The poem read:
       "The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour.  Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will. Place no faith in time.  For the clock may soon be still."
       STORY NUMBER   TWO 
       World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Butch O'Hare.
       He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific.
       One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission.  After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank.
       He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his  ship.
       His flight leader told him to return to the carrier.  Reluctantly he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet.
       As he was returning to the mother ship, he saw something that turned his blood cold; a squadron of Japanese aircraft was speeding its way toward the American fleet.
       The American fighters were gone on a sortie, and the fleet was all but defenseless.  He couldn't reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet.  Nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger.  There was only one thing to do.  He must somehow divert them from the  fleet.
       Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 calibers blazed as he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another.  Butch wove in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until all his ammunition was finally spent.
       Undaunted, he continued the assault.  He dove at the planes, trying to clip a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible, rendering them unfit to fly.
       Finally the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction.
       Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier.
        Upon arrival, he reported in and related the event surrounding his return. The film from the gun-camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed the extent of Butch's daring attempt to protect his fleet.  He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft.  This took place on February 20, 1942, and for that action Butch became the Navy's first Ace of WW II, and the first Naval Aviator to win the Medal of Honor.
        A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29.  His home town would not allow the memory of this WW II hero to fade, and today O'Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man.
       So the next time you find yourself at O'Hare International, give some thought to visiting Butch's memorial displaying his statue and his Medal of Honor.  It's located between Terminals 1 and 2.
       SO WHAT DO THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER? 

       Butch O'Hare was "Easy Eddie's" son. 

My friend Bill Stewart recently shared the 911 recording of this with the gang at the poker game…

Distraught husband to 911…”My wife needs an ambulance!!”

911…”What is your address sir?”

Husband…”24 Eucalyptus Drive!”

911…”Can you please spell that?”

Husband…paaaaaaaaaaause….”I’ll drag her to Oak Street!”

…and a little reminiscing from old Airdrietown

My brother Floyd celebrated a birthday this week.  I’d like to relate a little story he shared with me. In the early 60’s Airdrie’s population was a staggering 200 and change.  The hiway ran through Airdrie on today’s Edmonton Trail, which required four service stations to handle the volume.  Gordon Morris’s Royalite station was situated where the Horseman Inn is now, Wally & Ed Anderson’s Esso would have been where the new car/truck wash is between the old Flames restaurant and Hugh Hamilton’s Registry office.  Arne Neilson’s Shell was where the Dairy Queen is and Wilson Cool’s Texaco stood tall between centre and First Avenue where the A&W stands today.

Our closet RCMP detachment was in Crossfield then. (This does pertain to the story…kind of.)

Upon Floyd’s hiatus from school (he would eventually return for his GED), he sought employment at both the Esso and the Texaco stations.  On the particular night in question, Floyd was working with Billy Lovell at the Texaco.  The Texaco occupied most of the frontage between first and centre and was situated smack dab in the middle which set up perfectly for the two boys to observe a car coming off the hiway rather slowly,  rolling up to the building and eventually coming to a stop.  Shortly thereafter a man opened the car door and sort of rolled out.  I think the lads thought he was drunk, not an uncommon occurrence in those days.   They helped him into the station but couldn’t get much out of him as he was very incoherent.  He did manage to convey to them that his buddy was still in the car though.  When Floyd investigated,   the buddy looked like he was sleeping and Floyd gave him a couple of nudges to wake him up to no avail.  They phoned the RCMP and the constabulary had Floyd try a few things including shaking him some more,   making Floyd a tad uncomfortable as he was convinced the guy was dead now.  NOT a common site in Airdrie, I might add!  Finally the cops advised Floyd that someone should drive the car into one to the stations bays until they could get there…not a pleasing thought to a couple of 16 year olds!  Floyd must have chose the short straw and with much grimacing he reluctantly got the car in.  Apparently these two gentlemen were returning to Calgary from Edmonton when sleepiness started to take its toll, so they pulled off the hiway for some shuteye.  Unfortunately, they backed up with their tailpipe in a snowbank and proceeded to gas themselves.  The driver awoke and somehow made his way in Airdrie and survived.  His friend did not though…Made for an exciting evening in sleepy town Airdrie on a winter’s night I’m sure!

