A cat died and went to Heaven. God met her at the gates and said, 'You have been a good cat all these years. Anything you want is yours for the asking.'

The cat thought for a minute and then said, 'All my life I lived on a farm and slept on hard wooden floors. I would like a real fluffy pillow to sleep on.'
God said, 'Say no more.' Instantly the cat had a huge fluffy pillow.

A few days later, six mice were killed in an accident and they all went to Heaven together. God met the mice at the gates with the same offer that He made to the cat

The mice said, 'Well, we have had to run all of our lives: from cats, dogs, and even people with brooms! If we could just have some little roller skates, we would not have to run again.'
God answered, 'It is done.' All the mice had beautiful little roller skates.

About a week later, God decided to check on the cat. He found her sound asleep on her fluffy pillow. God gently awakened the cat and asked, 'Is everything okay? How have you been doing? Are you happy?'

The cat replied, 'Oh, it is WONDERFUL. I have never been so happy in my life. The pillow is so fluffy, and those little Meals on Wheels you have been sending over are delicious!'

And the winner is?

There were 2 things I desired to do this year to make changes in my life. The first was my spiritual health. It's been quite some time since I've been committed to one church. The excuses are obvious of course. Working shift work for 8 years is one of them and that included working a LOT of Sundays. But I'm not working Sundays anymore so I've become more regular in my church attendance and that's a good thing. It's much easier to sleep in on a Sunday morning (because after all don't we deserve it?) and going to the restaurant down the street and eating a nice big brunch. It's very easy for me to give in and do the things that give me the most 'bang for my buck'. But I've decided to do the things that maybe aren't so comfortable and go for it this year.

The other change I need to make is my physical health. Since 2000 the lbs have steadily come on. Again, obvious reasons. I quit smoking and boom! overnight there came the poundage. When you don't keep your hands and mouth busy with a cigarette you fill it with food. Gotta fill it with something right?

We joined WW again and I find it easier to make a committment to losing weight when there is accountability. Not only the $$$ every week but also group support.

I really need to stay focussed this year. It's for my health and for my well-being.

More on the subject. Stay tuned.

Church

More on this subject later. Stay tuned.

Glad This Isn't My Cat!!!

Yesterday we went to see my step-dad Paul who's now living in Victoria. It was a beautiful day and there's nothing like a ferry ride in BC to remind you of how gorgeous the scenery is here. The weather was fabulous and we enjoyed a really nice day and visit with Paul at his new residence.

Paul's memory comes and goes as well as his level of confusion but yesterday he was bright and chipper. He had such a smile on his face when my mom walked into the room. He stood right up and just hugged and kissed her. It was very sweet and heart felt.

We went for lunch together with his daughter joining us and then left Paul and Betty alone for awhile. Chris and I went downtown and walked around the harbor. The place where he's living is 2 blocks from the Parliament buildings and very close to where 2 of his 3 children live.

The decision to move Paul to Victoria was one made by everyone involved his care and although it was a difficult one to make I believe it's a good one. He is well looked after and it's much easier for his daughter Norma in particular to be involved in his care.

Hopefully we'll be able to get over there for a visit again soon.

Enjoying the view

We had a great weekend and managed to shake the head cold, thank you very much. After my head pretty much exploded on Thursday somehow I managed to get it all back together by Sunday so we went to Church.

Isn't it amazing how people from your past pop up? This has been happening to me a lot lately it seems and I wonder what the purpose is behind it. I don't know if I need to know, I just wonder.

Yesterday we sat in a different section of the church as we haven't attended there regularly enough to have our row paid for and you better not sit in my seat attitude. That'll come later I'm sure. You know the type.

Anyways this lady sat behind us and during the meet and greet shook my hand and we looked at each other and both said "I know you from somewhere". Back to the service, about face, and I'm still wondering how I know her. I guess she was too because as soon as the service was over she started talking to me again.

First we found out that our friends D and S actually know her sister J, so that was met with "well it's a small world isn't it" and then the lightbulb went off and I asked her if she had worked for a ministry I had worked for in the 80's, Boom! Yes she had, for several years and then remembered me from that time.

Too funny. You just never know who you're going to run into...so 20 years from now when you see me hobbling down the street with my cane you can say "Oh look! it's her from the blog! I know her!"

Achoo!!!

What started out as sniffles on Wed night has turned into a full-blowin cold. Yikes!! Seeya in a few days.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

The card shops make so much $$$ off this day so who needs to contribute more...Chris and I go to the shop and read cards out loud to each other. How's that for cheap entertainment? After the 3rd or 4th card we're laughing so hard we can hardly stand it.

So go on, save some money! Read cards out loud to someone today!

Tales from the DART side

I think I'll start blogging about my experiences about driving the DART. I DART around town pickin' up people with medical appts, social appts, mental health appts, and a whole lotta shopping appts. We offer door to door service. It's a great way of meeting new people, seeing people you've connected with before, and doing a whole lot of driving.

Last week it had snowed for about 2 days and it had snowed the week before for 2 days so some of my regulars who like to go shopping at the Mall had been house bound for more than a week.

I went to pick up one of my faves, Mrs. A. She's a Scottish lady with a walker who lives with her son and d-i-l. Nice lady. When I got to the door it was like the Ikea commercial when the woman runs out to the car..."start the car". Except it was "Get me to the bus, I gotta get out of here". She'd been housebound for at least a week.

Poor lady, her son is waiting for knee surgery so he's home, her d-i-l just had some surgery so she's home. She couldn't wait to just GET ON THE BUS.

She told me that every morning she goes on the computer and talks by video cam with her sister in Scotland. How things have changed since she came to Canada and a phone call to the old country was the size of a mortgage payment. Now she talks by web cam and hears water running. She mentions it to her sister who says "Oh, it's me 'usband, he's 'avin a shower".

How times have changed.

It's come to my attention that I'm tall. You ask, 'you didn't know that'. No, apparently I don't because at least once a week someone, usually a complete stranger will say to me, 'boy you're tall.' I try to act surprised and say things like "thank you for telling me, I didn't know" or "I'll have to look into that, I wasn't tall this morning when I left the house".

As a teenager and young adult I absolutely hated it. I stood out in a crowd, on the other hand I could pick people out of a crowd that I was looking for so it came in really handy at airports looking for my mother who always seemed to travelling.

As a tall woman it seems that I'm often mistaken for a man because well, woman aren't supposed to be tall. According to some rules out there. I'm not sure who made those rules but they're out there somewhere.

I also have short hair so that adds up to the problem of being mistaken for a man because obviously a tall person with short hair is a man.

Yesterday I had to go to the Hospital to pick up a client. On the way to the Dept I thought I'd take a quick trip to the washroom. In my work you take bathroom breaks when you get them.

So I opened the door to the washroom and there are 2 stalls with doors inside. One looked shut and the other one was open. There was someone standing by the sink but because I was in a hurry I just blurred past them, went into the stall, locked it and sat down.

Somebody knocked on the stall door. Thinking I had "stolen" the stall from her I said, "Oh I'm sorry, I'll be right out."

Knock, knock, knock. Again I said, "I'm just about done, I'll be right out."

Thinking I would meet hostility on the other side I was a little hesitant to open the door. I finally did. There was a little lady standing there who by this time had knocked on my door at least 6-7 times.

Once again I apologized, said I had been in a hurry and proceeded to wash my hands.

The lady looked at me and said "This is a Ladies washroom".

I said "Thank you for the information". And walked out the door.

Next time I'll show her my boobs.

The next time someone asks you a dumb question wouldn't you like to respond like this?.....

Yesterday I was buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for Maggie, my wonder dog at Wal-Mart and was in the check out line. A woman behind me asked if I had a dog. What did she think I had, an elephant? So since I'm sarcastic, with little to do, on impulse, I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, and that I was starting the Purina Diet again. I probably shouldn't, I continued, because I'd ended up in the hospital last time. I awoke in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms. However, I did lose 40 pounds on the diet, so I was giving it another go.

I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is you load your pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete and I needed to lose a few more pounds. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in the line was, by now, enthralled with my story.)

Horrified, this woman asked if I ended up in intensive care because I'd been poisoned by the dog food. I told her no, it happened because I stepped off a curb to sniff an Irish Setter's ass and a car hit both of us.

I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard!

WAL-MART won't let me shop there anymore.

Sometimes................

It seems that weeks go by without a whole lot going on that's of any interest. I think I lead a really dull life. I guess I could write about my tales on the DART but I'm far too lazy for that. Although sometimes it would give me something to blog about.

Like the time last week I went to pick up a client from the Sikh Temple, I'd picked her up before, she was wearing a brown sari and brown shawl, grey hair put back in a bun, so when I pulled up I looked to my left and thought 'oh there she is.' I jumped out of the bus, held out my arm and walked her to my bus. She smiled at me and said thank you very much and went to get into a car.

I was surprised and said something like 'oh, you're not going home with me today' and she laughed and pointed to where we had just walked from There on the curb stood a lady dressed in brown, brown shawl, grey hair tied in a bun just laughing her head off. I had walked the wrong lady to my bus and they all enjoyed the joke.

Around the house it's the same ole same ole.............we work, we eat, we sleep, we laugh, play with the animals, but it's all good in the hood.

Had brunch with my friend Jennifer on the weekend. She just turned 60 in January so we finally made plans to get together and get caught up. That's always fun, Jen and I used to work together in a group home. She still works there 8 years later. Last year she brought WD over (shown here in photo) who turned 60. Lookin' good!

Last week I got together with friends I used to work with at IM in the 90's. The company closed down in '97 but we still get together once or twice a year for dinner and a few laughs. There've been divorces, deaths, births, all shared with friends.

Anyways.........that's life in my neck of the woods (just where did that expression come from anyways).

Have a great week everyone. Remember: Safety First.

What Will I Be When I Grow Up?

Giving to Charity

Sometimes I go through my closet and "purge". I get rid of lots of clothes that don't fit anymore or I just don't wear. It makes me feel all warm inside knowing that the clothes I previously wore are now gracing another grateful body!

Remember that cleaning out your closets at least once a year and giving former treasures to Goodwill (or charity of your choice) is a great way to give back to your community and help those who are less fortunate.

So look through your closets and see if you don't have something that doesn't fit, or might be a little out of fashion.

Those things will probably fit someone else and could be the height of fashion for them.

With that in mind, I send along this heartwarming photo to inspire you, and remind you that your efforts won't go unnoticed.