I can’t help but take pictures when I go for a walk. Even though I am often walking where I have walked and cycled hundred of times I still admire the view. I still need to stop my busy thoughts even when it’s cold and windy. ♥
When I walking with my son the other day in the Japanese garden along the lake, he came to a complete stop and lifted his hands to prayer position. He just looked out at the horizon to the north. I copied him and we just stood in silence admiring nature for a few minutes.
I thought to myself that pausing and just absorbing the moment is always time well spent. I need to do that simple act more often. _ ♥
Enjoy the recent photos I have taken locally, it may be cold but it’s always special.
Winter light is just Mother Nature showing off again
I’m in a hurry to get things done Oh, I rush and rush until life’s no fun All I really gotta do is live and die Even I’m in a hurry and don’t know why
Don’t know why? I have to drive so fast My car has nothing to prove It’s not new But it’ll do 0 to 60 in 5.2, oh
Alabama – I’m In a Hurry (I don’t know why) Youtube video link (here)
Thanks for visiting and I hope you take a moment today also to stop and reflect. – David
This post is a continuation of the Call Me Skywalker category/series – if you go to the category on the right hand margin of my blog, you find it close to the top– if you go there, you can see the list by clicking on that choice.
Click HERE to go to the beginning to meet the characters, and learn why Luke is called Skywalker, and how he met Sophie.
In the chapter #8 Luke was intercepted by a man who had intended to assault him, but when he realized who Luke was he didn’t, instead the thug made a new choice.
Luke lay face down in the shadows, in the cold damp beside his bike. Simon had told him to hide face down and wait. So he did.
After a short while, he heard steps and pieces of a conversation. Most of it seemed to be swearing, and he heard his name a few times. He took deep breathes to try slow down his heart.
Then the steps retreated, he heard a car door open, and then slam. An engine started and he thought he heard a car peal away.
When he heard his name again, he raised his eyes to look out where Simon stood by the building entrance. Simon beckoned with his hands to Luke – come out.
Luke, my partner will be back soon so you gotta go. Take your bike upstairs and hideout, or go somewhere else for the next four days.
Whatever, make sure you don’t go home, and don’t be alone at night. Same for your girlfriend, Sophie has to stay home or if she goes out for some emergency then do it during the day and in a group, never be alone.
I’m done with this job and my fricking life is starting over. Luke, you knew my Dad worried about me, right?
My Dad wanted me to change work, and I wasn’t sure if I could. Well I can hear him telling me that again. I swear I heard him say me name when I was standing here.
So I am doing what he said. He said I would soon find myself at a crossroad. I would have to make a choice, and stop doing what I have out of fear of change, being a paid thug for hire.
He told me to have faith in myself. My Dad had faith in me, ya know? My Dad said I have a choice, and he told me to choose freedom from fear, and no regrets. He was always having trying to watch out for me….
Now I have to change the end of my life, my story, like he would have wanted. He told me “You can’t rewrite the past chapters in your life, but you can write the story ending the way you really want.”
I am going to do what my Dad said, the next time you see me you not gonna have to hide in the dirt. ha!
You take care of Sophie cuz these guys could be back. You better go now, grab your bike !
Luke hugged him, and then did as he was told, his mind racing.
Upstairs in Sophie’s apartment Luke had stashed his bike. He would not leave her alone, and now they would hunker down. They would stay put and be safe and heed Simon’s warnings.
He silently thanked God for Simon, and Alexander, his Dad. He always felt the right people came into his life, but it was still stunning to absorb.
Thanks for joining me for this ongoing story, they are brief so I hope you read them all and comment. ♥ – David
Today I will end this post with some lyrics (no surprise!) from a Guess Who song – and a link HERE so you watch it on Youtube if you are unfamiliar. I love this song ” Laughing” by the Guess Who. ♥♥
I should laugh, but I cry Because your love has passed me by You took me by surprise You didn’t realize but I was waiting
Time goes slowly, but carries on And now the best years have come and gone You took me by surprise I didn’t realize that you were laughing’cause you’re doin’ it to me (Laughing) it ain’t the way it should be You took away everything I had, you put the hurt on me
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The first song I ever heard of theirs was “These Eyes” – also an amazing song. If you have a romantic heart, and ever had your heart broken then this is one you will enjoy. LINK HERE
These eyes cry every night for you These arms long to hold you again
The hurtin’s on me, yeah And I will never be free, no, my baby, no no You gave a promise to me, yeah An’ you broke it, an’ you broke it, oh no
These eyes watched you bring my world to an end This heart could not accept and pretend
Thank you sincerely for visiting my blog today – David
When I started this blog I thought it would be like those astronomers who broadcast a radio signal and hoping for a signal back from the cosmos. It turns out that the blogging cosmos is filled with wonderful and amazing people and they communicate !
Thankfully I have been encouraged by the kind followers here who visit and comment. (Suggestions are always welcome). My huge thanks to those marvelous people.
Winter Solstice has just passed and up until now the weather has been fairly mild. We have had two dumps of snow of a foot or so each time and only a few roads are icy. The temperatures have rarely gone below minus 12 Celsius though.
That’s all about to change. Since winter has officially arrived Mother Nature has decided to make sure we know it by bringing minus 24 weather next week plus wind chill. I hope it doesn’t last too long.
Today the temperature was plus 3 and I managed to sneak in a short bike ride before the roads got too slick after sunset.
We will dress warm for it and be fine. Maybe the cooler temperatures will assist in burning off some of the delicious Christmas baking, like Nanaimo bars, (click for the recipe) a Canadian invention. For medicinal purposes of course. ♥♥♥
Today I will share a variety of my photos from the last month. All are taken here in Penticton. I hope you will enjoy.
Merry Christmas ! – David
Stockings are upChristmas tree is upWinter is WonderfulMorning surprise in drivewayWinter light is specialDusk is special
A recommendation if you have Netflix: Netflix’s Christmas special (30 minutes long) of Shaun the Sheep ! ( see photo below)
This post is a continuation of the Call Me Skywalker category/series – if you go to the category on the right hand margin of my blog, you find it close to the top– if you go there, you can see the list by clicking on that choice.
Click HERE to go to the beginning to meet the characters.
In the last chapter we found out two men are watching Sophie’s apartment but they are tired of waiting.
They had been watching for longer than a week. The two men had been alternating in watching Sophie’s apartment on the watch for Luke. Luke was the Achilles heel according their information, if they have him then Sophie will cooperate in treason.
Time was running out because they wanted to use Luke to coerce Sophie into sharing Navy information about the next voyage of the U.S.S. Nautilus affectionately called Anglefish by her sailors. She was latest, swiftest and most stealthy of all the US navy’s nuclear cruise submarines and Sophie had been an engineer in her engine room.
Simon was one of the men watching and he was about to explode from waiting. He was tired of being cramped in a car.
In the last two weeks when he wasn’t in the car he would go and be at his father’s bedside at his hospice. But he didn’t need to do that anymore. Unfortunately. He hammered the seat with his fist.
He didn’t need to go because he would never see his father again. He would have paid anything to spend another ten minutes with his Dad in that hospice place. He hated this job, the people he worked for. They had stolen time from him, time he could have had with his Dad at the end but the people worked for were ruthless.
He wanted to punch someone and his job was going to give him the opportunity. He felt like his fuse was lit, and it was just a matter of time.
Up above, the curtain in Sophie’s window twitched again. Simon noticed immediately. She was looking out the window steadily now. Was this Luke coming? They knew Luke rode a bike and not much else.
Simon’s partner had left, but would be back soon but Simon could handle one man without help.
In case Luke was coming soon, Simon quickly exited the car and headed for the shadow in the bushes near the entrance of the building. He could see the front entrance from there and yet not be seen by anyone inside.
He stood there silently in the bushes, and the darkness. The rain was cold and ran down his neck. Cold and invisibly down his back, dripping dripping and it suited his mood.
There was an arrival at the building, but it was only delivery of take out food. Simon could hear the girl buzz Sophie’s apartment – she was coming down to get the food and pay at the entrance.
Simon was unsure now. Was Sophie watching for the meal delivery or for Luke? Was this another wasted day? Only 48 hours of time left or the whole deal was off. He clutched his fist and waited, and watched.
Sophie paid, and stood at the entrance for a few minutes and left. She seemed to be peering down the road.
Suddenly from his hiding spot, he spotted a light on the bike path. It had to be him, Luke – his target at last.
Luke rode up to the entrance and dismounted. The rain had energized him along with his excitement of seeing Sophie after all those workshifts at the hospice. He had been there ten days without leaving in order to protect his patients from risk from pandemic exposure.
The rider turned off his bike light, and removed his helmet. He was startled to see a large man appear out of the darkness near the building entrance.
The entrance light shone brightly on Simon’s face as he approached. The bike rider stared at his face.
“Simon?, Is that you?”
Simon paused the fist he had begun to lift from his side.
Why does this man know who I am? he wondered.
“Simon, I am sure it’s you, remember me? Skywalker? Your Dad loved my nickname. I met you while you were visiting your father, Alexander. You were so kind to your Dad, and he died peacefully thanks to you being there. You were an awesome son and helped him pass. You even look like him.”
Luke is Skywalker ! Simon realized. He peered over his shoulder, his partner was not back.
Simon grabbed Luke and dragged him into the bushes, covering his mouth and whispering in his ear “stay here and wait, be quiet.” Then he grabbed Luke’s bike and moved it into hiding also.
Skywalker was too tired and too surprised to protest. Simon returned and whispered to him urgently. “Shhh! Listen ! Listen ! Your girlfriend Sophie is in danger!
Luke/Skywalker nodded his head – What the H double hockey stick is going on?
Simon quickly explained the situation, and why he was there, which was basically to force Sophie to commit treason by assaulting Luke and threatening her they would do more.
Simon couldn’t do it now though. This Skywalker was his father’s nurse. He had given his father pain free days, he had cleaned him up, helped him shower, and made his last days easier, pleasant even. If he hurt Skywalker, he would be betraying his father, and he knew that was something he would not do, could not ever do.
When Simon was not there, he knew Skywalker had been a substitute member of the family. Skywalker held Simon’s father’s hand and listening to Paul McCartney who was his Dad’s favorite musician. Skywalker was a fan also. They even sang Picasso’s Last Words together with a smile.
Simon had to come up with a plan so Sophie and Luke would be hidden for the next 48 hours. But he had only seconds to do so before his partner returned.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The rain comes falling from the sky To fill the stream that fills the sea And that’s where life began for you and me
So the next time you see rain it ain’t bad Don’t complain, it rains for you The next time you see L.A. rainclouds Don’t complain, it rains for you and me
Life and Random Thinking 