I SAW THAT!

 

As we took our third stab at cottage clean up this past weekend, our focus was on the immediate beach front.

Our challenge wasn’t only that the submersed trees were larger, but that as a team we were in a ‘lift and pull’ effort to get them out of the water and up our hill to be processed.

With my travel buddy hubby’s mobility issue, I drew the only straw to get in the lake, trim the trees to remove as much weight as possible, then heavy ho them up to him and a chainsaw.

With no foresight to get into a bathing suit, I was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and legging rolled to the knees. Within five minutes the leggings were soaked. With the pups helping, within fifteen minutes, everything was soaked – and not in a good way!

We processed three large trees out of the water last Saturday afternoon. The fourth, and last remaining,  is in the photo I am sharing.  

THAT sucker is the one that my hubby hit heading backward on his ATV, that severed the artery in his right leg and cause three brain bleeds, that landed him is St. Mike's Hospital Trauma Unit last summer. 

That said, last fall we discussed cutting the tree down. A sort of cleanse to the shoreline of the constant reminder of a horrific accident that changed our lives.

Then the winter ice storm happened and it was almost as if the universe was sending us a specific message in the form of the tree falling. 

...That message simply read, "I saw that!"

Signed,

Karma

#yagottalaughaboutit

X IS FOR X-TRAODINARY

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!

W IS FOR WANT

We will always WANT to travel.
TAKEN: NOVEMBER 2014
(La Romana, D.R.)

Well, with only four letters left, I am on the home stretch. I always struggle at the end of the challenge BUT I knew I wanted to write about this.

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.

U IS FOR UPBEAT

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

L IS FOR LIGHTHOUSE

My Travel Buddy Hubby
at the California Lighthouse
(on Northwestern tip of Aruba)
TAKEN: APRIL 11th, 2025

 

Drone shot highlighting the
Sasariwichi dunes. Breathtaking!
(c) Wikipedia
Taken prior to the 2016 - 2017
restoration of the lighthouse.

H IS FOR HOSTILITY

Internationally recognized as a
symbol for Canadian travelers.
TAKEN: APRIL 9th, 2024
Palm Beach, Aruba

As I mentioned with my chaos post, I have never had issue with any American when travelling. That said, before leaving, we knew the island of Aruba was an American travel haven, so my husband and I wanted to be easily identified as Canadian.

Well, this afternoon, when playing musical trivia around the pool, we connected with a few gals from Windsor, Ontario. 

When I snagged the fastest answer for my favourite song (September but Earth, Wind, and Fire) we were asked to choose a team name. We chose Canada Strong.

Without hesitation, we were immediately and loudly booed. Booed by Americans in Aruba. Unexpected hostility, met in a country that markets themselves as ‘One Happy Island!’

Heading back to our room, I mentioned to my travel buddy hubby that if that is the temperature for Canadians here, I am glad we have decided no to cross the border and enter their country for several years.

I followed up with, 'I think our encounter by the pool is simply further evidence that our old relationship with the United States is officially over'.

… Which truly makes me sad.

G IS FOR GUSTY

Very gusty, kite surfing winds!
San Nicolas, Aruba
TAKEN April 8th, 2025

As I mentioned, I have been looking at Aruba as a travel destination for about a decade and a half. The one thing that the travel websites always highlighted to potential travelers was that it was 'windy'. Well, we soon discovered that 'windy' was an understatement.

Anyway, the one thing we knew we wanted to do was rent a car and explore the entire island. First up was the world-renowned Baby Beach. With a 10am start, we packed up and were headed back through Oranjestad; the Capital.

With the southeast coast of the island in our sites, we stopped at the large landmark red anchor, and turned left. Through right was the direction to Baby Beach, our mishap was a view to behold. A backdrop of the deep blue Caribbean Sea and azure blue skies.

Though the anchor stands both as a memorial to all who have lost their lives at sea, it is also a silent reminder that San Nicolas is still a vibrant and gusty windswept part of the island of Aruba. 

