Friday, August 30, 2019

2 Ss - SCARE & SQUIRREL

                               There's nothing like a little scare to give you pause! 

                                           Monday I was feeling like a wet dishrag.

A cough I'd had for a month just wouldn't go away and I felt miserable. I did go with my daughter for some breakfast and to see my sweet great-grandson and granddaughter. That perked me up some but it was evident to them and to my daughter that I just wasn't doing well.



So, daughter took me to sick call at my family clinic. An x-ray tech said he saw a spot on my left lung. 

I mean, after watching Leslie (my companion for 5 years) die of lung cancer, anything like that just scares the beegeebees out of me. 

                            But, a CT scan today revealed NOTHING THERE...

                                                                          Yeah!!!!!!

At this age, we do get little scares like that from time to time. So thankful for prayers and concerns.



                                                  And, so on to brighter things.

Late yesterday evening I saw a squirrel in the tree across the drive from my apartment. Of course, I grabbed my camera. 

Just thought I'd share of couple of snaps I did of him eating something he'd found. Getting some fat on for the cold winter ahead. 

Gee, I wonder if perhaps I shouldn't be doing that. I really think I hear some cookies calling me....




Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Leaving a Legacy

I believe that I told you I'd share some info with you about 'getting your ducks in a row' before you go. The book "A Beginner's Guide to the End" was very helpful. I got some ideas from it plus some from other sources plus just plain old experience of my own. Take it for what it's worth. The book was really good, my two cents worth may not be worth much. 😀

The first thing they suggested was getting rid of clutter. We all need to do that. Just think of what a mess your kids will have when they come back to your home  and have to decide what to do with all your belongings, all your collections, all your junk... you don't want to do that to them, do you? No, I didn't think so. So, start now. A little at a time. As they say, "every little bit helps."


Then the book talked about "leaving a legacy". Oh my gosh... I have been so into that for years and years. Every family story I heard I wrote down, I made tapes, videos, wrote books. Here's a book that was published in 1991 that I wrote that held copious amounts of family history from my husbands side. 



I sure am not telling you to go out a publish a book. No, no. 

I have so much genealogy. All on my computer. My children are going to know where they 'came from'. 




I have journals that I have kept off and on for most of my life.
Here are a few of them... just my feelings written down in black and white composition notebooks. You don't have to be fancy.



Maybe you aren't into all that. But, it might be a new hobby for you, something to do on a rainy Sunday afternoon. You can't get those stories if you wait until those people are gone. Go see old Aunt Bessie, talk to great-uncle Henry, and don't forget to write your own stories down. Or tape them, put them on your phone.         
                                                   Whatever it takes.  
                                                          Do it now. 


Thursday, August 22, 2019

A Fun Trip

For five years now, twice a year, daughter Shirley and I have been taking a bus trip to Dover Downs. A five hour trip, not too hard on these old bones. well, actually coming back I can really feel it. And, we have a barrel of fun. 



We play this one particular brand of slot machine, come home about even every time (except this time. We both won some money). It's the kind of machine that has free spins and we love that! 

We sit side by side, often stopping our own play to watch the other rack up a little dough with the free spin thingy. We root each other on, laugh, just enjoy ourselves. We have a great meal ... or two... enjoy our free drinks that they bring around. OKAY... it's pepsi, you'll. No hard stuff. We gotta keep our brains sharp and our wits honed.

We got back from such a trip last night. I feel a little 'rough' this morning. Like I say, these old bones!! But, I love doing it and I will as long as I can. 

I would suggest that you find something that is not too hard on you (physically, mentally etc) and start a tradition with one of your children. As you age, those moments are very important and it keeps you YOUNG!! We are NOT a 'rocking chair' generation!

Sunday, August 18, 2019

A New Project

My daughter called me and she said, "Mom, you and I have a new project." (She's one of those gals that is happiest doing projects). 

"What you got?" I ask

"I saw this book and I got to thinking. I don't know much about what I would do if J (hubby) is gone. I don't know where things are. So, let's order this book and see if we can get our 'lives in order'.




