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

Only A Week Away!

Hi!

Do you see the one with the stunning pink glass frames and lovely green scarf/toque ensemble? The hatless one not-so-successfully giving her "baby" a piggyback ride?

Well, that one is getting married in exactly one week.


The one posing with her? Her maid of honour.


How is this even possible?



 As your kids are growing up, your only wish for them is to be happy and healthy, and have a good life. As you change diapers, give baths, sing to sleep, read stories, play hide-and not so seek, chaperon school dances, drive to different sporting events, wipe tears, have long talks, try to explain bullying, teach kindness, acceptance, sharing, and compromise, this remains your most heartfelt wish.

Why is it, then, that a small part of you feels and bit saddened when your wish is granted? Why is there even a hint of bitter with the sweet?

After all this is what you hoped for, dreamed of, and so desperately wanted for your kid.

I'm thinking that somehow, this, getting married, is the final step in making it official. The last step, in becoming a full fledged adult. They have taken that leap of faith and love. They have met their someone, and are committing to them for the rest of their lives. Like I did, like we did, some 28 years ago.


I know, I know, they've been adults for a while now, all of them. They have been independent, successful in their careers, bought houses, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah, I know. But, for some reason, this just feels a bit.... different.

I am aware that this may not make a lot of sense. I don't think it has to. It just is.


So after a busy week at the shop and running some next to last minute wedding errands, I'm kinda runnin' on fumes. So please forgive the briefness of this week's ramblings, and maybe the extra rambliness (new word)!


As for the next few days? Well, I think you can probably take a pretty solid guess as to what I'll be up to.



For now, I'll leave you with this wish...............


May sleep envelope you deeply, and release you only when you are fully restored.
May you have some day left at the end of your tasks, time to relax, maybe even get bored.

May everything fall into place, with but a slight nudge to set it where it needs to be.
May it all go as they have dreamed and worked for, the best day ever, where "I" becomes "we".



Well folks that about does it for this week.



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



www.margyreidbooks.com

From Canada, To China, To Russia And Back!

Hi!






Well, it's been another busy week!


We ended last week/began this one playing for a wedding held at a ranch.

What I think I enjoy most is that weddings are like snowflakes, no two are the same. They are beautifully unique, each creating and reflecting their own personalities.

I love that couples are thinking outside of traditions, putting their personal stamp on their day. Writing their own vows instead of reciting the words of someone else, incorporating sand ceremonies, kids giving toasts, black tie affairs, bar-b-ques, or something in between.

I love that it then truly becomes their wedding. An authentic representation of who they are as they move forward as a brand new family.

"Weddings" are so full of joy, laughter, dancing, and romance, a complete celebration of love and commitment. "Marriage" is the art of carrying all of that through your entire lives. After the music fades, and the lights dim in the wake of inevitable crap storms, your "marriage" will need you. It will need you to protect it, keep it strong, nurture it, help it grow. You will need to feed it generous doses of patience and understanding, compromise, and trust. You will need to find romance where you thought there was none. You will need to continue to laugh and dance and find joy, especially when things are hard. Most importantly you will need to put your marriage first. First before career, first before friends, first before outside opinion.....first.

When all is said and done, it really won't matter where you worked, how much money you made, or what the Neighbours thought of your lawn. All that will matter is who is still there, holding your hand..............







The remainder of the past week was filled with a flurry of activity at the shop, a day of  prep for our daughter's wedding, and a visit from a very dear friend.




So, as I sat down this evening to begin putting this week's ramblings on the page, I thought I'd take a peek and see where they may have landed in the last few days.


I am truly humbled and forever grateful for the continued support.


To hear from readers that a certain blog or "wish" helped them through a tough time, helped them feel a little less alone, or helped them find the humour in something that was going on in their lives simply fills my soul.




It amazes me everyday that I get to live this life. Thank you.




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


You guessed it, it will  be another busy one at the shop..............

More Daughter's wedding prep (we are now only 2 wks away!)

Squeeze some grandmunchkins.........................


Write!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!






That, my friends, about does it for another week. Until next time I'll leave you with this wish...............




May you see beyond your actions, and see the ripples they may cause.
May you know negative ripples travel just as far and fast, take a beat, take pause.

May you fight for what is real, what is yours, for what you know is true.
May you stand up for the life you really want, as it won't be handed to you.

May you speak the words that live in your heart, the ones you fear to give a voice.
May you find the courage to then take action, decide to live happy, for it is your choice.    



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


www.margyreidbooks.com

There May or May Not Have Been.........................

Hi!





Ok....so a few shenanigans may or may not have taken place over the past weekend.......maybe......

