Back To School!!! And Other Stuff!!!!!

Hi!


And it begins.

The trees are newly caressed with a trickling of gold, the evening air carries a chill not felt a week ago, the strength of night has begun enforcing it's curfew upon the sun. Although it's a little sad to let go of the lazy days of summer once again, the change of the season always brings with it new adventure, new challenges, new surprises.

New beginnings are important. Some we plan, some, well, we don't. They are equally fantastic, if given the chance. We always need to remember that real courage isn't being afraid of nothing, it's being afraid, and doing it anyway..

Life can be a bit scary at times, whether you are just starting preschool, or your child is. New schools, new grades, new friends, new jobs, new homes, newly married, newly divorced, newly pregnant, new to the empty nest, or newly retired.

And those are the easy ones, when you think about it.

One of the lessons I've learned, thus far, is this. Hope for the best, have a plan for the worst, and just roll with whatever happens to come next. I believe that letting go of expectations is one the best things you can do for yourself. Go into every situation, honestly doing the best you can do, then, openly accept whatever happens. People will rarely, if ever, act in, or react to, any given situation precisely the way we would like. A waiter, a courier, a child, a parent, a spouse, a friend, a neighbour, a boss, a banker, a politician, none of them are working off of your script. Nor should they.

Dream in a way that makes your soul shine. Put yourself on a path to get you there. Be prepared to get lost a time or two, and ready to take the odd detour. Keep in mind that the real living, and the most fun take place along the way. Spend your time building a life, not just a livelihood.


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


Another busy week has come and gone.

Working the shop, running life's errands, listening to toddlers giggle over the phone, and squeezing a grandkid who is slowly becoming excited about the first day of grade 3.

I was able to get some time in on the novel, and do a bit of marketing for upcoming book events.

As for next week...


Work like crazy and then attend our nephew's wedding!

I will be getting some writing time in there somewhere!



Have a great week!

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


May you feel brave, be courageous, and step with confidence as you embark on this new beginning.
May you, if you stumble, get lost, or are forced to detour, take it in stride, come up grinning.

May you recognize that it's in the falls, in the detours, where life's real treasures lie.
May you see that it is in those moments we find the depth of our strength, allowing our true selves to shine.

May you stretch your perception of your capabilities, silencing the childhood voices of self-doubt.
May you realize the power of your words, your actions, wield them gently, as you're not alone on this route.




Until next time, check it out! Flitflee Flanderfoodle is now available on my website! www.margyreidbooks.com

The Food Channels Get It From Somewhere..................

Hi,


Well, August is half gone. You know how I can tell? The steady hum of combines that filtres through the trees, well, that, and a calendar.

Yup, it's the time of year when all the flax, canola, peas, corn and pretty much everything else that fills every cooking channel and multitudes of pinterest pages, is brought in from the field. It's the time of year when every farmer catches themselves crossing their fingers and unconsciously holding their breath, only allowing themselves to relax once every grain has made it safely to the bin.

It's long days, short nights and meals on the fly. There has been a lot of damage around here, due to excessive amounts of rain this year, and hail had a turn or two in more than a few places, as well. None the less, they will mount their combines and trucks, and work diligently to gather what remains to make sure we are all fed, and hopefully they will make enough money to pay their bills, feed their own families, and have a few laughs.

The window of time to reap what they've sown is as unpredictable as a hungry toddler who has missed their nap. They never know how long the weather will cooperate. You might have weeks of ideal weather, I, personally, have never seen that happen, but that doesn't mean it can't. No, chances are that during the process of harvesting, they will get rain and equipment will break down and cause delays. But, they will get their bounty in the bin. Sometimes snow is flying as they put the last of it away, but they get it there. They have to, if they give up, the world's food supply takes a horrible hit.

Agriculture looks different in different countries, in different cultures, but the end game is the same. Plant, do what you can to help things grow, pull your treasure off the field, then sell it so people can eat. It's really that simple, regardless of which chunk of this planet you call home.


So thanks, Farmers, both near and far, I had great meals today that included, wheat, potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers and a bunch of other stuff I wouldn't have if you didn't choose everyday to do what you do.


Okay, now I'm hungry.



In addition to the combine symphony, this week was another busy one.

We are, thankfully, continually busy at the shop.

I now have all of my material together for upcoming trade shows.....

I was able to make some progress on my book...........

Squeezed all four grandbabies, at least once, love it when that happens......


As for the upcoming days.........


Writing, working the shop, time with some family, all in all, pretty great.



Well folks, that about does it for another week, and take care.........



May these summer days, as they lazily drift into Autumn nights, longingly, lovingly, linger.
May you create a few more summer adventures, before routine raises an eyebrow and shakes a finger.

May you bathe in a few more dream filled sunsets as they sweep fire across the sky.
May you awaken in leisure, just a few more times, before you're forced to bid your sheets good-bye.

May you hold on to these last, lazy days, for this very special summer will never have a true echo.
May you bask in the breeze, for, soon, Autumn will jump in and hang on, and Summer will need to let go.



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

The Oldlimpics!

Hi!


Like many of you out there, I have been watching the Olympics, on and off, for the last week. As I sit upon my 50 year old butt, holding down my reclining couch, drinking my evening tea, I can't help but admire these kids as they accomplish all of these feats of speed, strength, agility and flexibility. And, they do all of it, as billions of people watch, judge, and scream at their tv's from said reclining couches. Or maybe that's just me.


I wonder what the Olympics would look like if no one under the age of 50 were allowed to participate.

For instance, some of the events might include:


Trampoline-ish: No routine required, if you stay on your feet for more than 30 seconds and can still walk when you touch solid ground- you win.

Beach Volleyball- First- the uniforms would need a bit of redesigning-

Men-
-footwear would be required- socks with crocks- in the colours of the country they represent, of course.
-shorts-khaki cargos- duh
-shirts- t-shirts with ever-so-slightly inappropriate sayings on them, all in varying degrees of sexual innuendo, that, they, of course, feel the need to read to people and explain.

Women-

Well, basically, an extra strength, anti-gravity version of what most of the girls are wearing. Oh, but, with a gorgeous bathing suit cover.

The actual games would become much shorter, and it wouldn't be juice and water they are drinking during the time-outs!

High Jump -

Just.....no.

Soccer

Personally, I don't know a single person 50 or over who would be willing to run around for an hour and a half on a huge field in the heat and humidity for...well...anything.

Diving

I, personally, can fall off of things at will. A diving board wouldn't be that big of a stretch. I'm pretty sure gravity would take care of the rest. I know from personal experience the breadth of it's power.


Running (any and all)

I gotta give this another no. Although, I do know some people my age and older that do run for fun, I have got to say, I know a LOT more that don't. Bad knees, past injuries, and years of hard labour have taken their toll. Unless there is a pissed off bear in the picture, ummm..... nope.

Boxing

I'm just not sure if it's a good idea to tell menopausal women they are allowed to actually hit people and get points for it.


Heptathlon

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha..nope.




In this version of the Oldlimpics, that would likely be it for traditional events, with the exception of golf. I know several 80+ years olds that can still play a pretty kick ass round of golf.

I do, however think there would be room for some new events.


Stiffathon

You are required to sit on the floor, cross-legged, without moving, for 2 hours.  The first one to get up, without so much as one snap, crackle, pop or groan, and get to the bathroom, wins.


Decathlon

Not what you're thinkin' - here, each competitor picks a physical skill they could do 1 decade ago, 2 decades ago, etc. (hoola hoop, roller skate, you get my drift ) Whomever reaches the furthest into their childhood, wins.


Last but not least:


500 Metre Scavenger


Each competitor is given a list of every day objects to memorize. (car keys, a pen, cell phone etc.) Every 50 metres along the distraction-filled course, there will be a doorway, and just beyond that doorway, a station that will contain one of the objects from the list, along with several decoy objects. The one who collects all of the objects, forgetting none, wins.


Could be interesting...............I'd watch it.




Anyway..........................


It's been another busy week.


We attended a surprise anniversary party for my brother and sister-in-law and had a great time.


We caught up with some camping family and spent the day hanging out and doing a good chunk of nothing.


We worked hard at the shop, which is hopping right along............

I received some marketing materials for upcoming Flitflee and other book events.

I was able to finish another chapter in the novel I'm working on. It's starting to feel like I'm making some real progress.....

I signed up for another couple of tradeshows for the fall and early winter...........


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


Tomorrow will be spent putting together a bit more marketing material, dropping off some copies of Flitflee Flanderfoodle at McNally Robinson in Saskatoon.

Hopefully get a chance to see my daughter's new digs..............

Work the shop..............

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

Take another whack at that novel.............



Until then folks, I'll leave you with this wish..............


May your jumps be high and your landings soft, your medals worn with pride.
May the accomplishment of just getting to this level not be lost, not be forgotten, or shoved aside.

