Remember

So, it is Veteran's Day in the U.S. and Remembrance Day here in Canada. Both of these countries garner my interest as my life has been lived in both. I did not know until recently that one of my family members, Capt. Michael Joseph O'Brien, who served in the U.S. Coast Guard, also spent some time in Canada, though in Newfoundland and not out here in the prairies. I did not know either, or had forgotten, that his father, my grandfather served in the U.S. Army in the Panama Canal....that was a long time ago for sure.

Anyway, here's a slide show to honor his life and his recent funeral at Arlington.

Part 1

Part 2

Arlington Ceremony

Against All Odds

Against All Odds

It is the kind of day that legends are made of and of which epic stories are told. And I was there. Please join me as I recount and relive one very interesting day. I’m not telling it in short format, so feel free to skip over any parts you want. But trust me, just as I would not wish this story to unfold in any other way than it did, I would recommend you read every word and let your spirit absorb the wonder of the day.

Saturday morning and I was up at 5:00 a.m. Tired, but looking forward to driving to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to watch the University of Alberta Golden Bears football team face the University of Saskatchewan Huskies in the playoffs of the 2010/2011 college football season. My friends Bob and Jocelyn have a son – Jean-Marc that plays defense for the Bears and I have watched him play for the past five years. This is his last year of college football. The Head Coach of the Bears is also a friend. Jerry Friesen is the only head football coach I’ve ever known at the college level, and has a very interesting leadership style. He is not a yeller and a screamer at all, but seems to be a quiet encourager – unusual in light of the sport he coaches.

I’m not going to lie. In some ways, it had been a painful year of watching the Bears. Though they started off in September looking strong – they won their first two games – they ended up winning only one more out of the next six games and ended up with a 3-5 record, squeaking into the playoffs in the 4^th spot. The weekend before, we had traveled to the University of Calgary to get trounced by the Dinos by a score of 37 – 5 and I thought it was the worst game I had experienced to date. The very first play, we returned the kickoff for a touchdown, but because of a holding penalty, it was taken back. A few weeks before, I had watched the University of Saskatchewan defeat us decisively at our homecoming game 33 – 9. And the week before that, I watched us work hard to win a game against the University of Calgary and had the game stolen from us with only a few minutes to go in the 4^th quarter. There was a decisive point where one of our guys could not quite receive a pass, but tipped it right into the hands of a Dino who ran 45 yards for a touchdown.

It was at this point, when this highly improbable interception happened, it occurred to me that something bigger than these games was going on. Seriously, they were now losing games against all odds. They were playing well in some games, getting a lead, but then losing in the most unlikely ways. My thought then was “God is working on someone or something.” I believed it then and believe it now.

From this fan’s perspective, there was a lot of hard work going on, but very few results. But when supporting your friends, it is important to just appreciate their hard work – if I see someone working hard for their objectives or for something they love to do, I am willing to throw my weight (which is considerable) behind them. These guys did not appear lazy or complacent. A key play would happen for the opponent and our team would receive the short end of the stick yet again.

Saturday, their task was to play and win against the #3 team in the country of Canada – the University of Saskatchewan Huskies – and on the Huskies’ home turf to boot. Saskatchewan takes their football seriously. They are consistently good performers. Bob and Jocelyn’s other son, Cory, played for them for four years and had some great experiences. Griffiths Stadium is a beautiful stadium that seats 5,000 fans. Back in 1936, on opening day of the first Griffiths Stadium, the Huskies beat the Golden Bears 5-3. The stadium was rebuilt a few hundred yards from the original site in 1967 with additional improvements in 2006, thanks to a $5M donation from PotashCorp.

Arrival at Griffiths Stadium – 12:10 p.m. Weather conditions – sunny and warm. Stadium conditions – Bears fans outnumbered by Huskies fans by an estimated factor of 200 to 1. Over 3,500 in attendance.

5:15 a.m. – hop in shower, dress in requisite Golden Bears hoodie, pack a bag with books and computer, head over to meet Bob and Jocelyn at 6:15 a.m. We picked up Nancy Glesman and a cuppa jo at the Sherwood Park Tim Horton’s on the way. The drive from Edmonton to Saskatoon was beautiful since the day was quite beautiful. Unseasonably warm temperatures, sunny skies, and the sunny dispositions of my travelling companions made for a thoroughly enjoyable trip.

We stopped in Battleford for some lunch. Bob showed us a newspaper with a headline claiming that Saskatchewan feared an upset by the Bears. I told Bob that I did not believe any of the Huskies feared the Bears. In that same article one of the Huskies was quoted as saying there was no way this was going to be a bad game for him since this was going to be his final post-season. Seriously, the Huskies had a 6-2 season compared to the Bears 3-5 season. Any betting person would realize that a bet on the Bears would be considered a long shot.

Fireworks and a huge cheering squad led the Huskies onto the field. Three minutes later, the Huskies scored a field goal. End of first quarter: Huskies 3, Bears 0.

The Huskies scored the first three points of the game early on. Our defense was having a great day, though, and they held the Huskies back for the entire rest of the first quarter. We were having a good time in the stands – in front of us was a family of 3 generations of men – a grandfather, his son and two grandsons. The young grandsons were quite fun to watch as they experienced one of their early football games. As the foot stomping began in the 1^st quarter, one of the young boys turned to his dad and asked “Why are you doing that?”

A boring second quarter – Huskies scored two more field goals early on, and Edmonton finally kicked a field goal a little over halfway into the 2^nd quarter. End of second quarter: Huskies 9, Bears 3.

It was clear that the Huskies’ quarterback was getting frustrated. His body language and he was quickly on and off the field spoke volumes. A very well-seasoned quarterback, he was used to passing the ball well and having it received well, too. But he threw a number of incomplete passes in the first half of this game. Our defense continued doing a great job, though the Huskies managed to get into position for two field goals. Our kicker did a great job getting a 46 yard field goal to get us on the board at last.

Cory’s girlfriend, Lindsey, joined us, and Cory arrived shortly after halftime. Lindsey is a very interesting young lady and it was fun to hear about how she is working at the fieldhouse in the area of fitness and training with a heart-healthy focus. She comes from a farming family and we had actually passed their farm on our way to Saskatoon. She is very friendly, has an infectious laugh, and it was fun to catch up.

