Category Archives: Attitude

December 2, 2025 · 2:47 am

Things You Deserve

Nanea Hoffman – Sweatpants & Coffee, LLC.

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Since I died twice on February 11th, my heart stopping and requiring surgeries for a temporary, then permanent pacemaker, my priorities have changed.

I always thought my husband would die before me. The statistics led me to believe that I would probably live as a widow at some point, although 56 years of marriage to my husband is definitely not enough. When the kind people at the hospital gave me a second chance at life, I decided I wouldn’t let it go to waste.

My husband and I moved to Thailand, deciding to really retire, since our health was suddenly such that we couldn’t take care of our house and 8 acres in Arkansas anymore, no matter how much we wanted to. Our son came from Thailand to help us. We had some serious discussions and made the move to be close to our son. Two weeks after that, my husband had a stroke and is now in a nursing home, bedridden and very confused. He is comfortable, though, and is receiving the best of care.

All this is to say that life suddenly got my attention. My priorities and attitude changed to embrace whatever life has to offer me now. I’m grateful that I can still make myself healthier and stronger and enjoy each day in real retirement – a thing I thought I would never have. I can be thankful that my husband’s stroke happened here, so that we can afford to get him the care he needs. My son and I go visit my husband three days each week, making sure things are going as well as possible, showing my husband that we love him, reaching out for whatever he is able to share now.

Nanea Hoffman points out that we all deserve kindness, peace, and to enjoy the little things that make life so wonderful. Without guilt. squeezing as much joy out of every day as we can, being honest about our feelings, good and bad, and just BEING.

My son has encouraged me to spend 5 minutes each day, eyes closed, sitting up with my feet on the floor, just thinking about something that brings me joy. Right now that is a mental picture of my son kissing my husband’s head, telling him he loves him. It brings tears to my eyes, a lump to my throat, and gratitude simply spills out all over the place. Taking the time to embrace the kindness in the world brings you peace.

I now believe that I can spend my days going from one thing I love to another as I want, such as working on a jigsaw puzzle, reading a book, playing in my art alcove, writing blog posts, learning something new on the computer, taking a short walk, and more.

I don’t feel guilty now that I am embracing life in a new country, meeting new people who are unbelievably kind to a stranger, trying to learn a few Thai phrases, enjoying perks like having a housekeeper for the first time ever, getting a massage every week, getting a mani/pedi every six weeks, having a good haircut at about the same frequency, sharing a chocolate drink with my son…

Life is short. We live under the illusion that we have time. The fact that I’m alive is a miracle for me. I am loving spending time with our son. I’m grateful that my husband seems to be comfortable and shows us from time to time that he is happy we come to visit him. My health is improving and I’m feeling stronger. I’m taking care of myself so that I can enjoy my second life for as long as possible.

Take Nanea’s good advice. We ALL deserve it.

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November 29, 2025 · 12:14 am

What Do You Think?

Eclipse Digital Imaging, Inc. – PresenterMedia.com

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“If I’ve learned anything from beliefs, it’s that I could be totally wrong. And so could you… We should never be sure of anything we think.”
~ Andrew Gold

I used to listen to the “6:00 News” on the main three channels, ABC, CBS, and NBC. I felt I could trust them to deliver the news of the day, albeit they were only half-hour shows. Walter Cronkite is the anchor I remember best.

I have given up watching TV news – preferring to find the news on my computer. It seems that the three main channels, plus many, many others on television, are too blatantly biased. I either find out that the coverage was slanted to the left or the right, or not covered at all. I find this very frustrating.

News agencies behave as if they have agendas. If the story doesn’t fit the narrative they are trying to present, they either cherry-pick things to air or completely ignore the event.

We contribute to this by listening or reading passively, too lazy to think about what we are seeing, hearing, or reading. We don’t know what the source is of the item that got our attention. We don’t take the time to find out and think about whether we are getting the whole story or not. We fail to look at other sources or find sources we find more trustworthy to give the facts with as little bias as possible.

The emergence of AI complicates things. It’s harder and harder to judge if the picture you are looking at is real or not. AI generated ‘verbiage’ may or may not be true. It has no integrity to try to protect. It simply spews out ‘information’ that a lot of people read and use without thinking further.

When I substitute taught in Greenwood, Arkansas, many times there were no lesson plans left by the teacher, or it was something like, “Read Chapter One. Be ready to discuss.” I asked the high school students what they thought about the assignment. Their answer was profound disinterest. They opened their books, propped their heads up with a hand, and pretended to read.

I stopped them, asking what it was they were supposed to be able to discuss when they finished reading. No one could give me an answer. I asked them what this class was about – what was it they were supposed to ‘get’ from it. No one knew.

I then decided to teach them to really look at their textbook. In this example, it was a history book. I asked them what they already knew about the subject. Hands went up and thoughts were aired. I asked them to read with the purpose of finding out if what they thought they knew was true or not, according to this textbook, and to find out why it agreed, or why it disagreed, and to decide what they thought about that.

Many were surprised to find there was an appendix in the back that defined terms. Many hadn’t bothered to read the book’s or the chapter’s titles. No one had looked at the questions at the end of the chapter to get an idea of what the chapter covered and what they were reading to find out….

I suggested that they get on their computers after they finished their assignments and see if there were other sources about the same thing they were reading, suggesting they compare each one with their textbook, making a list of questions to ask the teacher.

Were their ideas right or wrong? What facts had they read (and where, by whom) that got them to rethink their ideas?

Thinking has gone by the wayside in our world today. It’s too easy for our eyes to glide over a headline and absorb it. We need to make it a priority to judge the information we’re getting by who is writing it, researching their backgrounds to judge whether we think we might be reading biased views. We need to get off our duffs and use our brains for something other than being somewhere we can place a hat.

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November 22, 2025 · 11:17 pm

Window

Anthony Tran – Unsplash

“If a window of opportunity appears, don’t pull down the shade.”

~ Tom Peters

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I have always opted for the comfortable; security over risks; avoided sticking my neck out to try something new. I guess it was getting older that finally ‘got to me,’ urging me to not worry about things so much. I admitted to myself that I couldn’t change the worrisome things, and that most of the time what I was worrying about didn’t happen.

I decided to start trying new things. If I could determine what would happen if I failed – and could HANDLE that – I went ahead. I don’t like to offend people, but in this case, if they didn’t like what I was doing, it was their problem, not mine.

I started trying new things in my art room, realizing that if I were a complete failure at what I was trying, I could simply throw it away. No one had to know I had tried – and failed. All I would be ‘out’ was the money I spent for materials and my time. That decision led to some of my most enjoyable time ever. I LOVE learning new techniques, learning to use new tools, watching videos from people who know what they’re doing, and licking my lips in anticipation for another trial. (admission – I still prefer to do my experimentation alone, rather than in public.)

In Thailand I’m trying to learn to draw what I see. I’m trying to really ‘see’ things – a challenge. You THINK you’re looking, but when you try to get it down on paper, you realize how much you’re missing. I’m trying to take my time, really pay attention, and then try to recreate what I’m seeing. I’ll probably die of old age before I can actually sketch something, but I’m learning slowly and getting a bit better. I have patience with myself and have given myself the freedom to ‘use the eraser a lot’ and be satisfied when I have done my best for the moment.

This idea works the same whatever window you’re trying to open. I’ve never been what I call a good traveler. I’m afraid I’ll end up in Lower Slabovia or somewhere lost. It scares me that I might miss a connection and be stranded. My sense of direction is laughable, so I even worry here that even trying to use the GPS feature on my phone, I’ll end up having to call Brian to come find me. Pathetic, right? I’m going to take this slowly, too, BUT. I. WILL. DO. IT.

