Elva Brennan Harris:  

Hi guys. 2006 I am currently a registered nurse but practice as a Resident Care Manager at the best Long Term Care Center in Orillia. I also have my Gerontology from Ryerson University and my Leadership and Management certificate from McMaster University. At 52 now, I may start to take my degree but have not really decided. If younger, I would have done it in a flash. I may try Athabaska for a BN. I am married to a fellow from Toronto. This is my second marriage. My first husband was also from Toronto and is Chad's negligent sperm doner. I was able to have only one child due to having Cancer of the Uterus. I am a survivor. Chad (32) is married to Katie and both have given me two wonderful grandchildren - Hailee now 6 and Owen now 3. Hailee is the little girl I could never ha and Owen is as a result of a wish for Chad that he would have a son just like he was. I prayed too hard. But I love him dearly. I lived in Toronto from 73 to 77 (worked in the office at the Kresgie Department store (woman's clothing) just off Young Street for the summer then went to University of Toronto for Interior Design. I hated being there as I was not on campus and couldn't enjoy the life of university living. I had to live at my sisters house in Toronto. So, I quit after the first year, got married and life went downhill from there. I left Toronto when Chad was 2 then raised him on my own until he was 11. I went back to school when he started Kindergarten. My family really chose nursing for me but my passion was and still is interior designing. Both of my parents are gone. My mom passed away 11 years ago and my dad will be gone for 4 years in August. We have a trailor at the Hammock Harbour at the Narrows and I really enjoy our 6 months there. We go to work from the trailor. Work is actually closer for me in the summer than in the winter. We just bought a pontoon boat this year and are getting rid of our Sea Doo sportster, so plan on many leisurely days on the water. You'll probably see me at Big Chief hooked up to my son's speed boat. I am a published Canadian and International Poet. I am also an artist, sung in a country band called "Midnight Cowboy" when I was in my late 20's and am ready and willing to learn the guitar. I got a fender this past Christmas. I need a teacher. You would think I could already play one as I come from a very musical family of which my brother - Ken is the lead guitarist and vocalist of his Pink Floyd tribute band "Dogs of War". If you haven't heard them already, they are playing at the Orillia Opera House in January 2008. Tickets are available at the Opera House. Well believe it, this is all about the very quiet and naïve high school girl from Park Street. My greatest accomplishment was giving up smoking, alcohol and coffee. The only thing that's screwed up is my mind but I am working on that. Update: April 18, 2008 Hi again. New news, I am currently enrolled in the CIC network where I will get my certificate in Infection Control. This area has been an interest of mine for a few years. When completed, I will be one of 17 nurses who are certified in infection control in this area. Here's hoping. We are fast approaching the time where we relocate ourselves for 5 months out at the Hammock Harbour. Can't wait to get there. It's kind of nice enjoying our retirement now and still working at the same time. Love it and have met many great friends out there. Unfortunately, we lost one of our best friends this winter to cancer. He had been the parks manager for 30 years. Bob Davies. You may know him. One great guy of whom I can actually say, as a friend, that I truly loved him. He really will be missed. Our summer will be also spent supporting Adrienne his wife and our dear friend. Do any of you fish? Are you in the Perch festival this weekend? Some of the guys from the park are in it, so they have opened up their trailors already. We opened up too but won't go permanently until May 24th weekend. Look us up if you every go to Big Chief through the summer. We are one of those people with a pontoon boat and we really enjoy it. We meet other friends there including my son, his wife and our 2 grandchildren. You will see their photos on our boat in the pictures I have on display. Well, if you go to Big Chief, see you there. Have a great summer. Update May 1, 2008 Hi everyone, I just wrote a new poem and sent it off to be published . I'll let you know how it goes. My first job was at my dad's office, where I got paid 20.00 to 100.00 a week. What I remember most about it is whistling back to the birds, doing a scrap book about Apollo 11 (and I still have it). I hope old friends remember me as loyal, kind, giving, fun to be with, adventurous and honest. I always wanted to be a teacher when I grew up. My family and friends thought that was a great idea. As it turns out, they were wrong. Then I wanted and still do, to be an interior