A Christmas tradition

It used to be that we would bundle the girls up at about 10:30 at night, throw them in car and drive a 1/2 hour to North Portal on the Canada/US border to see the "Canadian Pacific Railway Holiday train".

For those unfamiliar with the "CPRHT", it is a train that is decorated with thousands of Christmas lights.  It has a boxcar with a side that folds down revealing a stage from which various performers sing Christmas songs.  The purpose is to raise money and food for food banks (Admission to the show is a non-perishable food item).

Anyway, the train used to arrive very late in North Portal and (though it was sort of corny) it was a fun little outing.  Riding home at about midnight or 1 o'clock in a long stream of cars heading back to Estevan is one of my vivid memories of those nights as well.   The other big memory is of how cold we usually were..... it was always super frosty!!

In the last few years, the train as come right into Estevan.  Worse than that, it shows up at about 5 pm when the sun is still up.

The kids are older now and it is not a really big deal anymore.  The daylight and the fact that we don't have to make a trip out of it, changes it.

But it is still sort of corny..... and super cold (the girls could not feel there legs by the time it was done this year) ...... and it is still part of our Christmas tradition.   Here are a couple of quick pictures......

Ooops.... that ain't good!

To understand the following story, you have to understand three things......

1.  If you come to my (Tim's) office, you will find an old picture of our church members.  It was taken in about 1956 and I have it in my office to remind me that things were happening here long before I showed up (in other words, the world does not revolve around me).

2.  If you come to my office, you will also see an aluminum bat.  Why?  Because of "Crazy Santa" that is why!  My office is in the far back corner of the building and one day this old dude (who sort of looked like Santa) came in asking for money.  When I did not give him any he became quite upset and refused to leave.  Finally I threw him out (not literally.... he could have been the real Santa after all) and since that time I have had a bat in my office for just such an occasion (If he had stabbed me or something I would have laid there forever until Sari came looking for me so.....)

3.  You need to know that I NEVER sit down while I am on the phone..... especially at the office.  Why?  Well, if you keep moving the snipers can't get a good shot at you.  If you sit behind the desk and talk on the phone, they know right where to aim (Same reason you close your curtains at night..... don't let the snipers get a clean shot!!!!  Lessons learned in the hood!)

Put all three of those things together and you have today's lesson.......

My mom called this morning, so of course I got up to talk to her.  While I am visiting and walking around my office, I see the bat, so I pick it up and start throwing it in the air like a juggler would throw a bowling pin.

Somehow, which is very strange considering my massive juggling skills, the bat shot straight out of my hand..... flew about 10 feet across the room..... and smashed right into the middle of the 1956 picture of the church people.... smashing the glass into a million pieces.

Now, keep in mind, this is about the only picture in my office..... it was on the floor leaning against the bookshelf (because I had used it as an illustration of something in a class recently)...... and I am a very accomplished juggler (or so I tell myself).

The best part:  I acted like nothing even happened.  Just kept talking to my mom about Christmas like everything was fine.... started cleaning up the glass..... and then, while I am on my hands and knees on the floor I hear "hello" from behind me.   Here is a lady who used to go to our church.  She wants to drop clothes off for our clothing outlet and here I am talking on the phone, crawling on the floor, with a bat, cleaning up glass from the picture I just smashed (From the confused look on her face, I don't think she is coming back to worship with us any time soon).

The moral of the story:  I don't think bats like pictures of church people.

The question I am going to ask some of the old people at church from now on:  Why, in 1957, didn't people put glass in picture frames??????   This one doesn't have any!  :)

A Sari Picture

It was "Twin Day" at school so Sari and her buddy Melanie decided to dress alike in ugly Christmas sweaters.  When they could not find any that were "ugly" enough, they decided to make their own.  Hence a reindeer barfing Christmas stuff all over their sweaters.  Very nice!

As an added bonus, this sweater could be yours!!!   It could be your "parting gift"... stuffed in your suitcase or tossed into the back seat of your car only to be found after you get home!!!

