Shock of the Day

I saw my high school crush.

I spent most of tenth grade
Making a fool of myself
Over a guy in my math class

All he ever knew about me was
That I was the annoying one who stared at him
At the square every morning

He was a football player
Running Back
Probably not too bright
He was in twelfth grade
And in my tenth grade class

Today he was standing in the driveway
Of a house
On my way to pick up
The kids from school

First the ex-boyfriend
At an Open House and
Now the crush
Freaky

Rest assured honey
It is just one of the things that
Blows my mind
When I think
I am back in my hometown.

Have You Missed Me?

The Public Library… In Yellowknife, the public library is inconvenient. It is above the mall, has no parking and wonky hours. I took the kids there a few times when they were young but in all honesty we rarely went because they have so many books at home that I hated having to worry about returning library books. But can I say I love the John M. Cuelenare Library… I always have. When I was young my dad was on the library board and so we often knew of things happening down here before they happened. My dad would take my sister and I down here almost every week on Sunday afternoons. We would peruse books and spend time reading as we waited for my dad to find his books. They often had movies in the theater here so we would come for those times. Free movies and they were classics. Holiday Inn, White Christmas and It’s a Wonderful Life at Christmas Time, and Boy’s Town, Easter Parade and Meet Me In St. Louis. I remember several author’s visits and book sales. As a teenager I remember coming here to study the magazines and encyclopedias for essays and reports and then to borrow music cassettes. Yup… I love this library.

Today I brought my children here. They have added computers downstairs but not much else has changed. It is still a great place. The four of us walked up to the counter and my children entered a new right of passage. I remember how proud I was when my dad brought me here at about 7 years old and we got my first library card. Today Taylor, Mykayla and Noah all received their first library cards. They were all quite pleased to do so as well. Now we are downstairs on the computers for 2 free hours of webtime. Nobody fighting as they each have their own computer to play on and I can relax and get some webtime in myself.

Yup I love the library and now that we are back I hope I can make this a place my children can enjoy as well.

The Life of Peggy Redford

A long time ago a friend of mine wrote this totally fictional and really funny account of where she thought my life might end up. As we were preparing for the garage sale the other day, I found our keepsake box from the beginnning of our marriage. It had this type written story (yes from an actual typewriter), it is long but I laughed when I found it and I wanted to share it here. With any luck the author will remember writing it too.

Here is:

The Life of Peggy Redford
(completely unedited)

Peggy was born at an early age. She grew up very quickly however. To her parnets it seemed like a week from diapers to her forst petite amis.

In her junior year in highscool she became acquainted or should I say “better” acquainted with some real strange but lovable friends. No names please.

Graduation finally arrived! After saying a fond fairwell to the chairished halls of Carlton Comprehensive Highschool, she was ou It was a scary endevor but non the less it thrilled her purple.

Immediatly after hoghschool Peggy took on work for the first part of the summer. On Aughust 4, 1988 she emarked on a trip to Fort Collins Colaroda. What a trip it was. Everyone ejoyed themselvees at the big wonderful teen campthere, especially one Karen R. Doig who will be described in detail a little later on.

The summer was soon over and School stated again. Only for Peg it wasn’t highscool, elementary or even preschool, no she was enrolled at THE COVENANT BIBLE COLLEGE in Prince Albert. So close to hom, and so grown up to.

Her year was one of fun,friends and lots of stupid saying, luckily the word HONKIN; was banned from the school. During her year she grew in leaps and bounds in her walk with God.

Oh but the smell of romence was sweetly in the air. During the school year she dated 3.5 of the guys at the college. The last one and the most serious lasting on after commencement.

What to do, what to do. What comes after commencement? For Peg she went on to Trinity college. There she studied to become a teacher. Her boyfriend(yah the one from CBC)was working not far away in Vancouver. Thay saw each other on weekends and holidays.

Inher second year of college, her petite amis Deciaded to become a Covenant minister. So it was off to NorthPark for him. She was excited for him.. On hi last night there she and he went out to celebrate and to say good-by. That is when he popped the question.(ANd I don’t mean “pass” the salt please.) That’s right he asked her to marry him.

Of course she said yes. But they couldn’t get hitched for quite awhile with him going off to North Park and her with 2 years of college left. So the tearfully said”Good-by my love good-by (oh boo hoo hoo ) I’ll miss you soo much…..”and went to each their own sollege.

And miss each other thay did. (for the first 8 months anyway)
Both discovered that Chicago is a long way from Victoria… Thay did not get to see each other for 2 years. But thay still wrote a fair bit.

Peggy graduated from Trinity and was stationed for her first teaching job in Port Alberni B.C.

She and her “boyfriend” saw each other once and decided to put their engagement on the back burner

While in Port Alberni she attended the Covenant Chuch that was newly opened there. Boy the minister was a looker,. a real sweetie too. They became well acquainted and started dating. The people in the congregation began to get smug little “I know what’s going on hre” smiles on their faces whenever the two were seeen together.

In the year 1996 the two Peggy Lee Dee Redford and Zachary Nathaniel Topinski were married.

Zach was a young man of medium height, 3 inches taller than Peg. He bore Light brown hair and bleu eyes. He was a very handsome fellow.

The wedding was held in none other than Saskatoon Sask. since that is where Zach was originally fromm and it was not very far from P.A.

It was a big extravagant wedding. Six bridesmaids and a maid of honour were in her bridal party alon g with six in the groomsparty and one best man.

3 of the bridesmaids were Karen Doig(to be described later), Andrea Sanderson,and Dawn Plummer. The rest were relitives and friend from her college years.

The flower girl was a niece of Zach’s and the ring bearer was Leslies youngest son Andrew.

After the wedding the flwe to Hawii for an 8 day honeymoon, on which they ate alot of honey and looked at the moon a lot.(what a strange word- honey moon)

The two then travelled back to Pt. Alberni. They were immensely happy and found that the congregation shared in their happiness. they had a mock wedding service to please the romantics in the crowd.

They remained in P.t. Alberni for 4 years then,inthe year 2000 thay were moved to a church in Durbin Manitoba.

Thay remained there for one year before the birth of their first child Jordi Rae Topinski. A girl. After the birth they remained in Durbin for about another 6 months, as thay were only filling the pulpit until the congregation found a full time minister.

They then moved to Saskatoon Where the minister was retiring. Zach became the minister of the Green Timbers Church and helped in getting another one started across town It was to be named The Sand Park Covenant Church.

The little family remained in S’toon for 10 more years but thay did not remain a little family for long.

About a year after gettingsettled thay were the proud recipients of a bouncing baby – Andrea Dawn Topinski.

In case you were wondering… the first child – Jordie Rae was named after Karen Doig (who will be described later) and Andrea Dawn was named after Andrea Sanderson and Dawn Plummer.

To add to this they also bore a set of twin boys named- Ed Geoge Topinski, and Paul BrettTopinski.

Afew years later Crisha Monique camed anlong followed by Mason LLoyd and Joseph Delwyn.-another set of twins . After about a year they had another child, Christy Gwendolyn nicknamed “pinky” ,goodness knows why.

And so the couple quickly learned what having kids was all about. All the kids were very close in age.

As the kids grew and the oldest was in highschool the family moved to Trail B.C. Where a new church had just started.

they had been ther a few years and the children were all groing and beginning to get out on their own,when SURPRISE another baby came along. Thies was quiet a surproise because Peg was at areally old age for having kids.

The named this one Joe Kent Brent Billy Bruce. They weren’t sure where they had got those names from but Peggy had thought them up. Peg still remembered who Bruce was because she still sent him a birthday card every October. He had been an old colle -ge student.

By the time Joe Kent Brent Billy Bruce was 8 the other kids were all out on thier own and so Peg andZach tended to spoil him. The once again little family remained happily in Trail for a few years until Zach was made superintendant of the Covenant Church of Canada. So they once a gain packed up and moved to PA.

Thay did much travelling taking Joe Kent Brent Billy Bruce with them . They were forced to get him a tutor.

Then one joyful morning(2:48AM) they received a phone call from Butte Montana telling the that they were new grand parents of a baby. Andrea Dawn had had a baby girl which was to be named Peggy Lee Georgette.

This was the first of 38 grandchildren and13 great grandchildren.

After Joe Kent Brent Billy Bruce finally moved out of the house to become a hockey player, the couple were very happy.

Zach remained the “super” until his retirement and the couple moved out of PAto Breton ab.

They did much travelling and Peg was verey indept at Cross stitching. She finally gave up substitute teaching which she had done off and on through-out they years. But she did continue to counsel young people at a drop in center. Zach Gave occasional sermons fromthe pulpit to fill in.

The couple lived happily ever after in God’s hands.

The End

(sort Of)

A Wedding and A Blind Date – Well Sort Of

Saturday July 2, 1994

So this is is how it all came about.

My friend Judy was getting married. Since she was one of my closest friends I helped her do a lot of the planning and preparations.

For two years, Judy and I worked for the same child care agency. She worked at one house and I at the other. Our first meeting was a staff training focusing on non verbal communication. We were partnered together and with my back to the leader a sign was held up in which Judy could see and had to communicate to me what was on the sign. The sign read “I love you.” Judy quickly used sign language to communicate. I interpreted that right away and thus began our friendship.

For the next two years she talked about her hero worship of her big brother Trevor. He was studying to be a Mining Engineer in Montana. He was working in Port Hardy for the summer of ‘92. He was dating her best friend’s sister. She would chase away the girls in high school. No one could compare to her brother.

The summer of ‘92 he drove her to the lake where we all camped. He was in Judy’s house unit a few hundred yards away. I never met him. The summer of ‘93 he visited her after graduating from Montana Tech. I never met him. The spring of ‘94 he drove up from Farmington, New Mexico to be with his family when his dad had heart surgery. I happened to be on vacation. I never met him.

So one Spring day, Judy and I were driving to Bellingham from Vancouver where we lived. We were on another shopping trip to get wedding supplies. We were chatting about the wedding and the plans for the day. I casually brought Trevor’s name into the conversation, trying not to seem too obvious.

“So, is Trevor bringing his girlfriend to the wedding?”

“No, They broke up.”

Oh what an interesting development. “Oh well,” not one to pass up an opportunity. “I will be his date.” I offered in a light hearted half joking tone.

We laughed together at the thought and continued on our day. Not thinking more of it a few days later I was surprised when Judy brought the subject again. “My mom talked to Trevor. He said okay.”

A questioning look crossed my face “He said okay to what?”

“He said he would be your date for the wedding.” Judy replied.

“Judy, I was only joking. He doesn’t have to take me to the wedding.” I responded. I mean I didn’t want to seem desperate.

Just like the first conversation made its way to Trevor via his mom this conversation too got conveyed to Trevor. The next thing I know the response from him came back “What she doesn’t want to go with me?”

Well what could I say. Of course I would go with him but I certainly didn’t want him to feel obligated. I guess this was not the case.

And so it was that my first ever blind date ended up being my last ever blind date. My friend Judy got married on July 2, 1994 and my date has become my permanent date. The marriage didn’t last but the date has never ended

We spent the day together. We attended the wedding sitting in the front row with his mom, his dad and his grandmother. We left after the wedding to pick up Judy’s dog and meet the wedding party for pictures with the dog. We went shopping for a wedding present (I believe it was a barbecue) from Trevor and his sister Mandy. We hung out at the hotel and when we walked into the hall for the reception, Trevor took my hand and I got flip flops.

All in all I’s say it was a pretty good Blind Date….

A Rose, A Gazebo and Lunch at Metrotown

July 1 – 1994

I started the morning by entering the kitchen and joining Leah’s parents at the kitchen table and declaring “I think I need to find a man.” Do you think they knew which man I was referring to?

Later in the morning, we met at Queen Elizabeth’s Park for the rehearsal for Judy and Ken’s wedding. Guess who was there? The Justice of the Peace of course. While “the brother” and I were also there and the only two not directly involved in the wedding we spent alot of time watching the events.

At one point the wedding party was apart from us discussing the walk down the aisle. “The brother” and I waited in the gazebo for them. Judy’s Dad was there as well. He had a Leatherman his son had given him for Christmas. He pulled it out and began removing staples and things from the posts of the gazebo. Was this necessary? No probably not but it was an opportunity to show off what his son had given him. As Judy’s dad walked away, he bent down and picked a fallen rose up off the sidewalk. He turned and tossed it in our direction. It landed close to the person who was to be my date the following day. He bent down picked it up and in one motion bent down on one knee and said witha huge smile, “Will you marry me?”

Well imagine my surprise and shock. This seemed to begin a pattern that would continue throughout the rest of the day. We began to referring to each other as husband and wife. Yup the flirting began at that moment and never stopped.

We headed to the mall later in the afternoon. There were several of us doing last minute shopping for the wedding and meeting for lunch later in the food court.

During lunch the flirting continued with me asking if he would let me drive his “93 Ford Porbe GT. He told me I was allowed as long as I could listen to country music because the radio would only pick up country stations. Mandy jumped in and informed him that I would be fine with that since that was what I listened to as well.

Well it all seemed to be a perfect fit…..

And It All Began with Some Health Food in a Hotel Room

12 years ago on this very night, I drove to the Royal Towers Hotel in New Westminster with my close friend and roomate. We were stopping there before going out to our regular dancing place. She was to be a bridesmaid in a wedding of our other close friend in just two days. We were going there so our friend’s mother could do some last minute alterations on the bridesmaid dress.

I was not in the wedding party but I could not have been more nervous. We walked into the hotel room and said our hellos. There was the bride, our friend Judy. There were her parents, Dave and Anne whom I had met before on a few occasions. Her grandmother was there from Scotland. Her older sister Mandy was there and I had met her earlier in the day at the mall. My roomate Leah had grown up across the street from Judy and was like a part of the family. Then from the corner the object and reason for my nerves stood up and was introduced. Judy’s brother had just arrived and was looking very casual in a navy blue t-shirt and navy blue nike sweats that were rolled up at the bottom.

We all sat and visited for a few minutes and then (older sister) Mandy pulled out some sort of health food bars she was selling. They were covered in dried yogurt stuff. She firmly convinced all of us to try some. I was polite and took a small bit and tried to choke down the dry, disgusting cardboard taste, making a mental note as to why I was overweight.
Mandy then turned to her brother in the corner and tried to push the stuff on him. He laughed and said in a slightly southern drawl (this coming from a boy raised in Northern BC but having lived the last year in the SouthWest of the US) “No way. Not if it tasted anything like how the look on Peggy’s face says it does.”
As all eyes turned to me, all I could think of was “He was watching me? – Yee Haw he noticed me!”

Not long after that Leah and I left for our night out on the town. It was all I could do to not overrun Leah with questions of this guy. Well after all he was my best friend’s brother and I was supposed to be his date for the wedding in two days.

to be continued…..