Tag Archives: challenges

Longing for Walter

Figuring out what’s happening in our world is more and more challenging.

I read several sources on my computer daily and also watch news programs on TV. The disparity I find is confusing and frustrating, to say the least. I’m not sure whether I need to read more or less!

The images I see say one thing. The explanations from the media say another. It’s difficult to judge what is real, what to think, what to believe in the face of some stories reported on a source or two, yet completely ignored by others. When the subject is covered by several sources, the slant of the media people is like night and day.

It makes me frustrated and hostile, so I tend to vacillate between spending more time trying to find out and avoiding the whole thing.

Walter Cronkite

Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. was an American broadcast journalist who served as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years. During the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as “the most trusted man in America” after being so named in an opinion poll.

I’m so old I remember listening each night to Walter Cronkite. No bells. No whistles. No fancy stuff. Just a reading of what happened during the day. I don’t remember him ever giving an opinion, but I was young at the time and not aware as I should have been about things like that.

I don’t like to be cynical. I don’t want to have to ‘weigh’ what I read or hear, trying to figure out if I can trust the information – if the person speaking has an agenda – skin in the game – an axe to grind.

It makes me tired. I wish I could have Walter back.

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Late Start

eBay.com

hahahahhahahahah. Actually, I’m not stressed, just late today. I just loved the picture above. :0)

I’m having a very late start to blogging today. I had a haircut appointment and errands to do this morning. By the time I got home, it was time for lunch. THEN, after we ate, I got sleepy and took a nap…

We’re having a weird day today.

We were just checking a detail on our investment account and saw that Schwab had generated a corrected tax form for us. We printed it, and then I emailed our CPA that we were having to mail him a correction for our tax stuff.

My husband wanted to check to see if we had gotten a delivery from Fedex or UPS (sometimes left at our mailbox at the bottom of the driveway) and said he would mail the corrected forms when he went. We talked about how it would be mailed, etc.

Then I started to work on the computer. I heard the driveway alarm and realized my husband had left. The form was still where I left it, so my husband didn’t take it. Wonder what he’ll think when he gets to the post office. Getting old is SO much fun. I’m glad I don’t have to do it alone.

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Elephant in the Room

The world is such a challenging place now. We do what we can to help and reach for inner strength to cope. Love is a big part of that. Reach out.

vintag.es

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It’s Monday

Kamezis-deviantart.com

Under ‘character-building exercises,’ I have been dealing with our main credit card being frauded, then cancelled by the credit card company, then receiving the new card (my husband slogged CAREFULLY down our steep driveway Saturday to retrieve them from the mailbox, since the UPS guy couldn’t get up our icy driveway, and we then began notifying the people and places who need to know the new information. My husband quickly got frustrated and angry, so I told him I would do it. UGH. I’m finally down to 2 places and hopefully I can get through to them today.

We are getting a lot of melting where the sun can reach the ground easily now. Our driveway will, as usual, be the last thing to thaw, being long, steep, bordered by trees, and on the north side of our property. I heard our driveway alarm and found our truck gone from the garage. I swept out that side of the garage and my husband came back up with the mail, plus Amber happily riding in the bed of the truck. We’ll be able to take our trash down tomorrow morning, retrieve our mail, and run some errands!

itl.cat

I’m more than happy to start a new month tomorrow, particularly one that includes the beginning of SPRING! :0)

I hope you’re having a wonderful day.

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Filed under Challenges, character-building exercises, Seasons, Thoughts on a ________, weather

Togetherness

sent by a friend

hahahahahahahahahaha. I love this. :0)

As you probably agree, being stuck at home during the pandemic followed by being snowed in, and then iced in within a three week period can be challenging. My wonderful SIL and I discuss the idea of a “deep hole in the back yard” (I won’t tell you in WHOSE back yard) beckons when faced with too many challenges of living with our spouses.

My mantra is ‘one day at a time,’ and I’m trying to consciously be as nice as I can while engineering ways to get some space and time to myself each day. I figure if we each do that, we probably come out in the middle – and the hole in the back yard won’t be utilized…

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Find Something That Works for You

Soulestice

Our son is really into meditation and it has really helped him.

