TToT and Another Down and DIrty *Unsticking Update

September 18, 2015September 18, 2015 zoe30 Comments

UPDATE:

*The only thing I can say about the update is it’s been a week of hypograts and setbacks. I’m happy to say I stuck to the plan, but some stuff is just gonna take longer due to circumstances beyond my control … Not gonna dwell there…

** Overall I am feeling a lot better since finding out I had an injury from a car accident last week. One minor surgical procedure later and I am almost pain free. I was able to get a transfusion to kick off treatment this week that I thought was going to have to be delayed until the more acute problem was resolved. I don’t want to delay anything… just get it over with…

TToT:

…feeling better (see above)**
…out of hospital
…well enough to go back to work Saturday
…car is able to be repaired ok not this good, but still…
…really great irl friends
…met everyone from internet last week and had a great time
…it was totally worth the car wreck
doug
doug
rule 6.78 subsection 45t of the SBOR/BOSR states if one is rendered incapacitated for any reason (self inflicted or otherwise) one may use said rule to cover an additional item of gratitude in addition to using ones favorite item twice in the same list. Of note is the two repeated items must be used in succession prior to the use of said rule making the culmination of all three items as listings 8,9, and 10 on a traditional TToT list. ***all this for the price of one dance, so say the SGV.

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IT’S A LATE TToT

August 2, 2015August 2, 2015 zoe12 Comments

Doug of course

I went to the Norman Rockwell Museum today…I took it for granted that people would know who he was but found out they don’t necessarily…He was an American Painter from the Berkshires of Massachusetts. He painted things like this… Some people are not fond of his stuff … I wasn’t actually at all until I went and saw the paintings in person. You have to respect his talent. BUT… I went to see an exhibit of Roz Chast who is a cartoonist for the New Yorker Magazine. I treated myself and bought this as a reward for a week of hitting my ” Unsticking” goals. It’s about anxiety and the things that make people panic from A to Z. It’s very funny.

The painting of the officer and the runaway kiddo is from a photo taken at a local diner. People come from all over to eat there. It’ s a diner, but of course, yes… I have been there.

I spoke to Lizzi and Josie today which is always a treat.

I am happy to live in a place that has quaint things like Joe’s Diner (above) and that the general store still has the cash register from when they opened in the 1890s. and it goes without saying it’s a super cool store. That sign on the gumballs is 1cent. ( HEY there isnt a cent sign any longer on keyboards…) ahahaha. The new shoes are paying off. The pain in my feet has reduced to a very dull roar… and athletic taping has taken some of that credit as well. I am so thankful for a background in PT so I can treat myself some and do the proper exercises that are so totally paying off. I was able to raise up on toes today. I have to hold on to a counter but I did it . I wasn’t able to do that for weeks. That said I was able to take a short walk today without cane or assist dog… just Doug who could use his own guide dog these days. My kitchen table is still cleaned off. I don’t think I got overly optomistic and tried really hard to stay realistic with my ability to keep things in their places. You know, when you get totally unrealistic during cleaning ? I’m really grateful for the understanding of friends when making plans … surprisingly people who hardly know me are far more able to accept my limitations of endurance etc. I guess it’s because you have no background of knowing me another way, either way it is appreciated … thanks Kristi and Clark… I’m also going back to work tomorrow and yesterday I wasn’t okay with it, but today I am. I am finding my way to the next step of the “Unsticking Project.” Have a good week.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You … the TToT Continues…

August 1, 2015August 1, 2015 zoe25 Comments

Progress on the great “Unsticking Project:2015” is vaguely as follows:

STAGE 1 : DONE AND STILL IN PLACE AND WORKING
STAGE 2: MY PART IS DONE AND I AM AWAITING NEWS THAT WILL ALLOW ME TO MOVE INTO THE NEXT STEP OF THIS GOAL
STAGE 3: PHYSICALLY DONE. EMOTIONALLY – WORKING ON IT.
STAGE 4: STAY TUNED!

I am in a conundrum at present as the next step is rather obscure and will take some thought to even figure out what it is… I will let ya know when I know if I feel comfortable letting anybody know. Y’know? ( hmmm, I sense Clark may be channeling somewhere).

