SCHOOL'S OUT LET THE SUMMER BEGIN

What can be said about the real summer months beginning? Time to embrace the lazy, hazy days of summer. Change gears. Go to a local beach! Canadians spend lots of money going south to lay on the beach and get a tan so with less expense the same feeling can be had. Road trips planned! Vacations to Europe or other exotic places will have airports filled with travellers over the weekend. Pearson Airport is expecting its biggest crowds over this July 1 weekend. I perused my bookshelf discovering that I have a nice pile of books to try to read over the summer. Reading makes one sit and enjoy the day. Even a couple of hours reading each day brings an incredible amount of relaxation. My favourite spot on the back porch with my birdies and squirrels as companions. Summer brings so many childhood memories too. Camping in Algonquin Park. Days at the cottage on Lake Scugog. My first job delivering the Toronto Star with a friend earning a little money. Sometimes even a tip from a nice customer. Some sporadic vacations days here and there as I have discovered just taking one week then no other days off is a bummer. So making several long weekends with 4 day work weeks. Having some company so rooms are ready! Of course, how to spend time with the grandkiddies in a leisurely way. Organizing, writing, editing in a leisurely way too is on my agenda. Again in my little spot on my back porch. Having a little basket of stuff that is handy. Stopping to smell the roses in my garden. Oh yeah that need some pruning too. Summer with all its expectations! What are your plans? Or are you just going to let the good times roll and see where you head?

NANA SAYS THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL IN ONTARIO

School ends for the current year giving a summer break. Parents have arranged camps and vacations and encouraged grandparents to help. Report cards can bring happy or sad moments. Most schools now don't let you know who the teacher will be in the Fall so there are no issues over the summer. Children look forward to the break. But for many friends it can be a mixed emotion. They will miss their friends. Friendships are important to children. They are healthy. So sleepovers and play dates may help with the dilemma. Of course the modern gadgets let children keep in touch but personally seeing each other is important too. Parents need other parents' friendships too. Having pool parties or picnics or easy fun outdoor activities helps with those encounters. Going to the Zoo together! Attending a music night in the park in your local area! So no one has to clean a house afterwards! Lots of environmentally friendly paper plates. So as school ends think about how to maximize the summer time for the children and families. Here's to all my grandchildren! Happy end of school!

RED AND WHITE-HOW CANADIAN, EH

Red and white are the colours of the Canadian flag.

But red can be found in the garden, fruit and even some people have a shade of red hair.
This week will see more red and white as July 1 is Canada Day. Patriotic to wear some red. My Canadian flag is at the front of the house in celebration. Cars have some Canadian flags flying in order to celebrate this week. Parks will be the location for many local celebrations. Of course the big one is in Ottawa. So look for the red and white! Wear some too! How Canadian, eh?

MONDAYS ARE A TOUGH DAY

A wonderful weekend ending in a Monday morning! After the Brexit vote, the markets may be volative again. Will our dollar go up or down? How will traffic be? Work- what happened over the weekend! Any new issues or crises? Monday with its uncertainity can be the most stressful day of the week. This week with school ending causes concern for parents trying to decide what to do with their children if those decisions were not made back in Februray.   It just seems the weekends get shorter and the work week longer or is it just me trying to look at life throught a turn in my Kaleidoscope? monday

DAISIES-THE HAPPY FLOWERS IN THE GARDEN

The white and middle yellow of the daisy in the garden shine against the green. The variety of the daisy flower create pleasure in the yard. Wild ones and those from the greenhouse give a wonderful show.

I like to call it the happy flower!

