Word On The Street and Friday Night Lights!

Hi!

These pics were taken at the "Word on the Street" festival in Saskatoon last Sunday. The day started out a bit sketchy, trying to rain and getting a bit windy. Mother Nature did eventually take pity on us and gave us some sun and temperatures warm enough to make me ditch my jacket.


It was a pretty awesome day. As I looked around at all of the booths housing different authors and artists from many different genres, I had to, again, take a second to realize that I was being included in this group. Still seems a bit crazy to me. I'm just me, after all.


The rest of the week seemed to fly by with a couple of trips to the city, fixing some trailers and then taking part in Delisle's Culture Day. I had a great time hanging out with some fellow writers, and some munchkin type people.

After returning from Delisle, I finished up the work day at the shop and then took the trek about 3 blocks South to the high school to watch my nephews' football team take on our local squad. It was so nice to sit in the stands with my brothers and their families watching the action as the sun went down, the lights came on, and the temperature dropped.

Any delusions of Summer hanging around for a while longer were shot down, big time.

It was a good game, though.

The week was officially topped off with a service call close to home. A family living in a camper with a 14 month old  and no furnace is a great reason to give up your Saturday night. Two hours later, we left them snug as a bug, the wee one snuggled in for the night.

A very nice way to end the week.

So, tomorrow brings with it some laundry, house cleaning, watching some football, and putting the finishing touches on the music for the wedding next weekend.

The rest of the week? Trailers, trailers, and more trailers! Life at Integrity RV Service is still running at full throttle. It's AWESOME!

It's amazing the pace at which life moves. Losing loved ones, welcoming new additions, changing careers, changing where you live, changing not only the path you thought you wanted to follow, but how you are going to get there. As we grow and change, so do our priorities, as they should. If they didn't, we'd all be voluntarily giving up sleep to watch Saturday morning cartoons. (Ok maybe some priorities don't completely change)


Well, that about does it for this week. For those of you who choose the path less travelled, I'll leave you with this wish.




May your path be crystal clear, for you, for others need not have a hand in the navigation.
May your first steps be sure, and only gather strength, bringing confident elation.

May you see your destination not through a tunnel, but as a panoramic view with endless, delightful distractions.
May you see these distractions for what they are, possibilities, opportunities, chances to learn from our actions and reactions.

May you arrive at your desired destination only to realize it was but a step in the journey you were truly meant to take.
May you then, with courage, take the next step, then the next, leaving obscene amounts of joy in your wake.

May you continue this delightful travel, through both the warm and the cold.
May you see in doing so, you will witness a most extraordinary life unfold.


Until next week!

Thank you!

www.margyreidbooks.com

Life Lessons....Ooooooo and Cheesecake.

Ok, I couldn't let Autumn pass without a photo of a Harvest Moon. 

As I tiptoed around in my back yard to get the shots I was after in my robe and flip flops, grain dust was still flying.

Even at that late hour you could hear the combines humming away, the farmers not even close to the end of their work day.

It's kind of mind boggling to think that our little Province is responsible for the lion's share of grain for the world to eat. It's so cool to find out, as I have over the last few weeks, that there are groups of farmers in our area that get together and donate hundreds of bushels of different grains to countries in need. They donate and devote entire fields to the project, taking time out of their own harvest schedules to make sure it gets off of the fields and on it's way.


Selfless generosity, it's really what makes the world go 'round.




Oh yeah, and chocolate.........ooooooo and cheesecake.





This week, I'd like to talk about some of the lessons the last few days have taught me......maybe in some small way they will be able to help you out.....or not. but there's a 50/50 shot, so what the hell.....


Lesson one.....................never underestimate the speed of a toddler being beckoned by the intrigue of a busy street that must be awesome, because you obviously don't want him to go anywhere near it!


Lesson two................. never underestimate a toddler's desire to pretend to drive your car........nowhere near the busy street.


Lesson three...................never underestimate a toddler's ability to hit/touch/push every button in said car at lightening speed.


Lesson four....................never assume that although you were there and with him the entire time, watching his every move, that he didn't manage to turn things on that subsequently kill you battery


Lesson five....................never tell your smart ass husband what you did............he will laugh at you.



