Daily Quote: May 13, 2021

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I’m not playing a role.
I’m being myself,
whatever the hell that is.

Bea Arthur (American – Actress Born: May 13, 1923. Died: April 25, 2009)

Holidays and Celebrations:

*** Ascension ***

*** Eid al-Fitr ***

*** Tulip Day ***

Porte Musings:

Happy Birthday Bea Arthur (born Bernice Phyllis Frankel). I’m so glad I grew up with you as a role model in your many roles. From Vera Charles in Mame, to Maude Findlay, to her leading role in the Golden Girls. The strong large woman figure not afraid to speak her mind and human enough to be frustrated.

Today two major religious holidays are celebrated. The 14th day of Easter is the celebration of the Ascension of Christ as he rose to heaven after his earthly return from the dead. Today is also Eid al-Fitr for all my Muslum friends and family their time of prayer and fasting has come to an end.

Today is also Tulip Day. During the Ontario wide lockdown the Tulip festival in Ottawa is being held on-line for the second time. I’m so tired of being locked down.

The numbers for the 3rd wave are finally decreasing and already the experts are predicting a 4th wave. I’m really at a loss about this prediction as vaccination is now at 50% of Ontario for the first shot. Are the experts already saying that the vaccine won’t be effective? or are they trying to scare the anti-vaccers into getting vaccinated? I pray that once we’re vaccinated we’ll be able to get back to normal, whatever the new normal may be. Surrounded by blood clot problems, 3 deaths and confusion the Astra Zeneca vaccine has been stopped in Ontario and will no longer be offered as the first shot. Luckily my husband and I got the Pfizer vaccine first. His second shot was moved up as all natives now qualify for the second shot.

Today my husband is going for an emergency colonoscopy and endoscope. All routine colonoscopies in Ontario have been cancelled/rescheduled or limited during the third wave of the pandemic. We’ve had quite a ride the last couple of weeks as he has been loosing blood internally and had to have a transfusion to increase his red blood cell count. The new blood has helped with many of the issues he’s been having lately, including sudden leg buckling and falls. After his day of purging and liquids only, they will probe him from both ends. I’m uncertain if I want them to find an issue or not. I just want him to get better so he can himself again.

Daily Quote: May 7, 2021

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You will find poetry nowhere
unless you bring some of it with you.

~ Joseph Joubert (French – Writer / May 7, 1754 – May 4, 1824)

Holidays and Celebrations:

Porte Musings:

It is so true, that to find something someplace you often have to bring it yourself, whether it be poetry, love or in the case of going to space your own oxygen and water. The first Friday in May is International Space Day. Where people wouldn’t survive without ensuring they bring everything they need with them.

Here on earth we are celebrating National Public Gardens Day. This is always celebrated the Friday before Mother’s Day. Ensuring that the gardens are clean and ready to go for the big plant marketing day of Mother’s Day. This Mother’s Day we’re still under Lock Down as the 3rd wave of COVID-19 is finally starting a downward trend. I wonder how many will actually not go to see their Mother’s or send them a gift because we’ve been ordered by the Government and Health officials to stay home? Absence doesn’t always increase fondness, sometimes without constant contact love withers and dies. Out of sight and out of mind. I’m glad that my step-son has been living with us during the lockdown. I’m also glad I’ve been a childcare provider so I can see some of my Grandchildren on a regular basis.

Another important celebration today is Military Spouse Appreciation Day. A day to remember all the loved ones at home who are waiting for the safe return of their military spouses.

Daily Quote: May 5, 2021

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Flowers are restful to look at.
They have neither emotions nor conflicts.

~ Sigmund Freud (Austrian – Psychologist / May 6, 1856 – September 23, 1939)

Holidays and Celebrations:

Porte Musings:

The first Thursday in May is No Homework Day. I think it was named this to support National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. A very important issue during the Pandemic as children are being forced to stay home and not permitted to go to school where they can learn from their peers and socialize. So don’t give them any homework today. Get outside to the local playground and laugh.

Today is also National Day of Prayer. So let’s all engage in a National Prayer that the vaccines permit us to get over this great pandemic and learn to be stronger on the other side of COVID-19.

Daily Quote: April 22, 2021

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Respect is what we owe;
love, what we give.

~ Philip James Bailey (English – Poet April 22, 1816 – September 6, 1902)

Holidays and Celebrations:

Porte Musings:

April 22nd is Earth Day. With my grandson doing his on-line learning at my house, I’ve heard about Earth Day for the past week. Today is the big day. He’s learned about the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (no longer Reading, Writing and Rithmatic). Posters will be shared in the class today for Earth Day.

I think International Girls in ICT should have a day of it’s own rather than share with Earth Day. Earth Day over-shines the importance of Girls in ICT (information and communication technology). According to studies 65% of school children will go into jobs that don’t even exist yet. The field of information and communication technology is expanding.

Today is also April Showers Day. With the change in the weather and temperatures dipping below freezing, I’m afraid the only showers we’re getting will be snow showers. The tulips and early blooming spring flowers were weighed down with snow yesterday morning. Luckily most of the snow melted during the day and the flowers sprung back up to their original beauty.

Daily Quote:

Posted on by Porte Photos

To begin, begin.

~ William Wordsworth (English – Poet / April 7, 1770 – April 23, 1850)

Holidays and Celebrations:

Porte Musings:

Wednesday April 7th, from industrious to luxuriously lazy, today is International Beaver Day. A day to celebrate the most Canadian symbol the beaver. With his continuously growing teeth the beaver works to cut down trees and create ponds; to stop the rushing sound of water and create a peaceful, secure home for their families.

