Back on line again - thanks to my son

Am back on line with the regular computer.  My son fixed everything up for me and now I can do  everything like before.

Within the next few days I plan to write more on the blog.

Have a great day.

Annual Christmas lunch at the club

Once a year, my groups of friends called the Whitehern Group come to the Hamilton Club for lunch.

Everybody dresses up a little bit more than usual and this year we were in the Main Dining Room underneath the King's picture.

We all picked what we wanted to order and some of us ordered their delicious soup while others ordered different things which did not come with soup.

I usually get the special as it is the most economical and it comes with a small bowl of wonderful soup which mostly fills me up to the brim and I end up taking most of my main course home.

This way, I have lunch or supper the next day.  Nothing could be more economical than that!  I do that in restaurants as well as I can never finish a regular size portion.

Three of our regular group was missing. Marisol, Anita and Sami.  Hopefully next year we will all be together.

Here are some shots.

Lady in black vest - Grace  Lady in Red sweater - Wilma

Left - Jeff in blue shirt, Joanne in the centre, and Ruby on the right

Front row,  Wilma, Grace, Andre

Back row, Mohammed, Ruby, Jeff, Joanne

I had five copies made of this photo for those who do not use the computer so will give them out the next time I see them.

All in all, a lovely afternoon.  We left around 3 o'clock I think. It made a very nice long lunch, from 11:30 onwards, no rushing

As far as I know, it was a good time had by all.

Thanks for dropping by.


Group picture - taken by Amanda, the Membership Director of the Club.

TWAS

What a lovely time we had at TWAS, which was put on by Whitehern Historical House.  The first part of the evening was at St. Paul's church hall where there is a stage and plenty of room for people to gather. It is accessible to the church hall through the Miller Room which is next to the kitchen area.

Whitehern is just a very short walk through the side door (chapel entrance) of St. Paul's and after the excellent programme, people were invited to come and view Whitehern and its Christmas decorations.

Here are some pictures which I took at St. Paul's hall.  Some are better than others due to the dark panelling of the woodwork, but most are okay.

Daryl

Jeff- one of the amazing readers

the dance troupe

The amazing dance group

St.Nicolas -  Andre

A lovely young reader - Miranda

the multi-talented dancers

John

The participants of this drama

A beautiful young reader - Ava


I particularly enjoyed the violinist and his beautiful renditions.   You will notice his picture
in the photo of Jeff reading.



If this wonderful play was not enough, coffee and tea was served as well as plates of shortbreads, plum pudding, and yummy butter tarts made by the talented sister of Liz, the organizer of this marvellous event.

All for the very reasonable price of $15.00.

It would be very nice if this would become an annual event but the amount of work involved may be too much.  We will have to wait and see till next December.

All in all, a really fantastic evening, spent with a good group of people in the audience who appreciated the hard work and energy of the ones doing the performing and organizing of this event.

Thanks for dropping by.

LUNCH AT SWISS CHALET WITH CARMEN

Due to the busyness of life, we haven't been able to see each other in quite some time which really is sad as we are very close friends, both herself and her dear husband.  They are family to me.

During my long time in the hospital, they both came to visit me, once at home before I was hospitalized but unable to get around or do anything for myself and once in the Convalescent Hospital.  They don't live in Hamilton so it meant some effort to come and see me plus highway driving.

Carmen invited me to lunch at Swiss Chalet and we went to the one on Upper James which I did not know existed.

We had a delightful time and she took some pictures with her camera which I will post here once she sends them to me.

All in all, a nice time!

Thanks for dropping by.

Bibles & Bagels Christmas gathering 2015

Daniella picked me up in the very crowded down town location where I live.  She could not get near me as there was a huge bus just sitting so she parked behind it, ran out of her car and I saw her and went as fast as I could and clambered into her cute little car.

Fortunately the traffic was only bad in the down town area and we made good time as we journeyed to Stonechurch.  I like it out there but would find it rather isolating unless you drive.  I have quite a few friends who live in this residence which would be nice, but again, for me it is isolated up there. It is lovely in the summer though but in the winter, it certainly is a different matter!

I just took a few shots of the food, and some of the wonderful decorations.  We had Italian food this time and I just loved it.  We all share in the cost of the food.  Daniella brought me home again which was great of her.  I am not fussy about standing in an isolated spot waiting half an hour for a bus!

This group is a very close knit group and it was from among this group, that so much help came for me before I entered the hospital.  I think the world of them and cherish their friendships.

