Welcome to Friday!  If you keep up with me on Twitter, you know that the ratings came out at around 11 am yesterday - as they do four times a year - and CHFI was once again #1, a full share point ahead of our nearest competitors.  We also won out in the music morning show category and had many reasons to celebrate.  So last night we did just that, first at an all-stations gathering, and then we splashed along King Street to Il Fornello for a CHFI party.  Good food, a lot of laughs and great company.  And a great company, too.

Onward and upward...we've braved the rain (and not the downpour that was threatened in yesterday's forecast) and are looking forward to some blue skies this weekend.  We're also anticipating a whole lot of nothing going on, but if you're looking for something fun to do - for an amazing cause - please let me tell you about Bid on the Boys, a gala fundraiser featuring ten hot bachelors in Markham tonight at the Paramount.

We guarantee you'll have the time of your life, so gather up a few girlfriends and join them.  It's to benefit Willow (breast cancer support Canada) and they really need to sell just a few more tickets.  Again, it's TONIGHT and here's the link.  My radio sister Maureen Holloway is hosting and I just know it's going to be a blast.  Please support Willow and consider going tonight, won't you?

Well, I'll sign off for now and invite you to scroll down to enjoy some more pictures of Rome.  Thank you so much for your enthusiastic response to these trip pics; I really enjoy sharing these travels with you and am so glad that the feeling seems to be mutual.

In the meantime, have a good weekend as we get set to say good-bye to May, and we'll be back here with you Monday - or on Twitter now and then!

Erin

It's kind of silly that seeing a movie was one of the highlights of our trip, but it absolutely was.  In fact, I shot this poster in St. Peter's Square.  I just had to.  And as you can see, the wording is in Italian.

Then Rob & I made a point of seeing Angels and Demons in a theatre in Rome, about a kilometre away from where most of the action took place.  It was a real treat.

The Pantheon, where the search began....

Then on to St. Peter's, where much of the action occurred.  Hey, where is everybody, anyway?  I mean, I like to take pictures without lots of people in them, but honestly - St. Peter's Square?  That's a feat!

One of the reliefs in St. Peter's Square, "Air".  Blow me down.

Castel Sant'Angelo (on the left), where the four cardinals were kept.

The Passetto - the secret passage between Castel Sant'Angelo and the Vatican.

The fountain of the four rivers in Piazza Navona, site of the murder of the fourth cardinal in the Dan Brown novel.   And yes, another pilfered pole pokes the heavens - it's an Egyptian obelisk, all right.

The Tiber River, into which Robert Langdon fell (in the book, at least)....

There were so many other wonderful sights in Rome.  As you may have gathered, there are more obelisks in Rome than anywhere outside Egypt.  This is another of dozens we saw...and that cross on top was added later, of course.  The Egyptian obelisk wouldn't have had one....

And another....

The beautiful Spanish Steps.  

This isn't new, but it's a fave from '04.  Lauren and I posed near there at the monument to King Vittoria Emanuele II, behind the Roman Forum & Piazza Venezia.

I had a lump in my throat as we walked through Rome and heard the boom of drums.  Suddenly, out of nowhere, we happened upon a parade (or it upon us) along Via Del Corso.  What was this, some sort of Fellini movie?  One moment you're walking along a street in Rome, the next you're hearing a marching band playing "Celebration"!

This is where they think Julius Caesar was stabbed in 44 BC.  Hello - CSI?  Any trace?

A spectacular fountain shimmered in the warm spring sun...

And finally, some more recent history in the form of stained glass.  First, these four...

...and for Gord, our producer and fan of Elvis, this one....

Both were shot outside the Hard Rock Rome on the famed Via Veneto (made famous by the film La Dolce Vita).

All in all, it was an incredible trip and one that we will never forget.  I am grateful to you for coming along and enjoying some of it with us and for letting me share these travels with you.  Believe it or not, I enjoy them more, knowing that I can.  Take care.

Yes, yes, I know we need the rain.  I can do without it, but we need it.  Kind of like exercise, I guess.  Doesn't mean we have to like it!

Had a neat craigslist experience this week.  You're familiar with it, right?  It's an internet market place with individual sites for different cities.  It has been in the news of late in connection with people posting for more, um, personal services, and for crimes committed in relation to those postings.  But here we're talking about its original purpose.

A couch that we needed to part with (just suited our last place much better than the condo, although goodness knows we've tried for three years to make it work) sold on the website.  We actually had a few folks interested in it, but last night we waved good-bye as it was loaded into the buyer's guy's truck and taken to its new home.  The whole thing was actually pretty painless: last week Rob posted the ad with a picture, we got our responses and once we'd established that it was indeed our lowest price (why bother posting a wish price and risk being higher than a potential buyer wants to pay, I wonder???) we got down to two interested parties.

Here's where it gets a little tough.  The first party really wanted the sectional, but wasn't sure about where to put it while selling hers.  Meantime a second e-mailer wanted to come and see it.  But we didn't want to string him along if someone else was really interested.  What to do?

Then Rob came up with an ingenious plan.

He offered to sell buyer #1 the ottoman that goes with the couch.  Then we'd have some of her money and she'd have our ottoman.  It would be a matter of trust: we'd each know the other was interested and not wasting time.

Now, as it turns out, the whole transaction took place in one fell swoop (as opposed to selling one piece of the sectional at a time!) and it all worked out.  I think we might try to sell another piece this way, too  - a cabinet that was bought to hide a TV we no longer have.  Yeesh.  As long as the buyer takes care of transporting the stuff, we're all good.  After all, we've got quite enough moving to do when Lauren heads out to Ottawa in a month.  (No, she didn't want the couch; she's more interested in one at the cottage and we're okay with that.  Besides, she couldn't meet our price.  Kidding!!!)

Have a terrific day and we'll be back to wrap up this week with you tomorrow.

Scroll down for a visit to the Eternal City, won't you?

Erin

I hardly know where to start in sharing with you these last few days of our trip.  We stayed two nights in Rome at the end of our 10-day adventure and I'll just try to boil it down to a few highlights today and tomorrow.

What trip to Rome would be complete without a visit to the Trevi Fountain?  (Yes, we tossed in coins, in hopes of returning some day).  It truly is a marvel to behold.

The first thing we did upon unpacking in our hotel room was buy two 48-hour passes on a Hop On Hop Off bus.  We'd visited Rome on two previous occasions (only for a day each time) but this time we wanted to pack in as many sites as we could.  Of course, the Colosseum was first on the list.

Constructed during 1st century AD, it was the largest amphitheatre in the Roman Empire.

And I bet it still is. :)  Did you know that many of the columns were taken to build St. Peter's?  And all of those holes are where something iron once stood.  Iron, a precious commodity, was also taken away and used elsewhere.

I couldn't resist including some delicate little poppies in this shot.

Of course, what trip through "ancient" Rome would be complete without a gladiator ON HIS CELL PHONE?  (Think he's calling his agent asking if Russell Crowe got his start this way?)  "Et tu, Brute?  You talking to me?"

More sights from the same area....

We wandered a bit and it's amazing what you find when you do!  First, a little door going who-knows-where....

And a niche with a statue that looks as though he's cradling this pigeon.  Now that's a sentence for all eternity, isn't it?

Another beautiful gateway.  (I'm a sucker for entries and stairs when I have a camera in my hands.)

Like many of us, I'm also a softie for a wedding.  And there were more photos being taken in the shadows of the Colosseum than you could shake a bouquet at!  These are just some of them happening on that perfect May Saturday.  I count three brides in this shot.

What happened here, I wonder?

"Honey, can we put the limo on YOUR Visa card?"

"These Jimmy Choo's are killing me.  I'm going to sit for a sec."

And then it was back on the bus for a view across Circus Maximus of the Palatine Ruins.

Welcome to Wednesday, and thank you so much for coming by here today.

I get a lot of e-mails.  (You've probably gathered that).  The immediacy and intimacy of this method of communication has been both a godsend and a burden, but certainly the benefits of being so in touch with our listeners - and journal readers - far outweigh the tolls.

The tolls, though, can be heavy.  I'm thinking of one particular correspondent who has taken me to task because his life is miserable.  I won't go into any more detail than that, except to say that his own pain has certainly eradicated any sensitivity he might have to any one else's feelings.

So when I got an e-mail Tuesday that had this quote beneath the signature line, it almost left me breathless.  Not only am I putting it among my favourites, I'm adding it to my keynote speech right now.

Here are some of the quotes I love and - if I tried really hard, could almost - live by.

1.    Love many, trust few and always paddle your own canoe.  (Don't know who wrote it but my Grama Moore put it in my autograph book when I was little).

2.    Early to Bed, Early to Rise, Work like Hell and Advertise.  (Melvin Van Peebles)

3.    When you're going through hell, keep going.  (Winston Churchill)

4.    Victory has many fathers, failure is an orphan.  (Attributed to many, but most famously JFK)

5.    When one door closes, another one opens.  But it's hell in the hallways.  (various sources)

But here's the one that came as just a signature line in an e-mail.  I can't even find that e-mail now; I think I answered and deleted it.  This, however, is a keeper.

"Don't be distracted by criticism.  Remember that the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you."  [Zig Ziglar]

I love that.  If you find yourself an easy, accessible target every now and then, you might want to put that one on a Post-It note and keep it.  I know I will.

Have a gentle day, don't let the rain get you down, and I'll be back with you here tomorrow.

Now, if you choose to scroll down, we'll journey together to a magical place called Sorrento.

Erin

Located just above the front ankle of Italy's "boot", Sorrento is home to about 16,500 inhabitants and a huge draw for tourists.  We had to take a tender (one of the ship's own covered boats) to get to the dock of Sorrento and I have to tell you that having visited there for only a day on a trip years ago, Rob and I were excited to be going, as the old song goes, "back to Sorrento".

The mountainous town is just bursting with character, from its steep cliffs and old hotels to the market places vibrant with fresh aromas and colour.

Of course, there are churches galore.

And just random little niches paying homage to the Virgin Mary.

The alleyways afforded some interesting views, whether they be laundry...

...spectacular flowers...

...or just shops, many of them specializing in the local liqueur, limoncello, or Italian leather.  Don't know about the limoncello prices, but the leather wasn't cheap.  In Sorrento, nothing is.

After wandering the markets, Rob and I decided to make the hike up to the top of Sorrento.  Some of the sights (and views) we passed included this interesting flatiron building.

Even as we made our way up the mountain, there was a lot of Sorrento we couldn't get near, partly because of busy traffic on narrow roads (and we're talking buses as well as cars and scooters) and no sidewalks.  Oh, the other part?  The topography!

But the trek we made was worth it for the view.

We took this one from a hotel's parking lot.

And this from the highest point we reached.

The funny part came when we walked all the way back down to that beach you see below, only to find that we were blocked from getting to the spot where we would pick up our boat and "return to tender" (hum Elvis here, please).  So we walked up, up, up again and retraced the way we'd gotten two-thirds up the mountain to begin with.  Once again, I was extremely grateful for workouts, 'cause we sure got another one that day.

After all of those stairs - and yes, there were a lot of them - we took a moment to relax with a cappucino and pastry...

...before heading back to the Azamara Journey.  Another day, another adventure.  Good-bye Sorrento.  The sirens to which your name refers will call us back again, no doubt.

On tomorrow to Roma.  Ciao.

oh my goodness...and all this time I thought God wanted me to eat M&Ms.  e.

Welcome in to a Tuesday.  Hope you enjoyed yesterday's sunshine, as it looks as if we're in for some rain this week.  Ah, well...gotta "keep Ontario beautiful" as the license plates used to say....

Speaking of this beautiful province, I hope you've enjoyed the sights and stories of the Shaw Festival and Niagara-on-the-Lake.  By the way, did you know it has been known as Onigahara (by the aboriginal First Peoples), Butlersburg and even Newark?  In the 1880's it was named Niagara-on-the-Lake so as to avoid confusion with that other Niagara place just down the road.  And that's how the name, three hyphens and all, came to be.  Took this picture at a tram ride (we didn't go on it, but you get the idea) to illustrate just how this part of the province puts the "gorge" in gorgeous.

Now, as you read here and heard on CHFI yesterday, you can win two nights at the lovely White Oaks Resort and Spa (plus tickets to one of the amazing Shaw Festival productions this year) all this week on the CHFI Ticket Blitz.  So, I thought I'd share with you a few photos to help whet your appetite.

As you enter the White Oaks, these sculptures welcome a visitor...

...while a pool offers a tired shopper/Shavian visitor a place to rejuvenate.  We saw it from the second floor as we made our way to dinner.

Live orchids adorn a wall outside the restaurant.

Our appetites were sated at the amazing Liv (rhymes with "give") where each dish was as tasty to the eye as to the palate.  A divine atmosphere, I couldn't resist shooting the room...

...as well as my handsome date who was borrowing my glasses after his got stepped on in our hotel room earlier that day!  So do they look better on him...

...or me?  HA!

We certainly only have eyes for each other: Rob and I even used to have the same contact lens prescription.  Is that nauseating, or what?

Yes, we managed to replenish every single calorie that the cycling had burned off, and then some.  But oh, it was worth it.

Then it was back to the old town part of Niagara-on-the-Lake, where another opening night awaited!  Can I just say how much more glamorous this was than a typical evening at the cottage where it's not black tie, it's white tie - around my bathrobe - and the best seats in the house are shared by two little dogs!

Penned by Garson Kanin, one of the great writers of the 20th century (credited with several Tracy/Hepburn romps), it is by turns hilarious and thought-provoking and always, always entertaining.  Deborah Hay bubbles brilliantly as the ultra ditzy showgirl brought to Washington DC by her boorish "junk king" sugar daddy.

When he decides she should get an education, she really does and the results surprise just about everyone.  What a delightful show!  The first act had us laughing harder than any play in recent memory.

The second act, while equally entertaining, puts the emphasis more on thought and lessons than endless laughter, but it all balances out to give a world-weary theatre-goer a great reason to forget his or her troubles and just enjoy an excellent show in a wonderful spot.  Read Richard Ouzounian's Toronto Star review HERE.  (Hint: he gives it four stars out of a possible four!)

The Festival Theatre is a true gem in a town filled with them: a modern, comfortable auditorium as warm and welcoming as any theatre I've had the pleasure of visiting.

