A History of Thanksgiving in Canada

In case you didn't know here are some facts about our Thanksgiving Day holiday.
Various First Nations in Canada had long-standing traditions celebrating the harvest and giving thanks for a successful bounty of crops. Canada's First Nations organized harvest festivals, ceremonial dances, and other celebrations of thanks for centuries before the arrival of Europeans in North America.
In the year 1578, Martin Frobisher who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Pacific Ocean held a formal ceremony in Newfoundland to give thanks for surviving the long journey. Frobisher's thanksgiving was not for harvest but homecoming. He had safely returned from the search for a NorthWest Passage. He was still alive. French settlers gave thanks as early as 1604 upon arriving in the New World. Starting in 1879 Thanksgiving Day was observed every year on various dates.

After WW1 both  Armistice Day and Thanksgiving were celebrated on the Monday of the week in which November 11 occurred. Ten years later, in 1931, the two days became separate holidays, and Armistice Day was renamed Rememberance Day. To the right, soldiers celebrate a service in the bombed out Cambrai Cathedral.

 Thanksgiving moved to the second Monday in October in the great year of 1959!!!

Of course today we still celebrate Thanksgiving in many ways. The CFL has a wonderful weekend planned.

Arrrrggggooooooooss have a sold out game with the Green Riders. Should be awesome!

There will be pumpkins bought, many family get togethers like we always have with the Brooks clan in one location or antoher and of course many turkey dinners with all the trimmnigs.


So Deeds and I just want to wish all our family, friends, well wishers and blog followers a very Happy Thanksgiving

That one got away

So ok. I have been trying since the day we got here to establish some kind of link back to Canada. Mainly to society and all the things we cheerish most about our native land.
So you know I am talking HOCKEY.

For those who don't pay attention I am a great hockey fan. Blessed even more so because I am a Habs fan. Which means I have something to fan about, to fan over, and to be a fan because of.
It's Fantastic!

I tried valiantly to catch the Habs opener against the others from Toronto this morning. Got up at 6 and started fiddling with proxies and ordering connections. Tried to pass through a VPN (virtually private network for neophytes) to try and trick the IT boys at CBC into believeing that I am in Canada. No luck! So no problem I would just download the video off of CBC later today (I have been able to finagle this process) and watch the game in solitude tonight. Win or lose.



.

 Nope. Thanks to the people who believe in the others from Toronto, you know the team WE ALL HAVE to watch lose every Saturday night, I was informed of the actual outcome of the game as it ended. Faster than the internet itself.

Well it ain't gonna be the only game we lose this year. And hopefully for the Laughs they might even win another game this year. There is more hockey to come. That is why we like it so much!

No sense going on about the MLSE (Most Losing Sports Enterprise) managment and what they have, or haven't done. It goes all the way back to Harold so the lineage is serious.

The battle is joined. We will meet again, thats the fun of it.




Makes ya sick inside if you lose to those ............

Anyway, c'est la vie. In closting.

                                                  A last laugh.







Good luck to all. 
GO HABS GO, insert song here....Ole!

Hodge Podge

So we did pretty much nothin since The Ball. Sunday I believe I told you that I connected with a high school friend from Port Arthur. Yes, it was called Port Arthur, not Thunder Bay when I went to Lakevievw High School. We chatted for about 2 hours, catching up and finding out what had happened in our lives. Peter has been out here in SE Asia for 30 years or so. Has a place in Pattaya, about 2 hours by car southeast of BKK. Also has a 38' catamarran moored in the bay. Sweet. Deeds and I can't wait for the weekend invite to go down to see it. Woohoo!

Oh yes, the Ball was actually an early Thanksgiving celebration for all the Canucks here in BKK. The dinner was roast turkey with all the trimmins. Stuffing, cranberries, gravy, mashed spuds, broccoli??, punkin pie for dessert. Who woulda thunk. Look forward to next year though. How do you like my new "go to the ball special suit, tie and shirt". All tailor made.


Sunday was a walk around day for Deeds and I. Around to the new place to see what the local area looked like. Had lunch at a diner just half a block from the building. Great. There are lots of little places all around. Like any big city. We also have some local street vendors pretty much across the street that I will become a regular at. Some guys become a regular at the local pub, me I become a local street meat eater!? We took a tour of Soi Cowboy. It was early afternoon and a Sunday so it was quiet.

At the very top of our street, Sukumvit, Soi 23, there is an area called Soi Cowboy. It is a red light area and although Soi Cowboy is known for being a little more sedate than many red light districts in BKK, it makes up for it by having a more authentic, tourist-free and relaxed atmosphere. You will see more Thai faces than tourist faces on this street. Happy hour is the thing here with beer costing 50 to 100 baht. (B100  = $3.25). Not cheap when you consider a good restaurant will charge B110 for a delicious Chicken Paenang dinner. Your choice, one beer or Paenang? Bottom line is the place has a number of bars, some are a little seedy, most are bars, people play darts, drink beer, meet friends and others out for an afternoon, night or whatever.

