Toronto Inspires Me. Part 2.

I was planning to tell you about the people I met in Toronto who were starting or expanding businesses. People who, in spite of a shaky economy believe in the future enough to take risks, work hard, and employ people. I'd still like to tell you about them because I admire them so much. But today someone else is on my mind .

On Tuesday November 18 my Uncle George peacefully passed away. He was the last sibling left of my mother's family of nine children. They were a remarkable and amazing generation.

I last saw George in Toronto on November 1 at the wedding of his son Paul. Day 2 of my visit.

George fought cancer for most of this year. He was fighting cancer and the clock to make it to the wedding. And he did it.

We were all moved and inspired by Uncle George's presence at the wedding. It was symbolic in so many ways. Strength of spirit, the love and support of family, endurance and just plain guts. It was apparent the torch was passed and our family was made stronger for the next generation.

As the bride and groom danced their first dance, Uncle George was brought closer to get a better look.


I will always be grateful that Uncle George got his wish to be there to see Paul and Nancy get married. And that I was there to see this moment.

Sometimes we wonder why things happen the way they do. Why do people get sick, why do we have to lose the people we love just when we need them the most?

I don't know why but I do know that I must cherish and see all the goodness in the ones I love while they are with me on this earth and then continue to hold those memories in my heart long after they are gone.

Cousin Paul made the most wonderful speech at the wedding, telling us how he wanted to be just like his father when he grew up. He would go to work with him and follow him around. Uncle George was in the restaurant business through all the shaky economies of past decades, taking risks, working hard and employing people.

The wedding was a real celebration of our family, our heritage and our hope for the future.


We talked about Uncle George and his generation, how they endured, survived and achieved without complaints. These are challenging footsteps to follow.

I want us to be worthy of their memory.

Thank you Uncle George. We love you. We'll miss you.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.
~1 Corinthians 13:7-8

Celiac Disease on The View

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Toronto inspires me. Part 1.

Sometimes I have to leave town for inspiration. There is something wonderful about breaking the routine and then coming home with a fresh perspective. Isn't that the whole purpose of vacation? I really needed this one.

City of Toronto, you inspire me. The people, the place, the traffic, the energy.

I do love living and working in my small southwestern Ontario city. But oh how I enjoy a few days in T.O. to feel a boost of life moving forward at full speed.

This is the first of a few posts to highlight my favorite moments of a recent weekend in Toronto. It's about the people mostly but the place itself is pretty special too.

click on photo to enlarge and see detail of asian inspired pumpkin carving

I arrived in the middle of Halloween festivities and was welcomed into the neighbourhood by costumed children and adults. I was staying with Toronto Barb of course. I know a few Barbs so they have labels.

Barb's neighbours greeted me. First Rex who loves this night to frighten children. He was dressed with a scary disfigured face mask, frumpy house dress and fuzzy slippers. The hairy legs were real.

I had a moment to talk to Rex sans mask and he shared his favorite moment from the evening. It was when a little girl maybe 3 years old spoke with him with complete acceptance inspite of the his ugly exterior. Their conversation surprised him and touched his heart.

I met Peter from across the street for the first time. He's a day trader on Bay St. He said it's never been this bad before, although things are looking up for him. He sold his photography to a Christian devotional with one million copies in print. There's a future in devotionals, I said.

The candy crowd dwindled and we settled in with some gluten free battered fish and chips, with sweet potato fries and green pea hummus. This alone makes me love Toronto. GF BATTERED FISH AND CHIPS!

So in the first few hours of my weekend I watched the sunset reflections on the skyline as I drove the Gardiner Expressway, chatted with real Torontonians, gave out candy, ate gluten free heaven with hummus and shared Toronto Barb's favorite spot by the fire.



Great start to the weekend.

Part 2 will be on the way soon.

Compassion International

I've been following the bloggers trip to the Dominican Republic. They're home now but I'm still catching up on the posts. I must share these talented children...

Nancy and Paddy

A Time for Everything

A Time for Everything

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 (NIV)

"There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace."

Thanks to Carrie for posting this and inspiring me today....and her menu planning is pretty inspiring too!

I'm back!

I'm back...he's gone....sounds like I have a theme for blog titles lately....

So, did you wonder where I went???

My computer crashed. The motherboard went overboard. I had to do some computer shopping.

But to tell you the truth I quite enjoyed my break from the internet. I read a little, cleaned a little....and I did watch a very little TV. All that adds up to a lot of time away from this portal to the world. I realize I have nothing to write about if I'm at the keyboard constantly. So breaks are very good.

I've got some future posts in my bloggy brain waiting to be written. I've met some very inspiring people lately.

You might just be one of them. So come back soon.