The city is trying to improve the entire transit system – with varying degrees of success. Low-rise buses have been a great improvement. The stop announcements are very helpful. Even Telebus has improved!
Before getting a PC, I relied on the print schedules and Telebus - both with limited success.
The print schedules are helpful, but the city made an error in choosing to print them with blue type on sharp white background - not a user friendly combo for many with low vision.
Telebus is an automated system that has been improved over the years, but you have to know the 5 digit stop number to use it. The voice recognition for the system is a bit iffy – especially if your enunciation is not clear or you hesitate too long between responses. The 5 digit codes are printed in small print at the beginning of the Winnipeg Yellow Pages. In the past, I suggested on more than one occasion, that transit make available a print version of those numbers in a self contained book form that could be tucked in a purse, backpack or pocket with a simple black font such as Arial (minimum 10 point) on an off-white background. it would be far more accessible for people - especially seniors or those who find the Yellow Pages a little too heavy and awkward to use. How many people even use their Yellow Pages anymore? A nominal fee could be charged to offset the cost, but I suspect the cost could be at least partially made up in increased ridership.
Many transit stops have print schedules attached to the sign post – albeit in small print – and some of the stops now have a clock system with real time bus route arrivals scrolling down. There are two main problems with these new real time arrival schedules:
1) It is orange on black type which is hard to read in daylight and
2) The sign is so high up you can’t read it unless you have great vision!
However, Transit has really missed the mark on providing reasonable ease of access for the average rider with this new Beta system on the web. The site is crammed with new bells and whistles to supposedly make using transit easier but it comes across as trying too hard to be all things to all people.
Riders need a simple reliable way to obtain route info without needing a PHD in website navigation and the patience of Buddha to figure out how to get to where they are going.
The new transit site is NOT in the least bit user friendly!! The promotional "Video Help" is not helpful, nor is the written info in the "Help/FAQ". I found both to be vague and overly simplified to be of any use.
I am legally blind. I do not use JAWS or other speech programs as I prefer a larger font to use the internet. So given that, you’d think I’d have had a relatively easy time navigating the site. No such luck!! I spent well over an hour trying to figure out a half dozen routes a few weeks ago. I use at least 15-20 stops at various times of morning and afternoon in any given month. I have been attempting to use this new system for about a month now, but it still takes me at least three or four times longer to find my information now as it did on the old site - even by saving my timetables!
I've never been a fan of Navigo as it always seemed to suggest some rather ridiculous routes to get from A to B. The most obvious connections/transfer points were rarely listed as the first, second or even third option. The suggestions would have easily gotten me lost!
Even the bus drivers don't recommend using Navigo! One of the worst cases I've heard from a driver was someone who was transferring to an 18 on Graham. They were actually headed to Henderson Hwy. but Navigo sent them via an 18, 77 and then on to an 11!! That's a sightseeing trip - not efficient planning. If that person had missed even one connection, their trip could have lasted at least 30-40 minutes longer and left them stranded in an unfamiliar area!
I prefer to do my own planning! Better yet, I’ll ask a bus driver. I sure wouldn’t waste my time calling 311 as they seem to know even less than I do about how transit timetables and routes work!
With the old site, I could select "schedules and maps" then "stop schedules" then day and then select the letter of the alphabet for the street I wanted. That gave me options of which direction I was headed and then listed all the possible stops. From there I pick my stop and routes. Easy! It could all be done with a few mouse clicks.
I don't always use the same stops or times, nor do I always remember the name of a cross street for a stop I use only once or twice a month. Seeing the list of possible stops always reminds me of which one I wanted and I can make note of the stops before mine so that I can be listening more closely to the automatic announcements on the buses.
Stop announcements on the buses have been a great addition, but every bus seems to have the volume at different levels, and depending on noise levels in and/or around the bus, the stops aren't always audible. Drivers don't always remember to call a stop even when you ask them to!
Assuming that you know the name of the street you want and what direction that may be – not an easy feat in this burg given how much streets twist and turn - you still may have trouble spelling some of the names! Seeing an alphabetical list is a lot easier to recognize a name rather than a drop down box that lists dozens of variations of what you are attempting to type.
Then, if you happen to find the right street, heaven forbid that you click on the wrong stop or ever try to go back a page! If you do have to go back the odds are that you will get an error page saying that the page cannot be found! Great, now you have to start all over!! I found the same error page problem when trying to click on any five digit route number in a timetable.
Despite my visual limitations, I am reasonably adept at using a PC and can manoeuvre around most websites fairly easily but this new system is going to be a real challenge for anyone with only moderate PC skills. The confusion and frustration levels of trying to sort it all out, will drive most people away.
As I said earlier, I use at least 15-20 stops at various times of morning and afternoon in any given month. The only way I will ever be able to use this site with ANY amount of ease will be to save every one of the routes that I may use in any given month. Frankly, that is not the least bit efficient or an effective use of technology. I should not have to customize and save EVERY one of those into my timetables!
I know transit is trying to make the system better and there have been improvements, but this new Beta system is not going to work for a lot of people due to limited PC skills or accessibility issues (sight, spelling etc). I have spoken with friends who are sighted, friends who are visually impaired and several passengers over the last few weeks and have yet to find someone who found the site even remotely user friendly.
The new beta system may work better for young tech savvy people, but frankly I would strongly recommend that the old version be kept as a more suitable alternative for the rest of us.
The old system is scheduled to disappear as of September 30, 2010.
If the city doesn’t make some major changes to the new site and make suitable accessibility options for all citizens, they will continue to lose ridership.
I submitted feedback to the website, but have had no response as yet. We tell the city what we need and want in services but they just keep managing to miss the bus, Yet the city continues to wonder why people aren't using buses more! Really makes you wonder!
dn
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
The Freezer – Part Two
It was a tense week. The freezer was on life support. I checked it once/day to make sure things were still frozen. Defrosting and the newspaper lining seemed to have helped as everything – even along the sides - was solid. The weather was also cooperating as it wasn’t as hot as it had been – even a bit below normal for a few days. I also checked the motor every day. It was still too hot to touch. As far as I could tell, the motor was running pretty much nonstop. I was a bit scared of it causing a fire but was afraid that if I unplugged it every once in awhile to cool down that it may not start again.
The freezer sits in a corner of my living room, so Friday night I moved my dining table and coffee table so that it would be easy to access the freezer for moving. About 8:00 Saturday morning, I unplugged it long enough to pull it out and clean the floor underneath then moved it back and plugged it in again. The new freezer would arrive sometime between 8:30 and 1:30.
The delivery men called about 10:30 to say they were almost here. They buzzed my apartment 10 minutes later and had it in place and running by 10:50. Had there been a suitably cold place for me to keep the contents of the old freezer while the new one cooled down, I could have sent the old one with the delivery guys for proper disposal. Unfortunately, I had no extra space and it was too warm that day to leave things out for more than an hour even if I covered them with blankets.
The disposal would be my responsibility. Oh, goody!
The new freezer is a bit different than the old one. The old one was 31 ½” L x 24” D x 34 ¾” H. This one is 35 ¼” L x 23 ¾” D x 34” H. Minor adjustments in positioning but doable. The old one had a half shelf above the motor cavity on the right side but this one has a shelf the full width of the freezer on the left side. I would have to organize things in a different manner. Annoying for someone who is as organized as I am but I’ll manage!
The other major difference was the basket. The old one had a big, plastic coated wire basket and the new one had a smaller, plastic basket that looked like something from the dollar store! Actually, I had two baskets for the old one. I had ordered an additional one when I got it so that I could organize things better. At first attempt, the old baskets would not fit as they were just a smidgen too big - but because they were wire under the plastic, I was able to bend the frame just enough so that they fit on the sliding track along the top! YES!
The freezer sits in a corner of my living room, so Friday night I moved my dining table and coffee table so that it would be easy to access the freezer for moving. About 8:00 Saturday morning, I unplugged it long enough to pull it out and clean the floor underneath then moved it back and plugged it in again. The new freezer would arrive sometime between 8:30 and 1:30.
The delivery men called about 10:30 to say they were almost here. They buzzed my apartment 10 minutes later and had it in place and running by 10:50. Had there been a suitably cold place for me to keep the contents of the old freezer while the new one cooled down, I could have sent the old one with the delivery guys for proper disposal. Unfortunately, I had no extra space and it was too warm that day to leave things out for more than an hour even if I covered them with blankets.
The disposal would be my responsibility. Oh, goody!
The new freezer is a bit different than the old one. The old one was 31 ½” L x 24” D x 34 ¾” H. This one is 35 ¼” L x 23 ¾” D x 34” H. Minor adjustments in positioning but doable. The old one had a half shelf above the motor cavity on the right side but this one has a shelf the full width of the freezer on the left side. I would have to organize things in a different manner. Annoying for someone who is as organized as I am but I’ll manage!
The other major difference was the basket. The old one had a big, plastic coated wire basket and the new one had a smaller, plastic basket that looked like something from the dollar store! Actually, I had two baskets for the old one. I had ordered an additional one when I got it so that I could organize things better. At first attempt, the old baskets would not fit as they were just a smidgen too big - but because they were wire under the plastic, I was able to bend the frame just enough so that they fit on the sliding track along the top! YES! I had everything transferred by about 12:30 or so. Luckily nothing else had to be thrown out! PHEW!!
Now, what was I going to do with the old one? I couldn’t just take it out back of the building as there are bylaws regarding disposal of appliances and bulky items. I knew that I couldn’t do anything till at least Monday so it sat in my living room where my coffee table normally sat.
I decided to wait until Tuesday morning when the building manager would be in the office. He said I would have to call the city’s 311 non emergency line to arrange for a pickup. I sat on hold for about 7 minutes only to be told that because it was a freezer there would be a $20 fee to deal with the Freon! I explained that I didn’t have money to pay for that as I’d thrown out $20 worth of meat and spent $400 on a new one including $60 delivery and taxes! The operator said that I’d either have to pay the fee or find someone to take it to the Brady Landfill for me. I explained that I was legally blind and didn’t even know anyone with a truck here in the city. The only other suggestion she had was to find a company that would pick it up for free. I asked if she knew of any and she said I should check the yellow pages then hung up on me. Gee thanks!
I went down to talk to the manager again and asked if he knew of any companies that could pick it up. He didn’t, but pulled out the yellow pages and started looking for me. He made a couple of calls and found a scrap metal place that would pick it up for free. He left a message on the driver’s cell for him to call me and arrange pickup. The driver called that afternoon and said he could pick it up on Wednesday afternoon.
Wednesday morning, I borrowed a large dolly from the caretaker and managed to manoeuvre the old freezer onto it. I had also taken a black felt pen and in several places written “DOES NOT WORK” and “DOES NOT FREEZE SOLID” on both the outside and inside of the freezer. I didn’t want someone to take it thinking that they had found a free freezer only to find out the hard way that it didn’t work or even worse that the motor caused a fire. The freezer was out by the dumpsters by about 9:15. I left a message for the driver and he picked it up that afternoon. I checked with a friend who is on that side of the building directly above the dumpsters and she had seen the truck from the company I called pick it up.
I’m going to miss that old freezer. It worked really well until a year or so ago and served my needs well. The new one is going to take a little getting used to but I’m sure I will adjust. I just hope it lasts as long as the old one.
How would I ever live without a freezer? I really don’t know and I never want to come that close again to finding out!
dn
Sunday, August 29, 2010
The Freezer – Part One
I got my first deep freeze in early December 1990. It was delivered to my apartment just a few days after I got out of the hospital after undergoing surgery for my detached retina. It was an early Christmas present from my family.
After losing so much of my sight, I knew I was going to have to change a few things in my life. I had a lot of time to think about those changes during my three weeks in the hospital. At that point, I didn’t know how much sight I would even get back. One thing that I knew had to change, was the way that I grocery shopped. I had always bought in bulk when I could – except when it came to things that could or had to be frozen. I relied on whatever size my refrigerator freezer was and my ability to go and buy fresh items when I needed them.
My parents had asked what I wanted for Christmas that year and I suggested that rather than everyone buying me a lot of smaller things as they usually did, that it would be great if they all chipped in and got me a chest deep freezer. They readily agreed.
My mom and brother came into the city the day I was released. On the way home we went to Sears and bought a deep freezer. It was delivered to my apartment a few days later. Mom did a lot of cooking and baking for me in that first week that she stayed with me after I was home from the hospital. We also did a MAJOR grocery shop, so it didn’t take long to fill it up!
That deep freezer became an integral part of my independence. I was able to take advantage of meat sales and cook in bulk. I didn’t have to shop as often and was able to save a fair amount on my grocery bills.
Over the years, I have kept that freezer at least 80% full – and usually closer to capacity! I baked when I wanted to and froze whatever I could. I cooked large meals and froze them in individual portions. I bought family packs of meats and froze the meat in individual portions. The freezer was always stocked and ready for whatever I needed.
The last year or so though, I realized that it wasn’t working quite as well as it used to. There was more frost around the top than there used to be. It needed defrosting a little more than it used to. The area near the motor wasn’t freezing as solidly so I kept things like almonds and peanuts there – things that should be kept cool for freshness but didn't necessarily need to be frozen.
Twenty years isn’t really that old for a good deep freeze – especially if it is defrosted on a regular basis and not moved around much. Mine was defrosted at least twice/year but unfortunately, it had also gone through three moves (while full) – 1991, 1993 and 1998. Not having AC all of these years didn’t help the life of the freezer either. My freezer was on borrowed time and would have to be replaced.
