Alas It Is Time For My Retirement; It Has Been A Long Haul and Oh The Things I've Seen and Written About

This sums of life and times.



BREAKING NEWS; I HAVE, ON SOME FAMILY URGING, DECIDED TO CHANGE OVER TO A BRACEBRIDGE AND MUSKOKA THEMED BLOG FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS UNTIL THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION IS COMPLETE. THESE STORIES WILL BE OF THE NON-POLITCAL, NON-ANTIQUE VARIETY BUT WILL BE A THROW BACK TO WHAT BRACEBRIDGE AND MUSKOKA MEANT TO THIS WRITER IN THE 1960S TO 1980S. YOU CAN VIEW THESE BLOGS DAILY ONCE AGAIN BUT I WILL PURPOSELY KEEP GRAVENHURST AND LOCAL POLITICS OUT OF THE MIX. THANKS. THE BLOG NAME HAS BEEN CHANGED TO "BRACEBRIDGE SKETCHES"









ALAS, IT'S TIME FOR MY RETIREMENT; JUST IN CASE I GET A POLITICAL URGE -

BETWEEN NOW AND THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER FOR THIS FALL'S MUNICIPAL VOTE

     THE FACT THE LINE-UP OF COUNCIL-HOPEFULS, SO FAR, REGISTERED FOR THE UPCOMING MUNICIPAL ELECTION, IS ABOUT AS STATUS QUO, AS YOU CAN GET, WITHOUT BEING CLINICALLY DEAD, SHOULD MAKE ALL OF US NERVOUS IN THIS MUNICIPALITY. WE NEED SOME CHANGE AT THE TOP, ALTHOUGH THE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED ENABLERS, OF WHICH THERE ARE MANY, SEEM TO BE CONTENT TO MAINTAIN THE SAME OLD-SAME OLD, FOR WHATEVER REASON. IT'S LIKE THE DAYS IN UPPER CANADA, WHEN THE FAMILY COMPACT RULED THE ROOST. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO EXCITEMENT ATTACHED TO THIS ELECTION, AND FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, IT SEEMS A WASTE OF MONEY TO EVEN RUN A PUBLIC VOTE HERE. IT'S OUR DEMOCRATIC RIGHT TO VOTE, BUT A LARGE PERCENTAGE COULDN'T CARE LESS. I EXPECT THE VOTE TO ONCE AGAIN, BE A LOW PERCENTAGE OF CONSTITUENTS, MOST WHO SIMPLY DON'T APPRECIATE WHAT'S AT RISK HERE. WELL, THERE'S A BIG RISK, AND ONE YEAR, NOT SO LONG AGO, A GROUP OF COUNCILLORS TRIED TO SELL OFF AN IMPORTANT WETLAND, TO RAISE A FEW BUCKS TO BUY A NEW TOWN HALL. THEY FOUND ANOTHER WAY TO FINANCE TOWN HALL. US! I'D LIKE TO SEE MEMBERS OF THE COTTAGER ASSOCIATION, SHOW SOME INTEREST IN THIS ELECTION, POSSIBLY BY RUNNING A CANDIDATE OR TWO, BECAUSE BEFORE LONG, THERE ARE GOING TO BE ISSUES SURROUNDING THE POTENTIAL SALE, OF THE FORMER MUSKOKA CENTRE PROPERTY, AND FROM MY MUNICIPAL COUNCIL KNOWLEDGE, DATING BACK TO THE LATE 1970'S, A WISER AND MORE EXPERIENCED COUNCIL IS A REQUIREMENT. IF WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER UGLY SITUATION, IN COTTAGE COUNTRY, BETWEEN LOCALS AND COTTAGERS, LIKE WHAT OCCURRED BETWEEN THE MUSKOKA LAKES ASSOCIATION AND THE TOWNSHIP OF MUSKOKA LAKES, BACK IN THE EARLY 1980'S, AND IN THE TOWNSHIPS OF THE ARCHIPELAGO, SOUTH OF PARRY SOUND, BEFORE THAT, IT'S WISE FOR THE MUSKOKA BAY ASSOCIATION TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE CONFIGURATION OF THE COMING FOUR YEAR COUNCIL. I'M NOT SUGGESTING THEY RUN A SLATE OF CANDIDATES, BUT IF THEY WANT THEIR CONCERNS ADDRESSED AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, THEN THEY SHOULD MAKE SURE CANDIDATES ARE IN PLACE TO REPRESENT THOSE ISSUES. IT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE, IN BOTH AREAS MENTIONED ABOVE, AND IT WORKED. A LITTLE TENSE AT FIRST, BUT IT DID DEVELOP A LOT BETTER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LAKES ASSOCIATION AND THE MUNICIPALITY.
