZd1AdVxGQP8lUDVmHYED5Rs9_x4BuO9QSLA4N3ykEd0f4x01nkiJY9DUn-7xEJjk0_JQ_BdEIhIdL1xco49OxcReAnmQCBR8Av_lawN01mzMx_7pjM/s1600/Marc+with+fish_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIfJsvzSmmWpw4Hpqr2TZ9dTOpZd1AdVxGQP8lUDVmHYED5Rs9_x4BuO9QSLA4N3ykEd0f4x01nkiJY9DUn-7xEJjk0_JQ_BdEIhIdL1xco49OxcReAnmQCBR8Av_lawN01mzMx_7pjM/s200/Marc+with+fish_1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marc loves fishing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">She tells me her son had driven all the way to O’Connell Lake but didn’t see him there nor his car at the lake or anywhere along the only logging road in and out. She tells me how they were counting on the search and rescue people to comb the area and hopefully find him. “Yes, me too,” I say. We speak a little longer about letting the experts do their job and how, for now, all we can do is wait.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Please take care of yourself,” I say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">She whispers something softly, undiscernable into the phone and disconnects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Later, that morning, I speak with my sister's husband, who explains that Marc had dropped into his office on the 31st to say that he was heading out to O’Connell Lake, to do some fishing. It was two-thirty in the afternoon. He tells me he thought it was a bit late in the day to travel that far. Marc didn’t see it as a problem.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“I drove to Port Alice myself. I drove around the town but didn’t see him or his car. Anyway, today, we decided to report him missing to the RCMP. Also, Sam, if there’s any news, I’ll be texting everyone. So, keep your phone nearby and charged.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I offer my support of thanks. I wait for him to hang up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiuTt6aMdICS49lNbDZ55ccCf1S6RkISUWo9UoCpa-1V2B5D2KQqO6FHEBrfTpzU4ZVFscetBB9nOvhT6pgbUuxwkYWdYLwGjNq9HSApwEyr9e1E9x9Dyc3kKJE3-tXeUDbJMCG4ZTMtc/s1600/CRSAR.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiuTt6aMdICS49lNbDZ55ccCf1S6RkISUWo9UoCpa-1V2B5D2KQqO6FHEBrfTpzU4ZVFscetBB9nOvhT6pgbUuxwkYWdYLwGjNq9HSApwEyr9e1E9x9Dyc3kKJE3-tXeUDbJMCG4ZTMtc/s200/CRSAR.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I talk with my husband for a while about what I’d just learnt from my two phone calls. He shares his experience as a past search and rescue volunteer and assures me that the team on the north Vancouver Island are very skilled. “If anyone is going to locate Marc, they will. One of greatest thrills for rescue workers is to find their target,” he says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My heart is heavy with sadness and I worry for the rest of day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Saturday, April 2: Global News gives a description of Marc as a missing person. Brad texts me to say the announcement is posted on Facebook. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 4.5pt;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Port Alice RCMP are searching a remote area near O’Connell Lake for 62-year-old Marc Regimbal, who was reported missing April 1.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 4.5pt 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Police describe him as Caucasian, 5'9" tall, 185 lbs. with thinning, grey hair. He is known to drive a 2001 blue Honda Accord with the BC licence plate BW025F<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 4.5pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Anyone with any information on Regimbal's whereabouts is asked to contact their local police.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 4.5pt 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I place a call to Marc’s estranged wife. We talk at length about the waiting game of having someone disappear and not knowing their whereabouts. I tell her I love her and that I will keep her up to date on things. She says okay to that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m so sad, I take an Aspirin and lay down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WrYVDGSZjc4xhFUr4hBUDBVfBsb8gK9-ybZ4DUBkYmN7_Ov_AxQ6w08_FcVzCuGjB5Qwc_e0lRwq0Hp8k8xxh43XX6NiJTB7I1UY-K9_n0IygnEetyJ4Iv-CxixxApTawlo498kUCfM/s1600/Marc+with+fish_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WrYVDGSZjc4xhFUr4hBUDBVfBsb8gK9-ybZ4DUBkYmN7_Ov_AxQ6w08_FcVzCuGjB5Qwc_e0lRwq0Hp8k8xxh43XX6NiJTB7I1UY-K9_n0IygnEetyJ4Iv-CxixxApTawlo498kUCfM/s200/Marc+with+fish_2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marc with two fish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My sister posts on Facebook: <i><span style="background: white; color: #141823;">This is my brother and I want him back. 62 year old explorer and adventurer, he was anxious to get us some fresh trout so headed off to explore places he's never been before. Problem is.... he went alone and now has been missing since March 31st. Love you big bro.</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Later, my oldest sister calls me to say that her daughter saw the missing person report on their local news channel. We speak for a while about Marc having driven up the switch-back logging roads to the isolated lake. She asks about the terrain. I say that we've on that logging road and it is narrow, has loose gravel and switch-backs. “So, it’s dangerous?” she asks. I tell her it is very steep rock on one side and a long way down on the other. “Yes, it’s a dangerous road.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I text my other brother-in-law, to ask him to call me. He texts back to say that my sister has called him to let him know that Marc is missing. He texts later to say, 'Maybe he got stuck somewhere.’ I text back that I love his optimism, always.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sunday, April 3<sup>: </sup>CBC News: <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/port-alice-rcmp-searching-for-missing-man-marc-regimbal-1.3518406">http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/port-alice-rcmp-searching-for-missing-man-marc-regimbal-1.3518406</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumG9ocMCCZIzCr24PeuNA2EaaPEXIxajp5A1jEwAGxlSSEbDhvAxUYF7caeBUIMSUFSmQdlAGU43x5iFvPZm20d_8VoJWShNKagZ8Ne84BLBq1YgBki3eBh01aBquUA2TEWz5FZtwMU8/s1600/music.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumG9ocMCCZIzCr24PeuNA2EaaPEXIxajp5A1jEwAGxlSSEbDhvAxUYF7caeBUIMSUFSmQdlAGU43x5iFvPZm20d_8VoJWShNKagZ8Ne84BLBq1YgBki3eBh01aBquUA2TEWz5FZtwMU8/s200/music.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I hear my phone ringtone, oh boy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The sound promises an update<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m told of plans to help find Marc<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Scour territory steep and dark<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My phone rings. My heart pounds with excitement. My thoughts go to a sighting and rescue. My brother-in-law said he would text, so this must be a big deal. It’s my son.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOzFb8abOVHjQYMtZIhQ-NsM_UN3-3tLbfLSg-_yRjKsDbqrgriedFg4_zOkWCIQhIfx-pzw04c8UkteU5rEJf6s_WCAaqkR3kqn8UhK9fUVn5cy5bvOiVzSFBGN51_SjgDk__V400eI/s1600/hearts.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOzFb8abOVHjQYMtZIhQ-NsM_UN3-3tLbfLSg-_yRjKsDbqrgriedFg4_zOkWCIQhIfx-pzw04c8UkteU5rEJf6s_WCAaqkR3kqn8UhK9fUVn5cy5bvOiVzSFBGN51_SjgDk__V400eI/s200/hearts.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mother and child reunion</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Hi, Mom. How are you doing?” He shares with me that I should put all my hope in prayer and also on the search and rescue teams out looking for Marc. He tells me that his friend once worked as a military search and rescue officer and that they have very specific plans to follow. His friend suggests the search can last up to ten days. He also tells me that his friend wants to assure me that nine times out of ten, the missing person is found. I thanked my son. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Monday, April 4: 7:52 a.m. text message from my sister: ‘Hey Susan. I’m sure you’ve read my most recent FB update. I would have called you but it’s better on me to text. Physically, talking about it to too many people chokes me up and is too draining. Heading out to do some searching today will update you later.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Monday, April 4: My sister on Facebook: </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Received recent update.... After covering pretty much all of the logging roads by truck, quads, and on foot, and searching from overhead with helicopter and plane, the Search & Rescue team have exhausted their resources and the Campbell River team have headed home. Local people are continuing to look. We are heading out when its light as well. Thank you to the S&R team and everyone else who has been helping. ....Love you big bro.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumG9ocMCCZIzCr24PeuNA2EaaPEXIxajp5A1jEwAGxlSSEbDhvAxUYF7caeBUIMSUFSmQdlAGU43x5iFvPZm20d_8VoJWShNKagZ8Ne84BLBq1YgBki3eBh01aBquUA2TEWz5FZtwMU8/s1600/music.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumG9ocMCCZIzCr24PeuNA2EaaPEXIxajp5A1jEwAGxlSSEbDhvAxUYF7caeBUIMSUFSmQdlAGU43x5iFvPZm20d_8VoJWShNKagZ8Ne84BLBq1YgBki3eBh01aBquUA2TEWz5FZtwMU8/s200/music.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I hear my phone ring, soft, oh boy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I clutch it tight and read the name<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The announcement comes, I release a gasp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Mom, Marc’s been found. He’s passed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My phone rings. It’s my son. He tells me that Marc has been found but he is deceased. Somebody found him in his car at the bottom of a ravine. Apparently, he died quickly. His car was found in water. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I tell him that I’m so sorry. I was hoping that Marc was just missing and would be found alive. He agreed that would have been good. I’m crying and am overwhelmed with grief. I share with my son that Marc was getting to know us again, and we were getting to know him, again. Oh, what a sad time for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">O</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> my God! O Thou forgiver of sins! Bestower of gifts! Dispeller of afflictions!<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><i><span style="color: red;">Verily, I beseech Thee to forgive the sins of such as have abandoned the physical garment and have ascended to the spiritual world.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">O</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> my Lord! Purify them from trespasses, dispel their sorrows, and change their darkness into light. Cause them to enter the garden of happiness, cleanse them with the most pure water, and grant them to behold Thy splendours on the loftiest mount.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><i><span style="color: red;">~ Abdu’l-Baha</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwChXRSTPp831YZUUFGz1D-dNdcIFXdjNnLzfclbFWG3GlZ3_G_1zf43aihwQ0dPzu2tIcJsp90jAsYMfqffjLmFcIy3u8rNyuM6NswH1HOnj-0EkAgX4-3nkmdHG9HDNlYfqWudh4WJ0/s1600/Marc+in+the+woods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwChXRSTPp831YZUUFGz1D-dNdcIFXdjNnLzfclbFWG3GlZ3_G_1zf43aihwQ0dPzu2tIcJsp90jAsYMfqffjLmFcIy3u8rNyuM6NswH1HOnj-0EkAgX4-3nkmdHG9HDNlYfqWudh4WJ0/s320/Marc+in+the+woods.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marc Regimbal ~ my beloved brother</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-54971680545100178822015-08-25T10:58:00.001-07:002015-08-25T10:59:36.650-07:00Take a Refreshing Hike<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituamW0YjxqBppbQ1GKR5BkVAyvBoDTw-QrdFArnE7dxCNiFZmE0Xlbu_seHog3JpKX1DFDYTzMXMJoZyLl1NYeuXStK0mgCaztlusX4INKbwVcoo_jYtSbVUTZjH0un9klhUcnmXVa-g/s1600/DSCF3956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituamW0YjxqBppbQ1GKR5BkVAyvBoDTw-QrdFArnE7dxCNiFZmE0Xlbu_seHog3JpKX1DFDYTzMXMJoZyLl1NYeuXStK0mgCaztlusX4INKbwVcoo_jYtSbVUTZjH0un9klhUcnmXVa-g/s200/DSCF3956.