Happy new year everyone. May the coming 366 days be filled with endless opportunity, and good health for all of us!

Well? How many of you grew up in the same Toronto that I did, where you had to learn this song in elementary school? I wonder if there is anywhere left, outside of the halls of Eton, where anyone knows it now, or even cares to know it? It's a whole different world, here in Toronto now, and that's not a bad thing.

The British Grenadiers

Some talk of Alexander, and some of Hercules
Of Hector and Lysander, and such great names as these.
But of all the world's great heroes, there's none that can compare
With a tow, row, row, row, row, row, to the British Grenadier.

Those heroes of antiquity ne'er saw a cannon ball
Or knew the force of poweder to slay their foes withal.
But our brave boys do know it, and banish all their fears,
Sing tow, row, row, row, row, row, for the British Grenadier.

Whene'er we are commanded to storm the palisades
Our leaders march with fusees, and we with hand grenades.
We throw them from the glacis, about the enemies' ears.
Sing tow, row, row, row, row, row, the British Grenadiers.

And when the siege is over, we to the town repair
The townsmen cry, "Hurra, boys, here comes a Grenadier!
Here come the Grenadiers, my boys, who know no doubts or fears!
Then sing tow, row, row, row, row, row, the British Grenadiers.

Then let us fill a bumper, and drink a health to those
Who carry caps and pouches, and wear the louped clothes.
May they and their commanders live happy all their years
With a tow, row, row, row, row, row, for the British Grenadiers.

Wow! What an autumn that was! The goings-on in the classroom can eat up the whole day, and then the whole week, and then a whole month; all quite before you know it. But we've made it through! When I looked around at the end of all that, it was to find that the Leafs were doing incredible things out on the ice. With them in the position that they are now, (for a Leafs' fan!) all is right with the world! To put the icing on the cake, Santa brought me a TML mouse amd mouse pad for my computer. It doesn't get much better, I'm sure!