The
Squamidian Report – Dec. 24 / 11
Issue #500
Merry
Christmas Everyone
Including:
From Lorne
Greetings From Carol
Ron & Maggie
From Judy & Brian
From Wayne!
A Story From Al
North Nova News
The Ontarion
Hi All,
A very Merry Christmas to everyone and welcome to the 500th issue of this Squamidian. I’m pleased, surprised and humbled by the response for this and last week’s additions. Thank you all. Everyone has something wonderful, or profound, or very personal so share and you all have done it so well. If fact, because there is so much really nice things to read in this letter, I would like you to STOP right now. Yup, don’t go any further. Instead, make sure there is about ten or so sheets of paper in your printer and hit the print button on your Email program. Print this issue so you can enjoy it from beginning to end as you take a few minutes out of your busy day to relax…..
Ok, its printed, and you now have a nice pile of tactile paper on your lap or in your hands to look at instead of the sterile harsh computer screen. Reading is now more friendly, more intimate if you will, and easier to share. Sit back and enjoy.
Interestingly, and ironically, the whole west coast is having a green Christmas. I use the word ‘ironic’ because five or six weeks ago we were being dumped on with snow. Interestingly, the temperature has slowly risen since then and the snow has melted. Or, to be more precise, the snow below about six-hundred meters in elevation has melted. This is interesting because our ‘green Christmas’ is being blamed on global warming but the west coast is only supposed to get a white Christmas at a rate of one year out of every ten, and we’ve been having them at a rate of about three or four in ten. Also, even though the temperature has risen over the last month, it is still substantially below the ‘norm’. So, apparently global warming is responsible for the west coast’s temperatures to be warmer than they have been but colder than they should be.
Ok, enough talk about the weather and on to something kind of cool. I was in Walmart the other day and MY MUSIC was playing in the background. Bet that got your attention… so now I will elaborate a bit.
‘The Wife’ and I, and the dog of course, go out for a walk every morning. After that, we often go out for a coffee, it makes for a nice relaxed way to enjoy part of the morning. We gave up on Tim Horton’s long ago, and Starbucks sells something they call coffee but it sure ain’t any kind of drinkable liquid as far as I can see. That leaves MacDonald’s and they serve a very nice, mild, coffee that tastes pretty good. And, unlike the other places, it is affordable. We’ve been going to the little MacDonald’s outlet in the local Warlmart, and the two ladies who work there throughout the week are always friendly, cheerful and give top notch customer service. That’s something that is almost unheard of around here. Last Christmas I gave each of them a ten-dollar tip and it blew their minds. They had never had anyone tip them, and very few customers had even bothered to wish them a Merry Christmas. I wanted to do something for them again this year, and I gave them the same tip again, but also include a thank you letter and card, and a copy of my little home-made CD. The same one that I’ve sent to any of you who have requested one. Perhaps I should mention that Walmart / MacDonalds have decided to discontinue having a MacDonald’s outlet in their store and that means those people will be out of a job as of the end of next month.
My music is kind of a personal thing that normally only gets shared with family and friends, and so I wasn’t too sure about sharing it with strangers, but I included a CD and explanation note in their Christmas cards. When I walked in the next morning to get our usual two coffees, I could hear familiar music playing in the back ground, and the two ladies were boogieing around behind the counter with big grins on their faces. They had been touched by the ‘thank you’ and the gesture of being included in the family and friends category, and were both enjoying the songs I’ve recorded. They had played the CD’s enough to already be familiar with the numbers on it. I must say, I was pretty touched by their reaction to my gift. It sure made my day, and I can now say with total honesty, I’ve heard my music being played in a Walmart store.
And speaking of this music, I’ve been slowly uploading more songs to my web site as I record them. There are almost enough there now for another CD but not all of them are songs that I would include on the next CD. Some are simply numbers that I like and wanted to see what they would sound like once recorded. I’ve also got some there now (Four Rode By, by Ian Tyson, Massachusetts by the BeeGee’s, and One In A Million by the Oak Ridge Boys) that have a slightly different flavor from the others, as I’ve borrowed Ryan’s electric guitar which gives a much brighter sound than my acoustic when putting lead guitar tracks in.
http://www.thedougsite.net/Songs/songs.htm
Merry Christmas everyone, sit back and enjoy the rest of this letter.
doug
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From Lorne
Congratulations’. Your 500th. Another 20 weeks will hail 10 years of publication. Right up there with Harper and Saturday Evening Post, well almost. Your mother, Doug, has kept every copy from day one and the stack is about 2 feet high (for the young, that is at least 60 centimeters).
