The holiday season has officially come to an end and we can now settle into 2010 and the typical winter routines we've grown accustomed to. Unless of course you live in the Southern Hemisphere where the heat of summer is scorching the earth. That's right...I'm thinking of you Tom.For the rest of us it's time to make the most of the often nasty weather associated with this time of year. I can't complain yet as the winter hasn't been too bad. Sure its been cold but I've only had to use the snow blower once so far. I stress..."so far". Lord knows it won't last.As far as the holiday season went, it was very laid back. I stuck close to home and was working every day except for a few days off over Christmas. I worked both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day so my celebrating was limited to either being on the job or sleeping.Of course when time permits, I spend a fair bit of time watching hockey with the annual World Junior Championships taking place and there's always time to support my Habs.Unfortunately I haven't had much time to devote to my blog. I hate when life gets in the way of having fun. But I will try to add more updates soon. I appreciate those who drop by and keep checking in.Tomorrow will be a sad day around here as four more Canadian soldiers and a female reporter killed in Afghanistan earlier in the week will be returned to Canada. They'll arrive at the air base here in town around 2pm before traveling along the Highway of Heroes for about 90 minutes to Toronto. I expect large crowds of fellow Canadians to show up along the route despite the cold weather in the forecast to show their respect and to support the families.I don't normally make any resolutions to start the year because honestly...I never keep them or I just forget about them. One thing I would like to do more of in 2010 is exercise a bit more often. I'm not looking to make huge changes but a bit more activity would be nice to try and shed a few pounds.And just to prove I really mean it, here's a photo taken of me earlier today doing some push-ups. I believe this photo was taken somewhere around number 93. Honest.
Happy New Year everyone!
Two more Canadian soldiers, killed over the weekend in Afghanistan returned home to Canada on Tuesday at a sombre repatriation ceremony in Trenton, Ont.Sapper Mathieu Allard, 21, and Cpl. Christian Bobbitt, 23, died in a roadside bomb attack in the Zhari district, west of Kandahar, on Saturday.The plane carrying their flag-draped coffins touched down at CFB Trenton just after 2 p.m. ET Tuesday. Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean and Defence Minister Peter MacKay were among the dignitaries on the tarmac.My mother had never been to a repatriation even though she lives so close to the base. I couldn't take her down to the base this time as I had her out doing some shopping, so we decided to stop along the Highway of Heroes (Hwy 401 - Canada's busiest) at Brighton to pay our respects and watch as the bodies and families passed by on the way to to Toronto.The bridge over the highway and every other bridge between Trenton and Toronto was packed with people waving Canadian flags and showing their support. Some people were crying and like the others I've watched in the past, the emotions are always visible.While I wish our men and women could all come home to Canada and be safe, I understand why they are there and even more so, I know they believe in what they're doing and I support them. I just hope we don't have to watch anymore hearse's make the long journey down the Highway of Heroes.
In this photo you can see my mother with her Canadian flag in hand waiting for the procession to go by.
I sat in front of the TV tonight watching the repatriation ceremony at Canadian Forces Base Trenton (just a mere 5 minute drive from my house) and even though I'd seen similar scenes before I was moved by what I saw.
Cpl. Francisco Gomez, 44, of Edmonton and Cpl. Jason Warren, 29, of Montreal died last Saturday when a suicide bomber blew up his vehicle close to their troop carrier near the coalition base in Kandahar. Governor General Michaëlle Jean, Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor and Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier were among the officials attending the ceremony.
I am a proud Canadian; and as with all previous ceremonies to mark the return of our fallen Canadian soldiers from Afghanistan; I felt the need to pay my respects in at least some small way. I didn't know these men but I felt the need to be a part of the moment.
As the ceremony wasn't open to the public to attend, it was pointless to drive down to the base. I could have parked outside and watched from across the road, but there really wasn't a need for me to do this thanks to the coverage provided by the media. After the ceremony ended on TV, I did go outside and at the top of my street I could see the procession of police cars, hearses and limo's pass by as they began their journey to Toronto.
The debate over whether or not these scenes of our fallen heroes returning home should be seen has lasted some time and it appears the government has decided to leave the decision to allow media up to the families of the deceased. That seems more than fair. While I like to grieve with the family I also respect their privacy.
The Americans refuse to show the flag draped caskets arriving home from Iraq or wherever their soldiers have been killed for fear that the images will provide a negative view of the war there. Judging by President Bush's approval rating these days, the American people don't need to see them to know it's not worth the price of life to be there.
I support our Canadian troops in their fight against terrorism and the Taliban and I suppose it's better to fight them there than have them blowing buildings up in Toronto or Montreal or attacking our Canadian military bases. So I guess I do know what they are fighting for and agree with it...but it's still sad knowing that these young men and women have to give their lives to get the job done.
What makes me even more sad is knowing that while they are doing this and there are millions of Canadians supporting them, there are probably just as many Canadians who don't even know they're there or care. It truly amazes me when I try to talk to someone about world affairs such as this and they don't have a clue about anything. Ask them what brand of beer they drank on the weekend or how much they've spent on their toys for the cottage and they can tell you that. It disgusts me to know that they take their freedom for granted and could care less about the sacrifices being made by their fellow citizens on their behalf.
The same can be said of our veterans of past wars and battles. Just think what the world would have been like today if those men and women hadn't paid the ultimate sacrifice. A friend of our family is a veteran of World War 2 and although I'd love to hear the stories he has to tell about the experience, I realize how painful it must be to remember that time and his friends who didn't return home. I hope he knows that I appreciate what they did.
This world has and always will be screwed up. As long as there are terrorists, madmen and tyrants...as long as there is greed, religious differences and fanatics there will never be peace in this world. I just don't understand why the world can't get along. Why is it so hard?
