Celebrating Josee

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Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, Canada, celebrate, Chateauguay, courage, death, Diana Schwenk, friends, grateful, grief, growing up, Hump Day Chronicles, Josee Bull, laughter, life, Life's like that, living in the moment, loss, love, memories, Quebec, Relationships, stories

I remember one summer day in the early 90’s when Josee picked me up from my apartment in Calgary with the Sporty featured on the above photo.

My friendship with Josee started long before then though. We met in the mid 70s and spent a lot of time in the basement of her house on Maple Crescent beside the park in Chateauguay, Quebec.

Ahh that basement. It was like an episode of ‘That 70s Show.’ It was there that we graduated from drinking tea to playing darts, smoking cigarettes, drinking beer and talking about our relationships with the opposite sex. Thinking back, I feel bad for Josee’s mom who had to put up with us. But then again, she always seemed to be happy to see us.

Josee and I didn’t really stay in touch much after I left Chateauguay, but every decade or so we would manage to get together over a meal and catch up on each others’ lives. I was surprised and shocked when I heard the news of Josee’s passing a few weeks back.

This past Saturday, we celebrated Josee’s life at her daughter’s place. That’s the way Josee wanted it. She didn’t want people crying, she wanted us to enjoy hamburgers and chili, two of her favourite menu choices, and to reminisce about all the fun times we had. There were a lot of people there, family and friends, for this celebration hosted by Melodie and her husband Jordan.

Lots of stories were shared, but one of my favourites was told by Melodie. It seems that when Melodie was about 15 years old she was upset and in tears about a fight she’d had with her then boyfriend and current husband Jordan. Josee took the matter into her own hands by hopping on her Harley and riding it to Jordan’s workplace.

I could see it in my mind as Melodie shared the story – Josee, a petite yet formidable woman, pulling up to Jordan’s work place, taking off her helmet and shaking out that long dark hair, her jaw set in determination. Then spotting Jordan and walking toward him to give him hell. Man, he must have been shaking in his boots when she told him that if he cared about Melodie he should make it right and if he didn’t he should just get lost. I’m telling you, we were all laughing by the end of that story!

I also learned through her partner Sean how much she loved to travel. Often she went alone to bike through Europe for example, or visit places like Africa and Thailand. And I learned that she’d been a business owner for some years and then later she and Sean decided to sell the business and manage a resort in British Columbia so that they could travel together during the off-season.

Listening to all the stories, I couldn’t help but wish that I’d made more of an effort to stay in touch with Josee so that I could have known firsthand the person she had become. But maybe life plays out the way it’s supposed to. And maybe because it played out the way it did, it brings those of us who remain together to share our little part of her story, and in doing so we can see the bigger picture of Josee’s story together.

At one point on Saturday, I could not stop looking at Josee’s Sportster. In many ways the staging of Josee’s bike with her jacket laid across the seat at Melodie’s acreage, seemed the perfect tribute to her.

It spoke of her free-spirit, her courage, and her ability to reach her goals.

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

Josee, You will be missed. Your courage and determination in life, and in facing death, are a great inspiration to us. Rest in Peace my friend.

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Growing Up in the 70s

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Canada, Chateauguay, Diana Schwenk, family, friends, growing up, happy, health, Hump Day Chronicles, joy, kids, life, living in the moment, love, memories, Montreal, parents, Quebec, Relationships

My childhood home on Google Instant Street View

I was recently reminded how fortunate I was to grow up in the seventies because of a Facebook page I was invited to join called Chateauguay in the 70’s. It’s been a real treat to catch up with some of the folks I grew up with and learn what they’ve been up to.

We’ve discussed everything from who remembers their old phone number to where everyone lives now and what they do for a living.

The other day, I checked out my childhood home on Instant Street View, shared it on the Chateauguay in the 70s page and suggested others do the same. Many did and some even compared instant street view with photos from when they lived there decades ago. After posting it to my brother’s page (above photo), I took a virtual walk around my old neighbourhood.

It took me right back to my childhood. You should try it!