He used to have quite a bit of frustration. At times it would erupt – one time resulting in broken bones in his hand when he ‘punched a chair.’ (The chair won.)

Over the years he has practiced meditation, even going to places where he could receive instruction in how to do it better. He has taken bits and pieces and made his own form now. He practices every day now, getting up early so that he can practice before he starts his work for the day. I don’t know if he does it again in the evening or not. It has made a world of difference for him. He is content and happy now, able to handle even really frustrating situations with an amazing maturity.

He has tried to get ME to try it, and I have. I’m a dismal failure. I guess I don’t want to do it badly enough. I simply cannot turn my mind off, rechannel my thoughts, or use any of the many suggestions he has made. I envy him and now look to HIM when I need help dealing with things.

The best thing I’ve come up with is finding Art – like that above – in which I can lose myself. Music is a huge help, too. Music I loved in the past transports me to where I was when I first heard the song. I’m finding new music and new artists I find amazing. Frustration, anger, and depression simply melt away. Books help. I dive into the worlds of characters I love, leaving my concerns somewhere else as I immerse myself in their lives. Yoga is becoming a coping mechanism, as well. It’s really hard for me to totally relax, but I come really close when I practice my yoga stretches and poses. When I finish, my mind is calm and my body feels looser.

The world is a very complicated place now. I hope you can find something that works for YOU.

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24 Hours

andthenweallhadtea.blogspot.com

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Be You

jaxnblvd.com

I get a lot of my news online from various sources. I get into ‘overload’ mode more quickly these days because of people whose mouths are much louder than their minds. They think nothing of expressing an opinion one day, then reversing it the next, as if no one is paying attention and each day is a new day with no consequences.

I believe strongly in freedom of expression. The overabundance of stupidity saddens me and many times makes me frustrated and angry, but everyone is free to say what he or she thinks – and take the consequences. Nothing is free.

SayingImages.com

Each person should BE who they are and THINK whatever they think, being TRUE to that. Ideally, one would ALSO be willing to rethink one’s opinion if further research proves you wrong, or if someone ELSE’S opinion makes you reconsider. Respectful debate is a really healthy thing.

If you choose to give your opinion, be ready to take whatever consequences come from expressing it. Pay no attention to people who say something, then walk it back over and over. They are simply taking up valuable space.

“Be YOU. The world will adjust.”

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In Your Hands

George Eliot – notsalmon.com – twitter.com

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Focus

blackenterprise.com

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Thoughts on a Tuesday 1-4-2022

Saporta Report

This photo above is very similar to what we saw going to town and then returning from errands this morning. It felt almost as if they were running along side us, like a dog tries to chase cars. Happily, they didn’t try to cross the road or crash into our truck. Beautiful animals.

Postal Store – USPS

Did I tell you that I hate to do anything involved with the IRS? Our son lives in Thailand, but still has to file income tax stuff for the states. I try to handle the stuff for him. I mailed a self-employment deferred Social Security ‘whateverwhois’ certified with return receipt for him this morning. I’m hoping this is the end of things for him for awhile. My eyes glaze over whenever I try to read letters from the IRS. I send images of whatever it is to our CPA, who ‘translates’ it for me and tells me what I need to do. I do it, send him copies, and breathe a sigh of relief until next time. You would think I was an embezzler or something with the huge negative gut reaction I have to things like this. :0)

The NY Times

We have a cell phone with base that acts like our house phone. We have extensions all over the house. I thought about changing carriers recently, thinking maybe we could save some money. Though I could get less expensive coverage for my personal cell phone, I gave up because we would have to buy another cell phone system and couldn’t get the extensions we have. The system also has an answering program that we love that requires callers to push # or something to indicate they are a real person and aren’t selling anything before we hear a ringing phone. It really cuts down on calls we don’t want. I’ve actually had people laughing when I answer, then wanting to know where we got the answering thingie.

Recently we got a letter from AT&T saying they wouldn’t cover our house phone cell system anymore because it was only a 3G. They said they would send us a replacement phone that they WOULD cover. We have no idea whether the new phone is anything like our present one, our answering program, if it will have extensions, or we can use the ones we have, etc. The only thing that MAY stay the same is our phone number. UGH. We really don’t like change.

