JoAnne's Blog

Decisions, Decisions!!

I have decided to quit work in June.  This was a really tough decision as I love my job.  I work with young children and find that they keep me young.  You could say that this job appeals to the inner child within me.  It's only part time but has always given me a sense of satisfaction, need and of course extra spending money.

But I am ready to embark on another part of my life.  That would be to take care of myself and be available to spend time with those that mean the most to me, my family and friends.  I also hope to devote more time and attention to finishing my book.  Wynn and I will also be free to take off whenever we would like on the motorcycle.

Isn't it something that one decision always sparks another.  For instance, what should I do with all of my school books and such?  Should I be saving my paycheck from now 'till June?  Do we need to set a budget in place?  Should I do some volunteer work, possibly in a public school, since I enjoy working with children? 

One thing is for sure, I will have more time on my hands to handle these decisions.

Taking Care of Your Skin

Many women and men are paying more attention to what they eat as well as drink these days.  Here on Vancouver Island there are many local farmers whose produce is readily available.  Organic food is also easily available.  It is important to take note of what we put in our bodies, as that is the only way to nourish and replenish our cells.  "You are what you eat" is a well known phrase as well as a book with a lot of science behind it.  We know the importance of what we put in our bodies.  But just as important is what we put on our bodies.

Our skin is our body's biggest organ and deserves just as much attention.  That is why I want to talk about parabens.  I have always avoided the use of parabens in creams and moisturizers because of the drying effect.  I have recently learned that parabens are preservatives and they have many different names. Germall is a commonly used name for a paraben that contains formaldehyde, which is known to contribute to high cancer, developmental and reproductive risks.  Other products containing Germall are commonly labelled Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea and lodopropynyl Butylcarbamate.  OptiPhen is another name for a paraben and although formaldehye-free, it is an endocrine disruptor and has demonstrated neurotixicity in animals even at moderate dose. 

I can't say that I understand fully what all this means, except to say that I believe we owe it ourselves to be just as vigilent about what we put on our body as well as what we put in.  Don't you agree?

The Common Cold

Aghh!  The common cold - what to do.  You guessed it, I have a cold, a "doozy" actually and so does my husband, Wynn.

It is very frustrating to me.  I juice carrots, celery and broccoli.  I squeeze my own orange juice.  I eat healthy and have not eaten sugary food since Christmas.  What gives?  Sure, I work with little children everyday who have runny noses, etc.  But I am very careful about washing my hands regularly.  I guess you just can't escape it - the common cold.  The virus, germs are in the air.  So I shall enjoy sitting around today, being lazy and doing whatever I feel like, which unfortunately isn't very much. 

I

Visitors

Last week, we had Jerry and Cathy, friends from Ontario, come and stay with us for a few days.  It was a great time of rest and relaxation for all of us.  Jerry and Cathy have been very busy, visiting and helping her daughter and family in North Vancouver and Wynn and I have been working as usual.  So we all enjoyed time just to walk, do a little shopping, eat out and sit and catch up. 

Next month, I am very excited that my mom, brother, Bill and wife, Ruthanne are coming out for a visit.  None of them have been here and I am looking forward to showing them a little piece of heaven, that is, some of Vancouver Island.  Butchart Gardens will certainly be on our list and also tea at the Empress with my mom.  My mom is especially excited that we will not have any snow.  At least, I promised her we won't!  So.....

I really enjoy having visitors and so does my house.  By that I mean, it gets a thorough cleaning and what woman isn't happy when her house is clean.  It frees me up the whole time to be with my guests.  As well, I usually do a little thinking about what I might serve them to eat.  You can stock up your cupboards, but be prepared to have plans change.

I will be challenged when my brother arrives as he is dealing with cancer and eats very carefully.  It's right up my alley though, as I have been there and I love eating lots of salads and raw food.  I will probably juice for him and make homemade muffins with almond flour.  Yum!

I have heard people say that guests can be tiring; probably because you are always trying to put your best foot forward.  However, family and friends are very forgiving and take you just as you are.  My advice, is to just be yourself.  Relax, be flexible, enjoy their company and don't make a lot of plans.

Another Year

Here, I am sitting and thinking about this new year.  I'm not one to make New Year's resolutions.  However, I do like to think about what I would like to do differently this year, or what I would like to accomplish.  Are there new places I would like to see?  Is there something new and different that I would like to try?  Should I keep working?  Will I finish my book? 

I really think that I would like to quit work; but I'm not just sure if that would be good for me.  Why?  Bottom line, I like to buy things when I want to.  I'm not a shopaholic or anything like that.  But I am used to picking up things as I need them or see them.  If I don't work, we will be just fine; but I will have to think twice about what I purchase. It's not the big ticket items like the new LCD-TV that Wynn is thinking about getting or even the new car that we are thinking about.  It's the everyday little things that you see and think you need, that add up.

I would like to get out and take a long leisurely walk everyday, just for me.  I would like to take dancing lessons; yes, at my age.  I would like to volunteer with old people and be a support to people who have cancer or are dealing with people with cancer.

I would like to see and play with my grandchildren here and in Ontario, more.  I would like to get out and ride the motorcycle with Wynn and see more of this beautiful island.  I would like to have more picnics. I would like to be able to just take off and not worry about when I have to be back.

I would like to finish my book although it takes a huge amount of time and that is what I am sorely lacking right now.  

I am thinking that this new year will certainly be an interesting one, as I ponder and decide what, if any, changes I make.

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!