I just lost a whole post!!!!

That ticks me right off!

And it was a long post too....about change and life and what kinds of fears and expectations we have of ourselves.

I don't know what happened!

I'm too frustrated to figure out why....

Good night.

Time off....

So, with my luck, and taking these past two days off as vacation, I most likely will have calculated wrongly and I won't have as much vacation accumulated as I had once thought.  That's what I'm thinking.

But I suppose it really doesn't matter much.  The past two days have been great.  Just getting out of the routine of work and all that it brings to daily life.  Routine is good, mind you...but time off is better!

It's been good to get to Saskatoon to hand in our passport documents.  Two weeks to wait.  It's exciting stuff as neither Ken nor I have ever had one of these things that tell people we are who we say we are!

And then Ken did his very first Internet test.  He is now a certified registered pleasure craft operator and he will receive his official paper in a few weeks that allows him to be captain of OUR fishing boat!  I think I'll have to get him one of those "Captain hats"....white!!!

I wonder if I have to get anything official to tell me I will be a passenger on said boat.  Probably not.  So, I shall let him be the captain but it will be ME who is the fisher woman!  Oh...ya......I think that I too, will need a hat of some recognition in that regard.

Tomorrow we shall have rain and by the looks of the forecast, rain will fall frequently in the next few weeks.  Good stuff....as long as it isn't white!

Off to bed....sleep well....

Oh, and how are your daily "I saw" lessons coming along.  I'm depending on all of you!  You can do it!!!!

YES!!!

Horse...hoarse...

Isn't the English language strange.  Words that sound the same but are spelled differently.  Homonyms.

Two words are all it takes to get into too much of this homonym stuff.  Well, that was three words, actually!  My mother always used to tease my dad when he would use the "to, too, and two" words in wrong ways. I remember him asking mom..."Dear, is it TO or TOO?".  Mom would then give him the english lesson once more.

She would say "TO is used to preceed a verb, TOO means it's beyond what is necessary...too much of something...and TWO is the number 2 written out."  He remembered until the next time!

My throat feels hoarse but I also look like a horse.  Try expaining that to someone learning English.

A young woman named Bea was stung by a bee while she attempted to be brave.

What are you doing with a watt that size????

My soul was happy until my sole landed on a tack.

The heir to the throne needed a bit of fresh air to make his speech with an air (oops that was a synonym) of confidence.

And on and on it goes.

Then there is just downright poor English.  And I am certainly not one who knows the English language fully....by any means!!!!!  I use wrong tenses and sometimes wrong adverbs (but at least I attempt to use adverbs...which seems like a lost art!).

The only thing that has always irritated me to no end to the point of driving me totally crazy is when someone says, "I seen"!!!! I SEEN!!!!!!!!!  Imagine!!!!   Educated people.  Regular folks.  People that know better but those two words together have become a wretched habit.  When I hear someone say, "I seen", I cringe inside.  Sometimes I even cringe on the outside.  I want to scream, "I saw!!!! I saw!!!! I saw!!!!!"  But we are educated people, are we not?  And even if we have fallen into a bad habit, we are intelligent enough to break that habit, are we not?????  I trust so.

So, if I hear any of you say, "I seen" once more....I swear (which I don't normally do)....I will......probably not say anything.  It is simply one of my pet peeves about our education.  I learned grammar well in school and anything that sits wrongly with me, I attempt to subtly correct, if the opportunity arises.  And if I do correct you, it's because I feel you deserve to sound as intelligent as I know you are.  When someone hears a person say "I seen", I really think they do a dis-service to the person speaking if they are not corrected.  I would like to be known as being somewhat intelligent....at least sounding intelligent...and if I make a grammatical error, PLEASE CORRECT ME!!!  We are never too old to learn!!!!

OK  That's all I have to say about that!  (for now)

Anyway, enjoy the English language which we have had the privilege of learning, a difficult language, to be sure!  But please, please, please....don't massacre it by saying those two words together...ever again...I seen.....practice saying "I saw".  If you say it 25 times per day, you WILL break the habit.  Guaranteed!!!

