Crouching Tiger

This is my grandaughter's first photo of me, well not exactly, she took two others with my head cut off, finally I decided in order to get my head in the photo , I'd have to crouch. Hence, "crouching tiger".

It is a beautiful brilliant day here. My friend and I walked the dogs around the pond ,as we do most mornings, I brought bread for the flock of ducks who have taken up residency at the pond. The swans don't seem to mind.I'm not sure how they are going to survive the winter.

I want to go somewhere Christmas shopping. In Newfoundland, there isn't a lot of choice. I could drive to Stephenville, an hour away, but the stores are the same as we have here. St John's is too far away. It takes a full day to drive there. If I were living in New Brunswick , I could drive to St Andrew's, Calais, Bangor , St John or Fredericton all within an hour from St Stephen. Living on an island isn't all romance.

Lately I've been thinking that if we go into a big recession (or God fobid, a depression) we aren't going to be in a good position. We rely on the ferry to bring in most goods. Newfoundland doesn't have a large agriculture segment. We do have fish, but that is heavily regulated and hard to do in the winter.

I've been daydreaming about building a log cabin in Mackerel Point and designing it so that it is powered by solar and wind power. A friend of mine has done that with their cabin on the Northern Peninsula. It' s a lovely A frame house that is powered by solar panels and a small windmill. They have a wood stove for heat and a well. He hunts and fishes and picks berries. If worse came to worse they could live off the land. Unlike us city slickers, who would have to rely on food banks.

Any way I can't think about that it's just too scarey. Anyone my age has parents who lived through the Great Depression and still carry the scars. They manifest as "scarcity". A fear that there is never enough money, food, love etc. etc. It's hard to shake that fear. Hearing the news of a worsening economy, night after night, makes me fearful. In a way it's not a bad thing, We in the west have a sense of entitlement, that others would never dream of. We have squandered our wealth. We are so disrespectful of the environment. We turn our faces to other's needs, be it at home or abroad.

Getting back to a sustainable life style would be a good thing. Living simply and mindfully. Helping our neighbours, because we may need their help in turn. Returning to an economy that isn't entirely built on money.Trading, I'll trade you my fish for your eggs. Reclaiming control of our economic system. Disempowering the greedy banks who created this mess (and the government who abetted ). Living simply could mean reclaiming a sense of "communtiy". That municipal administration have more say over how our taxes are spent. Revamping the whole notion of Taxes. One should only have to pay tax once and have more say over where that money is spent.

And on and on. We need to change the world. There are are so many bright people who are able and willing to do so. No matter what happens, that will not change.We will always have people with ideas and ideals. At least I hope so.

Break fast

Isn't this a perfect breakfast? A double latte with skim milk, a Montreal bagel and the morning edition! I am a happy camper today. It's snowing , it's miserable outside, but in here in my cozy little outport house its lovely and warm.
I have taken control over my eating.:-)
I have decided that from 6am to 6pm I can eat(the opposite of Ramadam), not all that I want, but moderately. But I must finish by sundown.

I have been walking almost everyday and yesterday I ventured to skate. I felt ridiculous hanging on to the side boards ,but I manage not to fall and even do 6 turns around the ice surface. I only once nearly fell and that was because of Elvis. Someone switched the music from Newfoundland new folk/country /Irish to Elvis.That was almost my undoing.My body wanted to jive. I hurled backwards, then managed to catch myself, just in time. I also felt a little brave seeing I hadn't skated for probably 50 years, and I am very overweight.
As children we skated up at "the bog" under the moonlight. The boys played hockey, while the girls figure skated like Barbara Ann Scott. We did figure 8's, twirlled and zig zagged backwards. It was all so magical. There is nothing like skating outdoors on a pond.
I already feel thinner. I have learned this about my body, one day can make a difference. I believe by overeating one day you can give yourself a heart attack and conversely by behaving and eating healthy , you can reverse your fortune. My theory is backed up by Dr.Ornish.If you don't believe me google "TED.com" and search for a talk by Dr.Ornish , who will verify my thesis.
Rosey. my cat is sitting here in front of the computer, she is bored today, not being outdoors. she is one of the two kittens, I found a year ago, abandoned in a field. She and her brother Rocky are pretty happy living with me.They've matured a lot ,however are capable of mischief when indoors too long. Lucky my dog is not happy, he hasn't had a walk today. I might have to brave the elements to take him out. Not something I want to do, but must . It's our compact. He agreed to live indoors with me,but only if I promised to walk him everyday.......

Remembrance Day

I love Remembrance Day. It was always a big day in our house. My father was a veteran of the Second Great War as were his three brothers.Their father was a First World War Veteran. It was and is a day not to glorify war, but to honour those who went to war in our defence.
This photo is of my son in law's grandfather , who served in World War II. The children are his great grandchildren. He is a splendid man. He was one of the younger soldiers who enlisted. Everyone loves him. His wife, his children , his grandchildren and great grandchildren. And so do I. I am fortunate enough to be considered "one of the family". He calls me "Taliban" as he feels my left wing leanings are "terrorist" in nature. I call him "handsome " and flirt outrageously with him.His wonderful wife treats it all with good humour. She adores him as he does her.
He was wounded in the war and suffers daily with the pain of shards of shrapnel still in his body. In spite of that he is almost always in good spirits. He loves a party and sings bawdy songs. His family adores him and never forgets to honour his service for his country (which during that time was The Dominion of Newfoundland). Every year his entire family attends the Remembrance Day Service to watch him march again with what's left of his comrades, and every year in our hearts we think what we dare not say............

Yes We Can!

We did it! Our day has arrived.We are at the mountain top......
I speak as an aging civil rights supporter and aging hippy and a social democrat . I sang "We shall overcome" to my daughter in Little Rock Arkansas home of Rosa Parks.
My favourite quote of the night was: "Rosa sat so King could walk, King walked so Obama could run, Obama ran so we could fly".

My favourite scene was when Obama and Biden took Biden's mother and Michelle's mother' s hand and walked them to the front of the stage. Behind them was a cadre of little girls, black and white looking so happy and proud.

Honouring our past and the future.

Honouring women!

It was such an emotional night. Thanks to CBC who did such a great job. I only have 2 TV channels neither of which is American, so I was so grateful to have such great coverage.I only felt a twinge of envy that our recent election didn't generate as much (or any) excitement.

America I am happy for you!

My nine year old grandson was up till the end. He knew he was witnessing history. He will always remember this date, just as I remember when JFK was elected.

Having lived in the 50's and 60's , looking over the sea of faces at Grant Field last night was amazing. Nothing but pure joy on the faces of Obama supporters.

Today my friend and I walked around the pond sharing our excitement and hope for a better world , even in these difficult times. It is mild here today, it feels like spring......

Obama = Hope

Election Day U.S.A., November 4, 2008

The day we have been long been waiting for is here. I'm so excited and a wee bit fearful. So much hangs in the balance. No less than my wonderful American grandsons' future is at stake. What a wonderful legacy for them to be able to tell their grandchildren about the day the first African American was elected President !

I have been fantasizing about the inauguration day , what celebration. it will be, like nothing we have ever seen. At last all the heros of the civil rights movement will be appeased. The hard won battles have paid off. And what a leader Barak Obama will be. I believe he will be a formidable president like Abraham Lincoln.

When I think back over the past eight years, the only postive thing I can say is we survived ,barely. If there were any real justice in the war, Bush, Cheny, Rice, Rumsfield and Wolferwitz would be tried as war criminals.I sincerely hope history will not be kind to them.

In order to calm my fears I tell myself it is out of my hands. It is in the hands of the voters.

Please God guide them towards the light....