Hope I Haven't Missed Your Post

Hello my friends, I have been having trouble with blogger lately and my reader is not showing me that you have posted. If I have missed any of you I apologize as it certainly was not intentional. I also have been having trouble opening some of my favorite blogs as well there are times I am unable to comment. Now I have had a new Virus protector put on my computer and I kind of think it may be the problem, so please hang in there with me until I figure it out.

You will notice on my side bar I have added a Pray for Lisa Smith button. Lisa is one of my young blogger friends who I have grown to love very much. Her and her husband live in Texas and have 4 beautiful children ages 10 and under. This week Lisa received the results of her biopsy and unfortunately it was not good news. She has sarcoma of the breast, this is not Breast Cancer but cancer of soft tissue found in her breast.
You can read about her at her post Glad Chatter. Once visiting her I am sure you will come too know and love her as I do. Please join me in prayer for Lisa by placing this button on your home page and encourage others to remember to prayer for this wonderful woman and her family.

I have had a very good and fulfilling week. I have been watching so many sports lately that the only part of me that was getting any exercise was my thumb as it pushed buttons on the remote control......so I am back at Curves every second day, it feels good to stretch out again.

Yesterday was filled with grocery shopping, hair cut, drug store, banking, and filling the car with gas and windshield fluid. Really don't need the windshield fluid now as it has turned cold again in Alberta and we are expecting more snow this weekend.......January has always been the month I have least liked, just find it so very cold and much too long, but we are almost through it....yahoo!

Have a great weekend everyone, God Bless and .......many, many hugs.

Rainbow After The Storm

Hello my friends, it seems like forever since I have talked with you and I am so happy to be back. Thank you all for your kind comments and concern, you are the best and the reason I enjoy blogging so very much. It will take me a while to catch up with all of your post but I will.

Rather than go into the details of my "away time" I would like to share with you some very important lessons learned.

I learned no matter how much you love and care for someone you cannot take their pain or their problems away from them. Love, though very important is not enough. Each of us must travel our journey using the tools the good Lord provided, so I suggest one better be their own best friend and really like and respect who they are. Oh we can and must always support each other and that does make the road less bumpy but each of us must take responsibility for our health, actions and words. Sometimes words said or deeds done can do more damage than a terminal illness.

I was blessed to share these days with someone I love very much, and would of loved to been able to take all of her pain away but in spite of my love, her pain was so very real and even more so very sad......she had trusted people who she thought loved her, perhaps they did in their fashion but their way of love had added to her burdens making her more ill, she was feeling used and alone. No one should ever feel this way.

I learned that one cannot base their happiness on someone else's unhappiness, life just doesn't work that way. I learned no one can take advantage or manipulate anyone unless that person allows it. I learned that everyone has boundaries which should be respected and not crossed. I learned to say no when I couldn't and yes when I could and both answers felt right in my heart. I learned that ones word is so very important and honesty is the best way.....always.

I have known these lessons a very long time, I just don't think about them very often. I want to encourage everyone to take care of their health, love yourself enough to share your truth and stand up for what you believe. Don't let anyone decide what kind of life you are going to have, take your power back and live a full, productive, happy life......always help and support others when you can but know the difference between helping and enabling.


I am so thankful for so many things today...a cup of hot coffee relaxing by the fireplace as a snow storm and the bitter cold rage outside my window. I am thankful for the quiet in my home and the peace within my heart. I am thankful for the rainbow after the storm.

Enjoy your weekend and God Bless......and to each of you many, many hugs.

Taking a Short Break

Hello my friends, due to personal reasons and other responsibilities I will be away for a short time. Will be back with you all very soon. Miss you already.

Good Night, God Bless and many, many Hugs:-)

Pollyanna......Who Me?

Hello my friends, we had another beautiful day in Alberta, plus 5 and the sun was shinning......I love it.

Yesterday I ventured into St. Albert to watch the Olympic flame being carried through the city on it's way to Vancouver and the upcoming Olympic games. I am so glad I did. We were only about 2000 people watching as the flame made it's way towards Edmonton who had something like 15,000 to 20,000 people turn out but then St. Albert is a much smaller city. There was a young mother with 3 children under the age of 5 and I took great joy in helping her with the children as we patiently waited for the torch bearer......they were a joy and so cute with their pink cheeks waving their red and white banners saying "Go Canada go", what fun. Anyway when it was over and people were heading toward a warmer place the lady thanked me and said I should of been named Pollyanna. I just smiled as I said my good byes to this family....thinking about a book I had read several months ago and the author had mentioned Pollyanna in one of his chapters.

