The Best Part of Waking Up ~ Tuesday 4, 2025

Hello again.  Here are today 4 questions for  Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

We are asked 4 questions each week to get us blogging, thinking, discussing and visiting with other bloggers.

The commercial song said "the best part of waking up in Folger's in your cup".  

1. What is in your cup in the morning?

I remember that jingle but I have Maxwell House in my cup.

2. What brand of coffee or tea is the best in your opinion and why do you think so?

Maxwell House is the brand I like best for home brewing. When I go to the coffee shop I generally pick a medium roast brew. The coffees I like best are medium roasts from Guatemala, Sumatra, Kenya and of course, Columbia. The reason I like these coffees is they pack enough of a punch without being too strong or bitter. By the way, I am not a coffee snob though I probably was at the introduction of Starbucks and all the many specialty coffee shops that popped up after that. These days I seldom go to the high end coffee shops including Starbucks. I'd probably go more often but they close so early these days (mostly by 7. p.m.).  Nowadays I find that as long as the coffee is medium roasted, freshly brewed cup, it is just right for my tastes. 

3. Where do you drink your cuppa in the morning? Do you have a nice view?

I always drink my coffee while sitting on my sofa.  When the weather warms up enough I will like to try going outside on the patio, however it sounds like the weather is going to go from coolish to very hot, no transition.

On the sofa, I can also watch something on television or answer the phone if it should ring. I still have the old fashioned land line for my home and I prefer it to the cell phone.  

I always used to say the cell phone was for my convenience only and I didn't want personal calls on it. However, over time, more and more calls come in on my cell phone and a lot of it is scam related.  These days I usually ignore the cell phone which makes my friends very annoyed with me but I just get so fatigued with all the scams.  When a number appears on the screen with no name, as it often does, I am afraid to answer if I don't recognize the number. I suppose the lack of a name could mean that the caller is using a different service provider but I am leery of answering.  I receive far more scam phone calls on my cell phone than legitimate ones and that is incredibly annoying. Sorry for the rant. Does anyone else have this problem? 

4. Besides the morning, do you take little tea or coffee breaks during the day?    If you are out and about where is your favorite place to get some tea or coffee?

Once I have my 2 cups of coffee to start the day, I do not have any more unless it's the weekend and I'm running late errands.  Often, though not always,  I have a cup of tea at to warm up especially in the colder months.  I have to drink caffeine free or I'll be awake all night.  In the hot months, I omit the tea and have a cold drink instead. 

If I'm out and about, I'll stop at McDonalds, J.J. Bean or Blenz, all of which have many branches.  I like to read a book after running errands and relax with a drink.  Generally though I find it easier to read a book at McDonalds over coffee than anywhere else. The exception is on Friday or Saturday nights when typically the place is overrun with teenagers who are enjoying their 'night out'.  They can get very loud and the way McDonald's is built, the sound is amplified and just bounces off the walls.

Staying Put ~ Moving On: Tuesday 4

Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.  

Sometimes we live in the sameplace where we were born and remain there all of our lives.

Sometimes we move away and never come back because of jobs, marriage, circumstances of all kinds.

Sometimes we choose where we will live and we have definite reasons for staying there even though we might be far from family.

1. Are you far from family and if so why? Would you like to have them closer and have you discussed that with them?

When you say 'family' I assume you mean immediate family. I have some of my immediate family near me and some far away.  I haven't discussed being closer with the far away family members. They have their reasons for living where they live and I have mine. In fact they have their own family members too and are rooted in their various locations.

2. How did you come to live in the state you are in? How about the city/town.

I was born in the Province of British Columbia (BC).  A province is similar to a state.  My birthplace is and where I grew up is about 1200 km north of Vancouver, BC which is where I live now. I first moved here for university and then work.  I have lived and worked in other parts of Canada but have been in Vancouver the longest of any other place I've lived so it is my home.

Signage at Mile "0" of the Alaska Highway

3. What good things keep you living where you are?

What's good about your state and town?

