Mindful Me

I was browsing through a pile of books and stumbled upon an intriguing concept, mindfulness. Come to think of it, I have seen this term more and more lately and it got me to thinking what exactly should I be mindful of? Is the universe trying to tell me something? As it is I already spend a good majority of the day inside my head. Do I need to polish and retrain my brain to a more enlightened and satisfying life? I looked it up and one definition says it is a moment by moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations etc. Basically tuning into what we are sensing in the moment. This goes along with what I know as meditation which I have tried a few times, usually when everything or everyone is going bat shit crazy.

Is this a natural behaviour or something which calls for repetition before it becomes habit? We all have our own way of coping with life’s little surprises and sometimes it’s better to gloss over the uncomfortable or erase it from our conscious selves. isn’t that one of the reasons we enjoy a mind altering glass of yum while vegging in front of the t.v. for an evening of Netflix? I don’t know about you but I have never sat there deep breathing while focusing on the sensation of cotton/wool blend fibres encasing my feet nor the dewy drops of condensation from my Coors Light dripping down the mug onto my hand. Had I, would I feel more blissful in the moment? I might just try it.

There was that one time I was rushing around early morning trying to pack a lunch for work and find my keys when I smashed my foot against the door breaking my little toe. I can still recall seeing twinkly stars and that bone crunching sound, guttural expletives filling the air as I hobbled out the door after popping a couple of pain relievers. Yes, I was mindful of that moment.

Sounds like a lot of work to me and honestly do we really need to add to our do over selves list? I get why there are thousands of self help books out there, we all need a little help sometimes and discovering new ways is a positive step but it never really ends does it? Pop psychology is forever coming out with new methods and trends cycling at warp speed on how to improve or change our thoughts and personalities. With all the information out there I remind myself to go light, tiptoe even and watch those doors!

Till next time my friends

 

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Nothing like staying true to your roots.

A liqueur coffee is a coffee drink with a shot of liqueur. It may be served in a special liqueur coffee glass, often with cream and sugar. Liqueur coffee are all variants on what is widely known as Irish coffee, hot coffee with whiskey and a layer of cream (not whipped) floated on top.

 

Sunday Night Blues

I know I am not alone when Sunday evening rolls around and am overcome with this funereal stupor of a weekend well spent but soon to be over cloud of desperation that practically chokes me. Lounging on my sofa in my comfy clothes, munching on snacks and watching t.v. then my heart rate goes up as I find I have to psych myself up for another busy week full of deadlines, errands and people I need to contact, the list goes on. My work is fulfilling and I find reasons to smile all week long, all in all it’s not a bad life. I am well past that party phase so why is it I still experience the Sunday night blues? When I was younger I used to think this was something one matured out of. I am in my forties! Have I not reached that stage? If not I may need to call someone.  Am I fooling myself with feigned happiness? Could this be a desperate grab for that carefree, pre-work life only the school aged are blessed with. Longing for youth…not going to go there tonight! Time is a wasting and the countdown has begun, maybe I will pour myself another cup of coffee and stay up later than I should. I mean why rob myself of a few extra hours of bliss, Monday mornings are supposed to be bleary eyed and drag your butt into work…right?

Till next time my friends

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Heaven In A Mug!

Iced Coconut Chai Latte

This recipe is from Ninja Kitchen Team, appliances etc.

1. 4 Ninja^® Single-Serve Scoops (or 4 tablespoons) ground coffee
2. 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3. 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4. 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
5. 1/2teaspoon cardamom
6. 2 cups ice
7. 3/4 cup coconut milk beverage
8. 2 tablespoons vanilla syrup

Instructions

Size: Travel Mug setting
Brew: Specialty

1. Following the measurements above, stir together the ground coffee and spices; place into the brew basket.
2. Place the ice, coconut milk, and vanilla syrup into a large plastic cup; set cup in place to brew.
3. Select the Travel Mug size; press the Specialty Brew button.
4. When brew is complete, stir to combine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eyes Shut Tight!

 

What is it with people and a love for scary shows. Okay, I am talking about myself. I love a good mystery but nothing too frightening. Have you seen some of those Miss Marple shows? An ancient octogenarian peering through vintage bevelled glass windows into the dark of night, icy winds blowing scratchy bare branches against the house like claws reaching out for your very soul. It’s enough to set your hair to white. Gotta hand it to the British, they know how to get a good spook on.

Much like when you open a bag of cookies or chips, one is never enough. So there I was on an aimless search for some entertainment and wound up binge watching random shit. I went from watching Hallmark mysteries to true story thrillers with titles like Stalked, Stranger In My Bed and Run While You Can. I found these too predictable and moved onto fictional suspense thrillers that started out okay but the story line went from a little different yet bearable to demented and yikes  leaving a residue of ick on my brain. Time to check on my Pintrest and add to my Floral and Lovely Spaces boards. Once I got my nerve up I braved on as I was no pansy.

