Canada’s Navy Turns 100; I Remember My Grandfather
On Tuesday of this week what used to be called the Royal Canadian Navy, now known as Maritime Command, turned 100 years old. I take note of this milestone for two reasons.
The first reason I took note on Tuesday was I rose to the news that the first sailor to die in Afghanistan had fallen on Monday afternoon, the victim of a roadside bomb. He was returning from diffusing another bomb at the time.
As I write this, I’ve just returned from having been on a bridge on the Highway of Heroes as the motorcade carrying his body, the military & police escort and his grieving family travelled to Toronto. He is the 143rd Canadian to make that solemn journey as Canadians fill the bridges to honour and show our respect to him and their families.
The second reason I took note of the naval milestone is my late grandfather, Cyril Instance, served in the RCN during both world wars
Grandpa came from a sailing background, his own father, my great-grandfather was serving as a fireman on the Titanic on its fateful voyage in 1914. Grandpa was active duty in WW1, wounded in battle, which one I’ve forgotten the name of. During WW2 he served in Halifax, attaining the rank of CRPO, Chief Regulating Petty Officer, he was in charge of training and discipline.
Somehow that rank suited him, my memories of him was as a stern disciplinarian who loved growing flowers. He had a greenhouse at one time just west of where I now live. I remember visiting there and the long rows of flowers he would carefully tend to sell to local gardeners.
Unfortunately my more vivid memories of grandpa was as he descended into the hell of Alzheimer’s disease. We didn’t know what it was at first, he was several years into it before there was a diagnosis. What we knew was the way it was manifesting within him.
We didn’t know that when grandpa turned every conversation to talking about being in the navy it wasn’t him being fixated on having been in the navy. It was that disease robbing him of other memories. He would occasionally speak of the years he spent as a driver on the street cars in Toronto but as time went on, those memories were too recent for him.
We didn’t know when grandpa couldn’t remember where the ash tray was beside his hand that it wasn’t him but that damn disease. We’d bring him and grandma out for a visit from their apartment in Toronto and within a day or so grandpa was anxious to get home. He needed more familiar surroundings, that disease made him unsettled in the less familiar surroundings of our home.
On one of those visits I took my grandmother out for an afternoon to give her a break from his constant need for her to be close by. She enjoyed herself. I had some errands to do in Belleville and we stopped into the branch on the way back. I made her a cup of tea and coaxed her into playing a few pieces on the piano. She was a wonderful pianist but difficult to get her to play.
I agreed that the next day I’d take grandpa out for the day to allow mother and grandma to have a visit uninterrupted. Grandpa reacted to the news he was going out with me by refusing to go. I put on a very hurt air and told him that I was hurt that he’d make a date with his granddaughter and then stand her up. Too proud to admit he didn’t remember, he decided he was going.
It was a difficult day. It was hard to watch over someone who had reached a point that even hearing him talking about the navy would have been preferable to hearing him ask the same question over and over as he searched through the increasing fog in his brain to find the familiar.
Every few minutes he would ask me if he’d been down this road before. I’d tell him yes. He had lived in the area years ago, he likely had been on those same roads and somewhere in that fog was something familiar. There was a few lucid moments as we’d pass flower beds and he’d recognise what was planted there and tell me what they were.
On the way home, I also took grandpa into the branch and made him a cup of tea as the guys tried to politely chat with him. When we got home, he told grandma he’d had a really nice day and we’d stopped into the Legion for a beer. At that stage alcohol and grandpa didn’t mix, which is why I made him a cup of tea.
The murderous look grandma shot me quickly subsided when I told her that he had exactly what she had the day before. Man was I glad of that, that sweet little soul was deadly when angered.
When I think about grandma and grandpa; the long years of his descent into that soul robbing disease and how painful it was for grandma to watch helplessly as it happened; I remember how fortunate I am that even though both my parents were taken from the family with cancer, they didn’t suffer long.
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Canada’s Navy Turns 100; I Remember My Grandfather
We Will Remember Him
They shall grow not old, as we who are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning
We will remember them
In memory of our fallen Canadian:
PO Douglas Craig Blake – Afghanistan May 3, 2010
Always Caring — Always Canadian — Never Defeated
Support Our Troops — Wear Red on Fridays
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We Will Remember Him
They shall grow not old, as we who are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning
We will remember them
In memory of our fallen Canadian:
Pvt Tyler William Todd – Afghanistan April 10, 2010
Always Caring — Always Canadian — Never Defeated
Support Our Troops — Wear Red on Fridays
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But It’s Tradition!
As I sat in church this past Easter Sunday my eyes roamed across the stain-glass windows beginning with the one in the sanctuary which the bright morning sun was setting aglow as it streamed through it.
