The Emotion Code

Have been reading a lot, but books that are a bit out of the mainstream. One in particular is a book about getting well physically and emotionally. It's called "The Emotion Code."

This injury to my back is leading me down many interesting paths of self discovery and self improvement. This book is one of them. My friend who is in Nikken had been practicing it for some time. Several times she ran an emotion code on me and each time my back would improve. Not only has my back improved but my outlook in some areas is changing drastically improving some relationships and most definitely my outlook for the future.

When a person reaches 60, one has a tendency to fall back on some thinking, "Well, life if nearing its end (which is shocking in itself) so what now?"

Negativity can creep in - your energy is down, you have pains and aches, your perceptions are expected to change - society herds people off into groups. For example, "Seniors," "Teens," "Young Marrieds," "Singles," and more.

Whatever happened to interaction and enrichment of all being mixed up in one homogeneous pot? We are missing something - which contributes to the increasing isolation of each group. We all need each other - I need to love you...your children....in the mobile society we lose family....its our responsibility to care for one another. Utopia? Maybe. Possible? Sure!

Some of the walls that prevent our moving on, not just graciously, but in triumph, in life stages, whether from teen to young adult, or mid-life to early "senior" are in our emotions and certainly in some of our physical beings. Several sociologists have addressed our ability to adapt and move on in the major areas of life change cycles as an indicator of our happiness or misery in life.

I've had the Emotion Code "run" on me several times and I am learning to run the Code on others as well to release trapped emotions that keep us sick, hurting physically or emotionally, or from success in achieving our dreams. It is just a matter or learning how to muscle test. The results are amazing, I feel such a shift in my thinking AND my body. Its not perfect, there are setbacks, but a mountain is never climbed without some struggles and perseverance.

Another influence was Tolle's book. When I first was referred to Tolle's book, I didn't accept it very well, (and still don't agree with everything) but waded through it. Enlightenment was a major theme -and universal enlightenment at that.

Since then I've been led to more and more information including a stroll through Quantum Physics that makse me aware that, indeed, we (the human race) are in a shift - a "Paradigm Shift."

For those who will find their truth and embrace it and move in it life will become incredibly better. Others will refuse to go there. I think things we need come to us in many ways, and if at first we don't "get it" then it is sent to us in another way.

I do believe that light of understanding of what awesome beings we are and what we are capable of always outshines the dark and eventually a smiling, happy race of humans will emerge, one at a time, and rub off - one to another, and another, and another......I'm not predicting that the world we live in will become better, because it might not - that I don't know. But I do know there is a way to live in it, attract the good and the wonderful and to shed the bad and the stones that are wrapped about our ankles holding us down. This is what God intended for us.

Here's to life! Pura Vida!

Not much else going on - Halloween tonight - I have to go out and get candy - with no milk powders from China (polluted milk powders in China have killed a lot of little babys and children over there and it has been reportedly imported here to make candy - so read labels if your kids go out) - and I have a blast watching all the innocents come around - LOL - and not so innocents. I haven't seen my daughter's new home's yard yet - "H" says they've transformed it to a graveyard so I can't wait - - -

It is cold here which is unusual for this time of year - I promised grandson carmelled apples so I have to quit putting so many words into the computer and get busy!

Inspire, Ignite, on Fire

A reason for wanting to become a high level distributor: enough money to go to Orlando for an occasional "stocking up" at Whole Foods. I've heard bloggers talk about these Whole Foods stores, but words can not say until one has been there.....


Dreams do come true - I had always wanted to see this act LIVE - and there it was - bigger than life, right in front of me......


Inspire, Ignite - - a new Paradigm



More of the "street drummers"


There were people from France, Russia, Ghana, England, many from Canada Yaaaaaaaaay, Canada, Columbia, Mexico, Brazil and everywhere in the U.S. There were people there from age 70 to age 19. It was a hoot to find a company that doesn't care how old you are, where your head is at (they will help you get it to a high place!).

