I'm Still Alive and Kicking...

I'm sorry to have worried a couple of friends by my extended absense. Life got complicated and busy. I'm again dealing with health issues related to my heart/arteries, Multiple Sclerosis, and now am at high risk for a left hip and leg fracture from osteoporosis. Yikes! Getting old is hard, but it's still awesome to be alive!

I continue to participate in the Grow Me a Story online classes, doing a bit of writing (not consistantly, but hey, still trying), playing with some creative art projects, and working to get my home back in order. Three years since my bypass surgery, during Covid, meant many things in my home got neglected, and I wasn't the best housekeeper before all that! Haha!

My intention is to try to write a new post at least once a week. I'm adding that to my long list of goals for the coming year. One thing I got done was my Vision Board for 2023.

On my Vision Board you can see my hopes, dreams, and goals for the coming year. You can also see images that bring me joy. 

I've been posting images to my Instagram account. Mine is private, but if you are a friend and you are on Instagram, you can send me a follow request if you're interested. It's fairly new to me, but I do try to post at least once a week there. This is the link:  https://www.instagram.com/anitajo75/

Here's to a year filled with many new and exciting things! Looking for the good! 

Haiku Prompt and Other Stuff

 I decided to tackle another of the June prompts I missed.

9. Write a haiku about your life this week.

Cell phone message pings

Long lost sister has been found

Explosion of joy

This is a rough, unedited haiku but it gives a brief picture of the moment my youngest sister

found my message from 5 years ago on Facebook and decided to take a chance and contact me.

It was a moment of pure joy!

~ ~ ~

My youngest sister and I have not made definite plans to get together in person yet, but hope to do that sometime soon. Other things happening with me are as follows.

I'm increasing my exercises to regain more of my mobility, while trying to eat a more heart healthy diet. What I thought was working ended up being too high on carbs. Soooo... less protein and less carbs and less salt. Basically less of all the delightful foods I love. More fruits and veg and fiber, which I also enjoy, but changing my palette has not been easy. It is important though, so I will comply! 

I have vowed to tackle my hoarding problem. My home is not just full of "stuff" but is incredibly dusty. Two years of physical limitations did not help. My husband has been wonderful as caregiver, cook, chauffeur, gardener, shopper, taking care of all the laundry. He's done it all, so dusting is not a priority to him or to me, and my "stuff" has to be sorted by me. Nobody else can decide what things are important for me to keep and which are to go to new homes. I have to do that part of it.

I'm still taking a Zoom class through Grow Me A Story and it has been so helpful! I'm doing a lot more writing, and I am enjoying it. I've also done a couple of craft projects. I haven't fully utilized the "Creative Rendezvous" we're assigned to do each week. It's a 2 hour block of time to explore and create on your own. It's hard for me to plan those since I'm not driving yet, but soon! I'd like to take myself to a museum or an actual bookstore or a second hand shop. Then treat myself to a fancy coffee somewhere. When I do go on my rendezvous I'll be sure to write about it here. Well, that's enough for today. Hope you are all well and happy!

© 16JUN2022 ajjahner

More May Writing Prompts

Writing went on the back burner while I took some much needed time to rest and recuperate. I worked on a couple more of the May writing prompts. Catching up, but not quite there yet. Just a reminder, these are from my handwritten notes. You take the prompt, set a 5 minute timer, and just write. These are the results.

May 9. Write about a memory of your favorite childhood teacher.

Mrs. Stewart was my 7th grade Social Studies teacher and also my English teacher. My favorite class with her was English. We did all the practical class activities, but the most wonderful thing she did was to introduce me to books I had never thought of reading. One of those was The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz. This was a book about an escape from a prision camp just after World War II. Mrs. Stewart decided that even as 7th graders we needed a story. Our class was right after lunch so for the first few minutes of class she read to us. This story was so emotional that more than once she had tears start rolling down her cheeks. She would put the book mark in and say "We'll have to come back to this tomorrow" much to our dismay and loud protestations. Mrs. Stewart opened my eyes to new, different, and often important books. I loved her!

May 10. Use the word "sunshine" as your prompt today.

"Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy. Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry. 

