For the past few days I have been thinking about some things I want to do. These are things that will require nothing except an investment of my time. Some of my time will be spent on practicing floral arrangements and painting. First though, I need to dismantle Christmas at home and rearrange my possessions to make room for the new ones.
I'm older, don't move as fast as I used to and if I continue to spend so much time on the internet I won't get done all the things I want to get done.
At the hairdressers this past Friday, she asked me what kind of things do I do for myself. She believes that my new hair color should be considered something I'm treating myself to and I need to think about having it done again, when the time comes. One thing I know is that it's made my hair far more manageable than it ever has been and I like that. She also mentioned it makes me look younger, but that doesn't matter to me. I apparently don't have much of the Vanity genetics. However, pampering myself isn't necessarily vain. I just have no idea what I do feel is pampering myself.
I dislike being touched by strangers so I doubt massages or mani-pedis will be a thing with me. Maybe a Reiki session since that's a vibrational thing. I'd like to learn more about aromatherapy so I need to find out where I can seek assistance locally for that. I'd like to find a Tai Chi class for beginners sometime after it warms up. This cold spell is making a hibernating bear out of me. This cold is also drying my skin out so I'll be spending time with the moisturizers trying to cure the alligator that appears to have grafted itself onto my skin.
Something happened this Christmas that allowed me to connect in a joyful way with the spirit of the season. Yes, life is harsh and people are inhumane. I'm no Pollyanna when it comes to the real world, it's just that in the middle of chaos I connected with something positive and I liked it. Now that I know it's there, I feel the need to take time off the internet and nurture it.
I'm just going to keep trying new ideas until I see what works best for me.
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Friday, December 22, 2017
Sometimes The Best Gifts Are The Ones You Didn't Know You Wanted
The 4 neighbors to the right of me are her aunts and uncles on the maternal side of the family, we represent the paternal side. We knew nothing about this cat when she showed up at our door wanting to come in. They did and they weren't kind enough to tell us.
They knew she was abandoned, one of them caught her and took her to my niece's home where they felt she belonged. How she got back here is pure speculation but she arrived the first week we lived here. We thought she was a barn cat from across the street and so we ignored her. I feel guilty for that because she spent the first winter we lived here outside in the snow and cold without someone to love her..
From Thanksgiving 2016 to March 2017 we have no idea where she was, but we didn't see her. By the time we did see her again, my sister-in-law had called me to tell me about the cat and give me her name.
With the fact that we have 2 cats to start out with, we made the effort to find her a home. When we couldn't find anyone to take her we brought her into the house, had a visit with the vet to bring her and the others up to date on their shots. She's healthy and hasn't tried to leave the house since she came in. Even with the stress of being not very welcomed by the 2 neutered males that live here, she doesn't run out the door even when there is an opportunity to do so.
Our niece claimed the cat won't stay in the house. Our closest neighbor mentioned to my husband that it's too bad such a sweet cat won't stay in the house. All I know is that she came inside in October and despite the fact that our other cats eat her food, use her litter box, torment and bully her every chance they get, she shows no sign of leaving.
She shares my craft room and stays out of whatever I'm doing unless she wants attention. She's content to play with her toys, look out the window and snooze in my chair. When out in the house she likes the couch and the attentions of my husband. She seems happy to be here and although I never really wanted a multiple cat home, I'm happy to have her. She's a little sweetheart and she's ours.
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
I'll Get Right On That, Tomorrow
I have a habit of walking through my home a few times in the morning to limber up my joints. After doing that and grabbing a cup of coffee I sat down here and looked around. I realized that I just spent 5 or 10 minutes walking past things that need to be picked up and disposed of in the recycling container. For a minute here I thought that combining the two activities would be a great timesaver except, I'm retired and saving time isn't my priority. If I did both together I'd have more time to sit, which isn't as healthy for anyone as moving is.
While thinking about the upcoming Christmas Eve gathering with my family, I remembered a remark my Uncle made last year. He said I was stronger than my Mom was at the same age. There's no magic involved in that. I simply move more than she did.
Somehow she had the idea that because she was of a certain age, she didn't have the strength to accomplish the things she hated doing. She was lazy to start out with and aging gave her an excuse. Older equaled weaker. She'd whine about not being able to do things until she found the receptive ear attached to someone who would do it for her. When faced with something I don't really want to do, I look around and somehow there isn't anyone here to do it except me. I'd whine about life not being fair, however, I suspect that's why I'm healthier than she was. Without someone to con into doing it for me, I get to do it myself.
