Rainy Days....

Today is a nasty rainy day....

I'm sitting in a hotel room in Huntsville... soaked to the skin from inspecting in the pouring rain...

I got home.... and saw this cartoon and cracked right up.....

so maybe it's rainy outside...

but it's sunny in here!!!

H1N1 Vaccine....

so................... I got the H1N1 vaccine.......








They promised there would be no side effects....





so far so good.....

Toronto

I inspected in Toronto today... I had a late afternoon appointment.....

Traffic was NOT my friend today....

the GPS told me.... that the trip north from Gardiner up Avenue Road... would take 6 minutes...

The GPS was wrong....

and since, with this new hands free law, I couldn't use my PHONE to , you know... pass the time... or maybe call the client and explain why I was late, I had to just sit there patiently and drive...

In order to pass the time, I resorted back to my old pattern of behaviour....

I took pictures out my sun roof !! Hands free of course !!!

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

My Dad.....

son of a store keeper and a teacher....

raised in Bury, Quebec......

then moved to Cookshire, lived on a dairy farm...

grew up delivering milk with a horse and buggy!

Married in 1962.....Lived in Montreal til mid 1963..... then moved to Randboro.....

Moved to Belleville in 1977 and is still there!!

a dad to 3 kids and papa to 8 grandchildren.... loving doting (obedient ) husband to my mom!

my dad.... a farm boy.... an auctioneer .... an insurance broker..

my dad.... and my friend!

Happy Birthday Dad!

Save me a seat at the table

I have been soaking up a lot of music this week..... Dad bought me the webcast of the National Quartet Convention... and I have had it on every evening from 6 pm til almost midnight every night since Monday....

I can't even begin to tell you how it has touched me this week....
maybe this story will show you.....

tonight a group that is not usually one of my favourite groups, closed the evening program. It was almost midnight when they walked onto the stage.

I was about to shut the computer off and go to bed... and then thought... well I've waited til now, I might as well finish.....

I'd heard them sing Monday night.... noticeably absent was their bass singer...Jeremy LileHonestly, the only reason I noticed was because one of my favourite bass singers ( Jeff Chapman ) was filling in for him.

They explained that Jeremy was at home ... his dad was on his death bed, and they felt it was a matter of hours....

That was Monday.

I honestly never thought about it again... until tonight... when the same group took the stage... Jeremy Lile was back with the group....

Incredibly...

His dad passed away on Wednesday..... the funeral was today.....

In spite of the fact that he'd been told he was free take as much time as he needed,
as soon as the grave side service was over, Jeremy and his wife drove all the way to Louisville Kentucky.... They arrived 45 minutes before taking the stage....

In the midts of all of that, they featured Jeremy on a solo song...

the sound of his voice.... the sadness in his eyes..... and the powerful message of the words... will show you why I love this music....

Listen to these words:

I picture you there where you wanted to be

Finding your chair and then taking your seat

At the table where the Marriage Supper is about to begin…

I imagine the banquet that’s waiting up there

That the saints of all ages together will share

How I dream of that moment when I’ll finally see you again

Chorus

And I know there’ll be millions of millions who’ve gone on before

And together we’ll sit down to feast with our Saviour and Lord

And I know you will be there looking for me

And I believe that somehow if you’re able….

You will save me a seat, right next to you, at the table

I’d love to be sitting right by your side

Holding your hand when the Bride Groom arrives

And then standing to our feet to worship as Jesus appears

I imagine our voices and sweet harmony

As we join in the chorus with all the redeemed

How the thought of forever helps me live life without you down here

And I know there’ll be millions of millions who’ve gone on before

And together we’ll sit down to feast with our Saviour and Lord

And I know you will be there looking for me

And I believe that somehow if you’re able….

You will save me a seat, right next to you, at the table

Please save me a seat, right next to you, at the table.

Listen to the song HERE

sigh.

just some pictures.....

Coping with heat and Traffic

so how do you cope ..... in a traffic jam..... with a car that has no air conditioning???

Airing Dirty Laundry.....

I don't normally air dirty laundry...... in fact, almost never!!

But I do enjoy when others do !!!!






















