House Designs

One of the many things I do in my spare time, (Which by the way is not often) I find that I will look on realtor.ca and find places that are for sale and need to be fixed up.  Between looking through the pictures of the places, and the dimensions that the realtor has placed on the advertisement.  I try and draw up what I think the place might look like.  I use the exterior pictures for placement of windows and sometimes they help you figure out which was a room can go.  Now I know that I am not always right, as I am not actually going to go through the place but most of the time I can come up with a pretty decent idea of what it look like.  Then I let my imagine go.  I remove walls, flip things, make things bigger or small.  Rearranging all that I can to get a more functional layout.  Then I start to dream of what the floor would look like, paint colors, window coverings, light fixtures, doors, etc.  How would I place the furniture, and which kind of furniture would look best.  Sometimes I even get right into picture placements on the walls.  To most this would sound like a waste of time, and for others they wonder why I don't do this type of work for a living; My only reply is I enjoy doing this now, but to have someone telling me that they want it done a certain way, or to hear them criticize my ideas would only ruin the fun of it.  Would I one day want to make one of these designs a reality, sure would.  BUT, it would be for me, and myself to enjoy.  Something of fun, not work.

Family

Family

Everybody has that one member of the family that everyone else just shakes their heads over.  Well I am lucky enough to say that is all we are made up of.  For starters my mother and step-father are Mr. and Mrs. Clause, how many people can say that.  Each one of the members of my family is a comedian in our own way, and I wouldn't have it any other way.  I know that no matter how bad a day I am having, or the kids are having, within a few minutes someone will have said something to make me smile.  I cant even go to parent teacher interviews without the teachers commenting on my boys' senses of humor, and how quickly they are able to come up with a come back, or puns.  We cant even go to Walmart to get photos done with a line up of children forming to get a quick peek at Santa and Mrs. Clause.  Even my daughter has picked up on the family trait, and leaves us all bursting a gut at her usage of words.  She is so innocent, saying it like it is, but her timing couldn't be more perfect .  Not a day goes by in my family that we are not amused by something one of the members has, our drives are anything but normal or boring, and everyday we learn more and more about each other.  I may not be financially rich, but in my family, I am 100% sure I hit the jackpot in the way we all mesh together.  Don't be too quick to judge us though as we come off seeming quite quiet, but you wait for us to get to know you, and watch out, you will bust a gut.  And we don't even need to add alcohol to make it happen.  In my family we are always there for each other and we pick each other up, that to me is hitting the jackpot.  I LOVE MY FAMILY

Mountains

Mountain

What is the first thing that comes to your mine?  Rocky, snow covered, Green, hiking trails, or are you thinking of the mountain of laundry in your laundry room, the mountain of homework you have to do, or have to proofread and or mark?  Or perhaps it Is the to do list on the fridge? What I am referring to is my life, and the rocky mountains are my metaphor.  Everyone has situations that they have to maneuver through, some are good and some are bad.  How we look at those problems, or how we try and get through them or over them, is what matters.  As I look back at my life, and all that I am dealing with, or have dealt with, I have decided -NO chosen- to look at my life like the picture below.  A nice mountain range, with the sun setting and a nice shade of purple and pink in the sky.  There is a calmness of the lake, and there is the unknown of the wilderness before you hit the uphill climb of the mountain.  We all know that when things are smooth sailing (calm of the lake) that things could change at a moments notice, maybe small things will jump out on us.  We all know that we can not tell the future, or what may present itself in front, or behind us (The unknown in the wilderness).  Nor does it stop the larger situations we have to en dour, with some pretty hasty weather ( the Rocky snow covered mountain).  That however should not stop us from enjoying every moment we have as we sit or walk along it.  How many times have you stopped to smell the roses?  How many times have you stopped and lost your way.  Look around you, listen to the calming sounds around you, take a minute and truly appreciate everything that you have that is not materialistic.  Appreciate what is happening in the moment.  Climb up that mountain, and realize that once you reach the top, you will have a purely amazing view, a reward that you can't cash in at the bank, one that no one can take from you.  The next time you are struggling, picture the mountain below, the scene and all and reflect on what is important to you in your life and then decide if that mountain is worth your climb.  The freedom that waits at the top could be a big reward for you.

https://www.emaze.com/@AQOQIIRZ/Jasper-National-Park