The Star – Finding our Way

A tribute to the loss of a dear friend’s father.  RIP Ed Baiden

The Star - Finding our Way

by T. Rutledge

The day is done

The lightness fades

The night creeps in

With shadows and shades

To find our way

A light, we’ll need

A path to follow

Directions to heed

Our body is weary

Emotions collide

Feeling alone in the dark

Pushing our fears to the side

We look up to the sky

It’s the blackest of black

But the stars are a-light

The moon smiles back

We recognize the patterns

The constellations, a sight

But what is that new star

With the very bright light?

It twinkles. It shines

It is truly quite clear

The sky seems to glow

There is nothing to fear

We honour his memory

That new star in the sky

His love and guiding hand

On which we’ll rely

A father, a grandfather

A spouse and a friend

A sibling and acquaintance

All find it hard to comprehend

The ‘light’ of their loss

Look up and recall

Their pain set aside

As they share him with us all

We have found our compass

In the darkness of night

A star – a beacon to guide us

It’s glow, giving us sight

What’s lurking in your pool?

We had no idea that soon-to-be-famous ‘Aussie Nick’ would stop by to do a feature in our own backyard.  I’m still laughing!!

(posted with his permission, of course)

Something’s fishy…

So, the guys had a great day of fishing this weekend – four good-sized keepers (3 trout, 1 salmon)!  Captain Ed seemed to have an ‘in’ to the fishy undercurrents as many of the other boaters on the water didn’t meet with as much success.

Still reeling this one in.  What a workout!

 

 

 

 

Catch and release? yup!  It’s this little guy’s lucky day.  See you next year, bud!

 

 

 

Crank up the grill…is it dinner time yet? 

 

 

 

 

Nick with his catch - rainbow trout.

 

 

 

 

The lone salmon.  I guess this one didn’t get the memo…time to head upstream.

 

 

 

 

 

At the cleaning station.

 

 

 

 

Capt Ed and his ‘crew’

 

 

 

If you’re looking for a small charter out of Port Credit, pack a lunch and head out for a day with Square Tail Charters.

Taking a breather

Back home and have mixed feelings.  We’re both a little tired and yet feel like we’re ready to tackle the world. 

Mark is being smart and take a much needed rest.  If nothing else, it gives the bump and bruises a chance to heal.  For me, I decided that the fuel tank was full and crazily enough, I signed up for a half-marathon.  It would be a bit of a test to see how the breathing issues might affect me over the race distance.

Fast forward to race day…suffer-fest.  Warm and quite humid and well, breathing issues continued.  It was my slowest half-marathon finish time in a few years.  Walking breaks were the order of the day.  Legs felt fine, but I just felt winded.

So, looking for a quick cure…wonder if I just found it!!  :)

The Contest Lasts for Moments

- W.A Clennan

The contest lasts for moments
Though the trainings taken years
It wasn’t the winning alone that was worth the work and tears.
The applause will be forgotten
The prize will be misplaced
But the long hard hours of practice
Will never be a waste
For in trying to win, you build a skill
You learn that winning depends on will
You never grow by how much you win
You only grow by how much you put in
So any new challenge you have just begun
Put forth your best effort and you have already won.

(Thanks to one of Mark’s colleagues for forwarding this after reading his race report. Very apropos, in my opinion)