Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Grateful to the Grannies

Seventeen hours to blast off.  Putting finishing touches on packing--meditating and trying to stay calm. 

Hoping to meet Denise Colgrove in Entebbe on the day I arrive.  She tells me there are six hotels with the name "Imperial" in it, so things remain complicated.  I'll tell you more about this later. 

 My flight arrives in Entebbe at 1:00 pm their time.  My Granny travel companion whom I will meet at Dulles airport tomorrow, has lost her phone.  Ma Tante  Raymonde  (another Granny) will be arriving here soon, to take my wee doggies to her house--the separation anxiety is mostly on my part.  My two puss cats are in the capable hands of my friend and co-Granny Meredith.  Another co-Granny, Alice will drive me to the airport at the ungodly hour of 2 am tomorrow morning. A number of Grannies have joined in the "crowd funding" of this trip.  I have received many e-mails and phone calls wishing me well.  I was nominated by Grannies to take this trip.  I hope I can represent them well, and be a useful and productive Granny on this trip and on my return. 

The Grannies have been such a wonderful support in so many ways, I am profoundly grateful for their help.  It is definitely a group effort! 

Monday, September 28, 2015

Leaving for Entebbe in Three Days . . .

Actually, the first post was written four years ago when I decided to create a blog, but once created, I abandoned it!  I am now resurrecting it, because I have something special to write about. 

I am leaving for Entebbe in Uganda in two and a half days.  I am going with a group of Canadian Grandmothers, who are part of the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign, helping to ease the suffering and turning the tide on HIV/AIDS in Africa.  Most of you know something about this, but if you don't,  please look us up at: www.stephenlewisfoundation.org and www.grandmotherscampaign.org

Right now I am running in circles like a wet hen, and can't think very clearly.  I'm in the middle of packing and making sure everything is under control here at home before I leave.  I have promised many people that I will keep in touch, so I hope this blog will do the trick.  I am just learning how to blog, and how to get the word out to you, so be patient with me.  :)

The exciting time will be when I arrive in Entebbe, and I can describe what's happening and what we are doing.  These first few posts will be practice posts for me.  I will be using my iPad and will have to seek out places that have wifi.

There is a lovely little article in today's (Sept 28) Record by Gordon Lambie--try to get your hands on it--it will give you a better idea of what is going on.  Right now I have to make a list of people who I would like to include.  I have no idea what I'm doing!!!  Yikes!
Jane's First Post--Answer to a Literacy Challenge!
I took a challenge a while back, in celebration of National Literacy Day.  A challenge to become more literate in new ways.  What better way than starting a blog.  I need to improve my technical skills, and I love to read and write.  As the days go by, and I get better at this, I intend to share my thoughts and information about a number of things that I am passionate about.  Some of them are :  Literacy, Ageism, ADD in older women, Easing the Pain and Turning the Tide on HIV/AIDS in Africa, Photography, Jazz and Dogs.  There will be more, but these I am already deeply involved with.

Did you know that right across Canada, the number of adults who are functionally illiterate is staggering?  I have been involved working with the Yamaska Literacy Council for a number of years, tutoring adults who need help learning to read.  You'd think that in a progressive country such as ours, this cannot be true.  But those involved keep this a dark secret--faking it, hiding, and living lives of deep shame and unhappiness.  If you know of anyone who might be in this plight, please help them to find a literacy centre who will help.  Free one-on-one tutoring is available in many centres across Canada.  Google "literacy" for more information, or just ask me, and I will help you find the information you need.