I will admit that I cannot help but add my two cents and yell at the characters.  An example of this is one movie depicted a mother and teenage daughter on a road trip and they drove down a creepy deserted highway and came upon a hitchhiking girl the daughter’s age and of course that is when things started going down. They made a pit stop at the side of a deserted rest stop at the edge of a forest and the hitchhiker disappeared soon after the daughter was nowhere to be found at a late night truck stop blah blah and I ad lib. “Don’t stop you idiot! Get back in your car and maybe call the police or something! Jeez!!!” Now, I know none of this stuff playing out on my screen is real but I think to truly enjoy a show you have to get into it right? Years ago when my house was full of teens we used to watch a lot of action with Vin Diesel types racing through the streets in their souped up cars and in shoot outs. “Holy crap they are going to kill themselves driving that fast and there is a woman on the sidewalk pushing a stroller!” I also remember trying to toss in the odd lesson such as “See what happens when you drink and try to out run the cops!”

As my son got older he failed to see the humour in this little ritual. He would close his eyes, pinch the sides of his nose and say “OMG Mom…would you stop yelling at the t.v. it’s just a movie and I don’t need a life lesson!”  Fyi, I wasn’t yelling, just talking louder than usual.

Anyway, with a couple of days off work I decided it would be a good idea to sit here late into the night all alone, no adult children around. Didn’t think to invite friends to talk with during the exciting parts and no burly wood chopping, back yard mechanic type hubby to curl up with and hide behind lumberjack arms, his lumberjack arms, not mine. Although if I were to have arms the size of tree trunks I suppose I would have nothing to worry about but nope, just little ole me sitting on the sofa, feet tucked securely under me so nothing can grab them and a pillow on my lap. I guess if a crazed psycho busted in I could either freeze and hope I blend in with the lumps on the sofa or tear it open and throw the stuffing in his face and make a run for it. Is it any wonder I am a lush?

Till next time my friends

 

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An End To A Beautiful Day

Sometimes we have good days and others not so good, in fact today I kinda want a complete do over! Kind of like when you try out a new salon and you are sitting there draped and held hostage in the chair reassuring the hairdresser that you absolutely love what she has done to your hair, never seen anything like it! Smiling with a pained expression across your face till it actually hurts. Even though her fee is enough to feed a small village in Somalia, somehow you find yourself tipping over your usual twelve percent just to make up for the horrific mess atop your head (as if it is your fault, you provided a picture and everything!) Now you have to parade yourself in public looking dishevelled and demented, but thanking your lucky stars you didn’t opt for the eyebrow tinting.

I am not talking about “Oh dear, I forgot to order decaf and now I might get a little buzz” or “Oops, too much glue on my scrap-booking page, gonna look a little gummy…” You can blame that on the caffeine. The day I had was slightly nightmarish. It started out fine. I enjoyed the blue skies and warm weather, spent time at the cafe sipping on a dark roast coffee from Peru, so exotic, and reading an interesting novel that was droll it made me laugh out loud. Then it all went downhill from there. I will not get into specifics because that would only give the beast more power plus don’t want to get sued or anything, one nightmare per day is quite enough. The point is, I have learned I only have control over how I react to situations that may not be entirely in my control at the time and let’s face it folks as much as we like to be in charge that is not always the case. I think the secret is in how we handle the unexpected and put our influence into the mix, hopefully towards a more positive outcome. I am sure you readers can relate if you even have contact with one other human this week there is the potential for disagreement and even use of the C word…conflict.

Having some experience in this area I can say with confidence I do not always know where the other person is coming from nor why they are misbehaving in a way that I presently find unappealing or downright annoying and infuriating.  Maybe they are a boiling pot ready to explode and you just happen to be in the way or they were born jerks and get their kicks from ticking other people off. I mean whatever crap they are going through surely cannot compare to all the things I have seen and lived through! And who do they think they are putting their negative energy in my direction for me to deal with anyway? You don’t know what I’ve been through..I think that was a line in an Eminem song, anyway read on my friends…

See how this can go off in a negative direction. I started off neutral, altruistic and loving even, but dig a little deeper and you will find dirty old mud and stones beneath those delicate flowers and lush green grass. Hey, I am being honest here folks. Sure, I love to see rainbows and flowers but the reality is sometimes there are dark grey clouds lurking in the distance and look out there’s a storm brewing and it’s headed this way. So do you run for cover shielding your eyes from the onslaught of what is to come or stand there wide eyed and watch with fascination, waiting for the lightening bolts and the roar of thunder? I admit I tend to chose the latter and at times that brings trouble with a capital T. Trouble AKA Conflict is never pretty or neat. It can be downright ugly and messy. Fault me if you will but I like to see what is going to happen and sometimes that means coming in from the storm drenched and maybe a little beaten up from being pelted with hail.

