Happy Easter Saturday

Ohhhhhh, looks like the Easter Bunny has been here!!

Yup, that NASTY Rabbit HAS been here and having a little fun too!!!
Well, I hope wherever you are, that the sun is out and you have all your Easter goodies, for dinner all bought and you are home from the busy stores, busy, planning your Easter menu!
Here, in Vancouver, it's a lovey day, the sun is shining, but not real hard, and it's a tad cool, but then again, Spring doesn't arrive until Thursday, and if it's not getting any warmer by then, we can all start complaining!!

I have some great memories of Easter when we were kids. There we're 4 of us, as most of you already know by now, but I remember the the Easter, number 4 arrived!

That's the youngest member of our family, sitting in her little chair. My sister Roxanne!

I was 6 years old when she arrived. John, Mike and I had been staying at Mom and Dad's friend's home, while Mom was in having "our" baby! Dad came to their house very early in the morning to wake us up, and tell us the news, and I can remember rushing downstairs to where Dad waited, still in his Police uniform. I flew into his arms and he asked me if I wanted a baby brother or a baby sister. I wanted a sister so bad, I knew, I'd cry if it was another boy...I already had two of them and that sure was enough!!

It was a baby girl! How exciting, When can I go see her? Where is she? Where is Mom? Can I come home now? Does she cry much? On and on it went! Then Dad asked me what I wanted to call her. I can't remember if I had any suggestions, so he said, how about "Roxanne". I guess it was all pre-determined what the baby was to be called, but it was nice to have had a choice (as if!) What if I wanted to call her something like the kind of names, my grandchildren at that age, called their pets, of which one cat, I did inherited...."Batman!" Do you think my Father would have gone for that?

I could have called her "Batty" all her life! Actually, she ended up with not only her beautiful name, but the name "SAM." My own kids when they arrived, many eons later, couldn't say Roxanne, just, "Sam", so that name stuck with her. But Roxanne, Sam, or Batty, I'm glad you arrived to become my little sister, although their were time's, when I had to babysit you when I wanted to go off and play with my friends, when, I'd pinch you to make you bawl, so I could take you home to Mom, with me all innocent, not knowing why you were crying!

Everyone today, get's their Easter eggs in baskets, but when we we're small, we used our hats!! We'd lay them all out on the sidboard, in the dining room and in the morning, we'd come running to see what the Easter Bunny had brought us!! Now we didn't get the usual kind of Easter Eggs. We had very, very special and different eggs then any of our friends had. Dad, knew someone, who made chocolates and he had given Dad some of his old Easter egg molds and a pile of chocolate and told him how to make Easter eggs. Well, our eggs were the most beautiful eggs, I've ever seen and I honestly remember how I didn't want to bite into any of them and spoil thier beauty. Dad, also had a talent for decorating. (Dad had many talents that I can remember when we were kids, that those stories will come out on Father's Day, when I write about him), but he knew how to make those beautiful roses made out of sugar icing, and how to decorate them with that hard icing all around the eggs and then lovely decorations of lily of the valley on some, some had bows wrapped around them, other's had little cats, with pussy willow's for their bodies. (hard to explain that one, but it worked). Then, for mom, he made a special egg, that was spectacular. It would be almost the size of a football and decorated so beautiful, it would take my breath away. Now they were Easter Eggs!

However you spend your Easter, I wish you a day filled with joy and love, I hope the sun is shining and you can get out and enjoy the day with family and if not, then with a big bowl of chocolate eggs and even get to eat off a solid chocolate bunny ear!! Yummmm.

Happy Easter

GOOD FRIDAY

Good Friday - A Time To Remember

"God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16 NIV).

A beautiful day here in Vancouver, clear and sunny with a new dusting of fresh snow on the mountain tops.Our day began with Martin and Joan coming over and we went to the White Spot for breakfast. If you've never tried the Monty Egg Benedict, you are missing something delicious!! Fattening, but delicious! The company was great, and always fun going out with Martin and that quick witted Joan!! Gosh, she can come out with some good ones!!

Tom had to go to the chiropractor's close by, so we went to Indigo to wait for him. Yup, life goes on, even on Good Friday!! Nothing is sacred anymore!

