MY MAGNIFICENT LIFE

Friday's What the Heck! Sayings

2012-01-27T15:14:00.001-05:00

North West Territories

Do you believe the natural universe operates under a grand scheme for your personal wellbeing and benefit?

I don’t. I don’t believe that there is an omnipresent Being that creates situations in our life for some unknown purpose to be revealed at a later date. It feels like narcissism. Why a particular person’s life would be so important that a deity would intervene? With billions of people on earth, how does this work?

In fact, it is drives me mad when I hear the expression, "it happen for a reason." That expression does not make sense to me. Of course, most often than not, this reference is faith based. Making this is a tricky subject because it is complicated to have a practical discussion based on reasoning when faith or religions are taken into consideration. That said, this blog post is for contemplation only and not a commentary on religion.

If we look at life through the lens of "Natural Law” life would make sense. After all, we could not get more organic than the human being. We human beings are not separate from the natural order of the universe. And furthermore, we fortunately have the ability to reason. Therefore, we should be consistently questioning our worldview.

Still, I believe reason is thrown out the window when using the term “it happen for a reason”. It is my opinion, used as a coping mechanism that results in a detachment from responsibility. When we say "things happen for a reason" we are saying we are not in control of the event and therefore releasing ourself from the outcome. Thus, we are transferring our responsibility to an omnipresent Being who we believe has a plan for our life.

Questions for contemplation

Why would an omnipresent Being create a specific situation in life, be it good or bad, with the motive to be revealed later?
Why would it matter to an omnipresent Being what happens in an individual’s life? Would an omnipresent Being care if you got a raise, met your soul mate, and or got fired?
Does the saying “Things happen for a reason” apply to animals?
Are there only certain circumstances where “things happen for a reason”? How do you distinguish between circumstances where this applies?
Are certain people exempt from “things happen for a reason”?
Are “things happen for a reason” only for negative events?
Why would one person’s life be favoured over another?

A friend once told me, “So much in my like is going wrong at the moment. I must have done something really bad to deserve this. But it must be for a reason, huh”! That could not be further from the truth.

The truth is life happens and sometimes bad things happen to good people. It has nothing to do with how one lives their life, or to teach a lesson, or to build stronger character. Simply put, life happens because of cause and effect. For every action there exist a resulting reaction. An earthquake, which results in a major loss of lives should not translate to "it happen for a reason". The only reason for the tragedy is the earth's plates shifted.

Next time something happens to you where you are tempted to say “it happen for a reason” look at what happen without attaching judgment to it. Things happen in the course of life and it is not personal. Sometimes it's luck and other times it's unlucky. Lesson here is to always act reasonably and mindfully. Certainly, in life, things occur that can’t be explained at that moment. Later, after reflection it may become clear to you. Does that mean it happened for that reason?

Life happens, it doesn't happen to you because of who you are, or as part of a master plan. The only master plan is the one you create for yourself. Things happen and you give it reason and meaning.

Friday's What the Heck! Chivalry

2012-01-20T11:56:00.002-05:00

Is chivalry dead?

Sadly, I think it might be if recent actions by Captain Francesco Schettino after the tragic cruise ship Costa Concordia accident is any indication. I understand, he had a duty and responsibility for the safety of the passengers. Still, if he had any sense of chivalry he would have done things differently.

What happened to the notion of women and children first?

I know, some of us are thinking of Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, pilot of flight 1549 that landed safely in the Hudson River after an emergency. How can we compare the two captains! What with Captain Schettino taking leave of his senses after running his ship aground. “Everyman for himself” seemed to be his first and only thought following the accident.

The two could not have handled the situation more differently. Both captains had an emergency situation that involved the safety of many lives. Captain Sully remained on his wrecked plane as it floated precariously on the river. He not only went to the back of the plane, he did it twice, to satisfy himself that no one was left behind. I can't imagine how terrifying those minutes were as he walked down to the back in the dark. He emerged as a hero. On the other hand, as luck would have it Captain Schettino was one of the first to reach safety by ~~taking a~~ accidentally tripping and falling into a lifeboat. However he got to safety there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that he abandoned ship and in doing so not only did he brake the law, but he disgraced his country in the eyes of the world.

I could not help noticing that Captain Sully is older than Captain Schettino. Could the obvious difference in age be the contributing factor as to why the two captains acted so differently under pressure? I don’t mean inexperience. I mean, the generational difference. Because I have no doubt that had the accident occurred years prior, Captain Sully would have reacted in exactly the same way as he did on that fateful day on Hudson River. It is called good character. I think, more and more of the younger generation of men lack good character and a sense of chivalry. To-be-sure, not all young men are lacking the chivalry gene, and those that are chivalrous should be acknowledged.

Some would argue that feminism killed chivalry. I would disagree, although the subject deserves it's own blog entry. Suffice to say, chivalry has more to do with basic good manners and compassion rather than taking care of the fairer sex.

The standard we hold for captains is much higher than our expectation of the average Joe. Indeed, this is sad commentary on our society. There was a time in our society when there would be no question that in a dangerous situation, women and children, would be lead to safety first.

We should be teaching our sons to be mindful of those around us by demonstrating through our actions good behavior. Start small like opening the door for someone behind you. What about looking up from your electronic devices to give up your seat on the bus for an elderly person, a pregnant woman or a parent with a small child. It’s about raising the bar and expecting that no matter the situation that man will do the Right thing… the Chivalrous thing.

It boils down to the “code of chivalry” … society needs to pay attention to Captain Sully's example. But it begs the question, if we are not doing our duty as parents, where are the likes of people like Sully going to come from?

Silence can be Golden

2012-01-18T12:06:00.003-05:00

On my way to work!

We live with constant noise. In our modern world we would be hard pressed to find silence anywhere, including our homes. What with our furnace fan going off and on, our electrical appliances humming, and the tick tock of a near by clock, all these sounds produce white noise of which we are for the most part unaware. Until it is taken away. Then we have silence, and we notice it.

Even if we are in deep sleep (REM), silence will wake us up. It's interesting how when we are used to these noises we sleep like a baby. But take away the sounds and we wake up discombobulated. What's wrong? Why is it so quite?