As I moved from window to window I was struck how they depicted the community around Christ as being up close and personal. In all of Christ’s ministry he moved amongst the people. He didn’t set himself apart. He was a part of the community which formed around him.
That’s one of the aspects of this church community I’ve always enjoyed. When I joined it some fifteen years ago there were about fifty people attending regularly. It wasn’t a close community of people who came together each week but it was a warm group.
Members of the congregation read the readings, the lay reader read the gospel. The congregation was either too small for a deacon or no priest felt the need to put one in place. Over the years the congregation has dwindled, through death, clashes with clergy or people just wandering away from church life.
A priest we had a few years ago opened up the gospel to any member of the congregation willing and able to read. He relaxed the need for the communion assistant (server) to be robed and seated in the sanctuary. The server would come up out of the congregation just after the peace was passed.
Being a small group of about twenty each week at that point, this seemed like good changes. The congregation was more like what those windows surrounding us depicted. A community of believers led by its priest coming together each week to worship.
Some where along the line a drift apart within the congregation had started. This increased sharing of the liturgy seemed to help to arrest that drift. People came back together, became more aware of each other as members of the community.
At one point we went eighteen months without benefit of an incumbent. Retired clergy were enlisted to provide Sunday services for us and the community looked out for each other. Some of those clergy were impressed at the involvement of the congregation in the services, the congregation had taken on more confidence in our future.
A new priest took over. The first year she didn’t make any substantive changes. Then she announced to the wardens that in the ‘traditional Anglican way” the server would robe and remain in the sanctuary throughout the service. At that point only two members of the congregation were assisting at communion.
One was eager to robe and remain in the sanctuary the other would not. He was more than happy to assist but wanted to continue coming up out of the congregation. She would not bend, the parishioner left the congregation. We ended up with one server, a member of the community now separated by distance from the congregation.
Now, a year later, she has announced to the wardens that no longer will the lay people read the gospel. She as priest will be the only one as is “Anglican tradition”, notwithstanding that the longstanding tradition of this congregation is lay people reading the gospel.
In the early church the priest was the educated class, the reading of the gospel fell to him as the only person able to read. As education became more widespread the practise of licensing lay readers started. The license indicated the person was educated and literate enough to be able to read.
In the 21st century most people are able to read yet our current priest is now sending the message that those she is charged to lead are not worthy of reading the gospel. Wonder when she’s going to decide the congregation is no longer worthy of reading any of the readings?
I’m not against traditions, they are a part of what binds our present to our past. I uphold many traditions in carrying out my duties as Legion President. Sometimes though, I have had to balance tradition against barriers that tradition creates and make choices or alterations based on current needs. Sometimes tradition has to evolve.
In her drive to be a ‘traditional Anglican’ I wonder how far she is going to push? Will she impose the antiquated language of the Book of Common Prayer? Will she revoke her own priestly orders in order to follow the tradition which denied her access to the priesthood?
Time will tell.
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Cup of Tea Anyone?
After years of being a die-hard coffee drinker, I find myself more frequently enjoying tea these days than coffee. I still drink coffee when I’m away from the house but for the most part, at home I drink tea. Not tea brewed from tea bags but tea brewed from loose tea.
Personally, I wouldn’t thank you for bag tea, which is why I don’t usually order tea when I’m out anywhere. I’ve become quite attached to the richness and variety of the flavours of tea that are out there.
Tea bags have a reputation for being lessor quality tea, which explains why I never acquired a taste for it when I was younger. My mother drank it on a regular basis and tried to get us kids into it but I just couldn’t see the draw.
There are decaffeinated teas on the market. Having learned that the United States has approved both the use of carbon dioxide and ethyl acetate in the process of removing caffeine from black tea, I’ll have the caffeine thank you very much.
I’ve discovered that seeking out tea shoppes can be rather fun. Each tea shoppe has its’ own unique flavoured blends of tea in addition to the many kinds of tea available. Exploring the various blends is an adventure which never ends. I have to admit to having formed some favourites. Teaopia is a shoppe in the mall east of me. I rather enjoy their Dublin Creme black tea blend and their Creamy Nut oolong tea.
The Dublin Creme is my breakfast tea of choice. The blend is full bodied with the black tea and the added zip of coffee beans to start my day with, the creamy flavour lets me drink the tea my favourite way, clear. (no milk or sugar)
The Creamy Nut oolong is a tea I enjoy later in the day, usually when I need that 3pm pickup or am getting a bit of an urge to snack. The gentler flavour of the oolong combines with apple, caramel bits, almond pieces and mallow flavour to provide me with a sense of having something sweet without it being sweet.
I’ve also ordered tea online from the Tea Shop in Ottawa. (site is not online at the time of this writing) They send out samples of another type of tea along with your order which is really neat. That allows me to try something different and then decide if I like it.
