Black & White Photographs

I love black and white photographs.  They are nostalgic, poetic and dramatic.  I am going to take more black & white photographs in 2019.  I feel that black and white photography allows you look directly at the focus of the image.  It makes you 'feel' the image emotionally.  I look forward to sharing some of them here with you in the new year.

Do something you enjoy.  Learn something .  Try something new.  Form a new habit.  Discard the negativity and live your best life.  These are what I strive for more of, in 2019.

Cheers to you!
B.

Nearing the End of 2018

It has been a full, jam-packed, roller coaster ride of a year for sure!  I have not kept up in doing what I love, have found little time to do more things I enjoy, yet I've still allowed some negativity in my life to which I am going to make a better effort change in 2019.

While I cannot change others, I can change myself, my choices, my decisions, my actions and reactions.  Hence, I look forward to a better and much happier, more successful 2019.

This year had it's ups and downs, like most, so it's always a challenge to stay on the happy side of things.  My 2019 goal will be to embrace more positiveness and creativity, have more gratitude and give more when and how I can without it taking a toll on me.

Cheers to a year almost behind, survival and to new beginnings each and every day!
Seasons' greetings to all and I wish everyone forgiveness, love, peace and happiness.
B.

Listening

A few times during my day, I take a few deep breaths in through my nose, and breathe out slowly through my mouth.  Doing what I call controlled breathing for mind relaxation.  Then, I sit (or stand, or lay) quietly with my eyes closed.  For 15 seconds or 30 seconds, perhaps even a minute, breathing slowly and quietly.  I take this time to pause, quiet my mind and just listen.

I try to notice what I hear.  I don't think of things on my to-do list, or what I have to accomplish next, or what I'm having for dinner, or who I need to call.  I just listen to find out what I can hear.

listen...

Sometimes I hear a cat meow, a dog bark or a bird whistle.  I smile.  Sometimes I hear the fan pushing the air above me, or the motor running in the air condition unit.  Sometimes I hear a clock ticking.  I smile.  I also feel the beat of my heart, which is slowing down, as I become more relaxed.

Maybe I hear a distant sound of a car pass by or a toot of a horn.  I may hear the wind pick up and shake the leaves on the trees.  I may hear someone talking outside somewhere.  I don't want to know what they are saying, I ignore it and move on to what else I can hear.

It's quite inspiring just to take those short moments in time to just listen and not think or speak.  When I'm done from what I call a "mini mind vacation", I bring myself back to the present and open my eyes, usually always smiling at the peaceful moment I just experienced, and get back to what I was doing beforehand.  Life just is a little bit better and easier when I can move on with a fresh mind.

Each night before bed, if I heard something of interest that made me smile more, in particular, I will write it in my notebook for my future self to read when I'm older, to remind me of good times.

Why don't you try it.  It can possibly give you a smile and it doesn't cost anything.

Cheers! B.

Cars & Raffle Tickets

Our 2nd-hand 18-year old car has had its share of knocks since we've owned in these last 2 years.  

We had a taxi strike the passenger door (behind the driver's seat) while it was parked in a parking bay and the taxi was reversing without looking at my car, causing it damage so that it's difficult to open and close properly.  We watched it happen and shouted out but he didn't hear us and struck it pretty bad.  It is difficult to open and shut and all bent.  He gave us $500 to repair it, but we are waiting closer to when we have to pass the car inspection to fix it, so if anything else happens, at least when we have it inspected, it's not damaged AGAIN.

After this, we had a car strike the driver's side door while it was open and Chris was taking things out of the car to be put in the Govt dumpster drop off.  The car behind our car pulled around us, impatient, and struck the driver's door and damaged it - crumpled it fairly good.  He blamed us but we were not in the wrong.  We were off-loading in the space we are supposed to off-load and he didn't pull out far enough to not hit the door.  He should have waited but in his haste, he struck it and banged it up a bit.  He refused to pay for it and so we have to take him to court and find the cost of all that is not worth the cost of the damage, so we were unlucky this time to get compensation.

