Category Archives: Uncategorized

Apr14

Habit or Addiction

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Habit or Addiction

When does a habit become an addiction? When does one become delusional using denial as a defence mechanism when it does?

Over the past few months I’ve had some interesting conversations with people surrounding this topic. Covid seems to present us with more than enough time to indulge, or in some cases, overindulge.

A friend remarked the other day that Creme de Menthe is nasty. Apparently she had run out of wine and the only alcohol she had at home was left over from being drizzled over ice cream quite some time before. She doesn’t consider herself an alcoholic. Yet she couldn’t go one day without alcohol. Hmmm. When had her occasional evening glass of wine turned into more than 8 ounces daily? Chalk another one up to Covid?

I love my morning coffee. I also love chocolate. Both are notorious in terms of caffeine content. While I can go days without chocolate, I’ve never gone days without coffee. Is my morning habit of coffee an addiction? I don’t think so. The odd time I’ve missed a morning I’m just a little on the lethargic side, not shakey or headachey. But maybe I am delusional. Maybe I am addicted to caffeine.

Tranks. Now those are drugs that once were my best friends. The drawback was that I couldn’t feel emotions such as anger. I merely floated through life on a cloud. Teetering on the edge of addiction, (according to my then therapist), I somehow managed to leave the pills behind more than a decade ago. I must admit that occasionally I wish I were still floating but I also realize that it is far healthier for me to feel emotions and to learn to control them.

Videogames. Sadly, I believe that I have become addicted to Candy Crush Friends. That Yeti is just so darn cute! I love the way he prances about when I pass a level. I also started playing Candy Crush Saga again after taking a year off. I started that game back in 2013 while recuperating from knee surgery. These games have become more than just a habit.

My ex was a hopeless TV addict. It drove me crazy. Half the time he didn’t even know what he was watching as he’d doze off. But God forbid if I tried to turn the idiot box off. Suddenly he was wide awake. Grrrrr.

There are a myriad of other things from sex to hoarding that can easily evolve from habit into an addiction. There are two choices. The easy one is delusion and denial. The hard one is confronting it and dealing with it.

OK. Call me delusional. I’m not ready to give up coffee, chocolate or candy crush.

Apr11

Rant Rant Rant

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Rant Rant Rant

These are my golden years. These are my retirement years. These are times meant to be spent with family. These are times meant to be spent pursuing interests that never fit in with working years. The reality is that these are now Covid years instead.

A year ago the madness had just begun. There was a frenzy of tourists flocking back to their native countries. There was fear among those who found themselves stranded in foreign countries. Cancelled flights and border closings became the norm.

I was in Mexico when all this started. And I still haven’t made it back to Canada yet. I wonder if I ever will. I never thought I’d say that I feel safer in the USA but I feel that way now. I also enjoy a lot more freedom and have a better quality of life.

Canada can best be described as a complete gong show in terms of the mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the inefficiency of the distribution of vaccines. The ambiguities surrounding the quarantine and subsequent restrictions serve to only increase confusion and promote unnecessary fear. And don’t even get me started on the mental health issues associated with all the negativity resulting from shutting the economy down.

The CDC issued a Level 4 travel advisory this week. DO NOT TRAVEL TO CANADA. Is this merely a retaliatory tactic against Trudeau’s policy of protecting Canadians from being infected by their southern neighbors by keeping the land borders closed?

The way things are right now, the Americans are doing amazingly better in terms of vaccinations. Perhaps the Americans should be concerned that the Canadians are the ones who pose the real danger until Canada gets its act together.

If it were up to me, I’d open up the borders and eliminate the quarantine. I want to travel to Canada to see my family who live in two different provinces. My Canadian friends accuse me of becoming a rebel like the Americans. But this Canadian prefers to be a rebel living in the USA right now rather than a sheep up in Canada.

Apr4

A Year Later

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A Year Later

It’s now Easter of 2021, and the second Easter of the pandemic. Last year I was in Mexico and didn’t go to church. At that time I avoided crowds and religiously wore my mask when I went out for my daily walks. I went out only to buy food or use the ATM.This year I’m in Leavenworth. I went to church on Good Friday and am going to a service today, Easter Sunday. I usually wear a mask only when I go into a public building or a shopping mall. I seldom wear a mask when I’m out walking unless I’m in the downtown area where there tend to be lot of people.My favorite place to walk is in the town of Cashmere. Here are some pics I took the other day while strolling down Cottage Avenue.When I’m in Mexico I don’t get to see the flowers and trees budding. And I’ve missed it.Cashmere is amazing when it comes to scarecrows and Halloween in October. But I did see some Easter decorations including this tree.I stopped at the bakery and was delighted to find hot cross buns. I haven’t tasted those in eleven years. In Mexico Easter is synonymous with empenadas.Happy Easter to those who celebrate. Easter 2021 is definitely better than Easter 2020. But I do wonder if we’ll still be wearing masks in church in Easter 2022.

Mar31

Really Mother Nature???

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Really Mother Nature???

My last post was about how gorgeous the weather is here in Washington state. Of course the day after I published that post I awoke to a winter wonderland out there.

The snow didn’t last, not here in Leavenworth. The mountain passes were a different story, covered in snow and ice.

That afternoon I ventured into Wenatchee where there was no snow at all. Thankfully the wind warnings didn’t materialize into much and the sun shone in all its glory.

On my way back home I stopped in Cashmere to go for a walk. I was delighted to capture these shots of spring flowers.

Even my favorite tree, a red maple, was beginning to bud.

Although it was cool yesterday, today we’re back up into the 60s. I guess Mother Nature was just toying with us on Monday. After all, spring has sprung.

Mar28

When It’s 60+ Degrees

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When It’s 60+ Degrees

Spring has definitely arrived in Leavenworth. Although it’s been weeks since I’ve worn boots, the temperatures have now risen into the 60s the past few days. The sunshine is an added bonus.

On Saturday Linda and I went out to Sleeping Lady. We picked up drinks at O’Grady’s and sat outside on the patio.

We then walked around the grounds, admiring some of the sculptures and stonework.

The Chihuly glass sculpture is definitely my favorite.

The snow covered mountains create a stunning background.

The beauty of these mountains never ceases to impress this girl from the flat Canadian prairies.

Mar24

I Always Wanted To Go To Yakima

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It’s been a crazy week. And today is only Wednesday. Can’t wait to see what lies ahead in the next few days. This is definitely not a typical week. But then again nothing has been typical for a year now.

Monday Monday. What? Google, Chrome and Gmail aren’t working on my phone. Yikes! Neither is WordPress. Of course I take all my pics on my phone and use them in my blog posts. Apparently Android has a glitch and they haven’t stated when it will be repaired. Time to switch back to an IPhone?

Tuesday. A call from my attorney. I have an appointment for fingerprinting next month. At the Immigration office in Yakima. At least they’re taking my appeal seriously. And that is encouraging.

My son forwarded my new credit card to me and it arrived on Tuesday, well ahead of the end of the month expiry date. Unlike Mexico, the postal system here in the USA is reliable. And a lot cheaper than FedEx.

A delightful video call from my grandson in Mexico was Tuesday’s highlight. Juan Carlos told me all about his weekend and what he’s studying in his internet classes. I feel for him. Fifth grade is a lot more fun in a classroom.

Joyce and I have been working on routines for the SAIL fitness classes we teach. We exercise together three times a week and hope to resume classes again next month. Washington state has now reached Phase 3 so we will be able to have five participants.

Karen and I hung out in Wenatchee for a day and enjoyed the warm weather. A mere twenty minutes away and the sun shines brightly and jackets weren’t really required at all. A lower altitude does make a difference.

Time to get busy on Duolingo. Don’t want to forget my Spanish. I still plan to return to Mexico at some point.

