Thursday, January 27, 2011

JUST LIVE LONG ENOUGH - YOU WILL SEE!

I recently had a brief email exchange about some of the things “old” folks would say to the youth.  This lead me to make some phone calls to family and friends to see what sayings they remembered hearing while growing up.  Below are a few of what we remembered (please feel free to hit the comment button and share some of the ones you remember).    
                                                            
Golden Words of Wisdom
·         Oh, you don’t believe fat meat is greasy
·         All that glitters ain’t gold
·         Birds nest on the ground
·         Don’t count your chickens before your eggs hatch
·         Don’t take any wooden nickels
·         One in the hand is worth two in the bush
·         Hard head makes a soft behind
·         Give them an inch and they’ll take a mile
·         The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
·         Don’t get too big for your britches
·         It’s better to be alive than to wake up dead looking up at the roots of daisies


The one I want to spend a little time on today is:

JUST LIVE LONG ENOUGH – YOU WILL SEE

I remember hearing this when a “young” person was teasing an older person about gray hair or arthritis.  Twenty years ago (okay, I recalculated and it was 25 years ago), I wore heels and make up nearly every day; I gave birth one day and the next was back in my non-maternity clothes; I could go & go & go off of 5 hours of sleep; worked a full-time job and went to school full-time; partied hardy (if all my school work was done); got married; gave birth again; and got divorced; went back to school; moved out of the city; moved back home; planted gardens; cut the grass; painted walls; lugged and moved furniture and boxes – I mean I was a regular government mule.   I didn’t worry if I was sore some days because by the next I always felt better. 
           
Then I turned 30 years old.  I remember the day clearly, I leaned against the back bumper of my car trying to get a good grip on a heavy box so I could take it in the house and then it happened:  my left knee cap shifted up causing me great pain and then quickly shifted back to its normal position, causing me more great pain.  My eyes watered from the burn.  I left the box and all in the car and hobbled on in the house.  But, I didn’t worry about it because I healed over night – right?  WRONG!  I called my mother to find out what the real matter could be and she said, “You’re 30 years old now.” 
I WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN
As my 30’s sped by (smile), I noted some changes in my system and later found out I have a thyroid condition.  IT WAS ONE HECK OF A RIDE trying to get my levels worked out and to understand what this meant to my life (weight gain, mood swings, hair changes, skin changes, dry eyes and a whole host of other “symptoms”).  It’s been eleven years and I’m still salty about this because the biggest change is no metabolism and being a kind of tired I didn’t know was possible to be and still be alive!  But I’ve learned lots over the years and better understand when adjustments need to be made and that is going okay (for now – okay today).  I also somehow twisted my left hip during this decade and suffered greatly for a while but eventually got that worked out and only have funny little flare ups when I jar my bones. 

Although in my late 30’s wasn’t the first time I had to buy liniment, I was even exchanging pros and cons of the better products on the market with some older lady friends.  I want you to know I didn’t even know those ladies had aches and pains until they said it.  Simply regal, beautiful women who not only carried themselves well but also carried their pain well!  I cornered my mother.  I felt I needed more information about how to age if I was going to be able to hold this old body together for the long haul.  

I wanted to know why she wasn’t hurting.  She looked at me like I had lost my mind.  I mean, my three parents are like real cool (although My Dust tells me he’s an old man)!  My mom strolls.  When we are out together people want to know if we’re sisters.  Then she explained to me that she did have aches and pains and what I was calling her cool stroll was actually her “taking real easy” walk.        

