ebenezer's thoughts: 2006

Nod to Jason

Your results:
You are Robin

Monday, October 30, 2006

Saturday & Story

Well we had our Community Clean-up Day on Saturday ... and despite the weather (which was AWFUL) we had 90 people from 10 different churches come and clean up the core! It was quite a day!!! Really neat ... all the different people all working together!

Also ... I came across this story recently and thought I'd share ...
The Two Wolves

A young native boy came to visit his grandfather. The grandfather could see that the boy was troubled but they boy didn't want to talk. To help, the grandfather told his grandson about a fight that had been going on inside him for many years.

He said it was a battle between two wolves. One wolf was black. This wolf was full of anger, envy, sorrow, greed, arrogance, resentment, lies and false pride. The other wolf is a white wolf. He described this wolf as being full of joy, peace, love, hope, sincerity, humility, kindness, generosity, truth and compassion.

The grandfather said, "It is hard to live with these wolves inside me. Both of them seek to dominate my spirit."

The boy said that this sounded like what was troubling him. He thought for a moment and then asked "Grandfather, which wolf will win? The black one or the white one?"

The grandfather answered simply, "The one I feed."

Which wolf do you feed?

~ Shirley

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Good news ... and bad news ...

So there's good news and bad news ...

First the good news ... I got an A on my first paper for school! Since I hadn't written "scholarly" for over 5 years I was a teeny bit anxious. Not worried just anxious ... but yep 84% which is an A. And the comments were ... "Convincing argument, good integration of ideas and application - well written. Excellent intro, interesting points made and well researched." Yeah for me ... now I just need to learn to write in APA style ...

And ... this weekend I'm in a skit at church ... and the cool part is I wrote it! Here's the script ...

40 Days of Growth – Drama – Not getting hands dirty.

Setting: Mohawk College horticulture class.

Larry: Hi, I’m Larry.

Jane: Hi, I’m Jane. (Shakes hands) You’re new aren’t you? I haven’t seen you before. Is it your first class? Are you nervous? Don’t worry. You’ll be fine. I’ve taken a few courses.

Larry: Oh, so you’re an old hand at flowers and plants are you?

Jane: Yes, in fact I’ve taken 6 courses so far.

Larry: So what kind of things are covered in this course?

Jane: Oh, you’ll learn all sort of different things. Plant identification, some information on herbal medicine, soil characteristics, gardening tools, differences between trees and plants, herbs and flowers and the ecology of different plants. Do you watch gardening shows on TV? What’s your favourite?

Larry: I do watch a few. What about you?

Jane: Do you watch Gardeners Diary? And what about The City Gardner? You know since I live in the City I think it’s great. Matt James gives such great ideas for small yards. Have you watched Outdoor Spaces? It’s good. She does gardening makeovers. It’s amazing to see what can be achieved. Do you read gardening books?

Larry: I’ve read a few.

Jane: You really should get the New Ontario Gardener because it’s all about Ontario gardens so it’s really applicable. And you simply must listen to Ed Lawrence on Ontario Today on CBC Radio. He’s so approachable and answers questions so well. I’ve also read tons of books on gardening. So, what’s your favourite flower?

Larry: Hostas are easy and Black Eyed Susans.

Jane: Ah, rudbeckia. Yes, I like that one too. It’s lovely and hardy since it’s a native plant. Its drought resistant, heat resistant and adds great winter interest with its seedpod heads. It’s also great in poor soil and can grow in either full sun or part-shade. I’m also fond of Echinacea, how about you?

Larry: Echinacea? Oh the medicine?

Jane: Oh yes it’s a medicine but it the Latin names for Purple Coneflower. You should learn the Latin names because they are the “official” botanical name. I usually use the Latin simply because its easier to refer to a specific plant that way. Rudbeckia is the Latin name for Black Eyed Susan and Echinacea is the Latin name

Larry: WOW … you sure know a lot.

Jane: Oh, I don’t know. I just really enjoy flowers and plants.

Larry: You sure must. I’ll bet you have an enormous garden.
Jane: Oh no, I don’t have a garden.

Larry: Oh, you must live in an apartment. Do you container garden?

Jane: No, I don’t garden.

Larry: You don’t garden? But you know so much about plants. Why on earth don’t you have a garden?

Jane: Well, I don’t like worms and I really don’t like getting my hands dirty. I’m much happier reading about flowers in books and talking about plants. I don’t need to garden to enjoy flowers do I?

Larry: Do you spend a lot on cut flowers?

Jane: No, not really. I actually prefer artificial flowers at home. They don’t die and always look nice. You can get some really nice ones from Michael’s Craft Store.

Larry: But aren’t you missing the point?

Jane: Oh, I don’t think so. I can look at lovely silk flowers, they match my décor. Plus I have some lovely photographs of flowers on my walls that also match my decor.

Larry: So you have all this knowledge and passion for flowers but you’re content with artificial flowers and two-dimensional images?

Jane: Yes.

Larry: Oh … I think I’m in the wrong class.

Now the bad news ... IT SNOWED TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I saw snow ... albeit teeny little flakes but it was SNOW ... in OCTOBER ... mid-October ... and after a Monday that got up to 21 ... quite the shock.

Cheers

~ Shirley

Friday, October 06, 2006

Wedding Photos!

In September my dear friend Patti got married. In her honour myself and three friends from the Ministry of Labour who also worked with Patti wore shalwars. (When we worked with Patti she had a shalwar and declared on Friday to be "Shalwar Day" so we all wore shalwars to work!).

It was a lovely wedding ... here are some pics from the wedding.

The Shalwars ~ Lovely and Colourful Eh?

The Wedding Cake

The Happy Couple

~ Shirley

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Latest Update

Well since I posted last lots has happened ... I started back to school (doing my Masters of Education at Brock ... did I mention that?) and handed in my first paper last night ... we'll see how it goes. It's been fun going to class and doing the readings ... no sweat ... in fact I have quite a bit of prior knowledge which is good.

