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TIE TWAIN? PR owt NAP ATC RI RT Er ---------- TE Ie SR TT TT OT EI SOG: 1 RP TE ao STI io LE [A RN nd AR UT <b A it Se A" WS 8 - PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, June 30, 1992 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" "IFIEL WIREPR OTTAGER c. 1991 by CRAIG NICHOLSON - All Rights Reserved Sweet Nothing The idyllic picture of cottage life is lying back by the water with a cool one to while away those hot, hazy afternoons. I'm still trying to find that cottage, although the wife can be coolish at times. At my place, I am barely able to sneak an idle moment alone between hours of work, socializing, and pacifying screaming kids and restless dogs. Something is always broken or about to break, misplaced, mistreated or just plain worn out. I claim that it's me, and despite my ten thumbs (or maybe because of them), I'm on permanent call. The wife has her lists, kids leave a trail behind 'them that would do a hurricane proud, and theres always a neighbor to whom I owe a return favor. Me, I just see things that are crying out for attention each time I lower myself onto my lounger. The guilt can almost make me get up. I'm not exactly complaining, because I do get my fair share of picnics, water skiing, fishing, snorkling and canoeing. But sometimes I dream of doing nothing. Last summer, I declared a "do nothing" weekend. After reassuring the family that I did still love them, and that no, this was not some sort of strike or work to rule, I began my preparations. Doing nothing takes a lot of work. First, there's the organizing of all the apparatus and paraphernalia that are good for nothing. Towel, pillow, tan lotion, sun glasses, book, an assortment of chairs, magazines, cool ones and the means to keep them that way, snacks - all of which had to be near at hand so that doing nothing would not be disturbed by doing anything. Which confronted me with the crucial question of location. Too near, and I would be in the center of the action I was escaping. Too far, and I would have to do too much whenever I needed something. Sun or shade? On the deck or dock? Within voice reach so I could call for service, or out of hearing where no one could call me? The wife, who rated my chances of success as nil, suggested the deep woods. A cool one, that. On my nothing morning, I awoke early to establish my territory and practice doing nothing before there was anyone around that I might be tempted to do anything with or vice versa. Later, I would be in the vacant-eyed mind set that would preclude any interruption. It must have worked too, because when I awoke in my hammock four hours later, no one had bothered me. Although I had missed the sunrise, the early birds getting their worms, the glassy stillness of the morning water, breakfast, and being awakened by a dog lick on the lips, I had so far succeeded in doing nothing. But the sun was up and that called for something. It used to be that I could be out in the sun all day and no one cared. Now, if I step into the sunshine for a second, everyone yells numbers at me. The result is that I had an array of tanning bottles and tubes beside me that would do Tammy Faye Baker proud. Start with this pre-conditioner and then go to that conditioner, then use a little of #197 every five minutes, but not on your face because there you need #49 Soft, except for your nose and ears which must be zinc'd. Also, use a lotion here, a cream there and oil wherever else. What they don't say is that after all this application, I was so slippery I kept sliding off the - chaise lounge and dropping my beer. So I moved to my hammock in the shade. After five trips to move all my do-nothing stuff except the tanning gunk. And after hosing off the grease from the body, book and bottle. '1 settled in with a great contented sigh, And promptly became the main meal for a pair of horse flies or deer flies or whatever - I 1 never saw them around any animal, only fe. If there is a sure fire anti-fly technique other than capitulation and retreat "indoors, I have never found it. I tried twitching and shaking, freezing and swating, watching and ignoring. I tried a continual low grade trembling like .2 on the Richter Scale. I tried water, sand, a branch, and smashing my book on them. All I got was tired, wet, dirty and finally one squashed bug on a page I hadn' read yet. I'ended up under a blanket wearing the wife's bug hat which she generously brought me without any cool comment. Perhaps it was the heat generated under that blanket on the that 85 degree afternoon. Maybe it was not being able to drink, eat or even see that well because of the bug hat. Or maybe it was the sight and sound of everyone else having so much fun, Whatever the reason, I began to fidget. And itch. And squirm. Doing nothing was wearing me out. The plain truth was: I was bored out of my mind. Suddenly those snatched moments of solitude crammed between period of intense activity became very precious. As I trudged back up to the cottage burdened with my do- nothing stuff, I was greeted by exuberant cries of "He's Back!" Let's go water skiing!" Music to my ears. oo ooh SLASSIFIED. ADVERTISING - 12 Noon Monday \ Letters to the editor \L J REAL ESTATE & CLASSIFIED AD DEADLINES for the Port Perry Star and Star Marketplace REAL ESTATE ADVERTISING - 5:00 P.M. Thursdays preceeding next publication. To the Editor: Why has the Bible, The Lords Prayer and religious education been taken out of our public school system? Our own courts have allowed the minorities to take their holy knife to school! About 1 1/2 years ago we signed a statement allowing our son 30 minutes of religious edu- cation each week, this has been cancelled! We are not teaching our kids to love and respect their friends and neighbors! We are becoming the nation of crim- inals under the protection of The Young Offenders Act! I say to you people we are losing our rights and traditions step by step! Ontario's socialist govern- ment has ruled that Bible and religious studies are unconsti- tutional and therefore cannot be allowed to continue! With all honesty I am not against Catho- lic schools or the Catholic relig- ion. Several years ago they started to receive public tax money to operate their educa- tion system and they still have the right to teach their religion during school hours. This is the way it should be and the public school system should