Just as I feel I have finally caught up, the world goes flashing by. About a week ago, my daughter Chrissy posts on her blog that their eldest is now a blogger and has her own blog. I'm not that old that I have grandchildren let alone ones old enough to be blogging. It helps her with her spelling, reading, and writing I am told. On her second entry she was talking about her cat, Jaxson. I put a comment on it and Sunday she had to phone to tell me to check out her blog that she has answered me back. I'm definitely not that old.
besides being a crawling machine, she has also learned to Today I got the opportunity to baby sit my 2 granddaughters here in town. Their mom, number 2 daughter Kimmie, had to work late and son-in-law Scott had to go to work before she was to get home. Their eldest Makynna, a very precocious 3 year old, and I had a very understandable conversation about her latest favourite movie, "Kung Fu Panda". I know my chidrenese is not that good so her English must be. Her almost 1 year old sister was joining in and I didn't have a clue what she was saying so that goes to confirm my thoughts about my childrenese. Oryn teleports though. Another talent that I have noticed my grandchildren have developed and usually about this age. One moment she is at one end of the couch and the next she is playing with the pots and pans in the kitchen and did not crawl by me. Still I am not old enough to have teleporting grandchildren.
Enough of this speculation and on to the happening of the past week or so.
This past week, Saturday to be exact, we completed our midway show of "Joseph". As a band of brothers, we are having a blast. I don't think we have done a show the same way twice. There is a scene where the other bothers are grovelling before Joseph. While they are, I am being my usual lecherous self and am hitting on one of his attendants. Each night I have hit on a different one starting at the back of the line and working forward. As a result it is a surprise to each of the girls. It has been fun watching the different reactions. I have made my way through the full group on that one side and unfortunately I can't get over to the other.
It has made for some long days and short nights, but it has been a blast. There has been rumors that next year they are putting on "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers". If that is the case I may just audition again. We'll see. Still to early to tell.
suitable Work has been going slower than I expected this month until this morning. I went into work to put through some applications that I got over the weekend and instead of spending an hour in the office I spent most of the day helping out. There was a fire in one of our buildings and I spent the day trying to track down some of the "orphaned" tenants. Some of them will not be allowed back into their suites for quite some time and I was given the task of finding them accommodations within our system. Managed to get all but 1 looked after. It was an interesting day.
Well enough for tonight. It is bed time and my pillow is calling me.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
An Anniversary Present
On Friday I got Sharon her anniversary/birthday/Christmas present: a set of diamond studs. Dian and I went to get a rose for her and decided to put them on the rose like a couple of dew drops. We then went to Sobey's to take her out to lunch and give her the flower. We gave it to her before she left. She looked at it and said "A rose for me how sweet. What is it for?" I told her for her anniversary. "And a card too. Can I read it?" I helped her get the card out and got the "How cute." on the wording of the note I had written. She then placed the rose on the back shelf and said that she had a few minutes before lunch. Dian told her she had better not leave it there. When she asked why both Di and I said "Look at it closely."
It took a couple of seconds but she finally saw the studs. She tore the plastic wrap of the rose and took off. " I've got to show these to Arlene." She then showed them to all the girls working on cash. Arlene told her to take lunch a little early. Sharon again put the rose on the back counter and started to leave. Arlene told her she shouldn't leave the rose there. That it might not be there when she got back. One of the girls from one of the other departments came by to check out at that time and said "Wow! I wish someone would give me a $1200 rose."While we were walking over to the restaurant Sharon asked "You didn't pay that much for them, did you?" I told her they were worth a little more than that. She stopped in the middle of the parking lot and said "Tom Hovan how much did you?" I replied "Let's just say that they are worth twice that much. Do you want me to take them back?" "You didn't pay that much!!" "Let's just say I didn't pay that much." "Okay as long as you didn't pay that much."
We went to lunch. I got home about 10:30pm after the preformance and noticed that she had the studs in. She said as soon as she got home they went in and they weren't coming out until she had to go to work on Sunday. And they didn't. It has been a long time since I have seen Sharon with a permasmile on but she had one all weekend.
