Life and Random Thinking

Hashbrowns and Pay Forwards

Posted on March 20, 2022 by dfolstad58

Thanks for visiting my blog today. I had so many wonderful comments from my last post I wanted to share my thoughts from today.

My day included a nice drive and then a bike ride but as heartwarming as I find my bike rides to be, it was the people and coffee shop this morning that touched my heart. – David

We don’t normally go out for breakfast but we were meeting a friend in Oliver (which is a little city about 30 minutes and two lakes south of Penticton).

Serendipitously we changed our plans and went to a local mall restaurant which was so cozy and warm with an atmosphere of people enjoying plain good cooked food.

Looking around I saw people digging into their breakfasts and the lunch special included borscht soup!

I had a side order of Hashbrowns, it was crispy and excellent with ketchup and hot sauce.

On the way out I spotted this bulletin board (below).

I asked my server if these pieces of paper represented prepaid menu items for the needy and he grinned widely.

“The community is awesome and is hugely supportive in buying meals so needy people can come in and enjoy a restaurant meal with dignity and quietly be part of the atmosphere here. ”

I agreed, they are awesome, but so is this local business. More than coffee, I see sandwiches, grilled chicken, breakfasts and even poutine!

It brought to mind this story I read online called ” Coffee On the Wall” – when I read it I thought is was inspiring and I liked it, but seeing this community and restaurant in action really made my morning.

If you are interested in the Coffee On the Wall story – you can read it here – It’s quick and well written and a nice positive thought to share with your friends and family.

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Thank you for taking the time to come by and read my post. Sincerely, David

Not today, no white stuff now so I am putting my shovel away !

Posted in okanagan related, Thinking Out loud | Tagged Coffee, dignity, hashbrowns, heartwarming, kindness | 15 Comments

Checking In & Eating Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted on March 18, 2022 by dfolstad58

Thank you for visiting my blog today. I was munching chocolate chip cookies, homemade, and still gooey from being warm out of the oven. The chocolate gave me inspiration to check in and share a post with my friends in the blog universe.

I found it interesting how the NFL can advertise some as the “official wings of the NFL”.

Do people really care? Who goes shopping and looks at the little NFL logo and the box and says “I got to buy these!”

Where does it start and end? The official pain relievers, official plunger, official pancake mix of the NFL?

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I live in one of the two cities in the world with a lake at either end. I love riding around and will head out soon for another cruise on my bike.

A few days ago I enjoyed a wonderful bike ride to a high point (Munson Mountain) where I was looking down at Okanagan lake, and I could also look south (9 kilometres) and see Skaha lake down south.

It’s a beautiful spot and looking up the lake I admired the calm spots and where the surface twinkled reflecting the light. Unfortunately my photos are shadows compared to the real experience but I thought you might enjoy them.

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

It’s an interesting question isn’t it? Would it be a business, career, public speaking, a contest of some type?

But if you knew you could not fail I wonder if it would spoil it? When I would go skiing, there was an element of fun but also risk (I’m no expert) and that’s part of the excitement. Aren’t we most alive when we also have fear of failure? Isn’t that why celebrating a race, a diploma, reaching a goal, is wonderful, because there was uncertainty?

I think it’s important to try new challenges, study language, read, cycle, and venture out and just do our best. When I do attempt challenges I often fall short, but along the way I discover and am introduced to the joys of the journey of life, and even when I falling short of success. I can embrace failure as I am enjoying the attempts.

The real failure is in not even trying.

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Thanks for visiting! – I respond to all your comments ♥ – David

Posted in Just being creative, okanagan related, Thinking Out loud | Tagged biking, failure, journey, Okanagan lake, success | 29 Comments

Random Thinking Wednesday

Posted on March 2, 2022 by dfolstad58

Thank you for visiting my blog today, I was surprised a whole month had passed since my last post. Funny how life intercedes and despite being retired, each day passes so quickly.

I have some random thoughts to share with you, that I have jotted down but I will limit my thoughts to one today and I look forward to replying to your comments. – David

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Photo by Maria Lindsey Content Creator on Pexels.com

Apples. Love them. I even enjoy the Granny Smiths although they are too tart for me to imbibe.

I drive to a fruit stand in Summerland to buy my apples. There are stores in town, of course, where I could buy apples but I want to buy from an orchardist. The drive is 20 or so minute along lakeshore so it is not a hardship. Once there, the orchardist has arranged a room with bags of apples, different types, and all from his orchard. The room smells fresh, clean and the scent is difficult to explain.

There are many varieties of apples, and in Summerland there is a research station that develops more varieties and I love them all.

Since I buy multiple bags at a time, I sometimes don’t eat them fast enough, although I receive a great deal of support in eating them from my family. (thumbs up)

Occasionally an apple will have a spot. I do what most people do, I carve out the spot and enjoy the rest of the apple.