I used to get on my bike, go around the block and pick up Theresa, then the two of us would ride to Gloria’s house, pick her up. Go play in Maple Park for a bit, go to Cam’s and get a cherry coke and hickory sticks. Maybe ride down to the Chateauguay River, sit on the bank, talk about stuff while lazily tossing rocks into the river or take off our shoes, roll up our pant legs and cool our feet.

I remember cutting through the field, walking the back way to the Chateauguay Shopping Centre, getting greasy fries in a paper bag, adding salt and vinegar and shaking it up, buying farmer sausages at Buster’s for a buck and eating them on the way home, joining in on skipping games at the end of my street…

Blue bells, cockle shells, Evie, ivy, over.  I like coffee.  I like tea.  I like the boys  and the boys like me.  yes, no, maybe so,  yes, no, maybe so…

Hopscotch, Red Rover, Frozen Tag, Mother May I, Hide and Seek, Trick or Treat, Cowboys and Indians, building forts, street chalk art, fire crackers, footsie, belly laughing, roller skating, mall walking, singing and dancing.

Often we went out after breakfast and sometimes we didn’t come home till supper. Those were the days. Outside was our playground. We never ran out of stuff to do.

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~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

What was your favourite childhood activity? Which decade did you grow up in?

We don’t have a chimney!

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Chateauguay, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Diana Schwenk, family, growing up, happy, Hump Day Chronicles, joy, laughter, life, living in the moment, love, memories, Merry Christmas, parents, Quebec, Relationships, Stuff my parents used to say and do

Christmas at 111 Edgewood Drive

IT’S TRUE. WE DIDN’T HAVE A CHIMNEY.

But that wasn’t a problem for Santa back in the day when we celebrated Christmas at 111 Edgewood Drive in Chateauguay, Quebec.

Back then Santa just rang the doorbell on Christmas Eve when my family, according to German tradition, celebrated Christmas.

I know, I know, I’ve heard from many of you over the years how much you loved coming down in your PJ’s and opening gifts on Christmas morning. But in the Schwenk house, we celebrated on Christmas Eve and it went something like this…

“Come on kids, we need to get ready for Christmas. Santa won’t come if we’re down here!”

So up the stairs we go. Our outfits carefully chosen by Mom and laid out on our beds. But first into the upstairs fancy purple and black tiled bathroom – the one that had convinced Mom that this was the house we would buy – to wash our faces, brush our teeth and fix our hair.

DING DONG goes the doorbell!

Mike and I are ecstatic, “Santa’s here!” And he is noisy! The way he stomps up the front stairs laden with packages when Dad lets him in. What a paradox that Santa is; noisy and bold, yet apparently too shy to be seen by us.

The bathroom reverberates with our nervous laughter and excitement as we get all dolled up and dressed in our finest clothes under Mom’s careful supervision. And just as quickly as Santa comes, he is gone. We know this because we hear the door open and then slam shut.

Down the stairs we scramble. And into the living room we go. Wide-eyed staring at the Christmas tree all lit up, with presents laid below. Over at the dining room table our places are set with the finest dishes and the crystal glasses. At the center of the table is the Advents Kranz that Mom made by shaping a hanger into a circle and fastening evergreen boughs on it with wire to form the perfect wreath. Dad made the stand from wood. It has a base for balance and a round stick like that of a broom handle sticking up. The Advents Kranz is wrapped with red ribbon and the long pieces are stapled to the top of the stick holding the wreath, seemingly, in mid-air.

Before the present opening, we light the four candles on the wreath and eat our meal and Mom’s home-baked Christmas goodies for dessert while listening to Bing Crosby and Perry Como albums playing on the old console stereo.

Yes, we really just want to get right to the present-opening part of the evening. But there is something so magical about taking the time to look at the Christmas lights and candles and how they make the garland and tinsel icicles shimmer and sparkle.

But then after our meal

FINALLY

It is time to open our presents!

I didn’t know it then, but looking back, the best part of Christmas was really all of us being together.

The first Christmas I understood what was going on

Presents under the tree

Me and Mike playing with our gifts

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

I’m gonna do myself a favour this Christmas. I’m gonna look at those whom I spend the holidays with. I mean really sit back and see them. And I will make a conscious effort to recognize the gift of being all together. How about you?

On behalf of the Schwenks, and from my home to your home, have a very Merry Christmas regardless of the day you celebrate it on.

