memories - old & new

A flurry of thoughts ...

I hope you enjoyed a very Merry CHRISTMAS and made sweet memories.  Already that busyness is past as fast approaches another new year.  Can you believe 2010 is nearly here?  2 0 1 0 !

 
Christmas day was not as sad as I had thought it would be.  I guess I used up my teary time before then.  That, or someone was praying for me.  With only the two of us in this house most of the morning it was so quiet around here with the absence of my sniffling.  Our second daughter, with a friend, arrived around 11:00, and later we all went to my Dad's to meet the rest of the family (including our oldest daughter, son-in-law and grandson) for our celebratory feast and gifts.  Another friend had been invited to join us, so we had twelve at dinner.  Just before mealtime our two youngest daughters called from Alberta, so that made it even better.

I really think my mum would be proud of her family.  By the afternoon of December 30, she will have been gone from us for twelve years.  Twelve years!  How can that be possible? :(

On December 31 I hope to be able to attend our New Year's Eve service at church .. weather permitting.  Tonight there is a snowstorm happening in my part of the world, but the weather report does not say there will be more snow coming on Thursday.

Well, the author I met a month ago is a kind, generous soul.  Yesterday she sent me the link to a publisher I did not know about in BC, so this afternoon I sent off my manuscript once again thinking it would be my last attempt this year.  Then today - bless her! - she sent me information about a new publisher here in NS!  I am considering sending the manuscript of another of my stories to them and see what transpires, although I am not sure it will be mailed this week/year.  It is rather fun to finish off 2009 sending out manuscripts, though.  Something started for the new year.

Oh, I must say that when one reads an author's work it may not always be what one expects.  I have read some of Sheree Fitch's children's books and they are fabulous!  Recently her first adult novel was published and it was promoted as being 'laugh out loud funny'.  I was excited to read it so my husband gave it to me for Christmas.  Okay, to be fair here .. have you read it?  What did you think of it?  Me? wellllll .... no offense to Sheree, but somehow I missed the humour!  It just ... I'm just ... hmmm ... I am sure many people reading Kiss The Joy As It Flies will enjoy it but for me the humour was lost somewhere between its pages and my sense of what is funny.  (Sorry, Sheree!)  But ... I guess that is how my brain works.  Now, that is not to say it was not a well written novel.  Of course it was! she is an amazing writer, and I did read the whole book, even her interview at the end.  It's just that its point was lost on me throughout, BUT .. did I say .. I love Sheree's children's books!  I guess that is where my heart is ... for now.

In closing, I will leave you with some questions that I would love to read your answers for if you would kindly oblige me.  Thinking back over your childhood reading:

1. what was/were your favourite children's book(s), and why? .. and/or ..
   
2. who was/were your favourite author(s), and why?

BE SAFE this Winter!
Thanks for reading, and ... Blessings on your day!  :)

live, laugh, love

Whoever came up with that motto was right on.
Live, laugh, love.
I am finding that the three must go together or something is greatly lacking for me.

For me to really live and enjoy living I have to find humour in situations, at least find the bright side, the spark, the little gem of goodness and hope that may be hidden there.  I have suffered from depression too much of my life and I am determined to not let it get me down anymore.  Life can get far too serious sometimes and if the song is missing, if the laughter fades away, it is time to do something about it.

Earlier tonight (Tuesday, December 15) my husband and I did something different, something we have never done before.  The co-op store where we are members (and he is on the board) had a Moonlight Madness for about five hours. We arrived just after the busiest time, but for two hours he and I were there in costume.  My husband was dressed as a Christmas tree and I was dressed as an elf. :) Quite impressive, I guess.  It was fun for us.  Three times (four for him) we stood outside on the sidewalk in the cold and waved at the people driving by.  (A few cars pulled in.)  It was delightful when some folk waved back at us, and several honked their horns.  I loved it! :)

Of course, our daughters think we are crazy to do such things but .. why not?  My take on it is this: Life is too short!  And it is passing far too quickly!!  I am tired of too often being a spectator.  Life is not intended to be a spectator sport - for those who just watch everything happen in other people's lives.  Of course, one has to be selective and make wise decisions on just how to use their time and talents, but the point is ... DO SOMETHING!  LIVE your life!  Enjoy it and LOVE yourself and the ones in your life.  And be sure to find the LAUGHTER.  Make someone laugh and learn to laugh at yourself.  It will chase away the blues, help you handle stress better thereby improving your health, and change your grey skies to blue.  Yahoooey!  Sounds good to me!

Several years ago I signed my husband and myself up for tidal bore rafting one summer weekend, and that was an exhilarating experience!  Frightening, exciting, thrilling, and I loved it!  Now I can say "I did it!"  I have yet to skydive (tandem skydive, that is) but I plan to - although my husband refuses to go with me. 

Aside from my wonderful role of wife-mother-grandmother, I also want to write for children, run a good business, bless people however the Lord leads me, and mostly be all God wants me to be.

How about you?  What have you determined to do with your time in this life?


Thanks for reading, and ... Blessings on your day!  :)

Christmas, birthdays & writers

Only a few more days and it will be CHRISTMAS!!  Am I ready for that?  NO!  Are you?

I am missing our girls so much. This year my husband and I will be alone with no children at home with us.  Their absence is bothering me already and I'm finding it hard to not be 'blue'. Today I was thinking about four excited little girls who used to run around here - helping, and getting in the way, and giggling, and ... are now all grown up -- far too quickly! The house is so empty ...

My birthday on the 16th was quiet. I was busy answering phone calls and especially happy to hear from each of our girls, and our darling little grandson ... "Happy Burt-day, Gwamma."

A little each day this week I am gradually making our home look Christmas-y, putting up some decorations, changing things around, trying to make it more welcoming for the season. Soon I will be baking Christmas cookies and other goodies ... alone.  *sigh*  I'm needing some Christmas cheer. This empty-nesting is not very acceptable sometimes, in my mind. 

On Saturday my husband and I went to the mall to do a little Christmas shopping, and while there I realized there was an author - Laura Best - doing a book signing in front of the bookstore.  It  had slipped my mind about this event ... but I purchased her book Bitter, Sweet and asked her to sign it.  She was encouraging when I told her that I am not yet published, but still hopeful.  At her urging I may be in touch with her in the near future.

It is interesting how God puts things together, isn't it?  Last week He formulated a plan in my mind, and through it I am hoping to help another lady with her writing dream.  I talked with her last Thursday about it, and if it comes together as I foresee then it will be marvellous!  And exciting!


To continue with my story ...
After our time at the mall we continued on to another community and another mall which has a 'playhouse' for kids .. and a laser tag room.  It was a 'party' for our nephew's 13th birthday, and ten of us combined our 'skills' to play this crazy game.  It was our second time to do this, but of the ten of us five had never played it before.  It was hilarious! After 25 minutes of running around in the semi-darkness trying to 'hit' each other and not be 'hit' most of us were pretty tired.  :)  Pizza and cake .. and we were on our way home.

Do you have experience with laser tag, and if so .. any strategies you care to share with this novice?

We are enjoying fairly warm weather here at present. Today there was a skiff of snow that lightly covered the ground, but that will disappear soon. Temperatures are expected to warm up more this week before it turns to seasonable winter weather.  Do you like the colder weather?

Is anyone having trouble with mice this Fall?  Makes me wonder what's up with that?
Is there any old wives' tale or a Farmer's Almanac prediction concerning survival habits of mice?

I guess that is all for this time.  If you have any comments or answers to my questions, please post them.  I would very much appreciate hearing from you.

Thanks for reading, and ... Blessings on your day. :)

rainbow promise

This morning I saw a rainbow.  It was a misty morning, and on the way to church I looked toward the gray backdrop of clouded sky and there it was.  Just one pale section of it, but a rainbow nonetheless.  As we drove along I kept checking, and as we got closer to it the  rainbow became more visible as the clouds in the distance got very dark with rain ... and then suddenly, there it was! The whole thing set against the clouds.  A beautiful rainbow.  A perfect arch.  God's promise.

'Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, ... "As for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you, ...  Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth. ... I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth."'  - excerpts from Genesis 9:8-13 in the Bible

Thank You, God, for Your promises.

website update

Just a brief FYI:

On my website ( http://www.novascotiaflavour.com ) I have added more to the Crocheted Items category. Also, I have listed a few beautiful pillows in the Ring Bearer Pillows category - with more to come.  In case you are interested or curious to look, those items cross categorize with Jewellery and Sewing.

I am gradually getting things on there.  Tomorrow I hope to add more products and then I may have to pause for a few days as I must get into Valley Sunshine newsletter publishing. It is time for the Winter issue already!  If you have any questions regarding that, please send me an email and I will be pleased to inform you.


Thanks for reading, and ... Blessings on your day!  :)

refreshing, relaxing, relationship

Everyone needs refreshing.  I do.  You do.  We all do.

Last weekend my husband and I went away for the weekend, something we cannot remember doing - just the two of us, since ... well, we can't remember!  It was the most quiet and relaxing and private weekend we have ever spent.  Ever.

We rented a fully equipped cottage about three hours away from our home, and set out Friday afternoon, returning home Sunday afternoon.  Why did we do this?  A friend told me about it and insisted we go there, so as it was our anniversary on October 30 - our 33rd! - this seemed the time to do it.  Besides, we needed the time away.

What a pleasant vacation, although short.  Saturday morning we walked along the windy beach collecting seashells and discovering fascinating swirls in the sand.  In the afternoon we did some sight-seeing and shopping in lovely little shops in nearby communities - even did some Christmas shopping!  That evening we enjoyed a special, private dinner in a quaint little dining room of a privately owned cottage inn a few miles away from where we were staying.  Only by reservation can anyone dine there and the meals are uniquely created and served with elegance.  It was Hallowe'en and very amusing how the owners presented themselves to the trick or treaters - and special guests - coming to the door.  One of the ladies and the two men were in costume, one man being used to playing Santa Claus at Christmas.  It was so funny to hear the Grim Reaper forgetting who he was and saying 'ho ho ho' each time children came to the door.  :)

That weekend my husband and I found it was wonderful being alone with uninterrupted time to relax and talk or just be still, enjoying the quiet with no dog barking, no phone ringing, no meetings or errands to handle. It was quality time well-spent and much needed to unwind from daily stresses and pressures.  Would we do it again?  Yes! 

Home again and back to our 'normal' life ... but it does not feel as demanding now.  Perhaps we have learned a little about appreciation of life and each other.  Long overdue.  It is interesting and even surprising how we get to this place of not knowing how to relax, how to communicate well, how to even truly enjoy what is around us .. because of always being busy and distracted.  I think we will make more effort to stay 'connected' in our relationship now as we approach our retirement years.

Today I will load more items onto my website and tonight I will go to my sister's for our housegroup gathering.  But, you know what? -- the Lord is good and greatly to be praised no matter what is going on in one's life.  We must never lose that connection, our most important relationship.

So, where do you go to unwind?  What do you do to stay connected?

Thanks for reading, and  ... Blessings on your day.  :)

security

Just a quick note: 
Today increased security has been set up on my website so that anyone wishing to place orders online can feel safe about it.  Security is an important issue, and Starfield makes it their business to provide that security.

There may possibly be small glitches to work out yet on my website, but if they do exist those will be discovered and handled as we go along.  That is the normal for when starting out.  There are around 100 products loaded onto the site so far, and that number plus many more have yet to be listed. 

I hope you take a few minutes and check it out.  (Address in the right column.)

Thinking of security .. some of my family were experiencing stressful situations this month and for one member in particular security was found almost immediately in and through prayer.  It is always encouraging and reinforcing to be reminded that God hears and acts on behalf of those who love Him.  PTL!

Thanks for reading, and ... Blessings on your day.  :)