Cards Recycling Service

Under that same heading of not liking change is that we got a letter saying our trash contract was bought up by another company. The new service started 1-3-2022, according to the letter. We have no other details as yet. We put out our trash as usual this morning, hoping for the best….

Amazon.com

While trying to put in new fluorescent tubes in a fixture in the kitchen recently, we dropped the cover, breaking it. We tried to find a replacement cover for it, but couldn’t find one wide enough, either locally or online. Yesterday we decided to buy a 2-tube fixture, using it to replace a 4-tube fixture in our office, and using the cover for the kitchen fixture.

Hours later, we finally had the new fixture installed and working and the cover transferred to the fixture in the kitchen. No lives were lost. If we need to consider this again, I’ll opt for candle light.

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Filed under Amazing Animals, Challenges, Changes, Housekeeping - Maintenance, Thoughts on a ________

Challenges

Sharon

I’m trying to get our yard ready for the winter, but Mother Nature isn’t cooperating well. It’s been cold, then warms up and is rainy, then back again. It’s rainy today, and we have storms that might be severe tomorrow. Fingers crossed we come though the next batch of storms in one piece.

I keep listening to the news about the awful tornado damage and lost lives in so many states recently. It’s heartrending. My irritation about it not being comfortable to work out in the yard is selfish and I’m embarrassed.

Wish me luck on trying to keep my head on straight and my mouth firmly shut.

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“Because I’m Happy…”

quotespedia.org via Rebecca Kanner Kelman

“Here come bad news talking this and that (Yeah)
Well give me all you got, don’t hold back (Yeah)
Well I should probably warn you I’ll be just fine (Yeah)
No offence to you don’t waste your time” ~ “Happy” ~ Pharrell Williams

I received some scary news through the medical portal on a test I took recently. I’m a wimp, so I essentially decided my life was over, started worrying about my husband (he doesn’t know what day it is half the time, what our schedule is, etc. – he has a wife to worry about the details.) I cried, couldn’t sleep, stayed up half the night…

I finally decided to tell my two best friends via email. I’m very lucky to have two such great people who care about me. Both got back to me right away with care and support, plus some much-needed guidance.

My doctor’s office will probably contact me this coming week with what the next step is. I’m much calmer than I was. Although I’m a wimp and would rather just stick my head in the sand and go on in ignorance, acting as if I were immortal, I need to be an adult. I want to be here to help my husband – even wanting to be here to fuss at him when it’s needed.

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Restrictions

whipperberry.com

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Trying to Keep My Mouth Shut

woodlandmanufacturing.com

Oh, please. This is cute – and depressing at the same time.

I will tell you, though, that I’m making a bit of progress on getting the lard off. I lost another pound, so my total off now is 31, with almost 29 inches gone. It’s especially hard during the holidays to try to keep my mouth shut. My goal is to TASTE it all, enjoying every bite, but TRYING to maintain my dignity…. :0)

I did discover – to my horror – that some of the meals we have been getting from Stu’s Clean Cookin’ have too much sugar for us. Last night we decided to SHARE one individual meal and eat an extra veggie on the side. That worked out well, and gave us half the amount of sugar we would have ingested otherwise. We need to be more vigilant. The food is high quality and excellent, as is that of Real Food. They are not made for diabetics and weight-challenged, though, and we need to keep tweaking what we are eating more intelligently. Stu’s lists sugar, salt, calories, etc. Real Food doesn’t, but lists ingredients. Both help us keep our portions good. So we will try to do better homework, plus do more sharing.

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Fun-Filled Day

Kyser-Edible Chair Studio-m.imgur.com

I love this painting.

It will all depend on one detail to see if our day will go well or if we’ll have to regroup several times to get it all accomplished.

We need to –

  • get blood work done for our doctor appt Monday
  • get my hair cut
  • get out Covid booster shots
  • have our house sprayed for bugs

I will make the call in about 5 minutes to get the essential detail answered that will determine whether we can do this all together and in one trip or regroup and take several trips.

