My sister started a blog!

I'm really proud of my sister who is studying to be diabetic nutritionist has started a blog which I'm really excited about. Her first posting can be found here https://alisnotesonfoodandlife.blogspot.com/. It's called Ali's Notes on Food and Life. Her first post is about edible plants and has a nice recipe for Balsamic Asparagus Spears. I'd encourage reading her blog as it has a lot of great information. I send everyone best wishes and much love always.

Give light

"Give light and people will find the way."-Ella Baker

I've often found that I've always been inspired by people who can always see the best in situations. In many ways they've helped me find my way by encouraging me to think positively as well. Somehow thinking about the good aspects of situations helps me focus on how to get through difficult things. Thus I feel that many positive lights have helped me find my way. I hope that wherever you are reading this there are many people in your life that light your way and help you grow. I send you best wishes and much love always.

Content but wishing for more

"My motto is: Contented with little, yet wishing for more."-Charles Lamb

I rather like this quote because although it's nice to be content with what one currently has, I think the wanting more helps motivate people to do bigger and better things.  My hope for everyone is that if there's something good you want to do to help someone else I hope you pursue that action and don't be content with the status quo. I send best wishes and much love to everyone and I wish everyone the happiest of Fridays!

Look the Silver Lining

I heard this song called "Look for the Silver Lining" sung by Chet Baker which really cheered me up. I just thought the instrumental music in the song was lovely and I like the song's message that things are better if one looks for the positive things in life. Maybe it's an overly cheerful view of things but because cheerfulness is a lovely feeling, I could always do with more of it. Anyway, I hope that wherever you are reading this that you can find many positive things in your life. I send you best wishes and much love always.

A Public Service Announcement from Bob the Minion

Below is a picture of  Bob the Minion who I've kept on the desk where I work because Minions make me happy. When my coworkers and I  left to start working from home because of COVID19,  I left Bob in our office to watch over it and keep all the other Minion mischief makers out. Today I was really happy to find out that one of my coworkers made a mask for Bob and so I want to take this opportunity to urge people to: Be like Bob! Wear a Mask when you go out and stay safe and well. I send much love and best wishes to everyone who reads this.

Pandemic travels

So because I cannot travel right now, my Pandemic Minion is traveling for me. So far he’s gone to places I like or want to visit someday. These pictures show where he went today. He’s now tired but certainly well traveled.

Visiting the Taj Mahal

Visiting the Boston Public library (to feel more intelligent)!

After shopping around for a vacation home, my minion has finally found one he likes!

My Minion decided to hop off to Hawaii to have some fun in the sun.

My Minion decided to stop over in Sydney and go to the Opera House

Then my Minion had a layover in London and decided to go to the Royal Albert Hall.

As the Minion likes penguins he thought he should visit them in Antarctica

As my Minion wanted more culture he went to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

As my Minion wanted to visit a place that's lovely, he went to Amafi

In Memoriam

As it's Memorial Day in the US I want to pay tribute to members of my family who have died. Although perhaps this isn't the happiest of topics, to me there's something nice about knowing that people we love are always with us at heart. I feel like as long as I can remember the good  things about them and good times I had with these people it's comforting. If you are reading this and you have lost someone recently, know that I am thinking of you and sending you much love now and always.

A joke a day stand

I read a story today about this boy in British Columbia who started a stand where he would tell a joke to people every day. Apparently the boy does a lemonade stand each summer but because of COVID 19 he decided to joke stand instead in an effort to help people laugh. One of his jokes that I especially liked is below.

Where did the bull take the cow on a date? Dinner and a moooovie!

To read more about the boy and his joke stand. Visit this link: https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/03/world/iyw-six-year-old-sets-up-a-joke-stand-trnd/index.html

Some words of encouragement for these times

The seasons will always turn.
The clouds will gather and the cold will come.
We will survive them.
We will grow regardless of the weather.
We’ll know wonder, where there’s been despair.
There will be happiness, and we will remember it.
There will be friendships that we won't forget.
Love is the constant.
Whereby we endure all winters and all storms.
It is the climate in which all things can thrive.

Closing lines read by Vanessa Redgrave, Season 9 Call the Midwife, Episode 8

I really like the show Call the Midwife and this speech was how the last episode of the most recent season of the show ended. I just thought it was applicable to these times. Anyway, I send much love to everyone.

Day 7 of the 7 Day Book Challenge

Today for the 7th day of the 7 Day Book Challenge I'm writing about the book A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, which is about a girl growing up in Brooklyn and the experiences she has. I like it because most of it is about family and how families help each other get through things. I feel like it's a rather comforting book in that sense. Anyway, I send best wishes and much love to everyone who reads this.

