Success Stories

Prospect Hill Neighborhood Valentines Gift Sale

2011-01-27T19:30:00.001-08:00

Prospect Hill Neighborhood Valentines Gift Sale
Sunday, February 6th 11AM to 4PM
At: Karpeles Manuscript Museum.
453 Porter Ave. Buffalo, New York (just West of Kleinhan’s Music Hall)

You are invited to a fun and fabulous Valentines Gift Show & Bake Sale, come buy some treats, or pick out a treasure: bargains and original artisan items, all within the amazing and gorgeously restored Karpeles Manuscript Museum.
Proceeds raised will benefit four local West Side Block clubs and be used for annual operating expenses.

Armory Hill Association, Fargo Estates, The Cottage District and The Columbus Park Block Clubs are all chipping in to organize the fundraiser. The first of what we hope will be an annual event.

For further information please contact: CHris Red ChrisSchaus@gmail.com

Bahamas 2008

2008-10-01T21:37:00.000-07:00

Bahama Dreamin' '07 II

2007-09-05T08:19:00.000-07:00

I'll let the pictures tell this story

I'll let the pictures tell this story

Bahama Dreamin' '07

2007-08-13T19:40:00.000-07:00

Almost time for some Bahamas diving...

Ever wanted something, even though it seemed impossible and out of reach?

Keep your eyes on the prize and it can come true

Hold on to your money!

2007-07-22T14:10:00.001-07:00

Here's a cautionary tale.

While it's one thing to consciously spend your money on items you want to purchase, seems to me that there are some companies out there who are quite happy to take my money for nothing while I'm not looking.

The convenience of shopping on line and, of course, using your credit card, can have it's pratfalls. Internet Service provider Net Zero is one big culprit. Yes, I did receive service. Using their free dial up was so frustratingly slow I upgraded to paying for a faster service.

Then when I decided to switch to another provider my troubles began. I called to cancel in April. Think that was it? In July they withdraw $19.95 from my account.

I call them up - a challenge to find their phone number - I'm bounced around from department to another being asked my story again and again. Finally they offer me another service! NO THANK YOU! Just give me my money back!

Well they give me my money back - 2 weeks later. Then the very next week they charge me US$4.47???? For what? I call up again - Wasting 45 minutes to reclaim my $4.47 while being bounced from one person to the next - How very sorry they are... I could spit I was so mad. But being Canadian, I kept my cool on the phone.

Be careful about surrendering your credit card for payment of services.

Ah but that's not the end of my lessons.

My Cell Phone Company, my VoIP provider, and EZ Pass have all billed me erroneously over the past 12 months, whether from my bank account or my Credit card.

Just pulled the money out of my account, then I have to fight tooth and claw to correct the problem.

Primus.ca took $170 from my Bank account because they could not find the router I returned. That took 3 months to fight over and recover my money.

Telus double charged me one month, said it would take them 8 weeks to return the money, so they conveniently applied it to my next bill - How Kind.

To be fair to EZ pass - I did not leave them my Credit card, I've finally learned my lesson. But they lost my payment, and claim I owe them a fine.

What lesson have I learned here?
1. Cash is a pretty good system.
2. Avoid automated payment plans.
3. Read all the fine print you can find
4. THEY think the customer is always wrong.
5. The art of Customer Service is only smile deep.

The Consumer had better beware.

Summer Sizzlers

2007-07-01T09:44:00.001-07:00

Bar-B-Q Season is well underway. If you’re like me and tired of the same ol’ same old, here’s a little something I served up this week when we invited some friends over for the evening.

Menu:
BBQ Turkey Burgers – basted with Tops Herb & Garlic dressing
Service with Portobello Mushroom & Red Pepper topping
Marinated mixed summer Squash
Pasta Salad
Green Salad
Sparkling non-alcoholic grape, pomegranate and blueberry splash.

A little prep the evening before and your meal will come off like a piece of cake. Which reminds me – ask your guests to bring desert, it’s always a nice surprise and break for the chef.

The day before:
Prepare Pasta Salad & marinade veggies

Pasta salad
13 oz Multi coloured pasta shapes cooked and cooled
½ lb Fresh peas – par boiled
1 stalk broccoli, cut in small pieces par-boiled
20 Grape tomatoes halved
20 pitted kalamata olives halved
3 oz feta cheese – crumbled or more to taste
½ Green pepper diced
½ Red pepper diced
1 small red onion diced

This makes a lot of salad – you’ll have leftovers or some to send home with your guests.

Dressing: Use ½ for Pasta Salad and ½ to serve with green salad
1 cup olive oil
½ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 large pressed garlic clove
1 tblsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil – fresh is always better – this dressing can be used on salads too.

2 tblsp ginger mayo – directions below
Fresh ground black pepper
salt to taste

Toss all ingredients – until well coated – chill in fridge over night in sealed container – tastes better when flavours have melded – 2nd day is always better.