Fingers crossed that this will all fit together smoothly and well.

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It’s Always SOMETHING…

Effective Training Solutions

We got our mail, left the trash for pickup, and went to the grocery store. My husband thought the snow tires we put on yesterday looked low, so when we came home, we drove the truck out to the shop so we could check the tire pressure.

And that’s where the frustration began. The air pressure tools we have are not cooperating. They don’t want to attach to the tire pressure “thingie’ on the tire the way they are supposed to. My husband is trying to do something to fix that problem now.

Since I’m useless in that situation, I decided to use the time to finish repainting the wart-hog that was damaged recently while on display. That is now finished again, and when it’s dry, we’ll hang it up on its storage hook with the rest of the decorations for the mailbox.

I’m planning to drive the truck down to the bottom of the driveway this afternoon and start the painting refurbishment on our greeting robot. That’s IF we can get the tire pressure problem checked and fixed and IF the weather will cooperate.

I hope that your day is without huge challenges.

UPDATE: It’s an hour later. My husband tried to fix the tools we have and was unable to. We have been back to town to buy a tire pressure gauge. The auto store didn’t have a replacement for the tool we had. My husband is checking and filling the tires now. He will probably try to find one on the net when we finish lunch.

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Split Down the Middle

BlazePress

Today was the first Lunch Bunch since our waitress, Susan, retired. We are all happy for Susan, giving her a good send-off last Friday, her last day, before she started taking care of her grandchildren. She has spent many years working hard, getting up early to go to work, do the prep necessary before opening the restaurant, making pizza dough, cutting up veggies, all the things that need to be done to have the place run smoothly. She’s still getting up early every day, but now will fill her days with life flowing from the plans of the grandkids. She grinned from ear to ear last Friday, clearly relishing the change of focus for her life.

So today we gathered once again. Mikey, our other treasured waitress, took our orders. We talked about the fact that SHE kept feeling that Susan was “just on vacation,” and would be back at work soon. WE kept thinking she would come out from the back, drying hands on her apron, smiling and joking with us.

One Green Planet

Things change and we must change with them. Susan has our permanent invitation to join us at the table for Lunch Bunch. We HOPE she’ll take us up on that some Friday very soon. Happy for her, sad for us, resistant to change…

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The Agony of Defeat

Healthshots

We had carefully scheduled for the garage door technician to come between 12:00 and 2:00 today to install the door seal we couldn’t install ourselves.

JUST as we were getting ready to leave for Lunch Bunch, the tech called, saying he was on his way. My husband said he would stay home to meet him.

When I got home after Lunch Bunch and errands, there was no seal on the garage door. My husband said the tech was unable to install it but said he could order one for us. It would be $354 plus labor plus tax. My husband said, “No,” and paid him the $50 for the service call.

I have now written an email to the online store from which we got the door seal, asking if we can return it.

So we’re wincing a bit from

  1. the fact we bought the wrong seal from Yeagers and had to return it,
  2. couldn’t install the seal we ordered on the net,
  3. may be out the $75 we paid for the Internet seal,
  4. paid $50 for a service call that had no results
  5. and have decided that we will try to ignore the fact we have no seal on our garage door.

Definitely a case of one hesitant, but well -meaning step forward and SEVERAL irritating steps back.

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That Feeling

noguiltlife.com

It wasn’t actually a ‘cheat meal.”

It’s difficult to stick to a diet when there is another person involved. I KNOW. I should be strong enough to make my own decisions and not eat even though my husband is, but it is what it is.

Saturday we were good. We didn’t do snacks and we both enjoyed less of a smirk from the scales. Sunday I was all set to continue that, but my husband asked me mid-afternoon if I would fix him a bagel with cream cheese. I did that, and, of COURSE I also had a snack….

Sometimes we enjoy no-sugar-added ice cream before bed. I was being strong, and then my husband was beside me with a chocolate ice cream bar…

AND – to top it all off – I was downstairs reading at 2:30 this morning, not able to sleep, and had a snack….

So the sweet animal in the picture above and I are both feeling stuffed and guilty this morning.

