We had wonderful bright sunshine this morning. I made a plan to go for a walk after doing morning chores and lunch. As soon as the dishes were done, the sun became obscured by clouds. This seems to be the norm for me getting out into the sunshine recently. I'm trying not to take it as a personal insult from nature. <smile> While out walking, I saw lots of extra cars on the street today. It must have been for a midday Easter dinner. By early evening, the cars were gone.
I felt at a bit of a loss. A group of us used to get together for holidays, but the key person involved retired and moved away. So, the rest of us have tried to get together, but while we are keen to do this, the timing never seems right. I'm sure we will find a way that works -- a new format or tradition specific to us. I found myself thinking of Easter as a child. We went to church and I recall always having a new hat to wear on that day. I particularly recall one that was pale blue with wide ribbons down the back and a couple of daisies on the brim. This event is where I learned the words to the song shared here. It made me laugh as a kid and I still smile when I hear it. I've chosen to share the song from the original 1948 movie soundtrack -- it is somewhat older than I am. Keep safe. Enjoy!
The day was calmer than expected -- cloudy with sunny breaks after the loud wind and rain storm overnight. Temperatures were cooler but it was a nice day for a short walk -- even in the misty rain in the afternoon. I spent most of the day with laundry and vacuuming. I so dislike the latter. I always have. As an adult, I found it strains my lower back -- the gymnastics injury from high school. So, I often have pain after cleaning the place. It doesn't last for days, just a short while. I do like the cleaner floors when I've finished this chore, though. <smile>
While working and walking I had songs running through my mind. Others were on the television at times. It made me think how wonderful music can be and how it fits all moods and topics <smile>. Without that, there would be no blog. Cool, eh? One song came to me with lyrics that fit my gratitude for having music in my life. Though it I have met some amazing friends. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Yesterday felt like I might be turning a corner. From the perspective today, I might have found the corner yesterday <smile>. Adapting to major life changes takes time and lots of mental work. Now as I've thought through this idea today, I wondered if I'd found "a" corner rather than "the" corner. Hmmmm. This journey goes through that liminal space between here and there. I'm not sure I know where there is, but I'm on my way. Many corners lie ahead and a few are behind me, too. Knowing this helps a bit. While I did feel different yesterday, much more of this journey lies ahead. Now, I don't mean that to be a negative. I took note of the change I discovered yesterday and will take that as a win while I continue the process. I suppose one could be disappointed that there was only a change in direction in the trip. That seems counterproductive. Progress is being made. I chose to recognize that and acknowledge the changes to date. I'm not convinced there is an end point for this wandering trip. <smile>
I was reminded of a few lines of lyric as I walked in the misty rain today. It made me smile. I look forward to encountering more musical snippets as I work my way through the no man's land ahead. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Down on the Corner -- Creedence Clearwater Revival
Today the temperature rose higher than it has been in months. Rain and cloud predominated, but it was pleasant for walking. I went out to do shopping in three places. The grocery store was a zoo -- the day before a Friday and Sunday closure. The place was full of people and it was quite difficult to navigate. I was only picking up four items so I quickly got them and then stood in line to pay. That didn't take as long as I expected. I checked another store for an item that wasn't in stock -- seeing a lot of that these days <sigh>. Rather than go to the second grocery store, I chose to put that off until next week. There was nothing urgent on that list. I then headed to the final store where it was seniors' day and all non-sale items are discounted. I had a lengthy list this week. I even scored a gift card for the store to use in the next few weeks. Cool.
I had a great chat with a colleague that helped me to find some clarity with current happenings. I so miss my weekly chats with a lifelong friend who passed last fall. Talking through things with her was part of life for as long as recall. Learning to navigate the world without that activity has been challenging. I expect it will be for some time to come, too. Things are improving albeit slowly. Some days are still more down than up, but the up part is growing bit by bit. I don't have a meltdown as often as I did a while back. So, today it feels like things are getting better.
Lyrics from a song fit my thoughts today. The full song is about a very different relationship, but some of the words reflect how I felt and how I feel now. Keep safe. Enjoy!
When I went out to check the mail box down the street, the air was damp, but felt a bit warmer than the chill we've had recently. Then I realized that there was virtually no wind. That made a huge difference to how the temperature was perceived. I enjoyed the warmer feel of the humid air. That made the greyness less intense today.
I had a shorter than planned meeting today due to confusion about the date we'd booked. We rescheduled for next week. When plans are altered, it is like 'found' time. <smile> I took some time to do a bit of planning and cleaning around the house. I guess that is being flexible. <smile>. I expect that in the past I would have been frustrated with a change in my daily schedule. This was no the case today. Perhaps this points to positive growth in my approach to things. That doesn't meant that I'm always chill about changes, but there are times when I can go with that flow. Interesting.
