Journal2

December 13, 2008 ~ Hmmmmmmm, don't even say it! And that's all we're going to say about that! Another year is coming to a close. Wow! Time truly does fly as you get older. It really really does.

Michelle is 18 now, an adult! Can you believe that? She just got her "G" license as well! I couldn't be more proud of my wonderful daughter. She's such a blessing. She's in her 1st year at Carleton, studying Math and Computers. She's so much like her dad academically.

She and I are in The Greely Player's Spring 2009 production of "Anne of Green Gables". Rehearsals have started. I was in their 2001 version of the same play as well.

Winter is fully upon us. It's beautiful out today, but extremely cold. Isn't that normally the way--it's beautiful and sunny, but cold OR it's warmer, but cloudy, no sun. I'm printing off some Christmas cards as I type this....multitasking so to speak. I have so much Christmas shopping to do. My legs are more painful than they've ever been. It's becoming more and more difficult to walk. Knee replacement may be my only option.

June 28, 2008 ~ Where is that web master? Why is this page not updated more often? Can I have some answers please?

Well, I have no one to blame but myself. Life happens and time is just whizzing by me. If I read my past entries, a lot has happened. I am pleased to say that I am now permanent at Stats Can! I am very pleased about that.

Michelle has graduated from grade 12. Only "yesterday" she was just a babe in my arms and now, a young woman about to enter University. She will attend Carleton this Fall in general Math. Words can't begin to describe how proud I am of her.

As a special gift to her, I am taking her to Los Angeles in August with my boyfriend Don to visit my brother Jimmy and his partner. We can't wait.

My garden is coming along, the veggies mixed in with the perennials and flowers. It looks quite lovely. We're getting far more rain than I would like, but one can't complain (well, they can actually) as at least it is not winter!!

March 21, 2008 ~ I was right...we did have more very snowy days in the past month making it a record for the highest amount of snow accumulation since the winter of 1971. Ok, now let's hope Spring is here. Again, a beautiful sunny day graced us this morning.....Good Friday to boot!

I suffer from anxiety and depression. A lot has been happening in my life to cause my stress levels to soar. Good, bad or indifferent, life can throw us challenges. I am hoping to beat those challenges and start appreciating the beauty that is all around me. I am blessed for many good things in my life....my daughter Michelle, my sweetheart Don, my sisters Moe Moe, Patty, Barb and my brother Jimmy. I have good friends too.

I am crossing my fingers that any day now I go from being a term employee to a permanent one at Stats Canada. It's really a good place to work.

May each and every one of you be at peace, for in the great scheme of things, it is peace that truly is our friend.

February 24, 2008 ~ It's beautiful outside this morning! The sun is shining and there are very few clouds in the sky.....I can't believe my eyes. We have had a long, cold and very snowy winter. Spring is welcome anytime. Somehow, I think that we have many more cold and snowy days in store before that happens. C'est la vie.

February 1, 2008 ~ It is hard to believe that we are well into 2008. We're having a wicked winter storm today...lots of snow and high winds....and it's cold! I welcome Spring when it comes.

By the way, I had the written test and the interview....both went well. It's up to my references now...they hold my future in the palms of their hands. I should know by mid-March if I become indeterminate (permanent). Regardless, the job goes well, the people are great and I have settled in nicely.

Michelle will be in ITR's Spring production of "Move Over Mrs. Markham" in May. It should be another great performance. As usual, I'm so proud of my daughter.

December 31, 2007 ~ Another year is behind us. It's been a little bit good, a little bit bad. Regardless of what the past gave us, let us all go forward and welcome 2008. May you all live in peace and joy. Take care of each other, especially those who have suffered tragedy. Smile, laugh, do a little dancing, sing a song or two, be kind to your fellow man, enjoy the simple things in life that we so often take for granted...you know what I mean. Love. You do all that and I promise the world will be a little bit better and you'll be a little bit happier.

October 31, 2007 ~ Happy Halloween! I know it's been a while since I've written. I guess I can make excuses, but I won't. I have been busy, but in this crazy world, who isn't right?

