10-149 (29/5/23) -- Sleepless

The week started off with a bang. It has been a busy day with three planned meetings. One had to be postponed to accommodate another. One was for furture work on an ongoing project and the other was with the banker. The other meting with a friend was moved to later in the week. My walk out and back to the bank was in sunshine, but much cooler air than yesterday. From early evening last night when the temperature sat at 29C/84F, it then dropped 2 degrees per hour until 8 AM, when it was 6C. Our high was about 9C/48F. The wind was cold and out of the north and northwest. It will be warmer for the rest of the week, but overnight lows are cooler still. I prefer that since it feels more comfortable to sleep. 

Sleep -- now there's a concept. I got very little sleep last night due to anxieties about packing in the allotted time, noises waking me, humid air keeping me unsettled and so many more things that swirled around in my head. I'm amazed that I've been able to make some degree of sense so far today. I did some editing for one project meeting tomorrow and gathered together the 9 or 10 bags of recycling to take to the curb later this evening. Most of that consists of paper waste from sorting files and books and such. So some work to rid the house of excess stuff will be the major back and forth trips carrying medium to heavy bags -- a great work out. <smile> 

The first few lines of a song came to mind while thinking of the insomnia of last night. The reasons for my lack of sleep were firmly grounded in the angst of moving not the issues presented in the lyrics. Thoughts of moving and packing and unpacking and changed routines and such filled my head with the same effect as the change the lyrics present. So -- here's the song from decades past. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

(Last Night) I didn't get to sleep at all -- The 5th Dimension

10-148 (28/5/23) -- Thorns

Today was HOT -- 31C/88F. I did outside things earlier in the day to avoid the oppressive heat of the afternoon. It has been a busy day. I ran a couple errands on Main Street and finished the laundry. Further work in the office room was done. I'm ready to leave it for now and just put stuff in boxes. I pulled weeds in front flower beds since the soil was moist after the rains of the past couple of days. It made things easy to remove. I also trimmed -- rather, fought with -- a wild invasive rose-like plant -- thorny brancches that grab hold and stay there until you carfully remove them or the clothing tears <grump>. I thought it was in one area in front of the house but found it was creeping along into other shrubs closer to the house. This made me think of Princess Aurora behind the wall of thorns placed around the castle by Maleficent. <g> The prince will need to come by and helped hack back the thorny mess. <grin> 

One of my favourite Disney movies as a young kidwas Sleeping Beauty. I had (and still have) a large size story book and a puzzle with a scene from the movie. I had the LP, too. Not sure if that is still with me, but it may be. I haven't had a functioning turntable for several years, so haven't dug into the box of records. I wanted to share a song that came to mind after my encounter with the thorny bush. It made me giggle. <g> 

Hail to the Princess Aurora -- from Sleeping Beauty (Disney movie)

10-47 (27/5/23) -- On the Back Shelf

Another Saturday  and I spent it doing more work in the office clearing old electronic support manuals and software. There is still much to do, but I'm over halfway through getting the room ready to put into boxes. In my breaks from this work, I did laundry and some bits of household cleaning. I made a bigger brunch meal today that was very yummy. The nausea and dizziness has lessened, so I'm still being careful about what I eat. 

Today I found that I had squirelled away a lot of hardware and software manuals. Now that sentence should tell you how long these items have been sitting on a back shelf in my office room. It has been a goodly long time since paper manuals became obsolete and online help and manuals were de rigueur. So, these helped to fill another large recycling bag. I amaze myself at what I've pushed into corners over the years. I come by this honestly as my family can attest to -- many family members of my and earlier generations have fully expressed this genetic trait. We also have a high degree of clutter blindness due to this trait. <grin>  

The Governor General Awards for laureates in all categories will have a gala event this evening at the National Arts Centre. I'd like to include another song from one of the the singer-songwriters honoured this week. This selection is written and performed by the honoree. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Constant Craving -- k.d. lang 

10-146 (26/5/23) -- Working Through

Outdoors it was cool and cloudy again. It was a good day to stay indoors and focus on work. I got beck to packing tasks. I tackled the office room. I emptied some boxes and managed to consolidate items so they'd be easier to find things at the other end. I had sorted most of the room a while ago, but worked at the two corners that I hadn't completed. I filled a recycle bag with paper stuff and a garbage bag with other stuff. I made a pile of e-waste with older computer components. I surprised myself by finding something that I was sure had been added to the pile of waste at work years ago -- my first laptop. It is HUGE -- like three or four of my current laptops would be as high. I'm sure I could start a museum display documenting the rapid changes in copmuter technology over the past 2+ decades. It is amazing to look at some of the components and internet hook up devices -- once the Internet and Web 1.0 were available. It was a major walk down memory lane. <grin>  