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Elk Falls</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #741b47;"><b>On Saturday, August 22, 2015</b></span>, my stepdaughter, Misty, and her son Niko, strolled along with Frank and me on a hike to the <span style="color: orange;">Elk Falls Suspension Bridge</span>, a project by the Rotary Club of Campbell River.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Three dynamic things stood out for all of us; the wonderful wide well-tended paths; the spectacular views along the assortment of trails;<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCAy9r-eN5JWxzb8PGMd7qyGJqpBfysTE8a49lsc-_HR8Eg46AoUz2ZNsmh2wiDy_-_9DTVjCmccp2nswImBGvjLdeugl22Wdf-5hkBQS4inADqoZVLYNXbQDILv4c3INNPzjyfvy01s/s1600/DSCF3969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCAy9r-eN5JWxzb8PGMd7qyGJqpBfysTE8a49lsc-_HR8Eg46AoUz2ZNsmh2wiDy_-_9DTVjCmccp2nswImBGvjLdeugl22Wdf-5hkBQS4inADqoZVLYNXbQDILv4c3INNPzjyfvy01s/s200/DSCF3969.jpg" width="156" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Niko on a trail </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9K7GL3UDUouUbXsy5h5oFQeJOfxQrW2W18r9sk0JynqXj5XhVVhW3xaplGghRJ6kGND4m-e_sTGJgS40iJZ-Vx75ZmbWupLWrxcwhN_nb6HlqbOyWqX-W1zVeTGbgRRek9or6h5PG30E/s1600/DSCF3970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9K7GL3UDUouUbXsy5h5oFQeJOfxQrW2W18r9sk0JynqXj5XhVVhW3xaplGghRJ6kGND4m-e_sTGJgS40iJZ-Vx75ZmbWupLWrxcwhN_nb6HlqbOyWqX-W1zVeTGbgRRek9or6h5PG30E/s200/DSCF3970.jpg" width="171" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mushrooms on a log</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJaPFck84YKZTodr68n74UXqkogUEPo6xUQEHxyfPejotVWxyBCdpkbn4y_HGwfzf8D6acJemV9B3fS9CIOSYyIO1Db86TFh-0HmAamV1Ktvm1Ar0GnAZJe20E9XUCn7-zmbVyCvFQBe8/s1600/DSCF3947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJaPFck84YKZTodr68n74UXqkogUEPo6xUQEHxyfPejotVWxyBCdpkbn4y_HGwfzf8D6acJemV9B3fS9CIOSYyIO1Db86TFh-0HmAamV1Ktvm1Ar0GnAZJe20E9XUCn7-zmbVyCvFQBe8/s200/DSCF3947.jpg" width="178" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frank on a bench ~ family in background</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbDDiCAzjyaOctKTljmeclxPgdClA0DeVQ-k0SFuqZ-NNxYts1901Yqw3Ovd4-MLVgdkXlYSgEXT5Zri12Qqbm2J9Aq0J-MmJW2YKT1gaqIC2JR8apLZDtFJuGQ9V_X9yos12Z7FqwCw/s1600/DSCF3964.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbDDiCAzjyaOctKTljmeclxPgdClA0DeVQ-k0SFuqZ-NNxYts1901Yqw3Ovd4-MLVgdkXlYSgEXT5Zri12Qqbm2J9Aq0J-MmJW2YKT1gaqIC2JR8apLZDtFJuGQ9V_X9yos12Z7FqwCw/s200/DSCF3964.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Niko on suspension bridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
and the nerve-wracking heart-stopping sensations felt when we looked down, way down into the gorge through the gratings on the staircases leading to and from the suspension bridge and on the swaying bridge itself.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5PTiK-CAcu7EhGhvIvL80I8teImRWuOOMUKQQB5OpZSK2pPkp2vWpXNM15GuyLmzQfbkXnmbkzqlW43cL3CoaL2CXzQ-x8jn16ytx3Xqdw1cee-q0jF_bQbLd4TfsbUbbY_PfNdKqPI/s1600/DSCF3961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5PTiK-CAcu7EhGhvIvL80I8teImRWuOOMUKQQB5OpZSK2pPkp2vWpXNM15GuyLmzQfbkXnmbkzqlW43cL3CoaL2CXzQ-x8jn16ytx3Xqdw1cee-q0jF_bQbLd4TfsbUbbY_PfNdKqPI/s200/DSCF3961.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Elk Falls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Our visitors from Kamloops are avid walkers and encouraged Frank and me to relax on the benches offered at almost every trailhead.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVIU7pZhjvdFhkN8lOEqWNMvnC6vBfG3rh_tqxmXyP87SKccJsuEczg2WCG9-ZUtb9dAR68TLodPdpu0_hp6XsGl6o6bDserCS2F6BBE-Ri1ECqvwUXjpsbMrBQybipX_rx_q67x2Z2Es/s1600/DSCF3944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVIU7pZhjvdFhkN8lOEqWNMvnC6vBfG3rh_tqxmXyP87SKccJsuEczg2WCG9-ZUtb9dAR68TLodPdpu0_hp6XsGl6o6bDserCS2F6BBE-Ri1ECqvwUXjpsbMrBQybipX_rx_q67x2Z2Es/s200/DSCF3944.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of original water pipes at trailhead</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I’m a walker also, heading out almost every day but recently I ache with a persistent feeling of stepping on a thumbtack at the heel of my left foot. By the time I get home and sit down with my feet up, another throbbing presents itself from that heel to my knee.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rXKMLL2V-sqrKnu6GKIDPNiiUAIOEFuXAMt17o5oAv0KK-5FCwSPN6byo4nMSTSY4KMOsjfXXL-mN5dDbaRhvfVwxX1wKbkHIK_UqZOGj4Q79QEm9da-0Scp3PpZx5sP84YergPplwo/s1600/DSCF3939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rXKMLL2V-sqrKnu6GKIDPNiiUAIOEFuXAMt17o5oAv0KK-5FCwSPN6byo4nMSTSY4KMOsjfXXL-mN5dDbaRhvfVwxX1wKbkHIK_UqZOGj4Q79QEm9da-0Scp3PpZx5sP84YergPplwo/s200/DSCF3939.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan on a log</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Note to self: explain my symptoms to my doctor next visit.</div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-26601491328476690192015-08-13T10:31:00.000-07:002015-08-13T10:31:51.005-07:00A Hummingbird's Wish<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2rXAMxuOU7rAH2w6bCZrLPAe1V-mRHCdgWfVDkkiuVtGo29DU25AXhC3-suHehyphenhyphenh9GwiVcj0RConaOtxlKXB31weNNLW9GIXAEtx4fJGH8o1kDFz5kxXx51jzBYmAEYMMi6W4oYBMB4/s1600/Colette_1+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2rXAMxuOU7rAH2w6bCZrLPAe1V-mRHCdgWfVDkkiuVtGo29DU25AXhC3-suHehyphenhyphenh9GwiVcj0RConaOtxlKXB31weNNLW9GIXAEtx4fJGH8o1kDFz5kxXx51jzBYmAEYMMi6W4oYBMB4/s200/Colette_1+%25281%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colette lives here</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">I notice a decorated billboard</span></b> at my familiar feeding site and hover over it. I recognize my friend's name. The sign looks happy and I trust it to be safe. I wave my wings over to a screened window and look inside. Many of the faces are familiar, but there seems to be one missing. My food and sweetwater provider is not there but I look further and I'm pictured on a bottle along side these words - <b><span style="color: #e06666;"><i>The happiness of sunshine, hummingbirds and flowers, and infinately more.</i> </span></b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_g1Ms2fT9qAA5Wz_X3wjciGE1x6Mh1ufzN-Nt-eO42IfMbU_6s0pVhKLXyQV4Qk-FSb7GEREU1EIxrmTqJsLyX_di5qxHrkeDoWkLgJGtLkwdEhKNVKyu2RZmMDJVoC_YenKd3vHdBU/s1600/Colette_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_g1Ms2fT9qAA5Wz_X3wjciGE1x6Mh1ufzN-Nt-eO42IfMbU_6s0pVhKLXyQV4Qk-FSb7GEREU1EIxrmTqJsLyX_di5qxHrkeDoWkLgJGtLkwdEhKNVKyu2RZmMDJVoC_YenKd3vHdBU/s200/Colette_4.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colette is celebrated</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I hope my kind friend has filled my feeder this morning. I flutter around the side of the house and notice a collection of my favourite flowers. I flicker over and dip my beak into each pleasant encounter. I am startled by the sound of a banging door. I flap to my safe haven in the trees.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSttKv0yf26WOV-W7vrkQh1AiC_prWJh_o6kJmq1LdOZWW8oXWYY5YvM8TD3rweUQ_HUF9DF7b9g6_ssM96j5DwD6qjOHRELK-AZG0EdNyjCS0R_T7PlTSswMRcyUziWS6jxnjj2RcGU/s1600/Colette_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSttKv0yf26WOV-W7vrkQh1AiC_prWJh_o6kJmq1LdOZWW8oXWYY5YvM8TD3rweUQ_HUF9DF7b9g6_ssM96j5DwD6qjOHRELK-AZG0EdNyjCS0R_T7PlTSswMRcyUziWS6jxnjj2RcGU/s200/Colette_5.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colette's friends</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Clusters of humans come into the yard and sit on chairs, stand to face each other, hug one another and lift drinks to their face. I feel that my familiar friends are sad; sad like me because my caretaker is not around. Colette's gentle hands provide me and the other birds with crushed and whole seeds sometimes jazzed up with peanut butter. She places flavoured drinks in the trees and always cleans the porch railings for us to perch on. I wish she were here. My friend’s presence provides a calm and caring oasis in a dangerous landscape. The energy of this group feels much like her. The have kind, sensitive and laughing hearts.<br />
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>237</o:Words>
<o:Characters>1351</o:Characters>
<o:Company>protools</o:Company>
<o:Lines>11</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>2</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>1659</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjSBSd5VIOUmELjdd1xPUo1nM3QtjISLEk61MsMFExhHJIhwdPhXXiZW6Vwq0I6r5MgPaweUyZKIQKI7dsvaJdqGP9vlmRe75YvRR_Fnv6s1EqrvgxsSq4as-w0bSyvogLGVdAuX9Lxo/s1600/Colette_2+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjSBSd5VIOUmELjdd1xPUo1nM3QtjISLEk61MsMFExhHJIhwdPhXXiZW6Vwq0I6r5MgPaweUyZKIQKI7dsvaJdqGP9vlmRe75YvRR_Fnv6s1EqrvgxsSq4as-w0bSyvogLGVdAuX9Lxo/s200/Colette_2+%25281%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colette my caregiver</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I look carefully at an image of my buddy and realize she is two-dimensional. Even with her not in the yard, I know of her past, feel her presence and imagine that her future is bright, filled with blossoms, love and images of me, and her human friends, in her new place. For now, I am here and wish for the day I meet up with her – my generous human friend.</div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-72792790048350021442015-05-25T13:14:00.000-07:002015-05-25T13:14:38.878-07:00Take Me To Your Heart
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>195</o:Words>
<o:Characters>1114</o:Characters>
<o:Company>protools</o:Company>
<o:Lines>9</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>2</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>1368</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBrNI2Rbdj_Ft6279nUeVHWVti-akonEraom6-GHWGrifIqcDsZWJJoe_28iwUWFehrYJA9ZMxvWMMu752GJuMBB4HY3pUGlxYdZNdHiJdJZ4Bn64qFgcfOMyaNRGgRrQtVnjbLfveKo/s1600/We+come+from+Vancouver+Island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBrNI2Rbdj_Ft6279nUeVHWVti-akonEraom6-GHWGrifIqcDsZWJJoe_28iwUWFehrYJA9ZMxvWMMu752GJuMBB4HY3pUGlxYdZNdHiJdJZ4Bn64qFgcfOMyaNRGgRrQtVnjbLfveKo/s320/We+come+from+Vancouver+Island.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">By the time Frank and I arrived in Bennui</span></b>,</span> a small town in
Jiangsu Province China, the final draft of our book <a href="http://bookstore.trafford.com/Products/SKU-000131605/The-Little-Red-Book.aspx" target="_blank">The Little Red Book Teaching ESL in China</a> was at the publishers. The experiences and strategies I learnt at this senior middle school could have filled another chapter.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My days in Benniu were filled with
English conversation, reading, writing and listening classes. I shared my lesson
planning and curriculum development with three other foreign teachers. I learnt
a great deal from them including the consequences of putting my foot in my
mouth, once too often. I’ll share that story with you another time. Frank's days were used in full retirement by venturing out to the nearest massive city. He explored there and made good friends.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipcmIBcPfPM2diohDna7y42hjjyz8Da-cvHfGhaJnkaA4OpWY9h3atUJrp0P3P5basWk09Rd3-hhpq2Po-WH3CR-3syjglIVhcBZRuRubcVF2GmfpR9L_KcpEQJtmkhQJ87H2zvGvryeA/s1600/Class+2+-+Benniu+Senior+Middle+School.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipcmIBcPfPM2diohDna7y42hjjyz8Da-cvHfGhaJnkaA4OpWY9h3atUJrp0P3P5basWk09Rd3-hhpq2Po-WH3CR-3syjglIVhcBZRuRubcVF2GmfpR9L_KcpEQJtmkhQJ87H2zvGvryeA/s320/Class+2+-+Benniu+Senior+Middle+School.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Surrounded by my students, as in all the schools I had taught, was fantastic and offered great rewards. The
enthusiasm of the young people and their kindness to me were sometimes overshadowed by the
politics of the Chinese education system. Although the schedule and general
curriculum were dictated by the school head master, using songs to teach the
English language often enhanced our teaching capabilities. The students enjoyed
the break from rote learning in their other classes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We were often entertained throughout the year by attending
music events put on by the teachers to promote their students’ talents. One of
those occasions was a show where a group of fine boys sang </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b><i>Take Me To
