Just a teaser.... starting shortly (if you agree) I plan to make frequent (daily?) entries to my personal space..  Whoopee Sh*t ya'll say.

Well I've tried the Facebook stuff.  I've tried the email stuff.  And I've tried the personal messaging stuff.  It works (I guess) but not for what I want.

What I want is a personal space, from me to my three beautiful grand children.  Stephan, Samantha, and Amanda ... AND from you to me.

This is where I promise to be totally honest with you.  Try to let you know who I am and why I do the things I do.

I will share this space with only with  those I trust and love , you three.  So, I guarantee nothing will get out except if you choose to let it out.  I ask that if you wish to share anything from Bill's Banter, you do so by copying what you want to share and then posting it to the Social Site of your choice.

I can't, nor will I, enforce my above request.  Just please remember, if I'm to be totally honest, which I always will be, you will have to honour that and not let anyone into this site.  If you agree I'll change this site to as private as I can make it .... but no sharing publicly or to even close friends .... just copy and paste what you want to let out, but never the sites location.

Unless I have all three of your okay with these basic rules, this experiment will end.  THAT IS unless any of you wish to change the rules (everything here is open for discussion).

Why you ask!  Well it's no secret that I'm closer to the end of the slide of life than the start.  I want to share what little wisdom I have with the people I hope care.  And I want to shared it in straight, no bull shit, language.  If you share this desire then this may be an interesting journey.

Whatever y'all decide is fine with me.  Whatever you decide, know always that you are deeply loved by this old chubby fella from the East Coast of our beautiful country Canada.

Let me know what you think.

Da Chunky One in Halifax,
(Sometimes called Gramps)

Readers Digest used to have a feature entitled "My Most Unforgettable Character".  Well I've been fortunate enough to have met a few who fit that category.  Bill Wenham is certainly near the top of my list.

Bill and I worked together in Air Canada from the mid to late 60's in Customer Service Training where we were both Instructors.  He was then, and certainly is now, one of the most creative and talented people I have ever met.  His talents are many and varied.  He is an artist who in my opinion is without peer.  In addition to his painting he is an amazing and articulate raconteur, he has successfully dabbled in landscape architecture and is currently devoting his creative talents to writing and screen play writing.

When Bill and I reconnected after many years about 4 years ago he was kind enough to send me copies of his many artistic endeavours, as well as an original painting of his. They sat in my filing cabinet drawer for a good many months when I approached a friend who is retired and running a framing business to keep him busy.  Woody kindly framed all the prints of Bill's pictures I had.  I wanted to make a huge picture frame on the wall of my apartment and hang the newly framed paintings from Bill.  Again Woody came through and after I painted the wall, he measured it up and put up a beautiful frame around the painted area.

The following video is a slideshow of pictures taken last year by another long lost friend with whom I've reconnected, Ray Muise from my 400 Sqauadron days in the late 50's and early sixties.  Ray now lives across the harbour from me in Dartmouth Nova Scotia.  He was kind enough to bring his camera by one day and took the pictures in the video.

Posting this is long overdue but my commitment to getting The History Hangar, my old squadron's website, up and running has always seemed to take priority.

Finally this overdue tribute to Bill has been finished. I hope those who watch it will gain some small insight into Bill's talents and the joy his paintings have given me.  It is my small way of saying Thank You Bill, primarily for being you, and for the kindness you have shown me over the past several years.

Please turn your speakers up a little and enjoy this offering.