About three things I am absolutely positive

First, I don’t like vampires. I don’t like the idea of them, or reading about them or hearing about them at all (and it’s not because I’m “scared”. I just don’t like fantasy, The witches and warlocks in Harry Potter are bad enough.)

Second, Stephanie Meyer is an incredible author and I only wish I could turn my dreams into multi-million dollar franchises like she has done. (Cause I have to admit, I’ve had some pretty cool dreams).

And third, I, like half the female teenage population of the world (and a lot of the non-teenage population) am unconditionally and irrevocably in love with Edward.

There. I’ve confessed it and it’s out in the open. Admitting you have a problem is the first step right? :)

But you know what? I’m not sorry. I’m not sorry that I’m a hypocritical Twilight fan because I simultaneously do not approve of vampires and fantasy yet I LOVE these books (and yes, to everyone who said “I told you so” you were right). I’m not sorry that I have a school girl crush on a character in a book and an actor.

In fact, on some level I am thankful for the Twilight Saga. It’s fun to be caught up in something and to have something in common with others. No, not everyone “gets it”, but there are enough that it’s fun to share. From my second cousin who’s younger than me and right in the Twilight target age group, to my bookkeeper who’s older than me and planning a Twilight birthday party for…herself. It’s fun to swoon with these people and share our mutual love for these characters. After all, that’s what good literature is all about. Vampires or not. And for that, I am grateful.

Attitude of Gratitude V2#11 - Peace

I went to the cenotaph for the Remembrance Day ceremonies today. They moved the cenotaph in our town a few years back and I haven’t been since. It’s in the plaza between City Hall and the main library now and it’s a great place because it’s large and perfect for parades and marches by the groups that participate. Seeing the air cadets marching first brought back memories of when Aaron and Robert were in Cadets. It was always the first big event of the year for them.

The ceremony was pretty standard. O Canada, a moment of silence. A bugler playing “Taps”, the roll call of the dead and the chilling “They do not answer sir”, including one name from the Afghanistan conflict. One of the cadets recited “In Flanders Fields” and the chaplain read a poem called “The Man We Didn’t Know”.

It was a great day for the ceremony. Clear with just a hint of fall in the air, but hardly any breeze. At 11:11 a squadron of planes flew over. One had been circling so I was waiting when I heard it coming again so low, I wasn’t expecting the group of them though. Very cool.

As a result of the genealogy work I’ve been doing lately, I can’t help but think of my ancestors who paid the ultimate sacrifice. “Great Uncle” Melville, who was killed in action in Italy at the age of twenty four and Cecil and Harold who escaped with their lives but always carried the horrors of war with them.

When the rifle corps gave a three gun salute the sound reverberated through the plaza and it gave us just a tiny touch of what it must have been like for these brave souls.

The wreath laying portion of the ceremony took the longest but it’s neat to see so many groups and individuals honouring the dead.

So today, on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, I am grateful for all those who fought for the freedom I enjoy each day and for the peace that,mostly, reigns, in our country.

I’m also reviewing some old school work right now and I cam across a poster I did as a project. It has peace symbols on two corners and an outline of a dove on the other two. Here are the words:

PEACE to me is…

Peace to me is no fighting with friends family or other countries,

Peace to me is sharing with good manners at all times,

Peace to me is quite dinners and a family reunion once in awhile,

Peace to me is getting along with friends and family,

Peace to me is a Dove with the twig in the mouth or the peace sign, Peace to me is a very good thing to have!

By Heidi, estimated age 8

Seth's in the Hospital

I’ve already reported how sick Mom and Aaron are. Well it turns out Seth’s got the same thing. He’s been off work for a week as well and tonight he had Brittany take him to the hospital. I’m not totally sure what caused him to go but I do know that he’s on two IV’s. One of saline and one of something else. They did a chest xray and he’s waiting to hear the results.

I took Aaron in for blood tests and an xray today during my lunch. We first went to the Imaging Clinic and BC BioMed but as soon as they realized we were there for H1N1 testing, they gave Aaron a face mask and sent us to the hospital. Stupid. Send us where more sick people are. Anyways, we did the xray first and I guess being tentatively diagnosed with the most feared bug out there is good because as far as I could tell, we skipped the queue.