2nd ... I ran the Toronto Waterfront 1/2 Marathon ... and I really didn't think I was "trained" enough. So I thought i'd just go out and do an easy R5/W1 for the whole thing. Then when I got up that morning there was a wind (not a breeze) of 37K gusting to 52K/hr ... NICE! Anyway ... I managed to pull off a 2:21 and felt pretty darn good. Here's a pic from the race. I can't find my finish photo.

3rd ... my beloved Tiger Cats are now completely without playoff hope. The game last Sat was bad ... but despite the incessant rain we lasted until 5 mins to go in the game. Die-hards I tell you! In fact ... the last game is Oct 15 and then we're considering going to the McMaster Marauders last home game the weekend after. I can't believe I actually LIKE football. WEIRD!!!!!!

Well ... all for how ... ciao!

~ Shirley

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

LIFE IS THE COFFEE

I got this in an email today and wanted to share ...

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. The conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain-looking, some expensive, and some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee. After all the guests had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said:

"If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress."

"Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases, it's just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups & and then began eyeing each other's cups."

"Now consider this: Life is the coffee. The jobs, houses, cars, things, money and position in society are the cups. They are just used to hold and contain life. The type of cup we have does not define nor change the quality of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us."

God brews the coffee. He didn't make the cups ~ we do. Enjoy your coffee.

"Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections"

~ Shirley

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Before you buy that next bottle of water ...

consider this ... from the Utne Reader, May/June 2006 issue:

The breaking news on bottled water suggests that it might not be the tall cool drink that ecofriendly, health-conscious consumers seek. Plastic bottles are piling up in landfills as billions of gallons of fossil fuels are used to ship the stuff worldwide. In the United States -- where half of Americans drink bottled water regularly, and one in six avoids the tap entirely -- consumers have been convinced that hitting the bottle is a healthy choice, even though the Environmental Protection Agency does a better job of monitoring what comes from home taps than the Food and Drug Administration does tracking water sold at the grocery store.

Less attention has been paid to another effect of branded water: It advances a corporate agenda to privatize public drinking supplies. "Bottled water is getting people into the habit of paying an awful lot more for their drinking water," says Tony Clarke, author of "Inside the Bottle" (www.insidethebottle.org), a book-length expose of the industry published in 2005 by Canada's Polaris Institute and cited in Canadian Dimension (Jan./Feb. 2006). As much, in fact, as 10,000 times what they pay for tap water.

In 2003 the world's three largest for-profit water services corporations, France's Suez and Vivendi (now Veolia) and Germany's RWE-Thames, announced their goal to take control of 70 percent of U.S. and Canadian public water utilities within 10 years. By conditioning people to pay more for water than they do for gasoline, Clarke argues, the industry undermines confidence in public water utilities, setting the stage for privatization.

In communities that have privatized water services, prices have spiked and service often suffers. In 2003, after four years of rate hikes, dirty water, and service shutoffs, the mayor of Atlanta canceled the city's contract with Suez subsidiary United Water and announced that the government would resume running the system, and that it would be more efficient and reliable. In November, residents of Lexington, Kentucky, hope to pass a referendum that would reclaim public control of their privatized water utility, according to Stephanie Powell, an organizer with Green Corps, a national group assisting with the effort.

According to Clarke, the massive bottling operations of the leading water brands also amount to a form of de facto privatization. Municipal water utilities often charge bottlers preferential rates. And two of the most popular brands in the United States, Coca-Cola's Dasani and Pepsi's Aquafina, are nothing more than tap water, drawn from municipal supplies, filtered, and sold at a huge profit.

These sorts of tactics make for a thriving business: Consumers are spending more than $100 billion a year on bottled water, reports the Earth Policy Institute (www.earth-policy.org). At the same time, water shortages near bottling plants have been reported everywhere from villages in India to towns in Wisconsin, Texas, New Hampshire, and Florida, as companies extract water to sell elsewhere. This as the United Nations tries to convince its members to double their spending on water sanitation, to $30 billion annually, in order to halve the number of people who will go without safe drinking water by 2015.

And this comment from the United Church of Canada who recently advised members to stop buying bottled water.

Water is a prominent symbol in our Christian faith stories, both in scripture and in rituals such as baptism. A gift of God, water is essential to life—of plants, animals, and ourselves. Yet in today's world, access to water and water quality are both at risk. Water is a vital concern within many Canadian, First Nations, and global partner communities.

"If you've got $100 to spend on groceries each week, we don't want people buying into some subliminal message that the water in their taps isn't safe and that . . . they have to be spending $10 to $15 on a couple of cases of bottled water. In fact, they're paying for their water twice. They're buying that bottled water and they're also paying taxes for water -- crazy, if you're on a limited income." said UCC social policy coordinator Richard Chambers

Shirley’s comment … I'm totally in agreement ... in fact I only buy bottled water when I have to or when I forget my plastic water container. I drink tap water regulary and often get funny looks from people.

~ Shirley

Monday, September 11, 2006

September 11 ...

Wow ... hard to believe it's been 5 years since that awful day ...

I (like everyone else) remember vividly where I was and what I was doing ... in a meeting and there was a knock on the door and George said "Sorry to interrupt but planes have hit the World Trade Centre and there are more up there ... my wife wants me to leave since we are next door to the American Embassy." and I said "You're kidding, right?" and he said "No, I'm dead serious." and I said "No, you're kidding, right?" I just couldn't believe it ... and then going to Communications to see what was happening on TV and thinking it was just like a movie ... oh my ...

And Alan Jackson's song "Where Were You" ... it was months before I could listen to that song without crying ...

I did however seen an AWESOME documentary recently ... it's being repeated tonight at 10:00 p.m. on CBC Newsworld called "9/11: The Falling Man" This link will give you more details ... quite a powerful piece ... worth watching!

