WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR AUGUST 2018

The beach area where we were on Saturday ...






Machka in Oz

Kim ~ Maybe you will be able to find someone going to the wedding to share the motel room with. Good for you vowing to lose those extra 20 lbs. I liked the idea of you being "Warrior Woman" because I see you as a strong uncompromising person to be admired.

Heather ~ Good luck on defrosting your freezer. Think that would be a messy task to undertake.

Rebecca ~ Your food choices look so healthy.

Kelly ~ I was telling my DnL about your great ideas for your daycare students. She had 5 little girls over Friday night to celebrate her daughter's 7th birthday. Evidently, 5 little girls screaming for hours was something to behold. The screaming was just the excitement of being together and having fun.

Today is my 49th wedding anniversary! We will celebrate by going out for a steak dinner!

Carol in GA

Well, my friends, defrosting the enormous freezer took three and a half man hours of HARD work from the two of us. Layers of plastic bags, towels, duvet, cloths, kitchen towel. Lots of bowls and saucepans of HOT water. Lots of bending and sponging and chipping and ferrying and boiling of kettles. But it is DONE. I am exhausted and my hips hurt.
I will NEVER, EVER, buy another freezer that needs defrosting. Frost free for me for ever.
When/if we move we will just have to empty the shelves and drawers and sponge them. I have thrown a lot of stuff away so it's not as big a job in the future. I have a lot of chicken stock to use up! Think there is a lot of aveglemono in my future, especially as there are frozen egg yolks in there.
The good thing is that it has been absolutely pouring with rain all day, so it was a good way to spend the holiday! I pity the poor people who were planning a bbq, or a nice day out at the seaside. We deliberately chose this time because of the weather forecast. I must have burnt off a lot of calories.
All the towels and cloths are in the washing machine.
Tonight we have decided to have a bottle of champagne.

Love Heather UK xxxxxxx


The freezer is on the right hand side as you look at it. We are leaving both the fridge and the freezer for the buyers. Still need to clean the fridge, but I think DH will do that.

Good morning!

It has been a long time since I had to really take on the mama-bear stance with my older son's health care, but yesterday I found myself rearing up. My son was born extremely premature 31 years ago and one of the results of that is an overdeveloped startle reflex. He jumps at everything! IVs and needles have him moving even before they touch the skin. So inexperienced or nervous nurses have a hard time. This was the case yesterday when they needed to start a new IV. After multiple attempts the gave up and said he needed a picc line which would be fine if he needed it long term, but it would be removed on Wednesday since it would be near the area they're going in to locate the new pump. When the staff changed, and the new nurse said "I hear you want a picc line," I reacted. No we didn't. We wanted someone who could put in an IV. It caused a lot of commotion, but eventually they sent someone from ICU who put in not one but two IVs in a matter of minutes. Not having my son undergoing procedures because of someone's lack of ability.

Now, if you're into spiritual stories ...I'm going to share one. If this will offend you please feel free to move on. I couldn't find the spoiler button through the site on my computer.

Anyways, here's what also was happening yesterday during our mini hospital crisis. Over the years, I've had the experience of seeing rainbows whenever something of significance is occurring in my life. Hundreds of rainbows. Unexplainable rainbows. There was a huge rainbow over the hospital when my son was born. Rainbows when loved ones have died. Rainbows when I've been distressed. Being Irish and leaning towards an appreciation of the supernatural, I have always viewed these as reassurances from God. Anyways, when my son unexpectedly developed mental health problems about 6 years ago, I became very angry and resentful with God. My son was born premature, he is physically disabled and confined to a wheelchair, has health concerns, has struggled all of his life to be accepted and productive, and the only thing he could always count on was his sharp, clear mind. And then God allowed that to be taken away as well. And while I'm no longer angry, I stopped seeing rainbows. Recently a friend who is going through a significant health crisis sent me a photo of a rainbow with the caption "I immediately thought of you and your trust in God." And I shared with her that I'd stop seeing them, that it had even been years since I've seen a rainbow. God didn't use them with me anymore. She suggested that maybe she saw one and it was God who had prompted her to share it with me and she was praying I would see one again soon. So yesterday, as I was dealing with this mini-crisis regarding IVs and watching my son become highly agitated, I felt the familiar rising up of needing to stand my ground, to go against what was happening around me and make the right decision for my son. But I was concerned and truth be told, a little panicked. And then I looked outside the hospital window to see an enormously bright and huge rainbow!! I immediately noted the time and shared with my son who calmed down instantly. That rainbow stayed throughout the discussions with hospital personnel and the ICU nurse's successful procedure ... for at least 40 minutes (since I'm not sure when it actually began). Only after everything was done did that rainbow fade. And while the rainbow has left -- He has not.

Have a blessed Sunday.

Beth in Buffalo

Let me add ... within the last month or so, my son's mental health has stabilized and he is almost back to his normal self ... after 6 years of difficulties.