ready...willing...kinda able...

So I’m 65. Sadly, I’m HAPPY. Well, of course, for the obvious reason: I’m alive. But also because I am now on Medicare. Six years of paying for an individual medical insurance policy cost me and My Sweet Hubby (aka MSH) over $55,000. In those six years? I had six annual physical exams. No hospitalizations. (Yes—THANK YOU, Lord God Almighty.) No major illnesses. (Again—THANK YOU, Lord God Almighty.) But over $55,000? That’s alot. 

It is not lost on me that we could afford to pay these insane prices for virtually useless healthcare. For that reality—that we had the money to pay the exorbitant premiums—I’m blessed. Seriously BLESSED. I totally get that. 

For you younguns that may not know: Medicare isn’t free. It’s reasonable. (IF you’ve been used to shelling out $900 a month.) And that’s a lovely relief. 

The REALITY of aging:

My back hurts horribly. (Had an MRI last week. Results soon. Praying it won’t be surgery.) My knees are awful. It’s difficult to walk at this point. I do walk—as

much as possible. I look like I might be drunk. (Trust me—not possible. I rarely drink and when I do? One glass of wine.) Or 90. (There are probably MANY 90-year-olds that walk better than I do. Sigh.) I pray I can be fixed to walk normal—SOON.

On the upside of 65? 

I feel wise. I feel almost as smart as I was at...oh, say...50. The difference? I have no problem sharing my wisdom with you. Whether you want to hear it or not. And if you’re not interested? It’s fine. I’ll move along. I’ll try not to spend time annoying you. Winky wink. 

I need and love MSH as much as I ever have in our almost forty-two years together. We help each other on an minutely(notawordI’msure)/hourly/daily basis. We laugh. We disagree. We get over it/past it. Because we understand how short life can be. (It’s truly getting shorter by the day.)

I cherish a good church sermon. The beautiful church we’ve been visiting the past three months has an orchestra and magnificent choir! The pastors and musicians? They bring on my tears with their gifts of inspiration. Every. Sunday. Without fail. (Sometimes they bring on MSH’s tears, too.) I’m unworthy of God’s unconditional love and forgiveness. (I’ve actually been crying in church since before Tracey was born. I get overwhelmed with it all. Especially hymns My Nana loved.) Now, in this church, at this point in my life, I cry from the first song to the last. I’m proud to be a Christian who acknowledges every flaw I have. I desperately want to overcome my bad attitudes, choices and behaviors. I want God and Jesus to be PROUD of me.  

As a new 65-year-old—I need more time on this Earth. Pretty please! I’ve got things to do. People to meet. Books to read. Grandchildren, family members and friends to hug. And thank. And love. 

When I was 30? I thought I was getting old. THIRTY. I believed 60 might see me six feet under. Because 60 wasn’t just old. It was ANCIENT.

Perspective. It’s all about perspective.

65? Go ahead. Give me some challenges. Aches and pains. Disappointments. Wrinkles. Go head, 65. I’m ready for you. 

April? Yep. Ready for you, too.

Hugs to Y’all! New week! New month! Be. Ready. Okay?

ELC

Q&A with Elle...

Elle is officially THREE! In honour of this new milestone, I thought I would conduct a little interview with her to document how silly and sweet she is at this precious age!

1. How old are you now?
“Thwee.”

2. What’s your favourite color?
“Dark pink!”

3. What do you want to be when you grow up?
“A doctor and a nurse and a zookeeper!”

4. What’s your favorite food?
“Chicken wings. Edamame. Potatoes!”

5. What’s your favorite TV show?
“Daniel Tiger.”

6. What’s your favourite toy?
“The play kitchen upstairs.”

7. What’s your favourite holiday?
“My birthday!”

8. Who’s your favourite Disney Princess?
“Cinderella.”

9. Do you like cupcakes or ice cream better?
“Strawberry cupcakes!”

10. Do you like unicorns or mermaids better?
“Mermaids!”

This sweet girl is a hoot, y’all. She is OBSESSED with rocks and chapstick. She carries both with her at ALL times. Instead of a doctor, we think she might be a geologist! She wants to do everything her big sister, Little Leighton, does. She’s fiercely independent, and her love language is snack-time. She has brought us priceless laughter and love. We’re so proud of her!

