RESTING, RE-EVALUATING, AND REJUVINATING

 

 

 

I read once "time is an odd ungraspable thing"

 

I basically have taken a little break from blogging

needed to step away for a bit

Has been a difficult summer in many ways

Ever since my mom died, things have felt "off kilter"

 

Hubby and I have been extremely busy working/landscaping some of our property

BIG JOB

 

My daughter and her 2 little girls came to visit for 10 days

 

 

It was good medicine

 

I feel like it has been too long since a visit

to see the kids

 

and gosh on JULY 4th

I got a new grandbaby

 

 

and this coming weekend

I FINALLY get to meet him, hold him, love on him

going to Utah for family time

 

It was kinda funny as until my son and his wife selected his name

they called him CAPTAIN AMERICA

 

but he is LEON MATTHEW

and how I love the name

Leon is my father and grandfathers name

and Matthew, after my son who passed away

and is daddy's brother

 

 this is my daddy looking at new baby on his computer..Great Grandpa for little Leon

 

He was pretty thrilled.

 

 so, summer is coming to an end, way to quickly

I'll probably settle in to blogging again

and wondering

what do I want to share with all of you

what is interesting to YOU

 

Fall and winter will wrap it's chilly, lonely arms

around me

and I'll be needing to reach out

and sometimes blogging helps with that.



WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS....LITERALLY

Oh my goodness have things been crazy around here

I sooo apologize for not visiting much lately

SUMMER BUSY'NESS.....like probably most of you

 

But I'm going to throw this post together

and show you THE BIG FLOOD IN CALGARY ALBERTA

and surrounding areas

 

 

SO SAD !!!

 

and just a few weeks later everything had to be ready

for the GREATEST OUTDOOR SHOW ON EARTH

the Calgary Stampede

 

(FYI....point of interest, the Stampede parade is second in size only to the Rose Bowl Parade)

 

Here are some photos of the Stampede grounds DURING the flood

 

the rodeo grounds

 

the Saddle Dome

originally built for when Calgary hosted the Olympics

 

the water went up to the 10th row

all the concerts planned for the Stampede

had to be canceled

 

washed out bridges and roads all over the place

 

the town of High River...just south of Calgary

 

SO MANY PEOPLE LOST THEIR HOMES

a friend of mine has a son who lives there

and she said he called her in a panic saying they were evacuating

as he gathered up his two little children

 and by then the water was up past his waist

 

They lost everything, but in their favor, they were renting

THE ZOO was also hit hard
YES !!!! they had to frantically move as many animals
as was possible
MOVE THEM I SAY
and for the rest of this summer the zoo will be closed
also had to lay off more then 200 workers

again, SO SAD

 

 

 I could show you many MANY more photos, but you get the idea
disaster

and as always during a disaster it brings out the BEST
and the WORST of people

I saw on the news (don't have photo) of a store in Calgary
who was charging $20 for a bag of ICE
guess the idea of charity didn't cross their mind

then you get good souls who do this

There have been thousands and thousands of volunteers
working together, showing love and support
and HELP

So now as everyone tries to get things back in order
and for some, sadly, it will take a LONG time
my heart just breaks for them

CALGARY STRONG
as they are saying

and NOW
the Stampede is up and running
and here is what they were trying to get the grounds
to look like.....as they once were

So grateful for loving caring people who volunteer
their time, resources and yes money

and that.....is how it's been in my neck of the woods
(Calgary is an hour's drive south of us)

this is NOT a news report, so I may not be 100% accurate in all the details
just how I remember it

 



GOT SOME ADIVCE??

Hey everyone

not much to report at the moment

 

but I KNOW I have some smart bloggers out there

so I need some advice

 

This little cushion used to be on my moms bed

but you can see it has this little water stain

does ANYONE know how I can remove it??