Another site I’ve been recently exploring but haven’t yet place an order is Adagio Teas
Types of Tea
True tea originates from one type of evergreen bush, the Camellia Sinensis. Other teas are created from other sources like herbs but are not truly tea. Where the tea bush is grown, time of year when the harvest takes place and the processing determines the types and flavour of the tea. The most common countries for growing tea is China, India, Japan and Sri Lanka.
The time of harvest and the processing methods determines the four major types of tea; white, green, oolong and black.
White Tea
White tea is picked before the leaf buds fully open and are still covered with fine silky hairs. Only the top leaf and bud are picked from the tree. The buds are sun dried to produce some of the rarest and most expensive tea available. White tea is said to have three times more antioxidants than green or black tea.
I was given some white tea as a gift a few years ago. I very much enjoyed it, finding it to be a very mild tasting tea but refreshing. Another tea I’d be inclined to drink during the day rather than as a breakfast tea.
Green Tea
After the tea leaves are plucked and sorted, they are either steamed or pan fired. Green tea does not go through the oxidation (fermentation) process. Green tea does have less caffeine than black tea. The leaves are often rolled into different shapes before drying. Once the leaves are shaped, they are dried and packaged. This process retains many of the polyphenols, catechins, and flavonoids that are associated with the health benefits of drinking green tea. Green tea also has HGCG; the most powerful antioxidant known. and can only be found in green tea.
I drink a lot of green tea, at any time of the day or night.
Oolong Tea
Oolong tea falls somewhere between green tea and black tea in the amount of time the tea leaves are allowed to oxidize for less time than black. The leaves can range from being almost black to dark green depending on when oxidation is stopped. The longer the leaves are oxidized the closer to black tea they will become. Formosa Oolong is an Amber Oolong with a rich amber cup that is a little toasty tasting.) Se Chung leaves are not allowed to oxidize as long, so the leaves have a dark green appearance and produce a light yellow cup with hints of sweetness.
Black Tea
This is the most commonly found tea. This tea goes through the most processing. Black tea is allowed to oxidize which “ripens” the tea and creates a deep, rich, robust flavor with uniqueness based on the tea grower’s knowledge and skill. Once the leaves are picked they are left out in the sun to become slightly wilted. The leaves are then rolled to break open their tissue. The inner chemicals react with the air and begin to ferment. During the fermentation, the leaves darken and change from green to red and finally to black. After the fermenting is complete, the leaves are dried and them packaged.
As you can see, there is much to know about tea. Just for fun, I’ve started another blog called Tea Facts Galore to explore the world of tea. This article will appear over there at some point. Join me and enjoy.
Drop me a note, let me know your tea likes, dislikes or questions. Here or at the new blog.
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Finding Passion
You ever hear the phrase “can’t see the forest for the trees”? That has been me for the last while. You see, any material I have explored about being in business, either online or off, tells me I need to identify my passion and then run with that as the base for my business.
Great idea, but, my problem has been, I have so many areas which has my interest. I felt like I was thrashing about trying to find something to set my hat on. For a while it seemed like I had taken on mission impossible. I just wasn’t single focused enough to do this. I should just throw up my hands and run off into the proverbial forest.
Ah, the forest… suddenly I saw the trees. My passion quite simply is — information. My nature has always been that I get a subject in my head, I will explore it almost single minded. So, why wouldn’t I share that information in this the information age?
I’ll need to break what I’m exploring down into various niches and may have to start new sites to keep myself somewhat organized. Since my interests are, and always have been, limitless I shouldn’t have any problem finding topics to explore and share.
I know, sage wisdom is that I should narrow that passion down a whole lot more. Did I ever claim to follow sage wisdom or narrow paths?
Now I can have fun and develop a business(es). Who would have thunk it, me having a passion for information? Man those trees are big in that forest. I’ll be they are at least 50 years old.
Stay tuned.
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We Will Remember Him
They shall grow not old, as we who are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning
We will remember them
In memory of our fallen Canadian:
Cpl Darren James Fitzpatrick — Afghanistan March 20, 2010
Always Caring — Always Canadian — Never Defeated
Support Our Troops — Wear Red on Fridays
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Spring Seems To Have Arrived
Forgive me if I appear to be confused if spring has come to my little part of the world. We’ve had so little snow this winter the line is severely blurred. I can’t remember the last time we had a winter in which I spent more time wearing my shoes than my boots.
I’m not complaining mind you. I am the first to refuse to go out the door when the snow falls or the conditions are icy. I spent too many years travelling in all kinds of weather on a 200km a day commute to Toronto and back. When I left that job I was determined I would not ever be required to spend hours white knuckling my way home in snow or ice storm.
