Craftbug

What is My Story?

                “They” say everyone has a story to tell.  I’m not so sure that my story would be very interesting to anyone.  Here is my attempt to tell “My Story”.  Hopefully it won’t be too boring and maybe it will help someone along the way.

            I live in Covington County Alabama outside a small town called Andalusia.  It is in the southern part of the state about 20 – 25 miles from the AL/FL state line.  I love living in the country.  Even though we have neighbors, it is very quiet most of the time.  Andalusia doesn’t have much going for it in the way of shopping or entertainment or jobs.  It’s a quaint little town but we have to go elsewhere for shopping and entertainment and work, unless you are one of the lucky ones that get a decent job in Andalusia.

            Today is October 21, 2009.  It’s a Wednesday this year.  The weather couldn’t be any better for October.  Last Thursday, October 15, I turned 50 years old.  Is it a milestone?  Maybe.  To some I’m sure it would be.  The living is hard for a lot of people and to make it to 50 years of age would be a tremendous accomplishment.  For me, it was just another day.  I got birthday wishes from friends and family…no big surprise there.  I did not, however, get a big 50 birthday bash and that’s OK.  My husband is not one to do such things, I guess, and my children did not attempt it.  He did take me out to eat, but that was all.  We go out to eat quite often so it isn’t the treat it used to be.  The best thing about that is that I don’t have to cook or clean up. I hate doing both of those.

            I got a card from my youngest son, Buck, and his wife.  I got a bouquet of flowers from my daughter, Elaine.  I got a “facebook” birthday wish from my oldest son, Ryan, and a card that my grandson Hayden, Ryan’s son, made for me with some pictures of the family inside.  These were all very nice.  I really appreciate them.  Even my 2½ year old grandson, Ethan, wished me a happy birthday.  But somehow, something seems missing…and I can’t explain what it is.  It is nothing that anyone has said or done.  It may be my “midlife crisis” and I don’t know what to do about it.

            Yesterday I went to a funeral of a 20 year old man, Tyler Friedman.  He was the son of my second cousin, Lynn Friedman (Eiland).  He died unexpectedly and it’s a mystery to me.  It wasn’t an accident or a murder and he wasn’t involved in drugs or alcohol.  I’m not real sure that anyone knows how he died.  There was an autopsy and I suppose no one has heard anything about the possible cause of death yet.  He had so much going for him.  Unfortunately, that is usually the one that dies so young.  To add to the sadness of this death, my cousin lost a brother by drowning.  She is my age and we were very young when this happened.  I don’t remember him at all.  I have just seen pictures and heard the story.  She has suffered much loss in her life.  I don’t know how she handles it.  I know that “life goes on” and that seems so unfair sometimes.  How do you keep on going when your baby just died?

            I guess I'll stop here for now so this post won't be too long.  I'll post again with more thoughts and more of "My Story".

Choices, Choices...SUV vs. Truck

My husband and I have talked about buying a new vehicle at the end of this year. We were waiting because sometimes you can get really good deals at the end of the year.  Well, we didn't wait.

He got a pre-approved loan letter in the mail from the credit union.  The interest rate was too good to pass up.  It expired May 31 and he would be at work almost the whole month of May.  We decided to see what we could find.

I didn't want a car.  It's getting hard on my knees to crawl in and out of a car.  I really like a truck.  It's easier for me to get in and out of and I feel safer.

I had an idea of what I wanted, either an SUV or a truck.  I was contemplating an Equinox or a Colorado.  Yes, both Chevy products.  He's a die hard Chevy man.  I'm OK with that.  I trust his judgment on most things.   I drove a Trail Blazer...I really liked it.  I drove a Silverado...I really liked it.  I drove a Colorado...I really like it.  I didn't drive an Equinox...already did that. 

Either one of the vehicles I drove would have been fine.  I had to consider the cost.  Even though we were approved for a decent amount and could get a Silverado, I didn't like the idea of having really high payments.  I don't like feeling like I'm in a bind financially.  Been there, done that.  I chose the Colorado.  It's a nice ride and substantially less expensive than the SIlverado.  So here's my new ride...and it's a V8.  Sweet!!!

OK, OK So I'm Overweight!!!

When I was in high school, I weighed in at a lean, mean 110 lbs.  I was (and still am) 5'5" tall.  So I guess you could say I was skinny.  I didn't think so because I didn't have the "perfect" body.  Although, if I had that body now, I would be soooo happy!!

After having my children, two boys and a girl, I just gave up on getting back in shape.  I didn't think there was much use in trying.  I did have good results after child number 1 and number 2 but was exhausted by the time number 3 got here.  The last two are 16 months apart in age.  It was just easier to cook and eat the way I knew.  I took the lazy woman's way out.  Now I'm really paying for it.

