Don't be a slave to a list 😜

We all have a list of what we want, or and what we want to get done. Some of us write it down, some just have it in their brain, and some, like me keep it in our phone now. While walking in the morning I think of so much, this is one though I had, that we sometimes get so busy with our list, checking things off, that we don't use our time for other people if we don't put it on the list! 

Do I have to have everything on a list? Is this how I organize my life? Is my life so structured that I have to get it on the list before I do whatever I might want to do?

I think so.

I think in Possibilities as well, and that keeps me planning without doing, as travel has been on hold for what seems like a long time. So this is another list, but a very loose one, one that has no date, no sure plan, just a possibility list. 😀😂

Yep for years I have had a positive possibility list in my mind. This changes with time as I have changed what I want to see and do, and as I age something's get checked off, some thrown out. 

Polly and I have talked much about trips we want to make, and our list is similar, with much we want to see together, and a few things we want just for ourselves. But we still have a list. 

So what is it I'm wanting to think about here? If I put it on my list, and I attach a time to it, then that becomes my driver. I did this, so what if I want to just have a day and go for a walk, of catch a fish, or whatever. Can I just blow the day? 

That's what I'm talking about, am I a slave to a list? 🤔 Hmm, I think I am. It seems I have a program built in my mind that puts all my possible thoughts on a list, till I do them, or throw them off as not important, or needed. 

Is this how we all go through life, slaves to our lists? Hmmm 

No resolve here, just a wonder at how I think. I think I'll take a day today, just LoL, tick a different thing off my list. Funny beings we are, our minds have to organize some way of getting our desires met, or accomplished, or done, or checked ✔️ off the list. 

Funny how I think, how do you think? 🤔

This blog title was put on my list as I walked, as many others have been. If I stayed away from walking would I get a smaller list! 😂😆

Thoughts today will be many, as with all days, the question is, how many will make it to the list 😳😂 lol

Time to go for my walk 😉 it's on the list 😁

Am I loosing my mind? Hmm 🤔

Yesterday was a very good day, with a smear of "ahh shit".  Mother's day, we went to Catherine's place to give her a gift, and that was good, Shayla & Carl were there bringing there old couch and chairs to Cathy for her living room. 

  Catherines Mother's Day gift w Shadow

After Polly and Catherine exchanged gifts, Shayla comes with a gift for us she has had for awhile, she opened the taped cardboard & handed something wrapped in white paper to Polly. Polly opens it and tears, then I look and same. It was a picture of Bosco, Shayla had a friend paint for us. Holly crap, I couldn't look anymore, had to walk away. Emotional I was, so was Polly. 

We both thanked Shayla, a huge hug, and thanks. Then I ask where's Jayden, he didn't make it up for Moms day yet. Where's Jesse? So I go for a walk through the house, check out the new to Catherine furniture, and go to Jesses room, he's on the computer, games are his big thing. We talk, and I tell him Memere is here, he comes out and we visit a bit in the front yard. 

After awhile I look at the picture again, and say to Shayla how much we love it. Thanks again and her and Carl take off to his Mom's place to give her a present. He showed me, 3 Rhododendron plants. Lucky Mom. 

I put the cardboard package of Bosco's picture down on the table outside, and said in my mind, I should put this in the truck, but I didn't. Then in my mind I said don't forget this. 

Off I go to do this and that, then we leave and go to get something from hardware store, Walmart, the liquor store, on the way I remember we left the picture at Catherine's place, and last place I remember seeing it was on the table. 

As we drive up I think I see it, but no, not there. We talk with Catherine and look of the whole house, and yard, twice, and inside the truck 3 or more times. No luck☹️ not happy, I feel just terrible. We say our goodbyes again, and hope it turns up, but all evening no call. I called Shayla, just incase she picked it up. No, and had to tell her. She was good about it, "Mistakes happen" she said. Still I felt like shit.

On to this morning and why I say I feel like I'm loosing my mind. I wake early to the birds again, just love this, sounds are so close as we are very close to the trees where they perch and sing there morning songs. I get up after listening for awhile, and start my day making coffee as always, just today as I'm pouring in the water I get the got to pee message, and almost like I'm going to pee my pants, so I push the button and off I go to the bathroom.

 After my 2nd pee for the morning, I come down to the kitchen and the coffee is coming out to the counter. I forgot the to put the pot into the machine. I wake my head, turn off the coffee pot, clean up and start again. Then a minute later I see coffee again coming onto the counter, I look and the inner basket is sitting on the counter. I forgot to put that in before I put the filter and coffee in. What the heck, I'm loosing my mind I think. 