11 minutes into the 3^rd quarter, the Huskies had scored three touchdowns in fairly quick succession. With 7 seconds to spare in the 3^rd quarter, the Bears scored their first touchdown of the game. End of third quarter: Huskies 30, Bears 10.

It was hard to watch the three touchdowns scored by the Huskies. Our defense was being taxed big-time. They spent an inordinate amount of time on the field. Our offense was not able to stay on the field for any significant length of time, and we were looking a little tired. With 7 seconds left in the 3^rd quarter, the Bears’ quarterback pass connected with our receiver, which garnered us our first touchdown. It felt good to get some points on the board, but it still seemed like a long shot to victory.

Glancing toward the sky, there was a large cloud formation that looked like an angel’s wing. I pointed it out to Nancy and Lindsey and laughed at myself for wondering if it was possible that an angel had actually shown up.

Almost halfway into the 4^th quarter, and no further action. At the 7 minute mark, though, the Bears scored again. Huskies 30, Bears 17.

It was great to see the Bears get another touchdown, but we still knew the odds were long they would see victory today. I pointed out to Nancy that the angel wing still appeared to be overlooking us.

Five minutes pass by, and no further scoring. Huskies 30, Bears 17, with less than 3 minutes left in the game.

And then it happened. Something clicked. The Bears scored another touchdown. We were marching down the field, passes were connecting, and the running game was working, too. The Bears’ quarterback looked intense, though he had passed up a few opportunities to run the ball himself, and seemed to let the clock run down unnecessarily a couple of times.

I looked to the sky – Got Wing? Yes.

I knew it COULD happen, but WOULD it? I could not sit – I wanted to really see these plays and I was believing it would happen. There was a little bit of angel wing still in the sky and an energy in our team that I had not seen before. Just about 2 minutes later it did. A long pass into the end-zone, the kind we have normally not been receiving, was received. With 22 seconds left in the game, we converted and led the game. Golden Bears 31, Huskies 30.

Seriously??? I mean, really??? 22 seconds later and we were the victors in the most amazing football game I had ever witnessed and likely will ever witness. Years of witnessing disappointment in the faces of the Bears’ players had conditioned me to the point that I forgot what can happen when God shows up. I do absolutely believe that there are no coincidences, no accidents, and that God called this game long before anyone else did.

I totally appreciate the faithfulness of the Bears over the past few years and in this game. Jerry and Jean-Marc are men that are exceptionally faithful leaders in my view. Though struggles abounded, and seemingly senseless losses occurred, I never noticed despondent behavior, but rather 110% effort on and off the field. And during this game in particular, I totally appreciate the team’s faithfulness as they were 110% engaged through the entire game, never giving up, but going for it.

I can make no claims on knowing what God’s will is or his purpose is in particular situations, but on this game day, I witnessed what happens when our will and God’s will aligns. There are no odds high enough that His will cannot overcome. He is a God that achieves mighty feats….against all odds.

Final Score: Golden Bears 31, Huskies 30, Kathy - 1 huge dose of faith.

Bat Pack Minus 1

One day a little group of lady bats got together and decided to form a group - they called themselves "The Bat Pack", sort of like the Rat Pack for female bats. This little group met every Wednesday for a year. Sometimes, one of the bats would bring a bat friend. Every time they met, they encouraged one another, uplifted one another, sympathized with one another, empathized with one another, prayed with one another, and just generally enjoyed one another's bat (not bad) company. One day, a bat flew in from far, far away for a special long-term project. So, she joined the bat pack and everyone was pleased. She shared her life, her stories, her recipes, and her special warrior spirit. You see, she had fought many battles and has the scars to prove it. Her undefeated record and victorious spirit inspired the other bats in a way they had not anticipated, and their hearts were uniquely and wonderfully touched.

After about 10 months, the special project was done, so the new bat made plans to move on to her new long-term project far away. The new bat made a wonderful celebration dinner and the Bat Pack said their goodbyes with laughter, tears, sighs and prayers.

Two Wednesdays later, the Bat Pack still mourned the missing bat, but is looking forward to hearing more stories of battles engaged and won from far away in bat miles, yet still quite near in God's kingdom.

Leadership 101

“Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided. She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, "The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: 'Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.' “ Barak said to her, "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go.” "Very well," Deborah said, "I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will hand Sisera over to a woman." …“

Judges 4:4-9 (New International Version

Leadership 101

Uncle Mike died.

I just did not expect to hear that or read that so soon. Capt. Michael J. O’Brien (i.e., Uncle Mike) was larger than life to us. The oldest of five children, he was my mother’s oldest brother. The pecking order was Mike, Mom (Ann), Bobby, Kathleen (for whom I was named), and Steve. Perhaps being first born prepared him for leadership in other capacities throughout his life.

Actually, all of my mom’s brothers have been very successful in their lives and their careers. They have all had some extreme challenges, too. But Uncle Mike was our family’s “Kennedy”, if you will. He was a Viet Nam veteran and a leader in the United States Coast Guard, serving as Chief of Staff Enlisted Personnel and Liaison Office to the White House among other positions. Subsequently, he led numerous lucrative initiatives for the Grand Bahama Port Authority in the Bahamas. He retired with Honours from the United States Coast Guard and so will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in October.

Visiting the O’Brien side of my family was a treasured experience for me as a child – the earliest memory I have of being around my uncles was actually while playing “Old Maid” with my grandmother (we called her “Nanny”). In hindsight it is obvious that they would signal to her what cards she should pick from my hand because I always lost that game, and I seem to remember finally catching them at it.

I’ve always been proud of my uncles. My mother held them in the highest esteem and I followed suit. I knew I had the best uncles a person could have. They represented strength, humour, goodness and honour to me. I felt their hearts were inclined to do the right thing in all circumstances. That was their objective.

My mother’s brothers are all very well educated, intelligent and politically astute – they are the type of people that can quickly and accurately assess situations and respond on their feet, though they waste no words generally speaking. I’ve always appreciated just sitting and talking with my uncles and getting their perspective on situations in my life or in the world at large.

