Superman can doubledutch

Sometimes I wonder if I should rename my blog to the obits section! hahaha - well I guess that isn't actually funny.... needless to say at this point - another family member has passed - I didn't know her - she was my mom's "step" cousin. My grandpa's niece.

On a completely different note - my mom and sister are back from B.C. I had asked that if they were going to get me something that they might try to bring me back something Dutch - they were going to sucha cultural locale in Washington State. They brought me back a watch - makes sense - I've always enjoyed watches! Except - I didn't quite understand the purchase as it was not noticeably dutch - infact its not dutch at all - but oh well its a nice watch. I was then looking at it more closely and noticed it was engraved - so I thought - cool maybe it was Holland - it doesn't. I couldn't make out where it started or finished so I thought maybe it said something in Dutch - which would also be very cool. Nope - not in dutch - its not a saying either - its a name. The name - Louis Vuitton.
Thats right - the mother who didn't let where Nike shoes growing up because BiWay was as name brand as I was going to get - bought me a LV watch and didn't even know it - she didn't pay the crazy prices like the watches are worth - but its still very cool that I have one! So it may not be Dutch - but it works for me! woo woo!

Planning on being in Toronto this weekend which I'm looking forward to because it means I get to hopefully spend a bunch of time with Jen, Sharon and Maggie. hopefully it all works out - Jen was even saying that on top of the "gathering" going on that the ROM is having a cool openning thing - looking forward to the randomness that may lie ahead!

superman is good

Nelly Furtado sings a song about why all good things come to an end. I don't think all good things come to an end - some mature and change and become even gooder... hahaha I know... better. Yet other good things do come to an end - but that is usually because other good things need room to enter - or at least thats the optimistic way of looking at it I suppose.
Lately I feel that I've been lacking on the new good. Some good has come to an end - but I just haven't had anything come to replace it - and I suppose it just feels like I have a little bit of a void - an empty space - Its not to say that I'm not a fortunate individual - I am - I have many things - more things than probably I deserve - and I know that for the most part it is up to me to make these new good things happen - and its not due to lack of trying - I think its more that I don't know what I'm looking for - and I don't know where to look. I've never been good at change - I've never been good at letting go of the past - and I've always been scared about the future - but I still put my shoes on and trudge forward. I think that I just might be a bit worn down at the moment and need a energy boost - or a good nights rest - well I'm off to go find some more good....

a warm cup of tea and sugar

I think that the first funeral I ever attended was my Opa's (grandfather)...but at that age I didn't really understand what it meant when I person died.
In grade eight though I remember when my Uncle Ben suddenly passed. I wasn't allowed to go to the funeral because it was during a school day. My elementary school and the church were side by side and separated by a little linked fence... about the height of a 3rd or 4th grader. We were on recess and the church parking lot started filling with cars and my dad drove in with our van. I remember trying to get his attention because I didn't want to be at school any more I wanted to go to my uncle's funeral - but my dad didn't hear me. I was really emotionally distraught. My grade eight teacher tried to calm me down - but I was really upset.
The thing I remember most about Uncle Ben and Aunt Mona is being at their house for sleepovers and eating some cookies with warm tea and suger at the table. My aunt and I were in our pjs.
I just got the phone call saying that my Aunt Mona passed away in her sleep. So she went peacefully - which is good because she had been suffering from Alzheimer's. I had to call my mom in B.C. and let her know - its a good thing she's with my Aunt Betty and Uncle Derek though - so they can all have a good laugh or cry or memory sharing or whatever - I suggested some tea and sugar - in her honour as I assume they aren't going to get on a plane and fly to Whitby for Fridays activities.
The scary thing to me is that I was just thinking about my Uncle Ben's funeral yesterday and wondered how my Aunt Mona was doing - I guess I now know..... she's sleeping peacefully.... or maybe having a cup of warm tea and sugar with my Uncle Ben~!

a warm cup of tea and sugar

I think that the first funeral I ever attended was my Opa's (grandfather)...but at that age I didn't really understand what it meant when I person died.
In grade eight though I remember when my Uncle Ben suddenly passed. I wasn't allowed to go to the funeral because it was during a school day. My elementary school and the church were side by side and separated by a little linked fence... about the height of a 3rd or 4th grader. We were on recess and the church parking lot started filling with cars and my dad drove in with our van. I remember trying to get his attention because I didn't want to be at school any more I wanted to go to my uncle's funeral - but my dad didn't hear me. I was really emotionally distraught. My grade eight teacher tried to calm me down - but I was really upset.
The thing I remember most about Uncle Ben and Aunt Mona is being at their house for sleepovers and eating some cookies with warm tea and suger at the table. My aunt and I were in our pjs.
I just got the phone call saying that my Aunt Mona passed away in her sleep. So she went peacefully - which is good because she had been suffering from Alzheimer's. I had to call my mom in B.C. and let her know - its a good thing she's with my Aunt Betty and Uncle Derek though - so they can all have a good laugh or cry or memory sharing or whatever - I suggested some tea and sugar - in her honour as I assume they aren't going to get on a plane and fly to Whitby for Fridays activities.
The scary thing to me is that I was just thinking about my Uncle Ben's funeral yesterday and wondered how my Aunt Mona was doing - I guess I now know..... she's sleeping peacefully.... or maybe having a cup of warm tea and sugar with my Uncle Ben~!

and the day continues...

monday mornings at the bank usually allow us to smoothly get back into a working mode... well not this morning - it was hectic even before we openned the doors!
whats even worse - we had to call 911 today. My supervisor collapsed. She was brought to hospital and I haven't heard yet how she is - but I'm sure she is doing ok.
Now I'm off to Windsor - man I'm tired... been up for 11.5 hours and counting!