Now that I am retired I remain in my city because it provides the best access to health care and there are many things one can do here to stay active and entertained.  I consider myself fortunate in that I've had no issues accessing the health services of a family doctor or various specialists.  This is a major problem for so many others, especially those that live outside of the Greater Vancouver area.  Sometimes I've considered moving to a quieter city which is marginally less expensive to live in.  It's the place where several of my immediate family members grew up and where several of my loved ones are laid to rest.  The key impediment is lack of access to a family doctor.  In fact, the issue was highlighted on the news just the other day.

A walk in Stanley Park

False Creek view to downtown

Granville Island

Granville Island Aqua Bus

So I stay put to access health services and all the other wonderful things in my city.  It's a terribly expensive city but it is in a very beautiful, scenic setting.  There are so many cultural activities, festivals and concerts to take in.  If you are a sporty person there are also a plethora of sporting activities to enjoy such as running, hiking, walking, skiing and other sports.  Vancouver is a very walkable city and has a variety of malls and neighbourhood shops where one can enjoy a variety of foods and shopping.  One of my favourite activities when I have a bit more time is to take a walk in a particular neighbourhood, have coffee or lunch and take photos whether it's raining or sunny.

View to downtown Vancouver from Spanish Banks

Lights of Hope fundraiser for the St. Paul's Hospital

Trout Lake for the Aboriginal Day festival

I also love the province because by and large, the scenery is spectacular wherever you travel througout the province.

Going north on the Coquihalla Highway

Kits flying in Steveston's Garry Point Park

4. What things might convince you to move to another state or just another town?

Better access to health services. 

Downtown Hospital, a new one is being built 

Right now the provincial government is streamlining the process for health workers in USA who want to move to Canada and, in particular, to the province of British Columbia (BC). The government and relevant authorities have dramatically reduced the wait times for credentialing and the requirements for credentialing to help expedite the process for those who want to move to BC and work here.  It's likely this will improve health care staffing across the entire province including smaller towns and villages.  

Since March 2025, over 1200 doctors, nurses and health professionals have expressed an interest in moving to BC.  The government says that number includes 573 physicians, 413 nurses 133 nurse practitioners and 39 allied health professionals.  Since April 177 nurses have applied to work in BC and 113 have already been registered with the BC College of Nurses and Midwives though it isn't clear how many have actually been hired. 

The government and health authorities have tried a variety of things to increase the number of doctors in particular including opening new medical school.  However these initiatives take a lot of time to increase the number of health care professionals. Hiring people from other countries would increase the numbers more quickly assuming the province will have the flexibility to hire immigrants. I believe that these numbers were recently reduced by the federal immigration minister before our last election (pre-April 28, 2025).  The federal government has been trying to reduce the immigration numbers overall due to the housing crisis. I sense that things are on the right track to improve both housing and health care.

Drive to Kamloops, BC

Near Seton Lake, BC

Kamloops, BC to the North Shore & Bachelor Heights

Question Variety ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4

This week just a variety of little questions for you to ponder.

 1. What's on TV for you tonight?  Alternatively do you have plans for Tuesday night?

Canada has a national election Monday for the new government and our new Prime Minister. Tuesday there will be a lot of political coverage so I'll likely be watching it.

2. Is there a TV program you hate to miss? Why?  And if not TV is there a club or activity, get together you would hate to miss out on?

There is one indulgence I've had since I was a teenager. It's the popular soap opera, 'Y & R'. When I first started watching many years ago, I was enthralled by the lavish lifestyles, homes and fashions. But I was actually watching another soap opera first called 'The Edge of Night'.  Does anyone remember it?  However it went off the air maybe a year or two after I began watching it and 'Y & R' became it's substitute for me. Where I grew up absolutely no one had that kind of lifestyle. These days I like the family values and the ups and downs of long term relationships (family, friendships, business partners, arch enemies). Some things have never changed, just like real life. I probably started watching these shows as a way to fantasize about a different life. I grew up in a small town with no real services or amenities and it was always my desire to leave to go to university and experience other cultures and lands. I enjoyed many different programs on television in my younger years but only Y & R seems to have lasted all these years.  Update:  After a bit of research I realized an error. It wasn't 'The Edge of Night' I'd started watching. The soap was instead called 'Another World'.

3.  Do you belong to any clubs or societies or organizations?   Odd Fellows, Elks, Moose, Eastern Star or anything like that?   Can you tell us about it?

I no longer belong to any clubs. When I was working I was sometimes a member of various professional organizations and did a bit of volunteering with grassroots community groups and Big Sisters organization. Today I only have memberships in a couple of local community centres.  It allows me to hear about some fun community activities and classes and gives me a reduced cost to participate.

4.  The internet is filled with ads.   Are there any ads that you enjoy seeing or ones that you hate to see?

I'm not sure if you are talking about ads on blogs such as the ones appearing on my blog, or if you mean ads in general. I don't mind some ads but I really don't like 'pop ups' ads. They are too distracting and make it hard to navigate a blog or website.  I pay more attention to ads on Instagram than on any other social media site. I've learned about some local services and organizations through these ads and have actually used them. I likely would never have come across them otherwise. Even so, one has to take precautions when following up on advertisements on line.

Gone With The Wind ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 where we answer 4 questions each week and try to have some fun with them.

1.  Have you read the book or seen the movie Gone with the Wind and what did you think of it?

Yes, I've read Gone With the Wind but it was long ago. I also saw the movie before and after reading the book. I enjoyed both the book and the movie which is quite unusual because normally I find the book to be much better than the movie. In this case, the movie was fantastic.  Vivienne Leigh was one of my favourite actresses.  She was so beautiful and emotive in all her roles.

2. Which character was your favorite? If you didn't read it or see it. who is your favorite fictional character from a book or movie and why?

Scarlett, played by Vivienne Leigh was my favourite character in the movie. I probably wouldn't like her much if I met her in real life because she was spoiled and childish.  But I admired her character for rising to the occasion during the hardships of the war and learning how to survive.

3. Are you a fan of big epic films like Dr. Zhivago,  Gone with the Wind, etc.  If not what kind of films do you enjoy the most?

I love big epic films.  I googled "top epic films".  It turns out I've seen and enjoyed all of the ones on the list (Gladiator, Braveheart, Titanic, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Dances with Wolves, The Bridge on the River Kwai & All Quiet on the Western Front). There was one film on the list called '300' which I didn't see it. In fact, I've never even heard of it. I also enjoyed Dr. Zhivago which is such a classic film.

4. The Ante Bellum era is indeed gone with the wind.  Is there an era in history that you are interested in or that you have a good deal of knowledge about? Perhaps there is an era you would like to learn more about?

Yes, I am very much interested in movies set during the during the time of the Roman Empire.  I think I've seen every movie that was ever released that was set during this era.  Most of them I saw as a youngster and a teenager;  movies like Ben Hur, Spartacus, Cleopatra, to name a few. I was especially interested in the lives of Christians and the hardships they endured during that time and how God helped them through the tough times. One of the more recent films I enjoyed about this era is Gladiator (2000).  Here is a famous clip from that film.

Thank you for visiting my blog and thank you to Annie for hosting Tuesday 4. I'm looking forward to reading your answers to the questions too!

The Windy Month ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 where we try to have fun answering questions about various subjects.

March, they say, comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.  It is called the windy month like Chicago is called the windy city!

1.  Has March come in like a lion or a lamb in your neck of the woods? 

I can barely remember back to the beginning of March and I didn't take any outdoor photos at the time. After thinking about it for a while, I recall the temperature was feeling a bit warmer but the night hours were quite chilly.  So the month came in like a lamb.

2. There have been some awful storms of late.  Have you suffered through them or have you ever suffered through a very bad storm in your life? (if so we wish you well).

The last bad storm I was in was about 3 or 4 years ago. The city traffic came to a grinding halt due to a snowstorm.  It snowed for hours and hours non-stop.  There was so much snow and it was very slippery. I still remember walking down the street to get home when the buses were not operating. There were a lot of other people walking and we saw so many cars and buses just abandoned in the middle of the streets. I took photos but I guess I never uploaded them so unfortunately I can't share them with you.

3. Spring begins March 20th and ends with summer on June 20th this year.  Any plans for Spring in general? How about the spring holidays? 

I'm looking forward to spring.  I have no plans to go away for spring break which starts today (Monday, March 17, 2025).  Spring is always a busy time as I have a lot of jobs that accumulate around the house over the winter and I have the patio to organize and plant.  Last, but not least, I have to do the planting at the community garden plot. 

4.  What are your favorite springtime flowers?  Trees or shrubs?

How about a song with a springtime theme to it that you enjoy?  

I don't have favourite spring time flowers. I love them all, lol. I usually plant a lot of geraniums and petunias as well as pansies and Black Eyed Susans.  I've also tried to plant many other taller flowers like snapdragons and others which haven't tended to do well in my garden.  Perhaps I'll try again because the soil has been completely changed out. 

Fall 2024, the new garden, not quite finished

As for trees, I like Dogwood Trees, Maple Trees and Weeping Willows best but love almost all trees too.   My patio garden area has been completely rebuilt and I now have to replant it.  Large trees with big root systems are no longer allowed.  I'll plant some shorter bushes instead.  I've chosen some Azalea Japonicas and a Pieres Japonica or a Lily of the Valley shrub.  Both types of shrubs grow quite slowly.

Pieres Japonica, Red Head (not mine)

The only springtime song that comes to mind is "When it's Springtime in Alaska" by Johnny Horton. I'm a northern gal so country songs and songs about the north are appealing. This song should make all the southerners be grateful for their warmer temperatures *smile.

Teenage Years ~ Tuesday 4

It's time once again for Tuesday 4 brought to you each week in memory of Toni Taddeo and hosted by Annie of Cottage by the Sea.

1. Did you have a teen heart throb? Wanna tell who it was and maybe why? Maybe there was a teen actress you looked up to?

I didn't have much of a focus on singers or actors back when I was a teen.  I was too busy with school and keeping up grades, helping out at home, going to church and just enjoying the day to day life. The closest I came to having a heart throb  was an older teen, David Cassidy of The Partridge Family.  

I used to enjoy that show in general and I paid attention to each of the actors and actresses on the show.  Susan Dey, also of The Partridge Family, would have been a young actress I looked up to and also Marie Osmond of the Osmond Family. Marie was just starting to make her own name as a solo singer at the time.  The few times I purchased Teen Magazine (anybody remember those?),  I would see David Cassidy, Susan Dey and Marie Osmond featured in them.  They were the huge superstars of their day. At least in my youthful recollection.

The photos I've shared of my teen idols are what they looked like back in the day when I followed them on the television and in the teen magazines. They were all a few years older than me.  It's sad that David Cassidy struggled so much with his alcohol addiction. It seemed like he tried hard to overcome it but seemingly lost the struggle.

2.  When you were a teen, what song  made you happy when you heard it playing?  Did you and a boyfriend/friend have 'Your" song?

I enjoyed the theme songs from The Partridge Family & Gilligan's Island. Those were the popular television shows I remember from my youth.

I didn't have a long term boyfriend in high school.  The main guy that I dated and I, did not have a song as such.  But he liked to listen to Johnny Rivers and Johnny Winters who were both popular at that time. I particularly remember the song covered by Johnny Rivers called "Solitary Man" and I grew to like it a lot. Much later, I heard the song as originally recorded by Neil Diamond and I was able to see him in concert when I first moved to Vancouver.  

My teenaged boyfriend was a very nice young man, a few years older than I and very respectful. We didn't break up as such since we were not so  serious.  I guess we just drifted apart due to my family's long distance move and his knowledge that I had plans to move even farther away to go to university.  There were no strings and no future 'together' plans.   Years later, I learned he died of natural causes.  He was still very young age and if I recall correctly he had some heart issues. I was saddened when I learned the news and grateful that the Lord protected me from certain heartache at a young age. I also enjoyed the rock and roll band, the Rolling Stones and a few other groups of the day.  I wrote here about going to a Stones concert last summer. It was a gift to me from my youngest brother and I enjoyed it a lot.

