I knew when Harry retired late last Fall that things would change for me - that we'd spend a lot more time together - but I had no idea.
I used to spend a lot of time alone because for the last couple of years that he worked, he worked sixty hours a week. I felt bad for him and I wished he were home a lot more but being alone didn't really bother me. I'm an independent soul for sure.
We now stay up too late together and get up too late in the morning
together. We watch all our favorite and not so favorite TV shows
together and talk, walk, and eat together. We even have matching black Columbia jackets that we sometimes wear together. (No one reading this would probably know this but back in the day they would have been called steady jackets. Couples that were dating exclusively were 'going steady' and might have 'matching' steady shirts, sweaters, or even jackets.)
Anyway, today I think we reached the ultimate in togetherness. We wore our matching Columbias (coincidentally) to our joint cardiology appointment. It only made sense since we both needed to see a new Cardiologist (ours recently passed away suddenly - and yes it was his heart) for the new Cardiology receptionist to give us back to back appointments.
What was really weird to me though was that we were escorted to the same examining room at the same time and we had ...... a joint appointment. I got to listen and observe while the doctor ministered to Harry and he could have done the same for me - except he needed to go smoke a cigarette.
But it was really interesting. And here was a new doctor that I really liked. As I've always suspected, no doctor knows everything and all doctors can be mistaken. I always thought our ex-Cardiologist kept Harry's blood pressure too low. Turns out I was right!
In addition, one of the medications that he was taking was a mega dose that's very seldom prescribed. The doctor said he was surprised it wasn't making him really tired. This helped explain how a man who routinely sleeps 'til about noon, can need a nap two or three hours later.
This new doctor also validated my complaints about some medications that I took briefly. The interesting thing was that I'd had a variety of side effects but I didn't connect any of them with the medication. It was just during an internet search when I saw a list of possible side effects that I realized they were connected. Had I not looked, I would not have reported them and I shudder to think of where that would have taken me.
Another thing I liked about him was that he didn't criticize the large amounts of Melaleuca supplements that I've recently started taking and that seem to be making me feel awesome AND he took the time to look over the Heart Healthy supplements that I want to take and he saw no harm in them either.
Well, I've rambled on long enough and strayed from my initial togetherness subject. I'll just wrap up by saying this togetherness thing is pretty nice so far and that our joint appointment was just one more new adventure in this journey called retirement.
What an interesting ride it's turning out to be.
Showing posts with label Retirement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Retirement. Show all posts
Friday, March 22, 2013
Friday, November 2, 2012
Happy Retirement, Harry!
Wednesday was a big and important day in my life but it was even bigger and much more important in Mr. Right's life. I won't lie. I've convinced myself that I'm as excited or maybe even more so than he is. I don't know maybe it's a tie.
Here's where the story started. Forty-five years ago, in the middle of a beautiful Spring, we met and fell in love. I always think Johnny Rivers' lyrics 'all summer long we spent dancing in the sand' were written for us. We may not have danced in the sand to all the Beatle songs we learned and loved that summer but we spent the summer lost in love.
Somehow we both managed to hold down jobs despite our big distractions. I worked in Chicago where I spent my downtime writing love poems and he worked on the South Shore Railroad. That was great because he got free train rides and I had a monthly pass because the South Shore was my mode of commute. So we went to Cubs games and drank beer and rode the train. It was a wonderful summer but looming over us was the draft. Harry had dropped out of college so he was vulnerable.
We managed to avoid the topic as much as possible and he finally signed up for a deferred enlistment in the Air Force. Our plan was to get married in December and then in the Spring he'd join the Air Force and 'dI follow him.
Then two significant things happened. He gave his notice at the South Shore and immediately got a job at Midwest Steel where he'd worked two previous summers and the Draft Board called him in. He was ordered to report to the Army on November 1st; next stop Viet Nam. But since he'd signed up for a deferred enlistment in the Air Force he was able to enlist in the Air Force on October 31st. Whew! Talk about dodging a bullet - literally.
So he headed for Lackland Air Force Base in Texas for basic training and then Tech School at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver where I joined him in March - but those are all stories for another time.
He had only worked for Midwest Steel a little over a month when he got the draft notice and the law required that jobs be held for our young men called to service. And four years later, he returned to Midwest without a break in time of service.
He's been there ever since. About four years into swing shifts, we'd both had enough of them and when an apprenticeship program opened up in the Utilities Department he applied for it and got it. He's been an Instrument Man ever since. Here he is at the bench where he spent much of the next 35 plus years.
And here he is with his cake, his young Supervisor, and some parting gifts.
And here's that old familiar bench decorated with celebratory balloons and a lunch box that served him for almost 40 years with only occasional handle repairs.
And then at the end of his last day I watched him head for the gate accompanied by the men from his shop - even the ones whe were working on into the evening accompanied him to the gate for the last time.
After maneuvering those balloons through the security gate,
that happy man tucked his security badge in his pocket for probably the 9,000th and last time.
After a few final, fond good-byes, we headed to Beth's house, where his kids had prepared a special retirement surprise for him.
He enjoyed a huge gift basket stuffed with golf and Cub amenities, golf gift certificates, restaurant gift cards, lottery scratch offs, and best of all pictures drawn by his grandchildren and great grandchildren depicting Grandpa in retirement and wishing him the best.
He thought we were stopping at Beth's to see the kids' costumes. We definitely caught him by surpise. Here he is next to Beth's message board complete with her artwork and stick figure. (He's always loved Beth's stick figure cartoons.)
Finally we posed for a last picture on this special day. Later we went out for a nice dinner and right now we're heading out of town for a few days.
In conclusion, I'd first want to wish him the finest retirement possible. And then I'd like to wish that every person that reads this (who isn't already retired) gets to experience this exhilarating time in their lives.
Oh! What a feeling!
Here's where the story started. Forty-five years ago, in the middle of a beautiful Spring, we met and fell in love. I always think Johnny Rivers' lyrics 'all summer long we spent dancing in the sand' were written for us. We may not have danced in the sand to all the Beatle songs we learned and loved that summer but we spent the summer lost in love.
