The Skies Tonight...

 

Hi!

The skies where I live, tonight, don't look like this.

They are filled with smoke from the fires hundreds of kilometers away. We are made to tolerate the inconvenience and discomfort that this smoke brings. We cough a bit, need to limit outdoor activity, we need to be a bit careful.

The people who live at ground zero? They are evacuated, they are in real danger of losing their homes, and their lives. The wind is the enemy, as is the lack of rain. They are having issues getting fire planes into the air because a few asshats won't pull their drones from the sky! Got forbid you miss getting clicks on insta! You're better than that! Once they put names to the drones, you'll go viral all right, but not in the way you were hoping. 

Do better!

If you have been issued an evacuation order, please do it! There is not one possession on this planet worth burning for. 

Wildfires are getting bigger, more often, and are starting earlier in the season. It's definitely scary.

Sending all kinds of good wishes to all of the residents, firefighters, pilots, and all others to get through this safely.

When California was recently in flames, Canada didn't hesitate to send some serious help. Period. 

I'll leave that right there.

Now....

On a much lighter note...

Have I told you about my sudden obsession with the noble TACO?

Have I told you about my new love for certain acronyms?

Have I told you about my new appreciation for well-constructed memes?

Have I told you about my discovery of the renewed popularization of chicken?

Have I told you about my love and respect for good, solid sarcasm?

No? For some reason these things have kind of happened within the last few days.

Did you know a President can't arrest people because they make fun of him? Using Brandon as precedent.

So I guess one statement could sum up all of the above...

Please leave when it becomes so completely obvious that you should.

*************************************

May the skies clear, the wind become a whisper, and the rain drench the flames.

May all who are in its grip, flee, leave the fight for the trained fighters, this is no game.

May you find you and yours are safe once this inferno is extinguished, once this terror subsides.

May this soon become a memory, something to work through, no longer something you must survive. 

*************************************

If You're Going To Attempt Insulting Me...

 

Hi!

Just some pelicans, hanging out, doing some fishing. Spring is in full swing. The end of the school year is just around the corner, the year-end trips/parties, graduations, proms, rites of passage happening all over the place. 

Things here feel calmer, other than a few people who seem bound and determined to put their ignorance of the laws and treaties of our beautiful country on full display for all the world to see. The destruction they crave will never happen. They don't seem to understand that they have every ability to exercise their right to move where they feel more comfortable. They can move somewhere where the ideology better suits their sensibilities. Absolutely no one is stopping them. It's a free country.

If you like what's happening south of the border and wish to live in that environment, it already exists. I hear there are some good deals to be had on some real estate in parts of Florida, where some snowbirds have flown the coop, so to speak.

Oh, I'm sure I'll get some comments on what a hypocrite/piece of shit I am for voicing this opinion. If you are among those who are compelled to do so, could you at least use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation? 

I mean, I can always use a good laugh, but I think it probably dilutes the point you are so desperately trying to make, however clumsily. 

Look, you are entitled to your opinion, and have every right to voice it. If you truly believe that calling me names makes your point for you, by all means, give it your best shot. I'm a GenXer, middle child of seven siblings, who has worked in the customer service industry, in some capacity, nonstop since 1983. I've been thoroughly vaccinated. 

Speaking of which... measles. So, that's a thing again. Fully preventable. It was pretty much wiped off the planet because of effective vaccines, then some idiot decides to grow an opinion about bullshit side-effects, smears some shit about some fully refuted study all over the internet, convinces gullible people that it's true, and boom! Now people, kids mostly, are getting very sick and some are dying, over stupid, bullshit, misinformation. 

I know, you're gonna come after me on this one too. Go ahead. You'll send me links to the "studies", show me quotes from "respected" "doctors", and insist on showing me aaaaallllll the "proof." Save yourself the trouble. I took a long and scrutinizing tour down all the rabbit holes, also did some spelunking in the tunnels they are attached to... but then I went further.

You see, when it comes to conspiracies, you need to chase them all the way to the end. That's where you find out whether they hold water, or are more full of holes than a whiffle ball.

The measles vaccine conspiracy holds about as much water as a 3-inch funnel. 

So... the guy who occupies the Whitehouse, and signs things into law... that guy... uses bad photoshop pics, I mean, my nine-year-old grandaughter can do better, kind of pics, to deport and imprison some guy off the street without due process... then, while in a meeting with the President of South Africa, in the Oval Office, no less, uses photos from the Democratic Republic of Congo as "proof" of South Africa's 'white genocide,' all to excuse providing asylum to some white South African farmers.

