My Current Serenity Prayer

Opportunity Knocks Lane

I went with my husband earlier this week to check out a local "work centre", which (according to their website) offers "upgrading, personal and social development, vocational skills, individual counselling and job development" - HWWNBN is debating changing careers after so unexpectedly and, dare I say, rudely losing his job earlier this month.

Never having been to the location before, but knowing we were in the right area, we were watching closely for a sign that would lead us where we needed to go.  Turns out the Centre is located on ... wait for it ... "Opportunity Lane".  Which struck me as one of the funniest street signs I have seen in a long time. 

And which was reinforced even more when later that morning we were sitting in a boardroom waiting for the tour to begin - I couldn't help but look out at the dreary gray sky and wonder when Mary Poppins might float down, umbrella in hand, "singing in the rain". 

Yes, I do realize that I am somewhat mixing my cinematographic references but that, my dear reader, was exactly how it happened. 

Or, in other words- That's my story.  And I'm sticking to it.

Stress Reliever

My apologies for the light blogging since my return from Boston but things have been more than a little ... shall we say stressful ... here in Free Falling land.

Although I had a blast in Boston, my body, apparently, had a different take on the subject.  Meaning that I, not unexpectedly, felt myself starting to crash shortly after my return home.  Which was okay, I was expecting that and more than willing to live with it.

What I wasn't prepared to live with (although apparently I didn't have much say in the matter) was my husband's completely unexpected dismissal from his employment shortly after my return.  And not just any employment, but the job he's been at for the past 15 years.  Dismissed as in walk in to work one morning and hear the words "You might as well go home". Go home. With no notice.  No pay.  No nothing.

And, yes, before you go there, you're absolutely right - his (former) employer can't do that.  And he won't be allowed to do that although that is exactly what is happening at the moment.   And, just to put the icing on the cake, that job loss also resulted in the loss of our health insurance.

Can you say Fun, Fun, Fun?  Well, I can't. 

In addition to the fact that I've grown rather partial to paying our bills, we have very high drug costs.  Mostly because of me.  And those same drugs are what allow me to keep working.  So now what?

Yeah, I did mention it's been a bit stressful around here, haven't I?

And so now we reach the point of this post ... yes, believe it or not, there almost is one.

Moseying back through the blog the other day, I came upon this post.   This, which I hadn't played since my return from Boston.  Something made me click the Play button.  And I was so glad I did.

I have just discovered what I'm sure is destined to be my prime stress relievor at the moment - and, yes, I do realize that might make me a very pathetic individual.  But whatever works, I say. 

There's something about just singing along and belting out "I just wanna get you out of Teterboro.  We want to leave but they won't let us go.  Just heard on the radio, we're stuck in Teterboro" which is very, very good for the soul.  Go ahead.  Try it.  I will wait.

It might help, of course, that the Kit Kat was initially as taken with the video as I was and comes a'running the moment she hears the music.  For to sing along with her dear mother.  We do rather enjoy laughing at ourselves.

And so, for now dear friends, I can't but leave you with Mike and his feelings on Teterboro.

Which will have to take the place, at least for the moment, of my other blogging - that which I can't quite convince myself to do at the moment.  There's the whole issue of the white versus red poppy on Remembrance Day (there's no doubt a place for both but not in the same month and certainly not on the same day, says I),  Canada's sudden surprise unexpected (that's sarcasm by the way) decision to stay on in Afghanistan in a "non-combat" role until 2014 and the Supreme Court of Canada's latest decision setting out the fact that that we have no right to counsel during police interrogation.

Such is life. For the moment I appear to be the proud holder of an open-ended multiple return trip to Teterboro. Until we meet again, then ...

Yet Another 'Pittance of Time' ...

Yes, I realize you've seen it before.



As you no doubt will again.

... If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep though Poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.
- John McCrae

Fell Fast. Fell Hard.

That's about all I have to say for now.

The trip was wonderful.  I must be a very visual person as I tend to take an immediate like or dislike to a city.  Based on things like trees and parks.  And water.  Water is very important.

And so it was that I fell hard for Boston. 

It actually reminds me a lot of Halifax (another city I love but, I must confess, now not as much as Boston).  It's much, much larger, of course, but parts of it just seem like larger pieces of Halifax.  The Public Gardens being one.  The harbour (very different but still close enough).  A Halifax Commons and a Boston Commons.  The mix of old and new buildings - although, admittedly, Boston has kept many, many more of their its historical buildings.

Doing the city in chunks, as we did, I failed, at first, to realize how large it is.  Until I looked out from the Skywalk Observatory, that is.  That was just Wow.

More later.  For now it suffice to say that it was a wonderful trip.  I had a great time with doorkeeper and was honoured to finally meet, in person, some great virtual friends.  Which could be the subject of a post all of it's own ... and likely will be at some point!