Hey all!
To those who celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving, Happy Turkey Day! To those who don't, Happy Whatever-Else-You-Might-Decide-To-Celebrate instead!
Our household hosted dinner this year for our family and friends, but yesterday, our host-day of choice, we changed things up a bit. Usually, we'd have turkey for our dinner, but this year, we decided on ham and scalloped potatoes instead. Truth is, my mother had microfracture knee surgery back in the summer, and those itty bitty fractures are still in the process of healing, which limits her to how much weight she's permitted to lift. Seeing how she's been restricted to ten pounds, and we usually have a twenty-five pound bird, for her, doing up a turkey was out of the question. I'd offered to cook up the bird instead, but between my lack of experience (I've only ever cooked a turkey once, and that was about 5 or 6 years ago), and her visions of Mr. Bean with his head stuck up inside the turkey, mum decided that a ham was a less-risky idea. And seeing how I've managed to catch a cold, our dinner guests were probably thankful that I didn't cook the meal either, which brings me to what I'm thankful for this year.
1) To the friends of our who were sick last week, I'm thankful that I only caught a cold from you, and not the full-blown flu!
2) I'm thankful that my mother keeps a hefty supply of tea bags and soup on hand at all times, so this cold really doesn't stand a chance.
3) I'm also thankful that this cold held off on Saturday night because I had a wedding to attend, and if I was feeling the way I am now on Saturday, I would have missed one hell of a party!
4) Though I'm disappointed that we had to cancel Thanksgiving plans with some of our other family (the one with my cousin who has a love of electricty, Star Wars, and happens to have leukemia), I'm thankful that I won't be making him any more sick. And I'm also thankful that the opportunistic virus that decided to have a field day and cause him great pain is coming under control, and that he's starting to feel better himself.
5) I'd best shout out to my awesome peeps, or else they might become terribly upset with me. So thanks for being in my life. You're all fabulous!
A strange list of things to be thankful for perhaps, but right now, those things work for me. And now, I'm going to be thankful that I have a kleenex box within arms reach. Hey, at least I'm still in good spirits, and maintaining my awful sense of humour...
What are you thankful for?
Monday, 10 October 2011
Derby Deeds
First and foremost, please pardon me for not posting the last two days, but it is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada after all, so the last few days have been crazy busy. So, to start you off, I'll take you back to Friday night when one of my friends and I went to the Rockton Fair.
One of my friends and I have an annual tradition of hitting up the Rockton Fair, particularly the derby, as he runs in the derby every year in my community's fair (Binbrook Fair, wink, wink, hint, hint, come on out to it next year). We go with the hope that whoever smoked him in the Binbrook derby gets his come-uppance in Rockton. This year, we decided to go out a few hours earlier so we could wander through the buildings, and perhaps swipe an idea or two for Binbrook's fair next year. After we'd parked, we went to the gate to pay our entry fee, and I'd noticed that there were a couple of army trucks on the outskirts of the parking lot. Strange, perhaps, though very exciting, until we paid our dues, entered the grounds, and found the Army's interactive display. An information board giving details about howitzers caught my attention when the corporal running the show asked me if I wanted to try on some gear.
Clearly, I was against the idea, given my excited expression. Of course I wanted to throw on some gear! According to the friend I was with, for people who know me, my appreciation and the extent of my excitement was to be expected. For those who don't, such an attitude could be poercieved as strange. What can I say? I spent seven years as an air cadet, so when the military does something awesome, I start to reminice.
Anyways, the corporal who was running the show decided to load me up. The gear was heavy, but not quite as weighted-down as it was supposed to be. However, I think I still wore it well regardless. What do you think?
We were also allowed to explore their truck, and of course, I pounced upon the opportunity.
When I was finished playing around with the awesome gear, we wandered around the fair a bit more. Naturally, a country fair isn't complete without a tractor display. My Uncle Ivan, who has since passed on, used to have a love of Fords. He was known to have stated that he'd rather push a Ford than drive a Chevy. From what I've been told, he never owned a Ford tractor, but I still couldn't help but think of him when I saw one.
When we were finished with the tractors, we went and found our seats for the derby. After the dog display, you know, the one where a bunch of dogs run through an obstacle course, there was a brief hitching-horse display, and then it was time. The pre-derby show, which always builds up excitement, began. All of the cars that were competing for the best decorated title lined up, waiting for those of us in the crowd to determine the winner. The one I was cheering for didn't win the competition, but it won in my books. Then again, if you're a country mouse too, you would completely understand why.
Also the fact that our farm was home to cattle once upon a time made me love this car a little bit more, even if it was painted after the wrong breed of bovine. Tragically, it didn't fair too well in the derby.
