9-363 (29/12/22) -- Folk Legend Loss

The world was covered in white from a dusting of snow that fell overnight. I went for a few groceries and found some fun vegetables. We get  gai lan rarely and they had only six bags so I almost overlooked it while searching for Shanghai bok choy, which wasn't there at all this week. Then tucked in behind the mushrooms were packages of Japanese eggplant. I enjoy both of these and look forward to cooking them for New Year's day. 

I went for two walks to pharmacies -- one before supper and one after. Temperatures hovered around freezing most of the day with very little breeze. The air was refreshing but the ground on one of the hills was a tad slippery in a couple of places as the water froze after sunset. This weekend is to be warmer than usual with a lot of rain. The temperature alone will erase the bit of white that covers the ground at present.

Canada lost a folk legend today. Ian Tyson, an amazing songwriter and singer died at age 89 years. He sang with his former wife Sylvia in his early career. His song Four Strong Winds is iconic and closes the Edmonton Folk Music Festival annually. It also opened the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, though he sang it there with Gordon Lightfoot. In Tyson's honour, I share this song tonight. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Four Strong Winds -- Ian Tyson

9-362 (28/12/22) -- Need to Walk

A light dusting of snow fell during the day. I cleared it off theh porches and stairs -- not much physical activity involved there, but it was good to get out in the fresh air -- even if it felt a tad cool. I did some housework and spent time searching on line in preparation for a future resarch trip. Weariness and sinus pain made me feel less able to focus on a lot of things that need to be done this week. A good phone chat with a friend helped me see a brighter side of the day. We made plans to get together later this week for a homemade meal. 

Getting out of the house even if just to push a skiff of snow off the walkways often helps with mood changes. Walking helps reduce some of the stress and can boost mood with an endorphin release. Getting to the point of suiting up to go out in the colder weather takes more effort than just putting on shoes and heading out that can be done in warmer weather. I have some shopping to do ths week, so that will get me out and walking a bit more. 

When I go walking in the winter, I wear my hikers. I love the way they support my ankles and feel snug and warm. This had me thinking of a song, of course. The first line of the chorus came to mind <smile> Keep safe. Enjoy! 

These Boots are Made for Walking -- Nancy Sinatra

9-361 (27/12/22) -- Togetherness

Temperatures were just below freezing during the day with bits of snow in the air. Very little was left on the ground,  at least. I walked out to get some milk and encountered friends i hadn't seen in several years. It was fun to have a quick chat as we went about our shopping errands. While at the store for milk, I encounterd a neighbour's daughter and had a bit of a chat. We were joined by her sister and mother after a few moments and all had a laugh or two. I enjoyed seeing that people I encountered had gotten home for Christmas with their parents. 

Christmas is often billed as a time to be with family. While I do spend time with good friends, who are family by choice, it can be difficult to hear the repeated expectations that everyone is traveling to be together with family for this day. Granted, many people across Canada and the US could not travel due to the major storms this year, though that doesn't make things feel any better. 

The selection today speaks to the support we get from those close to us -- and the reciprocity in these relationships. It goes both ways. <smile> Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Bridge over Troubled Water -- Simon and Garfunkel

 

9-360 (26/12/22) -- Boxing Day

It was quiet day. I had a slight sinus headache and some dizziness today. TV marathons had most of my attenteion. The big outing for the day was to take the recycling to the curb. It felt cold for the walks up and back the lengthy driveway twice. 

Today is a holiday here -- Boxing Day. Its roots lie in a social hierarchy system. On this day, servants received a gift from their employers -- hence the box -- and often had the day off to visit with family on the day after Christmas. I've used one song often on blogs for this day, but this year I chose a different one. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Black Superman -- Johnny Wakelin

9-359 (25/12/22) -- Holiday Treats

The day began quietly with a movie and timre finishing a veggie dish for dinner with friends tonight. I made 'spinach Madelaine', a delightful dish from New Orleans. I highly recommed you look up a recipe online. Some are very involved and others are a bit simple. All I've seen would be fantastic. When I make it I use red bell pepper to show a lovely green and red dish for the Christmas table. The spicy cheese makes this dish for me. I use habanero cheddar, but  any cheese would work for those who don't enjoy the heat. 

The evening was spent with friends some of whom I hadn't seen since 2019 for the annual Christmas dinner. We had a wonderful evening with great foods, wonderful conversation, and laughter. The weather cooperated with cooler temperatures with light winds only. The sidewalks were mostly clear of ice from the rain yesterday, so I walked up to dinner and walked back home later in the evening. The sky was cloudy so stars weren't visible, but the lights on homes along the way added a sense of calm to the walk. 

The song shared today is a new Christmas song released this year by a Canadian artist. I thought it might be fun to share something new to the annual holiday songs used in this blog. Keep safe. Enjoy!

Let's Get Christmas Going -- Bryan Adams

9-358 (24/12/22) -- Memories

Sunshine arrived by late morning with some residual clouds and wind. I checked the yard and found the storm passed with only a few twig-sized branches to clear up. Laundry and cooking for tomorrow occupied most of the afternoon and early evening.  

I had time today to think through Christmas Eve memories. As a child, we spent Christmas Eve at my maternal grandmother's. It was a smaller gathering than Christmas Day at my dad's parents' home. Music was a big part of the holiday. One of Dad's favourites was Gene Autry with Up on the Rooftop and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. We often watched movies  like Dicken's A Christmas Carol in it's many iterations. I prefer the version with Alistair Simm. Mom's fave was It's a Wonderful Life and Dad's was White Christmas (filled with great music). My new favourite, Love, Actually, also contains some great music within a story of many intertwined lives. 

I have been trying to catch many of the older Christmas movies and musical specials over the past week and listening to Christmas songs a  lot. The selection today is a cover of a well known song. Keep safe. Enjoy!

Santa Claus is Coming to Town -- Bruce Springsteen

9-298 (25/10/22) -- X-Ray Day

The outing for Wednesday took me to the hospital for an xray of the plate placed in my forearm seven years ago. One area has been creating some discomfort. I found it amusing that the MD possibly could call me and tell me I have a screw loose. <grin> The tech showed me the images -- doesn't look like anything is loose to me, but I'm not a radiologist -- so I'll leave that to the experts to declare. 

I've got an odd little song from a musical to share today. <smile> Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Screw Loose -- from Broadway musical Cry Baby

9-357 (23/12/22) -- Blowin' a Gale

The day began with an early errand that I forgot yesterday. I got the 'go bag' stuff prepped and brought in the outside wreath. I secured the compost bin behind the house so it doesn't fall over or go walkabout like it has in the past. As the wind began to arrive in the afternoon, I busied myself with making stew and dumplings. It was very yummy. 

From supper onwards, the winds have been strengthening -- as determined by the volume of the gusts. I hope power remains or at least doesn't stay off too long. The house is all electric heat, so winter power outages are more unwelcome than those in the summer. The worst of the winds are expected from 9 PM (now) to about 2 AM. They suggest these might be close to 80-85 kph (50+ mph). 

The selection tonight sounds like someone offering to help keep warm. <smirk>  Seemed like a perfect song for the weather today. I love the video with the three instruments being played by the same person.  Keep safe. Enjoy!

I'll be Your Santa Tonight -- Keith Urban

  

9-356 (22/12/22) -- Altered Holiday Plans

It was a lovely day today -- blue sky with cooler temperatures and very little wind. It felt good to see sun and sky after a week of greyness. It won't last more than today, though, as a big storm is coming our way tomorrow. I have been charging electronics and planning what to pack in the 'go bag'. I will cook a few things that will be good without re-heating or will make reasonable sandwiches should we lose power. By bedtime I realized I'd forgotten to pick up two somethings when out today, so will head out earlier tomorrow before the weather becomes awful. The storm is messing with holiday travel plans for many people. I will be going up the hill -- a 20-30 minute walk, and things should be less frightful by then. Tomorrow we expect lots of rain here and strong wind gusts that may create downed power lines. Crews have been readying to restore any outages over the holiday weekend -- meaning they won't be with their families much like others unable to travel. 

The selection today is one that I looked forward to hearing every year. The artist sang this on Letterman annually. The video shared is from the last performance there. Keep in mind she was 73 at the time -- so age doesn't mean we can't still do things well from the floor or on top of the grand piano. <smile> Stay safe. Enjoy! 

