The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Wednesday September 8, 1999 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER A7 COMMENT S e p te m b e r th e p e r fe c t tim e for reso lu tion s More than New Year's Eve, September is the time for resolutions. So, at the end of a fabulous summer full of great days not doing a whole lot, but sitting out on the deck and watching the wind blow the trees, there are only a few resolutions: 1. Books: Forget those "recom­ mended summer books" I read the most amazing book this summer, An Equal Music, by Vikram Seth and it wasn't on anyone's list at all. What a gem. Where has the fanfare been for a book that has it all - insight into the fascinating world of classical musi­ cians, a great romance, superb writ­ ing.... set in Vienna and Venice and London? Even the cover's great. 2. Canoe tripping: Somehow, we always promise the kids it will be bet­ ter next year. They just don't seem to love the ritual of ortage/camp that we do. Why? A few summers ago we had the canoe trip from hell, complete with raging thunderstorms, a damaged rented stove that blew up, buckets of rain and no outhouse. "I didn't eat for three days," wailed Kate, remember­ ing the egg bagels I had on the menu....every day. Next year, a canoe trip that will be a success. Promise. 3. Less stuff at the cottage: Believe it or not, you don't have to cram in your entire room of clothes to last a few days rolling about the sand and the water at the cottage. It's funny about the summer....back home, you seem to need so much to get through a day. At the cottage, it's so simple. Of course, former cottagers in the area used to make it really simple. At the turn of the century, they had a dif­ ferent view of cottaging. Every cot­ tage had a tiny room built behind the kitchen. What for, we asked this year. "The maid." Oh. 4. A place for wet bathing suits and towels. Okay, I admit it. I sound like my mother. And in the great scheme of things who wants to have a melt­ down just because a few bathing suits are sitting in the middle of the new bathroom floor we paid a million dol­ lars to fix this spring? Well, I am. r * f | DIANE HART \l HP Next summer, everyone will place their bathing suits out on the deck ....or else. 5. Next summer, when I go and watch my kids do their thing in the novice swim meet I will remember two things: a chair and a camera. What kind of mother forgets a chair and a camera? Me. I tend to be the one who forgets the camera, the food, the money, the chair. This summer, I watched through the fence as they both raced on Wedgewood's team. A great meet. But next summer, I'm going to watch...sitting down. 6. Figure out family chores. This summer, the kids decided Harry the dog doesn't like to go for a walk unless he's with a grown-up. Why is that, we asked. He only likes it on roller blades, we were told. That is, when they roller blade. I'm going to get tough next summer....family chores include walking the dog...and that means walking, not running or skating or swimming with the poor thing as he gamely tries to keep up. Harry, the athlete? Not a chance. 7. David Suzuki came up with what I think is a neat idea and my family will probably hate. You know it's a winner, then, don't you? He decided a ban on the car was in order: anything less than 5 kilometres could be easily traveled by foot or bike. More than 5 kilometres, use the car. Sounds good to me. A big groan from the family. 8. Be nicer to the construction workers digging up the neighbour­ hood all summer long beginning at 7 a.m. At one point, I was expecting 16 people for a wedding shower for my sister and a ditch digger was making a massive hole in my front road....but do they need irate residents glaring at them through their front windows? Not at all. Next'year, I promise to be good. 9. Refuse to go to the Gap and watch people laden their arms with $100 sweaters for their three-year-old kids and call it quality parenting time. Tell those clerks to go away: if I want to buy three pairs of socks for $12 ,1 will. But don't ask me five times and think you're doing me a favour. And get rid of the headsets. Tweens may love the place: I hate it. 10. A few odds and ends: Take time to sit on the deck and watch the wind blow through the trees. Get more pic­ tures of the family at the cottage. Try to be more organized. Promise to get my library books back on time. Get a bathing suit that's isn't completely out of date. Use sunscreen. Paint my toe­ nails purple. Meet more friends for lunch. Refuse to work on the week­ ends. Stop at every antique shop on the way to the cottage....and back. H o w to k n o w w h en y o u 're from W ain fleet Once again, by overwhelming unpopular demand, I bring you my only annual column, a tribute to those, great rural hamlets like Kleena Kleene, British Columbia; Lucky Strike, Alberta; Narcisse, Manitoba; Kazabazua, Quebec; Hectanooga, Nova Scotia; Crapaud, Prince Edward Island, and Forget, Saskatchewan. (No, I mean it. It's a town.) Oh yeah, and Wainfleet, Ontario. Here, we're fast approaching the great Marshville Heritage Festival on Labour Day weekend (Saturday 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.; and Monday 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. with a $5 admission). Come to Wainfleet Village and see lit­ tle old ladies in bonnets quilting and cooking over open fires, children weaving baskets for their school lunches and men of muscle forging horseshoes over fires and pulling ploughs in fields. And if you have time left over, drop by the festival. You'll be spotted immediately. Oh yeah, we can spot a Fleeter at 50 paces and an outsider at 25. You just know. Because... You know you're from Wainfleet if you think la vida loca can be con­ trolled with an insecticide. You know you're from Wainfleet if you not only believe there's an Ontario Agriculture Hall of Fame, you've actually been to an