Goob and his Mama embracing their personalities!! TAKEN: JANUARY 2007 |
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
O IS FOR OBSERVATION
Sunday, December 31, 2023
REMEMBERING 2023
As the year comes to a close at midnight tonight, there is so much I am very thankful for. So much so, that I have no idea where to start.
What I will highlight is that our wee, four legged blondie/Oreo filling, simply stole the show (as well as at least a half dozen of my perfectly good slippers). And, that I can finally admit I have discovered a perfect work/life balance; solidifying the saying 'life is short' as my personal mantra.
Thanks for the memories 2023. They are truly respected and appreciated. I feel blessed that I have such great hope for an even better 2024.
All the best in the coming year everyone. Cheers to all, and thank you once again for reading.
~ Rhondi
PS: With the past year 99.9% in the rearview, as you reminisce with me electronically you can click links to journal offerings that you may have missed, or wish to revisit.
Most Memorable Moment (centre): The addition of the beautiful Katie Lulu, that arrived to her new home on January 31st, 2023. She has proven to be a much welcome thread to the newly reunited Oreo Gang and we love her very much. Thanks again @labradorables
(LINK TO RE-READ: NEVER, UNTIL NOW! )
January: The unexpected and shocking murder of my former coworker Ashley Milne (top left) in Collingwood. I have spent the year following this terrible and unnecessary tragedy in hopes her amazing spirit didn't die in vain. Please keep her and her young children in your thoughts and prayers.
(LINK TO RE-READ: A IS FOR ASHLEY)
February: With my sweet Puddin' passing in June of 2022, we thought for sure The Oreo Gang would be displaced for years. That said, with our addition of Katie, Family Furbaby Day was once again a great success.
(LINK TO RE-READ: OUR ANNUAL ADVENTURE)
March: After checking the Salvation Army Store in Gravenhurst for more than twenty years, I was ecstatic to find four more of my wonderful Petro Canada water glasses for the very first time. In a stinking blizzard no less!
April: I always look forward to my birthday trip and this year was no exception. We hit Vegas Baby! What do you do in Vegas if you have no desire to gamble? Guess you'll have to read to find out! (There are also other offering though my April A-Z posts.)
(LINK TO RE-READ: K IS FOR KNACK)
(LINK TO RE-READ: L IS FOR LOGISTICS)
May: For the first time in more than a decade, I moved to the cottage for the summer. I set up a satellite office and only commuted to work Monday mornings for meetings. I kept telling my husband that we should have named Katie '649'... Because that pup definitely won the lottery.
June: A milestone anniversary had us hop a plane to Montego Bay for the weekend to celebrate. My dad's birthday the 9th and our anniversary the 11th it made for a great reason to getaway. Though we stayed in a much smaller resort hotel than we usually do, we had a great time.
(LINK TO RE_READ: FROM FEAR TO FEARLESS)
July: July was an amazing weather month. I worked for most of it sitting at my desk in a bathing suit. The only thing I enjoyed more was spending time with Goob in the water. You know, it doesn't matter how old they get, I just love having them around.
August: As reminisce about the year gone by, I think it had to be the 'year of the concert'. I think there were seven in total, with four being my country quartet. From a bucket list perspective, Chris Stapleton won that prize. Man, Budweiser Stage is a great venue.
(LINK TO RE-READ: MY COUNTRY MUSIC QUARTET)
September: Per the work plan, we added another layer to our estimating team, a new project coordinator. I began her training right the first week of September, so I moved home to have a shorter commute. Labour Day Monday (Lab + Our Day as the photo shows) was my last day living at the cottage full time. Made no matter, it was a really great month!
October: This nod goes to spending Canadian Thanksgiving week in Nashville. Boy, did we cram as much in as possible before returning home. The Mother Church of Country Music left me speechless, as did almost everything about this amazing city - including the Opry.
(LINK TO RE-READ:SIMPLY, UNFORGETABLE
November: They say some of the best decisions you make are the ones you think about the least. Well, we bought another boat. A 20 foot Doral bowrider that gets delivered the first week of May (weather pending). Can't wait to load up the pups...
(LINK TO RE-READ:WE BOUGHT ANOTHER BOAT)
December: Well this month is crammed with memorable moments. It closed out another milestone year at work, had us spend valuable time with family and friends, and our home was filling with both birthday and holiday spirit. Not just the birthday on the 25th but the 5th, when Katie celebrated her very first birthday.
Friday, April 15, 2022
M IS FOR MERRIMENT
As I have written here before it takes more effort to frown than smile.
Christmas morning fun - seven years ago. Look how little my beautiful Annie is? TAKEN: DECEMBER 25th, 2014 |
Like a lot of people I know, I have previously struggled with depression. It first appeared and was identified post-partum after Jukebox was born but as the years went on and I conquered the worst of it, I am always aware it could be lurking around the corner.