have the same right to teach our religion during school hours! Why does Bob Rae call our Christmas season the festival season? We celebrate Christ- mas for the birth of Christ! Why have the religious Christmas songs such as "Joy To The World" and "Holy Night" been discontinued in our school sys- tem, they are allowed to sing "Rudolph, The Red Nosed Rein- deer," "Jingle Bells," and "Frosty The Snowman!" Why should we lose our traditions to groups who do not believe in our school system or our religious beliefs? You know and I know every- thing in Canada, has gone the wrong side up. We put all the blame on one person!! Too bad it's not the right person!! Is all this unconstitutional, if so the constitution isn't worth the paperitis written on! Ontario's socialist N.D.P. government has ruled that Bible studies that had been in place for two years in four pub- lic schools in the Region of York are unconstitutional and there- fore cannot be allowed to contin- ue. The ruling is in spite of the fact that the studies were not sponsored by the schools in- volved, were taking place over the lunch hour, were attended only on a voluntary basis and only by students who had writ- ten consent from their parents. Not. only did this extra curricu- lar program have the approval of all four principals involved, it was supported by the chairman of the board of education. as well.' The N.D.P. Government has justified this ban based on a re- interpretation of the lunch hour as not being free time but being part of the school day and there- fore falling under the jurisdic- tion of the Ministry of Educa- tion. The N.D.P. considers The Port Perry Star Complete coverage of all your Community events. SPORTS + LOCAL NEWS - PHOTOS EDITORIALS - FEATURES + COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENTS - COMPREHENSIVE CLASSIFIED & REAL ESTATE SECTION volunteer attendance at a lunch hour Bible study to be inappro- priate religious indoctrination! A letter in your own words stat- ing your disapproval of the ban of Bible studies in public schools can be sent to: The Min- ister of Education, Mr. Tony Si- lipo, Queen's Park, Toronto, On- tario, M7A 1L2. | Religion missing from schools Is the ban of Bible studies in our public school system the reason why so many parents are sending their kids to the Christian schools for their edu- cation? Sincerely Yours, Ronald L. Colvin, Prince Albert, Ontario. Buildings are a threat To the Editor: A new regional government building in Oshawa and a new educational office in Whitby are a danger to the survival of the homeowners of Durham Re- gion. More importantly, the people making these decisions on our behalf are being given fi- nancial impact studies which are not correct. This makes the motives suspect. One glaring example is the re- gional report which states the present value cost of the new re- gional buildings will be $43 mil- lion. The real cost with interest will be $141 million. A $98 mil- lion discrepancy cannot be ig- nored. Many other errors exist also. What is most important how- ever, is it is not our responsibili- ty to build magnificent new buildings with tax dollars to re- place old commercial areas. At its June 3rd meeting mem- bers of the "Taxpayers Coali- tion" Oshawa chapter voted to request council to postpone plans to build larger headquar- ter buildings in Whitby and Oshawa. The reasons are obvious and urgent: 1. The slow economy and lack of tax funds. 2. The present re-assessment of regionalism by the Ontario Govt. 3. Public dissatisfaction with duplicate municipal adminis- tration and long distance govt. 4. The high cost of the two lev- els of municipal administra- tion. 5. The priority need of a hos- pital and a university and low- cost housing in the public sec- tor. : Doug Wilson, Oshawa. Dominion Day, Canada Day From Page 7 our national days, in use from 1867 to 1982, and beloved by many generations of Canadi- ans. Douglas Fisher said it best when he wrote, "There's an old line; Where there's no past, there's no future. Surely it was first uttered with Canada in mind." (Sun, June 30, 1989) Yours Sincerely, James H. Cotter, Barrie, Ontario Hydro sponsored heating course. The Hon Township Hall. Melvin Woodcock. ae cost for the signs is $3,625. RoseMary Nodwell of Seagrave took part in the Highland Games at Grimsby and won a silver medal in a Bagpipe Solo in a class of over 40 contestants. 25 YEARS AGO Thursday, June 29, 1967 Three local electricians, Wes Lane, Fred Tully and Larry Mabley, were recently presented with diplomas after completing an Oshawa . M. B. Dymond officially opened the addition to Scugog A record crowd attended the Benefit Dance for Jack Cook at the Legion Hall. Cash proceeds of $548 were presented to Jack by Mr. Sunnybrae Golf Course has engaged Frank Jess, C.P.G.A. to provide private lessons for golfers. 20 YEARS AGO Wednesday, June 28, 1972 : An old wooden boat, alleged to have been built by Captain John Bowerman, was donated tq the Scugog Shores Museum. Port Perry council will be purchasing new metal street signs. The signs will have white lettering on a blue background and the total More than 5,000 people attended the Port Perry, Home Show held on the weekend at the Port Perry Arena. {.and Darren Frank, .. ... we... 10 YEARS AGO Tuesday, June 29, 1982 Port Perry postmaster Bruce Hull was honored by members of his staff at a special retirement dinner. Mr. Hull worked at the post office for 37 years, 24 of those years as postmaster. Mr. Robert Walker, postmaster at Brooklin Post Office, will take over Mr. Hull's duties commencing July 1. Local teenager Alf Huggins has been recognized as one of 172 young people from across Ontario who were nominated for the Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year Award. The program is co- sponsored by the Ontario Community Newspaper Association and CP Air. Former Greenbank resident Lloyd Lee threw the ceremonial first pitch to mark the official opening of the new baseball facilities at the Greenbank Park. Mr. Lee has kept an active interest in community affairs and made a significant contribution to the new park facilities. A K-40 Club of Port Perry (Kinsmen over 40 years old) has been started. After its first year, Immaculate Conception Catholic School has successfully graduated three local students. The first students to graduate from the new school are Michael Johnson, Marita Kersten FIFI IRE TF IFTF VET RRRIAF FI IP PH