Thought Of The Day

Great morning 21 C, a bit gusty with wind 54 km. Weather is like a roller coaster. Yesterday was cold. I needed so many things to bundle up for my walk. Today I am wearing a light jacket, not even my long light coat.  Summertime is not long here for us Canadians. We know that, so we enjoy it with full fervor. We start right away getting ready to get out to hit roads, trails and waters. It is a totally different scenario. Birds chirping around. Skeleton trees are back to life. Look happy with green tinge running through their bodies.  Squirrels are busy collecting food. I think they are having parties. Guests must be coming for a get together. Everyone looks in a festive mood, enjoying their time in their own style. Every season is unique with its own beauty. I remember the winter time. People were busy playing ice hockey and fishing in the middle of the frozen lake. They used to enjoy their walks in trails with long heavy coats, snow boots and gloves. We Humans ...

    It's cold and windy today. Weather is like a roller coaster nowadays. Couple of days ago we were so sure that summer will be here anytime soon. Now it looks like it is not anymore. We have to wait for a while.  It is 11.30 feels like 16C below zero and wind gusts 65 km. Sun is shining in full bloom. It's the beauty of Canada that the sun is there most of the time to make our days brighter even in cold wintry days.  Cleaning lady is busy working at my place. I have to wait for her to leave.  After that I will go for my walk. Today I have to be extra careful, and have to bundle up in layers.  We have to manage with whatever the circumstances are. Things change and so does the weather. It won't be the same cozy and comfortable all the time. Some days too hot and some days too cold. Rain, snow, we have to manage whatever is there. Same are the people around. Some friendly, some straightforward and some blunt and sort of rude.  We humans ar...

    March 29th 2025 It's a cloudy rainy day. Rain just started and will be for the whole day. March will be done and in a couple of days April will start. April showers May flowers. It is great news that Spring will be here shortly. Flower beds will be back to life. Birds will start nesting. The Magnolia tree in my front garden, started budding already. The Magnolia tree is always the first one to let me know that Spring is just around the corner. My friend the Black Squirrel will be here for his workouts on the wooden fence of my back garden. The Canadian rose plant will be loaded with beautiful pink flowers all around. I can't wait to see all that. Atmosphere will be loaded with aroma and all kinds of fragrances. Skeleton trees will no longer be Skeletons. They all will be back to life. There will be so much green around. It will be a totally different scenario. We will start planning to hit the roads, trails and waters. People will be busy outdoors, going fish...

     March 22nd 2025 Weather is tricky, too windy, 56 km gusts. I see some flurries too from my window. I am done with my breakfast, planning to go for my walk. I think it is not safe for walks.  At our age we have to be more careful with our body. We can’t afford falls. It will be done for the rest of the days of our life. Our body is not so strong to handle any such thing. Safety is important at any age. It has to be top priority at our age. My son has to go with his wife. He offered to give me a ride. Lucky me. It's 11.15, I am at Tim Hortons. This is like my second home. I am working three days a week, going to the library to play Darts.  I take library like my work place, my office. After we are retired, we have to trick ourselves. It works well to keep our mind on the right track. Helps to keep ourselves away from thinking negatives. Mind and body are interconnected, like two in one. We take care of one of them, the other one will work well t...

  March 17th 2025 Open letter to my Friends It's already mid of March and we still have to wear coats. It is Monday morning with 4C below zero feels like 11C below zero. We had lots of snow this year, especially in the month of February. We had two back to back big storms dumping more than seventy eight centimeters of snow. We were stuck for about a day otherwise life was going on. Roads were all cleared and traffic was normal. Walkways and side roads took some time to be back on track. Thanks to the city workers. Toronto was not the same. It was a different scenario with heaps of snow by road sides. To open car doors was not easy on a double driveway due to the big snow dump at the side. Our city looked like Ottawa. It reminded me of the time thirty years ago. The time when I used to live in Ottawa. Things in Toronto looked the same in February. Snow all around. Anyway, the snow is gone. Not here anymore. Thanks to the sun shining in full bloom. Summer is getting closer day by da...

  It is the month of March and the weather is a bit tricky. Charles Dickens was right to mention in one of his beautiful writings.  “ One of those days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold; when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade “. Amazing description so close to reality. Weather is getting better day by day. Snow is melting away. Sun looks much brighter in full bloom. Smiling from up and above. Summer looks just around the corner. Everyone is waiting eagerly making plans for partying outside. In Canada every season is intense and comes in full bloom. We Canadians have a feel of all and learned to enjoy every season. Winter comes with twenty to twenty five C below zero Piles of snow dumping around. Spring comes bringing everything back to life. Flower beds with all kinds of beautiful flowers. Skeleton trees now loaded with leaves around. Grass in gardens, is lush green. We see so much green all around. Autumn comes, bringing a totally dif...

    March 4th 2025 Beautiful morning after days it is not snowing today. Chances of rain are 80% for all day. Let's see. Our weather channel's predictions are usually correct.  We Canadians rely on it. We start our day checking the forecast first thing in the morning to plan our day schedule. Our life is all around this channel. It plays a key part in our day to day life here in Canada. Today is my dentist appointment in the afternoon. Cars are out of the question as my daughter in law works in person. My grandson, the eldest one, works online. He is having an in-person meeting today.  He offered to change his schedule for my appointment. I was happy and thankful to him for his kind gesture. I told him that I can make it on my own. I know that sometimes we need support to streamline our things in life. I believe we have to try to handle it on our own until it's unavoidable.  It gives strength to ourselves and boosts our will power too. This is esp...

  March 1st 2025 March has already started, spring is just around the corner and we are still under the grip of cold. Winter is not done for us in Canada. It's 16 C below zero feels like 24 C below.  Heaps of snow are all around due to last week's two back to back snow storms. We are having light snow every day but not as much as last week. We had thirty five centimeters of snow in just two or three days. Snow is no problem here in Canada, especially in Toronto. City is equipped to deal with that. Streets and walkways all cleared right away. I live by the curly roadside still it is done in a couple of hours later on. Some provinces in Canada on the North side have issues as there is too much snow not easy to handle so it takes time to clear the mess. My eldest daughter in Edmonton has to wear cleats to get mail from the mailbox just across her house.  Winter is long over there for more than six months. I won't blame the city people. It's tough to deal with...

  February 25th 2025 Today I walked to Tim Hortons after weeks. My walking was on hold due to the back to back couple of snow storms. It was muddy and water on the walkway still I was able to handle.  I was walking slowly, not taking big steps. Snow now became ice, hanging with trees around. White Snow banks by the sides of the walkway, looking beautiful, giving a scenic view to the path. I was wearing joggers. It helped me to walk through. It was sort of a muddy path I made to get to the Coffee House safely. We have to look around for the conditions to be careful with our health and safety.  Health varies to everyone. Depending on our health we can take measures to make decisions taking that aspect into account. Safety is a priority for everyone at any age. As we are getting older we are entering into the later stages of the cycle of life. We have to take added precautions. Our body becomes older and fragile and needs extra care and extra safety. We have to...

    Happy St Patrick day to all my Irish friends We in Toronto are in the middle of a couple of snow storms. There were two back to back with twenty five centimeters of snow. Thirty years ago I used to live in Ottawa. There we experienced heaps of snow. Winter days were tough. long for more than six months over there. People used to walk on the frozen lake surface. Snowflakes were floating on the lake water even in the month of May. Roads used to be cleared thanks to the city still snow used to be like hillocks around. Nowadays it's the same situation here in Toronto. City expects that it will take three weeks to clear all that mess. My walks are on hold for now. I try to go to the Coffee house to change my scenery whenever I can. My grandson goes to the gym. I coordinate with his schedule. My son was going to get groceries yesterday, He dropped me at Tim Hortons. Even the coffee house entrance was not safe. I was taking my steps very carefully. We try to get out...

