Time & Perspective

  Time passes so quickly that we don't fully comprehend it. Both of my kids are double digits. How did that happen? I've known Heather, Janet and Tom for more than 25 years! Where did that time go? Dad has been gone six years now. Six years. Wow it seems so much longer some days. 

  Perspective is my favorite word. Yet time doesn't seem to fall under that. The week flies by. This winter seems short. Christmas sneaks up on us. Summer goes by too fast. We all understand that.

  Death is the worst by far. Right after someone dies, time stands still. The first few days are much longer than 24 hours. The first few weeks are a daze and last forever. Everything is a "first" so that first year is slowed down with them. Then time takes off at breakneck speed and you blink and six years has passed. Astounding!

  Make the most of your time. Perspective be damned.

  Ang
  

  

Nasty Ivanka

  Yesterday I did something I've never done before...defended Ivanka Trump. I heard she had been asked about her father and his accusers and she said she believed her father. I could understand that. What child would want to believe their parent was capable of that behavior? Then I saw the interview. And I took back my defense.

  They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and in this case they were right. She was dismissive and rude...all with a smile on her face. Mrs. Kushner was smug, just like her father. The desired effect was to belittle the reporter and make him look small. I don't think she succeeded but she sure as hell tried.

  She was travelling as the Presidents representative NOT his daughter. While the daughter should not answer, the government worker must. Even a calm "no comment" would have garnered her sympathy. Smugness...not so much. The fact that she wanted to twist the proverbial knife was a glimpse into who she really is, not who she pretends to be for the cameras.  

  I made a mistake defending her. I won't make that same one twice.

  Ang

  

Hey Google...Stop Talking!

 This morning I was upstairs putting laundry away. The Frankenstein Chronicles...my new Netflix series of choice....was on. Downstairs was quiet except for the sound of the furnace blowing. This house makes a lot of creaks and groans but none could be described as words. Which makes this even stranger.

  Out of the blue I hear the following "Sorry there is nothing playing at the moment". Since I am alone in the house it's very odd. I do recognize the voice however. It's my Goggle Home. Loud and clear she spoke. But wait....the device only responds to commands. So who asked the initial command????  Let me stress again. I'm the only one here. I'm not embarrassed to say it freaked me out just a little. 

  Ironically I did a quick search on Google asking if this was normal. While it's not a regular occurrence, it has been reported. A small glitch in an otherwise excellent device. A weird, frightening one but a glitch none the less. 

  I wonder though what if it wasn't me who was here. What if it was Riley who at eleven is just getting used to being alone in the house while I run out for a few minutes? What would his reaction have been? Or Alex's? Would it have frightened them more? 

  Modern technology is an amazing thing. We can do things that were only science fiction a few short years ago. So much has changed even since I was born. Every year there are new and exciting breakthroughs. Things that are improving our lives. But they are not perfect.

  I'm going back upstairs to finish the laundry now. Just as soon as I unplug my Home!

  Ang

Buy Your Raffle Tickets Here

  An under 9 baseball team in Missouri is having a raffle draw to raise money for their team. The local school principal went so far as to ask the community to buy tickets on her Facebook age. Sounds innocent enough right? All sports teams fund-raise and raffle tickets are an easy sell. So why did this make international news?

  Well this is no ordinary raffle draw. The grand prize is an AR-15.....yup you read that right. Kids in grade three are selling raffle tickets on a rifle. The SAME rifle used in the school shooting in Parkland Florida. Of course you must have a background check done before you can claim your prize. No training. No mental health check. But at least a background check. 

  Does anyone find this strange? A nine year old knocks on your front door and asks you to buy tickets for their sports team....On a gun!!!! Really??!! As a parent I would never allow it. In fact I would yank my kid out of that league so fast everyone's head would spin. Then I would move heaven and earth to get those coaches removed from sports forever. 

  We all have different ways of raising our kids. What one parent will do, ten will do the complete opposite. But surely this is one thing we should all agree is wrong.

  Shouldn't we?

  Ang
  

My New Best Friend

  I used to think I had some of the best friends in the entire world. They were only a phone call away if my car broke down or I couldn't pick up the kids from somewhere. No questions would be asked if I needed a shoulder to cry on or someone to drink a bottle of tequila with. They are there for me 100%. Just as I am there for them. Today I learned my standards are not quite high enough.

  What happened you may ask. What could possibly have changed my mind about ALL of the people I call friend? Well none of them, not a one, would do for me what I saw a true friend admit to doing today. And not just admit to it but insist they would do it again without hesitation. So I'm getting myself a new best friend. 

