Peaceful Sunday

While some folks are out there shopping for Christmas, we are chilling at home. Our favorite place. Everything we need is right here. It’s great. Being at a point in life where you can be settled is the best. It’s nothing you can buy, it’s nothing you can order from Amazon; it is a feeling inside of you that grows and makes you feel as if things are perfect. They may not be, don’t get me wrong. I think it’s the feeling things are perfect, because you know God is right beside you, guiding you, if you’d just listen. It’s the feeling everything will be all right. Things will work out. You can get through this.

It has nothing to do with age. Watch a toddler. Their whole world may be right in front of them. Given time and example, their imagination can take them anywhere. Read to them, and they will soar. They will learn how it can be enough to sit and read a book on a cold, Sunday afternoon. And it is. That’s what I plan to do later.

My current read is The Sewing Machine. It’s a lovely book. I put it down during the prepping for Thanksgiving then picked it up again yesterday. I was comforted by it, and now I have the feeling I will read a bit today.

This is Where I’ll Be This Afternoon!

And of course, it’s Sunday, so Yellowstone is in our future. The marathons are good to watch to refresh your memory. Hard to remember from season to season what things are referred to later. They’re important to the plot. The writing and acting is superb, in my opinion. I read a story about Rip’s famous scene where he plows into a bunch of bikers motorcycles, all parked in a row. It wasn’t in the script, but he checked with the director, the bikes were not worth much, they were just for show, and would be disposed of later. The reaction of the “bikers” was genuine, they had no idea he was going to run the bikes down. It was a spectacular move, a real Rip moment. How creative and effective!

I wrote some of my novel yesterday. 524 words, but it flowed freely. I was in a time crunch, so that’s all I did. I realized taking a couple weeks off was a good thing to do. Suspending my NaNoWriMo contest was a good thing to do. I needed the mental rest, not the mental fatigue. I’ve printed out all the chapters, and have them in a three ring binder, to begin editing later on. I have some more planning to do with subsequent chapters, and may do some of that later or tomorrow.

I plan to keep writing, counting the words. If I could get to 50K words by 12/31/2021, I’d consider it “won.” It’s just a guide, and I can keep going. We have some Christmas celebrations coming up, and I want to quilt a wall hanging to put up in the stairwell. No ladders will be involved, trust me! And I might start decorating little spaces in the house. It’ll be a good time to go through things again and donate anything I’m not in love with anymore. Great ideas! Slow and sure wins this Grandma’s race.

Have a beautiful day this sunny Sunday. Rest your mind and body. You’ll need it for the work ahead! See you tomorrow.

Super Sunday! and Monday Reflections

It was such a great day Sunday at our VFW Post 2503. We had a lot of new people gathered together. We were mixed races, creeds, politics, religions, and heritage. We gathered to award money from donations, hard work, and what we earned from fund raising all summer. It was pretty incredible.

We had a board member from Nebraska COPS, the founder of Guitars for Vets Nebraska, and the founder of Moving Veterans Forward to receive their checks. It really made my heart swell. We’ve made a lot of new friends today. We have networked and we have new connections to make. It’s all going to be fantastic. And it seemed so effortless now that we are at the end of the summer. All it does is make us want to work harder for them next year.

To identify the people in the photo, here is a who’s who, from left to right:

Steve Cerveny, OPD, Nebraska COPS Board; Larry Quilliam, Commander VFW Post 2503; Ron Hernandez, Founder Moving Veterans Forward, Kathy Raabe, VFW Post 2503 Auxiliary; Peggy Ullom, Founder Guitars for Vets, Nebraska; Dan Raabe, Quartermaster VFW Post 2503.

What a great feeling it is to help coordinate to make the effort successful and effective. We will create new ways to help our Veterans who often suffer from PTSD, and are homeless. One condition seems to have a domino effect in the lives of some people. They may turn to drugs or alcohol to cope, lose their income, job, home, family, etc. In the past year, we have made many new contacts and friends by reaching out to organizations who can use our help.

