Tiny Bubbles…

A television commercial that’s broadcast currently depicts both youngsters and adults feeling gleeful that gossamer soap bubbles surround them and seem to dance in the air! The wide smiles are contagious – viewers cannot help but share the delight.

Pouncing on bubbles wherever they are found is great fun, regardless of age. My uncle, who recently passed away at the age of 103, was seen on video to be scooting down a waterslide slick with dish soap on the occasion of his 99^th birthday! Little children adore bath time when no-tear bubbles are mounding, as do weary ladies when a good soak is the best treat – in a deep tub!

The gay feeling that makes us giggle is effervescent –singer Don Ho once sang of “tiny bubbles, in the wine!” It’s a well-known and proven fact that laughter is the best medicine when combating health issues; Dr. Norman Cousins described the benefits in his best-selling, groundbreaking classic entitled Anatomy of an Illness. Sometimes the teensiest tickle of comic-relief can ease a serious situation – and when a giggle bubbles unexpectedly, even inappropriately, the results can be hilarious! When a book or article evokes humour, the author has achieved their intention. If we are of the ilk that people sometimes recommend we “lighten up” – a senseless comedy routine or silliness of a kitten playing may be all it takes. In the grey days of January where we’re shy on sunshine, my own little dog has taken to acrobatics and other amusing antics which are truly effective. C’mon, let’s go! 

Make your own, share with a friend, or put together a gift basket for someone who needs a lift.  I’m off to the store this afternoon to find a bubble pipe or wand – indoors or out, we can all get a giggle from tiny bubbles.

Company’s Coming….!

It seems probable that we have all heard, at one time or other, how someone flies into a full-blown tizzy of anxiety when guests are coming to visit.. It matters not who they are – getting ready can feel like a marathon we don’t want to run..

When there are extenuating circumstances such as chronic illness or a household member’s death, people feel more than willing to overlook a few dust bunnies in the corner or spots on the kitchen cupboard doors. Globs of jam on the counter or a sticky spill in the fridge are easy to remedy with a quick swipe of a damp cloth if it’s caught in time.

Caregivers, even on short-term assignments, might find it difficult to keep priorities relevant. Too much change, too much haste or being too fretful upset the “usual” way of things – to the point of tears or other displays of frustration. Helpful hints or “tips” on how to keep everything on an even keel are hard to bring to the fore when the house isn’t at its best! The proverbial big breaths, slow and easy, then set to with a reasonable expectation of completing small tasks.

Bathrooms in particular can be kept fresh and sweet with modern day cleansers, deodorizer wicks/wands/pumps, toilet bowl pucks, and by emptying wastebaskets.

Kitchens are the next priority – keep taps and sinks gleaming with a wipe down and clean up stovetop spills as soon as possible after the mishap. If you’re absolutely overwhelmed and someone asks “is there anything I can do to help?” – don’t be shy, and don’t pretend you have everything under control! Visiting family members would be glad to throw in a load of laundry or rattle up dishes in the sink!

If you know ahead of time that visitors are coming – whether for an afternoon, evening or longer visit – write out a list of “Things to do” and place it on the refrigerator door. Even though there may be a last minute flurry of setting out clean towels, rearranging a throw blanket or afghan, and even fluffing the dog’s bed!

When company’s coming they’re coming to see you, not your house!

Doing my “Happy Dance”

When the alarm goes off with that very annoying notification that it’s time to arise, some mornings feel like g-r-r-r instead of flinging back the blankets in anticipation of a new day at the office, home or wherever! My clock is set for 5:45 – and now that daylight saving time is in effect, darkness is emphatic both when I get up and get down.

Recently I did hit the snooze button, still half-awake – but launched in a panic after just three or four more minutes. Running on too fine a timeline!

After getting my bearings and feet under me, so to speak, flicking the hall light on was just a preliminary to the glaring halogens in the bathroom.  Face wash and teeth in that order….face wash was uneventful – but without glasses I’m not too clear – so a surprise followed.

On one side of the vanity were two tubes, each with a golden hue label – what the print reads was an unknown. One of them did feel a bit more round when I picked it up, maybe more in it than I remembered? Squeezed the gel out on the toothbrush and started to brush….. Note to self:  Put your glasses on next time.

If there was a toothache in the offing this was instantly quelled – and the taste was only accentuated by using mouth rinse.

Talk about a wake-up call – the “happy dance” than ensued wasn’t in celebration!

Navigational Aids...

Several years ago while active in the real estate profession, I dreamed it would be great fun to be able to escape for an hour or two on rare occasions –  and the means of transport would be by boat.

