I know that my busman blogged about putting up the Christmas trees last week as his blessing, but I'm really feeling the Christmas mood this year so forgive me if I'm a bit of a copycat this week

Firstly the above is our family tree, complete with mini skeleton decorations that reflect one of my own personal interests. Maybe weird for some, but hey its our tree, and I would not judge your ornaments!

Above is the kiddo's Christmas tree that she decorated completely on her own, and is very proud of. It has cute bunnies, mice, and candy cane decorations, better reflecting her own tastes.

Despite being sick with Graves, and now kidney stones, despite not having the security of a full-time job, and despite the often sad, and scary news from around the world, and at home these days, I am feeling the Christmas spirit....and to this "on occasion bah-humbug girl" is definitely a pleasant surprise, and blessing. I really did not think I would be feeling too good about the season this year....and yet...I am.

Blog Your Blessings

It is a bit early, but with current world events I wanted to take a few minutes to remember a kinder, more gentler (at least to a back then 10 year old Canadian kid) time.

Last weekend we put up our Christmas trees, one in the family room, and the kiddo has a special one for her room. While getting the trees decorated we listened to the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas which of course brought back very fond childhood memories.

As a kid I LOVED watching this gentle holiday classic, and then when my kids were small I enjoyed sharing it with them too.

While I am not a Christian I do appreciate the simple, yet powerful message that the Peanuts gang impart through this Christmas special as Charlie Brown rejects all the commercialism around him, and reminds everyone why this holiday is celebrated in the first place. This is something I can appreciate even if I do not keep the holiday for the same reason that Christians do.

Each year I look forward to watching A Charlie Brown Christmas, and one day perhaps with my future grandchildren who I hope will be as enchanted as my children were, and proving that little really has changed in the hearts of children since Peanuts first debuted in 1965.

Thank you to Abbey for putting together Nostalgic Saturday. Why not join us?!

Words cannot adequately express my horror, and revulsion at the attacks committed against innocent people in the city of Mumbai yesterday.

Why is it that just when the world seems to be breathing a collective sigh of relief with the USA election of Obama, and a new hoped for era of peace, and hope something like this happens?

Mumbai lies at the mouth of the Ulhas River off the western coast of India, in the coastal region known as the Konkan. It sits on Salsette Island, partially shared with the district of Thane. Documented evidence of human habitation dates back to 250 BCE, when it was known as Heptanesia.

Mumbai is on my list of hoped for places to visit one day because of its rich culture, and heritage, however for today I just wish to add to the millions of others my prayers for Mumbai, it citizens, the dead, and their loved ones, and those who are still being held hostage at the time I type this.

Images courtesy: BBC

This photo was taken this past summer at the Royal Canadian Exhibition here in Toronto. So much to do! Can you imagine being a pilot, and having to check all of these!

Please note that this entry is for both the Tuesday, and Wednesday editions of WW.

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

I want to leave a quick note to let my visitors know that if you have left a comment or are here for one of the memes I regularly participate in that I will be away from the PC off and on for the next few days. I have a few other projects that I have to get to, and complete.

I will be checking in on a regular basis, and I will reply by paying a return visit to your blog. So please do leave a comment, and I will catch up with you shortly!

My father was born in 1922 in a very small village called Nyírbéltek in Northeastern Hungary. My grandfather was also born in Nyírbéltek as was his, Dad, and his Dad, and so on and so on.....

A couple of years before my father was diagnosed with the esophageal cancer that would eventually kill him in 1999 we planned a trip together to visit the village where he was born, and lived up until age 5. Unfortunately due to my Dad's illness we never made it.

I would love to travel to Hungary one day, and fulfill my Dad's wish that his child see where our ancestors came from, and I hope to do that in the not too distant future as I am not getting any younger. However, should it never happen I have been able to see the village through the blessings of living in the internet age.

I actually found photos of Nyírbéltek online!

How cool is that!

This photo was put in the public domain so I can in turn share it with you here. I can tell you that I was pleasantly surprised to find out that here in Canada I could view images of a tiny Hungarian village that was such a large part of my direct blood relatives for 100s of years. I may never be able to visit in person, but I can at the least see it through my PC screen.

