CFN – February is Heart and Stroke month. The web site , www.heartandstroke.com has valuable information on the signs and symptoms of a stroke or heart attack.
It also gives a new way to remember signs of a stroke using the word ‘FAST’:
Face: face drooping?
Arms: can you raise both arms?
Speech: slurred or jumbled?
Time: call 911 right away.
I knew of three women whose only symptom of a heart attack was a pain in their jaw; one was a patient of mine years ago. It is included in the heart attack symptoms today.
The Cornwall Office of the Heart and Stroke Foundation is looking for volunteers to canvas for their big fundraising campaign in February and to help in the office. Please call 613-938-8933 for more information on how you can help.
Remember the days when the ironing board used to be built into the wall behind a door? It was so handy and there was a place at the bottom of the opening to store the iron and an outlet to plug in the iron. Why do they change good things like that? Haven’t seen one for many years.
And who can forget the Mellow-rolls! A friend said that the pharmacy in the middle of the block on Pitt near Nyman’s Shoe Store was called Tamberlyn Drug Store and later , when they moved to Pitt and Second, Fullerton Drug Store. We used to get our cones there –yummy chocolate mellow-rolls. The last time I had one was from a drug store on Sherbrooke Street in Montreal about 1969. I think Borden’s Dairy use to make them. Remember Elsie, the cow?
Woolworth’s Department store was on the same block on Pitt on the West side of the street, if I remember correctly. I worked there after school on Fridays and Saturdays as a young teen to earn money to go into nursing. I loved working on the records, cosmetics, jewellery and clothing departments….teenager’s delight. Evelyn Whaley was the assistant manager of the store at that time. She was a sweet, nice lady to all of us kids working there. By the way, she still is sweet and nice.
Woolworths baked that great Banana Roll Cake. Some years later in Kirkland, PQ on the West Island of Montreal , Woolco sold it also for awhile. Haven’t seen it since. It was so delicious.
When I lived in Kirkland, I attended St. Thomas a Becket Church in Pierrefonds. We had Sunday School for the younger kids and would take them into the church for the Our Father and the rest of the Mass. We had a drawing for them to color and told them a gentle, short story about Jesus that went with the drawing. I taught four and five year olds who were a big delight. They were still little toddlers. There was no Pre-K in those days and some of these kids hadn’t even been to kindergarten yet. One Sunday, as I am telling a story, I could see that one little guy who was usually a bit hyper , was just aching for me to stop talking. As soon as I stopped, he pushed out a foot and said, “Look at my new ‘thoeths’. The ‘Eather’ Bunny brought them.” What a little darling. Never forgot him because he was so cute, lisp and all. He’d be an adult man today.
Sometimes I think my sense of humour is too dry. For instance, just before Christmas, I was in a grocery store approaching the checkout counter. I saw a clerk who was helping bag the groceries. She had a reindeer antler thing adorned with little shiny bells on her head. A festive touch for Christmas. I jokingly said to her,” What happened? Did you kiss a reindeer or something?” It seemed to be such a great quip: fitting and fun. The cashier snickered and the lady with the horns and bells looked at me like I had fallen out of a banana tree. She was the one with the horny Christmas decoration on her head, not me. I didn’t even get a smile out of her. Not her fault, though. She didn’t understand my joke. Should keep my corny jokes to myself, I guess. lol
I have heard of spouses being annoyed at their mates spending too much time on the internet, but a cat? Lately, when I am at the keyboard, Tiger comes in and meows and meows. Sometimes it is a meow wail. The first few times he did that, I was alarmed. Maybe he was hurt or something. Seemed ok when I checked him. I looked to see if he had food. Lots there. Litter box was clean. Fifteen minutes earlier, I had brushed him singing ‘Mull of Kintyre’ to him with each stroke ( he loves it ) and played with his white mousey on the string .What was the problem? Gas? Sore tummy?
I laid down on the bed with him. He curled up beside me and promptly went to sleep. Not a peep out of him as I sneaked away back to the keyboard. Now, he will come and roar at me with the loudest meow you ever heard. He just doesn’t like all my attention away from him. Is he spoiled or what? I put a box on the floor near me and sometimes, after his big meow roar, he will lay down in it and just pout with a face that would stop a train if I ignore him. What a big big baby. .and a big big boss as well. Guess I need the Cat Whisperer…for me, of course.
Here he is in a box from his Royale Canin canned food . As you can see, he is bigger than the box. The mouse beside him is from Sharyn’s pantry. He has 6 of them. Spoiled or what?
