Category Archives: quality of life

September 11, 2020 · 9:51 am

Hooraaaaaay!

“Caught Red-Pawed” – Audrius P. – Bored Panda

 

Tonight we eat the last meal from BistroMD. This program was not a good match for us, and we are happy to be able to move on. Sad to say, I didn’t lose any weight over the past week – just held my own. (I didn’t get any taller, either.

If I grew about 5 inches, I would be in MUCH better shape. I have a massage next week and will encourage my wonderful therapist to redouble her efforts to pull on my head, legs, and arms enough that my problem might eventually go away. :0)  (One can dream….)

We are looking forward to a week off. We have ordered some hand-prepared frozen meals from Real Food in Greenwood. We will pick up our order Monday. Some of our Lunch Bunch friends say their food is delicious!   In the future, we will do a combination of keto meals and meals from Real Food – if we like it – concentrating on portion control, good choices, and exercise. Fingers crossed.

 

 

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September 11, 2020 · 9:33 am

Defying the Idea of Aging 3

GrowingBolder.com

 

 

 

GrowingBolder.com

 

 

 

GrowingBolder.com

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September 10, 2020 · 10:42 am

Defying the Idea of Aging 2

GrowingBolder.com

 

 

 

GrowingBolder.com

 

 

 

GrowingBolder.com

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September 9, 2020 · 11:22 am

Defying the Idea of Aging

GrowingBolder.com

 

 

GrowingBolder.com

 

 

GrowingBolder.com

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September 5, 2020 · 11:14 am

BistroMD – First Impressions

Caught Red-Pawed – Audrius P. – Bored Panda

 

Our BistroMD first week’s food was delivered yesterday afternoon. The package warned of dry ice, but it was all melted. The food seemed to be good and cold, though.

One thing that is different from the other plans we have tried is that they want you to take out the food for the next day, transferring it from the freezer to the fridge to thaw slowly. I do that with meat, chicken, and fish, anyway, but this is the first time we have done it with frozen dinners.

Our first meal was dinner last night. My husband had “Beef Stroganoff” and I had “Broccoli Cheddar Stuffed Chicken.”   These are both from the Diabetic Menu, since we are both trying to avoid any added sugar.

We both thought our dinners were OKAY, and certainly better than the South Beach frozen stuff. (We both had really LIKED the “White Bean Chicken Chili” and “Cheeseburger Soup” in tiny bowls from South Beach for lunch and dinner, though, so we don’t want to rush to judgment. We may still be in withdrawal from finishing those.) This is more nutritious than what we have been eating lately, with the veggies being included in the meal, rather than depending on the customer to add good choices as a side. The Beef Stroganoff included mushrooms, and broccoli, with linguini. The Broccoli Cheddar Stuffed Chicken included carrots and a barley salad with spinach, red onions, and slivered almonds.

A drawback, as far as I am concerned, is that they did not have a keto eating plan choice. Since my husband has Type II diabetes, though, and my goal is to simply lose the lard in the most healthy way I can, this is certainly worth a try. It looks like they are arranging the day’s food to be around 1000-1200 calories.  I am hopeful these good people can help us lose the lard and eat healthy.

I was able to do my yoga stretching yesterday for the first day since I got bitten/stung by the ants last week, and I’m planning to do that, plus a good amount of yard work today as my exercise.

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August 29, 2020 · 10:44 am

Thoughts on a Saturday 8-29-2020

forwarded email

My heart goes out to the people suffering from Mother Nature’s fury. So many good people are hurting, with physical and emotional damage on top of the pandemic concerns.  We just need to concentrate on helping each other the best way we can.

We are getting to the bottom of our South Beach diet boxes. I am DIYing more and more as we run out of things, gradually making my way to the point where we will be on our own once again. The two month reboot for our keto efforts has been good in many ways

  • a blunt reminder of what a ‘serving’ is – and is not
  • a more subtle reminder that we don’t need to walk around hungry. There are good choices for snacks mid morning, mid afternoon, and before bed that remind us that each meal is NOT our last. I’m stocking cut up fresh veggies, cheese sticks, hard-boiled eggs, nuts, etc.
  • a reminder that eating right is only part of the equation to being healthy. I’m am still trying to do a 35 minute session of my elliptical trainer in the mornings (though I just do it until my body complains too much and then I stop, regardless of the time – at LEAST doing 15 minutes. Lately, I have been substituting heavy yard work (cleaning up after the storm) and cleaning out our ruined greenhouse (hauling things out and taking them to the garage and/or the shop). I am then doing a good session (35 minutes +) of yoga daily. These stretches are gauged for Seniors, so are NOT trying to get you to fold yourself into a paper airplane. They are designed to help you gain flexibility, core strength, and relaxation.

