Just A Little Off Kilter....

When I'm feeling an upsurge of terrible pressure because of all the things that have to be done, and are undone; all the things I planned to do, and have no idea when I'm ever going to do them; all the things I would like to do, yet know that it is impossible for the time being, I remember very precious words I once heard that struck a cord with me and now have a place of honor in my personal mental notebook of inspirational lines... "Do the first thing, and let the first thing be just to love and care for the people in your life."  If you feel that extra commitments or certain relationships are hindering you for doing so, cast them (the commitments) or set them (the relationships) aside for the time being, until you feel you can reach out a bit further." I feel that at this time, it's very important for me to hold on to this simple truth...set it aside.  Set it aside, for the time being, if it doesn't really matter, and/or if it isn't really urge

Twelve days ago we moved into our new home. Before we moved to our current house, we had lived in the same little house for just over eight years, so it had been a while since we’d moved and adjusted to a new place. And there were a lot of things that I had forgotten about. You see, I tend to be a bit naive of an optimist. When I thought about moving in to our house, I thought that we would just plop down the boxes, unload everything, put our furniture in place, and be good to go. Nope. In actuality, there have been several things that have surprised me about adjusting to a new house. I wouldn’t call them bad surprises. I’m actually really enjoying the process of making our house a home, and all of these things are part of that. But since I was sort of taken aback by some of these changes, I figured that others who are moving would experience them as well, so I thought I’d write them all down as a little “heads up” for people so you can know what to expect much more than I did. Moving

On my way out to get lunch yesterday, I passed a guy in his car who wasn’t wearing a shirt. The first question: where could he be going? Or, where could he be going that it would be appropriate to show up not wearing anything on the top half of his body? If we were near a shore town, maybe (and that’s a big maybe), it might happen that a man would need to get from one place to another fast and without his shirt. But on a sunny cool fall afternoon in Ottawa, I just don’t see the logic. I mean, he’s not going to a store or a restaurant because those kinds of places are clearly marked. You must wear a shirt. And shoes. It says so on the door. So, is he going to a friends house? And if so, does he really want to show up half naked? What if he and his friend decide they want to go to the store? Or a restaurant? Maybe he’s driving to a significant other’s house. And if that’s the scenario, shouldn’t he throw on a shirt anyway? For good manners? It says, “I respect you enough to assume

Insisting on being left alone "Give me some privacy" to poop with the door closed, and proceeding to unravel and entire roll of toilet paper and feed it into the toilet . Singing Happy Birthday to the candle inside the jack-o-lantern. Singing Happy Birthday when the Halloween lights turn on. Insisting on singing "Down by the Bay" All. The. Time. Singing the ABCs and completely messing up the LMNOP part. Counting  but always calling eleven, eleventeen. Playing make-believe with several monster trucks inside a giant box on the kitchen floor Apologizing to his own toe for stubbing it. So-yee toe! Carrying handfuls of recycling to the garage. Yelling "I do it MY self" whenever anyone offers to help, or hands him something, or touches him. Asking "What that noise?" for EVERY SINGLE SOUND EVER HEARD BY HUMANS. Yelling "Mama" repeatedly when I lave the room until I come back. Petting the couch. Doing puzzles better th

No, I will not lightly brush off my sweater. These toast crumbs are part of the outfit and I spent fifteen minutes carefully arranging them.