Volunteering

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

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - Busy is a Good Thing

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

Alive and Still Kicking...

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

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - A Good Week Well Spent

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

Not Exactly the Results the Woman Wanted

[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

Higher Education - All its Rights, Privileges and Obligations

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!

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

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - It Could Have Been Worse

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

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - The First Week of Spring

It was another beautiful, unseasonably warm and mainly sunny week.  It's been two weeks now that we have had the furnace off but the weather is predicted to return to the normal temperatures this coming week so we will likely have to put it back on.  Daffodils, Narcissus and crocuses were in full bloom to greet the first day of spring.  Buds are on the trees, the grass already needs to be cut and and our peach trees are just starting to bloom.  I spent the week volunteering, enjoying the weather, identifying plants in our new gardens, doing a bit of pantry restocking and doing a bit of gardening planning.  In general it was a very laid back, quiet spring week.  What a delightful way to start spring off!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Despite Good Intentions

For the past couple of months or more I have been involved in getting a much needed community project up and running.  It was my idea and with some rather impressive support, I have been rather busy.  Today we held an informational session that was beyond a dismal failure.  It really was beyond a slap in the face and while I am a bit discouraged, I have every confidence my idea will fly.  What I don't understand is folks giving the mouth support but nothing more.  Furthermore, I can't understand why a government agency would give mouth support without following through.  What I do understand is myself.  I did not earn four post secondary degrees while raising our kids while helping in our family business to simply walk away when the going gets tough.  Like it or not, with or without the mouthpieces support THIS PROJECT WILL GO AHEAD.  It WILL be a successful project and one that will serve our community well.  Our intentions have been good and yet despite the good intentions, apathy prevailed.  What today showed is we really need to light a fire under the apathy displayed by this community and trust me, I'm just the person to do so! What the he---, if you can't help yourself as a community then exactly who should be helping you?  It's time to take a stand, help yourselves!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - Unbelievable Weather!

Last Sunday I blogged about the temperature reaching 61ºF so I turned the furnace off.  I expected the unseasonably warm weather to last a day or two.  Little did I know it would last all week!  We had temperatures into the low 70º F during the day and low 50º F at night.  My gosh, these temperatures are unheard of for this time of year in southwestern Ontario.  Unbelievable!  Folks are walking around in shorts, sandals, and short sleeve tops.  Kids have been walking by in bare feet.  I think this is pushing it a bit given the amount of illness going around.  The warm spell is predicted to last all this week as well.  I am elated to be able to turn the furnace off this early in the year.  What absolutely gorgeous weather!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Meet Baily

Baily

March 14, 2012

Isn't she just adorable?  Baily is a 6 week old mixed breed puppy one of our kids adopted.  This little cutey loves to snuggle up close to the crook of the neck and she loves being held.  Baily is quite small even though one of her parents was quite big so she is either the runt of the litter or inherited the smaller size genes.  At any rate, we don't think she is going to get very big.  She went for her first vet check-up and shot yesterday.  The vet said she was too small for the shot but he gave her de-worming pills along with a clean bill of health.  Baily came to visit us for the evening while our kid met another obligation and didn't want to leave her by herself.  Snuggles from grand-puppies...priceless!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - Spring Has Sprung

We have had a very unseasonably mild winter with very little in the way of snowfall or even cold snaps.  Unfortunately that has resulted in more sickness from germs not killed off by the cold snaps but as a family we have managed to stay fairly healthy this past winter.  Wiraton Willie predicted an early spring and sure enough we are right at the six week mark for his prediction.  Yesterday it started warming up and I even spotted the first robin of the season. Today we reached a high of 61ºF so I had the furnace off and windows open.  We grilled steaks on the charcoal side of our outdoor grill.  The air smelled heavenly all day, fresh and clean during the day with the amazing aroma of steaks on the grill for dinner.  It is supposed to nice the rest of the week.  What a great weather for the kids to have for March Break!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Are Your Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?

I'm a go getter who has no problem taking action where needed.  It's in my make-up, that bit of stubbornness mixed with attitude fueled by a heart that really does want to make a difference in this world.  My pet peeve has always been childhood hunger or hunger of any kind.  Years ago when our kids were young, I can't tell you how many kids I fed.  They were always at our house and at least two of them there because they would not have got fed at home.  It made no never mind to me.  I will not see anyone go hungry if I can help it.  Food insecurity is one of Canada's growing concerns.  It is surprising how many Canadian children go hungry on a daily basis.  As a Canadian this really bothers me.  I can't sit by twiddling my thumb, doing nothing.

Little did I know what I was doing by feeding those kids, something that just came naturally, was part of the solution.  I never thought of it that way.  Fast forward to 2012 and I have an amazing community project underway.  If all goes according to plan, it will be part of the solution to feeding the hungry in our community.   I'm excited and yet scared.  I'm not scared of failing but more of letting down those who are looking for help so come hell or high water this project is going to fly!  I am determined to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.  Failure is not an option!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

February is Jinxed!

Last year I injured my leg when a truck door slammed into my shin resulting in a huge heamatoma that saw me on crutches for two and a half weeks.  The healing process has been slow and now I still have a bit of a lump with discolouration around the injury.  Last weekend I mentioned to my husband that it had been a year.  Well, don't you know I jinxed it!  Last Tuesday night I took a nasty fall down the stairs.  We have a bi-level home so thankfully it was only down the last two steps of the first level. 

