Merry Christmas to my Blogger Friends!

 

 

 

19th Annual Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade!





It's been a while since I've viewed the Annual Boat Parade!

Sharing some nice photos with you!

 

Thanks Kathy for the invite!

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stinkin' Thinkin'!

 

 

No, No, No more Stinkin' Thinkin'!

 

Just think, if you never emptied the trash in your house, there would soon be a disgusting odor in your home. It's the same with your mind. Your mind is the home of your thoughts.

If you don't release old thoughts, your life becomes bitter with stinkin' thinkin'.  We all have clutter to get rid of.

We will be starting a New Year soon, so start to empty your mental and emotional trash.
 

We all hold on to unhealthy emotions. Just as you empty your trash at home often, you have to do the same with your mind.

 

Each moment is a gift to you, so turn on the light bulb and think!

 

Focus on your priority. Do the best you can right now where you are and with what you have.  I'm working on this myself so you are not alone.

  

Count your blessings! Change will come for the better. 

 

 

 

Life's Circumstances!

When you are suffering from severe chronic pain, you have to learn to walk your path one step at a time because you have no choice.  Life's circumstances are not always what you might wish them to be.

I was recently diagnosed with severe arthritis along with neuropathy.  Ouch!

Beyond any understanding, I’ve been led in many different directions with trial and error with my doctor.  I was told there was nothing I can do about it.  No magic pill to take the pain away.  I kept asking for a referral to a Specialist to get to the bottom of all my new ailments but he kept refusing me.  I was livid!

It all started with swelling in my feet and hands and the tingling and burning sensation is extremely uncomfortable. 

Then to add to the existing pain, I developed pain in my upper arms and could barely get dressed in the morning.  I thought I pulled a muscle at the gym.  Well, xray tests proved it to be severe arthritis.  Ugh.

Sometimes, your current medication can cause havoc with your body.  So, I’m off my statin drug that I take for high cholesterol and the only difference I am experiencing is less pain in my feet only.  I will have to see what else may change after 30 days off the meds.

I was concerned and wondering and questioning the direction my life has taken and confused that my only solution is to exercise in the pool for low impact exercises. 

New medical studies have shown that over the counter meds for pain are now very dangerous to take if taken more than two days per week.  So, I guess that leaves me with five days of great discomfort and two days of a tad bit relief.  I saw this on the nightly News!  My doctor confirmed this new study as well.  So be careful taking OTC meds.

Well, the fact that my new path is before me now. I have researched for some alternative medicines and creams and any forms of Holistic healings available.  

I came up with B-Complex and Alpha-Lipoic Acid supplements and Australian Dream cream to massage in the painful areas.  I noticed a big difference in the cream within two days.  So, if any of you out there are suffering with arthritis or neuropathy issues, try the above mentioned and see if it gives you some much needed comfort.

My pool has turned out to be my best friend these days.  I have put my Silver Sneakers classes on hold, as I cannot do the routine like before as it hurts too much.  However, I do the same exercises in the pool.  It is a plus that I live in Florida and have my pool to aid me with my current issues.

The future is yet to be realized. Today is here and I just have to help myself the best I can. 

My September Trip to Boston!

Had an amazing time visiting my children in Boston!  I always do.  I love my children and family so much.

Jimmy did my hair; he made me look fabulous again!  The only damper to my visit was that when I got off the plane; my feet were so swollen after a three hour flight, they looked like balloons, so after elevating  my feet and icing and fluid pills, they managed to go down a bit but hurt during my entire visit.

Went to the movies with Jimmy and Danny and saw the flick, with Jennifer Anniston called “We’re The Millers ”.  It was funny!

Jimmy took me to his house in Maine and then we shopped all over New Hampshire’s outlets looking for sneakers to fit me for comfort.  Bought a pair that felt good in the store but an hour later, I was still in pain.  If anyone has ever shopped with my son; they will know that it means 8 hours of going in and out of stores!  LOL  The long drive to Maine and return drive to Massachusetts didn’t help my swollen feet either I guess.  I was feeling old and a burden to my children due to my current ailments.

