WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR MAY 2025

Thanks Barbie, for starting May off right!

Reposting my post to Lisa:

Thanks for your insight into all of this.💖👍🏼 He hasn't gotten his first Skyrizi infusion just yet, probably ordering it. He is eating because though he hates having to deal with it, he knows it helps him. We talked about how living on his own would look like, and he would probably be learning how to make my chicken with his chicken fried rice. For some reason, chicken, eggs, bacon and rice all process well together, when he was in remission while on infliximab. Then it just stopped working. Heres my brave guy.💖👍🏼

a second later he did a crazy smile which was hysterical. Though freaky!

Rebecca Whidbey Wa

thank you all for the condolences. I’m doing ok. I’ve been doing my workouts and taking my vitamins. I haven’t really been stress eating, but I have been enjoying cake that people brought in.

Yes, Beth, same brother. He was not driving in the other accident. He was with a friend. This one happened at an intersection that is known for fatal accidents. The police report said he was making a left turn and stopped for some reason and an oncoming car hit him. The driver of the other car had non-life-threatening injuries, thank gooodness. My brother was determined to be at fault. The weather, his exhaustion from working during the day and staying with his wife at the hospital at night, his own bad health, all probably played a role.

I didn't sleep too badly, considering. Awake early, but that's OK. I will be washing my hair in a bit. I warned John I might be disturbing him a little early. I laid out my clothes last night for the journey. The London tube will be very warm. I've got to debobble the cardigan I'm taking for this evening, which I probably won't have to wear, but I will be out late. I will have a chance for a nap at the hotel when I get there.

I'm not horribly nervous, but it's a long way. My stamina is not great these days, so I will be kind to myself. It's a cab, then a train, then the London tube, then another train, then a cab. I used to drag my bag all the way up the steep hill to the hotel; over the canal, up past the Robin Hood statue and the castle. But heat and age make me more cautious. Taxi it will be.

I'm so relieved that G got her passport back, because it doesn't bear thinking about. The hotel change worked out well, but it's all expensive. I know she is planning on treating herself to a lovely lunch today in a restaurant she likes a lot. Then she gets the train to London and then another one back to Portsmouth. I think she will be more tired than me! She is 76.

Love to all. I will probably check in from the hotel.

Heather UK xxxxxxxx

I'm on the train to Nottingham, waiting for the drinks trolley to come through. Tea etc and snacks are free. I will nab some emergency biscuits and crisps, though I had an expensive salmon salad at the station.

I've got a tea, water, crisps, and some shortbread, which I'm saving for later. So far, all is quiet enough to read.

LLove Heather UK xxxxxxxx

March Highlights

Exercise Minutes & Strava Accomplishments

The tall bars were my cycling endeavours over Easter. 😊

Other April Accomplishments

• Lost 7 kg (15.4 lbs) since the beginning of January - no change through April. Possibly something to do with Easter Eggs.
• Cycled 203 km with the longest ride being 52 km.
• Walked 59 km.
• Climbed 302 flights (up and down) of 20 stairs up plus landings.
• Worked full time but did have 10 days off over Easter and ANZAC Day.
• Still madly busy at work with Audits, Submissions, and all. Work has been rather overwhelming since the beginning of the year.
• Attended husband's follow-up appointments for his ruptured Achilles tendon.
• Cortisone shot in left shoulder.
• Organised and hosted cycling event at the beginning of the month.
• Travelled up north for that cycling event and visited Sheffield - trains and murals.
• Bee Group.
• Lunch with friends.
• Organised a few things in house.
• Got our van serviced.
• Travelled up north for 5 days over Easter. Enjoyed quiet, somewhat remote, historic farm.
• Started Learn to Swim classes!!
• Got some gardening done
• Did several Sudokus.
• Coloured 1 page - didn't take my colouring with me during our Easter holiday.
• Read 4 books.
• Continued reading Bible every night.
  
  

April Books

Of those 4, I gave When No One is Watching 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I liked it enough, I've started another Alyssa Cole novel.

The Spellshop was sort of cute.

Small Joys was boring.

Lone Women … I don't mind so much if you want to put a dragon into early 20th century Montana, but using very modern language was irritating.