What happened was I was moving rather gingerly due to a stain while playing volleyball the previous Friday night.  I had just had a nice soak in an epsoms salt bath then before settling on the couch to rest had to get something from the lower level.  I had my hard soled slippers on hoping they would help relieve my back.  My slipper caught on the stair tread, sending me crashing down onto the landing while giving my ankle one heck of a twist.  It took me a good 10 minutes to get my bearings!  I literally crawled back upstairs, grabbed an ice pack then sunk into the couch.  The swelling was bad!  When my husband got home he wanted me to go to ER but I could move my toes so reasoned it couldn't be broke.  I have emergency first aid training certification so knew the signs to look for.  Early in the morning hours I got up to go to the washroom and while in the process of leaving the washroom fainted.  My husband insisted I had to have it checked.  A family member came over the next morning.  She insisted on having it checked also. 

Sitting in the ER was beyond excruciating!  My back hurt bad enough I could barely walk as it was.  My ankles hurt something fierce to the point I was gritting my teeth but still refusing to take the pain killers the triage nurse offered.  The good news is despite the looks, nothing is broken but it is a very, nasty stage 3 sprain.  The prognosis is a full recovery in 6 to 8 weeks providing I follow RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) for the first week as well as using crutches to get around for one to two weeks and support shoes when I start putting pressure back on my ankle.

In comparison to last February's injury, I am a bit more mobile with this injury and in a lot less pain after only a couple of days.  I'm using one of the custom made drink trays on wheels to get things around on the upper level.  I manage to get up and down the stairs, not often but I can do it.  So, mobility while hindered is not at a full stop.  I'm telling you though, February is a jinxed month for me.  Next February, I'm going to wrap myself in bubble wrap!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Bok Tower Gardens in Wales Lake, Florida

Bok Tower Gardens Entrance

December 16, 2011

We enjoy doing a bit of sightseeing each time we stay at our vacation home in Florida.  During our stay last December we visited Bok Tower Gardens located at 1151 Tower Boulevard Lake Wales, Florida. This beautiful 250-acre botanical garden and bird sanctuary is a must to see when traveling in the Central Florida area.  The crowning feature of the gardens is the 205 foot neo-Gothic and art deco Singing Tower carillon, a national historical landmark designed by famed architect Milton B. Medary and ornately crafted by noted stone sculptor Lee Lawrie.  The singing tower is located on Iron Mountain which is about 295 feet above sea level making it one of the highest peninsular points in Florida.  Construction of the tower began in 1927, taking almost two years for completion.  The carillon house 60 bells that perform daily at 1 PM and 3 PM.

It was a beautiful warm day, perfect for enjoying the many beautiful plants and lush growth in the gardens.  We visited the Exhibit Hall and Museum as well as the mansion built by C. Austin Buck , vice president of Bethlehem Steel Company in Pennsylvania.  The 22 room mansion sits on an 8-acre parcel of land known as the Pinewood Estates within the gardens.  It was built between 1930 and 1932 as a winter home for the Buck family.  The Bok Tower Garden Friends had decorated the mansion for the holiday season.  It was spectacular to say the least!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Wordless Wednesday - Florida's Natural World Headquarters Sign

Land of Oranges

December 16, 2011

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Sightseeing in Florida

Marshland Near Our Vacation Home

December 13, 2011

Florida really is a pretty state!  There is an amazing abundance of waterfowl to enjoy that attracted by the many ponds, marshlands and larger bodies of water.  We had to go to the post office shortly after arriving at our vacation home.  When we finished, instead of taking the city streets back home, we found a little, meandering road that followed the water's edge from where we connected about a block from the post office to where we connected back up with the main highway.  It was a gorgeous, scenic and relaxing drive!  There were pockets of marshland between the water's edge and the larger body of water so we had ample opportunity to take a few pictures of waterfowl.  On the other side of the road where heritage homes although they may not have had the actual designation.  They were quaint, unpretentious and full of character!

Getting off the beaten track has always been important to us.  It is the only way to see some of the more interesting sights regardless of where you are visiting.   It is also a wonder break from the hustle and bustle of urban areas but even in urban areas a bit of exploring can easily yield a plethora of amazing sightseeing opportunities.  It is surprising what gorgeous little pockets of wonder are tucked into urban areas!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Gators at our Vacation Home

Small Gator Sunning Himself

December 9, 2011

Our vacation home is located in a beautiful park-like setting, gated resort with two award winning golf courses.  There are many natural and man made bodies of water that attract a wide variety of waterfowl and wildlife.  One of the most commonly seen is the alligator.  In most cases the gators will not bother humans unless they are provoked.  It is possible to get fairly close to them especially on the golf courses but it is very important to remember these are wild animals that will not hesitate to attack if they feel threatened or are provoked.  Problems do arise if someone has been feeding a gator then the park has to remove it for the safety of the community.  Homeowners and most of their guests know not to feed the gators but some like us rent our vacation home out when we aren't using it so occasionally a renter will feed a gator.  There are signs posted to not feed the gators and we included the same instructions in the informational binder we leave out for our renters.

I personally have a healthy respect for gators much the same as I do for other wildlife.  I love taking pictures of the gators from the safety of our golf cart or car.  I don't go close to the edge of the water either.  Quite often a gator is resting just below the surface of the water with only his eyes showing.  When I go for my daily walks I stay in areas that don't come close to the water either.  Other than that I enjoy the gators and always look forward to a photo opportunity with them as the subject.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - A Valentine!