This summer has been warmer than usual and without AC, the apartment was a bit on the warm side even with a couple of good sized oscillating fans running. The freezer was working overtime. I made a batch of ice cream in late July and realized that the canister - which normally sat on the little shelf above the motor - wasn’t frozen as solid as it should have been. That batch didn’t turn out quite as well as usual but was still quite edible!! The first part of August was very hot and humid so I knew that the freezer needed to be defrosted sooner rather than later.
A couple of weeks ago, a northerly breeze cooled off the apartment really nicely one evening so I decided to defrost. What I discovered was NOT good. The items along the sides and bottom were no longer frozen solid! Luckily, almost all of the items along the wall and floor were my muffins, cookies, loaves and nuts – all items that are a bit more forgiving to freezing temps. There was about 4 months or so worth of baking, a pound of peanuts and about 5 pounds of almonds. Replacing anything would be expensive and time consuming. I checked everything carefully for soft spots, mould etc.
Unfortunately, I had to throw out about $20 worth of meat – 2 lbs extra lean ground beef and 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. That would have been at least 20 servings of meat once they were prepared! That really hurt and I did cry. The rest of the meat was still frozen – probably about $150 worth of meat and homemade meals in all. (That’s not counting the cost to replace the baking!) After I defrosted, I pulled out the freezer to clean as much dust from behind as possible. The motor was still too hot to touch! Oh, this was NOT good!!
After losing so much of my sight, I knew I was going to have to change a few things in my life. I had a lot of time to think about those changes during my three weeks in the hospital. At that point, I didn’t know how much sight I would even get back. One thing that I knew had to change, was the way that I grocery shopped. I had always bought in bulk when I could – except when it came to things that could or had to be frozen. I relied on whatever size my refrigerator freezer was and my ability to go and buy fresh items when I needed them.
My parents had asked what I wanted for Christmas that year and I suggested that rather than everyone buying me a lot of smaller things as they usually did, that it would be great if they all chipped in and got me a chest deep freezer. They readily agreed.
My mom and brother came into the city the day I was released. On the way home we went to Sears and bought a deep freezer. It was delivered to my apartment a few days later. Mom did a lot of cooking and baking for me in that first week that she stayed with me after I was home from the hospital. We also did a MAJOR grocery shop, so it didn’t take long to fill it up!
That deep freezer became an integral part of my independence. I was able to take advantage of meat sales and cook in bulk. I didn’t have to shop as often and was able to save a fair amount on my grocery bills.
Over the years, I have kept that freezer at least 80% full – and usually closer to capacity! I baked when I wanted to and froze whatever I could. I cooked large meals and froze them in individual portions. I bought family packs of meats and froze the meat in individual portions. The freezer was always stocked and ready for whatever I needed.
The last year or so though, I realized that it wasn’t working quite as well as it used to. There was more frost around the top than there used to be. It needed defrosting a little more than it used to. The area near the motor wasn’t freezing as solidly so I kept things like almonds and peanuts there – things that should be kept cool for freshness but didn't necessarily need to be frozen.
Twenty years isn’t really that old for a good deep freeze – especially if it is defrosted on a regular basis and not moved around much. Mine was defrosted at least twice/year but unfortunately, it had also gone through three moves (while full) – 1991, 1993 and 1998. Not having AC all of these years didn’t help the life of the freezer either. My freezer was on borrowed time and would have to be replaced.
This summer has been warmer than usual and without AC, the apartment was a bit on the warm side even with a couple of good sized oscillating fans running. The freezer was working overtime. I made a batch of ice cream in late July and realized that the canister - which normally sat on the little shelf above the motor - wasn’t frozen as solid as it should have been. That batch didn’t turn out quite as well as usual but was still quite edible!! The first part of August was very hot and humid so I knew that the freezer needed to be defrosted sooner rather than later.
A couple of weeks ago, a northerly breeze cooled off the apartment really nicely one evening so I decided to defrost. What I discovered was NOT good. The items along the sides and bottom were no longer frozen solid! Luckily, almost all of the items along the wall and floor were my muffins, cookies, loaves and nuts – all items that are a bit more forgiving to freezing temps. There was about 4 months or so worth of baking, a pound of peanuts and about 5 pounds of almonds. Replacing anything would be expensive and time consuming. I checked everything carefully for soft spots, mould etc.
Unfortunately, I had to throw out about $20 worth of meat – 2 lbs extra lean ground beef and 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. That would have been at least 20 servings of meat once they were prepared! That really hurt and I did cry. The rest of the meat was still frozen – probably about $150 worth of meat and homemade meals in all. (That’s not counting the cost to replace the baking!) After I defrosted, I pulled out the freezer to clean as much dust from behind as possible. The motor was still too hot to touch! Oh, this was NOT good!!
I knew it would take a few days before I could get a new freezer delivered, so before I put things back in, I lined it with several layers of newspaper for insulation. I placed all the baking along the bottom and the outside walls. The meat and prepared meals went in the middle where it would be colder and well insulated.
There really wasn’t much else I could do. I didn’t have anywhere else to store things. The fridge freezer was already full and none of my nearby friends had any extra freezer space.
Hopefully, the freezer would work until a new one could be delivered. I plugged the freezer in again and crossed my fingers. I didn’t want to lose anything else. Throwing out any food – prepared or not is something that I have almost never done and I certainly didn’t want to start now!
For now the freezer was working, but I needed a new one as soon as possible. I started looking at some local businesses online to see what they had and what the price range was. I made a few phone calls but found that it was either going to cost me a small fortune to get one in a couple of days or the store didn’t have what I wanted in stock.
I finally ordered a 7.2 cubic foot chest freezer from Sears. The earliest that I could get it delivered was the following Saturday. It was also going to cost me $60 for delivery!! YIKES!! I wasn’t happy about it, but I had no choice. When I called my mom that Sunday morning, I told her that she wouldn’t have to shop for me this year as I had just bought my Christmas present!
to be concluded next week....
dn
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Not On My Play List!
We all have different tastes in music and like different genres of music. There are certain genres that I just can’t stand. There are some artists that I don’t care for within the genres that I do like. It’s all about personal taste. One person’s most hated is another’s most loved.
I love music, BUT there are certain songs in the general music universe that I just wish would somehow disappear – permanently! Better yet, I wish they’d never been recorded! These aren’t just the songs that get stuck on auto replay in our brains and won’t disappear. Those type of pieces, which are called earworms are just plain annoying!
No, I’m talking about the songs that make you cringe when you hear them. The songs that make you want to gag, throw something, change the station or put it on mute for a few minutes!
I’ve been thinking about this post for awhile. I didn’t go looking for titles – I let the songs come to me. I started making a list of songs last spring and added to it as I thought of more or had the misfortune of hearing them again. (Oh, lucky me!)
Today, I’m going to list some of the songs that I personally, really wish had never been recorded. My list is just that – MY list of songs and therefore you may or not agree with them. Like so many things in life, music is subjective.
These songs have all made the charts in the last 60 years or so. Some even made it to number one. YIKES! There really is no accounting for public taste – or lack thereof. There are love songs, ballads and upbeat pop songs. Some of these are definitely considered as novelty songs, but they still managed to hit the charts and gnaw away at my sanity.
These first four are songs about cars. They all involve speed, but the last two are also the sappy, tragic, teenage love songs:
• “Hot Rod Lincoln” - Commander Cody (1972)
• “The Little Nash Rambler” (Beep Beep) – The Playmates (1958)
• “Tell Laura I Love Her” – Ray Peterson (1960)
• “Dead Man’s Curve” – Jan And Dean (1964)
Then there are the ones that are definitely novelty based:
• “Shaving Cream” was written by Benny Bell in 1946 and recorded by both him and Phil Winston. They have both recorded under the name of Paul Wynn. This song is full of innuendo as you think the line will end with a curse word but it slides into the next line starting with “shaving cream”. It was rereleased in 1975 as part of a Dr. Demento collection.
• “The Thing” – Phil Harris (1950) We never are really told what “The Thing” is, but then again we are probably better off not knowing!
• “And Then Along Came Jones” – The Coasters (1959) Pays homage to the old movie trick of the villain tying the lady to the railroad tracks.
• “Space Oddity” (Ground control to Major Tom) – David Bowie (1969) I heard this a lot as a kid. I hated it then and still hate it today. There is even a version of it now being used in a TV commercial. Whoopee!
• “Coconut” – Harry Nilsson (1972) “You put the lime in the coconut and you drink ‘em both up...” This is one of those songs with a catchy beat but the words and voices of the narrator, sister and doctor (all done by Nilsson) are just so annoying that you want to take the coconut and shove it!
The country trucker type songs:
• “Teddy Bear” - Red Sovine (1970) Actually anything by Sovine should be banned. He pretty much talks his way through all the sappy lyrics to his story songs including “Giddyup Go” (1965) and ”Phantom 309” (1967)
• “Convoy” – C. W. McCall (1975) The trucker novelty song hit number one on both the country and pop charts! The song sparked a fad for CB radios and was even an inspiration for the 1978 movie Convoy.
The romantic ballads:
• “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” – Roberta Flak (1972) The song was written in 1957 by political singer/songwriter Ewan MacColl. It is rumoured to have been written for Peggy Seeger who later became his wife. The two performed the song on the British folk circuit in the 1960’s. I think I hate Flak’s version so much because it was played ad nauseum by so many radio stations of the day
• “Feelings” – Albert Morris (1975) This was another of the overkill songs of my late teens. Some of my friends took to singing the song in an Elmer Fudd like voice just to break the monotony but even that grew thin after a few times!
• “Muskrat Love” – Captain and Tennille (1976) Could the synthesizer generated muskrat courting/screeching sounds BE more grating?
• “Midnight At The Oasis” - Maria Muldaur (1974) The slightly suggestive lyrics tell of a dessert love affair but it rates right down there with Muskrat Love!
• “MacArthur’s Park” – Richard Harris – (1968) This so called lovers lament goes on forever – or at least feels like it – and is orchestrated to the hilt. The only reason this song continues to be played is to give the announcer time to run out for coffee!
The remake gone horribly wrong:
• “Candy Man" – Sammy Davis Jr. (1972) I was never a fan of Sammy, but this one just oozed sugar to the point of nausea! The song is originally from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and was sung by Aubrey Woods who played Bill the candy store owner in the film. I’ll take the original any day!
Songs about places and experiences:
• “Sky Pilot” – Eric Burdon & The Animals (1968) This is a 7:27 war song from the Vietnam era with flight and weapon effects thrown in. Not something a pacifist wants to keep hearing.
• "Mull of Kintyre" - Paul McCartney and Wings (1977) I loved the Beatles and I really like a lot of the stuff that Paul has done over the years, but I HATE bagpipes and this song is enough to make me want to huck some haggis at him!
• “Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald” - Gordon Lightfoot – Don’t get me wrong here, I love Gordon Lightfoot, BUT this so called melody of this song is so drab. The lyrics, which are based on the real sinking of the ship are so depressing that it makes me want to sink every copy of it to the bottom of Lake Superior!
Well, those are the songs I’d rate as bottom of my request list. After I wrote this list – and looked up some info for each of them - I made the mistake of searching for worst songs ever and was unfortunately reminded of a LOT more I could have added. Perhaps, after I’ve had sufficient time to recover from this post, I’ll do a part two. For now, my original 20 was all I could handle! Heck, I couldn’t even bring myself to find audio/video links for any of them. Writing this post was nauseating enough! If you really want to hear any of them for yourself, type any of the titles into Google or YouTube and I’m sure you’ll find a copy of it somewhere! Just don’t blame me, for any nausea or damage you may cause after listening to these songs.
dn
I love music, BUT there are certain songs in the general music universe that I just wish would somehow disappear – permanently! Better yet, I wish they’d never been recorded! These aren’t just the songs that get stuck on auto replay in our brains and won’t disappear. Those type of pieces, which are called earworms are just plain annoying!
No, I’m talking about the songs that make you cringe when you hear them. The songs that make you want to gag, throw something, change the station or put it on mute for a few minutes!
I’ve been thinking about this post for awhile. I didn’t go looking for titles – I let the songs come to me. I started making a list of songs last spring and added to it as I thought of more or had the misfortune of hearing them again. (Oh, lucky me!)
Today, I’m going to list some of the songs that I personally, really wish had never been recorded. My list is just that – MY list of songs and therefore you may or not agree with them. Like so many things in life, music is subjective.
These songs have all made the charts in the last 60 years or so. Some even made it to number one. YIKES! There really is no accounting for public taste – or lack thereof. There are love songs, ballads and upbeat pop songs. Some of these are definitely considered as novelty songs, but they still managed to hit the charts and gnaw away at my sanity.
These first four are songs about cars. They all involve speed, but the last two are also the sappy, tragic, teenage love songs:
• “Hot Rod Lincoln” - Commander Cody (1972)
• “The Little Nash Rambler” (Beep Beep) – The Playmates (1958)
• “Tell Laura I Love Her” – Ray Peterson (1960)
• “Dead Man’s Curve” – Jan And Dean (1964)
Then there are the ones that are definitely novelty based:
• “Shaving Cream” was written by Benny Bell in 1946 and recorded by both him and Phil Winston. They have both recorded under the name of Paul Wynn. This song is full of innuendo as you think the line will end with a curse word but it slides into the next line starting with “shaving cream”. It was rereleased in 1975 as part of a Dr. Demento collection.
• “The Thing” – Phil Harris (1950) We never are really told what “The Thing” is, but then again we are probably better off not knowing!
• “And Then Along Came Jones” – The Coasters (1959) Pays homage to the old movie trick of the villain tying the lady to the railroad tracks.
• “Space Oddity” (Ground control to Major Tom) – David Bowie (1969) I heard this a lot as a kid. I hated it then and still hate it today. There is even a version of it now being used in a TV commercial. Whoopee!
• “Coconut” – Harry Nilsson (1972) “You put the lime in the coconut and you drink ‘em both up...” This is one of those songs with a catchy beat but the words and voices of the narrator, sister and doctor (all done by Nilsson) are just so annoying that you want to take the coconut and shove it!
The country trucker type songs:
• “Teddy Bear” - Red Sovine (1970) Actually anything by Sovine should be banned. He pretty much talks his way through all the sappy lyrics to his story songs including “Giddyup Go” (1965) and ”Phantom 309” (1967)
• “Convoy” – C. W. McCall (1975) The trucker novelty song hit number one on both the country and pop charts! The song sparked a fad for CB radios and was even an inspiration for the 1978 movie Convoy.
The romantic ballads:
• “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” – Roberta Flak (1972) The song was written in 1957 by political singer/songwriter Ewan MacColl. It is rumoured to have been written for Peggy Seeger who later became his wife. The two performed the song on the British folk circuit in the 1960’s. I think I hate Flak’s version so much because it was played ad nauseum by so many radio stations of the day
• “Feelings” – Albert Morris (1975) This was another of the overkill songs of my late teens. Some of my friends took to singing the song in an Elmer Fudd like voice just to break the monotony but even that grew thin after a few times!
• “Muskrat Love” – Captain and Tennille (1976) Could the synthesizer generated muskrat courting/screeching sounds BE more grating?
• “Midnight At The Oasis” - Maria Muldaur (1974) The slightly suggestive lyrics tell of a dessert love affair but it rates right down there with Muskrat Love!
• “MacArthur’s Park” – Richard Harris – (1968) This so called lovers lament goes on forever – or at least feels like it – and is orchestrated to the hilt. The only reason this song continues to be played is to give the announcer time to run out for coffee!
The remake gone horribly wrong:
• “Candy Man" – Sammy Davis Jr. (1972) I was never a fan of Sammy, but this one just oozed sugar to the point of nausea! The song is originally from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and was sung by Aubrey Woods who played Bill the candy store owner in the film. I’ll take the original any day!
Songs about places and experiences:
• “Sky Pilot” – Eric Burdon & The Animals (1968) This is a 7:27 war song from the Vietnam era with flight and weapon effects thrown in. Not something a pacifist wants to keep hearing.
• "Mull of Kintyre" - Paul McCartney and Wings (1977) I loved the Beatles and I really like a lot of the stuff that Paul has done over the years, but I HATE bagpipes and this song is enough to make me want to huck some haggis at him!
• “Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald” - Gordon Lightfoot – Don’t get me wrong here, I love Gordon Lightfoot, BUT this so called melody of this song is so drab. The lyrics, which are based on the real sinking of the ship are so depressing that it makes me want to sink every copy of it to the bottom of Lake Superior!
Well, those are the songs I’d rate as bottom of my request list. After I wrote this list – and looked up some info for each of them - I made the mistake of searching for worst songs ever and was unfortunately reminded of a LOT more I could have added. Perhaps, after I’ve had sufficient time to recover from this post, I’ll do a part two. For now, my original 20 was all I could handle! Heck, I couldn’t even bring myself to find audio/video links for any of them. Writing this post was nauseating enough! If you really want to hear any of them for yourself, type any of the titles into Google or YouTube and I’m sure you’ll find a copy of it somewhere! Just don’t blame me, for any nausea or damage you may cause after listening to these songs.
dn
Sunday, August 15, 2010
dn’s Sinsational Chocolate Pizza
I had been looking for a brownie fruit pizza recipe for awhile, but just couldn’t find one that I thought would suit my chocoholic needs. So, I decided to create my own.
My criteria? I wanted a brownie crust from scratch – not a mix. I wanted the cream cheese filling to be chocolate flavoured not just sweetened with a bit of sugar and citrus peel as most recipes were. I knew I could use a wide variety of fresh fruits so there was no problem there. My brownie recipe had almonds in it but I also wanted more almonds on top – roasted almonds to bring out a real nutty flavour. Most recipes I saw, had either a glaze or semisweet chocolate drizzled over the top. Not mine! I wanted bittersweet chocolate!
Now, if I could create that kind of a dessert pizza, I would be a very happy chocoholic!!
If you think about it, this is actually a well balanced dessert.
• A variety of fresh fruits = fruit/vegetables
• Almonds in base and on top = meat/alternatives
• Cream cheese filling = dairy
• Brownie base = grains
Okay, maybe I’m stretching the truth a little bit but once you read my recipe – or better yet make it and taste it - I’m sure you will agree that I have come up with a pretty unique version that is truly sinful!
dn’s Sinsational Chocolate Pizza
Brownie base
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Filling
1 package (8 ounces) light cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
Topping
2 - 2 1/2 cups freshly cut up fruit such as strawberries, cherries, mango, kiwi, grapes, etc.
1/4 cup chopped almonds, toasted
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Directions:
Line a 12” pizza pan with foil, then spray with Pam. Preheat oven to 375°.
Prepare brownie batter as follows: Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and almonds and set aside. Combine the margarine, sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Mix into dry ingredients and stir thoroughly. Spread onto prepared pizza pan. Bake at 375° for 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
While the base is baking and cooling, prepare the fruit and set the cut fruit in a strainer to remove any excess liquid.
Before turning the oven off, place the almonds in a shallow pan in the oven to toast for about 5 minutes – stirring once or twice. Allow to cool completely while preparing the rest of the dessert.
While the base is cooling, beat cream cheese, cocoa powder and sugar with an electric mixer, until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over brownie crust to within about 1/2 inch of the edge.
Spread fruit mixture over cream cheese layer; sprinkle with cooled toasted almonds.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Drizzle over fruit. Refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour to allow chocolate to set then cover until serving. Serves 12-14. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.
Notes:
- A store bought brownie mix could be used for the base, but I prefer one from scratch as there is less salt and sugar.
- You could also add some WELL drained pineapple chunks to the fruit mix but I wouldn’t recommend bananas, apples or other fruits that can go soggy or turn brown quickly.
- The cream cheese filling could be flavoured in different ways such as adding 2 teaspoons of fresh grated lemon or orange peel with or without the cocoa powder.
- Substitute pecans or walnuts for the almonds if preferred.
Enjoy!
dn
My criteria? I wanted a brownie crust from scratch – not a mix. I wanted the cream cheese filling to be chocolate flavoured not just sweetened with a bit of sugar and citrus peel as most recipes were. I knew I could use a wide variety of fresh fruits so there was no problem there. My brownie recipe had almonds in it but I also wanted more almonds on top – roasted almonds to bring out a real nutty flavour. Most recipes I saw, had either a glaze or semisweet chocolate drizzled over the top. Not mine! I wanted bittersweet chocolate!
Now, if I could create that kind of a dessert pizza, I would be a very happy chocoholic!!
If you think about it, this is actually a well balanced dessert.
• A variety of fresh fruits = fruit/vegetables
• Almonds in base and on top = meat/alternatives
• Cream cheese filling = dairy
• Brownie base = grains
Okay, maybe I’m stretching the truth a little bit but once you read my recipe – or better yet make it and taste it - I’m sure you will agree that I have come up with a pretty unique version that is truly sinful!
dn’s Sinsational Chocolate Pizza
Brownie base
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Filling
1 package (8 ounces) light cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
Topping
2 - 2 1/2 cups freshly cut up fruit such as strawberries, cherries, mango, kiwi, grapes, etc.
1/4 cup chopped almonds, toasted
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Directions:
Line a 12” pizza pan with foil, then spray with Pam. Preheat oven to 375°.
Prepare brownie batter as follows: Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and almonds and set aside. Combine the margarine, sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Mix into dry ingredients and stir thoroughly. Spread onto prepared pizza pan. Bake at 375° for 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
While the base is baking and cooling, prepare the fruit and set the cut fruit in a strainer to remove any excess liquid.
Before turning the oven off, place the almonds in a shallow pan in the oven to toast for about 5 minutes – stirring once or twice. Allow to cool completely while preparing the rest of the dessert.
While the base is cooling, beat cream cheese, cocoa powder and sugar with an electric mixer, until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over brownie crust to within about 1/2 inch of the edge.
Spread fruit mixture over cream cheese layer; sprinkle with cooled toasted almonds.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Drizzle over fruit. Refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour to allow chocolate to set then cover until serving. Serves 12-14. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.
Notes:
- A store bought brownie mix could be used for the base, but I prefer one from scratch as there is less salt and sugar.
- You could also add some WELL drained pineapple chunks to the fruit mix but I wouldn’t recommend bananas, apples or other fruits that can go soggy or turn brown quickly.
- The cream cheese filling could be flavoured in different ways such as adding 2 teaspoons of fresh grated lemon or orange peel with or without the cocoa powder.
- Substitute pecans or walnuts for the almonds if preferred.
Enjoy!
dn
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Doug and Judy - The Romance (Part Two)
(Editor’s Note: Last week, I posted part one of this love story and today, I am proud to post part two. Here’s Judy - in her own words - to share the rest of the story.)
" Doug and Judy - The Romance" (Part Two)
Our romance was short lived at that time. Doug was in the Army and returned after his leave. On his next visit we again dated and I met his mother. She was a sweet, sweet lady, of course she had a wonderful son! She made a beautiful rag doll and gave it to me. I still have that doll today. Before Doug returned to the Army this time, he asked me to marry him. I was euphoric and sad at the same time. I could not marry him then. My father had died just a few months ago, my mother had just had surgery for breast cancer, my sister was 8 years old and my brother was in the Air Force, I could not leave my family at that time when I was needed so badly.
Doug had found a job in Milwaukee . When he returned for a visit he told me again that he loved me and that I was the perfect one for him, but I still could not marry him. The timing was just not right. On his next visit he told me he had met another girl and was going to marry her as he did not believe that there was a chance of our marrying each other. We said our goodbyes and I wished him well - he left me then and my heart broke in two.
Over the years I would think of Doug . I wondered where he was now and I still heard his words that he loved me. Those words haunted me and stayed with me as I went from 29 to 30 and 39 to 40. I would talk to God and ask Him where Doug was and did he ever think of me? Was he still married, did he have children? Please, God, was Doug still alive? 49 to 50 and I began looking in phone books of other cities that I visited. I went online and entered his name - there were a lot of people with his last name and more than one Douglas, but the city just didn't seem right.
My life from 20 to 70 was not boring. I loved music; singing and dancing. In my mid 20's I was an Arthur Murray dance instructor. It lasted less than a year as women instructors were required to wear high heels. Wearing heels for 6 hours while others walked on my feet more than I did convinced me to go into another line of work.
Then in my 30's I met John . He was a good man and kind to me. He asked me to marry him and gave me a beautiful ring. We were together for 18 years but never got around to getting married. At 49 I decided to go on my own again.
I worked, had my friends, had my music and I had my faith in God that what will be will be. I was contented and not lonely. I retired at 65 and was at peace with myself.........and I thought of Doug .....
I had several girlfriends online and we exchanged Emails and met in online rooms. Several of them opened Facebook accounts and asked me to join them. I didn't see the value in it but went ahead and joined also. I didn't go there very often but I did from time to time.
On December 15, 2009 I had checked my Facebook account. Nobody I knew was on it so I was about to leave when I spotted a window that said "who are you looking for". Without even thinking I typed in " Doug P___ ". Not expecting anything to appear I was shocked to see a picture of a man I had never seen before. I read his profile which said he was from Eau Claire and 73 years old and single. Oh my gosh! Could that really be THE Doug? I decided I would write him a note:
"Hello Doug . Periodically I checked phone books, etc. to see if I could find you again. When I saw you were from Eau Claire I thought I would drop you a line. I'm from Chippewa Falls and Doug P___ and I used to date...........way back when. I see that you are 73 and I'm 71 so maybe we are the same people. I was just curious if you were the same Doug I once knew. My name is Judy D_____ . If that rings a bell please drop me a line. I'm not on Facebook very often but will check back to see if you replied. Bye for now."
I checked back the next day and found this reply:
"Girl, what a surprise. Yes I am the same Doug . I have been searching for you for several years. Please send me a note to my e-mail address and include yours. (e-mail address enclosed) I live in.........to be near my children. Wife died a few years ago."
We began an online courtship that warmed our hearts.
Proposal # 3 - he asked me again to marry him and this time I said yes. Within 3 weeks he made the 5 hour trip to visit me and we were going to marry right then. But as we made plans we realized that we were moving too fast. There were major decisions to be made and he returned home...both of us broken hearted again. We continued writing and spent hours each day online renewing our friendship, our love and making plans. We reset the date! In January he returned again, this time with a beautiful diamond ring which I proudly wear. He still loved me and still thought I was the perfect one for him. Me? I realized that he was the one man whom I had loved over a 50 year span and I will become his wife on September 18, 2010 . He told me that I was "the love of his life" and I told him "I would love him for life".
There is no end to this story.................not ever............................not on this earth!
written by: Judy D.
