Lise's Ramblings

The simile “as soft as a baby’s bottom” doesn’t even begin to cover the many soft baby parts. Moving on up to the face, you’ll find that a baby’s other cheeks are equally soft. Baby hair is smoother than silk. And not having trod around yet, babies even have extra smooth soles of their feet. If companies could develop a product to replicate baby softness for those of us who have been ravaged by time, sun and everything we face in our daily environment, then those shareholders would be laughing all the way to the bank. Advertisers may tout baby soft results, but that’s all talk. If a product truly delivered on its baby soft promise, then EVERYONE would find out about it at the speed of lightning via word of mouth and tweets…no traditional ads required. Until that day comes, and I do hope it does, we just have to live vicariously through infants and their softness that is so very AWESOME!

Your paths haven’t crossed in ages. At most, you’ve cast guilt-ridden looks its way as you dug for something in the far reaches of your closet. At worst, it has been stored away in a “fat clothes box” in the basement or attic. But at long last you muster up the nerve to try on that old favourite. To your delight, you can wiggle it up over your hips or slide it down over your head and shoulders. Yep, that outfit is back in your repertoire of feel-good garb. This is cause for celebration! Your favourite outfit no longer puckers where the buttons meet or creates tight waistband grooves that make you gasp for breath. AWESOME!

Nothing tastes better than fresh, homegrown food. Harvesting these fall treats with a friend just makes everything taste even better. It doesn't matter if you score corn, butternut squash, zucchini, carrots, peppers, acorn squash, tomatoes of all sizes and colours, cauliflower, leeks, spaghetti squash, peppers, beans, fall lettuce or herbs. Yum! For anyone who lives in a concrete metropolis, I suggest you take a break and flee the city. Head to the neighbouring rural areas and pick up locally grown produce at a roadside stand or farmers' market. You’ll support hardworking farmers and you'll benefit from delicious, healthy, and possibly even organic, food. Not a veggie fanatic? This is also the time of year to scoop up fresh cranberries. Seriously, who can resist those compact, tart, antioxidant-rich gems? If you don't bake or can't convince someone else to bake with them, then at the very least toss some cranberries into a favourite drink and raise your glass to toa

Yes, sunscreen is very important. And hats and snazzy shades are nearly as critical on a sunny day. But, after factoring in UVA and UVB protection, turn your face up towards the sun. As those rays warm your cheeks, the lines around your eyes will relax, a smile will stretch across your face and you’ll slip into a period of AWESOME!

How can you not love those chunks of cheese as they squeak when you bite into them? They don’t need to be refrigerated in the same way as other cheeses. Many Canadians even top their french fries with cheese curds before smothering the whole mess in gravy. It may be bizarre cheese, but it also ranks as AWESOME!

Spring and fall tend to bring lots of showers. Those heavy rains flush earthworms out of their subterranean existence by the hundreds. The worms are strewn about every paved area, leaving you with little choice but to tread carefully, tiptoeing in search of worm-free spots to step. I admit there’s another option, but as a gardener who appreciates those hardworking earthworms, I simply cannot bear to just stomp my way through their path. I know that certain varieties of worms can regenerate parts of their bodies, but I doubt a worm would survive to multiply if my boot or shoe crushed it under my full weight. As much as rainy days can suck, there’s some joy in making it across your driveway or parking lot without slipping on any long, slimy worms. Outmaneuvering nature, maintaining your composure and winning the earthworm obstacle course… AWESOME!

“Signs, signs, everywhere a sign.” Those famous lyrics, sung by both the Five Man Electrical Band and Tesla, describe how many of us feel in this world full of excessive signage. We’re bombarded by signs of all shapes, sizes and colours. So much so that we often tune them out, but every now and then, we’re rewarded with a chuckle for paying attention to some of the signs around us. During my vacation last week, I saw a few precious examples. The signs were posted in all seriousness, and yet I couldn’t help but break out laughing. The best one was in Sandy Hill (Ottawa), just steps away from Rideau Street. The sign, intended to warn motorists of a bump to keep traffic speed in check, read: Speed Hump . Now I’ve heard of speed dating and quickies, but this was the first time I’ve ever seen a sign for a speed hump. I must remember to arm myself with a camera during my next drive through Sandy Hill. The second best example was a sign for a community in northeastern Quebec: Saint-Lo

Today, back-to-school shopping is all about new laptops, cellphones and funky wardrobes of fashionable clothing. In my day, the excitement of gearing up for school was about less expensive, basic items. Don’t get me wrong; however small, I still anticipated that haul in a big way. So much so that I still smile when I see Hilroy notebooks, colourful pencil crayons or even those protractor kits in tiny tins. Call me a geek, but as much as I loved summer weather, I was excited about back-to-school rituals. Getting a new pencil case that didn’t have frayed bits catching in its zipper or maybe another lunch box if last year’s was rusting out or the thermos was leaky. I know, I’m old. This was long before the neoprene bags of today. I always looked forward to heading back to the classroom. Writing out my binder divider tabs for each subject. Choosing photos and stuff to decorate the inside of my locker. Tucking new books and all those back-to-school goodies into a knapsack/backpack

They’re all awesome, and yet, the Victoria Day (or two-four weekend) has always been extra special. As a child, it marked the onset of days at the park, pool parties and playing outside until late. As a teenager, it signaled the first camping trip of the year. In university, it meant exams were done, a new job had begun and warm days had arrived. In adulthood, Victoria Day is a welcomed date too, because I can plant seedlings, veggies and other new goodies in the gardens without the risk of overnight frost. And now that I live in PEI, long weekends also present great opportunities for quality beach time and a triple-bill at the Brackley drive-in. AWESOME!

Whether at work or at home, we’ve all had crappy days. Some are worse than others. The beauty of experiencing a day that sucks is that when you wake up the next morning you’re ready to put it all behind you. Buh bye! It’s a new day. Sunrise presents a chance for a complete do over. That’s right, BRING IT. Oh yeah, and make it… AWESOME!