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I definitely have ZEAL! (Image credit almay.com) |

Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Z IS FOR ZEAL
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Y IS FOR YUMMY
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Doesn't my puzzle look yummy? Katie Kate thinks so! TAKEN: FEBRUARY 15th, 2025 |
Monday, April 28, 2025
X IS FOR X-TRAODINARY
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A coincidental dinner party... Created a memory of a lifetime. TAKEN: APRIL 7th, 2025 Palm Beach, Aruba |
Before we landed in Aruba, we knew we wanted to eat at a specific steak house. Trouble was, there were only two seats in an evening, and they didn’t take reservations; you had to line up outside.
So, on our second night there we decided to roll the dice and see if we could get in.
We landed in line about forty five minutes before the doors opened and we instantly began chatting up two young ladies in line.
As they came out of take names and numbers of people dining, we asked the two if they would like to have dinner with us, as a table of four had a better chance at getting in than two tables of two. They cheerfully agreed.
As always, my travel buddy hubby was as comical as ever. He kept them laughing the entire time. When one of his jokes crossed the line, I call him by his name and said “that was far enough.”
The young girl (in the photo above) instantly turned white and asked if his first name was really what I had called him. When we said yes, her eyes filled with tears, and she began to cry. What she shared next had our jaws drop.
Earlier that day she had spread her husband’s ashes on Palm Beach (he had died of brain cancer), and he and my hubby shared the same first name. She was overcome with emotion, as were we once she'd shared.
In a nutshell, I believe we were meant to have dinner with those two, on that day. And though we never did get their names…. We will remember that evening together for the rest of our lives.
Truly X-traodinary!
Saturday, April 26, 2025
W IS FOR WANT
We will always WANT to travel. TAKEN: NOVEMBER 2014 (La Romana, D.R.) |
I think everyone sets up what they want differently. For us, it has always been openly discussed. The universal correlation between want and need.
When I started down the rabbit hole of making a point, I Googled want vs. need.
The AI generated response replied with this: "Need" refers to something essential for survival or well-being, while "want" describes a desire that is not essential for living but can improve quality of life. Which is why travel ticks both of those boxes for us.
Several decades ago, before I really understood how to manage my seasonal affective disorder, by Easter every year I was in a varying state of depression. So, starting when the twins were ten months old, we began using our tax refund to head to South Carolina for a dose of vitamin D.
Once the children finished post-secondary school (circa 2012), I began to contribute a weekly value into an annual travel fund. As I began to book all of our travel online, one week a year turned into two in the shoulder season; and a long weekend at the end of January – beginning of February.
With the severe health scares my travel buddy hubby as had in the last few years, we talk regularly when our travel adventures may end. Though we don’t know when that might be, we know one thing to be true.
We will always WANT to travel – but I also know, I will always need to travel.
Friday, April 25, 2025
Thursday, April 24, 2025
U IS FOR UPBEAT
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Enjoying the upbeat music from our 18th floor balcony. TAKEN: APRIL 12th, 2025 |
Like most, upbeat music is definitely a part of who I am. As a matter a fact, any and all music is.
The trouble with live entertainment when you're on vacation, is it usually happens after you've had a day full of sun and snorkeling; so being in a crowd of a couple of hundred people when I am tired isn't at the top of my list.
Vacation or not, I should clarify that my travel buddy hubby and I are both morning people. Actually, when on vacation, we give each other an hour of grace. By 7am we are on our second cup of coffee and by 8am we are dressed and on the move.
So, by nightfall when the nightly entertainment gets started, I am ready to shower away the sand and sunscreen, and get begin to get ready for bed.
It wasn't like that last fall in the Mexico, but then again we were stuck in the middle of a tropical storm, so water activities through the day were limited - leaving energy for night time fun.
I guess you can say that this trip, we were given the best of both.
Amazing twelve hour days in the sun, and a balcony seat to the entertainment stage (lit up in pink and blue in my pic) at our sister resort next door.
Though we couldn't really see the singers and dancers, you can clearly see the theatre was packed, and the acoustics of the music flowing over was fine.
Yep, what can I say... an Aruban Michael Jackson with backup singer/dancers doesn't get much more upbeat than that!
