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!
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
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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
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!
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!
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)
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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
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!
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!
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!
It was 24+C in the afternoon and still 21C just before sunset! The weather has been the subject of conversations and this blog for a qhile as this just doesn't happen to this extent at this time of year here. I went for a walk in the sunshine and found workers replacing facia boards on a buliding just back of the house. They had a great day for this type of work. I worked inside today doing the usual weekend household chores.
I slept a bit better last night since the arm hurts less. It is still tender but more usable than it was yesterday, so things are moving in the right direction. During the overnight, the time changes, moving back an hour for most of the country. The change will create consternation among many people and certainly among our animal companions. <sigh>
A song comes to mind often at this time of year and I'm sure I've used it in the past. However, it just fits so well. The video with this ia a great montage of the singer's fashion history. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Today felt like a cooler summer day )20C/68F). I was shopping for groceries and some Christmas ideas wearing a t-shirt -- the sun was so warm. When I got back home, I did a hand wash of the car -- the first time that has ever happened in November! The next few days are to be slightly warmer and then we will be closer to seasonal temps with daytime highs in the single digits Celsius. The weather is like a roller coaster at this time of year -- going up and down so one has no idea what to wear each day <smile>. We are getting more cooler days and nights, but the warmer days are so beyond what is usual.
When shopping today, I had to go to two stores to find most items. I had four missing items in one store and then found only one item at another store for more than I expected to pay. That item was wax paper. With the paper shortage that has been plaguing the globe since the pandemic began, these types of products will be in short supply for some time into the next year. I don't bake with it -- parchment paper is used for that. I wrap food items that need a moisture barrier. I do have lovely beeswax coated cotton wraps that work well for refrigerated items in bowls or containers without lids. For other items wax paper can help keep things fresh, too.
While I generally don't use paper to wrap a gift (I choose reusaable gift bags or boxes sometimes with a bit of tissue), for some reason this song ran through my mind when thinking of the paper shortage. It also fits with the nearing holiday season. Keep safe. Enjoy!
I had a bit of achiness today but mainly just a sore upper arm muscle. So, not too bad so far with this vaccine dose. I have a bit of 'foggy brain' going on, but that is likely due to the restless sleep last night. It was difficult finding a comfortable position since I usually sleep on the side where the vaccine was given. I asked for this so that my dominant arm would not feel sore and impede daily activities.
The only outing was a quick trip to pharmaices for a couple of over-the-counter items and some backed goods. It was sunny, but with wind gusts that made it quite cool. When the wind died down between gusts the warmth of the sun was quite pleasant. It didn't seem too bad when I walked out to the stores, but on the way back I was walking into the wind gusts. For much of the rest of the day, I did little. I expect a better sleep tonight. <smile>
I was reading about usual vaccine side effects and read the title of a song. So, I share that one here today. It made me smile. Keep safe. Enjoy!
After a great chat with a colleague, I headed out into the sunshine. I had an appointment for the COVID bivalent vaccine -- what the province calls the "fall dose". There was some early arm pain at the injection site and for the first time that I can recall from vaccinations since high school, this is the first one that bled -- just a tiny amount, but enough to stain the bandage covering the site.
Once back home, I rested and reheated the leftovers from my restaurant meal yesterday. I'm glad I had those and didn't have to make a decision or stand and cook. I have nothing that has to be done tomorrow, just in case I feel yucky. Past vaccine doses have created some minor arm pain and a lot of fatigue for two or three days. We'll see what this one brings.
My walk to the pharmacy for the vaccine was pleasant but the wind was very strong. It added coolness to the actual air temperature. The wind was at my back going out but I had to walk directly into it for a couple of blocks on the way home. It felt much more like autumn than the past few very warm weeks. The song chosen to share tonight fits the thoughts that the wind can blow in good thoughts and feelings. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Today has been cloudy with misty rain all day. I had planned to do some outdoor work, but the weather -- including cooler temperatures -- did not provide what was needed to work comfortably outside. Instead, I had a phone conversation with a friend and did a few household cleaning chores.
I met a friend for dinner at a favourite restaurant. We had a good talk about a number of current events and personal happenings. I couldn't eat all of the main course since the salad had been quite filling. My friend and I split the salad, so even half was quite large -- but soooo good. I took the remainder home for supper tomorrow. They also had a dessert that I haven't seen on their social media sites for some time. It is a carrot cake base with creme brulee between layers and carmelized pineapple for glaze on top. I love it! So, I got a piece of that 'to go' and will eat that tomorrow with the remaining entree.
Dinner involved a glass of wine as it often does. I went to a trusted malbec and my friend had the white that was the special tonight. I've used the selection for today before in the blog, but I like the way the lyrics pair good discussions with friends with a glass of wine. Keep safe. Enjoy!
This week began with mainly light clouds. These cleared early in the evening so I could see the moon for the first time in two to three weeks. The person that was to remove the two large branches in the back yard, simply took the branch ends and left behind the sections with twigs and attached leaves, which were the majority of the 15+ feet of the branches. I'm not sure where we go with the piles of leftovers. <sigh>
I had a good chat with a colleague today that helped me put some things into perspective. This can help ease frustrations that pop up in daily life. At present, I'm trying to cope with people who don't seem to do things in a sensible manner. I've had to recall a friend of mine who told me that I always look for the logic in situations that just aren't logical. <smile> I can be more attentive to my responses to the actions of others to understand what exactly seems to be the emotion(s) at the root of what I term 'frustration'. That takes work, but eliminates guessing what might be going on in someone else's mind -- something we just never know. Today the conversation and glimpsing the moon helped me to relax enough to explore briefly what was going on in my own head <smile>.
I chose to share a song that mentions the moon and somewhat fits with a Halloween theme. <smile> I also enjoy the jazz-ish nature of this song which departs from much of what the singer-songwriter is known for best. Keep safe. Enjoy!
