Monday, July 21, 2014

Progress...

We have a treadmill! After sorting through stacks of boxes, there it was. That area is now cleared, and I can once again do my daily "mini-walks" two or three times a day. I'm only able to walk 5 minutes or less, but I've found it really helps with my muscle control and balance to make the effort. My goal is twice a day, and increase as I can. I am so grateful I can still walk, as many with MS have had that taken from them.

Having one area cleared, gives me the motivation to keep going. My husband keeps offering to help... "I'll toss that for you!" Haha! But seriously, I want to be able to do the household organizing myself. I've often turned down offers of help from other family members and friends. It's a pride thing, I guess. I just want to be successful at something. I'm giving myself 3 months! If I don't have my home organized by then, I'm swallowing my pride, calling on my husband and some of those other offers, and getting it finished.

Now it's time to take my walk!

Saturday, July 19, 2014

My Saturday...

I have had a somewhat productive Saturday. While my husband is at his favorite car show in Emmett, Idaho, I've been sorting through boxes of keepsakes and dividing them into keep, donate, or sell stacks.

In the background I've been listening to some Martha Stewart Christmas programs on Hulu. It's the perfect time of year to be creating handmade cards, ornaments and gifts, so they're done well before the holidays arrive. Right now Aretha Franklin is singing "Silent Night" and I can't help but think of mom, who would pull out Christmas movies every summer during the July heat.
"Sleep in Heavenly Peace" Oh my, nobody can sing it quite like Aretha!

MJ is off to a summer luau with friends. EJ is hanging around here and has offered to help me bake a batch of cookies to send to church camp, for the kids to enjoy this coming week.

I'm having a great Saturday. As Martha would say, it's a good thing!

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

A Sense of Humor...

Having a sense of humor goes a long way to help any situation seem better. Occasionally, just for fun, my husband or I will read the Horoscopes in the newspaper. This morning he read his to me, which made us both laugh.

"You have enough energy, motivation and stamina for two people, which is good because your partner might be dragging. Match his or her pace first, and then slowly pick it up."

"Might be dragging." Oh my, how true this is! After reading it to me, he smiles and says, "If I start where you're at, it may take me a long time to get up to speed!" We both had quite a laugh about that! I'm so thankful I have a husband who is able to laugh about the difficulties we face with my MS, at least some of the time. The ability to laugh and to find humor in what life throws at you, makes the journey so much easier. Fretting and getting frustrated, which if I'm honest we both do at times, makes it all seem harder. It's better to find that little grain of humor. Something to take your mind off the negative and lighten your mood and your heart. It certainly helps to have a husband, a partner in life, who has the ability to laugh and find joy in the midst of it all! His ability to make me laugh is one of the first things I loved about him. I am blessed to have him in my life!

Monday, July 14, 2014

Summertime...

I don't know about the rest of you, but I've spent the past few days inside my air-conditioned home beating the heat.  Stepping outside is like entering a very hot, dry sauna, which many love, but I'm more of a 60 degree gal.

What do you do to pass the long, hot summer days? Camping, swimming, fishing, tubing, sitting in a dark movie theatre? I've done all of those in the past. This summer has been a mix of projects, family time, a bit of reading, and just enjoying what life has given us.  We've had a good variety of birds visiting the feeder in our backyard. Our gooseberry bushes produced a lot of berries this season. It's the little things.

My husband helped me with an idea I'd had for a while. I wanted a curtain on the back patio cover, to pull when the hot sun is hanging low, which made it impossible to enjoy sitting out there. It was just too hot. I'd purchased a cotton drop cloth a while back, so I gave him my idea and he helped make it happen. A length of plastic coated wire, a set of grommets, and some "S" hooks along with the drop cloth, and we now have a bit of shade for the patio. Another bonus, it helps reduce the heat in the family room! It's more shabby than chic, but we love it!