Month: February 2024

Experiencing Christmas

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Welcome to my blog. If you are new, I’d love to hear how you found my blog. Did you stumble upon it, or was it an intentional visit? I’d love to know whose reading or if I’m just mumbling out into space these days. I know we are in February and Valentine’s was just yesterday but you see, January was a write off for me as I had a bad ski accident at the end of December. Recently, I shared the experience with my writing group and thought, gee, maybe my blog friends and family would like to hear the story too. So without further ado, here is the story I wrote about our Christmas 2023 experience. At the end of this blog post, I will include the video I just made sharing snippets from our memorable ski holiday.

Grab a cup of coffee, tea or hot cocoa and I’ll tell you all about my recent holiday experience.

After taking down our 2022 Christmas tree, (yes, this all started over a year ago) and our older kids returned to their respective homes, I started contemplating how I wanted our next Christmas to look. After thirty years of buying all the gifts, wrapping them, decorating the house, baking dozens of cookies, and cooking the turkey with all the trimmings, I was tired. I wanted something different. Also, I wanted our family to be mindful of our environment and do better. I didn’t want Christmas to come in an Amazon box any longer.  It was time for a change.

But as things happen, life took hold and Spring came and then summer. By the time the kids were heading back to school in the fall of 2023, I started seriously thinking about my intention for a different upcoming holiday. David and I had always dreamed of having a vacation home up at our nearby ski hill, Silver Star. But, with raising eight kids, it seemed like  just a dream. We were able to afford to teach them to ski, and even took them on several ski holidays over the years, but we’d never gone away for Christmas.. I started running the budget numbers in my head and one day I went into David’s office and presented my idea. What if we rented a home up at Silver Star and took the kids skiing instead of buying   gifts. I could tell he loved the idea when his eyes lit up and he leaned back in his office chair with a big smile on his face. After that, planning our Christmas ski holiday fell into place easily. .  

 Fast forward, here I am, gloriously flying on my silver Blizzard skis with the optic snowflakes etched on top. Snow capped evergreens blur in my peripheral vision, as I zip along the Aberdeen ski way. I’m heading to our last run of the day in the Silver Woods area. Around another corner and across a slight slope, I spy my husband David waiting at the top of the run. When I’m only a few feet away from him,  I turn quickly, allowing my ski edge to dig deeply into the snow, which sends a mini blast of white powder into the side of his black outfit.. Momentarily, he looks like a snow wizard, who smiles approvingly at me as if to say,  “you got me.” We both laugh.

I scan the run below us. Cloud Nine, is an intermediate blue run, with a few moguls thrown in here and there. Considering it’s Christmas time, this part of the mountain has been relatively quiet, with only a few skiers sharing the runs with us. We’ve been able to ski onto the lift without any wait all day. .A little way down and to the side of the run, I see our daughter Grace and son Harrison chatting, with snowy green sentinels, eavesdropping behind them. I click the picture, and tuck it into my mind’s album. On this last day of our ski holiday everyone has gone off on their own. Our oldest son Clark is skiing with his fiance Jessica, Our fourteen year old son Will is with his snowboarding friend Miller and our twelve year old twin daughters, Victoria and Kathryn, are skiing the back side with their best friend, Molly. 

Everyone’s agreed it’s been the BEST holiday ever. We’ve been hitting the slopes every day. When we aren’t skiing, we’ve been soaking in the hot tub, or gathering around the large kitchen table, chatting and snacking, on an array of crackers, meats, cheeses, and endless plates of brightly decorated Christmas cookies. The younger kids have been dancing to the 2024 Nintendo, “Just Dance” video game, they got for Christmas. and if they aren’t dancing, Victoria’s been in front of the T.V. belting out tunes, on her new karaoke microphone and challenging everyone to join her.  If I hear the song “Last Christmas,” by Wham, one more time, I may scream, but in a good way. While the younger kids have gone off in the evening to TubeTown, Clark and Jess have been huddled over the 1000 piece puzzle they found in our Air B and B, game pile. They work well together, he picking out and placing the coloured pieces in various piles and her putting the puzzle together. We’re all excited about their wedding next summer. 

