Posted on April 12, 2018 under Thursday Tidbits with no comments yet

 

Humboldt.

You have to have lived in Western Canada to understand the culture of hockey. Yes, curling is huge and many of Canada’s greatest curling dynasties were born and bred on the Prairies. But hockey is deeply ingrained in the psyche, especially junior hockey where many a farm boy threw hay bales in the summer as part of their dry land training. Junior hockey in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba is a religion. The Holy Grail is having a chance to make it big and land a coveted position with an NHL team. Riding buses is a rite of passage and part of paying your hockey dues.

I played a bit of hockey in my time including high school, Junior B and Senior Hockey, the latter in Northern Alberta during my teaching days. And I can attest to the near religious fervor of hockey. Of all the things that helped me be accepted in a small farming community, making the local senior hockey squad made me feel like a local celebrity. If you played for the Fairview Elks, you were somebody. Most of our home games were on Friday nights and one would be hard pressed to find a seat in the Fairview arena.

Our league was spread over vast swaths of the landscape like the juniors but most of our road trips were under four hours and we traveled by car. I know what it is like to drive several hours, play a game, have a beer or two, pack sweaty equipment into the trunk of the car and arrive back home well after midnight. And winter in the North Peace Country was always bitterly cold. Temperatures of -20 to -40 were not uncommon. Frozen hockey gear would stand on end when removed from the trunk of the car to dry out at home.

The recent devastating tragedy in Humboldt is almost impossible to digest such is the magnitude of the loss. Fifteen members of the Bronco’s hockey squad lost their lives in the blink of an eye last week and the dreams of youth were shattered. No amount of thoughts and prayers or messages of condolence can possibly ease the pain and suffering of the families of the deceased or the fractured bodies of those who survived.

One thing I do know is that prairie people are incredibly resilient and determined. They will mourn for a very long time. They will suffer the loss but you can be certain that the community and the country at large will wrap their arms around those who grieve and the sun will rise again over the wheat fields.

Humbled.

I was much honored to attend the recent Volunteer Week Awards ceremony in Halifax. I was chosen by the Town of Antigonish as their volunteer of the year. When I was first informed a few months ago, I was a bit startled. There are so many people in our community who have given an entire life of service that I felt just a bit awkward accepting this honor. When it comes down to it, I expect every other nominee from around the province feels the same way. It is the quiet foot soldiers who toil anonymously who really deserve the credit.

And, of course, for a married couple, these awards are merited equally. It isn’t possible for both parents to be out serving on boards and coaching minor sports at the same time. The gift of time given by one’s spouse to pursue volunteer work should be recognized.

It certainly is by me.

Thanks so much for all the kind words, e-mails and private messages.

Have a great week.

 

Posted on April 5, 2018 under Thursday Tidbits with 3 comments

Swan song

The time has come to hang up the gloves…. literally and figuratively. The gloves, seen in the picture at the bottom of the page, were purchased over a decade ago and I have worn them just about every winter day over that period of time. Go ahead and call me a cheap Scot but these gloves were warm and durable as they helped me prepare for several marathons including Boston twice.

Almost 60 years ago, my father took me up to the choir loft at St. Ninian’s Cathedral to attend mass. He was a member of the senior choir along with a bevy of talented people including several members of the Cameron Clan. (Cue “The March of the Cameron Men.”). It was the start of an apprenticeship of church music and singing in four parts. It was stirring to hear such heavenly music with Mrs. W.J. MacDonald at the organ.

I have spent a lifetime singing in church choirs. It has been one of my greatest joys. For the better part of 36 years, I have trudged up the spiral staircase (stairway to heaven???) to sing under the watchful eye of James MacPherson. Of all the treasured memories to this point in my life, witnessing the genius of James year in and year out is very near the top of my list.

But alas, that staircase seems to be getting longer and steeper. It is time for a new generation of singers to step up and lend their voices in making celestial sounds.

