Wednesday, June 27, 2018

What are you doing?
Whatever it is, I hope you’re having a great time.
As for me, I’m getting ready for a change of pace and will be away
from my blog for the next few weeks. Back in August.

Have a great summer!!

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Might Just As Well ...
God grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference.
Now that I'm older here's what I've discovered:
1. I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it.
2. My wild oats have turned into prunes and all-bran.
3. I finally got my head together, and now my body is falling apart.
4. Funny, I don't remember being absent-minded.
5. Funny, I don't remember being absent-minded.
6. If all is not lost, where is it?
7. It is easier to get older than it is to get wiser.
8. Some days, you're the dog; some days you're the hydrant.
9. I wish the buck stopped here; I sure could use a few.
10. Kids in the back seat cause accidents.
11. Accidents in the back seat cause kids.
12. It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere.
13. The only time the world beats a path to your door is when you're in the bathroom.
14. If God wanted me to touch my toes, he'd have put them on my knees.
15. When I'm finally holding all the cards, why does everyone want to play chess?
16. Its not hard to meet expenses . . . they're everywhere.
17. The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.
18. These days, I spend a lot of time thinking about the hereafter . . . I go somewhere to get something, and then wonder what I'm hereafter
.
19. Funny, I don't remember being absent-minded.
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Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Seeking Humor

We hear all the time that people looking for a mate want someone with a sense of humor. That is not simply a frivolous trait, it is an important component of overall health. Norman Cousins who laughed himself back to health with laughter after a devastating diagnosis famously said that an “adequate share of humor and laughter represent an essential part of the diet of the healthy person.” Ergo, looking for a mate with a sense of humor is simply seeking someone who is healthy.

I read recently about a woman who recounted that one day she went driving in the hope of finding a place where she could commit suicide. She wasn’t sure how and where she would do it, all she knew is that she could no longer keep going. As it happened the radio was on and the program host made a joke which suddenly made her smile. She hadn’t smiled in a long time, but the simple fact that she did smile made her realize all was not as bleak as she thought. She had welcomed humor. She decided to give life another try for one more day, she told herself, and that one extra day turned into days that made it possible for her to find a solution to her problems.

Mark Twain said, with humor “all our irritations and resentments flit away.” When we try to joke about the annoyances in our lives they become less important. And when we joke about whatever scares us it becomes less frightening. Just as we try to remove the fear our young grandchildren may experience by turning it around and making a game of it so they can deal with the fear, whether a monster under the bed or a scary noise.

Finding humor in whatever situation saddens us at whatever age should be a priority. It is certainly a good alternative to brooding in misery and despair.

 

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Stuff
As the years add up we become aware of how much “stuff” we’ve accumulated over the years. Then, if you’re like me, you begin to consider that downsizing is a must. In my case, downsizing is an ongoing effort.
            Whenever I go through my cupboards and closets and see things I no longer use, I put them aside to sort later. When the pile is big enough I make packages for my local charity second-hand store. The shop welcomes all donations that can be useful to people with little money, but it is always especially looking for clothing. To me it’s great to downsize my closet while helping others at the same time. 
            A while back, I came across a couple of wool blankets that had been in a closet for at least a decade, yet I had not used them in years. When I brought them to the second-hand shop last fall, it was great to see the lady in charge thank me several times. She said she knew a family that had an urgent need for blankets. I must say that I left feeling pleased that I had made the effort to bring comfort to someone else.
I am downsizing in small doses, but I know that at my next move, I’ll have to be prepared to get rid of much more stuff in an organized manner. That stuff will include furniture that I’ve already begun to sell. To facilitate the process, I’ve found that taking pictures and offering the items on line is a good way to go. I recently sold an old sewing machine that no longer worked but was housed in an antique cabinet the buyer had been looking for. I was thrilled, so was she. People go on line when looking for specific items and you never know what will catch their eye.
Another way to go when you have a lot of stuff to get rid of is certainly the garage or yard sale. You display small and large items and let treasure hunters have a great time examining everything, something I myself have been known to do over the years.
Preparing for such a sale is time consuming but it can be rewarding to see the stuff you no longer use make someone else happy. I think it’s good to remember that while people are looking for great deals at these sales it certainly does not mean that you’ve got to give things away.  As part of the planning process for your own yard sale it’s a good idea to take the time to look at the prices at other yard sales so you have an idea how to price your own stuff.
Since you surely will not get rid of all your stuff, there are removal companies that can pick up the rest to donate it or recycle it. You will need to pay for this service, but it’s a good way of clearing everything out.
During the summer months, I still enjoy visiting garage and yard sales in my neighbourhood.  Of course, now I have a clear purpose in mind because I search for books and dvds. It’s amazing the treasures you can find for a couple of dollars.