Guess what I got today!!! Tom bought me a GPS!!! Yahoo, I'm on the road again....just can't wait to get on the road again...."come'on Willie, lets sing!" So, now, I can go to yard sales too!! Tom and Martin went off into the computer room and Tom came out and handed me the print out that he ordered it. Gee, I got delicious Purdy chocolates too! Tom only got one of those pens that have the post- it notes in them.....I feel awful now!!!

Then I took, one of the ladies who lives in the building, and who sadly totalled her car yesterday, to get some groceries. Some person side-swiped her, but thankfully, nobody was hurt. Then we had a coffee and now I have a coffee high!! My head feels like it's in space somewhere!!

Well, my blog is short today, as I've said, all I can think of for the moment, which is certainly odd eh? Again, maybe it's the coffee!!

So, enjoy the rest of your day wherever and whoever you are! See you tomorrow!

Picture of the Day:

Dreary, Cold Wind and Misrerable Out Here Today

Well, it sure doesn't feel like Easter week today, but I haven't been out myself, only heard from Tom, what a cold, raw,windy day it was out, so that's enough to keep me inside today.

This darn cold has me really done in, and I can't seem to get rid of it. Actually, that's wrong, I'm pretty well rid of the worst of it....way better, but it's left me feeling so darn weak all the time. It just takes awhile to get over. I made Tom some cookies this morning and my legs were shaking so bad, I had to stop now and then and just have a sit down. Hopefully some strenth and a better mood will come along soon. I need both! I'm as cranky as an old bat, which is not my normal self!

I went to lay down for a snooze, but could only hear Tom chatting on the phone, and overhearing about some negative feed back on my blog! All I can say, if you don't like it, don't read it! Plain and simple!! No skin off my back when I'm getting so many hit's on the counter and having so much fun with it, I don't feel it's a crock of shit! Many other's are enjoying reading it, so I'm happy with that! But, you will never know when the spotlight is on you, when I get writing, with lots of pictures and good stories about you and how wonderful you are! Too bad, so sad!!!

I bet everyone is shopping for last minute Easter things before Good Friday. A good chance to get it before the rush on Saturday. I'll be steering far from the stores that day! We have nothing planned for Easter. We have some Easter eggs the nice bunny left early in a bowl on the table, and stuff in the fridge, so here is where we'll spend Easter. I sure do miss those Easters of the past in Ontario though!!
Does anyone remember the days when the big thing was to have an Easter bonnet? All fancy and of course we wore gloves then too. When kids, we always had a new bonnet, usually white with little flowers in it, white gloves, new patent leather shoes, and a new purse, for church. We always snuck a few easter eggs into our new purse to eat during Mass. For after communion of course!!

I can remember walking to chuch in my new patent leather shoes, and my new dress, that mom had made me, my gloves, new barrettes in my hair, and my brand new carmel coloured spring coat. I thought and felt like the luckiest girl in the world.Every second step, I'd stop and dust off my shoes that gathered there from the dust on the road. Can't have my new shoes, looking dirty and it took me a long time to get to church too!!

I got to the church yard, and was passing though the parking lot and my brand new coat sleeve caught on those old car door handles that used to stick out. I tore the coat, not up the seam, but tore it right up the sleeve. I think the life went out of me at that moment and talk about feeling my high turn to a very low feeling. After church, I went crying home, thinking of the lickin, I'd get for ruining my new coat, but dad took me in his arms, told me he'd have it all repaired this week by the "invisible mender" he knew, and I'd never see where it had been torn. Now, that word invisible mender had me pondering it for a long time. How could there be an invisible mender, and how would Dad ever find him, if he was invisible. But Dad knew everything, so off I went my merryily way and put it out of my mind. I came home from play a few days later and there was my coat hanging up and the invisible mender whoever he was, certainly did a fantastic job, because I couldn't find his mending. My coat was back to new! Took, me a few years of growing up to understand the whole concept!!! But, it's a memory, I hold dear!