I saw...I saw...I saw....I saw....I saw....I saw....I saw....I saw...I saw...I saw...I saw....I saw....I saw...I saw....I saw...I saw....I saw....I saw....I saw....I saw...I saw....I saw..I saw...I saw...I saw....  There, that's one days lesson.

The pet peeve I have about myself is the proper use of apostrophes!!!  That will be another lesson and I think I shall ask my friend, Val, to host the class.  She's a pro!!

See!!!  We all have things to learn:)

Nite all.....

Galapagos Islands...

My co-worker is in South America...Equador, Peru, and not sure how many other countries.  Their group took a separate trip to the Galapagos Islands for a few days.  It was hot and they swam and snorkled in very warm waters.  Saw tortoises and sharks and all manner of Galapagos species.  Very cool.

He got his camera wet and now it's toast

Hope there is a replacement in that department as they're off now to Lima, Peru and various other stops.  A camera in this case would be considered a necessity.

I can't imagine getting some really good shots and then losing them.  Sometimes life can be pretty cruel in that regard.

I shall try to remember to be careful with my own 'Mr. O".  There are times when I forget to wrap the strap around my neck when I'm taking pictures on a boat or over some water, so I can certainly understand how my co-worker could have got his camera wet!  And I won't have an ocean to deal with!

I look forward to taking a few days off this week before my EDO.  One of those days will find us at the Immigration Canada building in Saskatoon to get our very first passports.  The last time we were in the U.S., 1997 to be exact, passports weren't needed.  So, should we ever decide to make a trip south, we'll be prepared!  We loved seeing the Black Hills and always enjoyed our trips through Montana and Idaho and Washington.  Beautiful country!

Anyway, I'm trying to see how good this laptop battery works.  I've read these are not known for their longevity!  If it's not good, we'll have to consider a different make.  We'll see.

Nite all....

A swirling mix...

Ever have one of those days of having so many "events" or "situations" all swirling around in your head and you find it's difficult to focus on any one of them in particular?

Just so many things....

Makes you wonder how a brain can handle all these things...all mixed up with feelings and emotions and rationales and questions.

I have always thought the brain to be so intricate and amazing and realize how we have not even tapped the outer surface of what lies in it's workings.  We were speaking today of folks we know or have known that suffer from some form of dementia...how they change...their personalities, their behavior, their capabilities and they appear to transform their old world, the one we are familiar with, to one of their very own.  I wonder sometimes if it's a form of self defense or of overload and folks get into a world that they can handle.  I often wonder what exactly goes on in their brains or if things stop completely functioning as they once did.  It's a fascinating thing to me.  People who once had vibrant minds, whose intelligence had been used for the betterment of mankind, how could a disease like this take so much away.  Science has so much to learn.  Perhaps in a few years they will have a "shot" for dementia....and cancer, and MS, and on and on and on.

The anniversary celebration yesterday was great!  Got to renew old friendships and catch up on folks.

Then this morning there was a baptism.  The grandparents were old classmates of mine and their daughter and her husband had their son sprinkled and in doing so, joined into the family of God.  It was fun to share in that celebration.

A bit wet but nonetheworse for wear...and his baptism candle lit the way around the sanctuary with Pastor Stacia who introduced him to his very own church family.

The rest of the day as I said, was listening, comforting, praying and thinking.

Days like that exhaust me but they are how I choose to live my life.  People are worth every effort.

Sleep well...I hope I will too...

A bed post...

You know those things on old beds at each corner?  Bed posts.

Another kind of bed post is one where you sit on the bed with your laptop and post on your blog.  Bed post:)

I thought that was quite clever...

Bed posts are good too, because you can blog with your feet up on the bed while watching "Wuthering Heights".

This has been a busy week being out every night thus far.  Last night I was so tired I flopped into bed without even setting the alarm clock so I flew out of bed today after 7 AM knowing I was working alone today and had to be there on time!  I squeeked in at 7:59 with four packages of left overs from the Relay for Life Hockey Challenge last night.  Not sure how much we made yet, but I'm sure it was considerable.

