Quote of the Day

Sometimes I feel that life is passing me by, not slowly either, but with ropes of steam and spark-spattered wheels and a hoarse roar of power or terror. It's passing, yet I'm the one who's doing all the moving.


~Martin Amis, Money

I Am Grateful

This has been quite the day. Still living as a 'shut in', I spent a good part of the day reading my wonderful book "5 GIFTS for an Abundant Life", slept a bunch, visited several blogs to read the Wordzzle posts on each. Wow, there are some really great and talented writers out there, playing along with this meme.

This evening, I was feeling somewhat better, less pain than I've had in awhile, and I just couldn't stand it any more, so I did some housework. I moved a few things around in the living room, swept the floors, watered some of my plants, things like that. It wasn't a whole lot, but it sure looks a whole lot better. I wanted to do more, but decided it was best to quit and not to over do things just yet. Now I am thinking I might have over done it before I thought I better not over do it... oh well.

Mom phoned this evening as she has been doing since I came down with whatever this pain is all about. She's like that, when she knows I'm not well, she calls most evenings to see how I am. How's that for a great mom?

I have decided that I really don't want to miss Sunday morning at the Centre, so even though mornings are a lot worse for me than evenings are, I will do my very best to get up, shower, dress, etc and drive myself to town. I am not the type of woman to just let a little thing like mega pain stop me from what I want to do in life.

Oh ya, Dan was supposed to come by today and finish the kitchen flooring, but was a no show. He dropped me an MSN message later that he'd gone to Kamloops with a friend of his instead. It funny (odd) how when he was away for a couple weeks he kept contacting me by MSN or even long distance phone call, and told me several times how much he missed me... now he's back home, I haven't seen him and have barely heard from him for well over a week. Well, if he wants to leave my life, fine.... just get his ass over here and finish putting down my new flooring first! Sigh. He's been a good part of my life for around 7 years now, though we've always been just friends with a little extra, and always said 'no commitments'. This has worked well for us. I always give him his space and eventually he works through whatever it is and then comes around a bunch again, as I'm sure he will do again now.

I am grateful for feeling better today
I am grateful for the time to read my books
I am grateful for the warmth and comfort of my home
I am grateful for the company of my wonderful 'family' (see them in the side bar)
I am grateful for my mother, and for her phone calls (even the ones that irritate me)
I am grateful for having rearanged and cleaned a bit in my home today.
I am grateful for the part the OK-CSL (The Centre) plays in my life
I am grateful for the work I do at the Centre
I am grateful for people I know
I am grateful for the food I eat each day
I am grateful that I can easily write more, way more, than the 5 things I'm grateful for that we are asked to write in the "5 GIFTS"
I am grateful for my determined attitude, and for my attitude of gratitude.
I am grateful to be back writing again. I've only dabbled a bit in the past, and now commit to regular writing (every day)

NOTE!!!

Did you come to read the Wordzzle Challenge I wrote? Then you've come to the right place. Just scroll down a very short ways and you will see it's very easy to find.

I Am Grateful

Today the pain in my body was not as bad as it has been this past week, so that is a blessing. I finally heard back about the blood tests that were done on Wednesday. My Dr. wants me to have another blood test done, a fasting blood test, as my blood sugar levels were apparently very high, though I wasn't told where they are. So on Monday I have to go to the Drs. office to pick up the the lab requisition for the new tests, go up to the lab and have more blood taken (AHHHHHH!!! I hope I get the same lady I got on Wednesday, she was so good I almost didn't feel the needle go in.) I also have to make an appointment to see the Dr. again. He won't prescribe any meds to help with this pain until he gets those new blood test results back, so I have been suffering since Sunday night and still have to do this until Monday or later. Some fun. Mom phoned to see if I'd heard back from the Dr. yet and I told her what I just told you. She said she wasn't surprised as I do have a sweet tooth, and diabetes runs in our family. Her mother got it as an adult, my dad did too, and my one niece did as a child. I told her not to jump to any conclusions. Not knowing I'd be sent for blood tests that day, I ate a banana on the way to my appointment, so that could be why I had high blood sugar show on the tests, so we don't need to do any jumping to conclusions until we have results back from the new tests.

If you scroll down, you will see I wrote some stories for Wordzzle today. It feels great to have done this as I haven't done any writing in quite some time and it feels good to be doing it again, to be stretching my creative muscles again. Well okay, I do write speeches for Toastmasters, but that is somehow different. Also, if you have read the last few days, you will know that Rev. Dale has suggested I write a book of poetry, illustrated with my photography. Though I have written the odd poem here and there over the years, I haven't written many since "the poetry flow of '97" when I had to carry a note pad with me every where I went to write down all the poems that kept flowing out of me. I even had times when I was asked "Can you write a poem about _________?" Having agreed to see what I could do, the friend would assume it would take a week or so, and 5 minutes later... "here's that poem you asked for." It just flowed like a major river. Dale assured me that if I committed to writing one poem every day, then I could/would do it. That was Wednesday night... Thursday and Friday each got a poem. I will continue to write a poem every day for the next 3 months or more... maybe even 2 poems some days, time will tell. I've always shared my poetry on my blog, but since I may eventually make them into a book to sell, I am now going to keep most of them to myself, though there may be times when I feel moved to share one. Manic Monday would be an example. I also have committed to minimum 30 minutes of prayer & meditation as well as journal writing for minimum 10 minutes, every day. I am actually doing it!!! and it feels good, feels right.

I am grateful for the poems that flow from the Universal Mind, through me to the page.
I am grateful for the stories that were written through me for the Wordzzle challenge this evening.
I am grateful to be writing again, in any and all styles and copasities.
I am grateful, as I look around me in this moment, to see my parrot (DW) on my left, Mewsic (cat) on my right, Reba (dog) just past my footstool, and Tomas (budgie) beside Reba.
I am grateful to have apple treats for my chinchillas tonight (Daisy, Sheri, Charlie, Smudge) and lettuce for Grace Hawk (rabbit) as well as their food.
I am grateful DW went into her cage and is looking like she'll go to sleep now (so I don't have to put her in there)
I am grateful my friend Dave came to visit me today. It's been awhile since he was able to drop by as he had a hip replacement in late '08.
I am grateful for my 2 digital cameras
I am grateful for all the beauty in my world that I can enjoy looking at, and taking photos of.
I am grateful I just noticed an "A" for Melli's photo challenge... be patient, you'll find out in a day or two. (I wonder what other letters I have in my home.)

