Active Aging Month

I assumed today would be a no brainer because I was going to my exercise class at the Y in addition to walking the dogs twice today. But best laid plans... First of all, Glory apparently was still in pain this morning because even though I gave her the pain pill before we headed out, she just wouldn't walk faster than a turtle. She didn't want to go back home, but I couldn't take the pace so we turned around after less than a half mile. Then on my way to the Y, I hit an intersection under construction and it took me 15 minutes to get through it. The class is only 45 minutes and I was just too embarrassed to go in that late. So at this point I was 0 for 2. I went to the grocery store instead and parked much farther out than I usually do. Every little bit helps.

Our Friday dinner was cancelled this week due to dress rehearsal of our neighborhood play (most of the group is in the drama club). I was so tired of food in my fridge that I went to my favorite restaurant which is in our local shopping village and ordered dinner to go. Then while it was being prepared, I went for a long walk.  It helped that temps are in the low 80's with very low humidity and the walk was quite pleasant. Glory seems to have perked up a bit throughout the day, so hopefully our evening walk will not be a repeat of this morning. And that is how I actively age.

Confucius Day

I apologize in advance, but one way to celebrate today is to repeat a "Confucius Says" saying, so here goes... A lion will not cheat on his wife, but a Tiger Wood. As a rule of thumb, if the saying is humorous, chances are it is not a true saying by this great scholar. And I say, who cares? It's also Coffee Day, but since I don't drink it, had to pass that one by.

Our big news of the day is that Glory got her teeth cleaned. It's a major deal because she had to go under for the cleaning and sadly, had two broken teeth. One was easily sealed off, but the other had to be extracted, dammit. The cleaning was $250 and the vet called midway to tell me about the bad tooth and that it would cost an extra $180. So imagine my surprise when I went to get my baby girl and the bill was $743! Are you kidding me? Turns out there were lots of extras like x-rays, anesthesia, post-op pain reliever, and medication for home. So I'm thinking that unless either dog is unable to eat, we won't do this again. I may change my mind in the future, but this is ridiculous.   

Women's Health & Fitness Day or Drink Beer Day

Plan A was to got to yoga this morning and then to the Y at 11:30 to celebrate Women's Health & Fitness Day. But about 11:15, I switched to Plan B and drank a beer.  My story is only because we had our first day of fallish weather and it was too nice to pass up.  It was 68 degrees when I walked the dogs at 7:15 this morning and then when I chose beer time, it was in the mid 80's. Granted, this would not be called fall anywhere else, but we're all ecstatic. Especially since the humidity is low as well. That beer tasted mighty good and I have no regrets.

And the photo is Thomas after winning an award for great work in math. He got to pick a prize and he chose the mustache. I'm proud of him and his mother was thrilled. I'm afraid that she'll be disappointed very soon when they start multiplying, but we're working on it.

Courtesy Month

This is probably the biggest stretch of a celebration I've made so far this year. It all started when I went with three other friends to see the movie, Sully, this afternoon. First of all, it was incredible and I was stunned to see how hard the NTSB hammered Sully and his copilot about their inability to return to LaGuardia. Although it appeared to be only a few days, it was actually 15 months before they were cleared by the FAA. Who knew?

So driving home, we inadvertently got into a left turn lane when we needed to go straight (I was not the driver). Although traffic was heavy, Ann Roe decided to try the old blinker on, pray for kindness routine and it worked! A very nice lady was apparently celebrating National Courtesy Month and let us pull in front of her. And how's that for a long roundabout story that isn't very interesting? The moral is: see Sully.

Situational Awareness Day

Today is all about personal safety since it focuses on being aware and paying attention to your environment. I feel like I've been pretty good about this because I lived in the heart of Houston for so many years where crime was somewhat prevalent. And it's interesting that it fell on a day when an upscale neighborhood in Houston was attacked by a serial shooter. Fortunately, none of the victims were killed, and as luck would have it, being aware of their environment would not have helped them today because they were shot in their cars. But it definitely serves as a reminder.

On a more upbeat note, I got a call this morning from one of my high school friends. She wanted to tell me that last night she went to the Saenger Theater in New Orleans to see the musical, The Sound of Music. She told the friend she was with about Dad taking us there (same theater) to see the movie in 1965 and how excited we all were. I was thrilled and when I mentioned yesterday's blog, she said she hadn't read it. As my brother, Charles, very recently wrote in his blog, there are no coincidences. When I read it, I wasn't so sure I agreed with him. And then this happened. I just might be changing my mind. Thanks, Charles. 

