Gratitude Journaling

I got up this morning with the realization that, in spite of my difficulties, I am a very blessed person. So, I decided it was time to write another gratitude blog. Here goes:

I get to live in a beautiful apartment that's perfect for me. First, there's a kitchen filled with everything I need for my experiments in the culinary arts.  I have appliances for every application and spices of every kind. I can grind my own wheat, bake my own bread, make a simple, grilled cheese sandwich, or prepare an international feast from scratch - Indian, French, or my current favorite, Mediterranean. 

I have a craft room where I can practice my art - whether it's making birthday cards, sublimating mugs, or creating 3-D pictures of turtles and flowers. I can work alone or with my very special "crafty chicks," a gathering I look forward to every month.

A Roland piano sits my main living area where I see it every day, a reminder that music is always within reach to soothe my soul. I sit down two or three times a day, learning to play just a bit better than the day before. 

My bedroom is a work in progress, decorated in purple and rose – colors that make me feel peaceful and provide a safe space to rest. Butterflies float on the walls, around pictures of outdoor scenery and signs that read: "Accept what is," "Let go of what was," Have faith in what will be," and "Believe in yourself." These remind me of my Stoic philosophy to live each day as it comes. 

I have storage, too - enough for both my "treasures" and my hurricane supplies!  In fact, my closet is so spacious I'm about to set up my sewing machine and serger inside to make sewing more convenient. I put these tools away several years ago because I have no one to sew for, but maybe I can use them now to sew children's clothes for someone else as way to give back.

Finally, I have a pool – four feet of cool, clear, blue water where I can swim my 20 minutes of laps each day to stay fit and "trim." Well, trimmer! LOL! 

In addition to having this perfect-for-me place to live, I have wonderful people in my life. I have two, very special children who take good care of their "mama" making sure I don't go off the deep end! They help me with hard decisions and remind me to take care of myself as well as Bill.

I have friends and relatives who make life exciting with fun "adventures." We share meals at fine dining spots, quirky Hobbit-like cafes, and local diners. We visit museums, attend plays,  and go to the symphony. We play Canasta, Cribbage, and Swoop, challenging each other to keep our memories sharp. We explore unique places, near and far – sometimes even lying on the floor, mesmerized by dazzling lights. And best of all, they put up with my idiosyncrasies and listen when I need to process the emotional roller coaster of Bill being in memory care.

What else could a person want? I am truly blessed. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart . . .

I just want to say THANK YOU to my family and friends. As I read through my journals from the past several years in preparation for creating one of my own, I am reminded of how much I leaned on my children, Wil and Shelly, especially before and during COVID while taking care of Bill. They put up with so much! Looking back now, I realize how difficult it was for them as well. At the time, I was in such a slump, I couldn't fully see the impact it was having on them. 

Another hero of mine is my cousin, Debbie. Even though she lives in New Jersey, she was a lifeline to me during the hardest days of caregiving. I spent countless hours on the phone with her - often in tears - as I tried to cope with the daily frustrations of taking care of Bill at home. 

After COVID lockdowns ended, I finally began connecting with people in Galveston. Dan was the first friend I made here, through our local caregivers support group. He's become the person I turn to - someone who truly understands what I'm going through. Like a big brother, he's traveled this road ahead of me and now guides me through one of the hardest times of my life. Every caregiver needs someone like Dan. 

When I started going to OLLI, the first friend I made was Marilyn. She invited me to lunch, introduced me to others on the island and encouraged me to have fun, something I hadn't had in years! Soon after, I found my writing buddies, Debbie and Lori. They listened patiently as I poured out my struggles and whined about my life through the written word.  

Today, I'm surrounded by so many wonderful people who help me through both the the good days and bad. I won't even try to name you all - you know who you are! Just know that you are deeply appreciated, more than words can express. THANK YOU again from the bottom of my heart.

