Jan 2019 - End of Week 2

Some weekends are award-winning, yes?
This? Was one of them...

(By the way, don't feel bad or sad or disappointed or bitter if you didn't have a good one. It happens. I'm not blogging about mine to brag, but to remember. And maybe inspire? Lately, I blog mostly for future me. Future me who might need to be reminded that she lived a good life. Or whatever.)

ANYWAYS.
My lovely weekend.
It started one year ago when I was at Faye's birthday. Her and Sue mentioned that they'd like to write children's books. (I had been to a self-publishing event with Karm the weekend before that, at Village Books in Fairhaven and was excited to see their dream/bucket list item/idea come to fruition.) We talked then about a writing weekend at my lake.
IT TOOK A YEAR for it to happen, but THIS was THAT weekend. A writing weekend. For my friends to get started on their books. And for me to write a couple blog entries, sort through/cull my image files, read one of the twelve books I'm dying to get started on, and make some plans for 2019.

I suggested a very rough itinerary, which involved many, many hours of quiet "work" time, as well as some movie watching, food eating, chatty times. We all arrived by 8 pm on Friday evening, and ate supper shortly after. And then we talked. And talked. And talked. Til, like 1 am.

The next morning, they got up, and talked. I stayed in bed, and didn't talk.

At noon, I came down, as is my way on Saturdays, to find them both in the pj's, each on a separate couch, wrapped in comfy blankets, sipping their coffees, chatting.

I left shortly after 1 to attend Maddy's baby shower in Abby... (Dani was hosting and asked if I'd like to pop in to take photos.) < Insert many happy face emojis here. >


My Drew's happy girl:

Her gorgeous sister and mom:

Maddy, the mom-to-be:

Jessy, newly engaged and a little bit excited:

Pretty happy people:

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The theme was Twinkle Twinkle Little Star:

Dani and Jessy (neighbours and friends since elementary school):

Maddy and Jessy, friends since kindergarten:

Besties:

We all cut random lengths of yarn, guessing the circumference of Maddy's bump:

This was my guess. I was 3" too long:

Another game: 

The winner:

Synchronized baby tending:

And as they settled in to unwrap gifts, I slipped away. 

And drove back to the lake:

driving past the Vedder trail,

around the Cultus curvy road,

back to my writing friends who had supper ready:

After supper we watched Love, Actually. Faye's first time ever. Sue's 4th time in 3 weeks. And my second time in 15 years. 
And then we talked til 1:30 am.

Sunday morning?
They talked. I slept a couple hours longer.

Then I made brunch for us all. Just before they left, we wandered out to the lake. Which was calm and bright. Just like Christmas but not really:

And then they said goodbye. 

Annnnd, now? A few hours later?
I'm blogging....

Aging has been on my mind this week. 
And apparently everyone else's as well; these videos have been making the rounds on social media.
I LOVE THIS STORY WITH ALL MY HEART:


(Hopefully you can open the link. HE is an 84 year old man who is learning to put make-up on his going-blind wife's face. So tender and loving and gentle. The story is here.)

I bet he'll pluck her chin hairs too.  



My mom sent me THIS video.

Here is a 90 year old's life advice/observations:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good. 
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does. 
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree. 
7. Cry with someone, it's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it. 
9. Save for retirement starting with your very first paycheque.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile. 
11. Make peace with your past so it doesn't screw up the present. 
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about. 
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it. 
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry, God never blinks. 
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write. 
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else. 
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer. 
21. Burn the candles, use nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special. 
22. Overprepare. Then go with the flow. 
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple. 
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you. 
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: in 5 years will this matter?
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. 
32. Your job won't take care of you when you're sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles. 

And there was this one. 

(Grrr. Wishing I could just embed a video into this page, instead of linking to a Facebook page. There's gotta be a better way...)

Assuming 90% of you won't click on the link, I'll explain.
It's a study/show in the UK testing the impact a bunch of 4 years old has on a group of elderly people living in a care home. Not surprisingly, having lively, fun-loving, happy, encouraging, vibrant, attentive young people around tired, sore, depressed, immobile 80-90 year olds, changes the quality of their lives to the better. 