Last week we celebrated Valentine's Day.  Well, my husband and I don't actually celebrate it but others do.  I spent a quiet evening doing a bit of catch-up, exhausted from painting while he enjoyed going to see the Detroit Redwings win the 21^st straight game at home!  I was volunteering at the breakfast club earlier that day.  One of the children gave each of us a hand drawn Valentine thanking us for giving her breakfast.  I thought it was such a sweet gesture! It sure put me in a grand mood for the rest of the day :)

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Buck it Up Buttercup

I am now on to almost finished painting the third room in our house in the last two weeks.  I'm tired of the perpetual, never ending headache of smelling paint.  It is low odour but it still smells.  I'm not sleeping more than a hour at a time and up early every morning this month to volunteer for the school breakfast program.  I am very frustrated with the lack of food at one of the schools so sweet talked my husband into donating food on behalf of the business.  Trust me hungry children cannot learn!  It doesn't help my mood that one of the other volunteers has an attitude from he-double hockey sticks with me as the target.  I bite my tongue a lot while at that school but she will not break me!  I'm there for the kids not her.  I'm just saying...

We hosted for our regular games night (about 15) then the following day for Superbowl (about 30) and were on the go every single day last week.  I've dealt with the internet going out, and pest control.  My sense of humour at catching 3 mice in less than two weeks along with killing off carpenter ants is not very good so we called in the pros.  That meant I was multi-tasking between Bell and the pest control guy just after our friend who is doing the custom woodworking left.  Oh and then my doctor's office called to say I failed one test so need to undergo further tests...like I really needed that!  AND my husband signed me up for volleyball Friday nights.  Apparently my head is a walking target for the volleyball as well with one resulting trip to ER but that is because it came so close after the slip and fall at the airport so I lost vision in my right eye for a short period.  It also doesn't help that my impacted wisdom tooth is showing signs of infection or that I am the head of a very large and what promises to be a huge community project. 

Two things happened to bring everything back into perspective.  First, someone at volleyball said "Buck it Up Buttercup".  That has become my new mantra because the reality is no matter how bad I feel or how tired I am, someone has it worse.  The second thing that happened was a little girl that comes to the one school's breakfast program (I'm at two schools) came up to me and thanked me for feeding her.  I held back the tears until I got in the car to drive home realizing I had made a difference for one child for one day and you know that is all that really matters!  So, BUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP!  Life is grand especially when you have the opportunity to help others ...

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

RIP Whitney Houston

This past Saturday (February 11, 2012) we lost another musical great.  We were saddened to hear of the passing of Whitney Houston at the age of 48.  While the cause of death will not be announced for a few weeks, already there is speculation.  I have one comment regarding the speculation.  Knock it off!  The only thing this does is hurt those she left behind.  It's just nasty and unless you have walked a mile in her shoes, you have no right to comment or judge.  'Nuff said. 

Whitney was a great performer who gave us a lot of pleasure through her music and left a legacy for future generations.  She will be sorely missed by her family, friends and fans.  RIP Whitney and thanks for what you gave us.  It is much appreciated! 

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - Out of the Mouths of Babes

Our Grandkids are absolutely precious!  Oldest and youngest Grandkids stopped by for brunch with their parents today.  Oldest Grandbaby who is now in Junior Kindergarten rides a bus to school so I asked her if she rode the short or long school bus.   She said she rode the short bus but when more people get on the bus the bus gets longer.  Well her reasoning is perfectly logical but it still was rather humorous.  Not to be outdone, youngest Grandbaby who will be three this year went into the guest bedroom that is currently in the process of being painted.  I asked him what he was doing and when he said "Fixing the switch Grandma" my feet hit the hall.  Here he was with the switch plate and screw driver trying to replace the cover on the telephone jack.  Thank goodness it wasn't on the electrical outlets that have the plates off.  I had the door shut so didn't figure he would go in there.  I was wrong :(  Now the funny thing was he was very concerned that the toys were gone.  I keep the toys for the Grandkids in the guest bedroom but moved them out for painting.  He went running to Papa asking for help to find the toys, his little arms stretched out with an "Oh no Papa, toys gone!".  Papa found the Lego bin so they were both content after brunch.  What a wonderful way to spend a bit of time on a winter Sunday!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

The Twenty-Two Buick Skylark

The Twenty-Two Buick Skylark

December 7, 2011

My Mother-in-Law's birthday was on the twenty second so one of my husband's lucky numbers is 22.  He always plays 22 straight up when playing roulette.  Surprisingly he often wins as well.  I spotted this old Buick Skylark that had been nicely restored.  The combination of green with the number 22 was an omen for the good fortune we would enjoy during our winter vacation!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Wordless Wednesday - Vacation Home Oasis

Vacation Home Oasis

December 7, 2011 

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Atrium at Orlando International Airport

The Atrium

December 6, 2011

I love atriums, glass houses, greenhouses and window walls.  They add natural light, warmth and a structural beauty that is hard to describe other than a geometric element to the space.  Atriums have been extremely popular building additions since Victorian times.  We are planning on adding a glass sunroom onto the east side of our house just off the kitchen this year.  It would be a cheery spot to great the day with a morning cup of coffee.  Quite frankly I really don't understand why these glass spaces are not used more in modern homes.  Yes, there is the energy efficiency to be concerned with but I will tell you there is absolutely no way you would feel depressed and mood swings would be alleviated simply by spending an hour in a glass space each day during the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere.  It is a heck of a lot cheaper remedy then anti-depressants and you can take advantage of the solar gain during the winter months!  Besides the glass spaces are simply delightful

