The Perfect Day

 

 Seattle, 2016, February 27th, 2016. The three day conference was behind us as we woke up on Saturday to mixed skies with wild abandoned notions of what could be.
Like kids canoeing at the cabin, anything could happen, we could capsize with the joys of splashing under the canoe, making echo sounds or hanging onto the top stretching our arms across the bottom till we thought they might truly lengthen.
This was it, we had no plans and for me that is truly a rare occasion. I let the day take me rather than guiding, or shall we saw domineering what was to pass. Hand in hand we strolled uptown from the hotel into unknown territory in search of Hal's first cup of Joe.
Sugar Bakery, wafts of pastry filled our lungs as we entered, stretching our necks to see croissants, lavender shortbread cookies, decadent jam filled crumbles, cinnamon rolls dripping with maple sugar, macadamia cookies, and palmers decked in chocolate, and heart shaped shortbread with raspberry filling and eggs-spinach and mushroom quiche, Hal's favorite. My misto was made to perfection as we watched the frothing of the milk while our eyes wandered to a coconut cake creation just feet away.
Scents lingered like good perfume walking up the side streets lined with mauve, purple and pink hydrangeas. A feast, a cornucopia of colors as azalea met our eyes three houses up, aqua in color the veranda had the perfect French swing on it, tempting us to try it out.

Hand in hand two content kittens absorbed he heat of the sun working from one park bench to another till we reached the Arboretum. World trees exhibited, cared, and nurtured by horticulturalists year round. We meandered along pathways through a labyrinth of forests from the coastal range to Japanese gardens hosting lanterns, sand raked patterns, and ornamental trees bursting with five star flowers painted by hand.

Oh...and ah....were met at every turn, mother nature has never failed to intrigue us, if only humans had the capacity to exhibit all their creativity, what an amazing world this would be.

What goes up must come down, we had ventured down to the gardens and the hike up through glorious communities where every home was a masterpiece unto itself allowed our eyes to capture the curtains, doorways, fences, furniture and garden features for some time. A local watering hole had taken the bottom half of a home opening it up to a tiny restaurant/grocer of craft beer/ and a café all in one. People flowed out as the sun warmed the chairs outside. Doffing our coats, we too relished the welcome atmosphere of the lovely yellow café.

Climbing higher we found a watering hole for Hal to taste yet another craft beer, hopvine IPA. His smile, savoury delight is enough to send goose bumps up me spine. Up and down Capital Hill district enticed into artisan shops, boutiques for wine tasting and consignments clothiers. Within three blocks there are 12 count em, 12 coffee shops are thriving. Starbucks, being incepted in Seattle has more of a market, yet all of them seem to be doing well.

Down the backside of Seattle, back down it spine to the waters edge to be met by succulent food at "Black Bottle", hosting Gastro pub food, this menu was eclectic. Hal started with another craft beer, a stout no less, for our last evening and I had a glass of Chardonnay, a shocker as it doesn't normally pass my lips. Spanish fried olives blasted our taste buds right out of left field, ensuit, chorizo and penn cove clams, Hal was silenced for long moments as his tongue, lips, and old factory nerve sought out what flavor concoction this could possibly be. Asking the waiter too many times what spices were in our food was becoming obvious, his chuckle enticed us to keep asking questions. Two chicken breast on long skewers deep fried on a bed of collars was divine. And the piece de resistance was the lemon curd ricotta cake lavender crust. Died and gone to heaven!!! We didn't want the evening to end, we gazed into one another's eyes trying to find the reason...there was none.....let the day unfold while miracles abound.

Home

The sanctity of home is one of the most precious spaces that exist. We often treat it with less dignity than we should, for the purposes it serves are unsurmountable. Firstly, after a long day away, it opens its arms to all that arrive, and provides warmth, comfort, silence, a resolve.

After completing, The Shining Houses, by Alice Munro, a short story and a must read. I have come to comprehend that home presides in some people more than human connections. "Husbands may come and go but a home of 50 years, well that is just where I know things are." I learned more about my home through her than I'd imagined.

Renovations are my love and our home has lost walls, rugs, flooring, and for some this is a process, for me it is a love of creating a space for energy to be recuperated, a reading room where language filters, fills and creates fanciful escapes, with light streaming in, what could be more Shakespearean than creating my next masterpiece.

Going against builders molds, our home has become a place for ingenuity to take hold, we've placing laminate on a wall, not the floor, take that. And, we are placing windows in walls that aren't one the outside, simply allowing more light to shine through rooms. Wooden doors have glass in them now and a hanging door to place paintings on is our motto.