~ Shirley

Friday, August 25, 2006

Pluto the Poseur

I read the following article in Time Magazine last night ... hilarious! Enjoy

~ Shirley

Pluto the Poseur

I read the following article in Time Magazine last night ... hilarious! Enjoy

~ Shirley

Pluto Delisted

I read this article in Time Magazine last night ... it's hilarous ... enjoy!

~ Shirley

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Criticism and the Church

I heard this story on CBC Radio this morning .

While I completely understand the perspective of being respectful of others and honouring those in leadership roles, I still believe there is a role for Christians to have a say in politics. To not think critically about those in leadership is to abdicate any responsibility.

We Christians are PART of the world and should not withdraw from taking those in leadership roles to task about their actions.

My $0.02. What's yours?

~ Shirley

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Photos

I've posted some pics of the medals from Sunday's Race on FLICKR (see the side) ... for some reason I can't post them on here ... it gets stuck ... ah well ... check out the side ... do I look proud??

~ Shirley

Monday, August 21, 2006

Medals!

So yesterday my DH, DS and SIL and I did the Dundas Cactus 5K race.

Chrystal and I ran together for most of it and pulled off a 29:00 finish. (Well actually I was 29:02).

Connor did a 32:09 finish and Michael a 32:15 finish. Now here's the cool part ... they BOTH placed 3rd in their age category! And they both beat another father/son team to get third. Kinda cool, especially for Michael. Since he's running in the 50-54 age category he's usually running against guys who've been running for years and are speed demons. They both felt pretty darn good.

MY BOYS ROCK!

The other cool part was that Lisa Collins was also at the race. I know Lisa from church - she's the wife of the Youth Pastor. She apparently started running 1 year ago and yesterday managed an AWESOME finish time of 27:25 AND she also came in 3rd in her age category.

WAY TO GO LISA!

Cheers

~ Shirley

Friday, August 18, 2006

Summer, Summer, Summer ...

.. is almost over! Where did it go??

Been a busy summer ... we had a LOVELY vacation in a 140 yr old cottage on a 2 1/2 acre island in the Thousand Islands . Got to know the area well thanks to our host and got to experience "nautical life" ... having a boat as your major form of transportation is cool!

I also attended my niece's wedding last weekend. She looked LOVELY, don't you think?. Here's a picture.

I wore a dress I got from ebay. First time I've done that ... it ended up costing $35 Cdn including shipping and (I think) looked LOVELY. See what you think! This is a pic of me in the dress with my Mom.

Now the latest is that my beloved Tiger Cats aren't doing well so far this season. The last game they played was against our arch-rivals the Toronto Argonauts and ... well ... we lost 20-2! The crowd was booing at 1/2 time ... and most people left with 5 mins left in the game. It was AWFUL! I'm hoping that Jason and the boys pull it out Saturday night. They've had some good games (like against Montreal, Calgary and Winnepeg) and then ... well there was one game 29-0. I did get a GREAT Ti-Cat t-shirt which I hope to wear with pride to the next game (and with pride home agian!) Here's a link to the t-shirt (I can't get it to post the pic).

And finally ... I head back to school in just a few weeks. I'm going to do my Master of Education degree at Brock University in St. Catharines. Should be fun! My first class is Sept 12. Looking forward to being a student again!

Hope your summer is going well.

~ Shirley

Friday, July 21, 2006

My Boy Comes Home Today!!!!!!

My son comes home today!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes he's been away at camp ... ALL WEEK!!! I haven't seen or spoken to him since Sunday. And boy was that traumatic. We dropped him off and he'd been looking forward to going for WEEKS. Well he was okay (me, less so) and as we started to leave the parking lot he ran after the car crying! Talk about rip your heart out of your chest!

We stayed and settled him down and when DH called on Monday they said he was AOK when they went by at bedtime. :)

So our house has felt very quiet ... I've missed him SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much! I cried when we were on our way home on Sunday. But that said there have been some side benefits ... Ive' been getting out of the house MUCH quicker in the morning; I've been getting lots of exercise in the evening and DH and I have had the opportunity to spend to good QT time together.

Now tomorrow we're off to a cottage in the 1000 islands ... shoudl be FUN!!!

~ Shirley

Thursday, July 13, 2006

My Baby's Growing Up!

My little boy ain't so little anymore! He's been making amazing growth this summer ... take a look at what he's been doing:

Earlier this week he learned to ride a bike. He had a bike with training wheels on that he rode but 4 years ago when we suggested taking the training wheels off he balked! And showed no interested whatsoever in riding a bike after that. This week and last he has been attending McMaster Sports Fitness School and enjoying Outdoor Adventure and Orienteering. Well as part of Outdoor Adventure, the group was going mountain biking ... Connor of course couldn't go. So that very night he said he wanted to try and within 20 minutes he ws riding a bike!

Tonight he's at overnight camp with his group from Mac. They are camping and tubing at Elora Gorge ... he should have a BLAST.

Next week however is going to be hard ... he's going to his first overnight camp for the week! He's going to Canterbury Hills ... it's only in Ancaster but it's his first time away for 5 days! The longest we've been apart is 3 nights and that's when I've been away and he's at his Grandmas. This time I'm at home and he's away ... it's gonna be tough!

I said to him last night ... "You're going to be away all next week." He said "Yes, get used to it Mom." ... He's obviously ready ... I'm not!

~ Shirley

Monday, July 10, 2006

I have the World's Sweetest Son!

Yesterday I spent the day with my MIL and DS in Port Dover to see the tallships. It was very cool. There were 3 tallships there: The Playfair and Pathfinder out of Toronto and the St. Lawrence II out of Kingston.

It was great fun ... the tall ships were AWESOME to see. Then on the way home we stopped by Barton & Sherman to see the fun right after Italy won the FIFA world cup ... PANDEMONIUM!! There were cars beeping and Italian flags EVERYWHERE.

