Share Your World – February 12, 2018

Posted on February 14, 2018 by Mama Cormier

….thanks Cee for hosting Share Your World

Are you a practical jokester?

I might take part in planning a practical joke but I’m not one to do it on my own. I’m all for a good laugh as long as no one gets hurt or no damage is done to property.

Who cuts your hair? You, a friend, or professional.

I used to cut my children’s and my husband’s hair but I’ve always gone to a professional to get mine done. I’m very loyal when it comes to my hairdressers and I’m devastated when they leave the salon. If I know in advance where they are going I’ve been known to go to the new salon even if it’s out of my way. Of course if they leave the profession I have to find someone new and it can take awhile before I find someone I like.

Did you have a stuffed animal when you were a kid, if so what kind?

I don’t remember having a favourite stuffed animal as a child but my mother told me that I had a beautiful teddy bear. When I asked her what happened to it she said it ended up in the kiddie pool and she threw it away. My mother did that a lot. If we stopped playing with something it went in the trash. She hated clutter. I did have a favourite baby doll that I named Dorothy and I think I had her for quite a long time.

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week? Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.

This past week I went cross country skiing with a friend and her daughter. I had a great time and it felt good to be in the outdoors for such a long time. After two solid hours of skiing we went back to the chalet and had a late lunch. It started to rain so we pulled out a scrabble game and played for about 45 minutes. By that time the rain had subsided so we went for a short walk and then it was time to board the bus and return home.

Share Your World – February 5, 2018

Posted on February 6, 2018 by Mama Cormier

….thanks Cee for bringing us Share Your World every week

What would be your ideal fantasy way to spend Monday?

In an ideal world I would get up and go for a brisk walk for an hour, take a few photos along the way, come home to a nice hot cup of coffee and a breakfast of bacon and eggs and then settle in with a good book for an hour or so. After that I’d putter in my art studio and work on some sketches or tackle a paint project. This could take an hour or several hours. Later in the afternoon I might go for another walk or get in the car and browse at a few stores. My husband would cook a magnificent dinner (which he does most nights) and settle in for some TV watching afterwards. If there’s nothing on TV I’d probably phone some friends and have a good gab and make plans to get together during the week.

The reality is that the weather has been so cold that my walks have suffered lately. I did finish reading a book yesterday and after dinner I talked to a friend and we made plans to get together on Friday.

What one person that you are out of contact with would you like to say thank you to?

I need to write to my friend Mike from university. Every year we exchange Christmas cards (well he sends me one and I sent one this past Christmas) and when he was in town he used to call us from the airport on his way back home. This year Mike surprised us with a poster that he sent through the mail. It wasn’t just any old random poster; it was one that my husband had designed and silk screened when we were at university together. It was in pretty good shape and we had never saved a copy for ourselves. At the time we all belonged to a theatre group called Curtain Call and every year we wrote and produced a play that we performed for the student body. Thank you Mike for thinking of us and sending this wonderful poster. I’m thinking for having it framed or mounted.

List your favorite toys or games as a kid?

Games

Mensch Aegere Dich Nicht (a German board game similar to Sorry)
Monopoly
Chinese Checkers
Snakes and Ladders
Dominoes
Cards
Hide n’ Seek
Red Rover

Dolls – a baby doll that you could feed and she would wet herself – I named her Dorothy-my younger sister was more into Barbie dolls

Slinky

Etch A Sketch

Yoyo

Easy Bake Oven – I don’t think I owned one but I had friends who did

What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week? Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.

Last week I helped my neighbour by feeding her cat everyday while she was in the hospital and then on Saturday I picked her up and brought her home. Later that day I also went with my daughter to visit another good friend who’s in a rehab hospital. We sat with his and watched a movie, Mama Mia. He loved it and said so several times. It was a joy to see him so content and I remarked that he was just a romantic at heart. He turned to me and said, “Yes, I really am.”

WPC – Beloved

Posted on January 31, 2018 by Mama Cormier

…..how would you interpret beloved?

On our 42nd wedding anniversary.

Sisters-in-law

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Mother and Daughter

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Newly Weds

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More Newly Weds

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Fathers and Daughters

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Puppy Love

Cee’s Which Way Photo Challenge – January 27, 2018

Posted on January 28, 2018 by Mama Cormier

….thanks to Cee for hosting the Which Way Photo Challenge

A flash from the past. That’s me coming down the stairs from our home in Toronto when I was three years old.

…..and more recent shots taken last Wednesday

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Share Your World – January 15, 2018

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Mama Cormier

…..thanks to Cee for hosting Share Your World

Complete this sentence: I’m looking forward to….

….doing more painting and art projects. I’ve been reorganizing my studio space for the last few months and even though I’m still not finished I have started to work on small projects.

What is your favorite comfort snack food?

My favourite comfort food is anything with carbs but I’m not suppose to eat them too often because when I start I can’t stop. My all time favourite comfort food is pasta.

What was one of your first moneymaking jobs (other than babysitting or newspaper delivery)?

I remember working in my parents’ milk store when I was 14. I did that till I was 16. When the store was held up for a second time and I was working that night my parents gave up the milk business and opened a fabric store.

What inspired you or what did you appreciate this past week? Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.

This past week I spent time with a friend who is going through a tough time. I helped her check out nursing homes for her partner and I consoled her on the phone. It made me realize how quickly life can change and how important it is to live life to the fullest. I also spent time with a couple of other friends. With one we went out for lunch together at a really nice restaurant in a hotel and afterwards we walked downtown and browsed around in a few stores. With the second friend we drove to the mall and had lunch and did some shopping for a gift. Then we went to Costco and did our shopping together. We ran into another friend from our teaching days and quickly got caught up with what was happening in our lives. Each moment with all these friends was special in it’s own way.

On Sunday my sister came to visit with her daughter, son-in-law and her baby grandson. She lives about 3 1/2 hours away and she had to cancel a couple of times after Christmas because of weather. I knew that my husband and I had a funeral to attend on Sunday but I didn’t want my Dad to be disappointed again so I didn’t call her back to let her know we wouldn’t be there. Luckily they arrived before we had to leave so in the end we had a short but sweet visit and my father was able to finally take them out for lunch.

At the funeral we were able to reconnect with some of my husbands cousins, got caught up with up was happening in their lives, learned a few things about the family which we didn’t know and promised each other that we wouldn’t wait for the next funeral to get together.

Six Word Saturday – Excuse

Posted on January 13, 2018 by Mama Cormier

….thanks to Debbie Symth for hosting Six Word Saturday from Travel with Intent

It’s too pretty to pack up!

WPC – Favourite Action Shots for 2017

Posted on December 23, 2017 by Mama Cormier

….I promise that these are the last of my favourites for 2017

Playing with a telephoto lens is new for me and this year I loved experimenting with my new toy. One of the things that I enjoyed doing was trying to catch action shots. I found it tricky timing the shot. So often I would take the shot too early or too late and only get part of the subject or none of it in the photo. Here are two shots that I’m particularly fond of. I’m sure they are far from perfect but it’s a work in progress.

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WPC – Favourites of 2017

Posted on December 21, 2017 by Mama Cormier

….I couldn’t help but include photos of my granddaughter

My favourite photos of my granddaughter were the ones that she didn’t pose for. I love capturing her in her quiet and inquisitive moments.

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Two more of my favourites for the WPC challenge – favourites

Action at the Hockey Arena

Posted on December 15, 2017 by Mama Cormier

….you were where??????

Most of you know that both my husband and I are not huge hockey fans. Sometimes during the playoff season, if our home team are in the finals I might take in part of a game or at least watch the last 10 minutes. My Dad thinks that we’re both very un-Canadian because we don’t get excited about the hockey game. None the less he tells us about every game that he watches and we listen politely.

Last weekend my daughter came over to help me put together a wall unit and I promised to drive her to a hockey game afterwards so that she could see Josie’s nephew play hockey. My husband agreed to come with us and we experienced first hand the hockey culture that so many Canadian families endure at least once a week if not more during hockey season. For some hockey season goes all year, with summer training camps and off season tournaments.

The arena that we drove to in northern Etobicoke has five rinks and parking can be challenging. The game was well under way when we arrived. I brought my telephoto lens with me and played around trying to get action shots, not an easy task when the boys are moving so quickly.