Kick Start

Sometimes it's the little things that make my day... like the wrapper on my cereal bag that says "created with love, from our kitchen to yours!" I can't help but smile when I read that... before viciously tearing into the bag of nutty goodness. 

And then there is my infamous "banana-grams". When I was a manager in another lifetime, I would write happy messages on bananas and leave them randomly on the desks of my staff. Some thought it was dumb; others smiled. However, regardless of the reaction, it planted a seed of good and happy to start the day. Sometimes we have to look for the love; for the tender, encouraging messages from the universe. We have to pay attention to see the signs that are sent our way. 

So today I gave myself a reminder to make my day a great one; to create some happy.It is after all, a choice!

A fierce growl just came from my stomach so I may be devouring "happy" shortly!

Drive-By Love

I was deep in thought and song when I made the turn onto our street that winds and bends and passes by your house and takes me to mine. As I drove by your house I could see you working busily in your garage – and I think maybe I heard music coming from there as well. It is a familiar sight and for some reason, this time it touched me especially deeply. I was instantly filled to the brim (and a little over) with love for you and gratitude for the life we share; gratitude for having you with us; gratitude for having you just 400 metres down the street; gratitude for the warmth and comfort I get every time I drive by your place and catch a freeze frame of you or the ladies going about your daily lives. At 50+ I love that I have my Dad a stone’s throw away and a step-mom who really knows how to make a girl feel welcome – not to mention the wine that is always on chill. We are a fortunate bunch – and just one more reason why life is good. 

I Feel Good - Like I Know That I Should

There is a gentle breeze, the cloudless sky is the colour of the sea, and when I take a deep breath, there is a hint of optimism in the air. Maybe it was the two days we just spent at the cottage, where the biggest decision I make is my morning coffee should be sipped on the deck or the dock; or the sudden flurry of wedding activities (not mine!) that are ramping up; or maybe I am just have more reasons to be happy than not. Whatever the reason (check off all of the above) – I am wrapped in a brightly hued shade of contentment these days.

It’s good to feel motivated and excited for each day again. After a dismal past few months I am relaunching the product – ME!

There are important things that need tending to – such as the weed-fest that is going on in my gardens and between the patio stones. If only the wandering bunnies would develop a palette for them, or Fritz would lift his leg there instead of on the begonias.

And then there is my frozen shoulder that is slowly thawing, and that – with my continued torture-therapy – will having me “signing” Y-M-C-A to the Village People from a table top at Harmony’s wedding. My healing arm has also reignited my desire for blogging; I’ve missed it (and you) A LOT!

My girls are throwing their sister a wedding shower this weekend all on their own. I’ve been relegated to baking and cup cake making (don’t they know I am infamous for my avalanche cakes??) and providing general counsel on faux pas avoidance and etiquette navigation. I should be fired! It’s going to be a blast with all of the women of the tribes coming together like one big United Nations hen party. We’ll have my Jewish ex-mother-in-law mixing it up with my German mother-in-law (MIH), and face colours ranging from brown-skinned and flaming rosacea red, to a whiter shade of pale; there’ll be families of the exes, nieces I haven’t seen in years, and sexual orientation from gay to straight and straighter! Who said showers are boring? We are having it at my ex-husband's palatial hut and he is serving the appetizers. It's shaping up to be the mother of all famjams and booze fests -- just kidding of course.

Lastly, I am getting back to giving back. It's been adhoc and disorganized so I am getting back to my weekly giving; to donate devoutly, consistently, and whole-heartedly to causes that elevate, embrace and sustain to make the world a little better, and extend a compassionate hand up to humankind.

Stay tuned. I'm back!

Celebration, Attitude, and Gratitude

I had a great day! It started off a little precariously when the power went out at 6:30 this morning -  after my shower thankfully. I had grand plans to make the most of my day off with an early, productive start so reading by candlelight wasn't exactly what I had in mind. When the power finally came on 110 pages later, I heard the washer and coffee maker start on queue, just as I had set up.

I have been struggling lately with an ailing shoulder (thus the blogging cut-back) and generally feeling lethargic and crummy. After a much needed attitude adjustment, I ditched the pity party and charted a plan for my health and well-being. The result - a great night's sleep and a revitalised outlook. In a nutshell, I woke up on the right side of the bed!

I met the day like a whirling dervish and did four loads of laundry, scrubbed the bathrooms, cleaned the kitchen, connected with my MIH, and stopped off to buy flowers for my hubby's grandmother's 91st birthday - ALL before meeting my MIH for lunch.

We had a great catch-up before we headed over to the birthday party, which was held at the long term care residence our grandmother lives in. She is blind and immobile and tends to slip back into German, her native language, when she is in a crowd. Although she couldn't see the family who had congregated for her special day, she could feel their love with every hug and hand hold.

After a humongous helping of strawberry, banana vanilla cake and a few hours of family time, we bade her a fond farewell and left her to rest in her room of stuffed animals and flowers. I couldn't help but marvel at the longevity of her life. For someone who survived incredible hardships and health problems, she managed to live out a full life.

Hubby and I took Fritz for his evening stroll through the forest and this time I went armed with my good camera, determined to capture the emerging colours that are signalling the wonder that is to come.

I just drained the last few drops of wine from my glass, Fritz is asleep on my feet and I can't help but feel contented. Life is good. Actually, it's great. And that is yet another reason to celebrate.

Wordless Wednesday: Smile

Simply Perfect

It's been one of those days that I will file under "simply perfect". Mother Nature so generously bestowed some beautiful autumn weather, with warm brilliant sunshine haloing the gold and yellow leaves. I shut the furnace off and threw open the windows to let the fresh air blow through the house. I cleaned my fridge, made a call to update my dad on the election results, gloated over the Liberal victory with him and then dashed off to do my grocery shopping with my eldest girl.

I was feeling the abundance so I said "yes" to everyone who was collecting. I baked pumpkin tarts, made a brownie mile high cake and peeled everything that needed the outer layer removed. I stopped short of my neck. I filled vases with rustic bouquets and lit pumpkin spice votives and resisted the urge to eat them. Tomorrow we are having the family over for Thanksgiving dinner and I am almost ready. Tomorrow I will dust off the vacuum, declutter (dump everything into a laundry basket) the top of every flat service in the kitchen, make stuffing, and set the table. Hubby will coax the innards out of the turkey and work his magic on the 20 lb bird. My stomach just growled. I'm getting hungry.

I think I may have ingested half my daily calories in cake batter. I got to lick the spatulas AND the bowls ... and now you know what made this day simply perfect!  To my fellow Canadians celebrating Thanksgiving, I wish you a wonderful weekend and hope that you have someone you love to share the wishbone with.

Oh Happy Days

The days roll by and suddenly five days have passed since my last post. It's  been busy - life; living. Hubby and I headed up to our cottage to watch Miami Vice -- I mean, enjoy the great outdoors. To minimize the risk of boring you to tears, here's the Reader's Digest version of the past little while:

• Doris is test driving a senior residence, trying it on for size while Dad and T are in Florida for a quick visit. Popped by to have lunch with her and the rest of the golden silver girls in the new digs. Hardest choice of the day --- strawberry pie or chocolate cake. Doris had both! She sent me off with a huge lump in my throat as she stood in the window waving goodbye.
• Highlight of the  hour trek to the cottage was seeing a very large huge black bear on the side of the highway AND then a very Canadian beaver swimming in the swamp right beside the dirt road leading to our place. I swear I heard him humming the national anthem. Or maybe it was the hummingbirds we heard; we saw dozens of them all weekend. Night of woodland wildlife ended with the bandit raccoon rearranging the furniture on the deck.
• Awoke to thunder storms that lasted all day - thus the Miami Vice marathon, copious amount of tea, and cosy fire. I also finished my book, Letters to my Daughters.
• Sunday was just that -- sunny, hot and perfect! Kidlet arrived back safe and sound from the Dominican Republic and popped by the cottage. I didn't swim but I reveled in the sunshine and stillness of the lake. I snapped a nice shot of the HUGE dock spider that has taken up residence in the leaky punt.
• I didn't make my weekly donation due to time restraints so this Thursday will be a double whammy. Suggestions?
• Monday night I sprung Doris and we headed to the Dairy Queen (my nickname when I was nursing) for some grill and chill; I did the "grill" with a burger and Doris did the "chill" with a butterscotch sundae.
• I received my new solar lantern from OneMillionLights,org and just in time! I apparently left my keys in the ignition (just shoot me now) and my lights on???? What the heck?! Anyway our flashlights are all at the cottage and hubby couldn't see to hook up the charging cables soooo we used our solar lantern to light the way. Life is funny ...

So that is it in a nutshell: I am losing my mind but thankfully retaining all of my belly fat (God forbid I should lose any of that),  am still pinching myself in disbelief at my good fortune to have a little piece of paradise and am looking forward to the summer ahead.

A few visuals in case you just want to skip the verbose descriptions:

Hubby - labour of love

Supervisor Fritz

View from the deck

Us!

Vacancy

Dock spider ... relative of Charlotte?

Rocking my TOMS on the dock.

New solar lantern from OneMillionLights.org

Birthday Bliss

I quietly slipped into 51,
a new age,
gently wrapping it around me,
trying it on for size.

It feels comfortable
and even familiar.
I think I am coming
home to myself.

Each and every year takes me
closer to my
authentic being;
the best version
of myself.

Could it be that this
is what they call
bliss?

It's a wrap - for another year.

I just decided!

Today is going to be a great day -- I just decided! Hope you make yours a great one too.

Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it.

- Groucho Marx

PS - I have this other little blog called Soul Snax -- a collection of my favourite quotes and quips and photos. It seems that whenever I decide I don't have time to keep it up, it gets another follower. Someone trying to tell me something?  

Reclaiming Happy

My sister is a pretty woman. She is picture perfect most of the time - beautiful long blonde hair, fit, athletic body, wide eyes and a great toothy smile. She's had her challenges the past few years with times when it was tough to find reasons to smile.

She answered the door tonight wearing a full apron - and she never looked more beautiful. Her living room resonated with the laughter of her three children and the garlicky aroma of spaghetti sauce permeated the whole room. Her baby chicks were back in the nest, even if only for a night, and I could see contentment softening her jaw, unfurrowing her brow. She reveled in the peace of a full home bursting with love, and in the role of Mom who cooks awesome dinners for her loved ones. It was a throwback to happier, simpler times before she made the trudge through what seemed like endless hellish drama and complication.

I think she has finally emerged intact. Salad tongs in one hand, a glass of wine in the other and face aglow - she welcomed us into her home to celebrate her chicklet's birthday. You go girl ...

For me, it was a special treat to see my beautiful sister reclaiming her happy. And that made me happy.

Tuesday Ten: Things That Make Me Happy

1. seeing the sparkle of pride in my father’s eye and softness in his face when he looks around a room bursting with the flesh, bone and intelligence of the tribe that he help create
2. savouring the last piece of cherry pie
3. getting a call from someone who calls me mama
4. hearing the call of a chickadee
5. inhaling deeply the first air of the day from our cottage deck, and knowing “it’s ours”.
6. feeling unsolicited hugs from hubby
7. rubbing the silky fur on the top of my dog’s head as he lay in my lap
8. feeling my camera in my hand as I walk and watch
9. watching a hummingbird flittering blossom to blossom, reminding me that power and strength can come from the small and mighty
10. smelling freshly washed pillowcases when I lay my head down at night

What makes you happy?

Don't Eat the Daisies

Summer is officially here; it's as hot as Haiti and the daisies have exploded. The pool heater is broken but who cares? Tomorrow we will have a cottage and can swim in the lake. I will get in touch with my inner flannel; reconnect with my pencil; and forgo the Internet for the vintage rotary dial phone that hangs on the wall. I will scout for deer tracks (dinner!) and forage for berries. On second thought, maybe I'll just buy a pie on the way up to the cottage.

My Pops gave hubby and I some essentials - a machete, hatchet and blow torch (to fix the copper piping). I told him to watch for me on the news. If the police accosted a guy today just  for having a chainsaw in his car, and I get stopped on my way through a G8 security zone, they'll think I am loaded for bear.

Icing on the cake. We are headed for cottage country at the same time the world leaders. Our timing is impeccable. So needless to say we are just going with the flow as we meander down happy street. Enjoy your weekend everyone.

Flying High

Fishing poles, binoculars, canoe and insect repellent - we have 'em all and now we just have to close the deal on Friday and the cottage is ours.

Truthfully, one of the things I am most excited about is having a place to fly my Canadian flag. My kids and hubby nixed the notion for our house  non- patriotic, anti flagpole sourpusses but the cottage is fair game, and just in time for Canada Day.

Life is indeed good, just like a waving flag.


Thank you MIH. The places we'll go in the red canoe.

Perfect Day

Today was a keeper. Here it is in simple words:

Sweet.
Sister, sister.
Laughter, tears, hugs, goodbyes.
Dreams.
Spontaneous.
Road trip.
Sunshine.
Do you know the way to ...
Discovery.
Possibilities unlimited.
Excitement.
Ice cream.
Excitement.
Dreams in pursuit.
Perfect.

Smyle Notes

Little notes of happiness. Reminders to smile. They are all around us if we pay attention. Couldn't help but smile when I opened the peanut butter jar. Have a great weekend everyone - and remember - SMYLE.

Spring in my Walk

Spring is an early arrival -- about two weeks early I'd say. I walked slowly, strolled really, breathing deeply and enjoying the heat and sunshine on my face. And I wondered as I walked. Wondered and marvelled at everything around me. Deep breath. The air was heavy and sweet - and the trees in full blossom. A perfect day. A gift. I sung the soundtrack silently (thankfully for others) as I walked. You know what it was ... Sunshine on my shoulders (c'mon - sing along with me - you know you want to).

The lightness from my walk continued for the rest of the afternoon. I found reason after reason to burst into song - and my cubemate Susie was patient a saint. It was joy to overflowing bursting out. And it didn't stop ... not even when I got in my car to drive home at the end of the day. I started the car, opened the sun roof and flicked on the radio. And no lie -

You are the sunshine of my life
That's why I'll always be around,
You are the apple of my eye,
Forever you'll stay in my heart...

I sang happily as I drove along and suddenly  the words "forever you'll stay in my heart" choked in my throat - an emotional ambush! A surge of so many feellings at once ... happiness, bliss, sadness that she isn't here to share this. These uncontrolled emotional blips are like flash fires ... fast and furious, and often at the pinnacle of happy. Some minor leakage, a silent acknowledgement of I miss you Mom and then a big smile.

It's true what they say ... love never dies. And a day like today, rich in every way possible leaves my heart full of gratitude, for all that I have, and all that I have had. 

Happy springtime everyone.

Aging

I am convinced that the degree of enthusiasm with which you embrace aging is directly proportionate to your level of satisfaction with, and contentment in your life.

Live and thrive
Don't just survive.

Aging to someone who is living the life they want to be living is a footnote; a gentle scorekeeper of more good things to come.

Something(s) to Smile About

This is me today (without the rosacea) ... for lots of reasons. The sun came out in all its golden brilliance after a long hiatus. Just like the first flowers of spring, sunshine on my face with a sapphire sky after so many gray days made it all the more appreciated. Spring -- I am not sure if you are here for a long time or a good time, but I'll take whatever you have to offer.

My sister was able to shower (thank goodness) just days after her shower, and is fighting back to health. I just want to see her stitches!

I finished the small mountain of work I had let accumulate at the office and now - finally, sleepy and spent, I can exhale and rest peacefully.

I am off to the nation's capital for work, but will see my far away sister while I am there. I will laugh much - guaranteed -- especially if she contorts into one of her double jointed postures worthy of Cirque du Soleil.

My two gal pals will join me in Ottawa for a few days of pre half century birthday celebrations. I can see us now - giggling in the Parliament public gallery - catcalling the Prime Minister. Fingers crossed that the Rideau Canal is still frozen so we can skate on our ankles and gnaw on beaver tails. Darn! I just checked the website and it says that the public skating on the canal is officially closed for the season. Blame it on global warming. Oh well -- the hotel hot tub will have to do. Maybe we can find an icicle to suck on.

And if those weren't enough reasons to smile, I got to the Indian food leftovers before Kidlet. A first!  

Hope you are all feeling as yellow and sunny as me today and that you have a great weekend!

Comforting Day Off

It's my compressed day off and what's a girl to do?!

Well the weather is a typical blustery dismal day -- rainy and gray. So I  satisfied my urge for oatmeal cookies by baking some. Yup - just expressing my Betty Crocker side ...

One of the best parts (well maybe not the best...) of being a grown up is licking the bowl -- no one to share it with. As kids we used to argue over who could like the spoons and best of all -- the bowl. Usually my mom made two of us share that prize! So of course by the time I licked the raw cookie dough off off the wooden spoon, the spatula AND the bowl -- I didn't need lunch, and I couldn't even entertain the thought of it.

Meatloaf is baking in the oven and the residual smell of the cookies is still wafting. What a perfect way to spend a chilly day -- all cosy and warm, looking forward to comfort food. Lucky me - it's been a comforting day off.

Stuffed and Contented

There are so many things rolling around my head that I would like to talk about -- Obama's Nobel Peace Prize, addiction, control, lack of control, goals, Me to We Day, hope, snowbirds .... so many things.

However tonight - after the end of a pretty much perfect autumn Thanksgiving weekend, I will keep it simple. Contentment is nicely settled in my bones and so is my gratitude. That's me tonight - stuffed, stuffed up sniffle, and contented. And I wish you all the same. Which reminds me ... where did I put that wishbone?