36,211,630,946.06 Miles Around the Sun

Quite a Journey!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:San Carlos

Signs of Spring at my house

Pink and Green Thread in the Serger

Uni on and ready for Spring Training

Leash Ready for a Walk

Thoughts of Quilts Turn to Bright and Light from Dark and Flannel-Pink and Green Predominate
(Pictures from quilting magazines and books)

Ideas of Spring Closet Cleaning Start Dancing in my Head

Notions of Pruning the Plants Creep into my Thoughts

But all these plans for Spring and fresh starts overwhelm us!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:San Carlos

Decluttering for February

Progress has definately slowed but not stopped.

Feb 1-Recycled cardboard and cleaned up old plants in backyard
Feb 4-Cleaned out drawer in bathroom. Many more to come, but it felt good to get started.
Feb 5-Threw out expired canned food in the pantry
Feb 5-Recycled old glass jars in cupboard
Feb 5-Composted old dried beans in the pantry (it's a good day)
Feb 7-Threw out old Rx pill bottle (what was I thinking to have saved that?)
Feb 10-Made chicken soup with stock in freezer since Thanksgiving 2011. Homemade stock made very good soup!
Feb 23-Used old shoebox for Box of Sox to donate to homeless

Feb 24-Made 10 fleece blankets for homeless and used 'saved' cardboard box to deliver them for donation

Feb 29-Cleaned out under kitchen sink in preparation for new dishwasher. Threw out a lot of junk! Now the cabinet under the sink looks great and inspires me to continue.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Rosewood Ave,San Carlos,United States

Growing in my yard

Drought tolerant plant-or the remnants of it. I acquired it when Sheila and Audre were my roommates. This year with no rain makes this plant an important one to keep growing.

Cymbidium from Ann from her mom from her friend Jenny. A long chain of people until it came to me.

Slime mold growing on my compost pile. I spend way too much time watching my yard waste and kitchen scraps decompose. But I dearly love the slime mold that suddenly and colorfully appears at this time of year. Suddenly it's slime mold!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:San Carlos

Spencer at the beach

Decluttering for January

Some people in our lives are better than BFF's.  They are gifts that inspire, give us many things to thunder, and provide encouragement and sound advice.  Wendy is such a friend.  She turned me on to websites devoted to decluttering (yes, there are such things) and has given me the spark to get started organizing my life.  Here is a list of the clutter removed from my house this past month.  It's a series of highs and lows, ups and downs, but generally the progress is encouraging.

Declutter List January 2012

Jan 10-Recycled all pens in quart-sized yogurt container 
Jan 10-Donated 6 quilts
Jan 11-Cleaned up old plants in front yard and put in yard waste
Jan 12-Donated 1 quilt
Jan 13-Filed papers, receipts, etc. Note to Self: clean out old files
Jan 14-Put photos in albums
Jan 15-Mailed 2 birthday cards (thereby reducing my stock of cards--really reaching here)
Jan 16-Cleaned out 1/2 of an inbox (it's just too hard--whining now!)
Jan 17-Threw away old camisole
Jan 18-Got rid of 2 old jars of crystallized honey
Jan 18-Donated clothes from Sally's, Mother's and my closets
Jan 19-Nothing (losing steam)
Jan 20-Nothing (going downhill fast!)
Jan 21-Started gathering items for church jumble sale (small hope I can recover)
Jan 22-Donated 6 reasonably sized boxes and 1 ironing board to church jumble sale (Sadly donation makes only a small ding in my disgusting mess. Nevertheless, it's a start and hope is renewed.)
Jan 23-Jan 28-Rested on the laurels of 6 boxes
Jan 29-Recycled junk mail
Jan 30-Got rid of old jar of bath salts.  (I never take a bath and person who gave them to me died last year.)
Jan 31-Paid bills and recycled paper.

Raking Leaves

I once read some advice from a Buddhist monk about dealing with depression. I only remember two things: wash your head (hair) and sweep your front porch. Washing your hair, I believe has the benefits of massaging your scalp, warming your body, and doing something to take care of yourself.

Today I raked leaves and I believe it has the same benefits as sweeping. Though I must admit I only have a small yard and only rake the leaves that the neighbor's big oak tree deposits on my side of the fence. If I lived in an area with bigger yards and more deciduous trees I might have another opinion. Here are the benefits as I see them:

>First, there is the nice repetitive sound of rake-rake-rake (the activity sounds like the word); it is like chanting a mantra or an ohm. I don't see that benefit with leaf-blowers, quite frankly.

> Raking is also moderate exercise that keeps your mind occupied with the movement and away from other matters. It keeps you in the present moment and not anticipating the next disaster. Though, this year with no rain the leaves are dry and light, not heavy with moisture, so the amount of exercise and distraction that raking provides is somewhat reduced.

> And then there is bending and stooping to pick up the piles of raked leaves. The benefits are described in the old Shaker hymn 'Tis the Gift to be Simple' When true simplicity is gained to bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed, to turn, turn, will be our delight till by turning, turning we come round right.