Even the game- she loves me, she loves me not can be played. Daisy!
#daisy#daisiesthehappyflowerinthegarden#summergardens#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

ENDINGS BRING NEW BEGINNINGS

Deciding to change or having change enforced brings anxiety and trepidation. Endings bring new beginnings. Not always welcome! Even planning for a move, a retirement, a new job, a new baby can bring concerns and strife. Stress of just living yet alone planning for something new is not always easy! Going from one decade to another- 40 turning 50! 9 to 10! No longer a one digit! Beginning can be exciting- a new marriage, a couple! Ending can be remorseful. Grief. Fear of the unknown. The new beginning may not be better but just new. Perhaps the best bits have already occurred. A whole family to pieces of a family! What remains may not be the best part! Living with good memories may not be enough! Wanting to do and create some new ones may not be possible. Health issues may get in the way. Trite sayings- be positive may only be annoying! Being there for someone going through a change. Allowing all the feelings that can occur even the negative ones. Change as we know is not always for the better- it is just change!

THE CIRCLE OF LIFE

Our lives have many circles of connections. Our self, our immediate family, our extended family, our community, our province, our country- the world. The earth is a circle of sorts as part of the solar system. From baby to child to teen to young adult to middle age to old age- life has its rhythm!

WILL BRITAIN STAY IN THE EU?

Sometimes a vote can make a difference in a country. Think of the Quebec referundums that brought havoc on Canada. The what ifs! Each side claiming their vote should be the one! There is always the percentage that does not care until things change. Think of our elections and the ones that did not vote want to cry when events affect them. Britain has always been able to stand on its own two feet. The British Commonwealth was huge and influential throughout history. For a little island there is a lot of pull and wealth in the world. The populace is made of many different roots that helped it with its strength. Those of us with some English roots can contest for the enduring features of those roots! Many Brits have a gene pool from many of the countries in Europe anyway! So to stay or not to stay! The sun will rise tomorrow! Life will go on! So do you have an opinion or will you just wait and see!

NANA SAYS LONG DAYS BRING AWAKE CHILDREN

Now that the days are longer, bed time becomes more difficult as children often do not want to go to sleep at their normal times. With school ending and camps beginning there may not be an argument for children and teens, must get your sleep! If the day starts later like on family vacations, then it may be harder for parents to have some real quiet time without their children being awake. Change things up. Let children have a longer reading time in their beds. Put away the gadgets as they can interfere with sleep patterns. Put away your own gadgets. No one needs to be on their cell phones or tablets until one falls asleep. An after dinner walk, bike ride or game such as shooting baskets can help with tiring everyone out before bed. Reduce the evening snacks to healthy treats! Since the days are longer, enjoy them. With sufficient bug spray sit outside, enjoy the evenings. If your community has music in the park events, go to them and take in the lazy days of summer. Local parks with splash pads are an easy way to take in the summer fun.

Some parks may have nature paths so learning about your local animals and flora. Make sure to be tick aware. Tuck in those pants in your socks and do the body check each night at bath time. Parents change the household tasks to summer tasks, less indoor work and spend more time outdoors. Use the porch, patio or back deck as an extra room to cut down on messes made in the house. Fresh air tires everyone so if possible find some water to have a walk along the beach or spend time in a boat. The summer months are too short so embrace them and enjoy. Try to give your children the wonder of summer that you enjoyed as a child!

RARE-WE ALL LIKE TO BE DIFFERENT

Or do we. Last night the full moon was a rare one as it occurred on the summer solstice! Meat can be cooked rare to keep it tender. There are rare coins and stamps that we would like to have as an extra source of income. With billions of people on the earth it is hard to be rare. We are told there is someone who looks like we do somewhere. A doppleganger! Or a fifth cousin once removed- genealogy and genetics tell us we are related to many other people on this earth! A rare flower! A rare bird! Fitting in to school or the workplace or a friendship circle means we can have our own uniqueness but there must be enough commanlity to belong. We get asked on a survey how often we do something- always, sometimes, rarely! Sometimes we want to fly under the radar and not be noticed! Keeps us safe! So do we want to be rare or one of the bunch! Your call!!