Just another great reason to come and visit us this Christmas!!  :)

A bunch of pictures

Food safe course anyone?????? Christmas baking in progress

A look.... not sure what look but a look none the less

The traditional "Juggling of the Christmas tree ornaments".... a tradition that becomes more threatened with every passing year as there seems to be less and less ornaments for some reason

Write your own caption for this one (and include it in the comments section if you like)

The girls (one or the other) used to be the one to put the star on the tree and I used to have to lift them up to do it.... as you can see, that is no longer necessary

Another "look"

Random sky pic that Sari took

Now you may notice that there are no pics of Sari in this set.  There are two good reasons for that... 1.  She was taking most of the pics and 2. I have a really good picture of her to share - maybe tomorrow.  Stay tuned!!!  :)

I learned something today and a video

Today I learned that rocks are heavy (Not exactly a "scientific breakthrough" I know, but still something worth knowing).

Specifically, "1 inch thick Brazilian slate", as in the kind you find on a pool table, is heavy.

A buddy of mine bought a table and since I own him about 369048790 favors, I agreed to help him put it together today.

The first part was fun.... building the frame. Easy.... light.... nice!  The second part was good..... lunch!  The third part was where I should have left.

Who would think that it would take 4 guys (My buddy Dennis, me and two dudes who were at Dennis' house putting up a back splash in his kitchen) to carry a chunk of rock that is only 6 feet by 3 feet (the table is approximately 6 x 9 with the slate cut in 3 chunks), but it did!  Good thing it did not come as one entire sheet or he would have had to play pool in his garage (where the whole thing was unloaded by the trucker that hauled it to his house).

Many times I have said that Bible college should have offered courses in construction and furniture moving because I would have used those way more than I have used the Greek classes that I was forced to take.

That or at least they could have given us fake doctor's notes stating that we could not lift anything over 40 pounds..... one or the other.  :)
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Hey here is a song that I have heard on the radio a bunch recently but only just now looked up the video.   I like the words/idea of the song..... have a listen.

A Moment of Reflection

Christmas and the end of the year is usually a time of deep thinking and reflection for me.....

I hope the day never comes that I would be forced to choose between my family and potatoes.......I really like potatoes!   :)

(I don't really know what that means.... but I stole it from comedian Jim Gaffigan because I thought it was funny..... only I improved it..... I replaced "garlic toast" with "potatoes"..... a much more believable dilemma)

The Christmas tree adventure!!!????

On Monday night, I was out in my garage when Megan burst through the door and announced, "Mom says it is time to go get the tree!"

I assumed that meant that she and I were going to get the tree.  However, when I went inside the girls had their coats on too.

"We are all going?" I asked.

"Mom says we are" was the reply.

"What is wrong with you people?" the gentle mother of the family inquired.  "Of course you are all going!  Getting the Christmas tree is a family event.  It is tradition!!"

"Of course you know that we are just picking one out of a line-up and not happily marching through a beautiful forest in search of the perfect tree to cut down, right?" I asked.  "It is more like going to the police station and picking which guy stole your purse than it is some magical movie adventure."

"I know, but it is still tradition" she said and so off went.

On the way to the tree lot we discussed the fact that we ought to have cash with us just in case they did not take debit.  Since none of the females in my family carry cash and by default (because they steal all of it out of my wallet) neither do I.... we went to the drive through teller thing by Wal-Mart.

"This machine is being serviced" said the screen, so we made the trek all the way back across town to the bank (not that far in a small town but still......) and then back to the tree lot.

Did I mention that it was 8:30 at night and the temperature was -32 with a wind chill of - 84678943768943678467878436?????? 

So we jump out of the truck.  At the same time a guy from the Kinsmen comes out of his little sales shack.

"What do we need to know?" we ask.

"These are trees" he responds helpfully.

"How do we know which type is which?" we ask and begin to shiver.

