Month: July 2020

Letter C

This blog is brought you by the letter c.

Some of the things I love the most start with the letter C. I was making a list of what I am grateful for like I often do and I noticed most of the things I Love start with the letter C. I love Corgis, Cadillacs, cake, coffee, crying and cuddles.

Most of my life I cursed the fact that my parents spelled my name with a “unique” silent letter C. I feel like I was forever telling people how to pronounce and spell my name.

Corgis. The queen’s dog. I have had the absolute joy of having my heart dog for 8 beautiful years. Charleston forever saved my life. He was the one animal that knew exactly what I needed when I felt I couldn’t go on. I planned to take my life and he saved my life. When he passed he left I giant hole in my heart. Without him I felt I couldn’t go on. The crying and over thinking about his passing hurt my soul. I believe in miracles and then we found Kelsey the corgi who’s original name was Chelsea. The C is healing my heart. She is the drama Queen and constantly makes us laugh and bosses us around. She picked us and I will forever be grateful for all the time we share. I am forever grateful for all the people and their corgis that have come into my life as a result of my corgis. I have the best corgi family!

My love of Cadillacs comes from my dad. He purchased a Cadillac just as I was getting my license. Over the last twenty years we have shared a lot of fun, random road trips, memories and even some tears in the Caddy. That car has brought me so much joy. Each and every time my butt hits the blue crushed velour driver seat I am the happiest I could be. Caddy cruising is where it’s at. Thank you to everyone has taken a cruise with me and who have sang the Caddy song with me. Cheers! Here’s too many more random road trips.

Cake. I freaking love cake! From the first birthday cake my Oma (grandma) ever made I was hooked. I honestly cannot live without cake. When I moved out on my own I used to go to the store and buy cakes. Sometimes I even had them personalize them with a name, not a real person’s name and I ate it. If there is a rehab for cake addiction I need to go. I love any get together that has a cake. If you’re having cake count me in. I will say that no one ever made the “butter cake” like my Oma. I looked forward to that cake each and every birthday. I do love all kinds of cake but cheesecake has to be my top! I haven’t had a cheesecake I didn’t like. I have driven all over in search of the best cake. I honestly wouldn’t admit if I found it. I will continue searching my whole life and eating all the cakes.

Coffee. I cannot function without coffee. I love a good fancy coffee or a flavoured coffee. I like my coffee with milk or whip cream but not just regular cream. I start each day with a cup of coffee and most of the day I can be found sipping coffee. I am always drinking coffee while I write. I come from a whole family of coffee drinkers. I honestly do not understand how people function without coffee. I love the smell, the taste, the kick of energy, feeling that I can take on whatever task I need to get done. My son will tell you don’t talk to me until my morning coffee is done.

Crying. I have cried so many tears in my lifetime I am shocked I haven’t drown. I have a huge heart. I love hard but I also feel heartbreak hard. I feel so much better after a cry. Big puffy eyes. I believe it’s better to get your feeling out then hold them in. No shame in crying. I do find though that it’s best to cry in the Cadillac. The crushed velour soaks up the tears so much faster than any other fabric. I am forever thankful when my heart was destroyed my corgi Charleston licked up my tears and always cuddled with me.

Cuddles. Some of my best cuddles I shared with someone I thought would love me forever. That changed but my love of cuddles didn’t. I have my corgi cuddles. Kelsey cuddles the same way Charleston did with her head on my shoulder. First time she did that you can guarantee I teared up. I have to admit that my ultimate favourite cuddles are baby cuddles. The kind of cuddles that make your arms go numb but you wouldn’t dare move. I am so thankful for friends with babies who let me cuddle. I am always available. Being tall has it perks most babies fall asleep cuddling me. I walk around for a few minutes and bam they pass out hard. I think it’s because being so high up the air quality makes them sleepy. That’s been a joke with friends for years. Recently I had cake and baby cuddles. Best day ever!

When I can combine things from the list of c’s that I love it’s an even better day. I often have a corgi in the Cadillac, or coffee or a cry, sometimes all the above. I can’t bring myself to eat in the car and I hear it’s distracted driving if you cuddle and drive.

I am SasCha. I am unique. I have a list of C’s that I love. I am grateful for all the corgis, Cadillacs, cake, coffee, crying and cuddles that have brought me close to the people in my life. My heart is so full and I am so grateful.

Chance to change….

I was having a conversation with my Opa (grandpa) while I was doing the interview for man behind the motto part two. Opa shared with me how he got into building. My whole life Opa has been building or dreaming of building something. If he hasn’t already built it then you can find the plans of what he wants to build on his desk. He is always pitching the next great building idea. His imagination runs wild. You can see his passion when he talks about building.

My childhood home was an old school house he flipped into a lovely family home. Growing up it was a mansion to me. It had everything you could dream of. It had the most beautiful windows in the back facing the creek. It was the perfect childhood family home on a quiet street in a small town. I lived in this house for seventeen years and I was utterly heartbroken when we left. I can still remember my entire address and phone number despite having moved many times since then.

