Friday, April 3, 2020

Positivity, er, Positively

Time for some positivity, er, positively.
I'm positively behind.

This is my third post this week.
Try as I do, I will never match the unstoppable Pat Hatt and his productivity.
Nor his ability to get ahead of the curve.
Lord, he's just published another book!

Let's see if Amazon can get it to me quicker than 
a memory card attachment for my new computer.
I can't wait to see what happens to Sally and Travis in the end!


"The Elusive" by Pat Hatt









So, I'm positively making this post short,
and I'm trying not to let perfect be the enemy of good.

And the positivity?
Every day I wake up like this, and today may actually be the day!!!
Call me a perpetual optimist or call me insane, I don't care.
What matters to me is what I think!


Positivity and Positively




I am positively bummed that I couldn't go to Hawaii,
and now my trip back to Italy is down the toilet.
But when I'm positively behind like today,
I'm going to take a shortcut, post a travel photo I love,
and find positivity in a substitute.



Positivity and Positively




Terry says I should have been born Italian.
He is positively right.


Positivity ~ No "er" About It! 
Padua, Veneto, Italy
September 14, 2018
Photo by Terry Barbour
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved




I will return to Italy, my soul country.
Apologies to my Scottish ancestors,
but Scotland is rainy and cold and dour.

Haggis and whisky or Tuscan red and pasta ~
Are you kidding me?

Take care, everyone!
And try your best to keep up your daily rituals.









Till next time ~
Fundy Blue



On the Bay of Fundy
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved




    







33 comments:

  1. Haggis never wins, but I still want another romp around Scotland.
    You will get back there. You will!

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    1. I know!!! And I do want to romp around Scotland, because in spite of my joking in my post, I dearly love all things Scottish, I just love Italian things a little more. The closest I ever came to romping in Scotland was on my first trip to Europe in 1972. Our plane landed on the tarmac at Prestwick International Airport to refuel. We had to sit there a while, so the cabin crew opened the doors. I noticed there were stairs down to the tarmac from the back door. I begged this young steward to please, please let me run down the stairs and stand on Scottish ground. I'm sure I gave him the roll call of the clans in my background. He let me, although no one was supposed to get off the plane. I stood there for twenty seconds or so, just barely resisting the urge to kiss the tarmac ~ LOL. I'll get back there too!

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  2. Thanks for the shout. Should be interesting to see what arrives first.

    lol well I guess there are other uses for a toilet seat. Not getting to go sucks indeed, but you'll get back there one day. Yeah, haggis just never can win. Blah.

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    1. Thanks, Pat! I'm looking forward to reading "The Elusive," and I'll do a review later. Fabulous, striking cover, btw! A real eye catcher. Take care of yourself, my friend!

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  3. Hi, I love lots of things about Scotland, I have a granddaughter and her family living there. I am also a very positive person. However, one of the things I am really negative about is haggis, and I could never eat it. I like far better food than sheep heart lungs and liver etc.... wrapped in a casing of the animal's stomach. uch..... :-)

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    1. Hi, Brenda! It's lovely to see you! I love just about anything Scottish. I was just having a little fun in my post. I've actually had haggis a number of times with the requisite shot of whiskey. I had to gag both down with Scottish stoicism, but I did it with pride. With bagpipes skirling, everyone in kilts and gowns, cutting the haggis with a sword, who can not be thrilled by that? Stay safe and healthy, you and all of your loved ones!

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  4. I loved Scotland. But it was really cold. And it snowed while we were touring Loch Ness.

    That toilet seat one is so funny!

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    1. Hi, Diane! I dearly want to see Scotland, and I know I will love it. My sister Donnie and my mother spent 35 days in Scotland and "saw" the sun four times; but, they loved every minute. They said Loch Ness was stunning. I would love to see Nessie from a lore and paleontological perspective. And Lock Ness ~ I have seen the Aspy Fault in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, many times. At one point in the distant past it was likely connected to the Great Glen Fault on which Loch Ness sits. Give me Loch Ness, gray clouds, drifting mist, bagpipes, and Nessie ~ heavenly! It would be heavenly without Nessie and surpass anything Italian. Have a great weekend!

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  5. Great photos and memes, Louise! I especially love the world traveler with his toilet seat, LOL!

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    1. Thanks, Debra! I was channelling you when I searched for some funny memes. You keep so many laughing with your posts. I hope you and your Rare One have a great weekend! Take care, my friend!

