Michelle Cruise - blog
Hope to see you tomorrow.
I'll be hanging out at Henley Honda (Lake Street, St. Catharines) from 1-5 (Saturday March 13th). Join us for the free barbeque, meet the Niagara Ice Dogs, bring the family and take one of Henley's Hondas out for a test drive. Choose to buy, and you'll get a heckuva deal, I hear.
Plus we'll have some EZ Goodies to giveaway!
See you then.
: )
Where's the Editor?
These are a few headlines that maybe should have been read over before the final print. Enjoy!
Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
Really? Ya think?
Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
Now that's taking things a bit far!
A Canadian former teen-hearthrob dies at 38
Whether you saw him in the mid-80s on The Edison Twins (remember that show!?), or in 1987's The Lost Boys, or even in the recent reality TV show The Two Coreys, chances are you've heard of Corey Haim.
Recognize his picture there?
The 38-year-old, who struggled for years with drugs died overnight at his home in LA. An accidental drug overdose is believed to be the cause.
Check your Crispy-Minis
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency warning us not to consume certain processed foods because they may contain Salmonella.Here's the issue: the foods contain dry powder and paste Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein (HVP). That is what could be contaminated.
And this HVP can be found in a lot of stuff, including...
Quaker Crispy Minis Rice Cakes
Click here for a complete list of products.
A-dancing we will go!
The celebs set to dance in season ten of DWTS have been announced.
Here they are (thanks in part to SmallScreenScoop.com)
1. Pamela Anderson We all know her!
2. Chad Ochocinco - from the Cincinnati Bengals (his football jersey number is 85... he legally changed his name to match!)
3. Aiden Turner - from All My Children.
4. Erin Andrews - ESPN sportscaster.
5. Shannen Doherty - 90210, remember? Lotsa drama.
6. Buzz Aldrin - Astronaut. And the oldest dancer this season (he just turned 80.)
7. Niecy Nash - from Reno 911.
8. Nicole Scherzinger - from the Pussycat Dolls.
9. Evan Lysacek - Olympic Gold Medalist in men's figure skating.
AND...
10. Kate Gosselin - without the 8 (let's hope.)
Dancing with the Stars premieres on March 22 on ABC.
I Believe or J'imagine!
However you say it, Canada believes! Congratulations, athletes... on an Olympic journey we'll all remember.One more olympic weekend...
Just a few more days of Olympic viewing. With the closing ceremonies set for Sunday.Will you be watching this weekend?
(If you'd like to recap our winners so far, check out my last blog, "Medal Mania")
Medal Mania!
A whopping 26 medals for Canada. 14 of them GOLD! The most gold ever won by any country at the Winter Olympics. The world can hear our quiet confidence now! Have a look-see at our happy winners...
Olympic Opening Ceremonies
From music, to illusions to slam poetry, the Opening Ceremonies seemed to have it all Friday, don't you think? Or... what do you think? Send me your feedback on the ceremonies.mcruise@radio.astral.com
I'll post the results.
: )
Garden City Productions
This morning, while letting Jack and Lori know how Sunday's Sixth Annual Walk For Memories (for Alzheimer's Niagara Region) there was one performance I never got around to mentioning.Garden City Productions' The Fantasticks opens March 11th. You can get tickets and more info at gcp.ca.
It was great to see everyone out on Sunday. Thanks for your support.
: )
Hi!
Guess it's time I wrote something from down here in Nassau, Bahamas. Sandals is a fantastic resort! We've had a tremendously exciting week, and you can too.Starting on Monday, listen at 9 2 and 5 for your chance to take the same vacation we're on right now.
It's luxury included: perfect for you and the person you love.
If you'd like to see some shots of this past week, here's a link to our Facebook group.
Talk to you on Monday.
Gift Cards
'Tis the season of gift cards! Some are great (like an EZ Rock Pen Centre gift card), while others, well, may be from a store you've never heard of... that's miles away from where you live.
Wanna trade your gift card for one you'll use? You can.
Here are a couple of websites that allow you to trade and/or sell your unwanted gift cards.
My gift to you over the holidays : )
Safe? Or Unsafe? An Update...
What a difference a day makes.Yesterday the news that one of those Zhu Zhu pets didn't do so well in safety testing. See my last blog for details.
Today, the group that made the claim has issued an apology.
Take a look.
Apparently you can put those Zhu Zhu Pets back on your shopping list.
: )
Losing Haydain Neale
I was one of the lucky ones.One of thousands of people who had the chance to shake hands with Haydain Neale, the soulfully spectacular talent behind Jacksoul. I saw him perform a couple of times: in 2001 (pretty sure it was 2001) at Brock Centre for the Arts; then again in 2006, a special event at the Fallsview Casino.