When it comes to lazy, I have my days. I just spend a day or two getting a grip on myself and then I get up and git er done. I do need to be doing more of the git er done and less of the lazy, which gives me a goal to work on in the new year.
Today I need to go grocery shopping, wrap the rest of the gifts and I probably should do some housekeeping since the maid appears to have quit. Maybe I'll do the housekeeping tomorrow since the other tasks I have planned involve enough movement for the day.
While thinking about the upcoming Christmas Eve gathering with my family, I remembered a remark my Uncle made last year. He said I was stronger than my Mom was at the same age. There's no magic involved in that. I simply move more than she did.
Somehow she had the idea that because she was of a certain age, she didn't have the strength to accomplish the things she hated doing. She was lazy to start out with and aging gave her an excuse. Older equaled weaker. She'd whine about not being able to do things until she found the receptive ear attached to someone who would do it for her. When faced with something I don't really want to do, I look around and somehow there isn't anyone here to do it except me. I'd whine about life not being fair, however, I suspect that's why I'm healthier than she was. Without someone to con into doing it for me, I get to do it myself.
When it comes to lazy, I have my days. I just spend a day or two getting a grip on myself and then I get up and git er done. I do need to be doing more of the git er done and less of the lazy, which gives me a goal to work on in the new year.
Today I need to go grocery shopping, wrap the rest of the gifts and I probably should do some housekeeping since the maid appears to have quit. Maybe I'll do the housekeeping tomorrow since the other tasks I have planned involve enough movement for the day.
Saturday, December 16, 2017
Christmas At My House
I created the wreath, garland and the floral arrangements on the divider shelf. I even made the bows. My friend of 20 plus years who always took care of whatever florals I wanted, sold her home and moved to the Asheville N. Carolina area. She has a sister and her family living there. She gave me some pieces to work on, some ribbons and flowers, but I used Dollar Tree items because I wanted to save the quality items she gave me until I learn what I'm doing and can make florals for gifts.
It may very well have been the loss of my friend to another state or a need to shake myself out of a rut, but on December 1, I had my hair dyed plum.
At first it was something I planned for Christmas and once it had faded away or whatever it does, I wasn't going to do it again. Well, as soon as I saw it I loved it and I'm going to keep it for awhile. The desire to do it came out of nowhere. I was looking at a Facebook post that showed different colors of purple that one could have their hair dyed. I saw the Plum and there it is.
My hair is resistant to perms so we aren't sure how long this will last. With that in mind I'm trying not to wash it more than once a week. The first wash nearly caused me a heart attack when the suds that rinsed off were plum colored. I thought it was all gone, but it wasn't. I'm just not willing to take any chances since I want it as vibrant a plum color for Christmas as I can have it.
When I get tired of this color, who knows? I just might try Teal. Then again, I might just let it return to it's normal salt and pepper state and let the memory of plum dancing in my hair put a smile on my face.
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Playing Favorites Is OK When It's Furbabies, Right?
There are 2 adults in this house and 2 cats. Until this past weekend this allowed both adults to have a lap full of fur whenever we kicked back to relax. Precious made it his life's work to follow my husband around the house like a shadow. Except, of course, at mealtimes. Then he would join Butterscotch in seeing how many ways they could trip me up in order to get the food down to their level quicker. Never works, but they do seem to enjoy trying.
Friday, Hubby was on the couch and I chose to join him in the living room in the recliner. As soon as I sat down, Precious jumped up into my lap and proceeded to make his furry self at home. Well, once Butterscotch got over the shock of seeing HIS lap get stolen out from under him, he saw the spot that Precious wasn't occupying and boosted himself up to claim it. In order to occupy that spot he had to sit his butt onto the chair arm but he didn't seem to care. Neither did I. It was during this lovefest on Friday night that I fully understood how much those cats own us. Neither one of us will disturb a sleeping cat unless we absolutely have to. A situation which forced my husband to get up and get his own snacks instead of asking me to do it. Poor baby.
Oddly, since Friday night and my acquisition of a fur lap blanket, both cats have attached themselves to me instead of dividing and giving us one of our own. This is leading to me not having just one but 2 cats accompanying me if I nap, or go to bed earlier than my husband. I now must cook with 2 cats underfoot and my days of having a chance at going to the bathroom without companionship are gone. With only one cat following me in there I stood a chance, once in awhile, of privacy.
