I'm so glad you could stop by. This is my personal blog of daily life and my journey through life. You will find a strong emphasis on family and friends as well as finding my ancestors through genealogy. Unlike my other blogs this blog is more of a catch-all so any topic is fair game.
Our last home was in a rural location so it was difficult for me to do much in the way of volunteering especially if I had to drive to where I was needed. Driving can be quite difficult for me at times so I really only drive if I have to. When we moved into our new urban location, I decided it would be good to get involved in the community. So I started volunteering and since the first of the year have been a volunteer with the school breakfast program on a regular basis (3 days a week) as well as volunteering in the evenings occasionally for various events. A couple of months ago I joined our local Neighbourhood Watch committee as a volunteer. I figure I'm home a good portion of the day so I can help where the help is needed. Then I spearheaded a new community project that is just getting going. It was my idea and I am very blessed to have a wealth of community support.
Volunteering is so much more than simply helping out. It is an opportunity to develop life-long friendships with like minded folk. You don't get paid and sometimes you don't even get thanked but trust me it is always very much appreciated. Thanks comes in the form of smiles, shared laughter and friendly chit chat. Volunteering is a way to show the younger generation that giving back to the community makes the community stronger. It is a wonderful way to get out there and meet others, rather than sitting home alone. Volunteering really does put a whole new perspective on life. I really look forward to spending that bit of time with the kids in the morning.
If you are lonely, bored or just have a bit of time on your hands, please consider donating a bit of time via volunteering...
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
Things have been very busy here to the point of being hectic but that is a good thing. We've had various service and contract people in. I've been volunteering, running errands, organizing the house and home canning. Being busy means the house is getting in order and things are getting done. The pantry sheves are getting restocked. The reality is, I am happiest when I'm busy. I can always find something to do and that really is a good thing :)
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
No, I have not dropped off the face of the earth but I have been extremely busy. The first of the year I decided I wanted to paint all the rooms in the house before spring. Well, I'm pleased to say I made a very good start but did not make that goal. We have had a lot of activity going on in the house with various service and contract people in. The problem is, each tends to take up a good day or more of time leaving me a lot less online time. So far the custom woodworker has finished the bathroom but the doors to the cabinet weren't quite right so he is redoing them. In the meantime, he built in the bulkhead in the kitchen in a gorgeous oak to match our kitchen cabinets but the colour is off just slightly and we like the new colour so the cabinets have to be refinished. See how it goes, one project leads into another one! Then they installed our new garage door opener as the old one just quit and installed the central vacuum unit to replace the broken new vacuum just out of warranty. His work tied up a good three days and he is far from finished. Onward to our window treatment saga. We ordered panel sliders for the patio doors and California shutters for the large front window. They came out last Saturday for the install. The panels were the wrong material and the shutters ended up only partially installed. They are up but will fall if you try to open fully because there is nothing securing the shutters other than the hinges. At a cost of almost $2,500, going through a business with a top notch reputation and tying up a Saturday afternoon, I was beyond being disappointed. The good news is the new panels are scheduled to be installed this afternoon aka more time tied up. The plumber was in to fix the upper level shower which ended up spanning three days then he was back to install a water powered sump pump backup system which took up another day. We live in what the insurance company deems a flood prone area so our insurance went up $300 by moving here. This backup system will give us a discount on our insurance policy. The alarm company was in to determine the security system install for this coming week.
Aside of the various service and contract people filling in my days, I have been volunteering at the breakfast club three mornings a week then running my errands in the morning and getting things done around the house in the afternoons. Early this week one of the volunteers at the breakfast club had a stroke so I was there every day this week. I don't mind and really enjoy being around the kids. I did a bit of volunteering a couple of evenings and play volleyball once a week. Actually, I don't play volleyball well at all but my doctor said moving is good for pain control so I go there to fill a spot but at least I'm out and moving a little. I'm also walking daily, something that isn't going to hurt me and it's good for the heart. Oh, and I'm spearheading a new and very exciting community project. It is a lot of work but I think it will be great for the community once up and running properly.
