July 15th, 2016
This is my last blog until August 1st. I will not be writing during my mother-in-law's visit to our home.
I have been reading about a decision making technique called 10-10-10. When you have important decisions to make in your life, you ask yourself what impact your decision will have in ten minutes from now, in ten months and in ten years.
This seems simple but, as the book describes, it forces you to examine your values. I know that for myself, life changed after having my daughters. My goals were no longer the same. Therefore, I had to identify my new values in order to make a satisfying decision. I knew that I wanted to be present for my daughters, married to my husband into old age and healthy enough to enjoy my life. Those values are what led me to leave a well-paying, toxic job to stay home with my daughters. Those values guided me when I decided to work through every single issue that arose between my husband and I.
We all have different values based on our upbringing, our experiences and our temperament therefore the same decision will not have the same outcome for two different people.
This past week, when a friend's husband suddenly passed away, I was shaken. I thought about my days spent cleaning the house instead of playing with my children. I reconsidered my food choices and lack of exercise. What if I had a heart attack too. Would it be worth it just to eat those chips or that cinnamon roll? I imagine myself growing old, fit and active in my community. I always see myself as an elderly woman, doing yoga, barefoot, on a beach. That's not going to happen if I'm stuffing my face with salty and sweet treats.
Whether your decision is about work, love, parenting, health or personal growth, the 10-10-10 formula will take your values into consideration and force you to look at the big picture. Author Suzy Welch, presents a variety of case studies and shows the reader how analyzing the short term and long term consequences of a decision allows people to gain some distance from the situation, explain the decisions to others and involve them in the decision making process.
Try it out for yourself. Think about a decision that has been weighing you down. Create a general list of your values. Then, consider the impact of your decision in ten minutes, ten months and ten years. To me, the ten years timeline is always the telling part. It's helpful to describe the ten year scenario in writing, to feel what that outcome would be like and create a collage.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Friday 15 July 2016
10-10-10 and Decision Making
July 15th, 2016
This is my last blog until August 1st. I will not be writing during my mother-in-law's visit to our home.
I have been reading about a decision making technique called 10-10-10. When you have important decisions to make in your life, you ask yourself what impact your decision will have in ten minutes from now, in ten months and in ten years.
This seems simple but, as the book describes, it forces you to examine your values. I know that for myself, life changed after having my daughters. My goals were no longer the same. Therefore, I had to identify my new values in order to make a satisfying decision. I knew that I wanted to be present for my daughters, married to my husband into old age and healthy enough to enjoy my life. Those values are what led me to leave a well-paying, toxic job to stay home with my daughters. Those values guided me when I decided to work through every single issue that arose between my husband and I.
We all have different values based on our upbringing, our experiences and our temperament therefore the same decision will not have the same outcome for two different people.
This past week, when a friend's husband suddenly passed away, I was shaken. I thought about my days spent cleaning the house instead of playing with my children. I reconsidered my food choices and lack of exercise. What if I had a heart attack too. Would it be worth it just to eat those chips or that cinnamon roll? I imagine myself growing old, fit and active in my community. I always see myself as an elderly woman, doing yoga, barefoot, on a beach. That's not going to happen if I'm stuffing my face with salty and sweet treats.
Whether your decision is about work, love, parenting, health or personal growth, the 10-10-10 formula will take your values into consideration and force you to look at the big picture. Author Suzy Welch, presents a variety of case studies and shows the reader how analyzing the short term and long term consequences of a decision allows people to gain some distance from the situation, explain the decisions to others and involve them in the decision making process.
Try it out for yourself. Think about a decision that has been weighing you down. Create a general list of your values. Then, consider the impact of your decision in ten minutes, ten months and ten years. To me, the ten years timeline is always the telling part. It's helpful to describe the ten year scenario in writing, to feel what that outcome would be like and create a collage.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
This is my last blog until August 1st. I will not be writing during my mother-in-law's visit to our home.
I have been reading about a decision making technique called 10-10-10. When you have important decisions to make in your life, you ask yourself what impact your decision will have in ten minutes from now, in ten months and in ten years.
This seems simple but, as the book describes, it forces you to examine your values. I know that for myself, life changed after having my daughters. My goals were no longer the same. Therefore, I had to identify my new values in order to make a satisfying decision. I knew that I wanted to be present for my daughters, married to my husband into old age and healthy enough to enjoy my life. Those values are what led me to leave a well-paying, toxic job to stay home with my daughters. Those values guided me when I decided to work through every single issue that arose between my husband and I.
We all have different values based on our upbringing, our experiences and our temperament therefore the same decision will not have the same outcome for two different people.
This past week, when a friend's husband suddenly passed away, I was shaken. I thought about my days spent cleaning the house instead of playing with my children. I reconsidered my food choices and lack of exercise. What if I had a heart attack too. Would it be worth it just to eat those chips or that cinnamon roll? I imagine myself growing old, fit and active in my community. I always see myself as an elderly woman, doing yoga, barefoot, on a beach. That's not going to happen if I'm stuffing my face with salty and sweet treats.
Whether your decision is about work, love, parenting, health or personal growth, the 10-10-10 formula will take your values into consideration and force you to look at the big picture. Author Suzy Welch, presents a variety of case studies and shows the reader how analyzing the short term and long term consequences of a decision allows people to gain some distance from the situation, explain the decisions to others and involve them in the decision making process.
Try it out for yourself. Think about a decision that has been weighing you down. Create a general list of your values. Then, consider the impact of your decision in ten minutes, ten months and ten years. To me, the ten years timeline is always the telling part. It's helpful to describe the ten year scenario in writing, to feel what that outcome would be like and create a collage.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Thursday 14 July 2016
Why Do We Clean?
July 14th, 2016
Last night, I was too exhausted to type so I didn't blog. I am feeling pretty tired again this evening but I didn't want to skip two nights in a row. Why do I crave my bed by 9pm when I have put my daughters to bed? Cleaning!
You see, my mother-in-law is coming over for two weeks. She lives in England and I have never met her. We started using Face Time to communicate so I have seen her face and we have interacted for short periods of time but a whole two weeks in the same house is a bit scary.
I remember my mother cleaning frantically whenever people came over. We would rush around, stowing piles of clothing, books, paperwork etc into closets, praying that no one would open them. We would vacuum everywhere and dust all surfaces. It was so stressful.
I don't generally keep the house spotless. I de-clutter and clean the essential areas-washrooms, kitchen and bedding. I sweep every day because our dog and cat shed, leaving tumbleweeds of fur rolling around the wooden floor. Otherwise, my home is cozy and hygienic but no one would nominate me for a good housekeeping award.
When people come over, (we have people over a lot), I check the washrooms to ensure they are clean and I give the floors a good sweep so our guests don't go home with tufts of fur attached to their socks. That's it! I figure people come over to see us, not inspect our home.