Blog Your Blessings

Very rare, and candid childhood photos of her majesty Queen Elizabeth II of England are to be auctioned off.

It is hard for me a child of the 70s to even imagine our Queen this young!

According the the BBC a collection of pictures from an album which belonged to Sidney Cumper, a footman and page to Queen Mary, the present Queen's grandmother, is being put up for sale. The pictures will be sold by auctioneers Reeman Dansie and are expected to fetch more than £600.

You can view more samples including a vintage one of the Queen in bell bottoms on the BBC website.

Henry VIII's flagship Mary Rose was sunk by a French cannonball and this was covered up by political spin, according to a new academic study.

Here is a snippet from the BBC in regards:

Until now it was believed a combination of wind and tide pressed Mary Rose over, causing her gun ports to flood in a 16th Century battle in the Solent.

But University of Portsmouth geographer Dominic Fontana said the truth was withheld to maintain the Navy's image.

Mary Rose sank with the loss of more than 400 lives on 19 July 1545.

By claiming the ship was toppled by wind and an incompetent crew, the Navy's supremacy was maintained, Henry VIII's pride remained intact and the French were unable to claim victory, said Dr Fontana.

Full BBC Article Here

Somehow I am NOT surprised.

Archaeologists in Egypt say they have discovered another pyramid - the country's 118th so far. All that remains of the pyramid is a square-shaped structure.

Please note that this entry is for both the Tuesday, and Wednesday editions of WW.

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Image Credit: BBC

Is it really any surprise that Britain's most famed hangman was a drunk? How soul sapping of a job must it really have been especially in the early days before the technique of the short drop was perfected? Gah!

The execution diary of one of the UK's best known hangmen offers hints at the slide into drinking which ended his career in 1910. The log book is currently being auctioned off.

Here is a snippet from the BBC:

Henry Albert Pierrepoint was sacked for arriving for an execution "considerably the worse for drink" and fighting with his assistant, John Ellis.

The erratic handwritten entries in his log towards the end of his career are said to be evidence of this drinking.

It is expected to fetch up to £3,000 at auction in Knutsford, Cheshire.

Henry, originally from Nottingham, was the first of the Pierrepoint family to become an executioner when he started his career in 1901 - he was involved in 105 hangings.

He took great pride in his work, was known to calculate his drops carefully and is said to have never "bungled" an execution, said auction house Frank Marshall and Company.

Full BBC Article Here

I think I have finally recuperated enough from my youngest daughter's 13th birthday bash last weekend to blog a bit about it.

The party itself (included 18 kids) was a huge success. All of the guests seemed to enjoy themselves, and my daughter said it was epic!

We rented out a room at a local community center, and for four hours danced, played games, and stuffed ourselves with pizza, chips, candy, and cupcakes.

There was a lot of planning that went into this party (something I had wanted to do for the youngest for a long time) and was blessed to have the help, and assistance, of my hubby for baking 35 cupcakes, setting up the sound system, ordering four party pizzas, and generally lifting, carrying, hanging decorations, and all the other odd jobs no one thinks about, but has to be done, my eldest kiddo Steph, and my niece Sam (pictured above) who both helped Dee-Jay, and run the games, and finally both my sister, and BF Lisa for helping out, and taking tons of pics, and video for us to remember in years to come. And of course ALL of them for helping with the clean-up afterwards!

Help and assistance freely, and lovingly given is a great blessing indeed.

Blog Your Blessings

It is that time of year again. Yep, time to ask the kids to get their Christmas lists ready. This always brings back fond memories for me of growing up in the 1970s, and anticipating Christmas morning.

More often then not I was very lucky in that at least a couple of the toys on my list were delivered by Santa under the tree. My lists always included things like Nancy Drew, and Bobsey Twin books, Barbie dolls, and board games like Clue.

I would also occasionally receive something that I was not expecting like one of these hopper thinga-ma-boobers.

Remember these? My only real memory of the hopper thingies is hopping down a set of cement steps on one of them. Ouch!

When did you grow, and what were some of the things on your list?

