Time To Get On With It

I thank the Lord (almost) daily for being retired. Isn’t that why you seem to work yourself silly when you’re younger? I manage to find plenty to keep me busy, unlike Rick, who hasn’t retired yet. I think he’s not sure he could fill his days with enough “busy work.” Or maybe it’s because he knows I can do that for him! Ha ha!

So this new knee I got late last year is not working fast enough for me–literally and figuratively. I have been diligent with my physical therapy but it just seems to be taking longer than last time. But it’s probably just my impatience. I have never been a “sitter.” Ask anyone who knows me that I am always moving–which is a good thing. I think as you age you have to continue to be active, if that’s where you’re at. If you haven’t been especially active, then now is the time to start! Lucky for me I have friends to keep me motivated. I have this quote that stares me in the face each time I sit down at my computer:

Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand – and melting like a snowflake. Marie Beyon Ray

Because of the short time between our trip and my surgery, I didn’t even really get to post some beautiful pictures that I took on our trip to Sicily last October. If you’ve never been I highly recommend! It is a different world than mainland Italy. I think Sicilians fancy themselves a different country. We went with friends and an older couple that had never been out of the country. That made this adventure a little more challenging. But we all got through it (although apparently I need to work on my selfies-ha!). We started in Rome, flew to Palermo, then on to Trapani, Marsala and over to Taormina. We even got to see Mt. Etna. Rick says he would go back in a heartbeat–if for nothing else than the amazing fresh seafood! Also, don’t you love the door sign?

Grab the bull by the horns, as the saying goes. Well, it’s a saying in Texas, anyway! Don’t wait for life to find you. Make the life you want right now. Today. This weekend. All of it is up to you!

And while you’re at it, diffuse some essential oils in your home. I think Young Living are the best! No matter what your mood they can be motivating, uplifting and/or calming. Try lavender, cedarwood and orange. So refreshing!

Resilience is the Key

Hello 2023! What in the…? I can’t help but wonder where the last couple of years went. We were hijacked by Covid and left in the lurch. I have to admit that it was hard not to succumb to all the negativity. Even if you didn’t believe all of the hype you still probably got swallowed up by it. Is that you, too?

Last November I decided to get my other knee replaced. My husband, Rick, said, “Why not? You’ve met your deductible and it needs to happen.” Except that he’s never had this done! I bought into it. While I’m glad that it’s done (I have a LOT more living to do at 66 years young, let me tell you!) it’s not been all peaches and cream. Getting it done during the holidays was an extra challenge. My sweet physical therapists have mentioned that my knees are going to heal differently, but I’m ready to move this thing along.

You may have read some blogs that emphasize choosing a word to focus on for the year. I left my blog hanging a while back (forgive me, faithful readers) but, as it turns out, I’m going to stick with the one I chose then: RESILIENCE. According to Merriam-Webster, Resilience is an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change. This is truly the best word to make me want to jump back into writing and blogging!

What is your “why”? While I love my two grown children, my “why” is my grandchildren. They are the reason I want to be healthy and why I look forward to every single day. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A WHY!

I already have a few things planned in this new year, one of which is finally sprinkling my mom’s ashes (she’ll be gone 5 years this year!) in the Caribbean (cruising was her favorite thing to do). Covid put a damper on that, but we finally got it rescheduled. I think it will be cathartic for all family members involved.

Figure out your why. It’s important. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. It just has to be something that motivates you to MOVE FORWARD. After what we’ve been through, there can’t be anything but good times ahead!

Caddo Lake and Other Things

Travel: I finally got my long awaited trip. My family had such fun at Caddo Lake in east Texas! I have wanted to visit for a long time, and the area didn’t disappoint. The only thing I think that would have made it better is waiting another month for it to “green up.” Otherwise a lot of memories were made! We especially enjoyed Captain Ron’s Swamp Tour. So informative! We learned about the “trees knees” and the markings used by travelers to navigate through the cypress trees. Who knew paddleboats used this waterway back in the day??

Exercise: This month is my one year anniversary of my knee replacement! I’m still very glad I did it. Yoga and Pilates require me to get on my knees, so I still need a cushion of some sort. Guess I always will! I’m still trying to shed these extra pounds (maybe give up my extra libations? Nah!). But while I am busy beating myself up about what I NEED to do, I stopped and realized what I HAVE done. I consistently walk at least two miles each day, I attend regular exercise classes at the Y (yoga, Pilates, Zumba), and I do strength training at least once a week. It’s all about the small accomplishments. Don’t worry about what you aren’t doing. Keep focused and moving forward in your journey!

Essential Oils: Young Living is still my favorite choice of all of the essential oils on the market. A favorite (that I make sure also travels with me) is Citrus Fresh.

It’s a combination of orange, grapefruit, mandarin, lemon and spearmint. I love to put a few drops in my hands, rub them together, and inhale after a workout. Put a few drops on a cotton ball and tuck under your car seat. And of course, diffuse alone in your home or mix with a woodsy oil (eucalyptus, cedarwood, cypress) for springtime freshness!

And it might be two weeks until I talk to you again. Got tickets to see Ashley McBryde in KANSAS CITY next week! Woo hoo! So excited! I’ll be sure to give you the low down on the concert and the city!