Finally, there is the satisfaction of accomplishing a chore. You don't have to be perfect, because you can always rake again tomorrow, but the yard looks much better after you are done. The leaves are non-judgmental; they don't care if you miss some, and whatever you get done makes a difference.

So, today I raked and felt the benefits. And I may repeat the activity tomorrow.

Location:Home

Staying Healthy?

And another retirement MYTH is realized. I pinched a nerve in my neck and now my left arm has tingly feelings, has become weak and just plain HURTS! Sometimes it's my right arm that tingles, so I must have done a number on my neck. I have no patience, not enough to wait for the left arm to get strong again. That plus the arthritis in my mid-back is bad today. It's hard to exercise or do yoga with numb arms and now a bad back. How to stay healthy when you can't exercise? This has been going on for more than 6 weeks. Patience! I wish I knew what I did to cause the pinched nerve. Or what causes the arthritis to flare. It's a mystery. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Next Steps

Mother and I finished 6 quilts to donate. That doesn't count the ones we did for family and friends. Next quilts will be Mother's heirloom ones. The first one is in the works; it has Ann's name on it. I'll post a picture in this blog.

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Move Over Martha Stewart?

In an effort to be more crafty and resolve one of the myths of retirement, I concocted these Halloween decorations. I think Martha has no worries about competition from me!

These decorations were made from sticks the neighbor's oak tree spits out in my yard. I love these sticks and spend way too much time admiring them and gathering them for my projects. Unfortunately my gardener sees them for what they are-sticks and yard trash. He throws away my weekly collection before I can begin my Christmas decorations. I have no Christmas projects to show. The following is one of my precious stick collections that the gardener tossed:

I did make a couple of table runners using my Mother's long arm quilting machine. These runners are intended for Christmas gifts. Even as I was making them, I couldn't help but wonder about who uses such a thing and why? Ann wanted a flannel one because her cats sleep on her dining room table. That's the only reason for a table runner that makes sense to me. It's all about a spoiled pet dog in my house. He doesn't sleep on the table or even on the bed, but just about his every other whim is catered to and painstakingly dealt with. Sigh!

The above are pictures of the runners and details of the quilting. Do you see the kitty in the quilting?

Well, my hobbies are not launching me into retirement. I think learning to cook was not such a good idea either. My house is still 'fragrant' (stinks!) from my Indian pizza experiment. That line at the bottom of the recipe about how your house will stink for a week if you make this dish was more than correct. My house still smells several weeks later! Next time,if there ever is a next time, I will do a better job of reading the recipe BEFORE I begin cooking.

Bottom line: developing hobbies and learning to cook is definately a myth of retirement.

I sorta failed at the never going back to work resolution, too. I am working 12 to 16 hours a week to help complete a project at my old place of employment. This project has an end date, so I'm not willing to concede that never going back to work Is actually a myth. I did find out that this working some in retirement is called 'active retirement'. That sounds a whole lot better than 'failed at retirement, loser!'

Onward!

There's an App for That!

A brief hiatus due to a broken app. It's still broken so I'll do this the old fashioned way.

Narinder found an app for me to further the goal of finally learning to cook. Now I can cook just about Everything? I think a tastebud transplant might be more in order. However, I am putting more effort into cooking--a couple of crock pot meals, and some pasta. So far Spencer is the happiest with my cooking attempts.

There must be an app for just about everything. I am addicted to my iPad, so I app shopping sites, weather, cookbooks, blogging, games, e-books, news, Twitter, Facebook, sports teams, photo manipulation, quilt block design, radio, and so on. The picture in this posting is generated from an app. How did I ever have time to work? App must be a noun and a verb--I app, you app, he apps, we all app, they app. It's at least a word because auto-correct hasn't objected to it.

I wonder what else I can app? I'd better go to the app store and check it out!

Ready for Halloween

Yesterday Rosalba came to clean. It has been 6 months since Chuy died. Chuy's favorite color was orange and she loved to decorate my house for Halloween. In her sister's memory Rosalba wanted to decorate this year. I didn't want to climb into the attic to bring down the decorations, so we settled on a readily available black tablecloth and the orange runner that Ann brought from Africa. So, here's to you Chuy! Horrible breast cancer ended your life way too soon. We miss you!

Rosalba was very touched by the button that Monika carried in the 3-day breast cancer walk. She is helping me find a good way to display it. Very special people in my life.

Rosalba also knows that soon it will be Diwali so she made sure to put out candles for Narinder. The gesture gave Narinder a chuckle.

Halloween candy is bought; decorations are out; Fall is in the air; let the festivities begin!

Location:Home

Uninspired Monday

This must be post-retirement depression. I don't feel like disproving myths today. The weather is gorgeous--warm and sunny with the softness that means 'Fall' in the Bay Area. So, I can't blame it on the weather.

Took Mother to the retinal specialist today. His waiting room was rather blah this morning. Usually there are some entertaining patients keeping it lively for those of us who drive the patients. Well, Mother got a good report and that's worth a lot more than entertainment.

