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We had to move some respected icons to make room for the Christmas Tree by the front window.
Two of them are female. They arrived early.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas.
Stay kind. Stay safe.
T
13 Sunday Dec 2020
Posted Family, growing up Catholic, spirituality
inTags
We had to move some respected icons to make room for the Christmas Tree by the front window.
Two of them are female. They arrived early.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas.
Stay kind. Stay safe.
T
10 Sunday Feb 2019
Posted Family, pets, spirituality, Writing
inTags
cats, diabetes, expenses, Family, felines, housework, medical, meditation, pets, responsibilities, winter, Writing
I used to say that when the kids were young and rowdy. Now I mutter it because of the elderly cats who still live with me.
My humble, sparse furniture needs covers and sheets to prevent their fur from embedding into the fibers. See also “Cat Lady Chic“.
Miss Geneva Tabby was recently diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes which requires special canned food ($$) and insulin shots twice a day.
At first I hesitated to go the insulin route due to my unease about giving needles to a cat. Now the biggest challenge is making sure she eats breakfast on time so I can give her the morning shot and catch my buses for the day job. This human still needs to work to make the money to pay for their creature comforts – and mine.
So much for spring travel plans due to this extra expense and need for daily attention.
So much for attending meetings or evening events to support local movements that strive to educate citizens about the need to protect sacred Indigenous sites.
So much for after-work dinner date opportunities. Damn but I can’t escape the Cat Lady designation!
I have inherited a moral, legal and financial responsibility and I intend to honor it. If caring for an elderly member of the family is my burden for a while, then so be it. This could be a teaching lesson, a lesson in patience and love.
Me and my clingy, diabetic cat. Diabetic Cat. It has a lyrical ring to it, possibly for a poem or contemporary folk song?
Thanks for dropping by. Happy Year of the Pig, by the way. Wander over to Pampered Cats and Other Household Gods or try a sampling of my novel, “The Year of the Rabbit“.
T
14 Sunday Oct 2018
Posted growing up Catholic, spirituality, Writing
inThis is an opinion piece about rights to places of worship and protecting a sacred site in the Ottawa River.
It’s Sunday morning. Where will you go to worship the almighty, to give thanks for creation?
Many of us are relieved that we can choose to stay home on assigned days of worship, to offer prayers of thanks in private, that we don’t have to venture out to a church, mosque or temple.
What about those who want to visit a natural location, to make offerings to the Creator at a site held sacred for hundreds of years?
How would you feel if local and federal governments allowed that your place of worship and its surroundings be taken over by developers?
That is what has been happening through obfuscation of facts and irresponsible politics for many decades.
Historians and proponents for protecting Akikpautik and Akikodjiwan have performed extensive research to educate the politicians and the public by publishing timelines and writing letters to the editor of local newspapers.
“Although the Chaudière Falls and Islands are in Algonquin territory, the area was considered a neutral place where anyone could meet. People would come from huge distances. They would camp on the riverbank where the Canadian Museum of History is now, leave their weapons behind, and canoe to the Islands to gather in peace. It was a place of communications and governance. Enemies met here. It is a place without War, which may be unique in this world. This use ended with European settlement and industry, but that is just a moment in time.”
Source: http://anishinabeknews.ca/2016/10/01/chaudiere-falls-is-an-indigenous-cathedral
Do you want to learn more about this issue?
Please tell a friend about the October 27th event.
Thank you,
T
05 Monday Feb 2018
Tags
art of living, Canadian fiction, cleanse, energy, feng shui, lifestye, lunar new year, novel, The Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Dog
What’s a good way to keep your hands busy on a snowy, drab weekend? Perform a Lunar New Year cleanse!
You could also call it Winter dust removal.
It started on Saturday evening, with removal of last year’s element objects then gentle sweeping and dusting. Since I already had a demanding afternoon, it soon was time to seek my pillow for a good night’s sleep.