I love these kinds of stories….enjoy

Two Stories Worth Reading
BOTH are true!!!! 
    STORY NUMBER  ONE 

      Many years ago Al Capone virtually owned Chicago.  Capone wasn't famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.
      Capone had a lawyer nicknamed "Easy Eddie." He was Capone's lawyer for a good reason.  Eddie was very good!  In fact Eddie's skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time.
      To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well.  Not only was the money big, but Eddie got special dividends as well.  For instance he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all of the conveniences of the day.  The estate was so large that it filled an entire Chicago City block.
       Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration to the atrocity that went on around him.  
       Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly.  Eddie saw to it that his young son had clothes, cars, and a good education. Nothing was withheld.  Price was no object.
       And despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even tried to teach his son right from wrong.  Eddie wanted his son to be a better man than he was.
       Yet with all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn't give his son; he couldn't pass on a good name or a good example.
       One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie wanted to rectify wrongs he had done.
       He decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Al "Scarface" Capone, clean up his tarnished name, and offer his son some semblance of integrity.  To do this, he would have to testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great.  So he testified.
       Within the year Easy Eddie's life ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago Street. But in his eyes he had given his son the greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price he could ever pay.  Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion, and a poem clipped from a magazine.

You are who you are for a reason.

You’re part of an intricate plan.

You’re a precious and perfect unique design,

Called God’s special woman or man.

You look like you look for a reason.

Our God made no mistake.

He knit you together within the womb,

You’re just what he wanted to make.

The parents you had were the ones he chose,

And no matter how you may feel,

They were custom-designed with God’s plan in mind,

And they bear the Master’s seal.

No, the trauma you faced was not easy.

And God wept that it hurt you so;

But it was allowed to shape your heart

So that into his likeness you’d grow.

You are who you are for a reason,

You’ve been formed by the Master’s rod.

You are who you are, beloved,

Because there is a God!

 ~by Russell Kelfer~

“I am so happy & grateful because every day I wake up and get to be Salvador Dali!”

I graduated from George McDougall High School in Airdrie, the class of ’71.  Our graduation ceremonies were held in September of ’72, which was a common practice in those days.  The protocol of the day was to have our graduation supper in the town’s community Hall and then proceed to the High School gymnasium for the ceremonies and the dance.  Most of the ceremony consisted of the graduates going on stage to receive their diploma from the principal and each student was given the opportunity to relay his or her future plans to the teachers & parents.

There were a wide variety of proposed occupations voiced, including dentist, farmer, university degree of such and such, legal receptionist and so on and so on.  My claim to fame was to be…a laborer.  That was it.  There seemed to be lot of emphasis placed on ones vocation.  How many times have you heard some kindly Aunt or Relative ask a youngster,  “And what do you want to be when you grow up?” or to any pending graduate, “And what will you be taking in University or doing after graduation?” 

How about meeting someone for the first time, dollars to donuts the first question would be, “And what do you do for a living?” or if one has grown children, “And what do they do for a living?”  Years ago I met a young fellow from our high school whom  I’d not seen for many years.  I asked him the standard question and his reply was, “He worked for the Southland Corporation!”  Ah said I, you work for 7-11 then.  You see, I had worked for the Southland Corp. myself…

There seems to be a lot of people unhappy with where they work, whom they work for and what they do for work with the end result complaining about the first five days of any given week.  5/7^th of the week are sacrificed for the other 2/7^th .  The weekends serve only as a temporary reprieve from the blandness of the week.

I’m of the opinion now that any kind of reference to a vocation ‘pigeon-holes’ oneself.  I believe that restricting yourself to a set profession or job narrows ones possibilities and potential.  Russell Kelfer’s poem above states that we are precious & perfect and of a unique design and I’m thinking  that if we are of God’s design then that would make each and every one of us, ‘Without borders!’  Open to do anything we want…Opportunities Abound!

So, like Salvadore Dali’s quote above, perhaps your day would be much better served if you got to be, Trent La Marsh or Stan Jensen or Bill Stewart of whomever!  The pure essence of stating your name would mean the possibilities for you are endless! 

So, next time someone asks what do you do?...you could answer, “I’m being ‘your name’ and that’s quite a full time job, thankyou.” 

JUST DO IT!

“You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there.”  ~Yogi Berra.

“Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.” ~Jim Rohn.