Your Heart</i></b> by Yin, Wen Chi/Ho, Chi Hung.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIJGLfPDo2X9vupWkP-ozGdlZDawgH8-XoWOJRdm2AFWY9YlrzIGwbTebqzxOxWt84BeWxKjPNWzWLhbraNbUmvgKEaXj3zZlnQKKDeWGrZL_En1H5ll5tCTbGNmB3NsZbbnHE3nvcs8/s1600/Take+Me+To+Your+Heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIJGLfPDo2X9vupWkP-ozGdlZDawgH8-XoWOJRdm2AFWY9YlrzIGwbTebqzxOxWt84BeWxKjPNWzWLhbraNbUmvgKEaXj3zZlnQKKDeWGrZL_En1H5ll5tCTbGNmB3NsZbbnHE3nvcs8/s320/Take+Me+To+Your+Heart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Being among young ones makes me feel young again.</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-28920679933528258492015-03-23T15:08:00.000-07:002015-04-02T10:39:24.797-07:00Losing Colette<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>434</o:Words>
<o:Characters>2477</o:Characters>
<o:Company>protools</o:Company>
<o:Lines>20</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>4</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>3041</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXt8WmeMxtfr0f0d6NCSSGvvCLMGkzm0YCV8L3M6-FpXCuWsmQTgESdoqZTnVdVTSU3yuhPBhCVRiygpbQikwCtyG36x5kdRiDjCr52p6NnVXtiGFDgeTRxzAfKYqZgbvoYZ2FS4bGoxA/s1600/spring_garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXt8WmeMxtfr0f0d6NCSSGvvCLMGkzm0YCV8L3M6-FpXCuWsmQTgESdoqZTnVdVTSU3yuhPBhCVRiygpbQikwCtyG36x5kdRiDjCr52p6NnVXtiGFDgeTRxzAfKYqZgbvoYZ2FS4bGoxA/s1600/spring_garden.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">On March 22,
2015 ~ 3 Baha, 172 B.E.</span></b>, my sweet older sister, Colette, ascended to the
spiritual world. When she was born, her qualities of glorious self awareness,
wisdom and passion for life were transported home from
the hospital on her older sister’s lap. From her beginnings, Colette was bathed
in love and developed a strong sense of loyalty to those around her. Her
youthful years were spent as a rambunctious and carefree spirit with mature clarity for her responsibilities as an older sister to her five younger
siblings and a devotee to her older sister. She met her soul mate in high school and spent her married
life as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kgELQfcgV0uElIaXV4zQvOQbFrpu8_UdtHwooLcDq_xHharPJYEcy2TK6N62drWgDhj2oyFV1Hb-ODK8zK5Gbpz3kT3veGZuKTsdpqQBjCdikyIgZKkCtrtirl-lEfdQAf0Q0jG0L3I/s1600/cherokeeset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kgELQfcgV0uElIaXV4zQvOQbFrpu8_UdtHwooLcDq_xHharPJYEcy2TK6N62drWgDhj2oyFV1Hb-ODK8zK5Gbpz3kT3veGZuKTsdpqQBjCdikyIgZKkCtrtirl-lEfdQAf0Q0jG0L3I/s1600/cherokeeset.jpg" height="160" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">One of my favourite
memories of her athletic playful character took place when our family lived in
Thompson, Manitoba. She was ten years old; I was five. The great outdoors was
our playground even in minus thirty-degree weather. We enjoyed a raucous game
we called Cowboys and Indians. The partially built houses behind ours became
the adventure landscape for our escapades. Colette was always the sheriff and
we two younger girl siblings were her deputies, while our brother played
the villain. We ran around hard and with purpose until called in for a meal by
our mother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I joined her in
song one day when she announced that her boyfriend had proposed marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Going
To The Chapel</i> became her theme song for as long as it took her fiancé to
achieve his university degree. Afterward, she married the love of her life and
lived peacefully in a small apartment filled with daytime sunbeams and the
fragrance of familiar love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgieGngtG1G5abvjb7nVY7VmVKHlaOUIIiekBKh3W-Ltc_gjHd7rGhb9P-3t9Vsq55RRgN5x4TitiriUikel7A-qudCasrzpbNgkg8z5xNXov0L8hyHT_2X-Zkv4JkDqYuJse5FAuzNA-8/s1600/Colette+fishing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgieGngtG1G5abvjb7nVY7VmVKHlaOUIIiekBKh3W-Ltc_gjHd7rGhb9P-3t9Vsq55RRgN5x4TitiriUikel7A-qudCasrzpbNgkg8z5xNXov0L8hyHT_2X-Zkv4JkDqYuJse5FAuzNA-8/s1600/Colette+fishing.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Colette’s
adventurous spirit was a true wonder. She was tomboyish in the meadows, on
hiking trails, alongside fast flowing streams and fishing with her outdoorsman husband.
At home, she was domestic and gentle with her first baby and again with her
second. Her playful manner provided her boys and her grandchildren the pleasure
of life to its fullest. She devoted her attention and purpose to those around
her and rarely complained of the pains developing within her aging body. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sixty-three years. Not a long time but a great time for her to have explored the abstract wonders
of love, enjoy quiet serenity while sitting on a bench lakeside, full participation in galloping around
with her children and grandchildren, holding hands with her husband, chatting
for hours with her oldest sister and sharing her empathy with
everyone she met. Her beauty and service are welcome in the life
ever after.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">Prayer For The
Departed</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">O My God! O Thou
forgiver of sins! Bestower of gifts! Dispeller of afflictions!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">Verily, I
beseech Thee to forgive the sins of such as have abandoned the physical garment
and have ascended to the spiritual world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">O my Lord!
Purify them from trespasses, dispel their sorrows, and change their darkness
into light. Cause them to enter the garden of happiness, cleanse them with the
most pure water, and grant them to behold Thy splendors on the loftiest mount.</span> </span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">–
Abdu’l-Baha</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-25036760859353030982015-02-20T20:01:00.000-08:002015-02-20T20:01:44.675-08:00A Bucket List Scratch
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>340</o:Words>
<o:Characters>1942</o:Characters>
<o:Company>protools</o:Company>
<o:Lines>16</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>3</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>2384</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The smell of horse manure filled my nostrils and flowed
through my mouth, blanketed my tongue and gathered in my lungs. I exhaled and
drew in another welcomed breath. I closed my eyes and smiled with delight and
anticipation. Tears filled my eyes as I walked toward Frank.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Honey, this is an amazing surprise. I would have never
thought in a million years I would be getting horseback riding lessons for my
birthday,” I said</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Frank shrugged his shoulders like it was no big deal. It is
a life-size deal to me. I had commented, some while ago, that I’d like to learn
how to ride a horse as one of my ‘bucket list’ items. Sometime in March 2015, I
can scratch it from my wants.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had only once, in my 20s, ridden a horse. That
many years ago, the getting on part was the trickiest for me because I had to
stand on a fence and kind of jump onto the large animal’s back. The group
leader stuck my feet into the stirrups but they never stayed there. Once the
horse started walking, I gripped the horn and worked feverishly to keep my
running-shoe-clad feet in the slippery foot holds. On the flat open terrain the large
beast bolted to a destination it only seemed to know. The thing followed the
other horses in no particular order after the other riders trotted their steeds in various directions. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">When does
this become</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fun? </i>The posse sometimes rode in single file or scattered in all directions through the groves of
trees and when going up hill. I was forced to nearly lie down on the horse’s rump
during a steep descent, and pull my feet up onto the saddle in a yoga position
when we splashed through a river. Rushing across an open field was the most
uncomfortable. I had no control whatsoever of the mare. The adventure finally
came to an end after the mount and I bolted across the yard. The horse’s
destination was the barn likely to get something to eat. My butt was sore and I
needed help to dismount. It wasn’t elegant.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, now I’m going to get proper lessons. At an up coming ladies’
equestrian event, we’re going to be using English saddles (they don’t have a
horn to grab onto), wear a helmet (never wore one as a kid on my bicycle) and
I’m wearing the cowboy boots I bought on my last year’s trip to Montana. Just
to be safe, I think I’ll sport a pair of Depends because they would provide soft
cushioning for my derriere. Yahoo!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCdDvK1tuKlboNmwbDBI_G7TVCcDlyHhFUCIsJRnMoDSeGh37pSvUZOygsmNUExRPUgNzJiT138UIeFBJnkfpZm3Rcg0cnVYQ2wgqlov8JIrqzQfUEp3zT6TWdyMt9XScHBViNvhHTD4/s1600/DSCF3680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCdDvK1tuKlboNmwbDBI_G7TVCcDlyHhFUCIsJRnMoDSeGh37pSvUZOygsmNUExRPUgNzJiT138UIeFBJnkfpZm3Rcg0cnVYQ2wgqlov8JIrqzQfUEp3zT6TWdyMt9XScHBViNvhHTD4/s1600/DSCF3680.JPG" height="303" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Step used to mount steed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi91MFgUtp3h9z-vWyFUNwjxaTKOlwpkXC01HJoP2T6irgQQ_0tBzClUPH_EVIuX30fcJv-kPGL9cjUcoLcnM8jL8Dn-VAqeYxxCdV0aaoWkLxC89v7lsB3OtsMMfEwYyrTrYxfmjEJMVU/s1600/DSCF3684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi91MFgUtp3h9z-vWyFUNwjxaTKOlwpkXC01HJoP2T6irgQQ_0tBzClUPH_EVIuX30fcJv-kPGL9cjUcoLcnM8jL8Dn-VAqeYxxCdV0aaoWkLxC89v7lsB3OtsMMfEwYyrTrYxfmjEJMVU/s1600/DSCF3684.JPG" height="320" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One version of an English saddle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhTU_getrbexXNycI0edC7i3dvehLE-FnmtbE3jxKcDro5UAd0-iQYUuoYXb9wN7fEEri2qmZSmXrtHjXpFNTzTV2u3ZebZaUmrZgdGVMlG_2uz-ZVP1ga-1Ai0cU6Qv8ZrFSyK6Z24s/s1600/DSCF3686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhTU_getrbexXNycI0edC7i3dvehLE-FnmtbE3jxKcDro5UAd0-iQYUuoYXb9wN7fEEri2qmZSmXrtHjXpFNTzTV2u3ZebZaUmrZgdGVMlG_2uz-ZVP1ga-1Ai0cU6Qv8ZrFSyK6Z24s/s1600/DSCF3686.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some call this a good luck symbol</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-47762272887464511892015-01-23T09:30:00.000-08:002015-01-23T11:42:59.993-08:00The Red Ball<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>214</o:Words>
<o:Characters>1222</o:Characters>
<o:Company>protools</o:Company>
<o:Lines>10</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>2</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>1500</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGf20yVs7xs1y-DzgRJIg7KdM-GnEX45ELsFR_YNHOk4hSJ8bmYMNsIwctEznKvREgGYef2l848I5Nl4lHpHhZrWXJUALi1hT1l3d8i8P2vP1I9lXiOBZaQE4ghCW3ne6y-3iGJrmekJk/s1600/DSCF3616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGf20yVs7xs1y-DzgRJIg7KdM-GnEX45ELsFR_YNHOk4hSJ8bmYMNsIwctEznKvREgGYef2l848I5Nl4lHpHhZrWXJUALi1hT1l3d8i8P2vP1I9lXiOBZaQE4ghCW3ne6y-3iGJrmekJk/s1600/DSCF3616.JPG" height="171" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Do you know about the red ball?” I said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I held the woman’s Indian Status card in my hand. There was
one other guest at my Target cashier’s station at that moment. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No,” she said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“We are happy to remove the provincial and government services
taxes from your purchase today, but you must allow us to carry your packages and receipt out to the red ball,” I said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What is the red ball?” she said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“The red ball sits on Campbell River Band land and if you
agree to meet the Target person there we can exempt you from paying taxes,” I
said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Oh. Okay,” she said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtiSfAhTrH9NeO5RTXEdXZqIVt591iw8r_x393g0epKpvLMz_CW212RIP9gbHFcTeOBNZQRcKTFH5U4nNBbo097hexVd9M4vpd1smxKMrQO1n69qSROYglp9F_gQKK3nhhZE-Uj96e_M/s1600/DSCF3620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtiSfAhTrH9NeO5RTXEdXZqIVt591iw8r_x393g0epKpvLMz_CW212RIP9gbHFcTeOBNZQRcKTFH5U4nNBbo097hexVd9M4vpd1smxKMrQO1n69qSROYglp9F_gQKK3nhhZE-Uj96e_M/s1600/DSCF3620.JPG" height="185" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Target Red<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The overhead public address system announced my request.