Now for the sweetest son part ... when we got home I was sitting outside with Michael on a lounger and asked Connor to get me some water with lime. When he came out he had put a straw, and a little drink umbrella with a cherry in it ... SWEET KID!!!

~ Shirley

Thursday, July 06, 2006

The National ...

Earlier this week I posted about the desecrating of the War Memorial in Ottawa. Well I also sent an email to The National, the flagship news show on CBC.

Well last night my email made it on! Yep ... they have a section called "Your Turn" where they post 2 comments from viewers and mine was chosen!

They broadcast: "When my family visits Ottawa we always make a point of visiting the War Memorial and paying our respects to those who served. When I told my 11 year old son about what had occurred at the War Memorial he said "I hope they go to jail, because that's what they deserve." My thoughts exactly. Shirley Forsyth, Hamilton, Ontario"

Cool eh?

~ Shirley

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

War Memorial

Have you heard about what happened at the War Memorial over the weekend? Check this link ... it's just AWFUL and made that much worse that it was a veteran that witnessed the awful spectacle.

I hope that those involved get charged AND convicted of all 3 possible charges:

mischief
being drunk in a public place and
performing an indecent act in a public place.

They should also be tried publically so that they are subject to the derision and defamation that they bestowed on others.

Whenever we visit Ottawa we always stop by the War Memorial and spend a few minutes to give thanks to those who served and made our great country what it is ... to think that some IDIOTS (that's what they are) would urinate on it is absolutely UNTHINKABLE to me!

~ Shirley

Monday, June 26, 2006

Why I Run

A message board I post on had this thread ... and I thought I'd share my post ...

Why do I run? Well it certainly wasn't due to gym teacher in high school! I hgh school I was NO athlete. I HATED running - got a stitch each and every time. I quit taking gym the minute I could which was Grade 10.

As years passed I would walk and I was a waitress for many years (running up and down stairs carrying food and drink is quite a cardio workout let me tell you!) and for a while I did aerobics each and every lunch hour.

Then at the age of 31 I got pregnant with my son and put on 40 lbs. After he was born I lost 30 lickety split but the last 10 kept hanging around putting my weight around 160. I maintained that weight until he was 7 when he wasn't a good excuse anymore. I joined weightwatchers and lost 25 lbs. and felt great but didn't start exercising until after.

THEN the summer before I turned 40 I met a woman at a party who had done a marathon for Team in Training ... she was so inspiring I thought to myself "what a way to celebrate my 40th year and my new shape" ... so I walked a 1/2 marathon in October of 2002 and then started running. Well actually I ran my fist 5K in August before the October 1/2. I'll never forget coming close to the finish line and seeing 34:00 when I expected to see 38:00!

Then after the 1/2 I started running in November with a buddy who was going to do her first full for her 40th .. we trained together and finished our first marathon in May of 2003. I'll never forget that race ... I KNEW I wanted to do another marathon while I was doing it ... and I've done 7 since!

So ... I run to remind myself that I CAN DO ANYTHING! I'm not fast, not pretty when I run and not in any way shape or form "gifted" athletically ... I can just put one foot in front of the other for a long time ... AND I LIKE IT!!

Finishing marathons reminds me that I have the power within me to do whatever I set my mind to. It's an amazing feeling ... try it sometime.

~ Shirley

Monday, June 19, 2006

Monday ...

So I've been busy lately which is why I haven't posted.

Busy at work and my son finished school last week. I went camping with his class last Tues night at the Royal Botanical Gardens. i fell asleep to the sound of one of his classmates at 11:30 and woke up to the same classmate at 5:20 ... YUCK! And of course, when one wakes up they all start waking up! Not much sleep that night!

Thursday night it was his piano recital. He did really well ... he's officially in Grade 5 for piano now. This time he'll do the practical piano exam and he also needs to do the theory exam. And when he gets to Grade 7 piano it's worth a highschool credit!

This past weekend was busy. We had a garage sale Sat am, then a neighbourhood garden party Sat pm to mee our new neighbours hosted by the neighbours who are moving.

Then I met a dear friend and we headed to Canada's Wonderland for a concert. We say Mercyme and Jeremy Camp. Both are Christian bands ... they were GREAT!!! It's been a while since I went to a concert and this one was a Christian concert. It was a totally different feel than I remember. Mercyme obviously did their absolutely TOP hit single, I Can Only Imagine. (Click on the link to hear it played on Windows Media Player)

I LOVE that song. I looked around after the song was finished and there were quite a few people wiping away tears. If you've never heard it before ... take a listen ... AMAZING!!!

Well ... that's it for me now ...

~ Shirley

Monday, June 05, 2006

Just Lovely!

So on Saturday ... shortly after I posted ... there was a knock on the door (okay really the doorbell rang) ... my son answered and said "Mom, someone sent you something!"

He brings me a bouquet of flowers! I look at the card and it reads
"You were an awesome inspiration. Thanks Again. Heather"

Made my DAY!

~ Shirley

Saturday, June 03, 2006

Saturday ...

So I'm still a little fatigued but getting better. Had to get up super early 2x this week which didn't help with recovery :)

Plan to get out for 10K tomorrow and I'm toying with the idea of a 50K at the end of the month. We'll see how tomorrow goes.

Then tonight we're going to the Battle of Stoney Creek Re-Enactment ... Connor did a project on the Battle so we're all looking forward to it.

And I just ordered tix for my friend Patti and I to see Mercyme at Wonderland weekend after next. Should be a great show.

BTW here's a photo of Heather and I from the race last weekend. I like this one.

Cheers

Shirley

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

The 8th Marathon

Marathon #8 is done ... my finishing chip time was 5:44:00 and my splits 10k 1:14, 21.1 2:33 AND 30k 3:50 ...
So here's my race report ...