I, the wuss of the ages, challenge you to take something that scares you, opening the window to trying something new. I now know how GOOD it feels when you actually do this. As you feel the breeze on your face and enjoy the sights and sounds outside, you’ll feel better about yourself, more confident, happier in your own skin, and eager to open another.

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November 21, 2025 · 8:56 pm

This Was Us – Kind Of

“Too many people spend money they earned to buy things they don’t want to impress people that they don’t like.” ~ Will Rogers

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“Things” meant many things to us when we lived on top of a ridge line in Greenwood, Arkansas.

My husband collected guns and ammo. We had two ranges on our 8 acres. One was right beside the shop. It was bermed so shots were contained. We shot handguns at targets that spun when we hit them. We had another, longer range half way down to the road. That was bermed, as well. We could shoot rifles there at targets. My husband was a former Marine and security was a big thing for him. One memory was the me-sized rifle he got me as an engagement present. We didn’t have ranges then, so we got on his motorcyle and rode down the highway in search of a safe place to shoot. My hair was in pigtails, I had the rifle strapped on my back. People were whipping around in their cars trying to decide if we were Hell’s Angels or not. 😜

We both collected books. We had wall to ceiling bookshelves in the living area on either side of an entertainment area. We had books in every room – my art room, the guest room, floor to ceiling shelves in our bedroom, books out in the shop, and more. 📚

I collected art supplies. I had a website where I displayed my own art plus that of up to 100 others for some 17 years. I also had an Etsy site where I sold my artwork after I shut down Creative Artworks. I had supplies for all the things I made, plus supplies for things I wanted to learn to do. The art room was overflowing. 🎨

We collected food – just in case. We lived up a steep driveway that we couldn’t negotiate much of the winter. Trees would fall down into the driveway covered with snow and ice and we would have to cut our way to the bottom of the driveway ourselves – as we could. So we tried to stay stocked up on supplies and food for ourselves and our pets in case we were stuck up there. Once in a bad storm we lost power and public water for 14 days. We used our generator for heat. We had enough for ourselves plus the rest of the neighborhood…🍳

We collected tools for the shop. My husband was a fix it person. He was the son of a man who also believed in doing things himself rather than getting help. Because of that, we had huge tools, like the mill and lathe. We had tools like the sand blaster and the CNC table and computer so we could cut out decorations for our mailbox and create yard critters for the yard. I had painting stuff out there to paint the things we made. ⚒️

The point of all this – and these were just examples, is that we had a lot of ‘stuff.’ We didn’t get it to impress other people, though. We justified our purchases in lots of different ways, but the end result was that our large home was full-to-overflowing with STUFF.

MinnPost

When we moved to Thailand, we had to arrange an auction of all the STUFF so we would have money for the move and living in a new country. Some things we gave to friends. Some things friends insisted they buy from us. We packed one suitcase and one backpack for each of us and walked away from everything else.

This was 7 months ago. My husband is now in a nursing home. The things we brought for him are stored in a series of closed cabinets on the wall of my living area. Most of the STUFF we had is not even missed. It’s a relief to be rid of so many things we had bought, but didn’t really NEED.

I now have a small condo in Thailand. I have everything I need. (Well, I have a list of things I would LIKE to add) but mainly I already have everything I NEED. It’s amazing what we can do without.

Our money now goes for priority things, like the nursing home, AND several really nice luxuries, such as getting massages, my housekeeper, getting mani/pedis and haircuts, and chocolate drinks or iced coffee in the afternoon, and jigsaw puzzles…

Funny how quickly things change when your life is turned upside down. Priorities shift, heads get straight for the first time in years, and you adapt to a new lifestyle embracing a new chance to value important things.

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November 14, 2025 · 12:50 am

Wish For You

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November 9, 2025 · 2:22 am

The Noticing Walk

James Lucas – Substack

This is something I think is important on so many levels. I try to do this every time I am out – even though I spend a lot of time with my eyes to the ground, trying to NOT fall on my head with the uneven streets, sidewalks, etc. As my balance improves, though, I take a bit more time to look around and NOTICE things. In fact, Brian thinks I’m losing my marbles because I AM noticing things I have passed a lot on our walks and mentioning them or asking him about them. He thinks I should have noticed them a long time ago, but better late than never…

When you make it a point to notice new things, you are consciously living in the moment. You aren’t thinking about what you’ll do when you get home again. Your long to-do list. Your problems and worries. You are THERE fully, taking in all around you, maybe seeing or hearing something that brings you joy. One of the things I’m noticing is the wonderful bird calls here in Thailand. I don’t really need to know that I’m hearing a ‘ruby-throated whapadoo’ to fully appreciate how beautiful his song is. I just hear it and it makes me smile.

Shops come and go here. It seems like they do it at a faster rate than what I’m used to in the U.S. I noticed that one place we pass on a regular basis is empty now. Very soon another shop will take its place, with a creative, hard-working, hopeful owner who will probably have things that are wonderful to see.

Today I noticed that the koi fish at the chocolate place we like seem to have grown a lot since the pools were created a little over a month ago. They are beautiful to watch. Very lively and colorful. A wondrous sight.

I have to laugh, even though the joke is on me. Brian saw some hot air balloons outside his window and sent me a picture of them a couple of days ago. When we were eating a meal, I thought I saw a hot air balloon, got all excited, and mentioned it. This brought on an excruciatingly funny period of ridicule as my son pointed out it was a water tower. It was shaped like a hot air balloon and painted red and white like a hot air balloon. He pointed out it wasn’t moving. I told him he should put on his list of things to be grateful for that his mom was a never-ending source of things to make him smile.

Take the time to be in the moment. NOTICE how pretty some of the trees are now. NOTICE how wonderful the smile lines on your husband’s face are. NOTICE how nice it is to be able to take 10 minutes and enjoy a walk outside. NOTICE how much joy you feel when you hug someone you love.

Take a noticing walk every day and see your happiness and well-being expand along with your world! “The world is wider than I remembered.”

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November 5, 2025 · 1:27 am

Destination?

Pngtree

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“I have come to accept the feeling of not knowing where I am going. And I have trained myself to love it. Because it is only when we are suspended in mid-air with no landing in sight, that we force our wings to unravel and alas begin our flight. And as we fly, we still may not know where we are going to. But the miracle is in the unfolding of the wings. You may not know where you’re going, but you know that so long as you spread your wings, the winds will carry you.” – C. Joybell C.

    My husband and I were living in the house we built on top of a ridge line and lived in with our pets for almost 40 years, trying to keep up with all the house and yard work needed to keep everything afloat. It wasn’t easy, but we were managing. Then we both got Flu A at the same time. My husband also had pneumonia. I also had bronchitis and low blood oxygen. I ended up in the hospital receiving an emergency pacemaker after my heart stopped twice in the ER. We contacted my son and he said he would come to help us, flying 24 hours from Thailand to Arkansas.

    A month later, we each packed a suitcase and a backpack, found wonderful, caring homes for our dog and cat, sold everything we owned and flew to Thailand to retire where we could be close to our son. Then my husband fell two weeks later, spent a month in the hospital and ended up in a nursing home.

    Feeling a bit like “Stranger in a Strange Land,” – Robert A. Heinlein, we’re making sure my husband is getting the best care possible and I’m living in a condo in the same building as our son. I’m working slowly on learning Thai phrases, am learning how to honor the culture and traditions here, and am fascinated by all I’m seeing and experiencing.