Is anyone reading Erkert Tolle's book " The New Earth?'" I'm next in line to get it at the library, but Tom is interested in reading it too, so we may go buy another copy. We followed it along on Oprah.com, on her reading group, and although the first chapter is difficult to get through, the book starts to make sense. But if your interested in following it, Oprah has it on her site, every Monday night, or you can watch it the next day at your leisure. It's VERY interesting and insightful, and it would be super fantastic if the world took this path then the path we are on now. It was the topic of our lunch yesterday as well.

These Vancouver homes don't keep their homes as warm as our condo is nor as warm as we keep our homes in Ontario. I guess the dampness here, makes it cooler, but nobody seems to turn on their furnace, where in Ontario, we just wanted to keep toasty warm homes. Yesterday, at the fun lunch, I was SOOOO cold, I was actually shivering. I know I caught a chill and the cold has seemed to come back on me again and I hope it's not developing an new cold when my resistance was already low. Lord help me now! I don't need another one after surviving that one!! That one was a killer!

Remember the guest book!! One thing about writing this...nobody writes me ANYMORE!! Only I still get these nice fat letters with freinds with no computers at home, so that's still great!

Picture of the Day: This is Isabelle (Belle) and her brother Tom (my husband). One other brother Ed passed away with that horrible disease, cancer, that I wish they'd find a cure for NOW! Isabelle, is a fun person with a fun husband. (another picture, next time) She's a fantastic cook, loves to entertain and a really good person and great mom! Only good people in the Williamson's famlies! They are just back from Palm Springs and leaving again on a cruise to Europe in a few weeks. They do lots of travelling and I envy them but love them!She's my sis in law!!! Ken is my brother....hey Bro!!

Thought for the DAMN day: These are getting harder to do and I may drop this section!!! Let me see, what is the thought for the day!! "Go back to bed Linda and get rid of this cold!!" Okay, it's not inspirational but it's how I feel and all I can come up with.

HOWDY ON WEDNESDAY

Hi everyone. I'm a little late getting this one out! I really don't know where the day's go, but they seem to fly by, in a blink of an eye. Having this computer on my lap in the living room, sure doesn't help either. I don't get much work done, once I sit down to do one tiny thing on here, I seem to alway's get sidetracked into something else. As you can see, I've changed the look and added a guest book. Everyone seems to be having such a hard time with getting the comment section to work, and I do want to hear from you!

On the blog, that I wrote "Remembering John", a wonderful thing has happened from writing it. First, I heard from one of John's old friends that was quite unaware John had passed away. I don't know how he found out from the blog, but it'a amazing how this thing is getting around. He had good things to say about John ,which was great to hear.

But, as I mentioned in that blog, that John's friend was a fellow by the name of Ted H. A few day's later, I was in Capreolonline, and saw Ted's name, so contacted him. He wrote back and it was his brother Errol,(who in turn, forwarded my letter to Errol)who was John's friend and also his best man at my brother and Suzie's wedding and he had the wedding video as well. John's son and daughter have so little information about their father, and as mentioned also on the blog, because of the age difference, my other brother, and sister, and myself, didn't have many memories of John. Errol has many!!! So, Patrick, and Maryssa, can now have a wonderful source to learn more of their father from. So, if anything more then just something a little entertaining to read, the blog has served a purpose much more important!

Just had a letter from Patrick that the blog on his Dad was also sent and read by my brother's 2nd family..his son John Jr.and his brother Andrew, who we have lost touch with. John and Andrew, if you are reading this, it would be wonderful if you got in touch. Please leave a message. My email is on this site somewhere, but to make it easy for you, it's

irish5@hotmail.com

Today, I went out to the Newcomers Fun Lunch. A great bunch of girls and it was fun sitting around gabbing all afternoon after enjoying a fabulous lunch (everyone brings a dish) and wine. Some of these girls live a charmed life. Huge, beautiful home's and able to retire as such young ages! Of course married to doctor's help!!

We haven't started to devour all the delicious food yet!

Lot's of good chatting and many stories!

This is Mary, our host, and she's so pretty, and has such a beautiful house1

This is her deck and I can just see me out there around the fire and nice and cosy!

When we left, although it was raining, I stopped and shot this picture of flowers blooming. Somehow, the camera didn't pick up the beautiful pink colour.

