Don’t you sometimes want to kick up your heels and twirl and whirl, smile like a cheshire cat? Is a cheshire cat more like a sly smile? Nah. Hopefully not. That is not the feeling I have today. Nope. I am talking more of that wide stretched grin splitting spread of the lips until they hurt (not really) from the giddiness within and bursting at the seams. Best feeling to grab a hold of your arms, wrap them tightly around you and smile like crazy. I got that this week. Thank you. Thank you.
What is there to smile about? Come on I can see it….nice and slow. Yep. You got it. Smile you are on….. Right on. Yes, there are lots of things to smile about and I think we need to do it more often. I love to smile. My challenge is not to smile or chuckle when I should not. Especially when my grandkids are doing a no no and I am supposed to be firm or be serious. Bad behaviours and all that. Are you kidding? That is what parents are for. Hahaha. Or those times when someone (adults usually) slips or rams into a window of door, and then look around to see if anyone saw; I just can’t help myself, crack up in smiles and silent laughter. I am not that mean. Thank goodness for masks these days. Sometimes I think I have a warped sense of humour. But hey today, smiling is on my mind and why. Well let me see. Hmmmm….
First my older sister tells me this week my mom and dad now have the ‘shot’, the pandemic shot, woohoo. And dad got to see my mom face to face in the same room two days ago. Woo to the hoo. I teared up when she texted me with this information. Bless her heart for keeping family in the loop. Anyway, I know it is only once a week but who knows, maybe soon it will be twice a week for them. Please. Please. Please. And then to top it off, the nursing home contacted family members and it looks like my sister is going to be classified as an essential caregiver for our mom at the home after they give my sister the ‘shot’. Oh happy day. Who would have thought a shot would be connected to happy?
Then this past Monday was the anniversary of the pandemic permeating our lives to the nth degree. What is there to smile about? Well always find the half cup full mantra…my newest granddaughter was born on this day a year ago. And she is thriving. Simply perfect. I know all babies are but I can brag. Okay. She just celebrated her first birthday on Tuesday. I cannot believe it!! I mean where did the time go for goodness sake. And there she is the little picininny (Rara language for precious) eating her Elmo cake – first sweet. Oh my heavens the red is all over her face. Watching her on the short video (big smile on my face and nodding my head), she has a slow start looking at what it is before her (head of Elmo). Kids are beautiful, aren’t they? She tentatively touches the cakeface of Elmo, and then oh my she gets her little paws in, squish and mush and lick. Mommy of course has the cloth nearby. Hahaha. Little one has her eyes so focused on the cake before her…what to do what to do? So funny. The smiley face on her as she dips her finger into the red icing and begins to eat ‘Elmo’ …yum in the tum. She takes a taste it carefully (so funny to watch) and suddenly, hand to mouth mock speed…..you got it. Happy 1st Birthday.
Smile and Mother Nature. Of course the weather has not been all peaches and cream lets just say. But there was a moment of sun and shine yesterday while getting into my truck. I drove just a little bit down the open road and thought what the hay. I rolled down the window, lo and behold, the warmth of the sun hits my hand as I reach out. Hooyah! Alleluia! I know this is Lent (no Alleluia and such) but Lord, I really felt the need to feel the cozy warmth spreading through my fingers, which I did. The breeze filling the palm of my hand, teasing my fingers, with the hint of spring. It’s like my fingers took on a life of their own, flex and stretch, to the beat of the wind lightly whipping them into a playful mood. Oh yes. Thank you.
Despite being ready for winter to be over, I have learned to appreciate and welcome the cold snap. I can walk on snow still. Don’t laugh. Yes sirree. It felt great because seriously, lately walking with my granddaughter in the woods or on the open field, her weight does not break through the snow but me, its not fair. Step and stomp. Not fun and not funny. Workout me but nooooo…. she does not break a sweat. Just turns to me arms up because her little legs are tired….are you kidding me? “Up” she says. Yes, she knows how to talk now. “Up”. I’ll give you up. Gently and smiling, I lift her and she looks at me….melt. Oh what we do for our loved ones.
But today, I took Maggie May out for our early morning walk along the road and decided I am going to try the tractor trail. So like offroad driving, I took a step onto the snow and then another. Well the Lord is good to me. I am light. Feels great. Smiling and flapping my arms. No audience at this time of the morning. Woohoo. So off we go walking along the snow laden trail, then down to the beach where I make no prints on the sand (haha), traipse a bit of the rocky red shore, turn around (do not need to face plant on the icy rockface), and go back up the cliff top to continue my walk. The view is breathtaking with the sun sparkling cascading a hue of blue white snow lining where the cliff meets frozen ice snow down below. And me, I literally kicked my heels and my face broke out in a smiley smile from ear to ear as I come to the mid point of my walk, seeing the lighthouse across the bay. The beacon of light is going!!!
Surprising read on FB. A couple of days ago, I read a beautiful article from a friend on FB, you know who you are. Thank you. Anyway, she shared this photo of a newborn baby fawn found lying on the backdoor step of some person (not sure if she is known) with an article attached. I think the article is from Conservation authorities (not sure) and helping us mere mortals get our act together. Do not touch the fawn for it seems like the mother will deliver babies in the strangest places. Well just to be clear mom is nearby, states in the article, getting food or standing near by to protect. So you and I, don’t touch don’t feed just don’t do whatever the human heart feels like wanting to do. You know who you are. We are asked to leave the baby fawn alone. Unlike colts being born and have legs to get up and go, fawns take a little bit longer (as the article states). So smile, welcome the new born and enjoy while you have her/him.
Then, I catch a poster that reads….my ducks are not in a row. At this point I have no idea where my ducks even are. That caught my funny bone. LOL. Thanks once again for the smile. Chuckle.
However, the piece de resistance was putting out my Muskoka chairs on the deck and when I went to sit down, a FLY flew in and landed on the arm of the chair. Smile smile smile. Not because it was a fly…where is my fly swatter anyway. No, it was because it was warm enough for the fly to come out and play. Now that my friends is something to smile about. Happy dance…yes yes yes. Oh it is the little things in life that makes you appreciate the joys which come upon you when you least expect it.
Flies are a good thing? Right? At least right now. I’ll probably have another comment, not so smiley, when barbequing season is in full swing. It was warmer today. Yes I have to park my truck up near the road but hey give me plus two digit temps.
Whatever you are doing today, clocks are ahead, daylight longer, cannot beat the joy and promise of whatever comes your way. Blessings.
Let us pray for those whom are need of our prayers and the warmth of a smile given to them.
Karenpondering 