The final verse of a song came to mind while thinking through the flexibility discovered today. This verse focuses on learning to go with the flow. The lyrics for this one are interesting and it can be bit difficult to catch them all. Take care. Enjoy!
Tuesday -- grey day with cool wind again. Rain arrived by early evening. Went to campus to take the laptop to the Help Desk. A weird Windows message has been showing up and staying on my screen since last week. As soon as I explained it, the tech and the student assistant both said "Oh, yeah" in unison. This error message appears if one has not logged in through a hard-wire connection on campus. Wireless logins won't work. It must be their way of ensuring that those logging in are on the 'approved' list. Apparently, there is a work around that I may have to learn how to do. I know people who are on sabbatical overseas and they don't lose connection or get odd messages. I guess they knew the magic formula to keep connected <smile>. At least, it was an easy fix and I had a good chat with the tech.
While on campus, I stopped by to say 'hello' to a friend. I feel somewhat disconnected since not being on campus daily. As I was walking along, I ran into another colleague and had a great chat. Yesterday, I met a former administrator -- one who was on the hiring group when I arrived -- at the grocery store and we had a good catch up. Last week, I met another retired admin person at the other grocery store and we had a great chat. He and his wife had an adventure when traveling in Asia. It was fun to hear how things worked out.
Connections are important. At times, I feel isolated living far away from the bustle downtown and on campus and with new neighbours that I don't know. People always say hello or wave as they drive past me when I'm out walking. They are friendly, but I don't 'know' them. I do enjoy chatting with people when I am shopping -- customers and staff. Those micro-socializations can mean a lot, but spending time with those you know well, fills a deeper social need. I need to make a better effort to keep in touch with folks. I plan to phone and then find it is late evening by the time I think of it again. <sigh> It isn't that I don't want to chat, I just get mired in other things, it appears.
When pondering connections, a song came to mind. The lyrics cover many larger concepts, even though it sounds more childish. Many covers have been done of this one, but I went to the original singer. Stay safe. Enjoy!
It has been a cooler day but it felt spring-like. Walking felt cold even with the lighter wind than we've had for several days. I ran around town to complete a few errands. At the top of the list was to procure enough canned food for the furry one to ensure we had enough to last until the online order arrives. I got the only three cans at the one store and had to get an alternate flavour from a second store. I calculated enough to get us to the end of the week. I expect the order will be delivered Thursday or Friday. Once home, I realized that Friday is a holiday. So, I may need to get more food to make it through the holiday weekend. I hope one of the stores has the preferred flavour when I am out later this week.
Finding this food has been challenging of late. The pet store had none arrive on the supply truck this week and they only had the three cans I left with. Another store carries it, but had none on the shelves. This happened last month, too. There are five other flavour and texture varieties and these are always present on shelves. Given that the one I want to purchase is the flavour and texture that the furry fellow will eat makes me feel frustrated. I'm not the only one buying this so why can't the stores get inventory up to meet the demand?
I called Canada Post twice today. It took some doing to get to a human customer service person. Once I got past the phone bot and the chat bot, though, I did find someone to help. I now have a service ticket to investigate what is happening with a parcel returned to a company in the Greater Toronto Area. Tracking tells me that it is 'in transit' in Toronto for over a week. If it isn't delivered in another week, it will be deemed 'missing' and there will be 'next steps' to follow. <sigh> The second call to them went quicker since it was to technical support. Each time I try to login to my account, the system reports that my e-mail is not found. We fixed one problem last month -- supposedly-- so I could register for text updates on tracking packages. It seems that either my e-mail or postal code were not recognized , so we reset the password. I hope this will remain in place now.
Interesting interactions with corporate entities today left me feeling a bit deflated. I'm hoping that things go smoothly and that no further disruptions occur. It feels like a tiny voice in the wilderness -- one that is vaguely heard by the powers that be. For one of the phone calls, I was asked to complete a short survey. I said yes as I wanted to note how unhelpful the bots had been. Sadly the two questions survey had fixed responses only and no space for a brief verbal message. A useless couple of questions -- was you questions answered (yes/no) and on a scale of ten how would I rate the human service rep. No way to rate the bots. The fact that it took over 30 minutes to argue with the bots to get to speak to a human should be made clear to tech services who might be able to improve the AI. <sigh>
When thinking through what I want from corporations today -- what I paid for and what I want to pay for -- I felt somewhat unheard. I need to be heard and I want the goods and services that I have or will pay for. That did bring a song to mind -- the title clearly defines my feelings. <smile> Keep safe. Enjoy!
