Happy Thoughts

Ella Isaacson, 7, reaches for a pastry from the top of the three-tiered tray. (Pioneer Press: John Doman)- Lady Elegant’s Tea Room & Gift Shoppe Ella Isaacson, 7, reaches for a pastry from the top of the three-tiered tray. (PioneernPress: John Doman)- Lady Elegant’s Tea Room & Gift Shoppe

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 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. 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’s been an interesting week all around. It never ceases to amaze me how kind people can be just out of the blue. I’ve had a problem with water leaking into my apartment through the ceiling for about a year now. The manager had a lot of work done on the roof and the problem stopped for the winter. A few weeks ago when it rained hard, the leak started up again. It is a lot of water and I have seen myself haul over 100 liters (about 25 gallons) out in buckets after a storm. So, the manager approached me this week and asked if I would move into another comparable but slightly larger and newer unit this coming week. He will keep my rent the same and give me some people to help me move. I agreed; glad to be rid of the water. Anyway, I met one of my fellow renters, Steve, who I chat with regularly and he asked how things were going. I mentioned the move to him and he said I should give him a call and he would be happy to help. I thought that was very kind of him and agreed to call. So, I’m tidying up this weekend and getting ready to move. It isn’t much but I like to leave the apartment relatively clean when I go. I know they will be tearing out the ceiling and walls, so I’m not overly concerned except on general principles.

Would you like a refill of your cuppa? Perhaps a sweet – piece of cake or biscuit or a slice of pie? All our sweets are calorie free here. Oh, as a follow up to last week’s rant, I received my bus pass in the mail on Friday before I needed to use it to go to dialysis. My little tussle with the bureaucracy paid off. I should mention, as one of the commenters suggested last week, that this whole pass thing is a basically me wanting to stay straight with the world. It is the city that sends the pass and it is the city that supplies the transportation, so there is no money that changes hands and whether I get a pass or don’t, the drivers will still give me a ride. Everyone who does the actually work realizes that this is a simple accounting activity (i.e. which department gets to claim the cost) and there is no enforcement that would deny me a ride. I just try very hard to play by their rules as I am grateful for the service and don’t want to do anything to jeopardize the services.

Princess Kate, Prince William and George in Australia in 2014

So, for our British readers, congratulations on the newest addition to the Royal family this weekend. I see Kate has come through with her health intact and now has a new 8 pound baby girl. It is wonderful to see all the happiness and cheer and celebrations in the news for a change. In perusing the news of the birth I found it amusing that many publications were listing the odds that gamblers were placing on what name will be chosen for the new princess. That’s not something that would be seen here in Canada. It occurred to me that Prince William could disguise himself and place a bet and then name the princess so he would win. Ha! Not that he would but it is a humorous thought.

Would you like a refill while we chat? Please feel free to choose anything from our large selection. Anyway, on the cheerful front (for some) this week in Vancouver, British Columbia’s foray into legalized marijuana has run into the surfeit of laws yet again. Ha! Apparently one of the “illegal” marijuana dispensaries decided to enhance business by offering a free joint (or marijuana cookie) to any first time visitors to their shop. There are dozens of these “illegal” shops as defined by federal laws – which, in Canada, are responsible for drug regulations. However the province of British Columbia has decided to tolerate the sale of marijuana as it is so popular in that province (the weather is perfect for cultivation, there is cheap electricity and the public attitude is very permissive). In fact marijuana is the largest cash crop in the province – over $6 billion annually. Anyway, the police are scratching their heads because they have no laws to enforce and yet really don’t want marijuana being distributed free. So, the promotion continues – if you are interested in trying marijuana, then hurry on over to Vancouver where, for now, you can not only buy it but, for now, try it for free.

Oh, in closing did you know that Saturday was World Naked Gardening Day? How did you celebrate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Naked_Gardening_Day ) If you forgot or weren’t aware, then we will allow you to celebrate on Sunday instead.

On that note, 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 sweets and beverages of your choice again next week.

Afternoon Tea

And of course the

IF WE WERE HAVING COFFEE: WEEKEND COFFEE SHARE

over at Part Time Monster and Gene’O’s

LindaGHill said Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “compliment/complement.” Use one or use them both. Have fun!

Today was the husband’s birthday, and our eldest lad arranged a country pub lunch. We had a long drive down to the coast with the mother in law in tow. The weather was iffy and the traffic was heavy it being a Bank holiday Weekend. But it was so worth it because it is ages since we have had a full complement of our gorgeous lads all in one place together!

We had a brilliant meal the service was pleasant and friendly and all had to compliment the staff on the food !

Now I am too tired to write anymore , except to say they made my husband very happy !

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Here are rules as written by Linda.

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” or “Begin with the word ‘The’.”

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments, for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read everyone’s! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later, or go to the previous week, by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find right below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. Have fun!