A very powerful photo of reflection snapped as the sun began to set on December 25th. TAKEN: DECEMBER 25th, 2023 |
Sunday, January 7, 2024
MY EMPTY CHAIR
Monday, July 24, 2023
SMILING WITH MY DAD
Technically a 2nd cousin we consider her a neice. We truly consider her father my husbands' brother. TAKEN: JULY 23rd, 2023 |
In my life thus far, I have had the privilege to come in contact and get to know an above average number of people; and none compare to this sweet girl my husband proudly calls his 'very favourite cuz!' (Slang for cousin.)
Due to multiple neurological surgeries as a toddler, she's technically classified as developmentally disabled - but I swear, if everyone on earth had her optimistic outlook toward others, the world would definitely be a much better place.
Anyway, home to do chores Sunday, in late afternoon I was sitting at the kitchen table and I could hear someone calling my name from afar. As I looked over my shoulder out to the street I glimpsed a grin from ear to ear. There she was, her arms waving with excitement that she would get to stop by for a visit.
When we arrived outside she noticed my Petro Canada glass I had in hand. She commented that it was pretty and I told her the stories about my collecting them. She curiously asked me, "did I ever meet your dad?" She continued, "do you think he remembered meeting me?" So into the house I went to get the photo albums.
Pictures of our families camping at my dad cottage. Photos of her mom (which we lost to cancer in 2004) with her dad and siblings, all of us having a blast with my dad. She loved looking at all the photos and said she enjoyed my husband and I reminiscing.
Then came the big moment. I asked her to have a drink of Sprite with my dad. 'It's tradition', I said. She was elated.
As she stood behind her bike and held up her glass, he tone became particularly firm and serious.
Make sure you hold the camera up on an angle from above.... she said. 'I don't want people to see my double chin.'
A beautiful heart and soul that also knows how to take a proper selfie. Not gonna lie, I was shocked that in the moment she directed me so specifically - but just look at that smile. The photo is absolutely gorgeous.
Just like her!!
Monday, April 10, 2023
H IS FOR HEMMINGWAY HOUSE
One of the six toed cats at the ticket booth. TAKEN: APRIL 8th, 2022 |
Only so many were allowed in at one time. As you can see, there are cats everywhere. TAKEN: APRIL 8th, 2022 |
I didn't pay to tour with a guide. I started by walking the grounds. Yes, there is a pet cemetery for his cats. TAKEN: APRIL 8th, 2022 |
A portrait in one of the many rooms displaying memorabilia. TAKEN: APRIL 8th, 2022 |
Some rooms are dedicated to his specific offering and the history behind it. TAKEN: APRIL 8th, 2022 |
I found his writing studio the most interesting. TAKEN: APRIL 8th, 2022 |
A statue of him in a park in Mallory Square (with other famous settlers) TAKEN: APRIL 7th, 2022 |
Saturday, April 8, 2023
G IS FOR GRANDPARENTS
Seen here with my dads parents, my truly amazing grandparents. My Mommy knit my sweater. I LOVED that purple thing. This photo confirms that I was clearly born to be a Prince fan! TAKEN: Spring 1973 |
Saturday, December 31, 2022
REMEMBERING 2022
I don’t know about you, but I am happy to shut the door on the past year and look to the coming year with a genuine amount of hope and sincere optimism.
Personally, it has felt like I have been in mourning for the majority of the year. I didn’t write nearly as much as I had hoped because my heart was absolutely aching with both hurt and despair. Trust me, in spite of my mantra, it hasn't been something I would ever be able to laugh about.
Professionally, after taking the last three months of 2022 off to help my husband heal from a life saving surgery, I started the year with a new career challenge that has proven to be an excellent move for me. As I look toward retirement, I love that I am mentoring and team building with an amazing group of young, very upwardly mobile, professionals.
With the past year in the rearview, I have great hope for 2023. All the best in the coming year everyone. Cheers, and thanks once again for reading.
~ Rhondi
PS: For the first time, for my annual 'remembering' post, as I reminisce electronically, you can click links to journal offerings that you may have missed.
PSS: Enjoy!
Most significant moment (centre): The sudden passing of my closest friend and confidant, Brian ‘Smartie’ Smart. Who left us Easter weekend 2022. I am truly heartbroken, and the loss of his presence will be missed forever.