So, I'm alive and still kicking, just busy getting our new home settled and looking forward to the nicer weather...
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
It was a good week well spent. There was nothing spectacular although I did win $50. The weather turned cooler so the furnace is back on, I canned three kinds of stock and we hosted our monthly get together. I finally broke down and cut the grass for the first time this year. I did a bit of volunteer work and we enjoyed several home cooked meals. All in it it was a week well spent enjoying life as it happened.
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
[From my Facebook wall]
A 50- something year old white woman arrived at her seat on a crowded flight and immediately didn't want the seat. The seat was next to a black man. Disgusted, the woman immediately summoned the flight attendant and demanded a new seat. The woman said "I cannot sit here next to this black man." The fight attendant said "Let me see if I can find another seat." After checking, the flight attendant returned and stated "Ma'am, there are no more seats in economy, but I will check with the captain and see if there is something in first class." About 10 minutes went by and the flight attendant returned and stated "The captain has confirmed that there are no more seats in economy, but there is one in first class. It is our company policy to never move a person from economy to first class, but being that it would be some sort of scandal to force a person to sit next to an UNPLEASANT person, the captain agreed to make the switch to first class." Before the woman could say anything, the attendant gestured to the black man and said, "Therefore sir, if you would so kindly retrieve your personal items, we would like to move you to the comfort of first class as the captain doesn't want you to sit next to an unpleasant person." Passengers in the seats nearby began to applause while some gave a standing ovation.
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
A couple of weeks ago, I got my hard earned pieces of paper that say I am an educated person out and hung on the walls of my new office. While they had been hung proudly in three of our homes, I never did get them out for our last home. Now they are home!
I earned all of my post secondary, higher education as a mom, while commuting from our small community to avoid disrupting our kids. My schedule was arranged so that I was home in time for a home cooked meal with all of us sitting down as a family. I learned that I could easily survive on 4 hours of sleep a night, and that despite all the odds including writing the final exams for one of my degrees with full fledged pneumonia, I was a survivor. Over the course of four years, I earned an undergraduate degree, a diploma in Honours Standing and a graduate degree from The University of Western Ontario then went on to earn another degree from the University of Windsor. Quite frankly, I have a string of initials after my name that is rather mind boggling. Three of my credentials were earned in the hard core sciences and one using that scientific training.
My diplomas from Western reads "with all its rights, privileges and obligations". An education comes with certain privileges. It gets doors opened that would be closed if you did not have the education. It comes with rights to alumni status, continued support, and access to university resources. More importantly and education comes with obligations. Knowledge is of little use if you do not share it. As a university graduate you do have an obligation to share your knowledge ever opportunity you get. Now, my diploma from Windsor reads "with all its rights, privileges and honour". Honour is great but you ultimately get that by earning any type of degree to begin with. The focus should be on the obligations you have to your generation and future generations once you have that education. If you have been fortunate enough to get any type of an education, never, ever forget your obligations to share that knowledge!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
My gosh! I knew my blogging was suffering between volunteering, getting an amazing community project off the ground, decorating and home upgrades; I just didn't realize how badly. Long time readers of this blog are used to getting daily posts, so I really do apologize. Sometimes, life just throws enough curve balls that it is hard to get back into the rhythm of things. I will try to pick up the posting frequency so please bare with me.
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
I can't believe it is April already! Last week was one of those weeks that wasn't really great but it could have been a lot worse. I saw my doctor who ordered x-rays. The results weren't what I expected but I can work with it and now that I know the cause of the problems it will be easier to deal with in the long run. It really is a blessing to know what you are up against whether you like the results or not.
I volunteered at the breakfast club three days last week. The weather had turned cold to the point of putting the furnace back on. Those are the days more kids use the breakfast club so it was a bit busier. I woke in the early morning hours of Friday to being decided sick but went into the breakfast club anyway. By lunchtime I felt horrid and even worse on Saturday. Today it's up in the air as to whether the symptoms are improving or just moving deeper into my lungs. The nice thing is, it is a dull, grey and somewhat cool day so I'm not tempted to go outdoors meaning my body is getting some of the rest it needs to recoup.
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
