Wacky Wednesday

Here we are, at about 8:10 p.m. We have had a whirlwind of a day. The Babe had some Post stuff to handle, so he did, and I had a doc appointment. As I said yesterday, I had a procedure done to alleviate the bad circulation in my lower legs; the valves in my veins were bad, and I had them taken care of. This forces the veins in the middle region of the leg take over, so the circulation is improved, the legs get a better blood flow, and the pain stops! All is good, the veins that are supposed to be closed off are, and the veins that are supposed to be open are working. Awesome! God has modern miracles all over the place. Grateful!

Did a couple more quilt squares today, and am hoping to get more done tomorrow. I’m getting pretty excited about it, and cannot wait to share it with you. I waited my whole life to be a grandma, and although I had step grandkids first, (and I love them to death!), I was purely happy with the Babe’s grandkids as mine, and still am. When my daughter told me she was pregnant, WOW! Now we have two more, and love all five of these kiddos.

When I think of my dad and how much he loved Becky, his only granddaughter, I get teary eyed. I want this quilt to be the best, and have it be from not only me, but also my dad. He would be so thrilled! Mom would be, too, but Dad was so enamored by Rebecca. He always called her his “Dolly.” And he meant it.

At any rate, there are many times I think “What would Dad think about . . . ” and just wish I could talk with him about things. He would love computers (and I’m sure know much more than I do about them, just reading books), and would be fascinated with communicating with them.

As much as Mom hates them, Dad would love them. And I’m sure he would master them. I’d love to see all that. He would love the Babe. He was gone for nearly 10 years when we met, but I know he would love the Babe. They would be fast friends, talking about work stuff, managing a bunch of blue collared workers, a fleet of drivers, and all the other things they both did at their jobs.

Got a lot of stuff to do tomorrow. I will share a story with all of you about an event we’re having at the VFW Post 2503 in Omaha, Nebraska. We are offering free training about PTSD and Suicide Prevention. It’s vital info in today’s world. And we are offering it for free.

I hope you have a good evening, and we’ll visit again tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

Agreements and Baseball.

No, I’m not talking about those highly inflated contracts in MLB. I’m talking about applying Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements to the game of baseball, down to the lowest level of T-Ball. It’s tournament time in our select baseball world and the team had a pulverizing loss yesterday. Three innings. The opposing team was exceptionally good for being in the 9U (Nine & up) category. Many were star players on their own. They stole every base they could, running up the score. Nothing makes a first year playing together team lose their will to live than running up the score on them when they’re struggling.

The only talk there was among them was how good the other team was. They were good, and mentally, our boys were defeated before the first pitch went out. I just want to share this as the coaches do every game, but with different words.

Tell yourself the truth about you. You are a good player and not doing anything wrong. Sometimes, others teams will beat us. You are not at fault. They’re just better. Let’s work harder so we’re better.

Don’t Take Anything Personally. It’s not your fault. All of us make mistakes. That’s how we learn. Let’s work to learn more.

Don’t Make Assumptions. Just because they’re a top ranked team doesn’t mean we’re going to lose. We need to work together and be our best today.

Always Do Your Best. Put your game face on every game. Keep your heads up. Be confident. Don’t give up until the game’s over. There’s always a chance if you all do your best. Keep your heads and shoulder up. That’s a winner’s posture.

Play Ball!

All of this takes practice, both for body and mind. It’s nothing that happens overnight. And it’s not for just 9U Select Baseball teams. It’s for all of us. For life. Share as you see fit.

How I wish I could have been stronger willed as a kid. The bullies would not have stood a chance. During my entire 7th grade, no one would speak to me. A nun confronted me about the older girls in choir. She wasn’t there one day and the 8th graders (I was in 6th) were talking. Monsignor Aughney told her about it, she picked me to ask if they were talking.

At that time in my life, I would have confessed to kidnapping the Lindbergh baby when confronted by an adult in power. I wasn’t going to lie to a nun, not with the threat of sin held over my head. I violated the kid code, I ratted them out. When we returned to school, there was a lot of giggling at me, making fun of me. One day, I remember specifically, a boy who later became friends with me in high school, walked after me while barking like a dog. Let’s just say, it was not a compliment.

