And Sings My Soul ( For Polly )

The rain came down today. It poured from the heavens like the Lord had overturned a bucket over our heads this afternoon. We were a handful of mourners gathered at the grave site to say good bye to Polly. She had passed from this earth in March. Her husband and life partner had transported her ashes from the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island to be buried beside her parents. The good thing about the rain is that you can be drenched and the raindrops and the tears merge as one. Just as Polly is now one with God and her spirit has soared to the light of heaven well beyond the storm clouds of this earth. We gathered , family and friends , at the local church to "socialize " and remember a life well traveled and well lived. She taught me a lot about "taking time" for a good glass of chardonnay and just sitting and chatting it up with no where to go but where I was in that particular moment. There was not a soul in that room today that she had not touched somehow, some way. So precious the memories , so precious the time.


One of her brothers had recited this poem I share with you now:

Journey Home

Joy Conner

---

My journey starts with a soft voice calling me into the night.
I am lifted up and drawn toward a beautiful light.
I am leaving my family, friends and all other earthly things.
I am like a bird going toward the heavens, trying out my new wings.
But as I soar upward everything becomes so clear.
Special arms are wrapped around me, removing all my fears.

I am an eagle, climbing high over the pine trees,

the lakes and the land.

A special love is gently leading me,

taking me by the hand.

I have wings, I go higher into the deep blue of the sky.

But I am leaving you and I wonder why me,

Oh God, why?

I fly like an eagle--but am more like a dove.
For I am leaving you all with a heart full of love.
My journey is taking me to a home far away.
That same voice promising I'll see you some day.
I leave you with so very much regret.
But please--do not grieve for me yet,
for my soul and spirit are finally free.
I go at peace into eternity.

We Are The World

..and we are in mourning for Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. Whatever your private opinions on their respective personal lives , one cannot deny the enormous impact each had in music and the arts. One death had been expected for months now as Farrah fought for her life against the dreaded cancer that invaded her body but never stole her indomitable fighting spirit. We watched from our arm chairs as she documented the realities of cancer. Many of us have seen this in our own families and it is without a doubt, one of our greatest fears. Farrah Fawcett stared back at that fear with dignity and a defiance that surpassed any role she ever played.
The shock of Michael Jackson's death rang around the world with the beat of disbelief and sadness. His music became the sound track of a generation and will remain his greatest legacy. The days ahead will be filled with the tears of their families and friends. The entire world aches for the loss of both of them .
Farrah's smile is gone from this earth and shines on a more heavenly plane. Whether you are black or white the sudden loss of a legend is a story still unfolding.
We are the world. We are sad and we are in pain.

Father's Day Blessings

I am sitting here this morning counting my blessings , which I endeavor to do on a daily basis. Today I am most grateful for having my father in my life. He is a modest man who would shy away from any accolades but he deserves it a million fold. To know him , is to love him . No question.
He is the kind of Dad that puts the 'extra 'in extraordinary. Through life's heartaches and roadblocks , he has walked a path of compassion and love of family and friends. My Dad has a smile that can light up a room and a laugh so individual there is no doubt who it is.
His sparkling blue eyes twinkle with mischief and he will be the first to tell you he is not perfect ... but he is perfect to me, and that is all that counts.
Thank you for teaching me what really matters in life is not what I have but who I am .
I love you Dad. Forever and a day. Happy Father's Day .

The Power of Prayer

Please say a small pray for this little guy today .

Crap

We Had A Ticket To Ride

N@ and I had a ticket to ride first class Via Rail from Montreal to Quebec City. I am usually the economy class kind of gal so going first class for a few bucks extra was a big deal for me. I have to tell ya I am spoiled rotten for it now. We had comfy seats , leg room for a basketball player, our luggage under our seats , a cute little male steward , and a fancy dancy menu to choose our meal. I had the grilled vegetable roll with artichoke and balsamic, cheese and spinach cannelloni with roasted red pepper sauce and portabella mushroom topping, 2 glasses of white wine , and a chocolate cheesecake. I know , I know ..I am a diva. After my Air Canada 'jet snack' and water, I felt like the queen of Quebec.
This was my first time doing the train experience in many years and I have to say I totally loved it!
Mind you it was just a 3 hour ride but it was so relaxing to sit back and watch the scenery change before my eyes like a slide show of the world.
.......and the best part of all : sitting beside my daughter whom I had not seen in over a year.
Before too long we heard the whistle announcing our arrival and we were taking our cabooses off the train.
I was visiting Quebec City for the first time in my life.

Coffee 4 Kids

Today June 3rd is Tim Horton Camp Day across the nation from sea to shining sea. Rev up your day with Tim's coffee and jumpstart a child's life into a new and brighter future.

Total proceeds from coffee are directed to the Tim Horton Children's Foundation where deserving children from your neighborhood will attend a Tim Horton camp this summer.

One cup of coffee can make a difference. 

Buy up.

