Posted on May 4, 2015 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

HOPE

 

 

Well, it took a very long time but it looks like we’ve turned the corner and spring has finally arrived. Even the staunchest fans of winter must admit that it lasted a bit too long. Prediction: within a few days we’ll collectively be complaining about the following ( in no particular order ): dandelions, black flies and yes, the heat.

I traveled to Cape Breton last Friday and met one of the most amazing people. I have been to Sydney and Glace Bay many times over the years but I’ve never traveled the road through Whitney Pier down to New Victoria. It was a beautiful drive and I was amazed at the ice in Sydney Harbor. I could see across to the Marine Atlantic terminal and wondered how the ferries ever managed to get through the ice this winter.

I sat at the kitchen table of Michael and Marilyn Campbell for two hours. I was told by a friend that this would be time well spent as Mike is quite the story teller. He plays somewhere in the neighborhood of 75-80 hockey games a year…. the equivalent to a full NHL schedule. I realize that a lot of kids play that many and possibly more. Mike also mows the grass in two different cemeteries all summer long… with an old fashioned push mower. In other words, Mike is kind of a fitness freak.

Oh. Did I mention that he is just a few months shy of his 90^th. birthday?

I sat there totally engrossed as he told me snippets of his life. His memory for dates is unbelievable .  He never smoked or drank and he is a voracious reader to this very day. And long before scrapbooking became fashionable, he was chronicling the lives of his family and his community. He also has a wicked sense of humour. When I left, Marilyn gave me a frozen apple pie and a bag of cinnamon rolls. She assured me that they should be thawed out by the time I got home. I assured her that they wouldn’t be!

As some of you may know, I am a regular columnist for the Cape Breton Star and next week I will be featuring “The Life and Times of Michael Campbell. “ It will also appear on my website. This is one you won’t want to miss. Some of his one liners are priceless.

We’ve all done it before. You’re already in your pajamas and you have a hankering for a very specific food. Many years ago, I would go to any lengths to get some KFC. That temptation was squashed for good,  a few years ago , with the closure of the local franchise. Most of the fast food joints have a drive thru so you’re not too concerned about being spotted in your nightwear. All well and good but what if you get to the drive thru and the car in front of you has died and needs a boost?  “DQ ed” is a true story about just such a happening. The star of the story was also wearing slippers. And it was snowing… Stay tuned.

Three fundraisers to bring to your attention. This Saturday ( 9^th. ) there will be a musical extravaganza  and auction at Piper’s Pub from 4-8 p.m. in aid of Sadie Anderson.  I will agree to get my face painted… to the highest bidder, of course. Sadie is four years old and is battling cancer. This is a “family friendly” event. It would be nice to start the event with $1000 raised so I’ll start with a $100 donation. Anyone want to match it… or any other amount?  If you can’t make it and want to donate, please track me down ( private message or e-mail me )  or stop by the Tall and Small and pass along your donation to Meghan Peters. I will be the Emcee for the event. Let’s roll up our sleeves for this one, folks.

Mark Sunday, June 7^th. on your calendars. I am helping to organize a fundraiser for “ A Partnership in Caring.” This is a group of people who travel to Rwanda each year to provide medical assistance to those in need. I will be joined on stage by my sidekick, Phil Milner as well as The Park Bench Players and some musical guests. There will be a silent auction as well. It should be a fantastic evening and all proceeds to a very worthy cause.

Those of you in the running community will remember  a young runner from Sydney, Emma van Nostrand. A couple of years ago, Emma died of heart problems a few kilometers from the finish line at the Toronto Marathon. In her memory, her family has established a scholarship fund. I spent some time with her mom and dad while in Cape Breton last Friday. They are business people and on May 29^th., they are having a “grand opening” of their new store ( Belmac ). I will be there with my books and have committed to donate a significant portion of the proceeds to the scholarship fund. They will carry my books on an ongoing basis in the Sydney area.

That’s it. Looks like a wonderful week ahead.

Have a great one.

P.S. Mike Campbell doesn’t think much of people who sit around coffee shops and complain. ( or anywhere else , for that matter ). Here’s what he said on this topic: “ All you do when you’re sitting around with nothing to do, is finding fault. Some people don’t even like the way crows fly.”

Posted on April 27, 2015 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

Me and Annie

 

 

Do you remember when you were a kid returning to school in September? One of the first things your teacher did was ask you to write an essay called “ What I did on my summer vacation?”

Well, I am going to try something similar and answer the question, “What did I learn at the Saltscapes Expo this past weekend?”

I’m not sure where to start. First of all, it was amazing to be part of the Antigonish contingent as an exhibitor. Several businesses shared one whole section and it was a real team effort. We were all there promoting our own goods and services but we were also there, promoting our community. On a macro level, every exhibitor was there promoting the region ( the Atlantic Provinces ) and this is what we need if we are going to make some systemic changes. As Ray Ivany has pointed out, NOW is the time for action.