He had an energy about him - so positive and inviting - his smile only erased, when a moment in a song sent him somewhere serious.
Haydain died on Sunday in Toronto. He was 39.
Happy Being Me!
Happy Being Me is a unique new business offering organic and eco-friendly clothing and products. The brainchild of Happy Being Me is owner, Wendy Matthews. You may have read about her in the local newspaper or attended one of her talks about the challenges of starting a new business and the personal mental health challenges she has faced and conquered.
In a very witty and brilliant move, Wendy has conceptualized a wonderful way to spread the word about the power of positive thinking while giving extra special attention to the environment.
Row Row Row Your Boat...
Two British men will arrive in San Francisco via row boat today. They departed from Japan about 6 months ago.
Mick Dawson and Chris Martin have lived in a cramped 23-foot boat. They'll be the first ever humans to make this northern passage (via row boat) of the Pacific Ocean.
Earlier this week, a special delivery was dropped by helicopter to the rowing duo. They received a care package of high protein foods. Plus, the helicopter pilot hand-delivered two hamburgers, French fries and chocolate milkshakes.
They have a website where you can track their progress.
Pink, Pink and PJs
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.And two very special events were in Niagara to highlight it:
Hope and the City (at Stella's Downtown St. Catharines)
Estee Lauder's Global Illumination (in Niagara Falls)
With two pink-themed events, two evenings in a row, the only drama was trying to come up with enough pink to wear over two days!
Then, came the PJ party! And what a blast that was! To the ladies with whom Lori and I spent the night, thanks for all the laughs, the stories, the chair-dancing, (again) the laughs! To those who provided us with fabulous food, wine, a spa and a spectacular place to stay, special thanks.
Food for thought
A couple of non-traditional ideas for your feast this Thanksgiving weekend.Bed Head
All it takes is a little thing like sleeping in to mess up the entire day!So there I was this morning - sound asleep in my bed - when the phone rang. It was Jack Peets. And it was 5am! I'm usually up and hour and 40 minutes before that, and at work by 4:20. The news goes on the air at 5:30 sharp!
I made it in on-time and, if you were up for that 5:30 news this morning, you may not have noticed as I "winged" my way through it. Other than a few things on which I had to catch up, the morning went smoothly.
But here's the thing: in order to get to work on-time, I had to rush out the door, unshowered, uncoffeed, hair barely brushed, and no time for face cream and make-up.
Don't Forget...
My friend, Teena Kindt, CEO of the Alzheimer Society Niagara Region is hoping you'll be able to take part in a special, international event on Sunday.Details are attached.
Back To School Song
If you missed my little tune for the little tykes headed back to school, here it is...Click.
A "toxic free" back-to-school
Be careful when back-to-school shopping for the kids.
PVC (polyvinyl chloride), also known as vinyl, contains chemicals that can cause a range of adverse health effects, including developmental disorders and damage of the liver, central nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems. (source: environmentaldefence.ca)
Environmental Defence has come out with a new guide to help parents make informed decisions when shopping for school supplies.
A thirsty cat named Bonk...
... caught my eye on YouTube the other day.Hope you have a couple of minutes to sit back, and enjoy.
Moonwalk: not just a Michael Jackson move!
It was 40 years ago today. July 20th 1969. A few lucky astronauts became the first people on the moon.Here's the footage:
My Float's had its Fill!
Sigh! Do we EVER take the simplest, smallest things for granted! My toilet at home, for instance. Never give it a second thought, except on "cleaning day" when I curse the bowl for gathering so many germs!
But the other day, when the "fill valve" and "float" (the bally thingy) broke, my toilet was top of mind!
It's being fixed today, but it's been an annoying two days, to say the least. Turning off the water between flushes. Flushing ONLY when necessary - lots of "letting it mellow!"
I tell myself today that once it's fixed, I'll never take it for granted again. But I know, by tonight, it'll be back to the way it was - treating the toilet as the least fascinating fixture in my home.
Until the next time it's in need of repair.
: )
MJ, Farrah and the OxyClean Guy
This week will be a week of memorials and farewells in Hollywood.
First last week, we lost Ed McMahon (86). Then on Thursday, Farrah Fawcett (62) lost her battle with cancer and Michael Jackson (50) suffered cardiac arrest. He shockingly died soonafter in hospital.
Then just yesterday (Sunday) Billy Mays (50) died. The Oxy Clean Guy reportedly hit his head on a rough jet landing in Tampa Bay. Thought nothing of it. Then complained to his wife that he wasn't feeling well Saturday night. She found him the next day. Sound familiar? Although a cause of death is yet to be determined, it sounds an awful lot like what happened to Natasha Richardson. A few months ago, while skiing in Quebec, she fell, hit her head, thought she was fine, and died within hours.