You Can't Always Get What You Want -- The Rolling Stones
The day was grey and cool -- again. <smile> I slept poorly due to the noisy winds and driving rain overnight. I moved rather slowly today. Several things needed to be started and others finished, yet fewer than hoped made any movement at all.
At times I'm feeling quite stuck in a rut. Getting back to what I had been doing before the pandemic has been difficult. I know I can't get back to the same moment and impetus since I've changed over the past four years -- can't expect to get back to where I was then. I should be able to nurture the enthusiasm to do a handful of things, though. All were things that can still excite me -- writing projects, a craft project and a hobby that has been sadly neglected. Yet, finding that rhythm again seems elusive. Others can help. It can't be done alone. Step by step, I'll get there. Having patience with myself will be needed. <smile>
I thought of a song that speaks to moving forward with the help of others. OK. It is a stretch, but it makes me smile. Keep safe. Enjoy!
The Truck Got Stuck -- Corb Lund and the Hurtin' Albertans
Today Canada said goodbye to a "nation builder" (as stated by Jean Charest), The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney. I respected and admired this man regardless of his political bent. The state funeral had an indelible personal touch. He was a consequential (CBC term) and controversial leader who led his party, the country, the Commonwealth and the world into key policy decisions. He laid the ground for the new territory of Nunavut, negotiated the first free trade agreement with the US (NAFTA), renegotiated the NORAD treaty, proposed the Meech Lake Accord (which was not accepted by all provinces and territories), brought in the GST (Goods and Services Tax) to bring the federal budget into a healthier place just to name a few. Three larger issues should be noted, too. He stood against other Commonwealth nations by condemning apartheid in South Africa, which helped lead to the release of Mandela, who was made an honourary Canadian after his release. Mulroney focused on environmental issues long before other nations were doing so. He pressured Reagan to sign an agreement to reduce acid rain and work to repair the ozone layer of the atmosphere.
The event that I have felt strongly about since it began in the 1980s was Canada's role in leading the UN to address the famine in Ethiopia under the Marxist regime of the time. I included this piece of Canadian history in one of the courses I taught at the university, since it isn't something that one finds in history texts. Canada broke the news to the world of just how bad things were in the Eritrean area of the north. Mulroney had just begun his first term as Prime Minister when this news came across his desk. To me, it was one of the early signs that he was willing to make the difficult decisions. In his eulogy, current Prime Minister Trudeau quoted Mulroney on leadership -- "Leaders must have vision, and they must find the courage to fight for the policies that will give that vision life." In short, Mulroney "changed the course of history" (from the eulogy given by his daughter Caroline).
Mulroney was a true elder statesman -- being non-partisan as he provided support, guidance and advice to politicians of all stripes, business leaders and friends and family. He was known for his phone calls. He spoke to each of his four children daily. He was also often the first to call people to speak to them in times of success, failure or personal loss.
He had a great sense of humour and an amazing command of language -- in both official languages. Besides major political speeches, on the world stage Mulroney gave eulogies for Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and George H.W. Bush.
He loved music. The ceremony involved an eclectic mix. The processional was the aria 'La Wally' -- a perfect choice for saying farewell, especially with the line about the snow. (there was a major snowfall underway when the cortege was going from St. Patrick's Basilica to Notre Dame Basilica -- lots of black clothing with accumulating snow on shoulders and hats). During the ceremony a series of lovely classical pieces were performed by a choir and string orchestra. Popular secular music told a story of the man with both English and French songs involved. His grand-daughter sang one of his favourite songs, the beautiful "Mais qu'est-ce que j'ai" She was joined by a tenor to sing another of Mulroney's favourites -- one he sang with Ronald Reagan back in the day -- 'When Irish eyes are smiling". The surprise here was the final verse being sung by Brian Mulroney. He had recorded a CD recently to leave for his younger grandchildren to hear him and the songs. The Tenors also provided a wonderful rendition of "Danny Boy." I'll admit to laughing at one point. He had such a great sense of humour and timing. The recessional began with a bright and bouncy piano and then the singing began -- it was from Mulroney's recent recording. He sang "We'll Meet Again" as the casket and entourage exited the basilica. Leave 'em with a smile. <grin>
I was able to hear him speak several times as he was a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University and also held an honourary doctorate from there (as does his wife, Mila). His way with words and careful responses to questions was great to witness. He raised funds for a building to house the Mulroney Institute of Government -- a large modernist building in the middle of campus. The main hallway of the building holds much memorabilia including a replica of his prime ministerial office. Walking down that hall is like walking through history.
