Share Your World 2014 – Week 49

Posted on December 16, 2014 by Mama Cormier

…..toys, candy, drinks and cash….I’m detecting a Christmas theme here

What is your preferred hot drink: coffee, tea, water, hot chocolate, or other?

I’d have to say that coffee is my preferred hot drink. I like it strong and with real cream. As a child I would have said hot chocolate and then I drank tea for years before moving on to coffee in my 30s.

What was your favorite toy as a child . . . and now?

As a child I remember playing with dolls and I loved ‘paint with numbers’. I also liked board games. Today my favourite ‘toy’ is my camera but I still love to paint and play board games.

Candy factories of the entire world have become one and will now be making only one kind of candy. Which kind, if you were calling the shots?

I’m not a huge candy fan but I do like chocolate covered peanut M & Ms. If that doesn’t count as candy my next cholce is Licorice Allsorts. Funny because I don’t like plain licorice.

Image courtesy of: http://www.brendanjack.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/licorice-allsorts.jpeg

Would you want $100,000 right now or $120,000 in a year (tax Free)?

I think I’d like the $120 000 over a year. An extra $10 000 a month over 12 months would be something to look forward to and I couldn’t spend it all in one go if I took a lump sum.

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

Last week I attended a couple of Christmas parties with friends and neighbours. I’m also grateful for a very successful United Way Silent Auction. The staff really pulled together and we raised the most money ever in all the years that I’ve organized this event. It was a lot of fun and people really got into the spirit of it this year. Today I took the girls’ basketball team to the west conference finals. We won the first game and moved onto the next level. Unfortunately we were beaten in the next game but I was really proud of how well the girls played.

This week I’m looking forward to two more Christmas parties and the beginning of a two week Christmas break.

Share Your World with us and join the fun.

The Ninth Street Santas

Posted on December 14, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….on Dec. 6th, western Christian children celebrated St. Nicholas Day, New Toronto had its Santa Claus Parade and Ninth Street residents inflated and lit up their Santas

A week ago, Saturday, my husband and I were walking Frances over to the park when I noticed a very unusual sight on Ninth Street. Giant inflatable Santas popped up all the way down the street. Now it’s not unusual to see Christmas decorations this time of year and the inflatable variety are becoming more common but it seemed like every other house had a large inflatable Santa on their lawn.

On the way back from our walk we purposely went down Ninth Street from the top of the street and I counted the Santas. There were 16 of them in one block that were all the same size and design. There were a few smaller ones in between and there was one lonely Frosty the Snowman.

Later that night I went back to Ninth Street to see the Santas lit up. I parked the car and saw two people on the street. I approached them and asked them if this display of all the same Santas was a coincidence or if it was an organized event. The latter was true. Apparently someone on the street went door to door and suggested that everyone put up one of these Santas. They were at Walmart and were on sale.

I asked if the person with the snowman didn’t get the message. It just so happened that one of the people there was the owner of the snowman and she protested very loudly. I calmed her down and concluded that Walmart must have sold out of Santas and that’s exactly what happened. A few more Santas have gone up since then.

Share Your World 2014 – Week 48

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Mama Cormier

…..4 more shares and we’re done for 2014

What is your favorite toppings on pizza?

Everything on my husband’s homemade pizza is good but if I have to choose it would be mushrooms, caramelized onion, feta cheese and prosciutto.

I want to learn more about …

That’s tough because there are so many things that I want to know more about. One of them would be learning new art techniques and learning to use different tools and materials. As I get older I’ve also become more interested in history and would like to learn more about ancient civilizations.

What are three places you’ve enjoyed visiting?

I’ve enjoyed visiting the Netherlands and Ireland and the Rocky Mountains in Alberta. When I was a child and later as a teenager I visited Germany three times. I would love to go back and see it from an adult’s point of view.

Do you prefer eating the frosting of the cake or the cupcake first?

I’m a frosting person but I like to make sure that I have a bit of cake with my frosting. It’s all about balance.

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I’m grateful for time spent with my friend L. Her life is rather chaotic at the moment and any time that we spend together outside of school is a bonus. We went to the One of a Kind Show on Friday and the week before we were at the ballet and went out for dinner.

This week I’m looking forward to going to the annual Christmas concert on Tuesday and hosting our United Way Silent Auction on Friday. I’m also looking forward to dinner Friday evening with friends.

Thank you Cee for the questions for this week’s challenge. I hope you get over your cold really quickly so that you can enjoy the upcoming holidays.

Share Your World – Week 45

Posted on November 10, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….week 45?…. are there really only 7 weeks left in the year?

What is your favorite color?

Easy, peasy! Red

In what do you find the simplest of joys?

I find great joy in a good book, quiet time at the cottage, conversations with my husband, getting lost in creating new art and hugs from my students.

Would you prefer a reading nook or an art, craft, photography studio?

