Life is like a book, new characters in every chapter. Wherever you are in your story, what characters join you? Inevitably you invite them in, who have you invited? This story that you have created, is your own. Your reality is your creation, all your actions, your reactions, you control. In fiction you control the characters, in reality you do not. The people you want in your life are by invite only. You can be civil and kind and engage with people. Your people, ride or die people are there for a reason.

I’m a lifer, I have people in the forefront and in the back, cycling through each phase. Some step in and some step aside. Some have major roles while others are extra, but they are there because their moments count. I am not one to write people out of the story. You may have to back track to see where they fit in when they suddenly reappear. A good book does that, a random person appears and you get an aha moment as you recall the significance of their presence. Never count out anyone.

Even the villain, maybe you villainized them in your mind. Take the hard edge off anyone and you would be surprised with what you are left with. Surface stuff means nothing when you get down a layer or two. Removing people is important too. Salvaging something that continually breaks down, serves no purpose. If initial connection is built on shaky ground, or the connection doesn’t allow growth maybe step away. Your peace should outweigh turmoil. Your story, your choice.

I am aiming to maintain this personal fire I feel. I would like to think I built the fire myself, but who am I kidding. Just like it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a person to build a village filled with support. We become an age of contentment. There is no more searching for all the answers, we are okay with not knowing everything. Decisions seem to be made without the second guessing. You become comfortable in your own skin. That person has always been there, different faces in it. Could be you have never been satisfied to be who you really are.

I don’t know why we feel it necessary to bury ourselves in fictitious beliefs. Things we tell ourselves to fit into a foreign capsule. Be you, the quirky, the comedian, whether it be, hold it together or got it together. Words you never say, thoughts that never leave your lips, bottled year after year. Be bold, be authentic! We need to allow people to be the person they are.

No more over thinking! No rehearsal, just live your life. If you are miserable, change your mind. If it doesn’t go right today, maybe tomorrow. Don’t let negativity get you down. My daughter used to have a poster, something like in 10 years it won’t matter etccc. The rest of the poster doesn’t matter, the whole point… in 10 years it won’t matter! Lighten up, today is only one of so many others! Work hard, have fun, start over every day if you need to. Be you and be kind, always love!

Love the sky, not sure what it is, I want to surround myself with it! Maybe it is the constant, the idea that a day begins and ends with beauty, if you look for it. Maybe that is why grey days are harder, no horizon to define the day. I will forever chase it all! Night sky full of moons and the stars, rainbows, thunder, big flakes, droplets of dew and rain. Nature itself also draws me in. It used to be trees when I lived in the city, pathways through the woods are intriguing and the ocean has a language of love.

This year I want to be present throughout the seasons. I want to look for new ways to enjoy them. I tap out at minus something, I will try… can’t envision joy there. Joy inside by a raging fire on said day would suffice. I would like to go to a lodge with a huge fireplace in that weather and sit and sip, I’m sure that would work. Send along your suggestions of a place like that!! I wouldn’t even care if there was a bearskin and giant animal heads… just need to be warm!

I know people bottle up their emotions, but if we could package them. Not just a memory but a livable moment. You select on the shelf, some elation and bliss and coast through whatever is tugging you down. No wallowing in whatever it is, just pick out something good you have on reserve. I am feeling a little down today, I will just grab this glee and absorb it and carry on. I think I can do that, I have enough emotions that surely can be called upon as needed. That’s what I am aiming for, there is enough gloom and doom in this world. No more negative!

August is here! It comes with searing heat and a comfy kind of settle into summer vibe. It feels like a sweater, you are not ready to wear yet. It is just a little reminder that summer is winding down. All the to do’s need to be done. This is not really necessary or true. Summer isn’t over in August. There is still another three weeks! It’s not an all or nothing time, it is transition.

This year is come what may! My no deadline rule still stands. If anything, I have amped it up this year, no flight or fight. Just have to get the clock and calendar running and carry on. No regrets and no more waiting has been the approach this year. Whatever hasn’t been done is met with another tomorrow. I panicked for a minute, halfway through July because of the speed the summer goes. I am over it, this summer has been fabulous! …..still not over!

