WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR JULY 2018

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  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,694 Member
    What are you doing to make your life simpler and easier?



    For example ... we have a gardener to do the lawns, and are doing our grocery shopping online.

    But I'm hoping for even more ideas!! :)


    Machka in Oz
  • okiewoman510
    okiewoman510 Posts: 1,320 Member
    Thanks for your kind words Ladies. I love organizing!!! I considered becoming a closet organizer as my hobby job when we moved to the Hill Country.....until a friend pointed out I would be touching peoples (maybe dirty) underwear, gross!

    Okie in the TX Hill Country
  • KJLaMore
    KJLaMore Posts: 2,847 Member
    Hello all!
    Dana- WE are here! lol All of the ladies you mentioned missing; you must have just missed our posts. Most of us are VERY vocal on this site. But you love that about us, right? >:)
    Machka- I have been spotting for about four years. This year, the spotting, has changed to "Surprise! You are going to have no regular period!" The past three periods have been extremely irregular and a heavier flow (sometimes). For instance: May period one spot, sixteen days later heavier period lasting five days, forty five days later spotting for three days...Can't wait to find out when and how the next one will be! (NOT!)
    What am I doing to make my life simpler and easier? I am letting go of some things. I don't mean getting rid of things; just deciding that things I felt I needed to do (clean) often, have taken a lower spot on my "priority" list in my head. I have also stopped my weekly visits to my inlaws place. I know that sounds awful; but I am working full time (plus part time on weekends), maintaining our house and yard, going through massive redecorating. DH's RA is preventing him from working and from helping much around here; but I pretty much told him that he needs to step up and be the one doing the visits. His parents. I am sure they would rather spend time with their son than me.
    REbecca-Hmmmm...self love. I do two things to love myself. 1) I get outside! My soul is at peace when I am outside. 2) I wear a cape (in my mind). I watch movies and read books with strong women. As I go about my day or begin a new task, I mentally become a superhero. Sounds weird; but if I can imagine myself doing heroic and strong things, I can make it happen. (Assume Superhero pose)
    Lisa- Your renovations are coming along, wonderfully! How exciting! It is amazing how much can be accomplished with a couple extra hands, music, and laughter. Makes the work so much easier!
    Okie-Love the garage! There was a time when my DH would have loved a garage set up like that (we have a clean and organized work bench in the garage; but the garage is unfinished); but he doesn't do much at the work bench anymore. That is becoming my domain.
    Suebdew- Yeesssss! I agree with Heather! Tell us about your cruise!

    Lots of love and good vibes going out to all who need them! Putting final coat of paint on the cupboard doors and re hanging them today! Whoot! Finally done! Then I will peruse the grant catalog and place my order. One of my little guys peed on my couch (again) while napping, I think I am going to invest in some cots for the kids to sleep on, to save my furniture. One more couch bites the dust. Of course it was the butter suede couch :s ttfn xoxoxoxo KJ (Kelly)
  • grandmallie
    grandmallie Posts: 10,153 Member
    morning ladies~
    I got right out of bed and went to my daughters house to get the dog out and fed her and the cat..
    they went camping last night and got rained on.. but had a good time..
    today I will feed my DFIL and then come home and do stuff around here, laundry and maybe stop at Walmart..
    watching the news and having my tea..
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,694 Member
    KJLaMore wrote: »
    Machka- I have been spotting for about four years. This year, the spotting, has changed to "Surprise! You are going to have no regular period!" The past three periods have been extremely irregular and a heavier flow (sometimes). For instance: May period one spot, sixteen days later heavier period lasting five days, forty five days later spotting for three days...Can't wait to find out when and how the next one will be! (NOT!)
    What am I doing to make my life simpler and easier? I am letting go of some things. I don't mean getting rid of things; just deciding that things I felt I needed to do (clean) often, have taken a lower spot on my "priority" list in my head. I have also stopped my weekly visits to my inlaws place. I know that sounds awful; but I am working full time (plus part time on weekends), maintaining our house and yard, going through massive redecorating. DH's RA is preventing him from working and from helping much around here; but I pretty much told him that he needs to step up and be the one doing the visits. His parents. I am sure they would rather spend time with their son than me.

    Periods ... mine went really wonky in early 2014 and I had about 2/month for the entire year. Usually a long heavy one (10-14 days) and then about a week later a short spotty one. Finally I went to the Dr and found out I had a large precancerous polyp. Got that removed in early 2015, things returned to "normal" for a few months and then gradually went wonky again. In 2017 ... precancer surgery again. Then this past year everything has been normal until 3 months ago when I had two in two weeks, and then nothing ... until I spotted now. Really hoping this all comes to an end soon.