Nothing is forever. With the passing of James last November 8^th. we all knew that the dynamics of the choir would change going forward. In a stroke of genius (and a bit of luck), St.Ninian’s was able to attract a young and multi-talented music graduate by the name of Emery van de Wiel. With very little time to get his feet wet, Emery was staring at navigating the Christmas season. Now, Easter has come and gone and Emery has definitely found his groove.

Besides his work with the choir, he was the musical director for the enormously popular “Everyone’s Way of the Cross” which was recently staged at St.Ninian’s. Emery has shown us that he belongs and will lead the music ministry for many years to come.

But, he needs some new foot soldiers. If you are interested in joining the choir, get in touch with Emery at emeryvandewiel@hotmail.com. While all voices are welcome, a few new tenors are his priority.

Speaking of all things musical, the spring concert for the Antigonish Chorale Ensemble is this coming Sunday, April 8^th. at 7:30 p.m. at St. James United Church. The theme is “Earth Day” and promises to be a great show.

The first annual “Bowl With Bernie” was held last Saturday at the Pins Bowling Center. A large and exuberant crowd showed up and $7,200 was raised for L’Arche and CACL in Bernie’s memory. I was able to contribute in a small way by selling copies of my books with all the proceeds donated to the cause. I had a wonderful time chatting with old friends and I met some new people too. Bernie will never be forgotten by his legion of family and friends.

If you are looking for me this weekend, I will be holed up (!) watching The Masters golf tournament, my absolutely favorite television event.

Have a great weekend.

P.S. Fare thee well, Joe White. A “ working man” and friend to all, has left us.

 

Posted on March 29, 2018 under Thursday Tidbits with 7 comments

Heading off to Morrison School in 1958

 

“School days, school days, dear old golden rule days,

Reading and wring and ritmetic, taught to the tune of the hickory stick.”

School Days. Cobb /Edwards

School days was written back in 1907. It’s a song about a mature couple looking back sentimentally on their childhood together in primary school.

I visit my mom daily at the RK. Music is a big part of our conversation and there are not many days that she doesn’t start humming “School Days.” Do you look back on your earliest days of education with fondness? Most of us probably got through elementary school without too many battle scars. Junior High and High School was another matter altogether.

Many of us in this part of the world were taught by nuns throughout our schooling. While excellent educators, they knew a thing or two about the hickory stick and weren’t afraid to use it. Discipline wasn’t an issue. I think the television series “Fear Factor” derived its roots from that era. Intimidation and fear kept youngsters on high alert all the time. And public shaming was in vogue. You must remember staying after school and having to write on the blackboard, “I will not chew gum in school” a hundred times?

So, students, here is your task today. Go to your computer and type the following 100 times: “I will not whine or complain once today.” Even better, go into your grandchild’s play room, grab a piece of chalk and write it out on a piece of slate the old fashioned way.

Oh, crap. It’s “Len’s Lecture” time again. I’m sure many of you would like me to come down out of the pulpit one of these days ( soon!) and get back to telling funny stories. Be patient. There’s still lots to chuckle about.

We complain about the most mundane things like the lineup at a grocery store or slow service in a restaurant. Or (gasp) dandelions on the lawn. That’s a real soul destroyer. And, yes, let he who hath not sinned, cast the first stone. My impatience at convenience stores, waiting to buy a quart of milk, while someone dutifully and painfully checks 3 million lottery tickets to see if they’ve won $2.00,is legendary. Those people already know they’ve won $2.00 but have to share their exuberance with winning with the great unwashed mass.

Get to the point, Len.

A few days ago, I met a lady who had a devastating car accident a year or so ago and became a quadriplegic. The accident left her with other impairments. In the blink of an eye, her life changed forever. A couple of hours later, I ran into an old friend who has a family member in the late stages of Huntington’s disease… 20 years and counting. The physical and emotional toll on the family is incalculable.

Sobering.

There are lots and lots of people who have a valid right to complain but those of us lucky enough to be healthy and with a roof over our heads, should resist the temptation to whine.

This Easter weekend, take a few moments and realize how lucky you are. Be consciously grateful for what you have.

By the way,I’m still picking splinters out of my arse from the hickory stick!

Have a great Easter.