See This? In This Photo Right Here?!

 See this? In this photo right here? This stuff fairly cleverly disguised as food that  is supposed to be inspired by Chinese culture? I would call it Chinese food, but that would be a direct insult to those who actually prepare real Chinese food.  Generally, I do not complain about food. Someone went through a lot of hard work to prepare it for you, be thankful. Period.


I genuinely felt bad for the server. A person should have taken the apologetic tone in his voice as he greeted and seated us for the sign that it was. A Big....... Blinking....... Sign.


Hopefully the cook was just having a bad day......maybe.....it's possible.......it is.....oooorrrrrr maybe not. Either way, I will likely never find out. At least not on purpose.


Ahhhhhh the adventures of doing gigs in new places!

See this, in this photo right here?  This is the quiet before the chaos. The  moments of tranquility before the vows, the wows, the toasts, the tears, the cheers, the cake cutting, the laughter, the chatter, the dancing, the requests, the backwards flings of the garter and bouquet.  This is the marking of the moment just before another couple takes that precious step to combine and intertwine their lives. This, is a pretty awesome way to spend your time.

See this? In this photo right here?  This was pretty much the darkest part of the night, that night. It was the eve of the summer solstice, very little time fell between sunset and sunrise. This was the view from the wedding venue.... not too shabby.





After a very long, but fun night playing for this lovely couple's wedding, it was time to head home.


Sunday was pretty short. It didn't involve much more than driving home, unloading the truck, finding something to eat, and heading to bed.  It was a good kind of tired, though. Everyone had a great time, that's always worth the tired.


The work week has sped by. We've been doing our best to get all those who need their campers for Canada Day, done and ready to go. Here's hoping we can pull it off. We have 2 more work days to make it happen. If the Universe does us a couple of favours, all will be well.


You know what's kind of  amazing? These things always only hit me after the fact, but, I had to put another order in for more copies of "Lexi's Magic Clothes" and "A Crazy Day"! Down to my last few copies once again. Blows my mind.


As for the upcoming week?


It will hopefully be a short work week, with the holiday and all.

Then it is our plan to take a couple of days off.

These days will likely be spent doing a whole pile of nothing but hangin' out with my honey, reading, listening to music, swimming, sleeping and watching movies. Sounds like a pretty good plan.


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




May the first days of summer treat you well, sitting in the soft breeze, with a drink, tall and cold.
May you get the chance to truly enjoy, relax, lay back, just let the adventures unfold.

May fantastic new experiences find you, new people, new places, new tastes, new bands, new songs.
May you take a trip outside of what's comfortable, discover new ways in which you belong.

May you find the courage to try things that scare you, our limits always live beyond where we believe.
May you enjoy every single day, create precious memories, build beautiful moments, for this is the only thing we truly need to achieve.





Until next time!

www.margyreidbooks.com

Happy Father's Day!

 Hi!


See these faces? These pretty freakin' incredible faces?





Well they never would have happened without this face.

Happy Father's Day, my Honey!





You know, my hubby would never claim to be perfect. But, as an up-close and personal partner in his life for the last 30 years, I can tell you this.

Our daughters have never had to doubt for one second of their existence, the depth of their Daddy's love. They have never had to fear that it could possibly be withheld because of bad decisions or questionable choices they may have made. They went to bed every night knowing there would always be at least one man who had their back, no matter what. They had the benefit of growing up learning what a real husband and Dad looks like. Coming to understand the true test of a man is how he treats the women in his life when the world isn't watching.

They got to have front row seats while watching you,  a man who never touches those he loves with the intent to hurt them.  They knew they could always talk to you without judgement, maybe not without unsolicited advice, but always without judgement. They have always known, in your eyes, whoever they are, whatever they choose to become, whomever they choose to share their lives with, as long as they are happy, that is all you require.


For those gifts, and countless others you have given to our girls, my Honey, I will be forever grateful. You have shown them throughout their lives that they are worth everything......always.


!!!!Happy Father's Day!!!!!



Soooooo for the past few days..............



Busy busy at the shop, trying to get everybody ready for the Canada Day holiday


Went to the dentist..............yay me......


Put the finishing touches on the music for the wedding we are playing for this weekend...........


Ran errands.......