Here are some shots.

Sitting around - waiting for some of the Italian food to appear.  Only a few of the gals.  Left to right, Joyce, Rosie, Siggie, Janina, Daniella

Another shot of the table - left to right, Joyce, Rosie,Siggie, Hanna, the hostess with the mostest, and Sabine standing.

A picture of Waltraut taking a picture with her tablet. Left to right, Christa, Waltraut, Joyce, Rosie, Siggie, Daniella,

Hanna, Sabine and Janet.

Waltraut made this scrumptious dessert

A chocolate moose (spelling) to die for

Hanna and Gerhard's tree

Not only did our wonderful host have her place decorated so tastefully, but she outdid herself with the food.

I had a really wonderful time and God Willing, will look forward to it next year.

Thanks for dropping by.

My new walker

It arrived yesterday with Sarah the Occupational Therapist and Chris, the representative from Shopper Drug Mart.

They were kind enough to adjust my old one to suit the new owner. I was very thankful for that.

I will be discharged from CCAC's care in one month's time as my O.T. thinks I am doing very well.  I am in total agreement with her.

Although I still have problems as far as the broken tail bone is concerneed, it might take many months still before I am healed but everything is very well under control.

Here is a picture of my new walker folded up.  This is what sold me on it, the fact it folds up so small and does not require such much space.

It also can hold up to 324 pounds so it means that my grocery shopping should be able to be carried on it as well.  That was my main concern.

Thanks for dropping by.

Poetry once again at ArtWord/Artbar

On Sunday, October 18th from 2-5 p.m., a group of poets assembled at the ArtWord/Arbar on Colbourne Street in Hamilton, Ontario.  Ron & Judith, co-owners of ArtWord/Artbar graciously hosted this event.

Writers from Sarnia, Toronto, Oakville, Grimbsy and, of course, Hamilton read from their work to the appreciative crowd in attendance.

Master of Ceremony - James Deahl

David Haskins

Michael Mirolla

Jennifer L. Foster

Donna Langevin

Deborah Morrison

John B. Lee

Debbie Okun Hill

James Deahl

Norma West Linder also read her  beautiful work but unfortunately the picture I took did not turn out for some reason.

Some of us, eating together at a very nice restaurant within a short walk from the venue .


It was a wonderful afternoon celebrating the Lummox  book and those people who were published in it for this edition.

What made it even more special, was going out to a nice restaurant after the event and enjoying each other's company.

A very good day for all those concerned.

Thanks for dropping by and if you are in the neighbour of Dundas this coming Sunday, do come for the Art Walk which starts at 1 p.m. near the Carnegie Gallery.  There also will be reading of poetry inside in the warm and cozy Carnegie Gallery.  The walk will take place first and the picture of the poems exhibited in the store front windows will be read aloud.  On a personal note, this is the first year I was unable to do this event as I was still in the hospital and unable to pick a picture and write about it.

It feels strange not to be included in this lovely event. However, again on a personal note, I will be reading some of my work at the Carnegie Gallery on Sunday.

All in all, a good event on October 18th and another good event coming up on November 8th at 1 p.m. outside the Carnegie Gallery in Dundas, Ontario.

Please join us for this very pleasant event on Sunday if you are able.  There is no cost to attending and it is a most delightful way to spend a lovely fall afternoon.

Thank you for reading and hope you will come again.

Goodbye to an old friend, hello to a new one

No, I am not talking about a human being, but rather an inanimate object which has enabled me for fifteen years to be as independent as a bird in the sky!

Because of its sturdiness, support and seat, I am able to walk much further than I would with just a cane.

I am also able to carry four grocery bags full of goodies from the grocery store which help keep me strong and well.

What is this paragon of virtue?

My trusty fifteen year old Dolmonite walker!

It has been a good buddy for me for so many years and soon will be a tremendous help to a dear friend who visits from Mexico.  I am so delighted that it will benefit her and continue its valuable service to mankind.

Here are some pictures of it.

I shall be sad to see it go, but at the same time, glad to know it will help another person get around easier.


I shall look forward to getting a new, lightweight one this week which will be easier for me to lift onto buses or into cars.

Thanks for dropping by.

A fantastic event today- Leadership Summit for Women 2015

Although the day itself was rainy and dreary, that did not deter the many people who turned up for a day of interesting talks held at the David Braley Health Science Centre at 100 Main Street West in Hamilton, Ontario.