FIRST DAY OF SUMMER

The longest day! The summer solstice! The  beginning of the summer brings  a joy and expectation of trips and activities! For some, the hot that they hate. For some, the hot that they love. Swimming and beaches! Canoe or boat rides. Water skiing or tubing! Sailing in a sailboat. More walking or jogging! Family visits! Of course ice cream! Cones at home or at a favourite store. Summer time and the living is easy. Unless one has a garden or a cottage that needs lots of work!

TWENTY MINUTES GIVES TIME TO ACCOMPLISH A LOT!!

Don't have time to get things done. Start with 20 minutes. Exercise for 20 minutes every day and you will start to see the difference. No time to write. Write ideas or thoughts for 20 minutes and at the end of the week see what was accomplished. Waiting to go out and you have 20 minutes, do a little clean up. There are 3 sets of 20 minutes in every hour. Committing to 20 minutes to do something you love is a start to having a fulfilled life.Have a doodle book and draw, write and well doodle!  Sometimes just knitting a few rows of a project for 20 minutes will eventually let the project get finished. Sanding a woodworking item. Busy and too much to do is the mantra for the modern person. But everyone has time to play on their cell phones constantly all day long but can not commit to real activities in the real world.! Put down the phone for 20 minutes and see what can be done! On my 20 minute Sunday power walk thoughts of what could be done came to mind. A life full of 20 minutes here and there have allowed projects to be done! Reading that book for 20 minutes before going to sleep. The book gets finished! Taking photos for 20 minutes! Reading ideas of taking better photos! Praying for 20 minutes can give a lot of thanks to God and guidance from God! A shelf can be tidied! A basket of laundry folded! Feeling down, put on some music and dance for 20 minutes! Meditating for 20 minutes whether it is sitting, driving, walking! Life is those moment to moment times that give pleasure! 20 minutes- so how will you use the time!

FATHERS READY FOR THEIR DAY

Sometimes the best time for a Dad is to relax with the family! Nothing special.

Maybe a new Tshirt or two. Some favourite food items and a quiet corner to eat them. Fathers come in every shape and size. Good, bad and indifferent! The best dads are the ones that are there and available to their children. Support their wives! Maybe they read bedtime stories or make pancakes but caring about the children in their lives build relationships for life. If lucky the dad becomes a granddad and gets to do it all over again!

BEAUTY AMIDST THE RUINS

Piles of bricks from a fallen wall to be used another day. Wildflowers find their way to create some beauty. After a fire, new growth occurs showing nature has a way of winning! Hardships in life can bring a new boat to sail to new adventures. Not necessarily better or more fulfilling but new! Do struggles in life make us stronger? Sometimes! Often just wear us down until the boat tips or sinks! The key is to find the beauty and get a new boat! Or put your feet on hard ground and get out of the water!

HANDLING JUNE STRESS

June often has that feeling of preChristmas frenzy. End of school. Recitals. Sports events. Planning for summer. Finishing planting the garden. What home renovations to do over the summer? We live in hectic lives that we create. So how to handle it all! Well try not to have to do it all. A summer vacation can be 3 weeks on the road travelling from place to place to see it all or travel to one place and use it as a home base. Whatever the choice to find ways to make it doable and fun. June is the time for planning without the real travel. Planning and organizing with all the ideas, then keep the good ones. Young families often need grandparent support so figure out what is needed. Working folks need to ask for vacation days and often have coverage for their absence. Getting their work in order before going away can make extra stress at work. Stress is manageable as long as one does not create more. Knowing each June is busy and that's the norm can be like that preparation for Christmas. Start early and do a little at a time! Remember the longest days are in June so try to use those evenings to be outside taking in those longer days!

