Friday, April 23, 2010

$2.88 saves the day!

On Wednesday I had to go to Kelowna to visit my chiropractor Dr. Barbara James, who I enjoyed visiting. She has a different approach, which I enjoy no easy, gentle and gets results. Anyway, after just getting back Monday from Calgary, having friend Eleanor arrive for a couple of days before she went out to Naramata to help with the Spring Festival of Awareness on Wednesday afternoon. The Spring Festival of Awareness begins this Friday night and is going for the weekend (I'm doing two workshops there). Tuesday seemed to disappear with just getting reorganized from my trip.
Wednesday, another friend Marion phones to say her allergies are really bad, can she drop by and have me do my 'magic' Yuen method on her. Sure says me, 1/2 hour after she arrives she says her eyes feel a lot better and she is off. She is a major player in organizing the Spring Festival of Awareness (with producer/owner/organizer in chief Angele of Issues Magazine). I will find out how she is doing when I see her at the Festival.
Then I had a client for 1 hour and by that time I was running late to head off to Kelowna for my appointment. Now I had a busy day planned while up there. I was going to go to Costco and have my hair cut and check out a dress shop who were having a sale.
I had last filled my car up with gas as I left Calgary, I had driven home and as I headed into Kelowna knew the first thing I needed to do after my visit with Dr. Barbara James was fill my car up with gas.
As I drove up to the gas pump, I reached into my bag for my wallet when low and behold I discovered NO WALLET - I HAD LEFT IT AT HOME!! I had ordered a cleansing product for me (supposed to also help lose weight - more about this as time goes by) and the wallet was sitting on my office desk beside my computer. Big help!
But oh my gosh, what to do. I look down at the little part between the two front seats in the car, where I usually have change - often quite a bit - but this time as I pulled it all into my hand I only had $2.88.
I went inside and paid for $2.88 worth of gas. For those not in B.C. we are a prepaid province. You have to pay before you can get your gas. Thank goodness, because otherwise I would have filled up, gone to pay and find I did not have it. (I wonder what they do in these cases).
Anyway, put the $2.88 worth of gas into the gas tank and drive home. Luckily I have a gas tank which will go quite a while while appearing empty. I do believe the $2.88 made the difference. I was able to drive home and then later after collecting my wallet go out and fill the gas tank up, plus put the car through the car wash - which was very badly needed.
Now I have put some money in my car, so if it ever happens again I will not be caught without gas money. This time I was lucky, I was only one hour away from home, but what if I was further afield. Make sure you have something hidden somewhere in your car or vehicle so it does not happen to you.
Perhaps the best way is the old comment "DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT!" and that means your wallet.
You have a great day!
Norma.
Norma Cowie250 490 0654
Email: norma@normacowie.com

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Trip home via Dinasoures

After the Edmonton Body Soul & Spirit Expo was over, I had another Psychic Party on the Monday night and then Tuesday I did a couple of readings for people and then I set out for Camrose to see my friend Diana. Her directions were very good and I drove right to her house. There I got introduced to her cat, Kat - a male cat who is a character and demands attention one way or another. Kat seemed to accept me which was good.
Diana and I had intended to go to Drumheller on Wednesday to see the Dinosaur Museum. Well, the next thing we know there is a severe weather warning for the area. In fact they had quite a snow and ice storm, so instead of going we spent the day looking around the town, having lunch and then returning back to her place to watch a movie I had bought, "African Queen". I use the movie in my Male/Female and relationship courses and although I had a video, I saw that there was a DVD, so bought it and we watched it, then we went out for Chinese food.
The next day 7.30am saw me on the road to Drumheller by myself, while Diana went off to work. Driving through the rolling brown hills, some with snow on them (left over from the storm the night before) others clear I found myself in Drumheller just before 10.00am, which is when everything comes alive there.
While waiting for the information centre to open I walked around "the largest dinosaur in the world" and then realized the store across the road was open, walked over and the kind lady there had a map and told me all the things to go see, including the best place for breakfast - it was good. Feeling I needed to purchase something, I discovered some fossil dinosaur poop....very pretty colors and bought it with a stand to show it nicely. (I even got a card explaining it all).
From there I went to the museum, which was great, the little church, which was not open (a tiny church enough for one person, which disappointed me - that it was locked up - because I love churches and would have loved to have sat in it. Then I went to the swinging bridge a short way out of the town. Now my unsettledness around certain heights came up, so took a moment and applied my new The Yuen Method techniques and cleared it and enjoyed walking over and back the bridge. Then off to see the Hoodoos, and I was done. There were a couple of things, ie a Fossil Place which I did not go to, and some mines, but felt I had seen what I wanted to, so drove over the brown hills to Calgary.
Arriving in Calgary, I was tired and when I arrived at Cecelia's (with whom I was staying for the weekend) she was doing a reading (being a working psychic) so I went to 'my' room and had a sleep for 1 1/2 hours. On the drive I had been informed I would be needed at the Big Four Building for a TV interview at 6.45am the next morning (Friday). Therefore, I had to get up at 5am, get showered, dressed accordingly and drive to the Calgary Stampede Grounds and set up my booth and be ready for the TV interview. This happened with a lovely Global interviewer named Jill, I drew her Soul Impression and we talked about that. Very soon the interview was over and I was free to return to Cecelia's and have some more sleep before it was time to get ready to go back to the expo. As my booth was ready we did not have to be there as early as we would usually have gone. A nice bonus.
Friday was busy, lots of people, I had one lecture on the Tarot which was well attended (which I always like). We are always glad when the day is over, get back home to Cecelia's place, eat food, watch some TV and sleep. Then we are up and at them again in the morning, back for 10.00am and Saturday which is our longest day was the slowest of all three days, but it helped that I had one lecture, and one two hour workshop. That took up some time. Both the lecture and workshop were on Past Life Regression, and we sold out of all the CD's I had. Another good day.
Sunday was super busy. I sat from 11.00am until 4.00pm doing readings and when I finally got up I could hardly move I was so stiff. Plus I did not have a voice left. I could not get any volume out of it. I was glad to have a break and a walk around and then get ready to break down the booth and go have dinner with other friends and sleep before leaving at 6.45am to drive back home.
Was I ever glad to get home around 3.45 pm. The tulips had all come out in the two weeks I was away and some more daffodils. The Cherry tree is in full bloom and the lilac bushes are coming alive. Home Sweet Home.
I still wish I sometimes were two people. I have had clients, and I'm needing to get ready for the Spring Festival of Awareness this coming weekend, where I will be facilitating two workshops. So taking one day at a time, as usual. Enjoying the process of getting my house back to normal - I'm still unpacking my car. I managed to buy a new umbrella for my sundeck - a green to match the back door I painted last year. Another month and I'll be back painting!!!! Summer is coming, the weather is beautifully warm - not used to it yet. Life is good.
Lots of love,
Norma.
Norma Cowie
250 490 0654
Email: norma@normacowie.com

