Good morning from a cold and mostly sunny Nova Scotia. I could see the half moon through the window of my bedroom waxing low in the Western skies, clear as a bell, and I marveled at the thought of those astronauts travelling around it in space at the moment.
Funny thing is that the first time astronauts went to the moon, I was 14 years old and living not a stone's throw from where I am now. It is like a full-circle moment. I can remember looking up at the moon at that time and being in awe of the wonder of it all. The grainy black and white film on our television of Neil Armstrong bouncing across the dusty surface of the moon was so utterly, utterly, amazing to watch.
The thought of it all still overwhelms me with awe and amazement.
I had put a stale hot cross bun on the railing out front for the birds at the end of last week. One which I had purchased from the shops. (They were not very good to be honest.) It is still sitting there. I must grab it today and fire it into the compost bin.
I don't know what it is about the birds around here. I literally have none. A few jays that come to grab peanuts when I put them out, but that's about it. I have had a hanging feeder out front filled with what was supposed to be high quality birdseed since Eileen came to stay and all I have seen is one lone junco during the snow storms we had. Nothing else has visited. I find that very odd.
Yesterday when I went out to Cindy's to get dad his lunch (Cindy was away) the air surrounding her place was a cacophony of birdsong. I stood for a few minutes just listening to it. So beautiful.
I miss my back hedgerow in England filled with sparrows and robins. I pretty much miss everything in England. I was telling Eileen last night that I wish I could live there but have all of my family with me, I miss it so very much. But you can't have both, and so I choose family.
But I do miss it. I suppose it is only natural. It was my home for so very long. But over there, I missed my family. Here is where I need to be. I love it here as well.
Every time we drive past a certain spot in town I point out to Eileen that there is her new apartment, being all going well. It really is an ideal location for her. She will be able to walk everywhere she wants to go, including church. The grocery store is a stone's throw away. The park. Tim Hortons. The bank. Downtown. Church. It really is ideal. We are still waiting to find out. I know she has her heart set on it. I truly hope it works out for her and that she is not disappointed.
It is right next to the old Train museum, and is a fairly quiet location. The laundromat is just across the street.
I hope that she is able to settle well and to be happy. I can see that I will have to do a lot towards helping her get set up. I will probably sort out a store cupboard of sorts for her, with basics like flour, sugar, etc. in it. And some basic tinned goods, and other things that a person needs in a store cupboard. She is amenable to me helping her to make up menus and grocery lists. It is going to take some very strict planning to keep her fed. I can, of course, subsidize her, but when I am gone there will be nobody to help her in that way, so it is important that she is able to do it by herself.
I could see all kinds of green shoots pushing themselves up through the ground at Cindy's yesterday. I do see a few out front here, but there are not a lot of bulbs that grow in front of my place. In fact none. I have a bleeding heart, some ditch lilies that come much later in the year, a couple of Hosta. That's it basically. I really should probably have the whole thing emptied and begin again. If I had the money, I would have everything pulled and cover it in gravel with only a few large pots to hold annuals. Maybe a large standing bird bath. That's it. Low maintenance. At this stage in life I crave nothing that requires a lot of work. I am not being lazy when I say that, just realistic.
I am often asked how can I be so cheerful most of the time. I am not cheerful all of the time. I have some moments when I feel very low, but one thing which I have learned in life is that dwelling on our sad moments, mistakes, sorrows, etc. does not serve us well. We can vow to do better and move forward. We can ask for forgiveness and then move on. We can forgive . . . and then move on. Every time we choose to hang onto some which does not serve us well, it is like putting a huge stone into our backpacks of life. Before too long our backpack will be full and too heavy to carry. Perhaps even so full that we cannot move forward at all. You cannot change the past. The future is not here yet. All we have control of really is the here and the now. And, in all truth, that is a limited control. Things will still happen that are out of our control. We will still be disappointed in people and things. We will still be hurt by people and circumstances. It does no good to dwell on the negative. I prefer instead to cling to the positive and the things in life I do and can control. If that makes me a happy person, then I am a happy person. I put my trust in the strong arm of the Lord. That makes a huge difference. I hand all of my rocks over to Him. I do not know how to explain how it works. I cannot put it into words. But He is real to me and it makes a difference. A difference in how I see life. A difference in how I live my life. A difference in what I hope for in life.
Little things often get overlooked and forgotten. People might be tempted to think that little things don't really count or matter, but consider this . . .
Everything is composed of molecules, which cannot be seen with the naked eye. Two molecules rubbing together can cause an atomic bomb to explode or heat a country . . .
A pen and a scrap of paper is all it takes to sign a Peace Treaty. A slim gold band seals a marriage . . . A tender kiss . . . says I love you . . .
Yes, little things do mean a lot . . .
and the best things do
come in small packages!
I don't have a lot on my agenda for today. I have my cleaners coming later this morning. Usually they come on Tuesday but I was unsure as to whether I was going to have to go with my sister to her eye appointment or not yesterday so I put them off until today. I have plans to gather all of my tax stuff together and pop it into my file folder to give to the tax man. Then I will maybe get started on my talk for later this month, and it being Wednesday we will probably meet up with Dad at the restaurant for supper. Eileen really looks forward to that. She has one of her CSS appointments today. I think they are doing something at the community college. She mentioned a film for the People's First group. Whatever happens today will get spent in one way or the other.
My weather thingie says it will be a mostly sunny but coolish day. Not freezing but cool. I can handle that.
A thought to carry with you . . .
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˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
what you stand for, and what you won't.
