What Holds Us Back

Does anyone remember the above saying?

I heard it thousands of times growing up.

Do you ever wish you could do something? Anything in our control qualifies for this question. Things like, learn a new hobby, language or to cook, play an instrument, game, sport, or even practical things like save money.

I’m certain everyone at some point has said, “I’d love to be able to…”

What sometimes keeps us from trying these things?

Is it a confidence issue?

Is it not liking change?

Is it as simple as, we don’t like to risk failure?

Are the wishful activities that dance in our heads not worth extra time, effort and maybe risking not doing them perfect at first or ever?

After all wouldn’t “failure” be not trying them at all?

Say, if after a month you can only count to ten in the new language you’ve been studying, that should still be seen as success, right?

Even the “I wish I could…” which involves changing a current habit should be considered here.

What if after a week you’ve only saved 50 cents a day, that’s still saving, right? Plus, the following weeks goal could be simply increase to another reachable amount.

It’s common to get enthused by success, and discouraged by defeat. So, lets not make our goals for something new or habit changing difficult to reach.

Remember, even the tiniest accomplishment or change can help you reach the big goal.

Take someone whose “I wish” is to have a more organized house. Tackling it in small areas it’s not as overwhelming.

This makes me think of something I was once told years ago and I truly believe. “A messy, unorganized living space reflects what’s going on in your life.” Often physically cleaning up the clutter will help settle inner anxiety.

We should give ourselves easy goals to achieve, approach things in steps, and maybe lighten up a bit on our expectations.

Here’s something I’ve often wondered. When someone says they can’t do something for example cook, do they really mean “can’t” or is it they “don’t want to try”?

As adults we need to study the young. How do they learn to walk? Do they give up after the first fall? No, they do it in stages over time and with lots of effort. They sit, then stand, then move on to taking steps.

After spending a couple days with “Monkey” (our little grandson) it occurred to me that we are born with a tremendous amount of try in us. Anything new Monkey comes across that he wants to do he is persistent until he succeeds.

Perhaps in this time of Covid-19 you took a chance to try something that has been a wishful thought, or perhaps you tackled changing a habit.

Why as we age do we let the determination and persistence we are born with slip away?

 

After The Sunsets

Have you ever taken a drink that goes down wrong, and you end up coughing uncontrollably, eyes watering and all? Generally this occurs when you’re in a gathering or when you’re supposed to be quiet. (Smiley face)

How about the mild version when you swallow your salvia wrong and it makes you sputter? This happened the other night in my sleep.

No big deal, right? I wish.

After the initial coughing spurt, a super annoying tickle blossomed in the back of my throat, and events which ruined my night’s sleep began.

How can that be, you ask?

When I woke up coughing, I quickly peeked with one eye at the red neon numbers shining on the bedroom ceiling, 3:48a.m. less than five hours after I’d gone to bed.

I’m a heavy sleeper, but the instant my eyes open I’m awake, and it’s rare for me to fall back asleep.

Not wanting to disturb Mister, I reached toward the bedside table where a package of Halls lives. With my eyes still closed I unwrapped the heat stuck paper from the candy. Into my mouth it went. Blah, there was still paper on it. Back out it came, I felt and remove a tiny piece and tried again. Still more, after three attempts it was smooth and paper free.

With the candy wedged between my cheek and teeth I rolled onto my side and waited for it to soothe the annoying tickle which caused me to sputter every few seconds.

Even with the bedroom window open, not a hint of breeze stirred the warm, stuffy, night air. My awareness heightened, and I instantly overheated. Areas of skin on skin became hot and sticky which triggered the mosquito bites on my calves and ankles to itch.

Along with my raised body temperature came another coughing bout. In an effort to be quiet, my hands pressed against my mouth and so I didn’t choke on the lozenges I sprang into a sitting position.

When I stopped, I cracked open one eye and turned to make sure I hadn’t woken Mister. A faint glow from the living room TV reflected through the doorway enough for me to see his side of the bed was empty.

Mister often moves to a recliner during the night, for what he calls TV watching, but it usually watches him. That’s better though, because he’s getting sleep.

That last cough helped loosen the tickle in my throat so I laid back down.