Sunshine on the water looks so lovely. Sunshine almost always makes me high."

This John Denver song came immediately to mind. It's exactly how I feel about sunshine. It brings happiness, life, warmth, and can also make me cry.  Memories of sunny days gone by. I love the way warm sun feels on my skin. How it cheers me after a storm has passed. It brings to mind swingsets, backyard baseball, ready or not, beaches, sand, grass, rocks. All the things of play and of nature that you see out on a sunny day. Sunshine can be healing for the spirit.

11.What is something you want?

I want my home back. I live in a house I have filled with clutter. Stuff. When there is too much stuff, it loses it's significance. It becomes overwhelming, exhausting. I want my home to be organized and welcoming. A place for family and for the photos and treasures I cherish the most. A place where friends could come in and feel comfortable and welcomed. The hard part is figuring out how to make it a reality. How to separate myself from things that hold emotional connections but now are really no longer needed to keep those memories alive. It's  process. A difficult one, but I'm ready to undertake it. I want my home back! I will have it!

12.What is something you need?

There are so many things I need or could use, but the most important thing right now is my health. I need to be well enough to do the things I enjoy and the things that need done. Organizing my home, writing my book, working on Ancestry, dates with my husband, outings with friends. In order to do any of these I need to feel good. Poor health is robbing me of joy! It has robbed me of attending weddings, showers, funerals, birthdays. It has kept me from the things I love most like reseaching ancestors, writing a book on my family history, finishing the book on The Dollhouse. I need to work on my health! I need to reclaim it!

#growmeastory

© 19MAY2022 ajjahner

Pushing Myself

I hit a roadblock last week. Didn't feel great, so instead of doing my classwork or any creative projects, I spent a few days laying back in my recliner watching television. I felt a little guilty about not doing the work, but sometimes a bit of self care is required.  I indulged in naps, cups of hot tea, caught up on some TV series, and listened to an audiobook. My husband kept checking on me to make sure I had whatever I needed. He is a great guy! I know I'm blessed to have him in my life.

Yesterday I got back to writing my Morning Pages. It felt good! I'm surprised how much I missed it. I also attended the ZOOM class meeting this morning. I am really enjoying them! For those who missed an earlier post, the class is through Grow Me A Story and has been so helpful. 

As much as self care is important to overall well being, so is pushing myself. It's learning to find the balance between the two. I am often surprised at how quickly a goal is reached when I just sit down and focus on it, for even a short time. This week I'll be pushing myself to complete the class reading and tasks, work on creative projects, and also schedule a Creative Rendevous. I'll let you know how it all goes!

When Life Gets Complicated...

I'm sharing another draft post. This one was written on May 22, 2018 at 2:01 AM. I still find myself awake in the wee hours of the morning, mulling over the issues and concerns of life. When I read this old draft, I was struck by the fact that I'm still working on these things. Yes, I have gotten stronger. I have found a clearer direction in many aspects of life, but there is still room for improvement. I hope reading this might encourage or inspire you. This is what I wrote back in 2018.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When things in my life get complicated, and the news of the world gets overwhelming, I recognize I need a place to retreat to. Sharing what's happening with my family or my health issues comes too easily at times. It's not the worst thing to share our pain or frustrations with others to get their feedback and support. We need one another. It has simply become clear to me, I need to step back and find my center again. That's what I've been doing in my absences from writing and blogging. Searching for my center, for spirit and soul edification.

I'll be the first to admit, I've got miles to go. In my imagination, I believed by this stage of life I would be so confident, standing strong in my power. There are days I wonder when and where I got off track. The thing is, I've come to believe I am following the exact path I was intended to walk. Every step along the way, every painful or frustrating situation, has brought new insight with it. It's not always easy to see growth because it comes in stages and over time. Picture the oak and it's beginnings with just a small acorn. Over the passing years, stature increases and roots push deeper. We don't witness the daily changes, but one day we realize how strong that oak has become. How tall and proud and resilient.

My stature may not be that of a great oak, but my heart and soul are stronger today than ever before. Even when the journey seems rocky and difficult, we are experiencing growth and change.

© 03FEB2022 ajjahner

January 2022, Still Here...

