HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Many of us no longer have a living Father.

On this June 19 we in North America celebrate the day with the ritual of tie giving.  Poor old Dad.  My Father has been gone these many years, but today i look at his photo.  Such a handsome Hungarian nobleman.  Noble in the good sense of the word.
I wrote a few haiku and tanka this morning.

Counting the many
shades of grey in the ocean
and in his hair

Memories of
eating cherry strudel
in a grand old hotel

The hearty aroma
of goulash coming
from the old kitchen

His daily dose
of raw garlic
for longevity and health
ala, it did not work at all
so much for folk remedies

The pop of
the champagne bottle
at midnight
to celebrate
his wedding anniversay
each New Year's eve

Off to the cobbler
for a new pair of
riding boots

Sunday morning
the sound of csardas
from the living room

Long ago
the seranade of fiddlers
under my Mother's window
romance the old
Hungarian way

Sunday ritual
his English suit
and Italian shoes

Sunday afternoon

It was a wonderful Sunday afternoon.

I took this shot from my window. Yes, it is wonderful to live here on Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada

It inspires me daily, moment by moment.

The distant snow capped mountains are on the mainland. The major city is Vancouver. Whistler, the ski resort is a short drive from Vancouver and was the site of the Winter Olympics .

I try hard not to think of my cancer. My upcoming PET Scan will confirm any other cancers in my entire body. On July 11 i meet with my oncologist in Victoria for the verdict and treatment plan. Possible surgery on my liver and then chemo or both. I better run out and get a couple of wigs, perhaps one red and one blond.

A few haiku and tanka

the lady with cancer
chooses her wigs
one red, the other blond

in the harbour
sleek white yachts
next to fishing boats

church services
down on the bay
chalice gleam in the sun

sea planes roar
wakes her up every morning
a good alarm clock

he is on the laptop
in the livingroom
she is on her pc in the den
she emails him
to bring a cup of tea


A nice haiku by Timothy Fairweather

I see the tidelines in your eyes
they are unknowable and the beauty
is beyond understanding

LIVING WITH CANCER

I had colon cancer last year in 2010 and was sure that that it was cured, but now have cancer of the liver.

Life is much more precious these days.  As usual my thoughts go to Hawaii and will of course go as soon as my treatment allows.  My trip to Paris has been on hold too.  So if all goes well i will go to Paris for my birthday in Novemeber and end up in Hawaii to celebrate with my good friend Sam in Honolulu.  He is a fellow sag and we share the same likes and have fun together.  He owns, Sam's Kitchen, a great little restaurant in Waikiki.

My second book called:  Blue Irises is in progress.  It will be translated into French and Japanese by Serge Tome for the French and Japanese by Hidenori Hiruta.

I have been writing some cancer related haiku as follows

scent of sea weed
drifts into the cemetary
i walk alone

In the cemetary
around her headstone
first snowdrops

a slow walk
to the cemetary
memories of blue irises

visit to the cancer clinic
a bald woman walks by
with a smile

in the old church
she lights a candle
for her lover

walking in the rain
she wipes away tears
then smiles

she chooses a wig
perhaps she will
now be a blond

insomnia
she drags her kimono
from roon to room

now living with cancer
she puts family and friends
at ease telling lies

in her mind comes
scent of plumeria
thoughts of Hawaii
and brings back 
past pleasures