The rest of the summer I will embrace every droplet of sun and rain that comes my way. By the time I am ready to want to wear the sweater, I will welcome fall. Fall is my second favourite season. I have given myself a September photo challenge this year. I used to do the photo challenges all the time, they help to slow down the hustle and to really see. Watch for the post August 31 and join! I am going to watch for other thirty day challenges throughout the year too. Something to look forward to daily!

Well, well, never say never! Before Tyler went blind, he was an avid gamer. All the game systems, plus coding. Today he asked me to bring up an oldie that he played on game cube and put on the computer, Paper Mario. Since his voice reader doesn’t work with a game, I was the reader and gave directions. I am directional and gaming challenged. However, he told me what to look for so he could navigate through it. He then proceeded to continually level up and beat every challenge! Completely friggen blind! I am dumb struck and in complete shock! There is nothing in this world you can not do, you will never be able to say “ I can’t” to me again. I am still riding the high of that adventure!

Obstacles my butt! Perseverance, check! I am forever changed, he knew where the save boxes were, the coins, key, secret powers, and even where to go to get his money back when Mario was robbed. Maybe this means zero things to some people, but for me… Damn! The amount of obstacles he has been dealt, he navigates the house and yard like a pro. He rearranges his room, he is clean, everything has a place, he looks after the pets and manages his diabetes. Not sure I could do what he does! I am proud!

He looks seventeen, but he will be thirty this year, what the?I always see amazing things in my children, growth every year, inside and out. Little flowers that I grew, but you are in it. To stand back and really look without the Momma curve… Holy shit my kids are grown! Amazing people that have honest traits and accomplishments that I absolutely proud of! What a garden that has grown! I didn’t do it, they did. They roll up their sleeves and work hard, couldn’t ask for anything more💗

Wait for what you wish for, that’s safe. Perhaps you should just roll up to the gate and do it. One hundred percent certainty never arrives. The only one who loses is you. I get annoyed with myself for these very things, so sometimes I am talking to me too.That little rose in the picture was a goner. The bush was brown, I pruned it, added soil, nothing. I came home yesterday and there she was, 4 inches from the original plant, green leaves and one precious flower. Where you are growing may not be the best place for you, move over and see what happens.

Ignoring your original plan can create a different plan. Not the same, but enough. We often don’t nurture the new plan, it wasn’t your original vision. Let it grow, good things come from a new path. An adventure awaits you, you have to recognize it. Stop thinking, be spontaneous and see what happens. Take a drive and see what happens. Go to an event, buy a ticket and watch it unfold. Book something for one month from now, don’t worry about weather, and work out the details as you go.

You don’t have to leave your home either, you could host something at your house. Something you have never done before, nacho night, outdoor movie, book club, copy tik toks . Anything is better than nothing. Everyone brings something, a game, favourite dish, a pie. If you are short on cash, send an invite that says, I need a party, bring it to me! That actually sounds fun! How would you bring the fun? Who cares if the floors aren’t washed and your cat bites people, just do it. 😉

This year all of my kids will be in their thirties. What is that? They are grown, and I still see a 7,10 and 12 year old. That doesn’t even math right, but that is where I have frozen them. My mom hat is always on and when they reach for me, I like being there. You can all pretend that they are grown, but they are saved in a time capsule. The face I see is still filled with wonder and big crystal clear eyes. There is no one to pass the torch to, you are it, always momma. I hear disappointment, I see a pout. I hear happiness, I hear a giggle. I hear anger, I see a red tear streaked face. I never want to disappoint.

It is not realistic to be the hero every time, but we damn well try. There is no hurt that is greater than watching them hurt. There is no one prouder than me watching them grow. I don’t care if it is keeping a plant alive, or winning an Emmy. There is no job more important than parenthood. On call 24/7, constant self criticism, and your personal best all the time, seen or unseen, you do your best. You can and will fail nobody is perfect. Lord love a duck, I hope to at least get an honourable mention!