The author of "The Emotion Code" was there. I now have an autographed copy of his book. Everywhere there was a buzz about Quantum Energy - the energy was incredibly high. When I saw hundreds of people going to the stage to be recognized whose incomes were over $100,000 a year, you better believe, I really got excited!

The people were the prizes - I met a lady who taught school back in segregation era and who gave her time on Saturdays to tutor. She told me five doctors came out of those tutoring sessions. She was 70 and looked 50. Another woman from France was 70 and looked 50 and was electric with her energy and sweetness. I buddied around with two gorgeous women from Ghana (Ghanna seems to have quite a number of beautiful women!). These women's lives took them from Ghana to England to the U.S. and back around again....women whose lives were entwined with the United Nations and non-profit work with immigrants.

Speaking of doctors there were quite a few there who had given up traditional medicine and pharmaceuticals to make just as good a living as they had made, and in this, they don't lose patients!!!!

What a wild conception concerning "work" - changing people's lives for the better while you work and make money!

I came back with a new heart concerning my views on immigration. I found Orlando, since I visited it last seven years ago to be populated with many other nationalities. The street traffic was like that of a third world country - people driving wherever they pleased, ignoring red lights, using their horns to give messages of where they were going - "Honk, honk, hey move over, I'm turning here!"

And most of all, I have recovered my dream and it has grown even bigger.

Hope to begin to visit all of you tomorrow or soon. I have volunteered at campaign headquarters for this last week of campaigns so I'll be busy. I feel free! I have held up remarkably well thanks to some new little magnet patches that have been released from Japan - I have a patch on my back and have had NO spasms for two days which is unbelievable considering I usually have them for 7-8 hours of my waking life. I am sure of who will be elected next and I'm excited to see where we'll go as a country and as a world. Boy, did that convention change me? Yes!!!!!!!

Going Bye-Bye

Probably won't be blogging until next week even though computer will travel with me. (Owning a lap top has been one of the most luxurious experiences of pleasure I have in life - I bet you are thinking, "Poor Woman.")

Tomorrow a friend is picking me up and we are going to Orlando for a Nikken conference through Friday including two long days of "Humans Being More" training. It has to be good because everything I've seen associated with Nikken has been fabulous and healing physically, spiritually, and amazingly, mentally. I'll find out exactly what HBM it is when I get there!

It's a long drive, (about 6-8 hours) but the company will be great and we can split gas and since two of us (three in our car will be going) eat rather rigidly for now, (LOL, in theory at least) we will take our food. We're also splitting the cost of staying in a friend's condo.

It will be a blast - I've always been into alternative healing, "health food," and health. Just didn't always practice what I believe. I love the synergy of these kinds of things, meeting new people marching to the same drum beat, and sharing ideas and growing from those ideas and new associations. Since Nikken is international, originating from Japan, there'll be folks attending from all over the world and the U.S.

Hopefully we'll have time to at least go to Disney downtown for a bit.

"H" will hang around and feed the cats and keep on eye on things so I don't have to worry about boarding them.

So, I'm free - free as a breeze - well, free within constraints. Isn't that the story of all of our lives?

Went to church today, stopped at Subway for spicy subs, Walmart for newspaper and fiber for the boy and I have about two hours of paperwork, including filling out my absentee ballot - yeh, I know - I said I was so fed up with the politics I was not voting as a way of protest of how insane our election system has become. But I can't do that, gotta vote! Then will finish packing and be able to be at my leisure tomorrow. Its cool and gorgeous out, a good opportunity to put on the weighted walking shoes and take the exercise out of doors, hopefully before dark.

Its a good day. A day of peace. LOL - so far.

Which one R U?

Oh, SO MUCH material for blogging now!

Which one of these guys would you relate to just on first glance? Me, I would relate to McCain on this one. My head is always in the clouds, not in the present. I would be so emotionally "het up" over that debate, I would have lost my way off the stage too. And then, I also would have performed some really weird body language when I realized what I did.

Obama, on the other head, is his usual Cool Head Luke self. Why couldn't I get a little of that in my gene pool/environmental influences?