I say this is not surprising because I think all of us, regardless of age, feel better about our lives if we have fun, friendly, attentive people caring for us. If we feel loved, valued, noticed, we feel better about ourselves. If a bubbly person, excited about life, takes an interest in you, you are going to respond positively. Doesn't matter if it's an adorable, wiggly 4 year old hangin out with a 94 year old, or if it's a 39 year old hangin out with a 68 year old. We all are better versions of ourselves when we have friendly people in our life who care. 

Ideally, of course, this would be all generations of family members looking after all generations of family members.
And ideally, of course, this would be church members looking after church members. 
And ideally, or course, this would be people of every age, looking in on people of every age... 

It works both ways. How many people/relationships have I cared for/invested in who are younger than me? Older than me? Have I brought light and joy to anyone's life? Who do I help? Who do I call? Who do I spend time with, pray with, celebrate with, bring flowers to, write notes to, care for? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One last video.
I am not a swimmer. So I would never do this.
But I love the truth behind this.
Companionship. Touch. Attitude. Exercise. Contentment.

Praying that in my later years, I will have friends close by, to do life with. 

• Proudest moment this week: When I listened to a podcast, on my  phone, (for the first time) at the gym.
• Most embarrassing moment of the week:
• Funniest moment of the week:
• Biggest achievement of the week: 47 items on my to do list got checked off
• Best moment of the week: I complimented a British behind-the-scenes photographer on his work (which he'd posted to Instagram) and he responded by asking me for my email address. He then sent me the hi res image files of those photos. 
• Best holiday memory of the week: No holidays this week.
• Best advice I heard this week: Again, so much advice was received this week, from friends, on financial topics ("you should buy a townhouse or two in Chilliwack, to you should invest with MCC") to purchase advice ("you should buy a mattress from Costco to Faith That Matters is the best devotional") to wine advice, ("These are the best: JLohr and Kim Crawford"). But the best advice came, once again, from Proverbs: A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
• Most grateful for this week: These words from a friend: "If you've asked God what you should do about a specific matter, and He hasn't answered, then He is not disappointed that you haven't done anything. If He wanted you to move forward, He would have let you know. So stop beating yourself up."
• Favorite  Only family memory of the week: Supper and a movie with Dani on Monday night. I love this girl. 
• Biggest regret of this week: I couldn't find the time to read a book. And I couldn't participate in the January Pokemon Community Day. Haha. First world problems. 
• Best thing I learned this week: A great list of podcasts to consider.
• Biggest change I made this week: Adding podcast listening to my work out routines. 
• Best gift I received this week:
• New friend this week:
• Most inspiring person/thing this week: The video I posted above of those swimming friends.
• Word to describe this week: Satisfying.
• Unexpected obstacles I faced this week:
• Unexpected surprise this week: When I was planning this weekend, the forecast was originally calling for rain. TWO DAYS OF SUNSHINE, was a lovely surprise.
• Best place I visited this week:
• New skill I learned this week:
• Biggest obsession this week: Trying to figure out how to watch BBC.
• Best food I ate this week: Spinach Dip at Maddy's shower at Dani's house, and roast beef dinner prepared by Sue at the lake. 
• Best TV I watched this week: Didn't watch TV this week. 
• Best viral video I watched this week: All three aging videos. I think they probably were some degree of 'viral'. 
• Best meme I saw this week:
• Movies I watched this week: Mary Poppins Returns with Dani
• Best song heard this week: Soundtrack to Love, Actually
• Most excited about this for NEXT YEAR:
• New skill I want to learn NEXT YEAR:
• Place I want to visit NEXT YEAR: Iceland. Ireland. 
• Something to try NEXT YEAR:
• One thing to work harder on NEXT YEAR:

And this: Person/newsstory I'm praying for this week:

The semi-driver in the tragic #Humboldt crash pleads guilty to all 29 counts of dangerous driving causing death and injury. The lawyer for Jaskirat Singh Sidhu says he chose to forgo a trial or plea bargain because he doesn't want to cause more pain for the families. Sidhu wants the families to know, "he is devastated by the grief he has caused them."

Three things I'm thankful for:
1. Sunshine on my face in January
2. Friends with creative imaginations
3. The generation just above us who are showing us how to live.

xo