Now I am sure all of you have been called Pollyanna at some time in your life or even called some one Pollyanna. This wasn't the first time I have been referred to as Pollyanna..... I remember the first time and how I felt. I was hurt and felt this person thought I was naive even ignorant because I tried to see the good in any situation. I like to think I am realistic and try to deal with each situation in a respectful but yes, positive way. Now when I think back how upset I was and how hurt my feelings were I realize what a waste of energy that was. Pollyanna is known for turning what was a unhappy town into a happy place, brought joy to those who were so joyless and taught people how to love and care for each other. So I guess if I am going to be compared to someone then I'll wear this nickname proudly.....although humbly. There is so much negativity in the world, people who are only concerned with themselves and people who look to blame others for their problems. I look at what is happening now in Haiti and my heart is heavy with concern and sadness. A small donation didn't make me feel any better either. I wanted to board a plane and in some small way bring some comfort to these people by holding a frightened child or hugging a grieving parent. I am not qualified to go to Haiti nor are my needles up to date. I called The Red Cross and checked. I only wish I were. In this time of unrest in our world I think it is time that we reach out and lend a hand to those less fortunate. We all love and take care of our families, friends and neighbours and if we don't we should. Let's remember these poor people who have endured so much, let's remember the fallen soldiers and the soldiers who even now are putting their lives on the line for our freedom, and their families who are waiting patiently for their loved ones return. Let's all become Pollyanna, share a smile, give a lonely person a hug and give of our ourselves even it's only to open a door for someone, make some cookies or give some of our personal time to those in need to make this world just a little bit better place.

Good Night and God Bless.......and many, many hugs.

Happy Birthday Eileen

I'm so excited, I just can't hide it.......someone in the village is having a birthday......Happy Birthday Eileen, and many, many more!

When I began blogging just over a year ago I met this wonderful lady, something I am thankful for everyday. She is a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and friend. Her honesty is above reproach and she has always been there with a kind word for all of us who dwell in our wonderful village.....and for those that dwell elsewhere. She opens her heart to all. I love you sweetie and hope today will be your best birthday ever......I know you will be sharing this day with Jayden and Mia and I am sending them big hugs just to give to you.

January Thaw

Hello my friends......well we have had a real change in weather here in Alberta. It has warmed up and I love it. Now it is cloudy but it also is plus 6 right now, yesterday it was plus 5. I'll take a cloudy warm day anytime over the brutal cold we have been having. I was driving on the highway yesterday and ran out of windshield washer and what a horrid time I had to see, I finally made it back to Morinville and the first thing I did was stop and have my washer container filled up.

I spent some time cleaning up around my condo. I was able to shovel the deck, and pick up old bottles, bags and such that must of been blown in during our blizzard a while back. I also filled my bird feeders, they were completely empty. It has been so cold and the snow was so high and frozen that I had no way to reach them before the thaw came. I am going to have to think where I can put them so they are easy for me to fill before next winter, perhaps outside a window. I do like hanging them from my trees though. The trouble with living in a condo, you really don't own any land and I am one of the few who even have trees in my yard let alone a large deck.

I think you burn over 400 calories for every hour of snow shovelling, in that case I have an extra 1200 calories I can save up for whenever I feel like a treat. I am thinking about the bag of truffles I purchased from Costco before Christmas....if I open them I'll eat them all, I have no self discipline at all when it comes to chocolate.

One of my best friends and such a good neighbour is in hospital right now. She suffers from COPD and has taken a turn for the worse....please pray for Jackie that she may be well and return home to her family who loves her ever so much.

The days of 2010 are really going by quickly, have you noticed? The older I get I find the times just zooms by. I don't want to waste a second of it and that is why I enjoyed being outside a couple of hours yesterday and another hour today. Today I walked a few blocks to a friends house for coffee than walked home. Being so warm outside I found the children happier, the soften snow has made it easier for them to make snowmen, dogs were grabbing mittens and running from their owners and even met a usually grumpy old man that seemed frisky, it was so nice to have a warm conversation with him on the sidewalk, perhaps he is not really grumpy, he was probably just cold the other times I ran into him. I also managed to pick up a few groceries and pick up a few things I was low on. I will be glad when I am able to pick up my camera, it will be ready on Friday. Oh I do love a good January thaw, I know there is more winter to come but this break has been wonderful.

I hope you all are enjoying better weather as I know how cold it has been here and across the pond. I worry about my blogging friends being able to go out grocery shopping and keeping appointments. Stay warm my friends......

God Bless...........:-) Hugs

Chance Made Us Sisters - Hearts Made Us Friends

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHEILA



Oh today is a special day.....my sister Sheila's 65th birthday. Sheila lives in Evanton, Scotland and has for over 35 years now. This picture was taken in her kitchen which is her favorite room in her home. She has always been a wonderful sister, her passion is her family and she is one of the best cooks I know. She has the biggest heart in the world and would do anything to make the lives of her family and friends a little bit better and brighter.

