Reading horror while trying to maintain a normal composure on public transit.

Almost finished reading The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. I'm taking my time - reading while riding City Transit - the bus. The Canterbury Tales tales are told as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together on a journey from Southwark to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Caterbury Catherdral. The particular translation that I am reading, is translated from Middle English; but offers the Middle English translation on all EVEN pages, and Modern English on all ODD pages.

Before Canterbury Tales, I read ... well a few books, but a few books ago, I read Dracula by Bram Stoker. What an amazing read that was! Reading horror while trying to maintain a normal composure on public transit.

I'm involved in a ministry called The Harbour. it's a 12 Step Support Group. I am Program Director/Secretary-Treasurer - working along-side 5 others on a Board. I've been doing the work for it at an office where it is affiliated with , but will begin using my home office as much as possible. I began going to a Support Group after my friend committed suicide about four years ago. After being there two weeks, I was running the PowerPoint slides/projector for the group. I was eventually hired by the Church that the program was in, to work with that specific program. I worked with it for just over a year. That specific group was dropped from the church that it was in; suddenly the Elders decided that the 67 - 90 people that came every single Tuesday night were no longer important - so the program was tossed. (along with my job). In March of 2008, a group of people began to meet and talk about beginning a new group. The new 12 step support group officially began in June, 2008, with the name The Harbour. I've built a website for it.

blah blah blah blah. write write write write. that last paragraph was far too long.

It's Christmas time - the second Christmas without my mom... I really miss her.

here's a video of myself and a friend driving down Pembina Hwy in Winnipeg last year.

Mother's Day

i went to Brookside Cemetery today.  to see my mom's grave.  i really do miss her very very much. she died on September 17th.  seven months ago.  in a week, it will be eight months.  such gut wrenching sorrow i feel; when i think about her.  she had ovarian cancer.  the image will never leave me - of her acute suffering.  

i remember when her mother died.  my grandmother.  i remember how she wept.  she would often say "I miss my mother so very much" .  

my mom had a deep faith.  i was struck by her constant prayers while she lay on her death bed. while no longer having the ability to speak aloud, she prayed while barely having strength to move her mouth.  tiny whispers.  her hand moved in a small circle as to cross herself.  

she said good-bye to me.  she had no voice.  i raced through traffic to make it to her bedside.  my sister phoned me at work and said - bethy you better come now.  

it was like she was waiting for me.   her youngest.   her baby.  she always called me her baby.  i rushed her her bedside.  she tried so hard to speak to me.   i held her hand -  a gentle squeeze back from her.  and then she left this world.  i watched her leave...  me, her last child, held her hand during her last breath.   

can it really be?   that she is gone?   

I love you mom.  happy mothers day. 

K.D. Lang sings Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah

My mom is in the audience in this specific Video. She died in September - September 17th, 2008. Happy Mother's Day, Mom. I will never forget you.