Hello again! I'm a little shocked that I only posted three times last year. It has been some crazy times for us since my bypass surgery in 2020, then my husband's retirement, and all happening during the first year of Covid. We're still hanging in. We had our vaccinations and boosters and still got Covid at our house. Husband tested positive and the rest of us got sick at the same time, so it's fairly certain that's what we had. The cough and tiredness lingers on, but we are so fortunate. Friends who were not vaccinated actually ended up in the hospital on ventilators. Friends and extended family lost loved ones, both young and old. Our state Covid numbers are still climbing. We live in the Northwest and were mentioned on national news tonight. I am so over all of this! Praying we're nearing the end of it!

The good news, I started following the blog, Grow Me A Story, and as a result I signed up for their classes. Full transparency, Paul and Carol Roberts are family. He's my cousin and she is one of my dearest friends. Carol is leading the group through the book The Artist's Way, and I'm learning so much. It's definitely got my creative soul inspired again. Paul is doing a weekly podcast which I am enjoying as well! This is my attempt to see if I can get back to writing. I had completely given up on it, but every once in a while I would wonder if I should give it another try. I'm not sure where my creative journey will take me. I'm considering dusting off my piano again. Poor thing hasn't been played in years. I'm also dabbling with a couple simple art projects. I'll let you all know how I'm progressing, and I'll try to make it more frequent than I did the past couple years. New beginnings! That's all for now. Take care, my friends, and God bless!

Yes, I'm Still Here...

Where are all my old blogging buddies? I'm guessing life has taken you all in different directions, just like it has done to me. 

Life is getting better. PJ and I are adjusting to his retirement and enjoying our time together. We both have bothersome little health issues, but nothing too terrible. Though it took a while to recover from the heart surgery, I'm keeping my blood pressure, etc. under control. I've even convinced my husband to start eating more veggies! He's started cooking some of our meals and has made a couple fantastic vegetarian dishes. 

Between Covid-19, fires all over the west, earthquakes in my state, hurricanes in the southeast, and politics (I'll keep my liberal thoughts to myself, at least for now. Haha!), I think we could all use some good news. Best I can offer is never give up believing things will get better. Keep the peace with your friends and neighbors. Reach out to those in need, if you can. We will get through all of this if we continue to be kind to one another, and by God's grace and mercy.

In the meantime, do something that brings you joy. Read a great book, watch a favorite movie, pull out the board games, take up a new hobby, write a letter to an old friend... 

Look for the laughter and you will find it. Wishing you peace and love.

Changes in the Weather...

The robins are back, a hopeful sign that spring is not too far off. There are changes in the weather and changes in my world. I've been absent from here for a while, dealing with some health issues. It looks like those issues are bringing more change to my life. A possible surgery. More on that another time.

I started my little eBay business with my sis, but that is on hold for the moment. I'd really hoped to showcase some our featured treasures here on my blog. Sometimes life hands us a different road map to follow. I'm hoping in a few weeks time to return to my original path.

My other hobbies have been set aside for while, the writing, researching my ancestors, crafting. I just haven't had the focus or the energy. I'm believing that is also going to change once I get my health issues resolved. Updates to follow. Until then, wishing you blessings and joy!

My Crazy Life...

This has been a long, crazy week. We rescued a runaway bunny, which was being attacked in our back yard by three mallards. Houdini is now safely back with his owner, a sweet little girl from the neighborhood. Apparently, he lives up to his name on a regular basis. He'll now be living in a rabbit hutch rather than roaming his back yard.

I had a quick trip to the emergency room, even got to take my first ambulance ride. It was not a heart attack, though it certainly felt bad enough to be one. Just another MS episode most likely. They took me off one med and put me on a different one. Just another minor bump in the road of my life.

On a completely random train of thought, it occurred to me I watch TV programs for more than one reason. I love dramas. While watching an episode of Rizzoli and Isles, I realized I wasn't just enjoying the story line, I was enjoying what the characters were wearing, how their apartments were furnished, and the look of certain city locations. In a really well done program, the personality of a character is further established by what they wear, what environment they live in and how their home is decorated. If I played a TV character, I'd be the eccentric, wild-haired hoarder dressed in t-shirts and blue jeans, with a wide variety of art and furniture styles. My show would be a family drama, where people make mistakes, but in the end they always love and support one another. It's a pretty good show! Don't forget to tune in again for another episode of my crazy life! :)

Intentions for the New Year...