All of that being Thankful number one… off we go

I don’t mention him nearly enough (ahem), but Doug is doing better both cognitively and physically. He seems to be continuing in his recovery from the stroke he had a few weeks back. He is even back to taking selfies.

We had an odd occurence this week with the girls. We usually let them go free ranging every day for part of the day. We unfortunately found a pile of feathers one night and four of the girls were missing. Later that evening when Doug and I were taking the last stroll of the night I saw one of the girls run across the lawn ( I thought we had everyone tucked into the coop for the night) . I went down to investigate and do a little chicken herding when another ran across my path. Doug and I managed to wrangle them inside and went back to the house. Over the next three days three more of the girls came back. I’m no math scholar, but even I know that’ s one more girl than we had in the first place. But it didn’t stop there. Another girl came to roost at the coop. None of our immediate neighbors raise chickens so unless there’s some mysterious chicken commune out in our woods I can’t explain it. The additional girls are not ours… Ours have a band on their right leg. These girls don’t. And whose feathers were those?

I have two local friends struggling with some serious illness. They are both doing so much better. It has been a long haul for them both and hope is they will stay on their current paths.

I am hoping to head out to a museum today… just wanna.

I have the luxury of doing what I want to do on a Saturday because I don’t have to work today.

This week was quite productive and my closet, house and psyche are all somewhat clearer.

The kitchen table top hasn't been this clear in over a year. — The kitchen table top hasn’t been this clear in over a year.

Not fond of the blue rug, but LOVE the flowers.

I have had a series of injuries that have made walking difficult so I had to buy some new shoes. They have greatly improved upon the amount of pain I am experiencing with any sort of ambulatory activities! I am also grateful for my previous profession in PT as it has proved inavaluable previously and now… not to mention thank you, God for the person who thought up athletic tape!

I decided to rotate the art and offered loans to some office friends.

I am also so very grateful for bloggy friends. This community really is a special thing and I feel privileged to be part of it… I don’t think I need to expound on that as I think everyone knows of what I speak.

OH HEY, DID I MENTION DOUG?I hung this over his water dish in the hallway… the one on the right anyway…

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TToT

July 3, 2015July 4, 2015 zoe31 Comments

Not a fan of the 4th of July, but on the plus side??? My doggie is deaf, even if I am not.

Things are growing.

My brother stopped by on his way home from visiting my mother. We live a few states apart. We don’t get to see each other much. Maybe once or twice a year.

Six Sentence Stories has attracted a few of the most unlikely of storytellers.

The fox made an appearance this week. He did get one girl, but I’m glad it was only one and Ms. Daisy Dyllon had full wings enough to fly up into a tree.

My buddy Richard is visiting Sweden, Norway and Iceland, but I did manage to update his blog this week… go take a peek! I made a journal for his wife some time ago, as she likes to chronicle their trips. She is one of the few people I know who have actually used one of the books I’ve made… For some reason people don’t like to use them… I love that she uses it!

Have I ever told you about Doug, and how much I appreciate him? He’s been going through a bout of insomnia lately . He’s been doing that every so often since the dementia has progressed. He will settle down again soon I suspect, but in the mean time we have some late nights and a lot of belly rubs … well , he gets a lot of belly rubs… I get a tired arm and a pretty grumpy morning constitution. BUT, I am still grateful for him as he is still healthy and seems to be happy despite being a bit out of his gourd.

HEY AND DON’T FORGET THERE’S A NEW CONTEST!*

*I just have to figure out the prize! 😛

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TToT two fer two weekend

June 27, 2015 zoe22 Comments

1. Six Sentence Stories is consistent and that’s the best I can hope for… there is a new cue up…here.

2. I know you didn’t miss them …but I did, and as soon as we all realize this is about me we will all be happier. There is a new contest page up on the header up there! You have a little more than three weeks if you’re interested.

3. I tend to be a big fan of cognitive behavioral therapy and last week in the NY Times there was an article touting the benefits of my favorite practice. I don’t practice to the exclusion of all else, but I do think it can be rather effective. Anyhow… they had this cool site on there that I went to and tried it out and found it was…well… pretty cool. It’s helpful for anxiety and depression and studies have proved that statement. https://moodgym.anu.edu.au/

4. I’m grateful to have solid relationships that if someone metaphorically stomps on the others toes, we can be honest about it and the relationship can survive it. Everyone makes mistakes. I’m glad I’m cool with that and my friends are too.

