foggy, rainy, mild temps plus 4
Very atmospheric. Love days like this. Everything outside smells musky and sweet. A real spring day. Snow almost gone...just sticking around where the plow created piles - now melted to strips.
CBC Radio and Television got word yesterday of specific cuts. Dreadful. Terrible for the people who work there, and work so hard. And terrible for Canada. The CBC is a gem, a treasure. It hasn't always done a great job, it's sometimes gone astray. Some management decisions were short-sighted, self-serving, ridiculous. Mostly when it's decided to compete with private broadcasters. In my view the CBC is uniquely placed to take chances, to do things that will get little audience but is vital to Canada - like bringing the regions to the attention of the whole.
But overall, the CBC is wonderful - and is often inspired. I think a number of 'institutions' distinguish Canada. Universal health care, the railway, and the CBC. Each built on a social-democratic philosophy...where the individual matters, and can be accomodated within a strong whole.
Sadly, each of those foundations, so strong in the 60's and 70's - has been worn away.
It was horrible to be in contact yesterday with my friends and former colleagues at CBC and hear their anguish. Canada needs a strong, fearless (sometimes flawed), public broadcaster, that has the courage of its convictions. And these people work so hard, for little money (you don't get rich by working for the public broadcaster), to bring Canadians their own stories. Private stations also do a terrific job, but their mandate is different...pretty much to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. The CBC's mandate is to reflect Canada to Canadians.
Enough. But I feel so strongly about this. I joined CBC in my early 20's - traveled across the country, living in differnt regions, because I believed in the philosophy. And wanted to know my country. And it breaks my heart to see people who have worked so hard, often thanklessly, treated so badly.
Anyway - Susan's coming this weekend. Staying in the cottage. Will be here for a bbq dinner. Really looking forward to seeing her! Off for breakfast and to do some chores.
Speak tomorrow.
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Friday, 27 March 2009
Sunday, 17 August 2008
Surprise!
sunny, mild, temps 25
Another beautiful day. Couldn't mention this before because I don't really know who reads this blog, but we spent today at a surprise birthday party for our friend Jacques. left home at 8am and drove to Laval, which is on the other side of Montreal. Party started at 11am - we got lost for almost an hour and arrived just in time. Surprise!
Loads of fun. it was his 60th birthday, and his wife/partner Louise had spent almost 2 years organizing it, or at least, thinking about it. His mother was there and all sorts of relatives. Amazing buffet lunch, and just a hoot.
Drove home and arrived back about 4:30. Nice to be back.
And had a lovely long chat with my brother Doug, who is just back from his annual visit to India. he visits Amma there, just outside Chennai. Goes for a bout a month every year. There he finds peace and renewed faith. I have so much respect for Doug to go from a high powered, high paid job as an investment dealer in Toronto, give it all up, and decide he needed more meaning in his life. So for 11 months of the year he works building homes in Toronto, and looks after his children, with his amazing wife Mary - and one month a year he spends in India, pursing and working on his practice.
I learn so much from him. he was saying he was taught this time that the outcome of what he does, whether it's gardening, building homes, even raising kids, is beyond his control. All he needs to do is each thing with love, humility and faith.
How beautiful. I hope to remember that.
Oh, and wanted to tell you about Ryan's Books, in Johnson, Vermont. What an amazing time! met Isabeth the owner, Bradley the manager and the two really wonderful women who work there. And Susanne (sp?) the former manager. And a whole lot of people who came out for the talk/reading. It felt so comfortable. And the bookstore? You'd LOVE it. Exposed brick, wooden floors, wooden shelves - and a pie vault. Anyplace with a pie vault is fine with me... I thought it used to be a bank, but someone explained (oerhaps pulling my leg) that it actually used to be a bakery and they really did lock up the pies. That sounded more likely when said outloud - written down it sounds ridiculous. Ph well. Locking up pies makes perfect sense to me.
the drive from Sutton to Johnson was exquisite. Like moving from one postcard to another. Stunning.
Before I go wanted to pass on a fun email from a friend - Art - about being Canadian...