Precious is enamored, for some reason, with moving water. He likes to sit on the dividing shelf while I do dishes and bob up and down trying to figure out why the faucet is running. In the bathroom it's the toilet flushing that he has to see. I'm not sure what happens when my husband attends to his need to urinate. Not sure I care to know since at almost 70 his aim ain't what it used to be. Not even going to think about that since Precious chooses to stand on his hind legs at the bowl to watch. All I know is he waits patiently until I stand and turn to face the flush lever when he's with me, which is now almost all the time. Butterscotch was never interested in that part. For him the important thing is petting.
Rather than being an annoyance to me, this is a new situation that makes me feel a little guilty. I am not bonded to Precious in the same way I am to Butterscotch. We only have the pleasure of his company because his prior human neglected him and he got sick. He wasn't going to do anything about it so we stepped in and took him to the vet. Precious spent much of his life locked out of the house in all kinds of weather. He was loaded with ticks and fleas, had tape worms and ear mites. The end result of the vet visit was that $700 was spent getting him well. Dave had agreed to pay it back a little at a time and then changed his mind. At that point I insisted on taking him. I made sure Dave notified the vet that he was giving him away to us and we will be caring for him.
I insisted that he become ours and yet I lack that warm fuzzy feeling for him that I have for Butterscotch. He's a good boy. Goofy, sweet and endearing when he's active. Loves to play and cuddle. Has manners and greets all our company as if they're his best friends. From the beginning he showed himself to be Daddy's Baby and I was happy with that. Selfishly I think. I didn't have to bother too much with him since he seemed to prefer the company of males. It appears that is changing and I guess I'm just going to have to see if I can change with it.
Friday, Hubby was on the couch and I chose to join him in the living room in the recliner. As soon as I sat down, Precious jumped up into my lap and proceeded to make his furry self at home. Well, once Butterscotch got over the shock of seeing HIS lap get stolen out from under him, he saw the spot that Precious wasn't occupying and boosted himself up to claim it. In order to occupy that spot he had to sit his butt onto the chair arm but he didn't seem to care. Neither did I. It was during this lovefest on Friday night that I fully understood how much those cats own us. Neither one of us will disturb a sleeping cat unless we absolutely have to. A situation which forced my husband to get up and get his own snacks instead of asking me to do it. Poor baby.
Oddly, since Friday night and my acquisition of a fur lap blanket, both cats have attached themselves to me instead of dividing and giving us one of our own. This is leading to me not having just one but 2 cats accompanying me if I nap, or go to bed earlier than my husband. I now must cook with 2 cats underfoot and my days of having a chance at going to the bathroom without companionship are gone. With only one cat following me in there I stood a chance, once in awhile, of privacy.
Precious is enamored, for some reason, with moving water. He likes to sit on the dividing shelf while I do dishes and bob up and down trying to figure out why the faucet is running. In the bathroom it's the toilet flushing that he has to see. I'm not sure what happens when my husband attends to his need to urinate. Not sure I care to know since at almost 70 his aim ain't what it used to be. Not even going to think about that since Precious chooses to stand on his hind legs at the bowl to watch. All I know is he waits patiently until I stand and turn to face the flush lever when he's with me, which is now almost all the time. Butterscotch was never interested in that part. For him the important thing is petting.
Rather than being an annoyance to me, this is a new situation that makes me feel a little guilty. I am not bonded to Precious in the same way I am to Butterscotch. We only have the pleasure of his company because his prior human neglected him and he got sick. He wasn't going to do anything about it so we stepped in and took him to the vet. Precious spent much of his life locked out of the house in all kinds of weather. He was loaded with ticks and fleas, had tape worms and ear mites. The end result of the vet visit was that $700 was spent getting him well. Dave had agreed to pay it back a little at a time and then changed his mind. At that point I insisted on taking him. I made sure Dave notified the vet that he was giving him away to us and we will be caring for him.
I insisted that he become ours and yet I lack that warm fuzzy feeling for him that I have for Butterscotch. He's a good boy. Goofy, sweet and endearing when he's active. Loves to play and cuddle. Has manners and greets all our company as if they're his best friends. From the beginning he showed himself to be Daddy's Baby and I was happy with that. Selfishly I think. I didn't have to bother too much with him since he seemed to prefer the company of males. It appears that is changing and I guess I'm just going to have to see if I can change with it.
Friday, March 24, 2017
Taking Care Of Myself
The internet steals my positive energy.