Another dramatic venue in Niagara-on-the-Lake is the Courthouse, at which Rob and I saw a play last year.

I'm even more interested in that theatre since reading a chapter about it - and its holding cell - in a new book.

While there is a ghost tour of the town, by the way, Rob and I didn't take it.  After all, we really should save some things to do next time we visit.  And it will be soon.  I hope you'll make a point of it, as well.

Take care, have a lovely day and we'll be back with you here tomorrow. 

Thank you for coming by and good luck winning a memorable stay in Niagara-on-the-Lake with CHFI today and all week at 8:10 am.

Erin

Welcome in - hope you had a good weekend and enjoyed the blue skies and myriad blossoms.  Oh, we did, but not in a way we usually would; rather than spending a recuperative weekend up north, Rob and I pointed our car west on Friday, followed the lake and ended up in a magical little town.

If you're like many people, the only time you venture towards Niagara Falls is when you are showing off to visitors one of the world's great wonders.  It is truly right in our backyard, and yet often it's saved for "special" occasions.  The more I live, the more I realize that we've got to try to make every day "special".  They're numbered, we're not given an infinite supply and we don't get a do-over for a wasted day.

That's why I'm so glad that once again we headed towards the Falls but to a place that only has a compass direction in common with the bustling, brash sights and sounds of Niagara Falls.  Instead, we immersed ourselves in the grace and gentle joys of life in Niagara-on-the-Lake.  A truly beautiful cultural gem in a province bejeweled with many, Niagara-on-the-Lake stands out for so many reasons, but its star is most definitely the Shaw Festival.

This was our second visit in as many years, and I am reminded of how fortunate we are to be able just to hop in the car and soak up this shining highlight in Niagara-on-the-Lake's calendar.  Stretching from May to November, The Shaw draws visitors from far and wide, who come to see plays that were not only penned by Ireland's George Bernard Shaw himself, but were written in, or with regards to the period encompassing his lifetime (late 19th and early to mid 20th century).

A dedicated community of artists - some who've performed in Shaw productions for over two decades - creates memorable theatre productions year after year.  Some funny, some thought-provoking, they are always of the highest professional calibre.  The Shaw Festival is not to be missed, particularly with this year's spotlight on the glittering works of Noël Coward.  But don't wait until its waning days in late fall.  This is a perfect way to welcome and celebrate the season and to see the town in its most glorious springtime splendour.

Rob and I took part in a variation of the "Shaw and Spa" package that the quietly luxurious Oban Inn offers - stay, have treatments (or choose a dinner package) and, of course, experience some of the fine offerings of the 2009 Shaw Festival season.

Sitting for early dinner before the show.  We are the first ones!

And doesn't this rhubarb crumble dessert look too pretty to eat?  Well, I can tell you that a pansy tastes a little peppery.

On Friday at the Royal George Theatre, it was the opening night of Sunday in the Park With George, the Stephen Sondheim musical that has won awards from Broadway to London's West End including a Pulitzer Prize for Drama.  We thoroughly enjoyed this rendering of a tale created about a painting by Parisian Georges Seurat.  One of the world's most famous pieces of art, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte marked the post-impressionistic launch of pointilism (or divisionism).

As far from a dry history tale as the Jatte is from Coney Island, Sunday in the Park with George takes us in act one from the period in which the painstaking mural-sized painting was created, to act two's contemporary times, and Georges's great-grandson's efforts to create art under equally challenging circumstances.  (The same actors are used in both acts but all play different characters.  It's a fun little game to engage in "who played who?" during the second act.)

Sunday in the Park at the Shaw Festival is, like the painting itself, both magical and challenging, enthralling, engaging, touching and thought-provoking.  Oh, and I haven't even touched on the Stephen Sondheim music!  The music and lyrics are beyond challenging, leaving an audience nearly exhausted at times thanks to its whimsical yet complex "pointilistic" score.  But the cast and orchestra are more than up to the task and deliver perfectly.

Its home, The Royal George, very unassuming from the outside as you pass it on the town's main street (Queen), is adorned with Edwardian gilt, reds and golds.  You'll have to see it inside for yourself!

After a restful night, we moved from Sunday on into Saturday.  We got up early for a light breakfast and headed out, strolling nearby Queen Street, visiting the shops, buying frothy cappuccinos and petting little dogs who reminded us of our own.

Then we rented bicycles.  I have never done that before - made bicycling part of the experience of a place.  We will definitely do it again!

We rode through quiet, blossom-garnished neighbourhoods, trying with every puff and pedal to take in the sights and smells of a perfect spring day in an idyllic little town.

We rode until the cement-like seats on our rentals made our bums scream for mercy and then headed back to the Oban to visit the gym and then get cleaned up for dinner.  Here we go!

And this is where you come in.  Every day this week, we're giving away a two-night stay at the White Oaks Conference Resort and Spa on the CHFI Ticket Blitz.  I'll tell you about the resort itself tomorrow, along with my thoughts on the social comedy Born Yesterday.

Yes, we saw Sunday on a Friday and I'll write about Yesterday tomorrow.

Got that?  Good!  Want more info on the Shaw Festival, its ticket prices and other goodies?  Just click here.

Have a wonderful day.  And the Italy photos will be here just a little later in the week.  Ciao!

I want to send a little shout-out to my friend Lisa Brandt today.  Yesterday's Star horoscopes had a headline to the effect of "Ain't No Stopping Libra Now" - something like that - and I thought of myself first, but now I know that it was all about Lisa, Lisa, Lisa.  Here it is, from Phil Booth in the Star:

"You will naturally find yourself in the right time and place to do what needs to be done regarding a key commitment. Don't succumb to self-doubt. A new and exciting era is dawning, and you're going to love it."

But on Monday she'll start a new job as midday host on an FM music station in London, returning to her musical roots and doing a job that doesn't involve breaking news and breaking a sweat (that is, once she gets the format and board down pat)!  I am so proud of my pal and all of her accomplishments.  Oh, and she makes killer fries.  She and her partner (and partner) Derek have many irons in the fire, but - oops, I'm not supposed to say "fire" - you'll want to give this a go if you're in the London area any time soon.

You can read more at Lisa's blog at www.lisabrandt.ca.  It's a must-read for me every day.  Yesterday's in particular, about what to tell your children in the aftermath of Tori Stafford's disappearance, was especially touching.

This morning at 8:20 or so on CHFI, we're going to be talking with John Durant, Exec. Director of Child Find Ontario.  We  are going to be asking him what you should tell your children this weekend, but more than that - we're going to keep John on hand to answer your questions ON LINE right afterwards.  Go to www.chfi.com for more info, but please join us for our very first live online forum at 8:20 this morning on CHFI.

Today, if you scroll down, our week of travel takes us to magical Mykonos, Greece.  Yes, it looks like the set of Mamma Mia (minus Pierce Brosnan - trust me, I looked) and we made a few memories.  Next week, lovely Italy.

Look for me if you're in Niagara-on-the-Lake this weekend - Rob and I are making our now-annual pilgrimage to enjoy some wonderful theatre at the Shaw Festival in one of the most perfect spring settings Ontario has to offer.  In fact, it's gorgeous year-round, but particularly with all of the blossoms out now.  Yes, there's a lot of beauty to be found right outside our back door, and I can't wait to take it all in.  I'll be sharing that here next week too.  Have a wonderful weekend.