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Arrival at Orlando, Florida for Our Winter Vacation

Tram View Heading from Gate to Main Terminal

(Orlando International Airport)

December 6, 2011

We arrived at Orlando International Airport for the second leg of our winter vacation a bit ahead of schedule as they put us onto an earlier flight.  It is a good thing we arrived at the airport in Milwaukee earlier.  We would have had time for a leisurely breakfast had our flight not been changed.  As it was we ended up with just enough time to grab a coffee and board the plane.  The flight was pleasant with a smooth take-off and landing.  We arrived in Orlando about 4:30 PM then once at the gate took the tram to the main terminal where we headed to the car rental area to pick-up our rental car.  We have got it to the point that we can fly between home and our vacation home with no checked baggage as well as print our tickets ahead of time so we only have to head to security when boarding then straight to the rental car area after landing.  This saves a considerable amount of time.  It was a beautiful late afternoon, perfect for picture taking.  The sky was a gorgeous azure with fluffy white clouds marking the promise of a wonderful and pleasantly warm winter vacation to unfold.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - A Splash of Colour

As an avid DIYer and crafter, I like to watch the DIY shows for home decorating and gardening ideas.  Several years ago, one of the hosts on a DIY show made the comment that every home needs a red room.  Now my husband is a huge Detroit Redwings fan so the sports room has a lot of red in it but the walls aren't red.  Red made it's way into the kitchen via dinnerware and lids to the glass food storage containers I use.  When we first viewed this house, I planned on doing the kitchen black and white with splashes of red if we were the successful purchasers.  Well, we were successful but after moving in it was fairly obvious my colour scheme would not work yet at the same time the taupe walls weren't working in the kitchen.  I devised a plan to paint every room in the house as my winter project.

I was on the Behr website using their decorating tool starting with the green I wanted for our bedroom.  All the colours in the house would in effect co-ordinate back to that green.  At the same time the colour scheme of taupe, green and burgundy was the same as our vacation home making it so that any items taken from here would automatically match there and visa versa.  I had a nice co-ordinating burgundy picked out for our home office and a taupe for the kitchen.  My husband said the burgundy would look great in the kitchen so I thought what the heck, headed over to Home Hardware.  They have the codes to make most of the Behr colours except they didn't have the code for that burgundy.  I came back home to get the next closest burgundy colour number then when back to Home Hardware but on the way there did a quick turn-around.  I was onto plan B.  I grabbed one of the dinner plates then went back to Home Hardware where they custom matched the paint to the plates.  

The kitchen is now a deep, rich splash of almost a ruby red.  It is absolutely gorgeous!  The red makes the marble tile floor pop and serves as a wonderful backdrop for the black appliances while bringing out the warm tones in the oak cabinets.  I can't help but smile every time I go into the kitchen.  Red is a very difficult paint to work with and this one has been about a difficult as they come taking more coats than expected but the end result has been well worth it.  I'm so glad I listened to my husband and used the red in the kitchen!  What a wonderful splash of colour, one that will continue to bring a smile not only to me but to everyone who sees it...

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

An Arial View En Route

An Arial View En Route

December 6, 2011

My camera is pretty much attached at the hip so imagine my disappointment when I can't use the digital camera in the first 20 minutes or last 10 minutes of a flight.  I'd love to get some great arial views from the plane window.  It is a safety issue so I comply but others do not.

Anyway, it is hard getting a decent photo from inside the plane.  The cabin lights and natural lighting present a few problems as does dirty windows.  I do the best I can.  We had a lot of cloud coverage between Milwaukee and Orlando so managed to get only a few arial shots.  This one looked rather good although I am not quite certain where it was but the view caught my attention.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - Helping Hands

We are very fortunate to always have a number of helping hands for moving, painting and home renovations.  I have set a goal of painting every room in our new home this winter.  It is a big undertaking but honestly is not as much work as it could be even though it is a big house.  The is no wallpaper to have to strip other than a border in the lower level bathroom.  The walls are in good condition so there is only the normal wall repair to do. 

I started the upper level bathroom last week.  Our youngest kid's partner offered to help with the prep and painting.  We finished the painting yesterday then my husband helped with putting the prisms back on the lights and replacing the exhaust fan hood.  The room still needs a final clean-up and we are waiting on a friend to bring the custom made trim he's making for the tub wall.  My husband and I spent the rest of yesterday and this morning emptying more boxes from our move and organizing.  Another pair of hands always makes the work go faster.  This coming week we are painting the kitchen and hopefully the guest room.  It would not be possible to get this amount of work done without helping hands!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Over the Wing

Over the Wing

December 6, 2011

My husband and I left here on December 4, flying out of Detroit into Milwaukee for the first leg of our winter vacation.  It really wasn't all that cold when we left but I will tell you Wisconsin was cold.  We spent a couple of days there then flew out from Milwaukee to Orlando, Florida.

It was a good thing we arrived at the airport early as the flight we were supposed to be on was cancelled and they bumped us up to an earlier flight.  We had time to grab a quick coffee then board the plane.  The flight was uneventful so I amused myself looking out the window and playing with the television.  We few Delta so they had individual televisions for ever seat but we only had one set of headphones with us.  My husband was interested in the golf and I was so, so about HLN so decided to snap pictures out the window instead.

Flying above the clouds is always quite nice.  I so love their fluffy, comforting look!  At the same time they hide what is below and since the cloud coverage was rather heavy most of the trip, I didn't get a lot of good shots out of the window.  It was a very nice flight though with a smooth landing.  And so our winter vacation in the sunny south began...
 
