Finding Out

Well, the British Royal Family are having a week, huh? 

First, the very credible confirmation of extreme, high volume, and "disgusting" death threats against Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex while she was a senior working member of the royal family. In spite of that validation of the fears expressed by the couple, haters still want to pretend it wasn't heinous to pull security for Prince Harry, his wife and their baby in the immediate aftermath as they scrambled to find their equilibrium during what they admitted in an interview with Tom Bradby months earlier was a time of intense stress that was causing mental distress. A father, now King Charles III, did that. Imagine being so petty and cruel that you would risk the lives of your son, daughter-in-law, and grandson because in your eyes they were being troublesome? No more security for you, naughty boyo. He also refused to take his son's (likely panicked) phone calls, even when the young family's location in Canada was leaked to the press, putting them in a perilous position. 

How incredibly humiliating it must have been for Harry, the man, to have to accept safe harbour and security from a stranger, Tyler Perry, that was denied to him, the Prince, by his own parent. With that act alone, Harry proved that the man he has become is far more worthy of respect than the prince he was born. He proved that a real man is stronger than Ego by humbling himself to accept the help in order to achieve his primary goal: to protect his wife and child. 

By comparison, both the person who sits on the throne and his heir pale by comparison; not to say the "ladies" are any better. Racist hussies gonna racist.

It's been hard not to scream with laughter as the press pushed the Prince and Princess of Wales' Boston trip for the Earthshot vanity project -- one that flew celebrities in for the gala to which zero prize recipients were invited -- as Prince William's "Superbowl," only to have Netflix drop the teaser of the docuseries, "Harry & Meghan." As Omid Scobie put it on Twitter...it's the half-time show. Such mirthful weeping in my house. The hits seemed to just keep coming: booed at the Celtics game, 'who dat?' from at least two professional basketball players in after game interviews, a photo op in the harbour (yes, the one previously filled with tea, mind) looking like a whiny school boy aside the appropriately dressed for the weather like a grown-up President Biden, and the memes of Catherine's greenscreen dress are savage. Predictably, the smear campaign against Meghan and Harry on the level of pre-Oprah week has been ramped into overdrive. One of my fave bloggers predicts day drinking amongst the British media after Netflix dropped the trailer this morning. Hahah, cheers, bitches! The bots are out in full force and don't even seem to be bothering to try to look original at all. Straight up copy and paste hate. Oh, it's on. And this tea is going to be served piping hot from the fire because Harry Windsor and Meghan Markle are ready to burn it down. 

“You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write

warmly about them, they should have behaved better.” ~ Anne Lamott

December Origins at Sephora Discovery Kits Giveaway

What better way to start December than with a chance to win one of these amazing skincare kits from Dave Lackie? With the holiday season in full swing, make sure to head over to Dave's Blog for your chance to win one of the December Origins at Sephora.ca Discovery Kits in this Giveaway!

Snowy Sunday

For the fourth night in a row the early waking insomnia monster got me - hello, 3 am, you used to be much more fun. It wouldn't be so bad if my regular bedtime isn't in the midnight neighbourhood, but Moi is a lifelong owl. Positive thinking, making the best of whatever life hands you and all that blah blah: the dishwasher is going, a pile of ever-growing pots and pans have been scrubbed, a roast has been seared and is braising for dinner, daily contests have been entered, swag has been swagged, socials have been scrolled, and emails have been read. 

Oh, Joe. If only it were that easy. 

Clever girl that I am, the sense Black Friday is going to actually happen soonish is becoming more of a certainty to me. The Early, Pre-pre-pre Black Friday Sales subject lines have tapered off to reveal a combination of offers of "free" gifts and a lot of rather alarming YOUDONTWANTTOMISSOUT missives. 

Rather than being overcome by the overused FOMO, I feel utter relief that my holiday shopping is done. There's no nostalgia for Hallmark movie moments. No illusions of strolling snow-covered (yet not a slippery, slushy obstacle course) streets decked out in enormous red bows and twinkle lights with a cheery holiday soundtrack playing as snowflakes flutter prettily (yet not fuggen freezing) while Moi, looking delightful in a saucy chapeau, and my charmed and witty companion chat amicably and peruse quaint shops for just the right gifts (we probably can not afford) to prove how much we care about people we love (but may not even like.)

Moi iz a growed up and that story is bullshit. Let's not even start on the obligation gifts. The shoulds. I'm rejecting it all. The beautiful thing about getting older is the freedom one feels letting go of what doesn't serve us anymore. Mancub hung up the first Christmas decoration this morning, we've watched crazy videos on Youtube, and the cat is cuddled up beside me watching the snow falling outside. The time we spend together and memories we make is what serves me best. Make the best of your moments.

Swagbucks

 

Take it from penny pincher me: the best way to save money & stretch your dollar further is by joining Swagbucks. It's free, doesn't interfere with rewards programs you have with other stores, has coupons and special offeres, and gives rewards from shopping you already do -- from groeceries and fast food to household repair, clothing, and every sort of product from major retailers and more independent shops. You'll be surprised how much adds up, especially during holiday shopping season, and then you use those rewards to 'buy' giftcards at no cost. You can even choose to use your Swagbucks to donate to charities!