One More Circle - Peter Mayer

A friend of mine sent me this video on my 75th Birthday. It says it all: 

https://youtu.be/qKfVtuiANt8?si=CDUXB0Q7qcjFK7BY

Here are the words: Lyrics and Chords

[Capo 2]

Intro: / C Csus4 C Csus4Csus2 / /

We have been weighed down by sadness like a stone

And we have yearned, we have yearned

And we have sometimes felt so utterly alone

While we turn, while we turn

/ C Csus4 C Csus4Csus2 / F - G - / :

And we’ve been stricken by the wonder of it all

Stricken dumb, stricken dumb

And we have sometimes felt so faint we want to fall

Overcome, but all in all

/ F Fsus4 F Fsus4Fsus2 / C - G - / :

{Refrain}

I’d say this year in flight together has been fun

What say we make one more circle around the sun

/ Am G F Dm / F G Intro /

We have raised our fists in anger and we’ve tried

To work it out, work it out

That we need each other, we cannot deny

There is no doubt, there is no doubt

So let us weave another dream in outer space

While we’re turning, while we’re turning

On this planet home that holds our human race

We still are learning, but all in all

{Refrain}

/ Am G F Dm / F G C - /

I’d say this year in flight together has been a good, good one

What say we make one more circle, one more circle

One more circle around the sun, around the sun

/ Am G F Dm - / F G F G / F G Intro /

A Perfect Day in Galveston: Treasure Hunting and a Dash of Panic

Today was one of those days that reminds me why life is an adventure. My friend, Bev LaRock, and I decided to soak up the gorgeous Galveston weather and enjoy a day out. With bright blue skies, warm winds, and a gentle sea breeze blowing across the Island, staying indoors simply wasn’t an option.  

Bev and I spent the morning walking up and down the Strand exploring bookstores and antique shops. I’ve been on the hunt for a new set of dishes and serving pieces because I parted with all my glassware while caring for Bill at home. Now that I’m settled in my new place, I’m re-discovering the joy of entertaining and looking to replace the plastics and Corelle dishes lining my cabinets. I had found some dishes I liked online, but I really wanted to support the local merchants. 

 

Just before lunch, we walked into this small antique shop in the middle of Galveston and found just what I was looking for! A complete set of eight place settings with extra cups and saucers. It also included a salt and pepper, a creamer, two gravy bowls, and a variety of serving dishes. The dishes are labeled, Hand Painted Vernon Florence, oven and dishwash safe. Made in California, USA! They are vintage Mid-Century, 1960s. This set is SO ME! The colors are bright and cheerful – they make me happy just looking at them. The price was right for me, so I was ready to make the purchase. 

 

Now here’s where things took a twist. The shop only accepts cash, debit, Venmo, or Zelle. I’m not one for carrying cash, so I used Zelle to pay. The owner wrapped up the dishes and promised to hold them while I fetched my car after we ate lunch.  

 

Bev and I then headed to Hearsay on the Strand – my latest favorite restaurant in Galveston. After our meal, I dropped Bev home so she could go do her volunteer gig at McDonald House. As she got out of the car, I realized I had no idea where I bought the dishes! I had no receipt and no contact information from the shop! My bank only had the owner’s name, not the shop name. And neither Bev nor I could recall exactly where we’d walked!

 

With a sinking feeling, I drove up and down Strand Street trying to spot the shop, but nothing looked familiar. Frustrated, I parked the car and continued the search on foot. Still nothing.

 

Just as a full panic threatened to take over, I had an “aha!” moment: my Apple watch had tracked my walk! Pulling up the Health app on my phone, I found the path we’d taken. No wonder I couldn’t find it - the shop wasn’t on Strand Street at all! We’d ventured several blocks away to the corner of Post Office and Kempner. I would have never found them without my Apple watch! 

 

Following the trail on my app, I finally found the shop and my new dishes, all wrapped and waiting for me. What a relief!  Now all I have to do is wash them up and find a place to store the extra pieces. Some will go in my closet for safekeeping, and the rest will be ready for my next get together. 

 

These dishes aren’t just tableware to me; they’re part of my journey, a bright and cheerful reminder of a beautiful day spent embracing my new life here on the Island.