 

Back on the mountain and present time, I start to move my skis. I yell back at David, I’ll take the lead,” I push off and pass Harrison and Grace. I point one of my poles downhill, motioning for them to follow. It’s late in the day. It must be around 3 pm. Everything is starting to be peacefully muffled but the wind is picking up and it’s growing colder on this east facing side of the mountain. I’m thankful for my new goggles, which shut out a lot of the wind but don’t improve the worsening white out conditions. A crust is starting to form on the top of the snow and I’m needing to dig my edge into the hillside more aggressively, in order to turn well but inside I’m singing, “Best Run Ever, Best Run Ever,” while planting my poles and turning to that beat. Looking up I wonder if we’ll finally get some snow tonight since the heavy clouds are closing down above me and that’s when I spot the black crow again. We’d seen him flying while riding up on our last chair lift.  Gracie had said something about him being a harbinger of something. What did she say? A harbinger of what?

Out of nowhere four hot shot skiers fly by me, their knees bump up easily to their chest while they dip in and out of the grooves in the moguls. I think to myself,” keep up, keep up, Lee. You’ve been skiing for years, before they were even born.” I watch them fly straight down the last of the run and soar on to the ski way below me. With that “Best Run Ever,” song playing through my mind, I follow them. Only the flat white, prevents me from seeing the trough at the bottom of the run, which I hit way too fast. It propels me up into the air with such force that I have no time to think, except, in the seconds before I crash onto the icy ski way, I see the image of that black crow again. Then I hit the ground.

I land on my back, a bit to my left side and hear a crack before almost losing consciousness, but I hold on  because out of the darkness, I sense a person has skied close to me. “Are you okay,” a man’s voice floats down to me, from far away. Somewhere deep inside, I know I need to try to move and so, even though my legs are bent awkwardly back, I lift them slightly. Pain rips through my back but I know I’m not paralyzed.  Thank God. “I think I’m okay,” I answer from my throat, not wanting to take a breath. When he sees me start to move I think he must have thought I was okay and he slowly skies off.  I relax, not having to stay strong in front of a stranger. Where is David? I start to assess my condition. I slowly move again and knife-like pain floods my back. Don’t move, don’t move I think. Then I take a breath and then sharp, stabbing pain fills my chest, making me want to vomit. Shallow breath, shallow breath, Lee. Where is David? Finally, what feels like eons, David, Grace and Harrison arrive T on scene and I know,  somehow I’ll get off this mountain.

Later that night, in our cozy Air B and B bedroom, with Advil and Tylenol pumping through my body, I’m thinking about my stupid accident and the black crow again. He was, a harbinger of something. He was trying to tell me to be careful. To listen from within and not allow my ego to get in the way. It’s been a wonderful Christmas. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss any of it.  Even the pain. Isn’t it when we experience pain, we learn the most? So in a few days, when we ring in the New Year and in the upcoming months to follow, I think I will still be singing my Best Run Ever song, but I’ll be watching for crows.  

The End

I want to thank you for coming to my blog today and reading about my recent experience. Looking back it was such a magical holiday in so many ways. The picture above was captured as we were leaving our ski rental. Even though I was heavily drugged with Tylenol and Advil, I wanted to remember even this moment for isn’t it when we have the perspective of the highs and lows, when we see life clearly? It puts everything into a chiseled focus for me. Family and Friends are everything. Taking care of the earth is everything. When we spent most of our holiday outside skiing (during a holiday when our ski hills snow pack was at historically low levels) I realized how much the earth nurtures my soul. I need it. I think we all need it. As 2024 unfolds for you, I pray for peace in the world but also hope you find what you need on your path.

And before my final goodbye, here is the link to the YouTube video I did sharing our Christmas 2023 moments. Enjoy!

Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.

And keep your eyes out for crows!

Blessings from Hope

What Would Love Do?

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Happy Valentine’s Day! As I write this post the news is sharing another horrific story of a person being killed and others being injured during a rally in Kansas City. (The Kansas City Chief’s football team just won the Super Bowl Game this past Sunday)

What I don’t understand is why do these things keep happening in our world. Don’t even get me started on my thoughts on the war between Russia and Ukraine or the horrors that occurred last October in Israel (and now occurring in the Gaza Strip). This winter has been tough for me as I feel so unsettled with these continuous moments filled with hatred and mindless evil.

Something has to give.

Last December, our children’s string orchestra were invited to participate in pop star and song writer, Andrew Allen’s Christmas concert. All fall they were busy working on their collection of holiday music. Our home was brimming with harmony and every Monday for weeks prior to the event, our children’s music school held rehearsals. I loved sitting in the car listening to the beautiful music flowing out from the building. By the time the concert arrived our kids were so excited.

The concert was more like a large gathering of friends and family coming together to celebrate the season of light. Andrew made us feel like we were just sitting in his living room. A very large living room I might add, where he had brought together a few friends to join him in celebrating the holiday. Our children’s orchestra blew everyone away. I mean who doesn’t love watching and listening to kids ranging in age from 4 to 18 playing cello, violin and viola? It was magical in so many ways. I cried more tears of joy than I had in a long while that evening.

The majority of tears fell though when Andrew started introducing the next song he was going to play called, “What Would Love Do?” Through the whole evening, the energy was mostly light filled, with funny quips and stories about his band and about recent concerts he had given. He talked about being thankful to have grown up in our little town and now being able to raise his family while continuing his career as a singer/songwriter. But when he introduced this song, he also talked about what was happening in the world. He paused, got us to pause, while he asked us to wonder what if people just stopped for a moment, before acting on any impulse towards anger, or retribution, or their feelings of righteousness, and asked themselves the simple question, “What Would Love Do? He wondered if maybe, just maybe, we would have less wars, less shooting, less anger and animosity towards others and maybe more harmony. More peace.

More love.

I’ve been thinking about this question for the last few months and wondered how I could make a difference. If I am not even able to temper my reaction to anything that arises in my life to irk me, how can world leader be expected to be any better? We are after all…human. But we have to do better.

For our world.

For our children.

For the future of this earth.

And so I’m stopping in the middle of this day, a busy Valentine’s day for our family and sharing this question with you. How can we shake up the world for the better and have this question on everyone’s lips? If we come together as a greater whole, we can shift the world towards a response of love and shut out the evil that has bee occurring. Even when we are protesting, and we think it is justifiable, we have to ask ourselves this question, “What would love do?”

I often think of the response Mother Teresa gave when asked why she didn’t attend anti war protest.

“I will never attend an anti-war rally; if you have a peace rally, invite me.”

― Mother Teresa

She simply didn’t want to be AGAINST anything or anyone.

Enough said. I want to wish each of you, my dear blogging family, a very Happy Valentine’s day. Let us spread this question out into the world… “What would love do?” I want us to chant and cheer and smile and laugh. I want us to lock arms and wave our flags with red hearts on them. Let each of us take a moment to ask ourselves this question the next time something happens that causes anger or disharmony. Love is the answer. May your world be filled with love this Valentine’s day and in the upcoming year. That’s my greatest wish.

Below are two YouTube videos. One is called, “What Would Love Do Now,” by Jason Mraz, during a concert he gave 12 years ago. The other is from our beloved local boy, Andrew Allen, in case you haven’t heard of him before. He started me thinking and you know what they say,

One thought is powerful. And one question even more so….

“What Would Love Do?”

Until we meet again,

May you be well, happy and peaceful.

And may your be surrounded by love and light.

Blessings from Hope

The Healing Powers of Humour and Cinnamon Coffee Cake

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(Note: I am not a Doctor, nor am I a mental health provider…the following is just a layman’s experience dealing with depression)

This new year, 2024, started painfully for me. Literally. As I mentioned in a prior post, I had a bad ski accident at the end of our Christmas holiday so for the month of January I was moving around gingerly. I wasn’t sleeping well and was only functioning because we live in the era of ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Needless to say, I wasn’t laughing much. The more pain I felt, the more depressed I got. It was a vicious cycle. By the time I started feeling better physically, February had arrived, but my mental state was bleak.

And what was worse…

You know if you’re a mom, your kids pick up on every emotional nuance you display. I wish they’d pick their socks up as quickly but the little creatures are finely attuned to whatever energy is pulsing through the house. Sadly, depression is contagious. In our house, there wasn’t much laughter in January. Everyone seemed to be dragging energetically. By the time I started feeling better physically, I had to pull my mental state out of the gutter. Thankfully I hadn’t gone down that rabbit hole too deeply and I was able to improve my mood in a few weeks, but by that time I had to pull everyone else out with me.

If being under the weather, ha! at this time of year resonates with you at all, pour yourself a cup of something warm and read on….

What do you call it when a snowman ignores you?

(Answer at the end of this blog post)

I thought I’d share a few tips and thoughts on this topic as this time of year can be difficult for so many people living in the Northern part of our planet. Our days are short, the nights long and it’s cold. If you have little kids, it can be even worse as it takes 15 minutes to just bundle them up to head outside, but strangely, that’s one of the first things I’d suggest. I know it’s hard, but just getting out and breathing some crisp winter air can do wonders. The Earth does heal us if we let her. If you can’t get out for a walk, at least stand outside and just breathe. Stay out long enough to look for the beauty in the world, even if it’s all dark and grey. Or white. Now that’s a magical colour! What are the sounds in the air? Are there any birds in the trees? Or is there only peaceful silence? That can heal us too. We all need peace and beauty in our lives.

Next, what’s helped me move out of the darkness of depression was making sure I stayed hydrated and started eating better. January can be a difficult month for lots of people when they may have put on a few extra pounds from all the treats on display during the holiday season in December. Making sure we focus on drinking more water and eating some healthy whole food can improve one’s mood tremendously.

Another depression killer, ha! was starting to count my blessings. This was tough at first but nothing elevates my mood several degrees better than being grateful for something. At first, it may have been only my afternoon tea time. It’s not an over night fix though. It’s something you need to work at. What I’d recommend is at the end of the day writing down three things that went well for you. At first it may be just getting out of bed and having a shower. Maybe one of those things can be things you did for someone else that helped to shift their mood. Nothing improves our feeling of worth more than helping others. And I don’t think this is just a mom thing. It’s a people thing. Helping others, helps us! But if you just can’t think of anything, there is always these tried and true basics:

  1. I’m thankful I’m living on Earth and not Mars
  2. I’m thankful for my health….and if you don’t have that, be thankful for, pick one; hearing, sight, smell, taste, ability to walk; hopefully one applies….if you count more than one you are rocking!!!
  3. Family and friends, or a pet. Pets do wonders for our mental health. Look into their eyes and feel their fur…something magical happens.
  4. And I’ll add this one, I’m thankful to still be breathing. If you feel you can’t add this one to your daily gratitude list because you are so low in spirits, it may be time to visit your Doctor or call the Emergency mental health line in your part of the world. In Canada it’s 9-8-8

I personally am thankful for my writing group. We meet every two weeks and I never leave them feeling worse than when I arrived. That’s something to be grateful for! In late January, one of our members gave us a writing prompt that pulled me out of my funky state of being. The prompt was for us to write a funny story. The weird thing is that I actually felt worse at first before I started feeling better. You see, I realized that I’m not a funny person. It made me more depressed as I racked my brain thinking of a funny event or story to share. Thankfully, I’m surrounded by people who look at the world with light humour filled eyes, so telling their story helped me to find my tiny funny bone. And you know what? Funny is as contagious as depression. Anyway, without further ado, I thought I’d share the story I wrote for my writing group with you now. It’s dedicated to my son Harrison, who never fails to lift my spirits. It’s dedicated to my writing bud, Jessica, who with her dead pan, extremely witty humour, and yes, often macabre way at looking at life, inspires me. I see you Jessie!

