Day 287: Puppy love

"There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face." - Bernard Williams

 

Project 365: #287

Well, more than a week has gone by, and I have just not got around to posting my daily gratitude or thoughts....it's not that I haven't had anything to be grateful for, but life just seems to by flying by...and to add to the already existing chaos in our lives we have added a new baby - Riley, the rescue pup :) He is a heeler/pointer/terrior who knows what, but is a bundle of cuteness....when he is sleeping (he even tucks himself in, under the covers, head on the cushions, ON the COUCH!)...and a little terror when he is awake!! As you can imagine, our lives have been turned upside down, and we all need a little adjustment, especially the kitties who look at him in great disdain!....anyhoo, Riley has won over all our hearts, and willingly dishes out plenty of  puppy kisses. He has definitely lifted the mood in our house, and is much cheaper than a psychiatrist....we have been rescued by our rescue!

Day 286: Ash Wednesday

 "Lent is a time to renew wherever we are in that process that I call the divine therapy. It's a time to look what our instinctual needs are, look at what the dynamics of our unconscious are." - Thomas Keating

Project 365: #286

There is something very beautiful about freshly fallen snow - when the wind is not blowing it accumulates on the trees and branches, much like ash after a heavy bush fire, but without the destruction. There is something refreshing and renewing about the snow. It strips everything of its color, leaving just black, white and grey, with occasional splashes of other colors. As it melts, the colors slowly seep back, washed and fresh. Ash Wednesday heralds the start of Lent, which is a good time to wash the soul, and renew ourselves in divine therapy. It is a spiritual time-out and re-set to focus on the right path and direction. It is much easier to be grateful for what we have when we sit in quite reflection.

Day 285: Perfect shadow

"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow." - Helen Keller

Project 365: #285

Important advice! For if we keep looking forward, we can move beyond the shadows in our past! Mouse's perfect shadow below the important motto of 'Dream, Believe, Succeed'! Keep your face to the sunshine and don't stop dreaming, and believing, and your dreams will become reality, flourishing in success!

Day 284: Coffee and rusks

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Project 365: #284

We woke up to a light dusting of snow this morning. Sadly not enough to declare a snow day, especially after Super Bowl Sunday! Anyhow, it discouraged me from dashing out into the snow for my morning exercise fix. Instead, I opted for coffee and homemade rusks...a good ZA staple! Yum! This is my comfort zone. When I don't know what else to do, it is always good to fall back on comfort. However, if we had not been extended with all the changes and moves we have made recently, we would not know what we are capable of. It is awesome to see what the girls have been capable of when everything they know has been challenged. The experience has grown them in so many different ways, way past their comfort and convenience, into confident, successful young ladies, well-equipped with new life skills to face the next challenges in their time-lines!

Day 283: Super Bowl Sunday

"The truth is the Super Bowl long ago became more than just a football game. It's part of our culture like turkey at Thanksgiving and lights at Christmas, and like those holidays beyond their meaning, a factor in our economy." - Bob Schieffer

Project 365: #283

Our first experience of Super Bowl Sunday! (Just in case we thought we would miss rugby). I could see this becoming an institution! Nicole went to her own party, and Caitlin and I ventured to ours with appetizers and drinks in hand (Mike watched at home, in case he missed anything!) Well, we had fun, and did actually watch some football, and thoroughly enjoyed the ads, and halftime entertainment (and the local breakdown of them). What a great way to become immersed in the culture. Oh yes, we played the most entertaining board games in between. What fun! Thank you to our friends for inviting us, sharing with us, and teaching us some of your culture!

Day 282: Cosy fireplace

"For me, there's nothing better than curling up in my favorite blanket on a cloudy or rainy day and just knit. Especially in front of the fireplace" - Magdalena Neuner

Project 365: #282

The highlight of my day today was testing out our new fireplace...I have been nagging for ages, and now I know why there has been a reluctance....maybe it is because it smokes the house out and sets off the carbon-monoxide sensors....anyway, once we worked out the system it was awesome to sit and relax in the lounge, enjoying our first fire in the fireplace. I curled up on the couch, under a blanket, with the cats (naturally,) and enjoyed the peacefulness that it brings.

Day 281: Black and white

 "The snow itself is lonely or, if you prefer, self-sufficient. There is no other time when the whole world seems composed of one thing and one thing only." - Joseph Wood Krutch

Project 365: #281

The view on the way to school this morning, and disappointingly, there was not even a delayed opening! Sniff! It did mean that Mike was up early clearing the driveway and his car so he could get to work and we could get to school. This was the most amazing snow, as there was no wind, so the snow stuck to and covered everything, making the world look black and white, but mostly white. Snow is an amazing leveler, coating everything the same, uniting the world we can see, if only for a little while! It is good to see  a clear picture of everything with minimal details. The world is beautiful while it is snowing...can't say I am a fan of the mess it leaves as it piles up and starts to melt, and the work it inadvertently creates!