Another morning was wasted reminiscing and making an avatar that tells something of my past. I am not totally pleased with it, but it does tell my story, at least in part, of being a tough, stubborn, and determined mountain woman. It is true that on hot days especially when sawing lumber, I took off my shirt and spent the day with just my bra on top. I might mention there was nobody else around where I fell and sawed, so it was no biggie. The, sawing in a bra photo, was taken by the lady that ran the chainsaw shop with her husband. They used it on their 1980 calendar advertising their chainsaw shop.
What looked like a mundane day, has taken a turn. Out to lunch then over for a pedicure with a friend. I am still unhappy that covid wrecked the spa's longtime tradition of serving wine and beer. I look forward to the leg rub and hot rock treatment.
I feel lost doing senior forums these days. The things so many of you have taken up and doing in your old age, I did in my youth and middle years and don't care to do again. I love to reminisce, but very few care about the past and that makes perfect sense on a senior's forum. Dealing with our current daily life, seem to be what is of interest as it rightfully should be. So many of you are studying alternative medicines and therapies. I understand that since old age brings about maladies that doctor prescribed medicines may have little effect. I studied all of these and experimented with such in my younger years and my lack of input doesn't mean I am not interested, but rather I already know how these therapies work and use a few of them in collusion with the few pharmaceuticals I take. I use vitamins made in the USA. I don't use many herbs these days because of the scarcity of clean products and they are minimally effective. There isn't one herb that cures all, it simply does not exist. I think about all the things I have accomplished in the past and realize that it doesn't matter. We live in a different time and with all the technology, what I accomplished or discovered 40 years ago, isn't the same to the youth and middle-aged today, as my using knowledge and experiences from my grandparents was 40 years ago. The mindset and reference point kids have today doesn't even resemble the mindset of kids back during our youth. I was inspired to play guitar this morning. My lack of practice has my fingers tender, so I must toughen them up again. If I think about it, I have no reason to even play since I don't perform around other people. Before COVID, I was invited to play at a classical guitar meeting during their quarterly meeting. I hadn't played in front of anyone for 20 years. I was well-practiced and confident, but when I started I realized my hands were stiffening up and I was nervous as a cat passing peach seeds. I bombed! I can't find a single photo I like for my avatar. I tried taking some new ones but they were just terrible. Big yearly cancer testing coming up that includes a good scoping investigating both the entrance and the exit of my gastrointestinal system. Just for grins, also have an appointment tomorrow to check a possible skin cancer in a dangerous spot on my head and also the spelunking and possible minimal surgical maintenance of my personal girl business. Whoopie!!! Anyway, just some thoughts on this cold morning.
Some thought back at you: The stuff you write here is almost always interesting and thought provoking. .You seem to have a wealth of capabilities and experiences that does matter, if not to you than perhaps to others. Be thankful for them. Hang on to your sense of humor. It's a good one. You avatar doesn't really matter. Most ladies look better than they think they do.and you're probably no exception,. The best alternative therapies and medicines are those things and activities that interest your brain. I always feel somewhat lost in senior forums as my thoughts, interests and activities do mot match my age.
Thanks to all of you for your comments of appreciation. I am touched, amazed, and pleased that I received such kind comments and I didn't even make a ranting grand exit door-slamming post hahaha!
Reminiscing and telling stories are pretty much what I had in mind when I started the forum eight years ago, although I didn't expect to ignore current challenges and goals. I love hearing about what life was like growing up for people in other places in the world, or at other times. Whenever I come across a childhood memoir in Kindle format or book form on Amazon or eBay, I often buy it and have read many of them. I particularly like the ones that were not written by professional authors, but by people who were probably writing for themselves or for their families. Similarly, I have read a lot of Civil War memoirs, including several by famous generals or other officers on both sides of the War, but I have most enjoyed the ones that were written by regular soldiers, most of whom didn't want to be there and didn't give the impression that they were writing history. The ones written by the generals were often interesting but comparing the memoirs written by regular soldiers with those written by the generals was comparable to listening to someone tell their story and listening to a prepared speech. I am interested in some of the discussions here about World War II history, as I have read numerous books and taken courses on the subject since, second only to the Civil War, I have always had an interest in that era of history. I don't often join in these discussions because, although I have a large bookcase full of WWII history, I don't have the time to check my facts, and I know that there would be someone hanging around there to correct me if I had a date or a name wrong, and I don't have the time to do the research. As far as relevancy goes, I am tremendously happy that I grew up when and where I grew up because, while there have surely been other good places and times, these are mine and I treasure them. Insofar as interest goes, I don't hesitate to tell my stories here because I'm really telling them for myself, and if someone else is polite enough to give me a like or to make a comment, so much the better, but I don't live for that. When it comes to Avatars, don't be concerned. I don't expect anyone to look as pretty as I do.
Yes, you set the bar much too high, sniff sniff! It isn't fair that you should have such pretty long hair.
A nice young man came on time and had my refrigerator icemaker replaced in 15 minutes. I was happy to pay the price as it was very reasonable. I have mixed feelings because I have always done that kind of thing myself. I guess as we age and give up things we once did, remembering the last time we did it, brings mixed feelings. Now waiting for my doctor's appointment and trying to convince myself to go for my walk and pick up a few items I need at the grocery store. It is cold again today and going to be colder for the next couple of weeks. I better finish the soft-serve chocolate ice cream I got yesterday.
That's how I feel when I pay someone to shovel my roof, the one part of the roof that needs shoveling. Only a few years ago, I was doing that myself.
Cleared for any skin cancer. Lots of blood tests and updated tetanus shot. Next week off to visit the gastrointestinal surgeon for cancer screening. Hopefully, something can be done to help my hiatal hernia besides serious surgery.
Sometimes I amaze myself! Yes, I do! After a few years of swallowing problems, especially in the evening, and all the talk of medications and surgeries for my hiatal hernia that seems to get worse with age, last evening genius struck me after I attempted to swallow my big flaxseed oil and vitamin C 100mg pill. They got stuck above the hernia and I choked and like a cat hacking up a fur ball, I exited them skillfully capturing them in a paper towel for reuse. It was then I asked myself, "Why not?" "Yes, you old floozy, you have nothing to lose," was the voice speaking to me from myself. So I tried it! Yes, I did! A nice gob of Voltaren diclofenac sodium topical gel was applied directly to my throat where the inflamed hernia resides veiled behind other tissue and dressed with old skin. It thought it was hidden, but I put the bitch on the run. Yes, I did, and just 30 minutes later not only could I swallow both pills at once, but pushing on the hernia area didn't hurt for the first time in years. Yesterday's visit to my PCP and talk of possible major surgery with tubes down my throat for days and all kinds of indecent indignities, I became woke and with just one topical toke of DS gel, the inflammation was gone and that ain't no joke. I am going to apply it daily, keeping the bitch on the run, and impress the surgeon with my sudden lack of inflammation, less coughing, and smoother swallowing. I am always impressed with myself when I find a way to deal with a medical malady without oral medication or surgery. If the cancer surgeon finds me cancer free after her spelunking, then look out folks, because the old Faye will be back, but in a more socially conducive way than in her tarnished past. '