See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence…we need silence to be able to touch souls.
- Mother Teresa

Following a downright beautiful, hectic and so very crowded Canada Day long weekend, things calmed down a little here this weekend past- July 4th, to American friends. Enjoying a little peace and quiet for this Best Shot Monday at Slurping Life…. there’s also more of my Zip in his tire swing…

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An outstanding long weekend such as this has been ripe with all kinds of shots… What, with happy kids, all the sun, the lake, and our reliable little boat. We’ve waited a long time for this weather and we are drinking it up!

Newfoundland (today’s projected high: 10C… ack!), I apologize for these, on this Best Shot Monday! Oh, and it’s hosted by Melody.

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Mesmerized, 6 am, on my comfy-cozy sofa, staring into my laptop screen. I feel my girl-child settle into the blankets next to me. Transfixed, without averting my gaze and only somewhat conscious of her warm, sleepy presence, I instinctively lift my arm to snuggle her into my side.

We stare… the two of us.

After many, many moments, I turn to look at her… and she to me.

“You nevah said good mo-awning to me…”

I look down at her. She gazes up at me from her place, nestled into my armpit. I smooth her hair from her face and kiss her forehead. I can’t help but smile.
“Good morning.”

Credit to dooce and this amazing link, for some much needed early morning perspective….

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Another month… another Gazette.  Three full days of grinding a monthly community paper out of my behind.  I literally started with nothing… hmmm…. what happened in our town over the past month?   Hmmmmm….. what’s gonna happen in our town in the coming month?   Hmmmmmm….. Well, the answers they did come.  They always seem to. It always surprises me.

And I doubled my advertising.  When I sat down to write the first word this week I turned to my lovely, supportive husband and said, “I’m going to double my advertising this month.”  Honest to friggin’ God, that’s what I said.  And honest to friggin’ God, that’s what happened.

Right outa Oprah, I tell ya!

Freaky…

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“Sshhhh… mummy.” Fidge whispers and giggles.

“Don’t tell Daddy. I have his mowawning kiss.”

“Oh, you sneaky girl. Where?”

“I’m gonna yet you have it.”

Fidge lifts her little arm and with her other hand appears to pick something from her armpit.

“Heeahw. I’m giving it to you. Don’t tehawh Daddy.” She presses her empty hand, fresh from armpit, to my lips.

My lone girl child and I share a secretive giggle. I try not to feel guilty that today dad will not find his morning kiss. Cuz I have it…

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So it’s been a rather crap-ola week.  And in an effort to not have it repeated in the next, I will take time, step back and get a little much needed perspective.  Remind one’s self what she is so most very fortunate to have in life at this. Very. Most. Perfect. Moment.

• These crazy, rambunctious, brilliant, beautiful, sparkly, shiny, driving me somewhat nutso, kids…
• This shaggy, befuddled, supportive, genius, driving me the remainder of the way nutso, husband…
• This needy, demanding, loveable, sweet as honey doggie…
• This day… glorious!!  The sky was blue and it wasn’t but only barely freezing!
• A skiing Fidge.  No complaints. No whining.  No screeching!  She sang.  Up.  Down.  Six times!
• Downhill racers!
• A body that does mostly what I ask and require of it…
• Knees… 
• A newly, fantastically, designed website oh so generously created by…
• My genius sister.
• My new cabinet- already taking on a serious work load!
• Photoshop
• Quiet time to get stuff done this morning
• A little money in the bank- not bad as we near month’s end
• Many opportunities for creative expression
• Things that I love to do
• Time to devote to those things I love
• Time to devote to the people I love
• The opportunity, option and availability to homeschool my kid- a huge relief!

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When was the last time you took some time to yourself?  I don’t mean an hour or two.  I’m hoping that most of us can swing that every once in a while…

No, what I’m talking is, days.  Days away with hours alone in a car, regardless the weather.  Hours alone in a car.  Alone with Black Eyed Peas.  Alone with Nirvana.  Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Spirit of the West.  Shakira.  Gypsy Kings.  A little Eddie Vedder.  And hours alone with Anthony Bourdain and his clever, funny and totally time on the winter road consuming, Kitchen Confidential.  When can you do any of this for mindless hours, but in a car.  Alone.  Regardless the weather. 

Anyways, here on this Wednesday, as per above, I am away from home.  On my own.  A full 11 hours drive and two hour ferry ride away.  Away from dear Filipes.  Away from my most loveable, beautiful, dear miscreants. Away for a week. 

And how does this work for me on this Works for Me Wednesday?  How does a little selfish-ness: shopping where and when (for as long as) I want; real music or, whatever the heck I want, playing in the car; a book at any time of day; a movie; eating where, when and what I want; not speaking; not having to listen; work for me, this wednesday?  I get to enjoy my thoughts, uninterrupted. 

Thoughts of supportive, joyous, loud, beautiful, lovely, clever, funny, crazy, scruffy, perfect responsibilities at home… 

Time alone.  Fantastic.  A week on my own.  Necessary.  Free of responsibility.  A fresh breath.  Easily makes me know how much I love my responsibilities. 

