This New Year

 I missed the opportunity to live this lifestyle. That's why I follow her blog.

A Story For You : How I Prepped for Winter Before I Even Had a Home!

Added New Year's Eve. 

I never make resolutions, but in this New Year, I am in a writing mood.

First off, sadly, there are so many things I'll never do again, and it's a long list.

Tent Camping 

Once I'm on the ground, I'm down. I have to call the fire department if no one is around. Now that I've had every joint replaced and spinal fusion to uncrush my spine, I'm optimistic. No matter how well I recover, I'll never tent camp again unless I have a cot.

I'll never live on the beaches of Belize. 

My kids will definitely veto it. 

Well! I guess that's it. I thought the list would be  lot longer, but I can't think of anything else that is outside the realm of possibilities.

So what WILL I do?

Walk my Daughter down the aisle

Yes I will. Next summer in CA

Travel

I have a 10 year old car that can't tow a Teardrop because it's a Hybrid. That may change, but for now, Have Camera Will Travel. Pennsylvania is a great place to explore. Many day trips ahead!

Big Travel

I've never been to Europe. Daughter Carla has traveled the world solo many times and I admire her confidence. I've always wanted to visit Italy, especially Rome for a month, a year, forever. A European river cruise looks enticing, or a Sushi Omakase experience in Japan with my daughter Nina, who is also a sushi junky.

Eventually I'll just throw up my hands and say WTH and DO something instead of wasting my time every  day sleeping, playing games or watching videos on my phone.

Moving forward

Now that my body had been fixed, I can do most anything (except hike Mt Everest). I promise to pry myself out of my comfort cocoon and venture out. I no longer have physical restrictions after spine surgery, so I'm just working on getting stronger with PT. In a few months, I'll be able to do activities I haven't been able to do for years.

 

I'll start making new memories solo. But who cares? me

Getting My Craft On (revised)

'Tis the  holiday season when creativity comes alive, but this year the holidays crept up so fast, I wasn't prepared. I've been recovering from something or other the past few years and haven't been in the holiday spirit for awhile.

I did manage to re-do my door wreath. It was no longer summer so the wreath of yellow sunflowers and forsythia had to come down. Unfortunately I never took a picture of it.  I'm not a bow maker,  but this one turned out  pretty good! 

I bought stems for a fall wreath, but they'll wait til next year.  I skipped right to the winter wreath. I often forage for dried foliage in the area for my wreaths because I've got lots of glitter and glue spray...or sometimes not at all, depending on my mood.  I just didn't get out much this fall.

Supplies

Here are a few from the past.

 

Happy Happy!

Comforting Uplifting Words?

 

What are some of your biggest pet peeves?

This might be long, and I may add more in the future. My pet peeves are thoughtless things people say, sometimes unintentionally.

I had a lively discussion one night with my daughter’s fiancé, Arthur. We were talking about so many phrases/clichés that are meaningless. Sometimes it’s best not to say anything at all; your actions speak for themselves. Let’s carry on the conversation and examine a few.

“God doesn’t give you anything you can’t handle.”

That makes no sense. There are events that many people can’t handle, resulting in addiction, suicide, withdrawal or depression. If you’re a believer and God hands you a life without conflict, Godspeed. The phrase is misinterpreted. The origins are 1 Corinthians 10:13. Paul talks about temptation, saying that God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear and will provide a “way out.” But that verse is specifically about sin/temptation, not about every kind of suffering, trauma, grief, or mental breakdown a person might go through. In real life, people often do encounter more than they can bear: abuse, losing a child, dysfunctional upbringing, severe mental illness, war, etc. Some people end up hospitalized or, seeing no way out, suicide. Telling someone in that state “God wouldn’t give you more than you can handle” can feel like implying a spiritual failure instead of acknowledging that the situation is actually unbearable.” r/Christianity

Moving on…

“Prayers can move mountains”

Sure, if the outcome is what you prayed for. If not, then “it was God’s will”. We all experience highs and lows in life, but many lay it all at God’s feet, believing God controls all. My belief is we alone control life decisions and take personal responsibility. We may ask for guidance, but it’s always our choice. Or don’t we have Free Will? whoo boy…discuss.

“At least you have memories”

Thanks, but that is not comforting to me. At all. Memories suck and only breed regret, sadness or despair. Memories are dreadful. I relive them all the time, feeling only regret or sadness, having no hope I’ll ever make memories again.

“Call me if you need anything”

Such a generic gesture. Yeah, I need lots of stuff, not just another casserole. Instead, offer something tangible, like a ride to the grocery store, cleaning and tidying up, running errands, raking leaves, doing laundry, a dinner invitation…

If you’re a caregiver, it’s not likely anyone will step in to take on the brutal work even temporarily to give you a break. They’ll just as likely trash you if you consider other care options (i.e. nursing home care). NOT my experience, but it happens.

“They’re in a better place” or “they’re no longer in pain”

Oh really? To me, a “better place” is alive here on earth and not being dead.

“Sorry for your loss”

Really? Why? An overused cliché is just words. Better to say a simple “I’m sorry”, or sometimes a simple hug is enough.

“A fool and his money are soon parted”

Nope. There’s a lot of rich fools, not naming names.

“If you’re not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary” Jim Rohn

Wise. Midlife, I risked the unusual and stepped out of the ordinary. It made life extraordinary for awhile.

“You can do anything…you set your mind on”

Well, this one has bothered me forever. NO, you can’t. Physical, intellectual, emotional, or monetary limitations play a role in succeeding. Or sometimes, it’s just dumb luck.

Realistically:

“You can do anything, but not everything. You don’t have to save the world, just yourself.”

― Brittany Burgunder, Safety in Numbers

“Time heals all wounds” or “This too shall pass”

Time doesn’t heal, just helps us cope. We eventually learn to live with loss, abuse or neglect, but it never passes.

“That which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” Nietzsche

As Sylvester Stallone said during an interview, No, that which does not kill you leaves you pretty f—-ing beaten up, and you’re never quite the same. It made me more defiant, and, yeah, I might have learned something, but I left a piece of myself there—as we leave pieces of ourselves throughout our life when we have these different traumas—rough childhoods, death, divorce.

Not all trauma leads to growth.

“Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life”

duh

“It is what it is”

Resignation, dismissal

“Everything happens for a reason”

if you believe in cosmic intervention, but don’t ever say this to a person grieving. It’s thoughtless and the last thing they want to hear.

But it’s not all gloom and doom. Here are some worthy quotes.

“I walk around like everything’s fine, but deep down, inside my shoe, my sock is sliding off.”

(Unknown)

“I can’t brain today. I have the dumb.”

(Unknown)

More will be added over time…