Category Archives: Blogging

No fly zones

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I’ve been watching CNN all week and am horrified by what Putin is doing. I was crying today watching the families that fled to Poland trying to keep their kids warm. My heart breaks for them all.

But my concern with all of this is an escalation to a full on world War. Putin is crazy and I don’t know if declaring no fly zones are what we need to do. Nuclear war is a huge worry, and while all of this is happening, the crazier man in North Korea is sending missiles out.

I pray for the entire world – these are scary times for all of us.

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Helping out during a pandemic

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I love baking and cooking. It’s one of my passions. Definitely the reason I went back to school, culinary school, in 2005 to get a diploma at a culinary institute here in Ontario. I was very proud of myself for accomplishing something I had wanted to do for decades, and dove into the restaurant business. Alas, working in restaurants was definitely not my forte but it did not damper my passion for cooking and baking.

Fast forward to 2013, and I was living in Calgary Alberta when the worst natural disaster in Canada happened. The floods of 2013 were disastrous for Calgary and I wanted to do something to help out. I racked my brain for something different that I could do, I wanted to raise money for the relief fund and finally I came up with an idea – a cookbook! I was running my own catering business out there, and I thought what a better way to raise money then to create a cookbook of my favourite baking recipes and sell it for charity. It turned out to be a big success and I was so happy I was able to contribute to my adopted home city during a crisis.

So now the pandemic is wreaking havoc with everyone’s lives, and once again, I thought about volunteering somewhere or helping in some way, and then I realized, I have accumulated many recipes and have many great friends and family members who I was sure would want to help by providing me with recipes. This time, I decided that Food Banks Canada would be the charity I would donate the proceeds to. So far, I have made over $300 for this charity, and I have just begun. It is so rewarding to do something good and I am so incredibly grateful that I have the means to do this. I am very fortunate to be where I am, and I am so thankful for the many great friends and family who helped me and encouraged me throughout this project.

So why not try some new skills in the kitchen and keep safe at the same time!

New and improved!

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At least I hope it is!

I have taken the leap and am making improvements to my website. My site is going to include recipes, photography, personal thoughts and of course my blogs! I hope it works out the way I want it to – new and improved is never a bad thing and it will make me want to come in and post more things.

Writer’s block – it’s a real thing!

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I took a hiatus over the last month or so from blogging – life got in the way as it sometimes does. But my favourite season is upon us and I am anxious to get back in here and start writing again.

Funny how we can miss doing something so simple as writing. Some people I am sure will think that blogging and writing aren’t always simple and it’s true. My mind was blank every time I sat down this past month or so to try and write – I needed a jolt to get me going again. Writing about my travels always interests me but sometimes I need to expand my thinking.

I am happy to say that I have now had two articles published – one in a National magazine and one in a local paper – and my goal is to have another article published by the end of this year.

2020 will have me travelling once again and so my writing will come back to focus on that. In the meantime, I will start blogging about anything that comes to mind and hope that I can reach more people with my blog.

I hope everyone’s summer was a good one! I look forward to reading and writing in here once again.

Getting motivated

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I love blogging but I really seem to be lacking motivation this summer to blog. I think it’s partly due to the humidity and how hot the room is where my laptop is, and that I seem to be tired all the time! Old age perhaps? I don’t like to think of myself as old but I am creeping up into the mid 50s so perhaps that is the reason!

I have been struggling to get my mind back on to blogging, trying to think of things to write about. I have lots on my mind, but for some reason I just can’t seem to get those ideas down in writing.

I have managed to write another article that will soon be published in a local paper, which is exciting. It was so much fun writing the article, and that is why I’m back today.

How do I make my blogging a priority when I work full time and am always tired? I suppose I just need to schedule time to brainstorm, and just write. Write whatever comes to my mind.

I will conquer this – I know I will – I just need to drink more coffee and sit down at my computer (and not play computer games… lol).

I hope everyone is well in blogging world!!

Carpal Tunnel

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It’s been a while since I have blogged – work and personal life has taken its toll on me.

 

I have developed a bad case of carpal tunnel and unfortunately in Canada, it takes quite a while to see a specialist in order to get it taken care of.  While we have universal health care, it takes up to 6 months to get in to see a specialist!  I am looking at April to have the surgery.

 

In the meantime, my work life has become much busier!!  I had hoped to be able to get back to blogging on a weekly basis but by the time I get stuff done for my parents and then work a full 8 hour shift – I am exhausted!  My blogging life has taken a break but I will be back to a more regular schedule soon I hope.

 

My trip to Spain is quickly coming and I cannot wait!!  I will DEFINITELY be blogging about my experience there!

 

My article will be coming out soon and I am excited to have it in print.

 

So life goes on, even when in pain, and things progress.  I hope all is well with everyone out in the blogging world.

 

My most treasured possession…

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I would say my most treasured possession is my passport – and my time!  But is time a possession?  I would like to think that MY time is!

 

I have been on a bit of a sabbatical from blogging lately – one month since my last blog!  I have been very busy with work and home life and when I finally have some down time, I am vegging out on the couch, watching TV and usually falling asleep while watching!  Down time = sleeping for me haha.

 

But I miss blogging.  I need to make an effort to get on here more often and get writing again.  It helps my mind and my peace of mind as well.