I went for Chinese takeout in the early evening. I thought this might help me to eat something -- no spicy things -- when I feel hungry. The headache, dizziness and nausea remains with me today. So, getting something premade and ready to go might help to get needed nutrients into me when I feel hungry.. While eating supper, I heard about the Governor General's Performing Arts Lifetime Achievement Awards. There were two singer-songwriters (Molly Johnson and kd lang), a choreographer (James Kudelka) and a soprano vocal coach (Rosemary Landry) 

Tonight I chose to feature one of the singer-songwriters -- Molly Johnson. She was cited for her breadth of musical contributions to the pop and jazz genres and her humanitarian work. I chose one about music helping us through our days. Her voice is wonderful with the jazz stylings of this song by another songwriter. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Lady Day and John Coltrane -- Molly Johnson

10-145 (25/5/23) -- Where'd the Time Go?

We had a cool rainy day today. I walked to a morning meeting and managed to miss the downpours. A very light rain was the most I encountered. A friend visited for tea in the late afternoon. That felt great. For the past couple of days, I've had some nausea, dizziness and headache. I'm not sure if it is allergies (maples are blooming), vertigo or a migraine. I was very tired so didn't get much done during the day. I rested in the evening when I generally finish and post the blog. So, even this will be a late -- again. <sigh> 

Time gets away from me sometimes. There is a deadline to meet and things seem to be moving faster than me. Things get left undone at the end of the day. I keep channeling Scarlett O'Hara with the "tomorrow's another day" quote. It is but the time doesn't stretch like I'd like it to do. I like to meet deadlines and find it disturbing when I don't get through as much as I'd planned by the end of the day. Things do get done, but they take longer to complete. A few lines from a song ran through my head today. Instead of wishing time away, I've been wishing it would last longer. <smile>  Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Fast -- Luke Bryan

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10-144 (24/5/23) -- Little Accomplished

Today two meetings were postponed, but not much completed in terms of packing instead of meeting. I made several phone calls abiyt arrangements for the move, but it doesn't feel like enough for one day. I spent a bit of time on a writing project, but there is much left to do so it, too, feels like not much done. <sigh> 

The day was bright and sunny with warmish temperatures. A cooler air mass with rain is headed this way for tomorrow. We need rain, so hopefully the forecast for about an inch/25 mm will materialize. That will give me a day to stay indoors and get some work done in the office room and make a few more phone calls. 

I dislike the feeling of rising panic that arrived when I realized it was Wednesday and nothing in the way of putting things into boxes has occurred in the past four or five days. It is much too easy to get into managing other parts of life -- like grocery shopping and paying bills. Everything seems to take so much more time than I planned.  

A strong female role model died today. Tina Turner was 83 years old. She worked regularly into her 70s and found ways of reinventing herself as music genres changed over the years. Before all the tribute notices online and broadcast TV filled my head with the many hit songs she had, two came to mind today. I share them here today. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

River Deep, Mountain High (Phl Spector version 1966) 

The Best (released 22 years after the first selection here -- 1988)

10-143 (23/5/23) -- Busy Fatigue

Today I took refundables to the Erviro-Depot. It is good to see another corner of the basement freed from stuff. A good friend went with me to load and unload the bags. I hadn't done this return since the pandemic began. I then "made small groceries" -- the New Orleans term for a short list for specifics vs. making big groceries, which is a major stock-up trip. This took as long as a bigger purchase. Long lines at the check-out and the need to find tea took much longer with a lot more back and forthing in the store. The tea wasn't on the shelf and I was told it was in a pile at back -- this, as the customer service person vaguely waved an arm at the far corner of the store. I laughed and said it was hidden. She got testy and told me that it was impossible to keep shelves stocked when there were sales so things are in the big aisle at the back. This is a new practice and there was no need for the attitude. <sigh> 

The sunshine today felt warm but the breeze is still coming to us via the strait which still has some ice present -- so it is a bit cool but not uncomfortably so. I decided on take-out for supper tonight. I was physically tired today -- Lots of walking and much toting of stuff. I didn't get to the phone calls I'd hoped to begin today, but  in the parlance of Scarlett O'Hara 'tomorrow's another day' <smile> Tonight I share a relaxing melody with lyrics addressing the theme of tomorrow. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Tomorrow Never Knows -- The Beatles

10-142 (22/5/23) -- Colourful World

Today was a holiday so all phone calls were to people not businesses. The latter will need to wait until tomorrow. Two calls asked questions about preparing for the impending move -- where to donate small furnishings. I now have more names to contact for follow up. I did some consolidation of garbage bags to make fewer trips to the curb tonight. I'm pleased that more recycling bags exist than items going to landfill. I packed a few boxes for smaller but heavier items today -- not much headway made there today. 

I was inside mostly today. We had a sun and cloud mix but with cooler temperatures. We are at the point where the colder temps are seen less often than the warmer ones. That brings a smile. The late spring flowers are blooming -- lots of tulips and narcissus. The magnolias are winding down but the maples are now in bloom, which makes me stuffy. I love seeing the pops of colour as I am walking or driving around town. It looks like a celebration. I heard a voice in my head 'singing' -- one of my dad's favourites. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

It's A Wonderful World -- Louis Armstrong

10-241 (21/5/23) -- Words, Books and Blogs

We had big winds overnight and into the early afternoon, but temperatures were warmer and humidity was higher. I walked out to run an errand and light rain began about a block from the house. It had stopped by the time I was heading home again. Winds had abated, as well. 

While doing housework and writing work, I was pondering books. I have been making a pile of books to donate. There are so many books <smile>. I've had books since childhood. I still have a couple of the favourites from then. Each one becomes a friend -- some closer than others. They impact my world -- the way I see it and think about it. Some are great escapes from the stresses of the day; others add to my knowledge base or challenge my viewpoints. Simply put, books bring me joy. <smile> 

The written word is an amazing thing. The move from oral societies to written communications was key. It allowed us to record historical aspects of life rather than only passing stories down the generations. I've often thought of the number of written words in the world. It grows daily and with the electronic age, the reach of written words became immense. In some ways, the personal correspondence style found in various online platforms allows the world to see indivivual's moment by moment thoughts. Obviously, this blog fits this category. I've also contributed to the wider published written word through newspaper and newsletter columns, research journals, book chapters and such. These formal archives are easier to access than some of the online platform back logs. Brick and mortar libraries collect such publications. Through legal deposit legislation, national librariesgether copies of every publication within their borders. Some smaller documents often are scanned or in the past, were put on microfilm. Getting full collections digitized falls outside the budgets of most libraries, so to read some documents requires one to visit the library or archives. I love libraries. Walking into a huge building filled with publications feels like being home. One of my current projects will require visits to several collections to read items from the mid-1800s.  I'll admit that I'd rather hold a bound volume that scroll through microfilm or digitized copies.  

A silly song is shared today. It covers some of what I've been pondering and should make you smile. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Your Library -- Ludwig von Drake 

20-140 (20/5/23) -- Pondering Productivity

Guess what! It si Saturday again and I did laundy -- well most of it. <smile> I also cleaned out pantry items for packing and disposal. I sorted through gardening items and tools for packing and disposal. This was a lot of work for what looks like a small end product. I guess not all work will appear big but it all needs to be done. I do have lots of garbage and recycling bags to go out over next few weeks. I'm having difficulty assessing progress. Every little bit is important, but how much is enough each day? We are about severn weeks out and a lot to do during that time. I try to do something every day, but I still need to take care of me and the usual work stuff -- pay bills, get groceries, cook, write, and so much more. Even before I knew I was moving, everyday things could feel overwhelming. With the stress of getting it all in boxes comes even greater stresses. 

Perhaps some days will feel more productive than others. This doesn't mean that the other days were a waste of time, though. I have to keep that perspective in place -- not an easy task. Several preparatory steps require phone calls only. These mean sitting on hold waiting for a service agent. I've always hated that long wait to be served. I don't thing that values my time as a long term customer. Oh, well. It all needs to be done and I can do other things as I sit listening to the hateful tunes, marketing messages and repeated assurances of my importance as a clietn. <sigh> It is all part of the process of moving from point A to point B. It would be nice if it were easier. I haven't given up on the gnomes or elves working though the night to help, though <grin> 

The title of a song hit me as funny today, so I'm sharing with you all. <grin> It shows how cardboard may be affecting my mind. <giggle>  The lyrics carry some great themes, too, though.  Keep safe. Enjoy! 

The Boxer -- Simon and Garfunkel

10-139 (19/5/23) -- Serial Haunting

The week is ending with sunshine and warmer temperatures but with some wind. Technology updates were positive. For now the laptop is functional with camera and audio again. this happened after some firmware updates that hadn't gone through automatically. That wasn't what it needed when we replaced the camera a while back so will be cautiously optimistic for now.  The other ancient device left with a tech place a week ago hadn't been looked at yet due to technical issues they were dealing with after a lightening strike. I took the thing home with me as the tech will be on vacation for a week or so. At home, it acted normal -- not like before I took it for help. It is fully charged and hadn't held a charge before. I supect the charger not the device, so will try a different charger when it winds down. 

I feel that poltergeists may be messing with my technology. Besides the two devices mentioned here other items have had issues. A television became a doorstop -- nothing will help that one, I'm afraid. The pvr with the other television seems to record things I haven't programned and tells me programs are being watched on another television while insisting that they can't be erased, yet progrrams disappear from the list of recordings. I've also had charges for two pay-per-view movies show up on the past two billing cycles each from 9:30 AM. The cell seems to hang onto one time alarms and encourages me to tap the screen to put the time in place for two weeks from the original date of the alarm. Messenger has made keeping in touch a bit more difficult. Something is a afoot I fear <smile>.  