"There are tags on the bottoms of them." 

This turns out to be true but terribly unhelpful information because at - 8463904869048360 no one is going to bother getting down on the ground to read anything that is tied to the bottom of a tree stuck in the snow.

At this point, because they are teen-agers and are allergic to warm winter clothing, the girls look only slightly warmer than the chickens in our deep freeze.  Fearing that they be frozen in place.... meaning that we will have to leave them in the tree lot until spring.... we decide to move things along.

Looking at the rows of trees, all bundled up and offering no clue as to their "fullness" or their "beauty", the decisive (and equally frozen) mother points at one tree and says, "We will take that one".

With that I grab the tree.... the girls run to the back of the truck.... Megan opened the door on the capper..... Katie opens the tailgate..... I come running around and toss the tree into the back like a mobster stuffing a body in the trunk of a car (I grew up in the hood remember)..... Sari paid the dude and away we went.

Tree shopping done in 38 seconds..... a new world record!!!!!

On the way home I asked why we did not buy a tree from "No Frills" (a "Superstore" subsidiary) because they were like $30 and we just paid $80.   Sari said that the ones at "No Frills" were only 5 to 6 feet tall.   The one we bought was 6-7 feet tall.

"So we paid $50 extra dollars for an extra foot of tree that will likely be too tall when we get the angel on it and have to cut it off anyway?"

"Yes!"

"Oh good!"

It is tradition after all!  :)

It is an "Island Baby"!!!!

Check out this video of a new island being formed off the coast of Japan.  Very interesting!

PS.  "25 Blogs till Christmas" is about to start.... tune in for all the..... whatever it is that you find here.  :)

Ummm - Maybe I Need Some Help!

I am not exactly why, but ever since I was a kid, I have been interested in the JFK assassination.  I have read books about it.  I have seen the news reports and I have watched the "Zapruder film" countless times..  I saw the movie "JFK".  I even went to Dealey Plaza in Dallas (the site of the shooting) and have toured the museum in the former "Texas School Book Depository" building. 

The 50th anniversary is coming up (it happened on November 22, 1963) and so there are tons of specials TV specials coming out in the next few weeks.  Yesterday I recorded one called "JFK: The smoking gun".

Since I was busy and hanging out with friends all day yesterday, I did not start watching this show until 11:30 last night.  Two hours later, I was TOTALLY FREAKED OUT!!!   You see, I am home alone....  Sari and the kids are in Dauphin..... and the house is very creaky and dark at 1:40 in the morning.

Now you may be thinking "Come on!  You are like 44 years old!!  This happened like 50 years ago.  You weren't even born then!!  Why would it bother you????"

Let me just say...... maybe my imagination is too active..... or maybe watching 45 replays of someone getting shot is not the most calming thing to do before going to sleep (very rarely have I seen that as a recommendation on the lists of "How to get a better night's sleep")

Now - I am not trying to make light of this.  Even if it was 50 years ago, it is still a sad and scary event.

But I think it brought back some other things I obsessed too much as a kid.  Like watching Canadian Formula 1 drive Gilles Villeneuve die in a wreck in Belgium (I watched that so many times I could hardly sleep for 3 or 4 nights that time).... or President Reagan getting shot (I was in grade 7 then and I could draw you a map of where everyone was and how they got hit - including James Brady Reagan's Press secretary who also was hit and survived).... or the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger (I was at home sick that morning - watching something on TV - when they broke in with that news).

I am not sure why I am drawn to big, tragic stuff like this (any free psychoanalysis here in the comments section would be appreciated), but I know this.......

I am not watching another JFK thing unless someone is in the house with me.  :(

It is only "slightly used"

So, here is my latest project.... a 1974 (or 75... the guy was not sure).... Suzuki 185 dual sport, two stroke.  I won't tell you what I paid, but lets just say that the gas to go out to Alameda and back to pick it up likely cost as much as the bike itself.