Christmans (baby come home) -- Darlene Love

9-355 (21/12/22) -- Reversal of Light

There is a huge storm headed this way and it is or sill affect most of the continent with other storms on the western side creating holiday travel havoc, too. Today was filled with deadlines. Galley proofs had to return to the editor. Review of an online resource document chapter was needed by the authors. The annual Christmas letter -- which became a year end letter -- needed to be composed and printed, so I can get some ready to mail when pickup begins again next week. There were a few errands necessary to get things in order for this weekend. 

The winter solstice arrived today. The shortest day and the longest night bring a change. After today the days will get longer again. A collegaue calls this 'Optimist's Day' <grin>. I find that even a minute or two more of daylight is a move in the right direction. It has been celebrated for millennia as a time of rebirth, renewal and growth. A song that fits this reversal or change is shared here. Keep safe. Enjoy!  

Ring Out, Solstice Bells -- Jethro Tull

9-354 (20/12/22) -- Holiday Focus

A morning meeting with a colleague and friend helped with working back into research writing. We discussed research work and found a couple of positive things for the writing process. I then went to get groceries and fill the car with gasoline. It would be less busy today as it will as the week progresses. Not only is there a holiday and a day when the store is closed, but a big storm is headed this way, too.  

I had another negative experience with the points system at the grocery store today. The system failed to provide anything this week, not just the member pricing that has been the difficulty twice in the past month. This is geting silly -- and oh so frustrating. When I have an hour, I'll call and sit on hold to express my dismay. <grump> Or, I may try to find a live chat or place to write my complaint on their website. 

This rainy day ended with a visit to the physio. The achilles and lower back were still acting up, though not linked in any way. It feels better for now, but that has been the pattern. I'd like to have less pain going into the Christmas weekend. I chose a song to share today that speaks to some of the good aspects of the holiday season -- the small things to focus on. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

It's Christmas All Over Again - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

9-353 (19/12/22) -- Being Charitable

The day began with a couple of errands on Main Street. The major outing involved the annual eye exam. I walked since they always dilate my pupils. It is a 30 minute walk from the house. There was a touch of wind and some spitting rain on the way out and next to no wind or rain on the walk home. I was pleased that there would be no bright sun to contend with this year, recognizing that the sun would set before my trip home. Well -- Walking home in the dark with dilated pupils was a first and to be honest, it is easier to see what is going on around you with sun than in the dark. It was a bit of a challenge. 

Twice today cars tried to drive into the crosswalk as I crosssed streets with the walk lights -- once with light and one with only bright streetlights directly above me. I've had at least four incidents like this in the past week or so. Even when drivers see me, they tend to roll ahead or try to quickly turn in front of me. It seems to be all about their desire to get somewhere 10 seconds sooner. Crazy! I have one smaller light for walking at night and will get more when I'm at that store next, but those are no guarantee either sadly. 

I chose to share a song that made me feel more charitable than I did when shouting and waving my arms at drivers today -- only to realize that I wasn't wearing a mask so they could clearly lipread <grin>.  Keep safe. Enjoy! 

9-352 (18/12/22) -- Hopes and Dreams

It has been another grey, dismal day outside. Inside I did some editing work and watched televised music programming while listening to the rain outside. A plus to this weather is that the remaining snow is slowly leaving. Oodles of mud takes the place of snow. <smile>  It has been a very weary day. I slept last night but not restfully. There was a lot of tossing and turning. The cause might be the lengthy list of things with deadlines in the next few days and the soreness caused by the lower back issue. I will see the physio early this week to deal with that. 

I had lots of time today to let my mind wander. It seemed to settle on a variety of ideas or future hopes. The selection today addresses many dreams or hopes for the future that rise during reflection -- especially at this time of year. Many covers of this one exist, so I've chosen one not used in the blog before. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Someday at Christmas -- LeAnn Rimes

 

9-351 (17/12/22) -- Peaceful lullaby

It is another cloudy day. I walked to Main Street to pick up bread and muffins. At home I did the usual Saturday stuff  -- cleaning and laundry. <smile>.  The lower back pain returned with a vengence today, so I will be going back to the physio at the beginning of the week. It has been a long time since this has flared up, and the cause is unclear. I did move snow, but the pain was there before the snow fell this week. 

I feel I need a lullaby to help me sleep as it will be difficult to get comfortable at night, I fear. I find the chosen selection to be soothing and peaceful. I share two versions of this piece. the first is from an albumwith five versioons done as independent tracks. I enjoy them all, but restrained myself and will share just one. Seek out the others as they are lovely. The second version comes from an unlikely place and group of singers. NOTE: This video has a few glitches in it, but the only other one I found had been overdubbed in another language. Keep safe, Enjoy!  

Dona Nobis Pacem -- YoYo Ma 

Dona Nobis Pacem -- cast of MASH

9-350 (16/12/22) -- Finding a Holiday Mood

I mailed another parcel today but it will likely miss delivery for Christmas. I used a prepaid mailing box after being told how much a padded envelope would cost. The box was actually less for the same weight and larger space. Goofy. I had a nice chat with a friend and then headed to a late afternoon appointment with the physio. The achilles tendon flared up a couple of days ago and feels worse than it has ever felt before. I hope the treatment will get that under control soon. 

My day ended with a wonderful supper out with a friend. It was relaxing and enjoyable to be out again.  We had a great time chatting. We even split a dessert tonight. Yummy! The dining room was full when we arrived, but thinned out quickly since others had started earlier. I'm feeling a bit more comfortable being in a restaurant as long as the tables are well spaced. 

The selection shared to tonight came to mind when I was thinking that the holidays made it easier to get out for a meal with friends. These commensal times also help to put me into a holiday mood. I will work to keep the process moving into the new year. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Step into Christmas -- Elton John

9-349 (15/12/22) -- Changing Weather

The day was cloudy and windy. Temperatures were above freezing. The combinatin of being a few degrees abover freezing with major wind helped much snow disappear. There is still lots out there, though. If it rains as has been forecast, it will turn the big piles to ice, but may move more from the ground. Luckily, the ground isn't frozen yet, so the melting and rain create mud instead of ice. We'll see what transpires with the next storm in a few days. 

I received a lot of things that need to be done soon-ish. A publication wants several promotional bits for a publication in prep for the January issue of the journal. A peer review of a submitted manuscript for a different journal will need to be completed during the holidays to meet the deadline just after New Years. Lots of cool things to look through and search for information for a larger research project. So, not much happening for a very logn time and then everything arrived at once this week. Go figure. <smile>. 

I am trying to focus on moments of peace and calm to help me get through the tasks in front of me. Music helps that. I chose a song today that deals with peace. It is an old one, but one that is part of any holiday mix I make. Keep safe. Enjoy!

Peace on Earth -- Bing Crosby and David Bowie

9-348 (14/12/22) -- SNOW!!!

 

The grand cleanup began this morning. I cleared porch and small sidewalk and then left the rest for later in the afternoon. I headed to campus for the annual retiree Christmas luncheon, hosted by the president. It is a lovely turkey dinner and a fantastic time to see people that I don't run into on campus any more. The last luncheon was in 2019, so this was extra special today. I masked except when eating as did a handful of others. It made me smile today. I sat with a couple people I knew from Education and we were joined by the head of Finance, the incoming VP Advancement and the new Academic VP. That was an interesting grouping, but there was much common ground for conversation. 

I walked to campus and back and things were fairly clear except getting out of my yard to the street. That involved wading through knee deep snow and some areas that were deeper than that. Once back home, I cleared a path out the driveway -- about 100 feet -- through 10-12 inches of snow with a few areas covered in deeper drifts. Tomorrow, I will do the back porch and side of the house. I will do some clean up after the plow guy comes by -- either tonight or tomorrow. The car will take another 30+ minutes to clear the foot of snow resting there. Clearing off the car also means clearing off the ground again <smile>. With a large storm like this, it generally takes three days to clear all the walk- and driveway. I do it a bit at a time rather than overtaxing the body <grin>. 

Shoveling is far from my favourite task, nor is winter my favourite season. <smile> I found a way to manage the work load. I often listen to music or spend time pondering. The latter involves talking to myself behind the scarf. That helps me gauge if I'm working too hard and getting short of breath. I shold be able to talk and shovel. I'm sure the neighbours wonder what I'm up to, but recognize that I mumble and talk to myself a lot. Wearing a mask helps cover this when in public at times <grin> 

The song may be a bit negative in tone, but it done tougue in cheek. It makes me smile, even when shoveling snow. <grin> Keep safe. Enjoy! 