5. I got a very cool package in the mail today… complete with Doug toy … You can blame Val for the contest… she sent that cool pen and journal for writing limericks and well, one maniacal thought led to another…. THANKS!( I love the bracelet! )

6. I’m starting to connect with how much having a spiritual life keeps me calm. I kind of fell into a cesspool of grief this week and lost site of that piece of my life… Calm is not what has ensued. I feel pretty disregulated. Hopefully this too shall pass, and I will find my horse and climb back on.

7. I don’t know if you recall I was putting up a vision board to help me maintain some focus? It seems the car thing is working in that I changed the oil and topped off fluids in an effort to keep my old gal running a bit longer. I used to do that sort of thing a lot but, haven’t done that myself in a while. I wanted to save a few bucks so I did it and it was fun.

8. I’m also investigating some time away toward the end of the year. I am going to have to work a bit more I think, but it should be temporary. To be continued…

9. Douglas

10. Friends are heading out today to Sweden, Norway and Iceland. I’m going to miss them because we hang out every week. I pray they have a safe trip. I read this week that Iceland is supposed to be the most peaceful place on earth… let’s hope that’s the truth.

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TToT: SOMETIMES YOU NEED A CAST IRON BUNNY

June 26, 2015June 26, 2015 zoe53 Comments

Turns out Duct Tape doesn’t work on everything, sometimes you need to use a cast iron bunny to weigh things down. My phone wasn’t charging again and it wouldn’t do a thing unless it was taped and weighted down with Mr. Bun Bun here. It didn’t last long but I’m grateful that July is the end of the phone contract … time to get a new phone.

Duct tape is also pretty ineffective on emotional stuff. It’s been a tough week and emotionally I’ve been kinda raw. I’m working on it. I’m grateful for an opportunity to process some of the life junk.

Sometimes you have to resort to making cookies. Even if you can’t eat them, there is something satisfying about the smell of warm cookies. It can be enough when duct tape just won’t work. These went a really long way; a few went to two friends who I was meeting for breakfast, a few to my buddy who just found out she needs surgery, and a couple to my neighbors. They were oatmeal raisin with walnuts and candied ginger.

When all else fails you may need to just stop and smell the flowers or glory in the miracle of life

These little guys were born a few weeks ago. They are labs and adorable. If puppies and kittens aren’t available there is always the garden to appreciate miraculous growth.

Or you may just have to go with the old standby and a nap. This was a glorious nap. We both needed it and I just happened to wake up in time for a selfie… That’s my nose back there.

…another old standby. The girls are pretty cool to have around.

This week I decided to keep the Six Sentence Story link open until Tuesday because last week several people missed the deadline. I dunno if that was wise or not… will reassess.

I also got to do a dry run of the live TToT chat for tomorrow. It’s at 10:30 Saturday a.m. and you can go grab the invite through Facebook… The more the merrier. That Wakefield Doctrine guy is setting it up… rumor has it the English may be represented, if ya know what I mean. Either way I got to meet Val tonight and she was just like she was supposed to be in person! She sounds like I expected and was nice and smiley like I expected … so if ya do nothing else come and meet Val! Hahhahhaha! Poor Val! Sorry, Val! (Not really,) I really did like meeting you!

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<!– end InLinkz script —

TToT

June 13, 2015June 14, 2015 zoe43 Comments

1. The Six Sentence Stories (cue on Sundays, link on Thursdays) seems to be catching on… I’ve always liked this when Josie did it too because how hard is it to read six sentences? Sometimes I have a hard time making enough time to hop around enough…but six sentences feels doable to me… If you want to read some quick and fun posts the link is still there.

2. Doug

3. peonies in the yard

4. creative solutions

5. lovely vignettes

6. A friend asked me to participate in a vision board project. There are really only four things on mine. one: Make my car last until I absolutely need a new one … figure out how to make that happen because it’s coming. two: edit the book by removing the part I objected to from the start. It’s keeping me from wanting it published. I had reasons to refuse publication when it was offered two years ago, but one has resolved and the other is the part of the book that I am uncomfortable with. I wanted to remove this section all along, despite what the publisher wanted… too bad… If it doesn’t get published, I’m okay with it… as long as it’s still my book. three: Improving my spiritual life, and four: More disposable income to have an affordable vacation that doesn’t coincide with time off for medical reasons.

