Monday, August 26, 2013

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.


Monday, July 8, 2013

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

 


Wednesday, June 12, 2013

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
 
 


Sunday, June 2, 2013

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


Thursday, May 16, 2013

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

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

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) 



Monday, April 8, 2013

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