Annette Answers My 5 Things Questionaire

Annette is the only person I've actually met face-to-face after becoming acquainted online. We were both members of a writers' online discussion group and when I took my boys and moved to Kelowna in 2004 to be with Mom through her dying months, Annette and her sweetie were living in Armstrong, just down the curving highway. I drove over for a visit. They gave me a nice lunch and the next time they were in Kelowna we met up for coffee and Annette and I have kept in touch ever since.

She's only recently started up her blog and that's why hers is the last of my "favourite 5" to be posted here; I started with the one I've been reading the longest and worked my way through to the one I've been reading for the shortest time.

Here is a woman with such a great appreciation for life. Even with the struggles and heartbreaks, and Annette (P'tit Lou) has had more than her share, she is thrilled by sunsets, birds, walks near the river, time spent with friends, and road trips to see her daughters and grandchildren. She notices and values the little daily beauties and understands that they are, in reality, the big beauties we are blessed with. She writes about the moments ordinary lives are made of, even though her own life is not ordinary and, no matter what is going on over there in northern Alberta, I'm rooting for her happiness as I read her blog. She has been a friend to me for more than 10 years, always willing to lend a kind, non-judgmental ear and her full support and understanding. Friends like Annette are few and far between and they are worth more than gold and diamonds.

Below is her answer to my questions, and here's the link to her blog so you can bookmark it for future visits: LOU TO YOU.

Five Things To Tell You About

I’m itching to get my fingers in the dirt and I keep thinking today is the day but the day passes and all I’ve done (among 100 other things) is to repot a few houseplants that were in bad need of tender loving care. I’m not big on flowering plants but I absolutely love my sunflowers when they pop out of the ground and stand tall with heads held high. It makes my heart smile when I get up in the morning, look out my bedroom window and I’m greeted by a whole bunch of bright yellow smiley faces. What better way to step forward into the day.

Playing in the dirt is a grounding and nourishing time for me but even more grounding and nourishing is having a good piece of writing or reading to sink my teeth into. Some real life stuff that allows me to enter another person’s world and connect with them on a more intimate level than the everyday casual meeting on the street with the standard, “Hello, how are you?” “I’m fine, thank you. And you?” Those are the kinds of interactions where people won’t let you see what they’re really living or how badly they are hurting inside because it means exposing their soft, vulnerable underbelly and it’s either not cool to do that, or it’s as menacing as entering a totally forbidden land. That superficial stuff bores me.

So I read and I write and I write and I read and it’s never as much as I’d like but for now it’s what I can do.  It feeds me and keeps my thirsty insatiable self under control. There are two blogs I go to in order to quench my thirst. One I’ve been told I’m not allowed to mention but I’ll give you a hint anyway. If you’re reading this post you’re likely at one of those blogs right now. This one keeps me grounded in everyday life and the living of it. It is flawless writing often filled with an appreciation of the simple things that render life precious. The other blog focuses on memoir writing and often refers to the important role the personal and intimate details of life play in writing. Give it a whirl and see what you think. “The Heart and Craft of Life Writing :”   http://heartandcraft.blogspot.ca

Other places I travel to on the internet.
1. Word Think: http://www.wordthink.com
2. Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/
3. Moon Phases Calendar: http://www.moonconnection.com/moon_phases_calendar.phtml
4.The Shift Network: http://support.theshiftnetwork.com/home
5. OM Times: http://astrology.omtimes.com/daily-horoscope/

On another note – about potluck suppers and holidays, which are two things I’m all for. With either one of these, it means less cooking and more dishes to choose from. Do I do it often. No. At least not according to my rating. As far as holidays and travelling goes, others would say I’m always on the highway, which, when compared to some, I suppose can be seen that way. I could easily be a gypsy. I like having a home to land at and a place to hang my hat for a while but I could easily travel a whole lot more than I do now. When I travel I’m like a kid in a candy shop, especially when it’s new, yet unexplored territory. Love it, love it!

As for potlucks, I’m ok with it but it’s something I usually have a hard time with because I’m such a fussy, picky eater and I’m not a great explorer or adventurer when it comes to food. No sauces, no tomatoes, no condiments, no salad dressings, no mashed potatoes, and on and on it goes. It’s much safer when I can order what I want. But hey, sometimes I hit it lucky and there’s lots of dishes to my liking to dive into.

And when it comes to what makes a great holiday it’s not being in a hurry to get back where I started from. It’s to have the time to stop and relax, read, write, walk, explore, discover. When I have the opportunity to spend time in nature, to enjoy the sunshine, the water, the scenery, the people and to share stories. There’s not much more I could ask for. I’ve taken this kind of holiday before and I hope to do it a lot more in the future. My idea of a perfect holiday which I’ve added to my bucket list is to travel across Canada in a little motorhome. I want to go from coast to coast and take about six months to do so.

That’s about it for today folks. There you have it, my five things to share with you. I’m off to help a friend move some furniture, do some stuff around the yard, cook myself some dinner, go for a walk, work on another piece of writing, and later this evening go help an elderly friend take her shower.