    I’m determined to embrace my new life. I was given a second chance at life by the hospital staff in February, and I won’t waste a minute. I am lucky that I am truly able to retire here. I never thought I would be able to say that. With careful juggling, I am enjoying perks here I never could afford in the States, such as a weekly housekeeper who scrubs my place until it shines; a weekly massage that takes out all the kinks and allows me to truly relax; my first-ever mani/pedi I get every 6 weeks or so; a haircut at the same interval; and recently, taking my clothes to the laundry to have them returned clean and nicely folded the following day.

    My son and I spend a good amount of time together. We share meals twice a day, we go visit my husband three times each week, we go places together to run errands or just have fun exploring. We go to the gym every morning so that I can walk a mile on the treadmill, trying to retrain my brain to fix my balance issues, lose my extra weight. I’m doing yoga stretches, Internet balance exercises, and dance to fun music with water bottles doing exercises for my arms.

    I plan my day around writing posts for my blog – an activity I truly love. I really enjoy finding things I find wonderful and sharing them with my readers. I have met some wonderful people I now feel close to through the blog, something I wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise.

    I am learning to draw a bit better, sketching things I find on the net and painting them in an art alcove in my place. I read great books on my Kindle. I watch new and old movies on my TV, and love watching YouTube music videos. Music, new and old, is one of the treasures of my life.

    I have time to reach out to old friends and new now. I’m so lucky to have good friends in my life. Most of my family is gone now, but my friends are all around me, just a text away.

    So, I feel a bit suspended in mid air in a new country, with a different language, different customs, fascinating stores and food, learning new things each time I go out.

    I embrace not knowing any of the answers. I am learning to go with the flow, just enjoying all the differences and trying to fit in as best I can. The people are so nice here, so welcoming, so forgiving of my bumbling efforts to say a few things.

    As I learn, my wings are unfolding – I am learning and growing – grateful for the chance to build a whole new life – close to my husband and son.

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    October 28, 2025 · 1:18 am

    Motivation

    “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing—that’s why we recommend it daily.” — ZIG ZIGLAR

    Freepik

    There is a big difference between being “motivated” and actually carrying through with goals, ambitions, dreams. And as the quote says, achieving your goals is basically a daily thing.

    I made a list of what I wanted to achieve when we made the huge decision to sell everything we owned and move to Thailand to be close to our son.

    • I wanted to really retire – as I hadn’t been able to even THINK about, much less DO in the states. My responsibilities just continued to grow even though I was no longer employed by others outside my home..
    • My husband and I were sick as dogs. I wanted to do everything possible to regain my health so that I could enjoy my new life in a new country.
    • I wanted to learn about Thailand – try to learn as much as I could of the language, culture, geography, etc., so I could fit in as much as possible, showing the people how happy I was to be here.
    • I wanted to live each day as if it were my last. I had been surprised in February when I COULD have actually breathed my last, and almost did. I wanted to do everything in my power to make my second chance count.
    • I wanted to celebrate being close to our son.

    There is more, and there are subsets to the list above, but you get the idea.

    So I had a list. I had the WISH to make this stuff happen. I was ‘motivated,’ but how do you actually get started? How do you keep the motivation going strong? How do you change wishes to actions?

    There are external and internal motivations.

    I used to do good work in grade school because my teacher gave us gold stars. Even when I became older than dirt, I bought some gold and silver stars from Amazon to reward myself when I met a small goal. Silly, maybe, but whatever works!

    I made lists and checked things off as I did them. It still motivates me to some extent, but when the list length becomes overwhelming, it can make me throw my hands up and decide getting everything done is impossible.

    The best motivators, to my mind, are internal. I still have my list of what I would like to accomplish, but I find a strong push from way down inside to make each day count. And that means accomplishing something on my list each day for each of my goals.

    I feel satisfaction when I’m making progress, and that means a lot to me. I feel more calm and peaceful because I’m using my time well – INCLUDING deciding to do something completely fun and maybe useless in the grand scheme of things, but makes me smile.

    I’m taking 5 minutes each evening to sit and FEEL gratitude. I may think of one thing and just feel the ‘good’ fill me. I may think of more than one thing or several on a given night. One of the things for which I am grateful is my strong motivation to accomplish things on my list.

    My motivation also remains high because of comments from YOU on something I said or did that resonates with YOU. Compliments, kudos, kind words are deeply motivating.

    This is a complex subject, but I wanted to get started – to share what’s keeping ME motivated in the hope that it might help YOU in some way to stay motivated, as well. We’re all in this world together, you know.

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    October 24, 2025 · 9:36 pm

    Better

    “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” — PAULO COELHO

    Life Optimizer

    Have you noticed that behaviors are contagious?

    If you smile at someone, most of the time that person will smile back at you. The end result is that both of you feel better for a time. Sharing smiles is an easy thing to do that makes you – and everyone around you – feel better.

    When you compliment someone and mean it sincerely, you change that person’s life for the better. They smile and thank you, feeling happy inside, and YOU feel good, as well.

    When you say you like your boyfriend’s shirt, have you noticed that he wears it more often? He feels good when he wears it, knowing you like it and that he looks good in it, and he tries to give that feeling back to you by, in effect, reliving it as often as possible.

    When you thank someone for their efforts – take helping you clean, for example – they feel good about themselves and their efforts. They may try even harder to do the best job they can the next time. They might even look for some other way to help you, too, making both of you feel happier.

    Kindness is contagious. One person putting a shopping cart into the area where they are supposed to be kept, rather than leaving one out in the middle of the parking lot as some careless person left it, may make others aware, more mindful, maybe sparking THEM to return a cart, pick up some trash, help someone load their car – maybe making a worker inside also smile for your thoughtfulness.

    When you consciously strive to be a better person, it gives you a focus you might not have had before. You look at things differently. You notice when your actions make others happier. You are more aware of what you’re doing – or not doing – that would make you better.

    When you DO that thing, you feel better about yourself and are motivated to find another thing you can do to be better. Striving is a continuous, never-ending process, contagious in its ability to be passed to others. What better way to spend our time than trying to become better human beings?

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    October 23, 2025 · 2:10 am

    Choices

    Freepik

    “Either you run the day or the day runs you.” — JIM ROHN

    __________________

    I’ve spent a lot of my life with ‘the day running me.’ I felt swamped by my to-do list which only expanded day by day. It didn’t matter how hard or how long I worked, I could never make enough headway to feel I had really accomplished anything.

    That changed when we decided to sell everything we owned and move to Thailand to retire close to our son at the first of April. The reasons for the choice were complex, but suffice to say we couldn’t keep up with everything we had built in the states anymore. We were ill and getting frailer. We needed to be in a simpler situation where we could gain strength and enjoy life again.

    We made it to Thailand – just barely, since my husband needed a wheelchair by the last two flights, but we did it, mainly thanks to the good planning and arrangements made for the easiest method to get here made by our son. He tried to be in front of us, beside us, and behind us the whole trip, and did an incredible job of that.

    We made the choice to try to do what we could to get healthier. My husband agreed to try to adhere to a more strict low carb diet, allowing Brian to choose what we ate. He also agreed to take a walk daily with Brian and me to try to build up his strength. We chose to try to fit into the Thai culture as much as we were able.

    Then he had his fall and stroke and ended up in the hospital. We suddenly had to choose a nursing home when he was released because there was no way he could live in the air bnb we were in at the time or the condo into which we planned to move when the purchase was complete. This place isn’t set up for wheelchairs, hospital beds, home health, live-in help, etc., and there was no way Brian and I could take care of him here. Thankfully, we found a place we can trust to do the best possible for him.

    I have chosen to live each day to the fullest. I never thought I would get to ‘retire.’ My workload since I stopped working for others simply grew and grew, taking on the jobs my husband could no longer do in the states.