My cousin created a list of resolutions on her blog, found Here, which are similar to some of my own goals. I wanted to share Laurie's with you, because it inspired me to put mine in writing, which I had not intended to do. Maybe it will inspire you as well.

Too often, resolutions fall by the wayside. After a slip or two, the goal seems insurmountable. One of my former supervisor's gave me a tiny pebble when we were facing a huge project. It was a reminder to approach a mountain of work, one little piece at a time. That is how I'm approaching this year, a pebble at a time, being thankful for what I do accomplish, and remembering my joy is also in the journey, not just the destination.

My focus is on:

Health - Making better food choices. Exercise daily. Listen to my body and rest when needed. Don't be afraid to make changes.

Spirit - Pray with thanksgiving. Sing. Laugh. Love. Forgive. Be generous.

Soul and Mind - Write daily. Read more. Make time for family and friends. Learn something new. Tap into my creativity. Be true to myself. Be inspired!

It sounds like a lot, but many of the things listed are what I have already been working on. I want to continue improving, learning and growing. There is no downside to making these resolutions, because failure is also a learning experience. I'm ready to greet 2015! It's going to be an amazing year! Believe it!


© 31Dec2014 ajj

Busy week ahead...

I've got a long list of "must-do" jobs this week.  I began with an unplanned root canal today, but I'm glad I got the process started.  I'm already feeling much better.  MS can create a lot of pain, and can also numb some areas to pain. There is a definite downside of not feeling pain, you don't always know when something is wrong.  When some feeling returned to the left side of my face and body yesterday, I suddenly knew something was really wrong with my tooth! It wouldn't even respond to prescription pain medication, but it got me to the dentist right away.  It's a reminder that I need to be very aware of what is going on physically, and pay attention to areas where I'm feeling no pain.

Toward the top of my list is to schedule all the maintenance appointments I want to do.  Eye exam, hair appointments, etc.  I'm even thinking of splurging on a facial or a massage.  I'm not getting any younger, and I think a little pampering would be nice.

I'm continuing to work on household projects.  It seems those are never-ending. We are putting a lot of items into storage, while our older son is living with us. I'm also hoping to clear the way to get some new carpet or flooring put down!

I have to complete the mini-makeover of our main bathroom.  We painted, but I never did get new shelving or towel racks purchased.  I'd love to replace the old 1980's light fixture as well.

Another item is to get back to work on a writing project I began last year.  My "muse" went silent for a while, but I'm been hearing some whispers of inspiration again.

This is enough to start.  Now, I suppose I should attempt to get a good night's sleep.  Work begins tomorrow!

It's May Already!

I'm shocked I missed an entire month of blogging!  Life has had some ups and downs, and I've just been very busy.  I've been taking care of some health issues, working on my family tree, done a little bit of work on my book, and a lot of other stuff!  Too much for one post.

I'm getting ready to go on a trial run with a new MS medication, so I had a brain MRI today as a new "baseline" to refer back to.  It had been about 4 years since the last brain scan.  They alternate, so two years ago it was the spine.  I'm excited about this new medication.  It's not a cure, there isn't one yet, but it is supposed to slow down the progression.

Afterwards, my husband took me out for lunch, which we rarely do these days.  It was so nice to be out with him!  Then we went to a second hand furniture store that I like.  I found a gently used sofa and chair at a bargain price!  They'll be delivered in a couple days, and my old sofa will go back with them to be placed on consignment!  A few days ago, my sweet husband brought home a new TV.  It's got a much bigger screen, so I can actually see it, and even read words on it!  We were able to indulge in a little shopping due to the road widening behind our home.  We're losing a wide chunk of the easement at the back of our lot, so there is a small financial compensation.  I'm hoping there will be enough left for some new flooring or carpet too!  Have to wait and see on that!