Here is what their website said about the event.

"The Leadership Summit for Women is presented in partnership by McMaster University and the McMaster Students Union with the YWCA Hamilton. The Summit brings together women, trans* individuals, and allies from the McMaster and Hamilton communities.

An annual intergenerational community-wide event, the Summit provides the skills, space, and support for all participants, regardless of gender, to reach their full potential as individuals and as collaborative members of the community.

Participants in the Leadership Summit for Women are catalysts of change, driving the creation of a more just and equitable society.

The 2015 Leadership Summit for Women will be held at McMaster’s new downtown campus, the David Braley Health Sciences Centre located at 100 Main Street West on Saturday, October 24, 2015. For the most up-to-date information, Like the Leadership Summit for Women on Facebook.

2015 Workshops

The theme for the 2015 Leadership Summit for Women is Make it Happen Hamilton.

The event will feature a wide variety of workshops and a keynote panel discussion.

Topics include:

• Building Your Leadership Brand
• Leadership Values
• Creating Change in Your Community
• Women in Trades
• Women in the Arts
• Women in Politics
• Women as Entrepreneurs
• Women in Medicine
• The Role of Mentorship
• Creating an Inclusive Workplace
• Activism and Advocacy"

On a personal note, I chose to attend two of the sessions. I would have loved to attend more but one had to pick one topic for the morning and one for the afternoon.

I chose the topic of how Muslim women feel as "the other" and found it very interesting.  There was no "new" information for me but rather confirmed what I have observed over the years.  I found it wonderful that the young women students lead this seminar and they did a very good job of it.  Jon Wells from the Spectator sat in on this one and took notes on his laptop so I suspect that something will be in the paper within a few days time.  

It was certainly a day of good eats, good conversation and audience participation.  The lunch was delicious - wraps with meat and wraps for vegetarians plus fresh fruit and fruit bars.  I also noticed that there was coffee available as well during the day.

After we had finished the luncheon, we went to our second topic.  I chose the one led by my friend Linda Marshall.  She and her dear daughter Olivia had it all set up and ready to go.  

Linda's topic was on emotional intelligence and how it affected every day life.  She had a slide presentation which Olivia ran for her.  

Linda Marshall giving her presentation

One of the prizes - I really liked this one but was not lucky enough to win it.

 

Her prizes plus her book also


The afternoon seemed to fly by and soon it was time to return to the auditorium for a wrap up of the day.

I was very fortunate to meet two ladies, one who sat beside me in the auditorium called Deb and the other, a very nice young lady who packed a little lunch for me from the left over food.  Her name is Carol and she already has gotten in touch with me via email.  Fortunately, I had some of my business cards with me and gave both of them a card.

Here are some random shots of the event.

This exhibition truly amazed me

The stairs going down.  There also were elevators.

The scrumptious buffet

A small outdoor patio

I cannot stress enough how worthwhile an event this was.  Thanks to all the sponsors the price was extremely reasonable considering one had snacks and beverage when one arrived, then a wonderful lunch, then again, more food and to top it all off, people were asked to take food home with them!

Twenty dollars ($20.00 plus tax of $2.00) was the price.  There was even help for people who may not have been able to afford it which I thought, was wonderful!

A day well spent in good company with good topics to think about and to act upon.

Thanks for dropping by.

Beauty in Lachine, P.Q. by Michele Comeau

A beautiful shot of Lac St. Louis in Lachine, P.Q. by Michele Comeau

What a difference a walk makes!

I had rather a difficult start to the day as I had no sleep the night before, plus have a little cold and other minor problems.

I had planned to go to church but things did not work out.  In the afternoon, I had an invitation for tea at one of my neighbour's place which I enjoyed.

After a nice visit, I suggested we go out for a walk as the day was gorgeous.  No takers on that one unfortunately.

Off I went with my trusty walker, walked down almost to Wilson and popped into the mall on the way back.  There was very few people there and most of the shops were closed this being Thanksgiving Sunday.  The wind had really picked up and I was glad to be inside for a short while.

On my way home, I saw a bunch of young people singing their hearts out in Gore Park, so being the curious person that I am, I went over and sat and listened to them.  It was wonderful.  They appeared to be Spanish speaking so I spoke to them in Spanish and they invited me to their church.

Just before the young people came over to speak to me, a German man stopped in front of where I was sitting, and spoke to me.  Without thinking, I replied to him in German but I could not remember where I had seen him before.  He reminded me that we had sat together at a nice supper at St. John's.  Then I remembered him.

