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Huron Expositor, 2003-12-17, Page 5News Accepting this is as good as it gets can help us have a merry Christmas From Pogo 4 perform, and I think to myself, "This is alright." The same story played over hundreds of times, with hundreds of different actors, hundreds of. housecoat and tea towel clad shepherds, hundreds of yards of tinsel for the angel's wings and halos, and realms of tin foil for wise men's crowns. The parents have digital and video cameras now, but we are all there for the same thing. To see and hear our kids perform. To share in their pride in jobs well done. To look around and realize how lucky we really are. That's another blessing I have: healthy, (relatively) happy children. Another December,. another year - I am at the home of a dear friend. There are six of us gathered around a table sharing a meal. We have spent the night talking about anything and everything. We have known each other for years, have been through almost everything life can throw at us. Between the six of us we have dealt with childbirth and miscarriages, marriages and divorces, adultery and fidelity, promotions and layoffs, moves, serious sickness in our children, serious sickness in ourselves, loss of parents, loss of children and loss of spouse. We have pretty much run the gamut. We all draw strength from each other. As I sat at that table, I remember looking around at the six of us and thinking at the time, "Look at us. We are still here. Still struggling, still living. Still going on. Still meeting life head on." We all draw strength from each other. What a wonderful feeling. To feel that safe within a group of lifelong friends, to lay everything bare and know that there is no judgment. THAT is unconditional love. And that is one of my most treasured blessings; good friends. December, 1998 - After a horrendous year of moving way too many times (seven if I count right), I bought a house. My very own house. Me. By myself. (Well, me and the TD) News Councillors worried boil -water advisories might be ignored By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor With two recent boil -water advisories in Brussels and a three-week advisory in Brucefield during the summer,, .Huron ,East councillors are concerned ratepayers are going to begin ignoring them. Tuckersmith Coun. Larry McGrath told council at its Dec. 9 meeting that Huron East should be writing a letter to Huron County council and the Huron County Health Unit about the large number of boil -water advisories being experienced locally. "If you cry foul too many times, people stop listening. I think we're overkilling at this point," he said. "You'd better send a letter to the province - they're the ones who've mandated it," answered Public Works Coordinator John Forrest. Forrest said provincial regulations dealing with water are now more stringent and boil -water advisories have to be made whenever a mechanical or electrical failure causes the water to stop running and there is negative water pressure in the system. "It wasn't done in the past but it has to be now," he said. Deputy -Mayor Bernie MacLellan said he's already discussed the situation with the health unit. 'They sympathize with the comment but the health unit's hands are tied. It's legislated under certain conditions," he said, adding he knows that some Brucefield residents were ignoring the boil -water advisories over the summer. "There was a long delay in Brucefield and people were just giving Up," he said. Brucefield's boil -water advisory occurred when the water system there was being upgraded. Legion asks for approval for 75th anniversary party Huron East council has no objection to an outdoor 75th anniversary that is being planned by the Seaforth Legion for Aug. 7, council decided at its Nov. 4 meeting. They were responding to, a letter from Linda Gridzak, 75th anniversary chair for the Legion. The letter said the Legion hopes to hold an outdoor function from noon to 1 a.m. with a cash bar, food and a dance. It is not huge, new or fancy, but we fit just fine. I can't give each of my kids their own bedroom like they would like, but we are surviving. Every once in awhile I look around and I am amazed that it is mine. It needs decorating badly, but that's okay. Sometimes when I am driving around and I see young mothers pulling strollers up two flights of stairs to an apartment, or I see a family whose full life has had to spill out of their too small house onto their porch and lawn, or when I know someone has been made to move out and has no where to go, I realize even more just how lucky I am. That's another blessing I have; my own home. Don't get me wrong, I am not wholly sanctimonious. I do my share of whining and complaining about life. We all do at one time or another. There are plenty (believe me -PLENTY) of things in my life that I would rather not deal with, but that IS life. Learning to live with what is difficult is a big part of the package. There's a scene in a movie with Jack Nicholson. He has been having trouble "coping" with life; things just aren't the way he thinks they should be. And one day in the waiting room of his therapist, he looks around and sees his life for what it is, and says to himself "Maybe this is as good as it gets." He comes to the realization that maybe his life is not going to be the way he thinks it should be, but that maybe it can be okay the way it is. I am a big believer in that theory. Life is seldom roses, riches and romance. It is far more often daisies, debts and dedicated relationships. So, please, have a good Christmas everyone. Be thankful for what you have, and charitable in your thoughts. So many around us have lost so much, it makes this time of year so much harder for them to bear. The angel wings of those who've gone Will gently sweep our face We'll wonder where the warmth came from As memories fill our heart. Letter Firefighters thanked From Page 4 night in the 60s after winning yet another all -Ontario hockey championship. I was fortunate enough myself to ride the fire truck in celebration of saving the Seaforth District High School from its initial threat of closure - what an emotional trip around town that was. I have eaten countless pancakes and sausages from the July 1 breakfast - in fact we fed our clean-up crew the year of all the spring floods, with the Firemen's fare. I have admired all those cute guys on the annual Firemen's Wall of Flame calendars. And now I have benefitted directly from the speed, skill and caring of this group of guys who wear different hats during the rest of their day...businessmen, construction workers, butchers, painters. I can't remember who all was there, some of you were behind the masks but I did see Tom, Mark, Ralph, Jim and Doug. For all the years I can remember we have set our clock at the golf course by the one o'clock Saturday siren - and started a lot of our tournaments according to that siren too. From now on it will be a constant reminder to thank you guys for saving a building with a lot of history and memories. On behalf of Cam, Todd, Rod, Dad and our whole family and our golfing members, I thank you all. Carolanne Doig Seaforth Golf Course CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S MASS SCIIEDULE AT LOCAL CATHOLIC CIIURCIIES Christmas Eve 5:00 pm at St. James' Church, Seaforth 7:30 pm at St. Columban Church, St. Columban 8:00 pm at St. Joseph's Church, Clinton 10:00 pm at St. James' Church, Seaforth Christmas Day 10:00 am at St. Joseph's Church, Clnton New Year's Eve 5:15 pm at St. James' Church, Seaforth 7:30 pm at St. Columban Church, St. Columban New Year's Day 9:00 am at St. Joseph's Church, Clinton 11:00 am at St James' Church, Seaforth MAY THE TRUE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS BRING YOU PEACE AND HAPPINESS. MAY THE NEW YEAR BRING YOU LASTING JOY! .' HURON EAST MUNICIPALITY OF HURON EAST 2003 HOLIDAY SCHEDULE RECYCLING & WASTE DISPOSAL Bluswater Recycling Association 1-800-265-9799 Chamney Sanitation Disposal 526-7799 Canadian Waste Disposal 1-800-665-1898 Lamont Sanitation 527-1396 1 � r THE HURON EXPOSITOR, DECEMBER 17, 2003-5 GIVE THE GIFT OF HEALTH. Andrea Gingerirh.Naturopathic Ducti *Bowen therapy •Homeopathy *Nutrition *Acupuncture *Herbs Gift Certificates 527-0196 Seaforth, Goderich & Bayfield Locations ESTHETICS BY BONNIE Bonnie Johnston • manicures • pedicures • facials • waxing • make-up 527-171 92 West William St Seaforth, ON NOK IWO ••••/t••••••••••• 2 SEAFORTH HOSPITAL ; i AUXILIARY A • wishes to say • •THANK YOU • • to the Communities • of Seaforth & 2 • surrounding areas • A & Mitchell A 4 for their continuous a • support to our A "Tree of Lights" • project. • • • Merry Christmas • • • • • - • • • • •••••••••••••••• Church Services BEREAN COVENANT CHURCH A CHURCH PLANT OF GRACE TRINITY COMMUNITY CHURCH 527-0029 Fellowship at 7:00 pm Pastoral Team: Pastor Bob Penhearow Pastor Ron Matthews Pastor Royal Hamel St. Thomas Anglican Church Jarvis St. Seaforth Fr. Michael Atkins Parish Office 482.7861 Sunday, December 21 The Fourth Sunday of Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols - 11:00 am. followed by Parish Pot Luck Christmas Ev@ — 8:00 pm Christmas Day - 10:00 am Bethel Bible Church An Associated Gospel Church 126 Main St. Seaforth 527-0982 Sunday School 9:45 am Sunday Worship Hour 11 am Jim Wyllie - Pastor NORTHSIDE - CAVAN UNITED CHURCHES Cavan 9:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Northside Winthrop 54 Goderich St. W. Sunday December 21, 2003 Guest Speaker - Mr. Dave Williams Senior Youth Group • Fd Dec 191h 6-10M NS. Christmas Eve Service - Dec 24 7:00 pm at Northside You are invited to attend these area churches Catholic Church St. James RC Church 14 Victoria Street, Seaforth 527-0142 Weekend Masses: Sat 5:15 pm Sun. 11:00 am St. Columban RC Church Saturday Mass at 7:30 pm Father Lance Magdziak Egmondville United Church Sunday School 10:00 am Worship Service 11:00 am Sunday Dec. 21 Fourth Sunday of Advent Steve Hildebrand Lay Pastoral Minister In training Chrlatnas Eve Candlelight; ship7•$0 pm First Presbyterian Church Goderich St. W. Seaforth Rev. Ted Nelson Interim Minister Sunday, December 21 11:15 am You are invited to celebrate the birth of Jesus with us on 'Wale Sunday.' Join us . for birthday cake aver the service. Sunday School and nursery provided. MAPLEWOOD MANOR Retirement Home 13 Church St., Seaforth At present we have Private and Semi -Private accommodations available. Features include: • excellent dining and snacks • dietician approved menus • laundry • housekeeping • medication administered by our professional staff • transportation arranged for appointments • 24 hour friendly professional staff • beauty salon • barber services • daily activities • convalescent & respite stays available ORCA for more information contact Tracy Nash at 527-1440 Fax P 527-2977 Maplewood Manor "Your Invitation to Gracious Retirement Living"