Prairie Dog Blog

Good morning all. I hope you all put your clocks back one hour last night. I think I got them all - at least the important ones.

The approach of Halloween this year is leaving me flat. I am going to my Hip Hop dance class that night and I think I will leave early so as to miss the trick-or-treaters. For some reason I can't get excited about it. Dennis used to tell the older kids they had to tell a joke or sing a song to get a treat. They would be thunderstruck that someone would make them work for their candy! A few of them actually would sing. Most wouldn't. But, he always relented and gave them a treat anyway. And I always had to buy twice as much candy as I thought I needed, because he ate as many mini chocolate bars as he gave out. I'm remembering some of the costumes Margot wore. Bunny rabbit, clown, old woman. When she was little I made most of her costumes. We would take turns going around the neighbourhood with her.

I have been finding the grieving quite hard lately, as has Mother. I think it is because we are getting closer to the time when we found out he was sick and closer to the anniversary of his death. I think her own birthday, Nov. 20 will be particularly hard for her. We had just got home from a birthday dinner in honour of her birthday when he told us about the symptoms he was having. Her birthday will probably always be a sad occasion from here on. It's too bad she cancelled her trip to Oklahoma. It probably would have eased the sorrow to spend time with her other two sons.

Mother called me yesterday to tell me she had been doing some hard crying recently. So I am picking her up this afternoon and we are going to the conservatory and Ruby Begonia's for supper. I am going to see if Marlene and Jeanette will come out for her birthday dinner this year. It might help her to forget her grief for a little while.

Today's New York Times Crossword puzzle is harder than usual. There seem to be a number of squares that don't have numbers in them. Very confusing. I think I can check on some of the clues online. Still, doing the crossword puzzle isn't as enjoyable solo as it used to be as a duet - like many other things.

Take care and TATA......and PEACE

There are things that we don't want to happen but have to accept, things we don't want to know but have to learn, and people we can't live without but have to let go. ~Author Unknown
Halloween, Hard Crying, Ruby Begonia's

Looking back at my last blog, I see that I achieved all my goals this week. I subbed for two half days. It doesn't seem like much for a week, but some weeks this fall I have subbed for three days, so I don't mind taking it easy. I gave Papa's WWII army jacket to the army. The archivist to whom I gave it promised to get it to the Royal Canadian Artillery museum in Brandon, so I think it has a good home. I also donated the original three letters from the Dutch families that Papa befriended when he was involved in the liberation of Holland. I also gave them a copy of the article I wrote for the Legion magazine. One more goodbye - sigh. And this morning I had brunch with my friend D. at Cora's. I also picked up some boxes and some packing paper, so I can start packing things I know I am taking, but won't need until I get there.

I see Gary blogged again. I also send my best wishes to Helen Kirkwood. She had a birthday recently. I see that Ken has finished his treatments and is homeward bound. I'll bet that feels good.

The last few days have been wonderful, weatherwise. Sunny and warm - yesterday the temperature reached 14 degrees Celsius. That would be the low 60s Fahrenheit. For Manitoba at this time of year, that is very nice weather. I've been taking Suzie for longer walks and she has been enjoying them. We went to St. Vital Park and watched a woman feeding the ducks and geese.

I continue to enjoy my dance classes and they are so good for me. I work very hard. Well, I have to in order to overcome the disadvantage of my age. But, dancing has always been a joy for me. I hope I'll be able to continue with dance classes when I move to BC. I don't see why I wouldn't be able to do that.

Lately I've been buying dance movies, from Singing In the Rain to Footloose. I bought White Nights on ebay. It was my first time buying something on ebay! I couldn't find that movie anywhere in Winnipeg and at HMV they told me it was no longer available. I've loved that movie for a long time and I watched it last night. Wonderful dancing! Gregory Hines and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Great stuff. Both dancers get great joy from dancing. Two such different styles, but together they were great. We saw Baryshnikov in person. Soon after he defected, he did a tour of North America and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet brought him here. He was unbelieveably good. His jumps were so high you would think he'd found a way to defy gravity.

Well, must go take the canine princess for her walk. Gotta take advantage of this second summer before the snow flies. Ta ta, and Peace.

Winning is important to me, but what brings me real joy is the experience of being fully engaged in whatever I'm doing. ~Phil Jackson
Letters, Army, Dancing With Baryshnikov

Hello to everyone in blogland. It's still mostly Gary and I that are posting regularly. Come on, everyone, get blogging. I want news. I want news.

The house has once more become very quiet since Gary and Carolyn left last Wed. Snoozie is snoring on the floor beside me. I can hear the clicking of the keys on the keyboard as I type. The computer tower is making a regular faint whooshing sound(normal, I hope). The only other sound is the clock ticking. It's kinda spooky.

