Perky's Fish and Fries Too

A sunny Sunday at Perky's Fish and Fries too

The other day while I was driving through Ontario on Simcoe County rd 27 from Elmvale to Barrie. I stopped for lunch at small road side fish and chip trailer that had recently opened across from the Elmvale Jungle Zoo called, "Perky's Fish and Fries Too". It was some of the best fish and chips I have ever had and I like to think I am a connoisseur of the dish.

I was greeted when I arrived by a mother/ daughter team who were running the trailer on the sunny Sunday afternoon, and had taken a few moments to play a game of giant Janga with a set made by the owner for the visiting public to use. They were very welcoming and the mother suggested I try the cod combo with a hint of "newfie" accent in her voice. I had not have cod often in the past, but was very pleased with my choice to take her suggestion.

I stayed for about an hour, much longer then I normally take for such stops. I was simply taken with relaxed and peaceful setting, and felt the need to sit and take it in while recording my thoughts in my journal. As I sat there I noticed the many things that had been done to make people feel welcome. They have the normal picnic tables and umbrellas, but also a goldfish pond, the giant Janga game and a "Doggie Pond" so that dogs and their owners are able to stay and relax. Over all the experience I had was a very pleasant one and I hope to stop in again some day if I am ever in the area.

Giant Janga Game 

Say what "You" need to say or self care behavior

     As you can see I was not able to continue posting to this blog over the Summer as I had hoped. The job that I took made me very happy, but sadly it took a great deal out of me physicality and mentally and did not allow me the internet access that I thought I would have.  Due to this I did not make the posts that I expected to make and now that I am back in school I have even less time to make post as I am now working part time on top of attending nursing school, but that is not what the purpose of this posting is.

    The purpose of this posting is to talk about what I have realized in this time period of being almost completely away from this blog. I "NEED" to write. While I was working over the summer I made the promise to myself that I would write something each and every day. Even if it was just a single sentence I needed to write something. In making that silent and meaningful promise I came to realize that I write a lot in my personal time. I write in a journal, I write announcements for a community newsletter, I write blog posts and what could be called the most important is I write letters to my now fiancee, Biohazard, who is attending school over 6 hours away from me. Many people find it strange that I write her letters, even with me talking to her several times a day and texting almost nonstop that I would still have anything to write. Well to be honest I know that what I write to her is not epic love poems, and that changes are even if she would never say this to me, they bore her. But I feel they bring us closer. I tell her things that happen to me and thoughts that I have that seem important at the time, but later on when I am talking to her never seem to come up. That is why I need to write them down. I feel in my heart that I need to tell her things, because when I do I feel as if she is closer to me. But that is not all of my writing.

     The need to write everyday is about me. It may come off selfish, but it is the truth. In nursing school they teach us to ask people about their self care behavior because they can say a great deal about a persons health and mental state. My self care behavior is writing. Writing things down allows me to process what has, is and will happen to me. In a time when everything is rushed and crazy I need to take the time to sit and process what is going on. Some times I need an escape so I write down a fiction story, but in that I am also releasing a thought from my head and capturing on paper for the world to see. I am writing down what I need to say to feel good about myself. In many ways that concept has been theme of my relationship with Biohazard.

     When I first started dating Biohazard I was 23 years old and had never had a girlfriend. I had girls who were friends and at times I had tried to turn that into something more, but sadly that never happened. I was 23 years old, never been on a real date, and I had never kissed a girl. At 23 years old I had already given up on finding love and was ok with that. Many people live full and happy lives with out having romantic love and they do great things. I planned to be one of those people. Then Biohazard came along and I did not make things easy on her. She was falling for me and I was in a place where I felt I was above all of that, but then I fell for her. So I was a mind in distress. Then I heard John Mayer's "Say". which I could write a whole post about what it means to me and how it specks to me, but basically it told me I had to say what "I" needed to say to myself and to Biohazard. It spoke to the conflict I was having with in my own mind and that the only way I could make it better would be by letting it out.

       So thank-you for reading this far down. This could be the longest post I have ever made. If you take nothing else away from this let it be a sense that what you need to say is important, even if only to you. What you say and think matters.

John Mayer- "Say"           

        

 

Return to blogging and journaling

It has been some months since I made my last post here. The requirements of nursing school meant that something had to give. Sadly making weekly posts to this blog was one of those things. I must say that I am very glad to be able to once again give time to something that I enjoy so much and feeds my soul so fully. It is my hope that I will once again be able to make weekly posts, but time and work schedules will have a lot to say on that front.

If you have read earlier posts on this blog you will see that I am a large fan of journaling, and I am pleased to say that I have been able to keep up with that. In many ways I count that as being no small part of how I was able to stay sane as the stresses of school wore me down. My journal offers me a place to both record what is going on in my life, but also a chance to review and work through things that are happening in my life. In my nursing studies and practice I tend to focus toward the "spiritual" heath and needs of people, writing down or letting my thoughts out are a large part of my own spiritual needs. I will admit sometimes I get a little down when I look at the stats on this blog and see that much goes unread for sometime, but every so often I do get a sense that I do reach people, and that makes me very pleased when that happens.

I have many great ideas as to things I may write about this coming summer as a have a bit more time to focus on this flight of fancy into being a writer. It is my hope that those of you who are reading this now take some time every so often to check back in and see what I am up to, and maybe even say "Hi" if I say something that  strikes a cord with you. But, even if you do not ever read this blog again I do hope that you take away the sense of joy that I wish to extend to you.

All the best,
S.A.    

Launch of "Florrie" by John E. Speers

   
     This past Monday I went to the launch party of "Florrie", a book written by John E. Speers about his mother.The event was held at St. Giles' Anglican Church  in Barrie. St. Giles' provided a space that allowed all in attendance of the event to feel close and connected as the excerpts were read and songs were sung. The small  admittance fee went toward The Leprosy Mission Canada.  

      I feel blessed to have been able to attend in person because it was a wonderful evening filled with music, poetry and heart warming stories. Much of it was written and preformed by Canon John himself, with help from his friends.  

     The story of "Florrie" is told both by John and through letters written by Florrie herself. The end result is a  warm, rich and honest story of life in Canada in the early 1900's. As I read the book I was quickly drawn in by Florrie and through reading her letters begin feel as if I was truly getting to know a woman who was a true wonder and lived in Canada at a time when it still being tamed. I was able to see Saskatchewan in all of it's wild splendor, and get a feel for life in a period of time when life was hard but families came together to make it through.

     "Florrie" is only available currently from John Speers himself, But if you are able to get a copy, it is a story that you will not soon forget. I count myself lucky to have a copy. If you desire your own please feel free to contact me through this site and I will see about getting you in touch with him.  

Text from above:
Canon John E. Speers is a retired Anglican clergyman, having served over 50 years with his late wife Gwyn at parishes in the Toronto Diocese. An accomplished pianist, poet, writer, and gardener, Canon John resides in Barrie, Ontario, where he enjoys a full and active life of preaching, concert-going, literary projects, and wide-ranging conversation with friends and loved ones. At 95 years old, he remains an inspiration to three generations of the extended Speers and McLauchlin families as patriarch and bard.

Around the world

Today Bear, my sisters boyfriend, got on a plane to head back home, back to Australia.  I have watched how they have interacted the past few days and it has made me sad. It makes me sad because I know how it feels to need to say good bye to the person that you love and let them go away from you. You know that you love each other, and that you will see them again, but deep down you wish with all your heart that it was not so. You wish reality and logic did not come into play. You wish that the strength of your love could some how reshape reality so that you would never need to say good-bye.  But you must, all you can do is trust that your love combined will be able to bridge the distance and keep you strong until love brings you together once again.