Views from our deck

Gifts - birthday and otherwise

First we gave him his birthday gift,
supper and cake,

and then he went outside.

He  had offered to mow the lawn...

we didn't want to disappoint. Heavens no!

He hung around

 with his friend for the weekend.
Always nice to hang with friends isn't it? 
What a gift the gift of time is,
don't you think? 

Birthdays.........

I just wanted to share mine with you.  Thanks for stopping by today.  

Happy Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday to a special young man.  Yes, you know who you are.  Happy Birthday - would you like to watch  Phantom of the Opera perhaps?  Or would you rather see..................

Have I told you I have a 'thing' for silos? Well, I do. That and red barns.....

Our Team this week - "Flat Out Tired"

A bit about my Mom

Although my mom has Fibromyalgia as well as other forms of Arthritis she makes cards (and does a lot more).  She recyles used cards into new cards!  I think she does a great job.  She takes them to one of the Senior Living Complexes locally each year. As well, others get in touch with her for their card needs.  It takes a LOT of time and imagination. It's really a hobby.  She and 'Black Rose' are shown here working on yet another project. 

My mom was a stay at home mom for most of my childhood until dad had to change professions, then she too worked outside of the home.  She later became a Free-Lance Market Researcher which enabled her to be home once again. I rather liked having someone home when I got there.  Although we were fortunate - we never came home to an empty house (latch-key kids we weren't). 

Black Rose has also been fortunate (although she may not always think so) in that there has always been one of us home when she gets here from School.  For years, after working the graveyard shift,  I woulld  get out of bed just prior to the bus's arrival.

So, if you have any cards that people have given you and don't know what to do with. Or, even if you have received a card and you think it's got a "nifty" little jingle.   Let me know- I know mom would appreciate them for her next creation.  Thanks Mom. 

My Bro

Today is my day to tell you about my brother.  He is younger, better looking, doesn't need corrective lenses (yet), has all his own teeth (so far), and is .....my friend.  

My brother is married to a lovely lady and they have a beautiful daughter. Current residence- Kentucky. 

There are so many stories to tell you about my brother, but I would like to tell you my favorite (but there are so many).  This one will tell you a bit about each of our personalities.  First background, my brother is 4 years my junior. 

I recall one time in particular when he was teasing me about being so short and pointed out that he had gotten all of the height.  I got up a a kitchen chair, looked him in the eye and told him that it was okay that he got all of the height because I got the personality. At this point, I promptly jumped off the chair and started at a dead run.  Both of us laughing all the way.

 I miss my brother!  Can't wait until they visit this summer. 

Even though he is younger - he has always looked out for me.  I recall a time in my teens when I was working away from home.  I enjoyed my job - it was some of the people. But I was pretty depressed.  He sneaked into my quarters, sat on my bed and after a quick 'verbal nudge' waited to hear my story.  Thank you again 'C'. 

Allow me to introduce.....My Dad.

"Taken a long time ago"

I want to tell you a bit about my dad.  Dad is retired, which in this case means that he no longer has to report to work at a specific time of day 5 days a week.  Or, in dad's case, night.  You see, my dad made a career change out of necessity (the company moved their location to another city) when I was in my teens.  He was offered a position that required him to the overnight (graveyard) shift.  With 2 kids in the house, I am now sure that he didn't get much sleep.  I, myself have been a graveyard shift worker for years.  Believe me,  if you have someone in your home (or one you are visiting) who works nights and is trying to sleep: 
1) NEVER whisper - this actually wakes the person as they think something is wrong. 
2) MAINTAIN your normal noise level - voice tone, volume etc.
3) PLEASE do not allow your spoon to 'tinkle' the mug while you stir.  This actually is more irritating then you think. 

My dad hunts, traps, is the local Nuisance Control Officer, four-wheels and likes to fish as well as keeping up with the 'honey do list'. So, as you can tell he's a busy man. BUT my dad always has time for me.  Thanks Dad.

"Partners in Crime"-a step back in time

My mom taught me well.

It's been just over 6 months now since I have gotten my contacts.    My mom taught me well  - I still have days when I can't put my finger on my eye.  Thanks mom! 
I really should have done this years ago.  No more fogging up when coming in from the cold. No more need of  'wipers' on a rainy day. And best of all - no more nose prints. But shh, we won't tell mom about those - that will be our little secret.  I can even wear 'real' sunglasses for the first time since the 7th Grade. That's been a day or two ago I can tell ya! But more on that later.  There are days though, when I can't get my earrings in either.  I wonder if that's a sign?

 'til the next time I 'see' you,
Shelley

One million Canadians have Fibromyalgia.

Taken from the Times & Transcript's Life & Times Section: (with my own notes added)

May 12 was Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. Just to show how little is known about this terrible affliction, my spell check just picked it up as being an incorrectly spelled word. Even the computer doesn't know what it is.

"Every day is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day for my daughter. She lives in chronic, often severe, pain every day, 24 hours per day.
Today is a good time to encourage fibromyalgia awareness, as springtime is one of the worst seasons for the sufferers of this disease. Like other forms of arthritis, changes in seasons bring on even more excruciating pain and "flare ups" are common. Though not really labeled as an arthritic condition, it is believed to be part of that disease group, but it also mimics many characteristics of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and MS. Continuous nerve supersensitivity is my simplified definition.
This disease affects not only the sufferer, but her/his family and friends as well.
As a mother, it tears at your heart, because your child is in pain and there is nothing you can do. The first time I recognized that my daughter was having extraordinary trouble with pain was when she was 19-years-old.
She would be in tears begging me to rub the pain out of her hands, but no matter how long I massaged, the pain wouldn't go away. Then one day, she asked me not to unbutton her blouses when I washed them because her fingers "wouldn't work" to fasten them up again.
She would go out dancing for an evening, and wouldn't be able to get out of bed the next day. Nineteen-year-olds should be dancing, they should be enjoying life --

Texting

Because we will always remember

I thought of you with love today but that is nothing new
I thought about you yesterday and days before that too,
I think of you in silence I often speak your name
All I have are memories and your picture in a frame
Your memory is my keepsake with which I’ll never part
God has you in His keeping I have you in my heart.

In Memory of Mothers.

Greek Desserts

Black Rose has been in my kitchen practising her cooking skills - Greek Butter Cookies (right) and τηγανήτες, pronounced tee-ghah-NEE-tess (left - these you serve with choc sauce, or whipped cream, etc). They are having pot luck tomorrow at School and the theme is Greek.

This one was taken another day  while at the "Cottage". Black Rose and her friend are making potato bowls  to go with the steak - YUMMMMM! Thanks again guys!   

The things you see, and the people that you meet

Have you see these places?
Do you know some  faces?
Oh yes, I believe that I know these....let me see.
It's the places that you go and the people that you meet.

In your neighborhood, in your neighborhood.

"In a Disused Graveyard"

The living come with grassy tread
To read the gravestones on the hill;
The graveyard draws the living still,
But never anymore the dead.

The verses in it say:
"The ones who living come today
To read the stones and go away
Tomorrow dead will come to stay."

So sure of death the marbles rhyme,
Yet can't help marking all the time
How no one dead will seem to come.
What is it men are shrinking from?

It would be easy to be clever
And tell the stones: Men hate to die
And have stopped dying now forever.
I think they would believe the lie.

-Robert Frost

'Black Rose' and I love to explore old graveyards.  This was the last to be explored in the St. Martins NB area.  (What a great day yesterday was for doing just that).  We then headed towards the ocean. Please see the side bar for additional photos.