About Benzeknees
Wife for the 2nd time, mother to 1/7/10 children (depends on who you ask how many I have) [1 biological child; six stepchildren; 3 children of a previous partner I still love and who will always have a place in my heart]; recent grandmother to two grandsons from stepson & numerous (5-9) grandchildren of my heart.
Born & raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba & also lived in Northwestern Ontario. Moved to Alberta in 2007 & are empty-nesters with all children living in Winnipeg, Canada. Miss all of my children every day.
Trying to make my way by earning a living as a writer since I’ve been unemployed since August, 2012. So far I do book reviews for free books & write a blog. Spent many years working in administration. My husband works in sales & could sell ice to an Eskimo.
Recently diagnosed with COPD so my movements have become much more restricted. I was always a bit of a homebody but even more so now as I need to protect myself from colds, etc. so I don’t land in the hospital.
Love to write, read, crochet, do jigsaw puzzles on the computer & have recently become a fan of Game of Thrones game on FB. Huge Canadian football fan with divided loyalties between my home of choice Edmonton Eskimos & home of birth Winnipeg Blue Bombers, so I cheer for both. When they play each other I cheer for every good play & yell at the screen for every bad play.
benzeknees 
Nov 28, 2011 @ 10:49:21
When I was 12 years old I started writing short stories. Since I was hormone-laden, as most teenagers are, most of these stories were typical unsophisticated romance tales which ended shortly after the first kiss since I really had no clue what came next (at the time). Every spare moment was devoted to scribbling in an an old school binder, filling up loose leaf pages as fast as I could. Mostly I wrote to give voice to the overwhelming feelings I was experiencing and to fill the huge empty hole which was my social life. While my friends were learing to curl and spending time learning to flirt I was stuck at home looking after my younger sister because my mother had gone back to work.
The urge to write has never left me even though the opportunities for writing have been few and far between (read motherhood, jobs, marriages). Now I find myself working with rusty tools even though story ideas churn in my head (especially during the quiet moments when I’m trying to fall asleep). When I try to put these ideas on paper now I see too many faults in my premises, too little depth to my characters and not enough darkness in my antagonists.
A little help? I welcome your comments and ideas.
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Nov 28, 2011 @ 10:58:57
Jan 31, 2012 @ 01:44:10
Many thanks for the post for the 100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week#28. The link closes at 11.59pm on Mondays and the new one starts at 12.01am on Tuesdays. If you think you are going to miss the deadline, do send me a note either in the comments or via twitter (@jfb57) & I can arrange to link it for you! Great to have you on board!
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Mar 22, 2012 @ 18:23:59
Wow, you have your hands full with all those kids and grandkids. It is so sweet that you miss them every day. I have the opposite problem…longing for a few hours alone, but you reminded me that I need to enjoy these times.
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Mar 23, 2012 @ 00:00:14
Don’t get me wrong – I love the quiet most of the time. But I miss the noisiness of having kids around at the holidays, etc. Have been watching your comments to Edward Hotspur, so I almost feel like I know you already! You two have a great sparring match going. For me – Edward is trying to convince me I should like poetry.
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Mar 23, 2012 @ 04:23:44
Poetry is one of those things that you either like, or you don’t. In my opinion. You should definitely go read his poem from a few days ago, about a ghostly thing called memory. He did something different in that poem, plus I like the content even more than usual. If you check my blog, my most recent post has a link to it.
Hotspur and I kind of developed an immediate friendship after playing the narcissist challenge about a month ago. He is one of my best blogger friends ever since that day. It’s kind of creepy. 😉
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Apr 24, 2012 @ 15:45:16
Go Blue Bombers!
And what? You’re NOT into curling? I would have figured you to be a heck of a talented sweeper, or cinammon roll slider…..whatever the heck you call that thing with the handle…… 🙂
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Apr 25, 2012 @ 02:26:05
After re-reading my reply, I think I need to go to bed – there are so many typos in it! Night!
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Apr 25, 2012 @ 02:24:33
I will be a Bomber fan till the day I die! But now I live in Edmonton I also cheer for the Edmonton Eskimos. When they play against each other, I cheer for the good plays & yell at the TV for the bad ones, no matte which team is making them.
Curling? I watch curling a lot on TV. Unfortunately, when all my friends were learning how to curl, I had to look after my little sister so I never played the game. BTW the cinnamon roll thing you throw down the ice, it’s call a rock! Edmonton has some of the top curlers in the world – as a matter of fact our Edmonton team Martin took the gold in the last Olympics! 🙂
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May 11, 2012 @ 11:44:47
Hi..I was given an award and nominated you as a recipient…I know you have many but I do enjoy reading your blogs..Information is at
http://hometogo232.wordpress.com/posts/
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May 14, 2012 @ 12:53:20
Jul 15, 2012 @ 00:17:32
Hoping all is well and your absence from the sphere is because you’re out enjoying the hell out of yourself!
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Jul 18, 2012 @ 13:25:22
Thanks for missing me – I hope to post again in the near future about the mishaps, trials & tribulations that have become my life of late. I appreciate you!
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Sep 06, 2012 @ 09:23:17
I gave you an award: http://wp.me/p1Cvgh-1DG
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30 Day Challenge Winds Down – It's Just Life
Nov 10, 2012 @ 04:01:55
30 Day Challenge Winds Down – It's Just Life
Nov 10, 2012 @ 04:01:55
Nov 29, 2012 @ 09:59:50
Congratulations, you have been nominated for the Liebster Award!
ttp://wp.me/p1se8R-3tY
The Liebster is an award you accept with the intention of paying it forward. When accepting, you choose other blogs that you feel are deserving of more subscribers and pass the award on to them. You are not obligated to accept the award or to even pay it forward. This is just a way to get the word out about new blogs that your followers may not know. I always enjoy your blog and I hope you’ll accept!
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Dec 04, 2012 @ 04:02:17
Dec 04, 2012 @ 05:30:29
First-time visitor stopping by to say Happy Birthday …. and cheers to your passion for football.
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Dec 04, 2012 @ 13:12:46
Thank you! Developed my taste for football very early because my dad didn’t have any sons & I was looking for a way to connect with him. So he taught me football & we watched games together. Even now, when I call we’ll talk about football.
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Dec 04, 2012 @ 13:14:30
Awesome … and I enjoyed watching the CFL way back in the days of Joe Paopao
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Dec 04, 2012 @ 13:49:48
I remember Joe Paopao! I have been watching CFL since the late 1960’s, early 1970’s.
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Dec 04, 2012 @ 14:21:11
BC wasn’t my favorite team, but gotta love a quarterback with that name!
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Dec 25, 2012 @ 18:23:33
Thank you Frank! Just doing some housekeeping & saw you had posted on my About page.
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Dec 25, 2012 @ 18:24:54
🙂
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Dec 25, 2012 @ 18:28:01
I can’t recall where we were discussing this, but John must have found you through BrainRants & IdiotSpeaketh .. of which I have a meager history.
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Dec 25, 2012 @ 17:51:37
I missed your Birthday?
Unspeakable.
So I won’t…..
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Dec 25, 2012 @ 18:21:49
My blogging buddies surprised me with a blogging party – it was a blast! El Guapo, John Erickson, Edward Hotspur & a bunch of others participated. You should check out their posts. Best birthday I ever had!
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Dec 26, 2012 @ 02:17:44
Dec 28, 2012 @ 05:48:53
As I meet new bloggers, I am always impressed by the creative blogs I see around me, and for that reason I have nominated you for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award. Enjoy it as a compliment. http://wp.me/p2jC53-136 Marsha 🙂
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Jan 03, 2013 @ 11:26:46
Although I live in Ohio now, I did spend a few years in Saskatchewan as a child. I remember trips to Winnipeg (loved eating at The Old Spaghetti Factory) and cold weather. Oh, and the word ‘tukes.’ Oh, and Aeros bars. Oh, and… Guess there are lots of great things I remember about my time in Canada. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I appreciate it.
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Jan 03, 2013 @ 20:53:41
My first husband & I had our first date at the Old Spaghetti Factory & I loved their clam sauce! Toques (tukes) are popular all across Canada, I even see them here in Edmonton. Aero bars are now available in mint & orange. I love them too!
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Jan 03, 2013 @ 21:20:22
Oops. I spelled ‘toques’ wrong. My bad. 🙂
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Jan 03, 2013 @ 21:25:47
Toques is a French word for stocking cap, how could you have known? It’s hard enough for those of us who live here! Just reading about them brought back so many memories.
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Feb 17, 2013 @ 09:43:22
Benze,
I “hit” you for a blogging “tag you must answer my questions” game (http://fiftyfourandahalf.com/2013/02/17/beats-the-alternative/). Feel free to participate or not as you prefer. I promise not to judge you.
Elyse
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Feb 21, 2013 @ 06:18:08
Glad to have been found and to find you back. Ok – I swear that sentence makes sense. Just read it really slowly. 😉
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Mar 06, 2013 @ 07:56:07
I’ve never been to Winnipeg, but when I was little and wanted to be a ballerina, I filled a book with pictures and articles about ballet, and my mom sent away for an application to the Winnipeg Ballet where I wanted to go and study. I never did go (I’m too short and honestly not that great of a dancer) but Ill always remember how excited I was to dream about it. (I’m not sure why I chose the WB, maybe it had a good training program and not too far away from Detroit)
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Mar 06, 2013 @ 11:05:07
Winnipeg had a world renowned ballet company back in the day. I don’t know what it’s like now, but back when I lived in Winnipeg they were THE ballet company to aspire to. Thanks for sharing with me about wanting to go to Wpg. I happen to think Wpg. is pretty special because I grew up there. One of the nicest things is that it has so many trees. The city had by-laws in place to ensure all new developments had a tree for every property, so it carried on in that fashion making Wpg. a beautiful city.
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Jul 29, 2013 @ 07:42:28
Thank you SO much for thinking of me. I really appreciate it!
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Sep 16, 2013 @ 12:22:32
Thanks for reading the LAP piece. Be a frustrated writer… be a sad, angry, weirdo, apathetic writer… just don’t stop writing. Hang in there.
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Oct 19, 2013 @ 11:18:02
well, I don’t see an icon or anything to follow you on FB???
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Oct 19, 2013 @ 11:43:30
If you click on my gravatar it gives you all my social media sites – FB, twitter, etc.
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Oct 23, 2013 @ 10:23:41
Nice meeting you! I can’t draw a stick figure either. Actually, my kindergarten teacher was worried about my lack of abilities and had conference with my mom. They determined I was okay thank goodness. I didn’t know at that age they were judging everything I did!
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Oct 23, 2013 @ 10:55:51
I didn’t get to go to kindergarten due to low enrollment in grade school so I went right from staying at home with my mother to Grade 1. I always thought I was missing out on something – I guess I did, I didn’t get analyzed enough. Nice to meet you too!
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Oct 23, 2013 @ 10:58:02
I could be bitter, but I don’t think you missed much. All I learned was I wasn’t supposed to eat glue. Didn’t stop me from doing it, but I learned I shouldn’t. I thought they were a bunch of fun haters.
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Jan 03, 2014 @ 00:20:15
Dear Benze, what a great background you have. And what a readership! I so enjoyed our time at C4C. Would love to talk via email or phone. The best of 2014 to you, Benze. ~ HuntMode – Oh, I’ve a great post for you re painting…. grin.
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Jan 03, 2014 @ 10:44:26
I was so happy to meet you too over Christmas & New Year’s thru C4C! I’d be happy to communicate privately with you, just let me know how you want to do this!
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Jan 03, 2014 @ 16:15:02
Done, Benze! You commented on mine, which shows in my email and that shows me your email – so, I’ve sent you one! Thereby allowing privacy if needed or wanted. Best ~ HuntMode
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Jan 07, 2014 @ 19:04:08
A Canadian! Hello Winnipeger, or, I guess, Albertan now. I’m also a Canadian writer. But I’m from Ontario so not sure I’m truly Canadian. PMAO sent me scurrying your way off his Inner Views segment (which I invented, by the way – I wants some credit!).
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Jan 08, 2014 @ 10:46:48
Not sure if living in Ontario does qualify you as being a Canadian! Unless you lived in one of the cool places like Thunder Bay or Pickle Lake or Kenora . . .
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Jan 08, 2014 @ 12:07:50
Tri-cities. Not cool at all.
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Jan 08, 2014 @ 14:31:47
Too bad, feel sorry for you. Or do you think you are the center of the universe?
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Jan 19, 2014 @ 18:26:10
Howdy benze… I needed to come by and say hi. Sorry that I put it off for so long! C4C was some good times. You think Panda will have it up for Valentine’s?
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Jan 19, 2014 @ 21:39:24
I’m hoping so! I have formed a small COPD support group with BillHam & Huntie which has been great for me especially! I think they are gaining some insights from my struggles too! It was so nice meeting you & Cimorene (sorry about the spelling)
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Jan 25, 2014 @ 23:58:28
Hi Benze, I came to give you good tidings. I have awarded you the Sunshine Award. Please feel free to accept and play; accept and do not play; just know I was thinking of you.
http://chasingrabbitholes.com/2014/01/25/the-sunshine-award/
Best ~ HuntMode
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Jan 26, 2014 @ 11:18:52
Thanks Huntie! I already have the award, but I really appreciate you thinking of me!
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Jan 26, 2014 @ 21:36:05
Thank you for sharing articles and science friends … greetings friendship
@gede Prama 🙂 🙂
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Feb 04, 2014 @ 22:22:52
Hi there, I saw one of your comments on Ned’s Blog, so I looked you up. I also lived in NW Ont for a bit, originally from mostly Alberta (Edm, then Calgary after).. And, I have a handful of family from Winnepeg. I was curious about where in NW Ont you lived? I used to write for the T Bay covering the area north of it.
Cheers,
Robyn
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Feb 05, 2014 @ 11:27:29
Just 6 hours NW of T Bay! Pickle Lake, ON (the middle of the bush). Grew up in Winnipeg, all our children & family live there, moved to Pickle Lake for 10 years, then to Edmonton for the last 7 years.
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Feb 05, 2014 @ 12:23:42
Well, this is insane, because that is where I lived (92”94,) and my parents lived there for many years too (90-2009). The Millers. When did you live there?
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Feb 05, 2014 @ 13:51:00
Are your parents Ken & Barb Miller?
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Feb 05, 2014 @ 15:06:09
Yes! You know them?
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Blunt Life Coach Might Be A Bit Tipsy | Stuphblog
Mar 08, 2014 @ 22:02:10
Apr 19, 2014 @ 05:26:16
Trundled over here from Rara’s site… I was intrigued by your handle, because it gave me a flash-back to when I was learning how to ski (‘bend ze knees!’ was what my instructor used to say, all the time!).
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Apr 19, 2014 @ 05:27:37
Doh. My bad… that link should have been to here. Sorry!
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Apr 22, 2014 @ 12:50:08
If you love old comedies, you might like Charade – it’s half suspense/half comedy. But I love Audrey Hepburn, so I love all her movies!
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Apr 21, 2014 @ 00:55:06
That was how I came up with the name – from the movie Charade with Audrey Hepburn & Cary Grant, where the ski instructor kept saying Benzeknees!
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Apr 21, 2014 @ 01:43:37
I’ve never seen ‘Charade’. Maybe I should? I wouldn’t be surprised to discover that’s where my French instructor got the phrase himself. In any event, it’s advice that has certainly served me well on the piste. And on the tube (London Underground), too 🙂
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May 15, 2014 @ 17:20:09
Your blog is very interesting. I am sorry for your pain and hope for the very best for you.
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May 16, 2014 @ 15:47:51
Thank you very much & welcome!
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Blunt Life Coach Speaks About Women, Winter, and the Internet | Stuphblog
Jun 09, 2014 @ 11:44:53
Aug 04, 2014 @ 02:29:44
I have got to say, that I love your catch fraze for getting people to comment. 🙂 Just descovered this here blog. 🙂
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Aug 04, 2014 @ 16:06:44
Thank you, if I can’t be clever – I steal it, hahaha! It’s part of the wedding service (speak now or forever hold your peace?)
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Aug 04, 2014 @ 23:36:05
It’s great.
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