The Squid. has not been without computer stories and here is another. Mine began to show a 'no signal' message after operating for 15 or 20 minutes. Conferring with other Squid. subscribers, (you know who you are) I brought the brain box back to where it came from at 9AM, back by 1PM with a new cooling fan. All is fine now, but did I ever miss the damn thing those 4 hours or so.
(See above) Not to cause confusion, we all know your mother's name is Vivyan, not Doug, Doug.
Lorne
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Greetings From Carol
Hi Everyone and a Merry Christmas!
Congratulations Doug on your 500th edition of the Squamidian. Time goes by so quickly, it is hard to believe you have been gone long enough to have produced such an inventory of columns. At this point you could start reusing the first ones and if everyone’s memory is as bad as mine we wouldn’t know the difference. We just hope you keep churning them out each week. I’ve often wondered how our ancestors felt when they left everything and everyone behind to come here but now I’m wondering about those who were left behind. We get our updates of your life in the Squid each week, can pick up the phone anytime and see you at least once each year. At one time such a distance apart would mean the chances were we would never see you again, that would have broken Mom’s heart (and yes we would have missed you also). When our ancestors came over their families and friends would have to wait weeks or months for a letter telling of their safe arrival, if it came at all. Only the well-to-do were able to go back for a visit. A sweetheart or spouse often had to wait years before the new settler could earn enough to send for them.
I have often caught myself saying that Christmas is just for the children. We adults generally have everything we need and either have very few “wants” or are able to provide them for ourselves without wishing for something out of reach for Christmas. We also start thinking about the preparations for special meals and extra shopping etc. as a burden, not a pleasure. Also as we get older the time between Christmases gets shorter and shorter. I personally purchase very few presents and my biggest prep time is spent making the chocolate truffles but even with that I still feel like we just did this, not a whole year ago. So I guess what I really mean is that the gift giving secular part of Christmas is for the kids. The important part of Christmas; which has to do with God, faith, family and the miracle and gift of life; is still there for all of us. All we have to do is be open to the real meaning of Christmas. Too many people today have actually given less of what really matters to their children by not sharing the true gift of Christmas. We have let commercial interests and an impossible desire to re-create what we imagine were perfect childhood Christmases to hijack our wonder of Christmas today. I have been guilty of letting Christmas become “same old, same old” myself. Mind you having little ones around does help a person to catch the enchantment again. Our house is adrift in sparkles because Vivvy and I have been making Christmas craft decorations. She has been adding decorations to our plants every day. I have been telling her Christmas stories but all she really wants to know is if we will have cake for the baby Jesus’ birthday. She is good for me because I let my cranky adult self go and just enjoy the fun with her. So my wish for each of you this Christmas is that you let your inner child loose to just enjoy the season. Take time to count your blessings – remembering that the biggest blessing was given to you form God, long, long ago.
Have a merry, blessed Christmas and a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year.
(and Happy Birthday to Ewan on the 23rd, Doug on the 25th and Gale on the 26th)
Carol
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Ron & Maggie
Hello Squamidians……Happy 500th!
Recently, Ron and I watched the movie entitled “The Bishop’s Wife” with Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven. (Mind you it took a bit of dashing back and forth from the TV to the computer to establish when the movie had taken place and who was in it.) Thank goodness for modern technology! The movie was from 1947. I was not even a sparkle in my parents’ eye and Ron was just 2. However, this movie resonated with the two of us. Christmas is so……….integral to our being. What more can I say?
Also, for those of you that do not know, Ron has a rare bladder cancer that requires major surgery on January 5th. At this time we are adapting to major life change, and we have looked at the strength in our relationship and what life means. Both are so good
Tonight, the movie affirmed for us so much of how we do look at life. Thank goodness I was able to pause the PVR to transcribe the last minute or so of the movie. For those of you that have never heard of the movie “The Bishop’s Wife,” David Niven is a minister with dreams of building a cathedral, and in that journey, he loses sight of his purpose as a minister. Hence the arrival of the angel, Dudley, (Cary Grant) who brings the minister back to his purpose. What was the importance of the wife??? Aha …..watch the movie.