The Prairie Dog Blog has had its 12 000th hit! Hooray! Let's have a drink to celebrate. Speaking of drinking, I went to see a specialist about my arteries last week and...What does this have to do with drinking? That will be revealed in good time. The vascular specialist said my arteries are just fine. I continue in good health and need to continue taking my medications. The Lipitor will lower my LDL(the bad cholesterol) and after about three years of taking it, any plaque in my arteries will begin to dissolve. The other advice was also welcome. She said that to increase the HDL(the good cholesterol)I should continue to exercise every day and drink a glass of red wine every day! Well, I think I can handle that. I find both of those activities enjoyable.

We have had several snowfalls already this fall, although none of them has stayed on the ground. But, knowing that it's just a matter of time until we do get snow that stays, I have hired a company to do my snow removal this winter. The old snow blower felt as heavy as a Mac truck and not much fun to operate. I have already donated it to a company and they hauled it away yesterday. Bye, bye to the old mule. Now, while I am in BC in December, I won't need to worry about snow building up in the driveway and signalling that the house is empty. When I go to live in BC, one thing I definitely won't miss is snow removal.

Yesterday I went to see "The Tempest" at the Manitoba Theatre Centre. Good old Willy wrote a good one there. This version of it got mixed reviews from the friends. I almost always enjoy seeing a stage play. After the play, we went to a new restaurant in St. Boniface. The food was great and Pat made The Toast, "Good food, good wine, good friends." Thanks, Pat. Good friends are priceless and I have some really good friends.

On the agenda for this week is: taking Papa's army jacket to a museum, having lunch with friends, making a start on the HAM newsletter and getting some sub jobs.

Love to all out there in blogland. Prairie Dog signing off. Take care.

I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape - the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show. ~Andrew Wyeth
Quiet Tempest, Red Wine and Snow

It's very early in the morning, Monday, Oct. 16. The 16th of every month is hard. I'm not in prison but I'm doin' time. I am unable to sleep, so I thought I would post something. I have a scratchy throat. I hope I am not coming down with a virus.

Gary and Carolyn have been here for a few days. It's good to have some people in the house. It is generally too quiet. I talk to the dog, but so far, she has not learned to speak English, so our conversation is one-sided. Mother was here for the promised turkey dinner and we contacted Jack by computer with the webcam and Skype. It was great to talk to Jack and the boys.

This week Mother is leaning towards staying here in Winnipeg. She keeps changing her mind whether to stay here, or to move to Victoria. She goes back and forth, unable to decide. She'll be 88 on her birthday, November 20, and it must be very difficult for her. And she has changed her mind about going to visit Jack in November. She decided that it would be very tiring for her and she doesn't think she is up to it.

After several days of snow and high winds, we had a very pleasant day. The snow didn't stay. It pretty much melted the same day it fell. We just might be in for a second summer after all. Winter just might hold off for a few more days.


Take care, all.
Company, Second Summer, Sleepless in Winnipeg

Happy Thanksgiving to all Canadians in blogland. I'll be cooking a turkey dinner next weekend since Gary and Carolyn will be here. Might just be a Jeanne's cake, too. Happy Columbus Day to our American friends.

Yesterday I went to see Phantom of the Opera with my friend W. It was wonderful. I recognized most of the music because I have a CD. A few years ago when Dennis was still working he went on a business trip to Toronto. His host asked him whether he would rather go to a hockey game or The Phantom. Like a good Canadian, he chose the good old hockey game. NO HE DIDN'T! He chose The Phantom. He came back with a rave review and a CD of the music. So, I finally got to see it. The singing was top-notch. A couple of tears were shed. Then we went to The Round Table for dinner. I had a tenderloin steak in his honour. We used to eat there quite a lot. We had a celebratory dinner there in 2002 in honour of Margot and Joel's wedding. It's where my colleagues took us when I retired in 2003. Lots of good memories.

I was walking Suzie in St. Vital Park on Saturday - remembering, remembering. Margot was about a week old the first time we took her there. I remember putting her down on a blanket and lying down beside her, one of us on each side. I remember that almost-panic feeling when she was born that maybe I wasn't up to being a good mother. But, that day as we lay in the shade of the elm trees in the park with our new-born daughter between us, I knew we could do it together. Little Margot Blue-eyes. I made up a lullaby about her and sang it to her often.



Papa and Margot

Flash forward. Margot is a toddler. One beautiful second-summer fall day in the park we buried Papa in the yellow and brown leaves. Margot giggled as she scooped leaves up over Papa. I can see her so clearly in a little blue and pink hat with a pom-pom that my mother knitted for her. And flash forward to another spring day. Margot was teeetering on a rock at the edge of the duck pond trying to feed bread crumbs to the ducks. She fell into the duck pond up to her knees. She cried at the shock of the ice-cold water. Dennis dried her legs off with his own scarf and carried her all the way home tucked inside his jacket. Remembering, remembering. I will miss being in Winnipeg, the scene of so much love and fun. When I move to Vancouver I won't be able to go to St. Vital Park or The Round Table. And the house - I will miss the house. We lived here since 1980.

