The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 Orono Weekly Times - 3 Places I've Done Time by Clifford Francis Momma knows The other day I was listening to a CD by a band called Shenandoah. The song I liked was called "Momma Knows." It sure reminded me of my Mom. Sometimes I am sure she had a window to my soul. The very first time that I smoked I was maybe ten. Not very old anyway. Where the cigarettes came from or who I was with when I smoked is long forgotten, but me being so sick and when I got home my Mom saying, "You ought not to smoke" I remember. "Its not healthy and it will stunt your growth," she said. I remember lighting a pile of leaves on fire and burning up half the woods and Mom just seemed to know it was me. When I was fourteen or so I picked pumpkins for a fellow north of Bowmanville and when he shorted me on my wages and refused to pay, I extracted revenge by burning down his straw stack that he had on the farm. Mom knew and said I had done wrong. Somehow she knew it was me but it was done. The first time that I made out with a girl I was 15 and told no one. Mom knew somehow and ask if I wanted to be a dad at that age. For months I lived in fear of being a 15year-old father. Drinking brought the same results. I had bought a bottle of gin and was going on a date with a girl. She stood me up or got a better offer or something. Anyway I ended up drinking the gin myself and getting so, so sick. When I awoke the next day, Mom knew I had been drinking. I denied it and then heard the virtues of being honest and not lying. Momma knew. Years went by and things would be good and bad; I couldn't fool my mother. When I last saw my mother she was gravely ill and in a coma and I bent over her bed and whispered "I love you." I didn't have to. Momma knew. been more respect earned if you did the right thing the first time, without hesitation. And there are other reasons my respect for the council has reached an all time low. Am I the only person to notice that the $2.5 million wasted on Total Hockey is almost exactly the current budget deficit? If we had that money in the bank, we would not have all the extra user fees, we wouldn't be discussing seniors snow removal, there wouldn't be a service reduction in everyone else's snow removal, and you wouldn't be facing that enormous tax hike in the spring they've already warned you about. One hundred percent of RESPECT see page 7 RESPECT Continued from page 2 So I was completely astounded when our council voted to not implement a code of ethics over themselves a few weeks ago. At that time my respect for council decisions dropped through the floor. Now this week, they located a code of ethics, brushed off the dust, and passed the code. Does agreeing to be bound by a code of ethics strengthen our respect for council? I suggest it must - but one can't ignore some of the comments made when they voted down the original suggestion. Doing the right thing after saying the wrong thing is better than nothing, but there would have Pam Lancaster, a stewardship technician with the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority, spoke with Brad Canfield of Leskard at the Watershed Planning Public Open House in Newcastle on Saturday. The GRCA hosted the event to provide information about the Wilmot Creek, Graham Creek, Lovekin Creek, Bouchette Point Creek, and Port Granby Creek watersheds, and the issues and opportunities surrounding them. ~ Happenings ~ Saturday, October 31, 2009 - Fall Bazaar St. Georges Anglican Church, Bake Table, Preserves, Crafts, Jewellery, Silent Auction. 10:30am to 2pm, Lunch served at 11am. $7 For tickets call 905987-5052 or 905-983-9252 Sunday, November 1, 2009 - Pancake Breakfast, Kendal Lions Club, 9am to noon. Kendal Community Centre. Adults $7., Seniors 65+ $6, Children 6-12yrs $3, 5 and under Free. Saturday, November 7, 2009 - St. Saviours Annual Bazaar & Lunch, Orono Town Hall, 10:30 am to 1:30pm. Books, Baking, Country Store, Silent Auction, Crafts. Saturday, November 7, - November 11, 2009 - Various Rememberance Day Services: Newtonville Services - Friday, November 6, 10:30am at Cenotaph Armistice Dinner - Sat. Nov. 7, 6:30pm Legion Branch 178, Bowmanville, 905-623-9032 call for tickets Orono Parade & Service - Sunday, November 8, 1:30pm at Cenotaph Bowmanville Hospital Service - Monday, November 9, 1:15pm in the Cafeteria Clarington Older Adult Centre - Tuesday November 10, 11:30am Newcastle Service - Wednesday, November 11, 10:30am at the Cenotaph Bowmanville Service - Wednesday, November 11, 10:30am at the Cenotaph If you wish to purchase Wreaths call The Royal Canadian Legion at 905-623-9032