Here’s the story I wrote and shared recently with my writing group. May it lift your spirits and give you a few giggles, I hope….if not, stay to the end when I share my Cinnamon Coffee Cake recipe which is sure to get a smile, or your mouth watering. And the answer to the joke above.

Finding the Meaning for Life in Humour (#2 Version….YES, it took a few versions)

I am not funny. Nothing about me is funny at all. From my earliest memories I’ve been a deep thinker. Long before I heard Descartes’ phrase, “I think, therefore I am,” I’ve been a navel gazer.  A solemn individual if you will. I’d like to say the heavy grief from my Dad’s early death covered me in a gray shroud for most of my life, one in which prevented any light from entering. That would be true to an extent, but I still think if darkness hadn’t covered me from a young age, I’d still be searching for the reason for being here and the meaning of life. Superficial people irritate me. I’d like to shake them and say, don’t you see all the suffering on this earth? How can you live on the surface? But I don’t, because I realize we all process life differently and maybe some float on the surface in order to just keep breathing.

Also, I wonder if I’m not entirely bright enough to recognize the various types of humour. I wonder if it’s something that comes only after years of close observation. My husband David’s favourite part of the day, is spending an hour or two in the evening watching what I call, “Silly Sitcoms,” and popular, stand up comics. I hear him laughing away in the den. When I join him for a moment and listen, he seems to pick up on some sort of subliminal message the comedian is relaying. Mirth erupts in him, yet I remain stoic.

When I look back on my life, I can’t think of one funny story. Nope, nothing sticks out. When I ask my family if they have observed anything funny about me, or something that I can relay, my youngest daughter Victoria points out that it’s funny that I keep hiding the chocolate chip bag from them, but I can’t seem to ever remember where I’ve stowed it before I go to bake. That’s more pathetic than funny, And I’m sure everyone will be laughing after I’m long gone when they find chocolate chip bags hidden all over our house. I do have a few funny stories that my son Harrison has relayed over the last few years that stick out. He has inherited his dad’s funny bone. So if you are looking for something funny today,  I’ll share a few with you now. 

In his last year of school in Victoria, he was living right down town. To get out of his small apartment for some fresh air he used to go over to a nearby Starbucks for a coffee. One day as he came upon the Starbucks entrance, he spotted two workmen standing on the sidewalk. He overheard one workman telling the other one, “Okay, the only thing you have to do is make sure you don’t hit this light post when you back in.” Harrison didn’t think anything of it. He went in to get his coffee and when he came out, coffee in hand, he was surprised to find the two men still on the sidewalk but they were looking down at the back of the truck’s fender and one was scratching his head. Harrison overheard him tell the other man, “I don’t know how that happened!” Harrison said he chuckled all the way home.

Since graduating with a degree in Commerce, he’s been working in the Royal Bank of Canada’s head office in Toronto. He works long hours in the office and often doesn’t get home until late. One evening he put in an order with Uber eats. He left instructions for the food to be delivered to the apartment lobby. Harrison went for a quick walk and was standing in the deserted lobby when a delivery person walked in, carrying a bag from the restaurant Harrison had ordered from. 

