In My World

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Perceived Shape Have you ever been significantly more OR less physically fit than you are today?  What was different about that? What was easier? Harder? Did others treat you any differently? I hate to answer these questions because I always feel like people might think I'm being all whiney . . . but my physical fitness changed in a week.  I went to a convention in good shape, healthy . . . I had been hiking just a few days before.  While I was away, I got sick.  I was so sick that I was scared to go the hospital because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to go home.  So I waited until I returned to Canada to see a doctor.  After nearly a year of tests I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  My life has never been the same.  I believe that was 1996. Pistol Patent Day When : Always February 25th "Shoot! I don't have a Pistol Patent." If this thought is going through your mind right now, the...

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Home Write about your first home: Your childhood home or first apartment of your own. As far as I know, I lived in the same house all my childhood.  Since I can't actively recall the first year or two, I can only guess about those years. We lived at 343 Wellington Street, one of only two modern flat-roofed homes in town.  Apparently the house was fairly small when it was first built.  I was old enough to remember when the house nearly doubled in size but I couldn't actually tell you how old I was.  Next door to us was an empty lot owned by my grandfather.  You could walk between Wellington St. and Mary St. E. through that lot.  My grandfather's house abutted the lot at the Mary St. E. end.  It was a great place to play.   National Tortilla Chip Day When : Always February 24th Today is a holiday with a crunch. One might even suggest that it is a corny holiday. Well, that's okay ...

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Needed When was the last time you felt needed? I am very lucky that my family live close together and we help each other whenever we can.  I feel needed most of the time.  Better still, I feel wanted. Only one blog post today: http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/02/mackies-in-port-stanley-and-walking-on.html We enjoyed a scrapbooking crop on \february 22nd at the CASO Station. The Canadian Southern Station is an historically and architecturaly significant building.  This is what it used to look like. A local community group was formed to restore the station.  There is still a lot to do I imagine but it already looks gorgeous. International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day When : Always February 23rd International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day is a day for the dogs. And, that's because there is no one else who can really appreciate the true value of a dog biscui...

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Dreams Describe a dream you have had recently. I wish I could . . . but they disappear as soon as I wake up.  I do know that if I am mad at someone, I usually dream about them and it involves water and usually them drowning. International World Thinking Day When : Always February 22nd Just think about it! Today is a day to ponder and contemplate. International World Thinking Day is celebrated by Girl Scouts, Girl Guides and other girl groups. The original objective of this day was to set aside a day for girls all over the world to think of each other, and to give thanks and appreciation to "sister" Girl Scouts and Girl Guides. Over the years, it has been expanded to include the opportunity for girls (young and less young) to learn about health issues that affect girls and young women. You don't have to be a Girl Scout or a Girl Guide to participate in this day. Rather, we encourage all females...

February 21, 2014 If you are looking for a delicious hardy side dish you really must try this recipe.  I love it.   http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/02/oven-roasted-vegetables.html Card Reading Day When : Always February 21st Card Reading Day is a fun day. It's a day to read cards..... no more, no less. Beyond a doubt, the stationery and Ecard companies love this day. It encourages you to send cards. They like that. As we did our research, we thought we'd find some history that suggest it is a day for Tarot card readings. It very well could be. But, we found no written evidence to support our theory. What we can tell you, is that its very popular to send and receive cards today. In order to read a card, someone has to send one. So, get the ball rolling and send out some cards today. Chances are, you will get a few back. Source: http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/February/cardreadingday.htm February 21, 2002 - Sport - Canada’s women’s h...

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: A Waste What is your idea of a wasted day? My idea of a wasted day is when I start a bunch of things and don't manage to finish anything.  I need to scratch chores off My Dreaded To Do List. Northern Hemisphere Hoodie-Hoo Day When : Always on February 20 On this winter day, people go out at noon, wave their hands over their heads and chant "Hoodie-Hoo". It is a day to chase away winter blahs, and bring in spring. After all, everyone in the northern hemisphere are sick and tired of winter at this point and a little crazy being cooped up inside all winter and not seeing the sun. Did you know? Hoodie Hoo Day is a copyrighted holiday. It was created and is provided, courtesy of the great folks at Wellcat.com Source: http://www.holidayinsights.com/other/hoo.htm February 20, 1945 - Welfare - Government issues Canada's First Family Allowance cheques. Ottawa, Ontario Source: http://ca...