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(I have ALWAYS been somewhat stiff and inflexible. I was in an exercise class in college. We did an exercise where we were lying on our stomachs. We were then told to lift our arms and legs simultaneously up as far as we could get them, and then move them down again, over and over. I did the ‘up’ just fine. The ‘down,’ not so much. I went up, something ‘caught’ in my back, not allowing me to bring my parts down again. I was yelling in pain. They finally got two big guys to lift me up over their heads, like the prow on a ship, and carry me to the infirmary. When they finally got me fixed, I had a waiver for that exercise. Being long-in-the-tooth only exacerbates my normal stiffness, so it’s more important than ever)

  • I am gearing up to cook all the time again. I will miss the stuff the South Beach Diet people sell in tiny bowls – ‘cheeseburger soup,’ and ‘a white beans something-or-other.’ Both were delicious. We ordered a few more packages of pancake mix, because my husband really likes those, to let us down gradually. In the meantime, I will look for ingredients so I can make low carb pancakes from time to time from scratch. We also like the shakes, but won’t order more.
  • At this point, I have lost 40 pounds and 43+ inches. I will do everything I can NOT to regain any of this back, and will keep trying to lose more. I would like to lose another 30 lbs to get into a good, solid, healthy BMI range for my height. (I’ve tried getting taller, but that doesn’t seem to be in the cards.)

Otherwise, the ruined greenhouse is now empty.  My husband and I have agreed that we will let the shell sit until things get cooler. (Today’s forecast is 98 degrees F. with a heat index of 112) Today I will concentrate on getting my seed-starting area in the garage workable, with things either stored out of the way or taken out to the shop, and things I need easily accessible.  My husband fixed one of my lights over the counter. I found, and hooked up, my grow light, so I have a start.

I hope that you have a happy Saturday.

 

 

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August 21, 2020 · 9:38 am

Thoughts on a Friday 8-21-2020

source unknown

I can’t decide my favorite between the Tawny Owl and this sweet Shoebill Stork. I think they are both wonderful.

I had fun yesterday working in my art room a bit. I decided to try a new ‘stained glass’ look on a couple of pairs of earrings. I’ll post them later to see what you think.

My South Beach efforts are paying off. I’m down 11.2 lbs since we started with them, and down 40.2 overall since my lardiest. I’m almost into ‘new territory’ on my weight loss efforts – about 2 lbs to go.

I’ve decided that no matter how hard I try, my body measurements aren’t that accurate. Today they are showing I’ve lost 33.2 inches since I began trying to lose weight and exercise. This varies – due to my ineptness – but it shows the general trend is downward, always a good thing. Suffice to say I’m down a few sizes and my current clothes are looser. My husband noticed my jeans are looser, and I was able to finally wear a blouse today that I’ve kept for years, hoping I could lose enough weight for it to not be too tight. Today it’s loose! :0)

I’m getting into the habit of doing my elliptical trainer (or equivalent cardio/whole body exercise plus about 30 minutes or so of yoga stretches & abdominal exercises daily. I am feeling better with less pain/stiffness and am feeling my stomach muscles when I walk now, if that makes any sense…

We will join our friends for Lunch Bunch in about an hour. I love getting to see their faces, laugh with them, and catch up on what has been happening since last week.

I will start getting things out of our greenhouse today.

It would take too much money and too much work to get it back to working condition since the storm. We weren’t able to afford to heat and cool it, so it’s better to take it down. We will do this a bit at a time, salvaging what we can.

Our weather has been perfect lately – cooler temperatures and lower humidity. I think tomorrow we start getting back to our normal too hot, too humid summer tomorrow, so we will enjoy every minute today, enjoying having the doors open and ceiling fans.

I hope YOUR day is wonderful, too.

