Wednesday, November 30, 2016

SEASONS

The four seasons are wonderful to live with. I do not believe I would want to live somewhere that I did not have all.  Snow is predicted for this weekend here in NE Missouri.  I love the snow, having lived in Wisconsin and Colorado, and enjoying all the activities with snow.  However after living here for 27 years, I still wait for some "good" snow.  I enjoy the piles and the drifts even more now that I am retired. 

When I did not have lots of snow, I painted the windows with snowflakes or even made paper snowflakes.  I need some snow.  I like the feel of it falling on me when I take long walks in the new snow or first snow fall of the season.

There is spring with it's greening, and summer with its gardens, and fall with the pretty leaves and crispness of the air, but winter.  It is hard to explain but I really like winter.  I like the sweaters, the boots, the hot cocoa, and pots of tea while knitting or quilting.  I enjoy more down time to read and paint and draw.  Baking is extra special because we have those lovely holidays to cook for and bake for.  Decorating for the season is also a joy.  I can wear my coats and scarves and mittens I have made for myself.  I can have  the fireplace going.  Candles light the early darkened rooms.

With writing this, well, just maybe I could use more winter of all the seasons.  Maybe I should have moved to Alaska instead of staying in Missouri after all.  Just maybe heading to Canada because of the terrible things I see happening in our country is also a good idea.

Most of all I do think about these things but know I will stay in my rural home near our farm in rural NE Missouri because it has become home.  I am glad I can think of options but I love my place I have been put.  I also love my country and will stay and fight for it and stand up to negative things that our new era looks to bring upon us.  In my country home, I am tucked away and safe, but want it to stay that way also.  

Seasons are spring, summer, fall, and winter, but we also have seasons of our lives.
Enjoy each one.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Learning Life Long

This 68 year old brain gets a work out and I do believe that it is good for me.  I like the challenge and also take some pride and accomplishment when I learn something new.

Recently I finished handquilting my handpieced Grandma's Flower Garden quilt and now started to do the binding.  I had to figure out how I was going to work with this jagged edge quilt.  So I am hand stitching it all around, folding the edges as I go. I did 28 edges of single hexagons but have lots more to do.  I have worked hard on this quilt and wanted to do the last part, binding also by hand but did not want to have to do front and back of quilt so figured out for myself how to do it.  My way and a learning process.

On one trip to Barnes and Nobles I purchased FRENCH Rosetta Stone.  It is a slow process but I try to work on it some each week.  What it really takes is doing it every day, but that does not happen for me.  It is slow and days I feel confuses, but at Thanksgiving I was able to say a few things to my family in FRENCH.  It all amazes me and why or why do we not teach our children in kindergarten to start speaking another language.  My challenge was that I believe we should be bi-lingual so if I believe that, well, I should be.

Baking bread is a learning process and through the years I baked because I likes homemade bread for my family.  These days it is the same, I like it, but I am into the special breads now.  I bake rye, pumpernickel, baguettes, artisans, soda, etc.  I learn each time something that I should do better the next time.  At Thanksgiving there were no canned rolls, or quick breads or purchased rolls warmed up.  It was my artisan fresh bread that I made that morning before putting the turkey in the oven.

Life is a process of learning so I encourage you to not give in to thinking you can not because you reach a certain age.  Just think of all the marvels of this world we live in, and get at learning.

I am off now to put my lesson on the television which is a college course I am doing from Great Courses.  They are reasonable in price and fun to do, so many topics.  I don't need the credits as I have my degrees, but I still feel I need the knowledge.

Go deeper in your thinking by keeping open to learn new things.

Monday, November 28, 2016

I Regress:

The best laid plans of mine to keep current with my blog just is not working.  It seems that I have been in a bit of a slump with several things....my circular sock knitting machine, which I have had for one year now, and still make and take apart the socks as I am not liking the toes.  I admit I kept a few pair for myself but would not give others as gifts.  The answer is "just do it", however, that does not seem to be working.

