Dreams Do Come True

Big Day Coming

Our Writing Group, called Blue Pencil Cafe, has published a book called "Out of the Blue".  It is a compilation of the writings from our members and we are having a book launch on  Monday, November 24 from the SAGE  site (15 Churchill Square,  corner of 102A   Avenue and  100 Street) in downtown Edmonton.  There will be readings by our members as well as a chance to meet the authors and see displays (and even purchase if you wish)  some of their other writings.

 Refreshments will be available on site.  Come and meet our writers and perhaps even join our group for the next season.  I am certain you will get (as I did) much inspiration from this  group. Many of us are now "living our dream!" We come from all walks of life but we all share a common dream and this group lets us live it!  Come and join us.

A Precious Gift

OUT  OF STOCK

I went to a drugstore with a special request today but they told me they could not fill my order. They advertise that they carry everything so that is false advertising, is it not??? I only asked for one single dose of "youth" and they turned me down.  I was extremely disappointed.

 As a Ukrainian kid growing up, I used to listen to a very melodic and beautiful Ukrainian song about a woman that was  going to go on a trip in search of her youthful healthy years.  I can still hear the melody but do not recall all the words. It was sung by a woman who was going to ask  her youthful years to at least "visit her for awhile as a guest"  The next verse is the reply  from her youthful years who tell her they can never come back because she had not cherished either her youth or her good health when she had them, therefore there was "nothing" to come back to now.

Sometimes it seems to me that song is relevant to some of today's youth who waste their youthful good  health on drugs , alcohol, smokes and and other destructive lifestyles.  Too late, they find that there is no turning back after the damage is done.  Just simple ageing is enough of a downgrade for any "body". And that is even without any prior abuse or addition of destructive practices.

Cherish your youth and your health! They are precious! Just ask any senior.

A Freebee

Free Pre-Christmas Giveaway

Is anyone out there looking for snow?  It is really pretty and white.  Good for skiing, tobogganing,  sledding,  snowshoeing and all manner of winter sports. We won't charge for it.  We'll give it away for free!

We usually kind of like it ourselves, but in more reasonable amounts and, as a rule, somewhat later on into the winter season. However at the rate we are going this year, we can spare much for just giving away to anyone in need. We are confident we'll acquire more for ourselves as the season progresses.

 So come on folks, any takers???? We have enough to spare! And just in time to provide you with a really MERRY WHITE CHRISTMAS!   Get your freebee before this offer expires.

Counting Blessings

"Hope Springs Eternal"

I was just talking to a friend of mine who has terminal cancer and I was awed by her courage and her upbeat attitude. Some people should remain in this world forever, simply to maintain sanity in the rest of us. If it is true that the "Good Die Young", it is truly a great misfortune.  We all need a voice of reason to get us through difficult times in our life, but few of us can maintain an upbeat attitude in the face of tragedy or disaster. That takes fortitude of the kind few of us can muster .

I know some of my readers may be struggling with problems not exactly of their own making. Some of those problems are fixable, while others seem totally insurmountable.  However, sometimes a positive and optimistic attitude gives us the where-with-all to keep our heads above water even in the face  of adversity.

To all those struggling with problems today, I wish you the power of my friend's optimistic and positive outlook.   Her approach to tragedy was certainly a lesson in humility to me!  I should be counting my blessings instead of looking for little things to complain about.  Perhaps we all should.

Canada Day Poem (Late)

I am late with this poem.  I wrote it 3 years ago for our Tenant Association July newsletter. When my old computer crashed this spring, I lost several files that I had not backed up onto a memory stick.   I thought I had lost this poem forever but the editor had a copy in her files and kindly retrieved it for me.  It is still July and hopefully, Canada Day is still not totally forgotten. Forgive this less than timely publication. Regardless of the date, it still applies.

What is Freedom?

Freedom is a priceless endowment Canadians take for granted

Without rancour or apology – or gratitude

It’s “our right” our inheritance – our very own treasure

No one may trample it, question it, or disown it

Take it away, disclaim it or even earn it.

It is there, it is ours – free for the taking

Even if we fail to recognize or appreciate it

Even when we challenge, dispute, distort, or abuse it

It remains with us still

Unworthy, ungrateful, though we may be

The ever-loving puppy at our feet

Forever faithful, always patient, all forgiving, never judging

Though we be prone to such disdain.

In Canada, freedom is not an elusive, impossible dream

It is not a sad lament, not even a fantasy

Uttered with apprehension or dread

Lest we be overheard.

Freedom is not a nebulous vision on a misty horizon

A vague and hopeless delusion, unfruitful, barren

A beautiful mirage of an unattainable aspiration

A wistful thought, unrealized, in fear unspoken

A child not ever-yet to be conceived.

What have I done to be so privileged to posses it?

Worthy and deserving of this incalculable liberty?

