Old Friends and New Friends

 I often feel so fortunate to have friends.  But only a few are "old friends".  These are the ones who knew you when you were that uncertain 13 year old who did crazy stuff with you like climbing on the old bridge railing to get "glamor" photos of each other and did sleep overs.  Those are few and far between.  But then you meet folks a bit later in life who become good friends that you can count on to drop everything to take you to the Dr. or plan their schedule to take you to have a procedure where you need a driver.  Those friends are few also.  But also are all those close acquaintances who you call friends too.  You see them at meetings, at stores, and they come to see you to visit from time to time.  Sometimes you maintain friendships with neighbors that you have had in other states.  The last year or so we female family members who live fairly close to each other started having monthly lunches at different local restaurants.  It started out with just 5 of us, but then we invited the grand dtrs, dtr in laws, great grand dtrs. and and a couple new babies.  So it has expanded and sometimes hard to find places to get together.  This month it will be a pizza place that has a big room.  So these ladies are also my friends.  Then sometimes you are lucky enough to find a friend that you have never met, who lives in another state, but has ties to your local town.  These can be special friends that you share things with,

I guess partly because maybe they see the deeper side of you that others can't perceive .  Maybe it is to complicated to put in words, but if that person reads this I hope they see themselves and tell me why I feel that way.  So today I am sharing my gratitude for friends new and far.

Crazy World

 

I think I am glad that I have this hair.  I don't think younger folks realize what a mess our world is in.  Maybe these words were already said back in the 50's and even during civil war time as the world must have seemed to be on its head then too.  Personally I am worried that our tech knowledge  is moving so fast that it has to be stressful on young people to know what to believe.  With EVERYTHING at their finger tips literally  it has to be overwhelming.  Or maybe I am just getting old and they really are ok and getting it.  I still have my doubts.  Our values seem to have slipped and the division we see in our country is getting so much worse. My best friend is a democrat and we manage our friendship by just ignoring our differences there.   I guess thats all I have to say. 

Music Box Dancer

 I was just listening to some music on my computer and this song came up.  I had to just sit and let my mind go back to when I first heard it back in 1973.  As a new grad from nursing school, our class was invited by the Mo. State Nursing Association to go they annual conference being held in St Louis.  So off we went, with me leaving my husband and 2 small children to fend for themselves while I enjoyed my first trip anywhere by myself without them.  It was the most liberating experience of my life at that point. The three highlights that I remember the most:   1. going up in the Arch, 2. hearing this song performed on stage of a riverboat by a piano.  I was mesmerized and have loved this song since then,  3. We had the opportunity to talk to a military recruiter.  Wow,  this was something that could open so many doors for me.  In high school I talked to a recruiter and had my heart set on enlisting but was dumb enough to get married instead. So at 29 I realized I could join the reserves with my degree and go forward.  Of course when I got home that idea died quickly.  But years later with a different husband I did try twice to get in but it was not meant to be. Al was very supportive and would have gone with me where ever needed, as he had a military back ground and understood.  

So when I hear this song I am just taken back to this time early in my career and I think of what might have been.

Hiraeth

 Hiraeth n. (Welsh)  A spiritual longing for a home which maybe never was.  Nostalgia for ancient places to which we cannot return.  It is the echo of the lost places of our soul's past and our grief for them.  It is in the wind, and the rocks, and the waves.  It is nowhere and it is everywhere.

 

Well I am off to a good start for 2024.  Gee it was just yesterday when we all worried that all the computers would crash when it turned 2000.  Called it Y2K.  But we survived.  Just a short entry tonite.  Staying hunkered down as we are having quite a cold snap.  At least so far we have had very little snow.  Heard from my friend Betty in Iowa they got about 20 inches and everything is closed up. 

So here's to my nostalgia which is with me a lot.  

George Carlin Quotes

 I was never a huge fan of Carlin,  I think mainly because of his potty mouth.  But some of his quotes and the story he does about our "stuff" is priceless.  So I wanted to get a few on here on this snowy January day.  I think a few years ago I wrote a blog about him but what the heck.

"Here's all you have to know about men and women:  women are crazy, men are stupid.  And the main reason women are crazy is that men are stupid."

"A house is just a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get more stuff"

"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups"

"Trying to be happy by accumulating possessions is like trying to satisfy hunger by taping sandwiches all over your body."

"We buy stuff we don't need, with money we don't have, to impress people we don't like."

If you want to really watch him and listen to him talk about "stuff"  Its on You Tube.  Just type in George Carlin Talks about "stuff"  Its really good. 

So this is what I am thinking about today.  At my age and don't forget its a new year so we have to maybe think about our "stuff"  I have stuff that is not mine!  You know when family members die you think you have to keep some of their stuff I guess to remember them by.  I have reached the stage in my life that I want a lot of this stuff gone.  I really want to understand the philosophy of being a minimalist.  It has a great appeal to me, because face it we sure are not taking any of it with us.

One of my favorite puzzle,  Now this is GOOD stuff right here!!!

Coddiwample

 (V.) To travel in a purposeful manner toward a vague destination.

                                                              My paint by number

Life's a beach, with sand in your britches sometimes

 

2023 Was a year of many changes for me some wonderful and some not so good.  So here is my summary.  Oh, picture is of my Pier trash Art.

Things started off well, A spring trip to our home in Tx. with decision made to sell it  as its to much to maintain 2 homes for us at this time.  Hubbys health not to good anymore.  First of June we started renting the house to the neighbors son and his family so I didn't have to make that commitment yet to sell.  Also the first of June Hubby went to live in an assisted living facility near by, with the conviction that  it would make my life easier and he would be with others in his condition. blah, blah, blah... Then my main checking act got hacked so had to close it down, open new one, change all my auto pay stuff, took a week to update everything.  Then my Dr. sent me to pain clinic for tx for sciatica, couldn't get in for 7 weeks.  Started PT and Chiropractor decompression treatments.  During all this I was dealing with the facility and all the problems that come up when they have staff that is not adequate.  Mid summer had a lumpectomy fully expecting to have radical bilateral mastectomy but it didn't happen, all is well.

Then on the up side of all this I took a trip to Oregon to visit my niece, and had a great time, even got to paddle a Dragon Boat with the team.  IT was awesome.  Have to find a picture of that.  After a few days she drove me up to Seattle area and I met up with an old class mate who lives on Widby Island Washington.  They were great hosts and took me all over to site see.  Huge heather fields were great and riding across Pouget Sound on the Ferry boat was an experience.  Air travel by myself and catching shuttle bus was a good learning experience as I have not flown alone in a couple forevers!  

By end of July I finally saw the pain clinic and was happy to tell them my pain was greatly improved with my self treatments but I wanted to keep apt to be established with them  I wasn't to thrilled that they identified some high blood pressure.  Well Crap  Not me!!!! So there I went on the rolly coaster of finding a medicine I could handle.

By later Aug Hubby was tired of the facility and wanted to come home and so he did and old routines fell right back in place.  But I had already booked a trip to NC for a week in Sept.  I lined up a caregiver to come in a few hours a day and be here to cook lunch and during his shower time.  They managed after a couple hickups   

In Sept I flew to Charlotte NV to see my 2 brothers.  Was a good trip.  Felt good about renting a car to drive to older brothers home by way of Winston- Salem, and Durham  Then back again to finish out vacation with younger brother.  Was barely home for a few days then drove to Iowa for family reunion, Was the best one ever.  Spent a couple extra days with my good friend.  

In Dec we took a trip to Tx and ended up putting the house on the market,  our renters were in process of moving out as they had to be closer to his job.  It all worked out to perfect timing.  Will be sad to see the house sold but glad too.  I know I am not afraid to travel now and if I can't drive I will fly.  Hubby talking again about wanting to go to another assisted living facility so we will wait and see.  Get thru winter first.  One day at a time.

So a long post but it sums up 2023 for me.  Im still here, going strong and looking forward to whatever 2024 brings.  My happy picture to wrap it up!!