Random thoughts (3 of 30)

- I am going to miss the Olympics... but I am going to be glad to get off the couch and get my life back (What's that????? The Brier starts next week - huh! There goes a few more weeks!)

- For the most part, I liked the closing ceremonies. I really like the bands at the end - it would have been a hoot to be on the dance floor for that show (And you know that I would have got on TV when I pulled out all my "White prairie boy" moves... I mean - come on - I have danced and sang with HOJA now, so I figure the Olympics must be the next step)

- I watched a thing on "Oasis HD" called "Urban Wild" - it is about animals that live in big cites.... what varieties live there... how they survive etc. This show was about New York - so they showed a lot of Central Park and Manhattan etc..... I AM GOING! Not this summer (I think it is booked up) but I am going to New York... soon! (Just so you know).

- We had a really good day at church today - a super discussion in Bible class this morning. Really really interesting and good. I threw out a bunch of scriptures and challenged people to "Be the preachers" and make the application to themselves - wow! If we do even a 1/4 of what we talked about (in terms of attitude and how we see the world) things will be great! Just a really encouraging morning.

- It was nice to have my mom and her husband here this weekend - it was nice to see them.

- Looking forward to the week - March right? Spring is coming!!!! I did some work on my Motorcycle the other day, so that got me happily looking ahead. I want a summer where the average temp is 35 degrees. A super scorcher!!! I am tired of these rainy, cold summers of the past couple of years. Bring on Global warming and turn up the heat!!! WOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! :)

- Ok - I think I ran out of real thoughts about two points ago so..... good night! :)

Full Day (2 of 30)

I spent most of today in Weyburn today.... we had a camp board meeting. The meeting itself was sort of "run of the mill" - but I am getting really excited about getting back out to the camp and working. For a while I was getting a little burnt out on the camp stuff (too many weekends out there) but I am ready to go again... just waiting for spring.


When I got home, my mom and my Step-dad were in town - so we hooked up with them, went out for supper and now just visiting before going to bed. It is nice to have them around.


So - a little more Olympics, check my lessons for tomorrow and off to bed.


PS. Apparently I need to get my phone line checked because no agents have called me yet to offer me a recording contract (see post below if you do not know what I am talking about).... maybe it is taking them a long time to write that many zeros on the contract offer.... :)

Move over Tim McGraw (1 of 30)

So we went to a concert tonight.... an acappella group named "Hoja" was in town for a "Koncert for Kids" show. They sing a lot of old songs (sort of like "The Nylons")... it was fun. Way better than I expected. If you listen to them on "Youtube" they do not sound very good - but that is just bad recording... Live - in person - they are very good.

Anyway.... they do this Tim McGraw song called "Something like that" and before the song they said, "There is a guy out here that did not look too into the show when we started... but then he started to clap.... then sing.... we need some help so....." As the guy came into the audience I thought, "Keep walking" - but of course I would not be writing this if he did keep going.

So I had to go on stage.... learn the moves... sing a part..... the video is not me (obviously) - it is not even the same group members (they change once in a while) but this is what I had to do..... only I did it better!

I have now been on the big stage and I earned my first paycheck for singing (they gave me a free CD) - so look out Tim McGraw.... your time in over! :)

It is on - again

I am missing the constant pressure to come up with something to blog about (I like the challenge - and it spares Sari from having to listen to all my drivel if I subject you all to it on here) so....... Starting tomorrow..... 30 more blogs in 30 days (or there about).

So - if you are missing the totally useless stuff that you have been finding here for the past month.... you are in luck. Otherwise.... I am sorry!

Just to get us tuned up to go again..... my favorite joke from a guy I saw on "Just for Laughs" the other day.....
_____

(Read this with a thick Brooklyn accent)

A guy asked me the other day how old I was - I told him 43. He looked at me and said, "Huh, you seem way younger than that". I told him that is because I read at a 3rd grade level! :)

Just b/c I think she is funny

I was trying to think of the name of my favorite comedienne the other night and I could not come up with it for the longest time.... then it came to me.... Rita Rudner.

I don't know - I just think she is funny - usually very clean and very witty - so I looked up a couple of her videos. These ones are very old (and poorly recorded) but they were much shorter than the other ones.... so here is a taste - you can "google" her name if you want to see more. Enjoy! :)

Ps. Yes - the fact that she does her act in a ball gown most of the time - as I think all women should dress all of the time - helps her cause! :)





Two extra jokes from one time when I saw her on "Just for Laughs".....

1.
"Men and women see things very differently. When my husband talks to his buddies about his car he says stuff like... it has a V-8 with 450 horsepower and 500 foot pounds of torque"
(To a man in the front row) "Sir... what is your name? Dave??? Ok .... Dave, I want you to ask me what kind of car I drive"
(Man responds) "What kind of car do you drive?"
"I drive a white one Dave!"

2.
"I have realized that men and women are very different. We just got a puppy. I taught it some tricks. I called my husband in and said, 'Look, when I tell him to beg he gets up on his hind legs and barks'. I went to the store and came back and my husband says, 'Look Honey I taught the dog a new trick - watch - when I put him on the roof and light his tail on fire he jumps into the pool!'"

(Ok - it is funnier if you imagine it being told in a ball gown!) :)

Ironic?

Has anyone else noticed how ironic it is that the Olympics are supposed to promote things like sport and fitness..... and yet I have sat on my couch and watched more TV in the last week than I have in the last year????

Watching all these other people exercise is making me fat and lazy. :)


PS. You know you live in a small town when you order $100 of motorcycle parts and you come home to find that the parcel delivery guy simply left the package on your front step..... carefully hidden behind the 10 inch tall fake plant that is out there. Yep - no one can steal it now!

PPS. Sari and Katie are home - tired but home. :)

Bowling Update

Even though I had one game of 200 - one of my best games ever (I lucked out and threw three strikes in a row) - Megan hung tough and came back to tie it at a game a piece..... I then went up by one game and then Megan won the fourth one. So in the end we had each on 2 games and lost 2 games. Pretty good - I was trying hard by she was just pretty consistent. Way to go Mumpy! :)

Megan's excellent adventure (30 of 30)

So Sari and Katie are gone and it is a beautiful Saturday afternoon..... "What to do?" (As my East Indian buddy Tom used to say).

My decision..... we are going hiking.... but not just any hiking.... extreme hiking!!! So we drove down to Woodlawn and walked at least 3 miles or so in deep snow..... over 3 hours..... it was beautiful and fun. Megan and I had a great visit.... climbed hills..... threw snowballs.... watched the dog run.... it was great!!! Just goes to show that not all fun things cost money.

Megan and Murphy on the trail

In Woodlawn Park


Monkey in a tree

Down on the River

Megan liked the air bubbles in the ice

Half way to where we were going - from a big hill - the truck is way back there - somewhere

River shot #2

Megan - a little tuckered (This is about 1/2 way through - I thought I was going to have to carry her home - or leave her out there with the cougars....... that last comment was the one that got her up and going again!) :)

Going bowling tonight.... she thinks she will get revenge by beating me at that.... after a bit of a nap. :)

PS. You will note that I have done "30 blogs in 30 days" - but I am not done yet.... keep checking as I am going to keep going.... it is sort of a habit now so......

Well that ended with a whimper... and a bit more FB wisdom (29 of 30)

The Estevan Bruins' season is over.... at least at home anyway (they have one more "away" game left). Played Weyburn tonight, lost 3-2. Several chances to tie in the last couple of seconds... could not get it done.... sort of an appropriate ending considering the rest of the season. Oh well - at least Megan won a gift certificate to a coffee house in the free draw tonight!

Now I am going to have to find something else to do until the Speedway opens in May. :(


Facebook wisdom: You may have seen this before.... I saw it the other day one someone's status line (yes - I still hate FB and I am still "lurking" or "creeping" on Sari's)...... it said......


"Women are angels. And when someone breaks our wings, we simply continue to fly ... on a broomstick. We're flexible like that."


Must be a lot of broken wings out there...... I am just saying! :)

Americans are funny - and other things (28 of 30)

Here are a couple of funny videos from NBC..... one about Biggar, Sk and then one about "Eh". They are only about 3 or 4 minutes long - but they are sort of funny - enjoy!

PS. Note in the one report that Wayne Gretzky is tagged as being an "Ice Hockey Legend". They should do a report about Americanisms and start with "Ice Hockey" :)

In other news:
Megan and I were driving to the church building today (she was going to watch videos while I worked) and as we drove by Murray GM a big, flatbed car hauling truck started pulling out right in front of us. I hit the brakes - if I had not the dude would have run right into the side of my truck.... so I HHHHHOOOOOONNNNNNKKKKK my horn and shake my fist at the guy..... he then proceeds to continue across two more lanes of traffic (just missing two more vehicles) and then ploughs up into the snowbank in front of the apartment building across the street.... that is when I realize that the truck had no driver!!! Someone had left the truck running..... without putting on the emergency brake.

So I turned in the GM lot - found my salesman buddy Trevor and said, "Hey do you know where the McKenzie towing guys are - their run away truck just about hit me". He said, "Well.... I am not sure. Oh ..... wait..... maybe those two guys are the ones you are looking for". Look out the window and here are two 20 year old kids looking around like they lost something.... finally the see the truck on the other side of the street.... race over... jump in..... pull out of the snowbank and take off.

I saw them at their house 2 hours later - I was going to stop and tell them how lucky they were not to have hit me or anyone else..... but I suspect they already knew.

Coasting in.... is that a problem? (27 of 30)

So it just struck me.... I am EASILY going to complete "30 blogs in 30 days" (in fact, it will likely continue past the 30 mark)...... so here is the sad part......

That means that I have been in Estevan for over a month.... I mean.... I haven't gone anywhere!!! Now that would not be so bad if Estevan was a hotbed of activity and craziness similar to Whistler but......

In fact, it is even worse than that...... if you discount Christmas and a trip to Dauphin for my mother-in-law's retirement party..... I have not been out of town for months. Oh sure - the odd camp meeting in Weyburn for the day or something...... but I mean a "hotel/swimming pool/lounging in the hot tub/go look at bikes in the motorcycle shop" weekend get-away even..... I can't remember the last one. I think I was in Minot last spring.... maybe.

Now - this has nothing to do with the fact that Sari and Katie went to Winnipeg for a few days last week and then left again today for a 5 day ladies winter retreat (ok - "almost nothing to do with it") :)

When I first moved here and was single - I went somewhere at least every third weekend (every other if I could manage it). A gym bag, a $100 a full tank of gas = Road trip!!!!

Anyway - I am not pouting or complaining - I am just saying, "Wow - I have been 'storm stayed' here for months" and that is crazy......... it is time for a "jail break".

Suggestions? Offers too good to resist????

Maybe the party is not over.... (26 of 30)

Have you ever hung around after a hockey game..... the rink is almost empty.... there is no one on the ice..... there are empty popcorn bags, 50-50 tickets that did not win, a program or two scattered about under the seats.... from all the evidence, something fun happened, but you know for sure that it is over. Then you step outside into the cold air and freeze all the way to your truck before driving home......

Well my "empty rink/stuff under the seats/cold air in the face" moment happened this morning. Lenny and his family are back home - the "Festival" is over - the girls and Sari are still sleeping...... and I am getting up for work! :(

Somehow - that seems a little unfair! I mean - come on - I stayed up later than all of them getting my "Lenny party on" (Ok - that sounded stupid - I promise I will never use that again).... and yet I am the one that has to get up, get dressed and head out while they snore and slumber.

But you know what????? It was not all that bad. I did have a lot of fun this past weekend. I had a really productive day - I got more done than I thought I might and I even found some time to read a couple of chapters in a book that I am enjoying (I did not think I would get to do that with this shortened week), so that was not so bad.

Then tonight I had coffee with a guy who wanted to talk to me. He wanted to talk to me about his marriage - it is not good - has not been for a long time. He is not sure what to do - or what will happen - and he is frustrated in a way that I can't relate to in terms of personal experience.

That kinda put my day in perspective (again). Sure the party of the weekend is over and it is "back to work" day, but I have a job that I enjoy. I work with people that I care about. I have a family (both immediate and extended - including in-laws) that I love and who love me...... so maybe it is alright that some of them get to sleep in when I don't.

