Today the ‘Piece of My Mind’ that I am sharing is the piece that shoots sharp stabbing pains down my spine every time I hear the word ‘toxic’ these days.
Do people even remember what the word means? Do people realize that if you take a powerful word and use it in every second sentence it loses its power? Do people have any idea what constant exaggeration does to their overall credibility? Do people understand how damaging words can be?
I am relatively ‘aged‘. I have been challenged by life – during a time when one was expected to rise to the challenge. I have experienced difficult situations, dysfunctional relationships, disturbing people. I did what people did at the time. I worked my way through it or I walked away from it – with respect and dignity.
These days, toxic is the final word for today’s challenging situations and relationships. From ‘toxic’ there is nowhere to go – no discussion, no redemption, no healing, no compassion, no forgiveness, no understanding, no hope, no closure – there is nothing. Everyone loses.
We need to change that outcome. We need to dial back the rhetoric and re-open the door to dialogue, growth, and empowerment. We deserve that.
Think about it 😉
That is my ‘Piece of Mind’ for the day. Whether you agree, or not, you are more than welcome to share your thoughts in the comment section.
Wishing everyone a good weekend. Take care and see you tomorrow. 💞
Today the ‘Piece of My Mind’ that I have decided to share, is the piece that holds my opinion on the proliferation of off-leash dog parks in our city. Apparently this is a trend that has been spreading across North America for some time, but as usual we are running a few years behind.
For the record – I am against off-leash dog parks. We certainly do not need seven (and counting) off-leash dog parks anywhere in Regina. We definitely do not need one in our neighborhood (which is currently in the works). There are as many dogs as people in our area. While we have many responsible dog owners, we also have those who can barely control their dogs on a leash, much less without one. When our neighbourhood off-leash dog park opens, I for one will not be taking Kat into that gong show.
But, we will be helping to foot the bill to build and maintain yet another off-leash dog park that this city does not need. As will everyone else in our neighbourhood – the petless, the cat people, the bird and reptile lovers. We will all foot the bill because some dog owners and city politicians have decided that dogs need their own parks so they can run free and socialize in urban areas. 🙄
Kat – Safe, staying out of of trouble, and happily out walking on her leash.
I realize there are a lot of dogs that are far larger and more active than our Kat. They may well require more intense exercise. In a small city like Regina, it is blocks to the rural area surrounding the city – with ample opportunities to run a larger animal. If that is not an option for anyone (anywhere), than maybe they should have made a more responsible choice when adopting a pet. Just saying!
Patricia Park – acres of on-leash walkways – a couple of blocks from the soon to operate off-leash dog park.
So, that is my ‘piece of mind’ for the day.
Have a great day! Take care and see you tomorrow.💞
In Canada, we have a number of rights established to protect the quality of our life as Canadians. 🇨🇦 Today, my ‘Piece of Mind’ focuses on a few of our rights and how we use and/or abuse them and the inevitable consequences we face for having a lack of respect and appreciation for them.
One of the more unique rights we have in Canada is our right to publicly funded healthcare. For those of us who are fortunate enough to live in a country that provides universal healthcare, we should appreciate it and do everything in our power to protect it. We fall far short by making unhealthy lifestyle choices (allowing ourselves to be an unnecessary burden to the system) and by failing to hold those in charge of our health system accountable for how they manage it. Our right to publicly funded healthcare depends on our doing our part to protect it, because there is a breaking point and we are close to it.
In Canada, we have equality rights. That is a good thing, but we need to appreciate them and protect them in order to preserve them. I believe in equal opportunity and equal pay for those in the workforce – but that has got to be based on equal ability and equal effort. If you cannot or will not, do what is necessary to get the job done – leave it for someone who can and will. You cannot, and should not, count on co-workers to pick up for your short comings. Companies cannot thrive and survive with an incompetent workforce. If the company does not survive – there is no need for a workforce. Everyone will be equally unemployed.
In Canada, we have the right to free speech. That is not the right to violence, threats, or physical intimidation. That is not the right to spread lies, innuendos, or harmful exaggeration. That is not the right to deny others of their right to free speech. That is not the right to spew hate towards anyone or any group of people. No one wants to be silenced or censored, but if people keep pushing the boundaries of human decency, that will happen.
As Canadians, we have the right to movement – to live and work in or out of Canada, as we choose. If we are warned to avoid a country or area of the globe, and yet we choose to ignore such warnings, there may well be serious consequences. Obviously, if anyone is sent to a dangerous area for official reasons, it is our responsibility as Canadians, to do everything in our power to bring them home safely if need be. Those who deliberately ignore risks and warnings and move to a dangerous area of the globe out of curiosity, or for an edgy holiday adventure, or to chase a lucrative business opportunity, may discover that our right of movement does not guarantee a right to be rescued from their own bad decisions.
In conclusion to my ‘Piece of Mind’ for the day…. Canadians (and all who live in ‘free’ countries) have a number of valuable rights that others cannot even imagine. We need to do our part to protect them, maintain them – and to keep them. 😉
Trust everyone is having a great day! Take care & see you tomorrow. 💞
PS…. Yay! My CT scan is booked for mid-September and the papers for my blood work should be at our local lab today. Two steps closer to hernia surgery. 😁
We are kicking off a new month, so it is time to move forward with a new theme. The theme for my blog this month is obviously: A Piece Of My Mind 😁
I love WordPress! What I specifically love about WordPress is that it is real genuine people sharing details of who they are with other real genuine people. I have tried to be as honest and open as possible but I have decided that I am ready to go deeper.
It is time to share the real me (under the grey hair and wrinkles 😂). This month, I plan to share bits and pieces of my mind each day – my thoughts, ideas, opinions, and beliefs.
Today’s blog is just a ‘Rules of Engagement’ for the blogs to come this month.
1. I am not looking for validation of my thoughts, ideas, opinions, and beliefs. I always appreciate comments, but feel free to disagree in a reasonable manner. (No death threats or profanity would be real nice!)
2. I respect who you are and I am interested in who you are – your thoughts, ideas, opinions, and beliefs. I appreciate you sharing them in the comment section – even if they are totally contrary to mine.
3. That is about it!
There will be more words than pictures this month but I have a few photos from yesterday that I just had to share.
Taking 6 yr old Dom for a walk yesterday.Made it to the store. 🤦🙄🥺😁Rain and hail storm last night. Later last nightThis morning
We didn’t have too much damage to our yard and both of our vehicles seem okay. The storm hit the northwest corner of the city bad. There were residential streets flooded, trees stripped bare, and the roof of one of the spiral mill buildings out at Evraz was peeled off. (A building where Dan usually works but he is still at the steel mill.)
That is it for today. Hope you are having a good day! Take care and see you tomorrow. 💞
Seasons are never a one and done thing in Saskatchewan. This morning the sun is shining, the air is warm, and Kat and I were out enjoying it all. I was even back under my tree, listening to some peaceful music and meditating in the heart of nature. 💗
So nice seeing everything looking clean and green, hearing all the little birds chirping and peeping and rustling in the branches. It is a perfect Saskatchewan day for some serious rest and relaxation.
We are having Tim’s Chinese for supper so I have plenty of time to putter around and take Kat for a bit of a stroll this afternoon. I am feeling so grateful for this beautiful day! 🤗
Wishing all a lovely Sunday afternoon! Take care and I will see you tomorrow. 💞
It seems like we were just cleaning the patios and planting the garden and here we are with autumn bearing down on us! The seasons seem to pass faster every year. 😳
Dan emptied the pool this morning 😥Grandpa’s Bleeding Heart is done for the year. 😟The wildflowers around the birdbath are looking rough.
I have never been a fan of autumn but there is still much to be grateful for. I am grateful for the fresh garden produce that we are enjoying every day, grateful that I have Dan to manage much of the heavy fall cleaning, grateful that I am not facing a winter of dark and icy drives to work (YAY), grateful for the end of mosquitoes and other bugs, and of course I am grateful that I am still here to enjoy each and every day!
Kat’s new food chock full of goodness and fresh garden vegetables and herbs.At least the petunias are still blooming!
Wishing everyone a great day. Take care and see you tomorrow!
Lately I have come across a number of articles regarding ‘The Dark Side Of Gratitude”. The rationale behind these articles seems to be that focussing on gratitude can lead one to feelings of guilt (for having an abundance of what others lack), depression (for not being able to appreciate all that one has), or feelings of unworthiness (for all that one possesses). I see the point these articles are trying too make, but in my mind it is not gratitude that is the problem.
The best definition I have seen for gratitude is ‘Pausing to notice and appreciate the things (people, experiences, and opportunities) in life that we often take for granted.’ it is that simple. Gratitude opens our hearts and our minds to all that is beautiful, comforting and caring in life.
I have struggled to feel grateful in my life and I now know what it is like to have a true attitude of gratitude. Struggle is no doubt part of the path to gratitude but it is definitely not the result of it. 🤦
My path to gratitude was an uphill, rock strewn, dirt road which came to several dead ends and led me over the occasional cliff. I, like most people, made it harder than it had to be. Ultimately, I found it necessary to make peace and contentment a priority in my life, and gratitude came naturally.
Along the way, I shared or crossed paths with others who were enjoying a life of gratitude and many others who were struggling to find their own way.
I have known people who had virtually nothing and yet were so grateful for anything and everything. Most of these people were young children. Regardless of their personal circumstances, tots will positively beam with joy over anything from a new pair of socks, to a simple treat, to the discovery of a ladybug, to the greatest Disneyland adventure. Tots are born with an amazing attitude of gratitude. That, in my mind, is why childhood is such a precious and magical time. 🤗
At the opposite end of the spectrum, I met people who had far more than they would ever need, but we’re totally miserable and lacking in gratitude for all they had or anything that they received or experienced. They constantly wanted more, or something different, or were too busy grasping what they had, to comprehend the joys of gratitude, much less attempt to develop an attitude of gratitude for any of it.
There were those who were totally vested in their own pity party or victim identity. They threw away one opportunity after another, ignored all kindness and generosity shown them, and tossed away every blessing they received in life. Sadly, I have known people to plod through their entire life with this mindset. They appreciated nothing in life. They were incapable of an attitude of gratitude until they changed their opinion of themselves and life in general and many just never did.
Lastly, there were those who never recognized their blessings because they were totally wrapped up in needing others to be grateful for every little thing they did for them. Gratitude was a weakness in their mind, subservient behaviour that was to be expected from those beneath them. They could not develop an attitude of gratitude because they simply did not understand the concept.
Developing an ‘attitude of gratitude’ is not the easiest thing to do these days. Life is typically lived at a frantic pace, technology drives us beyond our limits, drama and greed and negativity are celebrated. But, living a life of gratitude is so worth every effort that one can make. There is no dark side. Gratitude helps through the worst times of our lives, helps us make the best of the good times, and just makes every day worth living.
Wishing you a great day with every opportunity to feel grateful. 😊 Take it easy, take care and see you tomorrow. 💞
I was so grateful to wake up this morning to a nice rainy day. We needed the moisture. Dan and I fertilized the front lawn yesterday so this is perfect. (Ok. Dan fertilized and I watched Dan fertilize. Either way, the job got done. 😂).
It is also much cooler today. It is cool enough that I have our back door closed. In the spring, I cannot wait to leave the back door open so we can enjoy the fresh air and Kat can go in and out on her own. After a few months of constant sirens, vehicle traffic, neighbourhood noises, barking dogs, and the like, I am so happy to have a day of peace and quiet! Dan is at work so there is no tv. Erin called in sick today so I will not have Dom. I have nothing but peace and quiet to fill my day!
Peace and quiet are such precious commodities. There are so many people who need to have SOUND – all of the time! Even out in nature, amongst the babbling brooks and baby birds, there are people who need to bring or create noise . 🤷 Of course, that means no peace and quiet for people like me. 😟
So this is my kind of day and I plan to cherish every moment of it. 🤗
As will Kat, as soon as she finishes her nap.
Rain or shine, I hope you have a beautiful day! Take care and I will see you tomorrow. 💞
One of my favourite peaceful places – nature hike at Souris, Manitoba💞
It is much cooler here today and the smoke has finally cleared. Our plants are looking so much happier. I. am definitely feeling so much better. I am so grateful for the reprieve. 😉
Mini Bell PeppersSageThe petunias have aphid damage but the blossoms keep comingKat’s carrot patch
Our forecasted rain this week would really be appreciated. Now that things have cooled down a bit, it would be nice to see things get a refreshing shower. City water is just not the same.
I have grandson Dom with me again today. He is more mature and easier to entertain this year but he still needs to eat so I should work on getting his lunch ready. 🍝
Wishing all a day of natural contentment and beauty. Take care and see you tomorrow. 💞
I have been struggling for the past few weeks. Our weather, while not nearly as hot as in many places, has been relatively hot for us. Our house stays cool in the day time but gets stifling in the evening. We have two options – turn on the air conditioner or turn on the fans.
I have three respiratory issues so my lungs do not handle air conditioning well. My lungs can handle fans, but if the fan is blowing in our bedroom, it is blowing on my legs and I lay awake with leg cramps all night. 😥
Dan was talking to someone who suggested I try CBD creams and oils. With my leg cramps getting worse and my lack of sleep wearing me down, Dan offered to take me to a cannabis outlet (which are legal here) to see if they had anything that they would recommend for me. The shop was immaculate and the two staff members that attended to us were amazingly. We left with a bottle of hemp CBD oil, one of CBD Cream, and a package of hemp CBD bath salts.
I wasn’t too happy with the bath salts at first. I was too distracted by the plant life floating around in the tub and sticking to my skin to really enjoy it. I definitely was not about to let all of that stuff wash down our drain but fortunately I always have a drain screen handy. When I told Dan how it went, he made me a mesh basket that I could use to dissolve the bath salts but control the plant life in the tub. I am much happier using it this way!
I tried the CBD Cream with good results for my stiff and achy hands. I had a migraine one day and tried rubbing some of the cream on the back of my neck. The migraine vanished in minutes. I seldom get migraines, but when I do they are bad, and they do not just vanish!
I started taking a small dose of the CBD oil every night, about half an hour before I go to bed. Not only have my leg cramps totally vanished, but I have been sleeping soundly. I get up in the morning feeling great and more relaxed than I have ever felt! I have lived with sore, tense muscles forever (part of my genetic collagen disorder no doubt) and I would never have thought it possible for my body to feel this good.
On Sunday, when my son was here he developed a migraine. Mark has had frequent migraines since he was two years old. They are vicious and they last for days. He knew the one coming on was a bad one and he knows his migraines. I rubbed some of my CBD cream on the back of his neck and on his temples. I texted him the next morning to see how he was and he said he was feeling much better. 💞
I knew next to nothing about CBD a few weeks ago. I had heard of it but it wasn’t something that I researched or paid much attention to. I am amazed by the results that I have seen and I am so grateful that we found it. I am especially grateful that we discovered this line of Hemp CBD products as I would probably never had tried the marijuana lines. (Because I have such a low tolerance for anything with any psychoactive ingredients 🙄).
I have long been frustrated with our medical community, when it comes to quality of life. There is nothing worse than being in crushing pain, or seeing a loved one devastated by pain and hearing some doctor saying “well you won’t die of it.” Like you should be okay with living in pain. 🤨
I am so grateful to the governments, the researchers, and the industries who are recognizing that quality of life matters. I am so grateful that products are entering the market that address health issues that our health system ignores. These products are life changing and they are no doubt just the beginning. 💞
The Dr. Teals is a product I have been buying for months for Dan’s footbath. I doubt that the CBD level is high enough to do much, but he can use it way more frequently than straight Epsom Salts without it drying out his skin.
Wishing everyone a great day! Keep safe and I hope to see you tomorrow!💞
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
Seclusion 101 with AnneMarie 