I was born in Canada!

As for the suffering million poor of this world – there, but for the grace of God, go I!!!

Computer Handicap

Oops, I forgot to eat.

I'm a computer addict - a computer geek - if you will.  However a computer geek implies someone who is extremely knowledgeable about computers and how they work.  That totally eliminates me from the "geek"  category.  I only know what is absolutely necessary to what I am doing at the moment.  Beyond that, I am an ignoramus! When I run against a problem, I have a list of "go-to" people, my son, my daughter, my granddaughter, my niece (my editor), or a distant cousin who's an expert on blogging publications.  In other words, if it was not for these helpers I would be a strictly "text" person.  But that does not keep me off the computer!  I am a stubborn "gook" if nothing else.  I refuse to give up, even to the point of being a pain in other peoples' butts!  I can be a major pest without even trying!

Being retired and living alone in a one-bedroom apartment, I answer to no one.  This allows me the freedom to do as I please.  I get up when I feel like it, (anywhere between 7 and 10 AM). I go to bed when I am dead tired, (anywhere between 9 PM and 4 AM) and I eat when I get good and hungry, (breakfast can be anywhere from 8 AM  and 3 PM) thanks to my dictator, the computer!  Depending on what I start working on, what the computer hooks me with, and how determined I am to lick the problem at hand, I can lose all sense of time and purpose.  (You'd think that with such an erratic eating schedule, I would be skinny as a rail.)  NO SUCH LUCK!!! When I get to that fridge, I devour everything in sight!!!

So am I ready to change my ways???   Not on your life!!!!  I waited 65 years to get to this stage!!! Give it up? You think I'm nuts?   I intend to enjoy every minute of this.  I earned it and I am claiming it!
So go ahead and have fun with your envy!  It's your problem!   I intend to live the way I want to!

Treasures Lost

I  was just reading  letters Ruth Jackson's blog  http://www.memoirwritersworld.blogspot.com/ where she posted  her father-in-law's letters from World War I,    Ruth is very fortunate to have such personal and intimate records of her family members.


My father, Dmetro Bailuk, served in the Austrian Army sometime back at the beginning of the century but I have no records of it other than an old portrait of him in army uniform.  (This portrait was damaged in Dauphin's flood of 1975 so not even that it is in the best condition.) Both my Mom and Dad came from the Ukraine at the turn of the century, but never preserved any  records. 

I was not  trying to do extensive records like Ruth.  I simply wanted some information for our family tree but such sources of information are difficult to obtain now. I envy Ruth her rich and reliable records.  Few of us are that privileged. I tried variations of spelling but was not successful at obtaining information.  Even the 1916 census did not have him listed because he must have been away from home and working somewhere.  Mom is listed as the head of the household in that census. I even tried contacting Bailuk's on Skype in the Ukraine with no success.

My father went to work on the railroad here in Canada after he married my mom (they married in 1914 and farmed in the Mossey River municipality of Manitoba.)  I'm sure he wrote letters  home also, but Mom never thought of preserving them.  So all I can say is: those of you that have old records like that, cherish them.  They are more precious than gold!        

Celebrating CANADA DAY

                                            Celebrating Canada Day

Okay, I apologize.  We got rain.  A nice downpour yesterday during the day but by evening it had cleared out very nicely to give us a most glorious evening for watching the spectacular fireworks.

 At 10:30  in the evening, we joined the throngs of people who lined up along the Promenade overlooking the serene and verdant River valley to watch the fireworks over the distant High Level Bridge.  It turned out to be a beautiful evening, balmy with just a whisper of a breeze. A magnificent moon,  like a sovereign in the heavens, watched over his dominion of twinkling city lights below.  Even  the cacophony of cheering voices failed to quell the tranquility of this nature's oasis of the peaceful river valley in the middle of the bustling city rush surrounding it.   I wish I had a camera that could capture the atmosphere.  Still pictures just don't do the trick at all.


As we walked home after the display, a hint of delicate perfumes of various blossoms permeated the air to enhance the ambiance of a perfect summer evening.  What a beautiful country we live in!   

Goal Achieved

                             Unexpected Success


When I started this blog, it was with the purpose of getting the stories from my books out to the public - to those people that were not able to obtain my book because of financial constraints, storage or distance limitations or some other difficulties. I thought that if I blogged the stories from my book, it would make them available to everyone free of charge, albeit piece meal over a lengthy period of time.

Fairly early in my sojourn into the blogging world, it became evident that there were several serious drawbacks to that scheme.  

First:  some of my readers at that time, were unfamiliar with blogging (and/or computers) and I was not reaching those readers anyway.

Second:  Many of my stories were too long for a blog. This made it unappealing and thus defeated the purpose of the blog.  In addition, it limited my opportunities to express opinions, make observations, or anything else I might wish to include in my blog.

