End of October Already!

         
          Happy Halloween to my friends and family members.  I am just back from a quick trip to Mississauga to see my sister and then to Guelph to spend time with my favourite grandson.  I left on Friday after teaching in a kindergarten class for the morning. 
          I arrived just before 6 pm and had a pleasant visit with my little sister who is recovering from surgery.  The reality of her situation hit me and I have to admit, I did cry.  (In fact, as I write now, several tears are leaking out of the corners of my usually dry eyes).  Her incision is healing well and her pain level is tolerable. She will find out this week what the next step of her journey will entail.  She is upbeat and positive.  I admire her strength, courage, and enthusiasm for living with cancer.
          On Saturday afternoon I took the 401 further west to Guelph and spend several hours in my happy place-holding my grandson- while he wiggled, hopped on two feet, squirmed and cooed his way back into my heart.  Precious moments!
          Upon my return home on Sunday afternoon, I was greeted by four very happy individuals- my husband, brother-in-law and our two wiggly, waggly dogs.  It feels good to be back home, safe and sound.
          Today I may find out about a potential teaching job.  I am about to carve the pumpkin to greet any potential trick-or-treaters.  And my wonderful husband has gone grocery shopping and he might just bring home some Halloween treats. 
          Things are definitely looking good! My strength is returning :)

Until next time,

Bee Rich
      

What Will Be, Will Be

Just a little R and R with Child #1 and Child #2

          Today was a nice day.  Not only did I reconnect with a friend for lunch, but I attended a job interview in the afternoon.  Both events involved a little driving and both proved very satisfying.  One involved a person who knows me quite well, while the other involved people who do not know me, yet. One event was informal, while the other was quite formal. 
          As I write this blog entry I am thinking how very fortunate I am to have these types of opportunities in my life.  My friend provided on-the-spot feedback to me as an individual and I discovered that we have more in common that I first thought.  I did not get on-the-spot feedback for the interview and I won't find out the result of the interview until early next week.  What I do know is that in both situations I was the best I could be.  
          I look forward to meeting my friend again soon, and continue having some face to face time in person.  I also look forward to hearing about the outcome of this interview.  Whether or not I start full time work on November 7 is now out of my control.  As Doris Day so appropriately put it during my childhood, "Que sera, sera! Whatever will be, will be.  The future's not ours to see, que sera sera!"  More wise words to live by!

Until next time,

Bee Rich

Countdown to Christmas!

          The calendar says that it is now officially two months until Christmas.  I know, it is a bit early to begin a countdown; however, I promise not to countdown any more until November 25th!
          Why is it that Christmas is on my mind?  Probably because my mind wanders when I am out of a daily routine. Or, it could be that, on our way home from Ottawa today, we passed the local Christmas Tree farm which brought back memories from last Christmas, when we were home from Sint Maarten and we cut a tree with our daughter and her dog. 
           There are so many more special events to look forward to between now and then:

• a second round of chemotherapy for my brother-in-law, followed by a roast beef dinner
• a visit with my sister in Mississauga, as she recovers from recent surgery and a visit with my grandson's family in Guelph, this weekend
• Halloween preparations
• Remembrance Day- thank you dear veterans
• more occasional teaching days
• more swimming with the masters
• the first flakes of snow
• mixing and baking fruitcake and Christmas cookie baking
• Christmas shopping and wrapping
• Christmas tree chopping and decorating and house decorating

Looking forward with optimism,

Bee Rich

Christmas Tree 2010

PS  Today, after working all day outside with my slave-driving husband, I got a telephone call inviting me to an interview for a teaching job at a nearby school.  So thankful!
        

P.A. Day!

          Today is Monday and it is a professional development day in the board where I am teaching.  That means, no matter what, I will not be getting a call to work today.  That means there is an entire day ahead of me to finish some necessary jobs around home i.e. home work!

• cleaning the house
• baking some bread
• putting the gardens to bed
• helping my husband pull a fallen tree out of the lake
• laundry, laundry, laundry

          And, when all of this homework is complete, I will spend some time doing some professional development of my own:

• reading through materials and on the board's website
• studying this month's issue of Professionally Speaking
• revising my resume and cover letter for possible long term work

          It is sunny and clear today.  My disposition is sunny and my plan is clear.  One day at a time, here I go!