    Visiting inlaws ... maybe they're relieved that there are fewer visits too! ;):) My family isn't into frequent visiting ... I think once a week would become an imposition on all of us!!

    Cleaning ... I don't do much. No, it's not as bad as that sounds. :grin:

    About once a week, when I'm in the bathroom getting ready for work, I'll give the sink and mirror a spritz with Windex and wipe things down. I have a shower cleaner that gets sprayed onto the shower walls and a mould killer that gets sprayed in places that tend to grow the pink mould that's so prevalent here. I spray all that in, then brush my teeth, clean the sink etc. then hop into the shower and give the place a rinse before I continue with my shower. Oh, I'll also squirt a little toilet cleaner into the toilet once in a while too, and give it a quick scrub. All that just takes a few minutes.

    We've got a dishwasher, and my husband's homecare worker will load or unload it, but I'll take a few minutes in an evening to do that too. Then a quick wipe of the counters.

    And my laundry.

    The rest of the house gets done whenever I've got time to do it ... about once every 3 months. Fortunately our homecare worker is doing some of it now and then. If she goes, at some point, I might have to get a housekeeper in once a month.


    M in Oz
  • kymarai
    kymarai Posts: 3,734 Member
    Good Sunday!

    I LOVED spending time with my other family yesterday. The little ones are growing up so fast. They all told me they miss my visits as family time is important. :) Came home and guess what I did.....more cleaning! Hallway done. Mandy my GS, likes to lay up against the walls. Even when bathed she leaves yucky marks. They are all gone for now. Also cleaned up mud/laundry room. Even pulled washer and dryer to remove a "small puppy" worth of hair from underneath. My DH even remarked on how fresh every thing looks. :smiley: I know it feels better, but is something if the blind man notices-lol!

    HeatherUK YES!!!! There is too much stuff! I have already gotten rid of a lot of my nic-nac stuffs. Most of these are the DH's! I believe he is an organized horder which is why cleaning out those cabinets will wait until he is gone for the weekend ;) About 4 months ago, I got rid of a bunch of stuffs from the living room. He couldn't figure out what was different since most of the stuff I got rid of was mine. A friend came over and wanted to know what I did different as it looked so nice. I too have a problem with blood sugar dropping. Most of the time I manage it well, but some foods make it really bad.

    Barbara My prayers and hugs join the others. I hope you were able to get some rest.

    Kelly It is a hard lesson to keep from "helping" little creative hands. I have finally learned to just let them do it. Two of my grands are all ready showing perfectionist tendencies, I try NOT to encourage that! Congrats on the cabinets!

    Okie Love the workshop area! Our house garage is the man cave. I will have to get pictures. Painted walls, signs, work benches, and tool boxes. All very organized. Oh, TV, AC, heat, and loungers. ;) Last night, my DH had to put all the tools away from working on the Model A, because he was having trouble finding the ones he needs. He always puts things away after using, but has had lots of help lately. I think he was getting overwhelmed by the amount of stuffs out of the boxes.

    [/b]Tracy[/b] Glad you got to enjoy something different with DH! Looks like you had fun!

    What am I doing to make my life more simple....... Getting rid of nic-nacs and paper. It is a process kind of like losing weight. For me it is a journey. I am trying to break things down into small bites instead of giant ones. One room at a time, instead of stressing over getting everything done at once.

    Heading to a car show today with DH. My KY grands and daughter may come up for a short while. That will be nice. If get home early enough, I may start on kitchen cleaning or my bathroom. More purging to come! I cleaned out my cabinets in the bathroom about a year ago, but there is still stuffs in there that I haven't touched in a year. Time for it to go!!!!! The rooms that will take the longest to clean will be the "kids" room, aka my husband's nic-nac room. I won't do the closet in there as he has it organized the way he wants it, but there are shelves along the top of 2 walls filled with stuffs to be cleaned. Plus two shelves with old decanters and Budweiser steins. Ugh! Also the guest room, AKA, my room. All my stuffs are in there. Papers, crafts, books, and yes, more nic nacs that are going bye-bye! So much money spent on stuffs I am getting rid of........need to make my purchases more meaningful! That room will need a closet rework, but that may have to wait for major until DH out of town. Do you see a theme there?????

    DH needs my help. Have an awesome day!

    You are all STRONG and LOVELY ladies!

    <3
    Kylia
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,694 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    What are you doing to make your life simpler and easier?



    For example ... we have a gardener to do the lawns, and are doing our grocery shopping online.

    But I'm hoping for even more ideas!! :)


    Machka in Oz


    What about along the lines of planners, calendars, etc.?

  • LisaInAR
    LisaInAR Posts: 2,020 Member
    edited July 2018
    Machka: What I do to make my life simpler: Cut my hair. I can't imagine you doing it, with your hip-length hair, but mine's crazy curly, requires tons of product to not look like dandelion fuzz. So, I cut it short again. A little gel & frizz-ease, and 10 seconds of blow dryer to get it out of my face, and I'm done. It's freed up time I need, and I love my hair short.

    Other than that, I've also decided not to apply for CEO of the organization I work for, although I'd have plenty of support if I tried it. Discussed at length the issues I see with the organization with my sister this weekend, and formulated a plan for how I can make things better from the position I'm working in now. I can influence it, but not change it, and I've decided I'm OK with that.

    You're already "chunking" tasks, as your "one thing" approach shows. That's been quite helpful in a complicated life, as is setting interim goals. Instead of driving toward an end goal that seems so far away, it's setting a goal that will move me toward it. That way I get the feeling of forward movement, even if it's at a slower speed than I'm inclined to want to go.

    I've also learned that good enough is good enough. It's taken me 58 years.

    Lisa in AR

    Edit -I also have an Excel spreadsheet in a long, running table with one line for each day. Columns are phone calls/meetings, grant/project deadlines, and travel. Makes it easy to see what's coming up and let me get those out of hover mode in my mind. I check it daily.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,694 Member
    Saturday -- not much exercise. We were resting up to go to the Tasmania Symphony Orchestra in the evening. Our first real "outing" since the accident.


    Sunday -- 900 metre walk when the rain stopped.

    Then, I did ...

    Distance -- 19.65km
    Elevation -- 40m
    Moving Time: 43:00
    Elapsed Time: 50:40

    ........................ Avg ............. Max
    Speed ............. 27.4km/h ....... 41.4km/h
    Heart Rate ...... 145bpm ......... 172bpm
    Cadence ......... 83 ................. 121
    Power ............ 101W ............ 239W


    And my husband did ...

    Distance: 9.57km
    Elevation: 33m
    Moving Time: 21:11
    Elapsed Time: 21:11


    ................. Avg .............. Max
    Speed ..... 27.1km/h ........ 42.5km/h
    Cadence .. 65 .................. 73
    Power ..... 113W ............. 157W



    As with all flat routes on Zwift (we did the London Flat Route), I think our speeds and distances are a bit overblown.


    Machka in Oz
  • cityjaneLondon
    cityjaneLondon Posts: 12,793 Member
    Hi all!
    I'm home!!!! Not too bad a journey through the very much needed rain. Lots of spray, but because it's a Sunday there weren't so many lorries.
    I'm going to take a short nap now as I have bags on my bags under the eyes and then I will get on the recumbent bike and watch last night's finale of the thriller series. Rowing afterwards I hope.
    I'm just going to do egg and bacon tonight with a tomato. No inspiration at all.

    4pm or after someone is coming in a van to take away the huge cupboard. Fingers crossed it happens. I did specify two strong people. DH is forbidden to help.

    I just adore decluttering. Apart from my writings and photos and very sentimental mementos, I am good at it. Clothes, shoes, stuff I don't find hard at all. Now I have got rid of my cupboard, DH has promised to get rid of his grandmother’s glass fronted cabinet. Hideous! When exchange goes through I will get to work. If anyone wants it. Old fashioned, dark furniture you can't give away these days. Other than that one sofa has to go. I do need to rationalise my china collection, which is mostly inherited. The Welsh dresser it's in now is going to go in the front guest bedroom, when we've moved a radiator which is occupying a whole wall . Then recarpet. So it will have to stay in the garage for now. I don't suppose guests will want to stare at my grandmother’s old crockery! Other stuff in there is from my old bottom drawer and I never use it. Time to move it on.

    Nap time now.
    Love Heather UK xxxxxxx
  • kymarai
    kymarai Posts: 3,734 Member
    Lisa I had to laugh at your Excel spreadsheet....I only know your from here, but it sounds like what I would expect from you! LOL! I have a friend that actually did an excel spreadsheet for her vacation. Times for all activities, what they were ordering at what restaurants, how much money they would be spending, etc....I call that a little extreme! I can see the importance of it to help organize tasks and commitments, just not on vacation. I really plan little while on vacation in TN. Pretty much, wake up, spend time on cabin deck with coffee and whatever work I need to get done, then we decide what we want to do that day. Even my DH manages some days of mainly being at the cabin. :) When I grow up I am going to be organized!

