Less Hustle More Coffee

Good day friends! It’s a nice morning here with the likes of summer still hanging on. Fall changes coming soon. The hot coffee is excellent – Kroger Brand’s Private Selection Guatemalan Antiguan. I think it’s even more special than Starbucks.

I’m in a huge mood to sit under a blanket and read and/or play computer games. Having had a few weeks of rushing through many to do lists, many small details of things here and there, and knowing we have many to come – I just want to sit for a spell and read. Last night I had about thirty minutes in which my fizzled brain just needed to sit and be, to enjoy, to be entertained – nothing serious or involved – just mindless and simple activity. It had been a less than perfect payroll day (putting it nicely – it basically sucked, with plants showing their inefficiencies by turning in things late, giving presence of putting payroll to be an afterthought), so was tired of fighting my way through the tangles of the day. It was nice to just sit and be. After piling under the blanket, I realized I needed a glass of water. Normally don’t ask anyone to wait on me but I asked George since he was up “would you do a favor for me?” He said “Depends what it is”. (I might ask him to go buy an RV if he says “yes”). He brought me a huge glass of ice water and I played a game of finding hidden items and then Candy Crush. I played until my eyes were about shut and then headed for bed.

Sleep has been hard to come by this week, for whatever reason. I will sleep for a bit and wake up, sleep for a bit and wake up. I even got up and slept in my journaling chair for a session. I had a dream and George came in the room to check on me and gave me a hug and said “it’s time for you to go back to bed”. I woke up in the chair, thinking maybe God had sent George in a vision to get me back in the bed. So I went and prayed for sleep to come and it did – but again in sessions. I am not sure why but I guess we go through seasons of not sleeping well. I don’t have any thing bothering me – it seems to be more about comfort than anything. But I can’t pin point it. I hate the alarm comes so early because most mornings I could sleep on. I’m about an hour or two off on sleep a night. But I only get about 2.5 hours of evening time as it is so I hate to go to bed any earlier than 8:30. Might as well have a cot at work if that is the case. Why come home. It almost doesn’t make sense as it is.

I’m just tired and retirement cannot come soon enough. These past 3 years have flown, and I suppose the next 3 will fly even faster. But yeah, as I type this blog entry, I’d love to have the whole day off to just sit and read and play or do whatever Sonya wants. I look at the shelves longingly, wanting to dive into other worlds just for a time.

Thanks for everyone who found their way to the latest video and then commented on it. I appreciate it so much. You know I have a link to YouTube also on this blog. Depending on whether you are on a phone, iPad, or computer -it is in different places. On the computer it should be at the top where you have an About Me section and next to it there is a link that says “Videos”. On the phone or iPad I think you can look for the little “three lines” that sends you to some menu items and click on “Videos” there. It’ll take you to my YouTube.

Here is the embed of it if you didn’t catch the link earlier.

Helping Aging Parents – “Just Start Talking”

There are a lot of videos to do b/w this one and current time. I had been worried that there would be not a lot of footage. I also wish I could stay home all day and work on all that. I have too many hobbies. lol

While this video has other stuff in it too, showing some spring storms, our trip to get flowers, spring blooms, it also has some segments of me talking about how we helped Mom with her decisions and I really sincerely hope it helps others when trying to figure out what to do along with your aging parent(s).

We just started talking about what we wanted the end result to look like. We talked about the needs and desires of Mom. I gave her OPTIONS of all the various places we could at or places she could go and I took them back to her. She weighed pros and cons. She knew what she wanted and what she didn’t want. She still wanted her independence as much as possible. The decisions were difficult but as time passes the choices narrow and she decided she still wanted her own house. The only option was to build in today’s market because no one would do the contingency on her house except for a builder, b/c she had time to sell. I’m surprised at how fast things began to happen, once we seriously began to talk about these things and then check on all the options. The door was opened at that point, it wasn’t weird to have the conversation. And it was our responsibility to help in various ways to make the move happen. Mom doesn’t have a spouse as my father passed several years ago. A move like this was not something she could stage alone and we would never let her. So we took on as many of the details as we could – helping her with the real estate, helping pack, getting the storage units set up, renting the truck and moving details, and then getting her to the building of the house meetings.

Mom and Aunt Martha seem to think that we thought it was going to be a piece of cake. I’m not sure why they think that, lol. They both have repeatedly said “it was more than you thought, huh?” as they laugh. Well no, no surprises here as we have moved before and we are well aware of how much work it is. And we knew how much stuff Mom had. It’s why we started early packing. What we were not aware of was how many clothes Mom had, lol, lol, lol. It kept coming out of the wood works. But if you remember me saying all along, “this is an elephant and we’ll eat it a bite at a time”. I guess we are about to eat the elephant butt, lol. We are 2/3 through with the elephant as far as the moving process, living with us, building house, and moving the 2nd time.