I have a Will.... a Power of Attorney.... a Medical Directive

I'm good. They are stored in my file cabinet so I am all set. But, I play along and order the book. 

Whoa!! What an eye-opener. 

Nobody wants to talk about dying, especially these younger folks. My daughter's in her 60s. My youngest will hit that mark in a short period of time. Do they have wills, a medical directive? Where will they be buried? Do they have insurance? I mean, being alive doesn't mean you will be ....until you're 90. Things happen. 

There is so much more that I need to do 'before I go'. I am reading that book and I am making a list... well, several lists actually so that I will be so organized when my time comes that my kids are gonna be standing around, blowing their noses into kleenex and smelling copious amounts of carnations! Funeral homes always smell like carnations! 

And, they will say, 'Wasn't Mom sweet to have all of this planned out and organized so that we don't have to worry about it now".

Well, isn't that what your Mom has done all her life? Except there was a bunch of stuff I didn't even know about.

I probably will address some of the things from my lists on this blog from time to time. As we age, we just think our work is over and done with! Evidently, I know I did! So, I am going to get to work on mine because I want to leave my children with loving thoughts, great memories and time to heal, unencumbered with details, after I am gone. 

Oh, besides the info in the book, I am also using some material from some excellent websites I found online. 

Saturday, August 17, 2019

My Funny Husband

                       Did you know that yesterday was National Tell A Joke Day?

And, naturally when I hear the word "joke" I think of my dear departed husband. That man loved to tell jokes... and he was so good at it. The punch line always on target, the timing perfect. 

So, naturally the family, me in particularly, heard them over and over and over. He never forgot a one!! 



And, he was a natural cut-up, too. He was in his element when he was making someone laugh. That man was almost never 'down', he was happy, go-lucky, and happy to be on this earth. 

My message today is this.. Oh how I wish I had taped him telling his jokes. With today's technology it's just so easy. But, we let that opportunity slip by and now he is gone. I can hardly remember a one of his jokes and I couldn't tell them like he did, even if I did remember them. 

Take the time to make tapes, videos, audio recordings, however you want to do it but do take the time to capture that piece of your loved one so that you will have it with you always.  

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Wellness Check

 It's and my Medicare Wellness check-up rolled around today.

I think it is absolutely marvelous that Medicare schedules wellness check ups. It makes me feel like they care about my staying healthy rather than curing me after I am sick. 




Frankly, I was just counting the days until the appointment was due. July 20th I had a bout of vertigo and have not been able to get rid of the headaches since then. 

I could have gone to the doctor before now... but sometimes a person just gets stubborn. Not so much stubborn maybe as not knowing what to say or questions to ask.  So, I waited until I had to go.

Last year I was diagnosed with Spinal stenosis...in the 3-5 vertibrae, So, I am wondering, "is my headaches caused by the vertigo, the stenosis or bad sinuses". 

I had gotten pretty down about it all...the headaches were constant but there was nobody to blame but myself that it wasn't being taken care of. 

But, back to today. My dr. wasn't sure what was making my head hurt all the time. So, we are tackling it one thing at a time. She put me on antibiotics for sinus infections. If that doesn't clear up this muddled head of mine then we will pursue the next thing on the list. 

Do you ever do that? Put off going to a doctor 'cause you can't really go in the office and say "I have a broken finger, a black eye, a stomach ache, a pain in my chest"?  Seems like we need to identify the pain before we seek help.  But, isn't that what the doctor is supposed to do? Tell us what is wrong, not the other way around. 

I need to make myself more accountable for my health. "At THIS age" I don't need to be second guessing. Say a prayer and keep your fingers crossed that it is the sinuses that are the culprit ... Doc says that if it's the stenosis, there's not much they can do except for shots and surgery . That didn't sound good at all! So I vote for sinus~~

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Birthday Celebration

Birthdays... there's just something about them that perk you up, make you smile...

Last Saturday, the Dietz and Bice clans gathered together to celebrate all the August birthdays in the two families. There must be 6 of them scattered over the month.



