Rose DeShaw

SHADOWBOXES OF APRIL

Rose — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:42:53 +0000

I’ve been making shadowboxes in my spare time in place of cards, emails or phone messages. These are cut up greeting cards from friends along with cartoons, paint, beads and feathers of my own. Just lately I’ve started writing Haiku to give some of the boxes a message. At the moment I have friends with various health problems to whom the boxes go. It’s taught me a lot about colour, design and different types of glue. (!) This is my second post on the Apple. Fingers crossed.

LYN McCAULEY’S HANDMADE EARRINGS

Rose — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 19:28:52 +0000

These medieval looking earrings were handmade by Lyn McCauley and are one of a kind, hand cut and shaped out of copper with tiny scroll work inserted that makes them look lit up when I wear them in the light. They are on tiny silver chains and swing nicely to and fro when I hook them into my ears.

Lynn is a distinctive handcrafter and I am so proud to wear these little hearts when I go out. The artist’s eye cannot be denied when you see work like this, something dreamed up inside a head and made come to life in shiny metal.

ARTILLERY PARK POOL -RENOVATION

Rose — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 10:38:27 +0000

April 11, the fourth of a series of updates on this vital city of Kingston facility was held to collaborate again with the public on how it will be revamped and revised during a renovation scheduled to take a year and a half. Opening a sparkling rejuvenated pool is scheduled for January 2014.
Heroes of the evening were Lanie Hurdle, Commissioner of Community Services and Wally Ferris, City Department Director of Recreation & Leisure, Community Services.
Someone hiring personnel at City Hall had the wisdom to seek out and hire these two individuals uniquely suited to guide us through this exasperating renovation which everyone,( certainly they), wish could be finished tomorrow.
Why is the closing of the facility such a devasating blow? Certainly because it is a breaking up of long-established community that will never come back together again in quite the same way. Just as seriously, it forces out not only our Blue Marlins but our Master’s Swim Group, from whose ranks contenders have and will come to compete at provincial, national and even international levels. Having their facility unavailable for perhaps two years is a blow from which both are reeling. Leaders from both groups spoke persuasively of postponing or even curtailing these renovations altogether.
To the credit of both Hurdle and Ferris, their concerns were taken so seriously you would think it was a personal loss to both employees.
There were no handouts, one of the few large errors in what was otherwise a useful presentation that enabled a great many questions to be asked and answered. Unfortunately, most of the audience were in the market for facts, figures and specifics.
Amanda Airov, representing concerns of the aqua fit class pointed out the group numbers at least 40 so the therapy pool that only handles 12 at a time would not be practical for classes, “unless they were held every ten minutes, so another portion of the class could get in and out.” Another questioner referred to it as ‘the wading pool,’ whereupon the architects insisted it was a ‘leisure pool,’ somewhat warmer than the larger tank but after a few more attempts to defend the undefendable, dropped the topic.
As far as figures go: City Councilor Jim Neil successfully lobbied for continuing to grandfather anyone who has to drop their membership during this time, for a cutback on fees to use the outdoor pool at the Memorial Centre, for lower fees than planned (due to the inconvenience) when the facility reopens.
The evenings biggest stumbling block was the still missing place for customers to swim while the renovations take place. Jim Hanley suggested making the memorial centre facility into an all-weather pool with the addition of a few walls. Kaaren Brown pointed out that the scheduled hours there, (11-4) were completely useless to customers needing to continue their 7AM swim time. Linda Breen, Director of Scheduling said that she would work out a more acceptable morning swim time if sufficient numbers warrented it.
Judy Wilson had some succint comments: Cutback of showers from 8 to 6. The architects pointed out they expected us to use those in the Family change room. Only 6 new parking spaces, though a drop off lane will be installed to make parking less congested. Margaret Hughes asked that working with the Staples lot be looked into.
“But how could you even present these plans without giving us a n alternate place to swim?” Judy Wilson and then Gail Langly asked again. “Why hasn’t that been put in place?” That question echoed hollowly throughout the evening but it was apparent from the looks of resignation on the faces of Hurdle and Ferris, that they were on the brink of just such negotiations as the meeting date approached.
Actually, just watching the reactions of these two capable civil servants, I felt more than confident that they have something good in the works that will justify our faith in this renovation working for the best for all converned. But as negotiatons hadn’t yet been concluded, nothing could be said.
They listened, Ferris and Hurdle took copious notes, responded with gentleness and understanding which by far was an approach to win over the hardest heart.
As Lanie Hurdle pointed out towards the end of the meeting:”When it is done, we will have such a great facility. No more bandaids patching up an increasingly aging structure. We will have a pool that will last and last and last.”
It will cost 11 million dollars if there are no overruns. The architects estimate that delaying the renovation could cost at least 5% of that for every month of delay, possibly more.
The meeting ended at 9pm. Tempers were kept, innovative suggestions were broached and a feeling of anticipation of new community wafted over me as I left the dimly-lit and acoustically-challenged room with its great gilt portraits and red plush carpeting.

PAUL CHAPUT – SINGER AS STORYTELLER

Rose — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:14:36 +0000

This Metis singer/songwriter’s 2004 Album Old Lovers is meditative, a reflective piece of the turn-of-the millenium times in which Chaput wrote, his words speak passion, turmoil and crisis while his music reassures, offering strength and resolution. Chaput has an elegant voice that slips easily from one arresting phrase to another, words to charm peace from the trees.
I was particularly engaged with the startling: THE SOUL IS GONE. Melancholic but clear on its question and answer: “Where is the world burying itself today? How big a stone? How small a cross marks the emptiness that stays? The soul is gone..
An example in all its pure beauty, of how music moves to merge with pain, writing of great comfort and wisdom as are many of its companions in this beautifully performed and accompanied album.
It is, you might say, a small selection of personal drops of rain from a life lived widely in all weathers.
It will be instructive to hear, when such a life is granted tranquility, shouldering the burden of routine, what songs come then? Necessary music, born of an age beyond melody and rhyme, yet able here and there to still speak to unaccustomed ears.
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Album:’Old Lovers’ 2004 from Metis Man Publishing, supported by a grant from Canada Council For The Arts. More about Chaput’s music is available online.

