Well...as all know, I have been struggling somewhat lately with finding something "interesting" to say. Anyway, my "young" faithful friend Danielle... has helped me with the next blog and I paste it right here - as words from her own mouth.

Danielle begins:

Cheri,

I tried to comment on your last blog with this lengthly piece. When I tried to send it, it said that it was too long to send, so this is in response to your - not having anything to write about. Maybe you can copy it and paste it on your next entry and then comment on it. I dont know. Write back, Love Danielle


Sent: Thursday, November 25, 2004 1:45 PM

Talk about "How quickly our lives can change from one minute to the next so to make the most of it"........I heard a really sad story a couple of days ago about a not so close friend but a friend and a dear old soul. She was a volunteer at my kids school, she helped out with pizza days and with my lunch program, The Lunch Lady. She is a grandmother and would volunteer on behalf of her grandson which she basically raised herself. The sun rose on him and set on him, the apple of her eye. He is in grade 2. I haven't seen this lady at all this school year. She hasn't come to any of the lunches as of yet and a few of us had brought that up in conversation. Oh well, maybe she had bigger and better things to do. She is a retired lady. Anyways, I got a phone call from my friend and she asked me if I remembered Lois from lunch days. Of course I did. That kind of woman left an impression on you. Especially the situation she was in with the grandson and all, you dont meet too many people like her. She was the kind of lady that when she spoke to you she touched you in some way, meaning that she would have her arm around you, or hold your arm and look right in your face. The phone call was to inform me that she had a bad fall and that she broke her jaw and that she was in the hospital. Sounds horrible, doesnt it??? Well, that wasn't the worst of it. She has been in a coma since then caused by, I believe, swelling or bleeding of the brain........and she has only a couple of days to live. I can't believe such horrible things happen to such wonderful people and all in a split second. What she fell on or how she fell remains unknown between my friend who passed on the news and I. All we know is that when she passes, heaven will be a better place when she arrives but the dear old soul will be missed by many. Today I pray that her little 7 year old grandson, Robert, has the strength to make it through this very difficult time that he has before him and that he will always remember his grandmother for the amazing person that she was. This is a little tribute to my dear friend, Lois. And to remind us to live life to the fullest because we never, never know when our time is up. Try to tell everyone that you care for how you feel about them as much as often - here today, gone tomorrow. Sad but true.There you go Cheri.....a little inspiration. I await for your next blog. I have a feeling it will be really awesome.Love ya!!

Danielle...I thank you for sharing your heart, maybe it's your turn to start a blogspot!! What more can I say, as I reach for my kleenex and cry for these people...especially the little boy Robert. Remember always that THERE IS A HEAVEN and it's a beautiful place. It's just sad that we leave behind our loved ones who bear the pain of losss.....Maybe if you are an incredible prayer warrior, or maybe you have never prayed, but maybe today you could try....for Robert.

Have a good evening all.... Love, Cheri

Nothing about nothing...Today I had a long day. I am now in my p.j.'s and anxiously looking forward to pulling back my bed covers and sticking my toes deep into the pretty yellow sheets that await me. However, out of a concern of appearing to be old and tired, I am waiting until 10:00. Lately there has been nothing more relaxing for me than crawling into bed and snuggling up to my abundance of pillows and fluffy blankets. I have to tear myself out of bed in the morning, and not because I am tired or depressed, but simply because it feels so good to just lie there.

I have been sneezing continually all week - no appearance of a cold, I don't think I have allergies, yet I continue the sneezing pattern. It's starting to become irritating, my nose is all red and irritated from the not so soft kleenex on my desk.

I have decided I desperately need to exercise. I have visions of me in my cute little gym clothes running around the track and then landing on the tred mill...I have picked out the cute little exercise clothes, I have just not managed to get to the store to buy them. Nor have I even remotely stepped out of the car to visit the gym to even find out how much it would cost to have a cheap membership. So is all I have managed to do is decide that I have to do something about it.

This weekend is my birthday and we will continue to celebrate, heck I need to continue celebrating, after all before I know it, I won't even know it's my birthday!

I know my kids want to buy me presents and they are not sure what to buy so I decided to share with them right here, gift certificates at Future Shop or Best Buy (or even Staples), gift certificates for the Christian Book store, long socks, ink for my computer printer, plastic surgery for the wrinkles around my eyes, pedicure, MASSAGE, cleaning lady for a few months - oh a trip to Texas, Mexico or Portugal.

