School is the first schedule that most of us have to adhere

A regiment you follow from Pre K to your final year

You knew when school started and you had to be on time

There were consequences to pay if you arrived after the chime

So from the age of four till the time I was eighteen

I was on this schedule, that’s how it was, that’s how it’s been

Graduation came and I thought “Freedom at last”

I can now go where I want, have me a blast

College was in the future so I will need some money to spend

After my first week off, I got a job tip from my best friend

Three weeks after school, I now had a job to go to

This would be the first paying job that I ever had to do

This meant however, that the freedom I relished had come to an end

Another schedule to follow, but I now had money to spend

Twenty one days of liberty was all that would appear

That summer job I took ended up being a career

Over thirty five years of work is what I would finally put in

Working the craziest hours there has ever been

Midnights, four to twelve and swing shifts just to name a few

Always working the weekends, that’s the job I chose to do

It was not until my last seven years where I had a day shift with weekends free

I can say I have few regrets, I have no one else to blame but me

So after retirement, I have the freedom I craved at last

The one thing that I relished for so much in the past

So now when I have to make appointments, I feel that it’s a crime

I’ll get to where I’m going to in my own sweet time

I now tape all my shows and watch them when I choose

Sit in front of the set to watch a live event? I will just refuse

I haven’t watched a sporting event live in quite a while

It’s just the way I roll, it’s my new formed style

I go where I want, when I want and seldom rush out the door

I’m going to enjoy my new flexibility like I never enjoyed it before

I purchased season tickets for our hockey team last year

If you are looking for me this winter, I will not appear

For some reason, having to be there at a certain time is not meant to be

The thought of having to be scheduled seems to get to me

I think over the years having to work all hours of the week

The thought of having to be somewhere is enough to make me shriek

I guess I should get some help with this peculiar problem of mine

Perhaps seek some medical help so I can say I’m fine

So who do I call for help with this affliction I created?

Do I need professional help? That can be debated

So let’s just keep this problem I have just between me and you

If I call someone’s office, you know what’s the first thing they’ll do

They will require me to be there at a time that they will slot

Let’s just forget the doctor, I have another thought

If you want to see me and ask me how I’ve been

Don’t make plans to see me, it’s better if you just drop in

I know I griped in my previous poem about our downtown core

I guess my rant isn’t over because I’m going to add some more

You see this area is the focal point of most drug crimes in our city

Expand this to cover the blocks that surround it, the picture isn’t pretty

The avenues marked one to seven seem to have the highest rate

I heard the worst place for drugs is Fourth but it’s all up for debate

So don’t forget Worthington, McIntyre or Wyld that all run close to Main

Now I can get to the topic that I have chosen to complain

This city is a community and we have to share the wealth

This I wish to include all the services, including mental health

I’ve often said and agree, we must do everything we can

Maybe do some more research, perhaps we can adjust this plan

To me, all these services are too concentrated in this place

Seems everything is downtown, can we not expand this space?

There must be a case of the addict facing their pusher as they walk along this street

When you have all the methadone clinics there, it’s a good chance that they’ll meet

In this part of the city, all the addicts are free to roam

This is an area that is not far from my home

Now the newest residents in our area are situated in the Laurier Woods

Our Police Chief doesn’t seem too concerned but I really think he should

“It is happening in other cities” is the statement that he said

I guess he figured he had more serious things to worry about instead

It’s funny that he’s not worried about this group that choose to live in tents

Instead it was on another topic that he had chose to vent

He thinks social media has the mentality of a mob

I guess that’s his way of telling us to let the police just do their job

Like it or not I choose to disagree with the leader of our force

I would like to contain this “Tent City” before the situation becomes worse

People living there are stealing to purchase all their drugs

In this so called cosy group, there’s bound to be some thugs

Go on to these “Neighbourhood Watch” sites and observe what there is to view

Then decide on what it is that you intend to do

I don’t think a posse of vigilantes will form as a result

Frankly I think these concerned citizens should take the Chief’s comments as an insult

There’s things going on in this city that you may not want to know

But just ignoring the problem is not the way to go

Being close to this “Tent City” has me concerned to say the least

But I guess you can say “It’s the nature of the beast”

Surveillance in our neighbourhood is an asset as far as I’m concerned

If “Tent City” goes bad, we will be the first ones to be burned

Don’t think that we are the only ones that have to be aware

Crime in this city is happening everywhere

So thanks to all these citizens that perform this special role

Keeping the city safe from crime is their primary goal

Forget what the Police Chief said and continue what you do

We all stand to be much safer thanks to people like you

Ignore the trolls and skeptics that will try to trash your site

You provide a vital service, it’s not wrong, it’s right!

To all the volunteers that put in all their time

Thanks to all your efforts in order to prevent crime

I’m sure there are members of the police that don’t share the Chief’s point of view

In order to solve a crime they will look up video that was made by you

Then over time, the Chief will eventually understand

That the force and social media can work hand in hand

I guess this dilemma will continue and they will continue to fight it out

Keeping this city safe is really what it’s all about

I remember writing a poem years ago about our downtown core

I lauded about all the potential it had, but now I laud no more

I walk this route everyday and seldom do I see a crowd

When it does reach its peak, there’s not that many people found

In the early hours you find the city crews cleaning up the street

I am always greeted with a smile and a wave when we meet

In the summer you see the homeless stretched out on the curb

I chose to walk around them, hoping I don’t disturb

In the colder months you find them inside banks lying on the floor

I guess if you had to use the ATM it would become quite a chore

I wish we could help them all and let them find their way

From what I hear, some refuse the aid and just prefer to stay

The street looks so run down with its so many vacant stores

No wonder no one seems to venture downtown to shop there anymore

You can pay the meter or go to a parking lot I suppose

Now which stores are open? No one really knows

As for the Downtown Improvement Agency, what does it really do?

The nurse’s clinic is the latest thing that you can say is new

I see the old Chicago Restaurant has a new franchise in its place

I hope it proves successful in its new found space

The police were thinking of hiring a constable and make this its new beat

This area has a bad reputation and it’s the last place people want to meet

A counselor is being considered to help with the people there

This is to assist with members that are receiving mental care

Right now this area has a reputation of being dangerous to roam

Especially after dark, you are better to be safe at home

The big bar scene is done, there are only restaurants to choose

Most of them are licensed so you can still drink your booze

Downtown really relied on the festival to supplement their goal

Now that they have cancelled everything, it’s really taken a toll

How can you make money when people won’t appear?

Try to make this area safe and show there is nothing to fear!

