Saturday Funnies

Winners

Congratulations to the winners of my *Pay It Forward.*

Brenda from : Senior Stuff: Rinkly Rimes

Sandy from: I Beati

Chesapeake Bay Woman from: Life in Mathews



I have sent you all an e-mail requesting your addresses so that I can *Pay It Forward* to each of you.



Now my fun begins to go shopping for a unique and special gift for each of you.
Again Congratulations and thank you for playing *Pay It Forward.*

Pay It Forward

I played *Pay It Forward* a few weeks ago on Mental P Mama's blog a few weeks ago.

Mental P Mama sent me some wonderful things that unfortunately I was unable to photograph at the moment.

So I will just have to describe her gifts to me.

1. "Penzeys one" magazine filled with some great recipes and stories.

2. "Penzeys Spices" Thanksgiving catalogue.

3. "Penzeys Spices" jar of Mulling Spices

4. "Penzeys Spices" Grenada Whole Nutmeg

5. "Microplane" Nutmeg Grate-N-Shake

6. "One Bear Lost" a delightful book written by Karen Hayles and Jenny Jones

Thank you so much Mama, I love every single thing in my *Pay It Forward* parcel.

Now, I have to participate in the FORWARD part.

I will send the first three commenters on this post a special BearNaked gift.

Also I will post international, so don't be afraid to comment from wherever you live.

A little aside note on the Bear photo above--it was the closest thing that I could find to do with spices. Salt and pepper are seasonings and some seasonings are spices.

All of which shows you how my mind works sometimes.

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Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends.

I am thankful for discovering the wonderful world of blogging because I have *met* so many wonderful people. Blogging has introduced me to so many people from all around the world.

It has also helped to keep my mind occupied so that I do not dwell too much on any pain that I have had since my accident.

Blogging has also been very educating and informative because at various times these past few months, I have read something that has made me want to do further research on some subjects.

But the best part of reading blogs is finding so many humourous posts and/or pictures that make me laugh.

Thank You to all.

ABC Wednesday-S

William SHAKESPEARE (1564– 1616) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist.

SHAKESPEARE is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon."

SHAKESPEARE'S works consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems.

SHAKESPEARE'S plays have been translated into every major living language, and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

50 years ago was when I first studied SHAKESPEARE in school and I can still remember the first six lines of :

The quality of mercy is not strain'd,

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless'd,

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:

'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes

The throned monarch better than his crown:

His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,

The attribute to awe and majesty,

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;

But mercy is above this sceptred sway,

It is enthroned in the hearts of kings;

It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then show likest God's,

When mercy seasons justice.Therefore, Jew,

Though justice be thy plea, consider this,

That in the course of justice none of us

Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;

And that same prayer doth teach us all to render

The deeds of mercy.
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Portia.

The Merchant of Venice.

Act IV, Scene 1.

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ABC Wednesday is brought to you by Mrs. Nesbitt.

Mr. Linky can be found here.

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Canada Postal Elves

Now in it's 27th year, over 11,000 current and retired Canada Post employees called the Postal Elves are helping to ensure that every child who sends Santa a letter that includes a return address receives a reply from Santa.

The Santa Letter-writing Program brings joy to children from across Canada and around the world.
Currently, more than one million children write to Santa at his 'NORTH POLE H0H 0H0' address. Each letter that includes a return address receives a reply from Santa.

In addition to giving many children their first introduction to letter writing, this program is also a very important part of the holiday season for thousands of Canada Post employees and retirees.

Although Santa loves to receive letters and drawings, putting cookies and treats in your envelope is not a good idea as they will get crushed and damaged by the time they reach Santa. Santa much prefers to eat his treats on Christmas Eve, so please have your children save them at home for the big day!

Have your children and/or your grandchildren send their letters to Santa with their return address included to:

SANTA CLAUS
North Pole
H0H 0H0
Canada

CFL Grey Cup 2008

Congratulations to the Calagary Stampeders for winning the CFL Grey Cup this year.
Burris, DeAngelis lead Stampeders to victory at Grey Cup.

Monsieur Bear and I are whispering to each other right now because we both were screaming so loudly at the TV during the game that we have lost our voices.