…and with that I’ve embarked on ‘a few simple disciplines’ that I’m practicing every day as part of my ‘HEALTH PLAN’ and they are as follows:

1.  Practice the 5 Rites Exercises.  There’s much more value to these than just performing the exercises, which you can read about in Peter Kelder’s book, “Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth.”  The link to the exercises is below…http://thepdi.com/five_rites_of_rejuvenation.htm

2.  Go for a 30 minute walk every day… 

3.  Consume one ‘Shake’ a day.  I prefer USANA’S  ‘Nutrimeal’ shake…

4.  Consume at least one portion of veggies a day…

5.  Consume at least one portion of fruit a day…

6.  Consume vitamins/supplements each day.  I prefer USANA’s ‘Essentials’…

7.  Consume one food bar a day. Again, I prefer USANA’s version…

These are very basic steps to a Health Plan, wouldn’t you agree?  As the late great Jim Rohn said, “Eating an apple a day is easy, right?  But it’s also easy NOT to do…”  I certainly found this out! 

I started this routine 18 months ago when I weighed in at 270lbs.  I proceeded to lose 70lbs…and then regained almost all of it.  Sound familiar?  After going bankrupt, I allowed all sorts of negative ‘Stinkin Thinkin’ to seep in.  The ‘Poor Me’s, Not good enough, Botten Rastards, ‘ etc etc served as good excuses to NOT keep up…right?

WRONGO!  As T. Harv Eker would say, “How you do anything is how you do everything.”  And it became apparent that with my weight and health in decline so were other aspects of my life, including the finances.  So, in order to better my finances, relationships etc, I would need to better my health.

Let me say, I’ve chosen USANA’s products because they’re rated 5 star, so we decided to start our own home based business to receive them wholesale and because I think I’ve got a bit more understanding of the kind of products I’m consuming.  That being said…

The losing weight will come, of that I’m sure.  Knowing that the daily implementation of these 7 steps will better the other aspects of my life is big, plus building good habits is great for one’s esteem!

The 5 rites exercises take about 12 minutes tops to perform and combined with the 30 minute walk, the total time required is quite minimal….however, it does build a great foundation for discipline!  And when you start thinking about other endeavors, you can always use your daily health plan as a motivating key to other successes!

One other point I’d like to share is I didn’t want to focus on “Losing Weight” (There seems to be a negative connotation to that.), rather I wanted to focus on these 7 excellent steps.  I’ve picked these 7 easy steps because they’re easy to do and by implementing these on a daily basis I know I’ll have success!

Plus, I’ve now discovered my reason (s) for keepin on, keepin on!

And as old Red Green would say, “Remember, I’m pullin for ya!”

Sunday Jan 29th...Comin' down.

A little Sunday here and a little Sunday there…

http://www.lauradekker.nl/English/Home.html

AN AMAZING JOURNEY…ONE ‘ELLUVA DREAM!

16 Year old Laura Dekker from Holland recently competed circumnavigating the world and its 27,000 nautical miles in a little 38ft yacht…alone.  The youngest person ever to do so!  Initially, her own Dutch government took the matter to court several times to try and stop her dream…

TALK ABOUT TRAVELLING AROUND THE WORLD…

I see where my good friend Stan Jensen is touring around Israel and the accompanying photos he updates us with on FB are wonderful.  Stan is probably combining business and pleasure, a practice which has taken him too many points around the world.  Stan and family moved to Airdrietown in the late ‘60’s…the family stayed, Stan strayed…nice to keep in touch with good friends though.

“YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHING YET”

Bachman Turner Overdrive (BTO) only million dollar single, started off as nothing more than a testing song to see if they were getting the right balance before they tackled the real songs intended for the album.  In Bachman’s book, “Vinyl Tap Stories”, Randy claims when Charlie Fach (Mercury Records) came to hear the tracks for BTO’s third album he was concerned that while the album tracks were great there was no obvious single…When the engineer suggested they play that ‘stuttering song’, Randy cringed and even when he first heard it on the radio he was so embarrassed he turned it off!  The book is an interesting & enjoyable read by the way…

THE SIMPLEST TOY, ONE WHICH EVEN THE YOUNGEST CHILD CAN OPERATE, IS CALLED A GRANDPARENT

Dan & Collette Anaka, local Benjamin Moore Paint store proprietors recently arrived back from the ‘Disney Cruise’.  Daughter Shaeleen and family accompanied mom & dad.  Dan claims they were able to keep up their walking routine as 3 times around the deck was good for a mile.  Well, between that and keeping up with the grandbabies they were able to balance all the available food!  I didn’t ask if they ‘Grilled’ the captain before tours commencement…

