GET UP AND GO

I think my get up and go got up and went. This blog has helped me through a lot of situations and I've met a few new online friends.  So thank you for that!

For now, I'm giving myself a long break.  I'm volunteering more hours at Hunger Fighters and these two young men are needing more time hauling them hither and yon.

My email is jb97034@me.com if you want to chat!

 

OREGON AT ITS BEST

April showers bring May flowers?

 Maybe this will life your spirits ... it sure did mine.  Childrens voices reach my

 heart.

DOWNSIDE OF SUBURBIA

I had a six month check up with my primary care physician on Tuesday.  The appointment was made six months ago when my daughter did not work on Tuesdays.  Now she does (and loves it).  The appointment was at 1:30 and the boys get out of school at 2:40.  Jesse drove me and wanted to stay as he was hopeful I'd be done by 2:00.

Doc was 15 minutes late (as usual) and very thorough (as usual) and decided to collect my bodily fluids even though I had not fasted.  And a bone scan.  So Jesse left, got the boys and then drove back to retrieve me.  I am now looking into getting us a 3rd car.  My first thought was to rent a car, (Subaru Forester) for a week before buying a used one.  But I really do love the Honda Odyssey (8 years old) for easy in and out ... great gas mileage and uses regular gas.  Kate drive's her Dad's 16 year old Acura MDX that gets low gas mileage and I need an escalator to get in.  And the GPS doesn't work.  In addition, she is a Messy Mouse and uses the back of the SUV for planting equipment and supplies.  She eats lunch in her car and puts used cigarette butts in a jar yet the car smells like smoke anyway.  UCK

So the new plan is that Jesse can pick a used vehicle.  The boys are now in water polo, soccer and math tutoring so he spends the most time in the car.  (Minimum of 2x a week for each activity, sometimes more). For 6 years we've managed with just two cars but it is more difficult as I seem to have an appointment or two every week as well as taking up acupuncture twice a week.

Starting on Monday, I'm doing a long term rental of a medium SUV to hold us over until he finds something.  Especially since he will be helping my niece with her Tiny House to prep for Air BnB business and was limited to only the three days that Kate doesn't work.  (That's a story for a whole other blog ... her friend (tenant for 6 months) destroyed the place, left tons of stuff behind ... hope to do that blog for Thursday!)

Anyway, whichever car is "mine", I won't be hauling empty bottles and cans, drop offs for Goodwill, huge bags of soil and mulch, and other stuff.  I can decide last minute to run out for my favorite salad fixings, a bottle of wine, the library, the bank, and other fun Grandmother stuff.

The second row of seats in the van is littered with little boys masks, wrappers and bags from school breakfast (which they eat on the ten minute drive home).  Having my own car means I can accept an invitation to coffee AND drive to pick up a friend to take along, without embarrassment.

Life is looking good!

PUPPIES

 Babies of all sorts are just plain smile inducing!

ACUPUNCTURE

I tried acupuncture last week.  I went in as a skeptic and am now a believer.  I can't tell you HOW it works but it worked for me.

Acupuncture is one of the oldest, most common, and dependable medical therapies used in the world. It is by nature simple, safe and effective health care.  The ancient practice of acupuncture started in China approximately 3,000 years ago. The first documentation of acupuncture that described it as an organized system of diagnosis and treatment is in The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine, which dates back to 100 BC.

Acupuncture involves the insertion of very thin needles through your skin at strategic points on your body. A key component of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is most commonly used to treat pain. Increasingly, it is being used for overall wellness, including stress management.  I went in for digestion issues (IBS) as they were getting the best of me.  Every day my stomach would ache after eating, small or large portions.  I started getting heartburn and tried Tums.  It was depressing to feel half sick most of the time.

Upon arrival of first visit, you get several pages of questions (on a laminated form to reuse after being input into computer).  First on my mind was my stomach.  Next I am going to try to get more ENERGY and then some relief from foot pain.

My Doctor recommended Working Class Acupuncture as it is soooo affordable!  They have a sliding scale of $20 - $40 whatever you can pay.  Mr Ralph tried acupuncture and massage to ease his bone cancer pain.  He also tried Rieke and they all gave him much relief.  

It is a peaceful and quiet atmosphere with about 15 of the most comfortable recliners.  There is also a small room with two tables for those who require needles on their back.  My therapist, Rachel, walked me over to a chair and got me comfortable.  She placed maybe 15 needles on my body ... hands, hairline but mostly ankles and legs (direct help to stomach supposedly).  Only one felt like a pinch.  Then I could relax there for at least 20 minutes but up to an hour.  So comfy I could fall asleep.  When you feel finished, make eye contact with any provider in the room and they will bring your person and she removed the needles.

Traditional Chinese medicine explains acupuncture as a technique for balancing the flow of energy or life force — known as chi or qi (chee) — believed to flow through pathways (meridians) in your body. By inserting needles into specific points along these meridians, acupuncture practitioners believe that your energy flow will re-balance.

WCA has a list of what acupuncture can reliably and safely help with:

• decrease pain and inflammation, 
• quiet spasms, 
• boost immunity, 
• dispel migraines, 
• shrink swelling, 
• relieve pain in almost any location, 
• regulate hormones, 
• cut recovery time from surgery almost in half, 
• calm anxiety, 
• lift depression, 
• restore mobility,
• improve digestion, 
• and create a deep feeling of rest. 

Acupuncture is also particularly helpful for people with chronic diseases, meaning conditions that can be managed but not cured (cancer, allergies etc). Because some clients often need to take many medications with multiple side effects, acupuncture can greatly improve their quality of life by helping with mood, energy and sleep – without creating any more side effects.

On my way out, unbelievably mellow, I noticed a sign with packages for even less cost!  I bought a package of ten and I'm going twice a week till they run out.  Appointments are made online.  They have licensed providers as well as student interns and are open 7 days a week.  And WCA has four locations.

I'm so glad I got over my skepticism and gave this a try.  I am delighted that coffee now appeals to me again.  I enjoy meals without pain and gas.  I sleep better and deeper too.  I'll keep you posted!

WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE?

 Babies, human or other, are just so darned cute!

I've been sending my sister photos of newborns since she is anticipating her first grandchild, a boy!, in September.  I have so much fun searching for them although I had been doing a DAILY text but I would invest too much time finding just the right one that now I do just one a week.

OLD FASHIONED COOKING

My sister and I were reminiscing about our childhood recently and especially some meal ideas that we never hear about any more.  Some we liked and some we didn't.

Mom was a trendsetter as we had sourdough items for many years.  Pancakes and waffles as well as bread.  I've never been a breakfast eater so I would be delighted when we had breakfast for dinner.  Especially potato cakes (from last night's mashed potatoes) and eggs.  Potatoes were a great low cost side dish and I can eat them in ANY form.  I've never met a potato I didn't like.  Except I was always the peeler of the family and I still hate peeling potatoes!  My fingers would be shriveled.  

Mostly the children had cold cereal for breakfast during the week.  Weekends might be oatmeal or warm rice with cinnamon, raisins and sugar.  If eggs were on sale, oh yummy!

With 5-6 kids on a blue collar one income family, beans were often on the menu.  A simple one that my Dad continued to love was simple baked beans with browned hamburger.  One of my least favorites.  Have you ever had kidney beans on toast?  In a light cheese sauce and during Lent, meatless meals were always on Friday.  I still love it and I might just make some for myself soon.

Salisbury steaks? Yes please.  Cabbage rolls?  Still love them.  When I would go back to Ohio in the summer for a week or two, I'd ask them to make me a list of some freezable meals they rarely made any more, so I could cook up a storm and they could enjoy for a month or two.  Dad had a huge vegetable garden so another frequent low meat meal was green beans, potatoes and ham.  We had two huge freezers so they would freeze fresh stuff to enjoy all year.  Although for some reason she still canned tomatoes and tomato sauce.

Leftover veggies were saved in a tupperware carton in the freezer and when it was full, it was time for vegetable soup.  She had a sweet tooth and was always trying poke cakes, wacky cakes and pudding cakes.  Jellos desserts with Cool Whip too.  Bread pudding was the best ... she froze all the ends and old slices and when she had enough, good enough to die for.  She made the best pies, too.  In fact, I always chose cherry pie for my birthday and Dad chose lemon meringue.

Tuna patties and tuna noodle casseroles were two of my favorites.  Home made chicken and dumplings as well as potpies.  Spaghetti and meatballs were best of all.

OK, now I'm hungry.  Don't even ask how many dozens of cookies were made for Christmas in just one or two weekends!