A lot has happened. Michelle's good friend Avery Sabo was tragically killed in a terrible car crash on September 30th. Words can't describe the pain that the family must have gone through and continue to go through. Time may or may not 'heal', but it certainly lessens the pain. I do know that heaven has another angel. God bless you Avery James Sabo.

Michelle has her G2 now which means she can drive on her own. I worry. What parent doesn't. In the light of Avery's death, hmmmm, I can't help but worry, perhaps more than I should. She also got a tattoo on her right shoulder blade...a nice little Chinese symbol for love, with 2 little hearts. Yes, she's young but it is something she has wanted for 2 years, so her dad and I finally caved in. He went with her and signed a consent form as she is still only 16. They did a great job and she is pleased. Boy oh boy, I love that girl!

I'm running late for work. I may be back tonight. Until then, be safe on the roads tonight....the little munchkins will be out in full force!

September 13, 2007 ~ Ok, so it's been almost a month since I've been here.....hmmmmmm. I have nothing to say about that. Fall is more or less here. The leaves are turning shades of copper, red and gold. I have some bad memories of Fall that will probably haunt me for a long time. It was in the Fall that I took mom to the hospital and tried to point out the beautiful blanket of colour all around us, hoping to take her mind off her pain. She was dying of cancer and her favourite season could no longer captivate her. I abandoned my Thanksgiving turkey dinner I was preparing to rush mom to Ottawa. I met my sisters there and together, we mourned, what we knew would be the inevitable loss of our wonderful mother. Something about the twin towers and 9-11 played itself out on the TV in the emergency waiting room, but thoughts of mom were foremost on our minds. She stayed there for over 5 weeks, rarely spoke or complained, told me to take care of Michelle and sometimes smiled. Mom didn't come home. Almost 6 years have passed, but the memories still sadden me. Symbolic, don't you think? You know......Falling leaves marking the end of a season. The sun has set. I love you mom.

I applied to an internal job posting at work. I hope I don't have to wait long to find out what happens next. Will I be writing an exam, having an interview? I don't like this waiting nonsense. I have absolutely no patience. Nonetheless, work goes well and I continue to be a faithful civil servant. I'm a hard worker....I really am! It's all good.

August 16, 2007 ~ Will someone tell me where the summer has gone? I can't seem to keep up with time....it flies too fast and I can only walk! Work is going well and in a few weeks, Michelle will be in her last year of high school. Wasn't it only last week that she had her first popsicle and called it a "poca"? Wait a minute, that was over 15 years ago! I swear, time sneaks up, then passes right by and doesn't give me any warning.

My tomatoes are ripening wonderfully...with 12 cherry tomato plants, you can imagine how many of the little guys I'm getting....eh dad? I hope they all have a chance to ripen and get enjoyed before the weather gets too cold. It's a tad nippier lately. I hope that summer hasn't thought of leaving us any time soon.

Time to have my shower, get dressed and start my day.....off to Stats I go.......

July 22, 2007 ~ Note to self.....still need that sticker for the car....oh well. Is it just me, or is the summer just whizzing by? During the week, my days are taken up going to work (what's that all about?) Weekends are spent doing chores, building shelves in the garage (actually Don does most of that, what a pet), renovating a 21' trailer, securing my back deck with a cat enclosure for, yes, the cats. I have to go to the city dump to dump a load next weekend in between the drives to Tim Horton's to take Michelle to and from work. I spend a lot of time in the garden thinning my ever growing tomato plants, weeding, watering and admiring everything....and then there is the roof that needs to be re-shingled.

Michelle received 96% in the in-class portion of her driver Ed and with a few more road lessons from Don (boyfriend and driving instructor) she'll be able to get her G2. She's growing up so fast and before we know it, she'll be off to University. It's always something and as my dad used to say "the sale never ends". Boy do I miss him. He'd be proud of my tomatoes. I wonder if he ever talked to his tomato plants? When I see him again....hmmmm....I'll ask him.

July 4, 2007 ~ I hope everyone had a great Canada Day weekend! I met Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien when he stopped to shake my hand while partaking in the parade down Osgoode Main St. We had a fantastic display of lights with the annual July 1st fireworks. Osgoode is a happening place I tell ya!

My Mazda Protege runs great and having A/C is, well, absolutely fantastic!. Note to self.....must get another "I brake for penguins" bumper sticker.

I went to the dentist today and actually cried! What a baby! I had 5 fillings....having 1 done is bad enough, but 5....so my tears were justified. The needle they gave to freeze my mouth must have been a foot long! Honestly! It was like a dagger being thrust into my gums and cheeks and jaw and chin and tongue and whatever else is in the general vicinity. I shook and cried and hyperventilated. Yes, I am a big baby! The pain was excruciating, so I can cry and whine all I like. I'm recovering nicely however and will be just fine.

Don't forget to mark ITR's Fall Play in your calendar. They will be putting on another great show with the production of "Who's Under Where?" on November 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 and 10. You'll love it. I had a chance to take a little peeky at the script ahead of time. Well actually, I read the entire Play. What can I say, I'm on the Executive. You'll laugh until you cry.....as per usual. It's a great cast too.....as per usual.

And on that note.............Happy 4th of July to my neighbours south of the border!

June 23, 2007 ~ Ok, so the Sens didn't win the Stanley Cup, but they did their best and I think it's fair to say that we are extremely proud of them for getting as far as they did! So......The SENS Went!

I bought a new car today! I traded in my '97 Tercel for a '03 Mazda Protege. I absolutely loved my Tercel and it's only for the lack of A/C that I decided to say good bye! I guess it wasn't unconditional love.....oh well. Seriously, I already miss it. It was family. My new car has only 25,000 km on it and, for all intense and purposes, is a new car!

I've been at my new job at Stats Canada for 3 weeks. I finally have an office, a phone, a computer and the paper work seems to be more or less in order.....well, kinda, sorta. It's government after all and things take time. As of Thursday, I also have a parking spot. Sometimes it pays to be handicapped!*

*No disrespect intended to anyone who may be handicapped/disabled. I am merely poking fun at my disability....being the proud owner of a bad knee.

My daughter Michelle started her in-class driving school instructions today. She received her G1 in December and now has to suffer through 25 hours of in-class instruction (not consecutive hours). She texted me after 2 hours and said that she was bored. She's so precious!

.......must get outside now and take a long drive in my semi-new, semi-sporty metallic maroon-coloured Protege.....vvrrrrooooooommmmmm.

June 2, 2007 ~ Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs tonight....the Ottawa Senators vs Anaheim Mighty Ducks. So far it's 2-0 for the Ducks :-(..........tonight's our night to shine however..... GO SENS GO! You can do it!

May 30, 2007 ~ Today was my last day at Revenue Canada. My term was to end June 15, but I received a call from Statistics Canada on Monday and was offered a term position with them starting on June 4, so had to cut my Revenue contract short. I am going to miss those in my group tremendously. You know who you are.......well ok........Jon, Karen, Samir, Sharon, Sri, Kauser, Josefina, Mark, Thoa, Sabrina, Ana, Gloria, Erika, Gio and Nancy. They were a fantastic bunch to work with....I only hope I meet the same quality of people at Stats. I'm sure I will.

May 17, 2007 ~ Honestly, I don't know where the time goes. I guess my excuse for not being more up-to-date is because I am still working full time at Revenue Canada and just haven't been around much. That's a good enough excuse, I mean, reason. I'm still not sure if Spring is here or not. The weather can be absolutely gorgeous one day, only to be icy cold, wet and miserable the next. C'est la vie.

Needless to say, I haven't been in my studio much. I miss that. I must get cracking and start painting/drawing again. My contract at Revenue Canada is up on June 14th. We haven't heard anything about extensions, so I may be painting again real soon.

April 12, 2007 ~ Happy Spring! Wait a minute.........didn't I see a winter wonderland outside this morning when I got up and had to find a scraper and scrape lots of heavy wet snow off my car? Didn't I drive to work thinking I must be dreaming......"it can't be snowing....can it?" Ok, it's almost the middle of April.....please! What's with the snow and better yet, the lack of Spring? Enough already!......whhaaaaahhh!