This same guy, the one who is supposed to be so good at making 'deals,' managed to get bribed with a plane that the owners didn't want and couldn't sell. It was costing his buddies too much in repairs and maintenance. As it turns out, they couldn't sell it, so they pawned it off on Donny Dumbass, no doubt incurring some pretty sweet favours in return. So now, the taxpayers are going to have to foot the bill for this 13-year-old monstrosity. 

You know, as I watch the day-to-day nonstop shenanigans that are taking place south of the 49th, I can't help but be relieved our country didn't take a hard right during the election. 

Don't get me wrong, in Canada, we have our own issues, but we are aimed in the direction of progress, inclusivity, and equality. It's a good path. 

So, let's wade out of the chaos and celebrate all the rites of passage, big, small, ones that happen early in life, ones that don't, and every single one in between. 

Summer's coming, time to sit in the sun, sip on something frosty, and just relax, at least for a while.

***************************************************************

The World Lost Another Precious Light...

 

Hi...

This one is going to be personal. 

In the early hours of the morning that celebrates Moms, the first person to make me an Auntie, left us. It wasn't without a valiant fight. She did everything humanly possible to stay as long as she possibly could. She did it with such incredible strength, positivity, and humour that it made us, each of us, I think, at one point or another, hope that she just might win the war, even if the battles along the way were brutal.

She started posting her 'hat of the day' photos, of which I've put my favourite at the top of these ramblings. 

She loved cozying up with a good book, a cup of tea, and whichever pet might curl up in her lap. She loved her husband and her boys fiercely, she was the big sister of all big sisters, and simply a fantastic human. 

She barely got to taste what her fifties might bring, which is incredibly unfair, but she lived broadly while she was here. She made deep deposits into the memory banks of all who knew and loved her, from which we will all be able to draw as long as we are here. 

She created a safe space for everyone our society insists on marginalizing. defending that space, not without personal sacrifice. 

Was she perfect? She would be the first to laugh at that one. No, not perfect, but she walked this earth, each day trying to be the best human she could be that day. To me, that's better than most us. 

Even when the battle is long, the end always shocks the system. You do what you can to prepare your heart for what you have to accept is coming, but that doesn't lessen the feeling of loss. The battle affords the time to make sure nothing gets left unsaid, that ending wishes, no matter how big or small, can be fulfilled. 

But... it still feels like she, her husband, boys, family, and friends, all of us, were robbed of all that her incredible light might have brought to the world if she just had been given more time. 

Stephanie,

You will be missed, having touched more lives than you realize, in ways none of us will probably ever know. 

How do I know this? Because nobody walks the earth the way you have done without leaving a beautiful footprint that has the power to echo beyond the horizon of what you can see.

****************************************************

May you fly into your Dad's waiting arms, leaving every pain behind.

May you know you've left the best pieces of yourself here in your boys; they had you to guide.

May you know that those of us still here will honour you by living our lives as broadly as you would encourage us to.

May you know we will not take the privilege of walking this earth for granted, we'll enjoy the food, see the places, experience the things, not just dream.... do. 

******************************************************

Happy Mommy's Day!!!

                             

Hi!

This weekend, we celebrate Moms.

Moms come in all shapes, sizes, and through different pathways. There are DNA moms, adoptive moms, legal guardian moms, foster moms, moms-in-law, and moms who didn't raise you, necessarily, but are bestowed the title simply out of respect and affection.

The first thing we need to celebrate is the acceptance of imperfection. Trying to be "perfect", whatever the hell that is, does nothing but fuel self-doubt. The Instagram moms you see are presenting their lives through a filter, unlimited takes, and hours of preparation. The beautifully organized, flawless home. No nicks in the paint, fingerprint-free everything, no toys, spotless. Either that is just for the camera, or all they do is obsess over organizing and cleaning. If you have kids, and your house doesn't look lived in, as far as I can tell, you're not really living.

The next thing we need to celebrate is that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but of strength. Feeling overwhelmed is just part of it. Momming is hard because every kid is different, every experience is different, and there is no rule book. You are flying in the fog, through unfamiliar territory, you have a sometimes dysfunctional instrument panel you've never seen before, so you need to rely on intuition, and instinct. The books, podcasts, TikTok, and other forms of social media are filled with ideas, some decent, some questionable, but only you know your child the way only their mom can. Trust yourself. Know that not every decision will seem right through the rearview mirror down the road, but that's ok. You are making the best choices with the tools you have in the moment, and making choices from a place of love. If you feel like you're flying into trouble, ask for help. It's one of your tools. 

Another thing to celebrate is friendships. Outside of spouse, outside of work, outside of family. There needn't be many, one, maybe even two, if you're very lucky. People you can vent to without judgment. People, other than family, who absolutely get the core of who you are, and are okay with it all. 