Which makes me think it should also stand for the lives of any brave souls learning at the Aruba Pro Kite School

PS: My photo was taken from a distance, and the surfer of the kite captured is navigating the challenging swells. 

PSS: The bottom left shows a kite surfer staying closer to the shore - but I missed capturing their bright orange kite.

E IS FOR EAGER

By mid-day tomorrow, I will be
strolling on the white sand in Aruba
(c) TripAdvisor

As my travel buddy hubby drives us south to our hotel in Toronto, I tap away on my laptop in the car, so not to miss my post deadline. (Tick, tick, tick. Backspace, backspace... Tick, tick, tick... Hard return.)

To be honest, I am having a hard time concentrating.  

I simply I can't believe that I am officially counting down our boarding a plane to Aruba in the morning. 

A bucket list destination I have always wanted to travel to - but never wanted to pay the hefty price tag. Well, Cyber Monday changed that for us.

After the year we endured in 2024, we knew we wanted to travel to special destinations to celebrate our milestone birthdays this year. 

Initially, I had set my heart on Barbados. But when I accidentally caught an unreal online deal (saving almost $2,000) I called my hubby, and we immediately decided to go.

Growing up, my mother only ever mentioned one destination she wanted to experience. She would tell me, "I want to see the white sands of Aruba." 

Back then, I really had no point of reference as to where Aruba was located, because all I ever lobbied for was to travel to Disney in Florida; which was always a hard NO in her books. 

Don't get me wrong, she loved Walt Disney as a visionary, but travel inside Canada was always my parents' focus. Their thought process being that after experiencing all of our own homeland, Florida might be an option. 

Truth? When we were first engaged, we travelled to Disney & Epcot in Orlando, and I have never been eager to go back.

On the other hand, I feel Aruba will be an experience I think I will remember for the rest of my life.

...And will forever be yearning to return.

FOUR YEAR HIATUS

TOP: South Carolina x's 2 (2014), NOLA x's 2 (2017), Miami (2018)
MID: NYC (2019), Key West (2022), Woodstock NY (2022)
LOWER: OBX (2022), Vegas (2023), (Nashville 2023)

CLICK HERE: To have Rhondi read you this post on her new podcast platform

If there is one thing I know to be true, it is that once my travel buddy hubby and I decide on something, it is in the past and not the direction we are going. That was until Donald Trump (Part Deux) happened.

Thanks to his executive orders, we decided to unexpectedly cancel our trip to Red Rock Amphitheater, and to tour Colorado this summer. That said, in the back of my mind I felt there may be hope in the cross-border travel department.

I was hopeful that severe looming tariffs and general uncertainties may get settled amicably between our countries. And our personal choice to boycott American travel may see reprieve. Well, the announcement yesterday that they will move forward no matter what, has proved me wrong.

So, it is official. For the next four years, we will not cross into the United States and spend any of our hard-earned money on their soil.

Now, some may say that won’t matter, as we’ve only spent a little over $50,000 USD in the last decade in cross border travel into the United States (which includes the two years of being grounded for COVID). BUT, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office, Canadians spent $30.5 billion in our next-door neighbours’ yard: last year alone.

I will share that I am not a political person trolling to have my opinions heard. I have my beliefs and outside of trying to get my husband to engage in the dialogue, I generally keep my thoughts to myself.

That said, when trying to re-plan my husband’s milestone birthday in July in Canada it's presented challenges. Even though it is only the end of February, we’re simply late to the planning party. Outside of a long weekend in Old Montreal, I feel I may need to bribe him to stay home and renovate the cottage.

In doing do, we are extremely committed that all items will be manufactured by Canadian companies. 

I feel this is a time (just like when I was bullied in my tween-hood) where we need to hold our heads high, prove our strong resilience, and leave those doing the bullying in our rear view mirror. (An ode to the fact that none of my bullies ever so much as graduated high school.)