Day 6 of 7 Day Book Challenge

For Day 6 of the 7 Day Book Challenge I've chosen the book Dear Mrs Bird by A.J. Pearce. It's about a woman who works as an advice columnist for a magazine in London during World War II. I like it because many parts of it are quite funny despite the seriousness of war. I also like how the main character goes out of her way to help people. Plus, the book does have a happy ending and I feel like that's always nice. To learn more about the book, follow this link: https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Mrs-Bird-AJ-Pearce/dp/1501170066. I send everyone best wishes and much love always.

Day 5 of the 7 day book challenge

For Day 5 of the 7 Day Book Challenge that I'm on, (where I write about a different book I like each day for 7 days), I've chosen the book "Birds, Beasts and Relatives" by Gerald Durrell. The book is about a boy named Gerald Durrell and how he grows up in Corfu with his family. The stories he writes about his family are really funny. I like the book not only because it's funny but also because I associate a rather nice memory with it. I was reading this book aloud in the car one day with my Mum and it was so funny she couldn't stop laughing. (Gerald Durrell grew up to be a naturalist as well as an author and went back to start a zoo in England which I believe is still in operation.) Anyway, I hope you read the book and that it makes you laugh. I send best wishes and much love to all who read this.

To learn more about the book Birds, Beasts and Relatives" and where to buy the book, Follow this link .

Day 4 of the 7 Day Book Challenge

For Day four of the 7-Day Book Challenge I'm writing about about a book called the Secret Adversary which is part of a series of books that detail the adventures of a man and a woman who eventually become husband and wife and solve mysteries and crimes together. The first book in the series is called The Secret Adversary and it's about how Tommy and Tuppence start a detective agency and take on a dangerous first assignment, I like the book because it's exciting!  To learn more about the book, follow this link: https://www.agathachristie.com/stories/the-secret-adversary

I send everyone best wishes and much love always.

Day 3 of 7-Day Book Challenge

It’s Day 3 of the 7 Day Book Challenge where I write about books I like, one for each day for 7 days. Today I’m writing about the book Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. I like this because it’s about getting through the direst of circumstances and coming out stronger for having the experience. It’s also about the power forgiveness has in helping people heal. It’s not really a happy book but it is a book that made me think about how so much good can happen despite terrible circumstances. Anyway, I wish everyone much love and best wishes now and always.

Day 2 of 7 Day Book Challenge

This is the second day of the 7 Day Book Challenge that my friend got me going on. The challenge is posting about the books you like for 7 days. Technically you're only supposed to post on Facebook a picture of the book without any explanation but I feel like being a rule-breaker so I'm going to write about why I like a book called Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. It's the third book in the Harry Potter series. (Harry Potter is a boy-wizard who goes to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and has all sorts of adventures.) I like the book because I like magic and the fact that a lot of it focuses on family which is something that is really important to me. Anyway, I do recommend reading the book.  I send everyone much love and best wishes always.

Book Challenge!

I love reading and it always makes me happy so I was really pleased when my friend told me about this challenge she was doing called the "7 Day Book Challenge" where, over the course of 7 days she posted on Facebook pictures of books she really liked. As an offshoot of that idea I thought I'd write about some of the books I like. One book I like a lot is called "A Town Like Alice" by Nevil Shute, I won't write a description of the plot hear because I might ruin it. I like this book particularly because my Mum likes it too so it makes me think of her as well.  Anyway, as always, I send best wishes and much love to everyone!

Tears of joy

"Tears of joy are like the summer rain drops pierced by sunbeams."-Hosea Ballou

I really like this quote because it reminds me that happiness can even be expressed in crying. I love to laugh until tears roll down my cheeks. There's something so nice about being so happy that even tears become an expression of such a lovely feeling. Wherever you are reading this, I hope you can find many things that make you laugh. At least for me, Minion cartoons are things that always make me laugh like crazy! Anyway,  I send best wishes and much love to everyone now and always.

To all grandmothers

I heard this lovely song today called "Peg O' My Heart" and it made me think of my grandmother as everyone called her Peg. Even though she's no longer with us in body, she's always with me in my heart. So in my grandmother's honor,  I dedicate this song to all grandmothers. To everyone who reads this I send you best wishes and much love always.

Blue skies

The American composer and lyricist and composer Irving Berlin was born today in  1888. He composed this lovely song called Blue Skies that really cheered me up today and I hope it has the same effect on others. You can listen to the song through the video below. Wherever you are reading  this I wish you many days with blue skies and sunshine. I send you best wishes and much love now and always.

