Home of DJ and technophile Jonathan Puddle (aka J Puddy)
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Back in Sunny Toronto
116 years ago
by Jonathan Puddle
in Personal
What the hell happened to the winter? This is flippin excellent. I get off the plane in Buffalo expecting to see mounds of snow, but lo! It rains!
Florida was a fun time. The weather was a little cooler than expected, but still plenty warm compared to here. We did a fair share of sightseeing, mostly hitting malls and beaches. Sadly, we have returned un-tanned, but at least well rested.
It was a holiday of firsts and lasts. First Christmas together, first Christmas for me away from my family, first time in Florida… things like that. It was the second or third holiday we’ve spent with Maija’s family, and we’ve decided it may be the last. Hopefully the last MacLeod/Jailos Christmas Florida vacation anyway. For all the good times we had, and all the hospitality shown to us by Maija’s grandparents and parents, the problem lied in what spending a holiday with her family fundamentally ment.
Things like: her granddad insisting we go to every service at the local Finnish church… the services being in Finnish, of course. And taking us half an hour before anyone else arrived, so we could all stand in the doorway and he could introduce us to everyone as they entered. Or… forced devotions and prayer times, people praying in the order her grandfather specified. Forced mealtimes… of all Finnish cuisine which can get a little tiring after a week.
Things like: both of Maija’s parents driving rather scarily… and her mum pointing out every possible landmark to me, as it was my first time. She insisted we get photos of specific things, and a “no thanks” doesn’t suffice. Managing to almost get a word of something in every available minute of the day (NOT joking). It was so much that I had to leave one night and go and read in the quietness of the church courtyard.
So, we had did have a fun time, and we are very greatful for them housing us for the week, free of charge. Though the bed was terrible, and the pillows worse… we did enjoy ourselves. We’re just both very happy to never repeat it.
So, how does Christmas in the Bahamas sound, any takers for next year?
Life, and death
66 years ago
by Jonathan Puddle
in Personal
Currently I am more happy and more alive than I have ever been my entire life. I feel now like life has been an unopened flower: a rather attractive unopened flower, with but a few thorns, it’s potential still unknown.
And now it seems the flower has blossomed into a beautiful rose. It’s petals are still slowly pushing further outward, and it’s getting more beautiful and more fragrant as the hours go by. Or days and weeks in my case. Tomorrow will mark 2 months of being married to the most beautiful woman in the world.
Life, is amazing.
This weekend Maija and I visited her grandparents in Kingston. Maija’s grandparents speak Finnish, and a little English. That is to say, they used to speak fluent English but as the years have advanced on them, they are slowly but steadily forgetting their English. Which is fine… except that it does make communication a little difficult at times.
I felt just like Ibn in The Thirteenth Warrior, thrown in with a bunch of Vikings, desperately trying to understand their language.
Maija’s grandfather is 86. He hasn’t got many years left as his health is not the best. It was really… thought provoking… to see pictures of them at their wedding, and not recognise either of them. It made me think a lot about life, the progression of life, and then the wee hours before death. I really wonder if I shall grow old and grey – or better yet, bald – or if the Good Lord will return before that happens. I have always thought he wouldn’t come back in my life time, but the thought of myself dieing and leaving Maija behind, or visa versa, really affected my thoughts on Christ’s return. I still think he’ll come later, but I’m really beginning to hope he comes sooner.
In any case, I stumbled across something on my cousin’s blog today. I recomend you read it (her blog), she’s very cool. Her dad left a comment recently with a quote from his father (my grandfather). I never met him, as he died when my own father was eleven. Being the only grandparent currently dead, he’s always been a source of intrigue to me. My grandmother dispelled some of his mystery when she wrote a book of memoirs based on their letters to each other during World War 2. Anyway, here’s what my uncle had to say:
“He was in hospital after his massive heart attack that was to kill him just a few days later. He was in a lot of pain and feeling quite down, what he said [to me, which I have never forgotten] was this. “Son, it is like I am in dense fog, I can’t see anything at all especially what’s ahead of me, but all I know is this, my hand is tightly held by Jesus and he stands way above this fog, he knows whats ahead of me and is guiding me there and that is good enough for me.” Two days later he was with Jesus for eternity.”
It just about brings tears to my eyes. I’m really, really looking forward to meeting him – but I think I can wait another 65 years or so.
Spun to zero
26 years ago
by Jonathan Puddle
in Personal
Sorry, work and personal life has been rather busy of late, so I haven’t had much time to devote here. But rest assured, pretty much everything I currently have imagined for this site is in place, so regular posts should be coming very shortly. In addition, my lovely wife Maija may begin to post here also.
Christmas Vacation
06 years ago
by Jonathan Puddle
in Personal
Sorry for my last post. It seamed amusing when I was writing it but now that I read it it feels lacking. Oh well.
