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!

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.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Well, another New Year is almost upon us. It seems to me that 2010 just started; however, I tend to lose track of time when I'm busy and it was a busy year for me. It was a good year for the most part, "rough patch" aside, and here we are at the end of it already.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I do not make resolutions in the typical sense of the word. Rather, I make a list of what I would like to accomplish during the coming year and so far, I have about 15 things on the list. One of my main concerns in my house is that we don't have closet space. Well, we do, but I can't get any more stuff into them! It's time for a purge and I don't quite know how to approach the topic with hubby in a diplomatic way. I mean - how many jackets does one person actually need? He only wears two: his old, soft leather and his work jacket. I am more than willing to donate the others, some of which are brand new, to someone in need, but he seems to have objections to that. I would welcome suggestions from you about what to do about this. Remember, diplomacy is the key. He has to think it was HIS idea in the first place!

Another goal of mine is to spend more time on my writing. I recently attended a class on self-publishing; it was most informative and I want to get going on that. My writing still provides solace and peace to my (at times) troubled soul and I want to set aside blocks of time devoted to the written word. It's amazing how uplifting it can be and during the dark days of winter, a little uplifting is good.

I also want to get back into my crafts. I miss working with my hands, too, and I love creating hand-made gifts for the special people in my life. I have some fantastic "recipes" for bath salts and some wonderful patterns for spa cloths and slippers. All my "girls" work hard and I love to give them things that make them feel pampered.

I do have a sweater on the go and once it is finished, I will get on to the other things. I could have worked on the sweater during Christmas break, but I got my nose into a really, really good book and pretended that my needles and yarn weren't sitting a foot away from me. I love to read, of course, and I tend to forget about the time when I am in the pages of a book. This one was the second in series of three about a young woman who survived the Bolshevik revolution in Russia and it was absolutely fascinating!

There are other things on the list as well and who knows? Maybe I will actually get some of them crossed off in due time. For now, I wish you and yours a peaceful and Happy New Year and all good things for 2011. God Bless and be safe - all of you.

Time for Sharing

It's been a long time since I have written. I experienced a bit of a "rough patch" and I had to work my way through it. I don't really know what caused it - I just got to thinking about all the loved ones I have lost over the years and I realized how much I missed my mother and my best friend. They have both been gone for a long time: my dear friend passed away in 1990 and my mom left us in 1993. It was strange in a way that I went through another grieving process after so many years; perhaps it was because it was the 20Th. anniversary of my friend's death. I kept hearing her voice and seeing her beloved face in my dreams at night and it was like she was trying to tell me to keep going, to continue my writing and my teaching, that I was doing some good, even though I couldn't see any results. Her message was one of encouragement and love and I am thankful now for those dreams because they motivated me to keep going when I was at a point where I wanted to give up.

So, I plodded forward: working at my summer job, writing, and getting ready for teaching in the fall. And life has been good. I have learned to believe in myself again and I am enthusiastic about my classes, which are going very well. I teach adult students and one of them told me today how much she appreciated the fact that I didn't "preach"; I shared my knowledge and skills in a way that made the class feel as if I really cared about them. And I do; they are very special to me because I haven't forgoten the days when I went back to school to obtain my certifcate in administration. I remember how hard it was; I knew I had a family to support and these ladies are no different. I can't promise them a bright future and I don't, but what I can promise them is that they will obtain skills and knowledge that will enable them to be an asset for any organization they work for. I am so happy when they see the results of their hard work on an assignment or an exam. I am moved by the pride I see in each face when each successive mark obtained is higher than the last one. To me, that is what teaching is all about: sharing in their successes and celebrating each milestone.

I hope all of you have shared something of yourself recently. The feeling you get when you "give" is indescribable. Today, I took a load of groceries to a family who recently lost their home in a fire. There are eight children in that household. How could I not give when I have so many blessings? I dropped the food off at the home of a friend of this family and she expressed such gratitude. But you know something? I didn't do it to receive thanks. I did it because it was the right thing to do. If you share in someone's joy, you can surely share in their sorrow, too.

It is the time of year to share; I hope you will count all the blessings you have, and decide to share some of your good fortune with someone in need.

Saturday Comments and Thoughts

Hi, everyone! I have not been "blogging" lately; I've just been working too much and trying, on days off, to grocery shop, cook and keep my house clean. I have also been working on year-end for our company and harassing hubby for all those receipts he says he has, but never gives me. Seems to me that men and paperwork are not good companions!

I settled down earlier this week to do some more of my beloved writing and actually submitted another short story. I am excited about this, even though I realize I might be rejected again. But, the way I see it, someday someone who has read my previous submissions will realize just how serious I am about writing. It consumes me; it is my "secret" life in a way. Writing takes over and I become my character for those hours I sit at my computer, pounding away at my keyboard.

I was talking about my writing one day while filling in for another secretary and lo! and behold, the other secretary convinced me to let her read the particular story I was babbling about. So, I put it into a nicely labeled folder and took it to her. Now, this woman admitted that she is "not a reader" but was more than willing to give me her feedback. Well, I was so pleased and surprised when I received an e-mail from her, telling me that she could not put it down! She loved it, she said, and got totally immersed in the story and the characters. Wow! So I know I can write and my audience loved my work! That made me feel so wonderful. And it gave me the courage to continue writing because I have so many stories to share and one day, I just might see my name in print. When that happens, you will hear me shouting joyfully all the way across the country.

I spent some more time today, working on another story. I am not sure where this one will take me. I had a surprise: one of my main characters just packed up his dogs (and I do mean "dogs"; he has two of them) and left. Do I know (yet) where he went? Does he come back? Why did he leave? I don't know that yet; all I know is that when I next sit down with this story, it will take over again and lead me to who knows where. And I look forward to that so much! It's like being taken to another world: a world you know nothing about until you get there.

Before I close, I have to let you all know that I had an absolutely fantastic long weekend last week. My daughters and granddaughter and grandson were out for a visit and we ate and talked and laughed and shared. We went to Jasper for the day on Saturday, July 31, and rejuvenated our spirits. The Rockies will do that to you: revive and soothe and motivate. Perhaps that's why I made so much time for my writing this week. I was revived and motivated and soothed!

DAUGHTERS

I recently read a beautiful article in one of the many magazines I have lying around the house. Apparently, it was based on a contest where mothers and daughters who looked alike were invited to send in their pictures and tell a little story about themselves.

It was most amazing: I could not believe what I was seeing! These women were absolute doubles of one another in most cases. If I had met any of them on a street, I would have sworn I was looking at a pair of twins. Even the age differences weren't remarkable; I would not have been able to tell who was Mom and who was Daughter.

I have two daughters and they look nothing like me! Oh, some people comment that they have my smile, but that's about it. They definitely resemble their father's side of the family: dark hair, olive-toned skin, sturdy hands and feet. I, on the other hand, exhibit my Scandinavian heritage with my light skin, blond hair, and smaller hands and feet.

However, what we do share is a deadly sense of humour! The men in our lives are in deep trouble when the three of us are together and most of the time, these poor males just look at us as if we have lost our collective minds. We also share a sense of purpose that is no match for any man. Once we set our minds on something, we focus on that goal until it is reached. My eldest daughter gave up a low-paying job and spent three years in school, retraining herself. I did the same thing way back when my girls and their brother were still in school. My youngest daughter has worked at several occupations, but she was staunch in all she did and gave every employer the best she had to give. I do the same thing: I am scheduled to work this month at three different places because no one else is willing to work at these places during the summer, but I will go and I will do my best.

My youngest daughter writes and she works every day on her stories. My eldest daughter also aspires to be a writer - both giving everything they have to give to the written word, just like their mother does.

We are all loyal and devoted to our families. We make sure there is a meal on the table every night and we have ample groceries in the cupboard so that we can make these meals. We have lists of chores that we complete on a regular basis so our homes are respectable and the laundry is done. And we also try to make time for fun and play and always look forward to visits to one another. We're due for one - we get together and write and share ideas. And we'll go for lunch and we might even do a little shopping.

So, I guess it doesn't matter whether you look like your mother or not. What matters is the similarities you and your daughter (s) share in other areas. I am proud of my daughters and when I look at them, I cannot describe the love that fills my heart. I don't care who they look like!

Frustration!

I had an experience this morning that almost (remember I said "almost"!) turned me off from shopping at a certain store in my town. We really don't have that many stores here to start with, so this really got my goat.

I had a list (huge list maker am I) and I selected my items department my department. My husband needed calcium supplements; I needed cranberry ones. I needed a couple of birthday cards and the dogs needed food. I picked up some toothpaste and some eyebrow wax strips (I cringe every time I have to pluck) that I hoped wouldn't cause a lot of pain and watery eyes. I picked up a book and got some juices and then I thought I would browse through the women's clothing department in search of a pair of black shorts and a couple of T-shirts. All of a sudden, an employee of the store ran up to me and said I had to leave.

I looked at this woman, thinking that she had totally lost her mind. Why do I have to leave? I am not finished shopping and what do I do with the stuff that is already in my cart? Well, I was told I had to leave it at the front of the store because their tills were down - they were experiencing some kind of internal power failure. All the customers had been rounded up like so many cattle in a herd and were parking their carts at the front of the store and everyone was leaving and shaking their collective heads. An older gentleman was mumbling that he was never coming back, to which his wife replied they had to: They needed the items that were stacked in their cart or they wouldn't be eating for the next week. Kids were bawling because they couldn't take the toys they had picked out. One efficient soul was actually going around and putting her frozen items back in the freezer case!

I left my cart right where it was and I hoped someone would trip over it. That was nasty, I know, and I do realize that a power outage is beyond anyone's control. The employees were telling us that they hoped to rectify the situation soon and we were welcome to come back. I had a couple of other errands to do anyway, so I went and got them done. And I did return to the store a half an hour later, but employees were now in the parking lot and waving people away. No one was being let into the store.

And so it goes: There are some things in life you can control, like your own reaction to circumstances such as these, and there are some things you can't control. I really had to "go with the flow" today. My dogs won't starve and we have enough vitamins for a couple of days. I really didn't need another book and as for the eyebrows, I wear glasses and the eyebrows really aren't that visible.