October 08, 2025

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BG’s Positively Speaking

The origin of this story is unknown to me, but in today’s stress-laden world, we could all benefit from its message.

We All Need A Tree

I hired a plumber to help restore an old farmhouse. After a rough first day on the job, a flat tire caused him to lose an hour of work, his electric drill quit, and his ancient one-ton truck refused to start. I offered to drive him home. While I drove, he sat in stony silence.

Arriving at his home, he invited me to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When he opened the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His face was wreathed in smiles, and he hugged his two small children, giving his wife a kiss.

Afterward, he walked me to the car. We passed the tree, and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what he had done earlier. “Oh, that’s my trouble tree,” he replied “I know I can’t help having troubles on the job, but one thing’s for sure, those troubles don’t belong in the house with my wife and the children…so I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to take care of them. Then in the morning, I pick them up again. “Funny thing is,” he smiled, “when I come out in the morning to pick ’em up, there aren’t nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.”

Do you have a trouble tree? If not, you should make it a priority today to find one. It doesn’t have to be right outside your home, though the closer, the better. It should be just before you arrive home, so that you…

Don’t Take Your Problems Home

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Figure It Out

Can you figure out the sayings in the squares below?

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Editors Quote Book

“Life isn’t about getting and having, it’s about giving and being”.   

—Kevin Kruse

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Musically Speaking:

 A percussionist, tired of being teased by her band-mates, decides to switch instruments. She walks into the local music shop, points to her choices and says, “I’ll take that trumpet and that accordion.” The shop assistant looks at her for a second and replies, “OK, you can take the fire extinguisher, but the radiator’s not for sale.”

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How do you fix a broken tuba?    With a tuba glue.

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What’s the difference between a piano and a fish? You can’t tuna fish!

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A story is told that Richard Wagner was walking on a street in Berlin one day and came across an organ-grinder who was grinding out the overture to Tannhäuser. Wagner stopped and said, “As a matter of fact, you are playing it too fast.” The organ-grinder at once recognized Wagner, tipped his hat, and said, “Oh, thank you, Herr Wagner! Thank you, Herr Wagner!” The next day, Wagner returned to the same spot and found the organ-grinder grinding out the overture at the correct tempo. Behind him was a big sign: “PUPIL OF RICHARD WAGNER.”

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Irish Trivia Quiz

(Click Question For Answer)

 

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Your Horoscope

For Amusement Only

Aries March 21 – April 19: You’ll need to burn some midnight oil to complete a presentation for some V.I.P.s. Your efforts will be rewarded.

Taurus April 20 – May 20: You could be overwhelmed with everything you have to do. Take comfort in the pleasure you will bring to others.

Gemini May 21 – June 20: Loved one’s smile as they see some of your energy return. A new experience will bring you great satisfaction.

Cancer June 21 – July 22: Your influence is spreading. You are having a greater positive effect on the daily events occurring around you.

Leo (July 23 – August 22): You may not be able to understand all your feelings, but don’t worry – things will soon become clear to you.

Virgo August 23 – September 22: Spend more time at home. Don’t take family for granted. You need them, and they need you more than you realize.

Libra, September 23 – October 22: Risky behaviour could put you in jeopardy. Hold yourself in check and don’t take unnecessary risks. Play it safe.

Scorpio October 23 – November 21: Don’t be afraid to cast your net into new waters. Other companies are seeking individuals with your talent.

Sagittarius, November 22 – December 21: This week, people you thought were uninterested in your viewpoint will be asking for your input. Be happy and share.

Capricorn December 22 – January 19: An immediate decision can be postponed, but not for long. Consult with someone that you trust and respect.

Aquarius January 20 – February 18: Emphasis should be put on verbalizing with a loved one. Your long-term relationship could hinge on it.

Pisces February 19 – March 20: Someone, possibly an Aries, provokes a strong reaction from you. Beware of going overboard; you could regret it.

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Noisy Neighbours

Donald MacDonald from the Isle of Skye was admitted to Oxford University and was now living in his first year of residence there. His clan was very excited that one of their own had made it into the upper echelon of education. Still, they were concerned about how he’d do in “that strange land.” After the first month, his mother came to visit, bringing reinforcements of whiskey and oatmeal. “And how do you find the English students, Donald?” she asked. “Oh, Mother,” he replied, shaking his head sadly, “they’re such terrible, noisy people: The one on that side keeps banging his head against the wall, and won’t stop, and the one on the other side screams and screams and screams away into the night.”  “But Donald! How do you manage with those dreadful, noisy English neighbours?”

“Well, mother, I just ignore ’em. I stay here quietly, playing my bagpipes…”

Leroy answered, “I don’t know. It ain’t ’til Thursday.”

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A Hard Tail To Swallow

Quick-thinking paramedics in Dorset, England, saved the life of a man whose fishing outing went south when a Dover Sole jumped down his throat and blocked his windpipe. Sam Quilliam, 28, had just caught the 5 1/2-inch-long fish and went to give it a kiss when it wriggled free and lodged in his throat. “I ran around the pier like a headless chicken and then passed out,” Quilliam told The Guardian. When first responders arrived, Quilliam was not breathing, but friends were performing CPR. Paramedic Matt Harrison said, “It was clear that we needed to get the fish out, or this patient was not going to survive. I was eventually able to dislodge the tip of the tail, and, very carefully, so as not to break it off, I tried to remove it. However, the fish’s barbs and gills were getting stuck on the way back up.” Finally, the fish came out in one piece,” Harrison said. Quilliam said his brush with death won’t put him off fishing. “Once I am back at work and fit, I will probably get back at it again,” he said.

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Crime Report

Patrick Joseph Adams Jr., 36, of Great Falls, Montana, pulled the ultimate heist in July when he convinced two male friends and his girlfriend to help him “move out” of a house that wasn’t his. One of the friends was suspicious when he saw a wall in the home dedicated to military service, but didn’t remember that Adams had been in the service, the Great Falls Tribune reported. That friend left before the move was complete, but the rest of the group loaded about $40,000 worth of belongings into a U-Haul, requiring two trips. Later that evening, the actual homeowner of the burglarized house called the police and reported the theft. Through U-Haul records, police were able to track Adams down. He was charged on September 28 with burglary and criminal mischief.

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Todays Video — SMILE!

 

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The Unpleasant Task

A man is hired by the circus to perform a necessary but rather unpleasant task. He is asked to walk behind the elephants in the center ring, shovelling aside their droppings as they walk about. After a rather difficult evening at work, he goes to the circus cafeteria, sits with other workers, and begins complaining about his work. “It s just terrible work, walking behind those huge beasts and first dodging, then shoveling aside the dung they produce. My arms are tired, my shoes and pants are a mess, and I’ll have to shower before I return home, because of the stink”. His friends at work agree: “Why don’t you just quit this miserable job and find something more rewarding to do. You have to have some skills and talents that you can put to use somewhere else”. He looks at them, stunned: “You know, you’re probably right, but I just can’t give up the glamour of show business!”

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The Last Word

If you are not happy with what you have,
having more will not make you happier.

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