This time is different. There's something about meeting your mother-in-law that is intimidating. I don't know why that is. She seems really sweet and, from what my husband tells me, she didn't like cleaning the house either so she'll understand. So, I have been cleaning the house thoroughly. When you are exposed to the dirt in your home all the time, you stop noticing it. I had to step back and see our home with fresh eyes.
One of the biggest challenges to keeping our home clean is that my children, husband and pets are messy. There are toys, tools and fur all over the place. There is only one of me so it feels like there is no point in trying to clean the house, no matter how much progress is made, I turn around and there is more work to be done. Today, I was cleaning the patio door windows. I had cleaned the inside and stepped outside to clean the other side. I sprayed the entire window and my dog decided to come and see what I was doing. She followed my paper towel as I wiped and I watched in horror as she licked the inside of the window-the one I had just washed. I had to laugh.
I spent one month just de-cluttering-tools in the basement, receipts on my husband's dresser, toys in a giveaway bag or in our daughters' rooms. Then I created a master list and started working on one section at a time. The hood fan over the stove was the worst-greasy and sticky, yuk!
As much as I hate cleaning, there is a certain feeling of satisfaction when you can look around the room and it is spacious and neat. I enjoy organizing items so they each have a place. In the past, I have created nooks for the girls to draw as well as reading areas but, they turn any cute, organized area into a war zone. I have learned my lesson and now, every time I have to clean an area that they have cluttered, I donate most of the items away. This simplifies their environment and makes it harder for them to trash it.
As I cleaned today, I wondered what I am trying to prove. Initially, I was telling myself that I just wanted my mother-in-law to be comfortable. However, will cleaning and ironing the curtains really make a big difference? Am I trying to pretend that I am a great home maker? That would be a lie. I suck at cleaning. I am much more interested in living in our home and enjoying my family. So, I have no answer. I don't know why I am putting so much effort into cleaning our home. I do want my mother-in-law to feel welcome and comfortable. It may be as simple as that.
I have three more days to prepare. I feel pretty good. I can't wait for her to get here so we can finally just enjoy our time together and get to know each other. I will not be blogging while she is here from July 17th to July 31st, 2016. We have so many exciting activities planned for her visit. I'm sure I'll have plenty to blog about after our vacation.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Last night, I was too exhausted to type so I didn't blog. I am feeling pretty tired again this evening but I didn't want to skip two nights in a row. Why do I crave my bed by 9pm when I have put my daughters to bed? Cleaning!
You see, my mother-in-law is coming over for two weeks. She lives in England and I have never met her. We started using Face Time to communicate so I have seen her face and we have interacted for short periods of time but a whole two weeks in the same house is a bit scary.
I remember my mother cleaning frantically whenever people came over. We would rush around, stowing piles of clothing, books, paperwork etc into closets, praying that no one would open them. We would vacuum everywhere and dust all surfaces. It was so stressful.
I don't generally keep the house spotless. I de-clutter and clean the essential areas-washrooms, kitchen and bedding. I sweep every day because our dog and cat shed, leaving tumbleweeds of fur rolling around the wooden floor. Otherwise, my home is cozy and hygienic but no one would nominate me for a good housekeeping award.
When people come over, (we have people over a lot), I check the washrooms to ensure they are clean and I give the floors a good sweep so our guests don't go home with tufts of fur attached to their socks. That's it! I figure people come over to see us, not inspect our home.
This time is different. There's something about meeting your mother-in-law that is intimidating. I don't know why that is. She seems really sweet and, from what my husband tells me, she didn't like cleaning the house either so she'll understand. So, I have been cleaning the house thoroughly. When you are exposed to the dirt in your home all the time, you stop noticing it. I had to step back and see our home with fresh eyes.
One of the biggest challenges to keeping our home clean is that my children, husband and pets are messy. There are toys, tools and fur all over the place. There is only one of me so it feels like there is no point in trying to clean the house, no matter how much progress is made, I turn around and there is more work to be done. Today, I was cleaning the patio door windows. I had cleaned the inside and stepped outside to clean the other side. I sprayed the entire window and my dog decided to come and see what I was doing. She followed my paper towel as I wiped and I watched in horror as she licked the inside of the window-the one I had just washed. I had to laugh.
I spent one month just de-cluttering-tools in the basement, receipts on my husband's dresser, toys in a giveaway bag or in our daughters' rooms. Then I created a master list and started working on one section at a time. The hood fan over the stove was the worst-greasy and sticky, yuk!
As much as I hate cleaning, there is a certain feeling of satisfaction when you can look around the room and it is spacious and neat. I enjoy organizing items so they each have a place. In the past, I have created nooks for the girls to draw as well as reading areas but, they turn any cute, organized area into a war zone. I have learned my lesson and now, every time I have to clean an area that they have cluttered, I donate most of the items away. This simplifies their environment and makes it harder for them to trash it.
As I cleaned today, I wondered what I am trying to prove. Initially, I was telling myself that I just wanted my mother-in-law to be comfortable. However, will cleaning and ironing the curtains really make a big difference? Am I trying to pretend that I am a great home maker? That would be a lie. I suck at cleaning. I am much more interested in living in our home and enjoying my family. So, I have no answer. I don't know why I am putting so much effort into cleaning our home. I do want my mother-in-law to feel welcome and comfortable. It may be as simple as that.
I have three more days to prepare. I feel pretty good. I can't wait for her to get here so we can finally just enjoy our time together and get to know each other. I will not be blogging while she is here from July 17th to July 31st, 2016. We have so many exciting activities planned for her visit. I'm sure I'll have plenty to blog about after our vacation.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Tuesday 12 July 2016
Mortality
July 12th, 2016
I didn't have to wonder what to write about tonight. Two years ago today, my husband and I were in a car crash. We went out for a date and had a great time. On our way back, mere blocks from our home, a teenager, texting while driving hit our car from behind. I hit the back of my head so hard, my sunglasses flew off. I found them weeks later in the wreckage. I went for massage therapy then physiotherapy and biofeedback. I am much better now but I still have reminders of the accident when I can't find the word I am looking for, when I am exhausted at the end of the day, when my head or neck hurt or I feel dizzy. However, I feel grateful to be alive.
Today, two years later, my husband and I received some terrible news. A friend of ours has lost her husband. Our babysitter and her sister have lost their dad. He died from a heart attack at work. We found out from one of his co-workers who just happened to be my husband's friend. He was only 52 years old, he wasn't ill, there was no warning, he went to work and didn't return. We were all shocked, wondering, hoping it was a case of mistaken identity. It wasn't.
My husband and his friend went out for drinks as they do every two weeks. They talked about their lives, reviewed their decisions and assessed their priorities. It was a sobering evening to say the least.
I was at home with our daughters. They were very sad to hear that their favourite babysitter's father had died. They couldn't believe it was true. They thought about their own father who was out for the evening. The possibility that he wouldn't come home felt excruciating and frightening. As I spent time with them, I felt so grateful to be alive, to have the opportunity to create memories with them.
Throughout the evening, I did my own soul searching. If I died today, what would be left undone, what would I regret? The biggest loss would be not being around to raise my daughters. I love them so much and I want to be here for them every step of the way. I started to mentally create a bucket list. What do I absolutely want to do before I die?
Here is what I've come up with so far:
1-Raise two confident, compassionate, kind and generous girls
2-Travel through Canada, the USA, Australia and Europe
3-Learn to live sustainably-grow my own food, use solar energy, have an eco-friendly home
4-Take care of my mother financially so she can enjoy her golden years
5-Become a published author
6-Give at least one Ted Talk
7-Master at least one art form
8-Grow into a fit older lady
9-Find a way to ensure every child in my town has food and warm clothing in the winter
10-Empower women to support their families
When someone dies, it is a wake-up call. Are we wasting time or do we use each day to create something good? Have we set goals? Are we progressing toward them? Does our life truly reflect our values? Take a moment to create your bucket list. What would you like to accomplish in this lifetime? Stop putting it off. Start now.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
I didn't have to wonder what to write about tonight. Two years ago today, my husband and I were in a car crash. We went out for a date and had a great time. On our way back, mere blocks from our home, a teenager, texting while driving hit our car from behind. I hit the back of my head so hard, my sunglasses flew off. I found them weeks later in the wreckage. I went for massage therapy then physiotherapy and biofeedback. I am much better now but I still have reminders of the accident when I can't find the word I am looking for, when I am exhausted at the end of the day, when my head or neck hurt or I feel dizzy. However, I feel grateful to be alive.
Today, two years later, my husband and I received some terrible news. A friend of ours has lost her husband. Our babysitter and her sister have lost their dad. He died from a heart attack at work. We found out from one of his co-workers who just happened to be my husband's friend. He was only 52 years old, he wasn't ill, there was no warning, he went to work and didn't return. We were all shocked, wondering, hoping it was a case of mistaken identity. It wasn't.
My husband and his friend went out for drinks as they do every two weeks. They talked about their lives, reviewed their decisions and assessed their priorities. It was a sobering evening to say the least.
I was at home with our daughters. They were very sad to hear that their favourite babysitter's father had died. They couldn't believe it was true. They thought about their own father who was out for the evening. The possibility that he wouldn't come home felt excruciating and frightening. As I spent time with them, I felt so grateful to be alive, to have the opportunity to create memories with them.
Throughout the evening, I did my own soul searching. If I died today, what would be left undone, what would I regret? The biggest loss would be not being around to raise my daughters. I love them so much and I want to be here for them every step of the way. I started to mentally create a bucket list. What do I absolutely want to do before I die?
Here is what I've come up with so far:
1-Raise two confident, compassionate, kind and generous girls
2-Travel through Canada, the USA, Australia and Europe
3-Learn to live sustainably-grow my own food, use solar energy, have an eco-friendly home
4-Take care of my mother financially so she can enjoy her golden years
5-Become a published author
6-Give at least one Ted Talk
7-Master at least one art form
8-Grow into a fit older lady
9-Find a way to ensure every child in my town has food and warm clothing in the winter
10-Empower women to support their families
When someone dies, it is a wake-up call. Are we wasting time or do we use each day to create something good? Have we set goals? Are we progressing toward them? Does our life truly reflect our values? Take a moment to create your bucket list. What would you like to accomplish in this lifetime? Stop putting it off. Start now.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Monday 11 July 2016
Pruning-A Life Strategy
July 11th, 2016
Today, I was tending the garden. I noticed that many of the flowers on our hanging plants were drying up from the intense sunlight. I started plucking the dried out flowers to make room for new growth. There are loads of buds ready to bloom. Our flowers will look amazing by the end of the week. I was never good with flowers in the past. I gave them too much water and never pruned them. I feared that I would remove too much and kill the plant. The earth would get mouldy and no new flowers would grow because the entire plant was packed with dead flowers. My husband showed me how to prune plants and flowers the first year we lived at this home. His grandmother had taught him the art of pruning in her rose garden in England.
As I pruned today, I thought about the parallels between my gardening style and my habits. I hang on to stuff way too long. I have a lot of clothing that I wore when I was a teenager. I no longer have the body of a teenager but I am attached to the clothing. Each dress has a story, a fun memory associated with it. I hold onto books and paperwork-scraps of paper with notes, insights from experiences or books and, awesome quotes.
I was thinking about the importance of pruning in life in general. At any given time, we can pretty much fill a few boxes with items we have outgrown or simply haven't used recently. Having a cluttered home feels heavy and drains our energy.
There are people in our lives who no longer belong there. You may need to let go of a spouse, a friend, a colleague or a relative. It can be painful to end a relationship even if it's long overdue. You are inflicting pain on another person and, a break-up entails conflict which can feel scary and uncomfortable. If that person is part of a group of friends, you may also fear the backlash from other members of that group as a result of your pruning.
I often meet people who need to change careers. They have been in the same job for ten years, they used to love it but they no longer care about it, they resent it and feel run down every day when they have to go to work.
Like me, you may need to prune your closet and keep only the clothing that still represents who you are then donate the rest.
Activities can also be pruned. Look at your schedule and put an "x" on all the items in your calendar that don't need to be there. We tend to fill our schedules and we rarely have time to assess these activities later on to see if they are still meaningful to us.
Life is meant to be savoured. How much of your life do you love? I remember when owning and pruning Bonzai trees were a trend. You had to know what to cut out and what to leave in. Our lives are like that. Sometimes we need to stop and examine our lives. We can prune away the items that are weighing us down and the people who are draining our energy. By paying attention to how much time we devote to activities we no longer enjoy compared to what lights us up, we can see what needs to go. Pruning our lives, like Bonzai trees, is an art. We need to know what fills us up and what empties us and act accordingly.
If you're curious, grab a piece of paper and divide it into two columns. Write a heading for each column; Fills Me, Empties Me. Then, list all the people and activities that fit into each column. You may be surprised by how uneven your columns are or by who and what ends up where. Happy pruning!
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Today, I was tending the garden. I noticed that many of the flowers on our hanging plants were drying up from the intense sunlight. I started plucking the dried out flowers to make room for new growth. There are loads of buds ready to bloom. Our flowers will look amazing by the end of the week. I was never good with flowers in the past. I gave them too much water and never pruned them. I feared that I would remove too much and kill the plant. The earth would get mouldy and no new flowers would grow because the entire plant was packed with dead flowers. My husband showed me how to prune plants and flowers the first year we lived at this home. His grandmother had taught him the art of pruning in her rose garden in England.