TGIF

Y’all. Baby Elle’s face. It’s priceless. God love her. I took this at the end of our visit to The Perot Museum last week. It was Spring Break, impossibly crowded and Girlfriend was ready for a snack. I didn’t blame her. I was, too, but Elle LOVES rocks. She’s completely obsessed. I had to get a quick pic by this heart-shaped amethyst!

We had a super fun break and getting back into our routine this week has been rough. The weather has been so lovely! Even I want to be outside, and y’all know I’m much more of the “indoorsy-type.” I’m now officially ready for summer break. (Remind me I said this at the end of July when it’s five million degrees outside and my children are fighting constantly.)

Elle is about to turn three! (Hence why it’s hard to still call her “Baby Elle.” She’s officially a little lady now!) I’ll share a fun post about her with pictures next time!

Until then, have a happy and cozy weekend!

sister time...

Not the song from Elena of Avalor on the Disney Channel. Although I do so ADORE that song. And the Elena animated show. Both are MARVELOUS.

I’m referring to my “Sister Time” this past Saturday. In Wichita Falls. My middle sister, Mary V., invited me and our baby sister, Tricia, to come to a sleepover at her condo. I picked Tricia up (By the way—she now she lives ten minutes from our new casa!) at 9:30 that morn. We. Were. Psyched. ROAD TRIP! Neithet of us had been away for a night in MONTHS.

I was driving My Sweet Hubby’s (aka MSH) truck. I was gifting and delivering a CUTE canoe shelf (that wouldn’t fit in my car) to Mary V. It will eventually be put on display at her boyfriend’s SPECTACULAR Arkansas lake home. MSH and I had had it in our “lodge-y country casa for many years. I’d hoped it could stay in our new home. Alas, it didn’t make sense in this Great Room. I had to decide to let it go. I’m happy it will be in a beautiful, peaceful place.

We arrived at close to noon. Mary V. had a yummy lunch waiting for us. We laughed and laughed as we strolled down Memory Lane.  A new neighbor of Mary V.’s stopped by to meet us. She’s 77 and a PISTOL.  Very charming. Funny. Smart. Wise. She stayed about an hour.

After her departure, we decided to check out the St. Patrick Day’s celebration that was being held downtown. Because my back pain has gotten steadily worse for the past six months, and I have a hugely difficult time walking, we opted to go to a delightful coffee shop Mary V. had taken me and MSH to a couple of years ago. Silly Sisters. We just moved our Memory Lane travels to another place—adding some frappes and macchietos!

At 7:00, Mary V.’s daughter, Pepper, came over so Tricia and I could have a bit of quality time with her and so she could go to dinner with us. (Clearly, the day had been mostly filled with food and sitting and yacking.)

Dinner was delish. Loud. At the ages of almost 65 (ELC), 62 (Mary V.), 55 (Tricia) and 39 (Pepper), we decided we’re too old for loud. We needed a teensy bit of QUIET.

We went back to Mary V.’s casa for some wine and the company of three of her precious friends! All 70 or older. (Such wit and wisdom.) Pepper left at 10:30. The friends left by 10:50.

We Three Sisters went to bed at 1:30. Trust me when I tell Y’all none of us may get enough sleep in our normal daily living—but we don’t EVER stay up that late. Pretty certain none of us moved until 7:30 Sunday morn. We. Were. Pooped.

Tricia and I left at 11:30 after a breakfast of apricot and white chocolate muffins and the BEST strawberries and blueberries I’ve had in many MANY moons.

As always, we ended our time together vowing to do more of these sleepovers—only closer together in the future. Will we follow through? I pray we do. They are important for the health of our hesrts and souls.

Wishing each of you a FANTASTIC week—and time with peeps who fill you up with Cozy Comfort and BIGTIME JOY!

Smooch,
ELC

...that being said...

Y’all. The Bachelor has left the building! I have to admit I’m beyond relieved. It was a long and—IMHO—boring season. At the end of each week’s show? I’d shake my head and ask myself:

Why? WHY AM I WATCHING THIS?

If I never hear a couple of words again—words that begin with “v” and describe Colton’s status in terms of his...well...you know...(It’s the same word. Both are nouns. One has “ity” at the end if it.)—it’ll be too soon. I’m 1000% over those two words. Forever.

And then there was:

“That being said...”

Good GRAVY. It was uttered by Colton or Chris or one of the girls TOO dadgum much. Every week. Often several times in two hours. SIGH.