Here are a few pictures.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Fun at the Theatre
One of my addictions is live theatre - performing that is . Since September I have been rehearsing Monday to Saturday for "Joseph and His Technicolor Dream Coat". It has been a blast. To night was opening night and we perform for 12 of the next 14 days. I am Levi, one of the brothers. And we have a lot of fun.
This is what the director and the costumer see a cool dude of a brother.
I also have a part as a gogo dancer. I am not sure about this one but hey if you cannot have fun dressed like this you have no sense of humor.
Here are few of the other brothers in various costumes.
As you can see we are all crazy. It is the grease paint and
other makeup that gets us going. It is a better high than anything out there. you can be anyone or anything you want, go anywhere and any when you can imagine, and do anything you want. If you have never tried it, get involved. You will never want to give it up. But beware. It can eat up all our spare time and some that isn't spare in a hurry if you let it.
This is what the director and the costumer see a cool dude of a brother.
I also have a part as a gogo dancer. I am not sure about this one but hey if you cannot have fun dressed like this you have no sense of humor.
Here are few of the other brothers in various costumes.
As you can see we are all crazy. It is the grease paint and
other makeup that gets us going. It is a better high than anything out there. you can be anyone or anything you want, go anywhere and any when you can imagine, and do anything you want. If you have never tried it, get involved. You will never want to give it up. But beware. It can eat up all our spare time and some that isn't spare in a hurry if you let it.
Monday, October 27, 2008
35 Years and Counting
Today Sharon and I have been married 35 years. It has been an interesting and eventful trip to get here. But it has been worth it and we are expecting many more years and adventures. I feel like the opening line of Dickens' "Tale of Two Cities": "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."
We have moved 12 times to and from 5 cities. This last move has been the longest at over 20 years in the same house. We have had some lean times and some good times. We have survived good jobs and bad jobs, finding them and losing them. We have had good bosses and learned from them and we have had some bad bosses and learned more from them. We have survived raising children and are now enjoying the fruits of our labors: grandchildren. We have each survived some serious health issues that could have and should have shorted our time together. We have lost each other in some emotional/marital problems and found each other again only to realize that there is nothing that we can not work though because we really do love each other and that all these trials really do make us stronger and draw us closer.
Once we were invited to a young marrieds workshop at church. I had no idea why. We had been married almost 10 years at the time. I think it was because we had 2 small children at the time and the organizers thought we were relatively new at the game. The class we attended was on surviving life's ups and downs. The facilitator gave some statistics on what causes divorces and per cent ages of failures with each. Things like a new job with either and increase or decrease in pay 30%, with moves to a new town/city 40%. Loss of a child 25%, with the loss of first child almost 40%, and the subsequent loss a second child the chances rose to over 50%. He said all these are cumulative. After the presentation of the rest of his lecture he turned the time over to discussion. Several of the group asked questions and made comments. After a while I looked at Sharon and put up my hand. I asked hypothetically what the odds of surviving the following scenario was: "A young couple married while attending post secondary schooling, taking a good job in the schools town, about a year later moving to a small faring town for a better job, losing that job because of an economic down turn, moving to get another job and finding out they were expecting just after the move, being transferred to another city with the company, losing the position because the business was sold and also losing the child shortly after he was born to a mysterious illness almost at the same time, finding another good job in his field, losing a second child due to miscarriage at the start of third trimester, having their first child, expecting their second and moving to another city for another position with another company just before the second child is born and losing this job with in a year because of the economy. All this happens in the first 10 years of marriage." The facilitator looked shocked and asked if I was joking stating that this couple if still together would be lucky to survive another night together. Sharon and I started to laugh and asked if he knew a good divorce lawyer. He asked why and I said that is a brief outline of our life since we got married. He was amazed and asked how we survived and obviously thrived. We looked at each other and said "Our faith in each other and in God." He said that is and was the best foundation a couple could have and was where he was headed and thanked us for finishing his lecture.