Somehow we both managed to hold down jobs despite our big distractions. I worked in Chicago where I spent my downtime writing love poems and he worked on the South Shore Railroad. That was great because he got free train rides and I had a monthly pass because the South Shore was my mode of commute. So we went to Cubs games and drank beer and rode the train. It was a wonderful summer but looming over us was the draft. Harry had dropped out of college so he was vulnerable.
We managed to avoid the topic as much as possible and he finally signed up for a deferred enlistment in the Air Force. Our plan was to get married in December and then in the Spring he'd join the Air Force and 'dI follow him.
Then two significant things happened. He gave his notice at the South Shore and immediately got a job at Midwest Steel where he'd worked two previous summers and the Draft Board called him in. He was ordered to report to the Army on November 1st; next stop Viet Nam. But since he'd signed up for a deferred enlistment in the Air Force he was able to enlist in the Air Force on October 31st. Whew! Talk about dodging a bullet - literally.
So he headed for Lackland Air Force Base in Texas for basic training and then Tech School at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver where I joined him in March - but those are all stories for another time.
He had only worked for Midwest Steel a little over a month when he got the draft notice and the law required that jobs be held for our young men called to service. And four years later, he returned to Midwest without a break in time of service.
He's been there ever since. About four years into swing shifts, we'd both had enough of them and when an apprenticeship program opened up in the Utilities Department he applied for it and got it. He's been an Instrument Man ever since. Here he is at the bench where he spent much of the next 35 plus years.
And here he is with his cake, his young Supervisor, and some parting gifts.
And here's that old familiar bench decorated with celebratory balloons and a lunch box that served him for almost 40 years with only occasional handle repairs.
And then at the end of his last day I watched him head for the gate accompanied by the men from his shop - even the ones whe were working on into the evening accompanied him to the gate for the last time.
After maneuvering those balloons through the security gate,
that happy man tucked his security badge in his pocket for probably the 9,000th and last time.
After a few final, fond good-byes, we headed to Beth's house, where his kids had prepared a special retirement surprise for him.
He enjoyed a huge gift basket stuffed with golf and Cub amenities, golf gift certificates, restaurant gift cards, lottery scratch offs, and best of all pictures drawn by his grandchildren and great grandchildren depicting Grandpa in retirement and wishing him the best.
He thought we were stopping at Beth's to see the kids' costumes. We definitely caught him by surpise. Here he is next to Beth's message board complete with her artwork and stick figure. (He's always loved Beth's stick figure cartoons.)
Finally we posed for a last picture on this special day. Later we went out for a nice dinner and right now we're heading out of town for a few days.
In conclusion, I'd first want to wish him the finest retirement possible. And then I'd like to wish that every person that reads this (who isn't already retired) gets to experience this exhilarating time in their lives.
Oh! What a feeling!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Happy Birthday, Harry
Today I'm happier than ever that I'm retired and this post isn't about me at all. But the fact is that if I weren't retired, I couldn't pamper him and I wouldn't have presents for him, and his birthday would pass almost just like any other day because I would have been working and then so exhausted because of the weather and the season that when I got home, I would have been too tired to celebrate something so important to me.
Instead, this year he woke up to this. Then I made his all-time favorite breakfast. Then (and this is unheard of) he got a nap.
Him: I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open.
Me: It's your birthday. Take a nap.
Him: I'd still be tired if it weren't my birthday.
Me: Yes, but after sleeping 'til eleven and only being up for two hours, you'd never get away with a nap if it weren't your birthday.
See? Pampered he is!
It all started 64 years ago. I know his mom was hoping he'd be born before Christmas and I think he was late. I know she had an OB appointment that day and had to take the bus to get there and back. And I think she'd just gotten home when she URGENTLY had to go back. They got there in time but without a moment to spare. And that's probably the most he's ever imposed on anybody in his whole life.
This is a good time to say thank you to his late mother and father. They raised a boy who turned into a beautiful, gentle, kind, and considerate man. And I was the lucky girl who stole him from them. Notice in the next picture that he's already helping me with everyday tasks.
Here we are in New Mexico expecting our first child.
As in every marriage, we've had our ups and downs. Years ago he borrowed a phrase from Steve Martin, "life is a roller coaster" and he's gently gotten us through some of our hardest times by reminding me that it's true. And, lucky him, he hasn't changed much over the years. This picture could have been taken 30 years ago or last year. If the date weren't on it, anyone would have a very hard time figuring out when it was taken.
And this picture shows him with a brand new grandchild. It doesn't matter which one it is because he had the same love and affection on his face with every one (even his great-grandchildren).
I have to include this representation because he does love his golf so much and he never loves it more than when he's with his favorite golf partners, his sons (and sometimes maybe a grandson).
We've done a lot of traveling over the years and always try to get a picture at one of the rest stops. He's a great traveler and one of the safest drivers you will ever know. I often thank God for that, especially when we're traveling in dicey conditions, and I think we've done them all: wind, torrential rain, blizzards, and glaze ice.
I have to include this one because it shows what a good sport he is. He has an amazing sense of humor and usually delivers his one liners in a quiet, understated way but he sure can make me laugh. And his letting me take this picture shows that he's not afraid to laugh at himself either.
I'm including this picture to show that he's selfless and helpful. The pond is kind of my baby but that doesn't mean he leaves it to me. He's great about helping with all the dirty work of cleaning and all the fish husbandry that goes with it.
Does it seem like this post is about a lot of people - his parents who did such a great job raising him, his children and grandchildren that he loves so much, and lucky me who gets to have been married to him for 42 years? That's because we're all part of his life and part of his birthday because he's so very, very loved and important to us.
So, yes, I'm saying Happy Birthday, Harry. But I'm also saying thank you for being such a blessing to this large, happy family that you've loved and cared for, for so many years.
Here's hoping for many, many more!
Instead, this year he woke up to this. Then I made his all-time favorite breakfast. Then (and this is unheard of) he got a nap.
Him: I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open.Me: It's your birthday. Take a nap.
Him: I'd still be tired if it weren't my birthday.
Me: Yes, but after sleeping 'til eleven and only being up for two hours, you'd never get away with a nap if it weren't your birthday.
See? Pampered he is!