Getting back to Wuthering Heights, the 1939 classic black and white film, I love this movie.  I've never read the book but if the movie is any indication of the passion and desperation of humanity which Hollywood can provide, then the book must be an exceptional piece of prose.  Perhaps that can be put on my list of things to do when I retire.

Tomorrow is a celebration of friends being married 40 years.  John and Margaret have been good friends of ours for going on a half a century...that's pretty impressive.  Now, with raising four children, they have been blessed with several grandchildren to keep them happy in their old age.  May God bless them immeasurably in their years ahead.

Enjoy your evening....we were supposed to go to Christine and Jeff's birthday celebration but I just can't find the energy to keep up with the young folks!

Nite all......

There she stood....

She stood at the till, learning how to send a package to a country across the ocean.

She stood tall and confident.

I could see all that the instructor was telling her was going into her brain and would be stored there for future reference.

It's great having a granddaughter working as a Federal employee, being she's bilingual and all.

A great job opportunity for her at this point in her life.

I get concerned though whether she can handle any more stuff...being in her last year in high school.  It's a lot of responsibility as she deals with life stuff, getting superior grades, planning for graduation, and an end of the year dance recital...... AND working.

She has matured greatly....still much to learn and experience in life, but has come very far.  I think of her daily as I go about my work and pray for her...for wisdom in using time wisely and knowledge so she would do well in life.

I know she will.

I trust all of you are doing well in life, too, my friends....and if you find you are not....just breathe...one breath at a time.  Soon again, you won't notice you are breathing anymore...it will all be natural again and good.

Nite....

Oh, and I was thinking about fishing too, today.....

I'm ready...!!!

Listening....

Are we really capable of actually listening to another person?

It's a difficult thing to do.  Let's go through the process a bit.

Person speaking to me: "My husband has just been in a car accident!"
Me:  "Oh my!  Is he alright?"
Person:  "They don't know yet....he's having all kinds of X-rays and will have to go for a CT scan!  He was just driving down the road when a car came up to the intersection.....blah...blah...blah......blah...."

This is where we may begin to drift off into our own thoughts and forget to listen to the rest of the detailed story the other person is pouring out to you.  We begin to think perhaps of things like "Oh man, and they just bought that vehicle a month ago....what will happen to her if he dies....I hope they have insurance....dang, I forgot to take out meat for supper....hope I don't forget my meeting tonight....etc. etc. etc.

The listening came only so far and then our own thoughts permeated our minds and we wandered off into OUR world...not the other person's world.

I think it takes a bit of practice.  It takes a change in our attitides.  It takes letting go of our own ego so that the other person can be heard....their entire story, not just the first few lines.

I'm trying hard to learn this concept of listening.  I find it difficult but the more I practice, the better I become...like playing the piano or pole vaulting.  Takes practice and a sense that the other person really is more important than me.  Now that is even more difficult...after all, who's more important than MOI?!!!

See, that's where our ego can take us...right into ourselves with a capital ME!!!

So, next time we have an interesting or boring conversation with another, let's practice the art of "listening with our hearts" and not only with our ears. 

Just takes practice:)

Not sure what brought that on......oh, I think it was son's blog.  He was talking a bit about other people's perspectives and the idea of actually listening to the opinions and words of others.  All very interesting and thought provoking.

http://matthewkent.blogspot.ca/

A full day...literally...

Was worship leader today and our theme was FOOD! 

We had a potluck after church to highlight the theme.

Also had a pie throwing to raise money for a couple of our youth to go to CHIC, a summer week-long session in Tennessee with a whole whack of other Covenant church youth!

I think it's the very first time that I can recall that we ran out of food...not totally....but there were only remnants at the end of the line.  Lots of desserts though!  Perhaps we need to rethink how our potlucks are done...maybe we do need to sign up or something so we know if no one is bringing veggies, then that is an option for someone...or perhaps we would need some meat or buns and then those who haven't signed up could bring the things that are needed.  Anyway, something to think about.  It's worked so well until now.

The highlight of course was the pie throwing.  The person who had the most money in their bucket was the one that got pied.  It ended up that Eric had the most cash and Pastor Stacia was second.  There was only going to be one person to pie but a boisterous group incited a riot of sorts with shouts of "pie them both"..."pie them both".  And so it was.  Both got pied in the face...:)

Noah had his pie sights set on Pastor Stacia.

Whack!  Chocolate cream for ya!  Eric had pumpkin!

It's a bit of a shock to the system especially when the whole

pie lands on your best skirt:(

Pastor Seth was there with a comforting tongue lick on his sweetie's pied face.

Ya can't waste that chocolate pie!!!

Look ma...no food...left!

Ya, it was a good, food-filled, fun-filled day.  The rain was pretty fine, too:)

Saturdays....

I'm attempting to get a handle on this new laptop....so in true laptop fashion, I'm sitting here on my bed with my computer on the top of my lap.  What better way, I say.

The day was fun.  We're buying a new fishing boat!!!  I wasn't convinced three weeks ago that an aluminum boat would be what I'd like but I think this will be the very best kind of boat for us.  I'm not one for fuss and fashion and being cool.  I have a sense of being practical and after sitting in a beauty of a fibreglass boat where one would fear of a flopping fish in and about the white leather, we chose the metal boat with washable rug and space enough to move about and do some serious picture taking AND fishing. 

This is way exciting!!!

So that was the morning.  Jim Chad from Exclusive Auto Marine is one terrific salesman, not to mention one of our very own local boys who is doing well for himself.  We chose going there because of his friendliness and sincerity and knowledge.

Now the most difficult thing remains....getting a camping spot reserved at Waskesiu.  One step at a time!

So having this laptop on top of my lap is quite good.  I think I shall get to like this more and more.

Tomorrow is another busy day and it looks like rain is approaching as I type!  Happy pre-spring:)

Trying something...

Let's see how pictures load on this new baby....

Ouuuuu....I like what this computer is allowing me to do now.

More picture space.  I liked these ones because our children look happy here...their mouths are open wide enough to eat that burger!

Now to go to my laptop and have a bit of fun there.  Life is so good.

There are areas of sadness though...I found out a former co-worker has cancer and that makes me very, very sad.  We are never assured of having tomorrow, are we.....I pray this fellow begins to really appreciate his every breath....and every day.

It's always sobering to be faced with ones own mortality...we don't lke it...I don't like it.  But it's just another instance where we realize our smallness in the scheme of things....and how very short our time is here on earth.

What do you plan to do with your life in order for people to know you have been here?  Or is it even important for that to happen?  Or should we be important enough to have a bridge or an outhouse named after us?  What about a new product...or even a disease?  Surely, those things would be good enough for any person to leave as a legacy!  "The Sharon Kent Cracked Bridge to Northern Fun"....or "The Sharon Kent Last Chance Outhouse"....or "SKENT Raisins and Peanut Butter...all-in-one Fibre"...what about "Kent's Syndrome"....that kind of has a scholastic/nerdy ring to it!

Well, that was a bit of a tangent.....but good to think about, nonetheless.

Have a really good night's sleep.  I know there is one family though that won't be sleeping well for a good long time....

This is a test....

See if this is working.....@#%R%*(&(^&%&*

look ma....

I'm on my very new laptop.  whoop whoop whoop

I think I could get to like this thing.

We'll see how he does in the backstretch......;)

But I'll be needing to get used to the feel of it and what he can and cannot do. 

We'll also see if he's up to the challenge.  I can be somewhat difficult at times....you know!

Made it...

Those were three pretty intensely busy days...and I've come away unscathed!

As I type this, I hear my computer making all manner of unnecessary noises.  My new one cannot come soon enough!

We had a Kid's Klub supper of Irish stew and biscuits tonight.  Good!  Too many points on the Weight Watchers program for me to count.  So, we'll chalk this day up to "one of those days".  Onward and upward.

Then came the church Vitality Committee meeting.  As much as some may think, I do believe our committee is progressing in ways that aren't too tangible but we are progressing nonetheless.  It's difficult to measure spiritual things in tangible ways:)

Tomorrow....well, tomorrow will be just that.  Shall wait and see what it brings.  I hope it brings you good things...my friend will be having surgery tomorrow and so I leave her in the care of the One who cares the most!  Best place.

Oh, on my way home from my meeting tonight, there were two planets just sitting out there in the western sky.  So pretty.  All twinkling and shining like someone had simply flung them up there:)  I wanted to take a picture but that means tripod and stuff...too tired.

Sleep well my friends....

Enough time...

That's what I'm wondering right about now.  I'm managing to get stuff done, barely.

Work all day.  Eat supper and get right into baking five pie crusts for our Relay for Life "Pie Day" on Wednesday at noon.

In between cooking the crusts, I had a visit from Shannon, typed up an agenda for husband's meeting this evening and have now just typed up a draft of this Sunday's Worship Service...and emailed it to all those involved.

Tomorrow is work til 5 then rush off to Worship Music Practice for Sunday and immediately after practice there are 5 pie crusts to fill.

Wednesday will be working to 5, Kid's Klub from 5 to 7 and then a Vitality Meeting after that.

Thursday I will work to 5, then will type up the Order of Worship to send to the church secretary, Jane, for this Sunday's bulletin info.

Friday, my day off, will be spent with friends from Saskatoon.  Ray will be bringing up my spiffy new computer that he built for me and will be setting it all up.  Yay Ray!!!!

It's about all I can handle for one week.

Now it's bed time, I'm thinkin'!  Actually, I'm thinkin' a lot more than that, but it will do for now.

Well.....

I don't feel much like writing.

Too many things going on inside this head of mine and I just don't feel up to putting them out here.

Is that laziness? tiredness? depression? apathy?  hormones?  dementia?

Who knows....

Whatever the reason, I just don't have energy....tonight, at least.

I know there are things in life that I personally, have no control over.  I cannot make right choices for folks who make wrong ones...heaven knows, I've made enough wrong ones myself.  I cannot take away the experience of pain from those I love.  Seems like we just must endure difficulties and make the best of them.  If we're fortunate, we can even turn bad circumstances into learning experiences...but that only comes later!

Dang....I wrote more than I had anticipated. 

Now, to continue on with my reading of "The Wisdom Jesus" by Cynthia Bourgeault...an interesting perspective....and some of it even makes sense:)

Another day....

It was "tasky" today at work.  I've been doing a lot of throwing and cleaning up of old files, papers, things that tend to just sit around and collect dust.  No sense having the next person having to do all that!  Although when a person leaves, everything gets cleaned again and changed around to make that spot their own.  But I'll do as much as I can so it won't be such a burden on the person coming to my little corner.

While I cleaned I listened to an "Oldie" radio station.  Now, "oldie" is pretty dependent upon who's listening.  I was listening to '60's and '70's music but really to me, that term more represents '40's and '50's music.  Actually, I like all of it!  I know I'm beginning to sound like my parents when I say that I really can't get into the music of today...most of it at least.  I'm stuck back in my mother's era...big band stuff, Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Elvis, etc. etc.

When I got home, I took to this computer with a vengeance, backing up picture files for when my new and improved computer comes in a week or so.  I shall call it a "retirement gift" to myself...a much needed one too.  That and a used laptop and I'll be good to go.  The only thing I don't like about it all is learning where everything is again and how to get this and that working.  Bother!  But, hey....all I will have is time after I retire to figure it all out.  And who know, I may have to call on some really nice techy-types to help me out now and then.

Off to bed with some good tunes replaying over and over in my head.....maybe I'll dream I can play an instrument...that would be grand!  Nite all....

Bang....

That hit me like a ton of concrete.

I'm blaming the weather.

Headaches like the one I experienced today, set me back a peg or two.

I should have taken something in the night when it struck...but too tired to get up.

I should have taken something when I got up to go to work but thought it would make me too tired.

Bad decisions.

Took 2 pills at work...didn't do a thing.  Two more at lunch...and I was done in.  Slept off the pills with ice on my head and now am groggy.

Hope I sleep tonight....and I hope you sleep well tonight too!

A talk....

