Looking For The Positives

[kayc]

I haven't been on for a couple of days, I got my bridge back (can't remember if I told you it fell off Sat. so I couldn't eat or talk or see anyone until my dentist came back...upper front teeth) on so now I can live again! Made it through a hard day's work yesterday, long day, made it home just as it was snowing/sticking. Got up and shoveled 6" snow out of my driveway and ramp, paths, and am now enjoying being in the house with a fire going and my dog to cuddle with.

Mary, thank you for sharing those with us, you are gifted!

Harry, I'm glad your house is better functioning now!

Becky, I envy your orange blossoms, sounds wonderful!

Anne, I'm glad you got to enjoy the music Sunday and it brought precious memories!

[Queeniemary]

I love reading the posts here....good to see the all the positives (even shoveling snow Kay???). My positive for the week, is I am finally healed enough from my falls to get back to the Silver Sneakers seated Aerobics classes and the Tai Chi classes. I really enjoy the classes, and the friends that I am making in the class. I go every morning, three days a week it is Tai Chi, and two days it is aerobics.

My granddaughters and I are going to see "The Help" tomorrow night, a special showing at the Lyric downtown where we do our plays. I was going to buy or rent it and watch it here at home, but this will be better on a bigger screen. Also, we will get theater popcorn.....

Hope all have a peaceful day.

Mary (Queeniemary) in Arkansas

[kayc]

Mary, I had to chuckle...well the snow I got last week was not a "positive" but what I got this week, in comparison, was. It was light and powdery, only got 6" and I stopped counting how many inches of heavy wet snow I got last week. Alas, I'm in for more come Saturday night on through next week sometime. It is winter, I guess!

Today am in Spfd and it sunshining. I didn't get to log in yesterday, it was one of those days where everything turned into something else and everything you tried to do was thwarted. But I got to end my day by taking my dog to the park and on to Subway to split a sandwich with him. It's been a long time since we've gotten to do that!

[HAP]

Dear friends,

I had a bad melt-down yesterday complicated by our local grief counselor falling victim to down-sizing and the high winds/solar storm virtually eliminating internet connections from here.

But I started the seedlings for the vegetable garden yesterday as well as some petunias and snap dragons. I had my meeting with the principal of the school we do our relay at this morning--and that went well. Later I will go out for dinner and high school tournament basketball with friends. Tomorrow I have the last of three theater premiers to attend.

The crocus are in bloom, the daffodils are threatening to follow suit within days, and the tulip leaves have made their first appearance. It is the first third of March and the forsythia are budding.

That's the news from Lake Woebegone East--where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.

Peace,

Harry

[mfh]

Dear Harry, I think you and I were both in the pits yesterday. I am so sorry you had a tough day. I am sorry the grief counselor is no longer available to you. Is that correct.

I thought the solar storms were north of us...none here so far. Hate losing internet.

Your garden sounds like it is well on its way. Enjoy the sun and warmth this weekend out there in Lake Woebegone-East.

I believe this trip to the bottom of the pit reminded me...again...that I will come up out of it...even if it is a hawk that helps me do that. (see post on my nightmare day yesterday).

Peaceful weekend

Mary

[melina]

Sorry hear about the meltdowns here. Harry - does that mean you no longer have your grief counselor - or do you get another one? I don't know what I'd do without mine. She's stuck with me - even after a year and half.

Positive things:

After weeks of very mild weather, we were suddenly bombarded by a snowstorm. But now temperatures are expected to climb again. The crocuses are in bloom and tulips are making their way up. We're moving toward spring.

I've made a decision not to sell the house this year. Next year maybe, but not now. So I can relax on that point for a while longer.

All four of my sons are doing well at school. They have the occasional freak-out where they miss talking with their father. He was always more calm and optimistic than me. So I've had to take on his role by trying to be calm and optimistic. Not easy. But they're thriving. That's the main thing.

I baked bread today for the first time since my husband died. He was the baker. To be honest, this loaf looks a little flat in the middle, but I tried.

Melina

[HAP]

Dear Mary and Melina,

She ran our group and did private sessions both. She is no longer available for either because of the way her contract read. What makes things worse is that the group in our neck of the woods has also been cancelled. We must now travel about 45 minutes minimum each way to get to a group. I am looking for other groups in the immediate area.

Wise plan on the house Melina. What you said elsewhere screamed you are not ready to go there. I don't know if I will ever be able to leave here before the nursing home. That is why I am having all this work done. If I can make it energy efficient enough maybe I will not have to move.

Jane did all the baking here--though I did a lot before we got married. But she loved the process and the adventure--and was far better at it than I was. Our first place was so small that we rarely cooked together. By the time we got here we were out of the habit--though we did cook together when it seemed a good idea. I baked bread back in January for a dinner I was giving for the WWJ group. I had not entirely lost my touch--but they liked it better than I did. You will get the hang of it--just keep doing it.