As trying as it may be, living through a day with a little stress and conflict I encourage you to see the beauty in just being.

Till next time my friends

Bonnie

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Bad Alexa!

Keeping It Simple,

I was scanning through news stories and came upon a horrific tale of technology betraying an innocent and unsuspecting couple. Apparently Alexa has been running amok, sending out unauthorised messages and even laughing out loud for no apparent reason, creepy! The woman stated that she felt violated.  Really folks, your automated electronic toys aren’t behaving? I will apologize for sounding judgemental  because if anything I tend to lean towards the cautious. I take on a trend once it has been around for several years and by then it is not so much a trend as a norm.

Okay, this may play into my paranoid feelings of not having control over privacy especially within one’s home but you plug in these gadgets and expect the little dickens to know when to be discrete within certain company? It is a machine, doesn’t have feelings nor empathy for you or others, it cannot read your mind and would you want it to? Note to self, when I want a private conversation do not speak into a machine that could potentially send it to all my contacts including workplace and in-laws, in fact after reading that story from now on when the mood strikes me to share my most secret thoughts not meant for anybody else’s ears I am simply going to talk to my plants. Those African Violets and Ferns can really make a house a home. There are countless plants you can spill your guts to and never lose a bead of sweat. You might want to try the Pothos for your pathos, it absorbs toxins! Or the trusty Aloe plant to soothe those burns. Don’t forget the Rubber Tree, it can grow up to eight feet tall! Big enough to do what you will with it. Stick it in a corner of your living room and binge watch “Weeds” or “Shameless” and if you are up for some grit how about “Sons of Anarchy?” Okay, I may be veering to the dark side here but whatever, I have my plants and no one can prove anything!

For years avid gardeners have been saying that plants thrive on the vibrations of the human voice. What could be more organic and therapeutic than a few cute and well placed houseplants that welcome the sound of your voice and won’t betray you? But first be sure to check for bugs!

Till next time my friends

 

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Now You See Me, Now You Don’t…

Somewhere in a beloved cozy cafe,

I sit down at my favorite table near a large window at the back of the cafe. The best place to people watch and catch some natural lighting, these eyes aren’t getting any younger. Today’s treat is a large mug of Guatemalen coffee sweetened with a packet of sugar substitute and a dollop of cream, pretty basic but it sure hits the spot! A couple of sips in when I take notice the ebb and flow of the crowd. There are three older men seated at a table near mine, another table of younger men near the front and a few couples sprinkled among the shop and a pair of girl friends deep in conversation with one another. Directly in front of me sits a woman and man in their early twenties sharing tales of their first term university experiences with each other. The way the table has been placed I stare straight at their profiles. Awkward as I find this I understand shop owners need to maximize space dollar per foot and all that but really. I quickly got over feeling like an eavesdropping peeping tom as I realized not one person in the cafe has really taken notice of me. I checked myself, was I insulted, my feelings hurt? Nope, not even one little coffee bean because I may have just stumbled upon an advantage to being a middle aged woman, the invisibility cloak! Forget studying physics, researching Tesla and Hawking. I have powers that take decades to hone and no amount of formal education can teach this my friends. Sure there are women out there some of you ladies reading this might be prime milf material and are the center of attention by all but that is something that makes me cringe.

I could be a detective.! A P.I., a kick ass P.I., and I have the moxy to do it! Who would suspect me, an unassuming older woman draped in capris, sleeveless blouse a bit of the bingo wing thing happening with the arms and a few strands of coloured beads dangle across my chest, Dr Scholls sandals, hair bobbed just above the shoulders and reading glasses perched high on my nose? I could go all Agathe Raisen (the book version is my favorite) and sneak about gathering evidence generally sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong. Sussing out criminals, antagoninzing the police (oh they think they’re so smart with their billy clubs and flashing lights) by showing them up and earning accolades with the media for a job well done. Of course I would come out unscathed smelling like a rose.

Forget Hedy Lamarr, I am low maintenance and can fly under the radar in any situation. Think I’m being cute pal? Ponder this, at anytime I can wander into a bar or a lounge and if there is even one younger, prettier or thinner woman within a five block radius those masculine boozey roving eyes will not settle on moi. I am no ones cheesecake and no one sees me as a threat or a challenge. That may sound pitiful as if I have lost all my verve but part of growing older is gaining some wisdom on how best to navigate through life with the least amount of resistance. I get how a beauty like good ol Hedy would be able to get away with all sorts of shennanigans. She was a real glamourpuss, probably had men eating out of the palm of her hands and they didn’t have those purse sized hand sanitizers back then either. You know what they say, hidden in plain sight. They also say out of sight out of mind….so If I want a refill of coffee I had better get in line.

Till next time my friends

 

 

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