Gorgeous Spring Day

Finally, a gorgeous spring day and appreciated after our long, wild winter. So many people are out and about making the most of the lovely sunshine and mild temperatures but I do believe those enjoying it  most are my cats. I let them in the backyard and they are rolling around on the patio, stretching out in the sunshine and claiming a prime seat to survey their domain. They know how to appreciate a great day.

Nothing is yet sprouting in my garden, usually crocuses would be up by now and tulips and daffodils would be peeking out. Lots of work to be done raking the beds and lawn; so many leaves since raking was cut short when the weather changed so quickly last fall and I don't ever remember seeing so many pine cones. Raking those should be fun. 

Anyway, nicer weather is here and I will be back in the garden soon. In the meantime, I will be like a kitty and enjoy the sunshine, without the rolling around on the patio although that may be therapeutic.

Will keep you posted.

Spring, Where Are You?

Purple Tulips

Spring officially arrived last week according to the calendar. By all other markers, it's no where in sight; well, not 100% true. I can hear birds singing and the few days of sunshine we've had, I could feel the promise of spring in the air. However, I am still wearing winter gear and won't think of taking a chance on heading out in dress shoes because in the space of a few hours, I would be slipping and sliding across icy patches or getting cold slush on my feet.

It has been quite a winter with ice storms which severely damaged trees, lots of snow (I know there is a lawn somewhere under the mounds of ice and snow) and cold temperatures which helped to curtail my early morning walks. I could have braved the temperatures as I am used to walking throughout winter but dared not take a chance on the icy walkways this time around. Bad enough trying to navigate such conditions on two feet so why tempt fate and have to do it with a cast and crutches.

I don't believe a change of seasons was looked forward to so eagerly as this spring; even my cats are ready; they have been braving the cold porch in anticipation. Winter has overstayed its welcome like a bad guest and I am ready to, once again, feel the warm spring sun on my face, see the promising green shoots in the garden, watch the birds at the birdbath, start working the earth again and imagining what my garden will be like this year.

I'll be patient a little while longer as the wait for spring weather will not be as long as the winter we just left. Then again, what choice do I have?

Will keep you posted.

A Sad Anniversary

It's been a year since I got the shocking news my good friend had died suddenly. What a start it was to 2013.

To say I miss her would be an understatement. I think about her all the time and still find myself longing for one of our long phone calls where we would be reminiscing and laughing about childhood antics and stories about life in our old country. I miss our how-are-things-this-is-just-a-quick-call-to-check-on-you which sometimes was really short and other times could be a good old-fashioned gabfest.

Her birthday came and I remembered, just no card this time. Same with Christmas. For whatever reason, I never got around to sending out Christmas cards. The box made it to the dining room table but nothing further happened to it except to be put back from whence it came. I received cards from friends and one was from my friend's daughter who had decided to follow her Mom's tradition and send cards to her Mom's friends.

To make sure family and friends did not think I was letting go of a tradition I love, I called everyone on my Christmas card list, and my friend's daughter as well, to wish them a Merry Christmas.  It was the first Christmas without my friend but her daughter stepped up to keep one of her mother's traditions alive making an old friend very happy.

It was indeed a year of firsts without her but she will always be remembered, even as we move towards the second and subsequent anniversaries. Good friends are remembered fondly. We should live life in such a way that when we are gone, we are missed and remembered fondly.

 Will keep you posted.

Why Bother Stocking Up

Why do I bother stocking up on extra items? Okay, this works for some things I use on a regular basis such as paper products, soap, toothpaste and laundry products but for some items, I can guarantee I will forgot I have extra on hand.

When I go through my kitchen cupboards, I come across items, way at the back, that I had forgotten about and have been buying on a regular basis. This is wasteful and shameful as I am spending money on what I already have and sometimes end up throwing out goods that have passed their expiry date.

The icing on the cake though was finding a container of de-icer crystals in my garage, today, hiding in plain sight, long after after I had used what I thought was the last, during the recent ice storm. As luck would have it, none could be found in stores and I kept telling myself I should have bought extra before winter started.

To think I  have been walking gingerly along my ice-coated walkway and driveway and all this time, there was de-icer in the garage. In 2014, I vow to be better at keeping track of what I already have; it's the sensible thing to do.

Will keep you posted.

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!

Why The Hate for Gay People (Ugandan Law)

It's almost 2014 and here we are looking in on Uganda, where it appears there are no pressing problems so their MPs can spend time passing an anti-gay law to imprison homosexuals.

It boggles the mind that in this day and age, when knowledge is at our fingertips and we can educate ourselves, we have so many people, especially in power, who think it is their bounden duty to antagonize, disrupt and destroy the lives of people who have done nothing wrong but be true to themselves. Why don't they do some research and realize that gay people have been on this earth from the beginning of time and that homosexuality is found throughout nature.

Why can't they realize that gay people are not choosing to be gay just like straight people are not choosing to be straight. I really don't remember any triggers when I was going through puberty that pointed me to being a heterosexual.  I also can't imagine getting up every day wondering about the sex lives and genitals of those close to me furthermore of complete strangers. Why would it matter to me? And why this obsession with punishing them for something they can't help? Why not leave gay people alone and just let your god sort it all out in the end since you believe there will be a reckoning? By the way, these christians believe we are all created by their god so did their god make a mistake with gay people?

These poor excuses for human beings in Uganda and elsewhere should be mindful we are for a short time on this earth and we should just let people live their lives without the intrusion of ignorant people making horrendous laws. As for the so-called Christ followers, especially those from North America exporting their venomous beliefs, who get in their pulpits and pews and thunder that homosexuality is wrong; who died and left you in charge of sexuality? If you answer, Christ did, please remember he never once pronounced on homosexuality or any kind of sex for that matter and if you choose to mention Leviticus, then you must follow those laws in their entirety or you are tagged as the worst kind of hypocrite and your god may find you wanting.

Just leave people alone to live their lives just as you would like to live yours without interference from viper-like people who claim to speak for their god. Get a damn life! This world would be better off all around.

Will keep you posted.

Rules To Live By

Yesterday, I wrote about my daughters giving me advice and how our roles had reversed. That got me thinking about the rules they laid down for me, after they had all left the nest, to ensure my safety and that I won't be found dead in my bed or the bottom of the stairs. Here are a few of the rules:

• If going out in the evening, I have to let them know. Once I forgot to do this and my cell was off. Guess what? I came home to a note on my pillow informing me middle daughter had called youngest daughter (who was still in my neck of the woods) and instructed her to go to the house and see if all was well with me.

• When going down the stairs, I must hold on to the handrail at all times. I must stop running up and down the stairs as I am wont to do (some days it's the only exercise I get::). I must also look out for cats on the top step as this is where they like to hangout and once, middle daughter fell down the stairs after tripping over a cat. Please note I was not the one falling over a cat.

• As I work at my computer a lot, I get random texts from middle daughter telling me to put my shoulders down from around my ears and reminders to do the neck and shoulder exercises as previously instructed.

• Stay in contact with one of them each day. Thankfully I'm one of those older people happy to use technology and social media. These days, I text more than I talk and they can always check to see if I posted on Twitter or Facebook or responded to a one on one message or in our group texts.

Not only have certain rules been implemented on my behalf but just a few months ago, I went on a trip I had previously said I was opting out of because first born daughter could no longer go due to a scheduling conflict. She informed the travel agent to switch the ticket to my name and THEN I was informed.

So far, the rules make sense and the trip was heavenly and if this is how they will look out for me in my later years also known as the second childhood, then I'm in great hands.

Will keep you posted.