...And A Tim's Came A Tumblin' Down ...

Breaking Tim News (Literally )

Proud To Be A Canadian

For thirteen years , this man , Karl Habla of German descent , has put on his walking shoes and led a proud procession of local patriots beginning at Timmins city hall singing " Oh Canada " at the top of his voice . Karl dresses in red and white and wears every Canadian pin and flag he can find . Unintentionally on his part , he has become a local hero and a symbol of our freedom to celebrate our nation's birthday . I am proud of this country I live in and also proud of the unique and brave individuals, like Karl , who wear their pride overtly and with dignity every single day .
Karl is known locally as Mr. Canada ..and with good reason .
Wherever you are today , whoever you are with today , whatever you are doing today ...
Walk proud ... Just like Karl .
Happy Birthday Canada !

Dream Big

I watched "Dreamgirls " on cable this morning . It was a rainy Sunday morning and I had never had the opportunity to see the movie at the theater . N@ and Scott had told me that they found it cheesy and walked out half way through the film . N@ has a difficult time comprehending musicals and cannot fathom actors that answer one another in song . I must make a mental note of that if I break into " The Sound Of Music " when she is home . Back to "Dreamgirls " , I can totally see why Jennifer Hudson stole this entire movie right from under Beyonce's booty . Jennifer , if you recall , was a American Idol wannabe when she given the heave ho right into movie stardom with her debut film . She was so amazing and truly deserving of her Academy award . Her powerful vocals made the movie worth watching . To me it was like ... Beyonce who ? In all fairness , the one song I did enjoy Beyonce singing was "Listen " . Eddie Murphy was just sleazy ( but then we all know that part wasn't hard to play for him ). The screenplay was based on the rise of the Supremes in an era when blacks were not supposed to be center stage , let alone headline entertainers .
Jennifer Hudson's booming voice will once again enthrall as her debut album is due out this fall .
Right now you can download her new single "Spotlight " from iTunes. I just did .
Jennifer is a big girl with a big voice and makes no excuses for either . Dream big . You go girl .

Double Double Tims

Twin Tims ? Not quite . What you see in the background left is our new store slated for opening July 9th and the lil Tims on the right still serving the coffee drinking world until next Tuesday where the following day it will be bulldozed to the ground . Hopefully the staff and customers will escape unscathed with their caffeine before the ball hits the building .
Ma's advice : "Run ."

Eat Your Hearts Out Ladies

I do not care how curious or desperate you are for this story it remains top secret .

Michelle Ma Belle

"These are words that go together well , my Michelle ."
My Michelle is celebrating a milestone birthday today ( best friends never tell the number ) . I wanted to celebrate knowing her through a few simple words . My Michelle and I met on a winter's day in 1972 . Do the homework . We have been best of friends for over 36 years . We have had moments of uncontrollable laughter and deep sadness . We have shared clothing , make up , wine and secrets . Whenever I needed a shoulder or a helping hand , my Michelle was always there for me . To this day , those thoughts remain steadfast and true . We still laugh , mostly at ourselves , like it was yesterday ..."when all our troubles seemed so far away ." One bonus of our friendship , is that our children became best friends as well . I pray that we were able to give them the best part of ourselves .
Today on June 15th I count my blessings to have met a very special person all those years ago .
" All you need is love ".... and my Michelle , I wish you love .
Happy Birthday Firelady .