I made it into my 40 looking and feeling pretty good (this is my blog so I’m telling the story my way so if you don’t agree with statement – KEEP IT TO YOURSELF)!  I mean I was like really cooking with Crisco the first couple of years (okay maybe it was months – let me have my fantasies please)!
I will admit that the eye doctor told me that we would need to “discuss” bifocal glasses on my next visit.  He wanted me to have enough time to warm up to it.  I guess he figured out I’d spend a significant amount of time looking for a “logical” reason that nothing works right anymore!  Smile.  When I returned the following year, I’d had a bout of vanity and wanted contacts.  Bless that man; he broke it to me as gently as possible.  “You would still need prescription glasses with the contacts.”   I also had to add the foot man to my list of specialist.  He introduced me to shoe implements and I don’t leave home without them (he also had the BEST bedside manner – he brings the xray machine to you so you don’t have to walk on your hurting feet!)       

I became an Auntie x2 and a grandmother by the age of 41!  I was still doing pretty well, enjoying the little folks in my life, exercising, making peace with thyroid, lost a little weight even!  And then…. my nieces moved in with us and we became their primary care givers. 

I realized at the end of the first weekend I wasn’t holding up as well as I had thought.  By the end of the first month I had gone on to the doctor for medicine for EVERY joint in my body.   Seemed old “arthr” had come to visit and decided to put in for squatter rights.

I could tell you the story about the time I was teasing and taunting one of my married sister/friends about pole dancing for her man and how she retaliated by sending me an instructional dvd about a floor dance (look - I didn’t even know it was possible to teach that mess to someone).  So, being who I am (nosey), I watched it and lo and behold one of the moves was a move I’d seen in exercise videos and for some INSANE reason I figured I could do that exercise so I tried it (lean back on elbows and bend one leg to your chest while extending the other leg straight out and then switch alternating legs between bending and extending several times) and “wretched my left shoulder - but that would bore you.  However, I will tell you that after a round of pain killers and a nerve induction test there isn’t any permanent damage.    

I did “learn” that if I don’t want to be stiff I really need to exercise.  I had been doing a good job of sticking with my little 20-30 minute walking in place dvd.  I hadn’t lost a pound and year 44 had been unnecessarily mean to me but I wasn’t stiff. 

Now, I have some magnificent friends of all ages.  One of my friends is in her early 30’s.  She and her other friends decided to really get into aggressive exercising to tone up.  She’s looking cute.  I knew I wouldn’t be doing anything aggressive but for some reason (VANITY again) I let her talk me into trying her Hip Hop ABS dvd.  I watched it first (no – I’m no dummy, I didn’t try one move – I just WATCHED). 

It really looked like something I could handle.  He had some jumps in his routine but I didn’t even act like I was going to try those (you know they always have someone on the dvd’s that will show you the low impact way).  I survived 11 minutes with the Hip Hop ABS man the first time I tried it and I could really feel it (okay - I was a little  concerned how I would explain to the ER the cramp in my hind parts  - should I need to go for assistance).  I worked with it again another couple of times but something happened the last time I used it. 

I admit my dancing steps are a little rusty (okay, I’ve never had the kind of rhythm and moves that these young folks have – if you want to call that stuff they do dancing).  I took one step; my foot and leg stopped but I guess not the rest of my body.  So, a few days before Thanksgiving my right knee was a little sore – I took it easy but by the Sunday after Thanksgiving I was at the weekend clinic for an x-ray. 

After a lot of moaning and whining during my waking and sleeping hours, Tylenol, exchanging a leg brace two times and then determining I needed a more heavy duty one to meet my needs; purchasing a cane; a day and a half off work; two x-rays; an MRI, a cortisone shot, pain medication & an awful reaction to it and - I’m still working on this knee and it is really giving me a run for my money.  Right now, the knee is in total control but the doctor and his nurse have kindly listened to my crybaby pleading and I trust we will develop a plan so I win against this knee. 

The conclusion I’ve reached is that those old folks are right and I’m not nearly as cool as my parents!  Now if you don’t know what jar-ing, liniment, taking real easy, arthr, and wretched mean –

JUST LIVE LONG ENOUGH – YOU WILL SEE!