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Art What's your favorite work of art? What do you love about it? My favourite work of art is Clark McDougall's Talbot Street 1964.  I love the comfort of the piece, the sidewalks clean from a fresh rain just ended, the beautiful colours highlighted with black enamel.  I have a print of it in my dining room.  On a tour of the local art gallery a couple of years ago I was able to see the original. Chocolate Mint Day When : Always February 19th Chocolate Mint Day celebrates anything and everything that is chocolate mint flavored. The most common chocolate mint treats are ice cream, candies, and desserts. Not everyone likes chocolate mint. But those who do love it. No, we don't know why some people don't like this great flavor. But, we do feel sorry for them! For Chocolate Mint lovers, this is truly a great day. Whether its candies, ice cream or desserts, make sure to get your fill of Chocolate M...

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Soothing How do you soothe yourself when you're upset? Sadly I am a stress eater.  Apparently thinking about food makes me forget what I'm upset about.  I understand this about myself so I try to make sure to have lots of healthy snacks and no junk food in the house.  Once in a while I still give in and go to the store for a bag of chips though. Two blog posts on February 18th:   The first is about a tea party fundraiser I attended.   http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/02/afternoon-tea-party-to-benefit-pink.html The second is about the square I designed for the Oddball Sampler Afghan I am making (still).   http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/02/oddball-square-aussie-map-sort-of.html National Battery Day When : Always February 18th People get a charge out of National Battery Day. We are absolutely energized about the many uses and applications. It's an opportunity to cele...

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Love or Be Loved Would you rather have a significant other who was too clingy and needy, or one who was too cold and distant? (Obviously both are pretty awful, but if you had to pick one....). I would definitely prefer the colder other.  Sad to say I have a huge lack of empathy for people that are too clingy.  They get on my nerves. Random Acts of Kindness Day When : Always February 17th Today is Random Acts of Kindness Day. And, you know what to do...perform a few random acts of kindness. Almost any kind deed will do. And, we highly recommend you perform kind acts on as many people as you can. This is a favorite day of many people and groups. People like the idea of showing a little kindness to others. Its a fun and good thing to do. And, they like being on the receiving end of this day as well. It makes both the giver and the receiver feel good. Schools have used this day as an educational event...

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: OMG Have you recently seen a peer (another parent, a coworker, a friend at school) do something that shocked you? These kinds of events make our jaw drop because people we think we have a lot in common with turn out to be totally different than we thought. What happened? Yes I have witnessed some of these jaw dropping events . . . I guess I assume that all people who think would have similar opinions on certain subjects especially gender-bias, racial and religious-bias and so on. I will say that my husband and I got into a HUGE fight years ago when I heard him declare, upon watching a news report about making O Canada more gender inclusive, that that was a stupid idea and that the anthem has always been a certain way and should not change.  I crushed him with facts and realities, including how the anthem first came into being and the number of times it has already been altered.  And then the knock out punch was to...

February 15, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Adjusting What's the biggest adjustment you've ever had to make in your life? In my world, I've had to make adjustments so many times that I'm not even sure which is the biggest.  We've lived in tiny apartments and big homes.  Each required adjustments.  We've had children and we've had an empty nest.  More adjustments.  I've been married and single.  A whole lot of adjustments. I've only blogged about one thing today:   http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/02/spacecraft-aircraft-and-luggage.html National Gumdrop Day When : Always February 15th National Gumdrop Day honors the popular, gelatin-based candy. Gumdrops have been a favorite candy for many decades. Nowadays, the "Gummi" candies which are the same gelatin base, are the most popular gumdrop type of sweet. On National Gumdrop Day, you know what to do . . . eat Gumdrops to your heart's content! Test your Know...