Stay safe and well.

 

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August 13, 2020 · 9:07 am

Rain

Pinterest

I’m getting ready to leave for a much-needed massage. It looks like I’ll get a second shower, too, as it’s dark outside with thunderstorms predicted. I’m not water-soluble, so I’ll be happy if there is no hail associated with the storm.

I’ve been working hard lately cleaning, so I’m hoping to reward myself with time in the art room this afternoon. I have a new design for earrings in my head, and I would like to see how it goes. :0)

Our irrigation system brains in the well house keep getting zapped by the various short power outages we’ve been experiencing lately. We ordered a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) lately and my husband put it out there and hooked it up. Hopefully, now we won’t have to reset the thing over and over again. Fingers crossed.

I gathered some tomatoes yesterday. Most were the size of cherry tomatoes, but I will happily use them in salads. Nothing else from the main garden at this time, except some good-looking weeds.

I hope that your day is filled with fun.

 

 

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August 11, 2020 · 9:29 am

Thoughts on a Tuesday 8-11-2020

Soul Alchemy

We were very lucky not to be affected by the derecho storm that hit yesterday. So many good people are dealing with damage from the hurricane and now the derecho. I hope that you came through both well, too. We have the possibility of strong, gusty winds and hail with storms this afternoon and evening. Hopefully, they will just be the ‘normal’ summer variety. Mother Nature seems to be in a snit – and on top of the pandemic problems and troubles in some of our big cities. It seems we are having more than our share of character-building exercises lately. May we give each other strength.

Today is one of our DIY dinners for the week on the South Beach eating plan. I got some stew beef in the crock pot this morning. I will serve this with a bit of rice for my husband and spiralized squash for me.

We have several errands, plus appointments this afternoon. By the time we finish those and my exercises (elliptical and yoga), the day is almost gone before it starts. I will check for ripe tomatoes (fingers crossed) this morning and will try to get up to my art room this afternoon to at least start my newest earring blanks with my new design ideas. (Fingers crossed on THAT, too.)

I hope that you are feeling strong, healthy, and full of enthusiasm for this day.

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August 4, 2020 · 10:34 am

Getting the Lard off Progress Report

Early Morning Showers

I’m feeling good that I am “back in the saddle again” on my efforts to get the lard off and get stronger. I fell off, using everything excuse from the pandemic,  to my husband going to the store with me, and back again, but the fact was I had stopped exercising and I had gained some of my lost weight back again.

We signed up for the South Beach Diet Plan, deciding we would try that for two months to get back on track. It was the closest to our keto eating plan and would remind us how we are supposed to be eating, hopefully giving us a boost. The second month’s order should arrive any day now.  It’s a good thing. We are down to meat sticks and some shakes, so I am DIYing a lot now.

 

To date – since my lardiest – I have lost 36.6 pounds and 40.45 inches. I’m working my way back down to where I was before, and I feel really happy about that.

My exercise regimen – motivated by gold stars on my desk calendar – is helping me feel stronger, a bit more energetic, and definitely looser and more flexible.

Penn Fitness Warehouse

I’m trying to do my elliptical in the mornings, since my trainer is in the garage. I won’t get it done in the morning today, but I can do it when I get back from errands. I started a couple of weeks ago, at 10 minutes. I’m doing 20 each day now.

 

You Tube

I am doing about half an hour of yoga stretches plus abdominal exercises each afternoon. I have no clue why I tend to ‘hunch up’ during the day, but I’m almost looking forward to my yoga sessions now, where the first thing is to lie flat on my back, trying to get my back muscles to relax. Thankfully, this is accomplished more quickly now and I am seeing progress in my ability to push a bit farther into the positions, breathing into them. I feel relaxed when I finish, and pleased with my efforts.