I am determined to make TODAY a good day, though, eating right and doing my exercises, drinking lots of water, etc. I will ask my husband to help me be strong – NOT bringing me things I shouldn’t be eating, and I will try to be sleepy enough to sleep through the night so I won’t be tempted by the fridge calling to me… :0)

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Sunday 8-29-2021

Cathy Stolz Photography-500px.com

I’m afraid for all the good people trying to get out of Afghanistan. My heart breaks for those left behind. This is an unending nightmare from which we will probably never recover. We have all lost so much already. People in pain over the situation, the incredible lack of planning, bad decisions, broken promises, loss of life, the desperate prospects on trying to get out, what we’re leaving for the people behind. Incredible bravery in the face of all this.

The people in Tennessee are trying to pick up the pieces after the devastating flooding. Relentless wildfires in California continue to wreak havoc. Ida is bearing down on the Gulf Coast today.

Each of us reacts on a personal level to all happening around us. Things boil down to each of us handling things in our own little world the best we can, plus reaching out to try to help others. The cliche’ is that ‘we’re all in this together.’ Our world is small enough that things happening across the world affect us. As we have painfully seen, a virus starting far away is lethal to people all over the globe.

We need to concentrate on being aware of what is going on, protecting ourselves and those we love the best way we can, and reaching out to others – if not able to help – to at least show we CARE. We can’t put our heads in the sand. We can’t just simply close off. We have to be as strong as we can and be there to do what we can when we see a way we can help.

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Thoughts on a Thursday 8-26-2021

Shutterstock

“The world is too much with us…” ~ William Wordsworth

My heart is in my throat as I watch the latest on Afghanistan on TV – helpless to do anything – afraid for U.S. citizens, the Afghan people who have helped us for 20 years, Afghans at risk, women and children who will be left there to live under Taliban rule the best they can, and, of course, our men and women in uniform trying their best, under incredibly awful restrictions, to try keep everyone safe and make it out of there alive. I watch all I can, then come in here and try to calm down and catch my breath. A truly terrible situation. The coping mechanisms about which I wrote yesterday aren’t helping much today.

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A Bit at a Time

TeenVogue

I made it through the 3-minute dumbbell exercises with Denise Austin – barely. Then I rested for quite awhile and did other things. I have just finished another group of exercises with the weights, and plan to do one more group before I give myself a star on my calendar.

I will go and do my yoga stretches in a minute – as soon as I finish this post.

It would be NICE if I could learn to love exercising. It would be WONDERFUL if I had a rush of endorphins. It would be even better if my body had an easier time getting through this stuff. Best of all, I’ll be happy if my tape measure gives me some pats at the end of this month. It would be terrific if I end up stronger, more flexible, and feeling good.

For the moment, though, I’m just working for a star or three on my calendar for the day- a sign that I’m TRYING to take care of myself. I have a chance for 3 stars today –

Clip Art Library
  • One for drinking 4 bottles of water today
  • A second for my yoga practice
  • And the third for my exercising with dumbbells

I’ll keep on keepin’ on

Stefano Furlani -Stone Art – designyoutrust.com

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Filed under Challenges, exercise, taking care of yourself

Fighting Feeling Intimidated

Princeton Brush Company

I am at the awkward stage where I would like to try something new in my art room, but I’m feeling intimidated.

I want to try 2 new techniques: impasto painting and acrylic pour painting. My mouth is watering. My dreams are full of efforts to try. And yet I’m still stalling. I have the materials I need. I’ve watched videos. I’m old enough now that feeling intimidated isn’t ‘cute’ anymore – if it EVER was. If my efforts are a complete failure, I can simply throw them away…

Today I’m going to do two things –

THING ONE – I’m going to clean off my drafting table, prepare it for acrylic pour painting, and gather my materials.

THING TWO – I will watch several videos on YouTube so I’m more clear on what I’m trying to do.

And then –

Patch

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Small Victory

I FINALLY got back to the 30-pounds-off-since-my-heaviest mark this morning! HOORAY!! Thanks again to Maria, who suggested in her blog – FlowingWatersArt.wordpress.com that big goals should be broken down into more doable chunks. I haven’t met my “doable chunk” goals for the three weeks I’ve been trying, but my motivation is high, and that’s the more important thing right now.