Monday, December 26, 2022
OUR GREAT NEIGHBOURHOOD
Our
motto: If you can’t do great things, do small things in a great way. TAKEN: DECEMBER 26th, 2022 |
Well, we woke up this Boxing Day morn and it was still snowing.
Filled with great food and good
cheer, we headed to bed just after midnight, with the general intention that
we would sleep in. Well, the holiday Gods and our canine cohorts had other plans for us.
With little motivation and the pups primed to play, I focused on preparing a fresh pot of coffee. My man then settled downstairs to watch curling
and I in the living room tackling a jigsaw puzzle. All I can say is that I knew after
three days straight of snow removal, I did NOT want to shovel today!
Anyway, as I have acknowledged here before, we live in a sleepy little town where everything is a fifteen-minute walk and a five-minute drive. We’ve owned our home and lived at this same address for more than twenty years.
Though we tend to be somewhat private people, we live in an amazing neighbourhood of likeminded peeps that embrace a true sense of community.
When my husband was medically bound to use a walker last fall, it was my neighbour to the left (whose home you see above) that arrived from work on a Friday night and immediately fired up his gas-powered leaf blower on steroids to give a gal a hand to ensure our end of season cleanup could be completed.
So, knowing we were experiencing record breaking snow fall levels, my husband announced we would repay his good will. Not because it would be expected... but more for these eight little words.
Would you want to come home to that?
Happy Holidays everyone - and remember to always pay it forward. Because a small gesture from you, could make the world of difference to someone else.
#thatisall
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
SMARTIE MEMORIES IN NOVEMBER
Smartie getting a driving lesson from his grandson. TAKEN: AUGUST 27th, 2021 |
I am sitting at my home office desk and a wave of varying emotion just hit.
It is 3:52pm and gloomier than usual outside.
I can hear the wind howling and my phone is buzzing with severe weather warnings and the radio's been boasting cancelations all afternoon. All of it reminding me what the next few weeks will offer, which is absolutely nothing special.
As my hump day workday ends, my mind began to wonder. Tomorrow is Thursday. And as I have each week since that terrible day last April, I realized that I won’t be getting my weekly call from Smartie tomorrow; or ever again.
I remember the day we met. It was in April of 2004 and we hit it out of the park from the get-go. Both working in manufacturing, we stayed on straight evenings
so that we could save big dollars on daycare. An eighteen year friendship, that ended with his death on almost the same day in April that it started.
That said, as I type, it’s like I am stuck.
Whenever I mention him to others in passing, I instantly tear up. Which is immediately followed by
an apology disclosing, “I just can’t seem to get over his death.”
I feel a true emptiness, and all these months later his absence is still raw. Each time I get try to process why, I wonder if it could be because I wasn’t offered proper closure.
Because, for obvious reasons, I wasn’t invited to his intimate private service.
I could make excuses, but the truth of the
matter is that I disliked his wife in high school and absolutely detested
her by the time their marriage ended. Not looking to expand on why, other than
to say he was my friend, and she was not. Either way, he’s gone and I truly miss him.
As I stop typing and glance out the window, I see the snow is now blowing on a 45 degree angle.
I guess I should get my ass into the
kitchen, get some grub going, and feed the pups while we still have hydro.
Once again, thanks for listening to me blather.
Friday, September 30, 2022
SWEET DREAMS OF CAIRO
This photo is worth more than a hundred thousand words. It genuinely exudes my love for her. Caroline (Caï) Perrault (née Marceau) TAKEN in: MATTAWA ONTARIO 1983 |
There is no other way to share this, other than to say that my Auntie Cai was unequivocally one of the most amazing people I have ever met in my entire life, and today I had to say goodbye. She was 89.
Growing up, my aunt was a beloved mother of her four children whom she cherished.
And, as silly as this may be read, I have always thought of myself as her fifth. Then, this afternoon, I realized that those of us that thought our ourselves as her special extra 'plus one' were in the hundreds.
A well respected teacher for more than four decades, she guided yours truly, as well as all of her students like the great beacon she was.
Growing up, no matter what I had happening in my life, my aunt was always an anchor for me. Providing unconditional inspiration and endless encouragement, not to mention a calm wisdom to the somewhat harsh realities that surrounded me.
In my formative years, my summers on Lake Temiscaming were most memorable when my cousins (whom I truly deem siblings) were at the camp next door.
I remember the first grand-baby shower, I remember the first big job offer, and most importantly their guys embracing my now husband as one of their own from the time I brought him around. Most of all, I remember how being in their company, felt like I was home.
That said, just like many, we see most family members at weddings and funerals.
As we gathered after mass today to celebrate her life, I asked the quorum around me how she ended up being called Cai, where her first name was Caroline?
My cousin Tootsie answered immediately. "When she was my teacher, she told us that she always talked constantly about how she wanted to visit Cairo, the largest city in Egypt.” The nickname stuck.
As I share a picture of she and I, my eyes fill with tears. Damn, this pretty lady literally made a difference in my life!
Rest easy and sweet dreams my love. You definitely helped mould me into the person I am today. You will be loved and missed forever by all who had the pleasure to meet and know you.
Don’t forget to say hi to mom, dad, uncle Vic, and all the others in your company. Bring them up to speed about what we've been up to.
Please let them all know... We will always miss them too. xoxo
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
V IS FOR VICTORY
On our recent trip to Key West, we took in a popular tourist trap simply called “Robbie's” in Islamorda.
I had watched the destination being featured on several must-see
attractions on YouTube, so we planned to stop in on our way back to Miami. The experience
did NOT disappoint.
This school of more than a hundred tarpon linger for hours
at the hope of being hand fed. They actually rise out of the water to grab the
fish as it leaves your hand. My husband braved the activity, I watch and took
pictures; but had a blast just the same.
Now you’d think the tarpon would be the main attraction, but it was the ornery pelicans. Both bold and somewhat aggressive in nature, they not only steal the fish, but they also definitely steal the show.
The VICTORY
was theirs!
Here are a few pics
of our fun adventure.
The lunch lineup TAKEN: APRIL 9th, 2022 |
My husband feeding the tarpon (close up) TAKEN: APRIL 9th, 2022 |
I tried to warn him there was incoming! TAKEN: APRIL 9th, 2022 |
They have no fear!! TAKEN: APRIL 9th, 2022 |
A fun $2.50 to get in and $4.75 for the bucket of fish. Good times.... TAKEN: APRIL 9th, 2022 |
Monday, April 25, 2022
Friday, April 22, 2022
S IS FOR SMARTIE
One of my best friends passed away on Easter Sunday. Though we were separated by thousands of miles, we spoke on the phone at least once a week. He was mere fifty six years of age.
My avid readers will recognize his name as well as his photo, as he has appeared in several journal posts over the years (even has his own label). All very raw and still in shock, I am struggling to deal with the loss.
As a result, I have decided to share what his oldest and dearest childhood friend "Howie" posted for him on the exact day my letter S was due.
I think it paints a perfect picture of this wonderful man. The words brought me to both tears of laughter as well as deep sadness. Words can not describe how much I will miss him.
Rest in peace Smartie. Keep my seat next to you warm and your wit razor sharp....Until we meet again.
Love you always xoxo ~ Rhondi
I miss my buddy
He’s gone. That’s
what his ex-wife said to me when I answered the phone the evening of Easter
Sunday.
All who knew Brian entered a new world in that moment.
So far, that world is one of shock, disbelief, boundless
sadness and equally boundless gratitude; feelings all common in the wake of the
loss of loved one. The shock, disbelief and sadness will settle. The gratitude for all he brought to my world,
will remain forever.
His laughter was matched only by his ability to make others
laugh.
At the end of grade 7, we went on a class camping trip to
Bass Lake Provincial Park. As far as we
could tell, our teacher, modeled his classroom management style after Joseph
Stalin. From the perspective of a bunch of dumb, gangly 12-year-old boys, he
was mean.
The camping area was a large, rectangular field. Perfect to
ensure boys tents lined the perimeter of one side, girls on the other.
In line with our teacher’s overall approach, there was a
seemingly endless list of rules. Among them, very precise direction as to when
all were required to be in tents and very ominous threats of consequences if
not.
As 12-year-olds we had yet to develop much in the way of
foresight and probably worse, we had yet to develop any awareness of our limits
in that regard. Despite the dire
warnings we came up with, what we believed at the time, was an airtight plan.
Immediately after sunset and tent check, we’d leave our tents, bolt across the
field under the cover of darkness and visit our classmates with the utmost
confidence that none of this would stir even a hint of suspicion.
Once darkness set in, tent checks complete, the zippers of
16 tents rang out and the charge was on.
Almost instantly the flaw in our planning was exposed. Who would think that teachers would patrol
the tents after dark? Clearly 12-year-old boys didn’t.
