If we were having coffee: Scans, Orchids and pills!

Coffee time

Hello  and  welcome  come in it is lovely  to see you all here again. The 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.  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.

If we were having  Coffee: I would ask  you what  has been going on in your world this week, has  anything  deeply affected  you, have  you need a sympathetic ear, a shoulder to cry  on or  just  needed someone  to make  you laugh! If  yes  feel free to talk it out  here  with us. We will all help if  we can.

Join in !

If we were having Coffee: I would  remind  you  that  there  are lots of  other  coffee mornings  all shared  and organized  By  Diana  and  Gene’O  over at, Part time monster   and it is growing like Topsie!

If we were having  Coffee: I would tell you  that it  has been a busy  week  full of  all the usual  things, housework, shoping, going to the gym and classes.  On Friday  I accompanied  the husband  to the  same  National Health  walk in center  that we took  our  neighbour , who  had fallen out of  a  tree, last  week. ( Newsflash  the neighbour  has  three cracked  vertibra and  bruised  ribs! He is a lucky  fellow  not to have been more seriously  hurt. He  has been warned  to take it easy  but  he  is a stubbon  guy  but I  guess  he knows  his own  body)

Good News

Now I was saying  I went  with the husband  to the NHS walk in  center he was sheduled  to have two scans. If remember  I have  been mentioning  how unwell he has been  since  he had an operation on 10 December. Anyway  the scans  revealed  two  problems  that  we were  aware of  and nothing  new  and sinsiter .  This  is good  and  he will see his doctor  next  week  to find out  the best way  forward. So  that  is really  good news!

Yummy

If  we were having  coffee : I’d ask if  you would  like another  cuppa  or even something  stronger  maybe  or  even some  lovely  cakes  or  biscuits. We do have a vast selection.  Oh!  have I shown  you our Orchids? Now  we have two, a dark  pink one  which  has  not  flowered or even  really  grown  for two years  now   but  which  has suddenly  decided  to  wake up  and be  totally  stunning .  The  second  is a lighter  pink  that  has been in constant flower  since  September.  It is  really lovely  to see these  two  beautiful  plants flowering in our  kitchen brightening  up  out  winter  months.

Here  are  some  photos

Deep Pink Orchid

Light Pink Orchid

Deep Pink Orchid

If we were having  coffee: I would  say that I am finding  my  core classes  harder  since  having  dropped one  of  pain killers, Tramadol . I was on 12 x 50 mgs  a day  it has taken  me  18months  to  get rid of  the damn things  and at times I have suffered  terrible  withdrawal  symptoms especially the last two months of  coming off them. I am menally  more  aware   but  the pain levels  have increased  but  I am learning to  cop  with that. I suffer  with constant  pain  but I would of  still be in pain  if I was  still on them   so better  to be in full comand  of  my whits. I do still take Gabapentin  , I have  cut  them  down  from 2 x 300mgs 4 times  a day  to I x 300mgs  2times a day. I am proud of  that  too. It  does  make life harder  but I do  not  want  to be  a zombie , which I was!

If we were having  Coffee:  would like to remind  you  about

A Thousand Voices Speak For Compassion

I heard about it first  on TanGental’s page here   and also on Gene’Os page  here . The idea  is to get 1000 bloggers on the same day to write posts about compassion, kindness, support, caring for others, non-judgement etc.? (Date to be decided.(it’s suggested 20th February 2015) We could call it 1000 Voices For Compassion.Who’s in? I really  would  like to be  but I need to think really  hard  about  what  to write about  but I am  going to think about it  and I am going to take part … If  anyone  has any  suggestions I would  be very grateful to hear them!

