Greetings once again! I see that my last post was dated December 18, 2011. Time certainly has a way of passing quickly, don't you think?
I hope all of you are as amazed as I am that it is June 16, 2012 already. This year is more than half gone and I can only hope that I have accomplished at least one good deed and that I was able to help someone in need. We don't often stop to think about good deeds and the capacity that we have to help another person, but, in reflection, I think I have been able to meet these goals.
As you know, I am a part-time adult education instructor during the winter. I had a small class, but my students all worked very hard and achieved several goals. They were highly praised by their work experience employers and they celebrated on graduation night, March 9, by arranging their venue, ordering an excellent meal and decorating the room. They glowed when they received their certificates and that glow was enough to inspire me to continue with my teaching career. I have a deep desire to share my knowledge and expertise with others and I am waiting confirmation about another program which will begin in September. I am hoping with all my heart that I can be a part of it.
Someone else who inspired me was the gentleman who walked a tight-rope over Niagara Falls last night, June 15, 2012. I had originally intended not to watch the coverage; however, I quickly became mesmerized because he said that this was something he had always wanted to do. He spent two years preparing for this feat and when he walked out onto that thin cable, I found that I was holding my breath. I was riveted; I couldn't take my eyes off the man. He serenely placed one foot in front of the other, his face calm but glowing because I think he realized that he was finally meeting a goal he had always dreamed about. He was friends with that cable, three pennies wide, and he had faith in himself.
He walked from the American side to the Canadian side, passing through mist and over turbulent, pounding water, becoming wet with spray and adjusting and adapting his steps to compensate for the changes in wind direction. He never wavered and his response to questions from the newscasters was that he was doing just fine and that it was a momentous occasion for him. He was relying on his ability to do this and his faith in himself. From time to time, I could hear him say: "Thank you, Father." Whether he was referring to an earthly father, or a Supreme Being of his own choice, I don't know. All I know is that I was greatly moved by this historic undertaking and I had tears when he reached the Canadian side and was greeted by our customs officials, who welcomed him and reviewed his passport.
When they asked him about his purpose for his visit in Canada, he responded, with a smile: "I am here to inspire others."
What else can I say? If this amazing act doesn't inspire the rest of us to pursue our dreams and goals, I don't know what will.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Sunday, December 18, 2011
'TIS THE SEASON
Time has gone so quickly this year. The months have grown wings and just flown on by. It's almost time for Christmas again, believe it or not, and I am one of those people who enjoys the season very much. I love the lights and the music; I cherish the memories I have of past years and I am very partial to how my house looks once I get the decorating done. I could leave it decorated all year long, it boosts my spirits that much!
Speaking of memories brought to mind the years when I was a child. We had some traditions in my home that may sound somewhat strange to others, but to me they still signify what Christmas is all about. Mom would bake and cook and the house absorbed the scents of ginger and cinnamon. Vanilla wafted by once in a while and we caught the occasional whiff of cloves.
Our tree was always a live tree and the delicious odor of natural pine is still one of my favorite scents. We had an assortment of odd decorations that ranged from huge, sparkling balls to small, Swedish flags. We had these old-fashioned strands of lights that glowed through the branches of the tree like so many twinkling eyes.
On Christmas Eve, we had a special supper which included some rather unusual Swedish dishes. My younger sister and I opted not to eat everything; we definitely had our favorites! Once the dishes were done and put away, it was time to await the arrival of the man in the red suit. The Swedish term for this gentleman is "Tompt" and we always went upstairs to hide in the attic and sing carols until Daddy joined us. For some reason, he always had to take a bath before he came upstairs. We'd sing a few more carols and then Daddy would consult his watch and say that it was time to go down and see if the "Tompt" had paid us a visit.
The excitement and anticipation I felt at that time still lingers with me to this day: I literally get butterflies in my belly when I see a lighted tree and presents waiting to be opened. Today, I wait for the lights of joy to come on in the eyes of our grandchildren. I listen for the whoops of pleasure when a wish is granted and strewn wrapping paper reveals a gift that is "just what I asked for."
