My latest LinkedIn post. #truestory #wordstoliveby The key to success is having no qualms about failure! (Read that again. Let it sink in.) |
Friday, April 19, 2024
Q IS FOR QUALMS
Thursday, April 18, 2024
P IS FOR PAINFUL
In the Yukon, doing what he loved to do most. I will miss you always xoxo TAKEN: MAY 2008 |
It has been a painful week for me, as yesterday was the second anniversary of the unexpected death of my closet friend and confidant; Brian 'Smartie' Smart.
I can't believe it has been two whole years since I have heard his voice.
I swear he crosses my mind every single Thursday afternoon when my phone doesn't ring. As my eyes fill with tears as I type, I can attest that our friendship was one that neither of us ever took for granted.
Being his friend was always a constant reminder of what unconditional support looked and sounded like. So much so that we never missed an opportunity to say 'I love you', and have the other automatically reciprocate with an genuine, 'I love you too...'
So much so, that I believe the void of him leaving me will never be filled, as I don't believe I will have another friendship like ours in this lifetime.
I miss you Smartie. No matter the pain, I am grateful every single day we had together.
The laughs, the love, the razor shape wit, even the fears and tears that were both shared and shed.
Until we meet again....
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
O IS FOR OBSERVATION
Goob and his Mama embracing their personalities!! TAKEN: JANUARY 2007 |
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
N IS FOR NOTABLE
Monday, April 15, 2024
M IS FOR MATES
Just LOOK at these friends of mine... TAKEN: AUGUST 11th, 2024 |
When I hit record, I began by talking in a proud and convincing voice, stating: “I’d like to
challenge each and everyone of you, that believe I don’t have any friends….
Just look at these friends of myyyne!”
Saturday, April 13, 2024
L IS FOR LIMESTONE
Yesterday, we hopped the jitney and headed downtown with the express interest of touring the Queen's Staircase.
These amazing sixty six steps are a major landmark here.
Historians tell us they were hand-carved by roughly 600 slaves, who used pick axes and hand tools to cut their way through solid limestone. The entire staircase took over 16 years to complete.
It was only decades later that the impressive staircase was then named in honour of the over 60-year reign of Queen Victoria, “who had signed a declaration to abolish slavery on her ascension to the throne in 1837.”
We also toured Fort Fincastle, to which the staircase provided the escape route.
Constructed in 1793 from cut limestone, protected the harbour from pirates. The original cannons (3-30lb and 2-20 lb) though rusted from the salt air, are still onsite. We really enjoyed the heritage and history of our visit.
From the center of town and back, we feel those more than twelve thousand steps were very well spent.
The magnitude of what took all those years and 600 slaves to carve, is eerily present when you walk around the bottom of the limestone chasm. TAKEN: APRIL 12th, 2024 |
Friday, April 12, 2024
K IS FOR KEEN
No one around. and nothing but the sound of the waves (and each other) to keep us company. TAKEN: APRIL 11th, 2024 |
I'm not exactly sure how my travel buddy hubby and I got so obsessed with adventure, but I remember the day when we opened a savings account specifically to fund our travels. It was in the late fall of 2011.
The first couple of years we travelled in mid winter, then we discovered if we traveled in late November and early April, we could get two passport stamps for the price of one in February. Then, I discovered the holy grail of travel called Black Friday, and our long weekend mid-winter getaway was added to our line up.
Aside from the first couple of trips I booked with an agent, I don't think I have ever paid full price since I took over the task.
The jaunt we are on now had me book our round trip airfare on December 29th, 2023 for a sneeze over $300 each. The house we are renting had just gone on the market, so I knew we would be one of the first tenants to stay. I don't believe we will be able to travel here for the reduced dollar value I paid, ever again.
Always keen for the deals I find, my husband simply goes with the flow. With my work life as hectic as it is, I knew that this go round was going to be about peace and quiet for me. When you look at the photo I am sharing, you can see I am getting exactly that. Aside from that private island off in the distance, there is no one around but us.
So, to be fair to the quiet my husband has had to endure, today we are going to head to the curb, grab the jitney for a $1.25, and head into town for lunch. That said, it will be interesting where we land for grub.
I just checked the port schedule and there are a Carnival, MSC and Norwegian cruise ships at the dock.
Meaning only us, and over 12,000 other peeps looking to get conch fritters.
The one thing I do know?
None of them peeps are coming back to the house for a cold been after lunch!
Thursday, April 11, 2024
J IS FOR JOY
Well, it’s that time of year again.
