Archive for June 20th, 2006

20 Jun 2006 It’s All Fun and Games…
Author: Gail |  Category: Linkage, Other Photogs  | One Comment

… until someone loses a pie.

Siobhan’s photographs of her toddler and her phonetic transcriptions of their conversations won me over months ago, but today I had to post an example:

I gave up writing on cocktail napkins and cash register receipts …: It’s all fun and games until someone loses a pie

Oh, and it made me want to go out and buy a pie… mmmm, pie.

20 Jun 2006 The Difference Between Inconvenient and Downright Ludicrous
Author: Gail |  Category: Expat Life, Rants  | 8 Comments

Inconvenient: Canadian banks will hold a U.S. dollar cheque issued by a U.S. bank for up to 30 days before clearing it.

Ludicrous: American banks won’t accept a U.S. dollar cheque/check issued by a Canadian bank, fullstop. Or any bank in the world outside the U.S., for that matter.

I have a U.S. dollar bank account. I can write cheques in U.S. funds. But no U.S. bank will accept them. Does this make any sense at all?

20 Jun 2006 Dear David: Month Six
Author: Gail |  Category: Canada, Letters to David, Photography, The Great Outdoors, Videoclips  | 3 Comments

Table of contents for Letters to David

  1. Dear David: Christmas Day
  2. Dear David: Your Memorial
  3. Dear David: Mister Hugh
  4. Dear David: Thanks for Helma
  5. Dear David: The Magnolia Tree
  6. Dear David: Month One
  7. Dear David: The Basement
  8. Dear David: When?
  9. Dear David: Month Two
  10. Dear David: Mister Hugh in the City
  11. Dear David: Month Three
  12. Dear David: Month Four
  13. Dear David: Month Five
  14. Dear David: Month Six
  15. Dear David: Month Seven
  16. Dear David: A Poem
  17. Dear David: Month Eight
  18. Dear David: Month Nine
  19. Dear David: Month 10
  20. Dear David: Month 11
  21. Dear David: Month 12

Dear David,

Six months to the day after I lost you, I turned 34. At first I didn’t know how to see out 33; it was the hardest year of my life and it aged me tremendously. But then I knew I wanted to be in a place where I could “talk” to you, to look at the sky and stars and listen to you tell me stories the way you used to. I wanted to feel the way we did last year, when I took you boating for your birthday and we cut the engine in Indian Arm to marvel at the seals and eagles. One of your dreams was to be a bush pilot in Alaska, but Vancouver would’ve been a decent substitute.

I needed some nature therapy, the way we needed it last August and found it at Tobyhanna State Park.

I heard your voice on Friday, telling me to bring the first aid kit with your name on it.

“Safety first, Gail!”

I brought all your flashlights, too. Except for the headlight you wore in the Tri-Pacer; it was in the plane so we could go night flying.

I was in good company; little did I know that Kathryn is a professional camper. Lucky me — I chose to ask the ONE person who a) liked camping, and b) had the equipment!

You were with me in spirit, my dear. In the whispering of the trees, the waves lapping against the sandy banks of Georgian Bay, the ambience of the forest, you told me to delight in the small things and to be thankful for health and life.

We miss you,
Your (Young) Wife and Your (Old) Cat

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