I am tucked in nice and cosy under the duvet dreaming of sandy beaches in faraway places. I stir sleepily, then I become aware of the silence and the darkness of the bedroom. I look towards the direction of the dresser for the clock, it is shrouded in blackness. Immediately I know the power is out. I reach for my ipad on the night table to check the time, 4:03 am. I was not too surprised that we were having a power outage. Especially with freezing rain throughout the previous day and over night, there was a high probability for it to occur. And of course, it had to happend when hubby is away on business. This is the joy of country living, which is just a bump in the middle of the night.

I should have turned over and resumed sleeping, but I couldn't. This silence, is not normal and it puts me on edge. I wake up.

Thankfully, we are prepared for these occasional power outages. Although, we hubby still needs to get a new battery for the generator. Anyway, in my night table is a flashlight. I make my way to the kitchen and light an old fashion coal-oil lamp. I debate if I should make a fire in the fireplace and then decide against it because I would be leaving in a couple of hours anyway. I sit and enjoy the quietness. Then it occurred to on me that this is a perfect time to meditate! Pure Silence...

Friday's What the Heck! Public Washroom

2012-01-12T14:51:00.006-05:00

Why is it so difficult to find public washrooms that are clean and disinfected?

I’ve been on a serious green smoothie binge (48oz per day) and drink at least eight cups of water per day since January 1st. When you read that sentence what is the first thing that comes to mind? No, not that!

Yikes, I REALLY must GO!

When I leave the house I have to plan when and how much I drink because we all know that liquid in means liquid out, right! Especially since I have a daily commute that takes me on the road at least a couple of hours twice a day. The issue is not the availability of public washrooms. I have no difficulty finding a public washroom. In the city, almost every block either has a Tim Horton’s, a Second Cup, or a Starbucks. Sometimes all three are within eyesight.

My issue, however, is that I detest public washrooms. Really, I would ratter hold it until I get home. Although sometimes that is impossible given how much I am drinking lately. As soon as I see the “washroom” sign my bladder, which seconds before was “okay, I’m okay,’ suddenly is bursting and I need to go immediately! To be clear, it’s not the “act” that offends me, after all, we all do it.

My quandary with the dreaded public washroom:

When you really need to go there is always a waiting line for the ladies washroom
· No clean place to put your purse or bag
· Why do all washroom door open into the washroom
· With everything automated, why are the doors not automatic
· People who don’t wash their hands still have to pull on the handle to exit
· The first washroom I pick is usually too filthy or not flushed
· Check the toilet paper before you sit down, more often than not it is empty
· Check the seat, sometimes it looks like it was used by a six year old boy, gross
· Automatic flush either flushes at an inappropriate moment or not at all (But there is a manual flush button!)
· The automatic tap at the sink is never hot enough or too short a duration to adequately clean

Finally, and just as important, to me anyway...I have a fear of being locked in the washroom.

What’s your position on public washrooms? Do you avoid them like the plague, bring your own toilet paper, and or, seat covers? Do you touch the door handle on your way out?

Would you pay an attendant a user fee?

I gladly paid a pretty zloty to a washroom attendant to visit a clean public washroom, even as a student in Warsaw, Poland. At least they always had toilet paper and were continually cleaning the washroom. It was during Communism when everyone had a job. With our current economy, It might not be a bad idea to implement such a strategy. Therefore, I decree that hence forth all public washrooms ought to have an attendant! Not that I'm for Communism you know. And not that there is anything wrong with that. Just saying.

Sunday's Picture

2012-01-08T10:24:00.002-05:00

Does this taste great?

On the back of the bottle it states: "Feel Good About What's in this Bottle" I really do!

This morning I made fresh carrot juice! With the carrots, I added apples, a pear, lemon, and ginger and put it all into this bottle. I'm wondering if anyone in the house will notice that it is fresh organic juice. I've been trying for months to get my family to drink fresh juice, and still they bring home store bought juice. If it is the time and inconvenience to make juice that is a deterrent, then in my opinion, that is a weak reason not to enjoy it "fresh". Because it took me less than three minutes to make this jug. Less time than it takes to drive to the supermarket! Will this make them more open to making their own juice, well time will tell.

Friday’s What the Heck!!! Air Travel

2012-01-06T12:34:00.004-05:00

Is airport security an illusion or real? Do you really feel safer since 2001?

I’ve traveled the world extensively before 2001 and post 2001 and have come to the conclusion that the heightened security does not represent improved security. In fact, it has been my experience that the screeners at security are not even properly trained to detect security threats but have instead taken leave of their reasoning.

A quick search for qualification for airport security guards revealed, “no experience necessary” “55 and older to apply” “will train” “$18/hr” “summer job” The only qualifications listed is hard working, punctual, and reliable, at one of Canada’s largest airports. Can anyone one of the over 4,000-security personal be bribed? I sure hope not! The minimum level of experience we expect from airport security is disturbing. Frightening still is that we put up with it, are we as Canadians too polite to question our government even when our life depends on it? I think, we are also too afraid to say anything either in line up or on the plane, because believe it or not, flight attendants are trained to yell at you.

How do they prepare for threats when I’ve read that there is no intelligence and threat analysis done in Canada. But we, Canadians continue to pay for “enhanced security” with each flight we take.

I read in the newspaper awhile back an elderly woman who had a mastectomy was required to have inside her bra checked. The real question is was she a real threat? There must be an efficient way of knowing who is a threat no matter if they are old, young, businessperson or students, etc.

Furthermore, some of the protocols in place don’t make sense and even if the employees have a brain they aren’t allowed to use it as the example above indicates. Many of the policies are arbitrary, for example containers must be100ml/100g or less but you can bring onto the plane rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, baby formula, baby food, water and juice, which can be over 100 ml.

First level of security in North America is when we check in. Right after 9/11 we were asked a series of questions; did you pack your bag, did you leave your bag unattended, are you carrying any dangerous materials? Immediately after 9/11 it appeared that they were actually looking at you and listening to your answers (I’m sure a terrorist would tell the truth) but nowadays if you are even asked the questions, they are not really listening for your answers but going through the motions. And I don’t blame them because they have not been trained to actually look for nervousness or other sighs of suspicious behaviour. The key to security is to read peoples’ behavior as they go through the airport before they board their plane.

The second levels of security are going through the metal detection, getting a pat-down, or sometimes a walk through the x-ray machine if you consent. I agree that passengers must be prohibited from taking on board firearms and other hazardous and dangerous materials. Especially if they are serving alcohol onboard because I’ve seen some crazy drunks and that can be a risk when you are at 37,000 feet above the earth. Another question maybe should be asked before you board is can you handle alcohol and are you an ass when you drink?

But, I digress. Now back to metal detector security. Would it not be quicker and safer to have all our contents spilled into the containers so they can actually see the items rather that trying to discern grayish objects on the screen? My keys, computer wires, and headphones sometime lump together making a suspicious looking object, they send it back and look at it again, this can take time as they call their colleagues to look at the screen too as they whisper to one another. No one can figure what the object is so they ask if they can look into my purse. Sure, I say as I reach for my purse to open it for them. No, no, you can’t touch it, I’m told. What the hell??? If I can’t touch it, maybe, they shouldn’t either.

The third and final level of security is the physical search if the metal detector goes off. Damn those underwire bras! Then you are sometimes given a choice to use the x-ray thingy, I don’t care how low the radiation emissions but I’m not doing walking through that thing. If they can’t feel anything in the pat down, which sometimes feels like a full body massage, what’s going to show up under x-ray? Really, just saying? Would a tampon show up? What would they do then?

Now for the most absurd protocol… your bags can’t fly without you! In 2004, upon arriving in New Zealand from Melbourne the entire flight (over 300 people) discovered that our bags were not on board. We were not informed until we were actually at luggage pick-up. Hmmm. Interestingly, we not only flew without our luggage but we entered another country without them making customs a breeze.

Over the recent holiday, my plane sat on the tarmac for over two hours because a passenger was not on the flight but his bags were. I had a lot of time to ponder this particular policy and concluded that the main reason for delaying the plane and removing his luggage is they think it could possibly contain a bomb, right? Then, WHY are we kept on the plane while they do the search? Shouldn’t they not determine that all luggage is safe before it actually gets on the plane?

My final thought. Has the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA)a Crown corporation created in April 2002 with the responsibility to screen airline passengers at Canadian airports ever consulted the Security Agency in Israel (the ISA)? In Israel, even with daily threats of terrorism, the process through security takes less than 30 minutes. It is well known that they take care of security without limiting the efficiency of the airport and delaying passengers.

If we in North America are to have any security while air traveling why has our Defense Minister or Prime Minister not mandated CATSA to learn from the ISA after all they use the same planes as we do, or do they?

Air travel security in Canada is much like when you were given a choice of smoking or non-smoking seat on the plane back in the day. Yeah, airport security is an illusion at best.

2011 Year in Review

2011-12-31T11:51:00.058-05:00

Words to describe 2011
Friends. Family. Sorrow. Fear. Contentment. Happiness. Fulfillment. Satisfaction. Resolve. Excitement.

Bodhi loves the snow!

The first thing I see are big snow flakes cascading down as I wake up. I see this easily because there are no curtains on the windows. It just takes me a second to know I am home. The snow flakes are really big. And as I awake slowly, I watch as the flakes silently float pass. It's a winter wonderland this New Year’s Eve in Dunrobin. If I had any energy, I would go outside and make snow angels. But after a long, late, flight that's not going to happen.

Yesterday, we were in Vancouver BC where it is always green, albeit cloudy and rainy, but it is still green. The sun was teasing us getting brighter the closer we got to the airport. Opting to come out on our last day in Vancouver after hiding behind clouds for over a week was just not nice. "We live for these sunny moments" says my sister.

As I start my day, my guys still in bed, I thought what a perfect time to blog about my year.

Rose Dec.2011

Although, the year began with devastating news of my sister’s diagnosis of breast cancer, it ended on a positive note as we spent a few days in beautiful British Columbia with each other over Christmas. Throughout this year I’ve learnt from my sister how to enjoy being in the moment while accepting the past, and at the same time embracing the future all in a single breath. Indeed, in reading her blog the future looks bright for her. She has strength, courage and more than that she has precisely the right attitude.

Having the right attitude is essential in all areas of life. Making the best of a bad situation can release stress and create ways of moving forward in a way that may not have been possible before.

In January of last year, we spent a few weeks in Montreal, and again in August experiencing two seasonal extremes, which gave being in Montreal two totally different perspectives. Both wonderful, I might add.

May and June were difficult months. My good friend Margo died, she was an amazing lady and I miss her. My mom had an accident and had to have surgery for a broken hip. Unfortunately, she could no longer live in her house because she was not able to manage the stairs. And to top it off I missed Andrew’s grade eight graduations and Alan’s birthday.

In June, in addition to my friend's death, and my mom's accident, I also had one of the worst Board meetings I ever experienced. It was so stressful that I considered rendering my resignation as Vice Chair. What actually saved my sanity was that I received personal coaching which empowered me to create a new relationship with my Board. Yay, for Landmark Education and a personal thank you to Moneca and Vik. It was a huge transformational shift that I could not have imagined possible.

The summer was hot and hotter but I enjoyed it nonetheless. August was special for the weddings and a second trip to Montreal.

My vegetable garden was amazing last season, blessing us with huge cucumbers. I feel silly saying this, but I didn't know that cucumbers are prickly when they are first picked and become smooth after they are washed. We also got tons of tomatoes, potatoes, chard, spinach and lettuce growing like they were on steroids. This was especially great for me since I am experimenting with eating whole live foods. And if you are a regular reader of my blog, you'll know that I can't live without my green smoothies. I even travel with my blendtec!

We managed to complete the office koi pond, which welcomed wildlife and served as a sanctuary for the staff to get in touch with nature’s pure energy.

We had a beautiful fall, which is my favorite time of year. The weather could not be more perfect and the best part, no bugs.

Andrew began high school in a new school. So far, he is doing well and is gaining self-confidence as he discovers his academic strengths.

In November, I challenged a few people to see who would blog the most. I won! I posted six blogs that month. Look out, I may be doing this again. Let me know if you're interested.

In December, another Board meeting in Edmonton, Alberta, with financial reports indicating that the institution is healthy ended the year on a high note.

And being in Edmonton provided me the opportunity to visit with family and friends. I created an event on facebook inviting people to meet me for breakfast. I wasn’t sure if anyone would show up early on a Saturday morning, but they did. What a wonderful way to get caught up with people if you only have limited time at a certain place. “Breakfast with Angelina” will be a continuing event whenever I am in Edmonton in the future.

Again, this year I was pleased to participate in another of my favorite Christmas tradition, a gathering at my niece’s home in Stony Plain. With enough food to feed an army and her house always so beautifully decorated is the embodiment of Christmas. I’ll always treasure with fondness this Christmas tradition. I almost didn’t make it because of the fresh snowfall earlier that morning. But thankfully my brother-in-law was able to drive my rental car up the steep snowy driveway, thank you Ron.

But the surprise of the year was actually seeing my nephew who arrived from Australia. This was his first international trip on his own. Chris you give the best hugs ever!

From the plane on iphone

We spent the last couple of weeks of December in Vancouver, BC with our our beautiful island girls. Their house is perched on the side of a hill and offers the most spectacular views of the ocean and the Vancouver city lights. We opened gifts, watched a movie, had a fabulous turkey dinner with all the trimmings and just hung out. Priceless!

While in Vancouver we called a real-estate agent friend to view a few houses that we were interested in seeing. Our future plan is buy our dream home on the west coast sometime in the next two years.

All things considered this was a great year. What will 2012 bring, I can’t wait to see... Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and a Prosperous 2012!

Unplugged Madness!

2011-12-20T09:03:00.003-05:00

I boarded the plane connected to the world. The flight attendant orders that we power off all electronic devices and put it away, which I obey immediately because I’m like that. I’m good with that and enjoy my flight.

It was a four-hour flight. Upon arriving we are given permission to use our electronic devices and everyone around me powers up their phones and immediately I hear buzzing and beeping sounds abound. I try to turn the power on but my phone didn’t respond. Okay, I though must be the batteries. I’m still good with it knowing that I’ll be able to plug it in when I get to my hotel.

Once in my suite I immediately plug in my phone only to read “battery full disconnect phone.” As soon as it registers that I am no longer connect to the world I get a feeling in the pit of my belly.

Holy jumping jacks batman, when did I become so connected to my electronic gadget that I would physically feel out of sync if not connected. Almost ill like. Crazy, huh. I called hubby on the hotel phone, (the one plugged into the wall) to tell him that I have no phone. We speak for only five minutes because I am aware from what I remember there is a surcharge for using the hotel phone. I was right, it cost $13.00 for five minutes!

I was unplugged for almost 24 hours but it felt like days. It was fine when I was in control and the one deciding to be connected or not. But when it was no longer my choice I felt like something was missing, not quite whole.

In the meeting I kept hearing beeps, clicks, and music sounds bits, as people were receiving messages. Although, I had my Mac Air and could check my emails it didn’t feel quite right still.

Similar to when the internet connection is lost and you can’t connect to the world. I know we all keep pressing the connect key and still nothing happens but we hope that if we keep doing it magically it will connect.

There was a time in my life when the internet and cell phones were not even on my radar. Come to think of it, that was less than 20 years ago! There were these huge government issued cell phones but they were use strictly for business and not everyone had one. I didn’t have the same relationship with those that I have with the ones we all have today.

My cell phone is how I stay connect with people in my life. It is also my watch, my calendar, and my address book. For less than 24 hours I was empty and feeling discombobulated. OMG, I even had to consult the phonebook for the first time in years and I think they shrunk the print size because I don’t remember it being so tiny.

The following evening, hubby was arriving late and I went to pick him up. As it is the case, his flight was late. I waited, waited, waited, and waited. Finally, I found a pay phone and called his cell and he answered as he was just getting off his plane. He said, how are you calling me? I responded, there is this thing called a pay phone, works like a cell phone but you really have to search to find one that works. Sorry, he said if you had a cell phone I could have called to let you know my flight was delayed. I know, I say.

As we walk to the car, he said “Do you want your Christmas present now or do you want to wait? I say, does it start with an “I” and end with a “phone”? Then absolutely.

I love my iphone 4s! In this thing that fit nicely in the palm of my hand holds more stuff in addition to my old phone all my music, books and connects me to all my social net works making it possible to be even more CONNECTED. All is well in my world again!

Two Time Cheater!

2011-12-08T12:53:00.035-05:00

You have to read this it's nothing like what goes on these days!

I am feeling guilty... but it was a long time coming, and now that I’ve finally taken this step, I can’t stop. I finally feel satisfied and happy! Everyone agrees that you should end one relationship before starting a new one, but sometimes overlap is the only thing to do if you're a big chicken, which I am. Ok before we go further, It’s not what you think. Really!

Here is the story. I’ve had a housecleaner for many years; first it was on a monthly basis and gradually it became a weekly event. The best cleaning service I’ve had was when I lived in Edmonton; each week when I got home from work sitting on my kitchen counter was a fresh vase of cut flowers and a small “Thank You” note. Now who doesn’t want to come home to that?

When I moved to Ottawa I hired a franchised cleaning service. The job they did was passable something I could tolerate. But once my hubby moved in it was a different story. The way he described them was “I think they arrive, sit down with their coffee and cigarettes and watch soaps on TV. Spraying air freshener as they walk out the door for effect.”

While I understand that cleaning is subjective I had to agreed with his opinion after seeing a layer of dust under his desk on the wires and cables. No one should work in a dirty space, so I told him he had to “let them go” which he did while I was at work the following week. Being new to the job of hubby, he was willing to do anything I asked to make me happy, even the very undesirable task of firing someone.

I felt weird having someone come clean my house so I would do a little cleaning before the cleaner comes to clean. Well, that is probably why it took me so long to admit I had a problem because by cleaning before she arrived I really though I was setting an example of how I wanted the cleaning done. But we had a communication breakdown, well to be honest, she couldn't read my code. While I was under the impression that the light daily cleaning was done by me and the housecleaner would handle the more extensive “Saturday” cleanings, she was thinking how fast can I get out of here. This, I realized was my mistake, and ignoring it was my second mistake and then waiting so long to do anything about it is the worst mistake of all.

My first clue should have been when my sister came to visit and said, "you have a housecleaner?" as she proceed to do an extensive cleaning where everything gleamed and sparkled. Then I began to be more observant of the weekly cleaning and started noticing that many things I though was being done was actually not done. And still It took a while but eventually I accepted that my house was not messy but really becoming dirty. Yuk, right! I finally admitted that something had to be done.

Therefore, I did what any reasonable person would do and hired another housecleaner to come in and do a major cleaning in the kitchen. As it is with any cheating, it just happend one day. Well that is a lie. I had to actually search the pile of flyers I received in the mailbox, and fortunately for me, my cleaning lady never throws out anything. I found one that said the magic words "Will go down on my hands and knees..." , I dialed the number.

Oh, to be sure, I felt guilty. But on the other hand it also felt good to know that the sparkle was not just on the surface. Then, I did it again! I didn’t even wait a whole week, I just had to call her back and get her to do her magic in the bedrooms and bathrooms. The very next day my regular housecleaner was scheduled, I felt so guilty I made sure I wasn’t home when she arrived.

Now, I find myself in a conundrum. I’m thinking, hmmm, I really want her to do my offices too. My regular housecleaner is the same person I use to clean our offices and I’ve noticed the cleaning at the office is also suspect.

I know, we should just “let her go”. But we’ve had a long relationship with her, over 14 years to be exact. She was once young, quick and as good as this new person who takes prides in her work, but over the years she has let herself go, became complacent and is just going through the motions. Not even pretending to do a good job. But after this many years we’ve developed an emotional bond with her and she is dependent on us for the pay. Thus, for the time being I think for both our sakes it is best that I continue cheating on her. Not often mind you.

However, I've come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a little cheating, because doing it once or twice, and in my situation maybe more, it still makes it difficult to look the person you're cheating on in the eyes! And I'm sure she is getting that feeling that someone has been in her territory. There you have it, cheating is bad! But tell that to my wobbly spineless backbone as it soundly sleeps knowing that the dust bunnies under the bed are no longer. It occurs to me that maybe my first housecleaner by leaving me flowers and an thank you note was actually thanking me for cleaning the place for them for them all along.

The Future is Bright

2011-12-04T10:04:00.006-05:00

Andrew's 14th. Birthday!

I survived my teenage son’s birthday sleepover! I don’t know how my mom did it back in the day with no electronic games to keep my brothers occupied. I have nine brothers, all except one, are older than me. To be sure, they were not all living at home at the same time and certainly by the time I came along most of them had left home. However there were at least seven teenage boys at home at a given point in time and not just for a weekend.

So this is the thing, how did my mom not go totally insane? And how did she feed them all because growing boys seem to want to eat every waking moment? Not only that but they appear oblivious to picking up after themselves. With a dishwasher steps away how difficult is it to simply put their glass or plate in it?

I know one thing, when I was younger we never had soft drinks or candies, that must have been half the battle in keeping my brothers sitting quietly reading most of the time. And when they started to roughhouse the outdoors was their playhouse and their fun was limited only by their imagination.

I didn’t hear one boy ask about going outside once over this weekend. Although, when I sent them out to walk the dog they willingly obliged. Given a choice they would gladly play Xbox hours on end. The only breaks would be to grab a snack, a meal, and to go to the washroom. Even sleeping was secondary. But I didn’t think that was such a good idea so we had a number of breaks throughout the weekend to do keep them moving more than their thumbs.

What I enjoyed about this group of teenagers is that they were amiable to turning off the electronic game when I asked them without resisting me. They were polite and well mannered. Over all this birthday party and so much easier than when Andrew was younger.

I particularly enjoyed it when we were all sitting at the dinning-room table together. Listening to the conversation of teenage boys, and the way they view their world, none with the same perspective, all were quick to have their opinions heard, was entertaining. As I observed them I wondered where they would be in five years. I have no doubt they are on their way to greatness in some way or another.

Like my brothers, teenagers no matter in what time period, view their world with optimism and clarity that only the young can. The future is waiting for them to make their imprint on civilization.

Happy December!

2011-12-01T06:37:00.000-05:00

December can be stressful for many especially those who feel pressure by the commercialization of the season. Remember to be free with your smiles you never know how it may be just the thing someone needed at that perfect time.

Ouch

2011-11-27T06:57:00.001-05:00

Awful pain, saltwater makes it better. Waited. It has to go, says the dentist. But I’m attached to my wisdom tooth I cry! Still waiting for the tooth fairy.

If you want to play along with Monkey man Sunday 160. Here are his rules.

1. The Sunday 160 only uses EXACTLY 160 characters (including spaces).

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Daydreaming

2011-11-16T17:40:00.029-05:00

telegraph co. uk.

I was thinking if I could have anything I want what would that look like. Moreover, what if it was totally whimsical. I thought really hard on this for a few days and I came up empty. Nada. Nothing. Zilch.

Unacceptable.

If money is no object and the sky is the limit what would catch my fancy. Still nothing. What the heck! How can it be so difficult to dream a little dream? Indeed, I can think up all sorts of stuff that would make my life more comfortable. Boring. However, to imagine something so random and off the wall crazy, for me, this is a challenge. When did this happen?

Remember as a child how we spent many hours daydreaming, or was that just me? Back then, I said, my house would have a special room just for chocolates. I would have the finest chocolates from all around the world. That’s what I’m talking about. Dreams.

Thus, I decided to embark on some serious daydreaming. To make a concerted effort to dig deep down into my core and to reach up to the moon and grab a star or two. When I first started this exercise I couldn’t daydream anything spectacular. But after carefully exercising my daydreaming muscles I realize it’s not “things” I want but life experiences. Unexpected experiences with a twist, the more unusual and unique the better.

When I was a young girl I loved books. So it was not unusual for me to daydream that my house would also have a library, with floor to ceiling books. As soon as you enter the library you would smell a combination of the leather on the wingback chairs and the leather-bound books on the shelves. And until recently I still fancied that dream. But now with ebooks and tablets I can have all the books in the palm of my hands, and the best part they can be wherever I am in the world. The one drawback is I miss the feel and smell of books to me that is part of the reading experience, but the great thing is I can read in the dark. But on the other hand, I never had to stop reading because my book died. I think, I'll still have tons of "real" books in my house.

And what little girl didn't dream of the perfect tea party. My perfect tea party included the Queen of England. That daydream sort of came to being. Although it wasn’t the Buckingham Palace but the Governor General’s Residence which was not too shabby. I did enjoy a lovely garden tea party with the Queen of England one summer when I first moved to Ottawa. Although, I might add, so did 150 other people.

We all must have at one time or another daydreamed of meeting a famous person , for me that somebody is David Bowie. On a very hot summer evening, 65,000 of us saw an outdoor concert where he put on an amazing performance. Still, I think having a conversation over dinner with him would be extraordinary, especially, if he were dressed as ziggy. But I digress.

What could be more exotic than an experiences of another culture. I was in Jakarta durning Ramadan and will never forget the chanting and praying 24/7. I felt like I was in a movie with a beautiful soundtrack.

Therefore, I’d love to sip chai in a marketplace in India with my eyes closed and listen to the hum of the crowd. I'd open my eyes and consume the colors, the aroma, the spices, and the unbearable heat.

Then from extreme heat to the extreme cold. I'd watch my breath hang in the air as polar bears play in their natural habitat. Feel my fingers smarting with coldness as I try to capture the view on camera. Then, nothing says adventure like a picnic as the northern lights cascade across the sky, dancing in all their brilliance.

Jetting off to a private european countryside to stay in a haunted castle. Whilst I imagine its first inhabitants after walking the grounds in pitch darkness I'd lay very still in a big bed exaggerating every sound coming from the deserted hallway.

Then sailing to the other side of the globe to lay awake under the Fijian stars and listen to the waves lap at the shore, all the while trying not to freak-out because I know there are crabs crawling around on the beach at night. I know this because I've been there although at the time I didn't know there were crabs on the beach until later.

Indeed, the most mind-blowing experience I could ever have would be to gently hold my mom’s hands, in suspended time, and see her life as she experienced it. Dreaming!

Uncooked is Best!

2011-11-13T14:58:00.001-05:00

Raw, now I see.

Lovely people whose eyes sparkle like diamonds with flawless skin.

Could be me

If only I resist what’s cooking which makes my mouth water still.

If you want to play along with Monkey Man. Here are his rules.

1. The Sunday 160 only uses EXACTLY 160 characters (including spaces).

2. Keep on schedule - post after 8:00 PM Pacific Time on Saturday.

3. Let me know you have posted via a comment on my site.

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11:11:11: @11 am

2011-11-11T10:48:00.010-05:00

Hubby blogged about our big day!

Nineteen years of blissful Marriage to Mr. Alan Pratt has given me…

19. My prince charming

18. My perfect soul mate

17. Removes nasty critters so I won't see it

16. love squared

15. Created Mr. Andrew Pratt

14. Extraordinary step-dad and dad

13. Long stem roses

12. A date for all occasions

11. Introduces me to the some of the best writers I’ve read

10. Knows me inside / out

09. Keeps me in the finest toys, ipod, ipad, macbook Air, etc.

08. Puts up with my idiosyncrasies

07. Always does the dishes

06. Creates a perfect playlist on my ipod

05. Sets the PVR to my favorite shows

04. A honey bunny with the best hugs and the sweetest kisses

03. Intelligent conversationalist

02. Makes me laugh

01. The best 19 years ever!!!!
This is my anniversary gift and you can never have too many of this
Thanks, hubby

It's the Season!

2011-11-06T08:31:00.003-05:00

Take to UPS this package for Mary.

Seize the envelope offered is no crime.

Perchance wife’s mystery package was too wary.

To my dismay he’d rather watch game time.

If you want to play along with the Sunday 160. Monkey Man's rules.

1. The Sunday 160 only uses EXACTLY 160 characters (including spaces).

2. Keep on schedule - post after 8:00 PM Pacific Time on Saturday.

3. Let me know you have posted via a comment on my site.

(Be sure to mention you have posted a 160. Provide a link if you can)

4. Visit at least one other Sunday 160 writer.

Inspiration is Contagious

2011-11-04T10:29:00.022-04:00

Sometimes when we embark on a project to help others, we don’t always realize the positive impact of our actions. Indeed, it's nice to be appreciated and knowing this keeps us motivated to continue doing more.

My son and I started Andrew’s Books when he was seven years old. You can visit his website here. Each year I help him pick a school, update his website, and follow up with donations, but his steadfast commitment to give up his birthday and Christmas gifts, hours spent shopping for books and spreading the word is what make his project what it is.

The success of a charitable project is based on how relative the project is to you and how much enjoyment you get from doing it. In order to sustain what you are doing you have to love doing it. I know for sure that when Andrew is shopping for books, putting the bookplates inside the books, and packing the books for shipment; he is truly enjoying what he is doing. You can see the passion in his eyes and in his sweet smile when someone asks him about Andrew’s Books. Pride is what you see.

November came up so fast that he had to reminded me by asking what school would be receiving the books this year. Coincidently, a friend on facebook posted a link to a video of First Nation children in a very isolated community. After Andrew viewed it, he said, I know who should get the books this year. You can read about it and view the video here and visit the school website here. What is important is not to lose sight of the positive, watch their school video here posted by the school principal, Jo-Anne.

I contacted the school principal. After I explained the project to her she said, “Do you know where we are located?” I said, yes, you are located in an extremely isolated place and that is one of the reasons why your school was picked. She told me that they don’t have a library, and any amount of books will be helpful. The books would be shipped before the end of February 2012 to take advantage of the ice road into the community.

So how is this project contagious? Last week Andrew received a box containing 22 new books; with titles that are so relevant to First Nation’s students you know they were picked with extreme thoughtfulness and care. The box of books included a letter and some wonderful photographs.

Click on letter to enlarge

A big thanks to Adia (Silly McGilly) and her parents who were inspired by Andrew’s literacy project and for joining Andrew’s Books! Anyone can make a difference, even at one year old!

Another person who is inspired by what children are doing is author Janet Wilson. Janet's brilliant book “Shannen and the Dream for a School” is a book worthy of a read. It is a sweet story about the students at Attawapiskat, Ontario. This school was a recipient of Andrews Books in 2008 but because they didn't have a school the books were distributed to the students to take home. There is a brief mention of Andrew's project in the book.

One thing I know that is true, even if you're not always aware of how you inspire others by things you do, someone out there is noticing and appreciating you and your contribution in making the world a better place.

Random Thoughts!

2011-10-28T11:03:00.034-04:00

back yard trees

My favorite time of the year is autumn. When I see the bright red colors on the maple trees, I SIGH. I think it is because seeing its warm colors tickles me to the core, inviting a feeling of cheerfulness so deep it touches my soul. It's like mother nature in giving them one last big hug before the deep sleep makes it blush excitedly. And late at night, in the warm autumn breeze, while walking Bodhi, I just want to laugh out loud thinking about how nature laughs silently. What's that all about?

Speaking of LOL, I catch myself when texting lol to someone and think, I didn’t just laugh out loud. Why text that if it didn’t happened? On the other hand, the acronym for 'big smile' does not seem appropriate. Furthermore, is anyone also sick of all these texting acronyms? I like old fashion communication, with all letters strung together producing a clear message. Having to decode text messages is like talking on a cell phone with a intermitted signal. It could result in dire miscommunication. Fortunately, my son is not into texting, yet. Otherwise our communication would be too brief, and if you have teenagers you know communication with them is like pulling teeth.

And maybe because he is still writing long hand, Andrew got 100% on his first English high school poetry test of this year. He was beaming! You know, as adults we need something like that to measure how well we are doing. When was the last time someone gave you a 100%?

zucchini pasta!

Earlier in the week I made a fabulous lunch, if I do say so myself. I am trying to introduce more raw food into my diet! I think this lunch entitles me to a good mark of some kind, huh. People ask me why raw? I say because all the raw foodies I know look fabulous! Read this if you need convincing! I want some of that! To date, I am about 75% raw. But now that winter is coming, I’m feeling like I want “hot” cooked food. Why are we so consumed with what we eat or don’t eat?

Our dog, Bodhi, a standard poodle, loves to go for walks, and really loves his treats. Occasionally we run out of treats, because someone is giving him more than they should. I won’t name names, but Andrew comes to mind. When we are out of treats, Bodhi appears to looks forlorn as he sits by the treat cupboard waiting. If there is anything in a package that makes a noise he thinks it’s treats. So, I shake a little bag of chlorella, he sits nicely, and I give it to him, and he LOVES it!

When I took this, I didn't notice the berry!

My final thought for now, before the snowfalls get out into the country and go for a walk.

My Truth

2011-10-22T13:06:00.005-04:00

Fearless Andrew when he was about 5 years old

Although today began with rain and it was quite muddy at the farmers’ market it was a beautiful fall morning. I was happy to have Andrew accompany me and carry the heavy bag!

On our drive home I was thinking about something I read on TED, you can read it here. A question, “What ten things you know to be true?”

Here is my list

1. Facing your fears will enhance your life

2. True love is unconditional

3. Gossip hurts people

4. learning keeps your mind flexible

5. The sound of children’s laughter is sweet music

6. To be a person of integrity, you must have it in all aspects of your life

7. Chocolate is the elixir of life

8. Friends and Family are important in all phases of life

9. A smile is powerful

10. Reading transcends time and space

Time Thief

2011-10-16T11:01:00.011-04:00

Tick tock tick no time to ponder
texting and blogging

look at the clock can’t squander

Fb twitter google+ somethin

emails to check perchance

damn social media dance!

This Sunday 160 is inspired by SuzeMuse
Started by Monkeyman

If you want to play along with the Sunday 160. Here are the rules.

1. The Sunday 160 only uses EXACTLY 160 characters (including spaces).

2. Keep on schedule - post after 8:00 PM Pacific Time on Saturday.

3. Let me know you have posted via a comment on my site.

(Be sure to mention you have posted a 160. Provide a link if you can)

4. Visit at least one other Sunday 160 writerhttp://petzoldspracticalprose.blogspot.com/

Saturday evening on a Walk About!

2011-09-25T13:31:00.007-04:00

As summer morphs into autumn, which is the most beautiful of seasons, my son and I decided to go on an evening walk around the property. The leaves on the trees are just turning color, and gracefully falling to the ground. Not much yet, but enough to let you know that summer is on its way out.
(click on any of the photos to enlarge!)

We spied...

The generator. Which reminded me that I have to call to have it serviced before winter. In my part of the world, when the power goes out in the winter, as it tends to do in the most inconvenient and coldest day possible, it is always good to be prepared. This generator has saved us many cold nights!

Then we spied...

The wood pile. Andrew said, I piled all that wood in Spring. I think we have enough for a nice fire in the fireplace. There is nothing sweeter than having our cup of hot chocolate on those cold winter evenings all cosy in front of the fireplace.

Then we spied...

The wheelbarrow and shovel. Reminders that we still have more cleaning around the property before winter! Like, putting the garden to bed. Still have some wonderful chard for juicing, yummy!

And I spied... Andrew

hiding here...

and there!

Then we sat by the pond and enjoyed the sound of the running water...

But the birds on the river were making so much noise....

I really wanted to take a picture of this beautiful great-blue-heron, who has been so brave as to sit in the pond durning the week watching the koi and perhaps feasting on the frogs. (this photo take by hubby on Friday!)

The pond is beautiful any time of the day...

You can barely see the great-blue heron next to the rock on the river.

In the evenings the pond is especially charming! This time of the year is perfect, no bugs.

It was also a perfect evening for sailing...

we spied our neighbor sailing the calm water with barely no wind.

I really enjoyed my walk-about with Andrew. Who incidentally takes great pictures! As well, as being pretty photogenic himself!

Easy, Fun, and Uncomplicated!

2011-08-27T14:55:00.015-04:00

I love summer. I especially love summer weddings. There were two weddings in my family this summer. Two very different couples. One, a young couple embarking on their first wedding and the other, an older more mature couple, going down the aisle for the third time each. These weddings were as different as night and day from each other. One was at a high-end resort hotel and the other in a community hall. One wedding was very formal and the other more casual. But something they both shared was stress, one more than the other, but stress none-the-less. And both wedding parties had their share of drama.

The anticipation leading up to the big day is so palpable you can slice it with a wedding cake knife. The optimism, excitement, anticipation, and some old fashion anxiety tied together with a pure happiness bow that sums up weddings in a nutshell. A mammoth ball of emotions!

Are any of these emotions minimized if the couple is older and have taken the leap of faith before? I would say absolutely not. Young or older, a wedding makes the world seem like all things great are possible. A young couple and an older more experience couple both see the world through rose colored glasses and their emotions are reflected in that hue. A bride is never more beautiful as on the day of her wedding, don’t you agree? Her eyes hold the promise of a forever magical love.

However, the stress of a wedding can result in the worst day ever for some couples. It is my observation that the amount of angst associated with weddings can be correlated with the amount time to plan and the size of the wedding. The longer the planning and higher number of guests, the greater the emotional ups and downs. And more importantly, the more likely the couple is to continue with the wedding even if they have some reservations. There comes a point where there is no turning back. However, at the end of the day, when all is said and done, the people who really count are the bride and groom. Really, what is the point, do they really need to start off their marriage under such stressful circumstances? Even the weddings that unfold without a hitch are stressful until the I dos. There is always a possibility that something can go awry.

Still, committed couple should get married, and maybe the tasks associated with getting married will serve them well as they begin their journey together as man and wife.

My advice is to keep it small and intimate.

I remember my wedding day like it was yesterday. I wasn’t nervous as I sat in my fiancé’s kitchen sipping tea, the sun beaming through the skylight. We had plenty of time as we sat reading the paper. The phone rang, his mother called to tell us she had our flowers and we realized we better get ready.

We decided to elope and only a small group of friends were going to be in attendance. I didn’t even tell anyone in my family until the night before, leaving them no time to fly in to attend if they wanted to. Of course, I got the “speech” but really I knew it was because they had my best interest in their hearts. The only people who knew about our plan were our cohort, out respective assistents who coordinated the event between our two cities. They had the utmost discretion and no one was the wiser at either of our work places. Real loyalty.

Honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing. We had a beautiful low keyed wedding. I loved that we did it for us, (even if not a bit selfish), it was romantic and naughty sneaking around as we planned. Although I admit, on the flip side, we robbed some family of celebrating this special day with us. Still, we managed to eliminated all the pressures associated with having to please everyone, coordinating peoples' schedule, and not to mention the expense of a big wedding.

And, we had money not spent on a big wedding to enjoy several exotic honeymoons in Paris, Hawaii, Australia, South America and Fiji over several years before Andrew was born. So, I opted to forgo a big swanky wedding, and enjoyed instead a fansy assed eight course dinner at the Le Jules Vernes in the Eiffel Tower, Paris. Dinner was spectacular!

Our motto durning our short courtship was make it - Easy, Fun and Uncomplicated! Eighteen years later that is still our motto. Wishing the newly weds an easy, fun and uncomplicated marriage.

Summer Fun

2011-08-01T07:25:00.011-04:00

I can't believe that it is August 1st. Summer is going by so quickly,huh. Well, as usual July has been very hot and humid in Ontario, but I'm not complaining. As long as there is airconditioning, the heat is good.

This summer we decided to holiday in Montréal, Quebec, and rented a lovely apartment in Pointe Claire. Pointe Claire is an historic village located on the West Island of Montréal.

Sometimes, a city holiday is just the thing to do, others go to the cottage for their summer holidays, but I enjoy what the city has to offer. This particular holiday was the best of both worlds spectacular, tranquil setting, away from the city, but only a short commute into downtown Montreal.

Normally I don't see anybody first thing in the morning at home save for my immediate family. However, I was pleasantly surprised that I actually enjoyed being around people and seeing so many people out jogging in the morning. I saw people with dogs, on bikes and even rollerblades. I could see this type of lifestyle being quite conducive to a healthy lifestyle and just wanting to just get out doors and to get physical.

Not to mention, the scenery in Pointe Claire along the river is so beautiful. It really calls for people to come out and enjoy it. I don't know whether it is just because the weather was fantastic, scenery was perfection, or if it's just people were on holidays, but by and large everybody was quick with a smile.

This holiday unlike our previous holidays which are packed with sightseeing and activities from morning until night, this was really chilled. We spent a lot of time reading, dinning out, and basically chilling by the river. Sometimes it's great to just be able to slow down and enjoy being together as a family without the distraction of a hectic itinerary.

The highlight of the holiday was our last night. We went to Shakespeare’s Macbeth in the Park. The play was at the Mount Royal Cemetery in Montréal, what a wonderful place for a Shakespeare play. The cast was superb!

I brought the camera but unfortunately the battery was dead. Thus, all memories are stored in our head and no app for downloading memories stored in our minds, yet. I am certain that we will return to Pointe Claire and next time I will check that I bring a camera that I can actually use, ugh.

I'm Back!

2011-07-06T20:07:00.011-04:00

I’ve been an absent blogger of late.

Although, I must say in my defense it has been for good reason. My elderly mother had an accident that resulted in her being in hospital recovering from broken bones. I, along with family members spent many days at the hospital late into the evenings. Mama, (everyone who knows her calls her Mama) recovered from hip surgery. She is a trooper no doubt about it. It was touch and go for awhile but somehow she found strength and continues to improve daily.

Andrew's grade 8 grad!

That being said, life goes on. Because I was away I missed Andrew's grade eight graduation, Father's day, and hubby's birthday. I said to my son, sorry I missed your grad. He responded, it's only grade 8, you'll be there for my grade 12 and university grads, those are the really important ones. He is so sweet! I'll have to find a way to make it up to the men in my life. On the positive side, they were able to have some serious father son bonding time.

Being away from home was not all bad, it allowed me the opportunity to spend some quality time with my brothers and sisters. While in Alberta it occurred to me that life there actually involves a lot of staying up past midnight because the sun does not set until really late. I was in Alberta on the longest day of summer, June 21st. I swear, I could have played outside all night if I was not so emotionally and physically spent.

Now that the family crisis has passed and I am back in Ontario, I’d love to spend more time outside enjoying the summer. But alas, in Ottawa the sun sets before nine o’clock. Leaving me in the dark being consumed by blood thirsty tiny vampires (Mosquitoes).

Almost

2011-06-05T08:37:00.001-04:00

Almost

Sitting silently in contemplation

expanding, contracting, no separation

deeper, calmer, oneness

inhale, ahh, blissfulness

awareness replaces tranquility

vanished ability

one by one fleeting thoughts appear

as lightness disappear