PONDERING REALITY

Tropical Storm Sara letting her
lingering presence be known.
TAKEN: NOVEMBER 16th, 2024

I took the beautiful picture I am sharing mid-morning yesterday. About twelve hours after Tropical Storm Sara hit our large resort compound with some serious authority.

Now, some may ponder the odds of heading to a resort in the Mayan Riviera and getting hammered by the weather like we did. Not us. When we began getting the alerts, we simply felt it was an extension of the storm that has surrounded us this entire year. 

Feeling a tad exhausted and somewhat defeated, I wandered down the beach and I posted a social media video story. I scanned the miles of high waves, to which I opened with... "Oh 2024, how you've challenged me." 

Now, you know I am all about the optimistic thought process of, 'when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.' But this has been such a crap year, I am almost ready to hold our next citrus offering up and squeezing the juice into my eyes; it may be a tad less painful.

Though I kid, my thoughts and glass half full of lemonade is focused on the up coming November 31st. 

That will be the day that my travel buddy hubby's brain will officially stop trying to heal itself. Whatever stroke symptoms he has will remain and be a part of our day-to-day reality.

At this point the right arm seems to have corrected itself but there are still lingering speech issues. 

His right-side leg is the one he had emergency surgery on to stop his internal bleeding, so I don't think we will ever truly understand which percentage of his challenges will be accident related vs. stroke related. What we do know, is that he will never walk as he did before.

Anyway, as I sit and type and ponder in Mexico, I feel I can sum up everything I know about life. 

Which is the fact that will always be always be tough, right up until the minute it isn't.

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

I was born in a very small town, just across the Ontario border, in western Quebec. 

It was a small pulp and paper town, where the majority of my extended family grew up. More importantly, it was where both sets of my parents parents lived only a few miles apart.

I had a great childhood. With such vivid memories imbedded in my head before we moved to Ontario. Oh the wonderful memories I have of 222 2nd Avenue.

Spending time in the lane with my Pepere as chickadees landed on his hat and then he ultimately had them eating from his hand. Him teaching me to stepdance as he played from a fiddle he had in fact crafted himself. 

And that my Memere, always let me stand by her side at the stove explaining her process for what she was making. Her letting me shake the flour mixture to help her make gravy stands out the most. 

So much so,  that every time I watch my mother-in-law embrace the same process, my childhood in that kitchen comes rushing back to me.

Let's face it. I know those things may read as simple, but their love was heartfelt and I think they are one of the reasons that I have never had issue showing affection as an adult. 

I suppose there is a possibility they were just pacifying a gregarious kid - but if that was the case, they never let on. 

And for that... I have always been truly grateful.

C IS FOR CAMERA

From the April A-Z Blogging archives.

This was originally posted April 3rd, 2013

From a very young age I have always enjoyed photography. 

In high school I use to take pictures with a 35mm Canon my older brother had bought my parents for Christmas;  but if recollection serves me correctly, it was after my mother passed in 1987 that the bug really took hold of me.

April 3rd, 2013 - CAMERA
Taken: March 29th, 2013

The photo I am posting was taken this past Easter weekend while I was out for a toot around the Muskoka Lakes.

When I pulled into the landing (as an avid swimmer) I was thinking my C post was going to be C-C-C-COLD.

As I approached the water (and the colours were so vibrant) my thought process shifted to  CHAIRS.

As I crouched to take this photo, all the bells and whistles went off in my head. 

Ding Ding Ding CAMERA had won the coin toss!

Funny how things happen. I had a friend take a picture of his family in these very chairs and share it with me. 

It was an amazing photo. In fact, I thought of him in the moment as my shutter closed.

I couldn't help but reflect on what a difference the lapse of seasons makes to a setting. When he snapped his photo, the buzz would have been energizing. 

When I snapped mine, I was totally alone in my thoughts. His was picture of sheer camaraderie, mine is one of chosen solitude.

His defined the summer excitement in Muskoka. 

Mine? 

That my intimate spring picture at the landing was worth a very different thousand words. 

T IS FOR THERMOMETER

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!
Never underestimate to force of snow coming off a steep steel roof.
The kitchen window thermometer is busted and so is the side deck at the cottage (again).
Poor thing. She reads 32C when it's only 10C.
Wait, could she simply be having a hot flash?!
#yagottalaughaboutit
TAKEN: APRIL 21st, 2018

MY BEFORE THE SELFIE… SELFIE!

