Musings on a Small Life

It was one of the argyle styles this time: I ordered yet another pair this morning, in blue and purple this time. Can you tell I love these? Quite comfy and much nicer than my 6 for $10 packages of cotton socks from Walmart. Ha. I'm taking a break from the "heavy" questions from that TinyBuddha article today. It's Friday after all. And while I don't celebrate Halloween (can't wait till it's all over and done with and hope the kids in the area don't damage my fence or anything else on or around my unit), I'll wish those of you who do celebrate a happy and safe Halloween! The Jacquie Lawson e-card Dad sent me this morning: A one-off: Yesterday after work, almost home. Looking like late fall now! And I'll toss in a blurry pic of the boys sitting together on the step outside, after work yesterday. Quickly snapped through the patio window. Derry knows darned well I'm standing there with a camera in hand! Peace . ...

http://tinybuddha.com/blog/50-questions-to-foster-gratitude-and-feel-good-about-life/ 3. Who has helped you become the person you are today, and what’s the top thing you’d thank them for? I find I'm very resistant to this question. The things that come to mind are almost entirely negative, and that defeats the purpose of the question. I do think almost everyone with whom we come in contact can impact us in various ways and "help" us become the people we are today, both in good and not-so-good ways. I got my manners from Mom and from the church ladies I grew up around! Chumley taught me to be a better cat mom, though he paid the price for my ignorance. All my cats have taught me a life of servitude service and to put others before myself (which isn't always a good thing to do). My co-worker (the one whose mom just died) has taught me to be less judgmental and more open in some ways. Depression, my biggest "instructor," has taught me compassion and...

The next question from the TinyBuddha article ( http://tinybuddha.com/blog/50-questions-to-foster-gratitude-and-feel-good-about-life/ ) is: 2. Who is always there for you, and how do you feel about them? I guess I would have multiple answers for this. My cats, in their cat way, including my angels Chumley and Annie. They've seen me through a lot, even though we don't experience the world the same way. I love them dearly, I'm emotionally dependent on them, they're the source of my greatest stress and expense, but also my best daily companions. That they're my only daily (non-work) companions is irrelevant. My oldest/dearest friend in New Brunswick. I was 18, I believe, when we met at college. That's a long time ago, and a lot of water under the bridge. She's always been an "ear" and "shoulder", a voice of compassion and reason. I love her dearly as well, and am grateful for her presence in my life. My mom. I know she'll...

Thanks for the comments yesterday, I really enjoyed reading your responses. I might try to make my way through all 50 questions, but for this morning, and by request, here's some fancy footwork!     Have a fun -tastic day, everyone! Peace .

I read this article on TinyBuddha at lunch time: http://tinybuddha.com/blog/50-questions-to-foster-gratitude-and-feel-good-about-life/ Not all the questions are ones I can answer, but I think it's a good list to work on. 1. What’s one kind or thoughtful thing someone did for you recently? A friend recently sent me a lovely little card, with "feel better" wishes. How about you? What's one kind or thoughtful thing that someone has done for you recently? Peace .

I had to go sneaker shopping today, because mine have bit the biscuit.  I went to the Reebok outlet in town, where I usually end up, and of course had to buy the same style yet again. The style I've been wearing for years , because it's the only D-width one they carry. I did try several others in a half-size up (because they weren't wide width), and so wish my feet would have felt really comfortable in one particular style, but alas, it was not to be. So, to try to break out of boring, just a tiny bit, I picked up some green laces. Green being my favourite colour, of course. Oh, and I did order those funky leopard-print compression socks via Amazon.ca. Green shoe laces and leopard-print socks. Well, it won't be boring.  :-p Peace .

Hmm. Well, I had a doctor's appointment today to check out some ongoing leg issues (the right leg this time, not the left). I thought maybe it would be time to try orthotics again. No, no...It is time to start wearing compression stockings, though. For the varicose veins that apparently are causing the superficial leg stinging, etc. She sent off a prescription for two pairs; I'll pick them up on the weekend. No doubt they'll be hideous and uncomfortable. Compression stockings. I'm supposed to start wearing compression stockings. Thank you, genetics. (Varicose veins run on my dad's side of the family.) So if I find they work, I'm going to look for fun compression stockings. Because I feel like the most unattractive middle-aged woman on the planet right now. But check these out: Sold by a Canadian supplier: http://www.drsegals.com/categories?cName=Women&categoryId=10#sthash.gNnkJmZq.dpbs I'm not sure if they sell the r...

My co-worker's husband called me a bit earlier this morning to let me know that her mom, Judy, passed away yesterday.  Judy just went home from the hospital on Thursday, so she obviously deteriorated very, very quickly. Apparently my coworker spoke with our director on Saturday and had let him know then that her mom wasn't expected to live more than a couple of days. I had thought they would have weeks, or maybe even a few months, left together, but things didn't work out that way. Small consolation for the family that she didn't suffer. My thoughts and prayers are with my coworker, her dad, siblings, and all their friends and extended family. Universal Light and Blessings to them all, and Godspeed to Judy's spirit. Comments are off.