Until next time,


Bee Rich

Serendipity

        
         
          Today, I felt low. Supply teaching really slowed down this week.  I applied for several full time jobs and received no response.  The temperature is dropping and I haven't been motivated to take the dogs on a long walk.  I even missed a night of masters swimming.  Is it the change of seasons, lack of light, or what?
          I wondered what I could write about today.  What would be inspirational, positive, uplifting?  Without really looking, I found this message in my files:
 

Do what you can with what you have where you are. 

         Such a simple, helpful, and hopeful passage, wrapped in a happy collage of colours, shapes, and textures.  It spoke to me as I hope it will speak to you.  No matter what the circumstance, we can still do something.  We can take action.  We can make a difference. 
         According to Webster's Dictionary, serendipity is when someone accidentally finds something good. Today I found something good, not totally by accident, but just when I needed it.  I am thankful. 
         
Until tomorrow,

Bee Rich
         
         

What Does it Mean to "Really Live"?

          This thought provoking quote came on my Facebook homepage a few weeks ago. It is particularly meaningful to me at this stage in my life. Put simply, here are its main messages for me:

• Live a healthy, balanced lifestyle- work some, play some, make a difference in some one's life
• Live in the present, not worrying about the future- be thankful for each new day
• Live knowing that this could be your last- there are no guarantees

I hope that this makes some sense to you.

Until next time,

Bee Rich

A Week Without Work...Almost

Words to ponder- common sense!

   

          These wonderful quotes keep popping up on Facebook, compliments of my sister-in-law.  They remind me a little of the astrology predictions...sometimes they suit the day, sometimes they don't.  This one was a bit like a sign....

          Right now I know I am where I am supposed to be.  Work-wise, this week has been very slow.  I did not work on Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday this week.  I normally would be discouraged and upset.  However, timing is everything.

          Monday, I woke up with a genuine cold, with coughing, sneezing, headache and body ache.  I was happy not to have to go to work.  Upon the advice of my hubby, "Stay in bed," I did, until around noon. 

          On Tuesday, I felt much better and helped around the house, inside and out.  I also used the day to write applications for a couple of job opportunities. I also read my sister's blog from beginning to end. It was a busy and productive day, followed by a high quality practice with the masters swim group in town. 

          Today I was dropped off in town, got a haircut, caught up with some friends, dropped off a resume, went for coffee, read the paper from cover to cover, started the second book in the Hunger Games series, and picked up a new bank card, all before noon hour.

          Tomorrow, I had planned to meet a friend for lunch.  Unfortunately, I just got a call to teach.  Happy to have work, yet sad to miss out on an opportunity to catch up with one of my favourite people.  

         And on Friday, I will have a half day of work at one of my favourite schools.  So, instead of a week without work, I will have a balance.  Some work, some play, some business and some pleasure.  Life doesn't get any better than this! 

        

Until next time,

Bee Rich

PS  I just re-read the quote up above and realized that sense is spelled incorrectly.  It brought back a sad memory from a grade 6 spelling bee.  More about that next time!

Homework



Another beautiful day on the Lake

          Now that I am not in school on a daily basis, I enjoy what I like to call homework...not school work that you do at home, but work that makes a house a home.  Today was a great example.  Yesterday I was feeling under the weather, so I spent the day inside.  But today, feeling better and motivated by my husband (a.k.a. "the boss"), I spent most of the day outside. 
          I headed out to assist my spouse, and remembered that our to-list was long:

• empty the truck and burn the wood that was gathered during the lake clean up last weekend
• burn said wood in the fire pit
• sweep out the garage and garden shed
• put all outdoor furniture away for the winter
• complete one last "lake testing" trip