 

Back to the question – what is your most treasured possession?  Is it something you inherited from a long lost relative?  Is it something you acquired over the years?  Something from your childhood?

 

In the past three years, I have downsized with everything I own so I don’t have a lot of possessions anymore.  It’s easier to pack up and go if you don’t have that much stuff.  But my passport is definitely my most treasured possession.  By turning the pages, I can relive the moments of my travelling and memories come flooding back to times I spent away.  Europe, China, Chile – all those moments can be relived by a simple turn of a page in my passport.

 

So what is your most treasured possession?

 

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My hometown – adjusting to life back in Canada

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I have now been back in Canada, and my hometown, since Wednesday evening.  It has been good to be back – it’s been over a year since I have been here.  It’s been good to see some of my family (haven’t been able to see everyone yet but I am working on it), and I know in the next month I will see the rest.  Getting used to living in a 2 bedroom apartment with my parents, temporarily until I find my own place, has been good.  It feels good to be back and being with them and being able to help out with them.

 

But the biggest thing for me is being back in a country where people understand me and I don’t get odd looks when I try to explain myself.  It is nice to be understood.  And not be stared at.  And laughed at for butchering the language of the country (although there are times when I have trouble with the English language haha).

 

My next couple of years will most likely be spent here in the Niagara region of Ontario and I have already been looking for jobs.  So far, the adjustment is going okay.  But I miss the ocean.  I miss the amazing scenery that has been my life the past three years.  It will probably feel like homesickness in reverse in a few weeks and I know it will be tough.  It is something I am prepared for.  I have been extremely lucky these past three years – luckier than a lot of people – but I am ready to settle down here and be close to my children again.

 

Life will go on here, adjustments made, a new life to start, with small trips planned here and there, and my blogging will continue.  It will take on a new path (my blogging) and I hope everyone will continue to enjoy my blogs, as much as I enjoy writing them.  And I am so thrilled to see that I now have 200 followers here!  Amazing!!  Thanks to all who have read and I hope continue to read.

 

 

The trouble with WiFi…

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This trip through Chile has been amazing, and amazingly frustrating at times!!   WiFi is not readily available in places, and in some hostels, while they advertise that you have “free WiFi in all areas”, it does not mean it is reliable WiFi!.

 

Take, for instance, where I am now.  They advertise free WiFi but what they neglect to tell you is that yes, it is free and available throughout the property, however, being that all the rooms are on the 2nd and 3rd floor, as you get further up, the WiFi is much less reliable.  And, for some odd reason, the WiFi here only seems to work on one electronic device at a time – so I need to turn WiFi off of my phone so I can use my laptop.  I know I know – first world problems right?

 

But in the age of instant communication, and when you have family wanting to make sure you are okay, it is very frustrating to have unreliable WiFi.

 

Another interesting thing about Chile – there are very few places you can go and get free WiFi.  In China, it seemed like every restaurant, mall and school had free WiFi.  Everywhere you went, you could connect (sometimes even on the bus!).  The same was true about Prague – I was always able to get on somewhere.  But not in Chile.  Which is good and bad.  It’s good, because you actually see people communicating with each other (shocking right??).  But again, it’s “bad” because for travellers, some times it is very important to have that luxury of WiFi connection.

 

While I have enjoyed not having WiFi all the time, I would like to have it when I am back in my room relaxing and wanting to search the web!

 

What do you think – should we have limited WiFi throughout the world so that we can communicate better with each other, or should there be more access to the internet??  I am interested in hearing other opinions!

The wonderful world of blogging!

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I started blogging, seriously, after I had arrived here in China.  I am sorry I didn’t do more blogging when I lived in Prague, but it is what it is!!  Blogging has become my newest addiction!!  It’s a healthy one at least.  My food addiction – well not so healthy sometimes haha.  My book addiction has been seriously curtailed due to me leaving in less than two weeks – I have had to reduce the number of notebooks I have to about 5 – and that was hard to do!

 

Back to blogging – I started blogging because I love writing.  I wanted my family and friends back in Canada to read about what I was experiencing.  I never really thought much about what kind of impact blogging would have on me.  I am trying to keep up a schedule with my blogs, but some days I have “blogger’s block” (is that a thing?), and other days I want to write about so many different things!

 

I am happy to say that it has had a very positive impact on me.  My writing skills have improved, as have my photography skills (at least in my mind they have!).  But more importantly, I have discovered a whole new world – a fantastic world.  The world of bloggers.

 

I have spent this afternoon reading blogs about people giving up their careers for a year or two and traveling around the world.  I enjoy the traveling blogs.  I have been reading food blogs, inspirational blogs, and so many more.  The world is a crazy, and a bit scary, place these days, and it is so nice to read so many happy stories.

 

Blogging is such a great way to connect with people from all around the world, and read about what other people are talking about or seeing.  It has opened my eyes and has inspired me to pursue more dreams.  I have also added more places to see and visit on my ever-changing bucket list!

 

I am so grateful for all of my fellow bloggers who have started following my blog, and wanting to read about my life and my thoughts.

 

So this blog is to my fellow bloggers – thank you so much for becoming a part of my blogging life, and thank you for sharing with me your life.  I appreciate all of you!!