By the end of this next month on South Beach, my husband will have probably met his weight goal. I would like to lose another 30 pounds. I am seeing progress on both the scales and the tape measure, plus I feel more in control.

taolife.com

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August 1, 2020 · 11:08 am

Yoga Progress

doyouyoga

Tomorrow I will finish three weeks of doing a 30-minute-or-so session daily. I think it was last year when I discovered SixtyandMe.com   That led to me finding and ordering the “Gentle Yoga” DVD with Cat Kabira teaching basic stretching techniques for ‘mature’ women – even though who had never tried yoga before. I wasn’t interested in trying to fold myself into a paper airplane or tie myself up into a pretzel shape, but I WAS stiff, sore, and feeling pretty brittle. I worked through it, and then decided to simply do the poses that seemed to help me the most rather than having to find time to play the DVD. Cat stressed that it was the PROGRESS that mattered – not whether you actually aced the pose to PERFECTION. I did well for awhile, and then just quietly stopped doing it. My reasons are stupidity and lack of sufficient motivation.

Three weeks ago, when we had decided to do the South Beach Diet plan in order to ‘reboot’ our efforts to commit to the keto eating plan, relearn ‘portions,’ smarter choices, etc., I also decided that I would get back into my yoga.

 

 

After three weeks, I am starting to feel some progress!  I am 73 and RELAXING is a difficult thing to do. Just lying down flat on your back on the mat doesn’t sound like much. It IS – when several areas in your back are clenching. After a minute or so of CONSCIOUS focus on relaxing and breathing, the discomfort and clenching goes away. I am also seeing progress in several of the stretching positions. One came just yesterday. I’m lying on my back with my arms on the floor above my head. I pull up my right leg, bend the knee, lay my leg to my right side. I can DO that on my left. On my RIGHT, that was really uncomfortable. I’ve been doing it anyway daily for 3 weeks, breathing into it and not pushing myself, just breathing into the discomfort and trying to relax. Yesterday I was able to let the leg down almost completely onto the floor without pain! HOORAY!!!!!! I feel better when I finish my stretches, so that’s a wonderful thing, too. Even my husband is trying to encourage me, asking me if I’m going to ‘yoge’ today.

I’m giving myself a gold star for every practice. Likewise on my elliptical trainer session in the garage. I’m going for stars 11 and 12 for the week today.

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July 30, 2020 · 11:26 am

The Miracle of Music

Bono-SayingImages.com

Music is a quality of life thing. I have seen the faces of people I love when one of their favorite songs plays. They are transported back to a time of wonderful memories. They smile. Their eyes get dreamy. And the feelings simply spill out. It’s a beautiful thing.

I’ve seen people in nursing homes ‘come alive’ when their favorite music is played. The years fall off. Their eyes are animated. Some will actually get up and dance. Those who cannot still ‘bop’ in their chairs.

Music is a miracle.

I create ‘mini-concerts’ via YouTube when I have the time, giving myself a needed rest and relaxation. I choose one musician I love and play a medley of greatest hits, or combine several. By the time I am finished, I feel renewed, ready to tackle whatever awaits.

We are rich when we can ‘teleport’ to when we were teenagers. or escape via the lyrics of a beautiful song, or bop along with favorite tunes that DEMAND you get up and shake whatever you have. (I’m glad no one can see me do this, too!)

How lucky we are to have so many talented people who give us joy!

 

 

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July 29, 2020 · 10:58 am

Working on This

Positive Energy via Michael Remillard

 

This is a wonderful quality to have. I have never had it, but I’m striving to practice it. If you remain calm, it saves time, keeps everyone else calm, and helps you do what is needed at any given time.

Our son has gained a lot of this through meditation. When he comes to visit us, it flows through the house and lasts until he leaves again. It has allowed him to control much of the frustration and anger that challenges him from time to time. I have tried to meditate – not nearly as hard as I should – but I just can’t shut my mind down.

What is helping me is my yoga stretches. It takes me a long time to relax into each position. (I have to fight the ‘the body is old and creaky with discomfort’ aspect of each position before I can relax, but I CAN relax finally. When I finish my stretches of about half an hour each afternoon, my mind is clear and my body feels good.

It is important for each of us to find that thing that works for us – listening to music, getting outside, talking to a friend, etc. – so that we can find the calm that is healing.

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July 27, 2020 · 1:21 pm

Memories

lessonslearnedinlife.com via Peace Love and Smiles

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July 16, 2020 · 10:15 am

A New Kind of Music Room

Our son lives and works in Thailand. He has recently rented a house out in the country there, wanting privacy to be able to play his music without bothering anyone or always having to have earphones on.