Movie Review - How to Train Your Dragon

On my last day in Edmonton I went to see "How To Train Your Dragon" in 3D. I enjoyed this animated movie a great deal. I thought it was wonderful entertainment. It was exactly what I needed after working all weekend at the Body Soul & Spirit Expo.
I thought the animation of the people and dragons really good, I liked the story line and the underlying thought of how we often react to people and situations without really understanding who and what they are.
I also liked how the perceived 'underdog' - he who did not fit in - was in fact the one who did not want to kill dragons, but understand them. Oh yes, he hit the one dragon people did not know much about with his invention. That no one believed him is the usual response when one is different and has different ideas. Everyone made fun of him, his father, a huge viking, was the leader of the village and ashamed of him because he was different. The villagers fought the dragons when they came to take away their stock. They were all big, strong vikings, while our Hero was slight and small.
As the story unfolds, you get to see why they come, and that they actually have some redeeming qualities.
How to Train Your Dragon is worth seeing if you are looking for a nice tale of redemption for the underdog, or great animation, or just to relax, laugh, smile and perhaps shed a tear.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
Enjoy
Norma.
Norma Cowie
250 490 0654
Email: norma@normacowie.com

Thursday, April 08, 2010

Movie Review - Alice of Wonderland

Yesterday I took time to go and see Alice in Wonderland in 3D. It was a delightful experience in which I ducked a few times and let out small screams a couple of times as things got flung at me. I most certainly find sitting in the middle of the 3D theatres the best option if you are going to see them - no distortion at all.
Anyways, my comments regarding this movie is of course the acting of Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter - they are superb. Johnny Depp, although there were times Jack the Pirate could be seen in his moves, he is so believable as the mad hatter. Helena the same, what a Red Queen. You believed she wanted "Off with his head". I thought Anne Hathaway was a bit flighty for the White Queen. I wanted her to stop flinging her hands around, it was like she did not know what to do with them. Other than the hand though I thought the movie quite brilliant. The scenes were magnificent, the combination of humans and animation was like there were no animation. The wonderland world was real, it was a place were animals spoke and personally I liked how they got to change Alice's clothes as she shrank or grew big. (My friend pointed out she was watching the shoes - which I did not think of and they had some difficulty with that - oh well I didn't watch the shoes so did not notice).
I also recognized the hand of Tim Burton in the Red Soldiers......how Tim Burtonish, evil looking they were. If I had not known it was a Tim Burton movie, I perhaps would not have recognized his usual 'dark' side which comes out, which I smiled to myself when I saw the Red Soldiers, oh yes Tim was there.
All in all I was glad I saw it, glad I saw it in 3D and would recommend it for a wonderful few hours to go down the rabbit hole. I did not read the books as a child, but remember something so I knew the story and remembered seeing something way back....another movie perhaps? I was thrilled as to how the story was written to show how the 19year old Alice - who was very good - was returning to Wonderland, but I wanted Johnny Depp to show up on the boat as she left at the end as a 'real' person, knowing the love between the mad hatter and reality was transcended. I guess I'm the eternal romantic ... both my friend Vida and I wanted to see that. Otherwise the story was well integrated.
I would give this movie 4 stars out of 5.