So, I'm getting a clue into the personality behind the stage personna of these guys. McCain is an emotional person, whereas Obama is the more analytical person. Both are good qualities - it is kind of fun watching personalities come through. Tonight Palin herself is supposed to be on Saturday Night Live. Looking at both her and McCain's temperaments, I bet there hasn't been a "spicier" pair running in the Presidential race history!

Magnetic Thoughts

"Help, my computer is eating me energy"

Joking aside, I wear magnetics to counteract pain. They work pretty good. But there is a problem - if I put on a bracelet and get on the laptop, it'll shut off the computer, deader than a doornail. It took me a while to figure out why the computer was shutting down.

Now, as I work, I find my wrists feel weird - like the computer is messing with some kind of acupuncture point in my wrist or something - again, weird.

Maybe I'm just getting paranoid because I'm doing a lot of study on body energy - energy in general. It all started with wondering if the origin of that "snap" or "spark" or whatever you call it that sometimes radiates to you from the opposite sex - if that hasn't happened to you, oh honey, you've missed something. It's an electrical shock pleasure current that is sublime. Maybe there is such a thing as the perfect match - that north pole that attracts to the south pole - which would make a relationship so deep and harmonious - - could it be?

Quantum physics are way over my head but I did learn that in our arm there is tissue, then cells, and within each cell, you break down to yet another unit, which more tiny units get tinier and tinier until we reach a "unit" that is so tiny it appears empty - they can actually see this with the latest science - and within that emptiness is: ENERGY. Everything that exists is made of energy. Seems as a rule humans have about a twelve foot energy field that extends out around them. So, the "spark" could well result from either a likeness of energy or perhaps magnetic attraction, since we operate off of electrical impulses from our brains and for each electrical impulse there is a magnetic match - so is that spark a magnetic burst or pull of such magnitude from each other's "poles" it takes our breathe away? Is this what is called "love at first sight" for some people?

You don't believe me? Check this out! And what about the North Pole and the South Pole?

My reasoning takes me one step further - so if the computer is electrical with its own electrical impulses why couldn't it be interfering with my magnetic/electrical balance and causing some reaction within my body? Hmmmmmm?

So the science behind using magnetics for healing and for more energy for our bodies and minds is sound and ahead of its time...and why wouldn't it work? I sleep on a magnetic mattress and it is like no other experience that first night until one gets used to it. Even now, to crawl in there, and cover with a magnetic blanket - it is like being cocooned in the safest cleanest environment ever! It is soooo refreshing.

Later, I'm going to go do some research and see if I can merge with my cat. Temporarily of course. Next, the garden..... (teasing again. . . . but this part only) - but perhaps it does explain the connectedness we all have to the earth, the universe, and God. Perhaps?

Help Me Understand

Just a bit confused down here in the States. I'm wondering - who in the heck is Jo(e) Sixpack? A man, Joe? A woman, Jo? What kind of six pack? And why am I being referred to by that term? The only six pack that has been in my house for years and years is V-8 Juice. Spicy and regular.

Should it be a generic moniker? "Hey, all you Generic Jo(e) Sixpacks out there!" That would include individual orange juices, V-8, beer, maybe even wine coolers, uh, let's see - cat food, the small cans? Ahhhh, the flea medicine came in a six pack.

Oh, I have had a bottle of wine here now and then but I have not been called "Amy Wine House."

Then, just recently up pops Jo(e) the plumber! Is it Jo, a woman in a non-traditional occupation? OR, is it Joe, both or one or the other might be a good candidate to reroute those connections Obama has to all the "terrorist" underworld characters (unproven).

Hey, what happened to all those Chuck's, Harry's, Mike's, - since Jo(e) can be either a male or female name, well, dog gone it, that is why I wonder if Jo(e) is really a REALLY buff woman and we've been misinterpreting it? But where does that leave us less than hard bodied women? Then we HAVE to vote for Obama, cuz I bet he has one form of that sixpack under that neatly pressed shirt!!! Because I would feel as if we just had to have a six pack Prez. I bet he does.