Edited by Jill-O-Me

Saturday, January 15, 2011

HOME REPAIRS

All three of my parents are very talented.  You would think that the “apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” but I’m 45 years old now and I’ve yet to find said talent in myself.  Over the last couple of years, I’ve tried to be more independent in terms of solving household snafus and planning projects. 
I have a list of things per room that need to be done and that I would like to get done.  I slowly accumulate the necessary parts for the “projects” and proceed from there.   For whatever crazy reason – I determined that I needed to complete said projects myself.    
I once attended a class at Lowes on how to put up a ceiling fan.  They even gave me a gadget to test voltage.  My mother had tagged along and asked the teacher why he was trying to get her “baby electrocuted.”  I made note of that statement and determined – without personally testing the theory – that she was probably right and never attempted work with electricity. 
But I did try cement.  I will tell you this about that project;  if the instructions indicate that the cement will set quickly – believe them; do the project before the sun is beating down on that side of the house; if you don’t know how to smooth cement out – don’t do the project!  I could have asked my son-in-law.  He works with the stuff daily but NOOOOOOO, I wanted to do the job myself.  The cement steps that cracked every year and had to be patched over and over haven’t cracked since my handy job of “fixing” them and one must be careful to not trip over the little lump on the porch right in front of the door (no way around stepping on it). 
I finally finished scraping the bathroom ceiling.  Who needs a moon roof in the bathroom?  The one in ours sprung a leak a few years back and they don’t make that size anymore.  There was a handy man that knew how to fix it and for $150 the job was done.  It hasn’t leaked since but the popcorn ceiling needed to be scrapped, sanded and painted.  I bought a special gadget to do the scrapping but when I finally had the energy to do it – I couldn’t locate the gadget so I had to work with another tool.  What an awful job and a terrible mess to clean up.  I got it done, painted the bathroom and decorated it for the little peeps in my life (under their scrutiny only gaining their support and approval when they understood I was doing the work for them – you ever been judged by a 6, 5 & 3 y/o).
I’m still working on the dryer project – I’m feeling a little nervous about using my wire cutters.  I haven’t started stripping the cabinet I got from my grandmother’s house, nor have I finished looking into how to re-do the kitchen wood floor (I have an excellent book).  I would really like to be able to repair the sub-floor in the living room and bedrooms but thankfully our lifestyle won’t allow me to tear up the whole house for weeks/months on end. 
I won’t get into deep detail over the time I spray painted in the garage and broke out in a rash.  But I did later learn, after spray painting outside in the open and breaking out in a rash, that I’m apparently allergic to spray paint (not to mention how sore my hands were even with the spray can gadget). 
I probably shouldn’t give too much detail over my attempts to eradicate the ants at in the house and the coughing attack that ensued as the spray was just as dangerous to humans as it was for ants.  You probably don’t want to know about the time I had the bug man come over and despite me just trying to get the bottom line price – he insisted on telling me lots of gruesome things about bugs and other pests until I was itching and scratching all over.  Not to worry, I scratched and itched so much he too was doing the same thing when he left.        
I recently had some plumbing problems in the house.  Sticking to my resolve to learn to do things myself with the failure of a whole bottle of draino– I headed to the store for a few tools (in this situation tools should be pronounced as ta-oooo-z).  I needed a smaller plunger, and something to run down the drain to force whatever was causing the slow flow out of the way.  They had some really good gadgets in that aisle and I selected two along with the plunger.  I worked diligently but admitted defeat when the slow drainage turned to no drainage and called in My Dust to rescue me from myself. 
I’m not going to give you great detail on our dismay over the broken gadget, the 3 hour - I’ll be right back break or his great belly chuckle over where the water might be going since we weren’t sure the line was clear.  But I will tell you, true to form, My Dust fixed it and all drains are moving quickly now. 
Shortly after My Dust left, I received a text message from my mother (the new queen of text messaging) telling me to get myself a plumber in 2011 and not her husband.  I may not be nearly as talented as my three parents –  but I’m also not a dummy!

