Alan Alda turned 90 on January 28th

The Last Two Nurses of the 4077th Came to See Hawkeye — And He Broke Down in Tears

January 23, 2026

His birthday was five days away.

But they couldn’t wait.

At their age, no one waits anymore.

Alan Alda was in a hospital room at Cedars-Sinai.

Nothing dramatic.

Nothing headline-worthy.

A bad flu.

Parkinson’s complications.

Dehydration.

Doctors said he’d be fine.

A few days.

IV fluids.

Rest.

Still…

He was 89 years old.

Five days from turning 90.

And he was spending it in a hospital bed.

The room was quiet.

Too quiet.

White walls.

Beeping monitors.

That antiseptic smell that makes time feel slower.

For eleven years, Alan Alda played Hawkeye Pierce —

the doctor who never stayed in bed.

Now he was the patient.

He stared at the ceiling and whispered to himself:

“Funny how life works.”

January 23rd.

Three days in.

He was feeling better.

But something was missing.

Not the medicine.

Not the doctors.

The noise.

The chaos.

The laughter.

The family.

The 4077th.

That afternoon, there was a knock.

Alan opened his eyes.

The nurse smiled — a strange smile, like she knew something.

“Mr. Alda,” she said,

“I think you’ll want to see these visitors.”

The door opened.

And for a second, Alan thought he was dreaming.

Two women walked in.

One Black woman, silver-haired, warm eyes.

One Asian woman, elegant, calm, holding a bakery box.

And they weren’t dressed like hospital visitors.

They were wearing Army nurse uniforms.

Olive green.

White aprons.

Red crosses on their caps.

Uniforms from the 4077th.

The Black woman stepped forward.

Stood at attention.

Saluted.

“Lieutenant Ginger Bayliss reporting for duty, sir.”

Alan’s breath caught.

“Ginger…?”

Odessa Cleveland.

The nurse from Season One.

From the very beginning.

Fifty-one years ago.

“You remember me?” she asked softly.

Alan tried to sit up, hands shaking — not from Parkinson’s.

From emotion.

“How could I forget?” he said.

“You were family.”

Odessa took his hand.

“I heard you were here,” she said.

“I still had the uniform. I don’t know why I kept it.”

Alan nodded.

“Because it mattered.”

Then the other woman smiled.

“And I brought cake.”

Alan looked at her.

That face.

“Soo-Lin… Soon-Lee?”

Rosalind Chao laughed.

“Two episodes,” she said.

“The last two. That counts.”

She set the box down.

Inside:

A birthday cake.

“HAPPY 90TH BIRTHDAY, HAWKEYE.”

“Your birthday’s in five days,” Rosalind said.

“But we couldn’t wait.”

Odessa added quietly:

“At our age, Alan… we don’t wait anymore.

We just show up.”

Alan’s phone buzzed.

A video call.

Jamie Farr.

On screen.

In a wheelchair.

Wearing the dress.

“HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY, HAWKEYE!”

Alan burst out laughing — real laughter.

“Klinger never misses roll call,” Jamie said.

“I couldn’t come, so I sent the nurses.”

They sang Happy Birthday.

Off-key.

Too loud.

Perfect.

They ate cake.

They told stories.

They laughed about the set.

About the years.

About the ones who were gone.

No speeches.

No sadness.

Just family.

Before leaving, Odessa handed Alan a small book of poetry.

“There’s one in here about MAS*H,” she said.

“About you. About what that time meant.”

Rosalind kissed his forehead.

“Happy early birthday, Hawkeye.”

When the door closed, the room was quiet again.

But it wasn’t empty.

Alan looked at the half-eaten cake.

At the uniforms now gone.

At the memory that had just walked in and refused to wait.

Five days later, Alan would turn 90.

But the celebration had already happened.

Because the last two nurses of the 4077th showed up.

Because family doesn’t wait.

And because some bonds don’t fade —

even after fifty years.

Urgent Primary Care just opened in Cloverdale

 

Fraser Health opened another Urgent Primary Care Center close to where I live.  I've visited the one by the Surrey Hospital with a family member a couple of years ago and was pleased at how fast and efficient they were.

My daughter slipped on the ice in the Costco parking lot last Thursday.  She had a lot of pain in her ankle and it was swollen.  She waited until the next morning and it was still sore so she called "811" (our Nurse Line in BC).  She talked to a nurse who took all the information and told her to go to Urgent Care.  The nurse tasked how long it would take her to get there.  It was about a 25 minute drive and when she arrived, they were waiting for her!  There were lots of people sitting on chairs, but she was taken as a "priority"!   

They put her in an office, took her blood pressure, temperature and told her to go to the X-ray facility in the next building.  They were waiting for her!  She went right in.  She went right back to Urgent Care and before she could sit in an empty chair, they told her to go directly to a room where the doctor was waiting!  Thankfully she didn't break anything, but had a bad sprain.  They told her to stay off of it, what to expect and what to do/not to do.  She was amazed by the quick efficient matter it was dealt with. She is slowly getting better.  