     I HAVE SUGGESTED TO DISGRUNTLED CITIZENS, REPRESENTING GROUPS IN THIS COMMUNITY, WHO HAVE FELT THEIR CONCERNS HAVE NOT BEEN MET BY COUNCIL, FOLLOWING DELEGATIONS, SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER RUNNING A CANDIDATE, TO, AS THEY SAY, FIGHT FROM THE INSIDE OUT. FOR ME, I DON'T LIKE THE WAY THE OPERA HOUSE IS BEING RUN AND I WOULD MAKE IT A PRIORITY, AS A CANDIDATE, AND AN ELECTED TOWN COUNCILLOR, TO WORK WITHIN, TO BANG OUT SOME OF THE DINTS. I'VE GOT QUITE A FEW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, WHO WOULD LIKE TO REPAIR THE OPERA HOUSE AS WELL. SO I'VE SUGGESTED THEY COULD RUN TOO, AND WE'LL MAKE A PARTY OUT OF IT! PARTY? GET IT? WE COULD CALL OURSELVES THE "FREE THE OPERA HOUSE PARTY."
     AS FOR RETIRING, WELL FOLKS, IT'S NECESSARY. AS I HAVE PROMISED, AND I CAN'T GO BACK ON IT, I WON'T USE MY BLOG TO FURTHER POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS. MINE, OR FOR ANY ONE ELSE. IT'S NOT FAIR. IT WOULDN'T BE FAIR. I'VE GOT A GOOD READERSHIP, BUT I CAN'T PLAY GAMES JUST TO WIN A VOTE. IF I DO RUN, IT WILL BE WITHOUT FANFARE OR ADVERTISING. THAT'S CORRECT. A NO EXPENSE CAMPAIGN. MINE WOULD BE A MAINSTREET CAMPAIGN, THE OLD FASHIONED WAY, WITH HANDSHAKES, KISSING BABIES AND CONVERSATION. VERSUS BILLBOARDS AND UGLY SIGNAGE CONTAMINATING A PICTURESQUE REGION. RIGHT NOW, I DON'T HAVE ANY ASPIRATIONS TO ENTER THE RACE. BUT I DON'T WANT TO SEE ACCLAMATIONS IN GRAVENHURST. I MAY HAVE TO RUN FOR MAYOR TO STOP IT FROM HAPPENING. ANY ACCLAMATION REFLECTS BADLY ON THE COMMUNITY, AND SHOWS THAT APATHY HAS NOT ONLY BEEN SEEDED, BUT HAS BECOME DEEPLY ROOTED. I AM SUPER DISAPPOINTED SO FAR, IN THE CANDIDATE FIELD, AND HONESTLY, TO RUN A GOOD CAMPAIGN, THOSE WHO INTEND TO SEEK ELECTION, SHOULD HAVE DECLARED BY NOW. THAT IS, IF THEY WANT TO MEET THE CONSTITUENTS, UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, TO SEEK THEIR SUPPORT IN THE OCTOBER ELECTION. WHY ARE POTENTIAL CANDIDATES HOLDING BACK? ARE THEY OF THE OPINION EVERYTHING IS FINE HERE? ARE THEY FED-UP AND JUST DON'T CARE ANY MORE, WHO RUNS TOWN HALL? I BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE THREE QUARTERS OF THE CANDIDATES DECLARED BY NOW, AND WHAT I SENSE, IS THAT MOST PEOPLE HAVE JUST THROWN IN THE TOWEL, AND DECIDED THAT THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE. I TEND TO AGREE WITH THESE PEOPLE. BUT AS IT IS OUR FAMILY'S HOMETOWN, AND I FEEL STRONGLY THAT OUR MUNICIPAL COUNCIL IS NOT DOING A GOOD JOB, AND DOESN'T DESERVE ANOTHER FOUR YEAR TERM, AS IS, I DON'T BELIEVE I CAN TURN AWAY ENTIRELY; THOUGH I MAY HAVE TO RUN UNDER PROTEST, JUST TO MAKE A RACE OUT OF IT. FOR GOD'S SAKES FOLKS, PLEASE STEP UP. IF YOU HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE WAY THE TOWN IS BEING RUN, THEN THROW YOUR HAT INTO THE RING. IF YOU CURSED THE TOWN, WHEN YOU HAD TO NAVIGATE, AT GREAT RISK, THE CRATER FILLED ROADS THIS PAST WINTER, THAT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY, THEN CONSIDER TAKING THE PLUNGE, SO THAT YOU CAN INFLUENCE THE NEXT COUNCIL, TO SMARTEN UP.
