Real Talk!

Elvis released "Wear My Ring Around Your Neck" and "Doncha Think It's Time". Perry Como had a hit with "Magic Moments" and Buddy Holly released "That'll Be The Day". Chuck Berry was belting out "Johnny B. Goode", The Elegants were doo-whoppin "Little Star", Little Richard was squealing "Good Golly, Miss Molly", Eddie Cochrane was picking "Summertime Blues".

Connie Francis' "Who's Sorry Now" reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart. The Coasters had us laughing with "Yakety-Yak", The Monotones were writing "The Book of Love" and The Everly Brothers presented ethereal harmony with "All I Have To Do Is Dream".

A mouse was launched in a Thor-Able "Reentry 1" test as the first launch in the Mouse in Able (MIA) project. It was lost when the rocket was destroyed after launch from Cape Canaveral.

Americans were lining up to buy hula-hoops. Popular Mechanics warned that robots were slowly taking over. Ezra Pound was released from a medical asylum, after twelve years after being declared insane. Liz Taylor was filming "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof". Lana Turnerfs daughter stabbed Johnny Stompanato to death. Robin Hood Tales stopped being published. The term "Beatnik" was coined. Lenny Bruce confided: "I'm just like everybody else. I want to be a non- conformist, too!''

On this 50th anniversary of April 16, 1958 I would like to share a couple of oldies but goodies:

WARNING by Jenny Joseph

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

Crabbit Old Woman by Phyllis McCormack

What do you see nurse,
What do you see?
What are you thinking
When you look at me?
A crabbit old woman,
Not very wise,
Uncertain of habit
With far away eyes.

Who dribbles her food
And makes no reply;
Then you say in a loud voice,
"I do wish you'd try."
Who seems not to notice
The things that you do,
And forever is losing
A stocking or shoe.

Unresisting or not,
Lets you do as you will;
With bathing or feeding,
The long day to fill.
Is that what you're thinking,
Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes nurse,
You're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am,
As I sit here so still,
As I move at your bidding,
As I eat at your will.

I'm a small child of ten ...
With a father and mother,
And brothers and sisters
Who love one another.

A girl of sixteen,
With wings on her feet;
Dreaming that soon,
A lover she'll meet.

A bride soon at twenty ...
My heart gives a leap;
Remembering the vows
That I promised to keep.

At twenty-five,
I have young of my own,
Who need me to build
A secure and happy home.

A woman of thirty,
My young now grow fast,
Bound together with ties
That forever should last.

At forty, my young ones
Have grown up and gone;
But my man is beside me
To see I don't mourn.

At fifty, once more ...
Babies play 'round my knees;
Again we know children,
My loved ones and me.

Dark days are upon me,
My husband is dead ...
I look at the future,
I shudder with dread;
For my young are all rearing,
Young of their own,
And I think of the years
And the love I have known.

I am an old woman now,
Nature is cruel,
eTis her jest to make old age
Look like a fool.

The body, it crumbles,
Grace and vigor depart,
There is now a stone
Where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass,
A young girl still dwells,
And now and again
My battered heart swells.

I remember the joys,
I remember the pain,
And I'm loving and living
Life over again.

I think of the years ...
All too few, gone too fast,
And accept the stark fact
That nothing can last.

So open your eyes nurses,
Open and see ...
Not a "Crabbit Old Woman,"
Look closer ... see "Me."

We’re currently experiencing quite a slushy downfall. Yup, it’s gone from rain to snow. YUCK. Now, the trees are laden with glossy coats of ice and some are so heavy, they are leaning over, desperately. Reminiscent of the ice storm in January of 1998, this is not how I imagined spring.

We have been waiting for horrendously large snow banks and drifts to melt down, to make it easier to show property. Certainly, some brave souls have managed to make their way around enough that there have been sales. Some very significant sales. However, this past week, things began to look far more promising…with bits of grass showing through the white…

This has been a winter that we will remember. This has been a winter of multiplicities. A winter in which some have felt like shut-ins, worried about dangerous walking conditions on accumulated ice. I’ve heard of more fractures than I could count. More people experiencing the seasonal blues, lack of sunlight, vitamin deprivation, trouble sleeping, large heating bills, aching muscles from the shovel.

It also has been a winter that re-inspired winter play- there have been more skiers, more snowmobiles, more snowshoes, ice fishing huts… and the list goes on. It really is quite beautiful, that pristine white, the crisp air, the way it all sparkles.

Then, this, a dreary time of year: when the snow is dirty with mud and remnants from the continuous sanding the roads have gotten, between plows. Nothing quite green, no buds to speak of, just the odd sunny day that smells like spring, the warmer moments that touch the skin and bring a collective sigh- the anticipation of summer: gardening, swimming, motorcycling, sailing, berry picking, rock collecting, hiking…

Perhaps in celebration, the phones have started ringing off the hook, as they say. Properties, dormant for months, are now getting several offers at a time. We are busy with people wanting a break… an escape, from the city. Who can blame them? This winter has brought us a different sort of cabin fever. Or perhaps, different sorts of cabin fever.

