A variety of good things

It was a beautiful day out today. Sadly, the flamingos took flight to warmer climes. I was disappointed when I came home but I think the dogs are happy to have their yard back.

One of my favourite patrons came in to the library tonight. His darling little daughter is adorable beyond words. Tonight she wore a frilly purple skirt, green/yellow/purple striped tights and purple socks.  She always bounces through the door and announces her arrival in a large young voice. Then whispers because she's in the library.  She is the only child I've ever heard cry, "I don't want to go to McDonalds, Daddy. I want to stay at the liberry."

In other news, a large box appeared on my porch this morning. going by smell, Ky was confident it was for him.  The contents were a beautiful Polwarth fleece from Fibre Garden. It was a generous birthday gift from Stashaholic with a sweet message from the guys and puppy in Jordan.  I really need to stop in there and say hi.  I might be too busy spinning for the next thousand years. It's going to be fun.

How was your day?

Flamingo Good Things

Today was an odd day.  I went to work, picked up my plate stickers, had great snail mail, photos in the email and wonderful notes all over my facebook page. 

When I was leaving work, an older gentleman followed me out to my car to ask me how I like that make and model. He's a regular patron so I let him sit in it, answered all of his questions then rooted around in the various different dashboard pockets while we talked. I found my flamingo necklace that my brother had tossed in the console over a year ago. I love that flamingo.  I bought her after a reading at Book and Co, in Dayton Ohio for Agnes and the Hitman.  My friend bought Hot Pink. I bought Cerise.

Then a friend popped by with a lovely purple orchid as a gift. We were talking about Death's Oven Timer which is a line from Agnes so I pulled the book out to find it. I petted the flamingos on the cover and laughed about the trip we  had for that book signing. A lot had happened in my head during the day so I honestly did not make a connection between the necklace and the book until later.

I went outside to help my friend empty her car and this is what I saw

50 Pink Flamingos!!!!

I hope you had as fabulous a day

Expectant good things

My passport has been renewed and should arrive within two weeks. I was able to keep my old one with all the cool stamps.  Little thing but it makes me smile to remember the places I've been. 

Had lunch with a good friend.  We admired the hats I'd made for each of us. Mine needs a photo. You've already seen hers.

She helped me adjust to the fact that tomorrow I can no longer deny I'm middle-aged.  Yes, women in my family live into their late nineties, one hundred years or older.  So middle age.  I thought my life would look so different than this so the last few days have been full of woe. I wasn't sure why, I actually like my life a lot.  We concluded that I was trying on the expectations and perceptions the rest of society have about how I should look/act/feel at this age.  I gave that back. It didn't fit, wasn't attractive and was a style that didn't suit. I was horribly uncomfortable. I feel much better now.  Amazing what a good conversation can accomplish.

Hope your day met your own expectations, or better.

Historical good thing

When I was young and visiting my great-grandparents in their wooded home at the base of Brock's monument, I used to imagine I was Laura Secord trekking through the woods with my cow to warn the British that the Americans were coming.

Many years later, I'm going to take part in the commemorative walk from her homestead in Queenston to DeCou House in Thorold.  I met with members of Friends of Laura Secord.  It's going to be an amazing walk and I encourage everyone who can to come out and participate.  I'll be taking my camera.  There will be no cows,other than those we pass along the way.  That was a myth.

I came home and made brownies. All that talk of walking made me hungry.

Well, that and the fact that I spent the afternoon rushing around trying to find doors for the cabinet.  No luck. None whatsoever.  I did find some interesting old windows, though.

No one played a practical joke on me, either. Yay!

How was your day?

Phenomenal Good Things

While the day has already had some very good moments in it - raisin bread french toast with my parents, a forty minute walk with the dogs(2/3 of us, not Ky, need to get back into shape and Casey was a real trooper, I expect he will nap for the rest of the day) I'm in in the process of making spinach dip, an aparagus/mushroom/quinoa dish as well as sweet potato/quinoa dumplings and listening to the Canadian Tenors - scroll down to the video that says Shine to hear Lead with your heart, the windows are wide open(take that! you firework shooting neighbours) and all is well in my world.

I popped over to the Loch of the Lowes webcam which has crashed due to volume so I checked out their blog. I've been watching over there for several years now. Theresa and I were several miles away and had considered a quick visit when in Dunkeld.  Had I known then what I know now, I would have made the effort.  We'd already walked five miles, what was another five? 

Wildlife lead precarious lives. Not only are weather and predators a factor in their existence, man has made some catastrophic changes in their habitat.  Long lives are relative.  By all calculations, twenty two years for a nesting Osprey is phenomenal. While the resident female, Lady, usually comes back the last week of March, last year's male has already returned, as has a young female. They've mated a couple of times and many wondered if Lady's time had ended.  She's unringed, has no tracking so there's  no way to know where she is or if she's still alive.  The average osprey lifespan is 10-15 years in the wild.  She is in her mid-to-late-twenties.  I doubt I'm alone in crossing my fingers each Spring.  So you can understand why this post made me cry. 

I hope your heart lifts at least once today.

Spring is on its way

One Good Thing about it being so busy at work is that the day flew by. I didn't make many inroads on the piles of books that need to be added to the collection but I did answer the phone a lot. "No, Skyfall is not available. It is out."

It was a lovely Spring day. I was able to experience it when I carried books out to the car for one of our regulars. She wasn't too steady today and needed the help.  She did me a favour. Fresh air. Mmmm, nice.

We had some discussion in the morning as I was unlocking the door as to whether the greenery shoving its way up and out of the dirt was daffodil or crocus.  Based on years of watching the same behaviour, I announced crocus with great authority. As we left at the end of the day, we noticed said greenery had grown four inches and now had some yellow staring at us.  I might pop over there tomorrow with my camera to confirm my announcement.


I hope your day had a hint of Spring.

Good Good Friday

Ky and I had a great afternoon. We went to visit my friends who live on thirteen acres. It was sunny, no precipitation so the humans built a fire in the pit in front of the back porch. The chickadees, nuthatch, cardinal and red-winged blackbird all kept us company. Ky chased sticks, and another dog for awhile.  The miniature donkey on the neighbour's donkey serenaded us. It was restful and enjoyable and a great reminder of all that is good with my life.


I hope your Friday was as good as mine.

Stream of consciousness happy thoughts

McB asked everyone to take pictures of the things that make us happy.  Walking to work today, I tried to narrow that down but almost everything is a mental image.  DNi's laughter, Yoda's muttering just before he goes to sleep, the scent of the roses by the back door that remind me of the smell of Germany, (dark earth and fresh potatoes do the same thing), wild garlic growing on Kate's property (I seeded some in my own yard), the burst of flavour on my tongue when I eat raspberries fresh from our yard, watching Ky gently pulling the berries off the bush with his lips while Casey yanks the entire branch through the fence then eats all of it - berries, leaves, cane, Mom wiggling her toes in her new socks, Dad with his arms crossed on his chest telling us stories of Egypt, Sardinia, Iceland, Scotland, and/or Cyprus, the colour of the sky as it danced its way across Northern Ontario, floating on my back in the lake at midnight while the dog swam lazy circles around me, the roar of the Falls as we walked along the trail, an Irish wolfhound greeting us on the path, lions moaning in the garage, late nights laughing and talking and saving the world, margaritas, red wine, pub beer, fish and chips, s'mores around the fire, cheddacorn, poutine, Greek salad, chocolate that melts on your tongue, letting the chickens out of the coop, chasing piglets through the village, sitting on the hill for hours sketching eagles, hawks, and a crow named Stanley, plotting the perfect murder, making the antagonist pay for it in the end, movie night, theme dinners, full moon ritual and walking on fire, holding hands as little ones learn to walk, watching DNe create amazing images, the sound of passion as he discusses his art, sound of pride as he tells me another painting sold, wind in our hair as we race our bikes along the canal, hiding from the dogs in among the reeds, careening down the ice-covered hill on cardboard and garbage bags...

The list goes on and on and on.  So many things I've experienced that fill my heart with joy.  I am truly blessed.  Thank you, McB, for the gift of those reminders.  It's a gift that continues.

Finished projects

I turned this refugee from Stashaholic

into this lovely hat for another friend

I also finished the socks for Kate's DH.  They're curled up around each other like puppies.

Because I took my mom to the seventh circle of hell, aka Costco, I didn't finish up my own hat. It's from a pattern written in 1913 for a motor cap. The photo is fuzzy so I'm not quite sure what it will look like but I think the shape is right. Unless I'm making the wrong one. There are three patterns on the page.