There may or may not have been a bit of dirty dancing conga line crashing. There may or may not have been some drunkenese spoken with such a thick accent that the only thing understood was a demand for dancing, a refusal for dancing, and a guy who really didn't want his name to be Jose. There may or may not have been a few adult beverages of varying strengths, proportions, and colours involved................maybe.....


All in all it was a blast! It was so fun to hang out with our girls and just have a good time.

Then it was back home, rest a bit, then back to the shop on Monday!

That was the day I got to go on a bit of a field trip to the City for parts..........Construction, the season that piggybacks every season that doesn't involve snow.


As you sit in the line up waiting, it becomes fairly apparent, fairly quickly that, in general, humanity seems to approach this impromptu lesson in patience in one of two ways.

Some people get agitated almost instantly. You can see them making frustrated gestures, banging steering wheels, ever trying to inch ahead, even though the line is completely still, like that extra inch will somehow get them to their destination faster.

Others, take this opportunity to check their phones, bop along to the music on the radio, some even leaving their vehicles to chat with  fellow hostages. There is absolutely nothing you can do about it, so you might as well enjoy the down time.

Personally, I choose to indulge in the latter. Why get yourself all worked up, anxious and frustrated over something like this?

I am neither a surgeon on my way to perform an emergent, life saving procedure, nor a courier of donated organs, where time is paramount. I am just a person going down the highway.....slowly. 45 minutes one way or the other just isn't going to have any kind of earth shattering impact.

Travelling our busy highways can get a bit crazy, especially on these long weekends. Just remember, whomever you are going to see would much rather have you show up late, and in one piece, than suffer the alternative.

Enjoy the downtime.


Well, as predicted, this week has been very busy.


I did manage, however, to rectify the whole lack of grandbaby squeezes situation that has plagued the calendar, as of late. Dang they are cute! I got to hear all about soccer practice, math homework, a wonderful collection of sticks, dinosaurs, and a very animated conversation with our sweet Peanut, filled mostly with babynese and and lot of talking with her hands.

Music is ready to go for this weekend's wedding...............

Laundry is caught up...for now.....

Some dust bunnies have been hunted down and put to rest................


As for the next bit................

Shop will be busy..........

WRITE!!!!!

Get some last bits of daughter's wedding worked out......3wks away!!!!!



Well that about does it for this time................


Until next time..........not every day is a good day, so for those going through some bad ones.............




May the darkness be lifted at least so far as to see the light you truly are.
May you recognize that a bad day is simply that, a day, a new one is never far.

May you see that we are with you, every step, every stumble, every anxious breath.
May you know, even though the right words struggle to find flight, we do our very best.

May you rediscover your joy, it's still there, it's just hiding, frightened of the dark.
May you bring it out into the sunshine, let it feel the breeze, take hold, light a spark.

May you find you your smile, the real one, not the one painted on the mask.
May you find it, nurture it, and keep it, do whatever it takes to make it last.




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


check out www.margyreidbooks.com

The Mother Of All Days!

Happy Mother's Day!



You may recognize this group of hooligans from previous photos. One of which is I....the head hooligan, so to speak.....the others...........


Well, the others in this photo are the reason I am.  They are the reason I've done everything........anything.  They are why whenever I have felt like I can't, I do. They are why I know my love is limitless. They are why I smile. They are why I breathe. That never goes away.

That is probably a very good thing because...........They are also why I started getting grey hair at a young age. They are why I get a sharp pain in my right hip, every now and again. They are why my cellulite isn't so lite. They are why my abdomen looks like some faded map penned by a visually impaired, drunken topographer who refuses to draw with anything but the white crayon.

In short, they are a piece of every part of who I am.


They are strong, independent, fiercely loyal, and incredibly kind individuals. They each have a great capacity for compassion and are never afraid to show it. They stand up for what they believe, ever willing to fight for it.


Definitely worth a tangle or two with a certain drunken topographer..........................

And now that they are adults and the parental heavy lifting has become more of a leisurely stroll with an occasional steadying hand, it's become so much fun to just hang out with them as grown women.


Tomorrow will be one of those days, as we will be attending the youngest daughter's wedding shower. There may be some shenanigans involved..........maybe...........likely..........probably............


As for the past week................................


Busy..busy...busy....shop is busy.......awesome!


Put finishing touches on wedding music for next weekend.......................


Did not get to squeeze one grandbaby under the age of 7..........need to rectify that............


As for the upcoming week...............

Enjoy tomorrow!

Will be hoppin at the shop.................

Work on music for our daughter's wedding.............

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

Squeeze every grandbaby at least once!!!!


That about does it for another week............until next time



May the privilege of motherhood not be lost in the giant piles of dirty clothes.
May your heartstrings be pulled at least as much as your pant legs, what's on your fingers?! Gross!

May you remember intently the sweet newborn smell that filled you with such awe.
May you remember this feeling as your toddler claims your entire wall as his canvas on which to draw.

