I often wonder are words as tricky and confusing in other languages as they are in the English language.
Take then and than. Is it just me that finds them confusing. I still have to stop and think of the rule in order to make sure that I have it correct. For those who are equally confused by those two tricksters remember: (далее…)
Are you a chocoholic?
No, really, are you a true chocoholic? If you are a true chocoholic then you know what I’m talking about. You can’t have chocolate, of any sort, anywhere in your home or it will be gone.
I can’t go to my favorite store, London Drugs, without checking out the confectionary isle. I delude myself by saying that I will just check to see if there are any, not-to-be-missed bargains. (далее…)
Well, we’ve finally whined and moaned our way through another winter. The barrage of complaints were routinely monotonous.
“My goodness, but its cold out there.”
“Can you believe this weather?”
“Not another snow fall!” (далее…)
Vietnam
It was surreal visiting ‘The Nam’.
For those, like Don and I, who went through their teen years between 1961 to 1975 the American involvement in Vietnam was background music to all the other things going on in our lives at the time. It is as much a part of our history as Chubby Checker and the Twist, James Brown and his cape, and Elvis Presley and his B-grade movies. We were as familiar with the names of the places frequented by the American GI’s as we were with the towns and cities of Canada. Place names like Saigon, China Beach, Da Nang, the DMZ, Hanoi and the Makong Delta. (далее…)
Moving, whether it be to a new neighborhood, city, province or country, can be alienating.
In this fast paced world we live in, sometimes we don’t make time to socialize or don’t know how to meet people to socialize with. As a result you sit night after night watching TV or spending your time on the computer. (далее…)
Today I woke up to an overcast dreary day. A day when the sun refused to show her face. A perfect day to remember our war dead. Today, November 11th is Remembrance Day here in Canada. A celebration that I imagine takes place in all countries that took part in the two great wars of the last century.
There are no longer any Canadian veterans alive from the First World War and each year there are fewer representatives who fought in the Second World War. Both my dad and Don’s dad were in WW2 — both are gone. (далее…)
Tomorrow I go over to my mother’s house to cook a Thanksgiving Dinner. Our traditional thanksgiving menu includes the following: turkey, with dressing (stuffing), mashed potatoes with giblet gravy, often sweet potatoes (yams), Brussels sprouts, and Creamed peas. For dessert pumpkin pie is a must. We also often have Lemon Meringue and/or apple pie. Yes, it is a huge feast. I end up giving thanks that I don’t eat like that every day. (далее…)
Alaska
The latter part of August, early September, Don and I set sail on the Carnival Spirit heading for Whittier, Alaska. We chose the one-way, 7-day cruise which would dock in Whittier as we wanted to tour Alaska for a week before flying back to Vancouver.
We docked at four cities along the Alaskan panhandle enroute to Whittier (where the ship docks for Anchorage): Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Sitka. (далее…)
For those of you who have lost one parent or both you will understand the complex feelings that accompany their departure from your life. Up until then death has probably been on the backburner of your thoughts. We know that eventually we will all die but it is way off in the future. After you bury a parent the spectre of death has moved that much closer. It can happen. It will happen.
In January, 2008 Don and I went on a vacation to Peru and Bolivia. We chose South America as we wanted to meet up with Steve and Julia once more before they returned home (we met them in Spain in June 2007).
We landed in Lima and stayed for a few days before flying to Iquitos – the heart of the Amazon Jungle. (далее…)
Steve and Julia Return
A year ago, April 2007, my son, Steve, and his wife, Julia flew from Calgary Airport on the first leg of their round the world cycling tour. Their first stop was Scotland. (далее…)
Last Friday my husband, Don, and I took our trailer 100 km north to Baptiste Lake to spend the weekend with my friend, Lorraine, and family. It was her 60th birthday. We were the first to arrive and the first hour was spent maneuvering the trailer into a parking spot in and amongst the small forest that covers the back of their lake lot. (далее…)
Have you ever had an incident happen that went beyond coincidence?
This happened to me on March 11, 2008, the day my father-in-law was killed. The phone rang at 9:30, that night. I was not surprised to hear my husband, Don’s voice, on the other end of the line.
Don works in Edmonton as a Calgary Terminal Air Traffic Controller. I can never get over the fact that he has to commute 3 ? hours north in order to work the air traffic within a 40 kilometer radius around Calgary. The joys of modern technology! While talking to Don there was a knock on the front door. This was unusual in that no one comes by that late unless expected. (далее…)
Why is it that in far too many countries teachers are no longer respected nor valued?
This entry is in response to a former Russian teacher who wrote to me that she had to leave the profession because of the low pay. In Canada the pay is fairly descent but the job is fast loosing all redeeming qualities. Far too many people seem to subscribe to the theory of, «Those who can’t, teach; those who can, do.» Thus, if you are a teacher you have chosen that profession by default, not by choice; being unfit to do anything else. (далее…)
Ребята! Мне кажется у меня для вас есть отличная новость! У нас в гостях сегодня были наши лучшие канадские друзья Дон и Шейла, о них вы читали массу информации на нашем сайте. Сегодня Шейла дала свое согласие присоединиться к нашему сайту! И теперь у вас тоже будет прекрасный канадский друг и собеседник! Для нее открыта рубрика Hi, from Sheila! Но Шейла не понимает по русски , и тот, кто пожелает узнать что-либо о Канаде из первых уст, должен будет напрячься и начать практиковаться в английском, ведь без языка тут никуда:)