Weather

To see larger view of these snips from the website, just click on them.

To convert any temperature here to Fahrenheit

(0°C = 32°F) (1 inch = 25.4 millimeter)

Temperatures for Friday, January 30

I was confined to the house again today, but did look out the window several times. There was some sunshine, though not a lot. A fairly bright day over all. Lots of clouds around.


I'm trying out a new weather format, a new weather web site. I have used this site off and on but thought I'd do something different and use them exclusively now, at least for a while.
http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca

Quote of the Day

"We don't see things as they are.
We see things as we are."


- Anais Nin -


There was a time when I just would not have 'gotten it'. Wouldn't have had a clue as to what Anais Nin was talking about here. This is not that time. I have grown and learned so much in the past couple years... and now I get it. Not only do I get it, but I totally agree with it.

Wordzzle Challenge

I have noticed this challenge on a few blogs and have been wanting to play along. Finally, I am going to do so this week. After all, it's part of my promise to myself to start writing again, to break my 'writer's block'. So, today I emailed Quilly to ask "When does Raven post the words/phrases for us to use? Quilly wrote back that they were posted last week at the bottom of Raven's Wordzzle post to give everyone time to work with them. Yikes!! A week behind? Oh well, I do my best work under pressure, haha. The word/phrase prompts to write to for the main challenge as well as the mini challenge are posted there... and the other challenge prompts we get, when she posts her challenge this weekend. I think that's today my time, tomorrow her time. If you would like to check out more about this challenge and possibly join in, and of course see the posts of other bloggers, just click on the badge above.

My Main Wordzzle Challenge:

I was recently invited out to a very important social event. If I went, it meant a large donation to my Spiritual Centre, and of course this is always something that is required to pay the expenses of running such a non-profit organization. Do you own a home? If you do, or even if you rent, you know what it is like to pay hydro, phone and all other such expenses every month, and organizations like the Centre have many expenses a home does not have. Of course I could only say "Yes" as I told myself "Buck up!! By doing this, you can change the world. What the Centre teaches is life changing, therefor world changing, and all for the better." I was a bit nervous about going. After all, I had to get up and give a talk in front of some very important people!! I mean, there was a guest list of people I never would be likely to meet, never mind hang out with in normal circumstances!! A Professor of Anthropology, even a queen, just weeks after her coronation!! I decided to treat myself like a pampered kitty, and go buy a nice new dress for the occasion, as well as get my hair and make-up done professionally. Being a 'farm girl wannabe', I so rarely ever get gussied up like that, so really don't know a lot about how to do it right, so best leave it to those that do know. After the beauty treatment, I went home to change into my beautiful, white evening gown with crystal beads sparkling around the bodice, looking somewhat like snow and ice. I thank my lucky stars I was still in my slip when I started to hear my stomach growling at me and realized I'd not eaten since breakfast. I would just have a little snack, just something to tide me over until dinner, something to insure I ate like a lady, not like a starving farm hand when I sat down with all the 'uppity ups' that I would be dining with this evening. I checked in my fridge and found bowl of vegetarian chili I had been given in my weekly 'care package' from Mom. As I wolfed some of it down, I spilled a big glob on myself. It slid down my breast, plopped onto my tummy and slid down until it fell to the floor. Oh what a disaster that would have been if I had already been in my glistening white gown! I'd have had to go wrapped in one of the hideous curtains hanging in my living room. Once cleaned up and dressed, I deliberately, forcefully pushed my negative premonitions to the back of my mind, praying they would not come true and ruin my speech by me forgetting the thoughts I wanted to convey, and just standing there stammering. I gratefully affirmed that God would give me the right words at the right time, after all, I am Divinely guided, Divinely protected. With a new feeling of self worth and a knowing of success, I happily stepped from my home, into my truck, and off I went to joyously meet my future!

Yikes! It's about 6:30 here and I just went over and saw that Raven has the new challenge post done and up. Guess I'd better get writing.


My Mini Challenge:

Is there a doctor in the house? Those were the first words I yelled out as the stage lights came up. Across from stage left came small bits of paper, blowing in the breeze, the fake breeze of course, as I slipped from the shadows of stage right (stumble), and into the main spotlight. It is a challenge to pull off your job as a comedian when zzzzzzzzzz realing from the effects of a late night and a chronic sleeping disorder. zzzzzzzzzz And yet, I managed to bring the house down as I made fun of zzzzzzz living life without sleep.

I just clued in. The words for the Mega Challenge are all from the Main and Mini Challenges!! Good to know for next week. Some days I'm just a wee bit slow. Okay, I know I don't have to write to all the challenges, I think just the main... maybe even the mini, and the rest are optional (I think). However, I do enjoy the challenge, the creativity of this writing.

My Mega Challenge:

Is there a doctor in the house? I think I'm going to be sick!! I feel like woofing my cookies! I don't know if it's from eating that horrid vegetarian chili or because I looked too long (only a second, and yet too long) at those hideous curtains hanging in their dining room... and those walls! Do you own a home? Would you paint your dining room walls, or any walls for that matter, that Baby Poop Yellow? Yup, think I'm gonna be sick.

"How's your chili? Would you like some more?"

"Uhhh... errrrr..... no thanks. It's lovely, and I'm stuffed!" I said stammering, lying politely.

I'm not trying to be a comedian here, I'm serious. My new boyfriend and I were visiting his sister's home. I really, really like this man and feel that he could be 'the one', but these people are not my kind of people! He is a mega brain type guy, an up-up in the world of anthropology research. And she... she thinks she's in line for her coronation, and is snow and ice itself to the slaves, errr, maids and butler in their employ. These people bring back to mind the worst of my past premonitions of horror. To top it off, the eldest daughter whined all through dinner about how she suffers from some weird sleeping disorder.