What interesting experienced can be had when one takes a stroll and gets among people.  I watched the young people and another dear fellow near Jackson Square, as they tried to share their faith with others.  Most people just walked by, unconcerned and unmoved.

I really admire these people who stand up for what they believe and share with whoever will listen to them.

The weather was brisk but in the sun it was heavenly.  I was so glad to be outside, watching people, watching the buses go by, and talking to people.

I wish now that I had let Adam arrange for a friend to pick me up for the Commons tonight but in the morning I felt so punk that I cancelled the event.

Jeanette Anne and Matt and Adam are three of the people that I know there and most likely others.

Perhaps another time I will go.

Life is full of joy if one opens up themselves to people and is approachable.  I feel so happy for this afternoon's little adventures and the fresh air has been so good for me.

On that note, thanks for dropping by and have a very Happy Thanksgiving if you are in Canada.  Here it is a family time, and usually people have roasted turkey with all the trimmings and families gather.

A wonderful time!

A beautiful message shared today

1. John 14: 20 

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” 

This is Jesus talking here. 

Read this verse over again!

Jesus tells us that he is giving us peace, but it is not the kind of peace that the world gives. 

If we are "lucky", the world gives us the peace of wealth, health, and happiness, but Jesus is not promising that sort of peace at all. He tells us not to let our hearts be troubled and not to be afraid. Think about that for a moment- we are not to be troubled or afraid, and yet, he is NOT promising the things that you might think of when you think of peace (health, wealth, happiness). 

He is promising us a greater and everlasting peace; the peace of knowing God and having a relationship with him, through Christ. Pause to think about that for a moment: we are offered an everlasting, FOREVER peace with God, the creator of the universe.

  

The kind of peace we think of in this life, even when we do achieve it (health, wealth, happiness), is ALWAYS temporary. It will never give you real peace, because there is always a threat that it will disappear, even when you do have it (money can be taken away, health can disappear, and we can feel unhappy). Whether taken by death or circumstance, the world’s peace will be gone eventually. 

The peace you find in Christ will last forever. Praying for the holy spirit to show you God’s truth and to receive His peace, will help you to feel this true peace. This is the only kind of peace that will settle your heart and mind. 

My first social occasion

I almost missed it as I slept till 12 noon today.  Needless to say, I was up quite a bit of the night and thus slept longer when I did finally doze off.

I was supposed to meet my Whitehern group of friends at the Harvest Moon at 11:30.

You can see the problem here, right?  By the time I woke up at 12, I was already half an hour late!

I scurried around as fast as my fat little legs could take me and zoomed out the door with my chariot (walker) and speeded as fast as I could down to Wilson and James North.

It was 1 p.m. by the time I arrived so I just ordered a wonderful corn, rice and chicken soup.  I could not eat it all, so shared some with my friends and still had enough for a couple of small bowls for supper!  All for $7.99.

We had a wonderful time, good conversation, lots of laughs, some serious moments - we are so fortunate to have such a wonderful group of pals to hang out with.

After we left the restaurant, I went to the Italian store next to it to get my yearly supply of underwear and under shirts.  The quality is very good, a little pricey but it is worth it as one does not need to replace them for quite some time.  I still have some from two years ago which are doing fine, but needed more to top up.

I walked home, sat at different spots where the benches are, people watched, enjoyed the sun and the activity and was glad to be well enough to get about.

My friend Rosie is now home from the hospital and I called her to see how she is making out.  She will need a lot of home care for the foreseeable future.

Good to know that she is now home though.

Lots of wonderful events coming up which I hope to be able to do!

Thanks for dropping by.

Little by little, I am getting there

My second bed rail arrived yesterday and was installed.  I almost missed him as I was downstairs with my walker getting my mail when he arrived.

Luckily we connected.  It is wonderful to have these bed rails - makes life so much easier especially at this time.  I am still a long way off from being back to normal and have to pace myself in doing things even around the house.

I am thankful to have these bed rails and that they are available for trial and then purchase if it goes through CCAC.  I will buy them as they will be good to have at this age and onward.

My apartment is beginning to look a little better but there still is a lot to get done.  Nothing spectacular just the normal daily events but they take longer than usual.

Today seems to be a dull day but thankfully I have a cozy little home, food on the table and good friends and family.

What more can a person need?

Thanks for dropping by.  Not much is going on until I can get out and about.....

