Jesse's Big Day

Last weekend I celebrated Jesse's ninth birthday with a ride on the Duc d"Orleans.

Jesse and I always have a lot of fun when we hang out and this was no exception. We headed down to Sarnia on a sunny but blustery day. Considering it was September 13th, it was COLD! That was a bit disappointing as hanging out on the upper (open) deck would've been a nice option. But the wind, and sometimes rain, kept us on the lower deck for most of the trip.

The Peanut, as I like to call him, did not let that effect his enjoyment of the trip. He soaked it all in! We had lunch on board and cruised down the river to Corunna and back. When we did venture out onto the deck, it was really fun to look down the river and see things from a new perspective.

After our cruise, we took a drive over to Port Huron. Jesse was really patient as we picked up a few things I needed in the States. We landed at Cracker Barrel for dinner. I know Mr. Jesse enjoys playing checkers and thought he'd like the table right by the fireplace for a few games. I was right. He's a tough competitor, but he won a game and I won a game..so it was even.

When our waitress discovered we were celebrating a birthday, she let him pick any dessert on the menu! He was thrilled. I always enjoy my special days with the kiddos, spending quality one-on-one time with them. They are pretty awesome additions to my life!

Reflecting on TIFF

As a fourteen year veteran of TIFF (in the words of the etalk reporter that interviewed me!) I feel obliged to report on this year's event. I have had a lot of feedback from friends and family that say they look forward to my TIFF photos each year. This year did not supply stellar results. However, it was a very fun day with friends.

In September 2000, my friend Lisa asked if I'd like to go to the Toronto International Film Festival with her. Earlier that year, she had returned from a trip to LA where she got tons of autographs outside Elton John's Oscar party. She was enamored with Hollywood and the idea of seeing the stars up close and personal. While I admired her book full of scribbles and the stories that accompanied it, I could not imagine why she wanted to go to Toronto. I asked "Who are we going to see? Jim Carey?" She then explained that TIFF was a big deal. Second, only to Cannes. Well, well...that changed everything.

Together with our other friend Janice, we booked a hotel and set off to do some star gazing. We were really not sure where we would end up, who we would see or what we were doing...so we came prepared, with ball gowns. Ha ha ha. So hilarious as I look back on the experience.

The first premiere we attended was for "Almost Famous" which remains one of my favourite movies. There were about 25 people there to see the stars parade in on the red carpet. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jimmy Fallon, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson... it was all very exciting. Fortunately we had left the ball gowns at the hotel.

After that first night, we picked up this new hobby and were riding the subway like native Torontonians - navigating our way to the different premieres. At the advice of our entertainment reporter, Janice Zolf, we had drinks at the Four Seasons hotel the next morning. (Drinks being $11 orange juice!) She suggested we might spot some celebs there. And, it paid off. Lisa returned from the washroom in a flurry of excitement, encouraging Janice & I to go to the lobby as Dan Aykroyd was there. We met Dan as well as Mike Bullard and Al Waxman.

Over the years, our "gets" got better and better until our books were filled with the who's who of Hollywood. The best autographs are the ones that come with a story. Like the time Keanu Reeves surprised us all by showing up in a cab. When Lisa dropped her sharpie and Sissy Spacek picked it up for her. When Benicio Del Toro paused to ask if I was ok when the people behind me were particularly pushy. When Pierce Brosnan spoke and took my breath away. And when George Clooney (best celeb ever) signed for hundreds of waiting fans with a broken hand!

Two years ago, Lisa and I decided we were retiring from this annual event. The crowds just kept getting bigger and you had to arrive earlier to get a good spot. And, sitting on the sidewalk isn't as easy as it used to be! So, in 2013 we did not attend TIFF. We both admitted that we missed the adrenaline rush that goes with that weekend. So, when my friends Karen and Kim asked about going with me this year...I said sure!

It was fun to take 2 noobies with me and show them the ropes. TIFF has become a huge deal in Toronto now with King Street completely closed down the day we were there. While we were waiting, we were interviewed by etalk, scored some free lipstick from L'Oreal and free coffee from McCafe as well.

We managed to snag a few autographs when the stars arrived, but happened to be in an area they tended to skip over. Boo to that. Tina Fey, however, walked straight toward me with sharpie in hand. She was ready...and so was I.