Finally, the derby began, starting with the ladies' straight stock. One of my sister's friends was in that particular heat.
Her car looked this way when she started, and ended in similar condition as her car decided to quit on her within a few minutes. Better luck next year.
Overall, the derby was filled with excitement. One car even managed to back itself up onto the one behind it. We all screamed with excitement when that car managed to get itself back down, and put in another hit before its time was up. The pit was loaded with car parts, crunched metal, and plenty of ruts from where the derby cars spun in their spot. Some people may find this strange. Others, such as my friend and I, consider this annual ritual to be a thing of beauty.
Derby night might not be for everyone, but when you're country born and bred, it's your idea of a good time on a Friday night. It was also a fantastic way to start the Thanksgiving weekend. We look forward to doing it all again next year.
Army get-up photos compliments of my friend Aaron.
One of my friends and I have an annual tradition of hitting up the Rockton Fair, particularly the derby, as he runs in the derby every year in my community's fair (Binbrook Fair, wink, wink, hint, hint, come on out to it next year). We go with the hope that whoever smoked him in the Binbrook derby gets his come-uppance in Rockton. This year, we decided to go out a few hours earlier so we could wander through the buildings, and perhaps swipe an idea or two for Binbrook's fair next year. After we'd parked, we went to the gate to pay our entry fee, and I'd noticed that there were a couple of army trucks on the outskirts of the parking lot. Strange, perhaps, though very exciting, until we paid our dues, entered the grounds, and found the Army's interactive display. An information board giving details about howitzers caught my attention when the corporal running the show asked me if I wanted to try on some gear.
Clearly, I was against the idea, given my excited expression. Of course I wanted to throw on some gear! According to the friend I was with, for people who know me, my appreciation and the extent of my excitement was to be expected. For those who don't, such an attitude could be poercieved as strange. What can I say? I spent seven years as an air cadet, so when the military does something awesome, I start to reminice.
Anyways, the corporal who was running the show decided to load me up. The gear was heavy, but not quite as weighted-down as it was supposed to be. However, I think I still wore it well regardless. What do you think?
We were also allowed to explore their truck, and of course, I pounced upon the opportunity.
When I was finished playing around with the awesome gear, we wandered around the fair a bit more. Naturally, a country fair isn't complete without a tractor display. My Uncle Ivan, who has since passed on, used to have a love of Fords. He was known to have stated that he'd rather push a Ford than drive a Chevy. From what I've been told, he never owned a Ford tractor, but I still couldn't help but think of him when I saw one.
When we were finished with the tractors, we went and found our seats for the derby. After the dog display, you know, the one where a bunch of dogs run through an obstacle course, there was a brief hitching-horse display, and then it was time. The pre-derby show, which always builds up excitement, began. All of the cars that were competing for the best decorated title lined up, waiting for those of us in the crowd to determine the winner. The one I was cheering for didn't win the competition, but it won in my books. Then again, if you're a country mouse too, you would completely understand why.
Also the fact that our farm was home to cattle once upon a time made me love this car a little bit more, even if it was painted after the wrong breed of bovine. Tragically, it didn't fair too well in the derby.
Finally, the derby began, starting with the ladies' straight stock. One of my sister's friends was in that particular heat.
Her car looked this way when she started, and ended in similar condition as her car decided to quit on her within a few minutes. Better luck next year.
Overall, the derby was filled with excitement. One car even managed to back itself up onto the one behind it. We all screamed with excitement when that car managed to get itself back down, and put in another hit before its time was up. The pit was loaded with car parts, crunched metal, and plenty of ruts from where the derby cars spun in their spot. Some people may find this strange. Others, such as my friend and I, consider this annual ritual to be a thing of beauty.
Derby night might not be for everyone, but when you're country born and bred, it's your idea of a good time on a Friday night. It was also a fantastic way to start the Thanksgiving weekend. We look forward to doing it all again next year.
Army get-up photos compliments of my friend Aaron.
Thursday, 6 October 2011
Ontario Has Spoken!
After debates, smear ads, and a long campaign trail, Ontario has decided on its leader. Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty gets to maintain his position as the Premiere of Ontario. As much as it pains me to say it, and truth be told, I'd rather not, congratuations Mr. McGuinty on your third consecutive win. Though there are many who don't support you, Ontario seems to still like you, so good job.
Though the Premiere isn't who I wanted it to be, I'm glad that my riding chose well, so I suppose I can't complain too much. Wait a minute! Yes, I could if I wanted to! I can voice my opinion because I voted! However, I'll stay positive for the moment, and be content with the small victories.