If I can’t have both I’d have to choose an art studio. I need a place where I can put out my supplies and leave them out and not worry about putting things away because company is coming or family is staying overnight and need to sleep where I currently do my art.

What is at least one of your favorite quotes?

I don’t know who said it first but I believe in “live in the moment”.

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am grateful for time with family. The memorial for my aunt and my daughter’s birthday brought together the family for two days. Some family members I see regularly but others only occasionally and it was nice having everyone together even if it was only for a couple of days.

This week I’m looking forward to our annual Remembrance Day service at school. Everyone has worked very hard to make the day special and if it’s anything like other years it will be a very touching and memorable day.

I’m also looking forward to spending some time with friends and going to another concert put on by the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto. On Saturday or Sunday I’m also entertaining a young man (J’s 7 year old nephew) by taking him to the ROM. It’s always fun taking children to the museum.

For more Share Your World posts check out Cee’s photography.

Life’s Too Short

Posted on November 10, 2014 by Mama Cormier

…..fill in the blank “life’s too short to____________”

Today’s Daily Post on WordPress is very timely. Last Sunday my 88 year aunt passed away. Now some of you may say she lived a good long life and you would be correct. My realization was that I shouldn’t have waited so long to get to know her better.

We tend to put things off until tomorrow but sometimes tomorrow is too late. Case in point: One year ago a group of friends from high school had finally reconnected after 30 years. We all wondered about one friend who wasn’t at our reunion so we investigated and found her. A letter was sent and then a few weeks later we were informed that she had just died. She was 60. At the funeral we learned that she had received the letter and was looking forward to our next get together. It was a few days later that she learned she only had a couple of weeks to live.

This past summer another friend at the age of 61 also passed away. Her 7 year battle with cancer finally took her life. It was her serious health condition that brought all of us together in the first place and I feel blessed for having been able to get together when we did. When my friend L called me in June to tell me that our friend was no longer seeing people and preferred to receive mail I decided to write her a card. Unfortunately I put it off (only for a couple of weeks) and she died before I made that final communication.

I am grateful for the time I spent with my aunt when she was in the hospital and the nursing home. For the last four months I saw her at least two to three times a week. My only regret is that we didn’t spend more time together when she was healthier but as my husband said it wasn’t for a lack of trying. Communication is a two way street. My aunt was always happy to see us but we were always the ones to initiate the visits.

In conclusion I leave you with these important words…..life’s too short to waste, don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

A Farewell Celebration Followed by a Birthday Celebration

Posted on November 10, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….this weekend we fondly remembered my aunt and celebrated my oldest daughter’s 35th birthday

I don’t have a very large extended family. My mother only had one sister and my father had a sister who also passed away this year and he has a brother who still lives in Germany. In total I have five cousins. Three live in Germany, one in Florida and one in Hamilton.

I have two sisters and in total we have 7 children. My youngest sister lives in Calgary with her husband and two children and my middle sister lives in Chatham with her new husband. Her two children live, here, in Toronto. Of my three children, two still live in Toronto and my son now resides in London, England.

This weekend brought some of us together to celebrate the life of my aunt, my mother’s older sister. My own mother passed over 20 years ago at the young age of 61.

My aunt H had two children, late in life and when her husband died in his early fifties she moved to Canada to be closer to her sister and give her children a fresh start.

On Saturday my cousin arranged for a simple memorial gathering at the funeral home. She put together three boards of photos and brought along 5 or 6 photo albums of her mother’s life. While going through her mother’s possessions she found this amazing photograph. We think she was about 19 or 20 when this photo was taken.

Later that evening 15 family members went to a very nice restaurant for dinner together where we could spend more time together and reminisce.

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Today we had all my children together (including our son) to celebrate A’s birthday. I can’t believe that I have a 35 year old daughter. Our good friends B and W also came over to help us celebrate. My husband and daughter, G, made fantastic pizza rolls called stromboli. Unfortunately I didn’t get a picture of it but there is one at the link that I posted.

Later we had coffee and wonderful cake that J brought. The round things on top that look like rocks were called cake truffles (very sweet).

Six weeks before Christmas. There’s been so much food in the last few days that my husband and I feel like juice fasting. Instead we’ve decided to really focus on healthy eating and moving more. I’m actually looking forward to no sweets and carbs and eating more fruits and vegetables and simply grilled meats. Pass the water, please!

Good-bye Dear Tante H: Rest in Peace

Posted on November 2, 2014 by Mama Cormier

After months of hospital and then nursing home visits my sweet aunt passed away early this morning. She outlived her sister and my mother by 22 years. The matriarchs in my family are now all gone. My father’s only sister also passed away earlier this year.

My sisters, me and our Mom.

My Tante H was a beautiful and independent soul. She moved to this country 32 years ago, shortly after the death of her husband. Like her mother before her she had no interest in finding a new man. She continued to raise her two teenaged children, as a single mom, in a new land and lived off the proceeds of her husband’s company. Her son eventually married and made her a grandmother to two girls and one boy. Her daughter is currently single but blessed her mother with a grand-dog.

