PATIENCE AND LIFE WILL HAPPEN! LIKE IN WRITING! SOMEONE WILL READ IT!

 As many of you know I have been blogging and posting since July 2010. 

What surprises me is the fact that some posts of intelligence get few pageviews?

If I post pictures, more come to visit.

Well a post I wrote in 2017 for Canada's 150 on Maple Syrup has received over 200 page views recently.

I am trying to determine who has been reading it. 

I can search by putting #21 which signifies one of the items for the 150. 

It brings me to the fact. To be patient. Some pieces of work take time to come to Fruition! If you want to read it go to 2017 on the sidebar and look for March 5, 2017.

Who would have thought an item on Maple Syrup would bring me some new readers!!

#maplesyrup#blogging#ittakestimeforpeopletoreadmystuff#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

RMEMBERING MOVIES I HAVE SEEN AS A COUPLE-DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE YOU LIKE TO SEE

 Adolph and I did have a different taste in movies.

When there were rentals from places like Blockbuster, I would say come home with a romantic comedy and he would come home with a drama full of shootings. Like Die Hard.

In our dating years one movie that stood out was Romeo and Juliette filmed in 1968. We actually saw it on Christmas Day 1968 at a theatre in Toronto.

In 1970 the movie that everyone loved- Love Story. I remember how it related so much to our life. When everyone was crying in the movie theatre Adolph made a joke about it. Many people looked at him with daggers in their eyes.

We loved Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid. The Sting that we saw at the St. Clair Theatre.

The Graduate.

Adolph's favourite movie of all time was The Sound of Music. 

Being able to buy VHS tapes and DVDs allowed us to watch favourite movies as much as we wanted.

Ben Hur at Easter has been a movie I look to watch as it tells Jesus' story in an unique historical way.

Adolph loved Hayley Mills so any movies of hers were good for him.

The Godfather was iconic too. We saw it a movie theatre.

I loved The Way We were but any movie with Robert Redford was for me.

Rocky.

Network.

The French Connection.

James Bond Movies over the years entertained us.

Traditional Christmas movies like Scrooge and It's a Wonderful life were watched many times.

I liked to go to movies on our anniversary so we saw Four Weddings and a Funeral.

One Anniversary we went to see Letters to Juliette. Adolph fell asleep and stayed asleep for the whole film. I bought it on DVD when it came out. So I told him one Saturday night at home we could watch it together. You guessed it he fell asleep during the film again.

The last movie we saw at the movie theatre was Dunkirk. Poignant.

I tried some on demand movies at home when Adolph really did not go out anymore.

So when I watch a movie we watched together in days gone by it brings up those couple moments.

#movies#lovestory#thesundancekid#thesting#dunkirk#rocky#network#benhur#hayleymills#thegodfather#scrooge#it'sawonderfullife#thewaywewere#jamesbond#vhstapes#dvds#robertredford#moviesbringbackmemories#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

IS IT DEALING WITH GRIEF OR LOSS- IS THERE A DIFFERENCE?

 So I read an article published in the Good Times newsletter on grief.

A good overview.

But it made me think that grief is raw and more immediate.

Loss is permanent.

So remembering a loved one is it grief or acknowledging the loss.

Grieving is more intense.

Loss is forever.

So moving forward in life and grieving less but remembering the loss.

A loss in our lives never goes away. 

Whether the loss of a loved one, a job, a divorce, health, aging, empty next, moving to a new residence, a friendship and all the other losses that can occur.

So what do you think? Is loss manageable? Does grief rage for years or does it turn into chronic loss!

#grief#loss#aregriesandlossdifferent#Ithinkgriefandlossaredifferent#learningtolivewiththeloss#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

REMEMBERING BEACHES I HAVE VISITED ? DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE?

 For some reasons I have been in the mood to make lists of memories.

In categories.

So last night I was thinking of all the beaches Adolph and I visited in our lives. Sometimes alone as a couple and sometimes with family

I was trying to recall the first beach.

Maybe the waterfront on Centre Island, Toronto  we visited in 1967. Not a beach but like a beach.

Rock Lake, Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario where I camped with my family in my childhood.

1970 photo.

Of course the beach in Hawaii on the Waikiki strip. Kuhio Beach at the end of the street where our Economy Hotel was located.

Diamond Head in the background. 1971

Jamaica- Oracabassa beach. 1975, View from up the road of hotel and beach area.