Maybe my regression is because I become downhearted about things especially this time of year.  Maybe some would call it depression, but I really don't believe I am depressed as I get up and do things, just not all things I would like to do.  

Then there is health issues again with my heart rate going too high and jumping or doing an extra beat due to the PVC's.  This is the issue I quit work finally over, and chronic fatigue because of it.  Now I finally admit that I have fibermyolga which I fought with doctor a long time about.  He stated that it always does take me awhile and then I succumb to the fact and findings.  Well, I don't want to be one of these sit in a charge I hurt type people.  SO....I get up and get going even when tired.  

Example just this morning up at 6:00 and laundry in, coffee made, homemade doughnuts from  yesterday eaten, and cleaned the refrigerator which was on my list.  I also backed with fabric a nice picture that I did with wool art, also on my list to finish.  But really this early.  My plan is to get at things when I have the energy and then rest when I don't.  But while I rest, I read, knit, write, color, embroider.  Sometimes I actually take a needed nap.

Findings are that on days I feel sore, I stay in my pjs and accept it....with comfort.  Days I want to go to town, I will, but for shorter days, not pushing everything in one drive to town.  Hoping to accomplish that one.

Then I see in it all that people so affect me.  Holidays affect me because of the people in them.  My Thanksgiving was stressful because of son and daughter having issues and being hateful.  I set guide lines, but there was still and undercurrent of things going on.  So silly seeing they are 45 and 48, no way children, and both with several degrees, no way stupid:  well, maybe in their actions!

This affects my well being and after a good discussion with my husband, I realize that I can go on vacation and schedule my days so as not to wear out, and I come away feeling fine.  Issue is I don't take the problems with me, including the people any more.

Long blog to be made short or end is that I am still working out this life travel and I am 68.  It all amazes me.  But I am to take better care of me and enjoy my life.  Forward and upward I go, to challenge myself with my csm and to get and keep moving.  I know I can do this.  

My rest time is always so much better because of my little sweet dogs.
 Vincent, Maltese/poodle mix.
 Mr. Molesley, Italian Greyhound
Hemingway, Yorkie/ terrier mix.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Husband Clearing Out Stuff


It was a quiet morning as I backed biscotti and took a walk.  My husband, Roy, seemed to be lost at what to do as no one had shown up to go deer hunting.  He really enjoys being out and about with the people more than the hunting.  So he stayed in and read some, watched one of the sessions of his online college class on Native Americans.  Then, I heard him in the bedroom doing something vigorously in the closets...his closets....and he was, sorting things out and getting rid of things.

This was so good because I had not asked him to do this for several years now as he does not like doing it.  He gets negative often and does not like to get rid of things either.  But he decided things needed to go.  I checked on him and he was just seeming to have a grand time.

Next he headed downstairs where he had a rack of clothes hanging.  (Really did not see the reason, but he did not want to get rid of them.)  Some of the items were my old uniforms from years ago when I worked for the sheriff's department.  When I quit and moved forward to be a social worker, well, I quit, and hung up my uniforms with the medal items still on them.  I was done.  But that was in 1998.  Oh my, I must rethink that he does not get rid of things.  Actually I had hung them with his uniforms and forgot about all of them.

So after he asked for my help to fold and put clothes in bags to take to GoodWill, I was thrilled that we had two large bags to be out of the house.  It always make me think that the house is somehow "lighter".

I told him then that I was proud of his decided to free up some space in his closets and also the basement rack.  His reply:  "Well, that is less people have to got through when I die!"

Probably true, but it took the pleasure and positive feeling away.  I told you he was usually negative, but it got him to do a good thing so I am positive for both of us!


x

My Grand Plan:

Plans always to be home more and more and do more online shopping or less shopping all together.  So this week I have begun and am pleased with myself as this 68 year old so likes learning new things and challenging herself to change up things in life to keep fresh with the world.

