tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91890135918436426532024-03-05T08:33:12.859-08:00Balancing B-GSeeking balance and following my wanderlust along the moment-by-moment journey in mindful, positive and hopeful living.Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-668190467114139352017-07-31T18:15:00.003-07:002017-07-31T18:15:36.630-07:00July 2017 by the Numbers<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why 'By the Numbers'?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While I'm much more concerned with quality as opposed to quantity, sometimes it's just fun to look back and reflect on what you've done in a specific window of time. Taking a look at what you've done often might be telling . . . here's to hoping that we engage in joyous activities regularly, and perhaps we can learn something from reflecting on how we've spent some of our time, and make changes if need be accordingly. The overall hope here is to celebrate the smaller joys in life, enjoying a measure of gratitude for the everyday and commonplace, as well as the rare and extraordinary.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">July 2017 by the numbers:</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four proud Canadians patriotically toasted our wonderful country at our city's new Starbucks location on its grand first day of being open. Cheers!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- 150 years of Canada were celebrated with dear friends with whom we felt so lucky to share a beautiful Summer's afternoon and eve.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSSalNdF1RMFx7GBq8i7G32DuCsPE98wm-vWVyJrInZakGA6rQb5BGGmb821tp6aTj21Ia4uEr4xJ3innkCZJH4aT-LzPT0Ca67Y1ES_MnYp1wWtkwkAR7qClPFfh7efDW2kB-OBwT4Np/s1600/Prents+by+the+pool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSSalNdF1RMFx7GBq8i7G32DuCsPE98wm-vWVyJrInZakGA6rQb5BGGmb821tp6aTj21Ia4uEr4xJ3innkCZJH4aT-LzPT0Ca67Y1ES_MnYp1wWtkwkAR7qClPFfh7efDW2kB-OBwT4Np/s320/Prents+by+the+pool.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- One perfect chandelier was the surprising finishing touch on E's newly redecorated bedroom. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One new pair of glasses for this grown-up young lady.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- One very happy Auntie got to share a lovely afternoon with her dear niece.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Two kinds of Jello were made in sympathy for H after an orthodontic adjustment, and both were enjoyed by the whole family.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Two cuties with whom I'm so happy to be sharing the Summer holidays.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Four of us experienced 'That Chickadee Feeling' and shared a lovely afternoon.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Two movies at the drive-in were watched on a perfect Summer's evening.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Four baskets of strawberries were picked - and countless berries were eaten right in the field! - which gave us enough to share with family and friends.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Two sweet sisters melt my heart regularly.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- One service berry picker was spotted on the ladder by an ever-watchful Grampa.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Five kids + two Dads made some great splashes in the pool.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Three fantastic days were spent at Blue Mountain in Collingwood, where memorable adventures were shared.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Eight of us shared a fantastic day of thrills and laughter at Canada's Wonderland.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Six cyclists and hikers shared a nice day along the escarpment.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Five cousins shared pool time, games and celebrated a champagne birthday together while we all enjoyed my parents' backyard, home and a great BBQ with them. Thanks for hosting, Mom & Dad!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Four long-distance cousins really enjoyed seeing one another and getting to spend several fun-filled days together.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- One happy little baker chose to make Rocky Roady Brownie Cups. Mmmmmm!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Two of us enjoyed a date night in Toronto with dinner on a patio and a fantastic concert featuring 'Chicago'!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Sixteen of us shared a fabulous cottage weekend together, complete with time at the beach, a gals' bicycling outing, some party crashing, dancing, great food and best of all time savoured with friends and family.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Two great-granddaughters were so happy to spend an afternoon visiting and playing cards with Nanny.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Eight friends and colleagues had a great time reconnecting over drinks and good conversation on a Summer's eve.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Eight of us, plus two late arrivals, had a fun night watching the Movie in the Park and taking part in some of the other creative activities offered.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Two little fishies completed their swimming lesson session with great effort, and we embarked on a destination ride to DQ in celebration!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Two cups of coffee savoured together on the porch on a perfect weekend morning.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- My two girlies and I shared a memorable day of adventures at beautiful Albion Falls.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Five letters written and packed with care for my camper to read during her week away up North . . . probably more for my own sake than hers. Oh, how I miss her!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Four of us stopped at Weber's for lunch on the way up to Muskoka, enjoying an Ontario tradition of burgers, fries, and Kawartha ice cream.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Countless enthusiastic counsellors welcomed the arriving campers with cheers and smiles.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Three pals and cabin mates were reunited and ready for a great week ahead.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- One little camper was plum tuckered out after her first day at camp!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Summer's been absolutely awesome so far, and I'm excited for the sun-filled days yet ahead. I wish each of you a wonderful August, and look forward to hearing about your Summer adventures as well!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-24253554761138775152017-07-01T10:55:00.000-07:002017-07-31T16:18:25.790-07:00June 2017 by the Numbers<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why 'By the Numbers'?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While I'm much more concerned with quality as opposed to quantity, sometimes it's just fun to look back and reflect on what you've done in a specific window of time. Taking a look at what you've done often might be telling . . . here's to hoping that we engage in joyous activities regularly, and perhaps we can learn something from reflecting on how we've spent some of our time, and make changes if need be accordingly. The overall hope here is to celebrate the smaller joys in life, enjoying a measure of gratitude for the everyday and commonplace, as well as the rare and extraordinary.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">June 2017 by the numbers:</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three days spent in Windsor with family I feel so fortunate to have married into. We hung out and cheered H on as she competed at this year's Long Course WOSA Regional Championships.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four swimming pals who swam some great relays together.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three lovely visits over tea shared with my mother-in-law as we chatted during H's long warm-up sessions.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two cousins - one swimmer, one Irish dancer - who both competed earlier on this day and then got to hang out as we all had dinner and then walked to the neighbourhood icecream parlour.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- 31.45 seconds is the time it took H to swim the 50 m. long course butterfly, thus breaking the 27-year-old ROW Swim Club record that was held by Olympian Laura Nicholls for 11-12 year-old girls. 1.05 seconds is how much H broke the record by! As of the date of that race, she was ranked 3rd in Ontario and 7th in Canada in this event for</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> her age category this season!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two loves we missed on Regionals weekend who shared some quality Daddy/daughter time and got busy repainting E's room.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- 43 years of M celebrated with homemade cupcakes and snuggles from his girlies.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four days spent in Las Vegas with three dear friends; three cups of coffee sealed our first toast of the trip.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three beverages more appropriate for toasting a Vegas trip were enjoyed as we set to seeing the sights of the strip.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Thirty weary toes soaked in the pool after a full day of walking Las Vegas Boulevard.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three ladies got smart and took the public bus to continue their sightseeing on day two of the trip.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One lunch time bucket 'o beer featuring four bottles split between three friends equals one and one third beer each. Certainly we were abiding by the voice of reason if we could still figure our way through this type of practical mathematical word problem!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three little black dresses donned for a fun gals' eve out!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three pairs of shades served us well as we basked in the sunshine and high temperatures of Vegas in June.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- So much gratitude and love felt for these friends, and for the family back home who've supported me in all of my personal travels and endeavours this year and always.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One educational morning during which I was able to volunteer in E's class for the Scientists in School workshop. We got to get up close and personal with live, wiggly worms at my station!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One girl and her kitty: sweetness times two!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One week of hard work and much effort, plus oodles of fun, backed up by several weeks of planning and creativity, culminated in an exciting Innovation Showcase at our school. H and her teammates displayed and sold the fidget spinners they made which attach to the phone cases that they also created. All money they raised was donated to 'Me to We'. Very cool to see all of the innovative young minds working together at our school!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- My two little triathletes enjoyed yet another day of great racing at what's become their annual participation at the TriGator. Fantastic swimming, biking and running, and they managed to finish before the storm arrived.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Ooodles of warm fuzzies were felt as I watched my girls celebrate their accomplishments in the triathlon with each other and good friends.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Eight of us celebrated Father's Day together, with a feast and a great afternoon and eve of catching up and reminiscing. How grateful I am for my family, for my own amazing Dad, and for the other fantastic Dads in my life. And though I'm sad they've past, I also feel so very fortunate to have such happy memories of wonderful Grandfathers who were a part of my life for so long. Two great nieces and a great uncle also happily played 'Flohoepf', the German version of Tiddlywinks.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- The second double rainbow I was lucky enough to see this month!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four days spent at Camp Queen Elizabeth on Beausoleil Island to celebrate a fantastic year of Grade Seven for H! This gorgeous location is on Georgian Bay and boasts the beauty of the Canadian Shield.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One Mathematics Additional Qualification course completed: three months of course work, comprised of four modules, four final summative assignments submitted, 41 e-tivities completed, 226 posts authored, 3185 posts read, countless articles and monographs read and videos and webcasts watched. Fantastic learning acquired, but one very big sigh of relief exhaled upon completion!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One impromptu cafe date shared . . . but water will do when one party has already had her caffeine quota for the day.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two of us happily enjoyed DQ blizzards together as a special Mommy/E outing to celebrate summer's official arrival.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two coffee dates in one day! I'm beyond grateful to have these opportunities to share meaningful visits.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- A dozen bottles of red stocked up on just in case the threats of the LCBO strike came to fruition. This is surely what those Boy Scouts mean when they say, "Be prepared!"</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Six good friends and fellow Book Club members read and chatted about Roald Dahl's 'Fantastic Mr. Fox', and then celebrated with a pool party.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Six Book Club Moms were also happy to spend a summer afternoon together catching up over book theme-inspired cider!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJommfEHql7BJ26KtIoff9PkcPxIYtypRNwpayLbEGSVQS3l5QcZjvgBK3pYjrd-9EFw_J2sY994NMpacEae-KM5ytMRroEFiyDAdByizlultxbWcgnTUfA_OfMGsjOQB7geFIXxNCxRX/s1600/June+23%252C+2017+-+Moms+at+Book+Club.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJommfEHql7BJ26KtIoff9PkcPxIYtypRNwpayLbEGSVQS3l5QcZjvgBK3pYjrd-9EFw_J2sY994NMpacEae-KM5ytMRroEFiyDAdByizlultxbWcgnTUfA_OfMGsjOQB7geFIXxNCxRX/s320/June+23%252C+2017+-+Moms+at+Book+Club.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Six fantastic races for H at Summer Swim Festivals, which boasted P.B.s and time standard qualifying swims. Excellent way to end this year's swim season!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four relay team members who had a blast swimming together and hanging out in between races.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two swim pals enjoyed a beautiful summer's afternoon of hanging out between swim sessions.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Many great swimming teammates and friends celebrated a wonderful weekend and successful season together!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Countless bikes inspected by M and made more safe during E's Grade 3 Bike Rodeo (I got to be an assistant!). One very happy E that her Dad was there!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two flat whites earned by Bike Rodeo volunteers who worked through the rainy & chilly morning. Impromptu coffee dates make me smile :)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One fidget spinner actually exists in our house now, after E got her wish and received a spiffy purple one from Gramma & Grampa as a Grade 3 grad gift!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two cute little bunnies enjoying our lengthy and plentiful clover!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four cute little friends ready for the last walk to school of the year!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four friends celebrated the last day of school with an ice cream outing. H and E are grade 7 and 3 grads!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />- Two of us enjoyed a V.I.P. movie date night and watched, 'Wonder Woman', which boasts some great female power.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two hot-tubbers, lookin' like the sisterly version of the 'Blues Brothers'!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- 150 years of Canada ready to be celebrated! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I wish my Canadian friends a Happy Canada Day, and to all of you, Happy Summer!</span><br />
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Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-15391659781959957232017-05-31T20:01:00.001-07:002017-05-31T20:01:36.757-07:00May 2017 by the Numbers<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why 'By the Numbers'?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While I'm much more concerned with quality as opposed to quantity, sometimes it's just fun to look back and reflect on what you've done in a specific window of time. Taking a look at what you've done often might be telling . . . here's to hoping that we engage in joyous activities regularly, and perhaps we can learn something from reflecting on how we've spent some of our time, and make changes if need be accordingly. The overall hope here is to celebrate the smaller joys in life, enjoying a measure of gratitude for the everyday and commonplace, as well as the rare and extraordinary.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">May 2017 by the numbers:</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One little mite who was quite happy to support McHappy Day. As parents of preemies who had to spend many weeks in the NICU, M and I well understand how important an organization like Ronald McDonald House can be for families.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three mothers and dear friends who are driven to drink by the fact that we sometimes feel like 'Bad Moms'. . . fortunately the brand of drink is more often than not Starbucks. Grateful to have these Mamas in my life!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Ten gal pals who had a blast preparing for and performing their Beyonce medley Airband - bonus that they won Best Overall Performance for their awesome number!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One fantastic eve of Airbands excitement. Four celebrity guest judges who had far too much fun watching all of the talented performers. One appearance by Canada's own Celine Dion!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three exhausting but incredibly fun and rewarding days of racing for our H, who made ROW's travel team and competed at the Amanda Reason Invitational in Windsor. Much fun for family to cheer her on!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three little artist friends enjoy creating masterpieces together.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two of us chillaxed with half-priced frappucinos while said artists were at work. Love spending time with each of my girlies!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Six 'craft girls' got together for a long overdue visit. We may have eaten more than crafted, but catching up with such lovely ladies is always an evening well spent!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Several great luncheon visits with Nanny, during which we, of course, played a few games of cards!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- 42 years of Andrea celebrated!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two days of great competition for both of my little swimmers at the May Money Meet. H even pulled in some cash! Lol!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Countless neighbourhood friends come out of the woodwork when the slackline gets put up by our dear backyard pals!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Eight of us celebrating Moms and togetherness around the table on Mother's Day.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One little mighty mite seems to have mastered the art of bubble blowing.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One lovely lunch visit with Mom at The Healthy Owl.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two hanging planters featuring the fuschia that I select each year ready for the front porch. We're ready for summer and the hummingbirds that come to visit!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two fun days of the May 2-4 weekend spent with friends at their cottage. Seven kids had a blast trampolining, playing games, enjoying campfire activities and delicious monkey bread sent up courtesy of Gramma. Six adults had their own brand of fun!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three make-shift wine charms do the trick in a classy pinch!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two batches of paska made by Mom and so much appreciated. Also brought back happy memories of Oma.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four of us embarked on our first-ever geocaching expedition . . . we had so much fun, and are most definitely hooked!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Eight-and-a-half years of this little Mighty Mite celebrated! How lucky we feel to have her vibrant spirit in our lives.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Several lovely get-togethers over warm beverages with friends and family, some whom I get to see regularly, and others with whom a visit was long overdue!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One teapot from the reuse-it sale purchased by my sweet little E and given to me with love and thoughtfulness.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four 'Best Time' ribbons earned at her final swim meet of the season!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Countless hours spent working on the Math Additional Qualification course I'm taking. Lots of great learning and collaborating happening, and only ONE more month to go!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two parched gals needed a cold drink to cool off with during an afternoon of together time. Love these shared moments!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- 400 metres run by H, as well as the third leg of the 4 x 100 m relay, at the Divisional Track & Field meet. I loved watching the entire, day-long meet, cheering her and her friends on!!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- A couple gallons of paint all set to transform E's bedroom into her personalized happy space.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- A mere eight days until I take off for a gals' trip to Las Vegas . . . should be an exciting way to share some time with dear friends!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summer is just around the corner and I wish you all a happy, sunshine-filled June!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-26794216706764159782017-04-30T16:28:00.000-07:002017-04-30T16:28:12.424-07:00April 2017 by the Numbers<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why 'By the Numbers'?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While I'm much more concerned with quality as opposed to quantity, sometimes it's just fun to look back and reflect on what you've done in a specific window of time. Taking a look at what you've done often might be telling . . . here's to hoping that we engage in joyous activities regularly, and perhaps we can learn something from reflecting on how we've spent some of our time, and make changes if need be accordingly. The overall hope here is to celebrate the smaller joys in life, enjoying a measure of gratitude for the everyday and commonplace, as well as the rare and extraordinary.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Five bags of compost gathered during a beautiful weekend spent in the gardens.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- First exciting signs of the seventy bulbs that I planted last Fall!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">- Five precious days spent with my dear, dear friend S and her family in New Brunswick. Numerous gorgeous hikes in both NB and Nova Scotia were savoured together as we caught up on the present and reminisced about the past.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMyFPv-nBTDnapcP6A4HM1OHFbLHGavszy6MH_bRd_h5ErVTtrmbLx2tJAMvYT_YKg-zwZK3FCU-VDPLkpwHLXmfFx1l4hEEa8nOKTL60-AZQrWEC1li6dCvarZqw3H3PBv-zj_hBmTzkh/s1600/IMG_20170406_164830_hdr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMyFPv-nBTDnapcP6A4HM1OHFbLHGavszy6MH_bRd_h5ErVTtrmbLx2tJAMvYT_YKg-zwZK3FCU-VDPLkpwHLXmfFx1l4hEEa8nOKTL60-AZQrWEC1li6dCvarZqw3H3PBv-zj_hBmTzkh/s320/IMG_20170406_164830_hdr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">- One fanciful airline name (a subsidiary of New Leaf) that nearly rivals WOW Air (the airline we flew with to Iceland) in its whimsy: Flair Air.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VtEc3mMOC9W-M2SgSQIHiijF7tAxEtcqNCNNhJsSNJALO0aJqrPT3gSqoN0AgO8Ah_G5yV_l1X_ZS8wqBa9ete2XOSwR6HI0D6y52dCbHmI4dYmox2mhmdR1YOsF23rl-OkXQyJxf-GW/s1600/IMG_20170403_141757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VtEc3mMOC9W-M2SgSQIHiijF7tAxEtcqNCNNhJsSNJALO0aJqrPT3gSqoN0AgO8Ah_G5yV_l1X_ZS8wqBa9ete2XOSwR6HI0D6y52dCbHmI4dYmox2mhmdR1YOsF23rl-OkXQyJxf-GW/s320/IMG_20170403_141757.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">- Three months of serious cuteness that I was so lucky to snuggle with.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAE_1sC1pyu7ROeyJJL7_zYaiATYhi4zn8y1ckVEgDrL7amV6R6l9BWI-_GP1wp8LzcS8GaSKgGdYkT3r_nPcGKXQi8GTSgeX_jnpZyvOfiDa-KIgdxQiVY2m9MUsMx_IMztFWn6Www-F/s1600/IMG_20170404_161758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAE_1sC1pyu7ROeyJJL7_zYaiATYhi4zn8y1ckVEgDrL7amV6R6l9BWI-_GP1wp8LzcS8GaSKgGdYkT3r_nPcGKXQi8GTSgeX_jnpZyvOfiDa-KIgdxQiVY2m9MUsMx_IMztFWn6Www-F/s320/IMG_20170404_161758.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">- Thirty four years of friendship treasured.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMTGS2O035ar5rfO5r8t82BYdwPZZwxOFXarkSrPuRe5q0njIkfRbsEPEXkjC0EtqJP68cP86Jmp9dhRWGZ_w4DxWkIHvTnm-tifdWptZpHYf8kpy5xrKSrL_BoBAi2qtHlvGQRyflo-w/s1600/IMG_20170406_164755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMTGS2O035ar5rfO5r8t82BYdwPZZwxOFXarkSrPuRe5q0njIkfRbsEPEXkjC0EtqJP68cP86Jmp9dhRWGZ_w4DxWkIHvTnm-tifdWptZpHYf8kpy5xrKSrL_BoBAi2qtHlvGQRyflo-w/s320/IMG_20170406_164755.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">- Three beaming smiles and one sleeping beauty, all testament to the wonderful day of hiking and fresh air we shared.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhde92ln3ltLsCDylpazZMMtQLwojs497azGLiKYjFW9VWdBd0bm3UMLizIUxBreOylSdavXqilpsdioYYfzRdOI5bm-7i_Lf3T1d71jg8VmPUc9nJuyKmFAP2Z9Pz6sZbVeBBgt-gLxLCz/s1600/IMG_20170405_142003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhde92ln3ltLsCDylpazZMMtQLwojs497azGLiKYjFW9VWdBd0bm3UMLizIUxBreOylSdavXqilpsdioYYfzRdOI5bm-7i_Lf3T1d71jg8VmPUc9nJuyKmFAP2Z9Pz6sZbVeBBgt-gLxLCz/s320/IMG_20170405_142003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">- 12 km swum by H's and E's four-person relay team during the ROW Swim Club's swim-a-thon. So fun to see two sisters cheering each other on as relay teammates. And countless thanks to all who supported them with donations to their fundraiser!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">- 69 km biked by M during the Steaming Nostril race. His three girls were all very proud of him, particularly of his kindness when he stopped to support a fellow rider who'd crashed, and stayed with him until medical assistance arrived.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">- Eight E-tivities completed, one major project, and countless responses posted during the first module of the Math Additional Qualification course I'm taking. Three more modules to go over the next two months.</span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQuSmtTDrW3ZxubB_9Bp9eek6Ns-MLAk0HjmQwfzIYcxKzIXpFULGv8SKh1ATOo8AN15GJBt0kL1fcpQlwkp0KfJzJpukhVWOpwfaWP_KF_s4r2gd18vVmwUEHKBCdVCHesxVdm9WgepK/s1600/IMG_20170429_145526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQuSmtTDrW3ZxubB_9Bp9eek6Ns-MLAk0HjmQwfzIYcxKzIXpFULGv8SKh1ATOo8AN15GJBt0kL1fcpQlwkp0KfJzJpukhVWOpwfaWP_KF_s4r2gd18vVmwUEHKBCdVCHesxVdm9WgepK/s320/IMG_20170429_145526.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The blog I created for my module one culminating project.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One adorable little raccoon spied by me and H; just snoozing away in a roadside tree.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two forks and one dessert: chocolate terrine shared with Mom during her birthday lunch.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">- Sixty years of my dear Mom celebrated! How we love her!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four gals and their guys had a great eve celebrating the long weekend together.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- First daffodil to show its lovely face in our garden.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two little pals shared in some Easter egg dying fun.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQEm_XOWsDRcEK1rm8HL7AR4eeO5tACMs-aAFLOte2oz_fqgd1LzB1sCNt9q9ETRCRRvd1T6LwWA30SerE18H6O6BgE8pwG18pIR9P9oI39O5ENGUFlkApeHqWGzEbZ4SGATNLgm2JD9o/s1600/IMG_20170415_134556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQEm_XOWsDRcEK1rm8HL7AR4eeO5tACMs-aAFLOte2oz_fqgd1LzB1sCNt9q9ETRCRRvd1T6LwWA30SerE18H6O6BgE8pwG18pIR9P9oI39O5ENGUFlkApeHqWGzEbZ4SGATNLgm2JD9o/s200/IMG_20170415_134556.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMz4lTJe_oSBiJyfxDSvY6MjjCoNpgoe832GRCljGUOK8qZsJr5MalkEtsIWG536KivwMLNlQudtfGCL1Na3Fsoye3l2IvZTX4jbJqI_WdqI4T_rocldDxyX4wNvIjrwjQjnTcX3wn8xRf/s1600/IMG_20170415_134505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMz4lTJe_oSBiJyfxDSvY6MjjCoNpgoe832GRCljGUOK8qZsJr5MalkEtsIWG536KivwMLNlQudtfGCL1Na3Fsoye3l2IvZTX4jbJqI_WdqI4T_rocldDxyX4wNvIjrwjQjnTcX3wn8xRf/s200/IMG_20170415_134505.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- 214 jelly beans hidden by the Easter Bunny . . . thus far, only 212 found!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Nine found baskets filled with goodies and treats, including chalk, socks and books, of course.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three days of competition at ROW's Spring Turbo Swim Meet, where my heart soared to see my little fishies laughing with friends on deck and racing with determination in the pool. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Six awards for some great racing at the meet . . . if she'd have traded one of her golds for a bronze she'd have earned all six placings - lol!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four cra</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">zy chip-inspired smiles . . . hmmm, that's quite the five o'clock shadow, girls!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kjixfy_xPHVjPzN98xAOEg3LyelxiTlOfosv3XZmwbotC95XXJM1ykicHGT-zPAVCACvvCp47cbI7WRlUYShDb0Cn74rqipF_AG81xyf74n2MPvDkHar_qN0XRzIceBmTa_WS3-pmlgf/s1600/IMG_20170422_193259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kjixfy_xPHVjPzN98xAOEg3LyelxiTlOfosv3XZmwbotC95XXJM1ykicHGT-zPAVCACvvCp47cbI7WRlUYShDb0Cn74rqipF_AG81xyf74n2MPvDkHar_qN0XRzIceBmTa_WS3-pmlgf/s200/IMG_20170422_193259.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_zQLsmadsJg6iH3Z1yghqi7-4w24WlNCsg2rvy7Pj3pDxHho0c_5emqr8kprRiK43uRhNz_LX_JUuEywqvks1zStEE7Z8aAnP19zfBh1CEXsSIY0fyeGbDvBY0-2RmdH7g2ZX4JesLB6/s1600/IMG_20170422_193338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_zQLsmadsJg6iH3Z1yghqi7-4w24WlNCsg2rvy7Pj3pDxHho0c_5emqr8kprRiK43uRhNz_LX_JUuEywqvks1zStEE7Z8aAnP19zfBh1CEXsSIY0fyeGbDvBY0-2RmdH7g2ZX4JesLB6/s200/IMG_20170422_193338.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two more lost teeth for this mighty mite to celebrate. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Countless happy signs of spring in my gardens that make me smile :)</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two little chess mates.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One 'Splod' the volcano created for our Mother/Daughter Book Club meeting, during which we discussed Neil Gaiman's hilariously creative book, "Fortunately, the Milk". We had much fun making him erupt during our meeting!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Six book pals enjoyed our most recent Mother/Daughter Book Club meeting.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Infinite gratitude felt for the wonder of this beautiful world.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Happy May to you!</span></span></span><br />
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Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-71703628040737254282017-04-24T17:32:00.000-07:002017-04-25T06:59:35.337-07:00Time with a Dear Friend: Wonderful Visit to New Brunswick, April 2017<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some of us are fortunate enough to have friends with whom we are so well connected that even when we don't see them in person regularly, our relationship doesn't suffer. These are the kinds of friends with whom we have such a bond and feel so comfortable that we're able to resume our deep connection and get right back to meaningful conversations after not being together for lengthy periods of time. I count myself immeasurably lucky to have had such a friend for more than 34 years now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">S and I met and became instant best friends when we were in grade three. I had just moved to a new school after having returned to Canada from Germany in the Spring, and there she was, the kindest, most friendly girl a "new kid" could ever hope to be welcomed by. I can't recall how we became close; we just immediately were in my mind's memory. Our bond remained unbreakable through countless separations, as my family continued to live in Europe for the Fall and Winter months of each year throughout elementary and middle school, and as her family moved abroad during middle school as well, of course timed so that we didn't see one another for about 18 months on that occasion. At high school graduation, we were voted "most inseparable friends" by our fellow graduates. We were both integral parts of each other's wedding parties. And while I've stayed geographically more constant as an adult, she has gone on to live in various corners of the world. I shared the news of my first pregnancy with her on a beach in Australia, the country she called home at the time. And now, some 34 years into our friendship, we continue to share a relationship that comforts me at a core level of my being. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">S and her family - which grew by one this Winter! - now live in New Brunswick, and I was so excited to be able to visit them earlier this month. Flying to the East Coast was a new experience for me, as the last time I was in the maritime provinces we'd driven there. I flew out of Hamilton with New Leaf airlines, another first for me. As I walked out of the airport waiting lounge onto the windy tarmac, the plane before me was emblazoned with the name 'Flair Air'. I had to double check that this was, indeed, the right plane as I hadn't noticed that this was the subsidiary airline name that I was to be taking. I giggled inside as I contemplated the fact that I've flown with WOW Air (to Iceland) and now Flair Air within a year's span. Flying with Flair - as was the case with WOW - proved absolutely fine, and I touched down safely in Moncton about two hours later. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And there to pick me up at the airport was S with her two sweet little munchkins! This trip afforded me the opportunity to get to know her three-year-old son better - I love that we're buddies now! - and to meet her sweet little three-month-old for the first time. There's a feeling that I can't quite explain when you watch the children of a dear friend, someone whom you've known since your own childhood . . . though not quite in the same league, perhaps, I can only liken it to what a grandparent might feel when watching their grandchildren, or to seeing your sibling's children. Though I may be an only child, S and I have said that we'd have been quite happy to be sisters.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt56DhwrLX5C3AZif7UlcHTPc1tlD6oVOO40AegErBJwYp7U72PDMajqKg9SIl8nCfEca-SUlob0AhImX_bdP2745IU5jHIg6ojIh6aL69bBRkhXaWyplcMxDhFVkXQYeJt0B25t9jvajq/s1600/IMG_20170404_161758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt56DhwrLX5C3AZif7UlcHTPc1tlD6oVOO40AegErBJwYp7U72PDMajqKg9SIl8nCfEca-SUlob0AhImX_bdP2745IU5jHIg6ojIh6aL69bBRkhXaWyplcMxDhFVkXQYeJt0B25t9jvajq/s320/IMG_20170404_161758.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I could snuggle this sweet little muffin for hours!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We spent our days during my visit engaged in both the regular, everyday adventures of their family life - taking her son to playschool and gymnastics lessons, making dinner and attending to baby N's needs - and embarking on grander adventures, including wonderful hikes and explorations in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. I'll let some of my photos do the talking:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVbHT-u0EQV6EY-3oD5n5UTBM4KO_4ahZkocTTQvRyZ9vWODZEIR-yTCi_0pVcfJucMydfyvik2gSh3azHFSfdHwoaA5uVmYDkWO32-zpUjywhy6EtmXkhY6N2c5Lx0WHEzoYxJt3-d31Y/s1600/IMG_20170404_145101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVbHT-u0EQV6EY-3oD5n5UTBM4KO_4ahZkocTTQvRyZ9vWODZEIR-yTCi_0pVcfJucMydfyvik2gSh3azHFSfdHwoaA5uVmYDkWO32-zpUjywhy6EtmXkhY6N2c5Lx0WHEzoYxJt3-d31Y/s320/IMG_20170404_145101.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Beautiful birches along the boardwalk in Sackville, NB.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1xf7LIpKq9-7l-qDW5n4e2ct624UE864DIXlCTOg0bZjkN6bb9c2JKABBtUs1QZm3izZYGTd94rLsjG8e-3989CpzqJaKgXFCqnxj3zefBdtpO90gzeufMzk4i9UfcHHlpe0eS_l-hbM/s1600/IMG_20170404_145345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1xf7LIpKq9-7l-qDW5n4e2ct624UE864DIXlCTOg0bZjkN6bb9c2JKABBtUs1QZm3izZYGTd94rLsjG8e-3989CpzqJaKgXFCqnxj3zefBdtpO90gzeufMzk4i9UfcHHlpe0eS_l-hbM/s320/IMG_20170404_145345.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDstLDSHnXjAQM47Qp9PXL7VO8EN6VtWoDD9mO_lo7OvVOYoXh5IgwS3WVUnPmgWLjbqXilFo_QfT6OR8v6Ke88BRMPUfASeILEhJ29Bpwot62OS-OIjn8rzYx2-B8AkvHFL8VPAiyZ8H/s1600/IMG_20170404_145351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDstLDSHnXjAQM47Qp9PXL7VO8EN6VtWoDD9mO_lo7OvVOYoXh5IgwS3WVUnPmgWLjbqXilFo_QfT6OR8v6Ke88BRMPUfASeILEhJ29Bpwot62OS-OIjn8rzYx2-B8AkvHFL8VPAiyZ8H/s320/IMG_20170404_145351.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our happy little foursome enjoying a wonderful hike at Parrsboro, NS.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNOKIhksksVFdolqyqnU1LZSKPCVoEZI2Zbd7DLgPQCd9YZ1bZWYdXjhgKOQmkA0RNM0DCeN-l8f346bPxwkxZA_am5Lp3OlCiQoOs4szpQN-zmwhqUl8ONt6tVccHPljOcFUClYYMwNn/s1600/IMG_20170405_152825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNOKIhksksVFdolqyqnU1LZSKPCVoEZI2Zbd7DLgPQCd9YZ1bZWYdXjhgKOQmkA0RNM0DCeN-l8f346bPxwkxZA_am5Lp3OlCiQoOs4szpQN-zmwhqUl8ONt6tVccHPljOcFUClYYMwNn/s320/IMG_20170405_152825.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Beautiful purple and turquoise rocks at the beach in Parrsboro.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On my last full day, S and I, with sweet little baby N in tow, took off on a trek to the Hopewell Rocks (big thanks to S's husband G for his kindness and flexibility, which enabled us to take this daytrip!). Although the park was officially closed to visitors, we did not let the warning signs deter us, sneaking through the gates like the little rebels we are. Hiking through the woods together, we chatted along merrily while proceeding with some caution due to the ice and snow which still lay along the woodsy paths. The last time I'd been to see the Flowerpot Rocks here along the Bay of Fundy was during the month of August on M's and my honeymoon many years ago. It's a magical location at any time of year. Watching the swiftly moving tidewaters edging closer to the land is really quite amazing, and certainly made me appreciate the vast array of geographic beauty which this magnificent country of ours has to offer.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-4jIow74jwBLJigVAtnvn_zsPq7SkdiIZrJk19xamBUO7dO-DTu29kyJ0LkPUEBfnkb4TbGellVcrTFPRyituJAsJB7t60VP0IyR0073jQ7d8bIK_0p4FOYltLTqfMDlEktad1Gd3Vmk/s1600/IMG_20170406_152703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-4jIow74jwBLJigVAtnvn_zsPq7SkdiIZrJk19xamBUO7dO-DTu29kyJ0LkPUEBfnkb4TbGellVcrTFPRyituJAsJB7t60VP0IyR0073jQ7d8bIK_0p4FOYltLTqfMDlEktad1Gd3Vmk/s320/IMG_20170406_152703.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A sign which we conveniently chose to ignore.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ6vI3X-po34lQOf130uiqiqoZRTr9Km24ZyhHRhlXvhrwGgM0U9DzgVmU5B6yGXjszoc_gTOC-InBSshFmc_IPY3i-jST6ACe2AIxvHfEYVmZByKo9dgXRoviWJNmtvLaa-n0y1NL8jev/s1600/IMG_20170406_161936_hdr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ6vI3X-po34lQOf130uiqiqoZRTr9Km24ZyhHRhlXvhrwGgM0U9DzgVmU5B6yGXjszoc_gTOC-InBSshFmc_IPY3i-jST6ACe2AIxvHfEYVmZByKo9dgXRoviWJNmtvLaa-n0y1NL8jev/s320/IMG_20170406_161936_hdr.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Flowerpot Rocks at Hopewell Rocks, NB.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8Sfpw9EEUPxc5R2CCf43KLl3x8r-d5UOwzob_OIOV2n0P0MwUVGPK3iTwMkh7oKMmssLT-qrgl5OP761nphXGUWRp71GPMsESD2dKmUVJXoo4b2-Y-5qdKA02KK95-VbabLp-rv14_Xl/s1600/IMG_20170406_164755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8Sfpw9EEUPxc5R2CCf43KLl3x8r-d5UOwzob_OIOV2n0P0MwUVGPK3iTwMkh7oKMmssLT-qrgl5OP761nphXGUWRp71GPMsESD2dKmUVJXoo4b2-Y-5qdKA02KK95-VbabLp-rv14_Xl/s320/IMG_20170406_164755.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Encroaching tides.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrgz1FdlAcExqUa2rE9XKQWRz5EibLUDz9_hOj80r1NMizXnjSESvT0WDHcExk58a6cnhGsj94JSshyAWavwxeR2-dPKu-e55qMRutbxCqi-6Cbo7cUJzENHvgbBZJw-7nDb7pMmVVap6/s1600/IMG_20170406_165646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrgz1FdlAcExqUa2rE9XKQWRz5EibLUDz9_hOj80r1NMizXnjSESvT0WDHcExk58a6cnhGsj94JSshyAWavwxeR2-dPKu-e55qMRutbxCqi-6Cbo7cUJzENHvgbBZJw-7nDb7pMmVVap6/s320/IMG_20170406_165646.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This trip was extra-special for so many reasons. Not only did I get to spend these days catching up with my dear kindred friend and enjoying some wonderful adventures with her, but I was able to share in the simple joys of her family life by taking part in many of their daily routines. Now I can picture what they might be doing at various times of the day, and knowing this brings a happy smile to my face. When I speak with her on the phone now and we chat about recent happenings, I can better imagine everything that she's talking about, from her lovely home to the quaint town and many of their friends and acquaintances. As luck would have it, she and her children have come home to Ontario for a spring visit, and getting to see them again so soon after my trip East is beyond wonderful. I can appreciate the slight changes in baby N, and her son and I are like old pals. I'm so grateful for the time I can share with S, and for our connection which has spanned both time and distance, and which I am confident always will.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">P.S. On an aside, I must acknowledge that my blog posts are coming fewer and further between, due to a busy spring time. The online course that I am taking is monopolizing much of the time I could normally devote to writing, and a few other projects are keeping me rather busy these days. Thanks, as always, for reading and for understanding that life is a constant balancing act, and as such the time for my blog ebbs and flows along with everything else in my life. Wishing you all a happy spring time!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-38932412722193892362017-03-31T13:22:00.000-07:002017-03-31T13:22:29.174-07:00March 2017 by the Numbers<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why 'By the Numbers'?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While I'm much more concerned with quality as opposed to quantity, sometimes it's just fun to look back and reflect on what you've done in a specific window of time. Taking a look at what you've done often might be telling . . . here's to hoping that we engage in joyous activities regularly, and perhaps we can learn something from reflecting on how we've spent some of our time, and make changes if need be accordingly. The overall hope here is to celebrate the smaller joys in life, enjoying a measure of gratitude for the everyday and commonplace, as well as the rare and extraordinary.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">March 2017 by the numbers:</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One sweet little pioneer and her Mom (that's me!) were thrilled to get to share in another wonderful school field trip together, this time to the Joseph Schneider Haus.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- 150 years of Canada ready to be celebrated with the arrival of our free 2017 Parks Canada Discovery Pass. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You too can get yours at http://www.commandesparcs-parksorders.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=22953&urlLangId=-1&productId=524528</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One toast to the s</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">till surreal fact that the girls are old enough to stay on their own once in a while!</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> M and I enjoyed a beautiful though chilly walk as we snuck out for Sunday morning coffees. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two spoons and one incredible dessert. Affogato is quickly climbing towards the top of my list of favourite treats. The only reason I shared this amazing blend of ice cream doused with a shot of hot espresso is because I was already so full from dinner. Next time: dessert first!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVaPhntXccIb8TyAm3zBi_unazGLUpFfGGDAvMzqPOuXnD0fiyj8Xk3d-Sk6PjUizqUhHHnndEzuImUYCEr9b5te5_zfPxSsY2S4soTBkvgabUMAYeZTTTBnGy9yqWZvtX2it_OobhszT/s1600/IMG_20170305_184248.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVaPhntXccIb8TyAm3zBi_unazGLUpFfGGDAvMzqPOuXnD0fiyj8Xk3d-Sk6PjUizqUhHHnndEzuImUYCEr9b5te5_zfPxSsY2S4soTBkvgabUMAYeZTTTBnGy9yqWZvtX2it_OobhszT/s320/IMG_20170305_184248.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two days of great racing for both of my little swimmers at the Waterloo Region Challenge Cup. Highlights included: Four never-before-swum races for E, and all P.B.s for her; Several P.B.s and a sought-after Ontario Festival qualifying time for H; and the simple fact that both of my girls were on the SAME pool deck, on the SAME day, at the SAME time - miracles never cease!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrY_nWFbmaZ_gmK5MXqu4PHPpacXl2MURV01POkkxPqxEESFL9WUUGVnGT6yEIGlh54SL7gPEXpEi3BXAVmz3RFsH5WuY26x9pLEsYzb_zDLQ48v68M60zXz0G6qMTGHcxQ46v7H4f3jym/s1600/DSC04553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13zTMuRIefo69YC4_Cp59B37N6GpexYk2LfXGbA6nopmWmh9JSDRYode7jM-m7qK0gHOlOZm7e02K9scoIv4LhQAkgwsR2UXsQSPcW9sL4KMTIf7EoN5a3ghQw4VPe5IagAgj1zKRDNmn/s1600/DSC04558.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13zTMuRIefo69YC4_Cp59B37N6GpexYk2LfXGbA6nopmWmh9JSDRYode7jM-m7qK0gHOlOZm7e02K9scoIv4LhQAkgwsR2UXsQSPcW9sL4KMTIf7EoN5a3ghQw4VPe5IagAgj1zKRDNmn/s320/DSC04558.JPG" width="320" /></a><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrY_nWFbmaZ_gmK5MXqu4PHPpacXl2MURV01POkkxPqxEESFL9WUUGVnGT6yEIGlh54SL7gPEXpEi3BXAVmz3RFsH5WuY26x9pLEsYzb_zDLQ48v68M60zXz0G6qMTGHcxQ46v7H4f3jym/s320/DSC04553.JPG" width="320" /></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Seven days in sunny Florida spent with my girlies and my parents.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieN6p4iK0BqGilKcJw5iObaIciYCtRK-sl49posPwCckh-GXaqx3fWsuhp7w0IGbRfmLocLRAUitjR6lRM9uNn3S1e3bPGpi1RngN7NoYWxToRJwdDW6Vx3BisGIx4pIKRdYoQEzazcNw0/s1600/IMG_20170308_073613_hdr.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieN6p4iK0BqGilKcJw5iObaIciYCtRK-sl49posPwCckh-GXaqx3fWsuhp7w0IGbRfmLocLRAUitjR6lRM9uNn3S1e3bPGpi1RngN7NoYWxToRJwdDW6Vx3BisGIx4pIKRdYoQEzazcNw0/s200/IMG_20170308_073613_hdr.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarpn9JUduCABR746hRlt_jefEdpm1jvVQOU8BhNHmagSLLFzT_36770bRyN6K4mHSZ_hXPaDKuBdosBH4KYRhzf7-QZejUxMJi8-7IVHjXqOD_YCRaqzvfSptTH4QH_LT2EFz4UZa7blJ/s1600/IMG_20170309_185841.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarpn9JUduCABR746hRlt_jefEdpm1jvVQOU8BhNHmagSLLFzT_36770bRyN6K4mHSZ_hXPaDKuBdosBH4KYRhzf7-QZejUxMJi8-7IVHjXqOD_YCRaqzvfSptTH4QH_LT2EFz4UZa7blJ/s200/IMG_20170309_185841.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two visits to the Manatee Viewing Centre in Apollo Beach were in order, as the girls so loved petting the stingrays at Cowshead Cove. Countless manatee were also spied in the shallow, warm waters of the bay, and this free attraction has definitely been added to the list of places to revisit during future trips to this area of Florida.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePvQgb385NL6RILZbxScGzL0uxRe1Qy40KjhWUrzuLtEEzTttwlN7HhURW1ZcCZBv9g_lxzF1GoGVRpE9x2DIoUSz4C1NetCQC3kS6J4pRECeSyu4VkeYYksMgasb6YNQAu7tgrIaCpfY/s1600/IMG_20170312_102949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePvQgb385NL6RILZbxScGzL0uxRe1Qy40KjhWUrzuLtEEzTttwlN7HhURW1ZcCZBv9g_lxzF1GoGVRpE9x2DIoUSz4C1NetCQC3kS6J4pRECeSyu4VkeYYksMgasb6YNQAu7tgrIaCpfY/s320/IMG_20170312_102949.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Top Ten-voted beach in North America by numerous sources, Siesta Beach in Siesta Key, Florida boasts mile upon mile of deep, white powdery sand. Gorgeous! Fun stats: 2017 Travelers' Choice Trip Advisor Award results: Siesta Beach voted #1 U.S. beach; #5 on the best beach in the world list!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDrnnlb3z-ETwHEntKhdqnp1NENgLNf1uzHraBzv-CYJpq5WJ8syQOgl-Kpy2cTaNzDyJZCdBwW7HcWQJIoE6lfOJ07BYUQYm68tjipTFqHdT7yzfWPmWADl_kmWyO4qQ3dwvJio_5osGg/s1600/DSC04607.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDrnnlb3z-ETwHEntKhdqnp1NENgLNf1uzHraBzv-CYJpq5WJ8syQOgl-Kpy2cTaNzDyJZCdBwW7HcWQJIoE6lfOJ07BYUQYm68tjipTFqHdT7yzfWPmWADl_kmWyO4qQ3dwvJio_5osGg/s320/DSC04607.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzQ33RMvPEAOujT1i3c-lcVcuvMUZXb9Slid9KiNLXduTncr_Yn3IYJJXz_-Me2FEXzlrTS1uOmQTgbGH5LkG-g1uBP3Ak2rDEetKBaEHwW1HMcOT_Ev8l9QyRR6hKYjaUGF8FdLmpJ7u/s1600/DSC04604.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzQ33RMvPEAOujT1i3c-lcVcuvMUZXb9Slid9KiNLXduTncr_Yn3IYJJXz_-Me2FEXzlrTS1uOmQTgbGH5LkG-g1uBP3Ak2rDEetKBaEHwW1HMcOT_Ev8l9QyRR6hKYjaUGF8FdLmpJ7u/s320/DSC04604.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Five of us attended a pre-season baseball game between the Grapefruit League's Baltimore Orioles and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The stadium's vibe was much fun, and the scorching temperatures had us all ready to jump into the pool with our clothes on upon arriving back at the house!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VehWeu1pQlpiUovdc4P5CMrlyPx1hLKwAJE_U8gck8TDzWojQXHTfSIm3Qo9Ug72DthJdR6oPiUsEH9SBo7acSrgBAjLRwYazJqPh92mQdOwqloj9kmu1oBd9v7K9t0PpcuY8vHD39gl/s1600/IMG_20170311_133540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VehWeu1pQlpiUovdc4P5CMrlyPx1hLKwAJE_U8gck8TDzWojQXHTfSIm3Qo9Ug72DthJdR6oPiUsEH9SBo7acSrgBAjLRwYazJqPh92mQdOwqloj9kmu1oBd9v7K9t0PpcuY8vHD39gl/s320/IMG_20170311_133540.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">- Four friends catching up over wine during a lovely gals' evening out.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDi3-UfDMYiuRiYRrA6j4a41La9Q2OAK6aWjTR_L1_MTYnFSYGjz1ZIcZgvPGUqkeAvC-tEPyULNl22tkVNFJVuu3deXDBFwM1X5ZlDVY2JdWCUcU5mjzHFAkXJOL44IA1YAsnMJywC3v/s1600/IMG_20170316_193623.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDi3-UfDMYiuRiYRrA6j4a41La9Q2OAK6aWjTR_L1_MTYnFSYGjz1ZIcZgvPGUqkeAvC-tEPyULNl22tkVNFJVuu3deXDBFwM1X5ZlDVY2JdWCUcU5mjzHFAkXJOL44IA1YAsnMJywC3v/s200/IMG_20170316_193623.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Tens of thousands of cans used and donated in the Food Bank's annual </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">CANstruction</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> event. We happily admired them all and voted on our favourites - what a great way to raise food and funds for a worthy cause!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgWlos8qfW_MpwM-wBGzgAESUVRA2-x8VR5W5yN1zG2Eomqvndz1q4L8tFHE9hxpTnhEtT90RTWpXUHbuJBl63cOwsNdl0VLC5OymqD5Yk_hvzea_7c-GAJ47jDl6atrojnJfS22917Hw/s1600/IMG_20170317_111923.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjue6up9UY0-qBr-Ys2QmlP93oRyyZKZJotFIQOGwAVM43cgnMngAqEbprmi9a4NK2KypBDC8U9ofeLQgUGEVHtHmqXNAHnsjUr7WBzmEBpEO1qFHELdcLq8-EmIi8z9C7PDfsAjJwvNSk8/s1600/IMG_20170317_112213.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjue6up9UY0-qBr-Ys2QmlP93oRyyZKZJotFIQOGwAVM43cgnMngAqEbprmi9a4NK2KypBDC8U9ofeLQgUGEVHtHmqXNAHnsjUr7WBzmEBpEO1qFHELdcLq8-EmIi8z9C7PDfsAjJwvNSk8/s320/IMG_20170317_112213.jpg" width="320" /></a><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgWlos8qfW_MpwM-wBGzgAESUVRA2-x8VR5W5yN1zG2Eomqvndz1q4L8tFHE9hxpTnhEtT90RTWpXUHbuJBl63cOwsNdl0VLC5OymqD5Yk_hvzea_7c-GAJ47jDl6atrojnJfS22917Hw/s320/IMG_20170317_111923.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One fabulous sleepover visit with two dear friends whom we never see often enough, but with whom we always easily pick up just where we left off.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeGU-eky9lpXWnM33Zr4kcMaZERjNVIA7VwvWSbahzN7OHtck49oOQSP-JZcnYUTnmHuPfh5Ddd5Z1pEOPnYHKejJmjJAukVjNGvHk0hxLZWId0kJr2cqGxfh2dpZVEiHDsTytHRSSIMs/s1600/IMG_20170318_094036.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeGU-eky9lpXWnM33Zr4kcMaZERjNVIA7VwvWSbahzN7OHtck49oOQSP-JZcnYUTnmHuPfh5Ddd5Z1pEOPnYHKejJmjJAukVjNGvHk0hxLZWId0kJr2cqGxfh2dpZVEiHDsTytHRSSIMs/s320/IMG_20170318_094036.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRnYdcCfyAAFTuR62E0bPeymKXXJGWzh7nmkHDGIUNfPgcIIp2OQG_qxR-CX8qBM1_8GVWC8x0jRp2Zx2_OCDcXJ7snc42tv8hOKUXa1viq0Gvy1_KSzMylwGyfg7WiKBmtROCTy8SzdZ/s1600/IMG_20170318_121110.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRnYdcCfyAAFTuR62E0bPeymKXXJGWzh7nmkHDGIUNfPgcIIp2OQG_qxR-CX8qBM1_8GVWC8x0jRp2Zx2_OCDcXJ7snc42tv8hOKUXa1viq0Gvy1_KSzMylwGyfg7WiKBmtROCTy8SzdZ/s320/IMG_20170318_121110.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Vkdzfmis9L13W3BWYsA1-HbhBiRGOuO21l57bq7f_8E4I0f6BSXnO7ElycLceCKdaTzreVRTgb74_OdBrh5MKxZ52EwxVAphde-es9sjUI6XClP2YamciQM4N0ZEu13ryIygolGcJsTh/s1600/IMG_20170318_121648.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Vkdzfmis9L13W3BWYsA1-HbhBiRGOuO21l57bq7f_8E4I0f6BSXnO7ElycLceCKdaTzreVRTgb74_OdBrh5MKxZ52EwxVAphde-es9sjUI6XClP2YamciQM4N0ZEu13ryIygolGcJsTh/s320/IMG_20170318_121648.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf72G22hR7lW0Rk14NxwRnd8bt0Dh-qeivdoQNF_NN0boF4gaLydXOvns6LcrGrQm1OoJn-ZOnZDE9icfkSIJacO4ACLOITdSIb7ZYqQY5yvJn2e1BJsnfkDE_EXBJ6eDgeB_cenvxUUXz/s1600/IMG_20170318_122508.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf72G22hR7lW0Rk14NxwRnd8bt0Dh-qeivdoQNF_NN0boF4gaLydXOvns6LcrGrQm1OoJn-ZOnZDE9icfkSIJacO4ACLOITdSIb7ZYqQY5yvJn2e1BJsnfkDE_EXBJ6eDgeB_cenvxUUXz/s320/IMG_20170318_122508.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;">- Six years can make a big difference at times, and at other times, not so much!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPWDpt1-Eybe6PlDEFU3zf8beqV70Eg1AyNFWG7coroE0TblH5onG66DmC1hZ1lj2xPQeodtv4DYfWa6077wqX9-Yfh0dPmOOy1VLz2jhl2eeRMJoKPWzLkTzY5aWvBDZu_nUY0ouKEMe/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPWDpt1-Eybe6PlDEFU3zf8beqV70Eg1AyNFWG7coroE0TblH5onG66DmC1hZ1lj2xPQeodtv4DYfWa6077wqX9-Yfh0dPmOOy1VLz2jhl2eeRMJoKPWzLkTzY5aWvBDZu_nUY0ouKEMe/s320/033.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTMDMV1KQSUNO3hIk4nbOsFcbGNeWd-2hYriBax8qL3xLEFf02lS-s9M3o-hVnijSu18AJP4OWUXCl3RDyJZscAfZ-egIbE4sABSfRd_WB64kNN36H6vM3xu3gOBGuk5uuE9RPk11Lo7_/s1600/IMG_20170318_171642.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTMDMV1KQSUNO3hIk4nbOsFcbGNeWd-2hYriBax8qL3xLEFf02lS-s9M3o-hVnijSu18AJP4OWUXCl3RDyJZscAfZ-egIbE4sABSfRd_WB64kNN36H6vM3xu3gOBGuk5uuE9RPk11Lo7_/s320/IMG_20170318_171642.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two lovely pieces created by my littlest artist, who was inspired by Lawren Harris and Grandma Moses.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekH-HHjqcnpfCB9a8yeaVxPb78fvs_D3b7wLt9-xHNRu16-W_I6rdEC0pmZ13tcWmjGhR-FU5fI0GJeyJpXstC2HWvWW_vlONJb7jymPndJrhm5c7-AN9TemPb3JZeZWuPtfsFUgYQxyk/s1600/IMG_20170331_082000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekH-HHjqcnpfCB9a8yeaVxPb78fvs_D3b7wLt9-xHNRu16-W_I6rdEC0pmZ13tcWmjGhR-FU5fI0GJeyJpXstC2HWvWW_vlONJb7jymPndJrhm5c7-AN9TemPb3JZeZWuPtfsFUgYQxyk/s200/IMG_20170331_082000.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHxTPszBIlLvmIuwRCRmNJQ26l5-HdGqd9N3nnbIR5Txu07kC8OvSmh_rNtvMxkcpLq8px96toQaxbFNoYnPGFyqvzWuh7MsTsJZVydW60alfqj0aruu6GCcaWwxTWlRogPKlG-9j5put/s1600/IMG_20170331_082047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHxTPszBIlLvmIuwRCRmNJQ26l5-HdGqd9N3nnbIR5Txu07kC8OvSmh_rNtvMxkcpLq8px96toQaxbFNoYnPGFyqvzWuh7MsTsJZVydW60alfqj0aruu6GCcaWwxTWlRogPKlG-9j5put/s200/IMG_20170331_082047.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three friends shared a great eve of dancing and catching up.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7AK3TESCMJfjZNyUU8tQLWIiIpfIpBKqGtWWJ7P_AuQBk2RALf14SBXII8QsvFuk56iryctmB1wUKNDrnLFj4YM378gZkz6tkIsppai1sFD1eT2jDjFPH53qR54Kh5nkymL39-u-2nMby/s1600/IMG_20170318_234944.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7AK3TESCMJfjZNyUU8tQLWIiIpfIpBKqGtWWJ7P_AuQBk2RALf14SBXII8QsvFuk56iryctmB1wUKNDrnLFj4YM378gZkz6tkIsppai1sFD1eT2jDjFPH53qR54Kh5nkymL39-u-2nMby/s320/IMG_20170318_234944.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two Spring cups at Starbucks to sweeten the deal during a nearly ten km. walk with a good pal.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6P61kxDmbJjqprcDd3EfjtN_vxliFEDKItVrMNBMWBVoVkhMQixpYpzPMxW2c1C3wWNQk0opovNPWunZZ4A6KFxVjxuenEGeTHaRr0_tMnO2RwUP2O5hB2n3lH94wQ0Ndp67xzM3XbaTG/s1600/IMG_20170319_071527.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6P61kxDmbJjqprcDd3EfjtN_vxliFEDKItVrMNBMWBVoVkhMQixpYpzPMxW2c1C3wWNQk0opovNPWunZZ4A6KFxVjxuenEGeTHaRr0_tMnO2RwUP2O5hB2n3lH94wQ0Ndp67xzM3XbaTG/s320/IMG_20170319_071527.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three cuties all set to see 'Beauty and the Beast' after many months of anticipation . . . I thoroughly enjoyed it, too!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgNgSflygUvtxca74SvD2rLB3BFNXzJe4LKe87Fq48i7kIebC02qJ1nMXVMWxopEqep_2hF3knq9MlKmeLuPVb8bS1SZ6Zr84oZazRPAvWRmrVnIgKyelVNrgpWbRIzHfBEijd6vahyphenhyphen8L/s1600/IMG_20170319_114554.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgNgSflygUvtxca74SvD2rLB3BFNXzJe4LKe87Fq48i7kIebC02qJ1nMXVMWxopEqep_2hF3knq9MlKmeLuPVb8bS1SZ6Zr84oZazRPAvWRmrVnIgKyelVNrgpWbRIzHfBEijd6vahyphenhyphen8L/s320/IMG_20170319_114554.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodic4un9WSrjIzCKkqho-ChpxBrOkUAPPXk_-LUPZSoDD7iNmAuB-Ul3rul-dmMJmpRReGRHfqOlSFQJJihrgGyItQJBJWuGoxcCGZ5zQkxmHW09DYxj3-6fZ1_Zm7K0NnOr0vDe_XA-a/s1600/IMG_20170319_115631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodic4un9WSrjIzCKkqho-ChpxBrOkUAPPXk_-LUPZSoDD7iNmAuB-Ul3rul-dmMJmpRReGRHfqOlSFQJJihrgGyItQJBJWuGoxcCGZ5zQkxmHW09DYxj3-6fZ1_Zm7K0NnOr0vDe_XA-a/s320/IMG_20170319_115631.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Twenty wonderful grade threes, including my own mighty mite, worked diligently with me as we sculpted with clay during several school visits this month. So much fun getting to be the volunteer Mom!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqOnfd09LL5KY2SBqMjRO4-qEQK5Qt0NCwK7pNRc4kmwTlqdCEoFzyTZeuexqfLS3wn25dCgKmIvrsxsvvPBT4ZqdYLOPwlcme_OdAWOIZj6SlSgMT8UnCwpeMtB5UxlfXr_b3VhwuiAuV/s1600/IMG_20170328_114157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqOnfd09LL5KY2SBqMjRO4-qEQK5Qt0NCwK7pNRc4kmwTlqdCEoFzyTZeuexqfLS3wn25dCgKmIvrsxsvvPBT4ZqdYLOPwlcme_OdAWOIZj6SlSgMT8UnCwpeMtB5UxlfXr_b3VhwuiAuV/s320/IMG_20170328_114157.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four of us put on these spiffy shoes and had a great time bowling, something I haven't done in years. Great family fun!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoQOKWV-ogMeA_pVqMajCcu6bHZFJvZQBuv7JOvA-02KJkV1h0Rqw0TRxdzh-y6naUFpYFt5y9e3cN7SKoEE9XmSHvxL82OU79hxPm0jJUu0S7h-GckpnxOGiYJzLtRcsfUV7C5blxtI1/s1600/IMG_20170325_131922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoQOKWV-ogMeA_pVqMajCcu6bHZFJvZQBuv7JOvA-02KJkV1h0Rqw0TRxdzh-y6naUFpYFt5y9e3cN7SKoEE9XmSHvxL82OU79hxPm0jJUu0S7h-GckpnxOGiYJzLtRcsfUV7C5blxtI1/s320/IMG_20170325_131922.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Sixty minutes was all the time we had to find Great Aunt Gertrude's Gazillions and escape her house before the wrecking ball hit! The four of us - intrepid puzzlers that we are - had a fabulous time trying to break the codes and uncover the secrets as a team at the Ultimate Escape. This was our first-ever attempt at this kind of adventure, but will surely not be our last! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3QHTTjEczChJ-UAr_d5uUo40YXEzf8vu7rApxWwM2gjtCLuyCZl0AVoQ9z4vdEIWZnxbukYejqtwIM3e0b1RQ0e2-ajpkwZD7XxrLd0-sdrMQqq50GOEszLcFs0nMBLRr3gPvhnrqR6x/s1600/20170326_131447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3QHTTjEczChJ-UAr_d5uUo40YXEzf8vu7rApxWwM2gjtCLuyCZl0AVoQ9z4vdEIWZnxbukYejqtwIM3e0b1RQ0e2-ajpkwZD7XxrLd0-sdrMQqq50GOEszLcFs0nMBLRr3gPvhnrqR6x/s320/20170326_131447.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two of my favourite people headed out for a ride together on my recommendation, and thoroughly enjoyed their time together before being ushered home by the rain.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2syPC3LEv17dGImV3I2XSLUSaD0bgfcaGoEv5aQo4lkrtNjlWIZxdXb8Kd-tTOAa0kjlpPqxksWasdkSOSJs0PRhgLk8rbCIH8oQw_aYWRyCq3PRGu2r72jyrcGm153xrPkZq3UU5xghl/s1600/20170326_184529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2syPC3LEv17dGImV3I2XSLUSaD0bgfcaGoEv5aQo4lkrtNjlWIZxdXb8Kd-tTOAa0kjlpPqxksWasdkSOSJs0PRhgLk8rbCIH8oQw_aYWRyCq3PRGu2r72jyrcGm153xrPkZq3UU5xghl/s320/20170326_184529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Several hours spent darning - yes, you read correctly, darning!! And I had a surprisingly good time doing it! Kind of refreshing to put my practically non-existent home-ec skills to use, and very satisfying to put a serious dent in the basket of holey socks and tights that has slowly but surely filled up over time. Waste not, want not!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmUZmKY0WJCsNDpAx53OkBK_WsP2OmhmYnxBVjh5P3_gDPa-MHRSy1tUjT2oCSeKBzpwzzQNjSaqKUZLzumGtbcdAAgfol8XWElkhODKz5GMoHZlv5ELsR02_-xwxRZJeak1oSUixhPJ8/s1600/IMG_20170327_103853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmUZmKY0WJCsNDpAx53OkBK_WsP2OmhmYnxBVjh5P3_gDPa-MHRSy1tUjT2oCSeKBzpwzzQNjSaqKUZLzumGtbcdAAgfol8XWElkhODKz5GMoHZlv5ELsR02_-xwxRZJeak1oSUixhPJ8/s320/IMG_20170327_103853.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two of my very favourite people on the planet are growing up incredibly quickly! As so many parents, teachers, caregivers, grandparents, etc. do, I'm sure</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, I just gaze at them in wonder some</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">times, awash in amazement at the wondrous little people they are.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7hTwDfiZShOUyFLLNBnv9S0EFoUFljYcV3x5lBavrzmY59PTi2Bx5tlMA24foZsVvyvCewPsDVleXWlQut3cWh5kSD0Dlw5e0aqFkQSeYLuL0YxBLznX1_4Qd-bVitsRSFMHMbxjtGXm/s1600/IMG_20170328_195347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7hTwDfiZShOUyFLLNBnv9S0EFoUFljYcV3x5lBavrzmY59PTi2Bx5tlMA24foZsVvyvCewPsDVleXWlQut3cWh5kSD0Dlw5e0aqFkQSeYLuL0YxBLznX1_4Qd-bVitsRSFMHMbxjtGXm/s320/IMG_20170328_195347.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two mugs of hot cocoa, with ten marshmallows apiece - these things matter! - for my little munchkins who trudged home amidst flurries on a Canadian spring day . . . 16 degrees and sunny on one day and negative temperatures with blustery winds on the next seems to be par for the course for us these days.