Ayers

Saturday morning

Aww - congrats Barbs !!! Start knitting , gramma Thanks for your dad's story with Statins - going to try and remember not to have anything to drink upon waking on Monday and go straight to the pathologists for a blood test - and take it from there.

I bought some alkaline/alkalinity powder yesterday and took some this morning - things like sugar, coffee etc make you acidic and this powder is supposed to help . Well, we'll see. Maybe it helps with the aches and pains.

After years of nagging , I finally gave in to my one friend and joined her in a yoga class. Lots of classes available in my immediate surrounds - but this one is quite a drive and in the sticks - but WHAT a bunch of interesting people. Austrian, Hungarian, Greek - and most of them quite advanced in age , really lovely , interesting people. Will keep going every Friday - and find a second class closer to home too.

Bee, can't believe it's already snowing where you are. An absolute alien concept for me. It never, ever snows here. We do get snow in SA on the Drakensberg peaks and in Lesotho. We even have a ski-resort, Tiffandel, where it snows a lot and they have snow machines to make more snow - but didn't like it much - too "fake " for me. But here, where I live - nada. Good luck with all your admin tasks

My son is finishing up his final year at college _ They are having an open day today exhibiting all theirwork portfolios - going to go and have a look later > I promised him I'll take off the gardening shoes - my "gorgeous" crocs, before I go

Apart from that , I'll be gardening. I really am pushing myself - ignoring the pain . It is working to an extent. I just do things a lot more slowly than I used to. And once I sit down - that's me - no getting up after that - so I try to keep going as long as I can. Nice and stiff from yesterday's yoga

Lots of love to you all XXXXXXXXXXXX

Ayers

I haven't had chocolate for over a week

But I did munch on some cashew-brittle

Bekindalways

Well I'm out of my house and on my girlfriend's couch. Boy oh boy can I get crabby when cleaning up and getting out of the house.

I'm currently treating my mood with sweet sticky buns ad solitude. I will come around but I'm glad my girlfriend isn't around at the moment.

I'm have a mental list of gratitudes that I will be posting and may work up to doing some gentle yoga.

Ayers

Sunday morning

Enjoy those sticky buns, Bee. And yes, you will come around again -as you always do. No fun in clearing out a house - I would be grumpy too.

Got tea in bed this morning - has only happened about three times in 25 years of married life. Wonder what I did to deserve that. And the worst part is, there was no Rooibos (Redbush) tea for him - so he went dry mouthed . Oops - will put it on my grocery list.

Hope you all have a great Sunday.

Alice, missing your input here, haven't heard from you in a while.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bekindalways

Yeah, I came around and had a much better day on Sunday. Thanks Ayers.

I hung out with girlfriends yesterday which was lovely.

Today hauled a bunch of supplies back to the house and worked more in my rock garden. I probably have about one quarter redone. The moneywort ground cover pretty much takes over everything although it does get some competition from the weeds. I planted 30 tulips too: darkest purple and brightest orange.

Peace to all.

Ayers

Tuesday morning

Glad to hear you are feeling better Bee. Your tulip colour combo sounds lovely !!!

I am getting two extra helpers today in the garden. My gardener is ill again - don't think he is going to come right - heart problems . Here for a day and off for a week at a time. The garden is large and I draw the line at mowing the lawn. That , I won't do. So today I will be pruning large shrubs so the branches can be hauled away.

The timing is perfect for them coming - last night we had a huge wind storm - and with all the very old trees , there are lots of branches laying around this morning.

My son wants to go to Cape Town next year - 10 hours drive from here - to study further. My husband has a way of not addressing things until the last minute (especially things that involve a change) - so , in order to open up the debate - I got a place , offering what son wants to study , a place to stay , etc and laid it on the table.Details, logistics, costs etc. It worked - he got involved, started talking to our son about it , engaged, found alternatives ... and I can now back off. Hee - hah - after being married for a long time you do seem to hone your psychology skills

Thought about how I haven't been plagued by thoughts of drinking - and how only a year ago I would have said that it would be impossible.
That it would take a miracle for that to happen. Well, I guess miracles really do exist. I feel such humbling gratitude !!! And towards all of you who have been on this journey with me and still are.

Lots of love XXXXXXXXXXXX and hugs

Bekindalways

tis the season . . . of change . . . Ayers headed into summer and me headed into winter.

Rented a power washer today and washed the decks. I usually do this too late and it really is too cold when I put the stain on. Ah well.

I always struggle starting single cycle engines and have to ask my neighbor to help. He is 81 with ulcers on his feet and so thin that it is scary. He wil always help me. I am so grateful to him it kinda chokes me up.

Bekindalways

Hey all, we are gettin' a bit lonely here . . . .I'm not sure it isn't time to move camp to the one year and overs but I keep hoping that Kitty will come back.

Today I stained my deck. It came out a deep bright maroon which isn't what I really had in mind however it looks swish spangled with a few yellow aspen leaves. I'm sure it will look festive with a dusting of snow too . . . it will fade with time. Ah well.

I do enjoy working on the house with winter pending but wouldn't mind physically moving camp come January and February to South Africa to hang with Ayers for a while . . . hmmm . . . just kidding Ayers.

Ayers

Thursday morning


Hi all - or should I say Dee , Barbs and Bee. Yes, this class is getting very sparse. But leaving it would be like moving away from home - a dreadful thought.

Bee, it would be absolutely wonderful if you ever felt like coming to hang with me - oh what fun !!!

Your deck actually sounds nice - the maroonish colour - imagine how lovely lime green sweet potato plants in pots will look in summer

Bless your old neighbour , helping you. I can imagine it causing you to choke up like that.

Had a whammer of a day in the garden yesterday - still pruning away shrubs so that the sprinklers can reach all plants - and found a little nest in one of the shrubs - with 3 blue speckled eggs . So I have one shrub standing out - uncut - like a sore thumb . But will wait until they have hatched and left the nest.

Was in bed by 9 last night - bombed out

I am going to tryyyy and post a pic of the garden.

Alice, where have you disappeared to? Miss you.
Katy, you too.

Have a great day, and work in some enjoyment - not just sisyphean tasks xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dee74

Hi everyone

D

Bekindalways

Hey Dee, thanks for your ongoing support here. It does make a difference.

I had another day of working on the house. When it comes to knitting and sewing, I will experiment and try different things but any carpenters/plumbing/electricity I just don't know much and don't know how to use the tools. With the advice of some friends, I figured out how to stabilize the deck railing with a few big lag screws. I'm feeling disproportionately proud of myself.

Another interesting moment of the day, was looking over and seeing a very cute bear on the neighbors lawn. It evidently was on a schedule of some type and didn't hang around.

Ayers

Friday morning

Hi Dee and Bee.

Now that's another thing we don't have here - a BEAR on the neighbour's lawn !!! That must be so amazing !!

Good on you for fixing the rail - heavy duty DIY calls for disproportionate pride in my books.

Got a bit of a chat embargo in my house at the moment. I made a silly comment and now my husband is ignoring me Oh well, he is going to lose a lot of weight - he's also not eating the food I cook or drinking his morning cup of tea I made - with love.

Luckily I have my son, dogs , cats and plants to talk to

I cannot get the KB's to 97 without the pic getting very small. Would love to share more pics but find it very frustrating. Also don't want to download one of those "free" apps that do it for you - they always come with strings attached.

9a22713b-7180-4e5c-93be-08136a299fb1.jpg

Hope you can see this without using a magnifying glass .
Have a wonderful day XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ayers

That grey thing - infront of the white roses , is my fishpond - Kermit the frog and his family's hideout

Dee74

Ayers you can always upload from your device to a site like 'Postimage' and get a link that way - used it for years - no strings attached

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...our-posts.html (How to put pics in your posts)

D

Barbs

Good morning

Ayers, thanks for the lovely picture. Everything coming to life there as everything here is preparing for winter.

Bee, you are such a handy person. You deserve to be proud

I had a little fall last night trying to get the pup (Harley) in for the night. She is obsessed with the chipmunks so I had to go out to get her and didn't see that she had torn down part of a stone wall. Just some minor cuts and bruises but they kept me from my workout at the gym this morning, ugh.

Hi Dee

I hope everyone has a beautiful weekend. Love to all

Dee74

Hi Barbs

D

Ayers

Thanks Dee

Hi Barbs > Hope you are okay after the fall. (())

Bekindalways

Ayers, I love that picture of your spring garden. If I was there, I would try to catch your frog and dig weeds with you . . . . hmmm . . . that last may be a reckless offer as I wouldn't know the weeds from the flowers in South Africa!

Barbs, I hope you heal. I'm not sure how old you are but it sure is different to take a tumble in your fifties rather than at fifteen. How are the cravings? Also how is the new business going?

The Dad from my borrowed family and I have got a semi habit of doing 10 min of yoga at 9:00. Like my Dad he does not have much of a yoga body. I want to start a youtube channel of yoga for old fat guys as most yoga instructors seem to be young slim women. Bodies just work differently.

Well the sleet/snow will be keeping me inside most of the day. Days like this I kind of have to winch myself from task to task.

I have my 3 tiny tasks at a time routine. With this technique I managed to schedule a back flow test, floss, contact a couple of friends, and call my Dad.

Now to look up local electricians, set up the sewing machine, and fold some laundry . . . .sigh . . . days like today are a bit tough for me.

(I'm remembering Alice's challenge about reading and exercise. I need some structure, community and motivation so I may hack away at Frankenstien and try to get another 20 min of exercise)

Keep the faith all with whatever is coming your way!

Bekindalways

I did do 35 minutes of exercise total yesterday. Also read a bit more of Frankenstein or the modern prometheus . . . . what the heck is a "prometheus"??

Today 15 min of yoga, laundry and called my dad as usual.

Also I found some super useful information on tightening screws with stripped holes and put it to use. It took some problem solving but it worked. Sunny day although pretty cold. It is supposed to snow in the next couple of days . . . aargh.

My borrowed family is somewhat of a refugee family and there are other refugee families in town. I want to go to mass with them to be sure the newest family knows where the church is and I can introduce them to the priest.

I am such a "do gooder" and often fall on my face as I try to do things that probably irritate people rather than help. Discussing the situation with my borrowed family, the teenager told me that Refugee-A does not like Refugee-Y. Both of these people are teenage girls so I suppose no surprise there. It does make me shake my head at myself and my own arrogance . . . ah well . . . this is when I trundle off to the Friends and Family forum to seek out other codependents trying to stay on their side of the street!

Bekindalways

Good morning from a more snow day in the Rocky Mountains.

Alice, if you are still around I wan't you to know that I read up to page 673 of Frankenstein and did another 15 minutes of yoga with my favorite Elena Malova (I practice Spanish doing this too as she is from Chile).

Alrighty then I am off for 15 minutes of sewing and then will call my Dad . . . hmmm . . . I may call my Dad first.

Keep on keeping on all.