Did a bit of writing......hoping to do more in the upcoming week...........

Had limited grandbaby squeezing time........will have to work on rectifying that..........




As for the upcoming few days.....



Play for wedding..............Yay! Love weddings!!!

Celebrate Father's Day with my Honey........

Back to a, gratefully, very busy shop....

Squeeze a grandbaby or three........

WRITE!!!!!!!



As we celebrate Father's Day, I'll leave you with this wish...........



May you know just how much you mean to me, to us, to all.
May you know that we know you are our safe, soft place to fall.

May you know that every achy muscle, every callous, every long hour spent, is appreciated, more than words can say.
May you know we feel and see the way you take care of us in so many different ways.

May you accept this thank you, for everything you do and everything you are.
May you see that you are so incredibly special, generous soul and golden heart.


Until next time!!!

Wedding Mayhem And Other Stuff!

Hi!


Well, the wedding has come and gone..............


The ceremony began as the wind started to pick up. Everyone made it down the aisle just in time.  As the officiant began to tickle the heart of the words which carry the weight, Mother Nature decided to throw a bit of a curve.

As the rain poured, we gathered the guests into the shelter of the gazebo, where the remainder of the ceremony simply continued from where Mother Nature so rudely interrupted. It just made it that much more special.

Here, these two young souls were literally surrounded by those who love them most. It was up close and intimate with all in attendance truly bearing undivided witness to the occasion. What better way to officially start your life together.

The background crescendo of lightening and thunder seemed to give punctuation to the vows. Nature's confetti of poplar seeds showed no discretion, covering everyone thoroughly, and I do mean thoroughly. Not one person nor article of clothing was spared.

This was followed by good food, lots of laughs, a ton of goofiness, and memories that will live forever.

I can hardly put into words the feeling of warmth that completely fills me when I get to witness my girls, as adults, coming together as sisters and friends. Being there for each other, pitching in, laughing, dancing, and just being the fantastic humans they have grown to be. To see the stellar choices they have come to make in husbands, boyfriends and friends. To witness how they carry themselves in the world.

I can't help but be thrown back in time to the sleepless nights, the diapers, the baths, the time outs, the homework, the fights, the broken hearts, the laundry, the not so stellar friend choices, the fashion choices, the make up trends, the laundry, the fevers, the throwing up, the growing pains, the laundry, did I say laundry?

All...completely....worth.......everything........all of it.


Once the party was over it was time to retire to our fancy-dancy motel room. If you are noticing a dripping of sarcasm, you wouldn't be wrong.  Questionable electricity and bates motel shower aside, I can honestly say that never before have we stayed in a place where the owners knock on guests doors asking them to run and pick up a sandwich for them at the fast food place a couple of miles down the road.

It's definitely a new take on the whole hospitality industry thing. Thinking outside the box.


With the festivities coming to a bittersweet end, it was time to get home and back to work.


It was, thankfully, another busy one at the shop.

Among our customers, we had the privilege of meeting a sweet, 86 year old lady who has asked us to check over her motorhome before she reluctantly sells it. It's the RV she and her husband took on little trips for the last 16 years. Since her husband passed away, she just doesn't have the desire to take those kind of trips anymore. Besides, at 86, she said she "just doesn't feel confident driving it too much."

It must be so hard.


Closing chapters and opening new ones, finding a new way through the world starting from today. Even at 86, we are not immune. How we choose to adapt to new circumstances determines our level of happiness.

The rest of the week was filled with work,errands, and an abundance of grandbaby goofiness,

To top it off, we went to our local theatre to catch a movie. It starred Sophia Vergara and Reese Witherspoon. It's not one of those movies that will change your life or anything, but if you are in the mood for a few good laughs, it's definitely good for that. It had received some petty scathing reviews and I really don't understand why. This movie does exactly what it set out to do, give the audience about 90 minutes of a good time.  Mission accomplished.

As for the next few days.......


I will need to put the finishing touches on the wedding we are playing for next weekend............

The shop will be happily hopping...............

I really am hoping to get in some quality writing time....

Squeeze grandbabies.............................




Until next time I will leave you with this wish..............


May every sunrise fill you with the promise that every fresh start should.
May every sunset make you smile at the memories made, feeling content, understood.