I hope Android fixes their glitch soon. I still haven’t figured out the tags or featured image settings on my Kindle. So no pics on this post. 😦

Mar21

Still Searching

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Still Searching

Nestled in the Cascade Mountains, Leavenworth has captured my heart. Plop it down in Mexico and it would be called a pueblo magico, a magic town.

The downtown area along Front Street is especially charming. It’s easy to forget you’re in the USA. Instead it’s like being transported to a quaint Bavarian village with an incredible mountain view as a backdrop.

The gazebo. Fond memories of hearing amazing musicians such as Alpenfolk. During the accordion festival the parade of accordionists ended here with a gala performance. Maifest and Octoberfest celebrations. And so much more. But it now stands eerily quiet as though it too were infected with Covid.

Bears are everywhere here. I admit I prefer these ones to the real ones whose favorite pastimes seem to be coming into the town to raid the trash cans.

This sign in front of one of the many restaurants caught my eye.

What appeals most to me is small town life. It’s more relaxing and people are friendlier. If Leavenworth were in Canada this nomad would seriously consider settling down permanently.

Mar17

Sorting Through Stuff

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Sorting Through Stuff

This morning I tackled the tedious task of “sorting through stuff.” The last time I moved I was rather rushed for time and packed the easy way of cramming papers and books chaotically into book bags. It was finally time to get organized.

I have a medical folder that travels with me. Details of past surgeries and medications are here. I even found my old IMSS book from Guadalajara from years ago. I also still have copies of my physio exercises post knee replacement surgery dating back to 2012. Other than two knee replacements, cataract and Lasik surgery, and peripheral neuropathy, the past 11 years have been uneventful.

Documents. I have way too many of these. Birth certificates, marriage certificates and divorce decrees in English, French and Spanish. Original university degrees and professional development certificates. Paperwork involving Immigration and IRS in the USA and INM and SAT in Mexico, as well as CRA in Canada.

There’s also a small handful of photos and cards. Also the odd hard copy of some of my writing. I also found an outdated holographic will. Definitely time to update that one.

I’ve kept a few books, some in Spanish. Copies of the books I’ve published. A copy of Robert Munsch’s Love You Forever. But books tend to be heavy.

The biggest bag is my art supplies. Coloring books and sketch pads. Gel pens and colored pencils. Pastels. Art projects such as snowflakes, Christmas ornaments and fridge magnets. Painted rocks. A glass candle holder. A handpainted coffee mug and coaster.

Then I found a bag with external hard drives, thumb drives and batteries. Also a collection of computer and phone chargers. And a few other unidentifiable things all related to some type of technology.

There’s more I still need to go through, like old credit card receipts. But that will have to wait. You see, I found my favorite nail polish in the technology bag. No idea how it got there. But now that it’s surfaced, I’m off to paint my nails. 🙂

Mar14

Only One Dream

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Only One Dream

The word “dream” usually conjures up images and sensations felt while sleeping. Good or bad, some of these dreams are more memorable than others. We often delve into them to find a deeper meaning in our lives.

Years ago I took courses in interpreting dreams. I recall vividly waking myself so that I could scribble down a few words in the middle of the night in the hope that I could achieve further vision into the somewhat meaningful experience of a particular dream.

But I stopped after several months. While it was interesting to reflect upon these nocturnal visitations in an attempt to analyze them, it was also detrimental to fully focusing on the present and appreciating what was right there in front of me. Another benefit was avoiding being stuck in the past. Memories triggered by dreams are not always pleasant.

The older I get, the more I prefer to focus on other dreams. By this, I refer to my wishes and hopes for the future. Combining these with my present circumstances provides for a fascinating and challenging walk through life.

Fifteen years ago I was trapped in a boring and unfulfilling life. Ten years ago I was just beginning to timidly crawl out of that mundane but comfortable life. Five years ago my confidence had grown substantially and this made pursuing new dreams more positive and exciting.

Today there are no end to the dreams that come to mind. But there is only one dream that truly stands out from all the others in this crazy Covid world we live in. I only hope that this dream will come true sooner than later. It’s been merely a virtual reality for far too long.

My dream is to hug my kids and grandkids again, in person.