Ginger Mayo – 1 ½ cup mayo (low fat is fine), 1 tsp minced fresh or frozen ginger ½ tsp sugar, dash of cayenne powder – to taste.

Marinade Veggies:
1 medium Zucchini squash cut in 1 inch chunks
1 medium yellow summer squash cut in 1 inch chunks
1 small red onion cut in chunks
1 small Vidalia onion cut in chunks
½ green pepper cut in 1 inch chunks
½ red pepper cut in 1 inch chunks

Pour veggies in large zip lock style bag – pour in and tumble 1 cup of Tops Herb and Garlic marinade. (or other Greek style marinade)
Set in bowl (in case of spills) in fridge until ready to cook, turning once or twice.

The day of serving:

Green Salad –
Lettuce – two kinds looks nice – I prefer to add curly red leaf for appearance.
Grape tomatoes
Olives
Baby carrots
A little sliced green pepper & red onion
Serve the dressing on the side – that way guests can dress to their taste and left over salad can be saved for another meal. Serve with Side bowls, leave more room on the plate for what really counts.
Slice fresh buns

Prepare burger toppings
More salad dressing

Just before Grilling
Cook Veggies
In Cast Iron Skillet – preheat skillet on high gas flame – add 2 tblspns olive oil
Drain and reserve marinade
Add veggies to pan – and ½ cup marinade – allow to brown, toss and turn – add more marinade as needed – serve tender but not mushy – cooks in less than 10 minutes. Bring to table in a warmed covered casserole dish.

Toppings:
M-Large Portobello mushroom, thinly sliced
Medium red Onion, thinly slices rounds
½ red pepper sliced thin long strips

A large clove of fresh garlic smooshed in a press
Heat cast iron skillet with olive oil, drop in onions, soften, add red pepper strips, mushrooms and garlic. Cover with lid sauté 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Raw Red Onion rings

Lettuce Leaves

Ginger Mayo

And the usual condiments your guests would like.

Turkey Burgers:
HoneySuckle brand packages formed fresh turkey burgers, with just turkey – no fillers. We grill these and baste them with Tops brand Garlic and Herb Marinade – adds flavour prevents drying of this lean meat.

To drink – a non alcoholic treat:
Sparkling white grape juice chilled
Pomegranate & blueberry juice chilled
Pour half and half into white wine glasses.

Getting Organized:
Try to have as much ready before your guests arrive – even have the table laid out and plates ready – enjoy your evening – and don’t be a slave to the kitchen. Plan out which serving dishes you’ll need ahead of time.

That being said – think about the time you have available and invite guests to arrive when you will have had the time to get things ready.
Not the other way round – this way you’ll enjoy the evening much more.

Allantown Festival

2007-06-15T19:32:00.000-07:00

Fabulous weather!

A splendid nap!

2007-05-03T14:39:00.000-07:00

A reminder to enjoy everything you do!
My cat reminds me constantly that the quality of a nap sets the tone for the day, and he is a champion for that cause.

Earth Day is Sunday April 22nd.

2007-04-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about what to do to celebrate earth day this year, past years have been a beach clean up or a celebratory dive ... so what to do this Sunday?

Lately I've become keenly aware of the importance of conservancy, especially concerning the ocean and our Great Lakes. I think as a diver I have a great privilege in being able to visit the oceans and see for myself, if only briefly, just how marvelous and wonderful the undersea world can be.

When I attended the lecture given by Jean-Michel Cousteau, earlier this year, he encouraged the audience to think about making healthy choices for the ocean.

www.seafoodwatch.org

The concept is to, by all means, enjoy seafood - but think about the fish we eat and how it was caught before making selections.

We picked up a little wallet card that helps us decide which types of fish are better choices, and signed up for the Monterey Bay Aquarium Newsletter.

Then I signed up to receive an information kit and become an advocate.
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/c...ledge_form.asp

Last night we watched an episode of "Nature" on public television about the 9000 mile journey made by a loggerhead sea turtle returning to spawn. Excellently depicting along the way the environment of the pacific ocean, including a segment on fishing tuna. Finally, I understand how dolphins and tuna fish together.

My earth day activity this year, instead of doing something for a morning, or even a day... I've decided to make a pledge to:

1. Educate myself as much as I can on the issues affecting the underwater environment
2. Take action in simple ways like making healthy choices, stop using pesticides, reduce the amount of chemicals we use etc.
2. To volunteer (more than I already do) at my local Aquarium
3. To be an advocate for making healthy choices.
4. Support the efforts of organizations like: The Surfrider Foundation, Great Lakes United and others.

I hope this will have a further reaching impact than just doing a beach clean up... but what the heck - I think I'll help "The River Keepers" with one of their clean ups anyway.