And why is a $250,000 a year plumber having a hard time expanding his business? Do we make so little compared to that that we really are pretty ignorant about that? I'm trying to start a biz on waaaaaaaaaaaaay less than that. I mean, for $250,000 a year, I would send "H" to "re-train" and get a new occupation! Pronto!

Somebody - help me, I'm feeling dooowwwwn, pleeeese, help me - anyone remember that old Beetle's song?

Please, don't anyone be offended - I've just finally lost it - and trying to find some sort of humor in all the craziness - thank goodness we don't have long to go now. If I don't start making funny of the whole crazy thing, all my TVs will be sitting on the sidewalk in front of the house for anyone silly enough to pick them up.

Where's that Choo Choo Train..........

Leaving the blonds for a gorgeous dark haired female - can you actually believe someone called her fat? Yep.

Anyway, tonight ah feel lahk I've been run over by a train. Two days of getting ready to have carpets cleaned - then cleaning - then a beginning of putting stuff away - more opportunity to clean - things are looking and smelling much brighter - its so late now and I'm very tired - about to go to sleep. Just thought I'd pop on, get rid of the blond obssession and explain why I don't have any post tonight other than an update.

While moving stuff around, I found photos of the "old" me - my grandson can take some very unflattering ones at times - and I posted one on the pantry door containing the Halloween candy - and across the fattest bits & parts I've written, "Snickers," "M & M's," and "chips." On the photo I placed on the refrigerator door, it says "butter," "pnut butter," "health," "love my grandson," the foods being my favorite "Let's fall off the diet foods." I'm trying to find ways to deter myself from "cheating."

Then I found a sweater that stunned me - it was twice as big as the shirt I had on - my gosh, no wonder "H" wanted to get rid of me.....just kidding...he was at the point he looked like a barrel with a cork on top. We are laughing about it now - he has a skinny butt now too. There are a lot of people our age grabbing a second go around of their 50's - sleeker and wiser!

From going through old photos, I realized I had not much of a weight problem until I got sick a year or so after moving down here - then it just climbed up - probably my son passing away and marriage problems did not help at all, as well as steroids to help my immune system to balance itself. And I also saw my hair very dark as it used to be and decided not to go blond after all. Maybe.

Candy Minx, when you come to visit, don't worry, I will stock the fridge with butter, reeeeeeeeeeeeeel butter. And remind me to make "Fry bread" for breakfast. And loads of fruit to counteract it. :)

Tomorrow lunch with a friend, doing some business related things, and then when home I hope to do something creative once I find a place in which to do it....

Blonde

Still blonde-obsessed, I thought it fun to post pictures of famous actresses throughout Hollywood history - there are many more, but I have lots of things to get to besides this! I can't help but be impressed with the voluptuousness of the earlier era stars. Other women, models, and celebrities set different examples in later eras. Seems like stick-thin came in the 70's with "Twiggy," followed by a bunch of girls/women with anorexia. Then Anna Nicole who seemed to be at the far end of both heavy and thin broke a mold with a reality show with a very plump Anna Nicole. Anyway, it goes to show that plump or thin, blonde looks pretty good on anyone who wants to be blonde (I'm still waivering).

One of these days I will have to do a post dedicated to dark haired women!


Twiggy


Reese Witherspoon


Sienna Miller


Anna Nicole Smith


Jean Harlow


Marlene Dietrich


Marilyn Monroe


Madonna


Jayne Mansfield


Jean Harlow


Betty Grable


Caroll Lombard

Way Back Then - 1963 - A Meme

Two posts in one night!

This came from a Meme at THSHMOM - thought it was fun! I think you are supposed to designate your favorites and put a line through those you hate. But I look through them and they all have fond memories for me.