Up, up and away!

I have not been well lately.
Started off with a headache. The headache grew into a migraine. Which led to needing pure silence, darkness, and a puke bucket by my bed. Its not fun cleaning out said bucket though when you still aren't well. It gets better. The next day - my "week off" began... fuktabular! ALSO - earlier in the week my toe took a bit of a beating - and it turns out its horribly infected and I have to go on antibiotics to try and stop the infection... right - me on antibiotics. The doctor had to go through a book to try and find one that I hadn't tried and possibly may not be allergic too! He seemed to enjoy yet be annoyed with the challenge!. The one he ended giving me has been ok --- My stomach is still very weak....and now everything tastes like dirty metal....and I'll save other details - but I'm not swelling, or rashing... so its not too bad!
I didn't get to go to Toronto for Sharon's bday :( It doesn't seem like it has already been a year though since she, Jen, Mark, John, Talon, etc.. went o Cuba for some grand celebrations! But speaking of trips and planes and celebrations... I had to get up at 3:30 this morning and take my mom and sister to the airport. They are flying to Calgary to have lunch with my brother and his girlfriend. Ok - thats not WHY they are flying to Calgary... they are actually on their way to B.C. and Calgary happens to be a stop on the way for them - and it happens that my brother and his girlfriend are in Calgary at the moment - so they are getting together at the airport for lunch. Then off to beautiful B.C. Well I've never been there to say personally that it is beautiful - but I've seen pictures and stories - and it seems to be.
I'm really proud of my mom for going. Just over a year ago my dad and her decided to go visit my aunt and uncle in B.C. for their 35th wedding anniversary... that would be May 19th (also the anniversary of Rafa and Sharon ;) )... but obviously my dad can't physically be there with my mom - but I'm sure he will be with her nonetheless.
I wish I could have gone with them - my mom said she'd even pay for me to go - which would be awesome because I've never been there - and it might be one of my last chances to see my aunt and uncle since they are getting older.... but sadly I have not proposed my thesis - so I must stay behind and work harder at this school thing. I guess you can't play all the time.
Well I'm off to start my day with other things (even though my day actually started almost 5 hours ago...YUCK!).

Trying to learn on lunch

At the beginning of my lunch break today I decided I was going to try and expand my horizons of worldly news. I visited the url of cnn.com. I have not visited this site since the tradegy at Virigina Tech.
Today there was a story there about a man named Workman. In 1982 he was convicted of killing a police officer during a robbery of a Wendys restaurant that went wrong. He did not plan to kill anyone and claims any loss of life is tragic - but understands he needs to pay the price. Thus the 53 year old has spent most of his life behind bars. On May 9th he is to be put to death. This is his fourth scheduled appointment for the procedure. The method with which he is suppose to meet his end - lethal injection.
Now I'm not a fan of the death penatly. This doesn't mean I agree with the person's actions - I'm just not so sure we should be allowed to take the life of someone - I'm just not sure. I don't want to have to be the one to judge, or flick the switch, or push the needle. But that is what got me thinking.
People who work for the government get paid to end the life of a prisoner so they can pay their debt to society. Although I have never conducted a study - my hypothesis would be that most inmates don't really have a death wish. Yet - Dr. K (dr. death) gets criticized and punished for helping those who are pleading for help to move on as they are horribly suffering. I'm not saying I agree or disagree with those methods either - but it just seems a bit contradictory. We will pay someone to kill someone who does not necessarily want to die but has done something wrong - and punish the person who is trying to help some die peacefully who is in agony yet is assumed a good person. How is one lethal injection more acceptable than the other? Would it be ok to give that person who wants to die a lethal injection if they go out and kill someone first - even if they don't want to kill that person - but do wish to die themselves?
I need to do more research/reading on all of this to actually form a true opinion for myself - but these were just my thoughts for the moment.

what does garbage remind you of?

Grandfathers.
Almost everyone has a grandfather. A father of one of your parents. Typically people have two grandfathers - well typically two biological grandfathers that is.
I did not get to meet both of mine. My mom's dad died when she was in her early twenties (hmmm sounds familiar). However, I did get to meet her step-dad!! - and he was someone I always referred to as Grandpa - or Grandpa Tom.
My dad's dad died when I was a little girl. My memories of him are actually just photos I've seen. I do recall being at his funeral - not understanding what was going on - but I saw my cousin Patty cry - so I cried too... not because I was sad but because I thought I was suppose to cry!
From experience I find that there is usually something, or a few somethings that help remind you of a person after they have passed on --- or trigor a memory. When talking with others usually a fishing trip, or a war story, or a certain car reminds them of their grandfathers.
What reminds me of my grandpa?
Burning Garbage.
Yeah I know!
How does burning garbage remind you of someone?? That just doesn't sound right!
Living in a rural area one can burn their garbage. My grandpa use to burn a lot of garbage and I have a clear memory of him out in the yard with his bin doing so! I loved watching! I love camp fires and such --- good stories --- good heat --- good company, etc.....
It happens quite often that I as I drive between my mom's place and school that I see at least one person out at their fire bin burning garbage! (not hard to believe sicne I drive all country roads!)
So yes... burning garbage reminds me of my grandpa~!