When after months of waiting, I arrive at my destination of choice to celebrate another trip around the sun.
This year has me nicely perched next to the ocean, in a luxury home we've rented, in the Bahamas.
Once again, I packed a #petrocanada glass so I could watch the sunset ...and have a drink with my Dad. TAKEN: APRIL 10th, 2024 |
Yesterday was an OK travel day. The airports are always hectic but we have learned to navigate them with a ton of off the cuff comedy and a boatload of patience. Afterall, I know where I am going to land, and I realize that in itself is a privilege most never get to experience.
As our taxi zipped along the highway next to the beautiful blue green ocean, I felt myself become overwhelmed with emotion. I found myself fighting back tears. Tears of joy.
Joy that we can afford to travel as we do, and joy at the best life I have been obviously blessed to be living.
In a nutshell, I will leave you with this. Life is short people. When in doubt, please always refer to Rhondi Rule #779:
Make sure you don't celebrate your 75th birthday.... by living the same year 75 times!
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
I IS FOR ICED
A little something concealed in my Christmas gift. She got me! TAKEN: DECEMBER 22nd, 2023 |
As I type, I am sitting comfortably in a fourth row window seat on West Jet flight WS 2520. Next stop, a safe touchdown at Lynden Pindling International Airport, The Bahamas.
Yep, it's that time of year again when I hop a place to celebrate my next trip around the sun. Because I am always away this week, I have always tried to pick my flight day word to the daily corresponding letter ahead of time, so that I can write in transit and not worry about getting blocked.
From what I can gather, the internet craze of getting "iced" took hold around 2010. Actually, I remember a coworker that was my age (at my previous play of employ) telling me her kids use to ice her all the time. She'd find those suckers every where - and never didn't she fold and not drop.
For those of you that don't know, getting "iced" is what it's called when you unexpectedly find a bottle of Smirnoff Ice that someone else has left for you. Once found, the challenge is to immediately take a knee and drink the content of the bottle - STAT. This past Christmas was the first time it had happened to me.
As I have written here before, I am the old gray mare headed to the glue factory in the Google culture workplace that surrounds me. Makes no matter to me, I love the youthful camaraderie that swirls around the office a warp speed.
The one young gal that I work closest with has such amazing stories to tell of how she and her sisters have always taken great pride in successfully concealing the jolt and happily watching the other (or others in one instance) drop, kneel, and drink that I began to realize what a craze it truly is.
All the stories came flooding back as I popped the top and snapped this pic. The one thing I didn't do on that fateful day was take a knee.
Afterall, that last thing this old hack wanted to do was throw out her back a couple of days before Christmas!
#yagottalaughaboutit
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Monday, April 8, 2024
G IS FOR GESTURE
Give me a minute.... I want to tell you how I really feel! TAKEN: APRIL 8th, 2022 |
Saturday, April 6, 2024
F IS FOR FORTUNATE
Just a couple of life long friends catching up while unconditionally supporting each other. TAKEN: AUGUST 11th, 2016 |
I have been fortunate to be surrounded by amazing friendships my entire life.
The truth is, I can count the number of those wonderful peeps on two hands (with the help of a few of my toes). I suppose I relate to each and every one of those people by referencing the simple saying that, 'good friends are hard to find... and impossible to forget.'
The friendship I am sharing today started in the early throws of high school. I was a year older, and he was one of the most genuine and comedic people I had ever met. From that initial introduction, I simply wanted to get to know him better and spend more time with him. Just like yours truly, my parents loved absolutely everything about him.
He left our small town for university and never came back. I stayed, and I am still here. Yet, thanks to the evolution of the internet, I see him and hear his voice almost every single day.
The photo I am sharing was him stopping into my place of work to bring me lunch and catch up. He was on a solo cross Canada/US motorcycle tour that spanned more than fifteen thousand kilometers. It was the last time we've seen each other face to face outside of social media.
He was back to see his parents this past Christmas, and though my path of reconnection was paved with good intentions, I sat at my desk and worked on an eight million dollar construction estimate. Before I knew it, he was back on a jet plane and home again.
I expressed to my husband how disappointed I was that our window of time to visit had closed and he'd already left. My husband had a great suggestion.
He thinks we should simply hop a plane and show up unannounced at his post retirement storefront on Vancouver Island. Lord knows we'd know when he'd be there.
....Fortunately, we have his regular Facebook posts to thank for that!
