Sep 27, 2016

EVENT | I Love a Parade

It's a fall tradition in St. Catharines. Residents and visitors line the downtown streets to enjoy the annual Wine Festival parade and this year was no exception. The parade is actually part of a two week celebration that includes live entertainment, concerts, wine tastings, pageants and other grape inspired fun.

For the first time since early August, I actually felt well enough to be out and about for a while, so I decided to venture downtown and watch the parade, which was held Sat. Sept. 24th. The weather was ideal...not too hot, not too cold, with plenty of sunshine, you couldn't have asked for a better parade day. 

A short 15 minute walk from my home was all it took to find myself an ideal spot to take in all the fun and snap up lots of photos. 






VIDEO | 'Will & Grace' Talk Politics

Sep 21, 2016

VIDEO | Forever Country

Country music fans will surely love this video, which features 30 popular Country artists & groups, in a mash up of three Country favourites.

Sep 20, 2016

YOU |


ENTERTAINMENT | Lights, Camera, Action!


Fans of Bobby Rock & Shane Christopher Neil will have much to cheer about, with the debut of Niagara's dynamic duo's new TV show, BS Live Rocks. The program will feature news and reviews about the local music scene, guest stars and undoubtedly many unscripted surprises.

Bobby Rock & Shane are best known for their former online radio show and their amazing website, which features weekly band and club listings. Visit that website here.

BS Live Rocks new TV show will air Wednesday's at 8:00 pm and Friday's at 10:30 pm on Cogeco TV. 

To keep on top of what B.R. & Shane are up to, follow them on their facebook page 'BS Live Rocks Entertainment Group' by CLICKING HERE

Best of luck guys!

Bobby Rock shares a pix with his facebook friends, highlighting the TV listing for Shane & his new show.


Sep 17, 2016

PETS | A New Addition!


PETS |

PHOTO/TEXT: JIM STEEL  LAYOUT: SCRIBBLES

NEWS | He Should Never Again Touch Another Innocent Animal


The story has garnered national headlines. Veterinarian  Dr. Mahavir Singh Rekhi who conducts business at Skyway Animal Hospital in St. Catharines, ON, was given a 10 month suspension from treating animals, after being found guilty of abusing pets brought to him for medical attention and care.

Videos have circulated clearly showing the vet choking and beating dogs and swinging a cat by its tail. They are very disturbing images to view.

The College of Veterinarians of Ontario revoked Dr. Rekhi's vet license for a mere 10 months, a sentence that could be reduced to 4 months if he takes a sensitivity 2 1/2 day course.

A SLAP ON THE WRIST! That's what this monster got and it's not right!

Petitions are circulating for those who wish to sign them.  CLICK HERE for the petition at Animal Justice

CLICK HERE to view the news coverage of this story (WARNING: contains graphic images)

CLICK HERE to view CHANGE.ORG's petition

Share your comments and concerns with the College of Veterinarians of Ontario:

College of Veterinarians of Ontario:

Phone: (519) 824-5600
Toll Free: 1 (800) 424-2856
Fax: (519) 824-6497
Toll Free Fax: 1 (888) 662-9479
inquiries@cvo.org



Sep 9, 2016

EDITORIAL | A Painful Break

ME WITH MY SISTER'S DOG SCOUT.
Hello Everyone:

At the end of July, when I told you I was going to take a month away from Scribbles, I had no set-in-stone plans for my August off.

Maybe I'd go to my pal's camper for a few days, perhaps catch up on my reading, or spend more time enjoying my garden and big backyard. Maybe it would be a perfect time to start a new project. So many possibilities, it was a blank canvas for me to fill.

As it turns out, I did not do any of those things, and also found myself cancelling other August plans, including attending a wedding and a big picnic.

Why the change in plans?  My damn health. Mid-August, one Saturday afternoon, I thought I was having a stroke and ended up soaring down the highway in an ambulance on route to the Heart & Stroke division of a hospital in Niagara Falls. My chest was sore, my face felt frozen, my fingers and toes tingled and my blood pressure was a bit elevated. They ran tests and could not rule out a TIA (or "mini stroke".)  I saw my doctor two days later who added a daily aspirin and something for cholesterol. He ordered more tests on my blood and to check for a clot or blockage.

The tingling feeling and dumbness never really went away and a week after my first scare, I found myself calling 911 again, This time I was taken to the St Catharines hospital, because my symptoms were not as bad as the previous weekend, still it was scary to be in the urgent care ward waiting for some type of relief.   I was given a 2 week prescription for a blood thinner, by the doctor on call at the hospital.