A Bloodletting Near The Tostitos

Firstly,  let me state that I have never been a calm candidate for the sight of blood , my own or anyone elses . The nursing profession was never on my list of career choices . It is a known fact that I cannot even stomach the meat department at grocery stores . The look of liver makes me gag . Even though I might  enjoy a cooked barbecued steak once in a while during the summertime , filet mignon swimming in its bloody brine is not my thing . So there I was grocery shopping late in the afternoon yesterday  enjoying the peace and quiet of the organic fruit area . I picked up a few premade salads at the deli and continued on my placid way to the whole grained breads . I recall this lady passing me in a adorable little outfit for warm weather ....  black capris and a matching  patterned  blouse with accessorised shoes , cutesy little black and white espadrilles  with little bows . I was dressed as usual in jeans . Why am I such a fashion faux pas when I watch "What Not To Wear " religiously every Friday night ? I bought some cranberry raisin  focaccia bread for morning toasting and continued to the snack area contemplating my lack of fashion sense .
I turned the corner and there she was ... Ms . Cute Little Espadrille lady sitting on the floor holding her ankle  in a pool of blood . Oooooh and  it was not even the meat area . The scene looked like a pig butchering . There was so much blood . Like a good little grocery shopper samaritin,  I asked her what happened ..oh my god ..and could I help . I reached for kleenex in my purse and a small foam hand sanitizer , which is all I had in my purse for first aid . The lip gloss was useless . She said she had just walked too close to a metal edging on a shelf near the tostitos and the steel jutting out had caught the skin on her ankle . It was a small but  deep incision  that had caught her smack dab on her ankle vein so she was a spewing red stuff like a salsa . Lord I felt like adding to the  special sauce with a little bile of my own but I managed to swallow it back . Finally a shocked young stock boy came by with paper towels and I said you should get a mop and a pail . There was that much blood ! The photo manager came by with a few bandaids . The kid was mopping  up the bloody mess by this time . The lady said she was fine so I made a hasty exit for the safe and non bloody frozen food boxes . I am assuming there was an accident report made but who knows . Although I felt nauseous,  I bought not one but two flavors of frozen yogurt to ease the pain . Dark chocolate is such a great healer . Like victims of a massacre we passed one another again , Ms. Espradille and I . We exhanged pleasantries and she said the store was going to compensate by paying for the cost of her newly red shoes . ( I noted she had dark chocolate in her cart as well . ) 
I wished her well and like bit players in a third rate horror movie we walked in opposite directions . I thought to myself :
"Bloody  hell that woman needs a tetanus shot ... and I need a drink ."

The Tomato Scare

I am not having any tomatoes on my salad . One can't be too careful these days .
(ribbet , ribbet )

Book Tag

..so I am late , byte me .
Page 123 from "Stillness Speaks " by Eckhart Tolle  :
( 5th sentence down , next 3 sentences .)

"Watch what happens when you don't name an experience as "bad " and instead bring an inner acceptance , an inner "yes "  to it , and so let it be as it is . 
Whatever your life situation is , how would you feel if you completely accepted it as it is - right Now ?
There are many subtle and not so subtle forms of suffering that are so "normal " they are usually not recognized as suffering and may even feel satisfying to the ego - irritation , impatience , anger , having an issue with something or someone , resentment , complaining . "

I hearby declare this the end of the book tag .
Fini .

Dedicated To The Beautiful Women in Yesterday's Post .

There once was a woman who woke up one morning,
looked in the mirror,
and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.
'Well,' she said, 'I think I'll braid my hair today.'

So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up,
looked in the mirror
and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.

'H-M-M,' she said,

'I think I'll part my hair down the middle today.'

So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up,
looked in the mirror and noticed
that she had only one hair on her head.
'Well,' she said, 'today I'm going
to wear my hair in a pony tail.'
So she did, and she had a fun, fun day.


The next day she woke up,

looked in the mirror and noticed

that there wasn't a single hair on her head.

'YAY!' she exclaimed.

'I don't have to fix my hair today!'



Attitude is everything.



Be kinder than necessary,

for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply,
Love generously,

Care deeply,

Speak kindly.......

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass..

One Hair Razoring Event for Camp Day '08

They did it ! Four courageous and caring co -workers at our Timmins Square location raised over $1500 in pledges for our Camp Day kids . In fact , it was a hairy , win\win situation as two of the girls had hair long enough to donate to the Cancer Society's Locks of Love campaign .