If you want to go check yours - the link is: Music Outfitters

Top 100 Songs from the year I graduated:

Top 100 Hits of 1963/Top 100 Songs of 1963


1. Surfin' U.S.A., Beach Boys
2. Sugar Shack, Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs
3. The End Of The World, Skeeter Davis
4. Rhythm Of The Rain, Cascades
5. Hey Paula, Paul and Paula
6. Blue Velvet, Bobby Vinton
7. He's So Fine, Chiffons
8. Fingertips II, Little Stevie Wonder
9. Washington Square, Village Stompers
10. So Much In Love, Tymes
11. Can't Get Used To Losing You, Andy Williams
12. My Boyfriend's Back, Angels
13. Sukiyaki, Kyu Sakamoto
14. She's A Fool, Lesley Gore
15. It's All Right, Impressions
16. Puff (The Magic Dragon), Peter, Paul and Mary
17. Blowin' In The Wind, Peter, Paul and Mary
18. Wipe Out, The Surfaris
19. Deep Purple, Nino Tempo and April Stevens
20. I'm Leaving It Up To You, Dale and Grace
21. I Love You Because, Al Martino
22. Wild Weekend, Rebels
23. You're The Reason I'm Living, Bobby Darin
24. Walk Like A Man, Four Seasons
25. Mockingbird, Inez Foxx
26. I Will Follow Him, Little Peggy March
27. Pipeline, Chantays
28. Surf City, Jan and Dean
29. It's My Party, Lesley Gore
30. Blame It On The Bossa Nova, Eydie Gorme
31. You Can't Sit Down, Dlovells
32. Heat Wave, Martha and The Vandellas
33. Denise, Randy and The Rainbows
34. Walk Right In, Rooftop Singers
35. If You Wanna Be Happy, Jimmy Soul
36. Surfer Girl, Beach Boys
37. If I Had A Hammer, Trini Lopez
38. Everybody, Tommy Roe
39. Easier Said Than Done, Essex
40. Ruby Baby, Dion
41. Maria Elena, Los Indios Tabajaras
42. Our Day Will Come, Ruby and The Romantics
43. I Can't Stay Mad At You, Skeeter Davis
44. Hello, Stranger, Barbara Lewis
45. Be My Baby, Ronettes
46. Mean Woman Blues, Roy Orbison
47. South Street, Orlons
48. Days Of Wine And Roses, Henry Mancini
49. The Monkey Time, Major Lance
50. Candy Girl, Four Seasons
51. Still, Bill Anderson
52. Blue On Blue, Bobby Vinton
53. Cry Baby, Garnet Mimms and The Enchanters
54. Two Faces Have I, Lou Christie
55. Busted, Ray Charles
56. Da Doo Ron Ron, Crystals
57. Foolish Little Girl, Shirelles
58. Memphis, Lonnie Mack
59. In Dreams, Roy Orbison
60. More, Kal Winding
61. Fools Rush In, Rick Nelson
62. Losing You, Brenda Lee
63. Our Winter Love, Bill Pursell
64. I Wanna Be Around, Tony Bennett
65. You've Really Got A Hold On Me, Miracles
66. Sally Go 'Round The Roses, Jaynetts
67. Little Red Rooster, Sam Cooke
68. Then He Kissed, w Crystals
69. (You're The) Devil In Disguise, Elvis Presley
70. Those Lazy-hazy-crazy Days On Summer, Nat King Cole
71. Baby Workout, Jackie Wilson
72. Pride And Joy, Marvin Gaye
73. Walking The Dog, Rufus Thomas
74. From A Jack To A King, Ned Miller
75. Up On The Roof, Drifters
76. What Will My Mary Say, Johnny Mathis
77. Mama Didn't Lie, Jan Bradley
78. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes, Bobby Vee
79. Don't Say Nothin' Bad About My Baby, Little Eva
80. Ring Of Fire, Johnny Cash
81. (Down At) Papa Joe's, Dixiebelles With Cornbread and Jerry
82. Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh! (A Letter From Camp), Allan Sherman
83. Judy's Turn To Cry, Lesley Gore
84. Just One Look, Doris Troy
85. Mickey's Monkey, Miracles
86. Donna, The Prima Donna, Dion
87. That Sunday, That Summer, Nat King Cole
88. Another Saturday Night, Sam Cooke
89. Painted, Tainted Rose, Al Martino
90. Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport, Roll Harris
91. Go Away Little Girl, Steve Lawrence
92. Take These Chains From My Heart, Ray Charles
93. Talk To Me, Sunny and The Sunglows
94. Come And Get These Memories, Martha and The Vandellas
95. Bossa Nova Baby, Elvis Presley
96. Do The Bird, Dee Dee Sharp
97. Shut Down, Beach Boys
98. One Fine Day, Chiffons
99. Little Town Flirt, Del Shannon
100. 500 Miles Away From Home, Bobby Bare