~*~*~*~
Judy, thank you for letting me share this wonderful love story! I hope the two of you have many wonderful years together!!
dn
" Doug and Judy - The Romance" (Part Two)
Our romance was short lived at that time. Doug was in the Army and returned after his leave. On his next visit we again dated and I met his mother. She was a sweet, sweet lady, of course she had a wonderful son! She made a beautiful rag doll and gave it to me. I still have that doll today. Before Doug returned to the Army this time, he asked me to marry him. I was euphoric and sad at the same time. I could not marry him then. My father had died just a few months ago, my mother had just had surgery for breast cancer, my sister was 8 years old and my brother was in the Air Force, I could not leave my family at that time when I was needed so badly.
Doug had found a job in Milwaukee . When he returned for a visit he told me again that he loved me and that I was the perfect one for him, but I still could not marry him. The timing was just not right. On his next visit he told me he had met another girl and was going to marry her as he did not believe that there was a chance of our marrying each other. We said our goodbyes and I wished him well - he left me then and my heart broke in two.
Over the years I would think of Doug . I wondered where he was now and I still heard his words that he loved me. Those words haunted me and stayed with me as I went from 29 to 30 and 39 to 40. I would talk to God and ask Him where Doug was and did he ever think of me? Was he still married, did he have children? Please, God, was Doug still alive? 49 to 50 and I began looking in phone books of other cities that I visited. I went online and entered his name - there were a lot of people with his last name and more than one Douglas, but the city just didn't seem right.
My life from 20 to 70 was not boring. I loved music; singing and dancing. In my mid 20's I was an Arthur Murray dance instructor. It lasted less than a year as women instructors were required to wear high heels. Wearing heels for 6 hours while others walked on my feet more than I did convinced me to go into another line of work.
Then in my 30's I met John . He was a good man and kind to me. He asked me to marry him and gave me a beautiful ring. We were together for 18 years but never got around to getting married. At 49 I decided to go on my own again.
I worked, had my friends, had my music and I had my faith in God that what will be will be. I was contented and not lonely. I retired at 65 and was at peace with myself.........and I thought of Doug .....
I had several girlfriends online and we exchanged Emails and met in online rooms. Several of them opened Facebook accounts and asked me to join them. I didn't see the value in it but went ahead and joined also. I didn't go there very often but I did from time to time.
On December 15, 2009 I had checked my Facebook account. Nobody I knew was on it so I was about to leave when I spotted a window that said "who are you looking for". Without even thinking I typed in " Doug P___ ". Not expecting anything to appear I was shocked to see a picture of a man I had never seen before. I read his profile which said he was from Eau Claire and 73 years old and single. Oh my gosh! Could that really be THE Doug? I decided I would write him a note:
"Hello Doug . Periodically I checked phone books, etc. to see if I could find you again. When I saw you were from Eau Claire I thought I would drop you a line. I'm from Chippewa Falls and Doug P___ and I used to date...........way back when. I see that you are 73 and I'm 71 so maybe we are the same people. I was just curious if you were the same Doug I once knew. My name is Judy D_____ . If that rings a bell please drop me a line. I'm not on Facebook very often but will check back to see if you replied. Bye for now."
I checked back the next day and found this reply:
"Girl, what a surprise. Yes I am the same Doug . I have been searching for you for several years. Please send me a note to my e-mail address and include yours. (e-mail address enclosed) I live in.........to be near my children. Wife died a few years ago."
We began an online courtship that warmed our hearts.
Proposal # 3 - he asked me again to marry him and this time I said yes. Within 3 weeks he made the 5 hour trip to visit me and we were going to marry right then. But as we made plans we realized that we were moving too fast. There were major decisions to be made and he returned home...both of us broken hearted again. We continued writing and spent hours each day online renewing our friendship, our love and making plans. We reset the date! In January he returned again, this time with a beautiful diamond ring which I proudly wear. He still loved me and still thought I was the perfect one for him. Me? I realized that he was the one man whom I had loved over a 50 year span and I will become his wife on September 18, 2010 . He told me that I was "the love of his life" and I told him "I would love him for life".
There is no end to this story.................not ever............................not on this earth!
written by: Judy D.
~*~*~*~
Judy, thank you for letting me share this wonderful love story! I hope the two of you have many wonderful years together!!
dn
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Doug and Judy - The Romance (Part One)
Back on March 21 of this year, I posted a story that my good friend Judy had written, titled “The Princess’s Bed – A Tale Of Woe”. At the end of that story I shared that Princess Judy had another true life tale to tell. Today, I am proud to post part one of her two part story.
So, here – in her own words - is Judy to tell the tale!
"Doug and Judy - The Romance" (Part One)
Looking back to 1956 from an older and wiser position in 2010, one sees the beauty of a gentler society. One in which, not only neighbors, but yet unmet people cared about the freedom and safety of others.
This was my generation, my years of learning about life.
I was born into a loving, caring family where Dad always supported us and Mom made a loving home. I adored my older brother and my 7 year old sister was more like a living doll for me to love. My story begins when I was 18 years old.
Every small city has favorite fun spots for young people and in 1956, dance halls were the fun places to be. Oh I was a dancer - loving every minute I was on the dance floor. The Jitterbug or Lindy, as we called it, was full of pep and energy which I had an abundance of. My place of choice was The Hoot. The place to be for 18 to 21 year olds. The Hoot was between two cities, Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls . I was a Chippewa girl, and the lure of an Eau Claire boy was an exciting adventure. Having gone to The Hoot for a while, I had met boys from Eau Claire and looked forward to the weekends for dancing and maybe meeting someone new and exciting.
One Friday evening "the guys from Eau Claire " casually strolled in the door. This night there was a "new" face with them. My girlfriends and I saw him right away and I was smitten. He was sooo cute...and shy.
Eventually we were introduced - Judy met Doug . I remember making sure when I danced that I was at that end of the hall. The night ended with no other plans made, but there is still Saturday night. Saturday night he was there again and this time he spoke to me and we talked. He asked me out for the following Saturday night and I was thrilled.
Fussing over what dress I would wear, it was a toss-up between a pink flowered dress and a beautiful yellow sundress. Being fair skinned and pale, I so wanted a tan to show off my dresses that I decided to spend the day at the beach, in the sun. Like a foolish girl I did everything I could to get a tan. The day was overcast (bad news) so I would swim to get wet and lie on the beach. No suntan lotion in those days. I was there for hours then returned home to get ready for my big date. I, unfortunately, looked more like a red lobster than a tanned beauty - but red was better than washed out white. I dressed in my pretty pink sundress with its crinoline netted underskirt and fussed with my black hair.
I was ready when Doug called for me and he met my Mother. She liked him very much and my little sister gave me a wink. We went to Eau Claire to see a movie. As the evening progressed so did my sunburn and my evening turned into misery. The netting in my underskirt rubbed painfully on my poor legs so I casually scooted forward and went on my tiptoes to get the netting off the back of my legs. I then slipped my fingers under the dress straps to hold them off my throbbing shoulders. I don't remember what the movie was about! When the movie ended we got in the car and started moving. The movement made me awfully sick to my stomach. Doug drove through Carson Park and we stopped and sat on a picnic table and talked. I was getting sicker by the minute. Doug knew what was wrong also and with deep regret I asked him to please take me home.
He was so kind and gentle and I liked him so much that I regretted that my foolish pride had ruined the evening.
When I walked in our front door my Mother was so surprised and asked what was wrong. I told her my stomach was upset and that I hurt so badly. I laid down on the davenport and she put Noxzema on my burns then told me to go to bed. I tried to get up but couldn't move. She got me to my feet and I went upstairs to bed. In the morning when I got up I was so miserable I put cold water on my burning face. The next thing I remember is staring at the ceiling and Mom kneeling next to me. She had heard me fall and came to see what had happened and found me lying as rigid as a board on the floor. She called the Doctor and he told her to take me to the hospital. I had gone into convulsions and had a sunstroke with 2nd & 3rd degree burns. I spent the next 4 days in the hospital. Doug called and Mom told him what had happened. I was listening to the radio in my hospital room and heard a request for " Judy in the hospital from Doug ". I was thrilled and falling in love.
written by: Judy D.
Judy's story concludes Sunday August 8, 2010.
dn
So, here – in her own words - is Judy to tell the tale!
"Doug and Judy - The Romance" (Part One)
Looking back to 1956 from an older and wiser position in 2010, one sees the beauty of a gentler society. One in which, not only neighbors, but yet unmet people cared about the freedom and safety of others.
This was my generation, my years of learning about life.
I was born into a loving, caring family where Dad always supported us and Mom made a loving home. I adored my older brother and my 7 year old sister was more like a living doll for me to love. My story begins when I was 18 years old.
Every small city has favorite fun spots for young people and in 1956, dance halls were the fun places to be. Oh I was a dancer - loving every minute I was on the dance floor. The Jitterbug or Lindy, as we called it, was full of pep and energy which I had an abundance of. My place of choice was The Hoot. The place to be for 18 to 21 year olds. The Hoot was between two cities, Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls . I was a Chippewa girl, and the lure of an Eau Claire boy was an exciting adventure. Having gone to The Hoot for a while, I had met boys from Eau Claire and looked forward to the weekends for dancing and maybe meeting someone new and exciting.
One Friday evening "the guys from Eau Claire " casually strolled in the door. This night there was a "new" face with them. My girlfriends and I saw him right away and I was smitten. He was sooo cute...and shy.
Eventually we were introduced - Judy met Doug . I remember making sure when I danced that I was at that end of the hall. The night ended with no other plans made, but there is still Saturday night. Saturday night he was there again and this time he spoke to me and we talked. He asked me out for the following Saturday night and I was thrilled.
Fussing over what dress I would wear, it was a toss-up between a pink flowered dress and a beautiful yellow sundress. Being fair skinned and pale, I so wanted a tan to show off my dresses that I decided to spend the day at the beach, in the sun. Like a foolish girl I did everything I could to get a tan. The day was overcast (bad news) so I would swim to get wet and lie on the beach. No suntan lotion in those days. I was there for hours then returned home to get ready for my big date. I, unfortunately, looked more like a red lobster than a tanned beauty - but red was better than washed out white. I dressed in my pretty pink sundress with its crinoline netted underskirt and fussed with my black hair.
I was ready when Doug called for me and he met my Mother. She liked him very much and my little sister gave me a wink. We went to Eau Claire to see a movie. As the evening progressed so did my sunburn and my evening turned into misery. The netting in my underskirt rubbed painfully on my poor legs so I casually scooted forward and went on my tiptoes to get the netting off the back of my legs. I then slipped my fingers under the dress straps to hold them off my throbbing shoulders. I don't remember what the movie was about! When the movie ended we got in the car and started moving. The movement made me awfully sick to my stomach. Doug drove through Carson Park and we stopped and sat on a picnic table and talked. I was getting sicker by the minute. Doug knew what was wrong also and with deep regret I asked him to please take me home.
He was so kind and gentle and I liked him so much that I regretted that my foolish pride had ruined the evening.
When I walked in our front door my Mother was so surprised and asked what was wrong. I told her my stomach was upset and that I hurt so badly. I laid down on the davenport and she put Noxzema on my burns then told me to go to bed. I tried to get up but couldn't move. She got me to my feet and I went upstairs to bed. In the morning when I got up I was so miserable I put cold water on my burning face. The next thing I remember is staring at the ceiling and Mom kneeling next to me. She had heard me fall and came to see what had happened and found me lying as rigid as a board on the floor. She called the Doctor and he told her to take me to the hospital. I had gone into convulsions and had a sunstroke with 2nd & 3rd degree burns. I spent the next 4 days in the hospital. Doug called and Mom told him what had happened. I was listening to the radio in my hospital room and heard a request for " Judy in the hospital from Doug ". I was thrilled and falling in love.
written by: Judy D.
Judy's story concludes Sunday August 8, 2010.
dn
Sunday, July 25, 2010
The Autographed Picture
I’ve never really been a seeker of autographs. Okay, there was that period in the 1970’s when everyone seemed to have the little books and we collected each other’s signatures and we also signed each other’s yearbooks but that isn’t the kind of autographs I’m referring to. I mean the celebrity autographs.
I did have a few autographs from musicians of my younger days – but I have no idea where they are now. I collected them at various concerts I attended.
My most treasured autograph is a framed picture of Mel Blanc and many of the Looney Toon characters that I picked up at a celebrity auction back in the mid 1980’s. A local high school was raising money for their drama club.
But, today, I want to tell you about another treasured autograph that a friend got for me.
The exact date of this is hidden somewhere in my memory bank, but to the best of my ability, I believe that this happened in 1991. I was living in a building in north Winnipeg and had suffered my detached retina just a few months earlier (November 1990). In late summer of 1990, I had started getting to know one of my neighbours - John. We weren’t romantically involved, but we enjoyed spending time together, listening to music and chatting the night away. It didn’t take long for us to discover that we both enjoyed “The Young & The Restless” (Y&R). He had spent several months travelling in Asia and Indonesia, so wasn’t really up to date on storylines so I brought him up to speed. If he wasn’t working that day, we would watch the show together.
Y&R often sends various cast out to promote the show and many of the cast also do a lot of charity work, so if you are lucky, you may just find yourself in a city with a visiting soap star! That was the case for us in 1991.
The Grande Dame of Genoa City herself – Katherine Chancellor - who is so amazingly portrayed by Jeanne Cooper - was coming to Winnipeg for a local charity event. I think it was for the Winnipeg Humane Society, but she was also scheduled to make a mall appearance at the mall in our neighbourhood. There would be a question and answer session with the audience and you could get autographs after.
I was just getting used to my new limitations with being legally blind and I hate being in crowds, so I never really thought about going. I knew it would be very stressful for me. John had to work part of the day but wasn’t sure if he could make it or not, so I never really thought much more about it.
