"We shall never surrender..."

Sorry for not posting yesterday, as I was commenting to one of my friends (Annlee - she was in the last post) this morning - one of the challenges of blogging is the idea of consistancy. You have to remember to do the post...eventually it becomes second nature...but as things get busy, other things slip. Ok - so I think I have expressed myself enough on that.

Todays picture is a special one for me. This is my grandfather, my mothers father. The picture was taken in my room when we were living in Unionville. I don't remember exactly the date of the photo, but it would have been sometime in the spring of 1986 - when I was in Grade 13. The calender on the wall shows the month of April. My grandfather was living with us at that time and his room was just down the hall from mine. It was great having him with us. He passed away about 10 years ago or so at the age of 101. He had a profound influence on my life and I cherish the time we spent together. He was constantly giving me advice and is the person responsible for introducing me to Winston Churchill (hence the title for this blog post) - one of the greatest leaders of our time.

Other things that are noticeable in this picture are some of things I have pinned to the wall of my room and on the shelves over my desk. Some items that I see in the background make me smile. The transition from childhood to adulthood is a slow one (if ever really achieved!) - and the "brick 'o brack" that we surround ourselves with is the "evidence" that betrays our intimate thoughts and desires. For example - on the shelf over my desk is an empty Carlsberg beer bottle. Its the stubby kind (which you cant get anymore in Canada except for Red Cap) and it has a flower in it. That flower was worn as a boutnieer (sp?) at my "prom" for Grade 13. Clearly both of those items are related and at the time - held special meaning for me.

Another item of note is pinned to the cork board over my desk - its the acceptance letter to Wilfrid Laurier University's Near Eastern Archaeology programme. A goal that I had been working towards since I was in grade 3.

Its amazing what a picture can preserve that is unintended. Clearly the focus of this picture was my grandfather - but the background material is just as illuminating. This blog has made me look at this picture more closely - and reflect on what was an exciting period in my life...the transition from high school to University...the transition from dependance on my parents to one of independance (or so I thought at the time). Somtimes I wish I could go back there - I wouldn't change a thing (well...maybe just a couple, but as a friend of mine reminded me the other day - "don't mess with time travel...nothing good will come of it).

Its Friday - so that means its off to the trailer - I will resume next week.

Until next time...