A DIFFICULT QUESTION TO ANSWER

I guess, thanks to all the work my cousin Ronna did, where I come from. A person’s heritage forms a large part of who a person becomes. My heritage can be traced back hundreds of years and when I look at who those people where and what they did it’s humbling. That heritage, as I got older, opened my eyes to the wonders of our world and how great every culture and race can be. I consider myself a Canadian first and a Scot second. But I owe who I became to the Scot part of that.

What aspects of your cultural heritage are you most proud of or interested in?

IT CAME IN A NOTE FROM A FRIEND

When I was a young business man another business man became a very good friend and mentor. Business was everything and came first, that desire to be the best at it was what mattered. You had to put the rest of life on hold. He sold his business and told me now he could do the things he had always wanted. His wife and him went to Costa Rica for the winter, bought land and started building their dream retirement home. He was in his early fifties and had everything. When he came back in the spring he wasn’t feeling good, doctors told him it was terminal cancer. Six months later he died, at his funeral his wife gave me a note from him. This is what it said.

Graham promise me you will live before you can’t, I didn’t.

Barry

It took a few months to sink in, I can be hard headed. I took his advice.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

IT CERTAINLY ISN’T ENERGY DRINKS

Ever morning when I get up my first thought is how am I going to have fun today, my second thought is about our family. We have fantastic children who have great spouses. Our grandchildren are a total blessing for us. What gives me energy is them, just knowing I get to spend time with them is all I need.

What things give you energy?

ONE, PROBABLY NOBODY BUT MYSELF AND HOWARD HUGHES BOUGHT

What’s your all-time favorite album?

Ricky Nelson’s greatest hits

SIMPLE FOR ME

Cooking

Which topics would you like to be more informed about?

THAT ANSWER IS EVERYWHERE ON MY BLOG

I have been posting the answer to this question on my blog for years. Especially how we celebrate Christmas breakfast with something different every year.

How do you celebrate holidays?

EXPLODING POTATOES

Write about your most epic baking or cooking fail.

Like anyone who cooks I have made lots of things that didn’t turn out like I thought they would. Fails aren’t disasters there just learning tools. My exploding potatoes both really pissed me off and made me laugh, the mess wasn’t nice. I had always been told you poke the potatoes with a fork or knife before you put them in the oven. I was getting the potatoes ready one afternoon years ago. The phone rang and I went to the livingroom to answer it ( long before cellphones). The call took about a half hour so when I got back to the potatoes I didn’t have the normal time to cook them. I increased the oven temperature from where I had it and stuck the potatoes in the oven. As I was watching tv I heard a bang in the kitchen, I thought something must of fallen on the floor. Nothing was out of place and I heard another bang, it was from the oven. Just as my hand touched the handle there was a third bang. When I opened the oven there was potato everywhere, kind of looked like the oven had been in a snow storm. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to clean up. Needless to say I have never forgotten to poke the potatoes since. Just because things don’t work doesn’t mean you stop trying or making it again.

RESPECT

You don’t gain respect from people because of how much money you make, what kind of car you drive, or how grand your house is. Respect only comes one way, respecting others. Regardless of a person’s nationality, religion, opinions, or personal preferences if you show them the respect they deserve a funny thing happens. Those people will respect you.

Share a lesson you wish you had learned earlier in life.

FINALLY MY FAVOURITE SUBJECT

When it comes to food I like just about every type and kind, except maybe chicken and peas. As to actual types my list is extremely long. Soups, stews, stir fried, roasts, steamed, I could go on and on. I guess, because I cook, type of food that challenge my creativity. Also my wife and I never want to fall into the trap of ” it’s taco Tuesday”. Having the same things over and over is boring and not much fun. So favourite types, anything that challenges me and is fun for my wife and I to eat. Oh, and tastes good too.

What are your favorite types of foods?

I AM DEFINITELY NOT A “FOLLOWER”.

A person doesn’t determine if they are a leader, it’s other people who determine if they are. There is a song I have listened to since I was a young man. Listen to Frank Sinatra’s ” My Way ” if you’re curious as to what type of man I am.

Do you see yourself as a leader?