In the Antigonish area, we had vendors and also volunteers so there was lots of manpower. When someone needed  a break, there was always someone willing to step in and man your booth. I can tell you,  unabashedly, that I was proud to be an Antigonisher. Our displays were eye fetching and our people were excellent ambassadors.

This event was about partnerships, networking and cooperation. All of the exhibitors were trying to show people that they don’t have to travel to far flung corners of the earth to experience amazing stuff. There are countless talented artisans, breathtaking scenery, first rate accommodations and fantastic locally produced food. It is time for all of us to do our share and become tourists in our own back yard and to support local producers.

Saltscapes had record breaking crowds this past weekend. On Saturday, traffic was backed up for a kilometer with people trying to get into the parking lots. Apparently attendance on Friday was up 50% over last year and 100% on Saturday. Not sure about Sunday numbers yet.

One other observation: people love free stuff and they absolutely love to fill out ballots. You could sample every food imaginable and there were plenty of places that would give you a taste of beer, wine or spirits. Just about every booth had some kind of draw for getaways or goods. Some people are obviously professional ballot fillers as they have personalized stamps. They don’t have time to stop and chat. They stamp the ballot and move on to the next table.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Lynne Delorey for coordinating the Antigonish section of the expo. She did a ton of work recruiting businesses and was responsible for transporting and setting up most of the displays. And nobody did more promoting of Antigonish at the event than she did. If you bump into her, make sure you thank her.

Sorry. I’ve been promising new stories and they’re coming soon.

Have a great week.

P.S.  I heard that spring was coming. I also heard that there were flurries in the forecast every day this week. Weather forecasters may have to go into a witness protection program if this keeps up!

Posted on April 20, 2015 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

Getting pumped in Wyoming

( Peter MacDonald photo )

 

 

“Another one bites the dust.”  Queen

Two trips. 16000 km. Open roads. Traveling with your son…. Priceless!

Peter and I returned home after our latest sojourn across the continent. After basking in the warmth and the vibes of Vancouver Island for four months, Peter is back in the province to crank things up again with Mac and Hawes. We had a quick, intense and thankfully, uneventful trip . We left Vancouver on Saturday , April 11^th. and on Thursday night ( 16^th. ) arrived at my brother’s place in Amherst at 8:00 p.m. We took the Northern U.S. route through Washington State, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. We crossed the border at Windsor , Ontario and completed the remainder of the journey in Canada.

There wasn’t a lot of time for sightseeing, but we did manage to see a few things including Mt. Rushmore. ( see picture at the bottom of the page ! ). Peter might be going back to Victoria next fall and we’re already talking about doing the middle America route ( the I-70 ). Even though this last trip was a tad crazy, we still managed to learn a lot. Being able to easily access history with a cell phone and Wikipedia, we learned about Custer’s last stand in Eastern Montana and many, many other things. It’s easier to visualize history when you see where it happened with your own eyes.

What was the highlight of the trip for me? A visit to St. Mary of the Lakes rehab center. We stopped in to visit a relative in Kingston, Ontario who was involved in a terrible accident 7 months ago. If you want to get a strong grip on reality, go to a rehab center and thank your lucky stars. Makes a winter of shoveling snow seem quite attractive. Among the shattered bodies and shattered lives, I saw determination and grit that was so inspiring. It was an emotional and uplifting experience.

We were hanging out with three of the residents while they enjoyed a smoke break on a chilly, but sunny afternoon. I got to chatting with Les who lost everything in a terrible motorcycle accident 5 years ago. Well… almost everything. He didn’t lose his perspective or will to live despite the fact that he is a quadriplegic and will spend his remaining days in this facility. We chatted and we shared a few laughs. Tomorrow, you will get to see how the conversation went in a story I wrote on the weekend called “Les is More.” I plan to share my stories with Les on a regular basis to help him pass the time. He doesn’t have any family close by.

One last thing about the trip. Do you have any idea how exasperating it is to drive for 14 hours, check into a hotel at 11:00 at night and not be able to get on their wi-fi? And with a story deadline the next morning? Some of you already know about me and computers ( go to my website and enter “ ctrl.alt.del” in the search bar to refresh your memory.). Fatigue and computer problems are a toxic mix. I don’t have the proper title for the story but it will come to me. Coming soon at week45.

I am hoping that some of you will be able to come to the SaltScapes Expo later this week at Exhibition Park in Halifax. I will be at an Antigonish booth selling books and promoting my speaking business.

Please keep May 9^th. in your busy social calendar if you are going to be in or around Antigonish. I have been asked to be Emcee at a fundraiser at Piper’s Pub for a little 4 year old boy who has cancer. More details to follow.

Please, count your many blessings.

And have a terrific week.