“Walk out on four, please. Walk out on four.” The response came back, “Sheila
will be right there.” Everyone employed at this Campbell River Target store knows that a walk out means to carry the guest's purchased goods and the receipt to the designated location of the distinctive cairn.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A young work colleague walked toward me swinging a bright orange
visibility vest over her shoulders. The guest was filling out the government
form that detailed her band number and her personal information. When she was
finished, she handed the slip of paper back to me. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRqN0v-mWeHLEDOHMijKvZMH5le1XoKe4WTkM_csCDA8zms8K3hyphenhyphenT92A2lt_v2nbinqj6dHjxMa7ek87ZAVunMQ_s5DabPoTbJ5nRjVcYdrVSUa6kTq9E7Ky4YsEUjiJQ6M1AaxYzzn1I/s1600/DSCF3622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRqN0v-mWeHLEDOHMijKvZMH5le1XoKe4WTkM_csCDA8zms8K3hyphenhyphenT92A2lt_v2nbinqj6dHjxMa7ek87ZAVunMQ_s5DabPoTbJ5nRjVcYdrVSUa6kTq9E7Ky4YsEUjiJQ6M1AaxYzzn1I/s1600/DSCF3622.JPG" height="200" width="183" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Target cairn in the distance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I thanked her and turned to Sheila. “This is our guests
first red ball experience. Can you take her there or at least show her where
it is?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes, of course,” she said. “It’s a big red ball just across
from the sandwich shop at the end of this building.” A picture of the distinct
brand marker came into my head.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With Target leaving Campbell River I’m wondering if who ever
takes over the retail space will offer the same privilege to our First Nation
and Metis friends.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRPvIVRTo7G-DUYw6wz7r1p5cv7JOgkPSdIUCjjPUYmYGgCROmERpTcym8FXov46PrGnXxmgjOC5Ir1UVIM-TAtOZOuBo83Eg0ODPDsh5MoxOmbA7LKelq6IyBGfdB8HvSPzYqd26mNE/s1600/cashier-clipart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRPvIVRTo7G-DUYw6wz7r1p5cv7JOgkPSdIUCjjPUYmYGgCROmERpTcym8FXov46PrGnXxmgjOC5Ir1UVIM-TAtOZOuBo83Eg0ODPDsh5MoxOmbA7LKelq6IyBGfdB8HvSPzYqd26mNE/s1600/cashier-clipart.jpg" height="125" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan the Cashier</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-57222838665455465122015-01-11T16:15:00.000-08:002015-01-11T16:15:26.410-08:002015 The Year Of Endurance
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>147</o:Words>
<o:Characters>841</o:Characters>
<o:Company>protools</o:Company>
<o:Lines>7</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>1032</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7t1NdlBlImKOs6xJgtSbX4nIpkphi68WG9DfUJQhTKhjqOLlUumfkMb9pv45z-oeJIR6TTX8JRj-rdR_4OLRlXEORDQuydAub6Jxu9Gz77cP9hl7kKS0RU-K-ftEDh8HdNMl2K15Z424/s1600/endurance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7t1NdlBlImKOs6xJgtSbX4nIpkphi68WG9DfUJQhTKhjqOLlUumfkMb9pv45z-oeJIR6TTX8JRj-rdR_4OLRlXEORDQuydAub6Jxu9Gz77cP9hl7kKS0RU-K-ftEDh8HdNMl2K15Z424/s1600/endurance.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Year of Endurance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
A great many of us declare a resolution at the front end of
the Gregorian calendar. I love a good challenge and have declared 2015 my year
of endurance.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The ability to live each day filled with capacity and
courage entitles me to endure any incident bearing hardship. I bring forward
the persistence I’ve gathered over the years to provide me with the tenacity to
single out things that are meaningful to me. The pleasure of prayer and
peacefulness grant me the strength to separate the happy and harsh environments
we are all experiencing these days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Today, for example, I attended a devotional in Campbell River and it
gave me a sense of belonging, wonderment and opened my heart.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_P8cZq6J0OwhDYF4AeENGfqZAcGL-SAkcVIBlkKcaBYZhsLhTLFA8GgTS3OMuEQ8C4J5G9hYrzdzwvSGmsfjzry9-Q8O-X4-t7-Agusj9AtkXo0BYSkYe9C-NzUM1BAY52KDG107oscs/s1600/hearts.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_P8cZq6J0OwhDYF4AeENGfqZAcGL-SAkcVIBlkKcaBYZhsLhTLFA8GgTS3OMuEQ8C4J5G9hYrzdzwvSGmsfjzry9-Q8O-X4-t7-Agusj9AtkXo0BYSkYe9C-NzUM1BAY52KDG107oscs/s1600/hearts.jpg" height="147" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Endurance is the staying power to stand ready for all things
that present themselves without light. An evil lurking in the shadows will be
repelled by patience and spunk. Like-minded folks welcome a person with moxie
and restraint. I invite you to practice endurance and show your persistence and
pluckiness.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__9CU-ugSj9vj5xjg9NynCa7SmrclO0pq_W-rCvBlXRzvoOzCBI2nn4C-Zjr6a05KMxJYKB0Ok1eGW3LWmBk0hURMPuIiCIPILGr36UhqFFYIdqc0Hi5yKsJAR9Ae3ltlfHdu2cpP84s/s1600/Burning-candle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__9CU-ugSj9vj5xjg9NynCa7SmrclO0pq_W-rCvBlXRzvoOzCBI2nn4C-Zjr6a05KMxJYKB0Ok1eGW3LWmBk0hURMPuIiCIPILGr36UhqFFYIdqc0Hi5yKsJAR9Ae3ltlfHdu2cpP84s/s1600/Burning-candle.jpg" height="200" width="142" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-22171908773700011682014-12-27T12:25:00.000-08:002014-12-27T12:38:44.358-08:00A CASHIER'S TALE<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>166</o:Words>
<o:Characters>951</o:Characters>
<o:Company>protools</o:Company>
<o:Lines>7</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>1167</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026"/>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/>
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-weight: bold;">I LIKE THAT</span> I work as a cashier these days. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67S1ZmF_UHPtPGzRwsjh8u_44Ooh4jK12SO7KshmwYmX7Pir9pnAXh__WR8Ti49fXzx-wI1yOApbQgG3PiYpGjht1BZOg6f0viD9BGNoI2xk20ZnvYfF68I9MpisWwOa98J0lUNxe6R8/s1600/child+on+conveyor+belt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67S1ZmF_UHPtPGzRwsjh8u_44Ooh4jK12SO7KshmwYmX7Pir9pnAXh__WR8Ti49fXzx-wI1yOApbQgG3PiYpGjht1BZOg6f0viD9BGNoI2xk20ZnvYfF68I9MpisWwOa98J0lUNxe6R8/s1600/child+on+conveyor+belt.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Today, I lift my eyes from the computer screen and smile at the woman standing across from me at my work station.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“How much is this baby?” she says and holds up her
sweet-faced toddler. At that moment, she sets her son on the conveyor belt and
pats his bottom.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I play along and say, “One million dollars.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRx3IGzc_PTWVTcKWQKVGggNa1jC2O6VCUEHVndulf-FJfqmmZb9XDH1fX-JIiBegiWCYpd1Ld58wN_I9ieLMUBw6JWpdRWqHoRq92iVo4o4oJlxHJn59NjmIrjKiFB9nVmK-eGkjdR8/s1600/infrared+scanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRx3IGzc_PTWVTcKWQKVGggNa1jC2O6VCUEHVndulf-FJfqmmZb9XDH1fX-JIiBegiWCYpd1Ld58wN_I9ieLMUBw6JWpdRWqHoRq92iVo4o4oJlxHJn59NjmIrjKiFB9nVmK-eGkjdR8/s1600/infrared+scanner.jpg" height="187" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Infrared Scanner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The woman pulls the scanner wand from its cradle and pushes the trigger with her index finger. She scans its infrared beam over the
child’s body and points it directly on his angelic face. She hears me pull in my breath as I reach for the instrument and she pushes it
toward me. I set it back in its cradle and smile at her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“This is common where I come from,” she says.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I detect her Australian accent and wonder if her
generalization of her countrymen’s conduct is true. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Don’t do that. It’s dangerous,” her male companion says. He
states the obvious.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He lifts the boy from the conveyor belt and puts him into
the shopping cart. We all listen to the child’s wailing until the transaction
is complete and they leave the building.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I smile and welcome the next shopper.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiM4n2AEaKUpXyRc8TgsPsdtPYxSMiZKwVRvf2kFUm3on2uSsaXu2a_8XtOugapgLlP5GyXXvXmAoUKQy299ROHxJdrwlNTR6D6AGx_9aRNaSLR7yetrYNBIKSzQubGKiP6v2nJnO0lDw/s1600/cashier-clipart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiM4n2AEaKUpXyRc8TgsPsdtPYxSMiZKwVRvf2kFUm3on2uSsaXu2a_8XtOugapgLlP5GyXXvXmAoUKQy299ROHxJdrwlNTR6D6AGx_9aRNaSLR7yetrYNBIKSzQubGKiP6v2nJnO0lDw/s1600/cashier-clipart.jpg" height="125" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan the Cashier</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-51223045038884483792014-12-05T14:08:00.000-08:002014-12-06T09:41:06.407-08:00Freedom From Little White Pills<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>595</o:Words>
<o:Characters>3394</o:Characters>
<o:Company>protools</o:Company>
<o:Lines>28</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>6</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>4168</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVxJRdR6RvQ-tdTBFT0iYt8olmnIlJWVWQAAJaUgvnespSvqcVpzvfL7_Baf9OK2i9u5AUzYhErtTF7L6noE8q3dhxiDed8Akio6iQH7Hjf0shfhAivaNWt5qLTqBupwRMMPgcY4Pkpc/s1600/hostesses-holding-flag-of-bolivia-100184841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVxJRdR6RvQ-tdTBFT0iYt8olmnIlJWVWQAAJaUgvnespSvqcVpzvfL7_Baf9OK2i9u5AUzYhErtTF7L6noE8q3dhxiDed8Akio6iQH7Hjf0shfhAivaNWt5qLTqBupwRMMPgcY4Pkpc/s1600/hostesses-holding-flag-of-bolivia-100184841.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flag of Bolivia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I turned from the blackboard</span></b> to face the nine adult students
in my English class. I stood motionless and wordless for several minutes. I had
been their instructor for this early morning session at Cambridge College
Bolivia for nearly three months but at that moment I did not recognize my
students. My eyes filled with tears and my mouth felt like it was stuffed with
copper. I calculated my place in the scenario and although I knew where I was
and how I got there, the gnawing sensation that enveloped me was that I did not
recognize these people. I felt confused and out of control. I gripped my trembling
hands on the podium in front of me. They were slippery with sweat. All eyes
were staring at me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Mrs. Black, are you ok?” one student said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I looked at her. Sound waves came to me like ripples lapping
on the seashore. At the same time the distinct fragrances of salt and kelp flowed
through my nostrils to the back of my throat. I could hear the woman but could
not respond. I feared that if I spoke, blood would come pouring out between my
lips. I could not control my fears. <i>What is the matter with me?</i> I
pulled a tissue from my pocket, put it to my mouth and coughed. I glanced down
to examine the contents and was relieved to see that the absorbent had not
changed colours. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’m alright. Thank you,” I said. I still didn’t remember
her name.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When the class ended, I stuffed my training materials into
my satchel and walked down the narrow staircase to the teachers’ lounge. I chose not to mark my papers there and headed out the door to the bus stop. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9G9MPvpRTUwNY6sc54gUtwttIfyHGqd_ClS9qcdOUNfkEd3VpPfKiOth_POBmnSnX1-IbTpyZf7wKCgxvqdmpcePUnzumO7O8dC5WzWQUCB4oEijazdABkkNKeON610bAg_bplQXG2I/s1600/100_8496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9G9MPvpRTUwNY6sc54gUtwttIfyHGqd_ClS9qcdOUNfkEd3VpPfKiOth_POBmnSnX1-IbTpyZf7wKCgxvqdmpcePUnzumO7O8dC5WzWQUCB4oEijazdABkkNKeON610bAg_bplQXG2I/s1600/100_8496.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Bolivian accommodations</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I arrived at the hacienda where my husband and I lived,
I was mentally exhausted from the early morning ordeal and physically saturated
from the blistering heat of the South American sun. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“How was your morning?” Frank said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He handed me a tall glass of iced tea and sat beside me on the
chesterfield.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It was scary,” I said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What happened?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I couldn’t remember my students’ names. I looked at each
one of them and their names didn’t come to me. I was embarrassed and really
uncomfortable.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Honey, don’t cry. You’re safe now.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He put his arm around my shoulders and squeezed me into him. I moaned into his chest with relief.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You’ve got another class this evening, Darling, so have a
rest and I’ll get you up later for something to eat.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmPIRHGkHB5exqnKeOQrER6gyMOxS35Q6DGig6KdvJ3ldVIp4fuytgfrPHRdI1g11kXxVMZaMcN2dg6UrObQyzqhlZx-YjvD8UjO_aK5uz3SoxQMi4Ro5O22m3QfaiJ6p6hrwAXAphQTg/s1600/100_8501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmPIRHGkHB5exqnKeOQrER6gyMOxS35Q6DGig6KdvJ3ldVIp4fuytgfrPHRdI1g11kXxVMZaMcN2dg6UrObQyzqhlZx-YjvD8UjO_aK5uz3SoxQMi4Ro5O22m3QfaiJ6p6hrwAXAphQTg/s1600/100_8501.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steps to second floor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I strolled up the stairs to our bedroom, removed my working
garments and slipped naked between the cool sheets. I used my quiet time to
search for reasons why I might be losing my mind. I relaxed into sleep and travelled
into the future. I was surrounded by small white droplets. I reached out
to touch them but they slipped through my fingers. They began to
pluck at my skin and leave behind pea size white marks. Soon
the appearance of them became offensive. They had formed a tattoo of a skull on
my left arm. Although I could not feel pain I swiped at the tormentors. I heard my
voice shout. I was sitting up and holding the bed cover to my face.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I refused to have my sleep controlled by bad dreams
so I recited a prayer over and over to help me fade into the unconscious realm. <i>Is
there any Remover of difficulties save God? Say: Praised be God! He is God! All
are His servants, and all abide by His bidding!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was rewarded that afternoon with two uninterrupted hours
of sleep. When I woke, Frank was sitting beside me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I think I know what’s happening,” I said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Your pills,” he said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes, my new medication. Those awful Lipitors! Dr.
