A collection

POSTCARDS - I have collected since I was in Brownies. Some of you were in Brownies when you were 5 or 6 and earned badges. I started collecting postcards then. (Of course, this is not a fraction of what I have). I earned my collectors badge and just kept collecting. I have had numerous people give/send me postcards after they have traveled. I work in the Contact Centre Industry and many of my co-workers travel.
I have OLD ones (black and white) that have come from 'box lots' and from folks who are 'downsizing' and moving into apartments and such. To ones I just received this week.
I can't wait to see what Black Rose brings back from her trip to England, Ireland and Wales. She is going on a class trip in 2011. What an opportunity! I am so excited for her!!!! Her best friend (since kindergarten) is going as well. I hope they get to be room-mates (wink wink).

Life's like that

"A farmer in Waterloo County once showed me a peculiar phenomenon. We were standing in his barnyard near a cow and her new calf. He walked over and stood between them, edging the calf away from it's mother. The cow became visibly anxious as the distance increased, and in spite of being weary she came truding forward in her calf's direction. The farmer lifted the calf off the ground, cradling it with one arm under it's rump and the other under it's neck. He lifted it maybe six inches. The cow suddenly stopped and gazed around in bewilderment. She could no longer recognize her own calf, she had lost it. As soon as the farmer set the calf's feet on the ground, she saw it again even though it was still in the farmer's embrace". **Taken from 'Still Waters' by John Moss**
While reading this passage it struck me that we so often think of cows as being stupid. For example, how many times have you had to stop and wait for a cow to get out of the road or to move at all for that matter? My Great Uncle Jimmy had cattle when I was a kid - man they were stubborn! 'course so were he and I.
Where I was going with this is this... although we think of cows as being confused easily aren't we as humans the same in a lot of ways? How many times have you been looking for a particular item only to find it right there in front of you? All you may have done was moved an object beside it. Sometimes, we lose our way even when there appears to be 'signs' and definite direction. Life's like that.

The Good Old Hockey Game

A few weeks ago a gentleman walked up to me after Church, he had extra tickets to the Wildcats vs. Sea Dogs game the next evening and asked if I might use them. He had 3 extras and had been told that I might be interested and that he'd rather they didn't go to waste. I also should tell you that we had only begun attending this particular Church in recent weeks and I didn't know this fellow at all! I have one of those 'expressive faces' so I am sure mine was saying, 'Pardon?', 'Do I know you?' and 'How do you know my name?'. Turns out that he had been directed to me by the dad of Black Rose's friend.

The following day I was telling Carol, and she asked if I would be rooting for the Sea Dogs. I playfully told her "ummm no". At the game they were passing out 'banners'. I folded mine in half so that the Cavendish Farms advertising was on the outside and put it in a large envelope with Carol's name on it and had it taken to her. When she unfolded it she was presented with 'GO CATS GO' and their logo!!!! My boss came back to our office laughing saying Carol would be stopping by on her way back home to Saint John. (She did!! 'Game on Girl' she said laughingly).
That week there was an email "hope Shelley's working" and the stats advising that although we had won the game the 'Dogs' were higher then the 'Cats'. "Game on" I typed back that evening along with a reminder that we had retained the Rivalry Cup again this year. Of course, I also included stats.

This week I received an email "Round two" and this in an evelope:

Time Together

Last week we put together a fireplace (English instructions please). You know the ones 'some assembly required' which actually translates into "this is in a million and one pieces that are in no way attached or connected".

I recently took part in "Bowl For Kids" where a bunch of folks from various companies and organizations (or a bunch of friends) are allotted a time to bowl to raise money for the Boys & Girls Club. Whew, good thing my peeps sponsored me an amount and not by the point! Ha ha.I had such a hoot doing it that this week I surprised Black Rose's friend and the three of us to a few strings.

Well....we shall be off on further adventures as the weather seems to be getting warmer. Happy Easter Everyone.

Calling Summer

Time in a Bottle

Each of us has had teachers whether we were home schooled or public schooled. And, let's be honest we all have 'favorites'. I am fortunate in that I have had 2 Teachers that I can say are my 'favorites'. I would like to tell you about one of them today.

In Grade 5 I had a young Teacher who was relatively fresh out of school himself. Math never was my strong subject (not even close) and he would spend so much time trying to help me. I couldn't learn my multiplication tables -with the exception of the 5's and had to go back/ahead from there. I have even tried over the years since and still can’t learn them.(Maybe someday they will give a technical/medical name for it). As you may recall, we had to do 'long hand' 'show your work' math waayyyy back then. He spent hours with me trying to figure out how I was doing my math because it didn't 'look' right, but the answer was. Thank you for the hours you spent, the time you gave. Today I work with numbers daily. But don't worry, I use the calculator and Excel has formulas that I borrow.

Thank you Brian Kenny for being such a special individual both in School and out. Brian & his family live just down the street and are very special to many.