  My new best, and only, friend from here on out, is none other than Michael Cohen. I mean come on....he is another level of friend than I have ever had. Ever. None of my "so called friends" would pay off a $130 bar tab for me, let alone hush money to a porn star to the tune of $130,000. Boy my standards for friendship are pretty low.

  See that's what Michael Cohen did for his friend Donald Trump. Without being asked. And without telling him after the fact. That's true friendship people. He went out of his way to protect his friend....and client.

   Yup Mr. Cohen is Trump's personal lawyer. But the cash came from his private bank account! I don't know about you but paying someone off while still insisting the whole affair is fake is odd. Add in a nondisclosure agreement and something smells fishy. 

  Donald Trump always wants to be seen as a winner. Well he certainly has won in the friendship race. We should all be so lucky to have a friend like Mike. Talk about undying devotion.


  Ang



  

  

Elite Singles

  I'm sitting here with the boys watching the hockey game and a commercial for Elite Singles keeps coming on. What qualifies you to be "elite"? According to the ad it means you are looking for love with someone who is highly educated. Hmmm does that mean I have to be as well?

  Can someone who barely scraped through high school ever be happy with someone who is a doctor? How about someone in retail and a forensic accountant? Do people with a certain level of education need to be with someone who is their "intellectual equal"? I don't think so. As the old phrase goes....you love who you love.

  I know lots of very smart people. Those who are book smart and others who are street smart. Neither hold the monopoly on happiness. No amount of education will stop a relationship train wreck from happening. 

  A good relationship is based on what we have in common with our significant other. Values, interests, goals. It's imperative  to have similar ideas on money, children, religion and politics. And you must like them. Really like them. If you have most of those then you should be ok. Whether you can speak three languages or quote Shakespeare is irrelevant.

  Find love. Whether it's on line, through friends or at a club. Do yourself a favor though and don't rule anyone out based on superficial things. You never know who your soulmate is. Or what they do for a living. 

  Ang

  

  

I'm Cold

  John is tired of me saying this but.....I want to start spending the long Canadian winters somewhere south. And by south I mean really south. I want tropical breezes and heat. Warm sunshine and open windows. I've seen enough snow and ice to last me a lifetime.

  I'm cold all the time. Right down to my bones. I have yet to find a perfect temperature for the furnace that warms me up. At least not one that doesn't have everyone else opening windows and putting on shorts.

  Those beautiful snowflakes drifting silently down fill me with dread. I know they will pile up and become slippery roads and sidewalks. They will stay around for months and become drifts that blow around endlessly in our harsh winter winds. Just thinking about them saddens me.

  Canada is the best country on earth. We are head and shoulders above the rest. From healthcare, education, economy, standard of living to career opportunities, we shine. But in the weather department well we are sorely lacking. With at least four months of frigidness and another month or two of cold and  wet, it's a challenge. One I'm no longer willing to accept.

  Yes of course you will hear people talk about skiing, snow shoeing, skating and other winter endeavors. All wonderful things. But as I get older I want to walk on the beach and feel the sun on my face more than I want to scrape ice off my car and shovel. 

  I'm going to keep working on John. The kids are in. After all they can be home schooled and still follow the curriculum of their school here. It's win win I think. Now I just need to convince my other half.

  Living in the trailer for five months won't be that bad...will it?

  Ang

New Year Debt

  After the holidays most of us, if not all, struggle with bills. The month of January and most of February is a challenge. Perhaps we went out more often than we should have or bought too pricey of gifts. It doesn't matter how we got here. We are in it now so we need to figure it out.

  How do we do that? Well some things are easy. You eat at home. Watch your movies on Netflix. Take a lunch to work and a travel cup with coffee. Don't buy those shoes or clothes. That can be a big help. But what about the rest? Where do the thousands of dollars come from?

  I wish I knew. There is no easy or painless answer to debt. We make sacrifices. A lot of them, for a long time if necessary. For some it takes years. Others never seem to be able to get out of it. But we all try our best. For a while anyway.

  Living within our means is boring. Most people can't afford to do much. Once the necessities are covered, if there is anything left over you should count your blessings. Many are not so lucky. 

  Happily January is over and February is a short month. We have begun the process of digging out of debt. A few more weeks, or months, of home cooking and badly brewed coffee and we will be seeing a glimmer light at the end of the tunnel. The payoff will come and when we see our debt reducing we can celebrate our success. Modestly but a celebration none the less.

  Mine will be a store bought brew! I make horrible coffee.

  Ang