Sheila is very special to me. When I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer she flew from Scotland to Alberta to spend 3 months with me. She was with me through my surgery and all the preparations for chemo and radiation. She went with me to see doctors and kept track of medications, appointments and helped me organize everything that this horrible illness required. She cleaned my home, made meals and did laundry. I so appreciate all the sacrifices she made to leave her home and family to be with me at one of the worse times of my life. Of all the many things my sister did the one I remember the most - which brought so much comfort to me - was she slept beside me every night, we laughed together and we cried together....as only sisters can do.




This is my sister with her husband, Murdoch. A wonderful man who loves to hike the hills of Scotland and cycles many miles through narrow trails many times a year with his son Murdo and friend Jimmy. He is so good to my sister and I love him for being such a wonderful husband to her.




This is a picture of Sheila and I when I visited her in 2008. We took a vacation to Ireland together after touring Edinburgh with her son Murdo and daughter in law Katy. We also toured the area around Evanton. Scotland is a beautiful country. I'm sorry this picture is so small, I had reduced it to fit my side bar and am unable to enlarge it to normal size....something about me and pictures that just doesn't click.
Sheila is not a blogger but reads my blog every day and always comments to me in our daily e-mails, she doesn't hesitate to correct any spelling errors, I call her my editor.

Happy Birthday Sis, I love you very much and miss you even more. May you have many more wonderful birthdays with your family and friends. I am so proud you are my sister.

Thank you my friends for allowing me to share one of the most important people in my life and I know you join me in wishing her a very Happy Birthday.

Good Night, God Bless.......and many, many hugs:-)

I Don't Do Windows Just Blinds

After sleeping almost 24 hours a day for the past 4 days I was awake early this morning feeling well rested and pretty good. I was up showered, laundry done and biscuits in the oven by 10 am......may not seem like much to you all but normally I am just coming downstairs, still in my housecoat, groping for my coffee as I try and focus on my daily newspaper at this time. I really don't get moving until lunch time oh but not today.

I had a "Diana" day, I cleaned my refrigerator, stove... well I shouldn't brag about that as it's a self cleaning oven, vacuumed, dusted and even cleaned my blinds. Oh the house is sparkling. I then cooked liver and onions for supper.....and it tasted great. Not something I could eat all the time but once or twice a year is fine.

This afternoon I was blessed with a visit from a good friend bearing Christmas gifts, we shared a glass of wine and had a wonderful visit.

Tonight my sister from New Brunswick called and we chatted for over an hour, she is doing really well and is going to Florida for vacation in March. If I get my passport renewed in time I just may join her. It was so good to talk with her, we last spoke at Christmas but there were so many of us she had to speak too we didn't chat very long but made up for it tonight. How blessed are those who have sisters.....so easy today to appreciate all the goodness in my life.

This was my day, productive and filled with love, family and friends. Most will probably find my day a bit boring but after a rough week I loved it. Tomorrow, if my cold is even better I am hoping to visit with my friend Tiffany, her mother, Miss Molli and Jayke her new baby boy, I don't want to give them any germs........ahhhh life is good.

Good Night and God Bless......and many, many hugs.

Feeling Better

Hello my friends, I am so happy to be able to say I am feeling better. My temperature broke early this evening and I had a lovely bubble bath and managed to have a bowl of soup. It will take a couple of more days before I have all my energy back but compared to the last couple of days I am not complaining. I have to take the antibiotics for another 5 days but so far I have had no side effects. All is good.

It is still cold here in Alberta but it is suppose to really warm up by Friday. That will be so nice and quite a change. Most of us are used to the cold weather that Alberta has each winter but this year the cold and snow hit early, fast and furious. It does make for a long winter and interferes with plans especially if one needs to drive on the highways.

Thank you all for your good wishes, I so appreciate them. Now if I had waited just one more day you wouldn't of had to hear me complain at all. Let's hope this will be the last of colds and flu's for me this winter. I definitely need a break.

I hope you all are doing well and that no cold bugs are lurking about your homes or work place. Love you all.

Good Night and God Bless..........many, many hugs:-)

Pass the Kleenex Please

Hello my friends, I do hope you all enjoyed bringing in the New Year! Well mine started well enough with a movie and Chinese Food but Saturday (I think) I woke up feeling horrible.....nothing serious compared to what some of my village friends are going through right now. Please know I am well enough to remember you all in my prayers.

The common cold has me feeling miserable. I am freezing all the time that is when I am awake. I am back on my favorite medication.....ta da....antibiotics for my swollen glands and cough syrup for my cough. Dr. John says I will be well again in 5 days.......I am holding him to his word.

I am able to read my favorite blogs between naps and I will be around to visit, I will post something more suitable soon I promise.

In the meantime God Bless and many hugs.......:-)