Little Bitty Adventures

I am on a mission....

I am trying to do things I've never done before - - -
                                                      little bitty things even.

Like buying a bag of ice out of a store dispenser... Don't ask me why!! Guess I just never needed to before but I finally went into the store, plunked my money down, walked out, got my ice and handed it to my son so he could put it in the cooler. Now, that's not a big deal.
                     I know... you all are making fun of me! 😀
Hey, cut me some slack...It was something new...

My son and I got to Nags Head. We are on the beach and my great-grands are having a blast trying to pop huge bubbles that my s-i-l was making.

I did not want to be left out so I joined in the fun.

Then I got to be the bubble maker. It was so much fun. Two more things I had never done. I oughta keep a list.

I am a full believer that people, regardless of their age, should fill their every waking moment with new discoveries. Even if it is something so minute as buying a bag of ice or blowing a bubble.                                                                             😃

Falls

                           There are five of us girls that hang out together here at the apartments. 
                                                        Here I am with three of them.

The housekeeper came to clean and found S. lying on her kitchen floor. 

She had been there about 12 hours.  

She couldn't get up and the emergency pull cords are in the bedroom and bath. 

Well, that doesn't help if you fall in the kitchen.

So, we girls are rethinking our commitment to each other. 

We are thinking about each sending a quick text

to our group text

each morning upon arising and before we go to bed.

That way we all will know we all are alright!! 

Growing old has it's ups and downs. Frequent falls is one such down. 

Last Day of My Birthday Celebration

                                                 My Birthday - Installment 4

The day was slipping away. We'd done the carriage ride already. At 3 we went for tea. I guess I expected an English style afternoon tea, which it was not, so that was a disappointment. The room where it was held was cold so we grabbed up our cups of tea and cookies and found us a roaring fire to enjoy it by.

My birthday dinner was supposed to be in the main dining room but 'best laid plans of mine and men' sort of thing happened. The dining room was closed. So, back to the Jefferson room to celebrate.

I had the BEST roast chicken ever! and the mashed potatoes... well, they were the best, too. The Homestead has one heck of a great chef. I pretty much cleared my plate!

 And, then this yummy whatever it was... I think mousse covered in chocolate with, gee was that whipped cream or ice cream. I can't remember. and those edible gold beads and wafers imprinted with Happy Birthday. This is quite a celebration. 

To bed, but not to sleep. We just don't want to sleep when we can be having fun so we stay up late doing the snapchat thing again. And, laughing our fool heads off.

Monday.... we head home. We are all packed and wait on the porch for the car to be brought around.

One last hurrah!

We did it!

BORED.... Never

                             As I age, I am slowing down. Do you find that to be true, as well?

 And, I find that with just myself to look after, I end up with hours each day with little to do!!

                                Gee, I used to wonder when that day would come..........

                                                                     It has!!

                                                         So, I find that I am bored.

I ran across some quotes I'd written down, some tips about growing older, and guess what I found.
                            

                 "You should never allow yourself to become bored"   

                                                                      DUH

        That quote came out of a book my son gave me several years ago. A very wise book. 

                                                          I should read it more often!!

Dr. Pillemer interviewed more than 1,000 people over the age of 65 to find out their advice to the younger generation. It's so informative, inspiring, a "gotta read" book. 

One lady that Dr. Pillemer wrote about, aged 94, says this:

"I tell them (the younger people) to find the magic. The world is a magical place in lots of ways. To enjoy getting up in the morning and watching the sun come up.....You can be grateful, happy for the things that have happened. You should enjoy your life. Grow a little. Just because you're getting older doesn't mean that you need to stop growing...."

                                              Well, that slapped me right in the face.

Here I am, gonna turn 85 in a few days, very healthy (slowing down but not sick), my mind is very alert, I am surrounded by love of family, friends and life. And, I am BORED!!

                                                          What the heck?

                                         So, I am on a MISSION. Will you join me?  

And, here is a prayer that I intend to say every night as I go to bed. 

              The things that I am the most thankful for... they are the simple things of life

Linking with Thankful Thursday and Little Things

Happy New Year

                                                      Today is the last day of 2018!

                                             How did that happen and where did it go?

          This year has been filled with many ups and downs as I am sure it was for many of you.