Gone Fishin'

Grandson has a thing about wanting to order "stuff" when it is advertised on TV. Mighty Putty, Shark floor cleaners, collapsible fishing poles. I decided after a very grueling evening last night, that the poles needed a christening. So we took off around noon for a pier over the line in 'Bama - it was a cloudy, but balmy day, a delicious Southern fall day.

We first went to Walmart and gathered a few supplies and a fishing tackle box. All my fishing equipment from Wyoming was lost in our many moves here in Florida. And, trout fishing in the mountains is totally different than fishing in the bayous and the Gulf of Mexico.

So, not being sure of how to accomplish our goal - catching an edible fish - or how to fix the line or what to use for bait, we did it anyway. I did find a man shopping in the aisle of Walmart who was a great help. (I'm getting to old when I am now visiting with people in the aisles of a super store.) Anyway, I'm finding that fishermen are cool people. When we arrived at the pier, the man next to us was so kind in tying our hook on and even giving us some bait as he said the fish would not be taking our rubber creatures even if they did have shrimp and shrimp oil in them. Sigh.

We didn't catch a thing but it was a tremendously healing time being there on the water and meeting gentle, giving souls today after an encounter with one from hell last night. The boy was trying to talk me into asking both men along, one on our trip, and the other to lunch. Well, I found it really hard to explain to an eleven year old that I didn't want to appear to be a granny out hustling up men for impromptu dates nor did I believe in hooking up with strangers. He just didn't understand and thinks I have a trust issue. I do. It scares me to see how trusting he is.

I think that if I ever did want to go on a man search and pick-up mission however, that taking a boy with a pole would be a much better ploy than the traditional meet-up dog! At any rate, I have an incredibly social grandson. Come to find out, the man helping us at the pier worked out in Wyoming in the oil fields during the last boom and we talked about the oil patches and good ol' Wyoming and fishing, it was kind of fun. It was nice talking to someone who smiles.

Great schools of jellyfish with their transparent bodies and pink circles and fluffy insides floated gracefully by, looking like constellations in a moving universe. I loved it - but was glad I wasn't IN the water.

A man down the pier a bit caught a fish that looked like a dragon from a sci fi movie - it was an "Orange Flying Fish" and was quite poisonous to even touch they said. They just had to keep it because it was such an oddity. We didn't get a thing we could eat. I would love to plan a trip out in the Gulf during red fish season. Yum! And Fun!

So the boy is here for the weekend it seems - who would blame him, I bring him food and spoil him rotten, but he's so good always it doesn't seem like spoiling. Yah,yah,yah.

Once past the mid-life crisis, a Senior Crisis?

I'm taking a poll - should I get my hair done platinum blonde? I think it would be a hoot for a while. Uh, don't ask me who KiKi Kannibal is - don't even know how her photo got on my computer. Of course I will not look like KiKi (she must be all of 14) - but that's ok - I really don't care, really. She just has pretty white hair. I just enjoy change - and something out of the norm, of course. And on a practical note, when my hair is not chemically altered, it has the texture of long unruly curly cat fur. I need more control.

Nothing serious tonight - I just am completely frivolous and superfluous for the moment. No angst, no emo, no political indignation. I've passed up on the political part to step back and become a pray-er. I'm tired of news, of fighting, of lies, of endless analysis, etc., etc.

Today I only accomplished 1/3 of my to-do list. My Franklin Planner showed up and I am compiling appointments, task lists, etc., etc. I've lived by the planner since the early 80's and without it chaos reigns. Its an old fashioned, write it with a pencil planner. Love it. I also keep a Yahoo calendar so my kids can plan my babysitting around it - hopefully.