Opa didn’t build the house I live in today but he helped me find it and purchase it. I trusted his expert advice that it was a great home. He hasn’t been wrong. My son and I love this house. It’s on an even quieter street than the one I grew up on and the lake is just steps away. My son has informed me he is never moving out. It’s our slice of paradise. Thank you Opa.

At the time of his first house flipping project Opa was living in Pickering Ontario on the shores of Lake Ontario. He was working at Johns Manville plant which manufactured asbestos cement pipes for the construction industry. He worked at this plant for ten years, which later was the beginning of investigation of the dangers of asbestos to the health of workers. Most workers became ill or died due to asbestosis or meseothelioma. While working at the asbestos plant Opa’s mother and brother in Germany sold a property and he received five thousand dollars, which he says forever changed his life. He described it as big money at the time. Opa used that five thousand dollars as a down payment to purchase what he described as a” mansion” in Whitby Ontario. He flipped this house by renovating it into a four plex which he later sold and made a profit. Being that it was some forty plus years ago he doesn’t remember exactly how much money he made. This is what started his building career. He’s gone on to build so many houses and apartment buildings I have lost track of them all.

When I asked if he remembered what the mansion looked like, he went on to paint me a picture of a big red brick house with a steeple like top. He couldn’t remember the exact street address. He didn’t have a picture. He could tell me it was located on a street by the lawn bowling center and a senior’s retirement home. He described the things he remembered from the street and where the house was situated. The hill you had to climb and that the house was on the corner on the right hand side.

Mission accepted. I wanted to find this mansion. I wanted to see the house that started it all. I got a cup of coffee and turned to google street view and quickly got to work. Street view is an amazing tool, you can take a trip down memory lane. I started with locating the area he described and then I went up and down the streets in search of this house. I am happy to say I found it. I am now trying to figure out the history of what it’s selling price has been. It seems that houses in the area go for upwards of 600,000. It’s a rental property and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s worth well over a million.

I was talking to my mom about this house story, asking her what she remembered from this time. She would have been nearing her teen years. She often talks about her childhood home in Pickering as being the most beautiful home. It was on Lake Ontario and had a pool. We drove there once, the house is no longer there but the view was spectacular.

While I was talking about how five thousand dollars changed Opa’s life my mom shared with me how she received five thousand dollars from her grandpa (her mom’s dad) when he passed away that forever changed her life. She used that money for her divorce and as a down payment to put herself through nursing school. I still to this day do not know how my mom went to nursing school with two small children. You go girl.

I found it interesting that both my Opa and my mother would say that five thousand dollars forever changed their lives.
I don’t have a great five thousand dollar story to end this blog. I have always been blessed with help from my wonderful family. I have always had a job that’s provided me with enough money to afford my life. I am grateful for all the help I have received along the way and I try to pay it forward whenever I can. I always joke about winning the lotto but the truth is my life is so beautiful, my heart is so full no amount of money could possibly make it better.

I find it very interesting that when Opa began to realize the potential hazards of his job at Johns-Manville when he saw the men around him dying and getting sick, he suddenly had a chance to change his life with that $5000. When my mom’s marriage was crumbling and no real profession to support her and her children on her own, she suddenly had a chance to change her life with that $5000. So I guess I can all I can conclude is that if things look bad be ready to make your life change when the opportunity comes along.

I do…

These two simple words, I do, I have promised to say on more than one occasions but I never followed through. I have touched on this subject before but I am a run-away bride. I have planned the whole wedding down to every small detail and then I run. I once ran so far I left the province I have always called my home. I can say running will not solve your problems. Problems follow you wherever you go.

I have been lost. I have struggled. My life has not worked out like I planned. I have not found my forever, my happily ever after.

As a kid I danced around in a fluffy pink ball gown dress dreaming of my wedding. I dreamed of being married. I dreamed of my fairy tale day.

I have dreamed.

I have failed.

I do believe that my happily ever after exists. I do believe in love. I believe the right person will one day find me, at this point I think he’s lost but who am I to rush. I wonder and I dream how we will meet. Have we met? Who knows. That is the journey of life. I made it this far on my own I am in no hurry.

I admit today I love my life. I have created a life I celebrate. I am excited to take on each day. I want to share my hopes, dream, failures, successes and lessons learned. I am not ashamed.

I do not regret my past I embrace it for it has made me into the fierce woman I am today. I am grateful for all my failures. My failures have lead me to where I am today. I am fulfilling my dreams. I am no longer scared. I have a better understanding of what I want from life because of the love I have experienced.

I am grateful to have experienced love, it was not forever but it helped my heart see the good in the world and in the people I have met.

I admit I am a hopeless romantic. I love romantic movies that brings me to tears. I love weddings that make me cry. Love hits me right in the feelings and I love a good happy, sappy ending. I one hundred percent do “ugly cry” at real weddings too. I love an exchange of vows that just grabs your heart strings and makes you feel like they have found forever. Also wedding cake, let’s be serious, I freaking love cake.

I have failed many times over at love. I am thankful for each relationship that came into my life the good, bad and the down-right ugly. Every relationship opened my eyes up to what I want in life. Each person taught me so much about myself and what I am thankful for.