Dude said it ran when he put it in the barn 8  years ago.... we will see I guess.

If you want to be the "proud" owner of this beauty when she is finished, contact me now and I will make sure it gets painted to your liking.  :)

Hmmmm - this doesn't seem right to me!

Sari sent this to me today..... is she hinting at something????? I cannot tell! :)

credit Penny Pelot.

Official Rules
Rule #1: National men make dinner day is always celebrated on the first Thursday of each November.

Rule #2: Man agrees to participate in national men make dinner day. Bonus points if he does so without seeking promise of night out with boys in return.

Rule #3: Man, completely un-aided, chooses a 'published' recipe from any source, or Internet. Getting the recipe from 'her' cookbooks is allowed, but man gets bonus points if the recipe isn't already somewhere in the house.

Rule #4: Main meal must include minimum of 4 ingredients and require at least one cooking utensil other than a fork

Rule #5: Man goes shopping for 'all' necessary ingredients. Bonus points if he takes inventory of cupboards and fridge first, before shopping trip. So you don't end up with two 64 ounce jars of pickled pimentos.

Rule #6: Man organizes all necessary ingredients in order of importance on kitchen counter. At this point, he may need to make a phone call or shout out the word 'honey'! Followed by a question. This is not allowed.

Rule #7: Man may, if desired, turn on radio or his favourite CD. Man agrees not to be within 30 feet of TV remote during cooking process. At this point, spouse and any other family members should not be anywhere near kitchen. (unless smoke detector goes off!)

Rule #8: Following recipe carefully, man starts to cook dinner! Apron is optional, (bonus points if recipe includes one of the following : capers, saffron, or the word 'scallopini').

Rule #9: Man must use the 'clean as he goes along' rule! Following each completed use of utensils, cookware, half-used jars of anything, spice bottles, etc., everything is rinsed, cleaned and put away

Rule #10: Man sets table, candles are lit, beverages are poured, no ketchup bottles, sour cream containers, or big boxes of salt on table.

Rule #11: Spouse and/or family members are served! This is an opportune time for a photo. Man is 'allowed' to gloat no more than three times during the meal. Family is encouraged to congratulate man on job well done. Family dog is not allowed to be secretly fed man's cooking.

Rule #12: After meal, table is cleared by man, dishwasher is loaded. Man returns to table for stimulating after-dinner conversation. At this point, man is told how much his meal was appreciated. He, in turn, describes the joys and challenges of the experience. He is given a hug, and his TV remote is returned to him.

Sari at "We Day" in S'toon

We Day once again an amazing time. 15000 inspired teens in one place and seeing them 'get' being the change. Got to hear Martin Luther King  3rd and cried through his whole speech. Beautiful.

Sari coaching Volleyball

Thanks to Susanna for the picture (even though I did not ask if I could use it)  :)

My Style is Catching On!!!!!!

I have news for all you "haters" out there.... you know who you are.... you who used to think that I knew nothing about fashion or what was/is cool...... guess what???????

I was invited to do a "fashion talk" at one of the local schools tonight!  Me!!  Not Sara..... Tim!!!!   A talk about how to dress!!!!  Can you believe that????

Ok - it was actually a class about "How to dress for winter"....... and it was to a group of "newcomers" to our country...... some of whom - admittedly - did not really speak or understand English all that well..... and some of whom - admittedly - didn't have a choice (they have to be there for the residency stuff), but never-the-less...... I am counting it!!!

So if you see "the Tim look" sweeping Estevan, don't be surprised!

They seemed especially taken with the long underwear onesy that I showed them! (Though I am not sure that they understood that it is to be worn "under" your other stuff..... so if you see people wearing their long underwear on the outside.... they may be my students!!!)

But - hey - a signature look is all you need!  Soon everyone will be doing it and you will know who to thank! 

Making my mark on the world, one step at a time! :)

Good Advice!

