When you take your man shopping....

...do they chase crawling, severed hands around on the floor? Ha ha - well, that's what happened to Mandy and I yesterday when we three went to Michaels to do some wedding shopping. We were supposed to be checking out centerpieces for the tables, programs, etc., etc. Mandy and I were hard at it when Jorge discovered, much to his delight, the Hallowe'en aisles! It went all downhill from there - or should I say, "down on the floor" as he watched with delight the bleeding, crawling hand (severed at the elbow!) that crawled across the floor all by itself. Gag, barf - Mandy and I were almost throwing up at the things he found! Every time we turned around, we were presented with another of their horrific oddities! In spite of it all, though, we women were able to concentrate and get some items and more ideas for the reception (check more things off the list!). Note on the side: Tanya, please don't take the girls into Michaels until Hallowe'en is over! Mind you, it seems to me, that it gets worse and sicker every year. It's getting so you can't take the little guys anywhere now without them being scared by the overactive imaginations of our sick adults. I even saw life-size mummies and frankensteins standing at the door in Save On foods a couple of days ago. Does anyone notice how, over the years, this day has changed and become more perverted? The seemingly innocent days of my youth - when we would dress up as Sylvester the cat or Huckleberry Hound and go door to door in our crescent seeking out the home-made goodies of all the grandmothers on the street - have been replaced by adults dressing up (on the job during the day as well as at night in their houses) with what would appear to be, the sole purpose of terrifying the young children who visit them! I don't understand it and wonder how we can change the downward spin this day is taking... I'm glad that we, as a family, stopped "celebrating" (if you can call it that) years ago. It's a step I've never regretted!

Princess Again!

I just got some pics today of little Breanna's christening - isn't she beautiful in her long lace dress? Mom and Dad look pretty proud as well. Here's another one as well of her with Clayton in his red serge. Congrats you three on the big event! I hope we can get together soon as Breanna's getting sooooo big!!

White Shoes in September...or...how to plan a wedding in six weeks..

...Where did they all go? Mandy, Jorge and I went hunting for shoes for the wedding tonight. Where did all the white shoes, that covered the shelves two weeks ago, disappear to? She's looking for something low (she's about the same height as Jorge) and, of course, white - nothing fancy - but there's nothing out there! All the blacks and browns of winter are here... As soon as you walk up to a salesperson and say the word "white", they start shaking their head! Oh, well, we will have to keep on hunting, I guess... She can't be the only bride of the winter.

The plans are coming together and we're having a lot of fun times and some stressful, not-so-fun times as we work it all out - careful not to forget something important...like...ummm...I don't know...I forgot! Anyway, Mandy and Jorge spent the weekend with Kristy and Bob in Blackfalds and her sister helped her put some plans down on paper, make some phone calls and firm some things up - so that was a big help. If it was left to just Mandy and I, this has been the common scenario as of late: one of us says, "Shouldn't we be doing something about the wedding (or reception)?", then we just look at each other, scream, "aaarrgghhhh", then go watch a movie or do something else. Ha ha. But actually I'm proud of us now because we've been setting some daily/weekly goals and are achieving them. Before bed we remind ourselves of what we have accomplished that day for the wedding! There are a lot of things in our favor such as the fact that we are having the reception in a historic barn, so we are not allowed to decorate the old beams or walls - sweet! That solves the "how to decorate the hall" problem! We found a wonderful girl who helped Mandy pick out her bouquet and is providing it at a really good price - we were both holding our breath while she got out the calculator - but were amazed at the final quote - much less than other stores were quoting. We've got all the dresses for the bridesmaids and flower girls and the guys have their tuxes ordered so that's done. What's with that anyway - how come guys can walk in a store and walk out 30 minutes later with only having to provide their own underwear and socks!! Shoes, handkerchiefs, cufflinks, everything is included with the tux!! How fair is that? Why don't they have rental places for women where we can walk in and rent everything? I think that's the store I'm going to open when I retire.... Think it would work? Tomorrow the invitations for the shower go out - we haven't told Mandy anything about that yet - she just has to show up! I hope she'll enjoy what her sisters and friends are preparing... So that's our life right now - most of our spare moments are filled with "the preparations"... 38 days and counting...