Welcome to Buffalo!

2007-03-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

Buffalo is a gateway city whose fortunes have fallen just lately. In a world where steel mills and heavy industry are not the bread winning guarantee they once where.
Buffalo is gamely looking for a new shtick to bring her up to date.

Once called the Queen City, in her hay day she was a booming town filled with promise, brilliant architecture and thriving industry and a transportation hub for lakes, canals and rail.

Some of the enduring marvels in Buffalo are the amazing mansions, and even some of the upper middle class homes which seem so wonderfully preserved despite being well over a hundred years old. Fine wooden painted homes so bright and cheery with their intricate woodwork.

The city was laid out in a careful and delightful way. In the late 1800s, visionary citizens brought Frederick Law Olmsted to Buffalo. It was here that Olmsted, inspired by Joseph Ellicott's radial street layout, designed his first system of parks and parkways, and proclaimed Buffalo to be "the best designed city in the country, if not the world." During the 1901 Pan American Exposition, Buffalo was celebrated not only as the City of Light, but the City of Trees.

Buffalo is also famous for it's snowy winter weather, located at the north eastern corner of Lake Erie the area is frequently treated to "Lake Effect" snow.

I have included a picture of the Buffalo Main Lighthouse. This architecturally stunning tower sits at the entrance to the Erie Canal, and was built in 1833 when the original light was deemed inadequate for the increased ship traffic entering and exiting the Buffalo River. The 66 foot tower was only active until 1914, when another breakwater light took over. That breakwater light was rammed several times by ships, and nearly destroyed by a major blow in 1958. The Buffalo Main Light was restored in the 1980's.

Since I'm very keen on shipwrecks, I am happy to report there are plenty of them in the local underwater vicinity.

The history of Buffalo is fascinating and rich, and there are certainly no lack of websites, books, museums and archives with a wealth of information to mine on the subject.

Yesterday afternoon on a mild and sunny day we walked along the break wall between the Canal and the Niagara River going under the Peacebridge to where it opens out to the lake. Needless to say I was daydreaming of drift dives to come, but also fascinated by this new view and outlook on the city.

While this is only a tiny look at Buffalo, it is a start. A new beginning.

Optimism and other messages the world is trying to send.

2007-03-08T12:25:00.000-08:00

"Most of us swimming against the tides of troubles the world knows nothing about, need only a bit of encouragement - and we will make the goal."
-Jerome P. Fleishman.

Driving home yesterday morning from a doctors appointment, the sun shinning brightly, almost blindingly on the snow with a fine salt mist spray a-flutter in the air making my windshield a little hazy I was inspired: I resolved to write a new blog entry.

The shores of the lake: ice bound. The sky: bright and brilliant. The air: bitterly cold. The day was full of promise.

Ever have those moments? You find insight, crystal clear, the words fall in place; You know you have something Fantastic right there at that moment?!

Optimism has been knocking at my door with a firm clear message to keep looking, and have Hope! Yes there are days when gloom pervades. However, with just a little effort, (maybe a bit more than just a little), and persistence the plan will unfold, and things will work out just fine - I will reach my goal!

Every year I set goals for myself, simple things, things that I sincerely want, and I keep track of how I'm doing, some progress is always good. Small steps work well.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
- Lao-tzu (604 BC - 531 BC), The Way of Lao-tzu

As I was driving I was thinking, if I take stock at this particular moment in time; the picture may not be perfect, but I am moving forward, towards my goal as well as along the highway.

We saw the documentary film 'An Unreasonable Man' the other day, about Ralph Nader - Now there is an optimist! He is not alone. There are many optimists out there: Jean-Michel Cousteau, David Suzuki - these are people who have devoted their lives to achieving goals, which may seem far fetched at first, but if you look closely: they are making headway.

These guys are famous sure, but they started out with an idea and kept believing in it and working at it. Now that is optimism at work.

The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don't define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them.
- Denis Watley

AHA!

The first step is of course to define a goal!

In the absence of clearly-defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily trivia until ultimately we become enslaved by it.
Robert Heinlein (1907 - 1988)

The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most tedious chore will become endurable as you parade through each day convinced that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you closer to fulfilling your dreams.
Og Mandino (1923 - 1996)

The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.
Frank Lloyd Wright (1869 - 1959)

Earlier in the day at the doctor's, the time came to schedule a follow up, when I was offered the date I said "Sorry that date won't work for me: I'll be in the Bahamas" and I realized that I was on my way, right there, right then. I will be going to the Bahamas again this summer!

Be Optimistic! it's a lot of fun.

NOTE:
The image featured is a painting titled: "Optimism"
used with permission from the Artist
Visit Carol Marine and see her art at
http://www.bluecloudstudios.com/default.htm

Ocean Futures - An evening with Jean-Michel Cousteau

2007-03-04T07:19:00.000-08:00

This week I had the great good fortune to attend a lecture by Jean-Michel Cousteau at the University of Buffalo, as part of their Distinguished Speakers Series.

