Grandchildren

It was so fun to have the Brown family visiting for the past week. We hung out, ate, played games, went shopping, went to the planetarium (with Kaven also) and the dinosaur museum. They are on the way home as I type this. I wish all the grandkids lived closer so I could keep up with the changes and activities in their lives. When I went to visit Ryan's family in January, I couldn't believe how much Nathan had changed in both looks and behavior. He is getting so grown up looking and acting each and every year. Of course this is to be expected but when I only see the kids once or twice a year it is really obvious. We always have so much fun but I am tired out afterward because we really try to pack a lot into the few days we have together and this ole body hasn't the energy it once had. Though I can fake it and push myself for a week or so before I need my "big rest". LOL! I love each one of them so much and they are so fun to be with in their own individual way. Next year Sarah will be able to go on a mini trip with me and that will be exciting. Kaven has been on one to Colorado once and to Washington once since he is here it is so much easier to arrange. But next year is Sarah's time for sure! Aaron had a great time on my computer keyboard and left some scribbles so every time I type now I will think of him. I hope I remember most of what Courtney showed me on blogging to make this work better for me.

Went walking this morning in the terrible wind and it was by far the hardest walk I have ever done. I was fighting the wind the whole time. Now I will quilt a bit this afternoon to relax. Fun-fun. Today was the last soda I am going to drink for the next month and I am going to cut waaaay down on sugar intake. I am limiting my "treats" to only Sundays. One treat per Sunday so I don't feel deprived. I will not diet but I do need to make healthier choices. On May 1 I will see if it has made any difference. I have been told just quiting my diet sodas will make me feel better. We'll see.

Learning Curve

Today Courtney showed me how to do stuff to make my blog look better. She also taught me how to add pictures, like this:

Courtney rocks!

Blessings

I was so excited to wake up yesterday to March 1, the first day of spring in my book. I could hardly get to sleep the night before because my mind was running wild with all the things I would be able to do now that spring was finally here and no more freezing days and nights. Spring is the re-birthing of the earth and everything fresh, new and beautiful. It makes my heart sing every year and makes my so happy for all my blessings. Spring and Thanksgiving holiday are my signature blessing times. There is so much sadness in the world (e.g. Haiti, Chile, the wars, etc.) that I don't want to forget that I have so many blessings that I should not even spend a full day upset over my taxes (have to pay almost $2000.00 this year extra!) So today I heard a new mantra that I think I will try to remember and have it a part of my life. "Bless and Release" Accept those things that upset us and we can't do anything about, remember the bigger blessings, and release those negative feelings into the cosmos. At least that is what I got from the statement. So I have. I am so blessed to have my own home and be able to help my parents through their difficulties. I am blessed to have the money in the bank that I had saved to fix my yard that will now go to taxes. What if I hadn't saved any? I am blessed to have children who are an asset to their families and their community. I am blessed to have terrific health so I don't have to spend lots of money on health care and medicines. I am so blessed to believe in a Heavenly Father who loves me and wants the best for me. I am blessed to have friends who go to lunch, plays, movies, classes and other activities when I need company or help. I am blessed to be able to walk in the park and appreciate nature around me. I am blessed to have the faith that sustains me when I get depressed and upset over events that I don't understand. I am so grateful for having had the opportunity to work at good jobs whenever I have needed to work and not be unemployed so that I can be retired now if I so desire. I am grateful I was able to get the education I wanted. These are just a few of the many blessings that rise to my mind and fingertips as I type this. I have nothing but gratitude in my heart today the second day of SPRING!

Kids and Pets

There are somethings missing in my DNA. The shopping gene for one. I have commented on that before. But, also, the pet gene. I have found that after trying numerous times and stages in my life that I am not a good pet owner. I have had cats, dogs, birds, and fish and just the thought of anything else fills me with terror. I mostly benignly neglect them. I feed them, take them to the groomer, to the vet, and clean up after them but I resent it and do not play with them. They just annoy me! However, when my friends or relatives have pets I like them! So I have kept trying to get a different pet to see if I can change. Well, I can't and I will no longer try. I will be glad when Sadie dies and then I will not get another pet.

