A busy day again today!

I have to do some research today on Lenten customs from the many different Christian traditions. My friend Rosie would like me to bring that into my topic for the ladies group.

I had thought of the Coptic church, the Armenian church, the Orthodox church among the few different branches as they would be very different to most of the European ladies who will be listening to the topic.

Rosie will come tomorrow and we will plan the programme for the ladies group meeting in March. I am used to doing it all, so have to try to be a team player here! Each October since arriving in Hamilton, I have done the whole spiritual side of the programme for Home Circle.

The World Day of Prayer is coming up on March 6th and this year it will be held in a Roman Catholic Church. Last year, I was the guest speaker and in spite of a threatened big storm, there was a very good turnout so I hope that there will be a good turnout this year as well. I shall be taking part in the programme but in another role.

On another note, I have been asked to do an afternoon workshop at Freeway on Creative Writing which I have accepted. It should be fun! I am already planning it mentally in my head and once the topic for the ladies group is done, I shall plan that one.

At the same time, the co-ordinator asked me to co-lead a jewellery making workshop at Freeway. I don't need to plan much for that, just show up and demonstrate. I have had three ladies tell me I should sell my work as it is beautiful.

As you can imagine, I am quite touched by their compliments. It would mean that I have to do all the government papers again in order to get my vendor's license. We'll see. I do know that you can sell up to $100.00 worth before you need to get a vendor's license, but that would not take long to do, if I were to sell.

I've done it before but for other things. I once had a flower arranging business and I would go around to ladies church groups, do a worship service, which of course, included a topic, do a demonstration on how to do flower arraangements, and sell some arrangements.

It went quite well and I had quite a few bookings but working full time, looking after children (2), animals (4) and a home, was just too much for me so I had to give it up.

It was a little bit hard, too, as I had to take a bus to get to my bookings and carrying all the necessary things I needed to do demonstrations, was quite difficult.

However, I did enjoy being with the ladies very much. I remember Deer Park United Church on Avenue Road in Toronto were particularly kind to me. The ladies paid a taxi home for me. They insisted. I shall never forget that act of kindness.

It brings back a wonderful memory of a dear lady in the congregation at Timothy Eaton United Church on St. Clair, coming up to me after the devotions and telling me how my topic had touched her heart. I was very thankful for that and it encouraged me to keep on.

I think women's writing and ministry is what I am good at - men think so very different from women and my poetry and writing reflects a woman's heart, not a man.

I think, today, I shall go to the School of Hairdressing and get a haircut. My friend Carmen likes my hair longer but it is at the stage now that it is bothering me and I cannot do anything with it!

I am so fortunate to live within walking distance of this school and the price certainly is right - $5.50 for a haircut.

Have a great day and thanks for reading my blog. Please feel free to make comments. I love to hear from people and I can understand Spanish and German, so leave your comments......

Finding a bead store in Hamilton

I am so delighted that I have found a bead store right on Ottawa Street off Barton. It is only about 20 minutes to get to on the bus and they have a nice wide selection of beads and findings to choose from.

A friend of mine will drive me to Dundas one of these days, and show me one there as well.

I love making jewellery and people seem to be happy to receive them as gifts.

It makes me very happy when I see how much they like them.

A sad experience at the Mall

Yesterday I went over to the mall to return some library videos and on my way back from there, I was stopped by a woman asking for money. I told her I didn't have much but asked her if a dollar would help.

As it happened, I had $2.00 left and gave it to her. Immediately, two police offers swooped down on us and told her to give me my money back. She did and the police were quite tough with her verbally and escorted her out of the mall. I don't know where they were hiding but they got her in the act of begging which is illegal here in Hamilton.

The police woman was the tougher of the two! They obviously knew this woman by the way they talked to her.

After they were gone, two very nice ladies came over to me and told me that this had happened to a friend of theirs and her purse had been stolen and she had been knocked down and injured.

These two ladies were so kind. They also pointed out how vulnerable I was using a walker and that dishonest people take advantage of vulnerable people.

I had never thought of myself as vulnerable, and that really hit home. I went home and cried and cried. My intention was so good.

I wonder why the police don't stop the fellow who begs each day at the corner of James and King? Perhaps it was because it was on Mall property that they swooped down. I don't know.

Needless to say, being the somewhat sensitive person that I am, I felt a little "down".

Happily, it was my poetry group that night and even though it was a very bitter cold night, I decided to go as it is very near my home.