I chose two songs to share today. The first was sung at the funeral and fits Mulroney's approach to people and his willingness to play the 'long game' and not look for short term solutions. The second was the song sung during the processional into the basilica -- a fitting farewell. I have included links below to the lyrics in English and the original languages. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Quand les hommes vivront l'amour -- Marie Denise Pelletier
The day was filled with sunshine, light cloudiness, wind and pain. I seem to have another migraine. I felt a bit of pain last night and the day before, but this is full on migraine pain. The last one was just over a month ago. This is not common. I've gotten 2 or 3 a year for a long time. If this is the new normal, I'm not on board with it. <sigh> Luckily, the pain meds do help. The fatigue stays along with occasional dizziness and cognitive dysfunction -- like slower thinking processes. On an up note, I got a phone call for a short discussion and opinion on a health care question. That made me feel much better as I have more data for an informed decision. Cool. <smile>
My only outing was a walk down to the corner to get the mail. It was a bill <pout>. That bit of cool air was refreshing. The wind increased as the afternoon progressed. I had many questions answered in two of my conversations today. That brought a song to mind that I will share here. There are many covers of this song, but I chose one by a very young Nobel-prize winning singer-songwriter. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Overnight I heard big howling wind. By morning this created intermittent driving rain. I headed out in light rain for a lovely lunch with a friend. We got caught up on the recent happenings in our lives. I ran several small errands afterwards. Then the appointment from yesterday was completed and I headed home just as large fluffy flakes of snow blew through the air. These lasted for a very short time and then the sun emerged. Temperatures were cool and even colder with the strong wind. The mixed precipitation will continue for the next few days. Winter leaving its last marks, perhaps.
It felt good to get out to visit and get some walking into the day. Wrapping up a major project gave me some relief. I even felt productive by getting several errands done, too. Being out and active helps my mood be a bit more positive for a change. The trick is maintaining the physical activity to a daily walk either when out doing errands or taking a break between activities at home. I try to park away from the stores or businesses I visit. In this way I am required to walk longer distances to finish the goals of the outing. I like to walk with a purpose. Aimless wandering around a neighbourhood isn't always my thing. At the old place, I did go for walks in the area and down Main Street. I looked for the various flower gardens and trees that had buds and blooms at different parts of the year. At the new place, each place has similar plants, so there isn't much difference when walking. I may need to drive downtown and do the walk around the old routes to see the seasonal changes. I am waiting for magnolias to bloom -- great ones to see on Main Street and across campus. The spring flowering ground cover should be in full swing -- crocuses and squill. I miss seeing those in the yard. I have some bulbs and hope they will grow when I put the perennials outside next week -- after the next potential snow.
Bright sunny day with cold wind -- nice to be outside walking, though. I drove to Main Street to do some of that walking. There were also two meetings -- difficult decision-making for one. I did get through that one and will second guess myself for a day or tow, but will settle with time. The other meeting was to finalize a document and that did not happen. I was frustrated that I moved other meetings and tasks in order to be there today -- only to have to return tomorrow. <grump> This one should have been done a long time ago, but not all players were on the same page, it seems.
I felt exhausted when I got home. I had missed lunch to change the one meeting, so that may have been part of it. I also know I was feeling positive and leaving the second office, my mood changed. Once I got home and ate something, I felt very tired so I had a short rest. That did help. I find it odd that one thing can change my whole mood. I need to work on that, I guess. <smile>
Given that the day was filled with great sunshine that helped to elevate my mood, I decided to share a song that does something similar. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Today was the Vernal equinox -- the arrival of astronomical spring -- in Northern hemisphere, at least. <smile> This year is the earliest equinox since the late 19th century. Reasons for this involve the extra day in February this year and the rules about when leap years occur and when they don't. It gets rather murky but there are some great places online to explain it all. <smile> To add to the confusion and mathematical aspects of the day, meteorological spring began on the first of the month. Meteorologists have adopted standard three month periods from the Gregorian calendar. These allow for the comparison of weather patterns and statistics over time given the same number of days in each seasonal quarter. Astronomical spring takes into account the solar year -- the actual time it takes the earth to orbit the sun, which is longer than 365 days -- hence the leap year helps to correct for this longer time.
Weather today felt spring-like. Skies were mainly cloudy -- large rain-like clouds with occasional bright sunshine breaks. Temperatures were single digits above freezing but the westerly wind made it feel cooler. In mid=afternoon, when I was headed to an appointment, there was snow in the air that turned to rain as I made my way into town. The dampness made the air feel even cooler.
Despite the convoluted nature of the date and the seasonal change, many more signs of spring will appear. It is a season of transition, so keep an eye out for the daily newness. Keep safe. Enjoy!
The day had much sunshine with some clouds blowing across the sky. At times in the late afternoon, some light rain arrived and left. The dark grey clouds looked menacing often, but very little precipitation fell. I enjoyed seeing the sunshine and blue sky in the breaks between clouds. It helped me to feel more positive and some days this is very necessary.