As I pruned today, I thought about the parallels between my gardening style and my habits. I hang on to stuff way too long. I have a lot of clothing that I wore when I was a teenager. I no longer have the body of a teenager but I am attached to the clothing. Each dress has a story, a fun memory associated with it. I hold onto books and paperwork-scraps of paper with notes, insights from experiences or books and, awesome quotes.
I was thinking about the importance of pruning in life in general. At any given time, we can pretty much fill a few boxes with items we have outgrown or simply haven't used recently. Having a cluttered home feels heavy and drains our energy.
There are people in our lives who no longer belong there. You may need to let go of a spouse, a friend, a colleague or a relative. It can be painful to end a relationship even if it's long overdue. You are inflicting pain on another person and, a break-up entails conflict which can feel scary and uncomfortable. If that person is part of a group of friends, you may also fear the backlash from other members of that group as a result of your pruning.
I often meet people who need to change careers. They have been in the same job for ten years, they used to love it but they no longer care about it, they resent it and feel run down every day when they have to go to work.
Like me, you may need to prune your closet and keep only the clothing that still represents who you are then donate the rest.
Activities can also be pruned. Look at your schedule and put an "x" on all the items in your calendar that don't need to be there. We tend to fill our schedules and we rarely have time to assess these activities later on to see if they are still meaningful to us.
Life is meant to be savoured. How much of your life do you love? I remember when owning and pruning Bonzai trees were a trend. You had to know what to cut out and what to leave in. Our lives are like that. Sometimes we need to stop and examine our lives. We can prune away the items that are weighing us down and the people who are draining our energy. By paying attention to how much time we devote to activities we no longer enjoy compared to what lights us up, we can see what needs to go. Pruning our lives, like Bonzai trees, is an art. We need to know what fills us up and what empties us and act accordingly.
If you're curious, grab a piece of paper and divide it into two columns. Write a heading for each column; Fills Me, Empties Me. Then, list all the people and activities that fit into each column. You may be surprised by how uneven your columns are or by who and what ends up where. Happy pruning!
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Friday 8 July 2016
Book of the Week-Deliberate Receiving
July 8th, 2016
This week's book caught my eye at Chapter's. The author, Melody Fletcher, uses plain language and you can sense her quirkiness from the very first page. I felt that her book would be interesting and entertaining so I bought it.
The premise of the book is that you can basically create your reality and it very closely resembles The Secret. She instructs readers to figure out what they really want and focus on it. The twist is that she believes that we need to figure out the emotion tied to the experience we desire. For each of us, an experience will bring on an emotion. This has a vibration. If we can tap into that emotion, we can start attracting the experience.
Melody explains that we all start off on a spectrum of emotion and, if what we are trying to manifest doesn't vibrate at the same frequency as our current emotion, it won't be a match. She takes the reader through a series of emotional stages. You identify where you are on the spectrum then progressively raise your vibration by connecting with that emotion. Acknowledging your emotion and releasing it moves you up the spectrum until you reach the emotion that matches your experience.
The book warns us not to sabotage our manifesting through letting our beliefs limit what we think is possible for us or focusing on what we dot want or reacting negatively when we receive what we requested because it comes in a different form than we expected.
I recognized that I was in the frustration stage. My belief is that if I work hard, I will be rewarded and successful. When this doesn't happen I feel frustrated. When someone is in the frustration phase, they take action thinking it will speed things up, they get pushy and impatient. I am definitely in this phase. The encouraging thing is that the next phase after frustration is hope so I am basically on the threshold. I wrote down her advice for this phase which is to stop trying to control this by forcing it to happen, focus on what I want and align my energy to the emotion of this desire then let synchronicity show me the next step. When I fall out of this energy and I start to doubt that manifesting is possible, I can ask myself; "What if this does happen?" Asking this question quickly gets you excited and thinking positively.
The very day that I read this, I learned a lesson about frustration through my daughters. They are home for the summer. My intention is to have fun with them, to create memories over the summer and feel connected to them. I had planned to take them to a movie ten minutes away from our home. They have movies for $5 at the municipal centre over the summer and I like to take advantage of this every year. This week's movie was The Little Prince. I saw the previews and thought it would be a great movie. Within ten minutes, the girls were saying they didn't like the movie and wanted to leave. I was really enjoying it. I asked them to give it a try. They were squirming, whispering complaints to each other and looking over at me, waiting for the signal that they could stand up and leave. I was feeling very frustrated. I had just paid for this movie and, not only were they not giving it a chance, I wasn't going to get to see it. We left. I took them out to get groceries. They complained that the store's air conditioning was too cold. I consulted my grocery list and rushed around to get ingredients for supper. They saw a cosmetics counter and started looking through the eye liner and lipstick. I told them I was done with my groceries. They weren't cold anymore, they wanted to linger and explore the cosmetics. I took them home.
As I prepared lunch, I thought about my morning and how different my vibration was from what I had intended. I realized that I was experiencing a parallel in my personal and business life. I felt frustrated by my daughters' lack of compliance with what I had envisioned. I wanted to bond with them and have fun. To me, that meant going to the movies. I was controlling the experience. I decided to just focus on what I wanted for the rest of the day. They were playing together so I focused on de-cluttering closets in the house. I have been wanting to do this for some time but I was always playing with the girls. I got a bunch of de-cluttering done, they played together and then they initiated play with me. They wanted to become mermaids and we dressed up and pretended to be mermaids. We had a great time, they led me through it and I was able to achieve the experience I was seeking. My eldest later sang songs for me and impressed me with her beautiful voice. Then my youngest sat on my lap while I read the pile of books she selected.
I learned my lesson. I get clear about what I want, I figure out the feeling that this experience would grant me and I tune in to my emotions. The better I feel, the closer I am to manifesting. Challenging emotions are a message that I am not moving in the right direction. This book was entertaining at first then I felt overwhelmed and confused. Chapter 11, the one that teaches you to move up the spectrum, was the most interesting part of the book and where I learned the most.
I will continue to apply its principles and see where it leads.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
This week's book caught my eye at Chapter's. The author, Melody Fletcher, uses plain language and you can sense her quirkiness from the very first page. I felt that her book would be interesting and entertaining so I bought it.
The premise of the book is that you can basically create your reality and it very closely resembles The Secret. She instructs readers to figure out what they really want and focus on it. The twist is that she believes that we need to figure out the emotion tied to the experience we desire. For each of us, an experience will bring on an emotion. This has a vibration. If we can tap into that emotion, we can start attracting the experience.
Melody explains that we all start off on a spectrum of emotion and, if what we are trying to manifest doesn't vibrate at the same frequency as our current emotion, it won't be a match. She takes the reader through a series of emotional stages. You identify where you are on the spectrum then progressively raise your vibration by connecting with that emotion. Acknowledging your emotion and releasing it moves you up the spectrum until you reach the emotion that matches your experience.