Unbeknownst to me, John made it to the mall a few minutes before the event was to start. He was standing at the back of a large crowd looking around to see if he knew anyone when he spotted someone he recognized standing off to the side - out of view of the main audience. He walked over and introduced himself to none other than Jeanne Cooper herself!!
They chatted for several minutes before she was introduced to the audience. John later told me how gracious and down to earth she was. Among other things, they had talked about traveling and he had briefly told her about his trip to Indonesia. I believe she had told him about a family member also traveling in that part of the world.
He stuck around for the Q&A session, then got in line to get an autographed poster. There were several to chose from – a couple of Jeanne or one of Jeanne and Jess Walton (who portrays Jill Abbott). They were already autographed by Jeanne (and Jess for the one with both) but you could get it personalized for an additional small fee.
Due to time limitations and the size of the crowd, there was a limit of one per person for the personalized posters. Well, John - being John - wanted two posters autographed. He paid for the posters and was giving the names he wanted the posters autographed for, to the person who was assisting Ms. Cooper. He was trying to explain to the person in charge that he wanted one for a close friend who loved the show but couldn’t be there because they were dealing with a major health issue. The person in charge wasn’t having any excuses and insisted that it was one per person – no exceptions.
Jeanne, who was busy signing autographs, overheard the conversation and saw that it was John who wanted the extra poster. She looked at the person in charge and said that John was a friend of hers and that if he wanted two personalized posters then he will get two personalized posters! John thanked her and gave her my name for one of the posters.
A short time later, John was at my door and started telling me about his afternoon. As he got to the part about the autograph, he pulled the rolled up poster out of his backpack and gave it to me.
To say I was shocked was an understatement! I wasn’t shocked at how John had handled the whole thing as he has this quality of making friends quickly, but I was surprised that he had gone that extra step to get mine personalized!
I must admit though that I wasn’t exactly thrilled that he had gotten me the one that also included Jess Walton as ... well ... let’s see, how do I put this politely? Jill can be a "bit difficult" and really hadn’t been that nice to my heroine Kay! John assured me, that since I had only been watching the show for about 4 years at that point, that I would come to love Jill as well. Well, he was partly right! I really do respect the actress – Jess Walton - as she is a marvellous talent and Jill can be quite loveable, but I have to admit that there are still times I want to throttle her!
My personally autographed poster is framed and still hangs in my apartment! Every time I look at it, it makes me smile and think of John and how he did something so kind and wonderful for me at a time when I wasn’t feeling very good about what was happening with my sight and my life. I wish I could have gone with John that day and met Jeanne myself but I have the next best thing – a personally autographed poster!
I took a picture of it the other day and uploaded it to the PC, so that I could post it here. Using a photo editing program, I blurred my name to protect my privacy – but I swear that my name is under there!
Jeanne Cooper is almost 82 now and still going strong on Y&R! Her character, Katherine Chancellor, has been through a LOT of ups and downs and countless adventures since she first aired in the fall of 1973, but Ms. Cooper truly is the class act that she appears to be both on and off camera.
Thanks for being such an inspiration Jeanne - and thanks for the autograph!
dn
I did have a few autographs from musicians of my younger days – but I have no idea where they are now. I collected them at various concerts I attended.
My most treasured autograph is a framed picture of Mel Blanc and many of the Looney Toon characters that I picked up at a celebrity auction back in the mid 1980’s. A local high school was raising money for their drama club.
But, today, I want to tell you about another treasured autograph that a friend got for me.
The exact date of this is hidden somewhere in my memory bank, but to the best of my ability, I believe that this happened in 1991. I was living in a building in north Winnipeg and had suffered my detached retina just a few months earlier (November 1990). In late summer of 1990, I had started getting to know one of my neighbours - John. We weren’t romantically involved, but we enjoyed spending time together, listening to music and chatting the night away. It didn’t take long for us to discover that we both enjoyed “The Young & The Restless” (Y&R). He had spent several months travelling in Asia and Indonesia, so wasn’t really up to date on storylines so I brought him up to speed. If he wasn’t working that day, we would watch the show together.
Y&R often sends various cast out to promote the show and many of the cast also do a lot of charity work, so if you are lucky, you may just find yourself in a city with a visiting soap star! That was the case for us in 1991.
The Grande Dame of Genoa City herself – Katherine Chancellor - who is so amazingly portrayed by Jeanne Cooper - was coming to Winnipeg for a local charity event. I think it was for the Winnipeg Humane Society, but she was also scheduled to make a mall appearance at the mall in our neighbourhood. There would be a question and answer session with the audience and you could get autographs after.
I was just getting used to my new limitations with being legally blind and I hate being in crowds, so I never really thought about going. I knew it would be very stressful for me. John had to work part of the day but wasn’t sure if he could make it or not, so I never really thought much more about it.
Unbeknownst to me, John made it to the mall a few minutes before the event was to start. He was standing at the back of a large crowd looking around to see if he knew anyone when he spotted someone he recognized standing off to the side - out of view of the main audience. He walked over and introduced himself to none other than Jeanne Cooper herself!!
They chatted for several minutes before she was introduced to the audience. John later told me how gracious and down to earth she was. Among other things, they had talked about traveling and he had briefly told her about his trip to Indonesia. I believe she had told him about a family member also traveling in that part of the world.
He stuck around for the Q&A session, then got in line to get an autographed poster. There were several to chose from – a couple of Jeanne or one of Jeanne and Jess Walton (who portrays Jill Abbott). They were already autographed by Jeanne (and Jess for the one with both) but you could get it personalized for an additional small fee.
Due to time limitations and the size of the crowd, there was a limit of one per person for the personalized posters. Well, John - being John - wanted two posters autographed. He paid for the posters and was giving the names he wanted the posters autographed for, to the person who was assisting Ms. Cooper. He was trying to explain to the person in charge that he wanted one for a close friend who loved the show but couldn’t be there because they were dealing with a major health issue. The person in charge wasn’t having any excuses and insisted that it was one per person – no exceptions.
Jeanne, who was busy signing autographs, overheard the conversation and saw that it was John who wanted the extra poster. She looked at the person in charge and said that John was a friend of hers and that if he wanted two personalized posters then he will get two personalized posters! John thanked her and gave her my name for one of the posters.
A short time later, John was at my door and started telling me about his afternoon. As he got to the part about the autograph, he pulled the rolled up poster out of his backpack and gave it to me.
To say I was shocked was an understatement! I wasn’t shocked at how John had handled the whole thing as he has this quality of making friends quickly, but I was surprised that he had gone that extra step to get mine personalized!
I must admit though that I wasn’t exactly thrilled that he had gotten me the one that also included Jess Walton as ... well ... let’s see, how do I put this politely? Jill can be a "bit difficult" and really hadn’t been that nice to my heroine Kay! John assured me, that since I had only been watching the show for about 4 years at that point, that I would come to love Jill as well. Well, he was partly right! I really do respect the actress – Jess Walton - as she is a marvellous talent and Jill can be quite loveable, but I have to admit that there are still times I want to throttle her!
My personally autographed poster is framed and still hangs in my apartment! Every time I look at it, it makes me smile and think of John and how he did something so kind and wonderful for me at a time when I wasn’t feeling very good about what was happening with my sight and my life. I wish I could have gone with John that day and met Jeanne myself but I have the next best thing – a personally autographed poster!
I took a picture of it the other day and uploaded it to the PC, so that I could post it here. Using a photo editing program, I blurred my name to protect my privacy – but I swear that my name is under there!
Jeanne Cooper is almost 82 now and still going strong on Y&R! Her character, Katherine Chancellor, has been through a LOT of ups and downs and countless adventures since she first aired in the fall of 1973, but Ms. Cooper truly is the class act that she appears to be both on and off camera.
Thanks for being such an inspiration Jeanne - and thanks for the autograph!
dn
Sunday, July 18, 2010
It's Never Too Late For Love
A friend of mine shared a story with me the other day. An acquaintance had just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. When asked how they celebrated, she said that her husband had taken her out for a hamburger!
Now that may not sound like much of a celebration, but she was all excited about it! My friend didn’t get a chance to ask what was so exciting about a burger or even where her husband had taken her, but my guess is that it was a remembrance of a first date or something along those lines. Very sweet actually!
It always amazes me how the seemingly little things are the things that hold the most memories and sentiment in a relationship. The things that you want to celebrate and share over and over.
My dad always carried a roll of butter rum life savers in his pocket when he was dating my mom. He often had a little bag of cashews as well! She loved that and still talks about that even though dad has been gone for almost seven years. They were together 59 years and 5 months. He would often pick flowers from the garden or even wildflowers and bring them into the house as if he were courting her all over again. She’d say; “Oh, my boyfriend brought me flowers!”
Whatever the little traditions are, it is a part of what keeps the relationship alive. Those things ... that when they happen ... can trigger memories of what made the relationship spark. It can even rekindle a fading relationship.
I’ve often wondered what it would be like to be with someone that long. In some ways I can't imagine it ... and yet at the same time, I envy long relationships. The security in knowing that there is someone standing there with you through the good and bad ... supporting and loving each other through it all. Even with all of your foibles, faults and flaws!
This isn’t easy for me to admit, but as much as I love my privacy and cherish my Independence, I do have regrets of spending so much of my life alone. There is no point in playing the "should've, could've, would've" game as I can't change the past, but I do wish I had taken more chances with love and relationships. Over the years, I swore up down left right and center to anyone who would listen that I'd never marry! But I've come to realize that was to protect myself from being hurt. I was too afraid to truly give my heart and take that risk of finding real love or possible rejection. I was scared that I would not be good enough or even fail.
In the last few years, I have certainly grown stronger and more self assured. Okay, I still have doubts - but not as many as I used to have!
I have also learned to never say never!
Luckily, love is not limited to the young. Deep and lasting love can come at any age and most definitely not always in the form we had imagined or expected it.
As we age, we tend to carry more baggage. The baggage may include: exes and former in-laws; kids; grandkids; habits; quirks; interests; health issues or any number of other things. That isn’t necessarily all bad. The tricky part can be finding out if the baggage we carry, is compatible and can we really live with, and accept the parts that aren’t as compatible.
Most of my friends are a great inspiration in the relationship department. Despite a few divorced friends, several others are in relationships of twenty to forty years. Some of my pals have found their love’s in more recent years. Two of them found their loves in their 40's. Two widows found second loves in their 50's and 70's. Many years ago, a friends aunt, whom I had met a few times, fell in love and got married for the first time in her early sixties! I hear of more mature love stories all the time.
However, one of the most inspiring tales of love, is a gal pal of mine who is getting married for the first time in a couple of months! She spent a good part of her life looking for love but was never able to connect with the right guy, then finally decided she was okay with being single and never marrying. Long story short, she was pretty much content with her life for several years and then the love of her life entered the picture several months ago and can’t wait to spend the rest of his life with her!
She keeps telling me to never stop dreaming. That I shouldn’t be afraid to risk loving or being loved! If it could happen to her it can happen to anyone – as long as you allow your heart to be open!
She is right of course.
So, even at fifty-two and change, there just might be hope for me yet! Maybe there is a guy out there that is just crazy enough to want someone like me in his life! A challenge, I know - but it would be nice to share life’s journey with someone - creating memories and growing old together.
I’m not going to hit the bar scene or join any dating services as that just isn’t my style. What I am going to do, is continue living my life - but be more open to the possibility that love could come my way. I believe in fate and destiny. If I am meant to be with someone, then somehow that will happen when the time is right.
No rose coloured glasses here or blinders on as I know the odds are against me at my age, but who knows what tomorrow may bring!
Mr. Right could be closer than I know.
dn
Now that may not sound like much of a celebration, but she was all excited about it! My friend didn’t get a chance to ask what was so exciting about a burger or even where her husband had taken her, but my guess is that it was a remembrance of a first date or something along those lines. Very sweet actually!
It always amazes me how the seemingly little things are the things that hold the most memories and sentiment in a relationship. The things that you want to celebrate and share over and over.
My dad always carried a roll of butter rum life savers in his pocket when he was dating my mom. He often had a little bag of cashews as well! She loved that and still talks about that even though dad has been gone for almost seven years. They were together 59 years and 5 months. He would often pick flowers from the garden or even wildflowers and bring them into the house as if he were courting her all over again. She’d say; “Oh, my boyfriend brought me flowers!”
Whatever the little traditions are, it is a part of what keeps the relationship alive. Those things ... that when they happen ... can trigger memories of what made the relationship spark. It can even rekindle a fading relationship.
I’ve often wondered what it would be like to be with someone that long. In some ways I can't imagine it ... and yet at the same time, I envy long relationships. The security in knowing that there is someone standing there with you through the good and bad ... supporting and loving each other through it all. Even with all of your foibles, faults and flaws!
This isn’t easy for me to admit, but as much as I love my privacy and cherish my Independence, I do have regrets of spending so much of my life alone. There is no point in playing the "should've, could've, would've" game as I can't change the past, but I do wish I had taken more chances with love and relationships. Over the years, I swore up down left right and center to anyone who would listen that I'd never marry! But I've come to realize that was to protect myself from being hurt. I was too afraid to truly give my heart and take that risk of finding real love or possible rejection. I was scared that I would not be good enough or even fail.
In the last few years, I have certainly grown stronger and more self assured. Okay, I still have doubts - but not as many as I used to have!
I have also learned to never say never!
Luckily, love is not limited to the young. Deep and lasting love can come at any age and most definitely not always in the form we had imagined or expected it.