But, I am happy to say that it is ending on a very positive note and I have so many ideas in my head

                                                                            for

                                                         THE BEST YEAR EVER

                                      How about you? What are your plans for the New Year?

I always intend to make resolutions. I do make a few.............

                                                        And, then I forget what they are!!

                                                  So, no resolutions this New Years Day.

                                            Then, I won't have to admit that I am forgetful!

    Wishing each of you a very Happy New Year and the best 2019                                      you can possibly have.

                                                                                                                       

A Thankful Life

I am eighty four years old. Yep, 84. How did that happen?

But, you know, I wake up every morning so thankful that God has given me another day to live. I am healthy, happy and full of living so I just want to say to all of you.... get up off your couch, outta your chair, get doing... go about each day filled with gratitude and fun. 

These days it doesn't take much to make me happy... just little things most times. Like spending time with people I enjoy, having some good food, listening to good music, reading, traveling, trying something new. You are not too old... so live a little.

                                                   Here I am boating with my son.

Take time to enjoy your grandchildren. Having a game of Scrabble with my grandson.

Try something new... Here is my grandson and his girlfriend helping me set up a new Instagram account where I encourage us older folks to live life to the fullest. I am an active Blogger, Facebook user, have Pinterest and Instagram. So, I dabble a bit in the tech world. 

Don't be afraid to step through a new door. You might be surprised at what you find on the other side.

Joining with Thankful Thursday and Little Things

Do You Keep A Journal?

                                                                     Do you keep a journal?

                                                       They called them diaries back in 'the day'.

  1. I started my first one when I was in my teens but it was one of those tiny little books with scarcely enough room to write anything. All I entered was the scantiest info, like 'met Elbert Barton today' or a couple years later 'he proposed'.

2. It was not until 1999 when I read 'The Widow Down By The Brook' a well-documented diary written by a widow. It made me realize just how little I had revealed about my life in those 'tiny little diaries'.

3. I bought me some theme paper (college rule, of course) and set about documenting my life day by day. There soon came our move from Alabama to Virginia, my cancer scare, Elbert and my journey through his Alzheimers and finally my new life as a widow. I had become that widow "Down By The Brook".

4. I have scores of journals, mostly the back and white composition books that we used in school.
I find they are about the right size for a years worth of journaling. As I have needed, I have gone back to those older journals to recall certain events, find out info I had forgotten and relive those special times in my life. How I wish I'd kept more detailed journals before 1999. Oh well, we learn as we go along.

5. I wonder if my children will keep my journals after I am gone. Will they read them or will they be stored in a trunk or perhaps eventually tossed out. It doesn't matter. They have served a purpose for me and that's all that is important.

Linking with Willy Nilly Friday, Thankful Thursday and Little Things.

This is part of my Growing Old Gracefully series. 

A Time Alone

                                       Since I live alone I have found that I can do anything I want to!
Nobody needing me for anything. No husband wanting breakfast. No children to send to school. No pet to be fed.
I am my own boss. Although I sorely miss my companions (my husband and then my partner) and would want my life back the way it was, I sort of like being on my own. 
I have a routine every morning. I am a fairly early riser if you can call 7 early. I walk into my office, sit down in an old swivel-rocker that had been my Moms. I ask Alexa (Echo) what the weather is, then ask her to play some classical music (it's a different composer usually each morning). 
I reach for three books that are nearby. The Bible, "Letting Go" by Beatty, and "Who Will Cry When You Die" by Robin Sharma. Those books have lessons I need to set the tone for my day. I read a bit, say a prayer, sometimes I meditate (just being quiet and peaceful) while maybe Chopin or Beethoven provides the background music. Sometimes I choose the sounds of the ocean or a thunderstorm to play on my Echo.  I love this quiet time, just me, God and my thoughts. 
                               As Robin Sharma says "The way you begin your day determines the way you will live your day". 
                                                                How do you start your day?

Springtime

I am on a path seeking a calmer, more serene life. I am making this last decade the best ever. So, I am more aware of my surroundings, more atune to living life to the fullest, more thankful for each and every thing that comes my way to enhance my days.  

Thank you Thankful Thursday and Little Things for giving me (and others) a place to express our thankfulness.

