WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR JANUARY 2020

In Tasmania, we've been fortunate to get only occasional days of smoke. Yesterday was a bad one! But by the end of the day, it started to rain ... just 0.2 mm but that was enough to dampen down the smoke a bit.

It has been raining this morning and we're up to 2mm now which isn't too bad. It's still a bit drizzly out there.

We've only got one area of concern here (which hasn't had much rain), and a handful of spot fires.




The main bushfire area is in Victoria ... SE corner of mainland Australia.


Machka in Oz

(((Rita))): Peter Rabbit recommends Chamomile Tea. I like Peppermint Tea best. I hope you're feeling happier every day. :bigsmile:

Heather: DH loves oysters, too. I’ve never developed a fondness for them. I like fish soup though.


Yesterday I went to DH’s afternoon chair yoga class with him. He enjoyed it, and I did, too. A woman who came to my regular morning yoga class was there because I recommended she give it a try. She seemed delighted with the teacher and the class. Her pleasure in the chair yoga class made me feel happy.

Katla in Beautiful NW Oregon

Lanette We still have 2 girl Yorkies Molly & Mabel.
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When we got to Dr. Bill's they had a room waiting for us near the exit door. The examining table had a soft thick blanket & a box of tissues on it. Bailey was a trooper to the end. A truly great little dog. I took a video exactly a week ago today to show Dr. Bill how active he was despite his heart failure & how much he had recovered from his herniated disc. He was doing his pee rounds outside in the yard, trotting about, happy, happy, happy. My sweet Bailey.

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Karen in Virginia

Karen in VA: I am tearing up reading about your brave Bailey. Waves of love and a giant virtual hug heading your way.

Michele: Hope your procedure goes very smoothly.

Happy anniversary Barbie and NYKaren. I just caught up with the last two days of posts, and I thank you ladies for remembering my birthday. You make me smile and feel less isolated. 🤗🤗🤗 On Tuesday, two neighbors who share Jan.12th bday, and I went to Cheesecake Factory to celebrate ourselves. It was a delightful lunch. I ordered chicken enchiladas off their Skinnylicious menu, then we split a cheesecake slice 3 ways.

I got home from lunch and surreptitiously packed an overnight bag. I asked DH if he would like to head to a nice hotel for a couple of nights as a little anniversary getaway, as well as put some distance between us and the paint job taking place in our master bath. He said 'yes'! So with no plan, reservation or hesitation, we took off. I find that it's best to flow with whatever mood he is in at the moment. It was nice to explore a new resort hotel, order room service, indulge in a glass of wine, and sink into a wonderful bed. We did a bit of easy sightseeing the next day. He enjoyed it, but by the time evening came, he was wired and weird. Neither one of us slept a wink last night, and I have to accept he no longer can handle the stimulation of seeing new things, on top of the disorientation of being away from our home and routine. Have I mentioned lately how much I hate dementia?

For NOW, I'm happy to be home and ready to get back to routine. Also thrilled with the new bath color = Benjamin Moore Mellow Yellow. Here is a photo, with my trusty handyman, Reuben.
Stay well friends. We can do this.

Rori
Trusting the power of NOW
Colorado Foothills

Hi Gals,

I typed in my town and it is a 34 on the walkable scale

Karen – sorry to hear about Bailey – sending you hugs.

Katla – I have their diet cookbooks, so they have eliminated or controlled the quantity of cream/butter – and this recipe had neither

Rori - glad you were able to get a short get a way, and mellow yellow is a nice shade!


Like others have mentioned our weather has been weird, I have figured out all of the keep warm while walking tricks except one and that is my hands, I need all the dexterity available to manage Levi, and poop bags, I have leather work gloves and they work well if it is not too cold but it’s been in the low to mid 30 F and my hands freeze so I went out today and bought glove liners… tomorrow is the test, although it’s supposed to be in the mid-40F tomorrow and that is more than 10 degrees warmer than today. My hands are small, with short fingers and my wrists are sensitive to cuffs that are too snug. Snug (not tight) cuffs seem to limit circulation so my hands are even colder. The liners are from REI and crazy pricey, but fingers crossed they work.