     BY RETIRING THE BLOG, AT LEAST FOR THE DURATION OF THIS MUNICIPAL ELECTION PERIOD, I CAN WORK WITH CANDIDATES (WHO ASK FOR HELP), AND I'M OPEN TO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING THAT'S LEGAL, TO LEND A HAND TO GOOD PEOPLE, WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN PULLING THIS TOWN OUT OF ITS PRESENT STALEMATE. OF COURSE, I HAVE THIS CONFIDENCE IN MYSELF, THAT I CAN WORK WITH JUST ABOUT ANYBODY, WHICH MAY GET A REAL TEST THIS CAMPAIGN; BUT MY TRACK RECORD IS PRETTY GOOD IN THIS REGARD. THE PROBLEM IN OUR TOWN, IS THAT THE ELECTION IS SHAPING UP TO BE NOTHING MORE THAN A POPULARITY CONTEST, AND SOME OF THESE CANDIDATES KNOW, ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS SHOW UP ON THE BALLOT, AND THE REST IS COUNCIL HISTORY. THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY RUN ANOTHER ALL CANDIDATES MEETING, LIKE THEY DID FOUR YEARS AGO, WHERE THE PUBLIC WAS, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, MUZZLED FROM ASKING QUESTIONS RAISED FROM THE FLOOR. QUESTIONS HAD TO BE SUBMITTED IN ADVANCE, AND WERE SCREENED, AND THE ONES APPROVED MADE IT TO THE FLOOR. NOW THERE'S AN EXERCISE IN DEMOCRACY FOR YOU. IT'S WRONG, AND THE COUNCIL HOPEFULS KNOW IT'S WRONG, AND THEY SHOULD BOYCOTT THE EVENT, IF THE SAME PROTOCOLS ARE FOLLOWED. QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ALLOWED FROM THE FLOOR, AND THERE SHOULD BE A SEPARATE NIGHT FOR MAYORAL CANDIDATES. USING TIME RESTRAINTS AS AN EXCUSE, FOR CUTTING DOWN ON THE NUMBER OF QUESTIONS, IS JUST SILLY ASS NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT IT.
     SINCE I BEGAN THIS BLOG, PART TIME, QUITE A FEW YEARS BACK, I HAVE TAKEN ISSUE WITH WHAT I BELIEVED WAS, AND STILL IS TODAY, A WEAK AND INADEQUATE COUNCIL. I MAKE NO APOLOGY FOR STATING THIS, AS I HAVE KNOWN MANY GOOD AND RESPONSIVE COUNCILS, THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT OF MUSKOKA, IN THE PAST; AND WORKED AS A NEWS EDITOR, WITH MANY FORMER MAYORS, COUNCILLORS, AND DISTRICT CHAIRMEN. I HAVE KNOWN SOME FINE COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND YES, I COULD WRITE A BOOK ABOUT IT. I DON'T FEEL THE SAME ABOUT THIS PRESENT COUNCIL, AND FROM THE GRUMBLING GOING ON THE STREET, CONSTITUENTS, AS THEY SAY, SHOULD POOP OR GET OFF THE POT. YOU CAN'T COMPLAIN AND THEN REFUSE TO GET INVOLVED, WHEN CHANGE IS POSSIBLE AND ATTAINABLE. IT'S TRUE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE, WHO THINK THAT THIS COUNCIL IS THE BEST WE'VE EVER HAD. I WOULD CHALLENGE THEM THEN, TO PROVE IT TO THE HISTORIAN. FEEL FREE. I LIKE A GOOD, SHORT DISCUSSION.