 

 

I have it on my bed

 

(cool headboard don't ya think....it is from the diamond willows right on our yard)

 

Since moms passing

I have taken a few things from the house to have around here

I like looking at them

and enjoying the sweet memories it gives me of MOM

 

(a good photographer would have moved the tractor outside the window)

 

I love moms big white Pitcher full of white Lilacs

 

 

a few more of her special dishes I've stuck in the hutch

*the tatting is done by my sister*

 

(a good photographer would have removed the orange ear plugs)

and more tatting by my sis

 

This little green decorative perfume jar that was on moms dresser

 

and then lastly

NONIE MAY

 

 

Mom had this on her hutch

I named this stuffed chicken Nonie as that was my moms nickname

and she passed away in May

 

******** disclaimer********

yes I know I have lived in this house now for 4 years

and have NOT

done anything with my steps going upstairs

BECAUSE

I am sooooo undecided of how I want to do it

bummer

 

NOW

back to your advice, about the water stain

 

 



GOOD , BETTER, BEST

Good , Better, Best

Never let it Rest

'Till the Good is Better

and the Better

is BEST

That is what my mother always told me.

Everything she did in life... and her accomplishments were many

she did her very BEST

now MOM is gone

She died May 21st at 2:15 in the morning

I will make this

OR TRY TO MAKE THIS

a short tribute to my mom

She was only 81, but has been cursed with ill health nearly her whole life

about 20 years ago she had a tumor removed from her head

and it changed everything about her

in regards to her abilities

and her Zest for life

she became a recluse after that

as she didn't like the physical damage it did to her
then she developed tumors in her stomach

She used to oil paint, sold her paintings in Waterton

National Park

owned and ran a gift store in Calgary

ribbon winning quilter

directed plays

wrote endless historical books of our family history

(I could go on and on into her earlier years as an athlete)

Now she is Gone

Seems so hard to believe.

BUT

as sad and heartbreaking as it is

it is an answer to prayer

she fell just 3 days before and broke her hip

her death came as complications from that surgery

ME, my SISTER, and my AUNT

sat by her bedside

held her hand, sang to her

and watched her take her last breath

An extremely sacred experience as far as I'm concerned

KNOWING

and BELIEVING

she just went through another door

to those waiting on the other side for her

I am excited to think my son who died 2 1/2 years ago

must have been hugging and kissing her

I remember in the hospital, during some of her delerium

she'd say

"I just want mom and dad to come and get me"
I think they did.

Mom pretty much had told my sister (her care giver)

how she wanted her funeral to go

NOTHING big

Just a graveside service

Well, wouldn't ya know it was pouring rain

She always loved the wild flowers of Alberta

and so we went into the foothills of the mountains

and gathered up a bunch of Glacier Lilies

 

me, my aunt and sister in law

had to tie my hair back and put on a hat

my sister, my aunt and me
placing the flowers on her casket
IN THE POURING RAIN

who would have thought I'd be wearing jeans and gum boots to my mom's funeral

My poor dad has been having a hard time with it all

dad and my sister
He just wants to Die now too

I love this little country cemetary
where some day I will also be

I have ancestors back to my Great Great Grandparents who are there
all the way up to now, my mom
my brother's little boy is buried there as well

I surely will miss my mom
It's a hard thing
a hard thing for those of us still here on earth

 my sister, dad, my brother and me at a little luncheon after the graveside
feeling kind of chilled from all the cold and rain



 
 LOVE YOU MOM
take care of Matt for me
and God Be With You 'Till We Meet Again

p.s. sorry I haven't visited your blogs lately
I have been back and forth helping my sister
and now I have tons of stuff needing taking care of on our property
may take a bit of a break

SADDLE UP

We have four horses

and Mr. Gorgeous LOVES his horses
I am still in the 101 stages of learning about horses

I love them too

but they are big

and strong

and can hurt you

and run fast

and have a mind of their own sometimes

and can hurt you

 

For example

(don't worry, I am not hurt)