Some would say just a bad start, and will get better, but this morning after not being able to remember where the photo went, then this I was really feeling like I was loosing it. 

I finish my morning tidy up inside, then go outside and do same with the shop outside, and when I come back in I sit down and look at the phone, and a message from Cathy saying she was here last night, look under the lid of the BBQ. I thought the Message was from another friend, not Cathy, so when I lifted the BBQ lid I didn't know what to expect. But when I saw the cardboard I knew what it was right away.

 

I went inside, Polly was getting up at the time, I told her I was teared up, emotional, was so happy to see this. 

I had decided to write this before I saw this message and got the picture back. 

I feel calmer now having written it down, but have to call Shayla and let her know that it's not lost anymore. 

So I now question how my mind is working, and have to do as I know is best, when I think of doing something, do it now, not wait. Same if I want to get something in town, write it down NOW! Otherwise, I'll forget. 

Am I loosing my mind, I'm not sure, but I did have a blip, and will be keeping my attention and mind on what the heck I'm doing. 

Feeling kind of drained right now, all's good, we have our picture back, and all's good right now. On to our day, paying just a little more attention to what I do. 🤗❤️

 

Possibilities

Polly's handy work 😃

Having used the term possibilities for a long time, I'm learning others do the same. Saying yes more than no, using possibility in my thoughts and speach has helped create opportunity that would not have been without dreaming what could be. 

Is this how inventors create there ideas? I'm not sure, but thinking of what outcome you want, then rolling it around in your mind is one way of creating, but talking with others, and developing the idea 💡 is what's truly fun. 

When I wake early as I most often do, I pay attention to what I'm thinking as I wake. No particular reason, just to see how my thoughts are, where I start my day. Sometimes is something left from the day before, incomplete, sometimes new, and sometimes is something that has bothered me for a long time. Sometimes I just wished I could sleep like Polly 😃😂

Today I started thinking of the bowling that I went to with family at our bowling alley, for our grandson Jesse's 13th birthday. Was fun to watch, and play a game I hadn't played for years, like riding a bike, it all came back to me fast. Just not exactly the same, as when I bowled we were taught to be aware of others in lanes beside you, and wait till was your turn to bowl, uninterrupted by others beside you. 

This was not how this went. But it was fun, was a small amount of people, and masks were worn till we got seated, and people were having fun. 

Just for a moment in time my mind went back to what the world was like before this virus, and the well meaning people have created. I'm not going to yak about it here, just know I'm not all onboard with how the world has changed, just making my way through it like many others.

Now back to possibilities, I had a neighbor stop by as I was cleaning up outside, and we had a good talk about how he has been observing me, doing this, doing that. He said you been making things all over the place. LoL I had a good laugh, and I explained my "Say Yes" attitude, and he wanted to understand that, like did you say no before. I said before I would often have to think about it, maybe yes maybe no. 

When I say yes, that leaves me free to explore, the possibility, and go from there. As we talked he came with a request, and as he was asking, he said, I guess I know the answer already asking me to do something, we had a laugh, and I said "Yes" he wants a box made that is multi use, for tools, and a seat and storage inside and on top. I said, lemme get my tape measure, lol. Not right now, he said, when he had more time, we would come up with a plan.

 Just this conversation was fun. I do like to explore ideas for resolving problems, what I really like is creating beautiful wooden projects that show off the beauty of the wood. 

I like that it is not perfection I'm shooting for, but Beauty of the wood, inside and out. 

       Still thinking about this piece

I still have some wood left, and looking like we may stay put a little longer than I thought. The neighbor offered me some wood, check out what's there, you can use what I have, I have no use for it. 

Being careful, I said, I'll look, but I'm trying to use up what I have. 

And on it goes, every day another project comes my way, by just saying "Yes" and creating the possibility.

Makes for a great feeling. 

We had a fire yesterday, we had wieners and cake. Today we just might have another fire, just for good measure, still some cake left 😂😃

 Our lives are altered right now, doing what we can to make life somewhat normal as we remember it, is how we survive. Soon things will change again, and travel will be our way again. For now it'll have to be cake and possibilities 🎂🤔 

Loving life here at Arrowvale 🤗❤️

Sunday's muse Obituary for Bosco

Our pets who become part of our family often don't get an Obituary. This is one for our little boy Bosco. 

Bosco started out his life as our granddaughter Shayla's dog. He was born in September I'm told by my stepdaughter Catherine, and given to Shayla on her birthday September 6th, 2002. He was of good breading, Poodle/Shitzu. White with small patches of brown, and those little black eyes that saw all. His tail had the curl ➰ in it and his ears long haired looking.

