Food, warm food

 The way it used to be... still applies to our world today... plant, grow, harvest, eat.

I really enjoy watching things grow... 

food, in particular.

Some people use language like... 

"Eat in season food," and I think they likely don't have a really good grasp on the short growing season of the mid- Canadian province we live in.

I still believe real nutrition comes from real...

 food.

Eggs, basil, peppers, cheese, milk, cream, butter,...

some of the  most nutritious foods have very simple ingredients.

Soup... I make soup most weeks from...

hmm,...

 September 

to May...

I would show you all my photos of my food but it almost seems like some of them have disappeared... 

Good thing I had 2,000 of them developed... the old- fashioned way.

Meat... all my soups have meat and meat broth beginnings.

Some of my soups look more like a yummy thick stew...

I dried some of this to see if I would enjoy it as... 

tea. 

Tasted the same as what you buy in a store.

During this cold winter season... may warm food and warm tea and coffee nourish your body.

Is it a crime?

 As a writer, sometimes. the only value in an experience is the scene possibility... to write an extreme situation into a novel so that we can all learn to be better people.

For my first published novel, I only studied criminology a very little bit and, for a time, I considered taking a course, on criminology, until I decided that History is a much better subject for me.

Strangely, though, as I wrote my 'work- a-day' book, some may call it ordinary, I had to dissect human behaviour from an 'alpha to omega' sequencing.

I use the phrase 'alpha to omega' in the meaning of 'beginning to end.' So, when detailing behavioural issues, it is necessary to mine the childhood experiences of a unruly and trouble- bound child into the adulthood of 'said' child to determine situational outplay. 

For instance, a scene in The Orchard Walk takes place in a bookstore. A child is forced to go to a very 'boring' public reading of a novel that has just been released. His parents force him to go imagining that the civilized environment might spark a match of interest in the 'bully' child.

Now, the reason I wrote about a child that was so obnoxious and a blatant bully that terrorized other people was because of the many situations I had to deal with when my wee little children attended school and were attacked by very uncivilized belligerents. My experiences, in dealing with bullies, were many, and I was always attempting to de- escalate situations when no policing was available.

The goal of any violent clash is, of course, to protect the lives of those who really didn't want to enter the fight at all. So, if anyone voluntarily enters a fight, there are real skills you will need if the 'end of a skirmish' is to be carefully negotiated so as to avoid very bitter residual feelings. Conflict resolution dictates that 'both' sides of any disagreement must adhere to the law and most conflicts, by definition, have usually crossed the boundaries of law into the arena of 'conflict' through the crime of infringement of rights. To de- escalate a situation, first, everyone must be willing to obey the law... which, of course, means, you have to know the laws that may be broken within a 'fight.' So, the phase of mediation, of such situations, can only begin after 'safety of all parties involved' has been secured, rules of resolution have been established and proper representation of each side has been procured. Proper representation must exclude anyone with a conflict of interest.

There are myriad problems that will arise if these steps are ignored, by- passed or circumvented by inappropriate parties using 'bully tactics' to overrule others. By definition, conflict resolution means a particular situation has been resolved. 

To resolve something means to settle a contentious matter. When a matter is contentious, it leads to arguing and the controversy, difference of opinion, must be peacefully traversed until mutual agreement has been reached.

For every person seeking a resolution to your personal crime which could be an act or activity that is considered to be shameful, wrong, or mistaken... I encourage a journal writing of the happening, in step by step detailing. As you write, you will discover where and how the situation went from a 'trusted' relationship ( work or personal) to a blatant distrust of manipulative moves that can only be described as 'criminal.'

May this year be a resolution year.  

Safe Boundaries

 

Boundaries is a huge topic that has been discussed and firmly exhibited from Old Testament stories to modern- day rivalries, as well as each personal relationship in ones' life.

A simple example of a boundary is a fence. 

Why do people put up fences?

People put up fences to keep what is inside a fence safe from intruders. So, when determining where to build a 'gazebo,' shed, anything you or I plan to use for our work or enjoyment, we choose to build it within the safety of a fence. A gazebo is a private structure that is usually built for relaxation and, quite often, rest. A shed/ garage is built for storing work- a- day items that are needed to effectively manage your life. 

I know what I am writing seems so obvious that a person would wonder what I am leading up to with such information. 

Well, my topic is 'boundaries' in relationships. So, my husband and I built this gazebo... all by ourselves... just the two of us. It is a one- of- a- kind gazebo that you can't buy anywhere because we needed a screened structure to enjoy outdoor living... there are a lot of pesky bugs where we live, in summer. This was a lot of work and, being do- it- yourselfers, it took every weekend from April to September, 2023 for us to complete.

Now, just for the record, I would be very upset if someone came into my yard and used it without my permission. The yard is fenced, locked and protected. This is the way it feels safe to us.

Boundaries, in property, are a good indication of boundaries in relationships. You might get a 'growl' if you enter a fenced yard, human or animal. I obey the rights of the owner... as I want the same respect.