1... 2... Cha-cha-cha...
There's a chic little jazz restaurant in Crystal Beach that has a fun event tonight (Friday June 19th). It's called Dance With the Stars and some local competitive dancers will be on-hand, "struttin' their stuff!"Learn to Cha-cha, Mambo, Salsa and Swing, or just have fun trying!
There's no extra fee to see or participate with the dancers and, if you're going for dinner, the food there is to die for!
It's right near the end of Ridgeway Road a minute before the beach in Crystal Beach. Called Spangle Grille.
Daddy and His Duct Tape!
If the dad in your family just can't find enough uses for Duct Tape, it may be an idea to bring him here this Father's Day weekend.One Important and Informative website
If you're a "niagaran", this is a website you should have in your favourites.
www.niagararegion.ca
Information and more on everything from public health to the environment and where your regional tax dollars are going.
It's our Niagara! It's our website to check out! Have a look.
The Dreams Have Taken Flight!
300 children in Disney's Magic Kingdom for one day... oh my!It's Passport Crunch Time!
Today's the day (June 1st) US border officials are requiring more than just a birth certificate and driver's licence to enter the States.But...
They're not turning people away. Instead, those who have yet to comply will get a pamphlet with details of the new law.
Border Authorities say that might last through the Summer. Yay! But let this be an official call to action: get that passport or enhanced licence soon! Warnings won't last forever.
Dreams Take Flight
The Dreams Take Flight Website should be all pretty and up to date shortly. It'll tell you all you need to know about the annual magic voyage to DisneyWorld...Sunscreen Lollipops and Rainbows
This week the forecast is calling for 27 and 28 degree high temperatures! Fantastic, right? Well, with those temperatures, are the usual high UV index readings.
That means sunscreen.
And while I was ripping my medicine cabinet apart this morning looking for my daily SPF face cream (which had expired by the way), a thought - rather a question - came to mind:
Why can't EVERY lotion and cream be made with sunscreen in it?
I have pro-retinol cream, pro-age cream, under eye cream, day and night cream, every kind of cream, gel and lotion. But only a few of them have the minimum SPF 15 as an ingredient. And even less have an SPF 30.
Darn it, it's 2009! Can't we have one cream that does it all? Safe for the eye area, reduces the appearance of wrinkles AND protects against sun damage? Isn't sun damage one of the leading causes of those wrinkles?
I'm just throwing it out there - before I head to the drug store to look for a new super-cream.
: )
Oh, and including sun protection in all our hair products would be great too. There's nothing worse than a big ol' sunburn where your hair parts.
Good-bye to my Special Guy
Sunday was Mother's Day and while I could be blogging about how my mother and I had dinner (Dill Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Japanese Veggies...mmm) and watched Mary Tyler Moore episodes on DVD all day, May 10th was also another significant date in my home.
Frederick's 17th birthday. A ripe old age for a kitty.
But sadly, Fred passed away 13 days before his birthday.
On April 27th, when Dr. Chivers and his Veterinary Assisstant made a house call, Fred took his final breaths in my arms.
Slow Down
How often do we wish it were Friday? Or sigh in disbelief that "it's only Wednesday?"Then when the weekend does come, it seems to fly by so quickly - that Monday pays the price.
We've heard it before: take time to stop and smell the roses. It can be extremely hard when we're caught in the regularity of routine.
But think for second. Of the most important memories you have. Weren't they only just a few hours in time? Or minutes? Or only seconds? Yet in your mind... in your heart they are long, played out moments in time of which you're reminded every now and then. When a song plays... first dance. I wonder whatever happened to him. Or a scent catches you... mom's perfume - she used to wear that all the time. There she is, holding my face to kiss me and send me off to school.
Health Care Check-up!
Have you noticed that with each passing year, we seem to become more acquainted with the insides of hospitals and health clinics?
It seems every couple of months is another doctor's appointment - another visit with a specialist.
It can be hard to keep track of where we're going and who's taking care of us. Or our parents.
Introducing www.myhospitalcare.ca .
Niagara Health System VP of Patient Services Frank Demizio says you'll be able to see how your hospital scored in a list of areas from wait times to patient satisfaction.
Knowledge is power, my friend.
: )
A Verdict
Phil Spector has been convicted of second degree murder in a six-year-old case.Prosecutors argued that he had a history of threatening women with guns when they tried to leave his house. And they built their case around his chauffeur who said he heard a shot, then saw Phil holding a gun and heard him say: ``I think I killed somebody.''
Well... the man behind the musical wall of sound... will be surrounded by walls of silence... in prison. Phil Spector has been convicted of second degree murder in the shooting death of Lana Clarkson.
He'll be sentenced at the end of may.
This is his booking shot.
Bo Obama
At last! The newest member of the First Family (in the US).
Meet Bo, the Obama family dog.
Black and fluffy and filled with love.
Here are a couple of examples of what a Portuguese Water Dog looks like.
It's all gourmet meals and massages from now on, Bo!
What's in the cupboard?
Do you find there always seems to be something missing in the cupboard?Whether it's a half cup of flour you need to add to your casserole, or that taco sauce you were sure had been in the fridge for weeks, until you decided it's taco night again, and discovered it was long gone.
It seems I've had to head to the grocery every day for the past eight days! Just for something small - that one missing ingredient for dinner.
Today it's ground chicken. I'm making (chicken) lasagna. So tomorrow I'll probably go back for buns - to make chicken burgers with the leftover meat, of course!
One Great Movie Rental
Having no children, it's rare that I see a Disney movie, let alone rent one.
Sure, I've caught The Little Mermaid and the Lion King on TV when I'm at my friends' homes, their little ones glued to the TV, but the only Disney movie I own is from my own childhood, Lady and the Tramp.
I rented Bolt the other day. Just had to see it after seeing that adorable hamster-in-the-ball in the preview.
I'm glad I rented it. What a lovely little movie!
If you have children, you may have already seen it. But if you're looking for something light to watch, (kids or no kids) to take your mind off what's seemingly a daily dose of depressing news, give it a try.
Beware the April Fool's Bug!
Found an article on CNN.com about what could be the next big computer virus.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/03/31/april.fools.computer.virus/
Let's hope it passes without doing our PCs any harm.
: )
Smart Gardening
If you're interested in working on your green thumb this Spring/Summer, Niagara Region is offering FREE seminars to give you the skills you'll need.The seminars begin this coming week and run until the end of April across Niagara.
Visit www.smartgardening.ca for all the details.
How Do We Keep Up?
Dancing with the Stars is on the A Channel now.Idol changes its scheduled day and time, because of the Presidential Press Conference.
Survivor airs a day before its usual spot and it's just a recap show.
How does one get through the week without a good TV routine?!
At least the news is still on at 6!
Ooh, baby baby!
Octo-mom's been in the news a lot lately.Eight babies, huh?
This pooch isn't impressed!
Spring is in the air!
'Tis that time of year.Birds chirping. Squirrels looking for the nuts they've buried.
And my mother coming for a visit! Can't wait to see her.
Hope your weekend's filled with spring-like activity.
: )
Monday Giggles
Anything for a laugh on a Monday morning. This morning's That's Entertainment had Jack & Lori in stitches... all over Kramer's "cat fight" scene on Seinfeld.Enjoy!
Something Light for a Wednesday
With all the dark and dreary stories in the news lately, here's something that's much lighter.Hope it makes you smile. : )
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z8CWdRaQpw
Congratulations, Spinners!
Over 13 thousand dollars was raised on Saturday (March 7th) in the Sixth Annual Spin for the General.
All of the money will go to much needed equipement in Cardiac Care at the St. Catharines General Hospital.
Thanks to all those who came out to spin, including our "celebrity spinners" Olympic Judo champion Kimbery Ribble-Orr, Head Coach of Brock Women's Basketball, Chris Critelli, Deputy Mayor of Thorold, Ted Luciani and St. Catharines MP, Rick Dykstra.
I'm sure we all felt the burn on Sunday. I know I did!
And thanks to the Club at White Oaks Spin Instructors for donating their time: Louise, Andre, Luis and Michelle. Luis - a little easier on us next time, please!
Daylight Savings Song
It's Time To Spring Ahead!A Fallen Soldier
Thank you to all who took the time to pass on their condolences (through me) to the family of a local hero today.Warrant Officer Dennis Raymond Brown, a Reservist from the Lincoln and Welland Regiment based in St.Catharines and two other soldiers were killed when a massive roadside bomb detonated near their armoured vehicle Tuesday night northwest of Kandahar.
Kind words have been flowing about Dennis Brown, the married father of four. And although I never knew him, many did. It was a privilege to receive so many emails today.
The life of Dennis Brown will be in the spotlight in coming days as he is repatriated and brought home for a funeral - a chance for the rest of us to get to know the man who was described as a good soldier.
Bowlin' Bowlin' Bowlin'
Congratulations to everyone who laced up their bowling shoes on Saturday for the annual Tim Horton's Bowl For Kids' Sake!$146 000 was raised for Big Brothers Big Sisters of St. Catharines and Thorold.
Parkway Lanes was bursting at its seams with bowlers, big and small.
And I scored 105! Five whole points above my goal!
Lady Gaga was recently spotted getting "cozy" with a mystery man in Hollywood -- and now his identity has been revealed. In Touch
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