Thank you to Abbey for putting together Nostalgic Saturday. Why not join us?!

Every Monty Python fan is going to be familiar with the dead parrot sketch.

BUT....did you know that there is an ancestor of Monty Python's famous dead parrot comedy sketch that has been found in a joke book, dating back to 4th Century Greece!

Here is a snippet from the BBC:

Philogelos: The Laugh Addict, which has been translated from Greek manuscripts, contains a joke where a man complains that a slave he was sold had died.

"When he was with me, he never did any such thing!" is the reply.

In the Python sketch, written 1,600 years later, the shopkeeper claims the dead parrot is "pining for the fjords".

The 265 jokes in Philogelos are attributed to a pair of jokers called Hierocles and Philagrius, about whom very little is known.

Full BBC article here

Other jokes include farts, sex, ugly wives, and a dimwit referred to as "a student dunce".

Hmmmm....does not seem so far off from modern jokes now does it????

Posted for our friend RFC:

Please find below information on the special tours that we are offering for December, 2008.

Please remember that if you are going to come out to any of these events, you have to confirm your booking ahead of time. You can't just show up on the day of ... except for maybe the History Shopping Trip on December 7th.

If you're going to go the afternoon Rebellion Tour on December 7th, you have to reserve and buy tickets through Mackenzie House. Their telephone number is (416) 392-6915.

If you want to sign up for one of the Afternoon Teas, get in touch with me (416 487 9017 or richard@muddyyorktours.com), and I'll let you know what you need to do to reserve your spaces.

Thanks again!

There are a few special events that we’re organizing for December. One of them is purely historical, and just happens to fall in December. Another is a combination of historical and seasonal fun, while a third is just to help celebrate the Christmas season. Read on for information on all three!

__________________

SATURDAY DECEMBER 6th 2008
"UP THEN BRAVE CANADIANS" - A Commemoration of the Rebellion of 1837

In the first week of December, 1837, William Lyon Mackenzie organized a rebellion in an attempt to overthrow the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada and what he considered to be a corrupt government. In many circles, Mackenzie is considered to be a hero and a champion of democracy. But to some, he was nothing more than a traitor and a rogue who set back the cause of Canadian democracy by several years. Join us on December 6th, and we’ll try to show you both sides of his character.

The event starts at 1:00 p.m. with attendees gathering in the Market Gallery, on the second floor of the Saint Lawrence Market complex. A walk visiting several sites related to Mackenzie will last for about an hour, and then at 2:00 p.m. we’ll arrive at Mackenzie House where Jeffrey Canton will reenact Mackenzie to tell his side of the story. After the reenactment there is an optional tour of Mackenzie House. Refreshments will also be served at Mackenzie House.

You can contact me for more information (I’ll be conducting the walking tour), or you can contact Mackenzie House Museum to make reservations. For more information please call Mackenzie House (416) 392 6915.

DATE : Saturday December 6th, 2008
TIME : 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
COST : $26.67 plus GST
TO RESERVE PLEASE CALL MACKENZIE HOUSE MUSEUM (416) 392-6915
__________________

SATURDAY DECEMBER 6th 2008
HISTORY AND HOLIDAY SHOPPING TOUR

Do you have anybody on your holiday shopping list who is impossible to buy for? Do you often find yourself "regifting" over the holidays, because there are always one or two people you forget about? This might be a solution for you. Join me on a tour of the Saint Lawrence Market neighbourhood on Saturday December 6th, 2008. I’ll tell you the story of the oldest part of Toronto, but also take you to some of the most unique shops in the city. There’s a honey merchant who used to supply honey to Pope John Paul II. There is a mustard shop that uses the world’s second most popular spice to make condiments and also beauty care products. Another merchant sells gourmet salts and peppers for cooking, as well as for health and medicinal purposes. You’ll be amazed at what you can find, and the best part is, if you don’t end up giving any of these things away, you’ll find you want to keep them for yourself.

We end our tour at Toronto’s First Post Office, located at 260 Adelaide Street East. For the true history nerd, this is a great place to mail your Christmas cards from, as the post office has a special cancellation and marker.

The market is very busy on a Saturday morning, so there is limited space on this tour. Please try and reserve your space early.

DATE : Saturday December 6th, 2008
TIME : 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
COST : $10 per person
TO RESERVE PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT richard@muddyyorktours.com or call me at (416) 487 9017

__________________

AFTERNOON TEA AT TORONTO’S FIRST POST OFFICE
DECEMBER 13th and 14th, 20th and 21st

Join us for the highlight of our Christmas programming. Once again this year we’re featuring an afternoon tea at one of the oldest surviving buildings in Toronto. Learn about the history of early Toronto, and the Victorian origins of our modern-day Christmas. Come in from the cold and warm yourself by the fireplace in the intimate surroundings of Toronto’s First Post Office, constructed in 1833. Participants can enjoy a late afternoon tea, before settling down to live again the spirit of a Toronto Christmas past. The programme includes the founding of the Town of York and the Battle of York, Toronto’s Rebel Christmas (December 1837), Charles Dickens, Toronto, and "A Christmas Carol", and Robertson Davies’ Christmas Ghost Stories.

Tea includes your own teapot filled with your choice of various teas or apple cider. The menu also includes tea sandwiches (a selection of egg salad, tuna, salmon and cream cheese and lox), scones served with butter and jam, and an assortment of cakes, pastries and tarts.

Space is very limited so reservations are essential. We recommend making reservations early.

Also, if you have a group we may be able to put together a special date and cost for you.

DATE :
Saturday December 13th, 2008
Sunday December 14th, 2008
Saturday December 20th 2008
Sunday December 21st 2008

TIME : 3:45 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
COST : $35.00 per adult ($50 for one adult and one child up to age 12)
TO RESERVE PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT richard@muddyyorktours.com or call me at (416) 487 9017

__________________

Richard Fiennes-Clinton
Muddy York Walking Tours
www.muddyyorktours.com
telephone : 416 487 9017
richard@muddyyorktours.com

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

- Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

Please note that this entry is for both the Tuesday, and Wednesday editions of WW.

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Image Credit: Wiki

Miriam Makeba, South Africa's legendary singer and anti-apartheid activist has died.

In one of her final interviews she was asked who her musical successor might be.

"Nobody can replace me as I can't replace anyone else," she said, adding that she wanted to remembered as "a very good old lady".

She was aged 76.

Rest in peace Mama Africa you will be greatly missed.

Russian soldiers in replica World War II gear re-enact the events of 1941, when troops marched directly to the front from Moscow's Red Square to fight the invading Nazis.

Do you think there is value in these types of reenactments? Here in Canada our own re-enactors are occasionally accused of glorifying war. I do not think that is the case at all.

I see these as living history lessons, that re-enforce the truth that war is anything but glamorous, and must be avoided or prevented at all costs.

Lest we forget......

Image Credit: BBC

Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States on November 4th, 2008. We watched his speech made in Chicago on that historic night from the comfort of bed with our wireless connection, and laptop. There was no way that we would have missed being a part of this event, even if in such a seemingly small way.

I have followed elections in the past, but nothing quite like this. Knowing that millions of others world over were watching along with us two ordinary Canadians in our PJs made it more than just an American election, it truly felt global, and perhaps a turning point for all of us world-wide.

I do not want to make this blog political, but I had to address this here because this point in human history truly felt more than political, it felt right.......and I wanted to record my thoughts here as they are fresh in my mind.

Congratulations Barack Obama! And thank you America! I felt that as I woke up yesterday morning my children were inheriting a better world.

Do you know what famous individual from history this is associated with? Can you guess?

Please note that this entry is for both the Tuesday, and Wednesday editions of WW.

Happy Wordless Wednesday! And Thank You For Stopping By!

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Image Credit: Wiki

Normally I would be blogging a bit about my blessings today, but to be honest every time I started to write something out it felt contrived.

I guess I'm feeling a little bit out of sorts, and to be honest the American elections, the antics, and the nastiness all over the media has left my soul feeling a touch drained. I look forward to the USA elections being over as they are covered extensively here in the Canadian press.

I'm certain I'll be feeling better next week, and will be posting more frequently in the coming weeks.