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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2007-09-05, Page 5Wednesday, September 5, 2007 Times—Advocate 5 Opinion Forum News I OYEARS AGO September 10, 1997 - Exeter resident Al Harvey, a recent grad- uate of the Microsoft Systems Engineering program has started a home-based business prepar- ing, networking computers. Cara Gardner, 19, of Hensall has won a scholarship at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Isle -and through her hockey prowess. She played last year for the London Senior AAA Devilettes. The Bluewater tug of war team dug in to win two championships in London Saturday defeating Zorra and Viella. The Grand Bend nature trail running for seven kilometers along the west side of Highway 21 from Pinedale Avenue in Grand Bend to the Pinery Park gates will open September 28. Les Barr was recognized at last Monday night's Grand Bend council meeting for his 50th anniver- sary as the first life guard on the beach at Grand Bend. 20 YEARS AGO September 9, 1987 - Ontario's Lieutenant Governor will be visiting Exeter on Nov. 6 and council will be making plans for an afternoon pro- gram to honour the visit. Lincoln Alexander will be the guest speaker in the evening for the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Exeter Lions club. Rev. Don Rogers is the new minister at Exeter's Pentecostal Church. Hensall citizens will no longer have to travel to Exeter, Zurich or Clinton for their beer, wine and spirits. Jeff Williams is the manager of the new liquor store housed in a large trailer on Highway 4, just north of the village. 40YEARS AGO September 7, 1967 - While most area students and teachers have settled down in the work of the new school term, the newest school in the district is still a hive of activity. Centralia College of Agricultural Technology and Home Economics director James Mac Donald reports that the school is quickly taking shape and he expects more than 100 students to enroll in the first class- es. Miss Molly McGhee has been named associate director of the Centralia College of Agricultural Technology and Home Economics. 50YEARS AGO September 14, 1957 - Mr. and Mrs. Fred Darling of Exeter, captured first and second prizes in two of the saddle horse competitions in the $2,000 horse show at Exeter Fall Fair. 55 YEARS AGO September 9, 1952 - William Oestreicher of Crediton has resigned as president of the Exeter District Co -Operative. Vice-president Clarence Down is acting in his stead. William Koele of Exeter, the Netherlands immi- grant farmer who saved two RCAF flight cadets from the burning wreckage of their plane, will receive the George Medal with approval of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. 65 YEARS AGO September 5, 1942 - AC1 R.L. Wuerth of SFTS in Aylmer and LAC R.A. Wuerth of the Winnipeg Repair Unit, twin sons of Mr. and Mrs. Alf Wuerth are spending furloughs with their parents. Residents of this community who have followed with interest the building of No. 9 Service Flying Training School at Centralia are now to have the opportunity of paying a visit to and inspecting the airport at its official opening on Sept. 23 from 2 to 5 p.m. Mr. Allan W. Pickard of Regina who has spent the summer months with his brother Clerk C.V. and Mrs. Pickard left Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association in Toronto. Allan is a vice-president. From there he will return to his home in the West. Miss Grace Beckler, who has been spending the summer at Grand Bend, commenced her duties as teacher at Eden School. 90YEARS AGO September 10, 1917 - The price of a length of stove pipe has increased from 12 to 25 cents a length. Mr. John Ford, caretaker of the Exeter ceme- tery, wishes to state that he will be compelled to take action against those parties who persist in picking the flowers at the cemetery. ROSS HAUGH BACK IN TIME Seniors' Perspective By Jim Bearss SENIORS' CORRESPONDENT Q: I've heard that life; is this true? A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap. Senior Housing: If you are interested in living or fmding out more information about the new proposed senior apartment building, please let McCann Redi-Mix know at 237-3647. Spaces Jim Bearss are filling up fast. Legion Fish Fry on Sun., Sept. 16 upstairs at the Legion and entertainment by Li'l Audrey. Advanced tick- ets $12 or at the door $14. Contact: 235-1167 or Legion 235-2962. Legion Steak BBQ on Sun., Oct. 14. Music by Ben Shane and Bobby K. Advance tickets are $10 or at the door $12. For entertainment only; a $5 charge at the door. Contact: 235-1167 or Legion at 235-2962. Exeter Duplicate Bridge Club: For playing duplicate bridge plan to come out on Wed., Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. Bridge is played every Wednesday night at 7 p.m., downstairs at the Exeter Legion and continues to the end of May 2008. This club is not ACBL and charge is only $2 and the group welcomes all new- comers. For more information, contact Robert Drummond at 235-3826 or Rosaleen at 235-2182 "Between the Fences" The Usbourne Townships History Book, Supplementary Book is going on sale for $25. If you have the first Usbourne History Book and need the second one to complete the set, now is the time to buy it. It will also make a great Christmas gift. Books are available at the South Huron Municipal Office or from BM and Fern Dougall. Call the Dougall's at 235-2407. Riverview Estates is hosting a euchre party at their Rec. Hall on Sat., Sept. 22. The cards start at 1 p.m. sharp. Turn east at the Beer Store and proceed to end of road. More Coming Events: Sept. 11 — 13 — Canada's Outdoor Farm Show at the Canada's Outdoor Park, Woodstock Ontario. Full details at www.outdoorfarmshow.com Sept. 15 — Harvest Festival — Courthouse Park, Goderich 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information call 440-0871 or bia@goderich.ca Make plans on Sept. 18 — 22 — International Plowing Match and Country Festival, Leeds- Grenville County at Crosby, Ontario. Details available by visiting www.ipm2007.ca/ Line Dancing at the Legion: Starting Mon., Sept, 10 Beginners Only class Monday mornings from 9:30 a.m.- 10 a.m. It is meant to be fun with a little cardio. No one is wrong as they are just inventing new steps!! Seniors and/or stay at home mothers etc. welcome. The regular class will still be from 10 - 11 a.m. for seniors and/or who ever is interested. Price is $2 per class, with monies going to Exeter Legion. For more Information call Linda Webber at 237-3472 and leave a message if any ques- tions. Simplified Passport Renewal Process: Since Aug. 15, 2007, it is easier to renew your Canadian passport. Through the simplified passport renewal process, qualified applicants no longer have to submit documentary evidence of citizenship, supplemen- tary identification or a guarantor declaration. The Simplified Passport renewal Process is open to Canadians 16 years of age or over who: • Currently hold a Canadian passport issued after January 31, 2002 • Reside in Canada and, • Were residing in Canada when they applied for their previous passport. • Simplified renewal applications may be submitted at all Passport Canada offices, participating Service Canada and Canada Post outlets, and by mail. Other conditions apply. Please consult www.passport- canada.gc.ca or call 1-800-567-6868 or 1-800 0 -Canada for more information. Passport Canada wishes to remind Canadians that they are not required to carry a valid passport to travel to the United States by land or sea until the summer of 2008 at the earliest. Since Jan. 23, 2007, Canadians traveling to the United States by air must carry a valid passport or a NEXUS membership card when used at a NEXUS kiosk. AreYou... Frustrated with your computer? Nervous you are going to break the computer? Want to use it... but not sure how? Introduction to Computers; cardiovascular exercise can prolong Windows Basics, Surfing the Internet and Email! Call the Centre for Employment and Learning at 235-0471 to find out times in September that are available at 235- 0471 and ask for Adult Learning. You get 12 hours 9:30 — 11:30 a.m. for only $90 + GST. Improve your computer skills; buy a learning pass — only $35 + GST. What is a learning pass? Ten hours in the computer lab, that is instructor supported. What can I learn about? Learn to type or increase your speed and accuracy. Learn about Microsoft programs, Windows XP, Word, Excel, Access, power point, front page, and publisher, integrating MS Office application. Ask for details at 235-0471. Getting Old! The other day a young person asked me how I felt about being old. I was taken aback, for I do not think of myself as old. Upon seeing my reac- tion, she was immediately embarrassed, but I explained that it was an interesting question, and I would ponder it, and let her know. Old Age, I decided, is a gift. I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body, as I sometimes despair over my body, all the wrinkles, the baggy eyes and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother!), but I don't agonize over those things for long. I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, and my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eat- ing that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant. I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging. Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 a.m. and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60s and 70s, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will. I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They, too, will get old. I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I will eventually remember the important things. Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect. I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver. As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong. So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (If I feel like it.) May our friendship never come apart especially when it's straight from the heart! Contributed by Ken Agnew You know how hard it is to talk to your dentist when your teeth are being cleaned or when you are getting a filling? What if there was some sign language that you could express yourself without having to mumble? Here are 10 common things you might wish to say, numbered one to 10. These would be printed on a poster and mounted on the ceiling above the dentist chair. When a phrase seems appropriate, you would just hold up the corresponding number of fmgers to express yourself. 1. Everything is fine, but my nose itches. 2. When you get a chance, there seems to be spit run- ning down my neck. 3. So, I guess you had garlic for your lunch today? 4. You realize that wasn't my tooth that you just picked with that incredibility sharp tool. 5. I would really prefer you didn't do that again. 6. Could you please suction the chunk of debris that you missed before I gag? 7. Remember how I said I was numb? I think I may have been mistaken. 8. Wait a minute — maybe I am allergic to latex. 9. Just so you know, if I don't get to take a break soon, I may bite you. 10. Please stop asking me stupid questions about myself or I will take that paper mask off your face.