Sunday Inspiration: Ask Yourself

August Begins

Oh, August.  That month which is most definitely still firmly set in summer with all the heat and  humidty, and yet we find ourselves leaning forward and squinting just a bit as we think "I'm pretty sure I can see autumn from here". 

August is another month of medical appointments. I have a follow-up visit for the endoscopy I had in July.  I am scheduled for an MRI on my knee, and a follow up for that. I also think Max is due for a one of his semi-annual checkups at the end of the month. (I should probably double check that and get something scheduled)

My dad's birthday is this month.  I know I've said it before - but every birthday we get to celebrate with him has extra meaning ever since we came close to losing him to a heart attack almost five years ago.  Every birthday since then feels like a bonus.

August has always felt like a month for fresh new beginnings to me. Maybe that's because it's back to school season.  All the new school supplies and clothes as well as a new school year with different classes and teachers.  What better time for reset? Which just happens to be my word for August.  (more on that in a future post)

My reading list for the month of August includes finishing "Normal Women" by Philippa Gregory, "The Thursday Murder Club" by Richard Osman, and "I Did a New Thing" by Tabitha Brown.  I started "Normal Women" some time back, but was unable to finish it before it had to go back to the library. I happened to see that the Kindle version was on sale during Prime Days and snagged a copy.  "The Thursday Murder Club" is the Book Club selection for August.  And "I Did a New Thing" is from my endless TBR list. 

My August Goals include:

• Clean out and reorganize linen closet
• Create a new morning routine 
• Journal/Write everyday 

What are your plans for August?

Thankful Thursday: August 1, 2024

 

I Am Thankful For:

Good results on my endoscopy report

The Olympic opening ceremonies

My new yarn arrived

Catching up with my favorite neighbor

Time spent with my daughter

Cute new stitch markers

Cheering on the home team

A delicious breakfast casserole

A good story

My husband and son going to a movie together

A healthy lunch

Appointments rescheduled

Afternoon reading time

Gold metal gymnastics

July Wrap-Up

July was not the month I was hoping or expecting it to be.  

I was thinking of a month filled with a few hikes, some long walks with the dogs, and a cookout or two. What I got was thunderstorms, trips to the urgent care, doctor appointments, and more doctor appointments.

The month started off well enough.   Our 4th of July "celebration" was small, quiet, and low-key.  Just us, the kids, and grandkids.  The Man of the House grilled some ribs. (Delicious!) And we indulged in some s'mores.  It was lovely.

I got to spend a few days each week with the oldest grandson.  And we celebrated our daughter's birthday this month with her family.  Those are some bright points in the month since any day spend with my kids and/or grandkids is a good day in my book! 

Then things got complicated.   I was already scheduled for my long-awaited endoscopy this month.  But before I could even get to that appointment I had an entirely new medical situation occur.

One morning after playing a little indoor fetch with the doggos, as I stood up and turned to walk into the other room - I felt a "pop" in my knee.  And as I continued to (try to) walk into the dining room, I realized something was definitely wrong.  I couldn't walk without excruciating pain in my right knee.  In tears, I told the Man of the House that I couldn't walk and probably needed to go to urgent care.  While getting dressed and waiting for the office to open, I felt another, smaller popping sensation and at that point the worst of the pain subsided.  Throughout the pmorning, the knee continued to ache with regular flares of pain that lit up the knee.  A trip to urgent care left me with a knee brace and a referral to orthopedics.  That appointment was scheduled quickly and the doctor suspects a torn meniscus. I have an appointment for an MRI in August.

The endoscopy went well. No complications or surprises.  They saw no areas of major concern. They took a few biopsies to check things out, but everything came back clear so far.  It's good to know there's anything too scary going on in there.

And that's July in a nutshell.  How was your month?

Sunday Inspiration: Regular Days

Thankful Thursday: July 25, 2024

 

I Am Thankful For:

Ice packs

A little treat

My latest crochet project turned out even better than I had hoped

Celebrating my daughter's birthday

Inspiration for a blog post

Chicken wings

Rainy Sunday

My husband comforting the dog during the thunderstorm

Hope

Getting some answers

My husband making dinner after my doctor's appointment 

My procedure went well

Sherbet

Wiggly little dog behinds

Talking to someone who has been through it

My grandson yelling "sneak attack" and then grabbing me into a big hug

A Midlife Woman's Manifesto

Re: Women in Midlife

We are no longer giving in and giving up just because we have reached a certain number of years.  We are still thriving and enjoying all that life has to offer.  We are constantly discovering new things - both about ourselves and about the world around us.

We are defying expectations and redefining the term "age appropriate".  We have spent the past 40-50+ years figuring out our personal style and what makes us feel good when we put it on.  We're not going to change that now to fit into the box of what anyone else believes someone our age should be wearing.  

We'll wear our hair short, mid-length, or long.  We'll wear a full face of makeup - or none at all.  We'll regularly color our hair - our we may let our silver strands shine. 

We're tired of playing a game we can't win.  We're tired of being told we are either trying to cling to youth and should learn to "grow old gracefully" - or we're "letting ourselves go." So, from now on, we're doing what makes us feel most like our true selves.

We're no longer being silent about perimenopause and menopause.  We're sharing our experiences - the good and bad.  We're advocating for better treatments and healthcare in these stages of life for ourselves and for the generations of women coming up behind us.  

We are showing up, showing off, being seen, and making sure our voices are heard.  Get used to it.

Sunday Inspiration: Beginning, Middle, and End

Thankful Thursday: July 18, 2024

I Am Thankful For:

Sunshine

Time to think about my next project

Found family

Days spent with my grandson

Sharing good news

Free car wash

Shrimp tacos

Afternoon thunderstorms to cool things down

Phone conversations with my sister

A break from the soupy humidity

Beautiful blue skies

Planning ahead

Medical care

Sunday Inspiration: What Becomes

 

Thankful Thursday: July 11, 2024

 

I Am Thankful For:

Fresh fruit

My son trimming the dog's nails for me

Cute shorts

Quiet reading time

Waking up before the alarm

An afternoon with my grandsons

Short weeks

Planning our next getaway

Grilled ribs

Family

S'mores

Freshly washed bedding

Finishing a good book

A moment of self-realization

A break from the heat - relatively speaking

The handsomest husband

My morning cup of tea

Sunday Inspiration: Comfort Zones

Thankful Thursday: July 4, 2024

 

I Am Thankful For:

Hunting for shells

A fruity "beach" cocktail

A delicious dinner

Driving up the coast

Climbing the Currituck Beach Lighthouse

Sunset drive back to the condo

A relaxing day on the beach

Beautiful yarn from a LYS on the Outer Banks

A pretty new journal

Buying fresh fish on the coast

When my husband makes me laugh

Being home again

Spending time with my cousin

Family cookout

The pitter-patter of rain

Spending the day with my grandson