WHAT THE HECK IS SHE THINKING?  

I got that man on speed dial under
“My Dust the PLUMBER!”

Edited by Jill-O-Me

Sunday, January 2, 2011

GRATITUDE

Some time ago, I had a deep conversation with one of my sister/friends about gratitude.  She wanted to start a special project between us and our friends where we would weekly email one another at least one thing we were grateful for. 

The project never got off the ground because life got in the way but I never forgot about it. Periodically, I would visit the topic in my mind and list out what I feel very grateful for in my life.  I especially like to do this little exercise when I’m feeling very negative about how things are going or when I’m feeling excessively critical.

As I recently wrote to a friend, I can take inventory with the best of them – which usually only makes a bad state of mind or circumstances worse instead of better.  I tend to give into the feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness when in this mode. 

Although I usually take stock of my life around my birthday instead of at the turn of the year I had a recent experience that has lead me to issue the challenge that will unfold in this issue of my blog.  When the little peeps moved into my world full time – I searched for ways to stay connected to family and friends.  I started sending cards and letters as a way to unwind and to stay connected.  One of my favorite things in the world is to get a letter from my sister/friend.  It is her family’s practice to send snail mail and I count it all joy to get a letter or note from her or her mother.

I found certain stores that I began enjoying and have a little route of stores I visit.  I’ve been most sadden by the closure of my favorite $1 store (use to be next to Big Lots).  I recently had to pay full price vs. my customary $1 for stationery – what an eye opener!  I found a certain treasure about gratitude on one of these little journeys.  I bought it and saved it to send to her for Christmas.    

Now, I want to show you how God works
I was moving real slow this year (the reason why is the topic for another blog on another day) and missed my personal deadline of the 15th for getting my yearly update letter and pictures in the mail.  I did manage to accomplish this feat by the 20th.  She didn’t retrieve her mail until after Christmas and we discussed the little gift that seemed to bring her great joy the following week.  On the 30th I received a card and letter from her that was dated the 17th (long before I even got my gift to her in the mail) explaining and sharing all of the blessings she’d been given during the year. 

As you know, I’m rarely left without something to say (my father tells me I could talk someone to death – smile – poor fella – but he still takes my calls) but I find these encounters have a way of leaving me speechless and in awe; at the same time I was thinking about how precious she is in my life – she was thinking the same thing about me!   At some point, the messages passed in the mail. 

I’m always humbled when I recognize God moving and working on my behalf.  It amazes me that that he cares, wants a personal relationship with me, responds in my times of need (sometime via miracles and sometime through my family and friends) – despite the fact that even on my best days I could still stand to be a much better person.  When I expect it least or need it the most – God always sends someone to let me know I’m loved and appreciated.   

Some of what I’m grateful for
·        Knowing the Most High, his Beloved Son & the Holy Spirit – I have hope
·        My family (blood and adopted) – no one can work a nerve like them but nothing feels more like home without them; I have good relationships with my three parents, my children, nieces/nephew, grandchildren, etc…
·        My friends who share their lives and experiences with me and allow me to do the same – this eases the loneliness that sneaks up from time to time
·        My health – I recognize this is shifting but my Grandmother told me to hold on to it for all I’m worth because it is valuable
·        For gainful employment – I’m often frustrated on the job and I could do a much better job with money management – but I’m grateful and God is working with me on these issues
·        For all the help and encouragement that is given with the little peeps – it humbles my soul and fills my heart

The Challenge
I’m sure if we were to agree to send something weekly regarding what we feel grateful for we would soon fall off the wagon – LIFE WILL GET IN THE WAY.  But, I want to CHALLENGE you to post some of the things you’re grateful for to this blog and to revisit and post again anytime you find yourself in-between-a-rock-and-a-hard place.  I believe if we think on the positive (this doesn’t mean not taking appropriate action when needed) we will be encouraged!

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”  Philippians 4:8 KJV