Thankfully almost every one of us detected the flaw
immediately, dove back in our tents, with adrenaline surging but safe from
suffering the wrath of our teacher supervisors.
Everyone, that is, but Brian.
Peeking through our tent doors, there he was. His silhouette
like a gazelle, bounding on an open plane, all on his own, in the dark, cool,
damp, spring air completely oblivious to his solitude.
It turns out that teachers must develop an extraordinary
capacity to identify 12-year-old running boys in the dark of night.
But as Brian’s luck would have it, that wasn’t his biggest
problem.
In a highly predictable twist of fate, the world’s most
fearsome teacher spotted him immediately. We cringed as we heard him yell:
“Smart, where are you going?”
At that moment, the magnitude of Brian’s initial mistake
compounded significantly. For instead of
responding with something like, “I’m just running to the bathroom”, he chose
instead to announce, with a completely misplaced sense of sarcasm, at the top
of his lungs, “I’m going to an orgy”.
And to make matters much worse, as he was sometimes known to
do, he added, “where the fuck do you think I’m going, you asshole?”
It was too much for 12-year-old boys. We spent years
laughing about it.
And that’s what he did more than anyone I know. He laughed a
lot and he helped other people laugh a lot.
Equal to his ability to make people laugh was his ability to
build big friendships. He had more best
friends than anyone I know; he did it effortlessly, sincerely and happily. He was as comfortable with his 3-year-old
grandson as he was with the 93 year olds he was working with as part of his
studies to become a healthcare aid.
I will always be proud to call him my best friend as I know
many others are too.
The span of his musical taste was broad. Together, we saw
John Lee Hooker, The Clash, Peter Tosh, Black Uhuru, Talking Heads, The Police
(actually more than the musical kind), the English Beat, Flock of Seagulls, Eric
Clapton, the Hip, Nash the Slash, lost some/most of our hearing watching the
Headstones at the Rivoli and watched some dude throw a banana 125 meters and
land right at the feet of Joan Jett - an act of athletic prowess I have yet to
witness again.
But his greatest achievement is undoubtedly his family. His son, daughters and his wonderful grandson; they featured prominently and lovingly in virtually every single
conversation. Each of his kids inherited his greatest attributes.
Among the many things uniting the human experience is our
frailty. None of us live perfect lives. We all deal with challenges.
All of us, in our own way, do the very best we can to
accommodate those challenges.
We love our families and friends and care for our
communities, our country and the planet.
We count on those we love in our time of need.
This was especially true of Brian.
I am grateful for every second he lived his life.
I will miss him for as long as I live mine.
Saturday, April 16, 2022
N IS FOR NATURALLY
When you have the luxury of something and you decide to let it go, naturally you miss it. Some things more than others, yet I feel great childhood memories always linger and ultimately stay ingrained in us forever.
Being the youngest of four, ideally I got to spend the most time at my Uncle Louis Camp on the beautiful shores of Lake Temiscaming.
Built in the mid-fifties, the shelter was a mere 650 sq.ft. but the shoreline and property were perfect. It was never used very much, that was until I entered my 'tween' years and my parents began using it in the summer; rather than renting two weeks in the Ottawa Valley.
I remember the day Auntie Andy took this photo. A great weekend and us so very happy. Not quite pregnant with the twins... NOR had I discovered need for quality hair care products! TAKEN: MAY 1991 |
My last couple of summers in high school, we lived there every weekend.
The rents would pick me up at the rink in North Bay and we would head east across the border into Quebec. (My mother’s brother had a camp next door and my father’s sister was just a wee bit further up the lake.)
I believe it was those amazing summers that helped shape me into who I am today.
We always worked through the day as there was no television, and some Saturday nights there were at least ten of us playing a board game around Auntie's table next door. My mother was as fiercely competitive then, as I am today.
Over those years, my cousins next door evolved into my sisters, and to this day I cherish all of their children, as I have watched them marry and raise their own families.
As an aside, we did offer to buy my dad out in the late 1990's (he was welcome to stay until he died) and he turned us down. Less than two months later, we bought in Muskoka.
Just fifteen minutes from our home, we were blessed to offer our children the same shelter I had been given surrounded by loyal friends. To this day, we still own it but that doesn't stop me from reminiscing.
... About the first summer we had propane lights, the summer we hand drilled the well with a sledgehammer, or the first time I didn't have to jump in the lake because Poppa put an indoor shower in. Oh, and the fact that we conceived our children there.
All, such amazing and truly vibrant, life long memories!
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, February 5, 2022
JUKEBOX BORN DAY FUN
Sunday, January 16, 2022
OUR HEALTHY HIATUS
Fun times on our last pre-lockdown vacation to Mazatlán Mexico. Sad that (post op) travel will never be the same. BUT... We'll figure it out! TAKEN: DECEMBER 2, 2019 |
I began my work break the day
before my husband entered the hospital, and we mutually decided on day five after
his surgery, that I would not be returning to my then place of employment.
That said, not to throw baby out with
bathwater, I requested to take an addition three weeks of vacation time once we
got home. You know, in hopes my boss wouldn’t turn out to be the greedy turd my hubby warned me he was.
Alas, when the time ran out, I lost
in my true wager of hope. He won the lackluster coin toss fair and square, and as we expected I
officially left the job the Friday night before I was set to return the first Monday
in November.
Though you may be sensing this is
going to be a dark rant about a bad boss - it isn’t. He’s in the past and not the direction I’m
going. This electronic journal post is a good news story about my husband and me.
A good news story on how we spent
three life changing months, in very close proximity, essentially only in each
other’s company and we didn’t kill each other… Signifying will be a successful team
in retirement!
Now, for those of you that know
my husband, certain phrases will always come to mind. “Great guy, amazing friend,
gets along with everyone” top the list, and the list is long. The one thing I
will say, is that none of those people live with him.
Just as I’m sure people that know yours truly, wonder how my hubby puts up with me, I will caution once again… you don’t
live with us. I believe we work well because we have found a great balance.
At the end of the day, we have always worked hard on good communication as well as our overall friendship with each other. We married young and started our family younger than most. Yet, we were lucky to have found a rhythm that truly bonds the both of us.
Most importantly, the
rough patches are things we still discuss openly, they aren’t tucked away. As we both recognize, those times are all a part of how we have arrived at today.
Suffice to say, because of our looming circumstance over the last year, we’ve discussed our plans for retirement and what that may look like. I guess I can say that after the last three months, now we're just excited about how that eventual transition will happen.
Which brings me to my long story/short point:
How do you know it’s your time to retire? It’s when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it!
Stay tuned. After a year, I am finally writing again... and I promise to report back on what we decide!!
Thursday, April 22, 2021
S IS FOR SWEETIE
My Sweetie and me enjoying a Cafe de Monde beignets in the French Quarter, NOLA. TAKEN: MAY 30th, 2019 |
From the April A-Z Blogging archives.
This was originally posted April 22nd, 2020
Friday, April 9, 2021
H IS FOR HEARTFELT
Thursday, April 8, 2021
G IS FOR GIFT
From the Aprill A-Z Blogging archives.This was originally posted on April 8th, 2014
I have been married for almost a quarter century, and the earrings were not from my husband. My comment wasn't to share about the earrings per se, but to illustrate the fact that gifting has never been something I have a whole lot of experience with.
April 8th, 2013 - GIFTS Taken: Myrtle Beach SC (Xmas 1997) |
After all these years together, by refraining from the exercise, sometimes I wonder if that's why neither of us aren't even remotely materialistic people
When it comes to us, there's never been some underlying expectation that the next gift will out shine the last.
Both of us were raised to appreciate that the best gifts in life come from the heart rather than from a shopping mall. I wish I could admit that when it came to our children we didn't over indulge, but at least we always tried to make them prioritize what they desired most.
At the end of the day, the earrings may have been the most expensive gift I have ever been given, but they are nowhere near my most treasured by far. That gift, is something that I have just recently given myself.
It's called hope.
Sunday, December 27, 2020
TINY BUBBLES
My electronic journal found some bizarre inspiration this morning.
It was when the vinyl record player that is my mind kept hearing the classic 1966 Don Ho lounge lizard tune: Tiny Bubbles . (The song title is a link for those that have yet to have the pleasure.)
Now I'm sure we can all agree my chosen isn't a festive holiday tune, nor a track that plays into the whole 'reason for the season' vibe. Let's face it, as we crawl toward the end of a year so annoying it continually tripped over itself (twenty-twenty), a song about tiny bubbles within a lockdown mandate shouldn't be considered unfathomable.
My tiny bubble. Featuring my amazing Fab Five! TAKEN: DECEMBER 25th, 2020 |