Of course, the focus was on the youngest, Lucy turning 8 and Char will be 7. They were so excited but so patient!



The food was yummy...



 and the cakes for the girls just the flavor each of them wanted. Lucy's was chocolate, Char's vanilla. 

The excitement of Char opening her first gift was contagious. That little girl was ecstatic over her Pinkie Pie Pony hoodie. You can tell, can't you? 



I managed to find one lone egret sitting on a dead tree over a hundred yards away. You know me... I had to get a picture. 



Being in the atmosphere of four generations gathered for a joyous occasion made me stop and count my blessings. I've lived most of my life, some of them following not so far behind, some are young with their lives spread before them and the little ones... it all is out there to be learned, experienced and enjoyed. 



The house was filled with love and kindness, with gracious hosts seeing that we all had a day to be remembered always. 


Saturday, August 10, 2019

Me and My Computer

                                                Once upon a time - long, long ago.

                                                        I bought a computer


                                           I'd never seen one, much less touched one. 


                                         I took that thing home, took it out of it's box.


                                            I stared at it..... it stared right back at me. 


                                                        What Had I Done?


 I called my son who lived several hundred miles away and said, 'Son, your Mama just bought herself a computer. Can you tell me how to get it running?"

I took a DOS class. Remember when you had to run your computer with DOS? Nah, probably not. Most people aren't as old as mud like me. I got so frustred that I told the instructor that I was going to throw my computer out the window. But, I stuck in there. Got an A but I think the instructor was just glad to get rid of me.


I wrote my first book on that computer. The manuscript was printed off on a Dot Matrix printer. Bet you never heard of that one, either.





I spent years entering copious amounts of genealogy on that machine. 


I got an acct on My space , a precursor to Face Book. I didn't like it.


Then Facebook came along and in Dec of 2008, I joined that. Facebook was fun, a way to connect with family and friends. I'm still on it. 


A friend told me about blogs. So, I started my first blog in either 2007 or 2008. It soon became a documentary of my and Elbert's struggles with his Alzheimers. I made some wonderful friends through blogging. We supported each other through the worst time in our lives. All these years later we still stay in touch. The blog has evolved over the years and still brings me joy and friendship.


I tried my hand at Twitter. Hated it! 


I heard about Instagram so after I figured out how to post my pictures on there, I loved it. You see, I'm still very much connected to my big, old computer with the mega monitor. I can't stand using my tiny screen on my phone to do anything! Old people get stuck in their own ruts... that's' mine.


My grandchildren, all grown with kids of their own love to tell their friends that their Grandmother does all these things on the computer. But, I have never been afraid of it, although at times I still want to throw it out the Window. 

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Life In The Fast Lane at Age 85

Living in a 55+ apartment complex has been quite a learning experience for me. My friend S says I should write a book. I tell her I am busy writing another kind of book, that she should do it. And, we laugh about it and neither one of us would do it. We are scared of getting into trouble.



There was the woman who cooked food and took orders from the other residents although we aren't supposed to have solicitors. But, she's no longer living here, seems she took a dislike to another person and started screaming at her every time she laid eyes on her. 

And, there was the gentleman who was cleaning his gun and ... well, he had to move, too.

There's the rules that we are supposed to abide by. Seems they are just for some people. Others get away with breaking them. 

For the time Leslie lived we were quite an item. Him on one end of the building, me three floors up at the other end but we'd get caught sneaking out of each other's apartments and boy, would we get teased. And, of course, there was talk.



Now, there's another couple who has replaced us.. On again, off again and all of a sudden they are married. Seems she wanted things legal. And, on their wedding day, the rescue squad came. Seems the groom fell and the bride couldn't get him up out of the floor. What a honeymoon. 



Little romances pop up from time to time. Guess that's bound to happen. But, they soon fizzle out. Men want someone to take care of them. 


Women want their independence. Usually the women win. 

A new couple moved in recently. Our first homosexual couple, at least as far as I know. I mean, I have only been here five years.. who knows what went on before I got here. 

We've seen people move in that needed to be in a nursing home. And, yet we have a large number who are up and out of here early headed to work. 