When Shayla and family moved into a house that didn't allow dogs, she asked us if we would take Bosco until they were in a different house. Well how could we not, looking at the eyes of our 7 year old granddaughter 😊 

And so this 2 year old puppy came to us. He was scruffy, and a little unkempt as he had been living a bachelor life with Shayla's dad for a few months before he  came from Alberta to the island. A haircut and a trip to the vet were in order. At the salon he left a pile of hair, thanks Heather for grooming Bosco for so many years. 

At the vet he left something a little more memorable. 

Polly dropped him off and I picked him up. I told him it wasn't me, wasn't my idea. I'm sure he thought it was as every time we passed by that vet, he liked to take a wide pass at the front door, then gave me the look!

Bosco didn't like men at first when we got him, he was tramatized somehow. He would love up Polly, but I was shit. After a month or so, and a few good walks, he started to cotton to me. We became good friends as the walks became longer, and our lives became intertwined. 

Everywhere we went Bosco went, except to our work, he had to stay home. We made sure he was well taken care of, walked him, and made sure we went pee, or as Polly says "Did his business" before we left for work. 

My shifts were not constant then, so there was some adjustment, but Bosco did well. He didn't mess in the house, even if we were gone long, and he always had a big wag on his tail when we came home. He was a real lover.

I thought this might be hard, but it's helping me, good there's a box of kleenex close. 

If we went fishing to the cabin, Bosco went. In the water he went a few times, but we always retrieved him. Sometimes I had to grab Polly, while she went after Bosco. 

We lived in Ladysmith at the time, and Bosco like me got to know the town well. Walks were a daily thing, me with my camera, he was patient with me, and him with his smelling and peeing. Quite a couple we were. If I met someone and talked too long, he was always patient, unless another dog came along. 

At home he would curl up by me on the couch, or Polly in the recliner, he got used to our lives fast, and we did to him. One day we got a visit from Shayla, she had some important news for us, she said with a serious face, "Mom and I talked, and Bosco is happy here with you, so we've decided that he can stay. But he is still the families dog. Okay?" And that was it, not watching him for Shayla, he was ours, which we kinda thought anyway. He had been with us for about a year already. 

Kinda turning into a story hey! LoL well from then on we started buying a few things that helped Bosco, like a seat for the car, one he could be held in as he was all over the back seat, power windows up and down, and back and forth, and if I had to hit the brakes, he was going to be hurt. So we had a few different ones, but finally got one that fit good and he was harnessed in as we traveled, and sitting up high, where he could see all that was going on. LoL he did like to look around, snoopy he was. 

Not a regular kinda obituary, but he was not a regular dog, he was special, very special to us. There is much to say about Bosco, but I'll leave it like this, he was a loving dog, with a big heart, and huge attitude. 

In his final months, he was so different, still loving, but so different. It gave me a look at what old age is like. I'm not looking forward to this. Bosco always did us proud, and we love him alot. 

I'd like to thank the many people that helped us if we needed someone to watch Bosco when we left for awhile. Inge, Louise, Memere, Joy&Dan & many others. We only once brought him to a kennel and they took very good care of him for one night. 

September 2003-April 2021. RIP Bosco

Yes, I have been saying "Yes" more often.

   Planter's I made this week when asked

I have been consciencelesly saying yes more often lately to many requests that come my way. Giving a hand has always been in my wheelhouse, but making things, repairs and just stepping it up a bit has enriched my life. Not only do I meet people, but I get to know them at a deeper level as we share the experience. This is always a joy for me. 

Life can seem a rush at times, and our problems many have had before. When I say yes to whatever comes I learn to give my energy to others, and the talents I have get used, and of course I learn just a little more about myself. 

Polly has the same way, asked for a cake, cinnamon buns, or dinner, she creates with joy. I love that about her, amongst many other loving qualities Polly has. 

I just finished my 1st cup of coffee ☕ this morning, took a long while today. I layed back in the chair and counted my blessings. Well, not literally, but had that wonderful feeling of content. Not incontenent, which may come in future day's 😂 but that feeling that all is good, right, great at this time. 

Second cup is going down faster, light is coming now, rooster 🐔 is crowing, blinds need to be opened.

Done. The day is starting again. Yep, life is grand! 

What's today's + Plus, what will I create today. Oh yea, I promised to hook up a backup camera for someone, that will be my good deed done today. 

It's overcast, looks like fog above, not sure it will burn off, but whatever, will be a nice day and knew the weather was changing. 

Yesterday driving to town I felt the strong wind, and smell's of summer. April I said to myself, it's only April! Was a great run of warm with the tan started, and dust rolling through, I was thinking of traveling, but this year will be different I'm sure. 

