One Picture, Six Words - Jan 29; Wait

Miriam's idea of 1 & 6 - link here: http://miriamrogers.co.uk/

Blue Velvet

                                        Just Wait, your turn is next

Snap - Seeing Double X 2

Linking in with Helena's Snap;  http://helenascreativemaven.blogspot.ca/

This week my Snap - Four of a kind, I saw while waiting for Mr. Man's eye scans to be done at Toronto Western Hospital's ophthalmology department.  

This is a huge downtown Toronto (Ontario) hospital. There are many patients from many different homelands, so signs are often posted in multi languages.  I have no idea what any of these say, they could all be the same message as there wasn't a similar sign in English.  Oh & yes these walls are painted in the classic bilious hospital green!

I give you Seeing Double Times Two

sign one

sign two

sign three

sign four

Memorandum Monday - January 25th

Linking in with Sian at: http://fromhighinthesky.blogspot.ca/
Sian asks us to share anything new we have done or learnt over the previous week / weekend.

Toronto Skyline (Source)

I haven't been into downtown Toronto in probably 6-7 years & even then it was really at the west end of the city to attend The Royal Winter Fair.  Being of an anxious personality, the largest & rushness of the city was very stressful for me, which in turn made it stressful for Mr Man.  So not only was he worried about his eye but worried about me. I was anxious about the possibility of having me drive us home if surgery was done.   I applied some new breathing techniques I have learnt to aid in reducing anxiety in stressful situations. 

Both the eye & I came through with positive results.  Mr Man's eye showed no further damage & more importantly there seemed to be some tiny improvement shown in the scans, so the decision for further surgery is being delayed. This new to us Doctor says he would try a particular medication before opting for surgery.  A medication we have not been told about before!  Follow up appointment is end of February, which means another trip to the big city.  


 

Toronto Western Hospital - Nassau Street Entrance

To celebrate we went to a new to us restaurant for lunch. 

One Picture, Six Words- Jan 15 - Always

Catching up with Miriam's Six Words; One Picture for Friday January 15th. The word for Jan 15 was Always.

Alan, you will Always be missed

One Picture, Six Words - Jany 22 - BE

Trying Miriam's meme of Six Words One Picture on for size.  

You can find out more here http://miriamrogers.co.uk/  
Miriam has given us a theme for each Friday in 2016, her list is found here: The List

Also you can  check out what these two lovely ladies have both posted for this meme.  Helena and Maggie

This Friday's word is Be.

US of A Storm Watch

Be glad storm is passing by!

Snap - In The 100 Acre Woods

Linking in with the snappy Helena at http://helenascreativemaven.blogspot.ca/

My Snap presentation this week is some of the wintery visitors I have in my garden - the weather being very dull & bitterly cold, the photos were taken from the windows.  On days like these I would much rather be looking out than being in it.  I give you Activity in the 100 acre woods - or close to it.

The fur girls keeping tally of who visits

Sammy making sure fur girls are inside

Charlie chows down

Blue Jay - SO noisy

Memorandum Monday - January 18th

Linking in with Sian at http://fromhighinthesky.blogspot.ca/  Sian's new for 2016 premise for Memorandum Monday is to share something you did over the weekend for the first time, or share  something you learnt that you did not know before.

The learn something new for me wasn't just learning about this over the weekend, but has been a dabble throughout the week.  The research is vast!
 
I have been doing some reading / sourcing information on sugar addiction as I am trying once again, (but for the last time), reducing to eliminating as much sugar as I can in my diet. The worse are the hidden or disguised sugars.   Science & medicine now agree that sugar is an addiction & is even more addictive than cocaine or heroin. WOW! A reason not an excuse.

This searching out information has also lead me to learn about "leaky gut" syndrome, which for years was on the fringe of alternative health care, but in the last 2 days science has backed up the truth about leaky gut, it is a real medical problem.  Another WOW!  I do not believe I have a leaky gut.

Combine that sugar is an addiction, add in stress & day to day living where we are inundated with commercials for all the sugary treats that we think we deserve, it's a hard battle.  I will continue on with the "choice" I make each day to a better me, although truthfully, it will probably be each hour I will have to make mindful better choices. Saturday at Costco, bags & bags of my favourite - Jube Jubes  was difficult in making better choices.  Valentine candy is already on the shelves in the stores - oh Lord have mercy.  Repeat after me, better choices, better choices ...
 

source

Oh & I said I was OK without a specific Word for 2016, but Choice has come to visit me in my thinking & doing, so for now it is a casual relationship  ...I exercised choice while Sunday sorting of scrapping paper.

Snap - 4 Of A Kind - To Do Battle

Linking in with Helena at: http://helenascreativemaven.blogspot.ca/

This week my Snap - 4 Of A Kind are quite representative of  winter & Canada.

For safety purposes (mine), all photos were taken during school hours.  

The first two photos are of 2 forts across from each other &  definitely in territory struggle, there was evidence of a previous fierce battle.   The Solidarity fort was rather close to the sidewalk; I have fears of what constitutes a target from this fort.  The last photo of the fort with snowman guard has obvious signs of a guard dog ... I'll say no more.

 #1 Fort

Across The Street From #1 Fort

Solidarity Fort

Comes With A Guard Of Sorts

Currently

View Of The Farmer's Field Behind Us

DRINKING | more water & trying to be mindful as I do.
EATING | less sugar & less carbs.
EMBRACING | the idea that I don’t have a single word for 2016 to focus on & it’s ok.
ENJOYING | that I don’t have any “have to” to do for the rest of the week.
COOKING | breakfast & dinner almost every day & still trying to keep it fresh & inviting! Oh that price of food!!!!
TRYING | to realign some of my self talk.  I know I do a lot of the negative chatter, but trying to catch myself before it starts.
MISSING | something. I recently mentioned to a friend that I felt like I was wearing a sweater too tight.
FEELING | blessed for health, home, & the family I have created.
LISTENING | to my fur girls purr – it is a sound I love.  I am listening to the quiet rhythms of my home, no radio, no tv.
WATCHING | too much mindless TV & getting few rewards of laughter.
READING | nothing on the night stand again – nothing is grabbing my attention. 
WEARING | more flannel pajamas at night & pants (slacks) in the daytime, as winter truly (finally) arrives in all its bitter coldness.
PLANNING | on a Restorative Yoga (wall yoga) workshop introduction.  Also picking a tree to follow for the year.
WANTING | so much to have a big pizza!
NEEDING | a new & fresh outlook for adventures in 2016.
WISHING | that my lottery group of 3, have the only winning ticket on the next 649 draw.  I also wish health & happiness for everyone.
WAITING | for our dollar to be worth something again. At $0.71 cents on the US dollar, it prevents a lot of online courses happening.
THINKING | I dislike change & I need to accept & move on.  While embracing some changes is a good thing, it doesn’t mean I have to accept all changes. 
ENJOYING | time to scrap, time to sit with my fur girls, time to read magazines (if only I could get a book that grips my interest). 
ENCOURAGING | myself to believe more in my creative side, stopping the thief of comparison.
CELEBRATING | that I have health, time, money & emotional support to move ahead in some new adventures, which scare me.
MARVELING | at how much time I have wasted worrying about THAT SISTER’s opinion!
ANTICIPATING | temptation to sweets; cookies, candies (all of which have been removed from the home).  Sugar detox takes several days/weeks – I’ve been here before (I hope that last time).
CULTIVATING | a few new daily better life/self health practices; vitamins regularly, more water, less carbs, NO sugary treats, better & more sleep, some emotional realignment in my thinking. 

WERE/WHEN: Ontario, CANADA  January 12th 2016
WEATHER: Cold, -11C with a wind chill factor of -20C – a break in the forecasted 15-20cm of snow.
MOOD: a small feeling of being overwhelmed but really trying at optimistic, positive, focused.

Memorandum Monday

Memorandum Monday is Sian's morphed Me On Monday: http://fromhighinthesky.blogspot.ca/

I didn't learn anything new this week, but I did meet some new to me people.  Specifically I met several of the spouses of my co-workers.  Fourteen of us had a lovely Sunday lunch at a local Greek restaurant.  Thankfully we finished just as a howling snow squall came into town - nasty driving conditions, and thankfully everyone made it home safely.

We were seated by the big picture window at the back

Mr Man says they make a good Lamb Souvlaki

Snap - Four Of A Kind (?)

Linking in with Helena at: http://helenascreativemaven.blogspot.ca/
The new theme of Snap - 4 of a kind. I do hope this is what Helena had in mind for the change up this year ... I've never played Snap.  So Helena if I've got this wrong, I apologize - I'll do better next week.   So here's my tale of 4 of a kind ... Christmas trees.


The Start - growing & nurtured at the farm.  From seedlings to trees.

Growing Big & Strong - on display for choice.

Chosen & Decorated - to be viewed & admired.

The End - Discarded - tossed out just days after.  New life as mulch about to begin.

Me On Monday - January 4th

Linking in with Sian  & the other Monday Ladies at:
http://fromhighinthesky.blogspot.ca/

This Monday sees me taking one more day away from the clinic as I continue cat sitting for a few more days.  I am still in the process of putting Christmas away - it was glorious but I am done with it now.

 

From Simple Things - Source

 

Church Of Our Lady - Photo From Inside Warm Car

Saturday was a day filled with the odd feeling, "what day is it again?"  this happens to us when we have that open schedule, days blur.  We filled Saturday with exploring adventures in search of photos for the Winter Photo Scavenger Hunt & upcoming Pairs.  

 

Grey Squirrel Guarding Home Entrance

Sunday we used one of our Christmas gifts, tickets to a hockey game between the Guelph Storm & Kitchener Rangers.  This league is the OHL (Ontario Hockey League, just one below the National Hockey League (NHL)). It has been MANY years since I sat in a hockey arena to watch a game - all my brothers played hockey at one time or another.  Mr Man was once a Leafs fan but he gave up all hope a few years back.  This adventure is not only a Christmas Gift, but part of the Winter Manifesto.   I cheer for the home team, Guelph Storm, Mr Man roots for Kitchener Rangers.  The Storm won 7-3!
 

The Storm & Rangers warm up at the Sleeman Centre

And of course Sunday night saw the start of the final season of Downton Abbey - I can endure all as I know Edith's happy ending ever after - thank you Julian; did you know that he & I celebrate our birthdays on the same day?

 

I am looking forward to the end of the 12 days of one mincemeat tart a day, making a wish on the first bite for good luck in 2016.  The photo shows a selection of my tiny tartlets, some with lids, some without, some with a little pasty flowers (blob knob) & some become zippers. 

 There is a return to better eating habits & getting in my 10,000 steps a day.  Sweets are all gone (except the final mincemeat tarts) from the house & I am preparing for the sugar withdrawal symptoms - stocked up on fresh fruit & veg.  

Source

I am noting that the amount of daylight is increasing ever so slightly & remembering that spring surely follows every winter, no matter how cold the winter is.

My Month In Numbers - December 2015

My Month In Numbers is the creation of Julie & you can link in with her & other number minders here:http://notesonpaper.blogspot.ca/

Kilometers Driven: 398, these were mostly running errands & shopping

Steps Taken:  296,583   I was short on my goal of 310,000 for the month, no excuses other than Christmas & its busyness

Cat Sitting Days : 9 days (so far) of  am & pm feedings for two cats that are both on special diets & require medications.  I finish on Jan 6th's dinner feed.

Gifts Given:  8 to friends & co-workers; I gave Mr Man 7

Gifts Received: 3 from friends; from Mr Man I received 6

Times We Cleared The Driveway:1 with snow blower, 1 hand shovelling.

Dinners Made At Home: 28

Movies Seen Out: 1 - Star Wars, The Force Awakens

December "Daily" Pages Created: 15 - & of those I have re-done 4 & still really liking only 6 pages

Christmas Cards Sent: 45, 4 to the US of A, one overseas to Britain

New Years Cards Sent: 2

Mincemeat Tarts Eaten: 7 so far, have to eat one a day for the 12 Days of Christmas for Good Luck

WAY TOO MANY CALORIES CONSUMED

Number of New Year's Resolutions  Made: 0 (of course this may change)!!