As we age, we tend to carry more baggage. The baggage may include: exes and former in-laws; kids; grandkids; habits; quirks; interests; health issues or any number of other things. That isn’t necessarily all bad. The tricky part can be finding out if the baggage we carry, is compatible and can we really live with, and accept the parts that aren’t as compatible.
Most of my friends are a great inspiration in the relationship department. Despite a few divorced friends, several others are in relationships of twenty to forty years. Some of my pals have found their love’s in more recent years. Two of them found their loves in their 40's. Two widows found second loves in their 50's and 70's. Many years ago, a friends aunt, whom I had met a few times, fell in love and got married for the first time in her early sixties! I hear of more mature love stories all the time.
However, one of the most inspiring tales of love, is a gal pal of mine who is getting married for the first time in a couple of months! She spent a good part of her life looking for love but was never able to connect with the right guy, then finally decided she was okay with being single and never marrying. Long story short, she was pretty much content with her life for several years and then the love of her life entered the picture several months ago and can’t wait to spend the rest of his life with her!
She keeps telling me to never stop dreaming. That I shouldn’t be afraid to risk loving or being loved! If it could happen to her it can happen to anyone – as long as you allow your heart to be open!
She is right of course.
So, even at fifty-two and change, there just might be hope for me yet! Maybe there is a guy out there that is just crazy enough to want someone like me in his life! A challenge, I know - but it would be nice to share life’s journey with someone - creating memories and growing old together.
I’m not going to hit the bar scene or join any dating services as that just isn’t my style. What I am going to do, is continue living my life - but be more open to the possibility that love could come my way. I believe in fate and destiny. If I am meant to be with someone, then somehow that will happen when the time is right.
No rose coloured glasses here or blinders on as I know the odds are against me at my age, but who knows what tomorrow may bring!
Mr. Right could be closer than I know.
dn
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Lemon Cloud Pie
A few months ago, I was looking for a light dessert to serve for a gathering that I was hosting. I came across a recipe in Taste Of Home for a “Refreshing Lemon Pie” that sounded fairly good but I thought I could make it even better!
The original used a Graham crumb crust, but I really like lemon and chocolate together so chose to make an Oreo crumb crust. I was also concerned that the filling wouldn’t be thick enough to really set well, so I added ½ package of cream cheese. Also the original did not use any light or calorie reduced products so I switched to light where I could.
Well, my guests thought it was wonderful! I’ve made it twice now and it gets rave reviews for being light and very lemony. This recipe is so quick and simpe. It is the perfect dessert for any summer of festive gathering! I was debating what to call this new creation and a friend suggested “Lemon Cloud Pie” Sounds delicious to me!!
Lemon Cloud Pie
The original used a Graham crumb crust, but I really like lemon and chocolate together so chose to make an Oreo crumb crust. I was also concerned that the filling wouldn’t be thick enough to really set well, so I added ½ package of cream cheese. Also the original did not use any light or calorie reduced products so I switched to light where I could.
Well, my guests thought it was wonderful! I’ve made it twice now and it gets rave reviews for being light and very lemony. This recipe is so quick and simpe. It is the perfect dessert for any summer of festive gathering! I was debating what to call this new creation and a friend suggested “Lemon Cloud Pie” Sounds delicious to me!!
Lemon Cloud Pie
Ingredients
• 1 ¼ cup Oreo/chocolate cookie crumbs
• ¼ cup margarine, melted
• 125g/4 oz light cream cheese, softened to room temp
• 1 can 300ml/10.5oz. light sweetened condensed milk
• 2 fresh lemons – medium size (or enough to make: 2 - 3 tablespoons freshly grated lemon peel and 1/2 cup lemon juice)
• 2 to 3 drops yellow food coloring, optional
• 1 500ml/2cups light frozen whipped topping, thawed
Directions
Combine crumbs and melted margarine in a small bowl. Press gently onto the bottom and up sides of a 9” pie plate – reserving about 2 Tablespoons crumb mixture for topping. Refrigerate pie crust while preparing filling.
Wash and dry the lemons, then grate the peel. Set the peel aside. Then juice the lemons and strain to remove any seeds. If necessary, top up the lemon juice to the ½ cup with bottled lemon juice.
With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the sweetened condensed milk and blend till smooth. Add the lemon juice, grated peel and about 3 drops of yellow food colouring; mix until smooth. The mixture will begin to thicken. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon into crust. Garnish with reserved crumb mixture.
Cover lightly with saran and refrigerate for at least 3 hours of overnight before serving.
Yield: 6-8 servings. Refrigerate leftovers.
Tips:
-When you empty the can of sweetened condensed milk, there always seems to be some milk left in the can, so I took the strained lemon juice and poured it into the can. With a spoon or a scraper, stir along the bottom and edges to get the excess milk out. Then pour the juice and milk mixture in with the rest of the ingredients.
- Before putting saran over the finished dessert, I strategically place about six toothpicks around the edges, leaving about ½ inch sticking up out of the dessert. This way the saran does not ruin the look of the top of the dessert when you go to serve it. Just remember to pull out ALL of the toothpicks before serving!
Enjoy!
dn
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Will Someone PLEASE Stop Ringing The Bells!!
Last Sunday, I wrote about what Canada Day was like in my neighbourhood. I thought it only fair that I update that post and tell you how this year’s celebration went.
To put it into perspective, I have to start June 29. The day was fairly normal and I was looking forward to a decent night’s sleep – presumably the last I would get until after the annual street fest. It had been a busy day and by evening I was in need of some shut eye so I went to bed about 10:15 and fell asleep not too long after.
I slept rather soundly until about 3:30 or so in the morning. I was startled awake by the sound of a loud screaming match somewhere outside. I couldn’t tell exactly where it was coming from – only that it was to the west of me and that if stopped and started several times over the next 20 minutes or so. I wasn’t about to go out and investigate and without knowing a specific address, there was not a lot of point in me calling the police.
As I lay in my bed, trying to go back to sleep, I heard bells chiming the quarter hour. I will note here, that I had heard these church bells in the past but never during the night. There are several churches in the neighbourhood, but they generally only ring the bells before and after services. One of the churches, had recently begun chiming the quarter hour and playing a stroke for each hour at the top of the hour but it had only been during daylight hours. How odd to hear them in the night. I’m not a heavy sleeper but presumably, I had been in a deep enough sleep prior to the argument that I did not awaken. I tried to go back to sleep but the bells kept me awake. I heard them at 3:45, 4:00, 4:15, 4:30, 4:45, 5:00 and 5:15. Somehow, I managed to drift off after that but only till about 6:15 when I was once again - wide awake.
So much for sleep! I got up, did my stretches, ate breakfast, showered and got ready to go grocery shopping. I didn’t need much for groceries and there were a few items on sale at the local Safeway, so I walked over a little before 8AM. I knew that several of the churches were fairly close to the Safeway so thought I would have a better idea of where the bells were coming from when they rang at 8:00. I couldn’t tell for sure which church it was, but they were MUCH louder by the Safeway than my block. The bells continued to ring through the day and into the early evening of June 30.
I would love to have had a nap Wednesday afternoon but it was a very busy day and I had a lot to accomplish so there really wasn’t time. I had to hope for the best - that I would get some sleep that night, despite the street party.
The streets were closed off starting at 6:00PM and the party was on not too long after. As usual, the sounds of the stages and the people on the street was loud and annoying but it started to settle down by about midnight so I decided to try and get some sleep.
Well, once again my sleep was rudely interrupted – again by bells, but these were much closer. These were the ones from the bell tower that was built at the end of my street back in the 1990’s.
I never liked the bells from the start. It is not that I am opposed to bells, it is just that this is a very densely populated neighbourhood and the tower is located right at a very busy intersection. The bells are not of the greatest quality and frankly they are loud, harsh and a bit shrill.
Imagine, if you will, that you are visually impaired and are reliant on the sounds around you to safely navigate the area. You are trying to discern - by sound - if it is safe to cross the street or are attempting to cross the street or waiting at the bus stop, by the tower, trying to hear the bus driver yell out his bus route number to you – all while the bells are ringing nearby! It is extremely disorienting to say the least. I called the local BIZ to voice concerns and complaints several times in those first years, but the head of the BIZ at that time thought they were marvellous and just what the area needed. He could have cared less that some residents didn’t like them or that it could possibly endanger the lives of the visually impaired.
After a few years and countless repairs the bells were more or less silenced. They were used for a few special occasions but thankfully that was rare.
So, I'm sure you can imagine, my horror to awake to the sound of those dreaded bells at 2:07 Thursday morning as they chimed the hour to be 11:00!!
Are you kidding me??
The bells continued to ring the quarter hour the rest of the night! They chimed the four note quarter hour at 2:22 and the eight note half hour (missing one note) at 2:37. They chimed the twelve note three quarter hour (missing two notes) at 2:52 and the sixteen note top of the hour (missing three notes) at 3:07 – all while being three hours and seven minutes behind the actual time. Of course, the bells seemed even louder in the silence of the night!
I was never really able to fall asleep again after that - other than for about 10 minutes at a time. Finally, just before 5AM, I called the non emergency police line to put in a noise complaint. I told them what had been happening but the woman I spoke with said she really wasn’t sure who to call. I explained that I had tried to call the BIZ the day before about another bell problem from one of the churches but was unable to find a phone number. She promised to talk to her supervisor and see if they could find a way to stop it. I thanked her, hung up, took two Tylenol for my splitting headache and attempted to sleep. I finally gave up any hope of sleep when the fire alarm in our building went off at 7:00!! The alarm rang for several minutes and several trucks pulled up out front. I think there may have been a small incident, but it wasn’t enough to evacuate the building which is made of cinder blocks and therefore fires do not spread easily. The last truck left about 30 minutes later.
By that time, I was wide awake and the tower bells were still ringing, so I stayed up, did my workout and had breakfast. I heard the bells at 8:22 but had the TV volume up during my workout so didn’t hear them at 8:37.
Wonder of wonders – there was no ringing at 9:07! Someone had finally turned them off. I crawled back into bed about 9:30 and drifted off to sleep till noon! I probably would have slept longer but the traditional Canada Day cannon salute from the nearby Legislature grounds woke me – that and the church bells!
The Canada Day celebration started to wind down about 11:30 or so Thursday night. There were still revellers in the streets, but the noise was lessened by the sound of my fans trying to cool my warm apartment. I drifted off to sleep a little after midnight. Of course, it wouldn’t have been a normal Canada Day without some morons setting off a few fireworks at about 2:30 or so but other than that it was a pretty decent night and I was able to sleep fairly well till about 7AM when I normally wake up.
I had survived another local festival – but next year it is on a weekend so will likely be a three day affair. Whoopee!!
By the way, late Canada Day afternoon, I finally found a phone number for the local BIZ and will be contacting them as well as my city councillor to put in a noise complaint. Actually, I think I’ll just send them a link to this post.
dn
As I lay in my bed, trying to go back to sleep, I heard bells chiming the quarter hour. I will note here, that I had heard these church bells in the past but never during the night. There are several churches in the neighbourhood, but they generally only ring the bells before and after services. One of the churches, had recently begun chiming the quarter hour and playing a stroke for each hour at the top of the hour but it had only been during daylight hours. How odd to hear them in the night. I’m not a heavy sleeper but presumably, I had been in a deep enough sleep prior to the argument that I did not awaken. I tried to go back to sleep but the bells kept me awake. I heard them at 3:45, 4:00, 4:15, 4:30, 4:45, 5:00 and 5:15. Somehow, I managed to drift off after that but only till about 6:15 when I was once again - wide awake.
So much for sleep! I got up, did my stretches, ate breakfast, showered and got ready to go grocery shopping. I didn’t need much for groceries and there were a few items on sale at the local Safeway, so I walked over a little before 8AM. I knew that several of the churches were fairly close to the Safeway so thought I would have a better idea of where the bells were coming from when they rang at 8:00. I couldn’t tell for sure which church it was, but they were MUCH louder by the Safeway than my block. The bells continued to ring through the day and into the early evening of June 30.
I would love to have had a nap Wednesday afternoon but it was a very busy day and I had a lot to accomplish so there really wasn’t time. I had to hope for the best - that I would get some sleep that night, despite the street party.
The streets were closed off starting at 6:00PM and the party was on not too long after. As usual, the sounds of the stages and the people on the street was loud and annoying but it started to settle down by about midnight so I decided to try and get some sleep.
Well, once again my sleep was rudely interrupted – again by bells, but these were much closer. These were the ones from the bell tower that was built at the end of my street back in the 1990’s.
I have to back up a bit here to give a little info on this bell tower. It was built as part of a renewal and beautification project for the area. The tower would feature bells to chime the quarter hour, mark the hour with chimes and then play a short piece of bell music. At the base of the tower there was a small waterfall/fountain. Almost from the start, the fountain leaked and was eventually turned off completely. The bells hadn’t faired a lot better. There were endless problems with the timers and some of the notes didn’t even play or played the wrong notes. I remember one Sunday morning, the bells started at 10AM as usual but wouldn’t quit until someone finally managed to turn them off about 2 hours later!
I never liked the bells from the start. It is not that I am opposed to bells, it is just that this is a very densely populated neighbourhood and the tower is located right at a very busy intersection. The bells are not of the greatest quality and frankly they are loud, harsh and a bit shrill.