Let's carry this topic into the arena of business relationships. Personally, I have never had a business partnership as that was highly recommended to me by many business owners. The problem with partnerships, these people would say, business especially; 

is the necessity, oftentimes, of a healthy break- up. The reason I say 'healthy' is because nobody wants things to become angry, messy, tense, or antagonistic. 

Now, many people wish healthy business relationships because we all need to earn money to live on. 

The most important thing each of us should attend to is a safe boundary between 'work' and 'home life.'

Work is what we do to create a good home life. That is the purpose of work. If anyone crosses the boundary of your home, without express permission, a tense environment may be the unhealthy result. An immediate boundary conversation can rectify the situation and keep relationships happy and healthy.

Other than my sole proprietorship type of business, I would not use my home for outside 'employee type' of work. I believe it is not healthy to invite strangers into your home... employers or employees. That boundary should always be maintained for the safety of each family unit.

So, when 'new' people try to muscle into your life, be firm, yet pleasant, in stating your 'safe boundaries' for the ease of relating. This is usually not a problem with mature people but, occasionally, it can crop up with people who don't know you or I... well.

Be pleasant, be polite, yet firm... let your yes, be yes and your no, be no.   

Purpose of Politeness

 It's 2026... the first real workday in this household... Christmas wonderfulness has, mostly, been packed away and I am formulating my goals for this year. 

    For the past three and a half years, I have been living in a town, not a city, per se. It is very difficult to find 'work that pays' in a new location. So far, I have not found it. 

    So, what have I done with my time here? 

    Unpaid work, of course! That I have been doing since the age of 17. 

    Now, before anyone tries to devalue 'unpaid work,' let me tell you what kind of projects I have completed.

    Do you know the saying, "Grow where you're planted?"

    I certainly have. I brought my garden box to this property and started growing immediately. Food... always necessary! 

    What I really moved here for was, a man who would help me with my projects. A helping hand, someone to share the day with and enjoy the completed projects.

    What did 'we' build in our project bonding? 

    A gazebo! I love my lovely garden room. It is a very successful project. It was completed in September of 2023 or 2024... I'll check my journal. Can we use the term elaborate for a gazebo? Well, it certainly is adequate. 

    What was the most important component of this budding relationship that 'got the project done,' so to speak? Dare I say respect? How about something old- fashioned, like politeness? In the past, not so distant, elaborate politeness was the social order of the day. This was, actually, a good thing. One day, a neighbour mentioned, to me, that she had been listening to us communicating during our summer- long project and she was quite impressed with how respectfully we communicated, even during stressful steps in the building of this structure.

     With this compliment, I thought, whew, we were being evaluated and we passed the test.

    There are times when evaluation, with this result, is encouraging. 

    Unrelenting evaluation, from bosses, co- workers, or family would not be helpful or constructive but this was a good conversation.

    The purpose of politeness is... productivity, in any work- a- day setting... paid work or unpaid work, the results will be the same. Politeness will keep a project going, insults will grind a project to a swift halt. 

    A total bathroom renovation was also completed, with my 'heading up the project' skills... of which my husband was more than willing to relinquish control of... 

    He simply said that construction was much more my skill than his, respectfully, of course!  

Gossip

 Todays' subject is... gossip.

I'll take a quote from my novella, as yet unpublished in paper copy, for sale to the public,...

"The trees moved now in secret messages but Simmy couldn't quite grasp what that message was. She concentrated very hard staring at the tree- gossiping leaves that seemed all atwitter with excitement. The gossip didn't seem the bitter kind, you know, the kind that sends out demons to search for the blood of the innocent. No, quite the opposite, it was the kind that scatters seeds of perfectly blooming poppies. This red justice promise was something to anticipate just like Aunt Bea's field of spring poppies." (The Red Dust Healers by El Dueck- I give myself permission to change my publishing name for future books, possibly my maiden name, Guenter. As yet, this is undetermined.)

I did put a quote from my novella in The Orchard Walk by El Dueck but it was a different quote from this one. 

So, I actually wrote this book, The Red Dust Healers, circa 2010, before I wrote The Orchard Walk.

Writing should have a goal, therefore, a writer should have a goal in mind when writing something. My goal, today, is to warn people about the dangers of gossip. I sincerely hope I will not have to write about the damaging effects of gossip to people I know and love.

Let's begin...

The first question each of us should ask when someone says something about another person is...

Is it true?

I believe this is the most crucial aspect that will be required of a 'gossiper' to prove. 

One of the worst employees I ever had to 'cull from the pack,' when I managed a tiny restaurant, was a young woman who just loved to repeat gossip. She was like the recording device on your phone... she would listen to everyone she worked with, and then, she would drop these 'mind recorded' statements about other people into the conversations, pretending innocence, as she created a whirlwind of trouble. 

It took me a while to figure out who the offender was, creating such trouble amongst the staff. There was one interesting fact about this behaviour. The offender never talked about herself. She only repeated things other people said... to be clear, she repeated anything said by male or female. That was the only part of her offense that was non- discriminatory. 

