Just for fun ...

These guys are HILARIOUS ... they play up ALL the stereotypes and use them to their comic advantage ... this video is just plain SILLY ... their website (click here) has a pile more videos that range from the uttlerly brilliant to the utterly stupid ... check out Pari and Harvin ...

Don't drive angry ...

Last year, Minnedosa Mildred was confronting a wind chill of -38C !!!! on Groundhog Day ... today's temps of -22C(that's -7F) seems downright balmy ...

BUT ... Mildred is a bit confused ... early this morning, as the sun reached the bottom of our valley home she saw her shadow ... six more weeks of winter ... Then later as the morning unfolded, the clouds came and her shadow disappeared ...

So, Mildred decided to hit the highway like many Minnedosans and try to find a warmer environment to wait out the next six weeks and leave the outcome to the fates, the weather and the rest of us left shivering in the cold ...

Bon Voyage Mildred ... drop us a line !!!

My Theme Song for the Day ...

It has been a long couple of years ... I've had moments when it has hurt just draw the next breath ... I've been betrayed and hurt deeply by people I regarded as friends ... I've felt let down and abandoned ... I've hit the dirt more than I care to think about ... and I've been battered and bloodied (figuratively speaking) more than once ... but like the song below says - "I'm still standing."

I've been picked up innumerable times by friends who have dusted me off, helped me mend my wounds and sent me out the door with a hug to face another round ...

Along the way I've learned A LOT about myself ... I've grown ... I've matured ... I've shed weight, both physical and spiritual and I've come to realize that as bad as it gets - TOMORROW IS ONLY A FEW HOURS AWAY!!!

And tomorrow can be better than today if we dare to live, to breath and believe ...

So ... as I take this breath and BELIEVE that tomorrow WILL be better than today and my life will journey upwards, onwards and into the future ... I offer a song that has been rolling through me today for some reason ... Sir Elton is flamboyant, outrageous and one helluva entertainer ... I've loved this song since I first heard it years and years ago in High School ... it was a favourite for me when it popped up on Much Music ... it is STILL a fav ...

Turn up the volume and enjoy ... oh yeah ... by TUESDAY - ALL will be revealed about the bold new adventure I've embarked upon ...

For now - like the Man says - "I'm still standing, better than I EVER DID, looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid !!!!" - THAT'S ME!!!!

Amen !!!

Keys to ...

... a new path !!

Sixty Years Ago Today ...

The Mahatma's Earthly Journey came to an abrupt end,

and his journey as legend began ...

... maybe one day the world will shift from violence

to the Ahimsa-Satyagrha path

this amazing soul envisioned.

Currently in Minnedosa:

A standing temp of -34C (That's -29F!!!)

with a windchill of -51C (-60F!!)

Stay warm everybody !!!

A Year ago today

The Premier of Manitoba stopped by for a Coffee and a Chat at Chipperfield Coffee Company ... His visit was unplanned, unexpected and appreciated by all ... well, almost all ... a few of those on the other side of the political fence got their knickers knotted up over it ...

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But wouldn't you rather have a leader who keeps in touch with folks around the coffee shops and cafes???

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Even more than that, Premier Doer's visit serves as an example of what should be happening in small towns with places like Chipperfield Coffee Company, The Ski Hill, Main Street Cafe, Sun Sun's, Burgess Quality Fine Foods, The Golf Course, and a dozen other small businesses worth telling folks about ... instead of trying to find the goose that will lay the golden egg and save us from oblivion, let's remember what WE ALREADY HAVE and find ways of drawing people to visit and to live here ...

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Let's encourage people to come on into town and check us out - it's the model that has proven MOST successful for small rural communities everywhere. Highlight the things about the community that WILL appeal to the travelling public - good restaurants, quirky & unique shoppes, and things worth stopping to see!! One town I can think of in Ontario revived itself when a REALLY GOOD restaurant opened and its reputation spread.

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Minnedosa has restaurants and cafes worthy of such reputation ... but I am mindful of a Connie Caldor concert last year in Brandon where she noted the "welcome" small town Saskatchewan folks give the out-of-towner when they happen into the cafes and coffee shops. She noted the dead pan look and a half dozen baleful glares are far from welcoming ... then if the person is undaunted, the question of whether they will actually be welcomed in comes into play - too often small towns are defined by their long standing generational relationships that EXCLUDE the outsider and the newcomer. No town will prosper if new comers are made to feel welcome on a conditional basis.

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The first step is by laying out the mat that says 'WELCOME' and THEN living that simple word.

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I know too many people in Minnedosa who have lived here for decades, but are STILL treated like outsiders to believe that the "WELCOME" signs we put up are actually being followed through upon ...

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This is a great little community that could be even better if we would stop being so cliquey. This ain't high school - we should stop acting like it is !!!!

Today I went for a walk ...

The wind is blowing strongly out of the NW,

the thermometer says it is a balmy -27C!!!!

With gusts of wind the windchill is down to -47C (-53F).

After an hour and a half out walking

my beard was iced up, my cheeks were numb

and my Arctic Parka was fringed with frost.

ALL in ALL it was a BEAUTIFUL DAY!!!

Like a phoenix rising ...

It has been a tough weekend for me on an emotional level ... without going into the why ... or the what ... I will leave it that I had a bit of crash for a number of varied and diverse reasons ...

Yesterday was a bit better, and today got better still ... today I've been thinking about the Mythic Phoenix who offers the image of resurrection in action ... consumed by fire the Phoenix recreates itself from the ashes and flies again ... life will ALWAYS triumph ...

I've realized that it has been a very long two years of turmoil and trauma ... but slowly, one step at a time ... one moment after another ... sometimes even one breath at a time .... I've made my way through it ... the journey hasn't ended yet ... but today over a handshake and with the reciept of a big pile of paper, I found myself standing before a door that has opened in recent days behind which lies an exciting new adventure full of possibility and potential ...

I'm not sure what lies ahead ... but in one area of my life possibilities and potentials seemingly abounds with some excitement from all sides ...

I wish I could say more ... in time all will be revealed ... for the moment, with a sheaf of papers in hand - this phoenix is definitely rising from the ashes !!!

Life goes on ... and today it is looking a helluva lot better than it has in a VERY long time ...

My Theme Song for the Day

The quality of the video isn't so great ... but the song is vintage Van Morrison ... I played this song this afternoon and found the words resonating with my mood ... THIS is the kind of music we should have a church !!!

Turn up the volume and enjoy ... and let God's Light Shine on you too !!!

Twenty Years ago today ...

Love him or Hate him, you can't over look the simple fact that Dr Henry Morgentaler has changed the face of Canadian Law and society by battling for the right of women to choose and access safe abortions ... his battle for access isn't quite over, and at 83 years of age he continues to challenge the status quo to provide safe and equal access for ALL Canadian women to abortion.

Personally I don't favour abortion AT ALL ... but I am fierce in defending my belief that ALL women should have the RIGHT to choose for themselves whether or not to undergo the procedure ... not having a uterus myself, I have never felt compelled to tell others tht they CAN'T access abortions ... I may not personally believe in the usage of abortion - but it is NOT my place to impose my views on others - EVER.

Having said that - it was 20 years ago today, that Dr Morgentaler heard from the Supreme Court of Canada that they found Section 251 of the Criminal Code of Canada - the law under which he was arrested - to be UNCONSTITUTIONAL and Morgentaler and his co-defendents had their convictions overturned ...

Agree or disagree with the findings, Morgentaler et al vs Her Majesty the Queen, changed the face of Canadian law and turned us into a Pro-Choice nation (more or less) and that is NOT a bad thing.

A MUCH needed pick me up ...

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Today I was flaked out on the couch after the kids

headed off to school ... I didn't have a whole lot of energy

to do very much, so I started channel surfing ...

Eventually I found a cable station airing "The Jeffersons"

followed by episodes of "Sanford and Son".

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There is something about 70's sit-coms ...

maybe it is because the characters are familiar and comfortable,

maybe it is the combination of innocence and edge

that many of them embodied,

or maybe it was the talented folks who portrayed

characters like George Jefferson and Fred Sanford.

But whatever it was, today it was just the tonic I needed

to get back on a level footing ...

Laughter TRULY is the best medicine.

An inspiring conversation ...

Last night in the midst of everything else I was feeling I had a conversation with a friend ... they shared with me their frustrations over their job ... they work in an office doing something that no longer offers the same appeal it once did ...