7. zinnias

8. SBOR/BOSR and the dance of the seven virgins.

9. Harriette

10. SBOR 1.3 or is it 3.1 I can never recall… commence with the dance!

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Vicarious Travel, Limericks, and the TToT

June 7, 2015June 7, 2015 zoe20 Comments

Friends are travelling this week and I get to travel vicariously through them. I used to travel tons. It was one of my favorite things really. My health has changed a lot of that, but I may need to make an exception in order to keep my sanity.

This may come as a shock but, I have a dog. I am pretty grateful for his furry little behind.

Ever do that thing where you’re just running in for a minute so you leave the back door open? You gotta be careful, cuz you never know who is gonna wander in…

I’m also pretty happy with rounding the house to see these blooming…

and the front looks nice too… not to mention the garden is starting to come up… We mulched right after this photo so now it looks like we just have rotting leaves in the garden.

Six Sentence Stories:I’m having some fun coming up with cues for Six Sentence Stories. I try not to bias myself by thinking up a story line and THEN the cue cuz that wouldn’t be kosher. I do try to think up a word that can be used as both a verb and a noun… a same spelling, different definition kind of thing.

I’m also so grateful that people want to play! I was thankful last week for people even giving it a thought and intention… My friend Candy reminded me of that this week, and I stand on the same ground. The intention may lead to joining in, and that would be extra cool! So be sure to get over to find out the cue on Sundays so you can be thinking… You have until Thursday and technically you have until Saturday A.M. to link up … six sentences , no more, no less… makes it easier to read and write if you ask me!

I updated Richard’s photography blog… I really like doing that because there are so many beautiful shots and he is such a good friend. It’s really the least I could do. He sees it differently, but he would.

And if you recall Saturday’s TToT:

I’m trying this thing with the writing

Even though I don’t find it exciting,

But I can only bitch,

To David and Rich,

For so long before

They start biting.

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Apparently the Trick is to Really Wallow In It

June 6, 2015June 6, 2015 zoe36 Comments

source

I could take a lesson from my dog and others. I am so stuck. I have mentioned this before, but man I’m stuck. Apparently I’m not enjoying the mud enough. Maybe that’s why I’m not getting out of it. I’ve finally identified what’s holding me back. It a set of three things. So maybe I can better pull myself from the mud now that I know what’s in it. I talked to a friend (my best) about it and he as always suggested/demanded writing. Sigh. Then I spoke to my therapist about it (cuz y’know you can’t spit without hitting a therapist in therapy… bunch of wounded healers that we are). The following is part of a conversation that took place:

“You know what I’m going to say. I’ve said it to you before. I say it all the time, but I’m going to say it again.”

“What? Say it, go ahead I dare ya…. Say it.”

“F****** write something!” We were now both talking at the same time. “You’re good at it! You know how to edit yourself! You have a great story if you weren’t so reticent all the time to tell it! It’s free and it won’t take a toll on your body!”

While at the same speed I whined “You don’t get it. I have no ideas! I talk to people who write and they have TOO MANY ideas. I had ONE…I am a get-things-done person … I am NOT the Mickey Rooney character who says ‘I have an idea! Let’s put on a show!’ I’m Judy Garland saying ‘Yeah, my dad has a barn and we can be the actors!’ What she doesn’t say is ‘if someone comes up with an idea for a plot, cuz I don’t have any freakin’ ideas!’”

So I spent some time writing about this … This piece goes on, but I’m not posting it because he’s right, I AM reticent… this is a big deal for me to say this much… (apparently repeatedly doesn’t matter as much! lol) I wrote about it because I didn’t want to have to tell them both I didn’t try it before I told them they were wrong… Okay , maybe they’re not, but I’m not sure yet…. anyway… that’s the pulse of what’s going on in my head… let’s move on…

1. Misery loves company… I have read a few other posts … not alone out here that’s for sure.

2. But it also loves it when others are doing better… read some other posts as well that went in the other direction…

3. What’s App is a cool free app and I am really grateful for it… I got some “talking” done with a few folks this week…

****oh, BTW! He liked the untouched photo! **** don’t worry if you don’t know what that means it was meant as a coded message! doo, dee, doo, doo….****

4. This is from a calendar in my office. The little rainbow in the lower left corner is penguin shaped and not in the original photo . It is a projection from a prism in my office window that shoots rainbows all over the room in the morning. Its great, and I love how this one landed in just the right spot! I sent the photo to Richard who gave me the calendar and Barb who gave me the prism…The Christmas gifts that keep on giving! Thanks you guys!

5. I’m happy to live in a place where the girls can run free range… They are really happy chickens… well, gauging it by my meter they are. It’s like having 20 little pets… they come running whenever they see one of us come out of the house… I’m not sure why because we don’t feed them outside of the coupe… so you would think they would just keep on doing what they’re doing… That’s Dyanne’s girl Daisy Dillon up there!

6. This is a picture in the oncology infusion center. I really love it… it’s my favorite and there is a ton of art there that I’m sure is much more recognized, maybe even better… but it’s the original painting and I love the colors. It makes me happy to see it …when you have to be there anyway there should be good stuff to see. The people there are like that too. Colorful, originals, and I like seeing them.

7. Have I mentioned Doug lately? He wanders pretty free as well…

8. We have a great back deck that Doug and I got to enjoy when I was writing about bitching at my therapist…

huh?

9. I love seeing this little wren hanging out in her birdhouse on the front lawn… That’s her little head poking out up there. It’s also the end of the lilacs… got one more big bunch from them…

10. Finally got to the post office to mail out my 100 TToT box… Look for it! Our post office is a unique and wonderful place. If you live in a small town you most likely know of what I speak… It’s quite the little Maybarry- esque place… It’s in a house and it’s very tiny, the back wall practically hits you in the face when you walk in. The post master is a hoot that decorates for every season, and I suspect she creates a few of her own. There is always free zucchini surplus in the summer and often free samples from our local Avon person… this week was bath gel…

The shingles have progressed, and the day after infusion is a bit hairy so I have today off…. a mixed blessing… one part “ding dong the witch is dead,” one part “Really, this is my one Saturday off?” … Enjoy the mud, Enjoy the mud…. Have a good weekend…

I’m off to lie down for a bit… C’mon Doug!

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TToT. I WENT TO WORK ANYWAY.

May 30, 2015May 30, 2015 zoe20 Comments

I woke up Saturday morning with a return of shingles. I had them two weeks ago and chased them away with an antiviral med. I guess a little too much stress brought them back, once the meds were done keeping them at bay. So I went to work, because contrary to popular belief, shingles are not contagious unless you have the nasty skin and its all open and disgusting and stuff. None the less, I decided to call my clients and let them make up their own minds about whether they wanted to be exposed or not.

I ended up doing paperwork and sadly after six hours of that… I’m closer, but not even close to caught up. There is an excess of bureaucratic paperwork in psychiatry. It’s no wonder it’s full of a bunch of wounded healers, the paperwork has driven us all over the edge. I’m glad I did make a huge dent in it though and as Clark would say there is a hypograt in there of I wouldn’t have had time to do that without the viral issue.

other grats? Yeah sure there are always a few. Here is the old standby ….

DOUG! I dunno what I’m gonna do when Doug decides it’s time to move on. I’m not gonna think about that, and just keep enjoying him right now.

Slippery staircase banisters:

I live in a great place where I can see this daily.

THE CUE IS UP FOR SIX SENTENCE STORIES! It was very cool last Thursday even if the stupid badge won’t work on WordPress.

I can look out the open window and see chickens. Not Daisy’s best side. Sorry, Dais.

Richard has been taking lots of photos… I want to get them posted on his blog . There’s some really cool baby eagle shots! He gave me this one. I hung it in my office. I have a bird thing and I love cormorants. They have huge feet… I am also fond of the blue footed boobie…

MOST LIKELY A FEMALE CLARK... NOTE THE FOOTWEAR. — MOST LIKELY A FEMALE CLARK… NOTE THE FOOTWEAR.

Okay, some of that is the name, but what cool feet…

I appreciate my neighbors every day. Just cuz.

Richard took this photo too its from this cool little consignment place in town. I like to peruse when I’m wasting some time .

This is for Marcia over at Blogitudes… Richard took this photo too.

Have a great Sunday …. be careful out there this week.Be sure to check out Six Sentence Stories and Lizzi’s logo contest!