Monday's news - Valentine's Day

All in all Valentine's Day was a fabulous day for me!  Got some good news from my son on his business venture which will lead to better things He has worked so hard on his company and now results are beginning to show.   Take a look -    Civi-Side.Com


I saw my beloved cadiologist at the Henderson Hospital.  She is one of my favourite people!  The hospital has really been given a beautiful make over.  I couldn't get over how nice it looks. Bright and airy, lots of chairs for people to sit and easy to find the Ambulatory Care Section.

Dr. H. was her usual sweet self and we chatted for a few minutes.  I had made her one of my leather creations with faux pearls in wire work and she liked it so much she put it on.

I will never forget how wonderful she was in my two month stay at Henderson Hospital and the wonderful care she has given me for the last five years.  I wish more doctors, particularly the male doctors would learn how to relate to their patients less clinically and more as human beings.  That alone would help heal the patient!  I saw a wonderful DVD yesterday on Poetry and Healing. Interns and Residents were taught to use words  to write down their feelings.  The DVD showed how this benefited both doctors and patients. 

I am reminded of a young intern who was part of the team of doctors who came to see me in Intensive Care.  He looked so much like my son that I instinctively felt drawn to him.  Kenny was stuck in
France and unable to get home.  This young man always smiled at me and said hello.  I think he may have been of Indian background.  What a beautiful soul that young man had.  Just to see him smiling at me was a comfort.

Dr. H and Dr. W. and so many other hospital nurses and staff are forever printed in my heart and brain, as so much kindness was shown to me at Henderson.  It was Dr. W., my surgeon, who saved my life after the Code Blue.  He worked ten minutes on me all alone before the other doctor's could get there.  He told me much later on, that he had never worked so hard in his life!

Dr. H. and I had a lovely little chat and she asked me what I was working on now in my creative writing and I told her.  She gave me some expert advice on what goes on in the Emergency Room when a person comes in with chest pains.  She also wants me to send her my story via e-mail.  It made my day to see her smiling face!
It always lifts my spirits up when I see her. 

After I got home, I heard that the weatherman was calling for flash freezing on Monday night or Tuesday so I took my DVD's back that I had finished.

My trusty camera to the ready, I took some shots which are below.

There are several different types of fish in the tanks.

Goldfish

Note the little fish to the right

These fish tanks are located in the Childrens Department on the first floor.  While I was there saying hello to the very nice librarian, I took some shots of the empty market.

Shot from the childrens section of the library

It seems so strange to see it empty

The market is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday only.

Here are some displays of the library's Valentine cards.

Note the different types of cads

I really enjoyed seing all the cards from yesteryear as well as current cards.  I find that the library does a great job of themes.  It is one of my favourite spots to visit in Hamilton.


To top off the day, which already was fantastic, I got a call from Andrew asking me to join them for Chinese food at the restaurant.  What a lovely surprise!

We went to the Mandarin but even early (5 p.m.), there was a 45 minute waiting period so I remembered that my friend Jennifer told me about Chan's which is also on Upper James.

We decided to go there instead of waiting and it was just as nice as the Mandarin and a little less expensive.

Needless to say, I still had my trust camera with me so here are some shots.

Andrew took this lovely shot of Rahel and I

Rahel  at Chan's Restaurant



Thanks for reading my blog and drop by again some time.  Have a wonderful day and enjoy life!

Oh, another thing, I forgot to mention, I sold my lovely Amethyst pendant to my neighbour.  She fell in love with it.  I was thinking of keeping it for myself but she liked it so much, I decided to sell it.

The Story of www.iwritereadrate.com

The Story of www.iwritereadrate.com



My friend Nosheen sent me this link. It sounds very interesting for people who are unpublished. It doesn't say if a person can be published a few times, but still submit work just to get feedbank.

I might watch this site for a while and see how it goes. It sounds like a great idea, especially for new people in the writing field.

Poet Study at Tower Poetry Society

I just returned from a poet study which happens once a year at Tower.  It was very enjoyable and there was a good crowd, considering that it is still very cold outside.

It was mostly Tower members but there were two people I did not know so hopefully they will come back again some time.

Jennifer T was there as well as Jean which was nice to see.  Jean will be having a book launch shortly.

We broke for refreshments and then resumed for about half an hour after that.  Her topic was mostly memories and writing down individuals stories.

I, and several others, had a hard time to hear her though which was very unfortunate as what I did hear, was good.

Valerie Nielsen and Ann Elizabeth Carson

Valerie - President of Tower Poetry Society & Guest Speaker Ann Elizabeth Carson

For more information on this writer, please see her blog at:  http://www.anncarson.com/

Break time - refreshments were served

Another shot at break time

I was fortunate that Stella picked  my friend Irene and I  up, as it was a really cold day again today. She would have brought us home again but I did not want to take her out of her way. Kay and also Jeff offered to bring me home. Irene was going somewhere after the meeting today so did not require a ride back.

