Remembering, as many are this day, 9/11 twenty years ago

It’s hard to believe twenty years have passed already! For those of us who were adults and witnesses, whether in person or through the power of television, the horror of that day does not seem so long ago. My husband was a truck driver and was en route home from Texas that day. He’d been hurt and had to fly home earlier than anticipated. We lived in Newfoundland at the time and I remember planes landing at our airport from the U.S.A. the same situation was being played out all over our small province. In the years to follow a Broadway play would tell the story: Come from Away. Although the focus has been centered on Gander, many travelers would find themselves receiving the hospitality of strangers all across our province and our country.

Twenty years! Yes, it’s hard to believe. People from all around the globe worked at the twin towers and are remembered, mourned, and prayed for, even so many years later; as are the victims of the planes that crashed in Pennsylvania and Virginia. I did not prepare this post ahead of time. Life has been challenging of late, but I do wish to pay homage to the many heroes and helpers who stepped forward that day and in the weeks to follow.

Earlier this week I was sky gazing (I know, that’s such a big surprise) and looking up I saw clouds that seemed to form an angel. I have heavily cropped the image and present it here in memory of all those lost, and in tribute to heroes, sheroes, and helpers from that time and for all time.

In the arms of the angels….September 11, 2001

Happy Labour Day, Canada!

It’s a bit late in the day but I have been thinking of our labour force and workers of every kind from janitors to rocket scientists it takes all kinds of people working all kinds of jobs to keep the world going. I hope people everywhere have had an opportunity to rest from their labours today.

Every ant in an ant colony is vital to the survival of all. I think that is true of people too, as the song says, People who need people are the luckiest people of all. I did not capture this image. It is the work of my daughter, Anastacia Hopkins, who seems to me to have an artist’s eye. I am grateful to her for allowing me to use it here.

By the way, there are several words that are spelled differently in Canada than they are in the U.S.A. labour is spelled correctly – labor if you happen to be American…..just an f.y.i.

Back and forth, back and forth

Another trip to Edmonton this week, arrived home again this afternoon. It is a trip we will have to make monthly as hubby’s eyes need extra care due to diabetes. I am grateful that our health insurance covers it. The pandemic will, no doubt, cause deep cuts to Canada’s health care system across the country. I dread what’s to come, already we’ve been notified of changes to what medications will be covered. Still, we are fortunate to live here in this beautiful and rather wealthy country. I try to keep in mind just how blessed we really are. especially as the people of Afghanistan face so many horrors!

I have shared many photographs of the view from our balcony and the stunning display overhead as the skies are constantly changing and delighting the eye. This time I thought I’d share a couple of photos of the Edmonton skyline – well, okay, a small piece of the skyline. There is beauty everywhere, whether in the country or in bigger cities….

Taken from our hotel room in the North end of the city of Edmonton

the same view taken at night – almost looks like Christmas with all the lights

Whether you’re enjoying beautiful rural areas or are ensconced in an urban area, I hope you’re touched by beauty, always. Until next time, cheers!

R & R this Sunday afternoon

August has been a tumultuous month for us and I am so very weary. I don’t have much to post about but did want to share a couple of photographs of the gorgeous pink skies last evening. Alberta skies never fail to impress me – so beautiful!

Forecast was for thunder storms and rain, but we didn’t get either one

Zoomed in on all that spectacular pink!

Wherever you may live on this beautiful planet, I hope you get the chance to enjoy nature and all its gifts!

Cat love and cat fights, oh my!

We’ve had quite the week with moving daughter back home with her two fur babies. Mine is not very impressed. After eight years of having no competition and all of the attention suddenly she’s faced with two feline rivals. Both are male, Merlin has a similar disposition to Callie-cat: very laid back and chill; Whiskey, not so much. It’s been a bit stressful for all of us as he continues to hiss at her. I think he’s finally beginning to settle down. He likes to play fight as well, which Callie definitely does not – she’s a lover, not a fighter. LOL

We did everything we could to make the adjustment easier for all three. Introducing first Merlin and then Whiskey in separate visits before they actually moved in. Merlin is coming along fine; Whiskey is still a work in progress. When things gets a bit too tense they’re separated and put in different rooms. Please wish us luck as we continue to help our fur babies to adjust.

