Living the Dream

April 9, 2025. My father died just a few months before COVID 19 struck. Had he lived, today would’ve been his 97th birthday. I think he would’ve been very disappointed in the world we live in now, a world divided with so much lack of compassion.

During WWII, he wasn’t old enough to enlist at the beginning although he tried. He did join in 1944, but he wasn’t sent overseas the way his friends and sisters were. Instead, he patrolled along the canal, watching for German subs and potential sabotage.

While he worked at the local pulp and papr mill, he stayed in the militia after the war, got into the medical core, and when he finally left the army, he remained a staunch Legion member and a supporter of the Canadian Armed Forces. He was proud to see my grandkids join the army cadets and the two oldest were part of the Honor Guard at his funeral. The last thing he would ever have expected to see was the fractured world we live in and the rise on Naziism in the United States.

Ghandi’s words provide hope in what is essentially a world gone mad. The expression, history repeats itself has never been more relevant. And the adage that says, those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat it, resonnates.

It doesn’t matter what your personal political beliefs are so much as what your ethical ones are. We are all human, and we are all flawed in some way. We have faults and qualities, we may have different skin colors and sexualities, our sexual preferences can vary, as can our religions, but we are all stuck on this big blue marble together. Peal away all those layers, and we are all the same: bones, cartilage, nerves, organs, and hopefully souls. We should treat each other with compassion and follow the golden rule. Do onto others as you would have them do onto you.

Today’s letter is H, and I’ve chosen to focus my thoughts on my oldest grandchild, the one who made me a grandma. Hannah lives in Europe, so we don’t see her as often as we would like. With the advent of Skype and Facetime, we do get to talk to her and we’ve watched her grow into an amazing young lady with an incredible sense of humor. Her studies have focused on pharmacy. She’s working on her master’s degree. She speaks several language and has traveled extensively. Opportunities to do do living in Europe are vastly different than they are here. Meet Hannah.

And here is a song for her.

Come back tomorrow for the letter I. Looking for other bloggers? MASTER LIST https://tinyurl.com/tauke86z

April 8, 2025. I hope you’re having a great time following my convoluted thought patterns as I work my way through the alphabet. The weather is improving slowly. Instead of freezing rain yesterday, we had a thunderstorm in the middle of the night, and the temperature went up to 20 C in the afternoon! Sadly, we’re back in single digits today. April is unpredictable. It’s supposed to follow the rhyme that claims April showers bring May flowers, but I learned long ago that precipitation takes many forms including snow and ice.

One of my greatest joys is my grandchildren, the gift God gives parents for not only having children but raising them without feeding them to the wolves. You’ve met Tonio and Eleni. Today, I want to introduce you to Georgia.

Georgia is my youngest granddaughter. While she may not look like her mother, she has her temperament and some of the family artistic ability. She is fiercely competitive in sports, a hard worker, and determined to get whatever she wants, but to her credit, she is willing to put in the work necessary to get it. She comes here on a weekly basis and helpd me do the things I can’t or shouldn’t, and I will miss her sorely when she leaves for college in August.

Georgia loves to sing and even manages to get up on stage with the cover bands on occasion. She also volunteers to read at church, participate in pageants, and even help out the choir. At times, she’ll react rather than act which can lead to some impressive disagreements. She can also be impulsive, diving into a situation without checking for rocks and other pitfalls, but she has a huge heart and is willing to go the extra mile when she needs to. She’s a member of her school’s senate and strives to do what’s best for the school, her fellow students, and the community. After she graduates from high school in June, she’ll be going to college to be an electrician. Yeah, another girl embracing the trades!

Meet Georgia.

And of course, there’s only one song that suits this sweet girl.

See you tomorrow for the letter H. Check out other bloggers here. MASTER LIST https://tinyurl.com/tauke86z

Welcome to this week’s edition of Tuesday Tales. This week, out word is BEST. I’m continuing with And Justice for All, my latest romance/suspense. Enjoy.

The server set her food in front of her on the counter, and Maggie reached for the paper bag and the coffee cup. Mindful of what Harry had said, she chose a table away from the windows.

She removed the paper bowl, took off the plastic lid, and did the same with the one on her coffee cup. The contents would cool faster that way. She removed her tea biscuit from the wax paper sleeve, cut it in half with her bamboo knife, and slathered it with butter from the tiny container they’d provided. She took a bite and then dipped her spoon in the soup.

