Turning The Page

"To everything, turn, turn, turn
There is a season, turn , turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven."

Whenever I think of that - I hear Roger McGuinn's
12 string Rickenbacher, soaring vocal harmonies,
and feel a welcome peacefullness and calming breeze
making still anxieties about what may lie ahead.
This is it.
This is my final day before a few vacation days kick
in which will take me to the end of a road I've been
on for almost 15 years.
I am leaving CHUM Radio in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
I am leaving C100 and 101.3 the Bounce.
I am leaving the friendly confines of a building
in which I've had many a good laugh, with many a good
friend. I've celebrated many a victory. I've languished
in the dim light of setback only to claw my way back out -
stronger, better, a little wiser from the experience.
In a decade and a half I like to think I've learned
something most everyday. I've learned a ton about
advertising, learned much about people, seen business
done well and business dealings which I thought were
shoddy, weak, and of little value. I've seen competitors
come and go. I've seen really, truly good, honest, hard working
people have their businesses swallowed up unable to combat
tighter times and big box stores.But through it all, I beleive
I remain an optimist. I think there is always room for
honesty, integrity, and a desire to achieve. Good things can
be made better and people should be treated with respect and
the way, you yourself would like to be treated.
I'm doing something I've never really done before.
I'm leaving something good - a place I feel very much a part
of me - for the unknown. It's exciting ! I feel very alive !
I appreciate that I feel I have the strength to take on
whatever challenges may be out there adn renewed that with
my values and skills, there is something great to be
created in the months and years to come.
I have been in Nova Scotia for 20 years.
There's a comfort that is on the one hand hard to turn
my back on - but at the same time which I feel somewhat
stifling.
So we're headed to Fort McMurray Alberta, to re-unite with
son Matthew, Eli, and two wonderful grand daughters.
Grandkids - as we know from having raised two wonderful sons -
are only youngsters once. We want to share in their growth.
We want them to know us as part of their lives.
My hope is that at some point I will have the chance to join
an organization in which I can make a major contribution,
and a little further down the road pursue other interests
relegated to fond but distant memories at this stage of
life. I will take with me to Fort McMurray my golf clubs,
my musical equipment and a desire to try some other things.
I relish the idea of the hunt, and fishing with Matthew.
I relish equally being re-united with Tyler and Michelle,
and another grandchild yet to be born, and the rest of the
family and Mom in Ottawa with stories to tell about our
new northern experience.
I say my final official goodbyes at Noon today at work.
I admit to being both anxious and excited about it.
It is yet a very interesting day unfolding...another
very interesting day unfolding...
Happy Trials.

The Poor Dogs

So..is it Llasa Apso or Llaso Apsa...I could look it
up but...who cares.She'll always just be Jazz, short
for Jasmine, to us...Jazz, and Ceiladh, her intrepid
much senior sister, a border collie, but sister none-
the-less, if capable of speech, would no doubt be asking
the question, " What in the name of all we cherish is
going on here ?"
For the past ten days they've been watching strangers
come to our door removing all the furniture they were
never permitted to sit on..not that that ever stopped
them...the dogs not the strangers.
You see, I am in my final three days of working for
CHUM Radio Halifax - C100 and 101.3 The Bounce.
I resigned a couple of weeks ago, once, we'd sold
our home and gotten the necessary medical clearances
Charlene and I required to embark on a whole new adventure.
My wife and I decided about six months ago that it
was time for a drastic change. So..we've loaded up the
truck and move to Beverly...Hills that is..swimming pools,
movie stars..except our destination is not south, not
Beverly Hills, not even California..not even warm...
No, we're headed for Fort McMurray Alberta, to begin
phase 47 of our lives.
So for the past litle bit, our routine, if you will has
been somewhat disrupted ( shot all to hell.)...
And the dogs I'm sure are thinking that their numbers have
got to be coming up soon. I wish we could adequately convey to
them that they're safe. We're taking the dogs..and my
musical stuff, and golf stuff, and computers and enough
furniture to inhabit a small apartment.
So far we've been fortunate to be able to help others
decorate their homes. We've managed to sell living room,
dining room, bedroom, and most of our other miscellaneous
furniture...Just the downstairs and the cars to look
after now.
We are both excited..Charlene and I are looking forward
to being close to son Matthew, his lovely wife Eli and our
two grand daughters, Kathy and Makayla...and while it
seems, sometimes like we'll be further away from Ottawa and
our son Tyler, and his beautiful partner, Michelle ( soon
to be parents ) and my Mom and two brothers, we are
still only a flight away.
But all this is not doing anything for the dogs..
Or the Toronto Maple Leafs...
Nice to see Lady Antebellum do so well at the Grammy's.
The world would be a better place with more 3 part
harmony.
Have yourself a marvelous day !
Happy Trials.