Knock on Wood

Often we use the phrase, "Knock on wood" - and proceed to do just that: Knock on a table or a door or whatever wood is handy.

In some circles it is believed that the origin of the phrase and practice comes from the wood of the rosary. Rosaries in the old days were made of oak wood and were fingered in time of distress or trouble. Thus, holding on to, touching or rubbing the wooden rosary or its wooden crucifix when danger was near became a common way for Christians to deal with hardships and difficulties.

The practice slipped into common use as "Knock on wood."

Ten Seconds Can Change the Course of History

It was 95 years ago today that the Titanic sank, and we are more fascinated by her than ever!

Something I found interesting, that shows how life can change in a blink of an eye, is this:

If the iceburg had been spotted 10 seconds earlier, there would have been time to steer the ship clear. If it had been spotted 10 seconds later, there would have been no time to turn the ship and she would have hit the iceburg head-on. This would have caused considerable damage, but she would have stayed afloat so that the passengers could be rescued.

Who says 10 seconds don't make a difference? It really makes you think...

Sandcastles

Check out the result of an interview I did with Wedding Bells magazine!

http://www.weddingbells.ca/articles/article/bwhen-your-main-maid-is-a-manbbrstanding-with-th/

Let's Twist Again, Like We Did Last Summer!

Let's Twist Again was released 45 years ago this month! It was written by Kal Mann and Dave Appell, and released as a single recorded by Chubby Checker, one of the biggest hit singles of 1961 reaching #2 in the UK charts and #8 in the U.S. charts. It refers to the Twist dance craze and his 1960 single "The Twist" a UK and US #1 single. The song received the 1961 Grammy Award for Best Rock 'n Roll Recording.

Jackie Kennedy loved to Twist, and rolled back the carpets when she hosted a party. So did Audrey Hepburn:


Someone else who liked to Twist was a little Canadian girl named Shari who won the Twist contest at Cindy Schneider's brthday party in 1963 -- that's me on the right!
makes me feel old....

I Feel So Sorry for St. Valentine!

Valentine's Day is a day for love and romance. It is also the feast day of St. Valentine, yet many people have no idea who he was.

Archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine. In 496 AD Pope Gelasius marked February 14th as a celebration in honor of his martyrdom.

Valentinus was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius the Goth [Claudius II]. Since he was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome [when helping them was considered a crime], Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner -- until Valentinus made a strategic error: he tried to convert the Emperor -- whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that didn't do it, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate in 269.

One legend says, while awaiting his execution, Valentinus restored the sight of his jailer's blind daughter. Another legend says, on the eve of his death, he penned a farewell note to the jailer's daughter, signing it, "From your Valentine."

St. Margaret of Scotland

Today is the feast day of one of my favourite saints, St. Margaret of Scotland

Margaret was an English princess, born in 1093. She was the daughter of Princess Agatha of Hungary and the Anglo-Saxon Prince Edward Atheling. \She and her mother sailed to Scotland to escape from the king who had conquered their land. King Malcolm of Scotland welcomed them and fell in love with the beautiful princess. Margaret and Malcolm were married before too long.

As Queen, Margaret changed her husband and the country for the better. Malcolm was good, but he and his court were very rough. When he saw how wise his beloved wife was, he listened to her good advice. She softened his temper and led him to practice great virtue. She made the court beautiful and civilized. Soon all the princes had better manners, and the ladies copied her purity and devotion. The king and queen gave wonderful example to everyone by the way they prayed together and fed crowds of poor people with their own hands. They seemed to have only one desire: to make everyone happy and good.

Margaret was a blessing for all the people of Scotland. Before she arrived, there was great ignorance and many bad habits among them. Margaret worked hard to obtain good teachers, to correct the evil practices, and to have new churches built. She loved to make these churches beautiful for God's glory, and she embroidered the priest's vestments herself.

God sent this holy Queen six sons and two daughters. She loved them dearly and raised them well. The youngest boy became St. David. But Margaret had sorrows, too. In her last illness, she learned that both her husband and her son, Edward, had been killed in battle. Yet she prayed: "I thank You, Almighty God, for sending me so great a sorrow to purify me from my sins."

A Fantasy Come True!

Don't get me wrong -- moving is hard work, and I know it! But I also try to always see the good side of everything. Moving is a brand new beginning!

Could that be why so many women over the years (my decorating students, friends and even my own daughter) have often told me they fantasize about moving everything out of their homes and back in again? Just think -- a chance for the new beginning without having to leave the home you love!

Well, it's about to happen. In five days Fred and I will be having new carpet installed. We are replacing every carpeted area in our condo, which leaves only our kitchen and bathrooms untouched. The installers will move some of the furniture themselves, but I must remove all of the smaller pieces (such as dining room chairs). As well, all objects sitting on tables or shelves, or stored in cabinets must be packed up and removed. My custom closet organizer needs to be taken apart, as the master closet floor will also be carpeted, and all of our clothes stored in plastic bags. Early Saturday morning, everything that is now being stacked up indoors will be moved outside our front door.

It's not an easy job, but I'm loving every minute of it! And I'm looking so forward to moving everything back in again, especially as I unpack and reorganize all of our rooms. Just like moving into a new place!! The best part is that the new carpet smell will really make it seem like a new home!

But I have to say, I'm so glad I'm not a packrat!