Belated Happy 60th.....yes....60th birthday to my sister Maureen. You're old Moe Moe!! She did indeed turn the big "60" yesterday the 11th. It would have been dad's 85th birthday as well. Happy Birthday Dad and Moe Moe! We all love Maureen, a great sister, mom, grand mom and wife. She keeps her world rocking!

Spring is just around the corner....uh huh....just around the corner. I just feel bad for the baby birds being born in the vacant building next door. I hope they don't get too chilly.

March 29, 2007 ~ The weather is getting more "Springy" and I can't wait to start planting flowers again! Some perennials are peeking through the earth. Ahhhhh, I love it!

My job at Revenue Canada is pretty boring. Data entry makes one fall asleep. I couldn't stay awake all afternoon and have no idea what entries I made while keying today. Oh oh, not good. Also, I'm the slowest "data entry operator" at work.

"Annie Warbucks" is well under way. Two performances down, 4 to go. If you haven't already bought your tickets, please do so. It's amazing!

I have to get to bed. I didn't get enough sleep at work today. Pleasant dreams to one and all.

March 20, 2007 ~ It looks like Spring is having difficulty finding us. Technically Spring is here tomorrow....uh huh, ok. I just heard on the radio that it's something like -28 celcius with the wind this morning! What's that all about? Today is my sister Patty's birthday. Happy Birthday Patty! I start a new job tomorrow. Of course I'll never give up my art (at least I don't think I will), but do need to make a living.

Don't forget to mark your calendars to go see "Annie Warbucks" at the Greely Community Centre next week. The dates of the show are Wed., March 28 to Sun., April 1. I promise you won't be disappointed! Also, in May, you'll laugh until you cry with the upcoming performance of "Perfect Wedding" being put on by Osgoode's own ITR Theatre Company. You must see this Play as well.

February 28, 2007 ~ I can't believe how fast time flies. Am I mistaken, or is tomorrow March 1st? Where did winter go? We're getting approx. 10 cm of snow (yuck) starting tomorrow and continuing into Friday....so I guess March is coming in like a lion, and hopefully, goes out like a lamb....but then again, it's Ottawa (need I say more?).

I saw Josh Groban perform at the Scotiabank Centre last night. I went with my boyfriend and a couple of friends. One word.....WOW! That boy (he's 26, yes he's a boy!) is one talented cookie! It was fantastic to see/hear him perform again. We saw him 3 years ago as well at the NAC. He was great then. He's even better now. Go Josh!

St. Paddy's Day is just around the corner. I'm very proud of my Irish heritage. Do you believe in Leprechauns?

January 22, 2007 ~ A new year is well under way. Winter certainly was late getting started which is perfectly fine by me. My daughter Michelle is in The Greely Player's Spring production of "Annie Warbucks". She's really picking up the acting bug. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Speaking of acting, the ITR theatre company will be presenting "A Perfect Wedding" this May. It will be a very funny Play........trust me!

It's so easy to forget the true meaning of Christmas. We all lead hectic lives and things go wrong when we least expect it. There is so much sadness and negativity all around us. Wouldn't it be nice if we could all slow down, count the many blessings that we do have, live for the moment and appreciate the beauty all around us? Despite our many challenges in this life, we do have a lot to be thankful for.

I believe that Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Some of you may believe this and others may not. That's ok. However, I think that we can all agree on one thing. It is very important that we be kind to one another and treat our fellow man as we would have them treat us. I think we call it the 'golden rule' and it's a good rule to live by. The world would certainly be a better place if we practiced this daily.

I am blessed to have you all in my life. It is richer because of you. May you and your families all have a beautiful, joyous and peaceful Christmas and all the best in the new year that lies ahead.

November 15, 2006 ~ The Christmas season is upon us. No sooner are the pumpkins put away, that the lights of Christmas go up. As much as I hate the commercial aspect of this time of year, I have to admit that it is a very pretty time. Outdoor lights start to appear and glisten in the night sky, snow begins to fall softly and peace is all around......Ok, that's all nice, but I need to get my snow tires on my car. Yikesies!