Two blog posts on February 14th, both about new paper piecings: http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/02/paper-piecing-big-suitcases.html http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/02/paper-piecings-travel-set.html About Valentine's Day When: February 14th. Valentine's Day is a celebration of love and lovers. The roots of Valentine's Day goes back to ancient times, when people paid honor to the Roman God of Fertility. This was known as the Feast of Lupercalia, and was celebrated even then on February 14th. The traditions of Valentine's Day are broad and many. It is a time to exchange cards or small gifts. Chocolates and jewelry are the big hits of this holiday as is romantic dinners. It is a romantic event for lovers and a fun event for kids and family. Many a couple become engaged or wed on this day. For others it is a day to fall in love. Did you know? While 75% of chocolate purchases are made by women all year long, during the days and minutes ...

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Angry What has made you angry this week? So far this week I can't think of anything that has made me angry. Of course I've been home alone and things are going pretty well. That could change before the week is done. Blame Someone Else Day When : The first Friday the 13th of the year What a great time you can have on this day. Imagine all the problems, errors, and mistakes you could heap on someone else today. On this day you don't have to take responsibility, or the blame, for any faux pas on your part. On the downside, this day comes as a double edged sword. While you are busy putting the blame elsewhere, someone might just be putting the blame on you! So.......if the is somethin wrong whif the spellin of this artickle, it's not my fallt.....its' yours. Blame Someone Else Day could just be your day. But, watch out..... any blame you place today, can come back to bite you tomorrow. After all....

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: School Play Were you ever involved in a school play as a student? Did you act, sing, design props, play an instrument, or hold prompt cards? Tell us all about it! The details are foggy because you know it was back in ancient history but I vaguely recall being a master of ceremonies for something (Christmas concert?) and I shared the podium with someone (a boy). I was in Grade 6 at Forest Park School. I wore a long red and white dress. That's all I've got for you. I didn't blog on the 12th Plum pudding is something I associate with Christmas but apparently February 12th is Plum Pudding Day When : Always February 12th Plum Pudding Day is your chance to eat some plum pudding. Doesn't this make you happy!?! You must admit, if it wasn't Plum Pudding Day, you probably wouldn't even think about plum pudding, let alone eat some. Participating in Plum Pudding Day make take a little work. Yo...

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Olympics Are you watching the Sochi Olympics? (Many people are boycotting them or just aren't interested.) If not, why not? If yes, what do you think so far? Any favorite sports, stories, athletes? I'm not a real sports fan but I do enjoy the Olympics.  Sadly, February was a slow month at work for the hubby and he kept interrupting my Olympics-viewing.  He is not a fan.  Don't know why. I only have one blog post for February 11th and it is about a paper piecing I had just finished making.   http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/02/paper-piecings-small-suitcases.html Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk Day When : Always February 11th Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk Day is in recognition that everyone spills a little milk now and then. It's a day to be optimistic, think positive, look on the bright side, and to find something good in everything that happens. As the song says: Don't Worry, be Ha...

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Past Lives Assuming for the sake of this prompt that you believe in past lives, who do you think you were in a past life? What events or traits do you 'remember' from the past, or connections do you feel with the past? I have no idea who I might have been in a previous life, if such a thing even existed.  Who do you think I might have been. Only two blog posts on February 10th.  Both showcase different crafts I do. Paper Piecing:   http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/02/paper-piecing-sea-planes.html Knitting:   http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/02/i-just-cant-believe-it-two-more.html Umbrella Day When : Always February 10th Umbrella Day is in honor of one of the world's most invaluable inventions. On a rainy, day, we are sure glad that someone was smart enough to invent it. It's also increasingly popular to use umbrellas to shade ourselves from harmful UV radiation, and the heat o...