A couple of weeks ago we went with some friends on a Trail Ride 

only about a 3 hour ride, no big deal really

BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY

This was not my first rodeo folks

(ok....only my second)

I thought I'd be able to handle myself pretty good   

and my friend the whole while kept telling me

that she wasn't a good horse rider

pfssst.....well, she was freaking Calamity Jane compared to me

and her husband

well

you could call him Roy Rogers

or the Horse Whisperer

From left to right

Mr. Gorgeous

me....the horse whimp

Calamity Jane

Roy Rogers

I was impressed however by me and my friends horse STYLE

I had a blue helmet and blue blouse

and she was all in pink

good to know

that if the EMT's have to attend to you

you look color co-ordinated   

The ride started off just fine and I was feeling

confident----ish

But the trouble all started for me

when we had this big hill to go down

Well..........DANG

 the rest of my group handled it just fine

and mozeeed (new word..or spelling anyway)    on down

Well my heart started beating hard

and I was getting all panicy

I kept trying to tell my horse
 

OK...STEP HERE
NO...NOT THERE FREAKAZOID

I SAID STEP HERE
ok....FINE
step wherever you want

just do not kill me going down this hill   

(sometimes horses have a mind of their own..so I found out)    

 ....lo though I ride through the valley of death, 

I shall fear no horse.....

OK...so I survived (thanks to my little prayer) feeling a little less then horse savy

and then came our first ...FIRST I TELL YOU

river crossing

    (me and Roy Rogers)

Crossing the river was not really the big deal here

it was the going DOWN the bank

and then coming back UP the bank

By then I could feel a bit of an anxiety attack coming on

and my horse felt my anxiety

and decided to JOIN IN on the whole anxiety ride

so he was having his own little rodeo

I AM GETTING OFF RIGHT NOW!!!...I said to my husband

So he got off his horse too

and walked with me for a bit

so that Black Stallion on Steroids

and I could calm down

whew

(did I mention horses can hurt you)    

We told our friends to go on ahead of us and we would catch up

then after a bit

they came and told us there was another river crossing up ahead

so

It was either wade across the river and get soaked

or mount up

I mounted up

and had a little chat with my horse about glue factories

     

 WE HAD SIX

SIX I TELL YOU

river crossings to do

but I think I put the fear of glue into my horse

and he was much better the rest of the ride

I was really kinda angry with myself

that I had lost my Annie Oakley MoJo

The end of the ride was here

at EM-TE town

such a cool place

   

Hubby...aka Festus
going to check out the joint

probably a good place for him 

 

me and The Horse Whisperer
FINALLY getting a chance to relax and CHILL

 

We all had a GREAT steak dinner here

 

going to check out the double decker out houses

yup...I'll stick to the UPPER level thank you

maybe I need to give up my horse riding
and become ONE with MISS KITTY

But
that all being said
IT WAS A GREAT DAY
I'M ALIVE
great friends
beautiful nature
a sense of accomplishment

Yup
I'll do it again


and to end this story

 love ya cowboy

WAITIN' ON A WOMAN

Yes I know it has been awhile since I did a post

Not much to report

other then the same ol' same ol'

And THIS might be my shortest post Ever

(for me)

Waitin' on a Woman

That woman being ME

You see 

I have this adorable husband

who I lovingly call "Mr Gorgeous"

Many of you know our story

and some of you do not

But I AM NOT going to relate that here

Suffice it to say

he was my sweetheart when I was still in high school

and he was 4 years older

Forty years later

and a lot of living in between

we are back together

When He gets an idea in his head

he wants to do it NOW
especially when It is when he wants to go somewhere

"Hey....I need to go (hither and yon) and do

(such and what)

and if you want to come

I AM READY TO GO NOW"

WHAT !!!!!!!!!

Like ...Really I say  

NOW    

 He says.... as he puts on his coat

I'll wait for you in the truck

ok

BUT FIRST

I need to

change my cloths

put on a bra 

throw on some makeup

and because I do have some OCD issues

 First

I have to check the burners on the stove

SEVERAL times

make sure all the windows are closed 

and heaven forbid

I need to pick up a bit

cause if a burglar comes

I WANT MY HOUSE TO BE NEAT

so as not to be thought of as a slob

important

So...

MUCH LATER

while this Mr. Gorgeous of mine

is waiting, waiting, waiting in the truck

cause he is READY TO GO

I am afraid

He'll always be

waitin' on a woman

    

(disclaimer...I NEVER EVER look that glamorous) 

TIME AFTER TIME

(yes I know, all my titles seem to be SONG oriented)

I LOVE MUSIC

This may seem a little incohesive...

but after a conversation with my mom

I thought of this post

for those of you who have been reading my posts

you know my parents are not doing well

health wise

it is sad

up days....down days

but on one of the DOWN DAY conversations with my mom

she was feeling

What is the Sense of it all

for what purpose did I work all my life

YOUR DAD worked since he was 8 years old (yes)

and what do we have to show for it

to take with us

Understand, my parents have GREAT FAITH

and they KNOW

it's not about WHAT we take with us

cause as far as "material things"

that would be nothing

not so much What we take with us

but what did we leave behind

 so

mom and I talked about that

   (photo from 50th wedding anniversary)

 (photo from 2004)

(recently)

I won't go into the trials and struggles

of their situation now

WE ALL HAVE THEM...OR WILL HAVE THEM

but its about

TIME AFTER TIME

Recently I received a photo from my son's wife

of their little 4 year old

who has just started T-ball

   the quality isn't that great

but it sure took me back in TIME

when all 4 of my sons played baseball

sports of all kinds

and yet

here it is again , repeating itself

a continuance of What WAS

a reminder

that life will go on and on and on

and it is important to dwell on the values, roots, foundations

of life

YES MOM

what you left behind was

a solid truth of what is

what will always be

and what once was

Children who do not know their past will never understand 

their future

(Christopher Columbus)        

It is a continuance

 

this is a photo of me and my grandparents

who I ADORE

and they too

took NOTHING with them

but what they left behind

was invaluable

the lessons, the love, the legacy

Remember the history of our people

Everytime someone forgets, someone else disappears

(Alice Hoffman, author) 

so here I am

looking at myself, my life, my example

 with my 5 children...one who left us TO SOON

What will I ultimately leave behind FOR THEM

(photo about 10 years old) 

Will they forgive my faults, shortcomings, failures

and instead

seek out the GOOD I tried to instill in them

the truths

(ha ha, I always told my kids, don't listen to what I said, listen to what I meant)  

by the same token

sadly

Don't always follow my footsteps

just Follow the truths I TOLD YOU ABOUT

Ok

I told you this would perhaps be a little

discombobulated

but stuff rolling around in my head here

What we LEAVE BEHIND

is of greatest value

My parents LOVED me despite the possible

many ways I disappointed them 

they had to Re-Adjust THEIR dreams for me

to the dreams I had interpreted for myself

and accept that

and love me still

Same for my children

and grandchildren

OH HOW I WANT THEM TO REACH THE STARS

take over the galaxy

yet....they will course their own way

but the TRUTHS and VALUES

will have been cemented in them....

(no matter how they may try and fight that)

I am thankful for children who love me

and Parents who have led me and guided me

and GRANDPARENTS who before all that

layed out the same "lifes map"

thankful for a husband who loves me

despite my whinning and  boob-a-loobing 

 BECAUSE

in the end

it's what we leave behind

SHINE LIKE A DOMAN 

(which as been changed from Rhianna's song, Shine like a Diamond)

Doman, being the last name of my sons 

and maiden name of my daughter   

SHINE SHINE SHINE

and walk proud, confident, and assured

that what is now

was laid before you

Generations, and Generations ago