          It didn't seem like much of a list, or so I thought. Little did I know that the wood pile in the truck needed to be sorted, many nails and bolts and screws had to be removed from the wood, some of the fallen trees were to be cut in to smaller pieces so that they would fit in the fire pit, and that the old boat ramp (on the bottom of the pile) had to be taken apart, piece by piece. 
          It was one huge, very hot, and somewhat smoky fire which turned out to be quite pleasant. I prepared lunch and took it outside for an October picnic with my hubby and brother-in-law. The clouds began to roll in, but we were spared from any downpours. 
          After lunch, while the the laundry began its spin cycle and the dishwasher was started, I was able to complete the vacuuming.  Lots of energy was consumed. 
          In the meantime, we motored out on the Lake for water testing.  As I have become smarter with experience, I wore my winter jacket, and instead of freezing (like the last time), I was comfortable.    As a former lifeguard I always worry about someone going over the side of the boat, so I was doubly warmed by my life jacket. We dropped anchor and completed the tests with no major incidents. 
          So here it is, only 3:00 p.m. and much of the to-do list is done!  My husband is happy and is now out fishing. Tomorrow, if I don't get called in to teach, we will pack up the outdoor furniture and put the gardens to bed for the winter. 
          I love the autumn season, even though there is an abundance of homework!

Amen!

Until next time,

Bee Rich

Loving and Living

From Facebook...

          This message was found recently on my Facebook page and I saved it for something special.  Today I saw the perfect picture to accompany the message.
          If I had my life to live over again, I would take this challenge about how to really love a child, and I would take lessons from my daughter-in-law, the mother of our almost three month old grandson.
         I was at their home when this little man came home from the hospital.  One month later we took a trip to visit them again.  In October I drove to their home to be the grandmother caregiver so they could attend a family wedding.  And now, much to our delight, we have a weekly chat on Skype, where the grandparents, parents, and their child coo and carry on about what has been happening in their lives.
        The picture below shows both the mom and the son, at a recent wedding.  I love the tux!  So dapper, even if he still is in a diaper. 

Our Grandson and his Mom...
She really knows how to love a child!

Tick OFF!

The Mika in her element H 2 0!
                                          

          During the Thanksgiving Weekend our daughter found a tic on her dog, Mika.  As we are now responsible for the health and well-being of this cute canine, I went on the Internet to find out how to remove said tic. 
          It was not too difficult.  First, you soak the tic in rubbing alcohol.  Then you take a pair of tweezers and pull the tic straight out.  You have to be careful to remove the head because if it is left in the dog, there can be dire consquences for the animal.  
          Our daughter has since returned to Scotland, and since her dog, The Mika, loves to roam the bush around our home, we have become more vigilant in the tic department.  In fact, yesterday we noticed what looked like a "skin tag" on Mika's head.  And today, we saw that the area at the base of said skin tag was bleeding.  I peeked at it and had a flashback from my childhood...
          Sometime during the summer of 1966, after camping with the family, my younger sister developed a small grey sac on the back of her neck, under her hair.  My mother took a look and somehow discovered that this blood sucking tic had been on her body for several weeks.  It was so fat, it's body was transparent...ugh!
          As I peered at the skin tag, it reminded me of that tic that had embedded itself on my little sister so many years ago.  "I think it's a tic," I said confidently.  "We have to pull it out."  So, out came the rubbing alcohol, a few paper towels, and the tweezers.  The problem was that I couldn't find the tweezers. My brave husband grabbed the little bug by the body with his fingertips and pulled it straight out.
          "That's not a tic," he said.  However, upon closer observation and the use of our bifocals we realized that yes, it was a tic.  We saw little legs and a little head and a little swollen body full of Mika's tasty blood.   
          In addition to the poison ivy, black flies in June, mosquitoes in July, wasps in August, we are now officially adding tics in October to the list of hazards here around the lake.
        

Life is Good!



Our wonderful family-live, love, laugh!

                           
I have been thinking about smiles lately.  For those of you who know me, you probably remember that I have a full, toothy grin.  Recently, I discovered that when I am feeling sad or tired, if I smile, I begin to instantly feel better.  I shared that thought with my brother-in-law the other day during a discussion about feeling sadness.  The smile I was alluding to is the smile that is forced by using one of the major muscles in the face.         
          Today, as I travelled home from Ottawa, I listened to a CBC radio interview with a psychiatrist who has studied this sort of "Lip Service." The main point of the conversation (for me) was that there are two types of smiles.  The first one is when a person wills or forces a smile.  According to the research, there is a totally different sequence of neural firings that create a true smile.  There is a difference and we can see it.
          I shared this information with my brother-in-law. He agreed.  Together we determined that genuine smiles come from the heart. I reminded him of the caregiver who wore a mask one day because she had the sniffles. She was a person who smiled with her eyes and, although she wasn't feeling all that well, she was genuinely happy. 
          May all of your smiles be real, may your joy show in your eyes, and may you spend your living days loving and laughing. 

