Nevermore A Reason To Weep...............................

Hi!


Our little Izzy. She is growing so fast, turning 9 months old as the calendar flips to another new year.

As she grows, her biggest fears will be running out of monster spray, or her brother getting into her stuff. She will never have to wonder if she is loved, or be cold or hungry. She will be able to run and play outside, the worst dangers, stepping in gopher holes and/or dog poop.

She will grow, solid in the knowledge that her safety net is soft, but steadfast, kind, but strong, and big enough to be near, no matter where on this earth her wings may eventually take her.

She is one of many who share this incredible luck. But she is also one of not nearly enough.

A person only needs to take a mere glimpse at the news to see the shock filled faces of angels too terrified to quiver, no longer even able to cry.  They are broken. It's impossible to make sense of the senseless. If we, as adults can't do it, what must it be like for them?

These babies, big and small, trapped in hell, knowing safety is possible, but next to impossible to reach.

As humankind, how did we get here.....again.

It seems, that as generations pass, humans are the only species who continually repeat behavior so incredibly, and obviously, disadvantageous. Killing each other to accumulate imaginary power over things that will never really belong to anyone. Oil, land, water. Baffling.

One can only wonder if we will ever learn. So far, it's not very encouraging.


In the meantime, I, for one, will do my best to keep the spotlight on this hell in any way I can, for pretending this, or any evil doesn't exist serves no-one but those who perpetrate it. I will also take extra special care to hug loved ones a little tighter, and a little more often, not losing sight for a second just how lucky we are.

This week, I visited a school wherein one very young, bright-eyed, precocious little girl, about 15 questions deep into the Q&A that follows all my readings, asked the question, "Are you rich?"

"Well," I said, "I have a great husband,  four daughters, four son-in-laws, and four grandbabies, who are all healthy and happy. I have a warm house, I get to eat every day, and I have a soft, warm safe place to sleep every single night. Yeah, I'd say I'm pretty rich."

The older kids in the group seemed to get it, but little missy munchkin simply rolled her eyes as only six-year-olds can, and retorted, "Well, I meant money!"


Kids are awesome!


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

So, as I mentioned, this week involved a visit to Kerrobert Composite School for a reading. It's always such a blast! So grateful for our local writer's guild, without them, I wouldn't be able to visit all the places I get to visit!

This week also included a trip to the physiotherapist. This hip just wasn't getting any better on its own, time to call in the experts. She was very helpful and is pretty sure she should be able to assist in speeding up the healing process. Apparently, I've done an excellent job of tearing up a fairly large group of muscles. They are now full of scar tissue and have anger issues. Nothing some very strange interpretive dance moves, heating pads, and rolling a ball around on the offended area won't cure.

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

Getting ready for Christmas!

Yup, there will be plenty of watching Grandbabies perform in Christmas concerts, prepping food, running last minute errands, using the term 'running' rather loosely, unfortunately.

Write!!!!!


Well folks, that about does it for now.....until next time....




May you see beyond the horizon, feel beyond the terror, know you're not alone.
May kindness touch you, may comfort find you, may you find a new, safe place to call home.

May you never again have to look into the face of evil, never again have to live in fear.
May you know that we see you, all of you, your terror, we feel, your cries, we hear.

May the hands of angels pull you from the rubble, bring you peace, placing you beyond the reach of this, or any other hell.
May you, until then, know we see you, your terror deeper than tears, your horror deeper than any bottomless well.

May some solace soon find you, and allow you to blissfully sleep.
May you once again laugh and play, nevermore with a reason to weep.


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


www.margyreidbooks.com

Chickmunks and No Heat!

Hi!

We've popped the cork on the second week of December!

Mother Nature has gone from letting us run around with a  'do I really need a jacket' frame of mind, to 'holy crap, it hurts to breathe'. The snow hasn't really hit in our immediate vicinity as of yet, which, for me, makes the sudden cold a little easier to swallow.

But, hey, we had an exceptionally beautiful November weatherwise, so that, in and of itself, shortens our winter by an entire month!

I'll take it!