My face burned. The tears blurred my eyes. I kept walking. He finally quit. I kept walking, all the way home. No wonder I used to stop at the cookie jar upon arriving at home. Sugar was the thing that made me feel better. Well, sugar and listening to music. I’d hide in my room, playing music, (not while doing homework), eat Mom’s Toll House Cookies like my life depended on it, and feel better. 7th grade was pure torture. But I lived. Deeply wounded, but I lived.

Magically, I kept being myself. When 8th grade came around, the classmates all forgot about the narc among them. They all told me, “You’ve changed.” No, I hadn’t. They had. My self talk wasn’t good back then. Fat, ugly, dumb, can’t draw, you name it, I hated it about myself. Teach your kids to be kind and gentle to themselves.

This doesn’t mean sinful pride and boasting. Be yourself. Keep it in you. It works better. You get it. We’ve a few things to do before the noon and the 2 p.m. game. Hydrating is one of them! You do the same if you’re in Nebraska, it’s sweltering already. But there’s nowhere I’d rather be than watching kids play baseball. I love them all! Have a great day, and see you tomorrow! GO STORM CHASERS!

Grief to Gratitude

Amid grief, it is important to look for things to be grateful for. After losing three friends last year, and four this year (already), we are looking towards our arsenal of memories we are grateful to have. Memories of those friends. And there are so many. So many laughs. So many tears. And so many things to give thanks for.

There are the good-natured jokes people have among friends. The stories shared. The corny punch lines after you take the bait and listen to some long, drawn out set-up. And everyone groans collectively. Good times.

There are the serious, heart-revealing stories told in confidence which aren’t shared with many people. They entrusted you with their secrets. You treasured the secrets and stories. Trust is such an important gift to receive. It says more than many hundreds of words. You are forever the keeper of the secret.

There are thousands of everyday life memories. The trips to the lake or cabin; family trips to Disney World; graduations, weddings, baby showers, births, first steps, and broken hearts. Reading and board games, practical jokes and help to study, playing checkers and puzzle building. Monopoly games, Old Maid, War, Electronic Battleship, and my fave, the Game of Life. Think of all the interactions your family may have had doing those things. More treasures, for sure.

There are some people who have none of those memories. Their homes were not happy, their families were not functional. You can find something that was good. One really nice thing I remember was the Christmas Mom made all the Barbie clothes. She had a blast. I gave them to a friend for her daughter; I wish I still had them. But that’s ok. Someone got use from them. Grandma pitched in and knitted some outfits as well. They were awesome. I was a lucky girl that year. Mom always went all out for Christmas.

Sometimes, we have to dig. Sometimes, we have to add to the story to make it a good one for us. It’s ok. We have comfort in our memories, our recollections of treasured moments. Those are what warms us when we’re chilled to the bone with sadness and loss. We might not want to continue, because, “What’s the use?” Nothing could be further than the truth.

We need to continue living and adding to our own experiences, helping others have moments to draw upon when we are gone. That will broaden our wonderful memories and block out the bad ones. Be selective. It helps. We can put grief in its place, it takes time. Studying about it gave me an idea of what I was experiencing. I know what to do now and what not to do. I feel some comfort with this and use it. Thank you for reading today. Be honest with yourself if you are grieving. It helps a lot. Let’s each other tomorrow. Have a good evening.

December 4. My Favorite Day!

Today is my favorite day of the Christmas season. Why? Well, not only are we moving the furniture around to make way for our Christmas tree, it’s also the day of the season we go see Yesterday and Today. The McGuigan Brothers have again added some new twists to the show they have been doing for many years. It’s a new venue, too. They have been talking about the acoustics in their new home, and it sounds extra special. More about that tomorrow.

When approaching the holiday season, some of us ask for the grace of a glad heart. Sometimes, we have to fake it until we make it. In the beginning, we try to fool ourselves. If we’re working to improve our outlook on life, and making gratitude a new way of life, we can get to the point where we’re not faking it anymore. It becomes part of who we are. We come to have a glad heart, and it’s what we need in this world today.

My Zoom call was more like a Doom call. We both had video, and she had sound. I did not. We communicated and decided to talk on the phone on Monday. I will call her at a certain time. That PST vs. CST is weird. I had it backwards, so now, I have it right. Hopefully, Monday will be better. I think it will.