The Patio Door

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Chateauguay, childhood, Diana Schwenk, family, growing up, Hump Day Chronicles, love, memories, parents, Quebec, Relationships, Stuff my parents used to say and do

Mike and me standing in front of our house in Chateauguay, Quebec

WAY BACK WHEN our family lived at 111 Edgewood Drive in Chateauguay Quebec – before it became Chateauguay Centre, before Canada issued  postal codes and switched to the metric system, Dad used to say this thing that kinda drove Mom a bit crazy.

When Mike and I were knee-high to a grasshopper – ok, that’s a bit of an exaggeration – but we were little (see photo above), our family moved into the home we would grow up in.

It was a duplex. Dad sold part of his stamp collection for the down payment. The room that we spent most of our time all-together in was the kitchen.

Upon entering the kitchen from the hallway, one would notice the fridge to the right. It was a BIG one and the refrigerator (top) and freezer (bottom) were equal in size.

The kitchen table was on the left with bench seating that also doubled as storage areas by lifting the seats, ran along two walls and two chairs were placed across from the benches .

I sat on the bench on the short wall immediately to the left. Mike sat around the corner along the long wall. Dad sat across from me in a chair with his back to the patio door. And Mom sat across from Mike with her back to the stove.

On the long wall, where Mike sat, was the telephone. Remember when phones were on the wall and they had actual dialing? The phone was black and had a super long cord so you could walk to the sink or around the corner into the dining room for privacy – as if one actually had privacy whilst on the phone.

On the other side of the fridge, on the floor, is where Mom kept the penny jar, an old milk bottle, the kind that was delivered to one’s house and yes, we had milk delivered back then! Mom and Dad threw all their pennies into that bottle and by the end of each year, they’d saved $300 or more that was used toward Christmas shopping.

Along the adjoining wall is where our stove sat, cupboards  were above and on either side of the stove.

The next wall was home to the kitchen sink below a window that was covered with white lacy sheer curtains that were gathered and secured to each edge of the window frame with pretty ribbons. Beside the sink, one more cupboard and then the garbage can – you know the kind that you step on the foot petal thingy and the lid comes up?

Anyway beside that was the patio door and if you walked further, past the phone on the wall, you’d be in the dining room.

It was at that patio door, when it was raining,  that Dad would stand up, look outside and say that thing that drove Mom nuts.

“You know…if it was colder out, it would be snowing…”

I think he did it on purpose, because when Mom became frustrated by his comment because she’d heard it hundreds of times before, I saw the corners of his mouth curl into a smile in the reflection of the patio door.

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

It was like a Schwenkonsortium!

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Canada, Diana Schwenk, family, friends, L'Acadamie Rue St. Denis, laughter, living in the moment, love, memories, Montreal, Ontario, parents, Quebec, Relationships, summer

Me being my usual reserved self…

Those were my brother Michael’s words when I posted on Facebook what a blast it was to visit with my family last week.

You may have been thinking that I was MIA but really I was at the Schwenkonsortium.

The only thing that could have made it even more spectacular is if my daughter had been able to join us.

She would have loved the impromptu photo session courtesy of neighbor Roberto. But more on that in a bit.

I arrived at the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport in Montreal early lastTuesday afternoon.

And was greeted by Uncle Arno who’d been on a business trip in Chicago and decided to visit The Schwenks before flying back to Berlin.

After making a quick stop to say hi to my brother and his family, Arno and I headed west to my parents place on the border of Quebec and Ontario.

L-R Dad, me, mom and Arno

At Stephanie’s

Dad and mom – 56 years of wedded bliss

Dad and Pauline

There was a lot of catching up.

There was a lot of eating out at restaurants.

There was a lot of playing Mackebeen (not sure on spelling) with mom.

And there was a lot of reminiscing and laughing about the good old days like where Oma and Opa were born, how they met and when they got married.

I had the group in stitches as I read old German documents out loud with exaggerated pomp and loud stereotypical German authority in my voice.

I had the pleasure of meeting Pauline who comes in once a week to look after my dad. It takes a special kind of person to be a caregiver and Pauline definitely fits the bill.

