WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR APRIL 2016

Marcelynh

High school reunions. Hmmm. I went to my 10 year reunion. It was quite sad actually. There were 42 in my class and after 10 years there were 9 class members who had died. I didn't make my 20 year reunion but I heard that the death count was up to 14. We didn't even have a 30 year. I know several more class members have died since the 20 year reunion. What is so sad is that many of them have died from "life choice" issues. It gives me strength in making good decisions. I want to live to see my great-grandkids!

I doubt we will have a 40 year reunion but there is usually an all-school reunion every five years and that would be coming up soon. Maybe I'll go to it. With such a small school and town I knew people from many graduating years and then you throw in the younger siblings and it is never-ending. And if all else fails I see my family.

miakoda40

Thanks for the compliments on my new picture. It is from a Red Hat event I attended in March. My old picture was taken at the March 2015 event so I felt it was appropriate to update my profile. Sadly, this group will not be putting on an evnet next year so I'll have to fins a different excuse/ event to use to update my photo next year.

Mia in MI

Katla49

Miriam: Thanks for the book suggestion. I'll look for it. :flowerforyou:

Lenora: I water my orchids using ice cubes and they thrive. My other houseplants seem happy with the ice cube system, too. Congrats on the official size 12! Smaller clothes are proof of success and one of the very best NSV's. :bigsmile:


I had all sorts of plans for our time with DD and the kids, and they'll go on the back burner for a more convenient time. I am thinking about doing some of them anyway and hope to do something fun with DH tomorrow. We may be launching his fishing boat and putting it in the slip in the marina if the weather is pleasant.

I have been worrying about Sylvia. It has been quite a while since I've seen her post. Has anyone heard from her?

Katla in Beautiful NW Oregon

Tibetan proverb: "The secret to living well and long is: Eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without measure..."

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” Thomas A. Edison

margaretturk

Miriam I am so sorry you suffered from such severe depression. I too have learned from your insights. I have had what I considered depressed moments in my life but not to that severity. When I was in a low moment after a severe illness where I felt I almost died I remember reading you will enjoy the geraniums again. Reading that gave me hope I was not always going to feel like this. I respect the courage it took you to find ways to manage your depression.

For me it is the emotion of anger and managing anxiety that have caused difficulties in my life that is why the book The Dance of Anger is helpful to me. Through her examples I am finding perspective and insights to my emotions, so that I can build better relationships with my family and friends.

Margaret

jmkmomm

Lenora, as you all know, last summer we had our huge bushes in front of the house taken out. My 1 azalea was still healthy so even though it looked weird having that one scraggly plant there, I stood my ground and kept it. Well it it full bloom now. I am so proud that by letting the sunshine finally get to parts of it that had never seen sunshine, it did sprout and I have some sparse blooms on it. But are you saying I am supposed to cut it back now???? You make me cry.

On the subject of school reunions, I never have gotten an invite to my high school reunion. They have my current name and address. I was one that kind of faded away in the shadows and had a group of 3 as friends. Now my college reunion is different. It was a nursing only school so was not big. I would say each class had about 50. Well I flunked the last class of my senior year. Every other student in the history of the school after flunking a class had jsut dropped out. Not me, besides it was my last class. Obstetrics. Hated it. The teacher was an OLD maid and I;m sure she couldn't empathise with any of the patients if she wanted to. So I went back and took the summer semester and finished my degree. Well, remember I am a wall flower, my original class didn't want me since I had not finished with them. The class I actually graduated with didn't want me because I didn't start out with them. I really didn't have to go through a graduation ceremony but I did anyway because I was worth it. I deserved it and so did my parents and family. I finished school in November, took my boards in February and was an actual RN when I graduated. I didn't get an invite to the 5 year but I did for my original class for the 10 year. It was strange. All the 'in class' you know the most beautiful and popular ones, they were on their second marriages, fat, if they were working they didn't like it. Us that were down at the bottom of the food chain were very succussful in our careers and had good marriages and happy. Life has a way of evening itself out. Oh I miss nursing! But I would be retired by now anyway.

You know I said that Charlie had a good day. He actually went out to Karaoke!!!!!!!! I am doing a happy dance for you. It's as big as my happy dance for Lenora.

Joyce, Indiana

exermom

Kimses - I know how hard it is to live with someone who likes chips, etc. What I do is try to buy the chips that I don't like

Miriam - you seem to know a lot about plants. As I recall, we had hostas at one house. The man planted them below the trees so that he wouldn't have to mow there (lol). Anyway, I mentioned this to Vince since he talked about putting mulch around the base of these evergreen that we have so that he wouldn't have to mow. His concern is that when the hostas bloom, that the flowers would fly off into the pool. I seem to recall that they were pretty small and I don't remember them flying all around. is this true?