Even worse, I hate that I have to entertain this orange bully in my home for more four years, rather than the fifteen minutes they say he was entitled to a little over eight years ago.

MY KINDA BLING

I wish I would have had this wee
beauty back in December!
TAKEN: FEBRUARY 7th, 2025

CLICK HERE: To listen to Rhondi read this post on her new podcast platform

Before we got Old Bessie (our used snow blower) I would do the bulk of the snow removal with my big scoop. We have always shared the chores, but I have always enjoyed doing yardwork, no matter what the season.

With the last few winter seasons being so mild, I specifically took on the clearing of the decks, doors, and dog trails, while my travel buddy hubbly cleared the drive. I never needed my scoop as I could easily manage with a shovel.

When Snowmaggedon hit the first week of December, all bets were off. My scoop was stranded at the cottage, as it had been used the shuttle supplies in, during the December cottage holiday break in 2023. What complicated things even more, was that the snow was so wet and heavy, I could only manage to clear with a small shovel.

Well, as fate would have it, my hubby bought me this 60 volt battery powered snow shovel for the bargain basement price of $100 cash - which was crazy bananas amazing. So amazing, that I can move more snow, even faster than our beloved Bessie.

Now, I know what people say when their husband buys them a new vacuum for their birthday – but this gift was really and truly appreciated.

Seriously... who needs diamonds when a really great battery will suffice? Not this cat!

Ya gotta laugh about it!!

CHANGE OF PLANS

CLICK HERE: To listen to Rhondi read this post on her podcast platform

As I mentioned in my Month of Mondays post in January, my upcoming milestone birthday trip was set, and my travel buddy hubby’s was still in the planning stages. Well, he’d decided he wanted to go to the world famous Red Rocks Amphitheater, just outside Denver Colorado. (If you're not familiar with it, l suggest you look it up.)

Tickets were purchased, hotels and an AirBnb were booked, for us to enjoy a concert and a weeklong road trip through the state. Well, as Canadians know, last Saturday night, all hell broke loose. This three-word disaster is best known to the world as President Donald Trump!

By Monday morning our dollar was worth a whopping .49986 cents to the US dollar, and a conversation over lunch had my husband and I decided to sell our tickets, cancel our lodging for refund, and scrap his bucket list trip.

Top - Proof of Purchase - screenshots
Bottom - ZBB Budweiser Stage 
TAKEN: July 14th, 2023

Then, out of the blue, we discovered the Zac Brown Band was coming back to Ontario. I immediately got on the alerts list and registered to become a member of Zamily - a member of the the Zac Brown Family; to have a two day jump on the sale of the tickets.

When my husband called to remind me that tickets when on sale at 10am this morning, I immediately confirmed my intent. “I’m going for the front row, Baby!!”

Well, you can see by the photo, I was successful of snagging two front row tickets. Which makes me think it is a little bit of karma playing in our favour.

I have only ever been lucky enough to see one other amazing artist at this venue and snag the front row.

It was Sheryl Crow. 

The tickets I had to sell that we were going to see perform at Red Rocks.

Though we had to restart planning for his 'Canadian' bucket list birthday trip, I can't help but think  about the ticket thing.....

Kind of a full circle moment, wouldn’t you say?

STYLE OF WHITE

 

For the last 2-1/2 years I have rarely allowed
my photo to be taken. That has ended.
TAKEN: FEBRUARY 1st, 2024

CLICK HERE: To listen to Rhondi read this post on her new podcast platform

My travel buddy hubby and I headed ten miles south with the pups yesterday, simply to get me out of the house. I’d worked thirteen of the last fourteen days and needed a serious dose of the bright chilly sunshine mother nature was serving up.

Once in the car, I started to take some fun pics with the pups to show how they were 'helping me' ride shotgun. You can see the outline of Katie next to my right shoulder, though she was cropped out of the selfie I am sharing. A selfie highlighting (no pun intended) my current style of white.