My Tante H and my two cousins as toddlers.

My gorgeous aunt and her husband, my Uncle G.

The last four months have been difficult but in a way I got to know another side of my aunt. During our visits she answered numerous questions I had about my family’s past but I think that there are many more secrets that have gone to the grave with her. It also gave me an opportunity to reconnect with my cousin. She lives in another city about 45 minutes away (on a good day). We’ve probably seen more of each other in the last four months than we have in our entire lives.

The entire experience has made me appreciate my own immediate family more. Don’t put off tomorrow what can be done today. Pick up the phone and call your loved ones. Answer that email that’s been sitting in your inbox. Take some time to visit an elderly relative. Tomorrow may be too late.

My 88 year old Dad and me. He’s still going strong.

Peace and love

Carol (aka Mama Cormier)

Pace – Slow or Fast?

Posted on November 1, 2014 by Mama Cormier

…..I immediately wanted to say slow but fast has some benefits as well

As I get older I want life to slow down but sitting in traffic is a drag. If I could put a fast forward on traffic congestion without losing precious minutes of my life I would love that. Besides people waste way too much time talking about how bad traffic is.

We all need to slow down, smell the roses, appreciate the beauty around us and not wish our lives away. I remember as a child wishing I was 16. Then I wanted to be 21 and be married. Then I couldn’t wait to have children.

Now I wish I could turn the clock back and relive those moments when my children were babies. My babies are now in their 30s and my son lives across the ‘pond’. He’s coming home on a business trip next week but only has one day to spend with us. We’re going to make the most of that day.

I want to savour each day I have left on this earth: spending time with my 88 year old Dad, visiting my sisters who live hours away, enjoying my husband’s company, sharing meals with my children and their significant others and enjoying time with old and new friends.

Thank you Daily Post for making me reflect on what’s important in life.

Closing the Cottage – A List of Last Times

Posted on September 28, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….last time for the season that is

On Saturday my husband and I drove to the cottage for the last time this season. It was an absolutely beautiful day but we were on a mission and that was to close the cottage for the season.

Every year we say we’re going to spend more time at the cottage in the fall but it never seems to happen. This year we closed extra early because of my husband’s upcoming surgery.

As we were cleaning up and packing the car we both wished that we were staying for more than the day but I had a run to do with my daughter in the city on Sunday and there was no way that we could get back in time if we stayed over night.

We packed a nice lunch which we enjoyed on the deck; our last meal at the cottage for the season. K and Frances went for a walk on the beach; the last one for the season. The closing of the cottage went smoothly and without any drama or complications. After screwing the plywood over the back door we made one last drive to the garbage bins and headed over to the top of the hill and got out of the car to take a few pictures of the fall colours. Unfortunately the colours will probably we better next week but we had to make due with the changes that were presented to us. We’ll probably take a drive, closer to home in the next week to take advantage of the autumn colours at their best.

When we got to the dock I backed the car onto the ferry for the last time this year and once we got to the other side we stopped off in Lafontaine and enjoyed a coffee at Wendy B’s. Her little shop/bakery was always a must stop destination before heading to the ferry docks.

Another stop on most of my trips to the cottage was the Dubeau Family Farm where I would stop to pick up fresh berries, beans, corn and other vegetables and fruits that were in season. On Saturday’s visit (the last one for the season) the pumpkins were on display. In a couple of weeks there will be 10 times that number. I took a chance and bought my pumpkin early and for the last time this season handed over my money to Jason, the young man who has lovingly bagged my purchases all summer.

Share Your World – Week 36

Posted on September 11, 2014 by Mama Cormier

…..another great set of questions from Cee’s Share Your World

Do you prefer reading coffee table books (picture), biographies, fiction, non-fiction, educational?

I really enjoy looking through coffee table books but I love reading fiction.

What is your biggest fear or phobia? (no photos please)

I don’t know why but I have an unexplainable fear of bears. I’ve never encountered a bear and I don’t want to. Two years ago a family of bears swam across the bay to our island and have lived there ever since. I will not walk by myself through the woods anymore. Luckily the island is very large and very few people have even seen the bears but there is evidence that they’re around. I think my fear may have come from reading a book my aunt gave me over 30 years ago about bear attacks.

What is your favorite cheese?

I love all types of cheese. I don’t think I can just pick one. My favourites include old cheddar, brie and Emmenthal.

What is your favorite month of the year?

Right now I’ll say August. Usually it’s the best month to be at the cottage because the water has warmed up and the mosquitoes are almost non-existent. It’s also the month when I celebrate my anniversary and my birthday.

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I’m grateful for all the help that I got from the parents and students who helped me organize the library. It’s not quite finished but it looks 100% better.