Here is the exact text from the last minute the movie:
“I want to tell you the story of an empty stocking. Once upon a midnight clear, there was a child cry. A blazing star hung over a child’s stable, and Wise Men came with birthday gifts. We haven’t forgotten that night down the centuries. We celebrate the night with stars on Christmas trees, with the sound of bells and with gifts……..we forget nobody. All the stockings are filled, except for one, and we have even forgotten to hang it up. It was for the child born in a manger. Don’t let us forget that. Let us ask ourselves what He would wish for most, and then each of us put in our own share: Loving kindness, warm hearts, and stretched out hands of tolerance: all the shining gifts that make Peace on Earth.”
Ron and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and we are so proud and honoured to be included in such an amazing family and group of friends. We wish you a Happy 2012, and hope that you live with peace and tolerance. May the Squamidian reach a 1000th issue…..However, Doug, that might be time to pass it on to the younger generation!
Merry Christmas
Ron and Maggie xox
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From
Judy & Brian
Hi Everyone,
I have been encouraged to write something for the 500th addition of your
weekly news letter. As Mom is approaching her 102nd Christmas I thought that at
least the family would be interested in her memories of winters past.
Mom, aunt Mabel to many of you, was born June 25th, 1910. She
along with her sisters, Irene, Emma and baby sister Edna were born in a little
place called Rye Ontario, near South River.
Grandpa had come to Canada as a young man from Germany and fell in
love with Grandma who was a city gal. At the time of their marriage, the gov't was giving away farm land in the Parry Sound district
so that is where they headed to claim a portion of that land.
Farming was hard especially for Grandma who would have much preferred to remain
in the city. Irene was the first born followed by Emma, (Doug's Grandma),
and then some years later Mom came along then Edna.
Winters were hard., They had to depend on a horse to get them
around and there were times that Grandpa walked to church on a Sunday morning
because the weather was too bad to take the horse out of the barn. These
were the times that Grandma gave him baked potatoes to keep his hands warm and
when they cooled, he ate them. Not bad, warm hands, full stomach!
Christmas was so exciting for Mom as long winters could be very
boring to a young child. In those days, Christmas preparations and
celebrations were confined to a few days. Grandpa would cut down a tree
on Christmas Eve day and was decorated with things that the girls had
made. When it came to lighting the tree candles, everyone had to leave
the room until they were lit and then they could come back in and had
to sit very quietly in awe of the wonderful sight. Grandpa sang
"Oh Christmas Tree" in German while he played a harp, which I
believe was the same one that we kids played when we visited Aunt
Emma, and then, following in the German tradition, they opened their
gifts. Christmas day was for visiting.
Mom remembers the first time she thought that maybe, just maybe, there
was no Santa Claus. That year she got a dress from "him" but
she recognized the material because it looked the same as bits and pieces
that were around Grandma's sewing basket. One year Mom longed to have
Christmas again in February so she talked Grandpa into cutting down a small
tree and she made new decorations, as Grandma didn't want to get the regular
ones out of storage. Somehow she said, it just didn't feel the
same. Probably because no one else had the Christmas spirit.
Grandpa was no farmer. Butchering time was a very sad day as Mom
had named all their livestock so it was like losing a "friend".
Grandpa couldn't kill anything so his brothers had to come and do it and I
think Mom said Grandma and the girls left for the day. Finding farming
very hard, they packed up and moved back to Berlin, now Kitchener.
Apparently Grandma, the city gal, remember, had to do the milking as the cows
didn't give Grandpa anything!
Sadly, Grandpa was killed in an industrial accident a few years after
returning to the city which left Mom devastated as he was her best
friend. As a baby, if she couldn't sleep, Grandma walked out to the
fields where he was working and asked him to come back to the house and play
the violin for her which probably just having him sitting next to her calmed
her enough to put her to sleep. Once back in the city an evening walk
included going to the train station to greet the train from Toronto before
heading off to bed. Years later, just recalling that special time that she had
with her Dad, her eyes fill with tears. I think we Grandchildren missed
out not knowing such a wonderful, kind man who we would
have been so proud to have been able to call him Grandpa.
German Christmas Eve celebrations were carried on in Mom and Dad's home
until the son-in-laws started showing up and since they thought that just
didn't seem right, our gift opening and dinners were changed to Christmas
day. I always felt that the magic is lost in the harsh reality of
"daylight". Indoor and outdoor lights seem so much brighter at
night but Mom and Dad agreed to change for the sake of their extended
family.
