E- Congratulations

Lesley may not be a very consistent blogger.....but I can't fault her much for wanting to spend quality time with the kids rather than writing about it. However she is such a good writer that I encourage her to find the time to write whenever she can. A great example of that is this writing contest she entered last month.

Should the weather turn ugly, you might get started on your entry for the Courier's 12th Annual Fiction Contest. Entries can be on any topic, must be a maximum of 2,500 words and include the sentence, "From Kerrisdale to Cedar Cottage, Shirley's name was on every one's lips: she had been featured in the Courier's 100th Anniversary edition." The first 125 entries are accepted and the deadline is Oct. 23. First prize is $1,000. For more info, go to www.vancourier.com.

At the last minute, Les decided to write a story and enter the contest. With little time and 3 kids to contend with (I was at work for the last 2 days before the deadline), Les somehow managed to not only complete the piece but also beat out some really great competition. Last night someone from the paper called with the news that she won first place and her story will be in the 100th Anniversary edition. The ease with which Les is able to write and tell a good story amazes me. Some times I don't even think she fully appreciates how skilled she is because it's not her style to be that self analytical. Therefore receiving this external recognition of her skills is pretty special and should really be savoured. Congratulations Les, you're great.

I spent the day "riding third" on a BC Ambulance. We had some interesting calls and I learned lots, including how to put in an IV. However, the biggest lesson from today that will stick in my head is....don't get sick in Surrey.....the hospital is a madhouse and you will wait for ever.