November Slush

Slushy Mess.  That's what I call my walk this morning with the dog.  No pictures.  I'd probably drop the camera trying to do that yet.  You'll just have to let your imagination do the work for you.  The dog needed a walk.  I can tell when he's antsy in the morning, so I have to quit making excuses and just go.  The result . . . is a soaked, stinky, dirty dog in the porch, prancing while still on his lease, cause I'm not letting him go till he's wiped down.  It's actually a game this walking thing.  I finally have no excuses so now I have to get dressed, cause I'm in my comfy jammy's.  Then catch the dog because he knows he has to wear the yucky leash that keeps him from walking ME.  By now I'm sweating cause I'm in that age group and considering just staying home.  Out the door we go with poop bags in my pocket.  (so embarrassing when I go for a kleenex in public and pull out a bag) It's quiet and calm.  No traffic. Just the two of us making footprints in the slushy snow left last night.  It's going to get icy today.  I'm getting chilly now because of the dampness on my back, from getting ready, is now freezing.  Onward across the hi-way.  I've picked our turn-around spot already.  Business is done, if you know what I mean, and taken care of and now we're heading home.  Somehow he knows, it's like a horse heading to the barn.  I'm trying a new thing, which is holding my arm with the leash behind my back.  For some reason it's enough to keep him from leading too much.  When we get in the door, I hook the leash on the door and calmly take my boots and coat off, making the dog sit quiet till I wipe him off.  It must be painful for him cause I know he just wants to run around the house like a crazy dog drying himself.  Nope, not going to happen.  I take my time not saying a word (it's hard) and wipe him down.  When he gets antsy, I stop and wait till he's quiet, then I continue.  Finally - release.  And he's gone!

If I thought alot on my walks, which doesn't happen to deeply, because I'm watching the dog, I'd say I had some lessons from these mornings.  I heard on the news about the discussion on the Lord's Prayer in school.  I'm not one to blog on this stuff because I can't always say well enough what I want and there's really so many sides to this issue.  Maybe that's what inspired me to walk.  It's my time to collect thoughts, to talk to God about everything in a jumble.  But wherever you talk to God, just do it.  Maybe that's why I had patience with the dog when waiting to wipe him down.  Fresh air, exercise and prayers.  Good start to any day.

So Peaceful

 



 

Sometimes when it's a beautiful morning,

chilly, but so calm and quiet,

I'll actually join the dog outside and throw a ball for him. 

That's when you see the beautiful sky before the rat race

called our work day begins.

 

 

Same sky just a few feet over.

 

Have a good day.

Happy New Year Letter

Behind all the décor is more….LIFE and that’s what makes each of our lives interesting and different from anyone elses’.  

I haven’t written anything long before Christmas because that’s exactly what happened.  No projects were done as the holiday preparations had to be done and really way more important than painting and creating.  

We put our Christmas tree up the first weekend in December and took it down Jan. 5^th, the first weekend home from celebrating with our families in Calgary, Alberta.  We spent a full week there staying at our daughter and son-in-laws home.  The day we planned to drive home was delayed 1 day as we decided we needed one more day of actually nothing planned for that day.  I just couldn’t see ourselves jumping back in our truck and driving a full 12 hrs after a very busy, but great week. 
 

Today it feels like January is dragging and it’s only the 12^th.  I guess it’s true that this month can be a gloomy time for a lot of people but I’m trying to get back in the saddle and start some new projects.  First I have to persuade my husband to rearrange the living room.  After making room for the tree, we never changed it back.  

I’m excited about what the future (this year) holds for me and my hubby.  And I’ll keep you posted on any big changes.    

Our daughter and husband continue to wait for their precious child that they are adopting.  That day will be a very special day indeed!

Our son and his fiancé are busy planning their wedding for the year 2014.  So long to wait but half the fun is in the planning, right? 

I just joined Twitter too.  For some that’s old news but for old folks like myself, it’s trying to keep informed and in the loop.   

Keep watching for new projects to come, hopefully very soon!  

Happy New Year!

Like Sands Thru the Hour Glass . . . . . so are the Days of our Lives.

From my journal…..

It’s the end of September, a very busy month and I sat and reflected this morning on this past month of September and especially the weekend we just had in Calgary.   There are so many memories -  A conversation, A feeling, AN atmosphere, all seem still so vivid.  They make me smile and sometimes, most often, bring a blurriness in my eyes.  I always have mixed feelings about leaving and going to Alberta.  I start out excited, then I think I will miss my house (I love my house), then as we actually go I’m happy again to see our children and family, then I know that the weekend will go way to fast and I’ll have to leave them behind and drive many miles away from them.  It’s hard not to see our children when I want, when so many things have been happening in their lives and be able to pop in for coffee or go see a dragon boat festival or help renovate their home, but that is life (for now).  That brings me to this blog.  I’ve procrastinated long enough and finally got this writing done so hope you enjoy a bit of our  month.

September

Crystal & Mick have officially filed their adoption papers and we are so excited for them!  It seems so surreal to me but I think that’s because we’ve never been through an adoption before.  I can only imagine what it feels like to them as they sit and think about it.  This is huge!  Each time we saw them they had an update of meetings they had attended on adoption and things they had to think about and do.  It will be a new road for all of us and I am so hoping that things, meaning the paperwork, happens in the right timing that they need to prepare for this new addition to their family.  We’re talking about a human person here and speaking of the ‘paperwork’ that has to be done.  So bizarre, but necessary.  I just hope Greg & I can be the encouragement they will need and the shoulders they need when things might get scary.  I know they will be great parents.  I hope I will be a good grandparent.

September  2

I was looking forward to visiting the in-laws at the lake where they spend a lot of their summer days.  As Greg and I drove out to Alberta, we received a call from Greg’s mom saying that she took dad to the hospital with a sore foot and it looked infected.  The doctors had thoughts of removing the toe and perhaps more of the leg.  So our plans changed a bit and we spent time at the hospital in Calgary and with our children.  It was hard to drive back home without knowing what was going to happen to Greg’s dad.  At the time, dad seemed older and maybe sadder but he did manage a few smiles.

September 22

We celebrated our 32^nd anniversary.   That’s pretty fantastic.

Greg never seems to remember the date but he honestly tries each year and it’s quite funny.  I smiled when he messaged me at work and said, “Do you know what day it is?”

I thought, ‘I know where he’s going with this’.  “I do, it’s the 2oth, why?”

He says, “Crap!! When is our anniversary again?” 

I told him it’s on the 22^nd and he said some mushy stuff that I’m not about to share. 

So that evening when I got home from work I was feeling sentimental and I pulled out my wedding dress from the back of the closet and took off the plastic.  I believe that’s the first time that I’ve done that, that I can remember.  I took some pictures of it and will post them on a later day.  My husband said, “Try it on”.  Ya, I knew better than that.  I don’t need to see him laughing.  Although I just need to remind him how well his suit would fit today.  Where is that thing anyways?  Some people rent their wedding dresses but I’m glad I didn’t.  Of course, back in the day, I think it cost $250 or something crazy like that.  But that was probably lots then.  Anyways I want to scan all the wedding photos and do them up properly in a new album.  It’s going to be a winter project, much like all the other pictures that need to be done.

September 23

We left for Calgary again to see Greg’s dad.

On the 9^th of this month, they removed his toe and hoped it would heal quickly.  We didn’t realize or hadn’t thought much about how dad might be feeling so seeing him this time made us take a step back.  He was very tired all the time and kept his eyes closed most of the time.  Only when someone asked him a question did he respond with a head up, a smile, and a quick answer.  Then back to what seemed like sleeping.  His body has taken on lots of medication so hopefully it’s his body’s way of saying ‘I need to heal myself, let me sleep’.  Dad loved to go outside and sit in the sunshine, he missed the sunshine.  We often bought him a coffee and wheeled him outside.  It tired him out a lot but probably felt good to get out of the room and the bed.   Again it was hard to drive home and we had a few days of car trouble that added to Greg’s stress.  Since then dad has had a great improvement and we’re hoping it continues and he can go home again.

September 30

Craig is in the final stages of buying a yoga studio.  He’s a great yogi.

To say the least it’s been a ride and a half for us in this new adventure.  I can’t remember the exact day that Craig phoned us, although I bet he knows, and said he might have the option of buying the studio where he taught yoga.  Today is ‘the’ day and everything looks to be in place so as of today, Craig will own his own yoga studio.   We are so excited for him!  This isn’t a regular yoga studio, it’s Calgary Hot Yoga.  Greg & I attended a class once and let me tell you, it was something else.  At one point I did feel a little faint and had to sit on my mat and wait out the dizziness.  I think I could really get used to it and we did feel invigorated after.  It could have been the joy of making it thru the class still breathing too.  I’m very excited to see what he does with the studio in the terms of making it his own and hope he enjoys each day that he spends doing something he loves.  It could just be the beginning of a chain of studios for him, who knows what the future holds.  But we will be there to encourage him and even take a class or two when we are in Calgary. 

THE pessimist and THE optimist

One day the Pessimist (that would be myself) and the Optimist (that would be my husband) woke to what looked like a gorgeous day.  As they wondered onto their deck overlooking their yard and pond, the sun was already beginning to creep across the deck and warm the earth.  (sounds nice eh?)  There wasn’t a breeze on the huge trees overhanging the pond and walkway.  As they had their coffee and looked for the new fish added to the pond, a slight movement caught the eye of the Optimist. 

He said, 

“What’s that?  hon, come here quickly.”  “Was he there all this time?”

“I didn’t see him, what’s wrong with him?” said the Pessimist.

A bird sat perched on a rock at the edge of he pond.  The Optimist clapped his hands and the bird OPENED his eyes in fright and stared right at the Optimist.  Still, he did not fly away.

“What should we do?”

“Should we move him?” 

“Do you think he has a broken wing or foot?” 

“I think the other birds are coming to close and may try to kill him.” 

Said the Pessimist.

“That my be, but that’s life.” Said the Optimist.

NOW the Pessimist, feeling sorry for the bird, had negative thoughts about the other birds coming around.  They should not be pecking at him and then fly away into the trees to chirp and twitter with their friends.

THE Optimist thought, maybe the birds are coming around and poking the bird to see if he’s alright and if he needs anything.  Then they are flying into the trees to tell the other birds of the sad news.

The sun was now hot and still no breeze to relieve anyone.  The poor bird’s eyes were closed and he swayed slightly from the movement of the water as the pond boy removed dead leaves from the edge. 

Then the Pessimist told the Optimist to place the bird somewhere out of the sun.  So the Optimist took the bird and placed him under a shady plant by the fountain so the hot sun would not torment him anymore.  The Pessimist watched.

Later that morning the bird succumbed to its pain and hurt.  There under the shade of the plant he lay with a small pansy blooming beside him.

*Warning - the following graphics may be too much for some people, use your own discretion.

Why blog?

I wanted to take a step back and just explain a few things about myself since I just jumped back into blogging.

I toyed with the idea for so long and read a lot of articles and tips online about blogging, (and let me say, there is a ton of stuff) that one day my husband said, “Why don’t you just start and see where it goes?”   That’s not really like me but it’s so true.  I said, “I’m scared, what if it’s stupid?”  I could read all the tips about blogging but really, this is going to be a ‘learn as I go’ project and let me tell you, it certainly has been trying.  I must say that I do have a binder full of printed ideas and ‘how to blog’  that I’ve relied on quite a bit.   I am pretty proud of the things I’ve learned and done so far and I’m sure there will be a lot more.  I like to do things well thought out and perfect so this is really new to me, like jumping off a cliff.  

So why blog?  I wanted a place to share the people and things that are special to me.   I love my husband.  I love our children.  And I love to decorate.  When you wrap all this together, you get a life that’s always full of surprises.

Why is it, that when your children are grown and you see the greys appear, that this is when you begin a new phase in life.  My blog is not exactly what I dreamt it would be, but baby steps are good.

I do have a goal to reach but that will remain to be seen, well, for you anyways.  I will tell you that someday I HOPE to flip a home or renovate a home to sell.  My husband and I work very good together and make a good team.  It wouldn’t be the first time that we tore a wall down and changed a room to our liking.

So, there you have it.   Bye for now.

~Bonny