We know a cabin can and should be heaven.

& who doesn’t deserve a quiet piece of the country? A place where the voices of birds out-sing the sounds of engines running, a place in the trees, where you can imagine a different kind of world- a simpler world, where messages are written in the tracks that animals leave behind.

Yesterday, Calgary smashed an 88-year-old record, strangely for the same day. The previous 15.2 centimeters of heavy snow was edged out of the record books when a 23-centimeter dumping pounded the city. Worried Calgarians are watching their thermometers today, as the temperature is expected to rise significantly which may lead to intense flooding conditions.

Eastern Canada is reporting that their snowfall this year is more than 150-centimeters over the 30-year norm.

No kidding, they are talking about SNOW RAGE. In one incident, last month, a Quebec man pulled out a 12 gauge shot gun and threatened a snowplow operator who had pushed some snow onto his property. Cities, towns and villages throughout the country have totally blown their snow removal budgets and the cost of heating went through the roof, too.

They tell me that thefts of snow-blowing machines in Ontario and Quebec have reached epidemic proportion. Environment Canada has said New Brunswick will likely have snow, well into May.

Some area schools are considering an extension to the school year, due to the number of “snow days” where buses were cancelled. Last month a number of schools were closed because the burden of snow on their roofs had some wondering if the buildings could support the weight. People have died, unseen by passing plow trucks.

Many of the old-timers suggest that the heavy snow cover will have made for extremely thick ice that will take a long time thawing and may trick the unwary into looking safe enough to pass.

I was surprised; I didn’t think we’d ever be rid of our snow banks. Some of them had reached 10’ or more and were still looking gianormous last week… but they’re down quite a bit… and we’re into the messy, muddy, sandy sort of stuff- although we had a skiff of snow yesterday…

It’s been a rough year for maple syrup, too… not enough dramatic swings in the temperature between daytime and night- the sap didn’t run a whole lot.

I’ve met more people who are suffering from seasonal depression, this year… and since the melt started, it seems like everyone is sneezing… snow mould, I’m told…

The rivers, streams and lakes are looking pretty full. As much as we have cursed the snow this year, we have dreaded the melt… on the bright side, next year should be a piece of cake, comparatively…

that is, if you can still go by the law of averages.

I thought I would take a break today from thinking about the Olympic torch relay. The modern day torch relay started in 1936, in Berlin. Since then, the torch has become a symbol of the opening of the Olympic games. Athens, in 2004, embarked upon the first global relay with the Olympic torch traveling the globe in 65 days.

The Olympic flame is said to represent "The light of knowledge, life and spirit and symbolizes the handing down from generation to generation" and also, “to symbolize peace and unity”. The relay is apparently homage to ancient running races.

Protest and controversy are not new to the Olympics, or the relay. In Sydney, 2000, there was flack when the torch was passed to the young daughter of the International Organizing Committee member. In 2006, Italian protestors (protesting Coca-Cola’s sponsorship) forced the Turin organizers to reorganize the torch run route. The Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee, to safeguard the fire 24 hours a day on its 137,000-kilometre, 130-day relay, formed a “flame protection squad” in August ‘07.

This year, the torch relay has descended into a highly publicized and politicized frenzy. Guaranteed an audience, protests and demonstrations have spread from city to city, bent on raising awareness of human rights violations. Olympic organizers, fans and participants are adamant that the games are not meant for the promotion of political causes.

As I said, this blog is meant to be a rest from the relay ranting… I mean, for the love of Pete, there’s concern about worldwide food shortages… melting glaciers…surging energy prices… diminishing supplies…a slow global economy… among so many other problems, near crises.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I like the Olympics & I do understand that they are a great opportunity for world camaraderie… all I am saying is, if it’s going to be a big problem with people trying to snatch the torch, or the torchlight… maybe it’s time for Olympic participants to bring their own torch. Each country could use their torch to join in lighting one flame at the opening ceremony.

Of course, I’m still hoping that we can figure out some form of decent global governance… because I really want world peace.

Some people used to believe that the sportsworld provided a good example of governance, but then lately, there's been an awful lot of scandal brought out about the sports world, too.

This week, there was news that eight Florida girls were arrested when they “allegedly” took video of each other beating the living heck out of a friend, for a YouTube post. A Texas compound was raided and authorities took 133 women and 400 children into custody because they were in danger from the polygamist cult leader.

Over recent months, the level of violence along the U.S.-Mexican border has begun to rise substantially. There are all kinds of immigration tensions. Oh, I could go on.

One website tells me “The United States government has been working with Extraterrestrials and even shares underground bases” with them. & Researchers have discovered that plants have signalling and response systems that could make major contributions to robotics and communications research.

I can believe the thing about plants.