MARCH WIND FIERCE

Rose — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 19:22:05 +0000

March wind is roaring around my little corner of the world, fierce and insistant. Weather channel says a big storm is coming. The temperature is dropping rapidly. This blog doesn’t seem to want me to post any pictures on it anymore. But it tells me it has greatly improved my capacity to use the blog. [!} My husband calls from the kitchen asking me to come make my lunch as he is nearly through with his. My ‘Don’t Block The Drive Or We’ll Tow You’ sign has blown far far away. I have a new one but I’ll put it up when things are calmer outside. They aren’t very calm in here either as I wrestle with internet technology. And lose.

WAS FEBRUARY FAST FOR YOU?

Rose — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:56:36 +0000

End of a swift month. Has February gone that rapidly for anyone else? The weeks have flown by and here we are, two days from the end. I’ve got the first two weeks in March equally crammed with events. but things are bound to settle down. Whatta winter! Been watching the NHL draft all day while doing bits of art and then mailing it all over the country. Outside it is sunny with the snow on the melt. None of the students on both sides have engaged in sculpting any of it as they usually do. Seriousness clogging the air. This post was primarily to see if I could still post at all, given the new, ‘helpful’ guidelines.

Michael Kinnie Teaching a Dramatic Writing Workshop 5 Sundays (With some unexpected dramatic payoffs).

Rose — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 15:40:17 +0000

Michael Kinnie

The workshops in St Mary’s Parish Hall on Sunday nights. There are 12 or 13 of us around a rectangle, all ages and backgrounds. Tonight we bring in our blurbs. I have a surprise one. Tell you how that works out after. Everyone has at least one great story in their life that deserves putting down on paper. Some of course have lots more, depending on how dramatic that life has been. Like mine, through no choice of my own. Would I have chosen to have a gentler, quieter existence? Well, we don’t get to choose so that’s answered.
But as for drama – the true story kind, slightly fictionalized so that it may be called Creative Nonfiction, well that’s the kind that goes the distance! Googled teacher Kinnie who is getting his MFA by using this class as a practicum and discovered a fully fledged story in his background that would make a terrific musical. Decided to let him know. Writing it in my head; the scenes, the song suggestions, a tenative script outline. Hard to write something like this about yourself since you’re a little too close for comfort. Still worth trying.
Easier for me, I never lived it. Made Kinnie more knowable to me, less an MFA, more of a beleagured (at times) human being who’s overcome more than a bit to be where he is.

PITCHES/BLURBS FOR MY PUBLISHED SHORT STORIES (Where to find them follows soon)

Rose — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 14:00:41 +0000

BLURBS for my published short stories & novels NOTE – I’ve had to delete several being considered for publication at the moment. Will keep updating this list.
Body of transvestite found in car trunk on Alaskan birding trip leads aboriginal chief of police to arrest ex wife, owner of local diner but bookseller disagrees. Too Dead The Phalarope
Woman frozen to death discovered in unheated rectory in far north by famous mystery writer whose pastor husband rumoured to be having affairs. The Ragtime Kid Checks Out
3 country club members blackmailed by nude shots Bimbos Breaking Up Old Gang Of Mine
Famous children’s novelist turns up alive in 21st century Manhattan bringing chaos, rethinking and weddings to the lives she touches. Louisa May In Spandex (Book) (unpublished at the moment)
Arsonist mother on cottage vacation caught in burning cabin protesting innocence as unidentified body discovered. Too Many Guys Named Bill
When Whitehorse group home is torched and manager’s body found, baglady resident blamed though niece & transvestite roommate doubt she did it Sam McGee Syndrome
Someone is terrorizing apartment house where young woman lives till a cat and two lovers combine to solve the crime on Valentine’s day. (Published online)
Aunt who marries burglar shortly before his arrest, then weds unfaithful organist, chases nine year old around darkened basement with carving knife, cooing sweet nothings as her bad choices overwhelm. When The Furnace Talked
Playing golf with a pompous know-it-all till someone bumps him off. Golf Geezer From Hell.
13 year old encounters the biological trauma of growing up with no information. New Dress
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Newborn/mother hear shots,death of street people. It’s Easy To Get Killed In Seattle. Unpub
No information about sex leads to comic/tragic consequences. Sin of Lipstick Unpub.

PLACE TO BE AT 7AM – THERE’S ONE NEAR YOU!

Rose — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:53:39 +0000

You can also hit the community pool at noon but everyone’s pretty speedy and there isn’t half as much gossip & politics then. The early swim is more leisurely, chatty and a real social network. They’ve been bringing in old greeting cards for me to use for shadowboxes. Right now I’m especially looking for flower cards. So far since November I’ve done 30. Go figure why?
Got some more good Ostomy stories coming once I get a free minute. Stay tuned.

MARK TATULLI’S HEART REAL & BEAUTIFUL COMIC STRIP

Rose — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:21:51 +0000

Definitely brushwork, really like Asian scroll painting, every line perfect and yet Tertulli’s charactes don’t feel like decorations but real flesh and blood New Yorkers with genuine and sometimes bleeding angst. Today’s valentine script had to be shared. Dean in bed with Mad Magazine (and his cat) is a memorable drawing.