Another Week.....Take A Peek!

Hi!


You hear it all the time, and, for me, well, for us all, really, it stands very true. What a difference a year makes!


Almost exactly a year ago today, I was happily chasing two adorable twin boys and their sweetly creative big sister. I was just beginning to put together a project that was new, scary and very different from anything I had done up to that point.

Above, is a version of the photo that resides at the beginning of "Everyday Wishes For Your Extraordinary Life."

After dumping the picture drawer onto the living room floor, I began placing, replacing, snapping some shots, replacing, and snapping again. In doing so, I had a chance to take another look at these snapshots of my life. Of everyone's life. Births, grads, weddings, family photos, school trips, school pictures, random pictures of nothing in particular, and pictures of generations now missed.

As I permit my mind's eye to peek into the past twelve months, it sometimes feels like all of it couldn't have possibly happened in that short of a time.  There have been 2 new books, jobs lost, weddings played, trade shows-a-plenty, kids and grandkids moving in, a new grandbaby on the way, and a business fought for, and started. Yes, it's been a pretty eventful, busy, frustrating, stressful, overwhelming, rewarding, joyous 12 months.

Life is good.

A year ago, I poured my life on to the living room floor, not having the slightest clue what the next months would bring. "Everyday Wishes" remains a project that lives very close to my heart. I am so honored and thrilled when I hear from readers that it has become a gift for a loved one. To let it sink in, that words I've put on a page have, in any way, put a smile on a face I will never know, touches me to the core, and humbles me, completely.


An awful lot has happened, and I'm excited to see what comes next. Who knows?  Nothing is off-limits. Nothing ever is.


So, this past week has been pretty crazy.......


We had a great week at the shop, 6 or 7 trailers in, fixed, and out.....

It was a scary week, due to tornadoes doing their horrible dance all over Oklahoma, where my sis-in -law and her hubby reside.

It was a tragic week learning about the devastation brought on by those tornadoes.( past the sis-in-law by)

But, it did end on a good note.


Today, we went in to Saskatoon to pick up parts for a big job coming up on a trailer, and we were able to stop by my sister's house, where my Mom is visiting. As a bonus, 2 of our daughters were visiting as well, so we go to see them too! As an even more special bonus, part of the entertainment was my adorable 4 year old niece doing "magic" tricks! Too cute!

Oh yeah, and we've been officially booked to do our first wedding in 2014!


Now, for the upcoming few days......


Tomorrow I am off to North Battleford, where I will spend an evening with my great friend.

Monday, said great friend and I will road trip to Lloydminster so I can read to the munchkins at Jack Kemp Community School for the afternoon. It's going to be a blast!

The rest of the week will entail dealing with insurance companies about different customer's trailers and their repairs, cleaning up some mud, tackle month end stuff, and assist in the fixing of some trailers.


Well, that about does it for this week.....until next time, I'll leave you with this wish....



May you, feeling like the next blow handed to you may be the last one you can take, know it's not.
May you, feeling stepped on, beaten, broken, alone, thinking somehow it's your fault, know it's not.

May you, feeling unfathomable loss, devastation, thinking Nature must be targeting you, know it's not.
May you, feeling shock and disgust, losing faith in man's humanity, thinking it's lost, know it's not.

May you, when the next blow comes, and it will, know this will not be the knockout round, no it's not.
May you, take a stand against the hand that holds you down, for this is not the life you choose, no it's not.

May you, as you sift through the rubble find strength to move forward, life is not a gift to waste, no it's not.
May you, be the humanity you crave, share it, teach it to the younger souls, then it's never lost, no it's not.




Until next week!

www.margyreidbooks.com

"Grand" Success!

Hi!


Well folks, it's been quite a week.  We were able to help out some very nice people who were having some not very nice issues with their trailers and top the week off with what we thought was a pretty dang good grand opening of our shop!


I would have posted some pictures, but I forgot the camera at work, so I couldn't. Maybe next week.

It really was pretty great. Some family and friends were able to come, which always makes a special occasion just that much more special. We also had a bunch of people from the community, people who are already customers, and a lot more who plan on becoming future ones.

When the dust settled, and everyone had left, it was pretty incredible to take a minute and let it sink in a bit. We are so grateful for the support and encouragement from everyone around us. It's hard to explain the feeling of having so many people in your corner wishing you nothing but success.