Now that is one double double to be proud of ... 

The wild and crazy Tim girls on Camp Day 2008 .
The evidence .... hair today and gone tomorrow .

Lisa the Lovely .

Sue the Magnificent .
Theresa the Brave .
Laura the Leader of the Pack .


The Bald Babes of the Timmins Square .
Ma is so proud of her dedicated and caring Tim girls . 

I Hope You Dance

..... right on down to your nearest Tim Hortons today and buy a cup of coffee for underprivileged children in your community . Tim Horton Camp Day has always been a project close to my heart and though I have had to let go of a lot of the organization to my staff in the last years , I have had some pretty fabulous memories of our Camp days and all the fun we shared together . You would be amazed by the difference you can make in one child's life when they experience a summer to remember at one of six Tim Horton summer camps . 
One cup of coffee , one child , one life changed forever ...
"... and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance , I hope you dance .." 

Walking In A Winter Wonderland

... in May !

Holy Crap ..

... it is snowing in Kap ... uskasing . My sister just emailed me these photos from her workplace . May snow is nothing to us northerners . I have seen July snowmen many a time . Our leaves are just in the process of wanting to bud if the frost doesn't get to them first .  Is it any wonder we wear flannel bikinis . Oh well , one consulation , it will soon be blackfly season . 

The Old And The Soapless

There is always someone somewhere who thinks you stink . Apparently this year it was my sister in law who detected Ma's body odour and wrapped up a melange of scented soaps for my birthday . This most unusual gift is pictured here . At first , I did not know whether to eat them , lick them , or stuff them . It took me a minute to comprehend that I was to soap myself with the little suckers . The dilemma now is which one to open first . Papaya nectarine sounds tasty but the chocolate nut might exfoliate me to perfection . The orange swirl ridges are appealing . Vanilla berry sounds high fat . I have a little high fat myself I am trying to get rid of before granny bloomer season .
Finally I found the right soap . Ma will smell like a bowl of freshly made pasta with a hint of chicken of the sea .
Time to run my bath . Seaweed -rosemary take me away .

"It's My Party .."

" ....and I'll cry if I want too . " There is not any party because I did not wanna invite 57 sexy firemen over to watch over my birthday candles .
Wait a sec ... am I crazy ?

"Big Daddy "

This is one of my favorite pictures of my Dad taken a few years back . He looks exactly the same now as he did then . He is one guy who has found the fountain of youth in his 83 years . It is called joie de vivre ... the cheerful enjoyment of life . Thank you Dad for teaching me that .
....and HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!

I Miss These Faces

Ma is :
a) Cleaning the wax out of Corn's ears .
b) Doing her Gene Simmons impersonation .
c) Losing her marbles after the head injury .
d) Endeavoring to look endearing in a family photo .
e) All or none of the above .

Pray

What Cancer Cannot Do

Cancer is limited ,
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot erode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendship
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit .

Author Unknown

Blue

Today I went to La Senza and purchased a pair of blue satin pajamas .... a bright cobalt blue . The striking shade reminded me of the color of my friend's eyes . It is one of the very first things you notice about her are her beautiful blue eyes ... her own unique window to her soul . The pajamas are simplistic in the fact they button easily in the front to be able to change a dressing if need be . She just celebrated her 50th birthday not long ago , opened her own business ( a dream come true ) , and began a new life for herself . Last week she found out she has breast cancer . Aggressive . Her mastectomy is slated for 8 am Thursday morning . Today , I went to see her at her little shop . She liked the pajamas . We hugged . We cried . She says it seems surreal to her . Months ago her routine mammogram and exam had showed all clear . Except all women know their own bodies . Her nipple was slowly inverting and dimpling . Several sources , including public health and her own doctor told her it was nothing to worry about . Excuse me ? Nothing to worry about ? I find this horrendous and I am so angry and so sad for her . I hate you Cancer . I hate you for taking our friends , and our sisters and our mothers . You have no right to invade our bodies . You will NOT win this battle . You will not break her spirit . She is a beautiful woman .
Blue is the color of healing and protection .
Blue is the color of her eyes .

