In Remembrance

We're off to the cottage this weekend, I haven't been up there much this year at all so I'm looking forward to seeing 'our place' and closing it up for the winter. We have a lot of work to do cleaning up the yard with all the trees and debris taken down last summer so that should keep us busy for the weekend.

Maggie of course is excited that she's going to her special place where she can run and be free and chase balls until somebody's mother's arms drop off, not mentioning any names here.

There was so much hoopla this week because of the US elections, I'll just say this one little bitty thing...that Obama is something. What a charasmatic speaker. Wow. As exciting as it was to see him get elected it was every bit as disappointing to see Prop 8 voted on in California. Rights and freedoms of Americans stripped from them. Very sad.

So..........off we go. REMEMBER to love the one you're with and never take it for granted. Tell them you love them. Remember the people who died for our country. Remember the people who continue to fight for the rights and freedom of all people.

In Memory of Bernice Gerard

Last night I heard the news that our beloved Bernice had passed away into the arms of Jesus. Bernice was a Pastor/Teacher/Evangelist/Radio Moderator/Television Host/Crusader for the Unborn/Friend of Israel/and a whole host of other titles. She had served on Vancouver city council as well as pastoring a large Pentecostal church at the same time.

I got to know Bernice when I was about 8 years old and even at that age she had a profound influence on my life. I used to line up my stuffed animals on my bed and 'preach' to them using Bernice's method of pacing back and forth and holding up a Bible at the same time. I believe my Scripture came from Romans. I don't know, I'd have to check my notes.

After I graduated from Bible College I went to live in Vancouver and attended the church that Bernice and her co-worker Velma pastored for many many years. I joined the staff a year later and worked alongside them until they resigned the church to focus on their TV and Radio ministries along with their work with children around the world.

Bernice was someone to be reckoned with. She didn't back away from anybody. She was tough, lacking somewhat in social skills but always fighting for the underdog. She had come from a poor foster family and grown up 'in the system' and never looked back. Once she got 'converted in the country' it became her life force to tell the world of the good news of Jesus Christ.

There are many stories to be told about her, many, many lives influenced by her, she was an amazing woman. She was a pioneer in leading women to join the ministry, believing that it is God who ordains those to preach, not man.

Her co-worker Velma Chapman passed away last year at 92 and they had worked together as partners in ministry for over 60 years. Amazing.

Well done Bernice, well done. You're at home now. Safe in the arms of Jesus.

Dear All:

My cousin's cat had kittens and she was able to give away all but 4 of them.

I told her I would help her find homes for the last 4.

We can't take one because we already have 2 cats, but if you could take just one it would be such a help and the kittens could have a nice home.

Since she lives by the Nuclear Power Plant, I'll go pick them up for you.

I've attached pictures of the last 4 kittens.

Will you help?

Thanks

It's That Time of Year Again

Not really excited about having to drive all night long with firecrackers being thrown on the street and irresponsible people thinking it's funny but here we are again.


Hallowe'en should be a fun night for kids to go trick or treating and do it safely. I'm not sure that's the case any more.


I like the idea that a lot of churches have in making it a Hallelujah party or Harvest Fun Fair, sounds a lot more safe and sane to me. I'm all about safety and sanity on any given day.

Happy Hallowe'en!

Picture taking time at Harrison Hot Springs

One of our favorite places to go for a quick getaway is Harrison Hot Springs. It's a small resort town nestled in amongst the mountains and lake and is picturesque attracting visitors from all over the world.



When you walk down the streets you can hear any number of languages being spoken. There is only one major street with shops on one side and the lake and promenade on the other.



The Resort is first class and has a number of therapeutic pools with the hot springs from the mountain being poured into smaller pools of various sizes and temperatures.



We love to go and eat at our fave restaurant where not only do you get good food you get great service and also the best black forest cake around.



Harrison Hot Springs is somewhere that holds a lot of fond family memories for me. This photo was taken when I was still little enough to ride on my dad's shoulders and view the world from the top of 'the big rock' and think I was on top of the world.

It's been a little busy around here with appointments to the Dr., Dentist, Massage Therapist (ahh, how I love her), Mother's stuff, Union stuff, Family stuff...it all adds up.