Well, I will try to be back a little more often.  No promises though!  Spring has been beautiful, and I have several projects lined up!  Wishing all of you a beautiful week!

A Bright New Year Has Begun...

Anybody still out there?  I've been absent for quite a while.  Life has been so busy, plus I forgot my blog password and didn't want to bother with whatever steps you take to restore it.  I finally found my little cheat-sheet this evening, so I'm back!

The holidays were wonderful.  My boys were both on break from school, so they were here much of the time.  We had some of our favorite holiday foods, watched movies, they played video games, relaxed and just enjoyed our time together!  

My sweet husband, who rarely gets sick, has been home with the flu for 5 days now, and is still not well though he is improving.  Nasty stuff!  He never gets the flu shot.  Has had no need to til now.  I'm really glad I got mine.  Even being around him 24/7, I only got very mild symptoms!  

I started on a Biggest Loser type challenge with a group of friends.  We weighed in last Saturday and photos were taken.  I had no idea how fat I was.  Lol!  Yes, I have a mirror, but I've been avoiding mirrors and cameras like they were life threatening.  The photos and the scale do not lie.  I'm fat!  I don't know why I'm laughing about it, but I refuse to cry.  I've revamped my diet, adding a lot more fruit and veg. and fewer carbs.  I've started an exercise plan that works for me, and I'm actually not hurting as much as before.  I am feeling some long-lost muscles though, and they're telling me a tale of severe neglect!  Short term goal is to lose 30 lbs by March 30th, our final weigh-in.  That's a nice, respectable amount which should be easy to accomplish.

As I'm typing, I'm listening to my new Bonnie Raitt CD, Slipstream!  Love it!  I am filled with excitement about the coming year and all it holds in store!  It's going to be amazing!

WARNING: This is Not a happy post...

I'm trying to remain positive, but having MS is really getting old!  So, if you came here today looking for something cheery... well, you may want to move along, right now, to some happy decorating/cooking/gardening type blog, because I'm getting "beat up" by MS again, and I have to talk about it!

I have been in a downward spiral for some time now.  The pain in my lower back and legs was unresponsive to medications, but now that pain has gone.  Instead, I have lost feeling in the lower back and most of both legs.  My left eye is again swollen, vision blurred, and is being treated with steroid drops.

They (the great "they" of the medical world) are offering me Gilenya.  A disease modifying drug, which also happens to have death, heart problems, loss of vision, compromised immune system, etc., to it's short list of "side effects" and I don't have the time, or the stomach, to read any more...

Pray you say?  Yes, I have done that, and also have many friends and family praying for me.  Awesome!  But, God does not always choose to heal people.  Even really nice folks like me.  I can accept that... sort of.  I do believe He loves and understands me... I never doubt that!

Where to go now?  What to do?  Say "NO" to this drug, and live with the certainty that this disease will continue to tear my brain and my body apart?  Say "Yes" and take the risk of leaving my family way before my time... or going blind, which steals my favorite activities from me.  Choices.  Choices.  I do not like these choices, but after this brief "pity party" I will dry my eyes, put my "happy face" back on, and try to pretend that life would never give us way more than we can handle.  I'll be back soon, hopefully with a big attitude adjustment and a more optimistic view of life.  Till then, be well dear friends!

Where do the days go?

It's mid-June already!  Unbelievable how the days just seem to fly.  This week my oldest son spent some time recuperating at our home after a health scare.  He was at work and started having severe chest pain and tightness.  His heart checked out ok, but they did advise him to take it easy for a few days.  It was most likely stress related.  It's definitely made him think about taking better care of his health.  It made me reevaluate some of my bad habits too.  My weight has crept back up again, I've been taking in too much sugar and caffeine, and not getting enough exercise.  Time to turn that around!

I meant to share the following a couple weeks back, but it got set aside in all the busyness of life.  I decided to take on the cemetery visitation my mom had always done. For me, Memorial Day weekend has always been a time to look back and remember loved ones who have passed on.  In actuality, I'd been reminiscing well before the weekend arrived.  I've been working on my Ancestry search again, plus I joined a site called Find A Grave.  This site posts photos of headstones from all across the country.  I was able to view gravestones of some family members who are buried in distant states. I wouldn't have been able to see them without traveling across the county.