Canadians have a new Prime Minister-Elect today, Justin Trudeau, whose Liberals swept across much the country in a tide of change, after 10+ years of Harper Conservative rule. It did come at the expense of the NDP, I think, and the Green Party too. I know I voted strategically, just to get rid of Harper, but our riding typically is Liberal anyway, or has been for the almost 20 years I've been here. The thing is, it wouldn't have mattered what party or who was in power; after that many years we all would have said enough is enough. And if Trudeau is around for a decade, we'll probably oust him then too. So now we'll see. I'm not dissatisfied with the results, though I am very surprised it was a Liberal majority . It's the first time in Canadian politics that a third-ranked party has swept to the forefront like this. I think, though, that like Obama in the States, it will be impossible for Justin Trudeau to live up to peoples' expectations. ...

"My" swamp down the road is being cleared to widen the road to four lanes, and to finally build an overpass over the train tracks. I know it's much-needed, but it depresses me just the same to see the clearing. This area is part of one of the conservation areas in our region, and it's been (partially) destroyed. I hate human development. I snapped all these pics this morning, between 7:30 and 8:00, as I was heading out for errands. Yeah, I was earlier than usual--I was restless and felt in need of a walk. It was cold though! We even had a few flurries in the air this afternoon. ::Shudder:: Look closely through the trees in the foreground and you'll see a freight train.  The clear-cutting.   It's so depressing to look at.     This was a park for soccer, etc., and geese.   The road is on the right (below), cropped out. You can see how much on the south side alone that they need. That tree stump used to be a massive Elder t...

On the heels of grim reality, what has brought or is bringing you enjoyment today? For me, it's been: Playing with the boys early this morning, while drinking my coffee. Seeing the alignment of Venus, Mars and Jupiter. I'd seen some astronomy "episode" on PBS this morning that discussed it. Catching an Australian mystery series episode at 4:30AM (The Doctor Blake Mysteries). I've seen only a few episodes, but quite enjoy it! My morning "social time"  with the bus regulars. It's come to that. LOL. The gorgeous, gorgeous fall day! The double-chocolate cookie filled with peanut butter...dessert at lunch time. Friday! (Well, except for having the unbalanced neighbours next door all weekend. OMG, did that girl have a MELTDOWN last night. I had my finger ready to hit "send" to the police three times, but each time held off, for various reasons. What miserable lives they must lead.) I snuck (sneaked?) a leftover square from some offic...

I ran into my coworker in the washroom this afternoon, the one who has been such a tremendous support to me from the beginning of our employment together. She was just returning from visiting her mom at the hospital. Some of you might remember that about 2.5 years ago her mom had a stem cell transplant. Sadly, the cancer has reached the point now that there is nothing to be done except provide her with palliative care. My coworker, who had just found out, was in tears, of course, and I was in tears too, and have been off and on since I got home. I don't know her mom, only that she's in her late 60s, I believe, and that she and my own mom share the same first name, Judy. But it's the mother of someone I respect and care about, and while I can't even begin to imagine what she and her family are going through now, my heart still hurts for them. Terminal illness puts a lot of things in perspective. We often say that nothing matters except our health (physical a...

Leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner, chicken not turkey. I'm not that fond of turkey. Leftover vacation pics, snapped yesterday, from a walk in the cemetery and elsewhere:  Some trees are showing colour now.  It's still mostly green, though.          The dead tree at the World War burial site. Fitting.    The pond still was spouting water.  Little Melinda's grave with mums.  At Rotary Park, adjacent to our "big" shopping centre.  One of the public libraries is in the background (left of centre).  On the way home.   Leftover news, of sorts: Last week a PR intern who works for a firm in Toronto got in touch about my generic versus brand post. Someone from Swiffer had seen my post and they wanted to send me a box with several of their products. I got it today. Seriously. The only reason I responded to the person's email in the first place was that he checked out as...

On Thursday I took a day trip via train to visit with friends, Robin and Chuck ( A Bird's Life ). They went above and beyond in the chauffeur department, picking me up in Belleville and then taking me back to the train station late in the afternoon--all through construction and detours, I might add. I was thrilled to finally see "Robin's" goats!       These are the goats behind Reid's Dairy, and Robin has taken a number of pictures of them since she started her blog in the spring. They're so cute, though definitely a handful. One of them started to munch on my jacket, but Chuck rescued it from being goat fodder.  :-) I also got to see her turtles, though didn't get a good snapshot, they were too far away. I got the grand tour of their lovely home; they've put a lot of work/renovations into it since purchasing it last year, and it shows. Gorgeous kitchen and bathroom, immaculate house. They live in an older neighbourhood with lot...