#yagottalaughaboutit
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
T IS FOR TIRESOME
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Photo Credit: reddit.com/r/onguardforthee |
Every time I hear that statement it makes me go Hmmmm, and scratch my head.
You see, I find it baffling that voters that own a beautiful house, lake lot, $85,000 truck, fifth wheel or trailer, speed boat, quad, and vacation to other countries every year.... Can pontificate that "Canada is Broken".
Why? Because they want more!
#mytwocents
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
S IS FOR SUNSCREEN
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Day three and almost ready for our 2nd bottle of 30 SPF sunscreen. TAKEN: APRIL 8th, 2025 (Palm Beach, Aruba) |
For a maturing woman my age, I don’t fret that I have never had a manicure, pedicure, or even a facial.
Yet, I will boast that the one beauty staple I seriously embrace, is sunscreen. As a matter of fact, for my trip to Aruba, I packed five different kinds.
I did a lot of personal research before leaving on that jet plane. And with the island having a closer proximity to the equator than we'd ever experienced, I knew the last thing I wanted to do was burn.
The photo I am sharing today, I snapped on our second full day on the beach. (Yes, those toes are with me... but not mine.)
For my entire stay, I started my morning with a waterproof 50 SPF applied to my face and shoulders, and a 30SPF spray applied to the rest of me. For the afternoon, I moved away from the spray and used a sweat resistant 30 SPF sunscreen lotion.
I wasn’t always so diligent. I’ve always worn it when away but in the last decade the strength of the UV Rays has become more intense.
For example, when we traveled to Jamaica for a long weekend to celebrate our wedding anniversary in June 2023, I only used spray. On our last afternoon there, the wind made me miss some areas around my shoulders and I burnt. My skin took more than two weeks to heal; signifying the UV intensity.
Nothing makes me cringe more than seeing people burnt to a crisp on with very first day of holiday. Not only because I know the pain they will be in as they try to sleep – but also because I am seeing a complete waste of money.
You spend thousands of dollars to holiday. Then remain in pain the entire time, limited on what you can enjoy, having to shy away from the sun your traveled to experience.
Rhondi Rule #412: Always wear sunscreen. Because it is simply the ultimate in adulting!
Monday, April 21, 2025
R IS FOR REMEMBERING
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Remembering my Dad. Taken: SPRING 1996 |
To the sorrowful, I will never return.
To the angry, I was cheated.
But to the happy, I am at peace,
And to the faithful, I have never left.
I cannot speak, but I can listen.
I cannot be seen, but I can be heard.
So as you stand upon a shore, gazing at a beautiful sea,
As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity,
Remember me.
Remember me in your heart:
Your thoughts, and your memories,
Of the times we loved,
The times we cried,
The times we fought,
The times we laughed.
For if you always think of me, I will never be gone
Author ~ Margaret Mead
Saturday, April 19, 2025
Q IS FOR QUIET
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The older I get.... It seems quiet is what I seek most. TAKEN: JULY 23rd, 2022 (Me, floating around Orillia Lake) |
Friday, April 18, 2025
P IS FOR PODBEAN
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A snapshot of some of my latest PodBean episodes. TAKEN: APRIL 18th, 2024 |
As I mentioned in my A is for Audio post, I decided to start a podcast platform. As predicted, I only complimented my first three offerings with a posted audio file.
I have promised myself I will go back and catch up but it will take me some time. I am thinking if I try to tackle one a day for the month of May, I just might get there.
Next year, my letter E is definitely going to be for EFFORT.
Like I've always said, it's the thought that counts!
Thursday, April 17, 2025
O IS FOR ORANJESTAD
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Driving past the Malecon boardwalk in downtown Oranjestad, Aruba. TAKEN: APRIL 13th, 2025 |
During my recent visit to Aruba, I travelled through their capital of Oranjestad four times. In all expereinces, the downtown traffic was horrendous.
That said, as the lightbulb for the letter 'O' went off in my head, I was on a coach bus headed to the airport to fly home. This was the only photo I snapped.
Our week away was so jampacked that working on the challenge took a back seat. As I planned to catch up on my writing on the plane, as I traveled to the airport I began to go through my up coming words in my head.
