Third day home

It is Friday - slow day.  Energy was not completely up to the day before.  That's okay, listen to your body, it is so important especially when healing.

No in person visits set up except for the visiting nurse who came late afternoon.  The visiting Nurse, Diana, lovely young and smart woman.  The bandage stuck to the healing on my wound on my thigh.  With tremendous patience by her, my ouching and assorted noises as we pulled off the bandage and cleaned it up.  We inserted laughter, about her kids, and my slap stick comments.  Thanks Diana.

Now we need to keep the wound open to the air.  Think about it, front of the thigh, mid way up.  Geez, such a challenge to make a fashion statement.  I got stern directions NOT to go to the garden until it heals.  Need to get another roll of plastic wrap !

I did get to visit via phone with my friend and Library director.  I'm a trustee of the library here in town.  Besides updating her on my progress, we got to talk library stuff.

Then it was my cousin Kathy.  We grew up together.  I was often dropped off at her house during the summer and school breaks.  While we are only two months apart in age, we are a whole generation.  Her dad, my uncle Georgie and my grandfather, Papa, were brothers.  My Papa was 2nd oldest of 13 children and her dad was the youngest.  Both Kathy and I only had brother siblings, 4 and 3, respectively.  It was tough for us girls!  I was the maid of honor in her wedding some 40 years ago.  You could call us two peas in a pod - but we never needed to be in the pod to live our wonderful lives and be the best of the best to each other even when the times between visits could to too long.  She reminded me that her grandma on her mother's side had a tumor removed from her face back some fifty years ago.  Back then there was no reconstruction.  I had totally forgotten that until she reminded me.  Her grandma was a great lady - hope I can live up to her standards.  We got each other caught up, my health situation and what's going on with her side of the family.  We laughed and laughed.

Knocks at the door ---  flowers arrived from a client -- they are so lovely.  One of my rules about this sickness, is that I didn't want flowers, just one more thing to take care of.  He's a special client and he and his staff are always great.

Amazon delivery - a smoothie / soup book from Susan M and a pink salt rock lamp & little book on friends are the family we choose from Elena.  These two ladies are just too much.  They have been are ready to jump in to help.  I am so fortunate.

Early this day, I posted on my regular Facebook feed a letter to family & friends that may have not known about this whirlwind of this cancer.  It was so difficult to reach out before.  This technology has allowed me to reach out now.  So many well wishes and prayers and such nice comments.  It will take days to acknowledge all of them.

Thanks again to all that are in my community.

Love Actually - the ending

One of my favorite movies ....  Love Actually

What would I do without you?

When it come down to it, should we need to be in an airport to show our love for our friends and family?  Try practicing it each day - a kind gesture is all that is needed.

Your Life Lessons - Clutter weighs you down in many ways

Second day of July, it's a Monday and it is the start of the 2nd half of the year.  Where did the 1st half go?

There are triggers to jump start me throughout the year.  Some are weather related - springtime is to plant the garden.

Some are event related - we have a birth and wedding this year in the clan.

Then often it is just the accumulation of all of the above that triggers the "oh my" need to pay attention to the stuff in my life.

Today - pulled out a bunch of stuff from my NCTV cubby and that's my task for the next couple of days.  

Clearing out "stuff" on a regular basis lightens the load.  I did one of the upper cabinets in the kitchen (again) and found a few more items that could go to the donate box.  Went through the clothes closet and weeded out some of the pieces that I haven't worn or will not be wearing.  In the office, I went through paper files and found that 90% was outdated and needed to go to the shredder!

I was talking with my mom the other night and she is considering downsizing from the house she and my dad built. Yet she continues to lament that no one wants her stuff.  First time where two generations are downsizing at the same time and no one wants the stuff.  Life evolves, you need to rid yourself of clutter or get stuck in the past.  

Remember, when you are de-cluttering --- reuse, recycle, reduce is the way to go.

Your Life Lessons - Life is too short..... enjoy it.

She received an extra seven years of life because
she was taken care of and that she took care of another.

Your time on this planet is just way to short not to enjoy yourself.

By living each day, enjoying the day, whatever your time here, it will be great.  Not only for you, for those who have benefited from having you in their life's journey.

It is not a selfish statement - it is a way of living.  Being grateful for what you have, an amazing concept that I see around me, yet not necessarily with the generations that come after me. 

Have you learned this lesson?  Really -- take some time away from your electronics, take a walk, let nature be the music you listen to.  Breath deeply, walk slowly, notice what is around you and the miracles that happen each day - even the simplest of miracles.

Enjoy yourself ...

More Challenge! Are You Ready?

Happy New Year to everyone!  Welcome to the MORE Challenge.

What's the More Challenge you ask?  See the list on the left.   There is one 'more' on the list for each week of the first quarter of 2017! 

Just imagine how you would feel and the change in your life, if, by the end of March, you did each one of those 'mores'?