To those of you who voted, Ontario heard you loud and clear, and for that, I applaud you. Did you relish that feeling of power, knowing that your "x" determined the fate of our province? Awesome, isn't it? Keep it up! Don't ever silence your paper voices.
For those of you who didn't, you still frustrate me. Not exactly the best choice, but yours none the less. In the words of Sir Winston Churchill, "I'll have no truce or parlay with you". There's no use preaching to a deaf choir. Just make sure you do it next time. No excuses!
Good luck, Premiere McGuinty.
...
Please don't mess up my province.
Though the Premiere isn't who I wanted it to be, I'm glad that my riding chose well, so I suppose I can't complain too much. Wait a minute! Yes, I could if I wanted to! I can voice my opinion because I voted! However, I'll stay positive for the moment, and be content with the small victories.
To those of you who voted, Ontario heard you loud and clear, and for that, I applaud you. Did you relish that feeling of power, knowing that your "x" determined the fate of our province? Awesome, isn't it? Keep it up! Don't ever silence your paper voices.
For those of you who didn't, you still frustrate me. Not exactly the best choice, but yours none the less. In the words of Sir Winston Churchill, "I'll have no truce or parlay with you". There's no use preaching to a deaf choir. Just make sure you do it next time. No excuses!
Good luck, Premiere McGuinty.
...
Please don't mess up my province.
Election Day in Ontario
Okay, Ontario, election day is here. If you haven't already done so with the advance polls, get out there and vote! Don't forget to take your voter card, and a piece of I.D. I believe the polling stations close at 9, so there's plenty of time to get it done.
Remember, the fate of this province is in our hands. Take full advantage. Certainly, the Premiere will lead Ontario, but we're the ones with the power to choose who. I love it!
May the candidate who I voted for win! And before anyone asks, no, I will not say who I voted for as I keep that information between me, myself and the ballot!
For more on my views about voting, I recommend reading my September post "Your Paper Voice", and my October post "The Young Voters' Debacle".
Remember, the fate of this province is in our hands. Take full advantage. Certainly, the Premiere will lead Ontario, but we're the ones with the power to choose who. I love it!
May the candidate who I voted for win! And before anyone asks, no, I will not say who I voted for as I keep that information between me, myself and the ballot!
For more on my views about voting, I recommend reading my September post "Your Paper Voice", and my October post "The Young Voters' Debacle".
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
A Silly Tilly Tale
I read something earlier today that I found last night whilst I was rummaging through my room in an attempt to find either my old flash drive, or an essay that I wrote a few years ago when I was still living in Thunder Bay. I didn't find the essay, nor did I find my flash, but looking through some boxes that I keep in a cherry wood bench that my grampa made for me many moons ago, I found something that I had almost forgotten about. No, it wasn't the array of old lesson plans that I wrote while I was still a cadet for survival weekends that filled me with all sorts of happy, oh no. I found something that was much sillier, and I couldn't have found it at a more perfect time. I found a book. I can hear the lack of excitement in your voice when I say I found a book. That's not kind. No, this book is special. Why? Because it's Silly Tilly's Thanksgiving Dinner by Lillian Hoban, starring Silly Tilly Mole. As the back of the book says, "it's Thanksgiving, and Silly Tilly Mole is planning to make dinner for all her friends. But where did she put the invitations? What happened to her recipes? And why is her house so full of fog? Thanksgiving is going to be a disaster. If only she could remember everything she forgot!" I'd forgotten all about how much fun this silly book is. If you're able to read it, you just might agree. For those who don't know me, such a childlike book suits me perfectly. For those who do, they'd likely agree. Happy Thanksgiving a little bit early, everyone! Keep your dinners just a little bit silly. ;)
One Week In
I can't believe it's already been a week since I started A Paper Voice. Part of me feels like I've been doing this since the dawn of time. The other part knows that I'm still fairly new at this, and that I'm still figuring out how to tweak this site to better benefit everyone. For example, I thought anyone and everyone could leave comments on here (where to leave comments is found at the bottom of every post), until I discovered that the settings were automatically set as such that only certain people could leave their input. Who knew? If I've changed the settings correctly, you should all now be capable of leaving me your input, which I would love to have. Anything that could help me improve, or to instill more thoughts with the other readers would be fantastic. I was also messing around with the stats as I was curious to see not only how many people have read my posts thus far, but from where. What can I say? It's pure newbie curiosity. Naturally, the majority of hits coming from Canada was to be expected, but what I thought was really something special was to see that I've managed to connect with the States, Germany, and Russia (the U.S and Germany make sense as I know people in both of those countries, but I'm still trying to figure out who found me in Russia. Whoever you are, you are way beyond awesome. Don't worry people everywhere else. You're pretty fantastic too.). So to those of you who have followed thus far, thank you. I hope you've been enjoying the experience as much as I have. :)
Tuesday, 4 October 2011
Cherry Coke
Have you ever had something that you love beyond belief, only to have it disappear on you? I'm fairly certain that the answer would be yes. This has happened to all of us at some point, whether we want to admit it or not. For me, the two food-related things that I love and have missed dearly are Cherry Coke, and Jelly Tots... Until now! Well, sort of.