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Busy Days

My gosh, 2012 has started off quite chaotic so I haven't been blogging as much.  I hope to get back to my normal daily schedule within the next day or two.  I have so much to blog about starting with our winter vacation (Dec 4 - 22), a minor mishap at the airport coming home, our wonderful Christmas, volunteering for the local school's breakfast program and starting my major indoor winter project of painting every room in the house.  So there is a lot going on right now but in a good way.  Tomorrow I will post the first in a series of posts about our winter vacation to bring you up to date.  In meantime I hope you have a very enjoyable, blessing filled day :)

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - The Grands

Have you ever wondered why the word grand is used to describe Grandparents or Grandchildren?  Well the bottom line is these relatives are grand in every sense of the word!  The relationships themselves is almost magical, one feeding off of the other.  After all you can't become and Grandparent without a Grandchild and yet you can be a Grandchild without ever knowing your Grandparents.  The beauty of being a Grandparent with an intimate relationship with your Grandchild/Grandchildren is absolutely priceless! 

Parents to oldest and youngest Grandchildren along with the little angels visited us today for brunch.  They were down to visit the newest member of the family born on Saturday weighing in at 8 lb 6 oz.  Our Grandchildren were beyond excited at the prospect of meeting their new little cousin!  Papa made everyone grilled ham and cheese sandwiches for brunch while Grandma pulled out a can of home canned peaches to top the vanilla icecream.  Oldest Grandchild spotted popcorn kernels in the pantry so Grandma got out the popcorn popper while the treasured magic popcorn bowl was carefully carried to the kitchen.  Both Grandchildren pulled a chair to the counter to watch the popcorn pop.   It's quite neat to watch.  It is an electric version of the WhirlyPopper, ultra quiet, no spout and just gorgeous popped corn filling the bowl.  With the popcorn filling the magic popcorn bowl, they contented snuggled up with Grandma and Papa on the couch.  We chit chatted with the parents (aka our amazing kids) while the little ones munched on their treat and all was well.  What a wonderful way to spend a bit of time on a Sunday!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Wordless Wednesday - Signs

Signs

December 6, 2011

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - The First Week of 2012

A week ago today we greeted a brand new year, full of hopes and promises.  Goodness time does fly!  It has been a rather busy but uneventful week.  The weather has been unseasonably mild so my husband worked on organizing the garage, freeing up a bit of room for getting the car in and out.  A few things were taken to Goodwill reducing a bit more of our clutter.  I did a massive organizing session in my new pantry.  While we were on our winter vacation a mouse managed to find it's way into the house.  Nothing was touched in the pantry which is surprising as some foods were not protected due to the move.  Now they are all protected!  We set traps, put out bait under the decks and plugged in the electronic rodent devices.  So far there have been no further signs of our critter visitor.  My husband changed out the hall light fixture and we talked about a few plans for the house to be done in 2012.  My husband finally came into the 21st century by opening a Facebook account for the business.  Now I just have to get him into Twitter.  We held our first larger event of the year last night.  It was a huge success with all having a good time.  And so went the first week of 2012...

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Wordless Wednesday - Little Walking Men

Little Walking Men

(Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee, WI)

December 4, 2011

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Welcome 2012!

Today we greet a brand new year with welcomed arms with our traditional surf & turf dinner of steak and lobster.  The old year (2011) was full of turmoil sprinkled with many good times but for the most part a year of change.  We were very blessed to be able to travel to Las Vegas and Wisconsin as well as spend three extended periods of time at our vacation home in Florida.  We enjoyed many great times with family and friends over the year.  Our kids and Grandkids are happy, healthy and continue to shower us with many blessings.  After a two and half year period I finally got rid of my online stalker.  After waiting patiently for 18 months we finally sold our house (wonderful news) at a loss (bad news) but at least we were able to move into the house we really wanted on September 1.  The new house is absolutely wonderful and while there are a few things we have had to deal with, I'm sure we will establish many happy memories here.  We are looking forward to decorating as well as establishing new garden beds.  It is destined to be a party house but in a good way.  On the downside, I was injured in mid-February taking more than three weeks to become fully mobile again.  My husband was hospitalized with an unknown virus then diagnosed as being pre-diabetic.  In December I had a slip and fall at the airport so am still sporting the tell tale signs of that injury.  Our health problems in 2011 have been a blessing in disguise as we work towards a healthier 2012.   While 2011 was a year well lived, 2012 is bound to be better!

Happy New Year!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

A House Full

Today most of our kids and grandkids were home for Christmas.  It was a house full to say the least but oh my gosh a house full in the very best of ways.  Our kids are amazing and I really do mean that in every sense of the word but our grandkids take it to a new level.  I love feeling the baby hugs around my neck and taking a chip dive for Grandma when Papa teases them.  It was a wonderful day all around spent with amazing kids and the most adorable grandkids ever!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Treading on the Thin Ice of Political Correctness

My husband and I just returned home from a wonderful two and a half week vacation stay at our vacation home in the sunny south.  Well actually the first two days were spent visiting family in Wisconsin then we flew from there to Florida.   During our stay my frequent comment was Happy Holidays while my husband's was Merry Christmas.  I gritted my teeth but said nothing.  Surely the diabolical looks to give a hint that he was not being politically correct should have been enough AND those looks were not coming from me!  He'd say a cheery Merry Christmas and some looked at him disdainfully as if he had just picked his nose while scratching his butt. 