I want to make this holiday season happier for my heart than it has been. Living in the present is what is the best to do. Being happy for the now is what I choose to do. I need to remember the reason for this season, that is my focus. Since we’re doing decorations like I used to, it’ll be a great time to assess what I can donate and what I want to keep. What I really want to keep. No extras.

I have some ideas to make small reading areas around the house. One in our bedroom, one in my office studio, and one in the lower level. Also have places on the deck and the patio. My spots will double as spots to hand quilt; hand sew things; or embroider. All things I love to do, just more organized. I think this will help me get my whole life organized and running smoother. I can always use more organization.

Some of the author groups I’m in talk about how they take books with them wherever they go. I do, and my brothers have similar habits. While our reading material is varied, the end result isn’t. We are entertaining ourselves, we are passing the time in a productive manner, and we are learning something we didn’t know before. Our parents taught us well. Bored? Couldn’t utter the word. If we did, it was, “Go get a book. Pick up the Newspaper. Draw something.”

Dad worked for the newspaper, so it was always in the house. He also loved drawing. He wanted to be a cartoonist. He was quite good. I have his “Learn to Cartoon” books. I think it’s partly why he loved the Charlie Brown cartoons. Especially Snoopy. If Dad laughed, you knew it was funny. Watching the Charlie Brown Christmas Special, he would say, “That damned dog!” while nearly rolling on the floor. It’s a great memory.

It’s time for me to mix up the egg casserole for breakfast tomorrow (back at the Keto), and finish getting ready for the day. I want to locate the boxes of decorations to start with. I’m going to make it a good season. It has to be. I’m accepting no substitutes. More lights! But no ladders for these old folks!

Techie Tuesday

Today will pretty much be computer work nearly all day. I’ll have a break in between, to go pick up Addison from school, after getting my COVID booster. I feel better getting it, especially with the new variant. Enough of this stuff! Let’s get rid of it! It wouldn’t surprise me if we ended up locked down again. The upside to that is I have plenty of writing to do; and I can learn some more quilting techniques. There’s always more to learn, and more to do. I certainly won’t be bored!

Bored is a word we were not allowed to use growing up. I haven’t cared for the grandkids using it. It’s clear this generation has a very different idea of what fun is. Addison was convinced for a long time parks were all decked out with rides, like Disney World. They’ve been there a number of times. She has even danced there. It was a fun trip to see that. Downtown Disney is quite a busy place.

While Disney is touted as the “happiest place on earth,” I watched the crowd a lot and saw lots of kids who cried incessantly. My guess is they were over tired, over stimulated, as were their parents. They’re just not going to eat or sleep when they should. I hope they had fun, though.

To me, parks have always been green spaces. The parks near our home had activities for kids during the summer. We could either walk there or ride our bikes when we were old enough to do so. It was fun to see your school friends there. The days were long, we never vacationed like some people. My best friend Peggy went camping with her folks; I remember her dad built a camper. Seriously, I remember him putting shingles on the sides (our house had a similar outer wall covering it), and they were probably made of asbestos. All the good stuff was back then, you know? Before we knew it was so bad for us.

I had an errand this morning. Afterwards, I stopped at the LQS (Local Quilt Shop) called The Quilted Moose. It has so much beautiful fabric it’s almost overwhelming. All the ladies were talking and it had a nice atmosphere. Talk about doing what they love! They’re looking for help, it would have been a great job when I could still stand up and do stuff all day. My back and lots of other stuff is too damaged to do that now. But it’s a great opportunity for someone.

I’m still mulling over my dream/idea/plan to create Grandma Kathy videos. It’s worth a try. The worst that could happen? Maybe an author’s lawyer sends me a “cease and desist” order? No, I’d seek permission first. It will be an interesting process. You’ll come along, to learn with me, won’t you? Thanks.

I need to make a smoothie for breakfast/lunch in a minute, KETO approved, I think. A mixed berry Ensure, blended with a handful of frozen berries. It’s good, full of protein, and on the menu for me. There’s more Keto foods in my future again, as I work to keep off the 45 pounds I’ve lost so far. Not sure how much further I should go. I can tell you the best feeling is giving away what used to be snug. And my friend is delighted as she’s lost a bunch of weight and gets some still like-new clothes to take with her to Hawaii tomorrow. Have fun, Lora!