This would take one hell of an effort to return Main Street to its former glory

Being able to walk this street at night with no want or worry

So please just don’t talk about it, or at least give it a serious try

Or just don’t take any initiative and continue to let it slowly die

Maybe it’s time to get rid of the stores and make it a business section instead

Then this area of our city can be risen from the dead

it seems nobody is wanting to really make this area thrive

Somebody better start making some big decisions if they want it to survive

My goal actually started last summer and that was to build a new fence

On top of that, a shed was to be constructed adding on to my expense

It was to be built on the end of our driveway for all of us to view

It seems simple enough but there were more things we had to do

A shed made of resin was now occupying this space

The first task was to move it to another place

So we improvised using steel rods and rolled it around

The back corner of our property is now where it can be found

This was just one of the two sheds that sit upon our land

The other one was on its last legs and it could barely stand

The whole idea was to clear this spot to have some room for growing

Spread some grass seed on the bare patches for some future mowing

First good day in the  spring was the time we would put things into gear

It was not until the start of September when my contractor would appear

I would have to admit he did a great job when all was said and done

Compliments about his work were shared by everyone

Because his schedule was loaded, he had other tasks to fulfill

It was decided we would wait till next spring and I gladly paid my bill

My job was now to remove the debris that once was our old shed

The plan was to post an ad and to give it away instead

I got lots of interest from people who wanted this wood to burn

This would be another hard lesson that I was soon to learn

So many calls flooded in, I really didn’t care

You can take it all if you want or leave some of it to share

Three weeks of online promises that wanted all this fuel

Still left me with my original pile, life can be so cruel

So now it was up to me to rid my yard of this mess

It took some more wheeling and dealing before I achieved success

A friend of ours who’s relatives happen to live next door

Said he would assist me in tackling this chore

So we ended up taking two trips to the dump to finally get rid of it all

Still my fence was never built and this was early fall

I decided to take it all in stride and set my sites for the spring

I figured by this time next year we could be done everything

So over the months of winter, I decided to sow some seeds inside

This way I would have some spring flowers to plant, take a little pride

With the plans we made for the fence, we still retained our garden plot

So when the weather warmed up I could put them into that spot

The previous mentioned contractor couldn’t keep the promise he made

Instead I found a good friend of mine, I was able to persuade

We had a definite starting date and now everything was in place

Then my neighbour tears down their fence and now it’s all open space

This was weeks before the fence was to start, I had to find a way

To make a makeshift enclosure so my dogs had no chance to stray

I managed to get it done without them ever leaving the yard

If I was to tell the truth, I don’t think they really tried that hard

The dogs were now secure and I had some time I could bide

That’s when I get a call from my neighbours on the other side

They also want to build a fence and want to start it soon

I certainly couldn’t object, both of our fences are in a state of ruin

I convey to him that I am no handyman and will help the best I can

Before too long he’s done his research and shows to us his plan

We loaded and unloaded everything that we had to get

He had all the printouts of the cost and we settled all the debt

The work he did was meticulous and the results were just grand

If you happen to come by our place, take a look, you’ll understand

We really like the gates he built, they are standing side by side

Now our yards are safe and secure by just giving the bar a slide

Now at night each post light shines and gives you that added touch

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all so much

All this work was done while the other side had to wait

This was just perfect, the timing was great

Now to get back to the original project when they were tearing down the fence

Other circumstances happened that didn’t seem to make much sense

They didn’t stop at the spot where we agreed to toe the line

Instead they continued past this and ruined some work of mine

The flowers that I planted were pulled out when they took out a retaining wall

He was told to get rid of all the fence so I can’t blame him at all

So when we finally got around to building the fence we decided to extend it down our line

It turned out to be a great idea, everything looks absolutely fine

My friend and his crew did a great job and now both sides of our yard now look great

The style they chose is the same and now we have new plans that are in wait

We want to build flower boxes along the fences to spruce up our place

Each vegetable and flower will have their special place

Next spring I can plant my flowers that I will grow over the winter once again

Building these flower boxes this fall is a goal I hope to attain

Now finally I can get our yard to where I want it to be

Will I be successful? Just wait and see

We have a land line that sits on our living room table

Since we both own our own cell phones, it is seldom enabled

It only rings every so often, when it does it usually is a scam call

Other than that, it doesn’t ring that often at all

It’s part of our package, it’s not much of a cost

We only seem to use it when one of our cell phones is lost

We call it the “Bat Phone” because of how seldom it’s used

I even answer it “Yes Commissioner”…see how easily I am amused

If you look in the phone book that’s the number printed there

But as far as friends go, it’s our cell phone we share

So this phone rings the other night and who’s on the line?

What are the odds? It was a good friend of mine

She called us for a breakfast get together and asked us to meet

It couldn’t have been more convenient, this restaurant is not far from our street

We were to meet Wednesday morning at this favourite dive

The time was to be eight thirty…table of five

When my wife and I got to the restaurant, the party was already there

It wasn’t too long before we began our stories to share

One of our friends said he couldn’t go

Turns out he had greener grass that he had to mow

So it ended up that there would be just us four

This conversation lasted for two hours or more

The bond that we have is that we worked with each other

It has been quite a few years since we’ve seen one another

With me being retired, I haven’t kept up with the news

The one who is still working gave us an updated review

The stories were relatable and great in detail

Of people we know and if things were going well

This took up most of the conversation and we were all eager to hear

Turns out the future isn’t too rosy for some it would appear

The other person at the table, when working with us, kept up her studies

She decided to take up this profession and then left all her buddies

Now she works in another province and she isn’t sorry

If you were to ask her, her response would be “no worries!”