So...writing has been boring for me lately. The brain is stagnant and I have decided I need to go to Tim's site and steal one of his articles - just to have my friends squeal in astonishment at the level of my intelligence, then my conscience got the better of me and I decided that if I was even going to consider such a tactic, I might better check out a blog spot somewhere and steal their writing...then at least the chances of getting caught are much less....

Oh well....maybe something exciting will come to me this week that I can share....Night.....

Well...the sad news today. I finally share that the cottage that I so enjoy is sold. I have been going through the past two weeks really not thinking about it much. But reality is the sanctuary I have placed myself through out the summers is now going to be the host of a new family. The Hagen /Stinson/Boot/Dobson/Homsy generations have seen their days to incredible fun, laughter, and love. We now stop to breathe, think and rest. I force myself to look to the new journey and avenues of adventure the future will hold for us. I see Italy, Portugal, Peterborough, New York City and B.C. in the vision I cast. I see a change in the history to be made in the future generations of our family. They will no longer be cottage sanctuary seekers - maybe they will be world travelers or sky divers. We do know that they will not be city slickers and hopefully not baseball freaks (sorry Blair!)

Anyway, here's to new roads to be traveled and old worn roads to be treasured. I shall promise to walk the dusty paths of these new adventures in the midst of admitted fallen tears and fear.... but the path we WILL walk......

MOI

Pictures. I am intrigued by the camera. A Cannon, Pentex or a Nikon camera, the heavy ones with interchangeable lenses is a piece of art in my personal opinion. I have a digital camera that manages to take some pretty awesome pictures. However, the sound of the firm click of a lens shutting as it has captured the perfect picture is a sign of a job completed successfully. It does not compare to the dull swish of a digital camera in action. Have you ever held a professional 35 millimeter camera in your hand and snapped away? I see myself in a bit of a jungle snapping pictures of the swinging moneys and running tigers and my vision carries me to my journey along a dusty path to the historic homes in the sunny spots in Portugal. The sun is shining down on my wide brimmed straw hat as I walk in awe through the villages with my cameras hanging off my shoulder and one in hand as I crouch down to snap pictures of the little children playing soccer in bare feet through the streets of their villages.

The trip of adventure is not complete without a good 35 millimeter camera in hand. I am not sure if tonight I am dreaming about me in the quaint villages I want to visit in Portugal or the desire to be an amazing photographer......

It's time to dig into some real heart stuff...stay tuned....
Night......

Birthdays. Some people think that birthday's are the best day of the year. I used to think that until 2004 when realization seeped in that this would be the year of no return. I would be entering the senior stages of life. I refused to acknowledge my coming birthday most of this year. However, the past couple of months has begun to show me that this month is a time of celebration. A celebration of ME. Yes, what awesome creature I am. So perfectly created. So, in honour of all the perfection and incredibleness, I have decided to celebrate. Tonight marks the beginning of a 12 day celebration of me, this incredible being. I celebrate before, on and after the special day. Yipppeeee....what an amazing year it is to celebrate! MOI........

I know, I know...where have I been! Here...just too overwhelmed with "nothing" to write. The past couple of days I have had a nagging feeling - and nagging of what...I don't know. I'll have to figure that one out. But, the most important thing I feel is that I have been reflecting on my new little 8 year old friend (now 9 years!). The little guy who shared with me that he can't run like the other boys. I have an answer...if those little boys want to run...great...think of all the things they are missing as they are running quickly to wherever they are going. When we run we miss smelling the flowers in the gardens, we miss the sun rays that shine down upon us and yes, we even miss the sun glistening off the ice on the side of the road on those icy cold days. I think this week I am going to walk, very slowly.....
Off to bed with me...headache and all!

Today I met an 8 year old boy who shared a bit of his story with me. He said to me "I have muscular dystrophy. I can't walk and run like the other boys. Sometimes they make fun of me." As I sat looking into the eyes of this georgeous child, I thought my heart would leap right out of my chest. I listened to him talk as we walked through a hallway with other children running ahead and past him. I asked him how he felt when the other children laughed at him and he replied "it makes me angry".

This little boy has touched my life in seconds of my day. I wanted to grab him and hold him very close to me and protect him from the harshness of the world that surrounds him. As I walked with him in the midst of other running children, I felt as though for just a few moments, I had a glimpse of his world. It felt so sad. On the other hand, I felt so good that he felt safe enough to share his heart with me. Afterall, I just met him today. His birthday is next week and somehow I have to find a way to touch his life to show him that someone out here thinks he's so special.

Any ideas my friends?