Friday, April 5, 2024
E IS FOR EPIPHANY
Me, dealing with a terrible situation after my hairdresser unexpectedly turned me into a blonde! (I just keep on keepin' on!.) TAKEN: MAY 25th, 2023 |
Rise above the bullshit.
Flick your light back on.
Shine it brighter than ever.
Fall so deeply in love with your own life
that anyone who tried to wrong you
becomes a laughable,
ridiculous, distant, memory.
~ Unknown
My epiphany last spring was to finally stop giving others more latitude than they could ever be granted by others on a good day.
Instead of focusing on the colour I was dealt, I fired my hairdresser.
...And it felt really good!
Thursday, April 4, 2024
D IS FOR DISCOMBOBULATED
Well, it is day four of the challenge and I am already behind the eight ball. A tad discombobulated if you catch my drift. It’s not that I have writers block, as that usually happens around the letter O.
With this being my eleventh
attempt at this marathon, the same thing happens every year. I think I am far
more organized than I really am, then in preparation to jump on a jet plane for my birthday trip, work trumps A-Z every time.
That said, what a difference a year makes. Aside from
sucking the hind tit on the challenge, my work life balance is amazing. I love
my job and am looking forward to the adventures I have planned for 2024.
The honest truth is that some days I just have more drive than others. There have been several times in the last decade where I have been a tad overwhelmed and wondered if this was the end of the challenging writing road for me.
If you’re stopping by for the first time, I am pleased to report that today isn’t that day!
As far as the word I selected for the letter D. Due to what
I have on my plate, I may be emotionally confused or uncertain that I will stay
on track for the challenge....
But say my word of the day three times fast. How fun was that ???
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
C IS FOR COMPANIONS
Then, once my husband and I married he explained how he'd always had a dog. To his credit, he did entertain a cat or two until he refused to getting a third. Instead, when I was getting ready to go off on maternity leave with Jukebox, we decided to get out first dog.
The methodology behind the decision was that I would be off work for sixteen weeks and I could house train a dog and change diapers as part of my daily routine. Well, my son slept through the night after three weeks, and I got up with the dog to take a leak in the night for almost six months!
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
B IS FOR BANANA
An interesting vantage point of the inseparable Oreo Gang! Maya and Katie on the left and Annie riding solo on the right. TAKEN (left) March 2024 and (right) June 2020 |
Like a lot of people my age, from Monday to Friday I eat a banana in the morning.
Because I work from my home office everyday except Monday, as you can see in the photo on the left, the other four days I am expected to share my excellent source of potassium with my pups.
Monday, April 1, 2024
A IS FOR ADVENTURE
Today marks the start of my eleventh April A-Z Challenge.
Whether you're a regular reader or not, I can assure you that this month in particular always turns into a bit of a roller coaster ride for me. You know, a real writing adventure per se!
My buddy Dusty and I having a sunny winter snowbank adventure of our own. TAKEN: EARLY 1980's (photo credit to my late mom) |
From a very young age, I have always embraced writing. As I look back, I believe that part of me feels it was understanding the stages of the creative process itself that had me smitten from the start.
The thought preparation, development, cultivation, the editing, and finally the implementation. With my implementation now being when I hit my website publish button - not flipping the page of my lined scratch pad.
Then, when my kids left the nest, on that fateful night in October 2011, I registered for Blogger and the rest is history.
Writing for me is like the game of golf. Just because I like doing it, doesn't mean I am any good at it.
I read somewhere that adventure starts by standing still. In my case, for the last ten Aprils, adventure has always started with a blank page and the letter A.
Wish me luck - I am going to need it!!
Sunday, April 30, 2023
Friday, April 28, 2023
X IS FOR X-PLORING
Thursday, April 27, 2023
W IS FOR WOMEN
March 8th was when we celebrated this year! Cartoon (c) maxine.com |
In recognition of International Women's Day, I posted this to my personal Facebook page this year with a song link (which I have added to my post at the bottom):
In celebration of International Woman's Day I am sharing a song that has carried me though a male dominated sector, to which I believe I belong. Truthfully, I've seen it all as a mature woman in Muskoka construction.
I've been told what to wear, coached on how to manage men that should have been let go, and had my intelligence diminished by bullies that hated the outgoing personality of an well versed woman.
Most importantly, for being unconditionally loyal, I was totally gaslighted as the internal political climate changed.
The point of my story is I have never given up - and I am really very proud of that.
PS: If you truly know me and you've read this far.... AND you've listened to the tune I am sharing; you know who was on the other side of this exit interview!