WOMEN AGES 50 + FOR NOVEMBER 2018

How To Observe Thanksgiving Poem
Count your blessings instead of your crosses;
Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your joys instead of your woes;
Count your friends instead of your foes.
Count your smiles instead of your tears;
Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your full years instead of your lean;
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.
Count your health instead of your wealth;
Count on God instead of yourself.

💗Rebecca
Whidbey island
Washington

Hi Gals,

Run run run, cooking is done, but I have to load the car, go feed the chickens at camp, and then an hour drive to my Mom’s for the event.

Just wanted to touch base.
Love you all…. And am so so Grateful for each and everyone of you. I need you in my life.

November Gratitude’s
1. Smell = clean dog
2. Technology = smart phone
3. Color = sunrise
4. Food = herbal tea
5. Sound = silence, but heard the coyotes talking, and loved hearing them
6. Nature = the waves
7. Memories = I think one of my favorite memories, is a conglomerate of memories – in the summer when I was a kid – Dad and I would go out to the grass to “pull weeds” we would pull a few, but really we would look at the clouds and point out the things we saw, or make up stories about were the airplanes were going overhead, who was in them… We were not in a flight path but way way high you would see a plane occasionally. And sometimes a small plane those were even more fun to make up stories about.
8. Book – oh so many I love – but the harry potter series as my god-son and I got them together and read them and talked about them almost every night
9. Place – I think the Grand Canyon – I did a 10 day rafting trip down the river for my 50th birthday and it was a life changing event and helped me grow and believe in myself enough to face coming home and being laid off 10 days later.
10. Taste – sweet or salty – for me it is always sweet! But favorite taste is my mom’s marinara sauce with meatballs, it cooks all day, and I could smell it from the corner of our street and knew one of my favorite dinners was that night
11. Holiday – tough one, I have a love of Christmas but it is also the day I was beaten by my domestic abuser so it has mixed memories…
12. Texture – I love cashmere
13. Abilities – I’m very thankful for my abilities – I think the one that comes to mind right now is planning, I can look ahead and figure out how to plan out things that need to be done to make the most of the time and money available.
14. Sight- my god daughter smiling at me…
15. Season- I love them all – it’s winter so it is my favorite right now.
16. Body – I have great thick hair with very little “grey” and actually the “grey” is mostly white, my paternal grandma had beautiful white hair… here’s hoping
17. Knowledge - I think the knowledge that I am in charge of setting boundaries to keep me physically and mentally safe, and how to do it…. I don’t always remember to do it, but I do know how.
18. Art – I have always loved Monet, I read somewhere that he was very nearsighted and his soft focus style was because he painted what he saw – and if that is true it makes complete sense to me as without my glasses my world is the world of Monet. My favorite of his is Water Lilies – probably because when I was in England it was at the National Gallery in London. I spent a lot of time there and always started and ended my visit with 5-10 minutes in front of that picture. I would sit in a slightly different place and just look at it – I never tired of it and it always had just a bit of a different look.
19. Touch – So Ok I know I spoil Levi, but yes my 55lb dog sleeps with me – so the touch is Levi always in the morning, but sometimes in the night if he is really cold or I have a bad dream, he’ll reach over and set his paw on my shoulder or give my cheek this little gentle kiss….
20. Person in your life – I’m going to say my best girl friend Lynne, we’ve been friends since college and have stayed closest friends for all this time.
21. Song – I’m not much into music, as I am partially tone deaf – So the lyrics are important but the music or beat are pretty much a mystery to me. That being said, Helen Reddy’s I am woman has always felt like it was my theme song.
22. Stories – So there is a family story – rarely told, that is about my parents as young married couple having a “fight” and my mom chased my Dad about with a wet tea bag trying to hit him with it, and … I will ask mom to tell the story again today. My parents did not (and mom still doesn’t) do public displays of affection - I really think it’s a mom thing as Dad would hug us hold our hands … my dad died in 1979 after that I have never been hugged by my mom, or siblings. My nephew hugs me (I trained him up!) – but he never gets hugged by his grandma or dad (my mom/brother)- Hugs were ok till about 12 years old then never again. We even made it through the grief of my dad dying without touching – that’s one broken mess. But the story of them having the tea bag fight is one of joy, love, and laughter.


Smiles

Kim from N. California

exermom wrote: »

M – After all you’ve been and are going thru, it’s no wonder you sleep thru your MRI’s!!!

Yep ... put me in a horizontal position where I don't actually have to do anything, and I'm asleep. Actually, the position doesn't even need to be horizontal. I fall asleep on the bus on the way home quite frequently.


Machka in Oz

Happy Thanksgiving ladies, whether you celebrate or not. Who says we need a special day for gratitude?

Today I ate everything! I mean, I cooked all morning, and ate a bit of everything I made. I had a full plate, but didn't overdo it too much--considering it's a food-focused holiday. Okay, I lied. I did overdo it. I came in this evening, and logged every bite. I laughed, every time MFP numbers went in the red. Every one was in the red! You know what? I don't care.

If I keep eating this way all month, I'll stay the same weight. That's right. I didn't break 2,000 calories. I was stuffed, and it's just a bit over my maintenance calories. I enjoyed every bite, including the deadly pecan pie. Tomorrow, it's back to counting calories. It should be easy, since I gave away a lot of leftovers.

Bonus: Just as I was cleaning up the kitchen, and getting ready to tackle the mountain of dishes, I discovered my sink is leaking. The pipes have separated, and I'll need to get some replacement parts tomorrow. So I don't have to do the dishes! (At least until tomorrow.)

The story I'm most grateful for: The story of my daughter and her club foot. It must be my favorite; she's sick of hearing me tell it. When she was born, her left foot was severely twisted. Casting led to surgeries, pins, corrective shoes, and worry. Looking back I see blessing after blessing. 1. We lived in a time and place where this is treatable. 2. We had the head of orthopedics in one of the best hospitals in the country treating her. 3. Two surgeries went well, and though it was a challenge at the time, she came through it beautifully. 4. I think it changed her personality. Facing limitations made her learn better ways to cope, than barreling through like everything was a competition. 5. My husband promised God he'd get back to church. His Agnostic wife (me) went along so it didn't look like she was a "heathen." 6. God finally got through my stubbornness, (after four years of pew warming) and the stories I'd learned finally made sense. 7. We became a family of faith, and gained a church family. 8. My daughter can do whatever she chooses. She walks, runs, marched in the band, played basketball, and nothing can hold her back. Sorry if this is religion.

Cari in N. Texas

PS: Good luck to you Black Friday and Cyber Monday shoppers. I'm going to stay home and out of your way.