ABOUT DAY'S OFF

What a beautiful morning out here in the bush! The sun is there in all its glory, with just enough breeze to keep it from being too warm. The birds are singing their hearts out, my coffee is hot and delicious, the doggies are silent beside me keeping watch, and I stand on my gallery admiring nature’s view and thinking “What more could one want right at this moment? Thank You for this lovely day!”

The grass still needs to be cut, but my son will come early this morning and do the honours. He went down the hill on the lawn tractor yesterday, decided that he would sleep better knowing that his Mum wasn’t wrapping herself around a tree at the bottom, and said he would come back today and do it himself, LOL.

After he had left, on his way to do his errands for his mobile canteen, I made my way up to Suzie’s Canada Day party. There were many hugs and kisses from old friends who meet once a year for this celebration, retro tunes playing, the BBQ churning out hotdogs and hamburgers, tequila making the rounds…a perfect afternoon, in spite of the rain showing up now and then. Fran and my brother, Bird, arrived a little later to join us. I sat smiling as I watched my bro get up and dance – he was having such a good time. It made my day.

It wasn’t late when I returned home to the doggies – they were waiting patiently for their supper – and we went for a short walk just before it got too dark to see. It was cool enough, so I lit the wood already prepared in the fireplace, slipped into my Jacuzzi, and lay back to relax in the jasmine scented bubbles, gazing into the orange and red and yellow of the flames cracking away merrily. It was one of those special moments when you feel that it doesn’t get much better than this.

I actually slept through 7 hours! Feeling like a million bucks on this gorgeous morning! Later today I’ll pick up the Bird and we’ll go to visit my other son and Yoshiko; I’m looking forward to seeing their new home, as much as my son is anxious to show off his first house, I know. My daughter was there yesterday and tells me that nearly everything is unpacked and put in its place already, which means Mum can just enjoy her inspection, LOL!

There are a few business related things to take care of before leaving, but it shouldn’t take long. I’ll still have time to do the floors in the apartment downstairs, throw in some washing, and voilà! The rest of the day will be mine.

It has been years, literally, since I have enjoyed more than one consecutive day away from the office. Last week’s 3 days off (5 if you count the weekend) did much for my morale; doing the same this week is a bonus. I doubt if I’ll forget it soon, which means that I’m planning to make it a regular occurrence in the future. I had forgotten how important it is to play as well as work.

Have a good one, folks! My SMILE is all over my face this morning – hope yours will be there too!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.

BAD TIMING.

Don’t do it! If anyone asks you to go shopping for clothes after the Christmas/New Year season – refuse! Point blank. If you decide to go anyway, be prepared to face the result of your nights and days of delightful feasting on all sorts of goodies. Everything in your regular size will not fit (as opposed to being rude and describing it as ’way too tight’). DO NOT let yourself be steered towards the ‘XXL” section. Take your pride in hand, then turn around and walk out of there before the temptation to slap the obviously insincere, flattering salesperson (who keeps turning you AWAY from the mirror) overrides your sense of dignity!

The above paragraph must give you a hint as to what I was doing yesterday. Yes, Suzie and I went shopping. Wrong move. The only thing I should have been even considering would have to be a treadmill or an exercise bicycle. UGH! Thankfully the dollar store saved the day – buying household and art supplies doesn’t make one notice the 15 or so extra pounds on your butt…except if you walk every aisle in the place and get tired faster than usual from lugging around the extra weight. Even then, you can console yourself that this is the beginning of the exercise plan you swore to undertake as you were stuffing yourself with the second helping of turkey and creamy, mashed potatoes, and lots of that delicious gravy, please….Sigh! I wonder what they’ll think when I have to show up at the office in sweatpants?

I have to say that we did have a good time – as Suzie and I always do. We stopped off to see my bro, Bird, where we stayed to chat with him and Fran for a bit, then I dropped Suzie off at home and came back to my bush. I was in bed, safe in the arms of Murphy, by 7:30 PM. Wonderful! I didn’t hear a thing before 3:30 this morning. Murphy had taken his leave by that time, of course, so I made my coffee, booted up Kilroy’s blog, and then followed it by reading on my writers’ site until the sun came up. Yes, the elusive sun!!! Kilroy has been lamenting its absence, so must be very happy this morning?

I have things to do and people to see, so will get to it now. Hoping you all have a great day, and that you are SMILING while enjoying the spectacular scenery provided by Mr. Canadian Winter!

C ya later!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.