Marcelin Cardinal's art

 Marcelin Cardinal is a Canadian artist I only recently discovered. His work is spectacular!

Marcelin (a.k.a. Marcel) Cardinal was born in Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan on April 26, 1920. Marcelin died, in Montréal, on October 25, 2019. 

I haven't been able to find a Wikipedia page or any wikicommons images, so I'm just putting in a couple of screengrabs from his website, with the hope that readers will visit his website to learn more. 

Marcelin Cardinal - official website

Marcelin Cardinal - about page

Why did I set up a website dedicated to the art of Marcelin Cardinal?

Marcelin Cardinal - blog

Marcelin Cardinal - list of exhibitions, including many in New York 

Marcelin Cardinal - on Art Net

Review: Deadly Deception- The Jennifer Pan Story

A Daughter's Deadly Deception: The Jennifer Pan Story by Jeremy Grimaldi
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Rambling
I'd had enough of this book about half way through, but stuck it out. Not so sure it was worth it. Overall, the book could have been 1/3 shorter and told the same story. The order was odd, the last half was misplaced. It was factual at first, but seemed to fall into conjecture. The last 2 minutes of the Acknowledgements told me why, and I wasn't thrilled to have spent my time on it. I like true crime stories but would not read this author again.

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From Barbie to ... brilliant

Great segment on CBC's Cost of Living podcast this week: Mattel's gender-neutral dolls hit Canadian store shelves ahead of global retail expansion.

Meet the Creatable World dolls.

"Marketed as the world's first gender-inclusive doll kit, the six separate dolls each have short hair and a wig as well as a prepubescent body with no overtly sexual characteristics such as breasts or broad shoulders. "The idea actually came from insight from our consumers, both parents and children … we spent a lot of time asking them what they wanted out of doll play," Culmone explained. "What we heard back from children was that they don't want to be told how to play or who a certain toy is for. And from parents we heard an increasing concern about 'gender-izing' of their children's toys... [continue reading on CBC]."                                                                                

Listen to the full Cost of Living podcast episode.

Review: The Billionaire Murders

The Billionaire Murders: The Mysterious Deaths of Barry and Honey Sherman by Kevin Donovan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Interestingly unsatisfying...
A well researched and written book... but oddly unsatisfying. I knew going in that these murders have not yet been solved, but finishing the story felt unfinished. Who did it? And why? I am fascinated by the crime, so I did what the author knew (or hoped) I would do: buy it anyways. Perfect set-up for me to buy book 2 later, which I will probably do.

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Review: Rick Mercer Final Report

Rick Mercer Final Report by Rick Mercer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks Rick.
Definitely worth a listen. A combination of Rick's rants/reports (in context), backstories from the show's making, and the Canadian icon's life. Overall, entertaining and well told. Jann Arden fans will not be disappointed.

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Review: The Missing Millionaire

The Missing Millionaire: The True Story of Ambrose Small and the City Obsessed With Finding Him by Katie Daubs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Love a true Canadian mystery...
In all honesty, the lack of a definitive answer to what happened to Small made it hard to spin a compelling tale, so I would find my mind drifting. The book was well enough written that I stayed with it, and in the end, it was worth the listen. I like that I have added to my knowledge of Canadian mysteries and history. Would probably be even more interesting to Torontonians.

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Review: The Quintland Sisters

The Quintland Sisters: A Novel by Shelley Wood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A brilliant approach to this story
As a Canadian, I have long known about the Dionne quintuplets, and have thought it a sad and disturbing story. In recent years I have heard bit of news about the surviving sisters and their difficulties later in life. So, I wanted to read an account, to understand more. I was initially hesitant about a fictional account but Shelley Wood has done the story justice ~ and it really works. The history of what actually happened has been woven into the fictional story of a young nurse who was with the girls from birth to girlhood. It's rather clever, and a great listen.