The leader of the ABATE group and some of their members were present; they made a donation to us, and we turned it over to the two Veterans groups, MVF and G4V NE. How wonderful it is to share! I don’t have a photo of him, but want to share with you what ABATE is. They are a group of motorcycle enthusiasts. A Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education. They dedicate their time and effort to educating the public, motorcyclists, and anyone who is curious about safety and rights of riders. We are so blessed to have this connection.

Ron Hernandez, Kathy Raabe, Peggy Ullmon, Jay Miralles, Dan Raabe

I’m writing on my laptop today. I left the Chromebook at the Post, and I really miss it! Every system works differently, and every keyboard has a distinct feel to it. This is no exception. While it works, my cheat sheets that appear to the right of my writing vanished. I poked around, trying this key and that key, it’s a test for my brain, I’m sure. All is good. The worst part? My laptop does not have a touch screen, which is a feature I will include on all future devices, trust me!

Today, it’s back to work around the house. Laundry, cleaning, all the stuff about life that’s not glamorous or fun. But it has to be done. And if you re-frame things you don’t like, you can make something positive out of it. For example, I can be grateful to God for the privilege of owning enough clothes to have plenty of clean clothes and be glad I don’t have to carry the laundry out to the laundromat. I had to do that with clothes and diapers from my oldest son. While his dad was in the Army in Germany, I saved money to buy a washer and dryer for the apartment. He took the money and bought a motorcycle. I should have wised up then, but I didn’t. And I would never have had another son and a daughter who taught me all about independence. She was a very independent baby and toddler. I didn’t want to squash her spirit like mine was. She still amazes me.

I’m just going to enjoy the warmth that’s in my heart right now from the weekend. The people are so phenomenal! And soon, we will dig in again, with a special project. More later! Have a beautiful rest of the day. Be kind to someone today. You’ll be better for it. Thank you for reading and see you tomorrow!

Sunny Sunday

On windy days like this, I wonder how the pioneers handled the constant prairie wind. In the spring it seems to never end. A breeze would be appreciated, instead of the constant 35 mph near-gale force wind we have. Other than that, the grass is greening up and I haven’t asked the Babe (yet) to move three very small hydrangeas from the enclosure he built last year. I can tell they will be large plants and I think they need more sun than they received last year.

It took me quite awhile to learn I could have “down” time, I didn’t have to be constantly busy. When I was a stay at home Mom, I felt very alone. We lived in an old neighborhood, it was hard to meet people my own age. Once the kids started school, I did meet some really nice women and had good friends. We often took the kids places together, we had Zoo passes for families, and made a day of it.

Most of the girlfriends I had in high school all went to college. Everywhere I looked, women’s lives were changing. Working away from the home was even the topic in the women’s magazines I read. Not as many recipes or projects to knit, sew, or crochet. I felt I had to justify my existence by accomplishing a lot every day. I refinished woodwork, I made many, many of the Christmas gifts we gave, and the house was ridiculously clean by 10 a.m. every day.

All that activity and no down time. As a single mom, add schooling to working full time and raising my family. I needed a degree for a better salary. The example Mom gave was do more, do it faster, do it better. It was her way of coping with her life, and therefore, it’s how I coped with mine. No one ever told her yet she can slow down. She is not aging gracefully, but goes kicking and screaming along the way. The changes of aging are not being accepted. We have nothing to prove to anyone anymore. Perfection is often a lie. Wearing ourselves out so we fall in bed at night was the order of each day, only to rise the next day to do it all over again the next day.

When I was forced into early retirement due to disability, I fell into a funk and took time to adjust to being able to work anymore. I felt put out to pasture at 48. I went on Medicare at 50. That really deepened my funk. The Babe and I were married. I volunteered for about ten years, and filled the void. Eventually, it led to taking up writing. I was still evolving, still growing, still living. I learned to relax. The Babe taught me to procrastinate. It actually feels powerful to choose putting something off until the next day. I do it when I’m tired. No more frantic activity for this woman. Things are much less “immediate” to me now. Yes, some things take precedence, but unless a life depends on me sweeping the kitchen floor, it can wait. I’m more important than a clean floor.