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  6. We are all finding innovative ways to lighten our day, our neighbours are having a street party each Friday at 4 p.m. Take your chair, drink, nibbles, and sit outside your own fence or hedge, and SHOUT across the street to the others. We are helping out with food shortages, yeast is like gold, specially the red topped jar, I left half a jay to friends over the street, left a dark blue top 2 litre of milk to the friends with 3 little girls, they will replace with pale blue top next week when their dad goes shopping. Trying to get a delivery time with any supermarket is like looking for a hen's tooth, literally, here not one was available at either place for the next 7 days. So our friend continues to battle on, wait in the queue, and do a most wonderful service, valiant to the utmost. Stay safe up north, the holidays will happen eventually. Scotland, my Mum was born south of Glasgow, as were her sister and brother, then my Grandma came with them when Mum was 6. My Grandads had come to NZ by boat 2 years earlier, and set up a tailoring business? 6 weeks at least , a long boat trip, and the uncertainty of what lay ahead. A brave lady, I was 15 when my Nan died, and had no idea of the hardships she coped with. Take care, let Terry worry, and enjoy your spring arriving.

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    1. OMG, Jean! Where did five days go? I'm sorry I'm replying so late. I've been in the doghouse for going to the grocery store last Thursday and Saturday. I couldn't get eggs on the first trip, but scored two dozen on the second. "Hen's tooth." ~ LOL! Of course, while in the store I loaded my cart with limited amounts of anything I could find on both trips. Terry didn't speak to me for almost 24 hours. That's a measure of how worried he is about the pandemic.

      I hope that your Friday Shout Out went well. Our neighborhood is pretty spread out, but we're waving and talking to lots of neighbors when we go on our daily walks ~ from a safe distance, of course. Since we live in a retirement community, we're all being extra careful. Your neighborhood is full of kind and thoughtful people!

      I am always amazed when I hear stories of the bravery of our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents. Your Nan was definitely brave, and so were your grandads. My mother's people came from the Isle of Skye and my father's people from near Blair Atholl (to the best of my knowledge). Of course, with the roll call of the clans in my background, I probably have ancestors from all over Scotland.

      Spring is popping up all over. I've started posting a spring picture each day on FaceBook. I'm doing it to send some positive thoughts out into the world, but also in an effort to get me onto FaceBook and connect with FaceBook friends. I'm notoriously bad. 😬

      Please take care! We all have a part to play and we can get through this. Sending you and Hugh lots of hugs and love!

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  7. I hate to imagine the sheer number of ruined vacations this year.

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    1. I'm sorry I'm just replying now, Adam. I turned around and five days had disappeared. Yes, a lot of vacations have been ruined. I'm trying to make the most of this "staycation" I find myself in. I hope that you and Daisy are doing well. Please take care!

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  8. You'll get to all your trips when this is over! Italy is number one on our travel list. Hopefully we'll get to visit in the future. Be well and stay safe.

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    1. Thanks, Martha! The feeling of running-out-of-time for travel is pressing on me since I turned 70 on March 18th. I do hope you and George get to Italy. I predict that you'll LOVE it. You two stay safe and healthy too. Sorry for replying so late. Seventy years old and I still can't get my act together. 😬 Sending you a big hug!

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  9. Urrrrgh--haggis. I've never tasted it and never will. I think it's fine for you to claim to be Italian. Some day this virus will stop and you will resume your travels, while I go . . . nowhere. Poor, poor pitiful me. Sometimes I have to remember to count my blessings, positively.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Hi, Janie! I've had haggis a number of times, and I know why it's typically chased with Scotch. Scotch burns the flavor of the haggis out as it goes down. Kilts, bagpipes, and a big sword definitely add to the dish. Scotland, the Brave, for sure! I'm positively wishing you many, many blessings to count, my friend. Please stay safe and well ~ You, your loved ones, and your fur babies. Sending you a big hug!!

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    2. P.S. I'm sorry that I didn't reply sooner.

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  10. Oh i love your choice and the reason behind it is one i would love to go for :)

    Italy is fascinating part of land since i did not even know about it much specially weather as you mentioned here
    much heavy and gloomy weather is unexceptionable for me too
    i wish and pray may you find chance to visit your favorite country asap dear Louise and please repeat this prayer for me in return :)

    i used to visit Pat months ago and he is astonishingly BRILLIANT and GIFTED indeed , so inspiring and impressive his energy level is for sure
    i am one of the hugest fan of positivity and i will stay with it till last breath
    take care and stay healthy my friend!
    love and hugs!

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    1. Hi, Baili!
      Definitely I'll repeat the same prayer for you, my dear friend! Sunny Mediterranean weather beats chilly and gloomy weather any day. We're anticipating a snowstorm this weekend. Burr! Such is springtime in the Rockies.

      Pat was one of my earliest followers: Ron, Jim, Noushka, Pat, and Martha were the first five. Sadly, Ron and Jim no longer blog, and Noushka rarely blogs. They are all on FaceBook now. Pat and Martha both keep me laughing. I don't think Pat has ever missed commenting on a post of mine. I don't know how he does it.

      Yes, my friend, you are definitely positivity personified! I hope that you, Ali, and your three sons are continuing to do well.

      I think of your oldest son studying in Germany and trying to finish his thesis under pandemic conditions. At least Germany seems to be managing coronavirus well. I have a niece trying to finish her first year veterinary school classes on-line. It's not easy to stay focused on your studies with all the craziness happening. I think of your son and my niece often and hope their studies are successful. Also your younger sons ~ This is challenging for everyone!

      You would have laughed to see me heading to the grocery store with a large, white dishtowel wrapped around my lower face as a mask! LOL

      Love and hugs to you, Baili! Take care!

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  11. Oooh haggis, NO THANK YOU!!! I love your positive attitude. Once all of this blows over, you'll visit Italy again Louise! We'll all have learned more from this pandemic and we'll all be more safe and healthy! :)

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    1. Hi, Rain! You have been on my mind, even though I haven't visited you recently until earlier this afternoon. The colored picture you did of "Jack" was gorgeous. I've tried coloring pictures, but I am just too impatient at trying to stay within all those tiny lines. I have more luck doing jigsaw puzzles. This pandemic is teaching all of us a whole lot. Meanwhile "lower the curve" is my mantra. It's a little selfish on my part, because should I need a ventilator, I hope there's one available for me. I fervently hope I don't!!!!! I'm positively focusing on staying healthy! You and Alex stay well and safe too! Hugs to you!

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  12. ...and maybe the canals in Venice will still be blue when you go, let's hope. :)

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    1. 🤞🤞🤞 I'll take Venice's canals whatever the color! 💖🍀❤️!

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    2. I just took a quick scan through your art posts and saw your Bay of Fundy remark ~ LOL! I'm so happy for you. Your property looks awesome. You can do a lot with an acre, my friend! Starting with a big garden! 🌹🌱🐓🥕🧅🥔🥂

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    3. Louise, only those who have been to the Fundy Bay can understand the draw...the feeling of being home there. I know you know what I mean!! Though we aren't going to be right ON the Bay, we are so close, and I can't wait to bring Alex there so he can experience the magic!!! Oh I have great plans for the garden! Maybe not this summer...I'll do what I can, but I will definitely have a huge garden in years to come. I have to figure out what wildlife is there too, so I can protect the veggies from the critters!! This is a very exciting time...in a very scary time...

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    4. Home it is, Rain! That's why my name had to be Fundy Blue. You have this exciting time to pull you through this scary time. All will be well!

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  13. Congrats to Pat and another book.

    Loved the holiday picture with the crapper seat cover. What a hoot.

    Here's to you getting back to travel. Cheers and boogie boogie.

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    1. Thanks, Ivy! I hope that you and your loved ones are doing well. Take care!

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  14. Well, I'll never look at an airplane window the same again LOL.

    I gave up trying to keep up with Pat a long time ago. The man is a machine. I don't know where he finds the time to get it all done.

    Here's wishing you a trip to Italy again soon. I would love to go as well, but I actually do want to tour the dour, could Scotland first :)

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    1. Thanks, Theresa! At this point I'd take either. Right now a big travel event for me is going to the grocery store. I have often wished I was as clever with humor as the mind that came up with the "airplane window." All the best to you!

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  15. I have to admit, I have been down too! I was so looking forward to going on my retreat! Every day, I get up feeling great and then going to bed, like I haven't done anything! I thought I would be up on blogging and I still can't get caught up on that either! (My apologies for not being around. No excuse!) We will get through this! I have to be grateful, that I am well! Stay safe my friend! Big Hugs!

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Thank you for your comments! I appreciate them very much.