I have had to heal my heart from the damage done. I had to let go of what I feared to let go of. My heart has been left empty. I have felt heart break. Letting go, forgiving and self-love are some of the hardest lessons to learn. I guarantee they are the most freeing. I feel so much lighter and yet my heart is so full.

I let go.

I forgive.

I love myself.

I am loved.

I have created a life filled with love. I open the door to my house and I am instantly surrounded by love. I love where I live. My son is the most amazing lovable little boy. He tells me millions of times a day how much he loves me. He writes me little love note reminders. He makes my heart full. I never knew the love of a mother until you came into my life. I am a single mother and so I get double the amount of love.

My dog Charleston taught me what unconditional love from an animal was. He was my heart dog. He saved my life. When he passed he left the biggest hole in my heart I wasn’t sure I could ever fill. That was of course until his sister Queen Kelsey came into our lives. I am beyond grateful for her wild adventures. Life has an amazing way of giving your heart the love you need if you’re open to it.

I have once again opened my heart.

I may not have said “I do” to someone forever, not yet. The great search continues, but I have filled my heart with self-love. Love from my family. Love from my friends. Love from my corgis. I have the greatest family, friends and corgis. Thank you to each and every one of you! I love you all so very much.

Be sure to tell those in your life how much you love them.

Tomorrow is never promised, so love and appreciate the people who are in your life.

Make the call….

This blog is a follow-up to in a world of texting answer your phone. If you have not read that blog click here to enjoy now. I am phone obsessed!

Being on the phone makes me happy. Hearing your voice fills me with joy. Seeing your number on my phone makes me smile. I am happiest when I am talking on the phone. I make time every single day to talk on the phone. Don’t get me wrong, I do love the convenience and time saving ways of modern technology. I do text and I do e-mail but it always seems too impersonal. I can’t hear your voice. I can’t understand your tone. I love to hold the phone and pace around my house catching up. Nothing makes me smile like being on the phone. From sun up to sun down you will find my minutes on my phone tallying up and I couldn’t be happier.

I have had many jobs working on the phone. I was a telemarketer who once called you probably during supper or some other inconvenient time. I swear that is the only time they call. I sold all kinds of things from panty hose to encyclopedias all around the world. Alright, moment of truth maybe not all around the world but all the parts that speak English. I have always dreamed of learning some other languages. I love the sounds of other languages. The allure and wonder what you could be saying when I don’t understand, is dreamy. However learning a language is much harder than I thought. I have tried. Let’s be honest, I still struggle to get all the parts of the English language correct. I will admit cold calling numbers was a heck of an eye opening experience, if you ever wanna be told off in multiple languages this is the job for you. I did however despite the setbacks of the job manage to hold top sales for a number of weeks before I quit. I made quotes and even got bonuses, all from doing what I love, having random conversations on the phone. Little less fun when you have to read a script but I think I rocked it. I did end up quitting to further my schooling; I didn’t think I would be able to sell things over the phone forever as a career. Do people still buy things over the phone? I will say this job taught me a lot about myself. For the people who took the time to chat and not treat me rudely or slam the phone down. Thank you.

I worked for a couple years in an inbound call center. I was one of the first hires for a new exciting local company doing cell phone support. I was part of the process of the activation of phones for dealers. I spent most of my days talking to cell phone customers about their bills and technical difficulties. No one is ever happy to get a high cell phone bill or have a phone malfunction. In today’s times everyone’s cell phone is their life line. I was doing tech support in the cool days of the razor phone. Anyone remember the razor? Or did I just again age myself? I will admit this call center job taught me a great deal about cell phones. I learned to speak the lingo to get discounts on my cell phone bill, which I still use. I met some of the greatest co-workers and even some who 20 years later are still friends. I did my best to make this repetitive job fun! I have to say this job was my happy place in terms of talking on the phone. If only the calls weren’t recorded and I could have had actual conversations. Thanks to everyone who made this job great! Cheers to co-workers who became life long friends.

Most of my other jobs have been with dealing with people directly, which, don’t get me wrong, I also enjoy, but just not as much as talking on the phone. There is just a certain dream like quality when you can only hear a voice. I guess you could say I have a vivid imagination and I like to paint a picture of who I am talking to.

At my current hospital office admin job I like to call my co-workers in different departments and just say hi, check in and maybe plan to take a break together. I enjoy these chats!

For my positive life coach business and my blogs I absolutely love when you call to discuss. I have had some of the greatest phone conversations and stories shared about my blogs. Each and every call touches my heart. Thank you!

I make time to phone my grandparents every day even if it’s just for a minute. Seniors check-up as we call it. They keep me up to date with what’s going on in the family and in the world. I don’t watch the news. I have never been one for watching the news. I enjoy more positive stories.

Especially now in this wild time of Covid-19 I encourage you to make the call. Pick up the phone, reach out and check in on someone. Catch up with an old friend or family. Call someone just to hear their voice and say hello! Let people know you miss them and love them. Tomorrow is not promised so remember today is your day!