I was very glad that I did go, as it cheered me up. I had written a poem about a Spring Rain Walk and this was the first group to critique it. The Executive in that group of poets are university/college teachers who teach poetry and they know how to encourage and help people improve. I always feel encouraged to continue after their meetings.

They do it in such a gentle way that one is not afraid to hear what they have to say.

I was glad that the day ended on such a positive note!

My week is getting exciting!

I had thought it would be a very quiet week, but now things are picking up. Two parties to go to, one ladies group meeting, one book launch, one poetry workshop. Not to mention what has already happened. A visit from my Toronto friend, and ladies group meeting and tonight is the book launch.

Plus I have to write a poem and an article for The Columbine Magazine, Also, plan a programme and write a topic for the next ladies group within the next two or three weeks. Participate in the World Day of Prayer event at the Hungarian church, plus work on my jewellery business.

No rest for the wicked, or so it seems.......

My friend's visit

What an absolutely wonderful day we had today! When Asma and I get together, we have so many interesting discussions and lots of laughs.

I am so blessed to have her as a friend.

Valemtine's Sweetheart Soiree at Whitehern

These ladies sang like angels and I just loved the fiddle music. The event was held in the stable.

The Sweet Mathilda's - dressed in period costumes.

I was a lovely evening spent with friends. Anita brought a new lady, Bebe and she was very nice. Jeff was our only male with us three ladies but he seemed happy and I am sure liked the attention!

The house tour was lovely in the evening and I chose to sit quietly and just listen. I really enjoyed that as I was able to soak in the atmosphere of the house without a lot of people around me.

I stayed downstairs on the bench and listened to Liz, the cultural interpreter, read some of the love letters that were received by members of the McQuesten family. It really was sad that, although there were suitors, none of them ever married, thus the line finished with them.

I thought back to the time when my parents were courting. They met at Young People's at church, courted for many years, then when both of them were 25, married in the church. They were married over 50 years and when my mother died, my Dad was very lonely even though he had my unmarried brother living with him. The three of them were very close as my elder brother and I had branched out early in life to make families of our own.

My Aunt and Uncle, the same. They met at church, courted for a long time, and married and were together for the rest of their long lives. I remember being told that when they were courting, my Uncle would take my Aunt out in a canoe on the Lachine Chanel.

An interesting aside here, was that my Aunt had another beau, a really nice and good man, but once she met my Uncle, this dear man did not stand a chance. He even told me that himself.

This gentleman was a second cousin to my father and he really loved my Aunt but after she married my Uncle, he eventually married another lady. It is interesting to note that both those ladies were elementary school teachers, and both had taught in one room schoolhouses.

We all lived very close to each other in Lachine and thus, as children, we had lots of family surrounding us with sharp eyed aunts or uncles and neighbours to make sure we didn't get into mischief!!!

Life, in those days, seemed to center around the church and this is how people met their mates.
It still happens today in the Young Adult Groups but now young people go off to distant universities and may meet others whose families they do not know.

Not only in the churches do young people meet, it also happens in the Mosques oversees and here in Canada. Families know families and this is how the young folk know each other.

It seems a much safer way to meet a mate, than at a bar or a dancehall, at least to me.

The evening went by very fast, a lovely sweet table, decaf coffee or tea and, the highlight of the evening, The Sweet Mathilda's, a singing group who harmonize like angels! We know Lonnie, the leader of this group, from Whitehern.

All in all, a nice time was had by all.

The girls walked me most of the way home, which I appreciated. They returned to their car. Our lone male just seemed to have disappeared at the end of the evening but I am sure he got home safely as well as he had his car with him.

All in all, a delightful evening, spent in a lovely atmosphere.

The McQuesten family were strictly brought up, in the Presbyterian tradition, and were teatottlers. I can relate very well to their way of life and I think that must be why I love going there so often. I feel "at home" there.

Goodness, does nobody have any opinions???

Does nobody except this challenge? It could be such a fun thing. I keep checking to see if there are any comments, but thus far, nobody has made one comment!

Surely, in this whole wide world, there must be one person who is not afraid to give their opinion on this subject....

Yesterday, at the dinner table with the group of friends I go out with once a month during the winter and every week during the summer, we had a very quick discussion on expectations. Our lone male with us that time, sure learned a great deal. Poor dear man will never be the same! In spite of that, when he is not working, he would like to come to our little group again.


Come on world, express yourself!!!!





Me, mourning the lack of comments on my male/female relationship blog.