Posted on July 20, 2015 under Monday Morning Musings with 2 comments

Our “community in bloom”

 

 

Our Main Street and environs look terrific thanks to all the folks who give their time to keep our community looking beautiful. I believe that the “Communities in Bloom” judges were in town recently and we should know soon if we are, once again, an award winning community.

And speaking of Main Street….

I think I am going to stand in the middle of Main Street and scream at the top of my lungs. It will go something like this: “ People, would you please stop whining and complaining about mundane things like mosquitoes, humidity or the price of gas.

Just in case you have taken a break from reading my rants lately, for the past several days, I have been documenting the challenges faced by the Mulcahy and van Bommel families with the precarious health of their precious Maud. It is not too late to make a donation. You can get in touch with me or check out this website: http://www.gofundme.com/yfdqjc

Last Friday, I traveled to George’s River just outside of Sydney to spend some time with an amazing lady named Pat. She has the sunniest disposition one could imagine. She is definitely a “glass half full” kind of gal. She is very bright and has a great sense of humour. She repeatedly told us how fortunate she feels every day of her life. She has a 13 year old English Springer dog who is her constant companion and she has a wonderful view of the Bras D’or Lakes. Did I mention that she is a quadriplegic?

Thirteen years ago, on her way to school ( she was a teacher ), she hit a moose and in an instant became completely paralyzed. She can move her head… and that’s all. Now, if there was someone who had a legitimate right to complain and be bitter, it would be Pat. I don’t want to spoil the story that I’m writing about her , called “Positively Pat”, but here is a tiny excerpt. This is what I wrote about the day the accident happened:

“ She was rushed to the nearest hospital in Baddeck. She already realized that she was in very bad shape. As she lay in her hospital bed, immobilized, she stared up at the ceiling and mused to herself: “ Well missy, this could go either way. You can be sad and angry the rest of my life or you can just suck it up and get on with it.” Luckily for every person that knows Pat, she chose the latter. But this was no surprise to her friends. She was always a “cup half full” kind of person.”

Rarely have I been so inspired than I was after meeting Pat and I think you will find a lot of inspiration when you read this story.

It’s normal to complain and there are very real legitimate complaints, especially when it comes to things like health and employment. .. and people like Pat and Maud, but the mundane stuff has got to go. Agree?

I also made a trip to Johnstown, Cape Breton yesterday and spent a delightful 2.5 hours with one Michael MacDonald, Rita Campbell and two of her brothers. Michael is quite a character. He has done many things and was once an up and coming boxer who trained with the likes of George Chuvalo. Later in life, he learned how to repair , build and play violins. I am looking forward to writing a story about his life. We had a lot of laughs.

After my meeting with Michael, I was a guest at the Johnstown Fire Hall and did a two hour story telling and tunes session to a small but engaged, appreciative crowd. I sang a lot of Cape Breton songs and they sang along with me. It was very pleasant way to spend a rainy afternoon.

Let us be grateful for our blessings as we head into another week. My, but they slip by quickly.

Have a great week.

 

Posted on July 16, 2015 under News & Updates with no comments yet

Maud Mulcahy van Bommel

 

 

In many ways, Maud Mulcahy van Bommel is like most typical two and a half year olds.

In the words of her grandfather, “She is a delightful little character, who loves to laugh, be read to, dance, cuddle, bounce on beds and play with her older siblings, Emmy and James. She loves to go for walks and shows her independence by proudly walking on her own as she accompanies her brother and sister to and from school. She delights in the company of her parents and is happiest when she is cuddled up in their arms, perpetually and absent mindedly twisting one lock of her blond hair into knots as she enjoys the closeness of their company. She is bright and curious and, as with other children her age, is strong minded and stubborn.”

In olden times “Maud” originally meant “battle mighty”. Somehow this seems appropriate because Maud has a battle on her hands right now.

Life has thrown a nasty curve ball into Maud’s life and that of her family. She has been diagnosed with Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome (ALPS). It is an incurable, chronic and life threatening disease. It requires frequent periods of hospitalization, usually on very short notice. One of her parents has to be with her while she is in hospital and the other stays home to care for her brother and sister.   Maud and her family have a very steep hill to climb.

Maud’s parents are Caitlin Mulcahy and Andrew van Bommel and they live in London, Ontario.  She is the granddaughter of Jim and Sarah Mulcahy and Henry and Diana van Bommel, who all reside in Antigonish.

