Share Your World 2014 – Week 23

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….a lot of questions involving tight spaces

Would your rather be stuck in a small plane with mild turbulence for 2 hours or be a passenger in a car racing the Daytona 500?

This is a difficult question because I dislike any kind of turbulence on a plane and I suspect a small plane would be worse but I also would not be a good passenger in a racing car. I would constantly be stepping on the imaginary brake, hanging on to the overhead strap for dear life and covering my eyes for most of the race. If I had to choose I think I would take the small plane. At least I might enjoy the aerial views of the landscape below.

Would you rather be alone with nobody in the vicinity for one month or never be alone not even for a minute for one month?

Again another difficult question. I enjoy moments of solitude but I also like being around people. If I was well stocked and had plans to be very productive for one month I might enjoy that more than never having a moment to myself. At the very least I’d need a phone so that I could talk to loved ones and friends once in awhile just to make sure everyone is well.

Would you like to sleep in a human size nest in a tree or be snuggled in a burrowed spot underground?

Definitely in a human size nest in a tree. I remember watching the movie Swiss Family Robinson as a kid and I thought it would be really neat to live in the trees. I like the thought of being able to see who’s approaching the nest, the openness and fresh air and the breeze that would waft through the branches. Underground would be too claustrophobic and the air would be stale and damp.

In a car would you rather drive or be a passenger?

It depends on the situation and who’s driving. I like driving but on long trips I enjoy being able to sit back and take in the scenery. My husband very much dislikes driving in the city now so there are times when I would rather drive than listen to his complaints about the traffic.

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 that I’ve finished writing my comments for the report cards. This is probably one of my least favourite things in the world to do. I’m also grateful for time spent with old friends last week.

I’m looking forward to this week’s soccer game where the girls are competing for the city championships. I’ve been there a few times but we’ve never managed to secure the title. I’m also looking forward to catching up on the painting assignments that I’ve had to put on the back burner because of report card writing and numerous social engagements that took place last week.

Here are a few things I would enjoy if I had a month alone.

Reading the collection of books that I bid on at the silent auction.

Puttering around in the garden and enjoying the fruits of my labour.

Painting, painting, painting. These are the first two assignments out of 4 from lesson one. Lesson four arrived today. I have a lot of catching up to do.

For those of you who read my post from Saturday you might be interested in knowing that we went back the next day to the yard sale and bought the mandolin. It’s a beauty and we got it for a good price.

For more answers to this week’s Share Your World check out Cee’s blog http://ceenphotography.com/2014/06/09/share-your-world-2014-week-23/

Share Your World 2014 – Week 16

Posted on April 21, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….it’s almost scary how quickly these challenges come up

How many places have you lived? You can share the number of physical residences and/or the number of cities.

• born in Frankfurt, Germany

Garmisch, Germany

• lived in Garmisch, Germany for about a year

• moved to Canada when I was 20 months old

• lived in Toronto until I was 5

• moved to Oakville when I was 6

• moved back to Toronto when I was 10 and have stayed here ever since

• for 4 years I went to school in Guelph but I always came home in the summer

Photo courtesy of : http://compsci.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/university_guelph_campus.jpg

• after I got married my husband and I moved three times – for one year we lived in uptown Toronto, then moved to the High Park area and lived there for two years and finally we bought our house down by the lake in the west end of the city – we’ve lived in the same house for 35 years

What type of music relaxes you the most?

Most music relaxes me. When I was at the concert last week, even the music by Shostakovich put me to sleep. Music that doesn’t relax me is punk, heavy metal, rap, goth and grunge.

If you could instantly become fluent in another language, what would that language be and why?

I think I would pick French. I’m surrounded by it every day at school and just once I’d like to surprise everyone by answering back in perfect French. All my children went to French Immersion school and I’ve taught in two French Immersion schools but on the English side for more than 25 years. I just assumed that I would pick it up by osmosis but sadly that didn’t happen.

If you could fly or breathe under water what would you prefer?

I would prefer to fly. There are too many predators under water and I think It would be safer in the sky.

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 that the snow has finally all melted away and that the garden is starting to show signs of spring. This week I’m looking forward to a short week at work (we had today off) and spending time with my friends on the weekend.