I started the race toward the back as usual. There was a 5 hour pace bunny who TOOK OFF like no tomorrow right away! I mean TOOK OFF! (My DS and DH were at the 20.5K water station and said the 5:00 bunny was at least 15 mins ahead of the 4:45 bunny at that point - someone said they heard her say that she didn't want to be the 5 hour bunny ... I say if you want to run a faster time don't be a slow bunny )

So waiting for the gun to go off I was chatting with 2 women - Heather and Kate. Heather was doing her first marathon. We were chatting and we started off together with the 4:45 bunny. After about 7K I started to feel funny being with the 4:45 bunny even tho' she was doing a slower pace to start with so I held back. (I've NEVER been able to do a 5:00 finish let alone a 4:45 so this was likely not a good idea) My pace was good and I was having a good run. I got to the 20.5K mark and got hugs and kisses from DS and DH and my best friend in the whole world who joined us in Ottawa. It was a VERY hot day ... I swear it hit 28C (80F)

I hit the 1/2 way mark right on pace at 2:30. I had passed Heather and Kate earlier when they were at a toilet stop and they passed me just after the 1/2 way point. At around 23K my calves cramped so I took a walk break.

Up ahead I see Heather and Kate hugging and I thought to myself ... this isn't a good sign.

As I get closer I ask what was going on. Heather says she's sending Kate on ahead as she (heather) was having some stomach issues. She asked if she could hang with me for a while. I said YES and told Kate that I'd get Heather across the finish line.

Well we started off walking for around 1/2K then I asked if she wanted to try running. We did but her stomach was really off. I told Heather not to worry ... I walk at a pretty fast clip and if we walked the 2nd 1/2 not to worry.

Heather was pretty nervous and not feeling particularly positive. She admitted that she thought about dropping out at the 1/2 way point. I told her that I would get her across the finish line if I had to drag her.

So we carried on ... I was singing and chatting and talking to the volunteers and trying to keep Heather out of her head. She asked if I was okay with walking and I said that I'd done this before and that it meant a great deal more to me helping someone else achieve their dream. And I asked her, "Do you know what they call the last person to cross the finish line?" She said she didn't. I told her "they call them a marathoner, just like the first person"

We passed 30K and were in the thick of the 1/2 marathoners who started 3 hours after the full marathoners. As we neared 34K we picked up another woman who was having a bad run for her 3rd marathon. We finished the race the together the 3 of us.

At around 37K Heather started to falter at bit so I took her hand and started talking about what the finish line was going to feel like and how it wasn't too far to go. And I sang that song from the 80's "Ain't nothing going to break our stride, ain't nothing going to slow us down, oh no, we've got to keep on moving."

As we hit the 40K mark I said to her, "Heather do you see that sign? Do you know what it means?" And she said "what?" I replied "You're crossing that finish line ... there is absolutely nothing that can happen to stop it now." and I started pointing her out to the crowd lining the way and saying "This is her first marathon!" Then the crowd would cheer very loudly for her.

We walked pretty much the whole second 1/2 until the 300M mark and then we ran across the finish line together holding hands. She was soooooooooo thrilled. As we made it across she kept saying "I couldn't have done it without you" I said "Yes you could and did ... I didn't get you her your legs did"

Just past the finish line we saw my DH, DS and best friend and I brought her over to meet them. She cried and said "I couldn't have done this without her."

So ... not a PB but worth every step! And the best part is ... my recovery time will be less!

~ Shirley

Monday, May 15, 2006

The 8th 1/2 Marathon

Well I did my 8th half-marathon yesterday in Mississauga.

I walked it with Karen and her friend Debbie. We were hoping for a 3 hour finish time and managed to come across in 3:00:58 including a 4 min toilet stop :) Despite the wind which ranged from 26-33K gusting to 45K all the time we were out there!

It was great getting out there today and the rain held off (tho' I did put in my request :)) It was particularly cool seeing all the front marathoners coming along ... including the top 4 girls!

~ Shirley

Sunday, May 07, 2006

Another Community Clean Up Day ...

Well the turnout wasn't as good as October but around 40 people came out on Saturday to clean up the community around the church. There were 25 FULL garbage bags at the end and some happy people.

Everyone who came was really glad they did and felt it was worthwhile so that's the main thing, right?

Sat night DH and I went to the opera and saw La Traviata. It was FABULOUS! I do like opera. And the singers were amazing. The lead was Janine Thames ... what a voice! And it ws nice to spend the evening with my Dear, sweet husband who I love soooooo much.

Cheers
~ Shirley

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Encouragement ...

So I've been having a bit of a rough time of late ... and this morning on my way to work (the rough time) ... I had my bible with me and I asked for some encouragement / thought for the day.

So I opened by bible and my finger went to this verse ... Luke 1:79 "On us who live in the dark shadow of death this light will shine to guide us into a life of peace."

What more encouragement could you get eh??

~ Shirley

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Tuesday Thoughts

So its Tuesday ... garbage day ... another working day. Not much to report really.

I got my application in for the M.Ed. program at Brock in on time so ... we're waiting to see what they say.
I've got my feelers out for something in the OPS ... we're waiting on that.

May 6th is the Community Clean Up day at church ... that should be fun. I didn't get on the announcements list last Sunday but did a bit of a "town crier" thing and got quite a few signups. I've requested an email go out to all and sundry about the day and I'm on the list for announcements this Sunday so that should help!

Finished a good book on Sunday (in fact I read it in 1 1/2 days) Nightcrawlers, the newest (I think) Nameless detective book by Bill Pronzini. He's a really good detective / mystery writer if you haven't checked him out yet. And I've started the newest Lawrence Block, All the Flowers are Dying. And I recently finished Michael Connolly's latest paperback, The Closers. I like mystery/detective. (Can you tell??)