Frank Wiggins' Birthday

When I was very young I was never close to Dad. Until I was four, he traveled for Sears and Mom told me I would cry as a baby when he came near me because I didn't know him. He became a Sears manager when I was four and we still didn't see him much because he worked so hard. I was actually in high school before I knew that everyone didn't work on Saturdays. But when I turned 16, he seemed to change somehow. He took me and my three best friends to Shreveport for a championship basketball game and also to New Orleans to see a special opening of The Sound of Music. They still bring it up whenever we're all together because no one else's parents did that sort of thing. Then when I was in my 20's I read the book, Passages, by Gail Sheehy. She wrote about the different stages we go through in life and one chapter was about men after they turn 50. She said that is the time they begin to face their own mortality (at least this is how I remember it) and turn from their work to their families. Keep in mind, this was the 60's. And as I read that, I realized that Dad was 50 when I was 16. From that point forward, he was my hero and I will love and miss him until the day I die. Happy birthday, Dad!

Fish Amnesty Day

This is also Hunting and Fishing Day, so those little buggers in PETA decided to start Fish Amnesty Day as a protest. They say that fish are animals, too, and I say they're plumb crazy! But they use this day to try and convert vegetarians who eat seafood to pure vegetarians. I bet they're not very successful. I'm going to a neighbor's for dinner and Rummikub and hopefully she isn't serving seafood so I can celebrate appropriately and not eat fish today. I'll let you know how it goes.

Innergize Day

This day is celebrated the day after the autumnal equinox each year. Stupid spelling, if you ask me, but it's a time to focus on relaxing and rejuvenating. Don't have to tell me twice. First, my house got cleaned (not by me, of course) and then I went to my exercise class at the Y where I did a little cardio followed by strength training, followed by stretching. A perfect way to get me "innergized." I even skipped dinner tonight because I was really getting into this. And in just a bit, I'll take a long shower and then snuggle into clean sheets. I couldn't feel more relaxed!

First Day of Fall (my ass)

Oh, how I wish it felt like fall. I heard someone from New York say on TV today that he loves fall except that it means winter is coming. And that's exactly how I feel about spring. Fall, however, is my favorite season as it means cooler weather after a miserably hot summer, football, and Thanksgiving. But just to be clear, in Houston we're still miles away from fall. Granted our "feels like" temperature only got up to 102 today and there are rumors of lows in the upper 60's next week, but it's not happening yet. However at this point I can be a little more patient.

It was Winers group this evening and we had a great time. Our new go-to spot is Bonefish Grill... great food and $3 wine during happy hour. We told the manager we will be there every other Thursday from now on and he was thrilled. There were 12 of us and everyone was happy (doesn't happen often when you're talking about that many old women). I love this group!

International Day of Peace

This day was created by the UN and first celebrated in 1982 to promote world peace. I hate to sound pessimistic, but feel fairly certain that this will never be achieved. However, it starts with each one of us and I started the day with peace during yoga class. As we lie on our mats at the beginning of class to get in touch with how we feel, I focused on peace. And also on keeping Jesus with me as Charles promoted in his blog this morning. At the end of class we lie quietly again to focus on our bodies and what we want to feel throughout the day. And again I concentrated on peace and Jesus. The two go hand in hand and I want to feel both each and every day. Thank you, Charles, for writing something that especially inspired me today.

Get Ready Day

This day is to remind people to be prepared for emergencies and disasters. I celebrated by doing what I've always done (but should probably revise) and having two glasses of wine at lunch. I met an old, but young friend who I used to work with many years ago. Her youngest daughter just left for college and her husband's a corporate pilot who flies a lot, so she's learning how to be alone. And to be clear, I didn't even order wine until she got there because I generally don't drink at lunch anymore. But we had a great time and discussed my birthday weekend in New Orleans that she and her husband will be attending along with 12 other friends. We went for five straight years after my 40th, so this will be a reunion of sorts.

I got an email from Thomas's mother not too long ago telling me that he has a 95 in math on his progress report. Truth be told, I'm stunned because he seems to struggle so much, but allowing that it is also the first half of the first nine weeks, it's not really a true barometer of what's to come. For now, we're all happy!

Talk Like a Pirate Day

Arrrrrr, matey! Thomas and I talked like pirates during our tutoring session. He was excited about it and we had just a tiny bit more fun. I need to do things like that more often.