A lot of people point fingers at a Bilderberg group. Formed annually by a steering committee that selects 100 socially exclusive, successful people from Europe and North America, the group is said to have first met in 1954. Gathering, by invitation only, they exclude the media, in order to prevent fallacies in reporting.

The primary intention of the Bilderbergs is said to have been to further the understanding between Western Europe and North America through informal meetings between powerful individuals. A growing number of lower and middle class North Americans believe that this group have manipulated national policies, fixed elections, created wars, recessions, masterminded murders and ousted world leaders.

I’ve been told that the Bilderbergs are playing a giant game in which we are simply pawns, not only expendable, but at times, requiring extermination. All part of their plan to control the world, be the rich, save themselves and enjoy a life that most of us are unable to imagine. Some people believe they are already set up for life on another planet, should the need arise. We are basically the miners of their gold and they get to tax us for that benefit, too.

It’s hard to grasp it all. I realize there is a lot of stuff that we haven’t even contemplated, let alone begun to understand.

The idea of a relay for the Olympics is lovely... I like to imagine the zen possibilities... one man (or woman)running across the world, safe against any political persecution... quietly running through various governments, unrest and the busy world, untouched, pure humanity....

You know, it’s a lot easier to take a rest from all of this when you’re sitting watching the lake… listening to the birds… watching the deer graze. I really do love the country experience.

About five years ago, I worked with a significant number of geo-physicists were looking for recreational property in our area. It was a wonderful experience. While wandering the countryside, I was able to glean a fair amount of useful information. Apparently, they had been part of a “Groundwater Study” for the province.

Bringing together information from various agencies, these specialists conducted a study of groundwater systems. Using land use surveys, geology maps, well water records, communal supply systems and data on known or possible contamination sites, they provided an assessment identifying areas where the aquifer was susceptible to contamination.

Bacteria, pollution or toxic material from the ground surface, from either man-made or natural causes, may contaminate an aquifer. Vulnerability depends on the type of soil and rock that cover an aquifer. An area of land that has surface water that seeps or infiltrates the ground is called a “recharge area”. The most common source of recharge water is rain and snowmelt that percolates down, into the ground.

Recharge water often contains dissolved pollution. An aquifer covered by sand, broken bedrock or gravel is more vulnerable to contamination as the water drains more easily through porous sand, gravel, cracks and fissures. The water may travel a considerable distance before discharging at the surface or into an underwater creek or lake.

Nitrogen, sulfur and carbon emissions from motor vehicles and industry combine with water vapour, rain, mist, fog and snow and load up our atmosphere with sulfuric, nitric and carbonic acid. There is evidence that house fires can leave toxic residue that may leach into the water supply. Livestock manure, sediments, fertilizers and pesticides can contaminate local water bodies. Boaters may dump sewage, leak oil and fuel or use toxic cleaning products that can threaten water quality, especially near the shore.

Some studies indicate that the acid deposits can leach compounds from the soil that enter surface-water and find there way into an aquifer. Although it is unlikely that toxic levels would accumulate, there is some suspicion that some chemicals do enter into our water and food supply. Both lead and aluminum have been considered in this context.

The harmful affects on vegetation and fresh-water ecosystems have been known for years; however, the affect on human beings has been less obvious.

So, that’s the bad news. The good news is that I was told that this region came through the study with flying colours.

Let’s take a moment and thank the Canadian Shield.

This morning, my daughter got her G1, driving permit. First try. She’s already done the classroom portion of her “Driver’s Ed” classes. Standing in the Motor Vehicle office, I remembered the day that I had written my test.

Of course, we called it a “365”, in those days- almost exactly 34 years ago…

You know, in some ways it seems like just last week but now, I can say… for the very first time:

“This evening, my daughter took me for a drive.”

We spent an hour driving through our beautiful little town, on highways 62 and 28, on the side roads. I have to say that she did amazingly well for a first time behind the wheel.

On about the third trip around, we watched a couple of deer meander across South Baptiste Lake Road, near the Y Rd and into the forest. Then, we went up to the Canadian Tire parking lot and practiced 3-point turns and parallel parking.

I had to remind Katie to watch her speed… but I’m glad she was that comfortable behind the wheel. I was pretty comfy in the passenger seat… although I might have raised my voice, slightly, when she went at the driveway a little quickly, coming home.

She gets that from her father and other bad influences (Fabian?). Look… I’m not simply blaming men here. I’m touchin’ wood when I type this… I’ve done 34 years without a ticket… and that’s not just sheer luck. Even Katie said she has a new respect for how I watch the limits…

& I couldn’t help but think of my father, patiently taking me into the industrial areas of north Toronto and snapping on the parking break, halfway up a steep incline, on the ice… all because I was nervous of slipping backward, getting used to using the clutch.

Someday, I’d like Katie to learn to drive a standard transmission. I preferred driving standard, until I cracked my back up and it really is more comfortable not having to use a stick, now. Still, I can’t help but think that learning the finesse of a clutch is something we all need to do- besides, once you can do that, you can pretty well drive anything.

Right?