Linda Marshall's book launch at the Club

On September 23rd, Linda had her first book launch at the Hamilton Club.  There were many people in attendance and almost every seat was filled.  Each guest got a signed copy of her book "Giving Back".

She will have another launch in October and hopefully she will have as many people then.  I understand that her book can be purchased from Amazon as well.

Shendal, as the General Manager of the club, spoke first and then Greg (a very close friend of Linda and her family) introduced Linda to the assembled crowd.

Linda spoke of her experience in writing the book and all the help she had from friends and family. Her words were well received. She spoke of the joys of giving back and related life experiences which have given her insight.


 Linda does speaking engagements and can be reached at linda@marshallconnects.com or twitter  @marshallconx

  Chef Michael prepared a delicious luncheon which also was enjoyed by those assembled.


I took a few pictures but since the room is on the dark side, they are not as clear as they could be.

Shendal welcoming the guests

Greg - introducing Linda

Linda speaking


All in all, a nice event for those who attended.

Thanks for dropping by.

Six weeks away from home

Six weeks ago, this is what I started to write.  "It is now 4:02 p.m. and thus far no call from the drug store who will deliver the items prescribed by the physio therapist.  I am hoping that they will come today. CCAC was contacted by the Emergency doctor at the Juravinski Hospital when they did not admit me.  For those outside of Ontario, CCAC means Community Care Access Center and is the agency who oversees the medical needs of the people in Ontario.  For an example, they can send a physiotherapist, an occupational therapist, personal care worker and many, many other things for

housebound people.  It is like an umbrella - with many spokes.

I have had a lovely day with lots of good company.  David, from the library came over with my "holds" and we had a wonderful chat.  He is an older person but I don't know his age. A very interesting person to talk to and to listen to."

Those were my words of six weeks ago.  A great lapse of time has passed since I put this into the "save" position on blogger so I could finish it. To be exact, six weeks of hospital and convalescent care.

Sometimes it is good that we cannot see into the future.That way we do not fret about it but just carry on when trouble strikes.

How does one describe six weeks which go by in a flash, never to return again?   Three weeks in the Juravinski  hospital in two different wards, then another three weeks in St. Joseph's Villa in Dundas recuperating.

To make a long story short, all the pain that I was enduring was because of a broken bone in the tail-bone.  Suffice it to say, I would not wish the pain and suffering that this brings onto anyone.

I met some lovely people in the hospital, both patients and staff. On the whole, I would say it was a positive experience.

The most positive part was at St. Joseph's Villa where I could receive the care I needed but had more freedom.  There was plenty of routine there as well, but at least I could sit outside in the beautiful grounds or sit on the screened in veranda on my floor.

The grounds there are lovely, it is in a more rural part of Hamilton which I really enjoyed.

Here are a few pictures.

My most favourite spot - the balcony on the 5th floor
I sat out here after breakfast and before physiotherapy and then in the early part of the evenings.

I loved this little welcome sign

The history of the place

Rhona brought me these lovely flowers

This was my little room - I really liked the bed rails - they were so helpful

Part of the recreation room

A lovely picture in the Physiotherapy room.  We had a class of exercises plus four different machines to work on.  I actually enjoyed all of them as it made me stronger.  I also liked the staff there as well.

A larger view of my room

The front of the building where I was

The other side of the building where long term care is provided

The Bill of Rights

Gerri - one of my table mates

Eileen - one of my table mates

Annie - my table mate

My final full day - they had a concert.  I was just lucky to have heard about it so I went.

Part of the recreation room - we had singsongs provided by Frank once or twice a week
Frank is a wonderful man who is a Personal Support Worker.

Two of the highlights for me of my stay at St. Joseph's Villa was when my pal Jeff picked me up and took me to Pier 8 and treated me for lunch and then we sat and chatted while enjoying the water.  I enjoyed this quiet time with a good friend.  Another one was with Jeff also when he picked me up at the Villa and brought me to our annual picnic for the Whitehern guys and gals.  It was a big surprise and we all had a great time.  Jeff played his ukulele and sang which was very enjoyable.

I had emailed him asking permission to put his version of both these events onto my blog as he did such a good job of writing them, but could not find them on facebook anymore.  It is really too bad as I had a good laugh when I read them and wanted to share them with you so you could be amused as well.

Ah well, perhaps I will find them another day but I will publish this now.  Hope you have a good evening and a good sleep.