Imagine, if you will, that you are visually impaired and are reliant on the sounds around you to safely navigate the area. You are trying to discern - by sound - if it is safe to cross the street or are attempting to cross the street or waiting at the bus stop, by the tower, trying to hear the bus driver yell out his bus route number to you – all while the bells are ringing nearby! It is extremely disorienting to say the least. I called the local BIZ to voice concerns and complaints several times in those first years, but the head of the BIZ at that time thought they were marvellous and just what the area needed. He could have cared less that some residents didn’t like them or that it could possibly endanger the lives of the visually impaired.
After a few years and countless repairs the bells were more or less silenced. They were used for a few special occasions but thankfully that was rare.
So, I'm sure you can imagine, my horror to awake to the sound of those dreaded bells at 2:07 Thursday morning as they chimed the hour to be 11:00!!
Are you kidding me??
The bells continued to ring the quarter hour the rest of the night! They chimed the four note quarter hour at 2:22 and the eight note half hour (missing one note) at 2:37. They chimed the twelve note three quarter hour (missing two notes) at 2:52 and the sixteen note top of the hour (missing three notes) at 3:07 – all while being three hours and seven minutes behind the actual time. Of course, the bells seemed even louder in the silence of the night!
I was never really able to fall asleep again after that - other than for about 10 minutes at a time. Finally, just before 5AM, I called the non emergency police line to put in a noise complaint. I told them what had been happening but the woman I spoke with said she really wasn’t sure who to call. I explained that I had tried to call the BIZ the day before about another bell problem from one of the churches but was unable to find a phone number. She promised to talk to her supervisor and see if they could find a way to stop it. I thanked her, hung up, took two Tylenol for my splitting headache and attempted to sleep. I finally gave up any hope of sleep when the fire alarm in our building went off at 7:00!! The alarm rang for several minutes and several trucks pulled up out front. I think there may have been a small incident, but it wasn’t enough to evacuate the building which is made of cinder blocks and therefore fires do not spread easily. The last truck left about 30 minutes later.
By that time, I was wide awake and the tower bells were still ringing, so I stayed up, did my workout and had breakfast. I heard the bells at 8:22 but had the TV volume up during my workout so didn’t hear them at 8:37.
Wonder of wonders – there was no ringing at 9:07! Someone had finally turned them off. I crawled back into bed about 9:30 and drifted off to sleep till noon! I probably would have slept longer but the traditional Canada Day cannon salute from the nearby Legislature grounds woke me – that and the church bells!
The Canada Day celebration started to wind down about 11:30 or so Thursday night. There were still revellers in the streets, but the noise was lessened by the sound of my fans trying to cool my warm apartment. I drifted off to sleep a little after midnight. Of course, it wouldn’t have been a normal Canada Day without some morons setting off a few fireworks at about 2:30 or so but other than that it was a pretty decent night and I was able to sleep fairly well till about 7AM when I normally wake up.
I had survived another local festival – but next year it is on a weekend so will likely be a three day affair. Whoopee!!
By the way, late Canada Day afternoon, I finally found a phone number for the local BIZ and will be contacting them as well as my city councillor to put in a noise complaint. Actually, I think I’ll just send them a link to this post.
dn
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Canada Day In The Neighbourhood
This Thursday, July 1, Canada will celebrate its 143rd Birthday!
It is a national holiday and there will be countless celebrations across the land. The largest gathering is always in Ottawa – the nation’s capitol but odds are there is also a gathering near you.
I’m one of those people who has access to a party in my own neighbourhood and another one within about a mile.
Having a Canada Day gathering in your part of town can be both good and bad.
On the plus side, you don’t have to worry about how you are going to get there – you can walk or ride a bike if you are so inclined. It’s great if you want to pop in and out at various times of the day and evening. If you forget something you can just walk home. Local transit also offers shuttle service between the larger celebrations if you want to party hop!
The area I live in, has hosted a large street party for many years. The local business improvement zone closes off several blocks so that they and other vendors can set up displays and offer entertainment for the crowds.
They usually start closing streets at 6:00PM on June 30. Stores and vendors set up special displays with crafts, clothes, jewellery, books and other merchandise. Restaurants offer food and drink specials and set up street patios. Food vendors also abound with mini donuts, corn dogs, cotton candy – you name it. Things are more or less set up and ready to party by about 7:30PM.
There is a fun zone for the kids and a beer garden for the adults. The beer garden also has a free stage featuring local performers. A second free stage is also set up at the opposite end of the blocked off area and offers a variety of performers. Just for good measure, there is a smaller, third stage set up about the middle of the blocked off area. Several buskers also set up along the streets between the stages.
The scheduled entertainment goes until about midnight on the stages then resumes late morning on Canada Day. Things start shutting down around midnight on Canada Day and streets are reopened by about 3 or 4 in the morning.
Sounds like fun, right?
Well, yes it can be a lot of fun. Unfortunately there can also be a lot of negatives to a neighbourhood party.
Transit buses are rerouted to usually quiet side streets. Aside from emergency vehicles from the neighbourhood fire hall, most streets are restricted to local access only. In other words, if you don’t live in the area and have your vehicle parked here before the streets are blocked - then don’t even bother trying to drive here or you will be walking at least 10 minutes from wherever you do find a place to park!
Depending on the weather, up to 10,000 people may visit the party. That is a lot of extra people milling about. That is great for local businesses and vendors, but can be a nuisance for local residents who are tolerating you traipsing through their streets and back lanes.
The part that I hate the most though, is the noise factor.
Walking along the party area can be a bit loud – much like walking through a packed midway - especially as the day wears on and the crowds swell. Many businesses and vendors also have their own sound systems. Everybody wants your attention. They want you to check out what they are offering and open your wallets. The entertainers on the free stages, tend to ramp up the volume as the day goes on. That is okay, IF you happen to like whatever genre of music that stage is offering but not much fun if you aren’t a fan. Sometimes you have to shout just to be heard by the person standing next to you.
Regardless of your audio tastes or how long you stay, you tend to walk away with a bit of ringing in your ears. That goes away fairly quickly once you get to quieter areas.
Escaping the sound isn’t much of an option for those of us living in the area. There are a lot of apartment blocks in this neighbourhood and the audio from the various sound systems of the three stages tends to reverberate off of the nearby buildings. You don’t notice it much from street level but if you live in one of those buildings it can be very annoying. It’s like getting three overlapping radio stations and not getting any of them clearly. The booming base of all three stages comes through though! Add to that the drone of the crowd and ... well it starts to sound like those annoying horns that are constantly blaring during the World Cup Soccer Games in Africa this year.
It probably wouldn’t be so bad if the street noise actually went to a reasonable level after the stage entertainment ends at midnight. Unfortunately, that is when so many of the buskers – with varying degrees of talent - come out and try to entertain the young revellers who don’t want to go home yet as well as the semi sober and the inebriated who have spent some time in the beer gardens or local pubs. For these people, there is something very appealing and liberating about being able to party in the middle of a deserted city thoroughfare. They want to enjoy this normally forbidden activity as long and as loudly as possible. Just when you think things have quieted down, someone will set off a few firecrackers or start singing Oh Canada at the top of their longs – off key!
They don’t realize – no make that they don’t care – that there are thousands of people living in the area who are trying to sleep. Children who need their rest. People who don’t have the next day off to sleep in. Residents who didn’t have the option or ability to go somewhere else for a couple of days of peace and quiet.
I think most of us who live here, tolerate the inconvenience and the absurdly high decibel of noise for the street party. After all it is only once a year for a day and a half right? Well, yes unless of course Canada Day falls on a weekend in which case the party is usually a 2 ½ day affair with three nights of little or no sleep. Oh, joy!!
Over the years, I’ve tried using earplugs to block the noise and get some shut eye, but I don’t sleep as well with them in. I can barely hear my phone ring with them in, let alone if there were a fire alarm. Frankly, I find the earplugs make things too quiet and very disorienting. It’s not that I am a party pooper – I love my country and want to celebrate its birthday just as much as the next person - I just need my rest to function decently the next day.
Wherever you happen to be, I hope that you have a safe and enjoyable Canada Day as you celebrate the birthday of our great country.
Just one little favour ... please try and keep it down to a dull roar after midnight, okay? Thanks!
dn
It is a national holiday and there will be countless celebrations across the land. The largest gathering is always in Ottawa – the nation’s capitol but odds are there is also a gathering near you.
I’m one of those people who has access to a party in my own neighbourhood and another one within about a mile.
Having a Canada Day gathering in your part of town can be both good and bad.
On the plus side, you don’t have to worry about how you are going to get there – you can walk or ride a bike if you are so inclined. It’s great if you want to pop in and out at various times of the day and evening. If you forget something you can just walk home. Local transit also offers shuttle service between the larger celebrations if you want to party hop!
The area I live in, has hosted a large street party for many years. The local business improvement zone closes off several blocks so that they and other vendors can set up displays and offer entertainment for the crowds.
They usually start closing streets at 6:00PM on June 30. Stores and vendors set up special displays with crafts, clothes, jewellery, books and other merchandise. Restaurants offer food and drink specials and set up street patios. Food vendors also abound with mini donuts, corn dogs, cotton candy – you name it. Things are more or less set up and ready to party by about 7:30PM.
There is a fun zone for the kids and a beer garden for the adults. The beer garden also has a free stage featuring local performers. A second free stage is also set up at the opposite end of the blocked off area and offers a variety of performers. Just for good measure, there is a smaller, third stage set up about the middle of the blocked off area. Several buskers also set up along the streets between the stages.
The scheduled entertainment goes until about midnight on the stages then resumes late morning on Canada Day. Things start shutting down around midnight on Canada Day and streets are reopened by about 3 or 4 in the morning.
Sounds like fun, right?
Well, yes it can be a lot of fun. Unfortunately there can also be a lot of negatives to a neighbourhood party.
Transit buses are rerouted to usually quiet side streets. Aside from emergency vehicles from the neighbourhood fire hall, most streets are restricted to local access only. In other words, if you don’t live in the area and have your vehicle parked here before the streets are blocked - then don’t even bother trying to drive here or you will be walking at least 10 minutes from wherever you do find a place to park!
Depending on the weather, up to 10,000 people may visit the party. That is a lot of extra people milling about. That is great for local businesses and vendors, but can be a nuisance for local residents who are tolerating you traipsing through their streets and back lanes.
The part that I hate the most though, is the noise factor.
Walking along the party area can be a bit loud – much like walking through a packed midway - especially as the day wears on and the crowds swell. Many businesses and vendors also have their own sound systems. Everybody wants your attention. They want you to check out what they are offering and open your wallets. The entertainers on the free stages, tend to ramp up the volume as the day goes on. That is okay, IF you happen to like whatever genre of music that stage is offering but not much fun if you aren’t a fan. Sometimes you have to shout just to be heard by the person standing next to you.
Regardless of your audio tastes or how long you stay, you tend to walk away with a bit of ringing in your ears. That goes away fairly quickly once you get to quieter areas.
Escaping the sound isn’t much of an option for those of us living in the area. There are a lot of apartment blocks in this neighbourhood and the audio from the various sound systems of the three stages tends to reverberate off of the nearby buildings. You don’t notice it much from street level but if you live in one of those buildings it can be very annoying. It’s like getting three overlapping radio stations and not getting any of them clearly. The booming base of all three stages comes through though! Add to that the drone of the crowd and ... well it starts to sound like those annoying horns that are constantly blaring during the World Cup Soccer Games in Africa this year.
It probably wouldn’t be so bad if the street noise actually went to a reasonable level after the stage entertainment ends at midnight. Unfortunately, that is when so many of the buskers – with varying degrees of talent - come out and try to entertain the young revellers who don’t want to go home yet as well as the semi sober and the inebriated who have spent some time in the beer gardens or local pubs. For these people, there is something very appealing and liberating about being able to party in the middle of a deserted city thoroughfare. They want to enjoy this normally forbidden activity as long and as loudly as possible. Just when you think things have quieted down, someone will set off a few firecrackers or start singing Oh Canada at the top of their longs – off key!
They don’t realize – no make that they don’t care – that there are thousands of people living in the area who are trying to sleep. Children who need their rest. People who don’t have the next day off to sleep in. Residents who didn’t have the option or ability to go somewhere else for a couple of days of peace and quiet.
I think most of us who live here, tolerate the inconvenience and the absurdly high decibel of noise for the street party. After all it is only once a year for a day and a half right? Well, yes unless of course Canada Day falls on a weekend in which case the party is usually a 2 ½ day affair with three nights of little or no sleep. Oh, joy!!
Over the years, I’ve tried using earplugs to block the noise and get some shut eye, but I don’t sleep as well with them in. I can barely hear my phone ring with them in, let alone if there were a fire alarm. Frankly, I find the earplugs make things too quiet and very disorienting. It’s not that I am a party pooper – I love my country and want to celebrate its birthday just as much as the next person - I just need my rest to function decently the next day.
Wherever you happen to be, I hope that you have a safe and enjoyable Canada Day as you celebrate the birthday of our great country.
Just one little favour ... please try and keep it down to a dull roar after midnight, okay? Thanks!
dn
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Hats On!!
Have you ever noticed how some people look better in hats than others?
Most men can find a hat that suits them without a lot of effort. Depending on the shape of their head, most can wear a baseball cap and look pretty good – although I’ve never been a fan of the backwards or sideways cap. Just looks silly to me. Some guys look great in a poor boy or engineers cap. Cowboy hats have always been a staple for men. Frankly, some can pull it off better than others.
Personally I think a lot of men can look really great in a fedora – especially tipped slightly to one side a la Bogart! Most can also look pretty darn good in a panama hat!