Some of you may remember the IMAX film presentation of Coral Reef a film by Michele and Howard Hall? I had a wonderful evening with their presentation at Toronto's Science Centre a couple of winters ago. I was expecting that sort of an intimate setting with Jean-Michel.

Wow was I in for a surprise! The event was sold out - there were just a few empty seats in view of the awful weather that night. The Centre for the Arts at UB's North Campus is HUGE! The Auditorium probably seats over a thousand people. It was packed!

Jean-Michel is a wonderful speaker - did you know he was a recipient of the Legends of Diving Award in 2003? Just to name one of his many distinguished awards. I could have listened to Jean-Michel's stories all night, but then they were all diving related.

He showed several film clips from his Ocean Adventures documentaries, the longest was about the Hawaiian Northwestern Islands. The sequence with the Humpback whales was breathtaking.

Jean-Michel had a sense of fun, was engaging, charming and above all persuasive.
The message that night was "Protect the Ocean and you protect yourself". One of his vignettes was that he wins his goals not so much by arguing, pleading or even negotiation; he wins by showing people his films and images. I could not agree more.

I left last night's presentation with a renewed passion for the ocean (including our beloved Great Lakes), and of sharing that passion with as many people as I can.

Jean-Michel Cousteau heads a foundation called Ocean Futures at http://www.oceanfutures.org/default.asp where you can learn more, or even sign up for free to receive newsletters or offer support.

If you ever have an opportunity to watch his documentaries or, even better, see him in person, take the time to see him! You won't be disappointed.

Niagara Falls in Winter

2007-02-26T10:18:00.000-08:00

The Perfect way to spend a wintery Sunday... head out into the blast of a lake effect snow squall with the one you love, and bundle up. We tromped around Goat island today. The snow banks were steep, the snow fencing high, but you could peer out between the flakes and still see the magnificent falls. The gorge was mostly frozen over. My Favorite part of our walk was the Three Sisters Islands and watching the plucky ducks bobbing in the swift water. Nice that we practically had the place to ourselves!

Bahama Diving II

2006-12-17T11:38:00.000-08:00

How I spent my Bahamas Vacation.
Photo Credit - My image taken by Greg Thomas
The Fish by me.

I only took 500 or so pictures over 15 dives... so many pictures. When I started looking through them I managed to pick out 60 favorites and from there it was easy to find my favorite(s) hmmm but then I really like that one with the sea fan... hmm but the damsel fish was nice too. Drat.

Of course the one thing that quickly became obvious - I need to go back.

I learned so much about underwater digital photography I realized that have to go back and practice what I learned from the first time.

...and practice makes perfect... so regular trips can only help.

Bahama Diving

2006-08-23T18:59:00.000-07:00

Dolphins and sharks
sand and ocean...
soon soon soon

2006-08-10T19:18:00.000-07:00

Heyyy... hope your summer is as wonderful as mine!

Lots of Diving, and enjoying the gorgeous beauty that Canada has to offer, Especially the Great Lakes area.

This season has been warmer than ever, with fantastic water temperatures even in Tobermory.

It's been awhile since I posted but the diving has been amazing: Lakes Ontario, Huron, and Erie. Toronto, Tobermory, Prescott, Brockville, and of course the local diving in the Niagara and Chippawa Rivers, the quarries and the Welland Recreational Canal.

....say you're not snickering about the canal are you??? See the picture of me? and that cute little sunfish? those were taken in July in the canal. That's right!

Sam Ewing get's credit for the tropical Sunfish - my portrait was by Natasa Djermanovic. The Rock Bass is a stock photo from the Shed Aquarium and the Pontoon boat is a fun ride anyone can take by calling 905-993-2747 - Capt Steve will gladly take you for a River drift dive on the upper Niagara.

Enjoy a Safe and Happy Summer - with lots of diving

Well I'm up early again tomorrow - you guessed it - Goin' Divin'!

Another Scuba Adventure: Prescott

2006-06-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

The Grand adventure of Learning to Scuba Dive combined with a road trip to exotic locations never fails to soar the heart and fuel the imagination.

Not one to let a little weather get in the way; we had a maaarvelous time. It was easy to overlook the wind and rain, and focus instead on the magic of life below the surface.

Is it time to explore your hidden passions? Watch out you might get hooked!

Diving in the Great Lakes area is pure magic, so many wrecks, so many u/w environments. Ask me how you can become a Scuba Diver.

Self Taught: Learning about Wines and Food

2006-06-13T19:41:00.000-07:00

Every week I approach the wine shop, armed with my menu and a sence of Adventure.

What delight awaits our palate this week? We tend to serve a lot of chicken, also prefer lighter bouquets, nothing too sweet mind you.