Happy Mother's Day

Dedicated to my mother -in -law Una and her daughter & caregiver Suzanne .

One More Memory

I was lost
In the dark
Confused and afraid
Not knowing what was wrong
A few lost thoughts
Forgetful moments
I never thought
That it would come to this

One more memory
To remember me
For a lifetime come and gone
Goes on and on
When my memory fades
Think of me this way
It's my mind that's leaving me
It's not my heart

Forgotten names
Forgotten faces
I don't even know
The ones I've always loved
When I say
Things I'd never say
Know that my love
Will stay forever strong
Hold this in your heart

One more memory
To remember me
For a lifetime come and gone
Goes on and on
When my memory fades
Think of me this way
It's my mind that's leaving me
It's not my heart

Take my hand
And try to understand
My memories are gone
But my love for you lives on
Remember me for who I was
And not who I've become

One more memory
To remember me
For a lifetime come and gone
Goes on and on
When my memory fades
Think of me this way
It's my mind that's leaving me
It's not my heart

RUTR Car and Cake Celebration

Yesterday we had our official Roll Up The Rim presentation and celebration cake for the lucky car winner who rolled up the winning tab in early February and won a 2009 Toyota Matrix .
This was the second time that we have had a car winner in this location . Considering the law of averages , that is a pretty big deal . Meeting Alex and his wonderful daughters was the highlight of my day . They are truly a deserving family and we wish them many special and safe driving days in their new vehicle .









Our 2008 Roll Up The Rim happy family
The RUTR kids and Ma
The RUTR kids and the cake .
Tim's coffee crowd enjoying free celebration cake ....
...... and so does Grandpa Horton , Martha , and Carol

Ma's happy Tim gals .
Assistant manager Brian poses for Ma beside the winning Toyota .

Baaaaaaaaaaaaa.......d.

That one word describes the Creama report . Mind you the product poured like the consistency of cream and looked like a nice color in the coffee ............ however , it was about as tasty as a teat on a bull. The Creama not so dreama .
Time to call back my nanny goats .

Creama

I have taken my coffee with cream only for as far back as I can remember . I have tried different ways to lower my fat content but could never find anything that was a decent substitute . There were the coffeemate powder years until I religiously read labels . Check the chemical list on those teats . Black coffee was okay but blah to my taste . Adding sugar was not my thing . I am also lactose intolerant so milk was out . Cream never seemed to bother my gut . I came to the conclusion , that if coffee drinking was my only vice ( ahem ) then why not drink it the way I wanted too . At Tim's we use 18% ( one good reason why the coffee tastes so good . ) My at home cream ratio was 10% . While in Montreal , I decided to reduce the fat content of my favorite beverage which is also my bread and butter ( also fattening ) . Since I have used lactaid ( special milk for lactose intolerants like me ) , I decided to try it in the coffee . I discovered that I did not mind it too much if I heated it in the microwave . Kind of a semi latte but not . Then I found the goats milk . I know it sounds gross , but quite honestly it was not bad at all . The goat's milk was creamier than the lactaid and when heated , I liked it a lot better . Surprisingly enough , my ever present tummy bloat seemed to subside . Hell , I was a happy coffee camper . Now I could have my coffee and goat cream it too .
... until today , @ Wallyworld , while searching for my goat's milk , I found the Creama . Not the cream ... the Creama ... and not just any old Creama .. fat free Creama ! Now I have no clue what it taste like yet as I will have my coffee tomorrow morning . I checked the label . Made with skim milk and a few other ingredients printed too small to read . I am excited . ( yea , I have no life ) . Guess what tomorrow's post will be about ?
Yours till the cows come home ... I mean the goats .
Ma

Karma Loves Me

Call me needy . Call me whiny . My puppy still knows me after 2 months away . I had it in my head for some reason that she would forget all about me when I was away . I heard that she would sniff my coats and whimper . She never forgot me . ...and that makes me feel sooooo good . When I was in Montreal I would stop dog owners on the street and talk about their dogs and mine . I am one of those people that every time I see a dog , I have to take a second look , note the breed , etc. Pick up dog magazines and haunt pet stores .
Once a dog person ..always a dog person .
Good to be back safe if not quite sound .

