Mostly Alicia

Just a blog by Me (Alicia) and once in awhile Robert where we share photos, family history, and just life in general with family and friends.

Friday, 24 October 2025

Days of Gratitude - Day 12

 

I like this advice.  I can say that I am comfortable at being well-rounded at this point.

I am thankful, as I look around at the paintings, items and things made, that hubby and I collected through the years that makes this home our home.  The artists that created them and shared their talent with the world.  Artists are the ones that takes the talent God gave them and makes our beautiful world that more beautiful and how wonderful is that. 


Thursday, 23 October 2025

Days of Gratitude - Day 11

 

Books and the authors that write them.  I am grateful for books and my love of reading them.  My taste in books has changed over the years but always having a book on the go has never changed.  


Wednesday, 22 October 2025

Days of Gratitude - Day 10

 

I am grateful for friends.  All of them, the ones that came in and then went out, the ones that were only a moment, those that stayed and those that are here online.  All those friendships mean the world to me and I am thankful that I met all of them.  


Tuesday, 21 October 2025

Days of Gratitude - Day 9

 

Today I am thankful that I can go to a store and get any kind of food, item or spice that I could imagine or want.  

We are so blest that we live in a place where there is no shortage of anything.  In fact we have to be mindful of not over shopping. We are blest that we need to remember to buy for need and not just any want.  How lucky we are. 

  

Monday, 20 October 2025

Days of Gratitude = Day 8

Morning Walks, I am grateful that I can take them, that I can walk with ease most of the time.  That I don't need the assistance of a cane or walker and that I can walk as far as I wish most times. 

It is truly my favourite time of day. 


 



Sunday, 19 October 2025

Days of Gratitude - Day 7

 

A simple one today - I am grateful for my morning cup of tea. 

On the computer in the morning or curled up with a book, that first cup of tea in the morning is bliss. 

Have a blessed Sunday.


Saturday, 18 October 2025

Weekly Musings of the 18th and Days of Gratitude - Day 6

 

Good Morning, this week was a huge pile of up and down but then lesson learned too.  Monday being Thanksgiving Monday was our day to stick close to home and enjoy turkey sandwiches.  We usually get a turkey that is the perfect size for a lovely Sunday dinner and then lunch and dinner sandwiches the next day and then it is gone.  No chance for it to dry out or us to get tired of it.  

Tuesday we were out running errands after the week of meals were planned.  I still plan the week of suppers, I have tried to wing it or let go of that but seriously it makes my life much easier when I don't have to think about through the week.  It also keeps us from buying more than we need and that means less waste.  

Wednesday started odd stuff.  First off it was 8 o'clock in the morning when my phone rang from the doctor's office to remind me about the appointment for my hands... seriously you start calling at 8?!?!?  I never called anyone in my life before 9 but this eager beaver wanted to make sure she wakes the world.  I guess she might have that idea if she is up then everyone else should be.  

After I was checking my credit bill and noticed a weird charge.  After asking hubby

Morning Walk that day.

and making sure I was not forgetting anything, I called the credit card office.  They told me that it had something to do with auto parts.  Now we had some work done so we told them we would double check with our dealer's service department and call back.  After the call to the dealer and checking all bills we saw that - nope it had nothing to do with car repairs.  Back to the credit card people and that of course started the investigation and shutting down of my credit card.  I am suppose to get a new one within a week or so.  I hope it is soon because most of our bills are done through that card.  I paid all of the bill except the fraudulent charge, hoping it will be settled before interest is attached to it.  

Off to the dentist that afternoon for my usual check-up and cleaning only to find that my hygienist was gone.  She had left to start her own business and I was getting someone who was only there one day and she was behind and late. She was very sorry and then did a wonderful job.  She also made sure that my usual dentist was the one checking me out.  By the time I was finished I was not feeling so bad about the loss of my favourite person there.  

Mail finally came this week and with it the test that allows you to send poop in the mail.  Yup, really.  But with the postal strike on and off with rotating strikes I wasn't sure about sending it.  Doing this test on a regular basis can be the difference between having a colonoscopy or just this simple test.  So far, the test is fine for me and I hope it keeps that way.  I did some checking and found the place where we get our bloodwork done also will accept this test.  It is in the same place as our dentist and since they couldn't figure out my bill (another hiccup of the day) I was able to go and pay the bill on Friday and drop off the test.  