Another TIFF has come and gone. Will I return next year? Not sure yet. But, it is kinda fun that most any movie I watch, I can say ..."I have their autograph".

9-11

September 11th is a date that will be recalled with infamy. It is one of those pivotal moments that is frozen in time. One that you'll always remember where you were and what you were doing when you heard the dreaded news.

On September 11, 2001, I was working in the newsroom at CTV London. My shift started at 10:30am, just in time for the noon news. I was tuned in to the radio on my way to work when I heard that a plane had crashed into a building in New York. My first thought was that it was a small hobby plane and, though tragic, not a lot of harm done.

When I walked into the station, I was met by commotion in the hallway. People were gathered around the water cooler talking about what had happened. It seemed two planes had crashed into the twin towers in New York. There was a lot of confusion about the facts, with rumours swirling about multiple targets.

I walked into the newsroom and observed clusters of people gathered around TV monitors. Other than the audio from CNN, the place was eerily quiet. I made my way to the control room where our noon producer was watching her screen intently. "The tower just collapsed. I can't believe this!" She said it in disbelief. We were all in disbelief. The scenes on the monitors were like that of an apocalyptic movie.

I remember being scared. I wasn't sure why this was happening or what would happen next. I remember wanting to talk to one of my family members - but I couldn't seem to reach anyone. I remember my co-worker insisting this would lead to war and he would be drafted. I remember being unable to walk away from the constant barrage of information and horrifying pictures on TV. I remember that when I did walk away, I found myself in the staff lounge watching Sesame Street. It was the only channel that was not taken over by the carnage in New York.

We didn't produce a newscast that day. We flipped the switch to CNN and followed along with the rest of the world. In retrospect, I was situated in a really unique spot to observe the biggest news event in my lifetime unfold. Where were you on September 11, 2001?

The "unofficial" end of summer...

Labour Day weekend typically signifies the "unofficial" end of summer. Even though autumn doesn't arrive until mid September, there is definitely a shift that happens when the calendar flips. The kids go back to school, the days are shorter and it just starts to feels like fall.

As one last hurrah, I had some friends over for a campfire on Sunday night. At the beginning of the summer, I anticipated many campfires. A campfire every weekend. They are, after all, one of my favourite things about summer. Well, I had one on the July long weekend and one Labour Day weekend. Hardly one every weekend, but that's how it goes sometimes.

My brother had been describing some of the yummy pie irons they made while on vacation and I thought that sounded like a pretty good idea. So, I borrowed the  irons from my parents and stocked up on some "fillings".

The result was some tasty treats. We had pizza pie irons and all kinds of dessert concoctions. What fun. Especially for the pie iron virgins in the crowd!

Campfires always bring together good friends, good food and good conversation. This one did not disappoint. And, it turns out, it wasn't the end of summer after all! This week we've had some of the hottest temperatures of the year!

New Discoveries

You never know when you will discover something new about yourself. For many years I would scrunch my nose at the mention of camping. That was not my idea of a vacation. The bugs, the dirt, a tent? No thanks.

As I alluded to earlier, my brother convinced me to join their annual fishing trip this year. At first I was apprehensive, but as the departure grew closer, I started to get excited. It was going to be a lot of fun!

After one week completely off the grid (cell service is spotty/limited in Northern Ontario once you're past Sault Ste. Marie and non-existent where we were) I'm happy to say that I've discovered a side of me that I didn't know existed. I loved it! The landscape was breathtaking and it was amazing to spend a week without the conveniences of home. The soundtrack for the week was lapping water, the call of loons and excited squeals when someone caught a fish!

My brother John is a like a hybrid of MacGyver, Bob Izumi and Survivorman. He is passionate about the outdoors and is a wealth of information about not just fish, but most living creatures and their habitats. With endless patience, he has passed on this passion to Josh and Kaelyn who at 13 and 10 are experts at tying lines, hooking worms and gutting fish!

I'd like to take a moment to brag - I caught the first fish of the trip! It was a pike and we threw it back, but still! My nephew Jesse (the group's youngest) caught the biggest fish - also a pike that we threw back. He was beyond excited.

The majority of our time was spent fishing but we also found time for playing some games, campfires and lots of stories from Grandpa.