It all started 64 years ago. I know his mom was hoping he'd be born before Christmas and I think he was late. I know she had an OB appointment that day and had to take the bus to get there and back. And I think she'd just gotten home when she URGENTLY had to go back. They got there in time but without a moment to spare. And that's probably the most he's ever imposed on anybody in his whole life.
This is a good time to say thank you to his late mother and father. They raised a boy who turned into a beautiful, gentle, kind, and considerate man. And I was the lucky girl who stole him from them. Notice in the next picture that he's already helping me with everyday tasks.
Here we are in New Mexico expecting our first child.
As in every marriage, we've had our ups and downs. Years ago he borrowed a phrase from Steve Martin, "life is a roller coaster" and he's gently gotten us through some of our hardest times by reminding me that it's true. And, lucky him, he hasn't changed much over the years. This picture could have been taken 30 years ago or last year. If the date weren't on it, anyone would have a very hard time figuring out when it was taken.
And this picture shows him with a brand new grandchild. It doesn't matter which one it is because he had the same love and affection on his face with every one (even his great-grandchildren).
I have to include this representation because he does love his golf so much and he never loves it more than when he's with his favorite golf partners, his sons (and sometimes maybe a grandson).
We've done a lot of traveling over the years and always try to get a picture at one of the rest stops. He's a great traveler and one of the safest drivers you will ever know. I often thank God for that, especially when we're traveling in dicey conditions, and I think we've done them all: wind, torrential rain, blizzards, and glaze ice.
I have to include this one because it shows what a good sport he is. He has an amazing sense of humor and usually delivers his one liners in a quiet, understated way but he sure can make me laugh. And his letting me take this picture shows that he's not afraid to laugh at himself either.
I'm including this picture to show that he's selfless and helpful. The pond is kind of my baby but that doesn't mean he leaves it to me. He's great about helping with all the dirty work of cleaning and all the fish husbandry that goes with it.
Does it seem like this post is about a lot of people - his parents who did such a great job raising him, his children and grandchildren that he loves so much, and lucky me who gets to have been married to him for 42 years? That's because we're all part of his life and part of his birthday because he's so very, very loved and important to us.So, yes, I'm saying Happy Birthday, Harry. But I'm also saying thank you for being such a blessing to this large, happy family that you've loved and cared for, for so many years.
Here's hoping for many, many more!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Catching Up - Two Weeks Ago
Two weeks ago I took advantage of my retirement AGAIN by driving to Louisville KY. My mission was to spend Saturday evening babysitting for three wonderful grandchildren while my daughter, Sarah, and her husband attended an eighties party.
Now, is there any distance that anyone would hesitate to travel to spend some time with these wonderful, beautiful children?
You can see how beautiful they are but would you believe they're just as good and sweet as they are beautiful!
How lucky is it that I have the freedom to drop everything, jump into a car that I love, and go wherever I want. I have to credit that freedom to two things: Retirement because when I worked, my schedule included most Saturdays and it was next to impossible to ever get one off. And my husband, who's very fine with me doing the things that he knows I love to do.
I had another impetus for going besides the babysitting too. One evening prior to that weekend Sarah called and asked me if I knew who Frankie Valli was. I said, sure - Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Then she told me that she had two great tickets for his concert in Louisville Sunday night and since, Mr. Right had to work early on Monday, she would go with me if I wanted to go. Wow! Seeing Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and spending an evening with my daughter! Does it get any better that that?
So I headed for Louisville and got there in time to distract the kids a little while their parents prepared to step back a few decades and become teenagers of the eighties. I think they did a good job too. What do you think?
They went to their party, had a great time, and I spent the night in their guest room in their finished basement. In the morning, I had the space to myself to Shred and that afternoon Sarah, Trey, and I took a very pleasant 3 mile walk so I was able to keep up with my Shrinkvivor Disciplines.
Sunday evening while Sarah and I got ready for the concert, Mike took the kids to the store for some groceries. Right after they returned, Sarah came downstairs and told me she didn't think we'd be able to go. This beautiful girl had a problem.
When they were at the store, Mike noticed that there was something wrong with her eye and when I saw it, I was a little shaken. It was something I'd never seen before. It looked like the tissue from beneath her eyelid was bulging out into a bubble in the corner of her eye.
Sarah called her pediatrician who researched it and couldn't find anything and suggested it could wait until Monday. Sarah paused for maybe a heartbeat before she and Mike decided she should go to a Pediatric Urgent Care Center. We weren't there very long before I realized how fortunate it was that she and Mike made that decision because that small bubble was growing. Before the evening was over it covered the entire corner of her eye right up to the iris. And the most alarming thing was that personnel from the Pediatric Urgent Care Center were so amazed by what they saw. No one had ever seen anything like it and one person came in with no other purpose than to see what everyone was talking about! There's nothing reassuring about that kind of reaction from professionals who you like to believe have seen everything.
They consulted with an Ophthalmologist who HAD heard of such a thing and prescribed an antibiotic ointment. We went home relieved that someone seemed to know something about this condition and finally, went to bed. Thoughts of Frankie Valli were far behind.
Especially since the next morning, when we got up, Mary's eye looked so normal that if you weren't aware that there had been a problem you wouldn't notice anything.
She saw the Ophthalmologist the next day and he diagnosed a chalazion which is an inflamed gland at the rim of the eyelids which is responsible for the supply of the oily substance that prevents evaporation of the eye's tear film. There are approximately 50 glands on the upper eyelids and 25 glands on the lower eyelids and one of Mary's had become inflamed and swelled so much that the lining of her eyelid really did bulge out into the corner of her eye.
The only important thing was the miracle we witnessed that morning when Mary got up. Our fervent prayers were answered and that was all that mattered.
But later I mused about the sequence of events that kept anyone from using those concert tickets. They were originally purchased by Mike's parents who were unable to use them due to a death in the family. There's no doubt in my mind that there was a reason why those tickets weren't to be used. I'm sure we'll never know what it was but, in my heart of hearts, I know there was a reason.
And I'm good with that. I'm one of those people who believe that things happen for a reason and I don't have to know what it is. I just know that it was the way it had to be and there's a lot of peace in that.
