Just a little kiss of the Eastern Townships
for a buddy out west from me and Jane.
When you come east again - you have friends here.
L

The most important person in your life is yourselves- first and foremost. And you must make sure the outer shell of your being is in decent enough shape to house the wisp of inner being/ego-id/essence.

If the body is in pain one can't enjoy existence. So take care of the body first. Then make sure you have enough money to pay the bills and do not spend what you don't have or are not capable of paying back in short order.

If you are unhappy create a strategy to take yourself away from the distraction that is causing this state of mind. If it is medical, then focus on all the other positives outside the distraction.

Remember to 'do' -absolutely nothing- for 5 minutes every second day, to focus on the inner wisp of being - the inner spark that drives your body shell around.

The only action in this exercise/experiment, is to simply "not do". ..not look, not plan next moves, not think about family, not think about an uncomfortable lotus position-so sit in a chair, back straight, chin up, hands on thighs,- outside or inside...just consciously "do not" DO -and just exist. Focus on the fabric of "essential present time" reality.

This is not easy, but the more often you do it the better your appreciation of life as a conscious being will become. Some other nifty things begin to occur also.

Try -in everything you do to - go slow.

Experience the 'present moment' and stretch it.

Savor your activity, job, dinner, walk in the woods, chat with your partner, your mother, father,brother or sister...listen to their voice carefully and try to associate with their inner being and not just the identifying outer traits of their persona.

Look at the face, skin, mannerisms -see the child they once were. That person contains an inner essence. Have you every really been aware of it;connected with it? This is where that candle light dinner and looking into the eyes comes into play. Try to see inside.

Go slow and do not be bullied by clients, your own "to-do"list or anything else. Just consciously take each moment as it comes and consume it like ice cream. Moments of time, like pocket change is the only real currency we have. Don't blow it. Seek the flavor of existence. We really don't need much of anything when it gets to this point and there is no such thing as boredom.

And go outside - breathe deep.

Hi Les,
Here it is closing in on the end of February so it must be time to get to that January to do list:(.

I have attached a picture of myself and family at my daughter Lindsay's wedding December 29 2006. That is the last family photo I have but I think we still look pretty much the same. From left to right, my husband of 29 years Jim Pfeiffer, a Massachusetts native I met while attending CEGEP at Champlain College ( he was attending Bishop's University).

On my other side -my daughter Lindsay Williams .
She is now residing in Fairbanks Alaska putting her BFA in visual communication, major in illustration , major in biology to use at a graphic design firm.

Her husband Joey Williams hails from Wisconsin by way of Chicago. A graduate of West Point, is with the Army Stryker brigade stationed in Fairbanks. There is quite a story in the meeting, dating and wedding, but perhaps best saved until the next reunion.

On the far right is my son James. He is a junior at Norwich University in Vermont studying Architecture on an ROTC scholarship. He is planning an career.

I ask myself all the time, "How did a peace loving soul like myself get surround by all these army types?" I will say though, that my image of "army types" has drastically changed since meeting many friends of my son and son-in-law -a compassionate, caring group with strong family values, inevitably a bit mischievous yet underpinned with humor.



I am a physical therapist since graduating McGill in 1979.

I have worked in many different areas, schools, hospital, rehab facility, my own practise, teaching at a community college, and for the last 10 years at an outpatient orthopedic facility.

The children are grown and away so we are empty- nesters now. The dog is not pleased with the transition as we don't seem to wrestle with or chase him as well as James did.

I am active in my church, and Jim with the boy scouts. Jim is self employed in the payroll processing business. I guess that brings you up to speed a bit. I am fine with you editing this letter and posting the picture and bio on the blog with a challenge to all the other class of 73 members to let me know what they are up to. :) Happy cabin fever!
Gerry

Ah - Gerry - what a handsome family!
How is it that you look just as good as you did in high-school?
You and your husband have much to be proud of.
Les

Tensile Strength
...Oh Yes and Happy Valentines

I looked at the picture below of Saskia and Ralf. And I wondered what it was that I was feeling - trying to find words that might fit my perception of these two exceptional beings. And then it emerged - "tensile strength" usually used to describe a measurement of elastic resistance within steel, to find some breaking point.

Why "these" words for Saskia and Ralf?

I suppose, like steel, we have all been through the "mill" of life to varying extents. And that we all- each of us- have our own story.