I found my most immediate family members too.  Because of the kindness of a couple of Find A Grave members, I now manage a few of my family's memorial pages.  Some contributors chose not to transfer a memorial, even if it is your immediate family.  I understand this, as they have dedicated hours of time to find, photograph, and post the information.  I am just so happy there are people willing to volunteer their time to do this.  The memorial pages of family members and friends can be placed in Virtual Cemeteries on your own page, so I've created Virtual Cemeteries for each branch of the family.

During the Memorial weekend, my husband took the time to drive me to visit several of my family's graves.  I hadn't done that in years.  My mom was the one who always did the visitation of the graves.  I decided it was time for me to step up, and take it over, in her honor.  We took flowers, and PJ took photos of the grave markers for me to add to my Ancestry files.  There was a lot of walking, in 72 degree heat, so it was a stretch for me, but I did it!

I have to share the worst part of the day.  I was getting light-headed, so I sat under some trees on a contemplation bench, while PJ continued to look for my great grandparents markers.  I felt a little tickle on my arm.  It was a spider!  I knocked it off.  Soon I felt it again.  I looked down, and I was covered with little spiders!  Yikes!  I hate spiders when they're up close and personal.  Later, I found Paul had some on him too.  They were floating down from all the trees. So icky, but it was still totally worth being there.   In future, I will visit early in the day while it's still cool, and I will definitely avoid the trees.

Well, this is a seriously long post, and I still haven't shared everything I intended too.  It will all keep for another day.  I don't want to be putting you all to sleep! Have a beautiful day!

My Weekend...

Due to an unfortunate allergic reaction, to something I ate Friday evening, I missed posting yesterday.  It was a Chicken Habanero sandwich from a pizza place.  I didn't want pizza, like the rest of the family, so I got a sandwich.  Apparently I have an allergy to the sauce or to Jalapeno Peppers.  Wheezing, hives, unbearable itching, and eyes swelled up.  I looked hideous.  Almost did the 911 call!  Had my husband grab the Benadryl and quickly took two.  That's what the docs told him to do if he ever gets another bee sting.  The symptoms started to calm down in about 15 minutes, but my eyes stayed swollen until late last night.  Needless to say, no more Jalapeno's for me, and I'm going to schedule an allergy test soon!

Today is a family day.  We'll be watching the Super Bowl later.  We're rooting for the Patriots because the Giants beat our Green Bay Packers!  My sister-in-law didn't make the long trip.  Fortunately she was only an hour into the journey, when PJ called and told her the engine wouldn't work for his car.  She decided to head back home and come for a visit later on.  Hopefully, PJ can find another engine that will work in his Chevy.  If this is confusing... go to the previous post.

I've been baking this morning.  Poppy Seed Muffins with Lemon Glaze, Kalua Cake, Tortilla Casserole, and Spicy Meatballs!  No, I'm not worrying about calories today.  I do have a nice big veggie tray to balance things out a little.  It's time to go finish my prep for game time!  Go Patriots!

September...

September arrived yesterday without a lot of fanfare.  The temperatures dropped a bit, and I'm loving it.  I'm still pretty much housebound, and that would be fine if I could just get my house clean and in order.  Seems like every project I begin gets stalled.  I either get distracted or too tired.  I'm really hoping the cooler weather will help kick my energy into high gear. 

I posted this on my FB page...

Doctor's office phoned and woke me a couple hours ago. She says, "Your results... Oh, hold on a minute." Waited, waited, waited. Comes back on, "I'll have to call you back." What?!

And, I am still waiting.  I am refusing to be anxious, but it does keep trying to creep up on me.  Like a scary movie, you don't know what's around the corner.  The spooky music is playing, getting a bit louder.  Here's hoping it's nothing.  Music fades, birds singing happily, all's right with the world.

UPDATE:

Shortly after writing this, I received my second phone call. I tested positive for PML, which means I am no longer a candidate to receive treatment with Tysabri for the Multiple Sclerosis.  Now we have to look at the pros and cons of Gilenya, a newer MS medication that's only been out for about a year.  This means more blood tests, eye tests, etc., and then approval from my insurance.  It will take a month or more.