We were shopping yesterday after a rather eventful flight the night before.  We stayed over night specifically to do a bit of shopping.  Here we are two and a half weeks later and my husband asked me why I said Happy Holidays rather than Merry Christmas.  Talk about a woosh!  So I explained to him that saying Merry Christmas was no longer politically correct as it could damage someone's physic or something.  Then I told him that not everyone believes in the Christmas spirit or spreading good cheer or simply extending good will to their fellow mankind and Christmas AND they don't want to be reminded of that by someone saying Merry Christmas.  His response was BAH HUMBUG!

Bah humbug indeed!  We as a society take offense to wishing someone a Merry Christmas.  We take offense at using the word gay in a Christmas carol - true story as a teacher changed the word because the students laughed when the word was sung.  We can no longer enjoy children's Christmas concerts in the schools or allow our kids to enjoy anything Christmas in the schools become some kids do not celebrate Christmas.  I don't even decorate my blogs for Christmas any more lease someone takes offense.  Bah humbug!

AND for those not offended

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Wordless Wednesday - On Maneuvers

On Maneuvers

(Tampa Bay, Flordia)

September 27, 2011

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Old Fashioned Work Ethic

The old fashioned work ethic is putting in your everything, going the extra mile, giving anything you do 110%. Folks cared about the job they did because it was a reflection on them as a person and their personal values.  Sadly this philosophy is going by the wayside in our modern society.  Folks tend to work simply for the paycheque not caring whether they do a half-ass job or not.  They simply don't care how it reflects on them and quite frankly in some respects it is almost a competition to see who can do the worse job.  It's rush through the job putting in the bare minimum of effort then act insulted if asked to do a little extra.

It is so refreshing to encounter someone with an old fashioned work ethic.  Our vacation home is in sunny Florida.  We rent it out if possible when we aren't there.  Since we don't live there on a permanent basis we are have no choice but to hire out yard care.  The lawns are taken care of by the park but gardens surrounding the house are our responsibility.  During our visit in September we hired a gentleman to do the gardens.  He arrived at quarter to eight in the morning but assured us he didn't start charging until 8 AM.  He worked very hard working through until 1 PM.  He repeated this for several days.  When he was finished he had a full accounting of his hours and even docked any breaks he had taken.  It was amazing.  After all this work his total came to $120 and he felt bad that it was that high.  My husband gave him $200 because quite frankly the work he did was well worth the higher price.  He was very excited with the tip as he could take his wife out for dinner for their anniversary.  Sadly this wonderful gentleman who was in his 70's could not continue looking after our gardens on a monthly basis.

We made friends with the bartender at the club house.  He lives two doors down from us and recently won the Yard of the Month.  I put out a request for garden help in the community forums and he was highly recommended.  We had a few others saying they would be interested but we decided to ask our neighbour first.  My husband talked to him about looking after our gardens and he agreed.  He too has the old fashioned work ethic.  He is very meticulous, tending the gardens with as much care as we would if we were here doing it ourselves.  He is also very careful about being accountable for every expenditure.  Talk about finding a gem with a true, old fashioned work ethic!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - Lazy Days

My husband and I have been enjoying some well deserved time off.  It has been a very hectic year!  Quite frankly we have been through a lot, not as much as some but definitely more than others.  Lazy days help heal the spirit, rest the body and revitalize the mind.  Everyone needs a few lazy days just to refresh themselves.  We are very blessed to be able to take a bit of time off to rejuvenate ourselves during the hectic holiday season!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Boating on Tampa Bay in Florida

Rental Boat Wake

September 27, 2011 

We have a boat so do a lot of boating on the Great Lakes waterway including Lake Huron, St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair and support tributaries.  When we bought our vacation home in sunny Florida in March of 2010 talk quickly turned to boating there even though we did not see our new acquisition until May of the same year.  Trips there during 2010 were a combination of work and getting to know the area.  We bought the house specifically to rent out when we aren't there so there was a fair amount to do.  The spring trip in 2011 was fraught with complications from my husband being sick before, during and after the trip.  Our fall trip is a combination personal vacation with part of the time a golf trip where a few of my husband's friends come down to do more golfing in a day, every day than any wife could ever understand.  While they were down in September we rented a boat to spend a day exploring the Tampa Bay area by boat.

It was a wonderful way to do a bit of sightseeing.  We putzed around then stopped at Cha Cha Coconuts at the St. Petersburg Pier to wait out a couple of nasty storms going through.  We took a lot of great pictures of waterfowl and dolphins off the pier.  The dolphins followed the boat to which was rather neat even though we did't get clear pictures of them closer to the boat.  The manatee were in the area but we didn't get a good picture of them either.  All in all it was a great day, well worth repeating during a future trip to our vacation home.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

A Bit of Sightseeing

My husband and I decided to do a bit of sightseeing to enjoy the delightful, cheery sights of Christmas.  It was daylight but we still enjoyed it.  Years ago we bundled up our first born, then only a couple of months old, and went Christmas sightseeing.  That was the start of many years of taking one or more Christmas sightseeing trips.  We usually do one during the day where we will stop at a Christmas open house or take part in a Christmas home tour then another to take pictures of all the fabulous light displays.  We did a historical home tour today.  It was amazing so I will talk more about that later complete with pictures.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Dance Like No One is Watching