As we spoke I sensed that their heart just wasn't in thier work ... between the commute, time away from a young family, and a time and place at work that is simply NOT rewarding they are feeling the itch of wanting more ...

I know they are a gifted photographer ... and have been using computers since the days of Commodore Pets ... and enjoy being outside ...

We talked about taking a chance and trying something new as a hobby and maybe developing it into something MORE ... I suggested they take some of their pictures and make some note cards and framed prints that they could carry to some funky art and gift shoppes near them and see if they will take them on consignment ... or hang up their shingle and take photos ...

As we talked further he confessed that he likes taking photos for weddings of friends and family, but couldn't handle the pressure of doing it for strangers ... he then said what he would love to do is take people on photography expeditions - and show people how to see the landscape through the lens of a camera ...

"You leave near the Niagara Escarpment ..." I said, "start with afternoon trips through a local photography group ... get the word out and see what happens ..."

Then we talked about his enjoyment of putting together photo presentatiobs for birthdays, weddings and retirements ...

"Try doing it as a more than a hobby ..."

He then shared his enjoyment of taking old damaged photographs and pixel by pixel restoring them digitally for friends ...

"Hang your shingle ..." I suggested, "let people know you're interested in doing digital restoration and presentations and see what happens ..."

We then talked about being in a place where we enjoy ourselves and what we're doing ... he shared with me the hopes and dreams of his 8 year old daughter who recently told him she wanted to be a Doctor, an author, an artist, a mummy, and a couple of other professions ...

Father and daughter had talked about the mechanics of such a diverse and far-reaching dream ... she was undaunted by his adult cynicism ...

"Daddy," she thought, "I could be a Doctor on Mondays, an author on Tuesdays, an artist on Wednesday ..." and do on through the week, as she continued, "I could have time to be home on the weekend with my kids and you and mummy, and I could buy a house and ..." and on went the vision of what COULD be ...

"How do I tell her to be realistic without crushing her hopes?" he asked.

"WHY?" I countered, "WHY do you have to tell her to be realistic when she may be on to something that SHOWS the rest of US that we are being TOO staid and set in our ways ???"

Who says it isn't possible to live a life with a variety professions and careers ... particularly when we are following our heart and feeding our soul in the process ????

Maybe the key is to listen to the openness of a child and see the world without limits and boundaries that are formed by the cynicism of adulthood ...

Maybe we need to hear the voice of a child who can't see any good reason why she can't be five or six different things simultaneously ...

We tell our children to dream ... maybe we need to challenge ourselves to never lose sight of the "anything is possible" approach children bring to life ...

Like I've said - the world needs more dreamers ... thankfully, we have an unending store of them in our communities ... we just need to listen a little more !!!!

Goodbye General

General Suharto, former Dictator of Indonesia.

Dead at 86.

The shame is that he was never held to account

for his Iron-fisted rule and the corruption and abuse

that was very much part of his regime.

May his many victims find some peace ...

Learning how Icarus felt ...

This week started with potential and possibility ... doors that had been closed were replaced by newly opening windows and discovered passageways that offered a glimmer of light to guide me forward from a cold and lonely, dark place ... The positive happenings all around me stroked my devestated soul and gave me the foolish courage to test my wings ...

Like the mythic Icarus ... I dared to let my self get swept up in the moments and to try to fly ... to feel free and alive ... it was a glorious week ... potentials and possibilities abounded and my spirit, for the first time in MONTHS began to soar ... I dared to really dream of a tomorrow that was different from the many yesterdays that have left me bruised and wounded ... for the first time I began to feel positive about EVERYTHING ...

But like the mythic Icarus, I flew too high, too fast and too near the sun ... in the twinkling of an eye the wax in my wings began to melt and the feathers came unfixed ... and in that moment I began the plunge back to the hard reality of earth ...

My life still abounds with possibilities and potentials ... my dreams are still there ... my soul longs to fly ... but in the darkness of this moment my emotions are bruised and battered ... and my heart feels utterly bereft ... tomorrow will be better ... but I've come to realize that my tomorrow is seldom connected with the chronology of time and calendar ... and my journey out of the dark and lonely place may be longer than expected ...

Tomorrow will come ... some day ... right now I just feel very alone in the darkness ... and I'm very tired of being in this place ... I thought I had left it ...

I was wrong ... on so many levels ... I was wrong ...