Do you really think it's yours?

I've had a lot of thoughts lately on belongings and "stuff". My basic convictions are that we just have too much of it - sometimes years go and we don't even look at it, let alone use it. Soooo...I'm cleaning out our house. Much to the upcoming horror of my grandchildren (once they find out!), I have already done the "toy" closet downstairs and my plans are to do a lot more in the next few weeks. Boy, does it feel good - no more moving stuff around to make room for more stuff! Also, today in church, the pastor was talking about how we hang on to possessions - thinking they are ours and belong to us (natural to think). He was saying that if we think our material possessions (houses, cars, etc.) belong to us and we tend to cling to them, we should just ask ourselves this question, "Who will this belong to one hundred years from now?". Wow, that really hit me - I think my house and my back yard are mine but years from now someone else will be sitting in it, calling it their own! It made me realize that everything we have now is really just a gift, a loan to us for the short time we are here on this earth.... So, now, if our car gets dinged in the parking lot, we can just say, "Hey, Lord, somebody just hit your car!". Kind of freeing, I think? What do you think?

Did you know... (Sabes...)

...that I have been studying Spanish for more than three years now? You'd think by now that I'd be pretty fluent but living in a country where it is seldom spoken has not helped. I need to be immersed in a Spanish-speaking country for about a year to really clinch it, I think. Ha ha, but that's not going to be happening any time soon.... but we never know where the Lord is going to lead us. With more and more South Americans moving to Canada, I'm hoping I may be able to use it someday in my job. Anyway, what I'm leading up to here is an official welcome to my dear friend (and my Spanish teacher!), Sulay! We were at church today and I told her about my blog. So, bear with me while I leave a message on here for her!

Sulay - Bienvenido a mi pagina - te gusta? Yo espero que tu vas a entender lo que ya he escrito. Yo quiero darte las gracias por todo lo que me has ensenado. Voy a extranarte cuando vas a los estados unidos pero espero que vamos a ser amigas para siempre! Podemos escribirmos todo el tiempo por correo electronico, no? Te quiero mucho... hasta sabado - nos vemos pronto. Chau....

Princess of the Day!

Here she is - Miss Cutie Pie of the day! Little Breanna is our "adopted" grandaughter - daughter of Clayton and Amanda Seguin. She sure looks like her Daddy but has Mommy's nose, I think. I wish they lived closer but we hope to see her again soon. Amanda tells me she's just cut her first tooth - not even three months old!!

Congratulations!

...to my awesome nephew, Christopher Neve!! I just received the invitation to his Eagle Scout Award Ceremony (the highest you can go in the Boy Scouts of America). I wish I could fly down for it but won't be able to. I'm not sure how he's gonna make it, either, with his knee injury, but I'm sure he'll get there somehow. Just wanted you to know that we're proud of you, Christopher - you've done a lot of hard work to be awarded this honor!! By the way, his older brother, David, also achieved this award - last year, I believe. Congrats to you both! (I guess they don't teach you how to blog in the Boy Scouts....).

Old Man Mountain...and more...

Okay, here's some more photos of our trip to Jasper... What? You think there's a story behind this one? What makes you think that? Doesn't it just look like a normal day in our family's life? Ha ha (yeah, it does!). As you can see, Jorge has fit right in with our crazy impulses! Here, Floyd, tired from his climb up the mountain, decided to pose as Old Man Mountain (Jasper landmark), so Jorge decided to pose with him - doing what, we're not quite sure - trying to raise him from the dead, maybe?? Silly men....

And over here is another photo of "the beautiful couple" - Mandy and Jorge - by Athabasca Falls. And, yes, we were a little close, and, yes, we did climb under the railings to get the photo, and, yes, it did raise a few issues with our men. They weren't impressed that we girls went exploring off the beaten path but we were careful and lived to tell the story. Everyone in our family knows that I don't take risks when it comes to exploring and am not one to venture onto a dangerous path....snicker, snicker.... After, when we were leaving, we noticed the bench that was erected in memory of a young guy who fell off the falls a couple of years ago...eeeeek...ooops...


One more photo - of the storm that was moving in on the summit when we were up there (yes, Floyd was cautioning about the fact that there were dark clouds approaching fast) - it was beautiful and I had to take some photos of it. It didn't snow nor rain but the clouds effects were magnificent. (By the way, can you see the lady in the background that was giving away free medallions to all the women who made it to the summit? No, I didn't see her either...funny thing, that.) Click on the image to see it in all it's glory (and, no, this one hasn't been Photo Shopped yet!). By the way, all the pics we took on the trip were with Floyd's digital - a bottom-of-the-line one but it takes really good photos. I just missed my zoom....

My New Toy...

...anyone want to buy a film camera? Ha ha - okay, Tanya, I'm finally admitting it for the world to see - I want to go digital. You may think that it's taken me a long time to get with the 21st century but that's not actually true. I took a step "backwards" about two years ago and bought (yes, I did!) a new film camera. Gasp! With all the new digital technology staring me in the face, I looked at my 20-year-old slides and yearned for their clarity and color. I remembered getting classic photos of my girls as babies that was taken at such a slow speed that they could be enlarged on the side of a skyscraper and still be crisp (okay, may be a slight exaggeration, but you get my point). So, in a burst of heel-digging-in rebellion against the world, I purchased an awesome camera - really, it is! It's a Canon Rebel T2 with a zoom lens to die for. However, I've discovered a few things that have made me regret my decision... First of all, the obvious cost of buying and developing film. Secondly, the fact that those gorgeous slow speed films are becoming increasingly harder to buy (not too mention the strange look the man in the camera store gave me when I asked about purchasing a slide carousel! He first thought he would have to special order it but then found one in the back room and muttered, under his breath, something about selling the thirty he had at home while he rung mine up!). Thirdly, while everyone around me was taking hundreds of digital shots, I was scrimping with my 24-exposure film, hoping the treasured pics hidden deep in the secret bowels of my camera were turning out all right, scrambling to change film in the middle of the action, and trying to smugly convince myself that I really was smarter than them! Then, there is also the huge camera bag that I lug around with me while others are whipping their digitals out of pockets so small I thought it was where they carried their cell phones. Then, it happened - the crowning touch - the thing that pushed me over the edge - yes, tonight I discovered.... Photo Shop! Oh my goodness! Not only can you take hundreds of photos to make sure at least one will turn out good, but you also have the added delight of taking the one that did turn out perfect and making it better with a few strokes of a computer tool!! Does it get any better than that? Granted, navigating my "Photo Shop for Dummies" book is a lot like standing in the middle of a busy Athens marketplace (totally lost...and all Greek to me), but with the help of Jorge, Mandy and Tanya, I have learned enough to be officially bitten by the Photo Shop bug. There's no turning back now...
So....anyone wanna buy a camera?

Mandy and Jorge "on top of the world"
***********
We're back! We had a wonderful trip to Jasper - we were so glad we went after all. Tuesday turned into a beautiful day - it rained on the way there and almost up to the park gates but while we were having lunch in the townsite, the sun broke through the clouds and we headed for the tramway! It was incredible. We took coats but really didn't need them (story of my life - ha ha! - don't say anything, Derrick!) and actually made it all the way to the top. Okay, okay, yes, Floyd, I was gullible enough to believe that Dutch guy that said there was a lady up top giving out medallions to all the women who made it! After all, what guy in his right mind would fly to a foreign country, climb a mountain and just randomly stop and lie to a complete stranger! Sigh.... We were especially proud of Floyd, who also went all the way to the summit - even though towards the end he became our official "bench-spotter"! Good for you, dear - not many people your age would have made it. (note to Tanya and Kristy - he wanted to go - we tried to tell him he didn't have to, but you know your Dad!). More stories of our trip to follow.....

