Grey-Bruce Boomers Winter2023
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A FREE magazine for adults 50+<br />
WINTER 2023/24 — Volume 10, Issue 4<br />
BUCKET LIST<br />
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COMMUNITY<br />
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TRAVEL<br />
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*Parkbridge Lifestyle Communities Inc. makes no warranty or representation, expressed or implied, concerning the accuracy or<br />
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HHV 11.2023
FROM THE PUBLISHER<br />
Somehow it’s winter again in <strong>Grey</strong>/<strong>Bruce</strong>. Each year the holiday season<br />
seems to creep up on me more quickly.<br />
While I’m well aware winter always comes after fall, I’m always surprised<br />
by the first snowfall (which happened on Halloween this year, a cruel<br />
joke!), leaving me, like many others, scrambling to get snow tires on, finish<br />
raking leaves, put away patio furniture and then think about the long list of<br />
Christmas duties that lie ahead. The cold and snow will come, regardless<br />
of whether or not we are ready, so we might as well enjoy it, check out the<br />
activities at the local arena, hopefully get the snowmobile out, play in the<br />
snow with the grandkids or hunker down with a good book or movie and<br />
wait it out until spring.<br />
CONTENTS<br />
Bikepacking • 4<br />
Prevent falls at home • 10<br />
Saving memories • 14<br />
Bucket List • 20<br />
Cultural celebrations • 26<br />
Recipe • 30<br />
In this issue we have a first-hand account of “bikepacking” the Camino<br />
Frances by May Tettero, who found peace through struggle. We also have<br />
an informative article about keeping your home safe from trips and falls<br />
Kevin McKenzie of Ontario Home Health. Our bucket list feature by Doug<br />
Archer allows us a glimpse into what being a master model ship builder looks<br />
like. Writer and memory keeper Arlen Wiebe writes about the importance<br />
of keeping the past alive and recording the life story of yourself or loved<br />
one. Chandrashekar Tripathi shares an article about cultural diversity in<br />
<strong>Grey</strong>/<strong>Bruce</strong> and how holidays are celebrated in many different ways.<br />
I hope you have a safe and healthy holiday<br />
season surrounded by those you love, and all the<br />
best in 2024!<br />
Amy Irwin, Publisher<br />
<strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Boomers</strong><br />
WINTER 2023/24<br />
Publisher/Ad sales<br />
Amy Irwin<br />
amy@greybruceboomers.com<br />
Magazine Design<br />
Becky Grebenjak<br />
Editorial<br />
amy@greybruceboomers.com<br />
<strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Boomers</strong> welcomes<br />
your feedback.<br />
EMAIL<br />
amy@greybruceboomers.com<br />
PHONE 519-524-0101<br />
MAIL<br />
P.O. Box 287, Ripley, ON N0G 2R0<br />
<strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Boomers</strong> is distributed for free in <strong>Grey</strong> and <strong>Bruce</strong><br />
counties, and is published each March, June, September, and<br />
December. Distribution of this publication does not constitute<br />
endorsement of information, products or services by <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong><br />
<strong>Boomers</strong>, its writers or advertisers. Viewpoints of contributors and<br />
advertisers are not necessarily those of the Publisher. <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong><br />
<strong>Boomers</strong> reserves the right to edit, reject or comment on all material<br />
and advertising contributed. No portion of <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Boomers</strong> may<br />
be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher.
TRAVEL<br />
̔Bikepacking’<br />
the Camino Frances<br />
HOW ONE FINDS PEACE DURING AN ARDUOUS JOURNEY<br />
BY MAY TETTERO<br />
4 • GREYBRUCEBOOMERS.COM
y May Tettero<br />
TRAVEL<br />
I<br />
’ve been climbing for over two hours and it’s<br />
been raining all day. My only companion is the<br />
electronic navigation voice that comes out of my<br />
phone, which is mounted on my handlebars, and<br />
now she tells me to continue on for 550 metres. That<br />
is just over half a kilometre.<br />
Approaching the Pyrenees<br />
Mountain Range.<br />
“I can do that,” I say to myself. My mind is going wild<br />
with fantasies of what could happen after said 550<br />
metres. A change in direction? Arrival at a mountain<br />
village? The top of this mountain? I look up at the<br />
treetops on both sides of my path and think perhaps<br />
I’m seeing some light.<br />
Despite wearing rain gear, my cycling shorts are<br />
soaked and feel like a huge, wet diaper. I’m near<br />
the top of my Subjective Discomfort Rating (SDR),<br />
but the word ‘diaper’ distracts me momentarily and<br />
makes me think of the three children I have raised<br />
into adulthood and my four grandchildren as well.<br />
The youngest grand-daughter, Noora May, is just a<br />
year old and I can’t wait to see her when I get back<br />
because she has learned to walk during the five weeks<br />
I’ve been away.<br />
It must have been half-a-kilometre by now, and sure<br />
enough, the disembodied voice tells me, “Now keep<br />
left, then continue for 1.2 kilometres.” I see I’m at<br />
another switchback and there is no relief in sight.<br />
Just as I think I can’t go much longer, suddenly<br />
I’m entering a hamlet in these French mountains.<br />
Civilization means coffee, and within a minute I see<br />
the longed-for café. Under the awning, a collection<br />
of hikers, or pelerins as they are called here on the<br />
Chemin de Saint Jacques, are seated at a table. Their<br />
packs, adorned with large scallop shells symbolic of<br />
the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, are leaning<br />
against the wall. Red and yellow rain ponchos are<br />
draped on the balustrade and make for a colourful<br />
scene on this dreary day.<br />
Community Volunteer<br />
Income Tax Program<br />
Volunteer with us for our upcoming CVITP<br />
Program at our Walkerton, Chesley,<br />
Kincardine and Port Elgin Branches.<br />
No experience necessary.<br />
Soon I discover that I have arrived just past 2 p.m<br />
WINTER 2023/24 • 5
TRAVEL<br />
by May Tettero<br />
A Medieval village in<br />
France (Conques).<br />
Meseta Central, Spain<br />
and the café is closed for the much-coveted French<br />
siesta that lasts until 4 or 5 p.m. No coffee and no<br />
chance of drying up a bit, so it only makes sense to<br />
push on, but not before eating half a dozen chocolate<br />