As we left the dining room, the men headed for drinks in the library, while I and the other women went to the sitting room for tea. I made the excuse of having a headache starting, and needing some air. I thought these women would understand such a feeble excuse, and accept it as normal for a woman... sheeeesh! They did!! As I slipped out through the darkened entry hall, I tripped over their obnoxious pampered kitty, just barely catching myself from falling onto the tile floor. God forbid I bleed on their fancy Italian tiles. I stood outside enjoying the alone time as well as the fresh night air when thoughts started to float through my mind. "You can change the world. Kill them and hide their bodies, it would be a blessing to all living creatures." I then stopped those thoughts dead in their tracks. This was not like me. I know better. Everyone comes either from a place of love or a place of fear, no exceptions. It was obvious these people must be very very afraid and unhappy to be putting on such airs. It was time for me to get back to my usual place of love. It was time for me to share my love with these people, the family of this man I was growing to love and respect so much. I let my negative thoughts of the evening leave me, blowing in the breeze and off into the shadows from where they would never return. I straightened my hair, smoothed my dress, and returned to the sitting room to enjoy my little china cup of tea.

Wow, this week's Vanity Wordzzle is really going to be a challenge. I just read the words and think I need a good, hot mug of tea before I start to write this one. Maybe a snack too.

My Vanity Wordzzle:

There was total and complete silence as I stood on the beach, looking at the sea wrack laying there. It was a dark night, and more than a little eerie, especially knowing I was only a short distance from the Army munitions dump. Earlier in the day, I'd been sitting in my living room, listening to my Uncle speaking in his oft magisterial tone of voice. As my attention had wandered off to the feathered dream-catcher hanging on my wall, I had thought to myself how you would never know Uncle was a bird feeder at the local sanctuary and not some Army General. In his right hand, he'd held what he always called his God-jar , shaking it as he spoke of the Absolute, God, the One Life. I always looked forward to these spiritual talks we shared, enjoyed the passion he expressed as he spoke of the Creator. "AHHH!!", I screamed as I was suddenly snapped back from my memories, back into the present moment. "Oh, thank God!", I breathed as I noticed it's only a dolphin playing in the water just off shore, trying to intice me to go swimming too.

and so it is!
That, my dear friends, is my first go at Raven's Wordzzle Challenge. I hope you liked it, and that you will click on the button above to go visit Raven and other participants.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Next Week's 10 Word Challenge: author, Wall Street, rage, lemons, channel changer, cookies and milk, candelabra, Pine Cone Motel, illusory, fluffer-doodle.

And the mini challenge: war, wooden shoes, flabbergast, chimera, vodka martini

I Am Grateful

Though this is posted on January 30th, it is for January 29th. You see, to me, a night owl from birth, it is still the 29th and won't be the 30th until I sleep and wake up again. So... here goes:

Mostly my day today was spent between this arm chair and my bed. Still in mega pain, waiting to hear back the results of my blood tests and see if he (the Dr.) is going to put me on Prednisone or not. He said the results would be back today, but I heard nothing. I better hear something by 2pm tomorrow, or I will go sit in his office and refuse to leave until he gives me some mega pain killers to get me through the weekend. This is not a great way to live life.

However, I did do some reading, and this is a great thing. Of the 3 fabulous books I'm currently reading, today it has been 5 GIFTS for an Abundant Life, by Diane Harmony. I read parts of this book awhile back, and am very happy to be reading every single word of it now. This truly is life changing stuff.

I had read & heard much about tithing before, and had even taken some prosperity workshops where you had to tithe through out the weeks of the class, but at the end of the class I always quit tithing. I was doing it because I 'had' to, not because it was what I really wanted to do. Hey, I live on a disability pension, so I really need every cent I get, I can't afford to give it away like that!! Or so I thought at the time, and of course, there were many experiences in my life that proved I was right.

I don't remember now just what it is Diane Harmony says in this book when she comes to the part about Tithing, but I do remember that it somehow caused a paradigm shift within me, it somehow made me know that now was the time and that it would all be good. For over a year now, I have given 10% of my income each month to the source of my spiritual nourishment, to the Okanagan Centre for Spiritual Living. I know it's not a lot to them in the scheme of things, when it comes to paying the bills and such, and yet to me it is a lot. However, I am very grateful that I do this each month. I don't know how it works, but I do know that not only have I managed to live without this 10% each month, but I also have more left at the end of the month than I ever did before I started to tithe... and I never seem to want for anything.

I think that tithing, giving 10% of your income, is showing God (or whatever you choose to call this Infinite Creative Power that is the Source of All things) that you trust Him/It to keep you supplied with all you require. The odd time, some fear has come up for me around this, where I wanted to keep the money instead of tithing it to the Centre. I look at it and deal with it within myself, letting go of the fear, then I joyfully give, knowing I am always taken care of by Universal Mind at work in my life.


I am grateful for each moment in my day when I feel comfortable rather than in agony.
I am grateful that I am vastly 'different' than many people who I think could not handle things as I must do just now.
I am grateful that I am a survivor.
I am grateful that I am still laughing, because so long as I can still laugh, nothing can beat me.
I am grateful to have the opportunity to do some reading.
I am grateful for each of the 3 fabulous books I am currently reading.
I am grateful that I tithe a full 10% of my income each month.
I am grateful that I always have enough, and more.
I am grateful that God is the Source of All my Supply.
I am grateful for the warmth and comfort of my home.
I am grateful for my attitude towards life, that I am able to laugh my way through challenges.
I am grateful that I have come to like and even love myself. It was a long time coming.

Weather

To see larger view of these snips from the website, just click on them.
To convert any temperature here to Fahrenheit

(0°C = 32°F) (1 inch = 25.4 millimeter)

Temperatures for Thursday, January 29

There was some sunshine and blue sky today, though more clouds than the last few days.


I'm trying out a new weather format, a new weather web site. I have used this site off and on but thought I'd do something different and use them exclusively now, at least for a while.
http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca

Quote of the Day

If there is light in the soul,
there will be beauty in the person.
If there is beauty in the person,
there will be harmony in the house.
If there is harmony in the house,
there will be order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation,
there will be peace in the world.

-- Chinese proverb --

I Am Grateful

I am VERY grateful that the pain has receded a great deal and I am again able to function on a much higher level.
I am grateful that I was able to fill my pellet stove tonight, so it is again burning merrily away after a few days 'holiday' (was unable to carry bag of pellets to refill the stove so have had to use the NG furnace).
I am grateful I went to Spiritual Fitness class tonight
I am grateful I am launching on a goal to write poetry again
I am grateful for the comfort of my home
I am grateful for the warmth on a cold night
I am grateful for my parrot DW, who is sooooo cute
I am grateful my cat, Mewsic, has been sleeping with me the last few nights, finally getting to trust that she's safe on my bed.
I am grateful my sister M was willing to take time off work and drive 1/2 hour (each way) to drive me in to my doctor appointment this morning.
I am grateful I was able to manage driving myself to the doctor so M didn't have to.
I am grateful for the awesome books I have to read (will tell more tomorrow)
I am grateful that it is nearly time to go to bed, just as soon as I feed the rabbit & chinchillas, bring Reba in and give her a cookie, brush my teeth, wash my face... oh, you get the picture.