Happy Mother's Day!

It's Mother's Day in the US! I celebrate my Mum because she really is a lovely person and she's always been a very supportive, kind and loving person and I love her very much. I've learned (and continue to learn, a great deal from her and one of the nicest things she's instilled in me is a love of music.  So in celebration of Mother's Day, I thought I'd write down all the songs my Mum (and I) like best. (Just for the heck of it.)

• Someone to Watch Over Me by George Gershwin: Because my Mum watches over all her family.
• Nessun Dorma (As sung by Pavarotti): My Mum and I like this because one day we were driving along in the car and this song came on the radio and my Mum said, this singer doesn't sound like he's doing so well, it doesn't sound right. Then the announcer came on and said "That was Pavarotti singing Nessun Dorma" I said "Well, it must have been one of his off days." and then we both started laughing.
• "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera-We both think it's pretty.
• "The Sun Has Got His Hat On" -My Mum used to sing the refrain of this song to me and my siblings a lot when we were small. (To listen to the actual song follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDIpkz6DOi8.)
• Nice Work If You Can Get It · Frank Sinatra -I always know my Mum is happy when she starts singing the words nice work if you can get it.  

I wish all mothers (and especially my Mum) a very Happy Mother's Day!

Doing the things that make you feel the most "you"

"Some people, were born to sit by a river. Some get struck by lightning. Some have an ear for music. Some are artists. Some swim. Some know buttons. Some know Shakespeare. Some are mothers. And some people, dance."-Benjamin Button

This quote from the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button really spoke to me because it made me think about how lovely it is to just be who we are. Whoever you are, wherever you're reading this, I hope you do lots of good things that make you feel the most "you" and hope there's some dancing in the midst of doing those things. I send you best wishes and much love always.

Penguins and David Attenborough

It's the naturalist David Attenborough's birthday today. Because my Mum and I like his voice and how he narrates nature shows and because watching penguins makes me happy, I thought I'd share the clip below as it's educational, fun, and yes it has penguins and David Attenborough! To all who read this I send you best wishes and much love always.

A loving list

I was just thinking that this time of pandemic has made me think of all the people I love and hold dear. For whatever reason it made me want to make a list of everyone I love so that I'm always reminded of them. I like to think the people we love are always with us. I hope that wherever you are reading this, even if you are distant from them, I hope that you hold the people you love close to your heart. I send you best wishes and much love always.

A lovely singing group

I saw this clip of a lovely performance by a children's singing group that was really beautiful. They were singing in a talent competition in the UK and they all sang the song "This is Me" from the movie The Greatest Showman. I liked the performance because there's so much joy in it and it made me feel good inside to watch it. To all who read this, I hope you're doing well and I send you best wises and much love always.

The World Will Sing Again

I heard this song today called "The World Will Sing Again" which I really liked because 1, I like singing and 2, it seemed pertinent to today's world in that the song encourages people to have hope in times of great difficulty.  (The song was written around the time of World War II.) Anyway, wherever you are reading this, I hope you always look for the silver lining and that you are safe and well. I send you best wishes and much love always.

 

From the song "The World Will Sing Again"

Look for the silver lining

Whenever skies are grey,

No matter what befalls you now,

There will come a brighter day!

The world will sing again,

The bells will ring again,

And lonely hearts are meeting, life begins anew!

The sun will rise again,

There'll be blue skies again,

With not a cloud to hide the loveliness in view!

Day 10 of the Life is Good Challenge

Today is the 10th and last day of the challenge project I took on called the Life is Good Challenge where I post a picture each day over the course of 10 days of something that makes me happy. Today I am posting a picture of my family’s dog Gus since he makes me happy! I’m really glad that I got involved with this challenge because it shows me how important it is to find something good in each day. I hope that wherever you’re reading this that each day brings you many good things that you can find and enjoy. I send you lots of love and best wishes always.

Day 9 of the Life is Good Challenge

Day 9 of the Life is Good Challenge-I took a short walk today and saw these trees which made me happy! To all who read this, I send you best wishes and much love always.

Day 8 of the Life is Good Challenge

Day 8 of the Life Is Good Challenge: I was looking at this picture that is by my bed and it helped me feel stronger. I made this picture a while ago (pre-pandemic) which depicts a Phoenix rising out of a fire. It seems appropriate to share it again now as I really believe it’s possible to grow from this experience and com out stronger.

 

Day 7 of the Life is Good Challenge

For the 7th day of this Life is Good Challenge where I take a picture each day over the course of 10 days of things that make me feel happy. So today I was made happy by a nice pair of fluffy slippers. I send best wishes and much love to all who read this.