Celebrating a Birthday and Life

 

Going older has been quite the adventure for me!

I've had time to learn about who I really am, what I want from life and what sort of legacy I want to leave behind. 

On Tuesday I turned 92...

Talk about a revelation that was. How in the world am I that age! Sure I had good genes but for all intents and purposes I should not be here. 

I've survived a lot in my life. The lost of a child, a husband, my mom, 2 cancers, and a ton of other less traumatic things. 

The first cancer was a huge surprise. Well, aren't they always? No one expects to get cancer. But, I probably would have died if it had not been found when it was. 

and...

how was it found?

Now this is the strange part. I needed a knee replaced and it was during the pre-op blood work for that knee replacement that they discovered that I had colon cancer. 

I'm not going into all that but it just goes to show you that I am so extremely blessed and I don't forget it. 

Please, everyone, keep an eye on your health. Live you life to the fullest. Have fun. Be grateful to wake up every day and don't forget to stop and smell the roses. 

Love you all.

2026 Goals

 

I didn't make resolutions! I, instead, made goals. Then I made a page for my scrapbook journal about those goals. Maybe it will help to remind me where I am headed this year. At the end of the year we will see how it went! 

Quote

'When we limit our belief in our own potential to grow, we also limit our incentive to grow'

                                  Mary Pipher

Goals For 2026

Well folks, it's time to start thinking about making New Year's resolutions! 

Geez, I dislike that phrase! Resolutions? They are made and then promptly forgotten. 

                            I say we ''Set Goals" instead.

Goals keep us focused, on task, and gives us such satisfaction at their completion.

                             Here's my Goals for 2026

1. Finish that book I am writing and get it published. I'm about half-way through when I just quit! So onward, I go!

2. Exercise more. I've never liked exercise but I know I need it now more than ever. So, onward I go with that goal as well.

3. Learn something new each week. Anything from a new word to a new skill. Learning keeps us young and connected. 

4. Finish reading the Bible from cover to cover. I am almost there.

                            What are your Goals For 2026? 

That's It, Folks!!

 Christmas is gone... for most people. 

For me, alone on Christmas Day, I just pretended it was not a holiday. It was just Thursday!! 

Our Christmas will be celebrated on Jan. 3rd. Shirley says she's sure she will feel up to it. She's getting better every day now.

So, I got up, said 'Merry Christmas' to myself. Fixed me some breakfast then I dragged out my watercolors. I figured painting was a good way to kill some time. 

Well, that's done!

Hmmmm.... it's not even 1 p.m. what shall I do with the rest of my day?

I turned on Netflix and started watching 'It's All Her Fault' and let me tell you... I was hooked. I sat there all afternoon, one segment after the other. You know they always leave a 'hanger' at the end of each one so Yes, I just kept watching and wondering who did it. Story was about a 5 year old boy who was kidnapped. And, just when you think you've got it all figured out, it takes off in another direction.

So, I'm sitting there on the edge of my seat, popping one chocolate truffle into my mouth after another. A friend gifted me those truffles. They are from Trader Joe's and oh, my... well, anyway, they were good company while I watched tv... until they were gone! 

So,  that's how my Christmas went and that was alright. Different,  a challenge maybe but we all need to shake up our mundane routine from time to time and Shirley's flue really did a bunch of shaking around here. 

It's just amazing how content you can be with the more simple things in life as you age. And, as old as I am.... I am pretty content. hehe. 

Christmas Eve

 On a good note:

Daughter Shirley is home from the hospital but is still very sick. She is the only child I have living near me and now that she is quarantined and doesn't feel up to visitors or should she be having any, this is the first Christmas I will ever spend alone in my entire life. Why don't you all come over and visit.... I'd love that. 

Christmas Cheer

 You girls are amazing! As I read the comments on my 'ice cube' post, I felt heard, understood, supported. It felt soooo good! Thank you all for that!

A quick note: dau. shirley is in the hospital with the flu. For goodness sakes, you all be careful and don't catch that awful stuff. Since our Christmas festivities are centered around Shirley's household and family we will not be waking up on Christmas morning to gifts and hot chocolate and family and fun. It will all be postponed until she is up to it. 

The other day (when she was well and perky) Shirley hosted our Christmas Cookie Decorating get-together downstairs. Last year we decorated gingerbread houses but this year it was cookies. It was fun. Some of the cookies looked like 'store bought'.... some looked like they were purchased at a junk yard. hehe. I was sort of proud of mine.

Do you see my Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Cookie?

 I hope that each of you stay healthy and that you have the most fabulous Christmas ever!