I just learned today that a very old friend, Patti from Pennsylvania, lost her husband to cancer last week in Florida. When Kay and I drove to PA in the summer of 1974 to work as waitresses in a dinner theater, we met Patti. Tom was her boyfriend at the time and they married a short time later followed by four beautiful children. We've kept in touch with her ever since and even met her in Savannah four or five years ago. Kay is in Spain right now, but hopefully we can all get together soon. Patti is a great Catholic with very strong faith and I only pray that God is helping her through this. She'll always be a very dear friend.

Cheeseburger Day

I was planning on visiting Brianna this afternoon, but when I saw what day it is, I had to reschedule so I could bring her lunch. She loves McDonald's, so I stopped on my way there and picked us up a couple of quarter pounders with cheese. McDonald's is really not my favorite because they don't put lettuce and tomato on their burgers, but it wasn't about me today. She was thrilled because I don't think their cafeteria food really appeals to the girls. She also surprised me because she brought a new coloring book that she'd bought in their little store. They use good behavior points to shop and I know she had to save up for a while to get it. Even though I brought my books, she wanted me to color something from hers. And as I was raving about what a great choice she'd made, she tried to give it to me and said she could get another one.  How sweet is that? She's a little angel who deserves so much better than the hand she's been dealt in life. I will pray for her as I still pray for all the kids I've mentored. You can, too, if you'd like.

Responsible Dog Ownership Day

This is a biggie and I'd like to report that 99% of the time I'm responsible. I even take two bags on all our walks just in case one gets messy (they each poop twice in the morning and I only use one newspaper sleeve... it can be tricky). And that other 1% of the time I may leave a little poop if it's in high grass or far off the beaten path. Who wouldn't?

I went with other neighborhood ladies to Krause House to color with all the girls. We've done a variety of activities and hands down, this wins the prize. More than one girl commented that they're ADD and coloring really keeps them focused. They all stayed very quiet and concentrated on their work. It was amazing! We've decided to do this more often because each group only gets 30 minutes and there are four groups. It's not enough time to finish one picture, but they could put their names on them and we'll keep them for the next time. The girls and the staff thought it was a great idea. And many of the staff colored, too. I'm proud to say this was my idea and I was stunned and thrilled that it was so successful.

Guacamole Day

No problems here... guac and chips for lunch with edamame and a hard boiled egg. Weird for some, but I loved it. Friday night dinner was to our favorite Italian restaurant. One discussion ended in what years we were born. When I said 1948 another woman exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, you're younger than me!" And she's 71. Now that was quite a slap in the face, but I quickly moved on and asked a newcomer what year she was born. When she answered 1954 everyone at the table questioned, almost in unison, "1954???" Judy, sitting next to me, whispered, "I graduated from high school in 1957." And that's why this is a great place to live. The young will help the old when the time has come. I think that's the only way to look at it without getting depressed.

Chicken Month

I had lots of choices for today's celebration and didn't like any of them. But I'm all over Chicken Month. These are Shirley and Greg's brood and that is one fine looking rooster! His hens obviously think so, too. And I actually ate one of their eggs this morning. Dinner tonight is Costco's rotisserie chicken noodle soup which is chock full of chicken. I love it and buy it whenever it's available.

I slept like a log last night, but still didn't do much today except go to the grocery store. This heat has finally gotten the best of me and I avoid going out if at all possible. Of course, the dogs and I go out twice a day... but only at sunrise and after the sun sets. Only time it's bearable. Surely this can't last much longer. Can it?

Coloring Day

I know what you're thinking... didn't we just celebrate that? My thoughts exactly, but the truth is that August 2 was National Coloring Book Day. Isn't this all silly? The good news is that it will all be over in three and a half months and no one will be happier than me.

I didn't sleep well last night, so stayed in today and coloring was easy to do even though I was tired. Since I color at the clubhouse now and with Brianna, I rarely do it at home, but today was obviously the day.  Color markers were a Christmas gift from MJ and Joe.

Peanut Day

I almost stopped at a convenience store to buy a small bag of peanuts when I realized that I had peanut butter at home. And not just any peanut butter, but the kind made fresh in the grocery store that actually has peanut chunks in it. I try not to eat it too often, but was glad I had an excuse today. It's delicious!