BB and I went to see Paul on Saturday. He was happy to see us and we enjoyed a nice lunch together. He's a dear man and a wonderful step-dad. He was a bit mixed up as to where we all live but that's nothing new. He continues to be the warm-hearted, kind man that he's always been. Always concerned about everyone else.

Work is in a state of change right now with new ownership and therefore new union contract which has to be bargained for after we decide which union will represent us the best. I try to stay informed reading the Union literature and not listening to the lunchroom banter. Hopefully we'll all be winners in the end.

BB is looking to go to assisted living so we're working on that arrangement for her. Trouble is she's so healthy that on application requests it doesn't appear that she needs anything from anybody, thank you very much. However with her failing eyesight she does require more care so we're looking at that. It all takes a lot of time.

Chris is busy with school and figuring out big words and new concepts and her common phrase is 'hmmm, I've never looked at it that way before'.

Church is good and again in a state of change as the 'filler-in pastors' leave the end of this year and the new pastor begins in January. But for us, right here, right now, it's good. There are really nice people going there and they have welcomed us more than we could've ever imagined.

Soooooooooo life is good and all is well.

I've been thinking long and hard about a subject close to my heart. This post could be called "Coming out of the Closet" or "You always wondered, here's the answer" or "Be still my beating gay heart" or something along those lines. No matter what it's called the content is the same.
I've 'borrowed' some ideas from a blogger friend that I admire and respect for her writings and opinions and they've given me the platform I need to write my own thoughts.

So...........away we go! Hang on to your hats!

Some common misconceptions I'd like to clear up:

1. I made a choice to be gay.

Here's a question to my straight friends - when did you make a choice to be straight? I don't believe anyone ever chooses to be the sexual being that they are born to be. What God created me to be, that's what I am. I could live the rest of my life without intimacy with a man and never miss it but to not have the affection of another woman, that I cannot do without. I didn’t choose my orientation, I choose how I live my life.

2. All gay people were sexually abused.

Gay people are sexually abused the same way straight people are abused. Abuse is abuse and really has little to do with your sexual orientation.

3. Gay people recruit children.

No, pedophiles go after children. I am gay, not a pedophile.

4. Lesbians hate men.

I don’t hate men. I had a great dad and I had a great brother. Just because I don’t want to sleep with men doesn’t mean I hate them. I don’t want to sleep with my female friends either, but I like them just fine. I recognize that some lesbians do have a hate-on for men but I'm not one of them.

5. All gay people are promiscuous.

That is like saying all heterosexuals are monogamous. Are there gay sluts? Sure, but there are also straight sluts too. The majority of people I know (gay or straight) are in or looking for that special life-long partnership.

6. Gay Christians do not exist.

I am here and there are lots more gay Christians out there. We exist. I’m sorry if there are people out there who feel they have the right to judge my relationship with God. I try to not judge anyone else and I would hope that people would show me the same respect.

7. Gay people are a threat to society and marriage.

Not really. My relationship is one like a marriage. Together we work, we pay taxes, We're law abiding citizens. We give back to our community. We're church attenders. We really lead a quiet boring life, we have a peaceful home. We're stable, hard-working individuals who believe we should have the same rights as everyone else. Your marriage is no weaker or stronger if I am allowed to marry. Your marriage is between you and your spouse, I have nothing to do with it. My morals and values depend on me. Your values are totally dependent on you.

8. If gay marriages are allowed then people will want to marry their computer or their dog.

This is hardly worth the time of an answer but........ok, show me a computer or animal that can read, understand, and sign a LEGAL document, then that argument will hold weight for me. Until then, marriage is between two consenting, ADULT people.

9. Gay people are weird.

Where I live there are lots of weird people. But I am no weirder than my next door neighbor. Everyone is different and everyone has their place.

10. There is a gay lifestyle.

My lifestyle includes wanting to live my life following Jesus, to be a good person and wanting to love my partner with everything I am. Sounds pretty normal to me.

And that was all she wrote.

A Little Bored?

