STAY AT HOME DAY

I have so much I need to be doing. I always seem to be on the run these days and I really do have a lot of things I need to be doing at home. 

There are always the everyday chores that will soon start to pile up when neglected, and I have been neglecting some of them. 

I have a new light colored carpet that I don't want to get dirty, so I take my shoes off in the front hall. The streets of Atlanta are really dirty and I noticed that my entry hall needs to be mopped more than I really like to do it. UGH!!

I don't have a washer and dryer, so I have to go to the laundry room, which is down one floor from me. It really isn't a problem. I can just pop my clothes in and then come back upstairs while they are washing and drying. The problem is that I really hate to do laundry. Is anyone else with me on that?

Besides my chores, I am trying to build my vintage selling business back up, so I have been out thrifting a lot recently. I love that part of my business, but I need to stay home and take photographs and list what I have purchased. That part of the business is more tedious to me. 

Tedious or not I am not independently wealthy so as the old saying goes, I need to get my butt in gear. 

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NO MORE TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS

I have reached a point in my life where I know I need at least one day a week to rest and relax, and I know that I have no more time or patience for toxic relationships. 

Yesterday was a day of rest for me. I had nothing planned and nowhere I needed to go so I took the day to relax and contemplate some things that are going on in my life. 

source unknown

I meditated, read, and ate foods that didn't require much preparation. 

Something had been bothering me for several days. If you read my blog you know that I am taking water aerobics classes three times a week. I really enjoy it. I feel healthier in mind and body and I have started to make some new friends. 

Making new friends can be difficult as we age, but the class is made up of primarily older women so it's been a nice place to talk to new people. 

However, with that being said I am having a problem with one of the women. She seemed very nice and already had other friends in the class. She told me about a national organization for women over 50 called The Transition Network (TNN), and suggested I might want to join. I researched it and I think it is definitely something I am interested in. She also loaned me a book by one of her favorite authors.

The problem arose this last week when I noticed that she was saying negative things to me, about me, and saying them in front of other women. I noticed that other women in the room were giving us strange looks. I found myself trying to defend myself when I had nothing to defend myself for. 

I also noticed that she made some veiled bigoted comments, which I have no tolerance for. 

I found it all upsetting, so yesterday on my day of rest, as I meditated and cleared my mind I thought about what I should do. At first I thought about going elsewhere to do water aerobics, but then I thought that was ridiculous. I am very comfortable where I am going. Why should I disrupt my life that way.

I am not in middle school and I have no room in my life for mean girls, so what I plan to do is try to distance myself from her and if she says something mean or cutting to me I will deflect her and move on to something else. 

Life is too short to allow others to stress us out. I know for me, a sense of peace and tranquility is more important than ever. 

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PINK

I find pink to be a soothing color. Pink is thought to have a calming effect.

When the morning light sifts through the curtains I can relax with a cup of tea, enveloped in pink. 

The color pink is the color of universal love of oneself and of others.

Pink represents friendship, affection, harmony, inner peace, and approachability.

Pink is associated with giving and receiving care. It's not just for little girls.

So add a touch of pink to your life. You'll be feeling in the pink before you know it. 

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MORE HOUSEPLANTS

I have a confession. I have been houseplant shopping again. Last week I bought a pretty vintage basket at Half off Monday at the thrift store for $2.50. 

What a steal. Right?

Here's where the problem starts. Once I got it home and looked at it for a few days I realized it would be perfect to display a couple of my houseplants. Of course as I looked around at my current plants, I realized I didn't want to move any of them. 

That meant I was forced  needed wanted to purchase a couple of new plants and pots for the basket.

That seemed reasonable to me, and so after water aerobics class I headed across the street to my favorite nurseries. I left the extreme heat of the day and entered a state of nirvana.

The houseplant greenhouse's perfectly controlled climate and wandering around the plants leaves you feeling like you can grow anything.

I had so much self control it was amazing. I picked out four smallish plants and after my discount paid only $19.95. I didn't buy any pots there, instead choosing to go to Lowe's where I knew they would be less expensive. 

I arrived at Lowe's with a plan to get four inexpensive clay pots, but that is where my plan began to fall apart. I wheeled in my cart and picked out four clay pots. I did get three small pots, but I also needed one larger pot. None of them were expensive. (feeling pretty proud of myself)

But wait I needed to buy saucers to go under the pots and oh look at that pretty pot over there. I know it is more expensive than a clay pot, but wouldn't it look pretty on the table by my settee, and if I put back one of the clay pots and saucers it won't be too terribly bad. 