Enjoyed the BBQ Michelle and Bill had at their adorable new home.  I love, love, their new house and so thrilled they are out of that third floor walk-up apartment in Everett.  Oh, and loved that Haddock Italiano at Floramo’s Restaurant.  I enjoyed meeting their new neighbors Rose, John and their dog named, Elvis!

Also, loved visiting Rhonda and Brian at their new home and we all got together again my last night at the Tides Restaurant and Brian’s parents also joined us.

My Classmates of 1962 Lantern Luncheon at Volare's Restaurant:

Rose & Diane

Linda Spag, Joanne N., Linda M.. Elaine,

Lee, Roxanne, Kathy and I can't see the last person on

the far left hand side!  I'm thinking it maybe Joanne Struz.

Sal, Peter, John, Scotty

Joanne Struz, Sal, John

Peter and Diane Whiles

Ethel, Meri, Priscilla

Ethel, Roger, Priscilla

Barbara

John, Scotty, Meri, Patty, Joe, Barbara, Roger, Peter

Ethel, Joe, Priscilla

The Lantern Gang had a luncheon in my honor at Volare’s Restaurant in Revere. We had a large turnout and it was so good to see my old classmates again.  

After the luncheon, Diane and I attended the swearing in of the Revere Firemen as a friend of Diane was being sworn in.  From there, Diane and I headed to her new home in Plymouth.  It was a long ride from Revere.  Congrats Samuel!

Her home is so beautiful and huge!  I think I got lost in it a couple of times trying to find my way back to the kitchen from the bathroom!  LOL 

Diane, Chuckie and I had dinner that night at a local Italian Restaurant and of course I had to have my veal cutlets!

My daughter, Michelle drove to Plymouth the following day to have lunch with Diane and I and then Michelle and I drove back to Revere late afternoon.  It was an enjoyable sleepover at Diane’s house.

Also, met up with my Everett Friends for lunch:

Nina

AnnMarie

Great to see Nina and AnnMarie again.  Nina now lives in Boxford and AnnMaire now lives in Saugus.  I was able to view the low income senior building in Saugus because AnnMarie lives there.  The building and grounds were lovely.  The inside of the building was clean but I could smell smoke in the hallways.  I was informed that the tenants are allowed to smoke in their units. 

They are also allowed pets, all of which I’m allergic to cats and long haired dogs so my thoughts of viewing more rentals in one of these places came to a hault.  The apartments are extremely small which I knew they would be.  I don’t know if I can handle being in an apartment of only 425 square feet.  It felt very confining.

The smell of smoke in the hallways bothered me a lot.  I could hear and feel the wheezing in my chest and knew I could not live there.  These are government owned buildings and I’m surprised they allow smoking.  I thought by now that most all seniors have given up the nasty addiction.  I know only too well how hard it is to give up.

Moving from my house of 5,000 square feet to my current condo was a drastic change for me 16 years ago but I’m in a two bedroom/two bath and 1200 square feet to move around in.  It was a major adjustment but I managed.  I gave a lot of furniture away then and would have to do it again all over again if I choose to elect to go into a low income senior housing unit.  I do very much want to be back in New England and close to my children.  Seeing them only twice a year is not enough for me.  I miss them.

Niece, Susan at Palm Beach Airport

Rose at Palm Beach Airport

Arriving back home!

My niece, Susan returned home with me to Florida.  Again, my feet swelled up from the flight and now included a rash!  Oh my………….The rash had nothing to do with the swelling.  I have such sensitive skin.  I did have a new pkg. of golf socks that were not previously washed.  That could have been the culprit.  One other thing is that walking in Odd Lots stores causes me to itch due to dust mites.  I had sandals on without socks.  Detergents usually are a major thing I’m allergic to.  I know Michelle had clear detergent but I neglected to ask Jimmy what kind of detergent he used as I did some of my laundry while at both homes.

salad, lump crab/broccoli, sweet potato

It was fun having my niece here with me.  We went to the gym together and Susan was on a special diet so she took over the kitchen to prepare all the healthy foods to eat.  We reminisced of old family times and laughed so hard.  Also, mourned the loss of her parents which is my sister and brother-in-law.