On a more reflective note, yesterday marked the 5th anniversary of the death of my mom. Boy, I miss her something fierce. She is in my thoughts and prayers every single day. She's my mother after all! God bless you mom.

November 11, 2006 ~ For all the soldiers who have fought for our country, may we never forget their courage and bravery. To all the families who have suffered when they've lost a husband or wife, a son or daughter, a father or mother, a brother or sister, a friend, our hearts go out to you. I believe we will all meet again.

October 5, 2006 ~ Yikes again! I have to admit it....I can't maintain this page. Well, I can, but I don't. So be it. I changed my site a little. I'll use a colour theme based on the time of year. I started with black & orange, appropriate for this time of year...BOO!

You'll find that I've also added a page listing all my paintings currently available for sale. Please take a and see if anything strikes your fancy. Commissions are always welcome. Don't be shy, give me a call .... better still, visit me in my studio!

I can't believe how fast the time goes. Soon it'll be candy night for the little ghosts and goblins, then with a blink of an eye, Santa makes his way throughout the world bringing smiles and joy to every girl and boy. Ahhhh, to be a kid again .............

.... but back to the present. May each and every one of you have a peaceful Thanksgiving this weekend. Stay safe and love each other.

July 24, 2006 ~ Yikes! I need to stop by and update this page more often. Don't you just hate when you visit a web site and it hasn't been updated in a long time? Hmmmm. Well, summer is going well. Nothing terribly exciting to report. My daughter and her dad are going to Wonderland for a few days, then they'll come back for a bit and head off to Nova Scotia to visit her grandparents for a couple of weeks. It's a marvelous place to visit. They live on Cape Sable Island, just off the south shore. Imagine....the ocean is literally your back yard. Words can't describe the beauty.

I still suffer moderate to excruciating pain in my right knee and leg. I'm not sure what to do about it at this point. It's been 3.5 months since the surgery and I had hoped/thought by now, I would be back to 'normal'. I guess knee replacement is in order at some not too distant time. Am I getting old? Don't answer that!

April 15, 2006 ~ Happy Easter! ~ I hope the Easter Bunny is good to everyone. On a more realistic and important note, let us not forget what Easter is all about. It marks a very significant event in Christianity. Jesus died to save us and rose again on the 3rd day! Alleluia!

I've had knee surgery. I didn't have it on March 31st as originally planned. I still had a bit of pneumonia and the doctor didn't want to take any chances. I had to bear the pain for another week and finally had the surgery on Friday, April 7th, 2006. As I write this, the pain lessens, but boy oh boy, I have been through some mega pain in the last week. Thank God for Tylenol 3's which take the edge off the pain. I continue to slowly recover. Can't wait to be off the crutches however.

March 23, 2006 ~ I'm a little embarrassed to say the least. Yes I'm busy, but letting 3 months go by without a single word.......GULP! "Hello Dolly" opened last night in Greely, but I wasn't there. I spent Tuesday night in the Kemptville hospital with pneumonia. Don't you love the timing ... rehearsing since December twice a week only to get super sick 2 days before opening night. I'm hoping that with the anti-biotics and anti-inflammatory meds combined with lots of calm environment, that I'll ok to do at least a few of the 6 shows. Yes, I'm missing tonight's performance as well. My daughter Michelle is also in the Play, making her community theatre debut and I'm not there! She's had to fill in for me in one scene and I've heard through the grape vine that she's a real pro. I couldn't be more proud of her right now!

To continue whining, I've been waiting for over 3 years to have surgery on my knee. It's quite ridiculous and naive of anyone to expect surgery of any kind without having waited for at least 3 years. Having said that, I saw a surgeon in Perth this past week for the first time and am already scheduled to have surgery next Friday, March 31st. Wow, that's service! Hats off to Dr. Smyth! I'll keep you posted.

My leader at Weight Watcher's keeps telling me to lose 4 lbs already! You see, I lost 96 lbs between February and September of 2005. Great! I haven't lost an ounce since then. I haven't gained either for that matter. She has on hand, a certificate made out to me congratulating me on my 100 lb. loss. She patiently waits to give it to me. So, I have to agree with her...........lose those 4 lbs. already!