February 9, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Dating Scars What's the weirdest or most awkward date you've ever been on? Went out for lunch at Michael's on the Thames in London. I was probably 19 or 20 a the time. We were way underdressed for the restaurant. And while we were waiting to order, my date casually mentioned that he hoped I could pay because he was broke. Yup. I only had a few bucks on me so I ordered a caesar salad to share and then we got the heck out of there. I think that one qualifies as weird and awkward. Two blog posts on February 9th: Showcasing the scrapbooking layouts I finished in January:   http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/02/january-2014-scrapbooking.html Showcasing an very interesting square for my oddball sampler afghan:   http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/02/another-oddball-square-i-cord-flower.html Clean Out Your Computer Day When : Second Monday of the month Clean Out Your Computer Day is a day to logi...

Today's Writing Prompt: Clones If you could clone yourself, what would you have your clones do for you today? I'm not sure I would want to clone myself. Wouldn't my other me have the same arthritis, etc.? If so, she would be pretty useless to me. But if they could take out the arthritis gene and maybe a few others that are wonky and replace them with healthy non-arthritic genes, that would be very useful. She would be able to do all the things I can't do know . . . like scrubbing the kitchen floor and cleaning out cupboards. If she thinks like me I'm sure I could keep her pretty busy in the studio trying out all the ideas I keep trying to make time for. Just read an interesting article, The Power in Writing About Yourself. Here's the link http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/12/ew-feelings/383475/?utm_source=huffingtonpost.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pubexchange_facebook Only one blog post on February 8th . . . http://...

          I am the wife of a transport truck driver.  And winter is coming.  This is the most anxious time of the year not only for drivers but for those of us waiting at home. These photos were taken in the Appalachian Mountains in February 2014.  Its a nice little rest stop on the side of the road and apparently very popular with drivers.  There was no snow when they went to sleep.  Hubby woke up in the morning to knee deep snow and several trucks stuck near the entrance, blocking everyone in. When the plows finally came through, the police and tow trucks soon followed.  They were all very lucky that day. I try not to worry.  I remind myself that if anything were wrong, his company would call me . . . therefore he is all right despite what the Weather Network is saying. I keep reminding myself that he is only a couple of days away from home.  He isn't gone for weeks travelling across Canada anymore...

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Report Card If you could be graded in any made-up subject you wish, what would you get an "A" in? I think I would get an A in Grey's Anatomy trivia, ink splattering, unraveling yarn and roasting turkey. Lame Duck Day When : Always February 6th Hey, today is everything it's quacked up to be. Lame Duck Day is set aside to give recognition to people whose tenure in a position is running out. Okay, so you are probably thinking that a "lame duck" is a duck with some sort of injury. If only that were the reason for toady! Rather, a "Lame Duck" by human, definition is a person who is in a position of some kind, and will soon be "shown the door". The best example is an incumbent politician who lost in the November elections. They usually remain in office until the beginning of January. It also applies to leaders, managers, etc, who are retiring or whose term of office is up. ...

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Wild Pets If you could have any wild animal as a pet, which would you choose? I like animals in the abstract. I am not a pet owner. We had all kinds of pets when the boys were young but mostly cats. The worst pets we had (in my world) were the mice, a gift from my sister . . . although she still denies she did that. The boys were very young and I was responsible for the horrid little creatures. Now that the boys are grown ups I no longer keep pets. I figure I've looked after all the eating and pooping critters I care to. I think it is quite clear that I would not choose any wild animal. I posted two blogs posts on February 5th. One is about a sampler afghan I was working on. Happy to report that it is finished and resides over the back of a chair in my living room. http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/02/celtic-texture-afghan-strip.html . The second post is about organizing fibres and ribbons. http://in...

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Oh, Parents What do your parents do - or have they done - that embarrasses you? I don't know whether my parents have never embarrassed me because I can't remember an instance. So either they were well behaved in public OR it was so traumatic that I've blanked it out. My only blog post on February 4th was to show one of my oddball afghan finished squares . . . one of my favourites, in fact. http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/02/oddball-afghan-diagonal-square.html February 4, 2013 - Canada's penny withdrawn from circulation; following the lead of Australia and New Zealand; last one produced by the Royal Canadian Mint on May 4, 2012 . Winnipeg, Manitoba. Create a Vacuum Day When : Always February 4th Create a Vacuum Day just might leave you in an empty void. We found no factual information or records about this day. So, we can only speculate to its cause.......... Theory #1: A hard working housewi...