A "new" refurbished sewing machine sits on my kitchen table. I look at it. I look at the instruction booklet. I look at the closet with too big clothes and envision fixing that. Maybe tomorrow. Will have to go to Walmart for needles, pins, thread - - and wade through learning about a 2008 machine that is plastic and computerized instead of metal and easy to learn. I dawdle.

I have a box of fun materials waiting, just waiting for . . . something.

I looked out the window into the back yard today and almost fainted - the rain has pushed the weeds up as high as my head - this will be a real tug of war. I need a dog. I could harness him and have him pull - - a very big dog, an elephant dog. My dream dog would do that for me.

The diet has been tackled once again with a vengeance - I have to get unstuck and finish this thing! Seven pounds fell off but I'm afraid to get on the scale and see if it stayed off.

There is a new TV series that just finished its pilot - its fun if you are a sci fi fan - its title: "Sanctuary." It's on tomorrow night at 9 pm central time in the U.S. I can't wait!!!!! Hope I get grandson this weekend too - jees, I miss him. If you have a child in and during their teen years, you are ready for them to move on - but he's still a nice kid - oh, just kidding. I never did do well as each child exited whether they were in their naughty or nice stage - can't get it in my head, my job is 99% done in that area. Sigh.

It would be easier if someone would give me a red convertible and a gas card along with the platinum hair. I would drive down the Florida coast on the east side, down to Key West, and then up the west side back home. And then, sew.

Grandma

I'm finding things that I've had packed away for a long time. These are the only two remaining rugs made by my Grandma. At least, to my knowledge anyway. They were treated much too lightly by us. I preached my Grandma's funeral, or whatever the proper term is, and I remember emphasizing the fact that grandma could take something that was cast off, thrown away, and make something beautiful. I remember her gathering wool, old coats, things people gave her, buttons, and making it into something I loved.wonderful.

We used to forage at the City Dump (back before Landfill days) when I was a child and it was a highlight, believe or or not, to find things to recycle. Later I did not tell people about that - imagine - foraging at a dump! Now I am proud of it. Grandma was "green" before it became trendy.

Grandma even recycled her dishwater back into the earth. I learned that the best ant killer was a hot pot of boiling dishwater. I learned to be careful about how much water I used and how many lights I left burning. I learned to garden and to recycle the leftovers back into the earth. I learned to can garden produce, to make jelly, to feed orphaned lambs with a bottle, later I learned to love a good piece of cooked "mutton" respecting the natural cycle of life.

I learned to respect silence and garden produce and - yes, not having enough money. When there was enough for the carnival rides or a piece of candy - what a wonderful treat it was!

We went to funerals all over town - walking of course - Grandma never owned a car. We went to the movies on Saturdays where there was a drawing up on the stage and we almost always won a prize. We went to Bingo and to pick cherries and we washed clothes on a ringer washer and hung them outside for the fresh, clean (back then) air to dry. I learned to iron and produce a crisp shirt.

My mother said that once, there was so little money that someone gave Grandma some chicken feet which she boiled, skinned, and made nourishing chicken soup out of with a little meat in it. That was Grandma. I was young, we had everything we needed.

Grandma was eccentric - she was not known for her patience, but she was known for her determination. She worked on ranches, cooking for ranch hands. She babysat. She scrubbed floors at a dorm for nurses - on her hands and knees. She could save one-half of her social security check. She didn't own a sofa until she was over 80, but she had dresser drawers full of linens.

When she was very old, her son took her bath towels and left her a few thin pieces to dry herself. He threatened her that if she didn't sign her little house over to him, that he would disown her and not help her. His "help" was meager. He would drive by her as she walked up the street toward home with her arms full of groceries. When we moved back to Wyoming, I helped her for fifteen years. It was a privilege. My children got to know their great grandmother and did not fear old people.

I valued her until she was gone. My children learned the natural cycle of life, to respect the elderly and learn that they weren't useless when they reached 50 and older - we had 51 more years of the lessons from Grandma.