The book warns us not to sabotage our manifesting through letting our beliefs limit what we think is possible for us or focusing on what we dot want or reacting negatively when we receive what we requested because it comes in a different form than we expected.
I recognized that I was in the frustration stage. My belief is that if I work hard, I will be rewarded and successful. When this doesn't happen I feel frustrated. When someone is in the frustration phase, they take action thinking it will speed things up, they get pushy and impatient. I am definitely in this phase. The encouraging thing is that the next phase after frustration is hope so I am basically on the threshold. I wrote down her advice for this phase which is to stop trying to control this by forcing it to happen, focus on what I want and align my energy to the emotion of this desire then let synchronicity show me the next step. When I fall out of this energy and I start to doubt that manifesting is possible, I can ask myself; "What if this does happen?" Asking this question quickly gets you excited and thinking positively.
The very day that I read this, I learned a lesson about frustration through my daughters. They are home for the summer. My intention is to have fun with them, to create memories over the summer and feel connected to them. I had planned to take them to a movie ten minutes away from our home. They have movies for $5 at the municipal centre over the summer and I like to take advantage of this every year. This week's movie was The Little Prince. I saw the previews and thought it would be a great movie. Within ten minutes, the girls were saying they didn't like the movie and wanted to leave. I was really enjoying it. I asked them to give it a try. They were squirming, whispering complaints to each other and looking over at me, waiting for the signal that they could stand up and leave. I was feeling very frustrated. I had just paid for this movie and, not only were they not giving it a chance, I wasn't going to get to see it. We left. I took them out to get groceries. They complained that the store's air conditioning was too cold. I consulted my grocery list and rushed around to get ingredients for supper. They saw a cosmetics counter and started looking through the eye liner and lipstick. I told them I was done with my groceries. They weren't cold anymore, they wanted to linger and explore the cosmetics. I took them home.
As I prepared lunch, I thought about my morning and how different my vibration was from what I had intended. I realized that I was experiencing a parallel in my personal and business life. I felt frustrated by my daughters' lack of compliance with what I had envisioned. I wanted to bond with them and have fun. To me, that meant going to the movies. I was controlling the experience. I decided to just focus on what I wanted for the rest of the day. They were playing together so I focused on de-cluttering closets in the house. I have been wanting to do this for some time but I was always playing with the girls. I got a bunch of de-cluttering done, they played together and then they initiated play with me. They wanted to become mermaids and we dressed up and pretended to be mermaids. We had a great time, they led me through it and I was able to achieve the experience I was seeking. My eldest later sang songs for me and impressed me with her beautiful voice. Then my youngest sat on my lap while I read the pile of books she selected.
I learned my lesson. I get clear about what I want, I figure out the feeling that this experience would grant me and I tune in to my emotions. The better I feel, the closer I am to manifesting. Challenging emotions are a message that I am not moving in the right direction. This book was entertaining at first then I felt overwhelmed and confused. Chapter 11, the one that teaches you to move up the spectrum, was the most interesting part of the book and where I learned the most.
I will continue to apply its principles and see where it leads.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Thursday 7 July 2016
Headspace
July 7th, 2016
A while back, I learned about a new app called Headspace. It was free. I had committed to practising mindfulness and this app was a great tool to get me started. Headspace provides 10 sessions lasting 10 minutes each. You are introduced to breathing, noticing sensations, accepting and releasing thoughts and, connecting to your inner stillness-the space between the thoughts.
I have struggled to meditate for years. I have these great intentions but it's hard to be undisturbed for ten minutes and I'm never sure if I am doing it right. I don't feel comfortable sitting with my spine straight (like someone is pulling a string from the top of my head). I decided to meditate lying down but I always fell asleep.
Headspace allowed me to devote a small amount of time every day to calming my mind. I wondered if ten minutes would be long enough to make any difference. I started noticing changes from day to day. My mind was more focused and my breath was getting deeper. I could also see a crossover between the acceptance of whatever thoughts and emotions came up during meditation and my general acceptance of things as they were in my regular life.
When the ten day trial was over, I had the option to purchase more sessions. I didn't. What I did was continue to listen to the first ten trial sessions over and over again. You still have access to them and there is no limit to how many times you play them. I don't feel the need to graduate to a more advanced level. Repeating the basics: breathe, notice sounds around you, feel your connection to the chair and the floor, focus on sensations in your body, see the thoughts ebb and flow, let them go, keep breathing are good enough for me.
My eldest daughter has been experiencing more anxiety at bed time. I used to play a hypnosis cd at night with messages of empowerment and self-esteem. She loved listening to the hypnotist and always drifted off within five minutes. We played the cd every night, it got well used and I needed to replace it every year. The last time I contacted the hypnotist for a replacement cd, she didn't respond. My daughter said it was ok. She had outgrown it. She was fine for over a year. Lately, however, she has not been able to drift to sleep on her own. Sometimes I have massage her back or read her inspirational stories. She also just likes to talk about her life. She asks; "Can we talk mama?". I generally say yes unless she has stayed up too late.
A few nights ago, I suggested she listen to Headspace. I have it on my iPhone and I listen to it with headphones before bed. She resisted the idea at first, she said it sounded lame. When I offered to listen to it with her, she decided to give it a try. By the time the ten minutes were up, she had drifted to sleep. I plucked the ear bud out of her ear (I was wearing one and she was wearing the other) and she didn't even wake up. Now she asks for it. She likes how relaxed she feels after only ten minutes. I suspect that she will eventually fall asleep before the ten minutes are up after a week or so. The Headspace man's voice will become a cue for sleep and relaxation.
If you have always wanted to try meditation, give this app a try. It has worked for me and is now helping my ten year old daughter get some rest.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
A while back, I learned about a new app called Headspace. It was free. I had committed to practising mindfulness and this app was a great tool to get me started. Headspace provides 10 sessions lasting 10 minutes each. You are introduced to breathing, noticing sensations, accepting and releasing thoughts and, connecting to your inner stillness-the space between the thoughts.
I have struggled to meditate for years. I have these great intentions but it's hard to be undisturbed for ten minutes and I'm never sure if I am doing it right. I don't feel comfortable sitting with my spine straight (like someone is pulling a string from the top of my head). I decided to meditate lying down but I always fell asleep.
Headspace allowed me to devote a small amount of time every day to calming my mind. I wondered if ten minutes would be long enough to make any difference. I started noticing changes from day to day. My mind was more focused and my breath was getting deeper. I could also see a crossover between the acceptance of whatever thoughts and emotions came up during meditation and my general acceptance of things as they were in my regular life.