It is also a time to remember how blessed we are in this land of plenty. We have so much and Christmas is the best time to share some of our "plenty." We like to support our local food bank. When I shop, I'll purchase an extra toy and leave it in the donation area at the store. I like to give my husband's cousin, who lives alone, a plate of cookies and banana bread. I try to stop by and visit some of the residents in our long term care centre. And I like to say thank you to the office administrator in my building at work, to my hairdresser, to the young man who changes the oil in my car and even to the postal clerks in my town. I try not to let road-rage get me and I stop for pedestrians who jay-walk.
Let's all share something with someone this year. It truly is better to give than to receive!
Merry Christmas to everyone!
Speaking of memories brought to mind the years when I was a child. We had some traditions in my home that may sound somewhat strange to others, but to me they still signify what Christmas is all about. Mom would bake and cook and the house absorbed the scents of ginger and cinnamon. Vanilla wafted by once in a while and we caught the occasional whiff of cloves.
Our tree was always a live tree and the delicious odor of natural pine is still one of my favorite scents. We had an assortment of odd decorations that ranged from huge, sparkling balls to small, Swedish flags. We had these old-fashioned strands of lights that glowed through the branches of the tree like so many twinkling eyes.
On Christmas Eve, we had a special supper which included some rather unusual Swedish dishes. My younger sister and I opted not to eat everything; we definitely had our favorites! Once the dishes were done and put away, it was time to await the arrival of the man in the red suit. The Swedish term for this gentleman is "Tompt" and we always went upstairs to hide in the attic and sing carols until Daddy joined us. For some reason, he always had to take a bath before he came upstairs. We'd sing a few more carols and then Daddy would consult his watch and say that it was time to go down and see if the "Tompt" had paid us a visit.
The excitement and anticipation I felt at that time still lingers with me to this day: I literally get butterflies in my belly when I see a lighted tree and presents waiting to be opened. Today, I wait for the lights of joy to come on in the eyes of our grandchildren. I listen for the whoops of pleasure when a wish is granted and strewn wrapping paper reveals a gift that is "just what I asked for."
It is also a time to remember how blessed we are in this land of plenty. We have so much and Christmas is the best time to share some of our "plenty." We like to support our local food bank. When I shop, I'll purchase an extra toy and leave it in the donation area at the store. I like to give my husband's cousin, who lives alone, a plate of cookies and banana bread. I try to stop by and visit some of the residents in our long term care centre. And I like to say thank you to the office administrator in my building at work, to my hairdresser, to the young man who changes the oil in my car and even to the postal clerks in my town. I try not to let road-rage get me and I stop for pedestrians who jay-walk.
Let's all share something with someone this year. It truly is better to give than to receive!
Merry Christmas to everyone!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD
I recently read the latest post by Barefoot Deliberations. She said that she could not imagine one second without having her son, Troublemaker, in her life.
I had tears when I read that. To feel such love for your child borders on ecstasy - and I am not referring to the drug-induced kind. I know about such love: I have three wonderful children, a son and two daughters, and not a day goes by that I don't marvel at the love I feel for them. I vividly recall when they were babies and how they looked at me with such trust and devotion in their eyes. I remember their toddler days and how it seemed that I was always answering question after question. You know, don't you, that a three-year old's favourite word is "why"? But, as I tried my best to answer their queries, I always learned something new. I saw the world through their eyes. I witnessed their interpretations of various stories when they would play together and re-enact the story. I tried not to freak when they brought bugs into the house or when they were fascinated by the salamander that the cat was playing with on the back porch. Through their eyes, I learned to appreciate all living things - even if I didn't always "love" that other species. I am grateful that they, young as they were, realized that all creatures have a right to life. To this day, I tend to wave may hands at mosquitoes rather than smacking one when it lands on my arm. Thanks, kids!
The reason that Barefoot's words affected me so much is because I finished a book last night about a woman whose son was murdered. The boy in the story was only 15 and he was stabbed to death. Of course, this occurred early in the book and I had a great deal of difficulty continuing with my reading. It's the only book in recent memory that has taken me over a month to finish because, like Barefoot, I can not begin to imagine a life without any of my children. I agonized for the mother in the story when the police informed her that her son was dead. I cried with her as she made every effort to find out who had taken her boy's life. She blamed herself in many ways: she was convinced that she was a "distant" mother, that she hadn't spent enough time with her child, that she was so wrapped up in her career that she ignored the signs of trouble and blamed her son's attitude on teenage angst. She literally beat herself up; however, she learned a few good lessons in the end and the best one was that she reached out to her son's girlfriend. She wasn't afraid to get close to this girl, she was no longer afraid to open her arms and her heart to someone in need - even though this girl was from way on the other side of the tracks. Her son had taught her, even in death, to never be afraid to love.
So, love your children well, my friends. Never be afraid to let them know you love them, that you admire them, that you appreciate them and, most of all, how much you have learned from them. Look at life through their eyes and seek always the path to wonderment and amazement. Be a child once in a while, even if you are an adult.
I had tears when I read that. To feel such love for your child borders on ecstasy - and I am not referring to the drug-induced kind. I know about such love: I have three wonderful children, a son and two daughters, and not a day goes by that I don't marvel at the love I feel for them. I vividly recall when they were babies and how they looked at me with such trust and devotion in their eyes. I remember their toddler days and how it seemed that I was always answering question after question. You know, don't you, that a three-year old's favourite word is "why"? But, as I tried my best to answer their queries, I always learned something new. I saw the world through their eyes. I witnessed their interpretations of various stories when they would play together and re-enact the story. I tried not to freak when they brought bugs into the house or when they were fascinated by the salamander that the cat was playing with on the back porch. Through their eyes, I learned to appreciate all living things - even if I didn't always "love" that other species. I am grateful that they, young as they were, realized that all creatures have a right to life. To this day, I tend to wave may hands at mosquitoes rather than smacking one when it lands on my arm. Thanks, kids!
The reason that Barefoot's words affected me so much is because I finished a book last night about a woman whose son was murdered. The boy in the story was only 15 and he was stabbed to death. Of course, this occurred early in the book and I had a great deal of difficulty continuing with my reading. It's the only book in recent memory that has taken me over a month to finish because, like Barefoot, I can not begin to imagine a life without any of my children. I agonized for the mother in the story when the police informed her that her son was dead. I cried with her as she made every effort to find out who had taken her boy's life. She blamed herself in many ways: she was convinced that she was a "distant" mother, that she hadn't spent enough time with her child, that she was so wrapped up in her career that she ignored the signs of trouble and blamed her son's attitude on teenage angst. She literally beat herself up; however, she learned a few good lessons in the end and the best one was that she reached out to her son's girlfriend. She wasn't afraid to get close to this girl, she was no longer afraid to open her arms and her heart to someone in need - even though this girl was from way on the other side of the tracks. Her son had taught her, even in death, to never be afraid to love.
So, love your children well, my friends. Never be afraid to let them know you love them, that you admire them, that you appreciate them and, most of all, how much you have learned from them. Look at life through their eyes and seek always the path to wonderment and amazement. Be a child once in a while, even if you are an adult.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
SUMMER'S END
Well, here it is, the 24th of August already and although we have had few really high-temperature days, the summer is flying by on wings.
As usual, I have done my share of secretarial hours at our local hospital, health unit, and home care offices. Seems everyone takes holidays except for my husband and me! I have been working on our company year-end as well and I am glad to say that by the end of next week, I can pack up all my stuff and take it to our accountant.
I have also been doing a bit of creative writing when the muse hits. I have two stories on the go at the moment (and several others that need editing) and I am gratful for that "me" time. It keeps me sane! It's so easy to lose yourself in the life of the character you have created and it always amazes me that each story tends to take me in a direction I never believed possible. Perhaps I'll start sharing some of what I've written, just to give you a taste of what I mean.
We've been so busy with work that we haven't spent a lot of time with family this summer. There were quick visits with my step-daughter and family from Grande Cache when they were here for a ball tournament on the August long weekend. My step-son (who lives in the same town as we do) recently returned from a second stint in Iraq. No, he is not in the military: he's an electrician whose company sends him over there to wire in heaters in the oil field. And I haven't seen much of my own children either. They all work, too, and it's hard for everyone to get away. However, this past Saturday, August 20, hubby and I drove to Lamont to share in a house-warming get-together for my son and his family. It's their first home and they are so excited about it. I am, too. It's the sweetest little house and I am so happy for them. At that party, we did get to see my elder daughter, son-in-law and grandson, who has grown about two inches since I last saw him at the end of July. He's 3 now and excited about going to pre-school in September. I definitely have not had enough time with family and I miss them all so much!
I will be away this coming weekend to attend a seminar for my NAIT program. About 20 instructors from various areas are getting together in Drayton Valley and I am so looking forward to this. Just think: no hubby who can't find anything, no bed to make or bathroom to clean, no meals to cook or laundry to do! Yipee! My classes will begin again on October 5 and I have already organized most of my materials. It's just a matter of getting the class list and getting started again. This will be my third year of teaching and aside from my writing, it is my greatest joy (career-wise, that is).
Soon, it will be September and our summer will be gone. I am hoping for a long and sunny fall and I hope you are, too. I hope you all had a good summer as well and we'll talk again soon.
As usual, I have done my share of secretarial hours at our local hospital, health unit, and home care offices. Seems everyone takes holidays except for my husband and me! I have been working on our company year-end as well and I am glad to say that by the end of next week, I can pack up all my stuff and take it to our accountant.
I have also been doing a bit of creative writing when the muse hits. I have two stories on the go at the moment (and several others that need editing) and I am gratful for that "me" time. It keeps me sane! It's so easy to lose yourself in the life of the character you have created and it always amazes me that each story tends to take me in a direction I never believed possible. Perhaps I'll start sharing some of what I've written, just to give you a taste of what I mean.
We've been so busy with work that we haven't spent a lot of time with family this summer. There were quick visits with my step-daughter and family from Grande Cache when they were here for a ball tournament on the August long weekend. My step-son (who lives in the same town as we do) recently returned from a second stint in Iraq. No, he is not in the military: he's an electrician whose company sends him over there to wire in heaters in the oil field. And I haven't seen much of my own children either. They all work, too, and it's hard for everyone to get away. However, this past Saturday, August 20, hubby and I drove to Lamont to share in a house-warming get-together for my son and his family. It's their first home and they are so excited about it. I am, too. It's the sweetest little house and I am so happy for them. At that party, we did get to see my elder daughter, son-in-law and grandson, who has grown about two inches since I last saw him at the end of July. He's 3 now and excited about going to pre-school in September. I definitely have not had enough time with family and I miss them all so much!
I will be away this coming weekend to attend a seminar for my NAIT program. About 20 instructors from various areas are getting together in Drayton Valley and I am so looking forward to this. Just think: no hubby who can't find anything, no bed to make or bathroom to clean, no meals to cook or laundry to do! Yipee! My classes will begin again on October 5 and I have already organized most of my materials. It's just a matter of getting the class list and getting started again. This will be my third year of teaching and aside from my writing, it is my greatest joy (career-wise, that is).
Soon, it will be September and our summer will be gone. I am hoping for a long and sunny fall and I hope you are, too. I hope you all had a good summer as well and we'll talk again soon.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
WONDERFUL WEEK
Here it is, Sunday, March 20, 2011 already and supposedly, spring has sprung. I sure don't know where! It's snowing where I live and the temperature is -6C. Perhaps I should book another flight to Cuba!
Anyway, in spite of continued winter-like weather, I had a good week. I have taken up the challenge offered by Barefoot Deliberations and this past week, my dresser and armoire received a thorough revamp. I even lined the drawers with beautiful, lavender-scented paper that I had purchased from Avon two years ago! Now things not only smell wonderful, but I can find my favourite pair of brown dress socks and a sweater that I love to wear but could never find. How's that for organization!
I also make a vow this week: do something about my weight, which has been steadily creeping upwards. I signed on to liverightnow.ca and issued a challenge to lose 15 pounds by June 30, 2011. Since Wednesday, March 16, I have been tracking everything that goes into my mouth and I have been exercising daily in 10-minute increments to total about 40 minutes/day. I do "counter" push-ups and leg raises while supper cooks, I get off my butt and do side bends during commercials on TV and I've been walking around my house 5 or 6 times every hour. I've been going up and down my basement stairs several times a day, even if I don't need anything in the basement. I already feel better and I swear the bra I put on after my shower this morning felt looser! Yahoo!
I am also planning a birthday party for hubby, who turns 65 in May. I have about 51 people (so far) on the guest list and I have a tentative menu: roast baron of beef, baked or roasted potatoes, potato salad, assorted other salads and other vegetables, and, of course, birthday cake. We live in the country and we can make noise and play music all night long if we wish. Many of the neighbours will be invited!
I am looking forward to doing this for him and although it will not be a total surprise - after all, how can I cook a 30-pound roast without telling him something? - I hope some of the guests will surprise him. That's what it's all about, no? Spending special times with people who mean something to you is the best gift I can give him.
Anyway, in spite of continued winter-like weather, I had a good week. I have taken up the challenge offered by Barefoot Deliberations and this past week, my dresser and armoire received a thorough revamp. I even lined the drawers with beautiful, lavender-scented paper that I had purchased from Avon two years ago! Now things not only smell wonderful, but I can find my favourite pair of brown dress socks and a sweater that I love to wear but could never find. How's that for organization!
I also make a vow this week: do something about my weight, which has been steadily creeping upwards. I signed on to liverightnow.ca and issued a challenge to lose 15 pounds by June 30, 2011. Since Wednesday, March 16, I have been tracking everything that goes into my mouth and I have been exercising daily in 10-minute increments to total about 40 minutes/day. I do "counter" push-ups and leg raises while supper cooks, I get off my butt and do side bends during commercials on TV and I've been walking around my house 5 or 6 times every hour. I've been going up and down my basement stairs several times a day, even if I don't need anything in the basement. I already feel better and I swear the bra I put on after my shower this morning felt looser! Yahoo!
I am also planning a birthday party for hubby, who turns 65 in May. I have about 51 people (so far) on the guest list and I have a tentative menu: roast baron of beef, baked or roasted potatoes, potato salad, assorted other salads and other vegetables, and, of course, birthday cake. We live in the country and we can make noise and play music all night long if we wish. Many of the neighbours will be invited!
I am looking forward to doing this for him and although it will not be a total surprise - after all, how can I cook a 30-pound roast without telling him something? - I hope some of the guests will surprise him. That's what it's all about, no? Spending special times with people who mean something to you is the best gift I can give him.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
THE RETURN
Hello everyone! We had a wonderful holiday in Cuba. We left on February 28 and returned on March 7 and the week we spent in the sun, sand and surf was most restful. We really didn't do much: one day we hopped a double-decker bus and got off at a small flea market where we browsed for about two hours. We took a horse-drawn carriage back to the hotel (Breezes Bella Costa in Varadero). One other day, we took a bus tour to Old Havana and were gone from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. What an amazing city! I was overwhelmed with all the 17th. and 18th. century architecture I saw. We walked on cobblestone streets and toured the oldest stone fort in North America, a former presidential palace, now a museum, and an old cathedral. I couldn't stop looking at everything and I had a hard time remembering everything our tour guide imparted to us. We had brief stops at some older hotels, which are famous for certain guests: Ernest Hemingway and former US president, Jimmy Carter. Our adorable guide called him the "Peanut Farmer". We passed one fairly posh residential area on the way to Havana where, apparently, Al Capone had built a mansion. There was no evidence, however, to support the fact that he had ever lived there or visited Cuba.
The beach was wonderful and we spent most afternoons there, lazing around under a cabana and talking to fellow-Canadians. We met people from Ontario, the Maritimes, Quebec, Saskatchewan and BC. We attended the nightly shows which ranged from singers and dancers to animal performances. Cuba has its own Rita McNeil! This gorgeous woman entertained us for two evenings and even though you were unable to understand the Spanish, her voice alone mesmerized every listener. She was stunning and captivated all of us.
We had great food, too. The buffet was full of what I called "at home" choices, and if you went hungry, it was your own fault. The a la carte restaurants were excellent and I had the best spaghetti and shrimp scampi I have ever eaten.
And the temperatures! Wow! Most days, it was +28C on average; one or two days, we got to +31C. We had no rain until the morning we were due to leave, so at least I came home with a toasty tan - which is already fading!
Cuba is a poor country, sad to say. We saw no agriculture to speak of: no fields, gardens or orchards. We saw a few scrawny cows and several chickens, some skinny dogs and cats. There were several run-down fishing villages along the coast where we were and I think the majority of the people in the province of Varadero work at the hotel strip. I don't recall how many hotels there were, but they can accommodate 35,000 tourists at any given time. When we were there, there were 30,000 of us sun-seekers!
The Cuban people are beautiful, talented and friendly. They sell their wares, but they are not pushy, except at the huge flea market we went to in Havana. All in all, it was a wonderful experience, and yes, I would definitely go again.
My husband (and I, as well)was captivated by all the old cars on the roads. And I mean old! We saw 1957/1958 Chevrolets, Fords, Pontiacs, and Cadillacs. Most were repainted and in good repair and the mechanics work miracles to keep them road-worthy. They will replace original engines with either diesels or Toyota or Honda engines. Amazing! You will see newer vehicles, but they are imported from Russia or Germany, of course.
Although I nearly froze to death when we got off the plane in Edmonton, it was good to be home. There's nothing like your own bed, shower, and coffee and as much as I love to travel, those are things I miss the most. However, if you ever have the chance to visit Cuba, go. It's a memorable experience!
The beach was wonderful and we spent most afternoons there, lazing around under a cabana and talking to fellow-Canadians. We met people from Ontario, the Maritimes, Quebec, Saskatchewan and BC. We attended the nightly shows which ranged from singers and dancers to animal performances. Cuba has its own Rita McNeil! This gorgeous woman entertained us for two evenings and even though you were unable to understand the Spanish, her voice alone mesmerized every listener. She was stunning and captivated all of us.
We had great food, too. The buffet was full of what I called "at home" choices, and if you went hungry, it was your own fault. The a la carte restaurants were excellent and I had the best spaghetti and shrimp scampi I have ever eaten.
And the temperatures! Wow! Most days, it was +28C on average; one or two days, we got to +31C. We had no rain until the morning we were due to leave, so at least I came home with a toasty tan - which is already fading!
Cuba is a poor country, sad to say. We saw no agriculture to speak of: no fields, gardens or orchards. We saw a few scrawny cows and several chickens, some skinny dogs and cats. There were several run-down fishing villages along the coast where we were and I think the majority of the people in the province of Varadero work at the hotel strip. I don't recall how many hotels there were, but they can accommodate 35,000 tourists at any given time. When we were there, there were 30,000 of us sun-seekers!
The Cuban people are beautiful, talented and friendly. They sell their wares, but they are not pushy, except at the huge flea market we went to in Havana. All in all, it was a wonderful experience, and yes, I would definitely go again.
My husband (and I, as well)was captivated by all the old cars on the roads. And I mean old! We saw 1957/1958 Chevrolets, Fords, Pontiacs, and Cadillacs. Most were repainted and in good repair and the mechanics work miracles to keep them road-worthy. They will replace original engines with either diesels or Toyota or Honda engines. Amazing! You will see newer vehicles, but they are imported from Russia or Germany, of course.
Although I nearly froze to death when we got off the plane in Edmonton, it was good to be home. There's nothing like your own bed, shower, and coffee and as much as I love to travel, those are things I miss the most. However, if you ever have the chance to visit Cuba, go. It's a memorable experience!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
FEBRUARY REFLECTIONS
I wonder how the New Year is treating all of you. As for me, it has been demanding in many ways, but it has been productive, too. My classes finished on February 11; my ladies wrote the final exam in Business Communications in the morning. I have since marked those exams and compiled the final marks for the course. I am humbled by the achievements that my students attained and by the demonstrations of what they have learned in my class. They worked hard; they were eager and cooperative and we shared many wonderful moments together. I wish them all the best in their future endeavours. They deserve success. By the way, the average final mark attained was 84.7%. Kudos and applause to all seven of my special students!
Although I have not achieved the level of organization that Barefoot Deliberations reports in her blog, I am working on it! Over the course of my six months of teaching, I created innumerable files. I had lesson plans, lessons, assignment sheets, answer sheets, exams, and spreadsheets with student marks. I will use all of this material again, but in the meantime, I have moved all of these files to a flash drive and have since deleted these files from my computer. I don't need that kind of clutter in my system. I want to do the same with my stories and novels eventually. I feel that if my computer ever crashes, I have my back-up system in place.
This morning, I took some time to go through my side of the master bedroom closet and a couple of my dresser drawers. I needed to see what I wanted to wear when I go to Cuba. Yes, hubby and I are flying to Varadero next Sunday evening and we will get to spend a week down there. The average day time temperature is between 80 and 85F, so out came my summer clothes: shorts, tank tops, light blouses and capris. And then I needed a nice outfit for the a la carte restaurants. And I then I looked at my old, grubby flip flops and decided I will need a new pair or two. I also discovered that there were many items that I no longer wear, so when we return from our vacation, I will be donating a bag or two to the Thrift Store. Next on the agenda will be hubby's side of the closet and his dresser. That could be a joyful process! I swear the dear man does not know how many clothes he has and he never agrees to donate or toss. Bless him - he thinks he may actually fit into some of this stuff again one day. Guess what, dear? You won't!
So, an attempt at organizing is under way. And I promise I will be kind when I go through his stuff. I will be gritting my teeth, but I will be kind - honest.
I am anticipating going to Cuba. We've been to the Dominican Republic and to Cancun and the difference in life style always takes my breath away. I am sure this country will introduce me to new and exciting experiences, also. I will make a report on our excursion when I return, but I know one thing already: I am so grateful that I live in Canada.
Although I have not achieved the level of organization that Barefoot Deliberations reports in her blog, I am working on it! Over the course of my six months of teaching, I created innumerable files. I had lesson plans, lessons, assignment sheets, answer sheets, exams, and spreadsheets with student marks. I will use all of this material again, but in the meantime, I have moved all of these files to a flash drive and have since deleted these files from my computer. I don't need that kind of clutter in my system. I want to do the same with my stories and novels eventually. I feel that if my computer ever crashes, I have my back-up system in place.
This morning, I took some time to go through my side of the master bedroom closet and a couple of my dresser drawers. I needed to see what I wanted to wear when I go to Cuba. Yes, hubby and I are flying to Varadero next Sunday evening and we will get to spend a week down there. The average day time temperature is between 80 and 85F, so out came my summer clothes: shorts, tank tops, light blouses and capris. And then I needed a nice outfit for the a la carte restaurants. And I then I looked at my old, grubby flip flops and decided I will need a new pair or two. I also discovered that there were many items that I no longer wear, so when we return from our vacation, I will be donating a bag or two to the Thrift Store. Next on the agenda will be hubby's side of the closet and his dresser. That could be a joyful process! I swear the dear man does not know how many clothes he has and he never agrees to donate or toss. Bless him - he thinks he may actually fit into some of this stuff again one day. Guess what, dear? You won't!
So, an attempt at organizing is under way. And I promise I will be kind when I go through his stuff. I will be gritting my teeth, but I will be kind - honest.
I am anticipating going to Cuba. We've been to the Dominican Republic and to Cancun and the difference in life style always takes my breath away. I am sure this country will introduce me to new and exciting experiences, also. I will make a report on our excursion when I return, but I know one thing already: I am so grateful that I live in Canada.
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