GROWING OLD

Getting OLD has been on my mind now for months but not until a mysterios illiness struck me down did I decide to take it seriously.

So many of my school chums have passed away in the last few years it has left far too few of us around. I never thought much about OLD age and guess I never realized how different our life gets as we age. We look different, we act different, we think different, and we become different.

I always figured I could accomplish whatever I wanted to. I remember saying "hey I'm just 32 and can do that (whatever it was??) next year." Then one day I looked around and wasn't 30 something anymore, I was 50 something. Even that didn't hit home because I felf good, full of life, oh, maybe a mild pain somewhere but nothing I paid attention to. Plus my mother, bless her heart was in her 80's and going strong. My only problem was I worked behind a desk many many hours everyday of the week for at least 20 some years. The only exercise I got was walking from my office in my bedroom, into the kitchen for a snack or the living room to watch TV before turning in for the night.

I won't say I didn't notice a change because I did but once again put it on the back burner in my brain. But then as the weeks, months, years went by gradually I noticed not being able to take a bath cause I couldn't get out of the tub. I figured I was getting older so just took showers. I had other very mild signs that something was happening but still I ignored them...my mistake!!!

Then finally a couple weeks ago I got up from a good nights sleep and walked into the living room to sit in my lounge chair and FELL! I still don't know how or why but I hit the floor like a stone. That wasn't the bad part even, the bad part was that I couldn't get up. I tried everything for hours (9 to be exact) but couldn't life myself off the floor. I can attest to what happened during that time to be the worst ever spent in my life. Finally I made it to the bedroom crawling, got onto the bed and fell asleep. Since the fall I can walk okay, thank God! But can't sit on a regular chair, too low, so I have to use my office chair which is nce and high and has arms to help me lift myself. I had to buy a higher toilet seat with arms to be able to get off once on. I can't go to a doctor because I don't know how I'd manage their office chairs plus even getting out of my own car. I am trapped in my own home for the time being. Luckily my ex has been here helping me in every way possible and has been a Godsend!

Anyway I've ordered a special sit down exercycle that I'm told will strenghten my thighs and hip muscles as it is made just for when they begin to atrophy, or lose strength from lack of use.

So anyway that's what has been going on with me and I blame myself, I knew something was going on and just ignored it because I never thought of myself as OLD and able to break down.

I would appreciate a prayer if you happen to think of me!

For Men Only!

Here is wishing a very HAPPY FATHERS DAY to all the fathers and grandfathers out there. I hope you all have a wonderful day surrounded by your loved ones.

MYSTICAL, MAGICAL FULL MOON

The next time you find yourself gazing longingly at the perfect wonder of the moon try and appreciate your cosmic connection to people of ancient cultures who did more than stare in wonder. . .They gave meaningful NAMES to each months full moon.

North American moon names come mainly from Native American Algonquin tribes whose settlements ranged from from New England to Lake Superior Although full moon names can vary, heres a version of how the Algonquin people saw it.

January: Wolf Moon, for hungry packs that howled at night.

February: Snow Moon, for massive winter storms.

March: Worm Moon, when earthworms and robins reappear.

April: Pink Moon, for widespread phiox flowers.

May: Flower Moon, for springs proliferation of blooms.

June: Strawberry Moon, for the berries peek season.

July: Buck Moon, when bucks that have shed their antlers sprout soft, velvety new growth.

August: Sturgeon Moon, for the late summer abundance of this fish.

September: Harvest Moon, for staple crops of corn, pumpkins, squash and beans.

October: Hunters Moon, prime season for deer, fox and other game.

November: Beaver Moon, time to set winter traps.

December: Cold Moon, for the seasons icy blasts.

It seems these Indians knew how to use the full moons to their advantage, kind of like a huge clock for all seasons. They say today that a full moon brings with it strange and bizzare behavior, I wonder if it was the same back in those days?

Wishes from my Heart

Wishing all my women friends a

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

ROYAL WEDDING

I took a short nap yesterday so I would be wide eyed and bushy tailed for the ROYAL WEDDING. It started here in Nevada at 1:00 a.m., Pacific time on Channel 13. It was covered by Barbara Walters and Dianne Sawyer. I have to say I was pleased with their coverage of the event. They seemed to know when to talk and when to shut the hell up. I saw everything from Prince William and Prince Harry leave the residence headed for the Cathedral. I saw everyone arrive and go inside the church. I was amazed in a good way mostly by all the ladies hats. Then the long awaited arrival of Kate soon to be Princess. Her gown was gorgeous, stunning, and she looked regal and Queen like already with her diamond tiara. Kates family are all quite handsome, her dad, her mother a beauty in her own right. Kates sister and brother could both be movie stars. And I have to admit Prince Charles never looked handsomer. They say his marriage to his one true love Camilla, changed him for the better, and he, she, and the two sons are great friends. I stayed up untril nearly 5:00 a.m. fascinated by the whole affair. Everyone was off to a luncheon given of canipays and champagne hosted by the Queen before going to their places of residence to rest before changing for a dinner party given that night by the Prince and his new bride. The Queen would not be in attendance because the palace was being turned into a sort of nightclub for the young people to have fun.