Celebrating World Health Day, while Ontario is in it’s 3rd wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic. A shut-down order, but not a stay at home order. With 500 people in Intensive Care Units and our hospitals are at near capacity. What saddens me even more is that with our population and size Ontario has only 500 intensive care units a year after all this madness started. Why weren’t COVID patients kept separate from other critically ill patients? Lockdown and stay at home orders don’t seem to be working. It’s just been too long and people are missing their families and just the joy of day to day living. The world is praying that the vaccine puts and end to the isolation.

So here’s to celebrating National No Housework Day. Just don’t do it. Well, unless like me, you celebrate International Window Washing Day on April 7th. A time to clean those windows, reflect on the world, and be ready for interruptions as guests stop by for coffee.

Daily Quote: December 31, 2020

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How deeply seated in the human heart is the liking for gardens and gardening.

~ Alexander Smith (Scottish – Poet / December 31, 1830 – January 5, 1867)

Holidays and Celebrations:

Porte Musings:

*The last day of 2020 and on the precipice of a new year. I wonder about the last year and what resolutions should I make for 2021. There’s the usual: loose weight, be more active, spend more time with family, keep a journal, publish my Daily Quote…..

We certainly won’t be going dancing tonight while the province remains under lockdown waiting and praying for the pandemic to come to an end.

I will be an age I never thought I would see. I always thought I would be like my mother’s family and die young. So I lived fast. I got married as soon as I was almost done university, when I was only 22. I had 3 beautiful sons by the age of 30. I worked at one place of employment for 32 years and was able to retire at 55. I’ve been married to the same man for almost 42 years. Now that I’m approaching 64 I’m glad I did things early. It’s so much joy to see my grandchildren while I can still walk, swim, camp and bicycle with them. Now I think I may live to a ripe old age like my paternal grandmother and may still have another 30 years to fill with hobbies, activities and love.

Gardening, traveling, visiting, reading, cooking, eating, reading, kayaking, walking, biking, knitting, camping, photographing and all the other “ings” still to do and enjoy.

So in keeping with Irish tradition, tonight I’ll open all the doors to usher out the old year and let the new one in. Looking forward to life returning to normal. And I’ll put coins over the doors to ensure another year of wealth and good luck.

Daily Quote: November 28, 2020

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It is a peculiar part of the good photographer’s adventure to know where luck is most likely to lie in the stream, to hook it, and to bring it in without unfair play and without too much subduing it.

~ James Agee (American – Novelist / November 27, 1909 – May 16, 1955)

Holidays and Celebrations:

*Today is my newest grandson’s 3rd birthday party, but due to pandemic restrictions we choose not to attend today, but to take a present over last night and spend some time with him without the crowds (and to help keep the gathering to 10 in total for the party). It was an excellent decision. We had him and his parents all to ourselves and had a wonderful visit. As we were leaving he was getting ready for bed and putting on the spiderman pajamas we gave him. I hope they brought him good dreams.

Daily Quote: November 25, 2020

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With a few flowers in my garden,
half a dozen pictures and some books,
I live without envy.

~Lope de Vega (Spanish – Playwright / November 25, 1562 – August 27, 1635)

Holidays and Celebrations:

*I finished buying my outfit for my son’s wedding. I bought shoes at Ovation Shoes Premium Outlet in Strathroy ON. Buying local really makes a difference. Although the salesperson didn’t have any 6 DD dress shoes, she was able to find the perfect shoes for me, put a liner in them and they fit wonderfully. So I also asked her about boots, and she found the perfect little red boots for me. In and out in less than 1/2 hour.

Daily Quote: November 15, 2020

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Action, looks, words, steps,
form the alphabet by which
you may spell character.

~ Johann Kaspar Lavater (German – Theologian / November 15, 1741 – January 2, 1801)

Holidays and Celebrations:

  • Sunday and the world is going mad as the second wave of COVID-19 is even greater than the first. Restrictions are being re-introduced as numbers of confirmed cases keep breaking records. A vaccine is being promised as soon as January 2021, as announced by President Trump (in his days of denying that he has lost the election). Major staffing changes are being made in the military in the USA, as unconfirmed claims of election fraud are being seeded liberally by Trump supporters. The USA remains #1 in the world for number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths.

Cases

LocationTotal casesNew cases (1 day*)New cases (last 60 days)Cases per 1 million peopleDeaths
Worldwide53,970,288628,13660-day trend chart6,9411,311,832
United States10,977,635159,02160-day trend chart33,310245,460
Source: Wikipedia

Cases

LocationTotal casesNew cases (1 day*)New cases (last 60 days)Cases per 1 million peopleDeaths
Worldwide53,970,288628,13660-day trend chart6,9411,311,832
Canada291,9314,61360-day trend chart7,68710,891
Quebec122,6431,44860-day trend chart14,9306,611
Ontario95,9641,39460-day trend chart7,0573,387
Source: Wikipedia

Daily Quote: November 14, 2020

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Insulin is not a cure for diabetes; it is a treatment.
It enables the diabetic to burn sufficient carbohydrates so that proteins and fats may be added to the diet in sufficient quantities to provide energy for the economic burdens of life.

~ Sir Frederick Banting (Canadian – Scientist / November 14, 1891 – February 21, 1941)

Holidays and Celebrations:

  • For diabetics that are no longer able to produce their own insulin, Sir Fredrick Banting’s discovery of injectable take insulin is a life saver. But it isn’t a cure and the complications of taking insulin can be life limiting. Diabetic neuropathy, loss of limbs, kidney disease, and heart disease not to mentions the highs and lows……..