1000 Voices Speak For Compassion

 If we were having Coffee  Original idea  from  http://parttimemonster.wordpress.com/

And of course  the

IF WE WERE HAVING COFFEE:  WEEKEND COFFEE SHARE

over at Part Time  Monster  and Gene’O’s

 

Coffee Cat

If We Were Having Coffee – Feb.01/2015: GUEST POST

Mosques and Toast

Aiken House and Gardens Tea by Fireside

Paul your Barista

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. Please come in and make yourself comfortable. Willow has plumped the cushions and started a cozy fire so we can warm yourselves 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. Also available is a large selection of spirits for addition to your cuppa or in its place. We can relax while we discuss the affairs of the week both personal and/or worldwide. How has your week been?

Well, it has been cold and snowy here this week and is currently -24 Celsius (about -16 F) as I write this. I am looking forward to joining with you in Willow’s cozy living room by a warm and cheery fire.

The Islamic Community Center in Brossard – a Suburb of Montreal (In 2010 two extremists from this community center were charged with terrorism)

As a short update on the Islamic extremist issue, some push back is being felt here in Canada. According to the Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper, a particularly violent imam in Montreal is planning to build an Islamic community center. But “The Islamic community centre that controversial imam Hamza Chaoui had hoped to open in east Montreal will not see the light of day, local officials said.” http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/montreal-wont-grant-imam-permit-to-open- islamic-community-centre/article22734064/ The city went on to elaborate: “Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre backed Menard’s decision, saying it was an issue of public order and safety, and not freedom of expression.” This statement has solidified the Canadian belief that Freedom of Expression is not inalienable – that in fact other concerns come first, like public order and safety. To me this is an inevitable result of extremism that is taught in some mosques by some imams. The issue here, of course, is that now we are legislating religions and what they can say and where they can say it – a form of censure. Religion and politics have always had an uneasy relationship as both seek to capture people’s hearts and be their source of power. And, as the Bible itself says: “No man can have two masters.” The extremists have crossed the line and forced politicians to takeaction to maintain order. This will have serious repercussions but I do not see any meansof avoiding the coming conflict.

So, how about a refill of your drink? And would you like a sweet too – we have cake, cupcakes, biscuits, brownies, and beaver tails (a recent Canadian addition of fried dough with a sugar coating and a fruit or chocolate filling – yum!).

Yes that is Jesus on toast

Well now, time for a little levity. A small company in Vermont, US, called Vermont Novelty Toaster, has perfected the ‘Selfie toaster’. For the reasonable price of $64 USD you can send a picture of yourself and receive a toaster that imprints your picture on every slice of \bread you toast. Also available are Jesus, Virgin Mary, Buddha (thank God no Mohammed) and others. The pictures are generated by stainless inserts that slide into a specially designed toaster and which can be interchanged. So, you can have a selfie one day, Jesus another and then a peace sign the following day – it’s all up you. The company can be found at http://www.burntimpressions.com/ . Or if you have a teen who is into Buddhism, you can give her toast with Buddha smiling up at her and you can have your Jesus toast. Hopefully they will not make this available to Muslims.

A Selfie

A favourite Pet

The possibilities are limitless – if you can take a picture of it, they can put it on toast… 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 next week.

Specialty Coffee at Hummingbird Hall, Jamaica

 

Just Jot It January: Dawn Reflections

Dreaming in the dawn

Alone , at dawn I  sort out  a quiet  place

Finding a vantage  point  I sat  and rested.

My  mind  took  flight  conjuring up  your  face.

Looking  back over the years  at  emotions  invested.

 

Yes  we were young  lovers once  before  the years came

And  took away our  innocence  and freedom

We tried, we worked hard,   but things  changed  all the same

Awaking one morning and the passion is gone.

 

Together in the evening 

Friendship  though  and deep love can be of  more use

Than mad boiling passions. Bills to pay children to raise

Some one to lean on, talk to,  shield   from abuse

Together, older, wiser  but  as one to end our days.

 

 

 

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!

Today  is  the last  day of  January…. woo Linda  it  has been a blast! Well done  and love  to all my  fellow Just Jot It Januaries! ❤ ❤