One of the most memorable perspectives I received was in 1997. I was incredibly fortunate to be able to take my mother on a trip to Florida and the Bahamas for Uncle Mike’s second wedding. At that time, the news of the day included a big court case involving the Virginia Military Institute’s (VMI) policy disallowing women into their programs. I was eager to get Uncle Mike’s perspective on the situation simply because he was a leader in the military himself previously. When I asked him for his take on the issue, he paused for a moment, then looked at me and said, “You can either do the right thing, or have someone make you do the right thing – which would you prefer?”

It seems so simple when stated like that. He captured the whole case in one statement – clearly, the leader of VMI had a choice. Yet clearly, he had wrongly chosen to fight the issue and indeed, later that year, the institute was forced to accept women into their school. Imagine how much stronger a leader he would have been, though, if he had chosen to do the right thing himself instead of being corrected and forced to do so by a judge.

Life’s challenges and temptations seem to put me in the same position as that VMI leader every day. And I can either do the right thing, or face correction just as that military institution’s leader faced. This is my training ground right here, right now. How will I choose to live?

Lord, I thank you for the lesson available through the study of Deborah and Barak. And I thank you for all of my uncles, and in particular right now, my Uncle Mike. Thank you for allowing Mike a long life, a life well spent in loving others, encouraging others, defending others and leading others. I pray that you comfort his family and others who will keenly feel his absence from their lives, including me.

Rolling with the Punches and the Beet Leaves

“Praise the Lord, I tell myself;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, I tell myself,
and never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
He ransoms me from death
and surrounds me with love and tender mercies.”
Psalm 103:1-4 New Living Translation

Rolling with the Punches and the Beet Leaves

Yesterday was a fantastic day. It started off with playing tennis with a great bunch of people – some from church, some from work, and some from I don’t know where! We have a great time every Saturday morning from 7 am – 9 am during the very short summer here in Edmonton, Alberta. Anyone is welcome to come play with us; we play at the outdoor tennis courts in the centre of St. Albert on Mission Avenue.

After tennis, I took off for the St. Albert Farmer’s Market. A beautiful day and a little less crowded market made for a happy shopper and I loaded up on my weekly sundries, such as yoghurt cheese & pita bread, salmon bruschetta, salmon to cook, kohlrabi, some tomatoes and some lemon honey. I saw delicious looking beets, too, but for reasons explained below, I did not purchase any. Though the prices are high this year, I am making a concerted effort to eat a bit healthier, so I indulged.

The best part of the day was yet to begin. My friend Oralee had invited me to her place to learn how to make a very special Ukrainian dish. Edmonton is like a mini-Ukraine – pierogies are a staple for every holiday meal and there are many places throughout the Edmonton area that offer pierogy dinners. The best place to go for a pierogy dinner here is in the northeast part of the city – I believe the name of the church is The Exaltation of the Holy Cross – at 153rd Avenue and 90th Street. $12 buys you an all-you-can-eat pierogy dinner that includes salad, fried codfish, sausage, pierogies (with unlimited caramelized onions, bacon and sour cream), and dessert. Delicious!

Oralee was going to teach me how to make beet rolls another Ukrainian specialty. Honestly, the first time I tasted Oralee’s beet rolls, I wanted to convert to Ukrainianism if at all possible. These are a most amazing delicacy.

Peter and Oralee Kozak live on an acreage in Gibbons, Alberta. I had never visited their place, but had visited mutual friends down the road – Craig and Jill Burns and Henry and Nellie Readner. So, I already knew how to get there. The drive is only about half an hour from St. Albert, and it was a gorgeous day, so I rolled down the windows, opened the sunroof, cranked the stereo and sang my heart out on the way there. Bet E. and Stef’s “Day by Day” was my greatest enjoyment as I drove east to Gibbons. One stanza in that song resonates with me: “Strength is not a stranger, I take it day by day.”

Strength is not a stranger to Peter and Oralee. They are in their late 70’s and have faced many of the same challenges we all face. Currently, Oralee is dealing with an ankle with bones that have kind of crumbled and a back that requires surgery. In the x-rays, her spine looks more like an “h” than an “l” or perhaps more like a bolt of lightening than a straight line. Further, it appears to have split a little as well, and so the nerves have been affected. One of her legs and one of her fingers just will all of a sudden stop working correctly for no apparent reason, and though very subtle, her speech is affected as well.

But Oralee is as full of life as ever and exhibited the sometimes lost art of hostessing when I arrived. We shared coffee and cookies and then were ready to get started on the beet rolls. Oralee graciously allowed me to help, but she was able to maneuver around her kitchen – their house is an old farmhouse that was actually moved physically out of the city to their acreage, and so the kitchen is quite small and actually perfect for Oralee currently because she doesn’t have to travel much to get to each spot!

As 1 cup of rice was boiling with 2 cups of water and some salt, she slowly sautéed probably ½ cup each of shredded onion and dill in about ½ cup of margarine for several minutes. When the rice was done, she mixed the sautéed concoction into the rice along with some pepper and set the pot on the table. She had prewashed a lot of beet leaves. We stacked up probably 50 to 60 in a bowl at a time and blanched them with boiling water, pretty much immediately dumping the water out (otherwise, the leaves rip too easily while rolling). We dumped the leaves on a plate and began the rolling process. In each beet leaf, we rolled 1 heaping teaspoon of the rice mixture, folding the beet leaf so no rice would escape, and put the rolls in aluminum bread loaf pans, piling them perhaps three layers deep. I wrapped those pans that would be frozen in plastic wrap, but in the pan we were to cook to accompany dinner, we poured cream and baked the rolls at 350F for one hour. When done, we put the little bundles of goodness on the table, to accompany lovely chicken, potatoes, carrots and a salad with cranberries and macadamia nuts. For dessert we had what their grandchildren affectionately refer to as “Raspberry Yum” – red and white raspberries covered in whipping cream with brown sugar on top and quickly broiled to caramelize the brown sugar. And, of course, dessert was accompanied by delicious tea.

Throughout the afternoon, Peter and son Willis piled up more beet leaves for us (we did a second batch), and in addition to the many loaf pans of beet leaves to freeze, I took home with me beets, potatoes, onions as well another heaping plate of the dinner we had cooked for another meal!