First - there are the excuses why you can not do all these 'mores'.  I looked to those excuses to find the underlying reasons (not all of them as I'm not a psychic) why we don't get to do MORE.

There are two excuses that seem to resonate on a regular basis -  'don't have the time' and 'don't have the money'.  Really?  If all these items were to be eliminated from life forever in the next 13 weeks, would you change what you are living life right now?  

Here is the MORE Challenge.  Join with me to explore as I share with you some hints and techniques that you can do to eliminate these two excuses. You'll be changed and possibly be richer in the end.  Let's enjoy the 'mores' that will enhance your life, your family and friends around you.

Living My 60th Year - Having Lunch and get a Bonus

Here's to a new year and remembering to eat lunch!

Yes, remembering to eat lunch.  I know that could sound strange.  

It's not the eating, I'm referring to.  I have my lunch, sometimes it is over the sink, grab a sandwich and run, or bring it back to my desk and consume it among the pile of paperwork.

I've been taking a full break for lunch lately and not at my desk.  Lunch is a pretty decent meal for me.  Many times it is left overs from the dinner before or a sandwich with fruit.  How much time?  About an hour, it's an hour I take time away from my work.

When I worked in a large office with lots of people around, this was what we did.  Somewhere around 10am we began discussing lunch.  Where to go, what we would like to have, who brought lunch and a host of questions.

Since I've worked for myself, that isn't the case.  I often talk to myself, though the subject matter isn't about lunch!  

What I have found, that by taking that break has allowed me to do a host of items that would had been regulated to some other part of the day.  I've done some fun reading; do part of the laundry;  or do some pick up around my non-working space.  Most of these types of tasks are 5 -10 minutes, though they feel like a received a bonus at the end of the day.  I find that I am a bit more focused during the balance of my day and accomplish work effectively.

Life is good, I get to have a better lunch,  a good break and am more productive for the balance of my day.  

What's your lunch break like?

Here's to a year of catching the dreams you chase,

doing what makes you smile,

and loving the life you live.

Living My 60th Year - about half over

Yes it is almost my half birthday!  Can you believe that half of the calendar year has past us by?
For me the first four months are buried in lots of work and therefore I've pretty much celebrated May 1st as my happy new year and the year which lasts eight months.

I have mini celebrations the first of each month.  Why you may ask?  Because I can and deserve to take a moment out to celebrate me.  For the 1st of July - I treated myself out for dinner at a local joint called TJs.  Got to sit on the patio, enjoyed a simple meal and read fun lace magazines!  

Over the past week, I completed more stuff!  Stuff I won't need to complete again.  It truly feels like small weights are being lifted.

With a little less on my plate, I have had the chance in the last week to complete some of my 'art' projects.  The sand dollar and shell were given to me by Iris who escapes our winter in Florida.  So the shell sat on my table as I continued to think about it.  then I found the doily and the hoop - viola it is now complete and hanging up in my home.  It reminds me of our friendship, the beach and of course, lace.

Then the Red/White/Blue scarf was completed.  I had enough thread and time to create another, a string scarf.  My design, inspired by a few scarves I 'pinned'.  Wow - expand my mind.  The string scarf reminded me of a piece of jewelry my mom has.  Now I have two scarves just in time for the 4th of July!  


Oh my goodness - the star project is now complete.  I pulled down the grid, removed the crystal and lace, and put up the stars.   All the yarn is used up!  Here's a look see of the grid.  I'm thinking I would like to add more stars to the grid.  I'll wait until I get one of those 40% coupons for JoAnn's to get another package of those mini skeins.   In the mean time, I am loving my stars - the colors are so bright and cheery.

My June went well, using my accomplishment journal, I am seeing that I am getting back in my saddle. I am getting things done and behind me.  


Lucky now it is summer as some of my charity work really slows down.  The local community TV group on the other hand is ramping up.  We need more volunteers which can always be a struggle.  

Like many organizations, they do not reach out or remember to market themselves.  We have some new blood, so new ideas are surfacing.  I'm completing an admin task for them.  Revamping some documents - updating them for the changes in technology, address change for some (lol they moved five years ago), even getting to learn some HTML code for addressing simple changes on the website.  It's kinda fun to write code - haven't done that in ....ah  lets say in many years.  I also had the opportunity to assist to help in adding graphics (post production) to video we shot several months ago.  It's like a new adventure - I'm out of the house, around some really techie folks, fun.

This coming week is quieter with no big appointments.  It's time for me to go back to my list of stuff and see what I could start and /or complete this month.  We have concerts in the park, our big Extravaganza week, a week long town event ending in fireworks in two weeks.  Make dates with friends, and the items around the place that I need to address.   I already made one goal - have the shredding company come by again after 8/15.  

What is your second half of the year look like?  Have you made plans to complete the todo's you have; make dates with family and friends; treat yourself?   Sit down with your calendar - make some dates for you!

Here's to a year of catching the dreams you chase,

doing what makes you smile,

and loving the life you live.