We know that the road ahead will have some curves, bumps and unexpected pot holes, but that's ok. We've seen those before, and they haven't stopped us. We also know that the good will far outweigh the bad, it always does.

To celebrate, tonight we went to a movie. It depicted the journey Jackie Robinson took during his first season in major league baseball. He had people directly and completely working against him with fervent determination and he still made it.

That movie was a showcase of how far we've come as a society, and I feel equally, an example of how far we have yet to go. Someday, hopefully in my lifetime, the discussion about accepting everyone, celebrating our differences, and living in a society where the "isms" of racism, sexism, ageism, are a distant memory. Hopefully we will soon get to a time where bullying is something children are shocked and outraged to read about in history books as we were when learning about the "white only" signs that peppered our landscape years ago.

Maybe soon, we can stop teaching our children "tolerance."  "Tolerance." A horrible word. No one wants to be "tolerated."  We need to teach our kids acceptance. Period.

Wow, sorry about that. I guess that movie got my blood boiling a little more than I thought. It just breaks my heart that anyone would have to have that kind of hateful garbage thrown at them. It breaks it even further to know that although the movie took place in 1947, if you changed the names flung, and tweaked the reasons behind it, it could have easily been set in 2013.

Yep, a long way to go.


Soooooo, for the following week.........................


Between tomorrow and next weekend, we will be bringing in , repairing, and sending home 6 different trailers ranging from a luxury camper to a horse trailer.

Squeeze some grandbabies..........

Get caught up on book keeping........

Get to work on next book now that grand opening is over.......

Prep for reading in Lloydminster on the 27th........(yay!)

Get to work on music for an upcoming wedding we are doing.....

Oh yeah....laundry, housework and all of that other glamorous business.....


So that's about it for this week....until next time I'll leave you with this wish.......





May your soul never be brushed by the judgemental eyes of another, making you feel small.
May you, if this happens, feel the strength and courage from all who love you, feel it all.

May you, in the presence of hate, take a stand, even if it means you stand alone.
May you recognize it on sight, for it's not always blatant, it can be as subtle as a whisper or a tone.

May you make conscious efforts to be kind, share a smile, lend a hand, open a door.
May we lead by example, so those who follow, continue to fight for a kinder world, ever doing more.



Until next time......


www.margyreidbooks.com

Happy Mother's Day!

Hi,


Happy Mother's Day!


Tomorrow marks the day that we celebrate Moms. Being one, having one, knowing one, it's all good.

It's the day we take the time to acknowledge the time, love and patience it takes to be a Mom. It's a day set aside to show appreciation to the one who got up with us in the night, kissed owies better, and chased monsters out from under the bed. It's a way to say thanks for all of the birthday cakes, noisy sleepovers, and costumes for the school plays. It's a day set aside to do something nice for the one who talked us through first crushes, first school dances, through the hell that is puberty, for cryin' out loud!

So, if you are one of the lucky who can...call your Mom, hug your Mom, take her out for lunch, Hell, buy her a yacht, Lord knows she deserves it! But, luckily for you she most likely would be thrilled to death at the thought of a simple, uninterrupted soak in the tub. (aaaaaaand a good bottle of wine, a steamy romance novel, and maybe some candles..... just sayin')



So for the adventures of the past week......


First, let me begin with our karaoke show on Saturday night....I don't know if it's just me, but it seems that the legal drinking age is now 10. I kept expecting to hear the delicate yodel of the voice of a young boy straining his way into manhood, or the giggly twitter of girls in a huddle as they cluster around the girl's bathroom door.....oh wait, that really did happen.

Anyway, after playing what seemed like endless rounds of full contact hop scotch, "if you're happy and you know it, throw a mic" , "ring around the rosie, pocket full of uh oh...all fall down", oh, and beer pong, it was time to call it a night. It was still fun, don't get me wrong, there are few things on this earth more entertaining than those this determined to have a good time. Highly entertaining indeed.

Then, it was off to work!

It was a busy week at Integrity RV Service. There wasn't a day that saw an empty shop, with more calling to book in. So far, so good!

A guy from the local paper came by and interviewed us for an article. He took some pictures too, which I'm sure will be awesome, because pictures in newspapers always are! (that was sarcasm for those of you who don't know me yet)

I also received an invitation to do a reading at an elementary school in Lloydminster, AB, on the 27th of this month. It means a bit of a road trip with a very good girlfriend, and training one of my daughters to help out at the shop for a day, both of which, are pretty flippin' manageable.  I'm looking so forward to it. I get to go and hang out with about 350 great kids for an afternoon, how cool is that!

