A very good morning to you on this snowy and 11th day of the Ultimate Blog Challenge. I am feeling pretty ‘up’ today. I think the brightness of the snow has something to do with it. Our neighbours must be feeling it, too. We encountered some cheery smiling snow shovellers on our walk in the hood. Of course, there has to be an exception to the crowd. We past a fellow walker who was not only scowling but would not acknowledge our good morning greeting. He looked cold. Maybe he didn’t have his long johns on.

I’ve been focusing on writing these days that I forgot today is Remembrance Day. I had to stop and reflect on it a bit. It brings to mind one of my first Remembrance Day in Canada. The service was held in the Maidstone Theatre. I was chosen to lay down the wreath. If I close my eyes, I can still how it was -walking up slowly and solemnly in my Brownie uniform. I must have gotten igood nstructions from our leader, Brown Owl. And so today, I take a moment, close my eyes and lay the wreath down again in my mind’s eye and bow my head in reverence and remembrance of those brave soldiers.

My uncle, my mother’s elder brother was one of those brave soldiers. He was in the US Air Force. He was a radio operator and was in Africa, the Balkans, Italy and the Rhineland. He did make it home and I got to see him a few times in NYC before he passed away in 2002. He was 79. I hadn’t seen him or my other uncles often but my mother spoke often about her family and how they grew up. I felt as if they’ve always been in my life. I remember one visit to NYC my uncle picking up and holding my hand while in conversation. It was so natural a gesture and so endearing. I was enraptured by the moment. We, Chinese are not a touchy lot. At least I am not. But whenever someone holds my hand in conversation, I a deeply touched. There’s but a few. It’s alot to me. I’m grateful.