If anyone has a medical problem in British Columbia, call 811 first!  If you live in Cloverdale or South Surrey, a new Urgent Primary Care Center opened this week on Wednesday!

5711 176A Street

Surrey,

B.C.V3S 6S6

Parking and Transportation:  Parking available. Public transit nearby.

Hours of operation

Urgent care:
Open 7 days a week, including statutory holidays:
9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Primary care (by appointment):
Monday to Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
For patients already connected with a family doctor or nurse practitioner.

If you need urgent care, your first step is to register as a patient.

You have to love Bruce Springsteen

 His latest song:  

Streets of Minneapolis:

Red Hat

I joined my Red Hat group on April 13, 2013.  I will always remember that day because it was the day of the Boston Marathon Bombing.  We heard about it on our drive home.  I've really enjoyed being a Red Hatter.  Some of our ladies can no longer attend the lunches because of their age.  One long time member, Elizabeth, gave us all her red hat regalia.  She sure had a huge selection.  Another short term member Sandy also gave us some items. Today we had our monthly lunch in the recreation room of one of the members condos in North Burnaby.  We were all told to please take something to remind us of Elizabeth and Sandy. 

Lots of lovely hats!

Lots of clothes and shoes!

Boas, beads and bows!

Drinks and desserts.  Buble in red and purple and plenty of coffee and tea

Lots of tasty lunch options!

The Red Hat Society's philosophy is centered on fostering fun, friendship, freedom, fulfillment and fitness for women as they age.  Our group doesn't stress fitness but we sure have a lot of fun.  It was founded in 1998, the organization serves as a "disorganization" or social network that encourages women to "recess" from the responsibilities of daily life to enjoy companionship and unapologetically embrace the aging process.

Here is the hat I choose.  It's over the top!  I also got a lovely purple boa.  Our dollar store only has red ones!

The hat was Sandy's and the boa was Elizabeth's!

Aurora Borealis explained

Aurora borealis happens when charged particles from the Sun collide with gases in Earth’s upper atmosphere, creating glowing colours—most often green—near the magnetic poles. These lights appear because Earth’s magnetic field funnels solar particles toward the Arctic, which is why places like northern Canada often see spectacular displays.

What Causes the Aurora Borealis

• Solar wind: The Sun constantly releases charged particles (electrons and ions). During solar storms, even more particles stream toward Earth.

• Earth’s magnetic field: Most particles are deflected, but some are guided toward the north and south magnetic poles, where they enter the atmosphere.

Atmospheric collisions:

• When these particles hit oxygen, you see green (most common) or red.

• When they hit nitrogen, you get purple, blue, or pink.

• Altitude effects:

• Around 80–500 km above Earth, atoms get “excited” and release photons—light—when they calm down again.

Why the Lights Move and Ripple

• The aurora’s famous curtains, arcs, and waves follow the shape of Earth’s magnetic field lines.

• Sudden bursts of brightness, called substorms, happen when energy stored in Earth’s magnetosphere is released all at once.

 Why We See Them in the North

• The magnetic field directs solar particles toward the poles, so the aurora is strongest in high‑latitude regions like northern Canada, Alaska, Norway, and Finland.

• In the south, the same phenomenon is called aurora australis.

The best place to view aurora is in the north of the province.  I've done a lot of Alaska cruises but they've never been in view when we've been at sea.  We continue to see them in the lower mainland of BC.  The best place is on a mountain or in a park out of the city lights.  I generally go to the beach and look north.  The pictures have been amazing!

Where did the years go?

We were born in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.

We grew up in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.
We studied in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.
We were dating in the 70’s and 80’s.
We got married and discovered the world in the 70’s and 80’s.
We ventured into the 80’s and 90’s.
We stabilized in the 2000’s.
We got wiser in the 2010’s.
And we are cruising through the 2020’s.

Turns out we've lived through eight different decades, two different centuries, and two different millennia.

Here’s the part where it really picks up speed and starts to illustrate what we’ve seen and what we’ve been through, something that future generations won’t experience and probably have a tough time even imagining.

We once relied on operators for long-distance calls, lined up at phone booths, and fed coins into pay phones.  Today, we make video calls across the globe, watch YouTube instead of slides, stream music instead of playing vinyl, and send messages by email or WhatsApp instead of handwritten letters.

And if that wasn’t enough for our poor old brains to handle, it gets even more mind-blowing:

We’ve gone from live sporting events on the radio, to black and white TV, and then to HD TV. We went to Blockbuster for our video movies, and now we watch Netflix.  We got to know the first computers, punch cards, diskettes, and now we have gigabytes and megabytes.  From manual typewriters to electric, then to keyboards. Documents on paper stored in filing cabinets, to digital copies stored in something called “the cloud,” and it’s all right there in our cell phones or iPads.

Who would have thought that we’d be able to talk on our wristwatch like Dick Tracy did in the comics not so many years ago?  That was real science fiction; now it’s commonplace.  And handheld phones that not only make phone calls but take photographs and send and receive text messages, emails and personal files.

