Jan 4, 2015 – willowdot21

Just Jot it January: Foggy Haikus

My big sister told me to lighten up so here I am trying!

January Haiku

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Damp, dull and foggy Twilight

Short steps,long steps join,

Head home cozy for the night .

Cold fingers, cold toes, red nose

Mist as you breath out

Keep moving keep warm, eyes close.

This post is part of Just Jot It January hosted by Linda G Hill.

Thanks for tuning in and if you want to join, feel free to click on the link and start jotting!

IF WE WERE HAVING COFFEE: JUST JOT IT JANUARY

Welcome, come on in it is lovely to see youthe fires are lit the cushions are plumped up and we have the coffee and tea on the go and the cakes and sweets are all set out. Paul and his guests are all here and they are enjoying the warmth , food and drinks. We have tea and coffee from all over the world not to mention all our cakes and muffins and as Paul calls them sweets! Every single one is calorie free! Plus of course we now have spirits and liquors to warm the coldest of you.

It is lovely to see you all here today I really did miss you all last week! I hope you all enjoyed Paul’s post over at Marks place last Sunday! I was away in Spain, hubby and I and our two older lads. We stayed at a nice place and we had plenty of good times but I am afraid my heart was not wholly in it ! I did not want to be abroad for Christmas. Our youngest son, his wife and the Newbie went to our daughter in law’s parents. ….

Anyway here are some photos of the beautiful area we stayed at.

Restaurant where we had Christmas Dinner

Well we returned to freezing weather and I can tell you it was quiet a shock!

Now If We Were having Coffee: I would ask you how your Christmas and New Celebrations went? Do you celebrate Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or do you, like the Spanish Celebrate on the 6th January , the Epiphany, when the three kings arrive.

We had a lovely meal out Lunchtime on Christmas Eve. In the evening though we found everything was shut and the streets were empty as everyone goes home early for what they call “Family Meal”, so we went into the town square and looked at the amazing Nativity scene! I did make a video but have have put an older one that I found on youtube it was taken in the daytime, mine was taken at night and not as professional so I have spared you my video and a feeling of sea sickness! 🙂

Would you like some cake? Did you enjoy the video it was beautiful at night! But the video I put up shows you much more!

If we were having coffee: I would ask you why horrible things happen in this world. Paul mention the Phu Family, Mr Phu shot all of his family at three different locations, why was this allowed to happen, especially as the man was known to have mental problems and had attacked his wife previously! Well just before Christmas, 24th December , Glasgow was shocked and stunned when an out-of-control lorry careered along a packed pavement in George Square – which was packed with Christmas shoppers and families enjoying the annual festive carnival. Read more here .

First Scottish Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Lord Provost Sadie Docherty;

This is so sad so many lives touched.

If we were having coffee: I would offer you more coffee and cake and maybe a liqueur coffee I think I would like an Irish coffee

This Month January is Just Jot It January run by LindaGHill Well I am always up for challenge and I have done JusJoJan before and survived so I am doing it again this month/year. It means I must jot out a post every day of this month!……………….. eek! It is a twofold blessing not only do have to use my grey matter I get to meet lots of new bloggers! I hope some of them will come and join us at our Sunday morning get together’s.

IF WE WERE HAVING COFFEE: I would say lets go and see what Paul’s guest are up to lets all mix and have fun. I would ask you if you would like

another cuppa, or another cake . ! If we were having Coffee Original idea from http://parttimemonster.wordpress.com/

If We Were Having Coffee Guest Post– Jan.04/2015

Foggy Thoughts

“Hedgehog in the Fog”

From a Russian fable directed by Yuri Norstein Hedgehog and Bear Cub having tea and counting stars “Isn’t it wonderful that we are together again?” “Oh, who other than you knows how to count the stars?”