I may even get up tomorrow without whining (we will see) :)

Closing Ceremonies and a few other things (25 of 30)

So the "Festival du Lennys" closing ceremony has taken place. It began (as it started) with the traditional "eating of Bacon" (with this being part of both the opening and the closing ceremonies - we don't expect the Festival participants to make it past the age of 55 - but we will have enjoyed our time anyway)... then the Lennymobile was boarded and all that was left was the dream of next year's Festival.

We had thought that we were going to get to drown our sorrows with a visit from "Cirque du Mooneys" - but unfortunately our tickets got cancelled (apparently a few of the performers needed naps, etc)...... so we made up for that by doing something that I have wanted to do for a long time..... we went and played hockey at our local outdoor rink.

It was great! A beautiful day... Nice sunshine... The sound of skates cutting ice and sticks hitting pucks... Us laughing and having a good time.... And I ended up with way better looking "hockey buddies" than I get when I go play rec hockey. :)


A few pictures to remember the day by......

Here is Megan getting ready to high stick anyone who takes the puck from her

Katie showing that she can be equally as intimidating

Sari looking happy about getting ready to "high stick" me

The action was intense

The "before" shot.....

Then the violence started (what is a hockey game without a good scrap?)

Sari during a break

A "team picture"

Post game in the locker room - waiting for the TSN interviews.

PS. When trying to show off to your girls it would be wise to check the ice for various cracks, holes, etc. I was showing them how fast I could skate with the puck - then I passed it off to Megan - turned to see what happened - caught an edge in a crack - fell and smashed my elbow into the ice and bent my wrist back really badly. Some may say that I should be smarter than that now that I am over 40 - but I did the same thing on an outdoor rink when I was 28 (ish).... only that time I banged the back of my head on the ice too. Oh well - as the song says, "The Chicks Dig it!" :)

Festival du Lennys - Day 2 (24 of 30)

It was a treacherous day....

The traditional "Festival du Lennys" includes several events including... going to a Bruins game, tobogganing and watching the Daytona 500.

We took care of the Bruins game last night.

This afternoon, in spite of -25 wind chills, we went on to the tobogganing event (sponsored by the "Estevan Chiropractic Centre" - or at least it should have been). Both of those things were great fun..... it was the 500 that caused us trouble.

I "PVR"ed the race - so went we got back from sledding, Lenny I sat down to watch it. To make a long story short, the PVR crashed at lap 63 out of 200..... so I reset it and tried again - crashed. Again... crashed. That is when I called the Sasktel help line.

Now, I have to start this section of the story by apologizing to "Neil the Help Desk dude".... he was nice and tried to help. Did a disc check over the phone and he said that they were able to find a fault on the hard drive, so they fixed it. Then he said, "That may allow you to watch the end of the race.... but maybe not".

By the way he said "Maybe not" I knew that he meant, "Not a chance - but I am going to get you to hang up with some hope so that you do not get mad at me" - that didn't work out so well for him!

I launched off (nicely) into a description of how "disappointed" I was at the fact that the ONLY THING THIS PVR IS DESIGNED TO DO IS TO FLAWLESSLY RECORD IMPORTANT THINGS LIKE THE DAYTONA 500... and how I was pretty sure that BELL (Yes I did - I said the "B" word to a Sasktel guy) would be glad to prove to me that their system actually works..... "So how are you going to compensate me for this?" (or something like that) was my last question (I did not yell at poor Neil - in fact I told him that I would not yell at him and that I knew it was not his fault - but he was left with the impression - in no uncertain terms - of how serious it is to mess with the events of the "Festival du Lennys"!! (Ya don't want to try swimming in cement shoes - If you know what I mean)

Anyway - that recording was lost - but fortunately the race ran overtime and I had thought ahead and recorded whatever was on after the race - just in case it did go over time.... so in the end we got to see the last 78 laps, we saw the winner's interview (which was really nice - google it - it was cool) and got in all we needed to see.... with 14 minutes to spare on the recording!

So "All's well that ends well" - except for Sasktel who may owe me a month of free programing (and a different PVR) - don't mess with the "Festival" people... we are not known as the most "even keeled" family in the world! :)

Festival du Lennys - Day one (23 of 30)

Day one is complete... here is a review of the events.....