We remember, not the days, but rather the moments…

My last two nightshifts on the job were crazy – just insanely busy, the kind of nights that when you finally stop to catch your breath, it is already 4:30 a.m. However, Friday night, I had the rare experience (I can count on my hands the moments I’ve had like this in my five years with the RCMP) of actually coming away feeling like I had touched someone and had made their life better. In this case, it may have even saved someone’s life. These times are what make all the insanity of dealing with belligerent, intoxicated jerks all night long worth it. There was a young man who had drunk a bit too much and was lost in a strange town with nowhere to go on a cold wet night. He first called me on 911 and his voice already sounded weak as he pleaded, “Please help me.” He only knew that he was in front of a Safeway but no idea which one. His cell phone was broken and he could call out but not receive calls. I dispatched to an already over-taxed police force, which were out dealing with more “serious” crimes in progress, knowing his plea was low on the list of response. After his second call came in, with no more info than the first, I asked and a member said he’d checked both the Safeway stores in town and no one was around. Andrew (name changed) continued to call but talked less and less as the time went by. I pled with him to keep talking, to stand up and walk, to do anything so that we could somehow find him. His conversations were becoming more and more one-sided as all I heard was his rapid shallow breathing and his mumbled pleas for help. I really feared he was slipping into unconsciousness and his shivering and chattering teeth confirmed that he was becoming hypothermic. I went back on the radio and asked the members to please keep checking as I thought Andrew wasn’t going to make it if he wasn’t found soon. Their previous load lightened by now, they started to look in earnest as I tried to keep Andrew on the phone, begging him to talk to me and look around for signs, etc. The members even turned their sirens on and asked me to see if I could hear them on the phone but nothing. Then, suddenly, on the other end, I heard someone talking to Andrew – “You okay? How long have you been out here, buddy?” I checked on the radio and sure enough, he had been found and an ambulance was soon on its way to take him to the hospital. It is calls like Andrew’s that make me realize why I love to do what I do so much. Sorting through the abuse and picking out the real needs of real hurting people. I come away remembering the moments….

Happiness and "stuff"... Quote of the Day

“When we take our children to the Shrine of the Golden Arches they always lust for the meal that comes with the cheap little prize - a combination christened in a moment of marketing genius called, The Happy Meal. We’re not just buying fries, Mcnuggets and a dinosaur stamp, we’re buying Happiness. Their advertisements have convinced children that they have a little Mcdonald-shaped vacuum in their souls, that kind of whispers a voice, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in a Happy Meal.” I try and buy off my kids sometimes - I tell them to order only the food and I’ll give them a quarter to go buy a little toy of their own but the cry goes up, ‘I want a Happy Meal!!’ All over the restaurant, people crane their necks to look at the tight-fisted, penny-pinching, cheapskate of a parent who would deny his child the Meal of Great Joy. The problem with the happy meal is that the happy wears off and they need a new fix. No child discovers lasting happiness in just one. Have you ever heard a child say, ‘Remember that Happy Meal? What great joy I found there.’ Never. Happy meals bring happiness only to Mcdonalds. That’s why Ronald Mcdonald wears that grin. 20 billion happy meals have been sold. When you get older you don’t get any smarter, it’s just that your happy meals get more expensive.” - John Ortberg

FREEDOM!!!!!

Well, I finally did it! Last night we rented and watched Braveheart. Can't believe I hadn't watched it before but there you go... It was gruesome at times (Mandy and I are still trying to forget the sword through the eye scene!) but an awesome movie none the less and with Mel Gibson as the star, how could you go wrong? It did make me a bit ashamed of my English roots though but I also marvelled that, after all that history, the two countries are so amicable now. Unfortunately for Jorge, there were no Spanish subtitles but he assured us that he'd already seen it 50,000 times (a slight exaggeration, I would think...) and it was okay. However, after a few minutes, we did put on the English subtitles for someone else (no names mentioned to protect the innocent!) - ha ha, I love you, dear!!

We got to bed about 12:30, I think and I slept until 10:30 - so I finally made up for some of my lost sleep over the weekend. Tomorrow morning, bright and early (Jorge wants to leave at 2:00 a.m. but I don't see that happening!), we four are heading to Jasper! We almost cancelled because our goal was to take Jorge to see it in the summer and the forecast was not cooperating on that end. Now we've decided, what the heck, it's Alberta - give it a minute and the weather will change anyway - so we're gonna go. We'll be overnighting in the Lobstick Lodge for one night and then coming back Wednesday night. Mandy says she's never been in a hot spring (she must have been too little to remember - sorry Ruley!), so Miette will definitely be on our "to do" list, and the tramway if the weather is good.

Yahoo....on the road again!!