When we first moved in here it felt like such a BIG house. I could hear echoes in some parts of the house. Margot was only a year and a half. She used to get really quiet when she would hear the furnace go on and her eyes would get big. Then she would whisper, "Wha's tha?" We filled up the house with stuff. And love.

I will be happy to be living in the same city with Margot. But I will miss the city I lived in with him for all of my adult life. I came to Winnipeg in 1966 for love. And I'll be leaving for love, too.

Ta ta for now. Love and best wishes on this beautiful autumn day.

If winter is slumber and spring is birth, and summer is life, then autumn rounds out to be reflection. It's a time of year when the leaves are down and the harvest is in and the perennials are gone. Mother Earth just closed up the drapes on another year and it's time to reflect on what's come before. ~ Mitchell Burgess
Turkey, Phantom and Remembering Little Margot Blue-eyes

When was the last time you got a refund from your bank? Are you saying, well, never? Well today I got a cheque in the mail from the Royal Bank. It seems they have been charging us for a safety deposit box since 1985 and we've had a plan that included a free safety deposit box! So they sent me a refund WITH INTEREST! It amounts to enough to pay for my hotel room in Vancouver this December. It's just like Monopoly -Bank Error In Your Favour! It feels as if I just won the lottery!

I took Mother to her doctor appointment this morning. Then we went on a big shopping spree. She bought two house dresses, two nightgowns, a jacket and a pillow. Any bets on how much of this she's going to get me to return? Anyway, after a pizza lunch, I went home, took the dog for a walk, went out and got my hair cut and then I had dinner at Oceana with my one of my widow friends, J. It would have been their anniversary today, so I thought it would be good for her to spend at least part of the day with a friend. She went home to cuddle up with her two "boys." Two dogs named Hamish and some other Scottish name.

I'm reading a book called, Brainiac by Ken Jennings. Remember him? He's the reigning Jeopardy champion, won about two and a half million. The book is a combination of the history of trivia and an account of his experience on the TV program. It's quite well-written and funny. Lots of interesting trivia. I recommend it, especially if you're a fan of trivia.

The big news is: I have decided to sell the house and move to BC next summer. No, not kidding, I really am. None of us knows how much time we have in this life (as I have learned from my experience of losing my soulmate) so I'm not putting it off any longer. I am longing to live near my daughter, and, who knows, perhaps, in time, some grandchildren. More on this as time goes on.

Must go now. Peace, all.

Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons. ~Woody Allen
Bank Error In My Favour, Brainiac, Moving On

It's a beautiful day here on the Prairies. 18 degrees and sunny. October 1 - the first day of a new month. Time marches on, doesn't it? Only 10 more sleeps until Gary and Carolyn arrive for a visit. I am looking forward to that.

I worked two and a half days last week and so far, I have only one day this week, Friday. But I may get more. There seems to be a pattern. I get fewer days at the beginnings of months and more days at the end of months. I wonder why that is? That's me, always looking for patterns and reasons for things.

I had dinner with my friend H. on Thursday. It was fun and I hope to do it again some time. We ate at Earl's. I noticed that all the servers are young girls, slim and pretty. They all wear white tops with black mini-skirts. I wonder if they ever hire plain-looking girls, or girls with a handicap, or boys for that matter. It can't be just co-incidence, can it?

I went to see "Little Miss Sunshine" last night. It was a hoot. It was all about this dysfunctional family and their journey to California to allow the six-year-old daughter to enter the "Little Miss Sunshine" beauty pageant. Lots of satire there. It was smart, funny, touching and uplifting, so I enjoyed it. A word of caution: It has some bad language, so if that sort of thing offends you, give it a pass.

We have a civic election coming up on October 25. There are three main candidates: incumbent Sam Katz, Kaj Hasselriis, and former MLA Marianne Cerilli. Sammy hasn't done much for the city. He lowered the business tax, which was not a surprise. After all, he is a businessman. He quashed the rapid transit scheme and supports the controversial hog processing plant. He's been pretty much what I expected. Kaj Hasselriis is quite inexperienced. He doesn't seem too progressive and supports a rapid bus system that will increase the pollution of Winnipeg. Marianne Cerilli opposes the hog processing plant and supports labour, ecological issues and feminism. She seems like the only candidate that espouses these values and for that reason I'm voting for her. Here is a link to her website, for anyone who wants to know more about her. I seem to have forgotten how to create a hyperlink. Will try again later.

I am sending all kinds of good wishes and hugs to Sierra. I hope her recovery from tonsilectomy is fast. Charlene, give her a hug from me.

Must go. I'm having tea with my friend, S. today. She is an older Russian lady who is a retired pathologist. Her husband died about a year and a half ago.

Ta ta. Keep your head up and your stick on the ice!

What's the definition of a will? (Come on, It's a dead giveaway!) Unknown source.
Little Miss Sunshine and Civic Election