Monday Morning June 16 - Just do the right thing, Joe

We do most of our living between Friday night and Monday morning.  Monday morning is the time to reflect on the weekend and get back into our week day routine . As I get older it becomes more difficult to get myself  moving on Monday morning.   I guess that is part of what retirement planning is about - letting go of the weekday routine and spreading the rest of your life over seven days!

Monday June 16, 2014

The Mayor of my hometown has been embroiled in a scandal over the past couple of years.  No, I am not talking about Rob Ford - this is yet another Canadian Mayor who has failed to do the right thing.

In a nutshell - our mayor was formerly a federal politician who during his time serving as a member of Parliament allegedly altered an $1700 invoice for the deposit for his sons wedding to an invoice for a cancelled political visit.  The forged document was leaked to the local newspaper spurring an RCMP investigation resulting in charges of  forgery, fraud and breach of trust.  On Friday, the court case came to conclusion and he was found guilty on all three charges.  He awaits sentencing.

It seems to me that every step along the way, he had the opportunity to do the right thing....

The most obvious was the initial crime.  How do you get to the point that you think you are entitled to have the hard earned tax contributions of Canadians pay any part of your sons wedding

When confronted by the RCMP he could have admitted his actions, confessed and accepted the consequences of his actions.  This would have saved the embarrassment of the city and saved the taxpayers the expense of the trial.

When charged, he could have stepped down temporarily as Mayor until the outcome of the charges were known.  Why carry on and have the City tagged with this scandal.

When found guilty on Friday - he should have stepped down as Mayor immediately.  He no longer has the moral authority to be the steward of this citys resources or reputation. The decision to appeal is up to him and his legal team, but step down.  Stop this from being a civic issue and instead turn it into what it should be - a personal issue .

For a man that takes every opportunity to profess his love of this City....he seems to care little for what is in the best interest of our town.

Just do the right thing, Joe.

Monday Morning - June 9 - A flower pot now stands....

We do most of our living between Friday night and Monday morning.  Monday morning is the time to reflect on the weekend and get back into our week day routine . As I get older it becomes more difficult to get myself  moving on Monday morning.   I guess that is part of what retirement planning is about - letting go of the weekday routine and spreading the rest of your life over seven days!

Monday, June 9, 2014

A flower pot now stands where a basketball hoop once did.

When we first moved into our house over twenty years ago, my father in law bought a full size basketball hoop for my son for his sixth birthday.  It was before the days of portable ones, so my husband poured bags and bags of cement to secure it in place.  

I remember when it first went up and how it towered over the driveway, I wondered if my son would ever be tall enough to use it.  

It seemed like no time at all and he was playing ball in the driveway. Eventually he grew to 6'4 and could hang off of it.

The hoop was not only a source of recreation but a navigation aide as well.   For years, it was the only hoop on our street and I would always direct people to the "house with the hoop in the driveway"

Over the years it had become rusty and an eyesore, It had to come down.  So last week, my son came over and took down  his birthday present from his grandfather from all those years ago.   They had done such a good job putting it up, it was a bit of a struggle to remove. 

Now when  I pull into the driveway,  the house definitely looks better but I will never look at that flower pot and not think of the basketball hoop.

Monday Morning - June 2 - Kitten

We do most of our living between Friday night and Monday morning.  Monday morning is the time to reflect on the weekend and get back into our week day routine . As I get older it becomes more difficult to get myself  moving on Monday morning.   I guess that is part of what retirement planning is about - letting go of the weekday routine and spreading the rest of your life over seven days!

Monday, June 2, 2014

Meet Layla - our new Lilac -Tortie point Siamese kitten.  We have had her for a month and she is the main reason I have not been on this blog.  She is into everything and everytime I go online, she insists on sitting on my keyboard.

It has been 14 years since we had a kitten and I had forgotten how absolutely cute and courageous they are.  She is into everything and tears around our house like a mad thing.  We are having so much fun with her.  



She has at least doubled in size since she joined our family and looks more like a young cat now than a kitten.










Over the month, Beau and Layla have worked out their issues - she constantly was attacking him - Beau was a bit frightened... but now they are on the path to BFFs.  It is remarkable and a lesson in patience  for me how a 100 pound dog lets a little one pound kitten into his home and his heart.  Thank you Beau