“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life's realities.”  Dr. Seuss
 
I am and have been so on board with viewing life through the wrong end of a telescope like Dr. Seuss.  However, over the past several months I haven’t been able to find my telescope.  Nor have I found my kaleidoscope which provides another perspective with all the colors and pieces moving, changing, creating a myriad of patterns.    It feels like the nourishment for my right brain (which is the part that dreams, designs, imagines) has been absent.  What is one to do?    As I pondered the situation, it occurred to me that nonsense and whimsy are distant cousins.  Looking for inspiration, I dived into the archives to find what I had written about nonsense or whimsy in the past.  Here’s an excerpt that caught my fancy.
 
“What is the color of whimsy?  Outrageous orange?  Razzle Dazzle Rose?  Fuzzy Wuzzy Brown? Bippity Boppity Blue?  What is the sound of whimsy?  Household appliances talking amongst themselves?  Elves tap dancing on the roof?  Stars tinkling like bells in the night sky?  What does whimsy look like?  A unicorn farm?  A wizard living in your spare room?  A secret stash of pixie dust?
 
When I opened a window whimsy blew in.  The tea kettle, usually quiet and unobtrusive, began whistling Zippity Do Dah.  Then some of the neighborhood fairies gathered in my dining room for tea and Petit Fours and gossip.”
 
Hmmm.  It’s a lovely day with a gentle breeze.  I opened the window to see if whimsy might blow in.  I was delightfully surprised to see the neighborhood fairies return for a visit.  I was also surprised to see they were observing Covid protocols.  They were all wearing masks and kept distanced.  I was not prepared to offer tea and petit fours as before.  They were okay with that as they were not inclined to have to remove their masks to eat.  So the visit was limited to gossip.  Fairy gossip is quite intriguing.  To share would take a lot of ‘splaining.  More than I care to write about.  Just know that I rediscovered some of that nonsense I was searching for.  I hope whimsy blows into your abode to  bring fun and good cheer to your day.

Comments are welcomed.

In the midst of a stream of consciousness and a myriad of random thoughts, the idea of a pandemic time capsule popped into my head.  Hmmm.  How about that?  When one is dug up in 100 years, what might be found inside?      Here are just a few items for my capsule.  What would you select for yours?
 
Of course, there would be a selection of my most fashionable masks.  Continuing with the pandemic uniform and gear, there would be a pair of disposable gloves, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes and perhaps a face shield.
A take out menu with no contact delivery
An email with links to Zoom meetings
A photo of the last hair cut before lock-down and 6 months later
A print out of some on line shopping lists for delivery or curb pick up.

Books: Man’s Search For Meaning by Victor Frankl, Are You There God?  It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume, Happy For No Reason by Marci Shimoff, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

Empty bag from my favorite Indonesian Flores coffee beans (Hmmm.  Maybe I should leave a few beans in the bag.)
A DVD of Midnight in Paris

My manual of “Protocols, Policies And Procedures For Surviving A Lock-down: or How To Hold Onto Your Sanity While Everyone Around You Is Losing Theirs.” 
 
FYI - This manual was number one on the New York Times best seller list for a really long time. It was also translated into 37 languages.  If you’d like to get a copy, I’m sorry, but it is no longer being printed.  Maybe it will turn up on social media one day.  Everything else does.

Comments welcomed.

The day March 20 arrived I felt a palpable change.    That date signified the first day of Spring, which in itself was a very good thing.  What came with it, for me was a big feeling of renewal, joy, hope and possibility.  There is so much to love and be in awe of in Spring.  No doubt everyone has their favorites.  I’ve come up with my top 10 good things about Spring in no particular order.

1. March 20 is not only the first day of Spring, it is also the United Nations International Day of Happiness.  There really ought to be more than one day to celebrate happiness.
2. I take great pleasure in hiding my boots and parka.  These items will not dare to show themselves for the next 8 months.
3. The  opening day of baseball season confirms the advent of Spring with summer not far behind.
4. Despite my disdain for the time change, I am down with the  extra hours of daylight.
5. As much as I enjoy most all variety of birds, robins are still my favorite.  Click here to hear their beautiful song.
6. Sakura or cherry blossom season may be another obvious one.  Yet the cherry blossoms are a spectacular site.  The history of how these trees came to the U.S. and Canada, though at different times, is worth a read.  Just check with Professor Google.  The highparknaturecentre.com tells the story of the Sakura arriving in Toronto.
7. Having mentioned the Sakura I have to put in a plug for my personal choices.  Tulips and lilacs are perennial Spring favorites.  However, those misty, water colored memories from my childhood surface from the corners of my mind.  Bluebells, buttercups, Indian paint brushes, peonies and lilies of the valley come into clear focus.    They are reminders of very special carefree, more innocent times.  Each of those days brought new adventures and much laughter.  I feel grateful to have such wonderful memories that join me each Spring.
8. Who wouldn’t like walking in a warm Spring rain?  The world smells so fresh and alive as the flora drink in the nourishing elixir.  One might also find sloshing through puddles irresistible.
9. From the end of March to the end of April, my daughter, my son In law, my granddaughter, my best friend all have birthdays.  Very cool.
10. I got stuck for awhile on the tenth good thing.  Then I came upon part of an Emily Dickinson poem which spoke to the essence of Spring for me.

