Happy New Year 2014!

Christmas is over for another year.
It was a time to slow down, reflect, decorate, eat and spend time with friends, family and neighbours. Christmas cards were written and sent.  Baking was completed and then enjoyed.  Meals were planned, prepared and eaten. Leftovers were stored and then revisited.
Today is New Year's Eve. All that remains as a reminder of the Christmas week that was is the 8 foot tree, decorated with red and green lights and ornaments evoking memories of Christmases past, beautiful Christmas cards received during the season, Christmas updates from friends and family and an extra layer of body fat to keep us warm. There were also new memories made-visits with children and grandchildren, brothers and sisters, neighbours and friends, walks in the snow, building a snow man, hot drinks, warm embraces and long conversations.
Yesterday the temperature went from +2 to -17 degrees C.  A brisk wind brought in an icy air mass and wind chill temperature of -30.  Brrr! January begins tomorrow! Today we travel to meet our daughter (who worked over Christmas) at the airport and visit our son's family.  A special family trip to the Winter Classic hockey game in Ann Arbor is planned.  I will spend New Year's Day in the company of some of my favourite people.
Anticipation and memories. We look forward and we look backward. Each moment is precious and together combine to form the fabric of our lives.
And for that, I am truly thankful.

Winter beauty!

From our home to yours, Happy New Year!

Until next time,

Bee Rich

Updating the BLOG

From November 10:

Tomorrow is Remembrance Day! (That was two weeks ago)
Yesterday would have been my mother-in-law's 99th birthday. (That was more than two weeks ago)
Yesterday a teaching colleague was laid to rest after a battle with leukemia. (Such sad news from Collingwood)
This week was a good one at work. (As were the last two weeks!)
I am feeling somewhat better after a bout of bronchitis. (Today my cough has completely disappeared!)
Plans are being made for Christmas and New Years. (To do: thinking, writing cards, baking, shopping, wrapping, tree cutting, etc.)
Today we are travelling to Oakville so I can take an update course and then heading to Cambridge to visit the grandchildren and their parents. (This was our last visit and it was fantastic!)

From November 25:

Goodness gracious...I started this blog post more than two weeks ago.  I have no excuses other than the busy-ness of a full time job that includes a 45 minute commute both ways.  I haven't even taken the time to read other blogs. Facebook receives a cursory glance once a day, if I am lucky.  And, most of my online time has been responding to emails related to work...I have got to slow down.

And yet, when I think of the two weeks who have passed, the challenges, the accomplishments, the moments with friends and family, I have to believe that all is well on our corner of the lake. Despite the scandals in Toronto and Ottawa, the typhoon in the Philippines and the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, life in rural Ontario remains calm and peaceful.

From today, December 7:

Almost a month has passed since beginning this blog.  What has happened to me this past little while is LIFE.
Wake up early, drive to work, work all day, drive home, eat dinner, crash on the couch, head to bed, read for 10 minutes or so and fall asleep.

The work is fulfilling, sometimes frustrating but always fun! I am back in my favourite element- water. Life guarding, teaching swimming lessons, aqua fitness, planning programs, setting up schedules, swimming and meeting new people.  It is all part of the day's and evening's work.  One of my most peaceful times is when no one is around and I am opening the building for the day. It is so quiet that you can hear the bubbles of the water and the fans of the ventilation system.  I pull out the pool vacuum system, set the pumps and spend the next half hour or so cleaning the pool's bottom.

Today is my son's birthday!  33 years ago today our lives changed forever when we became parents. Now one third of a decade later we are grandparents and our lives continue to change for the better. Happy birthday!

Life is precious!

I received an early Christmas present last weekend.  My thoughtful hubby bought tickets to see Great Big Sea in a nearby town.  We had a Friday night date night and stayed over in a hotel.  It was a terrific concert, lots of fun and laughs.  One of the highlights was when the lead singer announced that he spent some time at the pool during the day.  He actually swam with the aqua fitness classes and spent time in the hot tub with 30 women.  Later he was asked to sing the national anthem at the opening ceremonies for a swim meet.  Now that brought back memories...as the pool was in the town where my swimming career began!