We dodged infantile paralysis, meningitis, H1N1 flu and COVID-19.

We rode roller skates, tricycles, bicycles, skateboards, mopeds, gasoline or diesel cars, and now we ride hybrids or 100% electric vehicles, cars, trucks, and even scooters.  And then witnessing men boarding a spacecraft, rocketing to the moon. and then, walking on the moon!

That yes, we’ve been through a lot but what a great life we've had!  We could describe us as “exennials”; people who were born in that world of the 50’s, who had an analog childhood and a digital adulthood.  We're kind of a “yah-seen-it-all” generation.

We have literally lived through and witnessed more than any other generation in every dimension of life.  It is our generation that has literally adapted to change.

A big round of applause to all the members of a very special generation.  And we have learned that time does not stop. In fact, it seems to accelerate.

Suddenly, it’s already six in the afternoon.  Where did the week go?  And how can it be Friday already?  Wait, it’s January?  And 2026? Blink, and 50, 60, and 70 years have passed.”

So, what can we take away from all of this?  Well, maybe it’s this: don’t stop doing something you like because of a lack of time.  That time, unfortunately, never returns…

As Kenny Chesney sang, “Don’t blink, life goes faster than you think!"

Hairdressers, barbers and spa charges on cruise ships

I always tell people that spa and beauty charges on cruise ships are very expensive.  The up sale on products is brutal.  I know this by personal experience.  I was on a 28 day cruise on Celebrity,  I needed a manicure and it cost me more than double what I pay at home.  The beautician was from Jamaica and did a fabulous job.  She tried to sell me creams and nail polish.  I paid her for the manicure only and on my receipt was a line ------ gratuities.  I gave her 20% of her exorbitant charge.  She was very nice and did a good job.  However, when I got back to my room and put my glasses on, they already charged me 18% gratuities and I gave her 20% more.  I read about this all the time on blogs.  Some people go back, I just left it as I'm sure she has family in Jamaica she supports.  I've never gone back to any spa or beauty salon on a cruise ship.

I saw this post from a fellow on Holland America and I thought I would share it.  From now on, I will follow the women who go on shore to the nearest nail salon or beauty salon in a foreign port.

So after being quoted US $54 on Holland America Line Noordam cruise ship for a haircut and me being notoriously tight with my money, I decided to seek out a local barber in our most recent port of Savusavu in Fiji. What could possibly go wrong?

We spotted Debo’s barbers from the main road and headed down, I popped my head around the door the see two barber chairs both in use with 4 people waiting so I said we’d comeback but he immediately put me to the front of the queue after a quick chat with the people in the queue.

How best to describe my environment, 8 people in a room big enough for half that number, and reggae music playing at around 120 decibels.

I was summoned to the chair and asked what I’d like, a number 1 back and sides with a high fade and tidy up the top. All seemed well as he set to work with clippers then scissors, with every passing moment another local child entered the barbers to see the man with the silver hair.

The music continued to blast out, by this point I was starting to enjoy it, we reached the final stages with some tidying up with a cut throat razor. He was almost done when an over eager child pushed forward to get a better view bumping into the barber who then inadvertently slipped, pulling the blade across my cheek!

Despite holding his thumb over the affected area in the faint hope that I hadn’t noticed the damage was done, it turned out to be just a small nic but could have been so much worse, thankfully the blade missed my eye!

He shook my hand and thanked me, I paid my 10 Fijian dollars, around £3.24 and left with what I would consider a decent haircut and a story to tell!

I looked it up and $10 Fiji dollars = US$4.44!    That's quite a difference.

Lucille Ball

She did it anyway.  November 5, 1985. Millions of Americans turned on CBS expecting to see Lucille Ball do what she did best: make them laugh.  Instead, they saw Lucy—their Lucy—unrecognizable.  No red hair. No glamour. No perfectly-timed physical comedy that made three generations howl with laughter.  Just a 74-year-old woman in filthy clothes, pushing a shopping cart that held everything she owned, sleeping on Manhattan streets, invisible to the world walking past her.

THE CHOICE

For 50 years, Lucille Ball had been the face of American comedy. She'd built an empire. She was the first woman to own her own television studio. She'd made millions laugh until they cried.  At 74, she was wealthy beyond measure. She could've spent her remaining years accepting lifetime achievement awards, doing talk shows, living comfortably on her legendary status.  Instead, she chose the hardest role of her life.

The script for Stone Pillow landed on her desk in 1985. It told the story of elderly homeless women—the ones society refused to see. The invisible women sleeping on heating grates, pushing shopping carts, dismissed as "bag ladies."  In 1980s America, homelessness was exploding. Reagan-era cuts to mental health services and affordable housing had pushed thousands onto streets. But television pretended it didn't exist.  And nobody was talking about elderly women living on streets—abandoned by families, failed by systems, erased by society.