I spent part of the day gathering ideas for a writing project. This led to a stop on campus to print some documents when I was out late in the afternoon. on campus. My first stop of that outing was the physiotherapist. He attended to my sore back. I'm hoping things will feel much better tomorrow after the treatment today. I find things feel more painful after the treatment, but in 12 -18 hours a major improvement is noticeable. being back in alignment sounds good to me right now. <smile>
Getting to sleep with a painful back often needs some assistance. I thought of a great song by a favourite prairie singer to help me wind down tonight. He even did this one from his den at home four years ago during the early phase of lockdown. HIs voice is so calm and soothing. This song makes me smile and relax. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Today is St. Patrick's Day. Many of my family roots are from Ireland. Most of these are on my paternal side, though there are some likely on the maternal side, as well. Given this, we never made a big deal of the saint's day. As a child, I would get something to pin to my coat. I recall a shamrock made of furry green pipe cleaner type of stuff. It had something in the centre that I'm not fully remembering, but it was likely a leprechaun top hat with a buckle. We didn't cook anything different or sing Irish songs. I did try to wear something green on that day, though.
In North America, the day has become an all out bar brawl type of day. Regardless of lineage, everyone seems to celebrate the day at a huge party or pub crawl. In town yesterday, about 1/2 block from my previous abode, one street was jammed with people out for a 'run' -- many with some form of alcoholic beverage in hand. Much of this goes along with the stereotype of Irish as over-consumers of alcohol. This commonly held prejudice likely has roots in the famine of the mid-19th Century. At this time, in Ireland English land-owners and aristocratic British army officers witnessed many people staggering along the streets. The easy assumption was that they were drunk, when in fact, they were starving. The central nervous system requires glucose to function. Without food, then, the system malfunctions causing inability to walk or talk. Stumbling and slurring would appear.
My paternal ancestors left Ireland during the beginning of the famine -- three brothers with the widow and child of a fourth. What a journey that must have been. The two older brothers went to the US while the youngest brother and sister-in-law remained in Canada. I admire their bravery and understand some of the desperation that must have driven them to leave their homeland. I hope to visit Ireland to see the places where they lived.
The song that best suited my thoughts today deals with the urge to return to a homeland. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Saturday and another weekend begun. It has been a mundane day filled with the usual household chores with some TV movies in the background -- and a nap to make up for the earlier than planned awakening today. Outdoors it was grey with drizzle -- one of those dismal days that leaves one with less energy than on sunny days.
I find it interesting that it isn't always clear when a weekend begins. Being retired, the usual routine of work days and weekend no longer exists. I try to maintain some routine by doing cleaning and laundry on Saturday rather than throughout the week. Yet, I still wake some mornings in mid-week and wonder if it is the weekend yet. Now, I did this while working, but that was wishful thinking versus the current lack of clarity on the actual day of the week. <smile> I recall hearing similar confusion from people who retired before me. So, I realize it isn't just me. As for daily routine Monday to Friday, I had to re-establish one during the isolation days of the pandemic. Yet, after the move to a new abode, a new routine has eluded me. I don't want a rigid 9 to 5 style routine, but something a little looser that has me managing chores with walks and other work-like activities.
A song title and some of the lyric lines sound relatable when I get thinking of a workable routine. It feels like everything remains the same while I'm hoping it will all begin to feel comfortable. Something for me to continue to work on, I guess. <smile> Keep safe. Enjoy!
Some sun appeared between the clouds a bit today. My outing was a quick stop at the two grocery stores for a few items. In the afternoon, I had a virtual meeting with a research colleague. Our plan is being massaged as we refocus our efforts. I did have a short rest in the evening before meeting with a friend for a chat.
It has been a busy and sometimes stressful week with appointments in and out of town. Next week has several important meetings, so I need to organize my files and my thoughts to move forward with these projects. I'm not sure how but I realized that I'd twisted my back sometime recently. It is quite sore, so I made an appointment with the physio to help correct the injury and reduce the pain. I have oodles to do and being sore and unable to move well at times just doesn't fit my agenda <sigh> -- not that I have a choice in this matter. Some cleaning activities will not be on the to do list this weekend in order to give the back a rest.
A song title line ran through my head a lot today. It agrees with how I feel about the back soreness. Keep safe. Enjoy!
After a morning appointment that went longer than expected, I had lunch with a great friend at a French bistro by a park that will be gorgeous in the summer. The ambiance and menu were delightful. I look forward to a return visit. The wind was cold so our walk from the car was a bit nippy. There was blue sky between light cloud, though. Seeing the sun felt good. On our drive back home, the sun and cloud turned to cloud and fog and mist. The wind increased in strength, too. Happily, the roads were not as busy as they are sometimes.