On another note, I was delighted to see that Westdale DVD's are more plentiful than at Central Library so I borrowed some more Midsommer Murders.  They told me that I could order them on line and they would ship them to Central Library for me to pick up there.  I am delighted to hear that!

All in all a good day.

Thanks for reading my blog.

Time out today

I just had to get out today, in spite of the cold.  Borrowed tons of DVD's from the library and actually succeeded to check them out myself!  I learned that you can only do five at a time.

Then I went over to the Farmer's Market and bought some groceries.  I really like the new look.  I asked after one of the vendor's and found out that this elderly couple decided to retire.  I am happy for them as it must have been very tiring to have to be in the market so early when it was open.  They were a lovely Hungarian couple and I shall miss them.

One of my neighbours is very interested in buying my Amethyst pendant so I am considering selling it to her as she really has her heart set on it.  I had hoped to keep it myself.  I'm still not sure I want to sell it.

I plan to put a sterling silver chain on it.

Tonight is Poetry Center and Alvaro will pick me up.  I am debating going as I haven't written any poetry since I started on my short story.  Mind you, I could go and enjoy the company as they are a jolly bunch of people!

We'll see.

Have a great day and drop in again some time.

Bohemian beads, silver plated rondelles with tourquoise teardrop

For those who don't follow my jewellery blog, here is my latest creation.


I like to think "out of the box" and this is the result.  Usually you see teardrops hanging from a chain. 

This is much different and in my opinion, a nice change.

A close up showing the tear drop

Thanks for reading my blog.

Visitors on very cold days!

How brave some people are going out in this frigid cold!   I, myself, have not been out since Monday as I really feel the cold now that I am older.

Today I had a friend come for coffee.  I am advertising my jewellery business in her magazine, Perspectives Magazine. Since she was downtown on business, she dropped in to pick up the rest of her money for the ad. 

I took a nice picture of her with my new camera which is posted here with her permission.

Monique Berry, publisher of Perspectives Magazine

She is very good with cameras and showed me quite a few functions which I was not aware this little machine could do.

As a special treat, I served coffee with whipped cream in it.  Try it some time, it is absolutely heavenly!

We had a lovely chat and visit.  For more information on this good little magazine, please go to:



http://1perspectives.webs.com/
 
 
Some of my own short stories have been published in this  magazine.  I send in stories that are from the perspective of an object and for me, they are fun things to write about. Check it out, if you have the time, to see this different type of magazine.
 

Now onto other things.

Yesterday, my young friend Rahel came for lunch and the afternoon.  I had made an economical dish consisting of  noodles with fried garlic,onions, a little curry and a little cardamon.  We both loved it!  I always can tell if somebody enjoys it as they take a second helping which we both did!

She has a cousin in the Yukon Territories and my telephone plan with Cogeco covers that area so she was able to chat with her family members in her language.  I was very happy that she was able to catch them home. 

The happy talker

Rahel chatting with her family in the Yukon Territories

What a real blessing it is to have my long distance covered in Canada, I can chat with my friends in Montreal, Lachine, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and good old Toronto.

Tonight I might go out, I am not sure as it is very cold.  I might take my story  for its final critiquing before I sent it in to the Toronto Star Contest.  I find it very helpful to get the male point of view as many of the writers in the group are men.  They think so very different from women.

I have researched it very thoroughly with the help of friends in the Pakistani community in Toronto,as well as my dear Wally who is in the accounting field. 

It would be so amazing even if I came third place, as the competition will be fierce.  My former job as a newspaper reporter has helped me in ferreting information out to make my creative stories very factual.

Monique took this picture with my new camera. She did a real good job.
The beautiful cup was a gift from an engaged couple for my 21st birthday

Thanks for dropping by and come again some time, if you wish.

Some shots from the library of the Farmer's Market

I am just catching up on my blog now.  On Saturday I went to visit the library and then dropped into the children's section to take pictures from the windows there of the new Farmer's Market.

In spite of the fact that they are through a window looking down, I think they are fairly good.

This is the entrance to the new library which is very close to the Farmer's Market

Please observe the clock hanging from the ceiling  It is the old Birks clock and it now works

A shot taken from the library windows

Tried to take different sections of the market

Farmer's Market (Birks Clock)

I didn't need anything.  For those who have mobility issues, the Farmer's Market now has an elevator which will take you into the basement where many of the stalls are located. 

This is a display in the children's section of the library

Yet another one

The library is very welcoming to children, having a special section there with fish tanks and day care furniture.  Parents always must accomplish their children.  The librarian there is such a delightful lady, I go in sometimes just to see her smiling face and say hello.  It is my joy to see children interacting with each other and with their parents. 

Now onto a completely different subject.  I did abit of jewellery making on Saturday as well and here is two tourquoise tear drops which I wired ready to be strung on a chain.

Tourquoise tear drop pendant

Rose Quartz stone wirewrapped with copper and silver plated wire.  A chunky look.

Same one against a different colour background

Would it be my blog, without some reference to the cats?

Shall close for now, thanks for dropping by.  Come again some other time, if you wish.

I always welcome comments.