As I did a little apple spot removing the other day, it struck me how important that is in daily life; focus not on the spots but on the best parts of our lives and people

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Best wishes to each one of you for your day today – David ♥

A few of my pictures below for you to peruse. I sometimes keep track of my rides and the route I took.

Posted in Just being creative, okanagan related, Thinking Out loud | Tagged apples, biking, gratitude, Okanagan, spots | 16 Comments

Thinking Out Loud – What R U Spreading?

Posted on January 25, 2022 by dfolstad58

Thank you for visiting today “Life and Random Thinking”.

I often wake up at four o’clock in the morning and do “random thinking.” I was remembering way back in the early 1980’s when I was doing hemodialysis at Vancouver General Hospital on a ward. The circumstances were not the nicest for the patients. It was a large ward, beds spaced out on both sides of a long rectangle shaped room. In between the beds were the large machines that were hooked up to the patients.

In all this noise, tubing and needles I was one of those patients. You can’t move around much when you are hooked up like that so I people watched and stayed awake the 5 hours or so that it took, thrice weekly.

I noticed the reaction that some patients had when certain nurses were working. A certain nurse, a favourite of mine also, caused heads to swivel when she walked into the ward. Ruth was an empathetic person, skillful inserting needles and a nice person.

Ruth was one of those people, a special nurse, who spread smiles while poking needles.

A nurse doing a difficult job the best she could, spreading understanding and kindness. ♥

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These deer demolish my tulips but with such cuteness I forgive them.

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Maya Angelou

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This peach used to be a golf ball, see the tee? (Peachland)

In January and the beginning of next month I have been tasked for my health to go through radiation treatments at the cancer clinic about an hour north in Kelowna, B.C.

I am fortunate to have such a scenic drive each way, and wonderful company and support from family. Next week I will be halfway completed my treatments and will await the good news.

I have to say my experience going to the Cancer Clinic has been very positive, and I am almost, almost enjoying myself. (I am weird, ha ha)

My doctor, my radiation therapists, the other patients, the receptionists and the health greeters are all positive and I smile walking in and out the doors. ♥♥♥

When I am done and no longer visit, I will not forget these special people.

These people are smile spreaders!

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Africa has taken the tv remote again – my daughter says she is a control freak. ♥♥♥

It has been my observation that in life it makes sense to take it with some sweetness or at least some understanding.

My thinking out loud conclusion is this – spread smiles and appreciation – if you have to spread something, make it laughs, and good feelings. – Blessings ♥♥- David

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I guess that’s why I like this YouTube video – it’s playful and music helps the others (mostly) enjoy the rush-hour traffic.

If you are worried about getting a song in your head, an “ear-worm” LOL, then avoid this video but if you like me welcome a happy tune – join in!

HIGHWAY SING-a-LONG – THE BUTTER CUP EDITION

Posted in health, music related, Thinking Out loud | Tagged butter cup, cancer, oscar wilde, Peachland, smiles, spreaders, youtube | 28 Comments

Two Eagles

Posted on January 18, 2022 by dfolstad58

Thanks for visiting “Life and Random Thinking”

My name is David and I was inspired to begin this blog post by my Aunt Elinore. She made so many friends online and she would have loved to have seen how many friends I have made via this blog.

Frankly it has been an unexpected pleasure thanks to the readers who visit, comment and encourage me to continue.

Today I had an errand and drove north up the Okanagan valley and returned a few hours later. When I left about 7:30 a.m. it was about ten minutes before sunrise. The Okanagan lake stretched out calm and reflective in the pre-dawn. I spotted three beautiful trumpeter swans near the shoreline.

Later today on my return trip home I stopped and took a few pictures in Peachland (it’s a real place). I will post below a few pictures I took there looking south.

Then I drove past Summerland (another real place) and back home to Penticton ( Penticton, from the Interior Salish word snpintktn, is commonly translated as “a place to stay forever,” or more accurately, “a place where people live year-round.” )

Just past Peachland I looked up the hillside and spotted two bald eagles, and they sat close together on adjacent branches.

I felt very fortunate that I had looked up there at that perfect moment to see them there, what a gift ♥

Speaking of gifts – I was given the gift of a kidney transplant via a live donor in April 2019. An amazing wonderful gift and now almost 50% of kidney transplant patients are from live donors.

I had a previous successful transplant from a deceased donor that I was also very grateful to receive – that transplant lasted 31 years.

MY STORY POST Link

I hope that everyone who reads will consider signing up to be a donor, it takes two minutes to sign up and don’t wait.

I want to share below a video to explain what being an organ donor means and what happens if you do choose to be one. ! (the video is two minutes and seventeen seconds)

Pretty please watch and consider being a donor – plus it is fact that each of us is much more likely to be in need of a transplant than to actually be a donor.

Thanks again for visiting – David ♥

How It Works – A Video about being an Organ Donor – from BC Transplant