digestive cookies from my snack bag.<br />
“Ok baby girl, you may as well continue,” I say<br />
silently to myself and then chuckle that, at almost<br />
60, I’m affectionately calling myself ‘baby girl.’ As<br />
I begin the 12 km descent that will bring me to my<br />
destination, the plus beaux village in France, I do my<br />
safety checks. Is my rear red light on and flashing?<br />
Check. Do I have my phone, wallet and reading<br />
glasses? Check. Is my helmet on my head? Check.<br />
How do my tires respond to braking on the wet<br />
surface? Check. Slowly I let off the brakes and allow<br />
myself to gain speed through the many switchbacks<br />
down the mountain. Up ahead I see the church tower<br />
of Saint-Come-d’Olt and from the corner of my eye<br />
I see an impressive stone building with gardens and<br />
pathways. “That’s a five-star hotel,” I tell myself, and<br />
fly right by, planning to find a bed in a hostel in the<br />
village. Or, finally, that coveted coffee.<br />
The village is deserted, not a single person is out. It’s<br />
still raining hard and I again find a chair under a café<br />
awning to take stock of my options. As I sit there, still<br />
in the same soaked, padded shorts, I look around.<br />
It’s like I’m in a Grimm’s fairytale, or a gingerbread<br />
house village. I’m absolutely awed at the ancient<br />
slate roofs, the medieval stone houses and shuttered<br />
windows.<br />
Million-dollar view from the<br />
Convent of St. Come d’Olt.<br />
I carefully fish my cellphone out of my Goretex<br />
pocket and Google the gites (hostel) in town. There<br />
are two with good reviews and I’m only 80 metres<br />
from one. I grab my bike and begin to walk in the<br />
direction the blue arrow indicates. Where the heck is<br />
this place? I don’t see any signs, there are no people<br />
to ask, and yet I’m so close. After 10 minutes, I find a<br />
narrow alleyway, then a tiny walled off terrace and a<br />
sign. I bring my bike onto the terrace, lean it against<br />
the wall and enter the three-storey stone building. I<br />
6 • GREYBRUCEBOOMERS.COM
y May Tettero<br />
TRAVEL<br />
see shelves of hiking boots and a collection of hiking<br />
poles, and then a friendly young man.<br />
“Desole, pas de place.”<br />
They are full but he suggests to go back in the<br />
direction I entered town and look for Anna’s. I get<br />
back on the bike and slowly retrace my route but am<br />
unable to find the elusive Anna. Suddenly I see the<br />
imposing building with the beautiful grounds again.<br />
“I don’t care if it costs 200 Euros, I need to get out<br />
of these wet clothes and get comfortable,” I think.<br />
I ride up the driveway slowly, admiring the rose<br />
gardens on both sides. I see an arched wooden door,<br />
not the usual grand entrance of a hotel. I knock on<br />
the door and an older woman with a mop of curly<br />
hair and bright green eyes opens the door slightly.<br />
I’m standing there like a muddy, drowned rat and<br />
haltingly manage to utter, “Avez vous… la place… pour<br />
une personne, ce soir?”<br />
“Would English be easier?” she smiles. “Yes, we have<br />
room for you.”<br />
Everything in me relaxes and I smile with gratitude.<br />
I step inside and Elizabeth gently guides me to strip<br />
down and hang up my dirty, wet clothes. She informs<br />
me that I’ve arrived at a convent, Couvent de Malet,<br />
that has been aiding pilgrims for centuries. She is a<br />
volunteer who simply loves being there and helping<br />
out. For 15 Euro, I get my own room, a milliondollar<br />
view and the loving attention of several elderly,<br />
Ursuline nuns.<br />
Pilgrimage is an age-old phenomenon that exists in<br />
all main religions. It is different from long distance<br />
hiking (or biking) in that a pilgrimage has as its goal<br />
‘Share your personal or family story with future generations’<br />
• We record you telling your stories and<br />
transcribe your words<br />
• We suggest writing prompts to help<br />
you recall important memories<br />
• We research your family history<br />
• We write and edit your stories<br />
• We publish a custom-made book or<br />
other creative memory project<br />
__________________________________________<br />
ARLEN WIEBE<br />
Personal Historian<br />
at Your Life Stories<br />
www.your-life-stories.ca<br />
arlen.wiebe.writer@gmail.com<br />
226-668-3352<br />
WINTER 2023/24 • 7
TRAVEL<br />
Arrival at Santiago<br />
de Compostela.<br />
a religiously important place (such as Jerusalem,<br />
Mecca, Varanasi, Lumbini). The third most<br />
important Christian pilgrimage site (after Jerusalem<br />
and Rome) is Santiago de Compostela in Galicia<br />
province, Spain. The various Caminos leading to<br />
Santiago are roads and tracks originating from places<br />
in Europe such as Seville, Paris or Lisbon that have<br />
been travelled since the 9th Century for a variety of<br />
reasons, including as a form of medieval sentencing<br />
for criminals. Nowadays, pilgrims also travel the<br />
Camino to meditate on an important life question,<br />
to get a break from their rushed and stressful lives, or<br />
for athletic reasons. As a lapsed Catholic and in the<br />
wake of losing my last parent and thereby becoming<br />
“orphaned,” the Camino as a long-distance route<br />
called me.<br />
During the many hours of solo cycling up and down<br />
mountains, along canals, and through wheat fields<br />
and vineyards, my mind returned again and again<br />
to my parents. I felt overwhelming regret at having<br />
been such a critical and angry child. I feared they<br />
did not feel sufficiently loved and appreciated by me.<br />
I yearned to let them know what is in my heart now<br />
– so much gratitude. Can I reach them now? Do my<br />
feelings transcend this world? Can they see me as I<br />
ride this Camino to spend time with them, to seek<br />
forgiveness, to commune love, to find peace?<br />
At Cruz de Ferro.<br />
When I rode past the Alto de Perdon, a high hill with<br />
an iconic pilgrimage sculpture, tears flowed. Perdon<br />
– forgiveness. Can I be forgiven? Can I forgive my<br />
parents for uprooting me from my home country,<br />
friends and language when we immigrated to<br />
Canada when I was 13? This is something, I realized,<br />
that still felt painful. I stopped at the highest point<br />
on the Camino where there is an iron cross atop<br />
a five-metre wooden pole, and a small chapel. At<br />
1,490 metres altitude, the Cruz de Ferro is a place that<br />
holds emotional and spiritual significance. Pilgrims<br />
leave notes, photos, rocks or items from home to<br />