Not looking to open the “you’re lucky to have hair” dialogue again, as I was seen as a whiner when I posted about my broken-hearted smile after Edwina Scissorhands had done the deed. I simply wanted to share where I landed and say that this journey wasn’t an easy one.

It’s hard to believe that it has taken me thirty months to get the point where I no longer add toner to my hair or use root touch up. No matter what one does, when growing a colour out of your hair, there is no easy short cut.

I have tried a few times to get where I am today, but the line of demarcation has always had me folding like a lawn chair and add a rinse to buffer reality. Though still blonde in hue, the white has most certainly shown up to the party in a big way; and I am okay with it.

The truth is, last week, I opened a box of that miracle box of goo, that miraculously blends away gray for about twenty washes. As I finished my personal prep to start my anti-aging façade, I looked in the mirror and put everything back into the box and back into my bathroom cabinet.

As I prepare to turn sixty in about sixty days, it is time to embrace a couple of realities that are surrounding me. 

One, you’re only as old as you feel. And two, just in case I decided waffle on my decision, I have still have that opened box of goo to remind me that I promised myself not to hide anymore.

The third is critically the most important of anything I have written here today.

When I flipped that box over, I was elated by three amazing words…

MADE IN MEXICO!

Suck on that Donald Trump, you crazy, 'manifest destiny' chasing, kook!! 

MY MONTH OF MONDAYS

CLICK HERE: To listen to Rhondi read you this post (via her new podcast platform)

Well, after a two-week holiday hiatus, I went back to work on the 6^th of January. Also referred to by yours truly as my month of Mondays; cue in the Boomtown Rats to offer some musical perspective.

Officially in my fourth year with my employer, I must admit, I have a great gig. I primarily work from home, have a synergistic relationship with my boss, and truly enjoy what I do for a living.

The only way it could be any better is if when sipping my morning coffee, I was looking out at beach sand rather than snow. As I sit and sip my morning caffeinated concoction, I am excited to write that I am really looking forward to what this new year has to offer.

My travel buddy hubby and I booked a bucket list trip to celebrate my milestone birthday in April (his is in July and still in the planning stages). I don’t know about you but there is something really special about looking forward to a new bucket list destination and ultimately another passport stamp.

This one in particular, was a decade long decision for me, as this was the only sun soaked destination I recall my mother ever mentioning that she always wanted to go. So, I’m going.

Flight is just under six hours in length and takes off out of YYZ in 89 days. It’s a Sunday departure, so only thirty-three more Mondays until we leave.

...With twenty-four of those accounting for every single day left in the month of January!

#yagottalaughaboutit

REMEMBERING 2024

As I have shared here several times before, because I lost my mother in her fifty seventh year, I have promised myself that I would never wish away time. That said, this past year has been so devastating on so many levels, I cannot wait for the clock to strike twelve at midnight; so that I can tightly slam the door and throw away the key.

In contrast to all of my other year-end offerings, I don't want to thank 2024 for the memories. What I will do is punch it in the throat and thank it for proving to us that we are stronger than we ever imagined we could be.

Let's all raise a glass and get ready to welcome a new year.  All the best to you and your loved ones in 2025, and thanks again for reading.

~ Rhondi

PS: As you reminisce with me electronically you can click links to journal offerings that you may have missed, or wish to revisit.  

PSS: This offering closes out my year with a total of 52 posts. An average of one a week, which has always been my goal.

Here we go.... Keep your hands and feet in the ride at all times!

Most Impactful Moment (centre - His start of week three, still immobile, chatting with his dad): The Wednesday after the May 2-4 weekend, my travel buddy hubby rolled his ATV down an embankment and into the lake at the cottage and spent seventeen days in St. Michaels Hospital in Toronto.

His three brain bleeds, emergency surgery to repair internal bleeding, and his suffering a stroke only scratched the surface of what he endured while confined to a hospital bed.

