Posted on July 23, 2015 under Thursday Tidbits with no comments yet

“Go Go” the gorilla getting his teeth checked at the dentist’s office

 

 

I’m in training… again.

No, I’m not going to run the Boston Marathon again. Those days are in the rear view mirror. I love to walk and have a hankering to go on a long walk. I was in Western Newfoundland a month ago. The Trans Canada Trail happened to pass through the property of the people we were staying with. The trail goes from Port Aux Basques on the west coast to St. John’s on the east coast… a distance of approximately 900 kilometers.

I got to thinking that a walk across Newfoundland would be an adventure and might make a great book. My plan would be to walk 20-25 kms. each day and stay with locals in the small towns and villages that dot the landscape. In exchange for a room for the night, I would have my hosts tell me some stories which I would include in the book. I’m thinking that I’ll try the first leg this fall ( Port Aux Basques to Stephenville ) .

Michael MacDonald is a character. There are lots of Michael MacDonald’s but as far as I know there is only one by that name in Red Islands. Antigonishers will remember Joe Sam’s hands. Now , Michael’s aren’t quite as large but they are mitts, for sure. He has used them for labor, in the ring and holding a fiddle. I think you will enjoy hearing his story which I’m working on presently.

You’ve heard the expression “ opportunity knocks but once.” I am here to dispute this claim. In an upcoming story called “When Opportunity Knocks,” I will review the long and storied history of the Opportunity Shop. I have dropped off bags of clothing in the outside bin over the years but never spent much time inside the facility… until I spent some time researching this story. I learned a lot and there will be some things that surprise you too, including some of the interesting things they’ve found when they’ve opened the bin in the morning!

Week three of the Antigonish Art Fair is happening this Friday at Chisholm Park. The crowd at our last fair was close to 1400 and we’re hoping for another big crowd this week. Come on down and enjoy some amazing ethnic food, lots of great art, an awesome kids corner and lots of live entertainment at the gazebo.

I’m still digesting the two hours I spent with Pat Evans. Pat is a wonderful, warm and witty woman who lives in George’s River, Cape Breton. She is one of the most positive people I’ve ever met. She had a terrible accident thirteen years ago when she hit a moose and instantly became a quadriplegic. While she was robbed of her independence, it hasn’t stopped her from inspiring lots of other persons with handicapped along with her care givers and everyone else she meets. Her story “Positively Pat” will appear in an upcoming edition of the Cape Breton Star as well as on my website.

I am trying to convince Pat to come to Antigonish to give a talk at the library. I will keep you posted.

Can someone explain, where and how July evaporated?

One more thing. When is the last time you visited the Antigonish Visitor Information Center ( VIC )? Like a lot of locals, I haven’t been there in a very long time, until recently. Let me tell you this: it is a gem and one of the most interesting Visitor’s Centres I’ve been in lately. I reckon that I have been in 20 or more in the United States in the past year alone. On the holiday Monday at 2:00 p.m., I will be putting on a show called “ Tales and Tunes” at the Antigonish VIC. Grab a chair and come on over. I’m hoping to have a few musical guests and will do some story telling as well.

Have a great weekend.

Posted on July 20, 2015 under Monday Morning Musings with 2 comments

Our “community in bloom”

 

 

Our Main Street and environs look terrific thanks to all the folks who give their time to keep our community looking beautiful. I believe that the “Communities in Bloom” judges were in town recently and we should know soon if we are, once again, an award winning community.

And speaking of Main Street….

I think I am going to stand in the middle of Main Street and scream at the top of my lungs. It will go something like this: “ People, would you please stop whining and complaining about mundane things like mosquitoes, humidity or the price of gas.

Just in case you have taken a break from reading my rants lately, for the past several days, I have been documenting the challenges faced by the Mulcahy and van Bommel families with the precarious health of their precious Maud. It is not too late to make a donation. You can get in touch with me or check out this website: http://www.gofundme.com/yfdqjc

Last Friday, I traveled to George’s River just outside of Sydney to spend some time with an amazing lady named Pat. She has the sunniest disposition one could imagine. She is definitely a “glass half full” kind of gal. She is very bright and has a great sense of humour. She repeatedly told us how fortunate she feels every day of her life. She has a 13 year old English Springer dog who is her constant companion and she has a wonderful view of the Bras D’or Lakes. Did I mention that she is a quadriplegic?