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJGvsjfopIvCpr-I75fe6GtqgjmuJV-AJGf6vnjJhIKqP0OWB5-5q_aRPfpHIWyQV65JITj_1OKavl34aXb635WMKntQIjjoBSBmTmwIa3HsrbsPRQ_vi0IMUWyJip1ZnqFyx3gE6jxay/s1600/IMG_20170330_150218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJGvsjfopIvCpr-I75fe6GtqgjmuJV-AJGf6vnjJhIKqP0OWB5-5q_aRPfpHIWyQV65JITj_1OKavl34aXb635WMKntQIjjoBSBmTmwIa3HsrbsPRQ_vi0IMUWyJip1ZnqFyx3gE6jxay/s320/IMG_20170330_150218.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Five days to share with one of my dearest friends is just around the corner as I get ready to head out to New Brunswick to visit her and her family - including a new baby girl! I can't wait! As I tend to do during my travels, I will be unplugged from my blog during this time and look forward to reconnec</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ting upon my return.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKl4WrywsN0nNXnJmNpkcqA7hvSYRWy9hpxKAiNkH4501yFln5pJhHa0KGH0O6czebxLwqijj-jFLKwDuxDwbyXMKIO5DastTMLSLYQw-EY6heExiDIv2dCysgqJxCeMZyJ4rUwVkASnDL/s1600/ceca5e21a25aeeb79d33f8c8d6142dda.gif" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKl4WrywsN0nNXnJmNpkcqA7hvSYRWy9hpxKAiNkH4501yFln5pJhHa0KGH0O6czebxLwqijj-jFLKwDuxDwbyXMKIO5DastTMLSLYQw-EY6heExiDIv2dCysgqJxCeMZyJ4rUwVkASnDL/s320/ceca5e21a25aeeb79d33f8c8d6142dda.gif" width="292" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I wish you all a fantastic month ahead, and hope that Spring's arrival is bringing you all many opportunities to savour those wondrously powerful joys that come in small, everyday moments.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-16993002477067468622017-03-27T06:43:00.000-07:002017-03-27T06:43:20.836-07:00Thought of the Week: Trying Something New & Celebrating my 50th Blog Post!<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You are reading my 50th published blog post, and for that I am very grateful - thank you! I'll also admit that I'm rather proud of myself . . . about a year ago as some of my friends and colleagues were asking me about what this year might entail, several suggested that I should blog about it so they could see what I'm up to during my year off. My immediate personal reaction was to silently scoff at the idea, sloughing the thought off like so much dead skin during an exfoliation treatment. What did I know of blogging? The answer: Nothing. Nada. Zip. Actually, about as much as I know about exfoliation treatments. I'd never even read anyone else's blog at that point, let alone thought about setting up my own. Being a self-proclaimed technologically impaired individual who - here's the cherry on top of this no-way sundae - is often somewhat hesitant about sharing the details of her life with others, blogging was certainly not going to be a part of this year. The thought was actually laughable!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And then this year got underway and three things became more clear to me. The first was an answer to the question that so many had been asking me: What are your plans for this year? I just reminisced my way back to my very first blog post where I worked my way through the answer to that question on paper (okay, on the screen). Here's an excerpt:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "\22 arial\22 " , "\22 tahoma\22 " , "\22 helvetica\22 " , "\22 freesans\22 " , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Balancing B-G, Sept. 22, 2016: </span></span> "<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As my year off approached, a number of people asked me what my plans were; what did I intend to do? I noticed a slight feeling of unease in the face of these questions. After all, what WERE my intentions?? My mind flew to the 1980's music video of Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" and the father's belligerant question "What d'you wanna do with yer life???" I realized, of course, that my friends and family were only being kind in their show of interest, but the questions seemed to put an air of expectation and pressure on how my year was to unfold and, more aptly, what it was to yield in the end. I knew I wanted to be more present for my family, my friends and myself. I certainly wanted to travel more often than usual, and on a more flexible schedule. I hoped to practice yoga more regularly, to write and read, and basically to do all of the delicious things that I usually wish I had more time for. In essence, I was seeking greater balance across all areas of my life. But was this far too self-indulgent a goal? Should I not be pursuing something of greater value, such as a further academic degree, or a very specific writing project (that classic novel, perhaps?). After stewing over these thoughts for a while, I realized that balance is a lofty and worthy goal. Aren't most of us seeking it? And while it's obvious that a healthier sense of balance will be more easily achieved upon the elimination of a major aspect of my life, namely my job, I hope to glean insights into how I can carry some longer-lasting solutions to the balance challenge forw</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ard through the rest of my lifetime .</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"> . . </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">My goals for the year are to savour life, quite simply . . . the moment-by-moment journey in mindful, positive and hopeful living."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://balancingb-g.blogspot.ca/search/label/About%20this%20year</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I knew I wanted to explore and experience a life</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> of greater balance. Check. The second thing that became clear to me was that I really wanted to incorporate</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> my love for writing into this year in a more formal manner than journaling and scrapbooking provide. While these options are a wonderful creative outlet for me, I felt that an audience of some kind would be nice to share some of my experiences and thoughts with. </span><span style="font-family: "\22 arial\22 " , "\22 helvetica\22 " , sans-serif;">Connecting with people during this year was a priority, and if my writing could be the springboard for some dialogue and conversations, what a great opportunity for additional connections.</span><span style="font-family: "\22 arial\22 " , "\22 helvetica\22 " , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But - and this was a big BUT - I did not want there to be any serious stress associated with this writing. As in, no deadlines, strict expectations or dictated topic guidelines. After all, escaping those kinds of demands was a large part of what this year was all about. I began looking at a few blogs and realized that they cover the spectrum in terms of format: while some offer daily advice or interest columns in a prescribed framework and on a very defined topic, others are more like online journals. And that's when I began to reconsider that whole blog thing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Trying something new can be a daunting prospect, especially when you intend to share that something with others, whether it's with one person or many. I know that I often tend to avoid technology in my life. And I'm aware that this is a two-fold decision. On one side I very consciously try to limit my entire family's interactions with technology. Yes, I am one of those people who has some very grave concerns about the effects technology is wreaking on us as individuals and as a society. I could surely write an entire post here - or an in-depth novel - about my reservations concerning the proliferation of technology in our lives and what I and many researchers believe are some of the damaging consequences of this propagation to our physical, mental and emotional well-being. Yes, the word 'fear' might come up a few times in that novel of mine. And yes again, I might start to sound like a sci-fi doomsayer; I recognize that this is not a popular opinion. But on the other hand, I must also admit that my discomfort with embarking on projects of a technological nature likely have something to do with my complete ineptness when it comes to most things related to computers. There's a certain amount of </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">vulnerability that's exposed when you venture out of your comfort zone, and oh-boy am I ever out of my comfort zone when dealing with technology.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These thoughts about stepping out of my comfort zone relate to the third thing that became clear to me as this year got underway: I wanted to learn some new things. And while I'm learning a great deal about myself, my family and friends and the world through some of my experiences, connections and travels this year, embarking on a quest to create and maintain a blog for the year provided a very clear learning goal. A trip to the Apple Store saw me purchasing a new MacBook Air. I did not want to be chained to a desktop computer for all of my writing during this year of explorations. So here was my first opportunity for learning: navigating this new piece of equipment, which even I will admit is quite user friendly . . . and yet I regularly manage to find a stumbling block here and there - thank goodness for tech support and handy 'help' features! Then came the rather lengthy lessons on blogging . . . and they continue to this day! I checked out other people's blogs, and then had to investigate blog providers. Set on keeping this endeavour free of monetary charge, I did have to wade through a few lines of fine print here and there, where upgrades and countless options can add on charges. Eventually I landed at this site, Blogger, and went with it. In hindsight, I probably should have spoken with some people who blog to get their advice and input. But eventually you just have to dive into some things, and so I did. Oh yes, there was initially much frustration - some of you who've been with me from this blog's birth may recall my premature launch issues, when I neglected to properly test the 'follow' and 'subscribe' features before putting things out there. Related problems cropped up again regarding leaving comments on my site. Sure, I could've put my head back in the sand and given up then and there, letting the embarrassment of my faux-pas put the brakes on the whole endeavour. Instead I came to terms with all of these issues as being a part of my learning process. And my have I learned - a lot! Plus I really enjoy this blogging journey, even more than I ever imagined I would.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So here's to those friends who first uttered the word "blog" when they asked me about this year. And here's to all of you who've supported me along the way to this 50th post by reading, commenting, providing I.T. support, or showing an interest in any way. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm thankful to have tried something new. And here's to my next learning journey: an Additional Qualificati</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">on course on Mathematics - taken online! - that I'm embarking on this spring. Here's to learning new things!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">P.S. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">P</span>lease feel free to venture back through my older posts if you're newer to my blog. To help guide you there's a handy menu along the right-hand side margin where posts are sorted chronologically under the heading "Blog Archive", and there are also tabs running along the top of the screen by which I've sorted my posts by topic. When you come to the bottom of a screen, there's often the option to click on "Older posts" which will let you continue further into the history of my posts. I also published a post to try to help guide interested readers and/or wannabe followers through some of the grey areas of following this blog or commenting on a post. Here's a link to that post:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">http://balancingb-g.blogspot.ca/2017/01/logistics-clearing-up-some-confusion.html</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(I'm having trouble making these links active, and so you may need to copy and paste them into your browser if you're inclined to following them - sorry! Hmmm, at least I'm aware of my technological shortcomings, right?! Awareness has to count for something!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">My wonders</span>: What was the last new thing you tried? How did you feel after trying it? Was it a positive experience? A learning experience? How did this experience make you feel about trying something new in the future? Is there anything new that you'd like to try right now? If so, what supports could be put in place to help you in trying?</span>
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<br />Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-85761882110271525022017-03-22T12:42:00.000-07:002017-03-22T12:42:18.247-07:00Thought of the Week: The Art of Aging<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Several years ago as "the Big 4-0" approached, I was cool, calm and collected about that impending birthday milestone. "You're only as old as you feel", was my preferred maxim when it came to age. I was healthy, active, generally happy and grateful for my lot in life. Forty was just a number, albeit one that had some of my friends quaking in their proverbial boots. Some were dreading the arrival of that decade that seems to represent mid-life, if we're fortunate. But not me. I welcomed forty, ready to embrace this time in my life which many describe as incredibly satisfying due to a keener sense of what it is you value and want in life. That wisdom which comes with experience was going to carry me along quite happily, thank you very much. A dear friend and I even jetted off to New York City for an extended weekend get-away to welcome in our forties, kicking off the new decade in our lives in fine fashion with a celebratory red carpet, so to speak.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Forty arrived and all was well. Just a number, see. But like a snake that slithers down from a branch, pointing out the juicy apple just above its serpentine head with a nod, it lulled me into a false sense of security and invulnerability. And then forty showed me its true colours. As would a false friend who's kind to your face and deceitful when out of earshot, forty stabbed me in the back. And twisted the knife. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I entered my forties with still three grandparents in my life. Goodness knows that I was utterly grateful for that fact and for the very close relationship that I'd always shared with them. Perhaps enhanced by the fact that I'm an only child, and that I was also an only grandchild on that side of my family, my Oma and Opa were truly like a second set of great parents to me as I grew up. I spent many a weekend at their home as a child, and associate so many good feelings with them: security, comfort, kindness and unconditional love. My own girls, H and E, have also grown up knowing that love from them. And while my logical brain knew that they'd have to disappear from my Earthly life one day, the emotional part is having a lot more trouble coming to grips with a world that doesn't have Oma and Opa in it. They've been constants in my life since day one. Now I have only one grandparent remaining. </span><span style="font-family: "\22 arial\22 " , "\22 helvetica\22 " , sans-serif;">My Nanny's 91 and I'm thankful that she's going strong. What a good reminder this is to go visit her again soon and share as much quality time with her as I'm able.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When forty arrived my body was strong and I jumped into any physical activities that appealed. I ran most days and had completed a series of half-marathons in my late thirties. I competed in duathlons, and certainly didn't think twice about carrying luggage or helping a friend move some furniture. My body was dependable. And then my forty-year-old self put a Pyrex bowl of noodles into the fridge one day and my back gave out. This felt as though the lower shelf of my back dropped out of its position; like someone took out the bottom drawer of a filing cabinet and the system surrounding it went into spasm in its attempt to hold up the remaining structure. As my condition improved and then relapsed, I discovered that running was no longer a viable activity for me. Believe me, I did not give this up easily; I've been running for as long as I can remember, and both my physical and mental states thrived on it for much of my life - that is, until forty knocked at my door. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The way I began to see it, I was left with two options: live a brittle life of fear and loss, clinging to what has been and lamenting all that is no more, or forge on, adapting to the new state of the union that is my life. Or as Andy Dufresne, played by actor Tim Robbins in one of my favourite movies, 'The Shawshank Redemption' more succinctly says, "I guess it comes down to a simple choice: get busy living or get busy dying." There's no doubt that I've spent some precious time floundering through the murky swamp of this thing called mid-life, though I'm hesitant to say that it's been wasted. While I don't dream of lending my thoughts anything near the grand or noble import as those of the famed Greek philosopher, Socrates apparently said, "An unexamined life is not worth living." I applaud these words, however, my cautionary addendum is that one can get stuck in the quagmire of the mind and miss out on the simple glory of experiencing the wonder of life through the senses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So here I am, two years after forty bowled me over and I've learned a great deal about prioritizing and listening to my body. I'm ever-grateful for this physical entity that I'm in when we're having good days, and try to be just as grateful when it's not working optimally. I've swapped out some of my go-to physical activities for ones that now better suit my body and its limitations, devoting more time to yoga, swimming and walking and less to those whose impact is not currently positive. I've also learned to seek help when necessary, and would like to send out a huge shout-out of thanks to my talented friend A and her team at Embody Health Centre for their skills and care, as well as to the easy-going yoga practitioners and teachers at Fearless Heart Yoga Centre who provide a warm and comfortable space in which to practice. Above and beyond the physical care these teams provide, it's knowing that there are positive people in my world who are always there to support me that means the most.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At this moment when I look back on the past couple of years, my forties have been a time to transcend the labels and the boxes that we too often package ourselves into. We are, indeed, more than the sum of our parts, our strengths, weaknesses and individual traits. We tend to define ourselves using certain titles, accomplishments, roles and interests. My list might have read something like this at one time: mother, daughter, wife, granddaughter, teacher, runner, introvert, writer, vegetarian, friend, animal-lover, etc. When conditions or events alter those definitions it's easy to question who we are, how we should proceed, or why we're here. All valuable questions, surely, but not ones to get hung up on. I can't fully describe how I've come to see myself these days, but it's in a much broader scope than those labels imply. My sense of self seems to vibrate along an expanse of feelings, of the grand within the simple and the simple within the grand. I realize this may sound very nebulous, and I think that's part of why it's working for me: I prefer this sense of the unfixed and undefined. I feel that I'm allowing myself to float with the ebb and flow of life in a much more harmonious manner with this viewpoint as my anchor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />No one knows how much time he or she has to live this Earthly life. That very fact seems to lend weight to the argument that age is somewhat irrelevant. One popular adage instructs us to "live in the moment", and Alice Morse Earle is credited with sayi</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ng, <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818;">“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present." While I fully embrace the idea of living in the now mindfully and being fully present in your life, I also believe that we do ourselves a disservice by forgetting our past and not planning for the future. As a memory keeper of sorts for myself and my family, I love to reminisce and recall days, events and people gone by. We also risk repeating mistakes if we don't take some time to look at the past and learn from those errors that we may have made. And while I would agree that it's counterproductive to live in that fantasy world of "when", as in "when I (insert accomplishment), I'll feel happy/complete/satisfied", I also believe that the future exists as a beacon of hope, as a path of opportunity and so much possibility. This belief is surely tied up with the tears that come to my eyes so often when I watch children united in an endeavour, whether it's an organized production or carefree play - they represent a seemingly limitless spectrum of unknown potential. Yes, I strive to fully live in and appreciate the here and now, but I do reflect upon my past and enjoy planning for my future. As with so many things, it's all about balance.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">And so I've forgiven forty for its less-than-stellar arrival. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm embracing this time in my life when I feel a much greater sense of what I'm all about, with all of my quirks, foibles and flaws.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> I don't mind not knowing the names of 99% of Hollywood celebrities - I only recognize some who are also over 40 or those who are the offspring of the actors I watched in my younger days. I listen to the CBC when I'm on my own in the car. I'm generally more comfortable with speaking my truth. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This life is, indeed, mysterious, like one of those 'Choose Your Own Adventure' stories that I remember delighting in reading as a child and which have seen a resurgence in recent publishing trends. Unlike those books, however, our choices in life aren't finite, nor are the outcomes. As life unfolds, we evolve, change and grow, and so the details of our adventures have the potential for so much more; the pages of our stories are written each day. Whatever your numeric age, I hope that you're enjoying your story more often than not, and that you're writing it with all of the wonder your adventure deserves. I'm ever-grateful that our stories have intersected.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta;">My wonders</span><span style="color: #181818;">: How have you embraced milestone birthdays throughout your life? Whether you approached them with excitement or dread, how did your expectations meet with reality? Where do you feel your feet planted today: in the past, present or future? Have you found a comfortable means of jumping along your life's timeline? </span></span></span></span>
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<br />Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-52079662585676837072017-03-20T11:14:00.000-07:002017-03-20T11:14:37.920-07:00March Fun with Family in Florida<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A lovely extended March Break is now behind us, and we were lucky to share a perfect mix of adventures and relaxation. After traveling to Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport fully bundled in winter coats on the afternoon of March 7, we spent less than three hours in a plane and were breathing in the warmth of a Florida evening. Ahhh, the magic of human flight - yes, airplanes still absolutely amaze me, no matter how much reading I do about aerodynamics, thrust, lift and air pressure. My girls and I were fortunate enough to get to spend a week with my parents in Bradenton, Florida, where they've been wintering for the past two-and-a-half months. They've joined the flock of migratory snow birds this year, fully enjoying the change of climate and all of the perks that come with it. As did we for the week we spent with them! And </span><span style="font-family: "\22 arial\22 " , "\22 helvetica\22 " , sans-serif;">while we happily anticipated the Florida sunshine, we were most excited about seeing my parents/Gramma and Grampa, whom we've missed during these past months.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Happy to have arrived at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our days down South were relaxed, to say the least. Even the preparation for this trip required the least amount of effort of any other travels I've embarked upon this year. For starters, heading to a relatively predictable warm climate made for easier prep. Our packing was also made stress-free k</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">nowing that we would be living in my parents' fully stocked home, complete with laundry facilities, and that we would also have stores nearby in case we forgot something. One suitcase was all it took, and we were off, more swimsuits in tow than anything else.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The whole trip felt as relaxed as snuggling up with a great book, which of course we also spent </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Along with my skin, my heart was warmed immediately as I watched my girls fling themselves into the arms of my parents' waiting embraces. Considering that we are lucky enough to see them very regularly when they are back at home, this winter without them living only a few short minutes away has definitely taken an adjustment. We were more than ready for a week of sun-filled adventures with them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Much of our time in Bradenton was spent relaxing at the lovely home my parents have rented. We played games together, swam in the pool and soaked in the hot tub, went for neighbourhood walks, enjoyed movie evenings, and of course chilled out with books. The girls learned how to play chess, and E also took up knitting, a skill she's been wanting to learn from Gramma for some time. Enjoying this kind of schedule, at times our vacation had an element of being away at a cottage, albeit with a tropical slant. With my Mom cooking some of our very favourite dishes - chicken corn chowder for the girls, Kaesespaetzle for me - and my Dad pointing out and naming all of the birds, our trip was also lent a strong feeling of coming home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNf6cj5U3o7Cp7MsDIlEQHGUj6uhclMt31TtokfM4D5tEsa-89jel57y_vbP0tUeLf6lKnlJiW0fm6U3nd91jr1S3GiW9ibUR5AAPL1j822-U9CzU2_kC2pJH1oe7G_TJ1EqudJfWYca6/s1600/IMG_20170308_091705_hdr.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNf6cj5U3o7Cp7MsDIlEQHGUj6uhclMt31TtokfM4D5tEsa-89jel57y_vbP0tUeLf6lKnlJiW0fm6U3nd91jr1S3GiW9ibUR5AAPL1j822-U9CzU2_kC2pJH1oe7G_TJ1EqudJfWYca6/s320/IMG_20170308_091705_hdr.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was ever so grateful to greet each morning by doing yoga poolside, listening to the birds welcoming the new day as they flocked in and around the lake backing onto the property. In addition to the myriad of birdlife in the area, including herons, egrets, ibis, cormorants, sandhill cranes, pelicans and roseate spoonbills, this lake was also home to gators, turtles and otters, which we were excited to spot now and then.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrKjpvIvdZxeU2knDulxO0in9BW6ErGKc6abdKJ3ChwKJHVgOua8s8xWrtNitVED2xK7RQu0oeAGPR_XqKziWs9rRjq2-h2UsGpIMpgk34cnUoCOo-UYUQX4avLlFrqoFg8nTDwCcCFBj/s1600/IMG_20170308_073613_hdr.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrKjpvIvdZxeU2knDulxO0in9BW6ErGKc6abdKJ3ChwKJHVgOua8s8xWrtNitVED2xK7RQu0oeAGPR_XqKziWs9rRjq2-h2UsGpIMpgk34cnUoCOo-UYUQX4avLlFrqoFg8nTDwCcCFBj/s320/IMG_20170308_073613_hdr.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1dCFvMIGZBjoCFVFnF-qQDam10yquODgBCG5eUqRr-cPCkGfhjVNxXy4sA2bv7uwxTg9TvPIvv1CRmOBouzAc7xi2yI0HjuUirx_OUTUtgNbrqW13QmW6hSxX0KMDHfhOz_DbmW3P_ZCU/s1600/DSC04650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1dCFvMIGZBjoCFVFnF-qQDam10yquODgBCG5eUqRr-cPCkGfhjVNxXy4sA2bv7uwxTg9TvPIvv1CRmOBouzAc7xi2yI0HjuUirx_OUTUtgNbrqW13QmW6hSxX0KMDHfhOz_DbmW3P_ZCU/s320/DSC04650.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Majestic Great Blue Heron</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmct4xO-yCovTEl7YEQ76yx5HTJNQkDcPMAoG-R0g2ViA-vJTEb34AFLETE7yD_UHTum4nvKG49U463lntSE3Sr4rq1zF7O3aVRxVaHw31kc-mEjxGZI18f9UD_PDoHCbhiEuPmZyHhc8H/s1600/IMG_20170310_142218_hdr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmct4xO-yCovTEl7YEQ76yx5HTJNQkDcPMAoG-R0g2ViA-vJTEb34AFLETE7yD_UHTum4nvKG49U463lntSE3Sr4rq1zF7O3aVRxVaHw31kc-mEjxGZI18f9UD_PDoHCbhiEuPmZyHhc8H/s320/IMG_20170310_142218_hdr.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Just keeping an eye on Great Blue.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4AlO4wz-JozTkqj7qTVDQnRxhHjwZHSTXiCSS15xFFaLBGYns3iSZ0xLhsiYVbB7oaWrH_KZSLBdk_1dRvl6sJkWys-qRmmsUpqEM9BnpmFwo4Vb9Nbyz5ccTR_sPkMYp2-Q3icaQySF6/s1600/DSC04679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4AlO4wz-JozTkqj7qTVDQnRxhHjwZHSTXiCSS15xFFaLBGYns3iSZ0xLhsiYVbB7oaWrH_KZSLBdk_1dRvl6sJkWys-qRmmsUpqEM9BnpmFwo4Vb9Nbyz5ccTR_sPkMYp2-Q3icaQySF6/s320/DSC04679.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We were all so excited to see this otter, and were ecstatic when two more were spotted<br />running back into the forest.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In and amongst these relaxing hours were peppered daily outings. Florida's Gulf Coast boasts beautiful beaches, and we visited a few, including Siesta Key Beach (also called Siesta Beach), regularly voted by a variety of sources as one of the top ten beaches in North America. Miles upon miles of powdery white sand met us, soft and silky under our bare feet, and countless colourful umbrellas dotted the shoreline where fellow beachgoers sought shade. E happily splashed in the water as we meandered our way along the shore, so grateful for this perfect beach day we'd been granted. We also visited Coquina Beach, saw Bradenton and Cortez Beaches during our trip, and enjoyed the 1.5 mile park known as the Riverwalk that spans downtown Bradenton, </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CT_oj36Kd9_o3nvRe_iDnwl5Am9ybmzWhZF0NVhYWF7m_aqngsBRlZGY0E6lNRb78l1cCXR4ppZ8Np-plo7E2aFEm7r2Nc9SWh6QV2-bhiDxIqaHlnASpTjLPtC7vKNnF5wue1fJkGmZ/s1600/DSC04607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CT_oj36Kd9_o3nvRe_iDnwl5Am9ybmzWhZF0NVhYWF7m_aqngsBRlZGY0E6lNRb78l1cCXR4ppZ8Np-plo7E2aFEm7r2Nc9SWh6QV2-bhiDxIqaHlnASpTjLPtC7vKNnF5wue1fJkGmZ/s320/DSC04607.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Miles of powdery white sand at Siesta Key Beach.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTGYWC_CLYQAkkDXtpF3BqAX3NS25pZghzLEuK6bP4fNHOg2WX4MzGVpv1-DKSfIC_Q3Kc2913algx3YJf__gWLjsU5NqL5EDemC1UnmNMSofVdTWHBLhpW-lZCDZppLggQxmrm54iLMIr/s1600/IMG_20170309_110955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTGYWC_CLYQAkkDXtpF3BqAX3NS25pZghzLEuK6bP4fNHOg2WX4MzGVpv1-DKSfIC_Q3Kc2913algx3YJf__gWLjsU5NqL5EDemC1UnmNMSofVdTWHBLhpW-lZCDZppLggQxmrm54iLMIr/s320/IMG_20170309_110955.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi447tO3ljF0GSoWwVCUhNfICB8dbUTohrhmSjPMuZXLF6UM_6hF-9cNDKWg03mE7Z4eT5mK5iGX5z4bs9HaijEEU6x6YKX_kQ8hEc4fikD4X_9X-q-oiZddsK2mQ-Vo2i5HbR9dDdQTnCa/s1600/DSC04594.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi447tO3ljF0GSoWwVCUhNfICB8dbUTohrhmSjPMuZXLF6UM_6hF-9cNDKWg03mE7Z4eT5mK5iGX5z4bs9HaijEEU6x6YKX_kQ8hEc4fikD4X_9X-q-oiZddsK2mQ-Vo2i5HbR9dDdQTnCa/s320/DSC04594.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicChmDiuo_mc6lTzTw7v-TFtWvO8J0R5M29FD8PuDWJS_D_OFLOH1KVaifTcnjDcciu6dkd77SpMBYCB-kbR00KoyJ7EvVXxbSryfefep7NIFmgCaTLNV155P3FACREdBXMyoiY0Dmj0Ei/s1600/DSC04599.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicChmDiuo_mc6lTzTw7v-TFtWvO8J0R5M29FD8PuDWJS_D_OFLOH1KVaifTcnjDcciu6dkd77SpMBYCB-kbR00KoyJ7EvVXxbSryfefep7NIFmgCaTLNV155P3FACREdBXMyoiY0Dmj0Ei/s320/DSC04599.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaJC9Ng5-3CXHiWhN_hFgkfEdLnH-EI4gLknjpGvFxvG8ui6cBMkBUi0E449kTkhFVZedWOgeDRJNZBo_yl8T2L8WjknGHYmughslLM5FfHI5IVZ9KdHC7qFV2KLpCaW8RviiktG2-CLl/s1600/IMG_20170309_105240.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaJC9Ng5-3CXHiWhN_hFgkfEdLnH-EI4gLknjpGvFxvG8ui6cBMkBUi0E449kTkhFVZedWOgeDRJNZBo_yl8T2L8WjknGHYmughslLM5FfHI5IVZ9KdHC7qFV2KLpCaW8RviiktG2-CLl/s320/IMG_20170309_105240.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLoz2TDWcR5MRZ5Mckss2tfBXh_Zz_SwxGUHoCf-CmiZf_DWiEFZtwKU54Uwny34X5hYllKPe4SDtz3u6Ky6b8dH6PjB17qQ6oSpws5PalSkhyphenhyphen646sKYDt77kDoqpTWxcXEi-EnRM6pyzK/s1600/IMG_20170313_112136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLoz2TDWcR5MRZ5Mckss2tfBXh_Zz_SwxGUHoCf-CmiZf_DWiEFZtwKU54Uwny34X5hYllKPe4SDtz3u6Ky6b8dH6PjB17qQ6oSpws5PalSkhyphenhyphen646sKYDt77kDoqpTWxcXEi-EnRM6pyzK/s320/IMG_20170313_112136.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'Parabolic Dishes', one of numerous outdoor art features along Bradenton's Riverwalk.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgT6BwzZ_C6gfh8T80Kl0jD5HHorRWIWDVSJQ3FB0LebPANwUGILJDUM_bO6OEw-Q_DqeUJJS_RW59oN3aqSfWfWEhJSY0E6_EYOjsibhsp4W4KMhXNo5iEYf2fS3qlQZ-k0ec6_tADxne/s1600/IMG_20170313_113450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgT6BwzZ_C6gfh8T80Kl0jD5HHorRWIWDVSJQ3FB0LebPANwUGILJDUM_bO6OEw-Q_DqeUJJS_RW59oN3aqSfWfWEhJSY0E6_EYOjsibhsp4W4KMhXNo5iEYf2fS3qlQZ-k0ec6_tADxne/s320/IMG_20170313_113450.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Family Fun Zone overlooking the Manatee River.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another favourite destination was the Manatee Viewing Centre in Apollo Beach, a wonderful (and free!) attraction featuring an education centre, butterfly garden, a mangrove swamp, stingray touch tank, and shallow waters where we were able to view a variety of marine life forms, including manatees, tarpin, and entertaining jumping fish. The canal running along this centre has been designated a manatee sanctuary. It provides these wonderfully gentle and endangered animals with a warm-water refuge during times when the temperatures of the surrounding bodies of water dip too low for the temperature-sensitive creatures. We saw a great many manatee moving with slow ease in the estuary, H noting that they looked rather like floating potatoes, which indeed they do. Without a doubt the girls' favourite spot was </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cowshead Cove, the stingray touch pool. The gracefully gliding rays truly seemed to enjoy our gentle touch, regularly approaching us and turning back for repeated glide-by visits! Especially nice about this centre is that, other than the stingrays, all of the creatures were in their natural environments, free to come and go as they pleased. I highly recommend a visit to this excellent centre if you are ever in the Tampa area of Florida - H and E enjoyed it so much that we went twice!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdi4X4B_wMF7d4OzBQbLfYOiSE9xjVHEjGlULouCr3CvfL1bNnnOzubQXzB1rT7npx7vZnC3drp7oexrmsm3bLV_6I4ZIfQMnBI8d4cjSjpdGWy8TCtyQaRPdZM21JzRX7XKOtyxXCEwZ/s1600/DSC04615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdi4X4B_wMF7d4OzBQbLfYOiSE9xjVHEjGlULouCr3CvfL1bNnnOzubQXzB1rT7npx7vZnC3drp7oexrmsm3bLV_6I4ZIfQMnBI8d4cjSjpdGWy8TCtyQaRPdZM21JzRX7XKOtyxXCEwZ/s320/DSC04615.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sting ray popping up to say Hello!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoFv48FUoBDO_KGRG_6GHmdgPsr_1WKtG0HJDlmjC9_xvuVB665c4lhNPl6OoHs6HrV-taZf1sGrSJhgLS5v4Txg6Gh5Fs_kcVVAGHSSED4St1JyNilvyUvFuYhoWSGz3a7z0yMqwJD7nk/s1600/IMG_20170312_103131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoFv48FUoBDO_KGRG_6GHmdgPsr_1WKtG0HJDlmjC9_xvuVB665c4lhNPl6OoHs6HrV-taZf1sGrSJhgLS5v4Txg6Gh5Fs_kcVVAGHSSED4St1JyNilvyUvFuYhoWSGz3a7z0yMqwJD7nk/s320/IMG_20170312_103131.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWR265-17au6SVwunLcE9wGl4xO5xzkDW3Ca9rMH3EkQxFfbsdeLJlc5CSvC1-XO79Hj-sTsMyRpXUDq2F29tFRARenWDT9LXwhA1CcQTr2JIrkuEhpJKZogr4MeKfFr2lZ6NzIZc_x9Fs/s1600/DSC04626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWR265-17au6SVwunLcE9wGl4xO5xzkDW3Ca9rMH3EkQxFfbsdeLJlc5CSvC1-XO79Hj-sTsMyRpXUDq2F29tFRARenWDT9LXwhA1CcQTr2JIrkuEhpJKZogr4MeKfFr2lZ6NzIZc_x9Fs/s320/DSC04626.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Manatee!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxW8JOIhNi_cP7Ctg2-ZEZKR8G3IPBrgKBgK8-LEnB_8a0Zm_VqSUKr5YgdNaUEUVm6KMIAMUEKD6MroR3ddObpZDu7jUS1raPKGCRmAdIxkyHxltH7U7kI21VJmQVt9F6c6qcKdQVz4kp/s1600/DSC04634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxW8JOIhNi_cP7Ctg2-ZEZKR8G3IPBrgKBgK8-LEnB_8a0Zm_VqSUKr5YgdNaUEUVm6KMIAMUEKD6MroR3ddObpZDu7jUS1raPKGCRmAdIxkyHxltH7U7kI21VJmQVt9F6c6qcKdQVz4kp/s320/DSC04634.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOqHgVXw2j-2W0J1lgKQbZ4_eUplJwCfczjiOBGkXXji7MWth9nRyovOhbuL3TTFAGltR3HFr1RER_DUML35MuDYf7Ey4DpEcUIcnbDBRsnXXJZI73_FiQJM_vPspNa9qaioJInxSfgst/s1600/DSC04641.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOqHgVXw2j-2W0J1lgKQbZ4_eUplJwCfczjiOBGkXXji7MWth9nRyovOhbuL3TTFAGltR3HFr1RER_DUML35MuDYf7Ey4DpEcUIcnbDBRsnXXJZI73_FiQJM_vPspNa9qaioJInxSfgst/s320/DSC04641.JPG" width="213" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Florida in the spring time also represents baseball's preseason training time, and my Dad organized an afternoon outing for us all to go see a game featuring the Baltimore Orioles, who train in Sarasota, and the Pittsburgh Pirates, whose preseason training home is Bradenton. As both are considered preseason "local" teams, the stadium was nearly full and the vibe in the air was tinged with excitement. As Murphy's Law would have it, we went on the hottest day of our trip, and so a jump into the pool - in our clothes! - helped us to cool down afterwards, as of course did some ice cream.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UBdsnAZfD-WsXyTt1zzHPh9WxdUE64O3w6uKkQC1_wEMEw5b90nIcgfiQSGvVN_Vs0hkHIIyUY78B3a47BgTW3V4yQmGrRP2_VTKl1ooVTEFXHhyoxCsIrdjwpLQlm3E4gVDxqizEqy8/s1600/IMG_20170311_133913_hdr.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UBdsnAZfD-WsXyTt1zzHPh9WxdUE64O3w6uKkQC1_wEMEw5b90nIcgfiQSGvVN_Vs0hkHIIyUY78B3a47BgTW3V4yQmGrRP2_VTKl1ooVTEFXHhyoxCsIrdjwpLQlm3E4gVDxqizEqy8/s320/IMG_20170311_133913_hdr.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQp_37jxGt0I-uGmGGjPpPboWz4jvsv4vVGJL2FwzCVdXWHgoviogfsOVEKhf_KifwrqdUVioAmnhQMdVte1n-Xfv3h5-SFNnrsDn87HjaDVGeW6MLDIVl-ke9suPsYEM2I_gKsDX4sOr/s1600/IMG_20170309_191210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQp_37jxGt0I-uGmGGjPpPboWz4jvsv4vVGJL2FwzCVdXWHgoviogfsOVEKhf_KifwrqdUVioAmnhQMdVte1n-Xfv3h5-SFNnrsDn87HjaDVGeW6MLDIVl-ke9suPsYEM2I_gKsDX4sOr/s320/IMG_20170309_191210.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Practically personalized ice cream!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The best part of our time away really boiled down to being together with family. As M decided to forego taking this time off from work and stayed at home, we did miss him a great deal (and Tricksie cat, too!), which made returning home easier. And knowing that my parents will be returning home in just a few weeks made our goodbyes less sorrowful, too. Having stayed at their Florida home and explored the surrounding areas, I so appreciate now being able to envision where they are. When we catch up through texts and phone calls, I can truly picture what they've been up to, what the creatures they tell me about look like, and where their adventures have taken them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spring has now officially sprung and new adventures await us all. May yours be positively memorable, heartwarming and joy-filled. Happy Spring!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikEzqp-3dPPK100CiY4ro82et59dVa6MgB8ehxE7YOTRJSeh4eiRiNJmTTjZr7lQoeRybhaCWMCbvyG4ncnRBdLxQU-1LdD7IYEiQTRBicMVG-qcUtCEVH6jY-JrmZRb3vjWLIKWaaOucY/s1600/IMG_20170309_185841.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikEzqp-3dPPK100CiY4ro82et59dVa6MgB8ehxE7YOTRJSeh4eiRiNJmTTjZr7lQoeRybhaCWMCbvyG4ncnRBdLxQU-1LdD7IYEiQTRBicMVG-qcUtCEVH6jY-JrmZRb3vjWLIKWaaOucY/s320/IMG_20170309_185841.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">My wonders</span>: Have you ever visited Florida's Gulf Coast, and if so, what were some of your trip's highlights? What is one of your favourite beaches to visit, and why? If you live in a location that boasts cold winters, can you imagine being a "snow bird", migrating South for the winter months? Or do you enjoy all that nature's four seasons have to offer?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-59717582900180640522017-02-28T18:04:00.000-08:002017-02-28T18:04:18.508-08:00February 2017 by the Numbers<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why 'By the Numbers'?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While I'm much more concerned with quality as opposed to quantity, sometimes it's just fun to look back and reflect on what you've done in a specific window of time. Taking a look at what you've done often might be telling . . . here's to hoping that we engage in joyous activities regularly, and perhaps we can learn something from reflecting on how we've spent some of our time, and make changes if need be accordingly. The overall hope here is to celebrate the smaller joys in life, enjoying a measure of gratitude for the everyday and commonplace, as well as the rare and extraordinary.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">February 2017 by the numbers:</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBuM_95WVoTcN6GhMZDV6b2DbqPVkQlB3sL4lbMwMgsHV4WcaRuMQpsrxJY1RzX4Ox-_H1N-2jpe1PnaHoDwet9J7O5wm30q4dC97wqqpDaldMena9iHSSmfD_MrSn7qRyxeD43gOJUUJ/s1600/Hello+February.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBuM_95WVoTcN6GhMZDV6b2DbqPVkQlB3sL4lbMwMgsHV4WcaRuMQpsrxJY1RzX4Ox-_H1N-2jpe1PnaHoDwet9J7O5wm30q4dC97wqqpDaldMena9iHSSmfD_MrSn7qRyxeD43gOJUUJ/s1600/Hello+February.jpeg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">- Two of us enjoyed a lovely cheese fondue, the first we've had together in years!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL_Ss_UBQ2haqSP-rlaw0kaQU_daFJukOhNsXnUGGdx5Djk2wxttAXRkhQCiwDIYREW538jQENBHAUpp4CmsT2Gkhd4l3FXdEcmVG21q5Dve9C3LobG-RxTf_sPAvPp0WMX2_LiOP_l0D/s1600/IMG_20170126_211425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL_Ss_UBQ2haqSP-rlaw0kaQU_daFJukOhNsXnUGGdx5Djk2wxttAXRkhQCiwDIYREW538jQENBHAUpp4CmsT2Gkhd4l3FXdEcmVG21q5Dve9C3LobG-RxTf_sPAvPp0WMX2_LiOP_l0D/s320/IMG_20170126_211425.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">- One car cleaned thoroughly inside and out - such a treat! Thanks, M!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3TtZ4vXgPR6k04MIrvvJqJTXfRCdc1BSQoxNxdMjYMiLhvGfzeYwmWpRRUeySxzp3Q3Asxcc4wSAwmpex3VDD8wZE93hFbSuu5istJUDSwgQPFhbXTLj6P_2OJ64RWYgmDZeKSsG51kKU/s1600/Jan.26%252C2017+-+my+car+getting+clean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3TtZ4vXgPR6k04MIrvvJqJTXfRCdc1BSQoxNxdMjYMiLhvGfzeYwmWpRRUeySxzp3Q3Asxcc4wSAwmpex3VDD8wZE93hFbSuu5istJUDSwgQPFhbXTLj6P_2OJ64RWYgmDZeKSsG51kKU/s320/Jan.26%252C2017+-+my+car+getting+clean.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">- Three friends capable of giggles louder than you'd imagine in the backseat of a car, and many neon orange sock-clad feet ready to jump and bounce together in celebration of a good friend's birthday.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Fifty years of my dear friend, J, celebrated with a bash!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Five medals and a ribbon earned by H at ROW's Dean Boles Invitational Swim Meet. Fantastic swimming, with nearly all P.B.s!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One happy girl found a favoured pinot noir on sale at the LCBO!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN83ustwvPfhOTnjzMaAgxBK2pOIvfnW7MWPI6Cd5yLtU2mYnO1n8wg8dXhvF7RAsY-nFItKNScTkBFbFZ3ze4y0R6ZNfBVgpl70S1OVnNazPFWIH1X2cyk0hFIw8-eVSNTKVLbcNVEzEh/s1600/IMG_20170207_122824_hdr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN83ustwvPfhOTnjzMaAgxBK2pOIvfnW7MWPI6Cd5yLtU2mYnO1n8wg8dXhvF7RAsY-nFItKNScTkBFbFZ3ze4y0R6ZNfBVgpl70S1OVnNazPFWIH1X2cyk0hFIw8-eVSNTKVLbcNVEzEh/s320/IMG_20170207_122824_hdr.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two girls and one cat = countless snuggles and boundless love!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNiyuAqx7NFEkgRoYp171slNFgUJE_VRiFNjdFvfxWmN_edMl235FKMopuU7SmcagiOpcNxuh0zWa2zBO-dAc2t_mWdCTDKFLZQ6VIPVoKLDLndQGh0Jr347YSCV99FN2tLu2zHIkVG6E/s1600/287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNiyuAqx7NFEkgRoYp171slNFgUJE_VRiFNjdFvfxWmN_edMl235FKMopuU7SmcagiOpcNxuh0zWa2zBO-dAc2t_mWdCTDKFLZQ6VIPVoKLDLndQGh0Jr347YSCV99FN2tLu2zHIkVG6E/s320/287.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Seven yummy ingredients in my tasty green smoothie.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakG8INpdLp3gWdrFkJ850Yci1GCfkp6V3lRNoznX8NKqhXClNhDL0CU-7iVtyec1eqdXJGzJW2ZhC7VCi5kHiD8-d4SmoSZgcJ9GeboKjwuVIOCwVIReZx8wscW6lDy_4tTp2Pt051L9X/s1600/IMG_20170207_140740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakG8INpdLp3gWdrFkJ850Yci1GCfkp6V3lRNoznX8NKqhXClNhDL0CU-7iVtyec1eqdXJGzJW2ZhC7VCi5kHiD8-d4SmoSZgcJ9GeboKjwuVIOCwVIReZx8wscW6lDy_4tTp2Pt051L9X/s320/IMG_20170207_140740.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Six kids and two Moms thoroughly enjoyed the movie, 'A Dog's Purpose'.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5izckrtAir9KuvxAenwTrvBXas7KHpDoX9yjWvJFk1yVTHDu0HMv0AmFl-7BNOBp06xuYJTYppE3DosehiBwVjfdxgbH7-FYLF166kzrvPj8eOcmg_s4hUg6ZMVE1eV0koW9KuqAFavR-/s1600/Feb.7%252C2017+-+A+Dog%2527s+Purpose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5izckrtAir9KuvxAenwTrvBXas7KHpDoX9yjWvJFk1yVTHDu0HMv0AmFl-7BNOBp06xuYJTYppE3DosehiBwVjfdxgbH7-FYLF166kzrvPj8eOcmg_s4hUg6ZMVE1eV0koW9KuqAFavR-/s320/Feb.7%252C2017+-+A+Dog%2527s+Purpose.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Tea & lunch for two, which saw me savouring a wonderful "coconut bacon cheeseburger" - best veggie burger I've had in a long time! All followed with an amazing chocolate terrine - dessert to die for! So grateful for times like this with dear friends.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwsLSl0_2wBGjtlcQ8ftYe3KQtbBLYjFe4Tnq8DmA8jQSPxAFyeXbShIn0eShF98aFHfIJiO3DLebXpuKEDf9waeFbWHoopvLRAEN8qA_3-DP6zMICC07-7YcU-cnpRqV22LI5ZTymJXW/s1600/IMG_20170208_131139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwsLSl0_2wBGjtlcQ8ftYe3KQtbBLYjFe4Tnq8DmA8jQSPxAFyeXbShIn0eShF98aFHfIJiO3DLebXpuKEDf9waeFbWHoopvLRAEN8qA_3-DP6zMICC07-7YcU-cnpRqV22LI5ZTymJXW/s320/IMG_20170208_131139.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One spontaneous cafe date that M and I were both so happy to have been surprised with the opportunity to take.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four Whos loved K-W Musical Production's 'Seussical the Musical'.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzG4eZSCxhvUUuVmfLrVQ1EAhyphenhyphengJSq1hTvwoYHkjEVNNedkyEcZcx8F2gr_PH9P9lqiRy9aMRWe9GB6VmjJFacUXbIcqBbkBNpOJdRvdfe-oeINsZBqv6iWT9MnnYk01Fz2aUjmT_lFZDZ/s1600/20170210_183053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzG4eZSCxhvUUuVmfLrVQ1EAhyphenhyphengJSq1hTvwoYHkjEVNNedkyEcZcx8F2gr_PH9P9lqiRy9aMRWe9GB6VmjJFacUXbIcqBbkBNpOJdRvdfe-oeINsZBqv6iWT9MnnYk01Fz2aUjmT_lFZDZ/s320/20170210_183053.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLn_Wxh50h4IAZA_FeE7vKeEevIveD3cE_YUctfWEdx8ytpPsB8_7z_OYQ_edrAmaWJznR3DYMApIb2FHPbGi0thrPgntOyFUOVoO-M07Ln7ShCDQs-8oDUZgBUCSOvO4gJFyZpA-ybXq9/s1600/20170210_183342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLn_Wxh50h4IAZA_FeE7vKeEevIveD3cE_YUctfWEdx8ytpPsB8_7z_OYQ_edrAmaWJznR3DYMApIb2FHPbGi0thrPgntOyFUOVoO-M07Ln7ShCDQs-8oDUZgBUCSOvO4gJFyZpA-ybXq9/s320/20170210_183342.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Vzrg6QytBaDveyF4HlGWm9ehhrdvVdOt1DbpSS_ovA2__z75liFmc18T8uIwbYOrIlm6rwmh5eb755OdfpUad3qlz7_ziTwUWHWMITxFPZ4o4DxlTZFTrQ4r0zDM9vnnBEETkqDG8Ssh/s1600/IMG_20170210_184036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Vzrg6QytBaDveyF4HlGWm9ehhrdvVdOt1DbpSS_ovA2__z75liFmc18T8uIwbYOrIlm6rwmh5eb755OdfpUad3qlz7_ziTwUWHWMITxFPZ4o4DxlTZFTrQ4r0zDM9vnnBEETkqDG8Ssh/s320/IMG_20170210_184036.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two starving swimmers and their parents (who had to wake them up early and get them to practice - that's hard work, too!) enjoyed a post-practice brunch.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- First time on skates in more years than is imaginable for most Canadians!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEa3peTY6aRZeMQS1OeBrjLLBUaaFK9ae-5MZfG2_5-e9JcIfc6gbWgf6qbqnjpSeaphbEzmqN9SaYKx6Oqxfn2llEQN_qQ7a_scfKQbPUEPr74VvSoURQd2BBLujO2IzaKtw337P1_5i/s1600/IMG_20170211_142512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEa3peTY6aRZeMQS1OeBrjLLBUaaFK9ae-5MZfG2_5-e9JcIfc6gbWgf6qbqnjpSeaphbEzmqN9SaYKx6Oqxfn2llEQN_qQ7a_scfKQbPUEPr74VvSoURQd2BBLujO2IzaKtw337P1_5i/s320/IMG_20170211_142512.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two beverages (plus maybe some more!) that were enjoyed with good friends.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three skiers out on a beautifully snowy morning. Two little hot chocolate lovers warmed up nicely, too.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjjU-PuH0ZEM81tKHNOV2B0n6ixJkyUIbmhXBAWtbZJ77Qz0NaZZnUElqxLmJi4pykD9ymlOwDDjdGhHyExq3Y-jHwrO0UKh-UfiTxVrD9SBMowfOI8hz2ascgMe4RLK9hja9ZcziYQO0/s1600/430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjjU-PuH0ZEM81tKHNOV2B0n6ixJkyUIbmhXBAWtbZJ77Qz0NaZZnUElqxLmJi4pykD9ymlOwDDjdGhHyExq3Y-jHwrO0UKh-UfiTxVrD9SBMowfOI8hz2ascgMe4RLK9hja9ZcziYQO0/s320/430.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two perfect treats for the loves in my life who tend to get 'hangry'!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two hockey friends and one pal who had fun cheering them on to victory.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One of my Valentines was carved out of snow! Such a sweet and creative little carver.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two Valentine's glasses of wine savoured together.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Six pals had much fun at our latest mother/daughter book club meeting :)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLPji6OfSQAQwc-cQO7LKMROkEyNFaChe6sbz-xNtKZ74tduLHaPtvmqoyrnafC2cs-vOwZKvJd99R5xdthpXy6G8w7ixCrVuJrp6Ye0001u19KVlyYxOf2FB3kdO6ZKa1Vp6giQRq42Q/s1600/IMG_20170214_164817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLPji6OfSQAQwc-cQO7LKMROkEyNFaChe6sbz-xNtKZ74tduLHaPtvmqoyrnafC2cs-vOwZKvJd99R5xdthpXy6G8w7ixCrVuJrp6Ye0001u19KVlyYxOf2FB3kdO6ZKa1Vp6giQRq42Q/s200/IMG_20170214_164817.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Several lovely visits over lattes and tea to catch up with dear friends.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four of us enjoyed a wonderful woodsy walk, and were visited by countless chickadees.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four of us capped off a perfect day with dinner at Jane Bond Cafe. Mmmmm! And takes me back to days long-gone by when I used to hang out here a bit more often.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />- One little swimmer, well supported by her big swimmer-sister, had a great meet including two third-place finishes at the University of Guelph. She even lucked out by being in a bell-heat, probably the most thrilling part of all - who doesn't like getting a water bottle filled with chocolate and lollipops after winning your heat!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjxEZ22uVmpRK_NA3BHLu6mOo-IQq9JV0VjS3efTFIIZvkWqRHx-If7MvRtjHtZu95atb6e3a9jrPvAG_aeHD2HcTQIed1kyjxZ6_74zQ-opze5MgLrcB3pw3y0WD5qTEtz-JhkJEz38Z/s1600/IMG_20170219_120634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjxEZ22uVmpRK_NA3BHLu6mOo-IQq9JV0VjS3efTFIIZvkWqRHx-If7MvRtjHtZu95atb6e3a9jrPvAG_aeHD2HcTQIed1kyjxZ6_74zQ-opze5MgLrcB3pw3y0WD5qTEtz-JhkJEz38Z/s200/IMG_20170219_120634.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YmaHqzs81FEjlXvOGTEEkuP0-XCOrU7_TkvJYzqRcTVzSvc43y-_PYg8aaTqvHp8b8p7mj3yjE-ZGtR13XJrXzafsOV-16KtPddGYfZXWWCzqTz9_mSfLal9H2MpAEBgVZZtSODYQ8me/s1600/IMG_20170219_170726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YmaHqzs81FEjlXvOGTEEkuP0-XCOrU7_TkvJYzqRcTVzSvc43y-_PYg8aaTqvHp8b8p7mj3yjE-ZGtR13XJrXzafsOV-16KtPddGYfZXWWCzqTz9_mSfLal9H2MpAEBgVZZtSODYQ8me/s200/IMG_20170219_170726.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three friends relished an early-morning destination walk to Starbucks and sipped and chatted happily during the stroll home.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />- One little rollerblader took advantage of the spring-like weather we enjoyed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- More hours spent with my yoga mat this month. This practice is a most-appreciated part of my days; my body and spirit are grateful.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four swimming friends and relay teammates, one awesome and fun-loving coach, and an entire team of ROW swim club pals had an awesome time at the WOSA Regional Championships in London. H enjoyed both gold- and bronze-medal finishes in her repertoire of great racing.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four of us went to Spageddy Eddy's for a celebratory dinner and to let our swimmer fuel up on pasta for her second day of competition.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Fifteen buds like this one and oodles of new growth on our white oleander plant that we, on a whim, decided to give a try at wintering indoors this year. I'm hopeful that it will transition well back to the outdoors when the time comes.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four kinds of pancakes to enjoy on Pancake Tuesday, and one special little helper who likes to flip them.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">- Three of us are excited about heading off to Florida next week! My girls and I are looking forward to visiting my parents and sharing a week of sunshine with them . . . And then Spring should be arriving here at home before we know it! Here's to a wonderful month ahead for us all!</span><br />
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Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-6459583747398030342017-02-14T16:24:00.001-08:002017-02-14T16:24:29.979-08:00Cuban Get-Away During an Emotionally Charged Month of Loss<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I love all four, distinct seasons that we typically experience in Canada. There's something rather miraculous to me in the vast spectrum of weather systems we're privy to here in South Western Ontario, and in the drastically different landscapes that we're treated to right outside our windows from month to month. And there's beauty to be found in all of it: a winter's day when the sky is brilliantly blue and the snow lies white and crystalline on the ground; a spring morning when the emerging buds on our flowering crab apple tree and the chirping of the birds tell us that milder temperatures are here; a summer's afternoon when pools and popsicles beckon as we relish the co-mingled gifts of sunshine and shade; and autumn, my personal favourite, when the air's crispness invites cozy sweaters and the splendour of the leaves' colours astounds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All of that being said, there are times when the winter months can begin to wear on one, particularly if it's been a long season of severe winter weather, and if the sunshine has been scarce. I find that during such periods, the weariness I experience is more about my missing a broader colour palette than the plaguing frigid temperatures. Months on end of whites, greys and browns can become dreary, and when the sun hides its rays as it did this January, the urge to see some colour is strong. CBC News declared last month to be the "dreariest January in Waterloo Region in 19 years." As of January 29, 2017, 570 News reported that "the average amount of sunlight in January is 86 hours, or 21 days of sunlight. However . . . we've only had 12 hours of sunlight, or four days with sun." Fortunately, the sun began to peer through at the very end of the month and we've been fortunate to see it more frequently in February as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Escaping to warmer climates can be a most welcoming prospect during a Canadian winter for these very reasons, and my family did so with some good friends last month. While we usually enjoy the planning of a trip, we completely deferred to our friends this time, and so we let them and a friend of theirs who has recently become a travel agent do all of the legwork in the fall. We booked tickets to an all-inclusive resort in Cayo Coco, Cuba for the middle of January. As a teacher, I'm used to paying the peak-season prices of the Christmas or March Breaks, and so we were absolutely flabbergasted - and thrilled! - at the incredibly reasonable pricing available to us. Due to each family's own scheduling needs, we wound up traveling separately but overlapping five of our seven days of vacation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I mentioned in my recent 'January 2017 By the Numbers'</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> post (http://balancingb-g.blogspot.ca/search/label/By%20the%20Numbers) that "t</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">his past month was a topsey-turvey one emotionally speaking". I'd say that some of that </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">topsey-turviness peaked during the weekend before we were scheduled to leave for Cuba, when I suffered something of an emotional breakdown. It wasn't pretty. My Oma, a beloved and constant figure in my life, had been declining in health over the past couple of years, and certainly since my dear Opa's passing in June of 2015. And that gradual decline seemed to have picked up in pace and severity as the new year arrived. In all honesty, had I known where things would be with her when we booked our trip to Cuba back in the fall, I never would have committed to the vacation. And so the weekend before our departure, spent both visiting with her as much as I could and then packing suitcases at home, I will admit that I was a sobbing mess, questioning what I was doing, one moment saying that I must cancel my flight, while simultaneously feeling guilty at the thought of abandoning M and the girls, not to mention our friends. M was fully supportive, more or less saying that he would do whatever it was that I needed from him. He had also arranged for his father, a retired minister, to stay at our house while we were away and to visit Oma periodically during our absence. I do believe that this arrangement was one of the factors that ultimately allowed me to leave with some comfort. That and an emotional conversation with my Mom, who talked me down from the proverbial ledge. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On January 16th, the day of our departure, the girls went to school for the morning as we had a late-afternoon flight. M and I picked up some coffees and went to see Oma for a last visit before our trip. And how grateful I am that we did, because this was to be one of the loveliest visits I'd had with her in some time. She was sweet as was always her nature, and more alert than she'd been during recent visits. Oma had always enjoyed a cup of coffee, but her appetite had gradually decreased to the point that she no longer consumed much of anything, let alone a hot beverage. But on this morning we were so happily surprised to hear that she did, indeed, want to join us in having some coffee! I went to get her a cup, and proceeded to cool it by pouring small amounts into a separate glass so that she could comfortably sip it through the straw I held to her lips. As the visit progressed, she drank the entire cup! We shared fun memories and M played songs on his phone that we knew she enjoyed, including the theme songs from some of the television shows I used to watch with Oma and Opa, 'The Love Boat' and 'Fantasy Island' topping off our favourites. This visit left me on such a high, ending with Oma's always heartfelt words, "I love you", and that feeling enabled me to carry on with our vacation plans for the week ahead.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And so Cuba provided the sunny warmth and relaxing atmosphere that I can now say may very well have been exactly what we needed during this rather somber time as a family. Cuban hospitality saw us connecting with people who worked at the resort, highlighted by the sweet relationship that developed between E and a young woman named Juleeta who worked at the smoothie bar that we visited each morning at breakfast. This upbeat and outgoing girl spoke to us openly about the courses she was taking as she continued her education, and always treated us to friendly smiles and waves as she greeted us and engaged us in conversation. We spent our days with no other schedules than those dictated by our stomachs, the eight of us making our way to lunch when we were ready for some sustenance and a break from the sun. Most amazing was the freedom afforded us all now that the girls have all reached more independent ages. Often disappearing in pairs, the girls were each armed with a friend and made their way to explore the resort, hit the pools for a swim, go and grab a snack, and visit the swim-up bar for a slushy drink, definitely a favourite activity of the "the littles" who were such regulars that the bartenders had nicknames for them and knew their orders by heart (oh yes, of course we are not oblivious to the near inevitable fact that this type of scenario will no doubt be repeated in years to come when the girls are older!). All of this independence left the adults with time to chat and relax, a surreal experience to be sure. M and I were even able to enjoy morning cappuccinos together, either on our beach-view patio or at the lounge, and some early beach walks, as our girls were comfortable with us leaving for short outings as dawn broke while they still slept.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The two "littles" at the swim-up bar, while the "bigs" look on.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Peppered in amongst the hours of relaxation were pool-side zumba and dance classes, visits to the gorgeous beach for sand castle building, shell collecting and breathtaking walks, and swimming and paddle boat outings in the ocean. Evenings were spent dining and attending the resort's shows and other organized activities. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By the time our final day arrived, we were all ready to head back home. While vacationing is fantastic, there's always something wonderful about returning home. And in this case, the girls were both eager to return to school, we were all ready for some of the comforts of home, including our own beds and a kitchen stocked with some of the fruits, veggies and other favourite foods that we'd been missing, and above all, I wanted to get home to see Oma. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I'd feared would inevitably be the case, Oma's condition had deteriorated during my absence, and the palliative care cart that greeted me in her room upon my return was a physical reminder of what we all knew was coming. We tried to take comfort in the knowledge that she was ready to leave this Earthly life, and that she wanted nothing more than to be with Opa. She passed away in the early hours of Saturday, January 28, and while we mourn her loss still, we know that this was the release she was ready for.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The truth is, some days I regret having gone on the trip, having not capitalized on some of those additional days with her. On other days I'm okay with it. I feel quite certain that Oma wouldn't want me to feel guilty about it, and so I try to be gentle with myself. I just miss her.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I shared in my eulogy at her funeral, I will leave you with this image of comfort inspired by a good friend, and initially by a memory once shared with me by Oma as she</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> recalled when she and Opa had shared time in a rose garden during the years of their courtship. She had told me years ago, “We were sitting on a bench, side by side, and then he picked a dark red rose and reached over and put it in my lapel.” During the days following Oma's death, we all took much comfort in </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">the care and concern showed by many of our friends. Thanks to all of you who reached out in one way or another.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Up</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">on hearing of Oma’s passing, our dear friend Bruce shared his heartfelt sympathies with us, and then told us about a video that our loss reminded him of. He said, “Th</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ere’s a wonderful Brad Paisley music video, with Andy Griffith, called ‘Waitin' on a Woman’. . . and the final scene is Andy in a white suit, waiting on a bench by the water, and he says to the camera, ‘Take your time, ‘cause I don’t mind, waitin' on a woman.’” Bruce proceeded to say, “I’m sure Opa was waiting with welcoming, open arms.” </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’m sure he was, too, and perhaps he had a deep red rose to put in Oma’s lapel.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sources:</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Brad Paisley's video, 'Waitin' on a Woman': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-C-IbkuNWs</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/2017-was-darkest-january-waterloo-kitchener-19-years-1.3963333</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">http://www.570news.com/2017/01/29/january-seeing-less-average-hours-sunlight/</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-66964954610992388192017-02-09T13:53:00.001-08:002017-02-10T06:48:39.632-08:00Thought of the Week: You are a Badass!<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well, did the words in this post title catch your attention?! They certainly caught mine and M's when we were Christmas shopping for our girls this past festive season. Your opinion of us as parents might be forever altered when you read the following - or maybe your opinion will simply be confirmed! - but we bought H a page-a-day calendar called, "You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life" by Jen Sincero. Buying this for our eldest daughter was not a desperate grasp at trying to change her in any way, shape or form, nor was it an effort to dig her out of any pit of despair, in which she is in no way stuck; she actively lives a self-proclaimed pretty awesome life. But like almost everyone, we notice that she often sells herself short, and we thought this could be a fun way to infuse her with some added confidence and provide her with some additional strategies for trusting herself in more situations. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of course, anyone who knows our H will not be surprised that she blushed profusely when she saw the title on the box upon opening her gift, and that she replies with an embarrassed, "Awww, Mom/Dad!" each and every time we proclaim, "You are a badass!" I'll admit that I do it sometimes just to see her cute reaction! But I must say that this calendar and its daily affirmations really are quite awesome. I make sure to pop into her room to read the latest page each day, and have also read them out to E and M on occasion, as the tips and advice given are often gems that I recognize we'd all benefit from hearing. Here's today's tidbit, which I have little doubt most of us need a reminder about once in a while: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"This is about getting mighty clear about what makes you happy and what makes you feel the most alive, and then creating it instead of pretending you can't have it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or that you don't deserve it. Or that you're a greedy, egomaniacal fathead for wanting more than you already have.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Or listening to what Dad and Aunt Mary think you </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">should</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> be doing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> It's about having the cojones to show up as the brightest, happiest, badassiest version of yourself, whatever that looks like to you."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Sincero; Feb.9, 2017)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Seriously, don't you just want to go out and be the "badassiest version of yourself" that you possibly can be right now?! Don't you feel empowered to just, well, I don't know exactly what, but to go DO something that inspires the heck out of you?! I know I do! This feeling reminds me of how my friends and I felt a number of years ago when we were in the holding pen getting ready to participate in the Tough Mudder, touted as "probably the toughest event on the planet". As the crazy fates of coincidence would have it, the Eminem song, "Lose Yourself" - my number one pump-me-up tune of choice before any race I participate in - was blaring from the speakers around us as a man with more energy than I thought it possible for any one human to possess gave us the most motivational speech that I've ever had the very good fortune to hear. He pumped us up for the craziness of the Tough Mudder obstacles to come, including pits of mud, walls that could only be scaled with the help of our teammates and fellow participants, electrocution (yes, they lit some of us up like Christmas trees), vats of ice water to swim through (my personal nemesis, but my teammates saw me through it), heights to conquer, ski hills to run up, and many other rather insane hurdles that one wouldn't believe any people in their right mind would voluntarily face (and yet we paid to do this!). He was so inspiring that most thoughts of doubt that we'd had as we'd faced the start line were nearly banished and we rushed on in with excitement to conquer the course ahead. And we really did have a ridiculous amount of fun doing it! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Motivational speaker extraordinaire!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLaPJfLjRxAoxhUSnJjKUn1wocO_9Gt9lTpzk_m5veCOhcCAv-PgSctUX4s_v-hRepCeRlKn_0gRL_0TAyv72-iZ11K2WJhI4-g80IZy2yzOZmB-O9_JELpBWgfpbPOOl_iNRaWl3INK3h/s1600/36.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLaPJfLjRxAoxhUSnJjKUn1wocO_9Gt9lTpzk_m5veCOhcCAv-PgSctUX4s_v-hRepCeRlKn_0gRL_0TAyv72-iZ11K2WJhI4-g80IZy2yzOZmB-O9_JELpBWgfpbPOOl_iNRaWl3INK3h/s320/36.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But I do recall each of us at one point before and/or during the event facing moments of doubt. For me it was that ginormous dumpster filled with freezing cold water which was almost continuously being topped up with loads of ice. Doubt is that emotion, strongly linked to fear, that has the power to paralyze us and thus impede our journey through the most fulfilling life we might otherwise live. Sometimes doubt serves a valuable purpose, there to make us rethink a situation and ensure that we're making a sound decision. But other times it's groundless and is simply another version of those 'perceived thoughts' that I've mentioned so many times in previous posts. While I have a truly fearful and visceral reaction to the mere idea of being submerged in ice-cold water, I do know that in all but extreme cases in which I would obviously not volunteer to put myself, the cold water isn't actually going to harm me. My Tough Mudder pals knew about my near phobia. They coached me through my fears as we approached the 'Arctic Enema' (who wouldn't have some doubts about an obstacle with a name like that?!) and ensured I successfully completed it (yes, they pulled me in!). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'd like to share one more entry from H's calendar that I found to be incredibly relevant when I read it last week: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Forgive Yourself (Listen up! This one's extremely important)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You have screwed up in the past. You will screw up again. Every human is born with the ability to make spectacular mistakes. You are not alone. Screwing up is not your special skill. Get over it. Dragging around guilt and self-criticism is beyond unhealthy and is utterly pointless, not to mention boring . . . Get clear on this one truth: </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">guilt, shame, and self-criticism are some of the most destructive forces in your life, which is why </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">forgiving yourself is one of the most powerful."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Sincero; Feb. 3, 2017)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Being able to forgive oneself for mistakes is an important piece of being resilient. Resilience is such a trendy concept these days for educators and parents in particular, and one that I believe is a trend that should stay and sink its way into the very fabric of society and each and every one of us. The ability to bounce back from difficulties and to recover from adversity or change has a profound impact on our personal happiness. Dwelling on misfortunes and on mistakes only perpetuates the cycle of shame and guilt. My feeling is, that's not how a badass wants to live!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If I can be so bold as to make a recommendation, here goes: do the work that needs to be done to forgive yourself for whatever mistakes you've made in the past and for those that you will make in the future (it's practically inevitable). I will attempt the same. Please reread my post on self-compassion if you need further coaxing to forgive yourself: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">http://balancingb-g.blogspot.ca/search/label/Thought%20of%20the%20Week.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now let's support one another in our efforts to live our lives as badasses. I certainly look forward to the "brightest, happiest, badassiest" versions of ourselves meeting up :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">My wonders</span>: What does the "badassiest version of yourself" look like to you? Is anything standing in your way of being that 'you'? And if so, can you think of any ways that friends (including me, perhaps!) could help support you in your efforts to claiming that version of yourself?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Resource:</span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sincero, Jen. "You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life, 2017 Calendar." Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2016.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-52346935632875323082017-02-02T10:58:00.000-08:002017-02-02T10:58:07.183-08:00January 2017 by the Numbers<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why 'By the Numbers'? </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While I'm much more concerned with quality as opposed to quantity, sometimes it's just fun to look back and reflect on what you've done in a specific window of time. Taking a look at what you've done often might be telling . . . here's to hoping that we engage in joyous activities regularly, and perhaps we can learn something from reflecting on how we've spent some of our time, and make changes if need be accordingly. The overall hope here is to celebrate the smaller joys in life, enjoying a measure of gratitude for the everyday and commonplace, as well as the rare and extraordinary.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This past month was a topsey-turvey one emotionally speaking, </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and so my monthly 'By the Numbers' post and any others that I've had in mind have been somewhat delayed. </span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I thank you all for your support and care during this time and always. How grateful I am for you all! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">January 2017 By the Numbers:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three wonderful days spent embracing the wonders of our Ontario Winter in a gorgeous setting in the Haliburton area. What a great way to share time with old friends!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- A few savoured hours spent writing and reflecting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Countless pieces of Lego sorted and many fun hours building with the girls.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four of us happy to get out for a weekend matinee together to see 'Sing', a fun and uplifting family flick about the power of being true to yourself, supporting others and their dreams, and never giving up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three plaid-wearing swim Moms cheering on all of our swimmers at the A-B Meet in Etobicoke.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two munchkins having some Easy-Bake Oven playdate fun.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two magazines featuring George read from cover to cover. First magazines I've bought for myself in ages! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Seven days of fun in the sun with family and good friends in Cayo Coco, Cuba.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One ginormous iguana that amazed us for both its size and utter stillness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- More sightings of hummingbirds during our week in Cuba than I've seen collectively in my entire life. We loved them and delighted in each one!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- 86 years of our Oma celebrated as we said our final farewells . . . how we love and miss her.</span><br />
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Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-8622197593624802642017-01-12T12:02:00.000-08:002017-01-12T12:02:36.813-08:00Thought of the Week: Self Compassion<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">~ Joseph Campbell</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Think about Joseph Campbell's words for a minute; really let them sink in and make themselves known to you. At this very second (which is now already past us) the world's population is 7,476,906,780. That number is absolutely staggering in my mind. I'll admit that my gag reflex is triggered when I think of those numbers, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">as it is</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">each time that I visit the World Population Clock website at http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/ which lets you watch the numbers of births and deaths in the world speedily click by in what appears to be real-time. That, however, is not the point of this post (though perhaps for one in the future). The point I'm trying to make here is that, in a world of 7,476,907,987 people, (Yes, that's what it climbed to in the few minutes that it took me to write the above sentences! Told you it's eerie!) you are the only one 'you', and that is something to celebrate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I know, some of you might be shaking your head and smiling indulgently for my benefit right now, acknowledging that the softy Kindergarten teacher in me is emerging. Here she goes, spreading her Dr. Seuss-like message of uniqueness, as when that brilliant writer committed to paper the lines, </span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” But it IS true!!! Out of 7,476,908,826 people (so scary!), not one other human looks just like you do, thinks just like you do, acts just like you do, or feels just as you do. This is amazing! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And yet too many people spend so much of their lives trying to change who they are, very often trying to be like one of those other 7,476,926,929 people (I took a coffee break with a friend between this and the previous paragraph, but seriously, that's a lot of people born during the time it took me to drink a latte!). It feels as though we're constantly being bombarded with contradicting messages in the media and society at large. It's boggling, being encouraged on one hand to be ourselves while facing headlines, how-to lists, articles, friends' advice and magazine covers boasting the key to how we can become something other, 'fix' ourselves, or become/look/act more like someone or something else, very often a celebrity of some sort in the public eye. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"I found in my research that the biggest reason people </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">aren't more self-compassionate </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">is that they are afraid they'll become self-indulgent. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">They believe self-criticism is what keeps them in line. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Most people have gotten it wrong because our culture says </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">being hard on yourself is the way to be." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">~ Dr. Kristin Neff</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It often seems that the messages we receive are encouraging us to be 'better' versions of our current self. Now, don't get me wrong, I see the value in striving to be one's best self, in being a healthy and self-aware individual. But all too often we are using someone else's barometer by which to measure ourselves, and we've convinced ourselves that it's our own. We place emphasis on the perceived ideals of a society run rampant with stereotypes and marketing campaigns. We will, of course, be happier if we flutter lashes as long as the mascara model's. We will attract the perfect partner if we act and speak in a particular way. We must do 'this' to be the perfect parent, 'that' to land the perfect job, and umpteen other things to lead a happy life. And for goodness sake, with 7,476,933,925 other people on the planet to compete with for those jobs, partners, and for that happiness, we'd better toe the line and start changing. And fast!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yet that happiness tends to elude so many as they strive to be more of 'this' or less of 'that'. Even those who see themselves as compassionate people, being kind to others and never dreaming of putting someone else down, do not show themselves that same kindness or respect. I constantly hear people I know, men and women alike, berating themselves for not doing more, trying harder, being better, reaching higher. For not measuring up. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutSA002oG6n353438n3toD0gGWdav2SP5HiOtDAFOsrsut12rWolGAaiA1HV61q_Q2iLIX8ne7Ymobm5W-hVmhVWwt7sooNpjZ9BhtByOQ5xdDUdIF8V0oXY6GcIUY2_t3OV_7kmaTbit/s1600/self-compassion+according+to+Kornfield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutSA002oG6n353438n3toD0gGWdav2SP5HiOtDAFOsrsut12rWolGAaiA1HV61q_Q2iLIX8ne7Ymobm5W-hVmhVWwt7sooNpjZ9BhtByOQ5xdDUdIF8V0oXY6GcIUY2_t3OV_7kmaTbit/s320/self-compassion+according+to+Kornfield.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Many experts argue, however, that if you are not self compassionate, you are not truly capable of being compassionate to others; if you do not love yourself, you cannot fully love another. Might the case be that if we are constantly judging ourselves, we must as a logical consequence, be judging others as a natural byproduct? Are we playing the compare game, measuring everyone in our scope against these perceived standards? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I've noticed that I've used the word 'perceived' multiple times throughout this post, and it triggered a connection to a previous post that I wrote here about fear: </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">http://balancingb-g.blogspot.ca/2016/11/thought-of-week-fear.html</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">. </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">In that post, I talked about fears often being groundless, a mere product of our darkest imaginings, our thoughts, which are all too often not founded in reality. Think about a worry that you've had recently, something that's had you concerned, perhaps even quite anxious. Our bodies often react viscerally to this type of worry, tensing as the stress seeps in. Now try to step back from that worry, that fear, and look at it as though from the perspective of a removed bystander, through the lens of someone who knows that everything will turn out alright when all's said and done. Your thoughts about something dictate how you feel about them, and those feelings thus dictate how you react to them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The running commentary in our heads, that internal voice that tries incessantly to guide us through our lives from within, very often offers a less than compassionate narration of things. It is often fueled by perceived realities, which are ultimately nothing more than our own fears and imaginings, our thoughts that have often been moulded by a society trying to paint us into a picture that does not reflect our authentic selves. When I think of the 7,476,938,345 people in the world, too many of whom want to change something intrinsically 'them' in order to fit in or achieve a perceived standard, I want to weep. As a mother, when I think of two of those 7,476,938,621 people as being my amazing young daughters, I wish fervently that they might know self compassion at the deepest level, and that we might all practice kindness to ourselves so as to surround our children with the best modelling possible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Be kind to yourself. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Remember that when you abuse yourself, </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">you will experience the anger, regret and apat</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">hy of the bully as well as the depression, anxiety and insecurity </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">of the victim. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whatever you do, be kind to yourself."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">~ Vironika Tugaleva</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Being that I consider everyone reading this blog a friend (to whom I'm ever-so grateful), and I have vowed to stand up to anyone who bullies my friends, I am now going to stand up to any voice inside of you that tells you you are anything less than marvelous! We are here on this planet for but a relatively short time. I hope that more of the 7,476,939,254 people here can savour the time as the uniquely fantastic creatures we are. As many have said, the world would be a terribly boring place if we were all the same. Allow yourself to be the authentic self you were meant to be. Forgive yourself. Strive to be happy, whatever that means to you, but make sure it is a happiness that resonates for you, and that it is not the perceived happiness that you think you would do best to seek. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You really have to love yourself </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">to get anything done in this world."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">~ Lucille Ball</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As one of the 7,476,939,756 (and counting) folks here on Earth, I do believe that we can make the world ever so much better if we all love ourselves just a little bit more. Well, I suppose there are a few out there who appear to have oodles of self compassion and plenty to spare. But for the rest of us mere mortals, just think about what you could achieve if you believed in your</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">self even a fraction as much as a certain Twitter-crazed, soon-to-be President of the United States does! Truly, the possibilities seem to be endless.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYWm7YZRui_oIgTRnryHBcppfVGUfO1VTTJenphkdCrNMakhdjOu37YYylpZ_YSr7HJyJozxPzZELAHWgswgsIH4i2K8HHgxhkwtSYxTrSZQPHQ97MCHfyga_KkSBQGqP93ZOOmnEfTim/s1600/Imagine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYWm7YZRui_oIgTRnryHBcppfVGUfO1VTTJenphkdCrNMakhdjOu37YYylpZ_YSr7HJyJozxPzZELAHWgswgsIH4i2K8HHgxhkwtSYxTrSZQPHQ97MCHfyga_KkSBQGqP93ZOOmnEfTim/s320/Imagine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">My wonders</span>: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Do you practice self compassion easily, or is it a struggle? Do you follow any advice that helps you to be more self compassionate? If you are a parent, do you feel that you model self compassion? How? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On an after-note, my family and I are heading off for some fun and relaxation in the sunny South next week, so I will be unplugged during that time, contributing even more infrequently to my blog than I have been! But that's okay, because I can forgive myself for my unpredictable and infrequent posting, as well as for my lack of technical know-how . . . there we go: practising what I preach! Lol!</span><br />
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<br />Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-60094933389393459442017-01-07T09:45:00.000-08:002017-01-07T09:45:20.672-08:00Logistics: Clearing up Some Confusion regarding Navigating my Blog<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As someone who has always enjoyed writing but whose strong suit has never been navigating technology, starting a blog was just a wee bit outside of my comfort zone. I had actually never even read a blog until shortly before embarking upon my own, so this has been a rather steep learning curve for me, to be sure. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2D0HvdNTPGHSYb2xI5k3j9L2aN4rBjkiTiyXi801NiIOT0QzIYrVlTmpnmt0HEQs7U6JFmsYp1Hf0GDsZk__DSvDfSSB0ifL9pp3jZzv9Tca2vWAGg4ZiaO3_BzymX79bQyEHc1wjWKn/s1600/learning-curve-graph-on-a-green-blackboard-with-text-pointing-out-where-you-are-now-and-where-you-wi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2D0HvdNTPGHSYb2xI5k3j9L2aN4rBjkiTiyXi801NiIOT0QzIYrVlTmpnmt0HEQs7U6JFmsYp1Hf0GDsZk__DSvDfSSB0ifL9pp3jZzv9Tca2vWAGg4ZiaO3_BzymX79bQyEHc1wjWKn/s320/learning-curve-graph-on-a-green-blackboard-with-text-pointing-out-where-you-are-now-and-where-you-wi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And yes, I'll fully admit that my novice status as a blogger has shown itself on numerous occasions, the first being that I launched my blog back in September without having a tried, tested and true means of having people 'follow' me. Truly a beginner's mistake!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The problem is, that issue has followed me (no pun intended, but heck, it works!) through the months and now into my fifth month of blogging. Several friends approached me during the holidays, bringing up my blog of their own volition (thank you for your kindness!!) and saying they've read a number of my posts but that they don't know how to follow me and/or reply to my posts. I'll do my best to try to demystify these logistical hazy areas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>How to 'follow' me on my blog</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNoN2A96k8TFuklXDpCwmzosb7dq72GNICI8l5w1T31PqX5pDuZ2_U9g2uo5VQEhJZQGwMl0adGALb_CFjnruJKHn_D9cDk0m2H-ZQljWUWQzQLlEgMUV0tPMDqHuDdDRhfagz3WOwuq3-/s1600/follow+me.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNoN2A96k8TFuklXDpCwmzosb7dq72GNICI8l5w1T31PqX5pDuZ2_U9g2uo5VQEhJZQGwMl0adGALb_CFjnruJKHn_D9cDk0m2H-ZQljWUWQzQLlEgMUV0tPMDqHuDdDRhfagz3WOwuq3-/s320/follow+me.png" width="320" /></a></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For starters, most people who have successfully begun following me have agreed that it is easiest to do so on a large screen (i.e., a laptop or desktop computer) as opposed to a small screen on a mobile device. Following these steps should lead to success:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. Go to my blog website at https://www.BalancingB-G.blogspot.com</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. Go to "Follow By E-mail", on the right-hand side of the screen, under all of the follow options. Input the e-mail address to which you would like to receive my posts, and click "Submit".</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAn64RGVTyP4WHsKmS5zgBMGuyZgZ8RxeDesrgIO7EpFoxofjalEy15lI8OFJpj12cqjD9I1Dyt3sktLZkBkXwGJ_-IHN-thfLz11yF7JInqB6iZ5qV_H7asO2rH4g8HEtvJ2-8P0ctegn/s1600/Screenshot_20170107-112430.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAn64RGVTyP4WHsKmS5zgBMGuyZgZ8RxeDesrgIO7EpFoxofjalEy15lI8OFJpj12cqjD9I1Dyt3sktLZkBkXwGJ_-IHN-thfLz11yF7JInqB6iZ5qV_H7asO2rH4g8HEtvJ2-8P0ctegn/s400/Screenshot_20170107-112430.png" width="225" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. You will arrive at an "Email Subscription Request" page. Complete the subscription request.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04uzpNzCRl-5daCnE-P9mMEcgzRQ03stGxRcZ5ez87pmdWA_QVtic3C7aCFTBig2py76mNjHwDHBBgOqIlhRbi00VGSQBzjr5xDuM2ISTKszebKx7KFDF7KemySml4pa8CaouC7zwyF5H/s1600/Screenshot_20170107-112630.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04uzpNzCRl-5daCnE-P9mMEcgzRQ03stGxRcZ5ez87pmdWA_QVtic3C7aCFTBig2py76mNjHwDHBBgOqIlhRbi00VGSQBzjr5xDuM2ISTKszebKx7KFDF7KemySml4pa8CaouC7zwyF5H/s400/Screenshot_20170107-112630.png" width="225" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. Respond to the verification message received via e-mail by clicking on the highlighted link.</span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXYJ-cBHyE3_xBUIRJu42j3-URaZbBp6-Zipejenoqhn3SjbXPoqBZGKA2lfYKtxCAFhcyqWLkuXSg2Ny-pc7T6D6vhM76hR2JlFzjTFpfu-6-9u15R2fNF9T7wuOrCOz2y9vwqeSnID3/s1600/20170107_113901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXYJ-cBHyE3_xBUIRJu42j3-URaZbBp6-Zipejenoqhn3SjbXPoqBZGKA2lfYKtxCAFhcyqWLkuXSg2Ny-pc7T6D6vhM76hR2JlFzjTFpfu-6-9u15R2fNF9T7wuOrCOz2y9vwqeSnID3/s400/20170107_113901.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5. You should now be following my blog. Any time that I publish a new post, which varies in frequency, you should receive an e-mail copy of it. While I do not know who follows me by e-mail, please consider yourself in that group of fine folks whom I silently thank each and every day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some of you have clicked the "Follow" button on my blog, but have reported that you do not receive any notifications regarding BalancingB-G. But some of you might . . . this is a grey area for me. It seems that this option may only provide you with notifications pertaining to my blog if you are a blogger on this site yourself. Not very helpful for most of you . . . I'm sorry that I've misdirected so many of you. ~sigh~ Between my lack of technical know-how and this being a free blog site, this entire process has not been as simple as I would have hoped.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you are not receiving my posts after having gone through the above process, please contact me via any personal contact info you have (Facebook, BBM, e-mail, texting, old-fashioned phone call) and I will try to help.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>How to 'reply' or 'comment' on a blog post</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The next problem relates to commenting on one of my posts. I was very disappointed to learn from several of you that you had left comments on some of my posts, or more aptly, that you <i>thought</i> you had, but there were no comments to be seen. A comment left successfully should appear at the bottom of the post itself. Also, I reply to every comment left by my readers. Every single one. So if you have not received a reply, I have not received your comment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Following is the step-by-step process for leaving a comment if you receive my blog post via e-mail. Alas, it is not nearly as straight-forward as one would hope.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. At the bottom of the e-mailed post, you must click on the highlighted "Balancing B-G" link. This will direct you to my blog website.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdK2hVYEmmbIqyJzDXyYx_ZgFhAzwLbFA_5llYpoIaKd6PP0C7OpMnFeiAq_IInZm0bc8tZm4ZDGMGfcvxhGtXYZ0sTi1t8myFRMKKeu7Irhsh_UVjT06DU6RdpByC7NBl_zMj-5BuEAw/s1600/Screenshot_20170107-120943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdK2hVYEmmbIqyJzDXyYx_ZgFhAzwLbFA_5llYpoIaKd6PP0C7OpMnFeiAq_IInZm0bc8tZm4ZDGMGfcvxhGtXYZ0sTi1t8myFRMKKeu7Irhsh_UVjT06DU6RdpByC7NBl_zMj-5BuEAw/s320/Screenshot_20170107-120943.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. Now you will find yourself at the top of my entire blog, not necessarily where you wanted to be or comment. Sorry! You will have to scroll to the post you wished to comment on. Sometimes I feel like my blog is from the 1990s!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. Once you have scrolled to the bottom of the post on which you'd like to comment, you must click on the highlighted words "No comments" (should no previous comments have been made already) or "2 comments" (for example, should two comments have already been left). So "no comments" does not mean that no comments are welcome, it simply means that none have been left, and you are more than welcome to change that!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-ECsq2h1jygiKvo_JgqSnXNwDmd0Ip8ezwSjG0K6dXLY4XLVihEJoQIs9b1NCJv4s0kiPKjFTz5bIRR4LUogfxvc1U_0t6ff6xSpcCTSDoPOcq2Wx0nzvs__fuh8ySGzmOFRXnvjLpYf/s1600/Screenshot_20170107-121315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-ECsq2h1jygiKvo_JgqSnXNwDmd0Ip8ezwSjG0K6dXLY4XLVihEJoQIs9b1NCJv4s0kiPKjFTz5bIRR4LUogfxvc1U_0t6ff6xSpcCTSDoPOcq2Wx0nzvs__fuh8ySGzmOFRXnvjLpYf/s320/Screenshot_20170107-121315.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />4. Now you can type your comments in the box where it says "Enter your comment . . . " After typing your comment, you can click on the far right "Notify me" box to ensure that you receive notification of both your own comment as well as my reply to your comment. Then click the "Publish" button.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you go straight to my blog site rather than receiving an e-mailed post, you would not have to do Step 1 as listed above.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you receive my posts via e-mail and reply to it directly, I will not receive your message. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This should be much simpler than it is, in my humble opinion, but I'm not about to switch blog providers at this point in the year, and so we'll try to make the best of it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Your readership and comments are ever-so-much appreciated, and I truly hope that some of the bumps in the road that I've experienced here have not turned anyone away. Thank you for your persistence and encouragement!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A huge thank you also to my one-man I.T. crew, M. I couldn't have even written this post without you!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTNL6AAit8Kx5WgOhazSNHKXjqM2G9CL9tjuemF405jJuBTk7Dgkike-YLin9gXASdDiC0XBMFunUo5-y-vde2IlOGl9kIFjAMyzAxC-18N-z9cTh-0N-lsy5jIi29014X4ZWKiskiVGP/s1600/Thank-You+keyboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTNL6AAit8Kx5WgOhazSNHKXjqM2G9CL9tjuemF405jJuBTk7Dgkike-YLin9gXASdDiC0XBMFunUo5-y-vde2IlOGl9kIFjAMyzAxC-18N-z9cTh-0N-lsy5jIi29014X4ZWKiskiVGP/s320/Thank-You+keyboard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">My wonders</span>: Have you ever struggled with technology in an area of your life, to the point of deep frustration? Were you able to solve your problem, and if so, how? Now that you know how to comment on my blog, please do so! Lol!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-83427341021342763172017-01-01T16:52:00.001-08:002017-01-01T16:52:39.392-08:00Thought of the Week: Mourning the Loss of George, Someone I've Never Met<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For those of you who know me well, you'll likely recall my near-life-long fondness for George Michael and his incredible music. His death on Christmas Day has shaken me more than I'd have ever imagined, and I've been experiencing my own form of mourning for this man whom I've, of course, never even met. While listening to his rich repertoire of music almost constantly this past week, I've been trying to make logical sense of this powerful emotional reaction I'm having. Aside from the fact that I am a generally emotional person, there must be more to my intense sadness, and so I've been peeling back the layers to try to find the answers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I fell for George, born <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou,</span> when I was around my E's age, which equates to a one-sided relationship of well over three decades. The first time I heard his voice, he became my fave singer, and I remember well watching his first music videos in the early 1980s, including 'Young Guns (Go For It!)', 'Club Tropicana' and 'Last Christmas'. My fall for the British-born singer was complete.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOa6hfuvOQUwhPmpxX7EHb2Upi9QXUuz2AmN7YGYd8ZH5wL3BW166wEg8xxglSgmEbzMZ71F_L1-Osy_OnCmKtvBQx3ZLxSwxp8MFQc63pXCpdbWtpnR4zGQA9NEG6BLO9OkKpj3HfnDsA/s1600/George+in+last+christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOa6hfuvOQUwhPmpxX7EHb2Upi9QXUuz2AmN7YGYd8ZH5wL3BW166wEg8xxglSgmEbzMZ71F_L1-Osy_OnCmKtvBQx3ZLxSwxp8MFQc63pXCpdbWtpnR4zGQA9NEG6BLO9OkKpj3HfnDsA/s1600/George+in+last+christmas.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpdZwLz372E3A0auH6Y-ZVBuBOiN4MSlu2e9jk6APjk2_UdNt6RxdCIpjDU8AuYfjbZNoLfP_TTQgHlUdj-7ieTnsR1_CtGJ_BLItuOPGxNt7QQAQ-DyV64zSPxFjO5GLqm6oww_f7tF2/s1600/George+and+Andy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpdZwLz372E3A0auH6Y-ZVBuBOiN4MSlu2e9jk6APjk2_UdNt6RxdCIpjDU8AuYfjbZNoLfP_TTQgHlUdj-7ieTnsR1_CtGJ_BLItuOPGxNt7QQAQ-DyV64zSPxFjO5GLqm6oww_f7tF2/s320/George+and+Andy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Through grades 7 and 8, while living in Basel, Switzerland, my friends and I at the International School of Basel (I.S.B.) all loved the album 'Faith', which was George's debut solo album after his split from 'Wham!' and bandmate Andrew Ridgeley. I will admit, somewhat sheepishly, that my bedroom walls were well-adorned with posters of George Michael during these years. They were carefully taken out of the European music magazines that my friends and I pored over, a few even purchased at the poster stores that were popular with tweens (not a word in the '80s, but a brilliant term now that I'm a mother of one) and teens during that time. Other than a few track athletes whom I revered later during high school, no other celebrity would ever make my walls to this degree! We blasted the title track 'Faith' at our Upper Class dance, a medley of grades 7, 8 and 9 students from around the world dancing and singing our hearts out, some of us coupling off to sway back and forth together to George ballads like 'Kissing a Fool' and 'One More Try'. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCY9zEjUoOOQtazrXA18Omds0pHbkvw6zDHBE22eMYgiQXN-rb1F7eBXRUNCQMSU8fPl6QYho82aJs3lK4ls8Kki-9aOFbCQNJIUtr4jzHhAiU7oxqSR4Sdoog8CsiEH8-jp0-2NDKQEr/s1600/George+Faith+w+guitar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCY9zEjUoOOQtazrXA18Omds0pHbkvw6zDHBE22eMYgiQXN-rb1F7eBXRUNCQMSU8fPl6QYho82aJs3lK4ls8Kki-9aOFbCQNJIUtr4jzHhAiU7oxqSR4Sdoog8CsiEH8-jp0-2NDKQEr/s1600/George+Faith+w+guitar.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Upon returning to Ontario I was highly disturbed by the fact that several of my Canadian pals initially thought, with some confusion, that I was speaking about the local radio station's D.J. when I spoke of my favourite singer. His name was George Michaels (note the 's' at the end), and some were surprised to learn that he sang (which I don't believe he did, at least not in a professional context). I was ready to turn tail, get back on the nearest airplane and head back to Basel, where not only my first boyfriend and fantastic friends were, but where people didn't need to think twice about which George Michael(s) you were talking about!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those were incredibly successful professional years for George, 'Faith' winning the Grammy for Album of the Year, as well as winning multiple American Music Awards, MTV Video Awards, and a host of other international music awards. An aspect of George's talent that has always impressed me massively is that not only was he an incredible vocalist and performer, but he also played most of the instruments in many of his songs, and wrote, arranged and produced nearly all of his tracks as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">George's second solo album, 'Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1' was released a few years later in 1990, and I was beyond excited to get my hot little hands on it. These were, of course, the days when you had to go to a store to purchase a C.D., and I remember vividly doing so at a mall on the outskirts of Toronto and listening to the album during the drive home. Rather like George seems to have done during the years between the release of those first two solo albums, I had a strong sense that I was maturing as I listened to this second solo effort. 'Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1' was a much more serious album, a moody and intense feel to many of the lyrics as George seemed to be working hard to be taken more seriously in his craft. Featuring more acoustic sounds, the departure from the more largely pop and funk sounds of 'Faith' gave the sense that George was growing up, and of course, so was I. The title of this album couldn't have been more appropriate in my opinion, and I found that I had to listen with my whole heart and mind as I grappled with this maturation. By day's end, after having listened to the album over and over, already committing the lyrics to memory, I was sold in every sense of the word and embraced this more mature sound and artist. Some of my favourite George songs (though believe me, I have many and there's not a one I don't like) were released on this album, including 'Waiting for that Day', 'Heal the Pain' and 'Soul Free'. 'Mother's Pride' which is also on the 'Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1' album has never failed to bring tears to my eyes. Not once. I have to be careful when I listen to it, and have been known to skip past the song when I know it's an inopportune time to have a tear-streaked face.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Over the course of his career, George also performed with many other artists, both in large groups as in the case of Band Aid's 'Do They Know it's Christmas?', and in many duets. Some of these fantastic pairings included performances with Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Lisa Stansfield, Astrud Gilberto ('Desafinado' being another one of my fave songs), Queen, Mary J. Blige, Paul McCartney and Mutya. He performed at countless charity events and concerts, and in addition to me and my little old self, he had millions of superfans, including Princess Diana. He was a great philanthropist, donating money and the proceeds from the sales of many songs to numerous causes close to his heart, including HIV and children's charities, and famine relief efforts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 1996 came the release of the album 'Older' and once again, George's talents boggled me as I savoured his soulful lyrics and vocals in such heartbreaking songs as 'Jesus to a Child' and 'You Have Been Loved' (another fave that brings on tears). And then as I was becoming more interested in jazz sounds myself, George released a beautiful compilation of cover songs in 1999 on his album, 'Songs From the Last Century'. He covered such iconic classics as 'Roxanne' and 'My Baby Just Cares for Me', which may have been a dangerous endeavour if attempted by a lesser artist, but sung by George, these songs simply took on a richer resonance for me. Then again, George could've sung the pages of the phone book or dictionary to me, and I'd have listened with bated breath and rapt attention.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The years passed, and we indeed had to be patient for the release of George's album 'Patience' in 2004. For me, as for millions of fans around the world, the wait was always well worth it. I so appreciated the personal side that George seemed to share through many of his lyrics on this album, including those in his song 'Please Send Me Someone (Anselmo's Song)', chronicling the love and loss he felt for his partner Anselmo Feleppa, and the subsequent love he was fortunate to find again in Kenny Goss, shared in his uplifting song, 'Amazing'. George had also lost his mother to cancer during the years between these albums, and grieving had taken an emotional toll on his writing ability during this time of loss. How ever could we not have had patience for him and his efforts?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Several compilation albums were also released by George over the years, including 1998's 'Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael', a two-disc set featuring one C.D. of songs "for the heart" and a second "for the feet", the 2006 album 'Twenty Five', again boasting two discs, one "for living", the other "for loving", and the 2014 album 'Symphonica'. On the heels of the release of 'Twenty Five' came an event that fans like me had long been hoping for, but truly not counting on: another live concert tour! And so on July 17, 2008, with my second daughter in the proverbial oven, I was one of the 14 802 lucky ticket holders who danced and sang along with George at the Air Canada Centre at the Toronto show of his 25 Live Tour. A serious bucket list event this was for me! I remember everyone in the crowd chuckling as George spoke to the audience between sets, referencing some of the controversies surrounding him by saying, "I haven't always made it easy to be a George Michael fan." While certainly I could recall a time or two when I'd shaken my head lightly when learning about a faux-pas of George's that was caught in the limelight which followed him, I'd never once wavered in </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">my reverence for his talents or in my diligence in defending him when any people I know poked fun or teased me about his pitfalls. George said it best himself in an Oprah interview when he stated, "I'm a very lucky man. I live with a man I love dearly. I have more love and success and security in my life than I could ever have dreamed of. So really, I don't need the approval of people who don't approve of me." So perfectly said. George performed fabulously live, as I knew he would from having seen countless recorded performances of his live abilities (his unplugged sessions are incredible!), and this concert will surely always go down as one of my very favourites.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While I very much recognize that I can only know the superficial persona of a celebrity, gleaned from interviews and articles, I always felt that the spirit George showed was one of kindness, humour - often in the form of self-deprecation - and one who knows the importance of love. Here's where I, as a super-fan, get to fantasize: I imagined that we would get along, if left in a sitting room to chat over tea, and I would ask him countless questions about his songs, his beautiful lyrics, his inspirations and just about himself as a human being.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And so here I sit, truly mourning the unexpected loss of George, who was found dead in his home at the age of 53 by his partner, Fadi Fawaz. One-sided though it may have been, my relationship with George was a lengthy one, and the impact he had on me with his music was formidable: he played the soundtrack of my life for over three decades. My girls have grown up listening to him as well, knowing full well whom I'm speaking of when I use the singular name "George" when referring to him and his music, as in, "I need some George!". In being honest with myself, I have little doubt that his passing is having an even greater impact on me because of a number of losses that our family has experienced over the past couple of years, the decline of my dear Oma over the past few months, and my own mid-life ailments and the realities that come with the wisdom of this age. Mortality, that inevitable and inescapable factor of life, becomes ever more poignant with each loss that I experience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm so grateful to George for the fantastic music and lyrics that he gifted us. Thank you for sharing your talents with us over these many years. I'll surely be listening to your songs for the rest of my days, and I wish your family and loved ones peace as they deal with your tragic passing. Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, thank you. May you rest in peace and sing with the angels. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">My wonders</span>: Is there a celebrity figure w</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hom you've liked/been a fan of for as long as you can remember? If they've passed from this world, how did their death affect you? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-2581515255120380422016-12-31T19:46:00.002-08:002016-12-31T19:46:54.692-08:00December 2016 By the Numbers and Happy New Year!<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy New Year! I hope the festive season brought you all much joy, and that you've ushered in the new year in whatever fashion that suits you best, be that with a calm and quiet night in, or with a raucous celebration that saw the early light of dawn. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you for your presence in my life during this past year. One of my primary goals of this year of balance is really about being mindful of my relationships - with my own self and my place in this world, with my family members, with my dear friends - and I look forward to connecting with you all in the coming year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I wish you all happiness, peace and love in 2017. Hugs!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- 24 days of warmth by tea, as I made my way through my tea advent calendar. Admittedly, as happens each year, I still have quite a number of days to open, as I tend to fall behind for one reason </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">or another. But a new year of surprise teas to look forward to is not a bad thing!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three fantastic days of racing for H at the Etobicoke Olympium at their Youth Cup.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Three sweet cousins sharing a great evening of dinner and a movie as we all got ready for the holidays and our niece took a break from prepping for her exams.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> One evening of Christkindlmarkt fun, our wonderful annual tradition that allows me to relive the German Christmases of my childhood while sharing the memories with my family, including eating potato pancakes!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Five most memorable days in New York City shared with my still-little love, H.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- 42nd street as the symbolic backdrop to this birthday celebrated in NYC.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One New York minute when I saw the amazing young woman that my daughter's becoming, and the lovely gift she gave me.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLhqhQCC4a3KGEotoC1tadYKNnHXeRYwF-mpMsz5wa9FuR660vb7HqlfKrZSfhSo7xHdK8tN0L5fb3hLAQwFKgpf60aUTpd-3-LHvD9UDZziWvsBkP4mPqBbCmxt4NB2KRgUUpCsnCx2yA/s1600/IMG_20161224_072431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLhqhQCC4a3KGEotoC1tadYKNnHXeRYwF-mpMsz5wa9FuR660vb7HqlfKrZSfhSo7xHdK8tN0L5fb3hLAQwFKgpf60aUTpd-3-LHvD9UDZziWvsBkP4mPqBbCmxt4NB2KRgUUpCsnCx2yA/s320/IMG_20161224_072431.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Twelve years of our kind, bright, thoughtful, beautiful and talented girlie, H, celebrated!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Crowds of people and a great group of friends enjoyed the fantastic festive image and light show put on by Christie Digital.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two back</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">yard neighbours and pals had some sleepover fun.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> - Eight good friends came to celebrate our sweet mighty mite's birthday with her at a belated SkyZone bash, while one big sister was an indispensable helper at the party.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Six great grandchildren snuggled in with Nanny at a wonderful Brown family Christmas party. And one exciting visit by Santa, whom we serenaded with Christmas carols and much laughter!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four medals and three ribbons were delivered, earned during another great swim meet last month. Swimming seems to be one of the only sports I know of where winners have to wait for their awards to arrive, sometimes days, other times months, later! Thankfully patience is a virtue this girlie has plenty of!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two crazy morning people got out to brave the cold and enjoy an icy but wondrous walk after we dropped H off for her early morning swim practice. Thanks Dad!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Countless hours spent wrapping gifts that I felt so fortunate to be able to give. Several warm beverages and constantly playing Christmas music helped to make the hours sweet!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- One big group of crazy and talented swimming pals celebrating the season with a party at SkyZone. They had fun striking a zany pose for the camera!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Two great Christmas Open Houses at wonderful friends' to kick off the Christmas weekend. And bizarrely enough the only photo I have to show from either party is this one of E on the elliptical! It cracks me up! lol</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Twenty five days of Enzo the Elf's antics, adding a festively fun and creative element to our holidays! Farewell until next holiday season, Enzo!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Six of my favourite people in the world to share our cozy Christmas Eve with - surely one of my very favourite days of the entire year - and one ginormous feast to enjoy together in gratitude.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Infinite gratitude for the warm and cozy Christmas morning my family shares, complete with the magic of thoughtful gifts given and received, our traditional brunch of French toast and berries, and a sweet little kitty who loved her catnip mouse gift, too!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Second wonderful Christmas dinner as we got to share another feast of left-overs and more family time.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Annual tradition of visiting the Wonders of Winter lights display at Waterloo Park on the eve of Christmas Day.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- 53 years were not nearly enough in the life of my all-time favourite musical artist, and I'm truly mourning the world's loss of George Michael, an incredibly talented vocalist, musician and songwriter of whom I've been a huge fan for well over three decades.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Several hours shared with my beloved Oma.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- First game of the Kitchener Titans basketball team watched on the edges of our seats at the Kitchener Aud. Great time at my first NBL game!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- The thirteenth NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) Graduation Anniversary celebration we've shared with our dear friends the Ds. Our H and their B were both preemies when we met in the NICU those many years ago, and we began as two couples going out for dinner together in shared excitement that our babies were being released from the hospital the following day. Both of our families have since grown, and we have to get a bit flexible with the date of our celebration to accommodate busy family schedules, but I so treasure this special get-together and occasion!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Heaps of beautiful snow (with much more to come after this pic was taken) creating a lovely winter wonderland. Made getting up and taking H to her holiday practices both easier and more difficult!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Four of us enjoying a free afternoon during the holidays to go see the Disney movie, 'Moana' together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- 2017 welcomed with great friends in fine Clipper Crew fashion! Happy New Year, everyone! </span><br />
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Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-24628490595008314642016-12-23T15:29:00.001-08:002016-12-24T04:33:21.396-08:00New York City with my Girlie, Day Four: Saturday, December 10, 2016 and Merry Christmas!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It feels very appropriate to be writing about my final full day with H in New York City as Christmas lies in wait for us all just around the bend of this evening. Our trip was one touched with festive cheer, togetherness, and the kindness of strangers. I want to begin this post by thanking each and every one of you for your readership. What that really boils down to is a thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your care and support. Taking time out of your busy days to read my words means more to me than you can imagine. Thank you for your words of encouragement, for your comments and feedback, for making me feel worth your time. Christmas elf that I am, I've been listening to the music of the season almost non-stop this month. One song that I've found lodged in my brain during these weeks is Jewel's 'Hands (Christmas version)'. Particularly her lyrics, "In the end, only kindness matters," have been recited again and again through my brain and, more often than not, wind up on my lips, as I've been known to both sing and talk to myself. Thank you for your kindness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">H and I began our day at what was becoming our traditional breakfast spot, 'Le Pain Quotidien'. She enjoyed waffles with Belgian chocolate (because EVERYTHING'S better with Belgian chocolate on it!) and I had le petit dejeuner, consisting of a croissant, bread basket, hard-boiled egg, latte and o.j. (let the record show that the croissant was delicious, but surely would have been even better yet covered in Belgian chocolate!). From here we set out on a walk through the East side of Central Park, where we were able to walk alongside and cheer on countless runners who were participating in a 15km race. Central Park, my favourite place in New York City bar none, offers 843 acres of park space including running and walking trails, peaceful green space, sculptures, bridges, fountains, lakes, an ice rink, rocky perches and countless memorable spaces for people seeking respite from the busy urban centre that is NYC. H and I savoured our time here together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We meandered our way up to 82nd Street where we reached the Met. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, oft called "the Met", is the largest art museum in the U.S.A. We were excited to spend the day at this sixth attraction on our City Pass, and were astounded by the vast collection and diversity of exhibitions boasted by this amazing museum. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_-ZXGxEbXrnNVHeTTTyki9gTYSLbp3cyjq1_DSuiZ2DZoKa2vqpdbfDHaYyV6zKMtSHqOK3Zil0w95W-V_SFMBdR-gmtVKPimYSWIhg5QsoQxdG_mXFO9w3y8fIIC7B6gpGD6RLU9mw0/s1600/IMG_20161210_101720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_-ZXGxEbXrnNVHeTTTyki9gTYSLbp3cyjq1_DSuiZ2DZoKa2vqpdbfDHaYyV6zKMtSHqOK3Zil0w95W-V_SFMBdR-gmtVKPimYSWIhg5QsoQxdG_mXFO9w3y8fIIC7B6gpGD6RLU9mw0/s320/IMG_20161210_101720.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ready for the Met!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Claude Monet's 'Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies'.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Vincent van Gogh's 'Cypresses' was a favourite of both of ours.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Edgar Degas' 'The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer'.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Charles Engelhard Court, the American Wing.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Temple of Dendur room; <br />beautiful views of Central Park are visible through the glass wall on the right.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We spent over five hours at the Met, and could've easily spent days there, but Central Park called to us on this last New York afternoon of ours. While we'd eaten lunch in the museum, we picked up some fries from a street vendor for an afternoon snack and ate them in the Park. Strolling along the beautiful Reservoir, we were amused by a small waterbird that looked rather like a wayward duckling, but seemed to be acting very unducklingish. This little feathered cutie continuously submerged itself for lengthy periods of time, and then popped up long after the time that we thought he should have, eliciting giggles from us as we looked on and admired his determination.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dusk approached when we reached Strawberry Fields, a landscaped section of Central Park dedicated to the memory of former Beatle John Lennon. His song 'Imagine' and the ideal of peace that it inspires is immortalized in a memorial mosaic at this spot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The day had been a full one and we both agreed that we wanted nothing more than to stop at what we'd come to call "our Christmas market" one last time and then head back to our hotel for an early evening. We grabbed a bite to eat and some hot apple cider, and it was as we were strolling through the warmly lit aisles cradling our warm cups that we began to hear some merry tunes. We followed the music and came to an open space where some spirited carolers were belting out some creatively altered Christmas songs. The group was called GAG: Gays Against Guns, and their hilarious anti-Trump lyrics had a serious underlying message which the small leaflet that one of their members passed out to us stated thus: "33,000 Americans die each year in gun-related violence. The NRA spent $52 million to elect Donald Trump. . . Join forces with GAG - don't let the NRA and Trump steal any more Christmases!" Since both H's and my faith in politics and all things turning out right in the end had been shaken with the U.S. election results last month, hearing these courageous carolers proclaiming their ideals and values for all to hear with Trump's own hotel a mere stone's throw away reminded us that there are people who are willing to stand up for what they believe is right, and we bopped happily and sang along when we could. Check out the YouTube link here to check out the rollicking tune, "Donny the Con Man" sung to the tune of "Frosty the Snowman" by GAG! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our day was winding to a close, though we still wanted to have our daily dose of macarons before leaving the market. And H still had a plan of her own . . . while we stood in line at the macaron hut, H asked me if she could have some time to go walk around the market a bit. And in those next few seconds before I answered her, my brain leapt in turmoil from possibility to possibility, headline to headline, CSI episode to episode (actually, it could only focus on a singular of those, as I couldn't stomach more than the one episode I ever saw of that series). Of course back at home H is at an age where she and her friends go to the movies on their own, walking to the theatre from a nearby friend's house. But this was New York City! I was all but certain that any shot I'd ever had of winning that coveted 'Parent of the Year' award was slipping from my grasp, and ironically it seemed this would be the case no matter what decision I made in this instant. I thought back to one of the previous days when we had seen a young girl who looked to be around H's age. She was marching along with a backpack all on her own, presumably heading home after her day at school. We'd commented on the funny feeling elicited when on vacation seeing everything through the eyes of a tourist, and then seeing people who live there, going about their normal, everyday routines. So I tried to ask myself how I would react to H's question if we were at the Christkindlmarkt that we have back in our home town, and I spoke aloud my answer: "Yes." Of course we synchronized our watches, set out parameters, and agreed that she would be right back in front of me at the macaron hut in less than ten minutes. The longest ten minutes of my life, they were . . . I willed my feet to stay put and not to follow down the aisle after her, though the temptation to do so and keep her in my sights was strong. I tried to stand there casually, me and my macarons, checking my watch what felt like every few minutes but what wound up being every few seconds. And lo and behold, there she eventually appeared, returning well within her ten-minute curfew. Her face beamed with a sheepish grin as she approached me, keeping her arms behind her back, and I think I really breathed again for the first time since she'd left my sight. She arrived in front of me and swung her arms and the bag they were holding around and out to me, happily exclaiming, "Happy belated birthday, Mom!" The warmest feeling flooded over and through me as I took in this beautiful and amazingly thoughtful girlie before me, and I knew right then that this was one of those moments that I will remember for all of my days to come. I will never forget the rapt look of joy on her face as I unpacked the small package in the bag, a lovely handmade mosaic picture frame that I'd admired during one of our earlier visits to the market. I will never forget her bright eyes as she rushed to tell me that the kind vendor had remembered her from the last time we'd been there. I will never forget this New York minute when I saw my first-born as the young woman she's becoming, and I'll treasure this memory forevermore.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We walked hand-in-hand back out through the market, and up the street to our hotel, where we got cozy, savoured our macarons, and even played a game of cards before turning in. The following day was our travel day, though we woke early enough to enjoy one final breakfast at 'Le Pain Quotidien'. Our flight was slightly delayed due to snowy weather in Toronto, but luckily we were able to take off and arrived home in the middle of the afternoon with yet enough time to catch up with our loved ones whom we'd missed so. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Day Four's macaron selections: Chocolate Raspberry and Earl Grey.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Macarons to share with our family at home!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our final breakfast in NYC.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The lovely, handmade mosaic frame H gave to me; I've since put in a photo from our trip :)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thank you for reading. "In the end, only kindness matters." Indeed. It is the moments of kindness extended to us by others, and the kindness that we extend to those around us that we will remember, and that creates a life of joy. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa or simply a wonderful holiday shared with those near and dear to you!</span><br />
<br />Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-9023639207257908652016-12-22T10:04:00.000-08:002016-12-22T10:04:23.405-08:00New York City with my Girlie, Day Three: Friday, December 9, 2016<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The day began with a cold shower, which certainly had me wide awake and ready to get out and begin this third day of NYC explorations. Knowing where you want to go to eat breakfast is a very handy thing, as we never had to give a second thought to where we were going to find this first meal of the day. Today's selections at 'Le Pain Quotidien' were a croissant with ham and gruyere for H, and steel-cut oatmeal with bananas, walnuts and maple for me. How lucky we felt to begin our day together this way, and how fortunate I also felt when my latte counteracted the chilling effects of my morning shower!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our tummies pleasantly full, we made our way to the subway station at Columbus Circle and proceeded to purchase our single ride tickets, or at least, this is what we attempted to do. The metro card machine issued us the first ticket without a problem, but then, after having input my request and money for the second, the machine declared that it was no longer giving single ride tickets and simply gave me a receipt, without returning my money. We stood slightly aside from the turnstile, unsure of how to proceed. There was no staff working a ticket wicket, and only one of us currently held a metro card that would see us through the gates. Just as I was wondering if I should somehow sneak over or under the turnstile (I couldn't make H a criminal, after all), an older gentleman approached us, obviously reading our perplexed expressions correctly, and offered his support. We told him our predicament, and he pulled out his own metro card and offered to swipe me through! Some people might hold the assumption that kindness is too often lost in big cities as folks are thought to keep to themselves and personal interactions are limited to bustling bodies breezing past one another as everyone goes about their own business. Much like my Mom and I did while in San Francisco, H and I found that people in NYC seemed to go out of their way to be kind and helpful to us, and we couldn't have been more grateful or buoyed up by the faith in humanity that they confirmed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alas, the ticket issue was not our last foible on this subway ride. Intending to head towards the South Ferry, the street numbers that we saw on the walls as we pulled into each station should have been going down. When I looked up and read "79th Street" on such a wall, I quickly realized we were traveling in the wrong direction, and H and I jumped off at the next stop. This was my own mistake, as I just hadn't noticed that we'd gotten on the train on the wrong side of the street. Columbus Circle, as you might recall, is a busy, multi-street intersection, so the mistake was a fairly easy one to make - that's my story, and I'm sticking to it! We once again found ourselves adopting what must have surely looked like a fairly befuddled stance, as we were trying to figure out how we could get to the other side of the tracks without having to exit the station and pay yet again upon reentering. And again, a kind man came to our aid. He listened to our plight and told us to get back on the train in the same direction and to get off at the next stop, which offered access to both sides of the tracks. We followed his advice and, splickety-lit, we were good to go and heading down to the South Ferry terminal where we were looking forward to seeing Lady Liberty. Though these small obstacles may have cost us a little bit in the way of time, I believe that the lost minutes were more than made up for in the fantastic lesson that was learned: it's okay when things don't go exactly to plan, as is bound to happen now and again when traveling. There's always a way to solve a problem, and sometimes the experience can turn out to be a memorably positive one. As a Mom, I was rather pleased that H got to see this play out first hand.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Once at the southernmost end of the subway line, we made our way to the Statue Cruises ferry, proceeded through security (every major attraction that we visited during this trip required a thorough security process), and we boarded the ferry that took us to Liberty Island. I have taken the free Staten Island Ferry that cruises past the Statue of Liberty during a previous visit to the city, but I had never gone right to Liberty Island. Doing so was one of the top to-dos on H's list, and the attraction was also on our City Passes, so this was an exciting first for both of us! The ferry ride was great, allowing for both a wonderful view of the Manhattan skyline behind us and of the apparently ever-growing Statue of Liberty as we approached the island, her stalwart figure looming before us. There is a definite air of romance about her when you consider the thousands upon thousands of immigrants whose first view of their new homeland as their ships approached New York Harbour was this colossal copper symbol of freedom, Lady Liberty welcoming these new arrivals with her torch held high. The day was cold but clear and absolutely beautiful, the blue skies providing a lovely backdrop for our views. We walked around the island together and grabbed a bite to eat, and then boarded another ferry that took us back to Manhattan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We walked to the One World Trade Centre after disembarking. The last time I was able to visit this part of Manhattan, Ground Zero was still under construction, and M and I walked around the fencing, immediately feeling an emotional pull at this tragic spot. The new One World Trade Centre, also known as Freedom Tower, is, according to Wikipedia, "the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Centre complex in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, and the sixth-tallest in the world." H and I stopped for some time at the Memorial Twin Reflecting Pools, a peaceful and beautifully appropriate homage to the 2, 977 people who died in the attacks on September 11, 2001, as well as the six people killed in the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing. The names of these 2, 983 victims are inscribed around the perimeter of these pools. We noticed the words "and her unborn child" inscribed beside the names of numerous women, and if I'd been able to hold back my tears before seeing this, I could do so no longer. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwLk_douuWvciNw8xyBfawN3_FAJFv0016R-dp4vmmFfspoVj7CeBXfDiLkDakCJfsllWm5PzFk4Mt1m5rgmRG69w3zC-lqZKkK7PBaMnZYukKIate0CL08meFlFg1s1Ov2fG4Y3WvaCQ/s1600/IMG_20161209_132700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwLk_douuWvciNw8xyBfawN3_FAJFv0016R-dp4vmmFfspoVj7CeBXfDiLkDakCJfsllWm5PzFk4Mt1m5rgmRG69w3zC-lqZKkK7PBaMnZYukKIate0CL08meFlFg1s1Ov2fG4Y3WvaCQ/s320/IMG_20161209_132700.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">One World Trade Centre, or Freedom Tower.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As we waited in line to enter the 9/11 Memorial Museum, I was naturally transported back in time to that fateful day on September 11 fifteen years ago. I had just begun the second year of my teaching career, and had my class of Kindergarteners out at the playground at Laurelwood Public School. A colleague came out with her class and whispered to me that there had been another bombing at the World Trade Centre in New York. This was the miscommunicated news that had reached us thus far, and we had no idea to what extent the damages were at that time. Once we returned inside the school, some teachers had gathered in the library where they were watching the news unfolding on a television screen. One of my colleagues who had family in New York City was particularly distraught, and we did our best to comfort her. 'Meet the Teacher' night was scheduled to take place that evening, but due to the tragic world events, the open house was postponed to a later date. My own parents were in the United States on this date. They were, thankfully, at the other end of the country, however it was a time when you wanted nothing more than to have every single one of your loved ones within your grasp, and we couldn't have been more relieved when they returned home safely days later. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">H and I were moved beyond description</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> by the powerful displays in the museum. According to their website, "<span style="background-color: white;">The 9/11 Memorial Museum serves as the country's principal institution concerned with exploring the implications of the events of 9/11, documenting the impact of those events and exploring 9/11's continuing significance. . . (It) tells the story of 9/11 through interactive technology, archives, narratives, and a collection of artifacts." We were amazed at the indepth and personal details shared about every single victim, giving a powerful sense of each person who perished on that fateful day. Needless to say, we left the museum hours later deeply touched and affected by what we'd experienced, and incredibly grateful for all that we have.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-BeTXC0I-JG7Lxj3YXXcUbuWaYaoNcQhyayubwPoW6tRzyw9aX5p_rgufZE97dqOO2mW0nPodBoQa2JBNB3VifIJQismKYLfGs5eT4VvmeuAoy3orXnbuopCMKEFtkawfSyye22YfhaA/s1600/IMG_20161209_143419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-BeTXC0I-JG7Lxj3YXXcUbuWaYaoNcQhyayubwPoW6tRzyw9aX5p_rgufZE97dqOO2mW0nPodBoQa2JBNB3VifIJQismKYLfGs5eT4VvmeuAoy3orXnbuopCMKEFtkawfSyye22YfhaA/s320/IMG_20161209_143419.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our day already felt incredibly full, and so we opted to stroll our way up Broadway at a leisurely pace, stopping for a snack, and at any stores or sights that appealed, including the arch at Washington Square and at the iconic Flatiron Building. We halted our epic walk on Fifth Avenue for dinner at a great little find called Bubble Tea and Crepes, where we shared an energizing mango smoothie and were also excited to find a display of macarons, so we were able to continue the fun of our tasty daily tradition.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Washington Square welcomed us with a festive tree.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7gSECqOq67VXtH62z6ibN4g13KIfqllY_WXkyj_f6PgasSqU6JK5_EDI9o-wWGBPOaMWnX9hg0vgorP0rLovBMDyYBqpPsO9i7P_SqiICZk7Tm5SkVKGvQZ239q5W6n_T3_KC-x0gonL/s320/IMG_20161209_182527.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Flatiron Building.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeF_kW-Q4crwFe-E78aH4pEqYtHqsaFXNhJXjn3qfq9Wsmxpt3iPFjHrFIyH7oKUCJTf11qYzSnKJX7AWhqFkG8hfIGJrYu2CdI1tsoD8q-lEfRoNCEpQKYT_zRJ4Ov4xfZC6PHPMDaY5Y/s1600/IMG_20161209_192454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeF_kW-Q4crwFe-E78aH4pEqYtHqsaFXNhJXjn3qfq9Wsmxpt3iPFjHrFIyH7oKUCJTf11qYzSnKJX7AWhqFkG8hfIGJrYu2CdI1tsoD8q-lEfRoNCEpQKYT_zRJ4Ov4xfZC6PHPMDaY5Y/s320/IMG_20161209_192454.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Day Three's macaron selections: Dark Chocolate and Creme Brulee.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We decided to fit in yet one more major point of interest on this evening (our third City Pass attraction on this day!), and so aimed for the Empire State Building, which beckoned just ahead of us. Having already seen the city from the Top of the Rock during the day, we were excited to view it from on high by night. We traveled by elevator to the 80th-floor observatory, and then up to the 86th-floor outdoor observatory, where the bitter wind had us taking shelter on certain sides of the building; going around a corner had me worrying that my sweet girl was going to get blown away! The lights of the city certainly made for a thrilling sight, and we had fun getting a bird's-eye-view of just how far we'd walked on this day.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDS1JXV7-QtlVlheZrL2qlFm2V_lyMA925kVzB5D_lFdNB2d4SWMnTGUjKl3cHv-VAuP5rhVGrqfTTRQj4etfe-JqjMBD6IP7MaK5Egq7pyqUYLk0fUebtLoJ6YoQVwM644fUsYwTms9pi/s1600/IMG_20161209_192942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDS1JXV7-QtlVlheZrL2qlFm2V_lyMA925kVzB5D_lFdNB2d4SWMnTGUjKl3cHv-VAuP5rhVGrqfTTRQj4etfe-JqjMBD6IP7MaK5Egq7pyqUYLk0fUebtLoJ6YoQVwM644fUsYwTms9pi/s320/IMG_20161209_192942.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Empire State Building beckons us.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNgYT1fIOjJtREbssC9dDgde4fdRo44TNtYpOKAJd6O4l0REp4-n4MS55gHCnDWesc7zzUpciYUELLeUfWy63Cm921eVfJVQfI1tLYdgehQYPgW18g0E-rINNRVCbgNy4ZAiNqW3xeW3i/s1600/IMG_20161209_194204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNgYT1fIOjJtREbssC9dDgde4fdRo44TNtYpOKAJd6O4l0REp4-n4MS55gHCnDWesc7zzUpciYUELLeUfWy63Cm921eVfJVQfI1tLYdgehQYPgW18g0E-rINNRVCbgNy4ZAiNqW3xeW3i/s320/IMG_20161209_194204.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zpdobMQ7nB62O_DiarWa5iyphB9n-vovotKjPFdZYfBY0uRcww_KdJziWwmuzmv4eqLskBtTPtz9GX-K1DGXTsg3CmEhbJaCgOSnjGuH1VjJXszQQz3PJddL2JL-fQvPXkP-ibHpcxsP/s1600/IMG_20161209_195845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zpdobMQ7nB62O_DiarWa5iyphB9n-vovotKjPFdZYfBY0uRcww_KdJziWwmuzmv4eqLskBtTPtz9GX-K1DGXTsg3CmEhbJaCgOSnjGuH1VjJXszQQz3PJddL2JL-fQvPXkP-ibHpcxsP/s320/IMG_20161209_195845.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">From atop the Empire State Building: One World Trade Centre visible in the far distance; the Flatiron Building can be seen near the photo's centre, sitting at the triangular block of Fifth Avenue, Broadway and East 22nd Street.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHlLpQJuezpC2XP90wnLEsUj7BoSh_P8b6U9LtZcbz-st5jINGs0hHje0c9MgAwr3Y2SETBDfbWuHdnNWhsxp9kHOXb8pAMf3Mr2fBgfqjcq3K4FNqEkUGfW9wxuGMbUWNoCGmVomiUB5/s1600/IMG_20161209_201842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHlLpQJuezpC2XP90wnLEsUj7BoSh_P8b6U9LtZcbz-st5jINGs0hHje0c9MgAwr3Y2SETBDfbWuHdnNWhsxp9kHOXb8pAMf3Mr2fBgfqjcq3K4FNqEkUGfW9wxuGMbUWNoCGmVomiUB5/s320/IMG_20161209_201842.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our feet were very much ready to lead us back to our hotel after this, and we took a route that lead us past the New York City Library, as well as Bryant Park and Times Square, which were nice to see lit up at night. Sleep was most welcome at the end of this wonderfully full day!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">In front of the beautiful New York City Library. Though we were beyond tired, the passionate readers in us would have happily gone in had it been open!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Times Square lit up at night.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My wonders</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">: Have you been to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty? Have you ever visited any other iconic statues in your travels? The events of 9/11 were felt around the globe. Do you remember where you were and what you were doing when you learned of these tragic events? Have you been to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. If not, do you think you would like to?</span><br />
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Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-5318077503245564832016-12-19T18:33:00.000-08:002016-12-19T18:33:05.116-08:00New York City with my Girlie, Day Two: Thursday, December 8, 2016<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I woke on this day to the soft sound of H singing 'Happy Birthday!' to me, her sweet voice backed up by the bustling noise of New York City waking up as well. A stream of messages from friends and family, as well as a long-distance birthday serenade sent across the miles, marked this day as extra-special, too, and we eagerly got ready and headed out to our planned breakfast spot. I was very excited to take H to 'Le Pain Quotidien', my absolutely favourite place to enjoy the first meal of the day in New York City. The restaurant's French name means "the daily bread" in English, and speaks to the simple traditions and handmade goods that are the foundation of both their menu and philosophy. H seemed as taken with the spot as I've always been, and she chose the waffles with berries while I had the avocado and hard-boiled egg on toast. As we savoured our breakfast and planned for the day ahead, I smiled as thoughts of M and my dear friend S came to mind, people with whom I've also shared memorable mornings at this special spot during previous visits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Walking towards Times Square, we passed Trump Tower and got caught up in the huge crowd of onlookers milling about across the street from this flashy and blinged-out building erected by the U.S.'s not-so-humble President Elect. A constant media scrum now occupies part of the street, and we watched as several reporters took turns speaking into a rolling camera with the building that somehow looks like a pair of baby's first shoes bronzed for posterity as their backdrop. There were also several protesters hanging out alongside the barricades holding up placards with such words as "Dump Trump" scrawled across them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Times Square, with its indescribable bustle and lights, always makes me slightly uncomfortable. The famous commercial intersection in Midtown Manhattan is, admittedly, not my favourite area of New York, yet it is a must-see and had us craning our necks upwards as we took in the countless billboards and buildings towering around us. A fun foray into the M & M Store, featuring three levels of candy-coated chocolate and candy-inspired merchandise, as well as a peek into the festive Disney store gave us enough of a taste for shopping in this commercial mecca. No, big shoppers we are not!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Is there such a thing as too much choice?!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Times Square</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Escaping the intensity of Times Square, we walked on to get to Bryant Park, a lovely breath of fresh air located between Fifth and Sixth Avenues and between 40th and 42nd Streets. As I recalled from my last trip to the city, another Christmas Market was set up in this square surrounding the ice rink that the park is also home to. We stopped for a snack break, which also included macarons that we were happy to find at a stall in this Market as well. As we wandered through the festive aisles of huts, we came upon an open space where a rather large group of people of all ages were engaged in various degrees of juggling. As in, some were experts and others were obviously just learning how, balls and pins flying around the area. H and I had fun tossing some balls around, and got some great tips and direction from some incredibly kind folks who were just out on their lunch break enjoying their community and engaging with people happily as they joined in. I was deemed to have a "freakishly natural knack" for juggling, but I know it was my Dad's lessons from way back in the day when I was a wee carnie wannabe that I had to thank for it!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The beautiful tree at Bryant Park.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Learning to juggle in Bryant Park.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Day Two's macaron selections: Tropical Mango and Nutella.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">A symbolic street on this birthday :)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our next destination was the American Museum of Natural History, another attraction on our City Pass. As it's located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, like our hotel, we were able to stop in at the 'Y' to drop off some of our things before continuing up to this amazing museum - one of the world's largest - which houses 45 permanent exhibition halls as well as a planetarium and library. We saw countless specimens and human cultural artifacts, and also watched the IMAX film, "Wonders of the Arctic," a beautiful chronicling of the "story of survival in one of the most unforgiving environments on Earth: the frozen wilderness at the top of the world." And of course we couldn't help but make many connections to the movie, "Night at the Museum", the 2006 fantasy-comedy starring Ben Stiller, set in the museum. Our visit's final mission, begun after the announcement stating that the museum was soon closing, was to find the Easter Island Moai who loved chewing gum in the film and referred to Stiller's character as "Dum-Dum". We were literally racing through the corridors and galleries when we triumphantly reached him!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The American Museum of Natural History.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Blurry proof that we did, indeed, reach the gum-loving Moai before closing time!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Darkness had descended when we emerged from the museum, and we spontaneously caught a yellow cab out front and gave Little Italy as our destination. Our dinner plans were taking shape! Once again, we lucked out with a fantastic driver. Upon telling him that we wanted to go to Little Italy, he replied, "You fed your eyes, now you feed your belly!" We talked phones, and he knew that the Blackberry had been invented in our country when he found out we were from Canada. He thought it was incredibly cool that we were from the very city where it had been invented! He also pointed out the Dakota building, John Lennon's home and the place where he'd been shot. He wondered aloud why so many people were at the location right then, a question I was actually able to answer, as my birthdate is shared with the tragic date of Lennon's death. Our easy conversation continued as we slowly but surely made our way through the rush-hour traffic of the city. He pointed out NYU, and shared personal stories of his three daughters, asking about the rest of our family, too. H was beginning to fade as we neared Little Italy, and our driver exclaimed to her, "Don't sleep. Don't yawn. There is a pasta waiting for you!" Indeed there was, and we enjoyed it at "Capri", which beckoned us with its warm lighting, delicious-looking menu and convincing doorman who ushered us in out of the cold of the New York evening. After our tasty lasagna and cheese ravioli, we walked just half a block to my favourite spot in the neighbourhood: Cafe Ferrara, NYC's famous Italian bakery which dates its origins to 1892. Hot chocolate and tea warmed us through and through, and tasty desserts topped off our night perfectly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We walked out into the chill night air together and strolled arm-in-arm to a nearby subway stop, which we took back to Columbus Circle and our home-away-from-home in New York. While I certainly missed seeing some of my other loves, this was with no doubt a most memorable birthday shared with my darlin' girl, H!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">My wonders</span>: Have you ever been to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, or to another city's museum of natural history, and if so, what were some of your visit's highlights? Are there favourite cafes or restaurants that you look forward to visiting in various cities? Please share your tips in case I'm ever able to visit those locations! :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-39710851376435951062016-12-15T19:24:00.001-08:002016-12-16T05:51:00.866-08:00New York City with my Girlie, Day One: Wednesday, December 7, 2016<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hey there, and welcome back to Balancing B-G! Can you even believe that the Christmas season is upon us?!?! In my books, it certainly is the most wonderful time of the year and my elfish self couldn't be more excited that my world is beginning to look more and more festive by the day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've been away from my blog for the past week-and-a-while as I was off on a festive trip with my girlie, H. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Traveling</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> with my girls individually was something I hoped I would have the opportunity to do this year, and that became a reality for me and H with a trip to New York City last week! When trying to decide where the two of us might like to go earlier this fall, I had a few criteria that guided us in our choices: 1. We had to choose a location that wouldn’t take us too far away from M and E, as I just couldn’t envision us being away for too long without them; 2. I had to feel comfortable in the place we chose, knowing that I’d be the main planner and organizer, and knowing I would want to feel confident leading us on our adventures; and, 3. I really wanted H to feel excited about our destination, and for the trip to be a memorable one for us both. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rather like myself, H is a girlie who wants to see a great many places on this amazing planet of ours, so coming up with places that excited her was not a difficult task. When I thought of New York City, I knew it was a city we could easily get a good feel for in less than a week - no, you can’t see it all in that time, but NYC is a destination to be revisited and experienced again and again. And since I have been to the Big Apple several times before, I felt confident that I would have my bearings and be able to be a competent tour guide, so to speak. Now for the third criterion . . . when I asked H, “What do you think about New York City?” her beaming smile and sparkling eyes said it all before she could even exclaim, “Yes!” There we had it: our choice was made!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Big Lego Apple</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Based on our family's calendar, H's swim meet schedule, and some of the other travels I've been doing and planning for, we </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">found</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> a window of opportunity for our trip in December which happily coincided with the festive season and both of our birthdays: how exciting to view this trip as a way for us to celebrate our special days together! We booked our flights easily, and then a hotel, which was a little bit more difficult. Pricing for accommodations in Manhattan seems to have skyrocketed since my last visit a couple of years ago, and so we had to get creative in our search. I was quite set on being well located for ease of walking to many of our destinations and for my own comfort in knowing the area well. We wound up booking four nights at the YMCA just off of Central Park West and only a few blocks north of Columbus Circle: an excellent location! The only other preparations we made was to purchase City Passes, which saved us 41% on six fantastic New York City attractions, and of course I wrote up what is becoming my usual set of lists and schedules to be left behind for those running the home-ship in my stead. Thankfully, this time the odds were in their favour, as my parents and M only had E to care for, a much more manageable scenario compared to my trip with Mom to San Francisco, when my Dad and M had both girls' schedules to contend with. What would I do without my incredible support system?! I'm beyond grateful to family and friends who've taken care of my loves during my absences during these past few months!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">You bet we were singing "YMCA" a la The Village People nearly every time we approached our hotel!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Anticipating my alarm on the morning of Wednesday, December 7, I woke well before it sounded despite the fact that it was set for the crack of crazy. I woke a slumbering H who had no problem shaking off sleep in order to get ready to begin our adventure. My Dad picked us up at 4:15 a.m. - so fortunate are we to have an early-morning volunteer to see us off! - and off to the Toronto airport we went. Our travel details couldn't have gone more smoothly: everything from check-in and security, to the actual flight itself, which was less than an hour long and quite literally felt like we went up, had a drink, and came back down. And we were in New York City! </span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The flight to NYC was smooth and speedy.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">La Guardia Airport, so named for Fiorello H. La Guardia, New York City mayor from 1934 - 1945 as we learned from our talkative cab driver Chang, is a well-oiled machine and is set up to usher arrivals through and out into the city with expediency. We were herded along an outdoor walkway and around some of the current construction underway at the airport to join a fast-moving line of people awaiting yellow cabs. We couldn't really believe our eyes as we saw the sea of yellow queued up to receive passengers. The sight had that similar effect on us as when you see a parking lot of sleeping school buses on the weekend or during the holidays.