HOW TO BE A GOOD TRAVELER-SOME TALES OF A BAD ONE

 Coming home from my dad's funeral. June 2027 from Kelowna

I had paid for the seat on the plane as I have always done just to get the seat I wanted.

A mom with a child sat beside me but then she was moved to another seat and another passenger came there.

At the end of the flight the mother of the young mom came to thank the passenger while giving me dagger looks because this other woman had traded seats and I had not.

I remember the family of six who had not reserved their seats like I had and came late to check in and had to be placed apart.

So why does another traveler with a child and family think they should take over the seating arrangement.

I think parents with children can book their seats together or come early to the flight.

I understand children need to be with a parent-always so accommodations can be made. 

Every passenger on the plane has a story so don't assume the lady not giving up her seat that was paid in advance is not a nice person.

#travelling#givingupaseat#everyonehasastory#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

SUMMER GARDEN MERGES INTO FALL-HOSTAS ARE BLOOMING

 

Adolph liked to plant hostas everywhere in our gardens front and back. When he planted this ring of hostas in the front I was not fussy at the time.

Now I love them. It suits the space and makes my chaotic front garden look good.

When I return from a walk, I smile to see them. It is almost a message to remember him.

#hostas#frontgarden#adolphdidsomegardening#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

A POSTCARD FROM BARB AND ADOLPH-POSTCARDS TO MARE-STORIES FROM TRIPS MADE

When Cass was clearing out his Mom's house he found lots of interesting items. 

I received a box of momentos Mare saved from letters, cards and postcards I had sent her over the years. So postcards to add to my collection gave snipets of time from my travels.

Fun to share here on my blog.

The postcard from Mexico. 1990.

Feb. 4, 1990. dear Mare, Mike and Cassidy,

We're doing everything all in 1 day. I must have walked 10 miles together. We.re rolled in the surf, collected shells, ate too much, too much sun. We plan to rent a car & visit Tulum one of the Mayan sites on the coast. We already saw a small ruin just off the beach. tell you more when we return. Love, Barb &Adolph

Lake Simcoe.

Aug. 6/90. Dear Mare & Mike, Having fun with 4 grumbling, hungry adolescents who never have enough to do. Do you like the area- notice the shape of the canal leading into the lake. Interesting and symbolic. See you when I get back. Love, Barb, Adolph &kids

First trip to Italy.

August 20/91

Saluti da Roma. It's amazing how much Italian I can understand. I know when I talk I must have an accent. We are at Lillina's apartment for the week. It's very central but noisy. The old cities are so full of history. I could take pictures all the time. Adolph is glad to be alone again. Think about it. 4 days with his mother and 3 female relatives. Need I say more. Love Barb.

                                    

Adolph's hometown of Cassino.

Aug. 17,/91

Hi Mare,

Italy is fun. We flew over Rome before landing. It was beautiful from the air. The driving is interesting!. The first day Adolph drove us up the mountains of Cassino on the narrow, twisting roads. We've been to the beach. His cousin drives like a mad woman. I kept getting asked are you tired, are you hungry- 500 times. We went to the Open market this morning- just like our markets at home. Will have lts to tell you. See you soon, Love Barb&Adolph

Our Anniversary trip.

May 13/96 Dear Marilee, Roma is still busy full of interesting people and expensive fashion. Platform shoes are in fashion again- Want a pair! Lots of fun practicing my "broken" Italian. Take care, see you soon. Love, Barb& Adolph

Trip for Mom's birthday in the Okanagan.

June 26/97 Hi Mare, Hope all is well. The Valley has grown but it's like home with Tim Horton's Donuts, Zellers, Block Buster Video etc. All the same stores. I'm enjoying the slow pace and taking time to smell the roses. Mom & Dad are fin. Take care. See you when I get back. Love, Barb

Last trip to Italy in 1997 with Adolph.

Sept. 15/97

Hi Mare. We're seeing the sights of Rome & Vicinity again before heading to Sardegna. Rosario & I took an hour's drive to see Cerverteri. However it's closed on Monday so I took pictures through the fence & bought postcards. On Sunday, we went to visit some "sights" with Lillina & Rosario-closed! So I have  lots of pictures of the outside & through the fences of places. Maybe we'll try on Tuesday-things will be open. Love Barb & Adolph 

Trip to Mexico in 2000 with the kids and boyfriends.

Feb. 22. 2000. Hi Mare, How are you managing with my cat. Fabulous beach. Hotel is okay. We're right across from a big mall. I've bought some silver pieces and my clown for my collection. I hope to get the girls on some tours. Adolph & I walk on the beach. The soft sand kills our calves We've been eating like pigs so must do some exercise to try to balance the input of food. Take Care, Love, Barb, Adolph, Tasha, Sonya, Domi & Andrew

Postcards are rarely sent anymore. On my last trip to Tobermory I sent a dozen to people I knew and even one to myself. Like vinyl records maybe they need a revival.

What do you think?

#postcards#postcardstoMarefromBarb&Adolph#barbwritespostcards#italy#romeitaly#romaitaly#mexico#okanaganbc#visitingitaly#visitingbc#postcardsgiveaperspectiveonlifewhentravellingtootherplaces#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambeo

BOOKS- 1 BOOK READ

 

It took me awhile to read this book. I had not been reading but it became the firs to the summer lot.

A future fantasy war based in Ontario. A wonderful read by John Jantunen.

Usually I try to read 10 books over the summer. Well I read three.

This book was the most memorable. So maybe a new goal for Fall.

#books#readingbooksoverthesummer#mason'sjar#johnjantunen#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

FILM- IT ENDS WITH US-SOCIAL COMMENTARY ON A DIFFICULT SUBJECT

 I saw the movie It Ends With Us when it was first released.