Mom is no longer able to be in the midst of Christmas
baking, shopping, cooking, cleaning and visiting but as she approaches her
102nd Christmas, her eyes still light up as she remembers Christmas's past. She
along with our family, wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a safe and
happy New Year.
Judy
and Bryan
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From Wayne!
Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.
May you have a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2012, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great, without prejudicing any other country, nor inferring or implying that this is the only 'America' in the western hemisphere, and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform, or sexual orientation of the wishee.
By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise of the wishers to actually implement the wishes for themselves or others, is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wishers.
This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and said warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wishers.
p.s. No trees were harmed in the transmission of this message; however, millions of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.
In other words – Merry Christmas!!!!!!
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Al’s Story About Vivienne & Mellow
There’s a ritual that occurs every weekday morning at our place. Just before 8 AM Mellow, the cat, is on her stool anxiously gazing out the kitchen window. Then a red van pulls up and her tail starts twitching and she makes a weird, distinct meowing sound. This signals the arrival of her friend and play-mate, Vivienne. The van door slides open and a beautiful little girl emerges. She runs up the side walk exclaiming M-E-L-L-O-W!
So begins another day in the relationship of a little girl and her feline friend, actually Vivienne calls Mellow her “best friend”. Sometimes it’s almost like a sibling rivalry when one or the other “doesn’t play right”! Never the less throughout the day they find a variety of ways to entertain and antagonize each other. There is a never ending series of contests and games which neither seems to win but I think that is part of the equation. Of course no partnership is perfect and occasionally there are claims of a pulled tail or a nipped finger. These dust-ups usually end pretty quickly and they are on to a new adventure.
After lunch at noon it is nighty-night time and a well deserved rest (for Papa too!) We take Vivvy practically everywhere when we are shopping etc, and she always wants to take her pal in the carrier. That doesn’t happen much except when Carol goes to see aunt Mabel. I gather that the pair of them are quite a hit. Anyways the two of them provide us with live entertainment and a lot of laughs. We have a very morose cat on our hands during the week-end. I’ve sent along a picture of the two.
http://www.thedougsite.net/Pictures/Others/Vivvy&Mellow.html
Al (a.k.a. Papa)
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North Nova News
Just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a healthy, happy New Year from your family and friends here on the East Coast and to be a part of the 500th issue. We are lucky to have a covering of snow to make it look very festive. There is rain in the forecast but living up here in the "mountains" ( the westerners laugh when we call them mountains) we may keep our snow.
I feel especially good about this Christmas because we shopped locally and supported our community which we will continue to do. We are also lucky to have farms close by to supply us with meat, eggs, vegetables etc. Ward and Mae picked the cranberries. For dessert we are having squash pie with the squash grown just up the hill from me. It's kind of neat to think about everything you eat and think about where it comes from. Even the Christmas tree was grown and cultivated just down the road. No I didn't go out in the woods to cut one down like most of my neighbours. I don't trust myself with an axe. Maybe next year.
Thank you Doug and Greg for your weekly efforts. It's always interesting, fun and informative. A good New Years Resolution for me would be to write more often. I'll try.
Sus
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THE 500TH ONTARIO REPORT
HELLO HO HO EVERYONE!
What a beautiful weekend we have at hand for our 500th edition of the Squamidian/Ontarion Reports! It’s truly incredible how quickly the years and Reports have flown by! It seems like only 10 years ago when Doug kindly asked me to contribute to his weekly writings! I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed being part of this production, on the other hand, YES I can! I’ve loved every minute of it indeed! I’ve not only enjoyed writing my part of the weekly but I’ve most certainly enjoyed reading the writings of Doug and all the other contributors over this past 10 years! I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you in the Squamidian group for taking your valuable time each week to read the results of my sometimes-feeble efforts! Hopefully you’ve enjoyed what you read and if not, please feel free to write in with your critique any time at all! I’ve really appreciated your support all these years and unless we hear otherwise, Doug and I intend to keep on keepin’ on with our writings.