When the ten day trial was over, I had the option to purchase more sessions. I didn't. What I did was continue to listen to the first ten trial sessions over and over again. You still have access to them and there is no limit to how many times you play them. I don't feel the need to graduate to a more advanced level. Repeating the basics: breathe, notice sounds around you, feel your connection to the chair and the floor, focus on sensations in your body, see the thoughts ebb and flow, let them go, keep breathing are good enough for me.
My eldest daughter has been experiencing more anxiety at bed time. I used to play a hypnosis cd at night with messages of empowerment and self-esteem. She loved listening to the hypnotist and always drifted off within five minutes. We played the cd every night, it got well used and I needed to replace it every year. The last time I contacted the hypnotist for a replacement cd, she didn't respond. My daughter said it was ok. She had outgrown it. She was fine for over a year. Lately, however, she has not been able to drift to sleep on her own. Sometimes I have massage her back or read her inspirational stories. She also just likes to talk about her life. She asks; "Can we talk mama?". I generally say yes unless she has stayed up too late.
A few nights ago, I suggested she listen to Headspace. I have it on my iPhone and I listen to it with headphones before bed. She resisted the idea at first, she said it sounded lame. When I offered to listen to it with her, she decided to give it a try. By the time the ten minutes were up, she had drifted to sleep. I plucked the ear bud out of her ear (I was wearing one and she was wearing the other) and she didn't even wake up. Now she asks for it. She likes how relaxed she feels after only ten minutes. I suspect that she will eventually fall asleep before the ten minutes are up after a week or so. The Headspace man's voice will become a cue for sleep and relaxation.
If you have always wanted to try meditation, give this app a try. It has worked for me and is now helping my ten year old daughter get some rest.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Wednesday 6 July 2016
Dreams
June 6th, 2016
Every night, people all over the world go to sleep. Sleep is meant to help our bodies rest and our brains process the experiences and data we were exposed to each day. For some, sleep is difficult. They try to fall asleep but their mind is too active, they are unable to settle. For others, falling asleep happens easily but they are unable to stay asleep. They may wake up during the night and feel fully awake.
People who have experienced trauma often struggle with sleep. Night time is when they are faced with their worst memories and they do not feel safe. The flashbacks create anticipatory anxiety in the evening as they prepare for bed. Parents often become sleep deprived when their infants wake up often throughout the night. Sleep deprivation is linked to a variety of symptoms from poor concentration and irritability to hallucinations.
Some people don't remember their dreams. This is a shame because our dreams have important messages for us. There are entire dictionaries devoted to dream analysis. Dreamers are encouraged to perceive every character in their dream as an aspect of themselves. What is important is the emotion that is experiences during the dream. Therefore, if the dreamer feels afraid of a character, the question to ask is "What aspect of yourself are you afraid to express?".
Symbolism plays a huge role in dream interpretation. This is similar to my work as an art therapist. Clients can have strong emotional reactions to imagery in their art. Anything is possible in both art and dreams. When you are faced with a challenging situation, it is helpful to write about it before going to bed and asking for an answer to present itself. You can wake up with a solution the next morning as your mind has had the time to work on it overnight.
Dream analysis was an important tool psychoanalysis. It is still a valuable self-help tool. All you need to do is keep a pen and notebook next to your bed. Relax before bed and be clear about your intention to remember your dream. You can even ask a question in your notebook before you go to sleep. As soon as you wake up, write anything you remember in your notebook including storyline, characters, emotions and setting. Are you always in the same environment? Is there a recurring theme? You may recognize loved ones in your dreams and think this is about your relationship with them. However, ask yourself what that loved one represents to you and what emotions your dream interaction triggers in you. This may help you understand your feelings about a suppressed aspect of yourself. The longer you pay attention to your dreams, the more information will be packed into your dreams. If you are willing to document your dreams and do some soul searching, you may be surprised by how valuable this experience can be on your journey into personal growth.
Sweet dreams!
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Every night, people all over the world go to sleep. Sleep is meant to help our bodies rest and our brains process the experiences and data we were exposed to each day. For some, sleep is difficult. They try to fall asleep but their mind is too active, they are unable to settle. For others, falling asleep happens easily but they are unable to stay asleep. They may wake up during the night and feel fully awake.
People who have experienced trauma often struggle with sleep. Night time is when they are faced with their worst memories and they do not feel safe. The flashbacks create anticipatory anxiety in the evening as they prepare for bed. Parents often become sleep deprived when their infants wake up often throughout the night. Sleep deprivation is linked to a variety of symptoms from poor concentration and irritability to hallucinations.
Some people don't remember their dreams. This is a shame because our dreams have important messages for us. There are entire dictionaries devoted to dream analysis. Dreamers are encouraged to perceive every character in their dream as an aspect of themselves. What is important is the emotion that is experiences during the dream. Therefore, if the dreamer feels afraid of a character, the question to ask is "What aspect of yourself are you afraid to express?".
Symbolism plays a huge role in dream interpretation. This is similar to my work as an art therapist. Clients can have strong emotional reactions to imagery in their art. Anything is possible in both art and dreams. When you are faced with a challenging situation, it is helpful to write about it before going to bed and asking for an answer to present itself. You can wake up with a solution the next morning as your mind has had the time to work on it overnight.
Dream analysis was an important tool psychoanalysis. It is still a valuable self-help tool. All you need to do is keep a pen and notebook next to your bed. Relax before bed and be clear about your intention to remember your dream. You can even ask a question in your notebook before you go to sleep. As soon as you wake up, write anything you remember in your notebook including storyline, characters, emotions and setting. Are you always in the same environment? Is there a recurring theme? You may recognize loved ones in your dreams and think this is about your relationship with them. However, ask yourself what that loved one represents to you and what emotions your dream interaction triggers in you. This may help you understand your feelings about a suppressed aspect of yourself. The longer you pay attention to your dreams, the more information will be packed into your dreams. If you are willing to document your dreams and do some soul searching, you may be surprised by how valuable this experience can be on your journey into personal growth.
Sweet dreams!
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Tuesday 5 July 2016
Accessibility
July 5th, 2016
As my husband and I plan for the arrival of his mother, I am hyper aware of the challenges to people getting around town and our home in a wheelchair. My mother-in-law is able to walk but, I am told that she moves at a slow pace and gets tired easily. When my husband visited Europe with her last year, he rented a wheelchair to make the most of their trip and, to his surprise, she loved it!
She has never been to Ottawa and there are so many places we would like to share with her. Unfortunately, we are discovering that many older buildings do not have elevators or accessible entrances. As I walk around, I am noticing the many sidewalks that are uneven which would make it difficult for a person wheeling around town as they would constantly tilt over to one side. There are often breaks in the sidewalk. Where is the person supposed to go between the end of one section and the beginning of the other? Then there are streets like ours where sidewalks don't even exist.
