Welcome to 2025! Best wishes for a healthy and happy year ahead.
As we are now through the busyness of December, and into January, life moves onward. The year 2024 was wonderful in so many ways, and one could get comfortable with that as a routine. However, that will not be the case for any of us I imagine. Certainly not for me!
With heart surgery and recovery expected to occur through the first few months, the birth of our first grandchild in May (and likely a number of related visits to Alberta this year), and several writing projects on the go, this year already has ‘more change’ written all over the calendar.
Writing Update
My second book, Stories from the Bench, was launched on December 16, 2024. I really enjoyed writing this collection of short stories and I do hope that this comes through when reading the book. It happened so fast, my breath was almost taken away. Now launched, and available for sale via my web site or on amazon.ca (paperback and e-book), I have recently submitted a request that it be available for loan through the Ottawa Library, and also contracted for it to be available at Books on Beechwood, a bookstore here in Ottawa. I will continue to look into other options as part of increasing awareness of my writing presence.
In December, I wrote one short story entitled Frizzy. The subject is a man living on the streets of Ottawa. I had initially written a poem also in December, On the Streets, but felt that it deserved more attention and writing so ended up with Frizzy. I hope that you might take the time to read both on my web site. I also wrote two other poems, the first being Road Hockey, and the second being Baby Lamothe. Both titles are rather self-explanatory. You can find Road Hockey on my web site. Baby Lamothe is not as it is a personal poem to my granddaughter-to-be, slated to be born to Sebastien and Kendra in May 2025.
On the desk is another short story with the working title of Family Reunion. I am preparing this as a submission for the 2025 anthology being prepared by the Ottawa Independent Writers. The Anthology will be available in November 2025 with a theme of The World.
And in the hopper are a couple of other poems and outlines for short stories/books. I will keep you apprised.
Poem Highlight
I am choosing to highlight a poem I wrote in 2018, Canada – Forever Proud. You may well be able to guess why. It is simply insane the ideas and words that come out of the USA’s President-elect but this week has truly underlined the fundamental flaws in this individual. The total lack of respect he has for anyone or any other country is evident in whatever he does. For Canada and Canadians, it is abhorrent that we will have to deal with this for the next four years but hopefully reason will prevail and we can move on. In the meantime, forever proud (see poem below).
Moreover, with the political changes likely to occur in 2025 at least at the federal level, I only hope that we each can stay focused on Canada’s well-being rather than on that of partisan, negative and uncontrolled political power seekers. They set the bar so low for leadership and country well-being that it is amazing we do as well as we do.
Wellness
My heart valve issue is not caused directly by poor fitness and well-being practices. Yet, as I continue to prepare for surgery, I find myself focused on wellness.
Sleeping – ever try to sleep an entire night while sleeping on your back? Not natural for me but I think I am getting better at it even if for short periods of time. However with the surgery, I expect I will need to be sleeping all the time on my back even as I dream of the fetal position curl.
Walking – other than curling, walking is my exercise. And yet that is getting more limited. Dog walking used to not be very challenging but even that now contributes to shortness of breath. I expect to find myself on the treadmill sooner rather than later albeit for short walks, and Orlaith is getting more training on ‘loose lease’ walking with all my stops and starts.
Weight – doctors want me to be watching my weight as sudden changes could be a sign of worsening health. Like any of us, I was scared the other day when the scale took a sudden and significant turn upward. Thankfully the holiday season eating habits are in the past and the scale is correcting itself (haha) to a more reasonable level.
Eating – I have never followed a diet nor focused on particular elements of nutrition (see above) but have been able to maintain relatively good health. The focus this month however will be on a protein rich diet as this will apparently assist in the healing process. So move over cookies and chips – here comes the eggs, peanut butter, almonds, chicken etc.
That’s all for now folks
Take care everyone. Enjoy that Canadian winter and that mug of hot chocolate with whip cream. And of course, keep on reading – us writers need you.
George
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Canada – Forever Proud
Canada’s a people, much more than a place
It is our mighty spirit that connects us across our space
We count in the thirty millions yet in total we are one
By working well together, we’re a nation never to be undone.
We come from many places, including from here within
Our culture is ever changing, enabling us to learn and win
We are like our landscape, diverse in many ways
Our differences make us stronger, earning respect and praise.
Canada is big in size, with three oceans all around
And on our southern border, there are no fences to be found
We have mountains, plains and valleys, and forests galore
Our rail, roads and rivers connect us, shore to shining shores.
We have fought so many battles to keep our world a safer place
Our warriors die so valiantly serving with determination and grace
Our flag flies high above us no matter where we go
We do this with our allies and in the face of foes.
We have two official languages, yet there are many more alive
We live four separate seasons but we really enjoy five
We are a federation along with a Queen or King
And fortunately, we have many who can act, paint or sing.
We are a caring nation and say sorry for no reason
Our health care system costs us but is there in any season
We give to others and provide a home to those who are lost
And volunteers abound because of heart and also to cut cost.
We are a humble people eager to learn and to right our wrongs
We’re forever getting smarter, enabling all to belong
We know we’re not perfect yet each day we work and strive
We want to be better and to be content with our lives.
We celebrate our freedom, through speech, vote, prayer and song
Our values serve to guide us, to form our laws and to keep us strong
We treat our neighbours as our friends, and all others with respect
We know the high road is the best, never leaving us circumspect.
Canada is a country with people from coast to coast
We are a beautiful nation, with no need to idly boast
Standing arm in arm, we can lift our voice, singing ‘O Canada’ way out loud
For all of this, and more unsaid, we’ll be forever proud.