A New Day Dawns

Many people hate Mondays.  To them, it marks the end of a fun weekend and the beginning of a work week.  To me, a retiree, it's just another day of the week.  I only like the weekend slightly more because I get a chance to visit or do things with friends and relatives more easily.  Otherwise, one day is just as good as another.  Like the past two days, today has dawned bright and sunny.  That's plenty good enough for me.  Now, I just have to decide how I'll spend it.

A small flood of "to do's" comes to mind.  I suppose I'll have to make a list of them and set some priorities for today.  I certainly can't do everything today that I know will be on the list.  I'll have to choose a mix of some "must do's" and some "fun to do's".  And, knowing myself as I do, I'll probably start with the more enjoyable items.  Like writing this blog post (I missed yesterday!) and going through my trip photos to select some for posting on my Flickr and Facebook pages.  The latter will certainly take awhile because there are so many photos to review and organize and some will definitely need editing before posting.

But, first, I'll make another cup of coffee and start that "to do" list.  Like I said, you have to set priorities ...

Life Goes On

Today, many of us are focused on the tragedies that have occurred during the past.  All of us have been affected to some degree by the senseless deaths that have occurred at the hands of terrorists, at home and abroad.  Although we should never forget those who have lost their lives, we must also remember that life goes on.  There are also many things to celebrate.  Like the health and happiness of so many of our friends and family members.  Like the births of our children and grand-children.  Like our ability to share what we have with others.  Like the fact that we are still here and that we can still do some good in our lives.Today is a good day to live, laugh, and love.

Pooped!

I entertained Matt and Alex tonight so that Josi and Greg could have some quiet time alone for awhile.  I don't know how they manage with those two super-energetic kids.  I only had them here for about four hours and they nearly exhausted me.  But, it was good to see them again after about a month apart from them.  I was glad Josi and Greg brought along some of their favorite videos for me to feed into my DVD player.  We went through three of them.  I think Matt has memorized them all.  Without the videos and Papa's toy box, it would have been quite the evening.  Even Holly seems tired now.  As quiet descends on the house once again, I think I'll find that book I started this morning and head off to bed.  Night all ...

Doing the Impossible

It's kind of fun to be doing the impossible.  If you'd asked me twenty years ago if I thought I'd live to be 66, I would have said that that was impossible, given the history of heart attacks in my family.  I was actually a little surprised to still be here when the clock reached the year 2000.  Now, living the impossible, I'm hoping I'll still be around in twenty years.  In fact, I've promised someone that I'll do my best to reach the ripe old age of 86.  I have too many reasons to be alive, too many things still to do, and too many places I want to see to leave this earthly existence anytime soon. 

It's the Little Things

The little things that make me happy include being a father and a grandfather, seeing colours, reading books and magazines, baking cookies, cooking for friends and family, being hugged, laughing, warmth, cleanliness, feet, sleeping, beauty, handmade stuff, birthdays, nature, antiques with meaning to me, love, smiles, flowers, flickr, photography, learning, spring, gratitude, creating, light, happiness, having a home, and walking my dog.

The First Cup of Morning Coffee ... Yes!

Nothing tastes better to me than that first, fresh cup of dark roast coffee in the morning.  And, there's no better way to drink that magic elixir than sitting in front of my computer screen, reviewing recent emails, checking out the latest comments and photos of friends and their kids on Facebook, and running through the new photos on Flickriver.

As most of the rest of the city wakes up and prepares to send the kids off to school or gets ready to head off to work, it feels so good just to relax and enjoy the first hour or so of the morning without hardly a care in the world.

Later, I know that reality will set in and I'll have to get busy.  There's always lots to do, think about, and plan.  My days quickly fill up, with me doing all sorts of things.  But, for these few minutes, it's good just to enjoy this quiet time.

Happiness is ...

Yes, Mike came to my rescue tonight and fixed the mess I made trying to install my new router.  It took him awhile (I really can mess up a router installation good).  Looking forward to getting back into my normal computer-related routines again.  Hmmm ... guess I'm going to have to think of something to wrote here tomorrow.  I think I'll sleep on it now.

Moody Manitoba Morning and A Sunny Afternoon

No frost. No snow. The weather is actually quite nice as I write this morning, the clouds having given way to brilliant sunshine. A great morning to take Holly for a walk ... which I will do in a few minutes. This morning, I puttered on the deck for a while, clearing the tomato and parsley pots so they'll be ready for winter storage. I wanted to stay outside and work but the kitchen table and all the papers on it demanded my attention. I need to file a bunch of documents and get the files put away. I'm so tired of dealing with financial matters, a job I've always found unpleasant, as necessary as it is.
I talked with Michael last night and he will come over and solve my router problem soon. He and Tasha are very busy right now, getting things ready for Katie's first birthday party on Saturday. I'm looking forward to attending this milestone event and taking some photos to record the occasion. KT's first year sure went by fast ... too fast.
Anyways, it's time to walk my dog. We both need some exercise ... now, back from a brisk walk along a portion of the Harte Trail. It was nice to be on the trail again after minimal walking with Holly while I was recuperating (nothing serious; just felt very run down for a few days). She seemed to enjoy the trail walk, too. Lots of new smells for her to check out.

Good Grief ... A Frost Warning!

Tonight, the temperature is supposed to fall to 4 degrees and the weather folk have issued a frost warning. I think this is very premature weather for this time of year. It seems to me that last September we were marvelling at how unusually warm a month it was. Right now, the heavy cloud cover overhead reminds me of snow. And, that's way, way too early! Serves me right, I suppose, for complaining about grass-cutting and weeding. Oh, well, we'll see how it looks in the morning. The weather folk and me may be wrong as usual.

Taking Care of Business

I never thought I'd be this busy when I decided to retire from my consulting business a couple of years ago. Today, in addition to the usual household “stuff and things” I do (like grocery shopping and starting to prepare a chicken stew), I had lunch with Trudie and discussed the transfer of title of our cottage to “the kids”. Then, we met with a chartered accountant to discuss capital gains and other things. Soon, we'll meet with a lawyer and get the legal paperwork done. Then, it'll all be over except for paying the associated costs and handing over years of paperwork. I think the kids will owe us a dinner or two after all this done. And it better not be chicken stew!

Life without Home Internet Access

I found it amazing to discover how many of my routines were disrupted when my router died a few days ago and I was suddenly without my normal Internet access. Sure, there were lots of “work a rounds”. I still could use my Blackberry to go on the Web, get my email, and even chat on Messenger. Not that I like working on all those little keys and forever fixing my mistakes in spelling. I could also use Margaret's setup at her home. Or, if I was desperate, I could take my laptop to Starbucks and access the Web there. But, those weren't my routines.
So, I'm trying to adjust to this new life until my son sets up my new router. That may be awhile because he's at the cottage this long weekend and he'll have to find some time to come over and do it later in the week. Why didn't I do it? Well, I tried. All I did was manage to screw everything up. You see, I have this thing with routers. I've gone through several of them over the years and not one could be installed by me. Mike always had to come to my rescue, to find and undo all my mistakes in my abortive installations and then to install hem properly. You'd think I'd have learnt by now.

So, the routines have been disrupted. No sitting down any time that I want, over a cup of coffee, to review or add to my Flickr, my Facebook, or my blog pages. Sigh ...

On the positive side, I can spend more time organizing my life, catching up on housework, and even weeding the flower beds. Not to mention dozens of other things that need to be done. The trouble is, they're not my routines. Double sigh ...

Back to (sort of) Normal

Yesterday, I tried catching up on things at home.  You know, ordinary stuff like tidying up the house after our trip, doing dishes, walking the dog, washing clothes, paying bills (and wondering why all the bills come in at once) ... that kind of 'stuff'.

The highlight of the day was attending another showing of "Tom Jones and the Temple of Doom" at Celebrations Dinner Theatre with Marg.  It was my third time to enjoy this show.  Funny, how each time you experience something, you get a little more out of it.   I didn't see much of Marg at the our table because she was rushing off to fix some problem in the box office every few minutes.  One of the perils of being the boss at CDT, I guess.  I wasn't alone though, sitting with Ian and Cathy (Marg's sister), and the three teenagers, Steph, Sara, and Daniel.  The kids had a ball, responding to the music and moves of the cast, many of whom visited our table to say hello.

Today, I must tend to my Ford Escape: first, to the dealership for an oil change, and second, to the Autopac agent for the annual insurance coverage.  I should probably vacuum the interior when I get home, but maybe not.  I sort of like all that BC beach sand littering the floor mats.

Starting to Fill the Memory Bank

What an incredible month we had in August!  As Margaret and I 'officially' began our partnership together on August 1st, we've packed in an incredible number of memorable activities.  We've been to the cottage in Northern Ontario, we've shopped together, we've attended several great concerts and plays, we've visited with many of our friends and relatives, and we've travelled to the West Coast and back.  We've done so many things, new to one or to both of us.  So many great times here in Winnipeg and in our travels.  Now, I must find time to sort through all the photographs taken during these times so that we can share them with the special people in our lives.  Yes, memories are made of these times and events ... some ordinary, some extraordinary.  Life is so very good for us now and we look forward to being together in the coming years.

First Day of September

As I sit before my computer this morning and write this, it's apparent Fall is here now.  First, it's still dark out at 6 a.m.  Second, at only 9 degrees, it's quite cool, inside and outside because I left a bunch of windows open last night when I went to bed.  Tonight, I think I'll put the old but warm Hudson Bay blanket back on the bed.

Last night, while wandering around the yard, I noted that some of the leaves on the plants have started to turn yellow.  There are still lots of flowers in bloom, including those on some of the waterlilies, clematises and lilies, but it's obvious that most plants are beginning to shut down for the season (except for those damn dandelions and thistles!).  Even the grass seems to be growing slower.

I have mixed emotions about this change in the seasons.  I've really enjoyed tending the perennial plants and photographing the blooms over the spring and summer.  I've learned quite a bit about them in doing so.  And, I have so much more to learn yet.  On the other hand, I'm looking forward to getting back into some of my other hobbies, including woodworking and calligraphy.  Maybe, I'll even dig out the watercolours and do a bit of painting.  I'm not especially good at these activities but I do find them relaxing and enjoy giving some of my little creations to close friends and relatives.

Of course, there are some things I don't look forward to as the cooler weather sets in.  Things like snow clearing and scaping snow and ice off my windshield were never high on my list of fun activities.  Fortunately, in these days of cheap air fares, we'll be able to escape Manitoba's worst winter days by going somewhere warmer for a few days.  Cabin fever usually comes during January and February in Winnipeg.  Getting away to somewhere warmer and green, even if only for a few days, always seems to help me get through that tough period of the year.

But, enough of these cool thoughts.  It's time I got ready to take my dog for our morning walk, to enjoy what's left of these early Fall days.