    My life is such a gift now! I choose what I would like to do most days. Sure, we have appointments, plus we spend 3 hours going to visit Harvey three times a week to visit, make sure he’s getting the best of care and is staying as comfortable as possible. Otherwise, I live in relative luxury. I LOVE my condo. It is full of huge windows and light. It’s comfortable and welcoming. I’m choosing how to decorate it a bit at a time.

    I’m writing my blog posts, a thing that is a constant joy to me, finding and sharing things I think are wonderful with my readers, reading and responding to comments, getting to know some of my readers and considering them friends. I’m working jigsaw puzzles – free to leave the table in the living area covered with pieces until I am finished – a luxury I’ve never had. I have an art alcove where I’m trying to improve my drawing skills and painting my sketches. I’m reading books on my Kindle. I’m watching old movies and YouTube music videos. I’m seeing new people, shops, and interesting things on a daily basis, traveling around with Brian.

    I’m going to the gym daily and improving my strength and balance by walking on the treadmill, enjoying virtual vacations by watching the videos on the screen. (Today I was walking on a beach.) I’m within 10 pounds or so of finally reaching my goal healthy weight (having given up on ever getting TALLER). and eating healthy (breakfast and dinner – eating less and paying attention to eating good things for me.)

    SO – I am determined to ‘run my day’ now, rather than letting the day run me. I’m treating myself to weekly massages, plus mani/pedis and a haircut every 5 or 6 weeks, and splurging on something for the condo every once in a while. I’m healthier, happier, and determined to make each day count.

    Freepik

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    October 21, 2025 · 12:14 am

    Do

    Source Unknown

    “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

    My mom was a smart lady, and she said a lot of smart things; one of which was, “Attitude is all.” That really resonated with me and is a cornerstone of my life.

    Instead of looking at things happening and immediately assuming the victim – poor me – attitude, I’m really trying to look at each thing as a problem to be solved one step at a time. It may take a long time, try my patience, try to overwhelm me, but I CAN break most things down into pieces and try to do what I can to resolve them. Some of the things here in Chiang Mai have been trying to drive me nuts since the end of March when we first arrived. Piece by piece I (with Brian’s help) am solving them one jagged, frustrating piece at a time. I have finally moved two things off the LONG, LONG list on which I’m working. I will continue to do what I can on each remaining thing until I get a handle on each.

    While I’m working on frustrating stuff, I’m embracing my new life here in Chiang Mai. I’m finding more and more to like, feeling more and more at home. I’ve concentrated on trying to get healthier; losing my remaining lard;, eating less, but healthy food; learning more Thai phrases, having a healthy routine to my days, and finding joy EVERY DAY, in my jigsaw puzzle, my sketches, my paintings, my books, my blog posts, the friends and relatives that mean the world to me, and much, much more.

    I’m realizing all I have, and am very, very grateful for all of it. I have a chance to build a new life, new friendships, new hobbies, discover things I didn’t know existed, but most of all, to change what I can, make the best of what I can’t change, and keep my focus sharp.

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    October 12, 2025 · 3:11 am

    Rest

    @Noemardau.bsky.social

    “Rest is an art that should be practiced, for all the good it can bring us.” – Unknown

    ______________

    With my husband’s sudden trip to the ER this week, we’ve had a stressful couple of days. Both Brian and I have really needed days where we didn’t have to get out – where we could try to breathe, relax, and rest.

    “When you rest, you catch your breath and it holds you up, like water wings…” — Anne Lamott

    I’ve used the time to myself to work on my new puzzle, paint a little, talk to friends, and do mindless chores around my place. I’m beginning to unwind enough that I may be able to rest better tonight.

    “Sometimes you need to give yourself a break when you’ve had a lot of life change.” — Barbara Freethy

    Harvey is not doing well. He’s hanging on, but barely. We are treasuring every moment that we can actually communicate with him now. It is becoming more and more rare. We will go see him in the morning.

    I hope that YOU are getting the rest you need – whatever life is throwing at you. We are all in this world together. Virtual hugs to you. 🤗

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    October 5, 2025 · 1:07 am

    Today

    Freepik

    “Stormy or sunny days, glorious or lonely nights, I maintain an attitude of gratitude. If I insist on being pessimistic, there is always tomorrow. Today I am blessed.” – Maya Angelou

    __________________

    February 11th I died twice one night in a hospital in Arkansas. I was given a second chance at life by caring people and a pacemaker.

    In April we sold everything in the States and moved to Thailand to be with our son with his incredible love, strength, and guidance, having left our dear pets in the hands of people who would treasure them. We left the pressures behind and “retired” in the country our son loves.

    Two weeks after moving, my husband fell and had a stroke. After one month in the hospital here, two surgeries and a lot of care, he was transported to the nursing home we had found. He is now receiving expert, loving care, being made as comfortable as possible.

    During my husband’s hospitalization I moved into my own place in the same building as our son. He has helped me make it a refuge, a safe place, a place becoming my own a bit at a time.

    Pro Pond & Lake

    Gratitude for all I have now simply wells up inside me and spills over on a daily basis. I will not waste all I have been given.

    My own health is improving now with daily visits to the gym, walking on a treadmill, daily yoga stretches, daily exercising with water bottles as weights and dancing to music on my computer. I’m trying to eat sensibly plus lose the rest of my excess weight. I now have hearing aids to correct a side effect of my hospital stay and I’m working daily on regaining my balance, stamina, and flexibility.

    We travel 3 times a week to visit my husband. He has made the decision not to cooperate in physical therapy. We are just trying to make sure he is well taken care of and as comfortable as possible. Our round trip visit is 3 hours each time, and the visit sometimes includes a bit of conversation, shared memories, and always lots and lots of love.

    I get to choose what I want to do with my days. I love to write my blog posts. I’m made an art alcove in my place where I can try to learn to draw better. I’m sketching and painting on a daily basis. I’m working on a difficult, beautiful, 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle that I MAY live long enough to finish. (We’ve ordered a glass print of the “Owls” puzzle I finished which should arrive any day now.) Reading downloaded books on my Kindle is a joy, sprawled out on my new couch with a lounging end. 😁. I share meals with our son every day. I listen to music, delighting when I find a new voice that makes MY heart sing, too.

    SO – to say gratitude is my main emotion these days is an understatement. I almost wasn’t here to enjoy this. I’m doing something every day that brings me joy. I’m embracing all the wonderful parts of my life, grateful for each day I have. Today is what I have. “Today I am blessed.”

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    October 4, 2025 · 2:05 am

    Goal

    StockCake

    “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” ~ Maya Angelou

    In our world today it’s harder and harder to keep a level head. The weather is causing catastrophic losses from which it’s hard to recover. People are hurting and killing each other, having been driven to extremes by events. We suffer losses in our families that leave us feeling hollow, devastated, and hopeless.

    With all this, it’s really difficult to try to see the good in the world. Sometimes you really have to search, but there IS still good. People still love each other. Small acts of kindness will bring you to tears. People reach out in whatever way they can to help others.

    We may feel helpless to find things we can do that will make a difference. We don’t have a huge amount of money to significantly help people in need. Eaxh of us is one person and there is so much that needs to change.

    So what do we do? Throw our hands in the air and feel defeated? Get angry and lash out at the people we feel are doing harmful things?

    I think it all starts way down deep inside each of us. We’re all in this world together. We all are overwhelmed from time to time and need to reach out to others for help, for listening, for understanding, for compassion. Others may reach out to us.

    We need to act with intention. Start by recognizing all we have and being grateful for it. And then try to spread that gratitude all around us in a light that will surround and comfort others.

