Blue skies, observations and inspiration

I will eventually head out for a bike ride, but this morning I decided to enjoy my backyard peace and quiet first, and of course my email. (it was quiet too until my neighbor fired up his lawnmower, oy vey, he’ll eventually finish)

Skaha Lake, early before the rush

Skies are blue, and it will be in mid 30’s again today, which is an encouragement to take a dip in Skaha lake.

Yesterday my son was sitting back here and he observed a visitor we rarely catch sight of – racoons! A Momma and four young’uns had climbed our plum tree and he got video! The Momma rose up on her hind legs probably to warn him not to get close, and he wisely stayed back. Fairly quickly she decided it was time to go (they’ll be back) and she called the kids down. They zipped down and they exited with style, single file along the top of the backyard fence, Momma and three little ones, and one tardy one finally sidling along to follow his Momma.

I have observed now several days in a row, a deer slurping through my neighbor’s apricots, she took the low ones she could get by standing on her hind legs and now she is eating the ground falls. The juice squirts out her mouth but I am sure she enjoys the extra fluids in the heat. (sorry no pics as I have observed her on my bike rides)

This morning’s inspiration came from another blogger, the homeplaceweb.com click here. She had on her blog – a song of the day by Nat King Cole- Roll Out Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer.

Red Velvet Sunflowers in front of my garage

I suppose as I listened,I was inspired to enjoy the waning days of summer, sure it is hot now but we get all seasons here so I best enjoy this one while I still can.

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer

Just fill your basket full of sandwiches and weenies
Then lock the house up, now you’re set
And on the beach you’ll see the girls in their bikinis
As cute as ever but they never get ’em wet

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You’ll wish that summer could always be here

Lastly, for anyone interested, here is the blog post about my first date, now 40 years ago! – Love at First Bite or Falling off a Dock in the bay.

Thank you everyone for all the comments recently, I am really feeling the joy. I am feeling better now than I have for more than ten years, thanks to my amazing donor and my kidney transplant four months ago on April 24. Big change from being on dialysis – see my hospital video about dialysis here.

Wishes of lemonade and ice cream to you! – David

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Just Standing There – Part 5

Mary and Alan both had a wonderful time at their first “date“, meeting at the old Sicamous, which is a cargo stern wheeler that used to ply the lakes before roads were built.

Successful, a little clumsy at first, each trying to be casual and relaxed but each excited and nervous as Neil Armstrong before exiting the capsule.

S.S. Sicamous

Alan wasn’t aware his nervousness was only being outdone, and outfelt by Mary’s. Each of them unaware of the other’s tense breathing.

Alan didn’t know how to greet Mary at the outset, they were just standing there so he settled on a big smile, and then they were off strolling the boardwalk along the lake, talking music, sharing little stories and tidbits (they couldn’t remember what they talked about later) and it all blurred to Alan when Mary slid her arm into the crook of Alan’s as they glided along.

That little change, changed everything. Soon their breathing and steps synchronized, talking lapses became comfortable and a linked contentedness fell over them like a blanket. Relaxed smiles on their faces in the diminishing daylight.

Hours later, after walking, chatting on a bench, soaking up the last of the sunset, they separated. But now they had somehow crossed over a barrier and although they hadn’t kissed yet, Alan was too nervous, it was now an eventuality to each.

Mary walked away, and Alan was left standing there – Mary turned after a few steps, threw him a huge smile and a wiggly finger wave and each wandered away with their own happy thoughts.

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Walking along the next day looking at the classic cars that were assembled for admiration, Alan was lost in thought. He was thinking about Mary, and he was remembering how his parents just celebrated 40 years from their first date on August 6th.

The story was infamous, of course, along with the many stories his parents shared.

Alan’s favorite was how his Dad chased a Greyhound bus down a highway one week before the wedding in his gutless Honda, eventually passing the bus on a corner to pull the bus over, astonishing the driver, just so he could steal his soon to be wife from the passengers, .

But the first date story was cute too, the first “date” being a planned non-date on a dock as both were going water skiing on the river with the skiing club. Awaiting her turn and always a thinker, his Mom wandered away constantly on the dock to see if his Dad was going to look for her or talk to the other girls on the dock.

Alan’s Dad didn’t fail the test, he sought her out relentlessly, but had his own test for her, and he cornered her on the edge of the dock and leaned her out over the water. She pleaded for reprieve, so in an instant he pulled her in to see her relax and then pushed her out – watching her splash in!

After just six months

Alan’s Mom passed the test when she came up laughing, and had to chase her floating clogs. After he helped her out of the water and onto the dock, Alan’s parents became inseparable, marrying only six months later, to them it seemed no gamble.

Alan wanted what they had, and thought of Mary, as he mentally saluted his parents.

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Mary, meanwhile, was sitting in the summer shade, nursing lime and ice water and thinking of you know who, daydreaming a little.

Something in her heart had changed, but she was afraid to label it, afraid she could jinx it.

The song “I Will” by The Beatles was playing – the lyrics were pronounced to her and added more remembrances of her date with Alan.

Love you forever and forever
Love you with all my heart
Love you whenever we’re together
Love you when we’re apart
And when at last I find you
Your song will fill the air
Sing it loud so I can hear you
Make it easy to be near you
For the things you do endear you to me
Oh, you know I will
I will

Thanks for reading, I added this next chapter at the prompting of a special amazing friend. Comments and suggestions are welcome as I explore the story of Alan and Mary.

Bike riding is like life

Bike Riding is like life?

I have enjoyed bike riding since I quite young, I am not sure but my first two-wheeler was when I was living in Quesnel, and I will guess I was 6 or 7 years old.

