Saturday, November 22, 2008

My Husband






My husband Jules celebrates his birthday this weekend. Alot is to be said about his sweet , kind individual. He is a homebody, loves his computer games, loves to clean the house and for that I have to say does an incredible job. He's not the type of husband that needs to be followed around to check to see if any spots have been missed. People ask me if I could loan him out...I always answer flatly ...no! Jules loves babies and cats and even the neighbour's dog Indy. Each morning before we leave for work , I find Jules sitting in the living room having quiet time with Sylvester. Syl will be sitting on the arm of the chair and Jules will be softly patting him. It's like Sylvester is trying to tell Jules to stay home and hang with him. As we leave out the door Sylvester sadly looks. I find it funny and strange how our three rug rats hover over Jules and but won't give me the time of day!! I think it's his soft demure character that tells the cats that he is not a threat to them. Me however, I have nag at them to behave.
Jules also loves his stepdaughter Kim, but at times he forgets that she is a 28 year old adult. Jules also loved Kelly-Anne. She would bring him gifts on his birthday, especially chocolate peppermint patties. I remember one birthday, Kel walked into the apartment where we were living and said " Here are peppermint patties for a French pepper." Needless to say the pepper got his patties ! Jules was born in Noranda, lived in Montreal and in Ontario and that is why he is fully bilingual.
Jules works physically for a living and does an honest day's work. He's no slacker. The proof of the matter is after work when he has returned home he showers and then flakes out in his favorite chair from exhaustion. He keeps on telling me he is not young anymore..eh right !
Happy Birthday Honey!
xxxxx

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Kelly-Anne Drummond cocktail fundraiser

Nov. 28th is just around the corner. It will be a bittersweet day filled with emotions. Kelly-Anne would have been 29 years old on that day.....I wonder what she would have become and what she would have accomplished in the past four years had she still been with us. I know for sure that she would have gone to Germany this past July to complete again in the world lifesaving championship. Being amongst the best in the world is quite a challenge and to have the opportunity to compete against the best is for many an athletic''s dream come true. I truly believe that one needs to compete outside of their our environment to really see how good they really are. And that is exactly why la Fondation Kelly-Anne Drummond exists.

This past July two of her close lifesaving friends did compete in Germany. They will say a few words at the fundraiser next week in Kelly-Anne's honor. The fundraiser will include an award ceremony to honor those lifeguards to have taken their sport to a higher level. Wine and beer will be served along with a great nibbles from Le Tambour caterers. Marc Lalonde, news editor from The Chronicle West Island is the Honorary President for this event. Christmas Balls will be available for sale that evening along with beautiful items which will be part of a silent auction. Some of the items include a beautiful painted portrait of Kelly-Anne by a West Island artist, Fruit & Passion gift baskets, gifts certificates etc.

Tickets are still available by calling the Lifesaving society at 514-252-3100. Donation $50.00 A tax receipt will be issued for a portion of the donation.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Job Losses

This week at work was out of the ordinary typical Health & Safety scope. For 53 employees , it was a stream of sudden emotions stemming from the announcement of a soon to be closure of a department in my building. I asked my boss if he would of preferred to have called in a professional trauma specialist...he said no, he wanted me to deal with the employees and their emotions as I had the experience.

Job losses ...how can we draw the analogy to death.....one thing in common there is a mourning period. I looked at this week's announcement as someone being told that they have cancer...you know.... the commercial on TV where the doctor tells the patient that she has cancer and she falls backwards. The employees were told that their job would end in a couple of months. It's really the same...one learns of their disease as the other learns of an eventual job loss....the cancer patient has a choice...face it and deal with trying to be cured or dealing of the reality of dying from it...the employees also have choices.....prepare to move forward to seach for another job or give up.

On the brighter side of the picture...loosing a job is like a door closing and another one opening. For me, it would mean an opportunity to move forward, meet new people, learn something new, but for most it is the fear of the unknown, the fear of survival, the fear of not being able to feed their families.

I was encouraged this week as I heard the new President elect of the United States speak. President Obama understands and knows what poverty and adversity is all about. When I look at his life and see where he has come from and where he is now, I believe that anything is possible. I hope his words this week, not only encouraged those in my work place to move forward, but the many people across the globe who are unemployed, ill, or face adversity. We have to believe in ourselves that we all can overcome.

My thoughts and prayers are with my colleagues who are now faced with choices and decisions which are ahead of them.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Christmas Balls-The Tradition continues on !







Here are a few pictures of the Christmas Balls which I create. Kelly-Anne loved decorating balls and assured that her family and friends always received one for a Christmas gift. She was so crafty!