I had talks on several fronts today.  With individuals one-on-one.  With a few folks together. Plus a few talks with myself...which was quite encouraging.  I didn't speak to myself out loud though for fear of reprisal....from me:) 

I had a most encouraging email from a co-worker.  She said how much she appreciated me and that she loved me.  I think it is a great compliment when someone takes the time to express their true feelings.  It was of great encouragement to me....'cause she's kind of "my girl"....

I had several conversations with folks who have returned recently from trips to the sunny south. I love to hear of their time away, the cultural experiences they had, weather, "best parts" of their trips, the economics of the countries and backgrounds.  You can certainly learn a great deal from folks who have gone to other places!  I enjoy that...and it's a free trip for me:)

Another conversation was with a co-worker about beliefs and perspectives and thoughts and insights.  He and I often speak of these kinds of things.  I do think we have a great deal in common regarding spirituality and life in general.  He has taught me a great deal about not being afraid of thinking outside the box in matters of the Spirit and God.  He is a good friend.  He gave me a great big hug at the end of it all...one spirit connecting to another in respect and understanding.  I like that!

You see, these are the kinds of things I will miss when I leave my "work place".  Yes, I actually manage to get my work done too!  But it seems as if these last days (100 days left tomorrow) are to be special.  They will be moments in days where a part of me will be left with people...and parts of them will come with me on the next part of my life's journey.  It's not easy leaving family behind but that is what happens when we do leave.  It won't be just me that leaves...I will take varying degrees of 70 plus other folks with me.  That's kind of exciting!  I'm sure I shall be talking more about this retirement thing as the day actually approaches.  They asked me if I wanted a party!!!!!  I said that I certainly DO want a party.  I want my retirement day to be just as exciting for everyone else as it will be for me and if that means getting everyone together...whether they like me or not.....but to actually have a time where we can visit and laugh and enjoy each others company and share stories and hopefully have many folks attend who have retired as well, then that is what we shall do! Those are precious times.  And the older I get, the more I realize just how precious these times become, where memories are seared into our brains for future reference!

So, ya....a party we shall have.  I really hope my children will be able to attend too.  It will be a bit like two families joining together (work family and home family), kind of like a wedding.  One family really doesn't know the other but the bride knows both very well and will attempt to get both families knowing one another really quickly....for an entire evening.  Sounds like a whole lot of fun to me!

And the day was topped off with an hour and a half Skype conversation with Matthew.  So...very...good...

Life is sweet.

Now to get husband's blood pressure down before summer...trying new medications.  I think we will be taking the "losing weight" task very seriously in the days ahead.

I'll keep you posted.....on all fronts!

Sleep well my friends.  It's supposed to....ahhhhhh......s...n...o...w....

A Leap Day...

Here's a picture of our Pyjama Day at work.  Relay for Life's "Studs & Peelers" raised close to $40.  Nothing to sneeze at!  

Hmmmm....no picture coming out.....dang.....maybe the picture fairy will come in the night and sprinkle some computer fairy dust on this beast....we'll see.....

By the way...

After attempting to "plug in" all the wires and plugs at the back of my computer since my Skype wasn't working....when pulling the tower out from it's little cubicle to do this, ALL of the wires came out of the back of the computer leaving me with....you guessed it.....NOTHING.

The printer didn't work.  No webcam.  No power.  No keyboard.  No mouse.  NO NOTHING.

So our friendly SaskTel man came by (after hours!!!) and plugged everything back in for me.  Except now my keyboard isn't working.

And since my keyboard isn't working, I'm having to send you this message via my work computer which has a lovely ergonomic fancy keyboard! 

So, our friendly SaskTel man just may have to make a return trip to see what my problem is.  Perhaps the keyboard is actually toast...burnt toast.......we'll see.

So, I shall thank the Government for their time in allowing me to blog this little post on their time...well, I could actually count it as my coffee break, which I haven't taken in months!

Once the keyboard situation is in hand, I shall post a picture of our "Pyjama Day at Work".  Sweet.

I should have kept my housecoat here at work as it feels like the old house we used to live in when I was 4...no heat. 

I may have to take to cutting up a bit of the wood here in the office to make a fire.  We'll see.