BKK is very unpretentious, at least for us at this point. Yes there are shopping areas like the Emporium not far down Sukumvit from our place. All Chanel, Dior, Hermes, Fendi, etc. But we seem to meet normal, very friendly people here. Thai (as in Chaiwat) or other farang like us. Expats some, a lot however are people who have decided to live here, retire here. Because of the nature of Thailand, the weather, the beauty, the unjudgemental nature of the place. Whatever, it seems to affect you. Slow you down somewhat. Like you can't get pissed at people cutting in front of you in traffic like idiots do in TO. How many times have you had an 18 wheeler swerve at you when you are in the right hand lane sneaking through traffic! I have been in traffic, real traffic here and in Italy where the cars, motor bikes whatever, go whereever they have to in order to keep moving. On the sidewalk, OK. What's all the fuss. Chill people. They seem to have here. And I really hope it rubs off on me...............more

Maybe I should try a traditional Thai massage, Deeds has been buggin me to try one. But us of the fury tribe are a little shy in that area, so I did some research maybe when we are up in Chaing Mai I can get this one!!

Going to enhance that chill factor now, I'm off to the pool.
Chillin
Sawadee Krap

The Ball

So ya heard all about Deeds experience on Saturday afternoon. End result we were all gussied up and ready to go. This was to be a people meeting evening. Right from the get go we met a couple that actually arrived that afternoon, and here they were attending the party, Lenny and Gordon. She the worker, he the retiree. Sound familiar!
We arrive in style, guests #4, 5, 6 and 7 into the building!! We find out a little later that Thai's arrive at least a half hour late to stated time. Is standard protocol. Live and learn. There were tons of items laid out for the silent auction. Yes my little Deedles does love a silent auction, but really, this is Thailand and we have only been here for 10 days so really what is it that she could want or think to buy? Really?
I do notice a BB Bold up for auction starting at B11,000 (B stands for Thai Baht,  money like. 1 CDN $ = 33 Baht, so 11,000 = $340. Not bad for an unlocked, in the box BB)
The place starts to fill and we begin the introductions of peers and bosses. No problem for me. I have a name retention capability of an iron trap. The name goes in and is trapped. I can never get it to come out, soooo I have a tendancy to call alot of people "Buddy". Doesn't go over that well in Thai!!
One of the most interesting people we met was Chaiwat Utaiwan and his wife Narin. They are Thai locals. He just happens to be the President and CEO of Siam City Bank. This is the bank that Thanachart (Scotia 49%) purchased and essentially the reason we are here.
So we are chatting, pleasantries, etc. We find out that they were in Toronto in 1984, springish, right after they both graduated university. Oh really Diane says, and where did you go to school. Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky says Chaiwat. Uhuh, says Diane, so I chime in. So how are the Cardinals doing this year! Chaiwat looks at me and his face just beems. Yeah the Cardinals he says and gives me a high 5! Deeds nearly fell over. Here I am talkin college hoops with the CEO of Siam City Bank.Way cool.
BOYS - take note, sitting in front of the tv eatin chips just paid off!! It's actually research work we are doin!!
The rest of the night just got better. Chaiwat and Narin in true Thai fashion offer to assist us anytime we might need their help. And I am positive they mean it.
Besdies Chaiwat, also sitting at our table was Brendon King (Director and Vice Chairman of Thanachart) and his wife Sadie. Firdos (owner of the integration project and the individual who recruited Diane directly) and his wife Arzina.
There were more people of significance, too many to mention. But I think you get the drift.
Little girl from Tottenham, Ontario and rugged adventurer from Thunder Bay meet big time corporate in Bangkok, Thailand. Who woulda figured.
Oh yeah before I forget, most of you know Deeds did win auction items! Always, wins acution items. We have a weekend for two in Chiang Mai. The second largest city in Thailand. It is about 700 km north of BKK, probably go there in the summer when it is very hot down here, will be cooler into the mountains. For our new apartment we picked up a beautiful persian style rug.
Home by midnight, what a night it was!

Preparing for the Ball

Hi all,  I know that you have not heard much from me.  This blog thing is really Jerry's gig...and I have to say that I don't always get to check it out every day....but I do enjoy reading his 'take' on our adventure.

However today I have a story to share about preparing for the big shin-dig on Saturday night.  This will most likely only interest my 'girl' friends...so feel free to skip it if you feel so inclined.