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Once in the cab, we met the afore-mentioned Chang, our driver whom I initially and most mistakenly thought did not speak English, as he didn't seem to know where I wanted to go when I originally told him our destination address. How very wrong I was! After getting his bearings and figuring out just where it was we were headed, Chang began giving us a play-by-play of everything we were passing outside. His high-pitched, sing-song voice delivered all manner of interesting information about both the city passing outside our windows and about his own personal life and experiences. As a self-proclaimed gambling addict, (he used to drive tour buses to Niagara, where he would gamble away all of his tour earnings at the casino) he asked us whether we felt luckier about taking the tunnel or bridge into the city. I opted for the bridge, as I'd always choose staying above ground over subterranean options, and Chang timed our progress. He deemed that we "won" as we reached the streets of Manhattan in what he was sure was a faster time than the tunnel would have allowed for. Along the way he pointed out the U.N., the Chrysler Building, and Trump Tower. During our trip, Chang's was one of the only somewhat positive references we heard when discussions of Donald Trump came up, as he reverentially said, "He big business man. Make lots of monies." But then, a few moments later when we were diverted around a large security blockade supposedly in place due to the proximity to a Trump building, he denounced the President Elect, exclaiming, "We pay for this for Trump!" I had to suppress a giggle as I looked over at my wide-eyed H, absorbing all that she was seeing and hearing through the unfiltered experience of this sweet, over-caffeinated tell-all driver of ours!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">While it was not yet check-in time at the YMCA when we arrived, we were able to keep our luggage in a storage area, and then begin our explorations of the city! Our hotel was just a few blocks up from Columbus Circle, and we were so excited to find a rather extensive Christmas Market at the intersection of Eighth Avenue, Broadway, Central Park West, and West 59th Street at the southwest corner of Central Park. We fell for everything about this festive Market: its warm and inviting energy and light, the narrow and bustling aisles featuring a myriad of cheery huts and the friendly vendors of everything imaginable, including crafts, clothing, Christmas decorations, jewelry, countless possible gift ideas, and of course food. We grabbed a small lunch there at Kaya, offering freshly prepared Taiwanese-style street food, and then began what was to become a daily tradition for the duration of our stay in NYC: we each chose a macaron which we shared and savoured together. According to Wikipedia, "A macaron is a sweet, meringue-based confection made with egg white, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder or ground almond, and food colouring." Sounds nutritious, non?!? "The macaron is commonly filled with ganache, buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two cookies." According to me and H, macarons are a little piece of heaven that we first discovered in one of the world's biggest cities, and that we hope to find a source for closer to home and, with some luck and lots of effort, try to replicate in our own kitchen some time very soon.</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Day One's macaron selections: Carrot Cake and Red Velvet.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Appetites pleasingly sated, we walked down 5th Avenue, marveling at all of the festively decorated storefronts and window displays. When we reached Rockefeller Centre, we halted: the tree, towering over all of the onlookers and skaters below it, sparkled in its majesty over the square. In the immortal words of Buddy the Elf, "Wow! That's a big one."</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Rockefeller Centre's beautiful Christmas tree.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We had some fun building minis at the square's Lego store, and then opted to visit our first City Pass attraction, since we were right there: Top of the Rock Observation Deck. The three levels of observation decks, including the 70th floor open-air roof deck, afforded us bird's eye views of the city, helping H to get a bit of a better feel for her geographical surroundings.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The view of Manhattan, with the Empire State Building at the centre, as seen from the Top of the Rock.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Surveying Central Park and the North side of the city.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When we came down from the Top of the Rock (Would that be called Rock Bottom?!), it was time to head back to the hotel in order to check-in and prepare for dinner: we had a reservation on this first night, the only day of our trip that we had any real kind of schedule to adhere to. During our walk back to our hotel, we soaked up the festive spirit of the city, so grateful to be enjoying it together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So this brings us to our hotel room at the YMCA . . . In the spirit of a popular Saturday Night Live skit from many a year gone by, 'Mr. Subliminal' might begin by narrating the details thus: We walked down the corridor of our eighth floor hallway (cell block), passing the stark white walls and alternating blue and orange vented doors (for maximum prison cell airflow). Inside, the quaint (cramped) quarters exuded a minimalist theme (barren), a bed (lumpy), bedside-table and chair our only furnishings (dump salvations). The mottled flooring gave an aged (dingy) impression, and the unsealed window air conditioner unit allowed for fresh air (cold, whistling wind) pumped directly into our room (cell), along with the continuous night-time white noise (sirens, traffic and car horns) to aid the arrival of sleep for the weary traveler (inmate). Invigorating (cold) showers each morning helped wake us for the day ahead. And all of that doesn't even cover the ridiculously hard-to-flush toilet, the bathroom door with no doorknob on the inside, the plugged sink, and the sauna-like temperatures in the bathroom upon our arrival. Truly, H and I giggled about the lamentable conditions each morning and night! All of that being said, the staff were all very helpful when we asked for assistance (an engineer was sent up immediately to fix our heating situation), the room had all of the necessities and was decently clean (and there were NO bugs!), we felt very safe (there was a vigilant security desk operating at all times in the front lobby), and the location was excellent (a stone's throw from Central Park and easy walking distance to many of the areas we wanted to explore). Besides, we were there to see the city, not the walls of our hotel room.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Note the cracks to the outside you can spy around the air conditioner. Ahhh, but the heater right in front of the window counteracted the cold air coming in. Who cares that we were heating the outside as well as the inside? Environmental concerns? Pshaw! The folks who installed this unit were obviously of the Trump mindset: climate change is a hoax perpetuated by the people in "Jina"! And yes, we also bumped our heads on the non-functioning T.V. several times!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Closing the door while in the bathroom was a bit of a challenge without a doorknob!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our dinner plans on this first evening in New York had us quite excited: we were heading to 'Serendipity'! If you've ever watched the 2001 romantic comedy of the same name, starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale, you'll know of the place, kitschy in all its clutter, quaint in its coziness and warmth. Having learned from my previous visit to New York that waits for a table can be lengthy, I made sure to have a reservation made for this trip, so H and I were able to waltz in past the line of folks who were just learning this lesson. We were seated upstairs at a fantastic table by the fireplace, and enjoyed a great meal together. The highlight at 'Serendipity', however, is the dessert. Famous for their frozen hot chocolate, they also offer a variety of other tasty treats, and H and I were in the mood for ice cream. We ordered a sundae, which come as three-scoop master pieces. Our personalized sundae featured chocolate, pistachio and butter pecan ice creams covered - and I mean covered! - in caramel sauce, whipped cream and cherries. Mmmmmmm!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We walked back to our hotel through the city twinkling with Christmas lights, stopping at the Christmas Market again along our way and basking in the excitement of a fantastic first day, and in the wondrous fact that we were in New York City together, which still felt surreal. We were very much ready for a night of sleep to recharge us for another wonderfully full day ahead. Stay tuned for more details to come :)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">A few final moments at the Christmas Market as it shuts down for the day.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">My wonders</span>: Have you ever been to New York City, and if so, have you ever been there in December? Do you have a favourite time of year to be in NYC? Have you ever traveled with a child/one of your children solo? Where did you go and what was your experience like?</span><br />
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Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-6184520691107545022016-12-04T18:57:00.000-08:002016-12-04T18:57:49.484-08:00San Francisco, Day Seven: Wednesday, November 16, 2016 <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our final full day in San Francisco, and we had two neighbourhoods that we still really wanted to check out: the Mission and Castro districts. So off we went to explore what turned out to be two of the most vibrant areas of the city that we'd experienced during the trip. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Located in east-central San Francisco, the Mission exudes a wonderfully colourful feel, and the culture that the Spanish missionaries who came to the area in the late 18th century brought with them infuses this neighbourhood and its architecture, shops and restaurants with a distinctly Latino flare. The Mission San Francisco de Asis, or Mission Delores, includes a beautiful basilica which initially overshadows the original adobe mission building. The mission (the smaller adobe building on the left) is, according to Wikipedia, the oldest surviving structure in San Francisco, while the basilica was completed in 1918.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The colour continued to spill forth as we reached Clarion Alley and its famed Mural Project. Spanning the length of one block between 17th and 18th and Mission and Valencia Streets, the Clarion Alley Mural Project is an artists' collective and highlights not only great talent and creativity, but also gives voice to social and political issues on the minds of its artists.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This air of social activism not only permeated Clarion Alley, but the neighbourhood in general, and reached its pinnacle as we witnessed a peaceful demonstration in the form of hundreds of people - men, women and many children - marching in a political protest. The march was completely orderly and exuded messages of love, peace and understanding. I felt surrounded by kindred spirits, and while I supported them from afar, there was a part of me that wished I'd followed my heart to join them in their march.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And just to make me feel even more at home, look at who I saw peeking out at me from behind a shelf of books in a great little bookstore that we visited!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Following are just a few more shots that capture some of the colour and vibrancy of the Mission District.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Walking just a few blocks we made our way to the Castro district, passing some more beautiful painted ladies along the way. "The Castro was one of the first gay neighbourhoods in the United States . . . (and) remains one of the most prominent symbols of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activism and events in the world," states Wikepedia. The vibe in this area is one of openness and acceptance, and of course, colour and passion! I absolutely loved the rainbow flag colour pedestrian crosswalks and banners strung up from the light standards. Those flags say to me, "All are welcome! Be proud to be your truest self!" We saw the famous movie palace, the Castro Theatre, and Harvey Milk Plaza, named after the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">We took a wonderful time out at Thorough Bread and Pastry, a fantastic French bakery and cafe where we could watch the bakers kneading dough while we enjoyed our lattes and pastries. Mmmmm!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Heading back towards Union Square, we jumped off the streetcar we were riding in order to see San Francisco's City Hall in the city's Civic Centre, a grand space which boasts numerous impressive structures, including the headquarters of the Supreme Court of California, the Asian Art Museum, and the Davies Symphony Hall, to name but a few. City Hall features a dome that is taller than that of the U.S. Capitol Building, and the building's interior is a lovely backdrop to continuously revolving groups of wedding parties having their photos taken. The sad reality of homelessness, so tragically common in large urban centres, was largely apparent in San Francisco, and was particularly highlighted on the lawns stretching out before City Hall. We saw a great many homeless people curled up asleep on the grass, and we could only hope that the institutions surrounding this space are housing minds and hearts working on ways to help solve this dilemma.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We wrapped up our final afternoon and evening in San Francisco with a walk through some of the Financial District and China Town, and enjoyed Italian for dinner in North Beach. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our trip to California was fantastic, and while I very much missed my family back home, I so loved sharing this time together with Mom. This for me is so much of what I wanted this year to be about: relationships. I feel beyond fortunate for this time and these opportunities.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">H and I are heading off to New York City later this week, and I'm so excited to spend this special time with her for our birthdays. While I have been to NYC several times before, this will be her first visit, and I'm so looking forward to sharing some of my favourite spots while discovering many new ones with her. I hope you enjoy this wonderful time of year with your loved ones as the festive season gets underway, and I will share some of the details of our trip upon my return.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">My wonders</span>: Have you ever been to New York City? If so, do you have any special tips or favourite spots to recommend as we head off to the Big Apple? </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-41534265639949257372016-12-03T19:57:00.003-08:002016-12-04T06:54:09.141-08:00San Francisco, Day Six: Tuesday, November 15, 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today was a day for seeing a variety of sights and areas in San Francisco that we felt we'd missed up until now, and again, we were grateful for our MUNI passes, as we covered quite a lot of ground. We began our morning by heading down to Ghirardelli Square, so named because "in 1893 Domenico Ghirardelli purchased the entire city block in order to make it into the headquarters of the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company." (Wikipedia) The public square boasts shops (several of which are Ghirardelli chocolate shops!), cafes and restaurants, and we chose the Marais Cafe for a relaxing latte and scone. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We headed over to the Presidio by bus, enjoying the views along the way despite the overcast conditions. "The Presidio . . . is a park and former military fort on the Northern tip of the San Francisco peninsula." (Widipedia) We passed many wooded areas and scenic lookouts, and decided to continue further on the bus, disembarking at a spot that we thought would afford us easy access to Lincoln Park. Our stop wound up being both fortuitous and slightly off-the-mark. The fortunate piece was that we landed at the foot of another beautiful set of stairs on the Western end of California Street, the Lincoln Park Steps. This public art installation brightens what would otherwise be a normal, everyday staircase; functional art at its best! The off-the-mark bit: at the top of these steps, we found ourselves in the middle of Lincoln Park Golf Course, so we had to skirt around the perimeter of the course on one side in order to get past it. Explorations at their best as well!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Walking through the Lands End area, we discovered Sutro Heights Park from which we gained superb views of the Cliff House, Seal Rocks, Ocean Beach and the Pacific Ocean.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sutro Heights Park</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">San Francisco's famous 'Painted Ladies' were next on our list of sights to see. Wikipedia helped me fully understand the definition, stating that "'Painted Ladies' is a term in American architecture used for Victorian and Edwardian houses and buildings painted in three or more colours that embellish or enhance their architectural details." We stopped for a great lunch at the Bean Bag Cafe before making our way to Alamo Square, along one side of which runs Steiner Street, home to the best-known Painted Ladies. Alamo Square was fenced off for construction purposes, but this did not hinder our viewing - or that of the numerous other tourists - of these lovely homes. Again, rather like living on Lombard Street, I cannot fathom living in a house that people come to take photos of every day, but to each his own.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The 'Painted Ladies' of Steiner Street</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Next, we traveled down Market Street to the Ferry Building, stopping a few stops shy in order to see yet another Heart of San Francisco, which we discovered in a Wells Fargo Building (we're quite the super sleuths, let me tell you!). Located on the Embarcadero, the Ferry Building is, as per Wikipedia, "a terminal for ferries that travel across the San Francisco Bay, a food hall and an office building." We explored the many shops (including one that sold hundreds of these things with many pages bound by covers, each page covered in words. . . I hear you read them ;). And we wrapped up our day with some Thai close to Union Square and our hotel. Truly a day of far-flung destinations and a motley variety of sights seen! </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Ferry Building</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Stay tuned for details of our final full day in San Francisco, during which we explored what I think may have been one of my favourite neighbourhoods there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">My wonders</span>: My experience of seeing countless tourists at Lombard Street and again near the Painted Ladies made me ponder the idea of tourist attractions that are a person's home. Would you want to live in such an attraction? Does the idea of your home being a sought-after destination appeal to you, despite the infringement on your privacy? </span></div>
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Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-43389923187733494642016-12-02T06:45:00.000-08:002016-12-02T06:45:08.678-08:00San Francisco, Day Five: Monday, November 14, 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ben, our chipper driver and tour guide for the day ahead, greeted us with enthusiasm as we boarded the bus bright and early on this morning. Today's tour to Muir Woods and Sonoma was one I'd been anticipating eagerly, and Mom and I were both excited to get up close and personal with the magnificent redwoods and sequoias that we'd only seen in photos up until now. According to www.livescience.com, "Giant sequoias and California redwoods (also called coast redwoods) are nature's skyscrapers. These enormous trees exist primarily in Northern California, and though they have a number of common characteristics, including distinctive cinnamon-red bark, they are different species. . . Giant sequoias can grow to be about 30 feet (nine metres) in diameter and more than 250 feet (76 metres) tall. . . Redwoods, the tallest of trees, reach heights of more than 350 feet (107 metres)." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The roads we took to reach the forest were steep and winding, and I felt myself hand over my life to Ben as I looked out the bus's windows and down, down, down the side of the canyon-like valleys that plunged beside the roads we were swerving upwards on. Though young and chatty, he very thankfully seemed to be a competent and experienced driver under these conditions. Although we joked that we'd traveled on more precarious roads during winters when we'd lived in Switzerland when I was a child, I'm not sure that my Mom realized that I was, nevertheless, holding my breath every now and again as we approached yet another curve in the road, fog rolling in through the valleys around us . . . perhaps she's laughing as she reads this, wondering if I knew that she was doing the same thing! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Muir Woods National Monument is an old-growth coastal redwood forest. We arrived shortly before 9:00 a.m., thereby bypassing both the usual $10 per person entry fee and the crowds which were arriving when we were leaving the Woods later in the morning. As we entered the primeval forest, I felt as though I'd passed through a curtain of serenity; suddenly the world had become hushed and we proceeded with an air of reverence for the ancient trees towering around us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">John Muir was, according to Wikipedia, "a naturalist, author, environmental philosopher and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States." He was also the "founder of the Sierra Club, a prominent American conservation organization." The following words, written by Muir himself, resounded with us as we stood in the Woods named in his honour:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"In every walk with nature,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">one receives far more</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">than one seeks."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">~John Muir</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As we left the forest and reboarded the bus set to take us on to Sonoma, I found myself wishing that I had days to explore the beauty and peace of Muir Woods. But moving on to wine country was an amazing prospect, and so Muir Woods has been placed on the list of places I'd love to revisit one day in the future :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And Sonoma certainly did not disappoint! "Sonoma is the southwestern county and largest producer of California's wine country region, which also includes Napa, Mendocino, and Lake counties." (Wikepedia) While in the region, we would be visiting three wineries and enjoying lunch. Our first stop was at the Mayo winery, where we received an indepth tour of the wine-making process, and participated in a wine tasting. Prior to this visit I'd experienced similar tours and tastings in Niagara region, fortunate as we are to have some fabulous wineries in Southern Ontario. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We were more than ready for lunch after this tasting - my stomach definitely needed something to absorb the wine I'd just consumed! How fortunate we were to dine at a window seat in the Plaza Bistro overlooking Sonoma Square! Our lunch courses were paired with wine, and we were grateful that Ben was our DD, that's for sure!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Two more wineries were on our agenda, Madonna and Cline. Cline was the final and largest winery we visited, and I passed on the tasting there in favour of exploring the lovely grounds and making friends of the animal variety. Boasting a pond filled with carp, beautiful gardens, and donkeys - I don't know why donkeys, but I liked them! - wandering the paths around this winery was a relaxing way to end this part of the day.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The carp at 'Cline' come up to say hello to me.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The drive back to San Francisco was, without doubt, louder and more laughter-filled than our morning trip had been. Folks were definitely more gregarious after having stopped at three wineries in the afternoon! A final stop along the Marin County side of the Golden Gate Bridge in the late afternoon elicited some beautiful scenes as the sky changed colour before our eyes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Still quite full from our lunch when we got back to our hotel, Mom and I decided to do dessert for dinner - one of those perks of being an adult with no children around to be a good role model for! We made our way to the Cheesecake Factory located on the top floor of the Macy's building at Union Square where we were able to sit outside on the eighth floor balcony patio overlooking the Square while we ate our cake: original cheesecake for Mom and carrot cake for me. Mmmmm!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While we ate, we kept our eyes open for the super moon - a full moon with the closest approach that the moon makes to the Earth - that was supposed to be visible in the night sky on this evening. Being surrounded by tall buildings made it difficult, but finally when we reached ground level again, we were treated to a view of the super moon over Union Square. Although our photos couldn't capture it in any satisfactory way, my heart sang knowing that my loves back home were looking up at the same moon :)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Union Square as seen from the rooftop patio of the Cheesecake Factory on the 8th floor of the Macy's Department Store building.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Super moon over Union Square.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">That's silly us reflected in the window of our hotel room, looking up at the super moon hanging over Union Square in San Francisco.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Please stay tuned for more about our trip to San Francisco as Day Six's adventures are chronicled soon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">My wonders</span>: Have you ever been to Muir Woods or to another coastal redwood forest? How did the space make you feel? And have you ever been to a winery and/or experienced a wine tasting? If so, where did you do so, and please share some of the details of your experience. Finally, were you able to view the most recent super moon on Nov. 14, 2016, and if so, where were you when you saw it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9189013591843642653.post-28229897207647665752016-12-01T12:44:00.002-08:002016-12-01T12:44:37.046-08:00San Francisco, Day Four: Sunday, November 13, 2016<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sunday morning, and the fog rolled in as we met the day and made our way to Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill. This beautiful Episcopal cathedral is famed for a number of features, among these its stained glass windows, its large pair of doors called "Ghiberti doors" which are, according to Wikipedia, "reproductions of the doors of the Florence Baptistery by Lorenzo Ghiberti," and for two labyrinths. One of these labyrinths is laid out in the courtyard while the other is inside, and they are "based on the famous medieval labyrinth of Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Chartres." The online encyclopedia also claims that "it is said that if a visitor walks the pattern of the labyrinth it will bring them to a meditative state." I can certainly attest to feeling more grounded and having a strong sense of clarity after walking both of the labyrinths. Our thoughts were also on Kieran, my cousin's 19-year-old son who died the week before our trip, and on his grieving family back home. We lit two candles in his memory while in the peaceful space of the cathedral.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">For Kieran.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We walked downhill to Union Square in order to eat at Sears Fine Food, where lengthy lines of people wait to enjoy their famous breakfast. While we did get to stand in the Sears line-up, it was but a brief experience and we were fortunate to get a table quickly and tuck into some great food before continuing on with our explorations of San Francisco for the day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our MUNI passes served us well on this day, as we traveled via public transit out to Golden Gate Park and the surrounding areas. As seemed to be the pattern of the days, the fog had long since lifted, and the gardens and lawns of the park were drenched in sunshine, blue skies once again our canopy. We spent most of our time in the beautiful Japanese Tea Garden, where we did, of course, enjoy cups of tea - sencha for me, jasmine for Mom - at the Tea House nestled in the centre of the Garden.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Next, we were on a mission to find a very special set of stairs: the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps. As per the website for the project, "The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps project has been a neighbourhood effort to create a beautiful mosaic running up the risers of the 163 steps located at 16th and Moraga in San Francisco." (http://www.tiledsteps.org/) The result is, indeed, gorgeous, and well worth the trek up the numerous hilly streets that it took for us to find them. At the top of the steps I continued upwards a bit further to reach a lovely lookout which afforded some bird's eye views of the city.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Haight-Ashbury district was our next destination, a short bus ride away from the area where we'd just been. The neighbourhood around Haight and Ashbury streets is known for its psychedelic history, and its role as the centre of the hippie movement of the 1960s. We had a lot of fun wandering the streets, poking into a shop or two (of course one was a bookstore!), and taking an afternoon break for tea at 'Coffee to the People', a cozy neighbourhood cafe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our day wound its way down as we wound our way back to our hotel, and we made it an early evening as we were off on another tour on Monday, the following day, and needed to be ready for an early start. Details of our fantastic trip to Muir Woods and wine country to come soon!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">My wonders</span>: Public transit can be a true blessing when in another city, as we experienced with the MUNI in San Francisco. I've benefited from many other great transit systems over the years, including the Metro in Paris, the London Underground, the Subway in New York City, the TTC in Toronto, and Public Transit in Sydney. Do you make use of public transit systems when on vacation, or in your own home town? How would you rank various cities' systems?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Julie B-Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10515746577983732903noreply@blogger.com0