He approached the man and said, “Hey, I’m Harrison, is that for me? The man mumbled something about having to make a call. Harrison watched the man pull out his phone and punch into his device. A moment later Harrison’s phone was ringing. “Harrison here,” he answered, looking directly at the delivery man, who at that point realized the ridiculous situation, although he didn’t laugh. He just handed over the bag of food and left. Harrison chuckled all the way up the elevator but when he told me that story, I wondered if that man was a relative of mine.

The last story I have to share, is one Harrison told us when he was traveling through the Philadelphia airport on his way home from a business trip to Chile. The security line was exceptionally long and Harrison wondered what was going on. As he got closer to the front of the line, someone ahead of him asked the security person what the hold up was and Harrison overheard this response. “We don’t have enough plastic bins for people’s personal belongings.” Harrison didn’t understand this. He was thinking to himself, “Isn’t this a closed loop system, on a circular conveyor belt? Where are all the bins? Who’s taking them?” After eons, he finally got through security and was heading to his gate when he saw security bins scattered all over the floor. They were catching drips of water from the ceiling. 

There were a few other incidents that happened in that airport as well that he found funny from a functional, efficiency standpoint, but he just chalked it up to people living in their own environment and not seeing the light.

Which gets me back to my situation. I wonder, if like them, I’m just living too deeply amidst the minutiae of life, which is preventing me from rising to the surface and observing what’s really going on. Maybe, the answers to the real meaning of life, have been floating up there all this time. 

The End

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I hope my story brought brought a smile. If so, that’s great. If not, then it’s time to make a few changes for the sake of your health. Your mental health is everything. I’m sharing the quote below because, no joke, this is something I’ve done and it didn’t make me feel better!

So try getting outside for a walk, eat healthy, stay hydrated. Count three things you are grateful for and if none of those things work, make an appointment with your Doctor and tell him/her how you’re feeling. You don’t have to be only physically unwell to visit your Doctor. This is something I’m learning. Our mental health is as important as our physical and within each, there is a link to wellness. Finding a friend to talk to can help until you can get in for some professional help. Any time you feel like it, come and visit me on my blog for some company. I’m working hard at producing a few giggles these days. At the very least, come for a piece of cinnamon coffee cake. At my last writing group gathering, I shared my cinnamon coffee cake with them and while we munched away, we laughed and laughed.

Here’s to the healing power of laughter!!! and to Coffee Cake too…

Hope’s Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

The topping;

1 cup brown sugar/1 cup all purpose flour/1 tsp ground cinnamon/pinch of salt/1/2 cup unsalted softened butter

optional; chopped walnuts or pecans and you can drizzle the top with a icing sugar glaze too

The Cinnamon layer:

1/4 sugar/1 tablespoon all purpose flour/1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the cake batter:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup softened unsalted butter
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9 x 13-inch pan. (you can also use parchment paper to lift out cake easier)
  • Make the streusel layer:
    In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Use a fork to mash the butter into the mixture until completely combined and crumbly. Set aside.
  • Make the cinnamon layer:
  • In another small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Set side, as well.
  • Begin making the batter:
  • In the bowl of your mixer, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until combined.
  • Add the softened butter and beat on medium-low speed or mix for 2 to 3 minutes, or until all of the butter is mixed.
  • Combine the wet ingredients and finish the batter:
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Add the mixture to the dry ingredients. Beat the batter on medium speed until you get a smooth batter. A few small lumps are totally fine.
  • Prepare the cake:
  • Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar layer over the top of the batter in an even layer. Spread the remaining batter over the top. I do this with a big spoon and just drop lumps every few inches and then spread carefully.
  • Bake the cake:
  • Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 1 hour (or until the cake comes to room temperature) before serving. Can drizzle with icing sugar glaze if you wish

Serve with a dollop of laughter with your friends and family. Enjoy!!!

Answer to the snowman joke above.….did you guess it? (The Cold Shoulder!!!! ha! ha! ha!)

I want to thank you for visiting today.

Until we meet again, may joy and laughter fill your life.

and may you be well, happy and peaceful.

Blessings from Hope