communicate with the dead, to lay their emotional<br />
burdens down. I climbed the rocks at the foot of<br />
8 • GREYBRUCEBOOMERS.COM
y May Tettero<br />
the cross, read messages and looked at photos and<br />
laid down three ribbons tied to a rock to symbolize<br />
my mother, father and all other deceased who had<br />
meant so much to me. Then I walked away and got<br />
back on my bike for a glorious, flowing descent.<br />
After 16 days of riding hard, falling twice, getting lost<br />
many times, getting soaked with rain and sweat amid<br />
outbursts of tears, I felt completely healthy in body,<br />
heart and mind. My body felt strong and I had no<br />
physical symptoms left. Gone was the sore knee, back<br />
pain, the headaches and insomnia. I did not need any<br />
medication and was taking no vitamins or supplements.<br />
I felt a deep, whole-body gratitude and ease. I<br />
found peace with the losses in my life and with the<br />
regrets I had been holding on to. I was pleasantly<br />
surprised that, no matter the circumstance, I was<br />
consistently kind to myself without trying. I just was.<br />
I felt vulnerable to the world and held by the world<br />
at the same time. I discovered I’m good with myself,<br />
with my past, and able to welcome what’s next with<br />
a newly open heart.<br />
On June 27, 2023, the 45th anniversary of my<br />
immigration to Canada, I arrived in Santiago de<br />
Compostella – happy, proud, feeling healthy and<br />
strong. Doing hard and scary things is so rewarding.<br />
I now know I can trust myself, that I can do hard<br />
things and that I’m good with myself. I attended<br />
mass at the cathedral that evening, around my neck<br />
a tiny vial of my parents’ ashes and deep peace in<br />
my heart.<br />
May Tettero, MSW, RSW, is a psychotherapist in private<br />
practice in Owen Sound. When she is not hiking the <strong>Bruce</strong><br />
Trail, she’s probably riding her bike in beautiful <strong>Grey</strong> County.<br />
After riding 600 km in The Netherlands, the country of her<br />
birth, May rode the Camino Frances from Le Puy en Velay,<br />
in France, to Finisterre on the Atlantic Ocean, in Spain. The<br />
Camino route totaled 1,750 km with over 27,000 vertical<br />
metres of climbing. She did this trip on her beloved Salsa<br />
Cutthroat bikepacking bike.<br />
WINTER 2023/24 • 9
HEALTH AND WELLNESS<br />
Safety First<br />
TEN TIPS TO PREVENT FALLS IN YOUR HOME<br />
BY KEVIN MCKENZIE<br />
10 • GREYBRUCEBOOMERS.COM
Falls are a significant concern, particularly for seniors and<br />
individuals with mobility issues. In fact, falls are one of the<br />
leading causes of injuries at home.<br />
According to the Health Canada, millions of older adults find<br />
themselves in the emergency room each year due to fall-related<br />
injuries. In this article, we’ll explore 10 essential tips to help you<br />
create a safer home and reduce the risk of falls.<br />
Creating a safer home environment can be done with the right<br />
planning and guidance. Ontario Home Health recommends the<br />
following tips to prevent falls in the home:<br />
WINTER 2023/24 • 11
HEALTH AND WELLNESS<br />
by Kevin McKenzie<br />
Declutter and organize – Start by decluttering<br />
your home. Remove unnecessary items, especially<br />
from high-traffic areas, to minimize tripping hazards.<br />
Ensure that walkways are clear, and there are no<br />
obstacles in your path.<br />
Secure loose carpets and rugs – Loose rugs and<br />
carpets are notorious for causing slips and falls. Use<br />
non-slip rug pads or double-sided tape to keep them<br />
securely in place. Better yet, consider removing them<br />
altogether, especially in high-risk areas.<br />
Install bathroom safety equipment – More<br />
than half of all falls happen in the bathroom.<br />
Consider a shower chair, toilet seat riser, and grab<br />
bars, particularly near the shower and toilet.<br />
Maintain adequate lighting – Proper lighting<br />
is crucial to prevent falls. Ensure that hallways,<br />
staircases, and entryways are well-lit. Consider<br />
motion-activated lighting for added convenience<br />
during the night.<br />
Use ramps for entries and exits – For those<br />
using mobility aids like wheelchairs or walkers,<br />
installing ramps can be transformative. Ramps<br />
provide a seamless transition into your home and<br />
help prevent tripping on uneven surfaces, particularly<br />
at entryways and thresholds.<br />
Install a stairlift – For homes with multiple<br />
floors, stairlifts are an investment in safety and<br />
independence. These motorized chairs glide along<br />
staircases, making it possible for individuals with<br />
mobility issues to move between floors with ease.<br />
They eliminate the worry of navigating stairs,<br />
ensuring peace of mind.<br />
Keep everyday items accessible – Store<br />
frequently used items within easy reach. This<br />
Small changes in your<br />
home can significantly<br />
reduce your chances of<br />
suffering a fall.<br />
12 • GREYBRUCEBOOMERS.COM
y Kevin McKenzie<br />
HEALTH AND WELLNESS<br />
prevents the need to climb on stools or reach high<br />
shelves, reducing the risk of falls.<br />
Consider home medical equipment solutions<br />
– Equipment like walkers, wheelchairs, and bedrails<br />
can enhance day-to-day safety and facilitate tasks<br />
that might otherwise pose a fall risk.<br />
Stay active and maintain strength – Regular<br />
exercise can help improve strength and balance,<br />
reducing the risk of falls. Consider activities like yoga<br />
or Tai Chi, which focus on balance and flexibility.<br />
Regular home safety checks – Periodically<br />
inspect your home for potential hazards. Check for<br />
loose handrails, broken steps, or any other safety<br />
issues. Address these promptly to maintain a safe<br />
living environment.<br />
Preventing falls in your home is not only about<br />
safety but also about maintaining independence and<br />
peace of mind. By following these 10 tips, you can<br />
significantly reduce the risk of accidents and ensure<br />
that your home remains a secure and comfortable<br />
place to live.<br />
Remember, small changes can lead to significant<br />
improvements in safety and overall well-being. So,<br />
prioritize safety, and take proactive steps to create a<br />
safer home for yourself and your loved ones.<br />
Kevin McKenzie is Rehab and Mobility Consultant at Ontario<br />
Home Health. For more information, call 1-800-661-1912,<br />
view the webpage at www.OntarioHomeHealth.ca, or visit<br />
one of their six locations.<br />
March 2024<br />
2023-2024 SEASON NOW ON SALE!<br />
WINTER 2023/24 • 13
COMMUNITY<br />