As I stated in the previous post, I spent my morning at yet another career workshop (don't judge me! They're free, and are really quite useful!). Break arrived, and I was feeling parched, so I wandered next door to the convenience store to grab a drink. I was about to grab a Grape Crush when I saw it: Cherry Coke! I wouldn't be the least bit shocked if the heavens opened up, and a bright beam of light landed upon the beverage while angels sang in the background. For the record, I was in such a state of shock and awe that I really wouldn't have noticed. Now, you need to realize that I had experienced this wonderful taste sensation for the first time when I visited England as a child. Cherry Coke came in these adorable, little cans that were the perfect size for kids, and had a wild, crazy pattern all over them. After that, I had seen it here at home in Canada, and then many years ago, it just seemed to disappear off Canadian shelves. Yes, this made me sad. It's not only my favourite pop, but in my mind, it's the best drink in the universe! Yes, I know this likely makes me worthy of mockery, but that doesn't phase me by any means. I hadn't had this wonderful product for a very long time until last year. My dad was coming home from a Geek Convention in the States, and he brought me home a case for my birthday. So to find it in that little convenience store today at break, well, it was like it was my birthday all over again. And before you ask, yes, I'm pretty sure I squealed with excitement, and maybe did the anxious little kid happy dance on the spot.
As for Jelly Tots, the Bulk Barn sells a similar candy, but it's just not the same. The candies are too big, there aren't enough colours, and they're too soft (unless I'm some weirdo who remembers Jelly Tots being much harder, and maybe borderline stale, than they actually were). But, when I have a hankering, they suffice, even though I'd rather have the real thing. Curse the Corner Store in my village for no longer stocking them, even though it's been more years than I can count since the store last sold any!
Sometimes, the smallest, most insignificant things in life can make us the most happy. The cashier laughed and smiled at me, as she was happy that I was happy to have found my long-lost favourite beverage. If you have something small, like Cherry Coke, that fills you with the same kind of content, you will know exactly what I mean. Now, if I could only find Jelly Tots...
As I stated in the previous post, I spent my morning at yet another career workshop (don't judge me! They're free, and are really quite useful!). Break arrived, and I was feeling parched, so I wandered next door to the convenience store to grab a drink. I was about to grab a Grape Crush when I saw it: Cherry Coke! I wouldn't be the least bit shocked if the heavens opened up, and a bright beam of light landed upon the beverage while angels sang in the background. For the record, I was in such a state of shock and awe that I really wouldn't have noticed. Now, you need to realize that I had experienced this wonderful taste sensation for the first time when I visited England as a child. Cherry Coke came in these adorable, little cans that were the perfect size for kids, and had a wild, crazy pattern all over them. After that, I had seen it here at home in Canada, and then many years ago, it just seemed to disappear off Canadian shelves. Yes, this made me sad. It's not only my favourite pop, but in my mind, it's the best drink in the universe! Yes, I know this likely makes me worthy of mockery, but that doesn't phase me by any means. I hadn't had this wonderful product for a very long time until last year. My dad was coming home from a Geek Convention in the States, and he brought me home a case for my birthday. So to find it in that little convenience store today at break, well, it was like it was my birthday all over again. And before you ask, yes, I'm pretty sure I squealed with excitement, and maybe did the anxious little kid happy dance on the spot.
As for Jelly Tots, the Bulk Barn sells a similar candy, but it's just not the same. The candies are too big, there aren't enough colours, and they're too soft (unless I'm some weirdo who remembers Jelly Tots being much harder, and maybe borderline stale, than they actually were). But, when I have a hankering, they suffice, even though I'd rather have the real thing. Curse the Corner Store in my village for no longer stocking them, even though it's been more years than I can count since the store last sold any!
Sometimes, the smallest, most insignificant things in life can make us the most happy. The cashier laughed and smiled at me, as she was happy that I was happy to have found my long-lost favourite beverage. If you have something small, like Cherry Coke, that fills you with the same kind of content, you will know exactly what I mean. Now, if I could only find Jelly Tots...
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