Fadden prescribed them to me just before we left for Bolivia. She said they’re
meant to help lower my cholesterol. I’m going to stop taking them.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Okay. Let’s give that a try.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I learnt to control my cholesterol levels by consuming only
plant-based food for a while. My classes afterward were effective and
comfortable. I purposefully would call each student by his or her name several
times during our time together to ward off any fear of being forgetful.</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-34730722667367730562014-10-21T14:38:00.001-07:002014-10-23T10:05:54.257-07:00Prairie Sentinals<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVV_ZPSXBTsVGxKxXY2Ev0vWD5tpk6OuD3PhvLeWzXpVjXZR7PYcGBi37LQMvIHMdPCjgn4AgXiCEHaFAA6-UrmlvO6JXxpZzHbXdTVIA8kAzaVApZ2B4hmzR1t157IYNXOfHbr5IdLwo/s1600/Travel+van.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVV_ZPSXBTsVGxKxXY2Ev0vWD5tpk6OuD3PhvLeWzXpVjXZR7PYcGBi37LQMvIHMdPCjgn4AgXiCEHaFAA6-UrmlvO6JXxpZzHbXdTVIA8kAzaVApZ2B4hmzR1t157IYNXOfHbr5IdLwo/s1600/Travel+van.jpg" height="141" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2012 Vacation Transport</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">It was the summer of
2012.</span></b> Our destination was a fiddle festival near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. We
accumulated spectacular memories as we travelled from Campbell River, British
Columbia through the interior of BC, all the way through Alberta and into Saskatchewan.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Along our secondary road route, my husband, Frank, and I paid
special attention to the grain elevators also known as prairie
sentinels. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcIkg7FLObxYDCB7qkDWak8i3oYsUkEU0Np7HSk-5r4gCB4xkPSnWTHL5xLJ0LXM4YFQ8hGlX_2cdg9cRjRHG2Fsao5WDbTk3gNQVPDT43EIiBRhsVYmlx0G8aIme1u1hyiZtUACDSwE/s1600/Chauyin+grain+elevator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcIkg7FLObxYDCB7qkDWak8i3oYsUkEU0Np7HSk-5r4gCB4xkPSnWTHL5xLJ0LXM4YFQ8hGlX_2cdg9cRjRHG2Fsao5WDbTk3gNQVPDT43EIiBRhsVYmlx0G8aIme1u1hyiZtUACDSwE/s1600/Chauyin+grain+elevator.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chauvin, AB Grain Elevator</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Along Highway 14 East, we turned south on secondary road 610
to seek out a place to have breakfast in the great outdoors. At once we were
taken with their grain elevator and took several photos. The town of <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Chauvin</b> </span>sits alone now because the
railway grain transporter cars no longer stop there. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Afterward, we headed north and came across two other isolated
grain elevators. One with the name <b>Gotze</b>
and the other with <span style="color: #45818e;"><b>Butze</b> </span>painted on
the side. Later, the secondary road number changed to 680 as we passed over the
Alberta Border to Saskatchewan.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIzDnfkLG7V551fXAgLcvqtHIzgT-n1a2vs8n2EVdq8fqiFt6ubtk-WXu539vTUJe6F5AR_ZBtzVye9LaE0Df5ivrRz2N7fV9uN52g-jrTuQd7jQ-K727CAzRvYIMIBd5ctRfWfHd6p4/s1600/Butze+grain+elevator2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIzDnfkLG7V551fXAgLcvqtHIzgT-n1a2vs8n2EVdq8fqiFt6ubtk-WXu539vTUJe6F5AR_ZBtzVye9LaE0Df5ivrRz2N7fV9uN52g-jrTuQd7jQ-K727CAzRvYIMIBd5ctRfWfHd6p4/s1600/Butze+grain+elevator2.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butze, AB Grain Elevator </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGARqoUZFBUOLPOl4WyIhSnQd8fneFpHfE6dt67ZMToNieSQzypLYc9u62uJHPHzx_S8aCvFkNewepckGAggR8HHUu6Bb64cgCeIX1g6lzT2ONEbJQK-M7X7PmfasDG7aJPYRsmT076nQ/s1600/Marsden+grain+elevator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGARqoUZFBUOLPOl4WyIhSnQd8fneFpHfE6dt67ZMToNieSQzypLYc9u62uJHPHzx_S8aCvFkNewepckGAggR8HHUu6Bb64cgCeIX1g6lzT2ONEbJQK-M7X7PmfasDG7aJPYRsmT076nQ/s1600/Marsden+grain+elevator.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marsden, SK Grain Elevator</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We continued to drive north east to <span style="color: orange;"><b>Marsden</b> </span>where we came across a working prairie cathedral. We spoke
to the grain elevator operator and commented on their decline. He agreed that
there weren’t many of the wooden structures left.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’d always hoped that some of them would be converted to a
museum,” Frank said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Well sir, you’re in luck. Just less than an hour’s drive
west of here, Paradise Valley has a huge museum right in the elevator,” he
said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1v-sYy1ddQC0qKBYfF8RMLpbk4lSD6fvXy9oDANMUP8ViU8CX401D1YkBk38nm5ftoW2Bmhr-GxZe047edlQIf8D_BWgY-yLzDeAUGTkOvkORW6d8bvQL56igH9otRKxKVAjiWy3Q9o/s1600/Paradise+Valley+grain+elevator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1v-sYy1ddQC0qKBYfF8RMLpbk4lSD6fvXy9oDANMUP8ViU8CX401D1YkBk38nm5ftoW2Bmhr-GxZe047edlQIf8D_BWgY-yLzDeAUGTkOvkORW6d8bvQL56igH9otRKxKVAjiWy3Q9o/s1600/Paradise+Valley+grain+elevator.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paradise Valley, AB Grain Elevator</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After we learnt directions, we travelled northwest to reach
the <b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Paradise Valley</span></b> prairie
cathedral. We arranged with the local keeper of the key to let us in and we
walked up a gently sloped wooden spiral platform viewing the history of that
particular elevator and the times in which it existed. We stayed at the local
campground that night and enjoyed the stark drama of an Alberta rain storm with its crackling lighting and booming thunder.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you are interested in grain elevators, here’s a good
source.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/grain-elevators/">http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/grain-elevators/</a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-36093868522195740912014-09-26T17:21:00.002-07:002014-09-26T17:21:57.975-07:00O Son of Spirit!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KIBWKkPuxmhe9NHt8olzMW_vpo-Fsqd5UiQr6se_hCiv7qSIfPANV6QclNQ6ZvDPJLvkm-I2tZgMKk-CFGnGPieQI_IXdANIBe_Ukx2vAVj1Jt8f9eEhKCSfACHwQ_OELRNqmBCjf0A/s1600/DSC_0051_01+(Copy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KIBWKkPuxmhe9NHt8olzMW_vpo-Fsqd5UiQr6se_hCiv7qSIfPANV6QclNQ6ZvDPJLvkm-I2tZgMKk-CFGnGPieQI_IXdANIBe_Ukx2vAVj1Jt8f9eEhKCSfACHwQ_OELRNqmBCjf0A/s1600/DSC_0051_01+(Copy).JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lily</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #a64d79;">“With the joyful tidings of light I hail thee: rejoice!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #a64d79;">To the court of holiness I summon thee;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #a64d79;"> abide therein that thou mayest live in peace ever-more.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #a64d79;">~ Baha’u’llah</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On May 3<sup>rd</sup>, 2014, my sister, Andree passed on to the next realm. I had the distinct honour of sharing a few words with family and friends who had gathered at her memorial. I humbly share them here with you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">Andree may have arrived in this valley as a Canadian, but when God called on her to be with Him, she departed as a Bitterroot gal.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrREUtqv_OzMNhTRZCTkpgK1DApROfgRl2wd5sqZbexHn7foTqozWCE4_yt0rP9fh8A6MWC1Rb6xXWNBb2RprriEHNNDYWqY1OQCPf0uLe1WTw0bw0STwqv_vUF0rFwDrMReBtq3_r5CM/s1600/View+of+Rocky+Mountains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrREUtqv_OzMNhTRZCTkpgK1DApROfgRl2wd5sqZbexHn7foTqozWCE4_yt0rP9fh8A6MWC1Rb6xXWNBb2RprriEHNNDYWqY1OQCPf0uLe1WTw0bw0STwqv_vUF0rFwDrMReBtq3_r5CM/s1600/View+of+Rocky+Mountains.jpg" height="121" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;">View of St. Mary's Peak</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">Andy loved her valley; from the magnificent St. Mary’s Peak located in the Bitterroot Mountains to the west, across to the eastern display of the sun-soaked Sapphire Mountain Range.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">She loved the outdoors. When the snow melted to expose the plants in her yard, she dutifully removed the old stocks to make room for the new shoots. The fresh air and big blue Montana sky brought her great joy.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">I recall my younger sister as vibrant and rambunctious. In French, we call this joie de vivre – joy of life. Andy' s heart was filled with hospitality and kindness. She knew what she wanted and went for it. That’s how she met up with her sweetheart, Ben. His calm manner was what she wanted and needed in a companion.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvH537OkCFup1haJaCFsRluXMAFrh6ZOAF9328BTanJmNEy9pZ2m-FwNeXY5GqofQFVAlrf9AJkNUcK3Ob7rbMLudLcgtK6rWg3Z1q97_2B8UESKdbpPYBNOomXPybZV_R4Ex1JXlv0Zo/s1600/Dahlia.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvH537OkCFup1haJaCFsRluXMAFrh6ZOAF9328BTanJmNEy9pZ2m-FwNeXY5GqofQFVAlrf9AJkNUcK3Ob7rbMLudLcgtK6rWg3Z1q97_2B8UESKdbpPYBNOomXPybZV_R4Ex1JXlv0Zo/s1600/Dahlia.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">Andy was my sister and friend in this material world and will be in the next kingdom.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #a64d79;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: inherit;">O God! Refresh and gladden my spirit. Purify my heart. Illumine my powers. I lay all my affairs in Thy hand. Thou art my Guide and my Refuge. I will no longer be sorrowful and grieved; I will be a happy and joyful being.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: inherit;">O God! I will no longer be full of anxiety, nor will I let trouble harass me. I will not dwell on the unpleasant things of life. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: inherit;">O God! Thou art more friend to me than I am to myself. I dedicate myself to Thee, O Lord.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #a64d79;">~ Abdu'l-Baha</span></div>
