What I did not expect to see at work today:)

Now let me start off my saying....I know shit about football. When Denver is playing on our TV, I strategically scamper off to my 'crapbooking room & disappear for hours of uninterrupted bliss....

On that note, I'll tell you the rest of the story...

This morning I got to see the Grey Cup, In Person. I'm not completely stupid, I know what the Grey Cup is, but I just did not expect to see it at work:) Its an awesome old trophy, full of history, and makes you pause and go "awe" at first sight. I can only imagine the tears of joy & showers of sweat this cup has seen over the years. It is amazing & makes me understand a wee bit more why they all chase that ball around. Hell I'd be proud as hell to have that cup at my house:)

Let me say, Mr "JP" you were a very nice man to show my co-worker & I that cup. Thank you again:)

Here's the Cup in It's Case, ready for transport:)

My Co-Worker standing next to the cup:) Notice Plastic Santa in the Background...lol

Now, me - I REFUSED to take a picture next to it:) I look like hell in the morning anyway:) I did decide that I would take a picture of my hand. How do you know that's mine? Hello! Take a looky at that awesome ring there....yep...I'm still wearing it & I'll still be wearing it 35 years from now:)LOL (Now to go knock on some wood...lololol)

So......I still think that Grey Cup is really cool....I may even watch next year's game:)

Below: That's JP & I copied and pasted the Windsor Star's Story:)

Tecumseh's J.P. Bekasiak of the Montreal Alouettes shows off the Grey Cup Monday at Johnny Shotz Billiard Bar and Cafe.
Photograph by: Scott Webster, The Windsor Star, The Windsor Star

Bekasiak brings home Grey Cup

The smile on J.P. Bekasiak's face Monday left his father with a warm feeling.

Cut by one Canadian Football League club and left in limbo for nearly a month before landing with the Montreal Alouettes, Bekasiak paraded around his parents' home hoisting the Grey Cup.

"It's a significant achievement," said his dad, P. Antoni Bekasiak.

"It's nice how he is with the Cup. He's proud and looking forward."

Bekasiak and his wife Grazyna left Poland in 1981 and came to Canada when their oldest child Kamila was just eight months old.

The family stopped in Edmonton, where J.P. and his sister Ann Marie were born.

The family then moved to Wingham, where brother Anthony was born. They settled in the Windsor area in 1991.

At six-foot-six and 280 pounds, it would only seem natural that J.P. would have played football, but the family had no history with the game.

"J.P. was always into something," Bekasiak said.

"He was in soccer for a long while. He was quick in soccer and then he moved to basketball."

It wasn't until Grade 12 that J.P. finally hit the football field and his father encouraged the move.

"I thought he had the physical attributes for football," Bekasiak said.

A year of high school football and a one-year stop with the Windsor AKO Fratmen eventually led to a scholarship at the University of Toledo.

A first-round pick by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Bekasiak thought he had found a home.

Brother Anthony even followed him this year to play football at McMaster.

J.P. Bekasiak, bounced from defense to offense and back to defense, was cut by Hamilton in the spring and waited a month before landing in Montreal.

He shed 40 pounds, moved back to defense and battled his way from the practice roster onto the dress roster for the Grey Cup.

In one of the most dramatic turn of events in CFL history, Montreal rallied from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win the 97th Grey Cup.

Agony turned to ecstasy when Montreal kicker Damon Duval missed a would-be game-winning field goal only to see Saskatchewan called for too many men on the field.

Moving 10-yards closer, Duval hit the winner for a 28-27 victory.

"Those last five minutes were really difficult for me and a lot of guys," Bekasiak said. "It was really draining."

Bekasiak said even the post-game celebration was subdued.

"Everyone was tired from the emotional roller-coaster," Bekasiak said.

"We were just more relieved we won."

His personal celebration kicked off Sunday when Bekasiak got his turn with the Grey Cup, which will last until early today.

He's been hastily calling family and friends to see the Cup and share in his joy.

"It just rekindles all the memories of what a difficult year it was and what I had to do to get (the Cup)," Bekasiak said. "It's nice to share it with people who know what I've gone through the last year."

jparker@thestar.canwest.com or 519-255-5784
© Copyright (c) The Windsor Star

Getting a head start

on 2010. I thought I'd start using this blog, and letting my old one die off in blog land. I hadn't updated since May 19th, and I really wanted a fresh start to 2010:) I'm up in the air about completely killing the old blog off, it is a reflection of my life from my old SNS days, a lot of my old scrapbooking tutorials are still linked up, and visited every day, and I also started that blog back in '05. Shortly after I moved to the US. So I have mixed feelings about it, but for now, it will stay up:)

So......Lets see.....In a nutshell....

Since May 19th...

My sister had her bridal shower at the end of May. Facebook Photos are Here. It was lovely, it was also the last day to cross the border without a passport....so I was 45 minutes late, 15 minutes actually late from the start time. All because I was stuck in the tunnel.

In June we did the Relay for Life in Windsor, It rained like the Dickens, so we did not stay long.

In July I took the plunge and re-financed my credit cards. I now live a cash only lifestyle. Its been a long road to get too, but its very satisfying to pay cash along the way. Its a lot less stressful, that's for sure:)

In August, My sister was married. No Photos up yet:) It was a grand affair....a year and a half in the making, and over in 12 hours:)

In September....Mike and I got engaged:) Whoohoo!! (See Shannon, I told ya I'd eventually post it:) It happened while on vacation in Silver Lake, MI. I have some Facebook Photos Here:
We also had some "Family Photos" done in September - The Facebook Photos for that is here: Mel Brown was our photographer, and she did a fantastic job:)

October was spent dealing with Mike's Heart Problems (but really was acid reflux and did not know it till all the tests were done), Canadian Thanksgiving at Mom's & Halloween.

Come November, we got the house ready for US Thanksgiving. It was the first time his side has come to visit since I've moved in. In honor of the occasion we repainted the family room, bought a new couch & bench, and installed laminate & carpet in the family room. We also went to Stacey & Jason's lovely wedding, (had my truck die in the tunnel on the way home from that, (imagine me dressed up in heels and kicking my truck in downtown Detroit at 1AM)(but the wedding WAS FUN!), And Helena & Michael's baby girl Hope was born. She is an absolute doll. I'm still in shock my oldest friend in the whole wide world is really a Mom:) Hope is utterly beautiful, and I'm totally in love with her. Oh, and I'm happy to report that Thanks to my Mom's help, Thanksgiving dinner turned out well, (note to self - 15 pounds of potatoes is too much for this gang), and nobody was sick. I think they all had a good time:) Facebook Photos for the month of November is here:)

So now we are in December....Its a busy month in the courier business, so I was quite busy at work. I did make my own Christmas cards this year....the first time I scrapped in months:) I survived Christmas, I was SPOILED ROTTEN by my financé, my family, and my future family. I'm proud to say I had a cash Christmas, nothing went on the credit cards & I stayed in my budget:) So now you are all up to date....lol
If you've made it this far ~ Thanks for reading:)

I'm over here now....

RIGHT HERE

Come Join me:)