Welcome everyone new!

pollance - I'm so sorry to hear about your children and husband. Glad you joined us

Noreen - so good to hear from you. Wow! Look at all you're accomplishing. Love your pic

Anyone - we have a "like" and "awesome" buttons, but is there a way to see who "liked"?

Lenora - in the winter, do the azalea plants lose their leaves and you just have a bush of sticks (for lack of a better word) or is it then more like an evergreen? Can you tell that I don't know much at all about my plants????? I probably would have assumed that that boy who had the hot dogs was Catholic, too. Way to go on going down in sizes. Have you given away your old clothes?

I've never gone to any of my high school reunions. For me, high school just wasn't enjoyable. Now I have gone to an elementary school reunion. I feel so much closer to those people. I'd probably try to go to another if they ever had one.

Mia - I just noticed your new picture. Fantastic, I love it!

Michele in NC

janetr7476

Katla - Several have mentioned Sylvia has not posted lately. I too have wondered about her. I hope all is well there.

Joyce - Happy dance indeed is called for on Charlie's behalf.

Lenora - Way to go girl. What a good job you have done. You have every right to be proud of yourself.

Sylvia - I have not found a way to determine who left the "like" or "awesome". But then I'm very challenged when it comes to these things Maybe someone else can help us out.

Janetr OKC

GodMomKim

Hi gals,

Penny - I live in a spot that has lots of variety in people, races-religion-orientation, but I do find that there are many things I have just not been exposed to and therefore am surprised/curious and I am not sure that it’s prejudice but just nativity

Miriam - Thanks, I can be a bit of a garden “nut” and living in CA water is more valuable than gold, because we only have rain in the winter - rain barrels and storage is critical. They are beginning to pass laws about run off, starting first with new commercial development – but residential is coming, so I have been adding paths and small sitting spaces and have done them by digging the soil out a few inches adding drainage rock then some smaller gravel then large (2x3’) fieldstone and then pea gravel between the fieldstone, drainage continues, the fieldstone is large enough for a chair or table without too much unevenness and all the gravel makes any weeds that appear pretty easy to remove.

Margaret welcome to gardening the low impact way! I got into chemical free gardening because I could not afford the chemicals and love the results.

Pollance – welcome you have had your share of tough times, sending you sympathy - time to take care of you! This is a great place.

Katla – ((((((hugs)))))))) for you and your family

Joyce – my climate may make it different, but here we cut azaleas back after the bloom is gone – but right after so they have time to fill in and settle before the weather changes to winter.

Michele – hosta flowers are very small, and I don’t think they’d do any flying around!

Today was my garden club’s plant sale it’s open to the public and we do it at one of the local high schools, we bring in 4-5 thousand plants that we have divided from our yards, removed from our yards or grown from seed. My garden club as about 190 members - I worked 6:30 am to 3:30 pm… darn I am tired. It’s our biggest fund raiser… it will take a couple of days to get the final tally of how we did, last year we made about $8K it is a ton of work, we bring everything in at 6:30-7:30 then set up and open for sale at 9am, close at 1 and spend 2 hours cleaning up…

Well, I am shortly headed to bed.

Kim from N. California

pipcd34

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CSSJ09

Thank you to everyone who gave advice to me about the wedding. It really helped.

TheRealMsWolf said Having designed a number of water treatment plants that use sand layers, I can unequivocally say this is not true. Unless of course you mean that when sand is combined with resin it forms a new impermeable substance, in which case I will bow out. One more problem with Miracle Gro is that until very (very) recently, it included pesticides which are harmful to bees.

Ms. Wolf
Are you also a "sewer rat"? a term of endearment that a girlfriend and I use for describing wastewater engineers and operators. If so, we are part of a very small club of women in this field. Water and wastewater solutions are some of what I do in international aid.

For gardeners interested in avoiding chemicals, pesticides and herbicides: "You Bet Your Garden" on National Public Radio-NPR; Gardens Alive Web site.