Lucy saw an opportunity to use her fame for something that mattered.  She named the character Florabelle—after her grandmother, Flora Belle Hunt, a pioneer woman who'd survived impossible hardships.  She knew the risks. She knew audiences wouldn't want to see their Lucy dirty, unglamorous, heartbreaking. She knew critics might savage her. She knew it could tarnish the image she'd spent decades building.  She said yes anyway.

THE SACRIFICE

Production was brutal.  They filmed on location in New York City during an unseasonable May heat wave. Lucy, at 74 with existing heart issues, wore multiple layers of heavy winter clothing in sweltering heat because the story was set in winter.  She walked city streets for hours. She slept on actual heating grates. She pushed a shopping cart through Manhattan. She looked homeless because she was portraying homeless—no vanity, no concessions to comfort or celebrity.

The heat and physical demands hospitalized her for two weeks with severe dehydration.  Doctors also discovered she was allergic to cigarettes—after 56 years of chain-smoking. Her body was finally rejecting what had sustained her through decades of Hollywood pressure.  But Lucille Ball—the same woman who'd broken her leg during I Love Lucy and kept working in a cast—pushed through.  She was determined to honor the women this story represented.

THE RESPONSE

When Stone Pillow aired, over 23 million people tuned in—partly from curiosity, partly from loyalty to a legend.  But critics were divided, often harsh:

"We don't want to see Lucy like this."

"Too depressing."

"Uncomfortable."

Many viewers felt the same way. They wanted Lucy Ricardo making them laugh, not Florabelle making them confront uncomfortable truths about elderly homelessness.  Lucy expected it. That was the point.

In interviews, she was clear: she didn't make Stone Pillow for universal praise or Emmy nominations. She made it to spark conversation. To make people see the elderly homeless woman on the street as a person with dignity, with a story, worthy of compassion.

"Maybe next time you walk past someone sleeping on the street," she said, "you'll remember they're a person. They have a story."

THE LEGACY

Four years later, on April 26, 1989, Lucille Ball died at 77 from a ruptured aortic aneurysm.  She'd spent six decades entertaining America—from vaudeville to the golden age of television to becoming  Hollywood's most powerful female executive.  But in her final major acting role, she chose to be unglamorous. Uncomfortable. Real.  Not for laughs. Not for awards. But because elderly homeless women were invisible, and Lucy Ball had the fame to make people see them.

That's what courage looks like at 74: risking everything you've built to shine light on people everyone else ignores.

THE TRUTH

Stone Pillow isn't what people remember about Lucy. It's not her greatest work. It didn't win major awards. Most people have never heard of it.  But it reveals something profound about who she was when the cameras weren't making her a comedy icon:

She cared more about using her platform for good than protecting her image.

At 74, wealthy and beloved, she could've coasted on her legacy. Instead, she spent two weeks in a hospital and endured critical backlash—all to make America uncomfortable enough to see the invisible.

She didn't play a homeless woman from the comfort of a soundstage. She slept on actual heating grates. She walked actual streets. She endured actual heat exhaustion.

Because anything less would've been dishonest to the women whose stories she was telling.

THE REMINDER

Today—39 years after Stone Pillow aired—homelessness among elderly women has only grown worse. The women Lucy tried to make visible are still sleeping on heating grates.  But her message remains: when you have a platform, you have a responsibility.  Not to stay comfortable. Not to protect your image. But to use your voice for those who don't have one.

Lucille Ball: 1911-1989. The comedian who made the world laugh. The pioneer who broke every barrier for women in television. The executive who built her own studio. The 74-year-old who played a homeless woman because nobody else with her platform would.

On November 5, 1985, Lucy took the biggest risk of her legendary career. Not for applause. Not for profit. But to make invisible people visible.  That's the Lucy Ball story that doesn't get told enough.  The one where she chose courage over comfort. Purpose over praise. Impact over image.  At 74, when she had nothing left to prove, she proved what matters most: how you use your voice when you have one.

Oh my, the news!

 

Buying a smart phone

If you are going to buy a new phone, don't go to Telus or Rogers as they offer 0% down however, they gouge you every month.  Go to Best Buy, Costco, Walmart or Amazon and buy an unlocked phone.  Get a SIM card,  Look at price and data usage.  I have 100 GB and I never use more then 4 GB.  

The best phones around right now are Samsung.  You can get a Samsung A07 that was just released for $144 at Walmart or $120 on Amazon!  I haven't priced it anywhere else.  There are other good Samsung phones for under $500!   

Or if you want to be trendy, buy an an Apple iPhone.  They all do the same thing but Apple phones are more expensive.

If price isn't a problem you should check out https://www.gsmarena.com/  as they will give you all the specifications and price.   You can compare all makes and models of phones.  Go to PHONE FINDER/COMPARE PHONES

What matters most to you when you are purchasing a phone?

•  📸 Best camera

•  🔋 Longest battery life

•  💰 Best value

•  🧓 Easiest for seniors

•  🧳 Best for travel

•  📱 iPhone vs Android preference

•  🧠 Best AI features

For the best deal, DON'T EVER SIGN A CONTRACT!  You want a month to month so you can change your plan when the prices are lowered.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney - speech at World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland

I watched Mark Carney's entire speech and was never so proud of being a Canadian!  If you have 30 minutes, it's well worth watching.  