This past week was spent in a hotel room writing my face off. I was able to gain some ground, for sure, just not as much as I had hoped, as this stupid hip hinders things more things than I thought possible. It's definitely making me very aware of the things I usually take for granted.

Progress is still progress, even if it isn't at the desired pace. A step is still a step.

The hotel was one that provided breakfast every morning, and, more importantly, the breakfast room had tables and chairs that worked better for writing than the desk and chair in my room. Short leg/stupid hip problems.

One morning, a young Mom came in for breakfast with her 4 year old little boy and 10 month old baby girl. I know what it's like trying to juggle a baby, yogurt and fruitloops, it seemed kinda ridiculous not to offer to help carry some of the items back to her table. Once everybody was settled in, The little guy became pretty comfortable and we began to chat.

Kids are awesome. It never seems to fail, as soon as they figure out that you are genuinely interested in what they have to say, they are more than willing to talk. By the end of our visit, he had told me all about how he is really a tiger and hunts the blue and white chickmunks, yes, I do mean chickmunks, that live in his house. He went on to explain how he washes off his tiger stripes in the sink so nobody finds out about his superpowers.

Yup, kids are awesome.

The week rounded out with baking some Christmas cookies and having the grandbabies over to decorate them.

Oh yeah, and then our furnace's blower motor decided to crap out. Yup, -30C windchill, no heat. Yay. Thankfully, we have a brother-in-law that just so happens to be a plumber, and he was able to come out and put a new one in. Furnace quit at supper time, and working again by bedtime. Thanks Will!

As for the upcoming days, there will be grandbaby snuggles, writing, a school visit, some baking, and laundry.

Well, that's it for now. Until next time.........


May the chill be kept at bay and the cold not intrude.
May warm hearts, hearths and hugs, help keep you renewed.

May there be plenty of cuddles and snuggles wrapped up in blanket nests.
May you, when forced inside by the freeze, create, enjoy, make cookies, take rests.

May you pick up once again, that guitar, that book, whatever you've been meaning to get to.
May you, when it's just too cold to go out the door, take the time to reconnect to you.




www.margyreidbooks.com

Notice The Little Things............

Hi!

No, I haven't moved, these are real, actual photos of our part of the world on Dec. 3/2016!


It's a bit strange, to say the least, but, I, for one will accept this lack of the white stuff with a truckload of gratitude.

Although winter doesn't actually shorten by the simple lack of snow, it sure allows us to feel that way.
The lack of sunlight, at least for me, is made much more tolerable by not being buried under 8 foot snowbanks.

Little things that make life a bit easier shouldn't go unnoticed.

Little things, well sometimes, not so little things like having kids and grandkids that are, by all basic measures, pretty healthy and happy is one thing that had a spotlight shone on it today.

Today, I met a young mom of three, her youngest, a little 18month old boy  forced to deal with a pretty rare condition. A condition that makes him allergic to most food proteins. The kicker is that there is no way of knowing what foods will make him sick until about 6-8 hours after eating.  Right now, he has three safe foods, carrots, apples, and quinoa.

I can't imagine the dread and anxiety that must go through both the parents and the little one each time they try a new food or drink.

Something as basic as feeding your child, made so difficult.

Notice the little things, I know I will.


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


So, this week has passed pretty quickly. I'm still a part-time couch jockey, with a date with a physiotherapist, but I'm more than grateful for the fact that I am an otherwise pretty dang healthy woman who has had the privilege of celebrating a 50th birthday, and has no reason to think I shouldn't have the further privilege of celebrating many more.

A few more snowman made the migration from the basement...............

Today, I participated in a great little tradeshow in Colonsay, Sk. Small town shows are awesome!

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

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

Write, write, and write some more! I will be strapped to my laptop for the majority of the upcoming week. I'm hoping to make a huge dent in the back half of my novel.


Well folks, that about does it for now. Until next time.....with a certain little one in mind....


May you find, when things are darkest, the courage to keep you going strong.
May you know, when doubt hits, decisions founded in love are rarely wrong,

May time bring solutions, options, countless ways to make things better.
May you, in the meantime, wear the support around you like a favourite sweater.

May you celebrate every victory, however slight it may seem.
May this, someday, become an awful memory, a distant, bad dream.


