For Instance..........Why Is That A Thing????!!

Hi!




Well, in about 8 weeks, 2 slightly larger versions of these two people will have a new baby sister.



At least, that's the plan.  It could be sooner, could be later, who knows. Baby will get here when baby feels like it.


We're getting pretty excited to meet this newest addition!




With the new grandbaby getting ever closer to making her debut, I'm finding myself observing a little more closely, the world she is about inhabit.


There seems to be less and less peace. Not just globally, but personally, as well.

For instance, the whole breastfeeding in public thing. I guess my question is, how did that even become a thing? If you happen to notice someone breastfeeding in public, and it somehow offends your sensibilities, by all means, feel free to not look.

In all likelihood, this would not be the Mom's first choice for a spot to breastfeed, as there are precious few locations in the public domain that provide a comfortable place to do so. If she is breastfeeding in public, I can pretty much guarantee it isn't for the sole purpose of offending anyone, it's because her baby is hungry. Period.

I just don't get it. A baby's needs always trump everything...always...no...matter...what.



For instance, technology. My grandbabies' generation will never know life before Facebook or Smartphones. They'll never experience tv you can't pause, or enjoy the anticipation of waiting for your favourite cartoons on Saturday morning. They'll grow up in a much more automated world. Will they lose the opportunity to learn fundamental life skills in the process? Or will said life skills have evolved to the point that the skills of our generation will be obsolete?

The evolution of technology seems to be coinciding with devolution of humanity's capacity for empathy and kindness. I don't know that one has anything to do with the other, but it's interesting.


For instance, expectation of grandeur. Not everyone lives like a rock star. Most don't. Lots wouldn't want to. Only a small handful of the world's population is actually rich. The new generation needs to learn the distinction between dreams and dollar signs.



For instance, learning that the loudest person in the group with the biggest opinions is not necessarily a leader, nor should they be. They generally use their noise to drown out the scream of their fears.




All in all, it seems like a bit of a scary time to be entering the world...........Said every grandparent in history.

Luckily, cuddles, lullabies and a healthy supply of monster spray can fix almost anything.





Sooooooo.....



This week has been another busy one. Busy at the shop, now that suppliers are all catching up after the holiday season, things will be kicking into overdrive.................

I was able to make some great progress on my novel.........naming so many people at once is harder than you think!


Some long neglected chores around the house were completed.........

Was able to give all three grandbabies a good squeeze.....



As for the next while.............


Assisting in the residing of a trailer............


Month end is here again................

Write!!!!!!



Well, that about catches you up for now.....until next time.........




May you be certain your complaints have real merit before sharing them with the world.
May you be certain, after said, there is no retreat, a word whispered is a stone hurled.

May you, if feeling, you just say it like you see it, therefore every opinion is fair game.......
May you understand that you may simply need to change the way you see things, different picture, different frame.

May we remember not everyone in the world needs to live by our personal rules.
May we see when we try to impose ours onto others, it is we who are the fools.


See you next week!


www.margyreidbooks.com

After The Stripping Comes The Paint!

Hi!




Yes, the stripping is over and the paint is on the walls, and the windows, and the mirrors, and the kitchen floor somehow, oh, and me. A lot ended up on me. Oh, did I not mention the fact that I am, by far, one of, if not, the worst painter?

My intentions are always good, and I really do try, but I inevitably end up with paint where there is not supposed to be paint. As the hubby's back is still not 100% after a fall a while back, there was no way he was going to be able to do it all, so he was stuck with me for an assistant.

In doing past projects, we usually have had a daughter or two around to lend a hand with painting. All of our daughters have long surpassed me with painting skills, and I do mean long. Generally, by the time puberty hit, they were better at it than I. Not that that is saying much. It's kind of like bragging about being the tallest person in a room full of toddlers.

This time, the only help my hubby had was me. Poor guy.


It was interesting to see the room stripped down. It had been the same since we moved in. Sure the fixtures were swapped out when necessary, but the walls and ceiling had always remained the same. Pictures stayed, were added, stayed, and added to some more. Since 1994.

To see what made the room "us" ripped from the space was strange. But good.

Sometimes it's good to strip things down, shake them up a bit, rearrange, freshen up, then put the things that matter back in the space.

When your putting it all back together, it gives you a great opportunity to thoroughly examine what you want to put back in, and discard what doesn't work anymore.


Even if it's not perfect when you're finished, it's all good. There are an unlimited amount of do-overs to try and get it just the way you'd like..... if you're willing to put in the work.


Along with giving the living room a bit of a face lift, (including adding a couch that was described by our in-house 3 year old furniture critic as "huggy" compared to the old one, which was apparently more on the "squish squish"side) it was a week filled with work, mini-road trips for parts, and even a bit of writing.

I'm so grateful for the opportunity to get to do just that. I was able to make some progress on the layout of my new kids' book and add some story to my novel.

The upcoming few days are lining up to be, thankfully, just as full.


Work at the shop, some grandbaby snuggles, and more writing. It doesn't get much better than that.




Well, that about does it for another week.

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




May you make room in your life for what works, discarding what no longer does.
May you see that it's not possible to grasp the new if your hands are full of what was.

May you see the merit is stripping down, removing distraction, so you can get an honest feel for the space.
May you see, without the clutter, it's all yours, to create whatever, fill it only with what you truly want to embrace.

May you, when you think your through, know you're not, for no room is ever truly complete.
May you see that this too, is simply a stretch of time, for as needs change, we can only either evolve or deplete.


Until next week........


www.margyreidbooks.com

Real Family Strips For Little More Than Pizza!

Hi!


Okay, now that I have your attention, please pull your mind out of that Vegas bachelor party you popped into!  I hate to disappoint, but the only stripping going on around here has been old wallpaper off my living room wall.


I know some out there really like wallpaper, some may even love it. (I am so sorry you must carry the burden of this crippling disability.) But, in my experience, I believe it was the brainchild of Satan and whoever invented crazy glue. Even though I knew full well, the pain that the stripping of it would cause, I simply couldn't bring myself to look at the velvety pink flowers any more.

Thankfully, the removal of this Pepto-Bismol inspired design that could very well have been the runner-up for the walls of Barbie's Dreamhouse, wasn't nearly the nightmare similar ventures have previously been.

This is, in part, because our kids and grandkids did most of the stripping this time around, and partly because the gods felt sorry for us for not letting us win the kabillion dollar American powerball lottery, this was Karma's kind consolation prize.

Regardless of the reason, the most important thing is that the stripping is complete. The painting has commenced, and I will never have to have my eyes assaulted by the velvety pink flowers ever.... again.


Speaking of American politics........................



Man, is their election process ever a long dragged out mess. I thought our election and the campaigning leading up to it took the mudslinging too far. Compared to the playground antics from the runners down south, our guys were pretty dang tame!

They take longer to figure out who is even going to run for president than our whole campaign, election and swearing in of our Prime Minister combined.

Has their election process always been done this way, or is it something that has been a more recent development, cultivated by media? I'm wondering the reasons behind the year+ long process. Does it help the voters? If so, how? If not, why do it? Hmmmmmmmmmm

Anyway, it's interesting to watch.......from afar.



Speaking of toddlers........................


The next chance you get, challenge a 2-3 year old to this toddler tongue twister...


The vanilla spaghetti rode the ambulance to the aluminum helicopter.


Remember, it's not nice to laugh at children...... unless you give them a sucker...... then it's fine. (Before any angry emails are sent my way, I just want to assure you I do not condone laughing at children, oh, who am I kidding, kids are hilarious!)




Anywho...................



The past week has come and gone. It was a full one, mostly good. Mostly good is pretty dang good.


The shop is humming...............good.


Our daughter, her hubby and munchkins have excitedly moved into their new home..........good.

No more pink flowered wallpaper..............good.

There was more than enough evidence splashed across the tv news proving that mankind has not yet figured out how to live on this planet without cultivating and nourishing hate so it blossoms into this innate desire to destroy one another.....not so good.


People close to me are having a tough time with life right now, and there is little to nothing I can really do about it.......not so good.


I have the privilege of waking up each day in a warm, safe house, next to the best person I know, not having to worry about where my next meal is coming from.......pretty......dang.......good.


Well folks, gotta run.....more painting to do....................



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



May the opportunity arise to eradicate the velvety pink flowers in your life, removing them once and for all.
May you seize the chance for change, not fear it, for stripping it away may not be as difficult as before... different paper.... different wall.

May you see that holding on to the joy-sucking flowers, simply because your afraid to remove them, keeps you from finding what would make you smile.
May you move past the fear, rip it off, it will most definitely be worthwhile.

May you take your time picking what comes next, having a blank space for a while gives your heart a chance to paint a picture of what can be.
May you take the time to really figure out what you'd like to look at, what you'd like to feel, not trapped in pink flowers, but free.



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



www.margyreidbooks.com

Dueling Crayons and Piggy Pile Horsey Rides!

Hi!


Well, the first full week of the new year has come and gone. How was it? Well, from where I sit and take my view of the world, it went pretty well.




It was back to work at the shop, where things are, gratefully, cooking right along.

It was time to de-Christmasfy the house. As always, making it seem, somehow, kind of boring, in comparison.


This week also saw the beginning of the move for our Daughter, her hubby and two and a bit little ones into their new home. Very soon they will be under a roof they can call their very own. We are so excited for them!



We are pretty lucky having all of our kids and grandkids living so close. Couldn't imagine life any other way......................


Knowing so many out there don't have the opportunity to witness the milestones, attend the recitals, watch as dueling crayons overtake a good chunk of an afternoon, or be the horsey in a piggy pile horsey ride, we don't, for one minute, forget how lucky we really are.