Cheers

Shirley

Friday, April 14, 2006

Cool Thing on Good Friday

Today I went out for my long run. On my way back, I'm coming down York St. and come across a small park in front of an apartment building. Sitting on a bench in this park is a man. Beside him is a dog and a backpack. He looks like he could be homeless.

As I pass by I look over at him and he says to me "Do you always smile like that?" I answer "Oh yes!" and then he responded, "It's good to walk with God, eh?"

I was blown away! Perhaps I met up with an angel today ... who knows??

Shirley

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

BROKEN!!!!

So ... I posted yesterday about my badly bruised left hand. Well last night my DH and DS were saying that they thought I'd broken it so ... and it was more swollen this morning ... so I called the doctor and got a requisition faxed over to Xray here at Chedoke. (The plums of working at a hospital) ... and ... yep ... it's broken!

I saw the film ... it appears I broke my 5th metacarpal at the base. RATS! So I got a call just a few minutes ago ... and I have an appt at St. Joe's Fracture Clinic on Thursday at 10;45. Of course it would be St. Joes ... I have parking at every other hospital BUT St. Joe's.

I guess I have a cast in my future :(

Shirley

Monday, March 27, 2006

Around the Bay!

Well the ATB is a thing of the past ... my fourth 30K race is now done. It was BEAUTIFUK weather +6 and sunny ... couldn't ask for better weather for running a race. :)

I'm pleased to report that I managed a 3:30:47 finish time and 10K splits of 1:12; 2:21 and 3:30 and a 15K aplit of 1:46 so I managed to keep an even pace the ENTIRE TIME! I really and truly ran my own race at my own pace for the first time. I think I really did a 3:28 as I had a 2 min wait for a train around 9K :)

Now the drag is that JUST as I was coming into Copps Coliseum to the finishing line. There I am the finish line is a mere 100 metres away and I start my finishing sprint ... and then SPLAT!! I go down in a heap on the floor. :( I heard people say "OOOOOO" but I brushed myself off and headed for the finish tho' not as quickly or as fast as I was going too :(

I badly bruised my left hand (typing is fun let me tell you), scraped my knees and got a small cut on my face. Now we'll have to see if the race photos caught it My legs are pretty good today .. not too much stiffness thanks to the cold bath after the race. My boys pulled a 32:20 5K and are feeling pretty good. Last year they did a 37 min 5K.

Ah well ... it's done.

Shirley

Monday, March 13, 2006

March...

Well it's March and I'm now 43 ... yep had my BDay on Friday. Took the day off work and spend ti with my boys We went out for lunch and to the Art Gallery of Hamilton. I used to work there many, many moons ago. It was great ... some lovely pieces specially those by Shirley Elford.

It's also March Break ... but not for me yet ... my DS gets 2 weeks for March break 'coz he goes to private school. He's at Drama Camp at Theatre Aquarius this week.

So next week we're heading to Blue Mountain and we'll be staying in a chalet. If you want to check it out ... click here and look at #206 Arlberg.

Should be GREAT!

Shirley

Thursday, March 09, 2006

What Parents Teach

Did you hear about the girls in Quebec who found a winning Tim Horton's cup? Apparently one girl saw a Tim's cup in the garbage unrolled. She picked it up and tried but couldn't get it up so she gave it to her friend who succeeded. The cup was a winner - of a Toyota SUV.

So ... apparently the families of these two girls are now fighting over the prize. To me, it's obvious ... sell the car and split the prize.

These parents are teaching their children what greed does ... no wonder it's referred to as one of the 7 deadly sins.

Read the full story here

~ Shirley

Monday, February 27, 2006

Worth a Read ...

Michael and I subscribe to The Walrus, a Canadian general interest magazine with an international outlook. It's a GREAT magazine ... and the most recent issue has an article that really hit home with me. (of course the fact that it reflects my views could be a factor :))

It's called It's a Porn World After All. It's a essay about 4 books: Female Chauvinist Pigs by Ariel Levy; Pornified by Pamela Paul; Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood and Yellow Dog by Martin Amis. The first two are non-fiction the last two fiction. Each of these books deals with the proliferation of pornography in today's culture. And each of these books (and myself) sees this proliferation as perilous to society in general and youth in particular.

The article had two sentences that typify what my resistance (or should that be revulsion?) to pornography has been.

In writing about the impact of the internet ... "Flickering across a million monitors in a hundred countries at this very moment are not tales taken from "Debbie Does Dallas" or "Another White Trash Whore" [both porn movies from the time pre-internet] , but images of women and men most of whom are performing lewd sexual acts before a camera because they are poor, damaged, or have been coerced into doing so. It shouldn't be so easy to ignore this while pleasing ourselves."

Summing up ... "In its exploitation of personal tragedy and naïveté, its misrepresentation of human erotica, especially among newly sexualized youths, who may never recover from being consumers of its distortions, in its indifference to consequence, to the causality of action and effect, both on screen and in real life, extreme pornography may be stalking one emotion more than any other. That would be the shared feelings we have for fellow humans, along with the inclination to recognize kindred suffering and even lend aid. Porn may yet be the death of empathy."

Pow4rful stuff, huh? Hard to ignore. To read the full article click here

~ Shirley

Friday, February 24, 2006

Okay ... so I'm prolific today ...

I heard this song on the radio this morning ... a new song by country singer Brad Paisley featuring one of my favourite voices in country music, Dolly Parton (who recently turned 60!). Check out these lyrics ... they're wonderful.