I think that he was looking only at the negatives. I do not see many in our life together. Most of the "hardships" we have been through have be for the better. Very little if any have been for the worse. They have taught us to value each other even more and to cherish each other. They have taught us valuable lessons in humility and charity. They have given us an entirely different out look on life, a view of things around us and their real importance or should I say what is important. It is not a view that we have often found in others. We enjoy each day as it comes and try to live it together at its fullest. Doing the things we enjoy whether they are mutually shared or by ourselves and respecting the other's choices.
Enough of the mush. Lets just leave it at 35 happy years and counting.
Until next time.
We have moved 12 times to and from 5 cities. This last move has been the longest at over 20 years in the same house. We have had some lean times and some good times. We have survived good jobs and bad jobs, finding them and losing them. We have had good bosses and learned from them and we have had some bad bosses and learned more from them. We have survived raising children and are now enjoying the fruits of our labors: grandchildren. We have each survived some serious health issues that could have and should have shorted our time together. We have lost each other in some emotional/marital problems and found each other again only to realize that there is nothing that we can not work though because we really do love each other and that all these trials really do make us stronger and draw us closer.
Once we were invited to a young marrieds workshop at church. I had no idea why. We had been married almost 10 years at the time. I think it was because we had 2 small children at the time and the organizers thought we were relatively new at the game. The class we attended was on surviving life's ups and downs. The facilitator gave some statistics on what causes divorces and per cent ages of failures with each. Things like a new job with either and increase or decrease in pay 30%, with moves to a new town/city 40%. Loss of a child 25%, with the loss of first child almost 40%, and the subsequent loss a second child the chances rose to over 50%. He said all these are cumulative. After the presentation of the rest of his lecture he turned the time over to discussion. Several of the group asked questions and made comments. After a while I looked at Sharon and put up my hand. I asked hypothetically what the odds of surviving the following scenario was: "A young couple married while attending post secondary schooling, taking a good job in the schools town, about a year later moving to a small faring town for a better job, losing that job because of an economic down turn, moving to get another job and finding out they were expecting just after the move, being transferred to another city with the company, losing the position because the business was sold and also losing the child shortly after he was born to a mysterious illness almost at the same time, finding another good job in his field, losing a second child due to miscarriage at the start of third trimester, having their first child, expecting their second and moving to another city for another position with another company just before the second child is born and losing this job with in a year because of the economy. All this happens in the first 10 years of marriage." The facilitator looked shocked and asked if I was joking stating that this couple if still together would be lucky to survive another night together. Sharon and I started to laugh and asked if he knew a good divorce lawyer. He asked why and I said that is a brief outline of our life since we got married. He was amazed and asked how we survived and obviously thrived. We looked at each other and said "Our faith in each other and in God." He said that is and was the best foundation a couple could have and was where he was headed and thanked us for finishing his lecture.
I think that he was looking only at the negatives. I do not see many in our life together. Most of the "hardships" we have been through have be for the better. Very little if any have been for the worse. They have taught us to value each other even more and to cherish each other. They have taught us valuable lessons in humility and charity. They have given us an entirely different out look on life, a view of things around us and their real importance or should I say what is important. It is not a view that we have often found in others. We enjoy each day as it comes and try to live it together at its fullest. Doing the things we enjoy whether they are mutually shared or by ourselves and respecting the other's choices.
Enough of the mush. Lets just leave it at 35 happy years and counting.
Until next time.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Even My Hair Hurts
Over the last few weeks Sharon and I have been walking at nights when she gets off early enough. At my last doctor's appointment he gave a clean bill of health (except for the blood pressure medicine and the occasional celebrex for my bum knee) and said to get back into exercising. I went to see my old Sensei, Hanshi Jorge Sosa last week. He agreed to take me on as a student again on Mondays from 4 to 6. Tonight was the first night training. He said that he would take it easy on me for the first time. I should have know better. He had me sweating so hard my hands were even wet. I know they say the second day is worse than the first but I hurt in places I haven't hurt in a long time. My legs are starting to stiffen, my knee is numb, my chest and shoulders are sore, and my abs are spasming from the "warm-ups". It has been a long time since I did 40 sit ups, not to mention push ups, leg tucks and reverse crunchies. But I feel the best I have in over a year. I just hope I survive the next few days to make it back next week. I guess he did take it easy on me. He told me that was all at 5:50 and let me go 10 minutes early.