As a result, I have always been very open in our home about the importance of personal mental health, and as my children entered adulthood and
real-life struggles appeared, I was always asking if they wanted to speak to
someone outside our core.
I believe advocacy is critical because I had about a year and a
half of extensive psychotherapy when the children were small, and during that
time, my Psychotherapist armed me with a toolbox of solutions that I still use
today. As a result, to this day I am forever grateful to her.
I know in society today that medications usually win as a solution over
root cause analysis, but for me, I wanted to understand why I didn’t feel like
myself so I took a deep dive and have never been on any type of medication except
Advil since leaving her sessions almost twenty years ago.
Photographic proof that we truly are all aboard the mental health MERRIMENT train.
It's just how we love to roll!!
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
E IS FOR EVERLASTING
One of our early ocean adventure with my lifelong friend (and guardian angel). TAKEN: APRIL 1994 |
I apologize the resolution is so low, as I believe this is a picture of a picture taken many years ago. I also recall it was gifted to me the following Christmas after we took this trip in a frame. So, this image was truly what our generation considered to be 'a Kodak moment'.
Saturday, April 2, 2022
B IS FOR BROMANCE
The urban dictionary defines the word bromance as the combination of two words, "brother" and "romance". It describes the unique male bonding found between "brothers from another mother".
Though both Goob and Jukebox do have friendships with ‘brothers from another mother,’ their bond with each other has been equally as strong their entire lives.
That's Goob in blue and Jukebox in stripes. The four of us enjoying Father's Day golf with the pre-surgery Poppa Bear. TAKEN: JUNE 20th, 2021 |
As a matter a fact, I can recall my serving lunch to my three littlun’s at their wee yellow and orange Little Tykes picnic table. The twins were about four and Jukebox about six years of age.
As they dined on their amazing culinary offering of PB&J, Goob looked at his brother, called him by name and proudly stated ‘...I love you’. As his sentiments were returned by his brother, their sister grabbed both of their plastic plates and threw their lunch to the dogs.
True story, I swear. I still chuckle to myself whenever I think about it.
They have always shared life
experiences. From taking diving lessons together when they were really young to junior golf memberships as teens, then onto mutual high school
and work friendships. They have truly spent their formative years as a team, which remain their
bond today.
That said, we are not a family that has not been without struggles and we've suffered growing pains like most. As parents of grown children, we’ve always been impressed that if we took issue with any behaviours or attitudes, these two never weighed in against the other.
I can think of several instances over the years where the best medicine for all of us was some distance rather than unproductive dialogue. As a family, those have been, and always will be the most challenging and trying memories; but once resolved, our family strength was regained.
As you know, there's no handbook for being the 'best parent on the face of the earth' because we were told last summer by our daughter matter-of-factly that we weren't. Just like other rents we know, we've hurt, been hurt, and ultimately healed.
Then I look at these two with their Dad. It warms my heart to know that through all of our own short comings as parents, as grown children they know we've done our best with individual circumstances at the time.
Oh, the fact that we started golfing as a crew on Sunday again?
Just one of the many small added bonuses!
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
L IS FOR LAUGHTER
From the A-Z Blogging archivesThis was originally posted on April 14, 2013
April 14th, 2013 - LAUGHTER Taken: April 2008 |
Have a great day all, and remember to keep that frown turned upside down!
Saturday, October 24, 2020
GOURD-GEOUS & GRATEFUL
2020 Great Pumpkin Carving Event (l-r) Goob, JMRex, Sweetie, Jukebox, Tam_lya TAKEN: OCTOBER 12, 2020 |
For well over a decade, the weekend before Hallowe’en I have lugged a pumpkin into the cottage and carved it the night before it was closed for the winter. For whatever reason, watching my last seasonal effort of the season flickering by the fall moon light was tradition I always looked forward to.
That said, have you ever had a nagging feeling that something bad was lurking around the corner, and no matter what you did, you couldn’t seem to shake it? This year, I had an eerie feeling my annual pumpkin carve wasn’t going to happen; hindsight has confirmed my ‘spidey senses’ were correct.
In Canada, we traditionally celebrate Thanksgiving the second Monday of October. Feeling unsettled through the month of September, I decided to buy pumpkins for the kids to carve before we ate our family feast.
I don’t want to get into the if and or buts here, I just want to reaffirm that when a loved one doesn’t want to seek medical help you can’t force them and it isn’t your fault. In the end, all you can do is love them and hope they understand how their decisions have effected every single person in their lives.
I am one that has been, and always will be, grateful for the little things in life. Like grown children that willingly participate in a pumpkin carving contest because their mother loves how their simple glow at dusk makes her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Peeps... Hug the ones you love. Really tight. Because everything can change in the blink of an eye!
