Hello There

Greetings from Ottawa!

May I offer my humble apologies to those of you who have patiently checked this space for the last while, only to find that I have been a lazy slug. When I am lying in bed at night, trying to sleep and then again in the morning, as I contemplate the upcoming day.....then I am writing away in my tiny brain, fashioning very interesting posts. However, once my feet hit the floor and the day starts, writing goes to the bottom of the list. As usual, I resolve to do better, to be more consistent with these offerings.

Since my last post we have been busy with the usual, mundane, fall jobs: cleaning out the garage, putting up Christmas lights and storing a lot of stuff in the basement. Out of town visitors (my mother-in law, our daughter and grandchildren), Christmas shopping, church bazaars,  a Christmas cake-baking day with my mom and sisters, Pat's choir concert, and Christmas parties have also kept us busy.

During December it is wonderful to see so many people and to attend so many gatherings but it's too bad it is so condensed. I'd love it if a few of these parties were spread out into the bleak, uneventful weeks of January and February.Yet as I write that, I immediately remind myself that this is a silly, frivolous complaint. How lucky I am, to have these outings to attend.

 There was a day this week that really spoke to me about priorities. We had a repair person over to fix the remote on our gas fireplace. He couldn't fix it immediately because there were parts that needed to be ordered. We had a call the next day and were told that the unit  has been discontinued and the parts are no longer available. Therefore we can never have a working remote for the fireplace. If I want to turn it off or on, I have to heave myself off the couch and onto the floor, get down on my hands and knees and turn the dial up or down. I was pretty ticked off about that when I first heard the news. Poor me!

Two conversations happened right after that. I bumped into a neighbour who has two adult sons with autism. She told us, flat out, that she hates this time of year. It is so difficult for her and her family as the special events and changes in routine at her son's group home throw their family life into  complete turmoil. Life is often totally unpredictable for them, in this chaotic season. The next news came from a friend of ours, who has been living with cancer for many years. Now in hospital with pneumonia, she told us that chemo is no longer working for her.

Those two conversations gave me a much needed reality check. When I am tempted to complain about minor ailments, I think about these two women and what they are going through. Or I  look at the images of refugees on tv and ask myself, "How did I get so lucky?"

This resolve not to complain so much, to look at the bright side, can be applied over and over again. Last week we mopped up a minor flood in the basement, as our washer sprung a leak. It was a mess for sure. The good news is that we don't have to buy a new washer. It was only a worn out hose. We have had bad luck with stoves lately  (three in a dozen years), so the fact that our sixteen year old washer is still working, is a bonus for sure. The other good news about that washer flood is that our washer is in the basement. The repair person said that when he goes to houses where the washer is on the main or upper floors, flooding is much more of a problem.

For now, I will leave you with a photo of one of my favourite Christmas displays. This whimsical Santa is hanging from a tree at a nearby house. I couldn't help but stop and take a photo. The lights, the displays, the songs and the gatherings are all welcome treats!