Share Your World 2015 – Week 10

Posted on March 14, 2015 by Mama Cormier

……I’m a little late this week answering Cee’s questions…I’ll blame it on the time change

When you lose electricity in a storm, do you light the candles or turn on the flashlight? How many of each do you own?

I might turn on the flashlight to light the candles and the oil lamp. I have one head lamp and several flashlights. I probably have dozen of candles. My husband loves to burn candles and sometimes we’ll have electricity free evenings and only use candles as our source of light. At the cottage I don’t have electricity so we use candles and battery operated lamps all the time. I’ve got a couple of solar lights but they don’t produce light for very long.

You are given $5,000 and the chance to exchange it for one of two envelopes. One envelope contains $50,000 and one contains $500. Do you make the trade? Why or why not?

I guess it depends on how lucky I’m feeling. If I had to pay off a $5000 debt or something that I really wanted costs $5000. I wouldn’t exchange the money. The fact that I get at least $500. might entice me to take a chance and try for $50 000.

What’s your first memory?

In my first memory I’m about 3 or 4 years old and I’ve gone for a walk with my friend Irene. We decided to go looking for my Dad who was at work. We lived between Bloor and Annette in the west end of Toronto at the time and my father worked downtown at the Royal York Hotel. I remember crossing the street and tripping on the streetcar tracks. I cut my lip so we turned around and headed back to my house. Two elderly women in a car picked us up and drove us home. When we got there I remember seeing police cars in front of the house and my girlfriend told them a car had hit me. Of course that wasn’t true but they apparently went back to where I fell and looked for evidence that there had been an accident.

What do you do if you can’t sleep at night? Do you count sheep, toss and turn, or get up and try to do something?

I rarely have difficulty falling asleep. I focus on my breathing and inhale deeply. I usually fall asleep within 10 minutes of putting my head on the pillow. If I have to get up extra early to catch a plane or bus I might toss and turn a bit and wake up periodically throughout the night but other than that I’m a pretty sound sleeper.

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 that the weather has finally turned and that I’m able to go outside without my winter boots. I’ve enjoyed spending time with family and friends this past week and I’m grateful that I can still bowl and hold my own with much younger players.

This week coming up I’m looking forward to more warm weather, getting out and walking more and just enjoying my week off. I’m also looking forward to posting more regularly again and getting caught up with my reading.

Share Your World 2015 – Week 9

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Mama Cormier

….March has finally arrived but winter doesn’t want to leave

How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?

It depends on the day. I feel at least 10 years younger than I am, most of the time. Last week when I had trouble standing up after falling while skiing I felt much older. If I have to put an age to it I’d say I feel like I’m in my late 40s or early 50s. Having said that there are days that I think I’m in better shape, physically and mentally than many people who are actually in this age range.

Are you left or right handed?

I’m left handed. I write, paint and eat with my left hand but I do much with my right hand. I bat with my right hand, play the ukelele and guitar with my right hand and knit with my right hand. When I golf and bowl I use my right hand. I iron and type with both hands.

If you HAD to change your name, what would you change it to?

I’m really struggling with this question. I’ve gone through the alphabet trying to pull up names that would suit me. I’ve tried thinking of people that I admire but my husband would leave me if I chose Meryl or Hilary. I’ve gone back to my German heritage but people can’t pronounce most German names and Heidi is just too cutesy. My name, Carol, comes from Charles so I thought I needed to find a more masculine name but Carla, Karen, Connie and Karine are too close to Carol. Then I turned to numerology and settled on a name with German roots and one that suits the number 8. My new name would be Erika.

Where do you hide junk when people come over?

Everything goes into my bedroom. Don’t ask me for a tour of the upstairs of my house. I’d be too embarrassed.

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 a special day spent with my friend AB. We met when I first started teaching in 1976. Our rooms were next to each other. I was the Family Studies teacher and she was the art teacher. We had a special relationship right from the start. She is God mother to my children and we’ve stayed close all these years. She’s 11 years older than me and has been retired for awhile. She’s looking forward to the day I retire so that we can ‘play’ again.

On Saturday morning she called me to see if I wanted to look at a condo building with her. She has been preparing to sell her house and down size to a condominium. Both my husband and I thought we were just going to look this place and then walk away so that AB could think about this major purchase. We were blown away when she took out her cheque book and made a down payment on a unit. We were touched that she wanted us there to help her with this life changing investment. We love the location. In fact my husband and I lived in the same location for two years before we bought our own house.

The other thing I’m grateful for was being able to drive to Oshawa with my oldest daughter and her partner on Sunday and help my Dad pack up some dishes and clean the fridge before the mover came on Monday. We drove over to their new apartment and filled up the new fridge with food from the house. They were both very pleased with their new accommodations and I was happy to see the place first hand.

This week I’m looking forward to going to Kiwanis with the Grade one classes to hear them sing. My friend’s father, Ray Cattell is having a major art show at the Arts and Letters Club and the opening for the public is this Sunday. I’ve already had a sneak preview and it’s a wonderful show and I can’t wait to share it with my family. I’m also looking forward to a new on-line art assignment from Carla Sonheim this Thursday.