Saving your<br />
Memories<br />
THE “WHY” AND “HOW” OF SAVING YOUR PRECIOUS<br />
RECOLLECTIONS BY ARLEN WIEBE<br />
14 • GREYBRUCEBOOMERS.COM
y Arlen Wiebe<br />
People have always been captivated by a<br />
compelling story. Since the birth of language,<br />
people from all cultures have been telling stories that<br />
both instruct and entertain.<br />
Long ago, people gathered around a fire at the end of<br />
a long day to hear myths, legends, fables, epic poems,<br />
proverbs, chants, rhymes, and songs. Storytellers<br />
preserved and passed a community’s stories down<br />
the generations.<br />
A big shift occurred when people created written<br />
language to record spoken words. People weren’t<br />
completely dependent on a community storyteller to<br />
preserve the oral stories anymore. With the printing<br />
press, books could be easily mass produced, and<br />
more people learned to read.<br />
Today, another huge shift has occurred. Instead of a<br />
communal experience around a living fire, families<br />
now congregate facing a glowing electronic screen.<br />
The storytelling task seems to be taken over by<br />
filmmakers and television writers.<br />
Why are stories so powerful?<br />
It’s incredibly fortunate that stories are both<br />
instructive and entertaining. While it might be<br />
possible to commit bits of knowledge to memory<br />
if we try hard enough, stories help us engage with<br />
our history, traditions and values much more easily.<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
Stories help us to create order and make sense of our<br />
lives. They help us appreciate how other people think<br />
and feel. Stories use language in a way that is unlike<br />
our everyday way of speaking and writing. Stories<br />
fashion ordinary words and events into extraordinary<br />
dramas.<br />
Should you record your stories?<br />
Yes! Our personal stories can be extremely valuable to<br />
ourselves and our families. We can preserve important<br />
family stories for our children and grandchildren. We<br />
can gain insight into our struggles and choices and<br />
share our wisdom. We can find direction for the rest<br />
of our lives and heal, especially if our lives have been<br />
shaped by pain or tragedy. We can connect names<br />
and stories to old family photos or add details to the<br />
family tree.<br />
Have you ever thought you’d like to know what your<br />
ancestors’ lives were really like, in their own words?<br />
Consider how your own life will be interesting to<br />
your descendants. Even people that don’t know us<br />
may be interested in our stories. Many people enjoy<br />
reading the personal anecdotes, stories and essays<br />
in the “First Person” section of The Globe and Mail.<br />
Maclean’s magazine publishes “My Arrival: The Lives<br />
of New Canadians” on the last page of each issue.<br />
CBC posts personal stories and experiences in its<br />
online “First Person” columns.<br />
This could be you…<br />
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WINTER 2023/24 • 15
COMMUNITY<br />
by Arlen Wiebe<br />
I’ve started writing about my own childhood<br />
experiences and coming to terms with how they have<br />
affected my adult life.<br />
A Canadian boy in California<br />
I could see my boyhood coming to an end when I<br />
was 12 years old. The curious warmth of springtime<br />
in Winnipeg had come back like a long-lost relative<br />
returning from a freezing and miserable journey.<br />
Light green leaves were budding once more on<br />
ancient elm trees as I walked south along Arlington<br />
Street, turned west onto Wolseley Avenue, and<br />
begrudgingly arrived at my weekday destination,<br />
Laura Secord School.<br />
Like all boys of school age should be, I was in a<br />
terrible hurry for the unbearable monotony of<br />
the daily academic ordeal to be done for the year.<br />
I was exhausted from trying to speak and write<br />
in my teacher’s funny foreign language. Pourquoi<br />
apprenais-je le français when my forebears spoke<br />
Plautdietsch, Nederlands, or Russki yazyk and wrote<br />
in Hochdeutsch? Other kids in my class came from<br />
families that spoke even more exotic languages. Why<br />
were we all being forced to learn a language not one<br />
of our families had ever spoken and likely never<br />
would?<br />
And why this inanely prescribed schedule? All this<br />
writing, reading, presenting, doing, and going here<br />
and there at the same time every day. Had the<br />
adults who ran the school given a maniacal villain<br />
permission to set up a labyrinth of torture? Why were<br />
we tested for our ability to remember the random<br />
order of letters in words or how numbers changed<br />
themselves when they met the funny symbols on the<br />
page?<br />
Once the clock on the classroom wall was finally<br />
persuaded to place a short stingy hand on the<br />
number three and its longer hand on six, I fled the<br />
prison and quickly reversed the route I had slowly<br />
walked that morning.<br />
Once at home, I put on a blue jersey, white pants,<br />
and cap and held my baseball glove in my hand.<br />
I finally felt free of all restraints. My mother had<br />
mercifully signed me up for a team through the R.A.<br />
Steen Community Centre, located on the far end of<br />
the field behind my school. We played our games in a<br />
sunken double baseball diamond circled by a gravel<br />
walking and biking path, near Omand’s Creek.<br />
I tried all the baseball positions in the field but I<br />
most enjoyed pitching. Standing high on an elevated<br />
mound. Controlling the start of each play. Deciding<br />
where to place the baseball to the waiting batters.<br />
I always held the baseball with the fastball grip. I<br />
hadn’t been taught how to throw any other kinds of<br />
pitches. Instead of variety, I tried to throw the same<br />
pitch again and again, laser focused on the shifting<br />
strike zone. Sometimes the ball would thread through<br />
that invisible rectangle between the elbows and knees<br />
of the cocky boy poised at home plate. Other times,<br />
it flew out of control, avoiding that rectangle, and<br />
rolling to the chain link fence behind our catcher.<br />
Most of my pitches flew past the boys at the plate.<br />
On the rare occasion when the batter made contact<br />
with the ball, my teammates organized themselves<br />
around the ball, stopped it, and threw it to first base.<br />
Midway through the baseball season, my mother<br />
got an emotional phone call. My absent father<br />
lay dying in a Regina hospital. She and I dropped<br />
everything and immediately drove 600 kilometres<br />
west across Manitoba and Saskatchewan to visit the<br />
man my mother had once given her heart to and<br />
that we barely knew anymore. When we entered<br />
my father’s hospital room, I saw a sickly, shriveled<br />
man in a hospital gown. He could barely sit up in his<br />
bed to greet us. Who was this person? I stood there<br />
stoically, listening to my parents catching up on years<br />
of missed time together.<br />
My father had three brothers. His brother Jake, from<br />
16 • GREYBRUCEBOOMERS.COM
y Arlen Wiebe<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
B.C., came with his wife and two kids to visit in<br />
the hospital. Once his daughter, Shalom, had seen<br />
my father and left the room, she started to sob in<br />
the hallway. I watched her from my dad’s bedside.<br />
Why was she so upset? It wasn’t her father dying, it<br />
was mine. If anyone should be worked up, it should<br />
be me. I looked inside myself to find something<br />
that matched my cousin’s emotion but there was<br />
nothing there.<br />
We returned to Winnipeg and the baseball season<br />
continued. A few weeks later, there was another<br />
difficult phone call. We buried my father beside a<br />
little country church on the Saskatchewan prairie.<br />
Soon after, my mother was very surprised to receive a<br />
large payment from my father’s life insurance policy<br />
that had been kept active. This set the gears in motion<br />
for my mother’s next step. She had always dreamed<br />
of studying to become a pastor and now she had the<br />
money to do it. She wanted to study at a seminary in<br />
California. All that summer, my mother prepared us<br />
to move. I was devastated. I didn’t want to live in a<br />
foreign country without friends or anything familiar.<br />
In late August, my mother and I boarded an airplane<br />
that took us from Winnipeg to Minneapolis, then on<br />
to Los Angeles. We crossed that huge airport to catch<br />
a tiny airplane to take us to Fresno. We moved into<br />
a small apartment on the campus where my mother<br />
would study the Bible and theology.<br />
I would attend school as a light-skinned Canadian<br />
among a sea of black and brown faces. I would<br />
travel to Yosemite National Park, San Francisco, and<br />
Hollywood. I would be forced to adapt to many new<br />
things as I started Grade 7. My Canadian boyhood<br />
had come to an end in California.<br />
Route 1<br />
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WINTER 2023/24 • 17
COMMUNITY<br />
by Arlen Wiebe<br />
to hear you telling your stories with your own voice.<br />
Would you enjoy hearing stories told in the voices of<br />
your ancestors?<br />
Books – A book can be narrative only or it can<br />
feature photos, documents, and other illustrations.<br />
Books can be paperback or hardcover, simple or<br />
elegant.<br />
What all is involved?<br />
Recording your personal stories is a way to connect<br />
generations and preserve memories. Sometimes<br />
called a personal history, it could be a memoir, a<br />
tribute, a life story, a family biography, an oral history,<br />
a legacy letter, or ethical will.<br />
If you work on your own personal history or that of<br />
a loved one, your only cost is your time and expenses.<br />
If you hire a personal historian, the cost will range<br />
in price from a few hundred dollars (audio and/or<br />
transcripts for oral history), to thousand dollars (a life<br />
story with photos), to tens of thousands of dollars<br />
(longer or more complex projects).<br />
What format does personal<br />
history take?<br />
A childhood<br />
photo of<br />
Arlen and<br />
his Mom.<br />
Personal histories can be recorded in many ways.<br />
Here are some areas in which personal historians<br />
may have expertise.<br />
Audio recordings/CDs – Recording your stories<br />
electronically in an audio file or a CD allows your<br />
children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren<br />
Art books, scrapbooks, handmade books –<br />
These are one-of-a-kind products that can include<br />
written stories, photos, drawings, scraps of fabric,<br />
pressed flowers, jewelry, and any other kind of valued<br />
memento.<br />
Photo books, collages, calendars – These<br />
products are mostly photos or drawings combined<br />
with very few written words. You could create a<br />
beautiful photo book, a poster-sized collage, or a<br />
photo calendar with pictures of family members<br />
included on their birthdays, anniversaries, or other<br />
important dates.<br />
Photo videos – You can use photos, home movies,<br />
slides, videotapes, and other memorabilia to create a<br />
memorable video set to music.<br />
DVDs – You can capture a person’s voice, personality,<br />
gestures, and spirit for posterity on video. This<br />
kind of project can be simple or complex, include<br />
individual or group interviews, and range from short<br />
tribute to TV-style biography.<br />
Ethical wills or legacy letters – An ethical<br />
will or legacy letter is a statement of your personal<br />
values, beliefs, life lessons, and a message you want to<br />
convey to your family, friends, and community.<br />
Legacy planning – Legacy planning helps<br />
you preserve your values and heritage for future<br />
generations. Tasks might include taking care of<br />
historical family documents and photos, creating<br />
an archive, preparing material for an obituary, or<br />
memorial service planning.<br />
18 • GREYBRUCEBOOMERS.COM
y Arlen Wiebe<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
Family websites – It’s becoming increasingly<br />
popular for families to create a website to preserve<br />
and share family stories and information. These<br />
sites might include a family tree, genealogy, photos,<br />
letters, stories, videos, and sound files.<br />
Unique products – Some people enjoy being<br />
creative with their precious memories. A special<br />
quilt could be made of valued fabrics or decorations.<br />
Inspiring images and music can lead to a painting,<br />
drawing, mural, collage, memory box or multimedia<br />
presentation. Valued recipes could be collected into<br />
a family cookbook. What else could you imagine?<br />
Tell your story<br />
People now recognize that reminiscence and life<br />
review are important life processes. Working through<br />
our memories to find patterns, meaning, and values<br />
are key to a fully examined life. Many of us think<br />
about interviewing our aging family members but<br />
put it off until later. When we finally find the time, it<br />
may be too late – the loved one could be too frail to<br />
