Category: Life

I’m happy to report that a dear friend of mine in Panama City, FL is okay after Hurricane Michael went through. I’m not sure about her home or her place of business, but she and her kids are okay and I am thanking God for that!

Amanda W. was my house/doggy sitter when I lived in Punta Gorda, FL. She was in her last years of High School and took such good care of Max and Shubi. She has always been one of my favorite people.

Have you seen the devastation in the Panhandle of Florida? Two towns have been wiped off the map! I was shocked when I saw Mexico Beach, FL. It quite literally looks like a Bomb was dropped there.

I cannot fathom the destruction. I hope and pray that people heeded the warnings, and left their houses. There is nothing really left now.

It’s the unpredictability of the weather in Florida that caused me to want to move back home to New Hampshire. I can handle 4 feet of snow. I cannot handle Hurricanes, Tornados, Wildfires, and Torrential Rain, not to mention, Alligators, Snakes, Bugs of all kinds and sizes, as well as birds (Eagles & Vultures) that followed me every time I walked my little dackel, Shubi. In fact, I had an Eagle that took up residence at the top of our sailboats mast, just waiting to swoop in for a little dackel lunch!

Still, my heart breaks for these people as they set about rebuilding their homes and their lives. It won’t be easy, but I know what a hearty bunch those Floridians are.

I used to laugh at the old timers (anyone over the age of forty) who complained about their aches and pains. Surely they were making a mountain out of a mole-hill!

However, as I have aged, I realized that in your forties certain things begin to happen. Like when you wake in the morning and feel stiff. Then perhaps, you have a new ache or pain. Nothing significant, but it makes you aware that maybe your body did something it’s not used to.

Then the day arrives when you wake in the night with these strange body aches. What did I do to myself now?

Such was the case last night . I woke about 1:00 with pain in my right shoulder blade. You know, the good shoulder! Ugh. I took some Tylenol and tried to sleep, but each toss and turn reminded me that I’m not 22 anymore. (Even though it would be nice if I were!)

Today I cannot raise my arms up at all. It’s an instant ouchie! So I have been playing it cool and tried not to mention it. Or even acknowledge its existence!

But Jack and I were talking and he said he didn’t know what he did, but his shoulder blades were hurting him and he thought he may have pulled something yesterday. That’s when I laughed and told him that I was feeling slightly pained myself.

Aren’t we just a pair!

I woke up on Saturday morning with a sore neck and shoulder. All the work I have been doing and furniture moving had taken its toll on my body. So, as I sipped my coffee and watched cooking shows on The Food Channel, I decided to take the day off from the heavy work.

Oh, I still needed to cook meals, walk dogs, and help Jack bring the lawn mower to the shop, but the real heavy work would be left for another day.

I watched the US Open Women’s Final Tennis match this afternoon, and I was truly disheartened by Serena Williams actions. I was also shocked and saddened at the New York crowd, who booed a 20-year-old woman after her first major win.

The young woman, Naomi Osaka, is the first Japanese citizen to win a Grand Slam. She is young and had always dreamed of playing Serena Williams, whom she idolized. As the game progressed a few incidents occurred and Serena was judged to be getting coaching from the stands and also broke her racket in a fit of pique and Serena screamed at the Referee!

When Serena lost in straight sets and as the announcement was made that Naomi had won, the crowd booed this winner! It was one of the worst moments I have witnessed in tennis. In fact, while they set up for the formal award ceremony the crowd booed. And young Naomi cried. It was the saddest thing ever.

During the awards, Serena asked for people to stop booing, but by then the damage had been done. Noami’s fabulous win had been stolen from her! Shame on you New York Tennis Fans! Naomi played better than Serena and she won fair and square. Grow up!

Naomi Osaka, I apologize for the rude New York audience. I wanted to jump through my TV screen and slap each and every boo-er!

Tomorrow it’s back to work around the house. Not that I really feel like it, but it must be done. Oh yes. The peaches are starting to come in. You know what this means? Time to make the Heavenly Jam!

The cleaning goes on!

I bagged 22 bath towels today to go to the Homeless Shelter. They’re all clean and in good condition. And here is what I kept…20 bath towels! I am not even sure how I fit 42 bath towels in that closet, but I did! The first load of towels to be freshened and returned to the closet are now in the wash.

It is 95 degrees here in New Hampshire as I write. The humidity is so high that my usually curly hair is just a mass of frizz! Not my best hair day by far.

I did go through the box of jumbled wires and cords. I even found a set of Rabbit Ears for the TV! Not that they would even work now, so I tossed those in the trash bin, after I showed Jack and we had a bit of a laugh.

Since the last time I went through this box (which reminded me of Christmas lights, all tangled and useless) I realized that times have changed, all the mess of wire and cords were almost completely out of date! It made the cleaning easier. Right into the bin, it went!

My darling Greta.

During the day we noted that Greta is not feeling even close to good. We’ve been having long talks. The kind that is never easy.

I was at a party over the weekend and I was in a group shot. When I saw the picture, my first thought was, “Thank God, I have returned to Weight Watchers!” In fact, I plan to print out a small picture for my wallet, in the event that I lose my mind and want to go out for foods that are not on my eating plan! Only when I have a wonderful after, will I share the before!

Did anyone else experience a break in Facebook yesterday? My account went down about 4:30 PM and was down for about an hour. Very strange, really. Facebook has never gone down like that on me.

Have a great week everyone!

 

 

Friday was a busy day. I felt like I was never really sitting in one spot for too long. There were so many items on my to-do list, and try as I might, I never did accomplish them all.

Ah, but tomorrow is another day, right?

I’ve set aside Saturday as being my laundry, and sheet changing day. I would also like to work a little more on my map collecting for the trip.

I have all the actual maps that I will need, but I would like to blow up certain highway areas, to give us a better view of what we will encounter.

I’ve spent a lot of time with Greta in recent days. She seems to follow me from room to room, and when I am cooking in the kitchen, she is right by my feet.

At first, I thought that she was hoping I would drop food or something, but then I realized that she just wants to be close to me. It is so very sweet.

This is something we should all read at least once a week.  Make sure you read to the end. Originally published in The Plain Dealer on Sunday, May 28, 2006

Written by Regina Brett, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio .

“To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I’ve ever written.” Regina Brett

“1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short – enjoy it.

4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don’t have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.

7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.

8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.

12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, but don’t worry, God never blinks.

16.. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful. Clutter weighs you down in many ways.

18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.

19.. It’s never too late to be happy. But it’s all up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ‘In five years, will this matter?’

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive

29. What other people think of you is none of your business

30 Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.

35. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative of dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved

39 Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have, not what you need

42. The best is yet to come…

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.”