Night all.

This is Really Good!!

My oldest brother's first ex-wife (yes, she and her current husband are still part of the family... after all, she is the mother of my brother's children), sent me a link to this video. I love it and wanted to share it with YOU!!

Lost Generation

Weather

The most recent temperature available is -9°C (15.8°F) at 12:00am

(0°C = 32°F) (1 inch = 25.4 millimeter)

These are the temperatures for Wednesday January 28

MAX TEMP : -3.9°C (24.98°F)
MIN TEMP : -13°C (8.6°F)

A beautiful, sunshiny day!!

These are the temperatures for Tuesday January 27

MAX TEMP : -7°C (19.4°F)
MIN TEMP : -13.5°C (7.7°F)

There was a tiny skiff of snow over night. I'm not sure, but think it was mostly cloudy, though I did spend a good part of the day in bed trying to escape my body, so paid little attention to the weather.



All temperatures quoted are copied from the weathernetwork.com unless otherwise stated.

All conversions are done online at http://www.onlineconversion.com/
.

Spiritual Fitness

Tonight's class was really great!! One of the things we're to do with this class is write down something we really want to have in our lives, then work is done on that. Of the several things, I chose to go with money. I think before i work on finding my "Mr. Right" it would be a good thing to be off the disability pension I've lived on for many years. You see, if I live with or marry someone, I will be cut off the pension as the government thinks he should be responsible for me after that. I think it sets a woman up for abuse, to be trapped in what could be an unhappy or even dangerous situation. (Been there, done that... twice.) Soooo.....

My goal is $2000 or more per month income. Rev. Dale asked for an example of how I could make this happen. I didn't have a clue. He came up with a good example. I don't know if it will bring me to that kind of income, but it will be a good thing even if it doesn't. He suggested I write a poem every day for the next 3 months, add in some of my photos, and I'd have a book to sell. I asked how I could do that since I have a writers block, so how do I break that. He said by making a commitment to write a poem every day, and stick to it. Even if I write a lousy poem (my words, not his) it is still a poem and while maybe not being 'good enough' to be included in such a book, it would work towards breaking the block that has been in place way too long.

In 1997, I wrote a lot of poems, pretty good ones too, to be totally honest here (and I'm always honest with you folks), and since then I've written very few poems. Oh, managed the odd one, and some of them were really good, but definitely not the abundant flow of poetry I had happening in '97. So... my commitment to myself and my growth includes: Prayer & Meditation every day.... Journal writing every day.... write a poem every day. As Dale pointed out, the poem can even be part of the journal writing process. Part of the homework from the other class I'm taking is daily writing of 5 things we're grateful for. I figured I'm already doing a gratitude list here on my blog, so have that one covered. Dale says that the gratitude list of that class can also be part of the journal writing from this class. So, we can overlap our homework to cut down on the work involved. Good thing!!

Getting too stiff and sore. Gotta go move around a bit. Ahhhh.... more 'journal writing' completed. Don't expect all my 'personal journal writing' to be posted here, though.

The Pain Body

After a few days of living in hell with all that pain, I finally am feeling much better. I was able to drive to town to my Dr. this morning, though it was a painful 'stretch' to accomplish it. For some time I was literally unable to use my arms due to the extreme pain involved, so just kept them in close to my body. Due to the pain in my knees I couldn't get down onto or up off of the toilet without screaming/crying in agony. I finally even had to pee in a bucket, standing, then dump into toilet because I just couldn't face that pain again. It was a major relief this morning when I was able to use the arms enough to, with bending at the waist, reach the gear shift in my truck, and the steering wheel too, so I could drive to the doctor. After listening to my story, and a quick exam, he ordered some blood tests to confirm his suspicions. I asked just what it was he thought was the problem, and he told me Polymyalgia. Poly meaning muscle, and myalgia meaning pain. Oh ya, doc, good thing you told me I had muscle pain!! I might have missed that one!!

The 'funny' thing is that I've never heard of Polymyalgia before a couple months ago. Just before Christmas, my Mom was in a lot of pain in one shoulder and one wrist (I think both on same side). She was diagnosed with Polymyalgia and put on Prednisone, a nasty steroid drug that I really could have joyfully lived through my life without ever having to take.

I went and had the blood taken for the tests, at the lab upstairs, and the results will be back tomorrow. If it is as the doctor suspects, he will be prescribing Prednisone for me. I really don't want to take Prednisone, I've heard bad things about it, and a friend just texted me that it kills you slowly. I always say we always have 2 choices. So right now as I see it, I have 2 choices. I can take the drug and have it damage my body, but take the pain away. Or I can refuse to take it and live in this kind of agony for the rest of my life. Either way sounds pretty bad to me.

This evening was "Spiritual Fitness" class, and it was very hard, but I forced myself to get into my truck and go. I did not want to miss any of it, and I do know that this 'dis-ease' is a form of resistance coming up to stop me from achieving what I want. It is normal for resistance to come up when we try to make changes in our lives... and I am working on big time changes. I'm very happy that I went to class. I actually feel physically somewhat better now than I did earlier. Don, one of my classmates, commented as we left that he noticed I appeared to be better than when I arrived. He was right. So, will this pass on it's own without the drugs? Or will it keep hanging on unless I take the poison the Dr. is going to give me? I just don't know the answers here. I think I've had this for quite some time, thinking it part of the Fibromyalgia I was diagnosed with after a vehicle crash 26 years ago, thinking it was because my spine was out and needed chiropractic adjustments. Each time I had an adjustment, I got somewhat better... for awhile, but it never held for long. If I go onto the Prednisone, I should be able to get off it again in the next few months, so that is a good thing.

So, that is what's been up with this pain I told you I'd been in lately. Mom, as I said, has it in the one shoulder and wrist. I have it in both shoulders and both knees, my neck is hurting a lot, as well as much lesser degree of pain in hands and feet. Mom seems to think she's much better now than she was, and said the pain went very quickly after starting the meds.