<div class="opening" style="background: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 3.8pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #330000; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-24951358354249322872014-09-17T08:00:00.000-07:002014-09-17T08:00:41.449-07:00Clash of the Couples Cover Reveal<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZQDTU0SYEdVZgvz3pAIJACOR3Mr5U5G1HLVNhLAQmrCFOZF9tH0fbG42RtYce5y_gieh6WXcPKXGI1owZmqZ4yPWqw1if4vDKH9AGBv0FLAOOpQZNJJUU-kRWvjsk-ANP5FQSeYkE7QA/s1600/Clash+of+the+Couples2-01.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZQDTU0SYEdVZgvz3pAIJACOR3Mr5U5G1HLVNhLAQmrCFOZF9tH0fbG42RtYce5y_gieh6WXcPKXGI1owZmqZ4yPWqw1if4vDKH9AGBv0FLAOOpQZNJJUU-kRWvjsk-ANP5FQSeYkE7QA/s1600/Clash+of+the+Couples2-01.png" height="320" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book Cover Revealed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Coupledom. Fact or fable, Adam and Eve birthed the perpetual relationship drama as seen on TV today. Despite the serpents, this couple HAD IT MADE. Luxury real estate, lush gardens, and privacy out the yin-yang. Life was glorious until the bare-bottomed babe could no longer resist temptation. Despite her better half’s warnings and threats to sleep in a tree, she tasted the forbidden fruit. One bite of that seductive, juicy contraband and the stage was set for eternity— a nibble that has blossomed into an endless supply of tiny tidbits that divide lovers to this day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Taking a cue from the naked explorers of authentic sin, <i><span style="color: red;">Clash of the Couples</span></i> is a new anthology featuring a collection of completely absurd lovers’ squabbles and relationship spats. Think couples fight over kids, sex, and money? Think again! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Furniture, the last beer, and where to store the placenta are what genuinely ignite our feuds.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> No argument is off limits. This book has it al</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">l!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Inside you’ll find a gut-busting compilation of stories such as: “I Can’t Believe You Ate My Sandwich," "Never Assume Anything," "Only I Can Talk About Me," and "You Want Some College Boobs?" from forty-three fearless writers. Prepare to laugh, roll your eyes, and shiver in suspense. While Eve may have had the first bite, we ate the whole tree. And made pies.” ~ Crystal Ponti, Editor<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: #F6F7F8; color: #141823;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Published by <a href="http://www.bluelobsterbookco.com/">Blue Lobster Book Co.</a>, <i>Clash of the Couples</i> launches loudly and obnoxiously on November 3, 2014. You’ll hear us coming, but look for it on Amazon, Barnes &Noble, Apple, and other places where you typically buy books. For instant updates, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClashoftheCouples">follow along on Facebook</a>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The lineup includes Susan A. Black of <a href="http://susanbraveheart.blogspot.ca/">I Like That</a> and fellow authors: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Alexa Bigwarfe of <a href="http://katbiggie.com/">No Holding Back</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Allie Burdick of <a href="http://vitatrain4life.com/">VITA - Train for Life</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Amanda Mushro of <a href="http://www.questionablechoicesinparenting.com/">Questionable Choices in Parenting</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Andrew S. Delfino of <a href="http://www.almostcoherentparent.com/">Almost Coherent Parent</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Angela Godbout of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Frapsfamilyrelationshipsandpersonalsituations">FRaPS</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Angela Keck of <a href="http://writermomblog.com/">Writer Mom’s Blog</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">April Grant of <a href="http://www.100lbcountdown.com/">100lb Countdown</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Barb Godshalk of Co-Author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Short-Stories-South-Jersey/dp/1478106190">Tall Tales and Short Stories from South Jersey</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Bev Feldman of <a href="http://www.linkouture.com/" target="_blank">Linkouture</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Brian Sorrell of <a href="http://daddingfulltime.com/">Dadding Full Time</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Camille DeFer Thompson of <a href="http://www.camilledeferthompson.com/">Camille DeFer Thompson</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Chris Carter of <a href="http://themomcafe.com/">The Mom Cafe</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Chris Dean of <a href="http://www.pixiecd.com/">pixie.c.d.</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Courtney Conover of <a href="http://www.thebrowngirlwithlonghair.com/">The Brown Girl with Long Hair</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Crystal Ponti of <a href="http://mommifried.com/">MommiFried</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave Lesser of <a href="http://www.amateuridiotprofessionaldad.com/">Amateur Idiot Professional Dad</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ginny Marie of <a href="http://www.lemondroppie.com/">Lemon Drop Pie</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jeff Bogle of <a href="http://owtk.com/">Out With The Kids</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jenny Hills of <a href="http://www.expressbusmama.com/" target="_blank">Express Bus Mama</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jessica Azar of <a href="http://herd-management.com/">Herd Management</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jodi Flaherty of <a href="http://thenoiseofboys.com/">The Noise of Boys </a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jonathon Floyd of <a href="http://www.onefunnydaddy.com/">One Funny Daddy</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Julia Arnold of <a href="http://www.franticmama.blogspot.com/">Frantic Mama</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kathryn Leehane of <a href="file:///C:/Users/Nick/Downloads/foxywinepocket.com">Foxy Wine Pocket</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kevin Zelenka of <a href="http://www.doubletroubledaddy.com/">Double Trouble Daddy</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kimberly Morand of <a href="http://mental-wellness-today.myshopify.com/collections/anchor">Anchor Magazine: Navigating Depression, Bipolar, and Anxiety</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Leigh-Mary Hoffmann of <a href="http://www.happilyeverlaughterblog.com/">Happily Ever Laughter</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"> Blog</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Linda Roy of <a href="http://elleroywashere.com/">elleroy was here</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lisa Petty of <a href="http://lisarpetty.com/">Lisa R. Petty</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lydia Richmond of <a href="http://www.clutteredgenius.com/">Cluttered Genius</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lynn Shattuck of <a href="http://thelightwillfindyou.com/">The Light Will Find You</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">M. Nicole R. Wildhood of <a href="http://megan.thewildhoods.com/">Naught Be All Else</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcia Kester Doyle of <a href="http://www.menopausalmom.com/">Menopausal Mother</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marie Bollman of <a href="http://makeyourowndamndinner.com/">Make Your Own Damn Dinner</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mary Widdicks of <a href="http://www.outmannedmommy.com/">Outmanned</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Meredith Napolitano of <a href="https://frommeredithtomommy.com/">From Meredith to Mommy</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Michelle Grewe of <a href="http://www.crumpetsandbollocks.com/">Crumpets and Bollocks</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mike Reynolds of <a href="file:///C:/Users/Nick/Downloads/puzzlingposts.com">Puzzling Posts</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">R.C. Liley of <a href="https://goingdad.wordpress.com/">Going Dad</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sarah Cottrell of <a href="http://www.housewifeplus.bangordailynews.com/">Housewife Plus</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sarah del Rio of <a href="http://established1975.com/">est. 1975</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Scott Rigdon of <a href="http://www.threefivezero.com/">Three Five Zero</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Stacey Gustafson of <a href="http://staceygustafson.com/">Are You Kidding Me?</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVduuykjZykpgImZhp8ZjRGUx5QGtyA3XoTt6kUKMv9srC8HR7f_ddQIuYmCbBKQYNux0e9A_S7gVrqYV52JEIieOK_kKSn9cpdt1CriMCOW6xsmbUWj3T7oyntwGYW0pm5sCWI3B89RI/s1600/susan+book+quote.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVduuykjZykpgImZhp8ZjRGUx5QGtyA3XoTt6kUKMv9srC8HR7f_ddQIuYmCbBKQYNux0e9A_S7gVrqYV52JEIieOK_kKSn9cpdt1CriMCOW6xsmbUWj3T7oyntwGYW0pm5sCWI3B89RI/s1600/susan+book+quote.png" height="199" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-14683573504377048842014-07-22T14:53:00.001-07:002014-07-23T09:25:59.647-07:00When A Queen Goes On A Walkabout<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkvjvZBSLpReX7XuSbnBF8eZJkCzEgwwhz8GKTqhcyYvac01eUaDgQ__dzQNcnMOZEV_owf-rlJkHgK7kvtQibEZvXlMRdQhUFMBN_4w2bxGPJ-LWpo-TR3pcZg2zsnXeXPD5iJIs12A/s1600/Rail+Trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkvjvZBSLpReX7XuSbnBF8eZJkCzEgwwhz8GKTqhcyYvac01eUaDgQ__dzQNcnMOZEV_owf-rlJkHgK7kvtQibEZvXlMRdQhUFMBN_4w2bxGPJ-LWpo-TR3pcZg2zsnXeXPD5iJIs12A/s1600/Rail+Trail.jpg" height="135" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rail Trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">When a queen
or king</span>, or another important person, goes on a walkabout, he or she walks through
crowds in a public place in order to meet people in an informal way. It was the
same for Wendy and her crew of ladies as they headed off on the <span style="color: #e06666;">Rail Trail</span>, part
of Greenways Loop Trail in Campbell River. I joined the group at the trail head
for the five-kilometre round trip with my camera, water bottle, a peeled orange
in a sandwich bag and my comfortable sun hat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">I like that
the City is filled with a network of nature trails. This one is very wide and
can handle three walkers abreast until a dog walker, or cyclist or horseback
rider or a cluster of children with their guardian comes up from behind or approaches
from the other direction. I dropped behind my new found friends and walked a slower pace.
