Staying Afloat

1. Hit the waves head on.
2. Keep paddling.

3. Ride the seams sideways, (commit to neither of the opposing currents).

4. Know when to “high-side”, (take drastic action).

5. Know when to “get down and hold on”.

6. Direction is very important and can change at any moment.

7. Reaction time is critical.

8. Power and energy, your own and the crew’s is essential.

9. Communicate what you need from the others in your boat.

10. Know when to eddy out and rest.

11. Know how and when to get back in the current.

12. Enjoy the ride.

13. Your “Personal Floatation Device” will bob you to the surface when you fall in.

My PFD is that place within me that is safe and secure. No one can mess with it. It doesn’t matter what I’ve done or not done. It doesn’t matter if I haven't met my own or others’ expectations. It's okay if I'm turned around and directionless. It’s a place where I can just be afloat.

Words to Live By

Creative Solutions
Respect
Empowerment
Loyalty
Resilience
Patience
Contentment
Integrity
Determination
Adaptability
Cooperativeness
Conflict resolution

This Old House

Once upon a time there was an old abandoned delapitated house in a small town in the canyon. Some said it was haunted. The children of the village didn't go near the property when it was dark. There were rumours that someone had taken his own life in one of the out buildings situated next to the main house. Some locals said there was a feeling around the place that made one uneasy.

One day a couple drove down the lane, parking the car just short of where the bushes and brambles were too thick to pass through. A tall, shaggy weeping willow guarded the entry onto the acre of land. Blackberry bushes all but obliterated the terraced rock-walled gardens. As they carefully picked their way through the prickled, clinging branches, they could hear the sounds of Spring above and below. Once they passed the various shacks hidden behind the vines, they found themselves in a small clearing. As they took a 360 degrees turn, they both realized at the same moment that they had to buy this beautiful place. Ahead was the old house. A look to the right revealed the mighty river forging through the rock canyon below. Behind was the gate keeper, Mr Weeping Willow. To the left and up hill were the gardens, almost snuffed out under the invasive blackberry bushes.

to be continued

Reading Between the Lines

Two of our children are travelling. I read their blogs recently and this is what I figure is happening:

Our son has met and is now dating a young woman who is this year's "Perfect Woman" champion of New Zealand. She grew up on a sheep farm and is known to dance in the paddock.

Our daughter has joined the Hari Krishnas in New Orleans. It was the food that attracted her to the cult, oh and the robes she gets to wear.

For verification go to http://mlleangela.livejournal.com/ and http://paulkehler.blogspot.com/

Ha ha, made you look

CALL Me

Literacy is liberty. It's freedom to reach for the stars. This is my mantra. This is my chant. This is my story. This is my song.
I have a new job. I am the Community Literacy Coordinator for Hope and area. My job, to put it simply, is to match tutors with learners and facilitate learning. The program is called Community Access to Literacy and Learning, (CALL). This is for ESL learners and adults who are challenged with reading, writing and arithmatic. I'm excited about this new venture, and overwhelmed, and afraid.
I still remember when I first learned to read. Magic! I remember the first story that I wrote. It was about two kids on an adventure at sea. Oh to be able to be a part of the adventure for adults who missed the boat for various reasons when they were kids.

Middle Age Blues

I am depressed. Our children are grown up and leaving. This should be a cause for celebration since it indicates in my mind that we did mostly the right things as parents. We got what we worked towards. Happy days. The problem lies in that we have these adult children who are so fun and interesting that we want to hang around them. They're going off for adventures and we're staying here. I know that we will survive this and find other fun and interesting people to be with. We have a great group of friends, jobs that we enjoy most of the time, outdoor pursuits, and a house that needs renovation. We have 2 out of 4 kids who are close by. Everyone is happy and heathy. So why is this so difficult?