We shopped at Mizner Park and had lunch there too.  Susan only found one area in my home that she wanted to stage and that was the bar area in my diningroom that had so many family pictures in frames.  I knew that area was getting to look cluttered.

Susan bought me a lovely large Vase which has not arrived yet as the store had to have it shipped from the factory.

Melissa and Michelle Murray that currently live in Wellington, FL stopped by to visit us.  (Roy’s daughter and granddaughter) both of whom I’ve never met.

Michelle, Susan, Melissa

Michelle, Rose, Melissa

I felt bad that rain greeted us upon our arrival back to Florida and Susan only had two pool days.  We had rain for the remaining days of her vacation here.  Susan took this picture with her SmartPhone by my community pool.

The sun is shining brightly now and the humidity has come down a lot…..the  way I like it.  I still love the cool temps in Boston of 59 degrees and the fresh air going up your nose!  I live in air-conditioning 24/7.  The heat here in Florida during the summer is unbearable and only nice during the short winter months.  

Can’t live without a pool in Florida!

Just realized that I have no pictures of my children in this entry.  We were having such a good time that I forgot to take out my camera.  I hope my daughter has some to share with me.

Dabbling with PSP!

I’ve been dabbling with creating animations since my husband passed away because I found it firstly, therapeutic and then it became fascinating and I was curious and inquisitive which allowed me to continue digging further to uncover most of the tutorials and I haven’t even touched the surface in the past 12 years in PSP!  So, that explains how intense and complicated the program is.  It surely is a work in progress all the time for me.

I’ve been blessed with having so many online graphic ladies helping me along the way.  They are a great group of ladies and part of my online family of friends!

Creating animations involves so much reading, so much practicing, and now attending online classes which makes things a little easier when an instructor is showing you the tools and the tips needed.  Cool, I like it a lot.  Did I mention the best part is that the online classes are free!

I have to continue searching for valuable possibilities to keep my mind occupied, as the best surely will not jump out and shout an announcement themselves.  Widowhood really sucks!  And, we all need an outlet.

Jewelry making is a lot of fun and I love creating great and unusual pieces but how much jewelry do I really need and I’m not interested in selling.

Three days a week of Silver Sneakers Classes are great to help stay healthy and also meet a new group of friends.

In life’s joys, in the problems, in the pleasures and in the disappointments, there are the seeds.  Seeds that we plant along the way of our life’s journey provide innovation and progress. Creating animations was the outlet I needed to fill the void of my lonely evenings.  It gave me the time to look and to wonder, and see value that’s waiting to be created. I search for things to create that my classmates of “62” may get a kick out of for the blog and that I created just for them and also my very first blog, Roses Are Read that encouraged me the most.

It makes me feel good that my friends that I have known all of my life are enjoying that I keep our classmates together after all these years.  We are a special bunch since grade school and all through high school and now we are all approaching near 69-70, we still have each other.  We are all scattered about throughout the United States but close because of the blog because they tell me so.

For me, it is great gratification that a classmate will email me or leave a comment that the blog makes them so happy that we are all still connected!  I'm not sure they are all aware of all the hours I spend doing this for them but I do know they love it and that is enough for me.

Both of my Blogs keep me busy, as I also love to read the blogs of my blogger friends!  Great people out there like my favorite couple, Sherry and Jack and so many more to name but the list would get very long.  Yes, Jimmy from Miami, thanks for the weekly chuckles!

Now, I know where I am but I really need to find an effective pathway to where I really want to go and that is home.  Things are not as easy as it seems.  I’m working on it.  The pathway may look different now, yet it is indeed still there.