Never having had a boat previously, it was important to take the Power Squadron Course and earn my Pleasure Craft License. Not only was the instruction interesting, I found the scope of it all enormous! Armed with all the essentials, including binoculars – it was with some trepidation that we set forth on a maiden voyage.

One of the first challenges was to be able to read the lake charts and steer at the same time – glasses on/glasses off seemed to be the exercise. Having a good sense of direction is simply not enough. A compass, a sharp-eyed spotter and knowing the ups and downs of currents were all significant.

Today, long after the boating experiment, I learned about other navigation aids previously unknown to me.

In discussion with a representative from the Falls Prevention Program, I learned that navigation aids also exist in one’s home!

We are all familiar with the terms “water walker”, “sky walker”, “moon walker”; to name a few, but my vocabulary was increased by a new expression – “furniture walker”. And it’s not dogs, cats, other pets or babies!

When moving around the home, to avoid a fall when unsteadiness may be a concern, many people choose not to use a cane or other assistive device – and cruise their route with a hand along the back of the couch or outstretched to make contact with the next chair or table… Hence, “furniture walkers”!

A sense of direction, good eyesight, awareness and destination are all navigation aids.

Romancing the Stone….

It’s seldom that I watch television, and likely can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I’ve seen daytime T-V unless ailing on the couch with the snuffles!

At present however, I’m seated in a dentist’s office awaiting my hubby. The big-screen television has a show airing called The Doctors, and material content is fascinating. There’s a warning about “explicitness” which might upset viewers.

So far in one episode I’ve learned about several life threatening afflictions and some conditions which affect a couples’ sex life! Such as hip inflammation caused by tissue tears or joint irritation and malfunction that is relieved with orthopedic surgery.

Sexual dysfunction between couples is more common than not – and glossy magazines with covers promising tidbits to improve the situation are eagerly snatched off the racks!

Some folks resort to a retreat – for counselling. I haven’t yet had a chance to view the 2012 movie entitled Hope Springs starring Meryl Streep. The trailer clips are hilarious – especially one scene in a restaurant where the server calls for a show of hands from anyone who’s not indulging any more. There’s a sea of upraised arms!

Even if you’re feeling hard and as chilled as granite, find some giggles everyday – romancing the stone can be heart warming!

Catching Some Z-z-z-z’s

In the “funnies” section of the newspaper, recently the Retail™ comic strip

Showed Marla the store manager fretting about her appearance. Her anguished comment to a co-worker was that “I work too hard to look my age!” It struck me that most of us do look our age because the travails of everyday life and living are too weighty to bear without some consequential looks of “aging”.

Anyone who acts as a full-time caregiver for a chronically unwell family member can identify with the parallels between new moms and their darling babies… Refreshing sleep, sufficient downtime and unending responsibilities all take their toll – which ultimately reflects in one’s appearance. Do you see a pair of raccoon eyes looking back at you from the unforgiving mirror?

Both women and men require recommended amounts of sleep to stay well, feel rested and aware, and maintain both mental and physical health. If employment comes into the equation there is increased responsibility to not take days off, keep your performance in the workplace sharp, and don’t whine about the inequalities of life and living. Co-workers may utter sympathetic murmurs and shake their heads sagely – nevertheless it can all feel overwhelming , relentless and solitary.

If you’re wondering whether that light at the end of the tunnel you see is relief in the future, think again – maybe it’s a train! Admonitions to “take care of you first” fall on our deaf ears – though we know that this truism makes perfect sense.

For someone else!

What fun to have a mini-holiday – run away to a remote cabin with no phone and just sleep, swim and paddle my own canoe!

This gauzy dream will be fulfilled this afternoon when I catch some zzzzz’s.

According to the Straw Man……

(photo courtesy of Kenny Francis)

We’ve all heard stories of mid-life crises – both men and women have been known to self-inflict too many “what ifs” and “if only” thoughts that can feel anguishing. Stories number too many and impactful results are sometimes hard to overcome, including financial repercussions.

In the August 2, 2013 issue of the Toronto Star, columnist Carol Goar penned an article entitled Retirement choice is paramount for an aging population. She writes that “The notion of retiring at an arbitrary age – usually between 60 and 65 – is out of step with the needs and wishes of older Canadians” as stated by university economists Marcel Boyer and Sebastien Boyer. Hooray!!

The article also goes on to say that “to uphold living standards, forestall skill shortages and give older workers the flexibility they want, Canada will need policies that encourage people to upgrade their skills through their careers, take on new challenges in mid-life and curtail their hours of employment as their energy and mental acuity wanes”. Hooray!

Some of us feel that we don’t want to just put in time; we want to strive and live life to the fullest.

For me personally, the anticipation of future achievements counters the famous song lyrics from the Wizard of Oz -

          I would not be just a nuffin'
            My head all full of stuffin'
            My heart all full of pain
            I would dance and be merry
            Life would be a ding-a-derry
            If I only had a brain

…according to The Straw Man

Fits ‘n Spurts…

The hilarity of inadvertent stumbles when in conversation sometimes go unnoticed by the participant who is speaking. The other party or parties included may chuckle silently, turn away in amusement or bite their own lip to avoid an outburst of laughter!

If the stumbler recognizes his/her own oops, their reaction may be not so amused – so it’s essential that we are thoughtful and considerate if the speaker has simply chosen a totally wrong word or massacred it!

While browsing through the newspaper flyers recently, a couple I know was discussing a newer plus-type protective underwear – and maybe it would be worth a try.  Subliminal advertising always tweaks one’s attention, and indeed the “new and improved, or plus” seems to imply that the product is better than before.

They decided that the next purchase of the necessary protection would be to give the featured item a try. Tongue in cheek, the wife related to me that her husband, in describing his circumstances, declared that incontinence was in fits ‘n spurts!

A Double Take…

Television newscasters present a wide variety of subject matter to their viewers. The subject matter included in an hour-long program varies widely, and includes specific segments peppered in between with commercials.

Developing stories or follow-ups to yesterdays’ events keep people informed and in synch. Dinner table conversations following the early news can include the sharing of differing opinions, outright debates, or conservative deference to noisiness.

The world of Sports includes analyses, discussion and a lot of biliousness after the games are lost, players are traded, or free-agency is in place. All the what ifs, whens and whys is fodder for anyone who earns their living by encouraging dialogue and discussion.

The sputtering and exclaimed remarks might be thought of as philosophizing – last night I learned a new adjective however... A slip of an overly-excited tongue blurted out the word “fossilizing”; which indeed caused me to do a double take!

Zip lining…

I was musing recently about the devil-may-care attitudes that some people profess - seeming to care naught a fig for the consequences of self-indulgent whims.

Para-sailing, scuba diving, spelunking or even hot-air balloon rides may be considered “dangerous” to one’s well being because of the possible risks; versus probabilities.  Young people and some not-so-young can readily being observed as either daring and fun or downright foolish! It all depends on one’s point of view.

Moving through the different stages of adulthood, sometimes our personal perspective alters. We may think from time to time – “who cares” if I do this or that. Responsibilities can lie heavy on one’s shoulders, and we observe an activity from afar but don’t participate in case something goes awry.

Designated beneficiaries of life insurance policies for example would be disappointed if their inheritance should fall through because the policyholder was stupid and negated the coverage by not adhering to the disciplines set out in small print. Choosing to take a chance could be costly, or not.

Travel photos of acquaintances who are “old enough to know better” are tangible memories of memorable holidays. Rainforest hikes, whitewater adventures, careening down a bobsled run or diving from high cliffs all prompt oohs and ahhs – it looks like such fun!

I have an uncle who, at the age of ninety-nine, was photographed gleefully propelling down a water slide. What of it – it was a blast – and impressive as well!

Selected and accomplished feats are indeed memorable – though a conservative interpretation could be that life is a ride anyway!

On my bucket list though, is to go zip lining!  

It's a crapshoot...

I had the pleasure yesterday of attending a matinee performance of the 1950 Broadway musical Guys and Dolls which was performed at the Algonquin theater in Huntsville. A wonderful production and many in the audience humming along to familiar melodies and lyrics!

Being of more recent vintage, I found myself recognizing crooned tunes such as “I’ll Know”, “If I Were a Bell”, “My Time of day”, and “I’ve Never Been in Love Before”. The freshness and wonder of new love likely touched everyone in the audience!

The ongoing ups and downs of Adelaide and her fiancé Nathan Detroit hold true in today’s world – some things never change! A few quiet giggles and murmurings as people there related personally to the throes of romance.

Sinatra made “Luck be a Lady Tonight” his signature song! Whether we peer through rose-coloured glasses, swoon with anticipation or, conversely, are more matter-of-fact; love and loving can sometimes feel too fickle!

Whether the subject is gambling either with cards or your heart, “it’s a crapshoot”!

Magnetic Appeal...

Last night was one of those “tossing/turning, up and down” sleep interrupted nights for me!  And for this I blame my father…my brother does too! We all suffer(ed) often with those charley-horse leg cramps that make you roar out of slumber.