It’s our Christmas edition so I thought I’d write about something Christmasy (If there is such a word). I always try to be cheerful this time of year and see if I can’t stay in a good mood even when I’m driving and shopping in the congested stores and malls. I’m usually one of those drivers who is I guess, a little too quick to hit the horn when another driver doesn’t drive the way I think everyone should drive, “perfect like ME”! LOL! So far, I’ve managed to “not honk” at anyone today while I was out and about but, the roads only had a few cars on them for the 15 minutes I was driving. Guess that’s a good start! When things slow down after Christmas and Boxing Day I’m going to try to keep my “None Honking” effort up. Maybe I’ll even make that my New Year’s Resolution! Seems like it’d be an easy one to keep but I’m sure you all know how one can slip if not keeping one’s NY Resolution in mind on a continual basis. I’ll just have to make a concerted effort to behave myself while behind the wheel in 2012! I’ll let you know how it goes!
Christmas time is a time to be nice to one another and although we don’t see a lot of them, there are, if only tiny, good deeds and miracles going on around us all the time. I must tell you about a heartwarming situation that Carole experienced the other day. She was out doing some Christmas shopping and was in Shoppers Drug Mart at the cosmetics counter. While waiting to be served, she told me that an elderly lady (most likely in her 80’s) approached the sales clerk and asked for some help. She handed the sales person a receipt from a few days before. She went on to explain that she had noticed after she got home from that days shopping that the clerk had neglected to charge her for one of the items she bought. The employee asked what the woman wanted her to do. The little old lady said “Well, I want to pay for that item!” Carole said the clerk looked at the woman in total disbelief and said “I’m not sure how to handle this because it’s never happened before!” Carole laughingly interjected “Merry Christmas from Shoppers Drug Mart” and chuckled a bit. The little old lady frowned a little and said “Oh no, I couldn’t do that it wouldn’t be right!” The clerk asked the lady to wait for a moment while she called her manager to handle the situation. The nice old lady waited patiently until the manager came to the till and she quietly paid for the item and walked away.
I said to Carole that that’s the first time I’ve ever heard of someone doing that and how honest and sincere that little old ladies intentions were. She has to be a special person to be so honest. Maybe it’s because of the time of year but on the other hand, I don’t want to be cynical so I’m just going to let that lady’s example show me that there are some totally honest people on this earth! God bless her!
I have one more story for this season. Our son Adam was out shopping for a few kitchen appliances the other night. Canadian Tire had “Kitchen Aid” Mix Masters on sale so he thought he’d buy a good one. He was in the CTC on Ottawa St in Kitchener and just happened to pick up the last “Red” mix master on display. He put it in his cart and was slowly walking toward the check out. A woman stopped him and asked where he got it as she wanted to buy a “red” one too since they were such a good price. He pointed to the shelf where there was only one “black” one and one “silver” one left. She said to him that her other appliances and kitchen accents were red and that’s why she wanted a “red” mix master. She asked the clerk if they had any more and the clerk told the woman that they were all out of red ones but that CTC in Waterloo on Weber St had a dozen still in stock. The lady frowned and said that she didn’t have time to go all that way. At that point, Adam said to her that he had to go up to Waterloo to do some more shopping and if she wanted, he would let her have the red one in his cart and he would stop into CTC Weber St and get a red one there! She was surprised at his kind gesture and thanked him very much. She said “If you’ll just wait here a minute while I run out to my car, I have something for you!” She quickly left the store and in a couple of minutes was back. She said that she had an extra discount coupon for the Kitchen Aid appliance and wanted to give it to Adam for his kindness. She handed him a coupon worth a $50.00 discount off the price of the mixer. She said “One good turn deserves another, Merry Christmas!” At that, they thanked each other and went their separate ways! Adam headed up to Waterloo to complete his shopping and also picked up the mixer at CTC. It’s indeed nice to know that kindness begets kindness! Stories like this tend to warm ones heart at any time of year but seem especially nice when it’s Christmas Time!
Once again, “Thank You” to each and every one of my fellow Squamidians for a fun 10 years and 500 issues of The Ontarion Report!
I sincerely hope that you continue to enjoy the weekly writings of both Doug and I and feel free to contribute whenever the mood strikes you!
We love to hear from any and all of you!
That’s it for this week folks!
Thanks for tuning in and I’ll look forward to talking to you all again next week in The Ontarion Report!
GOD BLESS you all and Merry Christmas!
Bye for now…GREG
PS: Something To Think About>
Don’t forget to leave some cookies and milk out for Santa tonight and shhhhhhhh…. Did you hear those bells jingling up on the roof? HO HO HO!
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Have a good one..
the doug
The Fine Print!
The articles in these issues are the sole property of the persons writing them and should be respected as such.