design. Didn't happen. So I am still that nurse. This is how I relax. With headphones to my ears with a relaxation CD every night at bed time. I get hypnotized to get to sleep every night. The only way I can get to sleep. The wildest thing I ever did in high school was something good girls don't talk about. If I'm going to work somewhere, I need to have a wall to bang my head on, a lock on my office door, and patience to be able to deal with the day-to-day things. I sure do have a hero and that hero was my dad who passed away on August 24 , 2004. He was a pillar of the community. Involved in a lot of community activities such as Orillia Silver Band (played first chair euphonium then the bandmaster), golfer, snow bird, member of the ODD Fellows and a Mason. He was also a well respected electrician and had his own business for years. He bought old homes and renovated them, then rented them out (something like Flip that House). I am sure that there are people out there who remember him. His first name was Elwood. I also admired my mother who was a card and kept the family together. I have lived most of my life in Orillia/Bass Lake. I did spend 4 years in Toronto where I attended one year at U of T, then the next three were not that memorable. The one person from my past who I'd most like to see again is Cheryl Kimsey, because myself, Julia Meadley and Cheryl were the three musketeers in high school . I have only seen Cheryl once since school and she was married living in Toronto. What's happened to you Cheryl? . Update November 22, 2008. A lot has happened since my last update May 1st 2008. I never did get my Infection Control Certification partly because of work but also because of my sister Gale. On Monday May 24th, I called my sister in law, who owns and operates the Flower and Balloon shop on Mississaga Street, to send some flowers to a staff member of mine who lost a family member. When I called, my niece asked me if I knew that her aunt was in the hospital. I told her no. She then went on to tell me that she had taken a bunch of pills again. I left work to find my sister in emerg in a coma and on life support. She passed away 4 days later. I miss her so very much. We were shopping and travel buddies and she was always there for me when I needed her. I guess she needed me more then I thought. This was her third attempt. But of course, we all thought things were going great for her. I didn't have my nurse hat on for a while with her, I only had my sister hat on. Should have seen the signs, because they were all there. In her letter, she said she had a sad heart. Mine's been broken a few times but never sad. This also delayed our move to the trailor. I'm not complaining. I am seriously thinking of writing a book based on her life. I could call it "The Third Attempt" or "The Right Time". Let me know which title to use, if you read this. Then on Sept 3rd, I had surgery on my nose (not a nose job because I already have a cute nose) but now I can breath and it is wonderful. I'll be smarter now because I have twice as much oxygen going to my brain. Too late!! I ended up off work for three weeks. Worst surgery I have ever had. Then, I , well, let's just say, I no longer have a job after 27 years of dedication and devotion. One could say I was surplused. But, everything happens for a reason. A nice severance helps too. One nice thing though, is I am off for Christmas, unless I get work. MERRY CHRISTMAS if I don't write before then. Update January 7, 2009 How was everybody's Christmas and New Years. Ours was the absolute greatest. My son, Chad actually liked the clothes that I bought for him (which is unbelievable). My daughter in law (Katie) did too. My Grandchildren loved everything. We bought them a WII this year. We have our own that they used at the trailor in the summer (as well as some of the other children)and they loved it, so we got them one too, among other things. I always get them crafts to do because I love to teach them how to do and make things. We are going to make our own paper then make our own cards for birthdays, Christmas etc. They also got the Moon Sand (sand that never dries up) with which castles can be made. Recommendation: You must see Narnia: Prince Caspian. If you haven't seen the first one, The Chronicles of Narnia, then watch them both. Great, great movies. I am still looking for a job. Was hoping for one in Orillia but so far that hasn't materialized. This one disappoints me. So, I may have to go to Gravenhurst. Good bucks there though - as an agency nurse. We'll see what happens. I went to my brother's office today and asked to fill out an application. He thought I was being real. I told him I would need at least $40.00 bucks an hour. He just laughed of course. So his secretary said she'd have to ask for 50. If only. My Granddaughter taught me how to do power point over the holidays. We had a sleep o...Expand for more