What makes me "me"

What makes me "me"
My hood - my peeps - my dog!

if everyone else is blogging why can't I?

So I meet this woman in my town, and turns out she's a blogaholic.

Heyyy says I, you mean you just start a blog, or in her case several blogs and thats all there's to it? Yup, says she, you can share opinions, wax editorial over things that seem important at the time and babble publicly!

Sounds good to me! I have a story to tell, several actually.

So here goes, my first venture to blog on the big www world wide whine!

Tuesday, 26 December 2023

Ola Mexico!

 I am blessed.  My isiter invited me to join her in Mexico for a week, at a 5 star all inclusive resort and Oh But its lovely here! 

I flew from the Vancouver Island to Calgary, then to Puerto Vallarta,.where I’d meet Sister.  The flights were ok, but full, but nothing prepared me for arrival at the airport in Mexico!  We’re talking mega crowded, organized confusion.  After an hour I made it thru security, and hooked up with sis in a bar where I was immediately fleeced by the waiter. Ok, that was a lesson, now I know…lol

 Yeah, cabbed to the resort, and then…the vacation was on!   Wow! wonderful staff, easy check in, but wait….we reserved a room with two queen beds, and there was one California King bed.  We are adaptable, and that bed is huge! So no problemo. Hung up my clothes, and off we go for cervesa. Not sure that was spelled correctly.  Also learned how to spell tequila.  A lot. πŸ˜‹

The food here must compare to a cruise ship…there is a Lot and a massive variety.  Breakfasts were super good.  Fresh fruit, traditional Mexican delights…bliss! There are a selection of restaurants and bars on site, so we could spend a whole day just eating and drinking around the place.  Which we did the first day here.  πŸ˜Ž



An hour at the spa I was as relaxed as a boneless chicken, perfect!  I came here to get rid of some of the past 7 months of stress. So far, so good!

This place has a lot of people.  Many pools, weddings every night, all sorts of people.  There seem to be a lot of Canadians, and so far I've met 8 from Van Island.  Nice folks, amazed on with my capacity for Charo Negro…tequila, lime and coke.  Yummers. 

Flew back on the 24th, on a Dream Liner…very nice comfy flight.  5 hr layover in Calgary ended up with me releasing my inner Santa Mac and entertaining two energetic boys ages 6 and 9 by introducing myself as Mrs Claus.  They were hilarious, their dad visibly relieved that I was entertaining them with stories of doing the elves cooking and picking up their socks.  Lol it was fun. 

We landed  on the island and I got to my car around 1 a.m., so crawled into bed at the b&b I’d reserved by 2.  And Christmas Day?  Found a Timmys that was open, then back to bed…huge wind and rain storm was hitting the island, so I stayed under the covers, watching movies and reading.  And looking at photos of my life with Santa over the past 23 yrs.  Enjoying memories, recalling the moments of wonder with him.  I was so lucky.  And now, well its never going to be the same  

That doesn't mean my life won’t have joy.  It does.  My heart is filled with joy, grateful for what I’ve had.  Do I miss him?  Every moment.  No regrets.  It was a blessed life.  

Being Christmas I have a duty, nay a responsibility to do the season right.  A tree, lights, decorations, some garland.  And Turkey!  Today, I stopped at the local IGA when I got back to town.  A whole bird was out of the question, I mean I've cooked what? 6 meals since Mac passed.  But what to my wondering eyes did appear?  A turkey drumstick!  Kaloo Kalay!  Grabbed a box of turkey dressing, a tin o cranberry sauce, an envelope of gravy….9 brussel sprouts, now we’re cooking! One pan, some chicken broth and 90 minutes later the house was redolent with the aroma of a roasting delicious bird.  And yes, it was delicious! Amazingly, one drumstick, and I had enough for seconds, and there are leftovers for tomorrow πŸ˜‰ Oh Mac would be proud. 

And that my friends is how this old gal spent her first ever Christmas alone for many many years.  It was occasionally tough, mostly joyful and filled with the love of family and friends.  A bit of turkey, some tequila, some tears…I think everything is going to work out okay.  

Until next year, Feliz Navidad, Ano Nuevo! πŸ˜ŽπŸ˜»πŸŽ„πŸŽ‰πŸ’•


Monday, 4 December 2023

End of the Year….

 Now it’s December, full on winter weather on the North Island.  Major winds, waking me at 3 a.m. with the sound of the surf.  A lot of rain.  The winter sideways pounding rain.  But on the upside the temp is above freezing, today it was at least 8C.  Even with threatening clouds.  Heck a nearby village had lightening!  Very odd weather indeed.

I continue  to enjoy my new path, new journey.  I have a new friend, a very nice gentleman, who has proved to be a stellar dinner companion.  We both are dealing with loss of spouse, and are just….lonely.  As I’ve said in the past, Its not the lonely as much as the Alone.  So we have coffee, chat about life, friends and family.  He is a true island dude…logger, mechanic, hunter.  He is not a Habs fan, tends to cheer on the Blackhawks, but that keeps hockey interesting!  

Hows the Dodge Journey?  Well it has a mystery lurch, mystery in that the mechanic I took it to could not find anything amiss.  Said it runs great!  Hope its cured, I’ll take it for a rip and find out.

This weekend Im heading back to Vancouver, to enjoy the Vancouver Men’s Choral group, 120 strong, amazing voices!  Its a chance to glam up, hit the Queen Elizabeth theatre and enjoy time with friends ,

So after consulting my neighbor in a game of “how does this look?” I’m ready to hit the city πŸ₯‚πŸ‘ .  

Then back for a few days before heading to πŸ‘™πŸŒž⛱🌴with my sister!  Ariba!!  Then back again to the Island weather πŸŒ¬πŸŒ§πŸ’¦ And before you know it, the year will be winding up, and I’ll be looking for Robbie Burns and a Haggis!

Its been one hell of a year.  Very stressful, some joy, love and fun.  But deep pain and sorrow losing my darling husband.  Paperwork is being wrapped up as we speak, and I am already imagining 2024 and a road trip to ….who knows? 

So tonight, I am hoping for more than last nights 3 hrs of sleep.  My mind is becoming more settled, peaceful.  Focused? Wellll not so much.  

Hope you all have a peaceful enjoyable December.  πŸŽ„⛄️ Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!