My eyes are leaking this morning, not sure if allergies or emotion, I hate to take a pill so will blunder through. 

I started sighing yesterday morning, and examining my feelings. Good to look at what's here now. Writing is another thing I like now so much more that when in school, just a way of looking inside my head. I know I'm rambling, but I'm giving myself this gift to ramble. 

You get to laugh, I get to ramble.😀 

As the saying goes often now, "All's good!" 👍 😊 Love our life.

The beauty of Woodworking while traveling

We have not been traveling for awhile, and most RV type people have been grounded too. Last year when we returned from our summer traveling we went to our friends house and picked up or mail, as well as some of my woodworking tools. Thanks for storing them Americo, and thanks for keeping our mail Claudette. I didn't know then how that would make my winter shorter, and so much more interesting as we had to stay put, rather than head south. 

No regrets, South is nice, but if we have to stay put, let's enjoy what turns your crank. 

Wood is what I've been involved in with my job for most all my life, but working with it was something I knew I liked, but never took the time to really enjoy the whole love of creating beautiful wooden projects, until now. This winter I created many beautiful wooden projects. Some small, and some bigger. All with love, as well as the imperfections of a learning woodworker.

 

I belonged to a Union, IWA International Woodworker's of America. I was proud to be a member, and enjoyed working in the logging camp I did. Even in the rain, snow & heat, I did like working in the bush. After many changes and the logging camp closing down, I went to work in a sawmill, Chemainus sawmill. 

I learned about wood again, in a different way now. Much closer looking at wood here. The decisions we made here made $ for the company, and in return for us. I learned so much from so many people. Was a very good experience. Still I didn't really work with wood at home. 

A few small projects, but working and other obligations seemed to take priority. Now retirement gave me the time, but travel took priority, and I still love it. 

Being told to stay put gave me the time to really create something I never thought of before. 

I bought a few more tools, and small projects turned into bigger, and most with hand tools and some thought how to.

I have to thank my friend Andrew Schmidt for his help aquiring wood from a mill close, ods and sods, leftovers that were to be discarded. Before he cut them up for firewood he let me pick though and I got a good supply. Most was too wet to use right away, by a few pieces he gave me were dry, and I could use right away. Gave me a good source to use. 

I still have a few thick, clear pieces of red cedar left, will creat a table out of them, not sure where I'll use it yet. And a few beautiful pieces of yellow cedar that I will make something out of. But also in all this wood, and the time to create has been a gift. As well as a campsite that allows me to make what I do in my shop/tent. 

       Bosco was helping me this day 😉

Not much of a shop, but enough for me to stay dry, and dry my lumber so in spring I can make the final projects. The next few weeks I will be working hard to get the final wood pieces used up, and enjoy the creation process. 

Sometimes it takes me a long time before I start on what I want, but the final results are just what I wanted when completed. 

As I am using up the wood, we are planning our exit to the north in June. Will it work out? Who knows, but right now we plan, and see how the next couple months go. Planning is good, not all we can realize, but making the plan is part of the fun. 😊

Loving our Life here at Arrowvale. 🤗❤️

Polly's booked 💉me next 💉

What to say, we thought maybe wait and see what comes of vaccinations. But after seeing the future with cards being issued and governments already saying they will be required to travel Polly &I agree, we have to get the 💉 shot. 

I read a post the other day that did help me with my thinking. "We have no bomb's dropping" was the statement. It helps me realize we are fortunate to be only restricted, not at war. Even with restrictions, we have been able to do and enjoy many things, just not as many friendships as before. 

Looking forward to travel this summer, not sure how far we will go, but to visit our son and daughter in-law to be in Grande Prairie as a baby will be coming. Alaska and the Yukon is in our sights, but not looking like things will open till after summer. Won't hurt us too bad to stay put awhile longer. 

Rain day today changes plans to a stay put day, and maybe a little grocery shopping for Polly. Blosoms are out all around us and daffodils are blooming now. Soon leaves will be thick and our satellite TV channels will disapeer as the maple tree leaves in front of our trailer. 

Shall we move? We could, but likely stay put till travel day comes. 

We plan to leave in June, but could change as time goes. Just never know what comes next. 

Something's I know I can count on. Polly will continue to bake, 

cook new recipes.

I will continue to make new wood projects.

We will always climb into bed at night close to the same time, and getup at different times. Our love will continue to grow, and our Children, Grandchildren and sometime Great Grandchildren will enjoy a different life than us. 

We are fortunate to have lived through a somewhat peaceful time in history. Peaceful in our country, Canada. Lucky we are, in so many ways. 

Love our life here at Arrowvale, ❤️ and many other places as we travel.