Thirteen years ago, on her way to school ( she was a teacher ), she hit a moose and in an instant became completely paralyzed. She can move her head… and that’s all. Now, if there was someone who had a legitimate right to complain and be bitter, it would be Pat. I don’t want to spoil the story that I’m writing about her , called “Positively Pat”, but here is a tiny excerpt. This is what I wrote about the day the accident happened:

“ She was rushed to the nearest hospital in Baddeck. She already realized that she was in very bad shape. As she lay in her hospital bed, immobilized, she stared up at the ceiling and mused to herself: “ Well missy, this could go either way. You can be sad and angry the rest of my life or you can just suck it up and get on with it.” Luckily for every person that knows Pat, she chose the latter. But this was no surprise to her friends. She was always a “cup half full” kind of person.”

Rarely have I been so inspired than I was after meeting Pat and I think you will find a lot of inspiration when you read this story.

It’s normal to complain and there are very real legitimate complaints, especially when it comes to things like health and employment. .. and people like Pat and Maud, but the mundane stuff has got to go. Agree?

I also made a trip to Johnstown, Cape Breton yesterday and spent a delightful 2.5 hours with one Michael MacDonald, Rita Campbell and two of her brothers. Michael is quite a character. He has done many things and was once an up and coming boxer who trained with the likes of George Chuvalo. Later in life, he learned how to repair , build and play violins. I am looking forward to writing a story about his life. We had a lot of laughs.

After my meeting with Michael, I was a guest at the Johnstown Fire Hall and did a two hour story telling and tunes session to a small but engaged, appreciative crowd. I sang a lot of Cape Breton songs and they sang along with me. It was very pleasant way to spend a rainy afternoon.

Let us be grateful for our blessings as we head into another week. My, but they slip by quickly.

Have a great week.

 

Posted on July 16, 2015 under News & Updates with no comments yet

Maud Mulcahy van Bommel

 

 

In many ways, Maud Mulcahy van Bommel is like most typical two and a half year olds.

In the words of her grandfather, “She is a delightful little character, who loves to laugh, be read to, dance, cuddle, bounce on beds and play with her older siblings, Emmy and James. She loves to go for walks and shows her independence by proudly walking on her own as she accompanies her brother and sister to and from school. She delights in the company of her parents and is happiest when she is cuddled up in their arms, perpetually and absent mindedly twisting one lock of her blond hair into knots as she enjoys the closeness of their company. She is bright and curious and, as with other children her age, is strong minded and stubborn.”

In olden times “Maud” originally meant “battle mighty”. Somehow this seems appropriate because Maud has a battle on her hands right now.

Life has thrown a nasty curve ball into Maud’s life and that of her family. She has been diagnosed with Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome (ALPS). It is an incurable, chronic and life threatening disease. It requires frequent periods of hospitalization, usually on very short notice. One of her parents has to be with her while she is in hospital and the other stays home to care for her brother and sister.   Maud and her family have a very steep hill to climb.

Maud’s parents are Caitlin Mulcahy and Andrew van Bommel and they live in London, Ontario.  She is the granddaughter of Jim and Sarah Mulcahy and Henry and Diana van Bommel, who all reside in Antigonish.

Caitlin and Andrew don’t have any family members close at hand. One can only imagine the physical and mental strain experienced by this couple as they cope with this serious illness in their beloved child. They are under a great deal of pressure, made worse by worry and fatigue. Their brothers and sisters and parents do all that they can do but can’t be there to provide support all the time. It is not possible or practical to bring this family back to their home community of Antigonish. So we need to bring the community to them.

How can you help Maud and her family?

You can provide financial support by making a donation at the Bergengren Credit Union to an account set up on Maud’s behalf. The goal is to be able to hire a professional caregiver who has the necessary training to help provide effective care for Maud at home and to assist with the needs of the rest of the family. If you have any connections in London who might be able to refer a competent caregiver, that would be most helpful.

If you are unable to drop in to the Credit Union you can send an e-transfer to me at len.macdonald@eastlink.ca for deposit to Maud’s account or make a cheque payable to Len Mac Donald for Maud Mulcahy van Bommel. Alternatively, people can contribute through a webpage set up for this purpose: http://www.gofundme.com/yfdqjc

 

Also, please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers.

There’s an old saying: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Antigonishers are known for their extraordinary generosity and it is time for us to step up and help this family during their time of need.

Maud the warrior is doing her part – let’s see what we can do to help.