In addition to this, the car needs new shocks, a new clutch, has an oil leak, has a break fluid leak, has a water reservoir leak, needs a wheel alignment (we go through 2 tires each month) and we just got new breaks put in earlier this month because they failed and ended up being completely destroyed when they replaced them - this was another $500 bill.  Then, all of a sudden, our auto control to put the front door passenger window up doesn't work so we have that issue as well.  And, to top it off, when it rains, the car sputters, hiccups and stalls so we have some weird issue going on there, too.  Good Grief.

On Saturday, while driving the car, something flew up (a rock?) and struck the front windscreen while I was driving the car.  Another vehicle passing me by must have kicked up a rock with its tire and it struck my windscreen putting a deep gash and scrapes in it.  By Sunday afternoon the windscreen was cracked 8"  and heading toward the top - where it would eventually shatter.  We booked the car in to fix the windscreen today and was estimated to pay approx $700 for the replacement and labour.  When they took the windshield off they called and said there was a bit of rust and that it would cost $1,200 more to fix that and they'd have to keep the car for a few days.  I need the car daily to move from client to client so Chris told them just to replace the windscreen and we'll sort out the rust another time when we can plan to live without the car for a few days.  Plus, we aren't financially prepared to pay for this at this time.

This afternoon, Chris received a really nice phone call.  We purchased a $100 raffle ticket from a charity business about 6 weeks ago for a draw in August of 2 cars.  We did so because we really need a new car.  Chris put the ticket in his name with his phone number.  This is the 3rd year we've bought a ticket for this raffle for a car.  Each year, the charity pulls a ticket out from all ticket purchasers, and gives away a "free" raffle ticket for the same draw.  So Chris' ticket got pulled for a free raffle ticket for this draw.  He went in and picked one from the bunch they had, and that ticket, along with his ticket, went back in the drum for the draw in August.  This is great new!  We truly hope that we win one of these 2 new cars.  We really, really, really do need a new car.

So I end this note, that I wish to win a new car in August.

Cheers, B.

Raffle ticket showing the 2 Mazda CX3 cars for the August raffle draw

Dinner-Hopping

Cheese platter Appetizer and Prosecco starter

Pool side snacks - cheese & crackers, chips ^ dip, prosecco

A girlfriend and I decided to go out for dinner last night, and have appetizers at one restaurant, the main meal at another, and dessert and a third, but it was kind of late and we did not realize.  So we managed to squeeze in appetizers at The Village Pantry (was excellent!) and dinner at Portofinos (yummm comfort food!).  There was no time to go for dessert as the restaurants were closed by then, but we were too full to even bother.

We ordered a prosecco bubbly and the cheese platter, and pulled pork tacos (2 came in one plate).  There was plenty of food for us for these shared appetizers and everything was delicious that we were surprisingly pleased as it was our first time visiting that restaurant.

We then had pasta for our main meal, along with another glass of prosecco.  We both decided to order something from the menu we had not had before, so she had the manicotti and I had the ravioli bolognese.

Needless to say we ate it all.  We stopped at Henry VIII on the way home (we close a minute apart) and had a Royal Mimosa (it's made with Prosecco) and that is what we said was our "dessert".

We are home and in bed by midnight and really enjoyed our dinner-hopping!  Was a lot of fun and we said we'll do it again soon at other restaurants, but start an hour earlier next time so we can fit it all it. LOL

Today, we had a swim in a pool where I'm house sitting but not spending the night (I was offered to use the pool when I visit).  I did my duties, we took some cheese, crackers, chips and dip with us and a bottle of prosecco and spent almost 2 hours in the pool enjoying our chat and snacks.  It was a beautiful view and so relaxing.  It felt like we were on a mini vacation.

We both enjoyed a wonderful weekend.