He sent me a pic of his new music room –

 

He has two guitars – they are still in the living room, he says. He also plays the drums and a bit of keyboard. (You can see it there if you look carefully.) His big thing now is recording every day sounds and incorporating them in various fashions, repetitions, etc., to music he composes. He can build the music to his heart’s content, adding track after track to enrich the sound. He says I probably won’t be a fan of his new stuff. :0)

Being old and traditional, I love to hear him play one or more of the instruments, playing something he composed, or singing a cover of a song he likes. I’m happy that he now is starting to feel free to experiment and play in his music room, creating something he likes. He is thinking about starting a YouTube channel.

I can’t wait.

 

 

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June 22, 2020 · 12:07 pm

Great Night

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Last night was one for the record books.

We took the dogs out for their last outing at around midnight. I was good and sleepy. We set up to have the attic fan on, opening the bathroom window, the bathroom door and our bedroom door, then turning on the fan. AHHHHHH! Deliciously cool air!

At a little after 1 a.m., Abby, one of our cats, was on my stomach, having jumped up to loudly announce that she – who did not show up to go out when we went to bed – and, in fact, HID – NOW wanted to go out. I got up, went downstairs, and put her out.

A little after 2:30 a.m., I woke up as my husband was moving around. I found out that he was returning from going downstairs because of leg twitches. He had had some tea and was ready to try to sleep again.

At about 3:15 a.m., one of the doors slammed shut. (We apparently were lax in our efforts to make sure the doors were secure and wouldn’t be pulled shut by the fan. The door slamming was so loud, I was thoroughly awake. I went downstairs and read for about an hour before I was sleepy enough to try again.

At about 4:30 a.m., I had JUST dozed off when Amber, our 3-year-old, 95-pound yellow lab, barked downstairs. She didn’t bark again, so I dozed off.

At 5:16 a.m., I heard the SHRIEK of the little alarm my husband built that we put on the open window sill in the bathroom to let us know if it is raining in. It WAS. My husband was unaware of the loud shrieking, but woke up when I turned on the light to deal with it. I ended up ripping the battery out of it.

SO – all was calm from 5:18a.m. until 8:00 a.m., when our alarm went off….

I see a nap in my future sometime today.

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June 21, 2020 · 10:34 am

Learning to Dance

Emotionally Resilient Living

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June 20, 2020 · 9:24 am

Who, Not What

Shakepaws.com via Play Bark Run

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June 18, 2020 · 10:42 am

Perspective

Inas Chahboun-LearningStationMusic.com

Many times – particularly lately – I’ve been frustrated, angry, and afraid that I cannot control much of what is going on in my life. I have wasted time fussing at people, railing at the world in general, and doing a bit of escaping.  I want to be able to control things. I want to be able to wave my magic wand and FIX the people and animals I love. I want to wave it again to solve the awful problems in the world today.  Despite my fussing, railing, escaping – despite my wants, desires, and wand-waving, things are the same as they were.

I am now trying

  • to get calm and try to remain that way
  • to do all I am able to do to make things better
  • to live one day at a time – trying to make each one count.
  • to accept what I cannot change and deal with each thing the best I can
  • to stay as healthy as I can by staying serious about my keto eating plan and exercise
  • to keep finding healthy ways to give myself a break, whether it’s playing in my art room, working in my flowers or veggie garden, reading, listening to music, etc.

“Sometimes you need to look at life from a different perspective.” ~ Inas Chahboun

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June 17, 2020 · 9:26 am

Do That

Oberlo

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June 7, 2020 · 12:01 pm

Thoughts on a Sunday 6-7-2020

picturequotes.com

Our Sweet dog Molly is better with the antibiotics and pain/inflammation medicine we got from our vet. She is sleeping now, but actually barks to be let outside and then barks again to come back in – playing the ‘system’ of getting a treat for doing that – over and over. I’m playing right along. The swelling on her mouth has gone down a lot and she actually smiles at me when I hug and pet her. Each day is a gift now.