How's the snow in Ontario??(snicker)

Well, Survivor just came on, so you know what that means....I'm out of here!! I forgot it was on tonight. I had almost decided to just go to bed tonight instead of the blog, because I was so tired...gosh, I would have missed Survivor!!

The above pictures will have to do as picture of the day.

Thought of the day: Keep your chin up!!!

EASTER WEEK ON MARCH 18th

Gosh, are we ready for Easter already?? Seems like we just had St. Patrick's Day and wasn't that a fun time!! Actually, to be quite honest, we never had a green beer or even some delicious Irish Cream liquor. Because of my cold, Tom made me a hot toddy with dark rum and honey. Dark rum...never again!!! I think my system does not like me drinking dark rum!!! It told me so in the wee hours of the night when I felt the rumblings and grumblings and much murmuring in the dark, from under the covers, and it felt like a truck was trying to run over my mid torso!

Today, we were up early and out the door running, heading off to White Rock, to see the groomer for this very spoiled, very Maltese dog of ours, a little girl called TJ, who now sports a very short haircut, and a pretty orange bow in her hair. It's cut so short, you can see the pink of her skin, and I wasn't sure when I saw her if she wasn't a little piglet? I like her cut on the fluffy side, but Tom insisted we do it shorter for the warmer weather. So, when we got home, the cat always greets us at the door. Batman took one look at TJ, and you could see his little brain turning and coming up with some sarcastic, put-down, that I wish I could understand cat talk, but from the look he gave the dog, it must of been something funny!

Speaking of Easter coming on the early side this year, and the amount of snow Ontario got, do you think the Easter bunny will be able to find his way with all that snow?? Well, his eggs won't melt anyway!!It has been a truly glorious Spring day here. It was a lovely drive out to White Rock and again, I kicked myself for not taking the camera along. The daffodils and flowers are incredible and getting more so each day. I love Spring here! None of that dirty old stuff left on the side of the road from gravel spread by the snow removal trucks. (I'm not rubbing it in, just love how it looks here!)

We had a coffee with Doug, Tom's fireman buddy, at Tim Horton's. I left them to chat and I went off to browse the mall there, but when just getting over a cold, I'm still feeling weak in the knees and last night, I had a miserable time sleeping, so we didn't stay long.

Last night, when I did fall asleep, I had bought and was decorating Joseph's house in Owen Sound! I remember the inside of that place like the back of my hand and I loved that house! Of course, I tore down a wall or two, put a whole apartment in the attic, which was two lovely room. I used to think that was the kind of attic that Anne Frank hid out! They had such a big yard out back too, and a huge double story garage, that us kids used to think tramps lived up stairs, hiding. On those brave days, in the hot summers when we were bored, and feeling quite able to protect ourselves, we'd creep up those old stairs, and what I remember, still floors me. Even as a child, I knew what treasures there were stored up there. All sorts of antiques, and beautiful vintage clothing and trunks and oh, how, I'd love to revisit it now, with everything still intact. I'm sure all those treasures belong to other people now, or perhaps they got thrown into the dump as junk!!

Well, I rattled on too much with my yesterday blog, so better make this one short. I have to run up to the library, where we had between the pages of a returned book, Tom's requisitions for his medical tests on Thursday. I'm so glad they called and said they'd hold them for us. If they hadn't been found, we would have had this place upside down in a panic looking for them!!

Picture of the Day: Ahhhh, who'd of thought, we'd make a magazine cover!! So sweet!!

Thought for the day!
"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Happy St. Patricks Day to all of you Irish by birth, or Irish wannabie's!! Ahhhh it's a Grand Day, isn't it now? You will be all wearin' your green sweater, or panties or something nice and shamrock colour now won't ye? I know Lynn at Loyalist will have everyone in the office sent home to don the green clothing, if they forgot what day is it, now won't you Lynn? Or at least, she's pinned you with a paper shamrock by now!! A VERY SPECIAL ST. PATRICK'S DAY TO YOU MY FRIEND!

I had something really pretty, that I've been saving for months now, to put on this blog with a lovely saying, but I can only link to it. I tried it this morning and the site is too busy to get into, or either they have taken it down for the day. So, I'll keep trying until I get this blog finished and try to see if it's available. If not, I'll send it tomorrow.

St. Patricks Day in our family was always a big day, celebrated in one way or another (usually my parents into the green beer, but it was a fun day. You could be sure there would likely be some Irish recipe, that my grandmother brought with her from the Old Country. My mother was born in Ireland, in Banbridge, County Down. She was a beautiful, gentle person, and would cast a spell over us back when we we're young children with stories of Ireland, mostly past down from my Grandmother. (Every time I write these blogs, I have so many stories I could tell you, but I want to tell them by showing you pictures as well, and again as I've often told you, my pictures are back in Belleville. Tom told me to send for them, but it's a HUGE bin full!! He said to send for them ALL! So, I may just do that!

My grandmother, we called Nanny, and she was the most typical Irish grandmother you could possibly have. She was very small and round and so cute, with such a twinkle in her eye, and her favourite saying whenever anyone walked in the door, said in her very strong Irish accent "Ewooo, where'd ye come from now!

This is a picture of SOME of my Grandparents family. Can you imagine having 10 children!!! My Grandfather,( passed away when I was 2, so my Nanny raised all these children by herself) my Grandmother, next is my mother, Alf, Jack, Fred, Jean, Colleen.

Missing from the picture is Sam, Jim, Irene and Maureen (died age 2)

From all the pictures I've seen, they were always happy looking, very well dressed and always so neat and tidy. A beautiful family, and I love them so much and thank them for all those great memories and a VERY HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY TO ALL MY FAMILY!

When we'd come home from school, mom would have an Irish dish prepared, which I can't remember the name of now, but, made with mashed potatoes, and green onion. Delicious....or there was corn beef and cabbage, or more likely Irish stew. Desert would always be something made with green either green jello or cup cakes iced with green icing. It was always so much fun, and we all played into the day with glee.

Now, you are likely wondering if my father was also Irish. Well, he could only lay claim to being half Irish. His Grandfather came from France, BUT....his Grandmother was from Ireland and had the last name of O'Hanlon, so we let Dad join into the Irish fun and we claimed our heritage as Irish! Gosh, looking at me, can you find anything French looking about me? I'd say I look very Irish heritage to the core!

My husband's father was from Ireland, born and bred, as his mother was born and bred in Scotland, so he grew up not understanding half of his mom and dad's sayings! Tom has the wonderful reddish cheeks and lovely Irish humour, that can only come from his ancestors. He didn't develop the Scot's reputation for being tight though (thank goodness), however, I use the word "tight" for developing another Irish/Scottish trait, and that's drinking a few brew too many!! He's been that a few times, as we all have eh? He's funny when he drinks too, his humour tends to get even more funny!! Especially, if I'm having a "wee tot" with him, but then when I get "tight", even a spoon falling on the floor seems hilarious to me!! So, you can imagine us both together!! It's a hoot...if I can remember it the next day!

When I retired from work after nearly 30 years, the staff threw a wonderful party for me. They must have worked for days cutting out paper shamrocks and it must have taken the guys from maintenance all morning hanging them from strings to hang by the hundreds from the ceiling. When I walked in, all I could see was a sea of shamrocks. The tables, covered with white table clothes had shamrocks all around the edges. Green shamrocks we're everywhere!!! I couldn't even say hello to anyone, there was such a huge lump in my throat. After decorating my office and wearing green and playing so many leprechaun tricks on so many people over the years, I must have gotten the reputation that shamrocks were my thing. Many happy memories and a very HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY TO EVERYONE AT THE COLLEGE

One person, I do want to mention today is my old boss Ron, who I sent an e-card to last night and likely shocked him to the core!! Ron was a fun boss, the kind you'd work your elbows to the bone for! We all loved him....well, except for a Chinese person who worked there, that refused to be Irish, even for a day!! But, Ron and I had a fun thing going every St. Patrick's Day, when I'd decorate with shamrocks all over everything I could find a bare spot on the wall to tape one to. Ron in his devilment (not sure who was worse, him or me) would take them down and replace with Canadian Flags, and tell me emphatically, "Linda, you are not Irish, you were born in Canada, so be Canadian!" Sometimes he could be a pain too!! So, Lynn, my evil cohort twin, came up with decorating his office when left for home. We stayed late, and talk about cutting shamrocks...we cut what seemed like thousands! We made his office so green, everywhere and which way we could. We wrapped his desk, his chair, his telephone, his door, file cabinets, books in green crepe paper. We found a big bolder, painted it with bright green paint, the saying "The Blarney Stone". The newspaper came in and took pictures of it, and guess where they are....in Belleville! Damn! Ron came in the next morning, and I said "Happy St. Patrick's Day" in my best Irish brogue to him, and got a grumpy "You're Canadian" back from him! Then he opened his door, and nearly fell over!!! Gottcha!!! There were some good laughs over time about that Blarney Stone too. We had such gullible students, and we told them it's actually a piece brought back of the same stone that is used as the Blarney stone in Ireland today, and to kiss it, will give the gift of the "talk". You wouldn't believe, how many people placed their lips on that old rock that Lynn and I spotted and swiped. It was used to hold a storefront door open, and when we first noticed it, a lightbulb when on in our two heads... "a blarney stone....perfect!!" So grab it we did!!

So, with all my heart, I send you this wish:

On St. Patrick's day, there' the green to be wearin', a bit o' the blarney for folks to be sharin'...

Grand songs to be singin' and toasts to be drinkin'....

And warm thoughts o' ye for meself to be thinkin'!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

PALM SUNDAY

PALM SUNDAY

Palm Sunday
Origin
Palm Sunday gets its name from the custom of blessing palms and of carrying portions of branches in procession, in commemoration of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The custom may be traced back at least to the 4th century. Many churches save palm leaves used during Palm Sunday services and later burn them. They use the ashes in Ash Wednesday services the following Lenten season.

HELLO EVERYONE!

Did everyone head off to church this morning on Palm Sunday? We didn't either, I'm using being sick as our excuse!

But, old beliefs are easy to remember as they become imbeded in our minds with all the other good memories that begin in childhood, with our parents hope, that they will always remain with us forever. Reading about Palm Sunday this morning, I've discovered that not only the Catholic Church does the ritual of the palms, but many places around the world is also celebrating with reverence the beginning of Easter Week.

I can remember as a child coming so proudly home with my palms and sticking them behind the picture of the Sacred Heart in my bedroom, right next to some half nude movie star, (whose picture was also up on the wall, I didn't mean, a half nude movie star was standing there.....oh my goodness , all my holiness, may have been down the drain that very second!)But, having the blessed palms up behind the Sacred Heart, filled my wee heart with the goodness it was intended. I'm trying to be serious here, but the devil is creeping in and I can't stop thinking about the half nude!! Wonder what child star I was into then.....ohhhh geeeze....I remember now. Get ready, because you are going to laugh!!! It was......are you ready!
Ohhh was I in love with this man. But when I think of it now, I don't believe, I ever seen a half nude picture of him ever in my life, nor did I ever think of him as nude. He was all I had on the wall though. I was kinda one weird teenager eh? However, remember the era...nothing like today where everyone of those teeny bopper stars are always either half nude or showing ALL they have. If Perry Como had been in my bedroom, I think after I got over the shock, I would have sat him down and asked him to sing"Pick a magic star and put it in your pocket, save it for a rainy day". Ohhhh to go back in time and know yesterday what we know today! My next thought would of been "How in the heck do I get him out of my bedroom unseen??"

Anyway, our colds have taken a turn for the better and we are beginning to think, we don't need to measure each other for a casket...not yet anyway. We've gone through every box of kleenex we own, only have 1/2 roll of toilet paper that was our backup, so better get some soon. Our throats feel like we swallowed the desert, it's so dry from coughing up junk....getting too graphic here eh? But, we are going to live and so life goes on!!
Tomorrow is my favourite day of the year..St. Patricks Day!!! You have to know and understand my family to know why! I'll tell you tomorrow!!
Until then enjoy the rest of your day and if it's practically over then....

Picture of the day: Kind of sneaking in early with this one! Tom, Linda, Joan and Martin and of course who else but TJ, wearing the green also!!
Thought for the day: "I am exploring for the first time in my life, the amazing wonderland known as senility!"