    Maya Angelou said it beautifully, “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”

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    September 26, 2025 · 10:33 pm

    I am a Work-in-Progress

    Unknown

    I am in the process of doing a lot of changing since we moved to Thailand.

    Some of them are health-related:

    • I used to drink coffee by the pot full. I would start a pot in the morning. My husband and I would drink a cup and then I would finish the pot. If dinnertime came and the pot was empty, I would make another pot and drink most of it, if not all. Coffee didn’t keep me awake. It was like drinking water to me. – now we drink mushroom teas (various) with bone broth mixed in. This is a very healthful drink. It’s supposed to do all kind of wonderful things for us. The bone broth is supposed to help with hair and fingernails. We drink one cup with breakfast. Now many times I have an iced mocha in the afternoon as a pick-me-up. I never liked iced coffee, but the ones I’ve tried here are all wonderful, and the ‘iced’ helps me ‘weather’ the weather better…
    • Exercise – I used to do yoga stretches and various exercise videos on my computer at various times when we lived in the states. I THOUGHT about them more than actually DOING them. – Now Brian and I go to the gym every morning at 0-dark-thirty to use the treadmills for half an hour. Brian says he can tell I’m healthier. I also make it a point to do at least half an hour of yoga stretches daily. I also dance with water bottles in each hand at least every other day, trying to work on my arms and back, as well as have fun moving more.
    • Eating – I used to eat what I liked and too much of that. I belonged to the “clean plate club”, practically licking the plate before I finished stuffing my face. Sometimes I went back for seconds. We always had high carb, salty snacks on hand. Now I eat breakfast and dinner. Brian and I share whatever we get. He eats 2/3 and I eat 1/3. I try to drink LOTS more water than I did before. If I get hungry, I chew some sugarless gum.
    • Using my day – In the states I was trying to handle more and more of what my husband used to do, but couldn’t do anymore. I was overwhelmed by to-do lists that only grew. I felt guilty when I went up to my art room, even though I sold much of what I made up there. By the time I had handled enough of the list to do a little bit of something fun, I had run out of time or was simply too exhausted to do it. Now I can put myself at the top of the list mentally. I still have ‘to-do’ lists and a list of errands we need to run, calls I need to make, etc., but I make a conscious effort to include something FUN in my day while I still have energy and actually ENJOY the doing. Now that I’m officially ‘retired,’ I am moving from one fun thing to another any time I’m not needed elsewhere. My attitude is one of improving my quality of life. Getting a second chance at life changed me forever. I am worth doing something fun now. 👍

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    September 23, 2025 · 9:37 pm

    Sleepy Day

    Tina Ann

    I stayed up especially late last night listening to YouTube singing contest videos. I’m a sucker for someone gathering their courage and trying to sing in front of a huge audience and critical judges. I tear up when they’re successful, cry if they actually win. (I know, I’m hopeless ) 😋

    When my photo alarm went off at 5 a.m. this morning, I checked to see if there had been a mistake. I must have set the alarm incorrectly – but, NOOOOO! It was time to get up and get dressed to go to the gym.

    I was sitting on the couch, still trying to wake up when Brian texted me that he wasn’t feeling well and wanted to skip the gym today. I decided to go ahead and shower and dress for breakfast and going to visit Harvey at the nursing home.

    It’s quite cloudy and my phone app says it will be cloudy and rainy all day. It lies, though, so I decided to go ahead and put the laundry I had washed out on the balcony on the drying rack. I may regret that later – if we’re out and the rain starts – but it won’t be the end of the world.

    It’s a perfect day to take a nice nap. I’m fighting that, but I’m not sure for how long. I don’t know what it is about a cloudy day that makes me sleepy, but it works every time. Then if I can hear the rain (and it’s NOT leaking around my windows), I can really rest well.

    Brian tells me that once the rainy season is over around the first of November, then it will get HOT and the sun will be super strong, and no rain will fall for weeks at a time. All this is completely new to me. It’s like I have been dropped onto a different planet at times. By the NEXT rainy season, I’ll feel like a veteran. Hopefully, my window leaks will have been fixed and the bucket and towel brigade can be retired.

    For now, I’m getting up from the computer every few minutes to keep alert…

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    August 31, 2025 · 1:08 am

    Uncommon Advice:

    Source: Unknown

    I think this is great advice. I’ve wasted a lot of my life. When I was 14 and in love with the man I would marry 9 years later and share over 56 years with, I counted off the days until I would see him again – practically holding my breath until his next leave from the Marine Corps. Then he finally got out of the Marine Corp, but we attended different colleges, so it was marking off days again until the time we could make to be together.

    After the waiting and marking off days portion of my life finally ended, my goals of getting my teaching degree, and then a Master’s Degree, and then my first teaching job, and then starting my own reading clinic overshadowed my day to day life.

    We finally had our son, and then our daughter and our life was complete – only to be shattered two months after our daughter was born – when she died of SIDS. We eventually found the strength to go on, devoting ourselves to our son and each other.

    I got regular jobs so that I was contributing to our income, starting two career moves – working as a medical transcriptionist/bookkeeper for a busy 8-general surgeon portion of a large clinic in Fort Smith where Harvey had accepted a job. During this time, my son designed a website for me to display and try to sell my artwork. I discovered that I could include the work of other artists for only the cost of my time, so I ended up with a website, “Creative Artworks,” which displayed and sold the work of 100 people. I ran this for 17 years, finally shutting it down because too many of the artists didn’t share the values and work ethic I did, and the reputation of the website is a collective thing. If one person didn’t keep up his/her part and stand behind their work, we all suffered.

    I transferred my own work to Etsy, concentrating on learning new forms of art, such as woodburning, glass etching, painting fabric products, using different techniques, materials, etc. It was a fun time.

    Then Harvey and I got sick, Brian came from Thailand to help, we sold everything we had in the states and moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand, ready to retire, try to adapt to our new lives, relax and enjoy living under much less stress. Two weeks after we arrived, my husband fell, had his stroke, and is now in a nursing home. I am living in a condo by myself in the same condo building as our son.

    Minutiae of ‘life’ – its obligations, the busy-ness of it all, the endless chores at home after working full time, keeping up the house and yard, etc. eat up the time and days/weeks/months/years pass in a blur. Things change and life isn’t what you planned.

    The advice at the top of this is to ‘be present.’ Live in the moment. Notice all the wonderful things around you. How precious life is. How precious good health is. How wonderful your friends are. How many good things are happening and how grateful you should be.

    You can only be present if you have your health. That’s one of the reasons why I am making exercise, eating healthy food, losing the lard, correcting the things I can a priority.

    Happiness isn’t given to you. It comes from inside you. It’s a combination of attitude and gratitude – if you’ll pardon the rhyme. When my mother-in-law moved with her husband to a retirement facility in Tulsa years ago, I asked her how she was feeling about it. She said she would love it. When I probed further, she said she would make new friends, discover new interests, and make it her home. And she did. I have always admired her for that, and I’m trying to emulate that now.

    If you live in the moment, being grateful for all you have, determined to let happiness well up from deep inside you, spilling out in all directions, your ‘path’ writes itself. Everything about this gives you the confidence you need to pursue life at its fullest. And the grin that splits your face tells everyone that you have ‘the secret…’

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    August 11, 2025 · 12:31 am

    Never Too Late

    Carol Saylor – Pinterest

    Getting older is quite a mixed bag.

    In the past I cringed when celebrating another birthday. It depressed me that I still weighed much more than I wanted to, but couldn’t seem to find the motivation to stuff less into my mouth, pay closer attention to what I was eating, or get off my duff to do some honest exercise. My main focus was escape.