This week I've decided to adjust my approach, I'll try a Pinot Grigiot and find food to match. Can you believe I have never tried this very popular and in-vogue wine?

For some reason our local Wine shop only sells Pinot Grigiot in the 1.5 liter size bottle. I may just pick it up this evening and invite some friends to share.

Kiwi

2006-06-01T18:23:00.000-07:00

So Fresh you can see the Taste

Breakfast... power up your day - Fresh starts

2006-06-01T18:21:00.000-07:00

When I was growing up everyone seemed to be eating cereal or toast for breakfast, or maybe for special occasions there was brunch or Eggs 'n something. Then I went to Greece and discovered that there are other foods to eat for breakfast and have not looked back since.

These days my favorite breakfast is to get a large ceramic bowl and fill it up with sliced fresh fruit, trail mix and low fat yogurt - Yum! For those who need a little extra sweetness to their day - some honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon can really set this dish up.

Ready for the recipe? Keep in mind you can mix n add your favorite fruits, from Mangoes to blueberries.

3/4 cup of trailmix (nuts and dried fruit)

3/4 cup of low fat yogurt

2 cups of sliced fresh fruit - suggestions: apples, banana, strawberries, blue berries

1/2 tablespoon of honey - organic is best

1/2 tsp of cinnamon

stir and enjoy!

Want to make your own trail mix? I like a combination with roasted peanuts, almonds, sunflower, pepitos, raisins (blond & red) and currents.

I cannot tell you how good this is for you…the combination of nuts for protein and oils, the calcium and healthy benefits of yogurt and the vitamins and zesty eclat of fresh fruit!

MMMMMmmmmm! What a great way to start yor day!

Sunrise

2006-06-01T14:57:00.000-07:00

Each new day is filled with potential!

Success is a Frame of mind

2006-06-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

Walt Disney once said “It’s kind of fun to do the Impossible”… Good ol’ Walt Disney sure knew a thing or two about making dreams come true.

Success is not ao much a Destination but rather a Frame of mind, and furthermore you
may have a lot more success than you give yourself credit for…
Sometime Success is just how you look at things.

I think that Success is overrated, let me explain: I was driving in my car on Sunday, with the radio on, when my mind tuned in to an interview, just as the man was saying: …We need more failure in our lives!
You can imagine that grabbed my attention!

Tom Harpur is a spiritual author and was talking about his new book, “Living Waters”, he was saying how there is so much pressure being placed on us to be successful. The way he saw it you need a little failure now and then to help you grow, to give you some perspective, and maybe even to give help you appreciate the value to that success.

Furthermore he said that experiencing a little failure now and then provided us with a more “Authentic Life”… I found myself nodding my head. You see the expression Authentic life means to live a life guided by integrity and purpose.

Then Jeff Goodes, the interviewer asked Tom Harpur if he could give us an example from his life to show how failure had helped him grow… well of course he gave a chuckle… but he did tell a story of growth.

So we see that a little failure in life can help us to grow into and appreciate of that success.

That story reminds me of one of my favorite quotes, I keep it over my desk, it’s by Linda Aucoin
“When I fall on my face
From time to time
I try not to worry because
I’m still going forward!”

And here’s another quote from an unknown author:
“Life is what happens while we’re busy making other plans”…

Life is in constant motion, we are moving forward no matter what we try to tell ourselves, just look at the Calendar – or even your watch.

Another quote: by Mignon McLaughlin
“What you can’t get out of get into whole heartedly”.

…why even Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher said
“All is flux, nothing stays the same.”
Guess that means that change is a constant? LOL

Since we’re in constant motion, then we are always moving towards something, And that is Progress, and progress is Success.

Now here is where I bring it all together: Success is what you make of it…
It is not a large stone Archway with the words SUCCESS Chiseled and Gilded into the stone.

We have success in all that we do every day. Are you still breathing? Congratulations you are still Alive! That is a Success!

I think it is important to celebrate the success that you have every day, not just the really big things, but the little things, like telling a Happy Bed Time Story, or giving a really Great Hug, Seeing a Fabulous Sun set. That is Success.

If we notice those small successes in life each day, add them together, compound their interest by celebrating them, soon we will see that SUCCESS IS a Frame of MIND.

http://www.tomharpur.com/

Strategy of Surf

2006-05-25T19:49:00.000-07:00

Here we see the ESA competitor receiving some last minute coaching before heading out to her first North East Regional Women's Longboard Semi Finals... a moment of anticipation and promise. A landmark in a lifetime.

Ocean Dreaming

2006-05-10T05:35:00.000-07:00

The day before we leave for our ocean side trip, for surfing, body boarding and diving.

In a word Anticipation!