Bright and early Sunday morning, I was on a roll again. The cats did not appreciate my sweeping and rattling around. They knew well enough to stay in their room while I wiped up dust, corralled their fur-ball tumbleweeds and did the sandalwood incense cleanse.
Maybe they were avoiding the broom and wrath of the servant woman. Perhaps they were cautiously preparing (and plotting) for the approach of the Year of the Dog.
The Feng Shui master delivered plenty of advice to recent workshop attendees, tips on how to approach and welcome the Lunar New Year, to spread efforts over a two-week period.
I liked that gentle, gradual approach. I’m not one for rushing in to things…
The cats have endured my Feng Shui attraction for over five years.
This time around, I feel an extra need for attention since it WILL be the Year of the Dog arriving on February 16th.
This morning we were back to our routine of laptop affections and inspections. I moved Kwan Yin to a more auspicious location. Geneva is back to one of hers, and Snuggles has already left a couple of fur-balls on my clean floor.
Thanks for dropping by. Perhaps you will be interested in reading an ebook edition of The Year of the Rabbit, A Novel About Fate, Family and Forgiveness.
What are your plans for the Lunar New Year?
T
07 Sunday Jan 2018
Posted Art, Books, spirituality, Writing
inTags
Volunteering in a used book store has its benefits – and risks.
While tidying the bookcases and displays, you can discover the rare gem. You can also become distracted and overwhelmed with the eclectic variety.
This past week while tidying up the book cases, I was pleased to discover “The Silent Cry – Mysticism and Resistance” buried in one of the sections.
The Silent Cry appealed to me so I put it aside for purchase at the end of my shift. It is likely one of the books I will read as part of the Goodreads 2018 reading challenge. So many books, so little time…
The book shop volunteers have been maintaining a display area for books on the subject of Faith. It seems appropriate for the post-holiday excitement, to bring us back to the reason for the season, acknowledgement of other belief systems and quiet contemplation during the dark, cold winter nights.
It was good to see regular customers brave the bitter cold, to get out for fresh air for a visit to the local library and drop in to browse our shelves. An added pleasure is when they have time to chat with me during quiet spells.
When some regulars lamented about all the extra books they have in their own bookcases, I offered consolation based on what I recalled from a recent article “Why You Should Surround Yourself With More Books Than You’ll Ever Have Time to Read“.
“An antilibrary is a powerful reminder of your limitations – the vast quantity of things you don’t know, half know, or will one day realize you’re wrong about. By living with that reminder daily you can nudge yourself towards the kind of intellectual humility that improves decision-making and drives learning.”
And that wasn’t just a ploy to encourage them to continue buying books in our shop. I did add that if the books were sitting in boxes rather than gracing the shelves then it was time to weed them out – and consider donating some to our shop 😉 I do this every few months myself!
Call it faith, determination or hope, I think people need something to help get through winter with learning new things, helping others and making new friends.
Wishing you an enjoyable New Year – filled with books, conversations and new possibilities.
T
17 Sunday Dec 2017
Posted Family, growing up Catholic, pets, spirituality
inAs winter approaches in the northern hemisphere, farmers’ fields are laid dormant under a blanket of snow.
This is the reality of our world’s nature, with the changing of the seasons.
With winter holidays and Christmas celebrations approaching, it feels appropriate to honour the blessed Mother of all Mothers.
I am of course referring to Mary, Mother of Jesus of Nazareth.
As a lapsed Catholic and skeptic, I have difficulty referring to her as the Mother of God. That’s a big role with a lot of expectations and accountability! At least the bible accounts provide a comforting tale for the masses.
I see this Mother Goddess as strong, compassionate and loving. If you want to read a tale about mothers of gods, you can learn about the Egyptian Goddess Isis, the sister of Osiris and awkwardly… the mother of his son and nephew, Horus. It’s a tale about sibling rivalry, murder and the assembly of essential body parts…
Ah, mythology.