I was shocked at how much I remembered. After warm ups and techniques practice we did 10 Katas and I managed to get through them with little or now coaxing. Next week should be interesting as we move forward into the more difficult ones. I have only another 18 to remember.
Night all.
I was shocked at how much I remembered. After warm ups and techniques practice we did 10 Katas and I managed to get through them with little or now coaxing. Next week should be interesting as we move forward into the more difficult ones. I have only another 18 to remember.
Night all.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Not Just Another Pretty Face
Last Monday I received a phone call from a friend that is directing the local musical theatre group's fall production. He asked if I was interested in being involved. I have performed and worked with the group in the past and said sure knowing he was short of back stage help. I can drive a nail with the best of them. I arrived at the theatre at the appointed time. As I walked in he handed me a script and said "Congratulations. You have just auditioned for 'Joseph and His TechinColor Dream Coat'. You are one of the brothers. Rehearsals are Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The men start rehearsal in 30 minutes." He then smiled and walked off. I didn't think the railroad ran through that area of Lethbridge but obviously it does. Don't get me wrong, I am having fun and enjoy this immensely. It is nice to know that you are not just a pretty face but a voice too.
We started that night as the 8 brothers. The next rehearsal we up to the 10 brothers. I think we are now the required 11. I will find out this morning as we start learning the dance sections and everyone said that they could be there. We had planned at the 8 stage that we would hold puppets between us. One would operate the head and mouth, the other the arms. The feet would be connected to our feet so as we moved the puppet would too. But I guess that has gone by the boards now.
Got to run. Till next time.
We started that night as the 8 brothers. The next rehearsal we up to the 10 brothers. I think we are now the required 11. I will find out this morning as we start learning the dance sections and everyone said that they could be there. We had planned at the 8 stage that we would hold puppets between us. One would operate the head and mouth, the other the arms. The feet would be connected to our feet so as we moved the puppet would too. But I guess that has gone by the boards now.
Got to run. Till next time.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
More Ramblings
Been a couple of weeks since the last foray into blogdom. Lots has happened and not much of it remembered. Work has taken most of my time. Even getting calls on my days off. Got just about all of the weeds cut in the back yard and all the rest sprayed. Been putting off that inevitable almost next to last date with the lawn mower. Monday seems to be the day.
Sharon and I have been shopping a lot recently. We have paid off more big bills and bought more stuff for the house than we have done in a long time. The only thing I can put it down to is the fact that there are the commission cheques coming in.
We bought a wii a little while back and on Friday we bought our "first" couch. Now don't get me wrong. We have had 2 others: the 1st was a new one given us by my parents and the 2nd was a "hand me down" again from my Mom. She bought a new one and didn't have room for the old one. This one is the first new one that we picked out and paid for ourselves. It only took us 35 plus years but what the hey. It is a "semi-custom built" black leather sofa. We won't see it for at least another month.
Today we also started to seriously price out kitchen cabinets. The original ones are starting to look a little dated and worn. It is time for them to go to the big scrap heap in the sky. Besides they don't really match the white oak hard wood flooring I put down this spring. When we were leaving the show room we walked by this bathroom sink and fell in love with it. It would go perfectly with the tile we are going to put in the bathroom upstairs. Even better than the one we bought over 2 years ago. We looked at each other and said at the same time "The other one would look really nice in the down stairs bath." Now all I have to do is get the time to get it done before 16 Dec.
Jake was talking about projects in his blog earlier this month. He said they are works in progress. That is why they are called projects. I agree that is why they are called projects. I have to do on my project list: 1) finish installing the base boards and trim on the new hardwood floor and stairs, 2) finish the bookcase/railing thingy in the living room, 3) the upstairs bathroom reno (tile, tub surround, and sink) and probably one or two other small things. Hey I learned from the best. It took my Dad almost 2 years to build the mohagany fire place in their house and over 5 to complete the linen closet. It takes us Hovan males a while to get things done, but when they are done they are done well and done right. Just ask us we'll tell you.
It is getting late and the eyes are starting to droop. It has been a long day. It started almost 2 hours sooner than I was expecting. When Kimmie was a young'un she had done a number on her ankle while participating in competitive gymnastics. They operated but while waiting the several weeks it took to get her into the operating room they prescribed Voltarin Rapid to help control the inflammation. It turns out she is the 1 in 100,000 that take a reaction to the drug and is the 1 in 250,000 that take a violent reaction. Her muscles stiffen and cramp up. She was curled up into a little ball and there was nothing they could do for her to help with the pain. She literally cried for 4 or 5 days while the drug worked its way out of her system. This week to help control the inflammation in her feet from another medical condition she was prescribed another drug that was from the same drug family but was even less likely to have any side effects. Well that was what the phone call was about at 6 this morning. Her neck and back had started to seize up. Unlike the last time she knew what to watch for and Friday she started to feel it coming on so she stopped taking the pills. Scott watched the kids while Kimmie and I spent 2 hours in the ER. There is still not much they could do for her but they were at least able to give her a painkiller to help unlike the last time.
Well I'm rambling again and time is flying by. My pillow is calling my name and I can no longer ignore it. So good night all. Till next time.
Sharon and I have been shopping a lot recently. We have paid off more big bills and bought more stuff for the house than we have done in a long time. The only thing I can put it down to is the fact that there are the commission cheques coming in.
We bought a wii a little while back and on Friday we bought our "first" couch. Now don't get me wrong. We have had 2 others: the 1st was a new one given us by my parents and the 2nd was a "hand me down" again from my Mom. She bought a new one and didn't have room for the old one. This one is the first new one that we picked out and paid for ourselves. It only took us 35 plus years but what the hey. It is a "semi-custom built" black leather sofa. We won't see it for at least another month.
Today we also started to seriously price out kitchen cabinets. The original ones are starting to look a little dated and worn. It is time for them to go to the big scrap heap in the sky. Besides they don't really match the white oak hard wood flooring I put down this spring. When we were leaving the show room we walked by this bathroom sink and fell in love with it. It would go perfectly with the tile we are going to put in the bathroom upstairs. Even better than the one we bought over 2 years ago. We looked at each other and said at the same time "The other one would look really nice in the down stairs bath." Now all I have to do is get the time to get it done before 16 Dec.
Jake was talking about projects in his blog earlier this month. He said they are works in progress. That is why they are called projects. I agree that is why they are called projects. I have to do on my project list: 1) finish installing the base boards and trim on the new hardwood floor and stairs, 2) finish the bookcase/railing thingy in the living room, 3) the upstairs bathroom reno (tile, tub surround, and sink) and probably one or two other small things. Hey I learned from the best. It took my Dad almost 2 years to build the mohagany fire place in their house and over 5 to complete the linen closet. It takes us Hovan males a while to get things done, but when they are done they are done well and done right. Just ask us we'll tell you.
It is getting late and the eyes are starting to droop. It has been a long day. It started almost 2 hours sooner than I was expecting. When Kimmie was a young'un she had done a number on her ankle while participating in competitive gymnastics. They operated but while waiting the several weeks it took to get her into the operating room they prescribed Voltarin Rapid to help control the inflammation. It turns out she is the 1 in 100,000 that take a reaction to the drug and is the 1 in 250,000 that take a violent reaction. Her muscles stiffen and cramp up. She was curled up into a little ball and there was nothing they could do for her to help with the pain. She literally cried for 4 or 5 days while the drug worked its way out of her system. This week to help control the inflammation in her feet from another medical condition she was prescribed another drug that was from the same drug family but was even less likely to have any side effects. Well that was what the phone call was about at 6 this morning. Her neck and back had started to seize up. Unlike the last time she knew what to watch for and Friday she started to feel it coming on so she stopped taking the pills. Scott watched the kids while Kimmie and I spent 2 hours in the ER. There is still not much they could do for her but they were at least able to give her a painkiller to help unlike the last time.
Well I'm rambling again and time is flying by. My pillow is calling my name and I can no longer ignore it. So good night all. Till next time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)