Living in a Senior Park

Living in a senior park has ever so many advantages but there are also disadvantages. One of which is the ever present reminder of how limited our lifespan happens to be.

I've spent half the year in this park since 1998 and have made many great friends, many wonderful acquaintances, and just a few creeps. It's always a sad return to the park in October to discover that not all of us survived the summer. And then there are always a few who don't even make it through the winter. It's a constant reminder that we are given only a select few years on this earth to make it a better place.

I have no religion but I do have my opinions on why we're here and where we go from here. Why some of us leave this life in cruel and painful ways makes no sense to me and probably never will. If anything makes me doubt my belief in an afterlife, this is it.

There is no doubt in my mind that the world is gradually becoming a more evil and dangerous place and that there is a larger percentage of "bad" people than when I was a child. It's as though mankind is on a slow and unstoppable decline. But then, maybe it's just me seeing things through aging eyes.

In less than a month, I've seen 2 seniors from this park die a painful and lingering death and it makes me wonder why they had to suffer in this way. I have so many questions and I hope one day to have the answers.

Today the sun is shining and Florida is finally warming up. I feel blessed to have this day because today is all we have, tomorrow is just a maybe.

Eating Sensibly...-10 and desperately holding!

I don't know how many weeks I've been trying to eat sensibly but the last two were extra hard because I had company. Eating in restaurants and eating large meals at Faye's, complete with desserts, isn't the best way to eat sensibly but I still have hope.

I had opportunities to dine in restaurants at least 4 days this week but decided to cancel 2 of those days simply because I'm just too full. Even though I tend to eat the wrong things, I don't usually eat a lot of volume. Restaurant meals are not normal servings and I don't have a shut-off valve so I overeat.

I've somehow managed to maintain my 10 pound weight loss for a while but I have no idea how. Just think how well I'd do if I ate sensibly every day!

Tomorrow we're going to a Blue Jay's game and then to a restaurant for dinner but that will definitely be the last one for me for a while. I'll weigh in again on Friday and either hate myself or not understand how I dodged the bullet.

Wish me luck.

Damned Cold in Florida

Did anyone really think we've been kidding when we say it's freezing in Florida this winter? Well, just take a look at my poor brother-in-law making up his bed in my Florida room. The parka and hat really aren't his pyjamas but they're almost needed.

Larry happens to snore so his wife, Joyce, sleeps inside the nice warm trailer on the couch and I sleep inside the nice warm trailer in my bed. I'd thought we'd leave the patio doors open into the Florida room so it would gain some warmth but Joyce keeps them closed...too much noise from Larry.

So Larry bundles up under the comforter and makes sure to shut the door quickly when he comes inside the trailer so that Joyce and I don't get cold.

Seriously, though, it only hit 52 degrees today and most of our nights in the last week have been near freezing.

Poor Larry.

Company's Coming!

Joyce and Larry, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, should arrive here tomorrow for a 2 week vacation and I'm hoping against hope that my damn cold will be at least almost gone. We've got so much planned for the next few weeks, what with the Bailey family mini reunion plus all the various places I want to take Joyce, that I can't be spreading germs. There are too many older people that might not survive it. I'm willing myself healthy.

Joyce and Larry don't like to travel very much except to the east coast but they came down to spend Xmas with me the first year Dennis passed away. That was a kindness I'll always remember. This year is their first trip down here since then and I want it to be a good one for them. Joyce loves to shop so there will be no shortage of great places to take her. Keeping Larry from being bored will be the biggest challenge but I have a chore for him...streamlining my toolshed. I don't even know what's in there and only use a small number of items so I'm sure he can make it nice and roomy for me. The only problem is that job won't take 2 weeks to do so we'll have to find other ways to amuse him.

I dusted and polished the furniture today and vacuumed but there's lots more that could be done that I have no strength to worry about. The grass (weeds) could be trimmed but I'm not up to that. I do have to go grocery shopping but that won't take long and then I'll nap. Sleeping a cold away is the smart thing to do.

Millie brought me over some Neo Citran this morning and I'll take that tonight. Faye has been running errands for me, too. It's nice to have people care about you when you're under the weather.

I'm staying away from cards and games nights so that I don't infect my buddies and anyone who visits has to keep their distance. I feel like a leper.

Anyway, tomorrow I will be well.

Eating Sensibly...-9

Well, I gained back 1 pound last week but that can happen. Chris weighed me in and tried to blame the weight gain on the medication I'm taking for my cold but I think it was the buttered bagels I ate last week. We know when we do wrong!

Now I'm going to mention something that's been bugging me for a few months. Tiger Woods and his atrocious behaviour!

He's a man who had everything...fame, fortune, nice family, and a good reputation but he threw it all away to have sex with a bunch of skanks. This is not the action of a man with a mental disorder. It is the action of a self-centered and selfish man. All the rehabs in the world will not cure a personality flaw like this.

I hear his wife is taking him back. Oh well.

Bad Restaurant Experience

14 of us went out for dinner today at a (we thought) nice restaurant. We waited about 1/2 an hour for our drinks and then another 1/2 hour for the dinners to begin to arrive. They came 3-4 at a time so that by the time the last 2 got their dinners the first few were finished.

Mine was one of the last and the catfish was almost cold so I sent it back. Minutes passed before my plate was returned with hot catfish but by this time the baked potato was quite cool. I wasn't about to send it back so just began eating my meal. In a few minutes the waitress returned, saw that most of our group were long finished eating and asked me if I wanted mine packed up to take home. Good grief! I held my temper.

I was thinking how I'd never return to that particular restaurant but they happen to have an Elvis impersonator coming there next week. That made me reconsider.

Dinner and show is $20 and Faye made reservations.

Inconsiderate People

What, in a person's mind, allows them to be terribly inconsiderate to the people around them? I believe that inconsiderate people are simply selfish individuals who have a highly inflated opinion of themselves and who feel that others just don't count.

We're in a trailer park where everyone lives fairly close together so it's important not to make unnecessary noise late at night or too early in the morning. But there are people who warm up deisel vehicles at dawn, people who don't clean up their dog's poop, and people who let their dogs bark for hours. What are they thinking? Are all others in the world around them so unimportant?

Just last week we were in a lineup at a buffet with about 6 people still behind us. One of our group walked up the line and stepped in front of us. How did he justify this rudeness in his mind? How could his haste be worth the impression he left on the people who saw this? I just don't get it.