We'll notice an apartment empty.. that person went home to the Lord. And, sometimes they just move out of here and in with their children. I don't know of a one who is happy when that happens but you do what you have to. 

I think about when I will have to leave here. Will I move to a nursing home, to my home in the sky or in with one of my kids... whoa, wait a minute. That's not on my list. And I wonder about a nursing home. Will fights break out, will couples fall in love, will some guy be broken-hearted 'cause his sweetie rather sleep by herself. Life has it's drama, doesn't it. No matter where you live or how long you live. 

I'll keep you posted on any new developments around our complex. I am sure something else interesting will happen soon. 



Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Humming

                                           Did you know that you can not hum 

                                         if you hold your nose at the same time?
   
       
                                                    Bet you tried it, didn't you?

Sunday, August 4, 2019

I'm Shrinking

                                                              Help - I'm Shrinking!!


I don't feel any shorter 

                               My pants legs don't drag the ground....

                                                                        What is going on?

I've been 5' 7" FOREVER. Well, not when I was a baby but you know what I mean. 

At a dr. visit recently the nurses aide comes in, tells me to stand on the scale. I do as she requests (I'm not telling what it read!!) and I start to step down. 

She says, "Whoa, wait a minute. I need to measure you."
                                          
                                                     MEASURE ME... WHAT FOR?

I can tell you that I am 5' 7" tall but she pulls this flat ruler thingy out of the top of the scale and positions it on top of my head. 

                                                                              5' 5" she says.

I turn and look at her like she's lost her ever-loving mind! But, she's a nurses aide and I guess they didn't include "measuring" in the classes she took. So, I let it go. I know how tall I am!

The doctor comes in, checks me over, says I am fine and leaves. A different aide comes in, so to ease my puzzled brain I say to her, 'how about measuring me' just like I hadn't had it just done. 

I step back on the scale, she does that little measuring stick thingy again and proudly announces, "5'5".  "You sure", I ask. Yep, she says she's sure. 

How did I get shorter and not even notice? So, I google it. I mean, whatever would we do without GOOGLE? It says the shrinking is caused by spinal disc compression due to osteoporosis. It is also caused by curvature of the spine and flat feet, among other things.

I already know that I have spinal stenosis, curvature of the back and flat feet and nobody ever warned me that I might SHRINK?

Have you been measured lately? You might get a surprise. By the age of 70, women lose up to 2."  I am over 70, big time. 

                                            Hmmm. Am I finished shrinking yet? 

                                      I have lost my 2" already so I guess I am through.

Friday, August 2, 2019

I Start A Scrapbook Journal

At the beginning of last year after I had been complaining, rather loudly and sadly, about Sunday afternoons being so hard for me two of my daughters came up with the idea that perhaps I might do some scrapbook journaling.

I already had a journal that I wasn't using.. so I jumped on that idea. I am bad to just jump in... no plan... no goal... I just start and hope it turns out well. Somewhere along the way, I find out how I want any project to be.. 

I do that with everything as you can probably tell with my blogging. No direction... just jump and hope I can swim. Perhaps that is the reason I have never had a large following. They can't figure me out. Heck, I can't even figure me out!!

Anyway, I did a first page.  At this point, I am using my art supplies. Thought I'd go that route. 

Page two is next. What will I do with that? Maybe a record of my activities of the past week. 



So, it looks pretty juvenile. Not what I had envisioned. So, I try again.  More color this time.. and I have added printed quotes. Is this the path I want for my new venture? Still not sure.



So, I put it away. Maybe by the following Sunday afternoon I will have a more clear vision of what I want this to look like. 

I will continue with my scrapbooking journey from time to time... I know you won't want to miss that. (he he) 


If you are alone, do you struggle with days that are lonely?

We all have to pull ourselves 'up by the bootstrap' so to speak, and put a little joy into our lives, create something that sparks a new or renewed interest. 
If people aren't around... make your own little world.
Loneliness leads to depression.
We can't have that!

So, start a scrapbook journal, or paint or write or go for a walk. 

Just do something to continue living the best life that you can.