induction ceremony. You know you're from Wainfleet if you've ever rented a moving van to go to Port Colborne's large-item garbage day. You know you're from Wainfleet if, over dinner, you use terms like sub- soilers, tasseling, and potash deficien­ cy and your kids know what you're talking about. You know you're from Wainfleet if you cancelled your membership in the Wainfleet Historical Society because they rejected your sesquicentennial slogan: " 150 years of BBQin' drunk." You know you're from Wainfleet if WILLIAM THOMAS All The World's A Circus you use the word "incorporate" or "conceptual" in explaining the blue tarp on your roof. You know you're from Wainfleet if you've refused town council's order to remove all the cars from your yard but you've offered to paint over the numbers. You know you're from Wainfleet if none of your dogs have names but all your trucks do. You know you're from Wainfleet if you brought a video camera to record the family's first meal at the new Swiss Chalet in Port. You know you're from Wainfleet if you called off the genealogy search when it turned up three Black Donnellys. You know you're from Wainfleet if you only wear sweats to go out to din­ ner and you call them your "eatin' pants." You know you're ffom Wainfleet if you make a point of asking your neighbour where his kid is, during Gay Pride Parade weekend in Toronto. You know you're from Wainfleet if you've asked the minister to include turkey suppers in your church atten­ dance record. You know you're from Wainfleet if you offered to operate the beer tent at the Christian Mission Revival Weekend. You know you're from Wainfleet if you've ever attended a funeral where the deceased's last words were: "Hey, watch this!" You know you're from Wainfleet if you wear a badge that says: "We Don't Need No Road Kill Bill." You know you're from Wainfleet if you never use your turn signals, because you assume everybody knows where you're goin'. You know you're from Wainfleet if you're using a gas-driven generator to save on your hydro bill. You know you're from Wainfleet if your brush with fame involved a Denny's Grand Slam Breakfast and Hee-Haw's Junior Samples. You know you're from Wainfleet if your pick-up has a bumper sticker that reads: "I Wanna Die of Bourbon Poisoning in Branson, Missouri." You know you're from Wainfleet if the working title of your memoirs is Between Milkings. You know you're from Wainfleet if you got to know all the volunteer fire­ men personally before you installed your own sprinkler system. And, finally, you know you're from Wainfleet if you've ever tripped over on the garden hose coming back from the beer fridge. EBB-~HaltonSearch.com C la s s i f i e d a d v e r t i s in g n o w o n l in e . T o g e t h e r w e w i l l s h a r e h o p e s , g o a l s a n d a s p i r a t i o n s . ONTARIO ENGUSH Catholic T e a c h e r s ASSOCIATION | Welcome Back to School! T h e h e a r t o f e d u c a t i o n i s t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n s t u d e n t , t e a c h e r a n d p a r e n t . G > O A K V I L L E 8 4 5 -6 6 0 1 C o u n c i l & S t a n d in g C o m m it t e e M e e t in g s Monday, September 13,1999 Planning & Development Council Council Chambers 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 14,1999 Community Services Committee 7:30 p.m. - Oakville Room Administrative Services Comm. 7:30 p.m. - Bronte Room Monday, September 20,1999 Council Meeting Council Chambers 7:30 p.m. Monday, September 27,1999 Planning & Development Council Council Chambers 7:30 p.m. C o u n c i l & C o m m i t t e e T o u c h t o n e P h o n e L in e 8 1 5 -5 9 5 9 R o a d C lo s u re B y - la w 1999-137 C lo s u re o f P a r t o f S in c la ir R o ad a nd 0.3 M e tre R ese rve L y in g S o u th e a s te r ly o f W y e c ro ft R oad TAKE NOTICE THAT: 1. The Council of the Corporation of the Town of Oakville proposes to pass a by-law pursuant to Section 297 of the Municipal Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter M.45, in order to stop up and close for all purposes part of Sinclair Road and 0.3 metre reserve lying southeasterly of Wyecroft Road legally described as: Firstly: Part of Sinclair Road, Registered Plan 949, Town of Oakville, Regional Municipality of Halton, designated as Parts 1 to 6, inclusive, on Plan 20R-13289, being part of PIN 24828-0005; Secondly: All of one foot reserve, Registered Plan 949, Town of Oakville, Regional Municipality of Halton, designated as Parts 7 and 8 on Plan 20R-13289, being all of PIN 24828-0009. 2. Pursuant to Section 300 of the Municipal Art, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter M.45, before passing this by-law, Council or a Committee thereof will hear in person or by his counsel, solicitor or agent, any person who claims that his lands will be prejudicially affected by this by-law, pro­ vided that such person makes application in writing to the undersigned on or before September 15, 1999, at 4:30 p.m. This matter will be heard at the Council meeting of October 4, 1999, commenc­ ing at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Town Hall, 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville. 3. A copy of Plan 20R-13289 is available for inspection at the Office of the Town Clerk at the address shown below, during normal business hours Judith Muncaster, Town Clerk 1225 Trafalgar Road Oakville, Ontario L6J 5A6 1225 TRAFALGAR ROAD • OAKVILLE, ONTARIO • L6J 5A6 COMMENT WILLIAM THOMAS All The World's A Circus Together we will share hopes, goals and aspirations. Catholic | Welcome Back to School! The heart of education is the relationship between student, teacher and parent. OAKVILLE Monday, September 13,1999 Tuesday, September 14,1999 Monday, September 20,1999 Monday, September 27,1999 Road Closure By-law 1999-137 Closure of Part of Sinclair Road and 0.3 Metre Reserve Lying Southeasterly of Wyecroft Road 1225 TRAFALGAR ROAD • OAKVILLE, ONTARIO • L6J 5A6