I wondered if something was trying to tell me that I rely too much on the digital technologies. I thought of another song with different metaphors than I had pondered today. I particularly like the final one which is a play on a message in a bottle. Cool. Keep safe. Enjoy!

Virtuality -- Rush

10-138 (18/5/23) -- Searching for Answers

I woke earlier than plananed and spent much of the day sorting and packing in the basement. Things are looking more managed, but there are a few corners left to tackle.  A physio visit lte afternoon was followed by a grocery run. I got home at 7 PM and was very tired by early evening. I know that is a laundry list of my day, but along with those actions, I was thinking of many things. 

I've been pondering the meanderings of the research I've been involved with for several years. Questions abound. The search for answers can be fun and frustrating at the same time. Where to look to find clues takes some time to search. What I'm looking for isn't always there, but when a small tidbit presents itself it feels huge. Finding the little pieces often directs me to another potential place  to search further. It is like doing a jigsaw puzzle but the pieces are found in a bizarre scavenger hunt. That anything comes of it all is nothing short of amazing. These meanerings of my mind took me to a book -- not yet in a box <smile>. I recalled a wonderful explanation of research there. 

    "... the way this science proceeds towards its goal: each new discovery a tiny prism to catch the light from what we know and split it apart into new patterns of possibility, sharper questions, more certain uncertainties." [from Johanson, D., & Shreeve, J. (1989). Lucy's Child. The discovery of a human ancestor. Early Man Publishing, Inc., pp. 282]

How cool is that?  Oddly enough I also heard a line from a song that deals with the search for answers.  <smile> I love the poetic lyrics and the early use of a synthesizer. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Daily Nightly -- The Monkees

10-137 (17/5/23) -- Practicing Self-Care

Today consisted of packing and sorting in the basement. It was a cold and rainy day with a frost warning overnight. It was a good day to be working indoors.I got through several boxes. Sorting emptied many. I think most of what is going with me has been dealt with in this storage area. I sorted some things that I brought upstairs -- thinning that a lot. Lots of paper recycling for the next curbside date.   

One box in particular was difficult to sort through. I've chatted about the emotional aspects of this process and have had several people suggest that I just move things and sort or store at the other end. I have done a huge amount of sorting, so that might be doable. I'd like to get rid of what I can now, though. I just have to do a self check-in while sorting to determine if I can do this or not. I have found that I can let go of lots of things that I couldn't deal with a year ago, so if I move some of the smaller boxes that create issues now, I'm sure I can get things sorted out in the future. 

The phrase of the day has been "Be kind to yourself". <sigh>  I've spoken of this need in past blogs. It seems easier to care for others or focus outside myself than it is to take my own advice and improve self-care. I'm working on  giving myself a break and not expecting some myth of perfection <smile>. A song lyric fit my thoughts today by stressing the need to find a place of peace and kindness. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Treat People with Kindness (TPWK) -- Harry Styles

10-236 (16/3/24) -- Resilience

I was greeted by sunshine this morning. I added potting soil to the irises and planted the bulbs dug out of the lawn. I did this on the back porch which faces south. It was hot. By the time I headed out an hour later, it had clouded over so didn't feel as hot as it had. There also was a light breeze that made the air feel colder. 

I had a productive meeting with a co-author as we discussed one of the writing projects. We divided the tasks between us and will meet in two weeks to see how much we've progressed. At times I feel I have so much on my plate that I can't add something else. I can only do my best given the resources available each day. These thoughts brought to mind the amazing plant I saw while surveying the growth in the yard. Last September when the hurricane uprooted the huge tree in my back yard, I was sad since it pulled up a day lily and peony with the giant tree root ball. That has not been removed. But when I looked closely, I saw there were over 16 peiony spikes growing out of the tree roots -- more stems than that peony has ever had. Seeing this showed me the resiliency of nature. It had me thinking that I could be resilient, too, and take advantage of the situation to grow something new and unique -- unexpected even. So, I did some bits of sorting and organizing downstairs and hope to move on with the plan tomorrow. 

Looking at the peony today brought a song line and title to mind. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

I Will Survive -- Gloria Gaynor

10-135 (15/5/23) -- Can you see me now?

A sunny Monday morning greeted me -- earlier than I had planned, but sunny nonetheless. I had a walk through booked for mid-morning to provide an estimate for toting and transporting all my stuff up the hill. Several things will be easier to prepare than I'd thought since some things can be left as is rather than being encased in cardboard. Cool. Still, much work remains. I hope to reach the halfway point soon, though I'm not sure what that will look like. It might be the number of rooms tackled instead of the total box count. I'm not sure how best to mark progress with this.  