If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May,you may live in Canada .
If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you may live in Canada .
If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Canada
If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Canada
If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Canada
If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Canada
If you have switched from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again, you may live in Canada
If you can drive 90 kms/hr through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you may live in Canada
If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Canada
If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you may live in Canada
If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you may live in Canada
If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction, you may live in Canada
If you find 2 degrees "a little chilly", you may live in Canada
I don't often pass on 'jokes' but this one seemed to have quite a bit of truth to it.
Speak tomorrow. Hope you've had a great weekend.
Another beautiful day. Couldn't mention this before because I don't really know who reads this blog, but we spent today at a surprise birthday party for our friend Jacques. left home at 8am and drove to Laval, which is on the other side of Montreal. Party started at 11am - we got lost for almost an hour and arrived just in time. Surprise!
Loads of fun. it was his 60th birthday, and his wife/partner Louise had spent almost 2 years organizing it, or at least, thinking about it. His mother was there and all sorts of relatives. Amazing buffet lunch, and just a hoot.
Drove home and arrived back about 4:30. Nice to be back.
And had a lovely long chat with my brother Doug, who is just back from his annual visit to India. he visits Amma there, just outside Chennai. Goes for a bout a month every year. There he finds peace and renewed faith. I have so much respect for Doug to go from a high powered, high paid job as an investment dealer in Toronto, give it all up, and decide he needed more meaning in his life. So for 11 months of the year he works building homes in Toronto, and looks after his children, with his amazing wife Mary - and one month a year he spends in India, pursing and working on his practice.
I learn so much from him. he was saying he was taught this time that the outcome of what he does, whether it's gardening, building homes, even raising kids, is beyond his control. All he needs to do is each thing with love, humility and faith.
How beautiful. I hope to remember that.
Oh, and wanted to tell you about Ryan's Books, in Johnson, Vermont. What an amazing time! met Isabeth the owner, Bradley the manager and the two really wonderful women who work there. And Susanne (sp?) the former manager. And a whole lot of people who came out for the talk/reading. It felt so comfortable. And the bookstore? You'd LOVE it. Exposed brick, wooden floors, wooden shelves - and a pie vault. Anyplace with a pie vault is fine with me... I thought it used to be a bank, but someone explained (oerhaps pulling my leg) that it actually used to be a bakery and they really did lock up the pies. That sounded more likely when said outloud - written down it sounds ridiculous. Ph well. Locking up pies makes perfect sense to me.
the drive from Sutton to Johnson was exquisite. Like moving from one postcard to another. Stunning.
Before I go wanted to pass on a fun email from a friend - Art - about being Canadian...
If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May,you may live in Canada .
If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you may live in Canada .
If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Canada
If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Canada
If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Canada
If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Canada
If you have switched from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again, you may live in Canada
If you can drive 90 kms/hr through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you may live in Canada
If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Canada
If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you may live in Canada
If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you may live in Canada
If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction, you may live in Canada
If you find 2 degrees "a little chilly", you may live in Canada
I don't often pass on 'jokes' but this one seemed to have quite a bit of truth to it.
Speak tomorrow. Hope you've had a great weekend.
Monday, 3 March 2008
neither sleet, nor snow...
freezing rain, temps minus 4
This won't be a long blog since we have to scoot out the door - freezing rain just beginning to tap at the window. We need to head to breakfast , then the bank, then Michael's physio across town. It's a shame it's right in the middle of the 'freezing rain warning' but that can't be helped.
We're off - talk to you from Sutton - will drive down this afternoon if the weather improves.
I'm sure it's not that bad.
Oh, Canada.
Take care.
This won't be a long blog since we have to scoot out the door - freezing rain just beginning to tap at the window. We need to head to breakfast , then the bank, then Michael's physio across town. It's a shame it's right in the middle of the 'freezing rain warning' but that can't be helped.
We're off - talk to you from Sutton - will drive down this afternoon if the weather improves.
I'm sure it's not that bad.
Oh, Canada.
Take care.
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