One lady (actually the wife of the line breaker) never goes to our weekly luncheon but, when she found out it was a free lunch last week, she went and stocked up on everything available. These appear to be people with money so why the greed? And something else I noticed is that inconsiderate people all seem to have a creepy nature. Hmmm!

One of the first lessons we learn in life is to be considerate of others so is it possible these people were never taught that lesson? Do we need special lessons to teach us consideration or is it something we should just know is right to do?

The inconsiderate ones are by far in the minority but it's still so pleasant to be in the company of polite people. You can trust polite and considerate people but you'll always be wary around the creeps.

Eating Sensibly...-10

I guess I'm doing something right because I'm now officially 10 pounds lighter than I was 3 weeks ago. To be honest, part of my success last week was due to a canker sore under my tongue that made eating a slow and painful process. It was pretty well impossible to overeat.

There are a lot of things I do wrong and maybe I'll be able to correct some of them but just eating sensibly is probably all I'll ever need to do. I don't ever expect to be a size 10 but my basic hope is to just lose enough weight to be more comfortable. However much that turns out to be, I can only benefit from eliminating much of the bad stuff from my diet.

Having our little group meet every Friday morning is a large part of my incentive to eat well each week but I can't count on that when I'm back home this summer. I'm hoping to start up my own little group back home so any of you reading this should let me know if you're interested. Even a group of 2 could help us both!

Today is another day to do my best.

Eating Sensibly...-9

I've been kind of lax this week as far as eating sensibly but the one thing that just might have saved me is the fact that I have a darned canker sore on the back of my tongue. It's painful to eat so I haven't been eating in restaurants as often as usual.

I'm using David's canker sore remedy...a swish of peroxide followed by a swish of cleansing water. It really does help and the sore is slowly diminishing. I hope my appetite doesn't come back too strongly once it's gone.

It's still terribly cold out for Florida so I'm spending a lot of time sitting on my butt and Swedish weaving the runners for Shelley's Georgia bedroom furniture. In my estimation they are gorgeous! I'll post a picture when they're finished.

I've also been a little lax in writing down everything I eat and that's not good. It's as important to record your food intake as it is to weigh in weekly. The good news is that I haven't given up my quest. For me, giving up usually occurs within the first couple of weeks. I think my ability to keep with the program is that I'm not counting calories or fats but just trying to eat sensibly. I have a brain and I'm making every effort to use it.

Friday morning I'll weigh in with our weight loss group so then I'll have a better idea how successful my week was.

February Coffee Morning

Sunny, warm Florida. Not so! It's been so darned cold this winter that we've had to hold our Monday morning coffee get-togethers inside the trailer. You can see that these ladies enjoy each other's company no matter how crowded the conditions, though.

12 Months to Forever

Literally twelve months ago a vibrant lady looking years younger than her age was the picture of health. She ate right and exercised regularly. Today she is in a hospice with very little time left on this earth.

It is so disturbing to see how our bodies can turn against us and take our lives away with little warning. This lady had some stomach discomfort which turned out to be lymphoma plus leukemia and both diseases proved too deadly for her to fight back.

We're all feeling terribly vulnerable because, if she could be struck down like this, then the rest of us are all on borrowed time. Of course we know our days are all numbered but our egos blind us to imminent danger and death. It will happen to someone else, not us. But it can.

I've watched way too many people succumb to cancer in the past few years, people who I'll always remember when they were vital and healthy. I hope they're all over on the other side now and enjoying another phase of life.

Eating Sensibly...-8?

I'm really confused about my actual weight loss because yesterday morning I weighed myself 3 times within about an hour and the amount was different each time. Maybe it's time to buy a decent scale.

Anyway, I thought there was a possible 1 pound gain which is perfectly acceptable in the second week of eating sensibly because the large loss the first week is mainly water. I went over to the weight group and got weighed on the good scale and it showed I'd lost 1/2 pound. Whoopee!

That's all good but my food intake since yesterday morning hasn't been. It's time for me to muster up some self control and renew my efforts because it would break my heart to regain what I've lost.

Tomorrow is another day and I'll do my best.

We Could Bring World Peace

Picture 8 senior ladies playing dominoes but we all come from different areas of the country and all play by slightly different rules. Now see how these 8 ladies handled the situation.

Did we argue? No.

First Gail read the rules that came with the game and each one of us adjusted our concepts of how the game should be played in order to accommodate the actual rules.

We laughed and joked and discussed our mistakes as we played, finally settled and understood what we were to do. We played accordingly and enjoyed the evening immensely because it really doesn't matter whose rules you play by, it only matters that you co-operate with each other.

We really could bring world peace with that idea. Co-operation is all it takes to bring peace to a dominoe game or to the whole wide world.

Frozen Bananas

Yesterday I was mentioning to my coffee morning ladies that bananas seem to go brown terribly fast in Florida so I only buy 3 or 4 at a time. Dee said that she takes over-ripe bananas, peels them and cuts them into slices and then freezes them for a healthy snack.

I did this and just pulled out one of the packages from the freezer to see how they'd taste. They are really good and it takes a whole heck of a lot longer to eat a frozen banana than a fresh one so it's a great snack idea. Anything like this that helps keep us away from high calorie snacks is a good thing!

Eating Sensibly...-9 1/2

I know, I know. You shouldn't weigh yourself every day when trying to lose weight but I'm so insecure about my will power that I'm still doing it. In any case, it's still going okay.

I'm never hungry in the morning or when I'm busy so the late evenings are the hardest for me to ignore food. Apparently inactivity is a big part of my problem because it leads to wanting to fill the void with food. Morning coffee does it in the A.M. but I can't drink too much in the evening or I'll be up all night going to the bathroom. Last night at around 10 P.M. I was feeling just a slight bit hungry so I popped a piece of gum in my mouth and that satisfied me until bedtime.

I've developed some terrible eating habits over my 69 years and they won't change overnight. The one thing I'll really need to change, though, is my fixation with the scale. You only need to weigh in once a week!

Eating Sensibly

I felt that I failed miserably on my "eating sensibly" plan today. Looking back on the possible calorie intake, it wasn't so bad but there was a loss of control that made me angry with myself. I had a meat/protein craving and ate way too much meat but it could have been worse.

I don't usually eat much meat at all and it's possible that the craving today came from my body trying to regain the 9 pounds I've lost. It's probably feeling starved even though my meals are quite sufficient. There are more things than just the mind that make it difficult to lose weight. There are physioligical reactions to a sudden decline in calories but they can be overcome in time. The trick is to not accept failure and not give up when your body is fighting your attempts to lose weight.

My transgressions were at lunch and now I have no appetite for dinner but I'll go ahead and eat some fruit. One of the tricks to losing weight is to eat 5-6 small meals a day instead of 2-3 large ones. I'm more of a binge eater so eating many small meals is hard for me. Fruit is a good alternative, though, and one I don't mind at any time of the day.

I'm still fighting the good fight and I haven't given up.

Dog/Leash/Poop Bag

I saw something so darned funny out of my livingroom window this morning. It was a dog dragging it's leash and attached to the leash was it's poop bag. No owner in sight. I tried to take a picture but I was laughing too much and it came out all fuzzy.

This dog's owner is quite unreliable so it's not a rare occurrence to see her dogs running loose...but surely she didn't send the little darlin' out to do his business and then clean it up himself! LOL!

Life is good but sometimes it's also strange.

Eating Sensibly...-8

Life tends to get in the way of our good intentions and that's the primary reason why I can't call what I'm doing a diet. If I made an attempt to follow a strict regimen then I'd be a failure almost every day and the feeling of failure is what sinks most diets.

Yesterday was fine as far as food consumption until suppertime. I had dinner at a friend's and drank 3 glasses of wine and had 1 single little square that she'd made. These things will not be on your average diet but they are things that are normally consumed once in a while. My true concession is that I didn't allow myself to eat more than 1 goodie and that's a success in my book.

I got weighed this morning out of fear I'd done some sort of damage but the scale shows an 8 pound loss. Funny, but my clothes are beginning to feel just a tad more comfortable even though 8 pounds off my frame isn't much. Even if the comfort is only my imagination, it's still nice.

Now I'm off to have breakfast at a local restaurant this morning. This is something we do every Sunday and my plate will hold 2 hard poached eggs and homefries. No toast! This is still a big breakfast for me because my usual is a banana.

Eating Sensibly...-9

I don't plan to weigh myself every day now but, after eating that little slice of sweet potato pie yesterday, I worried that all the past week's work had been for nothing. So this morning I stepped on the scale and it showed a 9 pound loss. Now I can relax and go on just eating sensibly and hoping for the best.

People who have never had to watch their weight have no idea how one pigging out can destroy the past week's progress in the blink of an eye. Maybe my transgression will show up on the scale later this week but, for now, it hasn't.

Eating Sensibly...-7

I was up at 7 A.M. and weighed myself...fluctuated a bit to a 7 pound loss for the week and I'm more than happy with that. But then I had to wait 2 hours before weighing in with the group and I didn't dare even drink a coffee. It finally turned out that the group leader's scale shows me weighing 1 1/2 pounds more than my own but that's okay. I'll just keep track with my scale but her's is a really good one and very accurate.

It wasn't as difficult as I'd thought to publicly weigh in because only Candy saw the horrendously huge figure, thank heavens. We had a slightly larger turnout this week and one lady was turned away because she refused to weigh in. She said she never even weighs herself at home but judges how well a diet is going by how her clothes fit. My heart went out to her but I understand why this group wouldn't work out if we didn't publicly weigh in each week.

We had our park parade and lunch today and I was very careful with my portions and declined the cake. Good me!

One problem. My nice next door neighbor came over with a little gift for me this afternoon...a piece of sweet potato pie. It's really not very big and my will power is waning.

More Park Parade 2010

Every January we have a park parade where some people and even dogs march along in crazy costumes. Yes, we're a little whacky but "who cares". We have fun doing these things and that's what matters.

After the parade everyone goes into the clubhouse where, for $2.00, they get potato salad, hotdog, pork & beans, cake, and a drink. Fun and food, all provided by a few easy going people and quite a few volunteers.

Special note: The first picture shown here is of our Turd King and Turd Queen. My good friend, Sheila, holds the coveted crown of the Turd Queen and I'm very jealous. It is one of my goals in life to be Turd Queen...maybe this year!

Park Parade 2010

Eating Sensibly

The day isn't over yet but it's been a very easy one to control my overeating. I got weighed this morning and am showing an 8 pound loss...up a pound since yesterday but fluctuation is perfectly normal from day to day.

The only problem I've had today is that I probably haven't eaten enough and am not hungry for dinner. This is never wise but I'm still full from a late lunch (Cuban sandwich and 2 coladas which are sickening sweet but absolutely wonderful Cuban coffees). I'm not worried about all that sugar because I consume very little sugar in a normal day. I'm going over to the clubhouse tonight to play Rummoli so I'll probably be hungry enough for some homemade soup or mixed fruit when I get back at 9 P.M. Again, it's not ideal to eat too little or too late but it will have to do for today.

I'm making sure to drink lots of water to flush the impurities out of my body, too. In my case, I prefer water that isn't too icy cold and sometimes even like hot water.

There are certain to be many more days when I have trouble eating sensibly but I'm going to keep trying to do my best for as long as I can. It's always so easy to start a better eating lifestyle than to stick with it so I'm not even going to say that this is the time it will work for me. Every day I manage to eat sensibly will be a success for me and I just won't look too far into the future.

Eating Sensibly

Yesterday was sort of a tough day for me foodwise. I weighed myself in the morning and was still holding the 6 pound weight loss but all day felt a strong desire to pig out. I forced myself to continue to eat normally...banana for breakfast, egg salad sandwich and small bowl of chicken noodle soup for lunch, and my own chicken pasta supper (possibly a bit too much). I knew that my stomach was full but my desire to continue eating wasn't being satisfied.

Knowing I had to face up to my friends this coming Friday morning and also knowing full well that this has happened with every so-called diet I've ever gone on, I fought the unwanted desire all day.

We played cards in the evening and one of the ladies was our "Eating Sensibly" leader. I told her about my difficult day and she suggested I have popcorn when I went home so that's what I did. It helped me survive until bedtime but I know that if it wasn't for having to write my consumption down and having to weigh in each day I wouldn't have gotten through yesterday without overeating.

Anyone who has ever had a weight problem and gone on diets over the years knows exactly how I've been feeling. We don't overeat because we need the calories but because we need the comfort. It's not so easy to give up our happy pills, is it?