AND A LITTLE MORE AROUND AIRDRIETOWN

Visited with Marj & Dunc Stewart Friday night.  Marj is still curling 3 times a week and I delighted in Marj reminiscing about all her old curling stories involving both the games and otherwise!  It seems they’ve had their grandbabies just right.  Son Bill’s girls are now adults with families, son Rob’s young lad is soon to be a teenager and now son Greg has given them wee ‘Zachy!’…Really sorry to hear, Sharon Shuttleworth will be leaving the Benjamin Moore store at month’s end.  Really enjoyed yakking with her and so thankful for the bottles she’s contributed for our friend’s cause!...I bumped into Donny Campbell on a painting quote recently.  Donny is a Journeyman Carpenter and was ‘Ramrodding’ the outfit on the reno job.  We used to watch him tend goal for a few years while with Frank McEvoy’s  Airdrie Thunder Hockey Team.  You can reach Donny at ‘donnyhcampbell@gmail.com’ should you need such services…my friend Jerry @ the Mac’s Coffee bar tells me his kids bought him a snow blower for Christmas.  He doesn’t seem that disappointed for not having used it yet!...my condolences to the Thomson family on the recent passing of their matriarch, Klare.  Wonderful lady and a real boom to our community!

SUPER DUPER BOWL NEXT WEEK…

I was sure hoping for the brothers Jim & John Harbough anticipated clash.  Having the Baltimore Ravens/San Francisco 49ers coached teams come together in the NFL’s Ultimate Finale and the resulting handshake at game’s end would have been interesting.  49er coach Jim seems really good at brushing off the opposing teams coach at games conclusion…oh well.  Maybe next year…

STEVEN PRESSFIELD

WHO?  Says you?  Pressfield’s first job when he moved to New York City was as a $150-a-week copy writer for Benton & Bowles.  One day while rewriting the just-add-water text for the back label of Gravy Train dog food he asked himself, ‘Shouldn’t I be doing something a little more worthwhile?’  He decided to quit and write a novel.  Eight novels, many bestsellers and 34 screenplays later…The one fiction book of his that I’ve seen made into a movie was , ‘The Legend of Bagger Vance.’  I’m currently reading two of his nonfiction gems, “The War of Art” & “Do The Work”…If ‘Overcoming your resistance and getting out of your own way’, bears any interest, I highly recommend them!

Friends and memories…

Tomorrow is January 26^th and I will be remembering my friend Neil Anderson, gone since 2008 and my mother-in-law Vera, gone since 2009. 

Neil and I attended school together in Airdrietown back so many years ago.  We weren’t really friends though, as we travelled in different circles.  Now, Airdrietown only had five hundred or so people back then so most circles interacted somewhat…but the fact of the matter was our paths never seemed to cross too much, until after we’d married and started raising families.  I can still remember being somewhat puzzled after getting a phone call from Neil asking me if I’d be interested in seeing a business opportunity.   “Why would Neil Anderson be phoning me?” 

Now, the business opportunity was an MLM venture called Amway and usually you tend to call people outside your circle of close friends just because if any noses get out of joint (those kinds of businesses tend to do that) you no doubt won’t see them again soon.  We did agree to come out to see the program and ultimately joined up with Neil & Geraldine.  The business didn’t last but the friendship blossomed!  Interesting how things work out.

Our two families shared a lot over the years…not unlike any other friendship that’s 30 years in the making but something unique brought Neil & I just a little closer several years into our budding friendship…and that was golf!

We found our own little paradise called Water Valley for our insatiable appetite.  We grew with that little golf course, from the nine hole cow pasture with a modular clubhouse to their present day 18 hole extravaganza with all the ‘Bells & Whistles’ one would expect!

We laughed and snorted our way around that course.  We became masters at holding our tongues just right with arched backs swayed waaaaaay over in an effort to coax that ball out of those darn trees and the odd ‘helicopter sighting’ was to be expected.  We tended to invent our own game within the game if you will. Mulligan’s were common place and ‘Reloads’ (Because the darn cows mooed just as we swung) ran rampant.  Our game did improve over the years…however slightly but the anticipation and excitement on those lazy Sunday mornings were heaven sent!