Last, but by no means least, I now had an excellent and efficient editor (Marilyn Christian) who is publishing my books on line With Lulu Publishers – free Ebooks for those that just simply wish to read it.  For those that wish to purchase a book to keep, they are available for sale in beautifully laid out, bound books on the  Lulu site.  (I do have coil bound "Small Beginnings" at home. As well, my books are also available at Dauphin Musical Supplies in Dauphin Manitoba. They are my distributor there.  Books Purchased directly from me or from Dauphin Musical Supplies are cheaper at $12.00 per book and you save shipping charges if you pick them up personally).

The original purpose for the blog was therefore being met much more efficiently with Lulu's publication and I could still use my blog for my personal views, opinions, observations etc.   My book "Roots - A Life in Review" will be coming out as an Ebook as well as in a bound book form from Lulu  within the next month.

Incidentally, Marilyn is also putting her husband's (Dudley Christian) Poetry Books on line.  Just Google the authors name and you'll see them.  

Wasted Treasures

Wasted Treasures

Last week I was asked to speak at a Library luncheon to a group of ladies that were primarily readers of books.  I knew a number of those women personally and at different ocassions had spent some very interesting times conversing with them. 

Several of these women often related very fascinating stories of their past.  Many of them were of European descent and some were survivers of the war.  They had sometimes horrendous, sometimes  fantastic, sometimes unbelievably miraculous stories to relate about dealing with fear, hardship, survival, and eventual escape from those conditions.  Most of us born and raised here in Canada could not imagine, much less empathize, with the conditions they described.  Yet these women  related their stories without bitterness or malice, simply stating their facts as they had happened, just happy that that life was over and they were now free and safe.  Those days  were merely their past! - done - but not forgotten. 

Those of us listening, were thoroughly engrossed. In fact many of us were mesmerized by their fortitude, their  courage, their perseverence and their determination to find a better life for themselves and for their families.  They had left a land that had failed them, a race that had forsaken them and a dream that  had turned dark and empty. 

These women (and I realize there were men in these same circumstances too),  came to a new country where they knew and understood no one, where they had no knowledge of the customs, the traditions, the expections, or even the mores of the different ethnic peoples they were forced to live among.  They faced near starvation and frigid temperatures in a primitive land  that often offered limited shelter, no conveniences and no assistance except that of thoughtful and kind strangers, who neither spoke nor understood their language yet displayed a humane heart.   Yet they persevered and made a good life for themselves and their families in spite of all the adversities, contributing unobtrusively to the success of their new country and ultimately their own families.
 

Yet there is a sad anticlimax here.  Their stories, irregardless how fascinating, end with them.  When I suggested they write them down, for future generations, they dismissed the idea because "no one would be interested".  Several others and I protested that the stories were not only interesting but intrigueing, but still the women said that they could write them down.   They said the were not computer literate, did not type, and and could not possibly write it all down in longhand.  Therfore, those stories would die with them.  Such a pity.  Such a waste. 

I have another suggestion to those who have stories to tell.  Buy a voice activated tape recorder.  They can be purchaced for under $50.00.  Record your stories and someday someone will transcribe them.  Such treasures are far too prescious to bury!

Discovered Treasures

 TREASURED OLD PICTURES, 

I  got a fantastic surprise the other day that added a wonderful new dimension to my life.   In my memoirs, I had a story about Bruiny, a collie type dog we used to have when I was growing up.  As I went back over that special time, nostalgia overwhelmed me as I recalled Bruiny's loyalty and devotion.  I knew I used to have a picture of Bruiny but though I searched though perhaps thousands of pictures (I have tons of albums) I could not find it.

Cameras were pretty rare at that time and I had moved a few times. Perhaps with the moves that picture got lost somehow.  I checked with a couple of relatives that I thought might have a copy but no one had one.  I was resigned to never seeing Bruiny again.  Most of the relatives I thought might have one, had already passed on and their pictures were probably garbaged by children that didn't see the significance of those old photographs.

I happened to mention my terrible disappointment to a niece, my brother's daughter, never even considering that she might have one as my brother was away working when I was growing up and, on his infrequent visits to the farm, was never interested in animals.

Imagine my joy when the next day,  I got an email from Marilyn with an attachment entitled "IsitBruiny".  There in front of my eyes was Bruiny, patiently sitting and waiting while my Dad and my brother caroused beside him.  Somehow Mike had captured his spirit and kept that picture.  Marilyn had saved her father's old pictures after Mike passed away and found this treasure among them.  I wonder how many treasures are lost because their value is not appreciated until it is too late. 

Happily, I added the picture into the book of memoirs ("Small Beginnings"), and I saved a copy on my desktop on my computer.  I click on the image every so often just to "center myself".  I takes me back to a time of my life when life was serene and carefree.  It is wonderful to revisit that life in a time when everything  is so fast paced and often hectic.