I ordered some lovely things from King Flour Company, as I bake lots.  I like their flours and can purchase them in our local grocery store but special items are hard to find around my world.   I am not sure I saved funds but will enjoy the speciality baking I have planned ahead.  Breads are fun, and also ordered a cookie press for windmill cookies.

The other thing I did was uses my lovely Barnes and Nobles discount coupons sent in the mail today.  I used them online and not in the store, which is almost 2 hours either way I go.  When I do go, I spend more than I should plus the trip and lunch and other places I usually go shop at.  This way I purchased the two books I had wanted and used two coupons, one for 20% and one for 30%.  This is grand and I will have some lovely packages of books coming in the mail soon.  Besides baking, I love to read and read and read.

Today I also decided to order from Boxed....no membership shopping for grocery and household products.  Also has free shipping if you order over $75.00.  It amazed me that things were cheaper or the same, larger quantities but that is okay, and shipped to my door free in a few days.

Last week I received the package from Chewy.com for my dog order of foods, and such.  I did not do the auto re-order as I like keeping up with what I am doing myself.  These products are all good products and cheaper by far then what I pay here in northeast Missouri.  And shipping is free.  It came in one day.

So, fun to get things in the mail or FedX, etc.  I like being home and thinking this will be my new thing.....until.....well, I decide to do something else.  It is so good that we can change our ways and our mind.  

Being retired and able to still get excited about things like this is good.

Sunday, November 13, 2016

 Four wonderful reasons to stay home...my dear dog friends.  Maltese, Vincent, age six months.
 This is our last doxie after many during our life....Sophia, age 14.5  Little Miss White Face
 Meet Mr. Molesley, our Italian Greyhound.  He is 2.
And last, but actually my grandest friend of all, Hemingway, age 1.5 years.  He is so very happy.

So Much For That:::::::


Best laid plans were to do more regular blogging.  Also best laid plans were to stay home more.  I even stated to friends that I was planning to stay home until Black Friday which is a family thing for us.  Well, I needed to you see, as I have lots at home to study and do.  I paint, write, draw, knit, quilt, read, cook, bake, play with four lovely dogs, yoga, etc.  But......just last week, I went to Quincy three times.  Yes, three times.  It is about 45 miles from our home and the largest town nearest our farm.  

My reason to head to Quincy the first time was that I had trouble downloading the updates of the new Windows 10.  Anyway, I got to 99% and then it locked up my laptop.  I was also programming my fitbit and it would not let me finish after I did the app.  So Best Buy Geeks fixed this and I nicely said that I could do the fitbit at home.  Thanked them and left.  The next day I worked on trying to get it all downloaded for about two hours.  It did not work.  My husband and neighboring farmer came in and hinted that I needed their help, and my husband said he would simply do it a bit later.  That just made me want to work harder.  So my husband did try later and could not do it either.  A bit of me was happy because of his being arrogant, and a bit was sad because I could not get my fitbit going.  So up to Quincy I went the following day.  It was worked on for five hours and finally by trouble shooting it, they found, the bluetooth on my year old laptop did not work.  So I had to purchase a 20.00 item and then it was downloaded quickly.  Yeah to that.  Home we went and I could actually use the fitbit because the Best Buy Geek had it all downloaded and set up for me.

So you would think I had had enough of being gone....but Saturday was deer hunting around here, and all the people were going, but me, and I thought, I will head to Quincy again to a large seasonal craft show I had not been to for years.  I so enjoyed it and also some other shops and lunch out and grocery shopping.  Now home today and saying again, I have my fitbit working and meeting my challenges.  I have so much to do at home and feel I am falling behind on things.  I plan to stay home until Black Friday and my friend says,  "See you Tuesday at the Knitting Circle".  I know you will change your mind...I say no...but look about last week.

Part of me wants to stay home and away from people and part of me is full of so much to do here that I enjoy.  I need to find a balance.  Hoping my plan to at least stay home for the week works.  
 
"Best laid plans of mice and men they say", but here, the best laid plans for a country woman with many interests all of which are at home.