December 26, 2005 ~ Wow, it's been a while since I've updated. A lot has happened. First of all, I hope each and every one of you had a safe and happy Christmas. I'm glad it's behind me. My daughter was happy with all the stuff she received. If she's happy, I'm happy. Don't get me wrong, "stuff" isn't important, but it compliments the love she receives from me on a daily basis, which IS important.

We wrapped up our Play, "Cash on Delivery" in early December. It was a great success, if I do say so myself. We performed 6 shows at the Community Centre in Osgoode and another 6 shows at "Stanley's Olde Maple Lane Farm" in Edwards, Ontario. It was so fun to do, very tiring, but I'd do it again in an instant....the cast and crew and all those involved in making this ITR production come to life, was so worth all the physical and mental pain our Director Max Burrows put us through. Max is a sweetie and he knows we all love him!

Next on the acting agenda is "Hello Dolly", Greely Player's production for March, 2006. My daughter and I got parts in the chorus. We've had a few rehearsals, stopped for the holidays and resume again in January.

Weight Watcher's update...how am I doing you ask? I don't want to talk about it. Actually, I haven't lost too much over the past few months, partly due to the fact that weight loss slows down as one reaches their goal......oh, who am I trying to kid.....I've been eating like a pig! I'm back on track now, more or less. I'm determined to reach my goal in summer 2006.....by fall at the latest....honestly!

September 16, 2005 ~ I'm down 94 lbs. It's been going slow but I'm not complaining. We've lost approx. 300 lbs. between the 5 of us! Nice going everyone!

July 18, 2005 ~ As of today, I have lost 84.5 lbs. on Weight Watcher's......not too shabby.....not too shabby at all. We, as a group of 5, have lost almost 250 lbs. since February. I'm still in shock. We're actually doing what I thought couldn't be done. To my fellow members of the "flab 5" .... Congratulations! One of the new members in our WW class told us all tonight that she was discouraged after only a few weeks on Weight Watchers as she knew she had a long way to go in order to reach her goal weight. She said that part of the reason she keeps coming back is that my personal weight loss has inspired her! That made my day!

June 27, 2005 ~ A friend told me once that if I lost 75 lbs. he would pay for me to visit him in the States. Well, I'm down 76.5 lbs. as of this evening. I am proud of myself. I am proud of my Weight Watcher buddies as well. We're doing great! I got an award tonight for the weight loss. By the way, that friend is no longer a part of my life, so no "free trip". I'm ok with that. I'm losing the weight for me. I told myself when I joined Weight Watcher's in February that I would lose 75 lbs. by June 27th. Wow, I'm right on the money! Talk about intuition! And tomorrow the journey continues.........

June 24, 2005 ~ I'm still only down 71 lbs. (sad face) as I've reached a stand still on the weight loss, but it was bound to plateau. I'm sure I'll start losing again soon.....really! After all, I'm following a great program.

On a happier note, I auditioned for, and got a part in ITR's Fall Production of "Cash On Delivery", a farce by Michael Cooney (son of Ray Cooney). Our Director, Max Burrows, thought he'd try a different approach and have the Play cast in June rather than in September. This way, we can all learn our lines before our first rehearsal in September......doesn't sound fair to me. I'm just kidding (about the not being fair part). It's actually a great idea and makes a lot of sense doing it this way. I'm excited to start rehearsals, as this Play is going to be soooooooooooooo hilarious! I'll keep you up to date on details as I know them.

June 2, 2005 ~ I joined Weight Watcher's in February 2005 with 4 of my dear friends. As of today, I have lost 70 lbs. A total of over 196 lbs. has been lost between the 5 of us. Isn't that awesome? I'm so proud of the "Flab Five", the name I have coined for our little ensemble. I have to admit that I didn't think I could do it this time around, having joined WW more times than I care to remember. I am proud of myself and the others for being so disciplined. The "long road ahead" isn't as long anymore. How much more do I have to lose you ask? Hmmmmm, put it this way.....I have, by far, the most to lose! I'll keep you posted.