Wednesday Memes

ABC Wednesday!

B is for ..... Birthday Balloons

Visit other participants by clicking on the Meme names above.
Have a happy week.

Quote of the Day

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can achieve greatly"


~Robert F. Kennedy~

Weather

The most recent temperature available is -13°C (8.6°F) at 11:00pm www.weatheroffice.gc.ca

(0°C = 32°F) (1 inch = 25.4 millimeter)

These are the temperatures for Monday January 26

MAX TEMP : -9.9°C (14.18 °F)
MIN TEMP : -21°C ( -5.8°F)

Another day started out cloudy, then turned into a beautiful sunny day. I was unable to do outside today, but did enjoy the view from my windows.

Edit: Looked out shortly before midnight and noticed it was snowing.


All temperatures quoted are copied from the weathernetwork.com unless otherwise stated.

All conversions are done online at http://www.onlineconversion.com/
.

Chinese Horoscope

I don't believe in horoscopes, though sometimes do read one just for the laugh of it. Well, I just was doing some research on Chinese New Year, for the toast I am to give tomorrow night at Toastmasters (if I go... not sure yet as I'm in a lot of pain, so will see how I feel tomorrow). I happened to come across a site that tells your 2009 Year of the Ox Horoscope based on what animal year you were born in. I was born in what some call the Year of the Goat, others call it the Year of the Sheep. Figured I'd show you what it says.

A prediction in the year of the ox this 2009 is that a person born in the year of the Goat (1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003), can look forward to better luck in love in 2009 – both for male and female. A single Goat will be luckier than the previous year when it comes to dating, in fact being single and free could have contributed to this change of fate. While those who are already in a relationship would be looking forward to a more harmonious relationship, although the year could also bring them more time off from each other.

However, the Goat should watch out for love triangles that can destroy the otherwise harmonious relationship with their partner. And with two stars of Gossip shining upon them, the Goat should learn to stay quiet and just work harder, remembering to mind his own business and not sticking his nose on others, otherwise, it could only lead him to more trouble.

But despite this, the Goat can expect to have better interpersonal relationships. And with the star of Grace guiding him, he will be able to acquire help from people with influence. Promotions, which could include salary raise, and personal developments are also waiting for the Goat in 2009. Indeed, everything seems to look better.

One thing that the Goat should also watch out is the physical condition of his/her partners, and with the star Gua Su shining on him, he is likely to feel lonely along with other emotional problems. While everything really seems to look better, there are still quite a number of negative or unlucky stars shining on the Goat, threatening his health and interpersonal relationships, that is he should always be conscious and pay attention to these departments so as not to hinder his career development.

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MEMES

I Am Grateful

I am grateful for the sunshine and blue sky today.
I am grateful for my truck, and the way it always works well for me.
I am grateful for the Centre for Spiritual Living.
I am grateful Reba seems to like the tooth cleaning chew toy I bought her today.
I am grateful for pain killers tonight.
I am grateful for my bed to which I am about to go after I take some pain killers.

Weather

The most recent temperature available is -17°C (1.4°F) at 12:00am

(0°C = 32°F) (1 inch = 25.4 millimeter)

These are the temperatures for Sunday January 25

MAX TEMP : -9.1°C (15.62°F)
MIN TEMP : -17.9°C ( -0.22°F)

When I started out this morning, it was gray and cloudy, though to the north was a tiny bit of blue sky fighting its way out to see us. By the time the service was over, there was a lot more blue sky. For the better part of the day it was blue sky and sunshine with only a very rare cloud hanging on. So wonderful and beautiful after so long without seeing a day like this.


This is looking down my driveway this afternoon. I put ashes from my pellet stove out last night in hopes of making it less slippery, but they just don't work the same as ashes from a wood stove, so no such luck. The other day, in my truck, I slid down the hill and out onto the highway, totally unable to stop. This used to happen frequently, but since I got the 4 wheel drive, this is the first time it's happened.


All temperatures quoted are copied from the weathernetwork.com unless otherwise stated.

All conversions are done online at http://www.onlineconversion.com/
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Quote of the Day

If you and I are having a single thought of violence or hatred against anyone in the world at this moment, we are contributing to the wounding of the world.


~ Deepak Chopra ~

3.... 3.... 3 Memes in ONE

The highlight of this weekend was a surprise 60th birthday party for my friend, Andree. It was a very nice time, and Andree was very happy to have family and friends surrounding her. This, as I'm sure you would guess, is a balloon from the party.

These 'fake' flowers were near the wood stove at the birthday party which was held at a lodge in the mountains, on a ranch, about an hours drive from here. With the yellow flower, it begs to be included in Mellow Yellow Monday.

Today, after soooo many days of clouds and gray weather, it was a total delight to have blue sky and sunshine break through to visit us... even if it was cold enough to freeze your _____ well, lets just say it was very cold with low temperatures and a wind. To celebrate such a beautiful day, I took this photo from my yard. You can see the snow, the lake, the mountain, a neighbor's barn, and yes, lots of blue sky.

To learn more about these 3 memes, or to visit other participants, please click on the logos above.
Have a wonderful week, everyone.

I Am Grateful

Tonight I am very tired, and soon off to bed. Much happened today that I may tell tomorrow, but not tonight.

I am grateful for all that happened today
I am grateful for friends in my life
I am grateful for meeting new people, whether they be in my life for a moment or a life time
I am grateful for all money that flows into my life
I am grateful for my animals
I am grateful for my bed

Weather

The most recent temperature available is -10°C (14°F) at 12:00am

(0°C = 32°F) (1 inch = 25.4 millimeter)

These are the temperatures for Saturday January 24

MAX TEMP : -6.6°C (20.12°F)
MIN TEMP : -9.5°C (14.9°F)

Cloudy, gray.

All temperatures quoted are copied from the weathernetwork.com unless otherwise stated.
All conversions are done online at http://www.onlineconversion.com/
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Quote of the Day

One of life's gifts is that each of us, no matter how tired and downtrodden, finds reasons for thankfulness.


~J. Robert Maskin

Yay, Quilly!!

Today I got an email from Quilly over at Quilly's Pacific Paradise. It is referring to a photo challenge I hosted a short time ago, called Bridging The Gap! You can check out my photos for Bridging The Gap if you like in the Photo Challenges area, and you will also see my photos for other challenges there.