Thomas' mother contacted me this morning to tell me Thomas has a test tomorrow (called an assessment by his teacher... terminology changes in education make me crazy). She wanted me to come this afternoon instead of tomorrow. And I was so pleasantly surprised because he told me he wanted to do well so he wouldn't have to take the test again and because it counted for two grades. So I stayed for the whole hour and he worked hard. He's pretty good at place value and rounding so I have high hopes for tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

National Day of Encouragement

This is perfect for any Monday or Wednesday that I tutor Thomas. He is so far behind for third grade (at least in math) that I really worry about his future. Today he brought home an assignment made up of four projects that all must be completed by Friday. We got through one in which he had to make up a word problem involving five or six digit numbers. I suggested a few subjects for the problem, but fortunately he chimed in with, "Let's use dinosaurs!" And so we did, although I had to look up the spelling of allosaurus and deinosuchus, which were the two types he wanted to use.  I encourage him constantly or we would make absolutely no forward progress. And I actually met his mom for the first time today. She works downtown and rarely gets home before I leave. His dad, who brought him to my house last year, now works out of town Monday through Wednesday, so I've only dealt with the nanny/housekeeper thus far. His mother is from Venezuela and seems to be a great mom except that her kids have very few rules. She did ask Thomas if he'd apologized to me for last week and I was befuddled as to why. Then he said he was sorry for the inappropriate words he'd used. Sadly, I have no recollection of that. The nanny must have overheard him and apparently, I wasn't offended. Oh well, at least he's learning good manners.

Hug Your Hound Day

A recent study reported that dogs don't like to be hugged, but I didn't need a study to tell me that. It's always been evident to me based solely on their body language. But my guys tolerate it if it's quick and so they got brief hugs today. I think this needs to be changed to Love Your Dog Day although I've probably celebrated that already (it's hard to remember because there have been sooo many pet related days).

Since this was opening day for the NFL, I invited four friends over to watch the Texans. It was actually a pretty exciting game and happily, we won. Our new $72M quarterback was a star and JJ was his usual great defensive self even after back surgery seven weeks ago. A fun afternoon!

TV Dinner Day

My, how times have changed. I feel fairly certain that we ate some of the original TV dinners, originated by Swanson in 1953. Mom was a wonderful woman, but cooking was not her forte (ergo, me either). We had lots of frozen fish sticks, ground beef casseroles, split wieners covered with instant mashed potatoes and Velveeta, and TV dinners. But thankfully, frozen dinners now can be spectacular. So for dinner I had a mushroom and black truffle flatbread from Trader Joe's and it was delicious. I always keep a few different frozen meals in the freezer when there's no time or I just don't feel like making anything. Keep in mind, of course, that when I do prepare a meal the main course is preseasoned and the vegetables are steamed in a bag. Makes for some damn fine eating without all the work. Not to mention all the leftovers I bring home from eating out. I always eat half of my meal and bring the other half home for another day. Life is good!  

Teddy Bear Day

Meet Brownie and Tige (I challenge you to decide which is which). I know I'm not a creative person, but it started at a very young age. My other favorite stuffed animal was a black dog named Blackie, but sadly, he just didn't last as long as these two. I got Brownie for my 8th birthday and slept with him for many years after that. We had a real dog named Mike, but he was really the boys' dog and not mine. I still love stuffed animals but fortunately, now that I have real ones, I don't feel the need to collect them anymore. And if I see one that really grabs me, I'll buy it for one of my kids. I actually keep these two in a closet, but I'll never part with them. And if anyone related to me who is reading this is in charge of me in my last years, please bring them to me (remember, they're in the guest room closet). Mom sure loved Pete and Pearl when she was in the nursing home.

World Physical Therapy Day

Maybe because I missed two days of exercise classes due to Labor Day weekend, I've had more aches and pains that usual. But thanks to what I learned in physical therapy a year ago, I'm now able to work on pulled muscles in my back all on my own. So before I go to bed tonight (as I have the last few nights), I'll be doing some of the exercises that work remarkably well. Every little bit helps as this old age thing starts creeping in.

We had a fun evening drinking wine and catching up. Several of our gang have been under the weather this week, so it's good to share info and keep track of who's missing. And this is one of the things I love so much about living here. You can stay home, but someone's gonna know about it and inform the others.

Beer Lover's Day

Not really a beer lover and from what I read, I should have enjoyed my favorite ale or lager, but not only do I not love ales and lagers... I hate them. So I relaxed on the patio with a Michelob Ultra before I went to tutor. Drinking before tutoring is a definite no no in my book, and I don't know if it was the beer or just that Thomas was a little calmer this afternoon, but we had a very good session.