Molly Resting

 

I worked out in the yard early this morning, since the heat index for the afternoon is forecast to be 105 degrees F. My husband had asked me to spray weed killer on the north side of our shop. I mixed up a 2-gallon container and hosed everything down there, plus around my garden and under my planter boxes. I have just put Benadryl Ointment on the tops of my feet and my ankles because they are acting like I must have walked through poison-something-or-other. :0(

I also used our heavy duty tomato cages to prop up our now really bushy tomato plants in both brick planters on the far side of the yard from the main garden. We now have little bitty green tomatoes!  I hooked up the hose and gave both planters a good drink. We haven’t hooked up our irrigation system for the yard because we have been getting a good amount of rain until the past few days. We are due to get the remnants of Cristobal tomorrow evening, so all should get a good drink.

These are the yellow crookneck squash and zucchini plants I put in the garden recently. They are looking happy, but haven’t started sending out vines everywhere yet.

My husband had a second stroke recently. We went to our primary doctor, who wanted him to have tests, but he refused. He said to me, “Last time we did it YOUR way (meaning testsa and doctor appointments), so this time we will do it MINE.” Needless to say, I’m not happy about this, but he is adamant. (If you look up the word “stubborn” in the dictionary, you will find my husband’s picture.) So we will HOPE that he doesn’t have another stroke for a long time (the time between the first one and this one was almost one year.) I will continue to try to keep him as healthy and happy as possible.

Rick James-Quotefancy

I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday. Take care and stay safe.

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June 6, 2020 · 11:25 am

Friendship

Lunch Bunch began over 17 years ago. We meet every Friday to share lunch, laughs, and news. The core group is Linda, Kay, and me. We have other wonderful people join us from time to time as they can, but the core is the basis.

This is Linda.

“Friendship doubles our joy and divides our grief.” – Swedish Proverb

 

This is Kay.

“When you cherish the value of the gift of FRIENDSHIP, it can never be lost, for what you always carry in your hearts is yours to keep forever and your friends’ too!”

 

This is Bud, Linda’s Husband – an honorary Lunch Bunch member.

“A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway.” – Fr. Jerome Cummings

 

 

And this is my husband, another honorary Lunch Bunch member. (He refused to cooperate with my taking his picture.)

“Love is blind; friendship closes its eyes.” – Anonymous

 

We are now eating at a picnic table in the parking lot of the restaurant, rather than inside, due to the pandemic. Our wonderful waitress/friends, Susan and Mikey come outside to take our orders and bring our food, chatting for a minute, even though they are really busy. We are very grateful to be able to once again share what is happening in our lives.

“The best things in life are never rationed. Friendship, loyalty, love, do not require coupons.”

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May 28, 2020 · 11:04 am

Virtual Hugs All Around

LLAFP

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May 27, 2020 · 1:58 pm

Privilege of Animals in Your Family

via Jennifer Ann Mitchell Carroll

We have the privilege of having 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 2 gold fish in our family.

 

Smoke

 

Abby

 

Molly

 

Amber

We are, of course, hoping all of our animal friends will last forever.

Molly is 15, though, and is almost totally deaf, has cataracts, and mysterious wart-like things and cysts here and there.  She has many days where she totally enjoys life, however.

An example – today I let her out of the front door. I followed her because I wanted to water the elephant ear plants on the front porch, plus cut off one leaf that needed to be removed. As I walked with the cut leaf across the yard, Molly jumped and danced, wanting to play. What a joy it was to see her bright eyes, laughing face, and sweet little body leaping back and forth and barking at me, thinking the cut-off-leaf was a toy!

We are rich in animals. I can’t imagine my life without at least ONE.

I’ll probably end up being an old lady whose house is FULL to OVERFLOWING with adopted pets…

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April 11, 2020 · 2:50 pm

((((( ))))))

Rosa Perry – Voices of Happiness via Garden Naturally Group

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March 25, 2020 · 10:11 am

Grateful

Unsinkable via Linda Orrell

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March 18, 2020 · 11:40 am

Buy Something Local

Melvin’s Restaurant via Murray Dennis

 

This is a great reminder of what YOU can do in YOUR community to help people get through the coronavirus effects.

Shop at the local stores that remain open if you can.

Many, like Rags & Roses Collective in Greenwood, are offering online shopping with curbside pick up. You can find details by clicking on the link.

Restaurants, like Lin’s House Chinese Restaurant in Greenwood, offer take out. My husband and I picked up fried rice last night.

Roma Family Italian Restaurant in Greenwood is offering free spaghetti to kids or the elderly in need. What a wonderful thing for them to do!

