Read What You Will! (and what you won't)

One of the very best things about being retired from teaching is that I've actually had time to read. Oh, I had some time before that, but my hours were always taken up with raking the yard, cleaning the garage, cleaning the bathrooms, going after groceries; that sort of thing. Stuff we all do, you know. Plus, I could never hold my eyes open long enough to read anything of any length. And when I read, I READ. I'm not one of these who sit down and read 5 pages and then come back to it four days later. Nope. That's probably one of the things that I CAN stay with for more than 20 minutes at a time. The rest of me is really ADD. I won't call it a "disorder"; I think it is an order of my being. I don't think we really have disorders; I think we have orders. Orders from God. That's who I am. That's the way I'm made. Take it or leave it. Maybe not like you...and then of course, you're not like me. Isn't THAT just a wonderful thing of life. Can you imagine if all the Spring flowers were alike? We'd all have to love tulips wouldn't we?

But back to the original...love of reading.

Right now I'm reading Eat, Pray, Love. It is the selection we made in our new book club (YEA!) for the month of March. I'm really enjoying her style of writing. Easy to read and funny; some thoughtful stuff there, too. I'm such a lover of the non-fiction so reading the fiction is good for me, I know. And I'm learning to find the treasures in that, too.

Funny...I think my love for non-fiction probably comes from the fact that I was raised in that small Missouri town in the 50's thinking that every moment should be consumed by doing something that's "good for you"...the old work ethic thing. Reading non-fiction is BETTER for you than reading fiction? How crazy is that??!! I'm changing, thank goodness.

SPRING....Where are you????

Across the street from us sits a vacant house. A vacant house with jonquils in front. Blooming jonquils! I have some of the same signs of spring in my front flower beds, but not any that are blooming right now. I love the first signs of spring. Those little niblets of green that poke through the ground...so refreshing and reassuring that spring will actually arrive. Come quickly!

What a lazy day this has been. I don't even want to do the mundane things that need to be done. Cleaning up the dishes. Putting clothes in the dryer. Don't want to do any of it. May blog reading go on all afternoon...

I'm not sure I was cut out for doing a blog of my own. Probably not.
February Sunday...

The Day after The Day after

Uck! That's about all I have to say about stomach viruses throughout my daughter's family...which attached to me, too, after the fact at their house! Hopefully we're all headed in a positive direction; weaker, still a little queasy, but better.
I'm ready for some springtime sunshine and some open windows. Fresh air sounds so good.

I am thrilled that I've had one comment posted on my cheap little blog site! (Thank you, Clare!) Gosh, what a wonderful thing to check this out today and see that "1 comment"! I guess everyone loves the attention of being heard.

If I DID the number of things that I THINK ABOUT when lying awake at night (or in the early morning hours) I would have so much done here at this house! So many things would be organized! So many cards would be mailed! So many items of clothing would be pressed, hung, sorted, and boxed! So many pictures would be stored in nice albums and written in the margins would be stories for my children.
Not yet. I need a shower.

Some friends of mine are joining me in starting a book group. I can hardly wait to see what this will all become. Being sixty-plus has real advantages; you just don't care about the trivia anymore. It's wonderful! We think we all have something to say and that's good. We all think we have something to learn and that's good, too.

I will publish this and then grab a picture from who-knows-where to add to my post this weekend. I'm still learning and I'm slow!

More Than Words Can Say

This morning I awoke early...1:30 a.m. early. Even early for me. I know it's going to be one of the most memorable days in my life. Not because I awoke early, nor because the cat threw up on my pillow beside my head.
Barack Obama will be sworn in as President of the United States. I can remember John Kennedy's swearning in as President, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, the assination of both. At 4:30 a.m. we are seeing pictures on the news of our nation's capitol filling with people, shoulder to shoulder. That's how we should be. We have a lot to get done.
Obama is just who we need in this time of our Country. He IS a Community Organizer. Thank God.

Seventeen Days...

I made the choice on Christmas Day to give myself the gift of renewed health for the coming year. I'm seventeen days into my new eating plan and I'm down about 10 pounds, depending on what time of the day it happens to be! I thought I would begin my exercise plan last Monday but that didn't happen. Obviously, I wasn't as sincere about it as I have been about my eating (or not eating!) plan. It has to happen for my health, too.
I'm amazed at how much better I'm feeling already.

I hope to rekindle my efforts with this blog thing. I really like using pictures and I have some I'd like to put on my blog, but I need to re-learn all I've been taught about that. Heaven help me!
I've been going through my box of family pictures from years passed. I have so many that I want to put into my scrapbooks and do some journaling along with them. Many of the pictures are not as good as people take today. The quality of the pictures themselves are often poor along with the actual techique. Regardless, they have a lot of family history and story that need to be recorded for my children and grandchildren.

I'm hoping that the coming months will be ones of great health. I'm working toward that!
Peace.

Twas' the day before New Year's and all through the house...

Even if you're not a person who makes New Year's Resolutions, I'd dare say that there aren't many who DON'T take some time to reflect on the year past. Boy, this has been a "doozie" (for those of you who are under 40 you might want to check out the word Dousenberg/or Doozenberg/ or Dousenburg. A little spell check might be in order for me regarding names of cars. Humm?

