Posts Tagged ‘Christmas’

It was a cold Christmas and New Years’ here in Alberta with temperatures often in the -20′s. We however were comfortably ensconced at home having made a decision to have a quiet holiday season; wanting to relax, regroup and restore.

Needless to say this was not ideal dog walking weather so I stretched my imagination to keep them amused with indoor activities. Duke who is known to many of you as the neurotic chocolate lab recently turned nine and his long legs are showing the early onset of arthritis. His vet has just started him on a course of Cartrophen Vet which is of plant origin and not a steroidal anti-inflammatory.  There are four shots so we will see if it helps.  Mia, his 18 month old Australian Shepherd sister has no sympathy and continues to bug the hell out of him until he plays with her so he needs something!

The weather is particularly hard on the two feral cats who have adopted me or vice versa. I have my quota of indoor cats; anymore and I will be close to ‘cat lady’ status. So we built them a  shelter and ensure that they receive dry bedding, regular fresh water and food. No matter how cold and hungry it is my voice that they wait for first when I go outside. When I speak to them their bodies relax and ears perk up, next they want the fresh water and then finally they eat.

Whether soothing a frightened animal, talking to a friend or writing an article it is our voice and the words that we choose that carries the message.

Blogs are all about our voice, the words that we type convey the nature and style of the blog. One of the first things I ask my clients. What do you want to achieve with your blog? Do you want to post about business, life, lifestyle,  travels, writing?  The range is vast so in order to stand out you have to have a clear vision and goals for your blog.

So with that in mind we have changed the look of this blog to reflect more of what we are about. Imagine that you are  sitting in a café with friends discussing movies, politics, books, food and life in general. Life Deco is a blog where we aim to capture that same atmosphere. Drop by anytime all you need to bring is your favorite beverage. We hope that you will leave a comment for that will keep the conversations stimulating.

Thank you to Alanna Morley of  Alanna Inc for designing the Life Deco blog.

1. Buy really smelly cheese.

2. Replace your laptop on the dining table with a place setting for a person

3. Attempt to write something dazzling in cards to clients but end up with ‘best wishes’

4. Slip into your office to catch up on work and don’t answer the phone

5. Wonder why you keep buying boxes of crackers

6. Go to farmers markets and expensive bakeries for your ‘homemade’ baking

7. Curl up at 2pm with a book, hot cocoa and no guilt

8. Carry on whole conversations without any interruption

9. Feel like a kid again and actually enjoy the snow

10. Stop planning everything with military precision

…………. remember that the best moments are spontaneous.

Well, Lesley it has been another year and I still have no idea where you are. We are both getting older and I haven’t forgotten that you have seven years on me.

I also remember that you are very smart, so I know that you must be enjoying the world of computers and the internet as much as I am. I am therefore hopeful that maybe this year you will find this post from me.

I am not hard to reach Email: jill@timefinderscoaching.net. I would love to hear from you but only if it is in the nature of two sisters reconnecting, I have no energy for or interest in revisiting the past.

Merry Christmas & I miss you, Jill

I have recently joined Chapter’s Online community be sure to visit my profile page.

There you will find a list of 10 books and 10 movies that you can buy for your favorite baby boomer woman.

1. Outside lights put up on coldest Sunday of the winter. Heaven forbid, that we should have done it when the temperature was above freezing. What is the fun in that?

2. Christmas Baking ordered from two woman who know how to bake. I look on it as supporting fellow female entrepreneurs

3. Fresh Turkey ready to be picked up and yes, I’ll cook that myself.

4. Christmas Tree decorated except for the bottom one third, knowing nods from all cat owners

5. Airline ticket for mother-in-law bought. It’s ok, I love my mother-in-law.

6. Christmas gifts purchased on-line. That was a no-brainer, there were two choices; list in hand, sitting at desk with sippers on sipping coffee vs list in hand, overcrowded mall, winter coat, heat exhaustion.

Realization that the spot on the dining room table where my laptop & paperwork sits will have to be replaced by an actual place setting, well I’m working on that.

We have just celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving & I cooked a turkey dinner that would have made Martha quite proud.
On the Friday before, while picking through the brussel sprouts I overheard one woman ask her friend what she was doing for Thanksgiving. The other one shrugged and answered ‘nothing it was just her and the husband’.

I had enjoyed opening a good bottle of wine and preparing the dinner ‘just for me and Chris’. I didn’t need company to enjoy the smells and flavors of the day.
It is the same at Christmas, whether we include family or not; I still find pleasure in having a tree, decorations, festive foods.
The year can be long and there is something to be said for breaking the routine of life to embrace and celebrate an event; the number of people involved is not the point. I also believe that a relationship needs to be renewed with current memories no matter how small.

Besides all that she missed out on days and days of turkey sandwiches.

If you ask me busy December for all it’s rituals and entertaining is nothing in comparison to Spring. A time when even the cleaning challenged are filled with primeval urges. We want to throw open windows and embark on a frenzy of cleaning. Then move on to release the garden from under it’s mantle of brown. We might also experience a need to paint walls, re-arrange funrniture and stain decks.

Then, there are the new work related projects and goals that need to see the light of an April day, bringing with them new paper work to the office that we are trying to organize.

Did I mention that the dogs need grooming & that my hair and wardrobe could do with some attention?

How many days until Christmas?

There has been a bit of an upset recently because ‘The Bay’ is now under American ownership. While I too am sorry that this old Canadian institution is no longer truly Canadian I cannot say that I am surprised. Both the Bay and Sears are a shoppers nightmare. Their websites aren’t much better; antiquated in design and limited in selection.

I was in a Sears store on Sunday using up a gift card that I got for Christmas.
The store was messy and badly stocked. Finding sales staff impossible and when I did she was curt and unhelpful.

American department stores on the whole do it well. Bright decor, a wide range of goods and available sales staff. Their websites have embraced the 21st century in terms of selection and being user friendly.

It is just a shame that when those business were struggling the powers that be didn’t get out of their boardroom and really work to upgrade and develop proud Canadian companies. Maybe they should have started by visiting some of the stores. Here is a unique concept, observe how the store looks and runs and then try actually talking to your customers.