I Hate the Frigging Snow -- Fishing God Productions

 

9-347 (13/12/22) -- As the Storm Passes

What a windy day complete with blowing snow. What fell overnight and until noon today was wet and not going anywhere with the wind. My guess put the snow layer at 8-10 cm (3-4 inches). I shoveled the snow on the front porch, sidewalk and walkway to the street. The wind blew frozen pellets into my face acting like a facial peel <smile>. More time out in the snow will happen as things taper this evening. If early enough, I will do this today and if not, it will be on tomorrow's list. The forecast shows another 10+ cm (4 inches) may arrive in the next 12 hours or so. 

Between bouts of searching online, I placed another wreath and some inside door hangers. Just so it looks a tad more festive. I then put the lights on the tree. Evening out the distribution of lights takes more patience than I often have. Today I managed to get things good enough for now -- or maybe for the time the tree is up. Other decorations may or may not go up. We'll see. I really enjoy seeing the lights in the corner of the living room. The furry one enjoys hiding and sleeping under the lower hanging branches (artificial tree so nothing to worry about there). The tree brought a peaceful moment or two compared to the storm blowing outside the window -- something calming to look at instead of the rain and ice covered windows. 

A friend reminded me today of a song by another friend. The lyrics fit well with my hall decking this afternoon. The melody isn't what one expects. Very cool take on a couple of old standards. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Deck the Halls with Sugar Plum Faeries -- James Lee Stanley

9-346 (12/12/22) -- Wants & Wishes

The day began with an appointment that didn't get me too far with the vaccine sourcing. <sigh> Communication between players in the health system is abysmal. Once this gets to the end, which hopdfully is a flu vaccine in my arm -- I will write a chronology of the past 6 weeks -- so far. It will go to many levels in the system. There is no one person who seems to have dropped the ball on this one, just a lot of people who have one small piece or no pieces to the greater puzzle. 

Weather forecasts sound dire. A storm front is heading this way. Much of it lies over the Atlantic, but the storm will retrograde and head west to create a mess in the Atlantic provinces. This will be slow moving. It will begin overnight with most of the snow and wind coming through the day tomorrow and then tapering overnight. Forecasts lean towards about 20ish cm (8 inches) with winds at 55 kph (35 mph) gusting to 85 kph (52 mph). So, the shovels are at the ready for the heavy wet snow that will arrrive. I moved the meeting for tomorrow afternoon to today due to the oncoming storm. One of our resource librarians provided some guideance on search strategies and documentation that should help me to work through some of the archived documents that I need to find for the research project. So, I"m hoping for a less intense storm and a way to manage the search results. <smile> 

I also sent a couple of gift suggestions to a family member. A group of us draw names each year. The list is meagre at best <smile>, but it contains two ideas that are related peripherally -- and a gift card to one store could work for either item. This 'list' is very different than the ones I made as a child. Those were much longer. Not that I expected to get everything on the list, but there were many things that interested me. Also, I didn't want to know what was under the tree and lengthier lists meant that the surprise factor would remain. <smile> Lyrics of the song chosen for today present an adult view of the holiday wishes. This version is performed by a Canadian singer with a wide vocal range. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

A Grown Up Christmas List -- Michael Buble

9-245 (11/12/22) -- Christmas Past

It was quiet day. I worked to get some blogs caught up, taking breaks in between to keep the vertigo at bay. I made nice homestyle supper of meatloaf, baked potato, baked sweet potato and fieldberry crisp. I hoped to get more done, but slow seemed to be the only pace for the day. 

While searching for christmas cards, I found an advent calendar from some time ago. It tells the story of the Nutcracker. I brought it upstairs and am using it this year again. I love this ballet. The staging can be so cool. A tree that grow 30 feet when the dream state takes over is quite spectacular as are the exciting costumes for all the lands visited by Clara and the prince. When unemployed just after training completed, I sewed many of the characters using scrap pieces of material from my and my mother's stashes. They were fun to make and were certainly a sanity save over those many months. While living in Toronto for training, I went to the National Ballet production -- the first one I saw. It was magical. So, the advent calendar and tree ornaments remind me of that experience. 

Needless to say, the selection for today comes from the ballet. I know that I used one of the many themes just recently, but this one is a favourite -- and likely is familiar to many. The artists for this one are another favourite and very talented group. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy -- Pentatonix

9-344 (10/12/22) -- Decoration Begun

While doing the usual laundry today, I put up the Christmas tree. It will sit for a day or two before the lights go up. From there, I'll see what other decorations will be added. The indoor wreaths and galands were schlepped up the stairs as were lights and cards (which will be so late this year <sigh>). Getting the lights on the tree is my next step. I love having the lights on at night. They can be so calming. So, just a bit more stress to wind them around the tree and then the peacefulness should ensue. <smile> Maybe that task will be done tomorrow the next day at the latest. 

I chose a song that notes how the decorations can lift spirits. That is how I feel. I only put up what I choose to rather than feeling the need to put everything up every year. Sometimes as Mies van der Rohe stated, "more is less." <smile> The same goes for baking. Some years I make lots and some years I make very little. It just depends on timing and what will fit.This version is by a wonderful actress who we lost earlier this year. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

We Need a Little Christmas -- Angela Lansbury

9-343 (9/11/22) -- Local Chocolate

The day filled with errands. I walked out to get bread, stopped at the bank for a calendar, and mailed another gift. Doing the latter one at a time helps ease the shock at the cost of shipping this year. Crazy! I stopped at the new chocolate shop that opened this morning with the grand opening tomorrow. They were prepping for tomorrow and the place looks amazing. It has great light and a lovely etched window. I spoke with the local designer to tell him how inviting and warm the light was. The decor is understated but has an elegant feel. It was so nice to see the family business exand the retail outlet in town. This family were refugees from Syria who arrived here over several months about six years ago. This business began with a small gardening shed sized building where one man made the molded chocolages. The product line expanded to many types of bars and now to hand made artisinal chocolates that are so gorgeous. The factory and business in town employs around 100 people. Anyone who knows me might wonder why I frequent this shop. I don't eat chocolate, but I buy it for people who do <smile> Though, there is their Gold Bar which is white chocolate with caramel that is very yummy. <smile> 

In the afternoon, I went up to campus to return the external camera on loan. I did some bits of printing and made an appointment for next week to discuss research process with a resource librarian. I'm trying to get my head back in the game. At the end of the day, I was tired. Feeling yucky this week left me a bit cranky, tired and frustrated that things that have approaching deadlines didn't move forward this week as planned. I keep telling myself that it wasn't due to my negligence or procrastination -- well, not this time <sigh>.  I know I need to take my own advice and be kind to myself. Working on it. <smile>

I chose to share a melody that may not be as recognized as others from the larger work. The Nutcracker Suite performs around the world at this time of year. Years ago I saw it performed by the National Ballet of Caanda -- stunning. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Chocolate (Spanish Dance) from Nutcracker) -- The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 

9-342 (8/12/22) -- Dedicated to Peace

Today I had my annual lab visit and an appointment with the physio to deal with ongoing soreness. I still feel dizzy with screen use, so only spent a short time checking for important messages. The blog then is short again. I'll admit feeling rather old and decrepit today <sigh>. Too many things poking at me -- literally and figuratively. <smile>  I'm working to find a bit of peace and calm. 

Forty-two years ago John Lennon died. I still remember hearing this news via the television. I felt alone in my grief as I was living with my parents again at that point in my career -- unemployed for 18 months. I admired his focus on advocating for peace -- sometimes in very unique ways that got attention of many sectors of society. The selection shared today is an example of Lennon's dedication to this message. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Happy Xmas/War is Over -- John Lennon ft. Yoko Ono and The Harlem Community Choir

9-341 (7/12/22) -- Time with a Friend

I took things easy today as there was some residual light-headedness. My appetite returned since there was less dizziness. My main outing today was supper with a friend. One of our restaurants does two Indian entrees each Wednesday evening. One contains meat and the other is vegetarian. Tonight they offered a buter chicken and a black lentil curry. These came as either regular or spicy. We chose the latter. The spice was noticeable, but didn't overpower the other flavours. Very yummy. This was my first visit to enjoy these dishes and it won't be my last. <smile> 

I chose to share one of my favourite songs from this time of year. It contains wonderful harmonies in an a capella format. I've introduced this to many people, most of whom are surprised at the artist group involved. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Riu Chiu -- The Monkees