Sunday, July 5, 2020
VAYCAY STAYCAY
Friday, May 15, 2020
KEEPING IT REAL
This is US at Orillia Lake. TAKEN: 2008 |
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
A DECADE & SOME DAYS
When we picked Jukebox up at his place, he was curious what the special occasion was. There really wasn’t one other than I needed to get our smiling faces together. Sadly that didn't happen because his kitchen serves really amazing authenticate Mexican food and they were turning people without a reservation away at the door. He was jammed.
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
A MILLION WONDERFUL WORDS
Ignoring the 14 day long term weather forecast, a couple of weeks ago I decided to book a vacation day for today, hoping in the off chance it might eventually clear. That said, I wasn't surprised this afternoon when my good nature & cheery disposition were out of sorts.
When I woke this morn it was very apparent that summer's ending quicker than I could have ever expected. Though I’ve always faithfully flown an “I love fall” banner, the almanac this year's reporting that the snow will arrive mid-October and not leave until the lakes open next spring; which is probably why I fired the stupid thing straight into the wood stove to fuel my cast iron tea kettle!
It may not have been the best summer weather on record but I managed to find me a stitch of mischief to get into, an above average amount of family fun to embrace, whilst soaking up some serious weekend downtime.
AMAZING memories were created in-spite of the plethora of rain we've received this season. TAKEN: SUMMER 2017 |
Let’s see, record rainfall aside, the coles notes version starts with the fact that that I managed to get a killer tan. In addition to that earth shattering news, I stayed up well past my past by bed time, not once but three times.
I broke my toe jumping into the shallow end of a pool that didn’t have a deep end, and I managed to get Dot out in the boat that floats in between lightening strikes. She was estatic; the two I left behind, not so much.
I was blessed to attended the most beautiful wedding in the rain as Jukebox stood witness. Only to beam with even more pride as he became a finalist in the Muskoka Voice contest, a local version of the elimination show on NBC. Equally as exciting is that we sense Goob has truly found his perfect match, while Staci was busy ticking something very special off her bucket list.
It was Oscar Wilde that noted: "...and all at once, summer collapsed into fall."
Here. Here. Who's ready to start carving pumpkins?
Surprisingly, ME!
Sunday, June 5, 2016
ONE MORE GONE... AGAIN!
Happy 24th Birthday Staccs & Goob... We love you very much. TAKEN: JULY 1992 |
Thursday, January 28, 2016
THE END OF A FAMILY ERA
After I snapped this pic, walked the entire store one last time, bought nothing and quietly ventured home. My point is that we have/soon to be had, a Metro grocery store in our town. You see, it's closing to re-open in mid-March as Food Basics. I understand why they are transitioning but in all honesty, it's quite sad.
Don't you find it that your life flashes in front of your eyes ...at the oddest times? TAKEN: JANUARY 28th, 2016 |
I'm proud they earn the opportunity to work there to save for post secondary life. That said, I know for a fact I never shopped anywhere else all those years, paying more than above average for most items in an effort to support them as well as their employer.
Friday, September 25, 2015
I LOVE 'EM ALL ANYWAY
One of my very faves... The 8th Tee at South Muskoka TAKEN: JUNE 2013 |
I guess looking at the calendar and noticing the leaves changing I can't help but wonder where the heck the bulk of the golf season has gone. Not only that, talking my clubs off the ledge today made me realized, not only did I miss a great season but I missed that exciting euphoria every single golf course offers me. Even more so, I regret saying no to my Goob all summer. I've missed that mom & son quality time (that has effortless competitive sarcasm folded in) we always share on the course.
You know what else I miss? My pitching wedge, my heaven wood, and my putter. I truly do remember them fondly as we use to be the best of friends. As an aside, can you please not tell the others that my pitching wedge is my very favourite? Before you know it, the political infighting amongst them will have my short game disappear for good and my driver and other woods on strike for insubordination.
Ah hell, who am I kidding. This time last year, none of the above mentioned peeps in my golf bag ever listened, nor did what they were told. Yet, as I lovingly addressed them tonight I realized the obvious; I love 'em all anyway.
Afterall, they're family!
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Monday, April 13, 2015
K IS FOR K-LOW!
Glass half full?
WOOT ... #7 Kyle Lowry (My arms were too short to take the pic!) TAKEN: APRIL 13th, 2015 |
Check out my very sexy, #7, Kyle Lowry jersey!
PS: ...#WeTheNorth
PSS: Couldn't resist :)
Thursday, January 22, 2015
I BLEED BASKETBALL!
GOOB n' ME. Love that he's rockin' his classic Raptors Jersey! TAKEN: DECEMBER 2014 |
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
IT's CHRISTMAS EVE...
GOOB & Jukebox rockin' a Christmas hug yesterday for their Momma! TAKEN: DECEMBER 23rd, 2014 |
Monday, September 15, 2014
Anyone Else 'Happy Light' Hopeful?
Friday, August 29, 2014
I LOVE Labour Day Weekend..
Memories of a really GREAT Labour Day Monday. Taken: September 3rd, 2012 |