It's early in the season, Belmar NJ will be getting itself ready for the influx of tourists in 2 weeks - when Memorial day weekend kicks off the official summer season. Belmar, NJ

The Eastern Surfing Association (ESA) will descend on this sleepy seaside resort for it's annual North Eastern Regional Surfing Competition; hundreds of surfers and their families, ESA officials and fans. On the beach; the stands will be erected, the action will begin, the spectators will cheer and surf music will fill the air.

Meanwhile - we're packing for a road trip adventure, gotta get back to it.

Just what are we drinking?

2006-05-08T20:14:00.000-07:00

I keep hearing statistics...and I think they are begining to sink in (pardon the pun).
50% of the Pesticides used on lawns end up in our drinking water.

Common Pesticide Use Linked to Cancer

I was driving around St. Catharines last month looking for a new dive site and found signs on a beach warning against using the beach because of high bacteria content of the water.

Beaches for looking at - not for swimming - because they are too poluted by partially treated sewage.

Yes sewage treatment plants sometimes only partially treat the sewage! Each municipality has a standard water quality which they deem acceptable when releasing processing sewage. http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/wwvisit.html

A couple of years ago I was ice diving in Lake Simcoe, in front of the Barrie sewage treatment plant. As we passed by the outlets from the plant; the water coming out was brown with small debris in it. That was an eye openner for me. I had always thought they completely cleaned the water, removed all solids and geez ... maybe there was a magic fairy who waved her wand over it??? Not so.

I have been taking the low visibility of the water in Lake Ontario and Erie for granted - that's just the way the water is!? Well guess what - Water is supposed to be CLEAR!!!! Just like in Hawaii, or the Bahamas. Just like the water in Lake Huron around Tobermory is clear.

Why is the water so murky? Industial and human waste products dumped and pumped into the lakes... and we are taking it for granted.

Sing praise for the humble zebra mussel for filtering the water to the point that we can see up to 60 feet under water - as little as 10 years ago you could only see 3-5 feet.

Is this OK with you? or are you drinking bottled water?

We have made advancements in medicine to enable us to live much longer and productive lives, instead, thanks mostly to industrial pollutants, one in how many will develop cancer?

Listening to a show on CBC Radio this week http://www.cbc.ca/north/story/nor-chip-health-concern.html about Fort Chipewyan in Alberta; a tiny town on the northern shores of Lake Athabaska, the water in a small local river used to run clear... then Uranium mining, pulp and paper and a hydro dam destroyed the environment - the wild life is gone - the fish have major deformities. In a town of 1200 one in 3 will die prematurely of cancer.

Water Filtration plants - they clean the water we drink? Pull water from deep in the lake far far away from the sewage plant outlets.... depends on where you live, and not likely is the answer.

The water filtration process pulls water through a series of screenings, removing sediments, and then treating it to kill bacteria... http://shoalwater.nsw.gov.au/4education/wtplnts.htm

This still leaves chemicals disolved in the water like pharmaceuticals http://www.newstarget.com/003441.html

It's one thing to think about, and that certainly is a begining, but here's the kicker - What can we do about it?

Here's a place where "action" happens http://www.ijc.org/en/home/main_accueil.htm - slowly, and here are groups who help put voices together to motivate faster action:
Great Lakes United http://www.glu.org/
Pollution Probe http://www.pollutionprobe.org/
Sierra Club http://www.sierraclub.ca/

So next time you think about pouring yourself a glass of tap water - think about it... again.

SCUBA - My dream come true

2006-05-08T19:46:00.000-07:00

One of my life time goals has been to teach Scuba!

Years ago, I was on vacation in Grand Cayman and took resort dive with Bob Sotos. I was hooked.

It was in my blood, I became fascinated with the undersea world. First it was warm water diving - all those gorgeous tropical fish, the colourful and diverse reef life, the clear warm water... then it was just going diving.

Living in the Great Lakes area I was less three hours away in any direction from some of the worlds best fresh water diving. There was so much to see and do: Drift dives, shipwrecks, history and culture, geology, deep dives, shallow, rivers, lakes, and fish too.

What started out as just a thing to do once in a while turned into a full fledged passion.

Well Last year I became a Scuba Instructor, now I'm living my dream come true!

I get to travel, meet people, and do things underwater! You can too - Just ask me how.

Creating Community

2006-05-01T20:46:00.000-07:00

Jane Jacobs had no professional training in the field of city planning, she was an ordinary person using her own observations of city life to formulate her philosophy about them.

Jane Jacobs life was a true David and Goliath Success story of how an ordinary person can stand up to the seemingly insurmountable steamrolling inertia of corporate America and WIN. Win, not just for herself and her family but for the greater good of her community and the whole city.