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

www.margyreidbooks.com

Snowman Migration of 2016!

Hi!


As you can tell from the photos, the snowmen that, generally, remain content hanging out in the basement, have begun their ascent to the main floor. It starts small, but they stalk me, and end up wearing me down to the point where I can resist their charms no longer, thus, rendering useless any further obstruction. (not that I ever really put up much of a fight)

It usually starts slowly, this year, the one leading the pack, as shown in the first photo, brought along a most menacing looking bodyguard (bottom photo)to help him further the cause.

Just taking the photos is deemed fairly risky, and very rare, as they don't like getting caught during their annual migration. This journey is usually carried out with the shadows of night affording their cloak of secrecy.

Soon they will all arrive, spreading their Holiday magic along the way. I love this annual snowman invasion. (even if they are a bit creepy about it)


Well, the holiday season has officially hit. Time for office parties, and the inevitable, unfortunate, happenstances therein. Time for making, buying, or pulling out of storage, the knick knacks and doo-dads that bring to life the feeling of holiday magic for you and yours.

Time to honour and/or create those traditions that make this time of year so special. It's different for everyone. Some love formal dinners and black tie parties. Others gather for potluck, living room picnics around coffee tables, board games and beer. Others watch every holiday movie, new and old, cuddled on couches, with kidlets, bright-eyed and full of excited anticipation. Others, for various reasons, don't celebrate at all. All great, all delightful, all of which are choices.

Yet others face a completely different kind of holiday season.

Some are homeless, simply looking for a warm, safe place to lay their head. Some are living in constant fear, surrounded by violence. Some feel alone, living in a weighted darkness, without the ability  to reach out. Some will be writing wish-filled letters, handing them to those who will feel a gutted failure, as they know not a single one can be granted. None great, none delightful, none of which are choices.

If you are lucky enough to be one those with choice, please choose to share. Share your joy, share a smile, share with a food bank, share with a toy drive, share with a shelter, share what you can. please share.


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


So it's been another week that has tested my efficiency as a couch jockey. My hip is getting better, just not as quickly as I would like, therefore, I will be making a visit to the doc within the next few days.

I managed to pop the cork on Christmas baking, depositing the first bucket of goodies into the freezer.

Although becoming proficient at riding a couch does not assist in a lot of anything getting done, through having to do so, I feel I have studied enough, and could, without a doubt, fill in for Judge Judy, should the call to do so come through.

With the help of my awesome hubby, I was able to participate in tradeshows both last Saturday and today. Although having a literal pain in the ass does suck some of the fun out of attending, it's still always a great way to spend a day!

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


Probably a bit more time spent holding my couch down............

Doctor........yippee

Working the shop.................

Write..............

Participate in another awesome trade show event in Colonsay..................


And that about does it for now, until next time, I'll leave you with this wish............


May this time, for you, be filled with fun, focussed on all those you hold dear.
May you enjoy every chance to get together, eat the fudge, share a giggle, raise a glass of cheer.

May you listen, really hear, the beckoning of the donation bins, keeping in mind the blissful, wish-filled eyes.
May you find it in your heart to share, whatever you can, help squelch rumbling hunger, turn tears of disappointment into joyful cries.

May you soak up every ounce of joy, every smattering of peace, every gift of laughter.
May you then share it all over the place, spreading happiness for not just the now, but the after.


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


www.margyreidbooks.com

When Your Boobs Get A Letter........................

Hi!


Grandbabies and supermoons!


In the first photo, you see some pretty sweet faces hanging out in their "nest," watching movies. You also get a little glimpse of the fallout in the background. It was a sleepover filled with giggles, pizza, ice cream sundaes, nerf gun fights, snuggles and grandpa wrestling. Worth any fallout, every time!

The remaining photos are my attempt at capturing the supermoon. It was tough. My camera just couldn't do it justice.



Soooooooo, as a woman in Saskatchewan that has hit the fifty mark, there is a bonus, of which,  up until now, I was unaware.

Here, once you hit fifty, your various body parts begin receiving mail from the health department. I kid you not! I was aware, used to, and came to look forward to,(yeah, not really) the bi-annual love letter to my nether regions, reminding me it was time to be screened for cancer and/or any other evil entities. These letters start showing up, starting with your 18th birthday.