Poor Monsieur Bear and I so unhappy, hopefully NEXT year an Eastern team will win.

Saturday Funnies

Polar Bear Attack in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada.

These are pictures of an actual polar bear attack in Churchill.

These pictures were taken while people watched and could do nothing to stop the attack!

Reports from the local newspaper say that the victim will make a full recovery.

Photos and story courtesy of Poopsie Blue from MY TRUE COLOURS

Ouch Ouch Ouch

From yesterday's news:
TSX plunges 750 points

Are there any other retirees out there in the blogosphere as worried as we are, at what is happening in the financial markets?

Our retirement funds are dwindling and there does not seem to be an end in sight.
We are fine tuning our budget and trying to eliminate needless purchases.
It is so frustrating because we have worked and saved all our lives and THOUGHT we had a tidy retirement fund.
And now this is happening.
I feel like crying.

I NEVER thought I would think that I might have to practise saying, "Welcome to Walmart. Here's your cart."

A Question For the Ladies

Yesterday, Mental P Mama blogged about her Tattoo.
I don't have a tattoo but have always wanted to have permanent eyeliner tattooed.

The ONLY thing that is stopping me from getting this done is sheer panic that it will hurt like crazy if I were to do this.

So tell me, has anyone had this done, are you happy with the results and the most important question on a scale of 1 to 10, how much did it hurt?

ABC Wednesday-R

ROSIE the RIVETER

All the day long,
Whether Rain or shine,
She's a part of the assembly line.
She's making history,
Working for victory,
ROSIE the RIVETER.

Keeps a sharp lookout for sabotage,
Sitting up there on the fuselage.
That little girl will do more than a male will do.

ROSIE'S got a boyfriend, Charlie.
Charlie, he's a Marine.
ROSIE is protecting Charlie,
Working overtime on the Riveting machine.

When they gave her a production "E",
She was as proud as she could be,
There's something true about,
Red, white, and blue about,
ROSIE the RIVETER.

Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb

"ROSIE the RIVETER" was a classic folk hero who helped mobilize the popular image of women in the work force during World War II.

There were huge campaigns of propaganda posters and flyers that went around supporting the idea of women entering the work place while men were away in the war.

The well-known poster with the women in a bandana shouting, "We Can Do It!"was created before "ROSIE the RIVETER" was shown in the film promoting the war effort.

There was in fact a real "ROSIE the RIVETER".

Even though she was found after they had created the classical character, she fit the profile completely.

Rose Monroe was the Real life "ROSIE the RIVETER", a Riveter in the Willow Run Aircraft Factory in Michigan, Riveting plane parts together.

She had moved from Kentucky to Michigan after her husband died, and Riveting planes to help support herself and her two children.

While making a short film about selling war bonds, actor Walter Pidgeon discovered her.

He then decided to make her into "ROSIE the RIVETER" in the film, she also appeared in other promotional war films.

According to one of her daughters, Vickie Jarvis, "she happened to be in the Right place at the Right time and was chosen to be in some of these films."

The character of "ROSIE the RIVETER" was credited for an enormous increase in the number of women joining the work force to help support the war.

The emergence of women doing predominately men's jobs led indirectly to the issue of the Women's Movement.

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ABC Wednesday is brought to you by Mrs. Nesbitt.

Mr. Linky can be found here.

M.I.A.

I have been Missing in Action from blogging for the past few days due to some health issues.
I will be back ASAP but I just wanted to publicly thank Daryl from

on the m104 for my blogger header.
Isn't it wonderful!!!

Thank you so much Daryl.

I'm Drinking From My Saucer

This was sent to me in an e-mail from a very dear friend.

I've never made a fortune,
And it's probably too late now.
But I don't worry about that much,
I'm happy anyhow
And I go along life's way,
I'm reaping better than I sowed.

I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

Haven't got a lot of riches,
And sometimes the going's tough
But I've got loving ones all around me,
And that makes me rich enough.
I thank God for his blessings,
And the mercies
He's bestowed.

I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

I remember times when things went wrong,
My faith wore somewhat thin.
But all at once the dark clouds broke,
And the sun peeped through again
So Lord, help me not to gripe,
About the tough rows I have hoed.

