Loneliness. Not Good?

It’s said in the Bible, when God created everything, planets, skies, animals, Adam, the first thing He declared as not good is “loneliness.” And then He created woman. From the rib of Adam. Eve, created as his equal, remains so despite repeated protests and laws declaring otherwise in our country.

We are social creatures by nature. We need others in our lives. Yes, sometimes I tire of people, too. Reaching out when the need strikes is satisfying to have someone out there when we seek them. Friends make life happier and fuller. Colleagues make it so, too. Learning from one to another is the best when we put our minds and hearts together to create. Sharing those collaborations is the stuff we make our dreams of.

Hurt people withdraw from society. When we withdraw and shun people from approaching us, we make ourselves inaccessible. If we want to attract friends, people whom we can trust, we must be open to people approaching us. Being painfully shy as a teenager, I was aloof to some. In reality, I felt petrified and scared to death.

We can build bridges between ourselves and others with similar interests, groups, activities, and gain satisfying relationships from the bridges. If we make a mistake, it’s ok, it’s not the end of the world, it’s just a path we may not follow in the future. Lessons learned are good. Trust me.

We who are introverted must work at it. We must get outside of ourselves to meet others. Only when we make the attempt can we find fault. If we find fault instead of friends, we need to change our tactics or our search or maybe where we’re searching. Once I learned I deserved better treatment than I was receiving, did the results change. Having been there and done that, I can tell you it works. Try it out for yourselves.

How about that header photo? I am back at my studio/office right now. Like my recent sign? I’m such a sucker for fun stuff at Hobby Lobby. I rotate my stock every once in a while. Yes, I still have some things to rearrange and go through. But we’re almost there! more pics to follow!

Today, try an experiment. When you’re in public, be the first to say, “Good morning.” I love to tell little kids, “I like your hat!” or something similar. It opens up a channel of communication we don’t have now. You’ll become braver with time. Just do it. Don’t overthink it.

More straightening up today. And I have received the drawings from my artist. Excited to see how they look placed on their pages. Hoping you all have something to look forward to today and tomorrow. Enjoy this overcast day if you’re in Eastern Nebraska. It’s another comfortable one. See you tomorrow!

Lesson Learned

I learned something very important today.

I’m on Day 2 of a major cleanup/organizing my studio/office. There will be a Day 3 with perhaps a Day 4. I knew it wouldn’t be One and done. I didn’t expect 3 days. Why? I have chronic back pain, and it is getting me back in spades. You’d think I’d learn.

I’m not supposed to lift anything over ten pounds. Have you seen the old printer I moved from the Babe’s office into mine? Have you seen the backpacks full of books about writing I need to sort and shelve? They will live on a corner shelf and a small library cart I need to put together. Not a problem. I need to sort through all the sewing projects collected on the sewing machine cabinet. Re-homing in the basement studio is in store for them. Some special projects will stay upstairs. All else will also go to the basement studio. That will also be reorganized, but that is for June, July, and August. Hopefully, the three tall book cases will be assembled by then.

Yes, I lifted over 10 pounds. Two days in a row. We also picked up groceries. They were heavy, too. I will probably do that until I absolutely cannot. That means I’ll have pain. I usually do. This is nothing new. I also know waiting for the Babe to get home and he is often too tired to do those things. We’re both aging. While logically, we know that, we still fight the idea. I’ve had restrictions for 25 years. Sometime I can test them; lately it’s not such a great idea.

We took care of a necessity on the way home. We stopped at Baskin Robbins and the Babe ad I each had iced cream. What a treat! That’s probably my last food for the day. It’s nearly 5 p.m. and we’re going to stay home and have a relaxing evening. Hope you do, too! And I hope there’s ice cream in your future. Take care. See you tomorrow!

Thursday Thoughts

On our way to the VFW Post yesterday about 4 p.m., we were in the first traffic jam we’ve been in for a long time. It was noticeable enough we commented on it. It would be nice if traffic kept being sparse, smooth flowing, and uneventful. Probably not going to happen. It was again great to be among friends and share a meal and beverages.

Why Do We Think We Know Better Than God?

This is a part of our “normal” back. That said, it will never be “normal”. There is a new Commander taking over next month. The other new officers need to learn the ropes and keep the place running. The Babe is still Quartermaster. He offers the members some continuity, and that’s a good thing. The bulk of income is from room rentals, and those are beginning to pick back up. All good signs. We need to keep social distancing when in public, though. And we are meeting the requirements to be open.

God will help us adjust somehow. The whole pandemic, and the protests turned riots, have made our heads swirl. It’s intense and crazy and not civil. I posted a comment about being safe at home during riots and pandemics and some smart aleck posted I should stay home for the next 20 years. What? Wow. The invincibility of youth. You too, will be more cautious someday, young man. I hope you live long enough.

Today has not been an easy day. Pandemic blues are lingering, along with the apprehension of the tension in the nation. I still believe in my country, the United States of America. I believe we are fortunate to live in the best country in the world. I’m uncertain about current events, for sure. It feels as if the media whips us into a frenzy on a regular basis, as if we are on a bad reality show. It is very stressful for a mind and heart to endure that kind of stress continually. We need a break. We need some peace. We deserve it.

I’m weighing how to do my outlining and structuring part of my book. Being overwhelmed makes it difficult to know which way to go at this point. I’m going to do some reading on those topics tonight, and hope it’s enough to make a difference with my being stuck in neutral. It’s hard being so far along and not able to keep the momentum going to finish. If I don’t get in gear tomorrow, I think a day off may be in order. Do other creative people out there have problems like this? It’s seeming to come and go, and I so hope I’m normal. Not Abby-Normal.

Thanks for reading today. I appreciate you sticking with me on bad days like today and good days like yesterday was and tomorrow will be. Have a fruitful evening, that’s my plan! See you tomorrow.

Thanks for hanging in there with me today.

Evidence shows . . .

In Omaha, NE, after two nights of demonstrations and subsequent riots, there will be no charges in the death of a black man Sunday night. It appears we have video evidence that shows the shooter was defending himself. The whole thing should have never happened. The demonstration turned somewhere, and it became a riot. The best advice I could give someone is, demonstrate. But be keenly aware. To younger people who don’t have a lot of experience out in the world, it just takes less than a minute for things to go terribly wrong. The best choice is just stay home. You will be safe. It’s the only 100% sure thing in life.

New Life and Growth in the Garden.

All that’s left for us to do now is stay home and pray. We are safest there, just as with COVID-19, which is still very much on the horizon. Do what makes sense. The best sense.

The Babe is the world’s best husband for me. He planted all the perennials I purchased where I wanted them. There is a little cleanup/leveling that needs to be done, but they are getting a great start. After my confession I just can’t do this anymore, he did what needed to be done. Bless his heart! To the left is the brand new fence he built so Goldie wouldn’t eat the daisies, hibiscus, columbine, and all the other beautiful plants. Last fall she ate the sticks from a hydrangea, and by gosh, it grew back. It’s the greenery in the middle of the photo. I can’t wait to see how this will all look in a few months. It will be a great distraction from the virus, the civil unrest, and the rest of the stuff that disrupts life as we know it.

I feel especially bad for people who live in areas this rioting is taking place. They have been advised they may want to find somewhere else to stay, since they may not be safe at home until this is over. There are so many beautiful lofts and apartments in the Old Market area, things like this just shouldn’t happen. Most people disrupted by all this are not even perpetrators of anything immoral or illegal. They are collateral damage. It’s just not right.

It is hard to concentrate on what I need to be doing right now, enhancing my novel. I should be able to do a lot tomorrow. I just need to stick with it for several hours. Perhaps tomorrow. Someday, we won’t have to hope for a normal kind of day to accomplish something we may have taken for granted. I miss those times. Normal days. With normal events. Not Pandemics and Riots.

After waiting patiently for spring, we have turned full tilt into summer, at least weatherwise. It’s pretty humid out, and was near ninety degrees. It’s going to be this way all week and probably beyond. Summer already. Where does the time go?

After checking in with our kids, we feel safe and know our family is. The words on our last text from one of the kids was so sweet, yet said so much. In light of the unrest that is in the area right now, the words leapt from the screen and said, “Love you guys. Stay Home.” This says it all. My heart is warm and happy. We will all be ok. We have to be. Wishing you all a safe night, and if you be kind, wash your hands, and stay home, we will all have a wonderful day tomorrow. One day at a time, we will all get better. See you tomorrow. Thank you for reading.

Mobile Monday

A Sunny Day or Six Would be Great!

Getting a late start today for the blog. I had two early appointments this morning, and the rest of the day had a conference with my writing coach, and a lot of thinking about what we talked about. It started out gloomy again. Maybe tomorrow. There is always hope.

I’ve had my temperature checked more today than I have in the past five years. Well, not really. I’m surprised Walmart didn’t check it. They had no disinfecting wipes to clean off the cart handles and didn’t require people to wear masks. They did a good job reconfiguring the aisles. They have some dividers in the middle of 12 foot aisles and nice markings in the aisles indicating the six foot apart rules. It was perfect. I found Butter Beans! And Dog Treats. Essentials for Cowboy Beans and for keeping the dogs happy. It was a win-win.

The conversation with my writing coach was good. I got some honest feedback to help me take my idea and what I’ve written so far, add some things, and be able to make it the best telling of my story about Katie and her seven brothers: Patrick, Andrew, Edward, John, Marty, William, and Michael. It is amazing to make the decisions about characters, their flaws and strengths, and the perils they will interact during. It’s a continuing process, and sometimes I get an idea and decide that may be in a follow-up story, maybe in a trilogy. That would be quite exciting!

Those of us in the 1970 Graduating Class from Archbishop Ryan High School will not be having our 50th Reunion this year. That is sad, but since we are all “of a certain age,” maybe we’ll start a new tradition of a 51st Reunion. It could become a thing, you know? And perhaps our good friend, Anna Merola, will be able to come from Italy. It would be wonderful!

As I left the dentist this morning near 144 & Fort in Omaha, I did see the Nebraska National Guard flyover doing a tribute flight to honor the state’s heroes in the trenches of treating COVID-19 patients. It would have been more spectacular against a blue sky, but the clouds accentuated it as well. The special tributes to those in harm’s way are incredible.

My nephew Don is an ER (ED) nurse in Arizona, and I know he is an angel to his patients. He is in the profession because of his mother, who died from oral cancer in 2007. He was a graduating senior at Bellevue East High School then. Wow. Talk about your graduation being messed up. Her funeral was the day after his 18th birthday. What a lot to overcome! Don enlisted in the USAF, and served his country. I love what he’s done with his life. And, still a newlywed, he married the lovely Carrie last November in Omaha. I’m so happy for them, proud of them, and am just waiting to see their new chapter. You, Don, are my hero. May God continue to bless you!

I’m issuing an apology in advance of you reading this meme. It is an important part of a theme in my book, and it is important for all of us to own our actions, words, and behaviors. If you do not you will never be able to be your best. It is especially hard for people who were raised in dysfunctional families. There is no shame in it, the shame is in not changing the things that are wrong. Not calling out the bad behavior within our own groups leaves the door open for passing along the bad things. And you don’t want to do that. Be strong. Be aware. Be brave enough to say, “It stops here. My family did the best they knew how. And some things need to change for the future.”

I thank you for reading today. I appreciate you so very much. See you again tomorrow, you know I’ll be here ! Stay Safe. Wash your hands. Call a Friend. Learn something new! Take care.

Marveling It’s Monday!

