WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR FEBRUARY 2023

Stretch-I was given that stretch to do (off to the side a bit) for my IT band. I like it because I can do it anywhere. Of course, it is easy to skip if something isn't hurting-I have to remind myself to do them to keep things from hurting. For performis specifically I lay on mat, use strap under thigh, put one ankle on top of knee and pull up under thigh and hold for around 30 secs.

Cold is still fairly miserable. Have laid around today-dozed off a few times. Just went to Dollar General and got some of my outshine fruit bars, no sugar added and some sugar free sprite and more muscinex. Running low grade temp off and on. Working on some paperwork stuff in between resting time (another cleanup project from work).

Do not have energy to get my 3 miles in today-will try to walk around house to get 20 active minutes. If I don't make it, oh well.

Have a good rest of the day all,

Ginny in Ohio

Seeing the Gift in Challenging Times.

I go to a Monday morning meditation group.

Yesterday we listened to Sarah Raymond on "seeing the gift in challenging times".

It was so timely and helpful for me.

The gift I see with my son is that I have an opportunity to learn something about myself.

My son has been a lifelong series of gifts to me since he was born in 1977.

The current gifts he is giving me are more difficult for me to recognize as gifts because fully accepting them means letting go of the resentments I have nurtured for years; letting go of the judgments, the expectations, the “he should haves”.

In his presence, I feel defensive, wary, and apprehensive.

Meditating is helping me to see the gift in this challenge and begin to reshape my thoughts, learn something about myself, and experience positive emotions in my son’s presence. Experience healing.

I’m not there yet, but I’m on the way.

I have the power to see the gifts in my life.

My skills are a bit rusty, but that will change.

Every day is a gift.

You are gifts.

There are gifts everywhere if I choose to see them.

Karen in Virginia

Heather,

I think it was a stroke of either luck or genius to have the discussion on end-of-life planning with someone else while your husband was present, difficult as it was for him. He clearly is spending a lot of his precious energy suppressing the topic.

Johnny is such a good man. He loves you so much, and he knows this is important. It sounds as if he nearly has a phobia about it, triggering anxiety and fight-or-flight. My heart goes out to him. And to you. It would be instructive if he was able to articulate the main trigger for this response. Is it the thought of you leaving him behind? I suspect it may be. I can’t blame the man for that. You are the love of his life. Maybe the Sarah Raymond meditations could help either or both of you? I think you are doing all you can to be there for him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXg-8LqpJwI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk9K3m-aQec

Love, Karen in Virginia

Terri, I am ecstatic about the results of the stretching exercise! Honestly, doing the piriformis stretches, plus range of motion neck exercises & shrugs/shoulder blade squeezes under the pulsating hot water spray makes for a very supple day. I know it is using precious water resources to stay in the shower that extra few minutes. I feel guilty about that, but it does me SO much good that I rationalize it by being extra cognizant of saving the planet the rest of the time. We are consistent recyclers and re-users.

Kim, We feel your presence here whether you post or not. Much love.

Good morning ladies!

Lost power for an hour last night, many in my county did and still have outages. I didn't think it was that windy, but apparently a substation had problems. Very glad it's back on so I could get my coffee and check in here. Barbie and Rebecca and Sue probably got a more powerful wind than me.

Ginny - hope you are feeling better today. Some of this crud seems to hang on for a long time.

Lisa - I was wondering if the family had moved to Hawaii yet. Good to hear of their last minute visit. Hope the doc visit went well for you.

Heather - I'm sure it's a relief to get your POA out of the way. Peace of mind for you and your loved ones with this in place. I need to redo my will but still undecided on a few things. In the meantime, getting a beneficiary listed on my accounts will take care of. It bypasses the estate so any $$ I have left when I'm dead will automatically go to who I choose without the government grabbing some and having a say-so from what I understand. The tax man got grabby enough this year.

Piriformis stretch - I appreciate the reminder from you gals about this. I used to do it or something similar faithfully but like Ginny says, unless we're hurting, we tend to forget about it.

Roger and chicken coops - we spent over an hour looking at the "floor models". He was great, pointing out the benefits and possible problems with several of them and offering solutions. We measured, walked in them, the whole nine yards. My DH would have NEVER been that patient! Now I need to get someone in to "prep" the site when the weather gets warmer. Was going to do this anyhow, chickens or not. If I get chickens, I'm getting enough to also supply eggs for Roger and his wife.

I'm realizing that before my DH became so fragile, he was the helpful "Roger" to many folks in the neighborhood. At the time, I thought "that's nice" but now I realize how much that was appreciated by the recipients. In a sense, he paid it forward and I'm getting the benefits. Very, very grateful. Like Roger, he loved being busy using his carpentry and mechanical skills.

Barbara - Roger's son is getting the John Deere mower. By the way, I didn't realize Joe was doing some biking. Good for him! And love hearing about your walks to the mailbox and back. Hope you didn't blow away.

Michele - how long are you staying in Florida?

I think I'm going to bite the bullet and get a new dishwasher, possibly new garbage disposal. I have a leak under the sink. Started to smell something musty when I'd open the cabinet doors, and last night finally yanked everything out. Luckily, I keep things stored in large plastic tubs. Sure enough, one had water in it and a few things will go into the garbage can. No big loss = decluttering, lol.

I can't figure out where the leak is. I ran the garbage disposal, and the sprayer, nothing. I replaced the tub with an empty one and will keep an eye on it. Grateful I caught the drip and it didn't get the bottom of the cupboard or the floor wet. Whew.

Haven't used the dishwasher for several years, it sprung a leak and I preferred to do dishes in the sink anyhow=warm water was great for the arthritis in my hands. Since I got the new water heater, it takes forever to get hot water to the kitchen sink, and in cold weather I just carry the dishpan to the laundry sink. That's my weight lifting routine, lol. Dishwashers have the capability to pre-heat the water so that's what I'll need.

Back into town this morning for the big grocery shop before the big freeze starting tomorrow. Nighttime temps into the teens on Thursday night and remaining in the 30's with snow for the week after if the Hippy Dippy Weatherman is right.

OK ladies, wrapping it up (finally).

Make it a super day!

Lanette
SW WA State

Our son and daughter are in the process of emptying our home in Oregon. A neighbor there is purchasing our home. I know that DH needs a one story home, but losing my loved home is heartbreaking. 💔

cityjaneLondon wrote: »

Lanette - it isn't the POA I'm doing right now it's the Advance Directions to Refuse Treatment. Sort of living will if I'm not able to make my own decisions and not expected to recover. I have no interest in lingering on. They just will not give me CPR etc. POA is another matter. I really need one for DH as he keeps his money very private. I know what savings accounts he has, but no means of accessing them if he needs care and is incapacitated. I don't know his passwords and his computer has facial recognition. 😳 I have minimal income and not huge savings.
I will try again. And again.

My friend B is on the train from Glasgow and is drinking wine.
I have booked my DSIL's birthday lunch in London for July 14th. Hooray!

Love Heather UK xxxxxx

Heather - I knew what you meant. In Washington State, we have a "Medical Power of Attorney" which seems to be the same thing as your Advance Directions. It stipulates if I'm unable to make my own decisions about medical treatment, that a doctor and my Medical POA designee can make whatever decisions are appropriate according to my wishes. It came in handy when DH was in the hospital. It was obvious he wasn't going to get better, so the doc and I decided to put him on "Comfort Care" which basically kept him comfortable with morphine as his body shut down. It was what he wanted.

Lanette