    I hurt. I fixated on what was hurting and tried to find quick fixes that would make me feel better, the latest nostrums proving you would feel younger, sexier, have more energy, would lose that stubborn fat, would make me look like Julia Roberts..😃.

    There were still things I loved, of course. I lived in a nice house, could escape into my art room and try to learn another technique or skill. Right before we moved, I had taken up wood burning. It was loads of fun, and I could spend hours figuring out what I wanted to create and then lose myself in the process. It was especially gratifying when someone liked what I had listed in my Etsy shop enough to want to give it a home.

    I escaped into Nora Roberts books – her regular romance books plus the JD Robb collection. She would grab my interest and take me away from my problems, allowing me some peace.

    I worked out in the yard. I tended my flowers, weeded my square foot veggie garden, edged, weed-whacked, trying to tame the small area around the house we tried to keep civilized.

    My husband and I were getting older, though, and couldn’t really take care of the house and yard the way we wanted to. It was simply too much and we hadn’t admitted it yet. And then we both got sick at the same time. We were SO ill that we could barely drive to the clinic. We both had Flu A. My husband also had pneumonia. I also had bronchitis and low blood oxygen for which the doctor insisted I go to the ER. My friend Carla drove me, leaving my husband to fend for himself the best way he could.

    I was in the hospital a week. I died twice on February 11th. My heart simply stopped. I had a temporary pacemaker installed, and then a permanent one. We were still too sick to take care of each other, so I wrote our son Brian, who lived in Thailand, and asked him to come home.

    We ended up selling everything we owned and flying to Thailand to live near Brian. Two weeks after we got here, my husband had a stroke and fell in the shower. He underwent two surgeries, stayed in the hospital for a month, and is now living in a nursing home.

    Dying, moving to Thailand, trying to help my husband, settling a new living space in a country where I don’t speak the language, am trying to set up finances, etc., makes one rethink.

    I have been given a second chance. I have resolved to finally finish getting the extra lard off, exercise every day, eat mindfully, and embrace all that is wonderful around me.

    My main feeling these days is gratitude. I am trying to absorb the customs of the people of this beautiful country and show in every way I am able how HAPPY I am to be alive. I am trying to make each day count, trying to show my husband how much I still love him, even though his future is very uncertain. I am trying to do all I can not to be a burden on our son, who has taken everything onto his shoulders, trying to do all he can to make the rest of our lives the best that they can be.

    I am feeling so lucky to have such a caring son, a person to share with, do things with, listen to, and trying to make him laugh at least once a day.

    Second chances come rarely. I’m trying to use mine wisely.

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    August 3, 2025 · 2:53 am

    A Beautiful Day

    It wasn’t raining when Brian and I made our way to the gym this morning! Later the sun came out, and it’s a lovely day here.

    We went to see my husband at the nursing home. He has a new full time caregiver who is very nice. She suggested we get him toys to give him something to do with his hands, so we’re looking into that. We stopped for a chocolate drink on the way home, having a nice conversation.

    I have the afternoon to myself. I’m going to paint some of the drawings I did recently after I finish writing my blog posts. Such a great way to spend the afternoon! 😃

    I am learning gradually to eat Thai food. Brian supplies me with a glass of water, plus I am learning to combine bites to include something that makes the ‘hot and spicy’ easier on my mouth.

    Also, we’re drinking some mushroom tea in the mornings with breakfast. It’s Brian’s idea that the worse the tea tastes, the better it is for us. 🤣 He got us two teas – one container each from two different mushrooms. We also add bone broth to it for added health benefits. Both have long lists of all the wonderful stuff they provide. One doesn’t taste like much of anything except hot water. The other tastes truly awful. Of course, Brian thinks the latter is ‘better for us.’ We trade off on which one we drink each morning. There is no telling if either one really are that great health-wise, but it’s worth a shot. Plus, it gives us something to laugh about every other day…

    Have a wonderful day!

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    July 31, 2025 · 3:50 am

    2nd Chance

    Very few of us get a ‘second chance’ in life. Usually, it’s ‘one and done,’ before we get a chance to feel we got all we wanted, did all we wanted to do.

    “There is always a second chance. It’s called today.” 

    I’m definitely one of the lucky ones. I died twice on February 11th in Fort Smith, Arkansas at the hospital where I was being treated for Flu A and bronchitis, plus low blood oxygen. My local clinic insisted I go to the ER and get checked out. My friend, Carla, drove me there. That night my heart stopped twice. I woke up to my bed surrounded by nurses, all asking if I was okay. They transferred me to the ICU and the heart people took over. I ended up with two surgeries – a temporary and then a permanent pacemaker.

    Dying got my attention. My priorities changed in an instant. We contacted our son in Thailand and asked that he come home to help us, since my husband and I were both really sick and unable to care for each other. We ended up selling all we owned and moving to Thailand to be with our son.

    Beginning a new life in a new country is overwhelming, particularly since our retirement plans were upended when my husband had a stroke April 8th and is now in a nursing home. I have a wonderful place that our son found for us in the same condo building where he lives.

    I am determined to make the most of my 2nd chance at life, filling every day with joy. I am thoroughly enjoying my retirement, spending as much of each day as possible doing things I love.

    • I’m trying to improve my drawing skills. I choose images from the net and try to reproduce them the best way I can, using pencils, colored pencils, and watercolors. I am under no pressure to produce artwork to sell anymore. I can embrace the simple joy of trying to do something better.
    • I am trying to learn some Thai phrases. Since my hearing is impaired, this is moving pretty slowly, but I have some video clips with which I practice every day, saying, “Hello,” and “Thank You” over and over, trying to capture the musical nature of the phrases and perfect my pronunciation. I will add new phrases as I can, trying to do as well as I can on each. I want to honor the culture here and the people I see daily by TRYING to speak their language and show how much I appreciate being here.
    • I am trying to improve my health. A little late, I know. I’m 78 and died twice, but I’m still kicking, so it’s not too late. I had a baseline clinic visit a couple of months ago to see where I was and what I needed to do. The doctor was concerned about blood pressure and weight primarily, and wanting me to exercise. I’m doing all that and am making pretty good progress, walking on the treadmill at the gym daily, doing yoga stretches, stretches my son showed me, and ones that my doctor showed me to strengthen my back.
    • I’m spending time doing silly things that I truly love, like trying to work a jigsaw puzzle. My husband hated me having one out and ‘in the way’ no matter where I had it, so I gave them up for several years. Now I have an owls puzzle that really intimidated me at first, but now I’m making reasonable progress. It’s on a table in my living area, right in the middle of everything – not bothering anyone. I love it.
    • I’m devoting some time daily to watching and listening to YouTube on TV. I wear headphones so I don’t bother anyone, but I’m a sucker for all the voice competition shows. I love spending time right before bed hoping people get the break they need to do what is important to them.
    • I’m taking the time to read. I have a sofa with a lounge built in. I sprawl – sometimes under my throw – and dive into another world for awhile.
    • I’m reaching out to friends and family, making sure they know how much they mean to me. I’m grateful for email and phone chat so that I can keep up with the people in the states.
    • I’m writing posts for my blog every day. I love finding things I think are wonderful and sharing them with my readers. It’s a high point of my day to write and then get feedback.

    I am embracing my second chance at life, trying to wring every drop of joy out of each day that I can. No one is promised tomorrow, so I will make today count.

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    June 28, 2025 · 4:35 am

    Really Nice Saturday

    Credit: Warren Goldswain – 123RF

    I walked my mile on the treadmill at the gym this morning, increasing my speed a bit, so that feels good. I also decided to switch my yoga stretching and back exercises to this morning, instead of waiting until the evening, because too often I find ‘other things to do’ (translation: laziness) and then it’s time to go to bed.