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Review: Resilience - Navigating Life, Loss, and the Road to Success

Resilience: Navigating Life, Loss, and the Road to Success by Lisa Lisson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was not what I expected, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I am drawn to stories of people recovering from tragedies, but a mom with kids dealing with the 'loss' of her husband isn't one that I relate to. I suppose it was the parallel story of Lisa's role as a senior executive in Canada that intrigued me. The third aspect of the book ~ Lisa's descriptions of her leadership style and business philosophy ~ was unexpected and, at times, seemed out of place. Yet it makes sense, if she is writing a book about her journey, that they would be included. Looking back at the title, it does seem to fit. I suppose the chosen audio clip for the preview was so laser focused on the tragedy of her husband's heart attack, that I wasn't expecting the rest. But... still a good read. I wasn't thrilled with the narration; at times the narrator spoke so fast I actually checked to make sure I hadn't inadvertently selected 2x speed.

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Random Reflections during light therapy

Fordyce bathhouse in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
(found on Flickr, by kenlund, click image for more)

Just a few reflections as I start my winter ritual of light therapy....

• Picked that picture above before I realized it was in an American national park, all of which are shut down, due to the budget craziness south of the border (no, I haven't seen the bathhouse, didn't even know it existed, interesting)
• I find myself looking forward to light therapy this year... that's not always been the case, as it has meant the coming of winter (not my favourite season), but this year, I am looking forward to a return of reading. The craziness that was caregiving for a few years left me disconnected from reading, and being totally plugged in online now has made it hard to dig in deeply. I have always been an avid reader, so this has been a disorienting experience. This year, almost a year after my mom has gone into residential care, has me in a place where I can enjoy an old ritual in my life, reading in bed as I wake early for light therapy, to read, read, read...
• 'Our Man in Tehran' offers Canadian response to Argo - I enjoyed this interview on Q yesterday. I read the original account of the work of Ken Taylor and the Canadian government to hide and rescue the 6 American diplomats in Iran in 1979 (entitled, Our Man in Tehran), so it was good to hear more of the 'real' story getting media attention - and good news, there is a documentary coming
• B.C. athlete's Olympic dream hinges on fundraising campaign - was surprised, disappointed and inspired this morning to hear the story of Victoria-born athlete, Matt Margetts, having to turn to the public to get his basic costs covered to get to the Sochi Olympics. What happened to all that great Canadian funding for the 2010 Winter Olympics, and the dreams it inspired? Sigh. Hope he finds a corporate sponsor. In the meantime, you can donate by following the link in the article (I did).
• I am thoroughly enjoying having split my content off to several other blogs - and appreciative of just having this space for moi :)

Pause: in the middle of nowhere

I am pausing here:

I am in a cabin on the point at the front of this picture. Middle Point Lodge is just outside of Tofino in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. And I am sooooo lucky to be here. We have relatives visiting from the UK and they were to borrow the car to visit Tofino, Ucluelet and Long Beach on Vancouver Island - it is about a 5 hour drive from Sidney (near Victoria) - and at the last minute the night before they left, they invited me to join them. I didn't have to think before I said yes! Right now my aunt Dawne and her granddaughter (21) are out exploring Tofino and considering whale watching. And I am tucked into our cabin.

It is pouring sweet BC rainforest rain. Sweet mainly because it is soooo BC, it makes things so green and because I am tucked in inside with no intention of going outdoors anytime soon. I am enjoying this interlude of having the cabin to myself.

A few reflections:

• This is great as while I could afford a room in the lodge here alone, I'd never be able to afford a cottage on my own --- splitting with them makes this moment possible
• I have wanted more spontaneity in my life, so I am happy I seized the moment
• I love the realization that this isn't such a long drive afterall... I think I got so tired of the Malahat when I lived in Victoria in the 80's and travelled the island 7 weeks out of 8 for a year and a half.... it had lost its charm.... now it has its charm back, and the roads are better than they were back then
• I am pretty sure I have not been in this area since I was about 4, or who knows, maybe it was 10, but I was a kid, and we camped as a family right on the beach at Long Beach...
• I shall be back, perhaps without the rain, lol
• I am contemplating the jacuzzi on our deck.... Elsa is interested in going out there with me, but my aunt Dawne thinks we are nuts.... I suspect we will do it at some point
• The lodge here is fantastic... we went up for breakfast (included and free from 8-10) and I stayed there until 2:00, curled up in a great big easy chair, looking out to the ocean, with a fireplace crackling behind me, and drawing... and, I admit, snoozing...
• Having great fun comparing countries and words with my travelling companions
• I am incredibly grateful for myt sister right now, as she happens to be at my mother's place, making it easy for me just to take off
• I love BC
• I need more nature in my life
• I am amused that I forgot my camera, as it means I am more present here (though delighted that Elsa will share her pics with me... and will let me play with her digital SLR camera at some point)
• I have been enjoying talking art with my aunt, as she only took it up 4 years ago (she is a very spry 79), and has been creating wonderful drawings and paintings... she has many tips for me for starting out at this point
• Dawne has lent me her set of graphite pencils for the afternoon, so I want to stop this and get drawing... these are so amazing, I can't wait to find a set for myself

PS - interesting outcome, as we had to cut our stay short by a night when we realized we had messed up dates and if we'd stayed as long as planned my cousin-first-removed would have missed her flight back to the UK. lol. After dropping her at Nanaimo to ferry her way back to YVR, my aunt and I had a messy, rainy drive back down the island on Thursday... but sand between my toes from Long Beach was awesome.

Canada Day in Sidney

Mom decorated for Canada Day ;-)
Friendly mountie and friends down at Sidney harbour.

They have this really crazy event in Sidney on Canada Day: teams spend about 4 hours building boats using only plywood, duct tape, plastic and such. Then they float them. Or try. Lots don't float, but some do. This year's winner was from Denmark. Here are pics of some of the teams carrying their boats away afterwards:

And now for some other memorable - or not so memorable - moments from the day... These girls are sporting cute Canada Day gear:

This little guy was excited and fascinated to be able to look right into a police car. "Hey dad," he said, "this is where they put the bad guys!"

There were a few more pics but blogger ate them, and these were the best.

We actually had a pretty lazy day, got up at noon, and spent most of the day eyeing the grey sky warily.... then got out for a bit.

It was nice to be home in Canada for July 1st this year. Last year I was in Barcelona... it was weird to not see red and white all around me then.

On a related note, it occured to me that I could possibly mirror my Europe trip of last year for 7 months here, now, by spending the next 7 months writing about my trip and sorting my pictures and journals and things I picked up. Would give me a focus on how to tackle all that. I gave myself a taste today by opening up my stuff from Spain, which I haven't seen since getting home. The coolest were my journals. I wrote a lot during the first bit of my trip, so it's great to be able to see my reactions those first few weeks... Anyways, it's an idea. Potentially a good one.

I'm petitioning Expedia to extend new "no fee" policy to Canada

OK, I was patient for a week, but Expedia has still to extend their "no fee" policy to expedia.ca and decided to be the squeeky wheel. Hence I created: Canadians call for Expedia to waive fees on expedia.ca

If you believe that Expedia's Canadian customers deserve the same policies as expedia.com please sign the petition.

Please tell your friends!!!

Update June 5/09: to their crecit, got this reply on Twitter today:
Expedia @citytravelbug We hear you! In fact, Expedia.ca doesn't charge change/cancel fees for air/hotels. Will pass along your other feedback - thx!

Canadian Parliamentary Cats and feral cats in general

I did not know about Canadian Parliament's feral cats until today.... I suppose if I'd ever been to Ottawa, I would have seen them, been curious, and learned more... but, alas, that trip is still a goal.... anyways, very cool story. There's a line in the story that has me itching to make a snide remark, but I am controlling myself.... (think icy hearts)....

I also didn't know much about feral cats period, until I read about a cool family in Spain who provides a home to a little colony (enjoyed several funny cat stories...). This actually adds a lot to my knowledge that will inform my travels through so much of Europe where there are cats everywhere ;-)