- Cook and eat 30 pounds of Bacon for brunch (mmmm - bacon)

- Watch some of the Olympics - make rude comments about athletes who could kick our cans without even having to stretch first (and those are just the girls)

- Go to Peavey Mart and receive free gifts from my manager buddy (Seriously - hats and shirts... why???? Just because.... )

- Out to Adam and Trinda's new house, run into him on the road - get grand tour

- Back home and watch the Nationwide stock car race from Daytona

- To the Bruins' game with all the kids - were given spongy pucks (would rather have won the $529 dollar 50/50 draw - but spongy pucks are fun too)

- Back home - more Olympics

- Stay up till 1:15 watching truck race from Daytona (this decision may come back to haunt me tomorrow morning if my brain refuses to work in any coherent fashion)


So every time Lenny comes we get free stuff - hockey tickets, toques, pucks and shirts one year - spongy pucks and hats and shirts today..... I can hardly wait for tomorrow (NEW MOTORCYCLE.... NEW MOTORCYCLE.... NEW MOTORCYCLE!!!) :)

A totally different Festival (22 of 30)

So Sari and Katie are home from the "Festival du Voyageur" in Winnipeg.... and now we are just starting the "Festival du Lennys". My brother Kurt (aka Lenny) and his family have made a tradition of coming to see us on the "Family day long weekend". We will likely go sledding - we are planning to go to a hockey game - we will watch lots of racing from Daytona..... I will keep you all updated - but I am looking forward to it lots! :)

Me, Mumpy and some other stuff (21 of 30)

Katelyn and Sari are in Winnipeg tonight - the french club from school went to the "Festival du Voyageur" (Sari is chaperoning) - so that just leaves Me and Mumpy (Megan).

Every February Sari goes to a Ladies' retreat thing and in the past couple of years Katie has gone with her - leaving just Me and Mumpy...... and I really look forward to that.

Don't get me wrong - I miss the other two (that sounded sincere hey.... "I miss the other two - whatever their names are") - but normally Mumpy is a little more quiet - a little more reserved - a little more in the background. However, for one weekend each year (and this year it has become two weekends in a row because of the Winnipeg trip) it is just me and her..... and you can guess who is in charge.

Tonight we went for supper at Boston Pizza - it was a really nice and fun date. Everyday I get to hear a lot about what is going on at school etc, but it is really nice to have just that "one on one" time. We went shopping for some Valentine's Day stuff for a friend of her's that is feeling lonely (don't worry - the friend is not a boy - that would be a whole other thing).

She could go to the retreat this year too - but she is choosing to stay home - partially because she thinks that the talks would be boring, but also because she wants to hang out with me (she already has swimming, bowling and more eating out on the sched).

Every year at this time I think that I need to individually date my girls more - someone hold me to that and remind me that I think that is a good idea. Thanks!


PS. I don't want to be too overly dramatic here (because we all know that is not my style).... but I think Sari is trying to assassinate me!!! I felt like was going to die last night!!! My head hurt - my body ached - I could not sleep - my nose was running..... and then Sari leaves town so that she is not here when they find the body (less suspicious that way right?) So I sent her a text today and told her not to spend the life insurance check just yet because I think that I may just pull through. She called me tonight and asked "How are you feeling?"..... I think she sounded a little disappointed when I said "better". I am not accusing her of poisoning my food last night or anything, I am just saying.... if something bad happens to me, make sure her next husband doesn't waste all my money going to Starbucks - I HATE STARBUCKS!!!! A Venti latte ...... it is a "Large" you idiot!!! And no coffee should cost $4.75.... I am not interested in making all the payments on some jerk owner's BMW here - I just want a coffee!!!! OK??????


PPS. I am deeply disappointed that no one has watched and commented on the video below - you are missing out (though thanks for the "Oasis" responses).