Barbados- Lawrence Gap. 1976

Bahamas- Freeport.Lucaya Beach. Remember this beach as it had a piece of a ship stuck in the sand. Every new tourist tried to pull it out. 1982.

Cancun Mexico. 1985, 1990. 2000.

1985

1990 after a major fall huricane that took out some of the beach and two pools at our hotel.

2000. Trip with girls and boyfriends.

Florida- 1988. St. Petersburg. Madeira Beach.

 Fort Lauderdale Beach.  

Looks like the scene from a Bond movie, sort of!!

The beaches were stops we took from our cruise.

Magen's Bay, St. Thomas. 1988

St. Croix. 1988

Acapulco, Mexico,1989. 

Sarasoda  1991

Sperlonga Italy 1991

Sardinia-Sardegna 1997

Ontario has some good beaches too.

Olifant Beach near Wiarton while visiting a friend's cottage.

Trips to family cottages.

Kerr cottage City of Kawartha Lakes.

Ball Point Mariposa Township Ontario.

Path from the cottage to Lake Scugog.

Of course Wasaga Beach, Georgian Bay north of Toronto. A common favourite for everyone.

The lake front in Port Perry, Ontario. Not a beach but a water area Adolph and I visited often.

 

My favourite beach photo. Our honeymoon.

But the best beach anywhere is the one you have your butt sitting on!!

#beaches#beacheswhereAdolphandIvisited#sperlongaitaly#stcroix#stthomasmagensbay#cancunmexico#wasagabeach#floridabeaches#ballpointmariposatownshipcityofkawarthalakes#lakescugog#waikikihawaii#lakefrontscanbelikebeaches#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro#olifantbeachwiarton#cityofkawarthalakes#sperlonga#lucayabeachfreeport#barbadosstlawrencegap#olifantbeachlakehuron#sometripsaloneandsomewithfamily

JANUARY AND BACK TO WORK FOR MANY

 January with its blues makes one either roll over or start to reenergize. 

I have decided to do the latter.

There are the usual ongoing projects.

Genealogy.

Stamps.

Writing.

Photography.

Crafts.

So combining and integrating my interests will be a January project or projects.

Slow and steady. No rushing but finding those areas in my life and reduce, reuse, declutter, organize.

Stamps for example will be making 6 smaller collections for my grandchildren of duplicates.

Photos- albums, sending some to other family members, uploading, colorizing BW to colour.

Of course there will be birthdays celebrations, an anniversary, and plans for whatever comes to mind.

So as others head back to their full time jobs, I will be treating my projects like work to get the energy to get them done.

Keeping my hands busy will help to keep my mind busy. To get out of my head with those negative thoughts to convert to positive thoughts.

How about you? Do you find January a difficult month?

#january#januaryblues#gettingenergytodoprojects#gettingbacktosomeprojectsthathavebeenongoing#beingpositive#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambr

WHY DO WE FEEL THIS YEAR WILL BE BETTER THAN THE LAST YEAR?

 I read with trepidation that so many expect 2023 to be better than 2022.

Each year brings something in our lives.

Birthdays. Vacations. Deaths. Births. Illness. Good Health. Money. No money. Well the list could go on.

For me. To be with family more. To enjoy the simple moments rather than try to pretend life has to be razzle dazzle.

Community activities.

Online webinars.

Inperson meetings.

Writing. Crafting. Organizing. Decluttering. My main events.

Celebrate the good times.

If we look hard enough there could be reflections that give meaning.

#newyearmaynotbringallyouwant#willthisyearbebetterthanlastyear#trepidationaboutanewyear#rememberingthegoodtimes#acceptpingallthatlifebringstous#stayingalivemeansitisnecessarytokeepliving#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

A NEW YEAR- 2023 WHAT WILL IT BRING?

Lately so many people have said I hope 2023 is better than 2022.

I often say be careful what you ask for.

Each year brings the good, the bad and the ugly.

To think the worst year is behind you and the next will be better is quite optimistic.

I usually ask for a good year. Then I go about making it as good as I can.

No resolutions. Just more of just keep trekking!!

It is okay as one ages to like the status quo. To like some things to stay the same after all the changes that have occurred in one's life.

So blow that horn and celebrate and prepare to ride out the new year and all it brings.

#happynewyear#newyearcanbringgoodtimes#newyearcanbringbadtimes#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro