Posted on January 11, 2018 under Thursday Tidbits with 3 comments

The Missouri River

( Peter MacDonald photo )

 

“ Naboline, naboline,

Nastiest drug that I’ve ever seen”

(Sung to the music of “Abilene”)

Pain.

Chronic pain.

Show of hands. How many of you suffer from chronic pain? Thought so. Lots of us. It goes with the turf when you’re north of 65. We’re all looking for something magical to minimize pain. This could be through aquasize, chiropractic medicine, acupuncture, therapeutic massage, cortisone injections heating pads, extra strength Tylenol and when things gets really serious, Captain Morgan dark rum.

Oops. Forgot one. Medical marijuana. Having run out of options, I spoke with my doctor about medical marijuana. When the discussion ended, I had in my possession, a prescription for Nabilone which is a synthetic drug having some of the characteristics of marijuana… minus the high.

A few days ago, I took my first pill.

You’ve all seen the ads in the U.S. when they’re touting a new “wonder drug.” Yes, it’s wonderful for the pharmaceutical companies but the side effects are what get me. The list is gobsmacking and runs from benign to lethal. I read the sheet that accompanied my prescription to see what I might expect… besides relief from pain.

I will not bore you with all the sordid details of the next 18 hours other than to say that I now know what it might be like in the Sahara Desert; such was the dryness in my mouth. Throw in confusion (more than normal!) and mind racing all night and I concluded that the remedy was worse than the pain. The next day, I trotted back to the pharmacy to return the 59 unused pills.

I think I’ll just wait until pot is legalized, go to NSLC and grab a few joints ( ones that don’t creak and ache! ) and then listen to George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord.”

I sing in the Antigonish Chorale Ensemble (ACE). It is an excellent choir. The musical arrangements are quite challenging for someone who doesn’t read music very well. Having talented people on either side of me who can read and sing very well it an enormous help. But I am trainable and after several practices, I can follow along. The choir had its first practice of the New Year a few evenings ago with a whole new batch of songs to learn before our spring concert.

“Oh, Shenando, I long to see you and hear your rolling river…”

Shenandoah is an American folk song classic. At least it was until I started to sing it. I was drifting along, like the Missouri River when all of a sudden; I got caught in the current. I kept looking at the page and what I was reading was NOT what was being sung. I wondered if I was suffering a delayed reaction to the Nabilone! I then did what I do best. I started faking it. It was something between a mumble and a stutter. I turned to Michael on my right. “Where in the hell are we?” I queried. He pointed to page 5. I looked at my music. Page 5 was missing… as were pages 6, 7 and 8.

I opened my music folder and sitting there amongst the other half dozen pieces that we would be working on, were the missing pages.

“Growing old graciously…. Priceless!”

Have a great weekend.

Posted on December 21, 2017 under Thursday Tidbits with 3 comments

( Photo: Alison MacDonald – Age 5 )

 

YEAR END REVIEW

Another calendar year is about to elapse. There will never be another like it. There never is. The memories continue to pile up like the years.

Nobody gets through a year without hardship. Many of you are grieving the loss of a loved one. Nobody knows your pain. One only hopes that the waves of anguish that wash over you, diminish with the passing of time.

2017 was particularly memorable for me as I got the opportunity to experience a new country and a new culture by spending six months (and a few weeks!) in India.

So, in no particular order, here are some of my memorable moments from the past 12 months:

. Best new food – masala dosa… or any other Indian food

. Best dessert – “sex in a pan.” I have never had sex in a pan before.

. Best book – Freedom at Midnight

. Best Netflix series – Downton Abbey

. Best musical moment (a tie) – singing with Antigonish Chorale Ensemble/ performing with Peter and Betsy at a recent fundraiser

. Best live event – Off Fringe Festival in Montreal – saw Ellie’s one woman show

. Best new friend (s) – 1.325 billion Indian people but especially Gracie

. Best friend in a crisis – brother Don who helped extricate me from India

. Best moment of the year (toss up) – turning on the water taps at the leprosy community/ the moment I got my exit permit to leave India.

. Biggest high followed by biggest low: seeing the Taj Mahal and finding out 5 hours later that my Indian visa expired

. Best response to a Week45 story – my tribute to James Macpherson

. Most unusual sports experience – getting the play by play of the Super Bowl in India (9.5 hour time difference) from Richard Johnson… on Messenger!

. Scariest moment of the year – crossing the street for the first time in Hyderabad (a city of 10 million people)

. Best movie – all the movies in the Antigonish International Film Festival

. Most embarrassing moment – showing up in traditional Indian garb to a potluck at St. James … 24 hours late!

. Best laugh – reading Bette Macdonald’s Christmas book (Mary Morrison’s Cape Breton Christmas)

. Most embarrassing moment (2) – trying to use an Indian toilet on a fast moving train

. Most exciting moment – going whale watching in Ingonish with two Indian Coady students and seeing one of the largest whales ever spotted in those parts… followed by seeing a moose on MacKenzie Mountain

. Most profound experience (tie) – first visit to the leprosy community and first visit to a slum.

. Greatest joy – spending time with my granddaughters.

. Mixed blessing of the year – not being able to get my visa for a return trip to India at the same time, experiencing medical issues. So grateful that I didn’t get the visa and was able to get first rate care in the comfort of my own town.

And thanks to all of my faithful readers. Love hearing your comments.

Have a great holiday season.

P.S. It’s still not too late! Reminder. Christmas book sale. Three books $25.00 + shipping. Regular $55. Value. Message me or send me an e-mail at lenpdmacdonald@gmail.com

 

Posted on December 7, 2017 under Thursday Tidbits with no comments yet

Another day in the rear view window

 

Senator Mary Coyle.

It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?

Ok. Before you go jumping down my throat about your outrage around the Senate, patronage and political skullduggery, the Senate is actually an important piece in our democratic puzzle. And despite all the negative baggage attached to this institution (most of it well earned), it still has a useful function.

Mary Coyle is one of those people who will help to raise the level of discourse and bring respectability to the “Chamber of sober second thought.” Her resume is very impressive. She is smart and compassionate and has faced some health challenges with stoicism. She cares about the poor.

And she’s from Hillcrest Street, my old stomping grounds. Maybe Mary will introduce a bill in the Senate to get Hillcrest Street closed during the annual Boxing Day Street Hockey game!

Congratulations, Mary.

Some people have stopped me and said, “Len, lighten up, will you?” Long-time readers of my column know that I have focused mostly on humour but lately I seem to have strayed into other forums. I guess part of this change has to do with old age my increasing cynicism. The world seems to have gone mad.

How can one not be cynical? I watched with dismay as people trampled others on Black Friday to get a flat screen television… one day after celebrating Thanksgiving where they gave thanks for all they have.

And don’t get me started about the shenanigans south of the border. I have a very dear friend from the U.S. who is very smart, kind and generous. We correspond occasionally and each time I make reference to her President. Her response is always the same, that ” everything the President says is misconstrued.”

The world’s 8 richest billionaires control the same wealth as 3.6 billion of the world’s poorest.

J.J. Watts is a professional football player. (American football – not soccer). He is a superb athlete. I am a sucker for sports and I watch football on Sundays. I mute the million ads that scream commercialism. Mr. Watts signed a 6 contract for 100 million dollars. I am not going to argue if he’s worth it.

When Houston was ravaged by hurricane Irma in September of this year, Mr. Watts decided to use his name and fame to raise money for hurricane relief. His efforts raised $ 37,000,000. (That’s million in case you lost track of the decimal point). For weeks on end, American media reported on the devastation.

Meanwhile in India. The state of Tamil Nadu in southern India was hit with a powerful cyclone last week. .. Largely ignored by the western media. The district of Kannyakumari where I lived and volunteered this past winter took a big hit, destroying homes and businesses and killing several people. One thousand (1000) fishermen from the region are missing. One wonders why they were on the waters with an impending cyclone. It is possible that some of them didn’t know but my hunch is that many of them felt compelled to fish to maintain their livelihood.

I feel badly on many levels. Reconstruction will not come quickly or easily. I received a letter from Sister Archana the other day and the situation is dire. They are doing everything in their power to help with food, medicine, reconstruction. If I had received my Indian visa, I would be there now helping with the relief efforts.

I know I seem to have my hand out ALL the time looking for money for various charities. The people of Antigonish have already demonstrated their generosity by sending money to India to support projects that I was working on during my time there. I wouldn’t object to donations to help the relief efforts in Kannyakumari. I still have an account opened at the Credit Union (Investment India) or you can e-transfer at investmentindia2017@gmail.com

Have a great weekend.

Reminder. Christmas book sale. Three books $25.00 + shipping. Regular $55. Value. Message me or send me an e-mail at lenpdmacdonald@gmail.com