When Prime Minister Mark Carney stepped onto the stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he didn’t just give another diplomatic address. He issued a global wake‑up call. In a 16‑minute speech that observers are already calling one of the most consequential in Canadian history, Carney declared that the world has crossed a threshold—and that pretending otherwise is no longer an option.

🔥 1. The “Old Order” Is Over

Carney’s central message was stark: the rules‑based international order that shaped global politics since the mid‑20th century is no longer functioning.

• He argued that great‑power rivalry—especially between the U.S., China, and Russia—has shattered the old assumptions of stability and cooperation.

• He rejected the idea that smaller countries must simply accept this reality and “suffer what they must,” invoking Thucydides’ famous warning about power politics.

This was not nostalgia. It was a funeral announcement.

🧭 2. Middle Powers Must Stop “Living Within a Lie”

Carney used Václav Havel’s famous metaphor of the greengrocer who displays a propaganda sign he doesn’t believe in—just to avoid trouble.

His point:

• Countries like Canada have been performing rituals of loyalty to a system that no longer exists.

• Compliance won’t buy safety.

• Pretending won’t restore the past.

This was a call for honesty—political, economic, and moral.

🤝 3. A New Global Coalition Is Possible

Carney’s most radical idea was also his most hopeful: middle powers are not powerless.

He argued they can build a new order grounded in:

• Human rights

• Sustainable development

• Solidarity

• Sovereignty and territorial integrity

This wasn’t a plea for idealism. It was a strategy.

Carney believes that when countries act together—openly and confidently—they can counterbalance great‑power coercion.

🇨🇦 4. Canada Is Choosing a Side

Carney made it clear that Canada will not pursue a strategy of flattery or appeasement toward the United States, despite pressure from some provincial leaders to do so.

Instead, he outlined a path of:

• Strengthening domestic resilience

• Building alliances with like‑minded nations

• Standing firm against bullying, even from allies

This is a major shift in tone for Canadian foreign policy.

🌐 5. Why the World Should Pay Attention

Carney’s speech matters globally because it reframes who gets to shape the future.

He is arguing that:

• The world is not condemned to a new era of superpower domination.

• Smaller nations can—and must—assert agency.

• A new order can be built from the “middle out,” not the top down.

In a moment when many countries feel squeezed between giants, Carney offered a blueprint for collective strength.

Mark Carney’s Davos speech was not just a diagnosis of global disorder—it was a manifesto for a new kind of international leadership. By urging countries to “take their signs down” and stop pretending the old system still works, he challenged the world to confront reality with honesty and courage. And by positioning Canada as a builder of a new, values‑driven order, he signaled that the future may belong not to the strongest nations, but to the most principled and united ones.

Donald Trump thinks he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.  I think Mark Carney deservers the Nobel Prize for Economic Sciences!

How my smart phone changed my life!

Friends always ask me why I'm glued to my smart phone.  I tell them it's made my life easier.  Everything is in one place.  I use my calendar daily and record everything.  It's like a journal because five years ago I know exactly what I did on a given day.  I don't have a GPS system in my car, but Google maps gets me everywhere I go.  I can get the latest road report from my local radio station and watch TV from my phone anytime I want in Canada.  That comes in handy if you are sitting in ER for hours.  I also have books on my phone.  I use the timer for my dryer as I don't always hear the end of cycle chime.  I don't know if I'm getting deaf or my machine is getting old.  Both are probably true.  In another country, it will translate for you!  I could go on and on.

I've started using AI!  It scares people my age but I ask it everything.  It's like your mother or husband who knows it all.  However, this may be more accurate.  

If you are paying for your phone every month, start using all it's features.  It's not just a phone but your new best friend.  This is what it's replaced in my life:

camera

maps

GPS devices

calculators

alarm clocks

tv’s

radios

camcorders

pay phones

yellow pages

answering machines

newspapers

calendars

vcr’s

flashlights

watches

timers

compasses

mail

cookbooks

keys

cash

airline tickets

photo albums

magazines

money

voice recorders

scanners

walkie talkie

tv remotes

translators

playing cards

diaries

travel guidebooks

offices

foreign phrasebooks

portable speakers

takeout orders by phone

cds

dvds

encyclopedias

photocopiers

compact mirrors

bank branches

checks

rulers

address books

parking meters

rolodexes

dictionaries

mp3 players

portable cd players

audio cassettes

cassette players

tape decks

vhs tapes

beepers

pagers

handheld game consoles

film rolls

instant cameras

slide projectors

slide viewers

fax machines

typewriters

notebooks

planners

receipts

coupons

flyers

catalogs

brochures

instruction manuals

itineraries

tickets

boarding passes

parking permits

bills

invoices

memos

letters

landline phones

wallets

tape measures

thermometers

fitness trackers

remote controls

business cards

printed photos

phone books

cd-roms

floppy disks

If you want to know how to use any of these features on your phone, text, call or email me from your phone.  There is an app for everything!