So many of us lose ourselves trying to attain perfection. And we never get there because it’s impossible. Working harder is not the answer. Having balance in your life is. Living your own truth is the only way to find peace. Admit to who you are, what you want to do, and how you can grow. We grow by learning all of our lives. We’re always on the path to becoming, whether 19 or 91. Forget being busy for busyness sake. Do what you do for the right reasons now, not reasons that make no sense anymore. Yesterdays wounds should not dictate your present and future life.

Be Kind to yourself today. Be patient with yourself today. Take a break today. You deserve it. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a beautiful Sunday.

Hillbilly Elegy and Reading

I’m concluding I’m tired with football. It seems endless, and I read a book or anything else to pass the time. Maybe too much being cooped up, not sure. Last night, though, we watched “Hillbilly Elegy.” It takes some understanding before you can see how good it is.

Why? It’s a very hard subject. While I’m told the book is much better with essential backstory, the story absorbed me. I know families led by adult children of alcoholics/addicts. As the sister says in the movie, “It didn’t start with Mom.” I don’t pretend to be an expert on the subject, I have seen the damage and destruction by these inherited traumas/dysfunction. People just don’t know any better. It seems normal to them. They don’t know there is another way.

There can be one person in the lineage who changes those dynamics for their life. This is what the young man did. He had to set boundaries and enforce them. He knew he could not help his mother. He knew he had to make his own way. It is a very lonely path to follow. I’ve been there. I also had an aunt who knew my struggle, and she was good company on that path. None of that means you don’t love the people. You just cannot help them. Do for yourself. It ends enabling, which is what they want from you. It stops here, folks.

I’ve always liked Ron Howard’s directorial work. I hear the book has many more parts of the story about Grandma, played by Glenn Close. She was superb. I think he did a great job with showing how families can pull a person back and forth, defying set boundaries to achieve their own agenda. It happens, people. It’s called life. It could trigger some people, for sure. Those at a certain level of recovery will see it for what it’s worth, a true story of an overcomer. And they leave you with the impression he succeeds. And for that, I was so happy. It can be done, folks.

My Heart Just Melts!

The pic above is of our Roxie (RIP) and Lexie as puppies, probably seven years ago. They were so cute as puppies. Especially sleeping! Just lightening up the mood here a bit. And who doesn’t love puppies?

Won’t be doing any writing today, still working my way through the pile of papers I may want, and need to scan a bunch of papers for the VFW Website. Just stuff like that, takes up an item on the to do list, yet easily accomplished. Helps you feel successful on a freezing but sunny day. The wind is shaking a bunch of stuff outside. I’m glad I have a spot by the fireplace reserved for the afternoon with the Kansas City football game on. I just love Patrick Mahomes, he is an outstanding young man, quarterback, and citizen.

I remember my Grandma referring to people as “young man,” or “young lady,” and it’s funny to hear myself, probably at her same age, referring to people that way, too. Age is a funny, fickle thing. First you don’t feel any differently as you did at age thirty until you move or get up from a chair. When did all that happen? You just can’t place an exact time, you were busy living when it happened, and now, boy, do you notice it.

With that age and creakiness, you earn a different point of view about life. It just goes by so fast. No one has invented something to slow it all down. When you stop, you’re an age you never imagined you could be. I’m older now than Dad was when he died. That’s hard to believe. Yet, time keeps going on, and I’m so grateful for that.

One thing which stays the same is the touch of the person you love. In a lifetime together (or even 22 years), you sometimes don’t hug as much or even hold hands. As things change with age, it’s a beautiful thing to just hold hands. I like to hold the Babe’s hand while I fall asleep. Of course, he’s already asleep, but he still holds on to my hand. It’s nice. A simple yet beautiful thing.

A touch, a glance, our minds can spark a memory that can excite your soul. Sometimes, it catches me by surprise after all these years, but then I remember our first years together. You never forget the love of your life, and the Babe is mine. And now, as he would say, enough mushy stuff.

I had to have this painting. It’s just Goldie.

Let’s all finish out this Sunday with gratitude and humility. God has been so good to all of us, and we are so blessed He loves us all. Even at our worst. Thanks for reading, I’ll see you tomorrow. Be Safe, Be Courteous, Be Kind. Be careful out there and make it a great day!