If you have to cancel an appointment for something like a massage, make arrangements to see that they receive the money anyway.

We are all in this together. Not only do we need to be mindful to try to keep ourselves and our families safe from the virus, but also need to be aware of the terrible financial effects something like this causes.

So, please support the people and businesses in your community until the virus is just an awful memory.

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March 16, 2020 · 2:16 pm

Thoughts on a Monday 3-16-2020

Photo via Jeff Jett – LinkedIn

We enjoyed watching what could be a relative of this cute little fellow leap from a hanging bird feeder on the deck to the shovel bird feeder, and then around via the railing to the gallon glass bottle and wood feeder we have attached to the grill on the outside of the dining area window. He kept flipping his tail. I’m not sure what that signifies, but he sure was a busy little critter, checking everything out.

We went for a quick shot at the doctor’s office to quick stops at two groceries to replenish supplies and are now home for the day. Even with the schools closed, starting today, there wasn’t much traffic on the road.

A new thing greeted us at the clinic – a nurse was there to take our temperature outside before we were admitted inside. Then, they had rearranged the seating so that there were two chairs together, but they were far apart from another couple of chairs, all around the room, giving people plenty of space. I was glad to see these precautions.

 

 

I am thinking about ordering one of these on the net so that I can quit touching my face. I seem to be obsessive about touching my face, and I never realized it before! I’m constantly, scratching, touching, rubbing my eyes, pulling on my nose….. It’s either a funnel like this or I may start wearing mittens….

We are in the ‘high risk group’ for the virus. My husband continues to deny that he is included in the group, but he still thinks he can do what he did when he was a teenager, paying the price later, with lots of sore muscles. He also denies he is a Type II diabetic, only admitting he has a ‘sugar problem.’  We are trying to limit our exposure as much as seems reasonable, hoping the experts get a handle on the testing soon.

It is certainly getting more spring-like here, with lots and lots of rain this week. We are due to get up to 3 inches by the end of the day Thursday. It’s a really good thing the veggie planting boxes we built have good drainage or the plants would need to learn to swim!

I hope that you are somewhere safe, practicing social distancing, washing your hands, NOT touching your face, and spending your time in a pleasant manner.

 

 

 

 

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March 9, 2020 · 7:32 pm

The Birthday Marathon Continues

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

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March 8, 2020 · 6:12 pm

Fun Day

Professor’s House

I’ve had two sessions up in my art room this afternoon making some new designs in earrings. They are all drying now, but I’ve had a great time getting paint all over me and everything else, experimenting with some new techniques. I hope to show them to you tomorrow.

I’ve also spent some time outside. It has been a gorgeous, sunshine-y day here. It’s still 62 degrees now. I went out to the garden to check my sweet veggies plants.

 

The weather website for us is predicting 100% chance of rain tomorrow, so these guys will get a nice drink.

I saw yet another sign of spring today –

Our tulip tree is starting to bloom!

This has pretty much been the perfect day. I hope that you have had a wonderful day, too.

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March 7, 2020 · 4:21 pm

Wonderful Marathon Birthday Celebration

Cartoons by Ron Leishman

When you are my age, the more celebration the better.  (I will be 73 on Monday, March 9th.)

My friends at Lunch Bunch made me feel really special yesterday and I’m still grinning.

When we walked into the Pizza Barn, this was one of the things on the table –

I put them in the center of our dining table so that my husband and I can enjoy them together. The first thing he said at breakfast this morning was, “These are lovely.”

Spring-Scented candle and holder.  I wish you could smell this!

Ceramic OWL candle or tealight holder. This has a peach and mango candle. Delicious!

Kitchen towels with attitude!

And beautiful birthday cards.

TWO pieces of chocolate sheet cake with chocolate frosting.

My lunch was free.

Conversation, laughter, and hugs from long-time friends. (we have been meeting every Friday for Lunch Bunch for almost 19 years now – a true gift.)

My husband and I indulged in hot dogs with BUNS and Fritos last night for dinner – I haven’t had those – or the cake – in over a year now.

And Monday my husband is taking me for a lobster tail lunch at Red Lobster – a celebration of another year of life, PLUS having over 1400 subscribers to my blog now.

“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

 

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