Share Your World 2015 – Week 8

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Mama Cormier

…..thanks to Cee for this week’s challenging questions

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

I’ve written over 1000 posts. This is a difficult decision you’re asking me to make. One post that comes to mind is the story I wrote about the birth of my baby sister, some 56 years ago. My Fondest Memory of Christmas as a Child

What do you feel is the most enjoyable way to spend $500? Why?

I like to spend money on clothes, buying for other people and travelling with my husband. I like to shop in small boutiques, especially when I travel but I like a good bargain so Winners and Marshall’s are usually my go to places for clothes. I also love buying books and because I’m given a budget for the library I can spend money that’s not mine. Even better.

If you could know the answer to any question, besides “What is the meaning of life?”, what would it be?

This is a difficult question. I used to think that I’d like to know what the future holds for me but I’m not ready to know or really want to know how my life or anyone else’s life ends. I think I would love knowing how to bring about world peace.

Where do you eat breakfast?

Most of the time I eat breakfast at home. If I’m running late I might pack or pick up a breakfast and eat at work. I rarely eat breakfast at a restaurant unless I’m on vacation.

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 was grateful for spending a day skiing with a couple of classes from school. One of the teachers had a conflict with the date and couldn’t go so I was happy to step in, even though we experienced -30 degree weather. I only fell once and the only thing I hurt was my pride. Luckily I was able to get up and the rest of the day went without a hitch.

I also took the boys’ basketball team to their tournament. They didn’t win one game but they played well and for the most part were really good sports. I’m also grateful for time spent on making some fun art pieces for my on-line course.

For the rest of this week I’m looking forward to visiting my Dad and helping him move some of his things to his new apartment. He finally sold his house and is now ready to embark on a different lifestyle. My oldest daughter and her partner are joining me for the visit and my husband is staying home to prepare homemade pizza for us to enjoy when we return home.

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

Share Your World 2015 – Week 7

Posted on February 17, 2015 by Mama Cormier

……lucky 7

Is the paper money in your possession right now organized sequentially according to denomination and with the bills right side up and facing the same way?

There is no money in my wallet at the moment. I’ve been using my debit card a lot lately. When I’m organizing money from school trips and fund raisers I do tend to organize the bills sequentially and all facing in the same direction.

What is your favorite type of dog? (can be anything from a specific breed, a stuffed animal or character in a movie)

My favourite dog is probably a Golden Retriever. I’ve owned two of them so I tend to have a soft spot in my heart for them. Having said that, however, I love all my dogs…. mutts and pure breads alike.

If money was not an issue, would you go on a cruise? If so where would you go?

I think I’d like to try a cruise at least once. A river cruise through Europe appeals to me. My sister went on one last fall and enjoyed it very much.

Would you dare to sleep in haunted house overnight?

No thank you. I do believe that ghosts exist and haunted houses tend to have ‘angry’ ghosts. There’d be no sleeping going on for me.

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 a very special ‘Family Day’ get together at a dim sum restaurant in Chinatown. Both my girls and their significant others were there and we videotaped a greeting to our son and his fiancé in England. My husband is healing up nicely and I’m over my tummy ailments that had me down for the count last Friday.

This week I’m looking forward to a cross country ski trip with a group of grade 4 and 5 students and on Friday our boys’ basketball team will be competing in a tournament against four other school teams. Wish us luck!

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

Share Your World, 2015 – Week 4

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Mama Cormier

Where did you live at age five? Is it the same place or town you live now?

At the age of five I lived in Toronto. The following year we moved to Oakville, which is about a half hour west of Toronto. We only lived there for four years before we moved back to Toronto. I have lived in this great city most of my life.

View of the city from Centre Island.

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 by myself. If I know someone at the party and I’m assuming that the person who invited me knows me I might go for awhile. This summer I went to a neighbour’s party but I didn’t stay long because there were a lot of people there that I didn’t know.

Did you grow up in a small or big town? Did you like it?

I guess you figured out that I grew up in a big city. In fact, Toronto is the biggest city in Canada. I can’t remember not liking it. We had a park, skating rink, tennis courts and swimming pool right across the street. In the summer I swam every day and in the winter I was always at the rink. In the summer we used to go to Centre Island for picnics and we always looked forward to the CNE (Canadian National Exhibiton) which signalled the end of summer.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

My first memory of what I wanted to be was a nurse (me and every other little girl in the 50s) but at the age of 12 I decided that I wanted to be a Family Studies (Home Ec.) teacher. That dream didn’t waver much. Sometimes I thought I might want to become a doctor but I always went back to teaching. I studied to become a Family Studies teacher and for 17 years that’s what I taught. I have been a teacher for 34 years and I still love it.

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

I answered this question on Sunday so nothing much new to report here.

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

Share Your World 2015 – Week 2

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Mama Cormier

….thanks Cee for 4 more great questions

Are you a hugger or a non-hugger?