Mary, I'll post more on your post, but I am sorry you were also in the soup yesterday. My internet problem likely had more to do with the wind than anything else.

Peace,

Harry

[mfh]

Dear Metteline,

I got so involved with my hawk that I missed the paragraph about you not selling the house. Congratulations...I bet you are breathing easier and taking your time will lead to a clearer decision. Good good good.

It sounds like some of us have found the kitchen. Harry and you, Melina, are baking and I am devouring vegetables and fruits and have shed 10 pounds (part of what I accumulated during care giving days and since by eating comfort food brought by friends and eating ice cream with Bill on a daily basis). I actually am starting to enjoy cooking.

May we all have brighter moments on this painful path.

Peace

Mary

[kayc]

My positive today is I got to spend the day with my sisters and daughter, it was wonderful!

I am so sorry Harry, and Mary, that you've had some hard days lately. Mary, I'm glad to hear the raptor situation is resolved.

Melina, I'm glad to hear you'll be in your home another year, and baking bread no less! I am going to try and stay in my home a few more years if I possibly can, I'd like to remain here the rest of my dog's life and hopefully the housing market will recover some by then. I realize as I age that I can't remain here the rest of my life, unless I die young, but I don't feel ready to leave it yet.

[mfh]

So glad, Kay, that you had quality time with family. I celebrate that with you. I understand about staying in your home. I hope to go out of here as Bill did...feet first. I do not have a desire to move unless some huge thing that I chose led me elsewhere which I do not foresee. I hope you can stay as long as you wish. Peace Mary

[HAP]

Dear friends,

"The Mourner's Bench" was as emotionally draining as I expected it to be. The third act was the conversation Jane and I had the day before we went to the hospital. The tears ran all the way through that act. But they were cleansing tears. Anne Scurria was amazing--the whole play was. it was what the Greeks designew it to be: cathartic.

Because of that and some other things I will detail elsewhere I found a peace I have not felt in many months today. There is still sadness there. there is still a deep sense of loss. I do not expect there will be no more bad days or great challenges, but for today--for today there is some sense of the beginnings of a rebirth.

I talked to my father today. We compared health notes. His kidney doctor says his kidney is in better shape. But his cardiologist says his heart is in great shape--for a 125 year old. He still has his sense of humor--and his interest in anything and everything scientific. Strange, perhaps, for an 83 year old who thinks his time is limited.

I got a coat of paint on the bathroom. One coat to go there. I got a good walk in this afternoon.And while the place is quiet tonight--it is not silent.

Peace,

Harry

[kayc]

The play sounds good, Harry.

I got home too late to post Saturday night, but I went to my son's engagement party and it was nice. I am so glad he finally met the girl of his dreams and he is "all that" to her as well!

[HAP]

Dear Friends,

I am sitting in New England on March 12 with the windows open. I was overdressed for my walk today in jeans, a turtleneck and a sweatshirt. This weather can't last, but the forecast for the rest of the week is pretty spectacular.

I finished painting the bathroom today. Tomorrow I have to empty--or at least start to empty--Jane's craft room or work to create space in the basement for the carpentry that has to be done next. But I also have some outside errands to run. I finished designing and setting up the entryway today. I feel like I am making progress on getting all the house maintenance stuff back on track, but there is still so much to do.

Now if the seeds for the garden would just sprout...

Peace,

Harry

[mfh]

Dear Friends,

I am sitting in New England on March 12 with the windows open. I was overdressed for my walk today in jeans, a turtleneck and a sweatshirt. This weather can't last, but the forecast for the rest of the week is pretty spectacular.

Peace,

Harry

In the 60s here also...65 but I am holding out for one more blizzard....Mary

[kayc]

I was way too tired to come on line last night but my positive for the day was I got to come home. I worked in town yesterday (50 miles away) and they closed the Hwy. (the only way home) due to 4200 gal. diesel & gas spill, a tanker wrecked. They even evacuated all of the homes nearby! There is an alternate route, if you like a one lane dirt/gravel road winding high up in the mountains with sheer drop offs. Whenever something like this happens, there are lots of accidents on that road, it is treacherous! But even that road was closed due to accidents and a land slide. So I waited in town, decided to run some errands I usually put off due to lack of time. My neighbor came over and fed my animals while I was gone. He said Arlie had separation anxiety, kept looking out the patio door for me. I brought him home a treat and a new toy, and he was happy.

This morning I woke up to more snow, and got the driveway shoveled out and am enjoying being in by the fire now.

[mfh]

What a day, Kay. But you got home...with dog treats. I remember those roads from Ouray, CO where we lived for 4 years...8500 feet and mountain roads with drop offs that were killers....icy in winter.

I hate to say it but it is in the 70s here in Wisconsin and 78 tomorrow. Where did winter and spring go? Now we are in summer?

I am glad you have fire!!

Mary

[Queeniemary]

It is 75 here today, and beautiful. Supposed to be this warm all week, with some storms. Going to Wal-Mart soon, not looking forward to that, but sometimes you just have to do it. Going to do the South Beach diet for a few weeks, and need to stock up on vegys, etc. Gained a little when I quit the anti-depressants.

Have a friend who is very involved in the State DAR organization. I have just finished working on, and printing business cards, tickets, and other items for her, and am now working on putting together a program for the state regents. Enjoy working on this kind of stuff.

Glad yesterday was a better day for you Harry.

No snow for me, Kay. Glad you got home safely.

Mary (Queeniemary) in Arkansas

[Anne E]

My positive thus far today is that I have not totally lost my temper!!! First shot out of the bag this morning, while I was getting ready to go to Bible Study, I received a call from Blue Cross Blue Shield informing me that as of FEBRUARY 1, 2012, my health care insurance has been cancelled!!! REALLY?

I found the receipt from the online payment made February 3rd and shared that information with the snotty young man, "Associate". An hour and a half later, most of that time spent on hold, it appears all is well. I spent lots of time with "Gosh, we don't know who you are and how did this happen" customer service agents in California as well as Colorado.

So, I am covered through March 31, 2012, then I will be at the mercy of Medicare. At least Medicare will not cost me $593.35 a month for poor service, I hope.

Needless to say, I missed Bible Study and have had a throbbing headache all day. (And they wonder why I have high blood pressure.) Now I am going to get ready to go tutor my little girls. They better not mess with me today, I Am In No Mood!

Anne

[mfh]

If it is any consolation...I have been on Medicare for 7 years...I have AARP medigap (which I do pay monthly) and I never see a bill. Nor did I see one for Bill in all the years he was sick. The only thing they did not cover was the ambulance ride HOME to die. They did not consider that an emergency. At that point I did not care.

I hate insurance, frankly....I was paying a lot like that before I got "old" and the deductible was $5,000 so I never used it as I am healthy. The insurance company did well by me. That was 7 years ago.

You did well today. Patience with those critters is esssential

Mary

[HAP]

Dear friends,

They finished the root canal today. Discovered I had no heat this morning, but the repair guy came quickly and it was all under warranty--YAY! It was also relatively warm today, so that helped.

Peace,

Harry

[Cheryl]

Last week while walking through Homedepot a man told me to remember to smile. I was pretty crushed since I didn't realize that I wasn't smiling. Since then I have made a real effort to smile and make eye contact in public. This evening I was walking out of the grocery store and a woman on her cell phone made eye contact. I smiled, and she instantly pulled back the phone and said "I just have to tell you, you are a really beautiful woman!" Then she went back to talking. I was stunned to say the least. Thanked her, got in the car and burst into tears. Strangers rarely if ever talk to me, they never compliment me. It made my whole day. I sat in the car and thought boy I must have needed the compliment. It really made me feel special. I am torn with feeling super needy. A women stranger makes a comment and I burst into tears? but greatful that someone cared and took the time to see the effort I was making to be apart of the world. My daughter told me that I should take it as a sign and pay it forward. Will do.

[MartyT]

Such a lovely story, Cheryl ~ thank you SO much for sharing it with us! And I hope you will keep smiling! Look what a difference it makes! ♥

[Anne E]

Cheryl, What a great day! I will remember to smile. Have been thinking about how long it has been since someone complimented me. It's been a long time. It's something we just don't do as a society. That lady on the phone must be really sweet.

Pretty sure if I received a lovely compliment like that, I would be in tears too.

I plan to pay it forward also!

Thanks for sharing.

Anne

[dave s]

Cheryl, your story doesnt surprise me, you are a beautifull woman, and a beautiful friend! My day has been good, a health scare from, one of the best things that has happened to me on my journey of recovery, turned out to be not that bad....but worth some watching and just today adopted a 7 month old Jack Russell, named Cooper, the breeder said he was to big for her breeding program, but perfect for our lives here....just what I need another dog.....and yet I feel in my stomach, it is just what I need in this house, new, positive energy! Things are good here, for today! Dave

[Anne E]

Dave! Congratulations! Have you had a Jack before? My Parsons Jack, HRH Miss Sophie, Queen of the Universe, is a total joy and aggravation! Is yours a Parsons, they have long legs. Is Cooper smooth coated, Sophie is. You will enjoy Cooper. Jacks are so smart and have such good personalities. He will quickly rule the roost!

Anne