"Born in 1916 in the coal mining town of Scranton, PA, Jacobs has never been afraid to stand on her own. After graduating high school, where she claims she "didn't listen much in class. I would try to, but I would just get bored with it....I just did enough to get by, really" (Feeney, 10), she took an unpaid position as the assistant to the women's page editor at the local newspaper. Shortly after that, and in the middle of the Depression, she left Scranton for New York City.

During her first several years in the city, she held many different types of jobs, and was even subject to periods of unemployment. This experience with hard times, she claims, "...gave me more of a notion of what was going on in the city and what business was like, what work was like" (Feeney, 33). Her first real writing position was at a metals trade paper. While working there, she also held free-lance writing positions at The New York Herald Tribune and Vogue. She worked for the Office of War Information, and it was there that she met her husband, architect Robert Jacobs. She continued her writing later when she joined the staff of Architectural Forum. "

After residing in New York City for thirty years, Jacobs moved with her family to Toronto in 1968, where she recently passed away at the age of 89.

She wrote a variety of books over the years, including The Death and Life of Great American Cities, her first published work, Cities and the Wealth of Nations, and Systems of Survival, her most recent effort. It is through these writings that she expressed her ideas about cities.

Advocating "mixed-use" in the urban fabric, meaning no separation of the different types of buildings, whether residence or business oriented, old or new. She saw cities as being "organic, spontaneous, and untidy," and that diversity and activity are crucial to their survival over the centuries.

Jacobs believed that the concentration of people in a city is essential for its economic growth and prosperity. Her original ideas gave us the opportunity to cities in a completely different light.

Easy Money!

2006-04-14T20:01:00.000-07:00

Looking for easy money?

Me too... and so far I'm still looking. However, I'm sure we've found out lots of leads along the way and it's just a matter of putting some of these together.

Stock market? Investing? - Not so far anyway. Horse gambling, casinos, and especially slot machines not so far... it's just too much chance.

I have this feeling: my Dad may have been right ... there is no such thing as EASY money... just some that is easier to come by than others!

No for my money I want to use some skill, a little chance, but I want to add some unique quality that makes me say...hang on... this is really corny... "I did it my way"!

Pretty funny Huh?

See I think part of it is that I never had the urge to be really rich, I always thought 'just enough to get by', and that is exactly what I end up with! Time after time.

There's a lot of truth to that old saying - you get what you ask for!

First I have to change my attitude about making money, Right? Nod your head yes here... because this applies to you too.

I have made a complete turn around in a year... Goal setting! Well that's a whole other subject for another blog. Basically its all about Synergy.

This is a success story in the making.

To be continued...

Cat Pictures

2006-04-14T15:21:00.000-07:00

I spend a lot of time looking at cat pictures. I can't quite explain it. Guess I have always been a cat lover.

I have a Marvelous Marmalade cat named Marmaduke! His best sport is napping. He is king, emperor, assasin, cuddle bunny and stoic all in one.

Rusty is soft and feminine, sweet, playful and ROUND... amazingly athletic - yet she too enjoys a good nap in the afternoon.

My daughter has captured Marmaduke and our other cat Rusty by camera in many adorable poses.

So while I have thousands of images of my own cats on hand - I still find myself brousing Google images looking at cat pictures. Who can figure? and what about those funny cat videos - oh there was a trully hilarious one!

So here are some of our families Cat Pictures.

Healthy Food and Wine in Niagara Region

2006-04-14T14:57:00.000-07:00

I love to prepare delicious food that tantalizes and teases the palate, I delight in creating nibblies that are unique. In fact I often think about creating a cook book about healthy eating and preparing food with wine.

Living in the Niagara Region, I often joke that we are in the tropics of Canada, the deep south where the peaches and grapes grow.

Niagara is also a tourist destination, set with vineyards and history shoulder to shoulder, this warm and inviting atmosphere has made it a retirement destination where our average population age is 55 years old! Why I feel like a spring chicken teetering on the edge of turning 50!!!

Even though I almost always create my own recipes, I love cook books! I used to frequent a shop in Toronto that only sold cook books. At one time I have had shelves and shelves of them: International cuisine, poultry (was a big one), pasta, soups, deserts - You name it!

My favorite cook books had lots of full page photographs with large glossy mouth watering pictures of food artistically displayed in gorgeous containers (where do they get those dishes???? - no garage sale I've ever been to).

Fortunately, my husband and I also love photography and have a serious eye for aesthetics. He is a Surf Photographer, and I'm just a hobbyist.

Since moving to the Niagara Region I feel it is my duty to learn as much about wine as possible - of course to support the local industry. So we have embarked on a campaign to try as many local wines as we we can. Within reason of course!

First I decide on a menu, then ask my local wine shop which wine they would recommend. Quite often I will include wine into the actual creation of the meal, either as a marinade or in the sauce. This creates marvelous tones to the meal. Always tender and moist and a total delight to the palate.

Health above all. Now let me introduce my concept of health food. I remember reading somewhere, and I'm almost certain it was Readers Digest, that the best way to shop for food in a supermarket, and by best I mean: Healthy and economically, is to shop around the outside of the store, avoid the aisles.

The outer perimeter of a supermarket is were you find the least processed food! Fresh veggies, breads, meats and dairy products! Every store I've ever been in has that same set up! Certainly keeps things simple.

A number of stores now offer organic foods as well, I'll do another entry on that subject another day. Our main concern is healthy eating.

The basic ingredients should be as fresh as possible, date stamps are wonderful! Keep your eyes out for freshness.

Less processing is better…that way you know what the ingredients are. Food can be just as fast and easy to prepare - and better for you!

…. I think this is plenty for now - come back and visit soon - I'll be adding tips and recipes as we go.

Graffiti

2006-04-12T05:33:00.000-07:00

Graffitti Art vs Vandalism
Riding the Go Commuter trains in and around Toronto years ago I was amazed at the diversity of self expression on bridge abutments and retaining walls beside the tracks. These were colourful murals that blended into each other with no rhyme or reason, and from my seat whizzing by on a train impossible to decifer.

A few years later I was walking along the downtown streets of Hamilton and happened to notice that a very nicely kept home, with a gorgeous garden had their cream coloured Garage defaced by a large spray painted squiggle in brown paint. The neighbourhood was a little run down, but this home stood apart for it's neatness and well kept grounds. I guess that someone felt they needed putting in their place... back down with the rest of the neighbours.

Funny that I had never really noticed graffiti before that. I'm sure it was there every where around me. It just blended into the urban landscape. Somehow seeing that beautiful home so awefully defaced made me realize that it was vandalism.

A small community group in Toronto ran youth programmes, like teaching job finding skills, and programmes to give youth more productive outlets for their energy, ran a programme to paint free-form murals on large canvasses to be installed around the neighbourhood. Now that was art.

Many places in major towns have large murals depicting historical scenes, and that's art. Why I remember being at a conference in Edmonton Alberta in February (brrrrrrr) and being bussed out to a small farming town whose only claim to fame were the 25 murals they had on the downtown building depicting the peoneer spirit of Alberta Farmers. That was the whole purpose of our trip. We arrived at the town piled out of our bus into the church hall where we were fed lunch while a local historian explained the Murals. After lunch we piled back in the motor coach for a tour of the murals. Very impressive.

Couple of years ago my husband took me to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) where we saw pieces of an Egyptian Temple set up in a giant hall - and there on the walls of the temple - was graffiti dating back over the centuries: Romans carving their names for posterity! Vandalism! But in that case history.

Nowadays I live in a small town but visit big cities on a regular basis, our small town is under siege from taggers, young people who aimslessly spray their tag or signature squiggle on mail boxes, posts, walls, fences, almost anything is game.

Just today when I went to mail a letter our mail box has been cleaned so much the former bright red is now almost pink. Another less cared for mail box and nearby pole are covered in multi coloured marks.

In Buffalo creative taggers have climbed high on building and placed huge squiggles on buildings so they can be seen from elevated highways.

What is this explosion of mindless marking? Are youth so ignored in todays hustle the only way they can get attention is to deface property?

While the colourful murals that I saw along the railroad tracks may have seemed harmless at the time, I now realize that even these are vandalism. As society slowly sinks deeper into the mire of lawlessness and un caringness, this is just one more symptom of a society that is failing ourselves.

Where is our sence of community and belonging? Crime in major centers is on the rise for precisely this reason. We no longer see each other as people who are part of our own community, but as untrustworthy strangers: us and them.

My Solution is to create better and more cohesive neighbourhoods!

My Brilliant Career

2006-04-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

Experts tell us that most of us identify ourselves strongly with what we do for a living.

Ever find youself saying "I am a Dentist?... a Writer? ... An Accountant?"

Just how much of our lives are spent in persuit of an income?

How happy are you with what you do for a living?

Do you have a Brilliant Career?

Stephen M. Pollan wrote a book called "Second Acts" in which he talks about "Creating the life you really want, building the career you truly desire"

So what if F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote, "There are no second acts in American lives."

I had a great job - well so my mother told me - I had a career in the Canadian Public Service - great indexed Pension plan, superbe benefit package - awesome! Was I happy?

Now I'm my own boss! I reinvented myself.

Success Stories

2006-04-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

Do you want to be a Success?

Is that some kind of trick question? I mean if you answer no then it sounds like you might want to be a failure! Obviously no one WANTS to be a failure!

... But if you answer YES - then there's probably a lot of work involved... Maybe Not!

Everyone wants to be a success.

Well the next obvious question is ..... A Success at what?

In Life
In Love
In your Career
Money$$$$
Make you Dreams come true

Oh! and can you do it on the internet? Can you do it fast?

...and... can it be easy?

YES