In conclusion, let's celebrate the little things that moms do without thinking, without fanfare, without anyone even noticing. The sudden lack of hunger when there is not quite enough. The simple knowing of all the favourites. The magic that just seems to happen around all of the special days.The constant mental tracking of pantry and fridge inventory, making sure nothing runs out on any kind of regular basis. The listening to more than what is being said out loud. 

Little things that come from love. 

If you are lucky enough to still have your mom, celebrate her!

If you are lucky enough to have kids who are moms, celebrate them! 

Moms, in whatever way the title has been bestowed upon you, Celebrate! 

********************************************************************

 

So... What's Next...

 

Hi!

We made it! Monday was the day, and we made it through!

I know there will be some who read this who will be upset at the outcome of our election. But my feeling is this.

You wanted change. You got it. Yes, it's the same party, but a completely different human as Prime Minister. So many seemed to have a personal problem with our last one, so this should be good news.

This guy has a PhD in economics and comes highly recommended by past employers. He's lived a life that walks the path of compassion, kindness, humanity, and strength. He's uniquely qualified for the times we are headed into. 

He's not trying to disappear swaths of our communities. He believes we all should have the same rights. He is well-versed in international trade. He talks about the things that are at the core of our issues and has a plan to make things better. A plan. Not platitudes, not slogans, not bumper stickers, not f*ck (insert name here) flags, but actual plans that are well thought out and make sense. 

Look, we all know our country isn't perfect, but I truly believe the guy sitting, today, in the PM's chair, has, out of the choices we were presented, the best shot at getting us through these turbulent times.

Our country is also not nearly as broken as some would like you to think. If you look up stats of where we are positioned on the world stage in all kinds of categories, economic, education, health care, standard of living, happiness, we rank pretty highly.

Do we need to make minimum wage a livable one? Absolutely!

Should every senior citizen get a pension that makes sense for the times? Absolutely!

Should everybody who needs their eyes and/or teeth fixed be able to have that looked after, regardless of income? Absolutely!

Should daycare costs be so that you can actually afford to work? Absolutely!

Should teachers stop having to pay out of pocket for things needed to make education successful? Absolutely!

Should every single individual in our country have access to clean water? Absolute no-brainer there!

Should mental health doctors, therapists, and other treatments be covered by our healthcare plan? Absolutely!

Should we have more psychiatrists and therapists in every stinkin' Province and Territory? Absolutely!

Should we have more doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers... period? Absolutely!

Should there be more, and better programs and infrastructure for all of our citizens, young and old, who require accommodations outside of the "norm"? Absolutely!

Should billionaires, millionaires, and giant corporations pay their fair share in taxes to help pay for all of these things? Absolutely!

There are a tonne more, but I think you get my drift. Like I said, our country is far from perfect.

So, what's next?

My thought is this...

We aren't going to fix anything by trying to break the country apart. 

For one, the land isn't ours. If you want to leave, you can, nobody is forced to live here, for sure. But the land belongs to the indigenous peoples who have signed treaties wherein they so graciously agree to share the land with us. Treaties that NEVER expire. These treaties have rules. Absconding with the land goes against all of them. 

So, if you wish to leave, you can. The land... stays with Canada.

We have to set aside this 'us against them' thing.

All that ever does is rip things apart. 

Every part of this country brings something unique and valuable to the tapestry that is our collective culture. All but a very precious few of us are immigrants, no more than a few generations deep. None of us are any better than anyone else.

What you do for a living isn't any more or less valuable than the people across the street, across town, across the Province or Territory, or across the country. 

We need every diverse skillset, talent, and ability we can cultivate.

To be better than we are today, we need to give our kids something to strive for. Give them room to dream. Lift them out of the doomsday talk where all they hear and feel is negativity.

The world is shifting. We are reinforcing strong bonds with friends and allies, creating new pathways toward prosperity, taking the scenic tour around our neighbours to the south, where the stepdad of the household keeps trying to throw his garbage over the fence and move the property line.

It's gotta be tough to be the "get off my lawn" dude while simultaneously trying to claim other people's property, and wanting to charge gold card admission into your creepy house of horrors, but it seems to be the goal. 

Anyway.....

Let's do our best to step out of this divisiveness. We can work together toward common goals, if we just allow it to happen.

Let's make sure every single person that calls Canada home feels lifted, feels embraced, and wears every single right and liberty easily, with dignity and confidence. 

Let's defend our beautifully diverse country, and her values of kindness and inclusivity.

Oh, and 'get off my lawn' dude, never mistake our kindness for weakness.

Elbows Up!