Keep your own counsel and don't be overly attentive to the opinions of others.  High praise can cultivate and inflated ego.  Heeding negative criticism can destroy your self-confidence.  So form no attachment to external commentary - good or bad. 

In a similar vein, never compare yourself with others.  You are on your own journey

Costumes......

Lucy from "The Chronicles of Naria"

Megan from "The Chronicles of Estevan" (along with her nerdy friend Tayler)

And, of course, Mary and Katelyn Poppins.....

The girls did their own costumes this year..... and I think they looked Super.... califragilisticexpialidocious!  :)
 

One more GBS video (not the best quality but interesting song/harmonies)

A Great Date Night That Costs Nothing!!!!

Sari and I just had the best "Date night" ever and it was super cheap!!  Here is how you can do the same......

1.  Have some very nice friends give you, as your Christmas gift, a free night at the spa in Moose Jaw.  This should include both the jacuzzi tub for two (with the rubber ducky that sits on the edge of the tub) and the breakfast for two the next morning!  For all the times we have been to Moose Jaw (of course my family lives there) we have never been to the spa so that was super nice!

2.  Go out for a nice supper (unfortunately you will have to pay for this part).

3.  Get your wife to win tickets on the radio to the "Great Big Sea" concert that is in town.  Go.... yell.... scream.... cheer.... jump up and down.... act like an idiot and have a great time (just because it is a ton of fun.... more about this in a minute).  Stand for the entire show!!

4.  Watch all the interesting people around you like the guy two rows ahead who knows and sings every word to every song (literally) and the girl with the long blonde hair who is "Irish Step Dancing" in the aisle. 

5.  Make sure the band plays for over an hour in the first set.... does an intermission.... comes back and plays for another hour plus..... goes off.... comes back for an encore and does two songs.... leaves....then comes back for a second encore!! 

6.  Make sure that the band tells some funny stories and sings a good mix of their songs and some of the old Irish drinking songs..... both with each of them playing several different instruments and also singing acappella in a way that I have never heard before!  Amazing! (More later on this too).

7.  After concert.... go back to hotel...... make up your own details here.

8.  Breakfast in the morning..... visit some family..... head to Regina and shop and bit and then come home after supper.

Now - granted - it may be hard to arrange the free room, breakfast and concert tickets.... but I highly recommend it.   It was a great getaway!!!!  :)

PS.  We have liked GBS for a long time.... but we have never seen them in concert and therefore have been unaware of how incredible they are live.  Not only do each of the guys play several instruments each, but they do several acappella numbers with super tight harmonies and rumbling bass lines.  Growing up in church, both Sari and I have heard tons of acappella singing and acappella groups.... but their are very few - if any - that match these guys.  Even in a big arena with so-so sound, they were really impressive.  Here is a sample (though not done quite as well as last night eve).  Listen for the bass line.  Sari liked that best!!!

PPS.  This is the set from last night too.

PPPS.  I had never heard this song before and I really liked the sound and the harmonies.  Enjoy!

Who doesn't love Minions????

Challenge Day

Today I (TKP) spent the day at the high school taking part in "Challenge Day".

Challenge Day is an "good self-esteem/anti-bullying" program that is presented to the grade 9 students at the Comp in the hope that if you change how they see people in their first year, it will change how their entire high school experience goes.


It is a highly intense day.... both physically and emotionally.  Physically because the theory is that more silly and fun you can be at the start, the better chance that the kids will open up at the end of the day.  Therefore, the day starts very loudly with games and "bad dance moves" (I excelled at that).... by the end of the day, kids are talking about stuff.... crying.... hugging.... apologizing to others.... and generally dealing with things they haven't talked about much before. 

 Two facilitators from California come in to do the presentation and they are aided by approximately 25 adult volunteers and a handful of older students who have been through the program before.  Sara and I have participated in the first two years it was here..... I did it today..... Megan is helping out with it tomorrow.


It is a very cool program and if you ever get the chance to participate.... go do it.  Just make sure you get lots of sleep first!