The one that is still in the workplace is counting her days

She doesn’t have too much longer is what we heard her say

She is a dynamo and has more energy than most people I know

Not sure what she will do when she decides it’s time to go

The other “no show” I often see when I am out on my walk

I know I’ve been spotted when he gives me a honk

I sat in front of him at the hockey games to keep in touch for this reason

Not sure if he decided to renew his tickets this coming season

The four of enjoyed our get together and went on our way

The plan is to get together for one more day

If it happens that things don’t go according to plan

It would be nice for us to all get together the next time we can

So many thoughts are running through my head

Not sure if I should mention them all or concentrate on one topic instead

It’s early Monday morning thirty minutes to eight

With the whole day ahead of me I sit here in wait

Not sure on how to proceed or what I should do first

My case of Monday morning blues hasn’t even come close to my worst

I should be doing my usual which is walking the dog around town

But last night he wasn’t his usual self and kind of looked down

This morning he wasn’t in my face just raring to go

When he doesn’t do this, I know the walk is a no

He’s contracted lyme disease and some days he feels rough

Today is one of those days and I know it would be tough

Sure he would do the whole circuit without skipping a beat

But he could suffer for days before he’s ready to do a repeat

Those symptoms of his that I mentioned in poems before

They are all related to lyme disease so I have no idea what’s left in store

So we will monitor his behaviour and he’ll let us know

Tomorrow I could wake up and he’ll be raring to  go

This past weekend he was so active and playing around

This morning he is just laying and not making a sound

The last couple of days he was so active and never failed to impress

This morning he is so quiet, you might say he’s depressed

So I won’t dare to push him because he needs to recover

There are so many symptoms of this disease that we will discover

Today he is not near as bad as he was weeks before

Today he just looks exhausted but his paw doesn’t seem to be sore

Our plan is to pay attention to him when he is close in touch

If we stick to this program, perhaps he won’t have to suffer so much

With all of these ideas that were running through my brain

It turns out that the topic ended up being my dog once again

Even though I am Canadian it makes me wonder

Are Americans capable of repeating their 2016 Presidential blunder?

The one that everyone said Hillary was winning hands down

Only to find out in the morning that their nation was to  be run by a clown

Now think of what this man has done since he was selected

He’s now known as a major joke of the world and  is looking to be re-elected

This man spouts out lies like never before

So many in fact that they are having trouble in keeping the score

He does what he wants, he makes his own calls

The entire Republican Party is in need of some balls

The Democrats are trying to rein him in on some measures

He just continues to ignore them, it gives him a sick kind of pleasure

He’s in serious need of some political training

All the while, America’s reputation is staining

He refuses to release his taxes and now says he’s going to sue

That’s how this man operates and that’s what he will do

Just like his heroes he wanted a parade to display his power complete with the rockets

The dictators must just love that knowing they have Trump in their hip pockets

Without a prompter his speeches make no sense at all

When caught in a lie he says he can’t recall

He calls himself a “Stable Genius” which gives everyone a laugh

This is a man who is incapable of maintaining a staff

He demands loyalty and expects it from all of his crew

As far as running the country he hasn’t  a clue

But to listen to his speeches he’s the best there’s ever been

Just to sit and observe him is totally obscene

He reflects all of his problems with more lies that he spouts

Republicans still back him or they will be replaced, there can be no doubt

He is such a racist as everyone can plainly see

How much of an ass can this man continue to be?

He has tweeted four coloured women in a racial attack

Now at his rallies they are shouting “Send them back”

He said he tried to stop immediately the chants and applause

Although when you look at the video there is thirteen seconds of pause

I guess if you continue to lie eventually people will believe that it is true

With no one to be held account to, that’s what he has continued to do

The Mueller hearings start today and hopefully find enough to impeach

I think that the ways things have been going it could be a far reach

Trump is a jester that is wearing the crown

It’s time to get to work to bring this man down

I am tired of watching this man that is so orange and stout

It’s time to use some common sense and vote this President out

Time for the Americans to stop all the humiliation and pain

Don’t be stupid enough to vote Trump in again

I wanted to be light hearted and share a laugh or two

With the events that happened this past week it’s the last thing I want to do

Tragedy that affects dear friends of mine has reared its ugly head

We are now left to mourn the loss of their dear child instead

I cannot begin to fathom what they must be going through

I am at a loss on how to proceed or even what to do

I know their families have surrounded them to help along the way

I’ll just stumble through this poem trying to find the right words to say

The loss of a child is something that no parent should have to endure

No matter what anyone says, I don’t think time is the magic cure        

As we age we can confront death and try to take it all in stride

Nothing can prepare you when it’s your own child that has died

This is a hurt that is unique to those who have to go through this hell

We are left to try to console them in hopes that they will be well

With its many twists and turns it can take a terrible toll

This will rock the parents right to their very soul

This has happened to other friends of ours who have lost a daughter or a son

Though these events happened years ago, the grieving is still not done

Some parents choose to blame themselves and question the choices they made along the way

