WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR APRIL 2018

klanders30

As always Lisa insightful

Today I will be adjudicating (listening to auditions) until late into the evening at a Solo Festival for students.
Loooooong day ahead for me professionally, so I'm dressing for success, packing some wise food choices as I will be faced with steamtable carb heavy dinner prospects. I will have to make sure to get up and walk around as much as possible as I sit for hours at a time as each child plays their scales and solos. I hear about 25 kids tonight and about 2x that amount tomorror (all day Saturday).

Keeping you all in my thoughts today. NYKAREN

grandmallie

Morning ladies~ I am having my tea and then will go get Taliah on the bus, and feed dfil and get my other dogs out. then come back here and get Alfie and go up to my dads...its supposed to snow midday and then turn to rain will try and bag up any crap I can to help my brother out..

cityjaneLondon

Well folks, today I sent off the emails and attached letters to my two sons.
I've heard back from the eldest, who says he has always known something was up, but really appreciates being told properly. He says he is looking forward (sort of) to reading it.

I haven't heard yet from my DDIL, to whom I've sent the covering letter. She is probably busy with the kids for Easter holidays.

I did have a little cry when I heard from my eldest. Relief I guess. I didn't sleep well last night as I knew I would have to do it today. I've procrastinated long enough.

Going to give myself a break today.

Love Heather UK xxxxxxx

trisH_7183

Awwww Heather.
Loving intentions from a loving Mama.
What a wonderful combo & how lucky your family is to have you.

KetoneKaren

Heather This is a nerve-wracking time for you. I believe you will feel great peace once it's done. I do hope your daughter-in-law responds in a timely fashion so you can proceed. I can tell that you need to get on with it. (((Hugs))).

Karen in Virginia

LisaInAR

Heather, Thinking of you today, while your DDIL decides what's next for your younger son. So glad your eldest reacted well, and glad for you that you were able to pull that trigger. You are an amazing mother and grandmother.

Lisa

KJLaMore

Good morning all! Happy Friday!
NY Karen-Those are Looooong days! I was always a chaperone or, if the festival was held at our school, an event coordinator for those events. I hope the coordinator at your event has some fruit and veg set up for you and your fellow judges. Thinking of you! Fun to watch the kids be brave and do their thing, though!
Allie- I hope your day is as relaxing as it can be. Remember to breathe. I am so glad you will be speaking to a financial advisor.
Lisa-I would agree with that very insightful statement! Being a long distance grandparent has it's upside. Even with Joaquin only a year old, I have caught myself a number of times, before I stepped in and questioned my DD and DSIL's methods with him. Thinking of you and sending you big hugs as the "ball" you are balancing on seems to move faster or spin out of control at times.
Suebdew!- You DO look lovely in red!

I made a really delish dinner last night for myself, using the last of some veggies on hand. DH was asleep early and DYS was still working. I chopped up about a 1/4 head of cabbage, added some shredded carrot and green onion. I cooked it very lightly (just slightly softening; but still crunchy) in sesame oil. Added some spices. Added some shredded chicken. Steamed some sugar snap peas. Then I made a thai peanut sauce and added some sriracha to it. It tasted like the inside of an egg roll. So good. I wish my guys would at least TRY it (they both like egg rolls); but I will not hold my breath. And it's okay. So good...I almost don't want to share.

Temps have dropped here and it is supposed to be in the 20s today and very windy. Snow on the way. Thinking the kids and I will be doing some dancing or yoga in the house, today, to get the wiggles out. I took the kids on a four mile walk, yesterday, because they arrived like loud little whirlwinds. We were out the door yesterday by 9:30am; all bundled up and off on our "adventure". We walked past our friend, Abbie's house (she is the nine year old I watch), we walked past a blueberry farm, past a couple of houses under construction, and we counted 27 fire hydrants along the way. Thank God for those fire hydrants. Every time the kids would start dragging and energy failing, I would say, "Oh my goodness! Is that ANOTHER fire hydrant? How many is that? 19?! We have past 19 fire hydrants!" They would jump and yell, very excited. Big numbers excite them. They weren't quite as impressed as we got into the mid twenties. They napped like champs, though. My knee held up pretty well during the walk. Was a little stiff last night as I slowed down and sat a bit. I put some rub on it last night before bed and it feels good this morning.