When the test results were all in, it was back to my doctor's office to discuss them, There's no blood clot -so that's a good thing- and the other tests came back with good results as well. This meant the blood thinner and a couple of other pills were removed from my daily meds.

While this news made me happy, it didn't explain the extreme pain I had been experiencing in the past few weeks.  It now appears I might have Trigeminal Neuralgia, which is described as an extremely painful neuropathic disorder.  This does make sense, given my 35 years of living with chronic neck and back pain.

The new pain can get so bad at times, all I can do is take my meds and lay in bed waiting for the pain spell to go away.  Sometimes it lasts hours, other times it only lasts a few minutes. Yoga, gentle exercise and brief walks have helped, as has being more aware of my posture and knowing my limitations,

I am waiting for an appointment with a neurologist and an MRI (both of which will likely be weeks and weeks away.)

Now it's September, we're back with new posts and it feels like I didn't do much of anything during our hiatus, except worry about my health.

Man! That's one "stay-cation" I could gladly have done without.

Enjoy our new posts and the final days of summer 2016.

Ken


YOU | Devoted to Making a Difference

Our friend Enzo DeDivitiis is among four successful Niagara residents who are making a big difference in the region.

Enzo and the others were recently featured in 'Niagara This Week' where they spoke about their visions for a better Niagara region today and for years to follow.


YOU | Friends Wedding Goes Main-"Stream"

Melisa and Andrew MacNeil called their recent wedding day the happiest day of their life.  All you had to do was take a look at the couple to know they were floating on cloud 9 throughout their wedding day on Sat. Aug. 27. 

The couple were married at the Little Wedding Chapel in Niagara Falls where music from the Muppets started the ceremony singing to us that '"somebody's getting married". It was an amusing touch.

The wedding reception was held at the Optimist's Club in St. Catharines. Guests recalled it well, as that's also where Melisa & Andrew's Stag n' Doe was held earlier in the summer. 

Although I was invited, this was happening right when I was having my health issues. I was feeling frozen faced almost every night and didn't want that to happen at the wedding,  

Fortunately for me and anyone else who couldn't make it to the wedding, Melisa had much of the day's big events broadcasting live on facebook. 

As a result we could watch the entire ceremony, the couple's first dance, speeches, cake cutting, garter & bouquet toss and more, right from the comfort of our own homes, be they close or provinces away! 

Congratulations Andrew & Melisa. I felt sad not being able to attend but I do feel kinda feel like I was there, thanks to the live stream.
I am wishing you nothing but the best always!!


Melisa's daughter & Andrew's parents and grandparents join the happy couple. 

KIDS | That Time of Year

Add caption




Sam's first day of school

Sep 8, 2016

YOU | Discovering Eastern Canada


KIDS | Her First Birthday


YOU | Scary Hairy Birthday Blast


YOU | Hold the Onion!


PETS | Love Those Baby Blues


YOU | Today's Word is "Happy"


Our pal Rich Hunt always seems to have a positive attitude and now, as he points out, that feeling seem to be contagious.

Here's a plant from his garden and in his own words Rich says "I must be doing something right! Even the veggies I grow are happy" (if you look closely you will see a smiley face inside this pepper plant.

It sounds like a page right out of Pee Wee's Playhouse and who wouldn't be happy there??

KIDS |

Proving his love of animals goes far beyond the dog and cat circuit, our pal Graham takes a few moments to feed the white goose during a recent visit to the great outdoors.

YOU | Life to its Fullest



INSPIRING |


PETS |


Sep 1, 2016

PETS | Birthday Boy


VIDEO | Understanding Trigeminal Neuralgia

After two trips to local hospitals, a TIA (mini-stroke) scare, blood work and an ultrsound, it was determined I do not have a blood clot. This is indeed good news, but my enthusiasm just isn't really happening when we're still dealing with something that's screwing me up.

Based upon my history [my neck accident over 35 years ago, my chronic pain management] the Trigeminal nerve concept makes sense. When twisted or pinched a certain way, there's nerves that then cause the left side of my face to feel frozen, along with other localized pain.  It mimics some symptoms of strokes, so it made sense why I got concerned when I experienced them, not once but twice.

Since seeing my doctor last week, there has been less frozen face sensations and less other pain spots, like no tingly limbs. I have an idea why the pain has been a bit less intense and it didn't come from any of the numerous pill bottles I have.

I'm also adjusting to the sudden departure of 2 meds from my collection. No cutbacks here. These two meds were taken every night for about a year and now suddenly they're gone. Your body notices these little changes, well at lest mine seems to.

Here's a video all about Trigeminal Neuralgia, which I could have to some extent (will find out more in the months ahead)