Thailand is very well know for it's spa & massage services.....these places literally can be found, 5 in a row on many, many streets.  So I decide to treat myself and have a manicure & pedicure.  At 9am I am at one of these tiny places, seated and offered some tea.  A lovely young girl takes my hand....and another takes my foot into her lap.  I'm thinking this is pretty cool (having the services performed at the same time)....I won't have to be here for 2 hours.  Then the owner asks me if I would also like to have a foot massage.  Now I'm feeling pretty pampered at this point...and rest my head back on the recliner chair and say....sure.

The two sweet girls work their magic and when the one giving me the pedicure finishes with my one foot, a 3rd more mature woman (with large & strong hands) pulls up a stool and has now taken that leg and started to massage.  So I have one doing my manicure, one the pedicure and now one other the massage.

I am truly overwhelmed...and wished that one of my friends (you, for example) might pass by this little shop and peek in the window to see what was happening...and maybe come in and take part in this marvel.  Now perhaps this brings to mind for you some hollywood movie scene .....but I can only think of the cowardly lion being primped and preened to see the Wonderful Oz.  Me and the lion....quite literally being waited on hand & foot!!  Jerry and I planned to just hang around the pool for a few hours in the afternoon....so before I leave the Spa it occurs to me that I might want to have my hair washed and blow-dried before the big night.  It is all agreed and I return at 4pm for just that....and a very fine job they did.

Now although it might appear to you that me and the cowardly lion are at the nut of this story....the part that really needs telling is .....what this all cost.  Manicure, pedicure, amazing foot & leg massage (that also included shoulders, arms, neck & head?!) and a wash & blow-dry.  Are you ready for this??

The total cost was $34 Canadian (including tips to each of the 4 people who worked on me).

So, when was it again you were planning to visit??

Talk to you soon my friends,  Diane

The Maple Leaf Ball

A peaceful day for Deeds and I this Saturday and we have it all to ourself. We spent this afternoon at the pool browning up.
We recieved word on Thursday mid day that our negotiations and offer to the landlord on our fabulous apartment were accepted. Deeds promptly submitted the lease that we had negotiated through our top notch Bangkok realestate agents Khun Nita and her daughter Khun Diane. By mid day on Friday the bank notified us that our lease was acceptable to them. We have our apartment in Bangkok!!!!!!!
I am not going to tell you all about the place here, now. But we will have a full pictorial review available shortly. Inside and out. What a place. I can tell you it is 4 bedroom, 4 bath with maids quarter and balconies all around. Every bedroom has it's own balcony. Total of 365 sq m.  It is wonderful.
They are completing renovations right now so we cannot move in until Oct 15. Totally worth the wait.

So the beginning of a quite weekend. We go to the Maple Leaf Ball tonight, will tell all about that tomorrow. Sunday will be laid back. I have a breakfast with a high school best friend that I lived with and last saw in Ottawa in 1978! He lives in Pattaya on his boat and is up in Bangkok playing some golf in a mock Ryder Cup event with friends. Afterwards Deeds and I are open. Probably more pool.

Sawatdee Krup

First Rant

Ok, so I got my suit for the big Ball tomorrow night and everything is just fine. Picked up a little street food on the way home. This is sweet, the rant comes later. I went over to my local people, that's them to the right, they are just about a half a block up Soi 16. Normally I would get the usual chicken, or something on a stick right. Well I was totally surprised to see that it was seafood day!! Yes folks the long arm of the Catholic church has somehow reached all the way to Sukumvit Soi 16 in Bangkok. Hahaha, that is really rich don't you think. They have seafood day on Friday in Bangkok!!

I ended up with a salad. My man asks me if I want spicy, I say sure. He smiles and says "Yeah, you like to do spicy, You can do spicy?" Um Sure, I say. No problem. This was a simple little cabbage, tomatoe, carrot and other stuff with some tiny, tiny dried shrimp sprinkled over top. Brutally spicy. Not "My mouth is a volcano" hot, but a true test. Only way to make it here. Spicy street food. By the way if you are coming to visit...... one trip to the street vendor for something spicy is part of the price of admission. No ducking out or reneging on this.

The Rant.
I came back up to the room to eat my salad and a notice on my computer says ...."Watch the Ryder Cup Live Now". Yeah right, except if you are in Thailand. The cable tv guys over here make Ted Rogers look like a school kid. You need like 4 levels of Cable Package. Something like - Premium Gold Elite I think it was, and of course you have to have basic cable with a VIP package to get the first level of PGE. Holy mother of Pearl. Bottom line, no Ryder Cup on tv for Jer.
And when you log into your PC and think well I'll just stream a little video for a while and see wasssup. Nope! Get a cute little message that says not available in your area? My area! My area is all of ******* south east asia ya dweebs. What the jello is going on here. (I know this is a family blog so bear with me here) Give a sports fan a break!!
So I have to settle for an update on BBC 1, that's worth the price of admission!
I'm off to the pool. Reading Truman Capote, In Cold Blood, splash, read, you know the drill.