We had a substitute teacher at yoga today and she was the best we've had since our first teacher died last year. She had "the voice" that works best for me to be calm and relaxed. And although everyone else agreed, we certainly can't fire the teacher we have (especially since they're friends), but I spoke to her about teaching another class during the week. She suggested Pilates which scares the crap out of me, but we may give it a shot. Just have to get the rest of the class on board. I think I can do it!

Read a Book Day

When I had a problem with my cable box in the bedroom a week or so ago and wasn't able to watch TV in bed, I started reading. Turns out I slept better than when I fell asleep with the TV on (and an eye mask). Since the issue has been resolved I now switch back and forth. But tonight will definitely be a reading night. Thanks to Amazon Prime, I get a free book once a month on my iPad and haven't really been disappointed yet. Reading is a good thing and I need to do it more.

Best news of the day... I now have my car in the garage and the rental is gone for good. I'd planned on my first order of business being to take mine to the carwash since it's been sitting outside for five months. But God bless my dealership. When I picked it up, it was spic and span inside and out. As bad as this whole situation was, Acura made it as painless as possible. They have kept me as a customer, for sure!

Labor Day

So this is how I spent my Labor Day. We had a potluck luncheon followed by all kinds of games. I played Mexican Train, a dominoes game. And I have to admit, I just can't get into this. These people can play for hours and I'm only good for about two, and that's stretching it.  I just don't like sitting still that long and truth be told, the conversation is far from scintillating. Hopefully I'll reach a point where I'll enjoy this because groups play every single day and if I get to a point when I can't drive, then this would be a good option. Time will tell. But I don't mean to sound negative. I had a good lunch, got out of the house, and enjoyed visiting before the games began. I'm also thrilled because my car has now been repaired and I'll pick it up in the morning. Yee haw!!!

Eat an Extra Dessert Day

I may have overdone this one, but it was just too good of an excuse. First I had a cupcake after breakfast. Then I met Allison and Roy for brunch to celebrate Allison's birthday so of course we had to share a big piece of chocolate cake with ice cream. It's cousin Mary Ellen's 91st birthday so I called and talked to her for quite a while (she did most of the talking). She's doing so well living in Missouri with her niece and husband. They really take good care of her and that makes me so happy. She said she drives a golf cart around the neighborhood and feels particularly blessed to be able to do so much at her age. She does all the family laundry and makes soup occasionally. She's quite a woman and was such a good friend to Mom.

After dinner I had to have my requisite piece of dark chocolate with a little red wine, but I don't even classify that as dessert... more like a necessary health mandate. Now I better go walk the dogs to burn a tiny bit of all these sweets off.

International Bacon Day

Where's Rob when I need him? He probably eats bacon every day, so this would be no big deal to him. I actually had some pre-cooked turkey bacon in my freezer so the dogs and I shared a slice. I have to save the rest for a spinach salad I'm making on Monday.

Also, a personal savings day for me. I have to replace my walking shoes once or twice a year and my last two pairs have been the same exact style of Reeboks. I tried to order some more, but apparently that style has been discontinued because i couldn't find it anywhere, even the Reebok website. So I went to the Reebok outlet this morning and bingo! They were on sale and I got two pairs for $90, which is less than another pair I ordered but don't like. They're going straight back where they came from and I feel rich.

Lazy Mom's Day

I may not be a mom of humans, but I definitely qualify as a mom. Have been since 1986 when I adopted Frances and Sam, although I don't really can't count that since you can't really be a mom to cats... they're the ones in charge. However, changing that damn litter box every day for 16 years was no picnic. But ever since i got Libby in 1993 I've been a dog mom and I've loved almost every minute since. Amazingly I had nothing on my calendar until dinner time so decided to just be truly lazy. I did balance my computerized checkbook (I'm amazed that people don't do this anymore because it's something I love) and did a little online shopping, but then spent the rest of the day watching movies... fun!!!

National No Rhyme (Nor Reason) Day

This day celebrates English words that don't rhyme with any other words. Truth be told, this isn't something I actually think (or care) about and when I saw many of the words listed, my first reaction was to try to find a rhyming word. I know... silly me. Anyway, a few are purple, orange, month, silver, chimney and woman. I kind of like it that nothing rhymes with woman.

But the most exciting news I got today is that the part has come in to Acura to fix or replace my air bags. And I'm impressed because even though I've been driving the rental since the middle of April, Acura will tow my car into the dealership, repair it, and then notify me so I can bring in the rent car. Man, this is costing them a fortune! But I believe they've handled it very well and do look forward to having only one car in my driveway.