As this new year finds it's stride, I look forward to a few things that will, or at least have the potential of happening before 2016 is through. For one, I will turn 50 this year.

Kinda crazy...I don't think I feel 50. I say I think, because I obviously have never been 50 before, therefore have no real idea of how it should feel. All I know is this.......

Reading small things, and not so small things, is getting significantly more difficult. I know that if I sit for any length of time, my ankles and knees get pretty pissed at me, and don't want to cooperate for the first few steps.

I know putting on eye make-up, in particular, is a completely different activity than it was when I was 20. Between the eyesight thing and the squishy eyelid skin and wrinkles, it's a wonder I haven't left the house looking like a two dollar hooker or a clown or some weird love child of the two. Or, maybe I have, and people have just been polite. We are Canadian, after all. This is likely one of the reasons I don't wear make-up all that often.

I know I am more comfortable in my skin. I know it's more difficult for other peoples' opinions to influence me in any real way. Real information, yes, opinions, not so much. I have come to know there's a difference, and have gotten better at distinguishing between the two.

I know that what, and how much we eat and move around will dictate, to some degree, how we function, physically, in this world. I know it has absolutely nothing to do with how we look, and everything to do with sticking around to play this game as long and with as much fun and as many laughs as I can. I know the questions should be, do I feel strong? Am I healthy? Do I experience joy on a regular basis? Not what is the number on the scale? How low can I get the number on the label of my clothes?

I know I have a lot more to learn.......


Also this year, we are expecting our fourth Grandbaby! And, as long as the ultrasound isn't lying, it's going to be another girl!  Yay!


Then, by late Spring/early Summer I hope to publish my 5th children's book. Crazy!


I look forward to all of these, and countless other things that will happen while I'm not looking.

Oh, I'm sure the year also has a few crap storms ready to throw into the mix. After all, how else would we test our bounce-back abilities? This skill needs to be kept at ninja level....always.




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

Assist with our kids'  move........

Run for parts..............

Work the shop........

Run errands..............

Spend some mindless, yet entertaining time in front of the tv.................

WRITE!!!!!!!!!


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



May you have a day or two that can be spent in your jammies, with nowhere to go and nothing to do.
May the days that are filled, be filled well, with things that are actually important to you.

May the balance of the "have to" and "want to" hold the scale as level as a pound of flesh and a pound of decadent fudge.
May you live as you see fit, as you need to, giving no merit to those who see themselves fit to judge.

May you, if unsatisfied, unhappy, change your circumstance, change your view.
May you see, if changing all else fails to bring joy, maybe what needs changing is you.

May you see that change is growth, and to grow is fundamentally our purpose for being here.
May you see that evading change within ourselves is living a stagnant life, driven by unnecessary fear.


www.margyreidbooks.com

And The New Year Begins.................

Happy New Year!





Well, the time has come, once again, to begin a new year. Another fresh start.


I love the tail end of a year. The celebrations, the getting together with family, taking a few days to just hang out without clocks dictating your every move. A time to reflect a bit on the past year, and taking a tick to revel in gratitude for all the great things that have happened. Now, I didn't say big things, I said great. There's a difference. Great things can happen without us even noticing in the moment. Hell, we may not notice them at all if we aren't careful to take those few deliberate breaths and think about it.

It seems that when we look back without thought, the hard things, the bad things, the roughest times force themselves to the forefront, demanding attention like a zit between the eyes on prom night.

The trick is to take the time to look beyond the zit. There is a whole, incredible face surrounding it that reveals kindness, happiness and wisdom.

Look beyond the zit.........................


As for the upcoming year?  The best part is that anything can happen....that could also be the worst part, if that's how you choose to look at it.

Personally, I love to think of the endless possibilities.....the year is, as yet, unwritten. How the story unfolds depends completely on how you react to life, in what direction you point your pen. Write with passion, write with joy, write with fearlessness, write the chapter you can't wait to live......




As for the next couple of days, we will be resting up, gearing up to hit the ground running back at the shop,

There will be month end and year end stuff to look after,

There will suppliers to gently nudge into gear as they have been closed for 2 weeks.............

There will be grandbaby snuggling..........

There will be writing....................



Well folks, thank you for taking the time to read these ramblings every week, your support is greatly appreciated. Receiving messages and emails is always awesome. I simply wish there was a better word, a bigger word,to express what it means. But, until I can come up with one, I guess Thank-you will have to humbly suffice.


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



May this fresh start bring incredible opportunities, overwhelming joy, serenity and peace.
May the year, as it unfolds, show you the beauty life can hold, allowing old pain an easy release.

May you have the courage to look in the mirror and see the truth, beyond flesh, without the slightest of distortion,
May you have the fearlessness to change what needs changing, beyond the flesh, emotional accountability without extortion.

May you see that your happiness is just that, yours, not something that can be gifted from another.
May you nurture it, feed it, help it grow, soon, all embers of misery, it will simply smother.



Until next week!


Check out www.margyreidbooks.com