ON THE LESS POLITICAL SIDE - A RETIREMENT

     A YEAR AGO, SUZANNE RETIRED AFTER 31 YEARS OF TEACHING. SHE'D FINALLY HAD ENOUGH. SHE WAS OKAY WITH THE KIDS, BUT NOT WITH THE GOVERNANCE OF THE BOARD, OR HOW THE PROVINCE HANDLES EDUCATION STANDARDS. SHE WAS A CONSUMMATE TEACHER, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY KIDS SHE MOTHERED IN THOSE THIRTY PLUS YEARS. WE USED TO HAVE KIDS CALLING HERE ALL THE TIME, AND SHE NEVER TURNED ONE OF THEM AWAY, OR WAS INSENSITIVE ABOUT THE REASONS THEY WERE SEEKING HER ASSISTANCE. IT'S STILL HAPPENING. FORMER STUDENTS ARE STILL CALLING HERE, AND DROPPING INTO THE ANTIQUE SHOP FOR A VISIT. WHICH HAS MADE RETIREMENT A LITTLE EASIER, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SPEND THREE DECADES DOING SOMETHING YOU LOVE, AND THEN DROP IT ENTIRELY WITHOUT SOME CONSEQUENCE. BUT SHE HAS TURNED HER FRUSTRATION WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, AND THE PROVINCE, INTO A MORE USEFUL ENTERPRISE, BY RUNNING HER OWN ANTIQUE AND COLLECTABLE BUSINESS; WHICH DOES OCCUPY MOST OF HER TIME.
     I HAD ALSO PLANNED TO RETIRE FROM THE BLOG, THAT ADMITTEDLY, I HAVE HAD SO MUCH FUN WITH, FOR THESE PAST FEW YEARS, ATTAINING OVER 220,000 VIEWS. NOT TO SHABBY FOR A SMALL TOWN WRITER, TRYING TO MAKE A FEW POINTS ABOUT THIS AND THAT. AS YOU KNOW, FROM READING THIS BLOG, I HAVE BEEN WRITING FOR PUBLICATION SINCE THE LATE 1970'S. I'VE APPEARED IN MORE THAN A DOZEN PUBLICATIONS, AND I WAS ONCE TRANSLATED INTO ICELANDIC, AND PUBLISHED IN A HERITAGE MAGAZINE IN THAT COUNTRY. I'VE FOUGHT WITH PUBLISHERS, AND PULLED MY COLUMNS NUMEROUS TIMES, WHEN EDITORS GOT SMART-ASS, AND TRIED TO LIMIT MY COPY, AND ADJUST MY STORY-LINE. ONE DID AND WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A LONG TERM COMMITMENT, WAS OVER AFTER THE FIRST COLUMN, BECAUSE OF A RECKLESS JOB OF EDITING, RUINED A PERFECTLY GOOD STORY AS IT WAS SUBMITTED. IN SHORT, I'VE BEEN A PAIN IN THE ASS TO A LOT OF PUBLISHERS AND EDITORS, AND I'VE ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF IT! I WAS AN EDITOR MYSELF, AND I GOT HOSED MANY TIMES BY MY OWN WRITING STAFF. TRUTH BE KNOWN, I ALWAYS PREFERRED TO WRITE MORE THAN EDIT, AND SINCE THE SUMMER OF 1989, I'VE BEEN WRITING FREELANCE, AND ENJOYING THE INDEPENDENCE. I HAD A NUMBER OF TEACHERS, WHO WOULD WRITE ON MY REPORT CARDS, THAT "TEDDY DOESN'T PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS." LET'S JUST SAY, I DIDN'T PUT UP WITH B.S., OR HOGGING OF THE TOYS IN THE SANDBOX. GEEZ, WOULDN'T GRAVENHURST COUNCIL MEETINGS BE INTERESTED WITH A GUY LIKE ME SITTING AT THE TABLE? WE'D NEED A REFEREE AND WHISTLE.
     I'VE WRITTEN ABOUT MY BOYS BEING BORN, AND ABOUT SUZANNE'S PARENTS PASSING AWAY; AND MY OWN, WHICH I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT FOR YEARS, CONSIDERING MY FATHER'S NAME WAS THE SAME AS MY OWN. I WONDERED IF PEOPLE, SEEING THE OBITUARY IN THE PAPER, WOULD THINK IT WAS ME WHO HAD EXPIRED INSTEAD. BUT WRITING YOU SEE, AS IT IS FOR MOST OF THE WRITERS I KNOW, IS A WAY, AT TIMES, OF DOING SOMETHING POSITIVE AND MEANINGFUL, INSTEAD OF EXPENDING A LOT OF ENERGY OF GRIEVING THROUGH BAD FEELINGS AND TEARS. I'VE SAT AT MY OFFICE DESK MANY TIMES, WONDERING HOW I WAS GOING TO PULL OUT OF A FUNK, A DEPRESSION, TO MAKE A COPY DEADLINE; YET ONE THINK ABOUT THE PRINTED WORD. ONE WORDS INSPIRES THE OTHER, AND IT MAY ONLY BE THE IMPRINT OF MY BYLINE AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VEHICLE FOR ME, TO EXPRESS FEELINGS OF JOY AND SORROW, SATISFACTION AND FRUSTRATION. I'VE NEVER LEFT THIS KEYBOARD FEELING THAT I HADN'T RESOLVED MY NEED, FOR THAT DAY, TO EXPRESS WHATEVER EMOTION I HAD BEEN AFFLICTED, HAPPILY OR OTHERWISE. BUT FOLKS, THERE COMES A TIME, WHEN YOU JUST RUN OUT OF THINGS TO WRITE ABOUT, THAT CAN HOLD AN AUDIENCE. I'D RATHER GO OUT ON A HIGH, WITH A STRONG NUMBER OF READERS, THAN POSSIBLY, AT A TIME DOWN THE ROAD, OF HAVING TWENTY OR LESS GUESTS, STICKING WITH ME, MORE OUT OF PITY, OR TO READ MORE OF A SAD, AND GETTING SADDER STORY, THAN BECAUSE I'M WRITING SOMETHING THAT CHALLENGES COMPLACENCY.