I made a typo in my last column. I referred to the Corner Restaurant when I was describing their lovely Christmas decorations. It is actually the Family Corner Restaurant at the corner of 9th. and Pitt Streets. My apologies to Henry and his staff, who always decorate for all our special occasions making it fun to eat there. The food and service , by the way, is great, also.
Anyone interested in knitting , crocheting or quilting for a good cause, Hospice and Baldwin House can always use blankets for their patients and clients. Also CHEO asking for little knitted sets for their wee babies for their ‘Guardian Angel’ project to keep the babes warm and toasty. Scarfs, hats and gloves can be donated to our charity centers like the Agape Center or the Salvation Army.
Speaking of blankets, the SPCA always welcomes old blankets if you any to spare for the little animals in their cages. They also are grateful for food, litter, shredded paper and newspapers and, of course, a donation would be nice to help them look after the little animals waiting to be adopted.
Here is a sign I saw on the billboard recently: ‘Don’t get your tinsel in a tangle.’
I have an old book ”Colombo’s Little book of Canadian Proverbs , Graffiti, Limericks and Other vital Matters’, by John Robert Colombo, Hurtig Publishers, Edmonton Alberta 1975. Lots of fun. Here is one that was in a washroom in a tourist home, if I may quote: ‘Please do not throw cigarettes butts into urinal.’ Someone added, ‘ It makes them soggy and hard to light.’ Oh, brother!!
Here’s a joke:
Mom and Dad are celebrating their 50th. wedding anniversary. Their three kids, all successful, agree to a Sunday dinner in their honour.
“Happy Anniversary , Mom and Dad,” gushed son No. 1. “Sorry I am late. I had an emergency at the hospital with a patient. You know how it is. I didn’t have time to get you a gift.”
“Not to worry”, said the father. ” Important thing is that we are all together today.”
Son No. 2 arrived. “You and Mom look great, Dad. I just flew in from LA between dispositions and I didn’t have time to shop for you.”
“It’s nothing,” said the father. ” We are glad you were able to come.”
Just then the daughter arrived. “Hello and Happy anniversary! Sorry but my boss is sending me out of town and I was really busy packing, so I didn’t have time to get you anything.”
“Glad you could make it,” said the father.
After they had finished dessert, the father said, “There is something your mother and I wanted to tell you for a long time. You see, we were really poor, but we managed to send each of you to college. Through the years your mother and I knew we loved each other very much but we just never found the time to get married.”
The three children gasped and said, “What!! You mean we are bastards?”
“Yep”, the father said. “Cheap ones too!”
Have a good week, Dawn
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Yes, if possible please support the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
I remember when the ironing board used to be built into the wall behind a door. It was so handy and there was a place at the bottom of the opening to store the iron and an outlet to plug in the iron. Why does it not exist any longer? A lot of people don’t iron any more. My wife uses this steam thing where she hangs her closes and then steams them. Seems to work well. She still has an iron, but it isn’t used much.
Keep spoiling your pet, it’ll keep you sane.
OSPCA can use the donations as well. We donate when we can. I even donate used PC’s to them, they use them. Of course, I wipe the hard drives first.
And keep the jokes coming Dawn. That’s as good as the one about the parents who couldn’t afford to fly to see their kids at Christmas. So they told each of the kids they were getting a divorce. Of course the kids wanted to stop the divorce so the kids all flew into see their parents. The father said to the wife, well the kids are coming and they’re paying their own way. Of course the parents had no plans to get a divorce.
Thanks Dawn for the good old days write up about Cornwall. Always good to get some great info on the old days. Good memories of the old city. Thanks, Rick, Florida
Hi Dawn: Always enjoy your column because it brings back lots of fun memories of my childhood and the old city of Cornwall. I also enjoy your compassion to help people. Nice to know there are still sincere people out there.
Allan Kingston
Hugger1, Rick and Allan: thanks so much for your comments. It is true – we were so lucky to grow up in Cornwall and have so many fun memories today. A friend remarked yesterday about us skating on the open rinks, even on the cold winter evenings and we froze our ‘noses and our toeses’. Lots of fun.
Important for all women to realize the signs of a heart attack. Most women pass the symptoms off as something else and get to the hospital much later than a man. Maybe we have a higher tolerance for pain, maybe we’re conditioned not to complain…
Penny, Montreal
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Comment policy reminder
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We value all input from our amazing CFN viewers and are always trying to improve the viewer experience which includes making this a safe, informative, and entertaining platform.
If you have any questions please email info@cornwallfreenews.com