I don’t come from a family of huggers but I’ve learned to hug over the years. I actually enjoy hugging family and friends but I’m a little put off by strangers who want to hug you. I’ve also become more careful as to whom and when I hug, especially students. Most children love to hug and usually initiate the action but over the years I’ve noticed that some just aren’t comfortable hugging and I have to respect their personal space. Unfortunately for male teachers it’s more risky to hug students and most of my male colleagues are very careful about any type of physical interaction with students

What’s your favorite ice-cream flavor?

I love all flavours of ice-cream but If I have to choose I’d say cinnamon or coffee flavoured ice-cream.

Do you prefer exercising your mind or your body? How frequently do you do either?

I love a bit of both but lately I think I do more exercising of the mind. I play scrabble daily and love the puzzles in the newspaper, especially Sudoko. When the weather isn’t too cold I love to walk and I do enjoy restorative Yoga.

Are you more of a dog person or a cat person? Why?

I’ve owned both cats and dogs but I am definitely more of a dog person. We currently own a dog named Frances and in the past we owned two Golden Retrievers for 23 years (back to back, not at the same time). I’m not sure why but all our dogs are and were females. As much as we loved our cat, the dogs were always more active and demanding of our time. For many people that would be a reason to prefer cats but the dogs get us out and walking and enjoying our surroundings. They also bring neighbours together. We may not know everybody’s name but they all know the dog’s name.

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 that my husband’s surgery is over with and that it went well. He’s home now and is recovering quickly.

This week I’m looking forward to going back to work and do more of my art assignments for Year of the Spark. So far I’ve only done a few of my one-line drawings and I’m anxious to elaborate on some of them.

Share Your World 2014 – Week 50

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….thanks to Dawn over at Lingering Visions for coming up with this week’s questions and to Cee for hosting Share Your World

Do you have a signature dish? If not is their one in your family?

My signature dish changes every couple of years. Right now I’d have to say that my go to dish is a Kale, Pomegranate, Walnut and Feta Cheese salad. The recipe calls for wild rice as well but I change it up with Israeli couscous or faro and if I don’t have walnuts I might add another variety of nut.

Do you have a favorite board game?

I think my favourite classic board game is Scrabble and my favourite new game is Ticket to Ride.

Is there a household chore that you enjoy?

I’d have to say No! But wait I don’t hate all chores. I enjoy baking and some cooking and I don’t mind doing laundry.

What is one thing you will never care about?

One thing I will never care about is hockey or American football. These two sports just leave me cold. Too much fighting and physical contact for my liking.

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’m grateful for two very different Christmas parties that I attended. The first one was the staff party and it was good to see so many from the staff turn out. It was fun and festive and it looked like everyone was having a lot of fun. The second party took place on Saturday and it was a very quiet affair with just a few good friends. Every year now my good friend L has the same group over for dinner. it was so relaxing and the food was outstanding. With her mom and daughter joining us there were seven of us around the table….the perfect size for good conversation.

This week I’m looking forward to Christmas and time spent with family and close friends. My son and his fiancé are arriving from London, England on Christmas Eve. Our big celebration is on the 24th and then we also do a Christmas dinner on the 25th. Boxing Day will be a day of rest and then the day after we will pack up two cars and all of my family will drive to Oshawa to visit with my Dad and G.

Wishing all my blogging followers a very Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukka. Be safe and enjoy your family and friends during this festive season.

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.

Share Your World – 2014 – Week 46

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Mama Cormier

….6 more weeks before the end of the year

Thanks Cee for four more great questions.

On a vacation what you would require in any place that you sleep?

I require at least two pillows, a clean bathroom with a hot shower, and a desk to write from.

Music or silence while working?

More and more I find I like to work in complete silence, especially late at night. During the day I don’t mind a bit of music when I’m doing chores. It helps elevate my mood when I’m working on something I’d rather not do.

If you were to move and your home came fully furnished with everything you ever wanted, list at least three things from your old house you wish to retain?

I would want to retain all our musical instruments, all my art work and my antique blanket box. These are the things that add character to our home.

What’s your least favorite mode of transportation?

My least favourite mode of transportation is a speed boat. I’m fine with larger boats, ferries and sailboats but I’ve never understood the thrill of bouncing over waves in a speed boat.

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 oldest daughter, her partner J and her nephew A. We spent an afternoon at the museum and then we all went to one of my oldest teaching colleagues and best friends for supper.

I know I’ve had a good weekend when I can finish a piece of art. Last week I did the last of the assignments for my on-line class, Table Top Drawing and Painting. I’ll post those pieces later in the week.

This week I’m looking forward to some normalcy. I can continue to organize the library. Everything is finally coming into place. The last of the additions arrived today and will be installed this week. I’ve finally deleted boxes of damaged and old books from the computer and processed half of the new books that I purchased during the book fair.

On Thursday my husband and I are going to the theatre to see The Book of Mormons. I’m really looking forward to that. It’s not often that we get out to see a live show.

Cheers!

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.