And who knows? Maybe Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons will come to Chicago and Mr. Right and I can go. Even if he says he's not that keen on them, he could still go and I could just tell him there's a reason for everything. Maybe he'd even become a fan after all these years and quit groaning every time one of their songs comes on the CD player in the car.
Now, is there any distance that anyone would hesitate to travel to spend some time with these wonderful, beautiful children?
You can see how beautiful they are but would you believe they're just as good and sweet as they are beautiful!How lucky is it that I have the freedom to drop everything, jump into a car that I love, and go wherever I want. I have to credit that freedom to two things: Retirement because when I worked, my schedule included most Saturdays and it was next to impossible to ever get one off. And my husband, who's very fine with me doing the things that he knows I love to do.
I had another impetus for going besides the babysitting too. One evening prior to that weekend Sarah called and asked me if I knew who Frankie Valli was. I said, sure - Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Then she told me that she had two great tickets for his concert in Louisville Sunday night and since, Mr. Right had to work early on Monday, she would go with me if I wanted to go. Wow! Seeing Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and spending an evening with my daughter! Does it get any better that that?
So I headed for Louisville and got there in time to distract the kids a little while their parents prepared to step back a few decades and become teenagers of the eighties. I think they did a good job too. What do you think?
They went to their party, had a great time, and I spent the night in their guest room in their finished basement. In the morning, I had the space to myself to Shred and that afternoon Sarah, Trey, and I took a very pleasant 3 mile walk so I was able to keep up with my Shrinkvivor Disciplines.
Sunday evening while Sarah and I got ready for the concert, Mike took the kids to the store for some groceries. Right after they returned, Sarah came downstairs and told me she didn't think we'd be able to go. This beautiful girl had a problem.
When they were at the store, Mike noticed that there was something wrong with her eye and when I saw it, I was a little shaken. It was something I'd never seen before. It looked like the tissue from beneath her eyelid was bulging out into a bubble in the corner of her eye.Sarah called her pediatrician who researched it and couldn't find anything and suggested it could wait until Monday. Sarah paused for maybe a heartbeat before she and Mike decided she should go to a Pediatric Urgent Care Center. We weren't there very long before I realized how fortunate it was that she and Mike made that decision because that small bubble was growing. Before the evening was over it covered the entire corner of her eye right up to the iris. And the most alarming thing was that personnel from the Pediatric Urgent Care Center were so amazed by what they saw. No one had ever seen anything like it and one person came in with no other purpose than to see what everyone was talking about! There's nothing reassuring about that kind of reaction from professionals who you like to believe have seen everything.
They consulted with an Ophthalmologist who HAD heard of such a thing and prescribed an antibiotic ointment. We went home relieved that someone seemed to know something about this condition and finally, went to bed. Thoughts of Frankie Valli were far behind.
Especially since the next morning, when we got up, Mary's eye looked so normal that if you weren't aware that there had been a problem you wouldn't notice anything.
She saw the Ophthalmologist the next day and he diagnosed a chalazion which is an inflamed gland at the rim of the eyelids which is responsible for the supply of the oily substance that prevents evaporation of the eye's tear film. There are approximately 50 glands on the upper eyelids and 25 glands on the lower eyelids and one of Mary's had become inflamed and swelled so much that the lining of her eyelid really did bulge out into the corner of her eye.The only important thing was the miracle we witnessed that morning when Mary got up. Our fervent prayers were answered and that was all that mattered.
But later I mused about the sequence of events that kept anyone from using those concert tickets. They were originally purchased by Mike's parents who were unable to use them due to a death in the family. There's no doubt in my mind that there was a reason why those tickets weren't to be used. I'm sure we'll never know what it was but, in my heart of hearts, I know there was a reason.
And I'm good with that. I'm one of those people who believe that things happen for a reason and I don't have to know what it is. I just know that it was the way it had to be and there's a lot of peace in that.
And who knows? Maybe Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons will come to Chicago and Mr. Right and I can go. Even if he says he's not that keen on them, he could still go and I could just tell him there's a reason for everything. Maybe he'd even become a fan after all these years and quit groaning every time one of their songs comes on the CD player in the car.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Versatile Blogger Award
Thank you Nancy for sending me this Versatile Blogger Award. I really enjoyed reading the post you wrote when you received it and, based on that, I thought to participate. What I didn't think about was that it might be difficult to think of 7 interesting things to write about myself. Then I remembered, you never said they had to be interesting so here goes:
1. When our first daughter, Lori, was born back in 1969, the doctor didn't recommend using plastic pants (disposable diapers didn't exist as far we knew) for at least three months. So every time our baby wet her diaper, it required a complete change of clothes. And we didn't think anything of it.
2. I'm retired and love it more than words can say. I was very unhappy in my job and I firmly believe that life shouldn't be lived unhappily. Now, though, I'm challenged to enjoy this retirement to the fullest because, guess what, there aren't enough hours in the day. I'm still working on sorting all this out - doing the things I love to do, doing the things I need to do, and doing the things that I just want to get done. It's a process but I think I'm making progress.
3. When my sister, Laurel, and I drove our brother back to Ft. Leonard Wood after a weekend leave from the National Guard back in the spring of 1966, we arrived so late in the day that we had to spend the night in a motel. It was located right on the cloverleaf that would take us back to Indiana so we didn't need to look at a map to find our way home. We drove all day and had a great time. The muffler went out on the VW so we bought some white shoe polish, painted a huge mouse on the side of the car and the words 'the mouse that roared', and laughed and laughed. We saw signs that said Springfield so we knew we were headed in the right direction and since we didn't have to worry about changing highways until we got near Chicago, we just kept on going. About the time we were wondering why we weren't seeing signs of Chicago, the engine blew on our little 'mouse that roared'. A couple of helpful motorists, a truck driver and a local resident, stopped to help us. They looked at our license plate and asked where we were headed. We said, "Home, to Indiana". They said, "You're eight miles from the Oklahoma border". Laurel and I looked at each other and, you guessed it, laughed until we couldn't breathe. We had driven all day - the wrong way. And the Springfield signs we had seen were not for Springfield, Illinois like we thought. They were for Springfield, Missouri. How we got home will be a subject for a future post.