This morning I got on the scale and saw a 9 pound loss...just since last Friday. Now I'm worried that something is wrong with me. Overweight people are just not geared to enjoy success like this and I simply can't accept that this is normal. I know how much I ate over the last 5 days so could I really have been overeating that much in the previous weeks????

Anyway, today is another day and I'll try once again to make it through without overeating.

Note: It's now almost 10 P.M. and it's been a much easier day eating properly. I've also jumped on the scale a few times and tonight it's registering only a 4 pound loss which makes more sense to me. That 9 pound loss I saw this morning made me nervous. My scale just isn't accurate so I'll rely on my friend's on Friday.

M.A.D.D. (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers)

I rarely write 3 blogs in a day but I just read something online that irritated the life out of me.

I used to do volunteer work for M.A.D.D. until I discovered how much collected money was actually going to the cause. Today I read a newspaper account saying that only 19 cents of every dollar donated to M.A.D.D. is used to fight drunk driving. The rest is used for administrative costs and to pay fundraisers. This is a terrible charity and one we should never, ever give our money.

My sister-in-law told me to check the website of "Charity Navigator" and that was useful for finding out the administrative costs of various charities but not M.A.D.D. I simply typed that name in websearch to find out about the 19% scandal.

I wrote this blog just to advise people to always research your charity of choice and to find out how much of your donation goes to the right place, not into the fundraisers pockets.

My favorite charity is Give Kids the World in Kissimmee, Florida where administrative costs are only 3% and fundraising costs 5% leaving 92% of your hard earned contributions going to programs. An excellent charity by far!

Eating Sensibly

Got weighed this morning and it still shows a 6 pound loss but I'm still going to allow a public weighing this Friday. I'm writing down everything I eat and that makes me think twice before eating a no-no. I remember how well this always worked when I dieted before and it makes a lot of sense because we heavyweights often eat without registering in our minds exactly how much we're eating.

I did well right up until dinnertime when I went out with a gang for a birthday dinner at the Outback. I tried. I really tried but didn't want a salad and everything else is so high caloric. In the end I ordered a chicken breast covered in cheese (and I do mean covered), part of which I removed, and a plain baked potato. The cheese wasn't a good choice but remember I did remove half of it.

I seldom eat in so-called "good" restaurants so I have to preplan what I'll order the next time I go to one. There really is no excuse for me ordering something soaked in cheese so I'll just take blame for it and leave it at that. Poor choices are what got me where I am today.

Because I've possibly lost 6 pounds already I might still have a few pound loss by the end of the week but my biggest fear is that all 6 pounds have returned to their original home...my fat little body. We'll see what the next few days show on my scale.

Nan, Are You Watching?

I was pretty well raised by my grandmother whom I called Nan. Looking back, I think I was a little embarrassed by her because she was a little different. Now I'm wondering if I'm following in her tracks.

Nan loved costume jewelry and wore what she referred to as "chandelier earrings" when she dressed up. I've taken to wearing medium large hoop earrings and lately I've added necklaces. I used to look in the mirror and see my mother but these days I'm seeing my grandmother. Not that I give a hoot...take me as I am or go away.

Nan was gregarious and loved to entertain company. This came in handy since she was the local bootlegger. She was also a heavy woman which always made me uneasy but look at me now! More and more I see similarities between us and I think we could have been good friends if we'd been the same age at the same time.

My grandmother passed away at age 72 and I'm in my 70th year right now. I wish she was still here...now that I've learned to appreciate her.

A Journey to Eat Sensibly

I'm terribly sensitive about my weight and have really struggled with it for most of my adult life. Looking back to my 20's, 30's, and even 40's, my weight was only slightly out of control but I thought I was enormous. Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder but my eye saw only flaws.

I could write a book on what we should and shouldn't eat, what we can do to fool our eye, what to avoid, etc., etc., etc. but I'm not going to do that with this blog. I'm just going to document the "eat sensible" journey I began last Friday and let the chips (or the fat) fall where they may. I've said it before, I don't want to be skinny, just comfortable.

There are a couple of ladies here in the park who have recently lost quite a few pounds using the Atkins diet and Weightwatchers. They've been kind enough to organize a group of us for every Friday morning at 9 A.M. to get together, get weighed, and support each other. I like this idea.

Now, for being publicly weighed. I am so deeply sensitive about anyone knowing exactly how much I weigh, I whined and begged these nice ladies to let me attend the group without having them weigh me. I planned to weigh myself privately at home and keep track that way. No-one but an overweight woman knows how intimidating that damned scale is even if you're the only one to see it soar.

Friday morning I weighed myself and felt physically ill. I'd gained 3 pounds since arriving in Florida and that was on top of an already outrageous number...I refuse to mention it.

I ate decently on Friday without starving myself and drank lots of water. On Saturday morning, I'd lost 2 pounds. Whoopee!

I ate sensibly on Saturday but did have a small kid's size fries at lunch. On Sunday morning I'd lost another 4 pounds. I just don't believe it. The 2 pound loss is normal, usually water loss, but the 4 pound loss makes no sense to me. I think the scale is broken.

I think I'll have to gather my inner strengths and allow my friends to weigh me on their good scale next Friday morning. Again, only an overweight woman knows how traumatic this will be for me but it's the only way I can see to make this journey to a slimmer me into some sort of a success.

Tune in tomorrow and follow attempt #10,000 for me to "become comfortable".

John Edwards..What a Weak Man

John Edwards isn't the first or last man to deny fathership but he's become a symbol for men at their weakest and most pathetic. Men who shirk responsibility for fathering and nurturing their children.

Since the beginning of time, some men just don't have the conscience to acknowledge and take care of their progeny so it's mainly been left to the mother to struggle on her own. The motherly instinct is probably why there are still human beings on this earth. Granted, there are also some terrible mothers but the numbers pale in comparison to absentee fathers.

I'm one of the abandonned ones who never even saw my father once. He spread his seed and then walked away as though creating a child was of no importance. Weak and pathetic man, that's what he was. I could have siblings I know nothing about and who I could walk past and never know we carried the same blood line.

To the men who casually create children they abandon...you have no idea how much you've lost in this life. Any real father could tell you that you've lost an incredible opportunity to make the world a better place and yourself a better man.

My own father has most certainly gone on to his reward in heaven and I bet he knows now what he missed out on. Me, my children, grandchildren, greatgrandson, and all the wonderful inlaws. We're nice people.

Walmart...Bad Employer

I'm a Walmart shopper, at least in the U.S. Canadian Walmart carries different and crummy merchandise for the most part but they aren't so bad in the U.S. I buy most of my fabric at Walmart here in the States and that's how I came upon this story.

I'm a Swedish weaving fanatic and buy monk's cloth at Walmart here because it's cheaper by far than anywhere else...I couldn't even afford to buy it in Canada! So this year, worried about most U.S. Walmarts closing down their fabric department, I've bought up enough monk's cloth to keep me busy for at least 5 years and I've gotten chummy with the salesclerks in the department.

Yesterday I bought up the last of white and beige, probably in the state of florida, and got chatting with the saleslady who appeared to be nearing 80. This isn't unusual in the States because many seniors need to work in order to afford their medication.

As she expertly cut the cloth (it isn't cut the same as other fabrics), she mentioned that all Walmart employees that day had been given instructions and areas to clean in the store. Her assignment was to clean the parking lot. The bloody parking lot and her an 80 year old lady!!!!

When she conmplained, her supervisor told her to just go and work in the department but she was worried she might be fired for disobeying an order. She said she'd worked at Walmart for 26 years full time and she felt that the store was making a concerted effort to get rid of all full time employees, probably so they wouldn't have to pay benefits. This is actually being done by many businesses so it's no surprise.

I told her that if she was fired, I would picket Walmart with her to get her job back. It was said in jest, not really believing Walmart could be so cruel, but I did mean it. Injustice like this needs to be addressed and if it meant walking a picket line then I'd do it.

I've heard for years that Walmart employees aren't happy with management but thought they were possibly unreasonable in their demands but if Walmart is capable of sending an 80 year old woman out to clean their parking lot, then maybe there's something to it.

The same management team who came up with the money saving, profit making program forcing sales people to clean the store and property might one day find themselves out of their high paying jobs. They might just find themselves at the age of 80 working for minimum wage and cleaning the damn parking lot.

Weekend in Georgia

Faye and I drove up to Georgia on Friday (3 1/2 hour drive) to visit with Shelley in her new house. We used Mapquest and didn't need the GPS until we got to her town, then Mapquest let us down and sent us in the wrong direction....either that or we misread the directions.

Shelley's house is in a small town and sort of out in the boondocks. It's set low and has a lake/pond right behind it but you could never swim there because it's probably full of alligators and snakes. It still looks awfully pretty, though, and the backyard is full of trees laden with Spanish moss...very southern. It's a brand new house that Shelley and John purchased at a good price from the bank. There are so many foreclosures in the States that this is the time to buy a house if at all possible.

Shelley had her final cortizone shot last week and is almost pain free now. What a blessing! It was so good to see her looking like the old Shelley instead of a pain ridden creature.

John's brother, George, and his family live right next door. This is his second family and the children, 3 & 2, are just precious. It's wonderful for them to live so close. George's wife, Rosie, went out to dinner with us...George was away on business and didn't get back until Saturday. He's still recovering from a heart attack he had 2 years ago and doing great, going to the gym and losing weight.

As luck would have it, we had to drive through rain on Saturday evening to see Lisette's play in Florida. She had the lead role and was pretty darned good. It was a spoof on a Mickey Spillane show but all the roles were gender opposite. Lisette played her part like a tough male private detective...cute, considering she's about 5' tall and weighs about 100 lbs.

It was pouring rain by the time the play was over so Shelley, Faye and I headed home and left John to drive home with Lisette in her little Volkswagon Bug. Sometimes the fates work in our favor and that night is a good example. Shelley was driving an SUV and the rain and winds pushed it all over the highway, hydroplaning way too often. She persevered until we were able to get off the main highway onto a side road and called John to tell him not to try driving home that night. They hadn't even started out yet because Lisette was held up with her friends so John ended up sleeping in her dorm room and they drove to Georgia the next morning.

We did some housework Sunday morning because Shelley and John were driving back down to Miami for a flight out to Bolivia in the evening. Faye and I kissed everyone goodbye and headed home about 10 A.M., stopping only for a nice breakfast at Cracker Barrel. I love that restaurant but they've never been able to make a decent omelet.

I don't know if it was all the driving but I napped half the afternoon away and then had another evening nap. Of course I then couldn't sleep all night. Sometimes the fates kick us in the butt.

I'm so happy I got to see Shelley before she went back to Bolivia because it will probably be over 6 months before I see her again. She's my baby and will always be no matter how old she gets.

Freezing in Florida

I spend my winters in a cute little trailer in a pretty trailer park just south of Orlando and have been doing so since 2000. We have just the occasional day during the winter when the temperatures will go below freezing...last year I think we had only one but this year we've had (so far) 10 in a row. Some of those days were actually barely above freezing but it's still a record as far as I'm concerned. I've covered all my outdoor plants but the prolonged cold has definitely killed a few. I only hope that the roots weren't affected and that they will survive.

This past week the air temperature has felt no different than being back home in Canada but the activities we have here have gone on as usual. When you're in a fun crowd and having a busy social life you tend to forget about the weather so I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, even with our terrible cold spell. If I was back home, I'd probably be hibernating alone most of the time and that just doesn't happen here in my wonderful Florida park.

I hope that when the time comes for my daughters to retire there are still economical ways to spend the winter here in the south. Trailer parks were disappearing at an alarming rate just a few years ago during the housing boom and those days will return, I'm sure. The average person might still be able to buy a modest house but it's here in the mainly senior trailer parks where life is most pleasurable. Mine has a vibrant community of busy seniors, many of whom serve as volunteers for most of our planned activities which make our winters a fun and happy time. It wouldn't be the same living in a regular house in a regular neighborhood.

I'll always be grateful for the fates that brought me to this park (my husband's friend) and to my husband for loving it as much as I do. We bought our little trailer in the spring of 2000 so this coming spring will mark the 10th full winter I've lived here. I hope for a few more at the very least. It feels as much like home to me as my own house back in Canada and I look forward to coming back as long as possible. Whatever happens in the future, my memories of this place (even the occasional freezing weather) will be happy ones.

Soooo Cold!!!

I have never experienced more than a 1 or 2 day in a row freeze here in Florida but this one might be lasting more than a week. I covered all my plants last Saturday and we're told it might be next Tuesday before the threat of freezing weather is gone. I'm wondering how long my plants can be denied sunshine before they die.