9-340 (6/12/22) -- Off Kilter

I was outside briely today when I headed to the second grocery store in town to get a few things not at the store I was at yesterday. Most things were there. Got a great deal on extra lean ground beef at less than half price. I spent those savings (plus more) on two smallish chunks of cheese -- Wensleydale with cranberries and manchego. Both of those were about $2 more than they were last year. I also got a wreath for the front door -- actually beside the door just below the outside light. A new load of wreaths had just arrived, so I got my pick of ribbon colours. There were odd shades of gold that looked unimpressive and two reds that looked a bit tacky. Then he pulled out one from the bottom of the pile -- a red and green plaid design. Gorgeous! It looks lovely on the front of the house. I also found an order box on the front porch when I got home. The due date was still a week away. The company may do this to keep us all happy at getting things 'early' -- hmm -- a conspiracy theory of sorts. <grin> 

While out, I realized that the slight dizzy feeling I'd had last night was worse today -- felt like vertigo, which hasn't bothered me for some time. So, I took some meds and went to bed. I ate little, but did feel well enough to do some soup and rolls in the evening. I did no online visits today as screen work can be one of the triggers of the dizzy feeling -- it is all visual input. <sigh> 

The song today was chosen due to the artist's name and the holiday theme -- and the pun of sorts in the title, of course. What can I say? I was feeling a bit loopy today. <grin> Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Dizzy Heights -- Christmas Rappin' 

9-339 (5/12/22) -- Intangible Gifts

I spend much of the day, focusing on goals -- the small day-to-day things and the larger 'what do I want to be when I grow up' type of goals. I dealt with some super short term ones by getting a few grocers. Not all items were available there, so I'll check store #2 tomorrow. I headed out for a walk around sunset to see and hear the grows as they gathered at the edge of campus tonight. Listening to them made me smile. The first gift parcel was mailed this morning. I purposely headed to the postal kiosk before noon to avoid the larger crowds. The lineup was six ahead of me and by the time I got to the ocunter, there were six behind me. It was study, but the lunch hour would have been far busier, I expect. As I left the store, I passed a couple of people as I carrying parcels to mail.

I chose a song that speaks to the wrapped gifts and to those that can't be wrapped. Keep safe. Enjoy!  

Give Love on Christmas Day -- The Jackson 5

9-338 (4/12/22) -- Far Away Friends

The sunny morning gave way to total 'grey-out' with cloud by just after midday. I was in the kitchen with blindingly bright sun at 1 PM and 10 minutes later full cloud cover arrived. My planned afternoon walk in the sunshine disappeared. I did walk out after dark to pick up supper. I finished laundry today and even did some wrapping of gifts that need to get into the mail system very soon. There is still some work to be done there, but at least is got started. I'd like to deliver these in person, but will have to rely on the postal systems. I even did some work on household account files that have been sitting there for over a week. So, all in all, the day was productive. Cool, eh? 

The song shared today features a Newfoundlander. The lyrics focus on togetherness -- a theme of the holiday season. If we aren't together in person, we are together in spirit and with virtual online platforms. Keep safe. Enjoy!  

Merry Christmas Everyone -- Sean McCann

9-337 (3/12/22) -- Prioritize the List

The day began with bright sunshine but heavy cloud moved in during the afternoon. Temperatures have been rising through the day and are expected to continue this trajectory into the over night. A rainy system is moving in for tomorrow. My outing for the day was a nice walk during which I picked up some eggs. Saturday chores undertaken were nothing out of the ordinary. I did get a few kitchen and bathroom seasonal linens out this afternoon. It is a start. <smile> I hope to get several other decorative items out over the next two or three days. Some gifts need to be packaged to get into the mail early in the week, too. 

Setting priorities can be a challenge. Tasks that sound small really aren't. Gift wrapping a few things at a time may appear simple, but can take more than the 30-60 minutes expected <smile>. This is nothing new. My idea of how long things take is always overly optimistic. It seems I haven't learned even after all these years. There's a saying about that but I will just ignore it for now. <grin>. The song notes that sometimes the expectations for the holiday season can be just like my plans -- overly ambitious. Things do get done as we set our priorities. The lyrics seem to reflect too much to do and perhaps a bit of burn out. Some people will feel that way, but should ot chastise themselves. Prioritize the things you want to do and let some of the others go. It's OK. Keep safe. Enjoy!  

Christmas Wrapping -- The Waitresses 

9-336 (2/12/22) -- First of the Season

The day had a cooler wintery feel. There were some sunny breaks between clouds but with the lower angle of the sun at this time of year, it was almost blinding when I was out walking. I walked up to campus to attend a small holiday gathering. I wore my mask most of the time, but did take it off to try a couple of the goodies -- wonderful Wensleydale cheese with blueberries, homemade bread, a spicy borscht and a fairly decent shortbread. Yum. Heading home, it felt slightly warmer, likely due to less wind. The crows were gathering along the brook. They have a different roosting spot every day. When gathered, there are many raucous conversations. I imagine they are communicating about their days adventures. These creatures communicate where to meet each day and can let others know where they've encountered someone trying to shoo them away. For the latter, they have long memories. A friend had them dropping stones at his head whenever he wore the hat he'd worn while trying to remove them in a slightly physical manner. They did not forget. By the same token, some individuals and groups will remember people who leave them little gifts of shiny objects and in some cases will return the favour with a different item left for the gift giver. 

I miss walking home every evening as the crows gather and begin their chats. I may have to go for my walks around sunset so I can walk by the larger area where they roost. They do make me smile. I chose a song covered by a Canadian artist and released in the past couple of months. The lyrics present people coming together -- much like we did today. There are other gatherings planned for the next few weeks, but this one was the first this year. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Christmas Time -- Bryan Adams

9-335 (1/12/22) -- Safely Through the Storm

December has arrived. The wind was wild overnight. I could hear things banging around in the neighbourhood. No major tree limbs down in the yard. I just picked up the few small twigs, which took about 10 minutes. Often this takes 30 to 60 minutes and provides a good workout. Today, not so much. That is good <smile>. The large compost bin was blown over and moved about a meter from its usual place beside one of the yews. I picked up the contents that had spilled out and got it resettled at its usual home base. I suspect some of the banging I heard was this bin moving around in the night. No loss of power occurred here. Some areas of the county, west and further east experienced outages. PEI has power outages and the fixed link was closed when winds in the Northumberland Strait topped out at over 120 km/h (75 mph) earlly this morning. The power company says power will be restored to most customers by tonight. The ground is saturated with many ponds appearing where depressions in the land exist.  Things outside my window in early afternoon were partly sunny with next to no wind or rain.

With the arrival of December, I revert to the original social media posts that were the forebeare of this blog. I try to fit a holiday song with the thoughts of the day, but sometimes there will be a memory or reason behind the choice for the day. Today the song title resonates both with the storm last night and the new month. It isn't a holiday tune. The rest of the lyrics are definitely not about the main ponderings of today <grin>. Stay safe. Enjoy! 

December 1963 (Oh What a Night) -- Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons

9-334 (30/11/22) -- Preparations

Big winds are expected overnight with huge rain. I really dislike wind. Rain I can handle -- to a point. This time around it will be about 25 mm (1 inch) or so. I'm prepared for a short power outage should something fall on power lines in the forest or in town. Temperatures are climbing, so will be well above freezing. With electric heat only, that is a good thing. An extra comforter on the bed will help with warmth. So, I'm as ready as I can be. 

Today finally saw the replacement of the camera in the laptop. I've held onto the external loaner until next week - just in case. Trust can be a big issue for me and this is part of what may be holding me back on a number of tasks. I'm not sure if it is lack of trust in me to do the things, or that I don't trust others or the systems involved to move my efforts forward. I suspect it is a smidgeon of the former and huge dose of the latter. <smile> For the writing tasks that I have waiting for my attention, I need to get a schedule in place for writing and practice getting out of my head to just write. Once I get a groove, things usually go well. 

Lyrics from a song fit with the concept of 'just do it' for writing and other tasks. I have included the original and an amazing cover version. The melody for this one is relaxing -- something that might get me started as well as remain calmer during the storm. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Across the Universe -- The Beatles

Across the Universe -- Fiona Applegate

9-333 (29/11/22) -- Getting Ahead

On this wonderful suny day, I atteneded a virtual meeting and did some small bits of writing and editing. It is also Giving Tuesday, so I made donations that could be doubled by other donors on this day. I make donations throughout the year, but waited for today so the benefit could be stretched. I received a call from IT today and my laptop camera will be replaced tomorrow. I'm hoping that does the trick and we don't discover it is a motherboard problem. The machine is under warranty regardless. 