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

Share Your World – Week 12

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….are these questions getting harder or am I just too tired?

When I saw this week’s questions, nothing popped into my head right away. I really had to think about some of these questions.

What is your most favorite smell/scent?

This one wasn’t too difficult. I love the smell of cinnamon. I think it brings back memories of Christmas baking and mulled wine. Last week in Calgary my sisters and I went to a great spice store called The Silk Road Spice Merchant. Who knew there were so many different varieties of cinnamon? Well I didn’t and I discovered a very aromatic variety called Vietnamese “Saigon” Cinnamon. Heavenly!

How do you write: computer, longhand or other?

I do most of my writing on the computer. This would include lesson plans, e-mails, essays, blog posts, etc.. I do, however, use longhand when writing thank you cards, birthday cards and most cards in general.

Your favorite blog post that you have written? (add link)

This one is really hard. I’ve written over 600 posts in the last two years. How does one choose? I think I have to go way back when I wrote about one of my most memorable Christmases as a child. Here is the link.

What’s one of your favorite books from childhood?

Another difficult question. I don’t remember being a big reader as a child. I do remember liking non-fiction and books about random facts. I also liked children’s cookbooks. My first cookbook came from Carnation Milk and I think I made every single recipe in that book and not just once but several times.

Bonus question: I’m too tired to write more. It’s time to go to bed. Good night, all!

Share Your World – Week 11

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….what ice-cream would I be?

If you were an ice cream cone how many scoops and flavors would you be and why?

This is tough. I love ice-cream and I love having a variety of flavours. I think I would go for two scoops (in a cup, not a cone) and hopefully my partner in crime would have two different scoops so that I could sample some of his. The one flavour that comes to mind immediately is coffee or mocha. My second scoop would be cinnamon (a specialty flavour at Greg’s) or a rich French vanilla ice-cream with a swirl of chocolate, nuts and cherries. Yum!

Are you left or right handed?

I am left handed. My mother was worried about that because as a girl she was forced to write with her right hand and would get her knuckles rapped if she tried to use her left hand. Luckily that archaic practice had ceased to exist when I started school. I’m actually quite ambidextrous and I bowl, bat and knit right handed. Years ago I taught a knitting class at the community school and my mother owned a wool store. One of her customers took my class and she went to my mom to ask for some advice. I use the European method of knitting and since all my students were right handed I instructed them to follow my mirror image. Little did I know at the time that I knit right handed and I was forcing my students to knit with their left hands.

Before making a phone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say?

It depends on whom I’m calling. I never rehearse social calls but when I used to do demonstrations at home parties and I had to cold call people to book parties I definitely rehearsed what I would say. I hated cold calling.

How many rings before you answer the phone?

I usually let the phone ring three times or until the call display comes up. If the number is a 1-800 number I often let it go or I’ll say ‘hello’ twice quickly and then hang up if no one answers back after the second hello.

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 four days with my sisters in Calgary and for the beautiful weather we had last week. Who knew travelling west would be almost as good as going south. This week I’m looking forward to another concert put on by the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto, featuring Yegor Dyachkov on cello and Jean Saulnier on piano.

I’m also taking an on-line art course for the next two weeks and learning about abstraction and how to paint an abstract. I’m finishing my first assignment and will be posting it shortly.

For more Share your World posts check out http://ceenphotography.com/2014/03/17/share-your-world-2014-week-11/

One Word Photo Challenge – Yellow

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….I posted several yellow photos about this time last year….I’ll see if I can find some new ones

http://ceenphotography.com/2014/02/26/one-word-photo-challenge-yellow/

Share Your World – Week 8

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Mama Cormier

…..these questions required a bit more thought than normal for me

Would you rather be given $10,000 for your own use or $100,000 to give anonymously to strangers?

At the moment I’d rather be given $10 000. for my own use. I’m trying to pay off some debt and if there was any money left over I’d rather give it to someone I know than to a perfect stranger.

When you’re 90 years old, what will matter most to you?

