10 months today....

10 months today was my first day of work here.  How time flies.  Since then, I met great people, saw great things, participated in ceremonies that I never knew I would.  I think that I'm a somebody now. ha ha.  It was alot of hard work for everybody but we pulled through.  We celebrated 95th Anniversary of Vimy.  First at Beaumont-Hamel on Easter Sunday with approximately 800 people.  OK, I didn't count them all but what alot of people.  The Governor General was there, along with the Minister of Veterans Affairs, and the Deputy-Minister and me.  All the other people just happened to be there.  Then on Easter Monday, it was the BIG celebration at Vimy.  I think that it was the worst weather that I've seen since I'm here.  Rain, wind, 5000 students plus another 3000 or so.  People everywhere.  So I'm standing there on the side of the road because the students, yes all 5000 of them were doing a Walk of Silence from Givenchy to Vimy.  I kind of get excited when I see crowds like that from all over Canada so I was waving to everyone.  All of a sudden, this woman comes to me and says, are you Louise.  Hello, somebody knows me.  She hugs me.  Ah I was so happy to feel the Canadian Love.  I had never met her but through her brother-in-law with whom I work with in Charlottetown, yes that's you Wayne, we had exchanged emails.  I couldn't believe it.  And then, I was walking along the trenches where about 2000 kids were going through and I just happened to say, eh, anybody from PEI, well right beside me, a group started to shout, yes we are, we are.  Oh, now that was luck.  A young girl comes forth and says, my uncle said to look for you and she hugs me.  I think she was missing home.  Now how can I not love my job.  I am sure that alot of you saw the ceremony on TV.  I stayed behind the cameras because I wanted to let others have their moment on TV.  Here is a picture.  Miserable weather but nothing like what the soldiers went through. You will notice that I didn't wear my legs.  I wasn't competing that day.  I didn't feel the need.




With hard work comes pain sometimes.  I woke up Tuesday morning with all of my body aching.  I thought that I had been run over by a tractor trailer.  Of course, no way this woman was going to Emergency.  I was lucky because Tuesday and Wednesday were my days off.  I really thought they were my last days on earth.  Wednesday was even worst.  Somebody please shoot me.  I lasted until Thursday and finally after everyone and their dog telling me to go see a doctor, I finally went.  I just can't figure out why my mind is of a 23 years old or younger sometimes and my body isn't.  I ended up with strep throat but let me tell you they have good meds here in France.  Pretty poten or is it potten anyway, real good stuff.  I made my way to the pharmacy, then dragged my body to the Huit à Huit which is now the Carrefour, just to confuse you, and the lady said, ah bonjour, ça fait longtemps que je ne vous ai pas vu.  It's been awhile since I saw you.  Ya Ya, whatever, give me my darn bread and let me go die in a corner somewhere.  Only kidding.  I was nice BUT today, I feel alot better.  Going back to work tomorrow.  The couch is nice, but it's starting to sag in the middle from me lying there.  I had a brainwave again today.  I figured that I should go for a walk just to get some fresh air and I brought my little cart.  I wasn't going shopping or anything but I used it as a kind of rest thingy.  If I got tired, I would stop and just lean on it.  Oh how smart am I.  How many people would think of that.  It worked.  Came back home and talked to Diane.  Somebody called me last night when I was in bed, I know that I answered and talked to someone but can't remember who.  If you are reading this, please let me know.  Damn drugs.  Oh and I now know how to make hot toddies.  I thought it was hot totties but I change the word every now and then.  Well, who invented that.  Gets rid of any fever you have.  Thank you to the person who suggested it.

Yesterday was André's birthday but I couldn't go out.  Sorry André.  I emailed him to send me a picture of all of them having fun but ha ha ha, you don't have a camera on your Blackberry like I do.  And I knew it.  ha ha ha.  Talking about André, I wonder how Ontario Louise and Bob are making out.  I miss them.

Allen is arriving next Friday.  I smell paint in the air.  I went to my neighbours apartment 2 weeks ago.  Did I tell you that, anyway, they have walls different colors and I'm jealous.  It is so like me.  I have to keep Allen busy so he might as well paint.  Only a few walls though.  Nothing major.  Then Isabelle, Christiane and Marie Cri are coming.  Diane should be here cleaning.....what is a big sister for....to take care of her little sister.

Big day tomorrow.  Madame Louise is arriving on Site.  Monsieur the shepherd man is bringing his herd tomorrow.  Can't wait to meet the little darling.  Do sheep bite.  Oh well, I already have my tetanus shot so I'm good.  I hope she likes me.  I have butterflies just thinking about it.  Get a grip Bird, it's a sheep.  I'll put pictures in for sure even if I don't write anything.

Our trees are in bloom.  Looks very nice.  Hard to believe that Campbellton and PEI still have snow.  If you look to the far left, you will see part of what we call The Danger Tree (google it).  It is at Beaumont-Hamel.

I also want to show you how you find shrapnel.  Now these shrapnels are from WW1.

Lesson No. 1 - FIND A FARMER'S FIELD.  SHOULD BE ONE ON THE WESTERN FRONT. This one happens to be behind the Y Ravine Cemetery at Beaumont-Hamel.  (google it).

Lesson No. 2 - HUNCH YOUR BACK AND LOOK DOWN.  Pretend you are the Hunch Back of Notre Dame.  The best time to see them is after it has rained.  The black kind of stick out.  Can you see it.  Keep looking.  It's there.

Lesson No. 3 - MAKE SURE THAT IT IS REALLY A SHRAPNEL AND NOT SHEEP POOP.  They look alike.  Believe me, I've been had.

Lesson No. 4 - DO NOT PUT IN YOUR MOUTH.  You'll get Strep-throat.  Only kidding.  I don't do that.    So what about that.  That's how you find shrapnels.  Funny finding shrapnel was never on my bucket list but only because I didn't know.  But it should be on yours.  Every movie you see, every book you read cannot come close to what it feels like standing in a battlefield.

Lesson No. 5 - DO NOT TRY TO GET THROUGH SECURITY AT THE AIRPORT WITH SOME SHRAPNEL IN YOUR POCKET.  IT BEEPS.  I had forgotten some in my pockets at Christmas.

Well that's all for tonight folks.  Oh, I wanted to tell you that some of my readers enjoy when I put names of places down because they google it but don't feel like you have to but it is interesting.

Oh I have to say hi to my guide Honeybunch.  He told me to.  One of the guides, The Blond Girl (to save her identity) brought me a nice plant.  Everyone is so good to me.  How can I give back what they give me....