Once home I felt very tired. I made some supper, showered and laid down to rest. I made a list of calls that need to be made tomorrow and started a shopping list for the next day. I hope to take it easy tomorrow and don't plan to go any further than the mailbox <grin>. I thought about the music from the bistro -- mainly soft old style jazz. That helped me to relax. I share one of those songs here tonight. Keep safe. Enjoy!
I had a quiet day after the hubbub of the last two days -- exhausted from the external stressers. My outings were to the mail box, once to pick up mail and once more to mail a letter. I made several phone calls to deal with a backlog of paperwork needing external inputs.
Today two lightbulbs were changed out for a flickering fixture in the master bath. If flickering continues the fixture will be replaced. Not odd, I guess, for a new build. With 16 new builds last summer, a faulty fixture or other item is to be expected. So far, anything here has been minor. The neighbours had a faulty fridge and another had major drainage issues in the side yard. So, I'm not complaining. I'm just happy to have a maintenance someone to assist when things go awry. They generally arrive quickly -- today it was 3 hours after the call. It has been years since I had a landlord who got on top of smaller things at all. <sigh>
The theme of the day dealt with reliance on external people and organizations to help me move projects forward. More of these contacts will follow in the coming few weeks. I made a few calls to order items, to request information, to repair things and to pay bills. Everyone I encountered today was delightful. They addressed my questions and provided information I needed. They each helped me to complete household and personal tasks today.
Actually, the week has included a number of people helping me to get where I need to be physically and in terms of knowledge and understanding. Several lines from the song shared today have been in my head for most of the week. I love the album cover -- reminds me of my time in Brownies learning to communicate with flags. <grin> Keep safe. Enjoy!
A good friend and I drove to Halifax through wet snow and fog along the way. The top of the two mountains were most foggy and more wet snow flurries occurred closer to Halifax. We visited Pier 21 -- a museum of Canadian immigration. The displays were wonderful. We went through the interactive area detailing the immigrant experience on a ship crossing the Atlantic, through the entry process at Pier 21 and travel beyond the harbour via train. The other area that we did quickly due to an imminent closing time, involved the personal experience of various waves of immigrants over the centuries. This area had interactive areas where visitors can record their family's experience of arriving in Canada. It would be fun to spend more time there to adequately reflect on when, why and how my family relocated to Canada.
It must have been difficult, knowing that you might never get back to your family and original home. There would be sadness with the excitement and trepidation of starting anew in an unknown place. Had these ancestors not chosen to move to find a new life, I would not have been born. They gave me a gift of a homeland and parts of their stories of why they moved. I hope to spend some time digging into the arrival documentation of the family members I know of who first set foot in North America. I'd like to know more about them all.
Lines from a song ran through my head as I looked at the many photos of people arriving at the port. I've shared this song in the past but use a different cover of the song today. This one has a bit of country-folk flavour when the earlier version shared had a stronger Celtic vibe. Keep safe. Enjoy!
I read an interesting review of an Oscar speech from last night. Robert Downey, Jr. started his speech with an impactful sentence -- "I want to thank my horrible childhood and the academy." The reviewer provided insight into this statement of gratitude. Having experienced much upheaval in his life due to addiction, Downy is in a place where he can acknowledge the awful things he has encountered and feel at peace with it all. This gave me a lot to think about.
I often end the day with reflection and noting things that I am grateful for. I don't usually look at the ugly things as sources of gratitude. That will take more work, but it would be wonderful to be where Downy showed the world he was.
While listening to the Oscar awards last night, I found one performance of a nominated song to be quite moving. The young songwriters (and performers) won the Oscar for Best song. I share that performance with you all. The lyrics are in the notes in the link. Keep safe. Enjoy!
What was I Made For? -- Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell
I keep looking at the clock today. I started doing some major household cleaning at 3PM. This usually begins earlier in the day. I seem so disoriented by the time change. I expect I'm not alone in this feeling. Even knowing that the change was imminent and I've experienced this for over 25 years, the knowledge and experience do not fully prepare me for the effect. I recognize the confusion. So, obviously have had similar responses over time. Yet, I don't seem to have learned how to cope with the one hour time shift. Instead I seem to rail against the concept. <smile>
Losing track of time brings many emotions forward. While cleaning, I worked through some of the frustrations. I also heard a few lines of song lyric that made me smile. Who knew vacuuming could be beneficial beyond sucking up detritus of daily living? <grin> The opening guitar riff helped me move through the cleaning. Keep safe. Enjoy!
