HATS AND SCARVES FOR THE SEASON

I love knitting and crocheting between busy activites in my life. Waiting for a kettle to boil, knit a row. Watch some TV, work on the crocheted baby blanket. Busy hands make lovely products.

I like to make the basic hat with variation. I can add buttons or animal faces-popular with the little ones these days. Crocheted scarves go faster. Variety of colours on one hat makes it fun. And those little leftovers of wool can add a little flair to a row.
Many gifts have included my works and sometimes I am able to make a sale!
Hand work is also very therapeutic. It allows nervous energy to be channeled in a postive way. I am still teaching my little granddaughter to knit.
Do you like to do activites with your hands? Wood carving is fun. Painting. Crafts of any nature. What is your favourite?

NANA SAYS SHARE THE LOAD IN THIS BUSY FESTIVE SEASON

The Christmas season brings so much pressure and stress to take in as much as possible. Shopping, parties, gift wrapping, house decorating and even several parades. Dragging children-young and old around malls shopping can be reduced by leaving them at home with the other spouse or using people- like Nanas in your life. Leave them with a friend so you can reciprocate and babysit the other children to give that parent a chance to shop. Baking groups-if you still bake- make several dozens of one kind of cookies or squares and the group does the same sharing with you. These modern times bring so much online shopping. So after putting the little ones to bed, go to the computer and shop. Even this Nana has used the new way at least 3 times this season. Being on email newsletters and flyers bring the deals to your home. Not interested just delete. Decide what is really important- so planning and more planning. Most young parents I know already have those Christmas pictures done for Christmas cards! So not procrastinating really helps!
Many places have gift wrapping services for a fee and often to a charity! Advise the stressed person in your life to take advantage of this service! Back to children- create magical moments by having a home with things to touch, seasonal books to read and a creative corner. Gingerbread house kits are a fun project to do together. My house includes my big touchable items. The little breakable ones are not displayed so the house can be enjoyed by my grandchildren. Besides there is less dusting! Share the load! Family dinner and parties can be the pot luck fun! In some cultures, there has to be one superhero trying to cook for 40! Advise the person times have changed and everyone can bring a dish! Nothing worse than the huffing and puffing of the stressed cook! So make your own list of how to share the load! If the load is just too heavy then decide what is really important and put the rest aside! What are your strategies for this wonderful, festive season? Do you have a Nana in your life? Or even a grandpa or a papa to help? If not come on by and I'll help you out!

SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE

Did you have someone in your academic world that influenced your thinking? I did. Ray Godfrey, one of my professors when I was studying my Masters of Social Work at the University of Toronto( 1973-1975) taught one of our core counselling courses. She had been a nurse during World War Two then studied for her Social Work degree, served in the community before becoming a professor. One clinical piece of advice she gave us- "no matter how busy you are in your job, every once in a while lift up your head and really look around you. See what is there!" In health care, we often are reminded not to work in silos. We connect with others- even though our professional jobs are unique. I see now she was warning us about the politics of any place. Be part of the planning and evaluation. See the trends. Be one of the trends! Climb high and look down! Be down and look up! And watch your back! Ray was also a bit of a character. She wore rings on every finger. Every time an ambulance went by if we were in class, she would cross herself! Is there someone you remember who taught you well? Ray was just one of many people I knew. Perhaps I will share others with you! Perhaps you can tell me your stories of wonderful people you encountered!

THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE

As the seasons change, so does the landscape. The summer lake becomes the fall lake with colder waters, soon to be frozen over by winter ice. Like our lives, the view is still so beautiful! Look around you and pick a scene then visit it, photograph and reflect on it! Each time what do you see! Really look! Record your observations! I see layers of clouds. Lake Scugog. Port Perry on the left side. Blue water. Feels cold to me. The green replaced by brown. A country drive with a purpose! Something larger than I! Do you see something more?

A POSTCARD FROM NEW YORK CITY

My daughter Sonya has a good friend with family in New York. During her teens she had the opportunity to visit the beautiful city. It is still on my bucket list to spend some time there.

On August 10, 1995 she sent us this card- "Hey Mom, Dad & Tash! The weather is beautiful here about 85 F and sunny. New Jersey is nice and I am looking forward to going to Upstate, Long Island and especially New York City. Tomorrow Becca and I are going to a Fleamarket in Long Island. Charlie and Lisa are great people and they are making my trip quite enjoyable. Amanda (the baby) is so adorable. Well got to go now. Miss you, Love you, Sonya XO"

Other family members have visited this beautiful and famous American city. Of course with the memory of September 11, it remains in all our hearts.
If you want a postcard featured here, email me at abdm@rogers.com and I will send you my address so you can send me a postcard.

REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMEONE

Was a beautiful line in an ad. In life we need touch. Little children crawl all over us. Everyone wants to hold the baby. Teenagers push us away. As we age, our intimate moments may decline. A good morning hug! A good-bye kiss, a cuddle on the couch, reading side by side to children before bedtime or sitting closely together gives opportunities for touch. What about the patient sick in bed? What about the elderly person who has lost a spouse? Who fills the gap for touch in their lives? Pets are good but take work. So giving your 86 year old grandmother, a dog that needs care and walking may be good for touch but create other problems for her! How can you put some good touches back in a person's life? Holding a patient's hand at bedside works! Shaking hands work! The hairdresser massages the head with a good shampoo! Hockey brings body checking- hum, maybe a different touch! Family group hugs! Holding hands! A good psychologist once said people need 12 hugs a day for maintenance! Sometimes though we may need to be careful- people with dementia or others with paranoid thinking may misinterept touches.  It is more challenging to reach out to them. Could the blankets, slippers, sweaters be warm and fussy bringing some nice comfy touches in their lives? Little children may carry a favourite toy for comfort. Should we be giving our elderly a stuffed animal too for comfort? Does lack of touch lead to loneliness? Touching- room for thought!

INSPIRATION IN RUSSIAN

A Russian born colleague gave me a chocolate bar when she was leaving the job. She told me the title means Inspiration and it was very good Russian chocolate. She wanted me to know I was the best Social Worker she had ever had on a team and as a person. I inspired her. The gesture was very sweet but also very humbling for me. To know I had inspired her made my day. In my life, there have been people who have inspired me. Inspiration can mean a force on poets, artists, musicians, stimulating creative activity, excited thoughts etc. Thank you to my colleague for such an acknowledgegment. Have you inspired someone? Have you been inspired by someone? Are there events in your life that have lead to creative endeavors? Do you recognize others need to create and allow for those moments? Inspiration- a noble virtue! Let's have more of it around us!