(LINK TO RE-READ: BORINGLY NORMAL NO LONGER)

January: December left us like a lamb and January came in like a lion. After spending the holiday break at the cottage, this is what the view from my home office was on January 18th (top left). Though my photo is beautiful, we truly had a very mild winter with minimal snow overall.

February: Enjoying a great dinner out for Jukeboxs' birthday and my capturing the boys enjoying an evening out in our sleepy little town. To take a peek at our antics, check out my post from my April A-Z Challenge.

(LINK TO RE-READ: T IS FOR TOMFOOLERY)

March: In an effort to offer a healthier option, I began baking dog cookies. They were slam dunks. When a coworker asked if it was because I was trying to save money, I told her that I was always 'squirreling my nuts, so that I could eventually shuck my clams.' All these months later, she still references the saying and reminds how much she enjoyed my post.

(LINK TO RE-READ:SQUIRRELING MY NUTS )

April: Let me tell you, I may have shucked a few clams to spend my birthday on Cable Beach in the Bahamas, but it was totally worth it (top right). Scored us $300 roundtrip flights over Christmas Break and the rest is history.

(LINK TO RE-READ: J IS FOR JOY)

May: We moved to the cottage for the summer the weekend before the long weekend. There was no one around. It was at dusk, when I spotted what I thought was an otter moving in the lake. It turns out it was a moose. Less than two week later, everything changed.

June: My travel buddy hubby arrived home after seventeen days in a Toronto Hospital. I swear the dogs figured he was never coming back. They never left his side for the three months following when he was healing at home.

(LINK TO RE-READ: STORMY WEATHER REFLECTIONS)

July: I was devastated by the sudden death of my cousin Denny. So grateful for all the social media sound bites of his voice and singing. Such a talented and wonderful person. Will miss ya, always, Den.

(LINK TO RE-READ: MY FAVOURITE COWBOY)

August: I was happy to host my sister for ten days at the cottage. As we do for anyone that visits, she had to have a drink with our Dad.

(LINK TO RE-READ: CHEERS FROM ANDY GIRL)

September: Unexpectedly, we lost my beloved Annie to an aggressive brain tumour. Only seven days from the time we discovered her drooling, to her no longer know how to eat and drink. I loved her for her entire life and will love her the rest of mine.

(LINK TO RE-READ: REST EAST MY ANNIE)

October: For the first time in almost two decades, my travel buddy hubby and I hosted Thanksgiving dinner. So thankful for all those that attended. Their unconditional support during this very trying year meant the world to us.

(LINK TO RE-READ: A TABLE FOR TEN)

November: We managed to get in a week long vacation to the Mayan Riviera mid month. In keeping with the theme for the year, we were not even remotely surprised to be absolutely hammered by Tropical Storm Sara. 

(LINK TO RE-READ: PONDERING REALITY)

December: Snowmageddon 2025 rolled into town, and stayed over a week. Lake effect snow off Georgian Bay had the Town of Gravenhurst under a state of emergency, reminding us that our town was in the same state fifteen years ago to the day.

(LINK TO RE-READ:SNOWMAGEDDON SUCKS

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.

TRAVEL DAY DROWSY

The three of us, in the air mid flight.
Just look at my sister on the end.
Adamant that she was unable to sleep on a plane!
TAKEN: NOVEMBER 13th, 2024

When it comes to taking a vacation, coordinating great flight times has become an obsession of mine. Simply because we discovered more than a decade ago, arriving into YYZ in the middle of the night was a hard NO for my travel buddy hubby and I; no matter how big the savings were.

Now, when my sister decided she wanted to join us at our favourite Mayan Riviera resort for a week, I warned her of our early departure intentions, which in turn secured us a midday return flight the following week. 

Her big concern was, "...I can't sleep on a plane." In her defense, we are far more seasoned travelers than she. We can fall asleep as soon as those booming jet engines are engaged before we back away from the gate.

Staying at a hotel close to the airport the night of the 12th to be ready for a 5am Air Canada check-in, her travel anxiety was firing on all cylinders and she was up all night. 

When we woke early on our travel day morn, she was curled up in the TV room with a blanket. Once again anxiously reaffirming to us, again, "...I can't sleep on a plane."

Knowing we were dealing with her lack of sleep, her next hurdle was to adjust to the fact that the Toronto airport is one of the most technically savvy in the world. Your cell phone and your airline app, have essentially replaced paper for a swift progression through check-in, customs, and security.

Not to judge, rather paint a digital technology picture, my sister has an old school flip phone. One she is very proud of I might add. So, we hooked her up with an older android phone we had, and as uncomfortable (and overtired) as she was, she was good to go. 

So much so, that as soon as we checked in to our very large resort, I made sure she was comfortable calling us using a VoIP app I had set up for her. As I wanted to make communication between our rooms worry free.

On a final note. I wanted to touch on the fact that the word 'can't' has never been one I have ever embraced. For me, my mantra is really 'die trying...'  and I always seem to figure it out!

That said, I wish my sister would delete the sucker from her thesaurus, or at least aspire to try to minimize its use. 

Because, as you can see in my photo above... She really CAN sleep on a plane!!

WE RESCUED STELLA!

Stella, who? 
Can't you see the yellow football? 
...We had a great day!!
TAKEN: OCTOBER 5th, 2024

Well, with the weather on our side, we headed to the cottage Saturday morn to begin the ritual of shutting it down.

Up the hill went a 42” Roku TV I’d used as an office monitor the last few years, as well as any/all perishable food we wouldn't need. Items of clothing that weren't officially labeled ‘cottage’ were packed for the season, including all my Quintana Roo appropriate swim wear. 

It was a long day, considering any other odds and sods that may freeze and make a mess when we open next spring we also packed and hauled. As a bonus, our washing machine was also drained and stored ahead of schedule.

The last thing we tackled was securing my beloved Stella (a.k.a the floating picnic table).

We had put her into Orillia Lake the long weekend in May, then three days later, all hell broke loose and my travel buddy hubby landed in St. Michael's hospital trauma unit for three weeks.

I know to most, pulling an old picnic table out of the water may not be considered a mentionable accomplishment. But, the fact that my guy could do the stairs and the ramp to help me pull Stella out of the lake and safe for the winter was amazing. When he made it to the first landing, he looked over the railing, acknowledging that this was 'the first time I have been down here all summer'.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention a more significant milestone. Last month, the stroke clinic assured him, his hard work was really paying off. Did you know that if you suffer a stroke, your brain only tries to heal for the first six months?

Though I worried he was pushing it, him doing the stairs at the cottage actually worked in his favour. 

Him not being a quitter, has 95% of his stoke symptoms gone; the 5% remaining are very minor, and we have 54 days left on the calendar for  those to subside. We are grateful.

Here's looking to next year, and Stella getting the workout she has in the past. 

Stella and me both!

STORMY WEATHER REFLECTIONS

Only once, in all of our holiday travels, have I been scared. 

We had arrived in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico, and in the middle of our first night and for the entire second day, an unexpected storm causing a flash flood ensued. We were hunkered down in our room, completely blindsided and pretty much gobsmacked at what was swirling around us.

By the time the sun rose, the pools at our large resort were overflowing, the roads in and out of the 1000+ room hotel were washed out. We were officially stranded.

This, in a lot of ways, is how both my travel buddy hubby and I have felt the last five weeks since his accident. And what we did then, is what we are doing now. 

Grabbing on for dear life, keeping the other safe, inserting a ton of humour into the situation; while exploring everything as much as we possibly can.

Rhondi Rule #506: When caught in stormy weather
... Just go with it!

Top Photo: The night before the storm hit
TAKEN: November 27th, 2019

Lower Photo: Just hubby and me on the beach !!
(Mid afternoon during the storm)
TAKEN: NOVEMBER 28th, 2019

My personal struggle in both situations, is that I have an extreme fear of the unknown. As a result, in my current state I am not sleeping as I should because my mind simply won't shut off. To compound things, I work from home, and my husband is housebound here as well. 

