This week’s column consists of thoughts built around one-line notes I jotted down as I went through the past week. Just some random stuff I made note of to help kickstart my writing this week.
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I was amazed to come around the corner by the car wash in Greenwood the other morning to see a street level exchange of some of B.C.’s finest agricultural product going down right on the main street of Canada’s smallest city.
Jamie Haynes was there with a large truck filled with the “product” and Jeff Berryman had his pickup backed up to the tailgate of Jamie’s truck getting a load of straw for Annemarie’s garden.
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Folks have to be careful what they say around me now more than ever—what with the passing of Special K, I am going to need a new target or two for my weekly column.
I’ll have to start paying more attention to what folks are saying. It’s sort of ironic that my publisher would probably say I was supposed to be paying attention all along.
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The other morning I wanted to make a wrap for breakfast. But when I got done cooking my eggs I looked down into the frying pan and saw an omelet. So I wrapped it up and had the best of both worlds.
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People have been very generous with their kind words, thoughts and prayers since Special K died. Gail Bryan was over to the house just as soon as she heard and she came by later with a big kettle of borscht. She just handed it to me at the door and said to return the kettle whenever.
It took a while but I managed to get to the bottom of the bowl so to speak and I have been chauffeuring her kettle around for over a week now but she never seems to be home when I drive by.
Meanwhile I have made two trips down to Curlew, Washington and not once did any of the border guards ask me about the “pot” on the backseat of my car.
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Getting out of bed in the morning can be a good thing or a bad thing.
Having my head on straight, being focused and having a list of the important stuff to be done during the coming day helps.
If I’m smart, that list is already written before I go to bed. That way, when I wake up I’ve got something more manageable than EVERYTHING staring me in the face.
Another thing that helps is to take a few minutes each morning to do an attitude check.
Living in the day is important. Special K had a daily routine that helped her do that.
A set of calendar blocks sits on top of the freezer in the kitchen—a simple pair of wooden blocks with numbers on them. The first thing every morning she’d flip the blocks around to the correct date. Along with the laundry, dusting, dishes, etc. she’s left that job to me now.
And to be honest, it’s not been every night that I update my list, nor has it been every morning that I do the attitude check. But I know things go better for me when I do take the time.
I’ll gladly adjust the calendar blocks first thing each day—it seems a simple, but meaningful little task that can kick-start my morning routine.
Take care of someone who loves you ….