Costco was only so horrible because 1)I'm not that fond of people 2) everyone was shopping for Easter candy 3)that's a lot of people 4) right turn signals indicate the car in front of you will turn left. From the right hand lane 5) a man rammed his cart into my ankle and didn't apologize.  He said, Oh, when I said, Ouch. 6)I'm not that fond of people.  My mom, on the other hand, was super happy to be out and about chatting with strangers while she tried everything at all of the sample tables.  She was tickled with the little chocolate Easter bunnies inside the wire and wooden cages. We bought 4.  Her joy made the seventh circle almost tolerable.  It's so easy to make her happy.  She wanted me to take pictures of the socks I made for her but some stuff happened so we'll do that another day.  We'll make a fashion show out of it. 

Here's the important thing people tend to forget, myself included.  Mom has always liked to be a girly girl.  Just because she's not well doesn't mean she doesn't enjoy the entire hair/make-up/nails/clothes primp fest.  There's no reason not to do all that with her. 

I came home and played with the dogs outside between rain showers.  Ky went grocery shopping with me.  Actually, he kept DNe company in the car while I picked up every thing that Costco didn't have (95% of my list).

Tomorrow, we're going to turn this

 and this

into a yarn cabinet (sheep and cat are exempt from the project). It might take some time but I will post pictures of the finish project of that.

How was your day?

Long distance good things

I had a brief chat on the phone today with a friend who lives in Virginia. We confirmed our plans to spend time together at the end of May.  That made me so very happy. Just hearing her voice made me smile.  We will be with several other friends but have made sure we get some time just the two of us to catch up on life.

This evening, my new satellite receiver was waiting for me when I got home from work. I've had a run of bad luck with electronics lately. The lovely customer service rep in Montreal suggested the Full Moon would work in my favour. It usually does, and today was no exception.

My coworker thought another volcano had erupted in Iceland.  Apparently, it's rumbling.  But looking at photos taken by Jon Gustafsson the last time one did, one can only hope his camera is packed and ready to go.

Little things really, but anything that puts a smile on your face should be celebrated.

Entertaining Good Things

We spent the afternoon with my Great Aunt.  She's going to be one hundred years old this June and she's still sharp as a tack.  She's funny and smart and kind and a true sweetheart.  When I went to Scotland in 2010, it was to take a picture of the farm on which her mother was born. 

I had intended to call my aunt when we were there but I was so swept away by the fact that I was walking in my great-grandmother's footsteps that I forgot.  I came home with over 200 photos of the farm and nearby village of Dunkeld, every one of which tickled my aunt no end.  Now whenever we see each other, we share tea and Campbell's shortbread.  That trip always comes up in conversation.  It's not the only thing we talk about - gardens, bagpipes, travel, religion and art we are up for discussion today. 

As always, my dad shared a story I'd never heard before, this one about hockey.  He has some great hockey stories. Everyone on their street played it. Some of them went on to play in the NHL.  He has no illusions that he was ever good enough to join them.

Tonight, everyone was home for a change so we had an impromptu hockey party.  My roommate is a die-hard Leafs fan.  She gets so excited that anyone sitting near her when they score is in danger of bodily injury. She leaps around while screaming. It's not much better when they are scored against.   The cat hopped off her lap tonight and headed to the chair across the room. He kept one eye on her as the Leafs scored.  No one knows if it was coincidence or extreme self-preservation but his timing was impeccable.  Sadly, the Leafs lost in a shoot-out but we were well-entertained.

Was your day entertaining?

Wild Good Things

It turns out I didn't fail at Earth Hour. I did shut off lights. I thought it was about powering down.  Sheesh.  They don't aim very high on that one.

A nice drive to Niagara with my dad meant we were able to catch up on a few things.  Some of it was family history, some of it was science and some of it was reminisces of Scotland.

Speaking of Scotland, great news from the Loch of the Lowes.  The osprey are on their way back for another, hopefully, successful year of nesting.

We also saw a red squirrel on the drive home.  They were prolific when I was younger but it's been years since I've seen one around here. I wish I'd had my camera with me.  Maybe next time.

How wild was your day?

Shameful Saturday

I forgot about Earth Hour. I remembered for most of the day. I had a plan. I spent hours getting things ready to enact the plan (interact with the animals and conversation with the humans for an hour with most of my focus on the former) I shut down most of the electronics, turned off lights etc in anticipation. Then I cleaned a few small appliances so they'd work more efficiently and the next thing I knew it was 935 instead of 830.  I had quizzed the kids earlier in the day yet I'm the one who forgot Earth Hour.  Shameful.

We had a productive day cleaning, taking furniture apart in order to create more furniture. I sorted through some books that I doubt I will re-read. Two boxes and all that resulted is less piles on the bookshelves, no real space found. 

I have too much stuff.  I use most of it though.  I'm cyclical with my crafts, not quite seasonal, but some supplies remain dormant for years at a time while I work in one particular medium for awhile. I always circle back and pick up the old craft.  It's all better organized now.

I reference my books a lot.  Their value lies within the pages and information, or in some cases entertainment. I can count on them to fill a need with a touch.  It makes it difficult to give them up. I never know when I'm going to need one.

Two really good things about the day were my niece and nephew. He helped me clean, organize and disassemble. She reminded me how to have fun, be silly and really enjoy every thing you do.  They allow me the smug satisfaction of "I didn't contribute to the seven billion global population crisis" statement while affording me the joy of watching the next generation grow.

How was your Saturday?

Artistic Good Things

DNe came home, made French Toast with a dash of cinnamon for dinner. That was nice. We had a good visit then watched a movie about Jean Michel Basquiat.  Brilliant acting combined with incredible artwork made for a fascinating evening. 

By coincidence, an hour later I stumbled across a CNN special report entitled 81 Minutes about an art heist in Boston 23 years ago.  That show reminded me of an art gallery visit with a good friend last year in Washington, D.C.

Both programs left me with a strong urge to hit the paintbox.

Green Good Things

The lime green of my shirt. It generates a lot of compliments, this colour.

The green leaves of the arugula on the pear and brie sandwich my friend made me for lunch was a darker green than the green ring on the dinner plates.

The unbelievable ribbon of green dancing across the night sky as seen from my friend's roof in Iceland. 

What colour was your day?

Good things that amused me today

I didn't fall over at work today. WIN!  I'm still wobbly but had serious cabin fever being at home for the last four days.  As long as there isn't too much movement in my peripheral vision, I'm staying upright.  Ginger.  It helps a lot.

I took a goofy picture of myself this morning.  I was playing around with my camera just because I could. The burgundy of my dressing gown looked great with my glasses so I humoured my inner three year old before I got dressed like a grown up.  Sometimes, you just have to be silly.

Osprey are headed back to Dunkeld, Scotland.  Will Lady return for a record 23rd year on the nest?  She should be back toward the end of next week. 

Photographic Good Things

As requested, here's the dollar store greenhouse in action. 

The radishes, tomatoes, celery and sunflowers are the green things you can see. Snapdragons and peppers are peeking through the peat while the beets and carrots are slower. Thanks not a bad thing.

This is the corner of the bed that I want to turn into a cabinet. It should be interesting to see what happens.  Huh, that cover is much darker than that. If I remember correctly, the shutter stayed open for a bit longer than I expected. 

This darling bird has been shrieking his head off for the last two hours. I don't know whether he doesn't want to watch the wildlife channel or simply wants DNe to play with him. I'm guessing the latter as he's been quiet for the last few minutes since DNe went out for the night.  Thank goodness, I may love Yoda but some days...He is cute.

Rearranging good things

I couldn't sleep last night so I plotted how to turn the wood from my bedframe into a cabinet with glass doors. I might have to utilize the one bookshelf as well. I have a cabinet maker coming to look at it next week to determine how viable my middle of the night plan is.  If it's a go, I'll take before and after pictures to post.

My DNi and I planted seeds last week in those little peat pots you buy at the dollar store. We used seeds I'd harvested from the garden bounty a couple of years ago (last year was a complete bust). Today, I moved everything over to the living room window, popped the plastic lids off and stuck all six containers beneath the large dollar store greenhouse tent. It takes up the entire table top.  My Icelandic sheep photo is tucked behind it.  Since ten o'clock this morning, the radishes have grown more than an inch. I guess they like the extra room.  We didn't expect the seeds to sprout so quickly.  They're going to need to be transplanted long before the outdoors is ready for them.  It's all good.