    Calendars and planners- I suck at them. My youngest daughter and family made us a dry erase board calendar for our bedroom so that my DH could see what was coming up. I forget to change it. Trying to get better at it. I print large so he can see it. I have Alexa, but as I am on my cell wireless for the time being, I don't make very good use of her. More for my shopping list. I do use my phone calendar, when I remember to check it! I even have a great planner book.....guess I need to get more goal oriented and less fly by the seat of my pants.

    Welcome home, HeatherUK! I hope they show up for the chest! My daughter and SIL are finally getting their act together. Their current home is smaller than any of the military rentals they stayed in. All their furniture was big. They put it up for sale and purchased a new couch and love seat along with a dining room table that fits the space better. The only problem has been people who say they want it, but then don't follow through. When I was younger I would have gladly bought a sectional sofa for $200! Yes, it is used, but not broken down. So sad that people don't follow through. These two have been struggling financially since he got out of the Navy. Stupid decisions didn't help. I feel they are finally growing up!

    Better get ready. DH will be saying time to leave in a few and I am still in pj's!

    <3
    Kylia
  • kymarai
    kymarai Posts: 3,734 Member
    PS- same friend with excel sheet for vacation, stayed with us in a cabin. We had been there 3 days before their arrival....she reorganized the cabinets when she got there.....she has the perfect job at a bank for her OCD. I just shake my head, wait til they leave and put it back the way it works for me. ;) I am sure that my house drives her crazy most days. hehe
  • LisaInAR
    LisaInAR Posts: 2,020 Member
    Oh - my daughter taught me one thing on the list-making on dry erase boards. She makes the list, takes a picture of it with her phone, and then has all the information she needs, whether it's a grocery list, addresses, whatever. Write it once, keep it until it's no longer needed. We're still doing that. I've developed the habit of taking a picture of the board with my phone whenever I leave the house, and erasing the board when I come back. Means I never forget my grocery list, either, as I always have my phone with me.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,694 Member
    LisaInNCNow wrote: »
    Oh - my daughter taught me one thing on the list-making on dry erase boards. She makes the list, takes a picture of it with her phone, and then has all the information she needs, whether it's a grocery list, addresses, whatever. Write it once, keep it until it's no longer needed. We're still doing that. I've developed the habit of taking a picture of the board with my phone whenever I leave the house, and erasing the board when I come back. Means I never forget my grocery list, either, as I always have my phone with me.

    The other students in my classes take pictures of everything! None of them are Australian, so part of it is that many of them have to take that information to be translated, but it can be a good idea and I've started doing that too.

    I was definitely doing that when my husband was in the Rehab hospital ... take a picture of his schedule. Now I put it into an online planner.


    Machka in Oz

  • SophieRosieMom
    SophieRosieMom Posts: 3,706 Member
    Machka - I know you have a lot on your plate right now - I remember the year I was working, taking the Master Gardener training (many volunteer hours!) and my DH recovering from his broken back and leg wound. Somehow I got it all done - perhaps I made it my therapy and yes, I relied on lists. Your perimenopause with the spotting and extra periods sounds like mine was. I went a whole year w/o a period then spotted and cramped. I was devastated. My OB/GYN found an ovarian cyst so I got a D&C, laparoscopic biopsy and appendectomy all in one fell swoop. That finally put me into meno permanently. Was I ever glad, I never enjoyed that time of the month part of being a girl!

    Lisa - loved your blog and photos of your helpers getting a lot done. Great job on the walls and the ceiling beams will be nifty. Neat that it's working out with your son being able to help and stay there too. You would have made a FAB CEO I think. So organized and enthusiastic! Maybe next year once your house is done?

    Kelly - so tickled for you getting those grants. Yes, your DH needs to spend the time with his folks, you have enough on your plate. You would also make a great CEO! I think you already are!! Is your DH's medication working OK for him? My DH no longer shows the RA inflammation in his blood tests so I guess he's in full remission, but the darn disease attacks more than the joints and some damage has been done - his fatigue is sometimes overwhelming.

    Kylia - I've been meaning to comment on your cute house! So well organized! I know what you mean about dusting shelf sitters, lol. I did manage to declutter the mantel this spring and put things into the thriftstore box. DH wondered what I did with them and I said stuck them in the closet, lol. I'm sure he's forgotten what was even up there.

    Okie - yes, you are a superb organizer! My potting shed looked like that once, lol. Thanks to you I've put cleaning it out back on the list for something to do this fall.

    Heather - you mentioned your grandmother's old crockery. I have a few old pitchers & wash basins and a clock that belonged to my great-grandparents. I remember how I fiercely wanted them and managed to grab them before my siblings got them. Now, I puzzle over who will eventually get them when the time comes.

    Barbie     - thinking of you this morning and hoping what the ER doc gave you is doing the trick. If I do my exercises every day that seems to help but I'm good at slacking off and paying the price later. I found an interesting book called "Back in Control" by Dr. David Hanscom who is a well known Seattle back surgeon and discovered a method of healing back pain without surgery. I fall "back" ( B) )on his tips from time to time. He has a website backincontrol.com

    I have finished watching all episodes of the Real Skinny on Fat and will rewatch a few today. What was so interesting about this series is that it included a lot about sleep, circadian rhythm, ways to spike ketones other than just low carbing. As I watched these interviews, I thought what a neat college course they would make.

    Wendy - your Wendy fast sounds great and I am tickled you have found what works for you. I really liked "How Not to Die" - even though Dr. Greger is a vegan, he is not preachy or in your face and just says to start incorporating more healthy foods and you'll eventually want less animal products. Good advice.

    Mary - after understanding more about the healing power of Ketones, I am excited for you and your upcoming fast. What sparked you to engage in fasting to help mitigate the effects of your Lyme disease? How is your daughter by the way?

    OK, time for me to get going. Have a wonderful day ladies... August is just around the corner!

    Lanette
    Sunny and HOT SW WA State

  • klanders30
    klanders30 Posts: 2,569 Member
    Tiny steps! Love ‘em. Tidied up the kitchen and mowed the back yard. Relaxing on the back porch cause it is a gorgeous day-soon I will go to the gym!
  • pipcd34
    pipcd34 Posts: 17,361 Member
    ...
  • 1948Peachy
    1948Peachy Posts: 1,511 Member
    :)
  • Katla49
    Katla49 Posts: 10,385 Member
    Barbie: I am so sorry that you are hurting. I hope the doctors are able to help. I'm looking forward to hearing how you are dong. :heart:

    I've been watching the series on burning fat. I have many episodes left to see, and I'm learning more about how our bodies work. Lanette, THANK YOU!

    Katla in Beautiful NW Oregon
  • cityjaneLondon
    cityjaneLondon Posts: 12,793 Member
    The "gentleman's press " is gone!!!!!
    They turned up in a small van plus a car. A big woman and a thin man. What a lot of heaving and sweating and crashing and banging. Oooooffff! But they got it all in the vehicles, in the pouring rain. Coming downstairs she was on the bottom. I thought she was going to tip over. She said it was bigger than she thought. I did give all the measurements!
    I got an email a few minutes ago, thanking me. She said she loves it!
    I am happy it went to the right people. :D

    Re organising. I am retired, so life is less hectic in general, but I keep a small diary in my handbag (purse) and occasionally synchronise it with DH. I have to put all his cricket days in there and he has to put my girly lunches etc.
    Generally I think I am an organised person. I only have to make lists etc very occasionally. I can hold logistics in my head quite easily. If I find they are preoccupying me then I write them down.
    When we have exchanged I will download a "to do" list from the Internet. There are loads. It is a hugely busy time. Thank goodness our decluttering is well under way. Usually "completion" is around two weeks to a month from exchange.
    My DSIL, who we were visiting this week, is a lovely woman, but she has huge difficulty in sequencing and logistics. I have heard it is a form of dispraxia. I have to keep well away when she is trying to sort something, like lunch, because it drives me insane. A simple procedure, like looking up a purchase on Amazon, is really hard for her. Booking a holiday is fraught with problems. When I heard her condition described on the radio it all made sense. Simple choices are incredibly complicated and she is a very slow reader who can't summarise at a glance like I can.
    She was a sister in a IC ward, so very capable, but I find it hard to watch the way she struggles with simple tasks. She qualified as a counsellor, but failed the final certificated exams as she can't marshall her thoughts in any order, or make a summary.
    She is such a lovely and capable woman. Do any of you recognise this syndrome?

    Much love, Heather UK xxxxxxx
  • csofled
    csofled Posts: 3,022 Member
    :)
  • grandmallie
    grandmallie Posts: 10,153 Member
    afternoon ladies~
    I took a nap and took Alfie for a walk and had a BLT, and am going through paperwork right now..
    I did re-pot my hibiscus into a bigger pot.. so Hopefully it will be ok... unbelievebly I have been able to keep the plants we had at my dads funeral alive...I was not born with a green thumb..
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