    It's mid of February and two big snow storms are on the way. Snow is already all around. February is usually a tough month here in Canada. Same for the parts in America closer to the Canadian borders. I called my brother yesterday. It was the same story over there. He was stuck at home and walks were out of question for nowadays. He lives in Whitby with his daughter, twenty minutes away from my place Pickering in Canada. He is visiting his other daughter in Chicago. He was thinking that he will be away from the tough freezing cold days over here. Not anymore. I am worried about him. He is not in good shape, facing Parkinson problems. He is about my age, just a couple of years younger than me. In his good days, he was a very active and outgoing person. We have to value our moments in hand. You never know what is going to come in later days ahead. God forbid anything can happen at any stage of our life, still the last leg of the cycle of our life is a bit tricky...

     Sometimes things look good all in your favor and suddenly you figure out that you have to take a back. Today the same happened to me. It was 10 C below zero and also not too windy, and looked good to walk.  I planned to get out to get some fresh air and to top up my steps. Winter days you won't get many chances to add up your steps. We live in Canada, it's snowy and cold. We are used to it still, going for a walk is like a challenge for us. We have to bundle up in layers with so many things on and it becomes tough to walk around to enjoy the outdoors. Anyway I got ready with everything, sweater, gloves, woolen cap, stole and with my heavy winter coat. There are from light to heavy ones, all varieties of coats in our coat closet. We pick and choose depending on the weather conditions.  It is good to have safety as your priority all the time. Not good to have any surprises on the way. It is better to think before taking any action. Think through, ...

  It's early morning on cold wintry days. Cloudy morning, the sun is hiding somewhere inside his grey blanket. Not in a mood to wake up early. Maybe he wants to enjoy his weekend.  Snow is all around such a peaceful, serene atmosphere. My deck is under a thick sheet of ice. Red garden chair looks beautiful with thick white cushions. On the back in the flower bed of my back garden plants of pink Canadian roses and the blood red David Austin roses, are now transformed into bushes. They are now loaded with white Cottony flowers not with roses anymore. It is 10.30 in the morning, I am standing by the front door of my house. Very different view here. My red wooden bench is loaded with a bulk of white stuff. Hockey net by the garage side looks knitted with pearls in between and also decorated with icicles. What a beauty to behold to cherish. It is 11.15, I am at the lakeside. Water looks Steel gray in color at the front. At the back it is Beige with a golden hue giving...

      Today is Tuesday. I don't have to go to work to play Darts. I am off today. I have to make some other plans to fill in my day plan sheet. My back garden displays a different scenario. Deck is covered under white sheet, the same as the grass. There is a thick slab of ice on the glass top of my steel garden table. No more flowers in the flower bed. It's so quiet all around. Today is the garbage pick up day for our neighborhood. All the green, blue and grey bins are lined up by the driveways, waiting to be picked up. Cars are staying still in the driveway for the orders to move. It looks like a very quiet atmosphere around. No activity on the ” Twin Towers “, I mean on the two tall trees in the front garden of my next door neighbor. All of its apartments look vacant. Birds are still away, not back from South of the Border. It will take time I think a few more weeks to rent out the Towers apartments. Things will change. It is 10.30, I am in my room. Breakf...

    It is a bright sunny cold morning. I am having breakfast and enjoying the view of my back garden. It's not looking like a garden anymore. My deck is covered with white sheet of snow. Grass is also under the white blanket.  Flower bed with no flowers, just with a couple of shrubs. The Canadian rose plant has no leaves. Beautiful pink roses are a matter of history. They were gone weeks ago. The glass top of my steel garden table is loaded with a thick slab of ice. The red garden chair, my son got from the Canadian Tire store, is nearly half under the heap of snow. So much has changed in just a couple of weeks. Weather was very cold and windy for a couple of days, 22C below zero, gusts around 50 km. Today is much better, still cold and slushy. Slushy is dangerous to walk, especially at our age. I won't take any chances to slip. My eldest grandson is going for his coffee. I talked to him to drop me at Tim Hortons. It's like a second home for me. The days whe...