As you move through your day, be mindful of creating your own beautiful world around you. It has nothing to do with your bank account or possessions. It has to do with how you look at your world. Some of the poorest people in the world are happy in their hearts. Find the positive. It’s in there somewhere. You notice the shift when you start to see the good part when bad things happen. Gratitude is essential to a happy life. Enjoy today. See you tomorrow!

Gratitude and Stuff

First, I’ll share with you what took up most of our day yesterday. I saw my doctor and all is well. He told me wait at least 90 days before getting the booster for the Moderna Vaccination. In his opinion, it’s the best vaccine and will offer 3 times the protection when we finally can have it. He also told me I have “super immunity” right now. Having COVID builds some immunity. The strain I had was the variant, so I’m immune. Good deal for not being very sick. I’m grateful it wasn’t worse. And, the super immunity will continue after I get the booster. His advice on mixing the vaccines? Get Moderna, it’s the best, and what I had to start with. I trust this Doc with our lives, so I value his opinion.

After I finished with that, I did an errand, then had a call from the Babe. He was in an accident while driving his truck yesterday. He went to the bank to make a deposit for the Post. A guy ran a red light, the Babe tried to speed up to avoid him, but still was hit in the drivers side rear wheel, truck box, and the side airbags went off. Poor guy can’t seem to catch a break! It’s been a tough year to be the Babe. And yet, although he’s discouraged, he’s grateful. I’m grateful. Had he been t-boned, we’d be having a different kind of blog today.

No doubt there are countless blessings bestowed on our family this year. The Babe isn’t negative about this latest speed bump on the road of our life. That’s one huge thing I love about him. He’s grateful. It’s easy to be a positive person with him. While talking to his kids and siblings, he kept saying, “It’s the hassle I don’t need, but it’s ok.” He took a ride in the ambulance because of the blood thinners that keep his arteries open. He banged his head pretty badly, then he was punched with the side airbag. Honda makes a remarkable product. Thank goodness he wasn’t in a Fiat or a Smart Car.

We are also blessed to have the best repair shop in Omaha. I’ve been a customer of theirs since the 1990s when the kids started driving. Dave’s Auto Body Company is the real deal, trust me. If you’re in the area and need this service, do it. You won’t be sorry. They also generously sponsor events at the Post. It their name is on it, it’s quality.

The folks at Enterprise Rent a Car are good, too. We haven’t secured a car yet, but previously have been happy with them. They’re on 90th & Maple in Omaha.

I’m grateful we have the history we have, the Babe and I. Having had weird medical stuff happen in my life has helped make me calm in times of stress and strain. Just part of the fire I have survived. I’ve developed a lot of trust in God that makes me know things will always be all right. Even if they don’t end “well” we’re good. We each have a deep belief we’ll be ok. God will keep us in the palm of His hand for sure. If we don’t have that hope, we’re doomed! We both have realistic attitudes and expectations at this stage in life. Blessed for sure.

My FBIL (Favorite Brother in Law) who is also my I/T Department had a great quip, he told the Babe:

“A Durango (the vehicle that hit the Babe’s) is 6,500 gross weight, while the Ridgeline is about 6,000. The Babe needs to fight in his own weight class!”

I must agree with that statement. Know we’re counting all the blessings God has thrown our way this year. It’s been hard, but we’re so grateful. We’ve survived having COVID, our son and son-in-law are recovering and healthy, and Gavin has barely had a symptom. Yes, let’s all count our blessings today. It becomes a habit after awhile. Thank you for reading today, and I’ll see you tomorrow!

Thankful Thursday

I made a killer Pumpkin Smoothie the other day. I used the Pioneer Woman recipe, and subbed Stevia for Sugar. I also used 2% Milk, and 3/4 cup of Heavy Cream. It was the best. The Babe didn’t want any, and I get to have three more of them. I guess that can be a Keto Recipe, right?

I had a physical earlier today and had great results. It feels good to be in a different place a year later than I was last year. We can have huge impact on our health when we need to just by changing our habits. I’m grateful to have success and hope to continue.