I'm Just a Freak'n Ray of Sunshine Today

I'm having a mental health day today. Nothing more. Nothing less. Some days are just like that. Doesn't mean I'll feel like this tomorrow. Doesn't mean I won't. It's just one of those days when I would rather tell the world to p**s off than be nice. I can blame it on lots of things but I won't. Suffice to say. Tomorrow's another day and I'm hoping my usual sunny disposition will return.

So many things come to mind for which I am thankful...................(not in any particular order).

The freedom of living in a country where I can be who I am and love the one I'm with.

Gratefulness to God for God-fearing parents who raised me to 'love God and love each other' and meant it.

Thankfulness for a job in healthcare/transportation that I enjoy, that brings satisfaction to my life.

Pleasant exchanges at the back of our church with people who care about us and show us Christ's love by example.

Good friends near and far, new and old not in age but in the years we've been friends.

A nice home to share with ones I love....including the neurotic dog and crazy cats.

A beautiful sunny day in October warm enough to walk around without a jacket.

Memories of times spent in Hawaii and photos to accompany those memories.

Photo albums I've scrapbooked because it's fun.


Food in my cupboard and in my fridge.

The ability to buy food and not do without because I have no money but because I just haven't been to the store.

All glory to our God and King!

Here's a Chuckle for You...........

Two young boys walked into a pharmacy one day, picked out a box of tampons and proceeded to the checkout counter.

The man at the counter asked the older boy, 'Son, how old are you?' 'Eight', the boy replied.

The man continued, 'Do you know what these are used for?'

The boy replied, 'Not exactly, but they aren't for me. They're for him. He's my brother. He's four. We saw on TV that if you use these, you would be able to swim and ride a bike.'

All good in the hood

This is what I feel like most of the time...I'm not sure when old age crept up on me...when DID THAT HAPPEN??? Anyways...........here I am on the other side of 50. I used to be a 'techie' kinda person, the one who came over to people's houses and hooked up their VCR's because they didn't have a clue, the one that explained the answering machine to her mother, who taught her how to use an ATM. Where did that person go?

So here I am....this morning I had fun hanging out with some of the peeps from Church. They are a fun bunch! Lots of laughs and getting to know a few people a little better. I'm really liking these peeps. They're not all wound up about 'stuff'. They like us. They really do!

My shift has changed so I'm picking up different people on my run and I'm liking that. No more pothold man, can you say Amen to that? Amen!

Our contract ends the end of the year with our current employer so there are changes ahead. We've been taken over by an American company who specialize in transportation so we're hoping for good things.

Things are good around the house. Chris is busy with her Theology course and being challenged with that so that's good for her. She needs to be challenged. I don't. I get intimidated by challenge.

BB is keeping herself busy with her many church groups she attends. She seems to go to church on every other day of the week besides Sunday. We need to take a trip to the island to see Paul soon as we haven't been for awhile. He doesn't seem to realize that sometimes though. He calls my mom and tells her how nice it was that she came and spent the day with him. A lot cheaper for sure!

Peace out cub scout...............laters

Friday's Funny

A woman was sitting at a bar enjoying an after work cocktail with her girlfriends when Steven a tall, exceptionally handsome, extremely sexy, middle-aged manentered. He was so striking that the woman could not take her eyes off him.

The young-at-heart man noticed her overly attentive stare and walked directly toward her. (As All men will.) Before she could offer her apologies for staring so rudely, he leaned over and whispered to her, 'I'll do anything, absolutely anything, that you want me to do, no matter how kinky, for $20.00...... On one condition'

Flabbergasted, the woman asked what the condition was. The man replied, 'You have to tell me what you want me to do in just three words.'

The woman considered his proposition for a moment, and then slowly removed a $20 bill from her purse, which she pressed into the man's hand along with her address. She looked deeply into his eyes, and slowly and meaningfully said....

"Clean my house."

The Wall

This past weekend I wanted to paint the accent wall in the master bedroom. It's very trendy right now to have teal and brown together and being the trendsetters that we are (LOL) I thought well the walls are already teal I'll just paint the accent wall chocolate brown. How hard could that be?

That was Saturday. Every day since Sat I have been giving the wall ANOTHER COAT OF PAINT because it's taken that much paint to cover a teal wall! Who knew? Today I will give THE WALL it's last and final coat because this will mean it's taken 1 whole gallon of paint. For one freakin' wall! Seems a bit ridikerous to me but there you go.