Lost

Stand still. The trees ahead and the bushes beside you
Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,
And you must not treat it as a powerful stranger,
Must ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,
I have made the place around you.
If you leave it you may not come back again, saying Here.
No two trees are the same to Raven.
No two branches are the same to Wren.
If what a tree or bush does is lost on you,
You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.

- DAVID WAGGONER -

I Miss This Face

Bistro On The Avenue

We did lunch yesterday at a bistro on the avenue . In fact , the restaurant was aptly called " The Bistro On The Avenue . " It was just a few blocks from my hideaway "as the crow flies " . I just wanted to get that word "crow" in the blog as I saw Kitty's crows up close and personal . My first thought on the tattoo was "ouch " . When Kittycakes explained how he had always loved crows and even the sound of crows , I thought wtc ( what the caw ) ? Then it dawned on me , crows are big , black , make a lot of noise , and are highly intelligent . ( that is a subtle compliment to my lunch partner .) I have often thought of a tattoo myself but now that I have aquired a 4 inch scar on my scalp , I plan to let that thought rest .
Natty and I wore our new happy shirts for the occasion . We ate . We talked . We laughed . Nous avons apprecie le moment ensemble .

The New Earth , Earth Day , and My Happy Shirt

I have been in an online class lately with Eckhart Tolle and Oprah ( who needs no surname ) . It is my second time reading this book "The New Earth ". It was actually given to me three years ago as a birthday gift . For those of you who are skeptical of reading anything remotely spiritual , let me recommend this to you just to awaken your senses to the joy of living in the present moment . I think I have become very good at learning this lesson . After all , all any one of us have is today . The book itself is much deeper than that but as the author so aptly states that your personal state of consciousness will "only awaken those who are ready ." I guess I was ready ...are you ?
Today is also Earth Day and a time to celebrate and protect this wonderful world we all co exist in together . " Green , green it's green they say on the far side of the hill ,
Green , green I'm going away to where the grass is greener still .." . Do your part to ensure our planet stays green and alive by protecting the environment . We are all in this together . Now .
Last but not least , yesterday , I bought myself what I call "my happy shirt " . With all the warmer weather , I needed to find a few cooler tops . I went passed this particular shirt thinking the print was more N@ than I . Why did I think that ? I thought that because it was a happy little floral print of greens and blues , kinda daisy like and white eyelet . . Happy like N@ . So I purchased it . Every time I wear this shirt this summer, I can think of her happy little smilin' face and I can be happy too .
A bump on the head does wonders for the soul .

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Hear that ? At first , I thought it was the buzz of the Montreal traffic outside my window . Then , I thought I was co habiting with a swarm of bees because I am as sweet as honey . For an instant , I thought I was snoring but awake and therefore conscious of the snore sound . Buzzzzzzzzzzzz. Ratz. Did I leave the phone off the hook again ? Buzzzzzzzz . Head static ? Sure beats the teeny lightening bolts I saw last week . I guess the medical team in my head are busy repairing the lesion with buzz saws . You think they could be a little more quiet and stop that infernal buzzing around like madmen . Tylenol time .
...tylenol makes my clothes come off ...oh , that's tequila ..

Heads Up

The top five positives of accidental head injuries :
5 . ) You get to take a lot of medication to take you into the serenity of la la land .
4.) Your kid calls you every day to check up on you and invites you for free eats on weekends .
3.) You get to make silly remarks and forget things and it is simply rationalized by your recent head injury .
2.) Hot flashes are a thing of the past as cool air is able to breeze from ear to ear .
1.) .... and the number one reason that cranial injuries can be a plus ... you get to hear the birdies of spring in your head without even having to step outside .