I’m building good habits – watching my portions, eating healthy snacks, drinking THREE to FOUR 17.9 oz bottles of water each day (my eyeballs are floating as I run to the bathroom), exercising, etc.

I’m doing yoga stretches and abdominal exercises every day.

This week I started exercising with 5-pound weights- Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I do a pretty short session – enough so my arms are definitely feeling it, but I’m not incapacitated on doing my normal activities. Monday and Wednesday I did two short sessions with the weights during the day plus my yoga.

Yesterday I found a 3-minute video on the net. The lady was using 3-pound weights, so I switched to those and exercised along with her. She was doing different things than I was doing with the 5-pound weights. My arms felt pretty ‘used’ when I finished, but this is a good addition to what I’ve started to do. I plan to do a session with the 5-pound weights and another with the 3-pound weights with the nice lady MWF next week.

I feel good that I’m taking one day at a time, making short-term goals that seem more achievable, am moving and exercising more.

Short term goals are –

  • Work to try to lose 2 lbs in the coming week
  • Check off my exercises each day (giving myself gold stars :o) )
  • Drink 3 to 4 bottles of water daily
  • Work toward the idea of earning “Bear with ’40’ on his chest” in the near future.
  • Realize that I’m working to lose the lard and get stronger – that ANY progress toward that goal is a victory and should be celebrated.
Made with Love by recitethis.com

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Filed under Attitude, Cause for Celebration, Challenges, Changes, DIET!, exercise

Red Letter Day – 7-7-2021

Words Matter Or Word Smatter?
  • FIRST – My husband said I should write this blog post!
  • SECOND – I was right TWICE yesterday and he acknowledged it!

We took one of our vehicles for diagnosis and service first thing yesterday morning. I told my husband I would follow him, since when senses of direction were passed out, I was AWOL. I can get lost in a paper bag. He said I KNEW where the place was – at the curve of two streets in Ft. Smith. I told him that the company had been sold and they had relocated to the autopark, wherever that was. He got angry, so I let it go and told him I would follow him.

We got to the place he said. There was a big sign that has been there at least a year that says, “We moved!” and gave the address at the autopark. We wound around and around, finally making it to the autopark. We made it in time for our appointment, and he said. “You were right.” as we drove home together.

We changed our TV provider recently. That meant a lot of changes, and as we age, we seem to learn the new procedures with less and less grace. The biggest remaining problem for us with the new system was that our whole DVD collection, taped on a system called, “Synology” was gone. Since my husband got rid of the DVDs as we taped them on this, it was really upsetting.

My husband has been working with Microsoft – who did an update recently that disappeared our access to the program, and the tech support from Synology, trying to solve the problem.

Since I am amazed that my computer works at ALL, my function at these times is to keep my mouth firmly shut rather than voice what are probably inane suggestions.

This once, though, I told him that I THOUGHT I remembered that we accessed the movies through our Playstation. He blew this suggestion off right away, irritated that I interrupted his train of thought. This was two or three weeks ago.

Finally, we were able to access the collection through the Media Player on Roku. This was a really good thing, but he is still not satisfied, since it’s not coming through our main system, but an add-on. I finally suggested that we get on the Playstation and see what it showed. My husband did that, a pained expression on his face. There – right in front of us – was “DS218” – our movie collection! We immediately accessed a move and watched it.

When the movie was over, my husband looked at me and said, “You were right.”

Last night, he said, “You need to write a blog post about this.” I told him I was marking my calendar – that first – he said I was right twice, and second, that he wanted me to tell others about it. We agreed that since we are now considered, “Elderly” by many (though not close enough that we can punch them in the face for saying that) that we need to work together when we have problems – listen to each other more and consider that the other might have a point.

Words to live by. MAYBE I’ll be right again sometime… :0)

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Customer Service

amzn.to

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Embarrassed

istock.com

I’m embarrassed and relieved at the same time.

I was out in the shop cleaning our “emu” yard critters. My husband came out and said, “You have to come. The garage door is on fire.”