Also to everyone- never, ever dispose of medicines in the toilet. Always return unused bottles to the pharmacy, hospital, or to hazardous waste disposal authority. Some police stations accept medications for disposal. Municipal wastewater treatment plants are designed to handle human and other organic wastes, and the complexity of medications means that these are very hard to handle. It is difficult enough for sewerage treatment plants to treat the medicine left over in urine dispersed in sewage water, let alone pure medicine dumped down the drain. Aquatic life is showing effects from medicines in water such as intersex fish. And excess medications are even showing up in treated drinking water, although well below unsafe range but no one knows longterm effects.
In fact, something else never to dump down the drain- fats, oil and grease, known as FOG. Your mother was right- these can clog the pipes. Worse yet, when cooled, can clog sanitary sewers causing backups onto private property. Also can create acidic conditions resulting in dissolved lines and concrete with wastewater spilling into streets, property and the environment. Spillage from broken sewer lines pose real health hazards.
CJ

Deblyh

Hello everyone. My name is Debbie, I am definitely over 50 and in fact over 60. I would love to join you as I again need some motivation to try and get this weight off. It has been a struggle for too long now. Are you taking new members? It's always nice to share with those who can relate. I am a happily retired Grandma whose goal is to get healthy for fun senior adventures. If you would like to add me I go by Deblyh. Thank you.

CSSJ09

CSSJ09 wrote: »

Pollance wrote: »

Hi Everyone. I'm fairly new to fitness and to electronic communities. I'm so happy to join group of women over 50 who are supporting each other in our quest to improve our health & fitness!

Some background: I'm just outside of Boston. Married at 19, both of my children have passed away, one from illness & 1 from being hit by a truck, and my ex-husband with whom I maintained a decent relationship, passed away in October. I haven't dated anyone since my divorce 7 years ago, and finally had the epiphany that I need to expand my horizons, get back in shape and get on with my life! Took me long enough!!!

I appreciate your support, and look forward to getting to know everyone!

CJ, I wouldn't go by myself either. Agree with everyone who said send your regrets, & if you want to, send a gift.

Pollance- so much sadness in your life. Please don't be critical of yourself. Getting through grief has no timetable. Welcome to the group. It is a safe base from which to forget a new path. CJ

From which to FORGE a new path

Rats! autocorrect

Lagopus

Pip wrote: janetr - thanks, my self esteem is still crap but oh well....

Really? If so, you hide it well.

Seriously, though, one of the things that has pleased me most about getting older was realizing - internalizing - what I am good at, what I'm hopeless at, and what I still need to work on. Knowing my own strengths is a type of self-esteem, and loving myself despite all my weaknesses is another.

But let me shout from the rooftops: the notion that it's still possible to chip away at myself and improve who I am, even though I'm 60, comes largely from you ladies. :flowerforyou: You're so inspiring!
/Penny, now only 16 hours away from the

lhannon062709

Happy Sunday morning, chiquititas... still near Dallas for a few more hours, but headed home to West Texas before too long. Got the DH planning our next trip out already, though I can't nail when yet. Sometime in early May. It will be a flying trip over a weekend, but he'll come with me and drive out on Friday, load a trailer all day Saturday, back to the warehouse Sunday and unload, and then I get to deal with a truckload of whatever we picked up! Should be interesting.

My niece will pick me up at 5 a.m. so I can drop her at DFW Airport for her 30-day vacation trip to Hawaii--she'll be staying with a friend who's married to an Air Force officer. Don't really envy that; I'd be sick of it in a few days. It's just not someplace I ever really desired to go.

Joyce, so happy to hear Charlie's doing better!

Sylvia, hope you are, as well, and just busy taking back up the reins of your life.

Love to all,
Lisa, who will be driving across most of Texas today...

klanders30

Went to Costco yesterday with a friend and her friend, well they enjoy eating all the samples and then sat down to eat something called "chicken bake" and churros....lack of planning on my part, I was hungry and didn't have a snack to substitute. Wowsa! the chicken bake was incredibly salty, cheesey, fatty (sorry to anyone who might enjoy this) but I ate half--yikes when I logged it .5 of a chicken bake came to 400 calories. Live and learn, never go to Costco hungry!!!

Looking forward to another day of spring cleaning the back yard. dd comes home from her Montreal trip late tonight and it is back to a busy busy work week. I am going to plan to take good care of myself this week, despite all the afterschool commitment/concerts I have this week. Shoulders back, head tall and BREATHE.

Karen from NY

cityjaneLondon

Lisa - your adventures with the "junk" sounds interesting. You are so inventive.

Katla - I feel for you missing your DD and DGC. Let's hope it will not be too long before you see them. Very difficult for the family.
Writing about my elder son the other day on here made me think about going up to see him. DH said he would drive me, but I hate car journeys and he doesn't want to go by train, so I will go on my own. I enjoyed it last year, but I will not go and see my old friends up there as I did then. I found her belittling her husband all the time very uncomfortable, so I'm giving that a miss. Shame, because I like them and we go right back to uni, but it is not a pleasure listening to that.
I have just sent my son a text, so hope to be able to organize something. He lives in Nottingham, so it is a loooooooong journey and expensive, but I know he appreciates me making the effort. I will stay in a nice hotel to make a treat of it and we can spend a few hours together just hanging out in a pub and having a meal. To be honest, I love my son, but I love him even more in small doses . :laugh: If he wants me to go to his house I can always go on the brand new city tram, which will be fun.

Tomorrow we are going to London to see the DGC. Cuddles and fun for three hours, then back home on the train. I'm going to pack a picnic lunch to have on the way up.
I asked DDIL about DGS's birthday, because they usually have a big family party, but this year she is just having his friends. She did say we could come up the day before, which is great. DH is not good at large gatherings anyway. So we have another date for the future.

Sylvia is on our minds I can see.

Might get out into the garden this afternoon. Nice weather today. Will be weeding the patio, replanting seeds that didn't come up, and moving the pots back. DH is hoping to cut the grass.

Penny - Hope your health picks up soon. Must be hugely frustrating. :flowerforyou:

Love to all. Heather UK

janetr7476

Lisa - do be careful driving home. I hope you don't get into any of the flooding rains hitting across Texas and Oklahoma. Once you get further west of Dallas you should be out of the worst of it. Sounds like a plan is coming together for you and DH. You'll have to share pics with us.

Janetr okc

janetr7476

My 20 year old granddaughter in Denver went snowboarding in the mountains yesterday in the horrible blizzard going on in Colorado. She went alone, fell and probably broke her wrist. The medical team at the ski resort wrapped it up, gave her a script for pain meds and told her to have it x-rayed when she got home as it was probably broken. She got back in her car and drove home, in pain, sick to the stomach thru two feet of snow and still coming down. My daughter tried to talk her in to spending the night up there but she didn't want to. Of course she had tried to talk her out of going in the first place. She did make it home. Ugh, young people, they think they are invincible.

Janetr okc (grandma of many adventurous young adults that make my hair gray)

miriamwithcats

Pruning. Sounds like some have questions about it. Pruning should always be done immediately after a shrub flowers, so that you don't prune off next year's blossoms. Cutting off the growth tip at the end of a branch will encourage the shrub to grow side branches, thus making it bushier and in most cases look better. However, there are some exceptions to this way of pruning. Some shrub varieties are chosen for their long arching habit. My forsythia is one. The beauty of the long arches of yellow flowers in early spring would be diminished by side branches. So I do not cut off the tips.

To keep a shrub looking good and healthy over the long term, it is helpful to prune out a few of the oldest branches, at the base. Otherwise these get too big and will break off. They also stop producing as many flowers. This is especially important in red or green twig dogwood, since the new growth is what has the most intense color for winter viewing. Some people cut red twig dogwoods completely to the ground every spring, but I do not. You won't have any blossom if you do that.

Prune out branches that cross each other and rub. Any broken branches. Then step back and look at the overall shape and prune what you don't like out.

In response to the question about hostas. They have small flowers loosely scattered on tall spikes. They do not fly all over. They are easily trimmed off, even before blooming since they stick up over the plant. They do very well around the base of trees. You should start with SMALL plants whenever you plant anything underneath a tree, so as to damage as few roots as possible. Just dig a small hole just big enough for the plant. You never want to add a lot of soil to the base of the tree since it will smother the roots. When I bought my house, the previous owner had added about a foot of soil to the base of the black maple tree in my yard by making a dry stack wall around it about a foot high, and planting hostas in the soil she added. The tree has been slowly dying and an arborist said that there was nothing I could do by that point. It was a beautiful tree, nice rounded shape, didn't lose branches like soft maples do. The bark turns black when wet. Now it is ugly with huge sections missing.

I took the Master Gardener classes, but had read extensively long before that so a lot was just review for me. I have also taken landscape design classes. I have grown plants since I was a 16 year old at college- starting with houseplants and moving on to gardens when I got out of dorm/ apartment living. A lot of what I learned was through trial and error and asking other gardeners. I am now slowly renovating my yard from the cottage garden look which takes a lot of work to a less maintenance somewhat cottagy garden look. My arthritis limits how much time I can spend out there.

Margaret. Anger has never been much of an issue for me, so that is why I have not commented on your posts about the book. I tend to be very patient and slow to anger. Probably too much so.

margaretturk

Deblyn welsome!

CJ , Kim, Miriam thanks for the low impact gardening tips. When I mentetioned to the no till method to my master gardener friend. Her issue is that the plants do need loose soil for movement and air.