The bike was a bit large for me and I got on and off at first by climbing some steps at my home and climbing on, then pushing off and wobbled until I got up some speed.  That was a bit of problem, as you might imagine, because if I stopped anytime, I had to find something to climb up on to get back in the saddle, so to speak.

As I recall, the newspaper boy, who was also a neighbour, taught me to get on my bike like you saddle a horse.  I would place my left foot on the pedal, push off and swing my leg over. At first there were some falls, and this is why I say life is like bike riding.

In life, most of us has experienced some spills, it’s a normal part of life. When I was teaching my son to ride a bike, I told him – Everyone falls down on a bike 50 times, so when you fall, just cross it off the fifty and get back on.”  I have never heard him complain about falls, and he is an excellent rider.

 

Giant’s Head Mtn in the distance

seaside rendezvous

This morning I went for my morning ride. My little city is nestled between two lakes, Okanagan and Skaha lakes, and so I rode north to the farthest lake, about a relaxed 20 minute ride, zigzagged about a little and rode along the lakefront and then headed south to Skaha lake by riding down the opposite side of the valley.

As I rode past a church this morning it had a sign out front that read “ Conflict is unavoidable, Combat is optional”.

As I kept on going south and eventually rode along Skaha lake I wondered if perhaps this was a thought I could share with my kind readers.

Perhaps if life is like cycling,  then those conflicts which are part of cycling are unavoidable and are almost to be expected, and then forgotten about. Some of our falls will be quickly forgotten, some may result in road rash, and picking gravel out and wearing a bandage; but those also heal and in time seldomly recalled.  

Now here I am uncertain what the metaphor for combat should be. Your ideas are welcome, I think it might be if we should try to react to life’s expected falls with grace, and not expect our lives to be bump free and all smooth sailing. Instead our response to the odd spills needs to be accepting, not a violent reaction. 

We all fall and we need to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, check for serious damage and go forward and enjoy the rest of our ride. We never know when it will be our last chance to enjoy the breezes on our faces.

August 3, 2019 – Skaha Lake

 

Poisoning ourselves is avoidable

Last week on July 24, I read an interesting article in the National Post (a Canadian newspaper).  The author was Linda Blair and it was titled “Holding a Grudge is self-toxic” expert says.

The article goes on to explain that indulging in a grudge and in particular feeling anger can also compromise our health. Experts say the effects can include higher levels of inflammation and susceptibility to chronic illnesses..

I thought this quote from Angela Buttimer (a psychotherapist from Georgia)  from the article was especially memorable “When we hold onto grudges and resentment, it’s like drinking poison and expecting the other person to get sick.”

The column recommends that we try to avoid that self poisoning via forgiveness, and understanding (try to challenge your own fixed beliefs – it’s like trying to envision their behavior from their perspective).

Consider explanations for the other persons behavior, and utilize breathing and relaxation techniques to calm oneself and the breathing will assist your better judgement. Even slowing down and taking three slow breathes can centre our thinking, keep us from reacting and instead making a response that shows our better judgement.  A proper response can save a relationship.

In my experience, dealing with kidney disease since the early 1980’s, and other events over my lifetime-  I can honestly share I tried to avoid resentment, and anger about my health. I was aware to realize that my feelings were oblivious to the other party and I was simply preventing myself from enjoying life. 

It was the same with my health, if I handled my health problems with a calm and positive attitude I benefited from a myriad of ways including not isolating myself. I still tried to benefit from the strengthening power of gratitude, I always had much to grateful for.

I know I am not alone in facing trials, and not retaining a grudge is something you already know – holding onto negative feelings is only self stressing, and unhealthy, however I thought the article was a positive reminder for myself  and proof that indulging in negative thinking has a physical effect. 

While I have a moment, I want to share that the positive messages I receive on my blog are appreciated, and likely having a healthy result also.  As I am just barely 3 months from my recent kidney transplant (click for my post), and having good reports, I am doubly grateful. 

Wishing us all good mental and physical health. – David

Sashay on by

I was inspired by another blogger today to post some photos. Thank you https://yeahanotherblogger.com

A recent post of his made me chuckle and he posted some pictures from his neighborhood walk, you may want to visit and check it out. It inspired me to share some sunflower pictures as he likes them as I do.

My street has no sidewalks, but it is on a quiet drive in a small city.  Many people walk here for exercise or cycle like I do in the mornings or in the evenings in the summer. Mid day like today you go to a closeby lake (we have two!) as it will be 35 degrees, or 95 Farenheit if you live in the US of A.

As people are out for a walk in this city they are likely to see deer, or quail. If  you walk at dusk or dawn you might spot a skunk, raccoon or even a coyote like I have.  Very rarely will a bear come down into the  city except in spring.

My father recently visited and he especially enjoyed the wildlife. A dozen little quail following their parents, their little feet a blur! Deer sleeping in the backyard were a treat he doesn’t have in his metropolitan city.

Allow me to invite you to take a sashay along my street and take a peek at the  sunflowers my son planted and nurtured, just sashay on  by. 

 

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YouTube – Handstands to Bruises by Chairlift with Tara Stiles

Get up and dance to this youtube post that I think you missed when i first posted it 😎🌻

Life and Random Thinking

Image via Wikipedia

I love this youtube video, fun, cheerful, musical and different. I don’t know either the group or song but it’s cool (and I’m ancient).

Do you love the music ?

Not ready to try handstands on concrete in New York but an upbeat, fun, video ~ I’d give this a ten! I think it is so cool that people make their own videos, add music and are so darn creative.  I bet you will start to jive to the music if you listen/watch it twice!

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