Pride Comes Home

We have had another thankful day(s) as we should. We need to put aside our troubles and enjoy the season and that's what we did...until today. Hubby has been feeling a little under the weather and, as all you married ladies are aware, that is not fun. Anyway, we are so thankful for all the wonderful blessings that fill our lives. It's tough to take the bad with the good and we sometimes tend to let the bad overshadow all our blessings. I just have to stop and recall those blessings. And, we do have plenty, two in particular: our younger son and his wife are expecting their first child next summer and our oldest granddaughter and her hubby are expecting their first child in the late Spring (a girl I recently learned). Now, how can we allow the bad to overshadow such wonderful blessings from God? Don't we get in some unhappy ruts occasionally?

I hope that all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, that all of you stayed well and happy. I went shopping on Black Friday as so many of my friends did. I am so glad that we didn't see any such mobs as there were in Long Island where the employee was trampled to death when he opened the Walmart store there. The shooting in the store in California was also a horrid event, leaving both shot to death. This is a season of happiness, thankfulness, and loving our family and friends. What is wrong with people? I went in the marketplace today and this young man offered to let me break in line in front of him (which I didn't); then her took my basket and placed on the counter so that I wouldn't be taxed with such a load. Now, that is a wonderful example of the Thanksgiving season! There is only one sad thing about that picture: am I at the age where others see me as an elder who needs assistance? I remember doing such things for older adults thinking they would be grateful, which they were, but yet making them feel helpless. Now I know how Mother must have felt when I would take her arm to help her and she would politely remove my arm. Hmmm...pride comes home to all of us.

Was I Wonder Woman?

I truly enjoyed my special time with my previous co-workers today. The office had its annual Thanksgiving luncheon and, as per tradition, invited all of the retirees to join them. What a difference a few years makes! There were more retirees that I knew than active employees, after a few years only. What will it be like in another 5 years I wonder. We didn't outnumber the active employees by any means and we probably never will due to our aging. I think the oldest one present was probably 85 or so. It was great to see them all. Actually, the retirees looked about as young as the active ones; perhaps that is due to stress on them which we have given up. I loved going, visiting with all my old friends as long as I wanted; yet, I regretted that the ones working had to return to the office and we didn't get to visit as long as we wished. I remember feeling envious of those who were retired when I was still working, watching them goof around and enjoy each other while I had to return to the grindstone. Times have really changed. I was told that there are 9 and one-half new employees doing the job which I did by myself! Wow! I didn't realize that I was considered a "Wonder Woman"!! Now, I know the job has added a couple of responsibilities but I had to work 10 + hours a day to get the job done and some things had to take a back seat. As one of my friends who still works said today, "I know that you had to spend a lot of time just putting out fires", and that's so true. When one is dedicated to the job she wants to do the very best and many times, the best can't be achieved in the amount of hours available.

I often think about the hours and hours I spent on the job and regret that I didn't have more time to spend with my children. I was blessed in many ways and could spend some time with them but never enough. WE were able to go camping across the country and also North. The children dammed up streams all the way across the United States and had a ball doing it. Those memories will always be fresh in my minds and, I think, in theirs too. Our daughter loves camping to this day and spends a great deal of time with her family in the campgrounds. Now, that's what I call family togetherness, the key to a great Thanksgiving season. I urge all moms and dads to spend as much time as possible with their families and then some. Be thankful and make the time.

Say a Little Thank You

It was a beautiful day this Sunday. Our meal we shared was delicious! One young man there told me that I really didn't need to have brought those ham and biscuits, that I should have just left them all at his house. With only 2 left, I "urged/insisted" that he take them home with him and his grandmother; he did, with no hesitation!

