Tag: keepitalive

WDYS # 117 -A Roundup post

Heights give me a dizzy feeling 
I feel a slight slip and I’ll end 
In the deep gapping depths of a gorge
But steeling my heart I climb high
And stand exhilarated on the top 

Struggles in life are like high tops
We are afraid to take them on at first 
But circumstances force us to Grapple with them
And little by little, step by step we deal with them
And overcome the challenges thrown our way

The feeling of success is sweet and uplifting
Like standing at the top of the mountain

Fantastic response again this week in response to this image. Please click on the links to read the contributions of our lovely participants.

Reena; Poised

Chris Hall; He will conquer

Ami; I shall have faith

Sri; Beyond

Sangeetha; Reached

Michnavs; Little bleep too

Lady Sighs; Miracle

Keith; I made it

Stoner on a roller coaster; Believe

Dee Min; Dream lives on

Regina; Is it courage of is it folly?

The novel reader; What do you see # 117

Myrna; Searching for God

Melanie; Don’t slip and fall

Jim; Morning stroll

Diana; What do you see # 117

Di; Walking on air

Eugi; Reverberations

Susi; Cracked

Inkdrop; Balanced

Radhika; Becoming

EM Kingston; Freedom of one man

Jude; Lost soul

Quaranjavirus; Above or below

Shashi; Arrowhead

Fandango; Shame on me

Jules; Keeping the pact

M’rid Hues; Carry me away

Nope, not Pam; What do you see # 117

Suzette; Look in

Punam; Choices

Kittysverses; Poetry

Jane; Fame

I am grateful to all those who have read, shared and commented on these posts.

I will be posting next week’s challenge on Monday at 12:00 pm, PKT.

Thanks for reading.

#Keepitalive

#Whatdoyousee

#WDYS

My cooking adventures

This week Lauren has invited us to share some of our coming adventures!

This week’s prompt is: Cooking Skills

First of all I must admit that I’m not a dedicated cook. I cook when I have to. In the past I had a love for baking which has also frizzled out with time.

My culinary journey started around age 13-14. I and my younger brother would go to the kitchen when the elders had retired for the night and we cooked up treats for ourselves. French fries, pakoras, parathas, French toasts…. We made whatever we could find the ingredients for at home and then we cleaned up leaving no trace of our activity. These were our secret forays in cooking, unauthorized you can say.

I discovered my mom’s cookbooks when I was in grade 9-10 and the mouth-watering pictures in those of cakes and pies etc made me interested in baking. I started trying out these recipes for which I could find the ingredients. Remember it was around 45-50 years back and we could only get basic ingredients.

I tried out different cakes, pies, desserts , donuts etc from these cookbooks. Gradually I became quite good at baking. I tried making breads, buns, rolls, muffins and cookies, which were quite good too.

When I got married I could bake pretty well but couldn’t cook traditional Pakistani food. My mother in law taught me basics of cooking curries etc and since she was a great cook, I too learned to cook well. But it was not my passion and I used to cook only when I had to. We always had someone to help in the house, and it included cooking. On special occasions like Eid or a birthday, I’d make a meal but since I wasn’t very keen on cooking, my interest soon diminished.

Right now I live with my elder daughter and am in charge of menu planning and occasional cooking. My specialties are haleem, biryani, chicken tikka masala, and parathas. I do bake an occasional cake or brownies but due to diet considerations, these are rare occasions.

As for mistakes during cooking, they are not very entertaining but numerous. The kids always eat if I’ve cooked a meal and even praise it. I remember in school we had to make pistachio ice cream once and it was so horrible that it had to be all thrown away!

Thanks Lauren for this lovely journey back in time.

#Keepitalive

#TBTMemory

Sunday Poser # 64

Welcome back to another Sunday Poser

This week my question is;

What are some of the things that people do that make you feel uncomfortable?

If we talk about the situation nowadays, mask less people make me very uncomfortable. People who have no idea what personal space is are also in this category.

People who have loud arguments in public places make me specially uncomfortable and embarrassed. I have realized that I have a long list of things that people do which make feel uncomfortable. So I will stop right here and wait for your feed back.

What things make you uncomfortable that people do in public?

Please share your thoughts in the comments section or you can write your own post and link it to this post.

Thanks for visiting and reading

#Keepitalive

#SundayPoser

January 23rd, 2022- Surviving disappointment

“If wishes were horses, beggars would ride”


If all our desires were fulfilled
We would never appreciate 
The true value of failure 
If we never suffered disappointments
We would become self-satisfied buffoons
For the value of a bump in the road can only be appreciated 
In hindsight 
Failure or a disappointment is the best teacher 
That we encounter in our journey of life
Surviving failure makes us wiser and better
Overcoming disappointments grounds us and 
Readies us with realistic expectations in future!


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Written for Linda’s JusJoJan

Today’s prompt; Surviving was given to us by Wendy

#Keepitalive

#JusJoJan

5 things that I need to remember this year

This week Dr. Tanya has asked us to list 5 things that we need to repeat to ourselves this year;

5 6 Things to Repeat to Yourself in 2022;

Life is too uncertain to take anything for granted;

Take each day as it comes. Find joy in every day and try to wake up in the morning with hope in your heart.

