Sigh...

Remembering Uncle Doug

My Uncle Doug died today.....he was 82.

it is a sad day for our family......

Uncle Doug was my mom's oldest brother.

I have 3 uncles....
My dad is an only child so all my uncles are on mom's side.....

I was close with all three uncles but my Uncle Doug and I had a special bond....

I'm not sure if it was his appreciation for the Montreal Expos.... or his prowess at Ping Pong.... or just the fact that he made me laugh... All I do know is that there is a sadness in my heart and in the heart of my family tonight....

I have many many fond memories of visiting at Uncle Doug's house in Huntingdon and spending time at their cottage...

We lived about 3 hours from Uncle Doug, growing up, and when we moved to Ontario, we were still about 3 hours.....

I recall many times when they would come to visit for a weekend.....either in Randboro or in Belleville.....

Nearly every time they would visit, we would usually end up shopping somewhere.... well the ladies would be shopping.....Uncle Doug would sit on a bench in the mall and do a cross word!!!

Here's a blog post from last May when they came to visit....

and this is a link to the facebook album with more pictures



Uncle Doug and mom have always had a very special bond.....
There is a special bond with an older brother and his little sister....

I know....

In the last while, Uncle Doug would call often to check up on Mom...
When mom got sick last year, Uncle Doug started calling nearly every day, to keep in touch with mom.... it was sweet to see ....

For all of his tough outer shell, Uncle Doug was a great big softie.....

a sentimental tender side that I have loved and will miss!

For all of the laughs and shopping trips and wonderful memories, Uncle Doug.... we thank you...

You are loved.... and will be sorely missed.....

Happy Birthday Carol

A special day in history
This 25th of June
I’d rather write a poem
Than to sing a birthday tune!

A favourite verse of Scripture
Cause I’m SPURTUAL, don’tcha know…
Is in the book of Proverbs….
Just which verse I do not know

I guess I’d better look it up
I dare not be obscure
It’s found in Proverbs seventeen.
Which verse, I’m STILL not sure

But here’s the verse, in NIV
King James is not as clear
You’ll realize just why I love
This verse and hold it dear.

Proverbs 17:17 (New International Version)
17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.

I took this verse to heart, you know
A “Calling” it became
I just would be a BLESSING
Is my true and honest aim!!!

But lest you think me shallow
Now the truth I must admit
I’m only really teasing you
And now I’d better quit!

And tell you why I wrote this rhyme
On this your special day
To tell you that I love you
In a loving brother way!

I rarely take the time to say
Just what you mean to me!
So here in blue and white are words
For all the world to see….

I love you…. And I’ve forgiven mom for not bringing home the brother that I’d asked for….

She made up for that 5 years later anyway!!!!

You truly are a wonderful sister… you have come to my rescue many many times, and I will never forget that….

I have such incredible memories of travelling and singing together ( you’re right… the 80’s was our time!! )

And I miss those days!!!

I hope you have a wonderful birthday……

I love you lots!!!!!!!!!!!

Paul

Dad

The busier life gets, the fewer times I tell you how much you mean to me.....

I mean, we're men... we're supposed to be macho... and hugging and saying I love you isn't what some people call macho.

But the fact is... we do hug... every time I leave, you hug me....

and you DO say I love you.... I'm glad that you don't hide behind macho!

Thank you for being my dad....

Thank you for raising me in the nurture and admonition of the Lord... and for your consistent example...

Thank you for coming to every band concert that I ever played in as a kid.... some of those were PAINFUL .... but thank you!

Thank you for helping deliver all those boxes of oranges and grapefruit that the "band" sold....

Thank you for letting me bring my friends over to visit at our house.... Thank you for making your home a haven for me... and my family and our friends....

Thank you for being faithful .... in business, in life, and in your relationship with God.

Thank you for the integrity you show....

Thank you for never smoking.... Mom's lungs thank you for that too!!

Thank you for being faithful at going to church... you amaze me that way!

Thank you for coming to watch me play hockey as a kid.... and for picking me up after school when I missed the bus... or stayed late to skate out behind Bailey's meat market.....

Thank you for picking me up after school every Friday at Galt and taking us to McDonalds.... those are such fun memories!!

Thank you for picking me up every Friday at Centennial so I could bring the tuba home... and for taking me back Monday.... thank you for never complaining with that "blaattting" going on downstairs.....

Thank you for moving us to Ontario... not that it is better here than anywhere else, but when you gave up your home and your comfort zone to seek out a better future when your job was being threatened, it showed how much your family was a priority. Thank you for not being afraid to pack us all up and move to a very unknown future....

Thank you for encouraging me to sing... and to play the tuba... thank you for helping to pay for that tuba.... thank you for letting me store it in your basement!!!

Thank you for the many times you've filled my car with gas.....

Thank you for the countless hours you spent helping at the farm ... way back when. Thank you for helping me move all those times....

Thank you for letting me store all that stuff in your garage in Shannonville....

Thank you for coming to my rescue so many times when I needed a shoulder to cry on...

Thank you for loving my kids as if they were your own....

Thank you for not judging me when my life turned out different than we all hoped it would.....

Thank you for encouraging me to work hard... and for doing so by example....