Ralf, I know is a Doctor- who must deal with the physical as well as psychic wounds of others.

As for Saskia, I'm not sure . I have heard wisps of this and that over the last three decades- but what strikes me, is the magic moment we danced at the Reunion. There was a loop in time that brought me back to high school days bringing out the teenager in me.

Just like in High School, we never did have time to chat - there was so much going on. But in that dance -that moment of connection there was unspoken understanding of the passage of time and how it was alright for two people to simply relax and enjoy one solitary moment together. It was all that mattered. Magic. And these magic moments were taking place all through the reunion.

Ralf, Jane and I did have a chance to talk and 'hang out' for a while at Anne Chrsitine's. I saw pictures of his beautiful family and home out in the interior of B.C. - Shangrila.

In both of these individuals, when I looked in their eyes I saw the past, their brothers, families in the 'heights' and the present -that which makes them who they are. -wearing their 'being'- their countenance, with grace and quiet strength, each in their own respective way- keeping so much within yet communicated in the shadow of a smile- an inflection -a glance.

We 'the others', if we are lucky, may catch it-if but just for a moment, out the corner of our eye and then it's gone.

Two fine souls - interior strength.

So We've made it past New Years.

Well done!
How are you feeling? Looking forward to Spring? Golf in the Carolinas? Are you in Acapulco right now? Are you nursing Arthritis in the cold? Got your space heater out and your blanket pulled up?
Ya gettin' any? Are your kids behaving? Moved out yet? Have you put on another 10? Do we still fit in our jeans? Do we need another Reunion to motivate the loss of unwanted pounds? Have you unloaded that mangy varmint dud husband yet? Have you been good to your wife -deserving favors are you? You better be. Life! So this is it right?

I was at the Centaur Theater the other day watching the play, "Half Life" by John Mighton. - all about Love in the last stop hospital once we get into our upper and later years. Imagine you no longer have a wife or husband and in your late years you fall in love with someone in "the home"...ok ok -don't go that far now, ooooouuu -contrtol the vision! -just fall in love (for now).

And then imagine you might like to marry the old bird since you know you only have a few more years left and so why not? Then your son or daughter who has 'power of attorney' steps in and says "no". (Eric Peterson of Corner Gas played a lead role in this one.)

Interesting play.

So a few days later, I went back to the Centaur to meet the author and some of the actors and who do you think I meet? -You guessed it! From the class of 1970 Margaret "Peggy" Hopkins. I guess I met the boy who "bought her the most pizza" -Mr. Fergus Keyes- one of the officials of the Centaur theater. Oh Come ! You do so remember her - she lived over on Mcleod Street up a little from the school.

Back in January I went to Harry Gulkin's 80th Birthday party. (He produced the movie Lies My Father Told Me -) What fun!

Back in high-school, Cathy, his daughter was a year ahead of me -since I failed grade five- but that's a long story- I'll tell it in the form of a screen play one day. Well anyway - I met Cathy's half sister - who is somewhat younger than she is along with Cathy's new spouse, Lisa -who is really cool.

We (Cathy, me and her half sister) all danced together as Cathy's daughter and back-up band played for the audience. The audience was made up of producers and actors and media people - Josh Freed and such. Oh yes, Cathy's sister's name is Sarah Polly.

My son was very excited that I met this young lady.
"Ah come on Dad! You must know who she is!"

Well I do now -Canada is proud to have her in line for an Oscar - Foreign Film Director's award. She adapted the story by Alice Munroe "Away From Her" and wrote the screen play- tailored for Gordon Pincet and Julie Christie who both starred in the film.

So not only is she intelligent, but fine looking too -tragically angelic, trapped in our earthbound orbit . And yes there is one heck of a story in all of this - but that will be told at a later date - perhaps by Sarah?

Back to planet Chateauguay now, - I was over at the shopping center today picking up some baby carrots at the Super C which used to be Steinburg's- remember? I bumped into Ken Schillgalies (Class of 68) and he congratulated us all for putting on a fine Reunion in May.

He said, "Wow- a whole other side of you came forth that night!"
I said, "Oh? How so?"
" Well", Ken continued, " I always thought you were a little bit of a Nerd."

Isn't it strange when you get a frank and sincere perception on yourself from someone else's perspective?
I think I was being complemented too!

Well dear diary friends, may you be healthy, have good dreams, and/or good sex or some chocolate.
Until next entry - may you and your children - and theirs be well.