    I washed out my exercise clothes and some other stuff and put everything on the drying rack out on my balcony. The weather app said thunderstorms would come around 3pm, so I figured I would have time to get things dry and inside before then.

    Well the clouds and the weather app weren’t in perfect harmony because the rains came early. I was playing in my art alcove and leaped up when I heard the rain starting. I brought everything inside. Part of the things were dry, but my jeans shorts still need some time. I have them hanging at half mast from a hanger balanced on a shelf right now. The rain seems to be stopping. I may put them back out, or just wait and see if they need more tomorrow.

    I’ve been having fun in my art alcove, choosing drawings from YouTube and Pinterest, Etsy, and things I find other places. I’m trying to improve my sad ability to reproduce what I see. I have a big fat sketchbook with lots and lots of pages. I can fill it up, throw it out and start another one, or whatever. I’m not going to ‘do’ anything with these, because the ideas are not mine. I’m not under any pressure doing this, so it has become just a fun activity that might result in improvement.

    I started these at the cafe yesterday when we were being scarce so my wonderful housekeeper could work in peace. (I asked Brian to write Khun Nong to tell her how pleased I am with the work she is doing for me, and, of course, the flowers! )

    I finished the sketches today. They are good therapy in that trying to reproduce the work of others drives other concerns from my mind for a time, bringing calmness.

    I’ve actually made a bit of progress with my owls picture jigsaw puzzle. Nothing to write home about, but I’m not completely at a standstill anymore. Maybe it will come together eventually! 😀

    Brian had a cold mocha delivered to the building this afternoon. He’s working, but texted me to let me know it had been delivered, so I could go downstairs and get it. He seems to always be thinking of me. I am such a lucky woman.

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    June 15, 2025 · 9:56 pm

    Why I Write

    1. “We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.”
      ―Anaïs Nin

    Kateryna Hilznitsova – Unsplash

    Writing is a greedy obsession. We write because we HAVE to write. It’s a compulsion, a need to reach out, to connect, to communicate. We would write whether anyone read our words or not, but it feels empty and we lose our enthusiasm, our motivation.

    Of all the things I left behind when we moved to Thailand, the thing I wanted to get back as soon as possible was my blog. I tried to write it using my phone, but it was really difficult for me. I’m still learning how to do things on the MAC (I was using Windows), but it’s such a relief to be able to include a picture or two now. I’m not back to full speed with my more ‘normal’ posts yet, but I’m getting there slowly.

    For me, the reaching out, the communicating is the most important reason I write. I feel connected to the people who take the time to read my blog. Some have become long distance friends. I love sharing what is happening, how I feel about it, exciting things I’ve seen, new things I’ve learned, wonderfully talented people I’ve found on the net, and more.

    Reading comments is an important part of my day. I want to know what you think. Sometimes I get spam or someone being mean for no good reason and I blow those off. More often, I hear that someone has related to something I’ve said, it made them feel, it reminded them of a similar thing in their lives. Sometimes I get treasured messages of support, or kudos because someone likes the way I have written something, or agrees with what I’ve said.

    It’s greedy because ‘I’ wrote it, ‘I’ wanted to reach out, ‘I’ put it out there, and ‘I’m’ getting to read any feedback. Me, me, me. BUT – in that greediness, I HOPE I’m providing a real person’s outlook on things, honest appreciation for other’s work, a bit of entertainment or a smile or two.

    The blog is good because you can receive emails each time I write, or you can simply come to the site when you’re in the mood and scroll down.

    THANK YOU for reading what I write. THANK YOU for hitting the ‘like’ button when you want to. THANK YOU for writing a comment when you have the time or inclination. All are much appreciated. 🤗

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    June 14, 2025 · 8:56 pm

    Jigsaw Puzzle Wisdom

    This is the jigsaw puzzle I’m trying to put together currently. I have a “Puzzle Table” in my living area, just inside the front door of my condo. 😁 As a statement of my joy in creating my own space for the first time in my life, I have devoted one of the prime spots in my place to a thing I love.

    Brian actually bought some cushions to tie to the wooden chair I’m using, to make it more comfortable.

    Since I’m older than dirt, I’ve spent a lot of time in my life WANTING to be able to devote ANY place to a jigsaw puzzle. It got to be such a problem in my house that I put them away for a long time, just giving them up because it wasn’t important enough to cause strife. Stupid problem.

    NOW, my puzzle is proudly showing most of a border now on the table. My stepping stool sits beside the table, holding the boxes of unused pieces. Since it’s been there a while, I have thought about related things lately, compiling a kind of informal list of things I’m learning as it sits…

    • The puzzle is a metaphor for life – it is what it is
    • It will sit there as long as someone gives it space – and it’s important to give mental, emotional, and physical space to things that give us pleasure.
    • It’s not how quickly the puzzle comes together – it’s the joy in the DOING – the pleasure in seeing pieces that might create something else coming together at whatever speed, creating a more pleasing picture.
    • It’s not the finishing that is important. It’s the starting of something new. Something you’ve never experienced before. It’s opening your mind and heart, expanding your horizons as it lives in your place.
    • It’s the stopping and finding a piece in life you didn’t see before that make joy burst inside.
    • It’s continuing to spend time and effort at something even when the rewards may be few that leads to character building.
    • Life is a work-in-process, a quiet building, day by day, toward the person you would like to be.
    • When the pieces don’t fit, change your perspective.

    You get the point here. I’m not as a good a puzzle person as I used to be. It doesn’t matter. No one cares how long it takes me to put it together, or even if I EVER get it put together. The puzzle is not a measure of my worth – it’s a joy-filled time when I can shift focus and concentrate on something enjoyable, trivial, that might bring a smile to myr face while I spend time with it.

    I hope you have what amounts to a puzzle table in your life, that it grounds you and adds something special. Enjoy each piece.

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    June 12, 2025 · 4:03 am

    Roadmap?

    1. “Instructions for living a life.
      Pay attention.
      Be astonished.
      Tell about it.”
      ―Mary Oliver

    I know it’s true of myself, and I suspect it may be true for many others, that people live their lives oblivious to most of what makes it special.

    “Live in the moment” is really an important thing to do. And not just SAY it, or INTEND to do it, but DO. IT.

    You are reading this from one who has learned first-hand that life rarely gives second chances, and that it is eye-opening to discover how much of what you THOUGHT you were doing was simply giving lip-service to the idea.

    In one night – when my heart stopped twice in the ER in Arkansas, I realized that if I hadn’t been there, under the care of the good ER people for another issue, I wouldn’t be here typing this. I would have died one night last February.

    I look at the world through different eyes now. We had decided to retire and move to Thailand at the suggestion of our son, Brian, who had come home to help us when we were ill. I was amazed when Harvey, my husband, agreed to sell everything we had and make the move and lifestyle change. I will never know if it would have worked for him, but he was giving it a shot, and so I consider him a winner for doing that.

    When he had his stroke here, spent a month in the hospital, and ended up in the nursing home, these plans for the future went into a permanent limbo state. I am schooling myself not to ‘expect’ or ‘hope for’ anything as far as his behavior or ability. Most of who he was may be completely gone now. How he is at one visit bears no significance to the next. We need to deal with what is, make him as comfortable as we can make him, and hope he will one day be content.

    My determination to not waste my second chance at life remains. Some might think it cold that I plan for my own future here now, trying new things, trying to get as healthy as possible, enjoying each day as much as I can, etc. I am trying to learn some phrases so I don’t sound like a complete dork and show that I’m trying to honor the wonderful people who live here, for example.