New Dancing Shoes

December 13, 2011

I like to dance not that I'm any good at it and have two left feet without being blessed with rhythm. Obviously my Mom wasted money on those ineffective tap dance lessons I took briefly as a child!  Still I like to dance. Dancing is a great way to get a bit of exercise, loosen up stiff muscles and ease back pain.  I even have a decorative wall art quote on the header of the staircase that says "Dance Like No One is Watching".  We went out a couple of nights ago, just the perfect excuse to buy a new pair of shoes.  Being a shoeaholic, you would think I would know better than to go dancing in a brand new pair of shoes.  I seldom wear high heeled shoes, preferring a lower profile shoe.  This pair is low wedge heel, rounded toe softies by Faded Glory.  They fit nicely and felt comfortable immediately so I wasn't too concerned.  At the end of a wonderful night, I only had one tiny rub spot on the back of my right heel where the top of the shoe hits.  Not bad for an evening of fun spent in cute new shoes :)

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Wordless Wednesday - Beached!

Beached!

September 27, 2011

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Basil

Ok, so you have heard of chili heads but I am a true basil head.  I love basil and good gosh one variety of basil is not good enough for me.  I grow the common sweet basil as well as five to six other varieties both indoors and outdoors.  Basil seriously rules as an herb!  When we bought our vacation home in Florida, the first plant I bought was basil.  I knew there was no way I could keep it alive when we weren't there but I knew we would enjoy fresh basil while we were there.  Then we got to know our neighbours.  Our basil plant goes to their house to be looked after while we are gone.  The plant comes back to stay with us when we are here.  They are great friends and basil brought us together.  Basil rules...

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - Dodging the Bullet

Last week I was sick, not deathly sick but definitely sick and not the best when trying to do a couple of road trips.  The thing is it wasn't a definite cold and I still think it was more allergies but at any rate, high doses of Vitamin C with extra rest helped a lot.  This week my husband was fine one minute, went out for the morning and came home sick.  His was more of an obvious cold but still not a cold given the presentation.  It was fast onset, no temperature but major chest congestion.  We went to the pharmacy where I stocked up on three cold & flu remedies including my husband's old stand by, Nyquil.  I made a nice hot cup of tea for him, tucked him in on the couch and started a batch of homemade beef noodle soup for the next day.  It will be a couple of days of him taking it easy.  All in all, while we aren't out of the water yet, both of us are on the mend and that is a blessing :)

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Aquariums

Aquarium at Cabela's

December 5, 2011

Over the years we have had a series of fish aquariums ranging from small fish bowls to huge 5' x 2' x 2.5' aquarium to hold some of the pond fish over the winter.  We have not had aquariums at our last two houses but I am seriously considering setting up one in our new house.  I love aquariums!  There is just something calming and mesmerizing watching fish gracefully flit around the water.  Aquariums bring life to a room!  The aquariums at Cabela's are huge, not as big as some of the humongous tanks at some of the casinos in Las Vegas but these are still huge tanks.  I could stand there gazing at the fish all day!  Yes, an aquarium is definitely in the plans for our new house.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Cabela's

The Moose at Cabela's

December 5, 2011

Some stores are considerably more interesting to shop in than others.  I love Cabela's!  This is a huge store that specializes in equipment and gear needed for the outdoor's man or woman.  It is divided into sections like boating, fishing, camping and hunting.  Accenting the sections are areas of stuffed wild game set in very realistic settings, large aquariums with a wide variety of game fish, and other areas of interest just perfect for picture taking.  I am particularly fond of going through the cooking section that has a vast array of smokers, dryers and fryers; rows and rows of rubs, seasonings and sauces; cast iron pots and pans and so much more. I just love browsing there!  I have a list of must haves including a dehydrator now that I no longer have the JennAir and I really, really need a smoker.  I will be spending a few dollars and then some at Cabela's, that's for sure!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Wordless Wednesday - Christmas Sparkles

Christmas Sparkles

November 26, 2011

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Christmas Shopping

We did a little Christmas shopping yesterday.  My husband and I have two very different Christmas shopping styles.  I like to spread the shopping out over the year, effectively avoiding the Christmas shopping hubba-ballo.  He loves to do the main shopping somewhere between December 23^rd and 24^th, right in the midst of the Christmas chaos.  The stores were not as busy as I thought they would be.  We managed to find a couple of great deals.  I was surprised to see gift bags, wrapping paper and bows already at 50% off!  We stopped for lunch at a great little pub and grill where we enjoyed garlic butter jumbo chicken wings.  They were quite tasty.  Then we finished up the shopping and headed back to get dinner on.  The house sure smelled delicious with the pot roast cooking for the rest of the afternoon.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - Movember

November is dedicated to bringing awareness to prostrate cancer.  One fund raiser is affectionately known as Movember, were men of all ages can participate in a charity event by growing a mustache.  I'm proud to say  few of the men in our family participated in this worthy cause.  It was quite interesting to see the results.  Kudos to all of them!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Wordless Wednesday - Doodles

Doodles

November 26, 2011

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Rain, rain go away,

Come again another day...

We have experienced torrential downpours with high winds causing driving rain since the wee hours of this morning.  Normally this wouldn't bother me much but it is a new house and this was the first really nasty storm.  I decided to take advantage of the high winds to do a bit of sealing, not that the house needs much.  There is an unattached pipe of some sort in my office closet so I decided to seal it up with aluminum foil tape only to discover that the driving rain was getting in.  So I sealed it good as a temporary measure, popped a couple of the copious cables coming through the walls into the holes and sealed with caulk.  The ominous, eerie whistling coming though the office window immediately stopped.  It appears the semi-opened pipe (we had stuffed a towel up it) was creating enough suction to draw air the window somehow or perhaps through the soffit and attic.  At any rate the noise is gone even though the winds have remained quite strong.  Then I noticed a distinct wind coming down the range hood.  We have to replace the range hood anyway so I did a quick and very temporary fix just to stop the wind from coming in. 