In my meeting, when the virtual software time was almost up, I said we could beat the software -- sign out before it jettisoned us. I was trying to get out in front of several things today and a friend suggested my phrasing at the meeting could lead me to the song of the day. So, that's the song. Once it was mentioned, it just stuck in my head -- like an ear worm. That's my warning to you <grin> Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Beat It -- Michael Jackson

9-332 (28/11/22) -- Another Disappointment

Today was Cyber Monday, but I headed out to the grocery store to get a few things. Sadly, it was another week with member pricing offers not in place, so I had three things that I'd gone to that store for specifically and two were not in the bags I took to the car. When I checked the e-mail, the web page that loaded did not have the items even listed. Now there were three and one of them was definitely in place at the store, but I needed to get a rain cheque since the shelves were empty. So, the other two items simply were not there. I had written down the items, prices and dates, so I didn't dream this one. When I tried to call for clarification, I was directed down a rabbit hole of menus that eventually led to being disconnected. They kept telling me call volumes were high and encouraged me to go to the web site to figure it out myself. <sigh>  I'm so tired of shopping there, but with only two stores in town, there are things I need from both of them as they stock some different items. I'm feeling less and less a valued or loyal customer. 

The day was rainy with dropping temperatures during the day. So, the weather fit the silliness of my shopping woes -- all painted in a grey scale. Its not that I didn't smile, I was just frustrated by the difficulties with this store and their lack of ability to get offers to customers. A warm bath helped me to relax as did watching a couple of shows that I'd recorded earlier. Like Scarlett O'Hara said, "Tomorrow's another day." <smile> 

A title and song line came to mind as I sat wondering why I felt so down. This made me smile again and move past the disappointment. The song is not about shopping issues, but being let down by something or someone you have a relationship with fits the song well. Stay safe. Enjoy! 

This Just Doesn't Seem to be my Day -- The Monkees

 

9-331 (27/11/22) -- Defining Success

The sun shone for most of the day. I took a wonderful walk to get milk. Most of my day was spent indoors finishing laundry and getting to some cleaning and household accounting stuff. The major undertaking involved making a vegetable lasagna. That is an enormous task -- so many steps. It looks great and tasted good for supper. The remainder will be cut into individual portions and put into the deep freeze for future dinners. 

The Santa parade delayed yesterday was held today. I hadn't been  online so I didn't get the messages. I heard some music and firetruck horns while the lasagna was near the end of the cooking period. Luckily, I could see most of the parade from the kitchen window -- it si about half a block from the house. I did see the jolly fellow himself arrive in the horse drawn carriage and heard him clearly as he passed by. It would have been nice to have walked over to watch it up close -- no wind and above freezing temperatures. A perfect night for a parade. 

I felt positive by getting some things knocked off the dreaded 'to do' list this weekend. I didn't get to it all, but some time consuming things were finished or at least have begun. Accomplishing tangible tasks brings clearer understanding that I've done something. At least I can see and feel such end points. <smile> Measuring success can be challenging some days. I seem to be chasing success when I'm not always sure how success is defined for a task or group of tasks. One melody appeared in my head at a point in the day. I share that one here tonight.<smile>  Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Chariots of Fire -- Vangelis

 

9-328 (24/11/22) -- Communication Needs

Yesterday a conversation about trust and vulnerability, shared by a good friend,  got me thinking. Her conversation ddelved into whether it is a chicken and egg thing? To me these definitely are not linear constructs with one following the other. To trust one must be vulnerable and to be vulnerable one must trust. These two constructs are inextricably intertwined. 

Interestingly, a few minutes later I found a post another friend shared on her social media feed. The quote stated, "Imagine if we measured success by the amount of safety that people felt in our presence." Now this fit well with my pondering of the other discussion. To feel safe, we must have trust. To help others feel safe, we must recognize their vulnerability and actually see them so they feel safe. It is more than building rapport. Both parties will experience vulnerability and trust in varying degrees as a safe space is being created. 

I chose a song with lyrics noting the importance of helping others -- something that relies on the entwined concepts of vulnerability and trust. I like the upbeat nature of this song. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Count on Me -- Bruno Mars

9-329 (25/11/22) -- Among the Crowd

The day began with sun and light cloud. As the aftetnoon wore on, the clouds took over the sky. The town and county planned an event for Christmas season on Main Street. By the time the sun went down, the wind had abated, so I chose to take a walk and end up on Main to see what was up. Stores were open late -- not usual downtown except on Thursday. Temperatures were around the freezing mark. By the time the hour-long concert by Heather Rankin began, there was a small but respectible sized crown around the stage set up in the middle of the street. This is the first time this type of celebration has happened. I stood and listened for a while and then headed home to make dinner. A warm bath helped me to warm up, too. <smile> 

For some reason, I felt alone while out tonight. That is not common in such situations, so I was a bit surprised by the emotion. It wasn't overwhelming and may have been triggered by a song written during Christmas 2020 when families were separated and unable to celebrate in the same room. That was a tough time for us all. Things are different this year, but flu has become a key worry. I noticed both in stores in in the crowd outside, I was the only one with a mask on. Why? Everyone must feel safe, when many of them have been getting chest colds and influenza. RSV in small children has been a major epidemic. Masks make sense right now. I expected to see others, but I hunted and found none. Well, that is a bit of a lie. There was one woman using her right hand to hold a mask over her nose and mouth rather than using the ear straps. She used her left had to pick up items she wanted to purchase. I have no idea how she paid. So odd. 

A song lyric that discusses how masks can hide who we are was chosen to share tonight. I believe that masks not only can hide things, they can aslo proclaim one's beliefs -- much like my mask and the lack of a mask in others did tonight. Keep safe. Enjoy!

Make Me a Mask -- Fleetwood Mac

9-330 (26/11/22) -- Frenetic-ness

 

Big wind with rain filled the day. The wind led to a storm surge warning due to spring tides around the new moon. Town and County planners canceled the Santa Claus parade due to weather and hopes to be able to rebook this for a later date.  

Today I did some online shopping and will need to do two items next week for sales and organizing delivery dates. I still need two or three items and I'm struggling with ideas. I want to wander through big stores, but I live in a smaller town -- big stores are Canadian Tire, Superstore and Walmart. We have a couple of smaller gift stores that I have wandered through, but found little that seems to fit the individuals involved. <smile> I know something will come to mind soon. Then shipping needs to occur. Sooner is better than later for that at this time of year. 

Seems the freneticness of the holiday season has arrived. This often brings with it feelings of inadequecies to get things done to a deadline. I'll admit that the Black Friday advertisements add to the anxiety. These began in late September! Any sale since then has been termed Black Friday, which makes this past Friday somewhat anticlimatictic. Most sales did not get larger as the original Friday arrived. Online shopping sales seem to be either Friday and Saturday or extend to Monday or Tuesday. Technically today focuses on shopping locally, Cyber Monday is for online shopping and Tuesday provides a day for philanthropic activities. For some charitable organizaitions, laerger doners have pledged to double or triple smaller donations -- a wonderful way to extend funds. Four of these days focus on commercialism. I often ask if that is what the season has become. Gift giving is part of holiday celebration, but does it need to be so over the top? I enjoy giving gifts -- for specific dates and for any day. In the past, I've shopped for birthdays and Christmas throughout the year. With far less travel, that habit has been quashed. I'm hoping some of that will change as I begin to move around more.  

The song chosen for today is a bit of a departure for the blog. It has been a while since  a metal band has been highlighted. Today seemed to be the right day for this. The music mimics what anxiety feels like. The first two lines of lyrics covered part of what I felt today -- "If I could have my wasted days back, would I use them to get back on track."  Now there's something to ponder <smile>. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Frenetic -- Metallica

9-325 (21/11/22) -- Tricky Navigation

I had an appointment mid-day and then headed to get groceries. Most things on my list were not on sale this time around. I added a few items to the cart that had not been on my list, but haven't been available for some time. So, I got a couple of each item for the pantry area. Most of these things were also on sale, but still expensive. I didn't look at the final tally until I got home. I just waved my card over the magic reader and it was done. The total was higher than I expected. One item did not come out with the member pricing as related items had. This was frustrating as none of the details were included in the online offer to indicate that raspberries were excluded from all the frozen fruit that was included. These haven't been around for a long time, so I bought them and likely would have anyway. But, I could have gotten two other bags of frozen fruit at the half price offer since the limit was four bags. <sigh> I often ask or look at the tape before leaving the store and I just didn't today. I was in a semi-grumpy mood before these silly events, but felt more cranky afterwards. 