The Aquatic Centre

Sad news this week. Nelson Mandela died at the age of 95.  He spent 27 years behind bars in his quest to end apartheid in South Africa and later became the first president of the democratic nation. The entire world is mourning his death, but also celebrating his life. This quote is often used and with it I agree:

I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.  ― Nelson Mandela

How great is the great man!

Until next time, 

Bee Rich

Have a BOO-tiful day!

Our two children, loving the Jack O' Lantern
circa 1983

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Halloween has a special significance in my life.  Just 37 years ago today, I met the man of my life- my husband.
I was having a relatively bad time of it at school and decided to take the weekend to go home to my mom, catch my breath and rethink my future.
It was during that visit that I was introduced to a very handsome bearded young man at a Halloween party.
We were married almost three years later. Within the next three years we were "settled" and the parents of two cutie children.
Halloweens were always a fun time. We carved pumpkins, prepared treats and waited for the trick-or-treaters to arrive. It was a tradition.
This year is going to be a little bit different. My husband is driving to visit the grandchildren and then staying at the house to give out the treats while my son and his wife take their two children out to gather treats. I am going back to work after a bout with a bad "bug" and then coming home to rest. I will give out treats at our house!
Wishing children and their parents everywhere a very safe and happy Halloween!

Boo! Our grandchildren in 2013

I am so fortunate!

Until next time,


Bee Rich

When Sunday is Saturday

Sometimes I am confused.  Today is actually Sunday, but because I am now working on Saturday, Sunday has become Saturday around home. Monday is now my second day of the weekend.  Today as I was cleaning the house I had a sudden feeling of panic...I am cleaning the house and I should be at work.  I work on Saturdays, don't you remember?  Then it dawned on me, I am just confused.

That reminded me a little of the week that just passed.  Last weekend was Thanksgiving and after work on Saturday we drove to visit our grandchildren and their parents.  The visit was awesome. The children are growing and I am so thankful to be able to spend some time with them on my days off.

On Tuesday I returned to work and taught an aqua fitness class.  It was supposed to be a gentle class, but I got a little carried away. I had planned a new routine that included too much jumping and several participants had sore calves.

Wednesday was the long day.  I arrived for the 7:00 a.m. start and then worked until 8:00 p.m. teaching swimming lessons.  Arriving home on these evenings I am so thankful that my husband is there to meet and greet and feed me!

Thursdays start later and fortunately I finish earlier so I can catch dinner with my husband.

Fridays are early mornings again and this past week I had to cover for a guard who was ill and worked until 8 p.m.

So, by Saturday morning it took a couple of cups of coffee to drag myself to the Jeep and head to work.  I realized I needed gasoline for the so pulled up to the first gas station, which is about 25 minutes from home. I found my debit card, hopped out of the vehicle, pumped the gas and returned to the driver's side to head off to work, only to discover that I had locked my keys inside.

Fortunately, I knew my husband was awake and working in the garage and I had my cell phone in my pocket. Unfortunately, he did not have his cell phone on, so I had to call a neighbour to run over to ask him if he could come and unlock the Jeep.  Fortunately, the neighbour was up and was happy to help out. Within 30 minute I was back on the road, on time to jump in the pool for Aqua fitness and then teach four classes of swim lessons.

Below is a copy of a recent article in the Smiths Falls EMC Record, which pretty well sums up my experience so far at the pool.  I am calling this my retirement job and am thinking that my life has gone full circle.  And for all of this, I am so thankful for the people in my life: family, friends, neighbours, pool patrons and colleagues, both past and present.

Until next time,

Bee Rich

Post Thanksgiving 2013

Found on Facebook-things to do today!