May you realize that although making plans is great, perfection never happens, too much lies beyond our control.
May you come to understand, your best chance at real happiness comes from you, just take it in, and roll.

May you see that the best things in life tend to happen in spite of our plans, rarely because of how well they are laid.
May you learn to embrace the curves thrown, for it's what's meant to be, lighting the path you're meant to take, be excited, never afraid.


Until next time......  www.margyreidbooks.com

Death By Fake Booty?! Wow, Just.....Wow.....

Hi!



Well folks, we are but a few days away from our youngest daughter's big day! What you are seeing in the photo is a bit of the organized chaos that is inevitable when preparing for such an event.

Over the last few days, my dining room has slowly become overtaken by the bits that need to make the trip. It's a bit of a tight rope to walk, trying to make sure nothing essential gets left behind while simultaneously keeping in mind the physical space in the vehicle available to actually transport it.

It's difficult to fight the undertow that lives in the waves of noise. My struggle is to turn that turbulence into a jacuzzi and just soak in it.

I have to consciously catch myself, take a breath, and soak it in.

Like so many big things that happen in life, I think we tend to just do what we need to do, checking off the "to do" list, crossing t's and dotting i's like nobody's business, and then, before you know it, the big thing is over and we kind of just, well..... missed it.

I know I am pretty guilty of this at times, and am trying to do better. Take a breath, soak it in.

I definitely don't want to get to next week and wish that I had been more present.


Aaannnnnd in other news.........death by butt implant...........


I kid you not. Some young woman so desperate to have a JLo booty, subjected herself to, what turned out to be, fatal danger under the hands of some hack and paid the death penalty for her misguided misjudgement.

Have we learned nothing from history? Trends change, surgeries are permanent, or at least for the most part, they are.

In the '20's it was a boyish figure that was all the rage. In the '30's, well it was the great depression, being able to eat on a regular basis was the fashion. In the '40's it was curvaceous and pin curls. The '50's, still curvy, in a girl-next-door, poodle skirt, penny loafer wearing kind of way, unless you were Marilyn Monroe (who wore a size 16, by the way). The '60's, well, Twiggy was the model of the decade, big eyes, short hair, and super slim. Then, in the '70's, Farrah Fawcett..... nuff said. In the '80's, "let's get physical" came into play, as did Jazzersize. and "sweatin' to the oldies."  As you may have guessed, this brought a more "fit" figure into fashion. The '90's? Well, honestly I'm not sure, everything piece of clothing was so big, baggy and "grungy" there was no real way of gauging body types. Maybe that was the point............

And then the turn of the century......

How low can you go...........with the waistband of your jeans, that is. And to pull that off, you couldn't really have hips to speak of, or they didn't stay up. It was the race to the size 0, no matter what the cost.

And now? It's all about that bass.

Booty, the more the merrier. The bigger the better. You get my drift.

I guess my point is this. Trends come and go, history has proven that..... repeatedly.  If you feel compelled to follow the booty trend, run stairs, do squats, climb ladders, go to zoomba, do yoga, or whatever else will help develop the good ol' gluteus maximus. Go nuts!

But to surgically alter yourself to become a follower of a trend that likely will not last the rest of the decade? I would seriously reconsider the whole risk vs. reward thing. What will you do if the next trend is no booty?

There are many good reasons to have surgery, even cosmetic surgery. To replace breasts stolen by cancer, to remove loose skin after weight loss, to repair damage after an accident, to straighten a nose that has driven you crazy all of your life, the list goes on.

I'm just not convinced following a trend makes that list.


Well folks that about does it for this week! For now, I'll leave you with this wish.........



May you look in the mirror and see what you are, not every little thing you are not.
May you see the world beneath the trends, the heart that beats under what's bought.

May you find a bigger meaning as to why you are here, why you walk this precious earth.
May you realize it simply has to be deeper, as body type and size, in no way determines worth.

May you see how far we've come, the struggle to vote, the leap from being property to owning our own.
May you remember there was a time, that as a woman, you had no say, had no option to stand alone.

May you look in the mirror and see what you truly are, and not every little thing you are not.
May you look deeper, back in time, those women, they did not fight for you to feel "less than" they simply....... did not.




Until next time.......


www.margyreidbooks.com