Erin

Now, you're going to think I've gotten my itinerary mixed up here, but I swear we started in Athens, spent two days in Turkey and then returned to Greece!

Our ship came in to Mykonos, the fabled and, at one time, very cosmopolitan island first settled in 11th century BC.

Before we got a chance to take in the sights and sounds of its Greek mystique, our excursion that day took us by ferry to nearby Delos, on Unesco's World Heritage List as one of the most important mythological, historical and archaeological sites in Greece.  Literally everywhere you turned were excavated remains of homes and the five thousand-year-old equivalent of neighbourhoods...

...with their rich houses (complete with statues of their owners)...

...detailed floor mosaics such as those unearthed in Pompeii...

...simple shops...

...and the stunning remains of an amphitheatre.

The beauty of this area, only about 20% excavated (!) was breathtaking and I found Delos to be equally fascinating to the sights found in Pompeii, a stop later in our trip.

Here, the Terrace of the Lions, dedicated to Apollo (said to have been born on Delos) watched over this beautifully placed cycladic island.  Many of those lions have been found intact or have been carefully reassembled.

There was even Egyptian influence here (Delos was visited and conquered by many, including pirates, over its magical but also tragic history) - and we trekked up a mountain to get close to the Temple of Isis.  We made it!

And oh, the view was worth the hike.

Then, a return to the ferry, which took us to Mykonos.

We were dropped off right in the area with the most shops and restaurants and it was truly enchanting.  I could barely put my camera down long enough to pick up any souvenirs!  Of course, there were churches...

...and my favourite....

Also, more restaurants than you could shake a souvlaki at, like this one by the sea.

And this one with a view in the background of the famous Mykonos windmills!

But the taverna down the way that offered sun-dried octopus wasn't kidding.  Look at this boat carefully - and you'll see what we mean!

We even had the honour of meeting Petros the Pelican, the island's mascot.  We met up in an alley...

...where he suggested I visit a jewellery store there.  I couldn't resist a chance to get "up close and personal" with him, and while I sat, he gallantly bowed.

...or picked a flea, whatever.  I am quite sure, had he been shopping, he'd have told the lady to just "put it on my bill"!

Then it was good-bye Mykonos.  But oh, we will return.

The old song goes "Come Back to Sorrento".  Rob and I did just that and we'll share pictures of Sorrento and our (brief) Roman Holiday here next week.  Bye for now and thank you for sharing in these travels with us.  E.

Holy Hannah, what a surprise!  For everyone (myself included) who thought that Adam Lambert would win Idol's trophy Fosse Hands down, it was a case of "what the what?" when the announcement was made that Kris Allen had won.  I thought it was like Miss America, where perhaps they announced the runner up instead, and we were to deduce who the winner was.  But no, it was Kris.

Please don't write and tell me why Kris is the rightful winner.  I have invested no emotion in this and am only a peripheral observer of the hype, the predictions, etc..  This was a flat-out upset (and "upset" is exactly how Simon Cowell, who makes his money off idols, looked when the announcement was made).  I'll say here though that the very rampant and most likely true rumours regarding Lambert being gay probably got forces to unite against him.  He's still a winner.  Maybe not the winner in this whole thing, but a winner just the same.  And when all is said and done, it's just a TV show.  On with our lives.

Here we are at Thursday and what a sad development we saw yesterday.  Of course, the story of Tori Stafford's disappearance began six weeks ago and when we heard yesterday that there had been two arrests made, we hoped against the nagging, dragging sense of doom that she'd turn up safe and sound.  That ending was not to be.  This is a story that does not in any way end happily and our hearts break for an innocent little girl and her family.  There is much to be told in this story (especially the steps taken in the search for Tori during the early days of her disappearance) but today is a day for mourning.

A different kind of mourning took place at around 300 GM dealerships across Canada yesterday.  In a replay of what happened to many of their US counterparts last week, dealership owners - many who had been selling GM products for literally generations - grimly awaited envelopes from head office telling them their doors would soon be closing, and the families that they'd put together among staff would be swiftly and deftly rendered apart.  And none of these people is to blame for what their company did to them.  They all tried their hardest, kept up their ends of the deal and sold the GM products as best they could, in good times and in tough times.

Times were never tougher than they got for many of those people yesterday.  And we can all say "GM" and "dealerships" but it comes down to just one thing: people.  Today at 6:40 am we'll talk with a GM dealer about what yesterday felt like for him and his staff.  I hope you hear it, or listen to the interview on line at www.chfi.com when Jay puts it up for us.

Of course, it's not all bad news today.  If you need something cheery, simply take a look at the forecast.  I know, I know, some people don't like humidity, others sneeze at the mere thought of a blossoming tree, but for me, the thought of warm temperatures and the blessed smell of lilacs in bloom makes this day a little brighter.  I hope it does the same for you.

A follow-up on yesterday's "Air Miles for charity" idea that I wrote about here and we discussed on our show at 6:40.  Well, we knew it couldn't be flawless...here's the fly in the ointment.  Thanks to Gloria for the info:

"I'm sure someone has already contacted you regarding the AirMiles program. Dominion, LCBO and other participants do have to pay Air Miles per mile added in their stores. Otherwise, there would be no cash for the company to operate. That's why contracts are signed by employees. Air Miles is a marketing tool for the companies participating to bring you into the store.

"Have a good day.  Gloria"

Speaking of logging air miles, today I'm taking you on our travels through Istanbul.  Scroll down to come along, or just come on back tomorrow.  Be well.

Erin

Yes, Istanbul.  Turkey is a country I've always wanted to see, a jewel that I'd heard about but wanted to experience first-hand.  We were fortunate that our ship's itinerary took us to this country, especially to the bustling metropolis of Istanbul with its 3500 mosques (and more being built all the time!) and horrendous traffic.  Here's the Monday morning commute as our tour bus crossed from the European side of Istanbul, over the river to the Asian side.  Yep - two continents, one city.  Pretty cool.

We saw what is called by many as one of the Wonders of the Ancient World, the Hagia Sophia.  Somehow I was so busy shooting the mosque across from it (which you'll see in a moment) that I'll have to borrow this one from Google
Images.  It's the only pic that isn't ours, I swear to you.

Built in the 4th century, it was the largest cathedral in the world until it was converted into a mosque in the 15th century and in the early 20th century became a museum.  However, signs of the mosque's Christian origins are still evident and being unveiled.

The sights inside are breathtaking - like this immense alabaster jar.

And you just have to look up to see more wonders.

A stunning sight, all shimmering gold.

As I mentioned earlier, the Blue Mosque across from it was what really captivated me.

And those wires that are strung between the minarettes?  They are lit up with lights to send messages, greetings, and so on.

There's also a beautiful, bustling and modern downtown area, and a lot of attention has been paid to making the area transit and pedestrian friendly.

I DID make a point of buying lots of boxes of Turkish Delight - more of a nougat treat than the pink gooey candy that we know from Big Turks!

And on our way back to the port, what's this?  An Egyptian obelisk?  Yep.  No matter where you go in Europe - Paris, Rome and even Turkey - Egypt's treasures are there.  Even here in Istanbul.