My walk for the day took me to campus. I took the long way so I could see the magnolias in full bloom. Several smaller trees have been planted recently and are blooming. I found all white blooms. Pink and yellow blossoms should be somewhere on campus but I'm not sure where. I took my research laptop to the IT desk -- Again for a faulty camera. <sigh> It refused to load yesterday with a virtual call -- so very frustrating.  This time, the audiio wouldn't load either, so the silly thing is escalating the problem. <grump>. The camera was replaced in the past few months while still on warranty. At that time, the tech suggested that if the problem reappeared that the problem may be with the mother board rather than the camera itself. <big sigh>. I need a machine and am ready to buy another if the warranty is up now. I just want something that does what it was designed to do. I logged the issue with the IT Help Desk and made an appointment with a Tech later in the week. That should give us a plan to go forward so I don't have to continue with this silliness again ... and again and again. In the meantime, I borrowed another newer laptop to use for the many regular meetings booked. 

Being unable to communicate visually and verbally was very odd. I've come to expect this technology to work on a daily basis over the past few years. Without it, I feel isolated. The tablet just doesn't manage as well as the laptop. <sigh>  I giggled a bit when a song came to mind. Imagine that! <smile>  Keep safe. Enjoy!

Pinball Wizard -- The Who

  

10-134 (14/5/23) -- Blanket Apology

 Anyone who reads this blog regularly will realize that the daily blog posting has become a batch post often. When I travel or have been unwell I've had to resort to this process. Generally I  try to post at least every onther day. The content of the blog, however, is determined each day. I will write notes by hand if not able to get to a laptop (much easier to type on a real keyboard <smile>). So, the key thoughts of my days are still the core of the blog as are the musical selections. 

In recent months I've been dealing with periodic vertigo, which makes using a screeen difficult since it exacerbates the dizziness. Thankfully, the episodes have been further apart of late. <fingers crossed>  I also took a long overdue and delightful trip to visit a dear friend, which slowed the posting of blogs. At present, I am dealing with an imminent household move. This process has already interfered with daily postings. I am documenting the processes involved in this major upheaval to daily life. Much of this will -- and has -- hit the blog. 

I don't plan to stop writing the blog, but just wanted to clarify with you why things may not be up daily. I assure you that I still write notes or full paragraphs long before you seen them. I guess what I really mean with all this is that I am sorry for those of you who read daily and may now have to do a weekly binge read. I hope by mid-summer that things will begin a new rhythm and see more regular postings. 

I chose to share the song that started it all here. I still like this one as it speaks to a positive future as we work to be our best selves. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

River of Dreams -- Billy Joel

10-133 (13/5/23) -- Rain, Sun and Boxes

Around mid-morning a light rain began. I checked the front porch and the boxes for Diabetes Canada donation pickup were still there. Since cardboard and water don't mix well, I dug out the small tarp and covered the boxes. As I was making lunch the driver came by and I was able to thank him personally for his work gathering boxes all over the region. By then, the sun was shining brightly. As the day moved forward, clouds gathered. The forecast states that we will get heavier rain overnight and some sun tomorrow. 

I spent most of the day in the basement. I got almost all of the storeroom packed into boxes. Just a couple of items remain and they will be packed with some items from the kitchen when the time comes. I moved along to the next room that has been my staging area for packing donations. There are a few items there that needed to be packed for storage at the new place. Most were things from when I cleaned out my mother's apartment. It was difficult to sort through some of this stuff. I did manage to get it into boxes, though tears were present during part of this. That room has three or four more things that need to be packed into a single box -- if possible. That will happen when I work on this project tomorrow. I will also be able to move to the next room which has several items that need to be consolidated into two or three boxes. That will be tackled tomorrow, too.  

The mover is coming by on Monday to do an estimate. I have a number of questions for him that I am trying to organize. I will write them down, since this whole packing process makes my mind unable to hold a thought often. 

One song came to mind from my views out the windows today -- mix of sun and rain. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Have You Ever Seen the Rain -- Creedence Clearwater Revival

10-132 (12/5/23) -- Feverish Pitch

I spent most of the day packing boxes. What a frustrating process to get boxes that fit related items. It took a while but I goth through a lot of the storeroom by early evening. 