So, not so much of birds singing happily. The music is still a little scary, and I do not know what is lurking around that next corner.  It's still an amazing world, I'm thankful to be living, and there is always hope.  I still have hope.

Time For Courage

I received the results of my MRI last night.  My GP phoned me.  It was two-fold, spinal cord lesions from the MS and further collapse of the vertebrae in my neck.  For me, this means going on some pretty dangerous medication for the MS and surgery on my neck.  Not the news I'd hoped for.

I had a few minutes of crying last night, but then I remembered... the women in my family have courage in the face of danger and despair.  So I'm grabbing hold of every grain of courage I possess.  I may still have moments of tears, but I can survive this too.  I have survived so many obstacles in my life.  This will not beat me.  I am a survivor.  My word of the day is Courage.  Courage!

 

 

 

Make that "I Can Do It!"

Just a quick "hello" and update...

Momma duck still patiently sitting and waiting...

My ancestry search keeps hitting walls, but is "O So Fun" to do!  I found Passenger Lists showing some of PJ's family coming to America, plus a couple photos of the actual ships they traveled on!  I also found newspaper articles from the early 1900's... one about his great grandmother's passing, one about his grandfather and a horse named Flossie, and a few more.  So, the search continues...

It's a beautiful, crisp spring morning.  Some of my tulips are done, but others have just opened up.  The daffodils looked pretty this morning too...

Still "waging the war" against my health demons.  I feel like I'm winning some of the battles.  My MS seems to have stabilized for now, and I am so thankful for that!  I have chosen not to be on any medication, as the side effects seem to outweigh the benefits.  I shared in an earlier post about my "shrinking" and am dealing with decisions about medication for that. My advice... take care of your bones now!  Overall, I am doing well...

My writing has taken a back seat... so far back... it's in the caboose of a long, long train!  I will get back to work soon.  Ideas have been swirling around in my head, I just need to get them down on "paper" while they're fresh...

I hope there is peace and sunshine wherever you are today...

Blessings!
Nita Jo

I'm still here!

Hello friends!  I have neglected my blog terribly the past couple of months, and I'm even farther behind in reading my favorite blogs.  I haven't forgotten any of you, I've just been so busy.  Besides the ancestry search that has been consuming a lot of my time, there's been little of everything going on... husband & son had the flu, been sorting and scanning family photos, going through old family cassette and video tapes just to see what's on them, catching up on my reading, and more.

Most recently, my oldest son is moving back in with us for a time.  He wants to save some money in anticipation of some things he'd like to do in his life.  It will also be a help for us, because he'll be paying us room and board.  Another plus... I love having him around!  He is loving, funny, and just a joy in our lives.  Plus, he's really tall!  He can reach the things I can no longer reach, although my husband & younger son also help with that. But, he'll be around when they aren't because of his work schedule. 

I'm supposed to stay off of step-stools and ladders because of my osteoporosis... They measured me at my doctor appointment this week, and I've lost another 1/2 inch since last November.  I was 5' 8-1/2" when I got married 30 years ago... now I'm 5' 6-1/2"... a full 2 inches shorter!  Not great.  The good news is that I'd lost 21 pounds!  Yippee!  Still a long way to go, but it's a good start.

I've been reconnecting with some friends.  That's been fun.  I'm one of those people who is so happy at home in my little world, that I don't get out much.  My friend (she's also my cousin-in-law), Carol, was down doing the college visits with her daughter.  She saved an entire morning to spend with me!  We went out to breakfast, then came back to my home to chat.  There is nothing like time with a dear friend to put life back into perspective.  Her visit brought such a feeling of joy to my heart.

My husband and I made it to church last weekend, and got invited to go out to lunch.  My first impulse was to just go home, but I pushed myself to go and we had the best time!  Old friends bring that comfortable feeling of just being able to be ourselves.  We shared about our boys... they have three, we have two... we talked about the wonderful church service... about what's new in our lives... and we laughed.  It was wonderful!

Well, that's my update.  I'll try to get back here more often.  Next time, I'll come to visit some of your blogs!

Blessings to each of you!
Nita Jo