Well, we retired to the living room for a post-dinner chat and exchanged family stories. Peter and Oralee have been married 55 years. They have been a part of my church, North Pointe Community Church (formerly Central Tabernacle), since before they were married. It is wonderful to sit with those that know the history of our church, have served and continue to serve God faithfully there, and still have strong relationships with others throughout our congregation. They have experienced the storms in our church and weathered them all with God’s strength and perseverance. Peter sings in our choir and is a soloist for many of the holidays – he can do a pretty mean Elvis!

I discovered that Oralee’s maiden name is Brown and her roots are in England. We agreed that once I receive the genealogy books from my father, I would see if there is a connection, since my father’s side of the family has roots in England as well. Either way, I am connected to Oralee, as we are both a part of God’s family through Christ who gave up his life for both of us.

I tried to leave at a reasonable time, since rest and healing go together and I did not want to tire Oralee out, but I still probably overstayed my welcome. But you know how it is when you are visiting people who have great stories – it is hard to leave!

Once again, I opened my windows and sunroof on my drive home, though I kept the stereo quiet for a while. As I drove west, the sky was divided in appearance. As I looked to the left, the sky was a serene blue and lavender with some long narrow fuzzy white lines of clouds, and a crescent moon directly in my line of sight. But as I looked to the right, there was a monstrous cloud that filled up the horizon and was multicolored like a severe bruise, with what looked like a beard of rain falling from it, in addition to some smaller purple clouds with angry fire behind.

As I continued driving, I thought how none of us would choose to drive toward that storm – for sure, at the first opportunity, we would choose to turn to the left toward clear skies and serenity. But life is really like a drive between storms and serenity and sometimes, the storm comes to us anyways, in the form of challenging relationships, health issues, work problems, money issues, etc. But if we choose to spend our lives as Peter and Oralee have done, honouring God and his desires for us, then strength is not a stranger, and we can take things day by day, with the help, grace and mercy that only the Lord himself can provide.

Ah, Lord, I am filled with gratitude to you for your goodness to your children. Thank you, Lord, for a great Saturday at the end of this year’s summer in the prairies. Thank you, Lord, for faithful Christians, who have followed you throughout their interesting and challenging lives and who now inspire me to seek you with all my heart as well. Lord, I pray for those of us who are in a storm right now. I pray for Oralee and her health and for both Peter and Oralee as they cope with different roles even in their own household!

I pray, Lord, that while waiting for this storm to clear, that peace like a river attendeth their ways and sorrows like sea billows roll, for it is well with their souls.

How do you spell Caucasian?

“...And they will see the Son of Man arrive on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:30, New Living Translation

Dear God - “How do you spell ‘Caucasian’?”

So, I was nearly ready for work, and just applying the last bit of makeup this morning - you know, the various products that impart a false, but powerful notion that I am maintaining a youthful appearance against all odds. These particular habits and routines are somehow a comfort in a world that often does not feel secure. I have a new job, own a new car, am now a shareholder in my company, and am more in debt than ever, but getting up, reading, showering and applying makeup helps to make me feel “normal” on a daily basis.

Today, that routine was disturbed. At 6:30 a.m., the phone rang. My heart pounded loudly in my ears. Had something happened to my father? Dad is nearly 79 years old and suffers from a variety of ailments, including Parkinson’s disease. He lives in a seniors’ facility in Alabama - about 2,500 miles from Edmonton. As I rushed around trying to locate my suddenly hard to find cordless phone, I began thinking about and planning the arrangements I would have to make if I had to take a sudden trip.

Finally, I found the phone. It was Dad’s number calling me.

“Hello?” I said with some concern.

“Hi, Kath? What time is it there?” He did not sound too bad, but you can never tell.

“Six thirty, Dad.”

“Oh. Well, it’s 7:30 here - did I wake you up?” What in the world was this about, I wondered.

“No, Dad. I was just getting ready to leave for work.”

“Oh well, good. It’s about time.” This is Dad’s way of teasing. “So, how do you spell ‘Caucasian’?”

In a surreal fog of fury, humor and relief, I spelled it out for him two or three times.

“Okay, Kath, thanks. Have a good day at work.”

I hung up the phone and sat on the bed for a couple of minutes, letting my heart relax. Thoughts about another recent Dad incident came to mind. About a week ago, my sister Jackie sent an e-mail out to her siblings wanting to know if any of us were going to visit Dad in the near future. She was in the process of setting up a safety deposit box for him at the bank. One of my sisters replied right away that she was going to visit him at the end of March.

This left my mental radar until I was on the phone with Jackie on Saturday and asked her what that was all about. She said she had just found out Dad has tens of thousands of dollars worth of coins in his room. Another surreal moment. I asked her why he had that many coins, and she said he had told her it was a good investment. But she told him she did not like him having that money in his room. I agreed.

Sometimes, these issues and others, more serious and less serious, are frustrating given the distance we all are from my father. He refuses to move nearer to any of us, wanting to stay in the milder southern United States, rather than deal with the winters in Michigan, which is where both sisters live who have offered him a home. He stubbornly refuses to take his medicine. He drives a dented up large vehicle that he should not be driving - recently, he ran over the mailbox at the home he owns. He often skips meals to save money. He will not sell his home in Alabama, wanting his children to have it as a future vacation home, all the while not understanding that his children prefer a live father to an inanimate building in a place we have rarely visited.

It would be easy to let anger, impatience and frustration govern my feelings when talking with my father, and listening to these situations that seem pathetic and unnecessary. But I know that there will come a day when I will wish the phone would ring at a ridiculously early hour in the morning, and upon answering that call, I would hear something like:

“Kath, how do you spell ‘Caucasian’?”

* * * * *

Lord, I thank you for my father and all his quirks and foibles. I thank you for the grace you have extended him for nearly 79 years to date. Lord, I pray that in the mess of his daily life, as he suffers pain and confusion due to his various conditions, he turns to you for help. I pray that we sisters are able to help him in this world, but that he returns to thinking about you and his eternal life. Lord, there was a time when he believed and served you, and I pray he do so again. I pray he see the Son of Man on his return.

Valentines

"Jesus told him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had known who I am then you would have known who my Father is. From now on you know him and have seen him.' "

John 14:6 - 7 - New Living Translation

Dear God - Valentines

A long time ago, there was a young man, who was quite a troubled young man - rebellious to say the least. He liked to party, joyride, etc. One day, he landed in jail after stealing gasoline from a local gas station. As he sat in his jail cell, he remembered an uncle that had a very dicy past, but who’s life had turned around after he came to know the Lord Jesus Christ. So, the young man, with his one call allowed, decided to call his uncle and ask him to come to the jail. It was on a February 14, Valentine’s Day, that the uncle came and sat with the young man and eventually prayed with him, asking Jesus to forgive his sins and come into his life.

