The Calm Before

Yesterday was a holiday—Family Day—and many people were off work. When we lived in a larger centre, I wouldn’t go to the shops for love nor money on a weekend or holiday, but it’s different living in our small city now.

We went to the store to pick a couple of things (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese) in anticipation of a winter storm forecast to blow in this afternoon and, after lunch and chess, took a drive. 

The prairie always soothes me and, as I’ve been wrestling a low-grade depression for weeks, it was good medicine. A bit surreal to see the fields void of snow in mid-February, but, if the weather prognosticators are to be believed, that’s about to change.

I’m planning a day at home today while Gerry takes in a few classes at the fitness centre. One thing I’m going to do is cook, mash, and freeze the potatoes left in the pantry. I watched a woman on YouTube the other day who does them in the Instant Pot, and am going to try her method. Here’s a link to her channel, myBIGtinyhouselife. She’s a Canadian woman living in a tiny house on Vancouver Island. Her channel is interesting and she shares vegan recipes. I’m not vegan at this time, but her tips and recipes are good for anyone.

It appears our pseudo-spring is about to give way to more seasonal winter weather. Don’t tell anyone, but I’m kind of looking forward to the change.

Sunday Stealing - February 15

Popping on for quick Sunday Stealing post, just because it looks like a fun one.

Seven Things I Love Beginning with the letter S.

1. Sushi.

2. Spaghetti.

3. Spring. (Are we there yet?)

4. Survivor. Looking forward to season 50.

Spouse and sushi!

5. My spouse. 😉

6. Sixty-seven. My age. Both of my moms died in their fifties, so sometimes I’m surprised I’ve made it this far. 

7. Saskatchewan. I love my beautiful home province and am grateful to have returned..

And now . . . seven. Because that's what time it is and I'm heading off to get lost in a book. See you again soon.

Friday’s Fave Five - February 13

Having recovered from the travel trauma (with a titch of crankiness along the way), it seems good to look back at the past week, that whizzed by in a blur since I arrived home in the wee hours on Monday, with a Friday’s Fave Five post focusing on sparks of joy and gratitude.

A short prairie drive. We headed to the grocery store one afternoon so I could get some things in preparation for making meals for the freezer. Hubby, knowing the stress I’ve felt, chose a circuitous route to give me what we call “my prairie fix.” It was just what I needed.

Leftover birthday cheesecake. I had a birthday at the end of January and tucked the remainder of my birthday cheesecake in the freezer. We enjoyed a slice each one evening this week. 

A good night’s sleep. Seriously. Is there anything better? 

Zoom. I meet with four other women via Zoom every Thursday for a time of Examen in which we reflect on the past week. I’m grateful for each one and the wisdom they impart and for the technology that allows us to do gather.

A good book. When I was away, my girls and I spent a pleasant hour or so browsing in the bookstore. I found this one, and devoured it. It’s my favourite read in a good long while.

That’s it for today! I’m off to read about your fave fives now.

Thursday Thirteen - February 12

Okay, I'll play. Linking up with Thursday Thirteen where we make a list of thirteen things of our choosing. 

What's on my mind these days is harm done by spending too much time online, either reading the news or doom scrolling (I'm speaking about myself, personally. We all have different thresholds.) 

Here's a list of thirteen things I could be doing offline instead.

1. Reading a book. I'm currently enjoying this one:

2. Writing in my journal.

3. Crafting a poem. I enjoy the dance with words. Here's something I wrote last fall (and a photo to accommpany it.)

Car Ride

He proposes a picnic

on the pretense of one last drive in the Model A

before putting it in the garage for winter.

I boil eggs (the idea birthed, in part,

because we have an abundance;

I brought home a dozen; he outdid me with a flat)

and make sandwiches

with Miracle Whip on white bread,

wrap, and put them in the fridge.

At lunchtime, he suggests an alternative:

lunch and a chess game at the dining table,

followed by a drive in the Ford.

It’s late-season, and the car has no heat.

It’s a reasonable compromise. At the appointed hour, 

I pull a black felt cloche hat onto my head,

and (the 1931 car, inviting manners of the era)

wait for him to open the passenger-side door

so I can climb in. He takes us for a 

bumpy ride

on a prairie road.

Shifting 

and smiling

the entire time.

4. Going for a walk. (When it's a bit warmer. I'm fussy that way.)

5. Just sitting and pondering. Best done on the back deck in the sunshine, but certainly dooable in the wing chair in my office—or anywhere, really.

6. Making a list for what I need to make meals for the freezer. This is something I've been intending to do for a while.

7. Making those meals. This too. 

8. Tidying up my downstairs art area. That's a task that's long overdue and definitely needed. No photo shown. Ha ha!

9. Planning this year's garden and, soon, starting seeds. I'm starting to get the itch, but it's still early. All gardeners know, though, that it begins in the winter with the planning and dreaming.

10.  Cleaning out a closet. There's always a closet in need of sorting and tidying.

11. Painting with watercolour. I had fun doing this one recently.

12. Dusting. (Ugh). Or not.

13. Writing a blog post! I'll pop online for a couple of minutes to post this and maybe pop around the blog-o-sphere to visit some of you. Visiting blogs is usually a positive way to spend a few minutes in the middle of the day—so thank you!

Wednesday Hodgepodge - February 11

Delighted to link up with Jackie at From This Side of the Pond for another edition of Wednesday Hodgepodge.

1. What's something recent that had you 'tickled pink'? 

I took my 17-year-old granddaughter out for some “Grandma and Makiya” time when I was in Kamloops, and was delighted when she said she feels like no time has passed at all whenever we get together. The two of us have always had a special connection, and now that we live farther away from one another, it warms my heart that we fall so easily into sync when we get together.

2. A bed of roses, everything's coming up roses, every rose has it's thorn, stop and smell the roses, rose-colored glasses, a rose among thorns...which rosy expression might currently be applied to your life in some way? 

“The bloom is off the rose” in terms of traveling anywhere anytime soon. (See yesterday’s post.)

3. What makes you feel loved and appreciated? 

Good conversation. Being heard.

4. A box of chocolates or a bouquet of fresh flowers-what's your pleasure? Any special plans for Valentine's Day? 

I’m a curmudgeon when it comes to Valentine’s Day, so neither, and we have no special plans. I always appreciate a bunch of fresh flowers when hubby brings them home out of the blue, though. 

5. Share a favourite quote, scripture, or song lyric relating to love. 

“Love is a verb. Love – the feeling – is the fruit of love the verb or our loving actions.” ~ Stephen R. Covey

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I searched in my Google Photos for “heart” to find images for this post. It was fun to look back at memories and my photography. Also remembered that I wrote a book with the word in the title! Two Hearts: An Adoptee’s Journey Through Grief to Gratitude.

I’m rebooting this blog that I left for parts known and unknown in 2010 when I combined three blogs into one on my website. I look forward to reconnecting here and making new connections. You can also find me on my website and Substack.