But, unbeknownst to me, once you hit fifty, the invitation to the screening party begins to include other parts of your anatomy, specifically, your colon and your boobs.

With all of the unpleasant, uncomfortable, and sometimes downright painful things we, as women, have to endure, I feel there should be a bit more of a counterbalance involved.

We go through the pain of childbirth, the counterbalance, a tiny human we would easily die for.

All I'm saying is that it wouldn't hurt to have a nice glass of wine and a fantastic meal served by the likes of Ryan Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson and Brad Pitt waiting at the end of every mammogram.

It wouldn't hurt to have a luxurious spa day coupon handed to us after that oh so lovely experience of the pap.

When you have completed the hot flash-ridden, fog-brained, mystery weight shifting/gaining, hormonal rollercoaster that is menopause, you should get a big fat cheque to reimburse you for all of the pads/tampons/panty-liners you have ever had to purchase, oh,  and a free cruise.

Fair counterbalance, just sayin'.


I will be forever grateful for the fact that by simply being lucky enough to be born where I was, I can receive all of this care, preventative, treatments, procedures, operations and having kids, all without any out of pocket cost to me. I need not buy any extra insurance to make sure I can take care of myself and my family. Something afforded to all of our citizens, regardless of income level or job security.

As of right now, not all things are covered, as we still need to pay for chiropractors, dentists, optometrists, and physical therapy. I'm hopeful that those steps will be taken in the future.

So, although we complain about the tests and procedures that we need to go through, we should always keep in mind all of the people out there who can only look at the care we receive, and see it as some distant, far-fetched dream.

So I will suck it up. All of it. But, I still wouldn't turn down the cruise.


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

So besides having a sleepover with the sweet faces, the past few days have been a slight pain in the butt, literally.

A few weeks ago I tried to turn my daughter's steps into a slip and slide, and failed miserably. Things were healing up nicely until I did something weird to the already injured hip by doing something so crazy as putting on a boot.

This made me a couch jockey for a good chunk of the week. Apparently, with all of the growth and maturity that supposedly is absorbed through aging, I must have missed the day that covered being a patient patient.  I suck at this. I know it, and I'm trying to get better at it. It's tough when you are so used to being the one taking care of everybody else. Not so crazy about this trip to the flipside.

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

A Christmas themed tradeshow in Swift Current, writing, and working at the shop will be on the agenda. Hopefully, all goes according to plan!


Yeah, like that ever happens! Life would be pretty boring if it did.


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


May the fog lift, the cramps fade, and the booby vice be kind.
May you realize, even though, at times it feels as such, you're really not losing your mind.

May the hot flashes hit only, and I mean only, when you feel incredibly, uncomfortably cold.
May they completely bugger off during meetings, in restaurants, and in the checkout line where your groceries are sold.

May any and all news resulting from the indignities endured, be benign.
May you reward yourself, for being a woman can be tough, with some ice cream, maybe some wine.

May you give yourself permission to take real care of yourself, and do it guilt free.
May you embrace the role of care receiver, though foreign, though unfamiliar, when need be.



See you next week!

www.margyreidbooks.com

Remembering What's Important................

This weekend, we get an extra day off.  It's no regular stat, it is there to remind us of, and to honour those who went before us, dying to fight for our freedoms.


What they sacrificed affords us the freedom to say what we feel, disagree, agree, and fight passionately for what we believe in, no matter what it is.


As stewards of those freedoms, it's our responsibility to ensure that they are preserved respectfully. These freedoms have evolved to become more inclusive. Allowing grown people to now marry any other grown person. Allowing women to make choices regarding their own bodies, desegregation, and steps have been taken toward equality of race, gender and religion. Steps.

It's so important to keep moving forward, celebrating and embracing these freedoms, adding to them. Although we will undoubtedly, at times, completely disagree about the path on which progress will take, it's imperative that respect, communication and compromise remain at the forefront.

We should continue to strive to have everyone wake up with a true sense of security and safety. No one person who lives within a democracy should feel threatened in any way.

When our great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, siblings, husbands, wives and friends sacrificed their lives, their limbs and their emotional health for our freedoms, I can't imagine it came with exceptions. The ones who sacrificed came from every religion, ethnicity and orientation, yet they were brothers and sisters in arms.

If they, in those circumstances, with life and death on the line, were able to see past their differences to find common ground and a way to work together, then, for us to do any less would be a slap in the face to their memories.

They had no problem remembering what was truly important, neither should we.


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


This week has been pretty interesting.

It began with spending some time with friends, which is always fantastic!

I was a bit couch bound due to my complete and utter gracefulness in slippery situations. This didn't allow me to sit and write a whole lot, but did give me way too much time to follow the American election.

I guess time will tell. Their decision has been made. I doubt that it will get any less interesting.


As for the upcoming days.

Tomorrow we will observe a time of silence in honour of those who are responsible for our freedom.
Later, the day will be anything but silent,  as we celebrate that freedom by having the grandbabies converge on our house for a movie night/ pizza and ice cream/ dance party/ sleepover.

The rest of the upcoming week will be spent, writing, working and carrying on with life as we know it.


That about does it for this time around, until next time.................


May we keep in mind how it might feel to have our freedoms threatened, our liberties at risk.
May we be cautious not to instill in others those feelings, those fears, let's be gentle through this.

May kindness and hope trump any darkness or hate, filling us all, once again, with light.
May the shadows lift, revealing a rainbow, no one colour better than the other nor more bright.

May our respect for one another's spirituality grow exponentially, for each soul's journey is entirely unique.
May we understand that darkness doesn't live in how, or to whom, or if, we choose to pray, but in the level of glory our ego will seek.


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

www.margyreidbooks.com

Most Humble, Most Kind!

Hi folks!




Well, here we are in November!




Soon, the United States will finally have a new president. Finally! I find it hard to understand why they drag their process for soooooooo long.

In my opinion, it shouldn't take longer to campaign for any office than it does to grow a human in a uterus.

It seems a bit crazy to me that they feel their process warrants this span of time. For one thing, it's got to be exhausting for those actually in the race. For another, that is a ton of money that could be so easily spent in better ways. Look into the hungry eyes of a child and tell me again how important it is that you spend millions for months, saying the same things over and over again. And for yet another thing. as if there needs to be another thing, if they were kept to a much tighter timeline, it would force all involved to focus more on policy and platform. There simply wouldn't be time for all of the silly, if at times entertaining, noise.

I haven't found another democratic country that does this. I would love to know the why behind it.


In my heart of hearts, I hope the citizens of America choose well, both for them, and the world they live in.


So while we wait to see who next resides in the white house, we carry on.

We carry on with babies being announced, being born, school pictures and Halloween. We carry on with new jobs, new houses, losing loved ones, meeting new friends, and cherishing those we already have. We carry on, crying on shoulders, and being the shoulder on which to cry. We carry on.

In my heart of hearts, I hope the citizens of America choose well, choose wisely, choose carefully. Putting the one in that historical home that has proven to hold dear the things for which we carry on. The one with their own history of working for the betterment of others. Past behaviors are a heavy determiner of future behaviors. Please push aside the noise, and take a clear, objective look at the lives of both. Choose the one who truly reflects how you want your country to be viewed by the world.  When you look at the leader of a country, a leader chosen by it's citizens, the world can't help but think that that leader is a true reflection of the nation that put him in such an esteemed position.

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



As for the past week around here,

Halloween.......I had the pleasure of giving the kids in our community a bit of a fright........hehehhehe

There was a trade show, month end, part finding, bill paying, customer care, writing, laundry and a dust bunny rodeo.


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

Some time with friends, writing, work at the shop, some more writing, and, with any luck a grandbaby snuggle or two.


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


May you be thoughtful in your choices for their consequences linger.
May you weigh them carefully, the mirror is a hard place for pointed fingers.

May you see beyond the circus, beyond all that distracts from what truly matters.
May you look, with objectivity, who builds up those around them, who shatters.

May you make this decision keeping your world of neighbours in mind.
May you remember no one thrives in a bubble, pick who's most humble, most kind.





Until next week!