Poignant about Domestic Violence.

The abuser in the film was a professional man- a doctor. It reminded me of the back doctor here in the GTA who abused then murdered his wife and stuffed her in a suitcase throwing her in the Humber River.

There is some drama about a conflict between the director- Justin Baldoni who also starred in the film and Blake Lively- Producer who also starred in the film. Creative differences.

Some women have become haters of Blake who marketed the film too lightly. 

Brandon Sklenar who starred in the film wrote on his Instagram about being kind and gave some insight to all the drama. He had a friend who found hope from the film. He has been judged too for being in promotion photos with other cast members.

Folks get over yourself. It is promotion. He starred in the film

The book was written by Colleen Hoover and had been a best seller years ago.

She posed in promotion photos as well.

Folks. It is a film. Fiction. Not a documentary. There can be some poetic license with films.

When I saw the movie the audiences was mostly full of young women. There may be a woman who took away from the film to get away from her abuser.

I would recommend It Ends With Us to others to see it.

I would see it again with a family member or a friend.

If a film on war is marketed, the promoters are allowed to smile and talk about the film. Films are marketed all the time. 

To hate Blake because she made it too girly, so what. Judge the film on its merits not how you think it should be marketed.

It has done well at the Box Office. It has reached the market it needs to reach.

For me, it never seems to amaze me how judgey women are against other women. 

Jealousy maybe is the root cause. Hard to say.

A film. Not someone's life story. But a film and a fictional story with a good message.

#blakelively#brandonsklenar#justinbaldoni#colleenhoover#domesticviolence#abuse#artimitatedlife#itendswithus#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

QUALITIES OF AN INDEPENDENT WOMAN

 Strong- not necessarily in strength but able to handle so many things in life.

Independent- knows how to do many things independently.

Able to be alone or in crowd- enjoys her own company on her own or can be in a crowd on her own.

Resilient- handled many events good and bad but able to bounce back from adversity.

Resourceful- knows how to navigate resources needed to survive.

Knowing when to ask for help- this is a hard one but knows help may be needed so sucking it up and asking for help.

#qualitiesofanindependentwoman#resourceful#independent#resilient#knowingwhentoaskforhelp#stronginnature#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

SAD TO SEE THE OLYMPICS END ADN BACK TO BORING AMERICAN POLITICAL COVERAGE

 The excitement and thrill of Olympic watching brought some joy to the news.

American election coverage is so draining. Just seeing that T. guy makes me ill.

In the GTA with the shootings and other sad events, seeing positive energy and commitment with all the athletes makes me proud as a Canadian. Hope for now and the future.

Maybe it is time to read more than watch the news. Besides it is everywhere. Once we have cell phones there is so much coverage.

How about you? Are you sad to see the Olympics end?

#olympics#hateamericanpoliticalcoverage#nicetoseesomethingjoyousforawhie#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

AUGUST 4, 1974 JOE DIED FROM ALS- FINALLY 50 YEARS LATER THERE IS HOPE

 My father-in-law Joe( Giuseppe) died after a 7 year journey with ALS ( Lou Gherig's disease).

When I had been dating Adolph for several months, I found out his father had been diagnosed with ALS by a doctor at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto Spring 1967.

There was no treatment. Just care. So my mother-in-law worked full-time and came home to care for her husband. She pureed his food and provided peri-care. Adolph's Nonna Maria lived with the family so was there during the day.

At our wedding, ( May 15, 1971), Mama and I lifted him from his wheelchair holding him so we could get a good family photo.

It was a precious photo as his ALS exacerbated a few months later after a trip to Italy, August 1971 to transfer the family property to his sons.

The last three years of Joe's life he was bedridden so Mama would transfer him to his wheelchair and bring him to the dinner table. I would sit with him, holding his hand. He was kept part of the family.

Few people in his Italian community visited him nor supported my mother-in-law. I remember the ones who did. Adolph and I would visit 3 times weekly to give support to Adolph's parents.. We were there with Mama when Joe died at York Central Hospital ( now Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital).

Having a family member with a debilitating disease taught me so much. Care, compassion, the effect on a family system, seeing the person and not the disease and supporting the main caregiver, i.e. my mother-in-law.

I was exposed to others suffering from ALS over the years. The Casa Loma pizza owner. The OB who delivered my first grandchild. The mother of a favourite bank teller.. A patient who came to the surgery program periodically whose wife cared for him. A few celebrities. Friends of acquaintances.

Then the miracle. A doctor at  the University of Western Ontario- Dr. Michael Strong and his team are researching and finding inroads to this disease with hope for patients and families.

In Western News, July 2024 the work that is being researched is heading towards a cure for this disease.

The scientific nature of the disease needs to be read in full so an article and study published in the Journal BRAIN can give comprehensive details.

Finally after 50 years, hope for current patients and families.

#als#lougherigdisease#familyphotowithjoe#livingwithsomeonewithlougherigdisease#drmichaelstrongatwesternuniversity#findingacureforALS#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

AUGUST BRINGS THE END OF SUMMER EVENTS

 I love summer. So when August arrives I always feel that I must get going and make the summer memorable.

No trips planned. The kids have their own vacations to do alone.

So I booked a movie for August 7th to go alone. I have to start venturing out and doing more alone.

Easton has one more soccer game. Hockey does not start until the Fall.

3 more music in the plaza nights.

I also have to organize my fall events and what I need to do for publicity for OGS and the Historical Society.

There will be a couple of planning meetings. One is zoom and the other in person.

Garden cleanup happens in September/October. Besides with the continued heat wave, it is not very enjoyable to work outside.

My walking is coming along. If I do it every day, I get in the rhythm of walking.

So August, bring it on.

#august2024#augustevents#notripsplannedforaugust#nogardencleanup#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro