Family

The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another’s desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. 

Erma Bombeck

Family.  We've had a bit of turmoil to say the least.  My husband had a nasty cold and ended up have COPD exasperation.  I had to call the ambulance, and he spent the week before Christmas in the hospital.  Came home Christmas Eve morning.  My son and his (still not) girlfriend came over, and we had a nice quiet evening to a point.  My son was supposed to pick us up on Christmas Day to head over to Pennsylvania to spend our first family Christmas ever, but about 9 pm Christmas Eve we received a call that my daughter had fallen and fractured her ankle.  It was a bad break and emergency surgery was needed.  Pins were inserted to hold everything together, and because we have been unable to get everyone together, we have still not celebrated Christmas.  We're hoping in May.  My two granddaughters are both nurses and when one has the weekend off, the other has to work, and vice verse. We'll get it together soon I hope...before my great granddaughters outgrow the dolls I bought them.

And now some good family news.  My granddaughter is pregnant with my 7th great grandchild, a girl), who is to be born in July.  As my granddaughter says, "This child will know that I am her grandmother from the start" unlike the other 6 who still consider my mom grandma and me a stranger.  Hoping that will change one day, but for now, I am grateful for what I have.  Family is everything.  

Some recent family pics:

 My daughter's surprise birthday party. 

 My granddaughter.

 My grandson's girlfriend, Megan.

 My son, Tahnee (his want to be girlfriend) and myself on Christmas Eve

 Easter Sunday with the family.  My son, daughter, and her new boyfriend.

 My daughter, grandson, and his girlfriend, Megan.

 My crazy son and daughter with asparagus.

It's already 59 and expected to rise into the 80's.  Heading out to the park today for a day in the fresh air.  Have a good one.

Well, Hello There

 In Spring, everything is full of promise.... The child sporting upon the lawn, and the season, sympathize together, and nature rejoices in her virgin loveliness.

Charles Lanman, "The Dying Year," 1840

Wow, it has been awhile since I have been here.  Too long.  Spring has already sprung, and I still had my Christmas theme up. Life has been so busy, and to be honest, for awhile I was all blogged out.  That's what happens when you try to carry too many blogs at once.  I think I had 7 or 8 at one time and tried to post on each every day.  That was in the very beginning of my blogging days.  So, moving on, there is much to tell.

To begin with, I turned 71 on March 23rd.  I can't believe I am that old.  Time is passing so quickly now, I sometimes fear I won't have time to accomplish all that I want to do.  One thing I DID accomplish was REACH MY WEIGHT WATCHERS goal.  After 2 1/2 years I did it.  Down from a size 3X to an XL.  Bought myself an entire new wardrobe in celebration.  And I still NEVER miss a meeting.  It is so important to me.  I credit them with saving my life.  

Not bad for 71, huh?  A new cut and color as well.  

I am no longer going to the college for classes.  They just stopped having courses of interest.  I did take 2 classes of memoir writing during the last semester I took, but darn, I was there to learn, not to sit and listen to the teacher talking about her life and her issues.  I could care less about your divorce or that your mom liked to control.  I am there to learn how to write about ME and when that didn't happen, I didn't go back.  Not going to pay $85 for something I wasn't enjoying.

So, instead I looked into the free things my union offers to us retirees, and I am loving it.  Every Monday and Wednesday I take Qigong and Line Dancing (first time dancing in over 50 years).  On Monday I also have an hour of Meditation and 2 hours of Arts and Crafts so it is a full day for me.  Many are doing fabric painting, but that didn't interest me so I am back to jewelry making and loving it.  When my fingers get achy or stiff I just take a 10 minute break.  Next month I think I am going to learn quilling.  I've always been a crafter--crochet, jewelry, etc--but in latter years I made the excuse that I couldn't do it because of my fingers.  That is so not true.

Life is good, and I've so much more to tell, but for now, hubby is asking for some lunch.  Be back tomorrow with family updates and pictures.  I promise.

Moontides

It's been quite awhile since I have been here, and I've decided it's time I retire Moontides.  It was my first blog, and I will NEVER delete it, but I can no longer keep up with more than one blog so will be concentrating on On Turning Seventy.  Hope you can join me there.
http://onturningseventy.blogspot.com/

Welcome to Dyker Heights, Brooklyn....and the Magic of Christmas

Dyker Heights is a Brooklyn neighborhood located between Bensonhurst and Bay Ridge.   It is famous for its Christmas lights and decorations.  Nothing can prepare you for for what you see with the lights, and it definitely puts you in the holiday spirit.  Saturday evening my son, daughter, and a few friends gave me a surprise evening out which included a tour of Dyker Heights.  It was cold as heck...and crowded....but definitely worth it.  For the next few days I'll be sharing the many pictures I took.

 

Christmas memories

At Christmas

A man is at his finest towards the finish of the year;

He is almost what he should be when the Christmas season's here;

Then he's thinking more of others than he's thought the months before,

And the laughter of his children is a joy worth toiling for.

He is less a selfish creature than at any other time;

When the Christmas spirit rules him he comes close to the sublime...

Edgar Guest

Last night my son Jerry and my daughter Lisa surprised me with a night on the town.  We first ate at Walburgers Coney Island, then headed over to Dyker Heights, the magical Christmas village of Brooklyn, and ended the evening with hot chocolate at an Italian Pastry shop.  Never tasted hot chocolate like it.  We had the special--hot chocolate, chocolate chips, marshmallows, cinnamon, and whipped cream.  What an awesome night...and so many pictures to share.   

 My son Jerry with his girlfriend, Tahnee closest to us.  My daughter, Lisa, and her friend in the back.  My friend Ellen next to them, and of course, me next to Jerry.

 My daughter and her friend, Peppi.

 Jerry and Tahnee

 Ellen

 What a cheerful little out of the way place.

A kind soul took this picture of all of us in Dyker Heights.

Didn't want to overwhelm.  More to come.

Happy Friday.

Good morning and a very happy Friday. It's a cold day here in Brooklyn. Winter has arrived. I've been having a lot of shoulder and shoulder blade pain lately so I've been typing as little as possible as this seems to aggravate it. (Need a new chair. Mine is too low).

So, for the time being I will only be publishing one blog a day. Today I published on "On Turning 70" Hope to see you there.

Sunday Greetings.

Rich, fatty foods are like destiny: they too, shape our ends.

Author unknown

Good morning everyone. Another cool day ahead. I don't mind at all. At least I am not standing here trying to guess what I should wear. This morning I'm going to walk it to church, then hop on the bus and head on over to Key Food for a few items. Thinking I 'might' be able to eat a salad. Teeth are feeling fairly good. The bottom I still only keep in for a few hours at a time. In and out. Then in again and out again. The top is pretty glued in and doesn't budge until it's time to put them to bed for the night. I am due this month for my re-alignment. My gums have shrunk and the denture is too large, but I hesitate around holiday time. What if I have to go through that painful, not able to wear period again? Not now. Maybe in January I will deal with it.

Why is it that when we get so close we tend to sabotage all the good we did? I'm only 20 pounds from goal now, and that not only means feeling a sense of accomplishment, but also lifetime membership and FREE meetings. I did well last week. I had been at a 53 pound loss, then just before Thanksgiving found myself at a 50.8 pound loss. That's when I knew that I had to stop this downward spiral now before it got out of hand. Did well last week. No chips or candy. But always hungry and nibbling on fruit. Took of 1.2 and halted that downward spiral, but have to really focus on what I am doing. Stop kidding myself that it's only fruit so I can eat all I want and gorging myself. Nope, it's fruit yes, but everything adds up in the end. 

The other day I was thinking, "Wow, in only a few short months I will turn 70."  I can't believe it.  But, time marches on and there is no denying it. To me, the 60's are the new middle age, but 70?   It hit me then that I would like to start a journal as I enter what I consider the final third of my life.  I started writing, but not so good at handwriting lately, fingers ache after awhile, so I have started a new blog.  http://onturningseventy.blogspot.com/

I will keep up with Moontides, but not as steadily as I once did.  This blog was my first, and I will never let it go, but I seem to have run out of things to write about.  Of course, that could change at any time.  Who knows how the creative juices will be running next week.

I close now with pictures of my three newest angel.  The crystal angel in the middle changes color.