Because that young man came to know Jesus at perhaps one of the lowest points in his life in a jail cell on that Valentine’s Day, many years later, I also came to accept Jesus into my heart and my life.

I’ve never been married, never had any children, and so there have been some Valentine’s Days that I have envied my friends experiencing romantic dinners and receiving flowers from their husbands, or cute little valentines made by their children. But whenever I get even a little bit down around this time of year, I remember that God’s greatest gift of all, His love through His son, Jesus Christ, can take your worst Valentine’s Day and turn it into the best day of your life!

Washington, D.C.!

Wow! I can't believe I am so far away from Edmonton so quickly! I've had 2 great flights today, with hopefully 2 more great flights to go.

Funny thing happened in Minneapolis.....this man, probably 45ish who is an airline employee walked up to the gate at which I was waiting, and he looked so familiar to me. He walked up to me and said, "You look so familiar to me." We exchanged names, but have never met, I don't think. His name was Hebert Henry, or Henry Hebert...can't remember which now. Anyway, kind of funny.

Flying from Minneapolis to Washington was very interesting. We flew over Lake Michigan - wow, I don't think I ever realized the breadth of that lake. It looked like an ocean for a while!

I was sort of prepared, but not totally, for the landing at Washington's Reagan National Airport. The final banking move made me gasp and jump in my seat, which made the guy sitting next to me laugh. For a while, I was used to the landings here, but it has been a while, and it is a shocker when it happens!

I bought the Washington Post and look forward to absorbing it on the way to Atlanta. One of the front page stories today has an interesting headline: Primary-Care Doctor Shortage May Undermine Reform Efforts. What? I thought this is where all the trained up doctors in Canada are going? If they are short here and short in Canada, we are in some deep trouble!

Next stop, Atlanta..... never even stopped there before, so I am looking forward to it.

In The Beginning

What a night! Last night, I saw the phenomenal Ruthie Foster in concert at the Jubilee....she was really phenomenal!! It is not a misnomer. The Blind Boys of Alabama were pretty awesome, too. All in all, it was a great night. As Randy, Arlene and I left the Jubilee, and stepped into the cool, fresh air of a beautiful Edmonton night, I felt the tug of this place afresh on my heart. Honestly, summer here is unbeatable. And it is finally summer!

Driving home with both windows rolled down, I marvelled in the moment and thanked God that He made such a beautiful night that I am already anticipating and longing for my return next week! Perhaps that has something to do with the 100 degree (37 - 38 C) weather I will no doubt be experiencing in Alabama in less than 16 hours. But perhaps it is just the way it is supposed to be.

Cliff and Harriett brought me to the airport today. We drove through quite a bit of scenic mist along the Anthony Henday along the way - beautiful. I learned that there is a lot (I mean a lot) of peat moss in the ground here - we could see where construction was taking place how far they have to go down here to get below the peat moss, and I caught myself thinking about the years spent with my foundation and geotechnical engineering friends in Washington, D.C. - one leg of this journey. Barbara - I hope you will be around next week - would love to get together and catch up.

After hugging C&H, I entered the airport with a sense of anticipation - what interesting things does God have arranged today? I checked in, getting through all the rigamarole that is designed to make us safe flying, but seems to take forever to get through. And then, as if on cue, I recognized two women as I went to sit down and wait for my flight.....the phenomenal Ruthie Foster and her bassist cousin!!! I had to tell her what a blessing she is to me - wish I had a camera!!! Honestly, could the day start in any better way???

Today, I am also thinking about NP's tennis tournament - looks like the weather will hold up -

Off to my next checkpoint - Minneapolis here I come!

Ciao for now, but not for long.

Child of Mine

Oh child of mine
Come close to me
I'll give you hope
I'll set you free

Not just today
But evermore
Oh child of mine
Step through that door.

Too Busy To Wiggle My Tooth

“… And let those who understand receive guidance by exploring the depth of meaning in these proverbs, parables, wise sayings, and riddles.” Proverbs 1:5-6 (New Living Translation)

Too Busy to Wiggle my Tooth

Another new year – wow! Last year seemed to go by at the speed of light. It is hard for me to believe that I have now lived in the Edmonton, Alberta, area for nearly 5 years. In a way, it seems I have always been here, and yet in a way, it seems like just yesterday that I fell in love with this most improbably lovable area of the world.

There is no place like the Edmonton area in December. Honestly, what a beautiful Christmas it always is here. Although there is not a lot of mixed vegetation here in general, we do have a large number of pine trees. Throughout this holiday season they have been heavily snow-capped, making for very lovely vistas at every turn. Gorgeous winter skies – muted sunrises and pastel sunsets – provide the perfect backdrop for these majestic Christmas trees that grace the area with their beauty.

I was quite excited about Christmas baking this year. My friend Rachel, in Florida, gave me a recipe for Cheese Crackers/ Biscuits Dusted with Powdered Sugar – something I figured no one would have tasted here since it is a southern recipe. So, I produced dozens of those while house-sitting at my friends, Brian & Sherry Wine’s home. Here is the recipe. Combine ½ cup butter with 1 cup of shredded medium cheddar cheese and 1 cup of flour. Form a log with the dough and refrigerate. As desired, cut ¼ or ½ inch slices and place on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for anywhere from 10 – 18 minutes depending on the width of the slices. The cheese should be a little browned when they come out of the oven. Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar. Yummy.

I spent Christmas Day with my friends Bob & Jocelyn and their family. We had a wonderful meal, great conversation, and played Apples to Apples – good time all the way around. Charles, Jen, Cory, Jean-Marc, and Angie are great to hang out with.

The following evening, I visited Dennis & Connie and their family. I met Dennis’ brother Brian, his wife Terry and son Nate. We also played Apples to Apples, which was just as much fun with 10 people, too! It was at some point during that game that Connie told me her granddaughter Breyar had a loose tooth and then asked Breyar if she was wiggling her tooth. Breyar replied, “I am too busy to wiggle my tooth!”

It is often out of the mouths of babes that unexpected wisdom flows, isn’t it? I thought of myself as a little girl and I remembered how when I had loose teeth, I was anxious to get them out so the tooth fairy would have the opportunity to come and deposit a gift under my pillow. Back in those days, it was probably no more than a quarter! I don’t think I was ever too busy to wiggle my tooth.

But now, things are quite a bit different than when I was a little girl. We are inundated with activities and external stimuli. I know I pack it in. We seem to think of sitting still as a sin. What is up with that? Sometimes I think we equate “working hard” to “being busy”. And the most commonly heard mantras or sayings these days are “I’m just so busy …” and “I’ve got so much to do…”

I’m not speaking of others here. This last year I was too busy to workout, to pray consistently, to go to bed early, to get up early enough to do my reading at the best time of the day, to develop some relationships, to submit paperwork on time, to send Christmas gifts in the least expensive manner instead of the most expensive manner, to eat right, to keep my home clean and in order, etc., etc., etc. What am I too busy doing to do these other vital things?

Lord, please help me to prioritize and perform my activities in a way that honors you and what you would desire for my life. Please give me the strength to avoid those activities that would detract or distract me from experiencing a great year in 2009. I pray for the strength and desire to accept the challenges that come my way for benefitting your kingdom. Please help me see that it is not always wise to be too busy to wiggle my tooth!

Christmas Eve

Another Christmas Eve!

This year, I will spend Christmas Eve making homemade cheese crackers with icing sugar on top - a recipe I just got from a friend I haven't seen in about 30 years. I'm house-cat-gerbil-fish sitting, so I'll check up on them throughout the day, too! This evening, I'll play my flute at my church - North Pointe Community Church. Then a late dinner with friends.

Today I remember many years of driving from Washington, D.C., to Commercer Township, Michigan, to spend Christmas with my folks. My mother's birthday was December 23, so I usually tried to be there for that! This year, I did get a bit teary-eyed as the e-mail reminders that I set up for her birthday came in. But that's to be expected.

It was always with a great sense of anticipation that I traveled home. Christmas Eve would find our house with music on - a variety including Kathleen Battle (opera), Garrison Keillor (storytelling w/music), Nat King Cole, Burl Ives, James Galway, etc., etc. Mom would have cinnamon boiling on the stove and Dad would have a kettle of cinnamon or pot pourrie setting on the wood-burning stove as well. There would be walnuts, pecans and almonds to crack, along with a festive cheese ball and crackers. We usually had egg nog with some Bailey's Irish Cream (or non-brand version of same) as well.

Preparations for the following day's Christmas dinner would be made as well, with well laid out timelines and planning for the turkey cooking especially. My parents were often cooking stuffing in the middle of the night or the very early morning before everyone else got up for the day.

I remember Christmas Eve as generally a quiet, restful time spent in our home. Most years anyways.

So, today I'll spend a quiet, restful time where I am, making cheese crackers and listening to some great music!

Merry Christmas Eve.

November 20, 2008 - The Day of the Meteorite

So, two days ago I experienced one of the most memorable birthdays of my life. In some good ways and some....well....not as good!

I went into work and got spoiled rotten - flowers, chocolates, well-wishes all day long. It was all going well, and then I talked with my sister. You see, I had received a YouTube a few days ago that was a short film of a guy turning the pages of the foreclosure listings for Wayne County, Michigan, in the Detroit Free Press. There were....are you sitting down, reader....136 pages of foreclosures. Unbelievable.

I asked my sister if that was true. And she said she thought so, yes. So, I asked her how she experienced this personally. And she told me her subdivision has a lot of empty houses with foreclosure signs in front of them. I asked them where these people now lived. She said many people are living in their cars or RVs. The police are very busy in Detroit, I am guessing.

What other ways is she experiencing the economic downturn? She said that restaurants are closing, the retailers are desperate, there are too many cars for the car lots - no place to store the excess, neighbors are getting laid off or hours and/or salaries cut. Food prices are soaring.

I hung up the phone with Jackie, and sat staring at the computer screen for a few moments.... and the tears came. A huge wave of sadness overwhelmed me right then. All these people thinking there would be no end to the good times for years....and now this. Who knows? It might have happened to me if I was there still. It is so easy to overextend. When everyone else is going to lunch, it is hard to say no, isn't it? When everyone else is planning trips to warmer climates, it is hard to say no, isn't it? For me, it isn't the warmer climates or the trip the matters, but I do feel a need to have shared experiences with people I enjoy. That does not justify the behavior any better, though, does it.

When I came to Edmonton, I felt more at home. It was not the mad rush that I experienced in the Detroit area. But over the past few years, it has sneaked in here, too. I recently spoke with a new friend of mine who is working with young adults, teaching them how to handle money, through a study that Dave Ramsey in the U.S. has put together. She has numerous examples of young adults who are not exercising good financial practices, either because they haven't been taught, or they haven't learned. But there are so many people here now who are overextended. And the pressure continues....

A friend of mine, who is a single mom struggling to make it on a receptionist's salary, has a 9 year old son who would like an IPod for Christmas. They are priced at about $400. There are people who actually think she should get him the IPod, when it should be seen as "living beyond your means." Period. End of discussion. When did it become sad if you can't have an IPod??? Man, we are really, really poisoned.

Anyway, back to the birthday experience.....

I was feeling quite....well....out of sorts, a bit apprehensive, sad even, as I took off to meet friends at the movie theatre to see "Madagascar". I was nearly there, sitting at a red light at St. Albert Trail and 137 Avenue, when suddenly it was daylight for 2 or 3 seconds...and as I looked up there was a ball of fire that appeared to go up and then down. I would have guessed that the ball of fire fizzled out and dropped within a quarter mile. I thought, "What was that? Must have been an explosion of some sort." But I couldn't make sense of it. I thought further, "What in the world is going on today?" Then I started thinking bigger. What if that was a chemical explosion or nuclear? I wondered how long it would be before the poisoned gas would reach me if so. And bigger yet... I wondered if all of a sudden one day, darkness will turn into daylight, and the Lord will be before me. Will it be like that? Will I be sitting at a stop light and all of a sudden, daylight all around? Was I ready?

Ahhhhh....am I ready for that today?