Today's Writing Prompt: Accident Describe the circumstances of an accident you've been in. Car, plane, boat, bike - any kind. The very first car accident I was ever involved in was coming home from a Cubs meeting one evening with Greg. Hal was driving our new pick up truck and fortunately it was cold so Greg was in the cab and not in the back. Hey, that was back in the day when we let people ride in the back of pick up trucks and no one thought anything bad of it. We were heading north on Fairview Ave at Wellington Street when a car turned right in front of us. Hal saw it and was able to swerve enough that he only hit only one corner of the truck. Turns out the kid had just got his license that day. No one was hurt thank goodness but because it was the first time I'd ever been in an accident so I was pretty upset and so relieved we had Greg in the cab with us. I wrote a post about a thought I had after watching Wall-E at http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/0...

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Ooops Did you ever take on a responsibility you couldn't handle? Yes I do take on jobs I know I can't handle. I'm learning to say no . . . most times. Usually the problem is that the responsibility is beyond what I can physically do and I pay the price for days afterward. This is one of the best recipes I have ever posted. http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/02/crockpot-chicken-sweet-potatoes.html February is . . . The shortest month of the year. Derived from the Latin for “to purify”. The Romans purified themselves in February to prepare for their festivals. The flowers associated with February are the Primrose & violet. Amethyst is this month’s birthstone. Black History Month First celebrated in Canada in February 1996, Black History Month promotes awareness of Canada’s African cultures. http://www.blackhistorysociety.ca Set aside time this month to explore the rich contribution...

January 31st Jackie Robinson (1919), the first black man to play in major league baseball.  Recipient of the Prinngarn medal in 1956.  Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. Backwards Day Inspire Your Heart with Art Day    What a GREAT Day to schedule a stamp camp/workshop, etc.    A day devoted to experiencing art in your life.   “Food sustains you as a human; art inspires you to be divine.”   Go to an art museum, browse through an art nook at the library,  enroll  in an art class or commission an artist. Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.   --  Pablo Picasso To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.   – Joseph Chilton Pearce 1865: Congress approves the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, abolishing slavery. 1958: The United States Army launches Explorer 1 into Earth's orbit. The first U.S. sa...

THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Best Time What was the best time you ever had, your favorite memory? How can I possibly pick a single favourite memory? I have been very lucky and have many to choose from. Hal's birthday supper this past weekend with the kids, grandkids, and grandmothers was pretty darn awesome. So I guess my favourite memory is the most recent . . . I managed 3 blog for January 30th: http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/01/pp-adorable-little-aliens-and-spaceships.html http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/01/guess-what-we-are-doing.html http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/01/please-vote-for-us-in-cutest-couple.html Franklin D. Roosevelt's Birthday National Popcorn Day Escape Day 1933: Adolf Hitler is named Chancellor of Germany by President Hindenburg. 1948: Indian leader Mohandas Gandhi is assassinated by Nathuram Godse. 1957: The United Nations (UN) General Assembly calls on South Africa to reconside...

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014 Today's Writing Prompt: Best Activity You and your friends all get together on a Friday night. What are you most likely to do? What's your favorite activity to do with a group of close friends? When my friends get together we usually talk too much, giggle too much, eat too much and scrapbook. This photo was taken the day we took over Tim Hortons for our own crafty purposes. I made 2 blog posts on January 29th: http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/01/the-alamo-paper-piecing.html http://inmyworld-pam.blogspot.ca/2014/01/organization-challenge-5-stickers-rub.html National Puzzle Day National Corn Chip Day 1856: The Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest military decoration, was awarded to Alexander Dunn (1833-1868), the first Canadian to receive it, for gallantry at the charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava. 1891: Liliuokalani became Queen of Hawaii following the death of her brother King Kalakaua. She was the last monarch i...