As for the upcoming week....

We have trailers coming in on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and our Grand Opening on Friday!

I hope a few people are able to come. If not, I'm going to be eating delicious cupcakes til I look like one.....hey, wait a minute........hmmmm, no.......it's better if people come.


Well, folks that about does it from this end for this week..

In honor of Mother's Day, I'll leave you with this wish..........




May you, celebrating your first Mother's Day ever, take it in, wear it with honor, feel how it fits so right.
May you soak in this heartsick, all-consuming love, it's like no other you will ever know in this life.

May you, celebrating your fifth Mother's Day, maybe now, a Mother to more than just one or two,
May you relish in the macaroni necklace, glitter glued to a finger painted card, just for you.

May you, celebrating your tenth Mother's Day, always running, always doing, never a minute to be spared.
May you enjoy the "breakfast in bed" made by young, thoughtful hands, lovingly, if not so skillfully prepared.

May you, celebrating your twentieth Mother's Day, teaching to drive, teaching to grow, teaching to fly.
May you embrace their independence, it's what you've worked for, struggled for, strived for, behind everything, the why.

May you, celebrating your fiftieth Mother's Day, take it in, wear it with honor, feel how it fits so right.
May you soak in this heartsick, all-consuming love, it's like no other you will ever know in this life.



Until next time....

www.margyreidbooks.com

Busy,Busy,Busy,Busy,Busy,Busy,Breathe!

Hi Folks!



Well, I'm kinda blogging on the fly today. We just got home from the trade show, (it only went until 2 instead of 4 like I thought! Lucky break!) and now are getting ready to head off to Denzil to do a Karaoke show.


It's been a busy week, more trailers booked in to be fixed, sold some parts, received some of our back ordered stock, and had a great surprise!

A very nice lady stopped into the shop to ask for some copies of "Everyday Wishes For Your Extraordinary Life". She needed three copies and then came by the next day for 2 more. Apparently it is a big hit at her place of work, for daughters and friends, and as a Mother's Day gift! She even asked if they could quote the book in their newsletter! Too cool!

I also need to thank every single one of you for your continued support, accompanying me on this crazy trail. I say trail rather than path, because in my mind's eye a path is manicured, with flowers flanking either side and birds singing in the distance. I say trail because in my mind's eye a trail has rough spots, curves, bumps and gopher holes,  and it's not always so clear where it leads, or starts and stops, for that matter.

Yep, a trail.


The flowers in the pic above were a gift from my hubby, one of those "just because I thought you might like these" kind of present. I love those! They are so full of Spring, it's hard not to feel all summery when you look at them!


Anyway, the trade show today was pretty good. I'm down to my last 5 copies of "Lexi." Yikes! I better get the next book finished so Lexi can ride with it on the way home. That way I only have to pay shipping once! Gotta save pennies where you can!


I apologize if these ramblings seem a bit more rambly than usual, my thoughts are a bit scattered today.


So for the upcoming week.......

Well, tonight, as I mentioned earlier, we have a shoe to do in Denzil...

Continue to plug away at my book keeping set up at the shop, it's a whole new world doing it with so little paper, and I have to confess to making some paper copies of certain things. I'm in the process of figuring out which categories in the program really are relevant to our business, which ones to use, which ones to leave alone. It's a work in progress, but progress all the same.

Also, this week, I'm really hoping to get a bit of time to work on the next book...but it may have to wait until after our Grand Opening. (May 17th, if you are in the neighbourhood)

Start prepping for the Grand Opening. I have cupcakes booked, will be serving coffee and juice....trying to come up with a few more things.


Well, I better run...


Until next time I'll leave you with this wish.................



May every mud splash, on every pair of school pants that comes through your door, be small.
May the grins that accompany them be broad and full of mischief, because they had a ball.

May you see past the extra laundry, and added hours of housework this awful mud tends to bring.
May you remember, instead, the fun you had back in the day, jumping puddles, every Spring.

May you not call them away, discouraging the splash, hindering the inevitable plop!
May you, instead, throw on your boots, or kick them off, and join in the glorious slop!


Until next week!

www.margyreidbooks.com