I guess at ninety my ability to get around and do things for myself will matter the most to me. I don’t want to become a burden to my children. So, therefore I need to stay physically and mentally fit and healthy to achieve this goal.

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 big candy eater but if I had to choose one it would probably be chocolate covered nuts. My husband reminded me of a candy called Bridge Mix that our parents would bring out for special occasions. It contained a variety of chocolate covered nuts, mints,raisins and jellies. My husbands choice is jujubes.

So, you’re on your way out and it’s raining. Do you know where your umbrella is or do you frantically search for it all over your apartment/house?

It’s usually in the back of the car or I’ve left it at work. Luckily I have more than one umbrella but unfortunately most of the time I have to search for it.

Cheers!

http://ceenphotography.com/2014/02/24/share-your-world-2014-week-8/

Share Your World – Week 4, 2014

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Mama Cormier

,,,,some interesting questions this week….had to think about some of them

Do you recharge your energy by going out with friends for a good time or by spending with quiet time alone? For a person who likes company and likes to ‘party’ you might find it surprising that I enjoy quiet time alone to re-energize. Going out tends to zap my energy. Staying home and reading a good book, painting or writing gives me a sense of accomplishment and that for me is energizing.

What is the most number of blankets you’ve ever had on your bed? I don’t like heavy blankets on the bed at night. I much prefer one cozy down comforter to keep me warm. I think the most number of blankets at any one time would be three but just the thought of that makes me uncomfortable.

You are invited to a party that will be attended by many fascinating people you never met. Would you attend this party if you were to go by yourself? I’m not sure I would go, especially by myself. If a friend wanted to go I might consider it. After all it might be fun meeting some of these people. My one concern would be that the evening could be a bust and then what would I do. If I went with a friend we could at least salvage the evening and go for a drink together and enjoy each other’s company.

Do you like talking to people on the phone? Or do you prefer voice mail or email? As much as I like the convenience of emails, I prefer to talk to people on the phone. An email and a one sided voice mail can be misinterpreted as to the person’s meaning or intent. Did that message have an angry tone to it?… is he joking? ….should I be concerned? On the phone you can address the person directly and probably hear in their voice how they’re feeling or what the intent of a statement meant and if you can’t you can ask them right away.

http://ceenphotography.com/2014/01/27/2079/

Share Your World – Week 47

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Mama Cormier

….a new challenge for me

Share Your World-Wk-47

How do you like to spend a rainy day?

I probably do everything but what I need to do. Here is a list of things I like to do:

Write a post or two for my blog, read a good book, watch a marathon of TV shows that I’ve missed or catch up on a series that’s new to me but is about to go into its second or third season, clean out the refrigerator or organize one or two kitchen cupboards (not my most favourite activity but gives me a lot of satisfaction when it’s done) and do something creative, like paint, knit or sew (something I don’t do often enough)

What is the weirdest or strangest thing you saw or heard or did this week?

It’s been a really a really busy week with family so nothing weird or strange stands out.

I’m appalled that after 10 days there are still 200 families without power in the city of Toronto because of last weeks ice storm. I think the weird part of this whole story is that the mayor didn’t think it was necessary to declare a state of emergency when 300 000 customers went without power and thousands sat in the dark and cold for days, not hours, DAYS.

What item, that you don’t have already, would you most like to own?

I would like to have (maybe not own) a housekeeper and a handyman to help me around the house. I tend to let things go until I know company is coming and then I’m a mad woman trying to get everything done before people arrive or I stay up late like I did last night pulling things off shelves and washing down everything. I would love to have a handyman to do the little things that my husband promises to do and then never gets to, especially things electrical and plumbing related.

How many times you have moved in the last ten years?

Homes – zero times. I’ve lived in the same house for over 35 years.

Work – zero times. I’ve been at the same school for over 14 years but I have moved classrooms in the last two years and that is a huge job, especially when you’ve accumulated 12 years of stuff for one grade. When I moved to the library I couldn’t give a lot of my stuff away because people just didn’t have room and I didn’t have space to store it. The teacher in my old room has kindly allowed to keep a lot of my ‘stuff’ in one of the cupboards and slowly I’m removing things as I find new owners or a use for it myself.