Caitlin and Andrew don’t have any family members close at hand. One can only imagine the physical and mental strain experienced by this couple as they cope with this serious illness in their beloved child. They are under a great deal of pressure, made worse by worry and fatigue. Their brothers and sisters and parents do all that they can do but can’t be there to provide support all the time. It is not possible or practical to bring this family back to their home community of Antigonish. So we need to bring the community to them.

How can you help Maud and her family?

You can provide financial support by making a donation at the Bergengren Credit Union to an account set up on Maud’s behalf. The goal is to be able to hire a professional caregiver who has the necessary training to help provide effective care for Maud at home and to assist with the needs of the rest of the family. If you have any connections in London who might be able to refer a competent caregiver, that would be most helpful.

If you are unable to drop in to the Credit Union you can send an e-transfer to me at len.macdonald@eastlink.ca for deposit to Maud’s account or make a cheque payable to Len Mac Donald for Maud Mulcahy van Bommel. Alternatively, people can contribute through a webpage set up for this purpose: http://www.gofundme.com/yfdqjc

 

Also, please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers.

There’s an old saying: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Antigonishers are known for their extraordinary generosity and it is time for us to step up and help this family during their time of need.

Maud the warrior is doing her part – let’s see what we can do to help.

Posted on July 13, 2015 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

“I’m picking up good vibrations”

( Beach Boys )

 

 

How does one describe “vibe?”

According to one source that I checked out, vibe is a “distinct emotional quality or atmosphere that is sensed or experienced by someone.”

Last week was an incredibly busy one in and around Antigonish with the Highland Games and a rash of other activities taking place. It seemed like everywhere I went, there were warm, appreciative crowds of people. Of course, having ideal weather makes all the difference in the world.

There was the Kilted Golf Tournament which has a vibe all of its own. The Street Fair on Thursday was terrific with lots of thing to see, do and buy. I decided that conducting some quality control was important and sampled the delicious strawberry shortcake dished up by the good folks at Bergengren Credit Union. The parade on Saturday was awesome. All three of our granddaughters were home for the Games and we were able to experience the parade through their eyes. I also went to Columbus Field and enjoyed the dancing, piping and drumming and of course the heavy events. Having a bad back, watching the “Farmer’s Walk” made me cringe.

There were all kinds of concerts and dinners spread throughout the community including a major music festival, Evolve. I decided that at the age of 63, catching that vibe wasn`t in the cards!

I must claim a bit of bias here when I say that the highlight for me was the Antigonish Art Fair held last Friday at Chisholm Park. The fact that I happened to be the emcee at the gazebo had nothing to do with “the vibe.” The unofficial attendance was in the neighborhood of 1400 people,  who enjoyed an evening of art, music, culture, an incredible kid’s corner and an amazing display of ethnic food. It was one of those perfect, soft , warm summer evenings. No one was in a hurry. It seemed like everyone had a smile on their face.

Beth Latwaitis and David Miller deserve kudos for their vision in putting this whole thing together. It is working beautifully and the multicultural aspect of the fair is one of the key reasons. I think that Antigonishers are realizing the importance of embracing different cultures. We are extremely fortunate that people from other countries have chosen us as their place to call home.

One more thing. It dawned on me once again the importance of volunteers. None of these events would happen without volunteers. It is staggering to think of the number of “person hours” that went into making these events successful.

I received a lot of feedback on the Frank McGibbon story. Someone put it succinctly. They said that my story was “a thoughtful look at a man who was more complicated than his community may have imagined.”

I have some new stories coming your way. I hope to shine a light on a local business that has done so much good work for the community. Also, I am finishing up a story about the perils of cleaning a teenager’s bedroom at the end of a school year. I think the story is going to be called “Wreck Room.” Seems appropriate, wouldn’t you say?!

I am hoping to go to Sydney later in the week to meet an amazing woman who was involved in a terrible accident and is profoundly handicapped. I am told that her approach to life is inspiring. I can’t wait to meet her and share her story with you.

Be grateful. I truly believe that this is the key to happiness.

Have a great week.

P.S. I had finished writing my “musings” before I attended the closing service of the Highland Games at St. James United Church. Let me add one final vibe to the list: the spirit of ecumenism. There were so many wow moments for me this week and this service was truly the “icing on the cake.” It would take me an entire page to say what I saw and felt. Many religions were under one roof celebrating culture, community and Christianity. Once again, I feel blessed to live here.

P.P.S. Please don’t forget about Maud ( Jim and Sarah Mulcahy’s granddaughter ) who is gravely ill. You can donate on line at http://www.gofundme.com/yfdqjc or contact me directly. Thanks.