She ate half the tea biscuit and almost that much soup, when she pushed it away.

“Aren’t you going to eat any more of that?”

“No. I told you I wasn’t hungry.” She replaced the lid, rewrapped her biscuit, and put it back in the bag with the donut. “I’ll take it with me. I can nuke it at the office—we do have a microwave, don’t we? Can beat warm donuts.

He nodded. “We do, but we aren’t going to the office. I think you’ve had enough for today. You’ll probably have nightmares as it is.”

“I have them most nights,” she admitted. “Maybe tonight the program will be different.”

He looked as though he wanted to say something else but didn’t and focused on finishing his chili.

She nursed her coffee, watching the people exiting the coffee shop and others coming into the building, ordering their beverages and food, and then leaving. They looked like ordinary people, some young, some old, some in between. And yet, who knew what was festering in their hearts? Any of them could be her enemy. Scary thought in a world gone mad, a world where you could hire a killer online and have him take out whoever you decided that you hated this week. The coffee soured on her stomach, and she set it aside.

“Finished?”

She nodded. “That’s the best I can do.”

“Come on, then. Let’s get going. We’ll be home within the hour. I’ll drop you at your place. There’s no point in even trying to do anything else today. I have an appointment to see a condo at five. Liam, Jac, and I are staying with Jac’s aunt until we get a place of our own.”

He led the way out of the coffee shop. She fell in step beside him as they walked to the car.

“Who’s Jac?”

Don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

April 7, 2025. Fourteen days until my surgery date. Am I nervous? A little. My niece had her knee replaced in late March and had a hard time with it. She lost more blood than expected–how does one even guess at how much blood you lose during surgery? Then. her blood pressure dropped dangerously low. To add insult to injury, the pain medication nauseated her, and didn’t relieve the pain. Since she was frozen and noy put to sleep for the surgery, she remained frozen for way longer than expected. The leg was badly swollen and since she was still in pain and frozen, with her blood pressure bouncing around, what was supposed to be day surgery ended up including a 4 night stay in the hospital. Since we have universal health care here in Canada, it didn’t cost anything dollar wise, but in terms of pain and suffering, it was expensive. She’s only 48 years old, much younger than I am, but she had a hard time of it. The good news is, one-week later, she’s on the mend and doing well. The body is an amazing thing, and given time, it can heal itself. All if takes is patience.

And that is what brings me to today’s F word. Fear. Being afraid of the unknown isn’t new. I’ve had nine previous surgeries– so many, right? One tonsilectomy, three Caesarian Sections, one hysterectomy, one appenditomy, one broken foot reset, one wisdom tooth removal, and one severe abcess in my chest wall that could’ve gone worse than it did. So I do know a little about the process. Each time, I woke up, I had a few lousy days, but in the end, my fears for the worst were unfounded. Now, as I look forward to number ten, I’ll admit to being afraid again. I’m older. It takes longer to get over things–even a cold will lay me low for more than a week. It doesn’t matter that the experts claim a knee is much harder harder than a hip –more moving parts–or that everyone reacts differently to pain, or that there is never any certainty that everything will go as planned–which is why I had to sign the document that stated that I am aware of all the risks involved with the surgery, the worst one being death.

Fear is just another fact of life. There is very little I can do about being afraid. I’ve spoken to a lot of people who have had the surgery without any issues, including my 90-year-old aunt, and I use those facts to try and mitigate my distress. But the bottom line is that the surgery will alleviate the constant pain I live with now, and that is what keeps my fear in check. I dream of being able to take long walks again. Of being able to travel once more. Of being able to sit through my granddaughter’s graduation. I know that this won’t be the end of the pain. I have another hip, two shoulders, and of course two knees in my future, but for now, I’ll focus on this particular fear. Who knows? By the time I need more spare parts, they may have perfected the process.

Here’s today’s musical treat.

Come back tomorrow and see what I have to say about G. Looking to read more blogs? Check this out: MASTER LIST https://tinyurl.com/tauke86z

Welcome to April 5, 2025. My husband and I have been married 53 years, and yes, that is to each other. I’m not a saint, and I doubt he is, but when you spend more than half your life with a person, you learn to compromise and accept that no relationship is perfect. We all go through good times and bad ones, but we’ve been lucky enough to do it together. John is not only my husband, but he’s my biggest fan, my greatest supporter, and the one who deserves the credit for everything I’ve become over the last 55 years that we’ve been a couple. I didn’t know what I was capable of doing until he came into my life. Together, we have three children and five grandchildren. Today, I’m going to talk about another of them.

Today’s letter is E and Eleni, my second-oldest granddaughter. Eleni-Jean, middle name that of my husband’s mother, is the spitting image of her own mother, but she does not have her mom’s personality. She’s easy-going with a let it be attitude the Beatles would envy. She’s a naturally-talented artist who has never had any formal training and yet produces beautiful paintings, many of which decorate our home. She’s also an incredible athlete and has won many awards for her prowess. In addition, she currently holds the highest rank available to an army cadet, that of RSM, which stands for Regimental Sergeant Major, an honor she earned when her brother aged-out back in December. More about him when we get to the letter N. She has a part-time job and is an excellent money manager. While she graduated last June, being only seventeen, she opted to go back for another year while she decided what she wanted to do with her life. Instead of classes, she took on two full-time coop placements, learning what it’s like to work for a living. She has many options and has explored construction, plumbing, farm work, auto mechanics, including welding–not the usual choices for a girl, but those are the areas that interest her and where she excels. Currently, she is completing a placement that will lead into an apprenticeship as an HVAC technician. Once she finishes that, she’s considering becoming a firefighter, too. Did I mention that she’s ambitious? I believe there’s nothing she can’t do when she sets her mind to it. Meet Eleni Jean!

And today’s song, is chosen for her.

We’ll see you Monday for the letter F. Check out the other blogs here. MASTER LIST https://tinyurl.com/tauke86z

April 4, 2025. Glad you decided to stick with me. Today’s Friday, the end of the workweek for many people. It was for me when I was teaching, but all that meant was that Saturday was grocery and house cleaning day.

In my younger days, I indulged myself by getting my hair done at the salon every Friday after school. Few people do that now, another habit that’s gone out of style, like dressing up for special occasions, or NOT wearing your pajamas to Wal-Mart.

After getting all gussied up, I would join my husband for an evening of mixed curling in the winter or dinner and drinks with friends, but Friday nights were the nights we spent enjoying ourselves. I suppose they call it Date night now. But I digress.

Today’s letter is D, so I decided to give you a little bit more information about one of Canada’s most famous exports, not steel but maple syrup–and no, we don’t bathe in it, but we do pour it on fresh, somewhat clean snow, let it harden, and roll it on spoons or sticks and eat it. You haven’t lived until you’ve had one of those treats. We also eat it with pancakes, crepes, French toast, in oatmeal, and on ice cream.

When I was much younger, each spring, we would drive to my great-uncle’s farm and spend a day at the cabane a sucre, the sugar shack. I loved riding on the horse-drawn sleigh through the woods, collecting the sap from the tin pails nailed to the trees, and dumping it into the large keg on the sleigh. That was the only time I saw all of my extended family, and some of those memories are my fondest. We had maple toffee made fresh on the cleanest patch of snow mon oncle could find. When we went home, it was always with six liquor bottles filled with the sweetest treat on earth. Today, few places tap the trees and collect the sap that way, but I still love the stuff.

This post is dedicated to teaching you a little more about out delectable sweet. And, yes, I know that Vermont and other states also make excellent maple syrup, but it just isn’t the same.

Canada, particularly Quebec, is a world leader in maple syrup production, with Quebec accounting for the majority of Canadian production and a significant portion of global supply. My great-uncle’s farm was in Ontario, just west of the Quebec border. Maple syrup is a cherished part of Canadian culture and identity. 

Here are some key facts about maple syrup and its production in Canada:

• Quebec Dominates Production: Quebec is the largest producer of maple syrup in Canada, accounting for approximately 91.6% of the country’s production. 
• Global Leader: Canada is a global leader in maple syrup production, producing about 85% of the world’s supply. 
• Seasonality: Maple syrup season typically begins in February or March and continues until the sap stops running, usually around the end of April. 
• Maple Tree Species: While many maple species exist, the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is the primary source of sap for making maple syrup. 
• Nutritional Value: Maple syrup is a natural sweetener that contains minerals like manganese, riboflavin, and zinc. 
• Cultural Significance: Maple syrup is a symbol of Canadian identity, with the maple leaf on the Canadian flag representing the country’s abundance of sugar maple trees. 
• Indigenous History: Indigenous peoples of North America were the first to harvest maple sap and create maple syrup, passing down this knowledge to early settlers. 
• Export Destination: Canadian maple syrup is exported to approximately 50 countries, with the United States being the primary importer. 
• Color Variations: Maple syrup comes in different colors, including light, medium, amber, and dark, with darker syrup having a more robust flavor. 