Anyway, I was really quite disconcerted as I went into the movie theatre moments later, hoping I would hear later it was some firework or some minor explosion. Connie was there and it was good just to see a friend at this point. A group of us watched Madagascar - it was a relief to watch good clean comic fun.

This is my second most memorable birthday in my life. The day the meteorite streaked across the prairie skies, turning darkness into daylight along the way.

Of all the videos of the meteorite videos out there, this is the one that is like what I saw:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSL3b6bCR7s

Remembering

"Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:25 - 28 (NIV)

There are many scriptures that talk about the value of sacrifice, the laying down of our lives for another or others. Today is our day to remember those in our families, cities, counties, states, countries, who have laid down their lives for us.

This is one thing that has always fascinated me about men in particular. I mean really. Just as I sit here drinking coffee and writing this little blurb.....years ago, men in my family and others woke up, drank coffee, and heard or read something that caused them to say "sign me up" to serve.

Today I'll remember those I know of in my family:

My father, Douglas Brown, enlisted in the Air Force when he was 17 or 18. He was stationed in England in the late 40's/early 50's, but was never involved in armed conflict.

My uncle, Mike O'Brien, was a career Coast Guard Officer.

My uncle Steve O'Brien served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam and upon returning, served in the Reserves.

My brother, Dale Brown, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served for 3 years.

My cousin Erin's husband, Brent Orr, is a full time captain in the North Carolina Army National Guard and an Apache helicopter pilot, and has served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The ability to step up, serve, risk and possibly give one's life for a greater good, so that others might live, certainly portrays a picture that Christ himself painted for the disciples. The vast majority of those who have served and do serve in our armed forces do not hold positions of great authority or power, but nevertheless have served with their lives, in an "everyday" kind of way, so that the rest of us may live with the many freedoms we enjoy today.

Thank you.

An Early Winter Night's Joy

Surprised. I was quite surprised.

I had seen a ballet earlier this year - "Mozart's Requiem", and it was quite good, but a bit heavy and dark. Prior to that, my last ballet was "Swan Lake" performed at the Kennedy Center with Rudolph Nureyev as the lead male dancer, perhaps 30 years ago. I don't remember much of the performance, except for being absolutely amazed watching the swans dance their beautifully synchronized dance.

So, as I headed off to "A Midsummer Night's Dream" a couple of days ago, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. With my limited experience, I expected a serious, somewhat dark ballet. As I said above, I was quite surprised.

First of all, the set was beautiful. Not too complicated, so very sophisticated. The opening seemed as if it was occurring in a dream, and we understood why that was when a filmy filter curtain lifted during or after the opening dance. Brilliant.

Mendellsohn's music was light and fun. The choreography was....well, astute, I think. In other words, I think that the story was told so well, and the humor conveyed so aptly, that even the viewer who least likes ballet would be entertained!! The dancers danced in a beautifully winsome fashion - to my untrained eye, they were flawless. The children's performance was top-notch, and the Pro Coro Choir was phenomenal. As I heard the beautiful music drift up from the orchestra pit, I envied the musicians in the Edmonton Symphony.

As the potion put a spell on the lovers in this story, so this performance enchanted me. I could not have asked for a warmer experience on this early winter night!

Thank you, Alberta Ballet.

Hi, y'all --

That's right, I said y'all - please forgive my recently acquired suthun (southern) accent - I just returned from the Land of Love Bugs. Yes, indeed. Fairhope, Alabama is inundated with these bugs that I found myself swatting around until my sister said, "Kathy, just leave them alone, they are harmless. They are called Love Bugs." Sure enough, these bugs mate constantly. So, you never see these bugs alone....always two together as they fly around! Interesting....

Not to bother you with rambling, (clue - next part is rambling - to skip the rambling, scroll immediately to the bottom of this e-mail!), but it was quite interesting to go as far as Fairhope, Alabama - never been there before. It is on the Gulf of Mexico, and so gets some hurricane activity usually during the year, although Fairhope was "lucky" in that Ike chose Galveston, TX, instead this time around. Fairhope was established in an attempt to create a Utopian environment, especially economically, with very low tax rates, and one utility payment per household (made to the City of Fairhope). The City boasts a highly educated community - the Unitarian minister there, Celeste, said that in their small congregation, there are 7 published authors and the average education is a Master's Degree. With my father there, we expressed surprise that they would allow him to bring the average down.... (that is a joke and he got it!). :) The upshot is that you can have a whole lot of knowledge and yet without a greater purpose, your knowledge leads you nowhere. I actually did think about the Truth Project and my enthusiasm for it, and asked God to temper my desire for more and more knowledge. As Pastor Bob expressed today, "graceless truth repels people from Christianity."

One thing I had completely forgotten about until this trip was the art of socialization in the south, and how the ladies of the south epitomize the art of hospitality. It truly seemed an art form to me this time around, and actually, I am a little envious of it. I feel like a bull in a china shop in comparison with my "let's bottom-line it" approach to things! Thank God for His creating us all uniquely and with different gifts.

The opening to the show of my mother's artwork was pretty small, though she really got a good writeup in the local paper. The church did wonderful little hors d'oevres for the reception, probably the most unique of which was mini-reubens. Quite good. As I said the hospitality was wonderful, and many of the ladies stopped to chat about the artwork. Their dresses, hats, sunglasses, and manners were welcome. Quite charming in a rather sophisticated way actually.

On Saturday as we were driving home from the coffee shop, I noticed a sign for a Christian Church down a pretty road, so I determined to go there on Sunday.

I got up on Sunday, and was putzing around the kitchen, and noticed "The Hallelujah Diet" book was on the island....I asked my sister Karen if that was hers and she said it was. I thought that was interesting and she said, "You know, Kathy, the Bible says you should be a vegetarian." I just grinned and said I wasn't too sure about that but I'd be interested in hearing what scriptures she thought indicated that. I did tell her I was reading Daniel, told she and her husband about Daniel, and how vegetarianism benefitted Daniel and his 3 cohorts for sure.