If I were the kind of person who is only interested in sharing recipes, pictures of grandchildren, my cats and other mundane stuff, it wouldn't be an issue. Unfortunately it is also my way of staying informed. Informed on what I haven't yet figured out, since everyone lies, but at least I'm informed about that.
Another thing I'm informed about is just how nasty people are when mine or anyone else's opinion doesn't agree with theirs. Heaven forbid if you supply them with facts that call into suggestion the veracity of their opinion. It can get really ugly then. If you can't refute the facts provided with a fact or two of your own, you must kill the messenger. Of course, you can't literally kill the messenger so you just malign the reputation of said messenger and then you brag about how you won. I'm apparently stupid since that tactic won't change the facts, but whatever floats their boats. I haven't yet lowered myself to asking if they're a special kind of stupid but I'm guilty of thinking it.
After realizing that some of the programs used by seniors to stay comfortable in their own homes will be given some fairly harsh cuts in funding and being unable to make certain older Americans understand they're screwing themselves with their support of this impending budget, I quit speaking to them. I'm in hiding, in the real world where my cats can replenish my supply of positive energy. It's a good thing they do that since it helps me figure out what I'm going to be able to do in my old age.
We had figured out that once my husband decides to quit working that we might need to apply for some assistance from HEAP to pay our heating fuel bills in winter. That's being cut entirely in this budget. Along with Weatherization and Community Block Grants which help provide assistance to seniors and disabled veterans so they can live independently in their own homes.
I also figured out that should something happen to my husband I might need HEAP and food stamps to stay in my own home. I live a ways out in the country so I will have to have transportation and that might be an issue, but the bills on the home should be paid without HEAP on my income.
It appears that my Uncle's estate is on the verge of settlement finally. The check I am getting isn't as large as it would have been since we chose not to fight my Uncle's step-children's claim. I'm going to lose $2000 from it as will my surviving Uncle but my share will be placed in a money market fund and added to as much as I can while both my husband and I are in good shape health wise. That should provide a bit of a cushion should the necessary programs be cut off entirely.
I can only do so much, but at least I'm doing something so I can meet my own needs with a minimum of trouble. I just can't help but feel sorry for those who, for one reason or another, can't find a way to help themselves, either because they're too ill and have lived for so long on next to nothing.
If I were the kind of person who is only interested in sharing recipes, pictures of grandchildren, my cats and other mundane stuff, it wouldn't be an issue. Unfortunately it is also my way of staying informed. Informed on what I haven't yet figured out, since everyone lies, but at least I'm informed about that.
Another thing I'm informed about is just how nasty people are when mine or anyone else's opinion doesn't agree with theirs. Heaven forbid if you supply them with facts that call into suggestion the veracity of their opinion. It can get really ugly then. If you can't refute the facts provided with a fact or two of your own, you must kill the messenger. Of course, you can't literally kill the messenger so you just malign the reputation of said messenger and then you brag about how you won. I'm apparently stupid since that tactic won't change the facts, but whatever floats their boats. I haven't yet lowered myself to asking if they're a special kind of stupid but I'm guilty of thinking it.
After realizing that some of the programs used by seniors to stay comfortable in their own homes will be given some fairly harsh cuts in funding and being unable to make certain older Americans understand they're screwing themselves with their support of this impending budget, I quit speaking to them. I'm in hiding, in the real world where my cats can replenish my supply of positive energy. It's a good thing they do that since it helps me figure out what I'm going to be able to do in my old age.
We had figured out that once my husband decides to quit working that we might need to apply for some assistance from HEAP to pay our heating fuel bills in winter. That's being cut entirely in this budget. Along with Weatherization and Community Block Grants which help provide assistance to seniors and disabled veterans so they can live independently in their own homes.
I also figured out that should something happen to my husband I might need HEAP and food stamps to stay in my own home. I live a ways out in the country so I will have to have transportation and that might be an issue, but the bills on the home should be paid without HEAP on my income.
It appears that my Uncle's estate is on the verge of settlement finally. The check I am getting isn't as large as it would have been since we chose not to fight my Uncle's step-children's claim. I'm going to lose $2000 from it as will my surviving Uncle but my share will be placed in a money market fund and added to as much as I can while both my husband and I are in good shape health wise. That should provide a bit of a cushion should the necessary programs be cut off entirely.
I can only do so much, but at least I'm doing something so I can meet my own needs with a minimum of trouble. I just can't help but feel sorry for those who, for one reason or another, can't find a way to help themselves, either because they're too ill and have lived for so long on next to nothing.