Instead of large garden beds, we've been using large, huge tubs to grow: carrots, beets, kale, kale and more kale, onions, garlic and tomatoes. So the next time someone tells you to do something a la carte, tell them your going ROUGE.

We are presently in Seattle for a week, staying in apartments that were refurbished into a hotel, and our bathroom is 2 rooms blown into one, closets with all our clothes is adjacent to the washroom and to the shower. Saves time, space and it is so cool. Our living quarters are small, quaint and unique with a feel of 1950 in the window décor along with our chairs, painting, and the fancy intercom system to order Hal's beer from the bar, 4 floors down. The best part, it is 4 blocks from the conference center and 2/3 less the price. Free Starbucks coffee in the morning and by the speed I'm typing at nothing can stop me now.

 

Valentines

Victuals dripping with innuendoes lacking luster might be what you think about Valentines, until you read on.
This Valentines I decided to observe the world for a long week-end recording its boons. To my surprise love isn't a four letter word soaked in rhyming poetry from Hallmark's for those with no time, talent or energy to write. Wilting flowers, nor Belgium chocolate adorned my home nor many others yet true gratitude was abundant.
Long walks in Longview allowed time to reflect, a common trait most have forgotten, or never had the pleasure either to indulge in or been taught. Perhaps schools might replace grammar lessons with empathy, compassion and adulation.
Grandparents patted one another's arm strolling along the Glenmore Reservoir for hours, while others sipped sweet teas in a local café gazing into one another's souls after 45 years. Movie goers chose films that provoked concepts instead of adrenalin, choosing to voice less of their dislikes, silenced by  philosophies.
Restaurants reduced their succulent sauces with attainable phonological verbs keeping change for a late night cocoa. Fashion writhed a dramatic drop in real-estate, as K-mart became Vogue once again.
Our world, Alberta, Calgarian's came to grips with what most of the world lives with on a daily basis, basic sustenance. The value and life force of what it means to have a meal, a warm bed, a hot shower, clothing and water. Humanity is beginning to become rekindled in a province, city and people that have lived so far above their means, and at what cost? Repossessed credit cards, clothes, cars and now homes, was borrowed time on our tongue, with bitter essence now our only spice. Think of the potential that can come from where we are right now, to begin a new as a people, city, and province. Potentials are unsurpassed, if moving away from addictive drug of finance and titles are allowed.
This is where the true Valentines appear, the hero's in all of us, every single last one of us, this is where cupid meets the heart, the heart of a city, and province.

Conformity is not a choice

When conformity isn't a choice and your conscious is screaming for you to witness the truth, there is little choice but to stand for what you know to be true, even when lies are being hammered out right in front of you.

Christ has asked us to witness his truth, standing up to slanderous letters, and voices at all levels and letting them know in action what you are made of, your convictions, your fundamental beliefs, values, knowing you will be chastised, ousted, and ridiculed vehemently by those that have never stopped to think about what they are believing in, how their need to fit in affects the most vulnerable in society, and how their incapacity to stop and reflect about what Christ stood for, really means.

To denounce an act is one thing, but to blatantly fear mongrel thousands of people with hypocrisies, using God's name to judge those who are different, those that are on the fringe of society, those that have been reaching out for our care, has crossed a line I will never conform too.

Making claims that evil needs to be rid from our society and that if we allow these people into our schools ALL children will be affected, like a disease. The only disease is that of an institute that isn't willing to look at every human as a creation of God, and made perfect in his image, and that our job as humans is, TO LOVE THY NEIGHBOR.

Think of the parents, the millions of  parents who would never have chosen this for their child, yet they are turned away by the institute when they need support the most. All the beliefs they have had over the decades, are those all lies, who are they to turn to now.....the secular world. For they might receive far more care, honesty and compassion in a time when we all need to walk humbly with God. When we all need to be reaching out to one another, being accepting of all people regardless, of gender, age, preference, or creed.

Today I left the institute, didn't sign the doctrine they claim will push back on legislation, today and each day forth I will never allow an  ecclesiastical to claim to know God's will. For they have deeply missed Christ purpose and our service to him. Instead of standing by his principals and going it alone, he spoke for us, lured congregations to do his work. Used the Papal's name to claim what is right and just, making it alright to straighten those broken, to fix those souls damaged and condemn their acts.

If asked if you conform, think about what it is you are doing, who is being affected and what Christ has placed on your heart, yesterday, today and tomorrow, it might allow you to reflect on what Mother Teresa said, "If you are judging others, you have no room to love."
We come to Christ in mercy and in so doing he gives us grace.