Thinking that if they would have done things different their child would still be here today

Others choose to bury themselves in work in an effort to quell the pain

I hope it does ease their heart and it’s not all done in vain

It hurt my wife and I to see our friends suffer through this ordeal

This would not compare to the hardship that they must feel

The mother greeted each mourner who entered through the door

With all the friends and family there wasn’t room for more

She broke down so many times as she went through all this pain

In time I hope she is able to heal from all this terrible strain

During the service the next day the elder sibling shared stories of the sister who had passed

Friends also shared memories and recanted them to the crowd that had amassed

We said our goodbyes to the family though they invited us to stay

My wife and I thought they should have some time alone and we proceeded on our way

It might be a long while before they can begin to cope

We send them our best wishes and offer them some hope

Give them time to heal and when they feel they’re ready we will find some time to share

Knowing that is the circumstances were reversed , I know that they would be there

I’m sitting on my front porch and sipping some tea

Counting my two dogs we all total three

The weather is pleasant and has remained great

Trying to finish the food that’s on my plate

I have nothing planned and to be honest I’m feeling lazy today

Comfortable sitting in my gravity chair, I have no reason to stray

It’s so nice and quiet, all I can hear are birds and their song

It’s still early in the morning so this serenity won’t last long

The city will soon arise and the volume will surely increase

I’ll remain in my place and enjoy what is left of this peace

This time of year is enjoyable to most

So I’ll just try to savor it while creating this post

My dog’s leg is in need of healing or I would be gone

It’s the first thing I do every morning, sometimes before dawn

Although he seems fine now, the vet says to give him some rest

So it may be some weeks before he’s up to the test

I’ll have a hard time trying to get back into my routine

This will be the longest lapse that we have both seen

In place of the walk, I decided to put more miles on the bike

If the weather permits, I can go on a long hike

There are paths all over the city for people to use

No matter what your destination, you can find one to choose

I’m the kind of person that needs an errand to run

This way I fulfill a purpose while still having some fun

I listen to music when pedaling through town

Wearing my helmet to cover my crown

The longer I sit here the less ambitious I become

Time to rise from my seat because my ass is starting to numb

Now that I have digested my first meal of the day

It’s time to get into gear and be on my way

It’s been a while since I last submitted my post

I thought I would  go through some events that were of interest to most

Sports would be the topic that I have decided to choose

In future entries I hope to get back to what is happening in the news

My last real entry was at Easter when the hockey playoffs were in their first round

Which would mean there would be three more to go before the champion would be crowned

At the time of that blog, the Leafs were leading the series three games to two

The Bruins with back to back wins finished off the white and blue

Boston continued on to the finals but lost it all in the seventh game

St. Louis Blues ended up the victors which is the first Stanley Cup that they were to claim

This team was at the beginning of the year, solely in last place

Imagine starting off at the end of the line and winning that race

Of course in Canada hockey is the sport that all of us truly embrace

This spring however it was relegated to second place

The Toronto Raptors of basketball captured the heart of this nation

All hockey fans jumped on the bandwagon and joined in on the celebration

The country was “Rapt” up in this team for all it was worth

Watching every play that they made and shouting “We Are The North”

They didn’t disappoint us and won the NBA championship officially on the tenth of June

Kawhi Leonard won the MVP and here’s hoping that he will resign soon

The parade they had was huge and was enjoyed despite all the disorder

The first time the championship was won by an organization north of the American border

The biggest spectacle in Toronto that anyone can recall

Remember “James Naismith” the inventor of this sport was Canadian after all

Now it is summer and we turn to baseball to sooth our winning thirst

Don’t look to the “Blue Jays” because they are now twenty three games out of first

The CFL has started and Hamilton is looking great

Is this team for real? I guess we will all have to wait

Once September comes we can catch some NFL thrills

Though sometimes they are hard to find when you cheer for the “Bills”

Before you know it, October will be here and the hockey season will start again

I’ll be back cheering for the “Hawks” with Keith, Toews and Kane

Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves and just enjoy the summer fun

Hopefully next spring my team will be participating in a long playoff run