I'm trying

I went to the library today. Checking out my books at the new self serve check out station, the attendant (making sure we could figure out the new self serve check out station) said to me, "Are you a hard core swimmer? In October, we are hosting a talk by a swimmer who has swum some incredible long distance swims. The arctic. The English Channel..." . Oh I think? I know who this is! So I asked, "What's her name?" Yes! I was right!
Lynne Cox is coming here to our library to give a talk about her new book, "Grayson". It's an account of her training off the coast of California, for a long distance swim, and a baby gray whale who becomes separated from its mother and begins following her. Lynne Cox is so amazing. She broke the world record for swimming the English Channel at age 15. She was also the first person to swim the Bering Strait, and the first to swim over a mile in the Antarctic. The water is so cold there, your teeth can shatter and you can get nerve damage in your extremities. I remember watching the documentary, and was amazed at how she swam really well, but as soon as she got out of the water and stopped swimming she went into hypothermia.

The other day W and I went swimming in the ocean near our place. It was so cold I couldn't keep my face in the water for more than 30 seconds. My ankles and wrists were just aching. I'm such a wimp! Today I went to the pool, nice and warm and swam a whopping 2500 m. Well, gotta start somewhere!

You know, I never get excited about celebrity, whatever, just another person. But...this is different!

of a recent road trip.

Bob's Lake. Fishing was good, though the fish were too small. So peaceful, the only sound heard was the whining of the mosquitoes. We would've stayed longer if not for that.

Found a swing at the other end of the lake. Nothing like a swing to make you feel young.

Vermillion lake. Isn't vermillion red? The water was turquoise. Hmm.

Heading down along the Fraser river to Lilloett. I just love this rugged landscape!

Forest fire! Started by a huge R.V. that just blew up and caught fire. Tried to take a picture of it but it didn't turn out. Good thing we got through when we did because the next day the whole highway was closed for several days.

Big slide!

Heading down into the Fraser Canyon. The muddy Fraser River. All that silt carried down to the ocean has formed the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.

Stay tuned for Hell's Gate Canyon!

So, there's been a lot of controversy about "The Order of Canada " in the past couple of weeks. The thing is, Canada is not about controversy! We must all be in agreement to get anything done here. For those of you not Canadian and not willing to connect to the last link , the Order of Canada is issued to those Canadians, and I believe a few foreigners who have made some sort of worthy contribution to Canada, the great land of the free.

Anyway, I decided to go to the official government site to see who has been awarded this lofty honour. Here are a few, mostly in ABC order. I couldn't possibly get through them all, but just merely picked a few familiar names. No judgement here!


Bryan Adams . Okay. Summer of 69. He's just a bad skinned rock star who doesn't even care enough about Canada to even live here. He was once quoted as saying (paraphrased) that the Canadian music scene SUCKS! Yeah, he's so deserving. He's a rock star too, I bet he's bedded a few underage groupies. Nice moral guy. Who am I to judge.


Frank Augustyn. Ballet star. Enough said. So what if he was Karen Kain's partner. Who cares.

Lionna Boyd . Classical guitarist who once dated Pierre Trudeau. She wasn't even that good. Oh, as a guitarist. She did have beautiful long blonde hair though. She lives in Florida, probably doesn't even pay Canadian taxes.

Charles Bronfmann. Big Rich Monopolist from Montreal. I'm positive he doesn't pay taxes.

Jean Alland. Military Man. I wonder how many people he killed or was responsible for killing?

George Athans . World champion waterskiing. Awarded for athletic prowess! Whoopee. I have met his mother Irene though. I wonder if she is still alive. She is an awesome swimmer...even at age 80+. How come she doesn't have the Order?

Alex Baumann . Okay. World champion/Olympic swimmer. I had a crush on him. He deserves it.

Charles Best . Discovered insulin! No question here.

Ernie Molson. Canadian beer man! No doubt.

Father Lucien Larre . Well, he just returned his order, in protest to a recent nomination. Funny, because he was actually convicted of abusing young people in his care when he was a psychologist. Gee, someone I could look up to. A real friggin' hypocrite.

k.d. lang. Personally I don't like her because she made a pass at me at Joe's Cafe in 1988. She's GAY. Oh dear. That doesn't bother me, I just don't like people making passes at me. She lives in L.A. anyway. If I hear her songs in the elevator I have to plug my ears and go LA LA LA. I CAN'T HEAR YOU!

Robert Humme ! The Friendly Giant. No contest. I wonder if Jerome and Rusty have the order as well.

and... Ernie Coombs . Mr. Dressup. The greatest Canadian ever.


Agnes MacPhail ...not on the LIST! GRRR.

Bobby Gimby . Of course. Who could disagree? CA-NA-DA!

Barbara Gowdy . Awesome writer. Controversial though. Oh, let's not even go there. Freedom of speech lives in my country. She writes superbly.

Alice Munro . My hero. But, oddly, not on the list. WHAT THE FRICK! The Chekhov of Canada not on the list?

Walter Gretzky? Why? Cause he's a dad of a hockey star? What about mom? I know a few hockey moms who have sacrificed a lot. I nominate Shelly Heggenstaller for the Order of Canada! OH! Update...Mom received OOC!!!!

Peter Gzowski . No contest. Great man. Stupid for smoking though.

Terry Fox ! YES!

Ben Johnson? For what? Steroid use?

Monty Hall ? Let's make a deal?

Sarah Mclachlan. I like this choice.

But Murray McLauchlan ? He was convicted of drunk driving. Many people know how I feel about that. If he gets this award, what does it mean? I bet Bryan Adams thinks he sucks.

Joey Smallwood , one of Canada's greatest. Father of universal healthcare.

Elaine Tanner . Olympic swimming gold. Backstroke. Canada's sweetheart. Mark Sptiz had a crush on her.

Bill Reid . First Nations artist. Genius. Yes.

John Saul Writes trashy top ten best sellers. PUKE! WHAT ABOUT ALICE MUNRO????

Alice Munro does not have the Order of Canada! Petition please! Ben Johnson has the award why not her! GRRRRRRR.

That said...well, maybe another blog. Ordinary , so called ordinary people who deserve...well, it's for me to decide!

*note* Had a difficult time uploading pictures tonight...so that's all you get for now!

fohr ma new kat twee...



i wuv it