The truth of the matter is that we are both going stir crazy. Only being able to access two of our three floors, our living quarters are close. So, today on my lunch break, we began watching travel videos on YouTube. Not because there will be any travel in our future but because we are of the mindset that we will never say never.

On a more comical positive front, this morning we both laughed a hearty belly laugh as I cracked my first joke with regards to our situation at hand. I know we will be A-OK, because he also laughed then commented...

'Here we go', he said.  Already starting with the stroke jokes!!'

#yagottalaughaboutit

BORINGLY NORMAL NO LONGER

As the saying goes, life as we know it can change in a heartbeat. And in the last month, my travel buddy hubby and I are living proof that one day life can be boringly normal and in a nanosecond, it can be anything but.

Nothing prepares you for a life altering change. At one moment, my husband was kissing me goodbye on an early morning. 

Then, before we knew it, we were waiting for confirmation when he would be air lifted to St. Michael’s Hospital trauma unit. 

He moved, and once he arrived, he had emergency surgery to stop the internal bleeding, and by 1am the following morn, we knew the left leg would be saved and we were ready to boldly face the next hurdle. 

With his severely irregular heart arrhythmia challenges and no ability to administer those drugs with the brain bleeding still on the table; the worst fear was he’d have a stroke

Sunday led to Monday, and good progress had us out of the trauma unit the following Thursday, with him moved into a room. 

We had been nine days in the trauma trenches and survived, when early morning call came the following morning.

“During the night (at approximately 3am on May 31st) Mr. Peacock suffered a stroke.” The stroke team neurologist shared. 

“A blood clot left his heart and travelled to his brain. His right side and speech have been affected,” she continued. Not even remotely prepared to hear the words, I went numb. Again, we were back together, with me witnessing he was both physically and mentally spent.

Just a little over a month since our 'boringly normal life changed', we couldn't help but reflect this morning on the fact that tonight we were to be at Soldier Field in Chicago with 70,000 other Kenny Chesney fans to enjoy his Sun Goes Down Tour.

Thought we aren't in Chicago, we decided to blow the doors off and tour the local grocery store circuit together. 

We did a solid double header (in reference to the fact that we had tickets for Wrigley Field yesterday). 

First up was Food Basics, then we opened the sunroof and cruised to the other side of town to hit Wal-Mart. Radio blaring, no pups to worry about, we were hitting our semi-normal stride.

Kenny vs. Recovery. 
Thumbs up says it all!
Left - (c) Kenny Chesney Instagram
Right - TAKEN: June 15th, 2024

Because I am listening to Kenny live on #noshoesnation on Sirius as I type, I am sharing where our seats would have been for the concert tonight with a yellow dot on the left. 

Impressive, but it is the photo on the right that truly makes my heart swell with joy, as he is officially out and about and ultimately on the right side of the soil.

That said, Lord knows if that sexy cart he was navigating today was a four-wheeler, he probably would have immediately rolled it in the produce section... taking out all of the organic tomatoes!

Too soon?

#yagottalaughaboutit

X IS FOR X-PERIENCE

Photo copyright: Wrigleyville - Chicago Neighborhoods

As I've mentioned, my travel buddy hubby and I prepare to head to Chicago in June for our anniversary. A huge baseball fan, a trip to Wrigley Field was definitely on his list of things we had to do.

With great tickets set for the Friday afternoon game, I wanted to share a link for a video I found when doing my transportation research.  It shows just how this neighbourood and the ballpark have thrived as a landmark all of these years.

A truly amazing drone footage x-perience that is worth the watch. I promise you will feel like you're actually there.

Thanks, YouTube. 

ENJOY!

LINK: Wrigley Field Like You've Never Seen It Before

(Drone fly through of the neighbourhood, ballpark, clubhouse, fly behind the iconic scoreboard and much more)