We will rent a chair for the shower with a shower head extension as well as a transport wheelchair for her trip. She will sleep in our bedroom because it has its own en-suite in case she needs to use the restroom during the night. That is pretty easy but our bedroom is on the second floor as are both baths and the only shower in the house. This means she will have to get up and down the stairs at least twice daily. There are steps at both entrances to our home. We have been thinking about the easiest stairs for her to get into our home. Then there's the car.
We have two trucks with large wheels. You need to step up to get into them. Our one lower car is being fixed in time for her trip. We are keeping our fingers crossed that it will not break down during her visit. It is also one of the few cars with air conditioning. Our trucks have no air conditioning.
The children are very excited about our new pool. We have been wondering how to include their grandma while they are swimming. She loves pools and could spend all day in there but we need to find a way to get her in and out of the pool safely. The pool is 52" deep but we only have a ladder to get in and out of it and it is rather unstable. I have some people coming to build a deck with stairs and hand rails but we need big steps in the pool so she can ease in and out. That is our next mission.
We are very excited for her to arrive and want to make this trip memorable and positive. We hope that being prepared will result in a trip that feels effortless and comfortable. My mother-in-law doesn't use a wheelchair at home and I am sure she will be fine. However, as we delve into the world of mobility aids and accessible buildings, I am more aware of the countless preparations and obstacles faced every day by people who truly depend on their wheelchair to lead independent lives.
I challenge all of you to scan your workplace and assess whether or not it is accessible. Is there an accessible entrance? Are there working elevators to get to offices? Are the aisles wide enough for someone to get through easily? Are the washrooms accessible? When you go out for lunch, notice the set up in the restaurant or cafeteria. If you were in a wheelchair, how easy would it be for you to get in, reach the food (if in a cafeteria), pay for your food, get to your table (space between tables) and, sit at the table (height of the table)? It is a whole new world and examining it with new eyes has made me truly grateful for my mobility as well as raised my awareness about the need for greater accessibility in public places.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
As my husband and I plan for the arrival of his mother, I am hyper aware of the challenges to people getting around town and our home in a wheelchair. My mother-in-law is able to walk but, I am told that she moves at a slow pace and gets tired easily. When my husband visited Europe with her last year, he rented a wheelchair to make the most of their trip and, to his surprise, she loved it!
She has never been to Ottawa and there are so many places we would like to share with her. Unfortunately, we are discovering that many older buildings do not have elevators or accessible entrances. As I walk around, I am noticing the many sidewalks that are uneven which would make it difficult for a person wheeling around town as they would constantly tilt over to one side. There are often breaks in the sidewalk. Where is the person supposed to go between the end of one section and the beginning of the other? Then there are streets like ours where sidewalks don't even exist.
We will rent a chair for the shower with a shower head extension as well as a transport wheelchair for her trip. She will sleep in our bedroom because it has its own en-suite in case she needs to use the restroom during the night. That is pretty easy but our bedroom is on the second floor as are both baths and the only shower in the house. This means she will have to get up and down the stairs at least twice daily. There are steps at both entrances to our home. We have been thinking about the easiest stairs for her to get into our home. Then there's the car.
We have two trucks with large wheels. You need to step up to get into them. Our one lower car is being fixed in time for her trip. We are keeping our fingers crossed that it will not break down during her visit. It is also one of the few cars with air conditioning. Our trucks have no air conditioning.
The children are very excited about our new pool. We have been wondering how to include their grandma while they are swimming. She loves pools and could spend all day in there but we need to find a way to get her in and out of the pool safely. The pool is 52" deep but we only have a ladder to get in and out of it and it is rather unstable. I have some people coming to build a deck with stairs and hand rails but we need big steps in the pool so she can ease in and out. That is our next mission.
We are very excited for her to arrive and want to make this trip memorable and positive. We hope that being prepared will result in a trip that feels effortless and comfortable. My mother-in-law doesn't use a wheelchair at home and I am sure she will be fine. However, as we delve into the world of mobility aids and accessible buildings, I am more aware of the countless preparations and obstacles faced every day by people who truly depend on their wheelchair to lead independent lives.
I challenge all of you to scan your workplace and assess whether or not it is accessible. Is there an accessible entrance? Are there working elevators to get to offices? Are the aisles wide enough for someone to get through easily? Are the washrooms accessible? When you go out for lunch, notice the set up in the restaurant or cafeteria. If you were in a wheelchair, how easy would it be for you to get in, reach the food (if in a cafeteria), pay for your food, get to your table (space between tables) and, sit at the table (height of the table)? It is a whole new world and examining it with new eyes has made me truly grateful for my mobility as well as raised my awareness about the need for greater accessibility in public places.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Monday 4 July 2016
Canada
July 4th, 2016
If you are reading this from the U.S.A., Happy Independence Day!
After the festivities on Canada Day, I was reflecting on what it means to be Canadian. Our country is so diverse, how do you compare people from each province and find something in common? That is what has been on my mind.
Unless you travel to other countries, you don't notice the things we Canadians take for granted. When we travelled to Italy, the architecture just blew us away. The buildings are so old. They have character, convey a feeling and are filled with history. The food is so fresh. People take great pride in their food and wine.
In Mexico, we enjoyed the people's sense of humour, their bonds with family and community and, their laid back attitude. We ate fresh, spicy food and drank cold beer.
Each trip to Florida, we notice the residents' pride in their country. There are flags everywhere, not just on July 4th. They take pride in their success and celebrate it. We see fancy cars, huge yachts, designer clothes and expensive, sumptuous food. Customer service is impressive in the US. They want to serve you. Can't find what you are looking for? They will help you find it even if it's not in their store. They don't charge you extra for bags and there is always someone willing to take your bags to the car for you.
So, what about Canada? I love my country. We have the huge rockies to the west, flat prairies in the middle, an entire province that speaks a different language and lively provinces to the east where fishing is a way of life and music is the thread that brings everyone together. Let's not forget about our northern neighbours, preserving their own traditions, richly grounded in art and ritual.
I am proud of my hometown, Ottawa, because people are generally friendly and tolerant. We keep our province clean, we welcome tourists and we provide a safe playground where people can enjoy the great outdoors-preserved parks and trails, waterways, conservation areas and campgrounds. We are peaceful and funny, responsible and hard working.
Proud to be Canadian!
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
If you are reading this from the U.S.A., Happy Independence Day!
After the festivities on Canada Day, I was reflecting on what it means to be Canadian. Our country is so diverse, how do you compare people from each province and find something in common? That is what has been on my mind.
Unless you travel to other countries, you don't notice the things we Canadians take for granted. When we travelled to Italy, the architecture just blew us away. The buildings are so old. They have character, convey a feeling and are filled with history. The food is so fresh. People take great pride in their food and wine.