tell their stories, or their memories may have faded.<br />
Worse, they may have already passed away.<br />
If recording your own stories or that of a loved one is<br />
important to you, take the first step today to making<br />
it happen!<br />
Arlen Wiebe is a personal historian, writer, musician, and<br />
teacher living in Owen Sound. He enjoys helping people find<br />
meaning and purpose through writing their life stories, memoirs,<br />
and family history. You can learn more about him at yourlife-stories.ca.<br />
You can contact him by email at arlen.wiebe.<br />
writer@gmail.com or by text/phone at 226-668-3352.<br />
WINTER 2023/24 • 19
THE BUCKET LIST<br />
A MODEL<br />
Mariner<br />
TOM MARCOTTE A MASTER SHIP BUILDER<br />
BY DOUG ARCHER<br />
Tom Marcotte, 88,<br />
goes to great lengths<br />
to research and build<br />
model ships.<br />
20 • GREYBRUCEBOOMERS.COM
At the age of 88, Tom Marcotte spends his<br />
days designing and constructing three-mast<br />
schooners, Royal Navy vessels and even warships.<br />
He has been a master ship builder for decades and<br />
despite his age, the octogenarian has no plans to<br />
turn in his tools.<br />
Of course, it helps that the ships he builds are no<br />
more than three feet long and four feet high.<br />
The Saugeen Shores resident fabricates model ships,<br />
using wood, glue, thread and cloth to craft detailed<br />
miniature replicas of sea-going vessels – and some<br />
rather famous ones at that.<br />
Tom has created small-scale versions of the twin<br />
ships the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, which were<br />
captained by Sir John Franklin on his ill-fated<br />
search for the Northwest Passage. He’s constructed<br />
a bathtub-sized version of the USS Constitution, the<br />
world’s oldest commissioned naval warship still<br />
afloat. He has even built ships of local renown,<br />
fabricating a scale model of the Nemesis, a schooner<br />
built and sailed by Captain John Spence, one of the<br />
men who helped put the town of Southampton on<br />
the map back in the mid-1800s, and another of the<br />
HMS General Hunter, a British ship that battled in<br />
the War of 1812 and now lies beneath the sands of<br />
Southampton’s main beach.<br />
In 1845, Captain Sir John Franklin and a crew of<br />
128 men departed England aboard two ships known<br />
as the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. Their mission –<br />
to find the Northwest Passage, a sea route that would<br />
link the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Tragically,<br />
the expedition was fated to become one of the<br />
worst disasters in the history of polar exploration.<br />
Becoming icebound in Victoria Strait, near what<br />
is today the Canadian territory of Nunavut, the<br />
two ships remained trapped for more than a year<br />
without rescue when the surviving crew members<br />
abandoned the vessels and set out across the ice for<br />
the Canadian mainland. They never made it. The<br />
men disappeared. It would be more than a centuryand-a-half<br />
before search teams finally located the<br />
wrecks of the Erebus and Terror. The locations of the<br />
sunken ships are now protected as National Historic<br />
Sites.<br />
Tom blames his passion for model ship building on<br />
summer camp. When he was seven years old, his<br />
mother worked as a cook at a YMCA camp, and<br />
Tom would spend his summers helping her in the<br />
kitchen by washing dishes.<br />
“After the dishes were done, I would join the other<br />
kids in all the camp activities,” he said, “including<br />
canoeing, taking out the rowboats, and learning how<br />
to sail.”<br />
That started a lifelong love of boats, and Tom<br />
became an accomplished sailor. He took canoe trips<br />
deep into the wilderness of northern Canada and,<br />
for a while, he even became a canoeing instructor.<br />
He also started building tiny ships.<br />
“My then wife and I ran a bed and breakfast for<br />
WINTER 2023/24 • 21
THE BUCKET LIST<br />
by Doug Archer<br />
many years, and the cottages we rented were always<br />
in need of repair,” he said. “So I learned to work<br />
with wood out of necessity. Then, during the long<br />
winters when our cottages were empty and I was<br />
bored, I started carving bits of wood and piecing<br />
them together into miniature ships.”<br />
He has been constructing model boats ever since.<br />
While they may be miniaturized versions of the<br />
actual ships they represent – Tom builds them to a<br />
scale of an eighth-of-an-inch to the foot – crafting<br />
these models is no small undertaking.<br />
“The planning phase alone takes a lot of work and<br />
time,” he explained. “I do a lot of research on my<br />
ships.”<br />
That’s an understatement. Tom haunts libraries<br />
and museum archives for months before starting a<br />
new model, combing through books and articles for<br />
information and photos on the vessel he plans to<br />
construct.<br />
“I spent almost an entire year reading everything I<br />
could find on the Franklin expedition before I began<br />
designing and building the Erebus and the Terror,” he<br />
said. “But the results are worth it. My models are<br />
authentic down to the ladders, cannons and even the<br />
rigging the sailors used to climb through the sails.”<br />
Research done, Tom begins to build. Cloistered in<br />
his basement workshop, he uses knives, planes, drills,<br />
22 • GREYBRUCEBOOMERS.COM
y Doug Archer<br />
THE BUCKET LIST<br />
an assortment of saws and lathes, even a set of dental<br />
tools for delicate work, to shape his ships. The work is<br />
time-consuming – building the USS Constitution alone<br />
took 2,000 hours – but it is a labour of love.<br />
Often called Old Ironsides, the USS Constitution was<br />
one of the first warships of the U.S. Army. The vessel<br />
was over 200 feet long, had over 42,000 square feet<br />
of sails strung on three masts, carried a crew of 450,<br />
and, in her fighting days, was armed with over 50<br />
cannons. Launched in 1797, the ship was sent onto<br />
the high seas to battle marauding pirates on the<br />
Barbary Coast in the Mediterranean. Her greatest<br />
glory, however, came during the War of 1812,<br />
when the ship and her crew defeated four British<br />
frigates during three separate battles. The Constitution<br />
gained the nickname Old Ironsides because enemy<br />
cannonballs were unable to penetrate the ship’s<br />
thick oak hull. Now the oldest U.S. warship still in<br />
commission, the USS Constitution sails the open waters<br />
six or seven times a year, including every 4th of July.<br />
“The most difficult aspects of building my model<br />
ships are crafting the vessels’ steering wheels and<br />
cannons,” Tom said. “Carving out the spokes on the<br />
wheels and the muzzles on each of the cannons is<br />
painstaking work. It usually takes me months!”<br />
Of course, stitching together sails is no easy<br />
undertaking, either. Especially when you don’t know<br />
how to sew.<br />
“When I first tried my hand at it, I asked my then<br />
wife to teach me,” he said. Then, with a smile, he<br />
admitted, “But the answer I got was, ‘I learned how<br />
to sew on my own, you can, too.’”<br />
Now an accomplished seamstress, Tom uses needle<br />
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WINTER 2023/24 • 23
THE BUCKET LIST<br />
and thread – and sometimes an old Singer sewing<br />
machine – to fashion sails, rigging, and rope ladders<br />
for his model ships. He does admit, however, that<br />
despite his sewing prowess, he still accidentally jabs<br />
himself with needles on a regular basis.<br />
“It’s one of the hazards of the job,” he laughed.<br />
Even after decades of building ships, it is still an allconsuming<br />
passion. When Tom is working on a ship,<br />
he becomes so engrossed that he often loses track of<br />
time.<br />
“I’ll be down in my basement workshop and suddenly<br />
realize that I don’t know if it is day or night,” he<br />
admitted. “The hours just fly by and I don’t notice.<br />
It sometimes gets so bad that my partner has to drag<br />
me out of what she calls my dungeon for meals.”<br />
He wouldn’t have it any other way, though. He thrives<br />
on coming up with ideas for model vessels and then<br />
using his hands to make those ideas a reality.<br />
There is no shortage of ideas for Tom, either.<br />
They come from the extensive reading he does on<br />
naval warships and marine merchant ships, and<br />
from documentaries he watches on explorers who<br />
ventured onto the seas to discover different parts of<br />
the world. Or from the fact that he was one of the<br />
volunteers who, with shovel in hand, helped unearth<br />
the HMS Hunter on the Southampton beach some<br />
two decades ago.<br />
A veteran of the War of 1812, the British warship<br />
HMS General Hunter was captured by the Americans<br />
in 1813. Put to work for the U.S. Army, the ship<br />
spent years transporting supplies up and down the<br />
Great Lakes – until a fateful day in August 1816. A<br />
ferocious storm swept across Lake Huron, driving<br />
the vessel ashore just south of the Saugeen River.<br />
The crew escaped, but the ship met its doom. Unable<br />
to be rescued, the Hunter was set afire by the U.S.<br />
Army. The vessel’s remains lay hidden for 185 years,<br />
until April 2001, when timbers from her frame were<br />
found poking through the sand on the Southampton<br />
beach, like whale bones. With the help of countless<br />
volunteers, the ship was exhumed; it was studied<br />
and catalogued by archaeologists; then reburied to<br />
preserve it. Today a plaque on the Southampton<br />
beach marks the final resting place of the ancient<br />
warship.<br />
While innumerable people have offered “big dollars”<br />
to buy Tom’s model ships, he has never been able<br />
to part with one, except for his model of the General<br />
Hunter, which is currently on display in the <strong>Bruce</strong><br />
County Museum & Cultural Centre. As he tells it,<br />
he builds the vessels for pleasure, not reward, and<br />
he wants to hold onto each of his handcrafted ships.<br />
24 • GREYBRUCEBOOMERS.COM
y Doug Archer<br />
“Having this passion keeps me going. Even at my age,<br />
it is still wonderful to get up every day and go to work.<br />
Then seeing the finished product after years of effort,<br />
and being able to say, ‘I built that’, is beyond words.”<br />
Tom said he’ll continue to create his model ships<br />
so long as his hands remain steady. Holding out his<br />
hands he says, “And right now they are steady!”<br />
Doug Archer is a local writer who enjoys celebrating the multifaceted<br />
lives of the 50-plus generation. He is also the author of<br />
three locally set mystery-adventure novels. Learn more at www.<br />
coldcasekids.com or email archer@bmts.com.<br />
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WINTER 2023/24 • 25
COMMUNITY<br />
LOVE, PEACE, AND UNITY<br />
in troubled times<br />
CORE MESSAGES OF CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS ARE UNIVERSAL<br />
BY CHANDRASHEKHAR TRIPATHI<br />
26 • GREYBRUCEBOOMERS.COM
y Chandrashekhar Tripathi<br />
Amidst the ongoing global<br />
turmoil and strife, the<br />
search for messages of love,<br />
peace, and unity becomes<br />
increasingly crucial. This article<br />
explores how diverse winter<br />
festivals celebrated in Canada<br />
offer a beacon of hope during<br />
these challenging times.<br />
Through the lenses of Christmas,<br />
Hanukkah, Eid, Bodhi Day, and<br />
Diwali, we discover that, despite<br />
their cultural and religious<br />
diversity, the core message of<br />
these celebrations is universal –<br />
oneness (vasudhaiv kutumkam<br />
– whole world is one family),<br />
acceptance, and the spread<br />
of goodwill. These festivals<br />
inspire us to transcend chaos,<br />
discover common ground, and<br />
collaborate for a brighter future.<br />
In Canada’s multicultural<br />
landscape, the celebration of<br />
diversity is fundamental to society. Canadians firmly<br />
believe in ‘unity in diversity,’ where individuals from<br />
various ethnic backgrounds coexist harmoniously,<br />
contributing collectively to the nation’s progress.<br />
This inclusive spirit is beautifully demonstrated in<br />
multicultural festivals that introduce people to new<br />
cultures, languages, cuisines, and traditions. For the<br />
past 18 years, these festivals have been a consistent<br />
force in fostering unity and understanding among<br />
communities.<br />
Major local employers like <strong>Bruce</strong> Power play<br />
a significant role in bringing together diverse<br />
populations, significantly transforming communities<br />
like Kincardine and Port Elgin into diverse hubs,<br />
exemplifying the success of multicultural integration.<br />
The festivals celebrated also play a pivotal role<br />
in unifying people, promoting forgiveness, and<br />
spreading the message of love and understanding.<br />
Christmas – One of the most important festivals<br />
of Christians, Christmas is observed on Dec. 25 and<br />
celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is characterized<br />
by exchanging gifts within families and friends and<br />
gifts brought by Santa Claus. Christians wear new<br />