I leaped up, trying to get my head on straight about what I needed to do. I asked my husband if he had called the fire department. He said “no.” He said the alarm was going off. I asked him if it was the smoke alarm or the burglar alarm. He didn’t know.

Long story shorter. we’re fine.

My husband has had a series of small strokes starting in 2019. Most of the time he’s his usual ornery self. Sometimes he has confusion. He has a lot of irritability. He has a bit of trouble talking – sometimes more than others. He was taking a nap and the alarm went off. He came to get me.

I got the alarm to be quiet. The display said the garage door had been breached. The garage door was completely open, as it usually is this time of day. No fire. My husband then told me that ADT had called. I asked what he told them. He said he told them to “___ off.” When my mouth dropped open, he said, “I told them we didn’t have a problem.” I clarified – so no one is coming? He said, “no.”

He went back to his chair to try to sleep. I came into my office. All of a sudden, the driveway alarm was going off. I went to the garage, but then heard our front door bell ringing. I ran to the front. It was a policeman.

I went outside to talk to him, embarrassed. ADT had sent him out because whoever had answered the phone was ‘surly’ and unable to provide the verbal code. I explained our situation briefly and apologized again for wasting his time. He was very nice. I was embarrassed, but kind of relieved that if we HAD had a problem, ADT would have called the police and they would have come out. Nice to know.

When I went back in, my husband wanted to know who was here. I explained that ADT had sent the police when he couldn’t give them the verbal code on the phone. He waved his hand at me, waving off the problem. I told him what the code was again, and will do so again this evening. He was more interested in telling me he thought the cat, who gets up on top of the open garage door, had probably set off the system. That may well be true. I’m not at all sure what we need to do about THAT…

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Some Days are Like This

jalopnik.com

We got a return code from Amazon for the printer cartridge package – which meant we had to drive to Ft. Smith to the UPS Store. My husband decided he wanted to take the Vette. We got to Greenwood and the ‘check engine’ light came on. We talked about it, and decided to go back home and regroup.

My husband thought we should just each take a vehicle and we could leave the Vette at the service place in Ft. Smith. I reminded him that we had to have an appointment the last time we needed them to look at things. We called and are now scheduled to take it in next Wednesday morning.

We got into the truck and started out again. Of course the “70% chance of rain” kicked in. We had lots of traffic, pretty heavy rain, road construction, etc., but we got to the UPS Store and left the package with no problem. My husband thinks he ordered the right printer cartridges this time, so hopefully that will soon be a PAST problem.

On the way home, we decided to try the new Waffle House that opened recently in Greenwood. We each had a “hashbrown bowl with sausage, egg and cheese.” It was good, but we decided that the next time we go, we’ll order ONE of those and two bowls. It was too much food and was pretty expensive for a breakfast or lunch for us. Dividing one order should work just fine.

It’s STILL raining two hours after we started out this morning and shows no sign of letting up.

My husband is going to use the diagnostic tool he has for automobiles and see if it will tell us why the Vette is displaying the ‘check engine’ light.

And so the day goes.

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Beware

flickr.com

We’re all still going through a very stressful time. It’s hard to try to get to whatever the ‘new normal’ is without at least a twinge or two about risk.

I’ve chosen to read as much as I can about what is going on in the world around me – reading as many different sources as I can find – decide what I want to do, and just do it.

Life is too short to live in fear of everything. I’m going to die of ‘something’ at whatever time I do. I can only take whatever precautions I think are reasonable and get on with it. I don’t want to miss the rest of my life because of fear.

Mindfully Glam

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Filed under Attitude, Challenges, Changes, Encouragement

Bogging Down…

victoriacolemanartist.com

I’ve been working steadily all day trying to reach my friends to give them the new email address. Then I started on all the websites that have the old address. What a headache!

One good thing – I’ve talked to people who mean a lot to me today – via the new email and my phone. That’s a good thing despite the frustrating reason for it.

I’m going to take a break, get outside and prune my rose bushes. Then I’ll do another session.

I just LOVE the painting by Victoria Coleman above. It really captures exhaustion well, doesn’t it.

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Filed under building good habits, Challenges, Changes, character-building exercises