4. I'm a koi pond enthusiast. I love my big fish and my tranquil ponds. What I don't love is cleaning the ponds and this spring the cleaning of the big pond is doubly challenging because we're completely re-working it. Some of the rocks that Mr. Right and I are moving were put in place with a tractor so it's a big job but we're finally making some progress. I'll be posting pictures of the finished project if and when we ever get it done.
5. When I was 18, I bought a red '64 Volkswagon Beatle that I loved. My friends and I went out almost every night meeting people we already knew and people we didn't know and having the time of our lives.
6. I used to smoke 3 packs (or more) of cigarettes a day and NOBODY thought that I, of all people, would ever be able to quit; but one day (and I remember exactly where I was when it happened) a thought came into my head that I believed in my heart, "If you don't quit smoking, you will never see your grandchildren". And finally something was powerful enough to make me quit.
7. Lynn, Betty, Rosanne, and Laurel are four very special women that I've known most of my life. Some I seldom see, some I never see but they will always be close to me in my heart. Each one has profoundly affected my life in some way and I'll always love them for it.
That's it and it was a lot of fun re-visiting these amazing times for me. Thank you again, Nancy, for the opportunity.
Now, I'll address the next prerequisite of the award - passing it on to other bloggers. Since Nancy sent it to me and Rhonda, they're both out so I'll send it to Beth. She started me on this blogging journey and I'm very grateful to her for that. The second goes to Mendie. I don't personally know her but, despite the disparity in our ages, I feel like we have a lot in common. The third and fourth go to Toadmama and Imadramamama both of whom I've recently discovered and very much enjoy following.
I hope we're allowed to pass it to four people because I'd really enjoy hearing what each one has to say!
1. When our first daughter, Lori, was born back in 1969, the doctor didn't recommend using plastic pants (disposable diapers didn't exist as far we knew) for at least three months. So every time our baby wet her diaper, it required a complete change of clothes. And we didn't think anything of it.
2. I'm retired and love it more than words can say. I was very unhappy in my job and I firmly believe that life shouldn't be lived unhappily. Now, though, I'm challenged to enjoy this retirement to the fullest because, guess what, there aren't enough hours in the day. I'm still working on sorting all this out - doing the things I love to do, doing the things I need to do, and doing the things that I just want to get done. It's a process but I think I'm making progress.
3. When my sister, Laurel, and I drove our brother back to Ft. Leonard Wood after a weekend leave from the National Guard back in the spring of 1966, we arrived so late in the day that we had to spend the night in a motel. It was located right on the cloverleaf that would take us back to Indiana so we didn't need to look at a map to find our way home. We drove all day and had a great time. The muffler went out on the VW so we bought some white shoe polish, painted a huge mouse on the side of the car and the words 'the mouse that roared', and laughed and laughed. We saw signs that said Springfield so we knew we were headed in the right direction and since we didn't have to worry about changing highways until we got near Chicago, we just kept on going. About the time we were wondering why we weren't seeing signs of Chicago, the engine blew on our little 'mouse that roared'. A couple of helpful motorists, a truck driver and a local resident, stopped to help us. They looked at our license plate and asked where we were headed. We said, "Home, to Indiana". They said, "You're eight miles from the Oklahoma border". Laurel and I looked at each other and, you guessed it, laughed until we couldn't breathe. We had driven all day - the wrong way. And the Springfield signs we had seen were not for Springfield, Illinois like we thought. They were for Springfield, Missouri. How we got home will be a subject for a future post.
4. I'm a koi pond enthusiast. I love my big fish and my tranquil ponds. What I don't love is cleaning the ponds and this spring the cleaning of the big pond is doubly challenging because we're completely re-working it. Some of the rocks that Mr. Right and I are moving were put in place with a tractor so it's a big job but we're finally making some progress. I'll be posting pictures of the finished project if and when we ever get it done.
5. When I was 18, I bought a red '64 Volkswagon Beatle that I loved. My friends and I went out almost every night meeting people we already knew and people we didn't know and having the time of our lives.
6. I used to smoke 3 packs (or more) of cigarettes a day and NOBODY thought that I, of all people, would ever be able to quit; but one day (and I remember exactly where I was when it happened) a thought came into my head that I believed in my heart, "If you don't quit smoking, you will never see your grandchildren". And finally something was powerful enough to make me quit.
7. Lynn, Betty, Rosanne, and Laurel are four very special women that I've known most of my life. Some I seldom see, some I never see but they will always be close to me in my heart. Each one has profoundly affected my life in some way and I'll always love them for it.
That's it and it was a lot of fun re-visiting these amazing times for me. Thank you again, Nancy, for the opportunity.
Now, I'll address the next prerequisite of the award - passing it on to other bloggers. Since Nancy sent it to me and Rhonda, they're both out so I'll send it to Beth. She started me on this blogging journey and I'm very grateful to her for that. The second goes to Mendie. I don't personally know her but, despite the disparity in our ages, I feel like we have a lot in common. The third and fourth go to Toadmama and Imadramamama both of whom I've recently discovered and very much enjoy following.
I hope we're allowed to pass it to four people because I'd really enjoy hearing what each one has to say!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Musings of Mother's Day In My Sixties
When my kids were growing up, Mother's Day was a big deal. We always went to my mom's and my mil's and tried to plan things so Mom wouldn't have to do all the work for the big group of kids and grandkids that would be coming over. In retrospect, I wonder how successful we were.
Today my kids are all over the country. From a distance they do a good job of letting me know that they're glad I'm their mom. And I enjoy the casualness of a Mother's Day where nothing firm is planned.
But I miss what I dreamed my Mother's Days would be. I long for my whole family together more than once every couple of years. I agonize over a son far away and unreachable. I'm not feeling sorry for myself - too much. It's just not how I thought it would be.
I have the best children and children-in-law in the world. I have 19 grandchildren that any woman would kill for. I have a great grandson that's brilliant and amazing and another one on the way. I'm blessed beyond reason and I'm so grateful. I thank God that I have Beth and her wonderful family in the area and I'm profoundly grateful for her baby, our newest grandchild. I'm so lucky.
But I can't help but feel just a tiny bit disappointed. Would anybody really believe me if I pretended I weren't? I wouldn't change one thing about my children and I wouldn't trade what I have for anything in the world but I have some advice for you. Never let your kids go to college in another area, never let them join the military, and never let them meet somebody that will sweep them away to another part of the country.
That's my recipe for a truly Happy Mother's Day year after year.
So that was the end of that post. That's how I left it while I did some housecleaning which is always a good time to do some thinking and I thought to add on two things.
One - I've got everything anybody could ever want. My kids, and this isn't just rhetoric, are as close to perfect as human children can be. And one day a year, things don't go my way and I write about it and feel kind of sorry for myself? I told myself to get a grip and remember what my mother used to tell me. "If wishes were horses, we'd all have a ride". Besides, when you're retired, isn't everyday Mother's Day?
Two - I don't like to admit it but there were times during those idyllic days when we created those (what we thought were) perfect days for our mothers and mils when I would say, "You know? It's my Mother's Day too. Wouldn't it be nice if I could just do what I would like to do?" Yes, I did. And I think I said those words out loud. So #2 is: Some people are never happy AND be careful what you wish for. LOL
Today my kids are all over the country. From a distance they do a good job of letting me know that they're glad I'm their mom. And I enjoy the casualness of a Mother's Day where nothing firm is planned.
But I miss what I dreamed my Mother's Days would be. I long for my whole family together more than once every couple of years. I agonize over a son far away and unreachable. I'm not feeling sorry for myself - too much. It's just not how I thought it would be.
I have the best children and children-in-law in the world. I have 19 grandchildren that any woman would kill for. I have a great grandson that's brilliant and amazing and another one on the way. I'm blessed beyond reason and I'm so grateful. I thank God that I have Beth and her wonderful family in the area and I'm profoundly grateful for her baby, our newest grandchild. I'm so lucky.
But I can't help but feel just a tiny bit disappointed. Would anybody really believe me if I pretended I weren't? I wouldn't change one thing about my children and I wouldn't trade what I have for anything in the world but I have some advice for you. Never let your kids go to college in another area, never let them join the military, and never let them meet somebody that will sweep them away to another part of the country.
That's my recipe for a truly Happy Mother's Day year after year.
So that was the end of that post. That's how I left it while I did some housecleaning which is always a good time to do some thinking and I thought to add on two things.
One - I've got everything anybody could ever want. My kids, and this isn't just rhetoric, are as close to perfect as human children can be. And one day a year, things don't go my way and I write about it and feel kind of sorry for myself? I told myself to get a grip and remember what my mother used to tell me. "If wishes were horses, we'd all have a ride". Besides, when you're retired, isn't everyday Mother's Day?
Two - I don't like to admit it but there were times during those idyllic days when we created those (what we thought were) perfect days for our mothers and mils when I would say, "You know? It's my Mother's Day too. Wouldn't it be nice if I could just do what I would like to do?" Yes, I did. And I think I said those words out loud. So #2 is: Some people are never happy AND be careful what you wish for. LOL
Thursday, January 14, 2010
You Capture - Winter
First of all I'm glad (and not surprised) that my daughter is too smart to drive while taking winter pictures. That said, here are some pictures of what winter means to me.
First of all it means that the koi pond that I enjoy so much in fair weather becomes a source of stress in winter because even when there is the required hole in the ice to allow gasses to escape and even though I'm sure all the koi are in a sleepy stupor at the bottom of the pond, you never really know what's going on down there until everything thaws in the Spring. Here's how unpleasant and worrisome it looks now.
And look at the birdbath where there's no room for birds.
And look where I like to sit. There's certainly no room for me now even if I wanted to sit out here.
It's all so black and white, isn't it. Winter has taken over. We're locked inside (except for the snow shoveling and who wants to embrace THAT!
But I found some beauty. I just don't know if I captured it. Here are my efforts.
And the thing I love the most about this winter is that I'm retired from being an all-walking mail carrier. I'm starting to think my timing was exquisite.
For more You Capture or to join in the fun and post your own winter shots, visit Beth at Ishouldbefoldinglaundry.
First of all it means that the koi pond that I enjoy so much in fair weather becomes a source of stress in winter because even when there is the required hole in the ice to allow gasses to escape and even though I'm sure all the koi are in a sleepy stupor at the bottom of the pond, you never really know what's going on down there until everything thaws in the Spring. Here's how unpleasant and worrisome it looks now.
And look at the birdbath where there's no room for birds.
And look where I like to sit. There's certainly no room for me now even if I wanted to sit out here.
It's all so black and white, isn't it. Winter has taken over. We're locked inside (except for the snow shoveling and who wants to embrace THAT!But I found some beauty. I just don't know if I captured it. Here are my efforts.
And the thing I love the most about this winter is that I'm retired from being an all-walking mail carrier. I'm starting to think my timing was exquisite.For more You Capture or to join in the fun and post your own winter shots, visit Beth at Ishouldbefoldinglaundry.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Not Just An Ordinary January Weekend
Despite the terrible weather we've been having and were having on Saturday morning, we ventured out Saturday afternoon on a brief sojourn to Louisville, KY to see out brand new 18th grandchild and his family.
You'd think going 300 miles South would reward us with bare, cold ground instead of snow but no, that wasn't the case. There was a solid ground cover of snow from here to there and back again.
On the plus side, Trey Cooper is growing and even more beautiful than he was. Who would have thought that was possible. You'd better have a peek:
What do you think? One of the cutest babies ever?
Of course, we got to spend some time with his older siblings and that was wonderful. Here's a peek at them:
And then there's the customary family shot that I always try to get when we part from one of our beloved children and their families:
Aren't they a beautiful family?!
So we breezed down and back and didn't encounter any really bad driving conditions. We spent about 10 hours on the road for about an 18 hour visit including sleep time.
I have two thoughts about that. I'm so glad that I'm at the stage in my life to have the kind of freedom to do something like this. AND..
it was worth every minute of it.
You'd think going 300 miles South would reward us with bare, cold ground instead of snow but no, that wasn't the case. There was a solid ground cover of snow from here to there and back again.
On the plus side, Trey Cooper is growing and even more beautiful than he was. Who would have thought that was possible. You'd better have a peek:
What do you think? One of the cutest babies ever?Of course, we got to spend some time with his older siblings and that was wonderful. Here's a peek at them:
And then there's the customary family shot that I always try to get when we part from one of our beloved children and their families:
Aren't they a beautiful family?!So we breezed down and back and didn't encounter any really bad driving conditions. We spent about 10 hours on the road for about an 18 hour visit including sleep time.
I have two thoughts about that. I'm so glad that I'm at the stage in my life to have the kind of freedom to do something like this. AND..
it was worth every minute of it.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
A Very Good Night
Whenever I get blog blocked, I have to remind myself that this entire blog effort is a journal. A place for me to look back on my journey into and through (hopefully) the sixties. That's when I realize that there are unspecial moments and events that I want to remember. Like tonight.
Our granddaughter, her husband, and Superbaby are still with us which is great! Unfortunately though things have been so chaotic that we really haven't had an entire evening together. They're often invited to her dad's for dinner and don't get back until Superbaby's bedtime. This is fine and we're happy with the arrangement however it goes; but I forgot how great it is to have them here for dinner.
I forgot that my granddaughter will always help get dinner on the table (the reason that seems foreign to me is that yesterday she was just an adorably spoiled little 3-year-old) and that our grandson-in-law will do whatever he can to help. And how pleasant it is for us all to sit around the table and eat a home-cooked meal and how much I love showing them a new recipe or meal for them to add to their repertoire of meals and dishes. And then afterwards everybody pitches in with the clean-up and takes turns playing with Superbaby.
That's when I realize yet again that it just doesn't get any better than this.
And it doesn't hurt to look outside at the miserable weather and remind myself that I don't have to walk 9 or 10 miles in it tomorrow and that I can take all the time I want tonight to enjoy my family because I don't have to start getting everything ready for work tomorrow.
Life is unbelievably sweet and I'm unbelievably thankful.
Our granddaughter, her husband, and Superbaby are still with us which is great! Unfortunately though things have been so chaotic that we really haven't had an entire evening together. They're often invited to her dad's for dinner and don't get back until Superbaby's bedtime. This is fine and we're happy with the arrangement however it goes; but I forgot how great it is to have them here for dinner.
I forgot that my granddaughter will always help get dinner on the table (the reason that seems foreign to me is that yesterday she was just an adorably spoiled little 3-year-old) and that our grandson-in-law will do whatever he can to help. And how pleasant it is for us all to sit around the table and eat a home-cooked meal and how much I love showing them a new recipe or meal for them to add to their repertoire of meals and dishes. And then afterwards everybody pitches in with the clean-up and takes turns playing with Superbaby.
That's when I realize yet again that it just doesn't get any better than this.
And it doesn't hurt to look outside at the miserable weather and remind myself that I don't have to walk 9 or 10 miles in it tomorrow and that I can take all the time I want tonight to enjoy my family because I don't have to start getting everything ready for work tomorrow.
Life is unbelievably sweet and I'm unbelievably thankful.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Helter Skelter
I've spent a lot of really fun time in the last few months trying to organize my time. I haven't been altogether successful but it's been a blast trying.
Now though, I realize that my little somewhat organized schedule was actually very precarious. All it took were a couple little, tiny wrinkles to make everything discombobulated.
Let's start with one of my very favorite events. I have a family staying with me for maybe even two weeks. I love that so much. It's amazing to have a 10 1/2 month old in the house; not to mention my oldest granddaughter and her husband. Since she spent many of her younger years in this house, it feels just right to have her under this roof again.
But it has shaken my routine just a little. Now when I might be taking pictures or writing a post or most importantly reading the posts that I love to keep up with, I'm playing with Superbaby:
(Just because he's on his knees, don't get the impression he's a typical baby. In the next picture he was sticking his butt in the air and standing up straight. Right after that he's was off and running AND he dances.) Anyway, I digress.
We've also had to winterize the pond. After Mr. Right finished redirecting the hoses, Mrs. Right (that would be me of course) had to rake every leaf and pick every single one out of the net to keep any from landing in the pond over winter.
But the most important thing and the number one reason that I'm discombobulated has nothing to do with my visitors or the pond. I'm completely distracted right now by my youngest daughter, Sarah. We've already had one false alarm that had Beth and I traveling for several hours, only to turn around and head home. That wasn't Sarah's fault either. She gave us the facts and we made the decision to head down there. She's been very symptomatic and I'm starting to think it had a lot to do with the full moon. She's also 38 1/2 weeks and after her OB exam last week, her doctor stated that her water might break. Surely no doctor would ever say that unless there's something really impressive going on down there right?
The difficulty is that it's a solid 4 1/2 hour drive and Beth and I are blessed enough to be invited into the delivery room. So I'm kind of living out of my bags and trying to keep everything half ready to walk out the door and welcome our new grandbaby.
And that's about ALL I can think about right now.
Now though, I realize that my little somewhat organized schedule was actually very precarious. All it took were a couple little, tiny wrinkles to make everything discombobulated.
Let's start with one of my very favorite events. I have a family staying with me for maybe even two weeks. I love that so much. It's amazing to have a 10 1/2 month old in the house; not to mention my oldest granddaughter and her husband. Since she spent many of her younger years in this house, it feels just right to have her under this roof again.
But it has shaken my routine just a little. Now when I might be taking pictures or writing a post or most importantly reading the posts that I love to keep up with, I'm playing with Superbaby:
(Just because he's on his knees, don't get the impression he's a typical baby. In the next picture he was sticking his butt in the air and standing up straight. Right after that he's was off and running AND he dances.) Anyway, I digress.We've also had to winterize the pond. After Mr. Right finished redirecting the hoses, Mrs. Right (that would be me of course) had to rake every leaf and pick every single one out of the net to keep any from landing in the pond over winter.
But the most important thing and the number one reason that I'm discombobulated has nothing to do with my visitors or the pond. I'm completely distracted right now by my youngest daughter, Sarah. We've already had one false alarm that had Beth and I traveling for several hours, only to turn around and head home. That wasn't Sarah's fault either. She gave us the facts and we made the decision to head down there. She's been very symptomatic and I'm starting to think it had a lot to do with the full moon. She's also 38 1/2 weeks and after her OB exam last week, her doctor stated that her water might break. Surely no doctor would ever say that unless there's something really impressive going on down there right?