     WHEN I TOLD SUZANNE I WAS GOING TO WRITE MY LAST BLOG TODAY, SHE GRABBED THE LAPTOP AND MADE A MOCK THREAT ABOUT TAKING IT AWAY, SO I COULDN'T WRITE ONE AT ALL. IT WAS SUZANNE, YOU SEE, WHO GOT ME BACK WRITING, FOLLOWING AN ANGRY YEAR'S HIATUS, AFTER I HAD LEFT EMPLOYMENT OF THE BRACEBRIDGE EXAMINER, IN THE SUMMER OF 1990. SHE CONVINCED ME TO GIVE IT ANOTHER SHOT, AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE BEST ADVICE OF MY LIFE. I BRIDGED THE FIRST ELEVEN YEARS OF MY WRITING CAREER, AND IT'S TAKEN ME ALL THE WAY TO THE SPRING OF 2014. BUT ALAS, I'M TIRED. THE BUSY SUMMER SEASON IS NOW UPON US, AT THE ANTIQUE SHOP, AND SATURDAY WAS WILD AND CRAZY WITH PEOPLE. I NO LONGER CAN FIND FREE TIME TO WRITE THESE BLOGS AT THE STORE, AND BY TIME WE GET HOME AT NIGHT, I'M JUST TOO EXHAUSTED TO SIT DOWN FOR ANOTHER TWO OUR STINT, TO PREPARE THE DAILY BLOG.
     I WILL CONTINUE WRITING FOR THE PUBLICATIONS I'M CURRENTLY ASSOCIATED, INCLUDING THE GREAT NORTH ARROW, AND CURIOUS; THE TOURIST GUIDE, AND I'VE GOT A LOT OF FREELANCE PROJECTS IN THE WINGS, SHOULD I DECIDE TO OPT OUT OF A COUNCIL RUN, AND RETURN TO DAY TO DAY WRITING INSTEAD. I JUST DON'T WANT TO BE CALLED A HYPOCRITE, BECAUSE I USED MY BLOG TO ENHANCE MY ELECTION CAMPAIGN, WHEN I SAID EARLIER THIS YEAR, I WOULD NOT. I MAY RUN, AND I MAY NOT. I MAY RETURN TO THIS BLOG ONE DAY DOWN THE ROAD, OR, WELL, THIS MAY BE THE LAST ONE EVER. I WANT TO THANK ALL MY SUPPORTERS WHO HAVE JOINED THESE DAILY BLOGS; IT HAS MEANT A LOT TO ME, AND I WILL NEVER FORGET ALL THE KIND COMMENTS SENT VIA EMAIL AND TEXT. BUT THERE ALWAYS HAS TO BE A CLOSING CURTAIN DOESN'T THERE, AND THIS THEN, IS MINE.
     PLEASE DROP INTO THE SHOP SOMETIME, IF YOU'RE PASSING BY, TO SAY HELLO. MY CHALLENGE WAS TO WRITE A DAY TO DAY COLUMN FOR ONE COMPLETE YEAR, AND IT LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS AND NEARLY HIT A QUARTER OF A MILLION VIEWS. I CAN BE SATISFIED WITH THIS. WITH ALL MY HEART, I THANK YOU FOR THIS LONG TERM SUPPORT. IT'S BEEN GREAT.

TED WILL BE REVISITED HIS BRACEBRIDGE BLOG @ http://thenatureofmuskoka.blogspot.ca/