Some hikers take on a very jubilant stride, while others, like myself,
saunter along the path and stop to take photographs of the landscape, or kneel
to admire a large spotted slug or squint to determine the source of an animal’s
footprint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">The scents that wafted through the trees carried the distinct
fragrance of decaying logs, mud filled creeks, tree bark and exposed roots interspersed
with the droppings from dogs and horses. The gravel path provided a unique
crackle sound as we marched along the corridor. All the ramblers sported
comfortable flexible footwear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">We arrived
at the end of the trail and while some sipped on their water I offered up
orange pieces. I slid the thirst-quenching segments into my
mouth and enjoyed the sweet taste. On the trek back,
Wendy and I met a stranger who after only a few words and steps on the footpath
become a friend. We invited her to join us the following week on our next
excursion and she accepted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">The next
time you are on a walkabout whether in a crowded place or on a trail, keep in
mind the </span><span style="color: #c27ba0; line-height: 115%;">royal purpose</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> is to meet people in an informal way.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrVZk7x8Gi80Va010lszpV8dq_6MZcwQXbJeNZi5f_qrn4HqvlpCNebf0F-90s07S-xa3TC533u3YB4atI3N0Gjir6-4Y8DXN83ycmj4tJkMffXmgWhkL5Fx3c8r4C9VRYzZVYe2sJ7o/s1600/Rail+Trail+Walk+About.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrVZk7x8Gi80Va010lszpV8dq_6MZcwQXbJeNZi5f_qrn4HqvlpCNebf0F-90s07S-xa3TC533u3YB4atI3N0Gjir6-4Y8DXN83ycmj4tJkMffXmgWhkL5Fx3c8r4C9VRYzZVYe2sJ7o/s1600/Rail+Trail+Walk+About.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beaver Lodge Forest Lands</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9Krv_o4FMhtJlGFVS6wPfwvk_GkD61V8HNSAYk7HhcaXr-pbfh3dsIQeGf_cW1pfq86pPgaiZPgwL7N6oXb3vRY9DiogL8zgpwRQ9-NYmlqCpqbeCIi-Ggwejc2ofgljqU9_wOlRb5I/s1600/Rail+Trail+Walk+About1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9Krv_o4FMhtJlGFVS6wPfwvk_GkD61V8HNSAYk7HhcaXr-pbfh3dsIQeGf_cW1pfq86pPgaiZPgwL7N6oXb3vRY9DiogL8zgpwRQ9-NYmlqCpqbeCIi-Ggwejc2ofgljqU9_wOlRb5I/s1600/Rail+Trail+Walk+About1.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trail Walkers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5ff_EBpsDELzZ-Ldx0cINXqVJua4a78XZoGFuHakewMimMYHWDAS3RJ3i1yB9WfFJNric5NbopRwgC1FdC58OVT-G7UwGr-I5-VVtiwh7OQb5F-q-z1-vBzUBc_iegteq_H5ryqwLH4/s1600/Rail+Trail+Walk+About2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5ff_EBpsDELzZ-Ldx0cINXqVJua4a78XZoGFuHakewMimMYHWDAS3RJ3i1yB9WfFJNric5NbopRwgC1FdC58OVT-G7UwGr-I5-VVtiwh7OQb5F-q-z1-vBzUBc_iegteq_H5ryqwLH4/s1600/Rail+Trail+Walk+About2.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sights, Scents and Sounds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-84045411776761709852014-06-12T11:57:00.000-07:002014-06-12T11:57:21.921-07:00I Love Cheerios<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSP3VMJuEUgEhbJ975x8pRrtxMAutE40j-ey-CBAr9ndOXeBxlekK3ahCKbNnnYt6bgHvdPLMGyGBqi6CFmPgSgKQ0JSnKWOOspgA7FggHlkrTxNRKhtm-H9Pb4Hfbvzp8PYbtfXHmx8E/s1600/Grayson+and+Cheerios.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSP3VMJuEUgEhbJ975x8pRrtxMAutE40j-ey-CBAr9ndOXeBxlekK3ahCKbNnnYt6bgHvdPLMGyGBqi6CFmPgSgKQ0JSnKWOOspgA7FggHlkrTxNRKhtm-H9Pb4Hfbvzp8PYbtfXHmx8E/s1600/Grayson+and+Cheerios.jpg" height="189" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our grandson loves Cheerios</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On our grandson’s fifth birthday, my husband and I enjoyed
his company for lunch and presented him with a celebration gift. He was
impressed with its size and opened his eyes wide to take in its measurements. He
held the wrapped package in his hands and beamed a grateful smile at us.
Gingerly, he tore the paper to expose a bright yellow box with its distinct image
of a heart-shaped red bowl; a symbol on one of Canada’s popular cereals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Oh, Grandma and Grandpa, I love Cheerios,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He hugged the container with eager thankfulness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Sweetheart, there’s more. Look inside,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He removed the tape pieces that held the flaps down
and peered inside. His little hands dove deep into the large box. He plucked
the soft plush bear from its container and wrapped it in his arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Thank you, Grandma. Thank you, Grandpa. His name is Ivan,”
he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We left the restaurant and strolled across the parking
lot toward our vehicle. I could hear our grandson singing to himself quietly,
making up lyrics about his new friend. For the next while, we shared in the
development of a sing-song for him to present to his mother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My husband and I agree that time spent with our grandson
is like a breath of fresh air. We consider his love and kindness towards us as welcome as the countless number of round grain oats found in a jumbo carton of Cheerios. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Love comes in all shapes and sizes. One of the many
places it can be found is within a child. A child looks to its mother and
father for direction on how to conduct him or herself. For example, a house
filled with a common exchange of ‘I love you’, lives within the heart of the
giver and is absorbed by the receiver. The word thank you is considered a
prayer. A prayer can be offered every day, as many times as you want. You are
welcome, is also a method of praising someone. Offering a greeting is a way to
express your gratitude and love for a person and life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Love from a child is unconditional and is meant to be
unrestricted and unlimited. God’s love is expressed the same way – limitless and
boundless. You can receive love from many sources including yourself. Washing
up in the morning is praise for your physical self, and expressing a prayer to
God is praise to Him and your spirit. Holding hands with a child allows for an
exchange of energy from one soul to another. A hug with your teenager is also
an exchange of love. A peck on the cheek of your life companion is an exchange
of kindness. A smile at a stranger is an opportunity for you to express your
love of the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our grandson generates love is mass doses. He has
inherited this gift from God, and is developing its benefits from his father and mother, all the members of his
immediate family and the gentle world around him. He absorbs love from his
teachers who take the time to look directly at him when speaking with him, from
the bus driver who accepts his loose change and thanks him for it, from others
who watch him as he learns to swim or plays on the soccer field. Stand close to
a child and you’ll be cloaked with the energy of innocence and love. Listen to
a child and you will learn what it is to love all things. Speak with a child
and tell him you love him. Hug a child for thirty seconds and glory in the
exchange of positive energy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: blue;">Children are the most precious treasure a community can possess, for in them are the promise and guarantee of the future. </span></b>~ Universal House of Justice, Ridvan Message, 2000</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmslaXkGoOLwDRIE56qmDIqAH5Ry55wLCAkwgNQHuSmIzjpkkscmXg5Az73vs7DM8j-QvDsPR4JDhxVLrNTx7QU-DDHzCeJsHcuuRm4bIL7AqtDDxrdaeh_AYkSPgW6zjISmGIjepvD2k/s1600/Grayson+5th+Birthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmslaXkGoOLwDRIE56qmDIqAH5Ry55wLCAkwgNQHuSmIzjpkkscmXg5Az73vs7DM8j-QvDsPR4JDhxVLrNTx7QU-DDHzCeJsHcuuRm4bIL7AqtDDxrdaeh_AYkSPgW6zjISmGIjepvD2k/s1600/Grayson+5th+Birthday.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His name is Ivan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GPRw6xEUb52DZ8pALX99lM3gWOwG4KY6pbTCWXuhesxVlPLIpCzuVFqvzqhPXqpAW4bMy-W62h8_bt1OY29v42bI71QcFIoXX-3Asrmb1gLMVQ7CuEhmA5RGFsKZ9zbJtn2IffL_684/s1600/Grayson+5th+Birthday1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GPRw6xEUb52DZ8pALX99lM3gWOwG4KY6pbTCWXuhesxVlPLIpCzuVFqvzqhPXqpAW4bMy-W62h8_bt1OY29v42bI71QcFIoXX-3Asrmb1gLMVQ7CuEhmA5RGFsKZ9zbJtn2IffL_684/s1600/Grayson+5th+Birthday1.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His name is Spiderman</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-86625402540365356222013-06-09T08:59:00.001-07:002013-06-09T09:44:08.560-07:00Sisters In Kind<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcqxhSelyWZ3gOSiLTzmQLhBB4Zmp2KMkYDSxqQtYWjo9GEyn3j9djG3uUwZi6lXlHeWNE3WEVLlbCb8_YqznfkPNGynwmlUYqekaA0o-Qg-yp25eD61QLdLvTCKruy8pPKO1E3pmzTs/s1600/P8040010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcqxhSelyWZ3gOSiLTzmQLhBB4Zmp2KMkYDSxqQtYWjo9GEyn3j9djG3uUwZi6lXlHeWNE3WEVLlbCb8_YqznfkPNGynwmlUYqekaA0o-Qg-yp25eD61QLdLvTCKruy8pPKO1E3pmzTs/s200/P8040010.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joy Gives Us Wings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Three friends gathered in a house in Woss, British Columbia,
and found sisterhood.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The foundation of the event was based on <span style="color: purple;"><b>joy</b></span>. The pleasure
of being in one another’s presence gave us wings. Our chronic health conditions
were set aside and we became more vital. Our intellect was keener and allowed us
to formulate a plan to support youth to attend an international conference.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Together, sometimes holding hands, the bliss of being with
each other surged strength through us. We learnt coping
techniques from each other to deal with the world at large. Together we were wrapped in a
sphere of usefulness.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We kept sadness away from our hearts to avoid its weakening
characteristics. Our sisterhood strength took over so that our comprehension
and intelligence were unveiled.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our intention is to practice sisterhood regularly with all our women friends.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><b>Joy</b></span> <span style="color: purple;">gives us wings! In times of joy our strength is more
vital, our intellect keener, and our understanding less clouded. We seem better
able to cope with the world and to find our sphere of usefulness. But when
sadness visits us we become weak, our strength leaves us, our comprehension is
dim and our intelligence veiled.</span></i> ~ Abdu’l-Baha</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQLQwjnYDb22dC7pfxSk9pSuiKj_S1YeJM2y74vvvRijyeb7MtFw5hCdDM2lamqXiIoHlBebQHMgiJyIL5LQyYlGI_2-Cku6o5QgVvOb2MOWoXWy1I_8KlqDaM3xpbuC_6EdfKgUMmA4/s1600/Sisters+in+kind+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQLQwjnYDb22dC7pfxSk9pSuiKj_S1YeJM2y74vvvRijyeb7MtFw5hCdDM2lamqXiIoHlBebQHMgiJyIL5LQyYlGI_2-Cku6o5QgVvOb2MOWoXWy1I_8KlqDaM3xpbuC_6EdfKgUMmA4/s400/Sisters+in+kind+collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nature Exudes Joy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-52481104243804927442013-05-07T10:01:00.000-07:002013-05-07T10:53:48.606-07:00The Past Tense of Eat<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8QwhQym9gRC1szSE16qiA5aNxsqRKH255W5jZ2UhK7CpmcESWXll0Xnwxw4jC62aiE7pEgv6-EEh5rBgu2b6dW02AeXJN-iRcwLsBn2yBb7cpdjRWrrCBjFT0CeQxvas8B4aIt85NzI/s1600/Deluxe-Scrabble-board-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8QwhQym9gRC1szSE16qiA5aNxsqRKH255W5jZ2UhK7CpmcESWXll0Xnwxw4jC62aiE7pEgv6-EEh5rBgu2b6dW02AeXJN-iRcwLsBn2yBb7cpdjRWrrCBjFT0CeQxvas8B4aIt85NzI/s200/Deluxe-Scrabble-board-.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deluxe Board </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I like everything <span style="font-family: 'Monotype Corsiva';">SCRABBLE</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">®</span>. Twenty years ago I
bought myself a deluxe model along with the official Scrabble players
dictionary.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I especially like the word ET, a past tense of eat. It
provided me a forty-eight point score at the tournament I attended in Campbell
River as a fundraising event for the local literacy program. I never thought my word would cause a ruckus.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had placed my tiles on the board, counted the
points and stated them and the word quietly to my opponent. Her responsibility
was to record the word and the points for it. She refused my word.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What’s the matter?” I said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What’s that supposed to be?” she said. She pointed to my
word.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Et is a past tense of eat”, I said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I’ve been teaching English for thirty-five years and I’ve
drilled it into my students’ heads that ate is the past tense of eat,” she
said. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Do you want to challenge the word?” I said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We both knew the single challenge rule where if a player
places a word and her opponent wishes to challenge, the challenger may do so
with no penalty.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEm9vbUXn1py-Te8wxU3VJ-Eo0uTmjc81iwFIfKsCoYkrECgVqP23CNjvpkyuGVQjnb7lqKBJlqS9Si6jkwSDmP6e4rZzxTjqElkEZjXK83ExL-2J2TfRO1DqsY8Z9qTVoNBpMqbAH4E/s1600/scrabble+dictionary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEm9vbUXn1py-Te8wxU3VJ-Eo0uTmjc81iwFIfKsCoYkrECgVqP23CNjvpkyuGVQjnb7lqKBJlqS9Si6jkwSDmP6e4rZzxTjqElkEZjXK83ExL-2J2TfRO1DqsY8Z9qTVoNBpMqbAH4E/s200/scrabble+dictionary.jpg" width="139" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ultimate Argument-Settler</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I waved the word judge over. He flipped through the pages of
the Scrabble dictionary, located ET and read the definition. I knew that book
to be the ultimate argument-settler for Scrabble game players.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Why aren’t we using a proper Oxford dictionary?” my
challenger said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As her voice grew louder other tournament players turned
their attention to our action. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“This will be the last game I play. Let’s finish,”
she said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She recorded my word and the points on the score sheet. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After the award ceremony I approached her and asked if she would
be interested in joining me at the community centre where we play Scrabble for
fun. After she accepted the invitation I handed her my official Scrabble
players dictionary.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Bring it with you on Thursday,” I said. “I’ll bring my
board.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgct-xFVKBuFpwFrBtbN59y3cjoFPlKKXqmpr1p3qaJrw81dHU84v7RPPhmRRIK1C0D8JPsTOhMlzt6ZTHAUfgsKrjPYgIbeL2aMMHdiTvW2bEepTRpSjAf-fUWyOHXXel-N0Q1lnnMJjY/s1600/Scrabble_1+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgct-xFVKBuFpwFrBtbN59y3cjoFPlKKXqmpr1p3qaJrw81dHU84v7RPPhmRRIK1C0D8JPsTOhMlzt6ZTHAUfgsKrjPYgIbeL2aMMHdiTvW2bEepTRpSjAf-fUWyOHXXel-N0Q1lnnMJjY/s400/Scrabble_1+collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scrabble has it rewards</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTm5g6kacpi2ZBBSLz5lRPDGPMtbWa3G1AnNKJgMNiQXnGWIkC6ifo30WsBYw95BmrFt8NdR5R_v6iDBQGLnOXl-on3ELA6ow-XS1zeNThAcOyo8ITleE83wNJ4RmVmXTQqnQMPmgHyg/s1600/Scrabble_2+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTm5g6kacpi2ZBBSLz5lRPDGPMtbWa3G1AnNKJgMNiQXnGWIkC6ifo30WsBYw95BmrFt8NdR5R_v6iDBQGLnOXl-on3ELA6ow-XS1zeNThAcOyo8ITleE83wNJ4RmVmXTQqnQMPmgHyg/s400/Scrabble_2+collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tournament Fundraiser for Literacy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-54872016851805254472013-04-16T13:00:00.000-07:002014-08-08T17:08:12.510-07:00Triple-Header Extravaganza<br />
<table class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2u69aFs1bks4QEz6Y1f56il5tWI7KfFdoSiGvMmOueFZjGOw_ZWEW7K7nizayAg0YNoHF1VpxuwNTpVR0VihBNHRMCrBK3ws-bh7_JWo5mqiDOVTMWohpZmcVUt10yzITNzI0S5wWBo/s1600/microphone.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2u69aFs1bks4QEz6Y1f56il5tWI7KfFdoSiGvMmOueFZjGOw_ZWEW7K7nizayAg0YNoHF1VpxuwNTpVR0VihBNHRMCrBK3ws-bh7_JWo5mqiDOVTMWohpZmcVUt10yzITNzI0S5wWBo/s200/microphone.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">♪ </span>Sing Along With Me <span style="font-size: 12pt;">♪</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">I LIKE THAT</span></b> music fills me with joy. I don’t know how to play a musical instrument, but I know melodies spike my energy. I sing like nobody is listening, and consider hand clapping after a performance part of the entertainment.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Saturday, April 13, 2013, Frank and I enjoyed a triple-header date of listening to a jazz band at a local pub, and afterward a pop crew followed by an eclectic posse of voices and guitars. The <b><span style="color: #e69138;">Forsland Group</span></b> was led by a barefoot lady jazz singer, accompanied by a saxophone player, guitarist and bass fiddle player. Many of us were tapping our feet to the beat while others were bobbing their heads to the rhythm and snapping their fingers. My compulsion is to sing along if I remember the words, however because jazz tunes have <i>doo-wop</i> ups and downs it’s nearly impossible. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVqGLdtlt2U5l-z9eD3G_8A8dPbr5YHHBXLM7gc-Owlf2u6FpB9EwT-gnlkMwViGc7uFO53TJRSWgLt0Lg1PZHTUuWFQkDRyk5og5g5BSGrFmBETFH4OR1iP1NJmSHs6ULOJXIB-VPFA/s1600/brass+instrument+keys.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVqGLdtlt2U5l-z9eD3G_8A8dPbr5YHHBXLM7gc-Owlf2u6FpB9EwT-gnlkMwViGc7uFO53TJRSWgLt0Lg1PZHTUuWFQkDRyk5og5g5BSGrFmBETFH4OR1iP1NJmSHs6ULOJXIB-VPFA/s200/brass+instrument+keys.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">♪</span> Brass Instrument Keys <span style="font-size: 12pt;">♪</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Afterward, we attended a fund-raising festival of music at the Campbell River Community Centre. The first band, <b><span style="color: red;">Inclusion</span></b>, is composed of three singers and five instrumentalists who tend to play dance music and sing-a-long tunes. The audience is always invited to participate and that's when I'm at my happiest. The band that followed, <b><span style="color: blue;">Ogre Major</span></b>, has one female singer, a male singer who played guitar, along with two other guitarists. A computer produced the funky background sounds. I’m a big fan of lyrical music with words I can understand so everything I heard that day at all three concerts suited me just fine.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtrhP8UMnD4JUfj3ZD4aNUnOcJ-I65mHL4SVvZtj2T0fEsVYiiKX-nUWQ1Z8319kfsL8M8GcL0qWJVTXQNemATerWNQ9FTi_AyelFeoCCHc0VvHclJkQKxwSQr3_SQzYGvwZv5iJeKPt0/s1600/guitar.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtrhP8UMnD4JUfj3ZD4aNUnOcJ-I65mHL4SVvZtj2T0fEsVYiiKX-nUWQ1Z8319kfsL8M8GcL0qWJVTXQNemATerWNQ9FTi_AyelFeoCCHc0VvHclJkQKxwSQr3_SQzYGvwZv5iJeKPt0/s200/guitar.jpg" height="142" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">♪</span>Dig That Funky Beat <span style="font-size: 12pt;">♪</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>One good thing about music</i><i>,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i> when it hits you,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i> you feel no pain.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i> </i><span style="font-size: x-small;">~ Bob Marley</span></div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-27401510177781591572013-03-24T12:17:00.000-07:002013-03-24T12:17:09.287-07:00How To Prevent Racism<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKwW0K2aXk08QJRyA5RKg7RtuWtlXesFvhoqCZ_GgR5wLbWbcTMxErXie9mxFu_RAkrh5T7JSi3u_xynMfvTCEiXYt42AUkfqCYLsvxUPuPQzx_uR7_uUf3BlZpVF5Qc1P_JYfAoyA8E/s1600/Wendy+and+Susan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKwW0K2aXk08QJRyA5RKg7RtuWtlXesFvhoqCZ_GgR5wLbWbcTMxErXie9mxFu_RAkrh5T7JSi3u_xynMfvTCEiXYt42AUkfqCYLsvxUPuPQzx_uR7_uUf3BlZpVF5Qc1P_JYfAoyA8E/s200/Wendy+and+Susan.jpg" width="166" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We are one</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One way to put a halt to racism is to gather
like-minded people together, provide them with message boards, a walking path
and police escort, and then have the citizens bring the message of unity to
their community.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Saturday, March 23, 2013, I had the privilege of joining friends, family and acquaintances on a walk to stop racism. I bundled
myself in a chicken costume and carried a sign that read “Don’t Be Chicken…<span style="color: red;">Stop
</span>Racism”. My friend Wendy and I marched with other passionate
folks whose message that crisp day was to say that we are one people, one race, filled with hope
that skin colour will become as commonly accepted as eye colour where it
matters not in the eye of the beholder.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Personally, when I meet people, I look into their eyes and search for their existence there. What I find is someone looking back at me and my hope is that they like what they see.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was humming a song as we strolled along.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
♫ <i><span style="color: blue;">We are drops of one ocean,</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">We are leaves of one tree,</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">Come and join us in our quest for unity,</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">It’s a way of life for you and me.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">We are flowers of one garden,</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">We are pearls of one sea,</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">Come and join us in our quest for unity,</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">It’s a way of life for you and me.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">All the world is one country,</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">Man is one, can’t you see,</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">Come and join us in our quest for unity,</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: blue;">It’s a way of life for you and me.</span><span style="color: #134f5c;"> </span></i>♫</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKpALEABqn6jRI2iI_i_lp6-w8L6c_7fszSDJe0sCXdPaGrWVArzXIW61pajmDLofJlz0rtkxZsv0joaEm4AA-2eQuBPm0tCxc2FJEt1sdMQypbXrXFLY2CD42qoNEE72BZI-khD4fGc/s1600/Racism+Walk+2013+collage_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKpALEABqn6jRI2iI_i_lp6-w8L6c_7fszSDJe0sCXdPaGrWVArzXIW61pajmDLofJlz0rtkxZsv0joaEm4AA-2eQuBPm0tCxc2FJEt1sdMQypbXrXFLY2CD42qoNEE72BZI-khD4fGc/s400/Racism+Walk+2013+collage_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like-minded folk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS88mdFB_c4EGSKo1N3gHn6f97CHEtq3EM69Rmt8GfIXokeRbEZ3JsoNL4EDvq5ebUd1Nwh_gEMXMhHIqrfVJzWzNVQMWgn8beHyWzWxzBMle7WvDQ2yfYjbcY31exbSlzRFsXN5BAq2M/s1600/Racism+Walk+2013+collage_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS88mdFB_c4EGSKo1N3gHn6f97CHEtq3EM69Rmt8GfIXokeRbEZ3JsoNL4EDvq5ebUd1Nwh_gEMXMhHIqrfVJzWzNVQMWgn8beHyWzWxzBMle7WvDQ2yfYjbcY31exbSlzRFsXN5BAq2M/s400/Racism+Walk+2013+collage_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multi-cultural stop racism messages</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224558525138121890.post-81131041928230706092013-03-18T15:02:00.000-07:002013-03-18T15:17:50.818-07:00Witness to Wisdom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGHjMYMrAoAtuYkfAaXncBvRiMw5g-MyJfDV2GZ04reroFLgzh1tUGibQgtsQUX21rN74rR-TwD1zYRjT_McPvQkQ3T_zS6sVv7_fY9V-EEm1emigONTKkGWuXnluAmnU-ORCfdsAvzaw/s1600/DSCF1231-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGHjMYMrAoAtuYkfAaXncBvRiMw5g-MyJfDV2GZ04reroFLgzh1tUGibQgtsQUX21rN74rR-TwD1zYRjT_McPvQkQ3T_zS6sVv7_fY9V-EEm1emigONTKkGWuXnluAmnU-ORCfdsAvzaw/s200/DSCF1231-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The energy in the cramped room filled with
recovering alcoholics brought feelings of humility, companionship and wisdom to my senses.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was there to celebrate my son’s anniversary and was surrounded
by others of like-mind who also felt a kinship with him. Complete strangers, some of them, friends for life, most of them, the
members of this amazing fellowship listened quietly and with respect to the topic explored that evening. Each member was invited to share his and her experience with the group . Some chose to pass on the topic while others spoke with keen
enthusiasm for the excitement brought on by alcohol and the downside of not
knowing when to stop. Some spoke of losses repeated over and over with each
relapse, while others, too new to the program to know the consequences
of giving in to their obsession, spoke of their gratitude for having a place to
land and share their hidden feelings.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I felt camaraderie and love emitting from the
attendees to the ends of my toes. I took in a deep breath to absorb the moment and
released a quiet exhale with the hope that the feelings of compassionate brother and
sisterhood would stay with me. The power of the meeting’s tone remains with me
and I am grateful.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the end of the meeting we stood, clasped hands and
chanted the prayer that is shared around the world:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #cc0000;">God grant me the serenity</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #cc0000;">To accept the things I cannot change;</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #cc0000;">The courage to change the things I can</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #cc0000;">And the wisdom to know the difference.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Susan Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18312098637947113644noreply@blogger.com0