It was quite the windy day today in southern Ontario. When I left for work this morning, I passed children headed to public school (I pass two on my way). One little girl—she looked about six or seven—dressed in pink and carrying a yellow umbrella, had one pant leg tucked into a rain book (pink also) and one pant leg out. Farther along the road, teens in black with hoodies up walked with their backs against the wind. Brightly coloured leaves flew over the rain-slicked road.

    On my way home the scene was similar. The wind was howling but I was warm in my car, great jazz was playing on my radio. Leaves still whizzed over the wet road, but now there were cars, headlights bright, coming towards me. I got that great “I’m almost home” feeling one gets after a tough day or short trip.

    But rather than go straight home I thought I’d stop by the beach at Lake Ontario. I knew the trees and waves would be ferocious in the howling wind...and it was! Look at the photo at the top of this post. And here are a couple more photos. I just loved standing in the wet wind, watching and hearing the waves crashing. Makes one feel alive!

    And then I really was glad to be home.

 

 

Dear friends,

I am such a reprobate, not keeping in touch with you all. I confess to busyness and self-absorption pulling me from this project, though I am sure no one has missed my ramblings. For, I cannot be the only one with various commitments and is drawn to enjoying the fine weather, such as it was, when Summer days beckon.

    I had begun this blog to keep in touch with friends, family, and anyone else interested. It expanded to include my travels, adventures I loved sharing with everyone! I include everything that I consider beautiful, exciting, interesting. But these days, I am focused on work, I am focused on the gym (though not enough), I am focused on the independence my car has brought me. But for all that independence, I feel a severe lack of time to spend on the things I love—with those I love! Am I wasting my time with this newfound freedom? Perhaps a little, though I can’t allow myself to think that everything is a waste of time: that would be awful!

    So, as the seasons change and the days become shorter, I am resolving to re-examine my priorities: how do I want to spend my time? First up: I have been spending a lot of time at work. The solution: get to the gym more often (though that doesn’t seem to

It has been a long time, my friends, since I’ve had the time or—sad to say this—the inclination to sit here in front of my computer to share my thoughts and ideas with you. While you may not have missed me, I have missed you: you let me spout and share. Sometimes you comment. Often you are silent. And I am always pleasantly surprised when someone tells me she has been reading my blog but never commented.

    I am quite busy at work. But this is no excuse to miss chatting with friends. But please allow me to share that I am finding life a little too frantic to allow me to slow down and formulate thoughts. Perhaps I should take up yoga again, as my chiropractor thinks I should?!

    But perhaps what I am feeling simply reflects the world around me (as a Pisces’ life is wont to do). There is general unease about the economy, about losing (and finding) a job, about the future. The tired maxim of slowing down to appreciate the simple things seems, well, tired. But, taking a deep breath to still the whirring and buzzing of my blood and atoms is a good thing. Fortunately, it is much easier to do now that Spring has arrived.

    I have not taken a lot of photos recently, nor have I taken walks through my neighbourhood. But my hard work from last Spring is paying off with a lovely maturing rock garden that makes me smile every time I look at it. And now, as we approach the end of May, the lily of the valley is in bloom along the side of my house. As I stood in my kitchen making a

    Later, after visiting the Apple store in the Eaton Centre, I found this gentleman “posing” for his supper. Because he was doing his thing at the south entrance where, it seems, the smokers congregate, he had gathered quite a crowd. As you can see people wanted their photos taken with him. He was good: posed for a long time then changed poses when someone put money in his hat. He had the Elvis music on. His coat twinkled in the sunshine. People were smiling. I guess you can’t ask for much more than making people happy.