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 - 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

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