Welcome to Wednesday - already.  Omigosh, what a week!  I have started pondering clearing dead plants and bugs off our condo balcony, and we're thinking about bringing the chair pads out of storage.  Don't want to rush things - after all, it is just the 20th of MAY!

A few thoughts before we get to today's photos of last week's whirlwind thru Europe.

You probably heard the story of 10 LCBO employees let go for using their cards to pick up customers' unwanted Air Miles?  It was in the Monday Toronto Star and we alluded to it at 8:10 or so yesterday morning.  So, as we're walking out of the Metro at Eglinton and Bayview yesterday, having stocked up some pretty empty cupboards and fridge drawers, I was telling Rob about the story. 

Here's an idea: why not have a separate card held by cashiers at each store where Air Miles are offered.  When cashiers ask customers if they collect Air Miles and are declined, they could say, "Mind if we give the points to charity?" and sweep their own special card - make it, oh, red or something.  Then, at the end of the year, all of those Air Miles that wouldn't have been collected go towards a charity - say Childhood Cancer Foundation or Children's Wish - and they could be used for all kinds of special rewards, from flights to movie passes - you name it!  Why not?  Anybody out there from Air Miles reading this?

Hey, more Marley and Me fall out.  After seeing that movie on the weekend, we just keep looking at our Pepper (who is almost 11-and-a-half) and appreciating him a tad more every day.

He's a wonderful little guy and loves us so much and so well.  Molly's great - she's just playful, nutty Molly and is only four years old - but Pepper has always been his dad's dog and is just a special friend.  We knew that, but Marley was a great reminder.

And oh, there's nothing like the homecoming welcome we get after any time away.  Sometimes two hours warrant a lickfest as enthusiastic as a two week absence, but when Rob and I get home from a trip as we did on Monday, Rob takes off his glasses, lies on the floor and lets Molly and Pepper just jump all over and lick his face.  It's one of the best parts of coming home, besides, of course, the more restrained welcome Lauren gives us!

Speaking of travels, our next chapter today takes us to the beautiful country of Turkey.  If you choose to come along (and there's a story in here I'll never ever forget), please scroll down.  If not, come on back tomorrow!

Erin

 
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I hope you caught yesterday's journal for pictures of Athens.  Rob and I have long wanted to see this treasured land and it certainly did not disappoint.  In fact, the more we travel, the more we appreciate Greece and the genius that it gave to the world in terms of philosophy, architecture and so very much more.

Did you know that Greece has never had a war over religion?  Never.  Imagine that - in this world so rife with fighting over whose god is better than whose, and what He would want, and on and on, Greece has never had a war about religion.  I knew I loved it for more reasons than just the people, the scenery, the culture, the history and the food!

Our whirlwind trip was not without a mishap, but fortunately, it was a minor one.  I didn't mention yesterday that after a great first leg of the flight, Air France lost Rob's suitcase on our way to Athens.  Perhaps somewhere in the Alps (as shot out the airplane window)?

Thankfully, they got it to our hotel by the next morning, before we had to start off on the next part of our adventure.  But after never losing a suitcase, we're now two for two, counting our last two vacations.  I think our next trip in July is a driving one.  Then, we only risk losing our minds.

The first 24 hours were unforgettable ones in Athens, then we boarded a small ship called the Azamara Journey.  One of Celebrity's line, it was everything we could have hoped for and a lot more.  This is Journey's sister ship, the Quest, which was tendered near us during one of our stops.  It's not a floating behemoth like some ships; we prefer smaller and more intimate, thus quieter and more relaxing.  Or as relaxing as a cruise can be, given that every day it's a new adventure in a different port, city or country.

Rob and I are fans of cruising since, with a limited amount of time and a great hunger to see as much of the world as we can, we can sample ports around the world and determine to which ones we'd come back - if we had the time, luck and resources!

Our first stop after Athens was in a place called Canakkale (channa-KA-lay), a town and seaport in Turkey standing on the Dardanelles Strait.  I've long heard praises sung of Turkey and indeed the scenery was breathtaking.

We regret not choosing the excursion that went to the mythical site of the Trojan Horse.  Instead, we took a trip that was centred around a great battle during WWI in 1915, in which the Turks defeated the Australia and New Zealand troops in their attempt to claim the area for Great Britain.  In short, a million men lost their lives in that battle and the area is rife with monuments to the dead, on both sides.

Some trenches from that war were also preserved.

In all, we must have seen at least a dozen monuments and commemorative areas set aside for this important chapter of Turkish history.

Unfortunately, our guide didn't do a good job of telling us any other aspects of Turkish life, its culture, etc..  For that, we'd wait for a trip to Istanbul.  We did, however, set foot in both Europe and Asia the same day, thanks to a ferry trip.  That's pretty neat, and another phenomenon we'd repeat in Istanbul (you'll see those shots tomorrow, then we head back to Greece for unforgettable Mykonos).

However, this Canakkale excursion did leave me with one impression I will never, ever forget.

So, we've seen the memorials and our tour bus pulls into a tourist stop, with beautifully built new bathrooms (and gorgeous Turkish tilework) near one of the monuments in Gallipoli.  Having had way too much coffee that morning in a misguided attempt to get my body clock acclimated to our European time, I gratefully lined up to use the WC (as the water closets, or washrooms are known) and I got the surprise of my life.

I opened a stall door to see not a toilet (not even one without a seat, which is fairly common in Europe - at least it was in many Rome restaurants) but a porcelain floor.  Yes, picture the bottom of a shower, but instead of a drain, there's a hole.  I HAD to take a picture to share it with you.  If not for you, I'd have left my camera in my purse, don't worry!  But I was afraid you might not believe me!

How does one go?  Well, let me put this about as delicately as I can.  I have never been so glad that Jill at the gym has had me doing squats (bending as to sit on a bench and then rising again) and wall squats, wherein you lean against a wall as on an invisible chair for a minute at a go.  I was so grateful to have been working out so that using those "facilities" was not the awful challenge that it might have been.  I was just so dumbfounded to have had to use this kind of a facility with no warning from the tour guide!  At the very least, I knew it would provide me with a story to share with you.

Tomorrow, on to Istanbul.  And you think WE have traffic.  Ha!  E.

Hey there - welcome back.  I mean, from the long weekend!  And it's good to be home.  Although we just had one week off, Rob and I crammed in a lot of kilometres and a ton of photos.  I'll have some for you here every day, but if you don't want to share in them, that's okay too.  Each day, a different journal, followed by a few photos and notes.

After a downright chilly Sunday, it was good to see that the forecast called for improvement yesterday.  It promises to continue to improve as this week goes on - at least temperature-wise.  It was lovely to land at Pearson yesterday and fly in over so much greenery.  There's something special about coming back from a trip and knowing that there's no snow awaiting your arrival.  As a matter of fact, just imagining that we're only two-thirds of the way through spring is enough to make your heart a little lighter.

You know what's a bad idea?  Watching a tear-jerking movie on an airplane.  I knew that Marley and Me was going to make me cry, and oh, it did.  A full-on, runny nose, napkin-soaking cry.  And of course, since nobody in the cabin shares the same movie (except that Rob and I always start the video at the exact same time: one-two-three-go!) the flight attendants probably wondered what the heck was going on with our lunch that Rob and I both were blubbering away.