Outside of these tough lessons, we had another busy/awesome week at our shop. We are getting calls from places 2,3 sometimes 4 hours away from people who would like us to help them out. It's pretty great.


As for the next week.....


Well, tomorrow is the "Word On The Street" festival in Saskatoon. My new copies of "Lexi" and "Crazy" made it just in time. I can't even tell you how relieved I was when they showed up at the shop yesterday.

It's going to be a great day with something for everyone. It's a national festival being held in unison with several other cities across the country. There will be authors there from all over, one of which I know has written a fantastic book that later became an Oscar winning movie. There will be books, music, games, food, and it's free! What more could you ask?!


I can't believe they invited me to participate.....again!  Absolutely blows my mind to be included!


The rest of the week will involve several more trailers, fine-tuning music for a wedding in two weeks, some grandbaby squeezing, and a run for parts.



Well folks, that about does it for this time around. I'd better get to bed, need to be up and at 'em pretty early......




Thanks again for reading these ramblings....until next time, with my farming roots in mind, I'll leave you with this wish.......





May all go well, without a hitch, without a breakdown, without a stormy sky.
May you collect your hard earned bounty, send it throughout the world, to stop the hunger cry.

May you take a moment to soak in each sunrise and sunset, as you work from one through the other.
May you take the time to really enjoy those tailgate picnics, lovingly delivered by another.

May you know that we thank you for these long hours, nerves, at times, dangling by a thread.
May you know we thank you, with every taste of fresh cut corn, with every bite of our daily bread.




Until next week..........




www.margyreidbooks.com

Smackin' Stupid and Takin' Names!

Hi!


You know........sometimes there are days when you just wanna smack the stupid off of some people.



Now, please do not assume that I am referring to intelligence in the traditional sense of the word.

 No, this is a special kind of stupid reserved for those who get drunk and/or high and leave their toddler strapped in a car seat in a car on a hot summer's day until they become another statistic at the hands of stupid.


No, this is reserved for the special kind of stupid that somehow justifies within their own head that it is perfectly ok to sexually assault another human being simply for having the audacity to walk alone.


No, this is reserved for the special kind of stupid that mistakes cruelty for love and regards bruises and broken spirits as trophies and ego strokes.


No, this is reserved for the special kind of stupid that thinks it's humorous to feed animals weed, or force alcohol down their throats.

Sometimes, there are days when you just wanna smack the stupid off of some people.


But we can't.....not really. So, we rely on our justice system, flawed though it may be, to bring the "special kind of stupid" to justice.

As for the rest of us?  We are left with watching the news in frustration, sharing photos of missing kids and wanted fugitives on facebook, and maybe, just maybe making a difference.

Maybe, if for every horrible example of the special kind of stupid we witness, we perform two random acts of kindness, we can take a swing at the stupid, and smack some of it off.


Just sayin'.............................



Well, that was pretty dark......I guess I over-watched/listened to the news this week.  I like to know what's going on in the world around me, but man, would it be too much too ask to have a few more "good news" items?

I would love a news channel, or at least a broadcast devoted to good news....and I don't think entertainment news should count.........hey, Oprah, are ya listening?

Just sayin'


Moving right along.........


This week was again busy at the shop. It really isn't showing any signs of slowing down (which is awesome!!!)

I've also been working on the music etc. for my brother's wedding, which is coming up very soon.

The insulation and steal siding project for our shop started mid-week. It's a cinder block building; attaching wood, insulation, and siding are not the quietest activities. Not even close. It definitely made answering phones and having conversations interesting, to say the least.

As for the next few days?

We have 6 units scheduled to come in, we are waiting for parts to finish up three more, and some insurance claimants that will need a hand to get assessed, all the i's dotted and t's crossed so the repairs can begin.

Hopefully finish the music prep for my brother's wedding and make more progress on the music for a wedding the week after that.

That, along with some grandbaby squeezes should keep me out of trouble....at least most of the time.



Well, my friends, I thank you again for taking the time to read these ramblings. From Malaysia to Ireland, from South Korea to right here at home, and everywhere in between, I sincerely thank you.



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



May every kindness be bestowed you, for you deserve every angel's kiss.
May you settle for nothing less, my greatest wish is this.

