Family
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Like the wind.
Some time ago I pointed out the similarities between myself and Paul Gross, the actor/renaissance man who played the fictional Mountie Benton Fraser on Due South, including our devilish good looks. It turns out that I have several connections with another actor who portrayed a Mountie on TV, Tina Keeper. And in the process of
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Burning Bing
This post is dedicated to the memory of John Babcock, the last remaining Canadian soldier of the Great War, who passed away this past week at the age of 109. Babcock joined up as an underage youth, and although he never made it to France, and the horrific battles, he was our last living connection
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Our demise
I don't imagine most Members think about their demise. There are times, no doubt, when we do, often after the fact. Something along the line of "My god, what was I thinking?". There were situations that would send a freezing chill down my spine, probably going to domestic at a House Trailer more than anything
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Shaken
Yesterday was another difficult day for my "other" family, the police family that will always be a part of me. Erik Czapnik, at 51 years old the same age as me, a member of the Ottawa Police Service, was stabbed to death yesterday morning at 5:30 am. He was doing one of those routine tasks,
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My daughter’s eyes.
Yesterday afternoon I took the kids to school. Usually, when we arrive I say the same thing I always do to Travis "Have fun, learn lots" and he bolts for his entrance. Hilary, because she is in pre-school only goes in the afternoon, and only every second day. I carry Hilary to the closest entrance.
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In life, Service.
Often on a grave in France, there is an inscription. One of the principals of War Graves Commission was that all of the fallen would be treated equally. The headstones were simple and essentially the same, no bodies were allowed to be repatriated, rich or poor, officer or enlisted man they were all buried where
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My children, last night
You'll have to indulge me a moment as I post some photos of Hilary and Travis. The Hilary photos are from Uluksan Point, Travis' are from Victor Bay. Picking flowers. Nothing says "Arctic" like a child in an amautiq, picking Arctic Poppies, with an iceberg in the background. Inuksuit be damned. She had, moments before,
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A father’s kiss
I love that my children are still young enough that a kiss from their father along with a gentle "That's okay, you'll be alright. Dad's here." will cure most ills and pain. I dread when that will no longer be the case. Yesterday at the games, Hilary was playing in amongst the guy lines of
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A pair of lines in my hands
Daisy was up from the battle school today but I missed him, I have not seen him for three weeks now, that is the longest spell since we joined up, or even before that for a couple of years. He left a snap of my team of greys that had been sent in one of
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The man I most wish I was
While searching my slides a couple of days ago I came across my favourite picture of my father, standing in a field of alfalfa on their land, with the late, great, Opus at his side. It was taken perhaps 20 years ago, or more. Last Sunday, my father turned 80. I could think of no