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The Poppy

November is the month that we start to see Canadians wearing poppies. Loyal Legion members and volunteers sit at tables in stores and malls with a box of poppies and a donation box. Millions of Canadians pin one on their lapel or hat as a visual symbol of remembrance. It shows respect and gratitude to honor servicemen and women who served, suffered or died in the two world wars and in Korea. It is now extended to the Afghanistan War and subsequent peacetime missions.  I was a little surprised when I googled the history of the poppy. Surprised, in that if I did know the history, I had forgotten. More probable is the fact; I didn't know the entire story. "In Flanders Fields" was written by Canadian physician, Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. He was inspired to write it on May 3, 1915, after presiding over the funeral of his friend and fellow solider Alexis Heler. While McCrae performed the service, he noticed how poppies quickly grew around the graves of those who died at Yp...
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November Again!

November is my birthday month, and it is also my favorite month of the year. I am not sure if everyone loves their birthday month, but I am really fond of mine. I read that November is often associated with the transition of seasons and the beauty of autumn. It can be summer, fall and winter all in the same month. For those born in November, it is a month that carries with it the mystery of fall, the falling of leaves, and the serenity of the impending winter.  I spent several hours driving yesterday. I watched the moon go down and the sun come up. I saw the mist rise on the river in the early morning. There was very little activity in the fields, only 2 combines going. Most of the crops are either in the bins or left as they aren't worth combining. There are still lots of dry corn fields waiting for that "hard frost" to be taken off. It was 11 degrees just before the sun set at 6:30. What a perfect way to close out October and for the kids to enjoy Halloween.  This year ...
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Four Fallen Soldiers

A Canadian "Fallen Soldier" is a member of the Canadian Armed Forces who died while serving their country, often during war, military operation, or peacekeeping mission. On October 17th a fast-moving fire swept through a Canadian Armed Forces training area at Wainwright, Alberta. Because of that fire, four young men lost their lives and are now officially referred to and honored as Canadian Fallen Soldiers.     The unit was known as Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. It had 84 members in their unit. They were conducting live-fire training in preparation for an upcoming deployment to Latvia.  Most soldiers were throwing hand grenades on a range, while 10 others were conducting a simulated attack exercise.  They were on the range and had been monitoring a grass fire roughly 1 km away for several hours, which they felt was non-threatening. At 4:00 pm an incoming cold front introduced violent wind gusts up to 100/km that ins...
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Socks

For many people socks are meaningless. They are either black or white, and they are in a drawer, until the time they are to be worn. I have a far deeper feeling for my socks. I enjoy socks, when I put them on it is like giving my feet a hug. I am someone that spends most of her inside hours in bare feet, all year long. My socks are worn when I leave home and are rarely worn when I am in my home.   I was delighted when I found this interesting fact about socks. Socks are more than a practical item; they carry symbolic meanings of comfort, protection, and affection. When you give a gift of socks it shows that you care about the recipient's well-being, offering physical warmth and emotional reassurance. Cozy or high-quality socks can make the recipient feel cared for, while quirky or personalized designs can bring joy and laughter, highlighting a playful or humorous connection.  Specialty socks are becoming very popular. Currently, the Waves of Hope team are selling what we ...
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Here's the Deal

"Here's the Deal" is an idiom that means "this is the situation" or "this is how it stands" or "let me explain how things are". It allows us to state our opinion with a flashy line leading into it. For some reason I enjoy saying, "here's the deal", and evidently writing about it. Well, it's no secret how much I have hated the time change twice a year, and I have written about it, probably twice a year. You can imagine how exited I was when I heard that Manitoba had decided not to change the time anymore. I was shocked and confused that they would choose the time we are on!!! Never has Manitoba used Central Standard time for winter months. Here's the deal, who in their right mind would pick to stay on this time, forever and ever amen. In the summer we don't need daylight until 11 pm. Who knows how the winter is going to play out, it has never happened before. Right now, it is dark at 7:30 and stays that way until 7:30...
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Two Boys named Fox

Two of the most well-known inspirational men in Canada have the same last name. In the 1970s, these men went to school about 20 km apart in suburbs just east of Vancouver B.C. Neither were born in BC. Terry came from Winnipeg; Michael came from Edmonton and they both ended up in the same corner of the Lower Mainland. Terry was described as a gritty, determined athlete who never gave up on anything. About 20 km away, in Burnaby, was Michael. He was described as small, funny and was already acting on Canadian TV as a teenager. He left home at 18 to go to Los Angeles to chase his acting dream.  When Terry was 18, he was diagnosed with bone cancer, and his right leg was amputated above the knee.  On April 12, 1980, Terry dipped his artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean at St. John's, Newfoundland and began his run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. He called it the "Marathon of Hope". Every day for 143 days, Terry ran close to a marathon. He ran 5373 kms before ...
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"Can you spot me?"

"Can you spot me" is a slang term that has been popularized in the fitness community. It means you help someone safely perform an exercise. Often used in weightlifting and bodybuilding.     There are rules when you "spot someone". It usually happens when a person is doing some type of lift and has increased the weight they are lifting. If the lifter is concerned about that weight, they will ask someone to spot them. The trainers make sure we understand the rules when spotting someone. You can  only help them once they start to shake and they can't get the bar back on the holders. DO NOT start to help until that point and they ask for help. Like everything that is done in the gym, it has to be done correctly.  I was thinking how the line, "can you spot me?" also describes two types of people. First, "the people who just about get there but need a little bit of help". Secondly, are "the people who help others to get there". Asking for...
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The Dixon Legacy

On Thursday I attended a Celebration of Life for my dad's brother. My Uncle's family did an amazing job of putting together a loving tribute for a man that had led an interesting life for 92 years. He knew he was dying of leukemia for several weeks before his death. He took that time to get his affairs in order, say his good-byes and tell his stories. He was an incredible storyteller, and he was blessed to have a sound mind to recall every detail.   The service was held in the community hall. Often when you get to be 92 the attendance at your funeral is small. Not on Thursday, the hall was full to the brim, and the overflow was in the basement. Clearly, he had an impact on so many, and they wanted to say their good-byes.   The funeral was led by a lay minister. She announced that it was her 129th service and never before had this been done at one of her services. My uncle wrote a song several years ago and he wanted it played at his funeral. The slideshow began with ...
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