May you hear our cheers, feel our applause, as you do what we can only dream.
May you see that your joy is contagious, thank you, some fun is exactly what we all need.

May you take it all in, this amazing experience, this incredible piece of your history.
May you allow it into the deepest part of your soul, a prize beyond gold, your most precious memory.


Until next time,

check out www.margyreidbooks.com

Balance = Beer Pong. Nuff Said.

Hi!

They say that life is about balance. Hell, I've said it myself, I don't even know how many times.

But what exactly is this elusive prize, and how exactly do we go about getting it? Is it like the characters in Pokemon go? Do we wander around and wait to be told where to go? Or, is it more like tag, where your success is wholly dependent on how fast you can run.


Personally, I'm hoping it's like beer pong. With practice, I can do nothing but improve, and, the more I try, the less I worry about it.


Okay so now we have that figured out. Balance = Beer Pong. Good.


All joking aside, balance can be a pretty hard place to get to. To take care of all of the "have to's" in life takes a lot.  The weight and breadth of that list is longer and heavier, for some than it is for others. It depends on your life, lifestyle, life situation etc. It also depends a lot on how you're wired. Some people thrive on the chaos, others find themselves loaded up and overwhelmed on a regular basis. It's tricky, because there is absolutely no way of knowing, from the outside looking in.


We can only look at others' lists through our own perspective. It's simply not possible to do anything else.

When someone tells you they are struggling, don't look at their list, see them. The size, shape and weight of their list ceases to matter. How you would handle it, irrelevant. Judging the list itself, pointless, for you can only see it through your eyes.

When someone tells you they are struggling, listen. Hear them, see them.

Balance. The trick is to have enough self left after the have to's. Carving time out of places where it feels like none currently exists. Challenging situations that are no longer working in your life, and creating the change to make it better.

I think imbalance happens when we slip out of the driver's seat and start riding shotgun. Though I believe it to be true that we have no real control in life, it is our job to navigate and build our way through it the best way we can.

I am of the belief that if you are passive about your life, it will simply pass you by. I can think of nothing that would make me more sad, than getting to the end of my time here, looking back, and seeing nothing but uniform check marks beside a pristine "have to" list.

I know the check marks need to happen, but they are not the only things that need to happen.

Colour outside the lines, create, play, do things. Fun things. If your life is not leaving room for these things, make room. It might be hard, but you can do it with practice. Beer Pong.

Nuff Said.



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


Well, this week was an interesting one............



Just in case I haven't mentioned it lately, I recently turned 50.

I will never complain about the privilege of getting older, for there are so many who never get to do it.

That does not mean that I am oblivious to some of the challenges it is presenting, small though they may be.

For instance, this week, 50 kicked my ass. Without getting too graphic, let me just say, I would be none too upset if this whole menopause thing would just hurry up and do what it's gonna do, and be done.

I apologize if this offends anyone, but I can't help but think that I'm not the only one frustrated by the process.

Patience. I guess. I don't really have a choice. Sucks. Okay, I'm done now.


I guess the upside of having a bit of downtime is that I was able to get Flitflee Flanderfoodle up on my website! Yay!

I was also able to get some bookmarks ordered for upcoming tradeshows, along with a banner with a big ol' pic of my mug on it. I know I have to get used to the idea of promoting myself, but some things are still pretty uncomfortable for me. Like my face on a giant banner. Colouring outside the lines isn't always as easy as it seems.

Oh, and I'm pretty sure I have become a small claims court expert from all of this week's Judge Judy and People's Court episodes.

The downside to this downtime, is that I was a little too hopped up on pain meds to make any headway on my novel. But, that's what today is for...........................



As for the days ahead............


WRITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Spend some time with family, this weekend.................

Get caught up, and then some, at the shop.......................

Squeeze a grandbaby or four................



And with that, I'm going to run off and dive into my novel, it won't ever get done it I don't get get busy putting ink to paper..................................


Until next time....




May your lists be short, your dreams long, and your walk between, filled with colour.
May any obstacles that seem insurmountable in the distance, as you get close, become smaller.

May all that makes your soul sing, come to you, ask for it, for you deserve every ounce of joy you feel.
May you recognize it when it arrives, for sometimes dreams can look different, up close, when real.

May you find balance between what you must do to survive, and what you need to do to be truly content.
May you let go of all of the worry, both past, and future, hanging on does nothing but keep you from being present.



check it out!  www.margyreidbooks.com