Taylor spotted this sign on the way home from the Jays game Sunday

it made us laugh!!!

Sweet Sixteen - Happy Birthday Abby !!!

Sixteen years ago today…

T’was Nineteen Ninety Three….

A precious gift arrived to us…

Your mother… yes, and me…

Twas such a tiny gift, you know

All cradled in my hand….

That God could make this tiny thing.

A precious baby grande.

Amazes me, e’en to this day;

How wonderful God’s plan

For on that day so long ago

Your precious life began.

A little sister, you became

For Anna, and T-Mac…

and oh the joy you brought us…

sigh

my memories go way back….

We named you Abby, that’s not news!

But let me clarify….

I’ll try to not be shallow

As I share the reason why!!

We saw it in a movie…

Goodness gracious, that’s so lame!

Cause giving names to babies

Surely’s not a silly GAME!

But really it was not

a shallow game we played that day….

Because the meaning of your name

Lives out in you each day!

For God knew then ,and we know now,

Just why we chose your name….

Twas not a movie star or theme

Though special just the same…

It’s who you are.... Miss Abbigail

You ARE who you are named…

You are a “Source of Joy,” you know

And this I’ve oft proclaimed.

You’ve often been the glue that kept

This fam-i-ly intact

Its hard to think you’re able

Since some think you’re just plain CRACKED!

But know this, on your special day

How much to us you mean

You are a special source of joy!

My baby….Sweet Sixteen!

I love you Tigger,

When You Come Home

When You Come Home
By Mark Schultz



My first day of recess
They all laughed at me
When I fell off the swing set
And scraped up my knee

The nurse called my Momma
To say I'd be late,
And when she gave me the phone
I could hear Momma say
"I'm so sorry, son.
Oh I think you're' so brave"

And she was smilin when she said:

When you come home,
No matter how far,
Run through the door
And into my arms
It's where you are loved,
It's where you belong
And I will be here
When you come home

I waved good-bye through the window
As I boarded the plane,
My first job in Houston
Was waiting for me

I found a letter from Momma
Tucked in my coat
And as I flew down the runway
I smiled when she wrote:
I'll miss you, son,
You'll be so far away

But I'll be waiting for the day

When you come home
No matter how far,
Run through the door
And into my arms
It's where you are loved,
It's where you belong,
And I will be here
When you come home

Well, I don't think
She can hear you now,
The doctor told me
Your mother is fading,
It's best that you leave

So I whispered,
I love you
And then turned away.
But I stopped at the door
When I heard Momma say,
I love you, son,
But they're callin me away

Promise me before I go

When you come home,
No matter how far,
Run through the door
And into my arms;
It's where you are loved,
It's where you belong,
And I will be here
When you come home,
When you come home


you can hear the song here

eeny meeny miney mo

For the last 5 years, I've bounced back and forth between two places...... home is a rented townhouse in Brantford...... WORK is either a room/board in Peterborough... or my parents in Belleville and sometimes my sister's house in Oshawa......

some Friday nights..... I am torn as to where I'll go home to.....

Every other weekend, I spend with my kids, so that one is a no brainer.... I head home.

But on the off weekends, sometimes I have farm appointments booked for the Saturdays.... and sometimes I just stay at my folks house and do paperwork from their basement....

Often, I don't fully decide where I'm gonna go until I've reached my last stop for the day.....

and when I get back into my car, I have to choose:

do I go back to Belleville..... or do I fight Toronto traffic on a Friday night and go to Brantford....

I usually let the GPS decide.... which ever is the shortest trip, that's what I pick.....


Friday night, my last stop was a farm at the North end of Pickering....... I wasn't sure whether I'd fight Toronto traffic and go to Brantford, or just go back to Belleville, sleep there and go home Saturday.......

so I did what I always do..... checked the GPS ...... Here's how helpful it was............




The Trip To Brantford :

I'd arrive home at 8:23 PM

The trip would take 1 hour & 51 minutes....

Total Distance - 155 kms





The Trip To Belleville :

I'd arrive there 8:28 PM

Trip would take 1 hour & 56 minutes....
Total Distance - 155 kms....




no REALLY!!!!!

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.....