I am so thankful for the beauty of springtime.

A nice place to have a quiet lunch by myself or with friends

And, a road to travel through this life. 

Learn to say NO

Three and a half years....

Going on four, that I have lived in my little apartment overlooking the pond. 

My, my how times does fly. 

                     There comes a time in everyone's lives when we learn to say "no" to how our life IS 
                                               and start doing the things that make us happy. 

Have a super week. Love you all.
Latane

Rough Around The Edges

Hey there....

How are you today? 

Some days I feel older than mud. Used and worn out.

Some days I feel more like young mud!!! Ready to be molded into something interesting. 

I've put some living in my years. Surprises the heck outta me when I look back at all I have done and I am still doing. But, age has a way of leaving a mark on you.... like wrinkles, and grey hair, and creaky bones. In the picture below I am 'touched by time and rough around the edges'. 
                     Man, it was windy the day we made that picture!!

I have always loved story telling and I have a bunch to tell. I've written my and my husband's life out for the kids and grands, just so they will know where they came from. I've put together dozens of picture scrapbooks so they can have visual proof that I was telling the truth... at least as I remember it. 

And, I wrote a novel about a couple living during the Depression. Now, I know a thing or two about that era and the characters in the book were patterned after people and events that I knew about. 

Here I am doing a speech about the importance of trying something new even if you are older than mud.

So, my quote today pretty much says what I want my life to be like at this ripe old age of 83. I want to be sort of like fine wine... aged but oh so tasty. 

Have any of you left any stories behind for your 'youngins' ? Just asking. 

You might want to think about it.  

Growing Old Gracefully

I have always loved beautiful things! Objects, Places, Thoughts... I just want my life to be filled with beauty and peace. I am a very gentle person, growing up as an only child in a house full of adults. I had no playmates so I made my world the way I wanted it, out of my imagination, with what little I had. It was in the midst of the Great Depression and I had LITTLE. So, my dreams and play were filled with thoughts of flowing gowns, soft music, fabulous art and of course, a tall handsome man. I got the man! 

It is said that everyone you meet, every place you visit, everything that happens helps to shape who you are. I agree with that totally. As I have come to this place in my life (let's just say I'm over the hill) I look back on what has made me who I am and I am more than grateful for the opportunity to have had the life I have. 

Let me start with my dear sweet Mother (pictured here at age 92 and in a 'beauty' contest). She was one of the most gentle people I ever knew. I never ever in all her years heard her say one unkind word about anyone.  I miss you, Mom. 

 I've gotten to travel a lot over the years. I've seen and done things that most people don't get an opportunity to do. Well, at least it was a far stretch for this little gal from Alabama to do and see.

I always did love pretty things and I think that this picture taken at my daughter's house one Christmas is just perfect. It represents family (which I love) and food (which I love) and a beautiful setting (which I love). I guess I just love it all.

I am from the South. Although I was happy to leave Alabama, I have fond memories of so many things there, one of which is the scent of gardenias in the garden in the summertime. Oh, and wild honeysuckle, and chicken frying in the skillet.. 

I just love gates. I always wonder what is on the other side.

 I hope that I am...

Down In The Dumps?

For those of you who have followed me for awhile, you know that occasionally I do a post on 

It's been awhile but after a week of feeling down and out and "older than mud" I felt it was time to remind myself and others of how blessed we are to still be kicking. 

It's natural to feel old sometimes. Life just gets difficult. We clutter it up with mundane things. 

So, here's some reminders.... for me and for you!

1. Fill up your space with things that make you happy.

Beautiful Flowers

Elegant Perfume

Pretty things

2. Do things that make you feel well.

Getting plenty of sunshine

A smile lifts the spirits of you and everyone around you. 

Balance in your posture and in your life.

Eating a balanced diet. 

Plenty of rest

and Exercise 

3. Make time to do those things that give you joy.

Spend time with friends

Little ones always make me smile

I love my camera!

There's nothing better than a cup of tea and a good book. 

And, don't forget traveling to new places

Those are some of the things that will keep us young, alert and active. 

Hey, I think I am ready to give this ole life another shot in the arm. 

Let's see...

A book?   Maybe a trip?   New clothes?  

How about you?