Until tomorrow,

Bee Rich

P.S.

A Day Off!

This showed up on my Facebook Page, thanks to my niece!

This has been one busy week!
Sunday- Thanksgiving Dinner with the Richmires
Monday- Leftovers
Tuesday- Teaching
Wednesday-Teaching
Thursday-Teaching
Friday- Catching up on laundry, housecleaning, reading, writing and swimming
Saturday- Swim Referee Clinic in Nepean

My to-do list lengthens every time I say "yes".  Maybe I need a heart transplant. 

Until next time,

Bee Rich

"Senior" Moments

My Aunt, Me and My Mom- growing older together

          I had my Freedom 55 birthday in February, my aunt turned 84 in July, and we celebrated my mom's 80th birthday in September.  Indeed we are growing older.  I used to chuckle at my aunt.  She sometimes seemed so scatter-brained, like the time she walked through our screen door and strained herself.  I used to laugh right out loud at my mom whenever she forgot some important piece of information.  I would say to myself, "Another senior moment!"
          Lately, none of these situations is funny at all.  That is because I am now experiencing my own senior moments, like:

• dropping the lens cap of our camera is the Lake
• misplacing my keys
• walking in to a room for something and forgetting why I am there
• falling up the steps from the dock
• falling in the water from the front of the boat, when the sign clearly says, "Do not stand at the front while the boat is underway"

          Today was the worst.  I taught in a grade 1/2 classroom.  The day was perfect.  The classroom was impeccable, the plans were well laid out, the students were wonderful, and the thoughtful teacher left her set of keys on the desk for me to use.  At the end of the day, after writing anecdotal comments and a note to the teacher, I decided not to leave the keys in the classroom, but to take them down to the office, so that the teacher would have them to get in to her room in the morning. 
           Long story short, I arrived home after a 75 minute drive, cleaned out my bags and found the set keys of in my purse.  So, consequently, although I am not teaching tomorrow, I will have to drive 75 minutes to and from this distant school to return the keys.  Now, if I can just remember where I put them! 

Until next time, don't forget,

Bee Rich
        

Busy Times Ahead!

Dinner for 23!

          I thought that Thanksgiving was busy!  It was, but it looks like our lives are about to get even busier.  It has been my habit over the years to take on too many roles.  I have been a daughter, a student, a wife, a mother, a sister, a teacher, a lifeguard, a swimming official, a homemaker, a volunteer, and a small business owner, to name a few. 
          Now, as I enter this new role of supply teacher, I am finding that time is once again running short. The good news is that I have three days of occasional teaching already booked for this week. Gone are the days of sleeping in, taking long walks with the dogs, and having afternoon tea with my brother-in-law, at least for this week.   
          Not to worry though, the occasional money is going towards those occasional bills that mount up at this time of year.  Besides, there are only 74 shopping days left before the busiest season of all- Christmas is just around the corner.

Until next time, whenever there is time to write,

Bee Rich

Thanksgiving Reflections

Little Silver Lake on Thanksgiving morning

Kayak at dawn.

         Thanksgiving Sunday morning was brightly sunlit and I was pulled to the kayak with camera in hand to capture some of the colours.  The lake was calm and clear with no other boats to be seen.  I paddled for a few minutes, snapped a few pictures, and then paddled some more. 
          As the sun pressed higher in the sky, light hit our side of the lake, magically displaying the colours of the season. 

Our beautiful tree

          I pondered the day ahead. Soon 23 people would be converging on our home to celebrate Thanksgiving, the time of year when we pause to officially thank God for the many blessings in our lives. 
           I thought about the week ahead. Two days of supply teaching are already booked.  Our daughter's brief visit will end on Tuesday and she will fly back to her home in Scotland.  A CTV reporter will arrive on Tuesday to complete a story about lake management. I will be updating some of my swimming qualifications on Wednesday and Saturday. 
          I wondered about the month ahead with appointments in Ottawa for my brother-in-law, surgery and possible chemotherapy treatments for my sister, Halloween preparations and supply teaching days. 
          This reminded my about a workshop that I went to many years ago.  The speaker talked about her three NOses. 