Today was the first of the season where I had to sweep snow off the car before heading out. It was still light and fluffy so was easy to move around. The air was cool but the wind made it outright cold. Wind created cold feeling into the evening and overnight, but air temperatures are to increase overnight -- just a bit. <smile> Weather forecasts indicate that there should be a lot of rain at the end of the week, though with temperatures just a few degrees above freezing it could turn into lots of snow. I'm hoping for the liquid type of precipitation as the ground isn't frozen yet. We'll see what transpires. In the meantime, I will need to pull out the mitts, scarves and hats for the windy days. 

There have been some challenges today -- things I'd rather avoid given a choice. It can be difficult some days. <smile> That summary though brought to mind some lines from a song (bet you didn't see that one coming <grin>). Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Superman (It's Not Easy) -- Five For Fighting

9-327 (23/11/22) -- Is it Perfect Yet?

Today I pondered the concept of perfection, which seems unattainable. So why do we search for it in ourselves and expect it in others? I suppost the definition of perfectionf differs between people, so agreeing on what a perfect entity might look like varies between people. This leads to disagreements and arguments. It becomes easy to chip away at the perceived imperfections of any entity often condeming them or demanding change that just can't happen or won't occur overnight. Beliefs and values are the foundation of how we see and interact with the world. If someone or something holds differing views, their view of perfection will be different. Changing core beliefs and values is extremely difficult and can take a lot of time to change, if they can change at all. For example, smoking in public took at least 20 years of lobbying and understanding the health risks to everyone, not just the smoker. Moving towards legislation banning the practice meant that the public will had changed enough that the political machine would take the risk of moving to legislation and enforceable regulations.

It appears that not everyone is able to understand that perfection is a myth of sorts -- somethng that we can't attain personally, so why expect it in others? We are imperfect beings striving to be the best we can be. By aiming for perfection in ourselves and expecting it in others, we might be missing out on what is good right here right now. Dividing into camps with differeing views of perfection may only perpetuate -- and even accentuate -- the imperfections within and around us. There is a lot more to consider on this topic, so it will continue spinning around in my brain, I'm sure. 

All of this thinking brought a few lines of lyric to mind. We may be building walls and burning bridges with our expectations of perfection leading to our own isolation and less than positive interactions with others. These lyrics speak to the daily communications we have with people all around us. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Nothing More -- The Alternate Routes ft. Lily Costner

 

9-326 (22/11/22) -- Health & History

Most of the day has been windy with some sun between the dark blue-grey clouds.  Much of the day was filled with calling and messaging people to answer questions I've been asking for a while. I want an update on the replacement of the laptop camera. That started a month ago. I don't believe the order has gone in under the warranty as it should have weeks ago. Then  I checked on current rates for phone/internet/tv bundles since my cost is crazy high. I'm not sure I should be subsidizing new customers. <sigh> The saga of finding a flu shot without preservative -- to which I am allergic -- has been excruciatingly frustrating. I left three messages in different places over a week ago. Today I managed to call one of those places and someone answered the phone this time. They were wonderful and messaged the central vaccine distribution place for the province for particulars. My doctor needs to prescribe this vaccine after completing a high risk form. The distribution centre will then release the vaccine to Public Health locally. Wild. So, I then began calling my MD and finally got through. Their phone line is always crazy busy. So, I now have a phone appointment for three weeks from now to get this paperwork completed and emailed to the vaccine ordering place. Maybe by Christmas. Until then, I will be even more vigilent about masking everywhere I go. 

So, while two items remain in limbo-land, we seem to have moved forward on the health issue -- good to have a route to follow finally. Cool. I'll take that as a win. <smile> Another health care provider has a sore throat and cough, so I asked to come next week instead of this week. I so don't want to pick up something and this flu season already has seen spikes in numbers in locales across the country. 

A friend reminded me that today is the 59th anniversary of the assassination of JFK. It was the first time I saw someone shot and die on the tv - over and over again. I have little snippits of memory of that day, but it definitely felt like something big and horrible happened. I thought of a song from about five years after. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Abraham, Martin, and John -- Dion 

9-324 (20/11/22) -- Stuck to the List?

Today was filled with chores. I got out the rest of the winter clothes -- the heavier sweaters and such and put away some of the summery items. This means I've recognized that the colder temperatures will be with us for another three months or so. It was above freezing with sun today, so I took time to lift the irises that have sprouted about two inches in this unusual fall weather before the ground freezes and digging becomes impossible. They will be stored indoors until Spring. I also took time to empty some out-dated canned food items since the compost goes out to the curb tomorrow. It surpirises me that some items pass the best before date sooner after purchase than I'd expect. I guess I need to check the dates more diligently when things are on sale. If I have an immediate use for one item, and the sale price is great, I will often buy two and store one in the pantry. One item that I disposed of today expired just about six weeks after I purchased it when it was clearly marked as being acceptable quality for two years after the manufacture date. So frustrating, but I can be in too much of a hurry or just plain tired when I shop so miss looking at those dates. 

Now, none of these chores was on the grand 'to do' list. They needed to be done, but for some reason didn't make the list this week. Sadly, this means there was no satisfyng crossing off somethng on the dreaded list. Things look good, though -- a different type of satisfaction. <smile> This helped realize that accomplishments don't have to be limited to those listed for the week. Flexibility works when choosing to do other necessary tasks regardless of whether I've planned to do them this week or not. The list truly is just a suggestion of items that need to be done soon-ish. Otherwise, it can be too constraining. 

I chose a song that came to mind while thinking through my listing of chores. Several covers of this song by iconic groups and bands exist. One is likely the most recognized. I chose one of the alternates, each of which has a unique twist on the song. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Satisfaction -- The Rolling Stones

9-323 (19/11/22) -- Night Skies

The sun shone most of this cool day. I worked on several household chores while the yard care fellow was doing the final fall clearing and gutter cleaning. The outside is as ready as can be for the next season.  I took a short walk in late afternoon just before sunset. The ky was an amazing orangish pink shade. Stunning. I hope the skies remain clear tonight so I can go out to see the stars. It has been overcast most evenings of late, even on the days when the skies were mainly clear when the sun was up. I'm not sure why this phenomenon occurs. So, fingers crossed for tonight. <smile> 

Looking at the stars, planets and satellites can be very soothing. Catching a glimpse of the International Space Station as it passes overhead is a thrill -- knowing that there are people up there feels cool. Seeing the various phases of the moon and planetary movements shows the constancy of what we are surrounded by -- well constantly changing, but at a slower pace than what swirls around us individually each day. <smile> There are apps for skyviewing, too. These describe what is above or below the horizon and in the various quadrents of the sky. The screen can show what is situated where and then the different items can be located. Putting names to the lights in the sky can be fun. I've watched the night skies since I was a child. I learned to find a few key constellations. We did this in the days when there was little to no space junk to identify and only paper charts of what was where. I admit that the software makes this more accessible than a paper chart when outside in the dark <smiile>. 

A few lines of lyric came to mind when thinking of the apparent constant nature of the stars. It is a powerful song from a fantastic musical. I get goose bumps whenever I hear this amazing singer do this song. In the video I found his keepiing character for the full song and applause amazing. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Stars -- Philip Quast (Les Miserables -- 10th Anniversary from Royal Albert Hall)   

  

 

9-322 (18/11/22) -- Slow, Quick, Quick

The day was cold with a cloud and sun mix. The breeze made things feel much cooler. The weather fit with the major activity today -- installationof winter tires. That appointment took longer than expected but it did involve a check of all fluid levels and basic operating apparatus look-over. The arrival of frozen ground cover is imminent. I posited that if we prepare, it may hold off. It is a certainty that if i don't change tires, we'd get a major dump of frozen precipitation, wo it should go both ways then, right? <grin> 

The holiday season is approaching rapidly, too. We will be 75% through Novemember in the next couple of days. How does that happen? The passage of time has always been an enigma. Since the pandemic lockdowns and reduced social interactions for two years, I discovered that time passes slowly and quickly at the same time. I believe this has to do with the emotions around being isolated or stuck in a rut of doing the same things repeatedly. It drags along in these circumstances. Yet, that mind-numbing sameness makes the days collectively move by quickly. I've been confused as to what day of the week it was without the regular schedule of working. I've tried to work in some routine markers for specific days of the week to give a sense of difference on certain days. Often, even that adds to the sameness. <sigh> I keep trying, though <smile> -- to establish a routine that will regain some of that lost with the exit from the work world AND to seek new things to do that make the days different. My list of firsts for each year helps me to see that some difference is built into my days and inherent in life. 

