14 things

Nova Scotia to New Zealand and back

Anya asks me to explain a bit more about the swap package that I was preparing to send winging off to the far away land of New Zealand. 14 things mailed on the 14th day of this month March. It came about when I had my beach glass give away and Pherenike from New Zealand had been one of the potential winners. I had expressed sadness in a comment on her blog that Winnie hadn't chosen her name because I was so excited about the prospects of sending a package so far away and especially to New Zealand, a place that has always fascinated me and a place I've always wanted to visit. I said maybe we could have a swap and she instantly expressed that she would love to. So ... she did most of the work coming up with the list, my only contribution was to manage to get a few food items on the list, being a foodie I'm always enamoured with foods from other places. Here's our list.

1. a beachy thing,
2. a papery thing,
3. a thing that cost less than $1,
4. a yellow thing,
5. something found in the back of a drawer
6. something starting with the first initial of your middle name
7. something that once was alive
8. a soft thing
9. a food item traditional to your area
10. something that delights you
11. something that once was useful
12. favourite candy/chocolate bar
13. a map of your area
14. a tea bag of your favourite tea

I think the key is to be swapping with someone that has similar interests and tastes and someone that you have gotten to know, at least a little, in my case from reading her blog. I might have spent $10.00 on actual items, most things were things that I found or that I already had, or that I made. Postage for a filled shoe box was $19.60 surface mail.... we both mailed our parcels on the same day from opposite ends of the world. I had SO much fun with this project and I'm sure others would enjoy getting involved with a similar swap. I think the more creativity that you can put into a project like this the more fun it is and you realize quickly that it doesn't need to cost much at all.

I was sick yesterday, all day, as sick as I can ever remember. Sigh. Let's just say my dreaded affliction was akin to food poisoning and from 9am until nearly 9pm I was trapped either in or near my ladies room. I, thankfully, am a very healthy person ... I just never get sick and by lunch time yesterday I was, to say the least, beginning to freak myself out, I called my one and only sister and left a message - call me it's a medical issue! (I refrained from using the word emergency although that's the word I wanted to use). A few hours passed, more freaking, and eventually my cordless phone which was stuck in my housecoat pocket rang. Yeah. Sandra, she who has a fairly calm unflappable personality, has raised two great kids, and I know from previous conversations has had much experience with this particular delicate issue that I was suffering from. My first words to her were shaky and tear filled but in her calm, soothing voice she talked me down from that Should I try and take myself to emergency ? place.

As I lay on my bed with sweet Winnie Dixon keeping me company, later around 8pm last night, continuing to feel miserable and dreading a sleepless night I was listening to a story on CBC radio about a woman who was suicidal because of extreme alcohol addiction. Through her sponsor at AA she became involved in prayer and the story went on to tell how prayer had helped many people with a variety of illnesses.

So I said a little prayer myself, it couldn't hurt ... Please God give me some relief from this sickness that I've been suffering from all day. I know it's a little thing but it's making me crazy. I was feeling stressed and exhausted. I closed my eyes, held Winnie's paw and just took some deep breaths. Within an hour my sickness was gone and over. Wow !

I settled comfortably under the covers and picked up my Corfu adventures book. Happy sigh

I am grateful that I have a sister and that she is always there when I need her and I love her very much! and thank you God for answering my prayer, and so quickly. Smile.