People who are just arriving from the north say it's bitter cold up there, too, so we're not alone. It's at times like this that I deeply disbelieve all the scare talk of global warming. Last year we had the rainiest summer in my memory with very little in hot weather so where is the warming??

Last evening we had 8 people around the Rummoli table and, among all the talk and laughter, we were able to forget the cold weather. Warm hearts, warm people...who cares about the cold?

Caledonia Couple Wins Lawsuit

Yeah!!!! Finally some justice for the citizens of Caledonia who have suffered from the lawless native Indian society that the Ontario government gave free rein for too many years!

I hope every single Caledonia citizen who had to put up with native uprisings, selfish demands, and criminal activity will launch a class action lawsuit against the Ontario government for their refusal to uphold the law. Money talks, baby, and the natives need to answer to the same laws as the rest of us.

With 70% unemployment, the natives had way too much time to bite the hand that feeds them, specifically the working person's hand. The Ontario government had to know they couldn't turn a blind eye to the non-native citizens of Caledonia and allow the natives to continuously break laws with little or no consequences forever. As it is, it went on way too long and I will never know why there weren't murders committed in that little community over this.

For the couple who settled out of court, I hope you got millions. For the rest of the Caledonia citizens, go for it. Sue the Ontario government's ass off. You deserve it after all you've been subjected to these past few years.

Weighted Down

I'd already decided that I had to start being more careful about what I'm eating but last evening made me really take notice. I wore a pair of pants that were tight on me when I got here but last night they actually hurt. I was playing Bingo and very uncomfortable but when I tried to put my finger inside the waistband to move it a bit my finger wouldn't even fit in. In the realm of bad signs this was super neon. I really have to lose some weight.

This morning was the one I set aside to do Swedish weaving and my first guest was a new lady, Toni, who wants to learn...very nice. My next guest was one who showed up 40+ lbs. slimmer this year and looks terrific. My third guest was the other lady who dropped a similar amount and looks terrific.

We talked about everything under the sun and it got around to weight loss. The 2 slimmies decided to hold a class every week here in the clubhouse where we'll weigh in and support each other. Chris will also teach us how to meditate. I am thrilled to death with this new development.

We had a group here like this once before but some disgruntled idiot threatened to report our leader to Weight Watchers and she disbanded the group. I'm hoping Candy and Chris are tougher people who won't back down to idiots like that. Both of them have a goal to lose another 20 lbs. this winter so they'll be an inspiration to the rest of us. I'm not going to count pounds, just degree of comfort in my clothes.

Tonight I'm going out for a steak dinner...I'll have a baked potato and no dessert. Then it's on to our New Year's eve party where I'll drink Diet Coke and not munch. Every little bit helps.

Some Things Happen For a Reason

It's true. Some, if not all, things happen for a reason and we might not ever know the reason but sometimes we do.

Just this week Faye and Gary were supposed to leave for Florida on Monday morning but Gary got the flu on Sunday night so they had to postpone their trip until Wednesday morning. I think Faye rushed him better! Anyway, on Tuesday, their furnace stopped working but they were able to get a repairman in that evening to fix it. Now just think, if Gary hadn't gotten the flu, they would have been down here in Florida while their pipes back home froze up and burst.

Don't ever get upset over delays. You might be being delayed for a reason.

Losing Weight...Or Hoping To

Chris and Candy showed up at the park this week each weighing much less than last year. Chris is on the Atkins diet and Candy is following the Weight Watchers regime. They look fabulous!

Today I put on a pair of pants that fit me when I got here but now they're way too tight and it was the discomfort that made me decide to again try to lose some weight. I don't want to be skinny, just able to put my socks on without struggling.

I don't think I have the discipline to follow a strict diet so I'm just going to cut out a lot of the bad stuff I eat. After all these years of diets, I know what I should and shouldn't eat. My first success today was taking a bag of unopened potato chips and throwing them in the garbage. They are one of my biggest vices, almost a drug. It's the salt I'm addicted to.

My plan is to do the best I can and maybe even put myself into shock by getting on the scales occasionally. That really isn't necessary because I'll be able to tell by the way my clothes fit if I'm on the right track. I hate the blinding reality of a weigh scale.

Wish me well and let's see if my millionth attempt will work.

Christmas Past

Christmas shopping has changed drastically since I was a child. I've noticed that the stores just aren't as crowded as they used to be in December, even the last shopping day before Christmas and the day after. In my youth, the stores were crammed with people doing last minute shopping or buying up bargains.

I've thought the shortage of customers was mainly because the economy isn't doing well and many people are out of work but I'm starting to change my opinion.

When I was a little girl we got fruit and nuts in our stockings and were very lucky to receive one present under the tree. For girls it was usually a doll and for boys a truck or sled. Sexist, yes, but also frugal.

When my own children were growing up we bought them each a few presents (that we couldn't afford) but never anything extravagant. Today I see parents buying their little treasures things like computers and their own T.V.

Somehow the idea of a token gift under the tree has become a demand for extravagance which has more than emptied the parents' pockets. Too many children would be terribly disappointed without a ton of presents or at least one magnificent one. Thus, the empty stores in December. I think many parents opted for the one fantastic (and expensive) gift to satisfy their child's expectations.

It's not the child's fault that they've come to expect the world under their Christmas tree, it's the flaw in our psyche that allows us to be swayed by psychologically strategic ads on T.V. The child assumes he/she deserves everything they see and the parents think they'd be bad parents if they didn't provide it.

It's possible that the families who have lost jobs and homes have finally come to their senses and accepted that family love and the spirit of Christmas is not represented by the number and cost of presents they buy. I hope so.

Merry Christmas 2009

Merry Christmas to my many, many readers (all 9 or 10 of you!).

I woke up this morning to the sound of rain pitter pattering on my roof but this didn't discourage me at all. Today is Christmas and I am blessed.

It's usually on Christmas day that I reflect on where my life path has directed me and I know I'm exactly where I was meant to be and I also know how much I've learned over my years on earth.

This past year brought a new and most treasured member to our family, little Nolan. I don't think I ever thought ahead to the day when I'd be a Greatgramma but I'm revelling in my good fortune. How lucky I am to have seen this day.

I spent last evening in the company of people I care for deeply even though they aren't relatives. Today will be spent the same way and I consider myself so very fortunate to be among these good people. The only thing that would increase my happiness is if my family was here.

Christmas is a good time to look back on all you've survived but it's also a good time to prepare to make yourself a better person. I hope by Christmas 2010 that I've made some headway in that department.

