What I Miss And What I Have Learned

Before I get into the entry related  to the title of this blog, let me share an update about my little friend LJ.

There was some progress reaching out to a lot of medical facilities this week. Almost too many to count copies of his medical records were sent to a myriad of physicians hoping there is a clinical trial that he may be eligible for. PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR MY NEW LITTLE FRIEND, HIS SISTER AND OF COURSE HID MOM AND DAD. LJ's family was very fortunate to have their dear friend, Meg,  (and she part of my extended family) travel from Florida to Alaska to assist them in tracking down whomoever would listen and offer assistance in getting LJ the medical help he needs. Let them continue to be surrounded by good friends and angels as they move through each day.  Let their prayers be answered by a medical facility saying "YES !! We want LJ here !!"

I also learned LJ"s parents are big USC Gamecock fans......so Jenn and I did a little shopping....our package arrived in Alaska on Thursday....we feel blessed to be able to send some of home to them.....

LJ and family:

LJ and Cocky:

Hug your children and grandchildren as often as you can !!

Now on to this week's entry....

There are things I took for granted that now are part of my past.  There is nothing I can do about most of them now.  But also with age comes some freedom, wisdom and a fearlessness....kind of....

The I misses:
- Mom and Dad
- family dinners
- back in the days when I would hold Jenn's hand to cross the street
- the excitement of a first date and first love
- getting out of bed in the morning without putting on eyeglaases
- eyelids that snapped back into place when I put eye makeup on
- knees and hips that didn't hurt
- dancing for hours
- a summer of without the responsibility of work
- recovery time from crazy nights out......all it used to take was a bagel and a YooHoo
- the possibility of snow on Christmas Eve
- not having spent time with all my siblings in the same place for 6 years
- when $29 covered my weekly expenses.......gas for the Ford Pinto, cigarettes (ok already ....I quit 30 years ago), nights out at the bars, and my clothes
- going to the half price ticket booth on paydays and getting tickets to a Broadway Show
- not having to go to the Dr. every 6 months to have a BP check, blood work and make sure all of my numbers are good

What I have learned:
- life is short so try to enjoy each day
- do not be afraid to ask questions
- do not be afraid to say yes or no - depending on what you want to do
-  receive hugs graciously
- give hugs freely
- find your passion and do something with it
- when you eat out - try foods you wouldn't normally make at home
- do not let anyone drag you down, make you feel bad or kill your confidence
- give over the keys to the other driver in the car when you are tired (right Jenn??)
- be grateful every single day that you wake up
- have at least 5 people you can depend on....my Dad always said if you have 5 good friends you have lived a full life.....I am blessed to have more than 5
- the power of prayer....I pray each night (ok sometimes I fall asleep while I am praying...LOL)
- while sometimes you need hugs and compassion....you also need that friend who can tell you the things you do not want to hear but need to be said
- age is not a curse.....its a gift....treasure it....enjoy it and be grateful for each birthday

Now just one more thing I wanted to share:
We made Weight Watcher bagels and garlic knots today (not WW).  4 ingredients: flour, fat free Greek yogurt, baking powder and salt is the basic recipe.  To the bagels we added Trader Joe's everything bagel topping and to the garlic knots after they were baked: butter, fresh garlic and locatelli cheese....OMG the bagels rock and the garlic knots should be illegal.

Weight Watcher Bagels:

Garlic knots:

That's all I have this week....some baking....some things I miss....some things I know now.....and continued prayers for a special young man......

See you next week.......

Figuring Out What's Really Important.....

During the last week there were moments of laughter, self-reflection, hope, sadness and peace.

The laughter:

The laughter part is easy.  Several times a day there are things that make me laugh.  But then there are times when I laugh so hard I cry. This week, while doing the weekly overnight at Mary's was the laughter-filled cry fest.  And it's even better when it is due to pure silliness.

Mary was teaching Jenn and I how to play Phase 10.  A card game that reminds me of 500 Rummy.  Let's get the ugly part over first.......I got my butt kicked......badly.  Was I mad...nope....I laughed.  I couldn't get a good hand if my life depended on it. This wasn't the funny part though.....