Norma Cowie
250 490 0654
Email: norma@normacowie.com

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Toothbrush saves the day

Hi: here I am in sunny, clear skys Edmonton, Alberta. It seemed like a long journey this time, perhaps my age is catching up with me on these long drives. The last two years I have flown here, but because I also am going to be in Calgary for the Body Soul & Spirit Expo next weekend, I thought I would drive to both the expos and visit another good friend inbetween. As I have written both here and on my Facebook page since my return home from N.Z. I was super busy with clients and getting books bound (the issue of being a self publisher) and other bits and pieces when I was finally ready to leave on Monday afternoon.
After my visit to the chiropractor, and purchasing a new phone (my other cell got itself lost somewhere in my car -- or who knows) and I need to have a cell -- plus I hated that other phone so it was a good excuse to get another one -- and I like this one, it even has a camera in it - something I did not realize when I said 'that one'. So I finally left Kelowna at 3.30pm and drove on to Golden. Now I was going to stop at Revelstoke, but when I got there I thought I'm still good, so drove on to Golden and I stayed at a motel I have stayed at before (in fact I was super impressed when they actually had me in their computer - so did not even have to fill out a card). I like this hotel, its clean, reasonably priced and it has a hot tub and pool. So went right away for a hot tub, then back to the room to watch the 2 hour show of 24.
Slept well, got up the next am and looked outside. Snow!!! But that is not where the toothbrush saved the day. As I dried my hair after my shower, I realized I had not packed my hair brush in my overnight case. Had my swimming suit and beach towel, had my toothbrush and toothpaste, (packed in a nice plastic bag) had a change of clothes - but no hairbrush. What was I going to do. I brush my hair after my daily shower and it is done (thank goodness for curly hair). Then I realized my toothbrush is a brush. So I used my toothbrush on my hair (it was before I cleaned my teeth so it was dry and brittle). It did the job! I hardly could believe it. My hair was done.
Soon my teeth were brushed, I had eaten a bit of food at the complimentary breakfast, and regardless of the snow I set off. I was so grateful I had driven onto Golden the night before, otherwise I would have had the whole Rogers Pass to drive in snow. Now I only had a shorter way to drive. Luckily trucks and other cards were on the road too, and we went slow enough that it was safe so did not panic. (It was two years ago at this time that I had the worst drive through a snow storm ever and my nerves have been a bit frayed ever since - which was why I had flown the last two years) but a couple of hours later the snow went away and then everything was back to normal. One thing about Alberta is it has beautiful large roads and once you are through the Rockies fairly straight. I left Hwy 1 and bypassed Calgary to get on Hwy 2. It was the first time I drove that way. Great roads, but the scenery was one of brown rolling hills. Very brown rolling hills. Not much traffice so made good speed, but it seemed to take forever, then finally I was on Hwy 2 heading for Edmonton. Just north of Red Deer there is a rest spot. I pulled in their had a short meditation/sleep phoned Bridget to tell her where I was and then back on the road again.
I was a bit road weary when I pulled into Vida's place around 3.30pm, and just sat and ate and talked as it had been a year since Iwe had seen each other. The time just seems to go faster and faster.
This phase (the driving over) I'm now ready to get the little bits and pieces I still need for the weekend Expo and perhaps today I will go see another movie. I have a 2 hour massage booked for tomorrow. Channeling peoples guides for them (10 of them) tonight. Tomorrow is a past life workshop, so I'm up and at them now.
In the meantime, my toothbrush saved the day, in fact I thought my hair looked the best it has done for a long time.
Thanks for 'tuning in'
Lots of love to you all
Norma.

Norma Cowie
250 490 0654
Email: norma@normacowie.com

Saturday, April 03, 2010

Movie Review - Clash of the Titans

After spending a busy few days getting ready for my trip to Alberta (Edmonton & Calgary) plus seeing clients every day, its been super busy. Therefore I decided, since I think I have most things in hand and not that much more to do that I would go see a movie. I decided on Clash of the Titans because a couple of others I want to see I thought my friend Vida in Edmonton would like those better than this one.
I had previously listened to the movie review on Canadian AM - I rather like his reviews - and he went on about liking the original better. Well, I never did see the original, but sure did like this one. Lots of action with weird characters and such. I was not bored, in fact at one point I found myself leaning forward (and it wasn't to rest my back). I was caught up in what was happening. I think twice I buried my eyes - yes I was really caught up in the action. In arriving home I wanted to get this review out because tomorrow is finalizing the completion of things for Alberta and Monday I leave for my two week journey.
I did enjoy this movie, mind you Sam Worthington from Avatar and the last Terminator movie was in it. It seems to me he is the young Russel Crowe - as he is from Australia and in three big movies - the only one not in was Star Trek....oh yes XMen hes not in that -- yet!
If you want to be entertained with stories of Gods and Men and learn something of the mythology (of which I know a little) plus you like action and don't mind watching men dying with crazy looking creatures then go see this movie.
I give it **** stars out of 5. Good entertainment. At least from me. Its always great to see the 'bad guy' get it somehow.
Enjoy!!!!
Norma.

Norma Cowie
250 490 0654
Email: norma@normacowie.com