The difficulty is that it's a solid 4 1/2 hour drive and Beth and I are blessed enough to be invited into the delivery room. So I'm kind of living out of my bags and trying to keep everything half ready to walk out the door and welcome our new grandbaby.
And that's about ALL I can think about right now.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
My Eyes Really Do Deceive Me
Many years ago, when I was a bartender in a small neighborhood tavern, one of my regular customers told me he was overweight because he didn't perceive himself as overweight. Interesting.
Ever since I retired, I've battled, or at least sparred with, my weight. When I was working, I was walking about 9 miles a day and I could eat whatever I wanted to. When I retired, I didn't walk at all but I ate whatever I wanted to. I realized this was a problem so I started walking everyday (almost....when I felt like it.....and had time.....and wasn't traveling.....or feeling uninspired). And I started to watch what I ate. Really.....I watched every single bite that I put in my mouth.
And I gained weight steadily. I gained a solid 15 to 20 pounds in just a couple of months. I didn't like it and I was pretty self conscious about it but I didn't feel like I looked that bad.
Then, this weekend, as I drove along on my way to Kentucky, for some reason I happened to look down. And there it was. A great big entity bulging out of my seat belt. It was shocking. And in quick succession I had two other enlightening moments. Before I left on Sunday, Sarah took a picture of me with the kids. Unfortunately when I downloaded them, I let Mr. Right look over my shoulder to view them and there it was again. Where on earth did that come from?
Holy Cow! I didn't know.
Later in the evening, I was enjoying a few Quakes (you know, little cheddar rice cakes that are low in fat and calories unless you eat 5,000 of them which I habitually do). For some reason, I sat down at Mr. Right's computer and there in his monitor, which was off, was a reflection of my giant entity. And my big big shoulders. I actually felt kind of confused. Was that really me? And suddenly the Quakes didn't taste as good and I wasn't craving them like I had been.
So how do I deceive myself? I think that when I step in front of a mirror I subconsciously prepare myself. I look where it's safer to look and maybe I stand a little straighter, pull my stomach in a little, and try to put a pleasant look on my face.
It's just when I'm not prepared that I see what my eyes have been keeping from me. And maybe, if I would perceive myself as I really am, I could win this sparring match with my weight gain. And maybe even turn it into a battle that I could win.
Don't get me wrong. I still love being 63 and retired and life is still sweet. I'm just starting to realize it could be a lot sweeter.
Ever since I retired, I've battled, or at least sparred with, my weight. When I was working, I was walking about 9 miles a day and I could eat whatever I wanted to. When I retired, I didn't walk at all but I ate whatever I wanted to. I realized this was a problem so I started walking everyday (almost....when I felt like it.....and had time.....and wasn't traveling.....or feeling uninspired). And I started to watch what I ate. Really.....I watched every single bite that I put in my mouth.
And I gained weight steadily. I gained a solid 15 to 20 pounds in just a couple of months. I didn't like it and I was pretty self conscious about it but I didn't feel like I looked that bad.
Then, this weekend, as I drove along on my way to Kentucky, for some reason I happened to look down. And there it was. A great big entity bulging out of my seat belt. It was shocking. And in quick succession I had two other enlightening moments. Before I left on Sunday, Sarah took a picture of me with the kids. Unfortunately when I downloaded them, I let Mr. Right look over my shoulder to view them and there it was again. Where on earth did that come from?
Holy Cow! I didn't know.
Later in the evening, I was enjoying a few Quakes (you know, little cheddar rice cakes that are low in fat and calories unless you eat 5,000 of them which I habitually do). For some reason, I sat down at Mr. Right's computer and there in his monitor, which was off, was a reflection of my giant entity. And my big big shoulders. I actually felt kind of confused. Was that really me? And suddenly the Quakes didn't taste as good and I wasn't craving them like I had been.
So how do I deceive myself? I think that when I step in front of a mirror I subconsciously prepare myself. I look where it's safer to look and maybe I stand a little straighter, pull my stomach in a little, and try to put a pleasant look on my face.
It's just when I'm not prepared that I see what my eyes have been keeping from me. And maybe, if I would perceive myself as I really am, I could win this sparring match with my weight gain. And maybe even turn it into a battle that I could win.
Don't get me wrong. I still love being 63 and retired and life is still sweet. I'm just starting to realize it could be a lot sweeter.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Zoom Zoom
This weekend I got to zoom down to Louisville to spend some time with my youngest daughter. She's 36 weeks pregnant and, on her doctor's advice, stayed home while her husband and children visited his family about two and a half hours away.
Being "large with child" (this does not mean she is large only the part of her carrying the baby is large - she's still small) makes things more difficult for her which in turn makes things more sweet for me because I was NEEDED. I could be so helpful. This time could go toward making up for all the time that I can't spend time with her because she's 300 miles away. I could help her get ready for Christmas, we could shop together, and best of all we could have lunches and dinners together. It was the BEST!
Then on Saturday night and Sunday morning I got to spend some time with two of my precious grandchildren that I just don't get to see enough of.
So I zoomed down there in 4 hours on Friday and zoomed back in 4 hours on Sunday. I got to take advantage of the blessing of being retired and the 'new to us car' that we hadn't taken on a long road trip yet. I did it all by myself and felt good about every moment of it.
Life is sweet when you're sixty-three.
Being "large with child" (this does not mean she is large only the part of her carrying the baby is large - she's still small) makes things more difficult for her which in turn makes things more sweet for me because I was NEEDED. I could be so helpful. This time could go toward making up for all the time that I can't spend time with her because she's 300 miles away. I could help her get ready for Christmas, we could shop together, and best of all we could have lunches and dinners together. It was the BEST!
Then on Saturday night and Sunday morning I got to spend some time with two of my precious grandchildren that I just don't get to see enough of.
So I zoomed down there in 4 hours on Friday and zoomed back in 4 hours on Sunday. I got to take advantage of the blessing of being retired and the 'new to us car' that we hadn't taken on a long road trip yet. I did it all by myself and felt good about every moment of it.Life is sweet when you're sixty-three.
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