A better idea?  Seeing a movie in the city in which it's been shot and around which it's written.

If you haven't yet seen Angels and Demons, it's one of the best movies that I've caught in ages.  It's been a long time since we went to the movies, having gotten our fill (and then some) just prior to the Oscars.  But Angels and Demons with Tom Hanks (based on the Dan Brown novel considered by many to be a superior story to The DaVinci Code) is worth the price of admission.  I hope you'll see it.  Great story, whether or not you've read the book.  And whether or not you happen to see it in Rome, as we did.

Talk about a surreal experience.  The guy in the seat next to me was pointing at the screen during one aerial shot and I just knew he was saying to his buddy, "Hey!  I can see my house!"  No wonder -- the theatre we were in was located about a kilometre from St. Peter's Square and, earlier in the day, we had seen most of the monuments and landmarks that figured so very prominently (certainly not simply as backdrops) in the Ron Howard-directed movie.

I'll share photos of those spots here in the days to come, but first things first.  I'll say Arrivederci to you if you're not interested in the travel pics of Athens today; if so, put on your sandals and scroll down.

Erin

 
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Yes, we're in Greece.  We flew out right after the Radiothon on Thursday, May 7 and arrived in Athens Friday afternoon.  We only had one night there, so we'd hired a man to take us around on Friday evening and all day Saturday.  Instead of driving us right into Athens, we dallied along the coast and stopped for a wonderful and welcome dinner of ouzo (for Rob), salads, seafood and fried cheese along the Aegean Sea.

Nice view from our little table...

And then on to our hotel.  We got out by 9 am the next day, just in time to catch the Changing of the Guard at the Greek Parliament.  Timing!

Then, it was on to the Archaeological Museum.  Among the myriad treasures, this bronze.  One of my joys as a traveller is getting pictures in crowded places without getting one person in the shot.

Here's a treasure found in the early 1900s at the bottom of the sea.  It was on a ship bound for Italy centuries earlier, and was wrecked on the rocks.  The bounty found underwater was incredible and this one, The Jockey, was in amazing condition.  To think it was almost lost - first to thieves, then the sea!

On we went to the Plaka, the old part of the city.  And there we saw a sight from home...

...but had we wanted anything to eat or drink, the Plaka had more than enough restaurants and shops to fill the senses.  I loved that part of the city!  Even older than the old city, of course, were the ruins of the Temple of Zeus.

A pair of young women from Alberta took this shot of Rob and me...

...but we didn't get there in time to pose in front of this one.  I think we were at least a thousand years late.

On we drove to the site of the first Modern Olympics, built in 1896.  It seats about 70,000 and is now used for big concert events.

Then it was up, up, up to the Acropolis.  The sky made for the perfect backdrop to one of the world's most famous sights.  Simply breathtaking.

Finally, here's the man who made our whirlwind 24 hours in Athens so memorable for us, Nikolas, with John's Athens Taxi.  (I found the company on TripAdvisor.com, a website I've come to rely on for all kinds of recommendations.  I even contribute to it - you can, too!)

More pictures tomorrow.  Thanks for coming by.  E.
 

This will be the only journal here until Tuesday May 19th.

It didn't really sink in until I went to set up my "auto response" for e-mails at work after Thursday's Radiothon that we really haven't been away for anything more than a long weekend since Christmas and New Year's!

My goodness.  That's why that quote above was so apt.

That's also why I think I cried like a five-year-old at the end of the 2009 Radiothon to help stop violence against women.  That and the fact that, despite this cruddy economy, about $80,000 more was raised this year through Shelter From the Storm across Canada than last year.  A grand total of $1.68 million was given by you.  And people like you.  Thank you SO much.

By now, it's probably a vague memory but I had to thank you for letting us alter your radio station for a day.  We know you like CHFI for what it is: great music, lots of it (the most in the city during your work day) and people you know and like/love/tolerate.

Anyway, you let us do that for one day.  You may never know the difference you've made in people's lives.  Your kindness and generosity may only have a personal dividend for you that includes a warm feeling (and a tax deduction), but know that you have helped to change lives.  What more could we hope for this time around on earth, huh?

On that note, as I put a few more miles on my own odometer, I wish you a great week.

Thank you for coming by - Mike and I return Tuesday May 19.  Until then, be well and have a Happy Victoria Day weekend.

Welcome in, and thank you for sharing some of your day here.  As you may have heard this morning, Mike and I (and Ian MacArthur) are taking this day to relax, to celebrate and to be thankful for everything that happened during yesterday's 12-hour radiothon, Shelter from the Storm, in which money and awareness was raised by the good folks at BMO, Winners, Royal LePage and Rogers - but especially by you - to stop violence against women.

Thank you for letting us alter your favourite station, just for a day.

As you're no doubt aware, this Sunday is Mother's Day.  I last saw my mom at Christmas when we spent some great time together out west and then down in Sedona, Arizona.  Here's a picture of the two of us from a spot in "downtown" Sedona.

Not everyone, however, is looking forward to this weekend.  The other day, I received a very touching e-mail from listener and journal reader Cindy, about how Mother's Day can certainly have less than joyous connotations for some.

Here's Cindy's letter to me:

"Hi Erin, as we get nearer to Mother's Day this coming weekend, about 2-3 years ago you posted a poem of sorts devoted to those persons out there who had lost their mothers and would be spending Mother's Day without them. Well, I'm just such a person this year.

"We lost my mother suddenly in January to a heart attack, no prior warnings. We four girls were absolutely devastated as was my father. This will be the first significant occasion without her. I remember reading that verse you'd published and thought at the time that I myself didn't 'need' it, but that it sure must have brought a measure of comfort to those who no longer had a mother to hug and hold every Mother's Day, something I'm sure we all took for granted for years and would stress over getting them the 'perfect' gift or choosing the 'perfect' card.

"You know what: just put work aside for one day, one afternoon and spend a little time with them. Hug them and tell them you love them and all that you appreciated them doing for you growing up. Call to hear their voice just one more time, go and smell their perfume, and hold their hand while it's still warm. For those are the things, believe me, that you're going to miss.

"Thanks Erin, if you could find that poem-verse and post it again or send it to me if you possibly have the time? There's actually a couple of us up this way who will be without our mothers this weekend. Much appreciated, thank you so very much.

"Regards, Cindy"

But to everyone - every Mother (MY Mother!) - I wish you a serene and special Sunday.  I also want to tell you that I'm going to be off line for a week as Rob and I take to the skies for some time away together.  We'll return after next weekend and I will look forward to journalling for you then.  I'll leave it up to you whether you wish to share in the trip with me through photos and stories, when I return.  Be well.  Go Jays.  Have a lovely week.  Now, that poem:
 
 

Good morning.  With any luck, you're reading this (and if you are you're going, "Well, what the heck else would I be doing, eating it?") but bear with me; we lost our domain yesterday.

See, since March of 2003, I've been the proud owner of www.erindavis.com.  You go to a domain provider, you pick a name you'd like, i.e.: www.domesticgoddess.com and if it's not taken, you sign up, you basically rent it on a yearly basis (or longer) and it's yours.  Some of the names can be wicked expensive: www.erin.com was available for something like $27,000 at the time!  Seriously!  (I can get www.erin.fm which would be pretty cool.  But I don't want everyone else to go thru the hassles of changing my website!)