This coming March it will be 11 years since I formally became a social media junkie. As far fetched as this may read, I remember the day I got an official FB login and that’s the one I still use today. You see, the twins were barely teens and were telling me they wanted join this really neat thing called Facebook: my fixation kicked in.

My eldest was already online with My Space but when the twins were looking at jumping onto a bandwagon I knew nothing about, I decided to start to do my due diligence. Once I became a member, I remember that the pioneering group of us locally was small. All these years later, most of those folks still hit my newsfeed on a regular basis. 

My point is, this past week I sat with someone on our leadership team at work and had a great discussion, breaking down the aspects of social media and how said pieces fit strategically into our overall marketing approach. Explaining why I approach our/any audience the way I do, led to comment that he considered my mind a ‘vault of media marketing knowledge.’

After I quickly ran to my desk and returned with a ten dollar bill to thank him for his amazing compliment, we continued our discussion on how I handle privacy settings and how I approach individual platforms from a personal level. You see, he has discovered he’s resisted long enough and it was time he joined the masses.

I have about 5,000 people I interact with personally on Facebook alone, which doesn’t include the many businesses that have contracted me to optimize their online presence. Though I have shifted my focus in the last year, I am pleased to report that my strongest presence and best results comes from this electronic journal that went live November 20th, 2011. First and foremost because Google+ is my friend, blossoming primarily because I feed it content, to which I am pleased to report my views are in the millions. 

My 35mm picture taken with a timer.
(TAKEN: MARCH 2007)
CLICK HERE TO SEE MY FIRST SELFIE

As I sit here and think of how the blog content’s evolved since its inception (I chose for it to become more image driven) I decided to share the first profile picture I posted before selfies filled that space. It was taken with a 35mm camera, in my home office, with a timer. I needed a head shot for my business blog and I thought this was a valiant effort. 

Almost 11 years later, I had to laugh when I went back into my archived pics and noticed the cat on the desk behind me, the lamp on my assistants desk is missing its shade, and media clutter is stacked on the ledge; however, I absolutely love that I captured the picture of my dad and I in the top left.

Though I am pleased to report that I managed to crop the light bulb out of the photo for the blog: Facebook got the Full Monty!

More than a decade later, I was notified this week that 32,000 people have 'liked' my personal posts on Facebook... and it all started at this desk.

Wowza! Followed by a who the hell knew?

Not me, but I am certainly glad I've embraced all of the groundbreaking platforms.

REMEMBERING 2017

January: An amazing bonfire on the very first day of the year.

February: A long weekend jaunt to Cuba

March: Me...celebrating Spring!

April: My birthday trip to New Orleans!!

May: The murder of Wendy Boland

June: Finished a decade long project at the cottage.

July: Celebrated Canada 150

August: A beautiful wedding in the rain.

September: A team building fishing trip to the French River

October: Mourned the death of a Canadian icon.

November: Celebrated my Mother in Law's milestone 70th birthday

December: Ended my work year with a bunch of amazing people

Proud Mama Moment? Witnessing my son kill it in the finals of The Muskoka Voice singing competition.

She was one for the record books!
TAKEN: JAN-DEC 2017

AM I JINXED... OR IS IT JUSTICE?

For a very long time, years in fact, I've been debating replacing my beloved Blackberry. The truth of the matter is because it was once such a stellar Canadian company, I swore I would stay loyal until their ship officially sunk. Recently (via my cell phone provider) I discovered that Google's bought a large chunk of Blackberry and has hammered home an Android only application mandate. With all ongoing support quickly evaporating, I realized that my Blackberry Classic rollerball/keypad buttons/happy hub days were officially numbered.

Adamant that I would never EVER buy an iPhone, I began to research Samsung. My first purchase was their tablet, next their television, then first of November past I bought their S6 Edge cellphone. Still unsure I could ever let my Blackberry go, I bought this very sexy phone previously used. You know, so that we could date for a while before making any kind of long term commitment to each other.

