About Me

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Delta, British Columbia, Canada
I took very early retirement from teaching in '06 and did some traveling in Europe and the UK before settling down to do some private tutoring. As a voracious reader, I have many books waiting in line for me to read. Tell me I shouldn't read something, and I will. I'm a happy, optimistic person and I love to travel and through that believe that life can be a continuous learning experience. I'm looking forward to traveling more some day. I enjoy walking, cycling, water aerobics & and sports like tennis, volleyball, and fastpitch/baseball. I'm just getting into photography as a hobby and I'm enjoying learning all the bits and bobs of my digital camera. My family is everything to me and I'm delighted to be the mother of two girls and the Gramma of a boy and a girl. I may be a Gramma, but I'm at heart just a girl who wants to have fun.

Monday, November 13, 2017

S is for SMILE

Hi everyone!  Hope you all remembered "Remembrance Day" (as we here in Canada call it).  I know it's a service of remembering those who gave the ultimate gift to us by fighting against evil in the past wars.  However, I couldn't help but smile when recalling that so many men in my family were part of those who fought.  My grandfathers (both of them) fought in World War 1, with my paternal grandfather passing away at the young age of about 50 from complications of the gas he inhaled at one of the battles. I remember that night so clearly as I was about 7 years old and in bed when suddenly the house came alive with shouts and sirens as the paramedics tried to save his life after suffering a massive heart attack.  But I remembered my Grandpa with a smile on November 11th.  I also remember my other Grandpa and the photo I have of him in uniform.  My Dad and his sister, my Auntie Jo, were both in World War 2, my Dad as a flight trainer and pilot who monitored the east coast of Canada for German warships, U-boats and submarines.  He didn't go overseas and never got injured but he also never discussed his experiences in the war until the year before he died.  However, he focused on the happy times of flying through the clouds and goofing around during training periods. He lost a lot of his friends in those years. Here's my Dad at about 22 years old, proudly posing in his RCAF uniform.
I am also happy to being smiling broadly these days after having some dental work done.  I had to get a bridge done but after 2 attempts, my dentist decided that for some reason, my mouth was not accepting the new types of glues.  So, she had to do a sort of "old-fashioned" way of doing it.  I'm very happy now as I have a great smile with straight teeth now!
Finally, I am smiling because I made a BIG decision and I'm proud of myself.  Some of you know the background of my disastrous marriage almost 4 years ago and why I've been separated for almost 3 years.  Well, I went to my lawyer and have now filed for divorce and costs if he contests my application.  Hopefully, he will have learned that I'm not someone to trifle with and will simply sign the form - or else just ignore it.  Because we've been separated for almost 3 years, the application will simply go through the courts and "he" will be informed that he's now divorced.  But if he hasn't learned anything from me, he will try to get access to Tegan, my dog, and if he does, he will end up paying for my legal fees as well as his own.  But then I know him - he's too cheap and will probably give up.  So I will be divorced early in the new year - hopefully, January or February. Another fresh start for me!
Next year, 2018, I am planning a 6-week trip to England, Wales, and Ireland!  I'm smiling all the time with anticipation because I am going to try to rent a cottage in North Yorkshire (near my friend Jill) and hire a car to learn to drive myself around.  The car must be an automatic, though, because my brain won't work trying to shift gears AND stay on the proper side of the road.

So all in all, I'm feeling pretty good these days!  I just knocked on my wooden desk - just to be on the safe side.  LOL

Thanks, Melody, for keeping ABCW alive...not too many contributors - yet - but keep at it.  I always post mine on Facebook, too, so if anyone is interested in joining in, they can always contact me. Have a great weekend everyone!


22 comments:

Trubits of Life. said...

Testing 123

Trubits of Life. said...

Just had to do a tester as as you probably know i've been having trouble with my new Trubits site, whatever I've done wrong when setting it up, my comments haven't been posting on my site nor others.....pain in the ass but maybe it has sorted itself out after I've been twiddling about.
I loved your post about your Pa and Gramps in the RCAF I felt a connection ther because my first husband's father was in the RCAF in WW2, as Flight Lt (Rear Gunner), His plane was shot down over Holland he was just 22years of age. He came from a cattle ranch in Edmonton. Calgary. My ex never met him as he was just 3 months old when his papa died.
Surely you don't think 'you know who' would try and get custody of Tegan, by golly I'd like to see him try !
Good to see your lovely smile again and I do hope we meet up again when you come over.
Love Di xxx

Anonymous said...

awwwwww

all great smiles

ABC-Wednesday said...

To remember the smile of another person, that is a gift you can never buy anywhere.. My grandparents fought in ww2 too but helas, they never wanted to talk about it..

Have a splendid ABC-Wednes-day / - week
♫ M e l ☺ d y ♫ (abc-w-team)
http://melodymusic.nl/21-s

Roger Owen Green said...

I think that ridding yourself of the excess baggage WILL make you smile! I'm very happy for you.

ROG, ABCW

Liz Hinds said...

Great news about the divorce! And your trip next year. Looking forward to seeing you.

Ann said...

You have a fabulous smile and i'm truly sorry you have had to undergo hardships with the one you thought you could trust.
Ann

Su-sieee! Mac said...

I'm loving the smile in your words. :-)

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