I'm back

If you are following my blog you probably noticed that I have been absent for a while. That is because I have been really busy doing this:

Four trips to Toronto in one month = 8 Air Canada flights, lots of time waiting in airports, taxi and bus rides back and forth from the Airport...and 1 security pat down! Yikes...I want to be safe, so can understand the need for this, but still felt violated following the procedure. Sent me in search of a very sugary donut to soothe my nerves.

For me, the pat down is still preferable to the full body scan, because I was exposed to excess radiation as a child. Dr. Oz said that women who are pregnant, children under 12 and seniors should avoid full body scans. Children are still developing sensitive tissues, pregnant women of course goes without saying, and seniors don't regenerate damaged tissue and cells as well as young adults. Nevertheless, every other person in my line chose the bodyscanner. I do worry about the long term affects.

Many nights in hotels. A great excuse for quiet time and pampering, and no excuse not to meditate.

Accelerated Learning presentation. I tied it into a snowflake theme and the quote, "people are like snowflakes, everyone unique and different. Then, when we all stick together we are stronger." - author unknown

Of course, in Toronto, there was lots of shopping, eating and socializing with friends. We went up several flights of escalators to get to Milestones in Toronto.

Window shopping, looking at a window shopper in the Bay Christmas windows. Their windows are so creative and animated. Can't help but be in the Christmas spirit.

Sometimes window shopping turned into real shopping as evident by the spread of Christmas presents on my hotel bed. I had a melt down at the Disney store and some of it was for the child in me!

We had a Christmas party with some of our friends. Above, Iris and I sculpted vegetable Christmas trees. Easy and fun to do and almost too pretty to eat!

This is how the table looked just before everyone arrived. The placemats, runners and bows on the back of the chairs are all cut from plaid fleece. Lasts forever and washes up easily!

A table setting for a party guest. Each guest received a Chinese take out box with goodies and decorated with a felt bird for their Christmas tree. On each glass was a Christmas mouse decoration. We had a great time. There were prizes for the most elegant, the funniest and the most creative Christmas shirts. Our friend Fran went way out this year, dressed as Christmas from head to toe! Great job Fran.

Made 100 Christmas mice...50 for work, and the rest for our tree and our friends.

Made 25 bookmarks for a work presentation.

Played with the grandchildren, went to two Christmas concerts to see Miranda play her violin and sing, went to music class with Kenny, and went to ballet with Stella. She is now in tap! They are all so talented...can't wait to see what Sebastien will be doing...and Lilu...

Now, I am starting to enjoy the winter snow and looking forward to two full weeks of vacation! We all get together on Christmas Eve, so I will be looking forward to that with all of the hustle, bustle and preparation that goes with it.

On the road again...

I am sure that this sketch of a Mandela had a deeper meaning of life as a journey when I created it several years ago, but it also fits with my physical  journeys: the moves…travels…vacations  etc. that earned me the reputation to be labeled with the theme song, “On the Road Again”, by Willie Nelson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TD_pSeNelU

Lately, my frequent travels for work have started me thinking about the roadmap of my life. In my current job, Bearskin Airlines transports me to remote, northern Ontario communities, road trips keep me on the road and away from my home base sometimes for weeks at a time, and very often I find myself heading to Toronto to be filled with new knowledge to take to the field on future journeys. Such is the case today, as I pack for a 5 day Toronto trip. The experiences I have gained in these travels far outweigh the sacrifice of being away from home. I have been immersed in and learned from diverse cultures, I have friends and colleagues in all regions of the province,and my spirit has been comforted by the view of endless miles of rivers, lakes and wilderness, shown to me from the sky and from the roadways of Ontario. Common crows, hawks and eagles are my constant companions when I drive for hours with no sign of civilization, and once in a while I am blessed by a deer wandering safely at a distance.

                                                                      

    

Although I lived in the same city for most of my life, you could say I have become a professional mover, as a result of frequent moves from one neighbourhood to another. At one point I figured that I had moved an average of once every 2 years. As a result, I have experienced the cultures of many neighbourhoods  and townships in Sault Ste. Marie. And everyone has been different. The most significant difference was my experience living in Prince Township. A rural setting dotted with small farms and populated by families with a long, rich history in the area. Although the homes were far apart and situated on large acreages, neighbours would stop by to help when driving by and noticing a need for assistance. It wasn’t uncommon, even as a new resident, to have strangers drop by to grab a hammer and help shingle the roof, or to add some muscle to push a car out of a snow filled driveway. This had not been my experience in the city, as people were busier and the seemed to be attempting to carve out a sense of privacy and serenity on their small city lots…that is until now. Living in an east end suburban neighbourhood we have found a sense of community, sharing and happiness. Children safely play in the front yards providing the gift of laughter and amusement to all who watch them. Neighbours share gardening tips and tools, and can be seen admiring the beauty and bounty in each garden. There is always a smile and a wave…sometimes stopping to share a story or experience with one another.

Journeys did take me to other parts of North America. At 5 years old we relocated to Springfield, Massachusetts where I lived for one year. This is where I started school. Grade 1 at Sacred Heart School, we used to march in to class to the piped in March music of John Philip Sousa.  I remember starting our day with the pledge of allegiance, different than all my other school years in Canada, where we started our day singing God Save the Queen. All good…just different!

Then there are the tugboat journeys, the Algoma Central Railway journeys, canoe trips. Over the next while, I will share funny, harrowing, and sometimes poignant stories about these adventures. There have been journeys of learning, journeys of love, journeys of sorrow, journeys of hardship and journeys of resilience. All of the journeys have been journeys of the heart…journeys of the spirit, and so I plan to develop many stories around the theme of journeys, and I wish everyone enlightening and safe travels on your journeys too.