Something went really wrong yesterday.  Seems that www.erindavis.com expired.  Some exasperated sleuthing showed that our domain ran out May 5, although our hosting package goes for another few years - and we weren't warned, notified, nothing!  Just like that, people who'd been coming to my site for years - and you may also access it through www.chfi.com - were sent to a fishing site wherein the web domain company was trying to sell MY site to the highest bidder.  Rob was able to renew it yesterday, and things seem to be back to normal now.

So - you know what we're doing today - we're raising money, awareness and spirits through the CHFI Radiothon to end domestic violence.  This is year FIVE and, although it never gets easier, I think the shows just get better and better.  Tune in and share the day with us.  We couldn't and wouldn't do it without you.  Oh, and you can come by and see us live at College Park in the Winners store there.  Shopping at 6 am or before work?  How cool is that?

After today's Shelter from the Storm 12-hour show, Mike and I will drag our weary butts home and begin our first week off of 2009.  We know you'll enjoy Gord, Tish and Darren; of course The General rejoins the team next week, too.

I was going to journal on our trip but I'm going to take a few days away from this perplexing internet BS and enjoy some time with Rob instead.  If you want to see pictures and share stories when we return after the long weekend (just over a week away), we'll do that.

In the meantime, a very special Mother's Day journal awaits you here tomorrow.  And I hope you have a lovely, lovely weekend.

Well, what a night that was: a gym full of parents, a stage packed with young musicians, a common cause and a heart-wrenching story.  Let me share it with you.

A few months ago, a man named Steve Pavey e-mailed me.  Like so many letters I find in my inbox every day, Steve was asking if I could attend an event close to his heart.  Now, an unfortunate part of this life is the 4 am wakeup call, and the need to be as sharp as I can be for the next five hours.  That means that 98% of the time, I have to gently decline evening invitations.  That goes for weekend requests, too, but that's because if I can't have time to recharge the batteries, I am dead by Wednesday.

Steve's e-mail, though, was different from the rest.  No more sincere or in need - trust me, they all are - but different.  He asked this: if his school's annual music concert would be a fundraiser for a children's charity of my choice - because of something that had happened in his family - would I host?  Well, as it turns out, CHFI is not only a fundraiser for the Shelter from the Storm (which happens tomorrow) but also raises money for the Childhood Cancer Foundation, a body whose mission is to provide support - all kinds of it - and information for the families of children and adolescents dealing with cancer.

Steve is the music teacher at Franklin Street Public School in Markham.  Last September he and his wife learned that one of their children, daughter Kayla, had cancer, and this nine-year-old girl's chances were not good.  Not good at all.

In the months that followed, Steve decided to put his position as a music teacher and his dedication as a father to work.  And that's how last night's concert came to be.

The theme of the event, featuring young musicians from grades six through eight, was "Spring Into Hope".  Steve very kindly chose a date that fit with my calendar and invited me to emcee the two-hour event.

Although I was reluctant (for about twenty seconds) to add to my schedule when I'd already made a commitment to my doctors and husband to cut back and slow down, it was a thorough pleasure.  My heart soared throughout the evening and not just because of the cause at hand.

Musically, the children were head and shoulders above many grade nine and ten band members I've heard over the past few years.  Steve and Principal Mme Burisch were gracious and generous, giving me flowers, a huge card that was signed by all of the children who had participated and most importantly, a cheque - literally a giant cheque - for $2500 for the Childhood Cancer Foundation.

Oh, and Kayla?  Tests taken after her last surgery showed an "all clear".  She's doing great, her family is grateful and Mr. Pavey found out just how well-loved he is by the students and "family" of Franklin.  What a wonderful story!  I am proud to have been part of such a special evening.  Thanks to Paul Mosey (416-606-9845) for the middle two photos; he got much better shots with his Canon than Rob did with my iPhone!

Tomorrow - a fundraiser of a different kind.  It will be a 12-hour show dedicated to raising awareness, raising hope and raising money for the Canadian Women's Foundation.  Please join us for the special pieces we've put together for Shelter from the Storm and we'd love if you could visit us at College Park (Yonge subway line) sometime between 6 am and 6 pm tomorrow.  Tune in and send us some good vibes, will you?  A 12-hour show is a long one, to be sure, but when your heart is behind something, there's nothing you can't accomplish.  I saw that last night in Markham.

Erin
 

ps - I've joined the Twitter-net. www.twitter.com is another way for us to stay in touch and you can even get the latest updates on CHFI events (and insider stuff like the Song @ 6...shh...plus bonus points every now & then).  It's fun, fast and free and it's simple to find me!  Google "Erin Davis Twitter" and there I am!

Ah, Tuesday.  Two-fer Tuesday as we call it at CHFI, because you get double your points (on things like the Song@6 and Feel Good Favourite) for things like the CHFI Trip-a-Day Giveaway, which is back.  It's pretty awesome.

I can't update my journal through the day, so I Tweet the songs to help you along.  More on how to sign up at the end of the journal.  Don't miss out on more chances to head to Florida with your family on CHFI every day this week.

Have you ever stopped to wonder what kind of a winner you'd be?  I mean, we hear 'em all - those who cry, those who scream, those who sound like they're just taking your order at the drive-thru.  And it's the folks who are super calm when we talk to them who generate the most e-mails.

Sure, there are people who'll write to me when someone is such a grateful winner that, even as a listener, it's enough to make you cry.  You are truly happy for them for winning and so are we.  But then there are listeners who are just so calm, cool and collected - like Lisa from Pickering, who won yesterday's family trip for four to Florida - that people write and wonder what it would to take to excite them!

Now, I can't fault any of our listeners (for anything except calling when they misheard something and are ticked off for some reason) especially when it comes to winning.  Who knows how we'd each react to winning?

Sometimes if Rob twists my arm (no, seriously) we'll go and play a little video poker at, say, Rama.  And I'll tell you that 9 times out of 10 when someone wins something big and the machine starts playing a happy tune, the person who won that jackpot says, "Well, it's about time."

You know what that tells me?  That they've spent WAY too much money on the machine(s) or they just don't appreciate a gift when they get it!  It's about time?  Really?  How about a good, old fashioned, "I won!  I won!  I won!"  That would be more my style, but I have no idea, having never really won, won, won at any casino.  (Guess you have to play more than one quarter at a time?)

I remember a few years ago at an event I was hosting, I bought tickets on a raffle.  Well, didn't I go and win that draw (Rob did, but I'd introduced him as my husband, so same difference)!  While I should have been jumping up and down at winning, I was mortified.  It just didn't seem right, even though I'd paid my $100 like everybody else for the Air Canada prize of tickets to fly in North America.  You know me - that is a prize I can really use!

Ever since, we've tried to adhere to a "no buying a raffle ticket!" rule, but when the cause is good - as it was at last Friday's lunch held by Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Peel - it's impossible not to.  And yes, I know I could give it back or auction it off (which I have done in the past) but when it comes to air travel, I can't.  I just can't.

Oh, the lunch was covered (very nicely, I might add) in the Mississauga News.  The story is here.  Thank you to Radhika Panjwani for such a nice job.