My wish for everyone is that they spend this great day with people they love and that there be peace on their little patch of earth.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas at my Trailer

This is what Christmas looks like at my trailer. Granted, it's kind of sparse as far as decorations go, but the spirit is still there and it suits me just fine.

I absolutely love the spirit of people who go all out and decorate their homes to the fullest but those are places I like to visit, not do myself.

Picture #1 is my tiny little table at the front window of the trailer. It holds a few Christmasy ornaments I like, Christmas cards (I don't send them but it's nice to receive them), and 3 Christmas doilies crocheted by a friend.

Picture #2 is the wreath on my front door.

Picture #3 is a sleigh filled with pretend gifts.

Picture #4 is the one I really like the best. It's a variegated impatiens in full bloom on my patio table on December 24th.

Snow and cold...who needs it?

Critique on "Old Dogs"

"Old Dogs" is a movie starring John Travolta and Robin Williams so how could it be bad? Well, it was baaaad! The storyline was stupid and unbelievable. The comedic moments were stupid and not really funny. Events were not resolved or explained. The supposed 7 year old kids in the movie looked at least 10 years old and had almost no talent. I'm thinking this was a movie meant to be slightly entertaining to 5 year olds but they would never have understood the business scenes. I really didn't either. How disappointing.

I see about 2 movies a year and I'm really sorry I wasted one of my movie watching days. It would be interesting to know who the director of this movie was because they're the ones who wasted the talents of Travolta and Williams.

I gave it a 2 out of 10 and that's only because the sight of penguins attacking Travolta was funny.

Retreating

I don't know if it's advancing age but I've made the decision to stay home 2 nights a week instead of only 1. When I'm back home in Canada, I'm usually home every single evening and it doesn't bother me because I have so many interests and projects on the go. It's only when I'm in Florida for the winter that I venture out to the clubhouse every evening.

First I stopped going to Pokeno on Monday nights because it's a little too boring for me and it was nice to have a quiet evening to myself. A couple of weeks ago I decided to cut out the Sunday night ice cream social with games afterward. I seem to be enjoying my solitude a little more this year and I'm not sure why.

For whatever reason, the quiet evenings have come to an end until next Sunday. Today is movie afternoon followed by card games in the evening. Tomorrow is Bingo in the evening. Thursday is Christmas Eve festivities in the evening at the clubhouse . Friday is a huge and wonderful Christmas dinner at 1 P.M. in the clubhouse. Heaven only knows if any of us will be ready for games in the evening but games will again be on for Saturday evening. No wonder I need a break from humanity on Sunday and Monday evenings.

We have a large group of great friends that are interesting and fun to hang out with so each busy evening is a welcome one but sometimes I just have a need to retreat into my little trailer and vegetate. But in the back of my mind is the thought that there will one day come a time when every single one of my evenings will be quiet and spent alone. I'm not near ready for that yet and I do wonder if I'm beginning my retreat too soon.

I figure I'll live until I'm 90 (wishful thinking?) so I have 21 years to gradually step back into solitude. In that case, I'd better not cancel any more busy evenings for the next few years.

Just a note: I have a habit of putting on my porch light and the Florida room light when I'm out in the evening so my good neighbor was concerned about a darkened trailer 2 nights in a row. He phoned last night to see if I was all right. Another indication of the caring people in this park.

Cool in Florida

Today it's one of our cool Florida days and, just like back home, a perfect day to cook up a big pot of soup so that's what I did. It's cool out but the sun is shining brightly and that always makes me want to do something productive.

Making home-made soup is about all I do in the kitchen anymore. I've never liked to cook and only did it in my earlier years because I had to. Maybe that's why my cooking skills aren't up to par, but I do make a nice soup. You usually excel at what you enjoy.

The Furby is a gift from my friend, Joann. She knows I love them and has given me a total of 5 so far. I love them all and they'll be the last possession on this earth that I part with. They make me giggle. It's a good thing to collect something that gives you such simple pleasure. I love my carnival glass, too, but it doesn't affect me the same way.

For the rest of the day I'll work on my Swedish weaving afghan, then have a healthy supper of my home-made soup. I'm a happy camper!

Yard Sale Experience

I went shopping today but, being the junkie I am, I followed a few yard sale signs along the way. I bought a trailing vine in a watering can clay pot for $1.00, a "welcome" sign for 25 cents, a child's book teaching hand signs for 25 cents (for Nolan), a Beanie snake for 25 cents (for Joann), and a package of needlepoint booklets for 50 cents. I had a unique experience at the yard sale where I bought the needlepoint booklets...the seller was drunk.

It was sad, really, because she kept telling me to make her an offer she couldn't refuse but she was so drunk she ran out of breath before she could finish the sentence. So she'd start again, tripping over her own feet and trying to convince me to buy everything she had. This was a lovely looking woman in her early 30's and I wondered what in her life resulted in the drunken character before me.

Every once in a while she'd call out questions to a man lurking inside the garage and I wondered why he didn't put a stop to the yard sale and take this lady into the house.

No-one really knows the drama and disappointments that live behind closed doors, do we?

James Bain...The Lost 35 Years

James Bain spent 35 years in prison for a crime he never committed. DNA evidence has proven his innocence and jailers reluctantly released him, at age 54, to go on with the rest of his life.

He was only 19 when a young, traumatized rape victim picked out his picture from a group of 5 shown to him. That was the evidence that stole 35 years out of an innocent man's life.

DNA science has been available for at least 20 years of those 35 and James Bain has been requesting it in order to reopen his case but he was refused until just lately. Why wouldn't the use of DNA be automatically used in a case like this?

Lawmakers don't like to be proven wrong. It's as simple as that.

Thirty five years lost. It's difficult to even imagine how that 19 year old boy felt as he spent his youth and then middle age in a prison. Prison inmates have a special hatred for child molesters so his prison time must have been misery. James looks much older than his 54 years, a testament to the hard years.

There's no way he can ever be compensated for what he lost but, by keeping his story alive, it can maybe help prevent the same tragedy from happening to another person.

Losing a Pet

My daughter adopted Sadie not long after she and her husband separated. Sadie filled a void in Cindy's life and became almost like her own child. That's how many, if not most, people feel about their pets.

Sadie had to be put down yesterday after being hit by a car. Her injuries were just too severe even though Cindy was ready to pay any amount of money to save her. Foolish, but again, often our pets are so loved that we'd never count the dollars it might cost to keep them with us.