A new myth:
10. I will practice sustainability.

It's time to put the 'I wills' into action.

Onward!

Location:Home

Spring to Fall

This is not symbolic of the beginning of my career compared to the end. For one thing a career beginning is not like a bright and beautiful blooming plant in Spring. It's more like when I first got Spencer. He enjoyed digging in the flower pots and was always uprooting this hydrangea. I was constantly rescuing it, replanting it, and hoping that something would survive and take root. That's more like the start of a career: constant readjustment, repotting, and hoping for the best. The plant did survive and this year it produced beautiful blooms that recently became lovely dried blooms. I carefully saved the dry blooms, imagining that I'll make some sort of artistic dried arrangement this winter. I don't know if this enforces 'I will get new hobbies,' or proves that 'I will organize my belongings' is indeed a myth because I've just added to my disgusting mess. Trade offs always! I'm guessing saving the dried flowers proves a myth as that's my nature.

Had a nice lunch with a friend who is briefly in town. It was nice to reconnect. So, I'm on track with 'I will have time for friends'.

Here are the added myths:
8. Humor remains
A. I will continue to share laughs with my family, friends, and partner.
9. I will not worry.

Quiltfest

Today Sally and I attended the quilt show in Santa Clara. It was a lot to see. Bad news: all little old lady quilters look alike. If I lost my sister at the convention center, my description of her to security would have matched 90% of the women in attendance. Same if she had needed to describe me. We had to stick close in the mob of gray haired ladies arriving by the bus-load. I think I've found my people!

I used my retirement gift to buy a design wall--really just a piece of flannel stretched between tent poles. Strange things excite me these days. Poor Daddy will lose more of the living room to the quilt studio when the wall arrives. Many thanks to the colleagues who gave me the means to splurge on what I've wanted for many months.


- Posted by Rosewood Lady

Location:Santa Clara

Humor

I received the following note from a colleague on my last day:

It was really a highlight, even with the short time we strudel in the hall-way or in conference, with your utmost support is well appreciated.

His wishes are sincere and well-intentioned. I appreciate his message to me. Even more I appreciate the humor. For the life of me I cannot figure how we 'strudel' in the hall. So after a good laugh and a consultation of the on-line Urban Dictionary, I am reminded how important humor is to us. I don't intend to trivialize people or situations, but laughing keeps me going. Shared humor has been very important to me with my friends and colleagues. As a gag gift at my good-bye party I got a picture of Coach Belichick from my colleagues in IT. They were teasing me about liking the Patriots and not the Colts. It was another good laugh, though it looks like Bill doesn't get the joke.

I hope I can keep humor during retirement and that continued laughter is not another myth.

Location:Home

Retirement Day 1

During my last week of working, before 'retirement' I read an article on the Internet about the 'myths' of retirement. Each one I firmly believed, so I was shocked to discover they may actually be myths. It may be that retirement isn't the last cocoon and I will emerge from it like a beautiful butterfly, a changed and better person? It may be that the flawed, average person I've carried around inside this body so far is the person I'll be in retirement? It may be that having more time does not heal all problems and personality flaws? Say it's not so!

Hence the idea for this blog; a journal of my myth busting; a place to chronicle if retirement is what I'm planning or if the article is more true than I care to admit.

I searched for the article so I could copy the myths for the blog, but it seems to have disappeared into the ethernet in favor of articles about financial planning for retirement. Therefore, I've recorded the list as best as I can remember and added my own embellishments and corollaries to begin this blog.

Rosewood Lady's Potential Retirement Myths (so far)

Summary: In retirement I will be a better person than I was heretofore and I will finally get my act together.

1. I will make a budget and stick to it
A. I will not practice fantasy financing
B. I will finally listen to my financial planner
C. I will use a cheaper brand of face cream
D. I will avoid Nordstrom's
E. I will avoid Internet shopping sites--Amazon be gone!
2. I will exercise
A. I will continue my yoga and exercise classes
B. I will take the dog for longer and more vigorous hikes
3. I will organize my belongings
A. I will clean my closets
B. I will get rid of my disgusting messes
C. I will pare my things down to what I actually need
4. I will travel
A. Not so very likely, but I can dream about the trip to Italy
5. I will stay healthy and eat right
A. I will go to the doctor for regular check ups
B. I will cut out fats, sugar and salt
C. I will learn to like salads
D. I will stay as 'young' as I am now; I will not look really old and wrinkled. I will avoid mirrors so this can be true. As long as my thoughts stay young and I keep the picture of me that's inside my head I will stay 30, er 50.
6. I will get hobbies and volunteer
A. I will learn to cook
B. I will avoid Law and Order TV marathons
C. I will have time for friends
D. I will fix up my yard and garden
7. I will never work again
A. I will be so independent and financially sound, working will never be a consideration.

So here goes.
- Posted by Rosewood Lady

Location:Home

Fall begins

Retirement Day -1

Looking forward to getting on with this next step. Here's to the last day of work!