Lisa's Life Photo Gallery
40 years of life and life altering events – these are the
main events that changed the road I was on. I'll have all my photo albums
available, there are too many pictures to scan!!!!
Things Ukrainian
CYM/Camp – the memories are so numerous, I was never a camp
bride, always a bridesmaid but the bridesmaids always had more fun! Smoking
reeds, snorting sweet tarts, karra, trips to Winnipeg, Gull Lake, Paris, Rome,
Munich, French Riviera, Montreal, Ellenville, Australia, Chernivtsi.
Dunai Ukrainian Dancers – dancing at one time in my life, was my life.
I danced for over 25 years.
USS/SUSK- Ukrainian student’s groups-nobody parties like a
Ukrainian Student!
Life Altering Ukrainian Moment: Being born into a Ukrainian
lifestyle – from day one, my heritage has guided my life along a variety of
paths – languages are easier to learn, dance is still a part of my life, food –
will I ever stop loving it soooo much; drink – see nazdorovya below; marriage
and divorce; religion; friends; family life – my heritage has truly been all
encompassing.
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Cym Camp when I was about 10. |
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Lisa, Grant & Andrew in costume at the house in Sherbrooke. |
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Toga party in Rome, CYM 1988. |
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Sonia & me at a rehearsal. |
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Serving tea at St. George's. |
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Sonia, Shelly and Me in Bukovynian costumes. |
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Paul Grod and me at SUSK congress. |
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My Ukrainian dance group Dunai. Can you find me? |
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To get on the Kozak wall you had to drink a shot of vodka with garlic. |
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Nazdorovya Ukrainian Pub - I built & owned this bar for 3 years |
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I was appointed to Advisory Council on Alberta-Ukraine Relations |
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SUSK rules at the Borck Volleyball tournament |
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It was always fun at Brock. |
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The Canadian contingency at the Australian World Conference of CYM(Ukrainian Youth Association - like boy scouts/girl guides |
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Lisa and Grant at Baba's. |
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Friends
Best friends through the years, Wally Tarnawsky, Sonia
Brytan, Cindy Chernichen, Barb Kulik, Julie Hartnagel. But so many more friends
and a million acquaintances. If you’re not here, sorry, my finger was exhausted
from pressing the scan button! Please send me a picture to post here.
Life Altering Friend Moment: Grade 10 meeting Julie
Hartnagel – preface : up to that point, I had a group of ‘friends” who I had in
elementary and junior high who treated me so poorly that I cried what seems like
now every day of my adolescent life. They never included me, they belittled and
made fun of me, and always made me feel like a third wheel no matter how many
were present. I felt that in High school I butterflied. Escaped from the cocoon
of my former life and flew for the first time. I got contact lenses, a few
boyfriends and a huge dose of self-confidence. Julie was instrumental in that,
as she treated me like a person. We had fun and laughed together and continued
to do so through our university years. There has been no friend like that since,
even though I search.
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Natalie Wilson - she taught me how to drive a standard when she was 13 and I was 16. |
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Sonia - I've known her since we were 3. |
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Me and Karen at University Graduation. |
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Andriyka and I in Ellenville. |
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Mel, Larissa and Me in Saskatoon for Vesna festival. |
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What happens in Vilna, stays in Vilna. |
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The aftermath of some party. |
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Me and Nat at Malanka in Australia. |
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Shopping.....I love. Markets are my favorite. |
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On Baba's 'back porch' with Mike Zolotucha |
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Gotta love the 80's hair! |
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Lesia, me and Olya in Winnipeg. |
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After Calgary Olympics in Slavko's basement. |
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10 year high school reunion at Sally Barne's (the party house). |
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Maid of honour or horror!!! |
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Deb and me at a new years party at the hall. |
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Julie and Karen, looking fabulous. |
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My turn and a fabulous Matron of honour. |
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Gena and I in the nosebleeds. |
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Shelly, Sonia and I at a Baba's backyard party. |
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Iris Sumka and the Knight girls and me in the middle. |
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Grant, me and Cindy, my friend from K - 6. |
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Julie, Karen and I leaving Larry's love shack in Calgary. |
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Boyfriends
So many men, so little time. Do you remember that song?
That was our motto in University! So many great men I have had
the chance to befriend. Those with the biggest influence (good or bad!) – Leo,
Pat, Andriy, Gord, John, Rich, Garry, Peter, Mark, Jon, Fraser, Bruce, Chad.
Life Altering Boyfriend moment:1992 –JT=when two worlds
collide there can only be mayhem. This was the first time I had felt a true
forces of magnetism/ the first that bonds you so tightly and is so difficult to
release and the second that repels you as opposites do. My heart aches to this
day.
Life Altering Boyfriend Moment #2: 2000 – Married 3 times
to Mark Lech, Divorced Once – the absolute depths of despair. You see who your
true friends and supporters are. You find the real you and what you can and
almost can’t take. When you hit rock bottom and there is nothing but up….but it
is a hell of a climb.
I'm sure they don't want their pictures here about as much
as I do!!! Actually, for the most part my motto was 'we started as friends, we
should end as friends.'
Travel
Travel – Toga parties in Kyiv, Ukraine and Rome; That
whole trip to Europe in 1988 is etched… from Montreal – people peeing on
bookshelves to the Louvre, Hofbrauhaus, speaking Italian to Cab drivers, I still can fake Trombone to my favorite Uki songs, and the adventures on the French
Riviera, I still to this day 20 years later have not see the beach shot from
Cannes! Don't know if I want to!; Australia numerous times – driving Kostka’s
Manual car (opposite shifter), the rainforests, the bat that hung on my sleeve, yachting, scuba
diving, naughty kangaroos, great friends; Ukraine-to see Baba’s and Dido’s family, my
family=amazing; Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Fiji, Mexico
(and not just Tijuana!), Egypt, Aruba, and more to come.
Trips to Toronto, New York, Ellenville (no more Jagermeister, please); all over Canada and the States hitting every province and
state. Still working on more.
Life Altering Travel Moment:1988 – 3 month trip to Europe and
Eastern Canada – This is when I got the bug, the travel bug that has remained
with me since. I so regretted missing the 1986 CYM trip to the LA Olympics due
to peer pressure – none of my friends went; that I refused to miss any similar
chances again so I went by myself in 1988 and have never looked back. My travels have
taken me to 17 countries, Australia 5 times, much of Canada and the states and
most recently Egypt and Aruba. The future will most definitely hold another free
trip to Cancun and trips to Greece and Ukraine.
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Baba's Family in Ukraine. |
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Diving in the Great Barrier Reef. |
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I did go to London, but saw her in Edmonton. |
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Yachting in the Whitsundays. |
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The Bata Shoe museum in Toronto. |
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Mel's wedding, my 1st korovai. |
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Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. |
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.JPG "Chad's camel was Louie and mine was Mike.")
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Chad's camel was Louie and mine was Mike. |
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Parties
Hall party for Sweet 16, cabbage on the roof, pool balls in
the dryer, Gord through the glass; Baba’s basement & backyard parties; Sally Barnes'
parites in high school;
Malanka, Zabavas; playing Bite The Bag. Theme parties – Toga, Dead People, Toga,
Cowboys and Indians, Cocktails, Black and White, Toga, Halloween, Hippie- wait
until you see the party album!
Life Altering Party Moment: 1998- Opening Nazdorovya – I am
so proud of this accomplishment. One of the biggest check marks on my life’s to
do list. I lost a lot of money and a lot of close friendship dwindled, but I
gained a feeling of belief in myself that I could do anything I set my mind to.
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Black and White fundraiser for Aids. |
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Family
The day my brother Andrew was born. I like to think I
helped raise him a little being 10 years older and all.
Cool forts (wood and snow) with Grant and Billy in the back
yard
My mom with her crazy Hawaiian outfit on, my favorite
shopping partner!
My dad-it amazes me at 70(in November) he still plays
hockey!!! Can I bellydance until I'm 70(who'd wanna see that!!!!)
My Dido – and his goofy smile – just like Olyn’s
Grandma and Grandpa – always telling a joke and her
tortiere and flapper pie
Baba- my favorite memory is when I had to get her to say
Gargling on the radio so I could win a prize
Ashley- our trip to Disneyland brings back great memories
Simeon-when he got stuck between the table and the chair -
see the pic below
Olyn-every time he looks at me with that smile and long
eyelashes
Take me to a happy place - I always think of my first kiss
as Chad's wife
Life Altering Family Moment #1: 2001 – when you least
expect it, not looking and whammo Chad Forsman came into my life. He brings me a
peace in my soul like no other. I love being with him, he is my #1, I will
follow him to the ends of the earth, but Cody is where we love to be together.
There’s no place like home.
Life Altering Family Moment #2: 2003, 2005 – Bringing a
life into the world. It is amazing what the human body can do, before, during
and after a child is born. Even more amazing is watching that child grow and
evolve into a person. Family is the ultimate!
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Grandma McDonald, me, mom, Baba at my University graduation. |
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There's no place like home. |
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The Montana Christmas moose. |
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Our wedding guests and family. |
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Baba with her great grandkids. |
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Cambell's has nothing on Baba's Borshch |
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Christmas with the Blinstons. |
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Our House - Cody, Wyoming |
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Luke, I am Your Father.
Do or Do Not there is no Try. |
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I was having a blond moment. Here I am with some flowers from Chad in the bar. |
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.JPG "Paris.")
.JPG "Chad's camel was Louie and mine was Mike.")