I'm doing some of Goodreads challenges so I am reading books I would not otherwise have selected with mixed, but reasonably positive, results. Some authors I wouldn't read again, others I'll try another novel to see if I like it.

Machka in Oz

And speaking of not staying on budget - did I mention I broke my old vacuum cleaner yesterday? And of course, when I broke it, I broke a part that is unfixable, even if I could find the plastic part that broke off.

Adventures in domestication:

Something I forgot to say earlier, too… Thank you, Barbie, for keeping us centered and moving on.

Later, y'all,
Lisa in AR

Well yesterday we got our roof and gutters cleaned and anti moss sprinkled all on the top of the roof. We are the ski chalet on our street😁.

Husband bought an electric mower. Its our first mower ever! We have always either not had a lawn, had lawn service as part of the rent, or in our rich phase, we paid for lawn service ourselves. So now husband with spring grass popping all over, he thought it best to get a mower. I anticipate lots of moaning and sore muscles over this but he's enthusiastic!

Today is Thursday grocery day, but honestly we don't need to buy too much. I need some veggies, and the snacks I have been eating every day, but that's it. I am really proud of myself that I don't buy those frozen meals anymore. No Lean Cuisine for me! I do buy every couple of months during the winter Marie Callenders turkey pot pies, because its such a comfort food. But for weekly meals nary a frozen meal has been ate by this gal!

I get really heart happy when my youngest sailor messages me on my Athena cell asking "want to video chat"? I leave it up to him to connect with me because earlier in the hospital stay, I woke him up calling him. I felt bad about that, so told him connecting was when he wished to. I think he's kind of lonely there sometimes, so like last night I watched him eat dinner, I yacked, and he seemed happy with that. (I did give him the option of calling me after he ate, he's like no this is fine Mom).💖.

I have had to do a lot of self chats with myself of handling this situation. Lots of coming to terms with things, what my role is in my youngest sons journey etc. I have decided to be the rational, encouraging, positive, logical, truth telling Mom I can be. 💖🤗🙏

Rebecca Whidbey Wa

Machka - you are inspiration the way you continually go on adventures and try new things.

Heather - I don't know that I could go on a trip like you're making to Nottingham alone these days, though you are used to traveling on trains and using city transportation. I understand about the stamina - though when needed, we seem to draw it from somewhere. Thanks for taking us along on your journey. Glad G's passport reappeared.

Rita - wow, a lot of excitement with those injured hikers. Arrests…Critical condition…Wow! Enjoy your time away and rest up. Might be an exciting summer.

Carla - yes, Happy May Day. 😁

Lisa - I have a vacuum almost exactly like your new one, a few years older. After I let my old housecleaner go, I tried to keep up with vacuuming then luckily hired Collette. I remember her first day of cleaning she said she filled up the cannister twice. 😲 Probably some cat hair, my hair and plenty of ash/dirt from the woodstove.

Rebecca - love seeing your son's smiling face. He's in good hands for sure - crossing fingers his gut can get healed enough that it's easy for him to cope with this disease.

Looks like my fretting about leaving my place and missing a good mowing day visiting that art gallery is unwarranted. Weatherman has decided to give us plenty of days over the next week to get the yardwork done, so let it all grow. Besides, I'll hitch a ride back with T and we're going to stop at the feed store to load up on chicken feed. One of my favorite places, lol. And seeing P's drawings and other artwork might inspire me to do something creative that doesn't involve weed eating and chickens.

Lanette 😎

SW WA State

The evening went very well. Much easier than I thought. I did make my son cry, talking about my baby Kate. 😥 We had some sparkling wine at their lovely house, then walked out to their local micro brewery, then on to a tapas restaurant. I went back to theirs afterwards for a cup of tea, and then got an Uber back to the hotel. I'm sure he was pleased I had made the effort.

Conversation flowed well, but their life revolves around the brewery, where his partner works part time, and all of their friends go. They have an impressive array of friends. My social life is nearly all about the family, plus a few clubs. But we found a lot of things in common. I would count it a success.

Now winding down before bed.

LLove Heather UK xxxxxxxx