3.  Were sleep overs a  thing in your area?  How about sweet 16 parties?   Were they the thing to do or not?

Sleepovers were a thing but not really in my circle and I never heard of anyone in. my area having a sweet 16 party. In any case, my mother would never let us stay overnight at someone else's house. She didn't mind us visiting and playing after school but we had to be home by a certain hour and we were always at home on the weekends. I think there's a lot of wisdom in that.

4.   You are suddenly transported back in time and you are 16 years old.   You've got school tomorrow. Lay out your outfit for tomorrow and tell us what it consists of.

I still remember what I wrote to school and what I wore in general. My outfits were fairly simple. For school, it would have been a checked wider legged pant with cuffs and a pullover top (short sleeves) in a coordinating colour.  The top was a pullover top but not a t-shirt. 

Similar to these pants and top but different colour.

I might also have laid out a striped bell bottomed denim type pants with a button up blouse. I also wore jeans and even had a pair of what was called elephant pants.  A pair of pants with extra wide legs. I mostly wore jeans at home, not to school and I wore the elephant pants only for going somewhere special so didn't wear them often.  We didn't have an excess of clothing back in those days. We had 2 or 3 outfits for school, one or two outfits for church or dress up occasions, night clothes and outerwear. Times and needs were much simpler then.

The shoes I wore would have been a casual shoe with a platform heel, not terribly high, with lace ups. I believe the brand was Cougar.  I couldn't find a photo of the shoes but the leather ones below are similar. Mine were plain leather not stitched on top or on the sides.

.

I used to also wear Wallabees, a suede lace-up shoe which I loved and which were popular until well into my university days.  It seems Wallabees come in a variety of colours but where I lived the options were beige or brown. Inevitably I opted for beige. For dress up occasions, I wore low heeled pumps.

Sadly I don't have any photos to show my outfits from those days. My mother was the family photographer and historian.  But there was a long period of time when she didn't take any photos and where my baby brother , was busy destroying the photos she did have.  It was during his terrible two phase of development.  

It was fun walking down memory lane with you. I'm looking forward to reading about your teenage years. Thanks for stopping by.

Home Sweet Home ~ Tuesday 4

Hello!  Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 where each week we are asked to consider 4 questions on various subjects.    The goal is to get us thinking, considering, talking and getting to know ourselves and other bloggers.

1.  In some places people name their homes or properties. What would you name your home and why?

I haven't named my home and I have no plans to name it.

If you would not name it, why wouldn't you?

I'm just not the type of person to name things.

2.  Are you more of a romantic or a pragmatist when it comes to your home or apartment's decor and color?

I'm a pragmatist.  I've always tended to buy things I like at an affordable price point. These days I still do that though I often have to restrain myself from spending more.  I have basically everything I need and things are mostly functional.  I do need to purchase some larger ticket items like appliances and possibly furnishings in the next few years.  I like to 'soften up' all the practical items with all kinds of textiles and plants but the plants don't last long in my home due to heating issues and lack of natural light. I confess that I would probably spend far more money on higher end, sometimes higher quality furnishings but I simply don't feel good about spending because there are just too many other good 'causes' that are more worthy.  I think it's important to be a good steward of what we have and that includes our income.

3.   Do you have enough room in your home? Storage space, kitchen cabinets?  What would you add or subtract from your home?

I like space. A lot of space.  I've always liked a lot of space though I don't really, really need it. I live in the heart of the city where space is at a premium.  My home, though on the smaller side (not quite 1000 sq. ft.), is actually quite a lot larger and has more storage than a lot of the condos on the market in my city and surrounding areas today.  Even so, I'd like far more cabinet and closet space and a bigger outdoor space with a shed to keep gardening implements and furnishings when not in use.

We do have a storage locker in the basement.  This is where I keep things I don't need to access very often and things I need to deal with at some point.  For example, I have a lot of the photos my mother had. She had many and a lot of them are ones I gave her. Before I can whittle them down I need to have a lot of time to just focus on them. Thankfully I've already whittled down a lot of my own.  In the storage unit I also have things that belong to a brother and one of my nephew's. We also keep things like a moving dolly and tires which need changing out a few times a year.

Indoors, the closet spaces have to keep hats, coats, boots, shoes and clothing.  Since I have no linen or other closets, I also keep extra things in the closet spaces including all my hobby items, extra blankets, linens, suitcases and so on.

Little by little I'm getting rid of excess and to make sure it doesn't build up again I have also reduced what I purchase.  Once these tasks are more or less done, I'll look into purchasing a storage sofa and/or a storage bed.  This would really help to keep all the extra pillows, sheets, blankets and let me get rid of a blow up bed.  My DH believes that what we have now, is better quality than most of what can be purchased these days and he's right. It's more challenging to find what we want in good quality without also spending a lot more money.  In any case, I've really been restraining myself from both major and minor purchases. It's probably wiser to complete my decluttering and downsizing to see what is left before I spend more on storing things.

4.  Is your place really home sweet home ?  Would it be hard to leave it ?   Are you firmly rooted in your abode or would you move if a better opportunity came your way?   

My home is comfortable and cosy enough.  Whenever I've had people over for a meal or to stay they've told me that. I've also been told that my home is very peaceful and this makes me happy because I strive for comfortable, cosy and peaceful.  I usually have a patio garden as well but didn't have one last year. The garden gives me a lot of joy though I do find it a lot of work since I don't consider myself a true gardener. I do it because I have a decent garden space and I do love colour in the garden in the summer. It's a wonderful place to enjoy during the growing months.

I will enjoy my home more after I've sorted and decluttered many items I'm currently storing in the living areas.  I keep them there to remind me of what needs doing and when I get the time I will deal with it.  Until then it remains as visual clutter and causes me discomfort.  I'm very slow about doing what needs to be done because I'm juggling a lot of other things at the same time.  I keep plugging because I am making progress.

I am quite firmly rooted in my abode.  I live in the heart of the city. I have a beautiful view from my patio and front rooms.  I life within easy driving, walking or public transit to virtually everything I need.  I also have storage space and a parking space which in this city are premium amenities.  However I always keep my eyes open for something else that may appeal to me at the right price.  

Things I'm looking for: a unit that isn't up too high (I have to be able to get out if there is a fire), and has access all on one level, easy access to shops especially food shopping, access to public transit and services, a nice patio, not too close to other buildings such that another home owner can readily see into my unit, car parking, lots of indoor space, good storage and not in need of renovations.  It would likely have to be in an older building that already has a renovated suite since the newer units are very small with even less storage space than I have now.  So far I haven't found a place that comes close without it costing a whole lot more.  If I do find something to consider, my DH would of course have a look at it and see what he thinks. He is pretty easy going about most things and he often has an interesting perspective that helps when it comes to making final decisions about household and other matters.

In closing, I'm very interested in reading what others have to say about their spaces.  Thank you for stopping by.

Duty of Delight ~ Tuesday 4

Here we are coming up on another of Toni's Tuesday 4.  Annie of Cottage by the Sea took over for Toni when Toni passed and she has now been hosting Tuesday 4 for 4 years!  Well done and thank you to dear Annie. 

Here are this week's questions.

1. What do you do on a typical weekend?    Saturday? Sunday?  How do you make them delightful or joyous?

I live a simple life and my weekends are typically full of work and a little relaxation.  I am busy running errands, usually buying food and other necessities, going to the library and post office, cleaning and doing other household tasks.  I have to spread out my work over 7 days because I can't seem to get it all done in 5 days! 

For relaxation I like to read or do other hobbies, meet up with friends, sometimes eat out and see the odd movie or concert.  I also enjoy taking walks and photographing what I see when I'm out and about. I also like to attend church.

I don't consciously try to make things delightful or joyous because over time I've cultivated an attitude of gratitude (pardon the phrase) and learned to be content in all things. This contentment brings joy, not a momentary, fleeting feeling, but something deeper and ingrained.

