Category Archives: Holidays

Happy Valentines Day Rant

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Happy Valentines Day Rant

Is it just me or have holidays in school become ridiculous. I know there are many people who dislike Valentine’s Day, it is a “Hallmark” holiday if there ever was one and there is no doubt it is contrived. My wife and I don’t celebrate per se. No roses for 20x the normal price, no cards, no expensive dinners. This year we are going to the Vance Joy concert here in town but we’d have gone no matter the date plus this will be Nate’s first live concert. He is excited.

Some people don’t think kids should be allowed to exchange cards in class. I don’t approve or oppose a few minutes to distribute a few cards in class. If the teacher chooses to allow the exchanges, it doesn’t need to be a big production, five or ten minutes before or after recess and back to business. I do find it infuriating that the kids who participate are expected to give a card to everyone. It renders the exercise pointless. Nate only ever talks about a handful of kids, both boys and girls he considers his friends. I know, what does that really mean when you are in grade one, who knows but they are the kids he plays with most. They are the kids he invited to his birthday party later this month.

His teacher sent a note home at the end of last week reminding the parents that there were 23 kids in the class and they were expected to include a card for everyone. She further requested that they not put names on the Valentines and included appropriate sample greetings – To My Friend / To My Pal / To My Classmate – with an additional note asking that any greeting remains gender neutral. Her reasoning, it was too cumbersome for her to make sure the right card got to the right person.

The reality is, all of these “holidays” have become ridiculous in school. I am hardly and upstanding Catholic but Nate attends a Catholic school where they refer to Halloween as orange and black day, Christmas as red and green day and Easter as pink and yellow day. Christ, no pun intended, two of those holidays are central to the Catholic faith.

Happy Valentines Day to my fellow bloggers.

Credits and Additional Information

Christmas Message 2021

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As December draws to a close and the hustle and bustle of the holiday season reaches its crescendo we all begin to reflect on the year that was 2021.

Of course, COVID continued to play a significant role in all our lives. Vaccines and variants became household words and we’ve all become expert virologists. Well, not really, although some of us are certain we know something our doctors and scientist just can’t figure out. For the record, you don’t. These people along with our nurses and other healthcare professionals are working tirelessly to save lives. Trust them, trust the science. Most importantly do everything you can to protect yourself, your family, and your community and get vaccinated. We’ve all got or are scheduled to get our third doses here and there have been no side effects, I mean other than the three Microsoft computers I was compelled to buy shortly after each shot. Damn Nanobots!!!

Personally, it has been a busy year. In August we moved into our new home and we are now pretty much settled in for the long haul. Of course, there is still some unpacking to be done.

In preparation for Christmas, I built some decorations for the yard. I built these three colourful trees out of wood from old pallets. It was a fun project and as you can see Nathaniel was an excellent helper. I hope to build a snowman for next year as well as another tree for inside. Expect to see them in next year’s message!

It is hard to believe Nathaniel is five this year (and only a couple of months away from six) He has grown so much. Below he is catching snowflakes on his tongue from early December of this year. I have also assembled a collage of images from Christmases past. Where has the time gone?

That’s all folks! I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday.

Christmas Magic

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Christmas Eve
Children gathered by the tree
Light dancing across
A thousand strands of silver tinsel
Swaying with the slightest breeze.

If you squint just right
Every point bursts into
A universe of colour
Like stars in the heavens
Bringing Christmas magic to life.

Written for dVerse Quadrille #142
Photo credits: Greg Glazebrook @ GMG Photography.
Copyright 2021 Greg Glazebrook / GMG Photography, All Rights Reserved.

Cage One Experiment

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As the kids were getting ready for Halloween, I was working in my basement lab. I just need to combine the final ingredients and administer a dose to the mice in cage one. I’d be done in 20 minutes and life expectancy would double for the rodents. Of course, it would be months before the results were in.

My twins, Super Mario and Princess Peach were dressed and ready to go as I emerged from the basement. “Let’s go Daddy!” they exclaimed in such perfect unison you’d think they were identical. It was only another minute, and we were on our way unaware of what was happening beneath our feet.

Five doors down we heard creaking, Peach said it was coming from the coffin on the neighbour’s front lawn. Ten doors down we heard shrieks of horror. Mario insisted it was the motion sensor ghost he’d passed.

Fifteen doors down the other kids (and parents) were running past us screaming They weren’t even stopping for candy. “What’s the scare? I asked one Mom. She just looked behind and kept running.

Someone else screamed, “Giant mouse, run for your life!”

Next, I heard sirens and other vehicles speeding by. They looked like they were stopping at our house. An explosion rock the night sky and a picture frame landed at our feet.

“That’s us with Mommy.” said Peach.

“Not possible.” I replied but then I saw it, 12 feet high and 25 feet long from nose to tail. It was the biggest mouse I’d ever seen. It surveyed the neighbourhood then started snapping up kids like they were snacks. Neighbourhood families tried to flee but five more emerged to surround them.

Only then did I realize what was happening. The Lab, my home, oh God! Six mice had been dosed with my serum. It was supposed to promote longevity but instead, they grew and grew and grew. They would have their fill of trick or treaters before scurrying into the night.

So as you get ready for this Halloween, remember they are still out there and they are hungry. They may be waiting in your neighbourhood to find their favorite treat, candy stuffed children. So this Halloween be sure to look over your shoulder and listen for squeaking, and if you hear it run for your life!”  

Pumpkins carved by Emily and Greg Glazebrook. Photo Credit: Greg Glazebrook
Copyright 2021 Greg Glazebrook, All Rights Reserved.

I Did Say Regularly…

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Happy Thanksgiving 2014

I did say regularly it’s just that my definition of regular and yours are different. Guess the RIM Rant is irrelevant now hell they don’t even call themselves that anymore. Still love my Blackberry and I hope a once-great Canadian company makes a comeback and lays a beating on rival Apple!

So as everyone gears up for turkey dinner, or recovers if they celebrated last night, I wanted to take a moment to be thankful for everything I have. Life has fired some curveballs over the years but I have two wonderful children who are growing up smart and fast. A wonderful girlfriend who keeps me sharp, honest, and very, very happy along with her son.

I am lucky and thankful.