Whether I accept it or not, they are grown. I love everything about them. I see me and their father in them. I watched them grow into these amazing people. I see independence and strength. I see brilliance and perseverance. I see love and kindness. My hope is they see it in themselves, that they see themselves through my eyes. If I was your other mother, because I have a few, I hope you know the love I have for you too♥️

My second coffee is iced, made by moi. Roughly five bucks at the shop by $30 is savings of a crazy $150, no thanks. You should do that with your time too! The Tom foolery we partake in needs to be worth it. No need to over plan. Some things you can’t regain. First on the list should always be yourself, high functioning self produces rich healthy fruit. I get up early, I resigned that is the way it is, I prefer it over the 2am wake up that can last one to two hours. When I fight with myself to go back to sleep at 6:26 every morning, I just let it be. I use the first ten minutes of open eyes to consider what my day should look like.

How are you serving yourself today? Does it check off all the boxes? Will you feel good when it is done? Yes the good life starts with you. Feeling good is different for everyone, it is dependent on what stage of life you are at. I start my days with laundry, it gets the vibe moving forward, then pets while the coffee is getting ready. I am a creature of habit. These days the coffee comes with me outdoors and the rest of the day is whatever it is. I do clearly remember the hurried days with kids in the morning, and I miss it, if you are there… you will miss it.

Break your day into parts, don’t spend it all on one thing. Don’t forget to eat, not sure if that reminder is for me or you, but you know who you are. There is always bustle and hustle in a day, food prep is usually mine. A chore becoming a habit, helps it blend into the background instead of it being a chore. Add a mandatory feet up time allotment, be still and relax. Maybe you relax too much, so having one thing to accomplish can remove some of the overwhelming things that build up. Life is a train, barreling down the track, make a stop on the way, no need to derail. Be you first, the rest rolls into place

I was deleting photos and I keep too many pictures. So many picture of drinks and recipes. The internet provides a recipe at the drop of a hat, what am I doing? I try to delete monthly, I typically have four or more of one picture to capture the feeling. If I don’t delete regularly, lord knows how many pictures I would have! I need to be doing instead of keeping. Keeping is for Pinterest. Let the doing begin, it is a second step, if I like so many things the ideas are there.

Summer is perfect for puttering with stuff! Half started projects need to be completed, I read the half started books, I don’t why I didn’t finish them in the first place. The half started planting is done. I will only get plants now that fill in the gaps. I just have to do things that I put off until nice weather and here we are. No clocks and no calendars are perfect for all of it. A personal bucket list of simple things.

Most important is the attitude of, “ I don’t care if I do or don’t .” I like being productive, but I would rather help someone else get things done. It is more rewarding. Creating happiness is the best part of life. Besides my puttering isn’t noticed by anyone but me and I do it for me. I think I will add no weather reports to my list of no clocks no calendars, it is never right anyways! This particular reportedly thunderstorm day is hot and humid, conditions for a downpour maybe. 🤔 I guess I won’t be keeping that either!

I always start summer in a rush, part catch up, part pack it all in. It feels like it might slip by and I will miss it. June kinda feels like panic mode, planting, planning, circling through fam and friends like there is no time after June. You can’t burn out in June can you? I don’t think so, you can’t burn out from love! It feels like a surprise bag, each day is something new. Reach in, feel around, ta-da, with more fun choices. Opportunities to learn, clean, relax.. no deadlines.

July saunters in like an old friend with good drinks and all the time in the world. Everything slows down and the panic of the previous month slips away. This secret stash of time fills me with pause and peace. A little more planning, and more peace. The little voice says, “don’t waste it.” It goes faster than you think. There is a whisper of a year of July’s to come. The mornings are vim and vigor, the rest of the day becomes your own. A revamp of mindset, casual bliss.

A read an article about the wild woman. The point being nature wild not crazy, not saying one is better than the other. It resonates with me, bonding with the outdoors. I am outside so much this time of year like a caged animal set free. I can certainly be both sides of the wild coin and I accept that. I am not one without the other. I own the wild woman, she is adventurous, spirited, and has a heart of gold. She has a plan and goals and looks for the off beaten path. She has truth and desire to make the world better any way that she can. I am her, she is me.