Oh, and back to air travel, I mentioned yesterday that Rob and I are away next week.  It involves travel - we fly out on Thursday night - and I'll fill you in on it when I get home.  But I don't think I'll Tweet about it after all.  It's one thing if you wish to enjoy my pictures and stories from far away places, which I invite you to do if you visit here upon our return, but it's another to have them show up on Twitter.

The last thing I want to do is tick anyone off, and my need to see the world while I'm young and have bits of time here and there in which to do it, might inadvertently accomplish that.  I understand and I thank you for understanding.

Have a good day today and we'll be back with you here tomorrow - and Thursday - AND Friday.

Good morning - and welcome to Monday!  Yes, that's an exclamation point on Monday...not a typo...this is an exciting week at CHFI.  On Thursday, we're taking this show on the road, and heading to Winners at College Park for our annual Shelter from the Storm radio broadcast.

While Gord makes it all sound seamless from the studio, Mike, The General and I will be live at at the broadcast site - along with a strong and caffeine-fueled team from the station, Canadian Women's Foundation and BMO - to raise awareness and money for domestic abuse and its prevention.  It's a 12-hour marathon (and trust me, the breaks are so short and busy that one rarely even gets time to shop!) but the cause is great and one that, as we've seen in the headline-dominating Rihanna/Chris Brown story this year, shows no signs of going away.

It does show signs of shift, though.  The awareness is growing and although the need is still great - for education, for aid, for hope - we feel that every year we do this, we're making huge steps in the right direction.

We're right on the Yonge subway line and we'd LOVE for you to stop by.  It's one of the times that Mike and I get to meet you face-to-face and I really look forward to the opportunity to chat.  I can keep you up to date all day on Twitter, too.  That'll be fun.

Aaaaaaanyway, that's Thursday.  On Thursday night, Rob and I are heading away for a week and a bit.  I'll fill you in on that as the week goes on; I will have internet where we're going so as to keep in touch with Lauren, but will not be doing journal updates as of next Monday.  Why?  Well, while some men fantasize about what women might look like without clothes, Rob just likes to picture me without my laptop.  I will Tweet though.

Lauren and a busload of tired kids got home safe and sound yesterday after a very long drive from Woodstock, NY.  She and her school bandmates had a whirlwind trip to the Big Apple and then back to Woodstock, where they recorded their annual CD at the private studios of Levon Helm, former drummer with The Band and Ronnie Hawkins' Hawks.

Much to their surprise, he was there the entire time, sat in on the recordings and was, by all accounts, a real mensch.  The kids loved him and it seems the feeling was mutual; they got to play at his weekly Midnight Ramble and performed for a crowd alongside Levon Helm and (among others) Bob Dylan's guitarist.

Now, if you're kind of shrugging going, "Meh...", I might be with you, except for the dancing-on-the-ceiling excitement of the kids when they emerged from it, and Rob's reaction.  The Band was second only to The Beatles in his books as a teen, and he got a great kick out of hearing Lauren's reaction to it all.  We both look forward to hearing the recordings.

And what did WE do for school trips, huh?  I just remember one from Trenton in grade school to Marineland in Niagara Falls (mom chaperoned, some kid threw up) and another very long day trip to Stratford (Othello was great, but no professional recording studio!).

Well, enjoy this Star Wars day...May the Fourth Be With You...and we'll talk to you here tomorrow.

Welcome to May - and to Friday.  As I mentioned here yesterday, after today's show I'm heading to the International Centre.  There, Rob and I present my "Living Out Loud" speech for the Women of Peel, to benefit Big Brothers and Big Sisters.  I love to do it; it reminds me every time just how very, very lucky I am.  Then we pick up the pups from a doggie daycare nearby and head north.  Makeup off, feet up, breathe for two straight days.

What a week it's been!  Swine flu has been in the news for just days but it's certainly dominating the headlines and everyone's thoughts.  I pity a lot of people, but that includes those with travel plans like our friend Michelle Butterly, who is waiting to hear if she is or is not going to be able to take her two weeks in Mexico at the end of this month.

I did hear an interview with the CAA on Wednesday warning people to check the fine print on their travel health insurance.  Some are saying that if you find a way and go to Mexico despite the warnings, then contract this virus, you are totally on your own.  CAA, I might add, says it has you covered.

I caught a news story yesterday in which the World Organization for Animal Health is imploring everyone to start calling swine flu the North American flu.  Today, the World Health Organization says it will consider referring to it by its clinical name, the H1N1 virus, to avoid confusion over whether the disease can be contracted through pork consumption (which it can't).

Meantime, in Israel, an ultra-religious politican who happens to be the country's Deputy Health Minister is calling for the disease to be renamed Mexican flu, since swine aren't kosher.  That idea was shot down - with a lot of pleading from Mexico's ambassador to Israel.

Pity the world's pork producers. Russia and China are banning imports - some even from the U.S. - out of fear of the virus.  In Egypt, all pigs have been ordered slaughtered - to the horror of farmers there (and the pigs can't be too happy, either).   Here in Canada, our pork producers are also working hard to get everyone to stop calling this flu outbreak the swine flu.  Two e-mails from listeners in the pork industry implored us at CHFI, "as leaders" (thank you) to call it North American flu and stop calling this pandemic swine flu.

Mike and I discussed this a few times on the show yesterday.  If the tide changes - and the WHO is certainly the big wave in this story - then we will go with whatever the flu is to be called.  Our job is to reflect the lexicon, not change it.  But I think from here on in, at least in this journal, I'll do my part for Tim Brochu and every other farmer or worker in the food industry who's worried about putting dinner on his or her own family's table with this latest swipe at our economical and mental well-being.  We'll call it H1N1 here, which is also what it is.  From USA Today:

"Bill Hall, acting assistant secretary for public affairs at the (U.S.) Department of Health and Human Services, explained that referring to this virus strain as 'swine flu' mischaracterizes the genetic makeup of this virus and inaccurately conveys the notion that the virus is being transmitted by swine."

A lot of restaurants don't wipe down their condiment bottles.  So if the guy before you didn't wash his hands (ick!) and used the ketchup, you're putting your hands on his germs and then right on your fries or sandwich or whatever you're eating from your hands.  Not trying to freak you out here, but just think about it for a few minutes.

On a much nicer note, we're pleased to tell you that the CHFI Trip a Day Giveaway returns at 7:30 am on Monday.  Details to come later this morning (around 7:45 or so on the show).

And an addendum to the Post-It note in yesterday's journal  re: Baskin Robbins and the firefighters' memorial.  It turns out their PR folks sent a news release regarding the fundraiser (of which we knew nothing in the morning) to the 680 News folks.

Now, it may surprise everybody, but few people in radio communicate with each other so we were left in the dark, but got the "scoop" a little later on.  All's well that ends well; the lineup outside the Baskin Robbins on Wednesday night on Queen's Quay showed that plenty of people got the news about their 31в scoops.  (And I DID find that cent sign!)

Take care and thanks for coming by!  Let's pray for ice cream weather.  Enjoy this weekend ahead and we'll talk to you Monday.

Erin
 

ps - I've joined the Twitter-net. www.twitter.com is another way for us to stay in touch and you can even get the latest updates on CHFI events (and insider stuff like the Song @ 6...shh...).  It's fun, it's fast, it's free and it's simple to find me!  Google "Erin Davis Twitter" and there I am!