I’m still in shock that Mom agreed to come up here but her choices were narrowing and she certainly was not getting any help from the other daughter so…..here we are. And I hope the video helps someone, but it’s not all about moving – it’s just kindof a snap shot of our spring!

I have to delete everything from my iMovie timeline and start on the next one. I do have to go ahead and start ordering some Christmas presents. Katy said they have not decided about Christmas as to whether they are coming here or not. So I’m trying to hold off before ordering their things so I know whether to send it here or ship it there. If they are not coming I can ship there free via Amazon and would rather do that than having to ship it ourselves after we wrap it. Anyway, I have a feeling I’ll be trying to do Christmas shopping, moving Mom and getting her settled all at once. Was hoping to get ahead. But who am I kidding? We will be doing everything all at once. lol If we come out into February 2022 alive with any hair left, with any sanity left, we’ll be doing good and will be cause to celebrate.

And then maybe I can read more! ;-). Someday soon I’ll show you my “line up”. But I can’t finish a book it seems unless it’s on audible.

George fixed us a T-bone steak Sunday night that was heavenly. Along with baked potato and a wedge salad. I was ready for steak. It had been a while.

And for breakfast one morning this week, I had some whole grain Cherios with a banana and with vanilla almond milk. It was so good. I’ve forgotten how good Cherios are. I have to look for a cereal with the minimal amount of sugar and the wholistic ingredients I can find. A bit difficult but I like to have cereal about once a week or every 10 days or so.

Today I’m going for the wellness system shake, the pumpkin version. I really like it. And I think I’m doing soup today unless I need to get away for lunch. But will try to stay and do soup – it depends on how the day goes. Sometimes I need to get away from the desk for a few.

I have been listening to Dr. Berg on YouTube (screen shot below) for his information on nutrition. He is Keto for the most part in his theories, and I’ve chosen to embrace eating Whole Foods but I do like to listen to his videos. This one on sugar really got my attention. Of course sugar is very difficult to completely eliminate. He says only a little can get you back into a situation where you are unable to lose weight. But here’s what happens if you quit for two weeks. Again, it certainly got my attention. Perhaps next challenge I will consider just “giving up sugar”, but I’m sticking with my challenge for now of embracing Whole Foods and I’ve allowed myself to have dessert once a week. I am seeing some small changes in my body which is good only 12 days in. Pants are a little looser, body shape changing a little, less bloating, mood better. I can also say I have experienced 1, 2, 5, and improvement in 7, of his chart below, just by the challenge plans I’ve chosen. So that is good. We are moving toward my goals.

Again, please understand that while I embrace a whole food approach in making my decisions – I still allow certain foods – just not as often. I’ll never give up hamburgers and pizza and some desserts on occasion. So tonight we are having pizza. I’ll partake. But I will probably have less of it than normal. When I’m eating and making my own choices though, I’m doing better and that is the plan. I’m not making everyone around me do what I do. Any help they can give is appreciative but I’ve learned for the most part when people know you are trying to do better they tend to sabotage your plans, usually unintentionally but it happens. I’m just trying to do better – not be perfect. I’ll never be perfect.

And I need to go. I’m running behind. I think everyone in my life can expect me to run behind until at least March. I’m just not set up for success here in any section of my life. So be it. Go with the flow. I’m doing the best I can for all.

Here’s a funny for ya. Screen capture. lol.

Working on next video and to do list tomorrow morning. Will check back in on Friday! Not a lot going on this week in the evenings. I was about to say no doc appts this week but I have a Dentist appt on Friday morning at 8 at my new dentist, for a cleaning. Then Saturday George and I have a meeting with our financial advisor. So thankful they are doing/allowing weekend appointments. We meet with him every six months. We’ll plan to do something fun while over in Hendersonville that day. Likely Sams as well. Maybe lunch.

Ok so I’m off of here to get ready and head to work. I should be leaving right now but you know what? I had to work over yesterday due to a plant turning in a lot of payroll changes while I was in the middle of payroll, halting all of my processes, and delaying things and it was an extra long day- so I don’t mind if I do go in late this morning. If it’s good to go into my evening time then I don’t mind getting that time back in the next morning. 😉 So be it and the tribe has spoken. Tit for Tat and Tat for Tit. lol.

Gone. Over and Out til Friday!