Dear Penthouse Forum...

Dear Penthouse forum.

You're never going to guess what happened to me today. It all started when I came home from work after a very long and frustrating day and what did I find my wife doing in the kitchen? Well, she was grilling the biggest and juiciest steak you've ever seen. And, to boot, she had in her hands a great big frosty glass of Keith's all for me.

"This isn't all I have planned for our evening," she said to me as I sat down to eat. She moved behind me and started massaging my neck as I ate my dinner.

When I was done she took me upstairs, stripped me down to my boxers, threw me on the bed and gave me the greatest back rub ever.

"Now it's your turn to do me," she said stripping off her close and lying next to me.

"Not a problem," I replied and I quickly massaged her back and arms.

"Mmmm, that feels great," she moaned, "but you know what's time for?"

"I sure do," I replied.

We both jumped under the covers. She shut off the light and I turned on the TV and we curled up together and watched Grey's Anatomy. I fell asleep not long after.

The end.

In rememberance.

Last week on my way home from work I got caught in traffic caused by the motorcade of one of our fallen soldiers returning home. But don't get me wrong, this is not the type of traffic that upsets me in an angry way.

I still get amazed at how much we Canadians care for our fallen soldiers. Still, after all these years we pile on the overpasses or pull over to the side of the road to show our respect for those who gave their lives in the pursuit of freedom.

Can any other nation say the same? The U.S. say they're patriotic but where's their Highway of Hero's? Are their citizens lining up to pay their respects on the highways? No. In fact President Obama recently did another presidential first but personally paying his respects to fallen American soldiers as they were taken off the plane. I'm sure back in the infancy of the U.S. the founding fathers honoured their soldiers. After all, they died building their "great" nation; I emphasised great as it is a matter of opinion. But in these modern times how are the American Presidents showing their respect?

Back in April I wrote two posts honouring our fallen soldiers: Lest We forget and Lest We Forget Part Two. Today I want to continue the list of our fallen soldiers:

120. Private Alexandre Péloquin, June 8, 2009

121. Corporal Martin Dubé, June 14, 2009

122. Corporal Nicholas Bulger, July 3, 2009

123. Master Corporal Charles-Philippe Michaud, July 4, 2009

124. Corporal Martin Joannette, July 6, 2009

125. Master Corporal Patrice Audet, July 6, 2009

126. Private Sébastien Courcy, July 16, 2009

127. Corporal Christian Bobbitt, August 1, 2009

128. Sapper Matthieu Allard, August 1, 2009

129. Major Yannick Pépin, September 6, 2009

130. Corporal Jean-François Drouin, September 6, 2009

131. Private Patrick Lormand, September 13, 2009

132. Corporal Jonathan Couturier, September 17, 2009

133. Lieutenant Justin Boyes, October 28, 2009

134. Sapper Steven Marshall, October 30, 2009

Good bye Gramma Blackburn

You can tell a lot about a family by taking a good look at the heads of the household. The Blackburn's are definitely a cut above the rest.

I've been going out to Haydon to spend time with Gramma Blackburn and her family for the last seven years, since Shawna and I started dating, and never once was I made to feel like I wasn't part of the family, and I think everyone who has married into this family would agree.

Gramma past away quite suddenly last Friday. It was a shock to everyone because she seemed fine. One of the more prominent stories going around at the viewings were the number of people who commented on how they had just visited her at her home in the last few weeks and how she seemed her normal happy self.

She had lived a long life of 88 years and raised five fantastic children and six equally fantastic grandchildren. All of whom I'm proud to call family. They are a close knit family always getting together for no better reason than to just be together.

I am going to miss going to Gramma's for little visits. I am going to miss how welcome she always made me feel.

Gramma, the world may be a little colder for your passing, but my heart is warmer for just having known you. Thank you for this wonderful legacy you have left behind for which I am proud to be a part of.

Rest in Peace.

"Shut up Daddy."

I would very much love to know who taught my daughter to say shut up.

You know, it's funny, when our children are first born we get so excited when thinking about all the firsts they're going to have. Their first smile, the first time they sit-up on their own, their first steps and, of course, their first words. You just can't wait for the first time they mutter mumma and dadda to you.

As Tim McGraw wrote "Sometimes you're asleep I whisper "I love you!" in the moonlight at your door. As I walk away, I hear you say, "Daddy love you more!". These words always brought a tear to my eye just thinking about my little girl saying them to me.1

And now she says them, along with a lot of other things. She has quite the vocabulary for a two year old. I will admit, it was a little funny the first time she swore. Both my wife and I found it hard not to laugh at times, especially when she uses them in the correct context. But now she's taken to telling us to shut up and we have no idea where she learned it from.

So lets face it. Talking is the "gateway drug" of all the bad behaviours children have. Once they start talking then they can started telling you "no" and, of course, "shut up". They talk back, yell and scream. And then, oh God, it leads to dating. And not just dating anyone, but she's going to bring home the worse kind of guy because she knows you won't approve.

The teenage years I'm absolutely dreading. "I love you Daddy," is going to be replaced with "you're so embarrassing" and "I hate you". My heart breaks just thinking of it.

Well, no matter what little demons our angels grow into, we'll love them to death and eventually they will grow out of it.

They will grow out of it? Right?

1. Lyrics taken from My little Girl by Tim McGraw

Baby Number 2

Well it's been a while since I blogged. I've been quite uninspired to write lately but how could I forget this wonderful news.

Yes, it's true. My wife and I are expecting our second child in February. How exciting it is to know my family is growing.

We're right now in the 'lets figure out names' stage. Shawna has a big list already of names for the new baby. I have a couple. I'm partial on Gabriel if it's a boy. What do you think?

Isabelle knows there's a baby growing in her mommy's tummy but I don't think she's quite sure of what's going on. It won't really make sense until later on in the pregnancy, I think. I wonder how she's going to handle being a big sister. She's already a handful on her own. Will she settle down and help her mommy, or will she get jealous for attention and act out even more? I guess only time will tell.

Blow me away

They fall in line
One at a time
Ready to play
(I can't see them anyway)
No time to lose
We've got to move
Steady your helm
(I am losing sight again)

Fire your guns
It's time to run
Blow me away
(I will stay, in the mess I made)
After the fall
We'll shake it off
Show me the way

Only the strongest will survive
Lead me to heaven, when we die
I am the shadow on the wall
I'll be the one to save us all

There's nothing left
So save your breath
Lying in wait
(Caught inside this tidal wave)
Your cover's blown
No where to go
Holding your fate
(Loaded I will walk alone)

Fire your guns
It's time to run
Blow me away
(I will stay, in the mess I made)
After the fall
We'll shake it off
Show me the way

Only the strongest will survive
Lead me to heaven, when we die
I am the shadow on the wall
I'll be the one to save us all
Wanted it back(Don't fight me now)

-Breaking Benjamin

(Video here)

Remembering D-day

65 years ago thousands of men, many of whom were younger than I am now, set out on the largest invasion ever attempted in human history. It was an enormous gamble and hundreds lost their lives.

The gamble paid off.

But before we can remember the events of D-Day, it's important to remember the events that took place before hand. To remember the Dieppe raid. If not for the lessons learned by that ill-fated raid, the Normandy invasion may not have succeeded the way it did. Many men, most of which were Canadian, lost their lives in Dieppe.

Today, all over the globe, we celebrate the beginning of the end of the second world war. If not for the foothold these brave men made on the France coast the war would have surely continued for many more years, possibly with Nazi victory.

Never forget the cost for our freedom that we so often take for granted. Remember the lives lost, then and now.

Lest We Forget

Lest We Forget Part Two