Here’s your song of the day!

Come back tomorrow for the letter E. Have a great day! Check out the other blogs here: MASTER LIST https://tinyurl.com/tauke86z

April 3, 2025. Good morning! This is the most recent selfie I have of myself. The hair gets whiter every day. In the background, you’ll see an example of my son’s art. It’s titled Mother and Child, and he gave it to me on Mother’s Day about fifteen years ago. He only does pen and ink, but some of his pieces are truly remarkable.

You may also notice the decorative plate on top of the dresser. My daughter-in-law is Norwegian. WE’ve visited that country twice. I love it there. More about that in later posts. The plate depicts the Viking Snow queen, possibly the one Disney used for Elsa when they decided to make Frozen.

My office is painted mauve. It’s a soothing color and one that helps me stay focused. It’s also where I do all of my writing each day. As a rule, after I get up and make the bed, I grab coffee and settle in here. I check my email, my facebook. my website, my blog, and peruse the headlines, although these days they are more than a little depressing. Afterwards, I shower and get cleaned up for the day. Then, with more coffee at hand, I settle down to my day’s writing. At the moment, I’m working on three books at once: the first is a low fantasy/paranormal The Homecoming, the second book in the Listen to the Stones Saga, the next is a romance suspense called And Justice for All, and the third is a romantic comedy, From Paris With Love, but more about that in a later post. Writing three books at once can be challenging, but sometimes, I need a change of pace. For today, I’ll be working on the rom-com. I hope your day is a good one.

Today’s letter is C. It makes sense that I should use this letter to talk about my country. If you are Canadian or a citizen of the US, you have probably heard all the senseless rhetoric about Canada becoming the 51st state.

Doesn’t it make sense to ask those of us who make Canada home how we feel about that? Don’t get me wrong. The United States has many redeeming features and I have many friends who live there, but it is not my home.

If you look at this map, I live just a little south of that star. I love my country and everything it stands for. My paternal ancestors came here from France in the seventeenth century, my maternal ones from Brittany in the early eighteenth. So, I’ve got deep roots here. I speak English and French, and I’m proud of every aspect of my heritage. I’ve visited each province, even stuck a foot into the Yukon Territory. I have friends living everywhere from Vancouver Island, BC, to Prince Edward Island. This is my land, my home, and I have no desire to change that. My hip surgery won’t require me to mortgage my house to pay for it, thanks to our national health insurance. I got to choose my surgeon as well, another bonus.

Sure, we aren’t perfect. Our ancestors didn’t understand that the indiginous people who lived here and still do have the right to live according to their culture. We’ve apologized for that and are trying to make things better. We accept immingrants for who and what they are and do our best to accept and understand that their culture can enrich this mosaic we call home if we allow it to do so.

We have four seasons–spring, summer, fall, and winter. Everyone has his or her favorites. but I love snow at Christmas, although I’m pretty much done with it afterwards. Bottom line, I’m Canadian and i want to say that way.

This is my home, my Canada. It’s not for sale at any price.

Come back tomorrow to see what I have to say about the letter D. Check out other posts here: MASTER LIST https://tinyurl.com/tauke86z

This is today’s second post. If you are looking for the A to Z Challenge blog, scroll down.

Welcome to the April 2025 IWSG blog. I want to begin by apologizing to everyone for violating the rules of posts lasts month. It will not happen again.

April 2 question – What fantasy character would you like to fight, go on a quest with, or have a beer/glass of wine with?

Fantasy characters in general are a little tricky for me, but if I have to pick one, then it’ll be Wonder Woman. She has everything I could want in a hero. She fights not for personal gain but for truth and justice. She is tough, yet compassionate. In a pantheon of fantasy warriors, she exhibits a sense of honor that I truly admire. I would have loved to get my hands on her lasso of truth when my kids were teenagers. They were prone to lying about where they were going and what they were doing–perfectly normal rite of passage, but it would’ve spared me some worries.

Have a look at what others think of this today. https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

I will miss the May post since I will be recovering from my hip replacement surgery, but I will be back in June!