Then the fun began. Mom, Dad and I have been donating blood since I was 17, and Aaron’s accompanied us to the clinics since then, so since he was seven. But, he still does NOT do needles. They managed to get half of what they needed today before he lost it. Well, lost it is strong. Basically he just got totally light headed and they had to scramble to get him into a wheel chair and over into a bed so he could relax. They did manage to get the second batch of blood but he wasn’t very happy. Of course it doesn’t help that he feels horrible and hasn’t been drinking or eating anything terribly substantial. He doesn’t have a big appetite to start with so this sickness has been horrible for him.

They got what they needed though. He has an appointment scheduled for Wednesday to see the doctor again to see how he’s doing. In the meantime, here’s a picture of him with the mask (he’s a good sport and the picture was his idea).

And, if you’re so inclined, prayers for Lorry, Aaron and, right now, Seth especially, would really be appreciated. Thanks.

Attitude of Gratitude V2#10 - Winter Coat

There is a list of things I need to get and events that need to happen before I move to Ontario. Things like paying off my car are done. Next up was a proper winter coat. I know it shouldn’t really be a big deal but I don’t like spending a lot of money on clothes so it was a big deal for me.

Knowing I am going to New York in a few months makes the importance of a proper winter coat even more important. I say “proper” because I have jackets that I wear. They’re warm enough but they’re not formal looking and they won’t do in cold weather. (It never really gets cold here, and if it does, I really don’t have to be out in it for any length of time)

When I went to Alberta at Thanksgiving I made a goal of buying a winter coat. My rationale was two fold. A. There are more coats available in Alberta because it gets colder (I had looked here and couldn’t find anything I was happy with) B. There’s no PST (provincial sales tax) in Alberta so I’d be saving 7%.

Luckily a new mall had just opened and everyone wanted to go check it out so on Sunday the whole family piled into vehicles and went to Crossing Mills in Balzac. We were a large group so we split up. Brittany, Candace and I took Joshua and hunted for my coat. Those girls were troopers. Went into practically every woman’s clothing store and I tried on anything that would fit. They gave me their opinions (positive and negative) and when we finally found a coat in Ricki’s (of all places) we knew it was the right one.

I haven’t posted this story until now because I wanted a picture of myself in the coat and with it getting dark so early now, it was hard to get one. This is a self portrait taken in the gardens behind the library.

Today I am thankful for my winter coat. I’ve needed it for years and I am grateful that I finally found just want I was looking for.

Attitude of Gratitude V2#9 – “No”

I’m skipping dance tonight. I’m just not in the mood. I probably should go because it would be good for me and I would have fun but I just don’t feel like it and you know what? That’s okay. And that’s what I am thankful for tonight. The power to say no. To chose if I go out or not. To have a quiet night at home and not feel guilty about it. For that, I am grateful.

Attitude of Gratitude V2#8 – Seasons

It’s a horrible grey, well, almost black now that it’s dark out, rainy day today. It’s miserable and cold…and I love it :) Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy summer, I love spring, and I’ll complain once the snow starts but rain and it’s-cold-and-I-just-want-to-dress-in-warm-clothes-make-hot-chocolate-and-cuddle-up-weather is my favourite. I have a lot of “indoor” hobbies and I feel guilty when it’s nice out. Bad weather lets me do what I want to and I am thankful for that.

Not only that, I LOVE the change in seasons. The leaves right now are so beautiful (well, the ones on the trees anyways. The ones on the ground are kind of brown and squishy LOL) I have a hard time seeing myself in a place that is always warm or always nice. I like bundling up and feeling the chill in the air. And in the springtime I like that it warms up. So yes, I am thankful for seasons and that I get to experience them.

Marley & the Devil

I rarely pay attention to the people involved in making movies, aside from the actors, but get this. This weekend I watched “The Devil Wears Prada”, in preparation for my upcoming trip to New York and just because I love that movie. I also watched “Marley & Me” (and cried, hard, even though I am NOT a pet lover). Both movies I got from the library (which is where I get most of my movies) on different days. It turns out, that they have a LOT in common.

	Devil Wears Prada	Marley & Me
Directed by	David Frankel	David Frankel
Music Supervisor	Julia Michaels	Julia Michaels
Music by	Theodore Shapiro	Theodore Shapiro
Film Editor	Mark Livolsi	Mark Livolsi
Director of Photography	Florian Ballhaus	Florian Ballhaus
Executive Producers	Arnon Michan & Joe Caracciolo, Jr.	Karen Rosenfelt & Joe Caracciolo, Jr.

