Famous Mothers

May 9, 2021 — Diane Skinner

There is no mother as important as our own and we should celebrate her on Sunday, May 9, 2021. Traditionally Mother’s Day is observed on the second Sunday in the month of May. On this day we can also reflect on the importance of motherhood and the role of mothers in our society. Whether we call her mom, mother, ma, mommy or mama just do not forget to thank her for all she has done.

         Some famous mothers

1. Mother Teresa was a Roman Catholic nun and missionary. She was born in 1910 in Macedonia. As a young girl she made the decision to become a nun and live a life of serving others. She set up an organization called Missionaries of Charity which cared for people in extreme poverty. She cared for people suffering from leprosy and AIDs. Her organization built orphanages, hospitals and homes for the sick. In 1979 she received the Nobel peace prize for her charity work, then in 2016 Pope Francis canonised her as a saint. She famously said, “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”
2. Whistler’s Mother is a very famous painting by James Whistler and it is indeed a portrait of his own mother. When Whistler started the portrait, he had his mother pose while standing but she became tired of that after two or three days so she asked if she could sit. The painting is very large, about 60 inches by 60 inches, so almost life-size. It has become one of the world’s most recognized paintings. Painted in 1871 it is valued at $140 million.
3. Lady Diana also known as Princess of Wales was married to Prince Charles, the future King of England. However, she is well known as the loving mother of Prince William and Harry. William was born in 1982 and Harry two years later. We all remember the image of her interacting with her adored two sons who she was very involved in raising. Sadly, we also can recall the image of her two sons walking in her funeral procession when they were only 12 and 14 years old.
4. Olivia Dionne was the mother of the famous Dionne quintuplets, the first quintuplets to survive after birth. Born in Ontario in 1934, the doctor who delivered them took custody of them and placed them in a theme park and up to 6,000 people visited each day to see the children. Finally in 1943 the parents regained custody and the girls moved back with their family. In 1998 the surviving sisters sued the government for allowing them to be exploited and they were granted 4 million dollars. 
5. Mother Nature or Mother Earth is a force or a symbol of a woman who is a guardian of the Earth. She controls weather and all living things. Many stories, fables and myths have been written about her. She symbolizes the entire ecosystem of the planet.
6. Mother Mary In the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke it tells us that Mary had a visit from the angel Gabriel to tell her that she would give birth to a son. The angel told her the baby Jesus would save people from their sins.

Get Organized: It’s about time

April 27, 2021 — Diane Skinner

This 5-part series may inspire you to organize and simplify your home. It’s a new year and a fresh opportunity to clean up, clean out and develop ways of storing and managing your stuff

Week 4 – It’s about time

Have you ever sat down at the end of a day and wondered where the time went? Perhaps you did not accomplish what you had hoped to do and that’s a frustrating feeling. A few simple ways to organize your time may be helpful.

Use a monthly planner. These inexpensive books can be found at Dollarama. There is a double page for each month. At the beginning of the new month jot down any appointments, commitments or birthdays.

Keep a running shopping list. Anytime you runout of something or are getting low, jot it down either on paper or on Notes on your cell phone. Use the method that best suits you.

Keep a birthday book with names and birth dates so that you won’t forget anybody. This can be done on paper or electronically. This saves your time later when you have to ask when someone’s birthday is (again!) or forget completely and need to send a belated Birthday message.

If you send real cards and some of us still do, buy a lot of them at once. Your time is too valuable to run out to the store every time you need a card. Perhaps pick up an assortment of cards for adults and children and buy stamps in books or even a roll. Going to the Post Office to buy 1 stamp is not a good use of your time. Canadian postage stamps have a P on them which means permanent.  If the price goes up then that stamp you purchased is still fine, no extra will be charged.

In the morning make a list of 3 goals. If you write down 10 things you will likely not achieve that and it will be discouraging. Cross them off as you complete your 3 chosen tasks.

Plan meals for the week. Then make a shopping list based on your meal plan after checking what you have in the house. One trip to the grocery store is a better way to use your time than multiple trips there.  Also, it is safer during COVID to minimize your trips to the store.

Establish routines. Do all your morning chores right away, such as taking medication, brushing teeth, making the bed, opening the curtains …. any of the mundane things that need to be done.  Get them over with early in the day.

If you work outside the home, prepare some of your things the night before. Set the breakfast table, choose your clothes and lay them out, make your lunch and because your car keys are in the bowl near the door already (Everything in Its Place – Week 2) you will be ready to head out the door.

   Hoping that you found at least one helpful hint that you can use in this 5-part series!

Week 1 – Declutter

Week 2 – A Place for Everything

Week 3 – Purge the Paper

Week 4 – Learn to Love Your Laundry

Week 5 – It’s About Time