The whole process seems endless and is so tireing. I'm awake later at night as my mind whirls with the plans for the enxt bout of packing. I wake up earlier than desirec anxious that the packing needs to doneand I need to get up to do it NOW. This only adds to the fatigue. <sigh 

The lyric lines that rolled around my head today come from a television drama theme song from long ago. The words present the need to organize and keep going to get the huge task done. The rhythm also brought a sense of urgency. None of this helped me relax <grin>. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Rawhide -- Frankie Laine

10-130 (10/5/23) -- Multitasking Myth

Today was a very full day. The weather was pleasant with sun and less wind. I had a meeting with a research colleague and friend. In mid-afternoon I dealt with some business related to the move -- getting all the ducks in a row. <smile> Once that meeting ended, I headed out to get a few groceries. This meant going to the two major stores in town. I also stopped at three other stores looking for non-food items. Two stores had nothing that was on my list so I have to find alternate sources for the items in question. The other store had what I was there for and even carried the heavy bag to the car for me. <smile> 

 By the time I finished shopping -- or at least searching for things I need -- it was early evening. I made a quick supper and felt utterly exhausted from all the running around. A nice soak in the tub helped me to feel a bit better. I can see a number of busier days in my near future. So many things need to be done in a finite time -- one that feels too short, actually and adds to the stres level. I've read scientific literature on multitasking and little evidence exists to support this concept. When giving attention ot numerous things at the same time, attention is divided and nothing has full attention. This means tasks can be botched or done poorly. Depending on what is being done, the end results can be less than pleasant. Just think of trying to have a conversation about something substantial while your conversation partner is occupied with a mobile device or two and doing another task like making a grocery list -- mentally or on paper. The conversation that began hoping for a decision may not go as well as hoped <smile>. We just can't do this well at any age. Deluding ourselved into believing we can achieve the myth of multitasking will not get us where we want to go. Things take longer than we plan and we feel overwhelmed constantly. We feel that we are not reaching our potential and that there must be something wrong since others seem to be managing similar loads. Taking care or ourselves means we need to acknowledge that we aren't superhuman. I still hope that some night the gnomes will arrive and clear the backlog on the to do list. <grin> 

The selection for today is a silly song that fit what I keep hoping for -- be careful what you wish for <grin>. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

The Laughing Gnome -- David Bowie

10-131 (11/5/23) -- Needing Assistance

We had another sunny day. It made my walking errands much nicer. I dropped off an electronic device with a tech to see if things can be fixed. I will be  early next week as they are having a repair person for the lightning strike tht hit their tower in the storm a few days ago. So, once that is all in working order, they will do what they can.  

When shopping yesterday, I wanted some vanilla frozen yogurt but it was at the very back of the top shelf. I asked an employee to reach it for me. When I got home, I discovered that she had given me ice cream instead of frozen yogurt. The labels are identical except for the words 'frozen yogurt' which I didn't even look for when she gave me the package. <sigh> Today I returned the ice cream and tried to replace it with what I wanted. The cashier returned my money. I picked up the yogurt and it rang through as two dollars more than the shelf tag. <sigh> I offered to get the shelf tag for the newish cashier. She said no and called for someone from grocery to call her. We waited for a while and then she called again. Still no response. There were two customers behind me and it looked like things were going to take forever. I finally just said that I would leave the item there and go since the store people couldn't get their act together to respond to the cashier. It isn't the first time the lack of customer assistance has reared its head at this store. <sigh> To be honest, I can get a similar product elsewhere and not have to argue the cost <sigh>. 

Lyrics ran through my head when waiting and even after I gave up and left the store. The first few lines of the song are the key ones for me today. Love the video for this one. <smile> Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Help -- The Beatles

10-129 (9/5/23) -- Waste Management

Today was bulky waste pickup day in town. I took several larger items to the curb last night hoping that someone would find something they could make use of, Not sure if anyone did take anything home with them. Nothing was left at the curb, so if nothing else the refuse workers took it. I had a phone meeting with a friend this afternoon and then a virtual meeting about one of the writing projects. Things sounded positive -- though work is definitely involved. <smile> 

I went for a walk to pick up a prescription that I ordered today only to find that it had been filled almost a month ago -- the day the MD prescribed it. Very odd. They don't usually do auto-fills, but must have thought I needed it so filled it without my knowing. We had a good laugh over things, at least. 

I had a list of things that needed to go out on Bulky Waste day that just don't fit in a bag. Unsurprisingly, I walked down the basement stairs and saw something that was to have gone to the curb for this morning. So -- not sure when that will be taken care of, since new management of town and county waste pickup,will charge for anything you want to drop off at another time. I'm not sure how people moving in and out in months other than April (and September in town only) manage the trash. I heard a line from an older song when thinking about this today. Hope it helps you smile. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Yakety Yak -- The Coasters

10-128 (8-5/23) -- Storm Moves Through

I had two appointments this afternoon. After the first one, I headed to the mall to get some things on my list. I started with the garden centre and got some potting soil. When heading in to pay for the bag, I saw a colleague who was heading back to campus. The sky looked menacing with deep grey onto navy clouds headed our way. I said I could drive him back to the office once I got the soil into my car. As we left the mall parking lot, small bits of rain landed on the windshield, but not enough to use the wipers. Just as I had dropped him off and turned around to leave, drops hit the windshield that were an inch or more in diameter. I chose to head home instead of returning to shopping. It was very wet getting from the car to the house. As I made a light lunch, thunder rolled in the distance. There were a couple of short light flashes that must have been lightning. They were some distance away. By the time my late afternoon appointment occurred, the rain had stopped. 

A song from an artist who hasn't been in the blog for while just seemed to fit the day. Keep safe. Enjoy!  

Lightning Bolt -- Jake Bugg

10-127 (7/5/23) -- Musical Celebration

It was sunny and warm today -- the first time in over a week. It was into the mid- to high teens (Celsius). I did some bits of yard work and finished the laundry. Along with catching up with blogs, a some other household chores  were completed. 

I listened to the Coronation Concert held in the garden at Windsor Castle this afternoon. It was an amazing event with a variety of music and artists and a light show that went through the whole two hour event. The Coronation Choir comprised 300 members from community choirs throughout the UK including a fully deaf signing choir. The performance by the Coronation Collaboration was stunning. The Royal patronages  -- Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Opera House, The Royal Ballet, the Royal college of Art and Royal College of Music -- performed together in a piece focused on the theme of love and developed for this concert only. Two principals from the ballet danced to 'Somewhere' from West Side Story, as an orchestra played, opera stars sang, and art students' works were projected onto the castle walls and into the sky. This piece played homage to the king, who plays piano, trumpet and cello, does wonderful watercolours, and writes. I have a children's book with a story told in a poem and illustrations by the then Prince of Wales. 

Technology came into play when a virtual Commonwealth Choir led by Steve Winwood  sang 'Higher Love". as videos from around the world showed around the top of the stage. That was fun, so I've chosen to share that selection here tonight. The online selectiong is the last small bit of the song, but it shows the stage setup and a few of the virtual singers. I added an older version of the full song, if you're in the mood <smile>.  Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Higher Love -- Steven Winwood and Virtual Commonwealth Choir

Higher Love -- Steve Winwood

10-126 (6/5/23) -- Medieval Traditions

Today was coronation day for the Commonwealth, a group of 54 nations, with 1/3 the population of the world, 1/3 of world oceans and 1/4 of land in the world. King Charles is head of state for 14 of the nations -- a ceremonial role for most. This group shares goals and stand together to build a sustainable future for global community.  The estimated broadcast and streaming audience globally was 2.5 billion. In the pouring rain, abaout 2 million people lined the parade route and gathered to watch on large screens in the parks (Hyde, Green, & St. James). Shots from the Palace showed the Mall filled with people, much like the crowds during the former Queen's Jubilee celebration. In short, many people chose to share this part of history. Like me, many were not born the last time a British monarch was crowned.  

Music played a major part of the ceremonies today. Military marches filled the parades to and from the coronation. Newer music (12 newly commisioned works) was added to the medieval ceremony. Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote one piece of music while other songwriters developed new music for existing songs commonly part of the religious ceremony. I've included two selections here. The first was playing as guests entered Westminster Abbey. It is one of the new commissions specifically for the coronation. It has a light sound and was written in a classical manner. The second was commissioned for the coronation of George II in 1727. This selection includes orchestral and choral parts. I found it quite relaxing. I couldn't find a version without video for this one, so feel free to close the window and just sit back and listen. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Brighter Visions Shine Afar -- Judith Weir

Zadok the Priest -- Handel 

10-125 (5/5/23) -- Box Struggles

Today is cinco de mayo. I celebrated by continuing with the packing and sorting in the storage room today. Got things into several new boxes. Found more items for bulky waste pickup next week and items for donation pick up next weekend, as well. Taking breaks helps, but I still feel very tired and sore at the end of the day. I will take tomorrow off and then get back at it for a few hours each day. 

Dealing with cardboard boxes gets old very quickly. They all look the same. One looks the right size but can't hold the intended contents well -- either too big or too small.  As they are filled and stacked they all look the same. Which one has what I need first at the other end. Labeling helps, but can still be difficult when deciding which room things should go to at the other end. It might help if I could just focus on the packing process and worry about the moving and unpacking later. Unfortunately, all three phases are linked, which makes separating them nearly impossible. Getting a rhythm might help, but disruptions occur just as the vision of a rhythm becomes almost clear. The best I can do is persevere -- no other choice.

While struggling with boxes today, I thought of a song. The lyrics  can fit my activities just a bit. It did make me smile abit, too. <smile>  Keep safe.Enjoy! 

Little Boxes -- Elvis Costello

 

  

10-123 (3/5/23) -- Transition Time

I stayed indoors today instead of going out in the rain and cold. There were snowflakes n the air between the bouts of pouring rain -- just a few and nothing accumulated on the warmed ground. I spent the day working on editing a manuscript that has been sitting for a while. I attended a virtual meeting to review edits suggestion to another document. Both projects require further work and meetings. While there were potential errands to run today, there is no shortage of things to do inside it seems. 