So, I took off for church. At least 2 ladies greeted me as I sat waiting for the service to start. This was a small, traditional church, and I was getting some attention as I observed out of the corners of my eyes. Amusing. They provide attendance numbers on their handout, and the week prior there were 89 in attendance. I would guess there were maybe 50 on this particular Sunday. What was funny to me, though, was the scripture that the Pastor had chosen to talk about - Romans 14:1-12. I won't make you look it up:

1Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. 4Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

5One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

9For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. 10You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. 11It is written:
" 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.' "^[a] 12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. 14As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food^[b] is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

Given the conversation with Karen that morning, I found the fact that this scripture was chosen very, very funny. And you better believe I shared that with her when I got home! She didn't look all that impressed, although I do think she considered it seriously when I pointed out the Bible is a pretty big book and the odds of the church I visited to pick a scripture entirely relevant to our discussion (vegetarianism vs. meat-eating) slim to none. I will say it would be far easier to be a vegetarian in Fairhope where vegetables and fruits are very, very flavourful, and far less expensive. :)

But their purpose at that church was not so funny. They have been trying to select a senior pastor and have not been able to come to agreement. I won't bore you with the rest of the details, but I do like their signature mission: "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love." The sermon certainly admonished me in some ways.

Ghosts

Sober up, you drunks!

Get in touch with reality—and weep!
Your supply of booze is cut off.
You're on the wagon, like it or not.
My country's being invaded
by an army invincible, past numbering,
Teeth like those of a lion,
fangs like those of a tiger.
It has ruined my vineyards,
stripped my orchards,
And clear-cut the country.
The landscape's a moonscape.
Joel 1:5-7 The Message

Ghosts

What a beautiful day here in Fairhope, Alabama. My sister Karen, her husband Kurt, and I went down to the shores of the ocean today. Fairhope is very hot and humid right now, and the vegetation is quite lush, though the flowers have lost much of their intense lustre. We saw herons, cranes, geese, ducks and seagulls as we meandered along the shoreline. That is what y'all do in the south, hear, you meander or stroll by the seashore.

We walked on the sparsely populated beach - this is not "the" beach to be seen at since it is quite a narrow beach, but rather one just used for walking and enjoying the scenery. We chose to walk the large pier into Mobile Bay. As we walked the pier, the wind kicked up and I thanked God for the breeze that was such a relief. Men were fishing - mostly throwing out fishing nets all along the pier, and I asked one what fish he had in his net and he said "mullet". I thanked him, and he said, "Yes ma'am." The charming drawl sounded like music to my ears.

We continued on and came to a restaurant selling fried fish. Posted on one of the windows, there was an advertisement for some sailboat for sale for $150,000. Just beyond the restaurant, I heard it. It was a very creepy sound. A low moaning, groaning sound in the wind. Actually, the sound was coming from the wind whistling through the masts of several boats docked at the pier. It was a sound that will repeat itself more frequently as the economy continues to slide. Ghosts.

Lord, I pray for our country tonight. I pray for an awareness of how far away we are from real community, real purpose, real meaning. I pray for a spirit of repentance to enter the hearts of these people. That before it is too late, we are shaken out of the sleeping, drunken state to which we have adhered to for years already.

Journey to Fairhope - Leg 1

Hi! I am sitting in the Minneapolis Airport right now knowing you are already pining for my presence. LOL. I am very tired, but excited, after a very short night spent on my friend Evy’s couch! I was up at 4:15 am and I’m glad I got to the airport early, because I was able to snag emergency exit row seats for the next two legs of my flight….

I have already had a very interesting day….

The shuttle from the Westin downtown was full, but it drags a taxicab along with it, so I hopped in that with some ladies who were leaving a conference for Women’s Shelters that was held in Edmonton. I met a lady from Charleston, SC and another from San Franciso, CA. The taxi driver was from an African nation, and was not very perceptive……he asked the ladies if they learned how to “squeeze men more” at their conference. How embarrassing from an Edmontonian perspective. We picked up a young and obviously drinking young man as well, and then drive to the airport included hitting a curb, and some farting, and some other wonderful experiences. The lady from San Francisco, though, was a little pistol – she made the driver turn down the radio and garnered his respect shortly after his faux pas. At the airport, she said to me, “That was worse than some third world experiences….”. Think about that – a woman who runs a battered women’s shelter in San Francisco was saying how bad our experience was. Perspective. Mayor Mandel, clean it up if you want to be a world class city.

I arrived ½ hour before I could even check in at the airport! So, I chatted with a guy from Tyco, which was really interesting because a firm I worked for in Washington, D.C., (Dames & Moore) had a business relationship with Tyco (which was then EarthTech). That guy was a techie guru, and looked up several spots for me to visit in Fairhope from the Blackberry he was carrying. Very nice guy from Baton Rouge – beautiful accent.

I met another couple who was flying Northwest from Edmonton, to Minneapolis, to Toronto, because it was cheaper than flying Canadian airlines!!! Go figure.

And finally, this little old lady in a wheelchair and her attendant who were flying to New York to take a cruise. The lady was 87 years old, I believe, and planning on living a lot longer so she could take more trips!!! They had trouble with their travel agent, so I gave them my travel agent’s name…..always good to drum up more business for your travel agent. J

I have to say that when I arrived here in Minneapolis, I felt a little heart tug of home….more in terms of cleanliness of the facilities than anything else. I LOVE toilet seat covers!!! Really, I do!

But the perspective is way off – the mall here at the airport has hired a harpist to play in one of the aisles…..a piano playing some lovely classical music is playing on its own in another…..I feel like I have traveled to a land in the height of decadence in that regard. Interesting, for sure.

So, I may very well get bored in Memphis, too, and may e-mail you from there! Who knows what can happen….hopefully, I haven’t bored you with my e-mail!

See you soon!

Golden Bears

It is going to be a fun football season for me. I went to the opening Golden Bears game yesterday, and though the start was a bit shaky, the Golden Bears found their form I think. I'm no football expert, but I think their quarterback threw confident and sharp passes. He found the ones who were open and nailed the passes quite a bit better than last year. And in layman's terms, I thought his offensive line protected him well - quite well - and in addition, the receivers were fast off the mark. I was totally impressed.

My friend Jean-Marc plays defense for the Bears and he did a great job yesterday. I particularly remember 3 tackles that were awesome. Whoever #45 was did an awesome job as did #44. I thought the defense looked very strong.

I think that if the Golden Bears play like they did in Quarters 2, 3 and 4, for the rest of this year, they will be tough to beat. I am so excited to be able to be here for this year of great football!