What was the result of her habitual, bad habit of gossip?

The atmosphere within the group of staff became hostile, unfriendly, and mistrusting. People didn't smile, laugh, or have fun. They just looked for a better job.

There was only one bright light of hope that resulted from that situation. 

Ordinarily, the people 'being trashed' by a gossiper get such a bad reputation that they have to leave that group and go find a more decent group but, due to the quick thinking of the manager, myself, I found a way for that person to see that a different group would be better for her. She put in her resignation and the only person who had a lasting reputation of 'badness' was 

'the gossiper.'  

Dis ability

Dis ability to write, that I have, is going to produce a life lesson story about disability... 

here I go! 

Today, I am going to talk about disability from the perspective of a sufferer who applied for disability benefits and was denied.

So, my particular struggles are heavily knee and lower back related. Genetics plays part of the role of disabilities, for sure. Work type plays part of the role of disabilities, for sure. Childbirth can be a problem, that, at times. has lingering weaknesses to overcome. Accidents are always a major setback, if injury results.

Now, here is the very difficult news for many people who don't really know how the 'system of government' works for 'workers.'

I applied for disability in 2021. Physical jobs, in my past, had expunged many jobs from my list of possibilities, for applying. 

Many jobs are quite often misrepresented and sometimes we accept them for a very short day or two but quickly realize that the fit is not quite right. Yes?

So, what would I like to disclose today so that people who apply for disability are not set up for great disappointment?

Here in Canada, if the rules have not changed as of 2021, the reason I was denied disability, I was told by the person I spoke to on the phone, was that I had not put in enough 'money' into the government coffers to... be eligible for disability. 

Basic lesson regarding this problem... 

Either you have to work 40- 50 years putting money into the government coffers in order to draw from your investment...

or you would be well- advised to save all the money you can... from all the work you have ever done... for your well- deserved time off when your knees and back will not perform as a youth.

So, the best advice I ever received, from a woman working at a bank, was this...

always pay yourself first so that, 

if you ever get denied disability, 

when you need it, 

as I  did...

you will have a little saved for those difficult days!

What is the lesson learned?

Invest in yourself... for I am a good investment and you are a good investment. 

How do I prove that you or I are a good investment? 

Here's a simple example I'll encourage you to extrapolate for every situation in your personal life.

Invest in your breakfast; that will allow you to work until first break or lunchtime. 

Invest in your lunch; that will allow you to work until second break or quitting time.

Invest in your dinner; that will have magnificent results for your next days' activities or work.

 

Here is my B- log

 

What is a log? Well, the photo, above, has pieces of a log, a real log. You know, a tree log. 

What am I punning on when  I say, 'This is my B- log?' You won't often find my opinions of day to day living to stray far from my foundational Beliefs.

This is my blog, a conversational communique where I relay my thoughts. By using tangible items I have purchased, or made, I make my world of commerce meet my world of beliefs. 

On the inside 'jacket' cover of my novel, The Orchard Walk, I wrote the line, 'The sacrifices made by... have become obscured and entangled in the vintage of commerce.' 

I truly feel that the current generation has become confused regarding the meaning of 'commerce.' When I combine two definitions of commerce, "the activity of buying and selling with social dealings between people," I believe there must be a high regard for people and products and pricing if one is to fulfill this definition. 

I will communicate a story from a local businessman about something he purchased for a very good price! Because it was an overseas purchase, 'said businessman' had no way of knowing if the seller was honest. He sent the money anyway, hoping for the best. 

What happened?

He didn't get the product. 

I call this sowing to the wind. Sometimes you just reap a whirlwind because confusion is a whirlwind. Confusion messes with your head and obscures your vision, entangling thoughts and making strong decisions impossible.

One reason people have become very confused about commerce is the inability to test the integrity of a seller or buyer in a face to face social environment, like things were in the old days. 

Why do people buy what they buy? 

The first and easiest answer is need.

Statistics say that the largest two items most households will ever purchase are... a house and a vehicle.

I have owned a few vehicles and the reason for buying them has always been need. A few unfortunate accidents required me to replace my vehicles. One thing I do not appreciate in the world of vehicles and commerce is this... punning or joking or outright lying.

Where I live, the insurance company uses a term, your vehicle was written off to inform the owner that an accident has caused too much damage and the insurance company will not repair your vehicle even though you would prefer that to any lesser settlement.

Unfortunately, that was my experience this last year. Now, we all know that it is the job of a reputable company to make sure the paperwork anyone is required to sign, in this situation, is attended to properly. So, when hiring for positions that require good management to carry out these duties, make sure these people don't pun while you are signing, saying, "Boy, I sure hope I didn't write off two vehicles just now." 

Those are words nobody would say in a reputable business but it happened to me. Because I have not heard from the owner of the business, whom I would be willing to listen to if there were a problem... I think I can safely assume that nothing untoward actually took place but, I ask you, dear reader,...

Would you put in a complaint so the owner is aware of his managers' mistake?