I have shifted my morning walk to late morning or early afternoon as it is too dark for my liking and getting my vitamin D in the sunshine feels pretty nice.  I will keep this up until spring comes again and then go back to the first thing in the morning.  Later means any ice that comes through the night will be melted before my walk.  


One thing I learned this week is that whether things go easy or a bit more of a challenge if everything is placed in the Lord's hands it will work out for the best.  It has happened all this week and on those days that I was feeling anxious about something that was happening, as soon as I put it where in belongs with God, it would go smooth and better than I thought it would.

So I am really grateful for God handling those things in my life that might have upset me and making things work out better than I could ever expect.  

  

Friday, 17 October 2025

Days of Gratitude - Day 5

 

Today I give thanks for our family, the ones who live in the States, those in Ottawa, those scattered throughout the world.  Those sisters, brothers, grandchildren, cousins, brother-in-laws, sisters-in-laws, nieces, nephews, first, seconds and greats, all part of our family quilt.  

We may not see each other often but I know that if I needed them, they would be there for me as I would be there for them.  


Thursday, 16 October 2025

Days of Gratitude - Day 4

 

I am grateful for what we have.  We don't have a lot but we have exactly what we need and that makes all the difference.

Thinking on all the places in the world where ordinary people just like us don't have a home, or choices of food and as much as they wish or even water to drink and we can get our 8 glasses in. 

We are so very blest. 


Wednesday, 15 October 2025

Days of Gratitude - Day 3

 

Today I am so very grateful for my daughters.  They have grown into good women who are strong, determined and able to take care of themselves.  I am so thankful that they are in my life.  They may not live close but they are always in my heart and prayers and I am so very proud of them.  


Tuesday, 14 October 2025

Days of Gratitude - Day 2

 

I should say that my gratitude days are not in any particular order as so many things are truly treasured in my heart.

Today though I am grateful for my husband, partner and friend, Robert.  He and I have walked together in this life for 36 years now and although as we age things change and perhaps we are not as quick to do things as we did we are closer than ever and partners in all and I am grateful for such a solid, faithful and steadfast man in my life.


Monday, 13 October 2025

Days of Gratitude - Canadian Thanksgiving

 

Happy Thanksgiving.  A blogger friend of mine OneKidsMom has a tradition that she posts gratitude blogs from our Canadian Thanksgiving to her American Thanksgiving.  She has had friends join her on this and most years I posted in her comments my things I am grateful for.  This year I decided to do the same, from our Thanksgiving to hers.  

Today I am grateful for my hands, exactly as they are.  

I have to give a small explanation for this because those that know me, know that my hands have arthritis and they tend to be a bit swollen and not as strong as they use to be, hubby has to do a bit more for me that I just can't do.  

Yesterday at Mass Father Augustine spoke on being thankful and for both the things we see as good and those things we see as bad because through crosses we follow Jesus closer.  Suddenly in my heart I knew I had to be thankful for my hands and let go of trying to make them better through prayers, miracles or even the waters of Lourdes as well as doctors.  My hands are not only my cross, they are truly my blessing too and as soon as I felt truly grateful I felt truly at peace with them.  

Happy Thanksgiving!

    

Friday, 10 October 2025

Weekly Musings of the 10th

 

What a really great week this week!  Morning photo of the moon as I was doing my morning loop walk.  Such a beautiful sunrise sight.  

Well, first thing was this past Saturday hubby and I went to Brantford General Hospital so hubby could get that MRI that he had been waiting on.  It was a really great drive, beautiful weather and smooth travels with traffic not bad on a Saturday morning.  We, of course, arrived super early but the great thing instead of having to wait until the appointment they took him in nearly right away.  We were prepared to wait a long time and pretty relaxed about it but wonders of wonders we were back in our car and heading home even before the actual appointment time.  How great was that!!!

We also got the news that my sister and her hubby were heading up for a couple days visit, wanting to go to the county fair.  They would be visiting on Wednesday and Thursday before heading back Friday.  It would be great to spend some time with them both.  

On Tuesday morning our doctor called hubby with the results of the MRI and it was really great news - no strokes, no tumors nor any sign of dementia just the usual signs of getting older. Yes, there had been changes but nothing to be that concerned with in fact as things had changed in our lives, things got better and as hubby got busier and busier with his hobbies the more exercise his mind got.  Lesson learned - keep busy, do stuff, learn stuff it is good for the brain.  


Wednesday sister and her hubby were at the Fair, checking out the food, farm animals and the pumpkin winner this year.  

After they took all of the sights in, they arrived at our place where time just flew catching up with family news especially the work that was still on going after all the damage from the hurricane last season.  We took time to go to my sister's favourite restaurant in our town so she could enjoy what she says is the best chicken wings.  She maintains that no matter how many different places she tries both in Canada and the United States The Barrel is the very best of all.  After a few more hours of visiting they headed over to Brantford to stay because all hotels are booked solid during the Fair.  They were both happy with that as they could play tourist between Brantford and Simcoe.  Which is exactly what they did.  

The weather had been rainy and miserable during their drive up from Florida to Ontario but the days once they arrived were absolutely perfect.  

Once they did some more exploring in the area wanting to walk in the beautiful sunshine they arrived back with us for more visiting.  We had a great time together and headed out to our second favourite place for supper.  My sister and her hubby were not sure that they would get the time to sit by Lake Erie but deciding to have supper at The Beach House settled that.  


 
 What a beautiful setting to enjoy Lake Erie perch and great company.  As I write this blog they are now past London and heading back to the border and home for them.  

What a wonderful treat to be able to spend time with my sister and her husband.  We always love getting to spend time with them and are so grateful they make the drive up here.  Now sister's hubby has seen the county fair, perhaps next year they will come up to see the Pumpkin Festival ;)  

And so that was our week of great treats and surprises and good news.  God has been so good to us.  Of course this weekend too we will be making our thanksgiving dinner just the two of us but we have even more to be thankful for.


 

Friday, 3 October 2025

Weekly Musings of the 3rd

 

So, the last day of September found me as sick as a dog... not sure why dogs are sicker than anyone else but I was certainly in that range.  Throwing up for those of us who have had kids can be a challenge when heaving.  Spending most of the day in the bathroom.  Not fun, either I ate something that certainly did not agree with me or I had a 24 hour bug.  With me down with a bug, hubby did the grocery shopping on his own and yes, I leave him be while he shops.  He has been around my cooking for enough years that he can shop without me and get exactly what I want and if it isn't, I don't care, I can use it just the same.  One of my pet peeves is seeing those poor husbands on the phone with their wives trying to get exactly what she wants.  Now taking pictures and sending it to her.  Seriously if you are that fussy, get off your butt and go get it yourself, otherwise let the poor man off the leash.  It isn't like you can't go yourself another day and get whatever might be missing. Okay, end of pet peeve - LOL

Good news was that October 1st found me back to normal and happy that day was over with. 

On that turn of the calendar the October decorations came out once more.  Thank goodness for our ceramic pumpkin as my hands really do not care to carve a pumpkin anymore.  I miss that but such is life.  

 

The new buildings that hubby put together has lights in them now and I love the purple and the orange lighting.  You know the best part... it will last all year, his autumn colours.

While he as working on his model set I was working on another puzzle, actually two.  The first choice turned out to be harder than it appeared and so I put it aside for a time until I was in the mood for that big a challenge.  Second one was a lot more fun challenge. 


Hubby's dental appointment that was suppose to be for next week moved up to this week so he is all done with that.  He had a new hygienist who was constantly saying she was sorry.  Hubby told her after she is doing just fine but to stop saying she is sorry for every little thing.  I hope he boosted her confidence, after all we need the younger in there ready to step up and being too critical is not going to keep them working.  Oops, another half rant - LOL.

And so another week slipping by like falling leaves.  We took a drive to the reserve to fill up the car.  Very much worth it because the place we go is usually 20 cents cheaper than at home.  The place hubby use to get his smokes actually burned to the ground the last time we went so he gets them where we fill up.  Sad to see the little place gone as hubby really liked chatting with the people who worked there.  I was so stunned seeing the place a burnt pile of wood that I forgot to take a picture.  This time it looks like a foundation has been poured on the site.  I do hope they come back, it was a great little stop each month.  

So my friends have a lovely weekend.


 Okay her expression made me smile.  The one that made me laugh out loud is not very PC but I thought it was funny.



Days of Gratitude - Day 12

  I like this advice.  I can say that I am comfortable at being well-rounded at this point. I am thankful, as I look around at the paintings...