Well, from the get go I immediately struggled. I hung in so not appear bias; then I left for Mexico and all hell broke loose. About half way through my two week vacation, my new to me Samsung shut off and wouldn’t reboot. I trolled and scrambled online to find out the issue but short story long, I assessed that it was probably toast. I was heartbroken. Not because I had become attached to the phone but because my great quality vaycay pics had been lost. As a result, I had to retrieve my trusty Blackberry from the resort safe. It had been locked in there since the very first day.

When I got back to Canada I didn’t deal with my new to me phone issue head on, just simply tried to start it every day, in hopes of some technological miracle. It never arrived.  So after Christmas, once I was mentally prepared to lose all my pictures, I took it into our local iRepair shop. They told me that all it needed a new charging port. The next day, and another $73.95 invested, I had my device and all of my pictures back.

Grateful for my vaycay pics back. Great view from my room!
Photo Credit: Blackberry Classic
TAKEN: DECEMBER 30th, 2016

All of that said, I was still not 100% committed to changing, so I continued use both phones in tandem.... Fast forward to last weekend. Which is where I get pissed off.

I've never carried my phone in my pocket, always in my purse. Last Saturday my extremely expensive cellphone (with the sexy curved screen) inadvertently landed in my unzipped coat pocket. Pissed off at a specific moment in my day, I hopped in the car slammed the door. With something jamming it, it wouldn't close.

Thinking nothing of it, I reefed on the door again putting all my frustration behind it, I heard a crunch. Finally, I adjusted my coat and tried a third time and it closed. Unbeknownst to me, the noise I was hearing was the shattering of the (newly repaired) S6 screen.

A lengthy stream of profanity later, all I’ll say is that the repair cost almost $300 and I’m spent. I am not putting another dime into this phone, nor am I investing close to $1000 for a new one, I don't care how good the camera is!

That said, I have to wonder if my luck is simply Blackberry karma for my swift shift in company loyalty. If so, I guess I should apologize.... I'm sorry for looking elsewhere Research In Motion. I only chose Samsung as a 'just in case' so that if they acquired you we'd always be together. Who and the hell knew Google was going buy into the game and win the race?

Not this totally jinxed Samsung... and very reflective Blackberry user!

HOLY MAYAN HOT FLASH BATMAN!

Like most of the vacations I plan, I research them based on personal referrals from friends and family. I select a destination, then ask the masses for feedback. I realize everyone spends their vacation time in different ways, yet if you’ve had a blast, I generally want to start with your personal input. 

Anyway, my point is that personally chasing as many different stamps in my passport before I hit the ripe old age of 57, is beginning to present challenges. Though I hop a plane only twice a year, I have begun to realize that I am a lot of years shy and running out of direct flight/same time zone/kick ass options. Sad, because I live in the Canadian snow-belt, suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, and LOTS of sunshine is  #1 on my 'must have' list.  

Future travel concerns aside, for all that are wondering, Riviera Maya did not disappoint. A little over a three hour flight from Toronto to Cancun I immediately hit the ground running. Like always, I knew that I wanted to golf when I was there and among other things I wanted to visit the Mayan ruins in Tulum. Not because I'm a history buff but because I wanted to experience their journey for myself; and I honestly don't think I will ever return.

Nothing like an hour and a half stroll in 31C+ weather.
 Incredible experience just the same.
TAKEN: DECEMBER 8th, 2016 

Though I know my returning won't impact their overall tourism statistics, I will endorse that my last four passport stamps have been awarded in Mexico. For a gal that had reservations about ever going to the country in the first place, I am completely and unequivocally hooked. 

For the record, my primary worry was never violence, more the condition of their drinking water. So, for those of you that don't know, their laws (especially in tourist based areas) have become significantly more stringent. As a result, I have always been able to brush my teeth using the tap water on all of my excellent adventures.

As I head home tomorrow, I've so many things to be grateful for. 

Undeniably grateful that I got to hug a cousin (for the first time in more than a decade) and we weren't at a funeral. My wonderful children that took care of my pups so that I could once again travel n' discover, but first and foremost to my very memorable strapless bra....That absorbed more excreted sweat than any peri-menopausal  hot flash could produce whilst walking the ruins at Tulum. 

Trust me when I report that there's a boatload of really good water in Mexico.

I rung out the best of it from my tank top at the resort.. Just to make my point!