My heart is aching for Cindy's loss because I know how great it is. Sadie was her constant companion, even sleeping in her bed. Cooler heads might think that a dog is just a dog but for some of us our pet is much more important in our lives than that. Some of us will grieve in the same way we would if we lost a family member and there's nothing abnormal about that.

My dog, Corky, was a member of my family for 15 years and I still wish I could turn a corner and find him there, tail wagging in his happiness to see me. We loved them and we won't forget them.

The Beast Within

Another wife missing, another family devastated, another husband claiming innocence. I ask myself how a person can murder the one he or she was once so in love with.

There are many times in a marriage when you are so enraged you want to smack your husband or wife but you don't. Because your self control won't allow it. How angry and out of control must a person become to actually take a life? If you are enraged because your spouse is leaving you then, by murdering them, you really are losing them forever.

From what I discern from news reports, most men kill their wives to exert control but most women seem to kill their husbands for financial gain. This is the beast within us that we either hold in check or allow free rein.

It's frightening to think that the beast lies within us all and is just waiting for the opportune moment to show it's face. My own beast surfaced only once in my life and that was when a woman made a threatening move towards my young daughter. The beast rose full force out of me and that woman is very lucky she wasn't within reaching distance.

We all possess the capacity for violence to appear and take control of our actions. It is just buried deeper in some of us but there all the same. It's much the same as attempting to domesticate a wild animal. You can get to the point where you are able to cuddle and pet it but just throw it a chunk of meat and see how the wildness emerges. Deep inside we are as feral as that wild animal.

In the case of the missing wife, it appears that her husband lost control and we socialized human beings can't allow that to go unpunished. We all need to be reminded to keep our beasts in check, don't we?

Taking Stock

Every once in a while we need to take stock of the direction our lives are going and make an unbiased decision about whether we wish to continue in this vein or to try another path. I'm at that point now. Don't get me wrong, life is good but changes need to be made and attitudes need to be adjusted.

Within the next few years I'll be selling my house and I'd really like to spend more time living somewhere other than my home town. I've always wanted to live in a small community so that's one option but there are others. It would be fun to just hop in the car and drive, staying where it looked nice and moving on when I felt like it. That thought lingers with me more and more.

It might seem strange that a senior lady wants to be footloose like this but I've been constrained most of my life. Maybe packing a suitcase and taking off for parts unknown for a while would be like a breath of fresh air. I just might do it.

Van in the Car Wash

It's a good thing we seniors don't mind laughing at ourselves because today we got another chance. Agnes took her van to our Red Hat lunch at the Olive Garden and 4 of us rode with her.

After a terrific lunch we piled back into the van and drove to a nearby Walmart. We tend to forget how silly our purple and red clothes look to anyone not Red Hatters but we don't really care. I mentioned to Agnes that there was a good car wash nearby and she asked me if I'd drive her van through it. I'm not too familiar with driving vans but I agreed to do it. Agnes is fairly recently widowed and has never driven through a car wash so that's why she asked me.

Agnes is very tiny and I'm not so we had to fiddle around with the seat and steering wheel settings before we could even start. It took 3 of us to do that. I got into the driver's seat and was a little horrified to see that the gear shift was on the steering column and I'm not used to that. I managed, with Agnes' directions, to get it into "reverse" and then "drive" and we were on our way.

Agnes went in (snazzily dressed in red and purple and a feather in her hat) to pay for the car wash and a man followed her out to guide us through. Wise man. Still being a little jerky with the gear shift, I got us around to the entrance to the car wash where we waited our turn. Soon our guide motioned me forward and a shot of water hit the windshield, obscuring my vision for a moment. Agnes told me to turn on the windshield wipers so I did...I know you shouldn't do this but I was nervous driving the unfamiliar van and automatically followed orders. All of a sudden everyone was telling me to turn them off, of course.

In this car wash, the car remains stationary while the washing apparatus moves. This made Agnes very nervous because she kept thinking the car was moving. Our guide must have thought all 5 of us little old ladies were crazy, what with windshield wipers going on and off and my jerky driving, not to mention the way we were dressed.

We drove out when the wash was done and I switched seats with Agnes but first she had to readjust everything. She drove around the gas pumps to exit the lot but then Sheila advised her that she should go out the other exit so we made another circle around the gas pumps. Our guide disappeared inside the building and I'm sure he was telling everyone about these crazy old ladies who shouldn't be allowed out on the road.

We all laughed. We don't care!

December Gardening in Florida

This is my little Florida home away from home. The garden is really a lot more colorful than my pictures show but you get the idea.

I stick mainly with geraniums and impatiens because they don't require much care. Most of the impatiens survived the Florida summer and just needed to be pruned but most of the geraniums were brought from home. I do have geraniums here that have survived a few Florida summers, though.

The soil is mainly sand so I buy bags of topsoil and replenish the pots regularly. The plants in the ground need to be hardy enough to survive despite no care on my part.

I love lots of color in my garden and it's so pleasurable to be able to do it all year round.

Cell Phones...Not Just Dangerous

I'm not a cell phone user so it's easy for me to find fault with them..or their users. It's hard for me to understand the need for people to talk on the phone as they shop, dine, walk, or socialize. I can't for the life of me understand why someone would have their cell phone operational while they are in a theatre!

Today I had lunch in Ruby Tuesday's (love the mini burgers!) and watched in dismay as an elderly couple ate their dinner without speaking once to each other. But the lady spent a good 15 minutes talking on her cell phone. The man took the phone when she was finished and spent another 10 minutes with his own call. Both people spoke with animation to whoever was on the other end of the line but had no words for the person they were dining with. How sad.

I've been in theatres where someone's silly cell phone theme music played loudly, disturbing the other patrons in the theatre. At times, the cell phone owner answers the call, speaking and giggling "quietly", not caring that their voices are still disturbing the people around them. Rude? You bet.

Most often we see a person sitting with friends, possibly in a restaurant, and happily ignoring them and gabbing on their cell phone to someone else. Then there are the people who shop alone while carrying on loud and personal conversations on their phones. How did they live without them before the technology was there?

Years ago, wondering how my own teenage daughters could spend so much time on house phones, I predicted that there would come a day when newborns would receive telephone implants at birth. I laughed when I said this but I'm not laughing anymore. It's coming.