When I Get Where I'm Going - Brad Paisley

When I get where I'm going
On the far side of the sky
The first thing that I'm gonna do
Is spread my wings and fly
I'm gonna land beside a lion
And run my fingers through his mane
Or I might find out what it's like
To ride a drop of rain

(Chorus:)Yeah when I get where I'm going
There'll be only happy tears
I will shed the sins and struggles
I have carried all these years
And I'll leave my heart wide open
I will love and have no fear
Yeah when I get where I'm going
Don't cry for me down here

I'm gonna walk with my grand daddy
And he'll match me step for step
And I'll tell him how I missed him
Every minute since he left
'Then I'll hug his neck
(Chorus)

So much pain and so much darkness
In this world we stumble through
All these questions I can't answer
So much work to do
But when I get where I'm going
And I see my maker's face
I'll stand forever in the light
Of his amazing grace

Yeah when I get where I'm going
There'll be only happy tears
HallelujahI will love and have no fear
When I get where I'm going
Yeah when I get where I'm going

Here's another ...

There is a Reason - Alison Krauss

I've seen hard times and I've been told
There isn't any wonder that I fall
Why do we suffer, crossing off the years
There must be a reason for it all

I've trusted in You, Jesus, to save me from my sin
Heaven is the place I call my home
But I keep on getting caught up in this world I'm living in
And Your voice it sometimes fades before I know

Hurtin' brings my heart to You, crying with my need
Depending on Your love to carry me
The love that shed His blood for all the world to see
This must be the reason for it all

Hurtin' brings my heart to You, a fortress in the storm
When what I wrap my heart around is gone
I give my heart so easily to the ruler of this world
When the one who loves me most will give me all

In all the things that cause me pain
You give me eyes to seeI do believe but help my unbelief
I've seen hard times and I've been told
There is a reason for it all

So ... what'd you think??

Shirley

Monty Python

So the other week my son had a friend over and they watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Michael and I watched it with them and it reminded me how much I liked Monty Python. They are SOOOOOOOOOOOO funny ... and really quite clean in their humour. (Unlike Benny Hill who's humour is just crude and rude to my mind).

Anyway on PBS on Wed nights they are showing Monty Python's Personal Best. A show dedicated to each MP player. This Wed they had Eric Idle and Graham Chapman. The Grahm Chapman featured one of my favourites:

Mrs. Conclusion: Hullo Mrs. Premise
Mrs. Premise: Hullo Mrs. Conclusion
Conclusion: Busy Day?
Premise; Busy? I just spent four hours burying the cat.
Conclusion: Four hours to bury a cat?
Premise: Yes, it wouldn't keep still
Conclusion: Oh, it's not dead then?
Premise: No, but it's not at all a well cat, and since we're going to be away for a fortnight I thought I'd better bury it now just in case.
Conclusion: Quite right. You don't want to come back from Sorrento to a dead cat. Yes, kill it now, that's what I say. We're thinking of having our budgie put down.
Premise: Really, it is very old?
Conclusion: No, we just don't like it.
Premise: Tell me, how do they put budgies down?
Conclusion: Funny you should ask that. I've been reading this great big book called "How to Put Your Budgie down" and apparently you can shoot them just there above the beak, or hit them with the book.
Premise: Well, well. Course you know Mrs. Essence flushed hers down the loo.
Conclusion: Oh, you shouldn't do that. No, that's dangerous. They breed in the sewers and eventually you get large evil-smilling flocks of soiled budgies flying out of people's lavatories infringing their personal freedom.

Doesn't that just make you laugh?

Shirley

Monty Python

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Strange Cat

Okay ... so here's a strange story ...

Michael called me at work today and said that when he went to get himself a coffee he noticed red on the countertop by the coffeepot. On closer inspection he noticed red on the can opener (punch kind) and on the can of evaporated milk. (We use evap for our coffee).

Then when he poured some evap there were red globules in the evaporated milk.

It appears our 1 year old black cat who "doesn't work right" at the best of times decided to like the can opener and then the evap can. He cut his tongue and continued to keep licking despite the bleeding ... NUTS I tell you!

He REALLY doesn't work right ... and now we will close the kitchen door every time we leave the room!

Shirley

Sunday, February 19, 2006

Random Sunday Afternoon Thoughts

Yesterday I worked on the Spin for Kidz in support of the Joy and Hope of Haiti and City Kidz. Both are Hamilton-based organizations. One benefitting kids in Hamilton and the other with kids in Haiti.

What a great day. It was a LOT of work. I was in charge of registration both before the event and yesterday so it was pretty busy. We didn't have as many "bums on bikes" as we would have liked but ... it looks like we raised in the early $40Ks! After expenses (we try to keep them minimal) it looks like the Haiti group will have enough for HALF A SCHOOL! When I heard that I got teary thinking of the long term impact of one day ... wow!

Last night we went to my SIL's for dinner to celebrate my MIL's 75th birthday ... and it turned out we had something more to celebrate. My SIL and her partner eloped on Friday and got married. They had pics to show and both seemed really, really happy. It was so nice to see. AND it was a lovely present for my MIL who's been hoping that Chrystal would find happiness and stability.

Over the past while I've been an Olympic hound. I love hearing the scores and the medals. Nice today that Canada got 2 more silvers! And tomorrow there will be another Gold for SURE with Canadian Women's Hockey. They haven't lost a game yet! I have a feeling that Canada won't get the gold this year ... maybe silver or bronze.

Well ... I have some work to do ... see you later!

~Shirley

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Tuesday evening ...

Well I haven't posted for a while ... last week I was away all week at a course. I was getting certified to deliver the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. It's a personality instrument that SORTS people into one of 16 personality "types". It's based on the work of Carl Jung, one of the fathers of modern psychotherapy. It looks at your cognitive preferences. A quick and dirty on the types and the 4 dichotomies:

Where you get your energy - internally or a preference for Introversion (I) or externally a preference for Extroversion (E)
How you perceive information - looking at details in the present (S) or Sensing preference or by looking at patterns, theorys, with a future orientation (N) or intuiting preference
What criteria you use to make decisions - being objective and using impassioned logic (T) or Thinking prefernce or take a subjective view and determining its impact on people (F) or Feeling preference
and finally how you respond to the outer world - if you seek to have some control over it through plans and schedules (J) or Judging Preference or responding to the outer world by being flexible and spontaneous (P) or Perceiving prefernce.