Lyrics from a song reminded me of the changing perception of time over our lives. It seemed to drag in younger years until discovery of feeling the need to slow down something we want to savour. Lots of interesting bits to ponder on this one. <smile> This made me think of dance steps -- slow slow quick quick of the two step and slow slow quick of the foxtrot. May need to practice those steps again, too. <grin> Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Fast -- Luke Bryan

9-321 (17/11/22) -- Belonging

A later start happened this morninng due to paving crews blocking the dirveway. They were patching the area they dug up a few weeks ago that needed access to the sewer and water pipes. I modified the errand list. One stop at the pharmacy and then onto campus to speak with the Help Desk about the need for a new laptop camera. I had left a message a month ago noting that the tech fix did not work for more than a minute. There is no record of that message in the system. I have no idea why, but the desk assistant added the information to the ticket number. They did get the satisfaction survey comments that I sent two weeks ago -- mpt certain why that was part of the file and my comments were not.  I then went to discuss potential search strategies and spaces for online archives that fit the history research project. That felt good. I had reached a dead end. Today I have new places to continue the search. It felt so good to get back into this search process. 

As I walked across campus this afternoon, I noticed a familiar feeling. Ever since I was an undergraduate student, when I set foot on a campus I'm filled with many positive feelings. There is an inherent level of comfort to be in that space. The sense of possibility and potential is overwhelming. The feeling of acceptace makes the space feel comforting and welcoming. I've often said it felt like home. It makes me relax and smile. Today I tried to parse the positive feelings more finely. More pondering on this one will help to clarify the myriad senstions and feelings. It isn't nostalgia, since this feeling happens on any campus I've visited even if it is a first trip. 

The chorus from a song written by Randy Newman came to mind as I pondered today. While the lyrics were written from the viewpoint of a romantic partner, if one were to think of a place as an entity -- personify the place -- the words take on a different perspective of home. There are many wonderful covers of this song, so choosing wasn't easy. Hope you like this one. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Feels Like Home -- Bonnie Raitt

9-320 (16/11/22) -- Seasonal Activity

We had some sun and some cloud on this chilly day. The one meeting of the day was postponed to next week, so I headed out to the other grocery store to get a small number of items that I couldn't get at the other store yesterday. I found more items that weren't on the list but were on sale, so came home with slightly more than I'd set out to get. I was looking for Christmas gift ideas as I browsed parts of the store. I have some ideas, but finding things that fit those ideas can be such a challenge. I think I need a replicator that will let me input the parameters and it will spit out what I'm seeing in my head, since no one else seems to make exactly what I'm thinking. This has been an issue for as long as I can remember. I'm sure I will find some of the items as I look around town or online. 

The overhead music is definitely Christmas tunes now. Some were truly egregious covers of common songs at this time of year -- trying to mess with the tempo and making something slow into a jazzier piece just changes the intent of the music and lyrics. It can be challenging not to shout out to the rafters about such blasphemy. <smile> With only two grocery stores in town, I can't risk being banned from one. <grin>

The song shared is one that might fit into the list of worst of Christmas songs. I apologize for any ear worm effects this might bring with it. It speaks to the mental and physical aspects of holiday shopping but notes the end result is worth it all. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Christmas Shopping -- Buck Owens

 

9-319 (15/11/22) -- Signs

The theme today has been all about change. I had to turn on the heat for the first time this fall. Yes, it was cold outside and inside this morning, but much later in the year than is usual for this activity. The car messaged me for the first time this season that "there may be ice on the road" and for my comfort it automatically turned on the heated seats and steering wheel when I engaged the engine today. I turned the seat heat down to low and turned off the steering wheel warming device. These get way too hot for my hands or seat -- so to speak <grin>. I noticed a lot more people wearing toques to keep head and ears warm today. The forecast noted the high risk of snow rain showers in the morning and mixed precipitation in the afternoon. Now I'm not sure how these are different, but the point is the risk was there. At the stores, I noticed a heavy sprinkling of salt on the sidewalk where there must have been ice or there was concern that the dampness from rain might solidify. When I went out after sunset, there was a thin coating of somethng white and wet on the porch railing. I walked carefully on the stairs, but nothing had frozen there at that time.  

On this day of firsts, there was a conglomerationof signs that a colder season has arrived. While there will be daily highs above freezing, the highs and the nightime lows will be much cooler than we've experienced lately. These seasonal changes were expected, but I always feel a bit sad when it arrives. The colder season of winter and parts of fall are not my favourite. I do live in the wrong latitude, but that can be remedied, I think <smile>. 

The song shared today fits the recognition of the changes happening around me. It also was chosen in honour of the 80th birthday of the singer. Keep safe.Enjoy!

A Sign of the Times -- Petulia Clark

9-318 (14/11/22) -- Brain Fog

Shortly after posting the blog yesterday, the headache clearly stated that it was a migraine. <sigh> This affected what I'd hoped to accomplish today. Editing a document with the foggy headache brain doesn't lend itself to clear thinking. So, the day became filled with resting and small chores. The morning was sunny and windy with clouds blowing across the sky. Temperatures were cooler and more seasonal.  Late in the afternoon, I felt up to walking to the store for eggs. It rained most of the afternoon -- lightly when I was out for the walk along with far less wind. By the time I took the recycling to the curb tonight, the wind had increased again and the rain drops were larger. 

A song line often runs through my fuzzy brain when I have a migraine, especially when the pain gets excrutiating. I hear the main word leading several lines as 'pain' though it is something else entirely <smile>. The singer makes this word sound painful and full of anguish to me. Keep safe. Enjoy!  

Fame -- David Bowie

9-317 (13/11/22) -- Blah Day

Today began with a headache and some knee pain. The painkiller helped until it wore off around supper time when I took some more to push back the discomfort. The headache seems to be more sinus related than migraine -- thankfully. Outside the windows it was grey and dreary. Very little rain overall and mainly in the form of a fine mist when I way anything. Again, the temperature was warmer than expected by several degrees. It was cooler than yesterday and will continue to drop over the next few days. 

Needless to say, I found myself doing very little from the 'to do' list  -- the 'need' to do or the 'want' to do items. Feeling blah doesn't serve to motivate one much <smile>. I did some searching for Christmas gift ideas and came up short on a couple ideas <sigh>. I will continue when my mind is more in order than it is today.  

A song line or two ran through my head today. The lyrics deal with listlessness and weariness, which seemed to fit the day. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Grand Ennui -- Michael Nesmith

9-316 (12/11/22) -- Hyperbole in Forecasts

Today was rainy and warm. The rain was all over the map. First nothing then light rain and moments of hearvier rain. There was  lot of time with mist or nothing actually falling from the sky. The air varied between being still onto a light breeze. This is all good, since the low pressure system that came from the tropical depression and Colorado low arrived in the Atlantic region today. Preciptation would be worse in the areas north of here. We received far less rain than forecast. Other areas got more than we did and some of that fell in a frozen form.  I worked indoors on household cleaning and laundry and did some editing work on a project -- just your basic Saturday living the dream. <smile> 

The day brought thoughts of expectations and predictions that can affect levels of anxiety when they err on the side of worst case scenarios. It is important to let people know that something wicked is on the way. When the chance of major storms is slight, then that should be the leading message rather than stating what might be the outside chance. Forecasts require a degree of trust to accept and prepare. When forecasts do not upfold as stated, there is a loss of trust. I laughed out loud when I thought of a line or two of lyric that made me think the forecasters just as well could have said this. <grin> Yet, we will need to listen to the forecasts and look carefully at the data they are based on. This should help to understand the potential for worse storm outcomes.  Keep Safe. Enjoy! 

It's Raining Men -- The Weather Girls 

9-315 (11/11/22) -- Focus on Remembrance

I watched the cermonies from the National War Memorial, where I learned Canada celebrates on the day of the armistice more than any other country in the Commonwealth. The crowd in Ottawa was the first larger crowd since 2019. It was nice to see people out, but nly a few were masked -- despie a recent survey noting that 70% of people would be in favour of a mask mandate for indoor public spaces. Interesting. When outside and crammed together in a crowd, it is like being in close quarters indoors. 

I did some editing work using a new-to-me editing platform. It has some quirks compared to the basic office suite individual editing process, but I think I got things down to the point tha others will understand what I was suggesting <smile>. 

Later in the afternoon, I went for a wlak just before sunset. It was cooler, but pleasant --about 12C (54F). A few clouds and patches of blue sky prevailed today. It will get cloudier overnight and be grey and rainy with some wind tomorrow. The Canadian Hurricane Centre made its last update this afternoon and now condsider this a fall storm. I'll still make some small preparations in case we need to leave or lose power for a bit. While walking I pondered the service of relatives and friends from WWI to the second Gulf War. to Peacekeeping missions to reservist, firefighting and policing work.  I also thought of my research work that looks at dietetics in the Crimean War (mid-1850s) and the US Civil War (1860s). The latter included the two dietitians who founded the national dietetic association and served in WWI and WWII. Life in service is challenging in combat or peace time. It is also appreciated. 