Summer Days

Where has the summer gone? I blinked my eyes and it's now mid-August. I guess time flies when you're having fun. And fun, I've had! The calendar has been jam-packed which is probably why my blog has been abandoned! Some of the highlights:

Last weekend we had a family wedding. It was a beautiful sunny day for the outdoor ceremony. And I got to spend time with some of my favourite people.
I did my first camping trip in a very long time. My friend Kim loves to camp and has tried to convince me the last few years to go. I've been getting in touch with my getting-in-touch-with-nature gene and agreed to go. Although it was a little cool for the beach, we avoided rain and I finished a book I had been reading. It was relaxing to have nothing on the agenda except sitting in my lawnchair or walking the beach.
Despite vowing to never do it again the last time I had one, I hosted a yard sale during Old East Village's community wide event. The day was a gong-show from the beginning. I caught a cold the day before, it rained, I sold $32 worth of my junk (not a great hourly rate of pay if you average it out!) and to top it off, I got a $35 parking ticket at the end of the day for parking in front of my own house. That's right...it cost me $3 to have that yard sale. Never again!
I finally got to take my sister Connie out for her birthday! We had a great night out at Olive's followed by a Long John at Global Donuts. (who knew their donuts were so amazing? Well, Connie did!) It was nice to spend some uninterrupted time together with my sis.
My Uncle Cliff, Aunt Penny and cousin Carol Ann came to visit...all at the same time! It was a mini-Murray reunion. We don't get to see each other nearly enough so it was such a fun night spent on the patio. And, it just happened to be on National Cousins Day. Next year we have big plans for a big reunion!
My trip to New Orleans deserves its own post but I will say that I held a baby alligator. No kidding.

In addition, I've had lots of lunches, coffees, dinners and campfires with friends here and there. I'm almost looking forward to things settling down when September hits!

Take Me Out To The Ball Game!

Last week we celebrated Josh's birthday with a trip to Labatt Park to see the London Majors. It was my first time to a Majors' game and we had so much fun.

Josh has been playing baseball since the early years of Tball, so I thought this would be something we could both enjoy. After a back yard BBQ we hit Marble Slab for our own creation of ice cream. It's always fun to combine several of your favourites to invent your own flavour. Josh had peanut butter ice cream with Mars bar & Reece's Pieces. I had chocolate ice cream with Reece's peanut butter cup. (too traditional? Maybe, but it was tasty!)

When we got to the park, we found a spot behind home plate. It was a beautiful night to be outside watching London take on Kitchener. Fortunately, our team was ahead the whole evening. Along the way, Josh filled me in on the rules and why certain things were happening. Typically a quiet kid, if you get him talking about the right topic, he can keep the conversation going!

One of those topics is fishing. That boy loves to fish. Which is no surprise if you've met his father. What I love about talking to either of them about fishing is the way their eyes light up. You can just feel their passion for it. I heard all about the destination for our upcoming fishing trip, what kind of fish we'll catch, what you need to use to catch them, which ones are more fun to catch and which ones taste the best. I love this kid.

The best part about this birthday tradition is seeing the personality emerge in these little people and I'm always impressed with what I see.

The Magic of the Airport

When I was little, I watched in awe as The Keatons flew to England on a family vacation and The Bradys jumped on a plane to Hawaii. TV Family vacations seemed so exotic. We packed up the motorhome and headed out on the open road. No luggage, no airline tickets, no boarding passes, no passport required.

My first time on an airplane was when I flew to France in my last year of high school. I thought I was joining the likes of Alex P. Keaton as I waited at the gate to board my first flight. How luxurious to fly to my destination!

I have flown plenty of times since then, but arriving at the airport still holds the mystique from my childhood. It just seems full of adventure. It is the perfect place for people watching.

I love getting a coffee, finding my gate and sitting down to watch the other travelers pass by me. Cowboy hats. High heels. Pajamas. Anything goes. It's fun to imagine the back story on where they're flying and who they're going to see. Last week I had the pleasure of doing this in FOUR different airports as I made my way from Detroit to New Orleans via Dallas and back through Chicago.

