My son Jake and I were walking down the sidewalk as we were making our way to an appointment. Jake was about 4 years old and was always a very curious little boy. A homeless person approached us. Jake was scared and squeezed my hand tightly. He scooted behind my legs. The man explained that he was hungry and needed some money for food. I opened up my purse and gave him my leftover change, only a few dollars. He was grateful and thanked me.
Jake soon realized that he was safe and waved goodbye to the man and wished him a good day. It really warmed my heart. I was happy to have been able to help the man out also that Jake learned a valuable lesson.
We continued on our way to the doctor. Jake seemed to be lost in thought until he finally asked me, “mommy, why did you give that man money?” I told him “well, because he needed it and we could help” and then we continued to chat about it throughout the day. I reminded my son that it takes courage to ask for help.
I went on to explain what karma meant. Jake was quiet and listened to every word. He said, “it’s just like magic” and I explained that not really because we can control how we treat others. I talked with Jake about how we get what we put out into this world and that this can be either good or bad, it’s our choice.
Jake seemed very proud that we had helped the man out. We came home and right away Jake called his grams to tell her his story. Later that evening, we went out to eat pizza. Jake being a toddler, had his eyes set on a game. It was one of those claw games where you have to try and hang on to a stuffed animal. He was determined to play and win one of those stuffies.
The silly machine only took change and we didn’t have any. I almost never carry money with me and always use debit card for everything. I checked my purse and realized that the only change I had, was now all gone. I had given it away to the man earlier in the day. I explained to Jake that we would have to play next time because mom didn’t have any change. He was sad but quickly got over it especially when the pepperoni pizza came to the table.
Shortly afterwards, a nice young man came up to the table and gave him two dollars just the right amount that Jake needed for his game. He had the biggest smile on his face, I can still see him smiling right now. He hoped right off his little seat and raced over to the game. He put his money in and he won a cute little stuffed animal.
Jake hugged his new teddy bear as we drove home. He shouted out from the backseat of the truck, “we helped that man today and now we got karma!” I was so proud of him being able to put it all together. I replied, “you bet Jake, we sure did.”
Grief is defined as a deep sorrow that is caused by someone's death. Death of a loved one, is quite possibly one of the hardest things that anyone will ever go through. I truly believe that this is the same thing for animals.
We recently lost our cat Duffy and have noticed that the other cats have definitely been impacted by this loss. They have also been way more affectionate with all of us. They meow loudly throughout the night and sometimes it sounds like loud cries. It is heartbreaking to hear them sad. I sincerely believe that they are in a state of mourning.
Duffy was the best friend to all of the cats. He would take care of the baby kittens and cuddle with his buddies as often as he could. He was a lover not a fighter. The cats have all taken turns grooming Duffy especially as he got older.
His absence is known throughout our entire home. Nothing is the same and it feels like someone is always missing. He had his favorite spot that he was always laying on. It now is just a shelf and it hurts my heart, every time I see his spot empty.
Kit and Oscar were always cuddling with Duffy on his special spot, but no more. They don’t go near his spot. Since the day Duffy passed it has sat empty. The cats have found other spots to claim. They leave Duffy’s special area alone as though it is left reserved only for him.
The day we lost Duffy, Kit-Kat and Oscar had wanted to go outside that morning. Then I found Duff gone and noticed that the cats were staying close to the home but refused to come back inside. When I brought him outside, both his friends took turns coming up to his body to pay their respects. It seemed natural and beautiful.
I started to cry and the cats immediately came up to me. They rubbed up against my face as if to console me. I needed them in that moment and I think they needed me. Those cuddles meant the world to me.
When we burried Duffy later that day, the cats showed up. No words were needed to understand the importance of that moment. We were all experiencing loss. The pain of that day could certainly be felt without saying a single word.
We found Oscar sitting exactly where we burried Duffy. He was visiting his old friend. This was so sweet and confirmed exactly what I somehow always knew, animals feel loss and grief.
I am one of those people, that when I do something I kinda go all out. So if I am on a diet, I go to extremes and reduce my calorie intake way too much. Then guess what? It’s not sustainable and I crack. I drop the diet and eat even more than I did before. I gain back every pound and then some.