Most men can find a hat that suits them without a lot of effort. Depending on the shape of their head, most can wear a baseball cap and look pretty good – although I’ve never been a fan of the backwards or sideways cap. Just looks silly to me. Some guys look great in a poor boy or engineers cap. Cowboy hats have always been a staple for men. Frankly, some can pull it off better than others.
Personally I think a lot of men can look really great in a fedora – especially tipped slightly to one side a la Bogart! Most can also look pretty darn good in a panama hat!
It isn’t that simple for a woman. I swear some women were born to wear hats! From the stylish hats that women wore for special occasions to the Sunday hats to the everyday hats that ladies of a bygone era wore just to run errands - a hat was always a must to complete the ensemble. It still is a must for some women.
Nowadays, hats are more for protection from the sun than for glamour and style. Not that these kind of hats can’t be stylish!
For some of us, finding a hat that suits us isn’t a simple or even enjoyable experience. I’m one of those people that hats don’t look that great on.
I’ve never really been a fan of hats. As a kid, I remember my mom making me wear one when I went out on really hot days in the summer. I looked ridiculous. I took it off whenever I could. It made my head sweat and made a mess of my hair.
By the time I was a teen in the early 1970’s hats were a bit more in fashion again. My friends were wearing the crocheted floppy brim hats. I had a friend make one for me in a dark brown and also in a denim shade. These weren’t bad because they were made of a cotton yarn and had lots of little holes so at least the head didn’t sweat!
Floppy brim cloth hats were also popular and I bought a couple. They didn’t look great, but it was passable and it did keep the sun out of my eyes. For awhile, engineer caps and bandanas were all the rage among my friends. I wore it too, but didn’t look nearly as stylish!
I’ve owned my share of ball caps that promoted various companies, organizations and promotions. I still own one for the local drive-inn of my youth and a favourite radio station! I’ve also worn a few visors.
My parents brought me a soft brim leather hat from Mexico many years ago. I really liked that hat even though it didn’t look that great on me. I also owned a cowboy hat at one time.
If I had my choice, I wouldn’t wear a hat at all. Actually, the only time I wear hats these days is on bright, warm sunny days when the UV ratings are high.
I have a floppy brim denim hat that reminds me of my teen years but it looks like hell on me. It also doesn’t stay on very well if there is more than a slight breeze.
Over the last fifteen years or so, I’ve been wearing a modified style of a baseball cap, It ties in a bow at the back rather than the notched band and also has an extra long, wide brim to keep the sun out of the eyes. I really like this style and it is one of the few that actually suits me. The main problem is that it doesn’t cover the back of the neck or the ears and tends to blow off fairly easily in a breeze.
Trying to function with this kind of hat hasn’t been easy for me. Walking with a white cane is challenging enough in the best weather conditions. Then, throw in using a monocular to see distance or trying to carry any bags/packages in the other hand. If the wind picks up, you practically need a third hand to hold your hat on. Although, a third hand may come in handy at certain times, it just isn’t a practical or viable solution. As much as I hated to admit it, it was time to buy a hat that had a chin strap option – or as my mom likes to call it, “something to tie my head on with”!
So, I finally went looking for a new hat a few weeks ago. I hadn’t seen anything I liked that was even remotely practical or durable in most of the major stores, but I knew that there was one place that I would surely find a good selection AND knowledgeable staff that could help me find the right hat for my needs – Mountain Equipment Co-op!
I checked the web site first and found a few possibilities so printed off my three top picks. The following morning, I went down and a very helpful staff member showed me the hats I had printed off as well as a few others. Most didn’t look that great on me or I felt that the brim was too narrow or way to floppy to actually protect me from the sun in a breeze. Some were also heavier material than I wanted or were meant more for wearing in rainy weather.
The hat I ultimately chose is stylish, practical, durable and very versatile in how it can be worn. I bought the Halcyon Sombrero which is made by Outdoor Research. OR’s site lists the hat at $42 Canadian yet I paid only $34 (plus taxes) regular price in store at MEC.
I’ve only worn it a few times so far but have gotten several compliments on it. One of the days that I did have it on, also happened to be extremely windy – gusts of 50-70km/hour (31-44 miles/hour)! For that strength of wind, I tightened the hat band and used the chin strap. In the ten minutes I was facing into the wind, the brim only went up once. Later that same morning, the wind was at my back for about 10 minutes and the back only lifted once. Not once did I have to worry about losing my hat – it stayed on perfectly!
This hat isn’t a great choice for rain, but it will keep a light squall from soaking you. It is also light and airy enough to keep your head from getting sweaty. This particular style is suitable for both women and men.
Warm sunny weather has arrived. Summer officially begins tomorrow – June 21.
So, if you are looking for a great summer hat – and you really should be wearing one to protect yourself from those dangerous UV rays – then this just may be the perfect hat for you too!
dn
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Improvised Camp Chilli
When I worked at summer camp back in the 1970’s, there were certain foods and recipes that were unique to each camp. For those of us who worked there several weeks or over several years of summers, it came to be as much a tradition for us as it was for the campers. Some we enjoyed more than others! There was your basic camp food like pancakes and sausages, hot dogs, hamburgers, roasts, soup, sandwiches and so on.
But where I worked, there was a type of chilli that was not found anywhere else. Almost every week we would make this recipe – outside in a large cooking pot over an open fire if the weather cooperated. It was so good and there was rarely any leftovers.
It isn’t your basic chilli recipe and many people will likely screw up their noses just reading the recipe. I recall the first time I worked in the kitchen and had to help assemble the ingredients I thought the head cook was joking when she handed me the list of ingredients.
I asked the origin of the recipe. I was told that several years earlier, a cook was going to make chilli and discovered she was missing a couple of ingredients so she had to improvise. The campers loved it and a tradition was born.
Before I left the camp that summer, I wrote down the recipe – not the version that served 50 but a more manageable family size version. I made it several times over the next few years.
Eventually I got tired of it and actually forgot about it until a few months ago when I was talking to a friend about weird recipe ingredients. I wondered if I would still like the recipe after all these years. I would have to try it again one of these days.
So, a few days ago, I checked to see if I had all the ingredients. I was missing only one - the second canned ingredient listed below - so picked up the ingredient while shopping. Before I prepared the chilli, I looked over the old recipe again and decided that my tastes had changed a bit over the years so I should probably add a few more things. The peppers, mushrooms, garlic, basil and oregano were not in the original but I had a strong sense that I would need them to make it satisfactory to my more mature taste buds.
As I was preparing the recipe, I really wondered if I was making a mistake in even trying this again after so many years – let alone making changes to it. When it was ready, I ladled out a bowl and set it on the table beside the fresh French bread that I had bought that morning.
But where I worked, there was a type of chilli that was not found anywhere else. Almost every week we would make this recipe – outside in a large cooking pot over an open fire if the weather cooperated. It was so good and there was rarely any leftovers.
It isn’t your basic chilli recipe and many people will likely screw up their noses just reading the recipe. I recall the first time I worked in the kitchen and had to help assemble the ingredients I thought the head cook was joking when she handed me the list of ingredients.
I asked the origin of the recipe. I was told that several years earlier, a cook was going to make chilli and discovered she was missing a couple of ingredients so she had to improvise. The campers loved it and a tradition was born.
Before I left the camp that summer, I wrote down the recipe – not the version that served 50 but a more manageable family size version. I made it several times over the next few years.
Eventually I got tired of it and actually forgot about it until a few months ago when I was talking to a friend about weird recipe ingredients. I wondered if I would still like the recipe after all these years. I would have to try it again one of these days.
So, a few days ago, I checked to see if I had all the ingredients. I was missing only one - the second canned ingredient listed below - so picked up the ingredient while shopping. Before I prepared the chilli, I looked over the old recipe again and decided that my tastes had changed a bit over the years so I should probably add a few more things. The peppers, mushrooms, garlic, basil and oregano were not in the original but I had a strong sense that I would need them to make it satisfactory to my more mature taste buds.
As I was preparing the recipe, I really wondered if I was making a mistake in even trying this again after so many years – let alone making changes to it. When it was ready, I ladled out a bowl and set it on the table beside the fresh French bread that I had bought that morning.
Okay, here goes nothing .... hmmm ... this isn’t bad if I do say so myself!
So here it is - a modified version of the camp chilli that I enjoyed as a teen. It isn’t cooked over an open fire, but there is no reason you can’t cook it inside or out this summer.
Improvised Camp Chilli
• Olive or canola oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 ¼ cup)
• ½ sweet red bell peper chopped (about ½ cup)
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 Tablespoon (bottled type) minced garlic
• 1 14oz./398ml can red kidney beans, undrained
• 1 14oz./398ml can spaghetti in tomato sauce
• 1 10oz./284ml can vegetable soup
• 1 ½ teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Drizzle about a tablespoon of canola or olive oil in a large, deep frying pan and add the ground beef. Brown the beef over medium high heat stirring often. Add the onion and pepper and stir into beef, cooking till translucent. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic and cook just till tender. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Reduce heat to medium low and cook about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often.
Serve with a tossed salad and a bread such as Focaccia, French or homemade buns.
Serves 4
Enjoy!
dn
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Gal Pals
I have a confession to make. I’ve never watched Sex And The City.
Yup, that’s right – not one single episode. Of course, I have seen clips of the show and heard about it enough over the last decade or so, to know the main players; Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha. Frankly, you’d have to be living under a rock not to know at least a little bit about the show. It has been a huge hit among women around the world. Even men have followed the show – if only in hopes of getting a clue about how a woman’s mind works!
Yup, that’s right – not one single episode. Of course, I have seen clips of the show and heard about it enough over the last decade or so, to know the main players; Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha. Frankly, you’d have to be living under a rock not to know at least a little bit about the show. It has been a huge hit among women around the world. Even men have followed the show – if only in hopes of getting a clue about how a woman’s mind works!
I understand the concept of the show – four female friends sharing their life experiences and fantasies . The bonding and the camaraderie. The men, the drinks, the fashion and so on. I get that this is a huge draw for many.
I just don’t want to watch it. I have no interest in fashion. I don’t own any high heels or designer handbags or even a dress for that matter. I’ve never bought or read a fashion mag. I’ve never been interested in the bars or club scene. I have no idea what is in a Cosmo. I almost never drink and when I do it is vodka – which is about the only alcohol I can tolerate without getting sick! Some would see all of this as blasphemy and I could be considered a traitor to my gender.
Sex And The City, certainly wasn’t the first to promote the gal pal relationship. They just did it in a more provocative way. Being a cable show allowed them a lot more freedom to say and do things that weren’t allowed on network TV.
That being said, the ladies of Wisteria Lane on ABC’s Desperate Housewives could give them a run for their money in my book. Bree, Susan, Lynette and Gabby have unique bonds. They are not only neighbours, but have experienced a lot of drama together over the years - all while looking rather stylish and hoisting a few cocktails. They play poker together, shoot the breeze, offer advice, a shoulder to lean on and an alibi when necessary. Now that is a gal pal!
But, if I were going to go for the best gal pal ensemble of all time – well, there is no question in my mind that it was “The Golden Girls”! Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan), Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur), Rose Nylund (Betty White), and Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty) were four spirited women of a certain age who shared a home in Miami, Florida. These four women, bonded over cheesecake – usually late at night. They talked about their lives (past and present), their families and growing old. They shared their hopes, their dreams, their fears, their sorrows and their triumphs.
They also talked a lot about men and sex! These women all grew up during a time when s-e-x was more of a dirty word, but as they aged, they discovered more freedoms and liberations in their sex lives. Even though they were all considered seniors, they were dating and enjoying the company of men in and out of the bedroom. The conversations that these ladies had were enlightened, entertaining, frank and often thought provoking. They were also rather spicy at times. They said what they felt and took risks to find love again.
The Golden Girls gave us hope and encouragement to be ourselves and take chances with our love as we age. They gave us something to aspire to in our golden years or at any age for that matter.
Sadly, real life isn’t as simple.
Gal Pals on TV always manage to work out their differences – eventually. Real life often tells a different story. We change as we age. Our priorities change. Spouses/Partners, children, careers and interests change how we feel and react over time.
Then there is the whole clique like thing that often happens in gal pal relationships. Some feel closer than others or get their nose out of joint when they think they aren’t’ fully in the loop. Some get territorial or too gossipy. Way too much drama and immature behaviour for my tolerance level.
Don’t get me wrong, I do have my own gal pals but I just can’t imagine sitting down with them and sharing the intimacies of my life with all of them as the ladies on TV have done. I’m better at the one on one conversations for the really personal stuff.
Let’s face it, some gal pals are closer than others. Some you can confide only a few things and some you can tell almost anything! There are a couple of my gal pals that I can tell anything to and others that I’d be much more cautious in how much I share.
Gal pals means different things to different people. I have no idea if any of mine watch Carrie and her pals but it really doesn’t matter. We will never be Sex And The City gals. Thankfully we don’t have the drama of the Wisteria Lane gals. I think we can relate more with The Golden Girls even though we aren’t quite that old - yet.
My gal pals aren’t anything like the gals on TV, but we are all intelligent, open minded, spirited, compassionate, insightful and funny women of a “certain age”. We know that when push comes to shove or we just need a shoulder to lean on – our gal pals are the ones we want at our side. I love my gal pals dearly and try not to take any of them for granted.
So, if not being interested in the latest designs in fashion or sipping trendy cocktails at a hot spot and dishing about the latest gossip or man to cross my path makes me a traitor to my gender – so be it. I can live with that!
dn
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