It's wise to organize your apps or it will be frustrating for some.  

Julia Roberts was on Jimmy Fallon last week

Julia Roberts stopped mid-sentence, her famous smile frozen as her eyes locked onto someone in the studio audience. Jimmy Fallon's joke died in his throat. The entire studio, 430 people, 12 cameras, the roots, went absolutely silent. What happened next would become the most shared moment in tonight's show history.

But to understand why Jimmy couldn't speak, why Julia's eyes filled with tears, and why the audience erupted into something beyond applause, we need to go back six hours. It was a typical Tuesday taping day at Studio 6B in Rockefeller Center. Jimmy arrived at 2 p.m. for his usual pre-show routine, reviewing note cards with his writers, doing a sound check with the roots, greeting the crew he'd worked with for a decade.

Julia Roberts was scheduled for the 700 p.m. slot, a standard promotional interview for her new film. "It's Julia Roberts," Jimmy told his producer during rehearsal. "We'll do the classic bit, show a clip, talk about her kids, maybe play a game. Easy night." The audience began filing in at 6:30 p.m. Among them was Margaret Chin, a 67-year-old retired nurse from Ohio.

She'd won her tickets through a local radio contest. She'd been a Julia Roberts fan since Pretty Woman premiered when Margaret was a young mother working night shifts to support her family. Jimmy had no idea that Margaret's presence would change everything. The show started normally. Jimmy's monologue landed perfectly.

The roots killed their musical number. When Julia walked out to thunderous applause, everything felt exactly as it should. She was radiant, funny, telling stories about her twins learning to drive. "So, your daughter got her license?" Jimmy asked, leaning forward with genuine interest. "She did, and I'm terrified every time she Julia stopped.

" Her eyes had drifted past Jimmy, past the cameras, into the second row of the audience. row B, seat 7, where Margaret Chin sat wearing a faded Pretty Woman t-shirt from 1990. The silence lasted exactly 7 seconds. In television, that's an eternity. Jimmy followed Julia's gaze, confused. Julia, you okay? Julia stood up.

Not the polite. Lean forward in your seat. Stand. She actually stood, walked around Jimmy's desk, and pointed directly at Margaret. That shirt, Julia said, her voice cracking. Where did you get that shirt? The camera scrambled to adjust. The audience murmured. Jimmy stood too completely off script now, his note cards forgotten on the desk.

Margaret, shocked to suddenly be the center of attention, stammered. "I I bought it in 1990, opening weekend. Can you stand up?" Julia asked. "Please." What happened next? Jimmy would later say reminded him why he loved live television and why he never take a single moment for granted. Margaret stood trembling.

The shirt was clearly ancient, faded from hundreds of washes, the iron-on transfer cracking with age. Julia walked down the steps from the stage. "Something guests simply don't do and approached Margaret." "I need to tell you something," Julia said, now standing just feet from this stranger. and I need everyone to hear it.

Jimmy grabbed a wireless mic and followed her. The producers in the control room were screaming into headsets, but Jimmy ignored them all. He knew something real was happening. Julia reached out and touched the shirt. My mother made these shirts, not a company. My mother. She made 200 of them by hand and sold them at a crafts fair in Georgia to help pay for my head shot when I was a struggling actress. The audience gasped.

Margaret's hands flew to her mouth. Subscribe and leave a comment because the most powerful part of this story is still ahead. I didn't know anyone actually kept them. Julia continued. Tears now streaming freely. My mom passed away 8 years ago. I haven't seen one of these shirts in. I don't even know how long.

Margaret was crying now, too. I wore it to my daughter's first day of kindergarten for luck. I wore it when I got my nursing degree. I wore it to job interviews. It's been my good luck shirt for 34 years. Jimmy, standing between them, had completely abandoned his host duties. He wasn't performing anymore.

He was witnessing. Your mother, Margaret said through tears. She told me that day at the fair that she believed you were going to be a star. She said, "My daughter is going to make people happy." And you did. You have. Julia pulled Margaret into a hug. The audience erupted, but it wasn't applause. It was something deeper.

Collective catharsis. The roots had stopped playing. The cameras kept rolling, but the operators were wiping their eyes. Jimmy Fallon, a man who'd interviewed presidents and pop stars, who' performed for millions, found himself unable to speak. He just stood there, mic in hand, watching two strangers connect over a piece of faded cotton that carried 34 years of hope, loss, and love.

After what felt like hours, but was only 2 minutes, Julia and Margaret pulled apart. Julia turned to Jimmy with red eyes and said, "I'm so sorry. I just Isaw that shirt and I don't apologize," Jimmy interrupted, his voice thick. Don't you dare apologize. He turned to the audience. This is what it's about, right? This, not the jokes, not the games, not the celebrity. This? Julia nodded.

Then she did something that would go viral within minutes. She took off the delicate necklace she was wearing, a piece her mother had given her, and handed it to Margaret. I can't take that, Margaret protested. My mother would want you to have it," Julia said firmly. "You kept her memory alive in that shirt.