So this is the view from the office today. You can see the streak from an airplane above the trees and there is enough shade yet for the pups to take a nap in. They love being outside! I do too.

Can’t See This Too Much. Fresh Air is the Best Therapy for Your Soul.

The Finch Family Was Rude Last NIght!

However, the neighbor up above on the beam over the table isn’t too nice. While arranging my stuff to work, I discovered we needed a clean up on – well, Table 5? The Finch Family left some gifts for me. Ack! Note to self: Move the table away from the nest to avoid incoming. There, now where were we?

This is such a perfect time of day. It’s just warm enough to be comfortable, especially in the shade. In some ways, I was flashing back to summer mornings when I was a kid in South Omaha. Of course, when I was in 6 – 8 grades, the girls had to go to Mass and sing every morning. Yes, every morning. There was no sleeping in ever at our house. Not weekends, not summer. If we were out too late from the night before, Mom woke us up earlier.

We had no air conditioning the whole time any kids lived at home. Don’t know how Dad, a night worker, slept during the day in that oven of a house. With maybe just a window fan. Anyway, the days were pretty much all alike, kind of like now. Get up, Church, breakfast, change clothes, play. Or read, or whatever you were going to do. Riding bikes was a lot of fun with my friend Peggy. We imagined we had cars, or were part of the Cartwright family on the Ponderosa. It didn’t matter. We used our imaginations and had fun. It’s funny now to think of it. Oh, or be Ricky Nelson’s girlfriend. That was a good one. Swoon!

Goldie, the Office Manager

My productivity took a nose dive yesterday after lunch. When that happens, I need to sit in the recliner with the heating pad on my back. Hate when that happens. Had a nice short nap, and just did some reading the rest of the day. I have four quilts to quilt, three need layering right now. Poppies, Psychedelic Flower, Hibiscus Blocks, and a Wintery Cardinals Quilt I bought last fall. Those are all about the same size, and I’ll only need one King Sized Batting cut in fourths for them all. That makes it so much easier. Hope to get those all layered and pinned this week.

The Babe brought up a good subject. If one of us becomes sick, we probably should have the room ready for the patient. We have a full little apartment downstairs, minus a kitchen, but have a refrigerator, bathroom with a huge shower, and a queen sized futon couch in the craft room. Now, that means I’d need to straighten up the craft room. It is disorganized, and I’ve never finished moving into it. A day or two (depending on how my back holds up) will accomplish the task. I’m hoping to start that this week.

I don’t know that the bed needs sheets on it as of yet, but maybe that’s what he’s going for. I suppose either way, I need to get the bed ready for the Babe, since he’s probably the one who will vacate the upstairs, regardless of who gets sick. Meals on wheels? Room service? I’m not sure. We’ll have to see how he works out that little detail.

Our dog Lexie is worse than a kid. When she decides to be naughty, she’ll drink out of the big bowl she shares with Goldie. Then she sticks her paw in it to spill it. That’s OK outside, but I frown on that in the kitchen. She knows we love her, she just has to be ornery once in awhile. That’s the Raabe in her. Come bedtime, though, she snuggles right up next to my side, and I’ll often wake to find her head laying on my stomach. I’d like to think it’s because she loves me, not because I’m extra fluffy as a result of quarantine weight gain/ Maybe a little of both?

Lexie is in charge of Security!

I’m off to do some research on Alcoholics Anonymous. I purchased their 75th Anniversary Edition of their Big Book. It reminds me of the Missals we carried in the 60s to Mass in the Catholic Church. It has a ribbon page marker like they had, it’s a plain black cover, and the edges are gilded in red metallic. It’s beautiful. There is a companion book called “Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions that I hope to learn a lot from. It is research to figure out how to deal with the family created to write about.

There will be some work on Chapter 10 of the book, too. And embroidery on the little hedge hog picture for baby Cody’s room. Looking forward to the rest of the day. Thank you for spending this time with me, I hope you have some goals for the day, even if it’s to work on your Quarantine Tan. Sunscreen, please! We all should use it. Hope to see you tomorrow, and we’ll see if this day went according to plan! Enjoy!

