Coucoumellisms

Hang around my family and I long enough and you may just hear a few strange expressions such as: "Where's the ji-jish?" "You big googoosh!" or even "You little alamus!" Hang around my siblings and I and you might hear a few more, like: "Remember the time we went way up and...?" or "I need to go get my shooliyan." Remnants of phrases or expressions from a language I never learned, growing up. I was 2 and a half when my family moved to Moose Factory Ontario, and I was 18 and a half when I left to get more education. From grade one to grade eight, I was often the only white child (or one of two white children) in my class. The rest were all Cree or a mix of Cree. We had Cree classes, in which we learned some words and phrases, some of which I still remember today, but quite frankly, when you're the only WHITE MAN in your class (worst insult one could come up with back then) and there is a discipline problem in the Cree clas...

Jean-Alexandre drew this:

God is like.. BAYER ASPIRIN He works miracles. God is like... a FORD He's got a better idea. God is like... COKE He's the real thing. God is like... HALLMARK CARDS He cares enough to send His very best. God is like... TIDE He gets the stains out that others leave behind. God is like... GENERAL ELECTRIC He brings good things to life. God is like... SEARS He has everything. God is like... ALKA-SELTZER Try him, you'll like Him God is like... SCOTCH TAPE You can't see him, but you know He's there. God is like... DELTA He's ready when you are. God is like... ALLSTATE You're in good hands with Him. God is like... VO-5 Hair Spray He holds through all kinds of weather. God is like... DIAL SOAP Aren't you glad you have Him? Don't you wish everybody did? God is like... the U.S. POST OFFICE Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet nor ice will keep Him from His appointed destination.

Le père Joseph Baril est arrivé dans les missions du Nord en 1952. Il témoigne aujourd'hui de la vie heureuse et bien remplie qu'il a vécue auprès des autochtones . Il y a des personnes qui gardent un éternel air de jeunesse. Et pourtant, elles n'ont pas subi de chirurgie plastique. C'est comme si le temps n'avait pas de prise sur elles malgré le fait qu'elles vieillissent comme tout le monde. Cette jeunesse semble prendre sa source dans un cœur simple et débordant d'amour. Est-ce à dire que l'amour est comme une sorte de fontaine de Jouvence? C'est ce qu'on serait porté à penser en rencontrant le père Joseph Baril, o.m.i. Le père Baril n'est pas un géant et il porte très bien ses 83 ans. Cet homme est encore alerte et plein d'esprit. Il sillonne encore quatre fois par année le Nord afin de remplacer les missionnaires ou visiter les postes qui n'ont plus de prêtre. En plus de faire tout cela, il vient d'écrire un petit livre qui c...

It is sooo hot and humid here, we are living in our basement and the swimming pool. Except when we have to brave the hot humid air to get to a soccer match or practice. Not much work is getting done around here. I need to kick my sorry @ss and go get some of that painting/organizing done in the familyroom/boys' room. Of course I'm still recovering from all that running around/stress/work I was doing week before last, before the baptism. But I should be recovered by now right? I'm just getting old and it is taking longer to recover. Of course the hot humid weather isn't helping. And Nicolas keeping me up half the night, night before last set me back a bit... But you know, you are getting old when you keep thinking: "Oh how nice it would be to go take a dip in the pool right now." but it's too much trouble to get everyone in swimsuits, spread sunscreen all over all the bodies and get in. It's actually more stress than pleasure for me. Were I al...

Nicolas was baptised last Sunday, along with 3 other babies. I always find it a bit strange to go to these baptisms. With Jean-Alexandre, it was a private baptism. We kind of just reserved the church that day, and my Dad did the whole thing, and I chose the music and everything. With Dominic and Gabriel, it was in Prince George, with DOminic it was right after mass and there was only one other baby and with Gabriel, it was in the middle of mass and he was the only one. So really only Maryssa and Nicolas have had the multiple baptisms/no mass involved/in the province of Quebec baptisms. First of all, you go in, and it's like this big family reunion, nobody seems to have any idea that this is a church and an important religious celebration that deserves some solemnity. Don't get me wrong. I'm not the type to turn and frown because the kids in the next pew are making noise. Heaven forbid! I hate it when people do that to me! But lots of chitchat and noise between th...

Nicolas Raphaël s'est fait baptiser le 9 juillet dernier, à l'âge de sept mois, par son grandpapa Jean-Nil (diacre). Le baptême à eu lieu à l'église de St-Athanase. Le 9 juillet était aussi le jour ou la France affrontait l'Italie lors de la finale de la Coupe du Monde 2006 de la FIFA en Allemagne. (Mauvais planning de leur part, ils aurait dû m'en parler AVANT de choisir cette date) De retour à la maison pour la réception, la moitié du groupe s'est retrouvé en bas pour regarder la fin du match. C'est l'Italie qui l'a emporté. C'était une belle journée chaude et humide. Les grands enfants en ont profité pour se baigner dans la piscine et certains adultes ont joué aux fers sous l'ombre de nos quatre grands saules pleureurs. Nicolas, pour sa part, en a profité pour jouer sur le patio et pour se pratiquer à ramper. Il s'est avancé un tout petit peu, et c'est le lendemain qu'il est parti pour de bon. Dès lors, il faut le survei...

(Pour Dunstan) La France joue contre le Portugal aujourd'hui. Je n'ai rien contre le Portugal bien sur, mais voyez vous, certains de mes (très lointains) ancêtres viennent de la Normandie, alors, evidemment, j'encourage la France aujourd'hui.

We went to some friends' house yesterday to swim in their pool. It suddenly started to rain with thunder and lightening, so we rushed to bring all the towels and everything in the house so they wouldn't get all wet. Once everything was in, I closed the gate to the pool, not seeing anyone in it, and went inside myself. After awhile, my friend wondered where Jean-Alexandre was. I looked around, didn't see him, then saw the door to the bathroom was closed, so I said "Probably in the bathroom." and we didn't think about it until about 5-10 minutes later, when he still hadn't come out. Then I noticed that the door to the bathroom was not actually closed, but slightly ajar, and there was no light in it. So, really curious now, as to where he was, and if he had gone home alone or (horrible thought) had hit his head in the pool and was still in there... I got up, and went outside. I still could not see anyone in the pool, but went closer for a better look. ...

This Sunday July 9, Nicolas will be baptised in St-Athanase church, (I say church and not parish because the parish now consists of three churches united together) at 2:30 Eastern Canadian/U.S. time. (Je ne sais pas quelle heure ce sera en France) So I just want to invite you to be with us spiritually at that time. Oh and before that as well, as I rush to get the baptism outfit sewn, the walls painted, the things put back in place, the reception planned, the kids off to soccer, and whatever else needs to be done. Might I add that healthy meals have not been on the program for awhile now? Hmmm.