Didn’t get time to write before now, and it’s 8 p.m. What a day! We had some unexpected things happen today that require some other things be ironed out tomorrow, and I’ll talk about it in a few more days. Just know the Babe and I are grateful to God for continuing to be good to us. It’ll make sense later. I didn’t get any time to work on my outline/plans for writing next week. Hope to make time tomorrow.

Be Grateful!

I’ll see you tomorrow! Be safe out there.

“Envy’s a Coal Comes Hissing Hot From Hell.” Philip James Bailey.

Is it hard to be happy for someone who wins the lottery? Is it hard to be happy for a relative who is able to retire early? Is it hard to be happy for a friend’s child who wins scholarships?

Or do we believe they don’t deserve it? The lottery, the early retirement, the child’s ability to earn their way through college? Do we think, “That should be me?” “He always was a penny pincher!” “Of course, their kids don’t have to work, like mine do, to pay for their car.” Sometimes it’s hard.

The quote today came from my old reliable, “Daily Meditations for Adult Children of Alcoholics.” Since 1982, I’ve read daily, skipped a period of time, then found I needed reminders of how wonderful my life really is. It’s remarkable, isn’t it? I believe I’ve learned these lessons (well, mostly), and am able to share them with others. Random people will find these blogs for them. Some will skip over this day. And that’s ok. You either skip because you’re offended it hits home or because you’re not an envious person. Or just stick around to learn something.

It can be hard to be gracious in the light of someone else’s success. If you care for your fellow humans (siblings, co-workers, cousins, strangers, friends you haven’t met yet), you’ll congratulate them when it’s appropriate. I used to be jealous when another single mom would meet someone and get married within a few months.

First of all, I felt envious they found love so easily. I spent 14 long, lonely, painful years before meeting the Babe. I didn’t know I was picking from the wrong basket. You only know what you know. Until you learn better. I hadn’t learned better yet.

Second, I thought you could make a terrible mistake by not really knowing the person. Six months isn’t knowing them. The first year you’re both on your good behavior. The second, you settle into everyday living. A lot is revealed during those months. Comes around year three of dating (or living together by now), and the person you think the world of is finally themselves. And so are you. If you both are faithful (a deal breaker for me, always), kind, helpful, equal partners in work and play, and can overlook their annoying habits (and they overlook yours!), you have a chance at having something that will last. But you both need to work hard at it.

This is all based on my personal experience, and I’m glad it took me so long. Marriage is hard enough without raising a blended family. I believe we would have been good parents/stepparents to each other’s kids. And it still would have been hard. This way, there was no, “Your kid, my kid,” arguments. Just being realistic, folks. Don’t jump in too fast. Too many people do.

It’s human to feel a twinge of envy now and again. It’s when we give into it, it becomes a problem. It causes a lot of negativity, most of which, none of us needs. It’s a slippery slope, my friends. When we question the good that befalls one of our friends, why not also question the tragedy and troubles that happen to other friends? We certainly don’t want those difficulties. Let’s learn to be gracious for good happening for our friends, and be kind and caring walking through their troubles with them. Don’t abandon them! Walk through it with them and they should do the same for you. True friends do. Soulmates do, too.

If I were to name a theme song for myself, I think it would be the Beatles’ “Let It Be.” When you really think about it, so little in life is worth arguing about. Don’t get me wrong, I get angry, I stand for myself, and I’m quick to say, “Let’s not argue about that, it just isn’t worth it.” Most of it isn’t. Criticizing someone isn’t worth the time, and I don’t care to listen to it, either. Mom has a bad habit of criticizing morbidly obese people. I tell her it just doesn’t matter, she shouldn’t be critical. I’m amazed for the trouble she has with her vision, she can see things like that and express an opinion. It just isn’t worth discussing, in my opinion. I won’t. End of story.

I’m trying very hard to overlook that part of her personality, it’s part of passed down brokenness from her side of the family. I broke the that tradition, as has my brother Tim. Of course, it’s easier since I have no sisters. Are women worse about being catty than men are? Whatever, I’m choosing to take Dad’s point of view. “You don’t know what’s going on with them. Always give the benefit of the doubt.” Do it. You’ll feel better!