Sometimes things look easy but they just aren't. Sometimes things are harder than they look. Boy I'm sounding philosophical this morning aren't I? Deep I know, very deep.

Anyways, it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. I am starting my new run this afternoon so pothole man is a thing of the past (yahoo) and I'm meeting and greeting with my new employer.

Back to brownin' the wall................................

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE THE PHILOSOPHY OF AMBIGUITY...

1. Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.

2. One Tequila, two Tequila, three Tequila, floor....

3. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

4. If man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes?

5. The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live.

6. I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, 'Where's the self-help section?' She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.

7. What if there were no hypothetical questions?

8. If a deaf person swears, does his mother wash his hands with soap?

9. If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it considered a hostage situation?

10. Is there another word for synonym?

Today I was at the Mall and they had the Cops Fighting Cancer riding through the mall on their bikes and motorcyles. As I was about to leave the grocery store the security guys came over and asked everyone to stay where they were because the bikes were going to be coming through. As they started their procession people began to applaud and kept up the applause as they rode by. It really was quite a sight.


As the last motorcyle went by the tears were flowing down my cheek and I cried for everyone who's lost someone to cancer. I don't know of anybody who isn't affected by the disease. So many of my clients have cancer and so many friends............and so on and so on.




I took a moment to remember my friend Joy who passed away just last summer with cancer. She'd had it twice. The first time in her breasts and the second time it was leukemia. She lived an amazing life of love and devotion to people with disabilities. I still can't believe sometimes that she's gone. I've been going through old cards and photos this week while tidying up stuff and I came across a note she had written me.


My friend Barb fights it on a daily basis and while I witness her struggles I'm always amazed at her courage and her fight to live a 'normal' life.


So take a moment today to remember someone you know with cancer. I do not know what it's like to have the disease and I can't say that I understand how someone feels but I do know that I care.

I can't respond to any emails today, something has crashed on my computer

and the mouse is missing.

Sometimes.........

you gotta wonder what these two are up to. Maggie and Bailey are the best of friends and often will share a chair or a couch. When I come home at night they snuggle with me side by side. Tonight they were both sitting in the office looking at me as if to say "well? are we not adorable?"


It's been crazy around here with painting and changing rooms around to accommodate SOMEBODY'S new desk and table and computer. It's all coming together and we're glad to have some organization back in our lives.




I was sorting through some pics and came across this one from 25 years ago. Too funny. I had the biggest hair around. But I come by it honestly. Ya think?

Goin' to the Chapel.........

Today we attended the wedding of Bren and Kathy at our Church. It was a happy occasion for everyone as we celebrated their love and commitment to each other.

I'm not sure who let her in? mmmm........




It was a lot of fun just hanging out with friends and joining in a lot of laughter and best wishes for happiness on their journey together.

One of the best ways to
make yourself happy is to
make other people happy.

One of the best ways to make other people happy is
to be happy yourself.

Sometimes I feel like Maxine. Ever have one of those days? You beat your head against the wall over and over and over again and still all you can think of is, gee it feels so good when I stop!

Today was one of those days. It just seemed like I was beating my head against a wall at work today. I drove and drove and drove non-stop without a break until I couldn't stand it anymore and apologized to my client while I ran into her washroom at the place I was picking her up at. Not good. But had to be done.

AND THEN...the icing on the cake was that my last client of the evening...oh let's call him KK told his nurses that I had left him behind at the Hospital on Friday night and he waited until 1:00 am for a taxi ride home. What a blatent lie. An absolute lie. Not only didn't I leave him behind I waited 50 minutes for him and drove him home. I was absolutely livid when I heard what he had said. He's lied before about drivers and I've played his little wait and see game but tonight was it.

I think the next time I have to drive him home I might just hit one pot hole too many. Yup, in fact there are a lot of pot holes coming his way. hmmmm, I see a whole bunch of pot holes in his future...ok enough already.

I just had to vent. About KK and the pot holes. I'm ok now. It just really upset me because I'm the one who sits and waits for him 3 nights a week. And he made up a story about me and that bugs me.