It’s actually used too much by EVERYONE on TV. News people. Entertainers. Talk show hosts. I swear—I NEVER hear a family member or friend in my life use that phrase. Trust me—they’ll be scolded by moi if this happens. I will NOT be able to keep my mouth shut.

FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING DECENT AND RIGHT:

If you use this phrase? PLEASE. STOP. CEASE and DESIST. As of YESTERDAY. I request this of you with respect and the best of intentions. You’ll thank me someday. Believe this.

THAT BEING SAID...teeheehee...

This is Little Leighton’s Spring Break. Grammy and Pa-Pa have been very much apart of the activities. We’ve treasured every opportunity to be included in the FUN.

Happy Friday Eve, Darling Friends. HAPPY SPRING! Happy SPRING BREAK!

Hugs,
ELC

what the what?

Y’all. Texas weather. There truly are no words.

On Monday, the wind chills were literally in the single digits. Yesterday and today? The high has been close to 80 degrees. EIGHTY. I’ve run my heater and AC in the same day. Possibly within the same hour. I suppose it’s like this every year. You would think living here my entire life, I would find this nonsense almost “normal” by now. Well, I don’t.

Early this morning, we had a huge storm. Hail included. The girls both woke up scared to death. Everyone piled in our queen-sized bed. Silly of me to think they might actually go back to sleep. Baby Elle sang. Little Leighton felt squished. (Mind you, MY rear was the only one hanging off.) It was a hot mess. I now feel like I’ve been up approximately 17 hours. Tonight, we “Spring Forward.” Jesus, take the wheel! 

Little Leighton is officially on Spring Break this (coming) week. We have several fun things planned but, alas, we now have to battle rain chances. Boo! I’m excited about a break from our hectic school mornings. I’m hopeful I’ll get to finish an entire cup of coffee without reheating it. Sigh. 

I hope y’all are having a cozy weekend! Stay warm! Or cool? Whatever you want to be. Winky. Wink. 

...trippin’...

Not day-trippin’. Not road-trippin’. Just My Sweet Hubby (aka MSH) trippin’.

A week ago this past Wednesday. We’d gone back to our hometown so MSH could go to his eye doctor to find out if he could get a cataract (FINALLY) removed.

We stopped at our hairdresser’s shop so MSH could give her and Her Sweet Hubby some cast iron pots and skillets. MSH’s camping/campfire/DutchOvencooling days have (sadly) pretty much come to an end. While taking these HEAVY pots out of his truck and putting them into Kit’s truck, he tripped. Fell face first onto her concrete parking lot.

I was inside. Visiting. (Imagine that.) He came in with blood gushing from his chin. Held up his right hand (And, yes. Of course he is right-handed.). His middle finger looked VERY BROKEN. (If TLC hadn’t recently purchased a new computer that is not ready to use—she could post an x-ray picture that woukd make you throw up in your mouth a little. Being honest.)

I drove him immediately to the Stephenville hospital ER. A place that has had 16 names and seen us both TOO MANY TIMES in the past 40 years. (Cancelled the eye doctor appointment. Sigh.) Our triage nurse was one of TLC’s best frienfs since first grade! That was special. At a painful and NOT FUN time. She was FANTASTIC.

The ER doctor was the KINDEST. The finger was not (Thank You, Jesus.) broken. Just dislodged. Just. Sheesh. The doctor made it straight. In less than three minutes. Although we were there almost four hours. Yikes. He put a splint on it and referred MSH to a hand specialist in Ft. Worth.

We got in to that (WONDERFUL) doctor on Monday. He re-x-rayed it and said no surgery needed. Baby it with the splint for a total of three weks fron the injury date.

This event caused three things to happen to hoth of us:

1) We decided we need an eye doctor closer to us. Not 80 minutes away.

2) We thanked Our Lord God Almighty it wasn’t worse than it was. And...

3) We were reminded, once again, to BE CAREFUL. GO SLOW. WATCH OUR FEET and WHERE WE STEP/WALK.

Life is short. Especially as you age. Gotta slow our geezer selves down.

Y’all have a SWEET Sunday. (Going to be bitter cold in North Central Texas. So over BITTER COLD. But SLOW your ROLL. If you don’t have your health, NOTHING else matters. Trust me.

Smooch!
ELC