Monthly Archives: December 2012

December 26, 2012 · 7:44 am

Snow Day

DSC01026 - Copy (640x480)This painting is unfinished business, waiting for my return.  How appropriate it has come around to winter again so I’m more motivated to get out the brushes and finish this project.  I began it in winter, left it over a summer and here it is again, winter.

It all began as a photo opportunity, an interrupted moment when I was at a friends house during an intimate time of group prayer together.  I looked up from where I sat and saw the thick snow flakes drifting down over the yard covering the two lawn chairs which had not been put away after their last sun soak in summer.

After the photo was taken,  the painting was created and though originally the ground was like a freshly fluffed white comforter, the chairs loaded like cotton balls, the tree moved from the right side of the yard to behind the chairs and branches hanging with added weight and the fence barely distinguishable from sun bleached wood to snow covered my fingers could not produce what my mind wanted.  Everything was too white on white and I seemed unable to distinguish objects.

Then I discovered blue.  A now forgotten mixture of various blues, but once I put the first stroke of brush over canvas, this artist got excited as the fence took it’s rightful place in the back, backyard, and the chairs stayed on the ground without floating and the tree hovered it’s limbs like a blanket about to drape and protect.  Ahh, satisfaction.

…and then I put the brushes away.

With recent snows, though typical to west coast living, has come and gone in a flash, I’m still motivated to finish the painting and will pursue thinking about when I will do that.  Before spring and summer arrive I hope.

But not today.  Today is Boxing Day – known in Canada as the day after Christmas, traditionally known as the day one boxes up the gifts from yesterday.  But, for our family, this day may be the beginning of a new tradition when our group of 5 will gather to have brunch of Waffles, Crepes, Ham and chocolate, (lots of chocolate) exchange gifts, hang out….hopefully take a walk and eat a Mexican dinner.

Merry Christmas and happy Boxing Day…

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December 25, 2012 · 3:29 pm

Christmas morn…

Today’s Tip:  Don’t Give Up…

After rising way too early today (4am), I decided to put some recent learning to good use and post a blog.  I managed to retrieve a picture and insert it into my post and then I wanted to tell the beginning of my Christmas story.  With one wrong button pushed, my snowy photo disappeared and could not be found.

With time still available I forged ahead without the photo and pushed out around 500 words explaining just how I had gotten myself into such a confused blog/picture/post/laptop/new windows/learning curve dilemma.  I was really getting into the mode of having a great time writing and decided to ‘save draft’.  That was when I was told I had no internet connection.

Huh….what was that supposed to mean?

Well,  it meant not only had my photo gone into who knows where – in space, my well groomed and patiently expressed words of my not so perfect story time were also gone.  I had really liked the part about me whisper-yelling at the laptop in order to not wake up my little household, but that image has been lost too.

I didn’t exactly slam down the lid on my still too new to me Asus laptop, but I did give the screen a good tongue lashing and let it know how disgusted I was with the performance thus far. Then I closed the lid and slid the computer out of sight before I did any damage to it.

And, on Christmas Day too…sheesh!  I was just trying to recall my memories, sit quiet and not disturb the cat sleeping at my feet and the husband crashed out down the hall.  Speaking of husband – when he appeared and sat groggily listening to my rant of what the computer did to me today, he very nicely let me know it is a good idea to regularly click on the ‘save draft’ area of my screen and then I’d be able to retrieve my ‘words’.

It was then I remembered the teaching experience of my new young friend who is coaching me along on this journey of my laptop and WordPress blog.  She too has stressed the importance of this little feature.  I have learned the hard way – again.

I am going to try again to do my step by step instructions of moving a picture/resizing it then inserting it into my blog post.

Just not today.   Merry Christmas…

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December 7, 2012 · 5:42 pm

One Step at a Time

Time.  As I’ve aged, sometimes fear has crept in, wondering what I’d do with my time, my minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years remaining.  I’ve imagined myself sitting on a couch using the TV as my companion, my cat as my only communication with others, the phone or doorbell never ringing, adult children I never see and holidays that come and go.

It would be a very lonely way to spend the end of life years  but it is the life of many people, many seniors I’ve visited over the last decades of my working with them.  Working in a job I did not design for myself but rather stumbled into when I needed work I began to meet those who needed extra care, cleaning done, meals made, visiting, a walk around the block, a pat on the cheek, a hug and some love.

Now that I am changing direction and ‘retired’ from looking after the elderly I’m recognizing I was given a gift – the opportunity to love those that are sometimes forgotten.   In return I’ve been loved.  Accepted.  Trusted.  I am grateful.

Though some of you are no longer here, some of you need more care than I can give, and likely none of you will ever read this post, I want to say thank you.  In the midst of my entering your homes, your most vulnerable spaces and needs, I was given tools on how to age with dignity because you showed the way.  Thank you.

I’m changing direction and opening doors of opportunity and peeking in…more than that I’ve taken a couple of steps inside to see what is there because the view wasn’t clear enough.  I see there is more for me to do, experience, learn, explore and I am about to swing wide the door and embrace the next step.

Today, the rush in my head feels like there is not enough time to accomplish all that needs doing but it’s all good and I’m going to have a great day.  No time to sit on the couch…

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December 1, 2012 · 1:21 pm

Work View

DSC01493

Elim Village.  This is one of the views I get depending on which parking spot I choose as I arrive for work.  Mostly, this is a Dutch community, beautifully designed and constructed, and welcomes the Senior population.

Over the past eleven years I have worked for various families on a part time basis to fill a need as companion care for a mother or father – doing whatever the family wanted or needed…meal prep, shopping, conversation, reading, meals out in restaurant and to be a friend.

It is with gratefulness I say good-bye to this part of my life journey at Elim Village.  I take with me some great stories of lives well lived, met families who trusted me with the care of their parents – even if just for an hour a couple times during a week and I will miss these connections.

I will stay connected with Elim Village because I will continue to meet with the writers group there – another blessing in my life.  It is there and through story, I have learned the life travels of immigrants, war, friendship, loyalty, love, hurts and pain, struggles, joy, determination…the list is long.

I’m on to the next adventure of my aging self…perhaps more education, seek other employment, write more, definitely play more Pickleball, and maybe I’ll even get my paints out again to finish a picture I started more than a year ago.

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