That made it really lucky for me when I did start travelling to Oshawa twice a week the boss didn’t complain when I told him flat out that he would not see me when there was a storm. He actually preferred I take the safer path. God bless the guy!
Well, spring is seen as a time of rebirth and renewal. It appears this spring is going to serve that purpose for me. The twice weekly commute stops the end of this month, leaving me a couple of days a week to pursue projects I’ve been trying to do in my spare time. (which is very limited)
In addition to writing this blog more frequently, I will be working harder on my other blogs. If you are curious about what my other blogs are, you can visit Patti’s Network News where you can always find which blogs I have and what I’ve posted on them recently.
It is my objective to grow these blogs and get into some other projects, like writing info products, in order to establish my income online. I can no longer afford to just tinker at this goal. It is either a goal that I care about reaching or it’s time I dropped the dream and get a job working for someone else.
I have a range of knowledge on several subjects and the ability to research and learn more. It will be my goal to share that knowledge and learning with others.
So, into the deep end I’m plunging.
What was your last plunge into the deep end? Did it work for you?
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Does God Play Favourites?
Through a friend on Twitter, @gailhyatt I’ve been exposed to some Orthodox Christian podcasts. They are interesting to listen to, they provide perspectives I wouldn’t always encounter from an Anglican viewpoint. Everyone needs perspective.
One of the podcasts I listen to is by a Father Thomas Hopko, it is called “Speaking the Truth in Love”. A week or so ago Fr. Tom read an email he had received from a listener which caught my attention. She wanted to know why God played favourites.
The lady indicated in her email she had grown up in an alcoholic home, which at minimum meant she had experienced emotional abuse. I didn’t grow up in an alcoholic home but I experienced abuse.
The lady wrote that she believed some children are born with a silver spoon in their mouths, they are holy from birth and have all of the advantages. Others never get the chance to become saints because they are used and abused and never have a choice. She asks why some go sailing up the mountain to be saints while others stumble around at the foot of the mountain, never able to trust God enough to make it up the mountain.
She hasn’t been able to trust people let alone a God who doesn’t talk to her. A God she doesn’t believe she’d have a chance of having prayers answered for really important things in her life. She has tried for 15 years and hasn’t been able to form a relationship with God. She concludes by asking: “Is God too busy with ones he really likes to even bother with the ones at the foot of the mountain?”
Fr. Tom answered as the theologian he is, I have some thoughts as a lay person and a fellow survivor.
Twenty years ago, I could have been the lady writing that email, except I hadn’t spent 15 years trying to form a relationship with God. I had spent 15 years rejecting the whole concept of God though.
I had been raised in a nominally Christian home. I say nominally in that my parents taught Sunday School classes, faithfully took us to Sunday school and church. I was always bothered by the seeming disconnect between Sunday and the rest of the week. I rarely remembered any mention of what I learned at church and what happened in our lives being remotely connected. No wonder that by 15 I was anxious to rid myself of church.
The relationship with God came after I learned to trust some people in my life. After I learned that there are people who can and should earn trust. I’m still slow to trust but once it is earned, I find much strength in being able to. It was one of those people I slowly learned to trust who started my awakening to giving a relationship with God a second look.
At some level I caught on that God speaks to me in His way, and it’s my challenge to recognise the ways. I rarely discern his hand in my life until later, it takes listening, watching and thought on my part. If I waited for God to just respond to my prayers like a person does to my comments, I’d never believe God was anywhere in my life.
I’ve learned along the way I can’t control how the relationship with God develops. As much as I really want to, I have to let it develop as I seek deeper understanding of what that relationship means.
For some reason, I don’t find myself feeling less in God’s eyes because I experienced abuse. I’ve learned to accept that I can stumble around at times. I can even fall flat on my face. When I stand upright again He’s just as much present as he was when I was stumbling or falling.
I’ve managed to reconnect with the instincts which help to guide me in how I respond to people through learning to trust in He who I can’t see. I think I’d be inclined to suggest to this lady that instead of waiting on faith, she needs to pursue her faith. She may discover the question isn’t so much why is God ignoring her as it is, why is she ignoring Him?
What was your experience with coming to faith? Did God pursue you or you Him?
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Stations of the Cross
Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the holy season of Lent. Lent is the fourty days leading up to Holy Week, a period of thought and reflection before we celebrate the risen Lord on Easter Sunday.
I’m providing you today with a link to a set of Stations of the Cross which I wrote a few years ago.
Central to our belief is that Christ walked amongst us, tried to reach out to us as one of us and became the sacrificial lamb for all of our sins through the crucifixion and resurrection.
The stations are used as focal points for prayer, mediation and reflection on the journey Christ took in the hours leading up to and during his crucifixion. I’ve put them online for those who wish to explore.
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