If I start to excercise, I go crazy and start off hard. I will set unrealistic goals like taking no days off a week. Same thing, it’s too much and I eventually stop because I am exhausted. I eventually quit the regime and end up not doing anything at all.
I love to run but hate to train. I will give it my all and go fast but then drop at the end. This happened to me a few months back. I decided to get back into running. My body had other plans and needed time to slowly get back into shape. So I dusted off my running shoes (bad idea) no support left. Went out on a hot day and just went for it! No breaks and no pacing myself. I ended up struggling to breath and actually needed a puffer. My dog Charlie was also dead tired. I pushed him too much too. That was that, no more running for this lady and her lab.
Do you see my pattern? I go way to extreme and end up self sabotaging myself, time and time again. I figured this madness was worthy of sharing in case others can also relate.
My daily schedule has been turned upside down. During the summer break, I would get up 10am and that’s on a good day. Eat something hearty by noon and lay around by the pool or go for a nice walk or bike ride with the kids. Make supper at a leisurely pace and eat by around 5pm. I was drinking lots throughout the day and staying nice and hydrated. Then I got into a pattern of late afternoon catnaps. Oh, how I miss these days.
Now I’m up at 6am running around till noon with nothing to eat. I snack on something here and there but it is usually not the best option and not enough. I am hungry all the time and hangry by the end of the day. I barely take time to drink or go to the washroom. I race home after work, do my best to make a decent meal but by the time we eat and cleanup it’s 7pm. I am bagged at the end of it all. I am way more stressed out and crash by bedtime.
I feel run down as a result and realize that this is not good for my health and especially right now with this nasty virus going around. I need to make my health a priority so I can stay safe. I cannot attend work even if I have the slightest symptom this includes:
Sore throat
Headache
Runny nose
Cough
Yikes, this is gonna be a challenge. Should I have any of these symptoms, I am off work for 10 days and self-isolating. I also need to book in a test right away. If I am COVID free then I can return to work as long as I do not have anymore symptoms. This is also the same thing for the boys! so health is a huge priority right now for all of us.
I was lying in bed the other night scrolling through YouTube when I clicked on the Rock’s latest update. His entire family recently recovered from COVID-19. Okay, well of course the Rock made it. He’s rich and probably has amazing health care. He is also extremely fit and lives a healthy lifestyle. Then I reminded myself that it can attack everyone! He is no different and healthy people, have absolutely been taken out by this virus.
The Rock brings this up and pointed out that everyone can make little steps in improving your health and boosting your immunity. It does not need to be drastic and life altering changes to get started. He made some really good points and I am planning on taking little steps rather than going BIG and crazy. Here are the little steps that my family started today:
At the end of the summer, we always end off with a family fondue. The boys have come to expect this. We look forward to it all summer and usually do this right before kids are heading back to school. We go all out and start with a cheese fondue with carrots, apples and bread. Then we do meats and veggies in oil. I have done a broth fondue as well as a substitute for oil and it’s lovely but this time we just stuck to oil. Then we top it off with a good old chocolate fondue with all the fixings.
Thanks for reading ❤️
Coil subscribers check out a tip on how to make the best chocolate fundue with just one easy step. I learned this trick from a restaurant called the Grizzly House.
I wanted to share one of my favorite homemade pizza dough recipes. This recipe is incredibly easy and turns out perfect every single time. The kids are fussy and they actually prefer this over many take out pizza options. This has been great especially during the pandemic when dining in, is the better option.
Ingredients:
1 Package or 2 1/4 tsp Fast Rising Yeast
2 1/2 Cups Flour
2 Tbsps Oil
2 tsps Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 Cup Warm Water
I recommend using a pizza stone but it is not necessary. I just prefer the way it bakes the crust.
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Start by taking the warm water and adding the yeast and sugar until dissolved and let sit for 10 minutes.
Stir in flour, salt and oil then mix together for about 3 minutes. I usually use my KitchenAid mixer with the bread hook attachment but it can be done by hand.