S

So try not to head off in all directions or you will feel like you are spinning your wheels!stress

NANA SAYS HELP YOUR CHILDREN PLAN FOR A GOOD SUMMER

With summer quickly approaching, the planning continues for most families. Camps and vacations have been booked months ago, Grandparents may be part of it with helping with drives or pickups. Planning some meaningful sleepovers to give parents a relief is important too. Then what little trips or outings can occur. Parks and splash pads near home work on those hot days. Simple but fun. Libraries have reading programs and social times. Movies on a hot afternoon are good because there is no chasing the children! Drives but not too far work too! I do recall the outings with my own children could be painful if the drive is too long! "Are we there yet?" has not changed as the theme in the car. So the old rules of bringing something to entertain the children or the road games of counting how many red cars or cows we see on the ride. I love the Zoo so it could be a trip especially with the two baby pandas born a few months ago! Downtown has lots to do but as a Nana I find it too stressful to take the kids alone! So some contained spots that keep the children in sight and easy to track! Luckily they love playing in the backyard so home time activities should work too! So grandparents out there what do you have planned for the little ones?

PEONIES WITH THE HELP OF LITTLE ANTS

The ants did their job! Peonies need the ants to help them grow. This lovely flower wakes up a garden with its white or pink flowers. The greenery keeps spots of brown alive.

The garden continues to grow and move along. So do the weeds and unwanted growth! How is your garden growing?

A FAMILY TREE

Like the tree growing in the park, a family tree has many visible branches and the hidden roots underneath. All our ancestors make us who we are today. That's why in the genealogy world the tree is a welcome metaphor for the work. Different phases and stages! Sometimes full of foilage and sometimes ready for winter going dormant. Shaking the branches of the tree can bring out stories!

PREPARING FOR THE SUMMER RUSH

Cleaning a house to receive guests taks many days and ideas of where to put what temporarily. Planning some day trips. Where to go! What interesting buildings, monuments or what every small town may have as its' history. Yes the garden! Rain is great for the plants but it also helps the weeds grow. So spraying the paths some is a job to behold. Trying to decide what days or weeks to take as some vacation time! However June is delightful with celebrations and activities. Cleaning, planning and really enjoying the moment!

THE CANADIAN GARDEN CHUGS ALONG WITH BEAUTY

Pretty purple wild flowers throughout my garden. I never found the name for them Anyone Know?

Those flowering bushes in the garden are too short lived!

Pretty iris amongst the beds!

Forget me nots- the pretty blue flower that seems happy to be in the garden!
So how is your garden coming along? Of course I do not show the overgrowth and the areas needing work!

PUSHING THROUGH THE NEGATIVE ENERGY

What of the most difficulties in life is trying to stay focused when those around you are full of negative energy and thoughts. Caring about a person or situation then confronted with the toxicity that can exist. Finding personal and professional space away from it takes skill and strategies. Unfortunately in many work situations there are joint decisions and joint work spaces that can make it tiring. Lunch breaks away from everyone gives some space. Another strategy is put the client as the focus. What does the client need, not your needs? Not judging or personalizing the problems can give the clinical perspective more depth. Listening to every one's perspective is okay but those whose scope of practise do not need to be in the mix then they should not. For example, at a program meeting when we are asked to vote on the post op orders, I sustain as it is medical for the nurse and doctor involved. If I found a typo, okay then say something. It is not my area of expertise so I leave it to those who have devised the information. What do I know about nursing procedures or what pain medication to use!  Do I expect the same courtesy in my work? Yes! Strong teams can have differing opinions but the various disciplines are stand alone and need to be respected.

