WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR MARCH 2023

Karen - Full marks for standing back and letting your spouse (and dogs) almost save themselves. What a great rehearsal! I hope the management continues to schedule such drills so the dogs (and spouse) get used to the noise and throng.
On our cruises, before we leave port, there always has to be a fire drill where we have to go to our muster stations. There is a special procedure for disabled people. On the June cruise, when there was a very late embarkation, we had to do it at midnight! We were clambering down the metal spiral crew stairs.

I had a bad night last night. Could not sleep. Too much Agatha Christie I think. Of course, my ruminating turned to negative thoughts about my writing, (what's the point of it all, yabber, yabber) but I did get a doze eventually, and with the dawn, the excessive darkness has vanished. Old insecurities and family scripts surface when you are feeling tired and vulnerable. Come to think of it, that's what I'm writing about at the moment!

Still haven't got my Advance Decision witnessed. Haven't seen the next-door neighbour around, or in her garden. Must get that organised, photocopied, and off to the surgery for scanning and filling. My sons will have copies and the original will go in with the wills. I will mention it again to DH, but not make a 'thing' of it. I will send off for a card for my wallet.

Love to all. Glad to be here to see the sun rise this morning.

Thoughts are with Kim.

Welcome new people! I hope you will stick around.

Heather UK xxxxxxxx

Debbie-that is good about husband. It was huge for him. Most all of us make change small steps at a time. Not too long ago he went on a walk with you didn't he? Even if he decided it wasn't for him he tried and didn't just reject-small steps!Hopefully with less fatigue he can cope better.

Karen-good job with fire drill. It brought back a memory for me. When kids were little and both of us were working housework could get behind. One thing my husband would insist upon was that walkways to doors were clear every night before bed. Sometimes it would mean we would just kick toys to the side and out of the way-but there were no trip hazards out of the bed to the doors.

Tracey-sounds like you are getting bad to your routine.

Heather-not surprising those things came through in your sleeping difficulty. They say sleep is where we work out problems.

Lisa-you are correct-the counseling sessions aren't fun. I have come to the conclusion that this one today is a classic Peter Principle case. The person is not without skills and can work at a first line supervision level, but they don't demonstrate ability to see big picture and think five or six steps down the line (which is what they need to do for current position and future advancement). It is interesting that some people are good at hiding this lack for a while-but it does always come through. Of course I always get stuck examining my own behavior in depth!

A bit of headache this am and joints are achy-matches the rain forecast for the day! Luckily it looks to be a 24 event-but lots of flood watches. Kids in Phoenix called last night and said it had snowed in Tucson last two days and rain in Phoenix. The front is just rolling across the country. Since weather isn't helping-off to do stretches for sure. Will most likely have to walk indoors. May do some treadmill and bike to get minutes in today. Since working from home this am-may throw laundry in wash to get a head start on weekend.

Take care all,

Ginny in Ohio

Kim ... so, so sorry to hear your mom has fallen and praying that her surgery was successful. Long road ahead for both of you. Hugs.

For the first time in over a decade, my husband and I will be receiving a fairly large tax refund. We think we are going to use it to build a raised bed garden. Because we have so much wildlife walking around in the back property (and a misbehaved dog), we need to enclose anything we build with wire fencing. I also want the garden to be pretty as well as functional. More of a hobby garden really. If we hope to have anything this summer, we need to get moving on it though.

More winter weather forecasted so my plans this weekend are to do some more major decluttering in the basement (decluttering is really too tame of a word for what I'm doing) and cleaning out the kitchen refrigerator and freezer. I find that when I feel like I have control over my living spaces, my health goals follow suit and become more manageable as well. "Stuff" just zaps my mental energy.

Beth near Buffalo