Countrymouse Posted November 2018
On My Mind
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Replacing the much lamented 'On My Mind' profile option, this thread is for musings, jottings, whimsies, preoccupations and the rest of the thesaurus for anyone to jot down anything they please.
I can't remember what the maximum character count was before, can anyone else? But anyway it wasn't very many so let's keep to that.
But seeing the bigger picture of how the world is and what you want out of life after caregiving is worth it . Peace is what I want most , including within myself .
venting ((((hugs))). Only you can reclaim or rebuild your life. It's easy for some of us to get lost in the problems of others. You matter. You are as important as any one else, including those demanding seniors. You can put yourself and your needs and wants first. Start with baby steps and do something good or fun for you regardless of what others want from you. If you were hit by a bus they would manage - believe me, they would. You are not essential to their welfare. But you are essential to your own welfare.
hothouse ((((((hugs))))) for you too. Can you change anything in your situation to take some of the pressure off you? Like with venting and all of us - you are important too. Your needs should be met. Your peace of mind matters. When something hurts us it's time to make a change. Easier said than done, I know, but sometimes we have to work hard and even fight for ourselves. Others may be unhappy but's that's their problem.
nacy - glad you are on a better path - it's so freeing!!!!
way - you too - Giving up fixing is a hard lesson but so worth it!
Peace to all!!!! 🕊
Not just see things differently about your own family .
I now see other things differently .
I’ve learned to let more go . I learned to look for peace rather than trying to be the fixer. It was hard , because I was raised to be the fixer ..
Work well worth it .
But you will also find out it will be different in some ways . You will view some things differently . Perhaps some priorities are rearranged, shift a bit . Some old interests remain , some new interests may appear , some things don’t feel as important anymore . But that’s ok too. It’s a new chapter of life .
I used to be a much happier person. I hope I find my way back.
I often think about this. I think if we live long enough (and of course switch husbands often enough) we live lives entirely divorced from one another. We are quite simply different people at different times.
I think you are getting exhausted with something; I hope you take time for yourself just to do something ALONE that you love, whether going to a Museum, gardening, knitting, taking a few days alone at a motel where you watch TV and eat stuff that's bad for you.
Thinking of you.
The squirrels are so cute and busy little creatures!
I absolutely loved all of the Beatrix Potter books as a child. I read all of them to my children when they were young.
I really enjoy watching all of the birds too. I started giggling because I suddenly remembered a time when my dad ran into the house looking uneasy.
A blue jay was protecting her nest and attacked my dad! She swooped down and chased him off. He was quite unnerved by his encounter with this bird.
You’re right about how much people will spend on craft projects.
One of my friends spends an absolute fortune on scrapbooking!
I don’t know how she isn’t broke buying all of her supplies. She has a craft room, plus a closet filled up.
Her cards are beautiful but she goes overboard with spending.
She makes all sorts of things with her Cricut machine.
I have been shopping with her and I would not want to be paying for her credit card bills.
I know a woman who does volunteer quilting with her church group. It’s one of their ministries. They do baby quilts that are lovely. The mothers love the quilts.
The material for ‘pretty’ quilted side is only the first expense. Fat quarters cost more than simple yardage! The fabric backing is special extra-wide fabric (sometimes a high-quality large sheet), and the batting layer in between (the stuffing for warmth) is also a special extra wide expensive exercise. For a quilt, all three layers are stitched together, either by hand (a very awkward job) or on a special sewing machine that allows such a large article to fit under the presser foot. The stitching itself is an art form, not straight up-and-down. Here there are a couple of women who have the big machines and can do it for you, and it costs $$$. Of course both of them are heavies in the Quilting Club. The actual paid-out costs for a bed-sized quilt are between $500 and $1000, without putting any value on the unpaid work of quilting the ‘pretty’ front layer. It’s very different from the old pioneer ‘quilting bee’ using second hand fabric scraps.
It’s like a lot of craft. When I was a child, DIY craft was a way of saving money. Now most crafts are a way of spending money, and often a lot of it. Yes, the ‘pretty’ side or a quilt is often very attractive, but in my mind it is still about ‘ cutting perfecting good fabric into small pieces and then stitching it back together’.
The work that woman use to perform was tedious and quilting provided and provides a welcome chance to visit with like minded people and create something useful and beautiful for your home.
My favorite quilt, a crazy quilt that has used all the leftovers from clothing your family. Beautiful beyond words.
As far as I am concerned, it’s about cutting perfecting good fabric into small pieces and then stitching it back together. For pity’s sake!
I love transitional pieces too. They are tasteful and versatile. I prefer a collection of pieces, rather than a contrived look.
It’s more interesting to have a blending of styles. I especially like combining old pieces with newer ones.
I have fallen in love with it, and considering purchasing it. I thought about hanging it on my bedroom wall, but not sure of the best way to do this.
Have any of you hung a quilt on the wall? If so, please share what you did.
Thanks!
I love decorating and interior design.
Put that show you mentioned on my list.
No money does not buy taste, sometimes displaying wealth creates opposite effect.
Like some gold toilets and so on.
I am kind of minimalistic or between comfort and modern, which is transitional style.
Your husband is like mine, he thinks as well I am good cook and beautiful.
Nothing wrong with vegemite, it is full of nutrients.
I had to look up Vegemite. Interesting product!
My Tony will live for days on toast and vegemite if I am away. Minimal washing up when I get back, because he wipes the crumbs off and reuses every plate and mug. He thinks I am a wonderful cook, as well as being beautiful, and he is a genuinely nice man. Like I said, quit when you're ahead!
You have been busy!
Prepping for a move is a lot of work. Moving is work too.
It’s a good time to get rid of things that aren’t absolutely essential.
I find that the older I get, the less I want. I hate clutter.
I have always been fascinated with architecture and interior design.
I watched the series Million Dollar Decorators on Netflix.
It’s amazing to see how the super wealthy furnish their homes. It boggles my mind!
It’s also interesting to see that money cannot buy taste! 😁 One of the clients was a woman who married into the Max Factor family. Super rich family!
So, she said that she had an MBA and a law degree but didn’t know how to shop or decorate. She hires an interior designer, but wouldn’t allow her to do her job!
She was practically a hoarder. She bought pieces from all over the world.
She had a spare room in her house filled with art and furniture that she didn’t know what to do with.
She also had three storage units filled with more stuff. The interior designer had a really difficult time working with her.
Oh, one person on the show had a $30 million dollar home in La Jolla, CA. They spent $3 million just on the furniture. Must be fun! Huh?
One of the designers does work for Elton John, Cher, Sharon Osborne, etc. He said that he loved shopping with other people’s money! 😝
That retirement advice or whoever wrote it did not get a memo that it is 21st century!
Actually one couple retired now and husband took over almost all the cooking and cleaning!
The ‘retirement’ advice I’ve read rarely talks about how to divide the tasks differently. It usually assumes that DH needs to find new interests (or just 'enjoy leisure', avoid over-eating, and get some exercise), while W does all the usual work to keep running the household. Perhaps DH 'helps', but that's not dividing responsibilities for keeping daily life functioning. It's something that W is supposed to be grateful for, every time. That’s not fair when you are both getting old!