REMEBRANCE DAY 2024-WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO REMEMBER?

 I always attend the Service in Richmond Hill. It is held on the Sunday before Remembrance Day.

So Sunday November 10, 2024 at the Cenotaph.

My program is a little wrinkled from the rain that started midway through the service.

The front design was from a Scout troop. Very pretty design.

What are you doing for Remembrance Day?

#remembranceday2024#attendingaservice#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

REFLECTIVETHOUGHTSBYBARBARA NOW HAS DONE 4000 POSTS

 Hard to fathom that I have done 4000 posts on this blog.

Some whimsical, some thoughtful, some photos ones and several themes.

I try to post every day but sometimes it just does not happen.

I still rarely post a pic of me. On Adolph's blog Granpalovestocook it had many photos of him as I wanted to show him cooking or at a market to keep it authentic.

I don't know that I will change very much of what I say or do. 

Sometimes I have reposted a former post or used similar ideas again.

It is hard to be original. I do have some basic values and themes I like to share.

So I will continue to write as long as I am able to write. And photograph. And see symbolism in the world.

Are there any ideas you would want me to share? Let me know.

#reflectivethoughtsbybarbarareaches4000posts#writingonablog#barbaradimambro#themesformyblog#barbaradimambro

NANA SAYS LOVE ATTENDING THOSE GRANDCHILDREN'S GAMES

 Love being at the rink early.

So while waiting a couple of kids from Ty's team came out.

One player after filling his water bottle, turned and saw a family member.

He said Hi Granma and walked over to give her a hug. Such a sweet moment.

My grandsons always give me a hug too. Doesn't matter who is watching.

So watching them play is one thing. Getting that hug is priceless.

#grandsonshockeygames#goingtowatchthekidsplayhockey#gettingahugfromagrandchildispriceless#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

LIKE PEBBLES ON A BEACH WE ARE ALL UNIQUE

 Like pebbles on a beach we are all unique.

I love my collections of pebbles I collected from Sauble Beach Ontario. The water rounded out rock to make these very picturesque pebbles.

I keep them in a small jar as a reminder of how different we can be.

#saublebeachontario#pebblesonabeach#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro 

 

AS AN OLDER WOMAN I AM HAVING TROUBLE SORTING OUT THE GOOD GUYS FROM THE CHAUVANISTIST ONES-WE ARE NOT GOING BACK

 The American Election keeps my head spinning.

Those men who support Trump are a certain breed.

So when I see someone in a pick up truck wearing a cap or looking like a Trump supporter here in Canada I cringe.

I want to keep my faith in the good guys of this country and world.

But history tells us about the rise of men who are willing to do whatever it takes to control their countries. Especially to control their women like some countries in the Middle East.

Prewar Germany is such a nation.

The Roman Empire was bloody and brutal. 

Listening to rhetoric and nonsense coming out of the mouths of those supporters sound like Romans and Nazis. The Fascists in history.

Then there is this whole notion of woke liberals. Very left. Who are they and who are they supposed to be? I think the T Cult just labels them.

Even our conservative leader has used the word woke in a negative context. Our Constitution, our health care, our education system and our willingness to be a democracy is huge.

Woke started as a way to be aware.

The backlash against women and rights makes me cringe too. To think prochoice is still confused for proabortion. It means giving a woman the right to determine her own reproductive decisions. There are women who are prochoice who would not have an abortion. However they would not ever think to deny that another woman could have that choice.

Women and men have the right over their own bodies. All men were born from women.

Respect for all the women in your life.

So when I see an American that looks like a redneck endorsing Harris/Waltz I have to remember to listen and not judge a book by its cover.

I want to be aware and open minded and try to respect all. But right now I wish I could slap a lot of people and say get over it. Open your eyes. Listen with your ears. Be wary of the threat to democracy.

So as an older woman I want to stay engaged because I have grandchildren that deserve a democratic and good future.

We are not going back. 

#americanpolitics#beingdemocratic#listeningandnotreacting#whatiswrongwiththeTcultinAmerica#isitwrongtobeliberalthinking#wemustlearnfromhistory#harris/waltz#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

FAITH IN YOUNGER PEOPLE-SOME GOOD EXPERIENCES

So I attend my grandsons' hockey games as often as I can. Keeps me near young people and well they are my grandsons. Love them.

Recently I had some work done on my home.

I had a leak and needed some shingles replaced. The young man in his 20s was courteous, efficient and very skilled. He took about 3 hours to get the work done.

Needing my eaves troughs cleaned, two young men in their 20s represented the company. They cleaned the troughs and one said the screws were too long holding the down sprout to the house. So he spent some time putting in smaller screws. All for the same price.

What I liked was how well both situations showed how younger people care about the work they do, Skilled, efficient and well nice people.

Like Socrates said two thousand years ago, what is happening to the youth of today. Well he was wrong and many of the people who worry about the youth of today, I think they are wrong too.

The youth will find their own way in this generation. By being a good, caring older member of the community I can role model good behaviour as well as acknowledgement of how well many of our youth and younger people are doing.

So home repairs brought some well needed reassurance that good work continues to be done.

We need good workers of all kinds but especially in the trades. Good skills all around.

Have you had some good work done lately? 

#homerepairswentwell#roofneedingsomeshingles#gettingmygutterscleaned#respectinghteyouthoftoday#socrateswaswrong#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

DOES POLITICS HAVE YOU DOWN?

 Wars.

American politics.

Canadian politics.

I care more about what I can do locally right now. When I think about what could happen in America, my head wants to explode.

I worry about democracy. Look what happened to women in the Middle East. Backwards.

Women have come a long way in history but need to go further. 

Education. Equal work opportunities. Getting better jobs that are deserved and not a token.

Tokenism doesn't work.

There are bright qualified men and women. Working together for a better world. 

But I am concerned. Not for my me but my grandchildren and their generation and their future.

How about you? Has politics got you down right now?

#politics#americanpolitics#worryingaboutmygrandchildren'sfuture#education#equalopportunities#democraryisontheline#wedonotneedafascistdictatorshipinamerican#cantheconstitutionofamericabetakenawaybyafacistpresident#weneeddemocarayinthewholeworld#politicsisabummer