And that’s just off the back of the box. So aside from the authors of the books, the screenplay, the Production Designer and the Producers, it’s the same team.

 

I’m sure that’s more common than I realize but it just kind of struck me that I just happened to watch two films made a few years apart, that were made by the same people...and the good news? I’d highly recommend both movies :)

Attitude of Gratitude V2#7 – Sales

I am thankful for sales. I have had my eye on the Making Memories “Vintage Findings” collection at Michaels for months. I have a number of pieces of the matching paper that I have accumulated from various scrapbooking stores over the past year or so and the embellishments match it perfectly. I’ve looked at the collection each time I go into Michaels. Fondled it. Debated buying some of it with my 40% off coupons but I’ve always talked myself out of it. Saturday I stopped by for a new black pen and found the WHOLE Making Memories Vintage Findings collection for 70% off!!! I got the 12x12 paper pad for $4.49. That’s 12 cents a sheet!!! Now I have to admit I don’t love every sheet of paper in there but even if I only use a third of it, that’s still only 37 cents a sheet which is a steal. I also got every little bit that I wanted. If I had bought it at full price, or even 40% off, I would have had to pick and chose and this way I got everything.

 

So, waiting pays. Being patient pays. I am grateful for sales!

Attitude of Gratitude V2#6 - Good Health

I am thankful for good health.

There is so much sickness going around. It is flu season and now on top of it we have H1N1 going around. I don't know anyone who doesn't have it or doesn't at least know if someone who has it. I have thankfully escaped but I have a few coworkers who have succumbed and my mom and youngest brother Aaron are both flat out. Mom's been sick for two weeks now and Aaron's been out for almost that long as well.

I took Aaron to the doctors today and he gave him a note to excuse him from work listing his diagnosis as "H1N1 – probable" and "Pneumonia". He's requesting blood work and a chest x-ray. All this on TOP of the fact that, as of Sunday, Aaron hasn't had a cigarette. So not only is he horribly sick, but he's also detoxing from nicotine withdrawal. I'm proud of him though. He's been wanting to quit smoking and he's really looking at this as an opportunity to do it. He's already made it a week, now he just has to keep going.

All of this sickness has made me extremely thankful for my good health. Aside from some minor sniffles I (knock on wood) haven't come down with anything and for that I am grateful.

Attitude of Gratitude V2#5 – Friends

Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver, the other gold.

I am so blessed to have so many wonderful friends, both old and new. Thursday night I went over to a new friend’s house and got started on my Christmas cards. Carla and I had a wonderful time “playing” and getting to know each other better. She, her husband Ben and their son Levi moved to town in September to be closer to Ben’s sister Naomi who moved here herself a few years back, with her husband Nick. All of these people are from Ontario so they think it’s kind of funny that I’m planning on moving that way when they just moved this way.

Friday night I had tickets to the “Rotary Christmas House Tour”. Our local Rotary club hosts a tour of local homes that have been decorated for the Christmas season (yes it’s early but it’s supposed to be before anyone else has really begun decorating so you can get ideas). I had planned to go with Meredith but she’s down with H1N1. Mom too. I called Kelly (my ex-coworker) but she already had plans to go shopping with her sister.

Suzanne not feeling well, needing a quiet night

Toni, working

Jennifer, home alone with two kids (including a brand new baby)

Katherine, writing a paper for school

Leah, it’s her son’s birthday, she won’t go out

Melissa, too far away

Rebecca! Available. Perfect!

I admit I had resorted to scrolling through the numbers in my phone to find someone who might be free. They’re alphabetical by first name and Rebecca was the first one I found. I’ve known Rebecca since, well, as long as I’ve known Mere, probably a bit longer (and I met Mere when I was four). Rebecca`s 17 months older than me which put us in different grades in school and she was married and had children quiet young so we`ve gone through seasons in our friendship. Lately we`ve been spending a bit more time together and this was a perfect example. We had a blast together. She really enjoys decorating (I just like looking at stuff) and we viewed all the homes at the same pace. Quick but not speedy fast. There were brand new homes on ``snob hill``, heritage homes, a gorgeous bed and breakfast (HUGE, huge, home) and even a townhouse. It was neat to see all the different decorating ideas and to see so many nice homes. I had to go through a lot of names to get to Rebecca but she ended up being the perfect choice. Proof that while new friends are wonderful, but old friends are great too.

