• About

Arianne Brady Blog

~ This is what happens next.

Arianne Brady Blog

Monthly Archives: June 2013

Spring 2013

21 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by ariannebrady in Daily Post

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Backpacking, Birthday, Bow River, Calgary, Calgary Flood, Calgary Flood 2013, Camping, Elbow River, Glenmore Reservoir, Grass Pass, Hiking, Kananaskis, Kootenay Park, Mother's Day, Motorcycle, Music, Point Campground, Retirement, Stanley Park, Triumph Bonneville, Upper Kananaskis Lake, Waterton Lakes National Park, Wildlife

Calgary is under siege, torrents of water spilling over the banks of the Bow and Elbow rivers. Downtown is closed and the community where I work evacuated. Eyes glued to the TV screen, film clips stream in from all over the province: a mud slide eroding the Trans Canada, a house floats down the river, a brightly colored swing sets rises like a cheerful beacon from a lake of muddy water. It’s the first day of summer.

Tyler and I watched from our bicycles as a man in a kayak paddled towards higher ground. Emerging from the boat, his family surrounded him as he relayed a grim picture of the situation at home. His wife burst into tears.

Today I’m grateful for a fridge full of food, clean water to drink and a warm dry place to rest my head. I’m thankful for what I have and who I have. It’s amazing to me how, in the face of such destruction, a certain camaraderie emerges in a city of a million. All wanting to help, all wanting to do something to ease the devastation of strangers.

In the spirit of gratitude and thanks, a visual summary of Spring, 2013:

Calgary Flood 2013
Man in Kayak coming from his flooded home near Stanley Park
Calgary Flood 2013
Water pouring from Glenmore Reservoir
Calgary Flood 2013
That’s a lot of water!

Calgary Flood 2013
Our beloved Sandy Beach Bridge has seen better days.
Calgary Flood 2013
Residential streets near Stanley Park
Calgary Flood 2013
Calgary Flood 2013

Calgary Flood 2013
Stanley Park tennis courts and pool is a lake
Hiking Alberta
First hike of the season
Grass Pass, Alberta
Spring hiking up Grass Pass

Grass Pass, Alberta
Coke can from 1983
Roxy the mountain dog
The mountain dog
Point Campground, Kananaskis
Rummy in the woods

Upper Kananaskis Lake, Alberta
Never disappointing
Point Campground, Kananaskis
First backpacking trip of the year
Mountain Sheep, Alberta
It’s just a phase.

So hungry, he couldn’t even lift his head. Nom, nom, nom.
Triumph Bonneville
Getting the tour of my Bonny!
Spending some time with Margaret Thatcher (Maggie)

New Triumph Bonneville
Rain or shine, we’re out there riding!
2012 Triumph Bonneville
Breaking Maggie in
Tyler Mowing the Lawn
Mowin’ it old school

Mother's Day in Waterton
Mother’s Day in Waterton
Baiya in Waterton
Baiya the busybody
Tyler on Bear's Hump
Bear’s Hump in Waterton

Trish's 50th Birthday
Any boyfriends?
Dale's retirement party
“They just use your mind and never give you credit. It’s enough to drive you crazy if you let it!”
Who gave Dale a knife?
He’s had a few, he’s about to retire, it’s his 60th birthday. Who gave this guy a knife?

Advertisements

5 Bits of Wisdom Everyone Ignores But Shouldn’t

14 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by ariannebrady in 5 for Friday, Daily Post

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Calgary, Cat, Family, Friends, Husband, Kimberley, TGIF, Words of Wisdom, Work, Working for the Weekend

I collapsed into bed last night exhausted from the day and feeling that the week had been an endless list of to-dos that I really didn’t feel like doing. Though I’d completed tons of stuff over the course of the week – some things I’d even tout as accomplishments, I still felt profoundly unsatisfied. I hadn’t spent any time with friends and I’d all but ignored my husband. My cat showed his neglect by puking all over my bed. My wrists were aching and my eyes dry from sitting zombie-like at a computer all day (and all night). Aside from the flight of stairs I climb (down) each morning, I’d been absolutely sedentary. And then today, I read this:

Words Of Wisdom Everyone Ignores — But Shouldn’t

As the article says, this advice is so obvious even worms get it. But I needed the reminder, a list of instructions if you will, on how to keep my head up, my path clear and my mind on track to focus on what’s most important. As we head into the weekend, it’s time for family, friends and a vacation from pesky to-do lists. I never want to be one of those people who are “working for the weekend” but I have to admit, today is a TGIF kinda day.

Recent Posts

  • New Horizons
  • My Bonnie
  • Spring 2013
  • 5 Bits of Wisdom Everyone Ignores But Shouldn’t
  • 5 Beefs

Archives

  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012

Categories

  • 5 for Friday
  • Daily Post
  • Resources
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • WordPress.com
Advertisements

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel