Filed under aging, Attitude, Encouragement
My body is letting me know that today might be a ‘take it easier’ day. Yesterday my husband and I did some cleaning out of our shop.
It was half as large as it is now when we first had it built. Now it’s 64’x24′. It’s a wonderful place. We have been able to set up some ‘work stations’ in there, so we don’t have to move so many things when we’re working on our projects.
It’s also large enough that we can be kind of sloppy about how much we keep out there. My husband started the clean out yesterday. Then he came and got me because about 25% of the shop is ‘mine.’ We cleaned out a whole lot of ‘stuff’ that should have been thrown out a long time ago. My husband burned it in our burn barrel, so now it looks like someone might care about the building – hence, my body complaining. :0)
Several of the yard critters we have made over the years are badly in need of a spruce up. Sun, wind, rain, and temperature changes are really hard on things that are outside. (We discovered that most recently when one of the shutters on the front of the house simple fell off the screws and anchors attaching it to the brick and shattered on the rocks below.)
I have cleared my work table now and will work on a critter we call a “box turtle” first.
Filed under aging, Arkansas, Lewis Art, Lewis yard art, Organizing/DeCluttering
Once a year I feel old. The rest of the time I don’t think about it. One of my favorite things is this quote by Satchel Paige –
I’m 74 as of last March 9th, and I qualified for getting the COVID vaccination protection due to my age, but most of the time I don’t feel ‘old.’
Most days I don’t have enough time or energy to do all I want to do. There is still a whole pile of books I want to read; I want to try at least 3 new art techniques (that I know of right now); I want to learn to garden in a way that allows me to have enough that I’m taking fresh veggies to everyone I know (or even might sell some on the square!); I want to live long enough to lose my lard, feel even better, be able to exercise more. I want to get rid of my excess ‘stuff,’ giving it to others who can use it, hopefully, or simply pitching it…
My son is trying to convince me to meditate. He is really good at that now, and it really brings him inner peace. Since my life certainly could NOT be described as one that enjoys much of that, I would really like to do it. So far, I try it and am a dismal failure. I sit quietly, trying to clear my mind. Like I do in the middle of the night sometimes, my brain starts a litany of things I need to remember to do, the wording of letters I want to right, the order in which I need to do a big project, a worry I have, etc. – over and over – just making me even more tense. I then stop and resort to my yoga stretches to encourage my body to relax, and then try the meditation again. I’m not a very good student so far.
Unless I overdo, with my back or hips reminding me that SOME people might describe one of my years as “elderly,” I feel about 40. Old enough to know better about a lot of things, but young enough to thoroughly enjoy life. And I think feeling that way is pretty darned good.
How old are you?
Filed under aging
The above is a quote from Michelle Shocked
I am 74 today – older than dirt – older but not wiser – still ornery and kickin’ .
I have started a petition – in my own mind at least – to obliterate the word, “Elderly.” Supposedly, this includes people 60 and above. Every time I hear the word, realizing that the people uttering it are referring to ME, I get hostile.
“I’ve enjoyed every age I’ve been and each has had its own individual merit. Every laugh line, every scar, is a badge I wear to show I’ve been present, the inner rings of my personal tree trunk that I display proudly for all to see. Nowadays, I don’t want a “perfect” face and body; I want to wear the life I’ve lived.”
— Pat Benatar
I’m just getting a good start now. Right at this moment, I’m feeling a bit older than usual, though. My husband and I got our first shot of the COVID vaccine yesterday. My arm is a bit achy, and I’m not feeling very energetic, but that is a TEMPORARY condition, and this one time I’m glad I’m ‘old enough’ to get something.
I am full of plans for spring. I want to re-plant the elephant ear plant bulbs I’ve been storing in the garage for the winter. I want to repair our irrigation system where the cold weather busted one of the pvc pipes we use to water our plants. I am eager to uncover my raised bed planters so I can get spring veggies started.
I have ideas rattling around in my head for things I can try in my art room. In fact, I’m planning to spend part of my birthday today up there. :0)
“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.”~ Sophia Loren
It’s a nice day, so I’m going to spend time on my elliptical trainer in the garage, and then do a good, long session of yoga stretches this afternoon.
“You don’t stop laughing when you grow old, you grow old when you stop laughing.”
— George Bernard Shaw
I truly love finding things to post on this blog. There is so much to share that is hopeful!
“As long as I am breathing, in my eyes, I am just beginning.” — Criss Jami
Some days I feel older than dirt. The articles that come out occasionally that point out what people in their 20s or 30s never heard of hit me right between the eyes. When someone on TV talks about the ‘elderly,’ and then make it clear that “I” am included in that group, it’s a gut punch. When I harbor fantasies about some wonderful hunk and then am forced to realize he’s young enough to be my SON, it hurts. If I fold myself into a paper airplane doing my yoga stretches and then have trouble getting OUT of the pose, I get a bit cranky.
But most of the time age is not an issue with me. I really think that if I could just ‘be’ the age I felt, I would probably be somewhere in my early 40s. No spring chicken, but…
The key to aging – I think – is just ignoring the whole thing for as long as you can. That doesn’t mean being stupid about it. You should try to get – and stay – as healthy as you can. THAT means that I am continuing to try to shed my extra lard and exercise, using whatever means it takes to keep moving. One of the things I’m doing that brings up my spirits as well as is good for my muscles and bones is wearing my MP3 player and dancing in a room all by myself so I don’t have to worry about my husband’s, dog’s, or cat’s reactions to it. The years fall away and I’m the age I was the first time I heard or danced to the music. Since my music list is old, it makes me feel young and full of life. I can close my eyes, surrounded by the music, and dance my heart out. :0)
Staying interested in things, plus learning new ones, is another thing that allows you to ignore the fact that you’re getting older. I personally find discovering a new art technique or medium and watching the YouTube demonstrations gets my juices flowing, eager to try it. It doesn’t matter if I am successful or not. It’s FUN to spend some time making a mess with childlike joy and no pressure to ‘perform.’
One of my favorite quotes is, “To me – old age is 15 years older than I am.” ~ Bernard M. Baruch
Filed under aging, Favorite Quotes
“Caught Red-Pawed” – Audrius P. – Bored Panda
I have been trying to get as healthy as I can so that I can continue to do what I love for as long as possible. This means losing as much of my lard as I can and trying to move more.
Since my lardiest, I have lost 40 pounds and there is 34.7 inches less of me than there was at one time. My goal is to lose another 30 lbs. and to continue exercising. As we age, we tend to move more hesitantly. That might not be the best descriptive word, but it’s the one that comes to mind. The feet start to shuffle, the movements become more tentative, as if we’re testing the waters before diving in. I am hoping that my efforts on the elliptical trainer and my yoga stretches will delay that for several more years.
My husband and I are very happy with our new eating plan. We ate “Pork, Black Beans, Brown Rice, and BBQ Sauce” from Stu’s Clean Cookin’ last night and it was YUMMY! Otherwise, I ate tuna fish salad and green olives for lunch and some cottage cheese as a snack. I’m drinking enough water to float a boat. (or at least it SEEMS that much…)
This seems to be working for us. My husband looks forward to his meals again (we were cringing for awhile with the prepared plans we were on). He is basically at his goal weight and is mainly trying to hold the line on sugar and hold the new weight. I can’t get him to exercise, but I will continue to ‘try to set a good example’ and hope he’ll want to do it, too. I can’t really talk very loudly since he was never as overweight as I and can still outlast me on stamina when we’re working on a project together.
I have set my goals for the next month, hoping to be able to report more progress to you at the end of October. In the meantime, I have finished a cup of coffee, so it’s time to replace my cup with a bottle of water…
taolife.com
Filed under aging, DIET!, exercise, getting the lard off
forwarded email
I have told you that my husband and I are REALLY enjoying the frozen meals from REAL FOOD in Greenwood. My experiment, since the food is SO good (but has no nutritional information provided) is to monitor the scales, take our blood pressure and blood sugar measurements twice a week (we BOTH are on meds for high blood pressure, and my husband is a Type II Diabetic – although he will deny that, saying only that he has a ‘sugar problem.’) and use these frozen meals as our main meal of the day, skip breakfast, and eat a snacky lunch (such as tuna fish salad) and a CAREFUL snack, otherwise.
We are finishing our first week and will enjoy our last REAL FOOD meal for the week this evening. I will make some keto chili (Suzanne Ryan, Simply Keto) tomorrow for the weekend.
I am continuing to drink water until my eyeballs float, and am conscientiously doing my exercises morning and afternoon (elliptical trainer in our garage in the morning and yoga stretches in the afternoon.)
I lost a pound this morning!
Life Death Prizes
Fingers crossed that when I measure at the end of the month, the measuring tape will at least smirk at me, if not smile a bit.
I am determined to get as healthy as I can – losing the lard, strengthening my core, and increasing my flexibility – so that I can enjoy life, doing what I would like to, for as long as possible.
“Caught Red-Pawed” – Audrius P. – Bored Panda
Filed under aging, Challenges, DIET!, exercise
GrowingBolder.com
GrowingBolder.com
GrowingBolder.com
Filed under aging, Attitude, empowerment, Encouragement
GrowingBolder.com
GrowingBolder.com
GrowingBolder.com
Filed under aging, Attitude, empowerment, Encouragement, taking care of yourself
GrowingBolder.com
GrowingBolder.com
GrowingBolder.com
Filed under aging, empowerment, Encouragement, quality of life, taking care of yourself
GrowingBolder.com
GrowingBolder.com
GrowingBolder.com
Filed under aging, Attitude, empowerment, Encouragement, quality of life, taking care of yourself
GrowingBolder.com
GrowingBolder.com
GrowingBolder.com
Filed under aging, Encouragement, quality of life
GrowingBolder.com
GrowingBolder.com
GrowingBolder.com
Filed under aging, Cause for Celebration, Encouragement, quality of life
from my sister-in-law
Molly
Molly will be right with the pack, chasing the truck, licking her lips in anticipation.
We got Molly over 15 years ago. I wanted a ‘lap dog,’ – a sweet, dainty loving dog.
I got the sweet and loving, as well as fun-loving, but NOT the dainty. She LOVED to stick her whole snout into the most awful stuff, coming home really disgusting.
There was nothing to do but pick her up, put her in the kitchen sink, and scrub her down.
She was a companion dog for our other dogs over the years. Two pit bulls and then Amber, our current yellow lab.
She got along with our cats, too.
She was fierce (for her size – or THOUGHT she was), happy, and curious.
Here she is trying to see the squirrel in the feeder at the window.
Sometimes she was sleek (spring, summer, and part of the fall) and then we let her go natural for the winter. (Fuzzy Molly)
She was such a HAPPY soul. She loved her people and her fellow animals.
She loved to sit on the stairs and look down at everyone.
She was adventurous.
She could be stylish.
But this was Molly at her happiest, looking like a very small sheep dog.
We were lucky to share her life for over 15 years. She will always be remembered with joy.
Catch that ham truck, Molly!
Filed under aging, Amazing Animals, Family
PictureQuotes.com
If I can get right to sleep, I’m fine.
If not, it’s a loop of recurring thoughts –
Once the loop starts, I have learned to go downstairs, get some water, and sit down in my chair and read until I’m sleepy again. The second time I try to go to sleep, I have no trouble.
I keep a pad of paper and pen on my bedside table to make notes on trying to get things on lists, or make notes of what I need to do the next morning. The other things REQUIRE I get up and check to reassure myself, or read to stop my poor brain’s cycling.
I have asked Santa for a “brain reboot” button, but so far no dice.
Filed under aging, Challenges, Changes
Oddetorium
We are truly into summer now, with heat indices in the 105-110 range, and hotter forecast. We are very grateful for good air conditioning and ceiling fans. One of the many perks of aging is that my personal comfort range on temperatures is becoming narrower.
I will get outside in a minute, mix up a container of KillzAll Weed Killer, and spray it around the garden area. That, and seeing if we have any ripe tomatoes will be it for being outside today.
My friends, Kay and Bud from Lunch Bunch have been making me feel like a slug lately. They are systematically going through a bunch of their stuff in their home and packing it up to get rid of it. I should be doing that, but the ‘lazies’ have me in their clutches right now, and it’s all I can do to do the bit of yard work I need to, plus exercise. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.
Next on my personal list of things ‘when I get motivated,’ is to use the power washer. If I can get started, it’s addictive. This year I will try to start with out outside chairs. I also need to do the deck, sidewalks, front porch, and driveway pad. I’m not sure if I can clean up our stained brick in our planters or not, but I’ll give that a try, as well. Hopefully, I will get the urge soon. :0)
I hope that you have a healthy, happy Sunday.
askideas.com
As part of my ‘get-my-act-together’ effort lately, I’ve started to do yoga again. I do “Gentle Yoga” stretches from the DVD “Gentle Yoga” with Cat Kabira through SixtyandMe. Due to stubbornness and stupidity, I don’t make time for it as I should, even though it makes me feel better. That said, I’ve gotten started again, realizing that over the time I HAVEN’T practiced, I’ve stiffened up again and am feeling sore. DUH!
The fact that the pounds I’ve gained during “COVID-19 stay-at-home-mostly ” are starting to come OFF with our South Beach Diet makes me feel more like exercising. It’s as hot as an oven outside now, so the walking for 10 minutes three times daily they suggest to start is actually twice a day – in the morning and before dark.
It was really hard to get started with the yoga again. It took me several minutes to relax enough to actually lie still and breathe into lying on my back on my yoga mat. Whatever the muscles are behind my shoulder blades were screaming and not wanting to let go. Once I got THAT done, the rest was just moving through the poses I know help me, SLOWLY stretching me out and breathing into each pose, doing what I can do now.
I felt better – plus fairly virtuous – afterwards, so I’ll go back to putting a gold star on my calendar each day I complete the yoga and see if that keeps me going.
Less lard, more flexibility, gold star, and a happy face from me. A good way to spend part of the day!
picturequotes.com
It’s going to be warm today, but the humidity will be low, so no complaints.
I’ve been PLANNING to get out in the yard for a couple of days now, but never got beyond the talking state.
I’m going out now to weed whack.
Wish me luck!!!!
Ranker
Yesterday I was really sore from working in the yard, so I settled down to do some yoga in the afternoon.
It had been awhile since I practiced. I’ve admitted before that I’m really lazy and use every excuse in the world to avoid exercise, even though I KNOW I need it.
I live with the illusion that I’m still young most days, doing what I need or want to do, paying the price for that later – when my body laughs at me, and then turns the screws by going on strike for a time, adding insult to injury by making me walk around like a really old lady, creaking when I get up or sit down.
Yesterday was the first day in quite awhile that I got down on the mat. I could immediately tell that my body was in ‘snarky mode,’ when I started to creak just getting down to start. Suffice to say that the stretching positions did not come easily and that I have lost ground on flexibility since I last practiced.
I resent the fact that doing yoga and doing my elliptical trainer in the garage seem to use different muscles than I use in everything else I do. I kill myself working in the yard, for example, but THAT exercise doesn’t translate to keeping me flexible or allowing me to walk longer distances without feeling it in my hips.
My practice lasted a lot longer than usual, and my stretches weren’t near as good as I HAD been doing when I was practicing every day. I DID feel better when I finished, though, and I slept better last night.
Bright Side
YESTERDAY I –
TODAY I –
am being a SLUG. I have done very little. I did almost nothing in comparison. I got a keto chili in the crock pot this morning and fixed lunch. I fell asleep in my chair. (I had the heat pad under my back in the recliner and the throw over me the perfect ‘sandwich’ of comfort.)
I am just now writing some blog posts. I feel like a slug, but I guess I needed a day of rest. It’s funny. I feel just fine while I’m working. Then it all catches up to me and I’m reminded that I’m no spring chicken anymore.
So – slug fest for me today. Maybe I’ll have more energy tomorrow….
Filed under aging, Attitude, Challenges, Changes, Housekeeping - Maintenance
US News Money – US News & World Report
Our day started with our semi-annual dental cleaning. Not really the way I would CHOOSE to spend the morning of my actual birthday, but it’s important and was right down the road from Red Lobster, where we enjoyed my birthday lunch together today. The good news is – no oral cancer (my mom died of this) and no cavities or problems. The surprising news – the bill I thought was fully paid for my husband’s implant in November and crown in February was NOT paid in full – only the first part. So today was much more expensive than we thought it would be. It’s paid now, so that is behind us.
Driving out of the parking lot proved to be quite hair-raising. My husband almost pulled out in front of a car that was almost right upon us. We both managed to avoid the problem, but it really got our attention. WHEW!
Lunch at Red Lobster was glorious. We both enjoyed the special biscuits they’re famous for. I had lobster tail and broccoli. My husband had fish and chips. He had an apple crisp with ice cream for dessert. I had chocolate ‘wave’ cake.
“When I grow up I want to be an old woman.” — Michelle Shocked
“Wisdom is the reward for surviving our own stupidity.” — Brian Rathbone
I brought home a biscuit plus most of the cake to enjoy later. I DO enjoy a birthday marathon…
“It is lovely to meet an old person whose face is deeply lined, a face that has been deeply inhabited, to look in the eyes and find light there.” — John O-Donohue
We had left the house at 10:00. We didn’t get home until almost 3:00. We were both pooped, so I texted our good friends that we weren’t going to go bowling tonight. I sat down with a cup of coffee in my chair in the living room. The next thing I knew, it was 5:00.
6IEE
“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.”~ Sophia Loren
We will eat some dinner in a few minutes, but I have had a truly wonderful celebration of another year added to my tally.
“As long as I am breathing, in my eyes, I am just beginning.” — Criss Jami
Filed under aging, Cause for Celebration, Pampering, quality of life
creativeartworksblog 