---------

NOTE: I just looked up the price of these and found them online. I got a really good buy! I paid $300, tax included! 

Fun with My Rebel Friends at Shelly's Parade Event

Today was an absolutely blast! Shelly made her debut in her very first Galveston parade with her decked-out Jeep, and she asked me to take some photos. So, I put out a call on Facebook, asking for a few friends to join me. Carol, Bev, and Susan were up for it; and, wow, did we have fun! 

 

The day started bright and early with everyone meeting at my place at 8 a.m. so they could tour my new space. From there, we headed over to Galveston Bagel for breakfast. Our next stop was the Library, where we explored their museum and got to chat with some Navy Lieutenants giving a “show and tell” on the Constitution and oceanographic equipment. They even handed out goodies, including this clever little pen that doubles as a screwdriver and level! Super geeky! 

Afterward, we made our way to where Shelly and her friends, Larry and Colleen, were lining up for the parade. We snapped some photos of them prepping for the parade. 

 

Here you can see the new grill Shelly installed that look like teeth! 

We then stopped and chatting with some of the other parade participants, including this group of dancers.

Then, with an hour until the parade kicked off, we decided to go shopping. In and out of stores we went, all along Strand Street, most of which I had never been in before. I bought some jewelry and a mug. Then we sat and chatted while we waited for the parade to get to us. Shelly's jeep stole the show, of course! 

(Sorry for the dropped video in middle - I don't know how to edit!)

When the parade wrapped up, we resumed our shopping spree—but not before stopping by LaKing’s for ice cream, which we all agreed was lunch! We wrapped up our day around 3 p.m.

 

I loved getting to know these gals better! I'd known them from UU, but we’d never just hung out. Spending time with them today was a revelation—Susan, Bev, and Carol have a serious streak of adventure (and a touch of rebellion!). They even “encouraged” me to jaywalk and pull a U-turn right in the middle of the street! But, turns out, even these strong Texas women have their limits. They refused to let me make a left on Holiday Drive at a red light when I hadn’t noticed the green light was only for going straight! 😂

 

I can’t wait to see what kind of mischief we get into next!

Writing Practice

Soon after moving to Galveston Island, I began attending OLLI, otherwise known as Osher Lifelong Learning Center. It's a place for folks age 55+ to meet friends and exercise both the mind and body. I've taken many classes here; some successfully, some not. But one class that sticks in my mind is the day I attended a writing practice class and met Debbie and Lori. We hit it off like the three musketeers; and, after the class ended, we continue to meet once a week to share our writing successes and failures. At the end of each writing session, Debbie creates a list of prompts to jumpstart our writing for the following week. This has led us to create stories, poems, and memoirs. Stories that reveal the innermost secrets of our lives, stories set in fictional times and places, and stories that are, frankly, not worth reading.

Sadly, I've used all my writing prompts for this week and now I'm stumped. What do I want to write about? My activities? My friends? My struggles? Dreams? Goals? Failures? Somewhere in this messy list is something that needs expounding upon or even alluded to. 

What? Nothing? 

I'm a blank.

I need to find my own prompt for today, so I spend five minutes searching. Zilch. Zero. Zip. Nothing excites me. Not one prompt makes me want to bare my soul or chastise society. Maybe today isn't a good day for writing. I mean, really, how long can one ramble on and expect her friends to listen! 

Last chance - first word that comes into my mind - headache. 

I DO have an allergy headache. It resides over my left eye and nostril, beating and throbbing like a bass drummer out of sync. Can't anyone shut him up? Usually my Vicks Vapo-inhaler makes it disappear, but not today. In fact, last night it kept me up several hours, pounding away like a blacksmith on his anvil. I finally smeared Vicks Vapo-Rub over my nose and top lip until the throbbing waned. Slowly, I drifted back to sleep, and now...it's back like a concert I do not want to attend. Banging away like a 3-year old with a Christmas present from an uncle who hates me. "Shut up," I scream. "BANG," is its reply. No wonder I can't write.