My friend and I had been asked to swap Sundays with another couple who was in charge of Children's Church today and they would take our Sunday later on; we agreed. Then my good friend became ill so I asked another friend to assist me with the children. When the time came to take the children out of the "big church", there were three other adults who went out with me intending to take charge of the children. The person who did the bulletin didn't make a change in the name of the ones in charge so these adults thought there was no teacher for them. I was impressed that there were so many others who were willing to make sure these children were provided with instruction on their level. The ironic thing was that my friend and I had chosen to teach about thankfulness using the story of the healing by Jesus of the 10 Lepers and this is what the pastor also chose for his time with them before his sermon. Then, the usher who prayed prefaced his prayer with a short allusion to the same story of only one of the 10 healed Lepers saying thank you. This is the time when we need to be especially aware of being thankful during this season of Thanksgiving. My family and I have so much for which to thank God and I believe that everyone has plenty for which to say thanks, especially to God, but also to friends and others who show us acts of kindness. I hope that we will all take the time to show our thanks.

Tomorrow, I will be attending another Thanksgiving luncheon and it will be a special treat to see all the folks with whom I worked for years. I am thankful for the time we had together, the friendships that grew, the kindness that I recall, and the fun and laughter that we shared, especially when things got tough (and, believe me, they often did). Through days of trying to please others, yet striving to do the right things, I thank these friends who stood by my side with support and respect for tough decisions (tough love). I think tomorrow, I will let them know that I remember and that I thank them still now.

Eating and Gaining

What a busy time we have had this week. My birthday was here and many of my very best friends wanted to take me out to eat and of course, I let them! My sister carried me out on Monday; Tuesday, my other sister took me out to lunch; Wednesday I rested; Thursday, 5 of us ladies went to the big shopping outlet that is about 2 hours away and we shopped most of the day; Friday, another friend took me to brunch; and, today, another friend took me to breakfast. I must tell you that I did gain a couple of pounds this week! I must go on a diet! This is just not the right time of the year to plan on dieting! We have a luncheon at church tomorrow; Monday, my office from which I retired always invites the retirees to join them in their thanksgiving celebration. Of course, I wouldn't miss that!

The grandkiddies came over today while their mom was Christmas shopping. I had them helping me bring boxes down from the attic so that I could begin the wrapping process. I didn't get started tonight as I had hoped however, since I was busy fixing cookies and deviled eggs for the lunch tomorrow. Now my alma mater is playing football and I need to watch that game; I need to support my favorite college! So, I'm outta here!

Days are still busy with much ado. I finally spent a good while with my audiologist yesterday and I think my hearing aids are now workable and acceptable. I can hear much better today; the new tips they fitted on my aids are more comfortable and I'm about to decide to keep them. The dentist office called today and said my new crown is ready to be "installed" (I hope this will be the end of my dental visits for a long time; another unexpected and unwelcome expense; the dentist should have a merry Christmas, thanks to me and my $1,000 this year and, of course, the audiologist should have 5 times that much holiday fun!)

Hubby will be going to a different surgeon in 2 weeks to check on his other shoulder. The surgeon who did the right shoulder doesn't think he can handle the left one; he thinks he needs someone who has more experience. Now I'm waiting to hear from my gastrenterologist. It's something all the time.

What's Happening?

Where have I been and what have I been doing, you may ask. Well, I have celebrated a daughter's birthday, a sister-in-law's birthday, a shopping trip to the beach, routine trips with hubby to the doctor, being fitted with hearing aids, etc. Much of this week was spent in the company of some type of medical person: physical therapist for hubby, gastroenterologist and audiologist for me, and that's enough! I did have one nice evening with my church group when we sang for a group of elderly adults at an assisted living place in town. Last night, our high school planning committee met for a wonderful meal and a time to plan our quarterly luncheons. So, as you can see, a hodgepodge of events have been filling my days. The things that have been happening have not been of the type that would make very interesting blogs plus I just couldn't get in the right frame of mind to write anything.

I did have a great trip to the beach with 7 other lady friends. We did a lot of shopping but I was unable to get anywhere near finished since I still don't have lists from my sons, grandsons and one granddaughter. I think I may just get what I want and hope they will appreciate them. I, along with everyone else I know, will be cutting way back on Christmas spending. With my having to spend thousands of dollars on hearing aids, I just cannot afford very much this year. And, the entire economy is not good either. I have lost way too much in my retirement accounts; yet, I'm hopeful the market will improve. I don't have as much time to regain my losses as our young folks do, but I do pray that everyone will recuperate their losses.