Kim from N. California

Rori - Happy Belated birthday

Karen - so sorry about your fur baby.

Machka - I’ll have to look up Leduc and see what we rate as.

Lanette - thanks for asking, the furnace is still humming along. I received the invoice yesterday almost 500. Considering we would have froze to death and had 1000’s in damage of broken pipes I think it’s not too bad. Hubby disagrees. He looks at is as a negative and how bad it is, I am thankful it happened this year when I’m working and not last when I wasn’t and wouldn’t be able to pay it.
To each his own I guess.

I think I need to do more squats, my knees really hurt from them. But I do them every morning when I open the safe at work.

Carol - do you not having parking insurance there? We can pay something like 15 per month if we aren’t actually driving the vehicle.

Rori - our social worker at worker is having a seminar in February on dementia. You may remember my Mom has Alzheimer’s and it is rampant through my Dads family so I’m going to attend. It may also help me with the residents that I adore.

Today was the 3rd coldest day in 50 years here in Edmonton. The temperatures this morning was -39 with a feels like of -44. By Monday it is supposed to be -1. Crazy temps.

I am learning another new task at work. I find the most confusing thing is understanding all of the union agreements. I found out in October that I have 697 hours of sick time available to me. I used two days in November when I caught a cold and couldn’t go to work as we can’t work sick. Today I found out that effective Jan 1st they had bumped it right back up to 697 again. Coming from an industry where they didn’t care how sick you were they expected you there and performing this is insane to me that I get the equivalent of 89 days a year sick leave.

Anyway I should head to bed, another long day of trying to comprehend tomorrow.
Tracey in Edmonton

Way, way, way behind on reading! Forgive me if parts of this are a repeat. I can’t tell if I posted this or not…we lost internet from a storm for a few days and I have been busy cuddling our little granddaughter (life is rough – lol!)

Welcome Newbies and Happy 2020!

Barbara Thank you for the compliment! The heavier picture was from my youngest son’s wedding. A real eye opener for me to work on my weight loss! The other side is my first pair of size 10 jeans in many years. 😊 Hope you are feeling better!

Amber Congratulations on your sizes…great accomplishment!

Pip Sorry your headlight was stolen! That’s a shame. Wish we lived in a country where stealing isn’t a part of their culture. I know I’ve read of countries where people would never consider taking other people’s belongings.

Mary I would have planned to do like you and have a place in FL near my children/grandchildren and a place here in NC but having to retire early prevented me from getting enough savings for another place. I could never live in FL year-round again. Too hot for me! We have wonderful weather here all year. They call us halfbacks here since we were Yankees, moved South to FL, and then moved half way back.

Katla I’m with you on receiving photos from the kids for Christmas! I love photos anyway and having current pictures of everyone makes me very happy!

Carol I’m so sorry about your fur baby’s diagnosis!! Very sad!! ☹

Michele I don’t buy gifts for anyone but our grandchildren and my brother’s 5 year old. They all have everything they need. I got in the habit of sending personalized ornaments every year to the kids with characters with their names and the year. I don’t send birthday presents to anyone but the little ones either. We all know each other’s financial situations and I have no doubt they are aware of our love without spending money. We want to have as much money saved for trips to visit, and when we visit, we take them all out to eat a few times.

Margaret So glad your friend was able to go out to eat with you! Sounds like she is a real fighter to be doing so well already! I really value being able to see friends as we have slowed down a lot over the years.

Machka Love your photos! It’s beautiful there!

Jsophie What a lovely picture! It’s so beautiful where you are, too!

Karen Mindful is very appropriate for 2020! I think people are becoming aware of just how important this is, not just for our emotional health, but our physical health as well. Also, as we are a group of not as young women…I think we really benefit from being present every day.
“I am becoming more aware of my actions as they relate to dealing with anxiety, I often medicate with food and sedentary behaviors to decompress. I plan on recognizing this and choosing differently or at least examine potential choices I have that don't have to mean mindlessly reaching for comfort food and the remote control!”
Thank you! I really needed to read that!