Suddenly It’s Sunday Again!

Wow! What a week! It’s been the longest short week I’ve had for quite a long time. It was a great one, though. How about for all of you? I hope you’re all well and able to enjoy this beautiful Sunday, wherever you are.

The Babe and I had a big list of stuff to do this week. Probably 75% of it was done. But even at that, washing windows was not in the cards with all the much needed rain. Probably this week. I once had a house with 36 windows. They were old, cheap combination windows I cleaned twice a year. What a job! Now, instead of having to take the parts out, I can take out the screens, and use a product that hooks to your garden hose. You can clean the window, switch the product off, then rinse. Five minutes, then give the screen a shot of suds and rinsing, it’s all clean and ready to put back in when dry. Since we have a ranch style home, you can squeedge the water off or dry with a cloth. You can see again!

We went to the Post this morning for the first Sunday breakfast in a long time, and we enjoyed a good meal for $8. They did well, and it shuts down at Noon. We had breakfasts once a month for quite awhile, then stopped because not a lot of people were coming up, and that was before COVID. Good call to start them again. A new group of helpers makes the work go well.

Today, I will put the finishing touches on my stories of origin. It’s been a fun project and I’ve learned a lot. This has also been the week to unveil the new VFW Post 2503 website. The Babe’s brother in law Brad is a web designer, among other things, and he put it together for us. I’ve learned a lot more about WordPress this week, so that time has been so worth it. It’s been a fun as well as frustrating week. My stubbornness has kept me from calling him for help in figuring things out. Some things I still needed help with, but it took me back to my working days and the triumph of trouble shooting problems. A victory when you figure stuff out, for sure.

There will be a learning curve to keep going, and it’s ok. I’ve actually improved my website too, in case you didn’t notice. The new “Home” page has a bit about me and my headshot. I’ll need a new one since my COVID hair has grown almost shoulder length. I decided to keep the hair. I’ve missed it. I’ve had long hair most of my life, it’s sort of a signature. So what if it’s gray. No one cares anymore. Part of my brand, actually. “It’s Not Too Late, and I’m Not Too Old.”

The newest blog for the day is under “Today’s Blog” and a collection of all my blogs is available on the “Blogs at a Glance” page. There is a page to “Contact” me, and I’d sure like my followers to fill that out. I’ll keep e-mails to a minimum when they start, trust me! I haven’t published yet, but I’ll have your contact information for when I need it. I’d appreciate your help with that.

The other thing you could do under comments, is suggest a topic for the daily blog. If there is some part of writing you have questions about, I’d be glad to try and answer them. You’ll be helping me a great deal.

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels.com

I have to say, I’m scouring the free photo sites and looking for typewriter photos. I marvel at how big they are now. I hated typing on an old manual typewriter, the very old kind, because I had to address envelopes for advertising. The darned shift hold wasn’t in too good of shape, so it would type off center of the line. Arghhh! Had to throw them away, the boss wouldn’t let me erase it and white out hadn’t been invented yet. It was embarrassing!

I have to say, owning one of these typewriters would be fun for messing around, but I’m personally very happy with the ease of computer software. It’s awesome. Easy to correct. I don’t know how many words I can type, but wow, it’s way better than the hunt and peck method most people seem to use now. I cannot imagine typing an entire 80K novel using the hunt and peck method!

Photo by Logan Fisher on Pexels.com

I love these Aspen trees in Colorado. This is the perfect time of year out there. Well, summer can be, too. I have never been there in the snow, or a blizzard, so I can’t speak to that. Our daughter Becky moved there in 2001, and it’s our favorite place to go, even before she lived there.

This afternoon will be spent re-reading my character origin stories, and maybe actually reading a book for pleasure. The deck is just perfect right now, so I plan to enjoy it. How will you spend your day?

Thank you for spending part of it with me. I’ll be here again tomorrow, and I hope to see you, too. Have hope in your hearts, we all need it now more than ever. Be Kind. Be Courteous. Be Safe. And definitely, Be Aware of all around you.