2.   What sources of joy do you find in your days?

I find a lot of small things give me joy.  It takes very little to make me happy and being mindful of all the wonderful small things in life brings me contentment.  Some of the small things that bring joy include: getting a lot of chores or tasks done in 1 day than the usual, reading more than a few pages in a good book, folding and putting away laundry right after it's done, finding a bargain at the grocery store or in another store, making something with my hands, hearing from or spending time with a beloved family member or a good friend, baking, seeing a good play or concert and so many other things.  I also find joy in learning. I watch a lot of You Tube videos to learn a lot of what is going on in the world, issues of the day, history, travel information, tips and tricks for household matters, 'how to' videos for crafting and DIYs, cooking new dishes and so on. I also like to listen to Christian pastors, teachers and gospel singers on You Tube and to read and study my Bible or hear from Christian & secular thought leaders about a variety of subjects. I almost forgot though I shouldn't, I get a lot of joy when I'm spending time with the Lord in worship and in his Word and also when I hear wonderful testimonies of God's goodness or I see his answers to prayers. It really is amazing to have these blessings in life.

 

3. What's for dinner tonight?  How will you make it  a delight and a joy?

We had a simple dinner tonight of baked (packaged) fish and chips with green salad. Last night we had cabbage and beef soup.  Tomorrow I think we'll have ham and cheese quiche which I will make tonight.

Yes, I will make it a delight because I'm always delighted when I'm able to prepare food at home to avoid food waste and to save money. This month and next month, I'm going to experiment with making more meals from a meal plan, using less meat and using more beans and pulses. I've been wanting to do this for a long time and so it begins. I won't completely cut out meat and chicken but will reduce it considerably.  For example, I'll be making lentil, bean and chicken burritos and vegetable pot pie instead of the usual chicken or turkey pot pie.

4.  How are you doing personally and how can we add to the joy and delight in your days?

I'm doing well personally though since the rain started back in force a few days ago, I'm in a lot of pain and my body is quite stiff during the day. I didn't experience these symptoms when it was very cold but no rain over the past few weeks. 

Which is better? Rain and warmer temperatures, but a stiff, aching body or cold and windy or snowy weather but a body with less aches and pains? Well I prefer warmer temperatures these days. Soon it will be spring and I can't wait because the green things start growing, the days warm up and the sun comes out more often. 

Gardening, prettying up the patio, saving money, eating frugally, enjoying hobbies and making time for friends and loved ones is how I'll continue adding joy and delight to my days. Who knows, I might even be able to start planning for a holiday but I'll have to wait and see what other big (expensive) household and building repairs are coming up first.

What about you dear reader? How are you doing and what is bringing you joy? 

Weekends ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

It seems that everyone loves the weekend.

What about you?

1.  Do you feel happier as the weekend approaches?  Just how do you feel about weekends?

I feel happier as the weekend approaches even though I'm retired now and technically my time is my own.  I think I feel happier for two reasons.  Firstly, I'm habituated to looking forward to the weekend from the days when I was working and offices were closed.  Secondly, now that I'm retired the days from Monday to Friday are interrupted by many things because businesses, offices, including medical offices are open then. Once Friday rolls around I breathe a sigh of relief, lol.

2. What are your weekends usually like and do you do anything special?   Do you attend a church/synagogue?

My weekends have not changed much since I was working. Weekends are always a time for catching up with various things, running errands that take more time and relaxing (meeting friends, reading books, going for dinner/theatre, etc.). I do attend church but meet at night rather than the morning.

3. Do you sleep later on the weekend or do you stay up later at all?  Are weekends for catching up on sleep?

I'm a night owl and have always been so I stay up later than most people.  This is usually when I get my reading done or watch programs I didn't have time for earlier in the day.

4. Do you read or watch more movies/TV on the weekends or catch up on things missed during the week?

Yes, I do watch more movies on the weekend. I watch TV during the week but tend to watch movies (television, streaming on the internet, in theatre) on Saturdays. I also use the weekend to catch up on many things that I didn't have time for during the business week.