How's your life rearranging itself into a better model?

Familial Good Things

I had dinner with my parents. We engaged in several great conversations, mostly about my Great Aunt and other family members.  I'm always fascinate by family history. Sometimes, I look further back than my own parents. They had many great adventures, met interesting people and immersed themselves in a variety of cultures.  I learn something every time we sit down and chat. Even now, when age and illness have shaped their lives, they continue to share insight and opinion.  They are both well-read and interested in the world as it continues to change. 

It's never a dull moment around our house.  And when I take the time to listen and ask questions, it's actually quite interesting.

Odd Good Thing

Today was my friend's dad's memorial service. You wouldn't think I'd count it as a Good Thing but it was a true celebration of this man's life. Standing room only, the auditorium rang with voices raised in praise, in laughter, and song. Of course there were tears.  A man so full of joy, wonder and silliness is going to be deeply missed.  I was so proud of my friend, of the words he chose to sketch an honest picture of his dad.  Doug McLean touched a lot of lives. Whether you met him once, or knew him for a lifetime, he made a deep impression.

He was full of schemes and ideas and curiosity about the way the world worked - as well as how to make it better.  He opened his home to all that needed that a hand, shared all that he had, all that he'd learned. 

His son and I have known each other for lifetimes. It's not always been easy to share space but we've persevered.  Father and son were very alike in both the maddening and magical.  Guess which usually wins out?

It was nice to sit at the back of the room with our friends and my mother. To watch people celebrate not only Doug's life but the life he built with his wife of 60 years, Betty, and their children. To see his sons stand with his stance, waving their hands to make their point. To hear their laughs, deep and booming, full of humour and appreciation for a story well-told.

I held my mom's hand and was so grateful to be sharing the day with her. To know that my life has been full of people that care about each other, help each other and teach each and every one of us that life is an amazing gift. Unwrap it, enjoy it, revel in it.

Silly Good Things

Epiphanies exploded all around me today. It was fantastic. I'd lost my way a bit during the week but it's all better now. I no longer have green skin and shoot fireballs from my palms, but I know now that potential is always there. It's okay to channel it into clearing out space for more beneficial things.

I still have post-migraine brain so colours actually hurt my head. That interferes with my plan to have more colour in my life.  It will go away now. I willed it so.

This will come as no surprise to anyone, but LAUGHTER, no matter how big or small, is the absolute best medicine for all of us, short or tall.  Being able to laugh at oneself, that's the best medicine of all.

Holy rhyming, Batman. It wasn't deliberate but apparently Dr. Seuss has taken up residence in my brain. 

How was your day?

Medicinal Good Things

On top of the temple headache I've had for months, today I was hit by a migraine that drove me insane. It was a particularly sunny day, which I appreciated plenty this morning. Then halfway through my work day - whomp. A coworker gave me some advil then I took some naproxin several hours later when I got home from work. It took hours to get relief.  But finally. I'm pressing on the ear seeds like the madwoman I am.

Oddly, what really helped settle my stomach was coming home and burying my face in Ky's neck fur. It was the only smell that didn't make me feel like heaving. Weird. I pet him for awhile and it really helped. In all liklihood it was more a relaxation factor than anything. I don't really care. It worked.  I'm writing it here so I remember for next time.

I hope you were able to enjoy the day.

Good writing things

The idea of focusing on the positive was discussed at length today. It doesn't negate or even counter-balance the negative but it feels better. I hate being miserable. I don't enjoy the physicality of it, let alone the emotional pummeling.  Laughing feels better. Smiling feels better. Optimism feels better.

Today, I met with two of my writer friends for lunch and brainstorming. We've been each other's support team for seventeen years. We've all grown and stretched as writers, as human beings - as friends.  We fleshed out Brenda's new series, named my last character and let down the side for Marilyn.  We did set a new schedule and deadlines for each other to meet.  Accountability goes a long way to increasing productivity. 

We also came up with a game plan for at least two writing getaways this year.  Fingers crossed that I can switch up some of my vacation time to accommodate those plans.

Funny Good Things

Stuff happened today. Some of it was my stuff triggered by other people's stuff.  Technical stuff happened too. Good and bad.

Ultimately, everything is fine. When it wasn't, I amused myself by catching up with The Bloggess. She has no idea how much she makes me laugh. Not only that, she inspires me. Bad things happen in her life, in her head.  While we only see a glimmer of her life but she always puts a funny spin on the insanity.  Perspective, she has it.  And she shares, so I often walk away from her blog with more than I went in with.  I really tried to make that last sentence grammatically correct but it sounded very pretentious when I said it out loud. 


What makes you laugh and/or gives you perspective when you need it most?

Mostly Harmless* good things

Today's Google doodle made me smile the second I saw it.  I sill miss Douglas Adams.  My favourite memory is when So long, and thanks for all the fish came out. We literally sat at the breakfast nook and watched each other read.

Weather was Spring like for the second day in a row. Rain threatened but didn't deliver until AFTER Ky and I played out there for a bit.  I love when his fur smells like fresh air.

Not an earth-shattering day of Good Things but some days the little things go a very long way.

Was your Good Thing awesome or alright?

*entry about Earth in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Good socks

I've just finished a surprise pair of socks for my mom. She was tickled pink (and green and blue) by the yarn and the finished project.  Much thanks to Stashaholic for the yarn in the first place. I benefited from a bit of a stashbusting on her part.

Now I'm using the swift to wind a skein onto the nostepinne. I preferred Stashaholic's notepinne to my own but it's all good. My friend Kate bought this yarn to make socks for her husband but never got a chance to do anything with it before she died.  I'm going to finish that project for her. 

I still haven't finished my Tunisian crochet scarf out of Stashaholic's handspun but I will. It's light enough that I can do it as the weather warms.

Speaking of which, today was lovely and warm.  I wasn't the only one out there with a Spring in her step. 

I hope you had lots of fresh air and at least One Good Thing today.

Entertaining Good Things

I stayed up late reading Oz the Great and Powerfu this afternoon. It was much better than I expected.  It entertained us.  Go see it. You won't want your money back. Some of it just needs the big screen to get the full effect.  We passed on the 3D version. 

We stopped for groceries on the way home.  DNi grabbed everything and wouldn't let me carry.  I teased her.  "You're young and beautiful. Save yourself."  She immediately shot back with, "I want to be strong too."  She will do well in life, that girl.

I explained International Women's Day to her and asked who she thought was a woman she admired.  Her answer - Harriet Tubman - included an (unprompted) explanation of the Great Conductor of the Underground Railroad.  "Although she only led ten mission, she was responsible for booking passage for over 600 people."  The kid has her dad's memory banks.

Then she followed up with Laura Secord - and Me.  I've taught her the importance of family and loyalty. Wow.  I thought we were goofing around a lot today. Silly walks. Bright colours.  Twilight movies.  It turns out she pays attention to all of the day-to-day stuff as well. 

I hope your days was as entertaining and profound as mine.

Technical Good Things

I called Shaw Direct yesterday because the satellite receiver was toast. That was the official diagnosis.  It would take three to five business days for the replacement to arrive.  Less than 24 hours later I have a bright new shiny HD satellite receiver.   Thanks to the helpful gentleman who helped me set it up I can watch HD on my HD TV.  It's neat to actually see that feature in work.

I've been on a roll with customer service lately.  That's good. 

How was your day?

Yin and Yang Good Things

I got a lot of piddly, mathematical tasks accomplished today. That's a big deal because I'm not a fan of numbers. I'm dyslexic in that regard so math can pose a challenge. Mistakes were made but they weren't mine. They were fixed, at no cost to myself, so that was a Good Thing indeed.

I rediscovered Howard Skempton's music tonight.  I asked an old friend about a mixed tape he'd made me years ago and Skempton was his response. Lento was commissioned by the BBC for their symphony in 1990.  It's haunting and sticks with you.  I haven't heard it for fifteen years but was instantly transported back in time within three notes.

What music soothes you most after a hard day?

Fantastic Things

While it was an okay writing day for me personally, it was a great writing day for me to observe ideas and writers.

I took a notebook downstairs and asked my dad to list all the places he'd traveled to through the Canadian military. My list was three pages long. It should have been four but I doubled up the columns on one page.  He has not been to South America, Australia or Antarctica. He has been to all ten provinces and two territories when that's all they were called back in the 70's.  In seventeen years, my father saw the world. It has changed a lot since then.  Listening to him talk about those experiences is better than any show on the History Channel.  Well, except for Vikings. I really like vikings.

This evening was the third installment of Wine and Words. This time was hosted by Chateau des Charmes.  Way back in college, my first year film class made a film that followed the grape from the field to the bottle. We shot the bottling sequence at this winery.  It was nice to be back.  I had the chardonnay paired with salmon and horseradish butter on a sour cream and chive scone.  Delicious.

Tonight's author was Terry Fallis.  He's a dynamic speaker and an excellent writer.  He involves the audience in the entire experience and has a great sense of humour. I laughed so hard, I knocked over my wineglass and broke it. His latest book, Up and Down is a fun journey with some poignant moments about a PR firm that launches two civilians, one Canadian and one American, into space.

I was fortunate enough to receive a free copy tonight. Out of the kindness of someone's heart. There was no contest, no hidden agenda. I didn't have cash on me and the vendor didn't take debit.  I was stunned and touched by the generosity of the gift.  I had Mr. Fallis sign it for my dad.

Next month's author is Maureen Jennings. In keeping with ties to my college years, one of my former classmates is a writer/producer/director on the Murdoch Mysteries which is based on Ms Jennings books.  I'm looking forward to that night out. Coincidentally, it will be held on my birthday. It would great to have you all come celebrate with me that night.

Random thoughts that are all good

McB has this One Daily Thing philosophy so that you don't get overwhelmed by chores. Just do one a day.  I've never been good at that. Stuff needs to be done and I need to do it all at once. Lately, I've found myself adopting a bit of her philosophy and it's working. I cleaned most of the back room today. It needed a lot of organizing.  And tossing of junk.  One little corner still needs work but I was tired and out of room.  Garbage day isn't until Friday.

Why are my shin bones exposed and my calves fat?   It's not One Good Thing but it is something I wonder on occasion.

Some progress was made on the never-ending bathroom leak.  Friday should see more progress. I'll let you know.

Thanks to some brainstorming with friends, I'm on the penultimate scene of the first section of the horror story.  Tomorrow's afternoon plans were canceled so I should be able to finish knocking that out.

I had a great conversation with Mom today about travel.  We'd like to see the world. My dad's seen it. He'd like to stay home and read the paper.

How was your day?

Little Boy humour

My friend's little boy is six years old. He's autistic but I think most of the funny things he does are because he's a boy. She called me tonight to tell me his latest exploit and while it may not tickle everyone's funny bone, we laughed for a solid five minutes.  There may be something wrong with us.  He was very proud of the fact that his penis could connect with the hole on his rubber duck.    At one point in the summer she had to tell him not to touch the flower with his penis.  Honest to God, I laughed so hard, tears came to my eyes.


He will kill us when he's older and learns we told these stories on the Internet.  Her Facebook statuses about her son are hilarious.  A few months ago, she went into the kitchen for a moment. When she came back, he'd turned on Spongebob. She told him she didn't think that was a good cartoon to watch. He suggested she leave the room.

I love little boys. Their sense of wonder is so different from little girls. My niece will be staying with me this weekend and now that she's 11 our activities will be so much more adult than they used to be. I miss the silliness.  At least she doesn't have a penis that can do all those amazing tricks.

Timely Good Things

I woke up laughing this morning. Silly dream.

There was time for me to have a smoothie and a chai latte with a friend before I headed to work. I thought I was going to be late but the slow-moving truck in front of me turned left and I went straight.

I was home in time to watch the last 74 laps of the NASCAR race in Phoenix. Congratulations to Carl Edwards, though I highly doubt he reads this blog.

Ky and I played a lot while supper was cooking, then again while oatmeal bars baked.  Yum.  He thought they were for him. Silly puppy.

We turned the Canadian Screen Awards on in time to see some of our favourites celebrated at home.  It may not have the glitz and glamour of the Oscars but it definitely had the talent.

I hope your day had some great timing.

Clean good things

Last time I visited with Stashaholic she showed me a jar of lemons filled with vinegar. She swore by its incredible cleaning power.  I came home and filled an old pickle jar with three quartered lemons and some white vinegar. Every time I ate an orange, I tossed the peels inside the jar.  That was a few months ago. You're supposed to strain the contents after two weeks.  I did it today. I filled a smaller jar as well as a spray bottle with citrus vinegar.  I tossed all of the lemon and orange peels into the food processor and pulverized them. I toss the mulch into a bowl, added some baking soda and stood back. That stuff bubbled up and over the lip. A wooden spoon caught the overflow. I have SCRUBBED my bathroom with the mush.  Actually, all I did was toss a handful into each of the basins.  The vinegar and baking soda did all of the work.  I seriously thought of tossing some into the wash with my whites but was afraid of pulp in the towels. 

I didn't know that I have a zillion little cuts on my hands. I do know. However, a soothing salve made from a blend of coconut and olive oils fixed that up.

It's so nice to have the house all to myself tonight. It might stay clean for more than five minutes.  I doubt it will be more than six though. The animals are all home and wanting attention.

How's your day been?

Remembering good things

Brutal headache until I pressed on my ear seeds. I love those things.

Dinner and a movie with three good friends as we remembered Kate. Stories were shared, laughter occurred and my yarn disappeared.

How was your night?

Writing, kids and dogs

WooHoo, more progress was made on the horror story today.  I realized I'd jumped the punchline. I was telling the end of the character's journey. I needed to show her state of mind when she began.  I wrote 800 words. That's not a lot in the grand scheme of things but all things considered, I'll take it.

When I jumped into the shower, I thought of the twist to the second part of the story.  At work tonight, I discovered the character for the third part.  I'm so pleased with how my brain is taking care of stuff for me while I'm busy babysitting a tiny young with the flu or working at the paying job. 

Casey and I are working on possession. He's become very territorial about everything - Mom, me, his toys. Poor Ky can't even be in the room without Casey going after him. So tonight, I took the bone away from Casey every single time he growled. It's a bit of dangerous game but as soon as he broke focus on it and relaxed, I gave it back. Laid back dog gets bone, tense dog does not. He's smart. He figured it out pretty quick.  He really is a good dog. He's just had a lot of trauma and confusion in his life lately. 

I hung out with a sick six year old this afternoon. We talked about dogs, and how there are cross-breeds then learned about nocturnal animals.  While he could have taught me more about genetics than I'd ever know I went with the Mom was a shepherd, Dad was a great Dane just like Mommy has brown hair and daddy has blond theory. He liked that. Phew. That kid keeps me on my toes. Whoever said Autism doesn't make connections never met the kids I know who have it.  I adore them. 

All in all, a good day.  How were things with you? 

Wordy Good Things

I wrote for several hours today. Some of it was back and forth brainstorming with a writer friend. We agreed to quit for the day so I went to write notes and ending up with 1200 words. Woo. That felt nice.

I burnt my hand on pasta sauce. You wouldn't think that was a good thing. It wasn't really. But I got the hand under cold water immediately, put salve on it and managed to prevent two other people from the same fate.  Tomatoes heat up rapidly.  In case you didn't know.

I used the Pilates ball as a chair this evening while I knitted and watched hockey.  I've noticed a difference in my core since I've been using it. I don't have a working office at the moment. I'm going to try something different tomorrow with the living room table and the pilates ball.  Let's see if I'm more productive.  I need my wireless keyboard. It helps my wrists.  I did remember today that I write quite well with pen and paper. No more excuses.

Was your day wordy?

Full Moon!

I've been unbelievably restless tonight. I felt like the guy in Werewolf in London right before he turned.  I was jittery, couldn't sit still, didn't want to eat. You'd think I'd fallen in love. Nope, it's a full moon and the weather is wild.

My new glasses came in the mail today.  What do you think?

I'm a trendsetter. What can I say?  Doesn't everyone wear their glasses on top of their head.  I have great hair.

They're PURPLE. I like them.

Today was fairly productive. I wrote for a couple of hours, figured out how to get around something, threw that all out because I'm not writing a ghost story but figured out how to keep the conversations so I could show the character's descent.  I made plans to write again tomorrow.

Emails were sent. Wheels were set in motion. Plans are being discussed.  I feel good about that.

I spent a ridiculous amount of time watching swans swim around on this lake.  It made me happy.

Yesterday I dug out some of the yarn Stashaholic sent to live at my house.  I downloaded a counter app to my phone so I could keep track of my rows. I'm making socks from a pattern Theresa gave me when I was in Scotland the last time. 

I'm listening to hard rain pelt the windows.  It was rough driving home tonight but the full moon meant visibility was high.

How was your day?

Feb 25

How's that for a scintillating title?  I'm tired, not creative.

Good day, though. I wore my contacts to work and looked ravishing. I have beautiful blue eyes. 

I ate the same thing for dinner that I did the other night at my friend's house. It was literally the same thing  - leftovers. Tonight I didn't get hives.   We both did the other night. We know it wasn't the chocolate as we ate different brands. So it must have been the wine.  That means we'll have to try different vintages. Poor us.

My friend posted a spoof video that featured Gerard Butler because she knew it would make my day.

It's always good to do something nice for someone else. I try to do that on a regular basis. I'm blessed in that my friends are always doing nice things for me. This afternoon, I was stamping a lady's books and the back cover said something to the effect that, "if you like donuts, you'll love this book." I had an immediate craving for a donut. We both laughed. Then she reached into her purse and handed me a winning tab from Tim Horton's Roll up the Rim contest.  It was for a free donut.  She said she couldn't use it anyway. It was sweet of her to share. Her thoughtfulness made me smile.

The crow thing is still working for me. Otis came into work tonight and ka-kawed hello. We both burst into laughter.

The Leafs won their hockey game.  Kessel scored. Yoda got to yell, Wheeeeee.  Silly parrot.

How was your day?

Sunday Good Things

Yesterday was all about the crow. I shared that video with my friend at work and told him to ka-kaw at me if I started to get snarky.  It ended up becoming a joke among the entire staff as I went to the computer room, found it locked and ran out muttering ka-kaw,ka-kaw, ka-kaw in rapid succession.  No matter how stressed things got, or what tried to go sideways, one of us would squawk and the others would laugh.

When I pulled into the parking lot at my other job today the crows were laughing.  It made me smile. Until I went into work and the system wouldn't accept my code.  Alarm went off, official people had to come fix it.   I shared the crow video with another staff and we giggled our way through the crow angels.  I can picture Yoda doing something similar  - if I ever let him outside to play.  Maybe I'll bring some snow in next time and let him play. 

Now I'm hunkered down with Milo as we prepare to watch the Oscars. The glitz, the glam, the outfits.  I'm wearing my best pjs and thinking of Oscar parties I've attended in the past. 

I hope your Sunday had some good things.

Good Morning

Last night I dreamt that I went into edit the Vehicular post and there were 50,000 comments telling me to suck it up. It's not like I was starving to death beneath the hot desert sun. Very True.  Then I dreamt I was playing Survivor on the International Space Station and for fun decided to use the windows of the space station in much the same way as crows used the windshield of a snow covered car in Russia.



I woke up in a fantastic mood.  My goal is to stay that way.  What always makes you smile?

Vehicular Good Things

I've spent all day trying to find the Good Thing. I didn't sleep well, dropped the car at the garage and had breakfast beverages with a friend. That was good. We laughed about how we shoot ourselves in the foot all the time.  No solid conclusions but we both do the same thing. When one of us figures out how to change our behaviour, we'll both be in good shape.  Plus she prefers Ryan Gosling to Gerard Butler so there's none of that awkward fighting over men we will never actually meet. 

Every errand I attempted to run was thwarted. I went home and called the garage. It was a good news/bad news situation. Car could be fixed. It wiped out my bank account to do it.  I need the car for work so I had to do it but ow ow ow.  In the end, I decided it was a Good Thing that I've been frugal lately so that I could be aggressive with my loan payments as well as tucking a few dollars aside.  The money was in the account to cover the repair.  I need to focus on that aspect of it.

Life. We make the most of it.  I hope you found Good in your day.

Visual Good Things

My new glasses from Clearly Contacts arrived yesterday. They were pretty - purple with rhinestones on the arms.  I looked good in them. Or so I was told. I couldn't tell because I couldn't see out the right lens. I had typed the wrong strength into the order form. I typed + when it should have been -.  Big difference. So I called them today and said, I made a mistake. They said, print off this waybill for return postage, return them and we'll replace them with a pair that works for you. My mistake and they took care of it.  I'm happy.  If you're in need of glasses or contacts, go check them out. Their customer service is fantastic. Their stock and prices are better than most places that sell glasses and contacts.  My friends have used them for a few years without complaint.

I've been up and down emotionally today.  I think these stupid headaches drain me more than I realize. It's not til the end of the day that I can look back and see the pattern between pain and my moods. I've got great friends who talk me through so much of the worst of it.   One good thing about the negative thought process is that it leads to thoughts that perfectly suit the horror story I'm writing. That segues to creativity that pulls me write (Freudian slip?) out of the bad mood.  Interesting.

Stashaholic wrote this morning that ten years ago Heaven's gardens got a lot more beautiful with her Mom's arrival up there. I love that imagery. Her mother loved to garden so I can see her in among the lavender playing with the purple.  

Good Timing

One Good Thing about the check engine light coming on tonight was that I was on my way home. I parked the car in the garage and will call the repair place tomorrow.

I had a massage today. It enervated me. More often than not, it leaves me limp and ready for a nap.  It's a good thing I had today's reaction as I received a text while at the grocery store on my way home.  "Can you please watch my amazing son (I made up the description but it's accurate) while I go to yoga?"  I was only five minutes away, I didn't have other plans, and I adore that young man.  We played Angry Birds (for real, not electronically), lost one of the pigs, downloaded five games to my phone, deleted four of them and ran down my phone battery. We played with his Leapfrog. We laughed, giggled and learned that six year old boys aren't too old to snuggle. 

Animal Good Things

It's mid-February and I'm already tired of trying to write One Good Thing in every sentence. It sounds so Martha Stewart.  I'm pleased with all the Good Things in my life. It feels pretentious to write it out all the time.

Today was my friend's birthday so I tweaked a vegan brownie recipe to also be gluten free and sugar free so that she could share her "cake" with her son who has strict dietary restrictions. They loved the brownies.  I'll make them again.

I cleaned out a drawer while I chatted with Theresa on the phone today.  Then I sorted the garbage into recycling. I kept a bunch of things from Ky's collar. I'm not sure why.  He only wears his name tag.  

Yoda and I shared a moment this morning. Both  birds like to try to steal my breakfast so they don't get out of the cage until I'm done. I was drinking my tea when he flew onto my shoulder then ran down my arm.  I picked him up and held him in my hand. I forget how fragile he is.  Such a huge personality in that tiny body.  We stared each other in the eye then I turned my hand palm up and he just lay there. He didn't scramble to turn over. He didn't panic. He lay on his back, toes up. Sometimes he says, "dead bird" when in that position but today he simply looked at me.  He trusted me to keep him safe when he was vulnerable.  For some reason today, I was acutely aware of that.

Later in the day, I became fascinated with this view from inside a lioness' mouth.  That camera is tough. It only takes three swipes from a lion's tongue to peel  your skin from your body (yep, personal experience, it's like sandpaper).  I've really been missing the lions lately. I changed my screensaver to an image from Big Cat Rescue's website. 

Milo just did his Hallowe'en cat stretch. That always makes me smile.   He has no idea that he's a housecat.  Just like Yoda doesn't realize he's the bottom of the food chain.  Attitude may not be everything but it does make a difference in how others perceive, and treat, you.

What good things did you experience today?

Clean Good Things

I hopped out of bed this morning and started cleaning the house. You know the Spring Clean, purge all the stuff you no longer use, kind of day.  I put my favourite new band on youtube.  I sorted out the bathroom, half of the living room and quit to contemplate the DVD and video collections. There has to be a more efficient way to store things.

I had a hilarious conversation on FB about perfume.  Apparently dabbing BBQ sauce behind our ears is the best way to attract a man. And here I thought it was beer.

Starbucks may have been one of the most crowded venues in the city on this holiday Monday but we're talented, and lucky. Seats opened up just as we were ready to sit.  Good.

My friend's little boy did downward dog, upward dog then scooted in opposite directions so that he also did Forward Dog and Backward Dog. That kid amuses "me out of the crap", as he says.

I didn't get much reading done today, and there's some organization that needs to be done but overall I'm pleased with what I accomplished today.  That's a Good Thing.

What was good for you today?

Philosophical Good Things

Snow was light and fluffy, took me five minutes to shovel the walk and driveway. That meant I had lots of time to get to work.  It was such a lovely drive, I meandered along and enjoyed it.  The cold was more extreme than we've had so far this winter. Fortunately, I had a sweater at work to keep me warm.

Last night we discussed oversharing on Facebook.  We're all shaped by our experiences. My privacy settings are friends only. That list is limited to people with whom I actually speak.  It's been helpful at getting the message out fast to a lot of people at  once. There's been a lot of support over there as well as many many many good laughs and connections forged.  My one friend has had nothing but bad vibes from sharing his stuff.  I think the difference is the people who read it. If you're surrounded by judgmental people, you are going to be faulted a lot. On the other hand, having people in your corner who care about you and want the best for you means you're more likely to have a good experience  - not just on FB but in life. 

I overshare. It happens.  I have this theory that if you're embarrassed by your actions, don't do them. Everything is interpreted according to each person's individual experience. We have no control over that.  We only control our own reactions. 

I went to bed with so many deep thoughts last night.  Even our silly conversations gave me plenty to think about. Today felt like one of those morning after an all nighter during college.  My brain is so full.  It's a good full.  I'll be able to use a lot of that to flesh out the creepy painting.

How was your day?

Saturday Good Things

My windshield wiper fell off in my hand. The Good Thing was that I was parked at the store so I was able to afix it properly. It did not snap off while I was driving.

I caught up with a friend yesterday morning on how our weeks had progressed. We were both pleased that a very stressful week for each of us had been approached with a great deal of humour and gratitude.  I credit the One Good Thing experiment for the attitude.  Singing spontaneously helps as well.  Music really can alter a mood.

I had dinner with a good friend at her new place. She invited other friends, one of whom I knew, the other was very familiar to me although we'd never met.  Like attracts like most often in friendships so it's hardly surprising we are all so comfortable together. We laughed, talked, shared insights and youtube videos.  It was a good night and different from my usual Saturday. I liked it.  Never underestimate the healing power of laughter.

Another friend stopped by after dinner. He's in the middle of watching his father die.  My heart breaks for him, yet, somehow we all found the thread that keeps us going. It was a bit of a theme for the night, enjoying the ride.

Humourous Good Things

No one died when a meteor hit the atmosphere in Russia and an asteroid completely missed the earth today. Both very Good Things, wouldn't you agree?  Some of the footage from all those dash cams was amazing. 

Am I the only one who thought the asteroid looked like part of the Vogon constructor fleet?

So last night I locked up the house as usual when I went to bed. Sometime close to 5am,  I heard the creak of the screen door at the front of the house so I got up. As I walked past the phone, it rang. I ignored it and headed downstairs to the back door. Ky went with me.  It was five o'clock in the morning. I was pretty sure it was DNe locked out but still, One Good Thing about reading all those gothic romances when I was younger (and serial killers now that I'm older) is that I shun complete recklessness. Yep, DNe sitting on the back porch. Ky shot off the porch and lunged at the gate.  I noticed a flashlight shining around the yard so I sent DNe down while I went into the house. Both of my parents were up, arguing as to whether someone was outside. Yes, young man forgot his house key. Well, he scared his grandmother so she called the police - the source of the flashlight.  I went back outside to grab Ky who was in full guard dog mode.  I had to vouch for DNe as the policeman questioned the truth.  Every time I said Ky's name in an effort to call him off, the cop said hi. It wasn't until I was back upstairs in bed that I started laughing. I think the police officer thought I was saying Hi, not Ky.  Comedy of errors and really, all's well that ends well so why not laugh?

One Good Thing about being so tired from our midnight adventure is that my guard is down. I was inviting people left, right and center to our read dating event at the library next week.  I'm usually more concerned someone will think I'm flirting when I'm being friendly, or vice versa. Today, I didn't care.  Either way is a win - friendly or flirting, it still makes most people feel good.

I think having a healthy sense of humour is a Good Thing. I'm glad mine appeared. It did wander off for a while after work so I started cleaning  and singing. Who knew music and humour were so closely aligned?

I hope at least one of them was part of your Good Things today. Have you been singing?

Love Good Things

We've been on an emotional roller coaster this week.  Oddly, my mood has been fairly good.  I put that down to a certain fatalistic attitude about life and death combined with this practice of finding at least One Good Thing a day.

I'm blessed with fantastic friends. There's a lot of support around here.

Mom's health caregivers are excellent. One saved Dad the other night.  Everyone saves my mom every day. Including today.

One Good Thing about Valentines' Day was how quiet things were at the hospital. Tests and treatment were administered in record time. My parents actually went out for dinner on the way home. What a contrast to the rush to the hospital earlier in the day.

One Good Thing about getting my hair cut after work was the lack of people milling about. Most of them were at the restaurant next door. I could smell steak sizzling on the grill. Yum.

I sang a song today. Out loud.  Strong. Of good things not bad. Happy not sad.*

Apparently you can buy this candle for the "Instant Iceland" effect.  I doubt it will create the experience I'm looking for but I have to admit I'm hiding my credit card right now.  I'm too curious to know what driftwood bonfire on black sand smells like.

One Good Thing about International Day of Compulsory Chocolate Consumption is listening to all the love stories.

In unrelated news, I wrote a bit of a character bio for the second owner of the creepy painting.  It's the anti-romance.  But I am having fun writing again and that's a Good Thing.

How was your lovely day?

*I couldn't find any good videos of The Carpenters so imagine my offtune enthusiasm instead

Mental health Good Things

One Good Thing about today?  Dad listened to us and went to the doctor.  Lots of tests and appointments were booked as he choked again after I posted last night.  Action has been taken.

Another Good Thing?  Both Dad and my DNe are going to quit smoking. Tonight is their last night with that disgusting habit. They're doing it together and with assistance.

I forgot to sing today. Oh wait, I whistled in the parking lot on my way into work.  whistle while you work

Ky and I played ball out in the yard today. It was good for both of us.  Having a dog, having Ky, is a really Good Thing for my mental health.

Big Bang Theory - always a Good Thing.

Silver Linings

One Good Thing about all the overtime I'm working this week is that it's also an expensive month.  Passport is due, car needs an e-test and plates, I've got a new prescription for glasses and my tooth still needs to be fixed.  I'll be able to take care of everything all at once now. Employment is a Good Thing, extra hours are even better.

One Good Thing about living under the same roof with my parents is that we have separate apartments so that every one gets their privacy. Unfortunately, that meant I didn't hear my dad choking last night.  Good Thing is he managed to catch a breath so all the drama was over when I went down to settle my mom in for the night.  I take last call while my dad takes the morning shift.  It plays to our natural rhythms.

One Good Thing about having a sick dog - again - last night was that I worked the evening shift today. I didn't exactly sleep late but I also didn't have to bounce out of bed and be alert either.

One Good Thing about Ky sleeping on top of me early this morning (he never does that. He usually sleeps in his bed by the door but he was stressed so I pet him til he fell asleep) is the doggie dream we shared. I'm confident it was his dream. I saw everything from his height. A chocolate cake was placed on the table then three people walked away (one looked remarkably like myself)  Face first into the cake til I heard people return.  I woke up and stared at Ky who was still dreaming.  The only way it could have been more his dream than mine is if I was chasing a ball after it bounced off the garage.  That's his favourite game.

I hope your Good Things were a bit more fun than mine.

Monday's Good Things

One Good Things about having drops in my eyes is that I got to spend some time with my DB and his beautiful DD, my lovely niece.  That girl has grown so much in the last few weeks. She says I use the same voice with her as I do the dog/cat/parrot. I told her that's a Good Thing as I adore the dog/cat/parrot/niece. 

One Good Thing about reading in the doctor's office (at the second appointment of the day) is all of the conversations books can spark.  Apparently the book I was reading at my last appointment was part of the doctor's dinner conversation with his daughters at Sunday dinner. He knew what they were talking about because of our last discussion.  I'm reading Terry Fallis' Up and Down which led to reminiscing about watching Neil Armstrong take that giant leap for man.  I remember thinking that if I squinted I'd be able to see him walking around on the moon. Hey, I was six years old.  Cut me some slack.

One Good Thing about singing out loud, in public no less, means other people usually join you. I heard a man whistling a cheerful tune as he crossed the parking lot and it made me smile. Then I sang the words to his tune.

One Good Thing about not finding pantyhose or stockings in my drawer this morning (okay, there are many good things about that as I detest both) is that it was warm enough to wear bare legs with my dress today.  Then the wind picked up as I finished work so I was able to change into jeans.  Still, I felt very girly this morning.

What were some of your Good Things today?

Fun Good Things

One of my friends challenged our group to sing out loud, every day.  It's easy enough to do when watching the Grammys.  fun.

We had fun today taking pictures of snow covered objects. I lost my lens cap somewhere but the rest of it was a Good Thing.

One Good Thing about working at a library that is over 200 years old is that some of our books are originals.  I had the opportunity to look through a book today that was printed in 1838.  It was in surprisingly good shape but I held my breath as we turned the pages. 

A friend brought me a big container of sweet potato soup.  I don't consider soup fun food but having  a friend who likes to cook is definitely a Good Thing.

Did you have fun today?

Cranky good things

One Good Thing about all this snow is the workout I got shoveling the end of the driveway. Not the whole driveway, mind, just the end where the snowplow dumped two feet of hard slush muck.  My car wasn't going to be able to get through that and I wasn't going to make her try. She's a good car.

One Good Thing about being in a bad mood is everyone does what you ask the first time you bark. Plus, a wide berth is steered around you which results in the added bonus of alone time.

One Good Thing about being cranky is that it often takes me some interesting places. I almost always learn one or even two important things about myself as a result.  I was driving to meet a friend for coffee when I realized why I was so freaking annoyed with everything and everyone.  Two days ago my ear seeds fell off.  I didn't replace them because my headache has been down to a two on a scale of one to ten.  What. a. mistake.  Headaches are back to an eight with a spike of nine and a half a few times. My vision is also less than crisp.  But it took me two days of stomping around like a hippo with a spike in its foot to realize why.  I had dinner with my friend who does acupuncture and discussed it with her. She marked my ears so I can reapply the seeds after my doctor's appointment on Monday. It's better to figure out the cause, and neutralize it, than simply treat the symptoms. At the moment, I'm thinking of piercing my ears right on that pressure point so I can tolerate the temple pain.

One Good Thing about having coffee with a woman who looks like Halle Berry is her beauty comes from within. You can't hate her. Believe me, I've tried. Her spirit is incredible and I cherish all of our interactions. I was so irritated by the time we met up but a few good conversations and I felt my attitude shift.  We've always been good for checking each other and sharing our perspectives. 
  
We talked a great deal about self-image. I'm an oddity in that I think I look better naked than clothed.  I may be overweight and gravity might have set in after all these years but everything is where it's supposed to be when I'm unclothed. Fabric is not pushing, squishing, pulling, tucking or rearranging my flesh.  I really like my true self.  That's cool.    She took a photo of me so I could see how beautiful I look.  I didn't see what she did. I focused on other things. I also knew she was going to take it so it's posed even if it's just a matter of me raising my hand and trying not to smirk.

 But we did agree that several years ago she took the best picture of me.  It was candid and it is exactly how I see myself. She says it's how she sees me as well.

I hope your day took you to some good things.

Snowy Good Things

We had a lot of fun carpooling to work and joking about winter in Canada.  Lots of snow and it's still coming down.  People were surprisingly jovial and laid back today.

We closed early so I came home and mocked my friend Lisa for suggesting chapters don't write themselves when snow days are meant to be spent frivolously.  Then I wrote for two hours. This horror story is freaking me out. It flows so easily and with such depravity. I don't even know where some of this ick comes from but hey, record it.  That's the best way to sleep at night.

I caught up with a couple of friends online and through the telephone.  We laughed. That is always good.

I paid bills. It made me cranky but the important thing is they are all paid. Not that that's unusual but money is math and math stresses me out. Being dyslexic with numbers is a pain.

The thing I'm noticing most about this One Good Thing is not that suddenly life is fantastic and all the crap has disappeared.  Focusing on the good gives me the strength to deal with the crap.  My bill-paying crank didn't last near as long as it usually does.  I'm really blessed to be able to take care of all that I do. 

Remembering to breath is good as well. Don't take that for granted. In. Out. Repeat. It's amazing how often we forget to do that when we're stressed.  It took me a minute to catch my breath when I came back inside after shoveling the walkway the first time. I think we've given up until we know the snow has stopped for good. We're Canadian. We're resilient.

How did you spend your Snow Day?  If you didn't get one of those, I hope your day had an unexpected bonus tucked in it somewhere.

More good things

I suspect each of us is more productive in any given day than we think.  I thought I'd goofed off all day because I didn't do much on my list.  When I looked back at what I'd done though, that was a different story.

It was a creative day. Both at home and work which is always fun. Stuff got written, stuff was researched, conversations happened, plans changed and it was good to look at things a different way. 

We're prepped for the storm that we used to regard as normal winter when I was a kid. I can laugh at myself for the whole "walking uphill both ways in snow when I was a kid" mentality.

I've been reconnecting with people all over the place lately. It's nice.  I highly recommend it. 

DNe cleaned up the kitchen after Ky ate the bag of hot dog buns and box of crackers that were sitting on the counter. It's not like we don't feed him. Not coming home to that mess was a Good Thing.

The dogs and I played outside for quite awhile this afternoon. Casey stole the ball from Ky several times. More importantly, he used his weak paw.  He used it in play repeatedly.  I only had to remind him twice to "use his foot".  It's not automatic for him so he forgets but flips it over every time he's told.  Good dog equals One Good Thing.

I'm easily pleased. Honestly.

Wordy Good Things

Another productive day. I got stuff done at work, talked to my banker about investments and did some spraynting business. DNe has been asked to display his art at a bar in upstate New York. I'm so very proud of him.

Tonight I went to the second Wine and Words event hosted by IceHouse Winery.  Situated along the Niagara Parkway, it's a bit off the road and difficult to find in the dark but the staff was friendly.  I'm not a fan of icewine so I can't comment on the wine. But, it was a big hit.  They make slushies out of it and several people used their tickets for seconds on the icewine instead of the tourtiere pairing.

The author was Cathy Marie Buchanan.  She followed up her brilliant debut novel. The Day the Falls Stood Still, with the equally brilliant The Painted Girls.  What I enjoyed most about her talk was the research discussion.  Inspired by the statue Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen, Cathy immersed herself in 1881 Paris, Degas art and the Paris Opera. None of these are subjects that appeal much to me yet I was intrigued by her writing style.  She sucked me in. That's talent.

Several good discussions have taken place today; with old friends and memories of our youth, as well as newer friends and impressions of our present.  None of us are touching the future. It has yet to be written.

I've been thinking about semi-colons vs commas.  Hard to believe I used to score 100% on grammar exams in school.

Of course, the horror novel continues to percolate. I'm not sure what happens to the first character but I write down every thing that comes to me over the course of the day.  I should be using a notebook instead of random slips of paper.

So, what's the word in your life?  Good, I hope.

Three good things

I slept in this morning. That's because freaky dreams woke me up repeatedly through the night. Did you know that dogs pull pickup trucks much more efficiently than horsepower?  Or that the future will be filled with electric cars run by solar panels on the roof? Okay, the latter actually makes sense to me but then I'm not an engineer.  Regardless, I woke up smiling.

Because of all the furniture rearranging lately, they are three mirrors (because they're part of dressers or vanities) in my bedroom.  Okay, I did stick a painting over one but that's because I had no where else to put the painting.  My point is that I cannot help but view myself from many different angles.  I came across a photo of myself from a couple of years ago. At that point in time, I had a pretty good self-image. I thought I looked fantastic, narrow and healthy.  The picture suggested I was delusional.  Lately, I've been feeling very wide and uncomfortable with it. But a quick glance in the mirror today was more flattering than I feel.  The whole experience reminded me of the mirror post I wrote a few years ago.  Focusing on the Good Things in my life has to include my body. It's not supposed to be functioning in any way I can work with.  It's supposed to be a prison inside which I struggle to be heard. Time to cut myself some slack. For the most part, I eat healthy, try to get a decent night's sleep, exercise. Alcohol and drugs are not part of my regimen.  I may be wider than I'd like but I am very fortunate to be mobile.  That is a very good thing.

I spent some time today scheduling posts for the Daily Tree.  I've been truly blessed to have traveled to places that resonate with me. I've got a great family who amuse me more often than annoy.  I share my life with critters who enrich it. 

Random good things

Ginger ale and Pringles potato chips are good for an upset stomach.

An afternoon nap with both the dog and the cat is a Good Thing.

So is the wrap I bought at the Royal Mile a few years ago. It's our clan hunting tartan made with the softest of wool.  Wrapping up in it after the nap was a great comfort.

I finished Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella. It made me think many good thoughts about my older family members.  I think I'll give my great-aunt a call tomorrow. She's ninety-nine  years old and lucid.  She's also one of the nicest people I know, which is really saying something.  I know some incredible people.

DNe grilled up half a cheese sandwich for me. Very sweet.

Hockey game was a Good Thing that ended badly for my team of choice.  Still, it's entertainment. 

I had a nice conversation with a good friend I haven't seen for months. We made plans to howl at the moon when she gets back from her vacation.

The regional hospital system sent me a survey. They will be sorry but I'm thrilled. There are many areas in which they can improve.  It's Good to have my opinion solicited.  

Oh, and another scene presented itself today. This story is deeply disturbing but man, is it ever coming along.  Stephen King better look out. Ha!  I made myself smile.

What good things came your way today?

Smiling good things

Sexy really is an attitude. I was feeling icky this morning, okay, for the last couple of weeks.  I started the whole negative why bother nonsense when out of the blue I thought of an incident a few months ago that involved a very attractive man and myself.  While the flirting didn't go anywhere at the time, the memory made me smile on the drive this morning. I sat up straighter, smiled and immediately felt sexier. 

Over on Reinventing Fabulous,
Jenny Crusie has been talking about feeding her good wolf It's based on the Cherokee tale about two wolves that live inside us, battling for supremacy.  It's a lot similar to my One Good Thing in that focusing on the positive is healthier than feeding the negative.  I don't like to see any animal starve so that's a problem with my bloated bad wolf. Like me he can afford to go on a diet. I suspect that the good wolf bad wolf are really the same wolf. The more praise he gets the happier he'll be and eventually the bad wolf will snarl and raise his hackles when he's particularly hungry. I'll toss him a bone, likely my thigh when it's particularly bothering me and we'll both be content to have those times fewer and farther between. I've noticed that's the case in the past.

I wrote another scene today. It's fantastic, scary and initiated a bizarre research question. If you stab yourself in the ear, will you hit your brain?

Iceland is always a Good Thing.  Even if I never get there, the thought of it makes me smile.  Being obsessed with it paid off today at work. I was able to discuss various aspects of climate and culture with a patron who is thinking of going there. Then we watched Lilo and Stitch in which the dog pound lady says Stitch isn't a very good name - in Iceland and we all laughed harder than most people who watch that movie.

Our not-football party had two little girls in attendance so we watched The Lorax as well as the above-mentioned alien Hawaii Elvis adventure We danced to the end credits.  B did a bit of break dancing while R did the chicken dance and laid four eggs. We had to move the four babies to the couch so that Mom's wheelchair didn't run them over. We laughed and sang and danced then repeated that throughout the night. 

I didn't see deer driving home today but smiled at the memory when I drove past the spot I saw them last week.

I smiled a lot today.

Healthy Good Things

I just cleaned two pints of berries, a bag of grapes, a pint of grape tomatoes, chopped a pineapple, cut a watermelon into chunks and peeled an orange.  My house smells amazing. 

In the morning I'll make up two veggie trays and whip up a dip for the fruit trays.

Lots of snow today has everything looking and smelling fresh. It was a light snow, lots of volume, much like that marshmallow fluff you put on sundaes - without the calories.  Shoveling was easy and actually fun.  Driving in it - not so much.

Just for Theresa - we had more dogs at the other library today. It's called Therapy Tails. Kids read books to the dogs. It relaxes them and makes reading fun. We have a little girl with Down's Syndrome who has really come out of her shell around the dogs.  Her giggle brings tears to my eyes. She's so full of joy. 

For a day that started off on the wrong foot, it turned out so well. How was yours?

Unexpected good things

Alpacas in the yard on route to work

Puppies in the library

Learning about cork, how it's grown and processed, then laughing til I got a stitch when talking about its medicinal properties with the crew at the cafe next door.

Stumbling upon this man's art and life story when checking my email.

Back online

We're back!  There was a communication issue between our server and Ma Bell but four days without Internet was not as big a problem as I thought it would be - but then I'm old enough to remember what life was like before home computers.

Lots of good things.

First of all, someone else has picked up the One Good Thing idea and made it her own.  Good for you, Pirk.

I've woken up ridiculously early the last couple of mornings. That led to several pages of the horror story. I woke up with the last character in play.

It was icy this morning so I gave myself lots of time to get to work. I didn't need it.  Which meant I could use that time to write some more on the horror story. I know what happens to the second last owner of the painting. Ewwww.  And how they change the painting which is even more ewwww.

One Good Thing that doesn't seem all that good on the surface - I've lost my taste for hot chocolate. That means I'll save myself a couple of dollars a week, and who knows how many calories. It could be just that particular  brand so tomorrow I'll try the cafe next door to the second job. The owner is cute, and he always puts a cinnamon stick in my mug.  I've found nibbling on the cinnamon stick helps keep other cravings at bay. It's also good for breath. I try to feed Ky one at least once a week.

I missed sharing my Good Things but I still thought of them every day just in case the Internet came back. And because it really is better when I focus on the positive in my life.

How were things in my absence?

Good friends

There's currently no Internet available at home. Posting from my phone is problematic as it refuses to accept my blogger password.

This has given me plenty of opportunity to think about friends, loyalty, expectations and balance.  All of which you embody so I thank you. 

If you don't hear from me for a few days, trust that I'm sorting through stuff so that I don't let negative cancel the positive. Each stands on its own. That's an important thing to remember.

Once the modem is replaced, we're aiming for tomorrow, I should be back on line and sharing the Good Things again.  Theresa is right about on what we choose to focus being the key.

No Good Things

I was full of good things and great observations throughout the day. Then I came home and discovered that I hurt someone terribly. They did a very nice thing for me a few weeks ago and I never thanked them. At all.  I thought of them, thought of how to thank them, but never did.  And now nothing I say or do will make up for the fact that I didn't take two seconds to even acknowledge the thoughtful thing they did for me.

None of today's good things can balance that out.

One Great Thing

 Mom came home from the hospital today.  Who needs anything else in their list of Good Things?

Burns night good

All day long, thoughts of celebrating Burns Night with friends made me smile. Anticipation is most often a Good Thing.

The dinner, decor and viewing choices for the night reminded me of the Spirit of the Westsong. "There's none so Scot, as the Scots abroad".

We had some laughs, the girls played to the point of exhaustion and thistle tea is delicious. It was past-bedtime by the time we got home.  Good times.

Some funny,and one stunning, good things

A friend listened to me vent about some frustrating stuff I feel I must take care of. My sense of responsibility could use a holiday. Oh well, she made me laugh which was wonderful.

I heard a commercial today about a woman who went window shopping but all she saw was frost. Considering the temperatures these days that was almost as funny as the follow-up about "smacking the flurries out of winter".  Neither statement really had anything to do with the product but hey, I remember them.

I was driving down to Niagara on the Lake to pick up an ingredient for our Burns Supper tomorrow night. My mind was chastising me for going so far out of my way while memories were making connections between the drive, Old Town, Robbie Burns and Grandpa Fenton. Who knew the old Scot hated the sound of bagpipes?   Anyway, just as I started to really enjoy the drive down the country road, I eased my foot off the accelerator. Instinct reacting before my eyes saw it. A deer walked across the road.  Mine was the only car in anywhere in sight so the deer wasn't too concerned. I stopped the car and watched it. Once it was safely off the road and in the trees, a second deer came along. It stopped halfway across and stared right at me. 

Deer are much larger in life than on the page. I forget sometimes.  Their faces are so delicate, with those big brown eyes and soft muzzles.

Then it gave a little rabbit hop up over the ditch before it too melted into the trees.

I didn't find what I was looking for in Niagara but came home with something better. Awe.

Lemony good things

Huh. Fate snickered at my healthy good things post from Monday. I woke up this morning with a fever, chills and a wicked sore throat.  I snickered back. It was my day off. So there. I was able to baby myself through the day with hot tea, lemon, honey, chicken noodle soup and DVDs.  I even knew where my brand new bottle of oil of oregano was and took some. Yuck, but it really does work.

I made a hat. Then I took it apart and started a different pattern.  I read a bit.

I laughed at the cat who was playing with an elastic band. He does not care that he is 17 years old and should not have the energy or flexibility to leap through the air like he did today.

I laughed at the bird who tried to eat my breakfast oatmeal and drink my tea. I shoo'd her off so she went into her cage and gave me sad puppy dog eyes.

When the chills hit at their worst, the dog came over and shared his body heat with me.  He's soft and fluffy and very sweet.

Today could have been so much worse than it was. Sure, it was wildly unproductive and I felt wretched but I wasn't expected to make sense or help people.  Good things are sometimes a reaction to less than pleasant things. Sometimes that makes them sweeter.

Lemonade, anyone?  I do love lemons.