In Mexico, we enjoyed the people's sense of humour, their bonds with family and community and, their laid back attitude. We ate fresh, spicy food and drank cold beer.
Each trip to Florida, we notice the residents' pride in their country. There are flags everywhere, not just on July 4th. They take pride in their success and celebrate it. We see fancy cars, huge yachts, designer clothes and expensive, sumptuous food. Customer service is impressive in the US. They want to serve you. Can't find what you are looking for? They will help you find it even if it's not in their store. They don't charge you extra for bags and there is always someone willing to take your bags to the car for you.
So, what about Canada? I love my country. We have the huge rockies to the west, flat prairies in the middle, an entire province that speaks a different language and lively provinces to the east where fishing is a way of life and music is the thread that brings everyone together. Let's not forget about our northern neighbours, preserving their own traditions, richly grounded in art and ritual.
I am proud of my hometown, Ottawa, because people are generally friendly and tolerant. We keep our province clean, we welcome tourists and we provide a safe playground where people can enjoy the great outdoors-preserved parks and trails, waterways, conservation areas and campgrounds. We are peaceful and funny, responsible and hard working.
Proud to be Canadian!
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Friday 1 July 2016
Canada Day in Kemptville
July 1st, 2016
Happy Canada Day everyone!
Today, I had a lovely time with my youngest daughter, Stella, at Riverside Park in Kemptville. There was a schedule of events on the municipal website. This made it easy for us to plan our day. We headed over to the kids' zone. There was a station set up to create bead necklaces and bracelets. There was also a mural where children could paint their names. We batted balloons with pool noodles and played Plinko. There was a wading pool filled with bubble soap and a variety of wands. Stella and her friend enjoyed creating trails of bubbles as they swirled around. They were also able to dig in the corn pit. It's a sand box filled with corn kernels and sand toys.
We loved watching the dogs running through the obstacle course at 1pm. They even had a few goats climbing the ramps and jumping over the gates. Most dogs needed prompting and coaxing. They had cue words like "weave" for the dogs to walk in between bars in a pattern. Then came the chocolate coloured lab. He was so excited to be there. He ran and jumped and weaved, no cues or prompting needed. We laughed, recognizing our own dog. Surely, Sweetie Pie would be this crazy, just happy to be playing. Since they get rewarded with food, you can be sure the she would complete the obstacle course asap.
We bought some food and snow cones at lunch time and sat with friends. That is what I love about old towns, you know so many people just because you all happen to be going to the same places-same school, same grocers, same bank, same gas station, same coffee shop etc. I worried when we moved out here that there would be nothing to do but, for kids, there are often programs to join and most are way cheaper than what's available in Ottawa.
There were free swims throughout the day. My husband and eldest daughter joined us at 3pm for a swim before the storm hit. There were stuffed ponies you could rent for $4. The children would ride them as the horse moved up and down, really neat. Two tents were devoted to face painting. One had traditional face painting, the other had glittery tattoos. The line ups were a bit long for those so we skipped it, especially since I knew we were going swimming.
I watched the local firefighters show children around the fire truck. Children could also try to control the fire hose with the help of a firefighter. As we watched the the hose spraying everywhere, my daughter told me she needed to pee. There was a port-a-potty nearby. I couldn't see any other option so I took her there and, to my amazement, it was clean and smelled fine. I was very relieved. On our way out, we watched teenagers jumping over bars with their bikes. My daughter was impressed. I was worried, "please don't try this at home". We grabbed some cotton candy and called it a day. Stella wants to go back for fireworks but they aren't until 10pm, way too late for her.
I was born and raised in Ottawa and for the longest time, my Canada Day consisted of trying to walk through crowds of people to watch buskers or lining up for hours in order to get food, watching people who had had too much to drink fight, make out, yell obnoxious comments or throw up. I rarely went out anymore.
I am satisfied with our Canada Day. There was so much to do. Stella got to see some friends. I enjoyed the community spirit and festive atmosphere. Thank you Tammy Hurlbert, coordinator of recreation programs in North Grenville! We had a great time and we were only ten minutes from home.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Happy Canada Day everyone!
Today, I had a lovely time with my youngest daughter, Stella, at Riverside Park in Kemptville. There was a schedule of events on the municipal website. This made it easy for us to plan our day. We headed over to the kids' zone. There was a station set up to create bead necklaces and bracelets. There was also a mural where children could paint their names. We batted balloons with pool noodles and played Plinko. There was a wading pool filled with bubble soap and a variety of wands. Stella and her friend enjoyed creating trails of bubbles as they swirled around. They were also able to dig in the corn pit. It's a sand box filled with corn kernels and sand toys.
We loved watching the dogs running through the obstacle course at 1pm. They even had a few goats climbing the ramps and jumping over the gates. Most dogs needed prompting and coaxing. They had cue words like "weave" for the dogs to walk in between bars in a pattern. Then came the chocolate coloured lab. He was so excited to be there. He ran and jumped and weaved, no cues or prompting needed. We laughed, recognizing our own dog. Surely, Sweetie Pie would be this crazy, just happy to be playing. Since they get rewarded with food, you can be sure the she would complete the obstacle course asap.
We bought some food and snow cones at lunch time and sat with friends. That is what I love about old towns, you know so many people just because you all happen to be going to the same places-same school, same grocers, same bank, same gas station, same coffee shop etc. I worried when we moved out here that there would be nothing to do but, for kids, there are often programs to join and most are way cheaper than what's available in Ottawa.
There were free swims throughout the day. My husband and eldest daughter joined us at 3pm for a swim before the storm hit. There were stuffed ponies you could rent for $4. The children would ride them as the horse moved up and down, really neat. Two tents were devoted to face painting. One had traditional face painting, the other had glittery tattoos. The line ups were a bit long for those so we skipped it, especially since I knew we were going swimming.
I watched the local firefighters show children around the fire truck. Children could also try to control the fire hose with the help of a firefighter. As we watched the the hose spraying everywhere, my daughter told me she needed to pee. There was a port-a-potty nearby. I couldn't see any other option so I took her there and, to my amazement, it was clean and smelled fine. I was very relieved. On our way out, we watched teenagers jumping over bars with their bikes. My daughter was impressed. I was worried, "please don't try this at home". We grabbed some cotton candy and called it a day. Stella wants to go back for fireworks but they aren't until 10pm, way too late for her.
I was born and raised in Ottawa and for the longest time, my Canada Day consisted of trying to walk through crowds of people to watch buskers or lining up for hours in order to get food, watching people who had had too much to drink fight, make out, yell obnoxious comments or throw up. I rarely went out anymore.
I am satisfied with our Canada Day. There was so much to do. Stella got to see some friends. I enjoyed the community spirit and festive atmosphere. Thank you Tammy Hurlbert, coordinator of recreation programs in North Grenville! We had a great time and we were only ten minutes from home.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)