May you fear not the repercussions involvement may bring.
May you stand tall, and speak loudly, let your voice ring.

May those who are powerless find freedom in your willingness to intercede.
May you find the courage to step where necessary, for courage you will need.

May you give kindness generously, without hesitation, to every soul you meet.
May that kindness take hold and spread to every soul on every street.


Until next time............

www.margyreidbooks.com

Campfires...Foliage & Chaos!

A warm and toasty campfire, some beautiful Autumn foliage, and what can only be described as some weird Disney version of  a Hitchcock movie.



These are but a few of the images captured on our final camping trip of the season. why am I choosing to share these particular shots?

Now, if I were to probe deeply into the psychology of these choices, I would probably say I picked them because they represent my life, as it is now, in a very real way. I would probably say I subconsciously chose these images because they represent contentment, adaptability and chaos.
I would probably say my subconscious chose these photos as a grouping because I am trying to find a way to make these conflicting pieces of my life come together in a peaceful harmonious way.


Oooooorrrrrrrr......................


I might just like campfires, Autumn leaves, and freaky bird pictures.




Well folks, this week was another crazy one.


I have a reluctant, but seemingly perpetual, relationship with the people from whom I subscribe my merchant services. The relationship consists of me calling to let them know my pinpad isn't working right, me being put on hold for the "estimated wait time of 8 minutes", which is always closer to 45, then me being put on the phone with someone who speaks fluent computereeze. Now, just so we are clear, if I went on vacation in a country where the only language was computereeze, I would feel like I was listening to direction from the teacher in the Charlie Brown cartoons. I would end up with no hotel room, never get to order food and needless to say, never see the inside of a bathroom. My travel agent's days would be numbered.

I really would like to break up with them.....these "technical support" people. 

With any luck, this week will bring forth my prince or princess charming who will be the one to ride in on their mighty satellite information bouncer thingy, and fix my crap. And then, I'll break up with them.......in a text.......because I don't want to be drawn into another conversation spoken in computereeze.......ever........then maybe I'll pull a Taylor Swift and write a song about it.


So, I've told you guys that I have some book events coming up...the Word on the Street Festival, Culture Days, trade shows etc. .....I also was telling you about how I'm running out of copies of "Lexi" and "Crazy". .....Well, I thought my printer guys were on holidays, so I had been waiting for their return to put the order in....it turns out I waited a bit too long. After being told I wouldn't have books until after two of my events, I was feeling a bit panicked, to say the least. I was trying to figure out how I was going to handle this. I emailed Production printer guy and asked if he knew of anyone closer to me who might be able to help me out, he said no he didn't but he would pass the email on to Head printer guy. Very shortly after receiving that email, I received another from Head printer guy, saying that some space had been freed up and I would most assuredly have my copies in time for my first event!


I wish Head printer guy knew how to fix pinpads..........


The rest of the work week included three broken finger nails, (all falling victim to one trailer) meeting more new people, and sending more happy customers on their camping way.


And today...........today was haircut day!!!!!!

After working at the shop, it was off to the city for a hair cut! It's now barely touching my shoulders, even after being straightened, and I now have a head of locks with an chestnut/auburn hue! (With some strategically placed foils, so my wisdom highlights don't come in screaming like a newborn baby)
It was time for something a little different. Change is good. Sometimes, change is fantastic! Thank you Courtney!

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


We will be up to our eyebrows in trailers...,which is always good.

I will have to face my nail tech.........I feel bad when I destroy her work.

Get busy putting music together for a wedding Oct 5th....

Oh yeah......and flip my new hair around like Farrah Faucet in 1978!


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



May you have a reason to smile every day, if you don't have one, make one.
May you find a reason to giggle, or snort or chortle, to be silly, have fun.

May you live by the philosophy of not taking life too seriously, for laughter makes you thrive.
May you see the logic in one wise man's truthful wisdom for "no one gets out alive".

May you see the value in a good time, chatting, a round table discussion of "used to do's"
May you take the time, hear the story, tell a few, there's a wealth to gain and nothing to lose.


Thank you for taking the time for reading these ramblings. It floors me every week to see readers, the world over, are taking a peek.

Thank you.

www.margyreidbooks.com