WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR NOVEMBER 2023

Lisa - A lot of the time I feel I am the opposite of Zen, with all the anxiety over trips etc, but I am always grateful for the lessons those episodes teach me. I think I would be insufferable without the bad patches. Ditto the black cloud that descended during the UTI. Very humbling.
Nowdays I notice it is happening and I'm able to accept it. I'm human. I mess up - a lot - and I can find peace in that.
'To every time there is a season...'
I'm better able to roll with it and not get into self- judgement mode.
I've been holding back on bringing out my new book, NOW I AM, because I was worried about the title seeming too preachy. Plus I was riding the anxiety and UTI. Now I have the subtitle, 'To every time etc....' a feel better about it and I have some addenda to make to avoid any impression of complacency. It's just about stripping away the layers that we use to shore ourselves up in this hard world. Seeing 'face to face'.
I have learnt to say, 'This is how I feel, and that's OK'.

Just had a phone call from DSIL to say they plan to be a bit earlier than they said. That somewhat affects my careful eating arrangements. Might have to reconsider!
I can do this!
All will be well.

Love Heather UK xxxxxxxx

Today, I finally managed to unpack from our trip. It takes me a while. I think I also did the final load of laundry. I don't think there's any more to do that's trip-related.

Then the day turned nice, and I spent a couple hours in the garden doing more weeding. I've more or less completed several small beds and I'm working on one that is proving to be a bit of a challenge.

There are 3 beds together. One isn't bad - just needs the soil turned a bit. One is moderately weedy with some broad beans coming up. I've weeded most of it. The third is full of weeds and weed roots and trying to get them all out is proving to be a challenge.

However, I am so glad I weeded the whole place before we went on our trip ... makes this weeding process easier.

This evening, I've been trying to organise myself ... adding things to my calendar again. Making sure I'm not forgetting things. I'll continue doing that tomorrow as well.

It was nice not really having too much to do while we were gone.


Machka in Oz

Morning ladies
Well I slept ,I just ordered food that I will deliver to the kids tomorrow they need 24 hr notice..
Ordered mac and cheese they can bake off and chicken tenders to reheat ( basically for the kids and meat and cheese platter ,rolls and a cookie platter..
I'll pick it up around 11 am tomorrow and drop it off at Evans house on the front step..with a card.. not much more I can do..
Checked on Janet she is ok
But my stomach isn't.. been running to the bathroom all morning ..sorry TMI
Have the laundry going and will get that in the dryer in a bit.

Good morning ladies!

Up early to see if the storm was going to be bad. Other than being a bit breezy and rainy, I didn't see any evidence of the 30-40 mph gusts some weather channels predicted.

I've been out twice to see how the hens are and both of my raincoats got soaked. I need to see if I saved back any of DH's waterproof ones. They'll hang on me but keep me dry.

I've been watching this Dr. Chatterjee interview: Longevity Professor: The Key Factors To Stop Decline & Slow Aging After 40! | Rose Anne Kenny Terri - are you familiar with her? She's from Ireland and an expert on aging, has written a book that is only available in th UK from what I can tell. The interview is over 2 hours long so I'm broke it into chunks. I thought it was excellent and looked up the TILDA study at Trinity University in Dublin. If the rain keeps up I want to explore this further.

Allie - wow, you had quite a day. Sorry to hear about your friend and how lucky that gal was you were right there when she tripped. I think a lot about your friendships and family who keep you busy. You are a great example of being involved in your community and I'm sure it's healthy for you, even if it's sometimes stressful. See the Rose Anne Kenny interview above.

Vicki - how is that new paging system for the docs working out? I recall you were apprehensive they came up with this when you were on vacation.

Kylia - good for you getting in the steps! I love hearing about all of you ladies who are able to carve out some quality time with your husbands, just watching TV or going for rides together, working on projects. Doing things like with with my DH are among my favorite memories.

I did my "house walking" this morning after breakfast and added something. I carried 2# weights in each hand. Sometimes I swung my arms a little, sometimes I didn't. What gave me the idea was, again, the Rose Anne Kenny interview and how they discussed that if a person can't go to the gym to lift weights, take note of daily activities we can do which accomplish the same thing. Carrying bags of groceries to the car which parked at the back of the lot, for example. Talk about tired arms... that's the point, right? Since I'm already walking, why not add a teeny bit of resistance training?

During the pandemic, many stores eliminated the small shopping baskets - too hard to keep clean, unlike the carts which they could quickly wipe off. So I bought my own little basket from Amazon and take it with me all the time. The problem - or maybe the benefit - is that I load the thing up and it becomes heavier and heavier as I walk through the store. I switch arms. Sometimes I balance it on my hip. By the time I'm ready to check out, it probably weighs 10 to 15 lbs.

Anyhow, when the 2 lb weights become too easy, I'll step up to 3# weights, then 5# or more. I think every little bit helps and hopefully won't put too much stress on my joints. And there's no law that says I can't put them down if I feel a twinge.

That's the quick update.

Happy Veterans Day and to those of you who are veterans or have family members who are or were veterans: Thank you for your service!

Lanette
SW WA State

Barbara AHMOD - It's still one of the best things about Corey, the ability not just to see what I like or don't like, but to remember it. I usually let him make a plate for me because he is honestly better at deciding how much I can eat than I am. You married the right guy, my friend.

Allie - I'm glad you could be there for your friend who fell, as well as for Evan's family. You're that "friend in need" for your community and your family.

Partly sunny day, still a bit too chilly to start the work outside, so we'll drive up to the grocery store in town. Corey will finally get to drive my new (to me) Kicks for the first time! We just need to get some veggies for the week, including some fresh carrots and apples for his lunches. The carrots did not produce in his garden, one of the few things he planted that didn't grow. Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers all grew like gangbusters - he just pulled the last of the peppers last weekend, and the last of the tomatoes will be brought in today, I think.

Finished with Christmas except for the gift card that I'm going to get and wrap for my oldest grandson. Which reminds me... when I'm finished with this, I need to send a text to all and sundry to let them know I've sent them a package, so they can look out for them. Apparently "porch pirates" are becoming more and more common!

Hope it's a grand weekend for all, Corey's just getting out of the shower, time to get moving!

Love y'all,
Lisa in AR