Mary has a Echo Dot "Alexa".  As she demonstrated how Alexa works, she asked her to play songs from a certain group.  After a few minutes, on an impulse I asked Alexa to play some from another group.  And that when the chaos ensued.  Jenn, Mary and I started thinking of the most obscure  groups we could find. We ended up yelling at Alexa one over the other with names .....it got so funny we could barely get out one groups name when another person yelled out another.  As Alexa found each group and started to play some of their songs .......she would have to switch gears.  I was totally expecting Alexa to say "Really???? Have you all lost your minds??" By the time we stopped my sides hurt from laughter and I was crying.  I love when life hands you those moments!!!!

The self-reflection:

I was trying to figure out yesterday if at times whether or not I am a shallow individual.  I was focused on my kitchen counters and my bathroom faucets.  Both of them are about 30 years old.  The counter tops are not even nice Formica.  They are not shiny.  They leave marks easily.  I cannot tell you how many times a day I have to wipe them down.  If I move the paper towel dispenser to clean where it stands,I then have to clean the spot where I moved it to while cleaning the original spot.  I scrub my bathroom faucets and they still look like they have water spots. My bathroom mirror has the slightest crack in the corner and the part of the reflection part of the mirror is wearing away near the edges. All replaceable when the time is right.   But in the scheme of things with all the things going on in the world.....and I am focused on spotty faucets and a counter that needs to be cleaned continuously.

Hope:

There is a little boy in Alaska who is very sick.  LJ is a little over 2 years old.  The tumor that he has is inoperable.  His parents are brave.  Their friends are supportive. I found out about LJ through extended family.  I have seen pictures of LJ with his family grinning from ear to ear.  A little boy who has no idea what is going on within him.  I have seen pictures of the tumor that is stealing what should be a long life.

Although I am not at church every week, I still have very strong religious beliefs in God and the power of prayer.  Since learning about LJ and his family, my daily prayers while covering a myriad of topics and people have had expressed focus on a little boy I will never meet.  I do not understand why God has chosen this family or this little boy. In all honesty, I have asked why this child?  Is it because  there are lessons to be learned.....about faith, family, love, life and bravery?  Only God knows the reasons.

I ask that you each say some prayers for LJ and his family.....prayers that they continue to find the strength to face the days ahead....that they have the time to make memories....time for laughter.....time for love......time......

Sadness:

The events at the High School in Florida.....17 lives lost......school.... a place where children from K-12 should be safe.  A football coach, a geography teacher along with students left their homes and headed out for a normal day.  Maybe they said "goodbye" or "I love you" or "see you tonight" or maybe like so many of us they said nothing because they assumed they would return home that evening.  I am sure we are all guilty of the casualness of life and we make assumptions....you go to school you are safe.......you get in a car and you reach your destination.......why would we expect anything less?

The world has changed so much since I was young.  I grew up in an age of walking people to their gates at an airport or waiting at the gate for someones arrival. I never used to go to a movie and looked for the exits when I walked in.  I wasn't afraid.  I felt safe.  I don't feel that way any longer.  I do what works for me to feel more secure in ways that others might not agree with or like (I will let you read between the lines).  As long as I don't push my beliefs on others, I would ask that others not push theirs on me.....not an unreasonable request in a world where I love and respect many whose views are different from mine.

Peace:

Yesterday, I carved out an hour of time for me. I was at the Waterfront Park in Beaufort.  I sat with my coffee on one of the many porch swings along the water with beautiful views.  The weather was wonderful for mid-February......no jackets required.  I was able to people watch.....and puppy watch.  Jeter loved being walked along the path surrounding the park.  He even sat on the swing with Jenn and I....for a few moments anyway.

There was no thinking about work or what I needed to do when I got back home or what the week ahead was going to be like or events coming up in the next few months......those 60 minutes....priceless..... and I need to make sure to spend more time like that.....

And there you have it, a week filled with events that do make you think about what is really important.....