She's The Smart One

Chris is the smart one in the family. Not only does she have a charming personality and is a whole lot of fun to live with but she's really, really smart. Academically she doesn't do well on paper and I know her grades were never that good but that's just because she freaks out on exams and doesn't spell check.

Anyways................Chris is starting a night course at Vancouver School of Theology this semester. It's a long ways for her to go after working all day and then taking in a 3 hour lecture. She'll have lots and lots of questions and opinions for her professor, I don't think he knows what he's in for yet.

I'm really proud of her for going for it. Just watching her go through all the hoops just to take a Master's level course, well, I get tired just watching. She starts tonight so for the next several Tuesday nights she'll go there after work and then come home really late.

You know Chris is an only child right? Well, when we were on our cruise we found her long lost brother. Hence the photo.

She's the smart one.

I'm the funny one.

Life Explained

On the first day, God created the dog and said:

'Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years.'

The dog said: 'That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?'

So God agreed.

On the second day, God created the monkey and said:

'Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span.'

The monkey said: 'Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?'

And God agreed.

On the third day, God created the cow and said:

'You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years.'

The cow said: 'That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?'

And God agreed again.

On the fourth day, God created man and said:

'Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty
years.'

But man said: 'Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?'

'Okay,' said God, 'You asked for it.'

So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy
ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.

Life has now been explained to you.

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information. I'm doing it as a public service.

Because You Asked

Recently a faithful reader (Hi Val!) asked me if I'd been to the Netherlands. Yes as a matter of fact, I have! I went for the first time when I just about 2 years old and could still travel for free. Sitting on my mother's lap and it was an 18 hour flight. How much fun was that!

The funny part about my arrival in Holland that first visit was that I hadn't yet begun to talk. I was a quiet one. For weeks before the big trip my mom coached me, "Hi Opa, Hi Oma". Nope. Not a word. My mom was getting worried. Surely this kid who's just about 2 years old can say hello to their grandparents.


The big day arrived. Many many hours in the airplane. My grandparents had made the long trek from northern Holland all the way to Amsterdam to greet us. My mom was holding me up to have a look at them after clearing customs and at the top of my lungs I yelled, "HI OPA!!! HI OMA!!!" just like I had been doing it for my months. Those were my first words. It was like until I could actually see them I had no interest in saying their names.

I went again for a trip to Holland when I was 16 and spent most of the summer there. It was a lot of fun and I spent time with cousins from Amsterdam who were much older and wiser than me. Suffice to say, it was a learning experience.


I went again when I was 21 with my dad. I spent a couple of weeks with him visiting family and then spent the summer in Belgium. After the summer was over my friends and I went to Holland and stayed with family for a week or so. Good times.




Then I didn't go again for a long time. My mom and I went in 2000 and had a ball. We stayed with my dad's only sister who has to be the sweetest lady God ever created that I call family. She's now 86 and I still would like to see her again.

Then in 2004 my mom and brother John and Chris and I went for 2 weeks. We went to the one and only cousin reunion. I have 25 first cousins on my mom's side without any spouses.

We hope to go next year and combine it with some other sights in Europe. This is our Dutch foto. It was taken in Volendam and every time I've been in Volendam I've been to the same shop and had a foto taken with whoever I was with. Somewhere in my collection I have the other foto taken at this place with my brother John. I wonder how many people have worn these costumes........

It's All About Family

For the past few days we've been enjoying a visit with my cousins from Holland. I cherish these times as I can count on one hand the number of times I've visited with any extended family. I've always been so envious of people who grew up with family all around them. I've watched friends just be so casual about family dropping by like it's no big thing. For me it's a very big thing. Because my mom is my only link to Holland I have to keep the communication open between me and my cousins.

These are 2 of my faves, Barend and Rennie. They're seasoned travellers, well-organized and easy to have around. They laugh alot and express their love quite openly towards me and Chris and for each other. Barend speaks English very well so he interprets for everyone and makes the conversation flow. I wish I could speak Dutch as well as he speaks not only Dutch but English, French, German, and a smattering of some more languages.

We enjoyed a beautiful dinner out with them at one of our favorite places. They loved the food and the ambience as well. Our pets love them and watch their every move, especially the packing of the suitcases. I'm sad to see them go. Now it's our turn to go to Holland. hmmmmm, you never know!