Dad thinks so too, because on Thursday when she came and we sat down to eat together, dad didn’t hesitate to tell me that I was about to sit in Pauline’s spot!

On Friday night the kids – what mom calls my uncle, brother, sister-in-law and me – went to L’Acadamie on Rue St. Denis for an excellent meal prepared by Chefs-in-training.

Rue St. Denis – I love the red boardwalk!

Inside L’Academie

Mike doing something quickly with his hand

An after dinner walk on Rue St. Denis

The food was F A N T A B U L O U S !

And you can bring your own wine!

My brother and his wife had veal with pasta. Uncle Arno had yellow tuna and rice. Nephew Spencer opted for Salmon. And I went for grilled chicken with a pink pepper sauce.

Did I mention that I love Montreal?

After dinner Uncle and I headed back to the Schwenk homestead to reminisce and laugh some more with mom and dad (uncle’s brother).

On my second-to-last day, Uncle Arno and I headed to Mike’s place for a barbecue. Arno left for the airport to fly back to Germany after dinner.

The rest of us family, neighbours, friends sat outside in the beautiful 30c/86f temperature enjoying each other’s company.

It was a surprise birthday party for nephew Spencer, whose actual birthday is in July but was being celebrated in September because his parents are lame – Heather’s words, not mine!

Me and Mike

Street hockey!

Silver man

As the sun set and the sky grew dark, neighbor Roberto set up his camera for a fun, somewhat visually experimental and creative photo shoot.

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Brother Michael, SIL Heather and I stayed up until 2AM which seemed like a good idea at the time, but not so wise when we got up at 4:30AM to head to the airport so I could catch my plane back to Calgary.

All in all, it felt good to be home. I really should go there more often.

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

Do you cut loose when you’re with family? Do you see them often enough?

May your joys make up for your sorrows

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200 words, Alberta, Calgary, Chateauguay, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, fall, happy, joy, life, photos, Quebec, sorrow, summer, Tourist in my own city, winter

I never get tired of the blue sky – Vincent Van Gogh

I grew up in Chateauguay, Quebec. Summers were humid and stifling hot. It was hard to sleep at night.

Winters were brutal. The bitter cold and snow were made worse with months of dark skies overhead.

Autumn was my favourite season – Indian Summer in all its glory – warm days and cool nights. Maple trees bursting in colour, more brilliant than any summer flower.

Autumn made up for it all

Calgary has a dry climate – Thank God! But summers are shorter and cooler. Winters seem to drag on forever. Over the years, I’ve seen it snow in every month!

But no matter the season, Calgary has the most sunny days of any other city in Canada.

330 of 365 in fact – and this means days upon days of blue sky.

Calgary’s blue skies make up for it

Even in winter, we are blessed with summer sky most days..

Carl Saffron building, Calgary AB

Old City Hall, Calgary AB

View from Hope Street, Calgary AB

Where you choose to live and why, comes with its high points and low points. No place is perfect.

In the same way, life comes with its share of joys and sorrows.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

May your joys always make up for your sorrows

Road Trips to Franklin Centre, Quebec

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apple orchard, Canada, childhood, Diana Schwenk, family, Franklin Centre, friends, growing up, horses, Hump Day Chronicles, joy, laughter, love, memories, Quebec

I got a phone call a couple of days ago from Margaret. Her and her husband James were visiting my parents. Our two families have a long history. My parents’ first job in Canada was picking apples on Margaret’s parent’s farm. Then years later my parents would visit with their young children in tow. I loved those trips to the farm.

As long as I can remember I have loved horses, so whenever we were heading out to the farm in Franklin, Quebec, I was beside myself with joy.

I can still remember those country roads from the backseat of Dad’s Mercury. The way the sun blinded me like an intense strobe light caused by the forward motion of the car and the canopy of trees.

You knew you were in farm country when the smell of horse manure began to waft through the windows. I didn’t care. While my family gagged at the smell, I breathed it in – it brought with it the promise of horses.

Uncle Andre, Tante Martha and their kids Christian, Margaret and Karen lived on a hundred acres that included an apple orchard and grazing land for cattle, a little Shetland pony and Poopsie, a Pinto mare.

It was in those years that Margaret taught me a German poem that I practiced over and over until it stuck, and to this day I still remember it. Let’s see if any of you can translate it!

Denke nie gedachts zu haben. Denn das denken der gedanken ist einen gedankenlosses denken. Wenn Du denkst, Du denkst denkst Du nicht Du denkst, Denn Du denkst gendankenloss zu sein.

On each trip to the farm, the moment we arrived, I wanted to head out on the land, but Mom insisted on good manners and so hurriedly I shouted hello to our hosts before running down that familiar path past the barn, into the orchard and beyond.

I can still remember the sweet taste of Macintosh apples plucked right from the tree. No apple since has ever tasted like that. There was the day my brother Mike and I pretended to be wolves and chased the cows up until we came upon the bull – then it was us who turned on our heels and ran for our lives toward the fence. And those glorious times I rode the pony, or Poopsie – I even rode a cow once!

Ahh the years visiting that farm are some of my happiest childhood memories.

And when it was time to leave and Dad’s Mercury headed down the long driveway to head back home, Margaret sat sans saddle on Poopsie and waited down below.

As our car turned right onto the country road, the pair galloped alongside us until they could keep up no more.

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

What is your favourite childhood memory?

Voulez-vous manger Poutine avec Moi and other stuff

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Bonne Homme de Neige, Diana Schwenk, Hump Day Chronicles, Ontario, poutine, Quebec, Travel, Twerking

As you read this I have already landed in Quebec and may have travelled as far as the border of Quebec and Ontario.

Yes, I have returned to the great land of Maple syrup.

The land of fabled characters like Bonne Homme de Neige and Justin Trudeau.

The land where I grew up and partied hard on St. Jean de Baptiste Day and largely ignored Canada Day.

The land where the letter H is strangely silent – until, of course it’s not called for.

The land where tout la gang parle Francais et Anglais, les deux langues du Canada!

Yes I am, as you read this, within an 1 1/2 hour drive of our nation’s capital where our nation’s leader Stephen Harper declared that occasionally he Twerks with Obama.

Relax…relax, he meant tweet – mon Dieu!

But just in case you are concerned, the word from the White House is that Obama does not twerk!

Too bad – I think that would be kinda awesome….

Speaking of twerking (nice segue eh?)  My daughter posted the following picture on facebook the other day.

To which I promptly responded with a text to her.

To which she promptly responded “FACEBOOK!” and posted my text.

Well my friends as I re-visit the land that made me who I am today, I wish you peace and joy.

Know that even though I won’t be nosing around your posts for a week or so I will be thinking of you and missing you.

To end this post, let me leave you with the following video that (in all fun) pokes fun at Quebec.

A bientot mes amis!

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

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• Poutine, the Cousin of Carne Asada. (copyfat.com)

A Special Saturday Post

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Banff Alberta, Canada, Canada Day, Diana Schwenk, Events, Maple Syrup, Molson, Quebec, Toronto

Oh? Canada? Eh?

The true north, strong and free

How I love thee!

Aurora at Banff, Canada. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Canada is the 2nd largest country (land mass) in the world.

Canada has one of the largest, if not the largest National park (Banff, Alberta) in the world.

Canada’s people are diverse, bringing delicious foods and beautiful customs from all over the world for me to discover and enjoy.

Canada’s population is only about 34 million and about 90% of its people live within 100 miles of the US border.

You may have to travel great distances to reach the next town.

The Maritime provinces have some of the friendliest people in the world.

Cirque de Soleil got its start on the streets of Vieux (Old) Montreal.

We all know that Molson sells beer. But did you know that when they first incorporated they also ran a bank?

The bank didn’t last but the beer and the legend endure.

Canada has Maple Syrup, Poutine, Tourtiere, and sells things like lacquered moose turds and chocolates that look like the turds of various animals as souvenirs.

Yeah that’s weird but people buy it and that’s weirder!

If you’re Canadian, what do you like about Canada?

If you’re not Canadian, watch the following video…

…because I know that you want to be Canadian, eh?

Happy Canada Day!!

Canada, the first country to be created by legislation, came into being on July  1, 1867, through the British North America Act (now the Constitution  Act). The process has come to be known as “Confederation.”