clothes and attend special prayers in the church and<br />
light the candles.<br />
Eid al-Fitr and Eid a-Adha – Often abbreviated<br />
to Eids, these are Islamic holidays. Eid al-Fitr is a<br />
feast-breaking that marks the end of Ramadan, the<br />
month of fasting (austerity for goodness), which is<br />
observed on the 10th day of the last month of the<br />
Islamic lunar calendar. Eid a-Adha is celebrated to<br />
commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his<br />
WINTER 2023/24 • 27
of Lights. It is regarded as the most important Hindu<br />
festival of the lunar calendar and is celebrated with<br />
great excitement across India (Bharat) and by Indians<br />
living abroad. Celebrations continue over a period of<br />
five days, each of which has its own significance. The<br />
days are named as Dhanteras, Narak Chaturdashi,<br />
Lakshmi Puja, Padava and Bhaiya Dooj. Before the<br />
start of the festival, spring cleaning is undertaken to<br />
welcome the goddess Lakshmi (the giver of wealth).<br />
Traditionally, rows of clay lamps filled with oil were<br />
lit, but now candles are used and the celebration<br />
starts with prayers, sweets, songs and fireworks. This<br />
practice symbolizes the vanquishing of ignorance<br />
(darkness) by knowledge (light) and celebrates the<br />
victory of good over evil by driving away the evil<br />
spirit.<br />
son at the behest of God. It is also called the ‘Festival<br />
of Sacrifice’ or ‘Greater Eid.’ The celebrations start<br />
after the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Families<br />
celebrate both Eids by spending time with friends<br />
and relatives, exchanging gifts and attending services<br />
at mosques.<br />
Bodhi Day – In commemoration of the<br />
enlightenment of the Buddha, Bodhi Day is<br />
traditionally celebrated by Buddhists on the eighth<br />
day of the 12th lunar month, so this year it falls<br />
on Dec. 8. It celebrates how Siddhartha Gautama,<br />
who was born in a Hindu family in India, became<br />
the central figure and founder of Buddhism. It<br />
is said Gautama lived a life of extreme discipline<br />
and abstained from indulgences, while continuing<br />
meditation under the Pipal tree until he was able<br />
to find the cause of suffering and how to achieve<br />
liberation from it. Families celebrate this important<br />
moment in their religion by hanging up multicoloured<br />
lights and lighting candles, meditating and<br />
snacking on rice and milk called Khir, which is the<br />
first meal the Buddha ate after his enlightenment.<br />
Diwali – Originating from the Sanskrit word<br />
‘Deepavali,’ Diwali literally means rows (avali) of<br />
lights (deepa), which is popularly known as Festival<br />
There is an exchange of gifts and the distribution<br />
of sweets, which symbolizes the dispelling of the<br />
bitterness of the past and renewal of friendship for<br />
times to come. It also means to drop the regrets of<br />
the past and the worries of the future and to live in<br />
the present.<br />
In Hinduism, Diwali marks the return of Lord<br />
Rama to his kingdom of Ayodhya after defeating the<br />
demon king Ravana, in the epic Ramayana. It also<br />
celebrates the slaying of the demon king Narakasura<br />
by Lord Krishna. Both signify the victory of good<br />
over evil. In Jainism, Diwali marks the attainment of<br />
moksha by Mahavira in 527 BC. In Sikhism, Diwali<br />
commemorates the return of Guru Har Gobind<br />
SinghJi to Amritsar after freeing several kings<br />
imprisoned in by the Emperor, Jahangir.<br />
Diwali is also the day on which Emperor Vikramaditya<br />
ascended the throne, and when many Hindu start<br />
their New Year (Samvat – started 2,080 years ago).<br />
As we embrace the lessons from each festival, we<br />
find inspiration to rise above the turmoil and chaos<br />
that plague our world. The message is crystal clear<br />
– let’s work together for a brighter future, where<br />
love, peace, and service prevail. These festivals serve<br />
28 • GREYBRUCEBOOMERS.COM
y Chandrashekhar Tripathi<br />
as a unifying force, fostering understanding, and<br />
acceptance. By embracing these principles, we can<br />
transcend the strife and create a world where peace,<br />
love, and unity flourish.<br />
I have taken the first step by greeting my neighbours<br />
during their festivals and sharing our traditions with<br />
open doors and warm smiles. I extend an invitation<br />
to you to join us in spreading the message of love,<br />
peace, and service. Together, we can build a more<br />
harmonious and compassionate world.<br />
Chandrashekhar Tripathi, a holder of a PhD in environmental<br />
engineering from the University of Toronto, has recently retired<br />
from <strong>Bruce</strong> Power. Apart from his professional achievements in<br />
the environmental field, he passionately champions principles<br />
of diversity, inclusiveness, and community service. He actively<br />
promotes holistic wellness and the pursuit of life goals through<br />
a balanced lifestyle.<br />
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WINTER 2023/24 • 29
FOOD & DRINK<br />
Cabbage<br />
meatball soup<br />
Preparation Time: 30 minutes<br />
Cooking Time: 55 minutes<br />
Servings: 6<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
1 lb lean ground beef<br />
¼ cup fine dry bread crumbs<br />
1 egg, beaten<br />
¼ milk<br />
2 tbsp onion, finely chopped<br />
3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped<br />
½ tsp each salt, pepper and dry mustard<br />
2 tbsp vegetable oil<br />
6 cups (1 medium head) savoy or green cabbage, finely<br />
chopped<br />
2 onions, sliced<br />
5 cups beef broth<br />
1 can whole tomatoes, undrained<br />
1 tsp dried thyme<br />
Pinch sugar<br />
1 bay leaf<br />
½ cup macaroni, uncooked<br />
Instructions<br />
In large bowl, stir together beef, bread crumbs, egg, milk, onion, 1 tbsp<br />
parsley, salt, pepper and dry mustard. Shape into 1-inch balls. In large<br />
saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat and cook meatballs in batches,<br />
turning, for five to 10 minutes or until browned on all sides. Drain on<br />
paper towels.<br />
In same pan, cook cabbage and onions over medium-low heat for five<br />
minutes, stirring often.<br />
Stir in stock, tomatoes, thyme, sugar and bay leaf. Return meatballs to<br />
pan, bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, adding<br />
macaroni for last 15 minutes.<br />
Serve in heated bowls, garnish with remaining 2 tbsp parsley.<br />
*Recipe courtesy of Foodland Ontario<br />
30 • GREYBRUCEBOOMERS.COM
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