I have decided I like other people's pets! That way I feel no responsibility for them and can give them only the attention I want. It is just the opposite of children. I like my own children (Really love them and the grandkids!) but not other people's. I tolerate the children of others the way I do the pets of my own. I would never intentionally do anything to hurt them but with very few exceptions I couldn't care less about them. Not to say I don't appreciate when they are cute or smart or that I am not sad when they are hurt but I don't want to get involved emotionally. Cold hearted? perhaps so. Which is really weird because I was always in demand as a babysitter when young because the kids loved having me come over. I think in general I love my kids and other people's pets.

Getting Old?

There must be something wrong with me. I have good intentions and then life interrupts and I forget my intentions. The saying is "the road to Hell is paved with good intentions." That said I guess I know where I am headed. I keep forgetting to blog.

My intention for blogging is to record what it is like being old and getting older. (Hence, the name Silverthreads, for thoughts from my head of silver hair!) With my grandmother and mother having suffered from Alzheimer's I think maybe I can tell if I start to get it if I keep writing and notice how "weird" I start to get. But if I don't remember to write and get bogged in life than I will go crazy and not even know it. LOL Nothing exceptional has happened but I do want to note one thing I have noticed about getting sick. I seldom get sick. I don't even get colds very often and that was true even when I was teaching school with sick kids in the room. However, last week my dad got the quick flu. By the end of the week I had it too. It hit hard very early Friday morning and I spend most of about 4-5 hours in the bathroom. Even considered making a bed on the floor in there. Anyway, spend the day in bed until night when I showered and dressed and went to a viewing. Felt pretty good just nauseous. Today is Monday and the nausea of the weekend is gone but after showering and starting my Monday run of chores was wiped out. Note to old self: Being sick takes more out of you and takes longer to recoup. I am used to bouncing right back! Maybe not so much anymore - I will continue to monitor this. (Maybe I am just lazy?)

Shopping

is terrible for me. I think I want "something" and when I go to buy it: I think of something else I could use the money for, do I really want it, do I really need it, how long can I do without it. I am missing the shopping gene! I went to a furniture store to look at lamps, for a chair I really liked that I saw on tv in one of their ads , and a glass sofa table yesterday and came home with the ideas and the money still in the bank. They didn't have the chair. I couldn't choose between two lamps and between two tables. Now I will let the ideas simmer while I go about my business for a couple more weeks. However, I saw a wall unit for a flat screen tv that I really liked and would consider buying if I planned on staying in my house very long. I want to wait until I move to buy what would fit in the new place before I spend money on big items. Obviously that was an easy decision. I really need a shopping buddy who has no qualms about spending money when I think I want to spend and help me make decisions. I wish my girls were available! I think maybe I have too many choices and am too afraid of making the wrong one. Although I have always loved the bed and sofa purchases I make, so who knows!

Another Beginning

Wow! Keeping my brain active so I don't get the "old timers" is a lot of work. Started a blog 2 days ago and messed it up so I couldn't add to it but had to start over. Not happy with the looks of this so far but it will get better. Journaling was always hard because writing made my hands hurt so bad after a short paragraph that this is more comfortable. Anyway, I got on the computer to write last night because I couldn't sleep and instead of writing I was just frustrated in trying to figure out what I did wrong and how to fix it. Never did so I went back to bed and stewed and started again this morning. Once again not perfect but it is a start. Maybe I will have brilliant thoughts in the future but today they are not "happy" thoughts. I will persist at least for the next 12 months. I have opinions on everything and I figured if I blogged I wouldn't annoy my children and friends with them so much. Once they are expressed they no longer percolate in my head becoming steamed.