See you next week.......

This Weekend (and other stuff)........

Quote of the week- "Musicians retire when they have no more music in them.  Well, I still have more music in me."- "The Intern"

I look toward the future with a great deal of excitement.  The chance to spend more time writing, reading and continuing to learn Italian through Rosetta Stone.  The idea of not having to squeeze in time to go to the gym or to attending a reading at a local bookstore. To be able to go to a neighbors house for dinner and not have to worry about being out on a school night. Who wouldn't want the time to do all of those things without other concerns coming into play.

Right now even a Saturday can be chock full of things to do just to catch up from the week.

And then I noticed the weather report for Sunday is rain.....a lot of rain.....most of the day. I decided to get as much done on Saturday as possible.  By getting all outside errands done Saturday meant Sunday, I could stay in the house and relax.

This week I realized that I was past due for an oil change.  I do not have time during the week to get something like that done.  Add it to the Saturday list.

Jenn and I both hit Mobil One for oil changes.  The gentleman who worked there said "you must drive a lot to be back here again for another oil change."  He should only know.....

A couple of other stops and I was headed back to the house.  Jenn was still out finishing up the places we needed to hit.  I decided when I got home to take a break....big mistake.  I sat in the recliner, pulled a blanket over me and enjoyed the view outside......for maybe 60 seconds.......I fell asleep in the next minute.  Next thing I knew, Jenn was coming through the door.

We decided to get the cooking done for the week.  I made some meatballs, mushrooms, eggplant and cut up veggies.  Jenn made couscous salad, egg cups for breakfast and a pound cake. The only thing I have left to do in the kitchen is some kind of Weight Watcher snack/dessert.  I am going to look on Pintrest for some ideas.

I am so looking forward to a day of taking a shower and maybe getting back in my PJ's or something comfortable and just hanging around the house.  Maybe have a fire in the fireplace.  Read. Relax. Recharge for the week ahead.

Everything above this was written last night,  So here I am early Sunday afternoon just got out of the shower.  I made a Weight Watcher Banana Bread this morning.  It is raining  and the kind of afternoon I love.

One of the things I have been able to accomplish lately is........

My new space continues to take on my personality.  The pictures I have hung are about the beach, SC and NY....what a surprise.....

One of my favorite pictures that is now hanging is from the cover of New Yorker magazine.....it is called "View from 9th Avenue" .....

I framed a NYC Subway Map......so much of my life was spent in the world reflected on this map.....subways and the ELs (translation = elevated trains from when the subway traveled above ground) ...I grew up near the 3rd Avenue EL....it is no longer there.....

The court house my Dad tried cases in for years.....you can see it often in the background of Blue Bloods and other shows......while I was serving as a Federal Grand Juror for 18 months ....yes, I said 18 months (two days a week)....I saw the artist painting this picture....we kids bought it for my Dad for Christmas......when Dad passed Mom gave it to me.....maybe because I was the nut who carried it home on the subway......

And then there is the first print I bought when I moved here....called "A South Carolina Welcome".....

and of course beach pictures.....

Lastly, a reminder of the 2 states I have called home......

My life and my loves all now no longer in a cardboard box.....looking at them makes me happy as I reflect on my past and gaze into the future......

See you next week......

PS Crickett....I haven't forgotten about you....your post is coming.....LOL

PPSS Thanks Mary for the mushrooms recipe.  I have always loved mushrooms but am now addicted to them.

PPPSSS  Growing up,  a major treat was when my parents would order Ham, Provolone, Pepper and Eggplant (room temp not hot) hero's......this week I made them like wraps using the eggplant as the wrap instead of bread (I did not deep fry the eggplant but baked it instead)....they were great and transported my back to 153rd St (between 3rd Ave and Melrose Ave) in the Bronx......when I was pregnant with Jenn that was one of my cravings.....in fact the owner of the deli where we would buy them said he would name the hero after my baby.....so there may be a "Jennifer Special " on a menu in a deli/pizzeria somewhere in Yonkers.....