Oh man, I had to pee. I don’t normally have to during the night, and remember as stupid as it sounds, my eyes need to stay closed to increase my chance of falling back to sleep.

We were not at home, but house sitting and luckily I was very familiar with the layout.

I found my way by feel, and once in the bathroom habit had me close the door and flick on the lights. My eyes popped open, (Sad face) I was in trouble now.

Even-though 4:00 am is a little early, when something like this happens I would normally just stay up, do some writing or reading, but with Mister asleep in the living room that wasn’t an option.

I made my way back to bed, determined to conquer this, to fall back asleep.

My stomach growled. My body was being guided by my mind and a ritual. You see, no matter what time I’m up, I need coffee first thing followed by two small cookies. You may have read my post, “Hiding in a Hotel Bathroom” where I explained how I often accomplish this while traveling.

I closed my eyes and ignored the hunger and craving the best I could. I couldn’t get comfortable though. My back and neck started to ache, this arm was in the way, where does that arm usually go. Gee, my knees and ankles are bony. Then my mind began to race. Oh darn, I forgot to load the dishwasher, what do I have on tomorrow’s to do list, what day is tomorrow, where does time go, I wonder what the weather will be like, how is that scene going to play out in my current writing project, tonight could be a post, on and on it went. (Sad face)

I did eventually fall back asleep for about an hour. So, yeah, I did it, I conquered the curse.

But really, all this because I swallowed a little spit wrong.

Can you fall asleep again after being woken?

Are you a light or heavy sleeper?

Hello Bud, and Spring Travel

Do you know how to tell when an Albertan believes it’s really spring?

When they’re going for a drive and they don’t throw big snow boots, winter jackets, gloves and a hat in the back seat. Smiley Face.

That’s Mister and I, anyway. We even keep snow-pants and a blanket in the van during the winter months.

Unlike most people, I will miss winter. Not the extremely cold days, but the freshness of a winter walk and the relaxation that comes with the season. It’s a great time for catching up on visiting or inside crafts and hobbies.

For those waiting for summer, it’s no longer wishful thinking that spring is approaching, the signs are popping up everywhere. Flowers and tree buds are sprouting, the geese have returned from down south, and the Jackrabbits are changing back from white to brown in color.

Neither geese nor rabbits would show themselves on Sunday so I could take their picture for this post.

Even surrounded with snow and ice there is signs of life in the flowerbeds.

Mother nature can’t make up her mind though, and last week’s weather was like rolling dice. Something different showed up each time you looked outside.

Last Wednesday and Thursday were prime examples.

By noon Wednesday the temperature warmed enough that a light shirt and vest was efficient not just inside but when outside.

Born and raised in Alberta and setting out on a road-trip though, my winter coat and snow boots joined an overnight bag in the van. A duffle which contained three layer options of clothing for Thursday’s planned shopping day with my girlfriend.

For two hours, I drove North on dry roads for a night at the daughter’s. The glorious sunshine heated the van interior enough I had to put the air conditioner on from time to time.

Keeping up with weather forecasts is a must at this time of the year, so we checked it after supper. They predicted an overnight cooling with possible precipitation. No big deal, we’re use to that.

I joined the daughter when she set out to do evening chores. She fed and blanketed, “Nugget” her horse. With access to shelters and with him more content outside, he doesn’t spend nights in the barn. The temperature wasn’t expected to drop enough to warrant a quilted blanket but since he had already shed most of his winter hair she put a rain-sheet on him.

Early Thursday morning we woke to about one and a half inches of fresh, wet snow. It continued lightly falling while we drank our coffee, but the weatherman said it should clear by the afternoon so us girls decided to still go shopping. We picked up my girlfriend and by 9:30 am we were heading North for the forty five minute drive to the city.

The snow didn’t stop, instead the flakes got bigger and came down heavier as the day went on. With near zero temperatures the roads and parking lots got slushy and by the time we headed back South, between vehicle spray and falling snow, visibility on the highway was crappy.

Halfway to the girlfriend’s house the weather cleared, and it didn’t look like the area got the storm the city was getting.