Monday, March 13, 2017
Monday Musings About Storms
Someone said to me last night that "this country will survive Trump because he's not a king". I'm thinking someone forgot to send that memo to Trump. I'd laugh but there's too much at stake. There's a part of me that thinks those who voted for him deserve the reality check of actually having to live with the consequences. On the other hand, those who will be hurt by the changes don't deserve what I think will happen. I simply do not understand how people can blame their struggles on those with lower income than they have when the income inequality gap is so wide and under Trump will widen more. I don't understand people and I don't think I ever will.
We had a few warmer days up here in the frozen North and many people started their Spring cleaning. I haven't and don't plan on doing so for at least 2 more weeks. I see no reason to expend that much effort to thoroughly clean when the weather isn't conducive to open windows and Spring breezes. I fail to grasp how one can open windows in the midst of a 2 day Nor'easter. I live where it isn't at all unusual to have a snowfall on Mother's Day which is close to the middle of May. Cleaning will be done by Easter and maybe it will be nice enough to actually open windows then. However, with a Nor'easter on it's way here, this week would not lend itself to open windows. Spring cleaning will have to wait until closer to actual Spring.
While making sure we had what we needed in case of a power outage during this upcoming storm, we've discovered that we can't find Hubby's Coleman propane lantern. We do have those headlight type flashlights but not one that can be held in our hands. The storm is going to start tonight and it's predicted to bring some very heavy snowfall. Today I will round up some containers in which to keep water for flushing the toilet. I can sit them in the bathtubs in both bathrooms although we'll probably only use the master bath since it's in the part of our home that will benefit some from the propane heater. Without power I have no running water since we have a well with an electric pump.
I have 3 large blankets plus the down comforter which works so beautifully to keep us warm at night. I have sandwich makings, milk and cereal so we won't go hungry and plenty of water in gallon jugs in the kitchen. Without power I will have no way of cooking anything hot since my stove is electric but we won't starve or dehydrate. Should the power be out for a few days we might have a frozen pipe issue but there are steps we can take to minimize that. I have never experienced a power outage here for more than a few hours at any time. However it's best to be prepared for one just in case. Especially since we now live where we are responsible for maintaining our water and sewer systems.
The weather report is saying we should get somewhere between a foot and 20 inches of snow Tuesday and Wednesday. That's a normal snowfall total for this region so I feel comfortable that life this week will go on as it normally does. I planned on staying home until Friday this week so a couple of days of snowfall won't force me to change any plans. I love retired life.
We had a few warmer days up here in the frozen North and many people started their Spring cleaning. I haven't and don't plan on doing so for at least 2 more weeks. I see no reason to expend that much effort to thoroughly clean when the weather isn't conducive to open windows and Spring breezes. I fail to grasp how one can open windows in the midst of a 2 day Nor'easter. I live where it isn't at all unusual to have a snowfall on Mother's Day which is close to the middle of May. Cleaning will be done by Easter and maybe it will be nice enough to actually open windows then. However, with a Nor'easter on it's way here, this week would not lend itself to open windows. Spring cleaning will have to wait until closer to actual Spring.
While making sure we had what we needed in case of a power outage during this upcoming storm, we've discovered that we can't find Hubby's Coleman propane lantern. We do have those headlight type flashlights but not one that can be held in our hands. The storm is going to start tonight and it's predicted to bring some very heavy snowfall. Today I will round up some containers in which to keep water for flushing the toilet. I can sit them in the bathtubs in both bathrooms although we'll probably only use the master bath since it's in the part of our home that will benefit some from the propane heater. Without power I have no running water since we have a well with an electric pump.
I have 3 large blankets plus the down comforter which works so beautifully to keep us warm at night. I have sandwich makings, milk and cereal so we won't go hungry and plenty of water in gallon jugs in the kitchen. Without power I will have no way of cooking anything hot since my stove is electric but we won't starve or dehydrate. Should the power be out for a few days we might have a frozen pipe issue but there are steps we can take to minimize that. I have never experienced a power outage here for more than a few hours at any time. However it's best to be prepared for one just in case. Especially since we now live where we are responsible for maintaining our water and sewer systems.
The weather report is saying we should get somewhere between a foot and 20 inches of snow Tuesday and Wednesday. That's a normal snowfall total for this region so I feel comfortable that life this week will go on as it normally does. I planned on staying home until Friday this week so a couple of days of snowfall won't force me to change any plans. I love retired life.
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