 
“A Light exists in Spring
Not present on the Year
At any other period --
When March is scarcely here
A Color stands abroad
On Solitary Fields
That Science cannot overtake
But Human Nature feels.”

Comments are welcome.

It’s been a long time.  It’s been over a year since_(fill in the blank for yourself).  For me, it was feeling a paucity of whimsy, imagination and caprice.  The most recent lock-down was just lifted.  My first mission was undisputed.  A friend and I headed straight for the Lemon and Lavender gift shop.  That is the place where one can be infused with whimsy, enchantment and fairy dust.  Whether any purchases are made or just browsing and visiting with the owners, one cannot help feel more light-hearted and joyful spending some time there. 
 
Truth be told, I was hoping to make a purchase.  This would be my version of retail therapy.  I found a birthday gift for my granddaughter.  Then it was my turn.  I hadn’t come across quite what  was in mind.  I asked Antonella and Christina (the owners) for some suggestions for a whimsical item that we might have missed.  Antonella found just the right item.  I went a little overboard and bought some lovely, new masks as well. 
 
Thanks to my visit to Lemon and Lavender the fanciful, playful parts of myself were rejuvenated.  Our time there  was a true happiness booster.  What have you been able to do to recreate those things that give you joy and playfulness?  It’s really an important pursuit to maintain over all well-being in these stressful, difficult times.

Comments are welcomed.

We are approaching one year of being in and out of lockdowns, other protocols, restrictions, ad infinitum and ad nauseum.  Covid has become both a catalyst for and inflamer of many other aggravations.  I just went through a week of multiple frustrations that were exacerbated by Covid.   I suspect you may have experienced similar irritations.
 
At this point I was going to share the list of unpleasantries that occurred throughout the week.  I was up for a big vent.  Then something happened.  I’m not sure what it was.  It might have been as simple as meeting with my friend who assists me with some tasks at home (being vision impaired), getting groceries and doing other necessary errands.  When I sat down to spill all that had gone on during the week, it suddenly seemed like a bad idea.  No one needs to have all that negativity spewed at them.  It would not do me any good either.  So I am leaving the past in the past.  I am grateful for having all that gloom dissipate feeling more positive and light-hearted.
 
Let’s just call it one of those terrible, horrible, no good, very bad weeks.  Sometimes sh*t just happens.

Comments are welcomed.

My blog for this week was about Covid and other aggravations.  The aggravations I was venting about were too fresh and I decided to postpone finishing it.  Maybe next week.
 
Here we are now in the merry month of March.  Not sure how merry March will be, but there are some notable, fun days worth mentioning.  Some things to look forward to.
 
We begin with Cinco de Marcho.  It’s a real thing.  Look it up.  Next we move along to Pi (or some might say Pie) Day.  The day after Pi warns us to  beware the Ides of March.  Following is St. Patrick’s Day when we all become Irish.  Always fun.    The next in line is a double pleasure.  Spring begins on the 20th.  March 20 is also the United Nations International Day of Happiness.  As the month closes we, hopefully, look to better weather, some signs of Spring like daffodils popping their heads up, a few blades of grass pushing their way through the ground and perhaps an appearance of a robin.  Thoughts of all these possibilities bring a smile to my face.
 
There’s one other event I wish would go away.  That is daylight saving time.  I know, it is nice to have longer daylight hours to do whatever one likes to do with more daylight.  Nevertheless, there are so many reasons it ought to be cancelled.  Between standard time and DST just pick one and stick with it.  I make my case in a previous blog here DST – What Does It Really Save?, if you are interested in reading.
 
How about having a March tea party.  Like the one in Alice in Wonderland with the March Hare and Mad Hatter.  Especially when the March Hare offered Alice wine.  It’s true.  He did.  Cheers.

Comments are welcomed.