“Mother’s Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on different days in many parts of the world, most commonly in the months of March or May,” (Wikipedia). This year in Canada it falls on May 14th. I recognize that many holidays are under fire because they emphasize the commercials, the material and the impersonal. However, for those of us who cannot be with our ‘mothers’ there is nothing wrong with wanting to send them something special.
Kindle
Robe *I recommend the Fairmont “Waffle Robe”
Essential Oil Diffuser Bracelet *There are beautiful ones on Etsy
Flower Subscription *You will have to do your research to see which distributor services your recipient’s area
I am a royal watcher; I watched the weddings of William and Kate, and Harry and Meghan. I watched as much Jubilee coverage as I could. I watched the funerals of Princess Diana, the Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth II. Say what you will about the Royal Family; I am a sucker for a love story and celebrating the lives of people who have dedicated their lives to service.
My best friend and I try to watch these events together and we make a big deal of it! Having just taken High Tea at The Empress in Victoria, we were inspired to create our own tea tower. Typically, the first (bottom) level of the three-tiered stand are savory items like tea sandwiches. The second (middle) level includes scones with clotted cream and jam. The third (top) level consists of sweet items. You eat from the bottom up. And the best part is: it’s all finger foods!
We are having two flavours of tea from the Loft 35 collection which can be purchased online from the Fairmont Store; Lady Londonderry and the classic, Orange Pekoe! There will also be mimosas for toasting!
What expert do you wish could come teach you what they know?
Living or dead?
If I could truly pick anyone I would choose Agatha Christie. She is THE master mystery writer, to learn from her would be incredible! To have hear all about her life straight from her mouth would be so neat. However, if I could only choose someone living I would choose a chef or someone very well connected to the culinary world. My top picks are Gordon Ramsay or Padma Lakshmi. Gordon Ramsay is wildly successful. He seems to be very well versed in lots of types of cuisines, and he would have so many awesome stories from his adventures. I have a food bucket list; having a master class with him and eating in one of his restaurants is on it. Padma Lakshmi is a force to be reckoned with; she has taken Top Chef to new highs are host and executive producer. She highlights food, cultures/groups and social issues –learning about all of those things would be simultaneously fascinating and humbling.
If you are new to my blog; I have been setting three small goals each month. In January, I focused on my physical health. In February, I focused on my mental health. “I made the most (of what I started)” in March and I tried to “finish what I started” in April.
May is my “birthday month” so as I head into my 37th year I just want to stop and take a moment to think about what I have accomplished so far and how I have set myself up for another trip around the sun. Ultimately, over the past four months I have been able to make real changes in my life! I am still consistently getting exercise (and have even improved my yoga practice), drinking more water than I normally did in 2022, making smarter choices when it comes to eating. As a result I am down 20 pounds and feeling great. I am still journaling, meditating and reading everyday –those things have become an unconscious practice. I was also able to scratch something off my ‘bucket list,’ give up coffee and develop better sleeping habits.
The goals for this month don’t have a theme, perhaps they are about the “little things that make a big difference!”
Curbing tendency to “binge” I struggled with binge eating in my youth and over the years I have noticed that I have an addictive personality; I even took a test –I am in the “moderate to high” category. I have been addicted to food/not eating, to exercise, to hobbies, etc. During the pandemic I binged watched A LOT of shows on Netflix; and then as I got more streaming services; it only got worse. We all joke about “binge watching” but I have lost that ability to “savour” a series. I think restoring a little balance in this respect will help me with balance overall. So I am going to only allow myself to watch ONE episode of a show each night.
Improve posture I chronically slouch; my back and neck are always sore. I do a lot of yoga (lately) and that helps release the tension but once the session is over I am back to slouching. There really isn’t an easy fix for this, it is going to take a lot of conscious attention on my part. I looked up some TIPS.
Get new bras We have all heard that most women are wearing the wrong bra size and that a “good bra” can improve confidence, prevent sagging and other issues. I am the worst when it comes to my bras; I buy them and then wear them until they literally fall apart; and this is NOT hyperbole! I just threw out all my bras; most of which I bought over a year ago and ordered some new ones that actually fit properly!