Anyway, here’s some news that might be of greater interest. On much consideration, Maija and I have decided not to go to New Zealand this Christmas. There’s a few reasons, but foremost is the fact that as such a good number of my family were here for the wedding it seems like a misappropriation of funds to go back and visit them all only six months later. We’re now planning to coincide our visit with my mother’s move home. That’s right, mum and the brothers will be moving home, either next summer or the year after. They’re all quite excited to do so. :)
So, that brings us back to what to do this Christmas? Well, each year Maija’s grandparents go to Florida. They used to own a house down there, but sold it a few years back and have been condo-ing each time they go down. This time they’ve rented a nice big house, with a pool, sauna etc. And we’ll be joining them! We’re flying down for the 21st to the 29th of December.
I was not too thrilled at the idea of spending money to go anywhere this Christmas, but it was important to Maija, and I found flights that cost us $650 all up, so who could refuse? White Christmases are seriously overrated, trust me. Anyone from the Southern Hemisphere will agree.
Internet, phone acquired
06 years ago
by Jonathan Puddle
in Personal
At last Rogers and Bell have both got their services working in my house. If you want our phone number, e-mail me.
I’ll probably call Rogers again next week and switch my phone from Bell to Rogers. I’m disgusted with Bell. I’m not that impressed with R’gers either, but they seem to be the lesser of two evils. And… I’ll get a discount for bundling phone and internet.
Humbled
26 years ago
by Jonathan Puddle
in Personal
This morning we were given another wedding present. It arrived in an envelope like so many others.
This one however, wins all the prizes.
It was a card, a message and some money from Caroline Cerovski. If you don’t know who she is, suffice it to say that her husband died of cancer on September 27th. And yet she wished us the happiest of marriages, told us to take as many photos as possible, and said our wedding was a beautiful one. It’s probably one of the most unselfish things I’ve seen anyone do in a while. I mean, she gave out of her financial poverty, but also her emotional poverty. I’m still floored by it.
Father, would you reward Caroline and her family so richly for the way she has blessed us. Like Job, may you return to her everything that was stolen, whether that be here or in Eternity. And would you teach me this level of humility too.
Family Man
06 years ago
by Jonathan Puddle
in Personal
It’s official: I’m a family man.
Why?
Because I now own a digital camera and an all-in-one printer-scanner thing. All’s I need is a minivan.
Mother Nature
06 years ago
by Jonathan Puddle
in Personal
The notion of Mother Nature is not something I hold dear to myself, so I often have opportunity to laugh at the rest of the world who does.
A Xerox add that arrived today – “Only Mother Nature can create colour more vibrant. But can she do it at 35 ppm?”
On a bar of soap I have at home – “Family is Nature’s way of giving us friends.”
The other day I had a mental picture of a little girl asking her mother, “Mommy, what’s the different between Mother Nature and God?”
Sunday morning, all’s quiet
06 years ago
by Jonathan Puddle
in Personal
I just drank some gin and feel a little dizzy. It was a mere mouthful (like honestly, a small swig), but I haven’t really ate or drunk much yet today. And I haven’t actually had gin on it’s own before.
My lovely wife has swimming evaluations this morning, so she’s off at the pool. I am left to pursue my boyish pursuits… videos games, and cleaning, washing and vaccuuming. I would love to spin some records right about now, but my headphones are still at my mother’s house. No dice.
Our new apartment is pretty flippin awesome. I might put some pictures up here later on today. We got given a very nice digital camera for our wedding. Here’s an interesting thought: Every time I go to tell someone about things we were given, I have a tendency to think “given it for Christmas.” I guess gifts and Christmas are fundamentally linked in my brain.
I had another thought the other day. Maija recommended I not share it, but I told her I don’t care if I offend people. This is a thought… not a philosy, or an outlook on life. I actually had many thoughts the other day, and many today…
This particular thought was:
What if God loves us so much…
God in his infinite knowledge is aware that his Son’s return won’t be for many years. He is therefor aware that given the way we run this planet, we will have created a humanitarian/ecological/societal hell for ourselves by the time he does come back. So, in his infinite mercy he allows for two (so far) incredibly damaging hurricanes to hit the South Easterly regions of the United States. In the ensueing loss of human life, and increase of gas prices* we are forced to re-evaluate our priorities, and our gas guzzling society. So we forge new technologies, and rely less on oil**. And God, because he loves us so much, has made things a little more bearable as the long years roll on until his Son’s return.
* Interesting that the two worst things that can happen in the world are loss of human life, and increase in gas prices. Wierd…
** Interesting also that I’m sure people will move away from oil based resource consumption, but they won’t move onto something inherintly better for the planet. They’ll just not rely on oil anymore. So, in 30 years when there’s a massive hydrogen explosion and half of England sinks beneath the sea, we’ll move on to something else. Lithium-Ion anyone?
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