May the love that fills you as you gaze upon those big eyes stand strong, stay true.
May it stay as such, as you discover every door knob, every light switch covered in a mysterious goo.

May the vision of those cherub cheeks burn into your very soul, etched forever deep.
May you visualize this clearly at the first sign of teenage disdain, adolescence will soak and steep.

May you recall the bountiful snuggles, abundant kisses and hugs, daily, without thought, a given.
May you soak them in now at every given chance, for they are busy, people to see, lives to be livin'.

May you recall the one for whom you are that reflection, the face, those eyes, that hug.
May you remember, even if it can only be with a whisper from your soul, give that pant leg a bit of a tug.


Until next time....



www.margyreidbooks.com

"I Have To Need That"...And Other Kidisms!

Hi!




I know I've said it before, and I will probably say it again many times......kids are awesome!



This week we received a visit from our two youngest grandbabies and their mom at the shop. Jake is pretty much convinced that he knows how to fix almost anything and when he's around it basically becomes Grandpa's job to hand him tools.

"I have to need that" is the general request. This is followed by whichever specific tool he requires.
Scoojivers, jills, hammas, you just never know. He takes it very seriously, and is smart as a whip. It's getting ever more difficult to pass off the "pretend" tasks as real fixes. He's beginning to catch on to the ruse. One can only hope that one day his ability catches up with his desire, and when it does, the desire still burns as bright. If not in pursuing "fixing," then with whatever takes it's place.


Speaking of burning desires.............at the trade show in Swift Current today, I had the privilege of meeting a pretty fantastic 8 yr old young man. This kid has more drive and less fear than most adults I've ever met. Once he found out that I actually wrote the books I was selling, he hung out at my table for quite a while. Besides having some really great questions for me, he also wanted to let me know that he writes too. He also draws, has told his stories at open mike nights, and continues to push for more. When Mom joined the conversation, she explained how he simultaneously fills her with equal parts pride and fear. She is trying to walk the fine line of protecting him while still encouraging him to pursue what makes him light up.

Never more than a few steps behind, was his little brother.....he's five. After obviously being instructed to stay with his big brother when not standing by Mom, he strayed slightly to the booth across the way from me to do a bit of research of his own. You see, the lady in the booth across the way had cinnamon buns, butter horns, and other delectable treats, most showing a price tag of $5.00. It didn't take long before he returned to his brother, who was busily reading my books and talking shop, to ask for the said $5.00. (This was, of course was before Mom joined the party). Upon finding out that his brother had no money, even after asking the third time, this little one hesitated not one microsecond before turning to my hubby, looking him straight in the eye and asking "Do you have $5.00?"

Before my hubby could reply, Big Brother stepped in, completely horrified by his brother's request. "You can't go around asking people for money! Just stay here and wait for Mom!"

The deadpan look on this little 5yr old's face was absolutely priceless. All he saw was the fact that $5.00 was the only thing standing between him and the treats, and he was going to find a way.  It seemed completely ridiculous for his brother to object to his methods...............


It was a day of being shown secret handshakes, getting the chance to snuggle a one month old little girl, (her mom had the booth beside me, what could I do?), getting great feedback from people, and sending some more books to good homes.

It was a great way to end what was otherwise a bit of a challenging week.

Business at the shop couldn't be better, that's always awesome............

It was on a personal level that we had the misfortune of dealing with a couple of unpleasant people.

Details and circumstances don't really matter, as my experience has taught me that unpleasant people will simply be unpleasant no matter what the circumstances might be. Why they choose to do this, I will never be able to comprehend. These are the type of people who are compelled to find fault with everything they encounter. It will be their meal in a restaurant, their service at a gas station, the way their groceries are packed, the sky being too blue, or the fact that that trees have seeds. Details and circumstances hold no relevance.

My experience also has taught me not to give these people any power over my life in any way. Their negativity is poison, it's their poison, and I simply choose not to partake. So much energy wasted clinging desperately to misery, wasting even more trying to get others to join the party. No thanks.


As for the upcoming week....................


It will be another busy one at the shop............

Time to donate blood..............

Last of the wedding baking................

More prep on May 16 wedding music............

More writing..........




That about does it for another week....until next time.................



May your heart's desire never be squelched, in spite of the fear in which it's sometimes drenched.
May you hang on tight to your peace, others may try to tear it away, hold fast, fists clenched.

May everything that makes your heart sing be put before you in plain site, path clear.
May you wring every ounce of joy, without guilt, without regret, without fear.

May every brightness, every light, every happiness fill every corner of your life.
May any negativity be simply removed with the swift assuredness of a brilliant surgeon's knife.

May you go through your days walking in the sun.
May you share your joy, pass it on, for that's how peace is won.



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