You kept her belief alive. That deserves something real." Behind the scenes, Jimmy made a decision that defied every producer's expectation. He waved to his producer and made a cutting motion across his throat. The universal signal for kill the segment. Then he looked at the audience and said, "We're supposed to play a game now, show a clip, do all the things we planned, but I think I think we should just talk if that's okay with you, Julia.

" Julia wiped her eyes and laughed. I think that's more than okay. What followed wasn't an interview. It was a conversation. Julia and Margaret sat together on the couch with Jimmy facilitating, talking about mothers, about legacy, about the tiny moments that shape entire lives. Margaret told the story of wearing the shirt to the hospital the night her daughter was born.

"A heartwarming moment between Julia Roberts and a fan that turned into a powerful reminder of legacy and love."

Fun fact - every day I learn something thanks to social media

The United States purchased the US  Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1917. The transfer was formalized on March 31, 1917, after the U.S. paid $25 million in gold for what were then called the Danish West Indies.

• The islands of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix had been Danish colonies since the 17th and 18th centuries.

• Denmark agreed to sell them to the U.S. under the Treaty of the Danish West Indies, signed in 1916 and enacted in 1917.

• The U.S. wanted the islands for strategic military and naval reasons, especially during World War I.

• Denmark, facing high costs and declining economic value from the islands, agreed to the sale.

I never knew this from my history education.  I've been to all three US Virgin islands and they are wonderful.  We had two different vacations to Frederiksted, St. Croix.  We've snorkeled in the National Park at Hawksnest Bay in St. John and St. Thomas is a cruise port that we've been to more times than I can remember.  It's paradise in the Caribbean.  Maybe Denmark should ask for it back!

O'Hare's Pub in Steveston

 

We moved to Steveston in 1976.  I remember when this pub was built.  We really enjoyed the atmosphere.  It was so much like a British Pub and the food was excellent.  I was sorry to read this:

On November 10, 2025, Richmond lost a legend when Jack Tadg O'Hare passed away at the age of 82. He lived a full and adventurous life, building a successful career in the hospitality industry. In 1987, Jack and his wife Jane – with help from friends and family – opened O’Hare’s Pub, which has become a cornerstone of the Steveston community and a major source of support for the Richmond Christmas Fund.

Each year, led by Jack’s daughter Erinn and her husband Grant, O’Hare’s organizes Steveston Beer Fest. Held at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery, the event highlights craft beer from BC and beyond, as well as food from local merchants. It also raises proceeds for the Christmas Fund: since 2013, Steveston Beer Fest has contributed over $100,000 to our cause.

Above all, Jack valued family and community, and in O’Hare’s Pub, he found a way to combine the two. His loved ones will carry on the business and are already adding to his legacy of generosity. In Jack’s obituary, they asked friends, family, and community members not to send flowers, but to honour his memory by making a donation to the Christmas Fund.

The Roadhouse Grille in South Surrey

When we moved to Surrey 17 years ago we discovered this great mom and pop restaurant.  Their menu is wonderful, the staff is fantastic and the memorabilia in one of the dining rooms is wonderful to look at.  They even have a treasure chest room for kids.

Wednesday was a difficult day for our family.  An older relative went into care.  We decided it was a good night for a nice dinner at the Roadhouse.  Happy Hour is 2 - 6 so we arrived at 5:30.  It was closed for a special event.  

We heard they sold it to another family member.  They were obviously having a special dinner.  We are looking forward to going back to see if there are any changes. This was posted on their website:

If you’ve ever sat at one of our tables, you’ve been part of a family story.

The Roadhouse began in 1997 as a simple neighbourhood eatery. Thank you, Linda, for starting it all. In 2002, Dwayne and Sharon Jacobson took stewardship of the Roadhouse, not just as owners, but as caretakers of something that already mattered deeply to the Peninsula.

For the next 24 years, this place became woven into our family’s life. Daughters, along with their husbands, worked here. Grandchildren worked here. Even great-grandchildren have worn an apron or helped behind the scenes. In 2008, when the Roadhouse outgrew its original space, it did so by family hands. Dwayne personally designed the expansion, and our family built it together. Every wall, every corner, every inch of this place carries the imprint of our family’s care and labour.

Lessons were learned at these tables. Friendships were formed in our dining rooms. The Roadhouse was never just where we worked. It was where we lived life alongside this community.

We want to pause here to honour Sharon, who showed up faithfully day after day, working in the office, sitting in her usual seat in the lounge, roaming the room to greet regulars. After Dwayne passed away in 2016, continuing the work they had built together gave her renewed purpose. The Roadhouse carried her through grief, rebuilding, and seasons no one would have chosen, and she carried it right back with steadiness and grace.

None of this would have been possible without the people who made the Roadhouse what it is every single day. We want to honour Chef Young, whose two decades of faithful partnership shaped not just our kitchen, but the heart of this place. We are equally grateful for our incredible staff, many of whom have been here for over a decade, some even longer. You are the reason people walk through our doors and feel at home, and we’re grateful that many of you will continue to serve this community.

As of today, January 14, 2026, stewardship of the Roadhouse has passed from one family to another. We are honoured to hand this place over to a new husband-and-wife team, David and Suny, who step in with respect for the history, the people, and the community that make the Roadhouse what it is.

This isn’t a goodbye. It’s a handoff. A continuation of something built on trust, consistency, and love for this community.

To our regulars who have been coming for decades, to the families who made us part of their routines, to the neighbours who made this place feel like home, thank you. You shaped this place just as much as we ever did.

Before we turn the page, we’d love to hear from you!

What’s your favourite Roadhouse memory?

What meal do you always come back for?

What milestone or life moment did you celebrate at one of our tables?

With deep gratitude,

The Jacobson Family

Good luck to the new owners.  We will see you soon!  

https://roadhousegrille.ca/

Prime Minister Carney is off to China

That is an old picture.  Looks like Justin Trudeau but it was the only picture I could find!

Prime Minster Carney is on his way to China.  He is in China to repair a badly strained Canada–China relationship and to negotiate major trade issues — especially China’s heavy tariffs on Canadian pork, canola, and seafood — while also seeking to diversify Canada’s economy beyond the United States. 

His visit is the first by a Canadian PM in nearly a decade and is seen as a cautious “recalibration,” not a reset.  The Canadian press are with him.  I was interested in this Canadian reporter who told us what happens to their phones and laptops when they enter into China.  They are very concerned about people accessing their data.  Here is what he said:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTdxvKZExXB/?igsh=MTVhajl0dHQ2dWJ1cQ==

I hope that link works for everyone.  

Unique Halloween Costumes

We had lunch with Paula and Gordon the other day.  Paula saw a Tik Tok showing Halloween costumes.  

I told her about my favorite Halloween costume.  Our office always had a costume contest at Halloween along with a party.  It was a great place to work.  One year I went as "the cats ass".  I wore black slacks and a black turtle neck.  I made two ears I pinned to my head and made a tail and pinned it to my turtle neck.  I put lines around my mouth.  During the contest one of the guys from IT, put an Oh Henry bar in my mouth.  I didn't win first prize but everyone had a good laugh!   

Paula sent me the Tik Tok:

More from Vince the Sign Guy

 

Dempster's Bread

I've bought Dempster's bread for years.  The Bimbo factory where it's made is very close to where I live.  When you drive down the Langley by-pass, you can smell the bread baking.  Dempster’s is one of Canada’s most recognizable bread brands, but its story begins long before it became a national staple. Its history weaves together immigration, family entrepreneurship, and the evolution of Canada’s baking industry — ultimately becoming the flagship brand of one of the country’s largest bakery companies.

🍞 Humble Beginnings: A Family of Bakers

• The Dempster story starts with James Dempster, born in Glasgow, Scotland, to a family of bakers.

• After immigrating to Canada, the Dempster family opened their first Toronto bakery, Ideal Bakery, laying the foundation for what would become a household name.

🥖 The First Dempster’s Bakery

• Inspired by his parents, James Dempster opened his own bakery, Dempster’s Staff of Life Bakery, in Toronto.

• It began as a one‑man operation, but its quality and consistency helped it grow steadily.

👨‍👦‍👦 A New Generation Takes Over

• James’s sons, James Jr. and Nelson, inherited their father’s passion for baking and eventually took over operations.

• Their leadership helped expand the brand’s reach and reputation across Ontario and beyond.

🏢 Joining Canada Bread

• In 1968, Dempster’s Bread Limited was purchased by Canada Bread, which had been formed decades earlier in 1911 through the merger of five major Canadian bakeries.

• After the acquisition, Dempster’s became Canada Bread’s flagship brand, solidifying its place as one of the country’s best‑selling breads.

🌎 A Modern Era Under Grupo Bimbo

• In 2014, Canada Bread — and therefore Dempster’s — was purchased by Grupo Bimbo, the world’s largest baking company, headquartered in Mexico.

• In 2018, Canada Bread officially changed its name to Bimbo Canada, aligning with its global parent company.

🌱 Commitment to Quality & Sustainability

Dempster’s continues to evolve with Canadian values:

• No artificial flavours or colours in its bread products

• Removal of additives like Sodium Stearoyl‑2‑Lactylate and certain emulsifiers to keep ingredients simple and wholesome

• Introduction of sustainable cardboard bread tags to reduce plastic waste.

❤️ A Brand Rooted in Canadian Communities

From a small family bakery to a national brand, Dempster’s has always emphasized:

• Nourishing Canadians with accessible, high‑quality bread

• Supporting community initiatives, including food banks and local charities

Today, Dempster’s remains a staple in Canadian households — a testament to more than a century of craftsmanship, innovation, and community connection.

Even though it's now a Mexican company, they bake it in Canada with Canadian employees.  My favorite is the 12 grain and it's much cheaper at Costco!