Thank you for loving mom the way you do.... I admire you so much!!

Happy Father's Day Dad !!!

I love you !

Death is not Dying

this is very moving......


http://deathisnotdying.com/

Rachel's story is not unlike what thousands of people around the world have experienced. A diagnosis that changes a person's life and inevitably takes from her what we consider to be most precious.

After four and a half years of vigilantly fighting breast cancer, the 37 year old wife and mother of two was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

But for Rachel the essence of life is found in her relationship with God through Jesus. And that's why Rachel is convinced that death is not dying.

THIS is her story

Cherry Blossom

There's a beautiful tree next door to my place... that sheds it's pretty pink blossoms....

In the wind and the rain this weekend, the pink leaves have lined the grass around the complex here.... and I LOVE the look of it!!

Happy Mother's Day Mom !!

Sometimes words can feel so insignificant..... they are an attempt to convey truly what you mean to me.......

It hardly seem its possible
that Mother's day is here....
it seems like only yesterday
t'was mothers' day LAST year

This year has been a tough one
as we watched you struggle through
so many ups and downs;
that really are not fair to you.

In spite of all the struggles
every hurt or every pain....
I find it quite amazing
that you never do complain!

You attitude's incredible
it's always positive
and even if you're hurting
from your heart you always give.

Your sense of humour, still intact
is such a gift from God
you make me laugh and often too,
and that I find quite odd!

Cause when I hurt and suffer,
or am feeling kind of bland....
I go and hide and keep the world
at bay! I'm SUCH A man!

But you are always chipper
and you make us feel upbeat
in spite of all you're coping with
you've stayed up on your feet!

So on this special day for moms
I tip my hat to you
though words seem insignifcant
I hope the truth shines through

To tell you just how much you're loved;
how MUCH you mean to me
and thank you for encouraging
and praying oft for me.

I pray that God will build you up
and as you've done for me
That He will bring encouragement
and bring it endlessly!

From the bottom of my heart....

Happy Mothers Day Mom....

I love you very much

Fire Hydrants in Tweed

One of the more boring tasks of my job is to confirm the location of fire hydrants.... I was in Tweed yesterday .... and did not happen to see Elvis, by the way..... anyway, I saw some pretty neat fire hydrants.....















Some though.... were downright offensive!!!!

An expenisve hobby

Taylor and I saw this boat yesterday in Bowmanville.... on it's way from the factory in New Brunswick to the Toronto Harbour......





When we saw this angle, my first thought was.... HOW MUCH FUEL DOES THAT THING TAKE, I WONDER......



So I walked over and asked the guy filling it....


How much does it take to fill this thing?

A LOT was all he would say...

I waited til he was finished... and clicked a picture....








$490.91 ..... ay yi YI !!!



This is the owner ..... walking in to pay for the fuel..... he seemed to be a lot lighter when he came back out!!!

World Traveller

Yup................ I've arrived!!!

Leftovers

In February 2006, at the 56^th Berlin International Film Festival, Filmakers were invited to join a Short Film Competition on the Theme: FOOD, TASTE and HUNGER.

3600 Filmmakers from around the world joined the competition

Only 32 films were chosen to be screened at the Berlinale Talent Campus….

This film topped the competition and was judged Most Popular Film.

If this doesn’t change your perspective….. then nothing will.....

It's a 6 minute film....

please.... watch.

Chicken a la Carte

Ice Road Truckers

So I've become very fascinated in the last week or so, with a program on the History Channel...

it's called Ice Road Truckers....... for two months every winter, 3 diamond mines in the North West Territories bring in all of their annual supplies by truck ....

The roads are only open for 60 days..... The main road, in this show is just over 300 miles long... and it winds northeast from Yellowknife....

The road is 85% across frozen lakes.... and 15% across portages ... which are man made ice roads, across tundra..... bulldozers cut a path between the lakes, and then water trucks flood the paths and make it a virtual skating rink that trucks traverse....

The supplies are collected over several months, and stored in truck yards in Yellowknife...... From there, they are transported by truck ... in frigid temperatures..... the drivers at some points working and driving in 24 hours of darkness....

The task is mammoth......10,000 loads in 60 days....which works out to 4-truck convoys leaving dispatch every 20 minutes......

One of the diamond mines ( one is Tiffany's, one is Debeers, ) harvests 15 pounds of diamonds per day.... which is worth $4 million....The cash flow is staggering.

The truckers can earn a years' salary in 60 days.... but the risks are great...

The breakdowns are frustrating , very costly and can be life threatening if they break down somewhere along the lake .....

Sleep deprivation makes the risks even greater

This is an incredible show...

It's very very dangerous work.... and completely fascinating to watch......


If you have some time.... go to the history channel's website ( Click HERE )

Click on TV Shows and then from the drop down box, click Ice Road Truckers.... You can watch entire episodes from the first two seasons.....

sigh..... it's addicting!!!!

















The roads are constantly flooded by water trucks.... in the end, the ice is much thicker on the "road" portion than any other spots on the lake..... the danger is if you go off the road, you could easily go through cause the ice is thinner off to the sides....






This is the sonar machine that measures the ice thickness


Cracks like this are a constant danger.....