Here is Quilly's email to me:


Thank you, Alice. This morning our local news station, KGMB9 used my photos in a breaking news story -- and they couldn't have done it if it weren't for Bridging the Gap!

-Quilly!


It is a sad event that Quilly's photos were used for, and yet I think it's totally 'kewl' that someone from the news found these photos and used them. Kudos to Quilly!!


(EDIT: Jan. 25 - Quilly included a link to the story, and has now let me know that the story has been updated and her photos of the bridge replaced by photos of the wrecked autos. Of course! They are much more sensational and blood thirsty for the masses to enjoy. Therefor, I updated my post and removed the link.)

I Am Grateful

Today I stayed home all day and didn't do much of anything. I was hurting very much again today, so just wasn't up to doing much. Most of the day was spent in bed, and the rest in my big armchair in the living room, not doing much of anything. I did get a bit of reading done though.

In the morning, Cal stopped by, he's one of the guys that fixed my pellet stove awhile back. I'd called since then and told them I was still having problems with it, so he came by today and made a couple small adjustments on it for me. Now it's working very well again.

Dan dropped by, but didn't stay long and didn't work on the floor at all. I'm actually glad as I just wasn't good company and I could not have dealt with helping him work on the floor today. At least, not without the help of drugs... and lots of them. I try not to take pain meds any more than I have to, so today I just suffered through it.

This evening I watched "Dirty Dancing" on TV. It's been so many years since I last saw it that it was like I'd never seen it before. I sure enjoyed it. Then I did some of the homework for the classes I'm taking. 35 minutes in meditation and prayer. I still have homework to do before I go to sleep, and I can do that laying down in a bit.

I am grateful that my life style allows me to stay home and do nothing when I need to
I am grateful that my pellet stove is working really good again
I am grateful for the classes I'm taking
I am grateful that Rev. Dale phoned and told me one of the books I've been waiting for "Spiritual Fitness" has arrived. I'll pick it up tomorrow.
I am grateful that the other 2 books I'm waiting for will be in any time now.
I am grateful for the food I ate today
I am grateful I talked to Wilson on MSN tonight... another long time friend.
I am grateful for all the years Wilson has been a friend of mine.
I am grateful for all of you that come read my blog.

Weather

The most recent temperature available is -7°C (19.4°F) at 12:00am

(0°C = 32°F) (1 inch = 25.4 millimeter)

These are the temperatures for Friday January 23

MAX TEMP : -4.2°C (24.44°F)
MIN TEMP : -7.5°C (18.5°F)

Cloudy, gray.

All temperatures quoted are copied from the weathernetwork.com unless otherwise stated.
All conversions are done online at http://www.onlineconversion.com/
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Quote of the Day

Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning.


~William Arthur Ward

Weather

The most recent temperature available is -6°C (21.2°F) at 12:00am

(0°C = 32°F) (1 inch = 25.4 millimeter)

These are the temperatures for Thursday January 22

MAX TEMP : -4.4°C (24.08°F)
MIN TEMP : -7.1°C (19.22°F)

Cloudy. Pretty much the same as the last several days.

All temperatures quoted are copied from the weathernetwork.com unless otherwise stated.
All conversions are done online at http://www.onlineconversion.com/
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Quote of the Day

"Our heart knows the truth, our head makes excuses"


~ Rev. Dale Jukes ~


He said this in class this evening and I liked it, I can see the truth in the statement.

I Am Grateful

Today was my second visit to TOPS, and I officially joined for a year (to start). I went last Thursday for the first time, and got weighed in. Then this week another weigh in (they weigh every week), and I don't know how I did it, but I lost 1 1/4 pounds in that one week. A good start, for sure. I admit I ate a fair bit of chocolate cake with icing, ate a couple small Naniamo Bars, Bread Pudding with sauce and ice cream, Chinese food. Not the average weight loss diet. However, I also only drank 1 small (591ml) bottle of Coke in that week, and I've been using less sugar in my tea. So, good and bad.

After the TOPS meeting, everyone went for lunch. I went to the grocery store and got some fruit, ate a banana, then went and joined the rest of them and just drank tea. Later in the day I bought some liquid Stevia, a natural sweetener. I'm not wild about the taste of it, and don't feel that it's such a great sweetener, though many swear by it, and since I bought the stuff I'm going to work at getting used to it. I hope I can learn to enjoy my tea with it, or totally without sugar... eventually.

Came home and did some computer work for The Centre, part of my volunteer work. I did up the Sunday Programs and the Membership List in 2 different formats. I've found someone who will take over part of doing the Programs. I will still do the computer work and printing them off, and she will cut and assemble them. This is a good thing. I hope to eventually get her printing them too, then I'll just have to do them on my computer and email them to The Centre for her. In the meantime, I am delighted to have part of it given to another person. I have a lot on my plate and am happy to let something go, and to give someone else the opportunity to give of their time.

This evening I went to town and did some shopping. I had a gift card for Future Shop, it had $159.17 on it still, and is gone now, lol. I bought an external hard drive to put my pictures and documents onto as safe storage. You never know when something could happen. I've in the past lost a lot when computers crash. I had to pay just over $20 on top of the gift card, and I 1 terabyte (TB) of storage and a 5 year limited warranty. A TB is 1 Trillion bytes, or 1000 gigabytes. I can't imagine ever filling it up, but the 500 GB external hard drive was only $30 less and had a 2 year warranty, so I figured for $3o difference, and considering I had most of the money on that card, I may as well go big or stay home.

After Future Shop I went next door to the pet store, played with a parrot, looked at other critters including an albino Cockatiel (very rare), then got the Cat Nip spray I went there for. Mewsic keeps scratching things, yet I've never seen her scratch her scratch post, though she totally loves it and usually can be found curled up in the top part of it. She's even gotten to where she doesn't often run from Reba when she gets too close, she just hisses, spits, and swats at poor innocent Reba, with claws out of course. Nasty cat.

Then, after picking up the bottle of Stevia liquid, I went and picked up Lorraine to go to the Centre. I printed out the program and made sure she knew how I like it put together. She stayed at The Centre for her Science Of Mind class, and I went to my Camera Club meeting. It was a very good, informative evening, though I sure was glad to get home. I was in so much pain I just couldn't take much more. As soon as I got home I went and laid down for over an hour before I could force myself to get up and come out to the computer and to feed animals before I go to bed for the night.