Staying safe is always the better option that being comfortable;

I get it that Covid protocols are tedious, uncomfortable and at times tiring but this is still a better option than falling sick.

One can always find ways to have fun at home without the necessity of going out;

Try to be innovative and make staying at home fun. Reading, watching movies, tv shows, blogging, going for walks, calling friends and family….. the list is endless.

Online shopping is there for a reason, use it and don’t take risks;

No need to venture out into big crowded malls or stores. Order online and unless you urgently need shoes that can only be bought after trying them on, wear two masks and make a quick visit to the store. Stand alone shops/stores are preferable to malls.

Meeting family and friends is nice but their safety is important too;

We have so many ways to connect with people we love through video calls that unless it’s completely safe, don’t meet in person.

And finally, but most importantly;

This too shall pass;

I know this is # 6, but it’s the most important point. Nothing stays the same for ever and things get better after a while. Or we get used to dealing with it. Have faith.

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#Keepitalive

#5Things

Fitness is the key

I’ve gone from being a lazy couch potato in my forties to a comparatively fit 60-year-old because I’ve realized how important it is to be physically fit as we approach old age.

Taking care of your body so that the body can take care of us when we need it to!

I am no advocate of punishing workouts that build up the muscles, define the abs and give pleasing contours to various body parts for people of older age. Why? you may ask!

I have seen so many people falling into this false illusion that a perfect body is the ticket to a happy successful life. I personally advise older people to be as fit as they can for their age. This entails;

Being able to walk for at least half an hour without feeling tired or drained out.

Not getting breathless walking up a flight of stairs.

Being able to do small jobs around the house like cooking, folding laundry, tidying up the house etc

I would again emphasize that healthy body is the best gift we can give ourselves. Youth is notoriously famous for its inconsiderate attitude towards the body it inhabits. Young people abuse the body by ignoring most of the good principles of healthy living. Fortunately, most people realize the importance of having a healthy body as they mature. I feel that instead of obsessing about the outer beauty, if we nurture the inner wellbeing and strength, we would have a better shot at enjoying our lives.

Now is the time to start the rest of your life with positivity. Start walking a few minutes daily and increase it in small increments. I have done it and I know it is possible if you are determined to make your physical condition better. Some people have too much pain to be able to even walk but they can with the help of their doctors or therapists can undertake light stretching exercises that will get the blood flowing. Underwater exercises are excellent for joint, muscle and back pain.

Whatever works for you, please do it. Slowly and gradually you will see an improvement in your physical and mental health.

Now I’ll get off my soapbox!😅

Written for WQW # 3- Topic: Fitness, hosted by Marsha

#Keepitalive

#WQW

Feeling on the top of the world

Love
Makes
You feel
On the top
Of the world 
The best feeling 
The most wonderful 
Vibes that you can
Experience 


Enlightenment 
Opens your heart
And awaken your mind
Exhilarate and exalting 
The core of your being
Making it feel as if
It is floating 
On the top
Of the world 


Perhaps 
Both are
Two sides 
Of the same coin 
Love in two forms 
Both lifting us
Above the mundane 
And gifting us
Unmatched 
Joy

Written for Thursday Inspiration # 143, hosted by Jim

#Keepitalive

#ThursdayInspiration

January 22nd, 2022- JusJoJan+SoCS- Icing on the cake?

I am not fond of icing on the cake! Provided the cake is tasty on its own. And if it’s not good enough to eat on its own, eating it with super sweet and calorie-rich icing is just pointless.

There are a few instances where icing is a must to enhance the flavor of something that already tastes good! For example, cream cheese icing on red velvet cake/ cupcake. Or a fruit compoté on top a cheesecake, and I wouldn’t call it icing, except in the broader sense of the meaning.

As for brownies, I don’t call a brownie with even a chocolate glaze, a brownie. A brownie is soft, fudgy, and has no icing on the top.

Written for Linda’s SoCS and JusJoJan

Your prompt for #JusJoJan and my very first birthday-Stream-of-Consciousness-Saturday is: “icing on the cake.” Write about the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the phrase “icing on the cake.” Enjoy!

#Keepitalive

#JusJoJan

#SoCS

Wolf moon

The first full moon of the year is called the wolf moon

Maybe the wolves howl at in the deep winter’s nights

Asking questions only the moon can answer

Or perhaps it has some mythical significance known only

To those who understand these matters, not people like me

All I know is that the moonlight reflecting on the white snow

Makes for a magical scenario, spellbinding and mesmerizing

This photo of the new year’s first full moon ( known as a Wolf Moon) was captured by Katie M. east of Bentley Alberta.

This week’s Weekly Challenge from Sue W and GC is; WINTER MOON.

#Keepitalive

#WeeklyPrompts

Designer glasses

I lost my very expensive designer glasses last Sunday when I went for a walk. I retraced my steps but there wasn’t any sign of them anywhere. I was doubly sorry to have lost them because for one they were my only Ray-bans and for another they were a gift from my wife. I knew that she would be very displeased that I had dropped them somewhere.

A couple of weeks later both of us went for a walk on a bright Sunday afternoon. And lo and behold, there they were adorning a wooden sculpture that was still part of a tree. I must say they made that wooden face look quite dashing!

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Written in response to CCC # 167, hosted by Crispina Kemp

#Keepitalive

#CCC