By the way I have to comment on how lovely the Queen looked all in yellow. For an 85 year old woman she looked amazing. "Long Live The Queen!"

Today when I got up I tuned into Oprah who was dressed to the nines, hat and all, and so was her entire audience. She had Carson Daily or something or other in Kates hometown where she grew up, he was interviewing the towns people. It was interesting. Then Oprah gave out Kates favorite candies to the audience, and Prince Williams favorite chocolate cake while interviewing his childhood chef.

I don't believe much in fairytale lives but if this wedding is any example of the lives these two young Royals will be living, they may have made a believer out of me!

I ask Gods blessings for them both. . .

WHEN IT RAINS - IT POURS

First of all HAPPY EASTER to all who read this blog...

Just when things seem to be going well you find out your grandson who is just new in the Marine Corp. (raindrop one) and only 20 years old has met someone on Match. com with a child and after only several months goes to the court house and the next call from him he says, "I'm married." (raindrops two.) The kids come home to meet our family. Then head back to Arkansas where he is stationed and she lives. He'd met her relatives at their small wedding. My poor daughter-in-law was beside herself as were we all. Jason has been the baby of our family for all his life to date, and was now married with a stepson of his own, (raindrops three.)

Things seemed to be quieting down and we hoped the raindrops in our lives had stopped, but oh no!!! The thunder began rumbling across the cloudy sky. Jason informed us he was being transferred from stateside to Japan, (raindrops four.)
We all thought well at least it was 'peaceful Japan' where he was going and not Afganistan or Irac. We all told him the many wonderful strories we had heard about the country and even had other service people in the family who had been stationed there and loved it.

So our Jason left for Japan, and NO he couldn't take his new family which wasn't popular with her I'm sure. They got married to be together and the transfer was a 'big' surprise. He would have to send for her later on when he got permission. Plus they added on one year to the end of his enlistment as discipline because he got married without their permission.(raindrops five.)

Jason was in Japan a little better than one week when the 9.0 earthquake and tsunami hit. Luckily Jason is on an island 1800 miles from Tokyo, so he was not affected by either of the disasters at first but he and his unit have had to be in Tokyo for clean up, and he has had to have a painful OC wash treatment for radiation, (raindrops six and seven.) All our kids are given to wear from the Marines as protective gear are gloves, what's with that Marines?

Jason sent us his picture on Facebook and it showed his terribly swollen, red face, nose and eyes. He was blind for hours afterwards. He looked awful and was in pain from the OC shower. What I don't get is why our kids only get a dam pair of gloves to wear when cleaning up radiation. Again I ask, what's with that Marines???

Last night my grandson came home on an emergency leave to be with his mom who in the meantime of all this going on, has to have her hip replaced. Her leg is literally hanging by tendons. (raindrops eight, nine and growing.) We will all be with her tomorrow, Monday, when she has her third hip operation. Her sons will help take care of her during what could be a lenghty recoverey period. Plus she has "fantastic friends" who love her, and will all lend a hand.

The rain is still falling but now it has turned from drops to a flood, and as my 91 year old wonderfully bright mother always says:

When it rains - It pours!!!

TIPS YOU WON'T BELIEVE

AUNT JEMIMA TO THE RESCUE... Not to long ago a friend was hard boiling some eggs. Just as she reached into the pot to remove one with a spoon, her doorbell rang. She looked away just long enough to dip her hand into the boiling water, she let out a blood curdling scream and dropped the spoon. Her neighbor hearing the scream ran inside and saw her standing there. She saw the steaming hot water and figured out what happened. She shouted; do you have any flour? Crying, she answered back, "yes up in that cabinet." Her neighbor grabbed the flour and placed her hand inside the bag and said, keep it there as she tried comforting her. She began to explain that when her brother was in Viet Nam and got burned they used this method and it worked very well, no pain, no blisters or redness and after just ten minutes. Once they removed her hand it was not red, no blisters or pain. From that day forward she's kept an easy to open container of flour in her refrigerator, it seems cold flour feels even better than room temperature does. The two shared this miracle with us at our next Bunco game and we all keep flour handy now just in case. You can even put a dab on your tongue after having tasted something too hot. Try it next time you or someone you know gets a burn. It's a ten minute miracle. .. > > >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> COKE-A-COLA CONTROLA... Do you or someone you know have one of those grease/oil stained driveways that makes your home look like a redneck lives there? Or when the cars not parked in it people step on the stain and track the gunk into your lovely home? Does it make you want to scream because even Tide and boiling water won't get it out? Well, I have the answer and it's easy and cheap. It's coke-a-cola. Simply buy some coke, don't drink it cause if it does what I am about to tell you I don't believe it should be drunk! Open can of coke and dump it out onto the spot, use as many cans as it takes, scrubbing after each can sits there for five minutes. Depending on how bad your spots are, it should take about 1/2 hour per stain. Before using the coke if there is a wet spot, dump some cheap kitty litter onto the spot to soak up the liquid. In fact once clean if the problem leaker is still going to be parked there, keep kitty litter on the spot to catch the leakage.... This really works well!