Board meetings and AGMs, AGMs and Board meetings. That's what spring brings in my world. I am so fortunate the the organizations I am involved with "get it" and while the meetings take time, they are (for the most part) painless. (NB: Hope I didn't jinx it).

     One AGM I attended was especially painless because we held it at Rig Hand Distillery in Nisku, catered by Cookshack BBQ, also in Nisku. The folks at Rig Hand gave us a great tour and tasting and it was an evening well spent. If you're looking for something interesting to do with your work group or friends, go check out these local businesses and their interesting and tasty products.
     I am sad to report that one of my boards lost a member in April. Rest in Peace, Terry Bulych (CFL Alumni Association, Saskatchewan Roughriders Alumni Association).
     May 14 is the anniversary of my mom's passing and I finally got around to sorting her last four (big!) boxes. These contained thousands of photos of family, holidays, work, hobbies, and cats. I touched each one before it was relegated as one to keep, one to pass along, or one to toss. Throwing out photographs was a new and difficult challenge, but I do feel lighter having done it.
      May 14 is also Chicken Dance Day. My mom loved The Emeralds and never missed a chance to do the Bird Dance. I couldn't find a photo of her doing it, but am grateful the image is forever etched in my memory.
     I finally read about the KonMari method of clearing clutter, and while I've been on this downsizing trajectory for a long time, Marie Kondo's book " The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" is a game-changer. I am digging waaaaaay deeper in my culling. Helping me for the last year or so is my friend Janna Tominuk of Shifting Spaces. If you need a little nudge to get you going, you really should get in touch with her. She'll never make you feel like a big loser for having all that crap in your house. She'll just calmly help you with it. What a gift!
     I attended the Womanition BizBrigade Leadership Conference where 16 women gave interesting presentations on a wide variety of topics. I managed to get at least one good idea or tip from each speaker, so it was a day well spent.
     I was privileged to be invited to stage manage Gerald Osborn's play " Bed Bug Bossa Nova" at the StageStruck Festival. Rehearsals were an absolute blast and the performance was an audience favourite. Hopefully that was just the push I needed to get back to working on my own plays.
     I want to give a shout out to another friend for a recent accomplishment. While I am throwing out mountains of paper, he was literally climbing in the Himilayas. After many visits to Nepal and his third attempt to summit Mera Peak (6,470 at the top) was successful. Way to go David Vella! You inspire me!
 

YES YES YES"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."

 -- Harriet Tubman