We were there!! First off, we danced and groved to the Le Gym pro's warm-up exercises!!Shufflin' along... bringin' up the rear 
Walked 10,000 steps ;D Thus confessing that we didn't walk to the Finish.
But, if three (3) wacky-crazy bus stories count for penance... we're FREE!!
(wrong bus, referred to wrong place; bus broke down; CU driver piled us all in & went to dinner!!)
We said, "Howdoo" to the University President... I think Toon was probably the "Most Chipper 85-year old participant ;D
We DID--eventually--get to Loyola Campus, though... Where Toon Van de Venbopped away to the screamin' "music". And Rhonda thoroughly enjoyed her annual wee corn-on-the-cob ;D
AND, we were home after 4 PM!! 6 PM, in fact ;D
GOOO, RHOTO

Le Gym - We're BACK!!

 RHOTO is BACK!!  It's great fun--it's a GREAT DATE to lift and twist and pull and walk at Le Gym...
See ya there!! :D
RHOTO

BACK to SCHOOL--Again!!

This time it's another Religion course.  "Women in... Judaism".  There is a whole series of courses offered under "Women in...".
This is our sixth course in the Religion Department.  (Not to be confused with our two Theology courses.)

Pencils and minds are sharpened!!
Come, Fall, Come ;D

RHOTO

Montreal Sewing Blog Meetup

RHOTO's 10th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

RHOTO's 10th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY !
 (August 9, 2003)

TONY/TOON and I went to "my retreat" Bed & Breakfast for several days/night ;D There's no place nicer to explore and enjoy than our "home" town, Montreal, eh!! 


We did a LOT of walking!!  Tony ate 1/2 of my food ;D  We went aniversary shopping...  Let's see:  Traditional "tin" or Modern "Diamond Jewelry" ??  We picked my favourite, Swavorski's for earrings.


We went to Church in a Cathedral that has a fabulous, professional choir and organ.

We came home Happy and ready to rest...  We'll re-visit the Museum another day ;D

RHOTO

DATE DAY:
Toon Van de Ven and I enjoyed Bach, professional choir and large bulletins at a Cathedral today.
Then, after Lebanese pizza, we headed to the movies! To see ANDRE RIEU in concert. A special treat for Toon to hear and see (some). Hubby is quite a fan!
After TGIF yogurt, we went home on the Metro/Subway. Stepped out into a TORRENT of skin-soaking rain!! We LAUGHED and SANG!! It's been several years since we've enjoyed THAT romantic treat!!
A special date planned for my beloved...

RHOnda

MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS - Dale Chihuly

Dale Chihuly--  An artist who uses blown glass as his medium.  And COLOUR!!  Lots of it ;D

RHOTO when to this exhibit especially because the pieces are bold, large and colourful.  TOny enjoyed himself thoroughly--wants to go back.  It does NOT matter that HIS colours through his eyes are different than the Artist's colours ;D

The highlighted piece here is called "SUN".  See how NEAT the rays of the sun are depicted!!  In Montreal it is placed OUTSIDE in front of the original museum pavilion.  Now THAT's public trust!!

RHOnda

R & R at Le Chasseur B&B

I, RHOnda, got a prescription from several doctors !!  "Take time off and take care of Rhonda, too".

So, I stayed three days/two nights at "Le Chasseur" (The Hunter)  Bed & Breakfast in Montreal.  Calming, peaceful.  Time to remember/realize who "RHOnda" is, by myself.

My dear friend Ewa joined me for Breakfast.  Also for some shopping.

I went to Church in a Downtown Cathedral.  Cried really hard because my Dad died.  (Had the emotional/physical space to feel those emotions.)

The only negative:  it was 38C/100F with the Humidex :O  Nice to walk around 8:00 PM.  The rest of the time was spent INSIDE somewhere with air-conditioning :O(

And, in the meantime, TOny "did very well" at home, by himself!! ;D  This was a good, learning experience for us BOTH!!

Next up, schedule another retreat--when the temperature cools DOWN!!  And include the Museum of Fine Arts, a movie, facial, mani/pedi... ... ...

RHOnda

NOT "a good #"

NOPE, my weight is "not a good number"...
I'm eating my emotions--and they are plenty-ful.
But I'm also praying, feeling my emotions...
So, how to I start to change things?
I'm thinking of you specifically, Claire ;D
But everyone feel free to jump in with advise, encouragement.

I don't need to have health problems on top of what life has given me.

RHOnda

Feeling Much Better--Again!!

With TOon/TOny as my bestest friend and cheerleader...  How could I NOT feel better!!  Well, it also took medication, and my fabulous Team of  psych nurse, psychologist and psychiatrist ;D

TOny said once that I "share very personal things" on our Blog.  Yup!!  'Cos if YOU or a loved one battles with depression or another psychiatric disorder--get Thee to a doctor!!  You WILL feel better.  You WILL have the best quality of life possible.  IF you work WITH your Team ;D

I was down for the count 'cos I have had a loss, will shortly have another loss, and will face two, more losses in my future.  Grieving time, mourning time.  Nurture Rhonda time ;D  Purple fingernails!!

This, too, DID pass...  Thank you for your warm hugs!!  They felt WONDERFUL ;D

RHOnda 

Down for the Count...

I've LOTS of losses... now, in the near future, in the future... to deal with.  So, I'm weepy, sleepy.  Under the care of a fine, loving professional team.

TOon just came home with red roses... <3 p="">

This, too, shall pass...  In the meantime, could you send a soft, warm hug?

 RHOnda

Dad

Dad got his results from an MRI scan. It was scheduled after he had completed his chemo and radiation treatments. Seems the brain tumour has shrunk. Praise the Lord!! Time to giggle now ;D RHOnda

Tai Chi is for Me !!

Tai chi (TIE-chee)
mayoclinic.com

"Tai chi is sometimes described as "meditation in motion" because it promotes serenity through gentle movements — connecting the mind and body.To do tai chi, you perform a series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner. Each posture flows into the next without pause, ensuring that your body is in constant motion. The concentration required for tai chi forces you to live in the present moment, putting aside distressing thoughts and reducing anxiety & depression."

And, I (RHOnda) have this wonderful class available to me free just 'cos I have been mis-diagnosed with a mental disorder ;D Besides a full gym and professional trainers, "the group of seven" now has a tai-chi class!! You see--there IS a silver lining behind every cloud!!

RHOnda

It's NOW or Never ??

Ooooh, that only my dearest of friends see THIS photo ;/

It's at an angle that accentuates my round-ness. (Head-on, I look a bit smaller ;D )

BUT, do you know what?? I have not seen such a happy, smiling look on my face for ages!! Not tired, not frustrated, not tired...

So, I'm pleased with that.

AND have re-continued my treadmill efforts. I NEED to exercise to work off that tiredness and frustration. TOny NEEDS me to do that, too!! 'NOT his fault he's 83-years young/old and his physical limitations, eh... (And HE has been there a "zillion" times during my battle with mental health issues.)

(Caroling at the Royal Victoria Hospital's Oncology Unit.)

We are sweethearts. And we bend ever-more closer to each other <3. RHOnda

Donald & Norma Toews and Re-nee

ANOTHER nice surprise visit!! This time from RHOnda's former Minister and wife. After 13 years as missionaries here in Montreal, they returned home to Manitoba. And, since they are visiting, they came to call on us. We sang, shared and were all very happy to be together.

I happened to ask if anyone in the Congregation needs a sewing machine. (The girls and women sew modest dresses. Also children's clothing.) Why, YES!! AND I have FOUR machines, myself. SEW, Re-nee has a new home, along with some Kenmore/Janome accessories. (This woman's machine was an Elna.)

It's FUN to share with others, eh ;D.

RHOnda

One RSVP, Other Surprise Visit

Onze Erik said he was coming to visit us (from Toronto) in September--and he did!! We laughed, shared, had a wonderful visit with TOon's son. NOW Erik calls RHOnda, "you wacky, cute woman you"... I LIKE it!! ;D

Holdeman Mennonite friends from Manitoba surprised RHOnda (and then TOny, of course!) with a nice, warm visit. It was so nice to see these people again. Everyone enjoyed themselves, sharing and laughing together. They were very kind and loving towards their expelled friend (RHOnda).

RHOnda

17 Band-aids and Chiclets, too!!

In 2-1/4 hours this morning, I, RHOnda, had many thingys cut off and scraped from my face--including a cyst VERY close to my eye. THAT needle made me cry, even a few moments after it was "all over". THEN I had chiclets put on my top teeth... Clear and nice. Don't hurt at all!!

BUT, I DO look like Dr. Frankenstein's monster. Complete with stitches. Lucky for moi, this will pass ;)

Both the Plastic Surgeon and Orthodontist and their respective staff are people who LOVE their work... Now THAT's a wonderful thing--to really enjoy what you're putting soooo much time into. ;)

I've also lost four (4) pounds. Things are lookin' good, eh!! ;)

<RHOnda

Update Today I have a black eye with my 17 Band-aids and Chiclets!! IF it wouldn't be an insult to something sacred, a burka would work well for going outside...

Spirituality in the City - Multi-Faith Chaplaincy

Atwater Market

"The Atwater Market has been a part of Montreal since the early 1930's. Often referred to as the biggest garden in town, this place has something for everyone! Awaken your spiritual senses as we explore the sights, sounds, and many tastes of an infamous Montreal market."

So, on our Wedding Anniversary on the 9th of August, RHOTO went with Reverend Ellie Hummel (Chaplain of the Multi-Faith Chaplaincy at Concordia University) on a different sort of spiritual field trip... "Do something NEW every day, eh!!" Before going, RHOTO had thought, "What purpose was there in going to a Market for a Spiritual outing?" Well, we quickly decided that "spiritual" is all around you... Give us "food for thought", eh ;)

We stopped to celebrate our respective, wedding anniversaries over yummy pastries and "un bon cafe". Good conversations, laughter, song--like always <3. And, to boot, Ellie is soooo wise. Such a good--well-trained--listener. Counsel that is very helpful...

Ellie shared her personal definition of "spiritual": "That which gives us life, grounds us, connects us to that beyond ourselves". Then she asked about what we got from the spirituality of the Atwater Market... I (RHOnda) was sooo overwhelmed by the COLOURS, the roundness of the produce (just like ME!). Breathtaking. Wanted to breathe in deeply and hold it. TOny was brought back to his youth... When his Mother would gather two (2) of her boys up and go to Saturday market. Later, they always stopped at Auntie's house and had a cookie! TOny also remarked that the produce at Atwater was beautifully presented--straight, straight. Everything looked "1st class"--no speckled bananas here! 'Looked like a colouring picture.

Here is a photo of the Lachine Canal, which is a right beside the Market. The water is sooo calming. And Ellie said isn't it wonderful that we can have this sort of an environment, including kayaks and bicycling right here in the City? (RHOnda immediately thought of our friend, Ewa ;) TOny remembered the canal in Son, Noord Brabant, The Netherlands--one of the bridges of "one bridge too far" during WWII.

RHOTO agrees that spending time with Ellie for this outing overshadowed all the beautiful produce, coffee and canal experiences. You know--ALL the staff at Multi-Faith Chaplaincy are delightful blessings in our lives <3.

RHOTO

Who's Got Chicklets? RHOnda's Getting Chicklets!

Went for preliminaries today ;) Get my chicklets in two (2) weeks ;D Think these ceramic ones are soooo cool and cute!!

Can't WAIT!! Feels young and chipper to be getting chicklets!! (For six months only ;)

RHOnda

Little Puttering Things...

Cambridge dictionary defines puttering as "to move about without hurrying and in a relaxed and pleasant way." Yes, as a retired couple, there's more time to think of Puttering ;) But--hopefully--everyone has moments to dream, to relax...

So, here are RHOnda's current Puttering Projects:

- stuff “R” “H” “O” “T” “O” pillows
- act on or find places for papers
- play with (old) convection oven
- sew beads on RTW t-shirt
- visit Jean Paul Gaultier again with friend
- follow treadmill schedule daily
- catch up on e-mail correspondence

Do you have an ongoing Puttering Project list??

RHOnda

PS We got the "H" "O" "T" pillows done tonight ;D