I am an ENFP. ENFP's are described as warmly enthusiastic, high-spirited, innovative and imaginative, always finding a new possibility to try. They are quick with a suggestion for any difficulty, empathetic, and ready to help anyone with a problem. They often rely on their ability to improvise than preparing in advance.

It was really cool. I learned sooooooooooooooo much. The drag was I had to drive to and from Markham every day ... 105K each way on the 407. That highway is NUTS! If I was going less than 130 I felt like I was slowing traffic. And I once found myself doing almost 150 and a guy wanted to pass me! CRAZY I tell you!

On Saturday Connor had a friend over for a movie ... and we all watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail ... What fun! I haven't thought about Monty Python for years. It's really quite funny ... Connor got most of the jokes. And the best part is that the humour isn't crude. It's way out there but generally not crude. They were all just a little off kilter I think!

Today my DH got a colonoscopy done ... he's okay ... I took the afternoon off work to be with him. He told me before today not to take the day off but I did ... and when he came to and I was there he was really pleased. I know my baby ... I wanted to be there.

Well ... that's it for now ...

Cheers Shirley

Monday, January 23, 2006

Election Day thoughts ...

So today's election day here in Canada. I plan to vote tonight and look forward to seeing the results come in on TV later.

I offer this quote (which I heard on CBC News last night as mentioned by Pinball Clemmons) and hope that whoever forms the next government takes it to heart.

"Power without love is reckless and abusive. Love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of jusitice. Justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love." Martin Luther King.

Great quote eh? It reminds me of that great verse Micah 6:8 "And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

~Shirley

Monday, January 16, 2006

Random thoughts on Monday Morning

Well it's one week to Election Day in Canada ... and it's really heating up ... I'm thinking it's going to be another minority government. The pols are showing the Tories up 8% nationally in polls but that all depends on who shows up on Eday and the breakdown in the ridings.

I came across a really cool sight http://www.electionprediction.org/2005_fed/index.html that shows predictions for each riding. Interesting ... the site was 87% correct last time.

I got out for another good run on the weekend. Another 12K ... and I timed the last 6K again and was 1:12 faster than the week before and ended up with a 6:27 pace per K on the last 6. Nice! This weekend it'll be 14K ... getting up there in prep for ATB and the Chilly 1/2 in March.

I've been listening to Discover the Word and they're doing a series on Marriage based on Genesis 2:24 "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. " It's really interesting ... lots of good practical advise and teaching that's based on life TODAY. Today's session was about sex and the importance of sex in marriage. Michael would totally agree with the approach they are taking. Really quite cool..

~ Shirley

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Election Fever ...

So the Canadian election is just a few short weeks away ... and being the political junkie I am, I'm listening to the news, checking out the polls etc.

The news that the Conservatives might form the next government is disturbing. I'm a social democrat from way back ... with a significant amount of lefty socialist in me too. I've been a member of both the Liberal Party and the NDP. So I guess you know where I stand ... definitely left of centre.

To me the new Conservatives are just Alliance in sheep's clothing. I don't trust Steven Harper as far as I could throw him. Just don't. He seems so very arrogant and his policies ... Private healthcare. Notwithstanding clause. Scaaaarrrrrryyyyy.

And then today I got an email with a link to Rick Mercer's blog ... with some ideas on the Harper cabinet ... check it out ... the hairs on your neck will stand up! Check it out ... rickmercer.blogspot.com

Be afraid ... be very afraid.

Shirley

Friday, January 06, 2006

Miscellaneous thoughts on a New Year

Isn't it hard to believe that it's 2006? It seems just yesterday that we were all worried about Y2K stuff. Amazing how time flies.

My running of late hasn't been good. I've been having trouble getting out (motivation) and lead legs when I do. But then again I've been in pre-menstral mode which is stronger and stronger lately. Should be finished soon ... and I'm getting out for some distance so my training such as it is, is okay.

As well, I came across an article in Macleans magazine on a new magazine called GEEZ which is a new Christian magazine concerned with social change. The article talked about interesting ideas included in the magazine like pictures of crowds with "Jesus votes Republican" and "Jesus was a liberal" on their t-shirts and the magazine asking "What if God isn't on your side? What if God has no sides?" Interesting eh?

Here's a link to the magazine www.geezmagazine.org The mandate of the magazine is described as:

Geez magazine has set up camp on the fringes of faith. It is a refuge and inspiration for people of restless faith and blessed instinct.

It is welcome relief for over-churched souls who are ready for compassionate, resistant and spiritually viable ways of living in our world.
While it defies the unholy alliance between church, state, market and military, it also seeks the points at which contemplative vigor emerges at the front lines of social change.
It laments how civilized souls sacrifice meaning for convenience. And it celebrates the spiritual disciplines of biking and planting radishes.
Geez inhabits a little piece of the spiritual commons. A place where a prevailing individualized spirituality is replaced with a co-operative spirit and Christian community.At its best, Geez diversifies the myths by which we live, expressing fluency in image, symbol and word.

I'm going to get a subscription ... looks pretty darned interesting!

Cheers

Shirley

Robin		67%
Superman		60%
Spider-Man		60%
Wonder Woman		60%
Green Lantern		60%
Catwoman		55%
The Flash		50%
Supergirl		45%
Batman		30%
Hulk		25%
Iron Man		20%

Young and acrobatic.
You don't mind stepping aside
to give someone else glory.

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Friday, December 08, 2006

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Monday, October 30, 2006

Thursday, October 12, 2006

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Wednesday, October 04, 2006

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Tuesday, April 25, 2006

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Tuesday, March 28, 2006

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Thursday, March 09, 2006

Monday, February 27, 2006

Friday, February 24, 2006

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