• No guilt about the past
• No anxiety about the present
• No worry about the future

In addition to theses Noses, I am adding one Yes,  and that one is to be thankful every day!

We should all be thankful for
those people who rekindle the inner spirit. Albert Schweitzer



Let It Be...

          This post is for my sister, Kay, who has again been diagnosed with breast cancer and newly diagnosed with a form of lymphoma.  Her phone call last night was surprisingly cheery.  Her surgery is scheduled for this Thursday and she will be back at home on Friday. 
          This news breaks my heart.  You see, my sister is one of my best friends in the whole world.  She is my inspiration and the wind beneath my wings.  Her courage and determination to "kick cancer's butt" gives me courage and determination to meet any challenge in my life. 
           The miracle, I believe, is her strength in times of trouble; I know that her strength comes from her faith in God.  It reminds me of the Beatle's song from the early 1970's, "Let It Be."  So, I looked up the lyrics at www.azchords.com today and was reacquainted with the wisdom of some of the Beatles' words (with thanks to Glen Macon):

When I find myself in times of trouble,

Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And in my hour of darkness,

She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom,

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be
And when the broken hearted people,

Living in the world agree

There will be an answer, let it be
But though they may be parted,

There is still a chance that they may see
There will be an answer, let it be
And when the night is cloudy, 
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine on till tomorrow, let it be
I wake up to the sound of music,

Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.  

Stay UP, my sweet sister, you are LOVED!

Bee Rich

 

  
    

Giving Thanks

Smile, it's Thanksgiving!

          When I was a little girl, living in the USA, I would look forward to that Thursday in November when the family would get together for a Thanksgiving feast.  I remember the grace at the table and generally associated giving thanks with eating good food.  As the Canadian Thanksgiving approaches and I am 50 odd years older, I have a much larger list of people and items for which to be thankful:

• a loving and handsome husband
• a cozy home sweet home
• two successful and independent adult children
• a beautiful daughter-in-law
• one gorgeous grandchild
• my loving mother (a Great Grandma) and caring sister (a great aunt) and brother (a grand uncle)
• a wonderful extended family of in-laws, too numerous to list individually
• fabulous friends from around the world- we got a call from Linds and Phil in Kuwait this morning, wishing us a Happy Thanksgiving
• physical and mental health
• a part time job
• a reliable vehicle to drive
• the nurses and caregivers who come to the house to help my brother-in-law during his illness 
• neighbourly neighbours

          I am truly blessed and thankful.  May I take this time to wish you all a thankful thanksgiving weekend.

Until next time,

Bee Rich

Captain Clarke

BFFs

 

My Boy with his Boy

My Mom's Extended Family

My cup is full!

A Dog Day

Finnegan-before

         Yesterday morning I was up early (4:00 a.m.), unable to sleep.  It was to be an exciting day. Child #3 and Child #4 (aka Finnegan and Mika) were off to the doggie salon for their autumn beauty appointments...baths, shampoos, haircuts and nails clipped. Despite daily brushing, both dogs were in need of grooming, as shown in these two "before" shots.

The Mika-before

          Drop-off time was at 9:30 a.m.  I thought a couple of hours should do it and decided to accompany my husband for the ride in to town.  This should be fun!  With Finnegan on my lap and Mika curled up in the back seat of the Jeep, we drove the 20 minutes to town.  It was cool and rainy.
          I should have been happy to be out of the house, but I wasn't.  A dark mood, similar to the weather, had enveloped me.  Even with breakfast out with my favourite man didn't shake the sad feelings I was experiencing. 
          Ater completing our errands for the day, I walked in to the salon at noon and discovered that neither dog had even begun their haircut.  The groomer assured me that they would both be ready in an hour.
          My normal optimism was now missing and the longer we waited in town the more my frustration mounted. My husband sensed my growing despair and asked if I want him to drive me back home. "No," I answered. "That would be a waste of gas."  So, we went to Tim Horton's, spent a little more one-on-one time and then returned to pick up our furry friends. 
          The moment I saw the two girls, clipped and cute, excited to see us, and so proud of themselves, my down-in-the-dumps turned to elation.  "Oh they look so precious!" I exclaimed.  "Thank you for making my day." 
          The groomer explained that she wanted to take her time with Finnegan because, on her last visit (four years ago) she had been upset.  My heart melted as the little critters danced and wagged their way towards my husband and me.  We were heading home at last!
          I learned a lot today about myself:

• I need to be more patient 
• I can choose to look on the bright side of any situation
• It is the usually the  little things that get me down
• It is also the little things that make me smile (see below)

The Mika- after

Finnegan-after

 

A Wonderful Day!

No caption necessary!

          Today was a wonderful day. I taught a full day at a school relatively close to home and the students were fantastic.  Tomorrow's assignment was cancelled but that is okay because I am needed here at home.
          Upon my arrival home, my husband told me about his day.  He listed his accomplishments, which were impressive.  After all the good news, he hesitantly told me that his very expensive glasses were at the bottom of the lake.  Apparently while fishing from the dock, he pulled hard on the rod and hit his glasses off his face.  Because he doesn't swim, he was unable to jump in to retrieve them. 
          What you need to know is that the temperature of the lake was around twelve degrees Celsius more than two weeks ago.  Since then we have had a bit of frost and plenty of rainy, non sunshiny days.  I dare not even guess how cold the water actually is today.
          Despite the chilly waters, I was able to slowly ease myself in, several inches at a time, until I could put my head under water.  From the surface I could not see the glasses.  I went down about eight feet below the dock and searched the area.  One breath, no luck. 
          Upon ascending to the surface I announced that it was cold and that I would try just one more time.  My plan was to search very close to the yellow pole which was held in place by my very dry husband, and then move away from the dock, moving out and downhill until I ran out of breath.  I asked, "Will you be upset if I don't find them?"
         With his words of encouragement echoing in my ears, I descended for the second and final time, carefully feeling around the boggy bottom of Little Silver Lake.  Guess what?  There they were!  I carried them to the surface feeling very pleased with myself and happy that my main man would again be able to read the fine print. 

Thankfully, until tomorrow,


Bee Rich
         
         

Thanksgiving Week!

          For those of you who are interested in the growth and development of our first grandchild, this picture will prove that Mac has begun to smile.  This picture was sent from him mom to his dad when they heard that he was coming home a day earlier than expected.  Perfect!
          I love little surprises:

• an email from an old friend
• a phone call from a sibling
• a skype call from a son and/or a daughter
• a five dollar bill in the pocket of a pair of newly laundered pants
• a smile from a stranger
• a hug from a friend
• a comical comeback from a spouse
• a call to occasional teach two days in a row

These little surprises have occurred during this past week, each one packing its own moment of joy.  I am thankful! I hope that your days leading up to Thanksgiving will be full of joy, too. 

Until tomorrow,

Bee Rich

It is October!



For the birds!

      
          Several days ago my husband decided to feed the neighbourhood birds by designing this trendy device.  In the foreground is a wire which runs between the two decks at the front (facing the lake) of our house.  Near each end of the wire is a sheet of plexi-glass held upright by small two-by-fours, intended to keep the squirrels away form the bird food.  The wire is held taught by a winch at one end. We can push or pull the feeders along the wire using a long pole.
          His effort has been rewarded with a daily bird show.  Today, the first day of October, dawned cloudy and cold with windy conditions.  A large group of blue jays discovered the jay feeder and lined up for their breakfast, while sparrows, nuthatches and chickadees took turns at their feeder. A woodpecker soon joined the party at the suet block.  Down below, on the ground, several chipmunks crept out on the grass to gather any dropped seeds. Their cheeks are now full!
          I am looking forward to more of the same.  We have our bird book, binoculars and camera ready for identification purposes and picture taking opportunities.  Below is the first of my attempts to "capture the moment".
         In the meantime, my brother-in-law had two visitors today bearing gifts of food and laughter.  It may be cold outside, but our home is blessed with the warmth of loving friends, family and mother nature.

Until tomorrow,

Bee Rich

View from the front window