The outing today was a quick trip to the grocery store for a handful of things. The sun was bright and extremely warm. The car seats felt almost hot. The sky was a clear bright blue. The wind made things feel less spring-like as it felt very cold blowing out of the north. b
Time changes tonight -- well the clocks change. I find this process odd, having spent much of my life in a province the doesn't change. The ritual results in people all around being semi-jet lagged with the loss of an hour overnight. Accident rates increase at the beginning of the week; people appear tired and cranky; routines become disrupted. That 8 AM start still feels like 7 AM. Even as a retiree, I find it takes a few days to get settled into the one hour change.
All that said, I will wait until the morning to adjust the clocks that don't magically change on their own. One song lyric made me think of my desire not to have the time change. If I could, I'd have these twice yearly changes discarded. One song line played over and over in my head today. <sigh> Keep safe. Enjoy!
Windy cold grey day. Power flickered off and on early today, but not long enough to create issues with internal temperature -- just the kitchen appliance clocks flashing and the wifi taking time to reboot. <smile>
Today we celebrate International Women's Day -- day that began in 1911 to address issues of gender equity. In terms of employment, the wage gap between men and women is 12% (Statistics Canada, 2022). This means that for every dollar made by a man, women make 88 cents. Yet, women with undergraduate degrees comprise 41% of the workforce, while men with a bachelors degree make up 27% of workforce. -- stats about employment salaries, board room, glass ceiling, In academia, salaries for women are 10% lower than those for men. In 2020 figures, 20.5% of Directors of Canadian corporations were women -- that's about one in five directors. So, the glass ceiling is still firmly intact.
The theme for IWD this year is "Inspire Inclusion". Much work remains. The song chosen for today may be loder, but the lyrics still hold. The issue didn't end with the feminism of '60s and '70s. For that reason, the version shared here is from 46 years after the original was released. Keep safe. Enjoy!
There was light rain as I headed into have the annual bloodwork done and heavy rain as I left the hospital. The whole day was grey and dismal. Into the later evening and overnight, freezing rain and ice pellets are expected before the precipitation turns to flurries. This adds to my theory that spring weather patterns are upon us.
After making a brunch when I got home from the fasting bloodwork, I did a couple of household tasks and then felt the need to take a nap. That lasted 3 hours! I've had a couple of nights of restless sleep, so hadn't felt rested for some time. I felt much better after the prolonged nap.
I laughed at the words of a song that enticed sleep to arrive. A magic beam, eh? I share a different cover of the song. Keep safe. Enjoy!
The day was grey and damp again. The forecast notes heavier rain for tomorrow with a changeover to freezing rain and ice pellets as the day progresses. I do have an appointment that was rebooked due to one of the huge snow storms last month. I hope we don't have to rebook again.
We've had much anticipation of potential negative weather systems lately. Add to that stress around necessary travel in and around town and anxiety ramps up. I woke today feeling anxious, when there isn't anything happening today that should create anxiety. Events for the next week seem to be uppermost in my mind. New to me things bring greater anxiety sometimes. I like doing new things, but not all new things are pleasant <smile>. I'm practicing ways of moving onto another thought to reduce the anxiety. Movement helps a lot. Self talk can help, but this is one that doesn't come easily for me always. Practice can help with that, though.
A few lines from a song ran through my head today. The opening with bass and piano and the bassline make my shoulders drop into their usual place instead of being up around my ears <smile>. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Bright sun and blue sky filled the sky today.. I was drawn to the multitude of jet contrails in the sky. They lasted for a long time. Many were heading in the same direction so were somewhat parallel while a few traversed across the many. It was fun to just watch them especially when new ones were being made as I watched. It reminded me of the times when there were no contrails for a long time due to the pandemic.
My day was not unlike the contrails. There were technology issues that with Meta down for part of the day and then the bank machine refusing to accept my PIN. However, many other things worked smoothly. Most were in parallel like the contrails but a few went in other directions. The early day absence of Meta platforms created a few tense moments. It logged me out and asked me to login, but wouldn't accept my password. It asked me to make a new one, but couldn't process that change. I did this twice and then stopped. Later in the day, the whole thing magically reappeared, so it was clear that it wasn't just my account that had been absent. The bank machine was messing with me, too, today. It refused to acknowledge my PIN -- twice. I couldn't tell if there was someone in the bank at the later afternoon hour, due to the lower sun angle. I tried the door and it was open, so I went old school and did my business with a teller. I had a good meeting with some positive things to work on for the next meeting. I was able to make an appointment with someone who has been very difficult to pin down. Today it worked well. I had to call a business to ask that they send me the information that had been promised a month ago and a week ago. I also asked that they stop calling and emailing me about my lack of returning information, when the forms needed had not been sent by them. So -- a cross contrail in the group that are moving forward.
A song about the sky came to mind today, when strangers mentioned it as we passed on the street. It has a bouncy feel to it, much as did most of my day. Keep safe. Enjoy!
We had sunshine with us for most of the day today. I drove to the mall to pick up a few things I ran out of over the weekend. Once I got home, I realized I'd forgotten one item. Maybe I'll get it tomorrow when I'm out for an appointment. I found it frustrating to forget to put something important on the grocery list and even more frustrating to not recall the need for the item while at the store. I needed eight cans of furry friend food. There were only four cans on the shelf at one store and three at the other. The preferred flavour seems to be enjoyed by may others of his kind <sigh> I will order a case online, but needed some to keep things going while we wait for delivery.
It was nice to get out in the sun for a while, even with the colder feeling temperature. It lifts one's spirit. The equinox is two weeks away, so spring will officially be here then -- meteorological spring happens on the first day of March -- just to confuse us all.
Bright sunshine with melting of icy patches occurred during the day -- for now. The latest forecast report outlines a major rain event followed by a flash freeze. Sound familiar? That is what happened last week and now a similar system will bring the same challenges of melting snow, pouring rain and then everything freezing solid. The roads have some patches with major ice berms. Even the bus got stuck yesterday at the entrance to the highway. So very concerning. Today was warm and felt a lot like a spring day. It is on the way and the major spikes in temperature and storms indicate the seasonal changes are beginning.
I went out for one 'must have' item and made two stops at the mall. Then went to the car dealership to get wheels retorqed and wiper blades replaced. I filled the car with gas and then stopped to check two stores for things I've been looking for. One was available and one was not. Not a bad average. I made one last errand stop on Main street. I had planned just to do the two mall visits, but the roads were clear or just a bit wet, so I went further afield. The day felt positive for getting these things done.
A silly song seemed to fit the idea of spring being in the offing. Keep safe. Enjoy!
The morning had some sunshine and blue sky. By the time I got my boots and coat on, the sky was filled with clouds. This has been the pattern for the past month or more. I try not to take it personally, but getting out into the sun is an unrealized goal most often. Later in the afternoon, the blue sky returned followed again by the clouds. The latter will hang around for a day or two as we are under a rainfall warning. Winds will increase, too. The rain will be followed by a flash freeze -- a nasty weather pattern that we could do without.
On the upside, the temperature felt like spring and the wind had a decided March feel to it. I can't fully explain that, but it reminds me of Spring days in March. It must be from a combination of the the feel and sound of the wind, smell of the air and quality of light. The feeling carries a lot of nostalgia going back to childhood and playing outside during the Easter break at school. I get just a fleeting glimpse of all of the above sensations, but it happens every year when seasonal changes begin.
An uplifting piece of music fit my thoughts of approaching spring. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Grey clouds returned today. Temperatures warmed a bit. Some sun should appear during the week, but there will be days with bits of precipitation of one sore or another -- or even a mixture.
Often, I have pondered the nature of time and the power of words in this blog. Today, I listened to a poet perform one of her works. In it, she explained the concept of time as folding in on itself. The power of words and language were noted, too. This performance was on late night television -- of all places -- with a classical music accompaniment. It soothed, informed and gave hope. The performance is shared here today, as it not only was interesting to here, but leaves us with many things to reflect upon. Keep safe. Enjoy!
"What we Carry" (poem) by Amanda Gorman accompanied by Jan Vogler with a Bach Suite
The temperatures rose above freezing during the day after being rather chilly overnight. We will get less cooling for a few days and both sunny and cloudy days. I was going to go for a walk, but got tied up inside with laundry and dealing with household files. It is that time of year again, when the paperwork for tax season sits front and centre. I had to search a few boxes for the current files. In the process, I did empty two larger file boxes and left three boxes half empty. I broke down the empty boxes so I can get them out with recycling this week. I also found the household file expandable folders, so spent some time adding new documents to those files.
I guess that work is progress, albeit small in the grand scheme of things. It is positive movement, though. I share a familiar song performed by a different artist for interest. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Bright sun today made up for the wicked winds and major rain of the past 48 hours. Areas close by flooded -- a longstanding drainage problem. Nothing like that present in our streets thankfully. The downside of the day was the temperature. It fell precipitously yesterday from a high of 12C to -15C (or colder) this morning. The high today was -7C or -8C. Cold, but with less wind so not a biting. The coming 7 to 19 days will be above zero during the day and often overnight, too. Melting should be less major with lesser flood risk.
I was listening to some music while doing some household tasks. I heard a song that I hadn't encountered for some time. The message of the chorus lyrics is one to keep in mind every day. It made me smile. Hope it can do the same for you. Keep safe. Enjoy!