Until you know the program, skip the games and offers, simply upload your receipts from in person shopping and go thru the portal for online shopping...it will take to you the regular website and keep track of how many reward "Swagbucks or SBs" your order accumulates. You can also earn SBs by doing surveys and completing a daily to do list - dead easy and quick. 

The best way to describe Swagbucks is as The Ultimate Rewards Program. Have a quick scroll through particpating vendors - you may have to change country as mine is set to Canada - and if you don't find at least a couple of places you regularly shop, there's some monkey out there calling me uncle. Wouldn't it be nice if the purchases you're already making this holiday season end up earning you gift cards for future occasions? Guaranteed, with times being so tough for everybody, you won't regret signing up for Swagbucks and participating  HERE.

Once you've joined, be sure to download the Swag Button so you'll automatically be alerted to what SBs are available at any given store. And when you're really ready to have your mind blown on how to stretch a buck even further, I'll be sharing how buying giftcards to make purchases that can add even more rewards to your wallet. 

There Have Been Things Amiss

Which has pulled me away from blogging (profuse apologies) and necessitated bringing Meems to Kitty's home with an unknown end date. After a couple of days of strange-making with Fetch, they're back to behaving like playful siblings. Callie, however, IS. NOT. PLEASED. She's skittish by nature and my cat is a stone cold bully. The poor little thing is stuck in the bedroom, with periodic roaming time when we crate the interloper, but she's so nervous she doesn't enjoy it. 

It's all just a shitty situation we have to endure until that which is amiss goes amissing. Or, more likely, until we find a home that's within our budget for the three cats (and we three people) and they can all stake out their new territories on an even playing field. We've decided it just no longer makes economic sense to maintain separate apartments and are hoping for something with a yard to enjoy once winter passes. In-house laundry is a must because I'm sick to death of hauling laundry. 

The first good snowfall showed up on Friday, cancelling the schoolbus, and we're supposed to get a whopper today.  I've noticed a lot of Christmas lights and decorations up already so people are getting in the spirit. Later today Mancub and I are going to start decking the halls -- I want to squeeze as much holiday fun with him in because, for the first time in his memory, we won't be together. I'm flying out to spend Christmas with Belle and am so excited. It's been too long! I'm mostly looking forward to just spending time being with her. We'll be keeping it low-key doing fun free stuff and relaxing together. On the big day there's a planned not-together-but-together Zoom with Kitty and Mancub to open our gifts.

Update on my gift-giving goal: I can hardly believe it, as I only set the goal in August, but I did it. Everyone has a present that was either won in a contest, was purchased with a gift card that was won or using rewards programs; except for a few stocking stuffers the only thing left for me to do is wrap. Please don't hate me. I've had years of last minute panic, chaos, going over budget, and the disappointment of not being able to give gifts at all.  The gifts aren't exorbiant by any stretch, but well-thought out and picked with love. I have an Amazon list of dreamier gifts I would get for each of them should I win a big gift card between now and the holidays. Hope springs eternal!

I'm being loudly reminded it is Caturday and therefore I must make haste with the worship.

Happy #Caturday pic.twitter.com/rVSBvDchzC

— Karen Tennents girl 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 💙🇺🇦🌻 (@karen_flynn) November 19, 2022

Newish from Queen

Queen has released this previously unheard single, recorded in 1989, featuring the incomparable Freddie Mercury.

Small Things With Great Value

The past week has been a sort of emotional roller-coaster and I've just been rolling with it, being gentle with myself and doing the self-care bit. All is well (and there's even a personally very exciting plan taking shape, yay!) But isn't it always the way that just when you think you've moved through the worst of it the littlest thing can unexpectedly bring the teary train rushing into the station? Or is that just what happens in the life of perpetually overly-feely Moi? Ssh. I know I'm a crybaby.

Over the years, for various reasons, I've lost custody of many objects. My mantra is that things can always be replaced. The only ones that fill me with true feelings of loss and regret are the ones with deep sentimental meaning. Regardless of their monetary worth, those are what have great value to me and it's those losses that can make my heart ache. The priceless things.

There aren't adequate words to express what a gift it is to have someone who cares enough  and makes the effort to share something I thought was forever lost. Today my dearest friend made me cry - in the best way possible. 

In a blog post a while back, I'd mentioned the coffee cake recipe she'd shared with me almost thirty five years ago, that it remains Kitty's favourite, and how I wished we still had the fundraiser cookbook from when she was in grade two. Leave it to the amazing woman I chose to be my children's Godmother to save her copy:

Thank you, Laur - for your friendship, for being there through it all, for always understanding what really matters to me and why. I love you, beyond...xox

Watch the National Remembrance Day Ceremony in Ottawa

Lights Out, Candle On

🎧 Beam Me Up -- Forever loved and missed by your A-Team.