Callie-cat wondering why Merlin is hiding LOL

Introducing “Whiskey” he had to be contained in the beginning as he kept lunging at Callie and hissing…Callie is checking him out from a distance

Cha-cha-changes

There has been a lot of changes of late. Eldest daughter is looking for a place to live even as our youngest moves back home to live with us and our son and daughter-in-law struggle with recent news regarding her brain tumor and her cancer diagnosis. In addition I am back at work after being off pretty much this past year. Adjustments to life’s ups and downs are constant, but seems even more challenging of late. A few more turns around the highway of life.

From somewhere most sacred and mysterious comes strength to face the challenges and comfort in the dark hours. I call it Divine. I call it sanctified moments. I call it blessing. For no matter what life throws at us we persevere with the loving presence I call Creator, Divine One and I am grateful.

Recently friends have described me as a “strong woman”. Well, friends, strength comes from growing through the challenges. And now, even as I feel I am being “tried by fire” that mystery comes to whisper, “You’re not alone. You are never, ever alone. Not in the past, not in the future and not now in this present moment.” And I am grateful for this gift called faith, for it is a gift and not of my own making. I share my experience in the hope that someone reading will be comforted. No, we are never alone, no matter what is happening around us.

New day dawning

Emancipation Day comes to Canada

by Jane Fritz

Please click the link to continue

https://robbyrobinsjourney.wordpress.com/2021/08/01/emancipation-day-comes-to-canada/

The road we’re on

Some roads are smooth and free of potholes and other annoying bumps and roadblocks; at other times the road is far from smooth and the ride far from pleasurable. Sometimes we can only see clearly when gazing into the rear view mirror. Lessons of life are like that. We cannot know why the road we’re traveling is either smooth or bumpy until long after we arrive at our destination. Hind sight really is 20/20.

The highway my family is currently traveling along on is rather a bumpy road, full of potholes the size of the grand canyon and road blocks that seem insurmountable. Our daughter-in-law received the results of her biopsy yesterday. It was not the good news we’d all been hoping for. The tumor is malignant and unfortunately had grown to such a size that surgeons were unable to remove it all. Our son and his wife now have to consider what treatments to pursue and they are, quite naturally, devastated by this news. One day at a time is all we can manage as the road plunges in front of us.

I am so proud of both of them as they face these challenges, peering into the murk while standing firmly on their feet, with a touch of tongue-in-cheek humor that nearly makes me weep. Yet, I am a firm believer in the power of the Divine One, the Creator, the consummate healer and provider of peace and comfort. I know that whatever challenges lie ahead we will be given the strength and fortitude to carry on.

On the highway, going home

Busy Bee

She’s going in deep, a little bee collecting nectar

It’s been a busy week. I went back to work after being home pretty much for the past year. I did try to go back to work in December. It didn’t work out. It was nice to be back and feeling fairly healthy again. The library is fully open to the public and it was nice to see familiar faces as well as a few new ones. My daughter-in-law was flown back to our local hospital to continue her recovery and my daughter is coming home to live with us. Yup! There’s been lots going on.

Some mornings are very early – in time to watch the sun rise

Some days begin at 4:30ish. Yup, that’s early. Sometimes I sleep in to the late hour of 5 a.m. if I’m lucky. Those are the days hubby has dialysis. I hope you all have had a nice week and I wish you a cup overflowing with blessings through the week ahead. Happy August!

Falling between the cracks of covid

“Into each life some rain must fall”

Yesterday I wrote about waiting and how hard that can be, especially waiting when a loved one is going through surgery that may or may not be successful. In the days ahead we will continue waiting. My daughter-in-law came through the surgery but unfortunately doctors were unable to remove all the growth and now we wait upon the biopsy results. The good news is that most brain tumors are benign, so I am clinging to that little factoid.

It is unfortunate that P had been to the hospital several times over the past year and each time was sent back home without even a cat scan being done. She’s been suffering horribly with headaches and with vertigo and nausea, particularly more so this past couple of months. I am wondering how many other people have fallen between the cracks as health professionals fought the covid virus. I fear there are many, my daughter-in-law among them.

We are so blessed to come from large families, all of whom have been praying for her, as well as many friends and you, my blogging community. Thank you all for your kind words, your compassionate hearts, and sincerity. I am leaning heavily on that as I turn to face whatever may come next. May all your kindnesses return to you a thousand-fold.