G IS FOR GRATEFUL

As I posted about facing my fears yesterday, I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge how grateful I am for so many things in my life today. Not just materialistic things: anything but. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I am extremely grateful, that I have understood from a young age, the difference between want and need. Some comment on the fact that I travel twice a year but there is a distinct reason for both trips. I want to travel for my birthday (which will be here in a minute and a half) yet I need to get into the sunlight before the harsh Canadian winter sets in. Both are stringently budgeted for and I never feel the need to overspend simply because I've managed to save more than planned.

That said, in the last five years, my being grateful is something I've promised myself I would never take for granted ever again. New people and friends I've met, the fact that I had my children close together (and at a young age) enabling me begin the next phase of my life; the list is long. As I walked the entire stretch of beach my very first morning in Sayulita, there were a couple of extra special things I realized I was grateful for this trip.

The new camera I treated myself to, and the vat of sunscreen I packed as a carry on.

May read silly to you but look at my view.... & I-chee-Mama she's hot down here!

S IS FOR SELFIE

Thanks for the post idea Becca!
TAKEN: DECEMBER 2007

Well, here it is. My very first selfie. How goofy is it that I vividly remember the night I took this bad boy?

Crux of the story is, Facebook was the new and in thing, and I wanted to change my profile pic for the upcoming season. Admiring the festive lights in the livingroom,  I hatched a plan. 

Seeing that the days of holding up ones phone was years from hitting the mainstream, my pic was staged using a 35mm digital camera and a mirror. Even today, I still find the look of it intriguing.

Everyone knows that each and every aspect of social media and online optimization is a part of what I do. I guess you could say that I’m one of the lucky ones that get to do “IT” for both business & pleasure. As I reflect, I have to admit that it's been an extremely interesting journey, that started with a Myspace account so many moons ago. From there, I just followed the technology, invested my time, and got lucky. Most probably wonder why I stay with Blogger and haven't headed over to Wordpress, the answer is a no-brainer.

I don't write for a living, I simply enjoy to write: I'm comfortable here.

This Blog wasn't created to generate revenue, just some interesting thoughts and a personal peace of mind. As I officially wind it down, it feels good to know that I have accomplished exactly that.

Silly ...geeky... selfies...  et all!

G IS FOR GRAN-BAHIA

GRAN-BAHIA CAYACOA ~ Dominican Republic
TAKEN: APRIL 7TH, 2015

D IS FOR DIGITAL

Part of my creative process is having a picture accompany my posts. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree because my mother was a shutterbug too. The only sad notable was she always positioned herself behind the camera, so when she passed, there was no evidence of a family photo to be found.

As a result, my children have always been comfortable in the presence of a camera; taking pictures has always been a part of what we do as a family. My daughter, like my mother and myself, gravitates to the process as does my oldest son. 

Staccs & I rockin' Toronto Harbourfront with her new iPhone!
TAKEN: AUGUST 3rd, 2012

Because of my word choice today, I had the glorious task of searching through a bazillion Kodak moments to accompany my just as many of my passing thoughts. I chose this particular pic because it was a first for me personally. 

Staccs and I were in the City for the long weekend visiting her twin when she asked to take our picture. I had my Fugi digital but she had her fancy new Iphone. 

The photo I am sharing is the very first picture she took of us using a reverse function camera so we could see ourselves on the screen. A fun little ditty that will forever reminds us both of a memorable summer staycation.

I personally have no interest in getting an IPhone. As a die hard Blackberry girl, I'm totally giddy that the new Classic Blackberry has brought back the rollerball. I'll take that function over a 'switch camera' function any day. What can I say, all of my camera's may be digital but my thumbs most definitely rock ALL of my buttons.

....On my phone silly!!

My PURE MUSKOKA Photo OP!

As expected, I went to bed late last night and woke up way too early this morn. I wanted to sleep in but of course my mindset had other plans. As a result, by eleven this morning I was absolutely stir crazy. With an outdoor temperature of a balmy -12C (and a light dusting of snow on the ground) I headed for the cottage with the dogs.

I had hoped to stay there last night but I ended up working far too late into the afternoon. I suppose I could have pushed ahead and gone in anyway but the truth is I worried that I would be pressed to be comfortable inside by dark. I knew I had to get dry wood in this weekend because let's face it, from this point forward every journey down our private road may require snowshoes and a toboggan!