I've been listening to the sump pump being triggered every five to ten minutes.  It's not a loud sound just a different and in some ways a comforting sound.  Unlike some I do like these kind of days for air infiltration detection and troubleshooting.  It's the type of day great for catching up on laundry, doing a bit of baking, and doing a bit of housework.  I was supposed to go for wings with the group tonight but didn't feel like going out in the horrid weather.    I hate getting soaked through then having to stay damp for any period of time.  I did too much of that through my academic career so tend to avoid rainy days when possible.  All in all it was a wonderful day spent being a homebody, loving my new house and just enjoying the day.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

The Faith of a Child

[From my email files, a bit of inspiration to brighten your day!]

-----
A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even.. The total had to be exactly perfect.. No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention, but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!

'And what do you want?' the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice.. I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages,' he said without waiting for a reply to his question.

'Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,' Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. 'He's really, really sick....and I want to buy a miracle.'

'I beg your pardon?' said the pharmacist.

'His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?'

'We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you,' the pharmacist said, softening a little.

'Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs.'

The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, 'What kind of a miracle does your brother need?'

'I don't know,' Tess replied with her eyes welling up. I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money..'

'How much do you have?' asked the man from Chicago .

'One dollar and eleven cents,' Tess answered barely audible.

'And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.'

'Well, what a coincidence,' smiled the man. 'A dollar and eleven cents---the exact price of a miracle for little brothers..'

He took her money in one hand and with he other hand he grasped her mitten and said 'Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the miracle you need.'

That well-dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed free of charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well.

Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.

'That surgery,' her Mom whispered. 'was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?'

Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost....one dollar and eleven cents...plus the faith of a little child.

-----

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Blog Your Blessing Sunday - My Mom

This is the time of year, nearing Christmas day that I get very sentimental.  My Mom passed on to a better place on Christmas Day 1989.  She was 59 when I came to live with her.  She was not my biological mom but she was my Mom in every sense.  My Mom was awesome with her amazing stories and sense of humour.  She gave and demanded respect but it was always earned.  She taught me the value of education and oh my good gosh I would never have dreamt of going home with less than an A on my report card!  That just simply would not have been tolerated.

My Mom lived a very hard life.  As a child of farmers she had daily chores and she quit school before she finished grade 3.  She helped her parents on the farm and worked as a cleaning lady occasionally in town.  When she married the love of her life they settled down into a small house on the water in town, the very same one I grew up in.  Sadly she never had any children of her own but she had an abundance of love for children so worked as an emergency intake worker for the local Children's Aid Society.  Some of this was to get over the pain of losing her husband when I was an infant but I really think she would have done it anyway.  They had adopted two children before he died and she tried to adopt me but my natural grandparents put a stop to that idea.  She likely babysat every kid in our small town at one time or the other.  Everyone knew her!

Christmas was a festive time for us.  She would get that bowl of oranges and the special nut bowl out.  Aunt C and her family lived in New Brunswick so she would wait by the phone for a call Christmas day.  Uncle L and his family usually just called as well but I can remember a couple of times when they visited over Christmas.  Over the Christmas holidays she would put on her finest apron to help out at the legion.

I am so very blessed to have had a Mom like her.  I so wish my kids could have got to know what a wonderful person she was but sadly Alzheimer's robbed us of that.  I also wish the two she adopted had appreciated her as a mother.  It was so sad seeing her wait for even a tidbit of affection from either of them.  I just miss her so much!  I am the person I am today because of her.  Today I'm sending hugs and kisses to heaven to someone I love so much...

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

A Bad Year

Every once in a while there is a bad year where nothing goes right. That year was 1989 for us. I returned to university as a mature student, while raising young children and a rather long daily commute. On December 15 of that year my husband who was a classed engineer and his crew hit and killed a guy. It was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. On December 18 that year his mother passed away. It had been a long struggle but finally she was at peace. I think she held on just long enough not to pass away on one of our kid's birthdays. On Christmas day, my Mom passed away to a well deserved journey into peace. Later that week my sister-in-law's husband's grandfather died which wouldn't have hit home except I've known the family my entire life, went to school with his grandkids and his wife was my Mom's egg lady. Every week like clockwork she delivered three dozen eggs. It was a bad year!

The pool had been pissy, and we dealt with an algae bloom from out of this world. We were trying to adjust to life with Mommy as a student and I was just trying to adjust period. I was constantly tired while trying to cope living on four hours of sleep a night. Looking back I don't know how I did it but somehow I did get through that first year of university. I was understandably numb after spending the end of the year in funeral homes. Our kids were blissfully too young to remember much especially being in the funeral homes. My husband knew it was not his fault over the death of that guy who selfishly took his life at the expense of the railway crew but he never did return to the rail full time and a few years later he permanently retired from the rail. It's a pity because he loved his job there.

It was a bad year, 1989. It started bad then steadily got worse ending with an explosion of deaths. And yet in the end, we are stronger as a couple because of it. We are stronger as a family because of it. Even a bad year has a silver lining although it is sometimes hard to see at the time.

Garden Gnome
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