Cold air feels colder when it is damp or when the wind gets stronger. When both are present, it really makes one shiver. The past couple of days and the next few will be chilly and wet. It is a part of the transition that is spring. I find it difficult not to pull out the parka on such days. Instead I wear a heavy fleece jacket under the rain jacket and wear warm gloves and carry a hat if my ears get cold. Seat warmers in the car provide comfort, too. <smile> 

I chose a song that speaks to the transitions that come with spring and changes that occur withing and around us as we emerge from one season to another. Keep safe. Enjoy!

First of May -- James Taylor

10-124 (4/5/23) -- Ups & Downs

It's been another cold and rainy day. I spent most of the day sorting and packing the storage room in the basement. I was very weary when I stopped -- sore arms, back and feet for some reason. I set an alarm so that I stopped for a break every so often. That helped me to check in with myself, have a tea break, or just sit and rest.  

Packing up brings many emotions -- anxiousness, sadness, excitement, motivation, and so many more. It is a roller-coaster. It is a puzzle as I try to put related items in the same box and finding that 'just right' sized box makes me feel like Goldie Locks. <sigh> It challenges my spatial skills for sure. I'll have to get used to it, I guess, as it will take a while to get the house reduced to boxes. I'm sure much of the experience of the next several weeks will hit the blog. <smile>  This place helps me deal with the ups and downs of my days. 

A few lines from a song came to mind. The lyric deals with somethng different than packing boxes, but the perceptions are somewhat similar. Keep safe. Enjoy! 

Roller Coaster -- Bon Jovi

10-121 (1/5/23) -- Musical Birthday

The day began with an early morning phone call to postpone the MD visit to the end of the month. So, that freed up several hours for other stuff. <smile> I walked out for milk and then got the winter tires changed for the non-snow seasons.

The weather has been yucky -- grey skies and wind. There should be rain for the next few days and wind for today and tomorrow at least. This is part of the system that blew through Florida and the Carolinas yesterday ending in New England in the overnight. We could use some rain as the ground is very dry at present. 

Today is the 90th birthday of an amazing songwriter and performer -- Willie Nelson. He was part of the outlaw country genre. Over two dozen number one are attributed to him. His songs have been covered and made hits by many artists. I chose to share a song by him and one made famous by another singer. The first is a power ballad recorded by the singer while she had broken ribs and stood with crutches in the recording studio. That arrangement changed the sound of country music with the use of more complex chord than usual. The second has a lovely melody and rhythm that emphasize the lyrics well.I chose a version recorded by the songwriter and another country artist for his final album. Stay safe. Enjoy! 

Crazy -- Patsy Cline

Funny How Time Slips Away -- Willie Nelson

10-122 (2/5/23) -- Loss of Canadian Icon

When I turned on the news this morning, I learned of the passing of Gordon Lightfoot. He was the quintessential Canadian troubador. His songs included wonderful historical ballads telling the story of the sinking of a freighter in a storm on Lake Superior and the connecting of the parts of a soon-to-be nation via a transcontinental railroad. Other songs dealt with life experiences that touched the hearts of many. His songwriting skills led to hit songs for other singers including Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand, Sarah MacLachlan, Anne Murray, and Harry Belefonte to name just a few. His career began in the 1960s in the Toronto folk scene, where his unique sound began to develop -- a wonderful mix of a lower register voice and a 12-string acoustic guitar. Robbie Robinson stated today that Lightfoot "was a national treasure." He received many awards including the Companion of the Order of Canada, 16 Juno awards, 5 Grammy nominations, inductions into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Coutnry Music Hall of Fame, and a spot on Canada's Walk of Fame. 

Lightfoot toured for most of his 60+ year career. He was touring until a month ago. He was 84 when he died. I was lucky to see him in concert in Halifax at the Rebecca Cohn in November 2019 -- 5 days after his 80th birthday. He stood and played for 90 minutes, running seamlessly from one hit song to another. The audience responded by singing quietly -- not like at a rock concert where everyone screams the lyrics <smile>. It was a soft whispered sound that paid homage to his gentle performance without overpowering it. That night was the first one when he returned to the tour schedule after being off for a while with an injury from a gym workout -- at 79. <smile>  This wonderful musician will be missed, but I am so thankful for his huge body of work that we can listen to for years to come. 

To choose any song over the others as favourites is impossible. Inn a tribute today Bob Dylan noted "There is no Gordon Lightfoot song I don't like." So, I guess I'm in good company. After much gnashing of teeth, I chose two. The first is an historical ballad that was commissiond by the Canadian Broadcasting Corportation in honour of the Canadian Centennial in 1967. The rhythms and tempo in the sections fit the lyrics and the history being covered. The second song was more difficult to settle on <smile>. It is a love song that makes me smile. 

Canadian Railroad Trilogy -- Gordon Lightfoot

Beautiful -- Gordon Lightfoot