I phoned Mister to see what the weather was like at the lake so I could decide if driving home or staying at the daughters one more night. He said, “Sunny and 5 above Celsius, all day.” I drove home that evening. The roads were dry the whole way.

So that was my Thursday, and its two seasons of weather in one day.

I should have taken pictures of the different conditions, but I was too busy enjoying the girls day out.

It’s not uncommon for us to get temperature changes, of ten or more degrees, during a single day. Now, that’s hard to dress for and why I pack more than I need. LOL

Do you get drastic weather shifts where you live?

DIY Game Board Craft Project

If you enjoy playing board or card games, you might want to try “Jokers”. It’s similar to the game “Sorry” the main difference is you use cards instead of rolling dice.

It’s an easy DIY project. Cardboard, poster board, cloth, plexiglass or wood, are some options you could use to make a board depending on what medium you like to work with. Paint or mark squares or drill or punch holes for game play.

Objects used for player pegs or pieces should be paintable or come in a variety of colors, you need a different one for each player.

Player pegs can be golf tees, cribbage pegs, thinner wood doweling cut to lengths, skewers cut, toothpicks, colored straws, tree twigs, or be imaginative.

Player pieces can be made by cutting thicker doweling into discs, paint tiny rocks, checker pieces, or pennies, use buttons, marbles if you drill indents, the choices are endless.

I enjoy working with wood and drills so no surprise I used plywood to make our game. A board can be specifically for 4, 6, or 8 players, or put a combination or all three on one playing surface. I put the 4 and 6 player versions on the one pictured in this post.

Material’s I used

-2′ foot square of 1/4″ fir plywood

-30 cribbage pegs, 5 for each player

-6 different colours of paint

-clear coat

Making a Board

As templates, I cut six strips of cardboard with the number of holes needed for each side, and spaced for my pegs. Then I centered and spaced them how I wanted them on the board and made marks. Mister cut the corners off giving the square its shape afterwards.

Sections on the board don’t have to be coloured as long as players pegs or pieces are. I outlined strips to match peg colours though. If drilling holes lines aren’t even necessary but I like to paint.

With projects like this, I paint lines, and apply clear coat before drilling holes, otherwise clear coat drips into holes and you often have to drill again to clear them.

Playing The Game

Objective is be first to get all your pegs from the start cross into your home line.

Played in teams, whether 4, 6, or 8 people.

Shuffle together 3 card decks, including jokers, and deal five cards to everyone. (If 8 players use 4 decks.)

Card Count

You need a King, Queen, Jack or Ace to come out of start spot and begin play. (Jokers work to do this, but I’ll explain their full move later)

Once pegs are on the game part (and you can have more than one in play), a ten card along with Kings, Queens, and Jacks are worth ten.

Ace counts as one.

A Eight card means you always move backwards (which if you are in your start hole moving back means you are close to your home entrance, but you can’t back into home)

Seven card can be split in any forward combination between two of your pegs, (good for moving up in home line)

A Joker can make any one move to take out another players peg, even if your peg is still in the start.

A Players turn

Pick a card from the pile of undealt cards, from your hand lay a card face-up, moving a game piece in accordance to its value. (If you can’t move, maybe you have no pieces out of start yet, a card still must be discarded.)

Basic Rules

You can jump past another players peg but not your own.

Landing on a opposing player’s peg sends them back into their start place.

Landing on your partners peg sends them to the base of their home line.

You need the exact cards to get into and move within home slot and cannot jump a peg.

Once all your pieces are in your home slot, you help your teammates get theirs home.

Rather than making a board there is also a slat style. You can Google or search Pinterest for ideas on that type. Some other names to use when searching this game are, Marbles and Jokers, Jokers and Pegs.

There are lots of internet sites with more detailed game play rules plus strategies.

I hope you enjoy this game as much as we do.

Have you made any of your games?

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“Saddles to Shorelines and Life as it Come” Blog

      

Read about the world, past and present, seen through the eyes of a retired equestrian. A wife, mother, grandmother, and don’t try to guess my age but a young great-grandmother.

This Blog is where I write and share weekly posts covering, country living, family, friends, lake living, crafting, and life as it comes.

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