Simon Cowell/American Idol Judge - Part 3 (20 of 30)

This was so much fun the first few times, I have another video for you to watch and rate (American Idol style). This one is "Valentine's Day" themed too - so have a look and fire away with the reviews including a "number out of 10" rating (Please also note how much of the video that you watched - I am betting most people will not make it past the one minute and 23 seconds mark - nothing special happens at that point - it is just a guess) :)

PS. See the "Oasis" post below and add your comments there too if you like - I think that is interesting.

My Oasis (19 of 30)

So I am not feeling well tonight. I am tired - a little achy - I have the sniffles - and I am wrung out. Out of ideas for sermons and classes. Out of energy for people and problems - I am just "blah".

So it was almost time to go to bed when I switched the TV to Sari's favorite channel "Oasis" and a show called "My Oasis" came on. The premise.... people from all over Canada talk about their favorite place to "get away" or to get "recharged". A guy in Quebec City talked about sitting on the roof of a museum above the crowded streets below. A girl in Northern BC took us skiing in deep powder on a mountain. A guy in New Brunswick talked about fly fishing on a river. A man from Tofino likes to kayak to the adjacent islands. A computer geek in Ottawa has a home observatory where he spends countless hours looking at the stars. (I noticed that for some reason they kept skipping over Estevan. What's up with that????)

So - that got me thinking.... Where would you take that show? What is "Your Oasis"? What is the best place on the planet to you and why? Give me one specific spot. I think that would be interesting - so give it a shot.

Me - I would choose..... one of three....

1. Crescent Park (in Moose Jaw) A little bit of nature right in the city - ducks in the creek - flowers, trees and green grass everywhere - people walking together on a nice summer night

2. Buffalo Pound Provincial Park (20 minutes from MJ). That was the place my family (mom, brother, sister, grandparents, uncles, everyone) went camping every summer. We climbed hills - played in the ravine - swam in the lake got lost in the trees - play football on the grass - went to the store (that is still there) for fudge sickles. I bet I have a story about almost every inch of that park.

3. Kenosee Lake (North east of Estevan where our Bible camp is) I used to associate Kenosee with work - we have spent many Saturdays building and repairing things at the camp - but I also associate it with tons of stars in the sky while canoeing across the lake at midnight (just for fun) - quiet trails - nights around the campfire. Not the best lake - but a nice place.

Back to the TV show..... One guy was from Orillia, Ontario and he had a rustic cabin right on the shores of Lake Simco. I could have gone there right now. Quiet, secluded, water lapping the shore - wow!

The other day I saw pictures of the newest national park (it is in Labrador)... big lakes, mountains, trees and nothingness. That would be nice too.

Take me somewhere where I can climb, canoe and see the stars - that would be a good start!

What about you? Do you have an Oasis?????

A More Serious Thought (18 of 30)

(Just to prove I can think more deeply than what this blog mostly portrays)

It has been an odd day.... a day that was full of reminders to me. It has been a day where I spent some time with two grown men whose dad passed away suddenly last week. Even though these guys are in their 40s and their Dad was in his 80's, he was still their Dad. They are handling things very well, but they were close to him and nothing is quite the same now. I am going to the funeral tomorrow because I know the boys, one of the sisters, a grand daughter, a couple of the great grand-daughters and I knew the man himself. He was fun! Always had a story to tell - many about riding motorcycles. In fact, he just bought a 3 wheeled motorcycle last fall. It was always fun to run into Manfred in the coffee shop and I will miss seeing him.

When I left those boys, I went to the hospital where my step-dad's brother is awaiting a room in nursing home. Diagnosed with cancer last fall, Albert has been in and out of hospital in Regina and here for the past several months. I was not sure that he would remember me, but when I woke him up he knew who I was and started talking my ear off! It was nice. He told me not to live to 85 years because that is too old.... but he said it with a smile (as he teased the nurses and acted just maybe a little worse off than he was - he got a little more attention that way). Albert looked better than I thought he might, more lively and more - well - like Albert - and that was good.

I came home thinking about those two visits and (not to get too melodramatic) how lucky I am to be right here, right now. We are in a good place. There are no big threats to our health and happiness. Everything is good - maybe not perfect - but good.

One day we will look back on today and wish we could live it again. Today reminded me that I better live it now - even (or maybe "especially") if that means just appreciating the little blessings that I enjoy - because it may not be this way forever.