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Where did this week go? Mystified. All I can say is that it is now winter here and I have struggled with an overwhelming desire to "hibernate" all week! I drove home from Saskatoon on Monday with perfect weather and road conditions only to wake up Tuesday to a blanket of snow and cold temperatures. Here we go!
What a joyous time I had in Saskatoon last weekend with family and friends! Being able to spend time with my Mom is always so special, although it sadly never seems like enough time. I was able to get in a few visits with her on the night I arrived, and on Thursday after setting up for the show and then on Monday before I left. We even made seven minute icing together for my sister Kathy's birthday cake and while these little moments are brief, they are always so sweet. I was thrilled when Kath brought her down to the show for a rare outing on the Friday. Mom even did some Christmas shopping and was not too overwhelmed with the crowds in her wheelchair. I am kicking myself though that we did not get a picture of Mom in the booth. Lost opportunity.
Must thank you Kathy for putting me up and yet again, for being my biggest fan and giving up your weekend to help me at the show! The whole weekend was really about friends and I cannot thank them enough for supporting me! Marcia, you were a riot to spend the day with on Friday in the booth! Nancy, Laura, Alvin, Anne - what a delight to see you all! Thank you for coming by to say "hi" and buy a copy! It meant the world to me!
A special thank you to all of the Canada Post colleagues that work with Kathy too. It was a pleasure to meet you all and sign the books you ordered as a group! Then of course, there were all the people we met or reconnected with over the course of the weekend. I got to see some friends from High School and even Public School. Fun!
There is just something special about going home. While I have been gone now from Saskatoon for 23 years, it still feels like home to me and always will. I would be back to live there in a heartbeat if it was possible. The dinners we had and ALL the laughs with my BFF's ... I thought we were going to get kicked out of a couple of restaurants!
I did have some private moments that were bittersweet though too. I made the mistake (?) of driving by 1802. So sad to see the lack of pride the new owners have for the house. Not just our house either - the whole block was in a sad state of disrepair with the exception of one home that is still owned by the original owners and is right across the street from where we lived. So - at least when I was parked in front, I could look across the way and still see the same view we had from our living room window.
The names I inscribed into books were pretty standard this week except I had to laugh a bit when I was asked to dedicate a copy to., "The Myszczyszyn Family" ... yup, I was back in Saskatchewan where there is a high preponderance of "Z's" used! And why not? It is just as good as the other letters in our alphabet! LOL!
Our EWI of Calgary meeting this week featured the ED and Founder of Calgary Reads as our guest speaker. How alarming to hear the stats on illiteracy in our city, province and country. Anyone who believes that literacy is not an issue in Canada is kidding themselves. Fascinating to know that most adult achievements, final education, earnings, incarceration rates, etc. can be predicted by a child's Grade 3 reading level.
When I see a child at the show walking by, I always ask them, "Are you a reader? Would you like a bookmark?" It always spurs on some great conversations with children. One such conversation Kath and I had this weekend was with a boy whose parents were making the commitment to spend two hours of their day driving him to a smaller school in Pike Lake. They were hoping to buy a home there soon but did not want to delay getting him into a smaller specialized class that can help him with his dyslexia. He told us he was dyslexic himself in a very positive voice. He said he had to work "real hard" at reading but he was "exceptional" at math! And he rightly shared with us that you need to achieve literacy in both! He was such a delight to interact with. The pure joy radiating from him at his own sense of achievement was a gift to witness. Bravo to his parent's for making that drive every day!
Calgary Reads shared with us that the first 2000 days of a child's life are the "make it or break it" period. That refers from the time a child is born until they enter school. I am excited that our Chapter donated $1000.00 towards the purchase and placement of 4 Little Libraries in Calgary. We will be painting the library boxes at our January dinner meeting which we are holding at the Calgary Read's offices. A great organization if you want more info on how you can positively impact literacy in our city. They have so many great programs if you are looking to donate or volunteer.
All it takes is one person to light the spark of imagination in a child by reading to them. I hope I was able to do that with the family I encountered at the 7/11 in Rosetown on the way home on Monday. Mother, Grandmother and four kids, two of which were twin toddlers. They were from Manitoba and still had a long way home so I gave them a copy of my book for the car ride. The oldest boy was so good at looking out after the twins in the store that I thought he might also enjoy reading to them. Hope they had safe travels home.
I am really looking forward to tomorrow afternoon when I will be at Fisher Crescent Retail in Okotoks! A proceed from my books and also from purchases made tomorrow are going to go to the Foothills Country Hospice. The store's owner is a good family friend who has an amazing boutique of women's fashions and accessories. Today I am going to bake some Gingersnaps, Shortbread and the Raspberry Coconut Tarts from the book's recipes to take. So, on that note ... better get moving!
