Tappy needs a new set of lungs

Whether or not you sign an organ donor card, the decision to donate will ultimately fall to your next of kin.  If you sign a card and stick it in your wallet without telling anyone, you might as well not sign it at all.  The most important thing is to talk openly with your family about your wishes and make sure everyone is comfortable and understands the choices you make.

With the FaceBook craze blazing full steam ahead, I thought it would be a good opportunity to help get the word out about organ donation.  So I wrote a little FaceBook applicaton called “Organ Donor Card” that will plug right in to your FaceBook profile just like any of those “super poke” applications.  If you have a FaceBook account you can install the Organ Donor Card here:
http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=4778149859 

Ed

We had a little excitement here in the apartment building Tuesday night. 

Anytime Georgie and I went near the entrance door to our apartment we could smell something burning.  It started getting stronger so we opened the door and looked down the hall only to find the odor much worse and the presence of smoke as well.  Georgie started pounding on apartment doors to see if someone left something burning .

They have been renovating the apartment down the Hall, the one Mike and Ed and their families stayed in when they were up this Summer.  The man next door to us headed straight for there and found the door unlocked.  When he opened it,  smoke started billowing from the apartment .  He got inside and found a fire burning in the closet. 

Georgie called the fire department and they were here in minutes.  They put out the small fire and blew the smoke out of the apartment and halls with a huge fan.   At my Brother Barry’s request  they came in and blew out our apartment as well.  The smoke was gone but the stench left behind was terrible.  We can still smell it.

            They were using one of those big sanders with a vacuum bag attached to do the floors in the apartment.  The sander overheated so the guys operating it put it in the closet and went home. Smart eh?  The dust bag was full of wood dust and old varnish and it wasn’t long before it started smoldering and eventually ignited.. 

    Everyone was looking out for us though, advising the firemen of the
oxygen etc.  and making sure I was out of harm’s way.  All the apartments in this building have balconies so we went out on our balcony until the worst of it cleared.

Other than that life is pretty tranquil here in TO.

We’ve met a lot of good people here in Toronto.  Starting at the hospital, we have met people from all over the country, some of whom will be friends for life.  Our rental agent, property managers and many residents of the building have been really good to us and our family.   Barry’s friends who bought hundreds of his cookbooks (the proceeds of which were given to us) and all those who helped furnish our apartment.  We have so much to be thankful for we really wouldn’t know where to begin. 

            Today another nice thing happened.  I had to find a denturist fast because I needed some work done immediately.  I let my fingers do the walking through the yellow pages and was able to get an appointment this morning.  The denturist gave me the price for several options and said he would do the work right away.  He talked about coming to this country from Finland and the conversation got around to why I was here.  I went for a walk while the repair was being done.  I returned an hour later and the denturist smiled and said “no charge”

            No one will ever say anything bad about Toronto living that I would believe.  We’ve had nothing but positive experiences  here. 

            We had a marvelous visit with Mike and Molloy Carling last weekend.  Like Ed, Molly is waiting for that call that will give her a new lease on life. 

I have had several calls from people asking me how they can get the cookbook “A Bunch of Barry’s Bests”.  (see story - Cooking With Gas June 7th)�
The book costs $20.00.  I have an order of 20 books coming in about 2 weeks.  Anyone wanting one can call me at 902-562-6617.  All of the profit is given to Mom and Dad.  Since there are only 20, I will pass them out on a first come, first serve basis.�
“Happy cooking”…..hmmm, a definite oxymoron in my book! 

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