Good bye 2012...Hellooooo 2013

I hope everyone had a fantabulous Christmas. I have to say it was a very quiet one for me, but that’s ok. This was the year that my kids had Christmas dinner with their extended families. The next day we all got together at my oldest daughters place for our “traditional” Christmas dinner. It was a wonderful day filled with laughter, fun and excitement. The hour and a half ride home was rather hazardous since the first major storm descended on Southern Ontario about 30 minutes before we left, but we arrived home safely. I had a chance to meet up with a very old and dear friend and her hubby during the holidays. It’s always wonderful to see them and it certainly did my heart good to feel the warm hugs. We had a good time talking about old and new times over coffee at a local coffee shop and hopefully if all goes well with my job I’ll be able to save enough money to visit her this coming summer.

It’s hard to believe that 2012 is coming to an end. Where on earth has the time gone? This was certainly a year that I’ll be glad to see go. It was rather an emotional rollercoaster for me, but as I always like to say “I am woman, hear me roar”. It’s also true that what doesn’t kill you (emotional wise) makes you stronger! I have pulled up my big girl panties, made some major AND minor adjustments and continued on. I was going to post my triumphs and failures over the course of this year, but I changed my mind and decided instead to focus on the bigger picture I have begun to draw.

So as the New Year approaches I'm thinking of ditching the Resolutions and paying it forward. This idea has been circulating within my circle and I’m really thinking of doing this.

Choose a person in your life you want to help make a difference - a friend, colleague, family, partner, neighbor etc and do something every day of 2013 to show them you care... small gestures of kindness and thoughtfulness.

Send an email or a text, actually mail a card, whatever you think would make this person smile :-) and know you are thinking about them. This way someone important to you will have 365 memories (on New Year's Day of next year) of how you made them smile every day for 2013!

What do you think?

Have a wonderful and safe New Year everyone,

 and as Oprah Winfrey said….

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.

 

 

My Thursday Thoughts

There comes a time in one’s life where they have to say goodbye to things they thought would be around for a long time. It’s not always easy to say good bye to familiar things, but in this case I will make an exception. Over the last few months this trusty companion has offered me the warmth and comfort I so desperately needed. Yes…it’s time to say goodbye, as the old saying goes, “out with the old and in with the new”. If I’m to be honest, I could see it happening. I began to hear certain things that led me to believe it’s time in my life was coming to an end. I really didn't want to believe the things I was seeing and hearing but its hard not to when the grumbling and groaning grew more each day. There were times I was awakened in the dead of the night to its cold and frosty temperament. The straw that broke the camel’s back happened just a few days ago. I tried to adjust my level of comfort when I was met with pure resistance. Now I’m usually pretty easy to get along with but when it refused to give in to my desires I figured it was time to kick it’s ass to the curb so to speak. My warmth and comfort will now be taken over by a brand new and more efficient furnace. There will be warmth and comfort in my home once again!

Only 11 more days until Christmas and as always I am as excited as any child. I really do love the holiday season and with the entire gift buying out of the way and everything wrapped I really am enjoying the Christmas count down. I was out at the mall the other day and couldn't help but to smile as I watched all the kids lined up to see Santa. Some were screaming bloody murder as the jolly red man sat helplessly holding tight to the squirming child as mom and dad had the traumatic experienced captured in a photo. Other children sat eagerly on his lap and you could see the amazement in their eyes as they told him what they wanted for Christmas. As I continued on my merry way I could see a few not so jolly faces and to those I did say Merry Christmas.  That reminds me, I saw a Face Book sign that I find very true and to me it’s the least offending sign to date with regards to the different religions and cultures in the world

I have a Christmas tree in my home - not a Holiday tree

My family is getting Christmas gifts – not Holiday gifts

We will be eating Christmas dinner – not a Holiday dinner

I will attend Christmas parties – not Holiday parties

I will wish you a Merry Christmas – not Happy Holidays

If you want to have a Happy Hanukkah, then by all means I will wish you the very best one ever

If you want to have a Blessed Kwanzaa, then please enjoy it to the fullest

All I ask is that you respect my beliefs as I respect yours!

Tis the Season

Well the holiday season is now upon us in all its festive glory. I pretty much have everything done except for a few gifts. This is the first time in years that I can honestly say that. Usually I’m one of the ones that tend to wait until the last minute, but not this year. Many things have changed for me over the last year and the main one being that I have taken stock in the different areas of my life. I have burned bridges, walked away from certain people and things and twice I have had to hold my head up high with as much dignity as I could muster and now with the help of some real friends I have begun to focus on the new and improved me. My one job came to an end since I was just covering for a maternity leave, but another door opened for me and I walked through it. I not only changed my life focus, but I have also changed my work focus as well. I’m entering into a whole different area and with the encouragement of my friends and family I know I will succeed. The only thing I was not too keen on was I had to sign a paper to say that I would consent to having a “family work photo” taken. This business has a staff of 9, but is very family oriented. It’s a huge change from my previous employer, but a very good change too! Anyone who knows me knows I hate my picture being taken and hells bells, this one will appear in one of our local advertising papers. I’m not sure if I am eagerly awaiting this photo to be printed or dreading it, oh well, I guess with new beginnings there are many new things to overcome, but as I always quote “I am woman hear me roar”.

Now, I am one that does not like to have attention focused on me, but low and behold I was given a surprise party for my Birthday, well it was a few days before my birthday but I knew deep down this was going to happen, and even had a few clues that I was not supposed to have, but in the spirit of their hard work I smiled and looked surprised when I entered the house to the dreaded word being yelled out “SURPRISE!!!!” All in all it turned out very well and we had some good laughs, a few tears and lots of memories. I did warn each and every one of the culprits that pay backs are a real b***h and to remember that when they least expect it… I will be standing on the sidelines with an innocent smile as they reap the benefits of my warning… (cue the halo picture).

I am slowly working on my regrets and accomplishments for the year of 2012 and will be posting this soon. I hope everyone is either in the festive season or beginning to be. Until next time my fellow bloggers. Have fun, stay safe and live, laugh, love!