    Our son is trying to meet both of his parents’ needs. We are doing all we can for my husband. Brian is trying, when I’m feeling up to it, to arrange for ‘adventures’ each day where we explore something new, share time together. He is guiding me into life here, teaching me what I need to know as I can absorb it. What more could anyone have?

    I want to hear the birds sing each morning. I raise my shades in my condo and welcome the morning light with a huge grin on my face. I welcome each new animal I see. I am playing in my art alcove. I am playing on the computer. I am working at my puzzle, though I’m very slow and less patient now. I’m reading a great book. I’m reaching out to friends, trying to tell them how very much they mean to me. I’m embracing each new chance to become a better, fuller person by learning something new, experiencing something I’ve never tried before, and more. I want to end each day, usually sprawled on my couch with my headphones on, listening to and watching YouTube music videos silently so I don’t bother my neighbors, wanting to feel I have packed as much into that day as I could, and end it grinning, the way I started it.

    Don’t just SAY it. Don’t just MEAN to do it. Actually DO it!

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    April 18, 2025 · 6:57 pm

    This is So True

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    January 20, 2025 · 10:25 am

    My Wish For You

    Free Spirited – Pinterest

    Here is a quote I live by – “Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.” ~ Marcus Aurelius.

    I really think, in spite of much of what happens in life, you can choose to see the good, can choose to see the humor in situation, can choose to see things in the most positive light.

    You can also choose to surround yourself with people who bring you joy. Choosing to find common ground, cherishing what you love about each person, rather than focusing on disagreement areas can calm your mind and spirit.

    Choosing to spend time each day doing things you love brings an automatic smile to your face and happiness to your heart. We need to make the time, even if it’s just a little bit each day, to find joy.

    “May your day begin and end with a smile.”

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    January 15, 2025 · 9:21 am

    Thoughts on Aging

    A complicated subject, to be sure. People say, “Age is just a number,” and that’s true. If you didn’t KNOW how old your were, what would you GUESS, based on how you feel?

    LeaninTree-Pinterest

    My days vary. Sometimes I feel as I have ‘always’ felt – raring to go with lots of stuff on my to-do list, and usually choosing to do FUN stuff, rather than the SHOULD-DO’s, grudgingly doing the HAVE-TO’s. Other days I’m creaky, sounding like popcorn as I get up, sit down, or try to do my exercises for the day.

    Age boils down to health and attitude. Working to get as healthy as you can, be it losing the lard, as I am, gradually; exercising and being conscious of keeping moving, also as I am, in an effort to keep it all in working order, as flexible as you can be, as strong, and as protected with good balance so you don’t fall on your head – are all things that lead to an attitude that allows you to make the most of each day.

    Lynne Gates-Pinterest

    If you THINK you’re old, you ARE. I joke about it, but inside, where it matters, I still feel young. I still dream of things I want to do and learn. I’m still trying new things. I take joy in diving into a favorite book or a new one. I’m transported back to where I was when I first heard a song, getting out of my chair to bop along to a favorite. I see pictures and photographs that I identify with, again making me feel as young as I would like to be.

    I have things that give me joy – writing this blog and looking for more things to share with you, and spending time in my art room, trying a new technique, trying to learn a new skill, playing with colors and shapes…

    Sandy LaBrie-Pinterest

    So, first – try the best you are able on your health. Second, work on your attitude. Live the best life possible, stuffing as much love, joy, and laughter into it as you can in the time allowed.

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    January 4, 2025 · 1:04 pm

    Just BE

    2nd Nature by Hand – Etsy

    I spend some time on X and Blue Sky each day, mostly posting my blog posts and trying to promote my Etsy website. I’m kind of amazed by the ‘look’ of people on each of these sites.

    I think they must strive to show themselves to be a certain kind of person, choosing things to post, showing their beliefs (or what they THINK they should be believing.) I find it difficult to find REAL people who I have any interest in wanting to know better. I’m turned off by the strident ones who are pushing an agenda and wouldn’t listen to a different point of view if their lives depended on it.

    Others are obviously trolls, trying to use these as ‘dating apps,’ trying to portray themselves as the perfect male or female. It’s funny how you read the same descriptions over and over. Obviously, they think these work. Maybe they do….

    Anyway, being older than dirt allows me to ignore all that stuff, concentrate on what I find good about the sites (the talented photographers, artists, and writers, mainly) and to show people who I am – and take the consequences if they like what I post or not.

    Being yourself is a complicated idea. When you’re young, you want to fit in so badly that you’ll fold yourself into a paper airplane and sail across the room, wearing the ‘in’ thing, saying the ‘in’ things as you fly, hoping that people will like the image you’re projecting.

    Then you want to be ‘cool,’ again avoiding any idea of being ‘different’ and therefore, somehow, LESS than others. Stuffing down who you are to try to be the person who again fits in, is attractive, etc.

    I’m glad I’m me now. If you like ‘me,’ I’m happy. If you don’t, that’s okay, too. The ‘world’s’ opinion doesn’t matter to me anymore. Of COURSE I would really enjoy being liked, or for someone to like something about me, or what I do, etc., but I’m not devastated if I am found to be LESS anymore. I am happy in my own skin. I’m trying to be the best person I can be. I try to enjoy every minute I have, hopefully doing as much of what I would like to do as possible. I don’t want to waste a minute. It’s all good.

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    December 28, 2024 · 9:55 am

    Expectations

    Expectations – Anna Shvets – Pexels

    I had all kinds of thoughts when I came across this. The main one, though, is that we shouldn’t feel that we need to fulfill others’ expectations of us.

    I guess we all feel the pressure at one time or another to dress and behave in a certain way. Some of this is good, but too much of it drowns the person within.

    I’m glad I’m retired now for so many reasons. One of them is that I can be me. I can dress the way I would like, plan my day doing things that give me joy, ignore things I used to feel pressured to do or say. It’s freeing. It gives me peace inside.

    My only regret is that I didn’t start doing this earlier. I now shed people I find over-critical, who make me feel ‘less.’ I embrace people who encourage me in my efforts to learn new things and be a better, healthier, and stronger ‘ME.” I say ‘no,’ to things I don’t want to do. I don’t apologize when it’s obvious that someone thinks I should leap to meet their needs, their expectations, and more. I’m learning to embrace the feeling of more control over my time, my feelings, my goals.

    So, we can be like the sweet kitty above, who is trying to be calm when someone has decided this is ‘cute.’ I admire our Monster Cat, who actually bites us when we get too demonstrative in our affection. She knows what she wants, what she needs, what she will tolerate, and is trying to mold us into fulfilling her every wish. :0) A little of her attitude is a good thing…

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    December 22, 2024 · 10:28 am

    The Way to Live

    2ndNaturebyHand– Etsy

    One of the things I’m learning, since I’m older than dirt, is to try to live each day to the fullest, wringing every drop of joy out of it.

    I’m learning that as important as my ‘to-do’ list is – and sometimes it doesn’t just ‘call,’ it YELLS at me – that doing good things for myself is just as important, if not more.

    I now take time to go play in my art room whenever I can make the time. I read every day. I listen to music every day. I TRY to take the time to exercise every day.

    The housework overload may be embarrassing at times, but it pales in comparison to my husband’s and my health.

    I do what is absolutely mandatory each day and then make sure I take the time to write my blog posts and look for other things I find wonderful to share with you. I take time to relax – if it’s just a change in the room I’m in, or a change of activity, or something fun.

    I feel I’m just getting started on so many things I want to learn. I want to continue meeting and talking with new people, dive into a new activity, enjoy new places vicariously, and more.

    “Don’t just fly… SOAR!”

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    December 10, 2024 · 11:34 am

    Challenge

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