I could go in depth describing all my friend Neil’s attributes and strengths but alas what I remember most was our shared enjoyment of early Tee times and if we could be the first off in the morning, all the better.  The ¾ hour drive out to Water Valley served as the perfect buffer for us to solve the world’s problems and discuss new golfing tips designed to confound us even further. 

I’ll be making the trip out to Water Valley again on May 30th, as that was Neil’s birthday and it usually marked the official start of the golf season for us. I’ll enjoy soaking up all the ambiences including the  cows mooing, sunshine streaming through the trees and the shadows dancing lazily across the fairway.  I’ll no doubt be hitting the perfect drive… with my tongue held just right and my arched back swayed waaaaaay over….thankyou my friend, it was and is my pleasure!

Interesting how my mom and my future mother-in-law met before Pat and I ever laid eyes on each other.  Back in the summer of ’71, Vera was engaged to a Ted Kinniburgh, a single farmer residing east of Airdrie.  The problem was they weren’t getting married until November and what to do with Pat in the meantime.  Her school in Calgary did not have semesters like Airdrie,  so the decision was made to have Pat room & board in Airdrie until the big day.  When Vera queried as to how they would find someone Ted replied, ‘Marge La Marsh!’  Mom knew the perfect place and from there Pat and I would magically meet on the first day of school.  Thankyou Vera, t'was a very good decision you made.  Vera was a great mother-in-law and over the years we had many excellent times sprinkled with just enough hiccups to keep things interesting and on an even keel!  Vera would eventually move out to Victoria and she was extremely interested in keeping us advised as to the current trend of “February flower blooming!”  She was quick to remind us of our sub zero temperatures out Alberta way!  I loved the fact that Vera always took an interest in my cartooning and she loooooooooooooved getting a good game of cards going.  She was one competitive gal and we both took great delight in teasing each other over failed tricks in ‘Bid Whist’ or that damn queen of spades in ‘Hearts!’ 

Visits to Victoria and a great game of cards just haven’t been the same since but the memories are priceless.  Thankyou Vera, it was indeed my pleasure!

Good morning and happy Sunday…

Our daughter Jessica accompanied Pat & I to new movie release, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” on Friday.  Tom Hanks & Sandra Bullock headline this pic but movie son, Thomas Horn actually stars…This is one of those ‘Thought’ movies for me.  Pat and I were in the 7/10 range while Jessica struggled with a 5/10.  Although the movie hints of the 9-11 theme it really centers around their autistic sons struggles in the aftermath of the event.   His incredible planning, discipline and unwavering resolve to unlock the mystery surrounding the mysterious key found in his dad’s belongings serve to high-lite the movie.  There are a number of excellent point s to ponder in this movie especially dad (Tom Hanks) wonderful handling of his autistic son!

I see Airdrietown’s ATB satellite  bank is now open south of the Co-op Store…

…and from the 60’s, Robert Crumb was a pioneer in underground cartooning.  Some of you may remember his ZAP, WEIRDO or FRITZ THE CAT epics.  His theory, “To draw from life is to learn about life” always seemed to make sense.  I recently read where he is now living in the South of France in a house he acquired for SEVERAL NOTEBOOKS of his!  Better get drawing…

Although I’ve used Benjamin Moore’s paints in our Painting Business for years, I was pleasantly surprised to see Cloverdale paints in the Kingsland Commercial district, south of No Frills.  Cloverdale is a good alternative but I better pay more attention to our local newspapers as I’ve seen no advertising for them.

I’ve been reading Randy Bachman’s, “Vinyl Tap Stories” recently and I was amazed at his recollection of Canada’s (Winnipeg) famous jazz musician Lenny Breau…”Lenny was truly a music guy.  He could barely read or write.  He couldn’t even balance his cheque book.  But he would practice his guitar 15 to 16 hours a day.  He just played guitar all day because he wanted to master it all.  Lenny started playing guitar at age 7 and left school at age 10.  All he wanted to do was play guitar and so his parents let him quit.”  Now that’s PASSION!  The book is a good read too by the way…

I was recently listening to Alison Armstrong’s perspective on the topic of ‘Men and their deservedness’…She claims that a man basically takes all the good they’ve done in their life and subtracts all the harm that they haven’t FORGIVEN themselves for and the remainder is their deservedness  allowances.  If their harm (that they haven’t forgiven themselves for) is greater than their perceived good done…then they have troubles with deserving and they won’t ask for what they need.   Hm, maybe she’s onto something there…have a great Sunday, see you next week!