NANA SAYS JUNE BRINGS END OF SCHOOL FRENZY

As school is winding down, parents are winding up. Gifts for teachers. End of school activities. Worried about those final marks and what class the child will go next year. Finishing elementary school and heading to High School in the Fall. So deciding which High School to attend if it had already been decided earlier in the year. Then the big wait for acceptance at colleges and universities for those Senior students. Waiting to see if scholarships or bursaries have been awarded to offset tuition and residence fees. Signing up the little ones too for Junior Kindergarten in the Fall. So June that summery month before the summer vacation can feel more like the frenzy of the Christmas season. Then throw in some birthdays, anniversaries and Father's day- a busy month for all parents. The dance recital or sports banquets that occur. Of course- swimming, soceer, basement lessons are happening too! So how to cope- one event at a time. Maybe even combine some if possible. If several children, then each parent takes a school event separately. Perhaps cut down on the number of lessons over the summer and do more outings with a learning component. I used to take my girls to a lake or pool to consolidate those swimming skills rather than lessons. A summer camp may include swimming lessons as part of their package if it is important. Get through the busy month with some planning for some summer fun! Of course there are always grandparents ready to assist!

32 YEARS OF GENEALOGY-TIME FOR NEW STRATEGIES

Having attended the OGS-Ontario Genealogical Society- 2016 Conference in Toronto Ontario June 3-June 5, I came away with some renewed energy. Having followed the rules of organization, numbering system of charts and of course citing my sources, my work is quasi organized for the next round. The digital work is waiting. A good scanner to take many notes and documents from paper to computer files is on the horizon. One workshop told how important it is to put the family tree lines online to connect with others and to have a real place to store the data. The 3 place rule and 15 km rule- a way to let others have one's data so in case of some disaster or theft- well the information is secure. So family out there be prepared in the next year to be receiving some data in one form or another!! Yes I know who would really want to steal 15+ binders of our family history? Going from binders to digital sounds good but like other aspects of my life I will find a way to combine both. There is something about reading everything online that bothers me. It is still easier to pick up a book or in the genealogy world a binder and flip through the pages for the information. So some digital but reducing the paper clutter and downsizing the binder information is coming for me as well. It became clear from other family historians that many members of their families are not interested in all the information and may burn it all after their deaths!! Not sure if my children do feel the same! The good thing is knowing I have a plan and lots of organized information already. My yellow pedigree binder was well organized 20 years ago! The new databases online and my membership in Find My Past-based in Britain will help me add new tidbits to family lines. From many presenters lots of information about databases for varieties of information.  A way to enrich the stories of my family's ancestors. My need to write will be there as writing up various stories can create an opportunity to submit to the various branches where I am a member and send the articles to relevant family members. Gives some needed information for the various newsletters as well as the continued goal to organize more, write, put the information out there and yes share. Respecting the rules and the ethical ones of genealogy- no distinct information of anyone born after 1916- the 100 year rule of respecting the privacy of the living! Some modern descendants may say where I am- I will give you paper version but not put you on the Internet family tree sites- understand! The copyright rule of others that have done the work. Not taking all of some one's work without credit and claiming as one's own!The years of research and organization must always be honoured by all. Back to cite your sources, give credit always to the researcher and we are told to ask permission to use their data the way it was organized.   Due to my early childhood difficulties, part of the reason to keep information off the Internet has been respecting my own Mom. So it is time to get into the 21st century. For the record, I had my DNA done as now there is DNA Genealogy! It has actually been around for about a decade or more but I had the opportunity at the conference to get tested. When I get my results, that information can be shared here on my blog. So how to help me write more about the family may lead to a regular post feature- monthly or bimonthly here on my very own blog. There are many genealogists who have family blogs or write their genealogy on a blog but for me my blog- Reflective Thoughts by Barbara is more varied! I want to keep it that way. I love genealogy but also gardening, photography, my clinical work, featuring my postcard collection etc. However, my blog does give that forum to put some family stories like I did and shared my cousin Roy's information on our grandfather Ernie Ellis that fought at Vimy Ridge! It was a good post combing family, a historical event and honouring our service men and women. So still feeling a little exhausted as returning to work after a whole weekend which started Friday night has left me pondering and thinking. I look at the task ahead but when I think of 32 years ago when I started the genealogy journey it is not so overwhelming. I just wish spell check would check the dates I will need to input. Typos are my greatest fear!!

D-DAY A DAY IN HISTORY

As we all go about our day, give some thought and appreciation to those who stormed the beaches of France in Normandy to begin the invasion of Europe. Canadians fighting on Juno Beach! As we fast forward to modern times, do we still hope that the current conflicts in the world would be the last! Here's to our military families everywhere and the sacrifices they make. Here's to our old veterans with a big hug, kiss and thank you!

A WEEKEND OF GENEALOGY-OGS CONFERENCE 2016

Finally I will be going to the Ontario Genealogical Conference. Being held this year in Toronto by the Pearson Airport which makes it handy by plane, car and bus apparently over 600 have signed up to come. Signed up in February and registered early last night so I can try to make some Friday sessions. But all day Saturday and Sunday is full so booked a room to stay overnight at the hotel to take in as many of the activities and sessions as possible. I made a one sheet fact sheet of all my maternal and paternal lines as well as my husband's names as I have done his genealogy as well to share with anyone who wants to share. Apparently there could be a wall of names for others to see so probably put it there.Don't know if I will know anyone. Perhaps meet some people from the many branches where I am a member! The theme is Genealogy on the Cutting Edge. So lots of information about the technology and the now must do- DNA testing. For me to find ways to organize my information from the binders- although I love my binders to more digital so it can be shared readily and cheaper to connect with those who are interested. Of course that will be another project for the future. So there could be some posts reflecting on this experience! Stay tuned!

ADULT LEARNING IS LIFELONG LEARNING

Professionals have expectations from their Colleges to continue learning in their discipline. The requirements can vary on what counts as the bottom line. Sometimes the number of hours or courses or articles read can all contribute to the annual review. Sporadic audits can occur so one must keep all documentation of learning for at least 7 years- like taxes! As a professional ages, there seems to be less new ideas to incorporate so often it is revisiting old themes and ideas. Nearer retirement it can be a challenge to make sure one's college is happy. Older workers often find younger colleagues wondering why they should bother. But if given an Education Day like I am given at my workplace, why not use it to help fulfill the professional designation. So today off to an all day workshop in one of my work areas. A day away from the regular work to meet others in my discipline of Social Work. What is refreshing is the fact that we all speak the same professional language. Health care is challenging enough but to face daily questioning on what is being done and why can be well- boring. Social Work is a profession with training. Many people often say I could be a Social Worker/therapist/counsellor! Why? "I can give advice and talk to people!" See what I mean- more clinical depth and knowledge and understanding than the superficial understanding of the work. So at a workshop where other professionals just get it! And maybe an idea or theme to incorporate in my decades of knowledge and experience!

NANA SAYS HOW TO BE A HANDS ON GRANDPARENT

Some grandparents brag about the number of grandchildren they have, give a kiss, take a photo then that's the end of it. Being hands on means being available and around to have a relationship. Having a relationship is tiring and sometimes work. Being close to grandchildren means there may not be much respect until it is earned. Otherwise, one gets treated like a parent. The child knows you will love them no matter what so do not have to listen or do what is asked! Coming to Nana's house means testing the rules. Establishing boundaries can be difficult. Each home has different expectations. Nana's house is laid out in a way that children can rule in a circle and so they do. Insisting to eat at the table and not taking food in other rooms is a constant discussion. Not allowed at home but somehow come to Nana's and let's try to see what can be done. Sitting and eating so no choking occurs is a constant safety discussion too. Granpa does the cooking so is always concerned about healthy eating. But there are lots of snacks healthy and otherwise. Cookies are okay. Relationships take all forms and actions. Beimg a good part of the grandchildren's lives is very rewarding too. Hugs and kisses. Excitement to be seen on an arrival. Wanting to come for sleepovers. Knowing one is loved brings incredible joy! Stopping and really listening to what is said. Being interested in all the activities. Trying to go to events. The best part is just having grandchildren in one's life. Hands on is exhausting so maybe it is time for a nap!