Titanic 100 Years Memorial Service at St. Paul's Church in Halifax

This is the famous window that sees thousands flock to St. Paul's church.  It was supposed to be a man's head that was thrown through it during the Halifax Explosion but it was just the way the glass was broken after the explosion.

another view of the famous broken glass

and the 3rd view of the famous broken glass

right side balcony where some stood when saying the Titanic victim's names outloud.

left side of the balcony where another group said the victim's names

middle of the balcony looking down at the choir.

the choir

St. Paul's Church, Grand Parade in Halifax. Site of the original Titanic memorial 100 years ago.  That's Layla ready to go into the memorial.  St. Paul's church is the oldest Protestant church in Canada, built in 1749.

This is how the church was decorated 100 years ago for the victims of the Titanic.  This was also the way it was decorated when Queen Victoria died for her memorial.

side view of churchwith Layla and Rialey at the children's play area.

you can see the left side balcony above.

memorial glass that shine with light at the front of the church.

getting ready for the memorial play before the people arrive.

heading in the balcony, facing the front of the church

view from the balcony before the start of the memorial




 

Best Western Plus Newark Airport West, Not a place to stay

Well dear viewers, it is with sad regret that I have to write to you about my experience with Best Western at Newark airport in March 2012. 

The kids & I had a 15 hour lay over in Newark before we embarked on our journey to Cabo, San Lucas Mexico.  I researched which hotels were the closest to the airport so we wouldn't have a traffic problem getting back to the airport to catch our flight to Mexico.  Best Western Plus Newark West was the one I choose.  I had excellent experiences with Best Western during my local travels and felt I was in good hands.  I WAS WRONG!  I asked for two wake up calls to ensure we would get up in time, get some breakfast then taxi back to the airport for our Mexico flight.  I even set the alarm as the third security.  I always get over cautious when it comes to getting up in time to catch flights.  I travel a lot, so I know the importance of giving yourself sufficient time to get up, get ready and get going.

I happen to get up a lot during the night due to medical issues, diabetes, so it was during one of my bathroom calls, that I noticed the time and realized we were going to be late for the airport and if we missed our flight, we would be in a real delima.  I called down to the desk to ensure the time was correct and it was, then I asked what happened to my two wake up calls!!!  They didn't know because it was the night guy who would make the calls to us.  He was off at 7 am.  Oh my gosh, we had to scramble.  The kids and I rushed so much and I tried to keep calm because it affects all of us negatively.

We rushed down the elevator and went to the front desk.  I told the kids to get some food while I secured a way for us to get to the airport.  There were no hotel shuttles at that time of morning.  The hotel clerk apologized again and again but it was the night man who neglected to call us.  She forgave our dinner from the night before, but that wasn't going to help us if we missed our flight.  She called the driver of the hotel van and he was now rushing to get to the Best Western to get us.  I kept shaking my head that this was unacceptable.  I said this is why I picked this hotel because it was the closet and now we couldn't get to the airport until the van could get here.  It was about 1/2 hour or more until the van pulled in and we all got in the van and drove to the Newark Airport.  We had some traffic to fight, but finally we made it.  What we were not able to do, was to check in the Lost and Found to see if they found Teddy.  He was Rialey's little teddy that we lost when we returned from Barcelona Dec 2010.  He might have been there but there was no time to check in.  We rushed to get to the gate in time to board the flight.

We couldn't relax until we actually got on the flight.  The flight attendants were not the friendliest and I was glad to get off this United flight.  I think those women need to learn how to help people instead of making us feel like we were a burden.

The morning clerk at the Best Western gave me the hotel's card so I can write a complaint and I will but I feel informing you of the possibility that your stay at this hotel could result in a missed flight.  So take care and be careful of your wake up call, to be sure you get woken!!  Don't be stuck in a city you didn't expect to get stuck in.  One lesson for my travels.

Ill Health Travels of life

When I went through my breast cancer journal in 2003, I lived through hell and back but the way my health and body is now, is frightening.  No one expects to really get older or that we would suffer from ill health or side affects of cancer or other diseases.

Since the cancer, I have never been able to get back to normal.  What I mean by normal, is to walk and shop or run the way I did it all my life.  Now, I have a vehicle disability card. I get wheel chair assistance at airports and theme parts; climbing stairs is so hard expecially when my knees are paining; the hypo thyroid makes my hair dull; diabetes with high blood sugars make me so sleepy and tired; gout in my body, expecially my feet/ankles & fingter give me huge pain & difficult in walking; knees that need replacing so the gout anti-inflamatory pills help the gout & my knees.  If I don't take this pill, I really can hardly walk.  It is so hard to lose the chemo weight I gained and sometimes, I just feel like giving up, but I won't, I can't.  I have a little guy who depends on me. He himself has many mental disabilities and he struggles to be "normal" every day. 

We have a new normal now.  The definition of normal is whatever it is for that particular person.  We all have challenges in life, some with more than others.  Somehow we do make it.  I question myself all the time of the quality of life I'm living. I guess I have to allow myself the broader thoughts that there is a new quality of life and I'm living it.  It's just that you hate how you aged early and have to work with a broken body.  I envy people who walk by me everydayk, in their own little world of where and what they have to do, not realizing that they have a wonderful gift - to be able to walk.  I really miss my waking.  I use to walk about 10 to 18 kms a day.  Now, I'm lucky if I make it up and down the stairs and out to my car.  Recently in the last 4 months, I am experiencing psyactic nerve pain on my left cheek and down my leg.  WOW, does it ever end!!!!??!  Well another thing to work on to improve.

I'm in Ottawa now writing this to you all.  Last year I came down with severe psoriasis all over my body.  It was from extreme stress over the little guy's anger with his ODD and me not knowing how to deal with it.  Thankfully, the IWK mental health kicked in and we had him in Day treatment, then with Intensive Community Team then finally with the COMPASS program where he stayed overnight Monday through Friday.  They taught him great skills that are helping us now.  He still has a long way to go as well.

Age, disease and stress can alter your life.  Take care to find ways to release the stress.  This mental health issue can actually cause you cancer & other issues and doesn't do you can good.  Find the right stress relaxer for youself, it will be worth it.  Don't let your finances get in your way manage them or you'll be sorry.  I probably will have to sell my house of 30 years in about 2 years.  I won't be able to afford the mortage & bill we accumulated and pay the high costs of our prescriptions.  I have a lot of prescriptions and I want to get rid of some but that means getting this extra weight off so I swim.  But many days it is so hard to get out of bed, without having to physically get out to the swimming pool.  Right now, I'm going to leave now and go swimming in the hotel pool.  I'm hoping to make my body feel a little better.  Thanks for letting me blow off steam.
Debbie

Titanic 100 years - gravesite

It has been 100 years ago that the great White Star ship the Titanic went down with a loss of 1500 souls.  The news that the forth person brought out of the water was a little child but his name was never known.  Now we know that name.  He is Sidney Leslie Goodwin.  His grave marker shows him as unknown, but a new marker has been placed at the bottom of the gravestone with his name and year of birth and death.  DNA is a miracle and we finally know this sweet angel's name.

It was a sad day when I took these new pictures on April 12, 2012.  There were many celebrations in Halifax and many nights of movies.  Even though it has been 100 years, the memory is still vivid to the people in Halifax.  St. Paul's church assisted with housing the dead until they could be identified and buried. 

I still cringe when I think of the 3rd class passengers being treated horribly and locked down so they couldn't get out.  There are still parts in the movie that I can't bear to watch with mothers & their little children. 

I hope my pictures can bring the victims of the Titanic a little closer to you.  Thank you