Her wisdom was often hilarious. Her favorite saying about staying out of a problem that arose between people - "Don't stir in a turd, it always makes it smell worse."

Oh, grandma, I miss you.

Friday night spaghetti dinner

I love to cook! Dinner last night started with a cup of capuccino to keep the energy going!


A great cup of coffee and dinner always has the perfect beginning with pure, oxygenated CLEAN energizing water. Virgin olive oil helps too!!!


Getting out my pasta set of bowls felt really good - and was appreciated by my "boys." Which ones? Ah, guess - well, of course, grandson was one!


Baby Spinach salad with onions, boiled eggs, and a warm dressing made with olive oil and horseradish mustard was too yummy!


Come and get it!


My hand painted stools were going to go into my garage sale, but I've changed my mind - they go with an Italian dinner, I think!

I did it!!!!

This is a totally hilarious video about "Sadie, the cleaning lady." I had to look up the artist, John Farnham, as he had an amazing voice and was surprised at what I found.

I cleaned our big bathroom!!!!! REALLY cleaned it. YAY! That's a big deal for me.

Realized the 9 year old zebra shower curtain needs replaced - and the shower rug - why do I assume things will last forever? I guess nine years is just about forever.

I have always loved cleaning house. Nuts, yeh, I know. I mean really cleaning, hands and knees floor scrubbing, head down by toilet, scrubbing, scrubbing - washing baseboards - - ironing clothes - I love cleaning house, cooking, sewing, etc. That's my alter ego - or the 3rd of my nine lives I guess.

Was so tickled I was able to clean our master bathroom today - the master was at work, so I took a couple of pain pills cuz I been hurting real bad, and proceeded to do what had to be done - and marveled at what our cleaning lady did not do as I scrubbed - woodwork that was hopelessly yellow turned white with some scrubbing - whadayouknow? Now, I figured this gal, with the time she put in, made about $30 an hour - that's way ahead of what I have made in my whole life in jobs that required brains and blood. I have also cleaned houses - but way back when it was minimum wage and I was young and sort of healthy. And when I was done, they were CLEAN.

I guess I'm sort of griping because one of my pet peeves is sloppy work. Where did I get this diehard work ethic - I dunno. I guess that's the only thing that got parental approval, was cleaning and cooking so they wouldn't have to. But, back in the moment, I'm loving my clean bathroom - lovin, lovin, lovin, it!

Everywhere I see sloppy work anymore. Is it a generational thing? I dunno. Not everyone, but too many - - I hate to pay to have anything done, because if I could do it, I could do it better usually - maybe I'm just too picky but I did write down what I wanted done and gave it to her before she agreed to do the work.

I have a germ phobia - I wash door knobs once a week - yeh - I hate the smell of dust. I like the inside tracks of windows clean, crazy things! I love cleaning everything and then sitting and looking at it for a little while. Only then do I feel free to goof off. Ok - there is a name for that neurosis probably. Because its so hard for me to do physical stuff, it makes me crazy living in a dirty house.

We gave my new SIL the job of calling the cleaning lady and telling them we didn't need them anymore. So, a lot of the time "H" gets off work and comes home to some cleaning duties. He wasn't always that "liberated." Not at all. We were the generation that no matter how many hours the woman worked, she did all the cooking, laundry, cleaning, child care, etc.......now I see men that really pitch in and help, some of them even do the major portion of what women used to do -

Had a long visit time with my daughter Tuesday night, a good, fun talk - and she said she was glad when I left town for a day or two when she was a kid, because "dad" always cooked - his idea of cooking was to shove a Tombstone pizza in the oven. Me, I have pretty much always been a health food nut - my kids never had cold cereal, candy, soft drinks, koolaid - always had warm breakfasts, cooked from scratch foods. So Tombstone Pizza was a treat, big time! I did bake like crazy, so they weren't too terribly deprived.

Going to go get a pedicure and get clothes ready for trip in a couple of weeks to Orlando. I'm excited - I know I will learn a lot and be around other crazy health nuts, lots of them - can't wait!