Welcome to Willow’s weekly coffee and tea garden. My name is Paul, I’ll be your barista today and I’m happy to be here once again. This week Willow has returned from traveling over the holidays and we’ll be meeting once again at her home. Please come in and make yourself comfortable. Willow has plumped the cushions and started a cozy fire so we can warm ourselves while we have a cuppa and chat. As usual, I’d be pleased to bring a pot of whatever beverage you prefer – we have a wide range of teas and coffees to satisfy our world-wide readership. We can relax with a cuppa and calorie free electronic sweets while we discuss the affairs of the week both personal and/or worldwide. How has your week been? Personally, my holidays have been quiet and I have gotten a lot of reading and writing done, By Friday, I realized that I had lost track of what day of the week it was, with so many holidays and a modified schedule. My dialysis appointments were all changed to accommodate the holidays, although they all went well. It is interesting how life seems to be organized by recurring circumstances like weekends or, in my case, appointments. Changing those leaves me a bit confused and I have to think about what day of the week it is. It has been very quiet here in my neighborhood as most of the university students are gone for the holidays. It seems so strange to walk out the door and see an empty street with no cars and no people. How has your world changed over the holidays? Will you be glad when your schedule returns to normal or will you be sad to say good-bye to the holiday celebrations?

The weather here in Ottawa has been very unusual for the time of year. It was above freezing most of last week and the bit of snow we had received has all melted – in contrast to last year when we had snow piled up from November. Towards the end of the week, it got very cold (it’s currently -20 C – about -4 F) and now we are expecting a snowstorm this afternoon changing to freezing rain with temperatures rising to well above freezing. Weather warnings have been issued and drivers have been asked not to travel unless necessary. Typically this time of year it is just plain cold without a lot of precipitation. Has your weather been unusual this year? Granted “usual” is hard to define but there is still a sense of “This doesn’t happen this time of year.”

Would you like another cuppa and a sweet while we chat? I don’t normally talk much about the weather – it is what it is – unless there is a major change. However, I seem to be sensitized after the last few years of climate change talk – waiting and watching for the other shoe to drop; a sort of nervous tension that asks if each slight difference is the beginning of a large change. Do you find yourself pondering any small change in the weather.

Anyway, enough of that, it doesn’t help to focus on it. On a national scene we had a domestic tragedy here in Edmonton western Canada this week when there was a mass murder of a family by the father – including 5 adults and 2 children. The man, Phu Lam, had a serious history of violence and troubles with the law. He had assaulted his wife and threatened to kill his family some years ago but his wife refused to press charges and had dropped all legal action. He also had a gambling problem that left him deep in debt. When he declared bankruptcy, the court decided that Mr. Phu had deliberately overspent with no intention of ever repaying the monies and consequently charged him with “Abuse of credit.” Ha! I didn’t realize such a law existed in Canada but apparently spending and then trying to renege on payment by declaring bankruptcy is against the law. You have to intend to repay any debts in order for bankruptcy to apply.

Over a period of a few days Mr. Phu shot and killed his family at 3 separate residences before he was caught. It seems so senseless that such a person who was known to have murderous tendencies and who had mental issues should be wandering around free to kill as he pleased. The news was in the media but there is not a lot of call for any reform or investigation because it was a family tragedy – no randomness to threaten anyone non- family. In other words, the rest of us feel pretty safe so no one bothers to question how this could have happened. And as much as I hate to admit it, the idea that the Phu’s are immigrants also seems to play some role in the lack of interest. The dirty little thought that, after all, they brought their problems with them to Canada. No one will admit this – it is politically incorrect – but you can feel it in the air along with a sigh of relief; see, there’s nothing wrong here that needs to be fixed. A lie we tell ourselves to make us feel better and sweep the problem under the rug. Do you see similar reactions in your country? – That those who are new citizens are somehow not as important as those who are born in your country? That their problems are not our problems?

That’s about all we have room for this week, so it’s time to settle in with another cuppa and watch the fire. Sweets anyone? Please join me in thanking Willow for her invitation to tea. We are all honored that you dropped by today to visit. I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and the conversation and please look around at Willow’s other posts while you’re here. Willow is over there serving her guests and chatting it up. Let’s go see how she is today. Have a great week. We look forward to seeing you back here for tea again.

IF WE WERE HAVING COFFEE: I would ask you if you would like another cuppa, or another cake . ! If we were having Coffee Original idea from http://parttimemonster.wordpress.com/