A precious reminder. And if it comes in the way of some valuable time away, so be it.  In fact, I’d recommend it…

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In the spirit of launching into a new year, rather than crawling under my 550 count Egyptian cotton sheets, closing my eyes and not emerging until March, I am sharing a tip that not only got us through some challenging times last year, but also produced some truly wonderful, downright powerful, results.

It’s simple, and I am sharing it here to help reinforce not only to the masses, but also myself, given the fear and doubt-ridden attitude that brought what was truly an epiphanous (WOW!) 2007 to a rather lack lustre close.
Are you ready? Here it is. Simply. Be grateful.

I know it’s a phrase that gets bandied about a lot these days and I don’t even really know how to say it (write it) without sounding terribly trite. Regardless, the bottom line is, as a person who has always fixated on the future… or more likely the past; what wasn’t right; what I didn’t have; what I figured I could never have; when I now sit and think… chop vegetables and think… walk the dog and think… do anything and truly consider what I have in this very moment; when I am truly engaged in what is happening now, enjoying what I am doing, the people around me, living in the moment… life is great. Off the charts.

Gratitude. Let me say it again. Gratitude. Wait… one more time. GRATITUDE!

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No more looking back. It’s all about what’s to come. I’ve found my way off the sofa, after all. Note to self and anyone else who’s interested: a little fresh air does a body- and mind- good. It also helps to have a walking partner, for a change, to help jump-start some activity after this long while. It doesn’t hurt that walking partner is also going through a lot of relationship/life crap-ola. While I certainly feel for her, it does help put things in the proper perspective on my end.

Bottom line, as we begin a New Year, I know it will be better than the last and given that 2007 pretty much kicked ass, things are looking pretty damn good for 2008! And here’s why:

Beasley Bean: Clever Cleverstein; beautiful; intuitive; huggy-kissy; self-assured; laugh-out-loud funny; crazy; curious; generous; sensitive; best story listenin’; enthusiastic; willing to try everything;a great leader and fine example for his younger siblings; long haired; and most importantly, healthy and happy.

Guga-roo: Smarty Smartinoff; beautiful; endless energy; creative; hilarious; sensitive; shy; boisterous; dangerous; silly; snuggly-buggly; book lovin’; bendy- twisty; climb-y; lovingly; endless question askin’; lovingly antagonize his little sister; never met a rock his head didn’t like; long haired; and most importantly, healthy and happy.

Miss May: Brighty Brightsky; beautiful; nurture-y; girly; sensitive; intuitive; bold; tenacious; full of love, kisses and cuddles; dropsy; smiley; dancing; singing; self-assured; button pushing; mummy-lovin’; rough and tumble; full of words; book-wormy; bum-smackin’; almost long haired; and most importantly, healthy and happy.

Mi Filipes: deceptively brilliant; goofy; takes care of everybody; nurturing; conscientious; shaggy; adventurous; pizza and pancake-makin’; supportive; devoted; loyal; complimentary; almost long haired; and most importantly, healthy and happy.

As long as I have them everything is as it should be. Bring it on, 2008!

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While I was looking for things to be miserable about yesterday, I managed to put bad attitude on ice for a couple of hours.  We finally got motivated enough to make a move to the ski hill at around eleven.  We tend not to feel overly guilty about not getting up there over the holidays as the crowds can be wildly irritating.  Wait another week and we’ll have the hill to ourselves.

Anyways, after 45 minutes getting everyone off their respective couches (ahem!) and screens, and into snowpants and all the other paraphernalia, we were out.  12 minutes, door to door.  Goes into the Annals of Gratitude, as how fortunate is that?  We even managed to get parking close to the lift.  I was on Fidge duty, wrenching lower back and knees, bent awkwardly and uncomfortably on platter, while LoverMan(?!?) was to take the boys up the chair.  One glitch.  The feet of Sally Beasley Bean could not, would not,  be squeezed, squished or crammed into brand new ski boots.

“Did the guy switch pairs on us?”

Cram, shove, wail, cram, shove, “ooooowwwwwwwwwww!….”

“Ummm… and I would know that, why?”

Cram, shove, wail, cram, shove, “They are hurrrrrtiiiiiiing my toooooooooooes!…..”

“They fit him in the store?!?!?”

Cram, shove, wail, cram, shove, “They doooooooooon’t fiiiiiiiiiiit!…..”

“Yes, you saw him walk around in them….”

Cram, shove, wail, cram, shove, “Ooooooooooowwwwwwwwww!…..”

“$%&*&%@!$@$&*%$#@#$%&*!!!!”

Beasley, with a little too much satisfaction, went to enjoy some poutine and hot chocolate in the lounge while we initiated our respective slopes.  Zip got some great Dad-time.

Despite certain fear and apprehension anticipating another ear splitting, skull cracking (my own, of course) season of coercing- I mean, encouraging- banshee child down bunny slope… all was well.  No screaming.  No wailing. No shrieks reverberating off the valley walls. Not once, in our two runs, did I ever feel as though a dull knitting needle had been inserted into my ear and deep into the fleshy bits of my brain.

Did someone say sofa?

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