ZZZZZZzzzzzzzz....

Here I am, sitting at the church bookstore after coming off a crazy nightshift! Boy am I tired! I was supposed to be off early (4:30) so I could grab a couple of hours sleep before coming to church but when the time came and we had three pursuits, one after another, I knew that it just wasn't going to happen. But this afternoon when I get home I hope to sleep most of the afternoon away. God showed me something this morning, in the wee hours of the morning, in the middle of the worst rush of the night... I had just sent a warrant confirmation to the wrong detachment and was trying to correct my mistake while answering the phone lines on hold, calling out tow trucks and ambulances, and helping the other patrol cars waiting in queue. In the midst of my frustration and mounting panic, a friend keyed in with his portable (the one I was doing the confirmation for, so he knew how I was feeling right then) and said three simple words when I responded to him. He said, simply and calmly, "Hi.....it's me." I can't tell you what that did to me. It was his way of saying, "It's okay. I know what happened and it's okay". I was immediately calmed and was able to bring everything into focus, relax and do what had to be done without fretting about it. After all, the bad guy was where he belonged and wasn't going anywhere. The confirmation would get done even if it was temporarily delayed by my error.

On the way home I was thinking about life and how in the busiest times of our lives, when we can hardly keep our heads above water for all that is happening around us, God comes to us and whispers "Hi. It's me." He brings our troubles into focus and, in the light of eternity, we realize that this, too, will pass. His calm voice has the power to transform our frustrations and worries into immediate peace and a stillness that only He can bring. But the key is hearing the still small whisper - the calm in the storm - how often do I miss it? How often do I not even try to listen for Him? He knows everything we are going through and can't wait to intrude into our busyness with His message of peace... How it touched me to hear my friend's voice - just when I needed it - telling me it was okay. But how much more do I need to hear the voice of Jesus in the storms of my life? God, teach me to listen more closely for your whisper...

Food For Thought?

Here's something that has helped me a lot over the past year. I found it in a "Stories for the Heart" book and it was written by Portia Nelson. It may not make sense at all and so may make you question your sanity (or mine!) because it doesn't mean anything to you. But that's okay, it just means that there haven't been issues in your life that have caused your autobiography to resemble this:

An Autobiography in Five Short Paragraphs by Portia Nelson

1) I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost. I am helpless. It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.

2) I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in. I can't believe I'm in the same place, but it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.

3) I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in. It's a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.

4) I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.

5) I walk down a different street.

So, what do you think? You may have to mull over it for awhile and if it still is meaningless to you - that's great! It can only be a good sign. For the record (and in case you were wondering...) most days I am #4 but I do still have my #3 days. Unfortunately, #5 is often not an option....

Also, you may also wonder how this can apply to me as a Christian. I can only say that the Lord has been with me throughout my life, guiding me, protecting me and leading me but that doesn't mean that I have always been obedient and watchful of His ways. I also believe He has allowed "deep holes in the sidewalk" as places of growth for me. I'm still learning, Lord - but I'm becoming more attentive to the traps the enemy is setting for me.

Never Thought I'd See the Day!

Can you believe it? At my stage in my life - a Mum and Grandma - I am starting a blog! I'll try and keep it up and, actually, it might be fun as I'd rather type than sit and write in a diary any day (don't ask me why!). I've already spent a large portion of my life journalling and right now I'm not sure if this is going to take the place of that or not.... I'll keep you posted! I'm still not actually sure who (apart from immediate family!) would want to read this... but it's not for anyone else anyway. Maybe it's just for me...

About me? Well, I like to use "..." a lot in my writings, and that you'll discover as the days and years roll by. Maybe it's because I don't know how to end a sentence or maybe it's because there is no immediate end and the rest just belongs to the future and my God. He's the One who is going to provide the final "." to my life anyway, so maybe I'll leave that for Him...

That's it for right now. I was going to tell you about myself but that's silly as I'm not sending this link out to any strangers, so you already know about my past (as least that which I've told you! Ha ha). The title for my blog is so applicable for my life as my name means "Wanderer" and it seems that I've spent a lot of my life doing that - not just physically but also emotionally and spiritually. But that's another whole story.

Stay posted...