As I prepare to go in to work after a weekend out of town visiting with my wonderful son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren, I find myself suddenly a little anxious. What do I have to do to prepare for work? What have I forgotten? Does the pool need vacuuming?  Should I vacuum at home before I go in?  Do I teach aqua fitness today? Do I have the right music?

Scrolling through my Facebook account, I came upon this gem, posted by a friend and former boss. Looking up to the sky always gives me a sense of peace so it is appropriate that these calming thoughts are posted in the clouds with some blue sky peeking through.

I did spend yesterday counting my blessings- good health, a job for which I am passionate, a loving family, caring friends, a warm home, clean water and delicious food; the list is infinite.

Practising kindness- I try in every area of my life to be kind and caring, but is that enough? Is there more I can do?

To let go of what I cannot control is important, too, and I am working on that one...

Being calm while productive is also key to success. For me, anxiety sometimes leads to a waterfall of rushed emotions and negative self talk.  Back to the part of being kind.  I know that being kind to oneself is also necessary. Taking time to read, write, sing, dance, play and breathe deeply from the fresh air is essential for me to get and stay positive. Turning off the negative self-talk is a good place to start!

That brings me to another quote that I had squirrelled away to be used at an appropriate time.  The time is now.  This message is not only to myself, but to all of the people who struggle with self esteem issues:

To be compassionate to others,
we must practise self-compassion.

Until next time,

Bee Rich

Procrastination

Here is a picture of what procrastination looks like:

This mess brought to you by procrastination!

This assortment of papers and containers and other materials includes Christmas cards as far back as 1987 (stored away to be used sometime, somewhere for a Christmas craft project at home or school), pencils, pens, markers, pictures, papers, booklets, brochures and other items that might just come in handy one day. As I sit overseeing it, I am thinking, Not only am I a procrastinator I am also a hoarder!

So the time has come to sort and re-sort, tidy and clean.  And today is the time.  My second day off in a row. The weather outside is cloudy, windy and rainy and I have run out of excuses. Today I will overcome the inertia within to tackle the tasks without. 

If you don't hear from me for a few days be sure that I am hard at it; if not momentarily, then perhaps after another cup of coffee....

Until next time, 

Bee Rich

Ahhhhh!

Procrastination definition: to put off something out of habitual carelessness or laziness 

(-on line Free Dictionary)

Autumn Schedules

  It's 

already!

If it is true that time flies when you are having fun, then I must be having a blast! I cannot believe that October is already upon us and in fact, we are about to start the second week of the tenth month of 2013. Where does the time go?

I have enjoyed beginning a new beginning. Working at a 20 metre, five lane pool brings back memories of my days at the Y. The difference is that I am developing a schedule, helping to hire staff, training staff, developing programs and enjoying lots of hands-on life guarding and teaching swimming lessons, lifesaving and aqua fitness classes. I even get to swim three or four times a week. Oh bliss!

This "retirement" job is not without its drawbacks. During the first few weeks, I averaged 50 hours per week at the pool. I drive 50 km to get to work. There was a shortage of qualified people to staff the pool. However, as time goes by and I get more organized, several of these challenges have been addressed and I am optimistic that I have definitely landed in a good place.

The positives are many! The people with whom I work are amazing. Staff and volunteers alike are positive, helpful and enthusiastic. The swimmers and aqua fitters and friendly and grateful for a local pool in which to swim and exercise regularly. The children are respectful and learning to swim!

The facility itself is a jewel in the community, reopened thanks to the efforts of a small group of volunteers with a vision. It is a perfect spot for me to spend the next several years until retirement. And if the first month is any indication, time is going to go by quickly!  I am very thankful!

Unless each can be looked back upon by an individual as one in which he has had some fun, some joy, some real satisfaction, that day is a loss. 

-Anonymous

The pool from the side

The congratulatory cake and cupcakes. 

Some of the amazing volunteers!

Another awesome volunteer. 

Opening ceremony!

Lifeguards on guard!

Come in, the water is fine!