Sprinkle flour on the counter and pour out the mixture and knead until it is the right consistency of dough.
Let the ball sit in bowl covered for about 10 minutes.
Cut the dough in half and split into 2 separate balls.
Form the balls into a pizza shell using a rolling pin and hands.
My kids like when I make heart pizza so that’s fun too but I also sometimes make a large square rather than splitting the dough up into two pieces just depends on my mood.
Place pizza dough on stones and add your favourite toppings.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes
Finished product...
YUMMY!!!
Thanks for reading ❤️
For Coil subscribers only check out what secret spice makes these pizzas the BEST
I have been wanting to write about Daisy Coleman for a while now but haven’t been able to find the right words. I was first introduced to Daisy when I watched the Netflix documentary “Audrie and Daisy.” This young sweet girl blew me away with her strength and courage.
The documentary highlights Daisy’s story. On January 8, 2012, Daisy was just 14 years old and had attended a party with friends. Daisy was blackout drunk and was allegedly raped by a senior football player, Matthew Barnett. Daisy was still unconscious when Matthew and his friends dropped her off back home. They left her outside on her doorstep. It was below freezing outside. Daisy was wearing sweats and a T-shirt and was found by her mother the next morning nearly frozen and still disoriented.
Her mother terrified for her daughter, did the right thing and took her to the hospital. Daisy was given a rape kit. The results confirmed every parent’s worst nightmare, Daisy had been raped. Daisy was devastated but knew she had to speak out. She told the truth and was not believed. She was still determined to get justice and had the support of her loving family behind her.
Matthew continues to deny having sex with Coleman against her will. He insisted that the sex was consensual. He happened to also be the grandson of a prominent politician in town. His charges were later dropped to the lesser misdemeanor charge of endangerment of a minor. Barnett ended up getting a pathetic 2 year probation but was never convicted.
Daisy’s life was forever changed that night and was revictimized over and over again since the attack.
The police let her down miserably.
Her friends and peers coldly turned their backs on her.
The community shamed the entire family and set their house on fire.
This was brutally unfair as her rapist was the one that was supported and protected. Daisy endured relentless harassment and was continually victim shamed. She got no reprieve from her bullies as the abuse continued online; however, despite it all Daisy continued to stand up and fight.
Daisy continued to advocate and stand up for others even through all of her pain.
She co-founded , a teen-led organization dedicated to preventing sexual assault in middle and high schools. Coleman’s powerful message inspired so many young girls to get help and speak out.
Charlie Coleman, is the older brother to Daisy and was profoundly impacted by his sister’s sexual assault. Check out this short clip below (2:43) of Charlie discussing rape culture. Rape culture is a sociological concept for a setting in which rape is pervasive and normalized due to societal attitudes about gender and sexuality.
The Coleman family certainly experienced tremendous loss; when Daisy was just a young girl, her father passed away in a motor vehicle accident. Then again in 2018, her youngest brother similarly died in a car crash. Daisy now had to deal with the loss of her baby brother and best friend. Another huge loss in her life just seemed to be all too much for Daisy.
On August 4, 2020, she died from a self-inflicted gun shot wound. Her mother had called the police for a welfare check on her daughter who was suicidal. The officers attended the home and met with Daisy and after an hour left the home feeling she was stable. She shot and killed herself shortly after they left. This comes as a devasting loss to not only her family but the entire world. She had so much to give back and was such an inspiration to so many.
Please remember beautiful Daisy and her story and how hard she fought. We all need to do better and educate our young people. No more protecting rapists and bullies! We must believe those who are brave enough to speak out.
Be the light in this world that we so desperately need.
The other night I went to bed and binged watched the Netflix series, Dirty John-The Betty Broderick Story. I literally watched the entire season in one night.
I could not stop!!
The story was heart wrenching and at times difficult to watch. I went through an entire box of tissue sobbing for this women as I watched her heart break almost in slow motion. The entire family broken.
Divorce alone is rough but add infidelity to the mix and it is a bloody nightmare.
I have met many strong and beautiful women just like Betty except somehow they were able to move forward with their lives. I wanted that so badly for Betty as I watched every episode. It was like driving past a bad car accident; you know that you shouldn’t look but you can’t help it. Well, that’s exactly how I felt watching this show.
I watched 8 episodes back to back. Each episode was 44 minutes long. That is almost SIX hours that I dedicated to watching the unraveling of Betty.
This series is based on the real life of a seemingly perfect couple, Daniel and Betty Broderick. They were living the American Dream. Amanda Peet plays the role of Betty Broderick and Christian Slater plays the role of Daniel Broderick; both actors did a great job in this series.
Betty was a stay at home soccer mom. The couple had 4 children and lived in La Jolla, California. Daniel was a successful lawyer and owned his own firm specializing in medical malpractice They worked hard together to create the life that they had always dreamed of.
Life wasn’t always easy for them as they were married young. Betty made huge sacrifices earlier on in their marriage. She cared for the babies and worked hard to support her husband Daniel as he pursued his education. He went on to become a doctor and a lawyer. Betty was his biggest fan and supporter.
Betty suspected that Daniel was having an affair with his receptionist Linda Kolkena; however, he denied the relationship for several years. Betty noticed him growing distant and couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going on. In 1985 Daniel shocked Betty with a sudden separation and she felt totally blindsided. The affair with Linda eventually came out. Betty was furious that he had been lying to her the entire time.
In Betty’s mind, Linda has stolen her life from her and she wanted revenge. Linda looked eerily similar to Betty when she was younger. I think this really stung as she felt like Daniel just traded her in for an upgrade. Betty was convinced that she was going to fix it all and get Daniel back. Her family wasn’t the image of perfection anymore and she was devastated but it came out in anger.
Betty would harass the couple relentlessly. She would show up unexpectedly and make a scene. Her phone calls became increasingly dark and she would leave hundreds of vicious phone messages for them. Betty even drove into their new home with her vehicle. She wasn’t above breaking in either and vandalizing their home and personal belongings. This was intense and scary behaviour. The children were witness to all of this chaos and that was terribly sad.
The separation was ugly and it seemed that Daniel had the upper hand. He was a lawyer himself and held all the power. He had full control over the money. Betty was completely reliant on his financial support. Daniel started charging her fines for when she would call or show up to the home unannounced. He would then dock this off of her monthly spousal support payments. He also managed to get full custody of the children. Betty had lost everything and this legal battle continued for 5 long years.
Betty was fixated on Daniel and Linda and obsessed with their relationship. She grew more and more delusional and her behaviour only escalated. Betty was stuck in the place of hurt and pain. Anger really is just sad’s bodyguard and she was devastatingly sad. Her pain presented as rage and it was all directed towards Daniel and Linda.
Linda and Daniel eventually were married. They had to hire security for the wedding because of Betty. Linda had begged Daniel to wear a bulletproof vest because Betty had been threatening him. He refused to listen. Daniel told friends and family that Betty would never kill him because he was her golden goose being her only source of income.
Her pain and anger ate away at her soul until she finally snapped. On November 5, 1989 Betty broke into Daniel and Linda’s home. She had stolen the house key from one of her children. Betty walked upstairs and went into their bedroom as they lay sleeping. She fatally shot both of them. Daniel’s last words were, “OK, you shot me.”
Betty has never expressed an ounce of remorse and feels as though she was justified. She told a reporter once that it was a desperate act of self-defence. I feel for Betty but in no way was this self-defence. She could have chosen a much different path. Betty ended two people’s lives and left her children without a parent to raise them.
Thanks for reading ❤️
For Coil subscribers only, please check out an update on what happened to Betty Broderick.
I gave my office a makeover and here are the pictures of how it all turned out. I had to get rid of lots of soft surfaces. I packed away all my comfy pillows and blankets. It is important to make sure that my space is safe over comfort this year. I feel I am ready and can adapt to working life with COVID-I9. I also removed some large pieces of furniture so I now have a spacious area to ensure that I can maintain all social distance requirements to keep us all safe and healthy.
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