I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

If God gives me strength and courage,
When the way grows steep and rough.
I'll not ask for other blessings,
I'm already blessed enough.
And may I never be too busy,
To help others BEAR their loads.

Then I'll keep drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

Highway of Heroes

Nine weeks ago yesterday, on ABC Wednesday-- letter H, I posted about Canada's Highway of Heroes.
That's the stretch of road where thousands of Canadians have been spontaneously turning out to pay respects to fallen soldiers as their remains are driven from CFB Trenton airbase to Toronto, Ontario.

More than fifty caring people left comments on that post and then I was unexpectently honoured on September 11th by David McMahon with the Post Of The Day Award on his blog for my post.

This Tuesday November 11th, Kevin Tibbles of NBC News in the U.S. filed a report about Canada's Highway of Heroes, with a video that you can watch here.

Washington, DC prohibits repatriation ceremonies from being filmed, and this story has really resonated south of the border.

The story touched many people on the internet.

"Hooray for our Canadian neighbors for showing us how it should be done," one viewer writes into MSNBC.com.

Another says, "Maybe someday soon Americans will once again be allowed to properly honor our war heroes."

"As a retired U.S. Army soldier, I (we) sometimes forget the sacrifices of our allies...a nice story," writes another viewer.

Then this, "I'm still choked up at the story... What a wonderful way to honor the fallen soldiers and show sympathy with their families. I wish we had some way to do something similar in the U.S."

I would like to encourage all my American readers to view the video from NBC news and to perhaps leave their comments on the web site.

Also, why not contact your government representatives today to suggest that the time is way overdue for your American heroes to also be similarly honoured by the U.S. public.

ABC Wednesday-Q

QUEEN Mary 2 is the first liner to be built since QUEEN Elizabeth 2- 35 years earlier.

QUEEN Mary 2 entered service in January 2004 and is the largest, longest, widest, tallest and most expensive passenger liner in history.

No ship has ever been designed like QUEEN Mary 2, a liner which sets the benchmark for others, extends the boundaries of ship design, and which is the most powerful and fastest since Cunard's own QUEEN Elizabeth 2.

QUEEN Mary 2 is a technically advanced machine far ahead of any passenger ship in service today, and will be so for some many years to come.

The QUEEN Mary 2 is the current Cunard flagship and makes regular transatlantic crossings. The ship was constructed to complement the QUEEN Elizabeth 2—the Cunard flagship from 1969 to 2004—replacing it on the transatlantic route.

The first RMS QUEEN Mary sailed the Atlantic from 1936 to 1967.

QUEEN Mary 2 had the Royal Mail Ship (RMS) title conferred on her, as a gesture to Cunard's history, by Royal Mail when she entered service in 2004 on the Southampton to New York route.

The QUEEN Mary 2 is not a steamship like her predecessors, but is powered by gas turbines and diesel engines that produce the power to drive her four electric propulsion pods.

Like her predecessors, however, QUEEN Mary 2 is built for crossing the Atlantic ocean, though she is regularly used for cruising purposes; in the winter season she cruises from New York to the Caribbean on 10 or 13 day tours.

QUEEN Mary 2's 30 knot open ocean speed sets the ship apart from cruise ships, such as Freedom of the Seas, which has an average speed of 21.6 knots.

ABC Wednesday is brought to you by Mrs. Nesbitt

Mr. Linky can be found here.

Remembrance Day in Canada

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.


- John McCrae

The poppy is the symbol of Remembrance Day.

Replica poppies are sold by the Royal Canadian Legion to raise money for Veterans

Veterans, Canadian Forces members and those who have given their lives in the pursuit of peace have made great contributions to our country and the world.

The peaceful society we in Canada enjoy today is only a dream to the many people in the world who live in countries torn apart by violence.

This peace is possible only because it has been protected by the efforts and sacrifices of generations of Canadians over the years who have put their lives on the line.

Remembering all that these men and women have done during times of war, military conflict and peace helps us understand the country we live in today and how we can build a better future together.

And so, at the 11th minute of the 11th day of the 11th month every year, we Canadians stand in silence to honour our Canadian military who have died in service to our country.