Okay, time to head to the checkout. Wait, look at those sweet little cacti and succulents right by the checkout. I really need two for that unique little planter that I have at home. 

Total at checkout $35.76. So how did that basket that was a steal at $2.50 turn into another $55.71. SIGH!!!

I really need to eat less anyway and maybe this is the universe's way of telling me 

STAY ON YOUR DIET, LAURA !!

That's my justification and I am sticking to it. 

So worth it. Wonder what bargain I will find today.

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FLOWERS AND FAMILY

I hear from so many people that they can't wait for fall to arrive but I am the opposite. I love summer and wish it could go on forever. 

That is one of the reasons that I love living in Atlanta. There is so much more summer here. 

The flowers are so beautiful. My daughter has planted half of her front yard in wildflowers so she has a nonstop supply of fresh flowers for her house.

She plans to plant even more next year. 

These are some of the flowers that people have planted in their gardens where I live.

I don't know about you, but summer flowers always lift my spirits.

Wednesday was a great day. Instead of it being a Tessa and Nana day it turned into a Tessa, Sidney, and Nana day. 

Twice the fun, especially when you are sharing ice cream.

We were able to load up on some craft supplies for my apartment so that Tessa would have something to do when she visits and the girls looked through my mom's jewelry to pick out something for themselves. 

Wednesday would have been my mom's 95th birthday. This was her first birthday since she has been gone. 

This was taken a couple of years ago on her birthday. 

It was so nice to have the girls with me Wednesday. It made the day easier.

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WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU MEATBALLS

So you are probably asking yourselves, right about now, what exactly does that blog title mean. 

Well, you are not alone. I am sitting here scratching my head and wondering what it means too, because I have no idea. I sat down with the idea that I would write a blog post with no idea what I would write about and that just popped into my head. 

That pretty much tells you where my head is. It's not somewhere anyone would want to go. And no, I'm not craving meatballs. I can't even remember a time when I ate meatballs. 

Life continues to be busy. Friday I picked up my daughter Katy and took her to lunch at Mediterranea in Grant Park. It is a favorite place to eat because it is entirely gluten free and the food is wonderful. 

How nice to be greeted at our table with the words "It's so nice to see you. We haven't seen you in awhile."

After lunch we decided to go to a couple of thrift stores. We started at one where everything was super cheap, then we decided to drive up to my area and go to one near me. It was a curated thrift store. There were some really nice things and Katy got a pair of Italian leather boots, but as I was looking for things to resale there wasn't anything for me.

As we were in my neck of the woods, I decided to take Katy to the Westside Market, as she had never been there. She of course loved it. You can read more about it here. I bought her a pretty pair of earrings and a bracelet as she said she had lost at least one of almost all of her earrings. 

Is that the Loch Ness monster coming up out of the middle of that pond? Asking for a friend.

It was a wonderful day, which brought back so many memories of lunch and shopping with her. I was pretty worn out when I got home. I don't remember that part of it. Must be getting old. 

This week is another busy week. The best part of it is that Wednesday afternoon is going to be a Tessa and Nana time. Just the two of us. I can't wait.

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MORE EXERCISE HIGH JINKS AND IT'S A BOOBY TRAP

Well thank goodness my regular water aerobics instructor is back, but I think he was getting tips from the substitute we had because he has really stepped things up. You can read about the substitute here in case you missed it.

I guess I wasn't satisfied with all of the exercise I was getting because I decided to add a regular aerobics class once a week. The nice thing about having a Silver Sneakers membership is that you can take classes at as many places that accept the program as you want. 

I have started going to Decatur every Monday morning to the thrift store because Mondays are half off days. That means everything in the store is half off of their already reduced prices. More on that in another post.

There is an aerobics class practically next door so I decided to join up. The good thing about it is it is at the hospital so when after 30 minutes of nonstop aerobics the teacher gave us a break, and while other people were getting water, I was contemplating calling 911. 

Who knew I was still in such pathetic shape after over two months of the water aerobics classes. 

Never fear though, I am nothing if not a masochist and since I've never actually ever had any heart problems I hung out for the weight training session. 

The best thing about the class's location is that when it is over I can pop across the street to the booby trap or as you probably know it Home Goods. What is it about that store that doesn't let you get out without buying something. 

 I think I may have spent close to an hour in there? How is that possible? For years, due to pitiful knees, I hated to shop. Now I am like a completely different person. It was cheaper being in pain. 

I did find something I was looking for though. A wall hanging coat rack. As you can see it is bare wood so I am planning to paint it. It was only $19.99. 

Maintenance said they will give me some of the trim paint that is in my apartment so once I get that I can get it painted and then get them to hang it. 

Friday I am planning to take my youngest daughter to lunch and spend the afternoon with her. I haven't had much of a chance to really talk to her so I am looking forward to catching up. I'll take my other daughter another time. It will be nice to have alone time with each of them. 

Busy, busy.

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TIME SLIPS AWAY

One thing I have noticed as I grow older is how easily time seems to slip away.

Time by minutes slips

away, first the hour ,then the day.

Small the daily loss appears,

Yet soon it amounts to years.

                      

                                    - Ronald Tierney

I remember when I was a child how time seemed endless. The summer days lasted forever. Days in school seemed to drag on and I was often glancing at the clock to see when I would be free.

When I entered adulthood time still seemed to be infinite. I thought college would go on forever, marriage would last until the end of time, and the sound of my children's laughter and squabbling would always be there.

None of that happened. Time moved forward, and as it moved forward its pace quickened. 

Each year seemed to shorten. I remember several years ago my sister saying, in July, "well, tomorrow it will be Christmas".  

We laughed about that, but I realize now how the time between Christmases has shortened. 

These days I text her on Friday night and say, "Oh look it's the weekend again. What happened to the rest of the week?".

My days are full. I seem to have settled into a routine and the rhythm of that routine seems to comfort me.

Each morning I sip decaf tea or coffee from my favorite mug as the oatmeal bubbles on the stove. 

I think about the day ahead and what my plans are.

Then I take time to read a little of a favorite book while I eat breakfast. This morning it is a new novel by one of my favorite authors, Linda Castillo.

Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays , and Saturdays I have planned morning activities so I am out of the house early. That seems to get me geared up for the rest of the day.

I split the rest of my time between tedious household chores, blogging, working on my vintage selling business, gardening, etc. The etc. definitely varies from day to day. 

Of course I also try to see my family as much as possible, but I know they have busy lives. 

So here it is the weekend again. The week has slipped by so quickly, but I love that I still have purpose, that I can look back at the past days and see what I have accomplished. 

Time slips away, but life goes on.

  

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WATER AEROBICS BOOT CAMP

As you know, if you have been reading my blog, I have been taking water aerobics classes. I started out at one class a week, moved up to two classes and now I am going three times a week. 

I really like it, and although I am not seeing much weight loss even with a low carb diet, I can tell that my clothes are starting to fit differently. I assume that maybe the fat is transforming into muscle.

Classes are fun. Well, they are usually fun, but Thursday was a wee bit different. Our regular Tuesday and Thursday instructor was away on vacation so we had a substitute teacher.

I'm sure you remember substitute teachers. They were the teachers that we ran all over. They either sat there doing nothing, while we made cootie catchers, or they tried to teach us things that we had no intention of listening to.

Our water aerobics substitute teacher was a different kettle of fish. She was young, fit, and I truly believe she was on leave from the army, where I feel quite certain she is a boot camp instructor. 

She barked out orders as she walked around the pool, while the national anthem of North Korea was playing. (we normally rock out to music from the 60s) There was no slacking off because she would let you know if you were doing it right or not. 

I pretty much kept up, but when she told us to jump up with both legs out in front of us and touch our toes I told the plebe closest to me that I preferred not to drown. 

Things kind of went down hill from there as I started to crack jokes and say yes sarge, no sarge. Thank goodness the parade marching music "drowned" me out.

I did manage to almost finish the class and I was able to walk not crawl out of there with most of my dignity intact. 

Well, today it's back to the Saturday instructor, who I used to think was pretty tough, but now I know is just a cupcake. I think I'll stop and get him some flowers on my way into class. 

P.S. No, the photos have nothing to do with the content of the post, but if you thought I was going to post a photo of me in a bathing suit then someone has been drinking too much of the pool water. 

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