Regardless, I get all weepy-eyed when I see pictures, paintings or statues of mothers holding their wee babes in arms. It’s beautiful. It’s universal and timeless.
Please share in the comments section, your knowledge of other mythological Mother Goddesses.
Content for this post was copied from a recent page in the series, Pampered Cats and Other Household Gods.
Thanks for dropping by.
15 Sunday Oct 2017
Posted spirituality, Therapy
inTags
Algonquin, chaudiere falls, free the falls, ottawa, Ottawa River, reconciliation, sacred, sacred sites, social justice, Victoria Island, water is sacred
Imagine if some circus director got permission to walk freely through your church, temple or other place of worship and set up a flashy light show.
Imagine if one small group claims representation for the sacred site, and allows in condo developers and showmen.
Not being a fan of the Ottawa 2017 events that were funded by our tax dollars this year, I am especially dismayed by the lack of respect for the sacred site and the division that developers and showmen have caused among the first peoples in the area.
This movement to Free the Falls and its Islands has appealed to my respect for the First People’s spirituality, a sense of justice and environmental wellness. When my body is able, I join the walks and fundraising events. Otherwise, I show my support for this movement through writing blog entries like this or donating money.
Ottawa Citizen Letters to the Editor – October 14, 2017 – Chaudière light show disrespectful – http://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/letters/todays-letters-chaudiere-falls-deserve-veneration-not-flashy-shows
Blog post by Albert Dumont, Algonquin elder and proponent for the sacredness of the falls and the surrounding islands – http://albertdumont.com/lights-and-glitz-at-akikodjiwan/
Free the Falls group and movement – https://freethefalls.ca/
Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaudi%C3%A8re_Falls
I pray that somehow soon the various levels of government and splinter groups will give the site the respect it deserves.
Thanks for dropping by. Spread the word. Support the movement.
T
30 Sunday Jul 2017
Posted Books, Family, growing up Catholic, spirituality, Writing
inTags
angels, Catholic, Characters, childhood, church, compassion, fiction, memories, muskoka, priesthood, sexuality, teenagers, Writing
Growing up Catholic taught me to have an unhealthy view about sex and sensuality.
It taught me that if God wasn’t watching you, your over-protective Mother likely was.
It also taught me about compassion, community and finding joy while being in the service of others. It wasn’t all that bad.
Continue reading here.
We were rich with outdoor freedoms, playful – and sometimes dangerous – distractions.
We were poor in comparison to our friends who had new bikes, toys and fashionable clothes. Hand-me-downs got a little worn out by the time they reached the youngest child. One consolation and joke we made in our later years was that the patterns, fabric or style of clothing would have come back into fashion by the time they reached me!
Continue reading here.
Thinking back to my First Communion, I’m pretty sure I was more interested in the frilly white dress than the curious and creepy concept of “The Body of Christ”.
Continue reading here.
Despite my humble beginnings on the wrong side of the river, I became a skeptical and proud pre-teen.
Attending Sunday mass was becoming such a waste of good sleeping in time. Then there was the weekly grade 6 catechism group held after school in a classroom in one of the buildings across town. I did not know many of the other kids who attended. I was a shy teen and don’t recall trying to form friendships with them. One engagement I recall was a girl complimenting me on my penmanship.
Branch off here.
Then there were signs that our hip 1970s priest was thinking of leaving the flock. He was one of the team leaders during a three-day canoe trip one summer when my facial pimples started to sprout. I had big brotherly kind of crush on him. I listened attentively to his stories and enjoyed his chats while we glided along the water.
My admiration and respect were eventually crushed when I observed his repeated attentions on one of the taller, slender girls. Soon after he performed the marriage ceremony for one of my older sisters, he was assigned to a different parish. A few years later, we learned that he had left the priesthood and was married.
Growing up Catholic taught me that you had to suppress any carnal, sexual feelings – which was especially unfair torture during adolescence. One could imagine the struggles for male priests.
Girls who went on the pill were gossip material and subject to taunts. Even more so were girls who went away for a few months to “visit with an aunt” or stay with the nuns.
As a recovering Catholic recalling the life altering events that entered my life, I often wonder if there was a Guardian Angel watching over me. Considering to the company I kept and the misadventures that came my way, things could have turned out much worse!
Would I eventually rejoin “the Church”? For starters, there will have to be changes to the old boys network, their grip on women’s rights and reproductive freedom.
If you haven’t read the novel yet, take a detour through Smashwords to download a sampling of the e-book format of The Year of the Rabbit. See what other readers have offered about the novel. If the notion grabs you, purchase a copy of the entire novel. You get to set the price.
Thanks for dropping by and may you go in peace. Lord knows our world could use more of it these days!
T
11 Sunday Jun 2017
Posted Family, spirituality, Therapy, Writing
inTags
activism, boat cruises, faith, Family, friends, Georgian Bay, home town, parry sound, small town, spring, travel, Wasauksing
It’s refreshing to visit your old nesting grounds once in a while, to reconnect with family and friends.
Events like impromptu family reunions and funerals will do that for you. Some are more pleasant than others.
My home town is very similar to the small town mentioned in my novel, a fictitious town called Seguin Sound. Yes, it was on Georgian Bay. Yes there was a CPR Rail trestle spanning across the river and our childhood. Yes, there was a Native reserve nearby.
I was fortunate that on the one clear day for that long weekend that an old flame took me for a boat tour around the Wasauksing First Nation Reserve (what we always referred to as Parry Island) and a little farther out into blue and green paradise. It was good fresh air therapy.
It was a good thing we got out on that beautiful day because the scheduled Island Queen boat cruise the following one was cancelled due to fog.
Growing up in that small town, I had schoolmates from the Wasauksing First Nation and those who bused in from other reserves. During my quiet high school years, I chummed with some of the girls during lunch time. I even shared crushes with some of the boys.
I am trying to use the Wasauksing reference more, in respect for the Ojibway, the Indigenous people who lived across the water from my old home town. As I mature and evolve in my adopted home town of Ottawa, I strive to learn more about the Algonquin people who inhabited the area and those who still do.
I am trying to learn the Algonquin words for places and things. In an age where you desire to express, it’s a constant learning experience and a challenge to know the correct terminology related to culture, gender and lifestyles.
I will likely make mistakes now and then but at least I am trying.
I feel the calling to once again support the spiritual leaders in the movement to restore the sacred site Akikodjiwan in the Ottawa River to its natural state. Some call this a David vs. Goliath story. Some call it futile. I summon up the faith, the energy to pray and trust that politicians and other stakeholders will do the right thing.
T
#Canada #Canada150 #Reconciliation #Healing #Akikodjiwan
07 Wednesday Jun 2017
Posted spirituality
inA kind and gentle soul can become frustrated by the empty talk from politicians about Canada 150, reconciliation and healing for the Indigenous people.
For years, groups of Indigenous people, settler descendants and faith leaders have been drawing attention to a sacred place in the middle of the Ottawa River, right here in Canada’s capital. They want the various levels of government to live up to a promise to return the waterfalls and islands to a place of worship.
No more commercial development. No condos!
“The capital city’s historic and magnificent Ottawa River, Chaudière Falls, and the three islands downstream can support Canada’s emergence as a nation that respects Indigenous values and cultures, and showcases them to the world. It is time to bring an honourable vision to fruition.”
Read a personal account from attending the June 2016 walk.
Read about plans for another peaceful walk planned for June 23rd. See the Facebook event for details and updates.
I will join this peaceful march, to walk the talk in showing my support for a meaningful movement. You can too. Please share this information with family, friends and kindred spirits.
Thanks for dropping by.
T
#Canada150 #Reconciliation
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