This one, specifically, has always been a challenge, and usually signifies when the onset of writers block sets in. How I couldn't have thought of this word in advance makes me scratch my head. perhaps a simple single of how my overthinking begins.
Anyway, this bustling harbour city feels a tad over developed. When traveling east to west, if feels like you're grains of sand going through an hourglass. Two lane traffic where tens of thousand get off cruise ships to browse luxury retailers, and traffic slowly creeps through the city center.
Don't get me wrong, we had an amazing time, but won't be returning. Not because of the expense, or traffic in Oranjestad - but because of the airport.
It was the most painful I have ever had to navigate... and believe me, I have navigated a few!
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
N IS FOR NEIGHBOURS
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Our lovely neighbour texting me a snowy photo of our home. TAKEN: November 23, 2022 |
When we were first married, we married in June and my father offered for us to live rent free in his town home for two years to save money.
We moved in the following month, then he decided to move in with us in November; we bought our first home the following month.
Though we bought the house across the street, we lived in the most amazing neighbourhood. I could visit with my Dad daily, and the kids were constantly in and out of his home. As a matter a fact, every single door was open and welcoming - as was our to them.
They say it takes a village to raise a child but in our case, our Toronto Street neighbourhood helped raise our three.
Funny how a single word sparks so many memories.
We moved from that home in 2002 and to this day... I still miss it.
Friday, April 11, 2025
J IS FOR JUSTICE
My beautiful friend Ashley Milne Gone but never forgotten! (c) The Toronto Star |
Firefighter gets life for murder of wife Ashley Milnes Schwalm, which he staged to look like a fiery crash near a Collingwood ski hill.
Friday, April 4, 2025
D IS FOR DARKNESS
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The dead of winter in Muskoka (A 6am pic snapped from our kitchen) TAKEN: JANUARY 16th, 2025 |
Thursday, April 3, 2025
C IS FOR CHAOS
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Image downloaded from Facebook |
CLICK HERE: To listen to Rhondi read this post on her new podcast platform.
The Oxford English dictionary describes chaos (noun) as complete disorder and confusion.
In keeping with that definition, my mind immediately offers the perfect example of it in, "the sweeping new 'Liberation Day' tariffs are causing total chaos."
I have said it here before and I will say it again, I am not a political person looking to stand a top a soap box and pontificate my opinions. What I will say is that I am generally an intelligent person with a keen grasp of common sense, that follows the political climate. And I can't seem to figure out what the hell is going on!
I am confused at the rhetoric that is perpetuating that Canadians are nasty.
In all the decades I have been crossing into the United States, I have never had a bad interaction with our neighbours (yes that is the correct spelling) - and it is to be hoped they can say the same when visiting us.
I am generally sad that I won't be crossing the border to visit my friends next-door for the next four years. In fact, the thought in general makes me anxious.
Though I will concede that the comments on our becoming the 51st State have calmed since a new Prime Minister was named - I don't think the back and forth surrounding a lot of silly political stuff will stop anytime soon.
...Which is just simply unfortunate, and definitely something I never want to laugh about.
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
B IS FOR BRUTAL
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By mid-afternoon, the tree in the centre of my photo filled the driveway with fallen debris. TAKEN: MARCH 30th, 2025 |
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
W IS FOR WORDLE
Each day I Wordle as I sip my morning coffee. ... and Quordle while I eat my lunch. |
When I started my new job everyone in the office was talking
about this thing called “Wordle”.
I’d never heard of it, but I had seen a flood of yellow, green,
and black square emojis flash across my Facebook timeline. Always cautious of
click bate, I never gave it a second through. That was until my entire new crew
seemed obsessed with it.
For the first week, I listened to try and understand what
the point was. Limited to just one game a day, you have six chances to guess a five-letter
word. Each time you hit enter to register your guess, each letter turns a different
colour.
Black means the letter isn’t in the word at all. Yellow means the letter is in the word but in the wrong spot. Green means you have the right letter in the right spot.
I haven’t been playing long, but I seem to Wordle in just three guesses quite regularly.
Don’t get me wrong, I have also burned through my six guesses just
as easily.
All in all… Just a really great way to start the day.
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Z IS FOR ZAP
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Jukebox, Goob, and Sweetie on Huckleberry Rock. TAKEN: OCTOBER 2018 |