Well, it HAS been a doozie!
I think it is interesting to speculate about the new year ahead of us. I heard the tail end of a CBS Morning Show this morning on my car radio, telling "what is in and what is out." I've always thought those things were fun. Not that I care! Just fun. (I think my brown Birkenstocks and winter socks are probably a definite OUT!)...but good for rhyming patterns for 5 year olds!

My dieting is working. It always does when I stick with it! Amazing how that works. I was in the Dr.'s office today and I'm down 5 pounds. I have another 10 to go by March 15th. Writing down everything I eat and then doing some journaling about my thoughts and feelings really does work for me. No sweets (other than the 60 calorie pudding snack) and very little "flour things." I really have my goals in my head and I know I can do this. Waiting now on some physical therapy times and then back to the Y for walking, swimming, stairstepping, etc. I know this will be the year that I get my health back on track...where I left it 40 years ago.

Happy 2009 to any visitor who happens by here. You will be one of one in the lone desert of the cold January winds!

Starting Over

That's what I do all the time! Start over...


Today I began, again, my dieting. That involves writing down everything I eat. It involves planning ahead, which is not something I do well! As with the last post...I am determined. Again.

Part of it is this time of year I guess. The other part is knowing that I need to do this to feel better and be healthier. I'm past the "looking good" part! (I think :=)



I loved what a friend of my daughter's had to say about her own blogging. She said that it kept her thoughts and her life's activities in a place; in a history of her living and that of her family. I'd love to have that for my grandchilden if they might ever be interested some day.



Last night I went through a stack of recipe cards that belonged to my mother. It's so neat to read her handwriting and also the recipes of her friends. It's stepping back in time; something I like to do. People actually cooked in the 1950's! We went "out to eat" not more than two or three times a year. Yes. Really. It was a treat for the whole family and can you imagine what a nice thing it was for my mother!!

2008 has been quite a year. I retired from teaching first grade. We lost Tim Russert, my all time favorite newsperson and fine human being. Our 401K bit the dust along with everyone else's 401K. My vote went for the person who will lead us in 2009, Barack Obama. Wonderful! The financial world has shown us an up-close-and-personal picture of "Who Do You Trust?" I had my 60th birthday with a wonderful birthday surprise from my daughter and family and friends. It's been a really interesting year. One to reflect, for sure.

Oh yes. I want a dog and a new fishing rod & reel. Many things are very simple.
I miss the Ozarks this time of year. Oklahoma isn't the same.

Determined

There's a word I don't hear too often anymore. I can recall hearing my mother or others in my family (1950's) say "I'm determined to....(fill in the blank)." I don't hear that so much anymore; even from myself! We set goals, we make lists, we keep journals...

My determinations get sidetracked.

I know the things I need to do. I just get sidetracked!

I've enjoyed reading some new blogs lately. One such blog from a young pastor in a rural Tennessee church...Ed Eubanks, Jr. Reminds me of others I've known years ago in my life, but I think this guy is more determined to think things through for himself. Interesting take on politics.

I'm determined to get this blog thing down to a science and maybe an artform, too.

Mother nature is determined to spread summer upon Oklahoma like a damp rug, complete with July humidity.

I'm determined to keep our electric bill below $150.

Our little town is determined to grow in square-yards of concrete and shopping facilities.

I'm determined to scale back, simplify, and enjoy what I have.

My old eating habits are determined to keep my blood sugar in a swinging hammock.

I'm determined to follow my health plan.

Returning

After more than 6 months, I'm finally back to this! Retired!
Because I love to write, I'm hoping this will become an outlet for me once I have more mastery of this blogging stuff. Still unfamiliar territory.

Back to Routines

Doesn't that sound drab, ho-hum, and boring? It does, I know! Because I am a First Grade teacher, my days should never be any of the aforementioned! Not for me nor for the children I teach. So let's "x-out" routine and substitute the words "somewhat scheduled". I would put the word "scheduled," but as anyone who knows me knows, I am anything but scheduled!! Not in its natural state, that is! I REALLY have to work at it. Actually, I'm fairly confident that I have some issues with attention deficit disorder. No kidding...the First Grade teacher with lack of attention! Honest to goodness-cross-my-heart! So now we are back in class, we do move from one activity to another, we do go through our days in the usual way...so that puts ME into some structure. I think I need some of that, but after checking my Social Security "logs" (that little list of "years worked")...(some of you are WAAAAAAAAAAY too young to know what one of those babies look like!)....well, my "years worked" began in 1965. So you see, I think I'm just about ready to have that UN-structured time to play in the garden, sew the scrap fabric, spend 3 hours at the library, and make pie dough tarts with my grandchildren. Gosh, that all sounds like SUCH fun! Add to that some strange part-time jobs and that would all be right up my alley!
Remember how new I am to this blogging thing? I'm almost as new to the digital camera and the "uploading and downloading" of it all. I have some pictures I want to share on here and hope to get them ready and entered.
I still need some help from my digital daughter (thank you, Ashley!)...but I will get it done! I've been "sneaky-peeking" on some of your blogs out there and I would love to put them on my blogsite, too. Is it courtesy to ask permission, or how is that done?! I'll need to find out!
I think I'm ready to share the news of this blog thing (the one I'm doing!) with some of my friends. They already know I'm a little quirky, so it will come as no surprise!