Thanks for reading, I appreciate it. I’m almost caught up on the VFW Post 2503 website and Facebook pages. Today will free up a lot of time and tasks on the to do list. And I can get back to my books. See you tomorrow!

Generosity RULES!

I’ve been absent a couple days. As I’ve told you before, the VFW Post 2503 Honor Guard in Omaha, Nebraska sponsored a Car Show yesterday. The proceeds went to the organization Nebraska COPS (Concerns of Police Survivors). They are a charitible organization who assist families who lose their Law Enforcement Officer in the line of duty. For 2020 and 2021, this nation lost 491 officers who were performing their jobs. Crimes against the officers has spiked in 2021.

Families struggle to pick up the pieces sometimes. The funds we raised will help send families of three Nebraska officers who died doing their jobs to Washington DC in October, 2021, for Police Week. Usually it is held in May, but due to COVID, October will be when the new names on the wall will be revealed. Think of them, will you? You may want to go to the website.

I need to review some information about mistakes made in writing children’s books. I want to see if I’ve made those mistakes and correct them before I finish the manuscript and put Cartney’s drawings on their pages. With all we’ve been doing lately, I need to put my head back to writing. And quilting. And learning to draw. And maybe cleaning the house?

I am still waiting (patiently?) for my Apple ID to become unlocked so I can try to get my Pixel 3xl backup to load on my new phone. It’s a safeguard by Apple. I get it, but I alternately applaud or curse it. I need to learn from the inconvenience and I have. We’ve all become so dependent on electronics. If we have one silly thing go wrong, we’re toast! I certainly am for the next 23 days. It’ll be ok. As I told someone, I’ve been thrown out of better places!

This will be brief today, the work of the weekend has made me need the heating pad for my achy back and the recliner for comfort. Hoping you can enjoy the nice weather today, I plan to later. Be Careful out there; Be Grateful; Be Generous; Be Kind. And Be your Best Person. Live your truth!

Don’t Look Back

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is credited with the phrase:

Look not mournfully into the Past. It comes not back again. Wisely improve the Present. It is thine.

I don’t know about you, but I have done this. I miss the times when my kids were little. It was one of the happiest times of my life. It was the hardest work I’ve ever done. Seriously. To help form a little human, teach them right from wrong, how to love each other, and how to be street-wise to protect themselves from those who prey on others.

I pictured life as; the Babe and me with a bunch of grandkids. The reality is; three live out of town. Two live here. We have our share of fun with them. I sometimes wish the Sunday dinners would have materialized. Life doesn’t work that way anymore. If I let it, it could make me sad.

Instead, I’m grateful. We have different good times that usually include ice cream. Addison and Gavin both request it when we’re out. Ice Cream is one of my favorite things on earth. You cannot be in a foul mood when you’re having ice cream. Right? What I’m grateful for is; my reality tells me those dinners would be hard for me to prepare. So it’s easy to dial it back. If it’s not realistic; let it go.

You can’t know what you know now if you live in the past. About how to live. About how to survive. You can’t have it both ways. We often hear, “If I knew then what I know now.” We can’t go back. We can’t take information backwards. Only forward. Our parents likely raised us as they were. We have difficulties with that behavior. Times change. “Spare the rod, spoil the child,” is a philosophy that can see you arrested for child abuse. The only thing achieved by beating a child is submission, low self-esteem, and timidity. Not physically beaten, my spirit was pretty beaten up. I needed to be who I needed to be, not a clone of others. It caused me a lot of confusion. Now I revel in it. I’m different. And there’s a reason I am.

I believe it’s how God wants me to be. It’s how I can best do what I’m good at. Telling stories and spreading hope, love, and encouragement. I’m a naturally curious person. I’m a detail-oriented person. I’m unafraid now. These are all gifts from my life. Now I can use them to tell stories which help kids and women. People raised by an old standard. No one owns anyone else. We are all meant to be free. Be who you are. The sky is the limit. Join me on this journey. Kiss yesterday goodbye. It is of no use to you now. Look ahead with joy and excitement. It is all out there for the taking.

Thank you for reading today. Be Kind. Be Thoughtful. Be who you want to be. Live your life for yourself. Be who God intended you to be. Be YOU. Observe the world. Observe other’s stories. And go out and live a great one for yourself. See you tomorrow.