Lisa Like the other words, I also really like your 2020 word. The idea of "kintsugi” is so beautiful. I have always felt that scars from my past have added to my beauty as the gold does to the broken pottery. And the art is a wonderful image of how it puts back together the broken body – whether it was broken physically or emotionally. Your new grandbaby is adorable!!

Okie I love your description of leaving your dog who would howl! Our dogs always get upset as we start to get ready to go out the door. This is just when we leave during the day for a short time. That is the reason we can’t leave them alone when we go away. They would tear up everything in the house before we got back. They are such homebodies that they will nap for hours, but the minute I start moving around they are all over me! Don’t leave me, get me a treat, pet me…

Kelly Glad you have been able to get your enrollment back up to 6. I love your ideas for the kids. Family Fit month and discussing all those great ideas. The children are so fortunate to have you…I know I’ve said it before, but I really believe it merits repeating!

Kylia Well, you have had quite a wild end of 2019! Here’s to a calm 2020! Oh, Sara is such a love!! I want to rush over and cuddle with her!

Rita Please feel better soon!

Beth Please feel better soon!

EVERYONE Please get well!! Seems like the entire world is catching something and they stay down for weeks at a time!!!

Annie Very glad you are feeling better! Your description during your workout sounds just like the inside of my head when I exercise!! Feeling for you!

Heather I used to have a similar table. It was one of my favorite pieces of furniture…I’m not sure why. It had something magical about it, because my daughter begged for it when I moved to NC and I love seeing it in her home. I purchased and have started reading Me I Am…great writing!!

Luci in NC

Rori Sounds like you celebrated in grand style with friends and then your spontaneous get away. Hope the return home created some return to normalcy for DH Do you have more services lined up yet?

Michelle may the procedure go quickly, important test to get through. I remember how light and relaxed I felt after my colonoscopy, take a good nap too if you can.

Luci I'm still on my streak of putting down the remote after work, I'm journaling and walking on the treadmill instead. I won't say it is a habit for me yet, I still have to remind myself of the choice I am making afterwork. But this is for the long haul.

My DOS (my sister who has cerebral palsy and a host of other challenges) was just informed that after 45 years of working for the same insurance company, they are laying off her entire dept. Her first thought, maybe I should interview for another job!!!!!!! Luckily her next thought was maybe I can retire! After all they are giving her a very solid severance deal which will take her up to medicare age. She is a remarkable example of raw courage and tenacity, that I can't even come close to. She will need a lot of support once she doesn't have the job to go to, doesn't have a social circle (except phone calls to all of us sisters) Her one request to me was, would I please help her remodel her living room this summer (way back, I remodeled her bathroom to be more age in place/safer for her) I quickly agreed so she will now spend hours (I mean hours) pouring over catalogues dreaming of a new couch, I anticipate many long phone conversations about the pros and cons of every possible couch and chair and lamp and so on and so on.

NYKAREN

Rori - as NYKaren asked, has there been any movement with getting the VA moving on the services you need? The situation doesn't sound safe.

Happy anniversary Barbie and NYKaren, as well...

Exhausted mentally from yesterday - it gets harder and harder for me to be around people in "social" situations. I find myself second-guessing every word out of my mouth, before, during and after. And I find work "social" situations to be more fraught with stress than any other. Introverts-R-us was not where I thought I'd be at this point in my life.

But... two years and a few odd months from now, I can retire if I choose. It's not that far away... and these processes are fewer, further between and shorter than ever this year. April is the next one - a two-day, one-night staff retreat at a camp in northwest Arkansas.

Have I mentioned my opinion of camping? Yeah, it's pretty much just pretending you're homeless. Not something I say much around Girl Scouts of any age.

Two years - all I've got to do is make sure we pay off the house and both cars by December of 2021, and I'll have the choice. Pardon me while I go refigure that budget one more time and paint a little more gold on my broken little introverty bowl...

Love y'all,
Lisa