I always told my husband that there would be NO WAY that I would ever weigh 200 lbs, let alone exceed that weight.  Well, I guess I lied to him.   I never in my wildest dreams thought I would gain that much weight.  You can't hide it, that's for sure.  No clothing in the world will hide a big belly and big arms and big legs.
So here's a picture of me that I'm not happy about at all.  You can probably tell by the look on my face.  Just thought I would give you a before picture as a reference point.

I can't seem to get motivated to lose the weight and be in better health, either.  My children's graduations didn't motivate me nor did a vacation to Hawaii.  Family reunions and weddings don't seem to do the trick.  Next month my youngest son is getting married and here I have waited until now to try to lose maybe 20 pounds before then.  You would think that I would have started last year when they set the date.  I had plenty of time to lose what I need to lose if I had started then.

I have three grandsons that just might want to play with Granny without her getting tired or not feeling like it at all.  So, I finally decided to take the plunge and start on a plan for a life style change.  If I say "diet", it won't work for me.  I guess since I'm making this public for all the world see if they want to, then I need to stick with it.  Right?  Right!

A Woman's Roles

A woman's roles in her lifetime are many.  Have you ever stopped to think about what you do or who you are?  There is a reason we are tired at the end of the day.  We don't start out that way, though.

When we are born, we are someone's daughter, granddaughter, great-granddaughter, sister, cousin and niece.  As we get older and attend school we become someone's friend and a student.  We participate in sports or clubs so we are team members.  Eventually, we are a girlfriend, aunt, wife, housekeeper, financial manager, household manager, employee or employer, co-worker.

So then comes the part of being a daughter-in-law and a sister-in-law.  Soon, or sometimes not so soon, we become a mother and a caregiver.  That's when we really get busy with the many roles we play.  With motherhood comes the roles of chauffeur, nurse, mediator (if you have more than one child), event planner, soccer mom, baseball mom, football mom, etc.  Any or all sports could be involved.  Sometimes we have to be the dictator to make our children practice piano lessons or drum lessons.  We are always a teacher to our children or we should be.  These are the very busiest times.  That's why we are so tired at the end of the day.

Eventually, we become a grandmother.  This is when all these things that we have done and become pay off.  We may still have to do many of these things for our grandchildren, too, but it was well worth the many roles we had to take on.  If we stop to think about what all we do and have done in our lives, we can be overwhelmed.  That's why we do it without thinking about it.  It has to be done.

I'm not taking anything away from the men in our lives.  They do many things, also.  I'm just trying to get you to stop and think about what we do as women and the responsibility that goes with all of it. I have probably left out some of the roles we take on.  They are many.

Attitude is Everything

Have you ever wondered why your day isn't going like you want it to?  Things just don't seem to be working out the way you planned.  Things go wrong or in a different direction and then you start to get mad or irritated about it.  If your let yourself get upset about things, then everything will go wrong.

We are not always in control of what happens.  We know how we want things to turn out and strive for that but sometimes it just doesn't happen.  Did you know that it really doesn't matter most of the time that your day goes differently than planned?  Barring something really terrible happening, in the grand scheme of things nothing is really so bad.

The way you handle situations makes a difference in how your day turns out.  You can get up in the morning and be cranky and let it take over.  See how your day goes with that attitude.  Or you can wake up and make the decision to make this a really good day no matter what.  Now see how your day goes with that attitude.

The way society and the economy is right now, we could all be in really bad moods all the time.  We can't let it rule our lives.  We have no control over any of that except what we are directly involved with (and even that control is iffy).  We have to make the best of what we have and who we have in our lives.  Surely there is something good in everyone's life that would make it all worth getting up in the mornings with an attitude of making it a wonderful day. 

Try this...Smile!!!  The next time you go to work or to the store just smile at someone.  See if they smile back.  Most of the time they will.  Sometimes you could be the one that makes their day better.  If you can make someone's day better, wouldn't you?

What?!?! You don't like Chocolate!?!?!?!

I love chocolate.  I have to admit though that I don't eat it as much as I did when I was younger.  I still like it but I guess I just don't crave it as much.

My husband's family doesn't and didn't eat it as much as I did.  If I made any kind of chocolate dessert for a family gathering I was teased about it. My husband likes milk chocolate but doesn't care for cakes or pies, etc....  The teasing I never understood.  I never made fun of any of them about their flavor preferences.  Just because I like something and they don't does not give them the right to tease.  They eat things that I will never put in my mouth...hog lungs, cow stomach, hog brains, pickled pigs feet, souse...you get the picture.

I even mentioned have a bakery/candy store with made-from-scratch chocolate goodies and calling it "Everything's Chocolate".  My mother-in-law said, "Not everyone loves chocolate like you do".  I know not everyone loves chocolate but there are a lot of chocolate lovers out there.  I know I shouldn't let this bother me but for people that believe in treating people decently, they sure don't mind making fun of me and my tastes. 

My point in all this rambling is that you shouldn't make fun of someone just because they like or dislike a particular thing.  My taste in music and home decor and many other things are not the same as my family and in laws. 

Getting Older

We all know that we will get older.  When we are young it seems so far away.  We also think that we will be able to do the same things we did when we were young with the same gusto and vigor. 

My mother just turned 70 years old this month.  She is still pretty spunky.  She does all her own housework and cooking and shopping and helping with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, etc., etc., etc....but she is slowing down a bit.  She has her ailments and health issues.  She knows her limitations, however, and does rest in between all this as she sees fit.  I know the day will come when she won't be able to do all she does and will need help.  I am preparing myself for that day.  I know she won't ask for help until she needs it.  I'm ready.  It will be her turn to be taken care of.  She has taken care of so many of us over the years.

On the other hand, my mother-in-law is 71 years chronologically.  Physically, she's probably about 90 years old.  She has been in the hospital for 4 days now and just came home this afternoon.  She is very frail and until now was doing almost everything for herself.  She does not want to give up her freedom or independence.  She is somewhat stubborn in that area.  She has "stuff" that she doesn't want to part with.  She doesn't need this "stuff" as it has been in boxes and unused for years.  Still, I can understand where she's coming from.

I'm sure that neither my mother or mother-in-law expected things to turn out the way they did.  No one knows how old-age will be for them.  I think we assume that we will be able to carry on as usual.  I know from watching my family members that this will not be the case.  I'm sure you all have the same experience in your lives.  We just have to be ready to take care of the ones that took care of us for so many years...and do it with love and no bitterness and no complaining.  That's what you do for family.

Organizing My Home

Do have problems keeping things organized?  There are some areas in my home that are always organized and then there are other areas that seem totally chaotic.  I can find things when I need them but no one else can.  Even if I try to tell them where to find something, it's a lost cause.

I have started a plan of action, however.  When I come across something, by accident or on purpose, if I feel like I don't need it or want it anymore, I put it in a "yard sale" box or the garbage.  If it's not worth trying to sell, in the garbage it goes.  I am making progress doing this.  Now I just need somewhere to store the "yard sale" box!!

I have a basement full of stuff that I could probably get rid of.  I could sell some of it on ebay if I would just get down there and pull it out of the boxes and photograph it and set it up on ebay.  That is the plan, it's just not to fruition yet.  This task seems overwhelming to me.  I guess if I approach it like the rest of the house, it won't be so daunting.

Unless you need to do something like this in a day or two, you can do a little at the time or work at it an hour or two at the time.  Whatever you feel is manageable for you is the best way to approach something like this.  I'm not a professional organizer but I have learned what to do and what not to do by what works for me and what doesn't.

Quilt Guild

Since I'm learning to guilt, I went to the local quilter's guild meeting last night.  I figured I might as well go and see what it's about and maybe join.  Well, I had a good time and met a lot of nice, crazy ladies, so I joined.

They are a fun bunch of women.  Not all of them are veteran quilters.  That made feel more at ease since I'm just beginning.  One thing that the guild does is make "comfort quilts" for the policemen to keep in their cars to give to children when they are involved in an accident or fire or whatever may have happened.  At least I can help give back a little to our community.

I'll also learn more about quilting.  They meet twice a month and at one of the meetings everyone takes their machines and works on whatever they are making at the time.  They call them UFO's (unfinished objects). Cute, huh?  I will be able to get lots of help if I run into a problem.  The lady that is teaching me quilting lessons is the one that started the guild and she's still involved.  So between her and the other ladies, I should be able to learn quite a bit.

I'm really excited about this.  I know that quilting is not for everyone.  We all have our things we like to do.  Sewing and crafting and now quilting are the things I enjoy doing when I'm not with my family or having to do housework.  Most of the time housework takes a back burner anyway.

Photography

I'm not a photographer but I have always liked to take pictures.  I took the picture of the flowers above.  When I was very young, I had an old camera that you had to hold down at your waist and look into the top of it to take the pictures.  That was my first camera.  I wish I still had it.

I always wanted to take photography classes when I was in high school and college.  At the local community college they are not even offered anymore.  I wanted to learn how to develop the film in a darkroom.  That seemed very interesting and appealing to me.  I never did.  I will always regret it.  The college doesn't even offer anything with the digital cameras.

I do have a small digital camera and love it.  It's amazing to me what has happened with the photography field.  I still want to take some classes to learn more about the basics because they are the same.  You know, the lighting and shutter speed and such as that.  I found a place online that I can take classes at my own pace.  That would suit me, even if I never become a real life photographer.