Ma @ The Spa

This one was for the girls. On Mother's Day weekend my daughter , my sister and I headed for the little hamlet of Astorville , just outside of North Bay , to the Spa & Country Retreat at Hummingbird Hill.http://www.hummingbirdhill.ca/

We were long past due for a little pampering and girlie time. We were met by the two greeter cats one which mildly attacked me after I petted it. Once inside we were to forget our troubles and ply ourselves with mini chocolate cheesecakes, strawberries , and champagne orange juice.
It worked. I was tanked in no time. Not bad for 10 am.
We had a package deal of manicures , pedicures , and an aromatherapy wrap of lavender or lime. Seems we all chose the lime because we were thinking tequila sunshine. The subsequent massage left each one of us zoned out and vacantly happy.
The staff were professional and lots of fun and I thank our estheticians for their kindness and patience for putting up with three northern gals on a no stress quest.
We left feeling pretty oh so pretty ..with smiles on our faces and colorful toe nails.

This is for all you girls about 42 ( give or take )
Tossin' pennies into the fountain of youth
Every laugh, laugh line on your face
Made you who you are today



The Hummingbird Spa
Greeter cat #1
Greeter attack cat #2 ...no tail because he is a Manx cat and no, I did not take a tiger by the tail.
Self explanatory
The three amigos ready to be spaaaaaaaaed
My sister has her very first pedicure.
Manicuring Ma
Sweet Elizabeth working on my footsies
I forgot to tell Lizzie that she needed a goalie mask for protection when she worked on my pedicure.
Two estheticians brace me for the foot massage .
Not a CSI episode but my lime aromatherapy wrap or my secret life as a baked potato.
Two of the best , Darlene and Elizabeth .
These toes were made for walking .

An Oinker

For those of you worried about the possibility of an imminent pandemic and the rampant media reports of the swine flu ....rest assured there are no side effects save for this one.

( ya, ya I am bad .)

Rocker Shocker

After watching the entire season of American Idol , I am once again disappointed that the aspiring young singer with the total package did not take the crown. There was not an episode where Adam Lambert did not outshine and out sing every contestant on that stage. Week after week , he proved himself to be worthy of the title. This morning , I wonder how much a homophobic America had in deciding this fiasco. The tweenyboppers must have been out in full force texting like crazy to assure the rocker topple. The Danny votes headed to the underdog. The new Idol judge proved her lack of class and song writing capabities with her stripshow and the so called Idol hit song 'No Boundaries '.
I have bought several Adam videos from the iTunes site to remember how this Elvis lookalike owned the stage and every song he sang. The future is his.
It is a Mad World.

Say Cheese

I was around three years old playing with my cousins and my aunt Ruth said say 'cheese' and I did.
Funny how the mind remembers these things and yet I cannot find some paper that I put away for safe keeping a week ago. I should be glad I have a mind today since it is my birthday. 58. I do not feel as old as that number implies. I do not think my mind will ever be in sync with my chronological age. I will be like my father, defying the odds of aging with a smile and my middle finger.
PS. Woke up to snow to this morning . Wouldn't be the first time I had snow on my birthday.
Happy Birthday Me .

Happy Birthday to My Dad

Dear Dad,
It has been said the apple does not fall far from the tree. That could be true as I was born the day after your own birthday. You use to say that I was almost your birthday gift. Truth be told, I think you were were mine. Throughout my childhood unto this day, your loving heart and generosity have led the way with strength and humor. There is no doubt who it is when your laughter and smile light up the room. Your dancing blue eyes and indomitable spirit have taught this girl a little about life and a lot about love.
Today we celebrate , love and honor you. Today we are all blessed.
Love you Dad.
Thumbs up.
Darling daughter #1.

Another Exciting Episode of : Where In The World Is Ma ?

Here are the clues :

1. Hummingbirds

2. My Feet

3. Champagne and Wine

4. Mud

5 ...and last but far from least Live , Love & Laugh

P.S. Happy Mother's Day from Ma !!

Rain

I love the rain. I love the sound of it. I love the smell of it. I love the way the robins come out to play in it looking for peekaboo worms in the soil. I love the way it nourishes the crocuses and tulips to grow tall after winter's shadow. I love the way it feeds the grass and transforms the yellow to brilliant green. I love the rain drops catching the twigs to remind them that it is spring and they need to turn over a new leaf. I never mind the gray clouds that pour the cleansing rain for they bring a promise of a better day.
So if you see me skipping through the puddles today in my bright red rain boots, remember, it is okay to sing and dance in the rain. It is a good thing.

Spring In A Northern Town

First sign of spring in a northern town ... not the return of robins , but houseflies.
Let me out.
Dirty mountains of snowbanks block your view.
Sad Santas need to go back to bed for another year.
.... and so do the lights of Christmas.
Unless you like sandals in the snow , these will sit sans feet for a while yet.
Shovels need a vacation and so do I .
The ghosts of winter long to feel the sun again .. to be free and green.
Real pavement ..hurray !
This is and will be again my lilac bush.

Karma's ball sits idle waiting for her joyful play.
Running water is a welcome sound .
The cranky ravens say spring is nevermore ...but the hardy robins in the snow say otherwise.