I think I'll feed them now, then I can take this laptop to bed with me and post a bit more. I want to do some research on growing cat nip or cat mint, research the difference between them, and also growing mint. I love fresh mint tea, especially chocolate mint, and the really good stuff is very expensive. I've grown some before and really enjoyed the tea from my home grown chocolate mint, but the plants died. I think maybe I didn't give them enough water in the real hot part of the summer when I was too hot to function properly. I'm much better in cool weather and melt in the heat.

I am grateful for this day
I am grateful that I lost some weight
I am grateful for the 1TB external hard drive
I am grateful for the things I learned tonight about White Light and using Photoshop & GIMP
I am grateful for Lorraine taking over the assembly of the Sunday Programs
I am grateful for my laptop
I am grateful for my high speed wireless internet connection
I am grateful for my bed

Quote of the Day

"Progress always involves risk. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first."


~ Bob Proctor ~

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ABC Wednesday
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Weather

The most recent temperature available is -6°C (21.2°F) at 10:00pm (they're late with posting the temps tonight as too often happens)

(0°C = 32°F) (1 inch = 25.4 millimeter)

These are the temperatures for Wednesday January 21

MAX TEMP : -4°C (24.8°F)
MIN TEMP : -6.2°C (20.84°F)

Cloudy. The top of the mountain across the lake was hidden from sight in clouds. Temperatures are dropping back into the deep freeze again, and supposedly going to go much lower yet.

All temperatures quoted are copied from the weathernetwork.com unless otherwise stated.
All conversions are done online at http://www.onlineconversion.com/
.

I Am Grateful

I believe I told you earlier this week that I started taking a course on Sunday, based on a book by Diane Harmony, called "5 Gifts of an Abundant Life". There are 11 of us in this class, including Rev. Sheila who is the facilitator of the class. It is a prosperity class. At the Centre, we have a 'Book of the Month" each month that one person reads to the congregation, a small excerpt from each Sunday. People buy tickets for the draw on the book. One month, more than a year ago, I chose this book as the Book of the Month, so had the opportunity to read a good part of the book in order to find the bits to share on Sundays. It is a really great book and it helped me to make a major shift in consciousness around finances. I highly recommend this book and am grateful to be taking this class. We have classes on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month, and homework on a daily basis. The homework includes reading the book, doing affirmations for each of the people in class as well as our self, and 100 times each day the affirmation "I surrender to the power & the presence of God within". Also, write at least 5 things each day that we are grateful for (geee, I think I've got that covered right here on my blog already).


This evening was the first of 8 classes based on the book "Spiritual Fitness" by Caroline Reynolds. It is going to be a very powerful 8 weeks if tonight is any indication.... and I am sure it is. There are 5 of us in the class, counting the facilitator, Rev. Dale, and that is a perfect number of people. Thankfully, the homework for this class does somewhat overlap with the homework from the other class, but still will be a lot of work. Homework for this week: Read Chapter 1 and do the 3 exercises at the end of the chapter, Journal write at least 10 minutes each day, Meditate and prayer work minimum 30 minutes per day. I'm sure there is something else too, but would have to go get my notes to tell you what that is, and I'm not doing that just this minute.

I volunteered a few weeks ago, to do the Book of the Month for February. I am going to do it on "Jesus: The Story of Enlightenment" by Deepak Chopra. Sounds like a fabulous book. I am very much looking forward to reading this book, though I wish it wasn't right now. Suddenly I am swamped again, my plate runneth over.

So much for backing off on things I do, to make time for other things. These are important to me, so other things will just have to wait. As much as I want to spin and weave, I will have to wait with that for a couple months at least. What my life looks like just now:

Sunday:
- Sunday service at The Centre 11am-12pm
- I also like to go for the 10:30am meditation though I don't always make it
- Social time after the service
- Pot Luck lunch after the service on the 1st Sunday of each month
- Board meeting one Sunday of each month, after the service of course
- 5 Gifts of an Abundant Life class on 1st & 3rd Sundays

Monday:
- I want to start going to the pool to do water exercises 3 times a week, Monday being one of them
- I also want to start walking Reba at the Dog Park 3 times a week, Monday being one of them

Tuesday:
- Visit Mom: 30 minute (approximate) drive north of here
- Toastmasters: about half way between Mom's and my place, go there on way home. Some weeks there is no 'homework' and some weeks there is some. 'Homework' would include writing and practicing a speech, preparing to do an Educational presentation, finding an 'inspiration' or 'closing thought' or a joke to share at the next meeting.

Wednesday:
- This is one of the days I want to start going to the Pool and Dog Park for exercise
- Do the programs for Sunday service at The Centre
- 7-9:30pm "Spiritual Fitness" class at The Centre

Thursday:
- Drive 15 minutes to the town north of me where I go to Toastmasters, but this morning it is to go to TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly). About once a month I will join the other ladies for lunch before heading back homeward.
- In the afternoon, go to the Pool and Dog Park (this would be the 3rd time in a week)
- every 2nd & 4th Thursday of each month is my Camera Club meeting from 7 to 9:30pm

Friday:
- whatever comes up
- 2nd & 4th Friday evenings of the month, the Centre puts on Movie Night. I don't always go, but do fairly regularly.

Saturday:
- whatever comes up
- this week, I will be baking a cake to take to the Centre Sunday morning, then going to a big surprise birthday party about an hours drive from here. I will be taking my truck as far as town, then riding the rest of the way with Bev in her truck.

Every day:
- meditation & prayer work: minimum 30 mintues
- journal writing: minimum 10 minutes
- affirmation work mentioned above
- reading from 3 books for the homework of the 2 classes and the Book of the Month (BTW, all of these books are on order and have not yet arrived, so with the classes already started I am already behind on my reading. They should hopefully be here tomorrow or Friday)

On top of this is blogging, sleeping, eating, caring for my animals, moving furniture and cleaning the house to prepare for Dan to lay my laminate flooring, and all the other things that people have to do in a day. Almost forgot, I also have volunteer work I do at the Centre that takes time each week. I am looking for someone to take over at least a portion of that work load.

It's actually a good thing that I don't have a boyfriend as I can't quite see how I would fit in time with him in the next 8 weeks or so. Also, when the classes are over, that does not mean the work is over. With these particular classes, it's life changing stuff, so the journal writing, gratitude lists, meditation, prayer work, etc is on going for the rest of my life if I really want to make the changes in my life... and I do.