What Happened ?

I wish I knew . As with all unforeseen circumstances , March 31st was like any other night . I had watched some television , had some tea and shortly after 10p.m. , I was in bed reading my latest book " The Glass Castle " . Little did I know the glass of my life would be shattered within a few short hours . I woke up at 3 am. to go to the bathroom . I remember looking at the time which is a habit of mine . I remember the tinkle . I remember standing at the sink to wash my hands . I remember looking at my reflection in the mirror . I remember the sudden feeling of extreme nausea .
I remember waking up slumped against the door jamb . I remember looking around the small bathroom wondering why I could not remember the small room . Nothing looked familiar to me . Where was I ? That was the moment I got a little scared . I remembered that NOT remembering was NOT a good thing . The pattern on the shower curtain was not one that I recognized . I did not even know I was in Montreal . It was all a blank . I looked at my shirt and saw the blood . It surprised me because I felt no pain . I wondered where I was hurt . I touched the back of my head and it came back bloody . I must have hit my head a bit . I grabbed a washcloth and held it to where I thought I was bleeding although I could not see anything myself . By that time , my thoughts were coming back to me as to where I was and why . I thought about returning to bed . Thank God I did not . My guardian angel whispered in my ear that head injuries and memory loss were not a good thing . Somehow it came back to me that N@ had given me some taxi numbers and the note was still in my purse . I called the first number , put my coat on over my pajamas , locked the door and went outside to the waiting cab. " Please take me to the nearest hospital .." which ended up being Montreal General . When I entered the hospital , I was not sure where to go .... somehow , I must have been in the emergency area . I fully expected to have to wait a while but luckily for me I was taken immediately into a room where my OHIP card and purse were taken . I explained that I had lost consciousness for some unknown reason . At this point , the series of events become a bit of a blur . Keep in mind that I could not see the slice out of my head at the back so I thought things were not too bad . I ended up in a hospital gown , strapped to a gurney , with a brace around my neck . As I was wheeled to the emergency ward , I recall thinking that I should call N@ but I was a little indisposed to make the call . I remember telling one of the orderlies that she would think it was an April Fools joke . The joke was on me . I had vials of blood taken and a tetanus shot on one side and a electrocardiogram on the other side . I remembered another time like this a few years ago when I saw my father laying on a board with a neck brace and at that moment , I knew I was being checked to see if I had a stroke . Damn . The doctor came by and stitched up the back of my head . I asked him how many stitches and his one word was "Lots . " Later , I found out I had a deep four inch gash at the back of my head . I felt like a female Frankenstein and was grateful I had not fallen on my face . ( Oh woman , thou name is vanity .) A nice nurse ( and they were all so very nice ) , explained that I was going to have a CAT scan to check for internal bleeding or any signs of a skull fracture . After that , I had to just rest and wait for the test results . I was experiencing some pain in the head by that time . No medication until my tests were cleared by the radiologist . Pain . I knew I had to wait and relax . I did my yoga breathing . My teacher would have been proud of me . I drifted off . Finally the nice doctor ( did I mention they were all so nice .. ) returned and said the wonderful words " All clear ... " .
Later on that night , I found out that they had missed detecting a small chip out off the top of my neck vertebrae .. a small price to pay for what could have been much worse . I took a cab back and called Natalie . She knew instinctively by my voice that something had happened . My daughter and Scottypants have been here with me and for me during the last week . To all of you who have called or emailed to see how I was , I thank you from that silent place deep within my heart . To the staff of Montreal General , your efficiency and kindness were a hallmark to your profession .
..and to my Guardian Angel who loved me enough to lead me through the shadows of the night
and gave me the good sense to seek medical attention .
Amen .