Terrific Tuesday . . .

And then some! I cannot believe today is pretty sunny. It’s not like yesterday was, but it’s beautiful anyway. Today may be the day we poke around in the garden areas and see if anything besides dandelions is stirring. Maybe, maybe not. It’s just a waiting game for sure.

I’m waiting for the cleaning crew to come clean our home. It’s been about a month, and it needs the professional touch. The dogs carry so much stuff inside (like mulch) and pulverise it all over the floor. At least they don’t eat the couch. I’m sure it will stop at some point.

I renewed our Omaha Zoo membership this morning. Luckily, they are extending their date to April 30, from March 30 to still get a $20 discount. Yes, I’m glad to only be paying $145, not $165 for a Grandparent membership. I hope Gavin wants to go a lot. If not, we’ll just go walk a bit.

This self-distancing/quarantining is a great chance for me to (during APRIL) re-organzie my craft room/cutting room downstairs. It’s gotten a bit out of hand these past three and a half years, and it’s time to tidy it up again. I’ll be able to use it and still keep an eye on the dogs downstairs. Looking forward to summer, like everyone else is. In addition, I’m collecting clothes that don’t fit/appeal to me anymore and readying a bag for the homeless female population at Lydia House. Lots of jeans, about 20 years worth of styles, all perfectly good. Just not going to entertain any dreams of losing forty pounds anymore. The gain happened after I had cancer, and was on a med for eight years afterwards. I believe that started it. It just doesn’t matter anymore, does it?

There was a General on GMA this morning who discussed the government taking over existing buildings with water and electricity already operational and making them into temporary hospitals in areas they expect to be very hard hit with COVID-19 patients. I think this is very wise, the arenas aren’t being used right now anyway. It would be hard to be a patient in a MASH tent, like they currently have set up behind UNMC’s emergency room. The tent holds eight beds, and supposedly has power, heat, water, etc. Even though being in a cot in an arena for an extended period of time wouldn’t be the greatest, it would be better than in one of the hundreds of tents being set up now. Hopefully we won’t need to use all these facilities, but having them ready is being ahead of the game.

Word of the Day
Coddiwomple.
To travel purposefully toward
an as yet unknown destination.
We should not coddiwomple about. We should practice self-distancing and self-quarantine.

I think we need to be aware of what we are doing. We have only left home to go to the store for food, medicine, or for the Babe to go to the VFW, where he can work alone in the building. I have taken Mom to physical therapy. That has allowed exposure for me to people who are ill as the waiting area was the only place to sit and wait for her. It was an industrial area where I wouldn’t have been comfortable taking a walk. Most of me knows I’ll be ok, then sometimes the little voice we all have inside us says, “Yeah, but . . . ” Let’s learn to ignore that little voice. We cannot have doubt creep in at a time like this. We have to be positive. Sure, we may be infected with it, but we’re all healthy for the most part and it shouldn’t be bad if we do get it. Keep thinking those good thoughts, folks. It’s all we’ve got right now.

We have a group we love to follow in local music. Our VFW friends and others join us for shows at our community playhouse in Omaha at different shows. We have a pending 20 tickets for each of these spectacular shows coming up: She Rocks w/Tara Vaughn, Pop Rock Orchestra with Billy McGuigan and his band, and Yesterday and Today, also with Billy McGuigan and his brothers/band. June, August, and December 2020, all for being positive and looking ahead. It will get better. This music will help you celebrate our release from quarantine. Hoping it all works out. Blessings to you for reading. I took a long lunch break, we had steak, baked potato, salad, and I had a wine spritzer (Cab Sav and Sprite Zero), and now I think I need a nap. I’ll be back tomorrow, and hope to see you then.

My Grandma always said, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” It’s ok, a rest break is allowed. I’ll get back to it in a little while. Thanks, see you tomorrow!