  December 24th 2024 It was sort of a snow storm last night, 10 to 15 cm of snow showered from above. Snow is now all around. Walkways are cleared of snow. Thanks to the city, still it's slushy. Snow from the side is melting down as temperature is mild, making the path slushy. It's not easy to walk, especially for us, seniors. It's a beautiful atmosphere. Skeleton trees look decorated. Sprinkled with white powdery flakes. Other trees, the green ones, are loaded with cottony flowers. Every season brings its own beauty. Same is with winter. Snow is beautifying things, making scenic all around. It is 11.45, I am getting ready to get out. Change of spot is always good. It helps to take you to the right track, away from negativity. We don't feel stuck, stagnant, which always channelizes negative thoughts. I have to be careful when walking. These days are a bit tricky to go out. I believe that we are masters of our own lives. We have to make decisions on how to...

    Beautiful morning, all snow gone.Thanks to the rain last night. My deck is all clean and washed. Gold leaves are no more there. It looks a bit quiet. I can't see my friend the Black Squirrel. Birds are still not back from South of the Border. Canadian Beautiful pink roses and the blood red David Austin roses are taking a break. Seasonal violet, red and yellow flowers are also not here. They must be tired and need a break too. Grass is still green. So many trees are transformed into skeletons. Need moral support from their green colleagues around. The Magnolia tree in my front garden is done for the season. He is always the first one to make an announcement that spring is just around the corner. Get ready to celebrate. Red wooden bench at the left side of my garden is looking beautiful, washed and clean due to last night's rain. My driveway is also washed and clean, very quiet. No cars will be there by late evening. My daughter in law is working in person. Sam...

  December started about two weeks ago. New Year is on the way, and will be soon here. We had snow a couple of times. Today there is nothing just by the road side and by the side of walkways. Things have changed, I think, because of global warming. We now don't have heaps of snow and ice. I remember windchill used to be in September and snow used to start by November. From December to February used to be tough. People used to become tired like it will never end. I was in Ottawa thirty years ago. Winter over there used to be really tough. Ice floats on lake water even in March. Rideau Canal used to be changed into an ice skating rink. I joined a couple of things to get out to pass my cold days, long nights and short days. I used to get a monthly bus pass to move around. We have to find ways to make use of our time. Complaining won't help anything out. Nothing changes, we have to change our own self. Make plans according to the available circumstances. I joined Oxfa...

    Beautiful cold morning. It's a total change of scenery. Last week there was Gold scattered around. Golden leaves kept on showering from plants.  Now silver from up and above all around. Nature is great. It is like a photo album. Keep on turning pages. Every season comes with its own beauty. So much to enjoy and cherish. I am going to Tim Hortons. It's like my second home. I have to bundle up with layers with a woolen cap, stole and my heavy coat, which is hanging at the back in my coat closet. It's time to wear that one. Snow  storm is coming after 2 pm. I have lots of time for my walk and to be back by that time. Snow is still around. It is Canada my dear. My front and back gardens are Looking beautiful with Snow scattered on lush green grass, looking like cottony flowers on grass. Walkway is clear. No Snow here. Thanks to the City. Most of the trees are now transformed into skeletons. Some still green, some with leaves changed from green to copper...

    November 19th 2024 Beautiful morning, no rain, no snow. It is cold 5 C, what else do we expect these days? December is getting closer. We are ready for snow anytime soon. We are all set, and learned our lessons on how to cope with all that. No worries. We humans are amazing creatures. We adjust to any circumstances, able to handle and to make our time. We Canadians have a list of winter sports. Ice hockey, skating, fishing, snowboarding and so many other things make our days. We have cleats to walk on our frozen waters. We just bundle up to hit the roads. Nothing stops our day to day activities. Sun also comes out most of the time to brighten our days. I think he also learned his lessons to handle 25 C below zero temperatures. It is the beauty of  Canada. Sun goes back early to take rest under his hazy blanket. He must be cold, wants to warm up. We have to switch lights on, sometimes even at 4 pm. We know that the sun has to leave early. He needs a break ...