My grandmother (hmmm, maybe it’s her fault…) would stagger into the bathroom and put her knotted foot onto the surface of the cold floor. My brother’s relief is acquired by sitting on the toilet seat cover and applying his soles, with great athleticism, to the outer sides of the toilet bowl.

A colleague’s eyes opened wider when I was discussing my short sleep and how I invariably roll a cow magnet over my cramped tendon or leg muscle. It may not be scientific, but seems to bring relief for me.

If you aren’t familiar with a cow magnet, neither was she! These are readily available at a farm supply store – farmers use them to prevent cattle from digesting metallic objects the animals swallow while grazing. Google™ this for your own info and interest!

However convoluted the transition may feel, I reflect as always on the parallels to doing business as a professional REALTOR®. While foraging, it should be noted that I don’t habitually swallow nails, barbed wire or the like – though the “gut” feeling may be similar from time to time.  A tried and true remedy to “make the pathway pleasant and smooth for my clients” is extending magnetic appeal.

Techno-challenges and the Canadian Penny...

Several months ago I replaced a small television in the living room with a large, flat screen. Next step was to replace the cable box with a High Definition one!

Then purchase component cables for the DVD, to say nothing of separate audio cables which were not included. I’m still not sure if they are essential.

Being in the baby-boomer age group, I have quite a collection of VCR tapes which are still enjoyed. Especially my wedding video – and with Valentines coming up I decided to double check and make sure everything works. You guessed it – remotes, instructions, menu choices, selecting video vs DVD…No picture. I went online to the manufacturer and printed out a diagram of the connections how-to.

Still no go.

Presuming that perhaps the VCR machine was not working period, I bought a new combo DVD/VCR. Same results. However, I did learn that the red, blue and green component cables are for DVD only – a clue!!! So now, if I’ve got it figured right – when using the VCR, unplug the DVD component cables, plug in the old-fashioned red, white and yellow cables, select Video and the results should be rewarding. Except I haven’t tried it yet.

Like the way of the proverbial dodo bird and other phased-out items no longer useful, maybe I’ll have to source out more help. Tonight may not be a celebration at all, conversely, a commemoration of both my apparent inept grasp of techno-challenges and the last day of the Canadian penny!

See Spot Run...

Have you ever noticed that as the Yuletide season approaches there can be increased levels of activity! Even the more organized souls seem to jog and jaunt faster – it’s as if we’re caught up in the swell of it all!

Blustery winter winds can be a good excuse for red faces and noses – and the quiet mention of too much partying and added stress that can also contribute to flushed cheeks.

It’s not only young beauties who are dismayed when an explosion of one or several “zits” mars their appearance. Boys and men aren’t excluded! Everyone wants to look their best in holiday clothes….. the sparkle of decorations, twinkling lights and scintillating conversations contribute to the overall feel that this is a special time of year. Who wants to be ambushed by the avid recipient of a new digital camera though, when our complexion is dotted with bumps. Ugh!

I recently sought expert help from a skin care consultant who had cleansing suggestions and gave me a few samples to test. To no avail though, my face felt like a volcano with small inconsistent eruptions – so off to the doctor who immediately diagnosed the condition as rosacea.

A new cream now replaces the ineffective selections, finally I am encouraged to “see spot run”!

 

Flying Free

November 2, 2012

Several years ago, having saved up travel rewards points for awhile, an invitation came to my husband and me to vacation for two weeks in beautiful Barbados. My cousin and her hubby have been going for many years – and I’d been dreaming of the beaches, sand and sun!

The four of us met at a small hotel near Pearson airport in Toronto, had dinner and then early to bed so we could be ready for the shuttle in the pre-dawn. Excitement was palpable – an adventure to say the least! We would be joining an already established group of 4 other couples and were full of anticipation!

When our bags were checked, Duty Free purchases stowed safely, we made our way to the Departure Lounge – in good time. The Flight Attendants at the desk were well organized and all seemed to be moving along smoothly. Until our names were broadcast over the loudspeaker and we were summoned to The Desk!

My heart was in my mouth with apprehension – surely we wouldn’t be bumped from the flight because we flying on rewards points!!! My husband and I were informed that the plane was overbooked, and that there would have to be some changes made. I told the Attendants earnestly that we were travelling with another couple – and having never been to Barbados before we simply couldn’t be split up from them. Forthwith, my cousin and her hubby are also summoned – and with distinct pleasure, the Attendants at The Desk asked if we would mind moving up to First Class seating, at no extra charge!

We’ve continued to accumulate rewards points – and anticipate making another reservation when we’ll again be flying free!