I am thankful for all my friends, new and old, even if a bunch of them weren`t free at the last minute ;)

Attitude of Gratitude V2#4 – Starbucks

Shift Eight, Shift Four

Aka *$

Aka “star” “bucks”.

It’s a stretch. I know. But it’s more interesting than just titling this post “Starbucks” or “the Wednesday Night Coffee Crew” which is what really applies. Anyways, enough silliness. I do want to post about our Wednesday night group.

Attitude of Gratitude V2#4 – Starbucks

If you read my $7.13 a day blog you’ve probably noticed a pattern. Most Wednesday’s after church a group of us go out for coffee. 90% of the time it’s Starbucks (and you thought all Canadian’s drank Tim Hortons!) We do go to Timmy’s on occasion, usually when someone is starving and the pastries at Starbucks just aren’t going to cut. We find that we like the atmosphere of Starbucks over Timmy’s though. Plus, the staff there have come to expect us and they are really tolerant of us rearranging the tables and chairs when necessary in order to accommodate a larger group. Of course we always put everything back. A few weeks ago there was a train shuttling across our normal route between the church and Starbucks. Everyone else waited but I went the long way around. I went up to the counter to order and the barista asked “by yourself tonight?”. Everyone else ended up joining me, but my drink was half gone by the time the train passed!

The “group” fluctuates. There’s a basic core of us but not everyone comes every week. For the most part we are the “unmarried”, childless individuals of the church between the ages of 17 and 30, give or take. It’s kind of our unofficial “youth group” although there’s no leader and no set agenda. Often we’ll discuss what we heard in church but it’s not a structured debrief by any means. Lots of other topics come up as well, from school, to work (or the search for work), travel plans, etc. Mostly it’s just a time to get together and chat, with no expectations.

We usually arrive by 9:30 and Starbucks closes at 11 so we’re gone by then. In the summer we tended to stand around outside and chat longer but now that it’s cold and rainy we all scatter pretty quickly. Once in August we got our drinks and then went out to a school on a dark prairie road and watched the meteor shower.

I don’t always feel like going out but I try and join the group if they are going because I know I’m going to miss this casual connection when I move. This group has grown closer as a result of these dates and for that, I am thankful.

Attitude of Gratitude V2#3 – Genealogy

(and it’s GeneAlogy, not GeneOlogy which is how I’ve been spelling it.)

Last night I attended a “Genealogy 101” or “Genealogy for Dummies” or “Where the Heck do I Start???” seminar at my local library. The session was taught by the president of our local genealogical society and it was EXACTLY what I needed. She started off by differentiating “Genealogy” from “Family History”. They are of course interconnected but Genealogy is records, dates and names (boring). Family history is “the narrative of the events in your ancestors’ lives, it denotes the telling of your family’s story. Family history is genealogy come alive.” I thought that was a really interesting point of view.

She covered all the steps of getting started, organizing, using pedigree charts and family group sheets and, my favourite part of the night, she reviewed a bunch of forms that are helpful to use such as timelines, research and correspondence logs. It was a wonderful session and I can’t wait to start doing my research in earnest.

I have decided that I will be using PAF (personal ancestral file) for software, at least to start and I’m excited to start tracking all of the information I have gathered to date.

So, back to the theme of this post. I am thankful for genealogy. Not just because I get to use charts and forms and organization (which I admit, has my geeky self really excited) but because I will (hopefully) get to know my ancestors and MY personal history. I know a little about each of the people on the charts but I’m looking forward to finding out more, to making history, come alive on a personal level, and to connecting with other family members and unrelated people who have the same interest. I’m hooked and I have hardly begun!

Attitude of Gratitude V2#2 - Square Dancing

Last year I posted that I was thankful for my Square Dance friends. This year I am thankful for the whole Square Dance community. Square dancing is healthy, it's fun, and it provides a great network. I am finishing my fourth year and even though I grumble and complain (mostly to myself) I really do enjoy the chance to dance (ha! that rhymes LOL)

With all the new beginners starting lately I'm reminded of my first few sessions. I thought I would NEVER catch on, but I did, and now I'm dancing (mostly) at a "Plus" level. There's still lots to learn but I love it and I love knowing that I can pretty much go anywhere in the world and find a square dance club. I don't know if I will dance in Ontario. I may just plain not have time, but I know that if I want to, I can. And for that I am thankful.