Driving out today was especially quiet. Probably because it was a task I had to do, not one I was energized about doing. After turning off the highway I lowered the windows for the pups and could instantly feel the dampness in the air from the water. It's like the chill entered at the back of my neck and ran straight down my spine. Then... all of a sudden I was hyper-spaced onto high alert.

What an amazing Fall afternoon in Muskoka.
(Just click on my pic to see her beauty...)
Taken: November 24th, 2013

I have been crossing the bridge to our cottage since the Fall of 1999 and never once have I noticed/witnessed the intimate beauty I did today.

I quickly pulled over and parked the pups; then, camera in hand, I proceeded to make my way back across the bridge.

The sun was so bright and the sky so blue it was like I was on a movie set. The rushing water had placed an amazing layer of ice everywhere. At least ten degrees cooler with the windchill I was completely warm and fuzzy inside. It was a moment that fed all of my creative juices.

Thank you Mother Nature. I needed a friend today and you generously stepped up to the plate and hit an outta the park homerun. SANKS... SANKS BERY MUCH. Please accept my formal apology for calling you a fat hairy bitch 1,473,987 times previous to our very cool bonding moment today.

...it was never my intent to be mean!

She Loves Me… She Loves Me Not.

She most definitely loved me.
I miss my Daisy Marie every single day...
Taken: June 23rd, 2013

I am sure it's purely a coincidence but You’ve Got Mail ranks right up there as one of my most watched movies of all time.

One of the most memorable scenes for me is when Tom Hanks goes to her apartment to bring her flowers and try to start anew. He brings her a bouquet of daisies. 

“Don’t you think daisies are the friendliest flower” she asks? For a number of very personal reasons, I couldn’t agree more.

I was about to tackle the lawn at the cottage (for the first time this season) last Sunday when I stood in amazement at my beautiful sea of daisies. I was in awe as I watched Dot wade through the white and yellow and green foliage. If there's one word I would use to describe our moment it would be peaceful. As I do in 99% of my ah-ha moments, I reached for my camera.

I've taken a bazillion pictures over the years but this one is truly very special. As I bent down I uttered the words "I love you Daisy Marie..." The bizarre thing is that Dot moved in to smell the flowers and literally held her pose. Once again, it was like the three of us were reunited. It's hard to believe that she left me over a year ago this month. It's even harder to believe is that she still preoccupies my thoughts.

June is a roller coaster month for me emotionally. So many highs to acknowledge and so many lows to revisit. As I snapped the pic, I was quickly reminded that June 23rd was the very last day I laughed with my father before he passed. Yet taking the photo, I wasn't even remotely sad.

With my glass half full, I instantly told myself that my beloved Daisy Marie didn't want me to spend the day alone. How silly is it that as I snapped the photo I could feel my father's hand touch my shoulder.

Truth be known? There were really four of us present in this very special moment...

C Is For… CAMERA

From a very young age I have always enjoyed photography. In High School I use to take pictures with a 35mm Canon my older brother had bought my parents for Christmas;  but if recollection serves me correctly, it was after my mother passed in 1987 that the bug really took hold of me.

April 3rd, 2013 - CAMERA
Taken: March 29th, 2013

The photo I am posting was taken this past Easter weekend while I was out for a toot around the Lakes.

When I pulled into the landing (as an avid swimmer) I was thinking my C post was going to be C-C-C-COLD.

As I approached the water (and the colours were so vibrant) my thought process shifted to  CHAIRS.

As I crouched to take this photo, all the bells and whistles went off in my head. Ding Ding Ding CAMERA won the coin toss!

Funny how things happen. I had a friend take a picture of his family in these very chairs and share it with me. It was an amazing photo. In fact, I thought of him in the moment as my shutter closed.

I couldn't help but reflect on what a difference the lapse of seasons makes to a setting. When he snapped his photo, the buzz would have been energizing. When I snapped mine, I was totally alone in my thoughts. His was picture of sheer camaraderie, mine is one of chosen solitude.

His defined the summer excitement in Muskoka. Mine? That my intimate spring picture at the landing's worth a very different thousand words.