I do not want to speak too soon but there is a few signs that spring may finally be here after a very long, cold and snowy winter. Although our temperature promises to climb to 18C today there is a forecast of light snow for the weekend. Keep it light.

Love Your Earth Day

Wherever you are in this old world, today is the day to cherish the ground you walk on. Cultivate your knowledge on protecting our environment on a daily basis. Love your earth and the earth will love you back .

My Birthday Boy

The Wizard of Paws at 8 weeks old.
Wiz models the latest in Spring polo shirts for the fashion conscious Yorkie.
'
Wizzy loves the snow and loves to love .....my little Casanova.

My little Wizard is one year old today. It is hard to believe that I have had him almost an entire year. Having had larger dogs for over twenty years, it has been quite the experience having such a tiny dog in the household. For the most part, I have trained the Wiz like any other dog despite his elfin size. He learned the canine obedience rules in record time. The key word "repertoire" signifies a series of commands the end result meaning treat time. Karma has secretly loved her little brother's training sessions as it invariably means she gets a treat as well. When Wiz gets too rambunctious , as most young puppies do, the word "timeout " means he has to lay his head down and be still for just a little bit. He has at one time or another taken a liking to shoes, baseboards, and most anything within his teething reach. By far the most challenging aspect of this four pound wonder was his toilet training. Believe me when I say I have needed the patience of Job to get through his housetraining. Both my shepherds were trained at 10 weeks old and I could not understand why this idea was just not kicking in for him when he picked up so quickly on many of the other dog basics. The more I read , the more I learned. Their plumbing system would take a while to develop fully. Yorkies are a stubborn breed and somewhere around the 8th month I would notice a big difference.... and I did. My little Wizard loved to do his business in the great outdoors at long last. I still keep his little wee pad by the door for emergencies only but for the most part, the lure of 'outside ' has drawn him to the art of outdoor leg lifting. Karma and Wizzy are great buddies and keep one another company. Wiz loves to snuggle into her warm fur and Karma lets him do pretty much anything to her.
Down the road there is the possibility of a major operation for Wizzy as he was diagnosed with "luxating patella" at 8 weeks of age due to bad breeding. This means he has 2 kneecaps that slide back and forth , one worse than the other, and require an operation to deepen the groove and pin the bone in place. When Wizzy looks at me with those liquid brown eyes I know that I will do anything to give him the quality of life that he deserves when that time comes.
Wiz is such a little character. Despite all the doggie issues we have dealt with , this little ragamuffin has brought joy and laughter into my life and danced his way into the hearts of all he meets. He is the consummate entertainer.
He loves everyone and everything. I believe that is and will forever be his purpose.
Happy Birthday to my sweet boy, the Wizard of Paws .

Wolf Update

Family dog dies after wolf attack

Posted 1 hour ago

The Parcey family's dog took her last breath on Friday.

Missy, a collie-shepherd cross, died at the Timmins Animal Hospital after being attacked by a pack of wolves last week.

"It's tough. It's very tough," Monica Parcey said. "It's a tragic end. At least she died with us and not with the wolves. I will miss her. We always felt safe with her."

Seeing wolves or wolf tracks in and around the Jaguar Road area is nothing new for the family. However, with multiple reported wolf attacks happening to family dogs, the Parcey family worries that the problem will only escalate.

"It's not going to go away unless we do something about it. Her brother was lost to wolves but I didn't witness it. This instance I witnessed it so that's why it's so traumatizing," she said.

Parcey has been diligently researching online about wolf attacks and said that incidents do occur in the early morning between 6:30 and 10 a. m.

"There are kids waiting for school buses at that time," she warned. "You can't keep turning a blind eye. It's not a lone wolf, it's not two or three."

Last Monday, Parcey said she saw at least 10 wolves. The pack dragged their 85-pound dog into a field, ripping her skin and exposing her ribs.

"It's very scarring," she explained.

On Friday night, Parcey went to visit Missy at the animal hospital. She was breathing heavily and was medicated to help reduce the pain. There was severe damage to her neck and there was swelling and bruising throughout her body. Missy also needed stitches from head to toe.

"I had a talk with Missy and told her she needed to make up her mind. I said, 'Missy girl, if you need to let go, it's OK by me.' She died that night," Parcey said. "Maybe it's time for people who have suffered losses to come forward so we can see the true numbers."

Parcey said the Ministry of Natural Resources suggested they call a trapper.

"The trappers were told to get their snares out of the bush because it's the end of the trapping season for wolves," she said. "Can we reinstate a bounty on these things? They are getting too close and confident."

Parcey said every time it snows there are a fresh set of wolf tracks.

"They are large timber wolves and they are very menacing. When I go to my truck, I check over my shoulder because you just don't know," she said.

Similar problems with wolves are also happening in the greater Sudbury area.

The Sudbury Star reported on April 10, Diane Korpela, owner of Pineridge Ranch, recently lost five deer from her petting zoo to a pack of wolves. Korpela said the buildup of snow allowed the wolves to walk over a fence, leaving her animals at their mercy.

Copyright © 2009 Timmins Daily Press

Monday's Smile

Sometimes in life you just need a little something to make you smile.

Happy Easter Peeps