Tonight the circle of friends, and the love of family just doesn't offer a balm for this hurt ...

Whispers of Truth from a Master:

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Understanding is the ground of love.

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Love relieves suffering.

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True love is a love without possessiveness.

You love and still are free, and the other person is also free.

The kind of love that has no joy is not true love.

There must be joy and freedom

and understanding in love.

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by Thich Nhat Hanh

from

Taming the Tiger Within

Lots to Learn ...

Lately I've been helping out at my favourite coffee shoppe ... in addition to doing some of the foot work behind possibly expanding the Fair Trade items available at Chipperfields, I have also been doing some day to day work filling in where there have been gaps in the schedule with the regular full and part-timers ... the training has been INTENSE and more than a little intimidating!!

In the last couple of weeks I have, while standing BEHIND the counter LEARNED A LOT ... I've realized just how damned hard the job of "pouring coffee" can really be ... with the diversity of menu items, the speciality beverages, the loose teas, and EVERYTHING else customer related you keep BUSY ... and that's not too mention the many, many, many OTHER duties that happen behind the scenes ...

I am IMPRESSED with the ability of those who serve us in cafes, coffee shops, restaurants and other service venues - and the next time I think about whether or not to leave a tip, I'll think about my experiences at Chipperfields and ALL the work it involves and tip accordingly !!!

Makes me appreciate my morning coffee a little bit more !!

Good Bye Girls ...

The mention of them as pets in our household raised more than a few eyebrows ... grain farmers looked at us with looks of bemused horror ... but regardless, Coco and Olivia, were for the last two years very much part of the family.

Known collectively as "The Girls" they had distinctive personalities like EVERYONE else ... at night as I was checking everyone and turning off radios and stereos before calling it a night, The Girls and I had a routine ... when they heard me on the stairs they would climb the bars of their cage and wait until I came into Noahkila's room. Then little pink clawed hands stretched out through the bars wiggling and impatiently waiting for their nightly "treat" (hard nutritional chew blocks).

Lately, much to THEIR delight, I've sometimes substituted the chew blocks with chunks of fresh apple, raisins or even chunks of carrots (raisins were THIER absolute favourites) !!! Even as it became apparent that their eye sight was failing, they still heard and smelled the treats as they were offered ...

BUT, along the way these two golden blonde rats taught us much about perspective and being open to the unexpected.

They were vermin - creatures regarded by much of the world as pests - but in our home they were pets and leave us some delightful memories of their two years with us ...

- early on they spent Sunday afternoons running free on the couch while we relaxed and watched tv - Olivia's favourite spot for a nap was in the front breast pocket of my clerical collar shirt as I napped on the couch. Until she grew big, the sight of a long thin pink tail poking out of the pocket and curled across my chest was not unusual.

- when they were out and the cats were about The Girls would start to sway like grass in the wind ... we always wondered if they were sending out the ESP signal - "YOU can't see ME!!! YOU can't see ME!!!" ... suffice to say, the cats came to ignore the rats and seemingly accept them in the family - although Chloe was never really pleased to have The Girls crawl on her while she was napping ...

- I remember watching Noahkila eating a bowl of Cheerios one morning with help - The Girls were exploring the kitchen table while he ate and read a comic book. Then Olivia discovered the Cheerios and delicately lifted a single Cheerio from the bowl with one tiny hand, and dashed to the far end of the table to savour her prize. Coco, noting her sister copied her action. The girls repeated their expeditions until they AND Noahkila emptied the bowl ... Noahkila was oblivious to The Girls'!!!

They were, for thier short lives sweet pets ... and yesterday their journeys with us ended when we made the decision to euthanize them ... they had been living with cancer for the last few months and recently the cancers had gotten too large and had begun to bleed ... It is never an easy decision to make, even if it is RATS!!

But ... today we have two less members of our household ... they may have been vermin - but dammit, they were cute, smart, personable and they wereVERY much part of the family. And they will be missed.

78 ...

No name yet ...

... only the heart felt prayers

for the wounded, the comrades,

and the families left grieving.

Lest We Forget...

I'm NOT just a Dreamer ...

I ALSO believe I can change my world ...

To accompany this - a little ditty by Francis Dunnery a singer whose music I've come to appreciate MORE and MORE ... (thanks Katie) ...

This one says EVERYTHING I feel like saying tonight: