A Sunny Spring Day

Tulips and Forsythia

Hooray, Hooray, the first of May... some of you may know the rest of this ditty but I'm not about to add it here:)

Spring has been a long time coming; well, not the actual season which arrived as scheduled just the warmth associated with it. I was able to wear my cold weather gear, on my early morning walks, well into April without breaking a sweat.

There is nothing like a warm, sunny spring day to reawaken my spirit and make me  feel absolutely alive and ready to tackle outside projects, whether cleaning up the back garden, scrubbing the birdbath, cleaning out the little pond or putting out the patio furniture; not that I am about to do any of that today except the birdbath. I felt sorry for the birds trying to have a bath in soggy leaves.

Let’s hope we have seen the last of the cold days since this has been an unusually cold spring. Now is the time to enjoy the spring blooms; the beautiful tulips and daffodils, the bright forsythia, the new shoots and buds and the birds visiting the yard. Almost time to bring out the patio furniture and garden accessories and visit garden centres to see what I would like to put in this year, whether old stalwarts and/or newbies.

A sunny spring day is like a tonic and today I'm having a double dose.

Will keep you posted.

Compassion

It’s a week since the Boston Marathon bombings. We feel for those killed and injured and we hurt for their families and friends.

There were outpourings of grief, anger and compassion. We all grieved for the sufferers.  Anger, understandable in such circumstances, drove too many to direct their wrath towards perceived enemies before the facts were known.

The compassionate did not stop at grieving. They did not let their feelings of revulsion at the bombings hold them back. They stepped up and helped where there was a need. They were the first-responders and ordinary citizens running to the injured and frightened while others were running from. The compassionate exhibited courage.

The compassionate also wait for facts to become known; they see the perpetrators and not their religion nor their ethnicity.  They show empathy.  The compassionate did not take to news feeds in droves to write the vilest comments about killing and bombing who they perceived to be enemies. I stopped reading comments on various posts as I could no longer stomach the lunacy some of us thought was a good thing to commit to the internet for posterity. 

The compassionate reflect on the history of targeting groups and the bile unleashed that could not be undone. They, although concerned for the suffering of their fellow country persons, remember that daily, in other parts of the world such as Syria, bomb blasts are a way of life and their compassion extends to all.

We would do well to be less angry and to embody the meaning of compassion.

Will keep you posted.

Dressed Alike

"Sisters"

We had stopped at a favourite restaurant, Fisherman’s Pub in Speightstown, Barbados for a bite. About to head to our tables, I heard someone say, “I had to come over and say hi to my sister.”  Looking around, I came face to face with a woman dressed exactly like me, down to the style of our sandals.

We know showing up at the same event and meeting a mirror image is something women dread but who could feel horrible on a beautiful vacation day, in a restaurant on the beach with family and friends, looking forward to enjoying lunch? 

My “sister” and I introduced ourselves and realized we were on vacation from the same country and lived in neighbouring cities. We found the hilarity in our situation and had a good laugh, captured by one of my daughters (I am on the left).

The next night, family and friends met in Oistins for the fish fry, dancing under the stars and karaoke. Who should we run into but my “sister” from the previous day but this night, we were not dressed like twin daughters of a doting mother.

Will keep you posted.

My Very Good Friend Has Died

When you answer the phone and the caller asks if you are sitting down, all you can do is brace yourself for whatever news is coming your way that requires you not to be standing. Absolutely nothing prepared me to hear the news; one of my best friends was dead.

Sunset

My mind started racing and then jumped back to the last conversation we had. All I could think about was this person being as alive as could be just a few days ago when we were talking and laughing about  our childhood and wondering where we could find someone who had the skill to make a traditional dish we loved. My brain could not accept my friend and death together.

The caller was talking but I was not absorbing much. Finally a bit of clarity and I asked how she had died, thinking maybe an accident would explain the suddenness of it all but that was not it. She was found sitting at her kitchen table. I hoped death was quick and painless.

I called my daughters to let them know their "Aunt" had passed. They asked if I wanted one of them to come over. No need; although in shock, I will be fine.

My friend is gone; her funeral will be on Saturday. A new year and suddenly we are reminded that although we wish each other a "Happy New Year", for many, life will run its course from sunrise to sunset.

I will miss her; may she rest in peace.

Will keep you posted.

Mary, Our Centrefold Cat

Here's the lovely Mary, one of Tracey's cats, posing like a centrefold model.

Mary, Our Centrefold Cat

Mary and her sister Rhoda are as different as chalk and cheese. Rhoda is independent and only comes around to be stroked and scratched otherwise, she's off sleeping in a cosy setting, making her own play or just observing the birds and squirrels in the backyard.

Mary, on the other hand, will follow you around. She'll scratch at the bathroom door to get in, stand on the edge of the tub between the shower curtains while you shower and lie on the bed and watch you get dressed.

Like children in a family, cats have their own personality and our Mary is no different. She is like the kid who needs lots of attention. The thing is, that attention is usually on her terms; don't pat her beyond the growled warning otherwise, she'll reward you with a scratch.

Here she is, hanging out in the basement. This photo  made us laugh and she stayed like that for some time watching us laughing at her pose.

Will keep you posted.

Engaging With Each Other

I had a craving for a nice deli meat sandwich for lunch so I went up the street to the supermarket to get the fixings; fresh crusty buns and spicy prosciutto cotto.

I decided to pick up a few more item unrelated to lunch and headed down the cleaning supplies aisle. As I walked by, a woman who was looking at the supplies, turned towards me. She said she did not have her glasses with her and could I help her in choosing cleaning supplies for her bathroom tiles.

Not a problem. She informed me the grout was stained and she needed something to clean it. I explained about cream cleansers as opposed to liquid and showed her the brand I use, with bleach and without, and I also told her she could use an old toothbrush to help in removing stains from the grout clean. To hear me sell this product, you would think I was working for that brand:).

Anyway, she decided to go with my recommendations (with bleach and without) and the icing on the cake,   they were on sale.

Most days, we go about our lives and rarely interact with strangers. We seldom smile at each other, make eye contact or engage each other with small talk. Maybe our reluctance is  based on our fear the other person won't reciprocate. This lady took a chance in asking me a question and I stopped and chatted with her - no earth shattering discussion but we engaged with each other for a few minutes.

We must remember, there are more people out there who are like us and will respond positively that those who will look right through you. So let's share a smile and stop for a few minutes when called upon. Who knows: maybe you too will have an opportunity to discuss cleaning options.

Will keep you posted.

It Never Fails

Every year, without fail, a Christmas item gets left behind.

Let me explain. Over the years, I've learnt not to seal and store the boxes and bags of Christmas decorations  for a few days after banishing Christmas for another year. I do this for one simple reason; as soon as I seal and store the containers, a Christmas decoration appears, like magic.

Pillows & Placemat

It does not matter how much time I spend checking the pictures on the walls to ensure all picks tucked behind their frames have been picked, making sure the front door wreath is accounted for (an easy one to forget unless you leave the house) and moving furniture to look for balls the cats have been batting about; no matter how much checking I do, as soon as I seal the boxes and put everything in storage and continue about my business, I will find an item. It never fails.

Having spent most of the past week working on my business (uploading new product pics and working on a campaign), the boxes were out longer that usual and today, I finally stored Christmas and you guessed it, I found not one but three items. Two throw pillows and a placemat, set aside together so I won't miss them, were missed and they were in plain sight.

Oh well, into a closet they go until we uncrate Christmas in eleven months.

Will keep you posted.