I'm not sure which is better: the airport or the airplane. It's really an amazing feeling when it lifts off the ground and you're in the air. Seriously, it astounds me every time! I love having a window seat and looking down at the winding river, arrow-straight roads, mosaic fields and the puffy clouds that look like cotton candy.

Thank you Wright Bros. for making this post possible.

Goin' Fishin'

When I joined my brother and his kids for a day of ice fishing in February, I never dreamed it would lead to me heading on a week-long, hard-core fishing trip.

Each year, John & Dad set off with Josh & Kaelyn for a week of fishing in a top secret location. It's secluded but the fishing is awesome! They eat, sleep and breath fish during this week. I've never really considered this appealing, yet each year, John would ask if I wanted to join them. I always looked at him like he was crazy and said "um, no thanks."

Well, this year when he asked, I hesitated. I have really enjoyed the times I've gone fishing since getting my license in February. Maybe I ...no. Seriously? What was I thinking? A week in the bush? No. Definitely not.

Then he'd ask again. My niece Kaelyn would smile and say "if you came, Auntie Janice, I wouldn't be the only girl!" Well, this is true, but... could I really handle a week of fishing? No shower? A makeshift toilet? No connectivity? I was seriously considering this invitation. When I asked John if he thought I could hack it, his response was profound and can be applied to most things in life. "The trip will be whatever you decide to make it, Janice".

I've decided to make it an adventure.


I can see that John is excited to share his passion of fishing with me on this trip. This weekend he gave me a hand made fishing lure. My first! And I can add it to my tackle box, whenever I get that! There are so many styles to choose from - slide out drawers, pull-up shelves, soft-sided, traditional hard-sided... When I was at John's house this weekend, he showed me the variety they have so I could get an idea of what I like. I also got tips on what footwear to bring, strategy for avoiding bugs, and general "what to expect" info.

I'm excited to see what's in store as I head out on this experience. I have a feeling a whole lot of memories are waiting to be made.

Home Sweet Home

I can't believe it's been three years since I moved in to my little house. (nope, it's not on the prairie)

I remember how I felt the first time I walked through it - like it was already mine. It took a bit of back & forth, a few offers, and a deal that fell apart just so I could make another offer and make it mine.

I love the Old East Village, my street and my neighbours. I can walk to work and the Farmer's Market on Saturday. There's a community centre and a library around the corner and did I mention how great my neighbours are? In the summer, people cut my grass. In the winter, they help shovel my snow. Yep. It's good.

My favourite thing about my little house is the front porch. I just love curling up in my Muskoka chair with a book and watching the rain come down. It's also a pretty great place to have coffee with a friend.

There weren't really any major projects that needed to be done when I moved in, but it's been fun to work on smaller ones. My dad has been my go-to guy for most of these ventures. He's helped me with my eaves troughs, painting my porch and assembling & hanging countless items. He just always seems to know how to do "stuff".

As I reflect on how I felt three years ago, not much has changed. Still lovin' it here in the Old East Village!

I should point out the 2011 is an MLS picture. I would never have such a hideous couch!

Dad's Big Day

Fed Up

Last night I watched the documentary Fed Up. I'm convinced every family needs to watch this movie.

Have you paused to consider why people are exercising at an incredible pace yet obesity rates are on the rise? Think about it. Gym memberships, zumba classes and marathon runners are everywhere, yet waistlines just keep getting bigger.

This film explores the food industry and more specifically how much sugar is being added to processed food. It follows several young teens and their struggle with their weight. It's shocking to see what is being served up in high school cafeterias and some of the politics behind it.

Did you know this generation is the first expected to lead shorter lives than their parents? Did you know that by 2050, 1 in 3 Americans will have Diabetes? If we think our health care systems are in trouble now, imagine what it will be like when the children that are already obese become adults. Consider what health issues come with that.

When you walk through the aisles at the grocery store, don't be fooled by labels like "25% less sodium" and "fat free". These are crappy products that are marketing the fact that they are slightly less crappy. Instead of purchasing something that comes in a box, bag, bottle or can, visit your farmer's market and purchase REAL food. Cut it, slice it, cook it and enjoy it.

Take a look for yourself and when it comes to Netflix, be sure to watch it.

The Family Project

I have found that as the years go past, demands on your time increase. Unfortunately, everything has to be scheduled to make it a reality. For this reason, I came up with an idea for my birthday this year that involved spending time with my favourite people.

