Celebrations

Today is a day to celebrate! Today, I completed my goal of producing 52 blog posts in 52 weeks and completing 100 cartoons. Today’s celebration cartoon, seen above, actually numbers 106, so well past the goal in that regard.

Today’s blog post is also part of the celebration and is dedicated to my younger brother, Doug Cheke, who suggested a little over a year ago after reading my memoirs, Reflections, that I should continue to write about my life and my adventures. I liked the idea very much, so set the goal as stated above, and dived right in, first making the new website blog. One coincidence, or serendipitous turn of events, is that it is Doug’s 60th birthday today, so we will look at and celebrate that further along in the blog post. Happy birthday, Brother! 🎂🎈

Taking on the goal as stated above has been such a wonderful adventure for me. I was able to review much of my life and share it with all who have taken time to read and get to know me a bit better, perhaps even themselves, if or when they reflected on what they read.

Denise led the way by being my editor and read every blog post before I uploaded the completed versions. She did catch typos and grammatical errors, but as we moved further into the year, she found less and less to correct since she taught me well with her editing wizardry. Denise always returned the edited versions with a beautiful comment that showed her loving support, which always made me want to write more, if only to please her. As you will have read in many blog posts, Denise also participated by taking a role within them. I remember getting a compliment from someone who said how they appreciated the love and adoration I have for her. They weren’t mistaken about that!

My mom took a special interest right away and somehow, due to her high rank in the family hierarchy, she decided that she should always get a preview on the Friday before each Monday release. She likes to print them out so she can read them at her leisure. She has also made a collection of the printed material in binders, which she proudly treasures. She has said to me on many occasions, “where do you come up with all this stuff? For someone who doesn’t talk very much, you sure have lots to write about.” She says it in a kind way, so I think that she is proud of me. And of course, I am proud of her, as readers will have seen in the many blog posts where I share things about her and her journey leading the way to happy lives for all her boys. Much of who I am, I owe to her because of that!

I know that both of my brothers read all my blog posts. That truly makes me happy because it shows support and love in large measure. Dave, my oldest brother, often makes reference to things I have written about, and often says how interesting it is that we saw things quite differently in various family situations. That makes sense, since he was/is the eldest son, and I am the middle one. Doug texts me often after reading a blog post to share his thoughts and experience which is very nice. Doug said right from the start how nice it was to see me in all my glory, not those words exactly, but to see all the facets that make me who I am, and especially those that were perhaps not so well known. I love my two brothers and could not envision a better fit. Remember – Three Guys Plumbing – yep, that’s us! 😊

My daughter too, reads my blog posts when she can. I never question her or my family and friends if they read my blogs, because that is their business, and I don’t want them to feel any pressure to do so. I know that she reads some because Denise will often come home after spending time with her and tell me that she and Emma had discussed something from a blog post. Emma is very wise in her own way, and she is teaching her children so much of the good stuff that I have shared throughout the year within my blog posts.

My friend Mike also reads the blog posts. He often takes time to leave a comment on the website, so that is a clue. I don’t ask him either, for the same reasons, it being something personal for him, and not something he should feel obliged to do.

I do get the occasional email or comment from someone out there in the world that has come across my blog, but I think they are mostly friends from my TurboCAD days. Still, it is nice to see.

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My family has always been big on celebrations, be it birthdays, Christmas, or some other special occasions. That tradition was initiated by my mom who always thought it was important to do so, even if it was a meager affair due to finances. My brothers and I never suffered in that regard. Mom always gave us presents and cake, without fail, bless her loving soul. As her offspring, we picked up that banner and it is now the tradition of all our families. Family was always important to Mom, and while her brothers were alive, she would have everyone, including them and their families over for a meal so that the bond of family was kept strong. We had many gatherings over the years, and she made every one of them special. Gosh, I remember when everyone smoked and we would gather at Mom’s place, who did not smoke herself. The smoke would be so thick you could almost cut it with a knife. She just took it all in stride and loved every minute of it. Then there was Frank, next down the line in her family hierarchy, who always had a perpetual cup of coffee, and would disappear every so often to fill it with some kind of alcohol. He thought nobody knew, but of course we did. Walter, next after Frank, was the one with the stories and the one who complained about all the jobs he had over the years, at the flour mill, the meat packing plant, and at the brewery. He looked and acted a lot like Archie Bunker. Walter was my godfather and used to like to tell a story about a time when he moved to the city and Mom let him live with her for a while. He was apparently babysitting me one day and fell asleep. I was playing with one of those hammer-the-pegs toys and decided he should wake up, so I whacked him in the head with the hammer. I still laugh at that story! LOL! Their baby brother Ron, my uncle too, was my favorite. I remember having a big crush on his wife, before they were married. Anyway, Ron and I had much in common with both being independent businessmen, but he outshined me greatly in the “making money from it” sense. He was a kind soul and fun to be around. Sadly, all three of Mom’s brother are gone now, and I miss the family gatherings.