Shine on!
- Karen
What a joyous time I had in Saskatoon last weekend with family and friends! Being able to spend time with my Mom is always so special, although it sadly never seems like enough time. I was able to get in a few visits with her on the night I arrived, and on Thursday after setting up for the show and then on Monday before I left. We even made seven minute icing together for my sister Kathy's birthday cake and while these little moments are brief, they are always so sweet. I was thrilled when Kath brought her down to the show for a rare outing on the Friday. Mom even did some Christmas shopping and was not too overwhelmed with the crowds in her wheelchair. I am kicking myself though that we did not get a picture of Mom in the booth. Lost opportunity.
Must thank you Kathy for putting me up and yet again, for being my biggest fan and giving up your weekend to help me at the show! The whole weekend was really about friends and I cannot thank them enough for supporting me! Marcia, you were a riot to spend the day with on Friday in the booth! Nancy, Laura, Alvin, Anne - what a delight to see you all! Thank you for coming by to say "hi" and buy a copy! It meant the world to me!
A special thank you to all of the Canada Post colleagues that work with Kathy too. It was a pleasure to meet you all and sign the books you ordered as a group! Then of course, there were all the people we met or reconnected with over the course of the weekend. I got to see some friends from High School and even Public School. Fun!
There is just something special about going home. While I have been gone now from Saskatoon for 23 years, it still feels like home to me and always will. I would be back to live there in a heartbeat if it was possible. The dinners we had and ALL the laughs with my BFF's ... I thought we were going to get kicked out of a couple of restaurants!
I did have some private moments that were bittersweet though too. I made the mistake (?) of driving by 1802. So sad to see the lack of pride the new owners have for the house. Not just our house either - the whole block was in a sad state of disrepair with the exception of one home that is still owned by the original owners and is right across the street from where we lived. So - at least when I was parked in front, I could look across the way and still see the same view we had from our living room window.
The names I inscribed into books were pretty standard this week except I had to laugh a bit when I was asked to dedicate a copy to., "The Myszczyszyn Family" ... yup, I was back in Saskatchewan where there is a high preponderance of "Z's" used! And why not? It is just as good as the other letters in our alphabet! LOL!
Our EWI of Calgary meeting this week featured the ED and Founder of Calgary Reads as our guest speaker. How alarming to hear the stats on illiteracy in our city, province and country. Anyone who believes that literacy is not an issue in Canada is kidding themselves. Fascinating to know that most adult achievements, final education, earnings, incarceration rates, etc. can be predicted by a child's Grade 3 reading level.
When I see a child at the show walking by, I always ask them, "Are you a reader? Would you like a bookmark?" It always spurs on some great conversations with children. One such conversation Kath and I had this weekend was with a boy whose parents were making the commitment to spend two hours of their day driving him to a smaller school in Pike Lake. They were hoping to buy a home there soon but did not want to delay getting him into a smaller specialized class that can help him with his dyslexia. He told us he was dyslexic himself in a very positive voice. He said he had to work "real hard" at reading but he was "exceptional" at math! And he rightly shared with us that you need to achieve literacy in both! He was such a delight to interact with. The pure joy radiating from him at his own sense of achievement was a gift to witness. Bravo to his parent's for making that drive every day!
Calgary Reads shared with us that the first 2000 days of a child's life are the "make it or break it" period. That refers from the time a child is born until they enter school. I am excited that our Chapter donated $1000.00 towards the purchase and placement of 4 Little Libraries in Calgary. We will be painting the library boxes at our January dinner meeting which we are holding at the Calgary Read's offices. A great organization if you want more info on how you can positively impact literacy in our city. They have so many great programs if you are looking to donate or volunteer.
All it takes is one person to light the spark of imagination in a child by reading to them. I hope I was able to do that with the family I encountered at the 7/11 in Rosetown on the way home on Monday. Mother, Grandmother and four kids, two of which were twin toddlers. They were from Manitoba and still had a long way home so I gave them a copy of my book for the car ride. The oldest boy was so good at looking out after the twins in the store that I thought he might also enjoy reading to them. Hope they had safe travels home.
I am really looking forward to tomorrow afternoon when I will be at Fisher Crescent Retail in Okotoks! A proceed from my books and also from purchases made tomorrow are going to go to the Foothills Country Hospice. The store's owner is a good family friend who has an amazing boutique of women's fashions and accessories. Today I am going to bake some Gingersnaps, Shortbread and the Raspberry Coconut Tarts from the book's recipes to take. So, on that note ... better get moving!
Shine on!
- Karen