It's a twist on my idea of spending a special day with my nieces & nephews for their birthday. On my birthday, I gave each of my siblings and my parents a card with a personalized note of gratitude for their influence on making me who I am today. I also introduced the idea of spending one day/month with one of them as a way of keeping up connection. Unfortunately, months can pass and I haven't had a conversation with one of my sisters as they've been headed to piano lessons, soccer practice, etc.

My first sibling date was with my sister Jo-Anne. We checked out a local chocolate shop that serves up fondue in their cafe. It was a nice evening for us to relax and catch up on life without the interruption of little boys. The chocolate was pretty tasty as well!

This weekend I spent Monday fishing with my brother John. Josh and Kaelyn also came along for what turned out to be a fruitless exercise. However, it was not the number of fish caught that was important, but rather the time spent together. John & I share a love for nostalgia so there was lots of story-telling and remembering as we drove the back roads to Erieau.

Next up is my sister Connie and then maybe I'll have all three (and spouses!) over. So far I'm really enjoying this Family Project.

When Spring Springs

Each year it seems to go from dreary gray/brown empty branches to green bursting forth over night. Perhaps not literally over night but more or less!

Although this happens each year, I'm still amazed when I witness it happen. That moment when Spring springs! 

So happy to leave that LONG winter behind us. Bring on the flowers and sunshine.

Bring DNTO to London!

Sometimes the most incredible things fall into place randomly. And sometimes social media helps the process along.

For example, one day I was simply retweeting some great songs by an artist I love and he sent a song out just for me! And that led to a friendship and a campaign to bring him to London. A year later, it worked. Reid, Carolyn and John came to London and played at the East Village Coffeehouse.

Similarily, we (LdnOnt) brought CBC Q and Jian Ghomeshi to London through the power of social media.

So, it should come as no surprise to me that the following story unfolded as the result of a few tweets.

Last week CBC's Definitely Not The Opera asked their twitter followers to tweet photos of themselves with celebrities. Well, anyone that knows me, knows that I have plenty of those! I chose a select few and sent them out into the twitterverse. Immediately they were favourited and retweeted by DNTO. And a few minutes later, they replied to say if there's a good story behind my pics, please contact their producer.

I sent a message off to let them know that I'm not completely crazy or a stalker, but just something Lisa & I do once a year.

Well, we've had a few back and forth emails and it turns out I just might convince DNTO to take the show on the road and come to London! I mean, if it worked for Jian and Q, why not for SookYin and DNTO? How fun is that? Well, for a CBC fan like myself, it's a hoot.

And, as a side note, David Spade (the REAL David Spade) favourited my tweet that included my pic with him. It's always fun when you get feedback from a celebrity!

So stay tuned as this story unfolds. Can't wait to see what's in store!

Initiated Into The Club

I can remember following my brother around when I was a little girl, intrigued by all the things he knew about. He had seven years on me, so he was a wealth of information - particularly about things related to nature.

Countless times we would walk across the road and go fishing in the ditch. As we sat on the culvert, our neighbour Don Simpson would come over with a big smile on his face and ask in a most serious tone "are you catching anything today?" John would give him the report and I would just sit there swinging my legs.

I cherish those memories with John and was always happy to tag along.

This year (as I blogged about here) I joined John and his kids Josh and Kaelyn for an afternoon of ice fishing. It was my first time and I had a hoot. When buying my license, I decided to pay the extra $10 and be covered for a full year rather than just one day. We didn't get the opportunity to go out on the ice again, but plan to join John & co. on some of their fishing excursions this spring/summer.

This weekend, I was presented with my very first fishing rod. I felt like I was officially "in the club" and this was my initiation.

Can't wait to do some fishing this summer! Thanks John & Josh.

Memory Lane

It's funny how, despite our expectations to the contrary, time does not stand still. When you're a teenager or even in your 20's you're living in the moment, life is good and getting older seems like a lifetime away.

I've been feeling nostalgic lately with subtle reminders of the passing of time and this weekend was a great example. We gathered yesterday for an awesome Easter dinner, egg hunt for the kids and some family time. After dinner John had the idea to watch an old VHS tape of a fishing trip he took with Dad and his friend Joel over 20 years ago.

The men and some of the kids watched the video while the rest of us chatted or played a game. I occasionally looked up to catch a glimpse of a lake, a forest or the highway. When that video was over, we started rummaging in the drawer under the TV to see what else was in there. We found Mom & Dad's 25th anniversary party, Christmas 1991 and one that contained Connie carrying the Olympic torch in 1988.

As we put those in the VCR, everyone seemed to stop what they were doing and gathered around to watch. What fun to see how we looked 20 years ago! There were lots of other family and friends that popped up and the room would burst into laughter, exclaim "look at her hair" or let out a collective "awww".

I must admit, I got a little teary when Grandad came on the screen and especially when I heard his voice.

It was great fun to relive some memories from the past and it was such a reminder of how time moves on. John remarked that he is now the same age as Dad was in one of the videos and I pointed out the same to Abby.

Can't wait until next time we get together. I have a great tape in my basement I'm going to bring :)

Yolkswagen

I love breakfast food. Really. It's my favourite meal as far as selection goes. Bacon. Eggs. Pancakes. Waffles. Fruit. Coffee. Juice. What's not to love about ALL of those things?

I also love VW's Beetle. I think that is obvious. It has been my favourite car since I was a wee girl and I've been driving a Beetle for 12 years now.

This photo popped up in my twitter feed today and I had to share. How cute?

#NoMakeUpSelfie

This week I've noticed a trend on social media. Women are posting pictures of "selfies" with no makeup. Supposedly, this act will promote cancer awareness. This does not sit well with me.

We are all aware of cancer. We do not need to be more aware of cancer. What we need to be more aware of is how to prevent cancer in the first place. Or at the very least, support someone we know that is going through such a horrible challenge in their life.

Perhaps I'm missing a major piece of the puzzle, but the way I see this trend is: an increasingly self-absorbed society pretending to do something good for others. From what I gather, the original (British) campaign #DareToBare solicited funds from a beauty retailer each time the hashtag was used. This newest (N. American) trend does not have a sponsor and is not raising money for anyone.

As someone that has been touched by this disease more often than I'd like to acknowledge, this #NoMakeUpSelfie trend has really riled me up. At first I just chalked it up to another social media trend but while discussing it with a friend tonight, I realized just how annoyed I was by it.

This weekend a friend of my family lost his battle with cancer. If you really want to make a difference in the fight against cancer, find someone that is going through it. Offer to help them in some way. It could be as simple as making a meal, driving them to an appointment, paying for a parking pass at the hospital or a pre-paid gas card. When you're battling the toughest challenge of your life, it speaks volumes when someone comes along side you and offers a helping hand.

Please think about this before posting your NoMakeUpSelfie online.

Long Live Cheer Bear!

When I look back on my birthdays-past, there is one that stands out as particularly memorable.

When I turned seven, Care Bears were riding a pretty big wave of popularity. More than anything, I wanted the pink bear with a rainbow on its tummy. Cheer Bear. Well, for my birthday that year everything I opened was pink with a rainbow on it. A jewellery box, a necklace, colouring book, puzzle, etc. My cake was a 3D care bear (ya, my mom ROCKs) and my sister Jo-Anne even dressed up as Cheer Bear for the party. (Thanks to Mom turning a pair of pink pajamas into a costume. She's pretty handy in case you haven't picked up on that)

Of course the best part was opening my Cheer Bear. My mom had, once again, come through! She MADE me a Care Bear. It was awesome. So awesome that thirty years later, it is one my treasured items from childhood that I still hold dear.

The funny thing is, as I approached my birthday this year, there were so many things that reminded me of this special party.

• First, Mom had found the costume while sorting things in the laundry room. On one of my trips to the farm she asked if I would like it or should she get rid of it. Hello? Get rid of it? No way. I brought it home with me.
• Secondly, I found a journal I had in grade one. I enjoyed flipping through the pictures and the carefully printed letters... and then I reached the last page. Check out the picture!
• Thirdly, my friend Kim knows about Cheer Bear (Who's looking like he's 30 years old. Oh yes...that's right. My pink bear somehow has always been of the male gender. Ha ha) and got me this updated version for my birthday this year. How cute.