So, if you don't see too much of me in the next weeks, please understand. I will come post when I can, and I will come visit your blogs as often as possible. After all, I can't just cold turkey off my blogging and blog visiting.

I am grateful for the classes I am taking
I am grateful for the incredible things I am learning and the changes my life will make during this process
I am grateful for the role the Okanagan Centre for Spiritual Living plays in my life
I am grateful for my spiritual growth
I am grateful for the abundant prosperity and wealth in my life in all ways that they show up
I am grateful for the love in my heart and in my life

Tonight's Speech

This is the speech I mentioned in my last post and promised to post for you. I delivered this speech this evening at my Toastmasters meeting. I now have given 6 of the 10 speeches towards my Advanced Communicator Silver award, so need to give 4 more and do 2 Educational presentations from a certain program. I am scheduled to do one of them in 3 weeks from tonight.

Always 2 Choices

8-10 minute speech…. Advanced Manual: Specialty Speeches…. Project 2: Uplift the Spirit

When you’re feeling down, what do you do to lift your spirits up again? When you are unhappy with your life, what do you do about it?

Madam Toastmaster, Fellow Toastmasters, Welcome Guests

Being happy always came naturally to me, for the most part, so it was a big surprise when depression started to take its hold on my life. A surprise I didn’t have any idea how to deal with. It comes, or so I’ve been told, as part of the package when you have Fibromyalgia, and for me it sure did. Suddenly the bubbly, quick to laugh, happy-go-lucky girl was gone… replaced by a dark, depressed woman who just wanted to stop the world and get the heck off. I don’t really know why I never ended my life… I sure thought about it a lot. I think it must have been my animals that kept me alive because, if I was gone who would look after them? They needed me. Whatever the reason, I am very glad I didn’t do anything ‘stupid’.

Anti-depressant medication from my doctor helped me to cancel those trips to that deep, dark, scary place where very nearly all of my thoughts were of leaving the earth. A really good step in the right direction, though they didn’t return me to a healthy, happy place. That was something I had to do myself. It involved making some choices.

I had some ‘basics’ to work with now that I was in a place where I was able to do the work. I had previously attended the Okanagan Centre for Spiritual Living and had learned a lot there that came to good use in my ‘recovery’, and eventually I made the choice to return to the Centre. It was like a coal that has been out of the fire too long and is almost burned out, returning to the fire and being relit, rekindled. The spark became a flame, then a fire in my life. I felt myself “waking up” actually returning to the living and leaving the dead behind. As the spark grew to fire, so I became more involved with giving of my time, talent and treasure at the Centre. I took on volunteer jobs, then became a member of the Board and as the Centre helped me to grow and prosper, I now am able to help it to grow and prosper. Whenever there is a class offered there, I choose to take it. These classes are all a very important part of my growth process and my return to a happy, healthy life… as are many great books I am blessed to have read.

Here is the tip of the iceberg of things I have learned:

1- We are all responsible for our own ‘stuff’, and at some level we create all that happens to us. This one is very big to swallow, and very big to really understand, and yet I know it is the truth. I now take responsibility for my happiness and joy in life. No one can make me happy, no matter what he/or she does or doesn’t do, if I do not choose happiness. And by the same token, no one can make me sad, angry or unhappy, unless I choose those feelings. In the thick of things, I sometimes forget that I have these choices, and I feel sad, or even start slipping back into depression, though now as soon as I realize what is happening, it is easier to make the needed changes in my thoughts… and it is the thoughts we think that create our feelings. When I think negative thoughts, I soon experience negative feelings. Yet when I think positive, uplifting thoughts, I experience the joy, happiness, love & self love that come with them. So, does this mean I constantly have to be watching every thought I think? Each of the thousands of thoughts I have each day? No, not at all. I simply have to be aware of my feelings as they will tell me what kind of thoughts I am having, and I can adjust the thoughts accordingly. I have 2 choices. I can think positive thoughts, or I can think negative thoughts. I choose positive!

2- What other people think of me is none of my business. Well, okay I admit that I do still like to hear the positive, uplifting comments, though I do not want to hear any more of the negative putdown type comments. I’ve heard more than enough in my lifetime. I took them on and believed them, letting them affect my life, now I choose not to do that any more. I didn’t know I had the choice!! Now I do!! I am open to hearing some ‘constructive input’, some ‘positive feedback’, because with these I can make improvements. (For example, with a well done evaluation I can present a better speech next time). Constructive criticism, however, is still criticism; it’s just that the criticizer is dressing it up to appear as though they are ‘helping’. If I listen to others tell me what is wrong with me, or what I ‘should’ have done because what I did do wasn’t good enough, then I will end up thinking about what they said… those thoughts will create corresponding feelings… and I don’t want those feelings to be a part of my life any more. I have 2 choices. I can listen to negative input, or I can choose something better. I choose something better!

3- Thoughts are things. Thoughts create your emotion, and thought + emotion = experience. They create our belief systems which are the basis of what we attract into our lives. We draw to us experiences that confirm our beliefs. I thought that I had no worth; that I was unlovable, and I attracted many experiences into my life that confirmed this for me. I chose to ‘do the work’; I chose to ‘change my thoughts and change my life’. Now when I think about how I am valued and loved, I draw to me experiences that confirm my new thoughts, my new beliefs. Again… I have 2 choices!

4- Gratitude is vitally important! What we focus our attention on grows. So, when we focus on what we want, what we don’t have, then we get more of wanting things we don’t have. When we focus our attention on Gratitude for what we DO have, then what we have grows! If you complain you get more to complain about, if you are thankful, you get more to be thankful for. It is very simple really, and it is called the Law of Attraction. Again, 2 choices, & I choose gratitude.

I can see now that the ‘depression period’ of my life was part of my growth process. It was something I had to go through to get to where I am today. It is what a friend used to call an ABGO… (Another Blessed Growing Opportunity). It was a terrible time in my life, and yet I am grateful for it as well as for all the other experiences I’ve had in my life. They have all helped to make me the woman I can now be proud to be.

I always have 2 choices. So do you!!

Madame Toastmaster.

This is how it is written. When it is delivered to the audience, we never just read it, so it never is given word for word, though close is good. No one knows if we say the 'wrong thing' except us, as no one sees the written speech except us. I do, however, attach my speech into my manual after presenting it and getting the evaluation. This way I can look back at it all together in future if I want to.

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