Grammar girls: I just spent five minutes looking up "passed or past". I re read the above paragraph and wasn't sure if I was using the right tense of the word. I think I am. Weird how a word or phrase suddenly looks alien to you.

I had a wonderful message from one of my DD's college friends. She is French and lives in the south of France and she recently spent time in Eze. She remembered me speaking of how, when I was 12 I read about Eze in a magazine and it has been on the top of my "must visit" list all of these years. Touched me that she remembered our chat after so many years (probably six years ago). I think about that little city all of the time. If some one said, "You can go to France only once for a week, where would you go?" Paris is iconic and I really want to go there, too, but if I had to choose between Paris and Eze; Eze would win. Not sure why, but it just sticks in my mind and soul.

Ah well, better drink my smoothie and get busy. ttfn xoxoxo KJ (Kelly)

KJLaMore

Heather- Just saw your post! So glad you heard back from you oldest son! Tense moments for you, I am sure, but what a wonderful release. I really hope your youngest reacts similarly. Sending you lots of love and hugs! KJ

margaretturk

pipcd34

okiewoman510

Good morning Ladies!

Great weigh in for me this morning. I am only .2 away from my goal. It is soooo close. Maybe Monday at that weigh in.

Heather - glad you sent the letters. Now you can quit worrying about it. Hopefully DIL shares it with YS and you can breathe in relief.

Lisa glad your SIL is safely home and your plans can continue guilt free!

Machka - continued prayers for healing, patience and strength.

Terry and Pip - hope the tests show easily fixable problems for both you (Terry) and Kirby.

I’m waiting while my car gets serviced and inspected. Walked around the lot for 15 minutes but it started to rain so I’m sitting inside waiting. I will stop at the grocery store on the way home. I came prepared with a meal bar so I’m not starving and buy out the store

Have a great Friday!

Okie in the TX Hill Country

lilnoramitchellandre

Michele - I deactivated MFP when it got 'hacked' and then opened a new account; reason for change in name. I have my P/Ws written down and also they get saved to the cloud. So, if I can't remember them just type in 'cant' remember password'; but, then, that means I have to change it again. Took me a while to get passed that step with FB; keep getting comments from FB that my account has been opened up by another browser in a different location ... I have just started marking them as 'read'. I've got an entire page of P/Ws I have used over the course of time w/FB - got a long one that's easy to remember because it is 'how I feel about FB'. IF I ever get 'uncomfortable' on it again, I will just stop using it - not disable or delete it. I only look at it to see pixs of grandchildren and read the posts from friends; most times don't even comment or show an 'emoticons' on them. Then I see how my 'flaming liberal' sister is by the number of posts she makes and the banter she does with old HS classmates who don't agree with her.

Lenora

cityjaneLondon

Just heard back from DDIL. She is very supportive and will show DYS the letter tonight when they go out to dinner. They had been discussing how to talk to me about it during their mini break in Edinburgh. (I have hinted a few times)
He picked up a bug so isn't on top form, but has been doing really well with the alcohol thing and she says she is proud of him.
Breathing a sigh of relief that she is on board. That was my main worry.

Did 250 extra calories on the recumbent bike this afternoon. Needed to work off some restless energy before I heard back from her.

Much love, Heather UK xxxxxxx

janetr7476

Heather biggest big hug and support. In my world you are an absolute super hero. I know how hard that must have been. Well done.

Janetr OKC

Katla49

Allie: I think you are very wise to go to a financial advisor. How will you find one? We have an advisor at Fidelity that has been wonderfully helpful. I would recommend them when you get your share of the 401K. DH also respects the Edward Jones Company. Margaret says that AARP has advisors available, and they're an organization that does good things. Whichever advisor you choose, make sure that the person you work with is someone that you communicate with well, and who will be able to explain things in a way that is understandable. Ask loads of questions & take notes if you need to. We could have paid off our house, but keep the money invested, instead. That way it keeps working for us and making more money. We are considerably ahead by making monthly payments on our house at a good interest rate and letting the invested money earn more money.

Midwest Trish, formerly Pat: Thanks for letting us know that you're you.

Heather: I am so happy that you've heard back from your older son and that he was appreciative of being told properly. I hope your DDIL will see the value in letting her DH/your younger son have the information that will help him understand his childhood as well as your own.


Listening to all the trouble caused by the facebook hack, I am immensely pleased that I never gave them access to MFP, nor passwords. I've always been guarded about personal information, especially with facebook, and I'm feeling like my choice was wise. I hope it doesn't come back to haunt me later.

Katla in beautiful NW Oregon

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.
C. S. Lewis

kevrit

OregonMother

Katla49 wrote: »

We could have paid off our house, but keep the money invested, instead. That way it keeps working for us and making more money. We are considerably ahead by making monthly payments on our house at a good interest rate and letting the invested money earn more money.

My husband and I go round and round about paying off our house. Not that we can do it right now, but he has enough life insurance, "so you can pay off the house." I finally told him that I wouldn't do that. The interest rate on our mortgage is ridiculously low. He didn't really like that answer. I think, for him, it's a psychological thing. He wants me to be able to say: "My house is paid for." But really, I see the mortgage as strategic debt, even if I carry it for the rest of my life or until I sell the house. Paying off other debt -- I am all in favor of. But the mortgage is strategic and facilitates a better cash flow for the family -- it means we have reserves for emergencies or fun things.

Wet and rainy here today. I'm needing some sun in a really bad way. I wonder if that is also part of my oldest son's issues. I spent some time last night awake in bed fretting about his situation. I am slow to readjust my expectations for his life. He hasn't readjusted those expectations which I think makes his depression worse.

I was also thinking back to my dad, who died about 10 years ago this month. He "retired" when he was about 50 years old, and I am pretty sure he was also suffering from depression. When I look at how my son behaves objectively, it is very much like my father behaved the last 20 years of his life. Which in some ways makes me more sad, but also makes me realize that my son is going to need support -- not just financial but emotional for a very long time. I'm not sure how my dad would have sustained his life during that last stage without my mother there to hold things together. And then I started thinking about a lot of other people I know who suffer from clinical depression, and they also have someone there to provide basic needs. Granted, most of those people are women for whom it is more socially acceptable to stay home, but I know for a fact that some of them live their day very much like my son does.

I just messaged my son's ex-girlfriend to see if she could ship his guitar to him if I send her some money. They were living together, so she still has some of us stuff. I think he is willing to give up most of it, but I think having his guitar would improve his outlook on life. He talks about it a lot.

I have to give my husband kudos. We have had a particularly difficult week with my oldest son, and my husband hasn't said one disparaging thing, even when I was venting about it. Sometimes he really steps up to the plate.

Felicia
Willamette Valley, Oregon

langman22

Heather, I breathing a sigh of relief for you. You were so thoughtful when handling this. Because of that, you got the positive response you were hoping for. I’m so happy for you.

Sitting here at my GP’s office waiting for my yearly physical appt. Hopefully no surprises.

Left work at noon today which was good as everything I touched I screwed up.

Today we make our last mortgage payment. We originally had a 30 yr mortgage but we refinanced a couple of times to lower interest rates and less years. So we paid it off in only 17 years saving a boat load of interest. YEAH! Now to tackle the student loan. One step closer to being debt free by the time I retire.

Terry in VT

grandmallie

Afternoon ladies at least from the East Coast.Snow turning to rain here..luckly it isn't sticking..
Went and feed my DFIL and got the dogs out for a walk...then got Alfie and we picked my.brother up and went to the bank and we opened an estate bank account...the lady we did it with took my dad under her wing when he got scammed...and loved him like her own dad . Then went to dad's and cleaned out a few closets...and came home...Have an appointment with financial advisor next Friday..so that is set..

Vickil57

Blessings, Vicki GI NE