Our family birthdays are in clumps. Let me tell you about them, and a short memory of things I like about each of them. We’ll work chronologically.

January 14. Denise, my lovely wife, turned 70 this year. Yes, she robbed the cradle when she met and married me. When I introduced Denise to Mom, Mom was not impressed that a divorced, older woman, was going to lead her vulnerable son astray. She did not realize that she would come to know and love Denise in all her glory. For many years, since Denise’s arrival, I will say at family gatherings before we eat, that we should stop and give praise that DeeDee is in our lives. Mom rolls her eyes, as only she can, but I think she gets how lucky we are. When I think about Denise, I always feel that she epitomizes all that is kind and loving. Her creator must surely look down on her, and say, I am well pleased my sweet child of the universe.

January 14. Adrian, my daughter’s husband, my one and only son-in-law turned 44 this year. When Emma was setting it up for us to have the first visit, the boyfriend “reveal” as it were, she said innocently that he was a bit older. Denise and I guessed, three years, then five years, and then frightfully asked by how much. She said eight years, but he looked young for his age, that he didn’t even have a beer belly. We laughed at such a glowing endorsement. Well, when we finally met him, we were impressed because he looked quite nice, had no tattoos or piercings, and had a full-time job as a machinist, unlike the previous boyfriend who was not someone anyone would want for a son-in-law, sad to say. When I think about Adrian, I think about what a good provider he is for his family. He is always willing to give a hand to Denise and me, and even my mom, should we need something only his young strong body can cope with. We try never to take advantage of that and do pretty good with it.

February 17. Doug, my baby brother, as you know from above, is 60 years old today. He is very young at heart, and I think he could pass for 40 or 45. He seems to be very fit and loves life to the fullest. He says that he works to pay for the next trip, as he and his husband like to explore the world and are doing so while they can. When I think of Doug, I think of what a wonderful guy he is, and how talented when it comes to singing and performing. Doug has always been an entertainer, at least in the immediate family. I used to love when we all lived in Saskatoon and Doug would entertain us singing about Lena the fat ballerina while playing the piano and singing with a Russian accent. Doug also had a radar that sensed when Denise and I had just purchased groceries, as he would invariably show up to our place on grocery day to partake in the treats. Doug lives in Calgary with his husband of many years. They are a great couple, and I love to see them when they visit now and again. I am proud of who Doug is, and how he lives his life.

February 25. Well wouldn’t you know it, that is my birthday, and I will be turning 65 this year. I will FINALLY get my old age pension! I have always been the youngest in my circle of friends and they have teased me over the years about being the baby. It was always in fun and a great laugh. Well, be damned if they’re not all in their 70’s and 80’s now. Old buggers! Nah, nah, I am only 65! 😊

February 28. Mother Lorraine, aka Lou, aka Grey Goose, aka Mrs. C. will be 86 this year. Yes, she had Dave when she was 19, me at 21, and Doug at 26 years old. I have said so much about Mom over the course of the last 52 weeks, so I won’t add more here. I will just say, however, that when I think about Mom, I think what a wonderful example she has been to her family and friends over the years. She is the poster girl for Al-Anon and recovery in general. Way to go girl! Whoo-hoo, as Denise would say!

March 23. We celebrated this day for years as Emma’s special day, as it was the day she arrived in our family when we adopted her. She liked the idea of this day, because, like her birthday, we did our best to shower her with gifts and praise. After her first child came, she decided that she no longer wanted to have the celebration, for personal reasons which we respect. The memories of those special day celebrations, however, are still so dear to me. To this day, I treasure that day when we found a bounty in life with her that we could never have imagined.

April 30. Olivia, my first granddaughter will be 11 this April. Who can believe the time has flown so fast, as I remember so well the day she was born. Olivia is most definitely a unique and lovely girl with a fairly quiet demeanor, but when we visit, I can see that she is very smart. She is interested in art and science, animals and ancient Egypt and can surprise everyone with what she knows. She has really started to pick up reading and already loves to do so. It was so wonderful to see her blossom in this regard in the last year or so. Olivia demonstrates her kindness, and gentle manner is so many ways, she perseveres when things are difficult, and I don’t fear for her future! Olivia is like many 10/11-year-olds where she thinks and acts like she is more grown up than she is. 11 going on 20, if you catch my drift. 😊 When I think of Olivia, I think about what a sensitive, creative and precious joy she is in our lives!

July 6. Madelyn, my second granddaughter, will be 8 this July. Madelyn is very different from her sister; in that she seems to gravitate more to performing. She loves to dress up and show off in her unique way. For a period last year, Madelyn did not like school and was often telling her mom that she couldn’t go because she was sick. Poor thing is only in grade 2, so I think the next 10 years are going to be very long for her! 😊 Maybe that will change, as she is also very smart. Because Olivia and Madelyn have such a great mom, they will both benefit from all that Emma offers to them. When I think of Madelyn, I picture her putting on a performance for Nana and Grandpa, singing “Let it go” at the top of her lungs! When Emma has her third child in May, Madelyn will be the middle child, so that gives her a special place in my heart, as I am a middle child too. Maybe she will let me give her some advice on “managing” the older and younger siblings. LOL!

August 6. Dave, my oldest brother will be 67 this August. He looks good for the old man he is. 😊 Seriously though, Dave is the brother who is closest in age to me, so we spent a lot of time hanging out together while growing up. He was always kind and still is. Dave and I talk regularly on the phone and when we do I want to ask him to move back home to Saskatoon so we can meet for coffee regularly like we did in the past. Dave, like Doug, has been in Calgary longer than they ever lived here in Saskatoon, so I know that the big city is now their home. When I think of Dave, I think what a good friend and brother he has always been. Dave is an honest, hard-working man, who raised two great children of his own. Dave too, has two grandchildren, so we can compare notes when we want to talk about the specialness of that role – grandpa! Gotta love it!

August 12. Emma, my wonderful daughter will be 36 this August. August 12th was also my father’s birthday, so when we discovered Emma’s birthday, it felt like a special connection in some small way. Emma is the best daughter, and I couldn’t imagine a better fit to our world. Emma and I have a special bond because I was the main stay-at-home parent for a stretch of years. That really made for a lovely connection. Emma speaks well of those days, so that makes my heart glow. Emma also has a special bond with Denise, and they spend great amounts of time together, either on the phone or in person. Emma and her family live only 10 minutes away by car, so that makes it nice and easy to spend time together. Although I love all those involved, I just love the times when the grandkids are in school, Adrian is at work, and Denise, Emma, and I go out for coffee or lunch. It is like old times, the gang is back in town, I think. 😊 When I think of Emma, I think about the truly awesome mom she is. Her family is lucky to have her, and so are Denise and I. She makes the world a better place, that is for sure.

Of course, there are many more in our extended family circle, but I will let my brothers extoll their virtues, if I can get them to pick up the pen and get to work on their memoirs, and the like. Hint, hint. 😊 No pressure though.

What do you think about when you are pondering family celebrations and the loved ones in your realm? Let me know in the comments if you like.

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Just so you know, it is my intent to keep writing the blog, but I am not going to stick to weekly. I intend to just post when I am ready, whether it is one or more a week, or less if that is how it turns out. I think I will try to make them a bit shorter, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be any longer ones, it just depends on the subject. The topics will be similar, whether something about my art, one of life’s adventures, or one of the burning questions that come to mind. I hope that you will continue to come along for the ride, or the journey as it is more apply called.

Happy Birthday Doug!!!

Donald B. Cheke – February 17, 2025