Beans, Beans the Musical Fruit…

Oh how on a sunny day can anyone be anything but happy? My pleasures today are somewhat repetitive… sunny November day, a tad cool but not too much wind so it’s a pleasure to go for a walk in it. November is traditionally a dark and dreary month so any sunshine should be enjoyed!

the creek that winds through our property

More pleasures: tea with my friend Christina (the one who had the birthday a few weeks ago). It is always a pleasure to visit with friends. ; Here’s another one: finding out that the Asus Transformer is sold by Costco – maybe a new toy is on the horizon (I am a gadgeteer after all!) ; reading some short stories by Margaret Atwood – she’s a brilliant author ; seeing a tiny bit of progress on my diet – not a whole lot, and I have been sticking to it pretty well – except for a piece of bread with peanut butter in the middle of the night last night ;

This is not my first reference to Disney – you can probably tell I’m a big fan of the older movies, and perhaps a bit of a kid at heart! So here’s another pleasure – listening to an old recording from Disney: http://youtu.be/v3fFXIUXZ-M . Looking at all the sunshine outside my window brought this song to mind.

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah

Music by Allie Wrubel
Lyrics by Ray Gilbert
Performed by James Baskett
© 1945 Walt Disney Music Company

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
My, oh my, what a wonderful day
Plenty of sunshine headin' my way
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
Mister Bluebird's on my shoulder
It's the truth, it's actual
Ev'rything is satisfactual
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
Wonderful feeling, wonderful day, yes sir!
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
My, oh my, what a wonderful day
Plenty of sunshine headin' my way
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
Mister Bluebird's on my shoulder
It's the truth, it's actual
Ev'rything is satisfactual
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
Wonderful feeling, feeling this way
Mister Bluebird's on my shoulder
It is the truth, it's actual... huh?
Where is that bluebird? Mm-hm!
Ev'rything is satisfactual
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
Wonderful feeling, wonderful day!

What’s not been a pleasure? The really hard lentils that I cooked the other night. I forget to NOT add salt so they were tough ; and last night was a real disaster – I was cooking a white bean garlic stew which I’ve done in the past and it’s been great, but yesterday I didn’t cook the beans for long enough and then didn’t cook the whole stew long enough so there was a raw onion taste, and slightly uncooked cannellini beans – we both had sore stomachs all night (and still do now). Note to self – they seem like they are cooked quickly but are in fact still quite raw! Thank goodness we didn’t have company, so I guess you could consider that a pleasure?

the neighbour's cows grazing in our creek pasture

Discriminate?

Today’s Merriam-Webster word of the day is discriminate (\diss-KRIM-uh-nayt\  : to see the special features of b : to perceive a difference in : differentiate ; to distinguish by discerning or exposing differences; especially : to distinguish from another like object ; to make a difference in treatment or favour on a basis other than individual merit.

When I was diagnosed first with major depression, and then bipolar disorder I expected to encounter some discrimination or stigma, especially at work. However that is not what happened at all – my co-workers were 100% supportive right from the get go – for that I am eternally grateful. And then when I started bringing Spike to work as a service dog I really expected to experience it, after all with Spike at my side I was suddenly advertising a disability, one that couldn’t be seen.

Questions were asked by both people that knew me (but not well), and strangers. I had decided at the outset that I would be open and honest, perhaps helping to break some stigma.  Well, my faith in human nature was totally vindicated – people, even strangers, were kind and supportive. Many of them had family members or friends that also had a mental illness of some sort. And the people who knew me from work - they were without exception surprised – which I thought was a good counter for all the crazy stories on the news about people with bipolar – see I don’t have two heads, nor is my head spinning around like Linda Blair’s. I seem pretty normal to all but those really close to me (Carm and a few close friends), and in fact when my medication is working well I AM normal.

The funniest question with little wee Spike at my  side – is he going to be a seeing eye dog!

He’s a bit little to be my seeing eye dog!

In the last few years mental illness has become more of an item in the news with many celebrities supporting the cause. I hope that this helps more people to get the help that they need, because with that help it is possible to live a normal life.

 

This is what I learned: that everybody is talented, original and has something important to say.
Brenda Ueland

A Beautiful Day for a Drive

The forecast called for another beautiful day so we decided that we’d go for a nice drive, with the goal of ending up at Voyageur Provincial Park.

The dogs were excited to hear we were going for a car ride – Spike practically jumped into my arms to be lifted into the truck. The other two had to be held back to wait their turn for safe entry. Kabira lies down and goes to sleep almost immediately, Bella watches out one window, and Spike watches out the other. The poodles are such tourists.

We took back roads, driving through several little towns and villages. Each town had a large Catholic church, often with a statue of the Virgin Mary. It is very French Canadian in this part of Ontario. 

After about two hours we arrived at Voyageur. We’ve been wanting to check out this park for a long time, but summer is always so busy and until this year weekends are too precious. We walked around the park for about an hour, only seeing one section – it’s a pretty big park well spread out with good roads joining the areas. The dogs were pretty excited to be somewhere new – I was glad that we brought their prong collars.

The park is nice, but not what either of us had pictured, but I guess that is to be expected in November with all the leaves off the trees – it seemed kind of rundown and sad. We walked around the electric sites, noting which ones would fit our rig. There are a few nice sites along the river (?) or maybe it’s just a swamp, not really sure. At this point I can’t see booking a week or two, but maybe we’ll go mid-week for a few days next summer.

When we finished our walk we had a little snack (apples & walnuts) then headed onto the highway for the fast route home. Just a little side trip to the No Frills for some apples and grapes, and we were home, tired and satisfied (and just a little hungry!)

Oh and I almost forgot – it was 17C (63F) this afternoon!

Happy Tails Trails