I chose to share a song from a more recent conflict. It was written in response to the 2006 death of Cpt. Nichola Goddard while serving in Afghanistan. She was from this little town as are the band who co-wrote and performed the song. The stretch of highway referred to in the song and shown in the video was between CFB Trenton and downtown Toronto. Keep safe. Enjoy!  

Highway of Heroes -- The Trews

9-314 (10/11/22) -- Place Full of Life

The day was grey, cloudy and cool. I walked out twice for milk, bread and baked goods. A small grocery trip provided a few items. I'm now set the the next week. I had a great chat with a friend. We laughed a lot, which felt wonderful. Anxiety has been poking at me recently, so relaxing on our call today helped a lot. 

I went online to find my new proof of vaccine. I planned to save the file to print. I will need to wait another week or two, though. The new bivalent vaccine was just new to clinics two weeks ago. To get it out as quickly as possible meant putting it out before IT had time to work with the software. So, when I wnet out all doses were listed, but the last one was noted as 'unspecified vaccine' <sigh>. Now I'm not sure that is proof of what I want it to be proof of <grin>. So, once the new vaccine names are added to the platform, I will save the file and get it printed. I do this at the library since I don't have a working printer at home. 

Libraries are amazing places. I love wandering the stacks and looking at random books. I love books. There are many small piles and shelves of book all over the house <smile>. But libraries are so much more than books! They loan music and movies, board games and activity bags. Ours has art installations, author readings, many meeting rooms for community groups, and a lecture room where various speakers, films and learning activities occur. Community access computers connect people to the outside world. A youth room fills after school most days and provides a place to visit, dance, play games or many other activities. A 3D printer is available. This is where we find COVID test kits provided by the province. And, of course, there is a basic printer where we can send documents for a small fee. For vaccine proof sheets and wallet cards, there is no charge. The wallet cards are even laminated for free. Librarians help with all of these offerings. I sometimes hear that libraries belong in the past as many people don't read actual books any more. Yet, it is a happening place with books and everything else each time I stop by. E-books are also available for loan for those who don't like the tactile aspect of paper books. 

A song made me laugh when thinking through what to share today. I hope this makes you smile, too. It speaks to something that might happen at the library but may not be an official program. <smile>  Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Love in the Library -- Jimmy Buffett

9-313 (9/11/22) -- Standing up to 'the Man'

The day felt very much like a late fall day. It was cooler with grey skies, but less intense wind than yesterday. I spent the day indoors working on some research planning and learning about a larger review process that I volunteered to assist with. It sounds quite interesting. 

Two items arrived in e-mail where businesses had charged incorrectly for services. One was the cellular carrier who put a $20 service charge on the account since they thought the plan was changed in mid-October, when it wasn't altered until the end of the billing cycle. So very irritating that they just can't get this right. I was assured last month by the local sales people that should this occur, it could be reversed as it was clear that the change was not made in the middle of a billing period. I hope to hear from them tomorrow as I left a lengthy message with all the details. If I don't hear from them, I will go and stand at the store until they speak to me. <smile> Or maybe I'll sit in protest. <grin>  I also sent a note to the technology folks to ask where they are with the new camera needed for the laptop. I haven't heard anything for over two weeks. 

Larger corporation make transaction challenging, when it could be done in a simpler manner. It is bad enough that for many companies profits have been record setting over the past year and yet they find ways to squeeze every penny from customers. One organization rounds up or down -- to the closest 5 cents -- with every transaction. This is to happen only with cash sales. Credit, debit and company cards are to use the actual price. So, if they are rounding up with all customers, they make a huge amount daily through sales across Canada. I'm sure that adds up quickly. <sigh> I expect many of us just let things like this go -- what's one or two cents? It is a lot over time sadly. And I finally found a way to change chat messages back to text messages so that data isn't required. When I read about it, both are to use wifi or data, but text uses the plan I have for unlimited texts rather than pulling data from the data plan. It was deep into app settings, but it seems to have reset things back to texting. <smile> Just another weird app that I never added, but the phone carrier and manufacturer seem to make major use of 'updates' to add stuff I just don't need or want. <grump> 

So,  it was a day filled with me standing up to organizations to get what I need and was promised. Just little old cranky me. <grin>  A song title and lyrics came to mind as I pondered the huge corporate profits happening during a time of major inflation and almost recessionist situations. The singers do a good job with this one. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Take the Money and Run -- David Crosby & Graham Nash

 

9-312 (8/11/22) -- Enough Already!

What a windy day it has been, complete with very dark, angry clouds flying across the sky. The daytime high was 10 degrees Celsius (~ 18 degrees F) lower than yesterday and 20 degrees (~38 degrees F) lower than the day before that. We are now on the cold side of the seasonal norm range. By the end of the week, though, we will have warmer  highs and lows due to tropical air arriving with remnants of the tropical cyclone Nadine. The large plume of moisture travelling north will be drawn in by the colder system -- a Colorado low moving northeast. At present, it looks like we will have a fair amount of rain -- how much will become clearer as the system arrives, but it will be lots. North of this area, there will be heavier snow or mixed precipitation. I expect there will be power outages as already damaged trees continue to fall onto power lines. We'll see. A treeless tundra or tropical island almost looks good to me right now. <sigh> 

I'll admit that the anxiety level is increasing as the next storm nears. When is it enough already? I thought of a phrase that I rarely used as a child to 'give in' or 'give up' -- yield power to another. We just didn't use the term 'uncle'  but I'm ready to, believe me. An amusing ditty seemed to fit with my ponderings today. The artist will celebrate his 84th birthday next week and is still touring. That gives me hope. <smile>  Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Uncle Toad Said -- Gordon Lightfoot

9-311 (7/11/22) -- Mealtime Catch Up

I made a midday trip to the bank in misty rain. Whe I went to the post office in mid-afternoon, a light rain fell. There was a bit of wind but it was warm -- not hot but warmer than expected at this time of year. I had two great phone chats with friends today. I enjoyed catching up and discussing the state of the world <smile>.  

My stomach hasn't recognized that the time changed on the weekend. At 4 PM, I was thinking I needed supper. So, I started cooking so things would be ready closer to 5:30 today. I turned on the MP3 player with the external speaker and commenced food prep. I made a batch of onions and peppers, which will do for the next couple of meals. Tonight these went with the Asian chicken burger that I'd prepared a while back and placed in the freezer. For a starch side, I made perogies -- well I cooked the frozen ones I purchased <grin>. These were topped by a mushroom and onion mixture and plain yogurt. While waiting for things to cook, I made a batch of oatmeal topping for fruit crisp. I like to keep this in the fridge so I can make a dessert for one quickly. Tonight, I made two individual apple and pear crisps. Generally, these have cranberries in them, but not tonight. There was no clear theme for supper but it was a great mix of different cultural food styles. Definitely yummy.  

I realized while cooking that the sun had set and it was fully dark by 5 PM. That seemed so strange, but we are at that time of year again. Daylight will begin to increase in about 6 weeks. The song of the day definitely looks at suppertime from a different angle <smirk> Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Suppertime -- Little Shop of Horrors

9-310 (6/11/22) -- Confusion Reigns

My goodness! It was over 25C this afternoon (close to 80F) with major winds from the southwest. I went for a walk along the estuary rather than sitting inside when there is a day like this during November. Nature is confused the this weather. Flowers are blooming now that usually don't bloom until Spring. Shrubs are starting new leaf buds. Some animals are shedding as if it were Spring. The climate change effects are concerning. 

I am so very tired of shain saw sounds all around me still. Cleanup is moving forward but there is just so much to be done all around town. The emergent and urgent tree removal work has been underway for a long time. Now the less urgent removal of branches and downed trees seems to be starting in earnest. 

Time change. What more can I say? I have dealt with this for most of my adult life, but still wish that we could just pick one time and stick with it. I grew up in a province that still does not change time. It made more sense to me. It was twilight just after 4 PM today, which is way too early. It will be full dark before 4 PM before the days begin to get longer in December. This is just too much to handle. <sigh> 

A 'go to' song for the time changes is shared today. I find the title and some of the lyric fits my thoughts about the process of dodging back and forth an hour twice a year. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

The Time Warp -- The Rocky Horror Picture Show